If finances are tight, but you’re ready to give your home a new look, paint is the budget-friendly way to go.  Making it a DIY project is even more cost-effective, and with so many options and ways to add color to your walls, you need some guidance so it will look like it was done by a pro. 

Which Paint and What Finish? 

• Latex paint is best for walls, and oil paint is perfect for wood trim, because it seals stains.  Oil paint takes longer to dry, and has a strong odor, but if you add a tablespoon of vanilla extract per gallon, and open the windows, it helps keep the odor in check.  
• Flat paint goes on easily, but doesn’t clean easily; glossy paint is great for cleaning, and comes in semi-gloss, and satin, but doesn’t cover wall imperfections. For a nice compromise, an eggshell finish is somewhat flat, but easy to clean. 

Choose Your Color 

• Choose a color for the room/s you’re updating, and don’t be afraid of using a bold color.  This adds character and some wow factor to your home. Neutrals are great for quick-change decorating, or if you’re thinking of selling soon. 
• Using pint-can paint samples, apply a 2×2 foot area of each color on the wall you’re planning to paint, allow to dry for 24 hours, and look at them at different times of the day.  You’ll get a more accurate feel for the color in the different lights, and whether you can live with it or not. 
• Don’t forget the ceiling! You can change the feel of the room’s height by going a shade darker (for a lower ceiling feel), or go a shade lighter or use a lighter color to give the illusion of a higher ceiling. 

Painting Prep 

• Measure your room for square footage, and make sure you buy enough paint–about one gallon per 400 square feet. 
• Purchase good painter’s tape, drop cloths, putty, a good putty knife, caulking, and any tools you may need for removing hardware from any doors or walls. 
• Protect light fixtures, trim, or wall sconces with painter’s tape.  Move furniture and put down drop cloths. Use wall putty or caulking to fill and smooth any holes or other wall damage. 
• Clean, sand, and dust walls, using a vacuum to make sure all of the dust is off the walls. 
• Priming the walls is really important if you’re covering a dark color, if there are stains on the walls, or if you’re painting paneling or new sheetrock. Tint the primer with a little of your new wall color before applying. 

Start Painting 

• Paint mixing isn’t 100% perfect. Professionals mix all of the gallon cans together in a five-gallon bucket for color uniformity.   
• Paint in corners and close to the ceiling with a good brush before you paint the walls, working your way down to catch drips. This process is called “cutting in.” 
• Working in an overlapping W-pattern, apply paint until you need to reload the roller.  If you notice paint drying quickly, work in 3-4 foot sections of wall, but a whole wall can be accomplished in the case of a slower drying process. 
• Smoothing the paint is important and is done by using what paint is left on the roller to paint as close to the ceiling and corners as possible, where you’ve already cut in. This gives a smooth appearance to the finish. 
• Clean your equipment as soon as painting is done:  latex paint can be washed off with dish detergent and warm water, but oil paint should be cleaned off with paint thinner.  
• Once the paint is dry, after about 24 hours, move your furniture back in, but hold off hanging anything on the walls for a few days, and don’t wash them until the paint has cured, usually two weeks to thirty days. 

A newly painted room can make your home feel fresh, and make it look as if you’ve redecorated.  If you’re feeling really adventurous, try painting a pattern on your wall.  It may take more time, but the dramatic effect it makes in the room makes the wall a focal point in itself. diy Network has some great tips for a patterned accent wall: http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/skills-and-know-how/painting/how-to-paint-stripes-chevrons-blocks-and-more 

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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Summer is over, and for most gardeners and those who love to work in the yard, it is time to tidy things up to prepare for cooler weather. It’s the best time to prepare for next year, even though the next planting season is months away.  Get to work for a head start on Spring.  

Vegetable Garden 

• If you still have tomatoes or peppers ripening, either take up the plants and hang in a cool place to let them ripen on the vine, or protect them from frost with burlap or row covering over their stakes. 
• If you have cool weather plants, make sure they’re getting plenty of water, and leaving them to grow until after frost makes them taste better!  
• Clean up all dead or dying plant debris, because it can cause diseases and help insects that like to overwinter in the rotting vegetation.  If you don’t have a compost pile, now is a good time to start one with healthy debris. If it looks diseased, discard it or burn it. 
• Adding lime to the garden soil is best done in the Fall.  Take a soil sample to your local extension office for a free soil test so you’ll know how much you need to add. 
• Cut back perennial herbs, and freeze or dry them for winter cooking. 
• Think about adding a cover crop.  Cover crops add nutrients to the soil, and prevent soil erosion.  Find a list for your region at https://www.almanac.com/content/cover-crops-us 
• Before storing garden tools, remove all dirt and debris, then spray with a 10:1 mix of water and bleach.  After they dry, oil tools that have moving parts, make any repairs that may be needed, and hang them out of traffic areas in your shed or garage. 

Landscaping 

• Plant trees and shrubs in the Fall.  The cooler temps and onset of dormancy gives them the perfect opportunity to establish their root systems. They still need plenty of water, so make sure you keep them hydrated.  
• Apply fertilizer to your lawn, and aerate it as well. Walking behind the fertilizer spreader in spike-soled shoes is a great way to do these two important things at once.   
• The last time you mow, keep the level at 1¼”.  This will keep leaves from settling on your lawn, as well prevent disease and insect over-wintering. 
• Cut back your perennials in the flower beds, mulch them well, and divide tuberous plants like daylilies and irises.  Hostas also benefit from a Fall division.   
• If you have any young plants or trees, mulch well around them to protect them from freezing once the thermometer drops. 
• Update container plantings with chrysanthemums, ornamental cabbages, pansies and interesting grasses.  These should take you through the Winter and provide interest and color for the drab days ahead. 
• Plant flower bulbs for a beautiful, maintenance-free Spring flowerbed.  Daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, and crocuses will provide color for weeks. 

Getting your garden and yard ready for Winter not only makes things look better, but it will certainly help once Spring gets here. The weather can be unpredictable come March and April, so take advantage of the cool, long days of Fall to prepare for next year’s growing season. 

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: Town ‘N Country Garden Center

Moving into a new home means looking for the right touch for the blank walls.  Artwork or family photos are the perfect fillers for these spaces, and hanging them can be a task.  Let’s look at some practical rules and tips for making those plain spaces come to life. 

Single Frames 

• Pick your space, picture to hang, and gather measuring tool, chalk or pencil, level, hammer and nails or screwdriver and screws. Picture-hanging kits can be purchased at hardware and home stores as well. 
• If the place you’ve chosen doesn’t have a stud for a nail, it is best to use an anchor and screw hanger.  These are inexpensive, and can be found in any hardware store.  Follow the easy instructions for installation for a strong mount for the picture. 
• Measure up to approximately 57” on the wall; this is where the center of your picture should be–average eye height. The top of the frame will obviously be higher. 
• Hold the frame up to the wall and use a pencil or some chalk to mark the approximate place for the nail/anchor screw. 
• Install the hardware you’ve chosen, and hang the frame. 
• Sometimes the frame doesn’t want to hang level.  Use self-stick rubber dots on the back corners of the frame; these will hold it in place, and protect the wall from damage. 

Gallery Walls 

• If you’re creating a gallery wall using several pieces, and include family snapshot photos, children’s artwork, art prints, and even fine art. 
• Create a clean, modern look by using the same style and color frames, same color palette, or same theme. 
• Use the largest picture for a focal point. Hang it first, using the 57” on-center idea. 
• Make templates of your artwork with newspaper.  Lay your pictures down on the paper, and trace around the edge. Cut the templates out. 
• Place the templates on the floor, or on the wall with masking tape, in any formation you like, changing the arrangement until it looks like a well-fitted puzzle. 
• Not all large pieces need to be in the center; a pleasing arrangement would have the focal point hanging to the left of your display, with smaller frames hung on the right.  
• Once you are satisfied with your mock-up gallery, hang the pictures using the first four tips. 

Bonus Display Tips 

• Renters or anyone who doesn’t want to bother with hammer and nails can use removeable sticky strips for framed pieces.  3M Command Strips are perfect for this easy display idea. 
• Use an art ledge for an easy display. These can be purchased at home stores and painted or stained to suit your style.  Attach to the wall at the 57” level, or 12” above the furniture, and place your pictures and artwork on them–no other hardware needed! 
• There are a multitude of free printables–seasonal and inspirational quotes–available on the internet.  Keep one or two spaces on your walls for a quick-change whenever you feel the need. 

No matter your decorating style, hanging framed items has a few rules that you should follow for aesthetics’ sake, but choosing what to display and how many is a personal decision.  Make your home your own by showing off what you love most, making the statement with your framed decorations. 

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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Buyer’s mortgage pre-approval is good for everyone in the transaction. It saves time, money and removes the uncertainty of knowing whether the buyer will be qualified after negotiating a contract. The direct benefits include:

• Looking at “Right” homes – price, size, amenities, location
• Find the best loan – rate, term, type
• Uncover credit issues early – time to cure possible problems
• Negotiating power – price, terms, & timing
• Close quicker – verifications have been made

There is a significant difference in having a trusted mortgage professional take a loan application and run all the necessary verifications compared to going through calculators on a lender’s website. Beside the peace of mind, the cost of being pre-approved is a bargain and generally, limited to the cost of the credit report.

Even if a person has been pre-approved, a second opinion from a different lender may be a good option. It can verify there is a good deal or you’ll discover that you can improve it. Either way, it works to your advantage. Contact me if you’d like a recommendation of a trusted mortgage officer.

By: PatZaby.com

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Halloween is quickly becoming the most popular holiday in the US.  In 2017, the National Retail Federation projects that Americans will spend a whopping $9.1 billion, with $2.7 billion alone on candy.  You don’t have to break the bank for decorations, though.  There are many ways you can prepare for the fun-filled holiday with inexpensive, everyday items. 

• Save gallon milk jugs, and wash them out thoroughly.  Use permanent black marker to draw ghostly faces on the sides, then add a few rocks or marbles for stability. Place a string of battery-powered LED lights inside, and place the jugs along your walkway or steps for a ghostly path to your door. 
• Wrap white crepe streamers around your front door mummy-style. Cut two big eyes from white and black construction paper, and tape them to look like they’re peeking out of the strips.  Instant spooky! 
• Pumpkins are cheap and plentiful this time of year. Using child-safe carving kits, have the kids get in on the fun of carving a jack-o-lantern.  Pumpkin Lady has over 700 free templates to download and print. 
• Use black construction paper to cut out basic ghost figures, bats, owls or cats.  Tape them to your windows, and when the lights are on at night, the silhouettes can be seen from outside. 
• Make it look like specters are watching over your yard.  Keep a few paper towel or toilet paper roll tubes. Carefully using scissors, cut different eye shapes in them.  Tape glow sticks inside the tubes, and hide them in your shrubs and bushes. 
• Grab a straw wreath, a few bags of faux spider webbing and plastic spiders at your local dollar store. Wrap the wreath with the webbing, and criss-cross a few strands across the middle for a cobweb effect. Hang or hot glue the spiders in different places around the wreath, add a Halloween bow, and hang on your front door. 
• White tights can be repurposed as spider eggs.  Cut the tops off, leaving the legs open.  Add a baseball or softball to the toe, and glue or hot glue plastic spiders to the “sac.” Hang the eggs from trees (away from walking areas) or light fixtures for a really scary look. 
• Make some ghostly guests out of unused tomato cages.  Turn them upside down, and push a large styrofoam ball down onto the ground wires.  Add lights around the cage, and drape a piece of white cloth or old sheet over the cage. 
• Add plastic snakes, spiders and insects purchased from a dollar store to your welcome mat. 

Spooking up your yard for Halloween doesn’t have to cost a great deal.  Whether you want frightening or fun, decorating with household or inexpensive dollar store finds can be a family project.  When the big night arrives, make sure you have plenty of candy, turn on your porch light, play some creepy music, and enjoy the evening. 

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: Better Homes and Gardens

The best chance for selling your Orlando Florida home is within the first four weeks. Each year, in our area, many home sellers make the same mistakes over and over again. To help you avoid making the same mistakes, I’ve compiled a list of the main factors to ensure you sell your home faster and net more.

Pricing

It is very important to price your property at a competitive market value when you list it. Overpricing by only a few thousand dollars could mean that your house will not sell in a desired time frame.

An overpriced home:

• Minimizes offers
• Lowers showings
• Lowers agent response
• Limits financing
• Limits qualified buyers
• Nets less for the seller

Cleanliness

Most people are turned off by even the smallest amount of dirtiness or odor when buying a home. If your house is squeaky clean, you will be able to sell your home faster and net your desired return. Odors must be eliminated especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers or if you are a smoker. You may not notice the smell, but the buyers do!

Likewise, declutter. You are moving anyway, so get rid of that old junk now so your house will appear larger. Put items you can’t bear to part with in storage to free up space.

Easy Access

The easiest way to show a house is to have a lockbox accessible to real estate agents! Allow your home to be available during all reasonable hours. Midmorning and midafternoon are usually the best, but sometimes people will want to see your home in the evening after work. Allow your home to be available on short notice as well.

Showtime

When your home is being shown, please do the following:

• Keep all lights on
• Keep all drapes, shutters and blinds open
• Keep all doors unlocked
• Make sure the temperature is appropriate for the season
• Leave soft music playing
• Take a short walk with your children and pets
• Let the buyer be at ease and let the Realtor do their job

Paint and Carpet

Paint is your best improvement investment for getting a greater return on your money. Paint makes the whole house smell clean and appear neat. If your house has chipped paint, exposed wood, or the paint looks faded, it is time to paint. If your carpet is worn, dirty, outdated, or an unusual color, you may need to seriously consider replacing it. Many houses do not sell because of this problem.

Curb Appeal

Your front yard immediately reflects the inside condition of your house to the buyer. People enjoy their yards. Make certain that the trees are trimmed so the house can be seen from the street. Has the grass been mowed, trimmed and edged? Walkways should be swept. Clean away debris. Remove parked cars. This all adds to curb appeal. If a buyer doesn’t like the outside, they may not stop to see the inside.

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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The Windermere Real Estate Market Trends Report shows the average sales price was $545,417 in August 2017 compared to $507,422 in August 2016. Homes were on the market for an average of 70 days compared to 86 days last year. Homes sold for 96% of the list price.

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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The Kissimmee Real Estate Market Trends Report for 34741 shows 52 homes sold in August 2017 up from 51 in August 2016. The average sales price was $174,481 compared to $140,204 in August 2016 and homes were on the market an average of 32 days, down from 53 days in August 2016.

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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