More good news for the Central Florida real estate market as the National Association of Home Builders reported home builder sentiment rises to 49 in June, just one point shy of the threshold for what is considered good building conditions. This increase beats the estimate of 47 and is an indicator that builders are expecting sales to continue to increase in the months ahead as the summer home buying season gets into full swing.

If you’re considering buying a new home, it is important to know what loan is best for you so you can begin your home search with the end in mind. To help show just how accessible a new or first home really is, we wanted to offer a rundown of some of the very affordable loan options available to buyers today. Buying a home for the first time comes with many new terms to learn and steps to conquer, with figuring out the type of loan you'll need being just one of them.

Conventional Loans

In my opinion, obtaining a conventional loan with a fixed interest rate for 15 years is always the ideal option. Key benefits are having stable payments for a shortened period of time and, with a 20% down payment, avoiding the added costs associated with private mortgage insurance. However, many people do not have 20% of the purchase price to use as a down payment, so you should know you can actually obtain a conventional loan with as little as 5% down. Also, most Buyers obtain a 30-year loan to keep their monthly payments lower. *Minimum Conventional Down Payment - $7,075.00

As the temperature outside begins to rise, Floridians are getting ready for summer. Shorts, tank tops and swim suits will become a summer staple for many, but getting your home ready for this hot season is important, too. We've got a rundown of some key things you can do to prepare your home for summer, some of which could even keep a little more cold hard cash in your wallet and with temperatures hitting 100+ degrees, you’re going to need something cool around.

1. Have an annual check done on your A/C unit. Sometimes you have to spend a little money to save a little money. By scheduling an air conditioning check up you could be catching small problems with your unit before they turn into big problems. You can also ensure your A/C unit is working at optimal efficiency, which will save you money in the long run.