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Expanded Tax Credit for Montgomery Home Buyers

by The Hat Team

The $8000 first-time home buyer tax credit was scheduled to expire in just a few short weeks...Nov 30, 2009. I say ‘was', because the Senate voted unanimously to extend the credit on Monday and the House of Representatives approved the extension yesterday afternoon by a vote of 403-12. The extension includes an expanded tax credit to repeat home buyers. The bill now goes to the President for his signature which is expected to happen today.

Home Buyer Tax Credit Expansion and Extension 

  • The $8,000 tax credit will be extended and available for first-time home buyers through May 1, 2010.
  • A new $6,500 tax credit will be available for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010. To qualify, buyers must have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years.
  • Prospective buyers with binding contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete the transaction.
  • Income limits are expanded to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return.
  • Limitation on the cost of a purchased home is $800,000. 

If you know anyone looking to buy their first Montgomery home at a time when prices and interest rates are still down, or if you are thinking of buying another Montgomery home and getting the new $6,500 credit please contact me today!!

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Montgomery Foreclosure Trends - Sept 2009

by The Hat Team

There are 1,081 Montgomery foreclosure homes for sale with 67 new foreclosures in September 2009, down from the June 2009 high of 242 new foreclosed homes. The average selling price of a Montgomery home is $180,122 and the average foreclosure selling price is $111,614, a $68,679 savings, according to RealtyTrac.com.

Montgomery Foreclosure Activity and Home Price Index

 montgomery foreclosure

Montgomery foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings - default notice, foreclosure auction notice or repossession notice - each month. Home price appreciation is based on month-over-month percentage change of the Home Price Index. The Home Price Index is calculated from home sales records.

Montgomery Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Montgomery foreclosure activity is lower 0.20% lower than national statistics and 0.04% lower than Alabama statistics.

montgomery foreclosure

Montgomery Foreclosure Activity by Month

The number of Bank-Owned properties increased in from 37 in August to 60 in September. the number of Auctions decreased from 91 to 7. The 6-month trend is a drop in Montgomery foreclosures.

montgomery foreclosure

Are you or someone you know behind on your 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. Give me a call for a private consultation.

Montgomery Real Estate Sales Statistics - September 2009

by The Hat Team

Pending home sales have increased for seven straight months, the longest in the series of the index which began in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in August, rose 6.4 percent to 103.8 from a reading of 97.6 in July, and is 12.4 percent above August 2008 when it was 92.4. The index is at the highest level since March 2007 when it was 104.5.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said not all contracts are turning into closed sales within an expected timeframe. "The rise in pending home sales shows buyers are returning to the market and signing contracts, but deals are not necessarily closing because of long delays related to short sales, and issues regarding complex new appraisal rules," he said. "No doubt many first-time buyers are rushing to beat the deadline for the $8,000 tax credit, which expires at the end of next month."

Let’s take a look at the September sales statistics to see how the Montgomery AL real estate market looks: 

Montgomery AL real estate sales statistics for September show pending sales decreased by 30% in 2009 compared to September 2008. The average sales price decreased by 39% to $89,614 while sold listings were down 8% from 2008.  Market times remainded consistent with 2008. 

It is important to note that 15 of the closed sales were foreclosures at an average price of $33,853.  With these 15 sales removed from the total, September 2009's average sales price was $148,394, a slight increase over 2008.

Midtown
Montgomery

Pending
Sales

Sold
Listings

Average
Market Times

Average
Sales Price

Sept 2009

35

34

84

$89,614

Sept 2008

50

37

84

$147,114

Investors are snapping up foreclosures because they believe that prices have hit bottom and they are eager to build their portfolios before the anticipated recovery.

Remember, there are only a few weeks left to benefit from the $8000 first-time home buyer tax credit. Give us a call to make your dream home a reality!For the latest Montgomery AL 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. 

Montgomery Real Estate for Sale: 2185 Woodley Road

by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate for Sale:

2185 Woodley Road, Montgomery AL 36111
MLS# 268951

montgomery real estate

Buy this lovely lot and get a house for free! While most of the value is in the land, your purchase will include a 3000 sq ft Cape Cod that could become a lovely home. Bring your architect, designer or contractor and see how you can make your dream come true!

 

Learn more about 2185 Woodley Road and other Montgomery real estate by visiting HatTeam.com.

 

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Montgomery Homes For Sale: 3603 Sir Michael Drive

by The Hat Team

Montgomery Homes For Sale:

3603 Sir Michael Drive, Montgomery AL 36109
MLS# 268955

montgomery homes for sale

Picky about condition? Your heart's desire awaits you in this adorable Forest Hills home with a makeover straight out of HGTV! New roof and paint, new carpet in the bedrooms. Gleaming hardwood floors in the living and dining areas and kid-proof hard tile den and kitchen. And it's a kitchen you'll have to see to believe. Smart L-shaped continental bath provides privacy for the master and great access to other bedrooms. Exactly the kind of house everyone wants to own, so don't delay making this one your own!

Learn more about 3603 Sir Michael Drive and other Montgomery homes for sale by visiting HatTeam.com.

Search all Montgomery homes for sale. 

Are the Increasing Interest Rates Rushing your Closing Date?

by The Hat Team

Buyer's often find themselves watching a property for a price reduction. Although getting the best deal possible when purchasing Montgomery real estate is important, it is not the only factor that determines monthly payments on a home. Rising interest rates nearly diminish the positive aspects of waiting for prices to drop. montgomery real estate

Most people are familiar with the basic trends in real estate that have been affected by the United States economic crisis. The listing prices of homes have been steadily declining over the past couple years. This has put people looking to purchase Montgomery real estate at an advantage over those trying to sell. People have best described this as a buyer's market due to the low property prices and reasonable interest rates. However, the decline in prices is stabilizing while interest rates are beginning to inch up. It is becoming more and more popular for investors to make offers on properties, sometimes sweeping the property away from home buyers. Could buyers begin loosing their advantage? Today, properties that are correctly listed at a reasonable asking price are not being reevaluated and reduced as often. These are some of the factors that prove lower Montgomery real estate prices are not always worth the wait. 

Buyer's should not be waiting for interest rates to continue declining, especially since real estate and economy experts are predicting that the lowest rates have come and gone. This is not necessarily a horrible thing. Rates are still lower than historical highs, which exceed 6.00%. With the new administration trying to bring back the economy, many analysts see a period of severe inflation in our future. Meaning interest rates are likely to jump even higher. The Federal Reserve introduced a program to help control interest rates on home loans. For example, the rates for a thirty year fixed-rate loan have been consistently ranging from 4.50% to 5.00%. Now, rates for this type of loan and the rates of other types of real estate loans are beginning to exceed their more reasonable range. Therefore, increasing interest rates may start rushing your desired closing date. 

At the end of May buyers, who have been procrastinating by waiting for lower interest rates or price reductions, learned their lesson the hard way. At the end of the month interest rates went up about .50%-1.00%. Increasing interest rates defeats the purpose of waiting for [city] real estate prices to drop. Higher interest rates decrease the overall affordability and increase the monthly payments, especially when the price of the desired home does not budge. 

Bottom line, it is not a time to be waiting around. Time is running out to take advantage of the current real estate market and loan programs being offered by the government. For instance, first time home buyers have until December 1st, 2009 to close on their home if they want to be eligible for a maximum tax rebate of $8,000 dollars. Since interest rates are expected to increase, waiting for real estate prices to drop is not worth the wait. Don't procrastinate. You might unintentionally pass up a piece of gold trying to find a diamond. 

Search all Montgomery real estate and homes for sale by visiting HatTeam.com.

It Isn’t Easy Being Montgomery FSBO

by The Hat Team

Selling your own home might sound like a good idea at first, but many Montgomery FSBO (for sale by owner) sellers quickly realize they've gotten in over their heads or may have sold their home for much less than they would have had they worked with a Realtor®. montgomery fsbo

The 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that two-thirds of "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) sellers found some aspect of the home sale to be difficult

Twelve percent of sellers who knew the buyer thought that getting the price right was the hardest task. Among FSBO sellers who didn't know the buyer, 16 percent found it difficult to sell within the time planned, 15 percent found fixing up the home arduous, and 12 percent found it difficult to get the price right. 

Statistics also show 25 percent of FSBO sellers took no action to market their home and 72 percent didn't offer incentives to attract buyers? 

If you are a Montgomery FSBO seller and want to discuss other missteps FSBO sellers risk when attempting to go it alone, give me a call. I am glad to talk with you. 

Learn how I can help you sell your Montgomery home by visiting HatTeam.com.

What's the value of your Montgomery home?

According to Realestate.com, buyer's remorse is one of the top ten mistakes made when purchasing a home. Finding the perfect home and making the decision to buy a home are not easy tasks. First, you spend hours on the computer researching Montgomery real estate and neighborhoods, perfecting your search criteria on MLS websites, and viewing many virtual tours.  Then, you begin making appointments to go take a look at the ones you think stand a good chance at being the future home of your family. As you walk through the house you envision the happy life you and your family would live and the future décor for this room and that room. You see houses that "require too much work," "don't have enough storage," ones that are "too small" or maybe even one that is "do-able but not perfect." Finally after weeks or even months of searching, you find "THE house." Now you send in a promising offer and anxiously wait for feedback. You and seller come to an agreement and the offer is accepted. Once the papers are signed you can relax and enjoy the excitement, right?montgomery real estate

Wrong! Shortly after signing the agreement many people experience buyer's remorse. When a person begins to have feelings of doubt about their decision it is known as buyer's remorse. The feelings of doubt are also accompanied by stress and anxiety. What if this is not the right decision? Am I getting a fair deal? Is this the right house for me and my family? What if there is something better out there? Questions start invading the committed buyer's mind causing them to become hesitant and loose confidence in their decision. This worrisome state of mind, known as buyer's remorse, is becoming more common in purchasing Montgomery real estate.           

There are several ways to avoid buyer's remorse when purchasing Montgomery real estate. The biggest worry people have when experiencing buyer's remorse is finances. Buyer's often worry about whether they will be able to comfortably afford their soon to be home. In order to prevent this from being a problem make sure that you have chosen a good price range that takes all of your other expenses into consideration. The appropriate price range may not include the maximum amount you are approved for; however it is very important not to exceed your set amount. The second biggest part of buyer's remorse is being satisfied with the house. People experiencing buyer's remorse second guess their choice in a home. They begin to believe that the chosen home may not be the best one that is out there. Before you started looking for a home you probably made a list of things you were looking for. Take this list of things you were looking for in a home and see how many of the things match up with the characteristics of the house that was purchased. If most of the things match up, especially the most important ones, then there shouldn't be any second guessing. If they aren't comparable, then try to figure out why the compromises were made and if they still make sense. 

For more ways to manage buyer's remorse and tips for home buying visit HatTeam.com.

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Montgomery Homes For Sale: 1277 S Lawrence Street

by The Hat Team

Montgomery Homes For Sale:

1277 S Lawrence Street, Montgomery AL 36104

MLS# 268390

Completely renovated Garden District bungalow! As you walk up to this lovely home you are greeted by a huge front porch. The living room has wonderful built-ins on either side of the fireplace and French doors that lead into the pretty dining room.  Spend evenings relaxing in the cozy den which has a built-in entertainment center.  Through the dining room you will find a lovely updated eat-in kitchen with tile counter tops, tile floor and a butler's pantry. The laundry room is conveniently located right off the kitchen.  There is storage everywhere in this home.

Learn more about 1277 S Lawrence Street and other Montgomery homes for sale by visiting HatTeam.com.

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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale: 437 S Highland Court

by The Hat Team

  Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:

  437 S Highland Court, Montgomery AL 36104

  MLS# 268398

This house is bound to be Montgomery's best bungalow! This home boast incredible detailing throughout like lovely heart pine floors, doorways with transoms and four decorative fireplaces...all the stuff that you as an old house lover appreciate.  There is a wonderfully cozy inglenook in the living room and a huge formal dining room with a butler's pantry.  The kitchen has been updated and comes fully equipped, there is also a built-in. The homes original bath room is home to your very own claw foot tub.  And all of these great little details come at a price well within your budget. This great bungalow sits on a quiet dead-end street!

Learn more about 437 S Highland Court and other Montgomery Real Estate by visiting TheHatTeam.com

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Displaying blog entries 1141-1150 of 1241

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