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Fall Gardening At Your Montgomery AL Home

Thursday, October 25, 2012
by The Hat Team

Yes, summer has come to a close, but that doesn’t mean that you need to bid adieu to gardening or enjoying colorful blossoms in your Montgomery AL home.  Actually, cooler temperatures, moist soils, and the absence of pesky insects in autumn make for ideal conditions for fall planting and spending time in your garden.  Generally, the items on your to-do list fall into three categories:  enjoying it now; housekeeping, and preparing for the future.

fallEnjoy It Now

Probably the favorite activity of gardeners who owns a Montgomery AL home involves the planting of flowers, trees, and shrubs which will provide bright colors for the next few months.  Before investing in fall plantings, however, click here for information and planting advice for your geographic region.  Some colorful and popular blooms include asters, red spider lily, Mexican sage, goldenrod (that it is a source of hay fever is a misconception), fall crocus, witch hazel, and perennial sunflower (smaller than the annual sunflower).  For a wider, more unusual variety, this Better Homes and Gardens website offers a large selection of lesser-known—but just as colorful—species for fall planting as well as planting information for each one.

This is also a favorable time to plant trees and shrubs with brightly-colored foliage on the grounds of your Montgomery AL home.  Consider amur, sugar, and Japanese maples; burning bush; birch, and ginkgo, or click here for more unusual varieties.

Housekeeping

While you’re outside admiring your handiwork, you can take advantage of that time to tend to some gardening “housekeeping” tasks.  This list includes the following “do’s”:  picking bagworms from evergreens, deadheading perennialsand disposing of all diseased foliage, dividing and transplanting perennials, fertilizing trees and shrubs, adding plant debris to your compost pile, weeding, and watering trees and shrubs, particularly evergreeens, generously.  Note:  There are also three “do not’s” on this list.  Resist the temptation to do any severe pruning until early spring, defer mulching until mid-November, and discontinue fertilizing your roses.

Preparing For The Future

Finally, you will want to prepare the plants in the garden of your Montgomery AL home for the future.  You still have time to purchase and plant tulip, crocus, and daffodil bulbs for glorious color in the spring, and you can dig up and the bulbs of begonias and gladiolus in peat moss or vermiculite.  Before the night temperature dips below 55 degrees, bring houseplants back inside—only after carefully inspecting them for insects and thoroughly washing the leaves and the container.

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.

 

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Celebrating Halloween In Montgomery AL 2012

Thursday, October 18, 2012
by The Hat Team

hapy halloweenTonight is the night
When pumpkins stare
Through sheaves and leaves
Everywhere,
When ghouls and ghost
And goblin host
Dance round their queen.
It's Halloween.
- Harry Behn

It’s nearly that time of year again—Halloween, a time of ghosts and ghouls, tricks and treats, and costumes and candy!  Did you know that Halloween is second only to Christmas in terms of spending?  Yep--$1.2 million on costumes and another $2.5 million on candy, decorations, and other themed paraphernalia! 

Other little-known facts include:

  • 86% of Americans decorate their houses.                                                  
  • 10% of pet owners costume their pets.
  • 35 million pounds of candy corn are produce yearly. (How many are consumed in your home?)

Halloween traditions are many and varied.  ‘Tis the night for donning a costume, wearing a mask, bobbing for apples, and, the children’s favorite—trick-or-treating.  Looking for something different to give to the little ones coming to your Montgomery AL home this year?  How about juice boxes, mini-marshmallows, popcorn balls, fruit roll-ups, 4 pack crayons, small glo-sticks, silly erasers, temporary tattoos, unusual pencils ,themed bandaids or goldfish snacks?  Visit Green Halloween for more clever suggestions.                                                                  

Carving a Jack-o-Lantern: 

Be your pumpkin orange, white, green, and yes, even blue, you want the face on the porch of your home to be individual and unique.  Get free templates to assist you in carving or for cut and paste faces here.

The Count Dracula Society was founded by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1962.

Costumes:  witch

Forget the old standbys of ghost and witch.  Get creative and think about the unusual.  A cupcake?  Or perhaps popcorn or an aquarium?  Although the web is filled with sites which sell costumes, you can express yourself by making your own garb.  Check out CostumeIdeaZone.com for silly, serious, and/or super fast ideas.

Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the fall harvest and black is associated with darkness.

Activities for the young and young at heart:

Check out Caboose.com, Halloween.com, ZombiePumpkins.com, and TheTeachersCorner.net.  For creative ideas such as wicked wreaths, friendly ghosts, fright lights, tasty treats, and much, much more, visit LowesCreativeIdeas.com.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale: 3031 Old Farm Road Montgomery Al 36111

Friday, October 12, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale

3031 Old Farm Road Montgomery Al 36111

Nice 4 bedroom, 2 bath home near exclusive McGehee Estates could be a money maker for you!! Incredible nice size corner lot with towering oaks. Two living spaces, formal dining, eat-in kitchen and nice double carport with storage. Original 1963 kitchen and baths need overhauling as well as the rest of the home. House sold as is with owner making no repairs. Over 2000 sq. ft. of traditional layout also boast split bedroom plan. Rear patio has nice pierced brick wall.

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.

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

 

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Montgomery AL Foreclosure Trends - August 2012

Saturday, October 6, 2012
by The Hat Team

There were 792 Montgomery AL foreclosure homes for sale with 1 in every 1,295 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in August 2012. The average selling price of a Montgomery AL home was $90,545 and the average foreclosure selling price was $81,953, a $8,611 savings according to RealtyTrac.com.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity and 30 Year Interest Rate

Montgomery interest rates averaged 3.60% in August while the number of foreclosed homes dropped from 104 to 76.

montgomery al foreclosure

Foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings – default notice, foreclosure auction notice or bank repossession – each month. Interest rate is based on the average 30-year fixed rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Montgomery AL foreclosure activity was 0.07% lower than national statistics, 0.01% lower than Alabama and 0.01% higher than Montgomery County statistics in August 2012.

montgomery al foreclosure 

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity by Month

The number of Bank-Owned properties decreased from 66 homes in July to 18 in August. The number of Auctions rose from 38 to 55. There is a 6-month falling trend.

montgomery al foreclosure

Are you or someone you know behind on mortgage payments and facing a Montgomery foreclosure? You do have options. A short sale may be the answer to saving you, your family and your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) with specialized training in helping families avoid foreclosure. Give me a call for a private consultation.

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.

 

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Midtown Montgomery Market Trends - Sept 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012
by The Hat Team

With the Presidential election just around the corner, it is time to look at what effect both President Obama and Mitt Romney have on real estate.

A second Obama term could provide homeowners and real estate investors:

  • President Obama supports extending homebuyer credit to those interested in purchasing their first home.
  • The Obama administration has consistently vouched for mortgage debt relief. While the evaluation of economic observers remain mixed, the Making Home Affordable Program (MHA) offers support for mortgage payment in addition to relief for those facing foreclosure and underwater mortgages.
  • The reduction of interest rates under President Obama has made borrowing and loans easier to sustain, which could spell positive ramifications for those who handle their mortgages with prudence.

Mitt Romney as president could provide boons to homeowners and property investors:

  • Mitt Romney has frequently been critical of lowered interest rates. Increasing interest rates would prove a blessing for homebuyers with a high volume of personal investments.
  • Mitt Romney broadly endorses rolling back government programs like MHA and encouraging the capital back into the private sector. Those who advocate this position (like his recently confirmed running mate) point to it as a means of stimulating the economy and overall curtailing the recession.
  • Those who hold faith in government-exempt solutions to lifting the economic quagmire will likely take heart with Romney’s favoring of cutting targeted programs like debt relief and housing loans, and letting the private sector economic gears turn unaltered.

Whoever ends up occupying the oval office come 2013 will quickly be forced to address our national property concerns.

Lets look at the statistics in our local real estate market for August 2012.

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for August show the number of homes sold decreased by 14% when compared to August 2011. The average sales price decreased by 11% to $100,084 during the same period. The median sales prices decreased by 10%, and market times decreased by 13% or 16 days.  The highest selling home price decreased by 24%, and the lowest selling home price decreased by 33%.

Midtown Montgomery Aug 2012 Aug 2011
Homes Sold 25 29
Average Selling Price $ 100,084 $ 112,293
Median Selling Price $ 85,000 $ 94,000
Days On The Market 106 122
Highest Selling Price $ 352,000 $ 465,000
Lowest Selling Price $ 8,000 $12,000


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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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale: 5833 Portsmouth Drive Montgomery, Al 36116

Thursday, September 27, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:

5833 Portsmouth Drive Montgomery, Al 36116

LOWEST PRICE per square foot in the neighborhood. Immaculate condition! Hurry over to see this gem as it will not be on the market long. This home features a bonus room with new wood floors and almost 150 feet of OPEN SPACE. The property features lots of storage and comes with a fridge, a stove, and NEW dishwasher. Corner lot plus original owner all equals one SATISFIED buyer.

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.

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

 

 

 

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Montgomery Real Estate For Sale: 4260 Abbotts Walk Montgomery AL 36116

Friday, September 21, 2012
by The Hat Team

Montgomery Real Estate For Sale:

4260 Abbotts Walk, Montgomery AL 36116

MLS#  295944

If you desire an almost new home with a wide open plan this home fits both requirements. The large kitchen has lots of cabinets and countertop space for the cook in the family. Located in beautiful Somer Hill this home features three good sized bedrooms and two baths. Separate huge laundry room is conveniently located off the kitchen. A soothing master suite has two large walk-in closets, separate shower, garden tub, and a linen closet. You will enjoy relaxing on the covered front or rear porch overlooking the beautifully landscaped lawn. A spacious double garage will be a comfort to you in bad weather and features lots of custom shelves to store your stuff. Call your favorite agent to see this like fresh home today. Easy to show!

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.

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

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Costs Of Overvaluing Your Montgomery AL Home?

Friday, September 7, 2012
by The Hat Team

Despite survey after survey showing that consumers expect home prices to continue to decline next year, most owners of Montgomery AL homes still believe their houses are worth more than what their agents recommend.

Nearly three out of four home owners, 76 percent, believe their homes are worth more than the recommended agent listing price. By contrast, 68 percent of home buyers believe homes are overpriced, according to HomeGain’s latest survey, which involved over 400 real estate agents and brokers and more than 2,000 home owners nationwide. The gap between what sellers expect and what agents recommend has actually grown calculatorslightly over the past year even though national median prices have declined about 4-7 percent this year. A year ago 73 percent of owners thought their homes were worth more than their agent’s recommended listing price.

A new study by the Research Institute for Housing America, the think tank affiliate of the Mortgage Bankers Association, documents a profound market fissure caused by owners' fears and hesitation — what researchers call "negative selling sentiment.  "Nearly 80% of consumers in the study's survey think this is a great time to buy a house, but more than 92% of homeowners think it's not a great time to sell.

According to Syracuse University economist Gary Engelhardt, compared with earlier post-recession periods, today’s owners have been more deeply shocked by the extent and severe side effects of foreclosures, short sales, and unemployment. In the aftermath of earlier recessions, such as in the early 1990s, 40% to 60% of homeowners remained relatively positive about their prospects if they chose to sell — far higher than the very few who see it that way today.

Many owners of Montgomery AL homes "have not adjusted their price expectations downward" to keep pace with local declines in property values which occurred after the mortgage bust, Engelhardt says, thereby contributing to the sharp divergence in their real estate visions compared with those of buyers.

This is consistent with the results of a study conducted in mid-2011 by Zillow, the online real estate and mortgage information company. Zillow found that sellers nationwide were having trouble coming to grips with what market forces had done to their property values. They knew prices had declined, but they didn't necessarily think those devaluations applied to their Montgomery AL homes.

Click here for an approximate value of your Montgomery AL home.

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

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Midtown Montgomery Market Trends - August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012
by The Hat Team

Good news!  The recent results of a large-scale survey strongly indicates that consumer optimism and the desire to own real estate continue to rise.

Additionally, Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey polls 1,001 Americans each month to assess their attitudes toward homeownership, renting, mortgage rates, foreclosures, the economy, household finances, and overall consumer confidence. The results of June’s survey show Americans are increasingly optimistic about the housing market despite concerns about the broader economy and their personal finances.

  • According to the survey, Americans expect home prices to increase 2.0 percent over the next year.
  • Among participants, 35 percent said prices would rise over the next 12 months, which is the largest percentage in the survey’s two-year history.
  • Also, the number of respondents who said they would buy their next home if they were going to move rose 6.0 percent to 69 percent, which is the highest level ever recorded.
  • The number of Americans who said it was a good time to buy a home increased to 73 percent.

Lets look at the statistics in our local real estate market for July 2012.

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for July show the number of homes sold increased by 29% when compared to July 2011. The average sales price increased by 9% to $125,325 during the same period. The median sales prices increased by 2%, and market times decreased by 23% or 36 days.  The highest selling home price increased by 38%, and the lowest selling home price increased by 56%.

Midtown Montgomery July 2012 July 2011
Homes Sold 35 25
Average Selling Price $ 125,325 $ 114,292
Median Selling Price $ 102,500 $ 100,000
Days On The Market 119 155
Highest Selling Price $ 517,500 $ 320,000
Lowest Selling Price $ 9,000 $4,000


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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Montgomery AL Foreclosure Trends - July 2012

Thursday, August 23, 2012
by The Hat Team

There were 711 Montgomery AL foreclosure homes for sale with 1 in every 912 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in July 2012. The average selling price of a Montgomery AL home was $82,990 and the average foreclosure selling price was $75,383, a $7,607 savings according to RealtyTrac.com.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity and 30 Year Interest Rate

Montgomery interest rates averaged 3.55% in July while the number of foreclosed homes dropped from 106 to 104.

montgomery al foreclosure

Foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings – default notice, foreclosure auction notice or bank repossession – each month. Interest rate is based on the average 30-year fixed rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Montgomery AL foreclosure activity was 0.03% lower than national statistics, 0.03% higher than Alabama and 0.01% higher than Montgomery County statistics in July 2012.

montgomery al foreclosure 

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity by Month

The number of Bank-Owned properties increased from 35 homes in June to 66 in July. The number of Auctions dropped from 71 to 38. There is a 6-month rising trend.

montgomery al foreclosure

Are you or someone you know behind on mortgage payments and facing a Montgomery foreclosure? You do have options. A short sale may be the answer to saving you, your family and your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) with specialized training in helping families avoid foreclosure. Give me a call for a private consultation.

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.
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