Real Estate Information

When people think about where they might retire, the first place that comes to mind is Florida. But Florida is far from the only place that is great for retirement. According to moneyrates.com, Alabama is one of the top ten places to retire in America in 2023. Between its rich culture and warm weather, Alabama is one of the best kept secrets of retirement opportunities. Finances are a vital aspect of retirement, and you want to live in a state where you can get the most bang for your buck without having to sacrifice comfort and enjoyment. And Alabama has a lot to offer in that respect.

You will find a lot of the same tax advantages in Alabama that you would find in Florida. Combined with the fact that Alabama is overall a less expensive place to live, it should be a top contender when deciding where to retire.

Consider these financial perks:

• While Alabama does have an income tax, it is one of the lowest in the county, and social security benefits are completely exempt.
• The cost of living in Montgomery, specifically is 12% lower than the national average.
• The cost of housing in Montgomery is 25% lower than the national average.
• Healthcare costs are lower in Alabama as well, 15% less than the national average.
• Retirees who own a home in Alabama benefit from one of the lowest property tax rates in the country, second only to Hawaii.

Other than it being a financially smart decision to retire to Alabama, here are several reasons that Montgomery is a wonderful place to live out your golden years:

1. The weather is ideal all year ‘round! With a subtropical climate, you will enjoy hot summers and mild winters.
    
2. Alabama’s capital city is filled with art and culture. The Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, Hank Williams Museum and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts offer opportunities to experience the charming history of this southern town along with fine art from around the world. You will also be able to enjoy professional performances at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center, the Montgomery Ballet, and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
   
3. You can stay active and social at Montgomery Riverfront Park. Catch a ballgame featuring the Montgomery Biscuits at Riverwalk Stadium or take a riverboat cruise on the Harriott II.  Bring chairs or a blanket and grab a spot on the grass where you can watch a show or listen to music at the Riverwalk Amphitheater.
    
4. If you love outdoor living, one of the best parts of retiring in Montgomery will be the vast amount of green space and trails that are easy to access. Blount Cultural Park offers a dog park, open green space, a pond and more! Check out Eat South, Montgomery’s own urban teaching farm, or play nine holes at the golf course. Gateway Park offers hiking trails, or you can have a picnic, play horseshoes and check out the planetarium at Oak Park.
    
5. If you are a “foodie”, one of the best parts of living in Montgomery is all the incredible cuisine it offers!  From the finest southern cooking to the most exquisite fine dining, you will love the dining options in Montgomery!

Montgomery also boasts a plethora of senior living options that include living spaces that offer assisted living and onsite medical care.

So, if a lower cost of living, tax perks, mild weather, arts & culture, and green spaces all appeal to you, consider Montgomery, Alabama when making your list of possible places to retire.

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: kmwealthmanagement.com, tmsfinancing.com, exploringmontgomery.com, pensionbee.com

​Perhaps you have imagined your dream house. You’ve pictured it in your mind, created lengthy Pinterest boards with images, but can only hope that you might find it in real life. Some buyers must look for a long time before finding the home of their dreams, but others know right away.

When reality matches the vision you have for your home, you might fall in love at first sight.

Here are some things that make buyers know they had found “the one” the moment they see it:

1. A GORGEOUS FRONT PORCH
   

Nothing says “welcome home” better than a beautifully appointed front porch. A creative front door with porch railings painted a complementary color is a great way to draw a potential buyer into a home. That first look can make or break the interest of buyers.

2. STANDING OUT AMONG THE CROWD

That neighborhood full of “cookie cutter” houses may be the right area for you, but you don’t want your house to look like everyone else’s. A home that stands out is the one for you. For example, maybe that one white brick house in a sea of red brick houses is just different enough to make it the right one for you.

3. LAYOUT

Open concept has been popular for a long time, but maybe your dream house affords more privacy. When you walk into a home that has defined rooms that serve specific purposes, you have found what you have envisioned as the perfect home for you.

4. THE GREAT OUTDOORS
   

Perhaps the inside doesn’t matter quite as much as the outside to you. Despite the imperfections in the house itself, that huge, beautiful yard is all you ever wanted. Or maybe any house in a neighborhood that provides access to walking trails and open spaces will do the job.

5. GOOD BONES

If your dream house is one that you design yourself, then you might just fall in love with a fixer upper that has good bones. Just make sure to educate yourself about what it will take to make the vision you have for your home a reality.

6. LOCATION

Do you have a work commute that sucks the joy out of life? Finding a home that is in just the right location can certainly be the fulfillment of a dream home!

7. KITCHEN
   

A chef’s kitchen with high end appliances and tons of counter and storage space may be all it takes for the cook in the family to say “this is the one!”

No matter what you are looking for in a “dream home”, Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professionals can help you find it. And if you are selling your home, they can assist you in highlighting those aspects that will make buyers fall in love at first sight!

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: alcova.com, abeautifulmess.com, graceinmyspace.com, thescoutguide.com

3425 Wiley Road, Montgomery, AL 36106

MLS# 532479

4 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2,516 Square Feet | Ridgefield

This 4-bedroom traditional ranch-style home has plenty of room to spread out. Well-proportioned living and dining rooms flank the central foyer. The galley-style kitchen features double ovens and a good-sized breakfast room for informal dining. Convenient wet bar sits between the breakfast room and den/family room. Large den/family room has fireplace for cozy evenings. The rear screened porch is great for relaxing and entertaining friends, and the big, fenced backyard is a great place for kids and pets to play. Convenient Midtown Montgomery location near shopping, dining, and schools.

Marketed by Montgomery AL Realtor, Billy Young, Sandra Nickel Hat Team

If you are preparing to list your house for sale, you may be wondering if the financial reward will be worth the time, effort, and money to fix up things that are in disrepair or that are dated.  The answer to that question depends on a myriad of circumstances such as the current real estate market, the condition of competing inventory and whether the renovations that need to be made generally provide a return on investment.

Some home buyers are looking to purchase a “fixer-upper”. They are looking for properties priced to sell, perhaps because they don’t qualify for more expensive homes or maybe because they want to make a profit by refurbishing the home themselves.  Most fixer buyers want to do simple repairs such as painting walls, replacing light fixtures and putting in new carpet. Only a few want to take a house down to the studs and completely redo it. These potential buyers will want a price for the home that will allow for all the repairs, the inconvenience of doing the work, and often a bit more. For example, if a home is worth $200,000 refurbished, but still needs a new roof, and the roof costs approximately $10,000, a buyer most likely will not offer $190,000 for this home. The reason is that they can probably find a similar house that already has a new roof for $200,000 and save themselves the headache of replacing it themselves. A buyer in this situation might offer $175,000 or less, in which case it would make more sense for the seller to replace the roof and sell it for $200,000.

It is important to note that many buyers are looking for “turn-key” homes. They fear having to make major repairs because they might be costlier than anticipated or other problems might be revealed.

Even if the price is right, homes listed for sale in “as is” condition might not attract as many buyers.

However, before doing major renovations, there are many things to consider. Smart sellers will research what their home’s market value will be once improvements are made and compare it to the cost of the renovations. If an upgrade won’t provide return on the investment, it probably doesn’t make sense to do it. Knowing the condition of your competition is helpful.  For example, if other homes for sale in your neighborhood all have modern kitchens, it might make sense to update yours. This doesn’t mean you should tear it down and start from scratch.  Often a minor kitchen remodel will suffice. Also, keep in mind that kitchen and bathroom remodels are known to bring the best return on investment.

Start by making a list of the things in your home that are dated or in disrepair and then prioritize. 

Here is a list of 10 minimum improvements to make before putting your house on the market:

• Patch all holes and cracks in walls and ceilings.
• Fix all appliances and HVAC systems.
• Repair leaky faucets.
• Replace worn carpeting.
• Repaint dark or marred walls in neutral colors (not white).
• Replace broken windows.
• Repair the roof.
• Change dated light fixtures/ceiling fans.
• Replace old linens/window coverings.
• Fix any code violations.

If your real estate market is a sellers’ market and homes are moving quickly, you can get by with fewer fix ups, however a home that needs repairs will still deliver a lower price. If it’s a buyers’ market, people might not even be willing to look at homes that need repairs. Your Realtor will assist you in determining whether or not it is worth it to refurbish your home before putting it up for sale.

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: newamericanfunding.com, money.com, kiiky.com

2804 Locust Street, Montgomery, AL 36107

MLS# 532230

3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 1,536 Square Feet | Highland Park 

This pristine brick home has just had a total makeover and is ready to go! Beautiful hardwood floors (some are even heart pine) throughout make it easy to keep clean. The large dining area is open to the kitchen. The split plan has two guest bedrooms and hall bath in the front of the house, with private main bedroom and bath beyond laundry room at the rear of the house. The enclosed back porch/sunroom gives bonus living space, and out back is a big, covered patio area for entertaining. And, for the handyman, there is a large workshop and storage area in the basement with plenty of lighting and upgraded electrical. Fully fenced yard for privacy and security! Within walking distance to shopping, dining, and just minutes from Downtown!

Marketed by Montgomery AL Realtor, Billy Young, Sandra Nickel Hat Team

Owning a home is part of the American dream. Working hard, saving money, finding the right house, and going through the mortgage process all pays off when you move into your own home and being to enjoy the perks that come with what is likely to be your largest financial investment. Some of those perks come in the form of tax breaks. And with tax season around the corner, it’s time to educate yourself about those tax breaks. You might be surprised to discover that many of your biggest home-related expenses are often tax deductible.

Here are the top four tax breaks for homeowners:

1. MORTGAGE INTEREST

The most significant tax break you’ll get is a mortgage interest deduction, which is nice since a huge part of your monthly mortgage payment goes towards paying off interest for a while after your purchase. All the interest you pay during the tax year will be deductible. However, if you own properties with mortgage balances over a million dollars, the IRS will limit your deductible interest. If you own a second home, your interest for that home is also deductible as long as you are residing there part of the year. If you stay there less than 14 days out of the year or less than 10% of the number of days you rent it out, the IRS may consider it a residential rental property, and in that case, you will not be able to take an interest deduction.

2. REAL ESTATE TAXES

Another large deduction you get to make as a homeowner is on your property taxes. As a homeowner, you will always have to pay some form of real estate tax. If you have an escrow account, which most mortgages do, it means you have been paying a portion of your property tax bill for the year as part of your monthly mortgage payment. At the end of the tax year, your lender will send you a statement, which will tell you what you have paid in taxes and interest and how much went into your escrow account to be used toward taxes. You will be able to deduct the amount your lender paid from your escrow toward taxes.

3. POINTS

When you purchase a home, you have the option to pay mortgage points to your lender to lower your interest rate. A point is typically 1% of the loan price, so if you bought or built a new home that cost $300,000 and you paid your lender for one origination point, this should enable you to deduct the $3,000 in closing costs paid from your taxes for the year of the home purchase.

4. ENERGY TAX CREDITS

Making improvements to the energy efficiency of your home will not only save you money on energy costs, it may also help you qualify for a tax credit. Tax credits can be better than tax deductions as they are a dollar-for-dollar savings no matter what tax bracket you are in. Things like upgrading windows, roofing, appliances and more with energy efficient equipment will often count toward a tax credit. But since the IRS does change things from year to year, be sure to check with them beforehand so you will know what tax credits you qualify for.

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: bellbroshvac.com, hrblock.com, mashvisor.com, nfmlending.com, nbcpa.us

3514 Cloverdale Road, Montgomery, AL 36111

MLS# 532113

3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 1,150 Square Feet | South Cloverdale

Gain the perfect spot for your front porch rocker and lose your heart to this quaint Cloverdale cottage that’s priced to make your dream of homeownership come true. Vinyl siding for easy care and just the right size—like Goldilocks but not a fairy tale!

Marketed by Montgomery AL Realtor, Ali Bertschy, Sandra Nickel Hat Team!

Have you been thinking about painting some rooms in your home? You may want to keep in mind that the colors in your home can have a huge effect on your moods. The shade of your walls has been shown to affect emotions. For example, there are certain colors that will bring you down; ones that will help you relax; and even some that will suppress your appetite. So, when choosing what colors to use in your home, take these into consideration:

Yellow for HAPPINESS

Yellow is a natural source of positive energy and sparks feelings of happiness. Shades of yellow can also activate metabolism and boost thinking.

Sky Blue for RENEWAL

Pale blues are calming and help to restore natural rhythms. Sleeping well contributes to productivity and overall well-being. Calming blues have soothing and restorative qualities that help you rest better.

Violet Black for MINDFULNESS

While it may appear dark and moody, a hidden undertone of violet in a dark background draws you in and provides a sense of escape and relaxation. This color also creates a space for focus and reflection.

Yellow-Green for OPTIMISM

This combination of green and yellow captures the essence of spring’s first bloom and the anticipation of renewal. These colors bring positive energy into a space and stimulate personal growth.

Silver-Sage for BALANCE

The blend of sage green and silvery gray provides balance and harmony. These are the perfect colors for a peaceful, refreshing, and tranquil living space.

Red for ENERGY

A vibrant color like red is an excellent choice if you are someone who often feels sluggish and lazy. Red brings on alertness. It is best used sparsely to bring a pop of color into a room. For example, you could paint your cabinets red or create a statement wall in an otherwise neutral room.

Whether you plan to paint for your own health and happiness, or you are sprucing your house up to put it on the market, choosing the right colors can make all the difference in the world!

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: istockphoto.com, veranda.com, decorpad.com, houzz.com, pinterest.com, decorpad.com, houzz.com

842 Cloverdale Road, Montgomery, AL  36106

MLS# 531784

3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2,508 Square Feet | Cloverdale

This ol' girl turns 100 this year, but you wouldn't know it from looking at her! Meticulously maintained for over 50 years by the same family, and thoughtfully updated over the years, this Midtown Montgomery home is ready for the next owners to love it. Situated at the foot of historic Cloverdale Park, the views are breathtaking and peaceful. Spacious rooms and craftsman-inspired detailing add old world charm. Breakfast room has two built-in china/glassware cabinets, and kitchen features two pantry areas for great storage and clutter free work areas. The rear deck affords a great view of the deep, private backyard with formal garden area and additional yard space beyond. The original one-car garage provides excellent storage and attached "keepers quarters" has endless possibilities for additional live-work/play area. Easily walk to nearby restaurants, bars, theatres, and shopping venues, and access to two of the area's main parks featuring seasonal events, concerts, and exercise/play opportunities.

Marketed by Montgomery AL Realtor, Billy Young, Sandra Nickel Hat Team

Buying your first home is exciting. After getting approved for a mortgage loan, working with a professional Realtor and finding your dream home, it’s time to settle in and start enjoying your new digs. Then BAM!  The shock of an unexpected expense slaps you in the face. Don’t let that happen to you. Being informed about the possible expenses of being a homeowner will not make spending the money any more fun, but at least you will be prepared. 

Here are some ancillary costs of homeownership that you should be aware of:

1. CLOSING COSTS

When closing on your mortgage you will be presented with a long list of costs: mortgage taxes, lender application fees, attorney’s fees, title insurance, recording fees and any potential real estate tax reimbursements if the seller has paid them up front. Altogether, closing costs are an average of 2 to 5 percent of the total cost of the home. They will vary from state to state.

2. HOME MAINTENANCE
   

Now that you are a homeowner, you are solely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of your property. Everything from yardwork to cleaning; pressure washing to clearing the gutters…it’s all in your hands and on your dime. Oh…and fixing things. Yeah. When the AC isn’t working or there is a leaky faucet, you will be footing the bill for repairs. This all sounds a bit overwhelming, but the key is to be prepared. Go into your home purchase knowing that you will likely be spending about 1% of the purchase price of your home on maintenance annually.

3. PROPERTY TAXES

Property taxes vary by state and can also vary based on city, ordinance, and even specific house. You can utilize a Property Tax Calculator to get an idea of what your taxes will be when planning for your expenses.

4. UTILITIES
   

If you’re coming from a rental where your utilities were included with the rent, you may not have considered how much you will need to set aside to pay for electricity, gas, water, and sewage costs. Added to internet, cable and phone bills, it can be quite a chunk of change. Planning for utility costs is crucial to making sure you can afford to live in a home of your own.

5. HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE
   
   When you get a mortgage, you must get homeowner’s insurance as well. Be sure to do your homework and shop around for the best possible price. You can get discounts for things like security systems, working from home or bundling coverage for your home with your auto insurance policy. Educate yourself on what your insurance policy covers so that you’re not left disappointed when you must pay for something you thought would be taken care of.

Don’t let these expenses scare you off from purchasing a home. Again, the key is to be aware of them going in so that you won’t be caught unawares when they come up.

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: genisyscu.org, hometowninspect.com, energyathaas.wordpress.com, smt.greenwaymortgage.com