Posts Tagged ‘Huntsville Alabama home’

The Huntsville, Alabama home sales Market Statistics for March 2009 may be reviewed below.

Huntsville realtors report that the Madison County area saw the most positive movement in sales during this period, which is indicative of families with children to be drawn toward - looking to be surrounded by the same type of families.  This is the same for the Huntsville South East area, where subdivisions such as Somerset Lake are very popular, providing newer homes priced in the mid to high $200K's and Marina Park with higher end properties for sale, from the mid $500K's to the high $700K's.  Another popular high-end subdivision here is The Ledges of Huntsville Mountain, which you can learn more about in a previous blog of mine. 

The average number of days a Huntsville, Alabama home took to sell dropped significantly in March versus in February (down by almost 2 weeks), which is great news for home sellers.  And even though the average sales price of homes dropped month over month, the percentage that the home sold for versus what it was listed for increased.  

With the nearing of the end of another school year, more families will be on the move this coming summer (before their children will be starting up their next school year).  If you have been looking to buy or sell your Huntsville Alabama home, please contact me.

If you have agreed to sell your Huntsville, Alabama home using a land contract, you should do your homework. When you sign a land contract you are allowing the buyer to purchase your home and creating an income for yourself at the same time. If you are going to consider this type of sale, you should make sure the buyer can purchase the home and safeguard the equity you have in your home.

The land contract sale will consist of an agreement between you, the seller, and the buyer. You will carry the financing for the buyer and they do not get the deed to the property until the land contract is fulfilled. Depending upon the state you live in, the seller has the right to foreclose on the property if the payments are not made. Protect yourself by following a few simple steps. A credit report on the buyer is necessary. This will allow you to know what his record has been when it comes to paying debts. Ask for a down payment of enough to see that the buyer is serious about buying the property.

A few more tips on selling with a land contract is to make sure the purchaser has a job that is sufficient to pay for the land. The longer he has been employed, the better chance of payments being made. Require that the payments be made by a certain date or they are subject to late charges the same as a regular mortgage. Get personal references which should include some family members. Request the buyer get homeowner’s insurance so you they will be the responsible party after the contract is signed. Last but not least, do not sign anything until you have read everything.

If you have been toying with the idea of buying your first Huntsville, AL home, or looking to move up or size down, making the final decision is always a complex one.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your decision as to whether or not you are ready to buy:

1.  Have you been paying close attention to the housing market both within your neighborhood and in the surrounding areas? If you're dreaming about your perfect home, but have no idea what it'll cost you, it's definitely time to do your research.  Spend some quality time to become familiar with the market and how much Huntsville, Alabama homes are selling for currently.

2.  Your monthly mortgage payment, according to Freddie Mac, should be less or equal to a percentage of your income (somewhere around 20% of your gross monthly income).  Based on this amount, you'll be able to determine how much of a home you can afford.  So, put pen to paper and figure out what the magic number is, keeping in mind also that you’re debt should not be more than about 40% of your gross income (debt being credit card bills, car loans, housing expenses, alimony and child support) as this is what is also taken into consideration when determining how much you can borrow.

3.  Now is not the time to make any major purchases, particularly a vehicle.  Doing so will prove to make it harder for you to get a loan and could also lower the amount you will be approved for.

4.  Assess what additional expenses will come with owning your next or new Huntsville, AL home.  This includes homeowners insurance, maintenance costs, and utility bills.

5.  Make sure your credit is in good to excellent shape.  Examining your financial status, which will include going through your credit report with a fine tooth comb, will be an excellent move before applying for your next loan.  You can get a free copy of your credit report every year by going to www.annualcreditreport.com.

After looking at these items, and feel as if you are ready to move now, you should probably know you will need to move quickly if you’re desired home is one that is in an area and price range that is extremely popular.  Huntsville, Alamaba homes that are priced correctly sell very quickly.  To view all of the Huntsville, AL area homes currently for sale, please visit my website and let me know if you see anything you would like to view personally.

Before putting your Huntsville, AL home on the market for sale, a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) should be obtained from your Realtor of choice.  Standard CMA’s should include the following information:

1.         Active Listings

The purpose of including active listings in the CMA, is because they are your competition for buyers.  Since sellers can ask whatever they want for their Huntsville, Alabama home, active listings are not used for any other purpose since some of these active listings are not priced realistically (and will subsequently remain on the market for a long time). 

2.         Pending Listings

Huntsville, Alabama homes that are pending, are those that are under contract but have not closed as of yet.  These listings help indicate in which direction the market is moving, and will, therefore, help you determine what price may get your home sold more quickly.

3.         Sold Listings

Homes that have sold within the last six months are the best comparables to be used when pricing your home.  These are also the Huntsville, AL homes an appraiser would use when appraising your home for the lucky buyer. 

If your home is very unique and there are very few of the other type of listings available to compare with, withdrawn, canceled or expired listings may be used to help determine the right price to sell your home. 

To create the most accurate CMA, the following information is gathered from other Huntsville, Alabama real estate that closely resemble your own home:

Square footage - this is the size of your home that is air-conditioned and/or heated.  Homes will be used that are between 200 to 400 square foot smaller or larger than your home.

Year built - only homes that were built within the same time period as yours should be used when possible.

Location - a home located within the suburbs would be a poor choice for a home that is located in the heart of town.  Similarly, a home with a view of the lake or mountains, would be priced differently than a home without such a view. 

Condition - your Huntsville, Alabama home will be priced according to the type of amenities, upgrades and condition it possesses.  This includes how many bedrooms, bathrooms, various updates, basements, swimming pool, etc.

Please let me know if you are interested in having an accurate Comparative Market Analysis created for your Huntsville, AL real estate.  I would be happy to set up an appointment at your convenience.

The Huntsville Times reported on Wednesday of this week that four people in Huntsville, Alabama were sent to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning.  It has been suggested that the carbon monoxide was leaking from an improperly ventilated hot water heater, which apparently nearly killed these individuals.  So I thought it was the perfect time to discuss exactly what carbon monoxide is and how you can protect your family against something like this happening to you and them.

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicates that carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and/or death.  CO can be found not only within combustion fumes, such as those produced by cars and trucks, but also appliances within your Huntsville, Alabama home including gas ranges, stoves, water heaters, and washers/dryers.  The CO from these sources can build up within the home and can affect the people and animals when they unconsciously breathe it in.

The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.  Extreme levels of CO inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death.  Because CO poisoning can often mimic other illnesses, such as the flu, CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose.  Each year more than 500 Americans die from  CO poisoning.  Here's how you can prevent having your family adversely affected by CO poisoning:

~ hire a qualified serviceman to check heating systems, water heater and any other gas, oil and/or coal burning appliances within your home each year;

~ do not use portable flameless chemical heaters within your Huntsville, AL home;

~ when purchasing gas equipment, buy only equipment carrying the seal of a national testing agency, such as the American Gas Association;

~ install a battery operated CO detector in your home, and each time you change the time on your clocks (each spring and fall) check or replace the battery.

For more information on Carbon Monoxide safety, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm.  I hope this information was helpful and maybe make a difference in somebody's future well-being.

It's undeniable.  Gas prices are affecting everyone some way, some how.  Personally, I'm finding myself holding off on going out until I have multiple places to go and making decisions that I wouldn't have made before when it comes to driving.  Even for my clients who are looking to purchase a new Huntsville Alabama home, the thought of them having to drive around to preview homes is becoming unsettling.  Whereas once it was an exciting time, it is now affecting they’re pocketbooks. 

So I have decided to do a little research and find out some ways on how to save money on gas for you during your Huntsville home search.  Below are 5 ways that you can easily put into action that I hope will facilitate in bringing more enjoyment back into your home buying experience. 

Watch your speed/Change your habits

If the person driving in front of you is a little slower than you are wanting to go, remember that overtaking them may save you a second book could cost you a few dollars!  By changing your habits of speeding around slower drivers you could save up to 10% (some say 20%!) on your gas spending!  Also keep in mind when speeding over 60 mph, the miles per gallon starts to decrease significantly.

Replace dirty air filters

By simply replacing a clogged air filter when needed, you can increase your gas mileage up to 10%.

Keep tires inflated

Properly inflated tires can increase your miles per gallon by up to 3%.

Don't be “fuelish” with (supposed) gas saving gadgets

You may have seen them on Youtube videos or even on the television, but 99% of these gas saving gadgets are more of a hindrance than a help.  Some may even harm your car.

Let Mother Nature cool you down

if you're driving on the highway, using the air conditioner would be a better bet than rolling down the window (because of air resistance), however in the city, let mother nature cool you down.

I hope this is helpful to you and that you can return to a more relaxed state when thinking about previewing Huntsville Alabama homes!

So, all you Huntsville Alabama home owners.  What will your children be doing this summer?!  There are many choices for the kids to stay entertained, including the notarized SPACE CAMP and AVIATION CHALLENGE at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Museum, right here in Huntsville.

Using space and avaiation as the basis to educate and amuse children between 7-18 years, the SPACE CAMP (founded in 1982), and AVIATION CHALLENGE (1990), has topics including math, science and technology. 

Programs range from 3 to 8 days, where your children will build their skills in teamwork, and work on self confidence and communication with peers through state-of-the-art simulations, missions, rocket building and robotics.  The children will learn everything they need to know about Space Shuttle Systems and life aboard the Orbiter and Space Station. They'll experience space food, learn to sleep in space, and even how to go to the bathroom in space!

The AVIATION CHALLENGE programs, divided into three groups - Mach I (ages 9-11), Mach II (ages 12-14), and Mach III (ages 15-18) also range from 3 to 8 days, with similar character building efforts achieved through state-of-the-art high performance jet simulation, scenario-based missions, land and water survival training and flight dynamics.

This dynamic facility also offers X-CAMP activities.  These are very similar to what the space shuttle and aviation crews will do to train before being added to active flight status, ending the camp experience with a four hour X-Race where the children will put their training to the ultimate test.  

In addtion to program-specific training, each child will also experience all that the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Museum has to offer during their camp time.  The cost of the camps include all meals, lodging, program materials and activities.  Security and medical are at hand 24-hours a day.  You can find out more about this one-of-a-kind experience by calling the Museum directly at 1-800-63 SPACE.

Huntsville Alabama home owners really have an amazing opporunity here to give their children an experience of a lifetime!