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TheReal Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Biggest Asset

Allison Roman Lic# 3409788

Lisa Soloway Lic# 3443698

eXp Realty, LLC 818 E. New Haven Ave #1, Melbourne FL. 32901

321-720-2141 allison.roman@ exprealty.com

321-301-0824 Lisa.Soloway@ exprealty.com

The Myth of “Love at First Sight” When Buying a Home Why is my home not selling? Want a ‘Green’ Kitchen?

Make your

this summer

n summer, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the most exquisite flowers are in bloom. If you plan to include some flowers in your summer garden then you should take a moment to learn more about those flowers and flowering plants that are best suited to summer months and how to best care for them.

Not all flowers can withstand summer heat and some require a little more care than others. Make sure to keep all of these things in mind when planning your summer garden and choose wisely according to the type of care feel you’ll be able to provide. Consider this your general guide to the various types of plants that are well suited for a summer garden and

not necessarily those that should be planted side by side. Study the flowers you’re interested in including to ensure you keep those that love water and dislike sun away from those that thrive with little water and copious amounts of sun. It’ll take some planning to determine proper placement of these flowers for the most color effect and the best possible life for the flowers you choose.

The following are some fun sun loving flowers you might want to include in your summer garden. Geraniums are bright little splashes of color that are ideally suited for a summer garden. They happen to work well for creating borders or simply providing a highlight of color in a bed of green and do quite well in pots on their own or mixed with other colorful summer flowers. The Hibiscus provides beautiful color that will lend a tropical feel to your summer garden. While they’re a welcome addition to many gardens, they may grow quite tall so plant them towards the back to allow the full array of color from all summer plants. Marigolds are another popular flower for summer gardens. With a wide array of colors from which to choose, it’s no wonder that these flowers remain a favorite for sunny patches within the summer garden. You can also plant shadeloving flowers. Most gardeners find heavily shaded spots within their lawns or gardens to be a particular challenge. Here are some ways that you can solve that problem.

Impatiens are widely popular choices for shady spaces and provide a broad range of bright colors that are perfect for creating fun and bright borders. The viola is another great brightly colored flower that is rather well suited for borders or potted arrangements, whichever suits your style and needs. Mimulus is another excellent choice to add color in your summer garden and they may tolerate partial sun quite well if you’re looking for a nice border plant. Looking for more dramatic coloring in your summer garden? You might be interested in including Lobelia or ageratum, which both have beautiful blue hues and will stand out from the crowd. While these flowers are only a small sampling of the many bright and beautiful plants that can make a real splash in your summer garden, they are a great place to start. Be sure to check out the color offerings of each flower and determine the specific care instructions of each to make sure they are not only to your personal taste, but also they make sense for the landscape and terrain of your garden.

The planning stage of a garden is often the hardest work but the payoff will be bright and beautiful. You’ll be thrilled to show it off to every visitor you have in the summertime.

The Myth of

“Love at First Sight” When Buying a Home

If you are hoping to fall in love at first sight with your dream home, it’s a good idea to change your mindset. A better way to enter home shopping is “look before you leap.”

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he myth of love at first sight when home buying has gotten many people into trouble both financially and emotionally. The negative outcomes can be avoided if you keep some tips in mind before falling head over heels with a home you’ve just stepped into.

you’re “in love” you may end up skipping the proper inspection process. Later on, closer examination for red flags could end up haunting you later. While an inspector might not uncover anything that could signify future problems –it could save you significant costs in the long run.

You may fall in love with the first house you lay eyes on. It may seem to check all the boxes of what you’re looking for in your dream home. But, you’d be wise to compare it to others to be sure it’s truly what you want.

You’ll get a good idea of the resale value of homes in the neighborhood or other neighborhoods you may be considering by checking out other homes. Even if you were to purchase the best home in the area, your home may not appreciate in value as much as other homes around it.

In fact, you’re best to try and view as many homes as possible to ensure you’re making the right decision. While you don’t have to look at every home in a particular area, a good rule of thumb is to compare at least three contenders. One reason to shop around is that you may uncover other features you like in another home even more than the first. You can then compare those features and decide which would be of most benefit to you as a homeowner. And it may even have a lower price tag. If you rush to closing because

The three most important rules of real estate have been said to be location, location, and location. So even though you may love the home – take into consideration where it’s located. The “perfect” house in a bad neighborhood may become a nightmare you have to live with even if you’re in love with the home itself. The most important questions that home buyers should be asking sometimes get missed. While many will inquire about amenities and

the age of certain parts of the home, but not about pests, recent home repairs, and the cost of utilities each month and taxes each year. Before making such a substantial purchase – regardless of how in love you are – think about your future plans. Will you need to use public transportation? Is your workplace so far away that you’ll be stuck in rush hour traffic each day? Look at your lifestyle and determine what’s really important to you. Even if you’ve fallen in love quickly, walk through the home several times before you sign on the dotted line. Each time, be sure to scrutinize the property like you’re making one of the most important decisions of your life – because you are. Always be honest with your real estate agent and your lender and take your time. Don’t jump in to buying a home at first glance to ensure you’ll be much more confident in the decision you make.

Don’t jump in to buying a home at first glance to ensure you’ll be much more confident in the decision you make.

Allison Roman 321-720-2141 allison.roman@exprealty.com Lisa Soloway 321-301-0824 Lisa.Soloway@exprealty.com

Why is my home not selling? W

hen you’re ready to put your house on the market, your job as the homeowner is to create an experience for the prospective buyer. As they enter your home, they should be able to envision themselves living there. Of course, your Realtor will help you with legal and technical processes involved in putting your home on the market and selling to the right buyer, but as the seller, you have an important role to play too. The following is a basic checklist to refer to prior to showing your house to prospective buyers. De-clutter: To help a prospective buyer feel “at home” your house needs to be free of any clutter. Utilize all the shelving

and storage space you have to make your home look clean and desirable. Keep items on counters to a minimum but remember that people will open up your cabinets too so do your best to keep them organized. Make Beds: No matter how quickly you need to leave home in the morning, when your home is on the market, you need to make all the beds. Your agent may bring prospective buyers to your house and if they find unmade beds, it will leave a negative impression. If you cannot make the beds in the morning, you can talk with your agent and ask him to avoid bringing in people before a particular time, or bring them only on weekends when you aren’t rushing out the door early.

Clean Closets: Make sure your closets and drawers are neatly arranged. When prospective buyers open up drawers and closets (and they will), organized ones will give an impression of order within the household. Cluttered closets symbolize chaos and may turn someone off who might otherwise have chosen to make an offer. Lighting: Make sure that you have your curtains drawn to let in enough natural light before any showing. Use natural light as much as possible. Artificial lighting can be used to enhance the interior of your house, but simply relying on artificial lighting won’t give the best impression. Leave your house: Let the agents do the showing. That’s their area of expertise. Prospective buyers will not want to have you lurking and making them feel uncomfortable as they peruse your home. Clean the yard: Make sure your yard is clean and tidy. Curb appeal and the backyard will play major roles in forming a good impression with prospective buyers. Be Accessible: Even if you have a very erratic schedule, you must make sure that you are available for prospective buyers whenever their

realtor calls yours with a question. Open lines of communication will help ensure your house gets sold quicker. Owners who are MIA may lose a prospect just for be being inaccessible. Keep your agent abreast of your schedule.

When you show your house love, a potential buyer is sure to fall in love with it too.

Allison Roman 321-720-2141 allison.roman@exprealty.com Lisa Soloway 321-301-0824 Lisa.Soloway@exprealty.com

Pets: Whether you’re into dogs, cats or exotic pets, make sure you take all of them with you when you leave for a showing. People who come to view your house may be allergic, uncomfortable or annoyed by the presence of animals so it’s best not to give them any reason to leave as soon as they arrive. Smell: Make sure your house smells nice. Open windows ahead of time or spray air freshener. You can also bake cookies to have a delicious scent wafting through. Check Your Property Regularly: You must inspect your own house to see everything is in place about once a week while your house is on the market. Arrange the closets, mow the lawn, and ensure overall tidiness. When you show your house love, a potential buyer is sure to fall in love with it too.

Want a ‘Green’ Kitchen?

Going green in your kitchen is a great way to help the environment by minimizing your carbon footprint while enjoying the most frequented space in your home.

he amount of greenhouse gasses an individual emits or contributes to emitting is part of their carbon footprint. The term “going green” was coined in an effort to make others aware of the absolute necessity of ensuring a healthy planet for generations to come. While many corporations are getting in on the “going green” movement, homeowners can too. And you can start in your kitchen. Go Organic To have a true green kitchen, you’ll want to incorporate organic and all-natural materials. Materials such as cork or bamboo for flooring, countertops constructed with recycled paper

or recycled glass and throw rugs made of wool, cotton, or jute are all excellent choices for environmentally friendly kitchen décor. These additions to your kitchen will not only benefit the environment, but they’re also better for those you love who live in your home and utilize the kitchen daily. Cleaning Products Materials used for remodelling and decorating are not the only elements of a truly green kitchen. Cleaning products play an important role as well. There are many companies that sell specific green cleaning products; but did you know that you can actually make many of these ingredients at home?

Allison Roman 321-720-2141 allison.roman@exprealty.com Lisa Soloway 321-301-0824 Lisa.Soloway@exprealty.com

For example, if you mix vinegar and water, you will get your windows as sparkling clean as a storebought chemical. Also, when you use newspaper to clean instead of paper towels, you will save the save trees in the process. Baking soda, water, vinegar, and lemon juice are among the many ingredients you likely have already that are excellent all-natural cleaning products. Recycling Bins One of the most important accessories to have in a truly green kitchen is that bright blue bin. You and your family members will feel like you’re doing your part for the environment each time you skip the trash can to recycle glass, aluminum, paper, and certain plastics.

Baking soda, water, vinegar, and lemon juice are among the many ingredients you likely have already that are excellent allnatural cleaning products.

TheReal Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Biggest Asset

Allison Roman Lic# 3409788

Lisa Soloway Lic# 3443698

eXp Realty, LLC 818 E. New Haven Ave #1, Melbourne FL. 32901

321-720-2141 allison.roman@exprealty.com

321-301-0824 Lisa.Soloway@exprealty.com