Located just minutes away from Lake Eola Park, Thornton Park features a cosmopolitan feel. This neighborhood features exclusive and upscale restaurants and high-end fashion. It is one of the most desirable places to live in Downtown Orlando. The Sanctuary, some of the most expensive condos in Orlando, is located in Thornton Park. Apart from The Sanctuary, you can find other luxury condominiums all around. Let’s give you a little insight and must go to places in the area!

Community: This lively hip urban neighborhood hosts driven events, live music, and diverse entertainment on a nightly basis. Some local events are the farmers market, artists wine and art walk, and pub crawls!

Dog Friendly Restaurants: Thornton Park offers numerous pet friendly dining options for all you dog lovers! First off, we have the Stubborn Mule. It is an American style bar and restaurant. They are known for their mules (of course), cocktails, wines, and full food menu. They have a lovely outdoor patio where you can enjoy some fresh air with your dog! Next up is Island Time, another restaurant that has dog-friendly outdoor patio seating. Your taste buds will enjoy their Fresh Southern Fare and Caribbean-Inspired cuisine. Lastly, is one of the oldest bars in all of Orlando, called Burtons. Known for being pet friendly, Burtons is a dive bar that serves a variety of beer and wine, as well as freshly popped popcorn.

Things to do: First up is Artifact Candle Foundry, a DIY candle making experience. This is where you can make fun new memories while also making scented hand made candles. Pretty cool right? Another thing to do is get ice cream at the Greenery Creamery. This is not just any ice cream, it's a variety of dairy free and vegan ice creams in unusual flavors, plus an assortment of cones. Finally, go to the one and only, Lake Eola! It is walking distance and chances are, some of these shops or restaurants are right across the street from the lake.  

Buying a home can be challenging for a first-time homebuyer. There are many steps and requirements to the process that a lot of people go into this unaware of. It is not just finding a home you like and signing contracts; there is a lot more to it. Any mistakes made during this process will be quite expensive. Many of the mistakes made are usually before buying the home, which causes a chain of regret in the continuation of the home buying process. You think you found a great home and the bank lent you more than enough money, which means you are set. What else is there to it? There's a lot more. Considering a few key things when beginning your search and home buying journey will set you in the right path. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

Before Buying: 

1. What home/features fit your needs?

You have a number of options when buying a home, it can be a single-family home, duplex, condo, or a townhouse. Each option has its pros and cons and you may be keen on getting a certain one, but you want to make sure it fits the qualities and features you want, depending on your homeownership goals. You can also consider buying for less and fixing up a home or buying for more and fixing less. Making a list of pros and cons is essential when deciding and not many people spend a lot of time during this process because they think they know what they want. You deserve to make a purchase that will meet your wants and needs, but with that comes a lot of consideration. Things to consider are size, neighborhood/community, as well as amenities within the home and outside in the neighborhood/community. Even considering the bathroom’s layout is important. Looking past ‘little’ details like this because they seem unimportant can result in change of heart once you have made that decision and it is too late.

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2. How much of the home can you afford?

It seems to be easy enough when deciding to buy a home because ultimately most homebuyers cannot afford to buy a house with money laying around in their bank account. Ultimately, they know they will take out a loan and pay it back. This is true, but it is not as easy as it sounds. Sometimes the bank will give you more than you need, and homebuyers take it because the more, the merrier, right? What you take, you give back; there is no need to take more than you need. The more you take, the higher your mortgage payment may be and the more interest you pay on the home. If this is not enough to catch your attention, there are many other things that should be considered: HOA fees (if you have one), other personal costs like bills, groceries, or even payments on other loans. So, on top of a high mortgage payment, you have other bills and expenses to worry about. Consider how much you take home every check from your workplace. Are you spending more than you make?

During Buying Process:

3. Get a home inspection:

Even if the home you plan on buying seems perfect, there is nothing like bringing in a professional to tell you that themselves. Getting a home inspection is the best decision to make as a home buyer; it gives you details on what you are buying into. Home inspections let you know the life expectancy of some essential amenities in the house, like roof, furnaces, plumbing, structure, and foundation. These things can cost a lot of money and as a homebuyer that just spent a ton of money investing in the home, the last thing you want to do is worry about fixing your roof or getting a new A.C system which are not cheap. Now, the buyer is responsible for the cost of the home inspection, but you have to consider how much money you would save in the long run as well as going into your home knowing everything you need to know. This process gives you the chance to possibly ask for less on the house from the seller and take it as is or have the seller fix these issues. This also give you the opportunity to change your mind and go another direction.

What is a home inspection? A home inspection is an examination of a home and is typically done before buying a home. A home inspection gives the buyer details about the conditions of the home, like structure, foundation, electrical, plumbing, roofing, insulation, and more.

Why a Home inspection Matters:

A home inspection gives a buyer the opportunity to see what they are considering buying into. It gives you knowledge about any potential home repairs, which may be a make it or break it factor for you. You can either negotiate needed repairs for the sale or plan to make the repairs yourself. Buying a home is a really big investment and you should be a little more educated on what you are about to buy. This is a home you will potentially live in for many years, considering you are buying. The last thing a home buyer wants is to buy a home with all sorts of problems that come about after you have made your purchase and now you find yourself way in over your head and filled with regret and a hole in your pocket. Here are a few other reasons why a home inspection matters:

• Sellers can fix issues to pass jome inspection: Sellers can take care of repairs so that the home inspection will pass as well as know they are selling their home in tip top condition.
• Homebuyers may be able to ask less for the home: After the home inspection report is completed and the buyer sees what the issues are in the house, they can potentially ask for less on the house with the issues or have the seller take care of the repairs.
• A home inspection helps buyers be more prepared: This goes back to a buyer knowing what they are in for and being able to make that educated decision on what they want. Though a home inspection is something the buyer is responsible for, it still saves a significant amount of money in the end because once you consider the cost of the repairs depending on what needs to be fixed, you’d be surprised at the costs. It also saves you the trouble of finding this out later and no one wants to come across issues after they buy a home, they want to enjoy it! Also, the home inspection lets you know the ‘life expectancy’ of some essential things in the home like roof, furnaces, and other appliances, so you can plan ahead. Is it something I need to worry about now or in the future? 

Deciding on getting a home inspection is the best decision for both the buyer and the seller. Having everything out on the table allows both parties to reach an educated decision. So, if you're wondering if you should get a home inspection, we recommend you do!

Welcome to our active listing spotlight where we feature a few listings that are on the market! First up is 3029 Sea Plane Ln, Kissimmee, FL 34747. This 2-bedroom, 2 baths is located in Margaritaville Resort. It is great as a vacation home/rental or your main residence, take your pick! It has quartz countertops and tile throughout the home. This cottage is adorned with sand and shell landscaping and is in close proximity to all the amenities on site. You have got a water park, live music, restaurants, and a gym. You may never have to leave!

Next up is 229 Pima Trail, Groveland, Florida 34736. This 3-bedroom, 2 baths is located in Cherry Lake Community, a quiet community surrounded by spring fed lakes and walking paths. The large, open kitchen with island and dinette and inviting bay window is a chef's dream! The master suite boasts a large walk-in closet, large garden tub, separate walk-in shower, two vanities, & separate water closet. Bring your buyers & say welcome home to this gorgeous, move-in ready home, to the beautiful & highly desirable home, and the rolling hills & spring-fed lakes of one-of-a-kind Lake County.

Last, but not least, we have 674 Sandy Neck Ln #102, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714. This 3-bedroom, 2 baths home with 1 care garage is located conveniently off of 434 close to Maitland Exchange shops, eateries, and all stores right at your fingertips. Also, it is close by to “A Rated” Seminole County schools (a big plus). Enjoy quiet times on your private porch or by the community pool. You have low HOA fees, private garage, and private screened in porch.

What to know about HOAs (homeowners’ associations): HOA is an organization created to manage a community of homes, townhomes, or condos. They are like governing bodies given the authority to plan or organize regular meetings in which they establish and maintain budgets, rules and regulations, and discuss changes or improvements that will take place inside the community. With that, comes an HOA fee. This fee funds for upkeeping of the community and maintaining common areas within. This fee can be significant depending on the living situation; where are you located, what kind of community is it, and what amenities are available within the community? There is a lot to know about HOA and its fees.

• How do HOA rules work? HOA rules are more conditions than they are rules. These conditions are important to know upon buying into a community or neighborhood governed by an HOA. Just because you are buying a home, does not mean you can make any and every decision regarding that home when there is an HOA present. If you want to paint your home or throw a party, or even install something like a solar panel to your home, the HOA might have something to say. They primarily have conditions on exteriors first and foremost; the image that your home and this community holds. Then, there are things like the throwing of a party or getting a pet that might have an effect simply because it might be a burden on your neighbors. An HOA’s job is to keep order and image over your neighborhood (to put it into better words). There is usually a community meeting every so often that the HOA holds to discuss

• Are HOA fees negotiable? Typically, fees are not negotiable. Fees are determined, as stated above, depending on the living situation: where you live and what amenities are available. They vary based on those two factors, but as far as amenities go, the more amenities, the more you pay. HOA fees range from $100 to $700. Typically, they are around the $200 range.

• Do I have to pay for an HOA? What happens if I don’t pay? HOA fees are unfortunately nonnegotiable. This means that you have to pay, based on a contract that is signed between you, the homeowner, and the HOA community. If you choose not to pay, the HOA can take proper measures, which depends on whatever is included in your contract. This can range from late fees, to a lawsuit, to a foreclosure.

It is very important to be educated on HOA fees, especially if your neighborhood has them. Know what you can and cannot do. Also, before you move into an area or neighborhood, find out whether they have HOA fees or not, and if they have them, are you willing to pay that amount and abide by those conditions? If you don’t, then you still have a chance to walk away and look for something more suitable.