Tiny Houses are really super cute and a lot less expensive than traditional size homes but there are a few things you might want to take into consideration before you decide to purchase a tiny house.  There are pros and cons to owing a tiny house and those are listed for you below for your review.

1. Tiny houses  are typically no more than 100 to 500 square feet.  This may work perfect for you and your family if your family is rather small.  If however you have a large family a tiny house may not be the way to go.
2. You can have a tiny house built for $15,000 however if you want that tiny house to have all the bells and whistles you may end up spending in excess of $80 to $100,000. Basically it will be up to you if you want to purchase a tiny house and “bling it out” so to speak or if you would rather take your money and purchase a large home that already has everything you desire.
3. You may need to check with the zoning board in your area to see if a tiny house is allowed before you make a decision. If so, why not give a tiny house a go…if not, you can always put the tiny house on wheels and travel from state to state.
4. If personal space is important to you then you may not want to even consider purchasing a tiny house. If you do decide to purchase a tiny house your lifestyle will change for sure.  If you don’t mind being in close proximity to your family then a tiny house may be just the ticket!
5. A pro to living in a tiny home is that you won’t have very much space to clean.   If you don’t like spending a ton of time cleaning your house, a tiny home may be the place of your dreams!

These are just a few of the pros and cons associated with tiny house living.  In the end, it is your decision whether or not you want to purchase a tiny house and join the many others you have already done so.

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.

If you currently have your house on the market, you may want to look over a few of the curb appeal mistakes that you might possibly be making listed below.   You may or may not have issues with any of the mistakes that are listed but if you do, we will tell you how to fix them so that you will be more likely to get folks interested in looking at your house.   Curb appeal can many times be the number one reason why a person decides to look at your house in the first place.  Be sure to do your part to make your home’s curb appeal work for you and you might find that you have an offer quicker than you were planning on.

1. If your home is totally gorgeous inside but lacks curb appeal outside, no one may ever know just how beautiful your home actually is because they simply won’t want to come inside.  You need to make sure that the outside of your home matches the quality of the inside.  If your home looks fresh and new inside, make sure that you have fresh paint and landscaping outside.
2. Even though you may have a trash pick-up service, many times when days get busy the trash may be overflowing. Do your best to keep your trash cans out of sight from those who may come to tour your home and also keep them empty if at all possible or at the least not overflowing with garbage.
3. If you have recently starting doing a bit of renovations to the outside of your house, be sure to get those finished before you put your home on the market. You need to think about prospective buyers that may be driving by your house to get a glimpse of what it looks like and realize that no one wants to see a house renovation half completed.
4. If you have a big sense of style that can sometimes get a bit crazy, now is the time to neutral that down a bit. If your front door is painted bright pink for example, you may want to cover it with some white or beige or even black paint before you put it on the market.  Just because you love hot pink doesn’t mean everyone does!
5. If you don’t have a green thumb and therefore you haven’t done any landscaping to the outside of your home, it is time to at least plant a few bushes. Homes with no landscaping tend to be looked over when up against homes with a bit of landscaping.

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking of perhaps some curb appeal mistakes you may have currently at your home and how to correct the issues to help snag a sale.

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

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

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

Below is a list of a few rainy day things you can do inside your home so that you and your family don’t get bored being stuck inside.  If you have small children you know all too well how easily they can get bored when they are stuck inside due to bad weather.  Get them and read this list together to get started on some fun!

1. One fun indoor activity you can do with your small children is to have an indoor scavenger hunt. Write down some clues to where you have hidden items in your house and set your children out on an indoor hunt to find them!  This can be fun for you as well as you watch your kids trying their best to find what you have hidden.
2. Another fun rainy day thing to-do inside your home with your family is to go camping inside!  Get your tent out and set it up right in the middle of your family room.  You and your family can sleep in the tent together all night long!  If everyone doesn’t fit you can use sleeping bags to make it a full fledge family event.  A super fun way to make your indoor camping event even more real is to make smores in the microwave!
3. Yet another fun rainy day thing to do inside is to gather all of your board games and get the entire family involved in playing them together! If you don’t have any board games you can likely find some type of game for all to play online.
4. If you don’t want to have to create something fun to do with your family, why not bake some cookies together! It is always fun to get your little ones together in the kitchen to bake.  Have each child create their own cookie with the ingredients you have available, then let the rest of the family be judges to give the best cookie award!

These are a few fun rainy day things you can do inside your home that is sure to make everyone have an enjoyable time even if they can’t go outside!

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.

When you have pets and you are trying to sell your home there are a few ways that you can avoid your pets ruining your home sale.   Many times folks love animals but that doesn’t mean they want to see evidence of your pets in your home when they are trying to envision themselves living there.  Below are a few ideas on how to not let your pets ruin your home sale.

1. Vacuuming your home is a great idea before you have someone tour your home for a showing but it is essential if you have pets.  Pet hair and tufts of fur can find their way into your guest’s noses and faces if you aren’t careful and that is not going to be good for your potential sale.  If you have someone who happens to sit on your furniture during their home tour you don’t want pet hair to get all over them.  A good way to insure that this doesn’t happen is to run a damp sponge over the furniture before they arrive.
2. As you already know pets are bad about leaving little surprises for you on your floors especially if you are gone during the day. Pet stains are not a welcomed sight to anyone that might be interested in buying your home.  Think about it, would you want to see someone else’s pet mess when touring a home?   I think not.  Do your best to remove any types of these stains before your potential buyers come to tour your home even if you have to spend some money to get things cleaned and stains removed by professionals.
3. Pet odor is another thing that can ruin a potential home sale.   You are likely use to the way your pet smells and may not even be aware that they have an odor but they do.  Those folks who may come to tour your home will likely be able to smell it as soon as they enter the house.  Spraying odor neutralizing sprays can help with pet odor as well as perhaps having just baked some cookies for your guest to enjoy.  Whatever you have to do to get rid of the odor is what you need to do.
4. If your pet has a bed in your home it is best to stick it in the closet or to remove it from the home before your home tour begins.

These are just a few ideas on how to not let your pet or pets ruin your potential home sale.  Hopefully they will get you thinking in the right direction so that you may be more able to walk away with an offer.

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.

If you have recently purchased a new house and you would like to fill it up with new furniture you have likely found that it can be quite the overwhelming task and an expensive one as well.  There are a few money saving ideas for furniture shopping that can help you out quite a bit in your search for new furniture and those have been listed below.

1.  One good thing you can do to help you save a bit of money when furniture shopping is to call a few of the stores you are going to be visiting ahead of time.  This way you can find out if they have prices you can afford and also if they have brand names that you are interested in.  This can save you a little bit of time and money so that you don’t waste it traveling long distances.
2.  Another money saving idea for furniture shopping  is to make sure to look at every piece of furniture that the store has by walking the entire shop.  Many times there are clearance items or items that perhaps are slightly damaged in the store but they are not out for all to see.  Do your due diligence and walk the entire space so you don’t lose out on any good deals.
3. Yet another good way to save money when furniture shopping is to purchase consignment furniture.  You can find lots of really nice pieces by shopping consignment.
4. If you find a piece of furniture that you have your heart set on do your best to bargain with the seller.  You never know unless you ask.
5. Shopping estate sales is another way to get good prices on furniture.  Many times you can get pieces at estate sales that are worth much more than you pay for them so you can make your home look very nice.
6. Lastly if you want to save a good amount of money on furniture  why not refinish what you already have!  Old furniture can become new again if you are able to successfully refinish it.

Hopefully this list of money saving ideas on furniture buying has gotten you thinking in the right direction before you begin making your purchases.   Now get out there and save some money and furnish your home with beautiful new furniture.

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.

If you are like the rest of us then just a few days ago you made a list of New Year resolutions.   Many of us however do not stick to our plan when it comes to these promises we make ourselves.  If you plan to purchase a home sometime in this New Year you need to make a few related resolutions that will likely help you to attain your goal and dream of home ownership.  Below these resolutions are listed for you.

1. Stop opening credit cards.  It is easy these days especially when you are shopping, to open one credit card after the other.  If buying a home is on your to do list this year however, you need to steer clear of opening new credit cards.
2. Start paying your student loans on time every time. Many times when folks get student loans they tend to think they can pay them as they can but that can mess up your credit in no time.  If someone who has good credit and shows they are good at paying bills on time every time puts a bid in on a house you have your eye on and you put a bid on that house as well, it’s likely due to their history that they will win the bid and not you.
3. Start paying your credit cards every month and on time. Even if you can’t afford to pay more than just the minimum payment you need to make sure you pay your credit card each and every month.   This type of diligence will serve you well when you go to make an offer on a house.
4. Make sure you have a little bit of a cash reserve in your bank account at all times. It won’t look good to a mortgage lender when you ask for a loan if you have a zero balance in your bank account.
5. Stick with the same job for as long as you can. Jumping from one job to another during a year is a sure fire way to lose your chance at the home of your dreams.  Lenders want to see stability and staying with the same job for a few years will show them that.

These New Year resolutions, if you do your best to keep them, will do their part towards helping you to purchase the home you have always dreamed about.

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.

According to research done by Scentiments, 80% of Americans use home fragrances.  The choices can be overwhelming, and visitors and family members can be allergic to mass-produced products, as they likely contain chemical compounds.  Many people, however, have what they need for their home fragrances right in their pantries or available on grocery shelves! 

Fragrance Combinations 

• orange or lemon peels and whole or ground cloves 
• fresh rosemary stems and leaves, lemon peel, and a few drops of vanilla extract 

• lemon or lime peel and basil leaves, fresh or dry 
• sliced cucumber (or just the peel), basil leaves and a teaspoon of ground ginger 
• dried lavender, lemon peel and peppermint oil 
• grapefruit peel and lavender blossoms or rosemary stems with leaves 

— Mix one of the above combinations with a few cups of water, and simmer on your stove. Be sure to add more water as it evaporates, and the fragrance usually lasts about sixteen hours of simmer time.  If you have any scent left in the mixture but won’t be home to enjoy it, let the mixture cool, and store it in the refrigerator for up to a few days. The mixture can also be used in a small electric simmering pot. 

— All you need is a spray bottle, distilled water, and one of the Fragrance Combinations, and you’ve got custom room spray!  Add your favorite ingredients to the bottle, fill with distilled water, and allow to sit for a few hours.  Keeping the spray refrigerated will keep it fresh for a week.  If you want to keep it longer, a few drops of rubbing alcohol or witch hazel astringent will help with preserving it. 

— Utilizing dried citrus/fruit peels and herbs, you can make simple sachets to place around your home and in dresser drawers.  Lay a square fabric scrap flat, wrong side up, and place a few spoonfuls of your dried scent combo in the center.  Bring the corners together, twist, and tie with a ribbon, jute twine or twist tie. 

— Air freshener beads can be made with polymer absorbent crystals normally used for potting soil!  Mixing the same ingredients as the room spray, add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to keep the mixture from spoiling.  In a bowl, mix one teaspoon of the crystals and one cup of your scented water. For a stronger scent, add a few drops of essential oil or extracts leftover from baking.  Once the polymer has absorbed all of the water, divide them into two pint-sized jars.  Use a scrap of lace to cover the top, and add the screw lid.  

— Because essential oils are another natural alternative, here is an easy DIY reed diffuser idea.  All you need is your favorite essential oil, a glass bottle and bamboo skewers! 

Remember that these natural scents will not be as strong as commercially-produced fragrances.  The good thing about using what comes from nature can be used more frequently without the worry of using added chemicals in your home.  It will take a bit of getting used to, but a naturally sweet-smelling home will be a reward in many ways. 

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.

Photo credit: hellofresh

Simplify Your Thanksgiving Travels!

This Thanksgiving, AAA expects 53.4 million Americans to hit the road, the highest single-year increase since 2005. Here are expert tips and tricks for making one of the busiest travel holidays of the year easier than ever. You can thank us later!

Be Mindful and Thoughtful

Can holiday travel feel stressful? Does it help to take out your frustration on fellow passengers and travelers? It doesn’t have to be this way. Frame your journey as an exciting adventure. Everyone traveling has a similar goal to celebrate Thanksgiving with loved ones. Practice slowing your breathing if long lines or traffic are causing you stress.

Travel Light

Everyone flying will be packing carry-ons to accommodate their journey. Overhead compartments will fill up quickly. Try to pack everything into a backpack that will fit under the seat in front of you. If you have gifts or bulky items, consider shipping them to your final destination ahead of time.

Travel at Odd Times

The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, closely followed by the Sunday after the big day. Fly to your destination a few days early and fly back on Friday when the masses are out shopping the best deals of the year. Drive through the night to avoid traffic.

Stay Connected

Smartphone users can take advantage of apps that provide updates on airline statuses, road traffic, weather, and current news. Social media is a great resource to be the first place to hear about anything that might go wrong with your flight. Airlines can also be more responsive to public pleas of assistance on social media.

By using these tips as a guideline, you can better organize and prepare for your trip.

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: Surge365

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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Photo credit: amazon.com

Choosing laminate wood flooring for a home is a really good decision for a homeowner.  Laminate flooring has come a long way since its beginning a few decades ago, with better quality, ease of installment, and varieties to choose from–you can even get laminate to look like stone! Caring for this manufactured product can be tricky, but with the right cleaning and care, it can look great for years to come.

    Protecting the Floor

• Laminate flooring isn’t real wood–it’s an image of wood adhered to fiberboard, with a bottom that is moisture damage-resistant. It is covered with a clear protectant that is hard enough to protect it from scratching and pitting.
• Although it is made to prevent moisture damage, it still needs to be protected from liquids. Any spills need to be cleaned up as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
• The top layer of sealant is there to protect the floor, but if the dining room chairs are constantly pulled from the table, put some felt pads on the legs to prevent any scratching.
• Other pieces of furniture that don’t get moved often still may need something under the legs, and felt pads or newer style plastic casters work perfectly for heavier pieces.
• High traffic areas are best protected with area rugs and runners. Be sure to use a gripper mat or tape underneath rugs to prevent slipping.
• Even though laminate is great for homes with pets, they can still get scratched in extreme situations. Keep pet’s toenails trimmed to prevent this. Pet accidents need to be cleaned immediately to prevent moisture damage and stains.
• Some toys with sharp edges can dent or pit the floor, so they should be used with care, or in places protected with area rugs.
• Sometimes an area of the floor can get damaged, and the best solution is to call the manufacturer to get their advice. Most even sell repair kits for small DIY jobs.

Keeping It Clean

• The first defense in keeping any floor clean is a mat on both sides of a door that leads outside. A “no shoes” policy could even be put in place to keep even more dirt out, as well as preventing scuff marks.
• Removing dirt and small particles is best done on laminate floors with a microfiber cloth or mop. Sweeping with a broom can scratch the surface over time, and usually doesn’t get all of the dirt, anyway.  Many styles of reusable and washable cloth floor cleaners are available and are perfect for laminate.
• Electric sweepers are also excellent for vacuuming dirt and pet hair. Make sure any vacuum-type sweeper has a gentle brush motion.  Too heavy, and it can scratch.
• Mopping can create streaks because of too much detergent in the cleaner. The best solution for mopping grime or sticky spills is using two parts warm water, one part white vinegar, a few drops of dishwashing liquid, and a drop or two of lemon essential oil. The essential oil helps keep the vinegar odor down, but that smell fades quickly.  Mix this in a spray bottle, and spray each area as you mop.  The less liquid used, the better for the floor.
• In case of streaks, use a microfiber cloth or cloth diaper to buff the floor. These are best for a great shine on the floor. Never use dusting spray, as it can cause floors to be slippery.

Laminate flooring can be an asset to a home, without the expense and extra work a hardwood floor can bring. Without a lot of extra cost, the flooring can look new for many years, as long as attention is paid to its care and cleaning.

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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