Although most of us no longer labor in the workplace, some of us do, and it is always nice to have a day off from the usual action. September is the start of Central Florida’s fall growing season. Being a Realtor has taught me to be observant, whether I am showing a home, doing a walk through for a listing, or just observing life in general, I appreciate the details. I love this time of the year, the weather is about to cool off, the afternoon shadows grow longer and longer, and I always keep a look out for the first purple martins of the season as they travel from north to south. This time of the year ushers in the start of fall and the glorious weather that is about to visit Central Florida. Unfortunately, it is also Hurricane Season, and the time of the year for Tropical Storms. Let’s hope this year the hurricanes stay far out at sea.
September is also the time to plant our vegetable gardens in Solivita. Remember to enrich your garden beds with peat, composted products, or animal manures before planting.
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Realtors in Solivita typically host a broker’s open house, inviting local realtors and industry professionals to view your residence upon listing your home for sale. A broker’s open house gives your listing more exposure and allows realtors to gather informed feedback from other real estate professionals. If your home shows well, the agents who toured your home may recommend your home to one or more of their buyer clients. The more “buzz” we can generate the better the chance of planting a SOLD sign on your front lawn in a timely manner. I forward all broker comments to the seller and the experts at Bella Verde Realty review all comments as well. If your home does not get great reviews, do not be upset, this is our opportunity to make a few subtle changes while we keep showing your home. Relax, your home will sell. We know it can be a stressful process, but it will be worth it in the end.
Bella Verde Realty also hosts Client Open Houses. Usually these open houses are set on a Saturday or a Sunday for a few hours in the afternoon. I always suggest when we host a Client Open House that the sellers place fresh flowers in a vase in the entry and set their dining room table as if they were hosting a small dinner party. The key is to make your home inviting and warm to a prospective buyer. You want the buyer to see themselves living in and loving your home. A neglected home is an invitation to a low offer. A well cared for home is inviting and will secure solid, reasonable offers.
Whenever your house is on the market, it needs to be show ready. Light the lights as light brightens the space and makes rooms appear larger. Open all curtains and blinds and let the natural light stream in. Always remember that buyers will judge your home on the outside too. Spruce up your porch furniture, make sure the shrubs are looking good, and if your outside entry provides space for a few plants, place a few freshly potted flowers around to add color and interest.
The most important thing is to stay open to buyers’ comments and to follow your agent’s advice. Whatever the advice, remember it is NOT PERSONAL – it is just the business of selling your home.
My favorite (at the moment) weeknight chicken:
This is a perfect recipe for a simple hot weeknight dinner made in a crock pot without heating up the house.
Honey garlic chicken in a slow cooker
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup honey
3 tbsp ketchup
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
Mix together the minced garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and oregano. Pour this mixture over the chicken and stir to coat well.
Add the chicken to the slow cooker
Cover the slow cooker and cook for 3 hours on high. Top with sesame seeds and scallions.
Aug. 25: Wine Walk & Art Walk, New Smyrna Beach. This is always a fun event. Stroll Flagler Avenue and explore over 100 interesting wines inside local pubs, galleries and restaurants during this monthly progressive wine tasting event. $25 tasting passports on sale day of the event at three locations along Flagler Avenue. If you have enjoyed this event before, bring back your official glass and get a discount for the wine walk event held 1 to 7 p.m. This event is held in conjunction with Art Walk. Local and visiting artists display art work, along with entertainment and demonstrations from 10 am to 5 pm.
It is the start of magical dining month in Orlando. This will be the 13th season for this month-long event!
A three course meal with over 90 restaurants to choose from for $35.00 – what a deal! This is not only a good deal for diners, but a good deal for charities too, as $1.00 from each magical meal served during magical dining month is donated to pre-selected charities. The dates for this event are August 24th through September 30, 2018 and if you visit the Magical Dining Orlando site you will see the list of restaurants and their magical dining menus.
In 2017, two local non-profit organizations shared a total of $208,620.00 raised from this event. A record donation raised during 2017 magical dining month, it sure looks like we have a lot of foodies in the neighborhood. The two charities selected to receive the donations in 2017 were Freedom Ride and Base Camp.
Freedom Ride is a non-profit 501c, volunteer-based organization dedicated to enriching the lives and experiences of children and adults with disabilities in Central Florida through therapeutic horseback riding and related activities. If you would like to donate, or volunteer, you can find more information at www.freedomride.com.
Base Camp is a non-profit 501c organization based in Winter Park. What does Base Camp mean? Base Camp has double meaning; First it is an acronym for believe, achieve, support and educate and second it is symbolic of the encampments found at the base of a mountainside where climbers stop for rest, first aid, nourishment, and encouragement along their journey up the mountain. Base Camp offers a place to stop along the journey, a place to gain strength and support for the climb ahead while fighting a life-threatening illness. Base Camp provides a year-round base of support for children and families who are facing the challenge of living with cancer and other life-threatening hematological illnesses. Base Camp serves not only the children who are patients, but their brothers and sisters too. You can find more information at www.basecamp.org.
Central Florida is more than good food and kind acts. The longer we live in Florida the more certain we are that we are not only living life in a beautiful state, but we are living life surrounded by kind and generous neighbors and friends.
Wanted to wish y’all a happy Labor Day. Sending wishes early as the next newsletter won’t be out till after the Labor Day party is over! Labor Day signifies the unofficial end of summer and the start to the fall season. Well almost, as fall does not usually arrive in Central Florida until about November, then it basically lasts till February when spring starts. I just love it here!
How long should I hold on to my investment property?
ROI (return on investment) varies based on many factors, your costs to maintain the property; taxes, HOA, insurance, etc. If the investment property carries a mortgage, the interest rate is a factor as well. There is never a guarantee that a property will increase in value, but let’s say you did some solid research, purchased your property in a desirable location at a good price. This is where the old real estate adage applies; location, location, location. You can now assume your property value will hold, and most likely will increase by about 2%-3% per year. Yes, this is a modest increase, but in today’s real estate market this is a reasonable expectation. Markets do change quickly, and your investment property value rises or falls dependent upon geographical stability, age and condition, size and improvement, population movement, taxes, and the surrounding neighborhood. It is always a smart move to closely watch all investment properties to be certain that your investment is providing the return you anticipated. Of course, if your investment property is generating an income; it pays to hold that property until you have achieved your personal goal. I have many clients who purchase homes in anticipation of living or retiring to their investment property in the future. In the interim, the client has a home in a great location, purchased at a good price, that is generating an income. When they are ready to retire to Florida their home is ready to live in and enjoy.
Many clients also rent their Solivita home for the winter season; usually November thru April. During the other six months, they visit, vacation, and enjoy the benefits of owning a home in the award-winning community of Solivita. If you were to choose this option in Solivita your property would not generate an income but instead would cover the ownership costs and provide you and your family a great place to relax and vacation while you try out the fabulous Solivita lifestyle.
Not to be forgotten in the equation is the tax benefits of a rental property. However, you choose to manage your investments, home ownership is always a good choice to consider.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season started June 1st and hurricanes were the cause of major damage in Florida and the Carolinas during the 2016 and 2017 Seasons. Folks living in coastal areas are most at risk, but hurricanes also bring high winds and rain inland to Central Florida. Reminding us all of the old adage “Better to be Safe than Sorry”. Hurricane Irma in September of 2017 cut power to thousands of customers. Happy to say, Solivita has underground wiring and a secure power grid. SOLIVITA DID NOT lose power but, knowing you are prepared will bring peace of mind and comfort to you and those that love you.
Assemble an Emergency Kit, safeguard all important documents, keep your medication in a safe location, and sign up for emergency alerts by logging in to Polk County Emergency Management. https://polk-county.net/emergency-management.
As we know, severe weather can strike quickly, creating a variety of dangerous situations. We all have a responsibility to stay tuned to the National Weather Service, local media and emergency management for special warnings or instructions during severe weather events.
Recently we spent an afternoon in Winter Park at the Morse Museum. This museum does not disappoint. The Morse houses a comprehensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s works, including the artist and designer’s jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass, leaded-glass lamps, and windows, plus Tiffany’s Chapel is on display. For decades, many of the chapel elements remained in packing crates, and in 1996 the Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation endorsed an expansion project and the packing crates were opened and the Chapel was reassembled in Winter Park. This beautiful display was opened to the public in April 1999 and, since the Chapel was installed in Winter Park, it has inspired all who have had the privilege of visiting this lovely intimate space. You can visit the website for the Morse Museum at www.morsemuseum.org.
Winter Park has some great bistros and lovely spots to enjoy a snack or a meal after a day at the museum. When we were in town we tried Boca in Winter Park – casual, comfortable, and garden fresh. If you happen to be in Winter Park during the week, Boca has a Happy Hour from 3 -6 in the bar area with a nice selection of drinks and appetizers. You can even order a delicious dinner to go from the market. If you visit on a Saturday or Sunday, Boca makes a great brunch and a delicious mimosa.
Winter Park has a wonderful selection of good eateries, from Sushi to Pizza to Turkish, almost any cuisine you choose can be found here, so it is a fun town to explore when you are spending a day away from Solivita. Winter Park is only about 10 miles north of Orlando or about 40 miles from Solivita. Big Bonus – During the week, you can hop on the Sun Rail and let someone else do the driving for you.
I always equate July and August in Florida to January and February in NJ. Lee and I lay low in the Florida heat, just as we did in the NJ cold, but still, I think I would rather live with the heat instead of the cold. In the summer, we swim in the pools in the morning and in the evenings. During the day we explore indoor activities rather than outdoor activities. Of course, lots of folks continue to play tennis, golf, bike ride, enjoy the outdoor walking trails, etc. but I would rather take time to enjoy the relaxed lifestyle Florida offers. We tend to visit museums, see an afternoon show, enjoy an art class or a lecture, or sit back in the AC and watch a movie. During this time of the year you can find me walking the indoor temperature-controlled track in Solivita or tending to our potted plants on the lanai. In our lanai we grow all kinds of herbs and tomatoes. Lee has even planted a few pots with pineapples, they have never grown large, but they sure are sweet. It is a pleasure to have fresh herbs and tomatoes growing near the kitchen. Easy to harvest, plus who does not love strolling out to their lanai to pick some fresh mint for tea, or some basil for a salad.
To help beat the heat, summer is a great time to vacation somewhere with cooler summer temperatures. Snowbirds come to Florida to enjoy the warmth in the winter, so why can’t we escape the heat and take a trip to a cooler climate? Alaska, Washington State, Oregon, Up-State NY, Canada, etc. The list of beautiful places, with cooler summer temperatures is endless. It is always fun to plan, and fun to visit another place on the planet. We live in Solivita, so another worry off the list is safety and security. Solivita is a safe and secure community, therefore we need not to worry about our homes while away.
No summer vacation for us this year, thanks to our great clients. Business has been brisk, and I am keeping my “nose to the grindstone” finding homes for lots of folks relocating to Florida or moving from one neighborhood to another. Always happy to help anyone achieve the “American Dream of Homeownership and a Beautiful Retirement.”