Orlando & Central Florida
Real questions. Practical answers for homeowners and investors.
Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Start with the after-repair value (ARV), subtract repairs, holding and selling costs, and your profit. The 70 percent rule is a quick screen, not a guarantee. The real work is a believable ARV, an honest rehab budget, and a timeline you can hit.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Hard money is short-term, asset-based financing for flips. It costs more than a bank loan because it is fast and flexible. Compare points, rate, draw process, and prepayment terms, and make sure the deal still works after all fees.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Yes, but only from someone with the authority to sell. In Florida that is usually the personal representative. Whether court approval is needed depends on whether the will gives a power of sale. Verify authority and title before you sign anything.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Yes. A self-directed IRA can own real estate, but the IRA owns it, not you. You need a custodian that allows it, and you must avoid prohibited transactions with yourself and other disqualified persons. Get your tax pro involved if you plan to use debt.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
A short sale is a sale for less than the mortgage balance, and the lender must approve it. For investors, the upside is price and less competition. The cost is time, paperwork, and the lender's rules on resale. Get the deal pre-approved in writing and know what the lender will allow.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Off-market deals come from public records and relationships, not a secret list. Work foreclosure filings, tax delinquencies, probate cases, code enforcement, and wholesalers, then follow up consistently. The investor who calls first and calls again usually wins.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
A Florida tax deed sale is a public auction run by the county after a tax certificate sits unpaid. You bid, you pay fast, and you take title to the property. Here is the process, the real risks, and what to check before you bid.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Plan on cash or certified funds. Florida foreclosure auctions run through the county clerk, usually online, and the winning bidder has a short window to pay. Financing is not part of the deal. Hard money or cash reserves are how most investors do it.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Florida tax certificates pay interest up to 18 percent a year at most, but competitive bidding usually pushes the rate far lower. Most certificates are paid off by the owner. Treat them as a low-yield, high-work investment, not a way to get cheap houses.
Read article →Investors · Nov 2, 2026
Winning the auction does not mean you own it free and clear. Before you bid, run a title search and check taxes, HOA, code enforcement, municipal liens, and senior mortgages. What survives depends on the type of sale and the priority of each lien.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Florida foreclosures go through a court, so the process has stages, and you can act at every one. The timeline varies a lot and can take a year or more from the first missed payment.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
When your homeowners insurance or property taxes rise, your escrow payment rises even if your loan did not change. You have options before it turns into missed payments.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Do not ignore it. You generally have 20 days from the date you were served to respond, and the summons states your deadline. Read it, get legal help, and ask your lender about options.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Most inherited houses in Florida go through probate before they can be sold. The personal representative usually handles the sale, and the timeline depends on the estate.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
It depends on who has legal authority over the house, what the will says, and whether the heirs co-own it. One heir can sometimes slow a sale, but rarely stop one forever.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
You have six options: stay and wait, modify the loan, refinance, short sale, deed in lieu, or foreclosure and bankruptcy. The right one depends on your payment history, your income, and how long you can hold on.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Yes. In Florida you can generally sell your house at any point before the foreclosure sale is completed. The lender is paid from the proceeds at closing, and any equity left is yours. If you owe more than it's worth, a short sale may be the path.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
It can, but not always, and you have more control in a short sale than in a foreclosure. A deficiency is the gap between what you owe and what the home brings. Get any waiver in writing before you close.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
A short sale generally does less damage to your credit than a completed foreclosure, and it often lets you qualify for a new mortgage sooner. The exact effect depends on your credit history, your lender, and your loan type.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
It depends mostly on how quickly your lender reviews your package. Plan on months, not weeks, and start before a foreclosure sale date is set.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Possibly. If the auction brings in more than the taxes and costs owed, the surplus is held by the clerk and paid to the former owner and certain lienholders. Claim windows are limited, so act fast.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Yes. In Florida you can generally stop a tax deed sale by paying the taxes, interest, and costs before the winning bidder pays the clerk in full. The exact cutoff is set by the county clerk, so call early.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Back taxes on an inherited house keep moving toward a sale unless someone deals with them. Check what is owed, whether a tax deed application exists, and who has legal authority, then decide to pay, sell, or sell fast.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
A mortgage foreclosure is your lender suing over unpaid payments. A tax deed sale is a county process over unpaid property taxes. Different triggers, different deadlines, and different ways to stop them.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
A notice means a process has started, not that the house is gone. In the first week, find out what kind of notice it is, get the payoff and sale date, and decide whether to pay, sell, or get legal advice.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
No. A tax certificate is not a sale of your house. An investor pays your unpaid tax bill and gets a lien plus interest. The real risk starts if it stays unpaid about two years and the holder applies for a tax deed.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Yes. You can sell before a tax deed auction as long as the sale closes and the back taxes are paid before the auction is completed. The taxes come out of your proceeds at closing, and the equity left is yours.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Usually no. Florida tax collectors generally require delinquent taxes to be paid in full. Your options are to pay, raise the money, or sell. For future years, ask about enrolling in an installment plan before the deadline.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
You don't lose your house overnight. Taxes become delinquent April 1, a tax certificate is sold by June 1, and after about two years the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed that leads to an auction. You can stop the process by paying.
Read article →Distressed Owners · Oct 31, 2026
Yes. Back taxes and liens are paid from your sale proceeds at closing, as long as the price covers what is owed. A title search finds every lien, and what is left after payoffs is yours.
Read article →Sellers · Oct 31, 2026
Selling as is means you are not agreeing to make repairs. It does not erase your duty to disclose known problems, and it usually costs you in price. Compare your net as is, repaired, and with a cash offer before you choose.
Read article →Sellers · Oct 31, 2026
Unpermitted work is fixable if you deal with it up front. Your main options are permitting it after the fact, disclosing it and adjusting the price, or selling to a cash buyer who takes the house as is.
Read article →Sellers · Oct 31, 2026
The right path comes down to three things: how much equity you have, how fast you need to close, and what condition the house is in. Plenty of equity and time means list it. Speed or a rough house points to a cash offer. Owing more than it's worth points to a short sale.
Read article →Join Investor Access for off-market Orlando opportunities, or get a no-obligation cash offer on your property.