About Montgomery County, AL

Buyer's often find themselves watching a property for a price reduction. Although getting the best deal possible when purchasing Montgomery real estate is important, it is not the only factor that determines monthly payments on a home. Rising interest rates nearly diminish the positive aspects of waiting for prices to drop.

Most people are familiar with the basic trends in real estate that have been affected by the United States economic crisis. The listing prices of homes have been steadily declining over the past couple years. This has put people looking to purchase Montgomery real estate at an advantage over those trying to sell. People have best described this as a buyer's market due to the low property prices and reasonable interest rates. However, the decline in prices is stabilizing while interest rates are beginning to inch up. It is becoming more and more popular for investors to make offers on properties, sometimes sweeping the property away from home buyers. Could buyers begin loosing their advantage? Today, properties that are correctly listed at a reasonable asking price are not being reevaluated and reduced as often. These are some of the factors that prove lower Montgomery real estate prices are not always worth the wait.

Buyer's should not be waiting for interest rates to continue declining, especially since real estate and economy experts are predicting that the lowest rates have come and gone. This is not necessarily a horrible thing. Rates are still lower than historical highs, which exceed 6.00%. With the new administration trying to bring back the economy, many analysts see a period of severe inflation in our future. Meaning interest rates are likely to jump even higher. The Federal Reserve introduced a program to help control interest rates on home loans. For example, the rates for a thirty year fixed-rate loan have been consistently ranging from 4.50% to 5.00%. Now, rates for this type of loan and the rates of other types of real estate loans are beginning to exceed their more reasonable range. Therefore, increasing interest rates may start rushing your desired closing date.

At the end of May buyers, who have been procrastinating by waiting for lower interest rates or price reductions, learned their lesson the hard way. At the end of the month interest rates went up about .50%-1.00%. Increasing interest rates defeats the purpose of waiting for [city] real estate prices to drop. Higher interest rates decrease the overall affordability and increase the monthly payments, especially when the price of the desired home does not budge.

Bottom line, it is not a time to be waiting around. Time is running out to take advantage of the current real estate market and loan programs being offered by the government. For instance, first time home buyers have until December 1^st, 2009 to close on their home if they want to be eligible for a maximum tax rebate of $8,000 dollars. Since interest rates are expected to increase, waiting for real estate prices to drop is not worth the wait. Don't procrastinate. You might unintentionally pass up a piece of gold trying to find a diamond.

Search all Montgomery real estate and homes for sale by visiting HatTeam.com.

Selling your own home might sound like a good idea at first, but many Montgomery FSBO (for sale by owner) sellers quickly realize they've gotten in over their heads or may have sold their home for much less than they would have had they worked with a Realtor®.

The 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that two-thirds of "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) sellers found some aspect of the home sale to be difficult.

Twelve percent of sellers who knew the buyer thought that getting the price right was the hardest task. Among FSBO sellers who didn't know the buyer, 16 percent found it difficult to sell within the time planned, 15 percent found fixing up the home arduous, and 12 percent found it difficult to get the price right.

Statistics also show 25 percent of FSBO sellers took no action to market their home and 72 percent didn't offer incentives to attract buyers?

If you are a Montgomery FSBO seller and want to discuss other missteps FSBO sellers risk when attempting to go it alone, give me a call. I am glad to talk with you.

Learn how I can help you sell your Montgomery home by visiting HatTeam.com.

What's the value of your Montgomery home?

According to Realestate.com, buyer's remorse is one of the top ten mistakes made when purchasing a home. Finding the perfect home and making the decision to buy a home are not easy tasks. First, you spend hours on the computer researching Montgomery real estate and neighborhoods, perfecting your search criteria on MLS websites, and viewing many virtual tours. Then, you begin making appointments to go take a look at the ones you think stand a good chance at being the future home of your family. As you walk through the house you envision the happy life you and your family would live and the future décor for this room and that room. You see houses that "require too much work," "don't have enough storage," ones that are "too small" or maybe even one that is "do-able but not perfect." Finally after weeks or even months of searching, you find "THE house." Now you send in a promising offer and anxiously wait for feedback. You and seller come to an agreement and the offer is accepted. Once the papers are signed you can relax and enjoy the excitement, right?

Wrong! Shortly after signing the agreement many people experience buyer's remorse. When a person begins to have feelings of doubt about their decision it is known as buyer's remorse. The feelings of doubt are also accompanied by stress and anxiety. What if this is not the right decision? Am I getting a fair deal? Is this the right house for me and my family? What if there is something better out there? Questions start invading the committed buyer's mind causing them to become hesitant and loose confidence in their decision. This worrisome state of mind, known as buyer's remorse, is becoming more common in purchasing Montgomery real estate.

There are several ways to avoid buyer's remorse when purchasing Montgomery real estate. The biggest worry people have when experiencing buyer's remorse is finances. Buyer's often worry about whether they will be able to comfortably afford their soon to be home. In order to prevent this from being a problem make sure that you have chosen a good price range that takes all of your other expenses into consideration. The appropriate price range may not include the maximum amount you are approved for; however it is very important not to exceed your set amount. The second biggest part of buyer's remorse is being satisfied with the house. People experiencing buyer's remorse second guess their choice in a home. They begin to believe that the chosen home may not be the best one that is out there. Before you started looking for a home you probably made a list of things you were looking for. Take this list of things you were looking for in a home and see how many of the things match up with the characteristics of the house that was purchased. If most of the things match up, especially the most important ones, then there shouldn't be any second guessing. If they aren't comparable, then try to figure out why the compromises were made and if they still make sense.

For more ways to manage buyer's remorse and tips for home buying visit HatTeam.com.

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Finding ways to deal with small spaces in your Montgomery home can be tricky. Everyone likes the place they call home to be somewhere they can kick back and relax. However, it is hard to relax in areas that are cluttered and uncomfortable. Strategic interior design can make a big difference when dealing with small living spaces. Colors, lighting, organization, and décor can make spaces appear smaller or larger. Here are some solutions to make your Montgomery home look and feel cozier.

Organization is the first thing to be conquered when transforming a small living space. Getting rid of clutter and maximizing the use of storage space are the keys to success. Clutter will make any space appear smaller than it really is. Eliminating excessive knick-knacks is one way to reduce clutter. Multiple pieces of small, scattered furniture can also make a room look jumbled. Using a couple pieces of slightly larger furniture leads to a less cluttered look. Every inch of storage space should be taken advantage of in small living areas. Planning out storage space will allow for more walking room, functional closets, and more productive space. Use multipurpose furniture like ottomans, which can be used for storage and seating. Try installing an organizational system in the closets. These systems usually provide a perfect spot for everything.

Colors, lighting, and decorations also affect the appearance of your Montgomery home. Colors play a big role in creating illusions of size. The color scheme of small living spaces should consist of light hues. Although white can be a boring color, it will ultimately maximize the illusion of a bigger space. Other colors that tend to open up space include beige, neutrals, and pastels. It is important to avoid contrasting colors. The furniture, especially larger pieces like the couch, should be in the same color family to match the color of the walls.

Lighting makes a big difference in small spaces. Take advantage of as much natural light as possible by avoiding heavy curtains and window treatments. Although natural lighting is always the most ideal, it isn't always available. Track and recessed lighting work well as alternatives for lighting up the space.

Décor should not take over small spaces. Using medium sized pieces of furniture can do a lot for small rooms versus one big piece or a bunch of cluttered small pieces. Mirrors compliment small spaces perfectly. Mirrors reflect light and color, creating the illusion of more space. Mirrors can be found in all shapes and sizes, with and with out frames. One large mirror or several small mirrors collaged on a wall can make a big difference in a small living area. There are tons of solutions to make a small area more livable.

Decided you need more space? Search for a larger Montgomery home.