In today’s economy, many potential purchasers don’t have extra cash available for repairs and updates and are looking for move-in ready houses.  It makes sense, therefore, in order to attract serious buyers and add value to your home, that you consider the following relatively inexpensive and non-time-consuming improvements:

Interior updates:

• If you can’t replace the water heater with a tankless model, wrap the one you have in fireproof insulation.
• Install modern light switches and outlets throughout your home.  Add dimmer switches.
• Insulate windows.  (Easy-to-follow instructions.)
• In bathrooms replace dated towel racks, light fixtures, sinks, toilet seats, and hardware.  Purchase a low flow toilet.  Re-grout where needed.  If the floor is in poor shape, consider putting easy-to-install vinyl tiles right over the old one.
• Add crown moldings, wood trim, and/or cornices to give room a look of quality.
• Update your kitchen inexpensively by replacing fixtures, faucets, and hardware.  Consider pendant lighting.  Refinish cabinets rather than replacing them.
• Clean and organize all closets.  For helpful free and/or inexpensive designs created for your particular needs, visit Closet Maid.

Exterior improvements:

• Keep shrubs and trees neatly pruned.  Plant new trees for energy savings and aesthetic value.
• Add low-voltage lighting for pathways
• Pay attention to the front door.  Does it need new weather stripping?  A fresh coat of paint? Updated (or at least polished) hardware—knockers, knobs, hinges, and light fixtures?
• Spend $10 to test your lawn for needed nutrients.
• Attend to the garage door.  Use a mixture of one part bleach to three parts water and a soft-bristled brush to give it a thorough cleaning.  Still dirty or stained?  Rent a power washer for about $60.
• Check for faded or peeling paint.  Sand and apply a fresh coat.

Real estate gurus will tell you that the wisest updates you can make are in the kitchen and the bathroom.  (Not only are these rooms of high importance to buyers, those updates will add the most value and give you a good return on your money.)  Check BankRate.com and DIYnetwork.com for suggestions and good advice on the benefits of more ambitious projects for these areas of your home.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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While the number of for sale by owner transactions is on the decline, approximately 9 percent of sellers decide to go it alone and forego outside help from a Realtor®. Typically those that go this route have extenuating circumstances, such as already having a relationship with the buyer (which happened in 40 percent of recent FSBO sales, according to National Association of Realtors® data). However, NAR’s 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows that most sellers benefit from the outside help of a knowledgeable advocate when selling their home. Aside from being experts in the field, Realtors® have the time, know the market and needs of the potential buyers, bring an objective and fresh perspective to the seller, understand the complexity of all of the processes involved, and have the ability to attract qualified buyers.  It’s because of these reasons that sellers using a Realtor® tend to get more for their homes, according to NAR’s report.

Let’s look at how many sellers sold their homes with a Realtor in August.

Orange County Real Estate Sales Statistics – August 2014

Orange County saw 88 fewer homes sold in August 2014 than August 2013, a 5 percent decrease. The average sales price increased by 1.5 percent and the median sales price increased by 4.8 percent from August 2013.  Market times increased by 8 days or 15 percent.

Osceola County Real Estate Sales Statistics – August 2014

Osceola County home sales decreased 88 homes, a 14 percent decrease. Prices increased with the average sales price up 9.1 percent and the median price increased by 8.4 percent.  Market Times increased by 5 days compared to August 2013.

Seminole County Real Estate Sales Statistics – August 2014

Seminole County residential sales decreased by 3.6 percent with 26 more homes sold in August 2013. The average sales price increased 4.3 percent and the median price increased by 9.3 percent. Market times increased by 4 days or 7.6 percent.

Lake County Real Estate Sales Statistics – August 2014

Residential sales in Lake County increased with 36 additional homes sold, a 7.2 percent increase. The average sales price increased by 9.9 percent, and the median sales price increased by 12 percent for the month compared to August 2013.  Market times increased by 7 days or 8.1 percent.

Polk County Real Estate Sales Statistics – August 2014

Polk County saw 37 additional homes sold in August 2014 compared to August 2013, a 4.8 percent increase.  The average sales price increased by less than 1 percent, and the median sales price increased by 9.2 percent.  Market times dropped 1 day compared to August 2013.

It’s still a great time to get your best price on an Orlando home.

Teri Isner

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Welcome to your up-to-the-minute Sept 2014 edition of Market Snapshot for Windermere Florida compliments of Teri Isner.  This report is personalized with charts including market activity for homes in the 34786 zip code.  Let’s take a look.

Windermere Real Estate, Windermere Florida Real Estate http://www.orlandoavenue.com Windermere FL Real Estate. Find Great Deals on Windermere Real Estate. See Windermere FL statistics and Real Estate in Windermere Florida.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Welcome to your up-to-the-minute Sept 2014 edition of Market Snapshot for Kissimmee Florida compliments of Teri Isner.  This report is personalized with charts including market activity for homes in the 34741 zip code.  Let’s take a look.

Kissimmee Real Estate, Kissimmee Florida Real Estate http://www.orlandoavenue.com Kissimmee FL Real Estate. Find Great Deals on Kissimmee Real Estate. See Kissimmee FL statistics and Real Estate in Kissimmee Florida.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Welcome to your up-to-the-minute Sept 2014 edition of market snapshot for Celebration Florida compliments of Teri Isner.  This report is personalized with charts including market activity for single family homes in the 34747 zip code.  Let’s take a look.

Celebration Real Estate, Celebration Florida Real Estate http://www.orlandoavenue.com Celebration FL Real Estate. Find Great Deals on Celebration Real Estate see Celebration FL statistics and Real Estate in Celebration Florida.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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The previous blog about preventing identity theft during a move dealt primarily with precautionary steps to take from your old residence to thwart clever criminals.  So you’re now safely ensconced in your new  home. And you can breathe a sigh of relief, right?

Actually, no.  Unfortunately, there are clever identity thieves waiting at that end of your relocation, also, and your efforts to outwit them must continue at your new address.  Read on for more advice:

• Once you have reached your new home, check to make certain that you have all the important papers and documents you carried with you—and immediately put them in a safe, secured place.

• Locate and unpack the box containing your electronic possessions—tablet, IPhone, computers, etc.  Account for each one and consider changing your passwords.

• Carefully look through your bank statements to make certain that there are no unauthorized charges.  You might also think about requesting new credit reports to be sure that your status hasn’t changed significantly.

• Make certain that you are receiving your mail at your new address.  If you are missing any statements, checks, and the like, report those losses immediately.

• Contact your old neighbor to verify that he/she is collecting any mail that arrives to the prior address.  Arrange for it to be mailed to you or go by and pick it up, if possible.

• If you have to cancel any bank accounts or credit cards because of your relocation, close the account, cut up any cards associated with the account, and shred unneeded papers.

• Replace the locks on immediately- preferably before you even move in, as the old tenants could still have keys.

• Be diligent and cautious when providing personal information, especially your social security number, to new doctors, organizations, or schools.

• After the move set up a “safe zone” where you store important papers and can work on private matters away from the eyes of visitors to your new home, repairmen, utility workers, and strangers.

Although you may not be able to protect your identity 100%, you can go a long way in ensuring peace of mind by being proactive, diligent, and aware, especially during a move.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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In July, the number of properties that received a foreclosure filing in Orlando, FL was 9% lower than the previous month and 0% lower than the same time last year, according to RealtyTrac.com.

Orlando Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Orlando foreclosures were 0.18% above national statistics, 0.04% above state figures, and 0.02% below Orange County numbers in July 2014.

Orlando Foreclosure Status Distribution

The current distribution of foreclosures based on the number of active foreclosure homes in Orlando, FL.

Pre-foreclosures accounted for 14.1% of the foreclosure activity in July,  Auctions were 56.8%, and Bank-owned properties were 14.1%.

Orlando FL Foreclosure Activity by Month

In July, the number of bank-owned properties increased 29.0% from the previous month and increased 20.4% from the previous year. The number of auctions decreased 22.9% from the previous month and rose 26.0% from the previous year. Pre-foreclosure activity increased 6.9% from the previous month and decreased 54.2% from the previous year.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home shopping website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Orlando FL Real Estate Market Trends for Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake and Polk counties.

Orange County Real Estate Sales Statistics – July 2014

Orange County saw 56 fewer homes sold in July 2014 than July 2013, a 3.1 percent decrease. The average sales price increased by 9.3 percent and the median sales price increased by 10 percent from July 2013.  Market times increased by 7 days or 14 percent.

Osceola County Real Estate Sales Statistics – July 2014

Osceola County home sales decreased 31 homes, a 5.6 percent decrease. Prices increased with the average sales price up 3.5 percent and the median price increased by 5.3 percent.  Market Times increased by 20 days compared to July 2013.

Seminole County Real Estate Sales Statistics – July 2014

Seminole County residential sales increased by 2.1 percent with 15 more homes sold in July 2014. The average sales price increased 8.8 percent and the median price increased by 7.6 percent. Market times increased by 4 days or 7.8 percent.

Lake County Real Estate Sales Statistics – July 2014

Residential sales in Lake County decreased with 36 fewer homes sold, a 6.6 percent decrease. The average sales price increased by 5.5 percent, and the median sales price increased by 7.7 percent for the month compared to July 2013.  Market times increased by 4 days or4.3 percent.

Polk County Real Estate Sales Statistics – July 2014

Polk County saw 37 fewer homes sold in July 2014 compared to July 2013.  The average sales price increased by less than 1 percent, and the median sales price increased by 4.3 percent.  Market times increased by 6 days compared to July 2013.

It’s still a great time to get your best price on an Orlando home.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home shopping website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Welcome to your up-to-the-minute August 2014 edition of Market Snapshot for Windermere Florida compliments of Teri Isner.  This report is personalized with charts including market activity for homes in the 34786 zip code.  Let’s take a look.

Interested in getting a personalized Market Snapshot? Simply visit www.OrlandoAvenue.com, select the Market Snapshot box, and enter the zip code you want to watch.

Information provided by Teri Isner, Orlando Avenue Top Team, Orlando FL Realtors.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home shopping website.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
 

Welcome to your up-to-the-minute August 2014 edition of Market Snapshot for Kissimmee Florida compliments of Teri Isner.  This report is personalized with charts including market activity for homes in the 34741 zip code.  Let’s take a look.

Interested in getting a personalized Market Snapshot? Simply visit www.OrlandoAvenue.com, select the Market Snapshot box, and enter the zip code you want to watch.

Information provided by Teri Isner, Orlando Avenue Top Team, Orlando Realtors.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home shopping website.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!