Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources

Birmingham Alabama Home Buyer Class

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:44:00 +0000

Birmingham, Hoover, Homewood, Trussville, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Helena, Pelham, AL, or anywhere in Between! – Buying a home is a complex process. Title Insurance – inspections – negotiations – mortgages. To help ensure that your home purchase is profitable and problem free, three area companies have teamed up to sponsor a home buyer’s class to teach you the secrets of successful home buying.

There's a BirminghamBuyer Class taking place this Tuesday, July 22, 2008, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm here in Birmingham at the Vestavia Hills Library.

You'll learn everything you need to know about home buying from three expert panelists.

Do you think you could make it?

Just visit the class website to register:

www.BirminghamBuyerClass.com

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats April 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:47:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our NEW! blog at www.BirminghamRealEstateHomesAndMortgages.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE STATS WILL BE FROM BOTH YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING IN GREATER BIRMINGHAM AND BIRMINGHAM REAL ESTATE HOMES AND MORTGAGES UNTIL THE COMPLETE CHANGE OVER HAS OCCURRED.

April 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics

April 2008 Subdivision Statistics from Around the Greater Birmingham Area

Related Links

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats March 2008: Now and Then

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:20:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our other blog at YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

Now, as you may remember, one of the blog series that we featured was a now and then series that compared the current year with last year. One of the things we liked about this was that it gave perspective and answers the question, “How does this year compare with last year?”

March 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics: Now and Then

Related Links

Birmingham AL Camera Owners and Photgraphers!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:16:00 +0000

ATTENTION! all who live in Birmingham Alabama, or the surrounding area, and have a camera addiction!

First, we are not looking for just professional photographers, we are looking for anyone who just enjoys taking pictures.

We, at Birmingham AL Real Estate and Community Pics, want to include you in our blog! Our New PhotoBlog...

Starting this week, we want to give you a chance to share your work with all of the readers of our blog. Now, we are not looking to be controversial so please don’t send anything that might not be “family friendly,” but also please don’t feel the need to only send work that matches what we have done thus far.

Our idea, here at the onset, is to give all of the weekends to you! However, if we just get loads and loads of amazing photography we may increase how often we share your work. Let me also add that we are not going to take any copyright rights to any of your pictures, we are just going to share them with the masses and, of course, give you credit. (It is your picture!)

For all who are interested, please send your pictures along with your full name and any other information you would like for us to include about your picture (we do reserve the right to edit this information due to our goal to remain”family friendly”, but we will contact you first to come to an agreement) to

BhamPics (at) gmail (dot) com

Spotlight Birmingham AL - A New Photoblog With A Focus on You!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:23:00 +0000

Birmingham AL Real Estate and Community Pics

Birmingham Real Estate Homes and Mortgages is up after the transfer over from Your Guide To Living In Greater Birmingham and we are coming to realize that we are very fortunate!

We not only have the opportunity to work with home buyers and home sellers of Birmingham AL Real Estate, we get to visit all around the greater Birmingham area and see some gorgeous, breath-taking, inspiring, and sometimes funny sights all around Birmingham, Alabama!

If you have a 9 to 5. or don't even live here anymore, you will have to admit that it is difficult to see everything around the area!

So, this is our honor and privilege to share our area with you (and not just work with Birmingham AL Real Estate). So, we are hereby launching this site to share with you what we get to see almost every day in Birmingham Alabama. So whether we are in Trussville, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Pelham, or all the way to Helena, we will have our cameras and we will be taking pictures.

If you have any special requests don't be afraid to ask. Alabama is the beautiful and we believe the beauty starts right here in Birmingham Alabama!

We wanted to share with you our official release of something we are very excited about, and hope that you will find it as fun as we do!!

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats March 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:04:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our other blog at YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

March 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics

Related Links

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats February 2008: Now and Then

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:35:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our other blog at YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

Now, as you may remember, one of the blog series that we featured was a now and then series that compared the current year with last year. One of the things we liked about this was that it gave perspective and answers the question, “How does this year compare with last year?”

February 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics: Now and Then

Related Links

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats February 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:24:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our other blog at YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

February 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics

Related Links

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats January 2008: Now and Then

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:43:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our other blog at YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

January 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics: Now and Then

1. Homewood AL Real Estate Market Statistics January 2008 vs. 2007

2. Vestavia Hills AL Real Estate Market Statistics January 2008 vs. 2007

3. Mountain Brook Real Estate Market Statistics January 2008 vs. 2007

4. Hoover Real Estate Market Statistics January 2008 vs. 2007

5. Trussville Real Estate Market Statistics January 2007 vs. 2008

6. Birmingham Alabama Real Estate Market Reports- 2006 vs. 2007 Year in Review

Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Stats January 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:29:00 +0000

We have noticed that some of our readers keep coming here instead of our other blog at YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Here at Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources our focus has always been on keeping you informed about the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate market.

Something we know is that in order to help you make an educated and well thought out decision for you and your family, whether it be buying or selling Birmingham Alabama homes for sale, you need to know that market conditions.

So, we plan on devoting time each month to keep you informed about what is happening in Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, and focusing here on the areas of Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills.

Instead of just posting all of the same posts here as we do on our other blogs, we are going to provide links to the posts on the other sites so you can go directly to the posts that are of the greatest interest to you.

January 2008 Birmingham AL Real Estate Market Statistics

Where Have You Been?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Some of my readers here may be wondering this, but, I promise, I have not stopped blogging. In November, my business partner and I made an exciting change to taking our team and beginning the process of starting our own company.

What does that mean to Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources?

It means that I have taken my blogging and we have created a "team blog." I invite you to go there and visit, and even subscribe again. Our new blog is...

www.YourGuideToLivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

and our website is...

www.LivingInGreaterBirmingham.com

Hoover Real Estate Market Statistics October 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:03:00 +0000

I think it's important as a Real Estate Consultant serving Hoover Alabama Real Estate, as a resident, or a future home buyer or seller in the Hoover Area to know the stats.

October 2007
Newly Listed Properties during October: 196
Average Price: $436,668
Price Range: $139,900-$2,195,000

October 2007
Sold Properties: 73
Average Price: $338,811
Price Range: $132,000-$860,000
Average Days on Market: 102

Currently Active as of 11/8/07
Active: 879Average Price: $457,454.77
Price Range: $135,000-$4,999,000
Average Days on Market: 122

If you would like to be contacted as soon as homes become available in the Hoover area just let me know, or if you would like to see statistics about other areas, don't hesitate to ask.You can find all the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate stats here on Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources, on Your Guide To Living In Greater Birmingham, or on Birmingham Alabama Real Estate blog via ActiveRain.

*Note these stats are accurate as of 11/8/07 according to the Birmingham MLS. They are subject to change as agents submit listed and sold properties into the MLS.

Alabama International Auto Show 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:59:00 +0000

It's the time of year, to hop in your car and zoom down to the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. It's time for the Alabama International Auto Show!

The show begins on Thursday, November 8, 2007, and will be here for four days until November 11, 2007.

Times for the show will be:

Thursday, November 8, from 12:00 PM-10:00PM,Friday, November 9, from 10:00 AM-10:00 PM,Saturday, November 10, from 10:00 AM-10:00 PM, andSunday, November 11, from 11:00 AM-6:00 PM

Price for admittance will be: $8 for Adults, $4 for children ages 6-11, and children 5 and under are FREE!

In case you are wondering about the Alabama International Auto Show, let me show you what they have to say, "It is a dazzling spectacular featuring the 2008 model year domestic and import cars, light trucks, SUV's, Hybrid vehicles of all sizes, and vans. Over 400 vehicles from 30 manufacturers covering 230,000 square feet, inside, and another 90,000 square feet of test driving GM vehicles at the GM Experience!. . . all this makes the 2008 Alabama International Auto Show simply the best. The Auto Show will cover all levels of the Civic Center, making it the largest consumer show in Alabama, EVER!"

For more information, visit the Alabama International Auto Show website. On the site you will be able to see pictures from past shows, show history, and even coupons for admission.
Here is just one more opportunity for you and your family to have some good times and make some good memories in Birmingham. It is a great place to live!

Homewood Real Estate Market Statistics October 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:01:00 +0000

I think it's important as a Real Estate Consultant serving Homewood Alabama Real Estate, as a resident, or a future home buyer or seller in the Homewood Area to know the stats.

October 2007
Newly Listed Properties during October: 66
Average Price: $378,839
Price Range: $169,900-$1,450,000

October 2007
Sold Properties: 15
Average Price: $251,030
Price Range: $136,000-$654,000
Average Days on Market: 83

Currently Active as of 11/8/07
Active: 246
Average Price: $386,307
Price Range: $139,900-$1,199,990
Average Days on Market: 103

If you would like to be contacted as soon as homes become available in the Homewood area just let me know, or if you would like to see statistics about other areas, don't hesitate to ask.You can find all the Birmingham Alabama Real Estate stats here on Greater Birmingham Real Estate Resources, on Your Guide To Living In Greater Birmingham, or on Birmingham Alabama Real Estate blog via ActiveRain.

*Note these stats are accurate as of 11/8/07 according to the Birmingham MLS. They are subject to change as agents submit listed and sold properties into the MLS.

Yes, We Really Do Try To Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:45:00 +0000

I got an email yesterday sharing this with me and thought there was something definitely to be learned from it.

An office was having a "going away" party for a lady in their office. Someone called a store (yes, I did omit the name) and ordered the cake. Here are his instructions:

"He told them to write: "Best Wishes Suzanne" and underneath that write "We will miss you"." You can tell from the picture that things didn't quite turn out as was intended.

What can we learn from this? Communication is key! I have always heard people say that you need to ask questions and listen.

But, it is not enough to just ask questions and listen to the answers. We need to be sure that we understand what they are saying. Otherwise we might find ourselves with a face full of cake.

Rest assured, that one of the things that we want to be sure that we are doing is listening to our clients and making sure that we have understanding. This helps us assist you more effectively and efficently so you can find your dream home.

When Home Inspections Find Housing Problems...

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:42:00 +0000

I was reading an article today from the National Association of Realtors, 6 Common Housing Problems that Spook Buyers, and found that there are some things that will make a buyer run from a potential property.

One of the important things the article pointed out was the importance of a home inspection and the need, if possible, for the buyer to be at the inspection. If you are at the home inspection you might have the opportunity to ask questions for clarification and understanding.

The article listed six things, or issues, that seem to cause the most fear: (I have added my own commentary to their information.)

1. Water damage. After walking through a house nothing worries potential buyers more than water spots or clear water damage. It was noted in the article that "all water damage isn't serious." One of things you will want to know is whether the water damage or leak is major or minor. While major leaks can be be quite costly, some minor ones may only require a few hundred dollars or less. So, it might be worth your while to get an estimate from a professional who can let you know how serious it is and what it might take to remedy.

2. Missing permits. In today's HGTV world, there are a lot of do-it-yourself types out there working on their homes. Something they might neglect to do is get a permit to do the work. Before you completely mark this off the list, the article suggests that you "ask the home inspector if the work was done well and meets code requirements..." If it was done well and passes inspection it might be a nice addition.

3. Code violations. Sometimes you might hear an inspector utter those words. Find out what it would take to bring the situation up to code. Often, in older homes, you might find plumbing or electrical work that is out of date. Some code repairs might be as simple as replacing a plug outlet. So ask.

4. Cracks in the garage floor. I have been in many homes and seen cracks in the basement floor or driveway. From talking with some inspectors, most of these cracks are nothing more than settling and are not indicative of structural problems. Find out from the home inspector whether they are or not. If they do suggest a problem, find out what the problem is and what it might take to correct it.

5. Termites. Damage or a presence of termites can be seen in a large part of the country. Alabama does have them, like most of the south. If they are found, first, they need to be gotton rid of. Once they are gone, you will be able to see what kind of damage has been done and find out what it might take to fix it. If your home isn't protected, we would recommend you getting a bond and regular treatment to prevent further occupation or damage.

6. Foundation cracks and other foundation issues. Cracks can be found in the foundation of many dated homes. If you find any, I would do as the article suggests and "Get an expert to inspect the problem and estimate - what if anything - needs to be done."

Birmingham Alabama is Looking On The Bringht Side

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:38:00 +0000

Last week an article came out in the Birmingham News pointing out a drop in sales for the month of September. In BIG print it read, "Month's Sales Drop 15%..." Let's read on though, because things may not be as bad as it seems. Let's look on the bright side.

To be "fair and balanced" let's look at both sides of the equation though. Sales are down, it is true. There is no denying this because the numbers back it up. Comparing September 2006 against September 2007 you will see that sales were down from 1,523 in 2006 to 1,283 in 2007. For the year we are down as well from 14,473 in 2006 to 13,942 in 2007 so far. But, the median price is up. In September of 2006 the median sales price was $159,000 and it is now up to $164,200 in September of 2007. New home sales have fallen probably the most. Sales volume in September of 2006 was 7.8 months and is up to 9.2 months of September of 2007.

Now, let's look on the bright side. Last year, 2006, was a banner year for our area. We continue to do all of our comparisons based on our best year ever for sales. So far, we only behind last year by 3.7% which puts on pace to having the second best year ever. So, has the Birmingham real estate market been affected, yes, but are we crumbling as the media would have you think?

Absolutely not. As Gary Keller reminded us a while ago, all real estate is local.

Bathrooms and Preparing Your Home To Sell Part 4 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 23:56:00 +0000

Home Owners and Home Sellers, you may or may not realize this, but what you are doing right now in your home, whether it is on the market or not, will make an impact on how long it takes your home to sell, how much you will make on the sell of your home, and how difficult or easy the sell will be.

You will learn that when your home goes on the market that any semblance of privacy goes out the window. Your house becomes more of a display piece than a home.

Since we are taking a look in the bathroom, you will agree that there are some things (sights, smells, sounds, etc...) that buyers (visitors) will not want to experience while in that room.

So what do you do to prepare that bathroom for guests?

We have identified four things to do to prepare your bathroom for guests, and these are:
1. Clean
2. Fix
3. Sanitize
4. Finishing touch

Today, we want to discuss step 3, the Finishing Touches! Hopefully, you have cleaned, repaired, sanitzed, and are ready to wrap things up.

There are a number of ideas to keep in mind and this list is not exhaustive. For example, on the counter many agents suggest only having three items such as potpourri, a new soap dispenser and a plant. Also, keep things off the top of the toilet tank (in case prospective buyers and/or inspectors may want to sneak a peek).

Something else we need to remember is maintenance. We need to maintain the clean scent and fresh appearance of the bathroom. This means keeping away the clutter and dust and grime that seems to show up. Clutter, by the way, can be seen as toothbrushes, hair brushes, hair blowers, make-up, etc... I think you get the picture. For the staging benefit, you might want to be sure that a clean set of towels and or robe can be on display as well. After the big clean-up and repair job in the bathroom, it is important to maintain the fresh smell and appearance each day the house is on the market.

Hopefully this will help create the kind of bathroom that someone can imagine moving in to.

Bathrooms and Preparing Your Home To Sell Part 3 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 11:51:00 +0000

Home Owners and Home Sellers, you may or may not realize this, but what you are doing right now in your home, whether it is on the market or not, will make an impact on how long it takes your home to sell, how much you will make on the sell of your home, and how difficult or easy the sell will be.

You will learn that when your home goes on the market that any semblance of privacy goes out the window. Your house becomes more of a display piece than a home.

Since we are taking a look in the bathroom, you will agree that there are some things (sights, smells, sounds, etc...) that buyers (visitors) will not want to experience while in that room.

So what do you do to prepare that bathroom for guests?

We have identified four things to do to prepare your bathroom for guests, and these are:
1. Clean
2. Fix
3. Sanitize
4. Finishing touch

Today, we want to discuss step 3, Sanitize! Some may wonder why this isn't the same as step 1. Sanitizing and cleaning are closely related, but, let's be honest. Most of us don't really sanitize when we clean. We throw away, wipe off, and reorganize.

I am assuming that you have already cleaned and fixed and re-cleaned after you made a mess fixing things. Now, what you need to do is look around the walls, ceilings, crevices in the shower, around the tub, in the sink, and around the toilet. You are looking for all the mold, mildew, and just general grime that normally doesn't come up with just the bathroom cleaner. We want it looking like new.

I know this was short, but it needs to be reminded of and remembered. Next, we will look at the finishing touches.

5th Annual Jewish Food Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:52:00 +0000

This weekend, on November 4, 2007, will be the 5th Annual Jewish Food Festival at the Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

What a great opportunity to see, experience, and taste some different things from a culture that may not be your own!

This years festival will have shopping, entertainment, and food to enjoy. You can check the menu in advance to plan ahead.

Birmingham, Alabama has a lot of different food festivals that give us many opportunites to see, taste, and learn about the different cultures that make Birmingham such a rich and diverse area.

To get more information please visit thier site about the Jewish Food Festival.

For directions please see the map below.

View Larger Map

Bathrooms and Preparing Your Home To Sell Part 2 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:06:00 +0000

Home Owners and Home Sellers, you may or may not realize this, but what you are doing right now in your home, whether it is on the market or not, will make an impact on how long it takes your home to sell, how much you will make on the sell of your home, and how difficult or easy the sell will be.

You will learn that when your home goes on the market that any semblance of privacy goes out the window. Your house becomes more of a display piece than a home.

Since we are taking a look in the bathroom, you will agree that there are some things (sights, smells, sounds, etc...) that buyers (visitors) will not want to experience while in that room.
So what do you do to prepare that bathroom for guests?

We have identified four things to do to prepare your bathroom for guests, and these are:
1. Clean
2. Fix
3. Sanitize
4. Finishing touch

Today, we want to discuss step 2. Step two is to fix. Fixing our bathroom can involve a large number of things. They can be from the easy, "You can do it!" type of stuff to the "You had better call a professional!" type of stuff. (Or as my wife says, "You had better not try that!" type of stuff.)

Some of the things will be discovered as you are working on cleaning (step 1). You might notice while cleaning out from under the sink that there is a leak. If it is a leaky faucet, you might have to change a washer. Look inside the toilet bowl and see if it fills up all the way. While cleaning the shower you may discover chipped or cracked tile that needs to be regrouted or replaced.

This short list is just to get you thinking. It may not be a bad idea to have a plumber come out and check out some of these items like the shower, toilet, and sink. Either way, it is entirely up to you.

Like I said last time, this list is far from totally inclusive. It is to be a starting point. By the time you have completed steps 1 and 2 you will probably already be addressing step 3 or at least making a list for it. It is time to Sanitize it!

Bathrooms and Preparing Your Home To Sell Part 1 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:48:00 +0000

You will learn that when your home goes on the market that any semblance of privacy goes out the window. Your house becomes more of a display piece than a home.

Since we are taking a look in the bathroom, you will agree that there are some things (sights, smells, sounds, etc...) that buyers (visitors) will not want to experience while in that room.

Can you think of some of these items? Some of these might be:

1. Personal hygiene items
2. Soap Scum
3. Mold/Mildew
4. Your shampoo and conditioner collection

So what do you do to prepare that bathroom for guests?

We have identified four things to do to prepare your bathroom for guests, and these are:
1. Clean
2. Fix
3. Sanitize
4. Finishing touch

Today, we want to discuss step 1. Step one is to clean. Cleaning can involve a large number of thingssuch a de-cluttering by getting rid of all those old bottles of shampoo, conditioner, medicine, and boxes from every nook and cranny of the room and cabinets. Next, comes the bottle of bathroom cleaner. Everything and everywhere, while cleaned out, needs a good wipe down inside and out. Make sure you check the shower for soap scum, discolored grout, and mildewed shower curtains or liners.

Now, this list is far from totally inclusive. It is to be a starting point. You will see many things while you are busy cleaning and discover even more as you move on to step 2 which we address later. Fix it!

Making Halloween Memories A Treat and Not A Haunt

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:31:00 +0000

Halloween can be a fun time for all of us with families, but like all else. We need to make sure we are doing the things to make sure it is safe and fun.

I found this website, Halloween Safety Guide, while doing some searches on Halloween Safety and thought it would be a benefit to us all.

On the site they outlined safety tips for kids, parents, pets, parties, costumes, and yard haunts. Some of the tips they gave were:

1. "Teaching your kids basic everyday safety such as not getting into cars or talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing streets and crossing when the lights tell you to, will help make them safer when they are out Trick or Treating."
2. "The best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them. If you can't take them, see if another parent or a teen aged sibling can go along."
3. "To keep things moving for either an adult party or child's party, make sure that you have some games, like a scavenger hunt or a murder mystery planned in advance."
4. "Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you."
5. "When building your haunt, make sure that the walk ways are far enough away from things so that people can't trip over them or hurt themselves. This also is good for you, this means that your visitors won't be able to ruin your props and sets. Some people just have to vandalize at this time of year and ruin it for others."
6. "If you are going to dress your pet in a costume, keep in mind that unless the dog or cat is extremely receptive to this kind of thing, you could be causing it discomfort and stress. Some animals don't mind at all but others do not want to be bothered with this kind of thing. They'll be under enough stress with the festivities going on outside and people at the door constantly so don't cause them any more nervousness then you have to. You may love to dress in costume but then, you aren't a dog or a cat."

These were just some of the tips they listed. It would be a good idea for anyone participating to check out all the lists themselves! It is Halloween Safety Guide.

Let's make sure our memories are a treat and not a haunting and frightening remembrance!

Sign the final documents, get the key, and move into your new home: Step 8 of 8 to Buying a Home in Birmingham Alabama

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:45:00 +0000

Buying a home can be a daunting task. Because, most people only buy a home once every few years (or longer), we wanted to take the time to remind you of the steps involved in buying a home. This way, you can feel like you have some control of this home buying process.

We have identified eight steps to buying a home.

These are:
1. Decide to buy a home.
2. Find a great real estate consultant.
3. Secure financing
4. Find your dream home.
5. Make a written offer and negotiate the price.
6. Open an escrow account. (Earnest Money)
7. Have a home inspection.

8. Sign the final documents, get the key, and move into your new home.
Yes, it is true, it is time for step 8, Prepare to sign the final documents at closing, get the keys to your new home, and move in!

Finally! You decided to buy a home, found a great real estate consultant, secured financing, found your dream home, made a written offer, negotiated price, paid earnest money, opened an escrow account, had a home inspection..... WHEW! You have cleared the title to the property, and you have closed on the deal. All you have to do now is move in and put out the welcome mat!

Welcome home!

Hoover Alabama Real Estate Market Statistics September 2006 vs. September 2007: Now and Then

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Wolfe) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:40:00 +0000

I think it's important as a Real Estate Consultant serving Hoover Alabama Real Estate, as a resident, or a future home buyer or seller in the Hoover Area to know the stats.

With so much media coverage about "the state of the real estate market" being broadcast, I want to start doing a now and then segment to show how the market has changed from one year to the next.

September 2007
Listed Properties (during the month): 184
Average Price: $379,160
Price Range: $139,900-$1,645,000

September 2006
Listed Properties (during the month): 219
Average Price: $369,552
Price Range: $109,000-$1,400,000

September 2007
Sold Properties: 110
Average Price: $405,981
Price Range: $160,000-$1,059,944
Average Days on Market: 80

September 2006
Sold Properties: 125
Average Price: $345,813
Price Range: $155,000-$1,082,500
Average Days on Market: 91

If you would like to be contacted as soon as homes become available in the Hoover area just let me know, or if you would like to see statistics about other areas, don't hesitate to ask.

*Note these stats are accurate as of 10/18/07 according to the Birmingham MLS. They are subject to change as agents submit listed and sold properties into the MLS.