Bekah's Blog

Amazing Foreclosure Deals in Turnberry Ridge, a New Gardendale Community

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:28:12 -0500

Amazing Foreclosure Deals in Turnberry Ridge, a New Gardendale Community - The Northern Birmingham area is seeing an influx of lower prices in the new construction community. Recent activity in a new subdivision called Turnberry Ridge has sparked interest of buyers and investors alike.

Turnberry Ridge is a relatively new community with large family homes built with old world detail such as arches and dark colors. The best thing about this neighborhood is the close proximity to the Morris Exit on I-65 and Highway 31/Decatur Hwy.

Prices of new construction begin at 274,900 and go up to $329,900. Foreclosures however have recently popped up for sale in this family community and have brought some amazing deals to the Gardendale, AL area.

This short sale at 7452 Turnberry Dr, for example, is currently listed for $229,900. With 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms and a basement already stubbed for another bathroom, this home is as enormous as the money you would save!

Two more foreclosed homes in just came on the market this week! Priced at $284,900 and $294,900, these homes are more affordable than ever! To see more information on these homes, see the bottom of this blog.

Northern Area homebuilders such as Riverwood Construction are changing their business plans to compete with the new prices in the local market. Riverwood is offering new, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathroom family homes for as low as $219,900. Riverwood's David Null explains that they are able to cut their costs so deeply by eliminating waste and managing contractors better.

Because of the builders in this area who have had to work through this market and change their marketing plans to match the consumer's needs, our market is recovering very nicely and is expected to continue to climb in sales through the end of the year.

7448 Turnberry Dr.

FORECLOSURE

$294,900

4 BD/3 ½ Bath

New Construction

7471 Turnberry Dr.

FORECLOSURE

$284,900

3 BD/2 ½ Bath

New Construction

7452 Turnberry Dr.

SHORT SALE

$229,900

4 BD/3 ½ Bath

Resale

For more information on these or any other listings in Turnberry Ridge and surrounding subdivisions, please visit my website, www.BekahSells.com and click on Home Search

This blog has been provided to you by Bekah Casaday. A Northern Area Realtor who specializes in service! To find out about exceptional service, go to BekahSells.com.

Is Buying a Home Like a Foreign Language to You?

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:01:18 -0600

Buying your first home can be a intimidating experience! The good news is Realtors make the hassle disappear at NO cost to you! That is because, traditionally, the seller pays one commission that is split between both the listing agent and the selling agent, leaving the buyer to benefit from the services of an representative without having to come out of pocket for the experience! Below are a few pointers to help you through the entire process of buying a home!

Loan Approval: Before you go look at houses, you need to get a loan approval from a reputable loan company. If you do not know a loan officer in the area, call or email me and I will give you some that I have worked with and trust. To get approved you will need to have your credit score pulled and your job information ready. Your loan officer will tell you everything you will need to bring when you meet.

After you find a payment that you are comfortable with, you will need to call me and we will begin looking for the perfect home. First, we will sit down and discuss how I can represent you in every transaction and what you need and want in your new home.

I will compile a list of everything it takes to make up your home and then we will begin looking for homes. Because I only show you the homes that meet your highest criteria, it usually will take a week to narrow the search down to one.

When you find the perfect home, we will need to write up an offer on it. Before we do that though I will look at the recent home sales in the area to come up with the market value of the home. After doing this, together we can come up with a perfect starting price for an offer. When we meet, you will need to bring your checkbook for earnest money.

Earnest money is not a down payment in any way. It is actually credited back to you at closing. You come up with an amount that you think the sellers will be comfortable with and write a check to the listing brokerage. This means that when the sellers accept your offer, the listing brokerage will deposit your money into a 'escrow account' where it is not touched until your closing. To put it loosely, earnest money is insurance to the seller that you are going to buy their home and you are not going to back out after coming to an agreement.

After writing up an offer the negotiation begins. This is one of the reasons you have picked me as your representative. I have excellent negotiation skills and will make sure you get the most for your money without losing your dream home.

Once you and the seller come to an agreement and you have a contract on the home, it is time for you to order a home inspection. A home inspector is the only professional that is totally separate from closing. You will pay him when he comes out to look at the house. The reason for this is that if he is not connected to the closing, he has no interest in whether it closes or not, so he can tell you the complete truth about the home's condition without fear of not getting paid. This is wonderful for you because you will know what the issues are in the home and what you will want to fix. A typical home inspector in my area costs around $250. If you want to get in touch with one, call me and I will give you some professionals that I know and have done business with in the past.

Once the home inspection is over, you will want to go to a reputable home owner's insurance agency and get a quote on homeowners insurance. Don't worry! It has already been included in your monthly payment by your loan officer!

I will be taking care of everything for you from this point until closing! This is one of the reasons you will want to pick me to represent you through worry-free closings! I will guide you every step of the way!

When Closing Day is here, you will want to get your signature hand ready! Buyers typically have more paperwork to sign than sellers because you have to sign the mortgage documents! Don't worry! If you pick me to represent you, I would have already told you what to be ready for!

Now you have your key and you are a proud new homeowner!! Congratulations!

To apply for my services as your representative through the home buying process, just fill out the form below or give me a call! I would be happy to help!

Friday Five: Fantabulous Deals in Gardendale!

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:06:45 -0600

The word 'foreclosure' doesn't always mean a good deal. The definition of a good deal is a home that you love selling super low price that you love even more! Deals come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes sell quickly. Other times, there are deals that are waiting for that unique buyer to see their value. Below are five of the greatest deals in Gardendale!

220 Iris Drive

$99,900

How hard is it to find a 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath home with a main level garage in the middle of Gardendale? Well, right now, that is not a tall order! It even has a back deck and a fireplace! Not in bad condition, either! The seller of this home is even throwing in a home warranty! Great looking house for a great looking price!

2744 North Road

$128,900

A large family home with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms plus a greatroom with a fireplace! A balcony overlooks a formal dining room. And that's not all! An inground pool, a two car garage, a fenced in yard, a large country porch. This is a foreclosure and needs to be cleaned and checked out, but for this price, why not?

424 Payne Road

$134,900

Built in 2007, this home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Located near the center of town, but at the end of a road secluded in privacy. Hardwood floors, double pane vinyl windows, brick foundation and a back deck are some of the many extras added to this house. Why is it so cheap? Don't complain! Just act!

1309 Perry Court

$174,900

Located in the heart of Gardendale, this home has NEVER BEEN LIVED IN! Brand, spankin' new! Hardwood floors, open floor plan, fireplace in the family room. Formal dining room and breakfast nook. A bonus room upstairs!! Everything is updated and new! This home has 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths! Why has it not sold, yet?!

668 Wisteria Way

$284,900

Want a mansion for next to nothing? You got it! A custom built home in a sought after subdivision. All the architectural extras such as marble floors, soaring ceilings, archways, columns. This home was originally listed for $354,900! Full basement with a two car garage! 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms! What a deal!

All of these homes are smashing great deals! If you are interested in any of these or another home not shown, call me up! I know a deal when I see one and I can help you find the perfect home for you!

Open House in The Highlands!

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:15:43 -0600

1209 Highland Pkwy

A four bedroom, three and one half bath wonder! Full brick with a fenced in backyard perfect for weekend football practice! The XXL master bedroom is hidden on the main level! You will catch your breath when you see how high the ceilings are in the master bathroom! Upstairs has three bedrooms and two full bathrooms not to mention countless storage space! A family room is at the center of this home. Great for entertaining! The formal living and dining rooms give this home the perfect finishing touch! At $274,900, you will never want to leave!

Beautiful family room in a large family room that is open to the kitchen, outside and upstairs!

Single pane window brings natural light into the large master bathroom on the main level!

Open kitchen with a island and a breakfast area looking into the family room! Great for entertaining and family dinners!

Office nook off of breakfast area for taking care of business!

Plenty of granite counter space in kitchen for an avid cook's pleasure!

Never grow out of your home again! Store your happy extras in TWO attic spaces!

Breakfast area overlooks large backyard to watch the dew fall over a hot cup of coffee!

Tired of spending so much time inside? Relax on the open deck!

Watch the kids play in the large fenced in yard as you lounge in the shade!

A perfect family home!

Open House this Sunday!

2-4 PM

Random Sightings from Real Estate Travels

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:14:56 -0600

This is one of those pictures that reminds of a "You Know Your From Alabama When.." list!

I just happened to drive by at the perfect time to see this! Yes, that is a large water cooler hanging from a tree branch by a chain with a very happy little boy swinging in it! And yes, that is his little brother standing beneath begging for a trip to the emergency room!

Game On! Beating Foreclosures at Their Own Game!

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:56:04 -0600

With all the foreclosed homes sitting around in this market, how can you get a fair market home sold?! I'll tell you how! Beat those puppies at their own game! That's right! If foreclosure companies think they can undercut, undermine and get your buyer, don't give them the chance! Here is how to compete with a foreclosure:

Price It Right! Every foreclosure company tries to sell at the market value for the neighborhood because they, like you, want the most money they can get for the property. Pricing it right doesn't mean you have to give your house away! It just means that you need to go take a look at your competition. Size 'em up! Make sure your price reflects the changing market around you. If you don't price your home right to begin with, none of the other tips will help you.

Make It Look Goood! Staging your home is a great strategy in battling it out for the buyer. Now, you know that a foreclosure company could care less that the carpet in that house smells like six month old eggs! This is your great advantage over foreclosures and will be your ticket to a sold house! Get your home staged! De-clutter! Get the carpets cleaned! Paint! Do everything you can to make your home practically sing welcome home to the buyers! You will be surprised at how many will actually pass up that cheap house next door for yours!

Be Easy to Get Along With! Foreclosure companies have a very bad reputation for being hard to work with. They will not do repairs. Most won't pay more than half closing. They want to pick the closing attorney and to order the title insurance. And they want to take their time to close! Take this and run with it! Do repairs ahead of time! Offer a home warranty! Be willing to close quickly! Buyers who have had a bad experience with foreclosures will see your home as the light at the end of their tunnel!

Go Over and Beyond! It's not that foreclosure companies do not care about their listings. They do! But the fact is they have many more houses to sell than you do and they just don't have time to give special attention to one. Use this to your advantage! Make sure and add all the pictures you can to the MLS and on-line! Have an agent's open house! Ask a loan officer to come and assess your home to see what kind of loan it may qualify for! Sometimes loan officers can advertise your home as qualifying for a special loan which will have buyers interested in your home in no time!

Foreclosures are all around us! I've listed them and sold them. Regardless of their reputation, they aren't out to bring market values down. They are out to get the most money in the least amount of time.. wait.. that's what we want, too! You've got to get competitive and beat them at their own game! Go get 'em! Game ON!

Networking at The Main Event!

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:12:10 -0600

Tonight was the night! The BAR hosted it's annual Main Event at the Zamora Temple and had a great turnout! It was a great way to network!

B&A Warehouse Caterers provided the delicious blend of food! From barbecue to some kind of chinese noodles (?) to good ol' southern grits! And with a flowing bar, what else do you need?!

Best dance watching in town (Better than actual dancing by far)! We got a good laugh and had a great time!

Looking forward to seeing everyone next year!

Investment Property in Jefferson County, Anyone?

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:31:26 -0600

I have a client who is interested in buying a gas station in the Northern Jefferson County. Does anyone have something like that in mind that may come or already be on the market? Please let me know!

Shrimp Tastes Better at Open Houses!

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:40:41 -0600

To celebrate the opening of our new, much larger office in Gardendale, we had an open house yesterday! The Chamber of Commerce was there to 'cut the ribbon'. The shrimp was fabulous and so were the people! We had a great time and I am sure everyone left with a full tummy and excitement about where ERA is going in Northern Jefferson County! Here are more pictures!

Ribbon Cutting and Open House

The Trials and Tribulations of . . . . Updating Sellers?

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:40:40 -0600

If there is one thing I absolutely hate about my job is updating my sellers! Why? Except for the large amount of time spent on it (usually a full day out of every week), there is nothing else that is so nasty about it! I procrastinate until the end of the week when I do not have another second to waste to update them. My sellers are used to getting emails sent at 12 and 1 AM.

On one token, I do spend alot of time gathering information for them so that they know exactly what is going on. But on the other token, it takes so long to do this that I usually end up finding something else to do (like...blog about it) and leave that for tomorrow.

I know that the number one complaint from sellers about previous agents is the fact that they weren't updated and they didn't know what was going on, but how much time am I willing to give to update them? I know there must be an easier way than this!

Does anyone else face similar problems? If so, how do you cut down on the time spent and make it easier all around? Furthermore, how to you tell an anxious seller that their home is not the 'flavor of the month' this go around?

Being Young in the Business World

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:44:40 -0600

Wow, I had no idea how hard it would be go break through the notion that just because I'm young, I've got to be inexperienced. I dread the questions at listing appointments from, "Now, How old are you?" to "How long have you been in the business?".

I have had my license since June of 2006 and I sell more real estate than some of the older professionals in my office. My goal is to be in the top 30 under 30. But, sometimes, it is all in the 'look'.

I was wondering what other agents have found hold them back from getting listings? Whether it be your car or your age or even you style, comment and let me know. Sometimes, that first impression just can't be broken!

Irie! It takes Passion!

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:54:29 -0500

Two years ago, on our honeymoon, my husband and I travelled to Jamaica. It was beautiful! The people there were so friendly and fun! The airport was about an hour and a half away from where we were staying so we traveled by bus to our resort. Some of the people on the side of the road were riding bicycles while others walked or drove along side us.

When we got there, we were able to go to a outdoor market. How exciting!! The shop owners were so passionate! They told me not to go next door because thier products were better. To come back and look at what they had to sell! I knew they loved going there every day and selling thier supplies! Only because they were so passionate about it!

I love selling homes! I've got a passion for this business and I know I can sell your home too! Don't go to that other real estate agent! Use a Realtor that KNOWS her market and has a passion for your business!

Call Bekah!

Beginnings

Bekah Casaday (ERA Oxford Realty) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:45:42 -0500

Hi! My name is Bekah! There is a beginning to everything and I guess here it is! I work all day, every day on anything that has to do with houses! And I mean anything!

I have a listing right now in Adamsville that is too cute to pass up! It's a perfect starter home, but it could be a family home also! I say that because it has this huge back yard begging for kids to play on it! It's even got this cute playhouse! The owners recently painted the entire inside and it looks fabulous! I cannot wait to sell this one to someone to really deserves it! And it's only $84,500! I have more pictures of it on my website, www.BekahSells.com, just search for Karen Lane.