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Displaying blog entries 151-158 of 158

Tips to Assure Your Pre-Approval is Valid

Wednesday, September 21, 2016
by The Hat Team


Assure your pre-approval is valid

If you are in the market for a new home then the very first step you need to take even before you begin your search for the perfect place is to receive a pre-approval on a loan.  Most Realtors won’t take you serious about looking for a home until you have your pre-approval.  There are a few things that need to take place to assure your pre-approval is valid.  If your lender tells you that you are pre-approved within just a few minutes you may want to do some investigation to find out if it’s legitimate pre-approval.   Below are a few suggestions about what you need to do in order to receive a pre-approval.

  • Submit an application with the lender of your choice
  • Provide all documentation that the lender requires of you
  • Given the go ahead and approval for the lender to pull your credit
  • Your lender must have found that you meet all the credit guidelines. They will look at things such as your debt-to- income ratio as well as your assets. 
  • The lender will have talked with you about what money you need to have together for closing costs as well as what your mortgage payment will be monthly.  Your lender will also go over any or all programs that you may qualify for. 
  • An automated underwriting must be made by your lender before you can move forward with your loan.

If you have a good lender, he or she will talk with you about the different requirements to get a pre- approval and they may even determine that you need to work on a few things first and give it a bit of time before you apply for a pre-approval.  Good lenders will spend the time needed with you to figure out where your finances are so that you don’t end up getting in over your head with a home you cannot afford.  Take your time looking for a lender so that you have a good match and one that you can trust.  After all, buying a home is a big deal and you need to be able to trust those who are leading you into your future and home ownership.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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Buying Big Without Breaking the Bank

Wednesday, September 7, 2016
by The Hat Team

Buy big without breaking the bank.

We have all seen the tiny houses that are flooding the internet lately, but let’s be honest; do you really want to live in a space so small that you barely have room to move around in your own home?  In all likelihood we can all agree that we really want more space for less money.  Let’s take a look at a few ways to buy big without breaking the bank. 

  1. One way that you can buy big without breaking the bank is by going in together with a family member to purchase a home.   You may not like the idea of having someone living with you but if you can afford to buy a large enough house together you might not even be bothered by them as much as you think you will.
     
  2. Another way to buy big without breaking the bank is by buying an older home.  Older homes are typically built well and have quite a lot of character.  If you don’t have to have everything new then consider buying an older home so that you can get more bang for your buck.  New is not always better. 
     
  3. A great way to buy big without breaking the bank is to bid on a home that is not completely built yet.  You may have  a bit of negotiating room when it comes to the floor plan and if larger is what you want larger might just be what you can get without dishing out a ton of money. 
     
  4. If the home you have your eye set on is the one you really want but it just doesn’t seem big enough for your taste, why not aim for renovating and opening up some of the rooms?  This is a great way to make a smaller home feel larger than it is without having to spend a lot of money in the process.  If you don’t have enough cash to do it all right now, you can always open it up a little bit at a time. 
     
  5. Finding homes that have been on the market for a while is a great way to get more for your money.  Homes are flying off the market these days, so you showing an interest in a home that isn’t having as much luck as the others is a great way to get more.

These are just a few ideas of how you can get more for your money when it comes to buying a home.   Now that you are aware of how you can get a bigger home without breaking the bank you are well on your way to finding the home for you and yours.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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Look For These 6 Attributes In A Neighborhood Before Buying

Wednesday, August 24, 2016
by The Hat Team


Welome to the neighborhood!

Here are just a few things you may want to look for in a neighborhood before you buy a home there.  Keep an open mind when searching for a neighborhood and do your best to pay attention to these things and you will most likely enjoy your new home for years to come.

  1.  Walkability – A good thing to look for in a neighborhood before you buy is the walkability of it.  If you don’t know, a good place to start is to walk the neighborhood yourself.  If you don’t want to get out and walk around in the neighborhood before you purchase a home there, you can always check the walkability score on sites such as Walk Score. 
  2. Neighbors – A great way to check out the neighbors in a hood that you are considering buying a house in is to drive through the neighborhood on a Saturday afternoon.  Most of the time you will at least get to take a look at a few of the neighbors out in their yards.
  3. School Rankings – If your children’s education is important to you, you may want to check out the schools in the area in which you are planning to buy a home.  Talk to neighbors, go to the school and talk to teachers, check for school ratings in that area online to get an idea of what you should expect.
  4. Crime Rates – It is very important that you check into crime rates in a neighborhood before you make a purchase so that you are not surprised once you move in.  Most of the websites such as Zillow and Trulia have a crime rate locator that will show you just how much crime goes on in different areas.
  5. Places Of Interest – A good thing to look for in a neighborhood before you buy a house there is for places of interest nearby.  You may or may not get a chance to do all of the fun things nearby your new home once you move in but knowing there is a lot to do within a close distance may be important to your children.
  6. Demographics -   If it is important to be in a neighborhood of people who look like you and who are around the same age you may want to check out the demographics before you buy a house there.

These are just a few things you may want to look for in a neighborhood before you purchase a home there.  Keep an open mind when searching for a neighborhood and do your best to pay attention to these things and you will most likely enjoy your new home for years to come.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

 

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Midtown Montgomery Home For Sale: 501 Ponce de Leon Ave

Friday, August 19, 2016
by The Hat Team

501 ponce de leon ave

Midtown Montgomery Home For Sale:

501 Ponce de Leon Ave, Montgomery AL 36106
MLS# 405956

2 Bedrooms | 1 Bath | 1,546 Square Feet | Cloverdale/Idlewild

Cloverdale/ Idlewild for under 80k! Walk to Parks, restaurants, and the entertainment district in Midtown Montgomery!! If you can live with one bath and two good size bedrooms, this almost maintenance free Tudor cottage could be your next home! Gorgeous refinished hardwood floors, fresh paint and new stainless steel appliances in the kitchen are but a few of the wonderful things this home has to offer. A sun-room / office off the dining room can serve many functions. Neat alcove in kitchen for informal meals. Large living room with fireplace and separate dining will accommodate most furnishings for gracious living. Separate laundry area off kitchen will accommodate a stack washer and dryer. Two separate parking areas for lots of parking. Call us or your agent to see this great home today!

Marketed by Frank Powell, Sandra Nickel Hat Team!

 

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Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Update for July 2016

Tuesday, August 16, 2016
by The Hat Team

houses

Fifty-two percent of home owners say now is a good time to sell in their neighborhood. This is up from 34 percent who said so last year, according to a survey conducted by the real estate brokerage Redfin.

What’s more, 58 percent of home owners believe sellers have more power than buyers in the market right now. Redfin researchers note this is nearly the highest level of seller confidence they’ve recorded.

Take a look at how many sellers successfully sold their homes in July…

Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Update

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for July 2016 show the number of homes sold increased 10.81%. The average sales price decreased by 12.62%. The median sales price decreased by 30.31%. Market times dropped by 19 days.
 
Midtown Montgomery July 2016    July 2015
Homes Sold 41 37
Average Selling Price $122,888 $140,631
Median Selling Price $89,900 $129,000
Days On The Market 118 137
Highest Selling Price $490,000 $620,000
Lowest Selling Price $7,001 $5,100


For the latest Midtown Montgomery 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.

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Things To Consider When Moving With Pets

Wednesday, August 10, 2016
by The Hat Team

Moving with pets

If you have pets, chances are they are members of your family and you love them very much.  Many times when moving to a new home, family pets can become an issue.  Below are a few tips for moving with your pets.

ID TAGS AND COLLARS

Before you make a move into a new location, go ahead and make sure that all of your animals have the proper id tags and collars on.  If phone numbers and addresses need to be updated on the dog tags, go ahead and take care of that before you move.  Many times pets can get a little discombobulated when you move and they may wander off trying to find the home they have become accustomed to.  If you have the correct numbers and address on their tag, they can easily be returned to you.

KEEP PETS IN CRATES ON MOVING DAY

Whether or not your pet is used to being in a crate, if you are in the middle of moving to a new home, moving day needs to be crate day for your pets.  This will help to insure that they are not left behind or that they don’t get stepped on in all the hustle and bustle.

PET HOTELS

If you are moving a long distance, make sure that you map out hotels along the way that are pet friendly.  This way you won’t end up being turned away from your hotel at the last minute when they see you have pets.  Taking care of this beforehand will make for much better travel for everyone involved.

VETS

If you are moving far away you are going to need to get all of your pet’s vaccination papers and other materials from your vet’s office.  Be sure to take care of this well in advance so you don’t forget to do it.  Perhaps your current vet can even recommend a new vet in or nearby your new location.

OVERNIGHT PET BAG

Since your pet is part of your family, treat them as such by packing them an overnight bag with enough items such as food, water, jackets, toys, etc to get them through the first few days of your move.  You are going to be busy enough without having to worry that your pet has all that he or she needs during your move so pack accordingly.

PET RELOCATORS

If you simply can’t take your pet along for the move, but you want them to arrive at your new house safe and sound, you may want to hire a pet relocation company to do this for you!

Hopefully these tips for moving with your pet will be beneficial to you during your move to your new home!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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Things to Accomplish Soon After Moving Into Your New Home

Wednesday, July 20, 2016
by The Hat Team


Things to accomplish after moving to your new home.

If you were lucky enough to move into a new home recently then you need to know a few things that you should strive to accomplish soon after the move.    These things will get you set in the right direction for being comfortable in your new home for years to come.  A few of these ideas are listed below. 

  • Be sure to take pictures of each room in your new home before moving in. Sometimes the inspection takes place and then the previous owners come back to get a few last items of theirs moved out.  You never know, especially if the previous owners were forced to move due to a short sale, what they may have done to the house.  Take pictures before you move your furniture inside.  This way if any damage has occurred you will have full documentation of it and may be able to get things fixed more easily.
  • If you hire a moving company to move your belongings from one house to the other you will want to check all of your belongings to make sure there was no damage done to anything during the move.  You should have liability coverage in your moving contract and if that is the case if any damage occurs and you document the damage you should be able to get reimbursed for that. 
  • One of the most important things to accomplish as soon as you move into a new home is to change the locks.  You have no way of knowing how many folks have a key to your home from the previous owners and you surely don’t want to worry about someone being able to get inside of your home without your knowledge.  Get this task done right away. 
  • If you want to make the home have a nice new feel, painting is a great way to do that.  Painting an empty house is much easier than having to move the furniture around later. 
  • If you are a registered voter and you have recently moved into a new home that is in a different county, you will want to change your voter registration right away.  It’s not a good feeling to be turned away at the polls because your address is incorrect. 

These are just a few ideas of things you should strive to accomplish soon after moving into a new home. Hopefully they will be of some help to you and yours.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

 

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What Realtors Do - You'll Be Surprised!

Wednesday, June 15, 2016
by The Hat Team

what realtors do

Think you know what a real estate agent does on a daily basis?  You might have to think again in order to correctly identify all the responsibilities on the shoulders of your REALTOR (a real estate agent who is a member of the National Board of Realtors).   You most likely would be surprised—and impressed—to discover the wide range and long list of activities undertaken by your REALTOR in your pursuit of buying/selling a home.

A basic job description would include renting, and buying, and selling (oh, my!) real estate for clients, interviewing potential clients, previewing and showing  property, discussing sales conditions, drawing up and presenting offers, holding open houses, and writing contracts—all the while meeting deadlines and hand-holding when necessary.  Oh, but there is so much more for your REALTOR to do, including, but certainly not limited to, the following duties:

  • Staying current with market trends in your area
  • Analyzing comparables
  • Exploring and evaluating mortgage options
  • Finding buyers or properties for clients
  • Scheduling appraisals
  • Keeping up with changing federal/state laws and program
  • Negotiating between parties
  • Preparing MLS listings
  • Promoting properties via ads, web sites, videos, and virtual tours
  • Completing required courses, attending seminars, and the like
  • Coordinating inspections, walk-throughs, and closings
  • Arranging for title searches

But did you know that the National Association of Realtors awards grants to groups of state and local real estate associates who attempt to go above and beyond in promoting and expanding housing opportunities in their communities?  These REALTORS work together to design and implement affordable housing programs and are thus eligible for the NAR grants twice a year.  In addition, the NAR offers programs, training, and resources for these groups.  Click here for details of the Housing Opportunity Program.

Remember, real estate doesn’t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally pre-screen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

Contact us!  We’re qualified, experienced, and looking forward to assisting you.

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Displaying blog entries 151-158 of 158

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