It won’t be long before the streets of your neighborhood are filled with children, and some parents, will be costumed and carrying bags and buckets for Halloween treats!  Since many homeowners don’t regularly use the front entrance to their home, they may not think about all the little feet that will be tramping up the path to your door.  Make sure everyone has a safe trip for their candy by following these tips before October 31! 

• Do your own walk-up to your front door, and examine everything, including the driveway and front steps.  Make sure there are no loose pieces or large cracks that can cause anyone to take a tumble.  Porch railings should be secure. 
• Yard decor should be fixed securely so the wind can’t blow it over, or curious little hands cannot pull it down. 
• Battery-operated LED tea lights are inexpensive and much safer to use in place of lighted candles.  Many options are available for LED’s, including a flickering light that is perfect for your jack o’ lantern. 

• Speaking of lights, make sure that not only is your porch light switched on, but that the path you’ve created is well-lit. 
• Decor that hangs from the trees is scary and fun, so make certain they are hanging at least ten feet from the walkway, making certain they don’t obstruct anyone’s view. 
• Take an afternoon close to Halloween to be sure any shrubbery, trees or edging isn’t in the way of where trick-or-treaters must walk.  Inspect for loose branches in nearby trees and remove them. 
• If you have room in the garage, consider parking the car there.  The folks that are coming and going would likely appreciate the extra room to pass others. 
• A constantly-ringing doorbell or persistent knocking can cause your pets some distress and a lot of barking.  Confine them to a room, or even better, to their crate.  Check out these other great tips about your pets and Halloween from the ASPCA. 

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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Soon little goblins from all around your neighborhood will be coming to your door asking for candy by saying “trick or treat”. There may be more to than you think if you are in the market to sell your home. Let’s take a look at a few tricks and treats that may help you to sell your home more quickly than you may have thought you could. Of course a good Realtor is the way to go but you and your Realtor can talk about these ideas and decide which tricks and treats you want to use to sell your home.

• For some reason buyers are a little scared of the number 9 in your asking price. The last thing you want to do is to frighten your potential buyers off by using the number 9. We have all seen this tactic in the local stores where items are listed for sale at a price of $9.99 or $12.99. Instead of using the number 9 in your sale price why not just round up to the next number to make the number nice and round and to avoid turning away buyers that may have otherwise been interested in your home. For instance instead of listing your home at $199,000 go ahead and list it at $200,000. When your sale price ends with a 9, it looks like you are trying too hard to give a bargain and buyers are not particularly looking for a bargain deal when buying a home.
• Another trick and treat that may help you sell your home is to stay away from a lot of aromatherapy. While aromatherapy is a good thing, it can confuse and even turn off some potential buyers. When potential buyers are looking at your home they are affected by not only what they see but by what they smell as well. If you happen to have a person tour your home who hates the smell of vanilla and you have it piped throughout your house with candles or other smelly goods you may lose that buyer that easily. A good rule of thumb is to go for a fresh clean scent such as pine sol or something similar. You can fill a sink with water and put a dash of pine sol in there to help your home smell nice and fresh.
• If at all possible, stage your home. Homes that are staged tend to sell more easily than those that look extremely lived in. Folks want to imagine their own family living in your home, not see how you and your family live there.

Hopefully these tricks and treats for selling your home will help keep you from frightening off potential buyers.

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: Real Simply 

Fall is many people’s favorite time of year; they look forward to putting on their sweaters, drinking pumpkin spice lattes, and making a pot of soup. There are important items to check off the home to-do list before it gets cold. Get started on these eight items before it is too late: 

    Outdoors 

• Take care of walkway/driveway cracks. Materials used for this job may not work as well once outside temps drop. 
• Clean outdoor furniture and leave it to dry in the warm sun. When it is time to store them for winter, they will already be clean! 

• If you are growing hostas, daylilies, spring-blooming bulbs, or peonies, divide these plants now. These plants will be happier if divided and replanted now instead of spring.   
• Trees are best planted in the fall of the year as well. They still need regular and deep watering, but the cooler weather will make it easier for them to establish roots. 
• Plant a fall garden. You will be rewarded with fresh greens and other vegetables for all of those slow-cooker recipes saved on your Pinterest board! 

    Indoors 

• Check smoke/carbon monoxide detector batteries, and test the smoke detector to be sure it is in proper working order. If there is no family fire plan in place, create one now and have a family fire safety meeting. 
• No mudroom, no problem! Create a mudroom-like atmosphere near the entry your family uses most. Setup is easy using a sturdy indoor/outdoor area rug, a coat tree (using coat hangers when items are wet), and small bins or shoe trays to store wet or muddy footwear. 
• Although the air conditioning may still be in use, have your furnace inspected and serviced now–before you need it. 

Waiting until a cold snap is bearing down on you before you get cold-weather prep done could be too late, not to mention regrettable. Take advantage of a pleasant fall weekend and get the family involved. Being ready for winter is great, but the time spent together taking care of your home is greater! 

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: Bob Villa

It sometimes takes a lot of work to get your landscaping just the way that you want it, but it’s worth it when you get to sit down and enjoy your hard work. The only problem is that sometimes it’s just too hot to spend much time out enjoying! This is especially problematic if your landscaping contains a lot of flowers that bloom during the summer months, since the cooler spring and fall won’t give you the same sort of satisfaction in your garden.

There are ways to make the heat more bearable, of course. A little bit of shade and a nice breeze can go a long way toward turning your landscaping or garden into a welcoming oasis for you to relax in. While there are a number of ways you can accomplish this, here are a few ideas if you find yourself unsure of where to start.

A summertime getaway is just what many need to visit faraway family, spend time learning about other places, or simply to relax and have fun. Keep these tips in mind to make your trip as safe as possible: 

• Before hitting the road in the family vehicle, schedule a check-up–for the car! Have a reputable mechanic to check the engine and parts thoroughly, including all fluids, belts, and the battery, and make sure your tires are in good condition and properly inflated.   
• Pack items that you will need for emergencies where they can be easily accessed. Purchase one of the many emergency car kits that suits your needs or make your own kit and keep them in a storage tote. A small first-aid kit should be kept in the glove compartment, especially when the kids are traveling, too.  
• Check the forecast for all of your travel days. Summer heat means afternoon thunderstorms, and you will need to know where you can safely pull over if rain and wind become too heavy for driving. 

• When using electronic navigation, be sure that the destination address is correct, and that the map is routed correctly. Print or purchase a paper map to consult in case you pass through areas where there is a poor signal is a must.  
• Air travel means added time to your day. Once at the airport, distribute the kids between the adults and go to different security screening lines, and your wait will be shorter. 
• Before getting comfortable on the plane, using alcohol-based disinfectant cloths, wipe everything down, giving extra attention to the food tray and the back of the seat pocket area. 
• If possible, leave your cell phone at home and opt for a prepaid cell phone to stay in touch. 
• When you are not using Wi-Fi, disable it on your device, as well as the Bluetooth signal. Public connections can give hackers easy access to your stored personal data. 

• Upon arrival at your hotel or rental home, ask for the official Wi-Fi router name and password, and see if there are other networks available throughout the property. Fake wireless connections can be created by hackers, leaving your personal information at risk of being breached.   
• If paying for something online is your only option, disable your cell’s Wi-Fi connection and use your cellular data as a security measure. 

While you are looking forward to some fun in the sun, it is important to keep yourself, your family, and your digital presence safe. Some mishaps are unavoidable, but when you are prepared, it makes your time away from home more fun and less stressful! 

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: NY Metro Parents 

Maybe you’ve just moved into your new home and you’ve got a patio of your very own for the first time, or maybe you’ve had one for a while and just didn’t know what to do with it. Patios are magnificently flexible spaces, if not a little boring by themselves. Think of your patio as a three-dimensional canvas that you can literally create anything on that you’d like. From tiki hot tub paradise to casual outdoor dining space, patios are only limited by your imagination. Here are some things to think about when you’re trying to dress yours up!

It is becoming common knowledge that the fewer chemicals we use in our lawns and gardens, the better it is for everyone. One roadblock of using fewer manufactured products on our plants is time–it is time-consuming to go even halfway organic. The following tips will get you started on a more natural approach to a healthy garden. 

• While shopping for plants, pay attention to the plant information tags in the cell packs. Following those details are essential for good growth. 
• Enriching the soil with compost is the first step to using nature to fertilize your plants, and one way to do that is with grass clippings! According to Mother Earth News, a mulch of 1”-2” of cut grass can feed your garden for the season.  
• Earthworms are the source for many good things for plants and your soil. They can be purchased or save money and attract them naturally by adding plenty of organic matter to your garden soil.  

• When and how you water your garden plays an important part in keeping diseases and pests at bay. A morning shower with a water hose can rid your plants of nasty aphids. Watering in the evenings can cause fungi and mildew to grow, and neither is easy to get rid of once they set in. 
• Learn the difference between beneficial and unwelcome insects. For example, they may frighten us, but many stinging insects are taking care of the bad ones that are eating up our plants. The Sod God offers some excellent information as well as infographics to help you distinguish between the good and the bad. 
• Row covers are a great and chemical-free way to keep not only insects away, but veggie-loving birds as well. If they cover your plants completely as they grow, they will provide a barrier between your plants and the bad guys. 
• There are many natural products available to kill and repel insects: diatomaceous earth, insecticidal soap, horticultural oils, and capsaicin to name a few. As with chemical pesticides, follow package directions exactly to keep plants safe, as well as wildlife and pets.

Going organic takes knowledge and a little extra work. Growing a Greener World is an excellent television source for natural gardening, and there are many books and magazines on the subject. Look for sources that have been certified as an organic entity or are written or produced by someone who has plenty of organic gardening experience. Reap the rewards of not only a great vegetable harvest or beautiful landscaping, but of keeping chemicals out of the environment. 

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: Kellogg Garden Products 

The idea of the “she-shed” has come and gone, and left behind a whole new understanding of how sheds can be used to add extra space to a property that could stand more room to move. With the rise of work-at-home jobs, a home that’s already stuffed full of life can be made even more useful for work or play with the addition of a studio shed.

When was the last time you looked through the photos of a beautiful home on a website or in a magazine layout? Did you miss anything? Probably not.  The non-stylish parts of a house have been digitally removed from the photos so that all a viewer sees is style.  Electrical outlets and cords, as well as HVAC vents, are necessities in a home, and while photo editing software cannot hide them, there are plenty of tricks to conceal them. 

• Canvas art usually has an open back and can be placed over flat-screen televisions, thermostats, and window unit air conditioners (when not in use). 
• Paint can cover many things we do not like, and if your kitchen appliances are lacking, there is paint for that!  It does not have to be a color; appliances can be painted for a stainless look as well. 
• Create a gallery wall around the thermostat, and it will fade into the framed pieces. 

• Return air vents are necessities but can be made to look much nicer: purchase a stylish cover that is made specifically for return vents, hang a stylish doormat over the vent, or switch the everyday slatted panel with decorative sheet metal. 
• Hide the home WiFi router in an empty box with holes cut in the back for cords, an inexpensive basket, or get crafty and make a screen from old book spines! 
• Cover popcorn or dated plaster ceilings with prefinished wood planks, faux beams, or tiles made of one of the many materials available at local home stores. 
• Make that plain bathtub go undercover with self-stick tiles.  They come in all styles, shapes, and colors, and do not require any previous installation know-how. 
• Wall-mount televisions have become the norm, and the cords hanging from the screen can be unsightly.  Home centers have cord cover installation kits in many styles and colors for those who feel confident enough to use some power tools. 

• Paint radiators in the same color as the wall.  This may not hide them completely, but they will blend in, making them easier on the eye. 

Who needs a designer or magazine layout to make those household essentials fade into the background?  Updating the style of the mundane and functional parts of a home can be fun and easy, and while some of them may be little changes, they can make a big impact. 

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: Home Depot