What happened in October 2010 in Orange County in Real Estate? According to Southern California MLS, agents reported that there were 2,027 homes that closed escrow or “SOLD”.

Of those 2,027 homes the average Days on Market, which tells us how long the home was marketed before an acceptable offer was taken, was 98 days. Those 98 days do not include the 30-60 days to close the typical equity sale. If a bank is involved in a short sale for example, the process can be much longer.

Homes sat on the market for over 3 months before getting an acceptable offer. Even then the final sales price was only 94% of the original list price. In other words the home sat on the market for 98 days and the average seller still took a 6% reduction. And the agent that represented them still got their commission.

In a tough market like this one, shouldn’t the agent you are hiring be willing to put their money where their mouth is? The sad truth is that very few of them will. He claims that if he can’t sell your home in 60 Days at a price that you agree on, he’ll sell it for free. Now, that’s how it should be.

Apparently there are agents throughout the country who make similar offers and are willing to share the risk with the home seller. For once that makes sense to me. Especially since the bar of entry into the real estate business is set pretty low and most real estate companies offer little or no formal training for their agents.

Today is November 7, 2010. With these stats, if you were to list your home for sale today with just any agent, you could expect that the offer you finally accept will be around the middle of February and if you originally listed your home for sale at $500,000 you would accept a final offer of $470,000. In addition you would still likely pay almost $30,000 in commissions bringing your approximate net down to $440,000 and then deduct the other costs associated with selling. Now you’re down to $430,000. Was that the original plan for these sellers? I would guess not.

Both types of homes are great investments that should see nice appreciation in the coming years. Single family homes are becoming more rare as space is quickly being used up in many areas. Condos on the other hand seem to be going up everywhere around any typical city. Whichever you choose, know that you are making a long-term investment in your future. Be smart when it comes to selling your home.

The Orange County Convention Centre (OCCC) is an ideal venue for all occasions and events. With over 20 years of experience in hosting large events, in which it has undergone five major expansions to reach its current ranking, the OCCC is located in the heart of downtown Orange County.

A prime location like the International Drive which is Orlando’s major tourist area adds to the benefits of exhibitors, organisers and visitors. This is because the venue is not alienated from other popular activity spots and allows outsiders to include some time for pleasure along with work. The venue is situated in close proximity to entertainment complexes like Pointe Orlando and attractions like Wet N Wild, Discovery Cove and Islands of Adventure Theme Parks.

With five extensive expansions, the OCCC now offers over seven million square feet of space which has been cleverly divided into five phases. While the first four phases are referred to as the “West Building”, Phase five which was recently unveiled in September 2003 is known as the “North/South Building”. The North/South Building has over 1.1 million square feet of exhibition space and is divided into a North and a South hall which can either be joined into one large area or into four subdivisions according to the requirements of the event. Both the buildings are connected via an elevated walkway.

The OCCC is west of the Orlando International Airport at a distance of just ten miles and can be easily accessed via the “BeeLine Expressway”. Apart from this, taxi services can also be used for the same. Owing to the popularity of the venue, its size and prime location, there are no chances of outsiders losing their way or being unable to find the venue.

While accommodation is often a concern of outsiders, it is hardly a matter to worry about in Orlando as the OCCC is at a short distance from popular high-class hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande Lakes and the Marriott Residence Inn. Apart from such expensive accommodation options, Orlando also has convenient pocket-friendly alternatives for cost-conscious visitors. Executives can also entertain business associates over meals as the OCCC is at close proximity to fine restaurants that offer various cuisines.

Popularly referred to as “The Centre of Hospitality,” the OCCC has successfully proved itself in the hospitality field to all exhibitors, event organizers and visitors alike. Its services can be enjoyed not only by professionals in the commerce fields for conventions, meetings and trade shows but also by those in the cultural and sports fields. The hub for innumerable events at regional, national and international levels, the OCCC is a preferred choice due to its excellent infrastructure combined with prompt services and favourable location.