Ann Allen's Birmingham AL Real Estate News & More

Georgia Has Been Found and Reunited With Her Family!

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:40:19 -0600

Georgia has been found and reunited with her familyl!

You may remember that some friends of ours have been searching for their missing dog. She was found today and now she is finally home after 3 long weeks! Georgia and her brother, Vincent, escaped from their fenced backyard on October 15th. Vincent was found after just a couple of days and has been missing her terribly. These two have never been separated before now. Georgia has lost a lot of weight during her ordeal, but she is not hurt and will be fine. Can you imagine how happy these dogs are to be together again? Not to mention how happy their humans are to have them both home safe and sound!

It's a very happy ending!

We Had a Great Time at REBarCamp RDU!

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:05:46 -0600

We had a great time at REBarCamp RDU! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put this event together and help make it a success. I absorbed so much information in a short time my head is about to burst, but in a good way! It was so much fun getting to meet so many people in person for the first time. Here are just a few photos of some of the gang in attendance......

Patty and Thom

Wordy C and Jeremy

Carol

Debe

Sarah, Daniel, Jeremy and Lori playing Lynchburg Squares

Connie, Wordy C and Me

Nannette and Lori

REBarCamp RDU - I'm On My Way!!!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:53:33 -0600

I'm on my way! I'm sitting in the airport in Orlando where I'll be catching my connecting flight to Raleigh in a few minutes. This is my first road trip in too long and I'm very excited about it!

It looks like I'm going to have time to relax and get settled in my room before heading to Beer for Bloggers this evening. Tomorrow will be a full day, I forget how many sessions there will be......for that matter I really don't know what Bar Camp is. I bet I know by the time I return home full of information.

Are you going? Can't wait to see everybody!!!

Sunday Balloon Rides At Shelby Baptist Church in Pelham AL

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:03:06 -0600

I don't go anywhere without my camera anymore. I never know when I will have an opportunity to capture a unique photo.......like this one.........

Last Sunday afternoon I was on my way home and came upon an unusual site in my neighborhood. I was driving on Bearden Road, having just crested the hill by Pelham High School on the way to my house, and was surprised to see this colorful hot air balloon floating above a grassy lot by Shelby Baptist Church.

I pulled in to get a close up shot and watched as the balloon rose and lowered again. From what I could tell the balloon wasn't flying any further than up and down. I don't know what the event was, but they looked like they were having a lot of fun! I'm glad I didn't miss the chance to get a photo!

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL 35244

Photo taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL. Please check if Creative Commons License as been granted for this or other photography provided by Ann Allen. Permission usually granted if credit is given with a link back. Thank you for your understanding.

Celebrating Our Anniversary and Halloween at Leonardo's Italian Restaurant in Vestavia

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:07:01 -0600

Leonardo's Italian Restaurant in Vestavia will always be one of my favorite places to dine in the Birmingham area. Mike and I had our wedding reception there almost eight years ago. We had a morning wedding and then everybody went to Leonardo's for lunch. It was wonderful!

A cozy little place that serves lunch and dinner, offers a full bar with live music nightly, Leonardo's is a real treat!

Our anniversary will be Tuesday, but we decided to celebrate with dinner at Leonardo's a few days early. I am so glad we did because we got to join in the fun as the restaurant and staff celebrated Halloween.

Soft piano music played by Mario added to the romantic (and a little bit spooky) atmosphere of the evening. We were amazed they he could play with those gloves on!

There were some other characters running around too......we spotted Elvis, who was one of the servers.

There are so many choices on the menu and I had my usual hard time making a decision.. I finally settled on Lasagna and Mike chose Veal Saltenboca, which he always enjoys. My portion was huge, but so good I could have eaten every bite. We finished by sharing the Tiramisu. Yummy!

When you visit Leonardo's, be sure to try the rolls. They are to die for! Don't fill up on them though (they will keep bringing them), you will want to save plenty of room for your meal.

Leonardo's Italian Restaurant

2520 Rocky Ridge Road

Vestavia AL 35243

205-979-6996

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL 35244

Happy Halloween! You Get An Extra Hour Of Sleep Too!

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:36:23 -0500

Happy Halloween!

It's almost time to put on your costume and greet the trick or treaters, or go to a party, or whatever you like to do to celebrate Halloween.

Have fun, be careful, and don't eat so much candy you give yourself a tummy ache.

Don't forget before you go to bed to turn all your clocks and watches back one hour. We are coming off Daylight Savings Time and get an extra hour of sleep tonight.

Now is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.....and change them again in the Spring when we revert back to Daylight Savings Time.

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL 35244

Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com

Halloween Fun at The Alabama Theatre - Childrens' Matinee Triple Feature

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:49:00 -0500

Halloween Fun at The Alabama Theatre

Childrens' Matinee Triple Feature

When? Saturday October 31st 2:00-3:30 PM

Featuring:

Witches In Stitches

Spongebob Halloween

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

All Seats are $6.00 and will be available at the box office 1 hour prior to showtime

Why wait until dark to start the Halloween fun? Get the party started early by bringing everyone downtown to The Alabama Theatre Saturday afternoon to enjoy these Halloween flicks on the giant screen.

The Alabama Theatre

1817 Third Avenue North

Birmingham AL 35203

205-252-2262

Find us on this Map

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL 35244

Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com

Keep On Smiling!

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:08:06 -0500

These smiling faces were spotted at Myer's Plants and Pottery - Pelham AL

Photo taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL. Permission usually granted if credit is given with a link back. Thank you for your understanding.

Aldridge Gardens - Fall Hydrangea Sale - Hoover AL

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:29:27 -0500

Aldridge Gardens Fall Hydrangea Sale

Saturday, October 24th

9 AM - 5 PM

Aldridge Gardens in Hoover AL is having their annual Fall Hydrangea Sale Saturday, featuring over 40 different varieties of hydrangeas. The sale will also include trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. For those that would like help making selections, members of the Alabama Hydrangea Society will be on hand to help with any questions you may have. One of the featured plants that will be available is the Snowflake Hydrangea, patented by the gardens founder, Eddie Aldridge.

It looks like we are going to have nice weather, so come spend some time strolling around the gardens and the lake, and maybe do a little shopping for your own garden.

Click here for a link to some of the hydrangeas featured at the gardens.

Aldridge Gardens

located at

3530 Lorna Road

Hoover, AL 35226

205-682-8019

Welcome to Aldridge Gardens!

Birmingham AL Short Sales: Foreclosure or Short Sale--What's the Difference?

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:18:50 -0500

Debe Maxwell is a short sale specialist in Charlotte, NC. and has written a wonderful article on the subject. She does a great job of explaining the difference between foreclosures and short sales and I'd like to share it with Birmingham AL homeowners. Thank you Debe for making this available for re-blogging!

Via Debe Maxwell, Realtor® Let's Talk CHARLOTTE! (Helen Adams Realty):

Foreclosure or Short Sale--What's the Difference?

Losing your home to foreclosure is a painful event that continues to haunt you long after your home has gone back to the bank. Your credit score is severely affected and, regrettably, most people cannot be sure that they will remain safe from foreclosure because they haven't foreseen the "unexpected." Such events as serious illness, a major accident, divorce or job loss can happen to anyone at anytime. It’s a good idea to understand the available alternatives should such devistating events occur in your life.

So, what IS the difference between a foreclosure and a short sale? Simply put, the homeowner still owns the property with a short sale; when a property has been foreclosed upon, the BANK/LENDER owns it. The foreclosure process is quite expensive for the banks/lenders so, they generally PREFER you short sell the property than for them to proceed with a foreclosure. With a short sale, the owner still lives in the property and maintains it as normal--with a foreclosure, the distressed property is left vacant and is generally in ill-repair.

A short sale MUST be listed in your local MLS with a Realtor®. Your short sale specialist works to negotiate the short sale FOR you and follow the process all the way to Closing on your property with you. The bank/lender MUST reach an agreement with you and your buyer as to price and other contractural agreements as well as a Closing date. Again, your short sale specialist handles the communication of this entire process for YOU.

As well, with a short sale, the damage to your credit is far less extensive as with a foreclosure. A short sale can be erased from your credit in as short a period as 6 months and can take up to 2 years as opposed to at least 7 years with a foreclosure. The ability to get a handle on your finances early in the game is imperative--contacting your Charlotte NC short sale specialist can save you more than you know. You are able to reside in the property until the deal is Closed--a far more 'respectable' alternative to being evicted when the bank forecloses on the property.

Foreclosure is, by far, the worst available option for you. The result of a foreclosure is the lender taking ownership of your home/property. You will not only lose your property but, the bank/lender can obtain a judgment against you for the amount that you owe plus the costs for the foreclosure process that the bank/lender incurs. Your credit will be ruined for many years to come, further worsening your financial situation. This makes obtaining any credit, incredibly difficult. There is absolutely nothing positive about foreclosure. Avoid foreclosure at all costs.

Consider a short sale rather than allowing a foreclosure on your property. A short sale is an option for property owners with serious financial issues. In the case of a short sale, one sells their home for less than what they owe the bank/lender. Some lenders will not agree to a short sale however, most prefer it to going through the lending institution's expense of a foreclosure. This is a time that you MUST have someone working for you that KNOWS short sales. Experts advise pursuing a short the minute you realize that you are in trouble. The longer you wait and the farther behind in your mortgage that you get, the less likely your bank/lender is willing to allow a short sale.

Any option is better than foreclosure! Do everything that you can before foreclosure occurs and do it as quickly as you possibly can. DO NOT WAIT! Consider a short sale and check with a short sale specialist before foreclosure is the only option remaining for you.

Don’t do this alone! Having someone to work on your behalf is priceless. Facing foreclosure is horrifying and going it alone is one of the most overwhelming experiences you can face in life. A short sale specialist is imperative in getting through this process with both dignity and composure. Don't let pride stand in your way of contacting a short sale specialist--this is our JOB and we do understand. Let us do our job and help you through this proess so that you can avoid foreclosure.

You NEED an experienced Charlotte NC short sale specialist! Contact us today so that we can help YOU.

This Might Be The Biggest Spider Web I've Ever Seen ~ Halloween in Ivy Brook, Pelham AL

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:14:59 -0500

Halloween in Ivy Brook, Pelham AL

Don't be scared, he's a friendly spider! He wants trick or treaters to know they are welcome here!

Paws In The Park - Pell City, AL

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:29:31 -0500

PAWS IN THE PARK - PELL CITY, AL

Admission is FREE!

Come join the fun at the ASPCI's annual fundraiser this Sunday, October 18th at Lakeside Park in Pell City, AL.

Bring your family and friends (and your pets of course!) and enjoy food and entertainment while raising funds for the Pell City Animal Shelter.

There will be animals available for adoption and you can have your own pet microchipped for only $25!

Attractions include:

Approximately 30 vendor booths
Food vendors
Free hot-air balloon rides (weather permitting)
Free rock climbing wall
Free space bounces
Pet contest
Face painting
Antique car show
Live bands

Come spend a fun day at Paws In The Park from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Lakeside Park in Pell City, AL!

Dogs Missing in Bluff Park......Vincent Is Home, But Georgia Is Still Missing!

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:32:42 -0500

DOGS MISSING IN BLUFF PARK!

Georgia is a black and white female and she is still missing!

She is a Husky/German Shepherd mix with blue eyes.

VINCENT HAS BEEN FOUND!

Vincent was spotted by the Bluff Park Piggly Wiggly, where he and Georgia were seen around noon on October 15th by animal control. Many friends have been on the lookout for these much loved pets and Vincent was spotted by one of them today. She whistled one of his favorite songs, a Barry Manilow tune, and he perked up but ran and hid from her. Anita called Vincent's owner, K.C., who rushed over and he came out of hiding to be reunited with her. K.C. said he collapsed at her feet and cried for about 10 minutes.

His sister, Georgia is still missing! Please continue to look for her! This is the first time they have been separated in 9 1/2 years! Vincent is glad to be home but misses her very much!

Please call Bluff Park Animal Clinic (823-3034) if you see her!

GEORGIA

Dogs Missing in Bluff Park......Have You Seen Them?

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:02:46 -0500

DOGS MISSING IN BLUFF PARK!

Georgia is a black and white female and Vincent is a blond male.

They are Husky/German Shepherd mix with blue eyes.

Last seen by animal control around noon on October 15th by the Bluff Park Piggly Wiggly, when chased they ran in different directions. In 9 1/2 years Georgia and Vincent have never been separated.

They are not agressive.

Please call Bluff Park Animal Clinic (823-3034) if you see them!

Can You Guess What Kind of Puppy This Is?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:30:14 -0500

Free The Hummingbird!

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:27:41 -0500

I noticed this poor little hummingbird in our garage yesterday and he is still there today. I left the garage door open for him but he is confused and can't find the opening. He is flying around the ceiling and although he takes some rest breaks, the little guy has got to be worn out.

It was not easy to take his picture....this fella is fast!

Has anybody got an ideas of how I can help him find his way out?

Look Quick! There's a Glimpse of Blue Sky!

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:41:02 -0500

Like so many of you, here in Birmingham AL were have had more than our fair share of rain in the past few days and it's not over yet! It may be Monday before showers move out and we get a chance to dry out.

With reports of flooding and loss of life, I realize we are getting through all this a lot easier than some folks. This morning we have even had several hours when I haven't seen a raindrop. I took the opportunity to enjoy some time outdoors while I could and was grateful for it. We are still under a flash flood watch in our area with isolated and scattered showers in the forecast for days.

First-Time Homebuyers in Birmingham AL - Don't Miss The $8,000 TAX CREDIT! - Counting Down The Days To The Deadline!

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:54:53 -0500

First-time Homebuyers in Birmingham AL need to close on their home by November 30, 2009 in order to be eligible to receive the $8,000 Tax Credit.

Time is getting short!

If you haven't already gotten started, you need to find that home and negotiate terms that you and the seller agree on. Once you have a contract you will begin the loan process. This won't happen overnight. An average period to close your loan is about 45 days.

Don't forget about the holidays! You don't want to count on being able to close on that last day......what if your closing is delayed? It happens all the time.

Don Rogers' article explains how this could impact your closing, as well as a couple of pretty cool countdown clocks to help you keep up with how much time is left. One counts down the days until the credit expires; the other counts the days until you should have a accepted contract on a home.

Via Don Rogers REALTOR®, GRI O'Fallon MO & St Charles County MO homes (RE/MAX Gold):

So Why The Clock AND Is It The Right Time? Which clock should be used?

I have been using this clock, below, for some time now on my weekly market updates to draw attention to how much time is left until the $8,000 Tax Credit expires.

Countdown Clocks
And to the best of my knowledge, right now, the Tax credit is set to expire at the stroke of midnight on November 30, 2009.

So here is my dilemma…..On Friday I was talking with a friend and managing broker from another company. Yes we can have friends that work in other companies, but I digress. He brings up a very interesting point and one that we need to look at when presenting this topic to our eligible homebuyers. That is:

November 30, 2009 is a Monday

November 29, 2009 is Sunday

November 28, 2009 is Saturday

November 27, 2009 is the day after you guessed it

November 26, 2009 which is a Thursday and a HOLIDAY (THANKSGIVING)

Does anyone see a possible problem here? Or is it just me?

Are we considering the possibilities of potential problems with funding, to where the property has closed by the prescribed time?

Title companies/Attorneys can handle just so many closes in a day even if they have extra closers on hand to handle the rush and where will they come from?

Banks are still going to close at 5pm, maybe 6pm in some areas!

What about getting the wire transfer of funds in time to close before 5pm, maybe 6pm in some areas?

What happens if there is a change to the settlement statement that will affect the APR at the last minute? Remember the RESPA changes that have taken effect just recently.

And the list could go on and on.

So should we be looking at, at the latest unless it is an all cash deal, closing on Friday November 20, 2009? Just so we will have a little bit of a cushion in the event of a problem!

That being the case, if we figure 45 days to close on a home then this is what the clock would look like to have an accepted contract as opposed to the one above.

Countdown Clocks

Just sayin’………………………

Don Rogers is a licensed REALTOR® in Missouri. I specialize in St. Charles County. If you are looking to buy or sell or you are relocating to the area and would like information about the St Charles County MO area do not hesitate to give me a call at 314-954-6775 or if you would prefer to send me an email at Don@DRogersHomes.com.

Happy Birthday Molly!

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:02:01 -0500

Happy Birthday Molly!

I can't believe you have just celebrated your 14th birthday!

We are so proud of all your achievements, you are an excellent student and have been blessed with the gift of dance, but even more special is your kind and gentle heart.

You are beautiful inside and out and we love you so very much!

As your Nana, I got the privelege of staying home with baby Richard while you and your friends enjoyed an evening of bowling to celebrate your birthday. I'm sorry I don't have pictures to post from the party, but by missing the bowling I had a wonderful time with the little guy, who that night was still wearing a cast on his leg but was getting around very well.....finally the little guy is out of his cast!

Happy Birthday Molly!

You are a beautiful girl and your family loves you so very much!

O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:53:13 -0500

I just found this recording of Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium. I was privileged to sing this piece with my church choir of about 30 members and it is one of my favorites. Well, actually I have a lot of favorites now that I think about it, but this one is really special.

This version was performed by UST Alumni Singers under the direction of Allan Diona Sims and is beautifully done with a rather small choir.

Enjoy!

Birmingham AL Foreclosures: Inherent Risks When Buying Foreclosures

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:08:29 -0500

Are you looking for a great deal on a Birmingham AL area home and think you would like to purchase a foreclosure?

It is important to be aware of the risks that you may encounter. Loreena Yeo (Frisco TX) has done a great of job of explaing some things to be aware of in her series about how to get a good deal on a foreclosure. This is Part 3 (Inherent Risks When Buying Foreclosures), but you will also want to click on her links and read Part 1 (Laying Down The Groundwork) and Part 2 (What To Expect When Buying Foreclosures).

Via Loreena Yeo - Broker|Realtor(R) of www.Frisco-TX-Homes.com (214) 783-2210 (3:16 team REALTY):

Frisco TX Foreclosures: So You Wanna Buy A Good Deal?
Learn the Real Scoop When Buying a "Good" Deal

Part 3: Inherent Risks when Buying Foreclosures

Want to buy the best greater Frisco TX deal in town? Chances are high that you may consider a bank-owned property which the Bank seller acquired through the foreclosure process. However, buying a foreclosed home is not a typical real estate purchase. It is advisable to know w hat to expect when buying a foreclosure. Hence, it is reasonable to also expect inherent risks that comes along with the purchase. Please refer to the previous article (Part 2: What to expect when buying a foreclosure) to fully engage with this next topic.

No Utilities - Who Pays for Utilities?

Some foreclosure properties are sold with no utilities in place. With that said, the home inspection could go 2 ways: Buyers can opt to inspect the properties with no utilities - which means many of the key important property conditions become unknown. Hence, not a good option to consider. The other option is that buyers could have utilities turn on in their name. Assuming that coming up with the additional costs for deposit and utility set up are not a problem, there are still risks in turning utilities on in your name. Should anything goes wrong during the utility turn-on during inspection, the home buyer would have already signed in the addendum to assume liability.

Purchasing The Property As-Is

Most home buyers understand that home inspection conducted at the beginning of the process may not be a catch-all of the property condition. In addition, under Texas state law, banks or owners who never resided in the property do not need to fill out a Seller's Disclosure Notice. Banks do not know the property conditions. It is purchasing the property as-is. Furthermore, in the contract addendum, you probably have to waive your rights to take legal action against the Bank Seller.

By the time, these properties acquired through foreclosures and become available for purchase, the properties have been vacant for a while. There are risks to property conditions even after a home inspection (due diligence) is performed on the property. Some property conditions are not known until a homeowner lives in there for several weeks or months.

Limited Special Warranty Deed

The unknown conditions of the purchase go beyond property conditions. It includes chain of title. In all bank sale transactions, special warranty deeds are transferred. The banks only guarantees clear title during their ownership. Should there be problems prior to their ownership, it is not the Seller's problem.

Seller-Advantage Contracts

Most foreclosure sales are written on the Texas TAR 1-4 Single Family Home Resale contract. In addition to that, bank sellers make buyer sign additional contract addendums. This addendum is written in favor of the Seller by the Seller's attorneys. Whenever there is a disparity, the addendum take precedence of which the Bank Seller makes buyer sign too. In the addendum, buyers waive rights to many opportunities available in a regular sale:

Unrestricted right to termination during option period.
When dealing with a bank, there is no such clause. You purchase the property as-is and if there are major repairs that the Seller agree to fix, the Buyers must move forward with the purchase.
Just imagine foundation or structural issues with the property.

Many outs for Sellers but Buyers dont
The contract addendum specifically talks about how the Seller is able to get out of the contract should the sale not go their way. Unfortunately, not the case for the Buyer.

Waive rights to sue Seller for unknown property conditions and specific performance.

Since this sale is so one-sided, why do buyers do it anyways?

Well, for the most part, home buyers feel that the "savings" or rather "instant equity" in the sale outweighs the risks involved. Hence, the biggest lesson learnt here is that The property becomes a "GOOD" deal only at the RIGHT PRICE - when it is padded with allowances that things (inherent risks) may go wrong.

In situations where there are multiple offers on the property and buyers get in the heat of bidding, this is where I think having a good non-emotional third party such as your Realtor(R) to make sure your original objectives of the purchase is still in line.

Part 1: Laying Down the Ground Work
Part 2: What to Expect When Buying Foreclosures

Special Diamond In The Rough: New Foreclosure Properties in greater Frisco TX areas

View some pre-foreclosures/ short sales and banked-owned properties in Frisco, Plano and McKinney:

Related Articles:

When Foreclosures Hurt

The Real Hard Truth about Homeownership

Value Proposition of Your Realtor in Your New Frisco TX Home

Top 10 Buyer's Wish List in Frisco TX Homes

Are You Ready for the Perfect Frisco TX storm?

*********************************************************************************************

All contents are original. Consider subscribing to my blog for more real estate commentaries.

Subscribe via Email if you are not an Active Rain member here.

Contact:

Loreena Yeo
Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY
(214) 783-2210
loreena@loreenayeo.com

Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.

Copyright © 2009 by Loreena Yeo (3:16 team REALTY).
Frisco TX Foreclosures: Inherent Risk When Buying Foreclosures

Please Help Will Luthcke! Research Needed To Find Treatment And Cure For Sanfilippo Syndrome

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:41:03 -0500

Will Luthcke is an adorable six year old and nephew of my friend, Michele Burbank. In 2007 Will was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome - Type A. This is a rare and devastating disease, occurring in 1 of 70,000 births.

Sanfilippo is a genetic metabolism disorder of which there are four types. Type A, which Will has, is the most common and the most severe form of the disease. The body builds connective tissue with long chains of sugar molecules. When no longer needed, these molecules are broken down and disposed of by various enzymes. Children with Sanfilippo are missing or are deficient in one of these enzymes, causing the molecules to be stored in their cells, Sadly, this leads to progressive damage to their little bodies and early death. Children born with Sanfilippo show no signs of illness at birth, but as the disease progresses they lose their ability to speak, walk and eat. Death usually occurs between the ages of 12-20 years.

There is no treatment or cure, but Will's family and friends are trying to raise awareness, promote research and improve the quality of life for all children struggling with this cruel disease. To learn more and find out how you can help, visit The Will Luthcke Foundation.

Yesterday Will and his family, along lots of friends and supporters, gathered at Paradise Point at Lay Lake for the Fishing for Will Bass Tournament. Everyone had a blast and funds were raised to help find a treatment and cure for Sanfilippo syndrome. Hopefully pictures from the event will be posted to the website soon!

Please help spread awareness and find a MIRACLE4WILL!

Should I Have My Birmingham AL Home Appraised Prior To The Listing?

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:21:03 -0500

There are some situations when you might want to consider having your home appraised before you put it on the market. In the Birmingham area an appraisal will cost about $350-$400. How do you decide if this is a worthwhile expense? Audrey June-Forshey makes some excellent points that will help you evaluate whether a pre-appraisal would be a good choice.

Via Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group):

This is one of the most popular questions I get when meeting with sellers when they are preparing to put their homes on the market. The answer is, it depends.

Appraisals cost between $400 to $700 in our area. Most of the time your REALTOR'S® market analysis will provide you with much of the same information as an appraisal.

When an agent comes over to talk to you about selling your home, they will most likely, have a market analysis of the current market conditions in your neighborhood and the nearby surrounding areas.   They will compare what homes, similar to yours, listed for and sold for in your area. An appraiser will potentially use the same information, but will go into more depth about each property.

So, how do you decide whether or not to have an appraisal done prior to listing your home?

If you live in a typical suburban neighborhood where the homes are similar in style and square footage, you probably don't need to have the home appraised prior to listing your home. The information on your REALTOR'S® market analysis should be current and give you a very good idea of the market value of your home. If you are still not sure, maybe you should talk to a couple of different agents and see that they are all in about the same price range, that should give you a good number for your home's value.

My advice to a seller would be that you should have a professional appraisal done prior to listing your home if you have a VERY unique property. Maybe something that is on the historical register or something that was built exclusively for you by an architect and there is not another similar home in the area.   If you fit into one of these categories, I would strongly suggest pre-appraising your home.

If you do decide to have your home appraised prior to listing, hear me when I say that the appraised value is one person's opinion. If you hire 3 appraisers, you will probably get 3 different values.   Just because one person's opinion of value is one number, the market value might be a different story.   What someone is willing to pay for the house is the market value and what your home is ultimately worth. Don't let yourself get hung up on what an appraiser says your home is worth. If it takes time for your home to sell, other homes may come on the market and go to closing which will affect the value of your home.

The other thing that is important for you, a seller with appraisal in hand, to know is the appraisal you have is for your own knowledge.   If a purchaser is placing financing on your home, the purchaser and the purchaser's lender will have their own appraisal.

The bank will most likely use an appraisal from an appraiser that is on the bank's approved appraiser list.   They want to make sure that the buyer is not paying too much and that they are not lending too much money for a property.

Now with all of that said, Appraisals are very controversial these days with all of the new lending laws and guidelines. We have appraisers come from out of local areas doing appraisals and it is making the sales and loan process difficult.   I think it is important for sellers to understand that the buyer's appraiser, in most cases, is going to be the appraisal that will be used for financing.

Ultimately it is up to you, if it you believe your home needs to be appraised before listing, you can do that. Just make sure you listen to your professional REALTOR® to tell you how much your home will sell for!!

Original Post Here

IN MEMORY - Samuel Barber - Adagio For Strings

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:27:01 -0500

I was thinking about this gorgeous piece of music today and wanted to listen to it so I found it on YouTube.

It hadn't occurred to me until I saw the images that today is September 10th and tomorrow will mark eight years since the tragedy took place.

This recording of the BBC Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin was made on September 15th, 2001 to honor those who lost their lives on that terrible day in our nation's history, September 11, 2001.

Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings

Wordless Wednesday......Please Don't Step On This Guy!

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:26:15 -0500

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Any option is better than foreclosure! Do everything that you can before foreclosure occurs and do it as quickly as you possibly can. DO NOT WAIT! Consider a short sale and check with a short sale specialist before foreclosure is the only option remaining for you.

You NEED an experienced Charlotte NC short sale specialist! Contact us today so that we can help YOU.

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IN MEMORY - Samuel Barber - Adagio For Strings

Wordless Wednesday......Please Don't Step On This Guy!

Frisco TX Foreclosures: So You Wanna Buy A Good Deal?
Learn the Real Scoop When Buying a "Good" Deal