Melbourne Florida Homes for Sale

Some people think that is much easier to go through the holiday season without having their home on the market. Guests, family visitors, friends . . . all types of people are coming through that are not normally there so rather than have the home show ready this time of year I am just not going to have it listed. But that is the wrong way to think in this market. It may take a little effort but here are some reasons why you should list your home during the holiday season.

1. Serious Buyers – Although there are less buyers this time of year, those that are out there are serious buyers. I mean, would you really want to shop for a home this time of year unless you had to. EXACTLY!! That is why those that are shopping for a home now are serious and probably looking to move-in quick.

2. Less Competition – Just like the introduction stated, a lot of people think the same way. And although there are less people buying, there are also less people typically with their home on the market. This drop in inventory could be the competitive edge you are looking for to attract those serious buyers from reason #1.

3. Decor Can Make the Home Feel Like . . . Well Home – There is plenty of opportunity to dress the home in holiday decor which can spark a lot of emotion in a buyer this time of year. You have to be careful to keep it on the tasteful side and don’t drape everything that doesn’t move with tinsel and knick knacks. But carefully placed wreaths, candles, holiday swag and a beautifully decorated tree can all conspire to have that buyer draft an offer.

4. Time to Relocate – Whether its the weather or the abundance of companies shoring up their balance sheets and adding employees, there does tend to be a strong percentage of people that relocate this time of year. It is an easy time because the kids are out of school, everyone can pitch in over the holiday period to move because a lot of people have time off from work. And of course, being Florida, we have many escapees from the north that feel like this is the season to buy in warmer weather even if it is just a vacation home.

5. Tax Purposes – Its the end of the year and any financial means that have to be made to satisfy tax write offs or offsets for special tax reasons usually have until December 31 to get done. If someone has a property tax exchange they have to complete or want to get in one round of mortgage interest of their taxable amount will want to buy a home in December.

So, there you have it. It may be tougher keeping the home show ready with all the guests and visitors. But wouldn’t it be worth it if one of those people that came in saw how lovely your home was and decided, now is the time to buy.

As we approach the holiday season, most people think about the preparation for parties, last minute gifts for Uncle Joe or being able to work off all those calories from Aunt Edna’s casserole. However, with all the rush of the season, it is easy to forget those that we do not work with or interact with on a daily basis. We are so busy with making sure that our families have everything together that it is easy to forget about the plight that others have this time of year as well as all year round. That is why it is just as important as any other time to become involved in local charity work. “But, I don’t have the time,” you say. Well, you do not necessarily have to give your time; there are plenty of other ways to help without stressing any more than you already do.

A lot of organizations try to do special events and offer special meals. It could be as simple as hosting a canned food drive for your favorite charity and it is not very time consuming. I am a board member for the Space Coast Business Guild and we joined up with a local bar which offered drink discounts to people who brought in food donations. Over three nights we collected enough food and monetary donations to provide 500 pounds of food to the Central Brevard Sharing Center and Project Response.

Another easy way to get involved is to tie in your charity to something you are already doing and just make it the frosting on the cake. I host an annual Christmas party with a healthy attendance and everyone is always wondering what to bring. I usually end up with a lot of bottles wine (which I am more than happy to consume or use for future guests), chocolates and assorted great gifts. And although I have not had the best year financially, I still felt like this was an opportunity to do more for others. So, on my party invitations this year I have asked for all of my guests to bring either a toy for children at Project Response or to bring a cash/check donation to UNICEF instead of any presents for me. This way, there is no pressure for them to find an interesting or unique gift for the host, but my guests and I are also doing something for the community. As a result, one of my neighbors agreed to pick up toys for over 20 children on the list and it sounds like the toy drive at Project Response will be a success.

So, although this time of year it is easy to get caught up in family gatherings, office parties, the mad shopping rush and end of the year planning for next year, make it a point to remember others and give back to your community. There are plenty of easy ways to do it that will not burden you this time of year. Happy Holidays!!

Spring Clean Your House in a Weekend – Spring cleaning is a job few people enjoy. With a strategy, you can get it over and done with in a weekend.

Get Ready…Get Set – Walk through each room in your house with paper and pen; list what you need to do. Take stock of cleaning supplies and equipment. Buy items you need. Call a charity organization and schedule a time after your cleaning weekend for them to pick up items and clothes you want to give away.

Go! – Get up early Saturday morning and have family members strip bed linens (including mattress pads) and remove curtains that need cleaning. Begin washing. Keep laundry moving from washer to dryer every 30 minutes.

Smarter Cleaning – Think gravity. Clean from top to bottom; that’s the direction the dirt goes.
Vacuum instead of dusting or sweeping whenever possible. It’s quicker and usually more thorough.
Use time-saving cleaning wipes.

Don’t get distracted. If you find a magazine you’ve been looking for under a bed, don’t stop to read it.
Don’t clean anything that’s not dirty. For example, wipe smudges off a door without cleaning the entire door.

Work around a room instead of crisscrossing it so you don’t have to carry supplies and equipment back and forth.

Source: Housekeepingchannel.com

Follow the 10 tips outlined below for a welcoming garden that’s filled with color and fragrance — and song.

Survey the Yard
Make note of tree limbs that should be removed or cabled, especially those that overhang structures. Hire an arborist to maintain large trees. Cut down last year’s perennial foliage, and toss it into the compost pile. Rake mulch from beds planted with bulbs before foliage appears, and refresh mulch in other planting areas after soil warms. Check fences, steps, and pathways for disrepair caused by freezing and thawing.

Order Tools and Plants
Tune up tools so everything is ready when things start growing. Make note of what is missing, and order tools for the new growing season. Choose new plants for the garden. Order perennials, trees, and shrubs for spring planting.

Get Ready to Mow
Send the mower and leaf blower for servicing, or if you have the right tools, sharpen the mower blades yourself. Refill your mower with oil, install fresh spark plugs, and lubricate moving parts if necessary. Clear the lawn of winter debris, and look for areas that need reseeding before mowing.

Prune Trees and Shrubs
Remove dead, damaged, and diseased branches from woody plants. Thin and trim summer-blooming shrubs such as butterfly bush, hydrangea, and most roses, except for old-fashioned once bloomers. Prune cold-damaged wood after plants resume spring growth. Prune spring-blooming shrubs and trees after flowering.

Take a Soil Test
Check soil pH with a home soil- test kit, taking several samples from different planting areas for an accurate reading. Enrich soil as necessary: Add dolomitic lime to raise the pH or elemental sulfur to lower the pH.

Prepare New Beds
Clear the planting area as soon as soil can be worked, removing sod or weeds and debris. Spread a 4-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure and any amendments over soil, and cultivate it to a depth of 10 to 12 inches with a spading fork.

Plant
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and perennials such as hostas and daylilies by early spring. Choose a cool, cloudy day if possible. Transplant container-grown plants anytime during the growing season except midsummer; be sure to water them thoroughly. Sow seeds of cool-season flowers like sweet peas, poppies, and calendula, and vegetables such as lettuce, parsley, and spinach.

Fertilize
Apply balanced fertilizer (6-6-6 or 8-8-8), fish emulsion, or other soil amendments recommended by soil-test results around trees and shrubs when new growth appears. Spread high-acid fertilizer and pine-needle mulch around acid-loving shrubs like azaleas and camellias. Begin fertilizing perennials when active growth resumes.

Start a Compost Pile
Start a compost pile, or use a compost bin, if you don’t have one already. Begin by collecting plant debris and leaves raked up from the garden. Chop these up first to speed decomposition. Add equal amounts “brown” (carbon-rich) materials like dried leaves and straw and “green” (nitrogen-rich) materials like grass clippings and weeds in even layers with water and a compost bioactivator. Turn regularly. Continue adding to the pile throughout the season for rich, homemade compost next spring.

Clean Bird Feeders and Baths
Disinfect the feeders by scrubbing with weak bleach solution (1/4 cup bleach: 2 gallons warm water). Rinse and dry the feeders thoroughly before refilling them.Scrub birdbaths with bleach solution, then rinse them thoroughly and refill, changing water weekly. Clean birdbaths and feeders regularly throughout the season.

Are you having trouble with accents like pillows, rugs, florals or accessories?

Some homeowners find beautiful furniture pieces that become a great investment to use for years. But when people stay in a home an average of 5.3 years and move those pieces along, how do you keep that look fresh in your new home? Well, it is all about the accents. Freshening up your accents can give any piece of furniture a fresh, new life.

It is very similar to having basics in your wardrobe. That high dollar bed, sofa or arm chair is just like solid color basics in your clothing collection that you dress up with color accented scarves, jewelry or any other layered pieces of clothing. Just like people have trouble matching new colors and textures (you’ve seen them at the mall, on the subway, and anyplace that fashion can fall victim to a mistake) some people feel the same about accenting their living rooms and bedrooms.
Well there are several solutions.

Obviously, a designer’s eye can be quite a useful tool to dress up a room in your new home. It never hurts to consult with one and get a fresh perspective on your home and furniture. Another approach focuses on furniture companies that now offer online consultations where you can speak to a designer but that does not always paint a clear picture when you are debating whether that green is sage or tealeaf. This does not appeal to everyone’s comfort level but is an option. Some major retailers are also taking the charge to help those that are accent-challenged. Companies like Pottery Barn offer tools where you can put some color on the walls and throw some accent pillows on the sofa and see how the color combination works. It gives the buyer a great visual idea of how things will look before they purchase.

So, keep your home looking fresh with fresh new colors from the season or for your new year round perspective in your new home.