Where I buy in and around Winter Garden
Most of Winter Garden uses ZIP 34787. I also buy in the small towns and unincorporated pockets around it. Areas I hear from:
- Downtown and the streets off Plant Street and Dillard Street
- Neighborhoods along the south shore of Lake Apopka
- Tildenville
- Stoneybrook West
- Horizon West villages, including Hamlin and Summerlake
- Oakland (34760)
- Along SR 50 near Winter Garden Village
If your street isn't listed and it's in Orange County, send me the address anyway.
Older houses near downtown
The houses within walking distance of the Garden Theatre and the West Orange Trail are the ones with the most character and, a lot of the time, the most deferred work. Original plumbing, old electrical panels, wood windows, termite history, a roof that's been patched more than replaced. Those are exactly the things a four-point inspection flags, and that's often where an insurance company or a financed buyer stops.
Some of these homes also sit where the City of Winter Garden reviews exterior changes. If you'd have to go through that before fixing the porch or swapping windows, that's time and money you can skip by selling it as it stands. Tell me what you know about the house and I'll take it from there.
Competing with brand-new homes
Drive down Avalon Road or New Independence Parkway and you'll see why a dated house can sit. Buyers walking through model homes in Horizon West compare everything to new. If your kitchen is from the 1980s or the AC is on borrowed time, that comparison doesn't help you.
I don't compare your house to a model. I look at what's actually there and make an offer on it, in writing.
HOAs and CDDs in the newer areas
A lot of Horizon West and the newer Winter Garden subdivisions have an HOA, and many have a community development district assessment on the tax bill too. If you're behind on HOA dues or have a violation letter on the counter, it isn't a deal-breaker. The title company gets the estoppel from the association and settles what's owed at closing.
Roofs, storms, and insurance
Winter Garden is inland, but storms like Charley and Ian still did roof and water damage across Central Florida. On older homes, the bigger problem is usually insurance: a carrier won't write or renew a policy because of roof age, or a wind mitigation report doesn't come back the way the owner hoped. I can buy with an old roof, a tarp, or an open claim. Here's more on selling a house with hurricane or roof damage.
Land and mobile homes on the edges of town
Out toward Oakland and the unincorporated parts of west Orange, some lots are bigger and some homes are on septic and a well. I buy land, and I buy mobile homes when you own the land under them. No parks and no lot rent.
How it works with me
- Tell me about the house. Fill out the form or call or text (407) 413-8331. The address and a few lines about condition is enough.
- I walk it and send an offer. I come out and see the house myself. You get a written cash offer within 24 hours of me seeing the home.
- Close on your date. If you say yes, a Florida title company handles the title search, payoffs, and closing. Most closings take 30 days or less, subject to title work and the contract.
The offer will be below what a fully fixed-up house would list for. That's the trade for no repairs, no showings, and no waiting on a buyer's loan. Put it next to a listing estimate and decide. If you're weighing that now, read cash buyer vs. listing with an agent.
Inherited homes, probate, and records in Orange County
A lot of west Orange houses have been in the same family for decades, and the people inheriting them often live somewhere else. You can pull up the parcel on the Orange County Property Appraiser site. If the house doesn't match the record, like a porch that got enclosed or an addition nobody permitted, just tell me.
Orange County probate cases are filed with the Clerk's Probate/Mental Health Division at the Orange County Courthouse, 425 North Orange Avenue, Suite 335, Orlando, FL 32801 (407-836-2057), in Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit. I'm not a lawyer, so talk with a probate attorney about which kind of administration fits your situation. My guide to selling an inherited house in Florida covers the basics.
Helpful to have, not required
- Roof and AC age, plus any repair invoices you've kept
- Your mortgage company and HOA contact info
- Lease and rent details if someone's renting the place
- Insurance claim paperwork or an adjuster's estimate
- Death certificate and letters of administration for an estate sale
See houses I've finished
Two of my completed renovations are 720 Wing Foot Lane in Suntree and 914 Waialae Circle NE in Palm Bay.
Winter Garden seller questions
Do you buy in Horizon West and Oakland?
Yes. Both are part of the area I buy in, along with Tildenville and the unincorporated land around Winter Garden.
My house is only a few years old. Will you still buy it?
Yes. Newer homes come to me when someone has to move quickly, has fallen behind on HOA or CDD bills, or just doesn't want to deal with showings.
The house is old and hasn't been updated. Do I need to fix anything first?
No. Old wiring, cast iron pipes, a worn-out roof, a house full of belongings. Tell me what you know and leave the rest.
I live out of state and inherited a house here. Can you work with that?
Yes. Once whoever has authority to sell is in place, the title company can often handle signing by mail or with a mobile notary. Check with your probate attorney on the authority part.
Are there fees or commissions?
No commission on a direct sale to me. I normally cover standard title-related closing costs, and the written offer lists exactly what's covered.
Do I have to take the offer?
No. It's free and in writing. Take your time and compare it with listing.