Saturday, September 30, 2006

Montgomery Housing Market Defies Predictions

Housing prices are expected to continue to have a limited fall throughout 2006, according to testimony submitted by the National Association of Realtors® at last week's Senate Banking Committee hearing on the economy. The Midtown Montgomery housing market is disregarding this forecast, however, with increased sales and increased prices.

The number of sold single family homes in Midtown Montgomery for August is up 64 percent compared to August 2005. The number of pending listings, which is a leading indicator of the future of the market, has increased by 14 percent. At the same time, there has been a dramatic decrease in market time. August 2005 saw market times of 178 days compared to this August's 84 days, a 53 percent decrease. The average sales price has increased by $10,860 or 8 percent.



Even with all this activity, homes must be staged well and priced correctly to attract today's savvy buyers. Contact us if you are thinking of selling your home. We have the experience, market knowledge and marketing expertise needed to sell your home in today's market! You can also visit our website to view all Montgomery real estate listings, get the current market value of your home and more.

Information is provided by the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.


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Friday, September 22, 2006

Montgomery & Air Force Swap Land

Montgomery and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base finalized a land swap yesterday that was 20 years in the making.

The south and west portions of the Riverside Heights will go to the Air Force in exchange for Maxwell Heights, the location of former military housing. Maxwell-Gunter needed the property at Riverside Heights for base housing because it is adjacent to the base and allows for tighter security. Montgomery's plans for the former Maxwell Heights land is still under consideration, but most likely will not be residential, as it is close to the runway.

Residents of the subsidized housing area were given vouchers to help with relocation to other parts of the city.

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Friday, September 15, 2006

Identity Theft



Identity theft is a serious crime impacting more than 10 million victims each year. Often, consumers first learn they are identity theft victims when they are in the process of buying or renting a home. The National Association of Realtors is working with the Federal Trade Commission to educate comsumers to minimize the risk of identity theft. This new initiative, Deter-Detect-Defend is focused on empowering consumers to protect themselves against identity and to minimize its impact.

‘Deter’ Tips to Share with Consumers
1. Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.

2. Protect your Social Security number. Your Social Security number is the key to your identity and must be closely protected. Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.

3. Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with.

4. Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a Web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information.

5. Don't use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

6. Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house.

‘Detect’ tips to share with consumers

Be alert to signs that require immediate attention:
1. Mail or bills that do not arrive as expected

2. Unexpected credit cards or account statements

3. Denials of credit for no apparent reason

4. Calls or letters about purchases that were not made

Inspect:
1. Your credit report. This contains information about you, including what accounts you have and your bill paying history.

** The law requires the major nationwide consumer reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to give you a free copy of your credit report each year if you ask for it.

** Visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ or call 1-877-322-8228, a service created by these three companies, to order your free credit reports each year. You also can write: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

2. Your financial statements. Review financial accounts and billing statements regularly, looking for charges you did not make.

‘Defend’ tips to share with consumers
1. Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports. A fraud alert on your credit report tells creditors to follow certain procedures before they open any new accounts in your name or make changes to your existing accounts. Each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies has a toll‑free number you can use to place an initial fraud alert. Only one call is necessary; the company you call will notify the other two. An initial fraud alert is active for 90 days. If you want to place an extended (seven-year) fraud alert, you must follow additional procedures.

** Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
** Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
** TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports. Look for inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts you didn’t open, and debts on your accounts that you can’t explain.

2. Close accounts. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently.

* Start by calling the security or fraud departments of each company where an account was opened or changed without your authorization. Follow up in writing and include copies of supporting documents.

* Use the "ID Theft Affidavit," available at ftc.gov/idtheft, to support your written statement.Get written verification that the disputed account has been closed and the fraudulent debts have been discharged.

* Keep copies of documents and records of your conversations about the theft.

3. File a police report. File a report with law enforcement officials – for example, state or local police. It will help you work with creditors who may request documentation that a crime has occurred.

4. Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Your information helps law enforcement officials across the country with their investigations.

**Online: ftc.gov/idtheft
** By phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338), or TTY,1-866-653-4261
** By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580

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Thursday, September 07, 2006

Help Create A New Montgomery

Dover Kohl and Partners, the design firm hired by the city for more than $300,000 kicks off its weeklong visit here Friday, and they want input from Montgomery residents. They want to know if you would paint the town purple, ban all traffic lights or maybe sell cotton candy on every street corner. Whatever it is, Dover Kohl and Partners want to hear it. "What we will then do is take all the different ideas and refine those ideas throughout the week to create one unified plan."

The design team has already presented a housing analysis to city council predicting potential for approximately 2,600 households in downtown.

Residents are invited to participate in a weeklong planning session beginning Friday. The purpose is to make downtown Montgomery livable and walkable for everyone. Here are the events:

Friday: Community kick-off presentation at Troy University Montgomery's Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Saturday: Hands-on design session at Lockhart Gym, Alabama State University, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday through Wednesday: Open design studio at 2 Dexter Ave., 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday, 9 to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday

Thursday: Work-in-progress presentation. Location: Davis Theatre, Troy University Montgomery. Time: 6:30 to 9 p.m.

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Friday, September 01, 2006

Podcast: Mistakes Montgomery Sellers Make

Montgomery Real Estate Podcast

This month's edition of our Podcast, the Montgomery Real Estate Podcast discusses Montgomery real estate market trends, as well as, exploring the four biggest mistakes sellers make when putting their home on the market.

Our special guest speaker is Terri Murphy of US Learning.

Enjoy listening!

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