Real Estate Information Archive

Courtesy of Sandra Nickel and The Hat Team

A plain slab of poured concrete for a patio may be common, but it is boring.  However, recently, there has been a newly gained respect for using concrete as a decorating element in floors. counters and other applications.  Landscapers are taking this age-old material and giving it a new look using a Stamping Process to create patios that look like natural slate or fieldstone at a fraction of the price these high-end materials would generally call for.

Stamped concrete has been around for a long time, but older methods used molds that were more like cookie cutters.  New methods use natural sources which create a more realistic finished product.  There have also been advances in the various coloring methods that are available. The prevailing one is a dry, powdered form, called a Dry Shake Floor Hardener, which also serves to firm up the poured concrete prior to stamping.  After applying the hardener, a release agent is applied which allows the latex molds to be pulled up without sticking to the concrete.  These agents come in an antique finish that when stamped into the joints and crevices of the concrete, create a realistic, three-dimensional appearance.  Once the concrete has hardened, a sealer is used to not only protect the porous concrete from possible staining, but also to enhance the color of the finished patio.  In wet areas, such as pool decks, an anti-slip ingredient can be added for safety.

There are so many patterns and colors available for stamped concrete that you can be creative and have fun designing your patio. Not only will it make outdoor entertaining more fun for you, but it is a home improvement that will give you a return on your investment when you sell. Here are five budget friendly stamped concrete ideas:

- Don’t be square!  Take advantage of the fact that concrete can be poured in any shape.  You can use stamped concrete in small spaces, but why not jazz it up?  Incorporate curves or go from a square to a half-circle.  You can even shape the concrete to flow with the landscaping.

- Add a border. If stamping all the square footage of your concrete is too expensive, then consider just stamping the border.  A patterned border frames the concrete, giving it a finished look.  Borders are an inexpensive way to embellish plain concrete.

- Keep color simple. Coloring your concrete with multiple colors can greatly add to the cost of the project. You can save a lot of money by using one color.  It will still be prettier and make a greater impact than a plain, gray slab.

- Saw cut and texture. A concrete contractor will be able to tell you if it’s feasible to cut a pattern and then use a texture skin for pattern.  Your contractor can create grooves in the concrete and then a texture skin can be applied to give a 3-dimensional look.

- Expand the area you’re stamping.  Extend unique, fun patterns beyond the patio onto the driveway, walkways and steps.  Get more for your money by stamping in multiple places to create a holistic look rather than just splurging on one single area.

If you are making home improvements to sell your home, contact Sandra Nickel at 334-834-1500. She and her Hat Team of Professionals can help you decide what improvements will get the best return on your investment!

Photo Credit: remodelingexpense.com

The decision to purchase your first home is not one that should be made lightly.  It is an important, life-changing decision that should be given serious consideration.  So, before you take the plunge into searching for the prefect home, here are some questions you should ask yourself to make sure that you are ready.

- Can I afford a home?  The first step is to determine if you can afford to buy a home based on your current financial situation.   Using a Home Affordability Calculator will help you figure out how much you can afford by plugging in your income, debt and the amount of a down payment you will be able to make.   You will now have a number for the highest amount you can afford and what the monthly payment will be.

 - Is it better for me to rent or buy?  Using a Rent vs. Buy Calculator will allow you to crunch the numbers. You can enter the current amount of rent you’re paying (or how much you would be able to pay) and the zip code where you want to live. The calculator will provide a comparison of the cost of buying a home versus renting in that area.  You will also be able to see which option is more cost effective over time.

 - How long will I live here?  If you plan to stay in a home for a long time, it is generally better to buy versus rent. If you’re going to be living somewhere for a short term, renting might be the better option.  The reason is that when you buy a home you will likely have to pay closing costs which can total in the thousands of dollars.  In addition, most of your early mortgage payments go toward interest rather than paying down the principal, which is the actual amount you owe on the home.  A good rule of thumb is that home buyers should stay put for at least five years.  Otherwise, renting may be better.

 - Are you saving for retirement?  Retirement may seem a long way off to young home-buyers, but it is important to start saving early.  It’s not a good idea to neglect your retirement accounts to “save” money to put down on a house.   Consider meeting with a financial counselor who can help you find a balance in saving for retirement and saving for your first home at the same time.

 - Am I ready for the responsibility?  Owning a home is a huge responsibility.  With rentals, you can call your landlord to fix things that aren’t working in the home, but as an owner, it’s all up to you.  You need to be sure that you have the time, willingness and resources to keep up with home and yard maintenance.

Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professional Realtors at Homes for Sale in Montgomery AL can assist you in the process of determining if you are ready to purchase your first home.  Give them a call at 334-834-1500 and get started today!

You’ve closed on your new home and it’s time to move in!  This is an exciting time, but can also be a bit stressful.  Where do you even begin?  A good place to start is to create a moving day survival kit for yourself. It should include anything and everything that is important or of great value to you and should stay with you and not go with movers. Here is a list of “must have” items to make your move as organized and stress-free as possible:

 - Toilet Paper.  At least a few rolls. Trust me on this one.

- Pain reliever and all your medications.  You don’t want to be searching for these necessities, so make sure they are easily accessible.

 -Toilet Plunger.  Yes, really. Especially if your new place only has one bathroom. Better safe than sorry!

 - Cash for tipping your movers.

 - A Multi-Tool.  While having a whole tool box handy would be great, there is only so much you can (and should) fit into your survival kit.  Something like a Leatherman will provide you with a way to open boxes and other small tasks…and it will fit in your pocket!

 - Trash Bags.  And clear recycling bags.  Look up where you can recycle locally and have the address in your phone so you can take packing boxes/materials there after you unpack. Montgomery Recycling

 - Power Strip and Mobile Phone Charger.  There is nothing worse than discovering your phone is dying and you have no idea where your charger is!  The power strip will come in handy because you will probably clear one small area and can plug in your electronics, a lamp, a coffee pot, etc.…

 - Personal Hygiene Items.  Pack an overnight bag with your toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shampoo etc.  That way, when you are ready to call it a day you can jump right in the shower without having to search through boxes for them.

 - All Purpose Cleaner and a Roll of Paper Towels (or two). Hopefully move-in day won’t be cleaning day, but you never know.  Be prepared.  Even if the house looks clean, you are going to want to wipe down the toilets, sinks and counters.

 - Bottled Water and Granola Bars.   You are going to be hungry. And tired.  Have water and snacks on hand to get you through the day.  Look up some Take Out Restaurants and have their numbers in your phone so you can have food delivered.

 - First Aid Kit.  Well, at least a box of Band-Aids in case you cut yourself opening boxes.

 - Note Pad and Pen.  Because you WILL come up with a list of things you need and need to do as you are unpacking and you will want to write them down so you don’t forget.

 - Scented Candles or Air Fresheners.  Even the cleanest house will smell a little musty if it has been closed-up for a while.

 - Flashlight.  Some rooms won’t have overhead lights and if you haven’t unpacked the lamps yet, a flashlight will come in handy.

Enjoy your new home!  And if you haven’t found your dream home yet visit Homes for Sale in Montgomery AL  or call Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professional Realtors at 334-834-1500 and start your search today!

Photo Credit: pinterest.com

With interest rates still relatively low, buying a house right now is less expensive than renting in many places, including Montgomery, AL.  Now is a great time to lock into a rate.

Buying is often considered to be financially better than renting over the long run because your mortgage payments build equity in your home, which you will eventually own, while rent only goes toward the upkeep of your home and the pocket of your landlord. That is just one reason buying is better than renting.  Here are some others:

• You can do what you want with your property. Making home improvements will be your choice…from colors to paint the walls to light fixtures to types of floors, you won’t need permission from a landlord to make changes.
• Tax benefits. Tax Deductions are a great perk of home ownership.
• Stable monthly payments. Rents can go up, but with a fixed-rate mortgage, your monthly payments won’t change.
• Forced savings.  Renting might seem less expensive, but would you actually save the money you don’t spend on rent?  Since your mortgage payments are building equity in your own home, which you can later sell for profit, it’s like a forced savings.

Using a Rent vs But Calculator you can see how buying is a better financial option right here in Montgomery.  For example, after 4 years, the cost of homeownership (down payment, mortgage, taxes, etc.) for a $150,000 home in Montgomery would be $94,094.  The total cost to rent the same house for that period would be $52,193.  Renting would leave you with $41,901 in your pocket (including the money you didn’t spend on a down payment).  So, it looks like renting would be better financially, right?  But wait…not so fast.  Let’s look at what you gain over the same 4-year period if you buy.  After 4 years, your home will have $70,371 in equity. However, if you instead rent and invest your down payment and the other money you save at a 6% return rate, it will earn around $8,351 in 4 years.  So, if you look at your gross costs, equity and investment potential, it’s better for you to buy than rent if you plan to live in your home more than 3 years and 3 months.

The bottom line is, if you’ve been thinking about buying a home in the Montgomery area, don’t wait!  Start investing your money in your own home vs that of a landlord today!

Contact Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professional Realtors at 334-834-1500 and let them help you find your dream house today!

Family heirlooms are treasures that evoke memories of the past and hold great sentimental value.  Keeping them safe and well preserved is important. There are many kinds of keepsakes. What may seem not very special to one person, might be the most cherished of items to another.  The following tips will help you preserve them and keep the memories alive:

Paper Documents

Don’t make the mistake of keeping precious papers in a box somewhere. Paper is vulnerable to crumbling and fading if it is exposed to too much light, heat or moisture.  You can keep documents safe by placing them in acid-free envelopes or folders.  When you want to look at them, make sure your hands are clean and dry. Avoid using lotion on your hands if you know you are going to be handling paper heirlooms.  Three ring binders are excellent for keeping documents organized and safe.  Keep them in temperature-controlled parts of the house to avoid deterioration due to heat and moisture.

Books

Like paper documents, books need to be kept away from heat, bright light and anything highly acidic.  If you want to keep a book pristine, interleaf the pages with acid-free tissue paper.  If you keep favorite books on a shelf, make sure it is not exposed to too much sunlight.  They will fade over time but keeping them out of harsh conditions will make them last longer.

Photographs

Many people have photographs stored in old-school albums where they are stuck on the pages by adhesive. Unfortunately, many of these old albums are not acid-free and will cause the photographs to deteriorate and fade over time. To preserve them, remove them from these albums and place them in PVC-free plastic sleeves, which can then be placed in binders.  If you are lucky enough to still have the negatives from old photos, keep them safe so that you can replace pictures if they are destroyed or lost.

Textiles

When preserving textiles such as quilts, wedding dresses, baptismal gowns or antique linens, you want to make space for flat storage.  It’s vital that you keep them in an acid-free box and in an area free of pests.  If you get them cleaned and pressed, make sure starch isn’t used because bugs will attract bugs. Make sure your hands are clean and free of lotion when handling your cloth heirlooms.  Do your research and get professional advice on how to clean them before storing.

Regardless of what kind of treasure you are attempting to preserve, it is advisable that you never store them in the attic or basement. Extreme temperatures and humidity will harm stored artifacts.  Keep your boxes and binders of family heirlooms in a closet or on a shelf in your temperature-controlled living space.  Make sure they are out of direct sunlight.  Not only will this keep them safer and preserve them longer, but it will also make it easier for you to get them out to look at when you want to take a trip down memory lane!

Sandra Nickel and her team of professional Realtors can help you find the perfect home to start making your family memories in! Give them a call today at 334-834-1500!

Photo credit: familytree.com

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 fixing the home up 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 fixed up but 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’s 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.  Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professional Realtors can help you understand the current market in Montgomery, AL so that you can make informed decisions about whether to sell your house “as is” or not. Give them a call today at 334-834-1500!

When selling a home, curb appeal is one of the most important factors in attracting buyers.  Your yard and the front of your home are the first thing they will see, and while nobody should judge a book by its cover, many people do. The appearance of the outside of the home can determine if a potential buyer will even be willing to look at the inside.  So, attractive curb appeal is vital to getting your home sold.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get great curb appeal.  There are many small, inexpensive home improvements that can be done to create a look that will impress!

• Give a fresh coat of paint to the front door, trim or shutters.

Nothing will brighten up your home’s façade like a bright, fresh coat of paint!Costing only about $30 a gallon you can get a lot of bang for your buck.Choose a bold hue that will stand out, while still complementing the overall color of your home.

28 Inviting Colors to Paint a Front Door

• Add some creative new house numbers.

Installing some new house numbers will not only look good, it will also make it easy to find! Be creative and utilize materials that will match the finish of your exterior light fixtures.Make sure the numbers stand out!

• Change exterior lighting.

If your light fixtures are looking shabby, it’s time to replace them. Consider the design of your home and look for fixtures that add both function and style. Save yourself some time by using fixtures that have the same mounting system as the ones you will be removing.

• Replace your mailbox.

Whether your mailbox is by the road or attached to your house, it can either add to or take away from your curb appeal depending on how it looks. You can find a new mailbox for as little as $20.This quick project will go a long way toward improving the look of your home.Just make sure you are following city/county/HOA regulations when installing it.

• Install flower boxes.

If you want to add some color to your home exterior, there is no better way to do it than with flowers!Try adding some inexpensive flower boxes to your front porch railings or under your windows.You can even DIY them in an afternoon! Choose flowers with colors that will complement your home.

15 Planter Boxes You'll Want to DIY Right Now

Are you ready to list your house for sale this spring? Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professional Realtors can answer any questions you may have about preparing your home to sell.  Give them a call today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: Lowes.com

Getting organized to move is an arduous task.  It makes sense to get rid of a lot of unused belongings when you are getting ready to pack and move, especially if you are downsizing.  But it’s important not to go overboard! There are some things that are worth keeping. In fact, there are some things you should never throw away, even when downsizing:

1. Important Papers.

You should let go of as much paper as you can before moving, but be careful that you don’t thrown away important documents.Hang on to the following: birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, social security cards, retirement documents, medical records, insurance policies, passports, wills, trusts, power of attorney documents, property deeds, investment records, education records, diplomas, military service records and vehicle titles.

2. Collections.

If you collect something, clearly it has significance to you. Maybe you just like it, or maybe it has sentimental value.Either way, you should definitely take your collection with you and make room for it in your own home.Now, if you have several collections, you might have to pick your favorites and leave some behind.But downsizing doesn’t mean having to let go of the things that mean the most to you.

3. Family Heirlooms

Sometimes you inherit things that you feel you must keep just because they were passed down to you from family.But you don’t really like them. You keep them packed in a box and don’t use or display them.There is no point in moving these to your new home. But family heirlooms that you love should make the cut.Downsizing gives you the opportunity to take stock in your family heirlooms and decide what is worth keeping and what can be sold or given away.Take the items that you enjoy and that are meaningful to you…leave the rest.

4. Electronics

Unless you have the time to make sure that all your electronics have been completely cleared of personal information, you should take them with you.The last thing you want is to give away, sell, or dispose of electronic devices that still carry your personal information.

5. Photographs

When you are in the midst of packing for a move and you are exhausted and overwhelmed, you might start throwing away things that seem unimportant at the moment…but you may regret it later.Take all your photographs with you.If you have time, save space by getting them digitized using a company like Legacy Box. But don’t throw them away!

6. Landline Phones

Many people rely solely on cell phones these days.But you never know when you might misplace your mobile phone, run out of battery or lose service.Keep at least one land line for emergencies.

7. Sentimental Items

This may seem like a given.Of course you won’t leave any sentimental items behind.But sometimes it’s difficult to decide what holds deep sentimental value to you, especially when you are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff you have to move and fit into your new, smaller home.Don’t let downsizing make you feel like you must get rid of the things that mean most to you.Choose the ones that mean the most and bring them along!

Are you looking to downsize? Sandra Nickel and her team of professional Realtors can help you get your current home on the market and assist you in finding the perfect home to suit all your needs and desires. Give them a call today at 334-834-1500!