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Displaying blog entries 351-357 of 357

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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4 Common Real Estate Myths Debunked

Wednesday, October 12, 2016
by The Hat Team

real estate myths

If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, you may have already come across some of these common real estate myths.  Real estate myths are abundant and are quite prevalent in the real estate world.  Below you will find a few real estate myths to be wary of whether you are buying or selling a home. 

  1. Some folks believe that if you don’t use a real estate agent you are likely to get a better deal.  This is totally false because no matter which one of you have the agent…one of them is going to get the commission be it the buyer’s agent or the sellers agent.  The only way to get around dealing with paying a commission to a realtor is if you sell or a buy a home that is for sale by owner.  If you do decide to purchase or sell by owner, be very careful because there are a lot of things that can and perhaps will go wrong when you try to go it alone.  Real estate agents deserve all the commission they get because they do a lot of work that you don’t have to worry about doing yourself. 
  2. Another common real estate myth  is that you should set your asking price higher than what you expect to make.  If you price your home too much above the market value you are likely going to be doing yourself an injustice.  Folks are going to pass your home by because they know that it is not in their price range.  Setting your home at a reasonable price is a good way to get buyers to show some interest and not be scared off by sticker shock. 
  3. Yet another common real estate myth is that all of the houses listed in the multiple listing systems are all available to look at online.  Most of the houses on MLS are listed online but if you don’t tell your realtor that you want your home listed online he or she may not do so. 
  4. Another real estate myth  is that having an open house will basically guarantee that you home will sell.  While open houses are good to get folks out looking at your house, they don’t always bring the buyer to your door.  Typically those that look at your house during an open house are just browsing and likely won’t give you an offer. 

Do your part not to let these real estate myths fool you by knowing them ahead of time before you buy or sell a home. 

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

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Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Trends August 2016

Wednesday, September 28, 2016
by The Hat Team

Midtown Montgomery Market Trends

Midtown Montgomery Market Update

homeowner

Being a homeowner means that your home is yours – even the things that need fixing. Is a faucet leaking? Are floor boards squeaky? Is a light-switch not working? Those issues are all yours to tackle. But what projects can you do yourself and what ones require the help of a trained professional? Taking on projects yourself can save you time and money. But taking on the wrong projects can lead to unending amounts of stress or end up costing you more money than if you had hired someone in the first place. NAR’s consumer website, HouseLogic.com, lets you know which projects need a seasoned hand and a beginner can undertake.  

Take a look at how many families decided to become homeowners in our local market in August…

MIDTOWN MONTGOMERY REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE
 

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for August 2016 show the number of homes sold increased 5.26%. The average sales price increased by 4.06%. The median sales price decreased by 5.23%. Market times dropped by 47 days.

Midtown Montgomery August 2016    August 2015
Homes Sold 40 38
Average Selling Price $161,464 $155,167
Median Selling Price $126,000 $132,950
Days On The Market 92 139
Highest Selling Price $750,000 $790,000
Lowest Selling Price $6,000 $7,130


For the latest Midtown Montgomery real estate market conditions in your area, please call me at 800-HAT-LADY or visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

Information is provided by the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

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Tips to Assure Your Pre-Approval is Valid

Wednesday, September 21, 2016
by The Hat Team


Assure your pre-approval is valid

If you are in the market for a new home then the very first step you need to take even before you begin your search for the perfect place is to receive a pre-approval on a loan.  Most Realtors won’t take you serious about looking for a home until you have your pre-approval.  There are a few things that need to take place to assure your pre-approval is valid.  If your lender tells you that you are pre-approved within just a few minutes you may want to do some investigation to find out if it’s legitimate pre-approval.   Below are a few suggestions about what you need to do in order to receive a pre-approval.

  • Submit an application with the lender of your choice
  • Provide all documentation that the lender requires of you
  • Given the go ahead and approval for the lender to pull your credit
  • Your lender must have found that you meet all the credit guidelines. They will look at things such as your debt-to- income ratio as well as your assets. 
  • The lender will have talked with you about what money you need to have together for closing costs as well as what your mortgage payment will be monthly.  Your lender will also go over any or all programs that you may qualify for. 
  • An automated underwriting must be made by your lender before you can move forward with your loan.

If you have a good lender, he or she will talk with you about the different requirements to get a pre- approval and they may even determine that you need to work on a few things first and give it a bit of time before you apply for a pre-approval.  Good lenders will spend the time needed with you to figure out where your finances are so that you don’t end up getting in over your head with a home you cannot afford.  Take your time looking for a lender so that you have a good match and one that you can trust.  After all, buying a home is a big deal and you need to be able to trust those who are leading you into your future and home ownership.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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Buying Big Without Breaking the Bank

Wednesday, September 7, 2016
by The Hat Team

Buy big without breaking the bank.

We have all seen the tiny houses that are flooding the internet lately, but let’s be honest; do you really want to live in a space so small that you barely have room to move around in your own home?  In all likelihood we can all agree that we really want more space for less money.  Let’s take a look at a few ways to buy big without breaking the bank. 

  1. One way that you can buy big without breaking the bank is by going in together with a family member to purchase a home.   You may not like the idea of having someone living with you but if you can afford to buy a large enough house together you might not even be bothered by them as much as you think you will.
     
  2. Another way to buy big without breaking the bank is by buying an older home.  Older homes are typically built well and have quite a lot of character.  If you don’t have to have everything new then consider buying an older home so that you can get more bang for your buck.  New is not always better. 
     
  3. A great way to buy big without breaking the bank is to bid on a home that is not completely built yet.  You may have  a bit of negotiating room when it comes to the floor plan and if larger is what you want larger might just be what you can get without dishing out a ton of money. 
     
  4. If the home you have your eye set on is the one you really want but it just doesn’t seem big enough for your taste, why not aim for renovating and opening up some of the rooms?  This is a great way to make a smaller home feel larger than it is without having to spend a lot of money in the process.  If you don’t have enough cash to do it all right now, you can always open it up a little bit at a time. 
     
  5. Finding homes that have been on the market for a while is a great way to get more for your money.  Homes are flying off the market these days, so you showing an interest in a home that isn’t having as much luck as the others is a great way to get more.

These are just a few ideas of how you can get more for your money when it comes to buying a home.   Now that you are aware of how you can get a bigger home without breaking the bank you are well on your way to finding the home for you and yours.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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Look For These 6 Attributes In A Neighborhood Before Buying

Wednesday, August 24, 2016
by The Hat Team


Welome to the neighborhood!

Here are just a few things you may want to look for in a neighborhood before you buy a home there.  Keep an open mind when searching for a neighborhood and do your best to pay attention to these things and you will most likely enjoy your new home for years to come.

  1.  Walkability – A good thing to look for in a neighborhood before you buy is the walkability of it.  If you don’t know, a good place to start is to walk the neighborhood yourself.  If you don’t want to get out and walk around in the neighborhood before you purchase a home there, you can always check the walkability score on sites such as Walk Score. 
  2. Neighbors – A great way to check out the neighbors in a hood that you are considering buying a house in is to drive through the neighborhood on a Saturday afternoon.  Most of the time you will at least get to take a look at a few of the neighbors out in their yards.
  3. School Rankings – If your children’s education is important to you, you may want to check out the schools in the area in which you are planning to buy a home.  Talk to neighbors, go to the school and talk to teachers, check for school ratings in that area online to get an idea of what you should expect.
  4. Crime Rates – It is very important that you check into crime rates in a neighborhood before you make a purchase so that you are not surprised once you move in.  Most of the websites such as Zillow and Trulia have a crime rate locator that will show you just how much crime goes on in different areas.
  5. Places Of Interest – A good thing to look for in a neighborhood before you buy a house there is for places of interest nearby.  You may or may not get a chance to do all of the fun things nearby your new home once you move in but knowing there is a lot to do within a close distance may be important to your children.
  6. Demographics -   If it is important to be in a neighborhood of people who look like you and who are around the same age you may want to check out the demographics before you buy a house there.

These are just a few things you may want to look for in a neighborhood before you purchase a home there.  Keep an open mind when searching for a neighborhood and do your best to pay attention to these things and you will most likely enjoy your new home for years to come.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

 

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Things To Consider When Moving With Pets

Wednesday, August 10, 2016
by The Hat Team

Moving with pets

If you have pets, chances are they are members of your family and you love them very much.  Many times when moving to a new home, family pets can become an issue.  Below are a few tips for moving with your pets.

ID TAGS AND COLLARS

Before you make a move into a new location, go ahead and make sure that all of your animals have the proper id tags and collars on.  If phone numbers and addresses need to be updated on the dog tags, go ahead and take care of that before you move.  Many times pets can get a little discombobulated when you move and they may wander off trying to find the home they have become accustomed to.  If you have the correct numbers and address on their tag, they can easily be returned to you.

KEEP PETS IN CRATES ON MOVING DAY

Whether or not your pet is used to being in a crate, if you are in the middle of moving to a new home, moving day needs to be crate day for your pets.  This will help to insure that they are not left behind or that they don’t get stepped on in all the hustle and bustle.

PET HOTELS

If you are moving a long distance, make sure that you map out hotels along the way that are pet friendly.  This way you won’t end up being turned away from your hotel at the last minute when they see you have pets.  Taking care of this beforehand will make for much better travel for everyone involved.

VETS

If you are moving far away you are going to need to get all of your pet’s vaccination papers and other materials from your vet’s office.  Be sure to take care of this well in advance so you don’t forget to do it.  Perhaps your current vet can even recommend a new vet in or nearby your new location.

OVERNIGHT PET BAG

Since your pet is part of your family, treat them as such by packing them an overnight bag with enough items such as food, water, jackets, toys, etc to get them through the first few days of your move.  You are going to be busy enough without having to worry that your pet has all that he or she needs during your move so pack accordingly.

PET RELOCATORS

If you simply can’t take your pet along for the move, but you want them to arrive at your new house safe and sound, you may want to hire a pet relocation company to do this for you!

Hopefully these tips for moving with your pet will be beneficial to you during your move to your new home!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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