Faster than a lion at selling your home!

Laugh your way to the bank!

Find out how by attending my home seller's seminar Jan 31 at 10:30 am.

www.agentwithacause.com

Home Insurance is not a Warranty

207 S Trace Lane, Hoover, AL 35244 

 

When entering into a home purchase you will need to know about both, a home warranty and home insurance. Home insurance is not a home warranty. Insurance is typically considered the policy that you purchase through your local insurance agent, like State Farm, Allstate, or Alfa, etc. That type of policy will typically cover your home for wind, fire and theft but may not cover you if the HVAC unit goes out. The policy that covers events such as the HVAC or the electrical outlets malfunctioning is a home warranty. An entirely separate policy purchased with a home warranty company may give you coverage for those damages. At the closing of your home purchase, you have an option to purchase a home warranty. This warranty and coverages vary by company but generally covers appliances, electrical outlets, and much more. The key item to remember about a warranty is that you must contact the company that issued the home warranty before calling the contractor. No coverage will be provided if you call the contractor first. Not sure of the company? Your settlement statement will list the warranty purchase in the 1300 Section of the HUD1 (bottom of page 2) or contact me Kathy G, your Realtor.

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Room's Flow

 Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Room's Flow

When selling your home, the best way to get the premium price is to follow these 10 tips for improving your home's flow. In true David Letterman fashion, the reveal is from 10 to the #1 way to improve the room's flow.

10. Remove busy patterns especially wallpaper. Busy patterns even in table cloths or bedspreads often do not photograph well either.
9. Add low line centerpiece of flowers to the kitchen table. Many people like to over accessorize tables but a simple centerpiece will enhance the room with over powering.
8. Hang light fixtures (preferably higher) out of walking eyesight.  Height of 5'3" - 6'3" is considered eyesight for most people.
7. Change bookcases to display shelves leaving space on each shelf. Bookshelves unless in a library or study look cluttered and get dusty easily.
6. Keep blinds open revealing as much natural light as possible. If you have screens on your windows, remove them to achieve optimum light penetration.
5. Create walkway big enough for two people to fit in where possible.
4. Remove furniture from walkways. Feng Shui basics indicate that removal of clutter is essential in restoring proper flow.
3. Remove excess wall paintings and posters.  A popular trend is to hang a wall of mirrors. This is extremely distracting to buyers just as the wrong paint color would be.
2. Trim trees and shrubs away from windows. Letting Mr. Sunshine in creates a positive energy flow.  Watching the sunrise from the home gives a sense of new beginning. Another Feng Shui basic is to have good quality light.  More sunshine = more $$$ for the sale of your home.
1. The floor plans and furniture style will determine the best layout for optimum flow. Need help to determine optimum flow? Call me, Kathy Gipson for all of your real estate needs. I have sold homes within weeks after staging a home to optimize the home's flow.

Top 3 Things to Know About Chinese Drywall

These plus other Chinese Drywall

hot buttons will be discussed in this video.

• Should the home you are considering purchasing be checked for Chinese Drywall?
• What tests are there for Chinese Drywall?
• Does a seller have to disclose a home with Chinese Drywall?
• Does a buyer have any rights in the class action lawsuit if they are the second owner?

This video is for information purposes only and is provided as a courtesy for clients of Kathy Gipson. This video is not intended to represent Kathy as an expert on Chinese Drywall contracting or for legal advice.  

4 Items to Make Your Home More Salable

4 Items to Make Your Home More Salable

Call Kathy G Realtor

for all of your Real Estate needs

205-296-5478

A Friendly Community

Since being named Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live, Hoover has made tremedous strides in community involvement.  Centered around both community and service organizations, choosing which organization(s) to devote your time to is key.  Giving back to the community is fundamental for most Hoover residents. Donating both time and money to Habitat for Humanity is special to me as a Realtor. If a hammer is not for you, Hoover has numerous other volunteer opportunities available. Volunteering for charity at Regions Park was not only rewarding but also a fun experience for me. Working side by side is one of the best ways to get to know other Hoover residents. However, community interaction does not stop at service projects. From swimming at the Hoover Recreation Center to getting a birdie at the Ross Bridge Golf Course, your experience living or working in Hoover will be filled with numerous opportunities to connect with people on a personal level.  Be open to the experience of getting to know your neighbors. I recently sold a home in Ross Bridge, the new homeowner commented on how he had to get used to "being waved at and spoken to" but this is the norm n Hoover. It made me think of a sign we should implement...a caution sign but instead of "caution" it would read "Friendly Community".  When people outside of the community think about Hoover, they typically think of shopping at the Galleria or the MTV's Two A Days. But when I think of Hoover, I think of my daughter hitting her first "walk off" home run. What is one of your favorite Hoover memories?

Has someone moved your cheese?

If your cheese has been moved by this economy there is hope. Homes are selling today, in this economy and I can help you.

I know how you feel first hand. When I started in real estate many years ago, my main focus was in new construction sales. I was tremendously successful in selling new homes. Literally overnight, my business disappeared. My cheese was moved. After restructuring my business focus to include homes for resale, foreclosures, short sale certification and becoming a Certified Real Estate Negotiator, I found my cheese!

Have you been effected by unemployment - layoffs or downsizing? Do you need to sell your home in a hurry but not sure to where to turn? I can help answer the hard questions from "is my home sellable" to "what is the simpliest thing that I can do to get my home sold"?  

Currently, my cheese is selling homes in the Greater Birmingham Area. Where is your cheese? Is your cheese going back to college, moving out of state or across town? Deciding where your cheese is step number one. Sometimes, step two involves selling your home. If so, contact me, I understand what you are going through. Getting homes sold quickly and for the most money is my goal. The average days on the market in 2009 for me was 53 days. I can sell your home quickly even in this market.

Kathy Gipson