Happy Halloween!

Existing Home Report for September

Existing Homes Summary Not much change in inventory the last 2 years while sales are up 18% over the same 2 year period.   The supply and demand changes have propelled existing home prices higher.

Supply - Demand - Price Charts The inventory decline has slowed and sales are experiencing strong growth.  Prices are surging. Months supply has stayed below 6 for nearly 3 years.

Halloween Safety Tips

Frisco No. 5 Best Place in the Nation to Collect Halloween Treats!

As the nation gears up for the most neighborly of holidays, Halloween, Nextdoor has released the Top Ten U.S. Cities for Treats. For the first time, Nextdoor analyzed data from the tens of thousands of neighborhoods that use the platform's annual Treat Map feature to create this list. Trick-or-treaters in these top cities will hit the candy jackpot this Halloween.

Top Ten U.S. Cities for Treats:

1. Cary, NC
2. Ann Arbor, MI
3. Omaha, NE
4. Columbus, OH
5. Frisco, TX
6. Orlando, FL
7. Downers Grove, IL
8. Greenville, SC
9. Baton Rouge, LA
10. Boise, ID

List methodology: This list is based on the ratio of Nextdoor members who indicated they were passing out candy on their neighborhood's Treat Map to the total number of Nextdoor members in a city. Data was analyzed in U.S. cities where more than 5,000 neighbors are using Nextdoor.  

Each day neighbors across the country rely on Nextdoor to connect about the things that matter most in their communities. Every October, neighbors use Nextdoor's Treat Map to let each other know they will be passing out candy by marking their home on their neighborhood's Treat Map with the ultimate Halloween icon, a candy corn. Parents and trick-or-treaters can use the map to plan their routes ahead of time.

"Passing out Halloween candy is one of the most neighborly things you can do," said Nirav Tolia, Co-Founder and CEO of Nextdoor. "We are excited to share this year's list of the Top Ten U.S. Cities for Treats and encourage neighbors everywhere to show theirHalloween spirit by adding their own homes to their neighborhood's Treat Map."

1. Boise, ID

The Haunted Houses of Divorce

The Haunted Houses of Divorce and how the home, if not handled properly can haunt someone, years after the divorce.

Jolie Williams REALTOR®,

Certified Real Estate Divorce Specialist, Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist

Windle Group / Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Jolie@WindleGroup.com

Halloween: A Sweet Time for Family, Fun and Traditions

(Family Features) Halloween is a fun time of year meant to be celebrated with friends and family. While the holiday originated more than 2,000 years ago with Celtic tribes, the traditions of dressing in disguises and celebrating with food and drink endure to this day.

According to a survey conducted by the National Confectioners Association, more than three quarters of Americans will hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year and many others will participate in community sponsored Halloween events, display a seasonal candy bowl or attend a Halloween party.

No matter what age group, Halloween is a time to let loose and have some fun. Here are some tips to help you and your family make the most of this sweet and spooky holiday:

Make new traditions together. While trick-or-treating is a perennial favorite Halloween activity, don’t be afraid to expand your options. Many families already enjoy things like carving a jack-o-lantern or attending a family oriented Halloween party. For some new ideas, try transforming your home into a haunted house with spooky displays, decorating customized trick-or-treat bags or even going on a hayride at a local farm. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you can spend time with loved ones.

Amp up the spook-factor with creepy treats. Candy is a special part of Halloween, and one of life’s little pleasures that is meant to be enjoyed as a treat during the holiday. On Halloween, candy shaped like eyeballs, brains or spiders can be a fun way to create a memorable celebration. Parents are 24 percent more likely than non-parents to pick creepy candy over other Halloween themes.

Enjoy candy in moderation. With lots of treats being handed out on Halloween, it’s a good time to keep moderation in mind. Nearly 80 percent of parents surveyed report that they have a plan in place to help their children make smart decisions when it comes to the enjoyment of treats. NCA’s moderation guides are a handy way to make sure you treat right on Halloween or any day of the year. Let your children enjoy some candy on Halloween and then portion out two or three treats into small bags for enjoyment later. For school-age children, consider slipping a small piece of candy into their lunch boxes as a fun surprise.

Remember that safety comes first. There are a number of easy ways to make the evening a safe and enjoyable one. Wear light-colored clothing that’s short enough to prevent tripping and add reflective tape to the sides, front and back of costumes. Trick-or-treat before the sun is completely set and carry a flashlight in case of delay. Finally, try to stay within your neighborhood and only visit homes you know.  

Learn more about Halloween traditions and how to enjoy sweets in moderation at CandyUSA.com/HalloweenCentral. There you can also find great recipes, moderation tips and guides, craft ideas and safety reminders to make sure you enjoy a spooktacular holiday.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images 

5 tips for creating fall curb appeal

 Soon, all things pumpkin spice will be here, including the home visitors that bring them. In preparation of the door bell ringing, create a little spice of your own with some seasonal curb appeal. You don’t have to limit yourself to pumpkins and hay bales — below are tips and projects for sprucing up your home’s view from the curb this season.

Front door, first impressions
Your front door is one of the first things people notice about your home. Give your door a fresh face with a coat of paint in a bold fall color to draw the eye to this focal point of your home.
Another project is to replace the door entirely. Consider options with decorative glass accents, and stunning sidelights (windows on either side of the door) to add more natural light while maintaining a sense of style and privacy. Plus, as temperatures start to drop, Energy Star -qualified entry doors, like those from Pella, will help maintain your home’s energy efficiency. For entry door inspiration check out Pinterest, your resident showroom or your local home improvement store.

Accessorize with new hardware
Replace your front door hardware for a quick, easy facelift. Choose hardware finishes that compliment light fixtures, mailbox and house numbers for a polished, cohesive look. You’ll be delightfully surprised what a difference new hardware can make in creating an updated look to your home.

Refresh exterior body and trim colors
For a dramatic change, repaint your home’s exterior. It’s bold and can make your home stand out from other homes on the block. Not up for the bold change? To make an impact with a smaller change, add new trim colors. When updating trim, choose color schemes that match your home’s primary exterior color, or complement it with a fresh twist.

Create points of interest with plants
You don’t have to stop enjoying beautiful plants and flowers simply because summer is over. Add pops of color by arranging pots filled with hearty fall flowers like mums, sedum or asters around your front door, or on a porch or deck. Incorporate planters or container gardens of varied sizes, shapes and colors to add visual interest.

Accent with lighting
As summer light fades into shorter, darker days, add exterior accent lighting to the front of your home. Illuminate a walking path with ground-insert solar lights. Or consider solar spotlights to bring out landscaping or to shine on your updated front door. Install matching light fixtures outside your front door, garage door or patio door to provide well-lit entrances that are stylish and inviting to neighbors and guests.

For more curb appeal inspiration, follow Pella on Pinterest and Houzz and visit Pella.com to connect with your local Pella representative for ideas on how to transform the look and comfort of your home inside and out.

National Feral Cat Day® Celebrated Worldwide Oct. 16

Cat advocates worldwide have scheduled over 700 events to advocate for the lives of cats and kittens on the 15th anniversary of National Feral Cat Day, Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. Inspired by this year's theme,Evolution of the Cat Revolution, supporters are committing to make their own evolution in working toward animal control and sheltering practices that protect the lives of all cats.

"Our incredible success in promoting Trap-Neuter-Return for feral cats as a mainstream practice has saved countless lives, but there's more to be done," said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies, the advocacy organization that established National Feral Cat Day. "We encourage cat advocates to continue with their own local evolution by taking the next step. It could be neutering a cat, speaking at a community meeting or spearheading a campaign for a local Trap-Neuter-Return ordinance. There's always room to grow."

More than 1,500 events have taken place on this day since 2011. Volunteers are organizing spay/neuter clinics, arranging educational sessions, encouraging official governmental proclamations, and raising funds to support local Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs.

Hundreds of these local, volunteer-driven events are listed on nationalferalcatday.org, which also has ideas that people can use to celebrate in their own communities.

Alley Cat Allies, the nation's only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats, established National Feral Cat Day as a call to action to raise awareness about feral (or community) cats, promote Trap-Neuter-Return, and empower and mobilize the millions of compassionate Americans who care for them.

Community cats are the same species as pet cats, but they live outdoors and are unowned and not socialized to people. Through Trap-Neuter-Return, community cats are humanely trapped and brought to a veterinarian to be evaluated, spayed or neutered, and vaccinated. While under anesthesia, the cats are eartipped – a small portion of the left ear is painlessly removed for identification. After they recover from the sterilization surgery, they are returned to their outdoor home.

Trap-Neuter-Return is the only effective method of stabilizing cat colony populations. In the last decade, the number of local governments with official policies endorsing TNR has increased tenfold, with hundreds of cities and towns successfully carrying out TNR programs.

Follow all the activities for National Feral Cat Day on social media with the #feralcatday hashtag.

About Alley Cat AlliesAlley Cat Allies, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has more than 600,000 supporters and helps tens of thousands of individuals, communities and organizations save and improve the lives of millions of cats and kittens nationwide. Its website iswww.alleycat.org, and Alley Cat Allies is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube.

Great Investment Property in Nevada, Tx

Make a Great Escape with a Specialty Room for You

It has been said that distance makes the heart grow fonder. When the demands of life make it tough to get away, you can actually find your escape closer to home – right in your home, even – by carving out a corner to create a retreat just for you.

A room dedicated to you and all of your hobbies or personal interests can serve as a welcome escape from the real world if only for a little while. These tips make it simple to get started planning your big escape with ideas centered on some of the most common specialty rooms, as well as a solution for fitting the ideas into a smaller home.

Create a space for crafts. If you find your frazzled senses defraying with a little threading therapy, look to create a space that celebrates this pastime. With the rise in popularity of websites such as Pinterest, which feature a plethora of DIY ideas, you'll have ample opportunity to distract your mind and busy your hands.

A room designed to let you explore your crafty side can help prevent the kitchen or dining room table from becoming a creative center or wrapping station around the holidays, and allows those areas to remain dedicated to family, food and friendship. It doesn't have to be just for crafts, though. It can also be a place to settle down with a good book and just relax.

Keep your space clutter-free and ready to enjoy with a craft room such as those designed by Wellborn Cabinet, Inc., which can feature spacious storage and expansive countertops, providing ample space to create projects that help decorate both the interior and exterior of the home, or simply to unwind and relieve stress.

Don't dismiss cars, bars and sports. If a room free of frou-frou decor where you can just unwind is more your ticket, a man cave may be just the answer. Man caves come in all shapes and sizes, from rowdy dens for sports fanatics to workshops decked out with the tools of your trade.

Even if decorating isn't your thing, look for ways to make the place your own, whether you display trophies from your hunting excursions or decor emblazoned with the logos of your favorite sports teams. This is the room that allows you to relish in the hobbies you enjoy most.

If there isn't a spare room or basement available, the garage can serve as a good alternative. With specific spots for tools and lawn care products – or even that car or motorcycle collection – the garage can meet the same needs as a more traditional man cave.

When two rooms become one. Whether space limitations prohibit separate quarters, or you simply prefer to share your hobby time with a partner, you can create a specialty room that accommodates both your interests with a little creativity and planning. Working as a team, you can find the right accessories and storage to design a getaway for two. For example, a creative room from Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. offers more than 600 door styles, wood types and combinations. The result is a chance to combine two rooms, such as the man cave and craft room, for a sanctuary you can build and enjoy together.

Find more inspiration for personal spaces and tools to maximize your space and storage at wellborn.com.

Accessorize Your Personal SpaceIf creating a space all your own feels like a daunting project, these clever tips from the experts at Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. will help get you closer to a room you can get ready to enjoy:

• Charging Solutions: Install a charging station in a drawer for phones or other handheld devices. Power and docking stations can easily hide devices and ports yet keep them readily accessible.
• Accessory Racks and Holders: Hooks for tools or coats keep them off of other furniture, including countertops where they can pile up and detract from your workspace. Cubby inserts and baskets help keep your things organized on shelves.
• Sliding Shelves: Sliding shelves, drawers and baskets let you organize tools or crafting accessories while providing easy access to the items you've tucked away.