Realty Executives Gallery Properties (Orlando)
Winter Park is considered to be the premier urban village in the state of Florida, and also happens to be one of the finest cities in the United States. It has a rich heritage, strong community, diverse economic base, and a high quality of life for residents and visitors. It is known for its elegant homes, bricked streets, and first-class shopping and dining. Winter Park is as beautiful as it is unique.
Known for:
Park Avenue is the epicenter of Winter Park. It is where you will find Winter Park’s shopping and dining. It is a cultural gem – boasts more than 140 boutiques, sidewalk cafes, and museums, all in the shadow of oak-canopied Central Park. In addition to the stylish shops, diverse dining choices, and many cultural offerings, you can plan a trip around special events that include seasonal art shows, concerts, exotic car shows, fashion events and holiday festivities.
Just a few blocks west is historic Hannibal Square, with more restaurants, shops, and galleries. There is a sense of history, and many of the original homes and bungalows still stand, built back when wealthy industrialists came in search of sunshine in the late 1800s. They left a legacy of arts and culture, like the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, now home to the most comprehensive collection of Tiffany glass.
See and Do:
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933). The Museum’s Tiffany collection includes jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass, leaded-glass windows and lamps, and the chapel interior the artist designed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday throughout the year apart from some major holidays.
The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour is an 18-passenger pontoon boat ride on the pristine Winter Park chain of lakes. The tour offers hour-long, guided cruises through three of the seven lakes and two man made canals on the tranquil Winter Park chain. You will see swaying palms, towering cypress trees, lush ferns and a variety of flourishing sub-tropical flowers. You will also experience breathtaking views of private homes and exquisite estates sprawling along the shores. Tour guides are sure to point out sights of Rollins College, Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Kraft Azalea Gardens, and more. Tours are available for individuals and groups throughout the year.
The Winter Park Farmers’ Market is held at the old train depot which has been restored into a historical landmark. The venue is a popular place for social events, weddings, and small expos. However, it is most well-known for the weekly Saturday market. The venue hosts the number one produce and plant market in Central Florida. The market takes place every Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is a popular community-gathering place that provides fine produce, plants, baked goods and so much more, (due to COVID, Farmer’s Market may not be currently held).
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park has the distinction of being the third oldest continuously operating Bach Festival in the United States, as well as being Central Florida’s oldest operating performing arts organization. The Bach Festival Society is well known internationally and has enjoyed a long tradition of bringing world-class talent to Central Florida. The auditioned all-volunteer Bach Festival Choir is the nucleus of the Bach Festival Society, with a membership of over 160 singers from all walks of life who share a love of great music.
It has been described as “an urban oasis, a refuge for wildlife, a botanical garden emphasizing nature, sustainability and environmental learning, and a place for contemplation, celebration, and recreation”. Mead Botanical Garden is located just a few miles from the downtown business district. It is a beautiful place to enjoy a lazy afternoon traversing the nature trails or dipping your feet in the freshwater ponds. It is also an excellent venue for intimate gatherings to celebrate special occasions or as a pleasant setting for any group collaboration.
A short sale is when a lender agrees to accept a mortgage payoff less than what is owed on the house. This is basically done to facilitate a sale of the property by a financially distressed owner. The lender takes over the remaining balance of the loan. Buying a home through a short sale is a little different, and we are here to tell you how. Also, there are drawbacks and benefits, so being educated is important.
First, the steps needed to take to short sell a home start with a hardship letter from the seller to state why the mortgage cannot be fully paid along with any documentation and paystubs/tax returns. The lender will then use the information to decide whether the short sale is approved or not. If approved, the property will be designated as such when listed and offers will be sent to the lender/seller, as normal, to counter or reject.
Benefits- Seller Side:
Less stress: Seller avoids emotional turmoil of maintaining fees they cannot handle.
Savings: Normally, the seller handles closing fees and agent commissions, but in the case of a short sale, the fees are handled by the lender.
Credit score recovers faster.
Avoids foreclosure.
Drawbacks-Seller Side:
Lender would need to approve first before anything can be done.
No Profit: The seller will not profit anything from the short sale as all proceeds will go to lender.
Benefits-Buyer Side:
The seller/lender are motivated to make a deal to avoid foreclosure and to recoup losses, so they will work diligently to work something out.
Less Competition: The complexity of short sales and the uncertainty of the time frame will dissuade some buyers; hence, the buyer has less competition.
Drawbacks: Buyer Side:
Longer Timeline: The paperwork process is longer for a short sale (up to 120 days) than for a traditional home sale (around 45 days).
We have talked a lot about where you should go and what places you need to put on your go to list, but as COVID has limited a lot of where we can go and what we can do, we wanted to let you know what indeed was open, as of today, August 3, 2020 as well as what limitations are set for these places.
Walt Disney World has been open, but they reopened in phases. This means that as they were reopening, not all parks opened up at once. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opened as of July 11 and Hollywood Studios and Epcot followed on July 15. The water parks are still closed and there is no definitive date in mind. Here is what to expect if you decide to visit the parks:
Citywalk at Universal was the first main attraction to reopen when Florida went into Phase 1 of the Reopen Plan. Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay followed and reopened as of June 5. Here is what to expect if you decide to visit these parks:
The Kennedy Space Center has been reopened as of May 28, and their hours are 10:00 AM-4:00 PM daily. Here is what to expect:
The zoo has been open for some time, but has continued and altered precautions throughout due to COVID 19. Here is what to expect:
Buying a fixer upper is not for everyone, in fact, if you do not love a good challenge or project, it is more than likely not for you. The people who love old homes tend to love them because they can work on them. On top of the project, you are snagging a great deal on a home. It is probably a rundown place in a decent neighborhood for way below the market price. Essentially, the money you are saving on the home can be money used to fix up the home. All you need is time and energy, and you can turn this investment into the home of your dreams. It sounds like a great plan for those who like the idea of a project, but it is work and with that comes a lot of decision making and we are here to give you a clear and realistic vision of what you would be getting yourself into.
Be realistic with what you are willing to take on
Really think about what you are willing to do and not do. Fixer uppers come in all types, sizes, and workloads. Before exploring fixer uppers, because it will be overwhelming to look at, think about what you are comfortable with. There are minor projects that consist of repainting and laying tile down, and then there are major projects that consist of serious structural work. The magnitude of the project you are willing to take on will set the tone when looking for homes and will help make the process not as stressful. If you cannot commit the time, money, or effort, then maybe rethink the kind of fixer upper you are willing to take on or rethink the whole investment; the price may be appealing, but at the end of the day, more than that matters.
Minor Major
Think about location
A big thing to thing to think about when buying a fixer upper is location. You will want to pick a good location as you would buying a regular and ready home. you will want to avoid fixer uppers situated next to busy intersections, next to schools, or near landfills. Seek out ones in up and coming neighborhoods or more appealing/desirable neighborhoods. That will also set the tone for the type of work the home will needs. You will want to look at the homes surrounding your fixer upper; are they maintained? Are they taken care of?
Set a budget
You want to be realistic about how much money you intend to invest on the home and on renovations when tackling a fixer upper. For one thing, you want to think about the type of fixer upper you want, and prices will differ. Then, you will want to think about how much money will go into renovating. Renovating pricing also differs depending on what work goes into it. Include costs like your rent for an alternative living situation while it is happening and at least a 10-percent cushion for going over budget (in case that does happen). Even things like heat or AC, which your contractors will need while they are working and could add up to hundreds, and even thousands of dollars. Sit down and look at all the angles; some things may not cross your mind.
Realty Executives agents are real estate experts. They have the education and expertise you need to navigate through the process of buying or selling a home. From listing at the right price to making the best offer, our Executives have witnessed the best - and most regrettable - decisions homeowners and homebuyers can make. Every day, they are immersed in every aspect of real estate that includes comparable home price analysis, property surveys, credit reports, open houses, HOA agreements, lenders, title companies, homeowners’ insurance, walk-throughs, terms of sale or purchase, repairs, concessions and closing documents. Let our accomplished Executives help navigate you through the process of buying or selling a home.
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