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The 2012 Olympic Games To Begin!

by The Hat Team

olympic ringsThe London Summer Olympic Games begin tomorrow and end Sunday, August 12, 2012, and will highlight 302 events in 26 sports ranging from archery to wrestling.  Click here for a complete listing of schedules, venues, participants, and anything you could ever want to know for your viewing enjoyment.                                        

According to historical records, the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC and consisted of a series of competitions held between representatives of several city-states from ancient Greece and featured mainly athletic but also combat and chariot racing events. During those games all struggles among city-states were set aside until the games were finished. The origin of the original Olympics is shrouded in mystery and legend, but we do know they were dedicated to Olympian gods and staged in the Olympia Plains in Greece.                                   

The meaning and the values of the Olympic Games are conveyed by the symbols of the rings, the motto and the flame.

  • The five rings -- blue, yellow, black, green, and red -- represent the five parts of the world now encompassed by Olympism and ready to compete against each other. Moreover, the six colors (including the white background) combined represent those of all nations, without exception.
  • The three words of the Latin motto translate to FASTER — HIGHER — STRONGER and encourage the athletes to give their best during competition.
  • In memory of the modern Olympic Games’ ancient origins, the flame is lit (only by the sun’s rays) in Olympia some months before the opening of the Games.  A new torch is created for each edition of the Games. Each relay runner carries his or her own torch: it is the flame which is passed from runner to runner and which cannot be extinguished. This year American four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson described carrying the Olympic flame around Stonehenge as a “magic moment”.

Want to know more about the Games?  The web is rife with sites dedicated to your thirst for Olympic knowledge and activities.  For a wide variety of quizzes and games, visit Fun Trivia, and Kaboose offers almost as many crafts and activities for kids (and parents) as there are events in the 2012 Games. Coloring pages can be found at Primary Games and Activity Village.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Midtown Montgomery Market Trends - July 2012

by The Hat Team

As Americans, we celebrated Independence Day this month flocking to places like Mount Vernon, Monticello and Peacefield to learn and understand more about our country's history and the men and women who shaped its future. The homes of founding fathers like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were more than shelter; they were places of respite, reflection and inspiration.

flags"Homeownership is an investment in our future, but it's also a gateway to our past," said National Association of Realtors President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami. "The homes of our country's founders offer insights into their characters and values, and reflect the spirits of their owners, just as our homes do for us today."

In some ways, historic homeowners bear little resemblance to the homeowners of today. George Washington inherited Mount Vernon when he was 20; only 4 percent of recent home buyers were between the ages of 18-24, according to the 2011 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. John Adams was born in the house that would remain in the Adams family for four generations. Today, fewer than 3 percent of families in this country have received their primary residence as an inheritance, according to a recent Survey of Consumer Finances published by the Federal Reserve Board.

Women's rights to own property in America's early days were often based on their relationships with men, so it's not surprising that many women today view homeownership as its own form of independence, with single women representing more than one-fifth of all home buyers in the current market.

Homeowners across U.S. history do share some common ground, of course. Most of the founding families lived out their lives close to where they were born, and the same is true today. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that nearly 60 percent of Americans currently live in the state in which they were born, and NAR research shows that the typical buyer moves only 12 miles from his or her previous residence.

"I am as happy nowhere else and in no other society, and all my wishes end, where I hope my days will end, at Monticello," said Thomas Jefferson of his home. Although today's economic environment has postponed homeownership for some, numerous surveys show that most Americans still aspire to homeownership. In the NAR Profile, a full 60 percent of recent first-time home buyers cited the desire to own a home of their own as the primary reason for purchasing a home.

Lets look at the June statistics in our local real estate market? 

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for June show the number of homes sold remained consistent when compared to May 2011. The average sales price decreased by 25% to $113,872 during the same period. The median sales prices decreased by 39%, and market times decreased by 15% or 19 days.  The highest selling home price decreased by 1%, and the lowest selling home price decreased by 38%.

Midtown Montgomery June 2012 June 2011
Homes Sold 32 32
Average Selling Price $ 113,872 $ 151,399
Median Selling Price $ 80,250 $ 132,000
Days On The Market 111 130
Highest Selling Price $ 415,000 $ 417,500 
Lowest Selling Price $ 10,000 $16,000

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Information is provided by the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

 

Stay Cool and Save Money With Energy Saving Tips

by The Hat Team

Summer is here, accompanied by heat, humidity, and high electric bills. Depending on your location, the size of your home, and utility costs in your area, summer often brings the highest monthly bills of the year. The good news, however, is that there are some easy tips to help keep you cool in your Montgomery AL home and save a little money at the same time.

thermometerReduce the heat inside your Montgomery AL home:

  • Use a microwave oven, slow cooker, or barbecue grill rather than your oven.
  • Put lids on pans to hold the heat in while cooking.
  • Do "wet" chores (washing clothes or dishes, mopping floors, watering indoor plants, etc.) in the early morning or at night when it's cooler. This will help to keep humidity down.
  • Lower your shades and close your curtains to keep the sun out.
  • Seal windows and doors efficiently to keep the cold air inside and the hot air outside.
  •  Install efficient lighting that runs cooler. Only about 10%–15% of the electricity that incandescent lights consume results in light—the rest is turned into heat.

Lower energy usage:

  • Most hot water heaters have thermostats that may be set to 140 degrees for hot water. This usually isn't necessary--turn the thermostat down to 120 or 115.
  • Take a short shower, say about 5 minutes, and you'll only be using one third of the amount of hot water than you would with a bath.
  • Don't use the drying function in your dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry.
  • Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. Dry your clothes on hangars or outside your Montgomery AL home.
  • Turn off computers, printers, copiers, and home electronics when they are not in use. Surge protectors that allow you to plug several items into one strip with an on/off switch make this even easier.
  • Turn thermostats to78 degrees when at home; 85 degrees when away.
  • Use fans to circulate cool air.
  • Close any central air registers in empty and/or unused rooms.
  • Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F)
  • Keep lots of food in your refrigerator to keep it from warming up too fast when the door is open.

Now you have no excuse for not implementing at least a few tips for staying cool and saving money on your utility bills this summer.  For more helpful hints, visit MyTwoDollars, Energysavers.gov, and the Department of Energy.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

If you’re thinking of selling your house in the near future, you need to know that updated bathrooms are one feature greatly desired—or sometimes demanded--by potential buyers.  Renovated bathrooms are extremely popular in today’s market, but they can also become an expensive undertaking.  However, depending on your willingness to take an active role in the updating process, you can make the bathroom a major plus when selling your Montgomery AL home--without breaking the bank.  Take advantage of free or inexpensive classes or seminars given by home improvement stores—far-reaching in topics and easy to follow in technique—or search the web for instructional videos, such as this one from YouTube about applying grout.

montgomery al homeBefore you even begin your physical efforts, you should explore popular new trends in bathroom function, among which are wall-mounted toilets, recessed tubs, offbeat sinks, heated towel racks, and the use of stone.  A tour of model homes in your area will give you a good idea of what’s “hot” and what you might like to include in your own bathroom.  Websites such as Better Homes and Gardens and EHOW can provide inspiration, design assistance, and decorating ideas which are both clever and inexpensive, and free design software allows you to plan an entire layout and create an online model for the renovated bathroom of your Montgomery AL home.  Worried that you may be spending too much money on your project?  Get a cost estimate of your anticipated improvements.

If you aren’t up for a large-scale remodel or even an extensive renovation, there are many simple--and inexpensive-- steps you can take to upgrade the function and appearance of your bathroom.  Consider doing the following:

  • Repaint in neutral colors.  If all walls are tiled, paint the ceiling.
  • Replace the sink if it’s an outdated color and change the faucet to a more modern one.
  • Install a new medicine cabinet, light fixture, and/or mirror.
  • Re-glaze the tub in your Montgomery AL home and replace caulking as needed.
  • Deep scrub or reapply grout.
  • Change window treatments.  Think about bamboo blinds rather than curtains.
  • Use “earthy” and green materials for a more natural look.
  • Purchase a new shower curtain.
  • Paint old cabinets.  White is quite popular right now.
  • Add shelving for storage.
  • Hang an unusual piece of art.
  • Display attractive towels and throw rugs.
  • Remember to feature simple accessories such as a waste can, hooks, a soap dish, a toothbrush holder, towel racks, and eye-catching containers.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:

2185 Woodley Road Montgomery, Al 36111

MLS#289693

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy this lovely lot and get a house for free! While most of the value is in the land, your purchase includes a 3000 sq ft Cape Cod that could--with lots of money and imagination--become a lovely home. New roof, freshly painted exterior, some work done inside as well since vacated. Bring your architect, designer, or contractor and see how you can make your dream come true!

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

 

 

 

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:

153 Jamestown Loop Millbrook, AL 36054

MLS#293881

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your off time in this like-new end unit townhome with a small, easy-care yard. Split-bedroom floorplan makes it perfect for a roommate situation or a family with older, privacy-loving child. And all appliances remain to keep your move-in costs very, very low! Rear backs to low area that should never be built up so like being at the ends of the woods. Lots of military and professional neighbors. Short sale subject to lender approval. Call today for your personal tour.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

 

 

 

 

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