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Selling a House Fast

Closing Costs In Florida: What to Know

Florida’s population is in an upswing, growing by more than 322,000 new residents in 2018 alone.

Are you looking to join these ranks? 

Whether you’re moving into a new Florida home or you want to sell yours and look elsewhere, you’ll have to go through a real estate closing process, first. 

No matter which side you’re on, this can be an expensive part of the journey.

Today, we’re sharing a detailed overview of what both buyers and sellers can expect to pay to cover Florida closing costs. This way, you can understand your obligation and set your budget.

Ready to learn more? Let’s get started!

Typical Closing Costs for Florida Buyers

Ready to plant your roots deep in the heart of Orlando? Dream of settling down near South Beach?

Before you can drive away with a title in your name, you’ll pay for a few services, first. In most cases, closing costs for Florida home buyers equal between 1% and 3% of the home’s total purchase price. This helps cover the work that key stakeholders, including title companies, appraisers, lenders, and real estate agents must perform to finalize the transaction.

When you apply for a loan with your lender, you’ll receive an estimate of all of these charges, which will vary depending on your specific situation. Let’s take a look at some of the standard charges that most buyers in the state will incur. 

Title Insurance 

As the buyer, you’ll pay for title insurance, which protects you and ensures that there are no issues with the current title in place. This can run you more than $1,000 in some instances. 

Document Recording Costs

Next, you’ll have to pay to change all official documents related to the property from the current owner’s name to yours. You’ll pay these fees, which cover the cost of creating new land records, to the city or county. They are around $225.

Mortgage Fees

In addition, you’ll incur additional costs related to your mortgage. Some of the most common fees in this category include:

  • Origination fees (Vary)
  • Discount points (Vary)
  • Credit report processing ($25)
  • Appraisal fee ($375)
  • Processor fees
  • Survey fees ($300)
  • Flood certification ($15 to $17)

Escrow Fees

Many sellers will work it out with the buyers to split the escrow fees 50/50. You’ll verify this setup in your purchase agreement. Most buyers in Florida pay around $750 in escrow.

Three Types of Taxes Relating to Florida Real Estate

  • First, all properties in Florida are assessed a taxable value and owners pay an annual Florida property tax based on this value (except churches, schools, government entities). This tax is paid to the local municipality
  • Second, if you sell your home, there may be a capital gains tax on the profit realized from the sale. For this scenario, there are federal guidelines set forth for global buyers under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA).
  • The third tax category only applies to rental properties. If there is net profit on the rental income, there may be a federal tax on the profit generated from renting out a vacation home or other investment property. In addition, for short-term rentals there is a sales tax which is generally charged to the renter and submitted to the local government.

Seller Closing Costs to Expect

Think closing costs are only designated toward the buyer? Not quite. Before you can sell your property and start looking for your next piece of Florida real estate, you’ll sign a few forms and pay a few fees, first. 

While a seller closing cost calculator can give you a more exact estimate, let’s take a look at some of the most common fees you’ll incur.

Title Insurance

This fee covers the work required to ensure that you’re the actual owner of the property and that the title is clean and marketable. If the buyer is taking out a mortgage to buy the property, he’ll also pay a title insurance fee to his lender.

In most cases, this fee will be around 1/3 of 1%. If you sell your home for $180,000, for instance, the seller’s title insurance fee would be about $600.

This percentage increases as the price of your home go down and vice versa. This means the most expensive homes in Florida can see a title insurance fee of 1/5 of 1% or less. If you chose to bundle your policy with the buyer, you can often qualify for discounted rates.

Escrow Fees

You’ll also pay escrow fees as the seller. These will vary depending on which party you’re paying them to. In Florida, you may pay escrow to your title company, the closing service or your real estate attorney.

Real Estate Commission

If you work with a real estate agent to sell your home, you’ll pay that person a commission for the services rendered. This will usually be around 6% of the home’s purchase price. 

You’ll agree to a commission rate in writing before you partner with an agent. 

Recording Fees

You’ll pay for the title change to occur and for the real estate attorney to make the official update to the county record. Most sellers in Florida pay to record a reconveyance of the title, which runs around $150.

If there are other forms that your attorney must process before the sale is complete, such as a road maintenance agreement or quit claim deed, you’ll pay extra for that service, as well. 

Sell Smart and Skip Florida Closing Costs

For both buyers and sellers, Florida closing costs can add up. Whether you’re getting new keys or giving yours up, you don’t want to lose a ton of valuable money in the process.

Want to sell you Florida property and avoid this costly hassle?

That’s where we come in.

We buy houses for cash, and we’re looking for homes in Florida. We’ll help you skip the expensive and time-consuming closing process in a few quick steps.

Contact us today to learn more and see how simple real estate can be.

PHP Houses
142 W Lakeview Ave #1030
Lake Mary, FL 32746
P: (407) 519-0719
Fax: (407) 205-81951
info@phphouses.com

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PHP Houses is Buying Houses Directly from Sellers in Central Florida

Homeowners constantly battle obstacles to sell their homes in Central Florida. Local cash home buyer now makes it easy, fast and stress free to sell a home.

SANFORD, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, July 28, 2019 — Property owners have to deal with countless obstacles while attempting to offer their properties for sale. Discovering a reliable real estate broker can certainly be a challenge for most people. Local multiple listing services (MLS) do not regularly generate the traffic or offers one expects when they list their home for sale. Prospective home buyers possess their own distinguishable requirements. The property inspection and appraisal might not proceed as smoothly as expected for the property owner Certainly there can be unpleasant surprises from financial institutions of the purchasers and other various bad developments. The real estate marketplace in Northwest Indiana is positioned for modest growth but that is normally for new property developments. Selling a new house is less troublesome than making an effort to encourage purchasers with an existing or aged home.

“Our clients’ interests always come before ours. We tell you all of your options based on your situation even if it means we don’t buy your house.” Walter DiLoreto

A large number of aged properties are continuing being listed and unsold in the market for three to four months. Several homes are generating no attraction at all and they are most likely to go unsold even after several months. Within such an unsteady marketplace, homeowners become forced to slash listed sales prices so they can at least sell their homes instead of dealing with their equity help up or even lost. A home’s equity can be accessed only when the property gets sold and closes. PHP Houses is seeking to buy homes exclusively from property owners or sellers in Central Florida. The We Buy Houses company is offering premium cash offers without the requirement of property owners having to utilize the services of a real estate broker. Homeowners do not have to list their residential properties online either. Walter DiLoreto, the founder of the real estate investment company, says that property owners need to directly contact his office which will allow his team the ability to provide the fastest sale possible for property owners in Central Florida.

PHP Houses is an all cash home buying real estate investor. It is not dependent on any mortgage funding or any type of loans from credit unions and other financial establishments. It is a self-sufficient property investor that makes cash offers for homes in Central Florida. House owners can accept or turn down the offer. There is never any obligation. DiLoreto and his team have developed a reputation for making fair cash offers. The company is fair with the property inspection and subsequential pricing evaluation. They do not play games with homeowners money, their first offer is always their best offer. Not only does the company put forth an upfront offer for an outright sale, but it also does so within twenty-four hours of the inspection and can complete the deal, consisting of the financial transaction, in 7 business days.

Property owners who are about to list their houses for sale and those individuals who have been unable to get offers should contact PHP Houses. They need not shell out any money on marketing and advertising. The company does not expect homes to be staged for them to be interested in. Maintenance and repairs, renovations and of property improvements are also not called for. DiLoreto and his team are looking at houses just about anywhere in Central Florida. They are also contemplating properties in any condition. Every single home is evaluated on the basis of its qualities. The weak spots are likewise factored in but they do not typically emerge as a deal-breaker. Average prospective buyers are not interested in homes that repairs and maintenance. They wish to have the most ideal home possible that meets all of their requirements. PHP Houses does not have this type of steep criteria. More of PHP Houses services can be discovered here.

PHP Houses is a family-owned and locally-operated house buying company based out of Sanford, FL. They buy and sell houses throughout Central Florida specifically they buy houses in Sanford, Lake Mary, Orlando, Deltona, Kissimmee, Oviedo, Winter Garden and other areas in Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Lake and Osceola counties. Contact Walter DiLoreto for further information via email at info@phphouses.com or call to speak directly with Walter at 407-519-0719. You can also visit their location at: 

PHP Houses
142 W Lakeview Ave #1030
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Ph: (407) 519-0719
F: (407) 205-1951
info@phphouses.com

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Signs that It’s Time to Consider Selling Your House

House for sale

Are you thinking about selling your home?

Roughly 5.34 million existing homes were sold in 2018 in the United States. And, in addition to those existing homes, 667 thousand newly constructed homes were also sold that year.

While selling your home may prove to be stressful, there are certain indicators that it may be a good idea to sell and move on. If you’re considering the idea of selling your home but aren’t sure if it’s the right time, you’ve come to the right place.

Read on to discover 5 sure signs that it’s time to sell your home.

1. Your family is growing

Before, when you purchased the property, you only considered yourself. You didn’t realize that you were going to marry someone soon and start a new life. Now, you have kids, and it’s not convenient for you to stay in the same house. Therefore, you need to consider selling it so that you can live in a more comfortable place. When your kids are growing, they need their own rooms and won’t be happy sharing rooms anymore.

2. The Neighborhood No Longer Suits Your Needs

If you no longer find the neighborhood in which you live desirable, then it may be time to transition to a new neighborhood.

Let’s take the example of a young couple living in the downcore core but with the desire to raise a family. Perhaps it might be worth it to move outside of the core and relocate to a more residential neighborhood with more variable school options and green spaces.

The sounds of late-night partying might be exactly what you need to think ” It’s time to sell my house“!

3. Low interest rates

When banks offer their loans at a low interest rate, it means that there are several potential buyers out there. Make the most of this opportunity by selling your house. Not only will you sell the place at a reasonable price, but you can also sell it fast. These buyers understand that the rates will not last long, and they need to act quickly.

4. It Makes Sense Financially

Did you get a big break at work? Or, on the other hand, are you living in a home that you feel you can no longer afford?

One of the realities of home ownership is the potential to become house poor. This involves living in a home that requires the bulk of your finances and leaves your wallet with very little after the mortgage payments.

Speak with your financial advisor or mortgage lender to see what you can best afford.

5. It’s a Seller’s Market

A seller’s market involves a real estate market in which home inventory and quality is scare and sellers are able to witness much profit in their sales.

Be sure to listen to the ups and downs of the current market. If the market is beneficial to sellers, it may be worth listing your home for sale to see what sort of prices buyers are willing to pay for your home.

Is It Finally Time to Sell?

If you find yourself relating to the above signs, it might be time to sell your home.

In one’s lifetime, a person in the United States is estimated to relocate approximately 12 times from beginning to end. Whether your family is expanding and you’re searching for something larger, or your needs have changed and you need a home that reflects these changes, people move for a variety of reasons.

If you’re ready to sell your house call the experts in Central Florida PHP Houses to get a Free Evaluation and Estimate of your property.

PHP Houses
142 W Lakeview Ave #1030
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Ph: (407) 519-0719
F: (407) 205-1951
info@phphouses.com

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Why Real Estate Is Still One Of The Best Ways To Make Money

make the best investment: magnifying glass analyzing a house, with sector newspaper, stats, keys, wallet and mortgage contract

Want to add more money to your income streams but not looking to play the stock market? Then it might be time to consider real estate.  Real estate is the perfect opportunity to accumulate wealth. In fact, real estate is possibly the best way to make money in your local market.

Here’s how and why.

Real Estate means options for income and profit

One of the first things to decide is whether you want an income stream or a profit. Each will put more money in your pocket, but through different means and with different levels of commitment.

  • Rental Income – Rental income can come from both short or long-term strategies. Investors often find properties that are ideally suited for long-term rentals, while many homeowners are exploring short-term rental possibilities such as VRBO. Either way, you will spend money upfront but the cash returns over time make it well worth the initial investment. Not only will you produce an income stream, but you can also enjoy appreciation, equity pay-down and tax benefits as a landlord.
  • Cell tower leases – Another, lesson-known revenue revenue stream possibility is cell tower leasing. As more and more people carry cell phones, more cell towers are needed. Cell tower companies are increasingly turning to property owners to discuss installing and maintaining these towers, sometimes small enough to fit on a rooftop undetected. One word of caution: property owners are not likely to understand the full value of their property and will be sold on the fact that they should use market-standard lease rates. Your land may be worth far more than you think to a tower company. Consult an expert before signing a contract.
  • Fix and flip – There’s a reason HGTV is flooded with shows about flipping houses. Flipping homes ideal for people who are patient enough to seek good deals on homes for sale and can manage contractors.  There are a few companies that buy houses for cash in Central Florida and PHP Houses is the best option if you’re in Central Florida for the purpose of selling them to house flippers.  Taking an existing piece of property and increasing its value, through repairs and staging can mean selling at above market value.  Money is needed initially to get started with this plan but rather than a cash stream over time, you can earn a sizable lump sum that can be used to repeat the same process again.  Just be sure you take the time to read house flipping tips and advice to avoid the most common mistakes first time flippers tend to make.
  • REITs – Technically Real Estate Investment Trusts are playing the stock market. However, they have lower volatility than stocks. REITs can only invest in real estate to produce income and they must distribute at least 90% of income back to shareholders in the form of dividends. In addition to rich dividends, REITs offer diverse exposure to real estate assets and inherent tax advantages.  As with flipping, it’s important to take the time to investigate before jumping but here are 3 available REIT options currently recommended.

The best part about building wealth with real estate is that virtually anyone can do it. Depending on the amount of time and initial investment you wish to spend, the possibilities are endless and the profits sizable.  With proper research and education, real estate can truly be one of the best ways to make money.

PHP Houses
142 W Lakeview Ave #1030
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Ph: (407) 519-0719
F: (407) 205-1951
info@phphouses.com

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What is a Pre-Foreclosure in Florida?

With millions of homes across the country going into foreclosure, it’s important for both buyers and mortgage holders to understand the process.

So what is a pre-foreclosure in Florida anyway?

Many homeowners across America are facing difficulties making their monthly mortgage payments.

When a homeowner misses 3-6 months of mortgage payments, the lending institution will issue a warning, notifying the homeowner to pay or lose their home. If a homeowner fails to make the necessary payments, the bank will file an action to foreclose on the home in the court. Thankfully, during this stage of the process, a mortgage holder has the opportunity to take advantage of several options to prevent losing their home.This period is known as “pre-foreclosure.”

Banks and mortgage lenders typically provide three months for the homeowner to become current before they go to court and file the action to Foreclose on the property.  Of course this number can vary by bank and situation sometimes.

Pre-foreclosure Options for Borrowers

If you’re behind on mortgage payments, you’re likely to receive a “notice of default” from your mortgage lender.

This document will state that you have not made mortgage payments for the last 90-180 days. It’s important not to panic.

You have options that can delay or even prevent losing your home:

  • If your mortgage is “above water,” (meaning you have equity in your house) you may be able to refinance your mortgage, receiving lower monthly payments.  Check with your local mortgage broker… or contact us and we can connect you with a reputable one.
  • You may be able to quickly sell your home to a real estate investor that’s reputable in Central Florida like us at PHP HOUSES LLC, using the cash acquired to pay the months of back-payments owed (or we *may* be able to work out something with the lender that relieves all or part of your back payments. We can buy your Central Florida area home quickly, often in just a week or two, will pay in cash, and takes the stress out of trying to find a buyer.
  • You can contact the bank and ask them to permit a short sale. In a short sale, you’ll sell your home for less than it’s worth, and the bank will take the loss as a tax write-off.  In some short sales you may still be required to pay the difference to the bank if the house doesn’t sell for what is owed on the loan.
  • You may be able to declare bankruptcy, which can buy you time to pay your debt. Bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for years, and can cause significant damage.
  • You may be able to Deed-in-Lieu your house, deed in lieu of foreclosure occurs when the homeowner deed the property to the lender to satisfy a loan that is in default and avoid foreclosure proceedings. The deed in lieu of foreclosure offers several advantages to the lender and some disadvantages to the borrower.

Lenders are very much aware of the widespread financial troubles across the country and they’re willing to work with borrowers a lot of the time.

If you’re honest and communicate with your lender, you’ll often find that there are options that will allow you to remain in your home, or at least salvage your credit rating.

A foreclosure can often negatively affect your credit score by 200-400 points and can prevent you from obtaining a loan of any sort for 5-7 years, so be very dutiful if you’ve received a Notice of Default from your lender.

But if you’re not able to find a solution with your lender working directly with them… connect with us. We may be able to help.

Ways We Can Help If You’re In Pre-Foreclosure

  • We can potentially help with a short sale – Submit your info on this website so we can evaluate your situation to see if we can help.
  • We can buy your Central Florida area house – We buy houses in Central Florida and would love to make you an all-cash offer on your house too. Just fill out the form here to get started 
  • You can ask us questions and we can provide you FREE guidance and resources so you can make a well educated decision. This costs you nothing, there’s absolutely no pressure, no obligation… just free guidance without a catch.

If you’re in the pre-foreclosure stage… you’ve still got time to fix this situation.

Just connect with your bank to see if they’re willing to work with you… or contact us if you’d like to see what we can buy your house for or to tap into our free foreclosure foreclosure resources.

Contact us:
PHP Houses
142 W Lakeview Ave
Unit 1030
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Ph: (407) 519-0719
Fax: (407) 205-1951
email: info@phphouses.com

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The information contained, and the opinions expressed, in this article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. The author does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. The author will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on the information or opinions contained herein.

 

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Selling Your Home to a Real Estate Investor

You only have to drive around your town for a little while to come upon “We Buy Houses” type signs plastered all around on telephone poles or street signs. The signs let you know that there is a company out there that will buy your home, no matter what state it’s in. These Investors who are looking to flip your house for a profit. House flipping has become a lucrative business model for a number of real estate investors.

By definition, house flipping is where a real estate investor purchases a property for less than its value, makes any necessary repairs and updates, and then sells the home for a profit typically within a short period of time.

House Flipping Companies – Pros And Cons

Pros of selling to a house flipping company

1. It’s easy.

Selling a home that needs work can be challenging if you want to get the best possible price. With a house flipping company, you avoid the difficulty of trying to sell for a good price. Instead, you sell to a company that will buy your house for the lowest price it can get away with. In exchange for taking a low price, you can quickly free yourself of the burden of owning the home. If you are in desperation mode this is often times your best bet. Selling to a real estate investor can get you out from under a problem very quickly.

2. You only have to make one decision.

Your only decision when selling to a house flipping company is to sell, or not to sell. You won’t have to decide what repairs to make or who you want to sell to. You will get an offer and make a single decision. After that, you are free of the home. Most often a house flipping company will be paying cash and there can be a quick closing if this is what you are after.


3. You don’t have to find a real estate agent.

Finding a good real estate agent can take a little bit of effort. You may have to interview several to find someone you are really comfortable with. You also don’t have to worry about disagreeing with your real estate agent once you hire one, which can happen. You are going solo.

4. You don’t have to waste your time going for sale by owner.

Trying to sell your home as a for sale by owner can be extremely challenging, to say the least. While the goal for most owners is to save on paying a real estate commission, it is a lot of work to accomplish this. For sale by owners need to keep in mind the following:

  • You need to have some good marketing skills to make sure your home is found online. This is where the vast majority of buyers will be searching for a home.
  • The photography on your home needs to be excellent.
  • You must make yourself available for showings which may mean times of the day where it is not convenient for you.
  • The buyer needs to be qualified for a mortgage so it will be your job to make sure this is the case. Make sure you understand the difference between pre-qualified vs pre-approved.
  • There will be nobody there to represent you at vital stages of the home selling process such as the buyers home inspection.

When you sell to we buy houses company all of the headaches associated with selling as a for sale by owner are avoided.

5. You can probably sell no matter what shape your home is in.

A home can deteriorate considerably over a long time period, especially if regular maintenance is not conducted and repairs are not made as necessary to keep all components of the house in good working order. You may have a home that you want to sell that is virtually uninhabitable. But even in this state, there is probably a company that will still buy it. Not for very much money, but someone will still purchase it if just to obtain the lot that the house sits on.

Cons of selling to a house flipping company


1. You will probably make less on the sale.

When you hire a real estate agent, he or she is working to make you as much money as possible from your sale but it will take longer and requires more work and time from your side. Hiring a Realtor since it takes longer means that seller would have to pay for all the house related expenses while is sold. It is true that the Realtor takes a percentage of the sale price as financial compensation, so he or she is motivated to fetch the best price but at the end you could be getting less money. 

2. You don’t have the option of improving the home to improve the selling price.

Even homes that are in relatively bad shape can often be improved to attract better quality buyers. In fact, that is probably what the house flipping company is planning on doing with your home.

They will buy it, fix it up, sell it and make a profit. When you sell with a real estate agent, you get to make the improvements and reap the rewards. However we must make the distinction between fixing or repairing and improvements. When the property needs things to be fixed that takes time and money and maybe it will payoff. On the other hand and depending on what types of improvements the house needs usually seller would never recover the amount of time and money invested on improving the house. 

There are things you can do to a home that does not cost a lot of money that many owners don’t realize. Here is a how to make your home more appealing when on a budget.

3. You give up control.

A house flipping company is focused on finding sellers who are desperate or just don’t care anymore. If you do care and you are not desperate – you just want to sell the house – there is no reason to work with a flipping company. You wind up working with a company that does not have your best interests in mind.

House flipping companies are not necessarily bad. They fill a niche and are capable of helping homeowners who have no other options. For those with no options, getting paid to get out from under the home is an opportunity worth taking. But if you think that maybe you could get more for the home, a house flipping company is not the partner you want.

As you can see there are many pros and cons of we buy houses flipping companies. What you really need to be concerned about are the scammers!

House Flipping Risks

While many “We Buy Houses” flipping companies are completely legit, there are some that are not. Selling to a real estate investor is something that requires some due diligence on your part. It is imperative that you do careful research when dealing with a house flipping company.

There are some common house flipping scams that all sellers should be aware of. The preceding link does an excellent job of summarizing many of the known scams out there. Just be careful and make sure none of these things mentioned are happening to you!

One thing you should know is that there are a few legit ones “We Buy Houses” companies out there and one of them is PHP Houses. 

You should put extra scrutiny into any of these companies. Calling a house flipping company from a sign on a telephone pole and establishing a relationship with them without any research could end up being financial suicide.

Find a company where the investors are also Real Estate Agents and/or Brokers Before Choosing A House Flipping Company. Real Estate Agents and Brokers are liable to the State Professional Regulation Departments and the local Realtors Association for every transaction they make and usually know the legalities and markets better.

Depending on your circumstances, a house flipping company may be the best option for you. However, it is worth speaking to a Realtor first. As long as you are talking to a reputable real estate agent, he or she can give you quality advice on your options for selling the home.

The Investor/Real Estate Agent can come by and take a look, analyze your local market and give you a clear picture of what you can make off of your home – with or without repairs.

Talk to a trusted investor/real estate agent, then decides how to move forward. Maybe a house flipping company will serve your needs. Or, you may discover that you can make a lot more money by hiring an agent and selling your home.