By HomeKeepr

With more people staying at home and avoiding crowds, a lot of homeowners are turning to home prepping as a way to cut back on trips to the store and avoid shortages. Unfortunately, many people find themselves overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what to stock up on. And once the pantry is fully stocked and prepped, maintaining it, and finding what you need among all the other things, can be difficult. Organization is a key part of successful prepping, so if you want to have an effective pantry, here are a few organizational tips to keep in mind.

7 Things to do This Black Friday Besides Shop

1.) Visit a State Park! Since we're lucky enough to have sunny skies and moderate temperatures, spend the day outside and work off that second helping of mashed potatoes. Social distancing is easy outdoors! 

2.) Cut Down Your Own Christmas Tree! Create a new holiday tradition when you cut down your own live Christmas tree.

3.) Enjoy the First Lights of the Season! Check our calendar to find out what displays are already lit or will have their lighting ceremonies over Thanksgiving weekend.  Drive through holiday lights are in abundance this year in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Daytona!

4.) Decorate Your House! Now that Thanksgiving has passed, crank up the Christmas music and begin the process of decorating your house. Starting the process now will make the holiday season feel longer, and you can take the whole day to enjoy it and get everything just so.  2020 needs more Christmas cheer!

5.) Purge Outgrown Toys and Books! Between Santa, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and friends, many kids get a LOT of new things coming in. Sort through the toys and books in your kids' bedrooms and playroom to clear out whatever is broken, outgrown, or just isn't played with anymore. Donate what you can and throw away the rest ... no regrets!

6.) Sign Up to Adopt a Family! Give your children the gift of compassion in a very tangible way and make another family's holiday wishes come true too. You can adopt an entire family or simply donate one new, unwrapped toy.

7.) Plan Your Elf on the Shelf Adventures!Make your plan for your elf's grand entrance on the first day, and then come up with a loose plan for the remaining days or find a guide online that you can follow for the month.

(Editor's Note: If you haven't started Elf on a Shelf in your house, you should know that it is a LOT of fun but also a LOT of work. DH and I have used most of our brain power coming up with or copying new ideas. We've been doing it for 6 or 7 years and, since it is our boys' favorite tradition of the holiday season, we think we'll be doing it till they go off to college!)

For more information, please reach out to us!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside

Article taken in part by https://palmcoast.macaronikid.com/articles/5a0f34f2301fae377d763c36/8-things-to-do-on-black-friday-besides-shop

By Realty Executives International

With the global pandemic causing many home sellers to put their listing on hold or to take it off the market completely, right now is actually a great time to put your house up for sale. Although, COVID-19. caused weariness, it has actually not affected the market in a negative way like many thought was possible. Here are five reasons to pull the trigger and sell your home now.

Demand is High

The market has more demand than ever right now with not less people selling and more people looking to buy. With the pandemic, many people have resisted listing their home, making it more of a challenge for those looking for their dream place. Plus as more millennials join the market looking to buy for a growing family or a young professional purchasing their first home, there is a growing demand that is just going to continue into the upcoming months.

Lastly, as people transition to working or learning remote, their current homes may not be working in obvious ways that they didn’t see before, increasing the likelihood they look elsewhere.

Less Competition

Just as less people willing to list their home has increased demand, it has also made the market have less competition. There are still buyers looking to buy and with fewer options to look at, your home has less competition to worry about and a better chance to be seen. Fewer homes on your local MLS means the chances of your home being seen online increases. Plus it also helps your real estate agent  market your home and identify what your home may have that is missing in the limited inventory and increase your chances of quick sale or bidding war.

Great ROI

As mentioned above, times when the market is low in inventory can cause buyers to go into bidding wars on the home they like. If a buyer has been struggling to find the right place for themselves or their family, and they finally do, oftentimes they are willing to pay above asking price and engage in a bidding war to ensure they get the sale.

Listing your home now can give you a return on investment that not all home sellers are lucky enough to get. Many major markets and the smaller markets as well have seen lots of listings go for above asking price because buyers are struggling to find options. You can then take your earnings from the sale and reinvest, making an upgrade to your living situation.

Low Mortgage Rates

One positive thing that has come with the pandemic is low mortgage rates. Banks and other lenders are offering better deals in order to compete in the market. Low rates encourage homeowners to think about taking advantage of the deal and buying a home while the economy is still in their favor. Overall, there is no better time to receive a mortgage loan.

Virtual Tours

Many times homeowners aren’t sure they have the time to get their home ready for a sale, with the possibility of renovations or the constant upkeep needed for showings. With COVID-19 making virtual tours and virtual home buying much more accessible, you don’t have to worry about having your home spic span 24/7 in case your real estate agent wants to come over with potential buyers.

Virtual tours also give you more time to do the photos and video all at once, and then start fixing any small renovations to the home that you can highlight if buyers decide to come for a socially distanced in-person tour after seeing it online.

For more information, please reach out to us!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside

By Realty Executives International

Looking to winterize your fall decor for the changing season? Here are a few tips to help you keep your personal style while adding some holiday cheer around the home!

Add Coziness

We all love to cozy up during the winter months whether it’s in the living room, den or your own bedroom. A great way to transition different rooms from summer to fall to winter is to add some layers for each season it gets a little colder. Quilted blankets and fluffy pillows give the room a cozy look and are great for chilly nights. Plus there are tons of fun holiday pillows that can add color and cheer to the furniture.

Block Chilly Windows

During the summer and early fall seasons, many of us like to open up the windows and fill our home with fresh air. But when winter hits, our windows become a main contributor to cold air in the home. A great way to not only help keep the inside of the home warm but also add some winter decor to your rooms is adding window treatments. Heavy duty curtains can be a bit expensive but they are an investment that can last years if taken care of. You can also find plenty of discount retail stores that have a wide variety of options at a good price.

They are also an easy thing to switch out once spring comes around and you want to have lighter or more transparent treatments. Remember, deeper or darker colors look great for winter but can age rooms if you keep them up all year round. Try nude or white treatments for warmer seasons.

Change up Arrangements

As you might have had pumpkins and apples in your centerpieces or table arrangements to celebrate fall, you will want to rearrange and integrate some new features into those, once winter comes. Garland is always a great asset to include when decorating tables or shelving throughout the home. It gives a winter wonderland feel and adds some color. Some other things you may want to consider: frosted pinecones, red berries, twinkling lights, rustic pieces, etc. 

Arrangements are meant to show off your personal style and creativity so have some fun with it! You can make a lot of unique items or find ready-to-use products at your local craft store.

Light Up the Room

Once fall arrives, people go crazy for candles. The soft light mixed with delicious scents are great for adding an extra layer of decor to your home. As you move into winter though, candles can have a whole new use. You can still use the real ones to make your home smell like gingerbread or fresh pine, but using fake candles to add to the cozy feeling of the holidays is a beautiful and modern way to decorate for winter too! Place the candle in a partly see-through silver, gold or red holder to incorporate holiday colors. Using multiple stands of varying heights to create a lovely centerpiece or place single ones in different parts of the home to add soft light and warmth.

Warm Colors

All of these tips above can be combined with this simple and common tip. Burgundys, golds, dark greens and vibrant reds are all great compliments against the winter landscape. You can incorporate these using the blankets and pillows mentioned, centerpieces or window treatments. But you can also easily add them through small decor pieces throughout the home as well. Of course, you don’t want every room to look dark and dreary so make sure you add these warm colors in with whites or nudes to compliment. Silvers or metallic pieces are also a great way to add some light and modern looks.

Whichever way you decide to create your winter wonderland home, have fun and remember, the decor is not nearly as important as the memories you make during the holiday season.

For more information, please reach out to us!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside

Hello Neighbor!

Thank you so much for visiting the blog today!! We've got a couple events for you this weekend that will get you up, out, and in the community!

Get your holiday shopping start early with The 12th Annual Super Scenic 72-mile Garage Sale.  Saturday, November 21st from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm, you can start shopping from Fernandina Beach to Ponce Inlet along Florida's scenic highway.  The event is FREE and you're bound to find some deals! For pre-registration and more details, visit here. 

Enjoy food, views, drinks, and tunes with Brunch at the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach! Saturday & Sunday from 11 am - 3 pm, enjoy a sea side mid-morning with great food and fun music!  For reservations and more information, visit here. 

Get active for a cause! Paddle Out Hunger is holding a paddle tour at Port Orange Causeway Park, 93 Dunlawton Avenue, Port Orange. They will paddle out along the mangrove islands where you will have the opportunity to view the beachside skyline, see dolphins and shore birds, pelicans and more. They will be collecting non-perishable food items to donate to Halifax Urban Ministries.  For more information, please click here! 

Enjoy your weekend!!

For more information, please reach out to us!

386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com |  |  |   @REOceanside