http://orlandorealestatepros.com Orlando Real Estate News & Views Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:12:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en According to the Orlando Business Journal, Florida's economic outlook ranks fifth among the 50 U.S. states. So says of an annual study by the American Legislative Exchange Council. The 2010 "Rich States, Poor States" study presents state economic outlook rankings based on public policies that have a proven impact on growth, revealing ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2010/06/florida-5-for-economic-outlook/ According to the Florida Association of Realtors, sales of existing home sales in Florida rose 24 percent in March, with 16,294 homes sold statewide compared to 13,090 homes sold in March 2009. In addition, while March's statewide existing-home median price of $137,000 was down 3 percent from $141,300 a year ago, ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2010/04/march-stats-for-orlando/ Bottom or not - a large number of folk are keen to take advantage of the low real estate prices we're seeing. More than 12 percent of homebuyers today plan to purchase a home as an investment, compared to less than half, only 5.6 percent, just seven months ago, according to ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2010/01/investors-pop-out-of-the-woodwork/ For those unconvinced that we're now bumping along the bottom, the following data make interesting reading. Realtors are often accused of "talking up the market" - and on occasion they do - but I think these numbers speak for themselves. Click the following image to enlarge. Orlando home sales in November 2009 were ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/12/orlando-sales-data-november-2009/ Changes are a-coming... On January first the federal government expects everyone to be using the new consumer-friendly Good Faith Estimate mortgage disclosures and the new settlement statements. The issue here is important to consumers because the new paperwork provides numerous protections the old forms did not. Most importantly, they make it extremely difficult for ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/12/good-faith-estimate-mortgage-disclosures/ While buyers should never rush into the decision to buy a home, if the tax credit is a motivating factor, there is a deadline. Unless legislation extends the deal, you'll have to close escrow by Nov. 30 to take advantage of the maximum $8,000 tax credit available for first time ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/10/tax-credit-deadline-is-now/ According to a National Association of Realtors (NAR) press release, contract activity for pending home sales has risen for six straight months, a pattern not seen in the history of the index since it began in 2001. The "Pending Home Sales Index", a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in July, increased ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/09/pending-home-sales-on-a-record-roll/ Pending home sales jumped again - up by 3.2 percent for July, according to the National Association of Realtors. That's the sixth straight month of improvement. The pending sales index is now at its highest level since June of 2007, a full 12 percent above a year ago. Lawrence Yun, chief economist ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/09/housing-market-continues-to-improve/ "So anyway, this is the kitchen - beautiful isn't it - and in the living room you will notice the, um, the dead body on the floor?" Many of you telephone us, having seen something you like the look of online, and ask us to just meet you there at the property for ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/07/real-estate-pro-killed-in-foreclosed-home/ Orlando home sales in the market grew more than 43 percent in June 2009, according to the Orlando Realtor Association. Association members sold 2,131 homes last month in the Orlando metropolitan area, and the sales growth has finally helped bring down area inventory supply to single digits. Nearly 46 percent of the ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/07/orlando-home-sales-increase-again/