Central Florida & metro Orlando real estate services

I have been out of town on vacation with my family for a while, so I haven't been posting.  It is good to take a break every once in a while.  I'm glad to be back though.

A lot of interesting things are going on in the real estate and investment arena on both a local and national level. Unfortunately my Flip this House deal that I was hoping to close this upcoming week appears to have gone south.  I should know more on Monday - still trying to keep it together, but it doesn't look promising. 

Here is to hitting the ground running Monday morning.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

We can provide to you the best value in for sale buy owner FSBO MLS listing service in the metro Tampa Bay region.  Our firm is a member of the Mid Florida Regional MLS. For just only a reasonable one time fee, our flat fee listing MLS services will get your home or investment property exposed to all the Realtors in the West Florida area. 

The MLS covers many counties in the region including all of Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Hardee, Desoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties. Whether your property is in Tampa, Brandon, Ybor City, Land O Lakes, Dade City, Lakeland, or Bradenton you can upload 10 photos into the MLS.

Our service does cover all of metro Tampa and 25+ other Florida counties.  Call us for more info or get more online details at our flat fee MLS listing FAQ webpage.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

We can provide you the best value in for sale buy owner MLS listing service in the metro Orlando region.  Ou firm is members of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association's MLS.  With only a reasonable one time fee, our flat fee listing MLS assistance will get your home or investment property exposed to all the Realtors in the Central Florida area. 

The MLS covers many counties in region including all of Orange and Seminole Counties including Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Mount Dora, Altamonte Springs, Longwood, etc.  You can upload 10 photos into the MLS and for an additional small fee get a 360 virtual tour & a Realtor electric lock box.

Our services do cover all of metro Orlando and 25+ other Florida counties.  Call us for details or get more online info at our flat fee MLS listing FAQ webpage.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

Contact us to get the best for sale buy owner MLS listing assistance in the Kissimmee area.  We are members of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association and the Mid Florida Regional MLS.  With only a small one time fee, our flat fee listing MLS service will get your home exposed to all the real estate agents/brokers in the metro Orlando/Kissimmee/St Cloud area.  The MLS covers many counties in Central Florida including all of Osceola County like Kissimmee, Saint Cloud, Celebration, Reunion, BVL, Harmony, and Poinciana.  You can upload 10 photos into the MLS and for an additional small fee get a 360 virtual tour & an electronic Realtor lockbox.

Our services do cover all of metro Orlando as well as 25+ other Florida counties.  Call us for details or read more online at our flat fee MLS listing FAQ webpage.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

We provide the best For sale by Owner services flat fee MLS listing FSBO assistance in the Orlando area.  We are members of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association and the Mid Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service.  For only a small one time fee, our flat fee MLS service will expose your home to all the real estate agents in the metro Orlando area.  The Mid-Florida Regional MLS covers many counties in Central Florida including Orange County, Seminole County, Osceola County, Polk County, Lake County, West Volusia County, and several others.  You can upload up to 10 photos into the listing and for an additional small fee get an awesome 360 virtual tour and an electronic Realtor lockbox.

Our services do cover all of Central FL as well as 25+ other Florida counties including all of Orlando, Tampa, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Kissimmee, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Melbourne, and beyond.

Call us for more details or read more online at our flat fee MLS listing FAQ page of our website.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

We provide the best FSBO for sale by owner & flat fee MLS listing services in the Central Florida area including the Ocala and Marion County area.  We are members of the Ocala / Marion County Association of Realtors' MLS and can get your house listed fast.  For just a small one time fee, our flat fee MLS listing will expose your home to all the Realtors in the Ocala MLS which covers all of Marion County.  This area covers Ocala, Dunellon, Reddick, Silver Springs, the Villages, Marion Oaks, Lake Weir, Summerfield, and the rest of Marion County.  You can load up to 10 photos into the listing and for an additional fee get an awesome 360 virtual tour.

If you wish we can also load your FSBO property into the Mid-Floirda Regional MLS as well for just a little bit more.  Our services do cover all of Central FL as well as 25+ other Florida counties.

Call us for more details or read more online at our flat fee MLS listing FAQ page of our website.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

We provide the best For sale by owner and flat fee MLS listing services in the Central Florida region including the Daytona Beach area.  We are members of the Daytona Beach Area Association of Realtors' MLS and can get your house listed quickly.  For just a small one time fee, our flat fee MLS listing will expose your home to all the Realtors in the MLS coverage area.  This area covers the cities of Daytona Beach, Port Orange, South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores, Ponce Inlet, Ormond Beach, Ormond by the Sea, and Holly Hill.  You can load up to 10 photos into the listing and for an additional fee get a 360 virtual tour.

If you wish we can also load your FSBO property into the New Smyrna Beach Board of Realtors' MLS as well.  Our services do cover all of Volusia County including Daytona, New Smyrna, and West Volusia as well as 25+ other Florida counties.

Call us for more specific details or read more online at the flat fee MLS listing FAQ page of our website.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

This morning President Bush addressed the Congress of the United States asking them to allow for offshore drilling along the U.S. coasts.  Here is his speech.  Considering the price of a gallon of gas, I think this is absolutely the right thing to do.  Hopefully at a good distance from the Florida shores, but we need to be drilling a whole lot more than we do now.  We should have been doing it for decades now. 

When was the last time any of us heard of a significant oil spill of any sort??? Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita devastated the Gulf of Mexico in recent years and yet no oil spill occurred. Cuba is already drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.  Russia is already drilling in the Arctic regions.  Why aren't we???  It is just plain ridiculous that with all the natural resources that our country has that our government is strangling the life out of our economy because of environmental or whatever issues over fuel.

Hopefully at some point our energy needs will be less dependent on oil and more dependent on renewable resources.  Unfortunately we are not there yet and the energy crisis has reached the point of critical mass as far as I am concerned.  Have you ever seen the Mad Max movies ? That's pretty extreme, but they show how bad things could get because of fuel shortages.

Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez are both lame ducks by the fact that they just want to dance around the issue.  We as gasoline buyers and taxpayers need to be SCREAMING at these 2 senators to get off their duff and do something about it.  Bill Nelson is opposed to all drilling -- so how will that lower prices Mr. Nelson??? Nelson has no solutions.  Mel Martinez wants you to make more right turns instead of left turns when you drive -- great, I will take it under consideration Mr. Martinez, maybe I can save a dollar a week -- thanks a lot.  At least he has a changed his tune a little bit lately and is talking about it - probably because his Republican buddies are twisting his arm.

If you want something done, make sure to contact your senators and congresspeople.  Their high taxes and strict regulations are a big part of the reason that gas prices are so high.  Anybody that thinks George Bush needs to beg Saudi oil sheiks to drop their prices or that thinks we all need to live in tents and ride bicycles everywhere, really needs to take a reality check.  All the other civilized nations are drilling for oil right now.  If something doesn't happen soon, gas prices might hit $6 per gallon in 2009?  Think of how that will effect your life!

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

Do you want the best real estate investment deals around?  With the real estate market the way it is, now is the time to buy property.  Interest rates are low, the inventory level of properties allows you to be choosy, and sellers and banks are sacrificing their properties in order to unload them.

I have lived in the Orlando area for over 3 decades and know the region inside and out.  I have personally bought or sold nearly 100 properties in the Central Florida area over the last 15 years. I have been involved in nearly 1,000 real estate transactions since I received my real estate license.  I am a constant student of the real estate business by taking lots of additional education on real estate and investing - far beyond the minimum continuing education required by the State of Florida for a real estate broker.  I have been involved with just about every type of real estate situation you can imagine: short sales, foreclosures, bank REOs, tax deeds, divorces, title problems, code enforcement liens, hurricane damage, fire damage, contract assignments, lease options, FHA, VA, seller financing, hard money loans, residential, commercial, vacant land, etc., etc.

In a tough market, you want experience on your side whether buying or selling. Most Realtors have a thin resume' .  You can read mine on my website.  Here is what I promise you will get from myself and my team: 

1.   I will give you and your transaction personal attention.

2.   I will be available to speak with you on the phone from 9am-7pm most days including weekends.  If you have to leave a message for me, I will get back to you promptly and not leave you hanging on wondering what is going on.

3.   For Sellers: I will assist you in properly pricing your property for today's market and will professionally market your property using a targeted marketing plan which will include: MLS, internet ads, signage, newspaper and magazine ads, staging, mailouts, and other marketing techniques specific to your property. 

4.   For Buyers: I will help you to get properly qualified for the property you wish to purchase and then make the transaction and closing go as smoothly as I possibly can.

5.   I will professionally negotiate your contract using skilled negotiating techniques that come from years of education and experience.

6.   I will help get you the best deal you possibly can, and on most deals there is no fee unless I am successful in my efforts.

Call me today to find out why since 1996, Sand Dollar Realty Group has been the leader in investor friendly realty services in Central Florida.  While other firms and Realtors come and go, we are still here and aren't planning on leaving anytime soon. 

Lastly, attention all Realtors if you want to join our team, we are hiring. Our broker is not some "entity" that you never see or talk to.  The broker is me, and I am easy to contact and want to help you succeed.  For more info click here.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold - Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando and Central Florida.

ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

Here is some more good news from Washington this week.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has temporarily suspended its anti-flipping rule for properties.  For several years now, FHA mortgages were prohibited on properties where the current seller had owned the property for less than 90 days.  This was done to try and reduce mortgage fraud and reduce foreclosures.  I'm not sure if it worked or not, but it definitely has stifled a lot of legitimate transactions.

Effective now and for the next year, the FHA has temporarily lifted this ban in order to allow foreclosure properties to be sold at a faster pace.  You can read FHA's press release on this subject at the HUD website.  

It is too bad this is only a temporary ban.  More regulation simply reduces consumer choices and thus slows the enconomy and drives up prices.  At least we have a whole year's relief from this regulation.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold, ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318    www.SDRhouses.com/   www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando. Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. We sell properties, list properties, and we buy houses cash throughout the Central Florida & metro Orlando area.  

I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.