Orlando, FL

Have you heard? The University of Central Florida is coming to downtown Orlando. With that news, many are curious about what that means for homeowners or people looking to buy in the area.

Downtown Orlando has a lot to offer. You might enjoy lunch at The Rusty Spoon or have a slow art day at the Orlando Museum of Art. Orlando really has is all from arts & culture to world class restaurants, and more. However, one thing that Orlando has not had much of recently is available housing, especially for students. But that's all about to change with the upcoming developments planned by the University of Central Florida.

The UCF Downtown Campus

If you're curious about what the new campus will look like, head over to the college's official

Impeccably maintained 1 bedroom with a Den in the exclusive 101 Eola Condos. Nearly 1,000 square feet of move-in ready brilliance. Wood floors adorn this showpiece condo with expansive East facing views of Thornton Park, the pool, and sunrises through 10 foot floor to ceiling windows in the Living Room and Master Bedroom. Relax on your oversized glass balcony that's over 20 feet wide. Soak in your jacuzzi jetted master bathtub. From custom closet built-ins to modern elegant lighting and fans, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss. 101 Eola offers residents a pool, sauna, hot tub, fitness center, concierge and 24 hour security, all just 1 block from Lake Eola Park and all that the Thornton Park shopping district has to offer. Schedule your tour

29th Floor High Rise Condo Above it all with Amazing Views of Lake Eola!

This beautiful, model-decorated 2 bedroom, 2 bath home features 1,237 square feet of spacious comfort. Wake up every morning to tranquil views of Lake Eola from your master bedroom. The master suite also features a soaking tub, shower, and oversized walk-in closets. The gourmet kitchen has upgraded stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, glass tile backsplash, and like-new cabinetry.

The building at The Vue includes wonderful amenities such as a cyber Cafe, resort-style pool, 24/7 security/concierge, state of the art fitness center and more.

Schedule your appointment today to view this condo. It's a must see!!

150 E Robinson St #29B-4 is offered at $439,900

Written by Brian Enright

Millions of Americans love watching fireworks on the 4th and New Years Eve.  In fact we like them so much that we pile in the car, sit in the heat for hours to get a good spot and then suffer the traffic to get back home.  What if you could just step out onto your terrace for the best view?  Then when it's over and everyone else has to schlep back to their car you just step inside for another glass of wine.  If that sounds like a good way to enjoy the show then take a look at the list below.  We asked each Highrises.com partner agent and high-rise specialist which buildings have the best fireworks views.   Consider a condo in these buildings if you like to entertain on holidays.  OR find a friend who lives in one of them...

Are you thinking about putting your condo on one of the many vacation rental sites like AirBNB but not certain if your HOA allows it?  Here are some steps to help you navigate the process of renting out your condo for a short term vacation rental and avoiding personal liability.

CITY RESTRICTIONS

The first step is to look at the laws that your city has regarding short term rentals.  Many cities have restrictions on short term rentals (typically less than 30 days) that if not followed can lead you to penalties and fines.  You can easily check to see what your regulations are by doing a Google search with your city name and the key words “short-term rental regulation”.  There have been hotel and zoning laws enacted by your city far before the AirBNB

Forbes Names “Where to Invest in 2015” 

Forbes came up with this data based on several factors including population, average home price, population growth, annual job growth, unemployment, annual price growth, over/under priced and home price/rent ratio.

To view available properties, click on the city name.

1. Austin, Texas
2. Provo, Utah
3. Houston, Texas
4. Orlando, Florida
5. Dallas, Texas
6. San Antonio, Texas
7. Denver, Colorado
8. Boise, Idaho
9. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10. Fort Worth, Texas
11. Phoenix, Arizona
12. Salt Lake City, Utah
13. Atlanta, Georgia
14. North Port, Florida
15. West Palm Beach, Florida
16. Jacksonville, Florida
17. Twin Cities, Minnesota
18. Tacoma, Washington
19. Sacramento, California
20. Grand Rapids, Michigan

This is one of our new favorite things!  The USU was created for urban dwellers, and is especially useful for high-rise residents as it provides much-needed storage space right in your parking space.  USU launched in Austin, TX, where they have hundreds of units in buildings throughout the city.  Because of the demand USU has expanded and can now ship and set up their storage units throughout the United States.  If you could use about 60 cubic feet of extra storage give them a call at 512-981-5735 or visit the USU website.  They even provide "white glove" delivery and set up right in your parking space.  Click here to see their brochure.

www.TheUSU.com

Although the housing prices were at a low last year, there are still some great deals to find in 2014.  Forbes named these cities the “best place to buy” in the United States in their 2014 Housing Outlook.  

1. Fort Worth, Texas

2. Dallas, Texas

3. Charlotte, North Carolina

4. Nashville, Tennessee

5. Houston, Texas

6. Atlanta, Georgia

7. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

8. Orlando, Florida

9. Las Vegas, Nevada

10. Boise City, Idaho

11. Grand Rapids, Michigan

12. Tampa, Florida

13. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

14. Salt Lake City, Utah

15. Boston, Massachusetts

16. Seattle, Washington

17. Minneapolis, Minnesota

18. Virginia Beach, Virginia

19. Phoenix, Arizona

20. Louisville, Kentucky

Forbes partnered with Local

We have great news in the United States real estate market today.  Last month, in November, foreclosures are down 37% when compared with one year ago’s market in November 2012.  This exciting data released from RealtyTrac showed that in just one month (October 3013-November 2013) the number of foreclosures are down 15% to a total of 113,454 homes reporting foreclosures in November 2013.  This brings the number of foreclosures the lowest they have been since August 2006.  The foreclosures include bank repossessions, scheduled auctions and notices for default.  

According to the US Census, privately owned housing building permits are up 13.9% in October 2013 when compared with the years previous permits in October 2012.  Also, in the third quarter prices

A new high rise is coming to the Orlando skyline and will have 300 for rent apartments and retail on the ground floor.  The new residential high rise will be located in Orlando’s Thornton Park District off Church Street.  There are still a few hoops to jump through before this project is approved.  The demand for housing is increasing as the market recovers.  Highrises.com of Orlando is interested to see if there will be any new construction of “for sale” high rise condos in the next few years.