Ready to jump into gardening? Why garden, you ask? If you’ve never tasted garden-fresh vegetables (lots of people haven’t!), you will be amazed by the sweet, juicy flavors and vibrant textures. There’s absolutely nothing quite like fresh veggies, especially if you grow them yourself—which you can!

In this guide, we’ll highlight the basics of vegetable gardening and planning: how to pick the right site for your garden, how to create the right size garden, and how to select which vegetables to grow

Here are Top 10 vegetables to grow in your garden. These nutritional plants can flourish in your yard or containers.

1.         Broccoli  - How to grow broccoli

2.      2. Peas - How to grow peas

3.      Beans (especially navy beans, great northern beans, kidney beans) - How to grow beans

4.      Brussels sprouts - How to grow Brussels sprouts

5.      Tomatoes - How to grow tomatoes

6.      6. Red bell peppers - How to grow peppers

7.       Beets - How to grow beets

8.      Leaf amaranth - How to grow leaf amaranth

9.      Carrots - How to grow carrots

10.    Leafy greens - How to grow kale and other leafy greens

Raising a garden offers many benefits to the gardener. It is much healthier to grow your own food. You are fully aware of what has gone into the product and know what you are eating.

A vegetable garden also saves a lot of money. Also you can add;

1. Lettuce

2. Spinach

3. Green Beans

4. Cucumbers

5. Yellow Summer Squash

6. Root Vegetables: Radishes and Carrots

7. Bell Peppers

8. Tomatoes

Visit this link for more details information about these vegetables https://morningchores.com/easiest-vegetables-to-grow/

Lastly, while you are thinking about what to plant, you may also consider the 5 Design Tips for Your Front Yard

1. Establish Order

2. Think Big

3. Make It Flow

4. Frame the Door

5. Plan for Year-Round Interest

To check out front door ideas, just click the link below:

https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/door/exterior/exterior-doors-and-landscaping/

Do you see other families traveling all the time and wonder, “how the heck do they afford this??”
Well, you’re not alone. 

When we were young, our families didn’t travel a lot. Most didn’t have a lot of money, and travel wasn’t something that was a priority for.

But nowadays, Travel is a passion and we made travel with friends, family and with kids.

5 Reasons I Love to Travel with Family

#1) Spending Quality Time Together

#2) Making Memories

#3) Bond with Other Family

#4) Save Money By Renting a Condo

#5) Group Discounts

Great Family Vacations To Consider

Make family travel memories in the year ahead.

Here are five great family vacation destinations to consider: 

Northern Arizona. 

Niagara Falls, NY. 

The Bahamas. 

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  

Travel With Kids Tips and Information

·         Travel or family travel in Europe, Australia, Asia, South East Asia, The Middle East ( Dubai), some parts of the Americas ( USA, Guatemala, El Salvador, some Canada) and Africa ( Egypt, South Africa ). For a better idea of the destinations we cover, visit our Places and Destinations page.

·         Long-term world travel with kids, the how and the problems of travel with kids.

·         Flying with kids – our tips and ideas.

·         Feeding kids abroad – what will they eat?

·         Insurance – this is the company we use for open-ended travel insurance

·         Vaccinations – our pre-trip jabs and our final decision to get rabies shots.

·         Mosquitos – tips for avoiding mosquito bites.

·         What’s the best age to travel with kids.

Enjoy Your Travels

Deciding to make family travel a priority in our lives is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Some of the best memories I have are of traveling with my family. What makes them even better is that we can share those memories together. Plus, when you add extended family to the list, it can even make your travels cheaper…and who doesn’t love that?!?

Happy travels

5 Reasons You Should Travel with Family

http://travelbluebook.com/reasons-you-should-travel-with-family/

Great Family Vacations To Consider

https://www.familytravel.com/item/1516-great-family-vacations-to-consider.html

5 Reasons You Should Travel with Family

https://worldtravelfamily.com/travel-with-children-family-world-travel-blog/

When you’re ready to buy, you’ll need to determine if you prefer the charm of an existing home or the look and feel of a newer build. With limited existing home inventory available today, especially in the starter and middle-level markets, many buyers are considering a new home that’s recently been constructed, or they’re building the home of their dreams.

According to Robert Dietz, Chief Economist at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB),

“The second half of 2019 has seen steady gains in single-family construction, and this is mirrored by the gradual uptick in builder sentiment over the past few months.”

This is great news for homebuyers because it means there is additional inventory coming to the market, giving buyers more choices. The most recent data from NAHB shows

“The inventory of new homes for sale was 321,000 in September, representing a 5.5 months’ supply. The median sales price was $299,400. The median price of a new home sale a year earlier was $328,300.”

1. Figure out how much house you can afford.

·         Calculate your monthly income and debt.

·         Check your credit report and FICO score.

·         Use Front Door’s mortgage calculator.

·         Figure out your down payment.

2. Get pre-approved for a mortgage.

·         Choose a type of mortgage.

·         Speak to at least five lenders and mortgage brokers.

·         Shop for the best interest rates and programs.

3. Determine what you want and need in a home.

·         Choose a location (downtown, urban, suburban, rural).

·         Choose a type (single family, townhouse, condo, loft).

·         Choose a price range.

·         Choose a size.

·         Choose an architectural style.

4. Research your target neighborhoods.

·         Look online for information on schools, crime rate, traffic and zoning.

·         Determine your work commute.

·         Scout local amenities, such as parks, shops and restaurants.

5. Work with a buyer's agent who knows the neighborhood.

·         Get referrals.

·         Consider working with an exclusive buyer's agent.

·         Interview at least three agents.

·         Look for experience and good chemistry.

6. Search for homes in the MLS and For Sale By Owner (FSBO).

·         Browse listings online, including FrontDoor.com.

·         Ask your agent to set up tours of homes that fit your criteria.

·         Check local newspapers.

·         Pick up flyers and attend open houses.

7. Research each home you want to buy.

·         Ask your agent for comps to estimate the property's fair market value.

·         Ask the seller's reason for selling.

·         Review all property disclosures.

·         Find out about liens, easements or other restrictions.

8. Make an offer and negotiate.

·         Determine the purchase price.

·         Include contingencies, such as financial, inspection or purchase.

·         Spell out any special requests and repairs you want included in the sale.

·         Determine an earnest money amount.

·         Define a move-in date.

·         Once both parties agree to the terms, sign the Purchase and Sale Agreement.

9. Finalize the deal.

·         Get the house appraised.

·         Get a professional home inspection.

·         Consider getting specific inspections for structural engineering, roof and termites.

·         Use the appraisal and inspection reports to re-negotiate if necessary.

·         Choose a home insurance company.

·         Complete the loan process with the lender.

·         Do a walk-through inspection prior to closing.

·         Set aside cash for the closing costs and down payment.

10. Close the purchase.

·         Review the settlement document at least 2 days before closing to see how funds will be collected and distributed.

·         Get a cashier's check for the amount you need to bring to closing, including the down payment and closing costs.

4 Reasons to Sell This Fall [INFOGRAPHIC]

So, here you are, just bought the home of your dreams.  But before you settle in, there are some important home improvement projects you’ll want to take on.

I get it, home improvement is probably not the first thing on your mind while you are staring at that mountain of boxes but trust me, you'll regret not jumping into it while your home is a blank slate. Generally, these projects are just easier to do before you move in, whereas other things are essential for your safety.

1. Change the locks

Those old locks at your new house need to be replaced or rekeyed.  I know you are thinking, why? You trust the sellers, right?    

But it’s not about them.  It's that you shouldn't trust all of the people who've had contact with those keys over the years, any of whom could have copied the keys for some unsavory purpose

Unfortunately, more than half (52%) of baby boomers and about a third of Gen Xers (33%) and millennials (31%) who moved in the past year have not changed their locks, a recent Home Depot survey found. Don’t join them.

2. Change alarm batteries

Now this just makes sense.  Sure the inspector probably checked to see if they all worked prior to your purchase, but making sure your fire and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries is  the kind of thing that gets ignored and then forgotten. It's better to deal with it now, when the home is empty, and you can replace the old batteries without having to move furniture to make way for a ladder.

 3-Deep-clean the carpets

If you are lucky enough to move into a house with new carpeting, then fast °forward through this part.  But if you are not, those older carpets may be  crying out for a deep clean.  Why not get it done before you move in so there’s no furniture in your way.

If it’s really bad or maybe there were pets in the home previously,  you’ll want to rent a powerful, industrial-style carpet-cleaning machine such as a Rug Doctor, which sprays hot water with a detergent over the carpet and extracts it with a high-powered vacuum. These have more washing and extraction power than most consumer carpet cleaners, and are economical to rent from a hardware store for about $25 to $30 per day.

Now getting it back and forth to your house can be cumbersome, so borrow a truck from your in-laws. It’ll be worth it and it does a better job cleaning your carpet than a regular vacuum cleaner and is less expensive than hiring a professional carpet cleaning service, which costs on average between $121 and $233, according to HomeAdvisor.

So, there are many more things you can do but these items are a great place to start.

Here are a few tips.

If you are uncertain about battery sizes go to your nearest Home Depot or Lowes and just fess up!  You don’t know anything about home ownership because you have been living in your parent’s basement for years and just let the old folks take care of stuff.  Home Depot is also a great resource for truck rentals too.  Just in case you haven’t spoken to your in-laws since you got married and are not about to start by asking to borrow a truck and then owe them, or worse being reminded about it for the next 50 years.  Yeah, 19 bucks to rent a truck, I would do that in a heartbeat.

What’s the Latest on Interest Rates?

Hello fellow Veterans,  Janelle Endres here with The Endres Group Home Sales Team, thank you for reading my blog.

Today we are talking about VA Home Loan benefits. These loans can help veterans, service members, and their survivors to buy, build, improve or refinance a home. 

 Now for a VA Loan, you’ll still need to have the required credit and income for the loan amount, but a veteran’s home loan may offer better terms than with a traditional loan from a private bank or mortgage company.  For example, 90% of VA backed loans are made with NO MONEY DOWN, and lenders offer competitive interest rates as well. That’s why it is so important to work with an experienced Real Estate agent who is both knowledgeable of which homes qualify for VA loans, and can put you in touch with lenders who are experts in the loan application process.

This is a great deal because the VA home loan offers

·     No down payment

·     Better terms and interest rates

·     The ability to borrow up to the Fannie and Freddie conforming loan amount

·     No need for private or mortgage insurance premiums

·     Fewer closing costs

·     No penalty fee if you pay off the loan early.

So, are you eligible for a VA backed purchase loan?  My team will be happy to help with the process.  But basically, if you meet the requirements such as;

1] You qualify for a VA backed home loan Certificate of eligibility,

2] you meet the lender’s standards for credit and income and

3] you will live in the home you are buying with the loan, then you qualify!

You may be wondering, How can I buy a home with a VA-backed loan?

Buying a home is a complex process, and getting a VA home loan is only one piece of the puzzle. Stay on track by following the steps.

Steps to finding a home

1.     Apply for your VA-backed home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

You’ll need to show your COE to your lender as proof that you qualify for the home loan benefit.

2.    Look at your current finances.

What are the steps to buying your home?

Once you’ve found the house you want to buy:

5.     Move in.

After closing, you’re ready to move into your new home. Congratulations!

So once again, we greatly appreciate all that the veterans and service members have done and continue to do for our country.  This VA home loan benefit is just one way we can thank you and The Endres Group can help streamline the process for you with our knowledgeable staff.  Give us a call at 727-515-9551 to get going on your VA backed home purchase.

5 Real Estate Reality TV Myths Explained

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Curious about local real estate? So are we! Every month we review trends in our real estate market and consider the number of homes on the market in each price tier, the amount of time particular homes have been listed for sale, specific neighborhood trends, the median price and square footage of each home sold and so much more. We’d love to invite you to do the same!

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You can sign up here to receive your own market report, delivered as often as you like! It contains current information on pending, active and just sold properties so you can see actual homes in your neighborhood. You can review your area on a larger scale, as well, by refining your search to include properties across the city or county. As you notice price and size trends, please contact us for clarification or to have any questions answered.

We can definitely fill you in on details that are not listed on the report and help you determine the best home for you. If you are wondering if now is the time to sell, please try out our INSTANT home value tool. You’ll get an estimate on the value of your property in today’s market. Either way, we hope to hear from you soon as you get to know our neighborhoods and local real estate market better.