How do we achieve balance?

During the beginning of 2018 I moved my real estate license to LAH Real Estate, INC. The transition has taken up most of my time and kept me very busy, but I am excited to start blogging again. Balance is a topic that has been on my mind lately. This word means a lot to me, and I am always trying to achieve it in many aspects of my life.  Trying to juggle kids, real estate, friendships and taking care of myself can at times be overwhelming and seem impossible. Believe me some days are unbalanced and I go to bed at night thinking, “well that was a disaster”. For example, not too long ago I slept through my alarm clock and was woken up by my twin toddlers. Talk about feeling out of control. My kids were already tackling the day before I even woke up. Its very rare that I sleep through my alarm, and the feelings I had that morning are exactly why, LOL. Let’s be honest, days are better when you start them by feeling in control right? Below are tips I have starting implementing to create a more balanced environment and to feel in control of  life;

1)Have YOU time; This is very IMPORTANT. I wake up every day around 5:15/5:30am. Whether I am reading a devotional, working out, packing lunches for mothers day out, drinking coffee, or watching the news, it’s nice to have quiet time. You may not be a morning person and thats ok. Just try to fit that YOU time in somewhere throughout the day and do something you love. You’ll be a happier person and feel more connected to yourself.

2)Go see or talk to a friend- My girlfriends mean the world to me. Life gets busy and I know its hard to see friends all the time. I try to communicate with them often and see them once a week. Having that support system and bond is something you will never be able to replace.

3)Set aside time where you are NOT using Social media/PHONE- So who else thinks social media and the phone can be exhausting? I do. Especially this day and age. Social media can be toxic and the constant negative news does not help. For an hour a day I have started to part ways with my phone/social media. During that hour I am doing an activity with my kids. This alone has made me LESS STRESSED and anxious. Its amazing how refreshing it is for the mind and it is wonderful for my children to see me without the phone :).

4)Travel-This is a hard one. Especially for those of us who have kids.  Go see places and create new memories. You’ve earned it. 

5)Less alcohol and more sleep- I love a glass of red wine. But sometimes, going to bed instead of having that glass is more important. At least, at this stage of life. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I don’t follow my own advice. Every now and then choose sleep. Who doesn’t love to feel rested?

6)Be ACTIVE- Whether you walk, ride a bike or do yoga, taking care of yourself 30 minutes a day is a game changer for your physical and mental health. Sweat out that stress y’all. Also exercise with a buddy if you can. It makes is so much more fun!!

7)Do something for someone else-This is another important one :). Whether it be volunteering for those in need or just doing something for a friend that is going through a hard time, YOU can make a difference. 

There are many more ways to achieve a balanced environment. These are just a few I try to implement each day.  We all live different lives and have different goals, so what works for me may not be exactly what works for you. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes,

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, It’s the life in your years.”

Abraham Lincoln

Thanks for stopping by the blog! 🙂 Stay tuned for more lifestyle and real estate posts. 

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Pre Listing Essentials-How to avoid those inspection headaches and broken contracts……

Last week I sat down with my friend Meredith Jones, owner of Jones Warren Home Inspection. Meredith and I discussed a pre-listing checklist that will help home sellers avoid inspection headaches and broken contracts. Far too often I have seen a contract go south due to home inspections. So, if your thinking about listing your home in the near future be sure to look at the attached checklist and check out these tips below:

When a homeowner gets ready to put their home on the market, they want to make sure it’s as cosmetically appealing as possible. An appealing appearance will get a potential Buyer interested, but it may not be enough to get through the Buyer’s home inspection.

If your home has not had a thorough check-up recently, it may need work in areas that you can’t see or have not checked on a frequent basis. Some Seller’s will have a pre-listing home inspection done to make sure there are few to no surprises on the Buyer’s home inspection. However, if you decide not to have a pre-listing inspection done by a licensed home inspector, below is a list of the top 10 items that home inspectors most frequently cite as problem areas on a home.

Many of the items on the pre-listing checklist can be checked and tested on your own. The two items on the list that you definitely do not want to ignore are the HVAC and roof. These are generally the most expensive items to fix or replace on a home and Buyers will want to know what kind of shape they are in. Having a professional check out the roof and HVAC are wise investments before listing your home and will give potential Buyers peace of mind that they won’t be facing an expensive problem once they purchase your home.

Seller pre-listing checklist copy-2

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Walking in a Winter Wonderland…..

This past Friday, December 8th, 2017, the state of Alabama got a huge taste of a Winter Wonderland. The previous day local weather reporters informed us there would be a “light dusting” of snow. Schools and businesses had delayed openings, and everyone (including myself) seemed to think that by mid-morning day to day activities would resume and we would be lucky to see a snow flurry. Well, we sure got a “light dusting” and WHOLE LOT more. Enough snow to declare a SNOW DAY! While watching the snow fall and sipping my coffee, I quickly realized that my children were lacking snow gear and we needed to find some quickly. For the last 2.5 years, my husband and I have been in survival mode with the twins and snow gear has never crossed our minds. I mean let’s be honest, Alabama is not known for “Winter Wonderland” type weather, and last year it was 70 degrees during the Holiday Season.  With that being said we made a quick trip to Target and grabbed the essentials. Once we acquired the boys’ snow gear we were ready to take on the snow. My husband cooked his delicious taco soup, Christmas music played, and the Stevens’ family snowman was built. It was pure magic! Special memories were made and fun was had by the whole family!

 

 

Anne and Jimbo Graham, family friends/former clients, sent me lovely pictures of their new home during the snow day. The Graham family were long time Vestavia Hills residents looking to downsize and live closer to Highway 280, which provided them easy access to their retreat on Lake Martin. We found them the perfect home in the Cotswolds Subdivision. They immediately fell in love with the fresh/light look and smaller size. I was thrilled to receive these lovely pictures and to know they are so happy in their new home.

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The Snow Day was one to remember. I hope you and your family have a wonderful/blessed Holiday Season.

 

 

 

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Buying or Selling in 2018? Check out these Real Estate tips to help you along the way!

Let’s be honest, Real Estate can be overwhelming right? Of course, it can!  So many times I have gotten this question from clients whether they are buying or selling a home, “How do I begin?”

Not too long ago, my former home was on the market. If you have ever tried to live in a home and sell it at the same time, you know how absolutely stressful that can get. I also had two toddlers running around like maniacs, so that wasn’t exactly the recipe for a home that was ready to show!  As a realtor, I knew in the back of my mind how my home needed to look and what it would take to get an offer. Before our home hit the market, I focused in on these 5 home selling tips that I feel sure will help you too:

  1. Set a staging consultation with a certified home stager. The staging consult provides helpful tips and tricks to get your home show-ready for potential home buyers. Stagers can enhance your current living spaces.
  2. Declutter/CLEAN/Maintenance- Yes, its time to get all the “stuff” off your kitchen counters and other visible areas. Decluttering your home will help to give it an organized and polished look. Hire a professional cleaning crew who can really get your home looking spotless. The goal is to create a space that homebuyers can envision themselves living. Make sure appliances, plumbing, etc. are all in working order. If they are not, homebuyers will notice and begin to ask questions.
  3. Neutral Wall paint- Those bright wall colors have got to go. Neutral wall paint not only photographs and shows better, but it will also help you get TOP dollar for your home and be less distracting.
  4. Curb Appeal- Make sure the exterior of the home looks well-kept and inviting for potential buyers.  Remember, people do tend to judge a book by its cover.
  5. Use a Realtor- Using a professional when selling your home is of great benefit to you. Relying on someone who knows the current market conditions and how to price the home accurately is KEY.

Now, if you are a homebuyer there are many different factors that will go into your final decision. Here are 5 tips to consider if you are in the market to purchase a new home:

  1. Know your WHY- Why are you in the market to buy a new home? Do you need more space? Are you looking to get into a different school system? Are you moving to be in a certain location or neighborhood? Your WHY is what’s driving your home search.
  2. Know your MUST HAVES-  How many bedrooms and baths do you need? Master on the main? Open-kitchen concept? 2-car garage? Laundry room with storage? Large backyard for play or entertaining?
  3. Know your MAX BUDGET- Having a budget will help keep you organized and financially comfortable during your home search.
  4. If you need financing, go ahead and talk to a lender about the pre-approval process and the different loan options available. If you are making an all cash purchase, have proof of funds letter ready to go.
  5. Determine your WANTS vs. NEEDS. Unless you are building a new construction home, there will have to be a COMPROMISE during your home search along the way somewhere.
 These ten tips will not only help you when buying or selling a home, but they will also create a more organized environment and achieve results. Remember, real estate doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be simplified and stress free :).

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Car Seats and Contracts

My name is Angela Stevens. I live in Birmingham, AL with my husband Will and our twins, William and JD (Two years old). Yes, my husband and I are quite busy and have to remind ourselves to breathe. I am thankful to God for my family, friends and my career. I graduated from the University of Alabama in 2010 with a degree in Public Relations and minor in psychology. A few years ago I was given an opportunity to join an incredible real estate brokerage and obtain my real estate license. Real Estate is my passion and I am truly blessed to do what I love everyday. Don’t get me wrong, there are some days where juggling a full time career and motherhood is quite the challenge! But hey, who is judging? 

Car Seats and Contracts is a lifestyle blog focusing on motherhood, the real estate industry and design tips. I will also be spotlighting influential go getters in the real estate and design industry. Stay tuned for future blog posts! #CarSeatsAndContracts 

 

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