Orlando, FL Real Estate News

By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Home equity has been a hot topic in real estate news lately. And if you’ve been following along, you may have heard there’s a growing number of homeowners with negative equity. But don’t let those headlines scare you.In truth, the headlines don’t give you all the information you really need to understand what’s happening and at what scale. Let’s break down one of the big equity stories you may be seeing in the news, and what’s actually taking place. That way, you’ll have the context you need to understand the big picture.Headlines Focus on Short-Term Equity Numbers and Fail To Convey the Long-Term ViewOne piece of news circulating focuses on the percentage of homes purchased in 2022 that are currently underwater. The term underwater refers to a scenario where the homeowner owes more on ...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home soon, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market this year. In 2022, the market underwent a major shift as economic uncertainty and higher mortgage rates reduced buyer demand, slowed the pace of home sales, and moderated home prices. But what about 2023?An article from HousingWire offers this perspective:“The red-hot housing market of the past 2 ½ years was characterized by sub-three percent mortgage rates, fast-paced bidding wars and record-low inventory. But more recently, market conditions have done an about-face. . . . now is the opportunity for everyone to become re-educated about what a ‘typical’ housing market looks like.”This year, experts agree we may see the return of greater stability and predictabil...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Some Highlights If you’re planning to buy a home in 2023, here are a few things to focus on. Work on your credit and save for a down payment. If saving feels like a challenge, there’s help available. Then, get pre-approved, create a list of desired features, and prioritize them. Let’s connect so you have expert advice on how to reach your homebuying goals this year.   Contact us:PHP Houses142 W Lakeview AveUnit 1030Lake Mary, FL 32746Ph: (407) 641-1531Fax: (407) 205-1951email: info@phphouses.comLet’s Connect:FacebookLinkedinTwitterInstagramThe information contained, and the opinions expressed, in this article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. The author does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained herein. Nothin...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re getting ready to buy your first home, you’re likely focused on saving up for everything that purchase involves. One cost that’s likely top of mind is your down payment. But don’t let a common misconception about how much you need to save make the process harder than it could be.Understand 20% Isn’t Always the Typical Down PaymentFreddie Mac explains:“. . . nearly a third of prospective homebuyers think they need a down payment of 20% or more to buy a home. This myth remains one of the largest perceived barriers to achieving homeownership.”Unless specified by your loan type or lender, it’s typically not required to put 20% down. This means you could be closer to your homebuying dream than you realize. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median down paym...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you probably want to know what’s really happening with home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and more. That’s not an easy task considering how sensationalized headlines are today. Jay Thompson, Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains: “Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or predicting impending doom for the industry. Clickbait, the sensationalizing of headlines and content, has been an issue since the dawn of the internet, and housing news is not immune to it.” Unfortunately, when information in the media isn’t clear, it can generate a lot of fear and uncertainty in the market. As Jason Lewris, Cofounder and Chief Data Officer at Parcl Labs, says: “In the absence ...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Are you prepping to buy your first home? If so, one of the steps you should take early on is making sure you’re financially ready for your purchase. Here are just a few of the financial fundamentals you’ll need to focus on as you set out to buy a home.Build Your CreditYour credit is one element that helps determine which home loan you’ll qualify for. It also impacts your mortgage interest rate. While there are many factors that go into your mortgage application, a higher credit score could lead to a lower monthly payment in the long run.So how do you make sure your credit is in the best shape possible when it’s time to buy? A recent article from NerdWallet lists a few tips you can use as you work to build and strengthen your credit. They include: Tracking your credit and disputing any e...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
There’s no denying the long-term financial benefits of owning a home, but today’s housing market may have you wondering if now’s still the time to buy. While the financial aspects of buying a home are important, the non-financial and emotional reasons are too.Home means something different to all of us. Whether it’s sharing memories with loved ones at the kitchen table or settling in to read a book in a favorite chair, the emotional connections to our homes can be just as important as the financial ones. Here are some of the things that make a house a home.1. You Can Be Proud of Your AccomplishmentBuying a home is a major life milestone. Whether you’re setting out to buy your first home or your fifth, congratulations will be in order when you’ve achieved your goal. The sense of accompli...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
The 2022 housing market has been defined by two key things: inflation and rapidly rising mortgage rates. And in many ways, it’s put the market into a reset position.As the Federal Reserve (the Fed) made moves this year to try to lower inflation, mortgage rates more than doubled – something that’s never happened before in a calendar year. This had a cascading impact on buyer activity, the balance between supply and demand, and ultimately home prices. And as all those things changed, some buyers and sellers put their plans on hold and decided to wait until the market felt a bit more predictable.But what does that mean for next year? What everyone really wants is more stability in the market in 2023. For that to happen we’ll need to see the Fed bring inflation down even more and keep it th...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re a homeowner, your net worth got a big boost over the past few years thanks to rapidly rising home prices. Here’s how it happened and what it means for you, even as the market moderates.Equity is the current value of your home minus what you owe on the loan.Because there was a significant imbalance between the number of homes available for sale and the number of buyers looking to make a purchase over the past few years, home prices appreciated substantially.And while home price appreciation has moderated this year, and even depreciated slightly in some overheated markets, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost all the equity you gained during the pandemic frenzy.To prove you still have equity you can use, the latest Homeowner Equity Insights from CoreLogic finds the average homeowner eq...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Mortgage rates have been a hot topic in the housing market over the past 12 months. Compared to the beginning of 2022, rates have risen dramatically. Now they’re dropping, and that has to do with everything happening in the economy.Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains it well by saying:“Mortgage rates dropped even further this week as two main factors affecting today’s mortgage market became more favorable. Inflation continued to ease while the Federal Reserve switched to a smaller interest rate hike. As a result, according to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.31% from 6.33% the previous week.”So, what does that mean for your homeownership plans? As mortgage rates fluctuate, they impact...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Some Highlights From home sales to prices, the 2023 housing market will be defined by mortgage rates. And where rates go depends on what happens with inflation. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home this year, let’s connect so you understand where the housing market is headed in 2023. Sources: realtor.com Home Price Expectations Survey (HPES) National Association of Realtors (NAR) Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Fannie Mae Freddie Mac Zelman & Associates Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst, Bankrate  Contact us:PHP Houses142 W Lakeview AveUnit 1030Lake Mary, FL 32746Ph: (407) 641-1531Fax: (407) 205-1951email: info@phphouses.comLet’s Connect:FacebookLinkedinTwitterInstagramThe information contained, and the opinions expressed, in this article are not intended to be construe...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re thinking about retirement or have already retired this year, you may be planning your next steps. One of your goals could be selling your house and finding a home that more closely fits your needs.Fortunately, you may be in a better position to make a move than you realize. Here are a few things to think about when making that decision.Consider How Long You’ve Been in Your HomeFrom 1985 to 2008, the average length of time homeowners typically stayed in their homes was only six years. But according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), that number is rising today, meaning many homeowners are living in their houses even longer (see graph below):When you live in a home for a significant period of time, it’s natural for you to experience a number of changes in your life w...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Did the frequency and intensity of bidding wars over the past two years make you put your home search on hold? If so, you should know the hyper competitive market has cooled this year as buyer demand has moderated and housing supply has grown. Those two factors combined mean you may see less competition from other buyers.And with less competition comes more opportunity. Here are two trends that may be the news you need to reenter the market.1. The Return of ContingenciesOver the last two years, more buyers were willing to skip important steps in the homebuying process, like the appraisal or the inspection, in hopes of gaining an advantage in a bidding war.  But now, things are different.The latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the percentage of buyers waivin...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
At first glance, the increase in housing supply compared to last year may not sound like good news for prospective sellers, but it actually gives you two key opportunities in today’s housing market.An article from Calculated Risk helps put the inventory gains the market has seen in 2022 into perspective by comparing it to recent years (see graph below). It shows supply has surpassed 2021 levels by 58%. But the further back you look, the more you’ll understand the bigger picture. And if you go all the way back to 2019, the last normal year in real estate, we’re roughly 35% below the housing supply we had at that time.Opportunity #1: Take Advantage of More Options for Your MoveIf your current house no longer meets your needs or lacks the space and features you want, this inventory growth ...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re trying to decide whether or not to sell your house, recent headlines about home prices may be top of mind. And if those stories have you wondering what that means for your home’s value, here’s what you really need to know.What’s Really Happening with Home Prices?It’s possible you’ve seen news stories mentioning a drop in home values or home price depreciation, but it’s important to remember those headlines are designed to make a big impression in just a few words. But what headlines aren’t always great at is painting the full picture.While home prices are down slightly month-over-month in some markets, it’s also true that home values are up nationally on a year-over-year basis. The graph below uses the latest data from S&P Case-Shiller to help tell the story of what’s actually...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Some Highlights If you’re planning to make a move but aren’t sure if now’s the right time, here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t wait to sell your house. The supply of homes for sale, while growing, is still low today. Plus, serious buyers are out looking right now, and many are hoping to avoid falling into the rental trap for another year. Let’s connect to determine if selling your house before the new year is the right move for you.  Contact us:PHP Houses142 W Lakeview AveUnit 1030Lake Mary, FL 32746Ph: (407) 641-1531Fax: (407) 205-1951email: info@phphouses.comLet’s Connect:FacebookLinkedinTwitterInstagramThe information contained, and the opinions expressed, in this article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. The author does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
There are many people thinking about buying a home, but with everything affecting the economy, some are wondering if it’s a smart decision to buy now or if it makes more sense to wait it out. As Bob Broeksmit, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), explains:“The desire for homeownership is strong. Many prospective buyers are waiting for the volatility in mortgage rates to subside, as well as for a clearer picture of the economic outlook.”If you’re in that position, remember that it’s important to consider not just what’s happening today but also what benefits you may gain in the long run.There’s a lot of information out there about how homeownership helps build a homeowner’s net worth over time. But even today, many people think first about things like 401(k)s befo...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
There’s no doubt buying a home today is different than it was over the past couple of years, and the shift in the market has led to advantages for buyers today. Right now, there are specific reasons that make this housing market attractive for those who’ve thought about buying but have sidelined their search due to rising mortgage rates.Buying a home in any market is a personal decision, and the best way to make that decision is to educate yourself on the facts, not following sensationalized headlines in the news today.  The reality is, headlines do more to terrify people thinking about buying a home than they do to clarify what’s actually going on with real estate.Here are three reasons potential homebuyers should consider buying a home today.1. More Homes Are for Sale Right NowAccordi...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home this year, you may have questions about what’s happening with home prices today as the market cools. In the simplest sense, nationally, experts don’t expect prices to come crashing down, but the level of home price moderation will depend on factors like supply and demand in each local market.That means, moving forward, home price appreciation will continue to vary by location, with more significant changes happening in overheated areas. Here’s a quick snapshot of what the experts are saying:Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, says:“The major question on the minds of homeowners and aspiring buyers alike is what will happen to home prices. . . Soaring prices were propelled by all-time low mortgage rates which are a thing of the ...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
There’s no denying mortgage rates are higher now than they were last year. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, this may be top of mind for you. That’s because those higher rates impact how much it costs to borrow money for your home loan. As you set out to make a purchase this winter, you’ll need to be strategic so you can find a home that meets your needs and budget.Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, explains:“The key to making a good decision in this challenging housing market is to be laser focused on what you need now and in the years ahead, . . . Another key point is to avoid stretching your budget, as tempting as it may be given the diminished purchasing power.”In other words, it’s important to be mindful of what’s a necessity and what’s a nice-to-have when sea...
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