A perfect winter retreat! Enjoy romantic winters in the woods next to the fireplaces in this magnificent 4-bedroom/3.5-bath home in Keel Mountain Estates. Features include three separate living areas: a huge great room with tray ceiling, recessed lights, and corner fireplace, a traditional living room with French doors leading to a deck, and a fully finished basement with a fireplace, built in speakers and surround-sound wiring. The living space also includes two areas to dine with your family – the inviting formal dining room or the casual and sunny breakfast area in the kitchen. Speaking of the kitchen – this one is first-rate with a 36″ gas cook-top with grill, double ovens, large walk-in pantry, recessed and under-cabinet lighting, custom cabinets, dishwasher, microwave, and breakfast bar. When it’s time to relax, head up to the master suite which is truly luxurious and has a separate dressing area and a walk-in closet. Pamper yourself in the spacious master bath with corner whirlpool tub, double vanities, a make-up desk, and separate shower. Save money on the electric bill thanks to extra insulation and double-hung windows throughout. Other over-the-top interior features include central vacuum system, wiring for intercom system, new light fixtures and paint throughout. You can enjoy the views of the 2-acre wooded lot and pond from the two wrap-around decks. When it’s time to work on your hobbies, head into the 24′ x 24 ‘ detached garage which is insulated and has finished sheetrock interior. There is also an attached oversized side entry 2-car garage that is wired to provide generator power to the house during power loss.   Other outdoor features include a 30-year architectural roof installed in Spring 2007 and lightening protection system. Great location – only a 15-minute drive to Hampton Cove and the new Wal-Mart Super-center. Don’t miss this spectacular home!To learn more about this property or other Huntsville AL real estate, please call me at 256-508-0211 or visit MoveToHuntsville.com.

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“Going green” has been one of the biggest trends of 2007, with homeowners seeking to make more environmentally-friendly choices on everything from cleaning products to flooring.  So it only makes sense that this concern for the environment should carry over into our holiday decorating this year.  If your home is in need of some holiday cheer, here are some “green” ideas to brighten things up:

·        Use LED lights – using LED lights to decorate the inside and outside of your home will bring you many benefits.  The lights last a whopping 50,000 hours – that means you could actually pass these lights down to your grandchildren some day!  Adding to their cost effectiveness is the fact that you will be using 90% less energy with LED bulbs – Clark Griswald would be jealous.  LED lights are also safer – they don’t produce as much heat and considerably reduce the risk of fire, always a concern during the holiday season.

·        Use solar-powered decorations – the “new kid on the block” when it comes to holiday décor, these lights not only save you money on energy – they don’t use any energy at all!  Place the solar panels where they can collect light during the day, and the lights will automatically light up when it gets dark and shine for about 8 hours. 

·        Use mother nature’s decorations – forget going out to shop for decorations.  Some of the best décor can be found right in your own backyard!  Use a real Christmas tree rather than a manufactured, non-biodegradable one.  Even better, buy a young tree with roots and re-plant it after the holiday season!  A basket of pinecones make a beautiful and rustic centerpiece, and fresh pine straw can be made into a lovely and fragrant wreath to display.

Happy tree-trimming!

To learn more about Huntsville AL real estate, please visit MoveToHuntsville.com or call me at 256-508-0211.  To receive a complimentary home value analysis, please click here.

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Although the real estate market is slow in many areas, you may still want or need to sell your home or purchase a new one due to circumstances such as a job relocation.

This article from CNNMoney.com offers some tips on how you can still make a smart move in this unpredictable real estate market.  Here is a summary of the tips:

• Sell smart – if you are trying to sell your home, make sure you set a realistic price based on the current market.  You will also want to discuss with your Realtor the current average “days on market” that most properties are taking to sell.  This will help you better plan for your move.  If you are not willing to list for the current market value, and you do not want your house to be on the market for long, consider waiting out this down market as it is likely to turn around soon.
• Spend wisely – try to follow the rule of thumb of spending no more than 20% of your home’s value on renovations.  At a time when your home may be worth less than it was this time last year, this is not the time to be sinking money into it.
• Foreclosures are still your problem – remember that, even though you are not facing foreclosure, the other properties in your neighborhood that are foreclosed upon will decrease your home’s value.  As a general rule, for every home that goes into foreclosure in your neighborhood, your property value drops about 1%.  That value will stay depressed for about two years.  To find out where the foreclosures are in your area, go to realtytrac.com or foreclosurenet.net and type in your zip code.
• Recheck your mortgage – many homeowners do not know what kind of mortgage they have.  If you are one of them, pull out your old closing documents and find out how often you’re rate will increase and what caps there are to how much that increase can be.  This information should be on the Adjustable Rate Rider, among the first few pages in your documents.

Remember, the Huntsville AL real estate market is always changing from month to month and neighborhood to neighborhood.  To find out what your home is worth, click here for a complimentary market analysis.  You may also visit MoveToHuntsville.com to learn more about Huntsville AL real estate, or call me at 256-508-0211.

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