Florida sees the highest levels of interstate migration across the US. And, of the Sunshine State’s most populous counties, Orange County received the highest number of such newcomers as a proportion of the population there. The county seat, Orlando, has flourishing industries and strong job market, and surely benefits from this influx of people and skills.

A recent study by STORAGECafe, a website that provides storage unit listings across the country, investigated the moving patterns of Americans who give up their home in one state for a new life in another. The data used was taken from the US Census. Additional data about the cost of interstate moving was obtained from United Van Lines, the largest full-service moving company in the US.

Florida’s Interstate Moving Trends

It’s hardly news that Florida, with its great weather and entertainment options, is a popular place to move to. The study found that in 2018 around 587,000 people moved there from elsewhere in the contiguous US—that’s a rate of 11 people every 10 minutes. The state that provided the most newcomers was New York, with 63,033, which is 11% of all the total incoming migrants. Next on the list were other regions to the north: Georgia (35,350), Virginia (31,798), Pennsylvania (31,712) and New Jersey (30,105). The study calculated that a New Yorker would need to pay between $3,900 and $4,300 to move the contents of an average 2-bedroom home to Florida.

Outbound migration, the number of people who left the Sunshine State for another one, was almost 471,000 during the same timeframe, significantly less than inbound migration. Floridians had little desire to set up home in New York State, with only 24,084 making that journey—about a third of those moving in the opposite direction. The states receiving the highest numbers of Floridians were Georgia (51,020), North Carolina (37,585), Texas (37,262) and Tennessee (26,724). The cost of moving to the first two of these states was calculated to be $3,400-$3,800 in both cases.

Orlando and Orange County Trends

Although in 2012 Orange County was only the fifth-most populous in Florida, with 1,169,107 people, in terms of inbound interstate migration it ranked third between 2013-2017 with 36,645 newcomers, behind Hillsborough (38,040) and Palm Beach (36,732) counties. When inbound interstate migration is calculated as a percentage of population, it can be seen that Orange County also scores highly relative to its size during this timeframe, growing by 3.13%. These figures can be seen in the table below.

Here’s a reminder of the many outstanding reasons why people might come and live in The City Beautiful! The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s non-seasonally-adjusted figures for December 2019 reveal that the unemployment rates for Orange County and the Orlando Metro area were low at 2.4% and 2.5% respectively, not higher than the Florida average of 2.5% and well below the national average of 3.4%. The fact that Orlando is classified as one of the state’s most hurricane-safe cities may be another factor that encourages people to move here.

Impact on Local Real Estate Markets

The positive impact of state-to-state migration on Orlando and can be seen in the buoyancy of the local real estate markets there. Yardi Matrix data reveals that the city is performing well compared both to Florida as a whole and to other metropolitan areas in the state.

In 2018 and 2019, 54 multifamily properties of 50 or more units were constructed in Orlando, with a total of 16,362 dwellings. No Florida city matched this activity: Miami built 52 properties with 14,217 units, while in the Tampa–St Petersburg–Clearwater metro area 35 properties were constructed with 8,507 units. At the beginning of 2020, Orlando residential rents averaged about $1,370, compared to $1,707 in Miami and $1,394 statewide in Florida.

In the self-storage sector, 36 properties were built in 2018 and 2019, with a total of 3,414,401 sq. ft. This compares very favorably with the rest of Florida, where only Tampa–St Petersburg–Clearwater saw great activity—45 properties with 3,925,182 sq. ft. At the start of this year, the average rent for a non-climate controlled 10×10 unit in Orlando was $100, whereas it was somewhat higher both in Florida as a whole and nationwide, $106 and $114 respectively.

The STORAGECafe study concluded that quality of living, business climate, taxes and the weather are major factors in deciding whether people choose to migrate to another state. (The state receiving the second-highest number of people moving interstate was Texas, which also has low taxes and plenty of sunshine, and California took third place.) While migrating across the country for jobs and better living conditions has slowly decreased over the last few decades, Orlando demonstrates that a vibrant city with plenty of employment and entertainment opportunities is still going to be a much-favored destination. There is clearly confidence in Orlando’s self-storage and property rental sectors, and yet prices are not as high there as in some nearby places—it can be concluded that The City Beautiful is a great place to move to right now.

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.

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By: Aura Mogosanu, STORAGECafé, storagecafe.com

With Florida on record as one of the sunniest states in the United States, logic follows that it’s also a key player in the solar energy industry. With solar jobs soaring and the sunlight flowing, The Sunshine State is definitely a hot spot for solar production.

A natural tourist destination, not only for its amusement attractions, but also for its weather, Orlando, Florida has seen substantial growth in solar interest in recent years. With a total of 236 days per year with sun, and solar energy installation prices significantly dropping every year, Orlando is prime real estate for solar energy generation.

Annual Climate

An average of 5.5 sun hours per day and 65% of the days being sunny per year, if you live in Orlando and are interested in installing solar panels on your home, you’re in luck. Some of the top solar companies in the industry are operating in your hometown. Not only is the price right (or better than it was a mere five years ago), but the incentives and rebates for installing solar panels on your home abound. Though it may seem like a lot of money up front, you’ll be rolling in energy savings in no time. And the less you have to rely on the grid for energy, the less money you’re shelling out to power companies per month.

Benefits of Going Solar in Orlando

You’ve seen the uptick of solar panel installation around Orlando. And, you’ve heard that even Disney World is partially powered by solar energy. Surely there are benefits to going solar. . .right? Absolutely! Being one of the sunniest cities in the nation, if you live in Orlando and are thinking about solar energy, consider this:

• You can significantly limit your dependence on utility companies. Some people cut out the need for the utility companies all together.
• Don’t be frightened by the cost. Instead, consider the return on investment in just a few short years. Most homeowners who install solar panels in their homes can expect an average of a 20% return on investment.
• Your property value will instantly increase.
• You’ll directly be contributing to reducing your carbon footprint through the use of clean energy.
• On a larger scale, you’ll play a key role in the United States’ reduction on reliance on foreign oil. Needless to say, you’ll play an indirect role in benefiting the economy, the job market, and economic stability.

What Can You Expect to Save?

If you’re an Orlando resident and thinking of installing solar panels at your home, the great news is that you’ll start saving a significant amount – nearly $730 in the first year (approximately $60 per month)  – off your electricity bill. Even better than that? The amount you save will only increase year over year. On average, for Orlando residents,  yearly savings with solar energy systems is $1,100 per year.

Let’s take a look at an example. The average size of a residential solar system is 5 kW and the average cost of this size system is a little over $16,000. Based on average electricity costs in Orlando, available tax credits, loan options, and rebates, you’ll get nearly $5,000 back in the first year alone. Let’s face it, there aren’t many incentives like that around. Couple that with the fact that you’ll constantly be saving money each year until your system is paid off, and that once it’s paid off, you’ll be experiencing pure profit, and solar energy sounds pretty promising!

Driving Down Your Costs

Let’s break it down a little more. If you’re an Orlando resident, what kind of rebates and credits are available?

• The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 allowed for a 30% tax credit for installation of a solar energy system for all systems placed in service by December 31, 2016. Even though this rebate had recently expired, the federal government introduced an extension until December 31, 2019.
• The Florida Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act provides state-level rebates and incentives for installation of a solar system.
• The Orlando Utilities Commission offers a rebate up to $900 for installing a solar energy system in your home.
• If you are a Florida resident, you are exempt from paying state sales and use tax on your solar energy systems and related products.
• You are eligible for an up to $1,000 rebate from select power companies.
• Lastly, net metering is allowed within the state of Florida. Living in Orlando, installing a solar system, but still opting to be connected to the grid? That’s great news for you. Any unused solar energy generated from your personal system can be fed back into the grid and the utility company will give you credit for the solar power. What does this mean? Even if you use power from the grid, your monthly utility bill could be $0 based on energy credits provided by your local utility company.

Orlando Solar Companies

It’s no doubt that Orlando has experienced a boom in the number of available solar jobs. Some of the highest rated solar energy companies in Orlando, according to Yelp, include:

• Everything Solar
  • “Turning Daylight into Dollars” is this company’s logo. A licensed Florida solar company, this full service technology company has been designing, servicing, and installing solar systems for over 20 years in the greater Orlando area, including Volusia, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and Polk counties.
    
• Superior Solar
  • Specializing in solar electric, solar pool heating, and solar hot water, this Central Florida company claims to “shrink your energy bills” and was named as the #1 Solar Contractor in Central Florida by Solar Power World.
    
• Simply Solar Services
  • This Florida-based, design-build firm specializes  in Solar Power for commercial and residential applications, offering innovated and tailored designs plus accurate installations.
    
• Universal Solar
  • This company is dedicated to helping you save money and helping the environment. Universal Solar specializes in residential and commercial solar systems, including solar electric, solar hot water, and solar heating for pools. They serve all of Central Florida – Orlando, Kissimmee, Windermere, Mt. Dora, Sanford, and beyond.
    
• Bob Heinmiller Solar Solutions
  • Orlando Florida’s Solar Solutions provider, Bob Heinmiller has over 20 years experience as a licensed and insured Air Conditioning and Electrical Contractor serving the greater Orlando area and is also an authorized installer for Solarworld solar products for homes and businesses.
    
• Solar-Ray Inc.
  • Solar-Ray Inc. is the only NABCEP accredited photovoltaic installation company in FLORIDA! And one of only 6 in the USA.

However, if you’re not satisfied with this selection, know that there are 20+ solar companies servicing the Orlando area.

In general, the use of solar energy can benefit Orlando residents in a number of different ways: a.) using solar energy to power your water heater; b.) using solar energy to heat your swimming pool; c.) using solar energy to power your house; and d.) using solar energy to power attic ventilation fans.

While each company is different, most companies will offer a couple of different payment options for installing a residential solar energy system. The most common methods of payment include:

• Purchasing it outright
• Financing your system

If you opt to finance your system (which most people do because of the upfront cost associated with paying for your panels), solar loans are a popular option. Similar to a car loan, solar loans are actually the best option to go. The difference? When you pay back a car loan, you are paying down the debt. With a solar loan, you are paying down the debt, but you’re also making money on top of it based on your monthly energy savings. Another great benefit? You still get to participate in all of the available rebates and incentives – having a solar loan does not make you exempt from enjoying those benefits. It’s a win-win situation for all.

By and photo credit: evergreensolar.com/installers/FL/orlando

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.

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The price of any item is determined by the supply of that item, as well as the market demand. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) surveys “over 50,000 real estate practitioners about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions” for their monthly REALTORS Confidence Index.

Their latest edition sheds some light on the relationship between Seller Traffic (supply) and Buyer Traffic (demand).

Buyer Demand

The map below was created after asking the question: “How would your rate buyer traffic in your area?”

The darker the blue, the stronger the demand for homes in that area. Only four states came in with a weak or moderate demand level.

Seller Supply

The Index also asked: “How would your rate seller traffic in your area?”

As you can see from the map below, the majority of the country has weak Seller Traffic, meaning there are far fewer homes on the market than what is needed to satisfy the buyers who are out looking for their dream homes.

Bottom Line

Looking at the maps above, it is not hard to see why prices are appreciating in many areas of the country. Until the supply of homes for sale starts to meet the buyer demand, prices will continue to increase. If you are debating listing your home for sale, meet with a local real estate professional in your area who can help you capitalize on the demand in the market now!

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.

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According to the latest Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, the U.S. housing market has continued to move deeper into buy territory, supporting the belief that housing markets across the country remain a sound investment.

The BH&J Index is a quarterly report that attempts to answer the question:

In today’s housing market, is it better to rent or buy a home?

The index examines the entire US housing market and then isolates 23 major cities for comparison. The researchers “measure the relationship between purchasing property and building wealth through a buildup in equity versus renting a comparable property and investing in a portfolio of stocks and bonds.” 

Ken Johnson, Ph.D., Real Estate Economist & Professor at Florida Atlantic University, and one of the index’s authors explains that:

“Housing prices, in general, continue to slow and when considered in light of the recent trends in the Buy vs. Rent Index signal that ownership remains an excellent investment for the majority of Americans.”

While 15 of the 23 metropolitan markets examined moved further into buy territory since last quarter, Dallas, Denver, and Houston are three of the major cities that are currently deep into rent territory. In these three markets, it is estimated that renting will top homeownership 7 out of 10 times.

Eli Beracha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the T&S Hollo School of Real Estate at FIU,believes that, in these three markets, the “strong odds in favor of renting to create more wealth should begin to have an impact on the demand for home ownership and from that, impact property prices in these areas.”

Simply put, home prices in these areas will begin to return to more normal levels once residents realize that renting may be a better choice, therefore bringing home affordability back as well.

Bottom Line

The majority of the country is strongly in buy territory. Buying a home makes sense socially and financially. Rents are predicted to increase substantially in the next year. Protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost with a mortgage payment now.

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.

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To Find Out More About the Study: The BH&J Index and other FAU real estate activities are sponsored by Investments Limited of Boca Raton. The BH&J Index is published quarterly and is available online at http://business.fau.edu/buyvsrent.

In many markets across the country, the amount of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.

Even if you are in a market that is not as competitive, knowing your budget will give you the confidence of knowing if your dream home is within your reach.

Freddie Mac lays out the advantages of pre-approval in the My Home section of their website:

“It’s highly recommended that you work with your lender to get pre-approved before you begin house hunting. Pre-approval will tell you how much home you can afford and can help you move faster, and with greater confidence, in competitive markets.”

One of the many advantages of working with a local real estate professional is that many have relationships with lenders who will be able to help you with this process. Once you have selected a lender, you will need to fill out their loan application and provide them with important information regarding “your credit, debt, work history, down payment and residential history.”

Freddie Mac describes the 4 Cs that help determine the amount you will be qualified to borrow:

1. Capacity: Your current and future ability to make your payments
2. Capital or cash reserves: The money, savings and investments you have that can be sold quickly for cash
3. Collateral: The home, or type of home, that you would like to purchase
4. Credit: Your history of paying bills and other debts on time

Getting pre-approved is one of many steps that will show home sellers that you are serious about buying, and it often helps speed up the process once your offer has been accepted.

Bottom Line

Many potential home buyers overestimate the down payment and credit scores needed to qualify for a mortgage today. If you are ready and willing to buy, you may be pleasantly surprised at your ability to do so as well.

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.

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Things To Do Orlando:  Fashion Week at the Mall at Millenia 2016 offers the opportunity to appreciate the hottest fashion trends!

Celebrate Fashion Week at The Mall at Millenia and enjoy fashion shows, in-store activities and trunk shows, guest appearances, champagne receptions, and more.

See designer runway shows and a sneak preview of the hottest fashion trends straight from international runways right here in Central Florida. Fashion followers will find more fun than they can fit inside a designer bag with a week-long series of in-store events, such as trunk shows and champagne receptions.

WHEN:  September 12, 2016
WHERE:  The Mall at Millenia
COST:  FREE to most events

Visit the Event Website for more details.

Information courtesy of Orlando Real Estate Expert Teri Isner and the Orlando Avenue Top Team.

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.

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Whether you are considering the purchase of your first home or trading up to the home your family frequently fantasizes about, there are three crucial questions you must know the answer to:

1. What is the minimum down payment required to purchase a home?

2. What is the minimum FICO score required to qualify for a mortgage?

3. What is the maximum Back-End DTI Ratio allowed?

A survey conducted by Fannie Mae revealed startling information: most Americans don’t know the answer to these three crucially important questions. Here is a graphic showing the results of the survey:

The percentages are quite disturbing but can explain why so many people believe they are not eligible to purchase a home whether it is a first home or a trade-up home. Here are the actually requirements as per Fannie Mae:

Bottom Line

If you are considering purchasing a home, make sure you are aware of all your options before moving forward.

Perhaps you have been searching for your dream home and you have already found the one you really want but before you get a chance to do anything about it you drive by and notice it is ‘under contract’ or ‘pending’.  If this happens to you, don’t give up on your dreams there are things that you can do to make things go in your favor.  Below are a few ideas for you to try if you find that your dream home is about to slip through your fingers.

• First of all if you find that the home you have your eye on is ‘under contract’ you need to know that you shouldn’t give up. Under contract doesn’t mean that the sale has taken place it only means that an offer has been made but that it hasn’t closed yet.   There is still a good chance that the home may come back on the market again especially if the buyer cannot come up with the funds needed through financing.  Another reason a sale pending may fall through is if the inspection doesn’t work out.
• Talk to your Realtor and let she or he know that you are interested in the house that is under contract. Many times seller’s agents will continue to show a home until the last minute.  They do so because they may be hoping for a better offer than they currently have.  They also do this so that if the funding falls through for the current bidder they will have someone else in line to make an offer quickly afterwards.
• If you REALLY want this house and you don’t want it to slip through your fingers you can always make a higher bid than is currently in play. If you can afford to do this, it can be an easy way to make things go in your favor.
• Sending a handwritten note to the seller is a great way to let them know just how serious you are about purchasing their home. Hand written letters are pretty much a thing of the past these days and a handwritten note may make all the difference in the seller’s decision.

Some of these tips for snatching your dream home  out of ‘under contract’ or ‘pending’ status are pretty unconventional but if you really want the home to be your own you may be willing to do whatever it may take. In the end if you don’t end up getting the home, there is another one out there that is better for you and your family.

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.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!