FOLIO Real Estate Orlando

Jen Dollar | Your Orlando Real Estate Broker I have been a Central Florida resident since 1986 and I have over 20 years of sales and marketing experience. My family has been involved in commercial and residential real estate for over 30 years, specializing in land development and acquisitions. I graduated from The University of Central Florida...

Good news for all the buyers out there.

The supply of homes for sale has grown significantly this year. There are 36.6% more homes actively for sale compared to 2023. This means more options for you.

But this doesn’t mean we have an oversupply. Inventory is still almost 29% lower compared to more normal years like 2017-2019.

Is Affordability Starting To Improve?

Over the past couple of years, a lot of people have had a hard time buying a home. And while affordability is still tight, there are signs it's getting a little better and might keep improving throughout the rest of the year. Here’s a look at the latest data on the three biggest factors affecting home affordability.

1. Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates have been volatile this year, bouncing around from the mid 6% to low 7% range. But there's some good news. Data from Freddie Mac shows rates have been trending down overall since May. When rates decline, it's easier to afford the home you want because your monthly payment will be lower. Just don’t expect them to go back down to 3%.

2. Home Prices

The second big thing to think about is home prices. Nationally, they’re still going up this year, but not as fast as they did a couple of years ago. As Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at...

Is Affordability Starting To Improve? Over the past couple of years, a lot of people have had a hard time buying a home.

Affordability has been a challenge for a while now.
There are three main factors that impact it: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.
Here’s the good news. There are early signs that all three are starting to improve. Mortgage rates are coming down, home price growth is moderating, and wages are going up.
If you’re thinking about kicking off your search, DM me.

Home Inspections For Sellers: How To Prepare

If you’re thinking about selling your house, it’s important to know what the home inspection is and what inspectors look for. As supply grows and buyers regain negotiation power, you may find you want to do some select repairs with a good return on investment before listing to get ahead of things a buyer may ask you to fix. To decide what's worth tackling, you need expert advice. Let's chat so you know what to prioritize.

Home Inspections For Sellers: How To Prepare If you’re thinking about selling your house, it’s important to know what the home inspection is and what inspectors look for.

Getting ready to sell your house? Here’s the scoop on home inspections and how to prep for them.

As more homes hit the market, buyers are regaining some negotiating power. That means it might be a good idea to tackle some key repairs before listing.

But how do you know which ones are worth it?

Expert advice is key. Let's chat so you know what to prioritize.

Mortgage Rates Down a Full Percent from Recent High

Mortgage rates have been one of the hottest topics in the housing market lately because of their impact on affordability. And if you’re someone who’s looking to make a move, you’ve probably been waiting eagerly for rates to come down for that very reason. Well, if the past few weeks are any indication, you may be getting your wish.

After the latest reports on the economy, inflation, the unemployment rate, and the Federal Reserve’s recent comments, mortgage rates started dropping a bit. And according to Freddie Mac, they’re now at a level we haven’t seen since February.

Maybe you’re seeing this and wondering if you should ride the wave and see how low they’ll go. If that’s the case, here’s some important perspective. Remember, the record-low rates from the pandemic are a thing of the past. And if you wait for mortgage rates to drop further, you might find yourself...

simplifyingthemarket.com

Right now, over 2/3 of homeowners have at least 50% equity in their homes.

And that much equity can go a long way toward buying a new place.

Curious about how much equity you have? I can walk you through a Professional Equity Assessment Report on your house. Drop a comment below if you’re interested.

Why the Sandwich Generation Is Buying Multi-Generational Homes

Are you a part of the Sandwich Generation? According to Realtor.com, that’s a name for the roughly one in six Americans who take care of their children and their parents or grandparents at the same time.

If that sounds familiar to you, juggling all the responsibilities involved certainly must have its challenges. But it turns out there’s one pretty significant benefit: it can actually make it a bit easier for you to buy a home.

How Can It Help You Buy a Home?

Here are a few ways their caretaking situation might be helping those 33% buy a home:

• Sharing Expenses

• Built-In Childcare

Beyond just the financial reasons, buying a multi-generational home has other advantages. The Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) highlights some of the most popular, including:

• Easier To Care for Aging Parents

• Spending More...

Why the Sandwich Generation Is Buying Multi-Generational Homes Are you a part of the Sandwich Generation?

Homebuyers are getting a bit more negotiating power these days.

And if you're buying or selling, it’s helpful to know what’s up for negotiation so you go in prepared.

From prices and repairs to closing costs and appliances, there are various levers you can pull during the deal.

If you want someone to help navigate these conversations and advocate for you, DM me.

Should You Rent Out or Sell Your House?

Figuring out what to do with your house when you're ready to move can be a big decision. Should you sell it and use the money for your next adventure, or keep it as a rental to build long-term wealth?

Is Your House a Good Fit for Renting?

Even if you're interested in becoming a landlord, your current house might not be ideal for renting. Maybe you're moving far away, so keeping up with the ongoing maintenance would be a hassle, the neighborhood isn't great for rentals, or the house needs significant repairs before you could rent it out.

If any of this sounds like it might apply, selling might be your best option.

Are You Ready for the Realities of Being a Landlord?

Managing a rental property isn't just about collecting rent checks. It's a time-consuming and sometimes challenging job.

For example, you may get calls from tenants at all hours of the day with maintenance...

Should You Rent Out or Sell Your House? Figuring out what to do with your house when you're ready to move can be a big decision.

Wondering if a housing market crash is on the horizon? Think again.

Unlike 2008's oversupply issue, today we're facing an undersupply of homes.

From existing homes to new builds and even foreclosures, all inventory levels are significantly lower than during the last housing crisis.

The numbers are clear—today's inventory conditions are simply not the same.

3 Reasons Why We’re Not Headed for a Housing Crash

Back in 2008, there was an oversupply of homes for sale. Today, there’s an undersupply. The three main sources of inventory show this isn’t like the last time. Existing homes, new homes, and foreclosures are all way below the levels we saw during the housing crash. Inventory data shows there just aren’t enough homes available to have a repeat of what happened back in 2008.

3 Reasons Why We’re Not Headed for a Housing Crash Back in 2008, there was an oversupply of homes for sale.

Caught between caring for your kids and aging parents? Here’s some good news.

In a recent survey, 1 in 3 people in this same situation find it actually makes it easier to afford a home.

That’s because a multi-generational home has big financial perks like sharing expenses and built-in childcare.

If you want to talk about whether this type of home is right for you, DM me.

Trying to decide if you want to sell or rent out your house once you move?
There’s a lot to consider – especially when it comes to figuring out if the profit is really worth the potential pains you might come up against.
Pro tip: Talking to another landlord plus professionals (like me) can help you decide what’s best for you and your situation.

How the Economy Impacts Mortgage Rates

As someone who’s thinking about buying or selling a home, you’re probably paying close attention to mortgage rates – and wondering what's ahead.

One thing that can affect mortgage rates is the Federal Funds Rate, which influences how much it costs banks to borrow money from each other. While the Federal Reserve (the Fed) doesn’t directly control mortgage rates, they do control the Federal Funds Rate.

The relationship between the two is why people have been watching closely to see when the Fed might lower the Federal Funds Rate. Whenever they do, that’ll put downward pressure on mortgage rates. The Fed meets next week, and three of the most important metrics they’ll look at as they make their decision are:

1. The Rate of Inflation
2. How Many Jobs the Economy Is Adding
3. The Unemployment Rate

What Does This Mean Moving Forward?

While mortgage rates are going to continue to be...

How the Economy Impacts Mortgage Rates As someone who’s thinking about buying or selling a home, you’re probably paying close attention to mortgage rates – and wondering what's ahead.

Are Home Prices Going To Come Down?

Today’s headlines and news stories about home prices are confusing and make it tough to know what’s really happening. Some say home prices are heading for a correction, but what do the facts say? Well, it helps to start by looking at what a correction means.

Here’s what Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com, says: “In stock market terms, a correction is generally referred to as a 10 to 20% drop in prices . . . We don't have the same established definitions in the housing market.”

In the context of today’s housing market, it doesn’t mean home prices are going to fall dramatically. It only means prices, which have been increasing rapidly over the last couple years, are normalizing a bit. In other words, they’re now growing at a slower pace. Prices vary a lot by local market, but rest assured, a big drop off isn’t what’s happening at a national level.

From 2020 to 2022, home prices...

Are Home Prices Going To Come Down? Today’s headlines and news stories about home prices are confusing and make it tough to know what’s really happening.

Unlocking the Benefits of Your Home's Equity

Equity is the difference between what your house is worth and what you still owe on your mortgage. The typical homeowner gained $28,000 over the past year and has a grand total of $305,000 in equity. And there are a lot of great ways you can use that equity. Want to know how much equity you have? Let’s connect so you can get a Professional Equity Assessment Report (PEAR).

Unlocking the Benefits of Your Home's Equity Equity is the difference between what your house is worth and what you still owe on your mortgage.

Let’s talk about equity.

On average, homeowners gained $28,000 over the past year and have a grand total of $305,000 worth of equity in their homes. That’s a whole lot of leverage for your next move.

Curious about how much you have? Let’s do a Professional Equity Assessment Report. Comment “Equity” below if you’re interested.

Having a hard time finding a place to call home in your budget?

Thousands of Americans are on the move in search of better affordability.

That’s because broadening where you're looking could help you find somewhere your money takes you a little further.

Do high prices at the gas pump and grocery store have you worried more people are going to fall behind on their mortgage payments?

If you’re thinking that’ll lead to a surge of foreclosures, let this reassure you.

Serious delinquencies (loans that are 3 or more monthly payments past due) are on the decline – so there’s no wave of foreclosures on the horizon.

Unlocking Homebuyer Opportunities in 2024

There’s no arguing this past year has been difficult for homebuyers. And if you’re someone who has started the process of searching for a home, maybe you put your search on hold because the challenges in today’s market felt like too much to tackle. You’re not alone in that. A Bright MLS study found some of the top reasons buyers paused their search in late 2023 and early 2024 were:

• They couldn’t find anything in their price range
• They didn’t have any successful offers or had difficulty competing
• They couldn’t find the right home

If any of these sound like why you stopped looking, here’s what you need to know. The housing market is in a transition in the second half of 2024. Here are four reasons why this may be your chance to jump back in.

1. The Supply of Homes for Sale Is Growing

2. There’s More New Home Construction

3. Less Buyer Competition

4. Home Prices...

Unlocking Homebuyer Opportunities in 2024 There’s no arguing this past year has been difficult for homebuyers.

How Affordability and Remote Work Are Changing Where People Live

There’s an interesting trend happening in the housing market. People are increasingly moving to more affordable areas, and remote or hybrid work is helping them do it.

Consider Moving to a More Affordable Area

Today’s high mortgage rates combined with continually rising home prices mean it’s tough for a lot of people to afford a home right now. That’s why many interested buyers are moving to places where homes are less expensive, and the cost of living is lower.

If you’re hoping to buy a home soon, it might make sense to broaden your search area to include places where homes that fit your needs are more affordable. That’s what a lot of other people are doing right now to find a home within their budget.

Remote Work Opens Up More Home Options

If you work remotely or drive into the office only a few times each week, you have many more possibilities when...

How Affordability and Remote Work Are Changing Where People Live There’s an interesting trend happening in the housing market.