Home projects and family go together! While there will be tools and situations where children should be closely supervised, there are plenty of activities that can include the entire family!  

• If you have a room that needs painting, have the children paint the sample swatches on the walls. These areas do not have to be perfect, but this small job is the perfect way for them to learn beginner painting techniques. 
• Furniture kits are a great way to have children learn about using tools and following step-by-step plans. Reading is not always required as there are many instructions that feature symbols, numbers, and diagrams that children can easily follow. 
• Installing wall-hanging hardware or window treatments are excellent ways to teach school-age kids about using a level or measuring tape. 

• Children and gardening go together naturally! Not only can they assist with planting projects, but building raised beds or trellises as well, and even preschoolers can be handy with a rake or help with weeding. 
• Teach children that some repairs do not require a service call. Replace faucets, door knobs, or cabinetry pulls yourself, and let them in on the action when smaller tools are involved. They will not only learn valuable skills, but they will also learn about saving money! 
• Creating outdoor spaces for the kids such as a pallet playhouse, a swing set kit, or simple soccer/street hockey goal will give them a sense of accomplishment if they help! 

Get your family excited about helping, have patience, and keep them safe while you are working. You will find that while you are spending time with them, those DIY jobs will start them on a journey of learning how to take care of their future home as a handy homeowner! 

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.

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

Photo credit: Bless’er House

One welcome comeback in home decor is the use of houseplants! Indoor plants bring so much to our homes, and one does not have to have a lot of gardening knowledge to grow beautiful plants. Here are just a few plants that will give even the brownest thumb success! 

• Succulents are at the top of the easy indoor plant list. No wonder–they need just a little bit of attention, take up very little space, and most only need indirect light. 
• The spider plant is as lovely in a pot stand as it is hanging from a ceiling hook. Available in green or variegated leaf color, these plants offer a bonus: easily-rooted baby plants to share or keep for yourself! 
• A proven air purifier, the ZZ plant is great for homes with low light. These plants will thrive in even the darkest corner of a room, but keep in mind that they need to be out of the reach of pets and is not for human consumption, either. 

• For a bit of color, grow a variety of bromeliad. Other than needing to be misted often and keeping their natural “cups” filled with fresh water, these tropical beauties will reward you with splashes of color. 
• The name “air plant” is synonymous with “easy to grow!”  These plants do not need soil, can be placed in virtually anything, and need only indirect sunlight and weekly misting or soaking. 
• Lavender as an easy indoor plant? Absolutely! As long as there is bright light and occasional watering, the room will be filled with its comforting scent. 
• A hanging basket of philodendron is a common sight, but this plant is easily grown in water! Choose an opaque container, keep the water fresh and chlorine-free, adding water-soluble fertilizer occasionally, and this trailing plant will thrive! 
• If you want blooms, the tried and true African violet is the plant to grow indoors! This dainty plant simply asks to be placed in bright light and its soil kept moist. Many hybrids are available in several colors to brighten any space.

There are many proven benefits to growing plants indoors, so why not try one or several easy-to-grow plants shared by Guide to Houseplants? Your health, home, and happiness will get a much-deserved boost, and it could be the start of a rewarding hobby! 

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.

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

Photo credit: Gardens Nursery

Soon little goblins from all around your neighborhood will be coming to your door asking for candy by saying “trick or treat”. There may be more to than you think if you are in the market to sell your home. Let’s take a look at a few tricks and treats that may help you to sell your home more quickly than you may have thought you could. Of course a good Realtor is the way to go but you and your Realtor can talk about these ideas and decide which tricks and treats you want to use to sell your home.

• For some reason buyers are a little scared of the number 9 in your asking price. The last thing you want to do is to frighten your potential buyers off by using the number 9. We have all seen this tactic in the local stores where items are listed for sale at a price of $9.99 or $12.99. Instead of using the number 9 in your sale price why not just round up to the next number to make the number nice and round and to avoid turning away buyers that may have otherwise been interested in your home. For instance instead of listing your home at $199,000 go ahead and list it at $200,000. When your sale price ends with a 9, it looks like you are trying too hard to give a bargain and buyers are not particularly looking for a bargain deal when buying a home.
• Another trick and treat that may help you sell your home is to stay away from a lot of aromatherapy. While aromatherapy is a good thing, it can confuse and even turn off some potential buyers. When potential buyers are looking at your home they are affected by not only what they see but by what they smell as well. If you happen to have a person tour your home who hates the smell of vanilla and you have it piped throughout your house with candles or other smelly goods you may lose that buyer that easily. A good rule of thumb is to go for a fresh clean scent such as pine sol or something similar. You can fill a sink with water and put a dash of pine sol in there to help your home smell nice and fresh.
• If at all possible, stage your home. Homes that are staged tend to sell more easily than those that look extremely lived in. Folks want to imagine their own family living in your home, not see how you and your family live there.

Hopefully these tricks and treats for selling your home will help keep you from frightening off potential buyers.

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.

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

Photo credit: Real Simply 

Fall is many people’s favorite time of year; they look forward to putting on their sweaters, drinking pumpkin spice lattes, and making a pot of soup. There are important items to check off the home to-do list before it gets cold. Get started on these eight items before it is too late: 

    Outdoors 

• Take care of walkway/driveway cracks. Materials used for this job may not work as well once outside temps drop. 
• Clean outdoor furniture and leave it to dry in the warm sun. When it is time to store them for winter, they will already be clean! 

• If you are growing hostas, daylilies, spring-blooming bulbs, or peonies, divide these plants now. These plants will be happier if divided and replanted now instead of spring.   
• Trees are best planted in the fall of the year as well. They still need regular and deep watering, but the cooler weather will make it easier for them to establish roots. 
• Plant a fall garden. You will be rewarded with fresh greens and other vegetables for all of those slow-cooker recipes saved on your Pinterest board! 

    Indoors 

• Check smoke/carbon monoxide detector batteries, and test the smoke detector to be sure it is in proper working order. If there is no family fire plan in place, create one now and have a family fire safety meeting. 
• No mudroom, no problem! Create a mudroom-like atmosphere near the entry your family uses most. Setup is easy using a sturdy indoor/outdoor area rug, a coat tree (using coat hangers when items are wet), and small bins or shoe trays to store wet or muddy footwear. 
• Although the air conditioning may still be in use, have your furnace inspected and serviced now–before you need it. 

Waiting until a cold snap is bearing down on you before you get cold-weather prep done could be too late, not to mention regrettable. Take advantage of a pleasant fall weekend and get the family involved. Being ready for winter is great, but the time spent together taking care of your home is greater! 

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.

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

Photo credit: Bob Villa

Choosing laminate wood flooring for a home is a really good decision for a homeowner.  Laminate flooring has come a long way since its beginning a few decades ago, with better quality, ease of installment, and varieties to choose from–you can even get laminate to look like stone! Caring for this manufactured product can be tricky, but with the right cleaning and care, it can look great for years to come.

    Protecting the Floor

• Laminate flooring isn’t real wood–it’s an image of wood adhered to fiberboard, with a bottom that is moisture damage-resistant. It is covered with a clear protectant that is hard enough to protect it from scratching and pitting.
• Although it is made to prevent moisture damage, it still needs to be protected from liquids. Any spills need to be cleaned up as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
• The top layer of sealant is there to protect the floor, but if the dining room chairs are constantly pulled from the table, put some felt pads on the legs to prevent any scratching.
• Other pieces of furniture that don’t get moved often still may need something under the legs, and felt pads or newer style plastic casters work perfectly for heavier pieces.
• High traffic areas are best protected with area rugs and runners. Be sure to use a gripper mat or tape underneath rugs to prevent slipping.
• Even though laminate is great for homes with pets, they can still get scratched in extreme situations. Keep pet’s toenails trimmed to prevent this. Pet accidents need to be cleaned immediately to prevent moisture damage and stains.
• Some toys with sharp edges can dent or pit the floor, so they should be used with care, or in places protected with area rugs.
• Sometimes an area of the floor can get damaged, and the best solution is to call the manufacturer to get their advice. Most even sell repair kits for small DIY jobs.

Keeping It Clean

• The first defense in keeping any floor clean is a mat on both sides of a door that leads outside. A “no shoes” policy could even be put in place to keep even more dirt out, as well as preventing scuff marks.
• Removing dirt and small particles is best done on laminate floors with a microfiber cloth or mop. Sweeping with a broom can scratch the surface over time, and usually doesn’t get all of the dirt, anyway.  Many styles of reusable and washable cloth floor cleaners are available and are perfect for laminate.
• Electric sweepers are also excellent for vacuuming dirt and pet hair. Make sure any vacuum-type sweeper has a gentle brush motion.  Too heavy, and it can scratch.
• Mopping can create streaks because of too much detergent in the cleaner. The best solution for mopping grime or sticky spills is using two parts warm water, one part white vinegar, a few drops of dishwashing liquid, and a drop or two of lemon essential oil. The essential oil helps keep the vinegar odor down, but that smell fades quickly.  Mix this in a spray bottle, and spray each area as you mop.  The less liquid used, the better for the floor.
• In case of streaks, use a microfiber cloth or cloth diaper to buff the floor. These are best for a great shine on the floor. Never use dusting spray, as it can cause floors to be slippery.

Laminate flooring can be an asset to a home, without the expense and extra work a hardwood floor can bring. Without a lot of extra cost, the flooring can look new for many years, as long as attention is paid to its care and cleaning.

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.

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

Who said every wall in your house had to be a white wall with art or family photos?  Why not add an accent wall to add interest and style, as well as be a focal point in the room?  Here are some wonderful ideas to make your wall go from silent to telling a story: 

• Stenciling has come a long way from the floral room borders of the 80’s and 90’s.  There are so many stencil designs available, and ambitious DIY’ers can even make their own!  Bob Vila gives us a step-by-step tutorial on stenciling, as well as offering tips and tricks that are good to know before you get started. 
• Wallpaper doesn’t need to cover every wall of a room.  Add a bold or bright print to one wall, and add style and interest to the room.  Get inspired for a wallpapered feature wall with these ideas from Better Homes and GardensⓇ. 
• Create an accent wall with paint–this DIY can be done in a day, and make a huge difference in the look of the room for the amount of time it takes.  This article from Real Simple has interior designer advice on choosing a color and even furniture placement after the job’s done, as well as tips for painting. 

• Plank walls are a popular choice for a focal point as well as an accent wall.  There are many materials choices for this feature:  reclaimed wood, pre-stained wood, peel-and-stick tile, and even vinyl paneling! 
• Sponge painting is still being used today, but with a more subtle look that adds the appearance of texture to a wall.  There are many techniques, and House Painting Tutorials has several examples and links to their tutorials for each technique. 
• Creating a board-and-batten from stock materials is a good undertaking if you’re handy with power tools, and this type of wainscoting can really transform a room.  It may take a while to get this one done, but the difference it will make will be worth it. 
• Embossed tin panels or tiles can be used to create a vintage-look focal point, or add corrugated tin for a more industrial look.   

There are many more ways to change the look of your home with accent walls, and The Handyman website covers several of them–stone, brick veneer, and stamping to name a few.  Once you get started, you may love the style accent walls add to your home, and end up with one in every room!

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.

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

Photo credit: buildbetterschools.info

As smart homes become more common, some homeowners are going beyond basics like smart bulbs and assistant hubs like Google Home and Amazon Echo. This can take a number of forms, from the addition of smart electronics and security systems to sensors throughout the house that can recognize when people walk into rooms and adjust the lighting and other resources accordingly. One increasingly popular option is the installation of smart switches in lieu of simply relying on individual smart bulbs to control lighting.

So what are smart switches, anyway? How do they work? Can you install them anywhere, or are there specific things that your home needs? If you’re curious about smart switches and whether they would be a good addition to your home, here are some of the basics that you should consider.

Renovating your home is no small investment. Making structural changes can require changes in your home’s insurance policy as well. Check out this list of the most popular improvements before calling your agent: 

• A new roof could lower your premium, especially when upgraded to the latest standards of protecting your home from natural disasters. 
• Whenever you increase square footage by way of a home addition, your policy will need to be upgraded, increasing your premium. 
• Converting already-existing space into a master suite or a media room may not require changes to the policy if the square footage is already covered, but since the replacement value has changed, it would be wise to increase your coverage. 

• When making upgrades to your home, whether using top-quality building materials for a renovation or finishes or installing state-of-the-art appliances in the kitchen, increasing your policy’s replacement value for these items would be worth the additional amount in the premium. 
• Improving home systems, i.e., the electrical or plumbing, can lower your premiums, as upgrades can make your home safer from incidents relating to fire and leaking pipes. 
• Installing a pool or hot tub in your backyard will add to the replacement value of your home, and liability coverage will need to be increased to protect yourself in case of any accidents. 
• According to Safewise, adding a home security system could lower your homeowner’s premium by 20%.   
• Depending on how they are mounted, adding solar panels may require a policy of their own, which would add to your budget.  

Protecting your home should be top priority, but it is wise to be prepared for anything that will add to your monthly budget. Schedule a meeting with your insurance agent before beginning any changes in your home so there will be no surprises when your payments increase. 

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.

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

Photo credit: universal property 

Your new home’s closing is imminent, and the excitement of moving is mounting! Besides connecting utilities and updating your address, some things should be done at the new house as soon as possible. Follow these guidelines so nothing will be forgotten: 

• All of the entryway locks and/or keypad codes should be changed. Get a security system set up, and if there is one in place, reset it to default settings and customize it to your needs. 
• If you are a family with small children, have safety measures in place before everyone goes into the house.  
• Deep clean the new house, even if it looks clean. Save money by doing this yourself, or have a professional take care of this before move-in. 

• With a copy of the home inspection in hand, walk through the house and check for minor things that did not require repair by the seller. Have those minor things taken care of before they become major (and costly) things. 
• Painting, removing textured ceilings, and other small improvement jobs will be completed faster if done before all your belongings are in place.  
• Turn on all the appliances, familiarize yourself with the breaker panel, and locate the shut-off valves for utilities. 
• Measure windows and purchase blinds or shades if window treatments were not included in the sale. 
• Get to know your neighbors! Once you have moved in, introduce yourself by hosting a “front porch social” with simple snacks. Hang a banner or place a sign in the front yard asking them to stop by and say “hello.” 

As a homeowner, your to-do list is rarely going to be finished. While many tasks can wait until after settling in, others cannot. Taking care of these “little” things upon move-in will cement the “homeowner” feeling and start you on the road to pride in your home and protection of your investment. 

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.

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