Who’s Duty Is It To Do The Due Diligence? - 07/31/11 07:41 PM
I work with home buyers from the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and Spain as well as local buyers. Working with buyers from out of the country presents a whole list of challenges that need to be overcome in order for a successful transaction to happen.
One such challenge is how a buyer can do their research and due diligence on a home purchase from across an ocean. It can be done, trust me. But it takes extra effort from the buyer and the agent.
I have had buyers email me to ask how far away a villa … (7 comments)

When Is A Lead Dead? Never!!! - 07/27/11 07:27 PM
I had an interesting phone call this morning that got me thinking. It was from a buyer in the United Kingdom who I had been working with last year to try to find a home in Legacy Park Davenport, Florida. He was a strong buyer who was going to be buying a home with cash.
I was glad to be working with him at the time because he was the kind of guy that understood what the market was doing and he was open to my advice because he knew I had his best interests at heart. But a few … (55 comments)

Do Gated Communities Really Give You More Security - 07/26/11 04:47 PM
The short answer is not really. Crimes happen in gated communities just like they happen in all communitites. No matter where you live there will always be that ten percent spoiling it for everyone. But gated communities do have their perks. Gated communities usually look more affluent and grand. It is a great way to keep out unwanted traffic and loitering.
In a vacation area like Davenport Florida it’s nice to have your home in a nice closed and gated neighborhood. It does make you feel a little more secure when you leave for home. Davenport is home to some … (8 comments)

22 Offers On One Listing; A Snap Shot Of The Davenport Florida Real Estate Market - 07/25/11 06:08 PM
I am working with a buyer who is looking for a vacation villa in Davenport with a private pool. He has been doing a lot of the searching himself on websites such as Zillow, Trulia, Movoto, etc. Normally I love when a buyer takes the bull by the horns and does some searching and research on their own. You can never have too much information, which is why I write this blog. But in this case it has backfired on us and I’ll tell you how.
Today I received an email from said buyer asking for some more details/info on … (11 comments)

Lake Wilson Preserve Davenport Florida Homes For Sale - 07/25/11 03:34 PM
Lake Wilson Preserve Davenport Florida is a picturesque community of 96 homes located less than 15 minutes drive from Disney World. The spanish tile roofs and natural beauty of this community make it one of the most visually striking communities in Central Florida.
Lake Wilson Preserve is located just minutes from some of the nicest premier golf courses Central Florida has to offer, as well as being conveniently located near most of Kissimmee’s restaurants, shops and attractions. All while being tucked back into the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Homes for sale in Lake … (2 comments)

Lake Marion Golf Resort Home Owner’s Association - 07/24/11 05:13 PM
Have you ever tried to get in touch with one of these home owner’s associations only to find their info is nowhere to be found? I know I have, many times. I’ve decided to do something about that. I’ve been compiling a database of HOA info for about the last two years and I’m going to start putting their info out there for the masses to find. I’m hoping this makes someone’s life easier.
I’ll start with Lake Marion Golf Resort. This is a beautiful vacation community in Poinciana, Florida. It has direct access to Lake Marion. I’ll be the … (4 comments)

Should I Stop Paying My Mortgage If I’m Doing A Short Sale - 07/23/11 10:33 PM
Today I received an email from a seller who owns a house in Calabay Parc Davenport, Florida. It was a brief email. It read “Hi Nathan, we found you online and were wondering if we should stop paying our mortgage if we want to do a short sale?” I get that question a lot from sellers and I always tell them the same thing. I can’t tell you to stop paying your mortgage.
But I can tell you that the bank will expect to see some kind of hardship if you are trying to short sale your home. A hardship … (15 comments)

One Thing You Don’t Do When You Are About To Close On A House - 07/23/11 07:51 PM
It’s no secret that getting a mortgage is tough right now. I can’t really blame the lenders when I take into account the risk vs reward involved right now. They don’t want another bubble that could cost them millions of dollars again. So things have tightened up and the guidelines they are operating under have become more stringent.
This being the case there are some things that you need to make sure don’t happen after you’ve gotten pre-approved and under contract on a home. You definitely don’t want to quit your job if you can help it.
I was … (27 comments)

5 Things You Should Do Prior To Your Trip To Buy A Villa - 07/20/11 09:01 PM
I once saw a sign above a shop that said “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. This is definitely the case when it comes to buying a home in Davenport, Florida. Luck favors those that put in the time and effort beforehand and make a plan.
It always surprises me when people contact me while they are on vacation hoping to buy a house on a whim while they are here. It just doesn’t work that way. Homes sell in a matter of days in Central Florida and almost every home ends up having multiple offers (as in … (2 comments)

Should Houses Be Shown In 3-D!!! - 07/12/11 05:32 PM
Just think about it! What if you could present your house in 3-D? Talk about curb appeal! The house would just jump right out at home buyers as soon as they pulled up. Maybe you could have some popcorn and soda waiting on them and really make a great impression. God knows the popcorn and soda is where the theaters make their money so why not you?
I have to admit this is an idea that is still in it’s infancy so I guess we need to take it one step at a time. But in the mean time I … (5 comments)

Please Consider Helping This Family in Crisis - 07/10/11 10:23 PM
If you have the ability to help please consider helping this family in need. Being the father of 4 children I can competely relate to how this family is feeling right now. Thank you Jason for bringing this to our attention.
Via Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC):
In the past, those of you who read my blog have all been very attentive and considerate when I've posted about people who were suffering or in need.  I hope to impress on you today how urgently your prayers and/or support are needed in this case...
For … (4 comments)

Aldea Reserve Davenport Florida Market Report - 07/10/11 03:30 PM
Aldea Reserve Davenport Florida is a beautiful community located just 15 minutes from Disney World. It's a great choice for a vacation home and is conveniently located near all of the other Central Florida attractions as well. The homes are stunning to look at, as is the community as a whole.
Currently there are 2 Aldea Reserve homes for sale on the market, both being short sales. There are also 2 homes in pending status, 1 being a foreclosure and 1 being a short sale.
6 homes have sold in Aldea Reserve over the last 6 months with an … (0 comments)

Spammers, I'm Putting You On Notice! - 07/06/11 05:22 PM
I wrote a post the other day entitled Are You Suffering From "NeedToPickARealtorItis"? It was a lighthearted way of helping international home buyers understand that here in Davenport buyers only work with one Realtor. I posted that blog in ActiveRain, Trulia, CFLInvestmentHomes as well as a few other sights. The more the information is out there the more people I can help.
Well within 2 minutes of me posting it on Trulia another Realtor went into my comments section and posted this comment.

What a complete lack of respect and integrity. Not only does he not add any … (7 comments)

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM "NEEDTOPICKAREALTORITIS"? - 07/05/11 04:16 PM
ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM "NEEDTOPICKAREALTORITIS"? Needtopickarealtoritis is a malady that is quite common for home buyers in the Central Florida area. It's not contagious, so your friends can't catch it. But it can be quite debilitating for the victim. International home buyers seem to be more susceptible to the condition than most, but it can affect any home buyer.
Symptoms include blurry vision (from looking at all those listings sent from various Realtors), headaches (from trying to consolidate all of the different info they keep sending you), and vertigo (not sure which way is up due to the differences in … (11 comments)