WoW!!! This AwEsOmE one level home features 3br's/1ba, a living/dining room combo, a large eat in kitchen, and a DeN! You will also find a large fenced back yard along with a double deck. There is also a detached garage in the back! Don't miss out on this AwEsOmE deal!!!!

This could be a great rental home or make it your own with such a convenient location. Nice, fenced back yard with a deck. 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms plus a basement den that could be used as another bedroom. Great screened front porch takes you back to the old days when neighbors would greet each other on the front porch. Hardwood floors in the Living Room. Large Dining room and a good sized kitchen with separate laundry/mud room. Possible short sale makes this one a good deal!

Fabulous 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, corner-unit townhouse located in the River Walk townhome community. The floor plan is one of the largest and most popular floor plans in River Walk. This well appointed 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath home features 9 foot ceilings and hardwoods in the downstairs, entertaining kitchen, big master bedroom, tons of windows, wooden blinds throughout, gorgeous tray ceiling in dining room and master bedroom, crown molding, privacy fence, fantastic wood burning fireplace, gigantic master closet and a jetted tub in the master bath. Tons of storage space in this home! This home is sparkling clean and had new carpet installed in January 2010. Welcome Home!

Peaceful, Relaxing, Quiet, Gated Community to build your dream home in.

Peaceful, Relaxing, Quiet, Gated Community to build your dream home in.

Peaceful, Relaxing, Quiet, Gated Community to build your dream home in.

Peaceful, Relaxing, Quiet, Gated Community to build your dream home in.

Peaceful, Relaxing, Quiet, Gated Community to build your dream home in.

Peaceful, Relaxing, Quiet, Gated Community to build your dream home in.

We have explained to our clients, for a while now, that the fundmentals of home sales in Birmingham is relatively strong. Prices of non-distressed homes have remained pretty steady while distressed properties continue to drive the average selling price lower.

See the article here.

If you have already closed on your home in 2009, you have two options to claim the credit and to get that $8000. You can file an Amended Return for your 2008 tax filing or you may claim the credit on your 2009 tax filing that will be due by April 15, 2010. If you are claiming the tax credit via an Amended 2008 tax return, you will file the normal amended return documents along with IRS FORM 5405. 

A few points for owners of first time purchasers of  Birmingham Real Estate to remember about this tax credit. 

1. You must close on your home on or before November 30, 2009. (Hurry!)

2. You must live in the home for three years or you will have to repay some of the credit.

If you want to see an awesome summary of the program from the IRS visit here.

But to be technical, here's a more official definition:

• A homeowner is 'short' when the amount owed on his/her property is higher than current market value.
• A short sale occurs when a negotiation is entered into with the homeowner's mortgage company (or companies) to accept less than the full balance of the loan at closing. A buyer closes on the property, and the property is then 'sold short' of the total value of the mortgage.

For Birmingham homeowners to qualify for a short sale, they must fall into any or all of the following circumstances:

• Financial Hardship – There is a situation causing you to have trouble affording your mortgage.
• Monthly Income Shortfall – In other words: "You have more month than money." A lender will want to see that you cannot afford, or soon will not be able to afford your mortgage.
• Insolvency – The lender will want to see that you do not have significant liquid assets that would allow you to pay down your mortgage.

This seems simple enough, but it is a complicated process that takes the expertise of experienced professionals. I hold the CDPE® Designation and am ready to identify all possible options and, when possible, assist in the quick execution of a short sale transaction.

If you have questions or feel you may qualify for a short sale, please contact The Mega Agent Real Estate Team and Collier Swecker for a free Hassle-Free consultation.

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates go up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life. It's important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial "comfort zone." To that end, it may be more important to lock in today's relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today's market.