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.

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If you are like most people you likely have a ton of stuff in your closet that you don’t really need.  There is something about having a full closet that makes one feel like they have all they need however the art of purging can make you feel so much better about life!  Below are a few tips on purging items from your closet to get you started in the right direction.

1. When you begin to purge items from your closet  the best place to start is any clothing you haven’t worn in the last year.   A good way to figure this out if you struggle knowing what you have and haven’t worn is to turn all of your hangers backwards and as you wear a piece of clothing turn that hanger the opposite direction.  At the end of the year get rid of any clothes that still have the hanger turned backwards.
2. Most likely you have a ton of shoes that you haven’t worn lately in your closet. A good idea for purging when it comes to shoes is to just look at them.  Do they have any holes or a lot of wear and tear?  If your answer to either question is yes then it is time to purge those particular shoes.
3. Many of us have clothes in our closet that we simply can no longer fit into.  If this sounds familiar, do yourself and your closet space a favor and toss those clothes out.  Why waste much needed space in your closet with clothing you can no longer wear.   Make this fun by going out and purchasing a few new clothing items that fit you.  It’s always fun to purchase new clothes!
4. If you have any clothes in your closet that you absolutely love but they have stains on them that just won’t come out….throw them away and purchase the same shirt or pants new if you just have to have them.
5. T-Shirts and promotional clothing can also take up space in your closet that is unnecessarily wasted space. Find a spot or a drawer in which you can place these types of items if you feel the need to keep them for nostalgic reasons.

These are just a few ways in which you can get started purging items  from your closet to make the space a more useful and functional area.   Take what ideas work best for you and leave the rest.

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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Nobody enjoys thinking about the possibility of a family emergency or natural disaster, but taking steps to prepare for those possibilities should be a priority.   While not lessening the shock and anguish of an unexpected, tragic situation, being prepared will help you to get your life back in order faster and easier.

One thing to consider is having important paper work organized in an emergency binder .  The binder should contain all the important information about your life.  Think about any paperwork or vital information you would need access to in an emergency, such as:

• Vital Records
• copies of birth certificates, adoption records
• copies of marriage licenses, driver’s licenses and passports
• copies of all property and auto records – deeds, leases, titles, etc.
• copies of all property/umbrella insurance policies
• a list of where off-site and original documents are stored
• Financial Information
• list of all bank account numbers
• copies of front and back of all credit cards
• list of all investment account numbers
• list of all retirement/pension account numbers
• detailed information about current income/benefits
• detailed information about mortgages/loans
• Medical Information
• copies of health/life/disability insurance cards and policies
• medical history for each family member
• list of medications and prescriptions, including dose and pharmacy
• details about any ongoing medical conditions/treatments
• Contact Information
• friends and family to reach in case of emergency
• neighbors who have access to your house
• financial institutions, insurance companies, legal advisors
• physicians, specialists, hospitals and other healthcare providers
• employers and benefit administrators
• Family Emergency Plan
• including a family emergency plan in your binder will help you to keep yourself calm and organized during what may be a stressful time

Make sure that your emergency binder is kept in a place where it is easy to get to and that it is easy to carry and that family members are aware of its location.

Secondly, it is a good idea to have a safety deposit box or lock box in which to store your original documents.  This can also be used for storing important computer files and passwords, priceless family photos and valuable jewelry and memorabilia. Include a photo of each member of your family along with fingerprints and dental records.  A home inventory list is also a useful item to have in storage.  Remember that most of the documents in your “Emergency Binder” will be copies.  Originals should be placed in a safety deposit box or lock box for safekeeping.

Whether it’s a family emergency or a natural disaster, tragic events almost always leave people feeling blindsided.  Preparing in advance will help ease the feelings of being overwhelmed and panicked as you put your life back in order.  So, set aside a day to put together your emergency binder to help protect your family now!

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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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.

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Is spring closer than we think? Depending on which groundhog you listen to, you may have less time than you think to get your home on the market before the busy spring season.

Many sellers feel that the spring is the best time to place their homes on the market as buyer demand traditionally increases at that time of year. However, the next six weeks before spring hits also have their own advantages.

Here are five reasons to sell now.

1. Demand is Strong 

Foot traffic refers to the number of people who are out, physically looking at homes right now. The latest foot traffic numbers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show that the number of buyers out looking for their dream homes in December reached the highest mark since February 2016.

These buyers are ready, willing and able to buy…and are in the market right now! Take advantage of the strong buyer activity currently in the market.

2. There Is Less Competition Now 

Housing inventory just dropped to a 3.6-month supply, which is well under the 6-month supply needed for a normal housing market. This means, in many areas, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers in that market. This is good news for home prices; however, additional inventory is about to come to market.

There is a pent-up desire for many homeowners to move, as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. Homeowners are now seeing a return to positive equity as real estate values have increased over the last four years. Many of these homes will be coming to market soon.

Also, new construction of single-family homes is again beginning to increase. A study by Harris Poll revealed that 41% of buyers would prefer to buy a new home, while only 21% prefer an existing home (38% had no preference).

The choices buyers have will increase in the spring. Don’t wait for this other inventory to come to market before you sell.

3. The Process Will Be Quicker

One of the biggest challenges of the housing market has been the length of time it takes from contract to closing. Banks are requiring more and more paperwork before approving a mortgage. There is less overall business done in the winter. Therefore, the process will be less onerous than it will be in the spring. Getting your house sold and closed before the spring delays begin will lend to a smoother transaction.

4. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up

If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now. Prices are projected to appreciate by 4.7% over the next 12 months according to CoreLogic. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30-year housing expense with an interest rate around 4% right now. Rates are projected to rise by half a percentage point by the end of 2017.

5. It’s Time to Move on with Your Life

Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and determine whether it is worth waiting. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than your health? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?

Only you know the answers to the questions above. You have the power to take back control of the situation by putting your home on the market. Perhaps, the time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire.

That is what is truly important.

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.

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You may have thought about selling your home before but you just aren’t sure now is the time.  There are a few signs that now is the correct time to sell your home and some of those signs are listed below for you so that you can be sure you’re making the right decision.

1. If your home has gotten a bit too small for your growing family and you are trying daily how to figure out where to put everyone, you may need to put your house on the market.  If you are making your kids bunk together and then trying to add another baby to the mix, you may need to purchase a home that will be more able to fit your needs.
2. If you have changed to a job that has taken you father away from your home than you had anticipated and therefore has caused your daily commute to be longer than you like, it may be time to sell your home. Selling your home for a job change is a big reason that many folks sell.
3. If your lifestyle has changed and you simply don’t have time to take care of your home anymore, you may want to sell it. This can be caused by such things as your children moving out and you becoming empty nesters.  Many times the room you once needed becomes way too much for just you and your husband once your kids move out.
4. If you need a bigger home to accommodate your growing family but the thought of remodeling sends your head into a spin, you may want to go ahead and put your house on the market to see if you have any interest in it first.
5. If you have equity in your home and you want to take advantage of the great rates that are currently available before they disappear you may want to go ahead and put your house on the market.
6. If you live in a neighborhood in which a lot of houses are currently selling, you may want to put yours on the market to see if you get any interest in it and possibly even sell    Now is the time that folks are many times getting full asking price for their homes so it is a buyer’s market.

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!

Let’s face it we all have stuff we need to get rid of in our homes, and typically the kitchen has a ton of stuff that doesn’t need to be there lying around in it.  Since we are currently in the cold of winter, there is no time like the present to start cleaning out your kitchen and making it look a bit more presentable.  Below is a list of the top things you should purge from your kitchen.

1. We all have one, a junk drawer and that junk drawer is many times located in the kitchen. It’s where we put all the items we have no idea what to do with but aren’t; quite sure we want to get rid of just yet.  Take that junk drawer and go through it with a fine tooth comb and decide what you need and what you don’t need.  Throw away all that you don’t need.  Most times the things you don’t need are the items you haven’t used in the past 6 months.  I promise you won’t miss anything.
2. Another thing we all seem to have lying around our kitchens is all those restaurant sauce packets we feel the need to keep. Sure you might use one once in a while but most times they just take up space either in the junk drawer or in the refrigerator.  Throw all the restaurant condiments out!  It will make your kitchen look much lovelier.
3. Yet another thing we all need to purge from our kitchens is the dressings, sauces and other items that have long since expired. There isn’t much worse than getting ready to put some sauce on your food only to find that it expired two years ago.  Clean out your fridge and only keep those things that you are going to use within the next week or so or at least make sure that all the dates are current.
4. Most everyone has some sort of a stack of lids in their kitchen that they just can’t seem to find a container for. If you have a bunch of lids that don’t have matching containers to secure them to, why not just throw them out.  They no longer serve a purpose.

Hopefully this list of items you need to purge  from your kitchen will get you starting thinking in the right direction.  At least it will be a starting point for you.

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:

• 45 million existing homes were sold in 2016! This is the highest mark set since 2006.
• Inventory of existing homes for sale dropped to a 3.6-month supply, the lowest level since NAR began tracking in 1999.
• The median price of homes sold in December was $232,200. This is the 58^th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains.

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 thought about selling your home before but you just aren’t sure now is the time.  There are a few signs that now is the correct time to sell your home and some of those signs are listed below for you so that you can be sure you’re making the right decision.

1. If your home has gotten a bit too small for your growing family and you are trying daily how to figure out where to put everyone, you may need to put your house on the market.  If you are making your kids bunk together and then trying to add another baby to the mix, you may need to purchase a home that will be more able to fit your needs.
2. If you have changed to a job that has taken you father away from your home than you had anticipated and therefore has caused your daily commute to be longer than you like, it may be time to sell your home. Selling your home for a job change is a big reason that many folks sell.
3. If your lifestyle has changed and you simply don’t have time to take care of your home anymore, you may want to sell it. This can be caused by such things as your children moving out and you becoming empty nesters.  Many times the room you once needed becomes way too much for just you and your husband once your kids move out.
4. If you need a bigger home to accommodate your growing family but the thought of remodeling sends your head into a spin, you may want to go ahead and put your house on the market to see if you have any interest in it first.
5. If you have equity in your home and you want to take advantage of the great rates that are currently available before they disappear you may want to go ahead and put your house on the market.
6. If you live in a neighborhood in which a lot of houses are currently selling, you may want to put yours on the market to see if you get any interest in it and possibly even sell.  Now is the time that folks are many times getting full asking price for their homes so it is a buyer’s market.

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:

• When listing your house for sale your top goal will be to get the home sold for the best price possible!
• There are many small projects that you can do to ensure this happens!
• Your real estate agent will have a list of specific suggestions for getting your house ready for market and is a great resource for finding local contractors who can help!

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!