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3 Mistakes First-Time Buyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Wednesday, May 24, 2017
by The Hat Team

There are a few mistakes that many first-time home buyers make. Here are three of the most common mistakes and how you can avoid them when purchasing your first home.

Mistake #1: Assuming your credit is good.

The information in your credit report determines whether you can get a loan — and how much interest you will have to pay – so it pays to be certain your credit reports are accurate.

Check your credit reports for free from all three credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to make sure everything is correct. If you find errors, contact both the credit reporting company and the information provider (the person, company or organization that provided information about you to a credit reporting company) involved in the errors and ask them to fix the credit report errors.

Mistake #2: Getting pre-qualified, not pre-approved, for a loan.

It’s far better to be pre-approved for a loan than to be pre-qualified. Here’s why…

With pre-qualification, your lender does a preliminary evaluation of your ability to pay for a home and gives an estimate of the mortgage amount they’ll give you. The lender does not verify the information you provide.

Mistake #3: Allowing emotions to influence your decisions.

Buying a home is an investment. It needs to be treated as any other investment. You don’t buy stocks because they are pretty and you shouldn’t pick your home that way either. Make sure the home you buy fits your needs and allows you room to grow over the next few years. As with any sound investment, time is the key to a good return.

If you are a first-time home buyer, I would be happy to help you find (and get the best price for) your first home.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Sprucing Up for Spring

Wednesday, May 17, 2017
by The Hat Team

It is that time of the year again, spring has sprung. As you begin thinking about spring cleaning, don’t forget to include the homes exterior in your plans. Whether you are selling your property or plan on calling it home for awhile, every house could use a boost in curb appeal. Curb appeal creates the first impression of your home. If selling your home, curb appeal reflects how well the property is cared for and intrigues buyers to take a look inside. Curb appeal is also a way to showcase your personality and create welcoming scenery for your guests. Spring is the perfect time to spruce up your home’s exterior. The following tips will help you attain enchanting curb appeal.

Start With A Checklist

The first step to enhancing curb appeal is to determine what needs improvement. Take a walk around the outside of your home pretending that you are a potential buyer and take note of things that could possibly impair your first impression. Be sure to consider all factors from possible missing shingles on the roof to rotten wood around windows or doors.

Landscaping

If your home does not receive routine yard maintenance, a through clean up can make all the difference. Start by removing debris, giving the grass a fresh cut, eliminating weeds, and trimming over grown bushes or trees. Keep in mind that bushes should never exceed the height of window sills or extrude growth beyond the threshold of sidewalks. Use a pressure washer to clean the exterior of the house, making sure to leave all windows sparkling. Replace any rotten wood and touch up chipped paint.

The Front Door

Establishing a welcoming entry can really improve the first impression of a visitor or potential buyer. Make sure the pathway and porch leading to the front door is well lit. Use decorative porch fixtures that compliment the color of the house and other hardware. Lining walkways with solar powered garden lights gives the yard a vivid glow after dark. Make the front door a focal point by repainting it a warm, inviting shade that contrasts from the siding and shutters. Use a classic shade of red or go bold and try yellow. 

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Home Buying Made Easy

Wednesday, May 3, 2017
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.   

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Spring Maintenance Check List for Your Home

Wednesday, April 19, 2017
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.   

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How to Clean Your Grill

Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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 when beginning 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.   

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Do Schools Matter when Buying a Home?

Wednesday, March 29, 2017
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.   

 

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Organizing Your Home Made Simple

Wednesday, March 22, 2017
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.   

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How to Spruce Up a Boring Kitchen

Wednesday, March 1, 2017
by The Hat Team

The kitchen is a place in the home where many hours are spent preparing meals and spending time with family.  If the kitchen is boring and not ecstatically pleasing to you or your family, no one is going to want to spend any time there.  Below is a list of a few ways in which you can spruce up your boring kitchen and make it a place where you really love to be.  

  1. One of the first ways you might think about to spruce up a boring kitchen is buying new appliances.  The typical type of appliance these days is stainless steel.  Another type of appliance that folks are using these days are the ones that look just like cabinets.  Whatever type of appliance you decide to buy, you will be helping your kitchen look as good as it possibly can.
  2. Another way to spruce up your kitchen is by changing the paint color.  If your kitchen is older, it is possible that the paint has gotten worn over the years and adding a pop of color with new paint can make all the difference in the world.
  3. Yet another good way to spruce up a boring kitchen  is by changing the cabinets.  You can choose to have all new cabinets put in or you could just change the way they look by painting them.  Antiquing is a popular way to refinish and spruce up furniture.  Antiqued cabinets are very beautiful and can make a kitchen look really nice. 
  4. Buying some new lighting for your kitchen is an easy way to spruce it up.  You can get as crazy as you want with lighting when it comes to making your kitchen an exciting place to be.  Go to your local hardware or lighting store to see what all is available for you to choose from. 
  5. New flooring in the kitchen is another way to make it look updated.  If you currently have laminate you may want to change it to tile, or you could choose to extend the hardwoods from the family room or whatever room adjoins the kitchen into the kitchen.   

These are just a few ideas for sprucing up a boring kitchen.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction for making your kitchen a room that everyone wants to congregate in.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Reasons to Purchase a Home before the End Of 2017

Wednesday, February 22, 2017
by The Hat Team

Now is the time, now is the best time, now is the best time to purchase a home.  Do yourself a favor; don’t wait to purchase your dream home until the end of 2017.  If you have even given a small thought that you might want to move in the next year or so, go ahead and begin looking now so that you might be able to make that purchase today instead of tomorrow.   A few of the reasons why you should purchase your home before the end of the year are listed below for you. 

  1.  One of the many reasons you should go ahead and purchase a home   before the end of 2017 is because interest rates are already beginning to rise.  The current average interest rate is a little above 4 percent but that rate could reach 6 percent by 2019.  Begin looking for the home of your dreams now so that you can purchase one and get moved in while the market is in your favor.
  2. Fewer homes are available as the years go on.  Just a few short years ago there were plenty of homes to choose from; however this list is getting a bit smaller yearly.   Buyers of today will have many more homes to choose from than buyers of tomorrow so get out and get house shopping now!  Call your Realtor today if purchasing a home is on your mind. 
  3. House prices are rising and will continue to rise in the future.  If there ever was a reason to go ahead and purchase a home before the end of the year, this is the one!  You just might be able to get more of a house for your money now than if you waited until later to purchase. 

Again, if purchasing a home has even been on your mind at all and you think you might want to move in the next year or so, get a jump start on your search by starting today.  It can’t hurt to start looking now because you just may be more likely to find it now than later.   Buying a home is a big deal and can cost quite a bit of money so it’s best to start looking now to find the home you have always dreamed of.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Decorating Ideas for Your Pho Fireplace

Wednesday, February 15, 2017
by The Hat Team

It’s during this time of year that many of us start to put our fireplaces into use.  Since fireplaces are used typically to burn wood, those of you who have a fireplace that is just for looks may not know that you can decorate it to make it stand out and look very nice.  Below are a few ideas for decorating your pho fireplace  this season. 

  1. If you want your fireplace to look like it has some sort of warm glow like a fire can add, you should put a few candles inside of the fireplace during the winter months.  You can choose to use real candles to give a very warm firelight glow or you can even use battery operated candles to add a similar effect.  Ether type of candle you choose will be sure to add a touch of class to your fireplace this winter. 
  2. Another way to decorate your non working fireplace  is to use it for something other than it is designed to be used for such as a bookcase.  If you have students in your household and you find they like to spend a lot of time in the main room of the house, (where the fireplace can typically be found) using the space as a bookshelf is very beneficial not only for decorative purposes but also as a way to get your students to pick up a book or two and read it. 
  3. A great way to decorate your fireplace is to add some sparkling lights to it.    A few glass ornaments with some lights draped around them is a great way to liven up your fireplace during the holiday season. 
  4. If you have a special piece of artwork that you have no idea where to display, you may want to use your fireplace for this.  Typically a fireplace is the focal point of a room and adding a piece of art to this will only make it stand out that much more. 

These are just a few ideas on decorating your pho fireplace, there are many more ideas out there you just have to be a little creative and open minded in using the space for something other than fire.  When you think outside the box you never know where your decorating ideas may take you.   

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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