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Displaying blog entries 11-18 of 18

How to Spruce Up a Boring Kitchen

Wednesday, March 1, 2017
by The Hat Team

The kitchen is a place in the home where many hours are spent preparing meals and spending time with family.  If the kitchen is boring and not ecstatically pleasing to you or your family, no one is going to want to spend any time there.  Below is a list of a few ways in which you can spruce up your boring kitchen and make it a place where you really love to be.  

  1. One of the first ways you might think about to spruce up a boring kitchen is buying new appliances.  The typical type of appliance these days is stainless steel.  Another type of appliance that folks are using these days are the ones that look just like cabinets.  Whatever type of appliance you decide to buy, you will be helping your kitchen look as good as it possibly can.
  2. Another way to spruce up your kitchen is by changing the paint color.  If your kitchen is older, it is possible that the paint has gotten worn over the years and adding a pop of color with new paint can make all the difference in the world.
  3. Yet another good way to spruce up a boring kitchen  is by changing the cabinets.  You can choose to have all new cabinets put in or you could just change the way they look by painting them.  Antiquing is a popular way to refinish and spruce up furniture.  Antiqued cabinets are very beautiful and can make a kitchen look really nice. 
  4. Buying some new lighting for your kitchen is an easy way to spruce it up.  You can get as crazy as you want with lighting when it comes to making your kitchen an exciting place to be.  Go to your local hardware or lighting store to see what all is available for you to choose from. 
  5. New flooring in the kitchen is another way to make it look updated.  If you currently have laminate you may want to change it to tile, or you could choose to extend the hardwoods from the family room or whatever room adjoins the kitchen into the kitchen.   

These are just a few ideas for sprucing up a boring kitchen.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction for making your kitchen a room that everyone wants to congregate in.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Tips To Get Ready For a Professional Organizer

Wednesday, December 7, 2016
by The Hat Team

If you have let your house go and you find yourself in need of a professional organizer, there are a few things you need to do in order to get ready for one to come and help you get your life together.  Below is a list of things that you need to do BEFORE hiring a professional organizer so that you both end up with the results you were hoping for. 

  1. One thing you need to do before the professional organizer arrives on the scene is to de-clutter your own home and have an end game in mind.  Make a mental note of how you want your family to benefit from the coming organization and plan your strategy around that.  If you have certain rooms that you use daily to make life work, start in those areas once your organizer arrives.  He or she will be glad that you have somewhat of a plan already in mind rather than having to start blindly with no goal to work towards. 
  2. Another thing you need to do in order to get ready for a professional organizer to come into your home is to realize that even though you hire someone to help you get your life in order, your home will likely still not look like a picture out of magazine.  The truth of the matter is, folks live in their homes and where there is life there is mess.  If you go in with this mindset you will likely be pleasantly surprised of all that can be accomplished. 
  3. Be ready to let things go when your organizer comes into your home.  You need to let your hording tendencies go and be willing to throw things out that you haven’t recently used.  
  4. Another tip for getting ready to hire a professional organizer is to realize that they are not there to build shelves and the like.  If you have something that you want installed, get someone else to do it or do it yourself before your organizer arrives.  The professional organizer is there to help get things organized not to build shelving contrary to popular belief. 
  5. Professional organizers are not there to clean your home either so be sure to go ahead and have the house clean before they arrive.  Clean isn’t the same thing as neat. 

Hopefully this list will get you started in the right direction for getting ready for your professional organizer to arrive.  If you follow these simple tips you will likely be excited and happy with the final results.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Nursery Decorating Ideas to Welcome Your Little One

Wednesday, November 30, 2016
by The Hat Team

Decorating your home can be fun but no other room is more fun than decorating the nursery for the arrival of a new little one.  Nothing brings more happiness than welcoming a new baby into the world and what better way to welcome your new bundle of joy into your home than by fixing the nursery up for them.  Below are a few nursery decorating ideas to welcome your new little one. 

  1. A little baby is nothing more than a miracle from above so why not decorate your new baby’s room like the royalty that they are.  Decorating the nursery  in a royal theme is a perfect idea whether you are welcoming a tiny prince or a princess.  You can keep the décor unisex by adding some rich colors to the wall or adding a chandelier to the ceiling.  Adding a few decorative pillows maybe in the shape of a crown might be a good idea as well. 
  2. Another cool idea for decorating your nursery is to make it extremely colorful with balloon décor.  This type of room can be unisex as well if you stick to the primary colors of yellow, blue, green and red.  If you want to get really creative you could paint a balloon mural on the wall and perhaps an outdoor scene to go along with it. 
  3. If you like country décor you could use painted pallets to add a touch of southern sass to the room.  This type of country décor can be unisex if you want or you can make it more of a cowboy feel or a cowgirl feel depending on which you have been blessed with. 
  4. Yet another great decorating idea to welcome your new little one into their new room is a Hollywood glitz and glam room.  Sheer curtains hung throughout the room with walls painted pink is a great way to get this particular look and feel.  Yet again, a chandelier may be appropriate for this type of room. 
  5. If you want another gender neutral idea for your baby's room  you can use colors such as grey and yellow.  These colors are not only unisex they are timeless as well.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Thinking About Adding A Fence To Your Property?

Wednesday, November 2, 2016
by The Hat Team

adding a fenceOwning a home is a wonderful thing, but you should always be really careful to make the best choices if you make changes to the outside of your home and this includes putting up a fence of any kind.  There are a few tips for adding a fence to your property that you might want to take into consideration before doing so and some of those are listed below. 

  1. Before putting up a fence on your property be sure to talk with your neighbors about it.  You need to keep in mind that you are not only putting up a fence in your backyard but you are also adding a fence to your neighbors land as well.  Talk with the neighbors that your fence will directly affect and discuss such things as property lines and types of fencing etc. 
  2. Another thing to consider when adding a fence on your property  is the color of the fence and also the style.  Will the color and style of your fence match your home?  If you need ideas of what style fence will look good with your house consider looking online at some ideas.
  3. You may want to consider planting trees to use as a fence if you decide you can’t find a style of fencing that will look good with your homes style.  Cypress and pines are great for this type of privacy fencing and they never go out of style. 
  4. If you decide to add a wooden fence, be sure that you know you will have to take care of it and paint or stain it every so often.  If you want something that has less maintenance than that you may want to purchase a vinyl fence.  
  5. You may want to consider cost as well when deciding what type of material you want your new fence made out of.  Keeping within your budget is always a good idea when adding to your home.
  6. Longevity of the fence material is another thing to keep in mind when choosing fencing for your property.  You don’t want to purchase a material that will need to be replaced sooner than you wish for it to. 

These are just a few tips for adding a fence of any kind to your property.  Once you have gone over these tips you should be able to choose more wisely than you would have without them. 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel 

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Home Improvements To Sell Your Home

Thursday, March 17, 2016
by The Hat Team

home improvement

Below are a few home improvements that will help sell your home this spring.

  • A fresh coat of paint inside your home is a great way to improve the way your home looks and get it ready to put on the market.   Try to keep a neutral theme if you can when painting because you want others to be able to see themselves living in your home and not the other way around.  You will likely be amazed at just how much difference a fresh coat of paint will make to your home. 
  • Panting your front door a color that pops is a great way to get awesome curb appeal.  Many folks will love your home simply because it has a red door and it stands out above all the others in the neighborhood.  Use a pop of color on your front door to your advantage when trying to sell your home!
  • Pressure washing your home is a great way to make it shine if your home is vinyl siding.  You may have lived in your house so long that you forgot what color your siding actually is until you pressure wash it.  This is another way to have great curb appeal when you put your house on the market. 
  • If your house has columns at the front it may be a good time to replace them or at least give them a fresh coat of paint.  Over the years columns tend to expand and crack and make the house look older than it actually is.  Give your home a facelift by taking care of issues like these before you put it on the market.
  • Refinishing your hardwoods is another way to make your home look its best.  You can do this yourself or you may want to choose to hire someone to do it for you.  Either way, refinishing your hardwoods is a great home improvement idea!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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How To Determine the Real Value Of Your Home Improvement

Friday, April 10, 2015
by The Hat Team

The value of home improvements has two primary considerations:

  • the tangible dollar value that is added to your home compared to costs
  • the intangible value of your enjoyment of the improvement

home improvementMost  homeowners focus primarily on the costs, and whether they are adding dollar for dollar value to their home for resale. Those are legitimate concerns. Let’s break them down…

The tangible costs of a project have many components to consider:

  • The first advice to seek is from a Realtor you know and trust. Ask them for some free advice. You want to know what is the likely increase in value you can expect from a project based on what “comparables” are available. You also want their professional opinion about how the buyers in your market are likely to value the improvement. Lastly, you want recommendations about builders you should talk with.
     
  • The next step is to talk with at least two builders/remodelers. Ask them to meet at your home. Describe what you are thinking about doing. Ask for suggests they have and for an estimate of what it is likely to cost. Also ask if they do design work, or do you need an architect?
     
  • Here are some general considerations to think about:
    • usefulness of the improvements to a future buyer will effect the value
    • if the house is older consider replacing electric wiring and plumbing
    • make sure everything is done professionally, even if done by the homeowner
    • badly done home improvements can actually detract from the home’s value
       
  • Lastly, be very careful about re-purposing a bedroom. It should be able to be re-converted back to a bedroom later. The number of bedrooms has a large impact on the value of a home.

The intangible value of your enjoyment is very important. Try to put a dollar amount on your enjoyment value. What benefits will you and your family gain? How long do you anticipate living in your home? What is your enjoyment worth to you in dollars?

Now you’re in a position to add to the tangible cost estimates you have. Add to the tangible costs the dollar value you place on your enjoyment of the benefits. Then compare that total improvement value to what your Realtor has estimated you can get back at resale. You’re now ready to make a decision whether or not to make the improvements.

Information courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel, Hat Team.

Thinking of selling your Montgomery home? Start by getting your home's current value!

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Tips for Adding Value to Your Home

Friday, August 15, 2014
by The Hat Team

In today's economy many potential buyers don't have extra cash available for repairs and updates and are looking for move-in ready houses.  It makes sense, therefore, in order to attract serious buyers and add value to your home, that you consider the following relatively inexpensive and non-time-consuming improvements:

adding valueInterior updates:

  • If you can’t replace the water heater with a tankless model, wrap the one you have in fireproof insulation.
  • Install modern light switches and outlets throughout your home.  Add dimmer switches.
  • Insulate windows.  (Easy-to-follow instructions.)
  • In bathrooms replace dated towel racks, light fixtures, sinks, toilet seats, and hardware.  Purchase a low flow toilet.  Re-grout where needed.  If the floor is in poor shape, consider putting easy-to-install vinyl tiles right over the old one.
  • Add crown moldings, wood trim, and/or cornices to give room a look of quality.
  • Update your kitchen inexpensively by replacing fixtures, faucets, and hardware.  Consider pendant lighting.  Refinish cabinets rather than replacing them.
  • Clean and organize all closets.  For helpful free and/or inexpensive designs created for your particular needs, visit Closet Maid.

Exterior improvements:

  • Keep shrubs and trees neatly pruned.  Plant new trees for energy savings and aesthetic value.
  • Add low-voltage lighting for pathways
  • Pay attention to the front door.  Does it need new weather stripping?  A fresh coat of paint? Updated (or at least polished) hardware—knockers, knobs, hinges, and light fixtures?
  • Spend $10 to test your lawn for needed nutrients.
  • Attend to the garage door.  Use a mixture of one part bleach to three parts water and a soft-bristled brush to give it a thorough cleaning.  Still dirty or stained?  Rent a power washer for about $60.
  • Check for faded or peeling paint.  Sand and apply a fresh coat.

Real estate gurus will tell you that the wisest updates you can make are in the kitchen and the bathroom.  (Not only are these rooms of high importance to buyers, those updates will add the most value and give you a good return on your money.)  Check BankRate.com and DIYnetwork.com for suggestions and good advice on the benefits of more ambitious projects for adding value.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

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Real Estate Projects That Pay Off

Friday, September 20, 2013
by The Hat Team

As the spring “spruce up” season approaches, the fancy of Montgomery AL real estate owners often turns to home improvement projects.  Whether these be large or small, interior or exterior, for resale purposes or for personal houseenjoyment, do-it-yourself or contracted out, nearly 30 % of renovators maintain that they are hoping to increase the value of their home and recoup as much of the cost as they can.

Taking precedence would be the non-glamorous “basic updates” to maintain a healthy, solid, safe home To that end, deal with repainting, fixing the leaky roof, and replacing rotting wood, wiring, and/or plumbing as needed are ongoing needs.

And then?

  • One of the top remodeling projects is as simple as replacing the siding on the outside of your home, thus increasing both protection and curb appeal to your Montgomery AL real estate.  Choose either fiber-cement to recoup 78% of the cost or vinyl for a payback of 69.5 %.
     
  • Updating your windows comes next. Whether you select vinyl or wood windows to replace drafty old ones, you can recoup up to 69.1 percent of the project's cost on your home's resale value.  New windows do much for the look of a home inside and out and certainly contribute to energy-efficiency.
     
  • Since kitchens have become increasing important facets of Montgomery AL real estate, remodeling updates in this room pay off and are well-worth considering.   According to HGTV, you can expect to recoup 60%-120% of your investment on a kitchen remodel, as long as you don’t go overboard. You should never make your kitchen fancier than the rest of the house--or the neighborhood, for that matter.
     
  • And don’t forget energy-efficiency in the kitchen improvement plans. . By using energy-efficient appliances, households can save up to $400 per year on utility bills.  Click here for a few simple steps to follow when shopping for energy-efficient appliances.
     
  • The National Association of Home Builders states that adding a bathroom to a single-family detached home has a strong impact on the home's overall value.  An additional bathroom, even a half bathroom, adds significant value to your home, according to the experts at NAHB.  A half bath may add up to 10.5 percent to a home’s value, while a full bath can tack on an additional 20 percent.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

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