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Orlando State of the Market May 2023

June 16th, 2023 by tisner


State of the Market

– “As we approach midway through the year, prices continue to rise and homes spend fewer days on the market,” said Lisa Hill,
Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “The market cooled near the end of last year, but we have been on an upward
trajectory ever since. Many families prefer to save their moves for summer when the kids are out of school, so we will likely be in
for a busy selling season these next few months.”

– The median home price for May was recorded at $378,000, up from $370,000 in April. This is a $28,000 increase since January.
Median home prices have increased every month this year. Median home price in May 2023 was roughly the same as May 2022,
when it was recorded at $379,950.

– Overall sales rose 13.9% from April to May. There were 3,150 sales in May, up from 2,766 sales in April. Overall sales in May 2023
were 20.2% lower than May 2022 when there were 3,946 sales.

– Inventory stayed level – there were 5,148 homes in April and 5,149 homes in May. Inventory in May 2023 was 33.7% higher
compared to May 2022, when it was recorded at only 3,851 homes.

– Interest rates increased from 6.4% in April to 6.6% in May. This is 25.4% higher than May 2022 when interest rates were 5.3%.
21 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.7% of all home sales in May. That represents a 16.7%
increase from April, when 18 distressed homes sold.

– New listings rose 7.4% from April to May, with 3,459 new homes on the market in May, compared to 3,220 in April.

ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for March can be found here.

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.

By: www.orlandorealtors.org

RE Development: 3 Fla. Cities in U.S. Top 20

June 15th, 2023 by tisner

Census data shows the last decade’s most active development is in the Sun Belt. Texas holds top spots with Jacksonville (7), Orlando (11) and Tampa (15) close behind.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A study of real estate development based on U.S. Census Bureau data covering the last decade finds Texas cities in the top five spots, but three Florida cities are close behind: Jacksonville ranks at No. 7, Orlando at No. 11 and Tampa No. 15.

The analysis from StorageCafe, Yardi Matrix and Commercial Edge found that 15 of the top 20 cities with the highest volumes of real estate construction from 2013 to 2022 were Southern or Southwestern urban hotspots. Texas, however, is “now in a league of its own and boasts the top five best cities for real estate construction.”

U.S. map of 20 cities that are tops for real estate development

StorageCafe analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Yardi Matrix and Commercial Edge (2013-2022)

For the analysis, researchers say they considered building permits for single-family homes and multifamily units, and new deliveries of square footage in the industrial, office, retail and self-storage sectors – and the self-storage sector saw strong growth.

I’ve asked Doug Ressler, business intelligence manager at Yardi Matrix, a research firm and our sister division, to provide some insights on the state of the development market and self-storage in particular:

“In the face of the recent headwinds felt across the real estate sector, industrial, multifamily and self-storage remained the most preferred commercial assets,” says Doug Ressler, business intelligence manager at Yardi Matrix. “The self-storage sector is currently performing well with new supply at healthy levels and demand stabilizing after the pandemic-induced spike. Street rates are still down year-over-year but the drop is moderating as the prime moving season kicks in. In fact, the average rent for a standard unit is slightly up from the previous month and now sits at $127 per month.”

5 most active Florida cities, 2013-2022

1. Jacksonville

  • Single-family permits: 37,000
  • Industrial space: 18.7 million square feet
  • Self-storage space: 2.6 million square feet

2. Orlando

  • Retail space: 8.8 million square feet
  • Industrial space: 22 million square feet
  • Self-storage space: square feet

3. Tampa

  • Retail space: 3.2 million square feet
  • Self-storage space: 2.1 million square feet
  • Multifamily permits: 21,500

4. Miami

  • Self-storage space: 4.7 million square feet
  • Retail space: 9.1 million square feet
  • Multifamily permits: 45,800

5. St. Petersburg

  • Multifamily permits: 9,700
  • Self-storage space: 975,000 square feet
  • Retail space: 1M square feet

For more information on how the individual commercial sectors, the multifamily sector and residential construction expanded over the past decade nationally and by city – including the three Florida cities in the top 20 – visit StorageCafe’s website.

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.

Source: © 2023 Florida Realtors®
By: Kerry Smith

Are Floridians More Optimistic than Rest of U.S.?

March 30th, 2023 by tisner


While Americans’ attitudes declined a bit in Jan., a monthly UF study of Floridians found a 1.4-point increase overall with an uptick in expectations for the future.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In January, consumer sentiment among Floridians increased 1.4 points to 65.4 from December’s revised figure of 64. At a national level, sentiment increased over five points. Yesterday, the Conference Board noted a slight dip in overall Americans’ optimism.

“The increase in consumer sentiment in January stems from improvements in Floridians’ expectations about the future, particularly their expectations of a year from now,” says Hector Sandoval, director of the Economic Analysis Program at UF’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.

Sandoval calls those views “consistent with a falling inflation outlook. After peaking at 9.1% in June, inflation has steadily declined to 6.5% in December. It is expected that price pressures will continue to ease over the next few months, preventing households from experiencing further hardships.

Among the five components that make up the index, four increased and one decreased.

Current conditions: Floridians’ opinions about current economic conditions in January were mixed. Views of personal financial situations now compared with a year ago increased 1.1 point from 54.6 to 55.7. On the other hand, opinions as to whether it’s a good time to buy a major household item like an appliance decreased three-tenths of a point from 55.2 to 54.9.

Future conditions: Outlooks about expected future economic conditions were positive. Prospects for individual’s personal finances a year from now increased 3.3 points from 76.5 to 79.8. Similarly, expectations about U.S. economic conditions over the next year increased 1.6 points from 62.9 to 64.5.

This long-range optimism even extended five years into the future. Views of U.S. economic conditions over the next five years increased 1.1 points from 70.9 to 72.

Meanwhile, the Florida labor market continued to strengthen in December, with more jobs being added. According to the latest Florida jobs report, the unemployment rate ticked down by 0.1 percentage point in December, reaching 2.5% – only one-tenth of a percentage point above the lowest rate on record.

In line with this, the number of Florida workers seeking unemployment benefits is hovering around pre-pandemic levels, indicating a tightening labor market.

“Prices have been declining over the second half of 2022 as the Fed swiftly increased interest rates,” says Sandoval. “Despite this, the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.9% in the last quarter of 2022.”

Inflation, however, remains well above the Federal Reserve target of 2%.” While the Fed will likely raise rates this week, it’s not expected to be a large increase similar to last year.

Still, “continued increases in interest rates will ultimately slow down the economy and trigger a recession,” adds Sandoval.

Sandoval remains positive, though, “Looking ahead, with the assumption the labor market remains robust, we expect consumer sentiment to improve slowly as inflation pressures continue to ease.”

The index used by UF researchers is benchmarked to 1966, which means a value of 100 represents the same level of confidence for that year. The lowest index possible is a 2, the highest is 150.

© 2023 Florida Realtors® Kerry Smith

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.

Real Estate Trends: What’s the 2023 Fla. Outlook?

January 26th, 2023 by tisner

ORLANDO, Fla. – What should consumers, Realtors® and policymakers expect when it comes to Florida real estate over the next year? After the unexpectedly strong years of 2020 and 2021 despite an ongoing pandemic, Florida’s housing sector in 2022 was affected by rapidly rising inflation and higher mortgage interest rates, Florida Realtors® Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor told nearly 500 Realtors during the recent 2023 Florida Real Estate Trends summit.

“Now, we expect the state’s residential real estate market to return to a more typical pace,” he said. “I believe 2023 will look more like the ‘traditional’ housing market years of 2018-2019 in Florida as supply and demand become more balanced.”

The event was part of this year’s Florida Realtors®’ Mid-Winter Business Meetings at the Renaissance SeaWorld Orlando. In addition to O’Connor, the summit featured John Leer, chief economist of Morning Consult, which uses high-frequency survey data to capture insights into consumer attitudes and concerns. Leer leads global economic research and oversees the firm’s economic data collection, validation and analysis. He is an authority on the effects of consumer preference, expectations and experiences on purchasing patterns, prices and employment.

It also included a panel of Realtors who use Florida Realtors’ SunStats resource regularly, sharing how it helps them in their business. Panelists were Peter West, broker/managing partner, Bishop West Real Estate; Kara Wisely, broker associate, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty; and John J. Adams, president, Adams, Cameron and Co., Realtors. Jennifer Warner, Florida Realtors economist and director of economic development, served as the moderator.

Dr. Brad O’Connor, Florida Realtors chief economist

One major question currently on the minds of real estate professionals, homebuyers, home sellers and others: Is a price correction on the way?

“Well, prices are determined by both demand and supply,” O’Connor said. “Falling demand is only one ingredient needed for a large correction; we also need a flood of supply – in the last housing cycle, this came from overbuilding and foreclosures. And it’s unlikely that we’re going to see a flood of newly built homes on the market for several reasons. First, fewer home builders currently exist than in years past; builders are more conservative when it comes to taking on new builds; and home builds are taking longer to complete. Supply is also being affected by homeowners who don’t want to list their house and buy a different one because they’re likely to have to pay more on the next home due to higher mortgage interest rates.

“So it’s true some owners are feeling ‘locked-in’ to their current home and current mortgage rate, but it’s not all homeowners. We are seeing gains in inventory (active listings) and closed sales are continuing. And we are going to see some relaxing or easing in prices, but we’re not going to see a great drop unless or until we see more supply available.

According to O’Connor, inflation will continue to be a factor in 2023, though recent economic news shows the Federal Reserve’s action to fight inflation appears to be having a positive effect. Buyer demand in Florida in the coming months will continue to be challenged by insurance costs, mortgage rates – especially if rates start rising again to 7% or higher – and ongoing economic uncertainty that erodes consumer confidence.

“Mortgage rates will come down, but it’s all dependent on different factors,” he said. “All of the current forecasts on existing home sales in 2023 rely on where the 30-year mortgage rate is going to be, and that’s in flux.

Recent 2023 forecasts for U.S. existing home sales compared year-over-year to 2022 include:

National Association of Realtors® (12/13/22): Existing home sales fall 7.0% Y/Y in 2023

Fannie Mae (12/12/22): Existing home sales fall 21.1% Y/Y in 2023

Mortgage Bankers Association (12/19/22): Existing home sales fall 13.7% Y/Y in 2023

Redfin (12/6/22): Existing home sales fall 16.0% Y/Y in 2023

Realtor.com (11/30/22): Existing home sales fall 14.1% Y/Y in 2023

National Association of Home Builders (1/4/23): Existing home sales fall 15.7% Y/Y in 2023

O’Connor said, “In the first half of this year, I feel confident that we’re going to see home prices flatten out on average, and I think sales will kind of hug below the line of 2018 (closed existing home sales). I expect closed sales to hover a bit below the more usual pace of Florida home sales, such as what we saw in 2018. However, because home prices are much higher now than in 2018, we are still going to see a higher dollar volume of closed existing home sales, just not at the level of last year or in 2021 with dollar volume.”

Dr. John Leer, Morning Consult chief economist

How consumers are affected by the economy, inflation and other factors – or how they feel about what’s going on in the world around them – influences consumer confidence and factors into their buying decisions or saving habits, according to Dr. John Leer, chief economist for Morning Consult.

“In 2023, consumer confidence is starting to rise across most of the U.S. but remains far off from where it was a year ago,” he said. “It’s going to take a prolonged period of real wage growth and fairly stable policy outcomes for consumers to feel more comfortable and confident about the economy and their future. In December, consumers reported rising credit balances at the highest rates since tracking began. Research shows more consumers are finding it difficult to make ends meet at the end of the month, and the share of adults able to save each month continues to shrink.”

Leer pointed out this is a sign that consumers have been pushed to the brink and are having to pull back on spending as higher expenses erode their savings and sense of financial stability.

“While we’re seeing in the news that inflation is starting to cool, inflation is still impacting consumers,” he said. “They still feel and see that inflation is costing them more. Consumers are under financial stress and they’re trying to downsize their spending. Over the last two months, what we’re seeing is the outlook for the U.S. economy has really deteriorated, particularly among consumer fronts. Consumers have exhausted their sources of spending. We expect to see consumers continue to draw back from spending as small business and other sectors reduce hiring, expenditures and otherwise also contract.”

However, Leer also noted that housing and homeownership remain a top priority for many consumers. “Housing prices are beginning to flatten but continue to resist declines as buyer interest perks up,” he said. “Buyers are still waiting in the wings, interested in purchasing a home as soon as they’re able to do so financially. We continue to see that homeownership remains a strong goal for consumers, particularly for young adults looking to start a family and who feel secure in their jobs and ready for that next transition.”

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.

By and photo credit: www.floridarealtors.org

Orlando State of the Market November 2022

December 16th, 2022 by tisner

State of the Market
“The housing market typically experiences a slowdown during the holiday season, and with high interest rates and economic uncertainty, this season’s slowdown may be especially significant,” said Tansey Soderstrom, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “While there is a lot of uncertainty with where the housing market is headed, buyers in the Orlando area have twice as many homes to consider than they did a year ago, and for sellers, home values and prices continue to remain steady.”

– The median home price for November was recorded at $360,000, down from $365,000 in October.

– Overall sales fell from October to November. There were 1,996 sales in November – down 26.5% from 2,716 sales in October. This is the lowest number of monthly home sales in nearly four years, dating back to January 2019. Overall sales in November 2022 were 45.5% lower than November 2021 when there were 3,664 sales.

– Orlando area inventory slightly increased by 1.0% from October to November from 7,128 homes to 7,197 homes. Inventory in November 2022 was 136.3% higher than in November 2021, when it was recorded at 3,046 homes.

– Interest rates decreased from 7.0% in October to 6.6% in November. This is 122.9% higher than November 2021 when interest rates were 3.0%.

– 9 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.5% of all home sales in November. That represents a 55.0% decrease from October, when 20 distressed homes sold.

– New listings decreased by 14.6% from October to November, with 2,597 new homes on the market in November.

ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for September can be found here.

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.

By: www.orlandorealtors.org

Orlando State of the Market September 2022

October 27th, 2022 by tisner

Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Snapshot for September-2022

New Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association data shows interest rates surge as home sales see biggest drop since January 2022

State of the Market

  • September’s interest rate was recorded at 6.3%, a 19.5% increase from August when the interest rate was 5.3%.
  • Overall sales in September dropped by 18.3% for a total of 2,717 sales compared to 3,324 sales in August.
  • Overall sales dropped 28.3% in September 2022 compared to September of last year.
  • The median home price for September 2022 was recorded at $365,000, a decrease of 3.4% compared to August’s median home price, $377,750. This is the third month in a row that the median home price has fallen.
  • Inventory rose 1.8% in September, from 6,762 to 6,884. This is the fifth straight month of inventory increases.
  • Homes spent an average of 31 days on the market in September, jumping 14.8% from August when the average was 27 days.
  • New listings decreased by 27.1% from August to September, with 3,318 new homes on the market in September.
  • “We are starting to feel the impacts of rising interest rates on the Orlando housing market as they have more than doubled over the past 12 months,” said Tansey Soderstrom, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “Rising interest rates are causing buyers to be more cautious, resulting in fewer Orlando home sales for the month of September. This cooling off in sales does have an upside for buyers, as they now have the luxury of being more patient when looking for a home.”

Market Snapshot

  • Interest rates increased as the average interest rate for September was recorded at 6.3%. This is 120.9% higher than September 2021 when interest rates were 2.9%.
  • Pending sales decreased by 8% from August to September for a total of 3,838 pending sales.
  • 12 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.4% of all home sales in September. That represents a 100% increase from August, when 6 distressed homes sold.

Inventory

  • Orlando area inventory increased by 1.8% from August to September from 6,762 homes to 6,884 homes. Inventory in September 2022 was 87.9% higher than in September 2021, when it was recorded at 3,664 homes.
  • The supply of homes increased to 2.53 months in September. This is the second month since June 2020 with over two months of supply. A balanced market is six months of supply.
  • The number of new listings decreased in September from August by 27.1% down to 3,318 homes.

ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for September can be found here.

 

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: www.orlandorealtors.org

100 Family Friendly Summer Activities

August 22nd, 2019 by tisner

Stuck for things to do with your kids this summer? Would a hundred ideas help? Well here you are, then – 100 things to do with your kids during the summer holidays. Some are in your home, others are local, and some might require a moderate journey, but it all adds to the mix. So dive in! (Oh, that’s number 72).

We’ve put the entries into five rough categories, but there’s some crossover between them. The categories are:

Science and nature

1. Go rock pooling

Take a fishing net and a bucket to the beach, find a rockpool and see what you find.

2. Race sunflowers

On your marks, get set, GROW! Let each competitor plant a sunflower seed in a pot at the same time, an see which reaches a line on the wall first, or set a date and time and see which is the tallest by then.

3. Gaze at the stars

Unlock your inner Brian Cox by getting into the countryside and looking up on a clear night. You’ll see stars, planets and galaxies galore. Download an Android or iOS app to help you identify all the heavenly bodies.

4. Watch a meteor shower

A meteor shower happens when the earth passes through the remnants of a comet and the super-fast fragments burn up in the atmosphere. The brightest are the Leonids, Perseids and Geminids. Here’s a list of meteor showers for 20192020 and 2021.

5. Watch wildlife at night

There’s something rewarding about watching wildlife by night. Set up in a garden with quiet snacks, hot drinks, comfy chairs and blankets, and you might see bats, foxes, hedgehogs, owls, or perhaps even deer or badgers, depending on your location.

6. Hunt for a four-leafed clover

After telling your kids how lucky it’s supposed to be to find a four-leafed clover, find a field, park or garden and get down on all fours to see if you can find one of these elusive plants. Good luck!

7. Pond dipping

To pond dip, run a fishing net through a wild pool and empty the contents into a tray filled with water. You might find tadpoles, pond skaters, sticklebacks, nymphs and all manner of minibeasts. The RSPB has a great guide on pond dipping.

8. Plant flowers for bees

The worldwide bee population is in decline, so let’s do our bit and plant flowers that they are attracted to. Some popular plants include lavender, alliums, buddleja, catmint and dahlias, honeysuckle and snapdragon, but there are many more to choose from.

9. Make a solar oven

Take a pizza delivery box or a shoe box and replace the lid with tin foil with a few small holes to vent any steam. Leave it out in direct sunlight and it can cook food in half an hour, reaching more than 100 °C – so be careful, and treat it like a normal oven.

10. Go bird spotting

Whether you look out of the window at home or go to an organised bird sanctuary, watching birds and learning their names is a fun and educational pastime for kids of all ages.

11. Make a bug hotel

A bug hotel is a little refuge for our creepy-crawly friends consisting of pieces of wood, small tubes, layered levels and plenty of cubby holes. Place it outside and before long it’ll become home to spiders, beetles, woodlice, earwigs and all manner of minibeasts.

12. Watch a thunderstorm

A thunderstorm is nature’s power at its most awesome. If you get the chance, and you’re a safe distance away and not out in the open, it’s definitely worth observing the spectacular light and sound show.

13. Make paper airplanes

Spend an hour or two folding paper into different airplane designs. Test them out, and see how adding flaps, rudders and weighted noses affects the way they fly. Once you’ve got the perfect design, why not decorate it with pencils and felt-tips?

14. Find animal footprints

Go out into a woodland or a field and get down on the ground to see if you can find any footprints. It’s quite possible you’ll be able to identify foxes, rabbits, deer, squirrels, hedgehogs and badgers, as well as many birds.

15. Plant some veg

There’s a whole world of veg you can grow at home, and you don’t need a garden to do it. Carrots, leeks and onions can be grown in large flower pots or buckets, for example, and you can grow lettuces, herbs and cress on a window ledge.

16. Feed the water birds

Go to your nearest pond and feeding the ducks, swans, geese and their cousins – but remember, bread isn’t good for them. Feed them peas, oats, grain or a bag of bird feed that you can pick up from garden centers.

17. Make bird feeders

Alternatively, you can attract birds to your home by making bird feeders. Whether it’s a bird cake made of lard and seeds, or simply filling an old plastic bottle with bird seed, you’ll attract plenty of feathered visitors. Some more great ideas can be found here.

18. Go on a nature walk

Fill your lungs with fresh air and get out in the countryside to see what natural treasures you can find.

19. Go on a bug safari

Get down on your hands and knees, whip out your magnifying glass and see what bugs you can find and identify. You’ll find all sorts of insects, spiders, worms, centipedes and millipedes between the blades of grass and in the soil. Take a jar with you if you want to catch them for a closer look, and remember to always return them to where you found them.

20. Visit a zoo

Get closer to nature at a zoo. Nowadays zoos are centers of conservation and education, and can trigger a lifelong interest in wildlife.

21. Go to a planetarium

Lie back, let your eyes adjust and take in the wonders of the universe with an expert commentary.

Arts, Crafts and Cooking

22. Press some flowers

Could there be a more relaxing pursuit than trekking out into the meadows, picking a few flowers and pressing them for posterity? Whether you have a professional flower pressing kit or just press them inside books, you’ve got a memory that will last for years.

23. Make sock puppets

All you need is some old socks, material, buttons and beads to sew onto them – and a hand, of course – and you’re good to go. Kids will have hours of fun making and performing with their sock puppets.

24. Make slime

Kids are obsessed with slime. Although you can buy it ready-made, look online for some cool recipes, so you can pretend to be teaching them something. We’re not sure how this recipe ended up in the BBC’s Good Food section, but it’s a good one.

25. Make perfume

Grab a basket, ask the owner of the garden, and pick petals to mix your own recipe for the most fragrant perfume imaginable, and save £60 come Christmas …

26. Learn to blow a grass whistle

Hold a blade of thick grass between your thumbs, stretching across the natural curved gap they make, then blow through it, you’ll get a high-pitched squawking sound. Learn it while you’re young and you’ve got a skill for life.

27. Make a rain gauge

Take a test tube or long bottle, put a funnel in the top and leave it outside. Every morning, see where it has filled up with rainwater using a ruler. Empty and repeat every day and write the results in a rain journal.

28. Do leaf or bark rubbing

See the natural world in another dimension by rubbing the texture onto paper. For bark, place some paper against a tree and rub with the side of a wax crayon. For leaves, place them on a tabletop and put the paper on top, then lightly rub.

29. Keep a journal

Why not encourage your children to keep a journal or diary of everything they get up to over the summer holidays? They can include photos, drawings and scrapbook entries, and maybe even rate their activities so they can repeat their favorite ones.

30. Make a pasta necklace

Any pasta shape with a hole through it can be painted, glittered or decorated and threaded onto a string to make a fun necklace. Try penne, macaroni, rotelle, cavatappi, manicotti, rigatoni, ziti or even cannelloni and you’ve got a fine selection.

31. Master a magic trick

It’s great to have a bunch of magic tricks to perform, but even better to nail one trick through practice, so that nobody has a clue how you did it. There’s plenty of inspiration in this video; once you’ve mastered one, move on to the next.

32. Make pizzas from scratch

Making pizza from the raw materials lets your kids experiment, learn to cook and spend some quality time with family. Here’s a simple and delicious pizza recipe on BBC Good Food for you to try. Bellissimo!

33. Learn to code

Have you heard of Scratch? It’s a language that’s designed for young coders that takes the most common computer programming elements and turns them into a visual, graphical system. It was designed for 8–16-year-olds, but children much younger can master it.

34. Make a mud kitchen

Younger kids just love playing with mud, so why not build them a mud kitchen? It can be anything from a washing basin on a table to a custom-built outdoor kitchen, but it’s guaranteed to get their imagination going.

35. Potion making

This one’s simple – get a jar and encourage your kids to fill it with petals, grasses, seeds, leaves, stalks – anything they find growing in the garden or park. Then stir, squish and crush it  until you get a potion that they’ll be convinced has magical powers.

36. Paint outside

All children enjoy expressing themselves with paper and paint, but how often do you take it outside? It brings a whole new dimension to the art, with different lighting, new sounds, fresh air and tons of things to inspire them.

37. Tie-dye a T-shirt

Take a plain T-shirt, tie it in clumps, dye it and dry it. When you remove the string, you’re left with psychedelic flower-like shapes that look amazing.

38. Make a daisy chain

Use daisies in the garden or park and make a necklace, bracelet or crown. You have to make a small slit in the stalk with your fingernail or a knife so you can feed the next stalk through it, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be making impressive chains.

39. Do a treasure hunt

Bury or hide a treat in the house or garden, then write a clue to its location and hide it. Next, make another clue to find the first clue, and another clue to that one, and so on. Make the clues as hard as you like and go and chill out somewhere.

40. Make ice pops

Make some cordial and fill your ice cube mould or special ice pop moulds, remembering to put a stick in them. An hour or so later you’ve got refreshing, tasty treats and you’ve saved a fortune when the ice cream van turns up.

41. Bake cakes

It’s not always sunny in the summer, so take the opportunity to learn some kitchen skills, most importantly in the art of cake-making. This list should get you going.

42. Plant a fairy garden

Until your kids are old enough for Game of Thrones, why not entertain them by giving them a corner of the garden for pixies, fairies and elves? With a little rockery, some moss, a few tiny flowers and somewhere to call home, they’ll be enchanted.

43. Plant a dinosaur garden

If your little one has boxes of toy dinosaurs, why not let them create their own Jurassic garden? Indoors or out, all you need is a bit of sandy soil, a large pot or a deep tray, some rocks and some plants. Check out Pinterest for inspiration.

44. Make s’mores on a campfire

A great way to get your kids to love the outdoors is to get a fire going and toast marshmallows or make s’mores (melted marshmallow and chocolate between two crackers or biscuits).

45. Make a cupcake stand

This can be as complex or as simple as you like. At the simple end, cut three or four cardboard circles and glue them to sections of foil tube. Then paint and decorate to taste, and while the paint’s drying, you may as well make a batch of cupcakes.

46. Pick blackberries and make a pie

Blackberries grow wild all around the country, often on roadsides, but also around fields and parks. Take a basket out and go picking. When you’ve got a decent amount, it’s back home to make a yummy pie. Here’s one great recipe, but ready-rolled sweet shortcrust pastry will do.

47. Pick your own strawberries

Open Google Maps, zoom into your area and type in “pick your own strawberries” and you’ll be shown all the local farms that let customers fill their punnets with strawbs. You pay by weight on the way out. Strawberry season usually lasts from May to September in the UK.

Get active

48. Roll down a hill

Find a hill (preferably grassy), lie down and let gravity do the rest. It’ll get you dizzy, but kids love doing it – and find the spectacle of adults flying legs akimbo down a hill hugely entertaining. Good, simple fun.

49. Have a karaoke party

Invite friends round, fire up the music and let them sing their hearts out. You don’t need a karaoke setup and instrumental backing tracks – just singing along to the original recordings will do. You can hire karaoke machines with thousands of songs to sing along to.

50. Go cycling

Get on your bikes, find your nearest cycling path and explore. The number of purpose-built paths is ever growing, so look out for your local ones and get out in the fresh air with your bikes.

51. Visit a skate park

Is your little one mad on skateboarding, scootering or BMXing? Take them to your nearest skate park and let them try out their skills surrounded by like-minded kids.

52. Watch a sporting event

Britain loves its sports, but lots of sports go under the radar. Have a look around and you’ll find all sorts of unexpected spectator sports going on, be it athletics, equestrian, ball games, gymnastics, swimming, martial arts or wider sporting events that cover all bases.

53. Chalk on the pavement

Get a pack of colored chalks and send the kids out to see what they can come up with on the pavements. Hopscotch, treasure hunts, target games and other cool entertainment can be found, and it’ll all clean away next time it rains.

54. Make a den

Find a place with lots of fallen foliage and branches, lean the larger branches together like a wigwam or against a tree, then start filling in the gaps with twigs leaves until you have a basic shelter. Remember to leave a doorway!

55. Make a rope swing

Find a good solid tree with a sturdy horizontal limb, throw a strong rope over the limb secure it with a knot. Tie a 50cm branch to the dangling end for a seat. Give it a good test by yanking it hard, and you’re ready to swing.

56. Climb a hill

Your kids appreciate the sense of achievement.

57. Fly a kite

George Banks was right – flying a kite is a perfect way to bond with your kids, especially if you have a stunt kite, controlling it through dives and climbs. The normal warnings apply, of course: stay away from powerlines (risk of shock) and trees (risk of tears).

58. Have a picnic

Alfresco dining is always fun, so generations have enjoyed the simple pleasures of a picnic for its own sake. You can make it as simple or as over-the-top as you want, but surround yourself with friends and family and you won’t care about the ants and wasps.

59. Make a fort

Save those cardboard boxes from your deliveries, because they’ll come in useful during the fort season. Another activity where kids’ imaginations will run wild, the cardboard fort will keep them occupied for entire afternoons.

60. Visit a maize maze

Farmers often make temporary mazes in their cornfields so that families can go and get lost together. With cafes, petting farms, farmers’ markets and playgrounds attached, it’s a great day out.

61. Splash in a paddling pool

Assuming there’s no water shortage, splishing and splashing around a paddling pool is a lovely way for kids to stay cool and have some quality fun in the summer garden.

62. Go camping

Don’t be put off camping by spartan childhood experiences, because modern camping is (if you want it to be) a much more homely experience. Look around and you’ll find sites with electric power points, decent Wi-Fi, swimming pools, bars and entertainment complexes.

63. Visit a funfair

There’s always fun to be had on the rides, amusements and stalls of the funfair, whatever the age of your children. You might end up coming home with a massive stuffed toy, so make sure you’ve got room in the car or house.

64. Go on high ropes

High ropes attractions are popping up all over the country, with a few chains like Go Ape being the best known. Although safe, walking a tightrope or descending a zipline 10 metres in the air sure does feel risky, and that’s where the fun is.

65. Go canoeing

Many places that have canoes and kayaks and also offer lessons, so you’ll be feeling the water between your paddles in no time. Use this guide to find a great place to canoe nearby, then work out your best route when you’ve chosen it.

66. Have a water fight

If there’s one activity guaranteed to bring howls of laughter on a hot day, it’s getting soaking wet in a water fight. If you’ve got super soaker guns, great – but some old detergent bottles or a bucket of water and sponges will do the trick.

67. Jump waves in the sea

Another simple pleasure: stand on the seashore and jump over the waves as they come in. Kids never get bored of it.

68. Learn to skim a stone

Find a relatively tranquil lake and look for a Minstrel-shaped stone. Hold it between your thumb and forefinger and throw the stone from low down with an all-important backspin to keep it rotating fast. Then count the splashes as it bounces on the surface.

69. Go to a castle

You’re never got far to travel to find one, whether it’s a ruin or looking spectacularly intact. It’s a great opportunity as you’ll ever have to really fire up kids’ imagination.

70. Visit the seaside

Get your bucket and spade and go!

71. Build a giant sandcastle

Sandcastles are great, but could they be greater? There’s no limit to the size of your sandcastle, and with a team of friends and family members, there’s nothing to stop you building something quite spectacular.

72. Go swimming

Find your local pool and go with your kids. Whether you spend your time doing lengths, playing around with balls and floats or teaching or learning the art of swimming, you’re going to have a great time keeping fit, staying cool and bonding.

73. Perform a play

Get your kids’ friends together and leave them in a room for a few hours to dress up and come up with some kind of performance. Whether it’s a traditional fairytale, a family comedy or a talent show, it’s a joy for all.

74. Create an obstacle course

Arrange chairs, tables, cushions, boxes, cones, wickets, hula hoops, beanbags (anything kids can use to climb, dodge, crawl, jump and throw) and set it out so they have to get from A to B in the quickest time.

75. Go geocaching

Every day, you probably walk past a few geocaches without even knowing about it. They’re little rewards hidden by the geocaching community and there are more than 3 million round the world. Download the app (AndroidiOS).

76. Climb trees

An essential skill that seems to be getting lost in the younger generation, tree-climbing is fun and helps to build kids’ coordination, strength and confidence. Find some easy ones to start with and progress to more challenging trees as they get better at it.

77. Play football

Among the simplest games in the world for two or more people, if you’ve got a football you can play it anywhere, from the beach to the backyard. In short, always carry a football.

78. Visit a city

Visit as much of your country as you can.

79. Go plane spotting

Do you know your Jumbo Jets from your A380s? There’s something exciting about being close to these huge airliners when they’re taking off or landing, especially in the rain. Lots of airports have viewing areas for people to do just that.

80. Skip!

Everybody used to know how to use a skipping rope, but it seems to be a dying art. Whether your kids go  solo or with friends, it’s great fun and really keeps them fit. Learn the old skipping songs for a real dive into childhoods of the past.

Rainy days

81. Dance in the rain

Don’t get down when it rains in the summer … get up! While nobody wants to dance in the winter rain, a summertime shower is a wonderful time to get outside and get soaking wet, especially if it comes after days of relentless heat.

82. Play board games

Offer your kids a board game and you might be surprised how engrossed they can become. As well as the classics like Monopoly, Cluedo, chess, draughts, Operation etc., you can find themed board games for every subject in comic shops.

83. Visit a museum

Every city has its general museums, but there are also car museums, space museums, science museums and even a pencil museum. In fact, search online for pretty much anything online with the word museum and you’ll probably find one.

84. Go to the cinema

Whether it’s rainy-day entertainment or a way of escaping the stultifying heat, a trip to the cinema is a perfect way to while away a summer afternoon. See a summer blockbuster or take advantage of special summer holiday ticket deals.

85. Go bowling

There are hundreds of ten-pin bowling alleys in the UK, and kids just love the satisfaction of knocking those pins over. They all have side-walls and ramps, too, so it doesn’t matter what their age or skill set, they’ll be able to take part.

Chill out

86. Read outside

How long has it been since you and your kids indulged in the simple pleasure of sitting outside in the sun with a book and a glass of something cold? You’ll wish you’d done it a lot more often when you do.

87. Blow giant bubbles

Every child has blown bubbles from the little container, but did you know you can make truly huge ones? You can buy the kits from toy shops or supermarkets, or you can save money by making a huge batch that’ll last you weeks as is explained on this site.

88. Ride a pony

Lots of kids love horses, but few get the chance to ride them. Take your horse-obsessed child to your nearest horse-riding centre and ride a pony. They’ll probably get the chance to feed and groom their ride, too.

89. Join a library group

Most libraries offer clubs and groups, especially throughout the school holidays, so go along and see if any of the ones at your local library interest you or your kids. It’s a great way of meeting like-minded children and parents.

90. Write a story

Sit down, switch off the telly and see where your children’s minds take them when you ask them to write a story. You can collaborate with them and invite friends and siblings to join in, too, and then illustrate the story to really capture the mood.

91. Have a sleepover

Get some midnight feast food in and invite your child’s friends round to spend the night. Depending on the size of the bedroom, you might want to convert the living room into a sleeping space – they’ll surely entertain themselves.

92. Watch the sunrise

Find a nice spot where you can see the horizon in a roughly north-eastern direction, get up nice and early and watch the sky turn from deep blue to lighter blue, red, golden and orange until the sun finally pops up. Use this tool to find out what time sunrise is in your location.

93. Watch the sunset

Watching the sun go down might not be quite as magical as seeing it come up, but it’s usually at a more sociable hour outside of June or July. Find a spot where you can see the western horizon, take snacks and watch as our star goes to sleep.

94. Have breakfast in the park

During the summer holidays, parks normally start to fill up at around 10am, so before then you might have the whole place to yourself. Find a nice spot and have a picnic in the fresh morning air. It’s a great way to start the day.

95. Have a pajama day

Do you really have to get dressed if you have no plans to go out? No! Stay in your PJs and have a day of lounging about, watching TV, doing your hobbies or playing with toys.

96. Blow a dandelion and make a wish

Here’s a simple bit of fun with a hint of magic – find a dandelion with its distinctive fuzzy head, and blow its seeds off and make a wish as they scatter on the breeze.

97. Make a stop motion film

Head over to your Apple or Android app store and search for “stop motion”. You’ll see plenty of apps that let you build a movie one frame at a time. After a bit of practice, they’ll be making cool films out of Lego and other toys, or making speeded-up films of domestic life.

98. Make a campfire

Gather firewood, select dry kindling and some paper or rag to get the fire started, then build your fire from the ground up, starting with the small stuff and finishing with the larger branches. Strike the match and watch it come to life. Marshmallows optional.

99. Go cloud gazing

Lie back on the grass or the beach and look up at the clouds. Young kids will love to spot shapes of familiar things in them, and older ones might be interested in identifying the different types of cloud that signify their altitude, speed and how they are formed.

100. Paint pebbles

Go to the park, a stream or the seaside and pick up pebbles, then bring them home and paint them. You can paint them into characters with facial features and personality, or maybe you’d just prefer to paint abstract designs on them.

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: https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/blog/other-destinations/100-family-friendly-summer-activities

Going on a Stay-Cation

July 30th, 2019 by tisner


So, you need to use your vacation days, but the kids are taking part in activities all Summer, gas prices have you down, or the cost is simply not in the budget.  Why not plan a stay-at-home vacation?  You may not live in a tourist destination town, but yo
u can still take a week off work so you can enjoy some warm weather down time: 

Going Places? 

  • If you are truly wanting an away from home experience, book a room in a local hotel for a few days during the week when rates are lower.  A luxury hotel or bed and breakfast would make it feel more like a vacation, if you can afford it. 
  • Exploring your local area can not only be fun, but educational for the family!  Before your time off, call your local tourism office, and learn about the destinations you’re not aware of, as well as those you do.  Make a list and decide where you’d like to visit. 
  • The weekend before your break, get everyone involved in getting the house cleaned up and the laundry done.  Purchase eco-friendly disposable kitchen items, so you don’t have dishes to do every night, or plan budget-friendly take out. 
  • When you have young children, planning day trips is less difficult on them; spending the day at a nearby museum or state park, then coming home to sleep in their own beds can help keep them in their routine when your time off is over. 

Relaxing at Home? 

  • Imagine yourself as a guest in your own home and treat yourself as such.  Vacations are meant to break routines, and you might have to make a conscious effort to stay in a getaway state of mind. 
  • Spend an entire day at your local park, splash pad, or other fun spot that you normally take advantage of for an hour or so.  Pack a picnic lunch. 
  • Plan some out-of-the-ordinary things to do at home.  “Camp out” in the living room, or even the backyard!  Throw yourselves an ice cream party, or some other celebration that is normally reserved for birthdays and holidays. 
  • Some projects, such as cleaning out the garage, can take a couple of days.  If you must do something, plan as many days of fun or relaxing as you spend working. 

Most importantly, unplug yourself!  Turn off notifications for all your smartphone apps, resolve to check personal email every other day, and let family and friends know you’re taking time off, and, unless you’re planning on a get-together, only available for emergencies.  Vacation days are a precious commodity, and if you’re not taking a long-distance trip, make the most of it, and make memories in the process. 

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: eturbonews.com

Things To Do Orlando: Getdown Downtown – A Grand Opening of Independence Lane!

October 1st, 2018 by tisner

Getdown Downtown - A Grand Opening of Independence Lane!

Friday, October 5, 2018 – 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

FREE!

Join the city of Maitland to celebrate the opening of Independence Lane!  There will be live music, great food, kids’ activities, and more!

Location: Independence Lane between Horatio and Packwood Avenues, next to Maitland City Hall.

Event Facebook Page

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: facebook.com

Things To Do Orlando: Heartfulness Meditation

September 24th, 2018 by tisner

Things To Do Orlando: Heartfulness Meditation

Second and fourth Monday of every month – 6-8 PM
Next session – September 24, 2018

Free Admission!

Join Heartfulness Mediation class and learn simple techniques that improve wellness of being. No registration necessary.

For more information call: 407-647-7700

Maitland Public Library
501 S. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, FL

Winter Park Area

Event Website

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: orlandoweekly.com

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