Orlando Vacation Homes » Host Hub Blog » Buying & Investing

Buying & Investing in an Orlando Vacation Home

  Find the Right Guide

  Start Here

The two places to begin: the step-by-step buyer's guide and an honest look at whether an Orlando vacation home fits your plan.

• Orlando Vacation Home Buyer's Guide
  Eight steps from deciding how you'll use the home to making an offer and closing.
• Is an Orlando Vacation Home a Good Investment? Returns, Demand and Risks
  Demand drivers, cash flow, return measures and the risks to plan for.

  Choosing What and Where to Buy

The resort, the property type and whether to buy new or resale shape everything that follows.

• Best Orlando Resorts for Vacation Rental Investment: How to Choose Where to Buy
  How the resort areas compare and what to weigh between resorts.
• Condo, Townhome, Pool Home or Condotel: Which Orlando Vacation Rental Fits Your Plan?
  Guest groups, owner usage, management, upkeep and financing by property type.
• New Construction vs Resale for an Orlando Vacation Home
  Time to first booking, builder contracts, property taxes and warranties.
• Buying an Orlando Vacation Rental That's Already Renting
  Checking the seller's numbers, future bookings, furniture and what doesn't transfer.

  Costs and Returns

What a home really costs to own, and the choices that change what it earns.

• The True Cost of Owning an Orlando Vacation Rental: Budget, Cash Flow and Reserves
  Every cost of ownership, from the mortgage to the pool service, and how much to keep in reserve.
• HOA Fees vs CDD Fees for Orlando Vacation Homes
  What each fee pays for, why CDD charges sit on the tax bill, and how to check what a home owes.
• Short-Term vs Long-Term Rental for an Orlando Vacation Home
  Income, costs, licensing and the law for nightly, monthly and long-term rentals.
• Upgrades That Pay Off in an Orlando Vacation Rental Home
  The improvements that earn their keep in bookings, reviews and resale.

  Financing and Buying From Abroad

Loans for rental homes, and the extra steps when the buyer or the seller lives outside the US.

• Financing an Orlando Vacation Home
  Investment, DSCR, second-home, condotel and foreign national loans.
• Buying an Orlando Vacation Home From the UK or Canada
  US tax on rent, the yearly US return, home-country tax, estate tax and closing from abroad.
• Buying an Orlando Vacation Home From a Foreign Seller: FIRPTA
  The buyer's duty to withhold tax for the IRS, the exceptions, the forms and the contract addendum.

  Ready to Look at Homes?

See resorts by type on our vacation homes, townhomes, condos and condotels pages, or Call/Text David Myers at 407.801.3286.

David Myers is a licensed Florida real estate broker, working as a broker associate with Ziro Realty, and is not an attorney, tax professional or lender. These guides are general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact us to confirm current HOA and Management Company fees before you buy.