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Retirement demands the most comfortable location for living and relaxing. Orlando, Florida is considered one of the top places people 55+ tend to move to for their retirement. But what is it about Orlando that is so appealing to this group of people? The climate? Perhaps the attractions? Orlando offers so much for both retired and younger people to do to maintain an Active Lifestyle.
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So, I am going out on a limb with this post (almost literally) and am going to introduce you to a new way of living called “up-cycling”!
Up-cycling is taking something old and non-useful, and finding a new purpose in this life. This could be anything as simple as turning an old pair of jeans into a new throw-pillow, or taking your husband’s old toolbox, and giving three baby blue-jays a new home.
Imagination is key to this concept, but, it is honestly one of the easiest, Eco-friendliest, and cost-effective method of getting that perfect motif on the outside of your home.
If you are a crafty person with a love for the unusual, check out these few links I have found, I think you will really appreciate them!
living.msn.com
www.curbly.com
www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
Home values in more than 1,000 cities and towns nationwide either already are, or soon will be, more expensive than ever, erasing any losses in value experienced during the recession, according to Zillow.
U.S. home values climbed 5.7 percent year-over year in the first quarter, to a Zillow Home Value Index of $169,800. National home values have climbed year-over-year for 21 consecutive months, a steady march upward that has helped put the housing recession almost entirely in the rearview mirror in 1,080 of the more than 8,700 cities and towns covered by Zillow.
In these areas, home values are already at or expected to reach pre-recession levels in the next year, including in many hard-hit areas. Among the 6,781 cities and towns covered by Zillow that experienced home value declines of 10 percent or more during the recession, values in 527 have either fully recovered or are expected to recover fully by the first quarter of 2015.
Read full article at Zillow
We’ve all heard it, “April Showers bring May Flowers”.
Well here we are, smack dab in the middle of April, in what is usually sunny Florida. On the bright side, every storm runs out of rain eventually, leaving a beautiful rainbow and blooming life in its wake. But, what about your home? Have you prepared for the gallons of water that will be dumped upon your house this Spring? In his article “Preparing Your Home For Spring”, Andrew Penner mentions a few aspects of your home to take an extra look at.
- Gutters
- Wood Trim and Caulking Around Windows, Doors, Railings, and Decks
- Roof Shingles, Flashing, and Caulking
- Outside Faucets
- Clean and Service Outside A/C System
As a homeowner, you probably already know that there are many more maintenance jobs that your home will require over the years. Hiring maintenance crews to do your “dirty work” (literally) for you can get pricey. There are many do-it-yourself (DIY) projects that can be done inexpensively, and you can even get the entire family involved. For ideas and inspiration, check out my Pinterest page or visit one of the many home improvement stores in your area like HomeDepot.com or Lowes.com
Are you facing retirement soon? Are you trying to decide between staying near family or choosing real estate in Central Florida, or elsewhere? Should you sell the home you are currently in to give yourself some freedom? You have a lot to consider when it comes to making a decision. The five questions below are great ones to ponder if you are considering a move.
First, how far are you willing to move?
Making a move of any kind is both exciting and challenging for any person, especially those past the age of retirement. It is important to consider just how far you are willing to move. Are you ready for a big change?
Second, where have you always wanted to live?
What’s your dream? Is the Florida sunshine where you have always wanted to spend your retirement? Or do you love the changing seasons? Do you want a home by the ocean? Or is a golf community the priority? How do you want to spend your days?
Third, how close do you want to be to your loved ones?
If you decide to make a long distance move, it might mean having a substantial distance between you and some of your loved ones. This can be refreshing! But it can also be a challenge. Are you willing to put distance between yourself and your children or grandchildren? Would you like to divide your year and live in two places?
Fourth, how much money are you able to spend?
Once you have decided where you want to live, it is time to determine just how much you can afford to spend. This needs to be decided before you can start to find a place to live. Work on your budget and determine just how much you will be able to use toward this move and toward your future home. If you are moving away from family, remember to include money in your budget for going back to visit them.
Fifth, do you want to own or rent?
This is something that needs to be considered carefully. When you move, do you want to get into a condo or apartment, or would you rather own a little home of your own? Do you want the responsibility and freedom of a home, or do you want to relax in a maintenance-free place?
Take your time to answer these questions, decide where to retire. Then take the leap and make every day count wherever you are!
As baby birds are hatching, the bees are buzzing, and the flowers are blooming, something inside of us is going to emerge as well…stress! We live in a “go, go, go” world, having little time to get done what needs to be done, let alone stopping to smell the roses. Yet, we always seem to be on the hunt for “relaxing” or “stress-relieving” methods, which, ironically, can be done with something as simple as stopping to smell the roses.
Clear schedule, clear mind. Simple.
Trick: Suss Out Time Sucks. First off, what? Time sucks are hours, minutes, or even seconds in your day that you are not using in a beneficial manner.
Challenge: For one week, take 30 minutes at the end of your day to look back on your past 16 hours or so (from when you wake, to when you lie down), and write down everything you did for that day. You will soon realize how much of your time is wasted each day on social media, television, and other mind-numbing tasks, that you could be being productive.
What’s trash, is trash. Clear your clutter.
Trick: Differentiate between Treasure and Toss-Able. The costume jewelry that your grandmother left you? Treasure. The Lisa Frank diary from 2nd grade, with poorly drawn unicorns and “I love Johnny” written all over? Toss-Able. Some items may seem like they hold tremendous value, but in all actuality, you don’t need it to remember all the good times that went with it.
Challenge: Take this scenario as a starting point. Lightning hit a tree in your yard, causing a fire, creating an enormous monster of fire and rage, leaving nothing in its wake, including your house. Thanks to amazing insurance and the support of your community, you are in a new home in no time. Now, what are the first things you will buy, apart from the necessities like clothes and a bed? These are the items will be the “Treasure”. All else that does not fit will be the “Toss-Able”.
Clear your mind.
Trick: Control only what is possible. This one is pretty self-explanatory. You can only do what you can do, no more, no less. So why worry about things that are not even possible? It is a negative attribute that each and every one of us has, and we need to learn to let go of will not be, and focus on what will.
Challenge (Hint-it involves more writing): After you have written down all that you have done in your waking moments for the day, take the next five minutes to write down everything that you worried about that day as well. You will be shocked by two things:
- Just how many things you worry about in a given day
- How many of those things are completely irrational, and only cause more stress
Visually seeing what it is that worries you may help with that worry, yes, but it is also going to help you stop stressing over the little things in your life that you have no control over, and consequently, freeing your mind of excess negativity.
View the full article on spring cleaning your life on www.huffingtonpost.com!
As the housing market begins to improve around the country, more and more people will be wondering when they should put their homes on the market. Timing is everything in real estate.
It’s important to buy and sell a house in the right year, and it’s important to choose the right time of year. When it comes to sales and resales, as well as listing a home, it’s great to put a house on the market during the springtime. The exact month may not make that much of a difference, but selling a home in late spring may be particularly advantageous.
Anyone trying to make a successful sale needs to see things from the perspective of the buyers.A number of people will be looking into central FL real estate specifically because they’re looking for a place in an area with beautiful weather.
Spring is the perfect time to attract people from New England or the Midwest that still have fresh memories of the drudgery of winter weather.
People from these areas will often schedule summer moves, regardless of whether or not they have children.
Buyers around the country are also getting the message that the present may be the time to purchase a home. Central FL real estate can offer buyers favorable price and mortgage statistics, which are going to attract plenty of attention all over the country. Many people today are still moving for the sake of trying to secure stable long-term employment. The job opportunities in Central Florida are particularly good compared to what buyers can expect to find in many other areas, particularly for people that work in healthcare or technology. People looking to change jobs and start over will often do it in the springtime as well, which is all the more reason that selling a home during the spring can be beneficial for both parties.
Spring has sprung and I know many of us are looking for ways to bring in color and today I wanted to show you how you can add subtle pops of color in areas throughout a home.
One of the best spots in a home to dip your toes in the bold and bright waters is to paint the front door. The front door is such a great spot to try a bold color because its not a big commitment and it does so much for curb appeal (it can also be easily changed):
A great way to test out a color is to paint two poster boards using a small sample pot of color and tape them to your front door. Whenever you are test sampling a higher pigmented color, be sure and paint at least three coats on your sample board to see the true color. Once you tape your poster boards to your door, head out to your curb and see what you think.
Another easy way to add a subtle pop of color is on an accent wall somewhere in your home:
Again, a small accent wall is not a big commitment and you can change it any time. I also suggest testing out colors using poster boards to make sure you will like color. Read the full article at Remodelaholic.com