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1827 Ridge Ave, Unit 7: One-of-a-Kind Converted Carriage House!

by The Hat Team

1827 Ridge Avenue, Unit #7, Montgomery 36106

MLS# 440081

2 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 1,845 sqft | Cloverdale

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Simplify Without Compromise!

Cut down both on space and yard work (NONE if you choose) but still live surrounded by custom-designed beauty, you’ll be proud to call your own.  A condo that’s free-standing!  This early twentieth century carriage house was converted into a family home in the 1960's by noted architect and designer Arthur Joe Grant with meticulous attention to detail. Over the years it has been lovingly maintained and updated by several notable owners, all with exquisite taste. Though a small cottage with modest upkeep, its rooms feel spacious, and can accommodate two or 20 effortlessly. Throw lavish dinner parties in the grand formal dining room, or serve everyday meals in the oversized breakfast/keeping room, which is open to the beautifully updated kitchen. The elegant living room overlooks the walled front courtyard and boasts a rare marble fireplace that has a gas fired coal grate making cold nights warm and cozy. The front guest suite has bonus dressing room and updated bath, while the well-appointed master bedroom has plenty of built-in shelves and two walk-in closets. And, don't let the term "cottage" make you think that there is anything lacking in this home, as you will see there is more storage space than most homes twice its size! Front courtyard is like having two additional living rooms, open air! Intimate covered dining area plus large central section allow for multiple seating, all shaded by a majestic 50+ year old Japanese maple tree. This gem sits in the middle of historic Old Cloverdale, walking distance to dining and entertainment districts.

662 Ponce de Leon: Craftsman Style Starter Home in Cloverdale!

by The Hat Team

662 Ponce de Leon, Montgomery, AL 36104

MLS# 440381

3 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 1,992 sqft | Cloverdale

If you are looking for a charming Cloverdale Craftsman style starter home, this one is a must see. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home has 1992 sq ft full of 1930's architectural appeal and is situated on a 90x190 lot. Both the living room and the dining room have fireplaces, original hardwood floors and crystal chandeliers. The large kitchen has a breakfast bar and room for a big table or make it your family room/den. Outside is a wonderful front porch, a covered side and back patio, as well as a huge wired workshop, another storage building and two car carport. Walking distance to the Capri Theatre, restaurants, shops and concerts in the park at a great price!

Cleaning Your Home After Selling

by The Hat Team

SOLD!  What a relief!  Your house is sold and soon you will be moving out.  Pride in ownership means that you will likely want to leave your house in good shape for its new owners. In some states, the Real Estate Purchase Contract may stipulate that the home is to be “swept clean”, meaning the seller should at least sweep the floors and leave walls and ceilings bare.  But the language can often be vague.  Here is a list of cleaning tips for home sellers to help you leave the house reasonably clean and to create a feeling of goodwill toward your buyer:

Cleaning the Interior of the Home Before Moving Out:

  • Remove all personal property.
  • Vacuum the floors.
  • Clean kitchen appliances including the inside of the refrigerator and over.  Wipe down the counters.
  • Scrub sinks and tubs.
  • Wipe down interior cabinets and shelves.
  • Wash tile/vinyl/wood flooring.

Cleaning the Garage Prior to Closing:

  • Remove personal belongings.
  • Throw away trash.
  • Properly dispose of toxic chemicals.
  • Sweep the floor.
  • Stack items pertaining to the home such as paint cans, roofing materials or extra flooring.  Check to make sure the buyer wants the extra materials first.

Basically, you want to leave the home in the condition that you would like to find your new home.  Your buyers will appreciate it!  What Are House Cleaning Expectations When a Seller Moves

If you are in the market to sell or buy 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: tm-cleaning.com

3418 Wellington Rd Montgomery 36106

MLS# 440417

3 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 2,013 sqft | Cloverdale

Full of character, this Cloverdale home will steal your heart and please your senses! Living room has cozy fireplace and wonderful built-ins to display your books and treasures, and the bay window lets in lots of light. Cooking is a joy in the updated kitchen with granite countertops and ample storage in the large pantry. Just a step down you will find the once-carport turned into big laundry/craft/utility room. Central hallway makes a great spot to highlight artwork and even has room for a few pieces of furniture. Crafty owner turned basic old master bath into big walk-in closet, and added a fun. bright, and splashy new master bath addition on the back, complete with jetted tub, glass block walk-in shower, and great dressing/make-up area. All three bedrooms are unusually spacious for a home of this vintage. Wonderful quiet street and nice neighbors!

Surprise! You Don’t Need a 20% Down Payment to Buy a House!

by The Hat Team

You are ready to purchase your first house.  Your credit score is great.  You know you can afford a monthly mortgage payment based on your budget.  You are sure you will be approved for a mortgage loan.  But that down payment!  How the heck are you supposed to come up with 20%?  Don’t despair, because the truth is, you don’t need a 20% down payment to purchase a house!

Saving for a down payment on a house can seem overwhelming for many people.  Keep in mind that it can come from various sources.  Funds can come from bank accounts, stocks or mutual funds, an inheritance, or a gift from a family member.  Some people will even use assets from their retirement portfolio.  Requirements regarding where the money comes from for your down payment depend on the loan type.  Also, purchasing a primary residence usually requires a lower down payment than if you are purchasing a second home or buying an investment property. The Different Types of Mortgage Loans in 2018, Explained

The myth about down payments is that 20% is the norm. While that may have been true in the past, it’s not anymore.  The fact is that per the National Association of Realtors, a majority of homebuyers purchased their home with a down payment of 6 percent or less. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t even consider buying a home because they still think they need 20% down.  The NAR'S Aspiring Home Buyers Profile 2018 found that 36% of non-owners believed that saving for a down payment would be very difficult. Chances are they still believe in the 20% down myth and it is just not the case anymore!

So, now that you know you don’t have to have 20%, perhaps buying a home seems more within reach.  But there are still some things you should be aware of before taking that first step toward homeownership.  Various factors are at play in determining if you should take on a mortgage with lower down payment.  For example, the less you put down, the larger your mortgage payment will be each month.  That is because you will have a larger loan amount, possibly a higher mortgage interest rate, and the added cost of Mortgage Insurance.  So, while you don’t have to come up with more cash, your monthly costs go up.

Once you have educated yourself about the requirements, you can make informed decisions about your budget and how much you can afford.  Don’t let the 20% down payment myth stop you from pursuing your dream of home ownership! 

If you are in the market to sell or buy 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!

Creating a Fabulous Fall Landscape!

by The Hat Team

First impressions are crucial to successfully selling your home.  The first thing potential buyers notice when they drive past your house is your lawn and landscaping.  If you’re putting your house on the market this Fall, here are some tips for sprucing up your yard to make a fantastic first impression!

  • Rake, rake, rake.  Fall foliage is beautiful and can serve to make your property more attractive to buyers, but a lawn covered in leaves looks sloppy.  Keep up with raking so people notice the beautiful leaves ON the trees, not the dying leaves on the ground.
  • Plant Fall flowers.  A fall garden filled with vibrant color is a great way to add beauty to your yard. Planning a Fall Garden
  • Create a lush lawn by aerating so that water and nutrients can reach the roots. Importance of Fall Lawn Fertilization and Aeration
  • When you do your last mow of the season, make sure to trim grass short.  Shorter grass helps prevent disease.  In addition, fall leaves will blow across your lawn if they have nothing to cling to.
  • Trim ugly limbs.  There is nothing pretty about cracked, diseased or dead limbs. 
  • Get rid of annuals that have lost their luster.  Trim tired perennial foliage down to the ground.  This will prepare them for their next season and will tidy up your flower beds for a neater look.
  • Lay fresh mulch for cooler weather curb appeal.  Choose mulch that is aesthetically pleasing while also providing the benefits that keep your flower beds looking their best.

With summer winding down and fall just around the corner, it’s a good time to start planning for creating beautiful curb appeal that will have potential buyers lining up to see your home!

If you are in the market to sell or buy 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: pinterest.com

909 Portland Ave: Move In Ready Brick Ranch!

by The Hat Team

909 Portland Ave, Montgomery Al 36111

MLS# 439561

3 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 1,675 sqft | Normandale

Move in ready ranch near Cloverdale perfect for a first time home buyer or an Investor. Fresh paint and beautifully refinished hard wood floors throughout. Lots of living space with the living room/dining room, a cozy den that is open to the kitchen, family room with gas fireplace and sun room. Relatively newer roof, newer HVAC, new cooktop and all appliances are included. Check it out today! 

 

Home Closings - What Can Go Wrong

by The Hat Team

Closing on a home is the final step to the home selling/buying process.  It can feel stressful and overwhelming, especially to first-timers.  Here are some things that most often go wrong with home closings, and how to avoid them!

     WALK THROUGH - A walk through of the home is done before closing to confirm that everything is as it was when you signed the purchase agreement.  It’s also the time to make sure any repairs that you requested were completed.  If you get to your walk through and discover that the owner took the washer and dryer they had agreed to leave or there were agreed upon repairs not done, your closing will definitely be put on hold.  Money will be placed in escrow to cover the costs and deadlines will be extended.

     FEES - You will want to look at a copy of your HUD-1 Settlement Statement before going to your closing so that you can look over all the fees and ask questions should you have any. Fees on the statement will include those from your lender, closing attorney, city, insurance, surveys, and transaction fees among other things.  You don’t want to get all the way to your closing and find out there are fees you weren’t aware of which may delay proceedings.

     TITLE SEARCH - Make sure the title search is completed with plenty of time to deal with any issues that may arise.  A professional title examiner should be utilized by your closing attorney to be sure there are no defects on the title that would prevent the property from being sold.   If the title search is done at the last minute and there are problems, it might take a long time to fix thus holding up the closing.

     WIRE TRANSFER - The wire transfer of funds needs to arrive within a specific window of time for closing.  An issue with the wire can hold up closing.  It’s vital to check with your lender and closing attorney to be sure that all parties have the correct wire information and timelines.

     CLOSING PACKAGE - A common problem that delays closings is the Closing Package not being ready.  At the end of the loan process, there are a lot of loose ends that must be tied up and they can sometimes cause delays. Timing is everything.  You may be scheduled to close at 11:00 AM, but if your package isn’t ready until 2:00 PM and your lender and attorney has other closings scheduled, your closing may be postponed to the next day.

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

Photo Credit: realtor.com

4624 Wares Ferry Road: Beautiful Home with ALL the Bells and Whistles!

by The Hat Team

4624 Wares Ferry Road, Montgomery, Al 36109 

MLS# 439979

3 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 1,624 sqft | College Grove

Even on the approach to this home, you know it is something special...unlike any of its neighbors. Custom additions and renovations abound like the fencing in the front yard, landscaping, and tilework on the covered front porch. Once inside, the foyer with shiplap accent wall welcomes you into a cozy living/dining room combo. If you are an HGTV fan, you will flip over the custom kitchen with hickory soft close cabinets, roll-out shelving, and a lazy susan to optimize storage. The two-drawer Fisher-Paykel dishwasher is a Godsend for singles or families, and the 5 burner stove allows you to cook lots all at once. Relax in the light filled den/family room with real fireplace and stunning views out the picture window of the covered deck and big salt water swimming pool. Both bathrooms have been tastefully updated with new tile and fixtures. Wake up to a perfect view of the gleaming pool every morning from the oversized master bedroom that boasts two closets. Back yard is a dream for entertaining large groups or just winding down after work. Detached workshop is wired and perfect for storing pool toys, lawn equipment, or even a man cave/she-shed with a little creative work. Metal roof is a huge plus, and the pool pump and liner are like-new, as is the HVAC system. Zoned for desirable Dalraida elementary school. Truly one of the best homes in the area, and one you don't want to miss out on! 

1438 Crenshaw: Low Maintenance Home on Quiet Cul-De-Sac

by The Hat Team

1438 Crenshaw, Montgomery Al 36106

MLS# 440038

3 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 2,960 sqft | Crenshaw Place

Looking to downsize yet stay in Midtown? Looking for literally LOADS of storage in a low maintenance home, Crenshaw Place might just meet your needs! Soaring vaulted ceiling makes a grand statement in the oversized great room, which has open views into the dining room. Fully updated kitchen has upgraded appliances and a large storage pantry off the ample laundry room. First floor master bedroom means you don't have to climb the stairs every night, and your guests/family will have their own space on the second floor. Enjoy morning coffee or evening drinks on your screened back porch and private rear deck. And, if you have lots of stuff (books, collectibles, decorations) you will not believe the bonus space off both upstairs bedrooms. It feels like it just goes on and on, and you wonder how much heated and cooled space can you get from a patio home! Quiet cul-de-sac right in the heart of the Cloverdale area, and located just across from Montgomery Country Club. Location, convenience, space, and updated living! 

Displaying blog entries 271-280 of 1311

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