If you are wanting low property taxes then Blount County is for you. Blount County is one of the lowest counties in property taxes. So if you are looking to move from Jefferson County and get away from rising property taxes look for a home in Blount County. There are many great homes for sale in Blount County, no one in Blount County has complained about there property taxes going up 42% in one year like in Jefferson County. Come check out some of the towns in Blount County that are not too far from the big city such as, Warrior, Hayden, Pinson, Remlap and Locust Fort. I can help you find a home in Blount County that want break your check book!!! Call me!!!!
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Looking for a good deal on a Home in Blount County?
If you are a first time home buyer or have not owned a home in the last 3 years, now is the best time to buy. You ask why? If you buy a home by December 2009 you will receive a $8000.00 tax credit. That is like cash in your pocket. There are a lot of good deal out there. If you are looking to buy in Oneonta, Locust Fort, Cleveland, Warrior, Hayden, Blountville, Blount Springs, Pinson, Remlap, Snead, and Susan Moore I can help you!!! Just give me a call!!!
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580
Saturday, April 25, 2009
How to Prepare your Home to Sell in 30 days!!!
Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Seven to 10 Days
Here's How:
Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
Say goodbye to every room.
Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.
De-Personalize.
Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."
De-Clutter!
People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
Remove all books from bookcases.
Pack up those knickknacks.
Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.
Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.
Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:
Alphabetize spice jars.
Neatly stack dishes.
Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
Line up shoes.
Rent a Storage Unit.
Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"
Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.
Make Minor Repairs.
Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
Patch holes in walls.
Fix leaky faucets.
Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.
(Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
Replace burned-out light bulbs.
If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!
Make the House Sparkle!
Wash windows inside and out.
Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
Clean out cobwebs.
Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Vacuum daily.
Wax floors.
Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
Bleach dingy grout.
Replace worn rugs.
Hang up fresh towels.
Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.
Scrutinize.
Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
Make sure window coverings hang level.
Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.
Check Curb Appeal.
If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
Keep the sidewalks cleared.
Mow the lawn.
Paint faded window trim.
Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
Trim your bushes.
Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Seven to 10 Days
Here's How:
Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
Say goodbye to every room.
Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.
De-Personalize.
Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."
De-Clutter!
People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
Remove all books from bookcases.
Pack up those knickknacks.
Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.
Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.
Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:
Alphabetize spice jars.
Neatly stack dishes.
Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
Line up shoes.
Rent a Storage Unit.
Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"
Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.
Make Minor Repairs.
Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
Patch holes in walls.
Fix leaky faucets.
Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.
(Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
Replace burned-out light bulbs.
If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!
Make the House Sparkle!
Wash windows inside and out.
Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
Clean out cobwebs.
Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Vacuum daily.
Wax floors.
Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
Bleach dingy grout.
Replace worn rugs.
Hang up fresh towels.
Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.
Scrutinize.
Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
Make sure window coverings hang level.
Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.
Check Curb Appeal.
If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
Keep the sidewalks cleared.
Mow the lawn.
Paint faded window trim.
Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
Trim your bushes.
Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580
Blount County Homes Selling at great prices!!!
If you are looking for a home in Hayden, Warrior, Cleveland, Locust Fort, Remlap, Pinson, Blountsville, or any where in Blount County give me a call. There are lots of really good deals in the Blount County housing market. If you need some room to move around and enjoy living outside the city but not too far then Blount County is for you. Blount County is one of the most beautiful Counties in Alabama with all the mountains, valley's and the river. It can be your own little piece of paradise not far from the big city. If you are wanting to buy or sell in Blount County just give me a call and I can help you with all of your real estate needs. I am Christie Addaway with Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty. My number is (205)296-1580. Call me and I can help you with every little detail of selling or buying your next home!!!!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Homes in Alabama are selling like HOT CAKES!!!
If you are looking to move to a larger home, first time home buyer, or relocating to Alabama now is the time to buy. There are lots of homes in Alabama that are priced to sell. Great deals are happening all over the state. There are Foreclosures, Short sales, and just great deals now is the time to make your move. If you need any help selling or buying your next home just give me a call and I will be glad to help you any way I can. Don't forget homes in Alabama are selling like HOT CAKES, so make you move to you new home NOW!!!
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580 cell
(205)833-6300 office
Christie Addaway
Weichert,Realtors/Access Realty
(205)296-1580 cell
(205)833-6300 office
Thursday, February 5, 2009
New Site for Open Houses in Birmingham
Weichert, Realtors has just launched a new site for Open Houses in the Birmingham area.
Each week the site is updated with the open houses coming up for the weekend.
The new open house site is www.8YellowBalloons.com
It already has the upcoming houses for the weekend of February 7th and 8th 2009. If you are looking to buy a home in the Birmingham Area, 8YellowBalloons.com is your one stop resource for open house times and directions.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Selective Immersion draws Rave Reviews from Real Estate Students
New Teaching Method helps Students Pass Real Estate Exam
(Birmingham, AL) A new method of teaching and instructing students has recently shown amazing results in students who have attended Real Estate Success Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. The teaching method is referred to as "selective immersion" by the originator of the technique, Mike Carraway.
After spending years sitting through real estate classes and in many cases having trouble staying awake, Mr. Carraway decided to do something about the "old school" methods of instruction to make sure students were engaged and really enjoyed classes and learned from them.
"I have taken the pre-license class in 3 different states and also have had to sit through Continuing Education classes in all these states. One thing they all have in common is that all of them consisted primarily of lecture, lecture, lecture." Mr. Carraway says that is not effective in appealing to all of the different learning styles that students use.
According to Mr. Carraway, because some students are visual learners, some are aural learners, some are active learners, and some are tactile learners, the classroom content must address all of these styles of learning. In addition, classroom content must focus on one subject area at a time. The subject area can contain many subareas, but, all of the learning types and teaching styles must be used to insure that all of the students grasp the main concepts first, and then the sub-concepts second.
"The idea is to totally immerse the student in the subject, and engage them in many different ways", says Carraway. Real Estate Success Institute uses a 2 week or 10 day format for the required 60 hour pre-license class.
"The 2 week format provides an excellent venue for the selective immersion teaching technique.", says Carraway. His students are drawn into the subject with engaging stories that illustrate the main points, role plays that further illustrate the subareas, question and answer sections, challenge quizes, and games akin to Jeopardy. In essence, the student is totally immersed in that particular subject for that day through a wide variety of activities. But it doesn't end in the classroom.
"All of our students are instructed to do 2 activities each evening - read their notes - and make up flashcards." But, Carraway says, the students are told to spend no more than 45 minutes each evening on these activities. He says that during the classroom time, students form new neural pathways in their brains that make new synaptic connections. These new pathways quickly disappear unless they are reinforced a few hours later. That's why the evening activities are so important.
"The first thing we do the next day is a quick review of the day before, further reinforcing these new neural connections." Carraway says he can always tell which students have not completed their 45 minutes of evening activities: he gets blank stares the next day from those students.
The results from this teaching method have been nothing short of amazing. Most of the students that attend the Alabama 60 hour pre-license class pass the state real estate exam the first time they take it. His school, Real Estate Success Institute draws students from the entire state of Alabama from as much as 5 hours away. Some students even book a hotel room for their 2 week stay and return home during the weekend break.
"I am very proud of the students who are accepted into the class, who do the activities, and who are helping us produce a successful track record for this new instructional technique."
Some of Carraway's past students have interesting comments on the classes. Debbie from Montavallo said, "The in-class exercises really reinforced the information; you are actually learning this stuff and didn't even realize it at the time." This comment tends to substantiate Carraway's claim of selective immersion being a really new and unique teaching method. Another student, Joe K., said, "The classroom was filled with real life examples and a multitude of professionals from the real estate marketplace.", which is referring to quick appearances from professionals in the business such as attorneys, home inspectors, and a variety of others.
Carraway says that having quick guest appearances for 10 minutes or so provides even more stimulation for the students. According to Carraway, stimulating the students constantly is what it's all about. "We live in a video game, reality TV show world. Our teaching method takes that into account and uses continual stimulation to help students learn new concepts."
Selective Immersion as a teaching technique looks like it could be the next new wave in schools and instructional programs. "It takes a lot of work on the instructors part, but to me, it's worth it if all of the students pass the exam the first time."
Real Estate Success Institute can be found on the web at www.BirminghamRealEstateSchool.com and can be reached by calling 205-833-6325. The school is located just off of I-59 in the Roebuck area near Trussville, Alabama. The address is 1100 East Park Drive, Suite 104.
"If you are looking for a fast paced, exciting class where you will get the information you need, learn the concepts you need to know, and remember them, then our 2 week pre-license class is for you."
Mike Carraway is a Real Estate Broker, Certified Real Estate Instructor, Author, Motivational and Sales Training Speaker and is the Real Estate Success Institute administrator. The school website is http://www.BirminghamRealEstateSchool.com Mike Carraway has been active in the real estate business for the last 21 years and owns the 2 office company WEICHERT, REALTORS - Access Realty in Birmingham, Alabama and the website is located at http://www.access1000.com He also maintains a weblog at http://www.access1000.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Carraway
Mike Carraway
Broker/Owner
WEICHERT, REALTORS - Access Realty
1100 East Park Drive, Suite 104
Birmingham, AL 35235
office - 800-840-0165
fax - 205-833-3350
4500 Valleydale Road, Suite 160
Birmingham, AL 35242
office - 995-3939
fax - 995-3929
www.Access1000.com
www.BirminghamRealEstateSchool.com
www.Access1000.blogspot.com
www.WEICHERT.com
Broker/Owner
WEICHERT, REALTORS - Access Realty
1100 East Park Drive, Suite 104
Birmingham, AL 35235
office - 800-840-0165
fax - 205-833-3350
4500 Valleydale Road, Suite 160
Birmingham, AL 35242
office - 995-3939
fax - 995-3929
www.Access1000.com
www.BirminghamRealEstateSchool.com
www.Access1000.blogspot.com
www.WEICHERT.com
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