What Does Toni Have To Say?

 Spring is here and as I drive around the city, I see so many beautiful sites and a lot of beautifully landscaped yards.  When you see a great yard, it makes the house look even better.  You think, Wow, I'd like to live there.  A well landscaped yard even makes you feel better.  In this time where eveyone is so stressed out, it is a great idea to spend some time improving our surroundings. 

I putter in my yard and love it.  Yesterday we planted the second round of annuals, which add color to the perenials that are also beginning to bloom.  I still need a few more plants to fill in a few bare holes, but by next week, we'll be done and can enjoy being outside.  Actually I already enjoy it. I like the different textures of different plants and leaves.  Each year I have figured out - by trial and error - what works and what doesn't.

I say each year because when I moved into my house I had 2 trees, a few shurbs, and some cannas in the backyard - that was it.  Over time it has transformed into a beautiful garden.  Often it is hard to decide what to do with a totally blank space. Earlier today, A good friend sent me an article about gardening.  I thought I would share it, as it gives some good ideas if you need to start from scratch - or to change what is there and just not working for you. 

I can tell you from experience that a great looking yard wil sell your home faster.  If you have any questions about getting your home ready to sell - just ask.  You can reach me at www.ToniBird.com  Happy Gardening.

Once a month I meet with a group of friends and we play Bunco. Some of us live in Hoover, Alabama, and others are spread throughout the Birmingham area. It's not so much about the game of bunco as it is that we get together to have fun and play.  We have been meeting monthly at each other's homes for over 10 years now.  We've been through marriages, moves to new houses, birth of children and grandchildren, sickness, death of loved ones, lay-offs and jobs changes and much, much more.

Our members basically come from three professions: teachers, computer programmers and realtors.  When our group began, all the realtors worked in the same office. But over time, for various reasons we have moved to different companies.  When we get together though we all use this time to promote our listings, talk about things happening in real estate in different parts of the city and to pick each others brain to help find the best piece of property for one of our buyer clients.  This just comes natural as part of our conversations. 

I am reminded of the National Association of Realtors statistic; 38% of buyers find their home with the help of a realtor.  There are a lot of ways to find houses; the internet - which I love - really helps a lot in the home search because you can see so much before you go to look in person, but interaction and networking with other professionals is still a great way to find that property.

I see these flowers both on the plant stand and in the garden.  They are all different - but the garden looks better with a variety of flowers than it does with one alone.

I have been selling real estate in the greater Birmingham area for over 10 years and have a great network of friends in the business.  If you would like help finding a home, I'd be happy to help, just contact me at http://www.tonibird.com/.

Most people today do not have the cash to purchase a home.  Instead they borrow a good portion of it from a Mortgage Company, Bank or Credit Union. One of the first things the lender will do is run a Credit Report. Having "Good Credit" is the first step toward getting favorable terms on your mortgage. You can check to see what is on your credit report for FREE at http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.

If you see anything that doesn't look right, contact the credit bureau and get it corrected BEFORE you go to apply for a loan.  A few years ago, I had a customer who was buying a house in Hoover, Alabama, that had an old cell phone bill with a balance of less than $2.00 that he didn't even know about (he had moved from that city and they had not forwarded the bill to him).  The cell phone company had reported him late on his bill for 18 months.  If he had checked his credit before he started looking for a house, he would have had time to fix it, however, he already had a house picked out and a closing date set.  Because this "cloud" was on his credit, he ended up paying a higher interest rate which meant he had a higher monthly payment.  So, check your credit and fix anything that is incorrect.

If you would like any information about buying a house in the Hoover, or the Greater Birmingham Alabama area, please contact me at http://www.tonibird.com/.

So you want a home of your own, but WHERE?  With over a million people in the Greater Birmingham, Alabama area there are tons of choices about where you can find a Home to Buy.

First, look at your place of employment and how far away you want to be.  Traffic is getting worse by the day and 15 miles can mean an hour commute - one way.  Some people don't mind that because it lets them unwind from the day, but others.....well 2 hours in the car = road rage!!!!!!

Second, look at entertainment.  Where are your friends?  Do you go out a lot and if so where?  Is your church a big part of your weekly activities?  Are you looking for a community that will encourage interaction with neighbors - so you can meet new friends?

Third, consider schools.  If you have children, the school they attend is very important.  Visit schools and see if you like the administration and the feel of the school.

Forth, look at what you want your neighborhood to look like.  Do you want huge lots and a big backyard or lots of privacy? Perhaps you want as little yard to mow as possible so you can spend the weekend at the golf course. Do you want sidewalks and activities that encourage you to be with neighbors.  Do you want a neighborhood pool?

Fifth, consider style.  What do you want the house to look like?  Most newer neighborhoods have a "look".  You many want an older home with lots of "charm" or a newer home with a big bathroom.

No answer is right or wrong.  There is a home for every taste but deciding what you want and don't want up front will save you a lot of time and effort when looking for the perfect home.

If have any questions, or you would like help finding a home, please contact me at http://www.tonibird.com/.

Three weeks ago we I adopted a dog from an animal shelter.  After a week we had totally fallen in Love.  In fact we had to take her in for some treatments and leave her overnight and we were so worried about her.  It's hard to believe they can steal our hearts so quickly!

But just because WE love our pets doesn't mean everyone else does.  When your house in on the market pets can be a real problem AND can cause you to loose a sale or can cause you to sell for a lot less.

I know this may sound harsh but your pet can no longer have the run of the house.  Some people are truly afraid of dogs and even cats.  If the prospective purchaser is worried about the dog biting them, they will not be paying attention to your house. Not to mention that the fear they feel will be projected onto the house.  Also animals under stress are more apt to have an accident - if you follow my drift.  That is NOT a good way to welcome someone to your home (and those little pee pads are awful)!

Locking the dog in a room is not good if they are going to claw at the door.  This is not only a nuisance but messes up the property you are trying to sell.  Also, if you leave the dog outside that is fine, but if it scratches the door, the buyer envisions a major repair that needs to be made.

One thing you can do is crate the animal.  It doesn't have to be a tiny crate, there are larger crates and temporary cages at the pet store.   Set these up in the garage or a remote corner of the house.

Another is to board the pet for the day.  You can ask for 24 hours notice of showings and if you know someone is coming, make arrangements for the pet to spend the day at the doggy spa.  It is not as expensive as you would think and certainly less that the amount you will loose by not having the pet contained or loosing showings all together.

Of course, you can always just remove the pets and drive around in the car or walk the streets during a showing, but this is not practical if you work outside the home, and gets old really fast.  Agents typically ask for a 2 hour time frame so you will need to be gone for two hours.  We don't ask for a 2 hours time frame because we want to irritate sellers, we try to give a large window so we can make sure we'll be there when we say we will.  Sometimes buyers spend a lot more time in a house then we expected and we don't want to run late.

We love our pets but we need to remember that our objective is to sell the house for the highest price possible.

If you have any qestions about homes for sale in Hoover or the greater Birmingham, AL area, contact me at www.ToniBird.com. I'l be happy to give you any tips on Buying or selling a home.

So you're thinking about buying a home and don't know how much you can afford.  A general rule of thumb is - you can buy a property that costs 2 to 3 times your income.  So, if you make 40K per year, you can afford a house between $80,000 and $120,000.

To be more specific, your mortgage payment shouldn't be more than 28% of your gross income AND your mortgage payment plus all your monthly payments should not be more than 36% of your gross income.  Fewer debts makes it easier to buy a house so if you're thinking about Home Ownership, then avoid any purchases on credit - especially that new car!

If you are thinking about Buying A Home, contact a mortgage lender and talk it over with them.  I know several that will talk things over with you without any pressure.  They will tell you what you can afford today and if you want more house, they can help you plan for the future.  If a lender tries to pressure you into buying NOW - walk away.

If you'd like to take a look at any homes for sale in the Hoover or Greater Birmingham, Alabama area, let me know at http://www.tonibird.com/.

You keep hearing we are in a "Buyer's Market".  That means there are a lot of houses out there to look at.  Personally, I cannot look at more than 10 houses before they all start to run together so it can be VERY confusing.

The best thing to do is sit down and make a Wish List.  What do you REALLY NEED in a house and then what do you WANT.  For example, if you are going to work from home, then you will NEED a room for a home office, or if you have a child and also need a guest room, then you will NEED three bedrooms, or if you have trouble going up and down stairs you will NEED a one level house.  Next, make a list of things you would LIKE TO HAVE like the view of this waterfall from your back deck.  Then prioritize them.  If you have a spouse, you should discuss this list because it will NOT be the same.  If you talk about these things up front you will avoid a lot of hurt feelings down the road.

When you start to look for your dream home, don't even look at houses that do not have your NEEDS and your top 2 LIKE TO HAVES.  There are lots of ways to shop for homes: first on the internet and model homes in subdivisions then your realtor can really help make sure the homes have the things you are looking for.

If you would like help searching for a home on the web click here.  If you'd like additional help finding the perfect home, let me know at http://www.tonibird.com/.

 My first rose of the season is blooming this morning.  It is so pretty - I wanted to take a picture.  I remembered one important thing in taking photos is to look at what is AROUND the pictue when you take it.  Since I haven't had a chance to work on my spring plantings yet, and the deck furniture still has that winter film of dirt and pollen, getting a pleasing background was quite a chore.

It also reminded me of conversations I have with sellers all the time.  When you LIVE in a house day to day, you don't really SEE things.  Front doors become faded, window sills are dirty, cob webs grow in corners, light fixtures get dirty, baseboards are scarred, there are 6 months of unread magazines stacked somewhere, closets are overflowing - and if you have a pet OH MY!!!

Here is a thought.  Take pictures of your rooms and the outside of your house and look at them objectively.  Can you even SEE the rooms for all the STUFF? Would you be embassased if you saw your house on the internet?  If you were a buyer, based on the pictures you see, would you want to look at THAT house?

If you would like tips on spring cleaning, or other ways to get your house ready to sell in Hoover, Alabama or the greater Birmingham Alabama area, let me know at www.ToniBird.com.

Housing news has been bad lately and you may feel confused about whether of not you should buy a house.  First, I'd say there is not as much doom and gloom as the media would like you to believe.  After all bad new sells... This is a great time to buy because there is a lot to choose from and sellers are more willing to negotiate.  That just means you get to buy a house you like for a fair price.

Two years ago we were bombarded with the idea that you needed NO MONEY DOWN to buy a house. Buying a house is not like buying a TV or a cell phone - there is a lot more to it than that. What they didn't tell you is that it costs money to buy a house and money to maintain a house and if you put NO money down the payments were higher than if you DID put money down. Saving for those events is a MUST.

So lets look at what you Need to Have. 

You will need the following:

Money to pay your closing costs which will be somewhere between $3000-$5000.

Money for a downpayment (there are still 100% loans out there, but you must pay a higher interest rate, so aim for putting some money down).  Plan to have 5% of the purchase price of your home (If you want a $100,000 home, that is $5000).

Also you should have money for moving costs, having utilities turned on and some extra cash say to buy something to cover the windows so everyone can't see right into your house.

So you look at this and say oh my gosh, I'll never have 10K.  Well, yes you CAN save for a house if you make it a priority. First of all, get rid of spending on all the non-essentials.  Write down everything you spend your money on in a month.  Most people are suprised at where their money goes and how much they waste.  Ask yourself tough questions like do I NEED that coke out of the coke machine (at $1 per coke, how much is that a month). Do I NEED to eat out everyday or can I bring my lunch to work.  Do I NEED the newest and latest cell phone. Can we carpool to save money on gas....Make a plan to save an amount monthly to acheive your goal.  Some employers even let you have money automatically deducted from your paycheck and sent to savings so you never have the money in your hands. You'll be suprised how quickly it ads up and if you are used to saving, once you own the house you'll be able to save some money for those home repairs.

Seems like a lot of work, but you'll be able to have a home, be able to take care of it and build equity in Real Estate which equates to building wealth for the future.

Good Luck

If you want to ask any questions about Buying A Home in Hoover, or the greater Birmingham,AL area, please contact me at www.ToniBird.com