Summer is here and that means grilling out, fun in the sun, cooling off in the pool, and mowing grass! If that last activity causes some angst, you are not alone! There are ways to keep your lawn looking great without filling so many of your precious hours at home with yard work! 

• Planting the right grass:  If you are planning on creating a lawn, whether by sodding, plugs, or seeds, find the type of grass that will grow best in your region for best results.   
• Water correctly:  Not sure how much water your sprinkler is delivering? Set out tin cans (tuna cans work well) and keep an eye on their water level.  You will soon figure out how long you need to leave the water on for your grass to get what it needs (about 1-2 inches per week). 
• Feed less often:  Applying fertilizer twice per season is best:  Spring and mid-Summer. Fertilizing too much will cause growth, which causes more mowing!  Spread fertilizer when the grass is dry, so the grains do not stick to damp blades and burn the plant. 

• Maintain the mower:  Keep your mower’s blades sharp, as a dull blade leaves a jagged edge, which causes yellowing, and the need for more water. 
• Know the magic number:  Different grasses require different cutting heights, and no more than one-third of that optimum number should be cut each time you mow. 
• Let it grow:  Want less weeding and watering to do in your manicured lawn? Longer blades not only help shade the soil and retain moisture, but they do not allow weeds to get sunlight, or at least keep their growth to a minimum. 
• No raking needed:  Using the mulching feature as you mow will allow the clippings to be cut well enough to leave on the lawn and become fertilizer as they decompose. 

Lawn maintenance does not have to take up all your free time each weekend.  Taking more time to relax your habits for yard work will allow more time for relaxing in general so you can enjoy the yard you have put time and energy in! 

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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Photo credit: energy.gov

Assuming home buyers are happy with three bedrooms, one and a half baths and a decent kitchen may take your house to sell a bit longer.  Today’s buyers are highly likely to have specific desires in a new home. Are you ready? If not, let this be your guide to getting your house in ready-to-sell shape! 

• Energy Efficiency:  Energy-Star windows, smart or programmable thermostat, LED lightbulbs and full-house water heater are all attractive to buyers who are concerned about energy costs as well as those concerned about going green. 
• Home office:  If there is no room in your house that is a dedicated home office, create one!  Stage a space in the kitchen or living area or smaller bedroom with what appears to be a working spot. 
• Upgraded kitchen and bathrooms:  While completely renovating these rooms are a possibility, it may not be in your budget. Take a good look at each, and decide what wallet-friendly projects will make them look new: painting kitchen cabinets, new stainless appliances; in the bathroom, new faucets, lighting fixtures, or add pizazz by framing a mirror in glass tiles. 

• Dining space:  An eat-in kitchen or open-flow kitchen and dining room are what many are looking for, especially families. Kitchen islands with seating will suffice when the budget does not allow for creating space for a dining table in the kitchen. 
• Organized storage:  Buyers want homes with ample storage. While you can’t create space, you can build space in closets and the laundry room by adding shelving or pre-fab storage systems.  
• Hardwood flooring:  While not an inexpensive project, consider putting hardwoods or less costly engineered wood in the entryway and living space. 
• Security:  Front-door video cameras, plenty of outdoor lighting as well as smart lighting features are all great for starters.  

While not every house hunter is looking for all of these, upgrading a few things will likely get their attention! Talk to your Realtor® about who is looking for a home in your location; they will have recommendations on the best changes that need to be made for your house to sell! 

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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Photo credit: USAToday

There’s nothing like a glass of cool lemonade on a hot summer day, unless of course the reason it’s so hot is that your air conditioner needs to be replaced. In that case, a new air conditioning system is pretty much the best thing ever. Maybe yours has lived a long and full life and is ready to be replaced, or perhaps you’ve added on to your home and need a solution for cooling that EZ Bake Oven you’ve created. In either case, installing a new ducted air conditioning system or plopping a window unit into the nearest window aren’t your only choices. You could go with Door Number Three: the ductless mini-split system.

What is a Ductless Mini-Split System?

Ductless mini-splits are air conditioning systems that are made to cool (and sometimes heat) smaller spaces. They can work together to improve climate control in entire homes and can even replace a traditional ducted system. Much like a central air conditioning system, there are two parts: the condenser, which is installed outside, and the inside air handler.

The main difference from traditional systems is that they don’t use ductwork, so they eliminate a ton of temperature loss that would normally occur in your crawlspace or attic. And unlike a window unit, a ductless mini-split system can be hung out of the way of windows, since it only requires a three-inch hole to run the refrigerant lines and electrical controls.

Advantages of a Ductless Mini-Split System

There are a lot of reasons to love a ductless mini-split, but energy efficiency has to be up there among the top. These systems can have SEER ratings of around 28, which is substantially more efficient than a ducted system’s 13 SEER national minimum requirement. Of course, a ducted system’s rating will vary by unit, but generally speaking, the higher the SEER rating, the higher the price tag.

Ductless mini-splits systems also boast these advantages over a traditional central HVAC system:

• More precise control of room temperatures. Mechanically, one of the most important differences between ductless mini-split systems and traditional systems is that mini-splits are controlled by an inverter system that allows your heat or air to come out of the air handler at the temperature you set. This is different from a ducted air conditioner that only blows air at one temperature, constantly switching on and off to maintain room temperatures.
• Ability to set room temperatures independently of one another. Although zoning is possible with ducted systems, it can be costly to install and is not a reasonable solution for many rooms that need different temperatures. This is especially a concern in multi-generational households or those where the home heats or cools irregularly throughout the day. With a ductless mini-split system, you can set the living room to stay a constant 72 degrees despite the heat baking your picture window, without your office having to become an ice cave. Everybody wins!
• No more dirty air cycling endlessly. Ducts are filthy, there’s no question about it. This is just an inevitable side effect of their design, especially in an older house that’s had decades or generations to collect substantial amounts of dirt in the home’s ductwork. Ductless mini-splits are just that: ductless. Each unit has its own filtration system, and there are no ducts for dirt to settle in, keeping room air significantly cleaner all the time.

When Not to Split?

Not every house is going to be a great candidate for a ductless mini-split system, no matter how awesome they seem. Newer homes with highly efficient central HVAC systems that are in great shape or those that don’t generally have a lot of temperature differential across the structure likely won’t recapture the cost required to install these systems.

However, if you’re not sure if your home can benefit from a ductless mini-split system, you can always consult an HVAC expert for more specific recommendations. Sign up for your free HomeKeepr account to find the professionals you need.

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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By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli

Your home’s a looker, so why aren’t you doing all you can to point all the attention at its best features? Maybe you’re afraid that drawing so much attention to the details will leave your friends jealous, or maybe you just need some ideas for how to make those interesting details even more obvious. Either way, there are plenty of tricks you can use to accentuate the positives in your home.

Painting to Perfection

Paint is just one way to make your home’s best features shine, and there are all kinds of methods to make this happen. You don’t have to be a professional painter to get a lot of mileage out of some basic attention-getting paintwork, though hiring a pro can certainly help you get exactly the effect you’ve got in mind.

One easy way to catch the eye is to paint an accent wall, a wall or a section of a wall that’s a different color than the rest of the paint in a room. The accent wall’s location and color will really affect how well it does its job, but if you have a wall with a feature you want people to look at, it’s safe to assume that would make a good accent wall. In addition, painting the inside of a bookcase or alcove a different color than the main wall color can also get serious looks.

Another way to make paint an absolute neon sign is to use it to draw out the details in interior or exterior trim. If your millwork is relatively simple, a basic white can really grab attention. If there’s extra fancy trim involved, try using different colors to offset the trim’s different levels of detail.

Light It Up!

There’s no easier way to highlight something specific than by putting an actual spotlight on it. Got a great mantlepiece? Point a spotlight on it so you can really draw attention to it, especially after dark. Spotlights are great for art, murals, alcoves and other good features in your home. Just be aware of their location and proximity to things like windows that might make a spotlight a little less wow.

You could also install other accent lighting, such as LED strips, on the underside of a floating cabinet, around a particularly interesting mirror or trim piece or within a cutout in your room. This can bring a little more focus on the things you’re doing with that space. When in doubt, light it out… err… up.

Make Some Space

It may sound simple, but one of the best ways to draw attention to the great stuff in your house is to get rid of a bunch of other stuff in your house. When you have too many interesting things in one room, it gets visually overwhelming quickly! So instead of storing all your collectables in one exceptional built-in, for example, just pick a few of your best to display so you leave plenty of negative space for contrast.

Eliminating bulky furniture, excess accent pieces and even pictures can also help the eye move to the architectural details. There’s a lot to be said for decluttering if you really want your house to stand out. Keep pieces that mimic or have features or styling in common with what you want to accent, and move out those that seem to clash with the details in question.

Need a Little Help Finding the Positives?

Not everybody has an eye for details, but some people do it every day. If you’re struggling to figure out how to really put a point on the hand carved details in your woodwork or aren’t sure which wall should be your accent wall, you’re not alone. Log into HomeKeepr for help locating the best painters, interior designers and other home pros in your area.

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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By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli

Are you looking for backyard privacy or need to provide a safe space for children to play or for pets to exercise? Deciding to install fencing on your property takes a few major decisions.  With so many types available, the purchase process can be confusing. Here, we will look at different types of fencing material to help you make your decision. 

• The most common types of fencing are wood, vinyl, and metal.  
• The type of wood you choose depends on your budget. Pine is inexpensive and treated to resist rot and insects. Different types of cedar and Douglas fir, on the other hand, is naturally resistant to moisture and pests and will cost more upfront. 
• Wood composites are made of sawdust and recycled plastic. It looks like wood and comes in many styles, finishes, and colors. Most manufacturers of composites offer a warranty on their products, making it a more expensive choice, but a long-lasting one. 

• Vinyl fencing is almost maintenance-free and comes in many styles. Costs are high initially, but its durability and little upkeep pay for themselves in the end. 
• Wrought iron, aluminum, and chain link fencing are all long-lasting choices. Chain link is likely the easiest for DIY, but the others would be best installed by a pro. Maintenance for wrought iron mostly consists of painting and keeping an eye out for rust.  
• If cost is not an option but security and durability are your concerns, there is the option to have steel fencing installed.  
• Hiring a fencing contractor is a smart move because they are knowledgeable about materials and styles that perform well in your area.  Installing fences is what they do; their expertise can save you money and time in the long run. 

Consider a living fence, grown from such plants as privet or another evergreen, but that will require some patience as the plants fill in. Remember to check with your local municipality or homeowner’s association for permits and regulations regarding your plans. 

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: Rustic Fence Company

When it comes time to list your home, you’ll want to come up with a list of small repairs and other tweaks that you can do to try and get the most out of your property. If you don’t make a list, you might miss things that could bring down what potential buyers are willing to pay for your home. While there might be a lot of things to consider depending on the specifics of your home, here are some items that you should definitely double check before putting up a listing for your property.

The Paint

How do the walls in your home look? If it’s been a few years since they’ve seen a coat of paint you should probably consider giving them a fresh coat. This is especially true if previous work was done in a hurry or has obvious spots where patches were done and covered up with newer paint. A sloppy or mismatched paint job will turn off a lot of potential buyers since they’ll likely see it as a task they’ll need to undertake as soon as they buy the house.

Roofing and Siding

While you’re considering things that might be a big red flag for possible buyers, step outside and take a look at the siding, brickwork and roof. Even if you only have a few problems out there, to someone looking at the house, that could raise questions about leaks, insects and other issues the buyers might face in the future. If you want to get the most out of your home, then it’s worth replacing broken shingles or fixing bits of damage or discoloration on your home’s exterior.

Faucets and Plumbing

Leaks, drips and other plumbing issues are pretty common, and it’s easy to get used to them over time. If someone is shopping for a new home, however, a notable drip from a faucet or evidence of a leak can be big warning signs. Nobody wants to pay full price for a home if they might be facing water damage in the near future, so taking care of any drips or leaks, as well as stains that they might have caused, is a great move to make before you list.

General Landscaping

Sometimes it’s tempting to not worry too much about the landscaping when listing your home. If the landscaping has obviously been ignored, though, it may leave potential buyers wondering what else hasn’t been taken care of. Even if you just spend a little time trimming up the shrubs and eliminating some unsightly weeds, you can make a big difference on the first impression made to someone considering a purchase.

Clutter and Trash

Just as with landscaping, having clutter or other trash around can make a really bad impression when someone is looking at your home. There may be good reasons why things look a bit cluttered, but a potential buyer isn’t going to know what they are and quite likely won’t bother to ask. Take the time to straighten up and get rid of the garbage before your home goes on the market.

Obvious Repairs

There are many other small repairs that are worth making before your home gets listed. Any little bits of damage or discoloration should be evaluated to see if they can be repaired. While you may not have the time or budget to fix everything, you should still attempt whatever repairs you can. Your home obviously doesn’t need to be perfect, but the better it looks the higher the eventual closing price will be.

Need Some Help?

Depending on the condition of your property, getting your home ready for listing might be a big job on top of your normal work. If you need to call in some help, HomeKeepr has you covered. Sign up for a free account today to connect with contractors, plumbers and other pros who can help you get your home in tip-top shape before you list.

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!

By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli

Refinancing a mortgage is a powerful tool that can help you to save money on your home payments. Refinancing your mortgage takes advantage of your positive payment history and may enable you to lock in lower interest rates, obtain more agreeable repayment terms, or lower the amount you pay each month. You may even be able to add in the cost of needed home repairs as part of your new mortgage loan.

As with any loan, you have to qualify for a refinance. There are a number of factors that can influence whether you are able to refinance your home loan, including things like the value of your home, how much you still owe, what your credit score is and how able you are to repay the loan. It can be more difficult to refinance in periods of economic turmoil, but even then, it isn’t impossible.

How Refinancing Works

While it’s pretty common for people to talk about refinancing a mortgage, not everyone understands exactly what’s involved with a refinance. Though it’s typically talked about as if it were a loan modification, a refinance is usually a new loan that pays off and replaces the original mortgage. The refinance loan has its own interest rate and repayment terms, typically based on the amount that’s remaining on your home purchase. It is possible to do what is known as “cash out” refinancing, however, increasing the amount that you owe to take advantage of home equity and get cash for major purchases, debt consolidation or other expenses.

While you can refinance with the same lender that issued your mortgage, this isn’t actually required in most cases. Many homeowners shop around at different lenders to make sure that they get the best possible deal on their refinance loan. While this won’t always get you a substantially better deal on a loan, in some cases the time spent comparing lenders can result in significant savings.

Major Refinancing Considerations

There are a number of things that can affect the deal you get on a refinance or if you even qualify for a refinance loan at all. Some of these are well known and will affect pretty much any loan you might try to take out. Your credit score can have an impact, as can your debt-to-income ratio and the stability of your job. The remaining balance on your mortgage versus the value of your home can also affect your ability to refinance.

This can make things a bit more difficult if you’ve spent time out of work or laid off due to factors outside of your control; you’ll need to be able to explain these breaks to lenders and prove that you have the means to repay the loan. Economic unrest may also make some banks hesitant to issue as many large loans, meaning that your credit score and income will have to be a bit higher than usual to net a good deal on a loan. This won’t apply to all lenders, of course, but the fact that this can have an effect is important to keep in mind when shopping around for a refinance.

Is It a Good Time to Refinance?

Deciding whether it’s the right time to refinance depends a lot on you and your personal situation. Some people refinance to get their finances under control or to cover needed house repairs, so these reasons will have at least some influence on the timing of the loan. If you’re not under this sort of pressure, then you have a bit more freedom to pick your timing. It never hurts to shop around and check on possible deals, though if you find that you’re having trouble finding lenders willing to work with you or aren’t seeing the money-saving deals you want, then you always have the option to wait for rates (and possibly your situation) to improve.

Finding the Help You Need

A refinance is only as good as the rates and terms you can find. Why not make sure that you get the greatest chance of finding the perfect loan to refinance your mortgage with? With HomeKeepr, you can find pros in your area that can help you get the best deal on a refinance while making sure you have everything you need to qualify. Sign up for a free account today to be on your way to a better loan tomorrow.

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!

By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli

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!

Home ownership is a big responsibility! Sure, you have the financial responsibilities, but what about maintenance? Letting your house just sit and be a shelter for you is not going to work, even if you live in a newly constructed home. It is up to you to keep it in tip-top shape! Take a day to go over these items to make certain all is well at your house: 

• Roof:  Your roof is probably your home’s most important part of its structure, so inspect it well:  take binoculars or use your phone’s camera to zoom in on the roof and look at every aspect. Check for damaged, missing, or curling shingles. For a tile roof, look for cracks or missing tiles, and metal roofs should be gone over for loose screws or damage to the metal. On a rainy day, go into the attic and check for leaks. Have any issues repaired as soon as you possibly can. 
• Foundation:  The other important side of your home is its foundation. Check for cracks in the bricks, look at the grading around the outside (making sure water is running away from your home), and check for gaps in the outdoor walls and windows. On the inside, look for sagging floors or bowing walls, doors that do not want to close or windows that do not want to open. These are all signs of possible foundation issues. 
• Siding:  Look for peeling, blistering, or fading paint, as these may be signs that you need new siding. Check for rot and warping on the soffits and any fascia boards. Visible mold can be a sign of a major moisture issue and should be investigated by a pro. 

• Plumbing:  Grab a flashlight and go under your sinks and look for any signs of leaking. Toilets can leak “silently,” and you can figure out where the leak is coming from with a little food coloring and time.  Inspect around the water heater for any signs of leaks as well. 
• Smoke/CO Detectors:  If you have battery-operated detectors, checking the batteries is fine, but you need to be sure they are working as well. CO detector kits are available at most home stores and testing a smoke alarm is as simple as blowing out a candle and allowing the stream of smoke drift towards the smoke alarm. Be sure to let everyone in the house know you are “crisis testing” the alarms! 
• Gutters:  On a rainy day, or using the water hose, check to be sure gutters and downspouts are running freely (no clogs), and have no leaks around the seams. 

Taking the time to look carefully at possible problems in your house can save you time and money down the road, especially if you plan on reselling the house in the future. You are protecting your investment and protecting your family as well. 

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: StormGuard

No matter how much painting you’ve done, how many bags of fresh mulch you’ve put down or how great that new kitchen backsplash looks, there is no guarantee your house will sell quickly.  But in some cases, you need to sell fast.  When you don’t have time to do a complete overhaul of the home, there are a few things you can do to help that For Sale sign become a Sold sign: 

• First and foremost, find a seller’s agent that has a history of quick home sales.  You’ll need to do a bit of research, but if the REALTOR® has the experience, you’ll have a head start on getting your home sold sooner. 

• Having your house pre-inspected will save a step during the process and will help you with disclosure issues.  
• It wouldn’t make sense to price your house a bit below its value during a normal home sale, but if you want to get qualified buyers interested soon, this may be your best bet. Just prepare to lose some extra cash. 
• Consider selling the house at auction, but again, it will sell for a lower price than during a typical sale.  You may even be in an area where your real estate agent is your auctioneer as well, and you can be assured they have your interests at heart! 
• Offer buyer incentives: offer cash-backs or credits, i.e.., painting, new carpet, new kitchen appliances;  if the house is in a managed community, cover one year of HOA fees; pay the closing costs; set a closing date and offer a credit for meeting that deadline. 
• A major buyer incentive is to go so far as to pay down their mortgage costs with points, as the buyer will have a lower interest rate, saving them money in the end.  Investopedia tells us how seller-paid points can benefit the seller as well as the buyer. 

Keep in mind that needing to sell your home quickly for personal reasons is different than a short sale.  Your reasons may be work-related, or you’ve already found another house, but whatever the reason, you want to do what you can so your house doesn’t sit on the market–you just may have to accept a loss in exchange for a fast sale. 

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: budgetdumpster.com