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Displaying blog entries 81-83 of 83

Should You Pay-off Your Mortgage Early?

by The Hat Team

With interest rates so low and economic uncertainty so high, it is no wonder that many owners of Montgomery AL homes are considering paying off, or at least paying down, their mortgages earlier than expected. The topic is a homecontroversial one, however, with real estate and financial experts vociferously arguing about both the advantages and disadvantages of such a move.

Proponents of early pay-offs cite benefits such as a strong sense of financial stability, added housing security, and financial flexibility, whereas opponents point out the loss of liquidity and investment opportunities.  Both sides agree, however, that you should pay off high interest loans first, establish a comfortable emergency fund, and utilize a mortgage calculator to analyze financial gain or loss incurred in the early pay-off of the mortgage on your Montgomery AL home.

In the event that you decide that you do wish to own your Montgomery AL home free and clear now—or in the near future-- there are steps you need to follow.   First, the process is the same whether you obtained your loan from a bank, a credit union, or a mortgage broker/banker. You signed a promissory note and a deed of trust (or mortgage) which was recorded among the land records in the jurisdiction where your property is located.

Before you send in a check, contact your lender and get a written payoff statement, which will include a per-diem interest. Remember that interest accrues daily, and you have to pay the lender up to the date it actually receives your check.( Many title attorneys actually send the lender a few more days' interest just to be on the safe side. Legitimate lenders will refund any overage.)

After you have paid the lien off, some documentation (release or satisfaction) must be recorded among those same land records reflecting that the loan has been paid in full. Talk to your lender as to its procedure. Most will take care of recording the release for a nominal fee; some will send you the promissory note and deed of trust marked "paid and canceled" and ask you to handle the recording.  Be sure you get the original documents back from the lender.

You should also (1) advise your insurance carrier in writing that you no longer have a mortgage; (2) request the real estate taxing authorities in your jurisdiction send you the original tax bills; and (3) stop any automatic payments with your bank.

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 Real Estate Market Trends - May 2013

by The Hat Team

We've heard much about investors playing a role in the housing recovery, but they aren't the only major players. According to results from the Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey for March, first-time homebuyers and current homeowners are also building a strong presence as they dominate the non-distressed market. Investors accounted for 13.3 percent of the market share for non-distressed properties, while current homeowners represented 50 percent of the market. First-time homebuyers also made up a significant portion at 36.8 percent. Read the entire article here.

Increased home sales result in higher prices. Are you an investor or a current home owner thinking about buying this spring? Now couldn't be a better time to buy...before prices increase and interest rates remain low. Contact me and together we can get the ball rolling.

Take a look at sales figures in our local real estate market for April 2013.

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for April 2013 show the number of homes sold increased by 3% when compared to April 2012. The average sales price decreased by 31% to $101,239 for the month. The median sales prices decreased by 11%, and market times increased by 15 days.  The highest selling home price decreased by 63%, and the lowest selling home price increased by 37% from April 2012.

As is often the case in an area like Midtown where prices vary widely, a single $600,000 sale skewed the April 2012 average selling price to an unrealistic high.  Last month's average is far more representative of reality.

Midtown Montgomery April  2013 April 2012
Homes Sold 32 31
Average Selling Price $ 101,239 $ 147,652
Median Selling Price $ 89,000 $ 100,000
Days On The Market 145 130
Highest Selling Price $ 222,000 $ 600,000
Lowest Selling Price $9,500 $6,000

 

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.

Community Involvement: Guerilla Marketing for the RIGHT Reason!

by The Hat Team
In his Guerilla Marketing Weekly Intelligence email today, Jay Conrad Levinson writes:
 
 “If you volunteer to work on a committee but are never available for meetings, or if you sponsor a little league team and don't show up for games, you're proving yourself to be crass and superficial, probably sucking up the community to get business instead of working for it for altruistic reasons. Consumers are more sophisticated than ever these days. People know the difference between serving the community and serving yourself. If you're not willing to devote honest time and energy to your community, you're better off skipping this weapon and leaving it to the real guerrillas in your community. I just hope for your sake that none are your direct competitors."
His post struck a real chord with me.  As a dedicated community volunteer, I sit on  many boards and committees.  And I am frequently frustrated—even angered—to read the membership lists of various volunteer groups  and note the names of many folks who never show up and/or do the work of the body.  I also get irritated when I am the only REALTOR involved in issues that have a direct bearing on the quality of life in our beloved Montgomery, Alabama.
 
Those of us who make a living selling real estate in this community have, in my not-so-humble opinion, an immense obligation to give back.  We are in positions of influence and can, if we choose, make a real difference.  And if more of us were involved, what a difference that would be!

Displaying blog entries 81-83 of 83

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