Huntsville AL real estate sales of existing homes slowed in April, partly because restrictive lending practices hampered home buyers. At the same time, a greater number of areas are showing sales gains from a year ago and a recent reversal in mortgage policy means the Huntsville AL real estate market is better positioned for a turnaround, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
NAR President Richard F. Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif., said the good news is that mortgage restrictions have just been eased. “In the past week, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae announced that they were eliminating their ‘declining market’ policies, effective June 1,” he said.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said eliminating restrictive policies should be a big help to home buyers. “I would encourage buyers who were disappointed by poor mortgage options to take another look at the market because the lending changes are significant,” he said. “Also, a recent notable drop in interest rates on conforming jumbo loans will help consumers in high-cost markets like California and New York.”
You’ll be impressed with all that this tri-level home in EnglishVillage has to offer. You’ll enjoy 4 spacious bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, including a master suite with his-and-her closets for plenty of storage. The large bonus room downstairs would be ideal for a rec room, media room, in-law suite or 4th bedroom with closet and a private entrance. The main floor features an elegant formal living room and a traditional formal living room, perfect for entertaining a crowd with ease. For smaller gatherings, or nights in with the family, there is a cozy and welcoming family room with wood-burning fireplace and brick hearth. The eat-in kitchen has tile floors, microwave, pantry, dishwasher, oven, and a sunny breakfast area with a bay window overlooking the private back yard. Outside, spend the days rocking on the covered front porch or grilling out on the back patio. The large private backyard has a storage shed, mature trees for plenty of shade, and a privacy fence. This move-in ready home is also located in the desirable GrissomHigh school district.
For more information about this home or other HuntsvilleAL real estate, please call me at 256-508-0211 or visit MoveToHuntsville.com.
I hope that everyone is enjoying a relaxing and safe holiday weekend. In honor of the occasion, I thought I would share this touching poem - “Memorial” - with you:
Here’s to those who paid the price And stood atop the wall, Who didn’t call it sacrifice, But duty to a call.
Beyond our power to add, detract,
Or honor with parade,
Or praise with words all copper-plaqued,
In public squares displayed,
They held the line, they took the brunt
Directed at our flank.
From general to lowly grunt
Now “hero” is their rank.
For some - unknown - the laurel wreaths
Must rest on unnamed graves.
For others still, their God bequeaths
No slabs or architraves.
For other heroes, living hearts
Still speak aloud their name.
Their daughters, sons, and better-parts -
To memories lay claim.
Some met the foe with angry eye;
Some trembled at the fray;
Some grieved for wife and family;
Some paused to kneel and pray.
Yet, as their hour approached its mark
And minutes became rare,
All gazed into the dreaded dark,
And stood - where we weren’t - there.
We praise with words their bravery,
Their steadfast soldiers’ hands,
That shielded us from slavery
And wrack from foreign lands.
Now pause awhile, and think on them.
Let recollection stir
To memory, through this artless hymn,
Of those and who they were.
Dean C. Broome, MD JD
As summertime officially approaches, this is a great time to be thinking about buying HuntsvilleAL real estate. To begin searching HuntsvilleAL real estate, please visit MoveToHuntsville.com or call me at 256-508-0211.
Fannie Mae announced this week that, beginning June 1, it would lower down payment requirements from 5% to just 3% for all conventional, conforming mortgages processed through its Desktop Underwriter® automated underwriting system. Loans processed outside the Desktop Underwriter® system will still require a 5% down payment.
Part of its “Keys To Recovery” campaign, this initiative will apply to homebuyers all across the country, regardless of local market conditions. Since the biggest obstacle for many first-time home buyers is saving up enough money for a down payment, this is great news if you want to take advantage of the current HuntsvilleAL real estate market!
Read the full article here, and please email me or call me at 256-508-0211 if you need a referral to a reputable local lender! To learn more about HuntsvilleAL real estate, please visit MoveToHuntsville.com, or visit HuntsvilleHomeHunter.com to set up automated emails containing new listings that match your search criteria.
We know that the Baby Boomers account for a large part of the real estate owning population in America. It should come as no surprise, then, that these folks - not the typical “trendy” crowd - may be the latest trend-setters in real estate also.
Sounds unlikely, but it is very true! As this article in the Wall Street Journal explains, designers and architects are catering more and more toward this fast-growing segment of the population. Research shows that the majority of Baby Boomers are planning to stay in their homes through retirement, as opposed to moving to “assisted living” or a retirement community.
This influx of aging buyers has triggered home renovations and new construction including halls and doorways wide enough for walkers and wheelchairs, and master suites and laundries on the ground floor so residents can avoid stairs. Now, the technology behind home appliances and fixtures is catching up - making all kinds of appliances and home design elements more senior-friendly.
Some of the innovations in home design and appliance re-design include:
Stoves that monitor pots to prevent boiling over
Adjustable typeface on appliance control panels
Faucets that turn on and off with just a touch anywhere on the spout
Dishwashers designed to be mounted at a more comfortable height
Refrigerators with doors and storage designed to reduce bending over
Adjustable volume/pitch of oven alarms
Last but not least - yes, there is even a toilet on the market with an electric-blue nightlight built in and a motorized heated seat cover that rises with the touch of a button. I don’t think you’d have to be a senior citizen to enjoy that kind of amenity during a late-night bathroom visit!
The impact these trends will have on the real estate market as a whole is uncertain, but with more Baby Boomers purchasing HuntsvilleAL real estate, light-up toilets may be a standard amenity before you know it!
To learn more about trends in HuntsvilleAL real estate, please call me at 256-508-0211 or visit MoveToHuntsville.com. You may also begin searching homes here!
Bring the whole family together at holidays in the formal dining room of this 4 bedroom, 2 bath home The Meadows neighborhood of Huntsville, or enjoy casual meals in the cheerful eat-in kitchen. Other rooms ideal for entertaining are the classic formal living room, homey family room with gas fireplace and wainscoting, and the rec room that is perfect for a pool table or entertainment center. All 4 bedrooms are spacious and you will enjoy the tiled baths. The spacious yard is an outdoor lover’s delight with a place for the kids to play under mature trees and room for a vegetable or flower garden. The covered front porch is where you will want to enjoy morning coffee or the evening paper. This family home is just itching for new occupants…they could be YOU! Make this peice of Huntsville real estat your today.
Home inspections are not just for new home buyers! It is extremely important to have your HuntsvilleAL real estate inspected professionally on a regular basis - especially if you are using it as an investment property - to ensure you keep up with any necessary maintenance or repairs. Professional home inspectors examine existing homes using professional standards as a measure to accurately report their condition to parties involved in a real estate transaction, or to the existing owners looking to repair or renovate.
Home inspectors offer many types of inspections to suit HuntsvilleAL real estate owners’ needs - some of these include:
Check out National City’s Home Valuation website to see how HuntsvilleAL real estate valuation compares to other cities across the country. This site is not only informative, but it shows that - despite the national media’s attention to the real estate slowdown - much of the national real estate market is still valued fairly, making it a great time to buy.
To learn more about HuntsvilleAL real estate, please call me at 256-508-0211 or visit MoveToHuntsville.com. You may also visit click here to request a complimentary market value analysis of your HuntsvilleAL home!
When we think of termites, we generally only think of them as active in the spring and summer months. Although this is not the case, they do tend to swarm and become more active this time of year, and it is when most HuntsvilleAL real estate owners start thinking about them.
Termites can silently and secretly destroy a home before you even see the first sign of evidence that these hungry home wreckers are even present. And, contrary to popular belief, they aren’t just hungry for wood! They feast on a variety of materials, and in places you might not expect.
Check out this article to learn more about termites and the kind of damage they can cause. This article is a great resource if you think you might have termites but aren’t sure what to do about them.
Lake living at its best! Located on LanierLake for all your fishing enjoyment is this 4-bedroom/2-bath all-brick ranch home in Madison. The huge master suite includes a separate sitting area with a perfect view of the lake. Also offers a spacious great room with gas fireplace for ambiance, triple windows with transoms, and soaring ceiling. The family-friendly amenities continue with a large laundry room and sunny eat-in kitchen with microwave, dishwasher, pantry, electric range, and gorgeous cabinetry. The interior was just painted and, since this home is Realtor-owned, you know it’s been well-maintained! Enjoy the nicely manicured lawn from either the front or rear covered porch. Thanks to the windows across the back of the home, you can take in gorgeous lake views from almost everywhere in the home! Also available for lease - $1,295/month.
For more information about this home or other HuntsvilleAL real estate, please call me at 256-508-0211 or visit MoveToHuntsville.com.
Huntsville AL real estate sales of existing homes slowed in April, partly because restrictive lending practices hampered home buyers. At the same time, a greater number of areas are showing sales gains from a year ago and a recent reversal in mortgage policy means the Huntsville AL real estate market is better positioned for a turnaround, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
