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9
Staying Dry: Drainage Solutions for Your Yard
If you have issues with pooling water around your home from gutter downspouts or leveling issues, it can understandably seem daunting, but with spring just around the corner, now is the time to fix any drainage issues -- before we hit our wetter months along the Gulf Coast.
You will likely need some professional help at least in planning your drainage solution, but the time and costs of handling the drainage of your property now are typically a lot less than handling a flooding situation later.
The important thing to consider, especially in our area since it is prone to flooding, is where draining water is headed. If possible, it's best to direct it to an area where it can naturally percolate into the ground water instead of into...
3
Real Estate Basics: How are REALTORS® paid?
Did you know that if you are purchasing a home that you typically do not pay your real estate agent?
Working with a REALTOR® can seem confusing, particularly when it comes to how the agent will be paid — and who will cover the cost. While your agent is there to guide you through the real estate process, sometimes it's difficult to even know what specific questions to ask. Check out the answers to common questions below so that you can approach buying or selling a home with confidence.
How much are REALTORS® paid?
REALTORS® are paid a commission onc...
1
Bringing back real estate seminars
Raise your hand if you were licensed and selling real estate 10 or more years ago.
If you were, you may remember Buyer Seminars. Not everyone hosted or put them on, but they were a common part of the real estate marketing experience not that long ago.
If the name isn't ringing any bells, agents would advertise the seminar, held after hours at the office or at a local coffeeshop, and give a presentation on a particular aspect of the home buying process with a time for Q&A afterward. They would have food and drinks available and sometimes lenders would even be sponsors for it. It was a simple concept, a simple concept that can be adapted to today's Zoom-favoring environment and can actually help you gain listings. How?
22
January 2021 Alabama Gulf Coast real estate stats
Alabama's Gulf Coast contains several real estate markets depending on location and price point – just to name a few factors. The graphic below shows real estate statistics for January 2021, the latest month available.
Vital Signs provides a visual representation of what's happening in several local markets by showing you supply. The colored-coded numbers represent the absorption rate, the number of months it would take to sell every home on the market in a particular price range if no others were added. If the market is moving quickly, the absorption rate will fall below six months of supply, and if it's more of a buyer's market, it will jump above six months of supply. ...
15
New construction a fix for local housing shortage
The Alabama Gulf Coast has been experiencing a historic seller's market, meaning more people want to buy a home than there are homes available, and the shortage of available homes for sale will likely continue.
We've discussed in a previous post how the combination of delayed sales due to COVID-19, historically low interest rates and a rise in the average amount of time between moves have caused the shortage of homes for sale in our area. But what can be done to meet the demand? Put simply, either more people opt to sell their existing homes or more homes need to be built.
