Thursday, February 11, 2010

Want an $8000 Tax Credit? Buy a Orlando Home for Sale Now

Last November, when Congress approved an extension on the first-time homebuyer tax credit, potential homebuyers who missed the original deadline were excited. It was another chance to buy a Orlando home for sale and receive an often badly needed $8,000 on their tax return.

Real estate agents were excited as well, because the tax credit extension expanded to include “upgrade” buyers – those who wanted to replace their current home with a bigger one. The possibility of selling a home was higher than it’d been in a while. However, expansion to include upgrade buyers wasn’t the only change.

If you’re hoping to buy a Orlando home for sale and take advantage of the tax credit before the new 2010 deadlines, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Two dates are crucial. You must sign a contract before April 30. The closings must be complete by June 30. One of the best ways to make sure things go smoothly is to get pre-approved for a mortgage before you go home shopping. Pre-approval tells you, as well as the seller, exactly how much home you can afford. This way, you don’t waste your time or the seller’s.

• Negotiate without emotion. Potential buyers have lost the home of their dreams because they became competitive. If you’re negotiating for closing costs, housing price or anything else, make sure that your requests are reasonable. Don’t change something “just because.”

• Taxes must be mailed in. Due to people trying to scam the system, you won’t be able to file your taxes electronically; you’ll have to mail them in. Make sure you’re using the right forms, and, if you need your tax refund by a specific time, you might want to file early.

• Documentation is truly priceless. Again, thanks to scammers, buyers will have to include a signed mortgage statement, proof of residency and a driver’s license with their taxes.

You still have until April 30 to sign a contract on a Orlando home for sale to get the tax credit. Today’s real estate market is beneficial for buyers. Put it to work for you!

If you’d like to take advantage of the homebuyer tax credit, we can help. Call us right away at 407-876-5771 so we can beat the deadlines.

Rules for Rehabbing Orlando Real Estate, Part 2

In Rules for Rehabbing Orlando Real Estate, Part 1, you received the first five rules for rehabbing. Now, let’s go more in depth about how to rehab a home with the final six rules:

1. Check out the neighborhood. Before you do any work to the property, walk through the neighborhood and take note of the property exteriors. What kind of landscaping do they have? Which colors do you see on the front doors? What type of siding do most of the homes have? There is no point in spending extra money for amenities the other homes don’t have.

2. Start with the exterior. If you begin your work on the outside, you will already create interest in people watching you work. This also tends to be relatively simple work. Trim the shrubs. Replace dead plants. Weed the flower beds. Paint the home’s exterior and window trim.

3. Tackle the interior. You have two options for working inside: complete specific tasks throughout the entire home or work in individual rooms. Some people like to see the progress of completing a room; others like to see entire tasks, like painting, done at one time. No matter what you choose to do, start by removing the carpet. Take down switch plates. Remove the interior doors. Repair the walls. Fill in nail holes. Paint everything in neutral earth tones.

4. Update kitchens and bathrooms. Check the plumbing. If you need to, install a new toilet, sink, or bathtub. Replace the fixtures and hardware. Replace or paint the cabinets. Go ahead and install new counter tops. They are worth the minor cost.

5. Replace or repair floors. After the painting and installation is finished, start working on the floors. Hire a professional to install new carpet and padding. Replace or repair any other floors that are in need of work.

6. Sell it. You can either move in to the home or put it on the market. If you sell the home, calculate your costs and check with a Orlando real estate agent about the home’s market value. Begin advertising it for sale. Hire a real estate agent to help bring buyers to the home.

Rehabbing a home is a great way to create the ideal home for you or to make money as a real
estate investor. Call us today at 407-876-5771 for more tips on rehabbing your Orlando real estate.

Rules for Rehabbing Orlando Real Estate, Part 1

If you watch television home improvement shows, you’ve surely seen shows about rehabbing homes. When you buy Orlando real estate that needs repairs, you can get it for a great price and build instant equity once the work is complete. Whether you decide to live in the rehabbed home or sell it, you've gotten a good deal.

Here are the first five rules for rehabbing Orlando real estate:

1. Buy low. The good news is that homes needing work usually already have discounted prices. You want to buy the home for as little as possible because you are going to have to spend more money rehabbing the home.
2. Have a budget. You need to know before you begin the project exactly how much money you have to spend. Include the cost of the house, labor costs, permits, and the price of materials. Don’t leave out anything, and do everything in your power to stick to the budget you set.
3. Take good notes. Walk through the home with at least a flashlight and a way to write down notes. Count the number of windows, doors, and rooms. Write down anything you see that will need to be replaced or repaired, including flooring, walls and ceilings. Include anything that seems out of the ordinary to you. These notes will help you plan your rehab.
4. Be realistic. Many buyers underestimate the amount of time and money it will take to rehab a home. Round your expected costs up to the nearest $5000. Set aside part of your budget for problems that may arise during the rehab. You never know when a wall is hiding a structural defect that you will have to repair. Keep your timeline flexible.
5. Hire professionals. You will be able to do some of the work yourself, but you will need professional help for some of the work. Find a good plumber, electrician, carpenter, and roofer. Negotiate prices with them and never pay them for all the work until the job is completed.

Looking for homes to rehab? we can help. Call us today at 407-876-5771 for more information about rehabbing Orlando real estate.

Saturday, February 6, 2010





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