Our resolutions for the new year normally focus on eating healthier, losing weight, kicking dirty habits–the list goes on. Sadly, by the end of February, we find ourselves just trying to remember what our resolutions were, much less sticking to them! Homeownership can be the same way; we start out with good intentions and fall short. While the next seven items are not everything a homeowner needs to keep up with, they are easy to do!
Keep the yard in tip-top shape year-round with these tips fromThe Family Handyman.
Repair the little things that are not necessarily safety issues: door knobs that are not working, dripping faucets, or squeaky floors. Letting the little things go can cause bigger problems and may cost more later.
Having anenergy audit performed on your house can save energy and money. Many power companies offer this service free; check with your provider for more information.
Home security systems are not foolproof against hackers, nor are smart home accessories. Change passwords frequently, and do not reuse passwords. Make it even more difficult to breach by using two-factor authentication.
Get those finances in order! Commit to saving money, not only in the literal sense, but get the best rates on insurance, or consider refinancing your mortgage.NerdWallet has some great tips for building equity in your home.
Print out thisfree home checklist so that season by season, nothing is overlooked!
Find a good balance between spending time on home maintenance and caring for yourself and your family. Some projects incorporate the whole family, such as a big cleaning job or yard work. As important as it is to keep up your home, it is important to keep up with family.
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.
Every Monday, ORRA’s Monday Morning Quarterback Report gives you a snapshot of the previous week’s market activity, including sales, prices, days on market, and much, much more.
Monday Morning Quarterback for December 29th, 2024 – January 4th, 2025
Single-family existing homes
Sales of single-family homes increased to 278 during the week of December 29, from 266 the week prior
The median price of single family homes decreased to $400,000 a change of -3.6%
The number of single-family home foreclosure transactions decreased to 1 from 4 the week prior
The number of single-family short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Single-family inventory decreased by 143, and now sits at 7,337
Condos, townhomes, and villas
Sales of condos, townhomes, and villas decreased to 92 during the week of December 29, from 95 the week prior
The median price of condos, townhomes, and villas increased to $295,000 a change of 15.0%
The number of condo, townhome, and villa foreclosure transactions increased to 1 from 0 the week prior
The number of condo, townhome and villa short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Condo inventory decreased by 117, and now sits at 3,691
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.
“We have watched our market slowly settle over the last 12 months, and we now have what we consider a ‘balanced market’ for the first time in many years,” said Rose Kemp, president of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association. “As we near the end of 2024, I expect sales to cool as families focus on the holiday season, then ramp back up as we move toward springtime. Now is the perfect time to connect with your local REALTOR® to discuss your real estate goals for 2025. Start planning to take advantage of this balanced market’s exciting opportunities for buying or selling in the year ahead.”
The median home price for November was recorded at $380,000, down from $388,990 in October.
Overall sales decreased by 13.4% from October to November. There were 2,085 sales in October and 1,805 sales in November.
Inventory for November was recorded at 11,604, up 2.2% from October when inventory was recorded at 11,357.
November’s interest rate was recorded at 6.7%, up from 6.4% in October
16 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.9% of all home sales in November. This is a 5.9% decrease from October, when 17 distressed homes sold.
New listings fell 2.3% from October to November, with 3,185 new homes on the market in November, compared to 3,260 in October.
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.
The holidays are arguably the most festive time of the year. And for many people, part of that festiveness is plenty of festive, holiday-themed decorations. But if you’re selling your home, going too over-the-top with your decorations can put off potential buyers.
So, the question is, can you decorate your home for the holidays without hurting your home sale?
An article from realtor.com outlined the rules you need to follow if you want to get into the holiday spirit with your decorations without derailing your home sale, including:
Avoid personalized decorations. If you want to sell your home, potential buyers need to be able to picture themselves in the space. But if your home is plastered with personalized holiday decorations, it’s going to be nearly impossible to do that—so while you might love your personalized Christmas stockings or your array of holiday cards from friends and family, keep them packed away until your home is sold.
Go classic. Classic, elegant holiday decorations are always going to have a wider appeal to buyers than more kitschy, over-the-top decor.
Look to your neighbors. Your buyers are looking at your neighborhood just as much as they’re looking at your home—so when it comes to holiday decor, look to your neighbors for inspiration. If every home on your block is decked out for the holidays, you don’t want to skip decorating altogether—and, on the flip side, if your neighbors all opted out of holiday decorations, your don’t want to deck your home in bright lights and an avalanche of “Happy Holidays”-inspired decor.
Bottom line? It is possible to sell your home and decorate it for the holidays—as long as you decorate with potential buyers (and your home sale) in mind.
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.
Every Monday, ORRA’s Monday Morning Quarterback Report gives you a snapshot of the previous week’s market activity, including sales, prices, days on market, and much, much more.
Monday Morning Quarterback for November 24th, 2024 – November 30th, 2024
Single-family existing homes
Sales of single-family homes decreased to 250 during the week of November 24, from 365 the week prior
The median price of single family homes increased to $435,000 a change of 1.2%
The number of single-family home foreclosure transactions increased to 3 from 1 the week prior
The number of single-family short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Single-family inventory decreased by 152, and now sits at 7,694.
Condos, townhomes, and villas
Sales of condos, townhomes, and villas decreased to 70 during the week of November 24, from 102 the week prior
The median price of condos, townhomes, and villas remains constant at $263,000
The number of condo, townhome, and villa foreclosure transactions decreased to 0 from 1 the week prior
The number of condo, townhome and villa short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Condo inventory decreased by 91, and now sits at 3,787.
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.
Every Monday, ORRA’s Monday Morning Quarterback Report gives you a snapshot of the previous week’s market activity, including sales, prices, days on market, and much, much more.
Monday Morning Quarterback for November 17th, 2024 – November 23rd, 2024
Single-family existing homes
Sales of single-family homes increased to 365 during the week of November 17, from 305 the week prior
The median price of single family homes decreased to $430,000 a change of -6.0%
The number of single-family home foreclosure transactions decreased to 1 from 2 the week prior
The number of single-family short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Single-family inventory increased by 3, and now sits at 7,846.
Condos, townhomes, and villas
Sales of condos, townhomes, and villas increased to 102 during the week of November 17, from 83 the week prior
The median price of condos, townhomes, and villas decreased to $263,000 a change of -7.7%
The number of condo, townhome, and villa foreclosure transactions remains constant at 1
The number of condo, townhome and villa short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Condo inventory increased by 43, and now sits at 3,878.
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.
Every Monday, ORRA’s Monday Morning Quarterback Report gives you a snapshot of the previous week’s market activity, including sales, prices, days on market, and much, much more.
Monday Morning Quarterback for November 10th, 2024 – November 16th, 2024
Single-family existing homes
Sales of single-family homes decreased to 305 during the week of November 10, from 329 the week prior
The median price of single family homes increased to $457,500 a change of 8.9%
The number of single-family home foreclosure transactions increased to 2 from 1 the week prior
The number of single-family short-sale transactions decreased to 0 from 1 the week prior
Single-family inventory increased by 24, and now sits at 7,843.
Condos, townhomes, and villas
Sales of condos, townhomes, and villas decreased to 83 during the week of November 10, from 98 the week prior
The median price of condos, townhomes, and villas increased to $285,000 a change of 9.6%
The number of condo, townhome, and villa foreclosure transactions remains constant at 1
The number of condo, townhome and villa short-sale transactions remains constant at 0
Condo inventory increased by 43, and now sits at 3,835.
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.
New Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association data shows highest inventory in nearly ten years.
State of the Market
Inventory for September was recorded at 11,560, up 0.4% from August when inventory was recorded at 11,511. This is the ninth month in a row inventory has risen. The last time inventory was this high was September 2015.
Inventory in September 2024 was 71.1% higher than in September 2023.
September’s interest rate was recorded at 5.9%, down from 6.1% in August. This is the lowest interest rates have been since August 2022.
Homes spent an average of 58 days on the market (DOM) in September – up slightly from 57 in August.
This is a 41.5% increase compared to September 2023 when homes spent an average of 41 days on the market.
The median home price for September was recorded at $380,000, down from $384,500 in August.
Overall sales decreased by 15.3% from August to September. There were 2,655 sales in August and 2,249 sales in September.
Pending sales fell by 1.9%, with 3,556 in August and 3,490 in September.
New listings fell 8.5% from August to September, with 3,530 new homes on the market in September, compared to 3,856 in August.
“Lower interest rates and rising inventory levels are setting the stage for a balanced Orlando housing market as we enter Q4,” said Rose Kemp, President of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association. “With the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cuts and a significant increase in available homes, many buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines are now finding opportunities to achieve the American dream of homeownership.”
Market Snapshot
Interest rates fell from 6.1% in August to 5.9% in September.
Pending sales fell 1.9%, with 3,556 in August and 3,490 in September.
17 distressed homes (bank-owned properties and short sales) accounted for 0.8% of all home sales in September. This is a 54.5% increase from August, when 11 distressed homes sold.
Inventory
Orlando area inventory rose 0.4% from August to September. Inventory in August was 11,511, and inventory in September was 11,560.
The supply of homes rose to 5.14 months in September, up 18.6% from 4.34 months in August. A balanced market is six months of supply.
This is the highest supply of homes has been since January 2015.
The number of new listings decreased from August to September by 8.5% – from 3.856 homes to 3,530 homes.
ORRA’s full State of the Market Report for September can be found here.
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.
It’s the time of year to check not only your battery-operated smoke alarm, but anything you have in your home that could start a fire if not properly used and maintained. This is also the time to talk with your family about your emergency plan in case of a fire. These tips will get you started:
Every kitchen should have an easily-accessed fire extinguisher. If you don’t have one, purchase one, and if your old one hasn’t been serviced recently, call an official inspector to make sure yours is in good working order.
Smoke alarms are a must! Older smoke detectors can be sensitive and go off while someone is cooking, and we inadvertently disconnect the battery to stop that, and forget to reconnect them. More recently-produced types have a sensitivity button that can reduce that problem for a set period of time and return to normal after the time is up.
Homes with more than one story should have an escape ladder close to an easily-accessed window on the upper floor. Safewise.com has a list of their best-rated ladders, and offers tips for choosing the right ladder for your home.
Don’t overload electrical outlets, and use extension cords only on a temporary basis. If you need more outlets, call an electrician to install them. The cost of this greatly outweighs the cost of a fire.
A visit from an electrician is also warranted if you have outlets that spark when you use them, lights that flicker, or a circuit breaker that trips regularly.
Clean your dryer’s lint screen after each load, and keep the vent and back of the dryer clean from lint build-up.
Have chimneys and furnaces checked out before you use them to make sure they’re clean and in good working order. If you use a wood fireplace, make sure the screen protector has no holes, and use only a flame-retardant rug in front of the hearth.
While cooking, don’t leave the kitchen, and even though your children may like to help, have their station set up far from any hot items. Keep towels and paper products away from anything hot, and don’t leave cooking oil unattended.
Although it isn’t very common, lightning can cause a house fire. Lightning rods may seem like an outdated tool, but they are not only helpful for redirecting lightning and prohibiting a fire, they can save your electronics from lightning damage.
Most importantly, you need a family fire plan, and everyone should be familiar with this plan. For tips and a guideline to setting up your own fire escape plan, consult this page from the National Fire Protection Association, where you can find free printable tools to make your planning process go smoothly. No amount of time taken to put a plan into place and practice is too much when it comes to protecting your home and family from a fire.
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.
The weather is cooler, but the days are still long enough to get some regular Fall maintenance done. Get your home prepped for cooler weather now so it won’t be a problem later.
Clean gutters before the leaves fall so they won’t get clogged. Consider installing some gutter protectors so the coming leaf drop won’t cause further problems.
Raking leaves is a job many don’t care for, but if you do, and plan on burning them, check with your local government offices or HOA guidelines to make certain it’s allowed. If not, it’s best to bag them for curbside pick-up, or find a gardening neighbor that would appreciate the extra composting material.
After you’ve mowed and raked one last time, fertilize the lawn. The roots are still active, and the extra nutrients will help the grass overwinter safely.
Speaking of using the lawnmower one last time, drain the fuel and oil from gas-powered equipment, and clean them well. This Old House offers some excellent tips on putting up the lawn mower for Winter.
Give the roof a good look and replace broken or missing shingles.
Check windows and doors–inside and out–for drafts and apply weather-stripping or caulking where it’s needed. Today’s Homeowner has a video that shows us how to apply caulk around our windows.
Call your HVAC serviceperson, and have the heater checked and serviced, if necessary. Go ahead and make sure your filters are new–buying them in bulk keeps you from having to remember to get one every couple of months and saves you money.
If you use wood for heating, hopefully it’s already cut and seasoned. Store it at least 30 feet from the house, covered, unless you bring it in a few days before you burn it.
Turn off your sprinkler system timer, shut water off at the main, and drain the system. If you’re not able to drain it yourself, it may be worth the money to hire a pro to blow the pipes out and drain the sprinkler heads.
It may take a couple of weekends to get all of these done, but all are important to do, and hopefully save you from a headache and spending a lot of money later in the Winter. Some of these chores could be done by a teenager looking to earn a few extra dollars, and they can learn something in the process. You’re never too young to learn about taking care of your home.
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.
