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Tips To Get Ready For a Professional Organizer

Wednesday, December 7, 2016
by The Hat Team

If you have let your house go and you find yourself in need of a professional organizer, there are a few things you need to do in order to get ready for one to come and help you get your life together.  Below is a list of things that you need to do BEFORE hiring a professional organizer so that you both end up with the results you were hoping for. 

  1. One thing you need to do before the professional organizer arrives on the scene is to de-clutter your own home and have an end game in mind.  Make a mental note of how you want your family to benefit from the coming organization and plan your strategy around that.  If you have certain rooms that you use daily to make life work, start in those areas once your organizer arrives.  He or she will be glad that you have somewhat of a plan already in mind rather than having to start blindly with no goal to work towards. 
  2. Another thing you need to do in order to get ready for a professional organizer to come into your home is to realize that even though you hire someone to help you get your life in order, your home will likely still not look like a picture out of magazine.  The truth of the matter is, folks live in their homes and where there is life there is mess.  If you go in with this mindset you will likely be pleasantly surprised of all that can be accomplished. 
  3. Be ready to let things go when your organizer comes into your home.  You need to let your hording tendencies go and be willing to throw things out that you haven’t recently used.  
  4. Another tip for getting ready to hire a professional organizer is to realize that they are not there to build shelves and the like.  If you have something that you want installed, get someone else to do it or do it yourself before your organizer arrives.  The professional organizer is there to help get things organized not to build shelving contrary to popular belief. 
  5. Professional organizers are not there to clean your home either so be sure to go ahead and have the house clean before they arrive.  Clean isn’t the same thing as neat. 

Hopefully this list will get you started in the right direction for getting ready for your professional organizer to arrive.  If you follow these simple tips you will likely be excited and happy with the final results.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Things to Hide When Selling Your Home

Wednesday, November 16, 2016
by The Hat Team

 

If you are currently trying to sell your home, you need to make sure you are doing all that you can do to make the sale a priority.  There are many things that people tend to leave out during a home showing that should definitely not ever be seen by a prospective buyer.  Below is a list of a few things you should totally hide when in the process of selling your home. 

  1. Taxidermy is awesome to avid hunters and their wives but when someone is coming to view your home, you don’t want to leave it out.  Dead animals hanging on the walls of your home are not what folks typically have in mind when coming to look at a potential home.  You don’t have to get rid of your taxidermy obviously but perhaps take it off of your walls and gently place them in the closet until after the showing.
  2. Another thing that you should likely hide when folks come over to your home to take a tour of it in the hopes of buying it from you is your shotguns and other weapons that you may use.  This type of thing being displayed throughout the house is likely to scare any potential buyers away in a hurry.  Do your part by placing these items out of sight during a showing. 
  3. If you collect dolls or anything that can be seen as creepy in any way, put them away until after the showing.  Better yet, put them away until after your house sells.  Collections may not only be creepy to others but they tend to collect dust as well and don’t look nice during a showing. 
  4. If you have political signs in your yard, especially right now and you want to sell your house, by all means take them down!  This election was a big one and folks have very big opinions about who should be elected.  Seeing a sign in your yard for the opposite candidate that your potential buyer wants may actually lose you an offer even before the folks make in inside of your house to look around. 
  5. If you have a ton of family photos around your house, you may want to hide them during a showing as well if selling your house is your top priority.   Folks want to picture themselves in your house and having your family pictures all over the place can make that task more difficult.  

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Trends - Sept 2016

Wednesday, October 26, 2016
by The Hat Team

mortgage rates

Freddy Mac reports that mortgage rates staying low. Here are the national averages for mortgage rates during the week ending Oct. 6:

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.42 percent, with an average 0.5 point, unchanged from last week. A year ago, 30-year rates averaged 3.76 percent.
  • 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 2.72 percent, with an average 0.5 point, also unchanged from last week’s average. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 2.99 percent.
  • 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.80 percent, with an average 0.4 point, dropping slightly from last week’s 2.81 percent average. A year ago, 5-year ARMs averaged 2.88 percent.

With rates like this, is it time for you to buy a home? If so, just hit reply to get started!

Take a look at how many folks bought homes in our market last month…

Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Trends

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for September 2016 show the number of homes sold increased 36.6%. The average sales price increased by 14.5%. The median sales price increased by 14.4%. Market times dropped by 87 days.

Midtown Montgomery Sept 2016    Sept 2015
Homes Sold 41 30
Average Selling Price $130,667 $114,082
Median Selling Price $109,000 $99,000
Days On The Market 87 174
Highest Selling Price $469,000 $417,000
Lowest Selling Price $12,000 $15,600


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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4 Common Real Estate Myths Debunked

Wednesday, October 12, 2016
by The Hat Team

real estate myths

If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, you may have already come across some of these common real estate myths.  Real estate myths are abundant and are quite prevalent in the real estate world.  Below you will find a few real estate myths to be wary of whether you are buying or selling a home. 

  1. Some folks believe that if you don’t use a real estate agent you are likely to get a better deal.  This is totally false because no matter which one of you have the agent…one of them is going to get the commission be it the buyer’s agent or the sellers agent.  The only way to get around dealing with paying a commission to a realtor is if you sell or a buy a home that is for sale by owner.  If you do decide to purchase or sell by owner, be very careful because there are a lot of things that can and perhaps will go wrong when you try to go it alone.  Real estate agents deserve all the commission they get because they do a lot of work that you don’t have to worry about doing yourself. 
  2. Another common real estate myth  is that you should set your asking price higher than what you expect to make.  If you price your home too much above the market value you are likely going to be doing yourself an injustice.  Folks are going to pass your home by because they know that it is not in their price range.  Setting your home at a reasonable price is a good way to get buyers to show some interest and not be scared off by sticker shock. 
  3. Yet another common real estate myth is that all of the houses listed in the multiple listing systems are all available to look at online.  Most of the houses on MLS are listed online but if you don’t tell your realtor that you want your home listed online he or she may not do so. 
  4. Another real estate myth  is that having an open house will basically guarantee that you home will sell.  While open houses are good to get folks out looking at your house, they don’t always bring the buyer to your door.  Typically those that look at your house during an open house are just browsing and likely won’t give you an offer. 

Do your part not to let these real estate myths fool you by knowing them ahead of time before you buy or sell a home. 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel, Hat Team.

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Montgomery AL Home For Sale: 1810 Grove Hill Lane

Friday, October 7, 2016
by The Hat Team

Montgomery AL Home for Sale:

1810 Grove Hill Lane, Montgomery AL 36106

MLS #407327

3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | 1,753 Square Feet | Midtown Montgomery

Great investment property with 3 bedrooms in Grove Hill neighborhood!

Make yourself some money on this great investment property in Midtown Montgomery! Home needs lots of work!! Formal living /dining, kitchen open to den with fireplace. Hardwood floors. Three bedrooms and two full tiled baths. Separate laundry, two car detached garage, and a covered rear patio! Beautiful lot near Publix and shopping on Zelda Road!

Marketing by Montgomery AL Realtor Frank Powell, Sandra Nickel Hat Team!

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How to Eliminate Smells So That Your House Might Sell

Tuesday, October 4, 2016
by The Hat Team

eliminate odor

If you have recently put your house on the market and want it to sell quickly you may need to take a look at a few of these tips on how to eliminate smells so that your house will be more likely to sell. While selling your home quickly may sound good to you, you may not be thinking about exactly how clean your house smells when you have a last minute showing pop up.  If you are caught in a bind with a last minute showing and you need to get rid of a few household odors, be sure to read below for some ideas. 

  1. If you have pets you already know that they have a smell all their own.  Pets that may not be house trained yet may be hard to deal with during a house showing.  If you need to cover up the smell of pet urine quickly there are several ways to go about it.  One way to get rid of pee smell in the carpet is to soak the area with enzyme spray.  Another way to get rid of the smell all together (however it may take a bit longer) is to get rid of the carpet once and for all and put in hardwoods. 
  2. Another way to eliminate smells so that your house might sell is to open up your windows while you are cooking.  If you know you have a showing one night, be sure to keep your windows open while you are cooking with the hood fan on as well.  Another good way to get rid of the smell of a recently prepared meal in your home is to set a bowl of coffee grounds on the countertop over night (if your showing doesn’t happen to be the same evening of course.)  If you don’t want to take any chances of having your dinner linger during the showing you could always just go out to eat for the evening. 
  3. Garbage smell in a home is some of the worst odor possible.  One easy way to get rid of that particular smell is to be sure and take it to the curb before you leave for the showing. 

These are just a few ways that you can get rid of smells in your home  so that your showing might go well and you may be more able to sell your home.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction. 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Realtor Sandra Nickel, Sandra Nickel Hat Team.

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Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Trends August 2016

Wednesday, September 28, 2016
by The Hat Team

Midtown Montgomery Market Trends

Midtown Montgomery Market Update

homeowner

Being a homeowner means that your home is yours – even the things that need fixing. Is a faucet leaking? Are floor boards squeaky? Is a light-switch not working? Those issues are all yours to tackle. But what projects can you do yourself and what ones require the help of a trained professional? Taking on projects yourself can save you time and money. But taking on the wrong projects can lead to unending amounts of stress or end up costing you more money than if you had hired someone in the first place. NAR’s consumer website, HouseLogic.com, lets you know which projects need a seasoned hand and a beginner can undertake.  

Take a look at how many families decided to become homeowners in our local market in August…

MIDTOWN MONTGOMERY REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE
 

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for August 2016 show the number of homes sold increased 5.26%. The average sales price increased by 4.06%. The median sales price decreased by 5.23%. Market times dropped by 47 days.

Midtown Montgomery August 2016    August 2015
Homes Sold 40 38
Average Selling Price $161,464 $155,167
Median Selling Price $126,000 $132,950
Days On The Market 92 139
Highest Selling Price $750,000 $790,000
Lowest Selling Price $6,000 $7,130


For the latest Midtown Montgomery real estate market conditions in your area, please call me at 800-HAT-LADY or visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com.

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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

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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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What to Renovate When Selling Your Home

Wednesday, July 13, 2016
by The Hat Team

Renovate your home to sell.

It can be hard to set a budget and stick to it when it comes to renovating your home. If you are planning on selling your home soon, you should go ahead and do a few renovations that may need to be done but do the ones that don’t cost a lot of money. Of course if your home has some issues and you feel you can get a lot more money out of your home if you make those renovations now, you may want to go ahead and do so. Below are a few tips on what exactly you should consider when renovating your home to prepare it for sale.

  • One of the best ways to prepare your home to sell is by renovating your walls and floors.  You can add paint to the walls of your home for a quick “pick me up” that will help your home appear newer than it is.  Refinishing hardwood floors or pulling up carpet to reveal hardwoods is also a great way to spruce things up around your home.  Be sure if you are painting to do so with neutral colors that will be pleasing to everyone’s pallet.  Likewise if you are putting down carpet, be sure to choose a neutral color.  If you are refinishing hardwoods, be sure to stay away from any dark stains that may turn some buyers away.  Stick with the natural light wood floors that seem to be so popular these days. ​
     
  • Doors are another place you may want to consider during your home renovations.  Replacing your front door with a steel door adds a great deal of value to your home.  Adding some new garage doors may help to add value as well.   Keep in mind you don’t have to spend a ton on these types of things, just replacing old with new will likely be enough.
     
  • If you don’t have the money to redo your entire kitchen, try upgrading by replacing old worn out drawer pulls or cabinet knobs.  You may also want to put a little paint on your old cabinets to lighten and brighten things up a bit.  Keep in mind if money is not an issue that kitchen renovations  can sometimes make or break the sale of your home.  If you need to” bling it out” and you have the funds to do it, go for it. 

Any and all renovations you do to your home in an effort to get more money out if it during a potential sale is a good thing.  Don’t go crazy spending a lot of money for cosmetic fixes but ‘DO’ do your best to make your home look like a shiny new penny!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.

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