Xcellence Realty
Welcome to Xcellence Realty. If you are interested in buying a home or selling your home, I encourage you to contact me through email or phone so we can further discuss your plans.
How do I navigate on your website? Let me explain a few ways. If you are visiting my website looking to find your next home, Welcome. You will notice a number of ways to search on my website for real estate in the area. I suggest you review the choice searches by clicking Sitemap on the bottom right of my webpage. You will find searches for Million Dollar Homes, Retirement Homes, Gated Community Homes, Lakefront Homes, Chain of Lake Homes, Pool Homes, Luxury Homes, Golf Community Homes, 5 Bedroom Homes, 6 Bedroom Homes, Active Adult Homes, 55+ Homes, New Construction Homes, No HOA homes, and Historic Homes.
Buyers can also search by a MLS number, City, Map, Community Name, and Zip codes under the Property Search tab.
There are also a number of popular communities listed on the bottom of my website and the top under Featured Subdivisions.
Let me know if I can answer any questions or further assist in the selling of your home or purchase of your next home.
Lakeland - Winter Haven Area
Have you considered moving to the Lakeland, Winter Haven area in Central Florida? Many have made this move. A recent US Census study shows the child population ages 0-14 increased in these 2 cities by 11% making it to the top 5 metro areas growing in child population from 2020 to 2023 in the nation. Of course, they did not come alone. The study further points out the working age population ages 15-64 also increased 14.3% also making it to the top 5 metro areas growing in the nation.
What is the attraction to this area? There are many reasons for this growth. We will start with it being in Central Florida. You have easy access to Orlando and Tampa without being in the middle of a major city. If you enjoy the beach, you have choices. There is easy access to both coasts being the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Did I mention no snow? There are many other draws to this area. If you are considering a move, feel free to contact me to see if this is your destination.
Hometown Heroes Loan Program
If you’re a first time homebuyer or have not bought a home in the last 3 years, this EXCITING NEWS is for you. This program is no longer restricted to only veterans or first responders. The extremely popular Hometown Heroes down payment assistance program will get $100 million in funding on July 1!
This program provides 5% down payment assistance up to $35k with a minimum of $10k that could be used for down payment, closing costs, prepaids or a combination of these.
Here are some of the guidelines:
1. One occupying borrower must work full-time with a FL based employer
2. Borrower(s) that work from home, must report to or work out of a specific FL location to qualify
3. Credit score of at least 640
4. This loan is a silent 2nd mortgage that doesn’t require payments or accrue interest
5. The loan must be paid back when the property is sold or refinanced
These funds always deplete quickly! In order to reserve your share, you must be under contract. Which means NOW is the time to start looking for your home! Ready to get started? Give me a call.
Florida Assist Loan Program
If you’re a first time homebuyer or have not bought a home in the last 3 years, the Florida Assist Loan Program might be for you. This down payment assistance program is always available. This program provides $10k that could be used for down payment, closing costs, prepaids or a combination of these.
Here are some of the guidelines:
1. Credit score of at least 640
2. This loan is a silent 2nd mortgage that doesn’t require payments or accrue interest
3. The loan must be paid back when the property is sold or refinanced
Essex Down Payment Assistance
The Essex Down Payment Assistance Loan Program is a national program that offers up to 3.5% of the purchase price towards your down payment and closing costs.
Here are some of the guidelines:
1. Credit score of at least 640
2. FHA Loans only
3. Grant is forgivable after 10 years
4. First time or repeat homebuyers
PMI - What is it?
Private Mortgage Insurance (aka PMI) is not just another name for homeowner’s insurance. Instead, it is a separate insurance required by lenders to protect the loan investment.
If you stop paying your mortgage and the bank forecloses, they will collect the PMI. This protects the lender on loans where the buyer does not give a down payment of at least 20%.
What does that mean to you as a home buyer? In short, it gets included in your mortgage and could account for $75-$200 of your monthly payment.
Can you get out of paying for PMI? Yes! There are two instances where you can avoid paying for private mortgage insurance. 1) Put at least 20% down on the home purchase. 2) If you are a Veteran, the VA loan does not include PMI.
If you are ready to purchase a home in 2024, I’d be happy to help you not only find the right house for you but also help answer any questions you have along the way. Sometimes the home buying process can feel overwhelming. That’s when it’s extra beneficial to have a real estate expert on your side to walk you through each phase step-by-step.
