I totally understand how apprehensive buyers are in making the decision to move forward with the purchase of your Mobile, Alabama Metro home, buying your first home or moving to a larger home. In 1968 (in the Olden Days as my children say) when my husband and I purchased our first home, the idea of signing papers committing to pay $110. monthly for 30 years totally freaked us out, we were getting by paying $65 a month for our little 2 bedroom 1 bath home.

The cost to build our new 3 bedroom 2 bath brick home cost us $13,995, financed for 30 years at 8% interest! The lender did not want to give us our loan because he did not feel we could pay nearly twice as much for housing as we were paying in rent, when I pointed out we had paid $125. a month in California the year before, on less income, we got the loan.

When we filed our income taxes, we were able to file a 1040 long form instead of a short 1040A, much to our delight the difference in our taxes was HALF of our house payments for the year! So our home really cost us less than the rent we were paying! Tax laws have changed and your numbers may not turn out with this much difference.

What this means to you, early this morning numbers were running through my head, so I just had to let all of you buyers on the fence know what I was thinking. Number one the low interest rates are HISTORICALLY LOW and all the experts say they will rise and when they do we will have no warning!

I want to tell you about a situation I had with a client buying a Mobile, Alabama home costing $200K, financed at 3.75% interest for 30 years fixed equals a principal and interest payment of $902.75. If the rates rise to 5% the principal and interest payment would be $1,046.43. If they rise to 7% the principal and interest payment will be $1,296.87. I know the first thing that comes into your mind, prices on homes may go down and I will be paying too much, however, if the house goes down to $190K and the interest rate is 7% your principal and interest would be $1,233.20.

A total of $330.55 more a month for a house $10K less! If you have doubts about buying a new home, now is the time to buy.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 167. See more city of Daphne real estate.
(all data current as of 2/8/2012)

1. $150,000 : 111 Bel Air Cir, Daphne
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,565 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,496 sq ft

   Year built: 1990

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 1
2. $389,900 : 217 North Cir, Daphne
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,250 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,130 sq ft

   Year built: 2005

   Days on market: 4

   Walk Score®: 31
3. $229,000 : 25139 Jernigan St, Daphne
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,568 sq ft

   Lot size: 19,964 sq ft

   Year built: 2008

   Days on market: 4
4. $195,000 : 26264 Tullamore Dr, Daphne
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,205 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,040 sq ft

   Year built: 2009

   Days on market: 5
5. $288,500 : 720 Oak Bluff Dr, Daphne
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,328 sq ft

   Lot size: 3.47 ac

   Year built: 1989

   Days on market: 5

   Walk Score®: 29

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

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Need a realtor?  Please keep local Gulf Coast AL Realtor, Barbara Reeves, in mind when buying or selling property in Mobile, Daphne, Spanish Fort, or Fairhope AL.

The New Year is a great time to think about making resolutions, and those concerning your home are no exception.  So if you are looking for some goals to set this year for your Mobile AL home, consider these ‘resolutions’ for 2012:

• Cut down on energy use.  Check the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems and see if there is anything that needs to be replaced, repaired, or used less.  Replace old appliances with those that have good Energy Star ratings or simply replace your light bulbs with energy efficient ones.
• Budget for needed improvements throughout the year.  If you create a yearly budget you’ll be better prepared to avoid overspending and look to what improvements are classified in the ‘priority’ category, such as new roofing or appliances.
• Organize and De-clutter your home.  Your home can instantly look newer and more livable by just organizing a few well-used rooms.  Take a look at what’s on the floors or stowed in closets and how it can be better managed to look aesthetically pleasing and be easily accessed.  You may have to sort things in piles for those items that can be donated and those that need to be trashed.

So make some plans for improving your Mobile AL home this year and check out houselogic.com for more great ideas for ‘home resolutions’.

And for more information on buying or selling property in Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

It might seem counterintuitive to think about your home’s resale value when you are about to buy it, but studies indicate that this might be the best time to consider it.  Most first time homebuyers today stay in that first home for only about 5 years and the home’s resale value will become relevant in that time.  Here are some factors to think about when looking at a Mobile AL home’s resale value:

Noise.  Even if you do not consider noise an issue, someone buying your home in a few years might; it is best to consider traffic, aircraft, or emergency siren sounds and their general frequency or proximity before deciding to buy.

Zoning is an important present and future factor when considering the resale value of a home.  Get to know what types of properties are allowed near your home, including commercial and residential laws, that might cause undesirable circumstances when selling your home in the future.

Traffic.  Besides traffic being a noise issue, it is also a safety and privacy issue.  Many potential buyers of your home will want a low traffic area so that their pets and children will be safer.

Home size and configuration of rooms, especially the number of bathrooms, can play an important role in a homebuyer’s decision.  With the exception of condos, it is generally wiser to buy a three or more bedroom home with at least 1.5 baths to ensure resale to a larger audience.

For more information on factors to consider in the resale value of a home, visit Mortgage News Daily online.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

If you are putting up that fabulous display of holiday lights inside or outside your home in Mobile AL this year, check out some of these safety tips to keep your holidays free of accidents:

• Inspect each light strand.  Dispose of all the lights that are in any way damaged and the electrical cords that are frayed.  You might find you need to replace them completely so they do not lead to fire hazards.
• Do not use lights meant for outdoors inside.  These lights will be too hot for interior use.  LED lights are ideal for inside as they do not overheat and are energy efficient.
• Replace bulbs that have burned-out.  The empty socket can cause an entire string to overheat, so replace dead bulbs quickly.
• Pay attention to manufacturer instructions for connecting multiple strings of lights.  Generally speaking, limit this to three strings.  Stack plugs rather that plug them in end to end.
• Take exterior lights down within 3 months.  If you leave your holiday lights on, they are more likely to suffer damage from animals that might chew on the wire or due to weather conditions commonly associated with this time of the year.

For more Mobile AL homeowner holiday lights safety tips, visit houselogic.com. 

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile AL, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

The increasingly popular Megabus has now started to increase its route services to and from Mobile AL, according to a recent article at the Press Register online.  Megabus is a company that offers low fares for traveling via bus between commonly visited cities including Birmingham, Montgomery, and now Mobile to Atlanta.  The buses are equipped with free wi-fi, power outlets and restrooms and fares begin as low as $1, with price increases when scheduling closer to the departure date.  Mobile AL’s new route is one of several that involves travel to and from Megabus’ new Atlanta hub.  Travelers from Mobile AL would depart from the Holiday Inn Mobile Airport and may choose one of three daily departure times to head to Atlanta.  Megabus has had approximately 13 million travelers since they began in November of 2006 and have continued to add more and more cities to their trip schedules.

For more information on this or other community news in Mobile AL, visit al.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile or West Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

As a homeowner, the winter months can mean high heating costs if you don’t prepare to save money now.  Here are some tips for winterizing your Mobile AL home:

• Have your furnace inspected.  Call an HVAC professional to have your furnace inspected and to clean the ducts, which will save you the expense and trouble mid-winter when you really need the heat.  Keep a good number of furnace filters handy and change them monthly to ensure better performance from your furnace.  Also, be sure to remove all flammable materials from around your furnace and program your thermostat (if you don’t have a programmable thermostat, now is a good time to get one).
• Check exterior of home, doors and windows.  Look along the exterior of your home for any crevice cracks or exposed entry points around pipes and carefully seal them.  Weatherstripping can work wonders to prevent cold air from entering  around doors.  Any cracked glass on windows should be replaced and windows caulked to seal out cool air.   Also, install storm windows as needed.
• Service equipment that will be used throughout the winter now.  Replace snow shovels and service snow blowers as needed.  Keeping ice-melt/sand is also a good idea.
•  Inspect your roof, gutters and downspouts.  Give your gutters a good cleaning out, replace any worn roof shingles or tiles, and consider putting in leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from your home.

For more tips on winterizing your Mobile AL home, visit homebuying.about.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile or West Mobile AL, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

When you are looking to buy a new house it is highly recommended that you hire a home inspector before purchasing to know if it is a sound investment.  A good home inspector should be able to detect potentially hazardous materials and offer you a report that will be comprehensive on whether the home lives up to its advertising or if it will need repairs.  It’s key to find a professional home inspector to avoid many novice homebuyer mistakes.  Here are some factors to keep in mind when looking to hire a good home inspector:

Qualifications and References.  Make sure to get a list of several homeowners who have used his/her services and actually check them by giving them a call about their experience.  Also check the home inspector’s training and experience.  It’s best to find someone who will know, depending on the age of the home you are looking to buy, what things to look for as far as potentially hazardous substances are concerned.

Ask for a sample report.  The inspector should be able to show you a sample of their checklist or report.  Look for detailed explanations rather than just checked off boxes to know whether this home inspector will be helpful to you.  You will want to ask the inspector what they will and will not inspect to be sure you know what you are getting when you hire him/her.

Ask about what their company policy is for errors and omissions.  Even good home inspectors occasionally miss things and you need to know whether the company will insure against errors or waive the cost of the inspection if this happens.

For more tips on hiring a home inspector, visit realtor.com.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in Mobile or West Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

You do not have to spend a lot of money have professionals remodel and decorate your home to attract buyers.  Consider these relatively inexpensive ways to add value to your Mobile AL home now:

• Have your home inspected.  Things like deteriorating roofs, pest problems, or outdated electrical systems will not be immediately visible, but will negatively impact your home’s value when you try to sell it.  Fix anything that needs repair now, however small, to prevent making larger repairs down the road.
• Schedule an interior designer to help you assess what improvements should be made.  Ask about ideas for paint colors and furniture placement.  Many interior designers offer an hourly fee that is less than $100, so shop around before hiring.  This one hour consultation should give you enough information to make the changes on your own.
• A fresh coat of paint will do wonders and is one of the most cost-effective improvements you can make.  Choose colors that will have appeal to most people to increase your home’s value.
• Refer to magazines, books, tv shows, websites, or your realtor for remodeling and decorating tips.  Do-it-yourself projects are cost-effective as long as you have a clear idea of what needs to be done and have done your homework on the topic.  While it’s better to leave larger projects to the professionals, simple improvements can be made if you have the information to do it right.
• Improve energy efficiency.  Not only will making these changes save you money now, but it will make your home more marketable when it’s time to sell.

For more tips on improving your home’s value visit hgtv.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

Bienville Square in Mobile AL

Why live in Mobile AL?  Mobile AL tops the list when it comes to southern culture and charm.  Located on the picturesque gulf of AL, Mobile has a great variety of things to do all year long for individuals, couples, with friends, and as families.  Potential real estate opportunities are endless in Mobile, from extravagant bay homes, to nice family homes in community-oriented areas.  Just outside of Mobile are the popular neighboring cities of Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort which allow for even more community options.  So whether you are looking to live by the water, within a convenient city, or in a more rural setting, the Mobile Metro AL area has it all.

Contact Gulf Coast Realtor, Barbara Reeves, today to find out more about what exciting real estate opportunities await you in Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, or Daphne Alabama.