clermont florida - Orlando and Clermont Real Estate

5 Tips for Finding That First Perfect Lake Property

It is a dream of many to own a home right on the lake especially for people here in Clermont and Lake County. Right now many buyers are turning that dream into a reality as the need to stay distant while enjoying outdoor activities is prevalent. If you are thinking about taking the leap into lakefront property here are some things to consider.

Choose the Right Lake for Your Wants and Needs

Begin your home buying process by asking yourself the exact reasons why you want to live on the lake. What do you want to do there? Are you just looking for a quiet and serene view to enjoy from your yard? Are you hoping to fish for some of your meals? Are you wanting to get a paddleboard work out in on a calm lake every day? Or are you up for the most lively adventure and high energy activity with motor craft water sports at you fingertips?

The activities you see yourself doing while living on the lake will help you to determine exactly what lake, or lakes, you would like to live on. Each lake has its own set of usage rules.

Choose a Desired Neighborhood

Now that you have an idea of what type of lake you would like to live on and have picked a few specific lakes to focus on, start looking at specific neighborhoods on those lakes. Maybe you prefer a specific shoreline on a lake or a master-planned community with a central hub of amenities and an HOA to guide things. What type of lake neighborhood do you want to live in? Do you want to have a community of close neighbors to meet new friends or would you prefer more land and a more private and quiet feel?

Know ALL the Rules

Beyond knowing what type of water activity is permitted on the lake you wish to live on you will want to know rules about:

Is there an HOA?

Are there rules about building docks and improving the home?

Is the property on an easement or is a portion of it protected by environmental laws?

What rules are rock solid and will not change and what laws are amenable that could make the area feel totally different in the future?

What are future development rules of surrounding properties and land?

What is the history of the rules and how they have changed?

Be Prepared for More Maintenance

Owning any type of home comes with its own set of upkeep and maintenance you will be responsible for, but living on the water requires a little more work than a landlocked property. Make sure you are aware of and prepared for important maintenance tasks. Be sure to ask a lot of questions about anything that may come to mind when you walk through the property. If your realtor doesn’t know the answer they may be able to find it for you. It is important to hire a realtor that specializes in selling lake properties to help you find a home in good condition.

Financing and Insurance May be Different

When purchasing a waterfront home, it is riskier. Because of the higher risk of things like flooding, you may have special requirements from your lender or insurance companies. It is good to be prepared that these processes may take some extra requirements for approval.

Are you looking for your first lake home in Clermont or Lake County? Please contact me anytime. I am very knowledgeable in the local area and have much experience selling Florida lake homes.

If you are looking to buy a lake home in Clermont I would love to help you find just the right one for you. Please contact me at any time.

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Is Clermont Florida a Good Place to Live?

I often get this question, is Clermont Florida a good place to live? Of course, being from this area, I love it and that’s why I have focused my business around Clermont but it doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone will love it as much as I do. When determining where to live just outside of Orlando, Clermont makes a good city for consideration but let me tell you why.

Clermont is located in Lake County Florida about 20 miles west of Orlando and home to about 33,000 residents. It’s part of the Orlando Kissimmee Sanford Metro area and its economy is centered around retail trade, tourism, restaurants and lodging. We are located between Lake Mineola and Lake Minnehaha just outside of the borders of Lake Apopka south of Florida’s Turnpike. Our boundary stretches down to Lake Louisa covers a total of about 12 mi.².

Many people love this area because it’s not quite the hustle and bustle of downtown Orlando but your less than 30 minutes from all of the nightlife and entertainment that Orlando has to offer without the high prices, traffic, or noise of the big city. Clermont has been named as one of the top 20 cities in America and the best of Central Florida city to live in. That’s saying quite a lot! Arts and performances, camps and activities for people of all ages, Clermont is no stranger to keeping our residents well entertained and active. We have senior programs and youth events, preschools in some of the highest rated schools in the area. From arts and culture, fishing and hiking, city parks swimming pools and art centers, Clermont is a hub for all things entertainment, education, and activities.

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Let’s take a look at some demographics:

Population: 33,000 residents
Median income $60,000
Unemployment rate: 4.4%
Average home price: $280,000
Average commute time: 31 minutes

Clermont Florida is just an hour and 20 minutes to the Gulf of Mexico and about an hour and a half to the Atlantic Ocean on the east. It’s literally dead center in Florida’s Panhandle so it’s a great location if you’re looking to be close to both sides of the state depending on what type of weather and water you’re looking for.

Schools

Clermont does not have its own school district but is part of the Lake County school district. Some of the top-rated schools include the Cyprus Ridge Elementary school, the Lost Lake elementary school, the Pine Ridge Elementary school, the East Ridge middle and the East Ridge high school as well as Windy Hill middle school and Clermont middle school. These schools receive excellent scores from parents and teachers alike for test scores, graduation rates, academics, and extracurricular activities. People moved to Claremont simply for the school district, so if you have school age children, this might be a serious deciding factor.

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Weather

If you’re moving here from out of state, the weather is sure to be a deciding factor. Whether it’s the sun, the heat, or just the lack of rain that you’re looking for, if you’re looking for sunshine, Clermont certainly delivers. Our cooler temperatures are in January where our high can be 70° and the low can be in the mid-40s and our highest temperatures are in July and August, which can reach 95° and the low 70° at night.

Overall we have about 50 inches of rain per year with average high temperatures between 85 and 90° and annual low temperatures between 50 and 60°. Of course, being in Florida we have no snowfall but over 300 days of sunshine. Surprisingly, most of our precipitation happens in the summer months where you will get a serious downpour of a shower right after lunch time only to have the sun, shining through minutes later. This keeps our landscaped green, trees flourishing, and are wildlife excited.

So have I convinced you? I’d love to show you around Clermont even more! I specialize in lakefront homes in Clermont but love to buy and sell all types of real estate in the area. Give me a call or start searching my website for all the homes for sale in Clermont today!

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Buyers Are Not Going to Make Offers on Overpriced Listings

Buyers Are Not Going to Make Offers on Overpriced Listings

If you are thinking about pricing your home for sale above market value, buyers are not going to make offers on overpriced listings. One thing for sure, real estate market is HOT!! It’s sizzling. Some areas are experiencing low inventory with high demand that’s causing home prices to go

up, especially in the affordable price range. What is an affordable price range you might ask? Well, that truly depends on where you are in the country, in Clermont FL area, the affordable price range is just middle of the road, between $200,000 and $250,000. That number will look a lot different if you are in NY or Los Angeles.

If you are in a hot seller’s market with high demand and low inventory with increasing home prices month after month, you might want to list your home for sale above the fair market value and hoping buyers will make offers on an overpriced listing.

BUT…Guess what? Buyers are not going to make offers on overpriced listings. Just like home sellers, buyers also study the market, most are working with knowledgeable REALTORS® who are guiding them through the transaction. Besides, their search criteria will most likely be within their pre-approved mortgage. If they are approved to purchase a home up to $250,000, they will not be looking at homes priced at $300,000 hoping sellers will come down. Just like home sellers, they know it’s a hot market and homes that are priced right will go under contract fast so they’re not even going to waste their time looking at homes outside of their price range.

If a buyer tells me they’re looking to buy a home in Clermont FL priced up to $250,000, my search will be slightly over their pre-approved price. If I send them homes that are priced well above their range, they will think I’m not listening or have no regards for their wishes. So your strategy of overpricing and waiting for buyers to make offers isn’t going to work.
Yes, as a REALTOR®, if my buyer client likes the overpriced home, I will encourage them to make an offer and will definitely speak with the listing agent prior to submitting it, however, it’s up to you, as the seller to either accept or make a counter-offer which will show the buyer how motivated you are to sell your house.

What if your REALTOR® suggests listing above market value? Why would they do that? Do they really know the market? Are they trying to win you over so you would list your home with them? Do you have the time to participate in this game?
As a REALTOR®, I don’t have the marketing dollars nor the time to play games. I list homes to sell. List and see what sticks doesn’t work for me, never did.

Everyone’s motivation is different, however, most home sellers list their homes to sell. To accomplish that goal, it’s best to do everything right from day one. That includes getting your home in show ready condition, working with the right REALTOR® for the right reasons and most importantly, pricing it right.
As a professional, I come across overpriced as well as underpriced homes for sale. Those that are overpriced will either expire or see a major price reduction after a long marketing time. The ones that are underpriced will hopefully generate multiple offers and sell over list price.

Do Buyers make offers on overpriced listings? That depends on the area and competition. Remember, real estate is very local so what happens in Los Angeles isn’t very common in Clermont FL. Instead of wondering, it’s best to price your house to sell.

If you are a Clermont FL homeowner thinking about selling your home, I would love the opportunity to speak with you. Call or text me at 407-929-1852 for a FREE market analysis. Clermont FL home prices have increased 11% compared to last year. Your home may worth more than you think.

Where to Live in the Orlando Area? Why Clermont?

Clermont is the place to put your roots

Extensive research goes into the home buying decision. Luckily when it comes to purchasing a home in the Clermont area you don’t have to look too hard to see why it is a perfect place to call home. Clermont is a quaint little town with historic charm that offers serenity, breathtaking lake views and the convenience of bigger cities close by. With Orlando only 22 miles away, you are just far enough out of the hustle and bustle to get a quiet lakefront lifestyle, but also close enough to have some fun when you’re in the mood for a night out. Clermont is mostly a residential town offering one of the first constructed landmarks in Florida, The Florida Citrus Tower.

They say the happiest place on earth is Disneyland, but if we are being honest, how true is this?

While Disneyland is indeed, magical, sometimes the constant hustle, musicals, cheer and shrieking children over whelmed with glee, can get a little old, not to mention the continuous tourist traffic. Clermont is peacefully located 30 minutes from Disney World allowing you to be close enough to create magical memories, but also allowing for some quiet nights away from the fireworks.

While the cost of living and housing have slowly been rising in more recent years, many still love their Florida lifestyles and find the higher cost of living to be quite reasonable when you factor in all the amenities and activities of the surrounding areas. Unlike previous decades, citrus and cattle, while still a major part of Florida’s economy, the state has become a hot spot for tourists traveling to visit theme parks and bringing in tourist income. With tourists coming from all over the globe, it is easy to appreciate the quiet lifestyle in Clermont and feel blessed to live in a place so close to a coveted tourist hot spot.

For those of us who have not yet reached retirement, Clermont and surrounding towns offer many diverse employment opportunities. Both military and high-tech companies including Siemens, IBM, Electronic Arts, Veritas, General Dynamics and Northrup/Grumman have a large presence in Florida providing many different careers. There are also well-known companies in the service industries that have moved into Florida such as Darden and the Hard Rock Café.

With employment opportunities, lake views in quiet towns and tourist activities right next door, it’s hard not to fall in love with Orlando, Clermont and the surrounding towns. Contrary to some beliefs, Florida is lush and filled with deciduous woods and scattered with lakes. The rich environment allows you to grow and maintain orchards as well as citrus crops for a perfect and relaxing weekend hobby. While temperatures may rise during the summer, the coastal state provides soft breezes to help you stay cool and comfortable even on the hottest Florida days. Towns such as Clermont are inland enough to have low hurricane threats and can occasionally provide heavy rainfall during hurricane seasons to nurture your greenery. With so much to offer it is easy to take the step in choosing to make Clermont and other cities surrounding Orlando home.

Images by Jared

How Does a Rent to Own Home or Lease Work?

If you’re looking at homes you may find work come across a “rent to own” home or as a seller you might be interested in this type of option but are not sure how it works or how to go about buying or selling your home in this fashion.

Rent to own homes are properties in which a buyer is permitted to rent a home for a specified amount of time with the option of purchasing that home during that timeframe. The price, along with the contract is also settled before the rental lease begins. If the buyer chooses not to buy the property, the property and any rent credits collected will go back to the seller. Unfortunately, the seller will then need to consider trying to resell the home to someone else.

These situations were great for buyers that may not be ready financially to take on a mortgage or that are rebuilding their credit and cannot qualify for a mortgage just yet. These also work well when the housing market isn’t performing as well as it should be. Many sellers will turn toward the rent to own option. This is a unique offering from the seller if the buyer is hard-pressed to find a home elsewhere or even a mortgage. If the seller doesn’t need to actually get rid of the home, they really don’t have a lot to lose at this point. If the buyer decides that they are not interested in buying the home at the end of the leasing. The seller will get the home back and will have received all of the monthly rental payments that the buyer had been making.

[More: How to improve your credit score in order to buy a house]

Depending on the housing market and the demand, most rental payments will cover housing expenses such as a mortgage, property taxes, insurance and maintenance. If the buyer decides to purchase the home, all of the rental payments made thus far will go towards the down payment or purchase of the home itself. The seller can either keep these funds in a separate account rolling them over to the buyer or deduct the rental payments from the cost of the home at this point.

Here are some important factors to consider when choosing a rent to own property.

There has to be an original agreement on the purchase price. Both the buyer and seller need to come up with a final price that they both agree upon. The terms are final and usually cannot be changed once the lease begins.

This option also eliminates the option for other buyers. The rent to own buyer will pay an “option fee”, which is negotiable and gives the buyer the option to purchase the home at a later time. This fee also prevents the seller from renting the home or selling the property to anyone else.

Once the final price is agreed upon and fees are paid, it is at this time that the tenant occupies the home. Generally, rent to own homes have terms of about three years, which gives the buyer a substantial amount of time to get their financing in order and fulfill the terms of the agreement.

Each month, the buyer will pay the rent, which goes toward a credit to be applied towards the purchase price of the home. If the buyer decides not to sell, that credit will stay with the seller and not be returned to the buyer. If the buyer does not follow through, the stand to lose thousands of dollars by not making the purchase but, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Situations change, things come up and perhaps this is not where the buyer actually wants to live permanently. This is really no different than making a rental payment each month except that the seller will now need to either reprint the home or put the home back on the market.

There are a lot of benefits for both the buyer and the seller in a rent to own option. The buyer’s credit will often be less of a deciding factor when qualifying for the purchase and their down payment may be smaller depending on what the seller will agree to. Sellers can also benefit because they are earning monthly cash if they don’t need to sell the home right away. Another perk for the seller is not the buyer will likely take better care of the home knowing that they may eventually own it themselves.

[More: Which is better? Renting or Buying?]

There are three parts to a rent to own agreement: the rental agreement, which outlines the terms associated with the tendency, the option agreement, which identifies the period by which the buyer has time to consider purchasing the home, and the sale contract, which identifies the term of sale and purchase price.

If you’re considering a rent to own option it’s also a good idea to speak to a real estate broker or agent that specializes in not only buying and selling real estate the property management as well. We can help you facilitate the transaction, talk about the pros and cons for your situation and help you execute the terms for a rent to own option. – More: A Real Estate Agent who is also a property manager

Whether you are a buyer or seller, if you have questions on rent to own properties in Clermont, Winter Garden or Minneola or surrounding communities in Orlando Florida contact me today.