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Reasons Why Buying an Older Home May Be a Good Idea

Thursday, July 13, 2017
by The Hat Team

Perhaps you are currently on the market for a new home.  You may have grand plans to buy the biggest and newest one you can find.  Have you ever given any thought to perhaps buying an older home instead?  Below you will find a list of reasons why you may want to do just that.  

 

  1. 1. If price is an issue for you when looking for a new place to live, going for one with some age on it instead of a new one may be something to consider.   If you can find one that was built in or around the 1970’s you may find a diamond in the rough.  Keep an open mind when looking for a house to purchase and you may just find the place of your dreams.   

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  1. 2. They just don’t build em’  like they use to.  Likely you have heard this statement before.  You may have wondered whether or not it is true and in fact it is.  Houses built in years past typically were built with old hard wood trees.  These trees were usually allowed to grow to an old age without being disturbed unlike trees today.  These old hardwoods are much less likely to have any warping issues and resist rot.   Instead of dry wood for walls, many older homes have been built with plaster and lathe.  These materials are superior to dry wall because they provide better insulation as well as sound proofing.   

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  1. 3. Many times new houses are built in newly established neighborhoods.  While this is not a bad thing in itself, it leaves unknown factors like crime rates, school districts and the general population of a certain area.  Older homes tend to be in areas that are well established so you won’t have any questions left unanswered.   

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  1. 4. If character in a house is important to you then buying a home with some age on it is a great way to get what you are looking for.   Crown moldings (which add a lot of character) are many times found in older homes.   

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  1. 5. If having a bit of a yard is something you wish to have then you may want to choose a place with some age on it. Newer homes come with less acreage.  

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These are just a few reasons why buying an older home might be appealing to you.  Now that you have some facts on the subject you may find that you have changed your mind and your direction in your search for a “new” home.   

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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How to Make Your Outdoor Space More Inviting and Fun

Wednesday, July 5, 2017
by The Hat Team

This time of year folks begin to get outdoors to do more around their homes because it is nice and warm outside.   It’s also a good time to do a bit of work outside the house and make your outdoor space more inviting and fun for family and friends.   Below is a list of ways in which you can accomplish this.   

 

  1. 1. If you already have landscape lighting, why not purchase a few fun colored lightbulbs to use in them for different holidays.  This will definitely make your outdoor space a lot more fun.  

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  1. 2. If you are getting tired of mowing your grass then, you may want to replace your grass with a garden.  You might want to add a garden of flowers or a garden of vegetables or even put in a koi pond.  Any of these ideas will help to keep you from spending your summer evenings mowing the grass all the time. This will make your outdoor space more fun. 

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  1. 3. If your patio furniture is old and outdated, now is the time to go out to purchase some that allows you to show your style more effectively.  Outdoor furniture always makes outdoor spaces more inviting and fun. 

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  1. 4. Adding a new doorbell to the outside of your home may seem like a small thing.  However, if you find a nice one that lights up the front door, it can do wonders towards making your home seem more inviting at night.   

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  1. 5. If you don’t already have a swimming pool, summertime is a great time to add one.  Not much can make your outdoor space more fun than a swimming pool for all to enjoy.   

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  1. 6. If you do add a swimming pool, why not go out and make it really fun and cool by adding an outdoor shower to the mix.  This type of thing is pretty rare unless your home is at the beach, so your outdoor shower may quickly become the talk of the neighborhood.   

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There are so many ways in which to make your outdoor space more inviting and fun; these are just a few of them that you may want to try.   

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

 

Outdoor Space 

Links:  http://www.foxnews.com/real-estate/2017/03/23/28-outdoor-projects-everyone-should-know-about.html?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_1703044 ,  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hometalk/10-easy-ways-to-make-your_1_b_7024910.html  

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Selecting Plants and Flowers for Home Garden

Wednesday, May 31, 2017
by The Hat Team

Many of us select plants for the garden at our Montgomery, AL home based on their visual effect—color, height, size of blooms, etc. And so we should, as the sight of our plantings should be pleasing to our sense of sight. As we plan our garden, however, we should also be aware of the other four senses—and include plants which appeal to each of them.

SMELL: Aromatherapy is a powerful practice. With nothing more than a simple scent, the brain can be triggered to remember long forgotten memories, emotions, and feelings. With that being said, it is important to carefully select the flowers you want in the garden of your Montgomery, AL home. With a few simple choices, you can create your own "memory lane' or relaxing oasis. In terms of fragrance, it’s hard to beat roses or lavender. Wisteria and jasmine are scented climbers which can really enhance the sensory pleasure of a garden, and amaryllis belladonna and spirea both add pleasant scents.

SOUND: Few of us associate the sense of sound with our garden, but the rustling of long grasses and the chirping of birds add a much-appreciated dimension. To attract songbirds, use fruit-bearing understory trees like dogwoods and service berries and shrubs such as viburnums and hollies and introduce low growing perennials and dwarf shrubs like creeping juniper and cotoneaster. You can also plant vines, ground covers, and sunflowers to increase chirping and tweeting.

TOUCH: Texture in garden design refers to the surface quality of the plant. Plant textures range from delicate and fine to coarse and bold. The feel of the foliage in your Montgomery, AL home’s garden is not the only element of texture, however, as the texture can change with the play of light and shadow and even with viewing distance. Plants with thread-like leaves call out to be touched, so consider adding cosmos, baby's breath, asters, and grasses. In addition, iris and lamb’s ear will each provide softer tactile experiences.

TASTE: The world of herbs is nearly without limits. Think about basil, chives, rosemary, chamomile, cilantro, mint, and parsley, to name just a few tasty garden additions. Consider, too low bush blueberries or ligonberries. Lesser known, but equally valuable as salad additions are the flowers of the hibiscus shrub, columbine, and daylilies.

Some of the plants you have selected for your garden will serve more than one purpose and will appeal to more than one sense, so be sure to sniff, feel, taste, listen to, and view each of them!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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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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