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Find Homes For Sale Near Orlando Florida Attractions

There are thousands of homes for sale in the Orlando, Florida area alone and of course everyone wants to live by Disney World, right?

But before we talk about homes for sale near Orlando Florida attractions, I think it’s first important to understand what areas are located close to the Orlando area attractions and how the real estate market varies by city.

For instance, did you know that Disney World is actually located closer to Kissimmee than Orlando?

Let’s explore what the Orlando area really is and what surrounding areas also have to offer.


 

Areas Close To the Orlando Attractions

When you think Orlando, most people think about Disney world as being in the center of Orlando. The truth is Disney World is not in the center of Orlando and Central Florida is often misconstrued as Orlando.

disney world

There are several counties that make up Central Florida.

  • Orange
  • Osceola
  • Seminole
  • Polk
  • Lake

For example, Orlando is considered orange county.

Kissimmee is considered Osceola County and it also borders Disney World and is the closest City to Disney world.

Kissimmee

This makes Kissimmee a very high tourism area. So, if you are looking for a new home near the Orlando area attractions you may want to visit the surrounding areas first before picking a place like Kissimmee.

Kissimmee is now known for affordable housing or better yet being able to purchase a home and get more for your money. However, if you’re a savvy buyer then you might want to think about school systems, right?

Their school systems in Kissimmee are not as good as other parts of Central Florida. Due to the amount of tourism in Kissimmee it may not be exactly where you want to raise a family or start your journey as a Floridian.

Like Central Florida, Kissimmee has several pockets of areas where you can find nice homes or communities.

—->Search homes for sale in Kissimmee here. <—-

Saint Cloud

Another city in the Central Florida area that neighbors Kissimmee is called Saint Cloud. Saint cloud is also located in Osceola County.

The school systems in St. Cloud tend to be a little better with the majority of them coming in with a B grade. St. Cloud is known for its land, rodeos, and several lakes, in the area.

—->Search here for homes in Saint Cloud. <—-

To the south-west of Orlando also neighboring Kissimmee, you have other cities that are becoming more popular now like, Davenport, Haines City, and Lakeland. These are all located in Polk county.

These cities that I’ve just mentioned are all up and coming due to the growth in Orlando, or should I say, lack of land for further growth. Due to the lack of buildable land left in the Orlando area, we are seeing a new trend with the builders.

They are all starting to expand beyond the heavily populated, Orlando area.

Living outside Orlando

Is this good for you as a buyer though? It depends on what your wants and must haves truly are.

If you don’t mind living in an area that is not already built up then this can be a good thing for you. Some of these areas have a lot of affordable new construction homes going up, so if you want a brand new home without the huge mortgage, then this is good news.

It is great for first time home buyers, and there often are incentives out there to help you purchase your home with little to no money down.

Home-Partners-Of-America

There are also companies out there like Home Partners of America, that will help buyers by purchasing a home for them that meets their criteria, and putting them in a lease to purchase contract. I have been working with this company for several years and they are doing  great things to help families who:

  1. Aren’t ready to purchase yet due to being new to the area.
  2. Have between 2-5 years until their short sale or foreclosure comes off their credit.
  3. Or for whatever reason just aren’t quite sure they want to purchase a home, yet.

—->For more information about Home Partners of America click here. Or you can also contact me anytime. <—-

Orlando, Florida’s real estate market is growing so much and with the lack of inventory driving home prices up, it can make it very hard to find or purchase affordable housing, right in Orlando.

The school systems are not rated as good in some of these areas, like Davenport, but as these areas continue to grow this will improve. Your equity in your home will improve as well with the continued growth.

So why would you consider purchasing a house in Davenport or Lakeland? Well, let’s break it down at a price per square foot scenario, or better yet by taking a look at the difference in the market.


Home Prices.

In Davenport, there are four zip codes altogether. I decided to pull a search for homes for sale that fit the criteria of most of my clients relocating to Central Florida.

This search includes 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2000 square ft. to 2500 square ft. and the home has to be older than 2010.

Based on this search in the Davenport area, these are the results that I came up with.

There are 85 listings in Davenport, currently on the market, that fit my search criteria.

The lowest price listing is $215,000 and that is $104 a square ft.

The average price of a listing in Davenport, with this search criteria is $310,953 with $142 being the square ft. number.

The maximum value is $420,000 with $184 per square ft.

Davenport listings

—->To search Davenport homes click here<—-

To give you some kind of idea what the difference between Orlando and Davenport is, I did a search with the exact same criteria in all of Orlando, Florida to compare.

In Orlando Florida there are over 20 zip codes, so this covers a much larger area. There are currently 91 listings that fit the criteria being used.

The minimum value is $253,900 and that is at $113 per square foot.

The maximum value comes in at $799,000 and that brings us to $358 per square ft.

The average value is $413,159 and the square ft. number for that is $183.

Orlando listings

—->To view Orlando homes click here<—-

Now that you have an idea of the difference in prices between Orlando and Davenport, you understand why Davenport might be more appealing to some buyers. 🙂

—->Search for Lakeland properties here.<—-

Research

I always recommend to my buyers, who are relocating, and are not as familiar with the area, research the area using Niche.com. Not only can you research an area on niche.com but you can also research the neighborhood itself.

You can get valuable school information about the area and you can even find out information regarding shopping, restaurants etc.

You may be asking yourself now that we’ve compared the real estate market in Davenport and Orlando, what about the distance to Disney or Universal Studios, right?

The real question here is what roads will you be driving to get to and from the attractions.

Davenport is quicker, within 30 minutes (due to less traffic) I would say depending on where in Davenport you live. Watch out for I-4 though, it gets congested with traffic and was recently named one of the most dangerous interstates in the U.S.

As for Orlando, it really depends on where you are coming from. The traffic is much greater there due to the amount of people living there. If you can take a toll road like 417, 408 and the Florida Turnpike then you will be in good shape. 🙂

 


 

Zeroing in on the Neighborhood You Want.

When you are looking at relocating, or just moving to live close to the Orlando attractions, you have a lot of choices.

You want to ask yourself or tell your Realtor,” Do you want to live in the suburbs?”

How close to you want to be to retail and shopping?

Do you want to live close to the airport?

Is the school system rating important to you, or do you want a private school?

Do you want to live close to the beach? Lakeland and Davenport are closer to the West coast, which is stunning to visit.

Is land something you envision yourself seeing out the window, in the morning? – If so, you will have to stay further out of Orlando. Saint Cloud, Davenport or Lakeland are all areas you may be able to find land.

Suburbs

Here are a few of my favorite suburb areas, that I consider a good place to raise a family, and are close to the attractions.

Celebration

We can’t talk about living close to the attractions without covering the neighborhood Disney built itself!   Celebration

Celebration has a quaint feel to it with community activities and festivals put on monthly. There are tree lined streets and also a downtown area with shops and restaurants, in the heart of Celebration. Of course, there is a small fee for living in this enthusiastic town, it is called a CDD.

CDD stands for Community Development District, which finances and manages community developments. Tax-Free Bonds are issued to the developer to finance the cost of building the infrastructure of a development, including roads, utilities, and amenities including, pools, clubhouses, tennis courts, and golf courses.

If you don’t mind paying off the builders loan for your amenities, then Celebration may be a good place for you and your family to start looking.

For more information regarding the Celebration CDD click here!

Horizon West

Horizon west is another one of my favorite communities. It is one of the largest-fastest growing PUD’s, to date, in Florida.

Horizon West is located in parts of Orlando or better known as Dr. Phillips, Windermere, and Winter Garden. It was first established in 1995 and is still growing today.

Horizon West is known for its A+ school systems, and for its community events, and fireworks every night from your backyard. Making this area a clear choice to live for a vast majority of people.

Hamlin Fireworks

Unlike like celebration, there is no CDD in Horizon West, but there are several bike trails throughout the community intertwining all of the eight villages together.

Each village has its own commercial parcel with local shops and restaurants, and mixed-use residential developments.

Horizon West is centrally located, within 15 -20 minutes, to Disney World and Universal Studios.

—->For more information or to search for properties in Horizon West click here.<—-

Lake Nona

Another one of my favorite communities, that is definitely worth talking about, is Lake Nona.

Lake Nona is known for its medical city and for its sports and training facilities. It is home to the USTA National campus and it is also home to the Orlando City Soccer Team training facility.

Lake Nona is also close to all the major highways taking you to the airport in 15 minutes, and to Disney and/ or Universal in as little as 30 to 40 minutes.

Lake Nona is also known for its community events and gatherings, local shops and restaurants all within walking or biking distance.

Canvas Market

—->To learn more about Lake Nona or start searching for properties click here.<—-


Setting Up Your Search for Your Home.

Now that I’ve informed you about some of my favorite communities, close to the Orlando area attractions, let’s talk about how we can set you up on a search for your new home!

Whether you’re looking to live in a suburb like Horizon West or Celebration, or maybe you want to live a little further outside of those areas, like Davenport or Saint Cloud, either way let’s get you started.

If you are one of those people that just wants to browse around and set up your own search that is great! I have given you a pretty good idea of the areas surrounding the Orlando attractions, so you can start your search base on that here.

—->Search for properties in and around Orlando.<—-

If you still don’t quite know where to start or you prefer to have some help, that is what I’m here for. Fill in the Contact Us form below and send me a brief description of what you are looking for.

You can start by, desired location and how many bedrooms. Do you need to live in a good school system? Is a backyard important to you? Maybe you have always wanted a pool and now is your chance? Let me know, in the body of the email and I will be sure to set you up on the best search base on your must-haves.


Conclusion

In conclusion, we have discussed the different areas that comprise Central Florida, and are close to the Orlando area attractions.

I gave you a comparison between Orlando and Davenport, to show the price difference.

I have also given you some of my personal favorite suburbs that are close to the Orlando attractions. These communities all have something to offer. They put on community events, like food truck nights or farmer’s markets.

We discussed a company I work with, Home Partners of America, that helps people lease with the right to purchase. And we also covered the fact that there are programs out there to assist with down payment money, available. (If you’re interested in finding out about these programs, submit the form below and I will send you the details.)

Don’t forget, I also passed along one of my favorite tools for doing some research on a specific area, Niche.com. I love this website because you get to read what the neighbors who live there are already saying.

I hope you have gotten a lot of value out of this article. Feel free to leave me some feedback or ask me a question in the comments below.

Have a magical day!

Franchesca

 

 

 

 

Model home

New Homes For Sale Near Me – How To Never Miss A New Home Again

Whether you are searching for new homes for sale near me or near you, here is a comprehensive guide to make sure you never miss a home again.

It is a sellers market and that means even the builders inventory is running out quick. But you’ve probably been searching everywhere for new homes near me; right? OK, what I really meant was new homes in Orlando, FL.

If you never want to miss out on a new home again, then I’ve got you covered. Not only am I going to show you new homes as they become available, but I’m also going to make sure you never miss a new home for sale again, no matter where you are located.


 

New Homes In Orlando, FL

map of United States

The Orlando real estate market is booming. There are new homes in Orlando, FL going up everywhere and FAST! But is this good for you as a buyer?

It is good, if you have an aggressive Realtor who knows how to get the job done. Otherwise, you might be missing out on that new home you’ve always wanted. But before I go into how I’m going to make sure you never miss a home again, let’s talk about the builders in Central Florida.

Builders in Central Florida

Here is a list I’ve compiled of the builders, who are considered to be track builders, currently building in Central Florida.

  • AV
  • Avex
  • Beazer
  • CalAtlantic
  • Century
  • Craft
  • David Weekley
  • D.R. Horton
  • K.B.
  • Lennar
  • Park Square Homes
  • Pulte

These builders typically have a product that sells starting in the low 200’s – 500’s. Of course, we have all seen the sign that says starting in the mid 150’s, right? Yes, but that is without your design options and lot cost etc.

 

The most affordable homes are sold by Lennar, D.R. Horton, CalAtlantic, K.B. and Pulte.

Another interesting fact is that Lennar just bought out CalAtlantic, whom also bought out Standard Pacific, making them the largest builder in America. It looks something like this; Ryland plus Standard Pacific equals CalAtlantic plus Lennar.

Lennar has capitalized on their slogan of “Everything Included”. Meaning you don’t have to worry about going to the design center and running over your budget. Their homes also come with Wi-Fi and an Alexa package.

To keep up with Lennar, D.R. Horton, which was America’s largest home builder for quite sometime, is now building Express homes. Keeping the cost low and the design center a thing of the past. All the Express homes, come fully loaded (not upgraded) with only a few color choices to make.

So, with all of these track builders catching on to a cost worthy trend, of pre-built packages, who can you purchase a semi-custom home from?

There are still affordable homes that can be semi-custom. If you don’t like 3 1/4 inch base boards and builder grade cabinetry, here is a list of semi-custom builders.

  • Arthur Rutenburg – Custom
  • Ashton Woods
  • Dream Finders
  • K. Hovanian
  • Meritage
  • Toll Brothers

When I say affordable, I also mean semi-affordable. These homes can cost in the upwards of $1,000,000.


 

Buying A New Constuction Home – Things You Need to Know

Felling a bit overwhelmed about buying a new construction home? There are a lot of moving parts to buying a new construction home, it can be confusing for some at times, especially if you do not have a Realtor to help guide you.

Here are some simple tips to follow when looking to purchase your new construction home.

1) The first tip is, always think about selling your new construction home down the line when purchasing it. This is probably the biggest tip I can give any of my clients. Resale is a huge thing to consider because you never know what curve ball life will throw at you next.

So, when you pick out your lot, please consider if it is marketable. Is it up against a busy road or highway? Is the lot quiet or is it next to an elementary school?

When and if, you are in the design center picking out your options, think resale. Is this cabinetry color a fad? Gray cabinets have been very popular lately and I have even seen taupe cabinetry with matching sinks and toilets but will this be popular a couple of years down the line?

2) Remember, an appraiser doesn’t care how much extra you spent on your lot premium. If you are looking at spending $75,000 on a lot because it backs up to a golf course just please remember that this is not a $75,000 upgrade if you are planning on reselling your home. It may be an additional $10,000 – $15,000 on an appraisal.

3) After you pick out your lot the next step that is most important is your pre-con meeting with your builder. You will want to make sure you have your Realtor or someone who knows construction with you. This meeting is for you to look at everything in your home before the drywall goes in. It is a great time to take pictures for your memory on what is behind the walls.

4) When going to the design center set a budget and take your time. Do not let the girl at the design center pressure you into purchasing the nicest flooring they offer or anything else for that matter. Remember your budget, then pick out everything you want. After picking everything you want then refer to your budget.

Did you go over on your budget?

If so, it is OK. Some design ladies are nice enough to inform you that you can make another appointment and come in to finish picking your options or go over your list and slim it down. Truth is, you can have two appointments and you will probably need two.

Take the list of options, that you chose, home with you and figure out which one’s are a priority and which one’s may be added to the home later. The truth is a lot of things that can be added to the home later, are more cost effective when hiring an outside party. Things like, gutters, light fixtures, blinds and backsplashes are all a good example.

Chandelier

You do need to have the fan and light pre-wire in though, this is something you can not add later. It is much easier to get that put in as the home is being built.

5) Final walk through before closing with the builder should be done with your Realtor as well. A lot of people purchase new construction without a Realtor. I do not recommend this. As a Realtor, we are here to protect our clients from the builder / seller. At the time of the final walk through you may find imperfections that you don’t like. I highly recommend hiring an inspection company to come in and do a thorough inspection.

An inspection company that specializes in new construction can test for all sorts of things that the naked eye could never see. It will save you from a lot of headache in the long run.

We recommend Hero Inspections to all of our clients. They specialize in new construction, Veteran owned and operated, and very good at what they do.

Now that you have a good understanding of the buying process, with new construction, lets take a look at some new construction for sale here in Orlando, Florida.


New Construction Homes For Sale

Whether you are looking for an affordable home near Disney or a custom-built home on a lake, Orlando has something for everyone. There are new construction homes everywhere here in Central Florida. Let’s take a look at some more affordable areas and homes for sale first.

Map of Central Florida

Davenport, FL 33897 – One area that is growing tremendously is Davenport. Davenport is located in Polk county just south of Kissimmee. It is close to all the area attractions and has easy access to major highways.

—->Search for all Re-sale Davenport Homes Here <—–

The prices for a single family home start as low as just $211,000 and go up to about $305,000. Pretty good for a new community.

Kissimmee, FL 34744, 34759, 34746, 34741 or 34743 – Kissimmee Florida is well-known for being located near the famous Walt Disney World and all the other attractions in Orlando, Florida. If you want to live close to the parks and don’t mind the tourism industry, then Kissimmee might just be for you. Kissimmee is located in Osceola county.

—->Search all Resale Kissimmee Homes Here <—-

Prices in Kissimmee range from $139,900 – $236,000. If you are looking for affordable housing this is pretty good for Orlando, Florida.

St. Cloud, Florida 34771, 34772 – St. Cloud is south of Kissimmee and also borders the ever growing Lake Nona. It is famous for having more land, lakes and farms. The affordability isn’t so bad either. Located in Osceola county St. Cloud is close to the Florida Turnpike making it easy to get where you need to go.

Prices range from $339,990 – $1,000,000. Yes, we are entering the higher price ranges the further north we go.

—->Search all Resale Saint Cloud Homes Here<—-

Next up is Orlando, Florida – Orlando spreads across several zip codes. It is located in Orange county and you will probably find the widest range of prices here.

—->Search all Resale  Orlando Homes Here<—-

Orlando is centrally located and has several pockets of communities within itself. Below are a few of the up and coming communities that I felt were worth noting.

Prices in the Lake Nona area range from $228,000- $400,000.

Dr. Phillips located in Orlando boasts of some of the best ski lakes and famous golf courses there are. It is no wonder it also has some of the highest priced homes.

Home prices range from $457,000 – $883,000 and there is very little land left to build on in Doctor Phillips.

Windermere, Florida 34786 – Home to the prestigious Butler Chain of Lakes, Windermere boasts of A-rated schools and fine living all the way around.

Home prices start at $239,900 – $1,500,000 please note these are just new construction (track builders) prices.

Of course, if you want to build a custom home these prices are not for custom builders.


 

New Home Source – The Best Resource for Buyers

As a Realtor, we now have a couple of resources available to us that allow us to keep our buyers up to date with new home builders. New Home Source, or Builders Update are some of them. Search Orlando Homes

Before this resource was available, it was not that easy to email clients new construction. Builders do not always make their floor plans or models available on the MLS.

What does this mean for you? It means now we have the resources to send our clients new home listings, floor plans and even sign them up with builders before they go to the model in person.

I saved this as the best for last. Now that I have given you the tools to search for the area you want to look in, now you can use this search tool I have provided BELOW.

You can set up your search and save it with your own search criteria. This search tool is only for new construction, so if you want to search for resale homes, this is not it. It is simple to use and it is free to go in and set up your search so that you will never miss another new construction home again.

Located outside of Florida? That is OK, set up your search anywhere in the United States.

If you need help or still aren’t quite sure how to set up your search, simply email to [email protected]. Let me know what your search area is and your price range with any other important criteria and I will be happy to set it up for you.

Have any questions or feedback for me? Please leave them in the comments below. Happy house hunting.

Respectfully,

Franchesca Hanahoe

Builders Update

Meet Richard & Franchesca Hanahoe

Richard Franchesca

Our Philosophy

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS SIMPLE: CLIENTS COME FIRST. WE PLEDGE TO BE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR CLIENTS, KEEPING THEM FULLY INFORMED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUYING OR SELLING PROCESS. WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU’RE NOT LEFT WITH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, WE HAVEN’T DONE OUR JOB. WE DON’T MEASURE SUCCESS THROUGH ACHIEVEMENTS OR AWARDS, BUT THROUGH THE SATISFACTION OF OUR CLIENTS.


 

 


 

Meet Richard and Franchesca Hanahoe

Meet Richard & Franchesca known as the Expansive Agent Group they believe in “Building Lasting Relationships”.

Together Richard and Franchesca have a combined 20+ years of experience in real estate.

In 2009, after the market declined Richard and Franchesca started their own company using Richards background as a builder- developer and utilizing Franchesca’s customer service skills from being in the customer service industry for over 15 years.

They began purchasing, renovating and selling properties. Quickly, they were able to work with hedge funds and private investors to successfully sell over 200 properties in the Central Florida area.

This is why Richard and Franchesca understand how stressful it can be when trying to purchase or sell a home, while also preparing for the next home. Together, Richard and Franchesca, are able to overcome obstacles that can almost always arise in a transaction and help provide multiple solutions to whatever your current situation may be.

In 2012, as the real estate market started to stabilize and even incline, Richard and Franchesca transformed their business into helping clients with residential real estate and became part of the luxury market in Orlando, FL.

In this market they quickly were able to use their knowledge of the industry to become top producers and successfully help several families find their dream home.

Coming from an investment background has given Richard and Franchesca strong negotiation skills, an ability to quickly determine a properties value and deliver actual proven methods of marketing, and staging that have produced results.

They are truly committed to delivering a constant level of concierge service to their clients with every transaction and beyond.

Richard and his wife Franchesca reside in Venice, FL where they have become heavily involved in the community by volunteering at the schools and with the elderly.

They have four children two of which attend elementary school.

 


 Welcome To Our Website

Welcome to Expansive Agent Group’s website.

This site is to serve as a tool for our buyers and sellers.

Whether you’re looking to relocate or build your dream home this site has area information for everyone.

If you don’t see something you’re looking for, please, feel free to send us an email or call us directly with your questions or comments.

If you ever need a hand or have any questions, feel free to leave them below and we will be more than happy to help you out.

All the best,

Richard & Franchesca Hanahoe

Franchesca Hanahoe and Richard Hanahoe
EXP Realty, LLC
5039 Ocean Blvd.
Siesta Key, FL 34242
📲 Call/Text us at (321) 307-2246
Email: [email protected]