Let’s face it, we are all busy and we all typically look forward to relaxing after a hard day’s work once we arrive home!  Can I get an Amen?   Many times however, we come home to a house that can sometimes be less than relaxing.  Whether it is the kids running around fighting with one another or the animals leaving us messes to clean up, there are many reasons why our homes can often times be less than relaxing.  Below are listed a few tips to help make your home a more relaxing place regardless of what is going on around you.

1. Placing a big comfortable chair in a quiet nook in your home with perhaps a blanket thrown over it can do a lot towards adding a relaxing comfy feel.  Be sure to put this chair and blanket in an “out of the way” space such as a back bedroom so that you will be able to go there to escape the day.
2. Another idea for making your home a more relaxing place  is to add some fluffy white curtains to your patio or porch.  Add a few pieces of outdoor furniture and a table or two as well.  This will allow you an outdoor space in which you can retire to after a long hard day at work.  These spaces are great for when the weather is good.
3. Adding an upholstered headboard to your bed can make the entire room look more soft and serene. Also if you happen to have a television in your bedroom, take it out and put it somewhere else in the house.  Your bedroom should be your sanctuary at all times.
4. Another way to help make your home a more relaxing place is to add a speaker system throughout your house. This way you can play soft relaxing music and listen to it as you move from room to room.
5. Much in the way that music can be used to make your home a more relaxing place, diffusing essential oils into your home can go a long way as well! If you don’t have a diffuser you should definably order one today!

These tips to make your home a more relaxing place are a good place to start!  Once you do your part to make your home your sanctuary you will likely love the changes!

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!

Some Highlights:

• For the 5th year in a row, the Northeast saw a concentration of “High Outbound” activity.
• For the first time ever, South Dakota held the top spot for “High Inbound” states.
• Much of America’s outbound activity can be attributed to Boomers relocating to warmer climates after retiring.

by The KCM Crew

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!

Now is the time, now is the best time, now is the best time to purchase a home.  Do yourself a favor; don’t wait to purchase your dream home until the end of 2017.  If you have even given a small thought that you might want to move in the next year or so, go ahead and begin looking now so that you might be able to make that purchase today instead of tomorrow.   A few of the reasons why you should purchase your home before the end of the year are listed below for you.

1. One of the many reasons you should go ahead and purchase a home   before the end of 2017 is because interest rates are already beginning to rise.  The current average interest rate is a little above 4 percent but that rate could reach 6 percent by 2019.  Begin looking for the home of your dreams now so that you can purchase one and get moved in while the market is in your favor.
2. Fewer homes are available as the years go on. Just a few short years ago there were plenty of homes to choose from; however this list is getting a bit smaller yearly.   Buyers of today will have many more homes to choose from than buyers of tomorrow so get out and get house shopping now!  Call your Realtor today if purchasing a home is on your mind.
3. House prices are rising and will continue to rise in the future. If there ever was a reason to go ahead and purchase a home before the end of the year, this is the one!  You just might be able to get more of a house for your money now than if you waited until later to purchase.

Again, if purchasing a home has even been on your mind at all and you think you might want to move in the next year or so, get a jump start on your search by starting today.  It can’t hurt to start looking now because you just may be more likely to find it now than later.   Buying a home is a big deal and can cost quite a bit of money so it’s best to start looking now to find the home you have always dreamed of.

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!

Highlights:

• Sales of existing homes reached the highest pace in a decade at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.69 million.
• January marked the 59^th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains as the median home price rose 7.1% to $228,900.
• NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun had this to say, “Much of the country saw robust sales activity last month as strong hiring and improved consumer confidence at the end of last year appear to have sparked considerable interest in buying a home.” 

by The KCM Crew

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!

If you haven’t noticed, essential oils are everywhere you look.  They are popping up left and right these days as more and more people are becoming aware of all the good they can do.  There are many uses for essential oils.  Some folks use them to help with heath issues while others use them to simply make things smell fresh.  Let’s take a look at how to use essential oils in your home.  Below are a few ideas to get you started thinking of how to do just that.

1. One way you can use essential oils in your home   is to use them to cut down on bacteria and odors in your kitchen.  The best way to accomplish this is to put 2 to 5 drops of lemon essential oil on a sponge and wipe down the countertops and other porous surfaces such as your cutting boards.
2. Another way to use essential oils in your home is as a laundry freshener. Instead of buying dryer sheets all the time, just put a few drops of your favorite oil (perhaps lavender) on a damp washcloth and then toss it into the dryer.
3. Yet another great use for essential oils in your home is to help freshen up your trashcan by adding your favorite oil onto a cotton ball, then placing it into the bottom of your trashcan.  This will help to keep the trash smell from overtaking your house like it can sometimes do.
4. You can even use essential oils to clean with by mixing them with baking soda, vinegar and dish soap, then use them to clean grout in your bathroom or kitchen. You will need to use about 10 drops of an essential oil mixed with 1 cup baking soda, 3 tablespoons dish soap and 1 tablespoon white vinegar to accomplish this.
5. Using essential oils as a carpet freshener is another great way to use them in your home. Simply mix 1 ounce baking soda with 12 drops of your favorite oil together then sprinkle it over your carpets.  After a period of about 20 minutes, vacuum the area for a clean fresh scent.
6. For a good all purpose home cleaner made with essential oils, mix 20 drops pine oil, lemon and eucalyptus with 1 ounce white vinegar. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.  Remember to shake it well before each use then proceed to use this concoction on anything from glass surfaces to kitchen countertops to widows.

These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how you can use essential oils in 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.

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

1. Thou shalt not change jobs, become self‐employed or quit your job.
2. Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it)!
3. Thou shalt not use charge cards excessively or let your accounts fall behind.
4. Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing.
5. Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application.
6. Thou shalt not buy furniture.
7. Thou shalt not originate any kinds of inquiries into your credit.
8. Thou shalt not make large deposits without first checking with your loan officer.
9. Thou shalt not change bank accounts.
10. Thou shalt not co‐sign a loan for anyone.

By and photo credit: lightersideofrealestate.com

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!

It appears that Americans are regaining faith in the U.S. economy. The following indexes have each shown a dramatic jump in consumer confidence in their latest surveys:

1. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index
2. National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Small Business Optimism Index
3. CNBC All-America Economic Survey
4. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Survey

It usually means good news for the housing market when the country sees an optimistic future. People begin to dream again about the home their family has always wanted, and some make plans to finally make that dream come true.

If you are considering moving up to your dream home, it may be better to do it earlier in the year than later. The two components of your monthly mortgage payment (home prices and interest rates) are both projected to increase as the year moves forward, and interest rates may increase rather dramatically. Here are some predictions on where rates will be by the end of the year:

HSH.com:

“We think that conforming 30-year fixed rates probably make it into the4.625 percent to 4.75 percent range at some point during 2017 as a peak.”

Svenja Gudell, Zillow’s Chief Economist:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the 30-year fixed mortgage rate hits 4.75 percent.”

Mark Fleming, the Chief Economist at First American:

“[I see] mortgage rates getting much closer to 5 percent at the end of next year.”

Lawrence Yun, NAR Chief Economist:

“By this time next year, expect the 30-year fixed rate to likely be in the 4.5 percent to 5 percent range.”

Bottom Line

If you are feeling good about your family’s economic future and are considering making a move to your dream home, doing it sooner rather than later makes the most sense.

by The KCM Crew

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!

Some Highlights:

• Realtor.com recently shared “5 Habits to Start Now If You Hope to Buy a Home in 2017.”
• Setting up an automatic savings plan that saves a small amount of every check is one of the best ways to save without thinking a lot about it.
• Living within a budget now will help you save money for down payments and pay down other debts that might be holding you back.

by The KCM Crew

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!

You may think that you can ask your real estate agent anything at all that you want to ask them and you may be right.  What you may not be right about however is that you may not get an answer.  There are some questions that real estate agents might know the answer to but they are not able to give you the answer based on the Fair Housing Act.  Real estate agents are not allowed to discriminate based on race, religion, sex or economic status.  If you ask any of the following questions you may not get a straight answer from your real estate agent.

1. Asking your real estate agent if a particular area is a good place to raise a family may or may not get you a straight answer. In fact, you may find that your agent just gives you a blank stare when asked this type of question.  They may know good and well that they wouldn’t want to raise their own family in a particular area of town but by staying loyal to the Fair Housing Act, they won’t be able to clearly answer that question for you.
2. Another question you may not get answered from your real estate agent is what the particular neighborhood you are interested in is like. If you really mean to ask if the neighborhood has a high ratio of minorities by asking if the neighborhood is safe, your real estate agent will not be able to clearly answer that question for you.  If you wonder if a certain area is safe, do your homework and figure it out for yourself, don’t make your real estate agent uncomfortable by asking questions like that.
3. Asking what the area schools are like is another similar question that will likely get you a blank stare from your real estate agent. If you want to know what the schools are like in a particular area you can search online for such answers.

Basically, if you don’t want your real estate agent to break their ethical code, steer clear of these types of questions and do your own work to find out the answers.  You will likely be able to find out all that you need to know about what it is you are asking without a lot of trouble and without having to ask your real estate agent.

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!

You may have heard that the Federal Reserve raised rates last week… But what does that mean if you are looking to buy a home in the near future?

Many in the housing industry have predicted that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the policy-making arm of the Federal Reserve, would vote to raise the federal fund’s target rate at their December meeting. For only the second time in a decade, this is exactly what happened.

There were many factors that contributed to the 0.25 point increase (from 0.50 to 0.75), but many are pointing to the latest jobs report and low unemployment rate (4.6%) as the main reason.

Tim Manni, Mortgage Expert at Nerd Wallet, had this to say,

“Homebuyers shouldn’t be particularly concerned with [last week’s] Fed move. Even with rates hovering over 4 percent, they’re still historically low. Most market observers are expecting a gradual rise in home loan rates in the near term, anticipating mortgage rates to stay under 5 percent through 2017.”

Bottom Line

Only time will tell what the long-term impact of the rate hike will be, but in the short term, there should be no reason for alarm.

by The KCM Crew

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!