Hoover, AL

The last week has been wonderful. Evening temperatures have been down in the 50's on some nights. The cooler temperatures are causing the leaves to start turning, although we are going to need to see the 40's before we get the real vibrant colors. I've had my windows open to let in the cool air. Even though it's in the 80's this afternoon, I know the long hot summer is on its way out.

My husband and I were walking Maggie this morning and she likes the cool weather, too. She has a brisk step and her tongue doesn't hang down nearly as far. I'm looking forward to some long walks in the woods in a couple of weeks.

But as we were walking through the neighborhood, I noticed how tired the flower beds looked. Those summer flowers looked pretty beat up, as heat and humidity has really taken its toll. My Lantana hanging baskets are still looking good, and the orange begonias are festive, but most of the beds are on their last leg.

Now is the time to take advantage of the glorious weather in autumn by spending time in your garden. The cooler, more comfortable temperatures mean you can refresh plants, add fall color and prepare and plan for the year ahead.

My roses, which like the cooler weather are starting to put out new buds for their fall showing!! Mums are everywhere this time of year. They are great for flower pots, but if you plant them in the ground, they will come back next year. I have some purple ones in the backyard that have been in my yard for three years. Other fall choices include, sedum, orange or yellow begonias and black eyed susans which will help add color and fill in empty areas to keep your garden lush all season long.

I have a hard time pulling up the summer flowers until they have totally croaked, but it is best to just pull them up now. As in the spring, fall gardening begins with soil preparation. Pull up vegetable plants, flowers and old vines, and then apply an inch or two of compost in the garden. Add a thick blanket of mulch to conserve soil moisture and deter weeds. You can then plant lettuce, spinach and other cool weather vegetables. Herbs such as chives, parsley, cilantro, rosemary and sage like the cool temps as well. And the happy flower of all times the pansy!! I like to plant my tulip bulbs first which will come up in the spring and then cover them with 3 colors of pansies. I haven't decided on the colors yet. There are so many to choose from. A couple of years ago I chose purple, blue and white pansies and had pink tulips planted underneath. The show in the spring was fantastic.

Fall is also a good time to plant trees and perennials that you want to bloom in the spring. Our temps here in Hoover, Alabama don't get too cold so even though the flowers don't bloom in the fall, the roots have a good chance to grow over the winter months.

If you are thinking about Selling Your Home in Hoover, Alabama, remember that Curb Appeal. I beautiful fall garden now, or a showy display of bulbs in the spring could be the one thing that makes someone fall in love with YOUR home.

What Can We Do With Our Homes ?

We keep hearing about Global Warming and the fact that we need to do things to help the environment. We can cut down on the number of miles we drive on I-459 every week, and buy a more fuel efficient car. We can turn the thermostat up (in summer) and run a fan to help cool the house. We can change out light bulbs and get that blue glow going!! But what else is there?

Are you thinking about making home improvements to your Hoover Alabama home? It makes good sense to go green when you make home improvements and renovate your home. But What does that mean?

Green remodeling, includes designing the home to work with the environment and using construction materials that are made in an unwasteful way. That includes the impact on energy, water, and materials consumption; waste generation; and harmful emissions -- indoors and out -- according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The council also says a green home is one that uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste, and is healthier for the people who live there.

Consider Design. If you are not using space in your house - such as the Formal Living Room - consider giving it use such as an office or playroom. Using the space you already have for another purpose would be more "green" than adding more space. Just because you have furniture in there doesn't mean you are "using the sapce". Avoid windows that look west to cut energy costs during the summer. If you have west facing windows, replace them with low-E glass, or glass with a solar screen that filters out the heat and sunlight but lets the visible light through.

Consider composition. When choosing a green product, consider the raw materials used to create the product and their origin. Composite decking is a great example. Manufacturers use recovered wood fibers and recycled milk jugs, plastic grocery bags, and water bottles to create their materials. Products using recycled materials help by creating less waste, by keeping materials out of landfills and by reducing the need for raw materials like petroleum (you would be surprised to know all the uses for petroleum).

Consider value. When looking for green products, you may find that going green costs more - this is frustrating. But look at how long the product is likely to last. The deck made from composite will cost more than wood, but it's life cycle will be longer and therefore is a better value - for your pocketbook and the environment.

Consider sustainability. Choose products that are going to last a long time in their intended use. For building products that will be used outdoors, look for durable products that can withstand the regional climate over an extended period. Sustainability should also be practiced by the manufacturer and during the production process. Manufacturing processes can use a great deal of energy and resources, as well as release toxic chemicals and gases. Look for sustainable companies that have implemented environmental processes and procedures to reduce emissions and energy, as well as reduce the amount of waste through recycling, reusing and other environmentally responsible practices.

There is so much to learn about building in an environmentally friendly manner. I know I have so much to learn. You may want to check out this website just to get some ideas. We can all do things to help our world.

I had someone call me the other day about one of my listings. She said she didn't like her landlord and wanted to buy a house instead. She told me all the promises the landlord had made that never came to reality and I really wanted to help her find a house. In talking to her though, I learned she had no money to put down. There have been a lot of ZERO DOWN loans being advertised, but the fact is, you can't buy a home with no money in the bank.

Are you thinking about Buying A Home in Hoover Alabama? If so, you need to pay off your debts and save for a down payment. People today have so much debt that they are living paycheck to paycheck, and any time there is an emergency they reach for the credit card. It started out slowly - I'll get a card in case of emergencies. Then before you know it, your cards are reaching their limit and the interest is killing you. Fact is, it is just too easy to over spend and put it on the card.

But, you CAN get control of your finances and be able to buy the home of your dreams. It does take some work, but it will really be worth it in the end.

The first step toward paying off your credit cards is to STOP using them. Here are a few tips:

Carry Cash - give yourself a weekly cash allowance. If you spend CASH, you'll be more aware of how much you spend. When the money is gone, it's gone - you will spend less.

Use Debit, Not Credit - if you don't want to carry cash, or you have to have plastic to make a purchase, then use the Debit Card.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind - leave the cards at home; if you don't have the cards with you, you can't use them.

Even if you try to cut up the credit cards, daily you are bombarded with credit card offers - Open a new account with 0% for the first 6 months, then next thing you know it's at 21%. It looks tempting - DON'T DO IT. You can eliminate those credit card offers (and save trees) by calling the OptOut number 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

Once your debt is paid off, you can start saving the amount you had been paying to credit card debt each month. You'll be surprised how easy it will be to save up for that down payment. Soon you will be able to Buy A House in Hoover, Alabama or one of the cities in the greater Birmingham area.

If you would like to see the homes that are available for sale in the Hoover, Alabama, you can click on the "Search the MLS" button on my website. If you want to know more about Buying a Home, contact me at www.ToniBird.com.

When getting your home ready to sell in Hoover Alabama, you want it to look warm and inviting. Just like curb appeal on the outside - you want your home to appeal to the buyer on an emotional level on the inside. Now I'm not talking about putting out tons of stuff so the house looks cluttered, and putting every family photo you own on the walls, but all blank walls make a house look sterile.

Mirrors can make a room look bigger. It's important to pay attention to what people see when they look in the mirror. If your mirror is reflecting a bathroom or messy kitchen, perhaps you should rethink that placement. The size of the mirror needs to be appropriate for the wall.

Do you have a blank wall that you just don't know what to do with? Paintings and mirrors are great but sometimes you just need something different. I like to see some things with texture.

Iron work is very popular these days. Iron pieces come in all shapes and sizes and there are several shops in Hoover Alabama that sell very attractive pieces. I've seen some that resemble gates, some that hold candles or flowers and the list goes on. We received a cross as a wedding present and it hangs in the foyer just inside the front door.

Trivets come in all shapes and sizes and make great wall decorations - especially in the kitchen. So take a look at those trivets that you may have stashed away in the drawer.

Add a Shelf to the wall and display different items such as pitchers, flower pots, even trophies and or model cars (especially great for a kid's room). Shelves offer the opportunity for seasonal variety because it is easy to leave the shelf alone and change out the items you have on display.

Plates make great decorations and can add new color to a room. Do you have some old plates that grandma had years ago? Or perhaps you have a colorful platter that caught your eye and it is just too pretty to sit in the cabinet. Some "craftman style" homes have a plate shelf about eye level in the Dining Room and are a great place to display plates. Plate hangers are pretty easy to find. Liven up that dead space in the Kitchen between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling. Old fashioned side boards and baker's racks are prefect for displaying plates but also those built-in bookshelves in the den. Click here for some new ideas on displaying plates.

You'd be surprised how may things you have around the house that can make decorations (and for very little money).

If you'd like to talk to someone about selling your home, give me a call. I'll be happy to give you some pointers on getting your house ready for sale. You can reach me at 205-821-3312