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Montgomery Real Estate Blog

The Hat Team

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Displaying blog entries 751-760 of 1998

Mother's Day Wishes!

by The Hat Team

The Person who has done more for you than anyone in the world!

A halo that reflects a life of wisdom, kindness, and caring. Eyes that sparkle with pride and show how much she believes in you. Shoulders that have been slept on and wept on and carried a world or two. Arms that never run out of hugs. Hands that know just when to hold on and when to let go. A mind filled with amazing things, from fairy tales to family tails and long-ago stories of you. A smile that can jump right into your heart and warm you faster than hot chocolate. A heart of gold that holds more love than you can possibly imagine.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Montgomery AL Home for Sale:

440 Clayton St, Montgomery, AL 36104

MLS# 416323

2 bedrooms | 2 baths | 1 half bath | 2,077 square feet | Hanrick

This early 20th century home will take you back to a bygone era of front porch/balcony sitting, garden entertaining, and elegant Victorian living, without the worry of outdated systems! Wiring, plumbing, insulation, kitchen and baths have all been updated.  Soaring 14 ft ceilings, pocket doors, and original vintage gas lamps that have now been electrified are just a few of the age-old architectural details found within. Long covered back porch overlooks extra deep lot. Basement partially finished and with relatively new full bath could make stunning master suite or efficiency apartment. This quiet, historic neighborhood is within walking distance to Downtown dining and activities.

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

 

Montgomery AL Home for Sale:

1731 Winona Ave. Montgomery, AL 36107

MLS# 415656

3 bedrooms | 2 baths | 1,320 square feet | Capitol Heights

Nice updates abound in this adorable Capitol Heights cottage just minutes from everything happening Downtown. The open plan blends living room, dining room and into an updated kitchen.  Hardwood floors are throughout, so no carpet to worry about. Outdoor lovers will appreciate the spacious covered front porch as well as the more private rear deck overlooking a lovely yard and water feature. Great price, so stop paying your landlord’s mortgage and start building equity in your future! Ask us or your favorite Realtor about NO MONEY DOWN financing and lender credits towards closing costs. This is a deal you don’t want to miss!!

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

 

Home Buying Made Easy

by The Hat Team

If you are currently in the market for buying a house, then you are likely already aware of just how difficult it can sometimes be.  There are many stressors throughout the process that can make the home buying process seem anything but easy.  Below are a few ways that home buying can be made a bit easier if you do your part to put them into action.  
 

  1.  The first and most important thing you need to do before looking for a home to buy is to find an agent.  The reason this part is the most important is because buying a home is a huge financial obligation and you want to choose the right person to help you with such a big decision in your life.  A good way to find an excellent Realtor is to talk with your friends and family members that you trust to see whom they have used in the past.  Once they give you a few suggestions, you can meet each one and see which one best matches your personality wishes.  You will be spending quite a bit of time with this person so you want to make sure that you get along beautifully with them.   
     

  1. The next step in home buying made easy  is to find a lender.  Many times you can find out from your Realtor about what lenders they tend to use or who they think can be the best match for you and your particular situation.  If your Realtor doesn’t lead you to the best match, again you can talk to your friends and family for suggestions.   
     

  1. You then need to make sure your credit is as clean as it can possibly be.  Lenders can many times give you a bit of guidance in this area so that you can get approved for a loan.   
     

  1. It is important that you get pre approved for a loan before you go out searching for the home of your dreams.  The lender that you choose will help you to know exactly how much of a house you can comfortably afford before you get your heart set on one.  
     

  1. Lastly, figure out exactly what you are looking for in a house.  Make a list of your wants and desires in order of their importance.  This will help to guide you in your home buying  adventure and will help avoid wasting precious time.   
     

These are just a few ideas on how to make the home buying process a bit easier.  Once you do your part to put all of these in motion you will be well on your way to finding the home of your dreams.   

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Keeping Our Children Safe in This Digital Age

by The Hat Team

Technology surrounds us in every aspect of our lives, including this blog; it is always with us especially since it became handheld. Emails are sent and received, topics are searched for, books are written, video conferences are done, and listed homes are viewed online. Our kids aren’t just seeing us constantly be digital but they are becoming more tech-savvy at a younger age themselves, out of necessity in part. Even schools require students as young as lower elementary school to do projects involving computers. As parents we of course want nothing but the best for our children and always want them to be safe, keeping them safe in this digital age can be overwhelming to navigate. 

Here are a few tips I think can be helpful in getting started to keep the kids safe.
Set Rules- Give them a set screen time when they can use digital devices and keep that time a constant. Decide what timeframe you are comfortable with beforehand. Create rules or actions if they break the amount of screen time they’re allowed or sites that are okay, e.g. losing the internet for a few days, not watching a show they enjoy, etc.

Be a part of their computer time- Know what sites your kids are visiting and check in on them to be sure they don’t need assistance and to be sure they are on ‘approved by you sites’.  Setting up an ad-blocker can be useful in aiding with younger children who are still navigating the web. Putting up the computer in a common family area like a dining room, living room or basement will make monitoring their online activity easier. 

Make them aware- Let them know that things can happen online and to be careful of online encounters (e.g.- bullies, people talking to you that you don’t know, things that they know their parents wouldn’t want them to view, etc.). Telling your children, stressing how significant it is, on a regular basis the importance of protecting their privacy and always being aware and alert of what can go on in the digital world we live in.  Whether it is to understand there are cyber bullies around to the various cybercrimes, password strength and security importance and how identity theft works, or how to identify and handle it and being mindful of online profile. 

Parent approved kid-friendly sites- There are sites out there that are parent approved yet kid- friendly and popular. Which still allows them to have fun online and gain experience with technology but they’re still child-safe. Options could include:

•    YouTube Kids 
•    Time for Kids -this website is most likely best for the older ones
•    BBC Kids 
•    Doodle 

As a parent it doesn’t matter where your child goes when it comes to anything digital, when it comes to aiding in keeping them safe remember these guidelines. Teach them information and awareness, give them guidance, and encourage them. 


A couple good websites for additional reading: SafeKids  & iKeepSafe

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

 

Spring Maintenance Check List for Your Home

by The Hat Team

Spring cleaning has likely already become underway in your household.  What you may not have given much thought however is spring maintenance for your home.   There are several things that folks generally check around their homes before the winter months but there are also a few things you need to check in the early spring months.  Below is a spring maintenance check list for your home.   
 

  1.  Springtime means it is time to start mowing your lawn again.  If your lawn mower has been outside all winter due to lack of storage space you may need to do a bit of maintenance on it before you get it going.  Sharpening the blade is always a good idea before a new season so that you get a nice clean cut on the grass.  It’s also a good idea to check the oil on your lawn mower before beginning to use it for the warm season.   

  1. Spring is a great time to check your house for worn paint areas such as your shutters.  If you find worn or chipped paint on your house what better time to fix that than in the typically perfect weather of spring.   

  1. Be sure to check your crawl space vents for any debris that may have accumulated there over the winter months.  Also you want to keep your eye out for any animals such as snakes or rodents that may have made their home in your crawl space over the last few months.  Get rid of anything that doesn’t belong and repair anything that may be broken such as the vent covers.   

  1. Get your flower beds and any garden areas ready for spring by cleaning out any debris that may have accumulated and trimming back any old growth.  It is also a good time to add mulch to your flower beds and fertilizer to your garden.  
     

The above list of spring maintenance ideas is just a start in the right direction.  There is certainly much more that you need to do in and around your house before the summer time approaches.  Once you get started with these, you will likely find and think of more things that need to be done.   

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Easter Wishes from The Hat Team!

by The Hat Team

As the cold and grey winter days... 
Give way, to the bright and beautiful spring.. 
You know it’s time for you to hear, 
The Easter bells ring! 
The birds are chirping...
The bunnies are out...
There are Easter Eggs all around! 
There is happiness in the air, 
and a warmth in your heart...
To stay with you, all through the year!

Happy Easter!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

How to Clean Your Grill

by The Hat Team

Spring is here and that means that summer is right around the corner!  Summertime brings with it many things but one of the awesome things about summer is that it means many meal prep times will move from inside of the kitchen to outside on the grill!  Yum!  You will have to do your part to get your grill ready for all the outdoor cooking that is about to begin!  Below are a few ideas on how best to clean your grill for the upcoming season! 

 

  1. The first place to start whebeginning to clean your grill is to clean the grates.  These can get quite dirty during the outdoor cooking season.  If you were smart when the last season ended you cleaned them and wiped them down with cooking oil, however if you didn’t, there is still hope. One good and easy way to clean your dirty grill grates is to place them into your self-cleaning oven and let it do the work for you.  Another way to get your grill grates clean is to simply put them in the dishwasher.   

  1. Clean the burner tubes by simply brushing them and wiping them clean.   Be sure not to use any metal brushes as these have been deemed unsafe if the metal pieces come off and get into your food.   

  1. Clean the grease collection tray by scrubbing it with a clean damp cloth.   

  1. If you happen to have a charcoal grill, your cleaning process will be a bit simpler than with a gas grill.  Scrub the grill with a nylon brush and then clean the grates and that is it!  If you have old charcoal simply throw it out and buy some new for the season.  
     

These are just a few ideas on how to clean your grill to get it ready for the upcoming outdoor cooking season.  The best way to clean your grill is honestly just to clean as you go. If you do your part to clean up after yourself after each and every meal you will have a much easier time when it comes time to get the grill out again for the next season.  If you don’t do your part to clean as you go, at least now you have a few ideas on how to get rid of the grit and grime easily.    

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Do Schools Matter when Buying a Home?

by The Hat Team

When buying a home various factors come to mind immediately-location, price range, home style, home condition, wish list for the interior and exterior, number of bedrooms and bathrooms desired; just to name a few. One component which can be overlooked by some but is extremely essential to many would be the local school system in the neighborhood. I highly value my communities’ school system.

Studies have found that home buyers would give up one aspect of their home to have their children attend a ‘better’ school district; this speaks volumes to how important education is for parents’. For some parents there are alternatives such as private schools but that is not the case for many. Even if buyers don't have or plan to have school-age children in the house, the quality of nearby schools can have an impact on how much you pay, and how much a home sells for down the line.

Montgomery public schools  have succeeded in the improvement to maintain outstanding schools for all of our children. Through strategic planning and organizational development our schools continue to advance! Here are the top rated schools in Montgomery, showing that good local schools are amongst us in high numbers and will provide our children with the learning and education they should receive but with the type we wish for them to obtain as well.

For additional information on our school systems please visit Alabama State Department of Education.

If you are you thinking about buying or selling Real Estate give me a call 334-834-1500 or send me an [email protected]!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

 

Organizing Your Home Made Simple

by The Hat Team

It is almost time for the seasons to change once again as we move from winter slowly into spring.  As the seasons change many people find that they like to get things around their home organized to make the transition seem smoother.  Organizing your home can be made simple with a few of the following tips. 

  1. One way to organize your home is to get rid of “junk drawers” throughout the house. Many times folks tend to throw things they don’t know what to do with into a drawer that soon becomes a drawer full of junk. While these drawers DO keep the junk out of the eye of those that come to visit, you just never know when someone may open one of them looking for utensils or other useful items and you may be embarrassed by them.  Simple fix…..throw out the junk once and for all and have no more junk drawers in your home!
  2. Another great and simple way to organize your home   is to organize and de-clutter your pantry.  Typically there are items in your pantry that you haven’t used in years and they end up just sitting there taking up space.  This is very true for old canned food items that tend to have a shelf life of forever.   Once you get this simple organizing of your pantry complete, be sure not to let it get messy again by throwing away things you don’t use periodically. 
  3. Yet another simple way to organize your home  is to use all of your closet space for things you will actually use instead of just getting things out of the way.   If you have a lot of games for example why not make a game closet just for the purpose of storing all of your family games.  This type of closet will make it more likely that your family may have a game night once a week because you will know exactly where to go to find the games. 
  4. Keeping all of the books in the house in one spot is another great organization tip.  If you have various bookshelves in your home, you can utilize them for other purposes and keep one for only books.  Organize each shelf for books from each family member if you have a lot of books.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Displaying blog entries 751-760 of 1998

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