BURLWOOD DR, ORLANDO

We have the possibility to do anything!

Waking up to a day of inevitable lost and pain, knowing that the rip in your heart is so real. Everything around you seems to fall apart as you drudge through your daily routine. Nothing seems right as you continue on, seemingly everything that you touch, falls apart. All of you dreams seem to be barren, distant memories of what you thought your life would be. You look around and nothing is as you thought it would be, as you go to a job that causes you strife. Inebriated in pain and dissatisfaction banging in your head, banging a dull knock, but slowly wearing off, wearing off because the hour ticks closer to something that we all have. We all have the possibility of a new day. As the hour pushes on a cloud of possibilities draw near, with all of the wicked pains and stirs that uproot our lives, were blessed with the sun, that will rise tomorrow, and we can begin again, and strive for being great, it’s the only constant that we can hold on to. Time heals all, and you can do anything you set your mind to, as the time ticks by, endeavor to march to its beat, because as the sun rise, use its beauty as your possibilities to change your destiny, to make life better. Your waking up to a day of infinite possibilities.
What are you going to work at changing today!

How to sell a Home that has pets.

“Wow, this home is beautiful”, exclaimed Linda. “Hey it looks like I won’t have very much work to do with this yard” commented Tom, “it’s perfect, Keshia, I think you have out done yourself!” This was the initial reaction of Linda and Tom, as I showed them the 4 bedroom, 3 bath pool home. The price was within their budget, so this would be a sure win for the couple. As we entered the home, an unsightly smell burst through the door, and tiny little yelps, screamed from the kitchen. “What is that smell”, asked Tom. “I think its urine” said Linda. Through a clinched smile, I said, “this is something that we can address with the owner, I am sure we can negotiate this issue, let’s just take a look at the home.” Unfortunately, the excited and eager couple, became skeptical and displeased. As we walked over stains in the carpet, and talk through held breath, we tried to acknowledge some of the great points of the home. Never the less, they didn’t buy the home. Having pets are a challenge and although they are the love of our lives, when selling a home they can be a major deterrent.
Some things to consider, most pet lovers understand the challenges of having pets and are very use to some of the smells that go along with turtles, cats, dogs and snakes. But Buyers are not very forgiving, and they often use everything they can to ex your pet adorned home, off of their list. So how do get these buyers that don’t have pets or who may have allergies, to buy your home, in spite of their preconceived notions? Florida Realtor reports;
Most realty professionals agree that the best course of action is for sellers to eliminate the pet presence from their home while it is on the market.

“Sellers need to understand that many people have allergies to pets, and many children have asthma attacks from animals,” says Barbara Cluck-Miksits of BCM Home Staging in North Jersey. “If they do not address this, they are narrowing down the number of potential buyers who would be interested in buying their home.”

She advises sellers to have their carpets and upholstery professionally cleaned – or to simply replace it, if possible, if it is stained and smelly. Since residents may be used to the pet odors, experts recommend having a friend or neighbor perform a “whiff test.” It is also advisable to vacuum every day as well as to put away pet toys, beds, dishes, and other evidence of an animal in the home.

If homeowners can’t place their pet with friends or family while the house is on the market, then it is best to at least move the animal to an area of the home that is more removed from the rest of the house.

The number 1 solution, is to relocate the pets while your home is on the market

• Let a friend or relative care for Fluffy and Spike.
• Board them at a kennel.
• Send them on vacation.
• Find an area in the home that is removed from the home

Per About.com, Overcoming Negatives Associated with Your Pets works as well. If you shrug off all professional advice and absolutely refuse to move your pets out of the house, then at least minimize the objections and nuisance factors, real or otherwise:

• Cat Litter Boxes & Dog Potty Pads

Keep them out of sight and impeccably clean. Nothing turns off buyers faster than opening the door to the laundry room and being greeted by a full or stinky cat box.

• Carpet & Floor Pet Stains

Hire professionals to remove the stains. Buyers will spot them and form unfavorable opinions about the rest of the house. If the stains can't be removed, then remove the floor covering and replace it.

• Pet Odors and Smells

1. Cat urine is the worst. Without question. The. Worst. Bring in a neighbor to do a whiff test.
2. Do not use air fresheners. People with allergies will react.
3. Try enzyme cleaners such as Simple Solution.


Here is a home remedy for getting rid of urine smell from the carpet:
This is a great recipe for removing cat urine odor from carpet. Start by blotting up as much of the urine as possible with old rags or paper towels. Next mix 3 parts water with one part vinegar and saturate the spot. Dry thoroughly using the same method mentioned above. Once dry, sprinkle the area with Baking Soda. Next mix ¾ cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution with one tsp. dish detergent and sprinkle over the Baking Soda. Try this first on a small inconspicuous area of the carpet to make sure the hydrogen peroxide won’t discolor your carpet. Next, use your fingers or an old brush to work the Baking Soda in. I’ve used an old hairbrush with little bits of plastic over the tips with good results. Allow this to dry and vacuum it up. If there’s still a slight odor when done, lather, rinse and repeat.


Ultimately, pricing the home right, proper staging and a good marketing plan is a start, but following some of these points can help keep you in the running with your competitors, even with pets.

For more advice on how to show the home with pets please contact me.

Sales of Existing Homes Rose 24%

Per Florida Realtors, Sales of existing single-family homes in Florida rose 24 percent in first quarter 2010 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the latest housing statistics from Florida Realtors®. A total of 38,846 existing homes sold statewide in 1Q 2010; during the same period the year before, a total of 31,410 existing homes sold. It marks the seventh consecutive quarter that Florida has seen higher existing year-to-year home sales, according to the state association.

Statewide sales of existing condominiums in the first quarter rose 67 percent compared to the same time the previous year. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter for increased statewide sales in both the existing home and condo markets compared to year-ago levels.

"The first quarter data release from the Florida Realtors paints a picture of a housing market continuing down the long road to recovery," said Dr. Sean Snaith, director for the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness. "Transactions in the single family market have extended quarterly year-over-year gains for nearly two years, and condo sales have also risen sharply. Median prices in most areas of the state continue to fall; however, the rate at which they are falling has diminished significantly and this is indicative of a bottom approaching.

"How long prices stay at the bottom and when price appreciation will reappear will depend in a large part on the improving fundamentals in the economy and credit markets."

The University of Florida's Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies' latest quarterly survey of real estate trends also notes positive signs of recovery in the state's real estate industry. The survey polls market research economists, industry executives, real estate scholars and other experts.

Now is a good time to buy a home, for more information on the market trends please give me a call.