Real Estate Information Archive

Moving is one of the top five most stressful life events. Divorce ranks in the top five as well.   Put those two together and you have a meltdown in the making. If you and your spouse own a home together and you are divorcing, you are going to have to figure out what you’re going to do about the house. This can be challenging under the most amicable of situations and can be devastating when there is bitterness and fighting.

Since your home is likely the greatest asset that you share, selling it is often necessary when parting ways. Sentimental value may entice one or the other of you to want to keep the home, but financial implications may keep you from doing so. Understanding how divorce affects the sale of a home is crucial.  The emotional aspect of splitting up your family can sometimes impair your judgement but making a poor decision regarding your home can have lasting ramifications, long after the divorce is finalized. 

Whether one spouse wants to buy out the other and keep the home or both want to sell and split the equity, selling a house while getting divorced is a rocky road that needs to be navigated intelligently.  When two people are willing to deal with each other in a peaceful, respectful way, it certainly makes the whole process easier. But often this is not the case in these situations. Division of a home is not simple. 

When each spouse contributed to purchase the home - even if one paid more than the other - you are both going to want your fair share out of it. Ideally, you will be able to work with an attorney or mediator to come to an agreement out of court, but if you can’t, a judge will decide for you. This can be a very unpleasant experience for all parties involved. If both your incomes were factored in the purchase of the house, chances are when you split that in half, neither of you can afford it on your own. If that is the case, the best solution is to sell the home and divide the assets. There are also tax implications that should be considered when you are trying to decide if you should sell before you divorce or after.

Should one of you decide to stay in the home, there are a couple of different ways to make that happen.  First, if you have the financial means to do so, you can take over the mortgage by refinancing. This means you must qualify for the loan and be able to make the monthly payments on your own. Your ex-spouse will be completely out of the picture. Another way is to continue co-owning the property.  Perhaps you have children and want to keep them in their home. While this is the least disruptive option, it is precarious and requires a lot of trust. It would have to be a very civil and friendly divorce for this to work because both parties will be responsible for the mortgage and upkeep of the house. The bottom line is that if you plan to stay in the home, you better be sure you can afford it. It would be prudent to work out a budget before you make the decision.

With all the financial and emotional issues that get wrapped up in the sale of a home during divorce, it’s crucial that you know what you want prior to meeting with your Realtor. It is best for you to meet with your attorneys for them to guide you through the process of deciding how to split the equity. Once you have that done, seek out an experienced Realtor like Sandra Nickel, who will gently guide you through the process with as little stress as possible.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me Sandra Nickel and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all  your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo Credits: community.thriveglobal.com, albinlawgroup.com, collaborativedivorcetexas.com

Making your home more energy efficient is a cost-effective way to not only save money but to also improve the performance of your home. The most effective strategy for improving your home’s energy efficiency is to focus on the “shell” of the house…the walls, attic, windows and doors. Next, improve the energy efficiency of systems such as heating, cooling, lighting and appliances. Last, but not least, consider clean energy generation such as solar or geothermal.

The first step toward energy efficiency is to make sure that your walls and attic are well insulated. 

High quality insulation slows the rate that heat flows out of the house in the winter or into the house in the summer. That means it takes less energy to heat or cool your house. If your walls have no insulation, it will certainly pay off to get blown-in insulation which will also improve the comfort of your home. If you have an unfinished attic, it is worthwhile upgrading its insulation. It is a good idea to use an Energy Auditor to make sure that the insulation is installed properly.

The next step is to upgrade or replace windows.

If your windows are old or leaky, it is time to replace them with energy efficient models. If you live in an architecturally controlled historic district and have ‘antique’ windows, increase their efficiency by using weather stripping and storm windows. While it’s not usually cost-effective to replace windows just to save energy, if you are going to replace them anyway, the additional cost of Energy Star-rated replacement windows is very modest and is a comfort improving upgrade that is worth the cost. 

Another way to save some energy in your home is to plant shade trees and shrubs around your house.  

If you have an older home with poor insulation and windows, good landscaping can help, especially if planted on the house’s west side. Deciduous trees are the best way to go for this purpose. During the summer, the foliage will block the infrared radiation that would warm the house, while in the winter the bare branches will let the radiation through.

Replacing an older furnace with a new high-efficiency system may seem like a huge expense, but in the long run it will save energy and money.

If your furnace was built before 1992 and has a standing pilot, it likely wastes 35% of the fuel it uses, and it’s probably near the end of its service life  ACEEE (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy) recommends you replace it with a condensing furnace with annual efficiency of at least 90%.

You can improve the efficiency of your hot water system by turning down the temperature of your water heater to the “warm” setting (120 degrees F).  Additionally, you can insulate your hot water lines so that they don’t cool off as quickly between uses. And using low-flow fixtures in your showers and baths will help as well.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use ¾ of the energy used with incandescent light bulbs, so it is well worth changing them. You may not realize that the cost of electricity used to run a light bulb is more than the cost of the bulb itself. A CFL may be a little more expensive than the traditional light bulb, but it lasts for 10,000 hours and uses only 27 watts to generate as much light as 100-watt incandescent bulb. Over the long haul, you will save money by investing in CFLs.

You can save money with an energy efficient home in many ways, including the tax benefits that are available to you. Federal tax incentives are out there for energy efficiency upgrades to existing homes.

Creating an energy efficient home may require a financial investment, but it will be a money-saver in the long run!

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me Sandra Nickel and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all  your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo credits: medium.com, feri.org, bpihomeowner.org, kids.niehs.nih.gov

Chances are, if you are getting ready to sell your home, you are also preparing to purchase a new home. So, the last thing you want to do is spend more money on your current property.  However, you certainly want to get the best price possible when selling it, and per the National Association of Realtors, for every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400. As you can see, it will pay off in the end to stage your home to entice potential buyers.

Some people will hire a certified staging professional to get the job done. While it might seem easier than doing it yourself, it is not the only way to get that SOLD sign planted in your front yard.

Here are some simple, yet effective home-staging hacks that won’t break the bank:

Roll Out a Welcome Mat

Sounds simple, right?  It is!  First impressions mean everything when selling your home.  Also, prospective buyers tend to linger by the front door before the real estate agent opens the home for viewing, so an inviting entrance is crucial. A new welcome mat can cost as little as $15.  Purchase a modern mat that compliments the style of your home.  To further enhance the entryway, add a little green with some fresh plants. An enticing entrance will make buyers want to see more!

Mount Mirrors in Strategic Spots

Every home has spaces like a dim hallway or small space that lacks natural light. To spruce up these areas, hang a few mirrors. They add extra light to rooms that look dark and create an illusion of space. They will pack an extra punch if placed next to or directly across from a window because they will pull in more sun.  For a more decorative look, create a collage of several mini mirrors in different shapes and sizes rather than just slapping one large mirror on the wall. You can find inexpensive mirrors at craft stores and discount home stores.

Set Tables and Serving Areas for Entertaining

A home filled with friends, food and laughter is a happy one! Paint a picture of what entertaining in your home will be like for potential buyers. Keep it simple, but aesthetically pleasing. Lay out cloth napkins, wine glasses and solid plates in the dining room. Use matching mugs and bowls in the kitchen to produce the feel of family meals.

Replace Personal Photos with Artwork

Over the years, you have turned your house into a home by decorating it with family portraits and personal mementos. But potential buyers are going to want to be able to envision themselves living there and that is hard to do with your family members present in the form of pictures in every room. So, get a head start on packing up your house by putting your pictures away and replacing them with artwork that compliments the style of the home.  You can find inexpensive art at discount stores, or you can print beautiful landscape photos to put in frames.

Make the Bathroom Look Elegant with White Linens

Spruce up your bathroom with crisp, fresh, all-white linens. White towels, bathmats, and shower curtains give the room an instant update. They inspire the feeling of a luxury spa without spending a lot of money. Take it a step further by including some "spa like" displays. Simple additions like an orchid, candles and special soaps will go a long way.

Arrange Decorative Scenes

Decorative displays can give a cozy, lived-in ambience to a house. Assembling classy vignettes of colorful vases, lanterns, books, plants, baskets, and other items atop dressers, counters and bookshelves will make a house feel more like a home. Group items in odd numbers and in varying heights and shapes while keeping them in the same color family. You will be amazed at what you can find to use in your house, but if you need to buy some things, you can mix in inexpensive pieces from craft and discount stores. Done properly, these displays will have people feeling like they are looking at rooms right out of home décor magazines…and that is a sure way to impress prospective buyers.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me, Sandra Nickel and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo Credits: thisoldhouse.com, houseandhome.ie, susiedenton.com, professionalstaging.com

While summer is considered by many to be the hottest time for selling a house (both literally and figuratively), sometimes circumstances require you to sell during a different time of the year. If there is a season for everything, autumn just might be exactly the right season to sell this year. Homes are still in demand and there is a good chance you will find a buyer before the end of the year. 
 

Here are some perks to selling in autumn:

1. HOMES SHOW WELL IN AUTUMN

The autumn season lends a beauty to homes that can’t be found in any other season. Colorful leaves, fall décor, and seasonal flowers provide a gorgeous, cozy aesthetic that draws a lot of positive attention to the appearance of a home. For sellers, this means prime curb appeal will draw buyers’ interest.

2. SERIOUS BUYERS

Buyers who are looking at homes in Autumn likely want to buy before the end of the year, so they are serious buyers. They likely want to get settled into a new house before the holiday season begins. The pressure is on for them to find their new home quickly and this puts you (the seller) in the driver’s seat when it comes to negotiations.

3. LESS COMPETITION

There is less competition in autumn. Many sellers need to close and move before school starts, so fewer houses are for sale. With less to choose from, buyers can’t afford to be quite as picky.

4. DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUYERS

You will be dealing with different types of buyers in Autumn. Families often move in the summer to accommodate school schedules. Empty nesters and Millennial home buyers are more likely to be looking in the fall. In addition, employers who need to relocate their workers often wait for fall to avoid the hot market during spring and summer. A speedy closing is the goal of most of these buyers, which means you are more likely to get the best price possible for your house.

5. LOWER MOVING COSTS

Since autumn is not peak moving season, movers will be less in demand than they were during the summer. This means prices for moving may drop as demand drops. So, for those moving in autumn, you may possibly be able to save quite a bit on moving costs. You can maximize your savings choosing to move mid-month and/or mid-week when rates are often even lower.

6. BETTER (SWEATER) WEATHER

It can still be pretty warm during autumn in the south, so while it might not actually be “sweater weather”, it definitely will be “better weather” for moving than it is in the heat of summer.

Autumn is pretty. The weather is cooler; the leaves are changing colors and fall décor can make homes look and feel warm and cozy. This is a great time of year to dress up your house to entice buyers!

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me, Sandra Nickel, and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://www.homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo credits: realtor.com, titlefirst.com, mymove.com

The general rule of thumb is spring is the best time to sell your home. Most Realtors experience a “spring rush”, but there are many reasons to consider selling your home during the winter months rather than wait until spring.

1. Less Competition

As you are driving around town, you probably don’t see many ‘For Sale’ signs. Typically in the winter, there are frewe homes for sale, which means less competition. Real estate is affected by supply and demand. The fewer homes there are for sale, the better chance you have of securing a buyer and the more negotiating power you have as a seller.

2. Historically Low Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates continue to be historically low, bringing more home buyers into the market. While rates may stay low throughout 2021, rates typically increase in the spring as a result of supply and demand. Most home sellers are going to turn around and buy another home. Selling now means you are in a position to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates.

3. Motivated Buyers

The spring selling season tends to bring out a lot of ‘looky loos’… people that aren’t really serious buyers and are merely interested in seeing what the market is like. Home buyers looking in the winter months are generally more serious and motivated to buy now. Serious home buyers look no matter what season of the year it is.

4. Quicker Transaction

There are fewer real estate transactions happening now than there will be in the spring selling rush. This means mortgage companies have fewer loans to process, attorneys and title companies have fewer closings, and home inspectors home fewer inspections to perform. The result of fewer transactions is better communication, better service, and less hassle. A closing with less stress will make your home selling and buying experience much more pleasurable.

After considering these factors, if you are in the market to sell your home now, let the Sandra Nickel Hat Team assist you with your sale. Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Experts predict we will be in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic for at least another 6 to 9 months if not longer. You may think the real estate market has tanked due to the pandemic but this is not the case. Interest rates remain low and are enticing buyers to take advantage of lower mortgage payments. The pandemic is changing the way real estate is being sold and making showing your home a bit more challenging. But with creativity and preparation, showing your home can be done safely. The following guidelines will help keeping you, your family, your Realtor, and your prospective buyers safe and healthy.

Preparation

The first thing you want to do is prepare your home for sale. Deep, clean and declutter. You want your home to sparkle inside and out the fresh paint and clean windows. Clear off your counter-tops and remove all personal items. Put toys away and remove excess furniture. Clean out closets so they appear larger and don’t forget to clean out the garage. Add some color with decorative pillows, bowls of fruit or fresh flowers.

Virtual Tour

Your Realtor will want to create an online virtual tour for buyers to take a look at before physically entering your home. There are many options for creating tours with photos, as well as video walking tours moving from room to room. While online tours aren’t quite the same as seeing a home in person, they tell a buyer a lot about the property.

Virtual Open House

Today’s technology is ideal for virtual open houses. Who ever heard of Zoom pre-pandemic? But Zoom and similar programs are perfect for conducting a virtual open house.

In-Person Showings

While buying a home sight unseen is on the rise, most buyers will want to see a home in person before deciding to buy. With extra precautions, this can be done with safety in mind…

1. Limit the number of persons entering you home to Realtors and the prospective buyers. This is not the time for children and extra family members.

2. Have everyone entering your home sign a Covid-19 form certifying they do not have the virus or have not been exposed to someone who does. Also, require everyone wear masks, gloves and use hand sanitizer before entering.

3. Leave doors open and lights on to minimize touching surfaces.

4. Clean and disinfect before and after the showing.

Bottom line is buyers are buying and sellers are selling during this pandemic. They are just doing in more creatively and cautiously.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500!

With new trends endlessly popping up, it can be challenging to decide what home improvement projects are worth your time and money.  It will serve you well to research what trends are timeless and what trends have gone by the wayside before investing in updating your home, especially if you are getting ready to put it on the market.  To simplify that process for you, here is a list of the hottest home improvement projects for 2021!

1. Swimming Pools.  In the past, swimming pools have not been the most desirable features for potential buyers. However, 2020 changed things. They have become a hot ticket item now that more people are staying home and are looking for ways to stay busy without having to go anywhere. Pool companies can hardly keep up with the demand, and even inflatable kiddie pools have sold out everywhere. Investing in something that can provide a “staycation” in your own back yard is a good idea in 2021!
    
2. Smart homes. With the ever-increasing intelligence of technology, there has been a recent surge in smart home popularity. People enjoy the efficiency of controlling lights, air conditioning systems and home security with the touch of a button on their mobile device.  Best Smart Home Devices for 2021
    
3. Quartz.  It looks like quartz is a trend that is here to stay, and for good reasons. Quartz countertops stand the test of time, look fabulous and are easy to maintain. Quartz countertops show well and can impress potential buyers. 
    
4. Outdoor Entertaining Spaces. The past year has brought with it a huge demand for upgrading outdoor spaces for homeowners. Consider adding a patio, deck, pergola or enclosed porch to create an inviting space to spend time outdoors while at home. Ten Outdoor Living Trends for 2021
    
5. Dedicated Home Office. With more people working and taking classes from home, it’s no longer convenient to just set up office at the kitchen table.  A designated work space is not only needed, but is a desirable feature for potential homebuyers.
    
6. Closed Floor Plans. Open floor plans have been all the rage for many years, but again, 2020 changed things. With so many people both working and doing school at home, private spaces are needed. So, if you are planning a renovation this year, you may want to consider adding doors and walls to create separate spaces.

These are just a few home improvement trends that can make your home more desirable to homebuyers this year!

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: hgtv.com

You have placed your house on the market and now it’s time for potential buyers to come and look at it. Keeping it clean, tidy and ready to show can be challenging in the best of circumstances, but even more so when you have young children.  Here are a few staging tips for keeping your house ready for last minute showings while making it attractive to buyers at the same time:

• Remove excess toys and clutter. Cumbersome toys like play kitchens and picnic tables take up a lot of space and can made a room look crowded and smaller than it is - so it is a good idea to put these in storage while you are trying to sell.
   
• Allow your children to pick out a few favorite toys that can be easily stored in attractive containers when showing the house. Choose an option that makes tidying up quick and easy.  Store all other toys out of sight. Toy Storage Ideas
   
• Potential buyers like to be able to see the house as they would have it. So, remove kids’ art work from the refrigerator and convert the playroom into a multi-purpose room. For example, you can stage the playroom as an office by adding a desk and chair, or as a den by adding a small sofa. That will make the room more appealing to buyers without children.
   
• Consider a fresh coat of paint, especially if you have colorful rooms that were painted to appeal to your little ones. Not only will the new paint cover finger-prints and marks on the walls, but choosing neutral colors for all the rooms will help sell your home more quickly and easily. 26 of the Best Paint Colors for Selling Your House
   
• Don’t forget that the outside of your house is the first thing potential buyers see. Keep outdoor toys to a minimum and make sure they are stored neatly. You never know when buyers might be driving by and you don’t want a bunch of toys to create and eye-sore that makes them hesitate to look at your home.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: realtor.com

Zeta, the 27^th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, wreaked havoc in our neck of the woods, and hopefully your home survived with no apparent damage. But it is still important that you take the time to carefully look at your house and examine it for damage such as missing shingles or vents plugged by wind-blown debris.  Here is a list of things you should do to complete a post-hurricane home inspection:

1. Check your roof for visible damage. Look carefully at valleys where the roof planes intersect and check anything that comes up through the roof, such as vent stacks. Roof Inspection Tips
2. View your dryer vent outlet.  Use a flashlight to see if it is clogged with debris from the storm. Remove any debris that you find.
3. Inspect furnace vents that run directly through the wall.  Look for damage and clogs, especially bits of shattered leaves hurled into it by hurricane force winds.
4. Check gutters and downspouts. They can come loose if a strong wind catches them.  This can result in them eventually swinging loose and doing some real damage. Clean them out if they are clogged.
5. Examine your air conditioning unit for damage.  Before you turn your unit on you want to be sure that nothing is damaged. 
6. Look at your home’s electrical service entrance.  If it is sagging or leaning, contact an electrician immediately.
7. Make sure your fence is still standing.  Take a walk around the perimeter of your fence and push it to check for storm-weakened sections. 
8. Observe any large trees you have on your property. You may want to consider having them removed if they are a possible threat to your home in future storms.

When examining your home after a hurricane or storm, document and take photos of any damage that you find. This will make the insurance claims process much easier. How to File an Insurance Claim After a Natural Disaster

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: insurancejournal.com

When you are putting your home on the market to sell, your top priority may be money. As in, how much money can you get for your house? And it should be. Owning a home is likely the largest financial investment you will ever make and it is only natural that you want to get the most profit possible when you sell.  Setting the right asking price can mean the difference between selling quickly or having your home languish on the market for months. The following myths can be harmful when trying to decide on the best price to ask for your house:

1. YOU’LL GET A BETTER OFFER IF YOU WAIT -  Receiving an offer right away when you list your house can give you a false sense of confidence that it is a hot commodity. You may think that if this buyer was willing to make an offer so quickly, then surely many other people will be interested in your property as well.  But the truth is, you might not get another offer…at all, let alone for more money.  With no other offers guaranteed, it may be in your best interest to accept the first offer if it is a fair one. Do You Accept the First Offer on Your Home, Or Wait and See?
    
2. YOU SHOULD LEAVE ROOM TO NEGOTIATE WHEN PRICING YOUR HOME You want top dollar for your home. Of course you do! But overpricing it, thinking that will leave room for you to accept a lower offer, may backfire on you. Buyers might see the high price and not even bother looking at the property. And if you keep dropping the price, buyers might wonder what is wrong with the place.  Price it fairly to begin with and you are more likely to achieve a successful, profitable sale.
    
3. YOUR HOME IS WORTH MORE THAN YOUR REALTOR SAYS IT IS -  An experienced, professional Realtor will be able to tell you how much your home is worth based on the current market. You should trust your Realtor. While online estimates might tell you that your home is worth more (yay!) or less (boo!) than your Realtor states, they are likely not accurate. Trust your Realtor over the internet. It is as simple as that.
    
4. YOU CAN GET BUYERS TO PAY FOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS YOU MADE IN ORDER TO SELL -  While some home improvements have a better return on investment (ROI) than others, you are not likely to get back all that you spend getting your house ready for the market. It is wise to educate yourself about which home improvements will help you sell, which will get you a better ROI than others, and which might not be worth bothering. The Best (and Worst) Projects for Your Home's Resale Value
    
5. REDUCING THE ASKING PRICE IS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS -  Nobody wants to drop the asking price of a home. But it is important to remember that time is money. And if time is passing and nobody is showing any interest in your home, you are still stuck paying the mortgage, taxes and insurance. This will be especially stressful if you have already purchased a new home. Lowering your price a little may be all it takes to generate interest and who knows? You might end up getting your original asking price anyway!

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: orthodonticslimited.com