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Displaying blog entries 1971-1980 of 1998

Montgomery AL Home For Sale - 386 Rose Lane

by The Hat Team


Elegant yet sooo livable! This recently updated Garden District gem boasts large formal living room with exquisitely detailed antique marble mantelpiece and built-in bookshelves. Spacious formal dining room big enough for the largest of dining tables and has two built-in corner china cabinets. The updated cook's delight kitchen has custom made moveable center island work space, and is open to large sunken breakfast/gathering/family room. Off the dining room is a cozy den/study with french door to rear deck overlooking enormous back yard. The home has three spacious bedrooms and two baths on the main level, and an additional guest suite and bath upstairs. Large laundry room with sink and half bath conveniently located off kitchen.

For more information on this home or other Montgomery real estate, visit our website,
HatTeam.com or give us a call for more personalized service, 800-428-5239.

2008 Montgomery AL Real Estate Resolutions

by The Hat Team

Happy new year, Montgomery!  I hope that you and your families enjoyed a very happy holiday season and that 2008 is off to a good start.  Did you make any new year’s resolutions this year?  If not, it’s still not too late!  Here are some ideas for real estate resolutions that will be easy to keep in 2008:

 

  • Know your credit!  Make a resolution to stay on top of your credit in 2008.  Begin by getting a detailed credit report so that you know where you stand as the year begins.  Check again at the end of the year to see how much your credit has improved!
  • Keep a budget.  This can be a difficult one to stick to.  Many people start the year with an idealistic budget, but soon let it go out the window – oftentimes, along with any hopes of saving for real estate investment!  Begin with a goal of either setting aside a certain amount for a down payment on a real estate investment or putting away enough to make one extra mortgage payment in 2008.
  • Research real estate web sites.  Be a snoop in 2008!  Use web sites like mine to keep tabs on what homes in your neighborhood are selling for, where the foreclosures near you are, and what the general market is like in your area.  When you are ready to make a real estate investment, you will already have a good feel for the local market.
  • Out with the old!  Even if you are not planning to move in 2008, it never hurts to clean out your closets, garage, or attic and donate to charity.  You’ll make your home more appealing to prospective buyers if you are selling, and you’ll feel more organized if you are staying put.

Best wishes for a very happy and prosperous 2008!

 

For more information about Montgomery AL real estate, please visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com or call me at 800-HAT-LADY.  To begin searching for Montgomery AL homes, please use my complimentary MLS search!

Playing the Real Estate Game in a Down Market

by The Hat Team

Although the real estate market is slow in many areas, you may still want or need to sell your home or purchase a new one due to circumstances such as a job relocation.

 

This article from CNNMoney.com offers some tips on how you can still make a smart move in this unpredictable real estate market.  Here is a summary of the tips:

 

  • Sell smart – if you are trying to sell your home, make sure you set a realistic price based on the current market.  You will also want to discuss with your Realtor the current average “days on market” that most properties are taking to sell.  This will help you better plan for your move.  If you are not willing to list for the current market value, and you do not want your house to be on the market for long, consider waiting out this down market as it is likely to turn around soon.
  • Spend wisely – try to follow the rule of thumb of spending no more than 20% of your home’s value on renovations.  At a time when your home may be worth less than it was this time last year, this is not the time to be sinking money into it.
  • Foreclosures are still your problem – remember that, even though you are not facing foreclosure, the other properties in your neighborhood that are foreclosed upon will decrease your home’s value.  As a general rule, for every home that goes into foreclosure in your neighborhood, your property value drops about 1%.  That value will stay depressed for about two years.  To find out where the foreclosures are in your area, go to realtytrak.com or foreclosurenet.net and type in your zip code.
  • Recheck your mortgage – many homeowners do not know what kind of mortgage they have.  If you are one of them, pull out your old closing documents and find out how often you're rate will increase and what caps there are to how much that increase can be.  This information should be on the Adjustable Rate Rider, among the first few pages in your documents.

Remember, the Montgomery AL real estate market is always changing from month to month and neighborhood to neighborhood.  To find out what your home is worth, click here for a complimentary market analysis.  You may also visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com to learn more about Montgomery AL real estate, or call me at 800-HAT-LADY.

 

Happy new year – see you in 2008!

Montgomery AL Real Estate Market Trends Update

by The Hat Team

The National Association of REALTORS® has published the results of its quarterly sales survey and found that the median home price continues to rise in most metropolitan areas.  The median is a typical market price – meaning half of all homes sold for more, and half of all homes sold for less.

 

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the data underscores the fact that all real estate is local.  “Some metro areas are hot, while others are experiencing localized problems,” he said.

 

The November sales statistics for Midtown Montgomery will give us a better idea of our local market:

 

The Midtown Montgomery market again saw a decrease in pending and sold listings in November 2007, when compared against November 2006.  Pending sales were down 19% and sold listings decreased 14%.  Average market times increased 8% in November to 89 days.  The increase in the average sales price from last November to this November was negligible.

Midtown
Montgomery

Pending
Listings

Sold
Listings

Average
Market Times

Average
Sales Price

November 2007

39

30

89

$143,108

November 2006

48

35

82

$142,736

Remember, as Yun said, all real estate is local and changes from month to month.  Also remember that, unlike newer areas where all the homes are pretty much alike, Midtown contains Montgomery's most diverse selection of residences.  Thus, not all swings in value and sales are attributed to "market conditions."  Rather, those fluctuations often reflect periods when homes that are more renovated and/or larger have or have not changed hands.  Overall, we continue to hear from our Realtor peers in other parts of town that they are struggling; and we remain busy and productive!

To get the latest information on Montgomery AL real estate, please call me at 800-HAT-LADY or visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com.  To receive a complimentary home value analysis, please visit MontgomeryHomeInfo.com. 

 

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

Montgomery AL Real Estate Podcast

by The Hat Team

The Hat Team presents the latest edition of the Montgomery Real Estate Podcast.

This month's edition covers Montgomery real estate market activity and then we’ll cover the important items you need know about buying and selling in winter.

Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning.

Program length: approximately 7 minutes


download podcast mp3 file   |   subscribe to podcast feed

For more information about Montgomery AL real estate, visit our website,
HatTeam.com or give us a call for more personalized service, 800-428-5239.

Montgomery AL Home For Sale - 6256 Nature Dr.

by The Hat Team

This well maintained Montgomery East home has easy care vinyl trim and brick exterior. Living room has brick accent wall with cedar trim (could be used as formal DR.) Den/family room boasts vaulted ceiling and real fireplace. Kitchen with breakfast nook. Large fenced back yard with covered patio. Priced right, so don't delay!

For more information on this home or other Montgomery real estate, visit our website, HatTeam.com or give us a call for more personalized service, 800-428-5239.

How to Add Light to Your Montgomery AL Home

by The Hat Team

Now that we’ve rolled our clocks back an hour and are beginning to adjust to the earlier onset of evening, our homes can seem darker than usual even during the daytime.  But there are ways to use the natural light that is available in your home to brighten things up.  Money Magazine has published a list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for adding light to any home – among the topics covered are:

 

  • Skylights (pick ones that open and choose carefully where to put them)
  • Big windows (install them to showcase your best views, but don’t forget to add small windows above or below them that open)
  • Window height (put windows high on the wall, but not tight to the ceiling)
  • Window grouping (group several windows together, but don’t separate them with fat supports)
  • Window shades (install shades in windows that face east, west, and south; avoid using UV-inhibiting coating)

Following these tips for adding light to your home will help to increase your home’s value.  To receive a complimentary comparative home value analysis, please visit MontgomeryHomeInfo.com.  For more information about Montgomery AL real estate, please visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com or call me at 800-HAT-LADY. 

Montgomery AL Home For Sale - 1230 Woodward Ave.

by The Hat Team

Bring your contractor and bring this house back to what it once was!!! Seller has already done the Home Inspection and Structural inspection for you. Now all you have to do it to determine how far you want to go with the restoration. Has been a rental property but owner now says sell, so priced accoringly. Has central heat & air, on a great lot, in a great location, but the floors roll like the Gulf of Mexico. If you are looking for an affordable property in the heart of Old Cloverdale, and want a project, then this house is for you. Call today to see it before it's gone.

For more information on this home or other Montgomery real estate, visit our website, HatTeam.com or give us a call for more personalized service, 800-428-5239.

The Many Myths About Homeownership

by The Hat Team

Many would-be homebuyers are stuck in the feeling that they will never be able to qualify for a mortgage.  However, applying for a mortgage today is very different than it was 10 or 15 years ago.  With many creative financing offers available today, more and more people are able to become homeowners.  FreddieMac.com has put together a list of “myths” about becoming a homeowner, and it shows just how realistic homeownership can be for most people.  Here are just a few of the Many Myths About Homeownership:

Myth: You need great credit to become a homeowner.
Fact: You may still be able to buy a home with less-than-perfect credit. And remember, you can improve your credit over time.

Myth: You need to put 20% down to buy a home.
Fact: There are many types of mortgage products and programs that allow low and no down payments. But remember to factor in other costs such as closing costs, property taxes, moving

Myth: Lenders share your personal financial information with other companies.
Fact: By law, banks and other financial institutions are restricted in their uses and disclosures of information about you. In some situations, you may choose to restrict the disclosure of your information if you don't want it to be shared.

Myth: You can't get a mortgage if you've changed jobs several times in the last few years.
Fact: Not true. You can change jobs several times and still get a loan to buy a home. Lenders understand that people change jobs. The important thing is to show that you've had a stable income.

If you are ready to get on the path to homeownership in Montgomery AL, please call me today at 800-HAT-LADY or visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com.  You may also begin searching Montgomery AL real estate here!

Happy Thanksgiving, Montgomery!

by The Hat Team

May your Thanksgiving be blessed with the bounty of the season and the love of family and friends!

 

We’ll be back next week with more of the latest Montgomery AL real estate news and information!  In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at 800-HAT-LADY or visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com.

Displaying blog entries 1971-1980 of 1998

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