February 22, 2012

Let me introduce Lisa Lynn

Posted to Denise Haviland

Born and raised here, Lisa Lynn graduated from Auburn Montgomery with a degree in Marketing. After trying a couple of career paths, her dad wanted to build and develop a subdivision so Lisa decided to get into real estate. Unfortunately, Lisa’s dad passed away after beginning the subdivision, so Lisa and her husband decided to complete her Dad’s dream.

With that as a start, Lisa found that she liked working with people and helping them with their dream of homeownership. “I love the look on their faces when we walk in after seeing several homes and they say, ‘This is it!’ and they light up like a light bulb.” She enjoys walking into a potential seller’s home, helping stage it for buyers, finding a buyer and then helping the seller find a new home.

Lisa married her high school sweetheart, Terry, and has two sons and a new daughter-in-law. When she takes a little time off from her real estate career, Lisa and her family likes to go to the beach, deep sea fishing, and going to the lake (I see a pattern here).

Lisa was awarded the Top Sales Agent award previously and has sold homes in the Tri-County area along with the Gulf Coast. Lisa is an Accredited Buyer Representative and has completed advanced courses including Residential Marketing Master.

To see a selection of her properties click here or to set an appointment concerning selling your home and or buying another!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 21, 2012

Krispy Kreme Changes

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

For years one of my favorite “stops” along the Atlanta Highway is Krispy Kreme. I do not know about you, but my automobile manufacturer put a “Hot Donuts Now” sensor in my dash board. When that sign is flashing, the turn signal on the steering wheel automatically clicks on and away my car goes to the front of the donut shop before I know it! And to think, some people have a car that automatically parks itself….I did not have to pay an extra fee for my Krispy Kreme feature!

Well, that being said, I found out from my commercial broker, LeRoy McEntire, that he just brokered the renewal for that Krispy Kreme little-piece-of-heaven.

“Krispy Kreme was founded in the 1930’s in Winston Salem North Carolina, and I was given the enviable task of renewing their ground lease at the corner of Atlanta Hwy and Eastern Blvd in the free standing building in front of Plaza East.

Many people think renewing leases is a perfunctory process about as complicated as renewing your driver’s license. I maintain in today’s real estate world realistic Landlord’s, Shopping Center owner’s, and savvy business people have one important task these days… RETAIN YOUR TENANTS!

The Krispy Kreme in front of Plaza East has been in that location since the 1960’s. It is a rare opportunity in the retail leasing world to actually participate in history during the course of a deal, but in the course of the year long process of getting this deal done I felt as though I had been a part of the history of development along the Atlanta Highway corridor. In fact, I think it is a bit ironic that last week the city of Montgomery hosted a charrette concerning the Atlanta Highway all the way out to the Eastern Boulevard.”

Did I mention they are adding a drive through—HELLO! So all you folks coming out of Carol Villa, College Grove, Fox Hollow and other areas, remember—It will be a lot easier in the future to get a little bite of heaven from Krispy Kreme!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 20, 2012

Hunting for Hunting Land?

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland, Don Brewer

Looking for that perfect hunting land? What are some good features to consider when going through your search? Well, BANG, here you go….

Consider hunting land that has a water feature of some sort, whether it is a pond, creek or river frontage. Border fencing is of importance along with established food plots for deer and turkey. Also consider the manmade additions, as in gates, fencing, deer stands, lodge etc. These improvements can be added later. Remember, price per acre will be reflective of how hunt-ready the land is. If the land price is low, check to see if it needs to be prepared for hunting (create food plots, work open areas or clear the stream bed, etc.). You may need to weigh the cost to prepare plus the cost of the land against acreage that is already set up for hunting.

Be ready to go over the land so that you know what you are buying. Google has a great feature that shows a satellite view of land that may be of use to you. Of course, if the property is being currently used as hunting land, the owner may be able to give you numbers, size, type of animals that are on the land. The local county extension service or game warden may be of assistance in the research to see if this is the land you are interested. The State of Alabama has multiple resources online to help also.

If the property has a house that could be used for the hunting camp it will need to have a home inspection just to be sure that there are no unforeseen issues. Yes, sometimes the hunt camp house is more along the lines of “roughing it” but you do not need additional expense after the sale. After all the discussion about the land the house on the land seems to be the least important but again needs inspection before purchasing.

Best of all, you should use the services of an agent who is a hunter also. Alfa Realty hunter (for land, houses and game), would love to be of assistance in your search for that hunt camp/home away from home.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 11, 2012

Cash Buyers

Posted to Denise Haviland

Donna Cox, a Realtor with Alfa Realty, recently closed another home sale with a cash buyer. I asked her about some tips she may have for the readers about purchases of this kind…

“Many buyers are electing to buy real estate for cash due to dropping home prices, a large inventory of foreclosed and distressed properties, and poor return on other types of investments. Another reason is because mortgage lenders have tightened credit standards which make the loan process more difficult and time consuming than it has been in the past few years.

Cash buyers can be very attractive to sellers, whether it is an individual, a bank, or mortgage company. This type of buyer usually does not come with contingencies, does not need time to secure traditional financing, and can usually close more quickly.

The only legal requirement for a cash purchase is to have the necessary verifiable money to purchase the property and close. There are still several important things to consider if you are a cash buyer:

  1. Home Inspection – It is a wise decision never to purchase a property without a home inspection.
  2. Appraisal – Since no lender is involved, an appraisal is not required; however, having an independent appraisal done is the way to make sure that the purchase price is reasonable.
  3. Survey – A survey is always recommended for land, but it is also recommended for an unplatted property.
  4. Hazard Insurance – It is always a good idea to have the property insured from the closing date and not put this off.
  5. Flood Zone Determination – A lender will always checks on this and so should a cash buyer.
  6. Termite Inspection – A termite problem can be a major expense. Termites are definitely an issue in the southern part of the country.
  7. Check Previous Water Bills – Check recent water bills to make sure they are not uncharacteristically high. High water bills could signify a leaky or broken pipe.
  8. HOA Dues or Condo Fees -Always ask about pending assessments or an expected increase in dues – also check the foreclosure rate, owner/occupancy rate, and the financial stability of the complex or association.
  9. Owner’s Title Insurance – This is important for the cash buyer especially when buying a foreclosed or distressed property through a short sale.

Do not be insulted if the owner of the house requests written proof of funds at some point during the contract process. This is typical and the seller just wants to be sure that the funds are actually available before taking the house off the market for other potential buyers.”

If you are considering purchasing a home, call 334-324-3175. Donna will be glad to work with you whether you are going to finance the home, looking for owner financing or a cash buyer.

We are here to help!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 10, 2012

Wynlakes Beauty

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Wynlakes is one of the premiere golf course communities in Montgomery, Alabama. Wynlakes was literally “ahead of its time.” Through the vision of Jim Wilson, one of the premiere developers in the South, this beautiful community was established on the then, outskirts of the city of Montgomery. The city has slowly grown toward the subdivision and now has surrounded it with strategically placed shops, grocery stores, and schools. Convenient to I-85, without the noise, you can live in beauty and be 10-25 minutes from the largest employers in the area.

Rambling through the community are multiple lakes with fountains, gorgeous common areas and the golf course and country club. This championship course covers 200 acres throughout the subdivision along with 14 peaceful scenic lakes.

If you are considering a golf course community or just a beautiful place to call home then this is it! With homes ranging up to $795,900, the home at 9717 Bent Brook is wonderfully priced! This 3,316 square foot home priced at $384,900 has elegance and comfort all wrapped in one beautiful package. If you love to cook you can entertain your passion and your guests with the big kitchen and ample gathering room. Call Tia Glenn at 334-462-1563 or for a personal appointment to view this beautiful home.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 07, 2012

Tops in Training

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Alfa Realty has made a serious commitment to providing the most comprehensive training resource available to its Realtors. In today’s complex market the typical agent needs a professional source for top shelf training to enable them to more effectively serve the ever changing needs of their clients in the River Region? Through its affiliation with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Alfa has been able to deliver dozens of video training topics, certifications and a resource library to its team on 90+ agents. These high impact courses are taught by recognized industry experts and available 24/ 7 through this internet site.

As an incentive for its Realtors to aggressively embrace this training tool Alfa Realty is announcing a training contest that will run for six weeks. Every agent will have a chance to win the three day two night vacation weekend to Orange Beach. Each agent will receive an entry into the drawing for every five courses they successfully complete. The winner will be announced at sales meeting on Tuesday, April 10, 2012.

In addition to the online classes, Alfa Realty also offers regular instructor training and guest speakers to address relevant local topics that are of interest to our Realtors.

Last, but not least, is Alfa’s commitment to attract and educate new licensees through its partnership with Fraser Sparkman and the Alabama School of Real Estate. Fraser teaches courses that are required by the Alabama Real Estate commission in order for you to take the test to be able to get a real estate license. He also teaches post licensing and continuing education classes.

Alfa Realty continues to be the leader is real estate education for the Montgomery, Pike Road, Prattville, Millbrook and Wetumpka areas.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 05, 2012

Schralping the Pow

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

The other day I was talking to Alfa Realty agent, Ruth Prendergast. We were talking about real estate (of course) and understanding the average buyer or seller…

“Throughout our lives we learn many languages, and I don’t mean the typical English, Spanish, Italian. I mean the languages of music, trade, math, work, etc. The other day I was watching a movie, and I had no idea what they were talking about because I don’t know the language of horseracing. I also get really confused when my daughter, who lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado talks about “shredding the gnar,” or “schralping the pow.” I’m from Montgomery, Alabama; I don’t know the language of snow. I do, however, know the language of real estate.

One of the reasons it is important to use a Realtor when buying or selling a home is because real estate has a difficult and changing language, and it is critical to have someone working for you who understands and can negotiate it. The burgeoning foreclosure market has brought with it an entirely new vocabulary, which we in the real estate industry have had to learn. At Alfa Realty we make it a priority to stay on top of the nuances and linguistic changes in the language of real estate so that we can more effectively serve the public.”

So, as there is no “pow” to “schralp” this week, it would be a great time to look for the home of your dreams…Call Ruth Prendergast 318-1830 to help you in with your search!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 02, 2012

Don't forget Valentine's Day!

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Here is a little tidbit that has just come in from the City of Montgomery. On Valentine’s Day, if you want to be REAL sweet to your Valentine, take him/her downtown to one of the several dining establishments listed below. These eateries will feature a special Valentine menu, white tablecloth dining, and a complimentary rose…

  • Dreamland
  • Cantina
  • The Alley Bar
  • Saza’s
  • Central @ 129 Coosa
  • The House
  • Olive Room
  • Montgomery Café at the Embassy Suites

So plan to dine OUT of the home and enjoy a night on the town—downtown that is! And, if your sweetie offers to buy you a house while you are at dinner—well—remember you heard it here first! We are here to help! Alfa Realty 334-213-2532.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 01, 2012

Shed a Little Light

Posted to Denise Haviland

So, last night I went home and someone (who shall go nameless) had pulled some solar landscape lighting from the box where we had packed it from the old house. He had taken the four lights and put one in the hanging tomato planter (?), then, placed three within three inches of each other and about five feet from the edge of the patio. Considering that my back yard is about 100 x100, the “cluster” of lights looked like a small iceberg in a sea of black (let’s not even discuss the tomato planter).

Let’s talk about the opportunity of illuminating the casual or not so casual exterior of your home. Given the average temperature of the River Region, you can use outdoor space for a majority of the year. Your patio is like another room of the house. You cook, eat, entertain, and just plain relax there. So why would you not set it up for those wonderful mild evenings that are so prevalent in our area?

Garden Guru says, “When you’re trying to come up with great patio lighting ideas you need to first take into account the size of your patio. How many lights will it actually take for the patio to be lit? Also think about what type of mood you want to set and what you are going to be using your patio for. If you’re planning on having romantic dinners the lighting that you’ll want to install will be much different than if you were planning on reading or setting up an outdoor bar. If you are planning on installing a bar, the outdoor bar guide is a great resource for setup and lighting options. Once you’ve decided what level and color of light that you want, you can move on to installing the light fixtures.” They go on to discuss the different types of patio lighting fixtures for your home which include torches, embedded lighting, mounted lights and post lights(my personal fav), wall lights and holiday lighting.

In my personal search for the covered patio lighting of my home, I found a really cool battery operated (yep battery operated!) chandelier for the patio. Prices for the different sizes that I found ranged from $25.00 up to $90.00. These means no additional wiring etc. and you can make it more formal on a whim!

There is yet another lighting opportunity for the exterior of your home. I recently stumbled on lighted planters. This is not the typical form of lighting but for houses with formal gardens and large spaces you may consider the planters as another source of light for your entertaining. I found these at Certified Lighting and thought I would share.

If you are considering putting your house on the market don’t forget to accent this area so that people do think of it as extension of your home! Check out this home for sale at 8306 Chadburn Way, listed by Lisa Lynn with Alfa Realty. It has a great covered patio for entertaining!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 30, 2012

Cloverdale Playhouse

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Let’s take a look around and see what is out there to do (and what it is near!)

February 2nd-February 12th The Cloverdale Playhouse -The Gin Game

This is a great play for the small stage. It is completely entertaining with lots of humor and insight.

The Cloverdale Playhouse is located at the corner of Cloverdale Road and E. Fairview Avenue. The actual address for you GPS’ers is 960 Cloverdale Road. Click here for ticket information.

The Cloverdale Play house is situated deep in the heart of the Historic Cloverdale District. It is less than a block from several wonderful restaurants. El Rays, Sinclair’s and Jubilee (great seafood!) are just a few of the restaurants you could dine at before the show.

Want to live where you are close to this neat entertainment area? The surrounding area has many opportunities to purchase a home. Houses for sale for investment start at $29,000 and go up to the luxurious home for sale listed at $865,000( a 4800 square foot beauty built in 1865.

Call Alfa Realty for you appointment to check out these great houses!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 28, 2012

Pet Supermarket at Perryhill Place

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

I recently ventured over to Pet Supermarket to find a ball that my Australian Shepard couldn’t bite a hole in (I am a dreamer). It is a great store with lots of accessories for our canine, feline, avian, etc. friends. This prompted me to talk to LeRoy McEntire, a commercial broker with Alfa Realty who recently leased this space…

“Have you ever noticed no matter how bad the economy or how tough times might be we always take care of our PETS!

Just prior to Christmas, Pet Supermarket opened up at Perryhill Place Shopping Center at the corner of Perryhill and Carmichael Road.

The interesting thing is PET SUPERMARKET doesn’t sell dogs and cats. In fact, most pet stores these days don’t sell pets… they sell pet accessories. The discretionary income spent on our pets is interesting to me. Frankly, I would consider this expenditure a little on the ridiculous side until I reflect on my own situation. My family currently “houses” four cats (only one was purchase all others are rescue felines), one snake, one lizard, and five horses.

At one time we had four dogs, but slowly and sadly all of our old dogs have passed away and I thought thankfully we were out of the dog business. After all, we do have two kids out of the house and we are down to one.

My college student daughter bought “herself” a puppy over the summer. I pointed out I didn’t think college dorms allowed puppies. I was curious why she was calling this animal her dog? Two of our cats arrived being rescued by the same daughter, and I don’t even LIKE cats! I have one mammoth gray tabby from Lake Martin, and another fat calico from college. Now don’t get me wrong I like animals, but WC FIELDS used to say anybody who hates dogs and children is not all bad, and I tend to think WC wasn’t half wrong.

Let me take a brief aside here… do you know the term PUPPY DOG SALE? I have been taught through the years various sales techniques. The assumptive sale, the close on a negative sale, the hand on the door knob sale… but the strongest sale may be the PUPPY DOG SALE. Imagine a puppy dog salesman convinces a family to take a puppy home for the “weekend for a trail run.” He knows that the kids will forget about the cute little creature by Sunday… but the parent will have fallen in love… Here comes WILLIE.

Sure enough I was less then excited when my daughter said she had rescued a pound puppy in Nashville and was bring the dog home… but it was her dog she had even named the puppy RUFUS (a fine name except my only living Uncle has the same name and he likes it himself. Beside imagine calling out RRROOOOFUUSS in the neighborhood).

No, this black and brown prize with a ridiculous curled up tail is a WILLIE. The puppy dog sale worked to perfection. My wife fell completely in love with the dog even though we need another animal like we need tooth decay….and that gets us back to PETSUPER MARKET… Willie’s special puppy food, Willie’s various chew toys (including most of our furniture), Willie’s bed, Willie’s personalized collar… Yep we are living proof that Montgomery NEEDS pet stores!"

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 27, 2012

Teachers of the Year

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Two Montgomery teachers have been announced as receiving an award for Montgomery Public School’s Teachers of the Year. MPS Superintendent Barbara Thompson announced that Quebe Bradford (Jefferson Davis High School) and Clark Waggoner(Vaughn Road Elementary) were the recipients for this award. These two teachers will go on to represent our district in the 2012 Alabama Teacher of the Year Program.

In talking about these recipients, Superintendent Thompson said, “It takes a special person to be a good teacher and I believe we have a number of talented teachers in our district.” She went on to say, "Mr. Waggoner and Ms. Bradford have demonstrated a unique capacity to bring out the best in their students. They excel at motivating and inspiring students even when barriers to achievement exist. They are committed to professional development because they want to be the best for their students, and serve as a model for their peers. I couldn’t be happier for our nominees. I know they will represent us well.”

Jefferson Davis High School (Go Volunteers!) is located on Carter Hill Road and is bordered by the subdivisions of McGhee Estates, Brentwood, and Gay Meadows. Vaughn Road Elementary is located on Vaughn Road and is bordered by Heatherton Heights, Green Acres, Young Farm, and Young Place.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 24, 2012

Let me introduce Becky Breeding

Posted to Denise Haviland

Integrity is a word that describes veteran realtor Becky Breeding! 15 years of practicing real estate in the Tri-County area have earned Becky the trust and respect of her clients.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Becky attended Western Kentucky University where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She and her husband, Joe, have lived throughout the southeast USA. They also spent three years in Manchester, England on a corporate assignment with her husband’s company, Neptune Technologies Group. This assignment afforded Becky the opportunity to travel the United Kingdom and Europe. Working with people from different parts of the world is one of her greatest pleasures! Becky is the proud mother of two grown daughters, Susan and Lauren. Susan and her husband, Josh, are the parents of Becky’s two granddaughters, Kyla, 6, and Meira, 3.

Becky is a member of Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, and is active in RG3, Realtors Giving God the Glory, a Bible Study for women realtors that meets bi-monthly. She is also active in the city-wide Women’s Prison Ministry. Becky and her husband began serving on the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team immediately after the Twin Towers were attacked. They spent a week in New York City coordinating the cleaning of apartments that surrounded Ground Zero, and they have been faithfully serving at disaster sites ever since. She has also participated in two church-building trips to Brazil, the most recent one with her daughter, Lauren.

Becky has served as a member of the Grievance Committee and the Professional Standards Committee of the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors. She is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI), Certified Destination Services Specialist, Certified Marketing Assistance Specialist, and is E-Certified.”

For a realtor with the experience and integrity you want, call Becky Breeding. Click here for a list of Becky’s listings and contact information.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 19, 2012

Marco's Pizza

Posted to Denise Haviland

Well, here we grow again! Marco’s Pizza has opened its second location in Montgomery!

Marco’s first pizza location was opened at Sturbridge Village at the corner of Vaughn Road and Taylor. Jay Love, the owner, is somewhat of a renaissance man having previously owned and operated a chain of Subway Sandwich stores in Montgomery. Given his experience in the restaurant business in the area, it is natural that his first location would take advantage of the busy east Montgomery Sturbridge location.

Sturbridge offers the pickup pizza business from the homes in Sturbridge, Wynlakes, Deer Creek, New Park, and Breckinridge to name a few (not to mention the apartments surrounding the area). In addition to the residential business he receives by locating his first store in east Montgomery at Sturbridge Village, Jay has located his pizza operation in the closest shopping center location to the brand new high school that is under development on the interconnector road between Vaughn and Taylor Roads.

Having “tied down a location in the east” it was natural that Mr. Love would then turn his attention to a location between Montgomery Academy and Trinity, just off the Interstate, at the major north south connector of Perryhill Road at Perryhill Shopping Center. Jay indicated that the Perryhill location has included a lunch buffet station-- so you can stop by on your lunch hour and have plenty of time to enjoy!

If you purchased this cute patio home just around the corner you could have pizza in five minutes!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 18, 2012

For Sale by Owner

Posted to Denise Haviland

Have you ever thought of selling your house FSBO (for sale by owner)? Of course as real estate agents, we like to think that we have all the information (we do have the majority of the listing and selling comparable house data) and can do the best job for you(we are trained in it and licensed). But, I learned a long time ago the best way to explain it is to ask one question, "Would you pick up a hitchhiker?" When someone tries to sell their house by themselves, they never know who they will be letting into the house. Realtors talk to their buyers, spend time with them, and usually find out if they are prequalified or at least headed to the lender.

Would you pick up a hitchhiker?

Posted by:  Denise Haviland