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Thursday, December 12, 2013

How to get a mortgage

Ugliest Home Contest

Post a picture of the ugliest home in the Millbrook/Prattville/Montgomery area that you can find and the winner will receive $500 toward their closing costs when buying or selling a home! 


Monday, December 2, 2013

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Just Listed!

 4br - Wired workshop, split floor plan and large kitchen! (Millbrook)

4BR house 
image 1image 2
What an amazing home! This split floor plan is centralized by the large kitchen with breakfast bar, pendant lights, stainless steel appliances and tons of cabinets! The den and living room make it easy to have a separate space for everyone in your family. PLUS the huge back yard is perfect for animals AND has a wired workshop and storage shed. Relax after a long day in the rectangle jetted tub or a hot shower in the tiled separate shower. Ladies there is also a walk in closet too! Bring your king sized bed for this master as well! Not to mention it is only 5 minutes from Prattville shopping but with your own privacy. Everything you have been looking for is here!
Full Details

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Proving your House Value

Contact Sarah Little w/Keller Williams Realty to get a FREE Market Analysis!



Monday, September 30, 2013

On the Market vs. In the Market

Contact Sarah Little w/Keller Williams Realty 334-294-2666 to reach your real estate expert!

My Recently Sold

1919 Green Acres Dr, Montgomery
Sold Price $67,000
Closed 09/30/2013

1212 Stafford Dr, Montgomery
Sold Price $125,000
Closed 07/15/2013

7 Narrow Ln, Wetumpka
Sold Price $23,900
Closed: 07/19/2013

79 Carlyle Ct, Millbrook
Sold Price $264,900
Closed 07/25/2013

15 Spring Hollow Dr, Deatsville
Sold Price $169,000
Closed: 09/12/2013

2810 Pine Acres Dr, Millbrook
Sold Price $125,000
Closed 08/09/2013

214 Woodvale Rd, Prattville
Sold Price: $75,000
Closed 09/11/2013
3027 Alta Rd, Montgomery
Sold Price: $51,000
Closed 08/12/2013

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Renting vs Buying a Home


Call Sarah Little w/Keller Williams Realty for get your First Time Home Buyer specialist!
334-294-2666
www.SarahLittleRealtor.com

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

New Homes for Sale

6552 Ridgeview Cir, Montgomery
$145,000
3 bed 2.5 bath 1458 sqft
Looks like it came straight out of a Kirklands magazine
622 Vintage Way, Prattville
$139,900
3 bed 2 bath 1334 sqft,
Privacy Fenced Yard, Huge Laundry Room, Glass Tile
4961 Woodfield Dr, Millbrook
$237,000
4 bed 3 bath, 2371 sqft,
Pool, 1 acre, 2 car garage w/worshop



If you need me today and half of tomorrow...email or facebook me. My phone is not working and a new one is on the way

http://www.facebook.com/pages/p/564948733523918

Friday, May 24, 2013

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Career Opportunity


Realtor (Montgomery)




Recently voted one of "America's Top 10 Workplaces," Keller Williams is now the #1 real estate brokerage in the United States. With state-of-the-art training resources and mentoring programs for new agents and gorgeous office space and industry-leading commission splits for experienced agents, KW has become THE place for new and experienced agents who want to make a lot of money and have fun doing it.

website- kendall.kwrealty.com

Advantages of a career at KW:
• Make a six-figure income
• Flexible schedule
• Friendly, team atmosphere
• No bosses or mandatory meetings
• Free training and support (no previous experience necessary)

We're looking for people who are:
• Fun to be around
• Willing to work hard and learn new skills
• Comfortable with technology
  • Location: Montgomery
  • Compensation: Commission
  • Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
  • Phone calls about this job are ok.
  • Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
Visit: http://www.careeracademyofrealestate.com/PreLicense.asp?rf=34 to register for real estate school.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

How to Distress Furniture

What’s old is chic again. Follow these step-by-instructions for achieving a distressed look on furniture.
In our grandmothers' day, if a piece of furniture or a picture frame was distressed, it meant it had been around for generations and most of the paint had worn off in areas that had been rubbed by hands or nicked by being moved too many times. Today, the distressed look is sought-after, and it can add character and style to many types of decor.
Surprisingly, the process is relatively simple. The first step is to determine what you'd like the finished piece to look like. If below the distressed areas you'd like to see an old paint color, as if the piece has been painted many times over, you'll need to paint two colors. Consider a brighter color for the base coat so it shows up well as it peeks through the top coat. If you want the rubbed-off areas to reveal bare wood, the technique requires only one coat.
You also need to decide whether to add a stain to it afterward, which will mute or age the color(s) you've selected. To retain the integrity of your color choice, you may just want to paint clear polyurethane over the finished project. A water-based polyurethane that won't yellow over time is a good choice.
Ready to distress for success? Here's what to do:
Materials and Tools:
object to be distressed (wooden frame, piece of furniture, etc.)
satin latex paint for the base coat
satin latex paint or a wood stain for the top coat
painting tools
candle
medium-grade steel wool
sandpaper
tack cloth
polyurethane to finish (optional)
Steps:
1. Lightly sand the object you want to distress. If the object already has a finish (previously painted or varnished), sand all surfaces well. After the sanding, wipe the piece with a tack cloth.
2. Paint the entire piece in the base coat color you've selected.
3. For the bare-wood look: When the base coat is dry, start sanding off areas that would naturally end up distressed — places where hands would have held it, or corners that could easily get nicked. For the color look: Rub candle wax on the areas where you'd like to see color show through. Don't forget to do the sides and back; you want the entire piece to be finished. Then apply the top coat.
4. For the bare-wood look: Be sure to stop before you go too crazy with the sanding, and then wipe the entire piece with the tack cloth. For the color look: Paint over the base coat and the wax. Cover everything well. After the paint dries, rub the steel wool over the areas you've waxed. (The steel wool won't harm the rest of the paint enough to worry about — remember, the piece is meant to be distressed, so use it to find the waxed areas.) Wipe off the piece with the tack cloth.
5. Apply a finish if desired.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Questions to Ask a Home Inspector


Smart Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector

What does your inspection cover?
The inspector should ensure that the inspection and report will meet all applicable requirements in your state and will comply with a well-recognized standard of practice and code of ethics.
How long have you been practicing in the home inspection profession and how many inspections have you completed?
The inspector should be able to provide his or her history in the profession and perhaps even a few names as referrals.
Are you specifically experienced in residential inspection?
Related experience in construction or engineering is helpful, but is no substitute for training and experience in the unique discipline of home inspection.
How long will the inspection take?
The average on-site inspection time for a single inspector is two to three hours for a typical single- family house; anything signifi- cantly less may not be enough time to perform a thorough inspection.
How much will it cost?
Costs vary dramatically, depending on the region, size and age of the house, scope of services and other factors. A typical range might be $300-$500, but consider the value of the home inspection in terms of the investment being made.
What type of inspection report do you provide and how long will it take to receive the report?
Ask to see samples and determine whether or not you can understand the inspector’s reporting style and if the time parameters fulfill your needs.
Will I be able to attend the inspection?
This is a valuable educational opportunity, and an inspector’s refusal to allow this should raise a red flag. Never pass up this opportunity to see your prospective home through the eyes of an expert.
Do you participate in continuing education programs to keep your expertise up to date?
One can never know it all, and the inspector’s commitment to continuing education is a good measure of his or her profes- sionalism and service to the consumer.
Contact us if you would like our Home inspector checklist you can have all your home inspection candidates fill out before you agree to hire them.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Request Pre-Qualification

Fill out my online form.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Millbrook Home For Sale

New tile floors and counter tops, huge privacy fenced yard, wood burning fireplace and 100% financing eligible for only $112,000!

Call or text 334-294-2666 to reach your Millbrook real estate expert!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Is It SAFE to Sell My Home Now?


Is It Safe to Sell Your House Now?

It might finally be time to come out of the basement.
Seven years after the housing market began to collapse, rising prices and thinner inventories are presenting new opportunities for home sellers. Some hot markets are even seeing multiple offers for the same property—a phenomenon rarely seen since the boom years—as buyers become more confident and seek to take advantage of today's near-record-low mortgage rates.
Home prices nationally climbed 8.3% in December from the same period a year earlier, according to CoreLogica real-estate analytics company. The increase was the largest since May 2006 and the 10th consecutive monthly gain. The CoreLogic figures include foreclosures and other distressed sales.
image
Getty Images
A home for sale this month in Larkspur, Calif.
The gains are good news for would-be sellers who have been stranded on the sidelines since home prices peaked in 2006. Nearly one in four homeowners and renters say now is a good time to sell a home, according to a survey released this month byFannie Maethe government-backed mortgage company, up from 11% a year earlier.
"You will unambiguously see more people test the water," says Thomas Lawler, an independent housing economist in Leesburg, Va. He expects home prices to rise another 3% this year.
Thinking about selling? You are likely to find a buyer more quickly and at a better price if you factor in local market conditions and recent sales before setting an asking price, burnish your home's Internet profile and plan ahead for a home appraisal.
Acting soon may pay off as well. While trends vary by region, buyer search activity generally peaks in March and April, while seller listings peak in July, says Jed Kolko, chief economist at real-estate website Trulia.com. "Most sellers would be better off if they pushed the process up a couple of months," he says.
Sellers could face headwinds if mortgage rates jump or the economy weakens, while the supply of homes for sale is likely to increase over the next few months, creating more competition, say real-estate agents.
Don't expect to make a killing. Even after the recent gains, home prices remain about 27% below their 2006 highs, according to CoreLogic.
In some markets, prices remain so low that selling is likely to prove painful—unless you are looking to buy a more expensive home at a discount.
"The only reason I would sell today is if I wanted something more than I currently have," says Craig Beggins, president of Century 21 Beggins Enterprises in Tampa Bay, Fla., where prices are still off more than 40% from their 2006 peak.
Still, in many markets, sellers have more of an edge than they have had in years. One big reason: The number of existing homes on the market dropped to 1.74 million in January, down 25% from a year earlier and the lowest level since December 1999, according to the National Association of Realtors.
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The Wall Street Journal
Houses are also selling faster. The median number of days on the market for homes in January was 71, according to the Realtors group, meaning half of all homes sold within that time. That's down from 99 days one year ago.
Elizabeth Tolli first put her 4,400-square-foot St. Petersburg, Fla., house up for sale in late 2009, but took the listing down a year later after not receiving any offers. She recently put it back on the market.
"I feel more confident, even if prices aren't at the height they were six or seven years ago," says Ms. Tolli, who has set a $1.2 million asking price for the five-bedroom waterfront property. That is more than it would have fetched a year or two ago, she says, but still well below its peak value of more than $2 million.
If you are thinking of making a move, start by assessing conditions in your local market. Lanny Baker, chief executive ofZipRealtyan online real-estate brokerage based in Emeryville, Calif., suggests focusing on five measures: price changes, the inventory of homes for sale, competition from foreclosures, the average time it takes a home to sell and the gap between selling prices and list prices.
In markets such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., "prices are up, competition is down, bank competition is down more, days on the market are shorter, and the prices being realized relative to the list price have really improved," all good news for sellers, Mr. Baker says.
But sellers shouldn't be complacent. Here are some steps to consider.
Interview multiple agents. Some people prefer to handle the selling process themselves. But if you plan to use a real-estate agent, start by interviewing several contenders.
Mr. Baker of ZipRealty suggests narrowing your search to agents who have handled many sales in your neighborhood. They are likely to have the best view of local market conditions and can better assess what your home may sell for and how it should be marketed, he says.
Nancy Vaske, a jewelry designer in Chicago, interviewed four brokers before putting her 1,800-square-foot condominium on the market this past week for an asking price of $995,000.
"I wanted to know whether they had sold any units in my building because it's a specific market in the city, and whether they've represented the buyer or the seller," she says.
The broker Ms. Vaske chose has represented both sellers and buyers in her building, and "probably knows more details about the workings of this building than most residents do," she says.
Adjust your sights to today's market. Set aside what you home might have fetched in 2006 and focus instead on what homes are selling for today.
Dan Elsea, president of Real Estate One in Detroit, uses recent sales as his guide, paying particular attention to properties that have received multiple offers. He prefers the homes he sells to be among the five lowest-priced properties among similar homes. "Typically, a buyer will see and remember five homes at a time," he explains.
Pay attention to how long competing homes have been on the market. These days, well-priced homes often sell in a week or two, while homes that languish for months are typically priced at unrealistic levels.
Don't overreach. Given today's thin inventories, it is tempting to reach for the stars. But if you get greedy and set the price too high, you are likely to wind up in a downward spiral.
"You are going to have your largest viewing audience in your first days on the market, when the house is the newest product on the shelf," says Lloyd Fox, a broker at Long Realty in Scottsdale, Ariz. If the price is too high, buyers and agents are likely to relegate your listing to the sidelines.
Properly priced homes are likely to get eight to 10 showings their first week on the market and an offer soon after, Mr. Fox says. If not, "you have missed the market" and it's likely a price cut is in order, he adds.
Make the Internet work for you. Most home buyers and agents are now starting the search process online, which means it is important to make the Internet a key part of your marketing strategy. Begin by carefully selecting the photos you will post online.
For maximum impact, start with the photo "that is going to tell the best story of your home," whether it's the front view or a special feature, says Mr. Fox, the Scottsdale broker. Too many shots of a single room could bore buyers, he adds.
For Kenneth Vaughan's Phoenix home, Mr. Fox started with a photo of the home's exterior to show its "curb appeal," followed by photos of the living room, kitchen, backyard and master bedroom and bathroom. The home, which is selling for $119,900, received three full-priced offers in the first week, says Mr. Vaughan, a retired police officer.
Factor in Internet searches when setting your listing price. Because most buyers tend to search in $25,000 or $50,000 increments, you can maximize your exposure by pricing your home at a round number, such as $400,000. That way the house will show up when buyers search for homes in the $350,000 to $400,000 range and for those priced at $400,000 to $450,000.
Weigh multiple offers carefully. In cases of multiple bidders, you should focus not just on price, but also on terms.
In comparing two competing bids at similar prices, Kristine Lambrecht, an agent at Real Estate One in Clarkston, Mich., recommends choosing the buyer who is putting down more cash or is willing to forgo an inspection, since those deals are likely to close sooner and with fewer hassles. If she thinks the appraisal will be lower than the sale price, she will take a slightly lower bid if the buyer is willing to guarantee the purchase price.
Clean up your act. Even in a market where inventories are thin, a home isn't likely to sell if it looks shabby or crowded. At a minimum, you'll need to touch up the paint, clean the carpet and pare your possessions.
Suzanne Peltier, who lives in Farmington Hills, Mich., hired a handyman to patch loose bricks and touch up the paint on her four-bedroom Colonial before putting it on the market. She also removed some of her furniture so the home looks bigger.
Julie Kaczor, a broker at Baird & Warner Real Estate in Chicago's western suburbs, advises clients to get rid of magazine racks, statues, fireplace tools and anything else that can clutter up the edges of a room. She looks for inexpensive fixes with good payoffs, such as a fresh coat of paint, removing outdated window treatments or a carpet cleaning.
Ron Phipps, principal broker at Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I., often sends clients to other sellers' open houses to size up the competition and get a better sense of how buyers may view their home. "It's a good way to do counterintelligence," he says. "It's also a good way to see what works in terms of staging and presentation and what makes you uncomfortable."
Plan ahead for the appraisal. About 30% of real-estate agents reported that low appraisals had resulted in the cancellation, delay or renegotiation of a purchase, according to a January survey by the National Association of Realtors.
You can reduce the chances you will encounter problems by providing the appraiser with examples of comparable sales and pointing out special features. Barbara Moody, an agent at Coldwell Banker United Realtors in Sugar Land, Texas, prepares a booklet for appraisers that includes examples of comparable sales, information about the home and receipts for substantial upgrades such as a swimming pool or kitchen renovation.
When a recent sale was almost torpedoed by a low valuation, Ms. Moody showed the appraiser comparable homes he had missed. The result: The appraiser raised his valuation by $7,000 to $129,000. The buyer and seller then split the difference between the appraised value and the $132,000 price they had initially agreed on.
Jan Baker, the home's former owner, says the deal would have fallen through without the higher appraisal. "I would have had to have rented it again," says Ms. Baker, a lawyer who purchased the home in 2005 for $136,900 and now lives in Midland, Texas.
Write to Ruth Simon at ruth.simon@wsj.com
A version of this article appeared February 23, 2013, on page B7 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Is It Safe to Sell Your House Now?.
Copyright 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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