http://orlandorealestatepros.com Orlando Real Estate News & Views Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:56:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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/ Orlando home sales were up 38 %  over the same period last year. Orlando housing inventory of homes for sale dropped below 20,000 listings for the first time in since December 2006. However, of the 1,854 closings in May, 51 % of the homes were either bank-owned or distressed. Foreclosed and ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/06/orlando-home-sales-up-38/ Residential construction activity remains low nationally, but the Orlando market is among the highest in housing starts, according to a May 2009 report by Metrostudy. The Orlando market indicates about 12,000 buidling starts for the 12 months ending March 2009, making it  #4 nationwide. Houston led that list with 22,000 home starts during that same ... http://orlandorealestatepros.com/2009/05/orlandos-home-starts-increase/