How to stay in my home after foreclosure in Orlando - Written by Eugene Hoffman

How to stay in my home after foreclosure in Orlando

It is not impossible to sell your house when you owe more than it is worth. Call Us.

A recent study estimates that 47% of foreclosed properties are still occupied.

When you first see that stat you may be surprised… but we’re not.

What most people don’t realize is that banks aren’t in the business to own homes.

They are in the business to loan people money. But when they have to foreclose on a house… the bank is forced to own the home until they’re able to sell it to get all or most of their money back.

But, what they had found is that when an Orlando foreclosed house goes vacant… there is a much greater chance that the house will fall into disrepair.  Often times the bank would rather have you in the property even after you stop paying your payments and the foreclosure is started because it wards of vandals and keeps the house in good working order.

There’s been a lot of talk in the media about people living for free after foreclosure – and even many stories about banks “abandoning” properties.

In those stories, people are avoiding house payments for months, even years.

Man, that sounds great! Let’s all live for free. (wink)

Wait… it can’t be that simple, right?

Right.

No bank would purposely neglect to collect payments. The only way that you get to live without making any payments is when some major mistakes were made.

But you might get lucky! It’s possible, and it’s happened before. However, it’s not exactly legal to avoid payments that you owe, and it can get you in serious trouble.

So why are so many foreclosed homes occupied? It’s important to remember that no one wants the house to be vacant. Vacant homes are targets for vandalism and crime.

Staying on the property can help the bank maintain the value of their investment, so it’s actually in their best interests to keep it occupied. Partly because of the ways that the foreclosure laws are structured in FL, banks may ask you to leave while wanting you to stay.

There are a few perfectly legal ways to remain in your home, even after foreclosure.

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Why Won’t My House Sell In Orlando? Written by Eugene Hoffman

You’re trying to sell an Orlando Florida house that just won’t sell?

And yet - the news says the real estate market is heating up. The media is practically shouting again about multiple offers, high demand, and record-setting prices.

So where’s your contract?

These tips could be just what you need to help you sell your Orlando home.

Why won’t my house sell in Orlando? - 6 Tips To Cure It

1) Get good help.

Just like before, there are novice agents and investors rushing into the booming market trumpeting that they know what they’re doing.

But they don’t. They’re getting hit hard with the nuances of financing, deal structure, and evaluation. Seriously, chances are good that real estate is your biggest investment – don’t trust just anyone’s advice. If you want great results, partner with the pros.

2) Don’t make too many improvements.

Too often we see over-improved properties – those where the owners have gone too far. Even with the best of intentions, exceptional craftsmanship, and true artistic talent, it’s incredibly challenging to exceed what the market is paying. Plus, most buyers want to add their own custom touches. Get rid of all the clutter and think “neutral”.

3) Do make necessary improvements.

Unfixed stuff scares buyers. Show that you’ve been a responsible property owner and get all the little details fixed.

Don’t leave gaps in the trim or plates off of the switches. Get it inspected by a professional home inspector, and show off the healthy home report. This goes a long way towards establishing confidence that they’re making a good purchase.

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Zillow Talks About Orlando’s Homes written by Eugene Hoffman

In this article let’s drill down into a couple of interesting statistics about Central Florida home sales. We will study two of the biggest companies that track home values and foreclosures. Zillow and RealtyTrac.


When people talk about Zillow they find she is a very interesting company, but few fully understand how Zillow arrives at her Zestimate Value. Realtors often mention they believe her Home Values can be way off the mark, and sometimes that is true.  Usually Zillow is in the neighborhood, literally.

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What do I need to do to sell my house in Orlando Fl Written by Eugene Hoffman

But “What do I need to do to sell my house in Orlando”?

Here are some tips on how to get your home ready to sell if you’re looking for top dollar that the market will bear:

*NOTE: These instructions are if you’re looking to getfull retail value for your house sale.  However, if you don’t want to do the things below… or don’t have the time or money to do the things below… you can still sell your Orlando house fast for a fair value in a win-win sale that’ll save you time and expense.

1) Clean, clean and clean. Even vacant houses get dusty and dirty, so keep it up! Nothing short of gleaming perfection will impress buyers. If you’re not a total clean freak, hire someone who is to help you out until you sell.

If you’re a slob, consider finding somewhere else to live while you show your house. Maybe you can bribe your cleanest friend to trade houses with you? Seriously, keeping everything immaculate really helps buyers feel comfortable in your space. Nothing stops people faster from buying faster than feeling grossed out.

2) Cultivate a cohesive, neutral style. You don’t have to paint everything off-white. In fact, some subtle colors can really help change the perception of spaces – for example, a soft yellow will help brighten up a dark kitchen, while a deep dark blue or green will help a bright bedroom to feel like a calm place to sleep (but be careful, dark colors will also make rooms feel small).

Spend the money to get high-quality paint and professional help. Subconsciously people will pay more money for a property with just the right colors and very neat lines – it makes the home feel better built, even though it’s just paint.

Optical illusions are real, and psychologists study this stuff. Don’t believe me?

Look it up. And don’t neglect the outside and just do the inside, or anything else that’s unbalanced.

Make sure you get your house into “Move-in-Ready” condition.

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Understanding the Foreclosure Process in Florida Written by Eugene Hoffman

What is foreclosure anyway?

Foreclosure is the legal process that lenders use to take back property securing a loan, generally after the borrower stops making payments.

Foreclosure is no fun.  But just know that it’s not the end of the world.

When you know how foreclosure in Florida works… it arms you with the knowledge to make sure you navigate it well and come out the other end as well as possible.

The Basic Stages of A Foreclosure

There’s a few stages that are important to any foreclosure process.

Foreclosure works differently in different states around the country.

The two ways different states use to foreclose upon a property are: judicial sale or power of sale.

Connect with us by calling (407) 781-7312 or through our contact page to have us walk you through the specific foreclosure process here locally in Orlando Florida.

In either scenario, foreclosure typically doesn’t go to court until 3-6 months of missed payments have elapsed. Usually (but not always), a lender will send out many notices that you are in arrears – overdue or behind in your payment.

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We buy houses in Orlando companies – are they credible? written by Eugene Hoffman

Are these “we buy houses in Orlando  companies” credible?

How do I know if the local house buying companies out there are honest and credible?

Well… sometimes they all look the same at the start… but below we’ll walk you through some things to look for in a local house buying company before you should work with them.

Buying and selling houses is a valid and respectable profession that can help communities and house sellers in many ways. But just like any other line of work – a minority of house buyers in any market are the ones who make the rest of us look bad.

There are people who are really great, ethical folks who improve their neighborhoods one property at a time.

And then there’s shady, dishonest people who put money ahead of the well being of their clients and who would sign the contract to sell their own grandmother with one hand while stabbing you in the back with the other – as long as they were making enough money.

Yes, they are out there.

We’ll help you avoid these “shady house buyers” so you can work with honest, ethical, and reputable local companies who can buy your house for a fair all cash offer and close on your schedule.

But let’s not focus on the negative – at least not yet.

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Orlando underwater-mortgage rate among highest By Mary Shanklin Orlando Sentinel

More than a quarter of the owners of mortgaged homes in Metro Orlando were stuck in underwater houses last quarter — one of the highest rates nationally, a new report shows.

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