Real Estate Information

It is always nice to be recognized.

However, being featured on the front page of such a prestigious local paper is both a joy and heartwarming.

What a GREAT way to kick off this holiday season!

A special THANK YOU

to all of our past, present and future clients

for your continued loyalty.

Central Florida is a magnet for storms that cause damage, from hurricanes to the afternoon thunderstorm. How do you prepare your family? What do you do? If you are completely new to Florida, you may not know how to prepare your family, including the children.

The state of Florida is packed full of lakes, rivers and surrounded by the ocean on three sides. Yes, it is great for outdoor activities! It is also a recipe for violent storms. Most people already know that Florida is susceptible to hurricanes. However, many people who have never lived in Florida do not know how strong some of the regular afternoon thunderstorms can be.  They can cause flooding, wind damage and leave you without electricity for hours.

During hurricane season Floridians are normally bombarded with preparedness ideas. A newcomer to Florida should take advantage of all the knowledge they can soak up. It is best to prepare before there is even a storm on the map. Educate yourself and the entire family. Children generally do best if they know what they are dealing with. There is a wealth of information to educate you and them located on NOAA’s website(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

A hurricane kit should be established and monitored throughout the year. Keeping your preparedness kit up to date is important even though it may not be hurricane season. Why? Store shelves are often emptied very quickly once a hurricane is headed toward Florida. Also, the items will come in handy during some of the really bad thunderstorms that can make their way through Central Florida any time of year.

The Great Homes Group can now be found on YouTube.

We are excited to announce we will be posting videos of our new listings on YouTube.

Subscribe to our channel: TheGreatHomesGroup to see all our listings in a whole new way.

Take a virtual tour of all our properties today!

Abby Nelson is named in Orlando Magazine’s Hot 100 for 2012.

Every year the local magazine releases a list of real estate professionals as their “Hot 100.” The list is released in alphabetical order and chosen using information such as sales volume, value of sales, number of sales, number of listings and value of listings. Given the number of agents in the Orlando area, it is quite an accomplishment and honor to be among the top 100.

Aside from the half hour series on HGTV, what really is curb appeal? How can it benefit you and the sale of your home? Does curb appeal affect the value of your home? How can you gain more curb appeal?

The technical definition of curb appeal: property as seen from road: the attractive appearance of a property for sale as seen from the roadside, creating a favorable first impression on a potential buyer

In simple terms, curb appeal is the value of a home as it appears from the curb. The value of a home does not start from the inside. The value of a home starts at the curb and what people see when they view the home from the curb. If you are selling your home, you must be able to sell it from the curb first.

Developers have discovered the power of curb appeal and that it maintains and helps to increase property value. Many neighborhoods have certain requirements that boost the curb appeal, such as grass type and height, mailboxes, fence styles, or no street parking. They have learned that these things are essential to maintain and enhance the property values in the neighborhood.

Whether you live in one of those neighborhoods or not, there are many things you can do to enhance the curb appeal of your home. You will want to make sure the lawn is maintained and free of debris. A fresh coat of paint always helps. If you are on a budget, sometimes just touching up the trim will make a world of difference. Planted flowers generally catch the eye, but don’t go overboard.  Better Homes and Gardens came up with 20 Ways to Add Curb Appeal.

Once you have a few ideas, write them down and make a plan. Take some before and after pictures. You will be so pleased with the improved look of your home and its new curb appeal!

Are you looking for the deal of a lifetime? Are you a first-time home buyer in pursuit of your dream home at a great price? Are you the Average Joe looking for your first rental investment?

There are many great deals to be found in the real estate market today. For example; I have personally seen multi-million dollar homes go for an eighth of what they were valued at four or five years ago.  On the other end of the spectrum, I have seen very nice homes listed for less than fifty thousand dollars and condominiums less than ten thousand dollars. You may not be looking to spend half a million dollars on your adventure through the real estate market, but the same information will apply for either buyer.

First and foremost, align yourself with an experienced and knowledgeable realtor. This is very important! The experience you will want to seek out is not necessarily years in the business, but experience with bank owned property sales. I would suggest someone who also lists bank owned properties for the banks. Why? The realtor who sells homes for the banks, knows exactly what they are looking for and how to the process works. Many realtors lose deals for their clients by being uninformed and unable to guide their client through the process.

Once you have established a relationship with a realtor who you are sure will work for you, it is time to begin your home search. Your realtor should know all the criteria you are looking for, including what you MUST have, as well as knowing what if anything you are willing to compromise on.  When setting your criteria, be sure to go a little outside your comfort zone. A search online may miss that perfect deal if you don’t. You never know what may fall into your lap in today’s market.

Don’t get discouraged!

You may very well lose out on the first property you make an offer on. Remember, you aren’t the only one looking for a great deal. The key is to pounce. The investors have learned this over time. Most of the best deals out there are only on the market for a very short period of time. I have seen banks accept an offer on properties that have been on the market less than 2 days.

The investors have also learned to make acceptable offers on the foreclosed properties. The average realtor does not know how to make an acceptable offer on bank owned properties. This is where the experience of your realtor will come in handy for you. One example; unlike traditional sales, low priced bank owned properties rarely sell at list price or under.

Know what you want and keep looking. The deals are out there for you. With a knowledgeable and experienced realtor working for you, you will be on your way to the closing table before you know it.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!