New Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association data shows market continues to cool as fall season approaches

State of the Market

• Inventory for August was recorded at 6,115, up 6.9% from July when inventory was recorded at 5,720.
• New listings rose 6.1% from July to August, with 3,620 new homes on the market in August, compared to 3,413 in July.
• The median home price for August was recorded at $375,000, down from $380,000 in July. This is the second month in a row that median home price has fallen.
• Median home price in August 2023 was extremely close to August 2022, when it was recorded at $377,750.
• Overall sales fell slightly – 2.1% – from July to August. There were 2,792 sales in August, down from 2,852 sales in July. Sales in August 2023 were also 16.0% lower than August 2022, when there were 3,324 sales.
• Homes spent an average of 41 days on the market (DOM) in August, up from 39 days in July. This is 51.9% higher than August 2022 when homes spent an average of just 27 days on the market.
• August’s interest rate was recorded at 6.6%, down from 6.8% in July. Interest rates in August 2022 were 5.3%.
• In a July survey of ORRA members, 48% said they are seeing signs of the market cooling off.
• “As we near the fall season, we typically see a slowdown in sales, and we are beginning to witness this in the Central Florida market,” said Lisa Hill, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “Fall can have its benefits for buyers. With our market cooling off, fall homebuyers will face less competition, find more inventory, and see median home price pull back a bit.”

Market Snapshot

• Interest rates decreased from 6.8% in July to 6.6% in August. This is 24.5% higher than August 2022 when interest rates were 5.3%.
• Pending sales fell 4.2%, with 3,808 in July and 3,647 in August.
• 21 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.8% of all home sales in August. That represents a 16.0% decrease from July, when 25 distressed homes sold.

Inventory

• Orlando area inventory increased 6.9% from July to August. Inventory in July was 5,720 and inventory in August was 6,115.
• The supply of homes increased to 2.19 months in August, up 9.2% from 2.01 months in July. A balanced market is six months of supply.
• The number of new listings increased from July to August by 6.1% – from 3,413 homes to 3,620 homes.

ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for August can be found here.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Zillow.com defines the term disclosure as “…the buyer’s opportunity to learn as much as they can about the property and the seller’s experience in it.”  In most states, this simply means that the seller must let the buyer know about problems that they are aware of.  Whether you’re selling or buying a house, disclosing issues with the house is an extremely important part of the process.  

What Disclosure Means for the Seller 

• Your listing agent will provide a form for you to fill out, answering questions with either yes, no or I don’t know about different aspects of the house.  This form should be filled out truthfully and to the best of your knowledge. 
• Items that most states ask you to disclose to the buyer:  lead paint or asbestos, previous repairs or additions, mold or water damage, pest issues, drainage problems, foundation cracks, problems with HVAC and other appliances, and if the roof is leaky. 

• If you think there might be a problem, say possible mold in the crawlspace, have an inspector come and have a look.  It’s better to be safe than sorry here. 
• While you’re going over the disclosure form, if you’re not sure if you should report something, report it anyway.  It’s best to err on the side of caution. 
• Have the disclosure ready before you’ve accepted an offer for your own protection. 
• Your listing agent will be aware of all government disclosure requirements–federal, state, and local–so be prepared to report all that these laws ask of you. 

Disclosure and the Buyer 

• Once you receive the disclosure statement, go over it carefully and ask questions if you’re not sure about anything listed, because you must sign the disclosure. 
• The extra expense of having an official inspection done on the house is vital to this part of the sale.  Have the disclosure form information with you when you meet the inspector at the house, so you can go over the problem places with a pro. 
• In the case of any additions to the home, check the local government building permit and zoning information to make sure the addition was done the legal way by licensed people. 
• If you have any issues with the seller’s answers on the disclosure statement, and don’t want to make the repairs, and can’t come to an agreement with the seller, it may be best to walk away and look for another house. 

• Once you are satisfied with the disclosure and have the peace of mind that the sale should go through, sign off on the disclosure. 

A disclosure should be a seller’s protection plan, and smart sellers will be completely honest, and maybe even over-disclose.  Also, be aware that some states even ask sellers to disclose things like traffic noise, and even paranormal activity!  Your Realtor will know everything you need to provide to buyers, so the sale of your home goes smoothly.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Photo credit: Nestiny.com

Summer is almost over, and for most gardeners and those who love to work in the yard, it is time to tidy things up to prepare for cooler weather. It’s the best time to prepare for next year, even though the next planting season is months away.  Get to work for a head start on Spring.  

Vegetable Garden 

• If you still have tomatoes or peppers ripening, either take up the plants and hang in a cool place to let them ripen on the vine, or protect them from frost with burlap or row covering over their stakes. 
• If you have cool weather plants, make sure they’re getting plenty of water, and leaving them to grow until after frost makes them taste better!  
• Clean up all dead or dying plant debris, because it can cause diseases and help insects that like to overwinter in the rotting vegetation.  If you don’t have a compost pile, now is a good time to start one with healthy debris. If it looks diseased, discard it or burn it. 
• Adding lime to the garden soil is best done in the Fall.  Take a soil sample to your local extension office for a free soil test so you’ll know how much you need to add. 
• Cut back perennial herbs, and freeze or dry them for winter cooking. 
• Think about adding a cover crop.  Cover crops add nutrients to the soil, and prevent soil erosion.  Find a list for your region at https://www.almanac.com/content/cover-crops-us 
• Before storing garden tools, remove all dirt and debris, then spray with a 10:1 mix of water and bleach.  After they dry, oil tools that have moving parts, make any repairs that may be needed, and hang them out of traffic areas in your shed or garage. 

Landscaping 

• Plant trees and shrubs in the Fall.  The cooler temps and onset of dormancy gives them the perfect opportunity to establish their root systems. They still need plenty of water, so make sure you keep them hydrated.  
• Apply fertilizer to your lawn, and aerate it as well. Walking behind the fertilizer spreader in spike-soled shoes is a great way to do these two important things at once.   
• The last time you mow, keep the level at 1¼”.  This will keep leaves from settling on your lawn, as well prevent disease and insect over-wintering. 
• Cut back your perennials in the flower beds, mulch them well, and divide tuberous plants like daylilies and irises.  Hostas also benefit from a Fall division.   
• If you have any young plants or trees, mulch well around them to protect them from freezing once the thermometer drops. 
• Update container plantings with chrysanthemums, ornamental cabbages, pansies and interesting grasses.  These should take you through the Winter and provide interest and color for the drab days ahead. 
• Plant flower bulbs for a beautiful, maintenance-free Spring flowerbed.  Daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, and crocuses will provide color for weeks. 

Getting your garden and yard ready for Winter not only makes things look better, but it will certainly help once Spring gets here. The weather can be unpredictable come March and April, so take advantage of the cool, long days of Fall to prepare for next year’s growing season. 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Photo credit: Town ‘N Country Garden Center

Florida is well known for all of the damage caused during our stormy seasons.  The power of wind can burst open windows, doors, split open walls, creating and increasing uplift forces on the roof.   Once the wind breaks open any part of the home, wind and water will enter and damage to the interior escalates dramatically.

Homeowner’s insurance companies offer premium discounts based on a home’s level of wind resistance. These wind mitigation inspections are used to determine whether specific protective reinforcements are in place, therefore decreasing the amount of damage your home may receive during a hurricane or strong storm. A home with these features is less likely to incur costly repairs  during a “high wind event” which saves the insurance company money.

What is Wind Loss Mitigation? Mitigation is the act of making a condition less severe. Therefore wind loss mitigation is the act of minimizing loss that might be caused by wind damage to your home.

History Behind the Credits
After the devastating 2004 Hurricane season many Florida based insurance companies were forced to increase premiums due the substantial losses they occurred. The Florida Legislature saw the rising premiums as a problem for Floridians so they agreed that if homeowners made steps to make their homes more secure from wind loss, they should be rewarded by a reduction in insurance premium.

So How Do I Get the Credits?

In order to get credits you must have a Wind Mitigation report completed by a licensed inspector. Many people believe that their Homeowners carrier is responsible for paying for the report, but that is not the case. That being said, the mitigation report usually pays for itself within the first year, with prices ranging from $70 – $125. These prices are typically reduced if you purchase another report from the inspector, such as a 4-point inspection.

Make Sure You Request the 2012 Form!

Most carriers are now requiring that the Wind Mitigation Report to be on the 2012 form. If you have an older form, you will most likely have to get a new mitigation completed to apply for credits.

Premium Credits for Wind Mitigation Construction Features 

Roof Age: If your roof was replaced on or after March of 2002, it most likely is eligible for the Florida Building Code of 2001 credit. This code required contractors to use improved construction techniques, thus making roofs sounder.

Roof Covering: Common types include shingles, clay tiles, metal, and built-up-tar and gravel. The key factor in roof covering performance is the method of attachment of the roof covering to the roof deck.  This feature must meet or be equivalent to the Florida Building Code which has specific material and attachment specifications which are superior to building practices in the past.

Roof Deck Material & Attachments: The method used to connect the roof decking (plywood, metal panels, etc.) to the roof trusses or rafters. The performance of the roof deck is of critical importance in keeping hurricane losses to a minimum. This is usually achieved by nail fasteners. Nail size, type, spacing, and penetration depth into the truss or rafters determines the uplift resistance of the deck.  The difference in uplift capacity of 8d (2 ½”) nails at a typical nail spacing and 6d (2 ½”) nails at the same spacing is a factor of about two times stronger.

Roof-to-Wall: This is another critical connection that keeps the roof on the building and acts to transfer the uplift loads into the vertical walls.  This connection is KEY to the performance of the building due to the large negative pressures acting on the roof.

Secondary Water Resistance: Material applied to the roof covering to prevent water from intruding into the structure when the roof covering fails.  Roof coverings often begin to peel off in peak wind gusts ranging from 70 to 100 mph.

Roof Shape: Roof shape refers to the geometry of the roof.  There are many common roof shapes in residential construction, including gable, hip, and flat (and many possible combinations).  Some roof slopes and configurations perform better than others.   Moderate roof slopes don’t tend to uplift the roof and push the building sideways and hip roofs provides greater stability during high winds regardless of which direction the wind blows.  *A HIP shaped roof receives the largest insurance discount. This may help a protective home buyer consider which home to buy.

Opening Protection: Openings in the wall and roof include windows, doors, sliding glass doors, skylights, and garage doors.  Openings are vulnerable to wind-borne debris impacts in hurricanes and other windstorms. The protection of openings is perhaps the greatest single loss mitigation strategy for a building.  The reason for this is that once a window or door fails the pressure inside of the structure increases due to the breach in the building envelope.  Thus, putting all openings in an overload situation; resulting in additional failures.  The inspector is looking for glazed (glass) openings with specific ratings and or shutters protecting them.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

By and photo credit: Tracy Sihle,  Sihle Insurance Group

State of the Market

• July’s interest rate was recorded at 6.8%, up slightly from 6.7% in June. This is the second-highest interest rate in Central Florida in 20 years. October 2022 had the highest interest rate in 20 years at 7.0%
  • In ORRA’s new survey of Orlando REALTORS, 43% of respondents said that rising interest rates are the biggest challenge facing buyers, causing some buyers to wait out purchasing homes right now or look at lower price points.
• Overall sales fell 8.7% from June to July. There were 2,852 sales in July, down from 3,124 sales in June. Sales in July 2023 were also 13.8% lower than July 2022, when there were 3,309 sales.
• Inventory for July was recorded at 5,720, up 5.0% from June when inventory was recorded at 5,450.
  • Low inventory was cited as the second biggest issue facing buyers in ORRA’s new survey.
• The median home price for July was recorded at $380,000, down from $385,000 in June. This is the first month this year that median home price has fallen.
• Median home price in July 2023 was extremely close to July 2022, when it was recorded at $380,900.
• New listings fell 7.8% from June to July, with 3,413 new homes on the market in July, compared to 3,703 in June.
• Homes spent an average of 39 days on the market (DOM) in July, down from 41 days in June. This is still 85.7% higher than July 2022 when homes spent an average of just 21 days on the market.
  • Last year, 63% of Orlando REALTORS said clients were selling their homes in 10 days or less. This year, only 34% said clients are selling their homes in 10 days or less.
• “Approaching the end of summer with interest rates at nearly their highest level in 20 years, we are seeing an impact on both buyers and sellers,” said Lisa Hill, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “More homeowners are being locked into ‘golden handcuffs’ – where they’re choosing to stay in their current homes to keep their low mortgage rates, which could be 3% or lower – and more buyers are choosing to wait in hopes that rates go down.”

Market Snapshot

• Interest rates increased from 6.7% in June to 6.8% in July. This is 27.7% higher than July 2022 when interest rates were 5.4%.
• Pending sales fell, with 3,964 in June and 3,808 in July.
• 25 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.9% of all home sales in July. That represents a 10.7% decrease from June, when 28 distressed homes sold.

Inventory

• Orlando area inventory increased 5.0% from June to July. Inventory in June was 5,450 and inventory in July was 5,720.
• The supply of homes increased to 2.01 months in July, up 15.0% from 1.74 months in June. A balanced market is six months of supply.

• The number of new listings decreased from June to July by 7.8% – from 3,703 homes to 3,413 homes.

ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for July can be found here.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

By: www.orlandorealtors.org

State of the Market

• The median home price for June was recorded at $385,000, up from $378,000 in May. Median home prices have increased every month this year.
• Median home price in June 2023 was close to June 2022, when it was recorded at $387,000.
• New listings rose 7.1% from May to June, with 3,703 new homes on the market in June, compared to 3,459 in May.
• Homes spent an average of 41 days on the market (DOM) in June, down from 45 days in May. This is 105.0% higher than June 2022 when homes spent an average of 20 days on the market.
• Overall sales fell 0.8% from May to June. There were 3,124 sales in June, down from 3,150 sales in May.
• June’s interest rate was recorded at 6.7%, up slightly from 6.6% in May.
• Inventory for June was recorded at 5,450, up 5.8% from May when inventory was recorded at 5,149.
• Inventory in June 2023 (5,450) was 0.2% higher compared to June 2022, when it was recorded at 5,437 homes.
• “Now that we’re officially halfway through the year, Orlando’s housing market remains strong,” said Lisa Hill, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “June’s housing data is a strong indication of what the rest of the year will look like – we can expect to continue to see more inventory and great prices for homes, which is good news for buyers and sellers.”

Market Snapshot

• Interest rates increased from 6.6% in May to 6.7% in June. This is 20.6% higher than June 2022 when interest rates were 5.5%.
• Pending sales fell, with 4,304 in May and 3,964 in June.
• 28 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.9% of all home sales in June. That represents a 33.3% increase from May, when 21 distressed homes sold.

Inventory

• Orlando area inventory increased 5.8% from May to June. Inventory in May 2023 was 5,149 and inventory in June was 5,450.
• The supply of homes increased to 1.74 months in June, up 6.7% from 1.63 months in May. A balanced market is six months of supply.

• The number of new listings increased from May to June by 7.1% – from 3,459 homes to 3,703 homes.

ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for June can be found here.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

By: www.orlandorealtors.org

Tiny Houses are really super cute and a lot less expensive than traditional size homes but there are a few things you might want to take into consideration before you decide to purchase a tiny house.  There are pros and cons to owing a tiny house and those are listed for you below for your review.

1. Tiny houses  are typically no more than 100 to 500 square feet.  This may work perfect for you and your family if your family is rather small.  If however you have a large family a tiny house may not be the way to go.
2. You can have a tiny house built for $15,000 however if you want that tiny house to have all the bells and whistles you may end up spending in excess of $80 to $100,000. Basically it will be up to you if you want to purchase a tiny house and “bling it out” so to speak or if you would rather take your money and purchase a large home that already has everything you desire.
3. You may need to check with the zoning board in your area to see if a tiny house is allowed before you make a decision. If so, why not give a tiny house a go…if not, you can always put the tiny house on wheels and travel from state to state.
4. If personal space is important to you then you may not want to even consider purchasing a tiny house. If you do decide to purchase a tiny house your lifestyle will change for sure.  If you don’t mind being in close proximity to your family then a tiny house may be just the ticket!
5. A pro to living in a tiny home is that you won’t have very much space to clean.   If you don’t like spending a ton of time cleaning your house, a tiny home may be the place of your dreams!

These are just a few of the pros and cons associated with tiny house living.  In the end, it is your decision whether or not you want to purchase a tiny house and join the many others you have already done so.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.