What Does Toni Have To Say?

What a beautiful fall.  There are so many beautiful trees here in Hoover Alabama.  I would love to be able to pull over and take pictues to share.  Of course I would never get anywhere if I did that! 

I was having lunch with my husband when I realized that Christmas music was playing over the restaurant's PA system.  Now this is not a re-post of some old blog; today is only November 3rd (one day before election day).  I love the Christmas season - the weather is cooler, I like Christmas music playing everywhere and the idea of giving and going to parties puts me in a good mood.

One other thing I like about the season is the aromas.  Oh, the smell of cookies and apple pie, and pumpkin pie and all the things we only bake at Christmas.  I wonder why we don't bake all those things in the summer - probably because it is too hot!

 Aroma is also an important aspect in Selling a Home.  Bad smells can turn off a buyer quicker than avocado or mauve carpet!!  Good smells though make a person feel right at home.  If your home is For Sale in Hoover Alabama, pay attention to the way your house smells.  I house that smells of citrus smells fresh.  Citrus is also supposed to make you feel energized and promote mental clarity.  Peppermint - another Christmas smell is refreshing, stimulating and helps with alertness.  And remember that old saying, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.  I read the other day that the smells most attractive to men are pumpkin pie and anise.  So, it looks like Italian Sausages for dinner and pumpkin pie for dessert.

Have questions about selling Your Home?  I can help.   Give me a call at 205-821-3312 or shoot a question to Toni@ToniBird.com.

I know where I will be this weekend - the third annual Moss Rock Festival at The Preserve in Hoover, Alabama.  I have been every year so far and I'm really looking forward to it.  The weather should be beautiful and it will be great to walk around the large park outside the Town Hall and take in all the sites.

The events start at 10:00 A.M and run through 5:00 both Saturday and Sunday and the event is FREE.  Parking is easy - just go to the Hoover Met (now called Regions Park) and a shuttle bus will take you directly to the artist's displays.  There will be bands playing, food to eat and lots of booths with artist's works on display.  There will even be cake on display in the town hall - last year there was one shaped like a raccoon! The theme is eco friendly so there will also be opportunities to learn about environmental issues.  To get more information about this year's festival, go to www.mossrockfestival.com.

For the last two years my favorite artist is a guy who makes tables out of cement with leaf imprints. I would love to have one for my back yard.  I thought it would be great to place the table between two Adirondack chairs.  Well this year for my birthday, my son gave me two chairs, so now the table is a MUST.  I hope he comes back.

The Preserve is a Traditional Neighborhood Development with new homes resembling those built at the turn of the century.  When finished with the artist's work, you may wan to stroll the neighborhood and look at some of the architecture. If you are interested in looking at any of the Houses for Sale, let me know, I'd be happy to give you a personal tour.

What a morning!  Temperatures in the 30's here in Hoover Alabama are absolutely exhilarating.  These are the kind of temperatures we need to have the fall colors at their best.

 Maggie and I went for our morning walk around 7:30.  There was FROST everywhere. The sun was starting to shine, but hadn't hit many of the roofs yet so the frost was covering them as well.

 I saw a few houses though that didn't have frost on their roof, or had frost on only parts of the roof.  This house in the picture only had frost in one square above the front door. Those houses look more warm and inviting BUT, that is not necessarily a good thing. Often that is an indication that you are loosing heat through the attic. If your roof is toasty warm so the frost doesn't stick, then you are heating the underside of the roof and shingles. This is a great time to check your insulation and add more to keep from having your heating costs go through the roof.

Insulation is measured with an R Value.  Here in the Hoover, Alabama area, you should have an R-49 rating in the attic for the most energy efficiency.  Click here for more info on types of insulation and insulation tips.

When buying a new home here in Hoover Alabama you should ask the builder for the specs on the house to make sure the insulation value is what it should be.  Also when buying a new or previously owned home, your home inspector can look at the insulation in the attic and let you know if the house needs more.

According to the weather channel, the temps should be in the 30's again tomorrow morning.  So before the sun starts to shine on the roof, venture out and give your house a visual insulation check.  That might point out some problem spots in your roof.  Adding insulation in the attic is the #1 way to save on your energy costs.

Next Tuesday, November 4^th is the Big Day.  Election Day. No matter which of the 6 (yes 6) presidential candidates you want to see leading this great country, it is imperative that YOU go to cast your vote.

Every vote counts.  I find it really irritating that the news channels will predict a winner with only 60, 50 sometimes 30% of the vote in.  It makes you wonder if your vote even matters. But remember there were 5 big decisions made in this country by only one vote:

-made English the language of America instead of German (1776)
-approved American independence from England (1776)
-gave Thomas Jefferson the presidency (1800)
-admitted Texas (1845) and California (1850) into the Union

So yes, your vote IS important.

If you will not be in town on November 4^th, you can vote absentee. There are other reasons for voting absentee.  Do any of these apply to you?

- You will be out of the county or the state, or the municipality for municipal elections, on election day.

- You have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents your attendance at the polls.

- You work a shift which has at least ten (10) hours that coincide with the polling hours at your regular polling place.

- You are enrolled as a student at an educational institution located outside the county of your personal residence, attendance at which prevents your attendance at the polls.

- You are a member of, or a spouse or dependent of a member of, the Armed Forces of the United States or are otherwise similarly qualified to vote absentee pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff.

 - You have been appointed as an election officer at a polling place which is not your regular polling place.

You have until this Thursday (October 30^th) to apply for an absentee ballot.  If you go to the office of your county's election manager (for a list click here), you can even go and vote right after you fill out the application. 

I mentioned the presidential election, but there are other candidates and issues on the ballot as well.  To see a copy of the ballot click here and look for the county in which you vote.  Knowing what you will see in the voting booth will help you prepare for those important decisions.

If you see something on the ballot that you are not sure about, you don't have to vote for that item in order for your presidential vote to count.   But, doing some research (and I don't mean believing outrageous e-mails or inflamatory TV commercials) and voting for the candidate you feel represents your views is what being an American is all about.

Don't forget to vote on November 4^th.

Every morning, my clock radio wakes me up.  Some mornings I hear music, some mornings I hear DJ chatter and other times I hear commercials. Lately I have been bombarded by hot water heater commercials.  The gas company is giving away a FREE gas hot water heater, then the power company is giving away a FREE hot water heater.  Both claim to be the best.  It almost makes me want to buy a hot water heater so I can get something for FREE.  Most people have a preference already and the FREE hot water heater will not sway them.  When Buying A Home in Hoover, Alabama, the listing information available to the buyer will designate which type is available in the home.

Both gas and electric claim to be more energy efficient.  Solar Powered hot water heaters could be an option here in Alabama because we get lots of sun. I recently read that they were repealing some funky law that required you to have a huge insurance policy when using solar power and selling it back to the Power Company - so if you've looked into solar before, then look again.  I sold a house once that had a solar hot water heater. At first the client was apprehensive because he was unfamiliar with it, but he absolutely loved it.

The hot water heater will have an Energy Guide sticker which will rate the efficiency of the unit.  Check it out - I was in a house the other day with a client and THAT hot water heater was rated 1 point below the highest energy use rate. It said that unit was estimated to use $420 per year in energy cost.  If you could get one lower, that could pay for a new hot water heater and help the environment. AND if you got the FREE hot water heater, you'd have money in your pocket!

Don't need a new hot water heater just yet - or yours is pretty efficient already? You can make your current hot water heater more efficient by adjusting the thermostat. Many people have the temperature pushed way up. The thermostat should be between 115 and 120 degrees to get the best efficiency and still have the hot water you need. Also, if your hot water heater is in an attic, garage or outside storage room, put a properly installed insulation jacket around it.

Click here for information on cutting your water heating costs. We can all do little things to cut down on energy use.  This helps save us money AND helps the environment as well.

Most roofs come with a life expectancy - people say "this is a 30 year roof or a 20 year roof".  That means you can expect the roof to start leaking by the time it hits that timeframe. 

There are things that can cut the life of your roof, like having branches from trees lying on the roof (I don't think you should cut down the tree because the branches are touching it, just keep them trimmed back).  Fungus can attack the roof (this is what makes the roof look stained).  This staining can be cleaned off (it's not that expensive) and it extends the life of your roof. Storms can also cause the roof to fail before it comes to the end of its useful life.  I see lots of roofs with missing shingles that have blown off in a storm and hail is hard on a roof.

When it is time to replace the roof, there are many options.  Asphalt shingles are the most common here in Hoover, Alabama.  Roofs can also be made of cedar shake, slate (which was common in Louisiana years ago) and metal. 

If you want to "go green", consider a metal roof. They are long lasting, come in multiple colors and styles, help to deflect heat in the summer, are often made of recycled materials, and are recyclable.  Asphalt shingles are short-lived, made of oil (here we go with petroleum again), are rarely recycled and give off toxic VOCs.  If you have to go with asphalt shingles, make sure you choose a 50 year asphalt shingle that contains recycled materials.

People are wondering what they can do to help with global warming.  We all have heard about the light bulbs, but every decision we make when we go to the store should be filtered through the question, is the best choice for the environment. A metal roof may be more expensive initially, but in the long run, it will save you money and help the environment.

Here in Hoover, Alabama there are not many Homes for Sale with metal roofs.  Perhaps in the years to come, this will change.

August sales were good, but The Real Estate market in Homewood definitely slowed in September. In September 18 homes closed, down from 32 in August and 43 in July.  The average salesprice was 284,991 which was down slightly from August, however, a year ago the average salesprice was $236,786. No condos closed this month. Sales ranged from $146,000 for a home on Berry Rd. to $578,000 for a 4 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath in Huntington Glen.  The median price was $273,525.  The supply of homes for sale has grown to 343 which represents an 19.05 month supply.

If you would like any specific information about YOUR neighborhood, or to sign up for Hot Breaking News about new listings, call me at 205-821-3312 or send an e-mail to Toni@ToniBird.com.

Every year on the 3rd Saturday of October, the Hoover High School Band hosts the Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival.  I have been to many of these festivals in the past and the atmosphere is warm and inviting as the spectators cheer on the various students. I am really looking forward to some great entertainment.

The first Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival was held in 1978 at Berry High School and was called The Over the Mountain Invitational Marching Band Festival. There has been only one year since 1978 that there has not been a Festival. In 1994, with the opening of Hoover High School, The Festival was moved to The Hoover Metropolitan Stadium and renamed to The Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival. The Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival is held at Region's Park Stadium. Region's Park (formerly called the Hoover Met) is the home of the Birmingham Barons Baseball team. This facility is converted to a football stadium during football season and the Hoover High Bucs play there as soon as the baseball season is over (they played their first game at the High School field this year because the Barons were in the playoffs).

The stadium comfortably seats over 12,000 people for football season so there is plenty of room for spectators at the band festival. Many of the lower chairs have backs with bleachers seats in the remainder of the stadium. It has plenty of parking, large restrooms, numerous concession stands (I hear the chicken finger basket is one of the best in town), and is easily accessible from major interstates - just one mile off of I-459 at HWY 150.

The Hoover Invitational has become one of the premier marching band festivals in the southeastern United States. They will have over 25 bands participating in the event. Once all the competing bands have played, the Hoover High Band will take the field in exhibition.  After that, the University of North Alabama "Pride of Dixie" Marching Band will entertain the crowd.

The first band (Locust Fork High School) will take the field at 11:30 and the Awards should be presented at 8:00. Weather this year should be sunny and in the high 60's.  Hope to see you at this wonder fall event in Hoover Alabama!

If you would like to LIVE in Hoover Alabama, let me know.  I can help you find the home of your dreams.  Checkout the Homes for Sale in Hoover Alabama on my website at www.tonibird.com.search.asp?

I was showing a house the other day and it looked good on the inside.  The people had moved out, but had left furniture behind and "staged" the home to look inviting. The carpet was clean. The Bathrooms and Kitchen were spotless.  My client was making positive statements about the property.

When we opened the door to go into the garage though "Oh My Gosh" it looked like a tornado had hit a yardsale!!  There was one thin path to get from the Kitchen door to the Garage door itself.  I think there was a workbench - somewhere??

This was a total turn off for my buyer client, you could just feel all the excitement drain out of the room and she was ready to go. We moved on to look at other homes where she could "see" the garage.

When getting your house ready for sale, curb appeal is critical or people won't even want to go inside.  The inside of the home has to look clean and inviting.  But the garage - and its location and size can be a big selling point also. So, don't forget about it.

There are also some things you can do to make your garage more attractive. If you'd like to read some pointers about getting your garage ready for sale, check out my September Newsletter.

If you would like to ask any questions about putting your house on the market, let me know at www.ToniBird.com.

I was showing a house to a client the other day.  They wanted to look up in the attic and pulled down the pull-down attic stairs to go up into the attic.  The ladder looked very precarious.  I have been to several home inspections where there were problems with the pull-down attic stairs.

If you have pull-down attic stairs and they don't work properly, it may be time to install a new unit.  You can replace the whole pull-down unit for a couple hundred dollars.  It just isn't worth it to fall or to let someone else fall when they are looking at your house.

 One of my favorite movies is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  There are some scenes in that movie where Chevy Chase falls from the ladder - the roof - the attic and I just sit and laugh.  I especially like the part where he staples his shirt to the roof and then falls off the ladder. In the movies we see ladder accidents all the time and they are meant to be funny.  The fact is, in reality they are not. I've known several people over the last two years who have been seriously injured in accidents involving a ladder.  Three of them have been out of work for over 6 months. 

Fall is a beautiful time of year when the leaves turn color.  These leaves eventually fall off the trees and into your gutters, which need to be cleaned - so up on a ladder you go. For safety tips on using a ladder, check out this article in a newsletter from Housemaster's Home Inspection.

Fall is also a great time of year to shop for a new home - hopefully one with a functioning attic ladder.  You can look for houses on line at my website, www.tonibird.com.  Call me when you are ready look in person.