Selling Your Home and Love at First Sight

When two people see one another for the first time, it’s highly unlikely that they’re going to fall in love with one another’s personalities right on the spot. That usually takes some time. Physical attraction, on the other hand, usually occurs instantaneously. It takes no probing or in-depth questioning to realize that this person standing before you, is your cup of tea. This is the type of instant attraction you want to garner when buyers come across your home online.

Just like you wouldn’t get half-ready to attend an event with potential love interests, you wouldn’t want to take shortcuts on the quality of photographs used to sell your home. No, you would want these photographs to be top-notch, eye-catching, stop-you-in-your-tracks quality. If finding a mate was your objective at the aforementioned event, you also wouldn’t stand in a corner, coldly, with your arms crossed. In a similar fashion, you’d make sure that you had a professional to photograph your home in a way that showcased its best features in an inviting and welcoming light.

It can undoubtedly be tempting to save on cost by photographing your home using your I phone or Samsung Galaxy. After all, selfies now look better than ever and Instagram feeds are now bursting with depth and color because of these devices. Understandable, but, with using your phone or consumer camera comes limitations, like the inability to capture the full width of the room. Not to mention the expertise that a professional photographer brings in terms of staging, lighting, and post-processing.

I’m certainly not saying that you or your realtor couldn’t take your home’s photos yourselves. Take a look at the MLS and you’ll see plenty of photos clearly taken using cell phones or consumer cameras. Those homes sell too. However, if they are priced similarly to other properties in the same area, and the online photos are just mediocre, I’m betting that people aren’t lined up to get into the front door.

Two Ways to Sell Your Home Quickly

1. HIRE AN UP-TO-DATE & KNOWLEDGEABLE REALTOR

I don’t doubt that you could sell your home on your own, but it may not happen as swiftly and seamlessly as if you’d used a good Realtor. A good Realtor does several things that are meant to make your life easier as you go through the process of selling your home.

• They know the market and how you should price your home in order for it to sell quickly.
• They provide professional photography and offer several tips on how to spruce up and de-personalize your home’s interior and exterior in order to attract today’s buyers.
• They stay in touch with you on a regular basis providing valuable feedback from your home’s showings and updates on your local real estate market.
• They also have marketing capabilities that get your home in front of the eyes of several potential buyers.
• Lastly, they have your back throughout the entire transaction so that when negotiations get sticky, you know that you are well supported.

2.  PRICE. IT. RIGHT.

I know how tempting it can be to overprice your home. You may have several expenses and need to net a certain amount in order to purchase your next home. I get it, but, from one friend to another, please don’t. The first couple of weeks that your home is on the market are the most important weeks. As soon as your home is listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), it goes on the “new” list.

This is a popular list because Realtors® who have buyers, have already viewed other homes on the market, and none were a fit for their buyers. They’re hopeful that a home on the “new” list will be a perfect fit for their buyers. This means that the first couple of weeks are your home’s time to shine. If you’ve hired a good Realtor®, your home should be in the best permissible shape, have good photos, and be priced to sell.

If, however, you’ve overpriced your home, you can expect for those anticipative Realtors to scroll pass your home in search for those homes that are within their clients’ budgets. It should also come as no surprise when the home sits on the market for several months with many lookers but no buyers, and buyers are understandably leery of homes that have been on the market for a long time. I know that you want to sell your home so please, price it right in the beginning.

If you’re ready to get your home in Madison County sold, but need support, contact a good Realtor today at 256.919.4795.

How Much is Your Home REALLY Worth?

You bought your house ten years ago and have recently been considering selling. New developments have come to your area, and you recently received a notice that the assessed value of your home has risen a considerable amount. You feel your excitement grow as you begin to think of how much more you’ll get for your home than you originally thought. This, you think, will allow you to pay off the remaining balance you owe on your home and still have lots to purchase your new home. But wait, let’s back up a second to clarify the origin of an assessed value.

The assessed value of a home is originated by the county tax assessor or municipality. This value is oftentimes arrived at by reviewing data from prior years and/or viewing the outside of homes and represents a general value in order to determine a tax rate for the property. In case you’re wondering…property taxes are used to pay for things like public schools, roads, and libraries. While the assessed value is important when it comes to paying property taxes, it really has little to do with the appraised value of a home. As a matter of fact, these two values are often times very different numbers.

An appraised value represents the value of a particular piece of property according to an appraiser after doing research and measurements on the interior and exterior of the home and comparing it to other similar, recently sold homes in the area. Real estate agents also use this same technique minus the measurements, when determining the value of a particular home. This value provided by the appraiser is used by lenders to determine how much they are willing to loan a purchaser for that particular home. An appraised value also helps buyers determine how much they would like to pay for a particular home considering its specific attributes.

The assessed value represents a general value and an appraised value represents a specific value. Also note that appraised values can vary because an appraiser is simply giving his/her opinion on the value of the property. This is a well researched opinion, but an opinion nonetheless. So, if you’re thinking of selling your home and want an accurate value of what your home is now worth, the best method is to either contact a local realtor, many provide the information at no cost, or hire an appraiser for roughly $300-$400.

Huntsville’s Gluten Free Bakeries

I know from experience how tough it is to find an allergen friendly restaurant that serves delicious food and desserts. With an increasing number of people either having food allergies, food sensitives, or autoimmune diseases, many find themselves only able to eat food that they’ve prepared at home. Let’s be real, life moves a bit faster than it used to, and sometimes it seems that time gets away from us. There are other times when it’s just nice to have someone prepare something for you while you relax. Fortunately, for residents in Madison County who are affected by food allergies, sensitivities, and certain autoimmune diseases, there are two establishments who are dedicated to meeting their needs, Mason Dixon Bakery & Bistro and Liberated Specialty Foods.

Mason Dixon Bakery & Bistro was Alabama’s first dedicated gluten free bakery. They’re located on Whitesburg Drive, near Huntsville Hospital. If you’re not looking for it, you may miss it. The bakery/bistro is located in a former house turned restaurant. Mason Dixon‘s founders, one of which has Celiac Disease, initially began selling allergen friendly baked goods at local farmer’s markets and later moved to a store front. The restaurant serves a variety of really tasty foods including muffins, biscuits, quiche, sandwiches, salads, and cupcakes just to name a few. They also take special cake orders for events and offer pre-made paleo meals. Also, this isn’t just a restaurant for those who eat gluten free; there are also options for those who have dairy, egg, and nut allergies. Even if you have no food allergies or autoimmune disease, this place is still worth trying out. Check them out here.

Liberated Specialty Foods is also a gluten free bakery, located in a former church building on Segers Road, in Madison. Like Mason Dixon, its founder opened the bakery as a result of trying to improve the health of her family, one member who also has Celiac Disease. Liberated Specialty Foods specializes in baking and creating paleo goods which eliminate grains, refined sugar, dairy, and artificial ingredients. They also emphasize that they strive to create foods that go beyond paleo. Their menu offers a large variety of baked goods and even includes condiments. You will find everything from pizza crusts, bread, crackers, and cookies to ketchup, mayonnaise, pizza sauce, and chocolate bars. The bakery setup is also unexpected and intriguing, putting me in the mind of a scene from Top Chef. If you’ve never been, you’ll want to check this place out also.

 

 

Home Owners’ Association: Yay or Nay

During the excitement of searching for a new home, home buyers find themselves faced with a ton of choices to make. A small yard requiring less maintenance or one spacious enough for the kids to tire themselves out from playing? Granite or Laminate Countertops? Three bathrooms or will two suffice? Does it really matter if there’s no porch or do you need somewhere to sit and enjoy the sun setting? The home with the pink tiled-bathroom that desperately needs updating but has an awesome location or the home 40 minutes away from the place of business with the freshly remodeled bathrooms and kitchen? Choices. Choices. Choices. With all these choices concerning the style of home, its location, and its features, one choice is seldom considered before hand. Should you choose a subdivision where there is a home owners’ association or not? It’s important to know what living in a neighborhood with an association entails before making a commitment to buy a home there.

Home Owners’ Associations, composed of home owners in the subdivision, act as the governing body of the neighborhood. Each home owner pays an annual fee ranging from anywhere around $150 and up, at times in the thousands. The Association serves as The Enforcer. Nothing goes on without it going through them first. Its job is to ensure the value and cohesiveness of the neighborhood, and if anyone violates the code, they will be annihilated. Okay I’m joking about the annihilation part, but, they are really serious about the rules and regulations, also known as covenants, conditions, & restrictions.

Some associations have more rules and regulations than others, which may or may not be a plus depending on your perspective. Stricter associations regulate the colors that you are allowed to paint your home or front door, how many cars can be parked at the residence, noise ordinance, the ways in which you can manicure your yard, fence height, the number of pets you can have, and sometimes pin pointing the types you can’t have, and so on. Each association is different which is why it’s so important to get a copy of your desired neighborhood’s specific home owners’ association’s documents before you agree to purchase a home. This will prevent you from a.) wanting to back out of the purchase of your new home once you’ve had time to review the rules and regulations because you feel they’re too strict b.) being fined because you violated the rules and regulations because you wouldn’t oblige by them c.) being forced to sell your home (you read that right) because…you wouldn’t oblige to follow the covenants, conditions, & restrictions.

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to where you choose your next home. Some home owners don’t want to chance the possibility of a decrease in home value because the neighbor decides he prefers his trash on his lawn instead of in his garbage can or chance the possibility of being subjected to a deviation in neighborhood uniformity. Other home owners don’t want to feel restricted or under close scrutiny by neighbors. To each his/her own. If you do choose a neighborhood with a home owner’s association, please remember to ask your real estate agent to obtain a copy of its covenants, conditions, & restrictions so that you’re aware of the requirements of living in that particular neighborhood.

 

Butterflies for Spring

Spring time is here, and it delights my spirit. I mean really delights my spirit. I feel like I’m in the perfect movie as I drive down the street, windows half down, getting an uninhibited view of the wide open pastures, some covered in delicate yellow and purple wild flowers. I imagine myself there in them, lying face up, arms and legs outstretched, staring at the marshmellowy clouds in the sky. I pretend there are no bugs abound. No swatting involved. I pretend the grass and wild weeds rest softly underneath me, not pricking my skin or making me itch. Joy.

I can breathe better in the Spring. I can inhale deeper. I feel more alive. Granted, I find myself running from wild and crazy wasps more than I like, momentarily depleting me of my joy, but, the warmth of the sun, high in the sky, makes up for it.

The Spring is when I begin contemplating having a vegetable garden. I know you experienced gardeners are thinking “A day late and a dollar short”, and I know that you are right. I’m more of an at-the-last-minute-if-I-feel-like-it type gardener, and we all know what kind of garden that mindset results in. Nevertheless, I find myself giving in to this powerful urge to dig in the dirt. It’s sort of like the urge an expectant mother has to clean her home for the two hundredth time that day. I oblige, but by this time, I must do so with the pretty annuals lining the exterior of stores like Home Depot and Lowes. I mean, I guess I could still transplant vegetables, but I think subconsciously I don’t, so that I’ll have an excuse to run to the ever growing number of farmer’s markets in the area.

The local farmer’s markets also make me happy. As I peruse the grassy walkways of the market, I can’t help but to stop and pick up vibrant colored veggies that I currently have no plan to use in anything. I wing it. Kind of like I do with the vegetable garden. Remember? I have no doubt of the superiority of the veggies grown by local farmers in comparison to the ones bought in the stores. These are grown with love.

As I hold a green bell pepper in my hand, it’s noticeably sharp, fresh scent permeates my nose. I experience the same thing with other vegetables and fruits. The smell of the strawberries, onions, and jalapenos are all intense. I can’t wait to put these into something.

It’s not just the fresh vegetables and fruit that draw me to the farmer’s markets. I find myself enamored with the droves of people who attend. There are people young, old, and in between. There are strollers, dogs galore, toddlers enjoying locally made popsicles. Try the popsicles. There are people playing instruments, people giving away samples of tea or fresh baked bread or cheese. Do you see my point? It’s an experience. It’s not just vegetables and fruit. It’s centered around community. These markets are beneficial for the human body and the human spirit. I told you they make me happy. I want you to go so that you can get a little of that happiness too. Below you’ll find locations of these little special places and the times when they’ll be held. Some of the markets come with extra events surrounding them on certain days so check them out, and spread the Spring cheer.

Huntsville Harvest Guide

 

 

Flying Monkey Love

The first time I arrived at the The Flying Monkey located in Lowe Mill, an old textile factory, I exited my car with both wonder and hesitation. The old factory with it’s dilapidated exterior and expansive height was slightly intimidating. Nevertheless, I made my way towards the building and noticed a white, immobile trailer with a photo of a chef near the right side of the serving window. I soon learned that this belonged to the calm, familiar spirit of Chef Will, a chef who prepares vegetarian food that feels like home.

I wondered into the first floor area where the locally owned restaurant, Happy Tummy, resides. There were people sprinkled in the seating area, steeped in conversation. Neat, I thought. I began to wonder through the building, noticing the character of the antiquated floors and peering into the windows of studios, lining the hall, to steal a peek at the artists and their creations. A feeling of gratitude came over me as I took in the fact that I was not only getting a peek at these people’s physical creations but more so, a glimpse into their souls. You see, art has been a mainstay in my life since I was a child, and I recognize the depths from which art spills out into our physical realities for everyone to see, to judge. This realization in tow, I adventured on and soon discovered the horror movie-esque elevator operated by a cool, Tom Selleck like gentleman. My nerves kicked up a notch as the ancient elevator slowly crept up to the next couple of floors.  If you’ve never been on an elevator whose doors must be pulled down manually to close, then you have no idea what I’m talking about. If you have been on one of these contraptions, I digress.

Before long I was met by a hall lined with tables and people selling their most precious hand-made commodities. I fell more in love. I love handmade goods. I walked on and stepped into a used bookstore, which unfortunately no longer resides there. I inhaled deeply. I felt like I’d hit the jackpot. I picked up books for the pure joy of flipping through the dingy pages filled with character. I smelled them. Seriously, I smell old books. It’s pure joy for me. The discounted prices of the books couldn’t be beat so I purchased a few and conversed with the owner for a short time before continuing on my journey. A few feet down the hall, I came across a vintage boutique clothing store. “Do you know where everything is located?” A welcoming lady asked. She went on to explain how the clothes were sorted, and I began to explore. The fabrics, some rarely used today. Shiny, sequenced. The styles, 1950s, 1970s, 1990s. Mangled corsets hung from the ceiling. This place sparked the imagination. I didn’t buy anything that day, but vowed to return in the future, which I have several times. The wonder didn’t stop there.

I was taken to the next floor, and was met by more artist studios with special windows to peer into. My curiosity finally lead me to sparking conversations with the artists. One, a seemingly wise, sparkly eyed photographer. “How long have you been doing this? Where was this photo taken?” I asked, noticing that his photos were not taken in the United States. One artist after the next entertained me as I lingered in their space.

Before I left The Flying Monkey that day, I felt creatively high. If this experience seems glamorized, I can assure you it’s because for me, it was. Creativity is my passion. I adore being in the space of those who can’t help but to create and who are courageous enough to share those creations with others. I, for example, normally choose to keep my creations private. God forbid someone actually see something that I’ve made. You wouldn’t believe how long it’s taken me to post this article, not because it was incomplete, but because of the fear that accompanies the thought of being judged. Perfectionist artist. Stifled artist. No way to be. So if you love art, or even kind of sort of like art., take a trip to The Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill. Indulge your imagination. Take classes there. Eat good food there. Linger there. Hopefully you’ll feel. Something.