The Orlando Condo Blog

Sometimes it’s just easiest to remember that (with one or two exceptions) there are no loans on condos right now. For those interested in the detail, HUD just changed its condominium rules again for those seeking FHA approval, but I’m not sure it really changes anything for the average buyer. HUD has relaxed its controversial requirement [...]

Effective March 1, Fannie Mae (FNMA) the folk the make conventional loans “conventional” are planning to further tighten the condo guidelines on which mortgages they will buy on the secondary market. It could be argued that it makes no difference since they are already impossible in most cases, leaving only FHA backed loans as an option. [...]

The last few months we’ve been explaining how impossible it is to get a condo loan these days - particularly on bank owned Orlando condos, regardless of credit score, money down – or job. Well you’ll be pleased to know there are one or two exceptions – but they’re a rare find. Condos that are FHA approved [...]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but… each day we get folk calling in on Orlando condo conversions – foreclosed –  that cost under $50K – and they want to finance them. When we tell them it will be very difficult, we get the “Oh that’s not a problem - I have a great credit score [...]

With mortgages so hard to come by, investors who can’t pay “all-cash” are having a hard time scooping up some of today’s “fire sale” deals – which can be incredibly frustrating. It’s like being (a diabetic) kid in a candy store. (I’m diabetic so I know how that feels.) However since first time home buyers are not [...]

Multiple Offers are soooo 2006… Well if you think so, take a deep breath because while it might seem ludicrous to make an offer on an Orlando condo – or any other home, if it means competing with another buyer, things have started to change. In the last few weeks, there has been a sharp rise [...]

The new year is upon us.  2009.  Wow.  This time last year gasoline was over $4.00 a gallon, all five of the major investment banks still existed, our country hadn’t ‘bailed out’ any major institutions, and Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were still battling for the democratic nomination.  Seems like so long ago already. 2008 [...]

What the left hand giveth, the right hand taketh away… After the good news that Fannie Mae will no longer treat vacant and foreclosed condos as non-owner occupied comes news of ever more underwriting restrictions. January 15, 2009 is the cutoff date when Fannie Mae toughens its policies on condo properties in the Sunshine state – potentially [...]

HUGE news for would-be condo investors: Fannie Mae has finally changed the rule that has been strangling condo sales. From now on, when new investors apply for financing on a condo unit, no longer will vacant and foreclosed condos be counted as non-owner occupied. Until now, Fannie’s long-time policy has been to bar new investor loans [...]

“Ok, well keep me posted if you see any good deals.” I hear this all the time from would-be buyers on the phone who are stuck in the mud and never quite satisfied with what’s on the table. These folk never buy, because they’re always wating for something better to come along. “Sure,” I say. [...]