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Displaying blog entries 1361-1370 of 1998

Good News For Montgomery AL Real Estate

Thursday, November 15, 2012
by The Hat Team

Perhaps the person who coined the maxim “Good things come to those who wait” had owners of Montgomery AL real estate in mind, for after a long period of struggling and unpredictability, the housing market is finally touting some good news. 

  • montgomery al real estateResults from Fannie Mae’s September 2012 National Housing Survey show Americans’ optimism about the recovery of the housing market has grown, bolstered by a series of mortgage rate decreases throughout the summer. Consumer attitudes about the economy also improved substantially last month.
     
  • According to Kiplinger, sales of new and existing homes are climbing:  20% for new homes this year; 18% next year. For existing homes, a 2% gain in 2013 will follow about an 8% jump in 2012.
     
  • What's more, if the increases seen in the first nine months of the year continue through the remainder of the year, 2012 will be the first year of rising home prices since 2006. On the current projections pace, prices will rise almost 4 percent by the end of the year, according to Trulia's, ending several consecutive years of painful declines in Montgomery AL real estate.
     
  • Rising home values have brought homeowner equity to its highest level since the third quarter of 2008 and helped lift 1.3 million families above water. Homeowner equity jumped $406 billion, or t5.9 percent, to $7,275 billion in the second quarter of 2012. After a sharp first quarter rise, total equity has grown to $863.
     
  • The national median price for existing homes grew to $187,400, up 9.5 percent from August 2011. The increase was the strongest since January 2006 when the median price rose 10.2 percent from a year earlier. The number of underwater borrowers has declined by 11 percent since the end of the year, down from 12.1.

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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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale: 309 Gunn Road Montgomery, AL 36117

Tuesday, November 13, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale

309 Gunn Road Montgomery, AL 36117

Great potential for the right buyer!! Always used as residential but zoned B3 commercial! Three bedroom  two bath ranch home with double carport is sure to please. Hardwood floors and wood burning fireplace are just a few of the amenities. All electric home current owner uses window units to heat and cool. Water is well and property is on a septic tank. Roof needs replacing, Shower in one bath is inoperable and septic system is working but needs repair. Seller is offering property strictly (as is).

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.

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

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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:169 Hickory Lane Wetumpka, AL 36093

Thursday, November 8, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale

169 Hickory Lane Wetumpka, AL 36093

In beautiful Emerald Mountain, live like you are on vacation every day! Tucked away on a wooded lot at the back of a cul-de-sac is this lovely home that's waiting for new owners. Large master bedroom and bath and two bedrooms with adjoining Jack and Jill bath on opposite side. Wonderful open floorplan, study/office with French doors and a lovely screened in porch. Please check out this quiet, peaceful neighborhood and see what a nice place it is to live.

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.

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

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Montgomery AL Foreclosure Trends - Sept 2012

Thursday, November 8, 2012
by The Hat Team

There were 772 Montgomery AL foreclosure homes for sale with 1 in every 883 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in Sept 2012. The average selling price of a Montgomery AL home was $93,066 and the average foreclosure selling price was $81,935, a $11,131 savings according to RealtyTrac.com.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity and 30 Year Interest Rate

Montgomery interest rates averaged 3.47% in Sept while the number of foreclosed homes climbed from 73 to 107.

montgomery al foreclosure

Foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings – default notice, foreclosure auction notice or bank repossession – each month. Interest rate is based on the average 30-year fixed rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Montgomery AL foreclosure activity was 0.03% lower than national statistics, 0.02% higher than Alabama and the same as Montgomery County statistics in Sept 2012.

montgomery al foreclosure 

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity by Month

The number of Bank-Owned properties rose from 18 homes in August to 63 in Sept. The number of Auctions dropped from 55 to 44. There is a 6-month rising trend.

montgomery al foreclosure

Are you or someone you know behind on mortgage payments and facing a Montgomery foreclosure? You do have options. A short sale may be the answer to saving you, your family and your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) with specialized training in helping families avoid foreclosure. Give me a call for a private consultation.

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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Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Trends - October 2012

Thursday, November 1, 2012
by The Hat Team

Ever since the housing bubble burst, the American public has been bombarded by predictions of all sorts.  Some have included assertions that the real estate market has bottomed out, while others issue dire warnings that it will sink still lower.  Accompanying these negative reports, however, there have usually been optimistic voices insisting that the market is actually improving.  And perhaps it finally is.  Dubious?  Read on…

According to a report issued recently by the Demand Institute, 2012 is the year of the housing bottom. The report states, “The double-digit increases in U.S. housing prices over the first half of the past decade proved unsustainable. But the freefall is over. The point has been reached where housing prices will start to climb, albeit at single-digit rates in most markets over the next five years.”

In addition, Douglas C. Yearley, Jr., CEO of Toll Brothers,says: "It appears that the housing market has moved into a new and stronger phase of recovery as we have experienced broad-based improvement across most of our regions over the past six months. The spring selling season has been the most robust and sustained since the downturn began.”

Numerous recently published articles discuss various stages of a housing market recovery.  Some describe a 3-step process, some 5, and others 7, but all agree that the signs of an upswing are currently here.  Visit Zip Realty, Seeking Alpha, and GMO for in-depth explanations and analyses of these stages.

Moreover, the Wall Street Daily touts 11 positive indicators that point to the beginning of a real estate turnaround.  Among those featured are rising housing starts, declining inventory, growing consumer confidence, spiking rental costs, increasing prices of homes, and rebounding existing home sales.

If you are considering buying or selling a home, this may well be a good time to do so. Interest rates won’t get much lower, prices seem to be stabilizing, and houses are more affordable than they’ve been in a decade.  Why wait any longer?

Lets look at the statistics in our local real estate market for September 2012.

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for September show the number of homes sold decreased by 16% when compared to September 2011. The average sales price decreased by 5% to $131,321 during the same period. The median sales prices decreased by 3%, and market times decreased by 35% or 60 days.  The highest selling home price decreased by 14%, and the lowest selling home price increased by 100%.

Midtown Montgomery Sept 2012 Sept 2011
Homes Sold 21 25
Average Selling Price $ 131,321 $ 138,288
Median Selling Price $ 122,500 $ 126,500
Days On The Market 114 174
Highest Selling Price $ 367,500 $ 425,000
Lowest Selling Price $ 25,500 $1


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

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

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Fall Gardening At Your Montgomery AL Home

Thursday, October 25, 2012
by The Hat Team

Yes, summer has come to a close, but that doesn’t mean that you need to bid adieu to gardening or enjoying colorful blossoms in your Montgomery AL home.  Actually, cooler temperatures, moist soils, and the absence of pesky insects in autumn make for ideal conditions for fall planting and spending time in your garden.  Generally, the items on your to-do list fall into three categories:  enjoying it now; housekeeping, and preparing for the future.

fallEnjoy It Now

Probably the favorite activity of gardeners who owns a Montgomery AL home involves the planting of flowers, trees, and shrubs which will provide bright colors for the next few months.  Before investing in fall plantings, however, click here for information and planting advice for your geographic region.  Some colorful and popular blooms include asters, red spider lily, Mexican sage, goldenrod (that it is a source of hay fever is a misconception), fall crocus, witch hazel, and perennial sunflower (smaller than the annual sunflower).  For a wider, more unusual variety, this Better Homes and Gardens website offers a large selection of lesser-known—but just as colorful—species for fall planting as well as planting information for each one.

This is also a favorable time to plant trees and shrubs with brightly-colored foliage on the grounds of your Montgomery AL home.  Consider amur, sugar, and Japanese maples; burning bush; birch, and ginkgo, or click here for more unusual varieties.

Housekeeping

While you’re outside admiring your handiwork, you can take advantage of that time to tend to some gardening “housekeeping” tasks.  This list includes the following “do’s”:  picking bagworms from evergreens, deadheading perennialsand disposing of all diseased foliage, dividing and transplanting perennials, fertilizing trees and shrubs, adding plant debris to your compost pile, weeding, and watering trees and shrubs, particularly evergreeens, generously.  Note:  There are also three “do not’s” on this list.  Resist the temptation to do any severe pruning until early spring, defer mulching until mid-November, and discontinue fertilizing your roses.

Preparing For The Future

Finally, you will want to prepare the plants in the garden of your Montgomery AL home for the future.  You still have time to purchase and plant tulip, crocus, and daffodil bulbs for glorious color in the spring, and you can dig up and the bulbs of begonias and gladiolus in peat moss or vermiculite.  Before the night temperature dips below 55 degrees, bring houseplants back inside—only after carefully inspecting them for insects and thoroughly washing the leaves and the container.

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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Celebrating Halloween In Montgomery AL 2012

Thursday, October 18, 2012
by The Hat Team

hapy halloweenTonight is the night
When pumpkins stare
Through sheaves and leaves
Everywhere,
When ghouls and ghost
And goblin host
Dance round their queen.
It's Halloween.
- Harry Behn

It’s nearly that time of year again—Halloween, a time of ghosts and ghouls, tricks and treats, and costumes and candy!  Did you know that Halloween is second only to Christmas in terms of spending?  Yep--$1.2 million on costumes and another $2.5 million on candy, decorations, and other themed paraphernalia! 

Other little-known facts include:

  • 86% of Americans decorate their houses.                                                  
  • 10% of pet owners costume their pets.
  • 35 million pounds of candy corn are produce yearly. (How many are consumed in your home?)

Halloween traditions are many and varied.  ‘Tis the night for donning a costume, wearing a mask, bobbing for apples, and, the children’s favorite—trick-or-treating.  Looking for something different to give to the little ones coming to your Montgomery AL home this year?  How about juice boxes, mini-marshmallows, popcorn balls, fruit roll-ups, 4 pack crayons, small glo-sticks, silly erasers, temporary tattoos, unusual pencils ,themed bandaids or goldfish snacks?  Visit Green Halloween for more clever suggestions.                                                                  

Carving a Jack-o-Lantern: 

Be your pumpkin orange, white, green, and yes, even blue, you want the face on the porch of your home to be individual and unique.  Get free templates to assist you in carving or for cut and paste faces here.

The Count Dracula Society was founded by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1962.

Costumes:  witch

Forget the old standbys of ghost and witch.  Get creative and think about the unusual.  A cupcake?  Or perhaps popcorn or an aquarium?  Although the web is filled with sites which sell costumes, you can express yourself by making your own garb.  Check out CostumeIdeaZone.com for silly, serious, and/or super fast ideas.

Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the fall harvest and black is associated with darkness.

Activities for the young and young at heart:

Check out Caboose.com, Halloween.com, ZombiePumpkins.com, and TheTeachersCorner.net.  For creative ideas such as wicked wreaths, friendly ghosts, fright lights, tasty treats, and much, much more, visit LowesCreativeIdeas.com.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:407 E Fairview Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104

Tuesday, October 16, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale

407 E Fairview Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104

Known as the Rice house and designed by famed architect Frank Lockwood this house has only had three owners. This piece of Montgomery was constructed with the finest of materials such as cypress, oak, slate, redwood and copper to name a few. Built by true craftsman of the era it should remain long into the future for generations to admire. I would say possibly the finest built home currently on the market in Montgomery period. Oak floors throughout complement rich cypress paneling and hand planked beams. The three fireplaces feature original marble, limestone surrounds and a different classic herringbone pattern in each one. Original interior cypress and copper screens are present and useful for open window days to let the light and breezes flow through the house. The breakfast room features built-ins with leaded glass and a slate floor. The kitchen boasts original double drain cast iron sink, modern 5 burner gas stove, marble topped work island and three pantry’s for all your kitchen goods. A grand staircase has iron balustrades and features a huge picture window on the landing. All bedrooms have walk- in closets; one currently serves as an office and one as a TV room. Storage will not be a problem with a large walk- in attic and closets galore. Double garage for your rolling stock and all covered with a slate and copper roof. House has working steam heat up and down and has a working heat pump up for central heat and a/c. Heat pump down provides central ac. Vacant lot to West of this house is a separate parcel. Please give us or your favorite agent a call today to see this one of a kind property.

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.

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

 

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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale: 3031 Old Farm Road Montgomery Al 36111

Friday, October 12, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale

3031 Old Farm Road Montgomery Al 36111

Nice 4 bedroom, 2 bath home near exclusive McGehee Estates could be a money maker for you!! Incredible nice size corner lot with towering oaks. Two living spaces, formal dining, eat-in kitchen and nice double carport with storage. Original 1963 kitchen and baths need overhauling as well as the rest of the home. House sold as is with owner making no repairs. Over 2000 sq. ft. of traditional layout also boast split bedroom plan. Rear patio has nice pierced brick wall.

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.

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

 

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Pre-Approval: The First Step To Buying a Montgomery AL Home

Thursday, October 11, 2012
by The Hat Team

Few people can buy a home for cash. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), nearly nine out of 10 buyers of Montgomery AL homes finance their purchase, which means that nearly all buyers -- especially first-time purchasers -- require a loan.  The real issue with real estate financing is not getting a loan home(almost anyone willing to pay lofty interest rates can find a mortgage). Instead, the idea is to get the loan that's right for you -- the mortgage with the lowest cost and best terms.

Realtors routinely urge prospective buyers to get pre-approved for a loan before they even begin looking at Montgomery AL  homes. They also stress the importance of obtaining a letter of pre-approval rather than of pre-qualification.  Although many homebuyers use these two terms interchangeably, there are significant differences between the two.  Simply stated, pre-qualification lets sellers know that a prospective buyer of their home is likely to qualify for a loan, whereas pre-approval, although not an absolute guarantee, indicates that a loan officer has determined a borrower is credit-worthy and financially able to qualify for a certain loan.

The advantages of searching for a Montgomery AL  home with evidence of pre-approval in hand are many.  In essence, they include the following:

  • Mortgage preapproval is going to tell you exactly how much money you can borrow. This way, you will know how much your mortgage payment is going to be ahead of time.
  • You won’t waste time (or be sorely disappointed) by looking at houses you can’t afford.
  • Sellers and Realtors will take you seriously.  They are much more comfortable with the certainty that you can obtain a loan (and that the deal won’t fall through), and thus may be more willing to negotiate.
  • Once you find a home, the mortgage process can proceed more quickly because your lender will already have.

Although lender requirements for pre-approval may vary somewhat, be prepared to supply the following information:

  • Purchase Agreement
  • Social Security Number and Date of Birth
  • W-2/1040 Forms
  • Recent pay stubs
  • Bank account statements
  • Credit card statements
  • Debts and liabilities
  • Mortgage or rental histories
  • Investment properties
  • Employers
  • Asset statements
  • Personal property
  • Current and previous statements

Supplying all this information may seem like a time-consuming process, but in the end of your house-hunting journey, you’ll be glad you did it!

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.

 

Add Comment

Displaying blog entries 1361-1370 of 1998

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