I know for sure that a kitchen bar, or sufficient room for the reimagining of one, SELLS HOMES!  Enjoy this great new article from Realtor.com magazine:  Kitchen Islands: The Life of the Party New trends in kitchen islands offer versatility in function and design, as well as an aesthetic boost. Share September 21, 2022   by   Barbara Ballinger You may remember when the kitchen’s status symbol was a hulking appliance like a six-burner range or a smaller but still chichi wine refrigerator. These statement pieces enhanced a kitchen and set it apart from others. Nowadays, though, islands are taking the place as the kitchen must-have. Buyers might not consider it a deal killer if a kitchen has no island, but the house may not get the same attention, says salesperson Barb St. Amant with Atlanta Fine Homes, Sotheby’s International. “It’s the number one design feature our clients ask for in a kitchen,” says John Potter, architect and partner at Morgante Wilson Architects in Chicago. ©de Giulio

I hate painting. That is, I’ve never painted a wall. In all of my years of first apartments, I’ve never had the inkling to perform that “moving in and making it your own” ritual, by self. I do, however, like painters. My father was a great and meticulous painter. I recall sitting down in a restaurant with him in Boston, and his eyeing the done over again and again paint job at the walls of our booth. Of course, he didn’t say a thing. But I knew it. When my father painted, he painted with all of the meticulousness of, well, perhaps, a good sailor, which he also was. He scraped. And sanded. And prepared. And prepared again. Until he was ready to put the coat on. And the result? Perfection. No mishaps. No splatter. Nothing but the effect of a beautifully painted wall or house. So, when I came across this new (to me) paint company, I was rather enthralled. I already see my favorite color. Do you see yours? Farrow & Ball - Craftsmen in Paint and Paper ( farrow-ball.com ) https://www.fa

I like perspective. Putting the incessant reports on a possible recession into context helps one,  at the east emotionally, steer the course for what we are in and possibly heading into. I have the Edward Jones link at the end of the article, to read in its entirety. DD   Figure 1. Recessions are, on average, 10 months long, but have varied in length and magnitude. Source: FactSet.  These two charts show the length of recessions in months, with the longest in 2007 at 18 months and the shortest in 2020 at 2 months, while the average around 10 months, and the magnitude of recessions with the 2020 being the most severe at -10%. Read this article in full Edward Jones Insights Dawn Deegan is Broker Associate REALTOR with Premier Sotheby's International Realty, in Dr. Phillips, Orlando, FL. Dawn holds the designations of ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative); CRS (Certified Residential Specialist); GRI (Graduate Realtor® Institute),; SFR (Short Sale Foreclosure Resource); SRS (Seller

https://www.orangeobserver.com/article/orange-county-has-new-rules-in-effect-for-the-use-of-fertilizer Dawn Deegan is Broker/Owner of Brilliant Move Realty. Dawn holds the designations of ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative); CRS (Certified Residential Specialist); GRI (Graduate Realtor® Institute),; SFR (Short Sale Foreclosure Resource); SRS (Seller Representative Specialist; and is also a Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE); Quality Service Certified (QSC), Transnational Referral Certification (TRC), and Gold Key Certified (GKC). Dawn is devoted to providing the best possible services and expertise to her Buyers and Sellers of residential Real Estate in the Greater Orlando area. This area includes Windermere, Winter Garden, Orlando, Winter Park, and Kissimmee. Dawn’s emphasis is on achieving the best possible sale through thorough market knowledge, communications, marketing, negotiations and transactional expertise, resulting in a quality experience for the Buyer or Seller of Real Es

Higher Rates / Short Supply:  Mid 2022 - The State of Real Estate The last two years caught many of us off guard—and not just because of the pandemic. They also ushered in the hottest housing market on record, with home prices rising nationally by nearly 19% in 2021, driven primarily by low mortgage rates and a major supply shortage. 1 But while some had hoped 2022 would bring a return to normalcy, the U.S. real estate market continues to boom, despite rising interest rates and decreasing affordability. So what’s driving this persistent demand? And is there an end in sight? Here are three factors impacting the real estate market right now. Find out how they could affect you if you’re a current homeowner or plan to buy or sell a home this year. MORTGAGE RATES ARE RISING FASTER THAN EXPECTED Over the past couple of years, homebuyers have faced intense competition for new homes—in part due to historically low mortgage rates that were a result of the Federal Reserve’s efforts t

More Sellers Dropping Asking Prices May 31, 2022 Some homeowners may need to reset their price expectations. Signs of a slowing real estate market are growing across the country— existing-home sales  and  new-home sales  are falling as well as  pending home sales . Pending home sales fell for the sixth consecutive month in April and are now at the slowest pace in nearly 10 years,  the National Association of REALTORS® reported last week . Homes are still selling fast but a slowdown is evident in many markets. Amid rising mortgage rates that are pricing more buyers out, some home sellers are having to revisit their asking price. Price drops are particularly more common in migration hotspots, places that have been relatively affordable but saw home values surge as more people have migrated in from coastal areas since the pandemic began, a new report from Redfin says. For example, in Boise, Idaho, home prices are up 62% over the past two years. In April, 41% of home sellers droppe

As we gather this Memorial Day weekend, with family and friends -- old and new, to enjoy our abundant food and beverage, our (hopefully) blue skies, and our green trees, our parks and other community locales, let us pause and pause, and pause again, to remember. Dawn Deegan, Broker/Owner, Brilliant Move Realty 

  Our nation remains in the midst of a major housing crunch .  Last year, lack of inventory and the resultant soaring prices left many would-be homebuyers feeling pinched. But now, interest rates are climbing, and many are feeling desperate to lock in a rate — which has fueled the fire. 1   Fortunately, if you’re a Buyer struggling to find a home, there is some good news. While it’s true that higher mortgage rates decreases purchasing power, there are additional ways to compete in a hot market such as this.   A higher Offer price will always get deserved attention. But most Sellers consider more than just the price when evaluating an Offer. With that in mind, I present to you five tactics that will help sweeten your Offers and outshine your competition!    You do want that house, don’t you?  Read on! The risks and benefits of each tactic must be weighed carefully in order to craft your compelling Offer to get that house, without giving away the farm. Take Heed: 1.   Demonstra