Rob Abercrombie\’s Blog

As a Realtor, I have a list of questions that are among my most ˜Frequently Asked™.   At the top of the list is: What home improvement projects can I do to the house that will add the most value?  Here is what I have come up with:  

1.Curb Appeal “ Buyers often form hard and fast opinions before they ever walk through the front door.   Pulling weeds, trimming bushes, green lawns, fresh mulch and colorful flowers go a long way.

2.   Fresh Paint “ The normal wear and tear of life often brings about scuffed walls.   If your house is like mine, small children have a way of wreaking havoc.   Fresh paint really stands out and is not that expensive, especially if you do it yourself.

3.   Update your lighting “ Brass and gold are out and oil rubbed bronze is in.   You do not have to spend a fortune to update lighting, but replacing some old fixtures can really brighten a room.

4.   Shampoo dingy carpet “ Carpet cleaning has become very affordable and can make old carpet look new.   It can also get rid of that pet smell that many pet owners become used to.

5.   De-clutter “ This is one of the biggest issues we face.   After you have lived in a home for years, we all collect œstuff that we don™t use or has no real purpose other than distracting a potential buyer.   The good thing about this project is that it only costs a little sweat equity.

6.   Home Staging “ Unless you are a professional or have the home staging eye, most of us need some help creating the perfect room.   A well staged home shows better and puts more money in the seller™s pocket.   One source states there is a 576% return on your cost for a professional home stager.  

7.   Bathroom update “ Replacing old tile or vinyl in a bathroom can really add some dollars to your pocket.   Don™t listen to the guys on HGTV when they tell you retro is in.   It is only œin if you are hosting that show or sitting on the couch watching them do the work.

8.   Kitchen update “ Stainless steel appliances are the way to go.   Also, if you have old handles on your cabinets, I have had clients spray paint them to look as if they were oil rubbed bronze and they fooled me.

9.Crown Molding “ Adding some trim work can be a nice finishing touch for family rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, and master bedrooms.   You don™t have to go overboard to make a big impact.  

10.   Repair deferred maintenance “ Deferred maintenance gets expensive.   Repair rotten window sills, soffits, change your air filter more frequently than most of us do (admit it), and have your HVAC system checked on a regular basis.   Taking care of these items on a regular basis will save you more money than waiting until they break.   Remember, our local market is full of technically savvy people who have a great eye for detail and will quickly note deferred maintenance.

Interest Rates “ Interest rates continue to be at 4.75% for a 30 year fixed.   Rates have been creeping up over the past several months.   Several economists have predicted rates will continue to rise especially if the Middle East turmoil escalates and if inflation rises as many expect.  

BRAC “ BRAC continues to slowly move into the area as various companies continue to hire.   Some of this has been offset by budget cuts, which have led to various defense programs being downsized.   I think we will see a positive gain in jobs over the next year.  

Investors “ I have had more investors calling and inquiring about investing in rental houses, duplexes, and multi-family dwellings in the past 2 months than at any time in my career.   If you are thinking about investing, this may be a great time.   I have been working with a few renters looking to rent in the Hampton Cove area and the northern Madison area.   There are so few quality rentals and so few options that these properties were having multiple applications to rent and being rented within a week or so.      

Need a BRAC Update?

I continue to get questions about our BRAC movement.  Is it happening?  How many jobs have we filled?  Are they being filled from out-of-town or from other jobs?  Click the link below and read a great blog from www.al.com.  This will provide some good information and answer many of your questions.  

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/01/brac_moves_to_be_complete_in_2.html

I hope each of you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I hope you will all send me tons of referrals to help make this another great year of real estate for The Abercrombie Group.  Thanks to all of you who have sent referrals and help me do what I do.

If you haven’t taken a look lately, interest rates continue to remain at historic lows.   You can get a 30-year fixed rate as low as 3.875%.   If you bought a $200,000, put $40,000 down and financed the balance – $160,000, you can have a payment as low as $859/mo (principal and interest).

This has been a great time to move up in the market.   Many realize that while they have not necessarily gotten the appreciation they would have hoped they can continue to get good deals and see savings in a larger house and low interest rates.  

Don’t miss out on great rates.   Call today for a lender who can help you out.  

Rob 256.652.9500 CELL

With the growing ability of cell phones to handle so much of our business and lend to even more mobility, I now am going to stretch that a bit further.   So many of my clients spend time looking for houses and wanting more information.   A lot of the time, they call the listing agent instead of me.   Time after time, they tell me they “don’t want to bother me.”   I always tell my clients that it is my job to be bothered.   That is how I get paid.  

It’s actually not a bother to me, but to put all the information at your finger tips, I now have a mobile real estate app that will put most of the information at your finger tips.  

To download this app:Text ‘TAG’ to 87778 and follow the directions.  

This real estate app will use your GPS and locate all of the homes in your immediate area.   It will also show you pictures, give you a brief description, and even provide a mortgage calculator to let you see what your monthly payment will be.   It has the complete MLS and allows you to pull up every listing while on the go.  

Check it out and let me know what you think.   Happy House Hunting.

Welcome to Rob Abercrombie’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in Huntsville.