Al Norman's Blog

Are you looking for an FHA home loan in Orlando/Casselberry Florida but have bad credit?  If so, the wait is now over as we have recently introduced our own in-house FHA product(which means we process and underwrite the loan)  that allows buyers to purcahse a home down to a 500 FICO score(restric...

Buying a home at this time of year offers benefits, such as lower pricing and less competition for the property you love. But buying during the holidays also poses some unique scheduling challenges that can derail even the best-planned closing. If you’re buying a home at this time of year, a few ...

If you’ve been thinking of buying a home, you need to be prepared for today’s fast-paced real estate market. 2013 has brought a highly competitive housing market, and buyers who are just beginning the home shopping process are finding themselves unprepared for the reality of today’s market. If yo...

Today’s housing market displays a few characteristics that may point to some potential issues in the coming years: Lack of Inventory: A healthy real estate inventory consists of approximately six months of supply. In parts of the country, today’s inventory is anywhere from one to three months. Th...

Buying a fixer-upper is a great opportunity for homebuyers to get a good deal on a home, and have enough money leftover to make their own mark with a change in decor and renovations. But not all fixer-uppers are alike; we’ve all heard the horror stories of families who have bought homes only to h...

The leaves are changing, temperatures are dropping and now is the time of year when families start to think about being cozy at home. With October and fall officially here, now is the time to tackle some of those outdoor projects before the weather gets cold, and make sure you’re ready for cold w...

Spring is the traditional peak of the real estate market, but October actually represents a great time for buyers to consider buying a home. There’s generally more inventory at this time of year, and sellers may be more motivated to sell – which can mean now is a great time to get a good deal. Wh...

Most of us form a quick impression of a home the first time we visit when we’re home shopping. We look for things like the curb appeal, how well the home is maintained, whether we like the color and style, how we feel about the detailing, and whether the size works for us. Many of us also conside...

When you’re buying a new home, it’s important to consider how the surrounding homes in your neighborhood can affect your home’s value. From an investment standpoint, the thing you need to evaluate about the size and style of a potential neighborhood is how your new home stacks up to the neighbors...

Most of us have heard the advice to talk to the neighbors when we’re shopping for a home. Neighbors have a lot of great insight into the neighborhood, and they can give you a feel for whether there’s something you should be worried about – or whether the community is a place you’ll absolutely lov...