One of the most popular questions we get asked when sitting down with first-time home buyers is, “How much can I afford?” which essentially is the question, “How much will my monthly payment be?” Many people live in terms of monthly payments when it comes to things such as homes, cars, and so on, which means understanding the amount of home you can afford in terms of a monthly payment is very common.

One thing we try to remind buyers when meeting with them is not just to consider how much they can afford to pay monthly for their new home, but how their current lifestyle factors into buying a home.

It’s only normal to be accustomed to living a certain way, whether you’re big on travel, going out to eat, or planning for retirement. When buying a home, there are often costs associated with home ownership that you may not have considered when first setting your home buying budget. Take those costs, plus your monthly mortgage payment, and there could be very little wiggle room left for anything else. That is if you don’t plan ahead.

Dream Builders Realty shares the most up-to-date information regarding the Central Florida real estate market every month. We do this for you, the home buyer or seller, to provide you with insight on what is happening in the local market. This information can be used as a starting point in your next big real estate adventure!

We hope our monthly Central Florida real estate market updates (including our November 2016 real estate market update, where you can compare the previous month's numbers to this month's numbers) help with your real estate needs when it comes to buying or selling your next home in Central Florida.

Oftentimes there are varying details that make a community appealing to a home buyer. Whether it’s the phase of life you’re in, or whether you’ve owned a home previously, different people want and need different things from a home and a community.

But there are certain factors that make a community appealing to any home buyer, and we're sharing some of the factors we hear most from our potential home buyers. 

Gated communities vs. non-gated communities

Safety, security and peace of mind probably come to mind when thinking about buying a home in a gated community. Whether the gated community is guarded by an actual person, or just a security code and cameras, people often purchase homes in these neighborhoods in order to feel safer. A con that can come with living in a gated community (over one that’s not), though, is the price tag that is often attached to the homes for sale in the neighborhood (or other fees, such as HOA fees). While the safety of you and your loved ones might be invaluable, you may find that non-gated communities can offer the same safety as a gated community, especially once you've done your research on the neighborhood and its surrounding area.