It might still technically be winter, but when it comes to the housing market, Spring is here! Spring has historically been the busiest buying season, but as competition for homes heats up across the country, January and February have become the new April.

Inventory is low and there is an increase in the number of potential home buyers, so doing everything you can on the front end to be ready to make a deal, will help you score your dream home! Here are 5 tips to consider if you’re planning to buy this Spring.

First Step: Pre-Approval.
Before you start your house hunting journey, you need to be pre-approved. This is good advice for anytime of year, but especially in the spring when the market is typically more competitive. In a sellers market, bidding wars are common, if you aren’t pre-approved when you make your offer, the seller may not want to wait for you to organize your finances. Start by meeting with a Mortgage professional and make sure you get pre-approved, not just pre-qualified.

Find a Realtor
A Realtor will be able to guide you through the home buying process as smoothly as possible by using their knowledge and experience about the community, and your preferred neighborhoods. They will have insights to houses coming on market that might help you scoop something up before anyone else knows it’s coming. Something that is very important in a competitive market.

Research
Once you have your finances in order and you know what you can afford, start a web search and have your Realtor start pulling listings in the neighborhoods you’re interested in, so that you can see what types of homes are available for your budget.

Be Realistic
Try to keep your expectations in check. It’s very easy to allow emotions to take over when it comes to buying (and selling) a home. Keep in mind that unless you’re building your dream home from the ground up, most homes will need some tweaks to make it exactly what you want. Keep an open mind and look for the potential rather than getting caught up on small things that can be changed.

Sweeten the Deal
When you’re ready to make an offer, try improving it by adding in some benefits for the seller. Be flexible on the closing if it needs to be sped up or slowed down, and don’t sweat the small stuff on the home inspection. Focus on the items that will help or hurt you when it comes the home meeting your lending criteria.

Thank you to our new site sponsors, Sophia Leece and Scott Boudreaux with LAH Real Easte for these great tips. For more information on what’s happening in the Birmingham Housing Market, or to schedule a free home buyer/seller consultation, you can reach them:

Sophia Leece, 205.895.9120 | sleece@lahrealestate.com |
Scott Boudreaux, 205.835.9787 |sboudreaux@lahrealestate.com | Website

So much to clean, so little time! Especially when you’re a busy parent. If you’re not running kids around to all of their activities, they’re probably home messing up faster than you can clean up. With rooms, appliances, and furniture, around-the-home cleaning can be overwhelming. Stanley Steemer is here to show you how some cleaning tasks aren’t as time-consuming as they may seem. Check out these time-saving cleaning hacks to tackle in a cinch!

DIY Window Cleaner
Dirty windows? Have them looking clean and clear by mixing a solution of 1 part water and 1 part white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray. Wipe. Done!

How to Clean a Mattress
While we spend hours sleeping, we never want to spend hours cleaning. Freshen up your mattress by vacuuming and sprinkling baking soda over the top. Let the baking soda sit for 10-15 minutes and then vacuum up!

How to Clean a Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fan cleaning can go over our heads sometimes! Keep it simple by slipping a pillowcase over each fan blade to trap dust while you wipe the surface clean.

How to Clean a Dishwasher
If you want your dishes clean, you have to be sure where they’re washed is clean as well. Start by removing the bottom rack followed by sprinkling baking soda around the bottom. Next, fill a bowl with white vinegar and place it on the top rack. Choose the high-temperature wash and remember to place the bottom rack back in place when done!

How to Clean a Glass Stovetop
Food spills are no stranger to your glass stovetop. First, pour white vinegar onto a clean towel and wipe down the stovetop. Next, sprinkle some baking soda over and leave it there. Now, grab a large towel that’s been soaked in hot water and let it sit over the baking soda covered stovetop for 15 minutes.

Pro Tip: While the soaked towel is sitting, you can knock out another quick cleaning task like loading or unloading the dishwasher or other kitchen hacks that we included!

After 15 minutes, use the towel to scrub the stovetop. For tough spots, use a razor blade to carefully scrape after they’ve been loosened by the scrubbing. Lastly, wipe off the stove with a fresh towel and let dry before using it!

How to Unclog a Sink
Unclogging your sink is easy as 1-2-3! Pour a half cup of baking soda followed by a half cup of white vinegar down the drain. Then, just rinse with hot water to unclog a slow drain.

How to Clean a Microwave
Food is always tougher to clean when it’s dry and caked onto surfaces. Add lemon juice to a bowl of water and heat it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Then, let it sit for 10 minutes. After, easily wipe off food and grime for a clean microwave.

How to Freshen a Disposal
After unclogging your sink, it’s time for freshening up. Simply drop half a frozen lemon into the disposal and grind it up for a fresh scent.

DIY Cleaning Wipes
Out of cleaning wipes and want to save a trip to the store? Try making your own cleaning wipes at home! In a bowl, mix together 1 cup of water, ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol, 2 tablespoons of ammonia, 2 tablespoons of dish soap, followed by 10-20 drops of essential oils. Now, place clean rags into a sealable jar and pour the mixture into the jar! Finally, shake well before each use and get to cleaning!

How to Clean a Washing Machine
Get rid of soap residue trapped in your washing machine with this trick! Just pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the washer and run a hot cycle. Next, scrub inside the washer with more white vinegar and hot water. Don’t forget to clean the detergent compartments. Run another hot wash cycle and you’re all good to go!

How to Reduce Dust and Dirt from Your Home
Constantly dusting? Try these tips for reducing dust and dirt, so you don’t have to dust as frequently!
Place doormats on both sides of entrance doors
Change your furnace’s air filter every 6 months
Clean out your vacuum regularly. You should also check if your vacuum has a washable filter and clean that too
Clean your air ducts to remove pounds of dust, dirt, and allergens that are filtered throughout your home every day

DIY Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
To make a lickity-split cleaner for carpet and upholstery, combine ¼ cup of white vinegar with ¾ cup of water and 1 teaspoon dish soap into an empty spray bottle. Then for messy spots and spills, just blot, spray, blot again, rinse with water, and finally, blot dry!

For messes that go beyond spot treatment, you can always schedule Stanley Steemer for professional carpet and upholstery cleaning. We pre-test for safe practice and have the expertise to apply the proper cleaning method unique to your home.

How to Deodorize a Carpet
For a DIY trick for deodorizing carpet, add 10-20 drops of your favorite pet-safe essential oils to baking soda. Sprinkle over carpet with a spoon and wait 15 minutes. Then, just vacuum up!

For extra care, Stanley Steemer offers both carpet protectant and deodorizer to help keep your carpet fresher and protected from mishaps. Our Super Shield protector prevents soils from “grabbing” the surface of carpet fiber to make it easier to remove. Our Odor Out Plus works to neutralize odors at the source. All this so you can clean easier and worry less!

How to Remove Pet Hair from Furniture
Pet hair is no joke. Use dry rubber gloves to clear away stubborn fur on your furniture, clothing, and bedding!

For all pet messes and accidents, try out our Stanley Steemer Pet Mess Solution Kit that includes our Spot Remover, Odor Out Plus, a white absorbent towel, and a Gonzo Brand Pet Hair Lifter!

Stanley Steemer of North Central Alabama services the greater Birmingham Metro Area and surrounding counties, spanning from Cullman to Clanton and from the Mississippi state line to the Georgia state line.

All Stanley Steemer water restoration specialists have Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the most widely recognized and accepted certification program in the industry. These individuals are highly trained and prepared for any emergency water removal task they encounter. In addition to certification, our technicians attend IICRC-accredited continuing education and training programs throughout the year. We provide the time and money to train our people, and we supply them with the best equipment available.
For more information on their 24/7 Emergency Water Resmoval visit their site

Stanley Steemer provides trained technicians and state-of-the-art equipment you can’t get anywhere else. When flooding occurs, why muddy the waters? Call Stanley Steemer.

Use Code: Mom30 for $30 off any service. (Minimum charges apply)

For 11 years, World Read Aloud Day has called attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud! The global effort is now celebrated in over 173 countries and counting! Here are 20 books, perfect for reading aloud to the whole family!

The Paperboy
Pre-K – 3
In the still before dawn, while the rest of the world is sleeping, a boy and his dog leave the comfort of their warm bed to deliver newspapers. As the boy pedals his bike along a route he knows by heart, his dog runs by his side, both enjoying a world that, before sunrise, belongs only to them.

Big Dreams Collection
Pre-K – 3

Pig the Pug
K

Future Baby: Future Engineer
K

Baby Shark
K

The Wonky Donkey
Children will be in fits of laughter with this perfect read aloud tale of an endearing donkey. By the book’s final page, readers end up with a spunky, hanky panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky tonky, winky wonky donkey!
Pre-K –  K

The Dinky Donkey
K

Baby Faces: Splash!
K

Peppa Pig: Chinese New Year
K-3

It’s Spring!
Pre-K – K

I Am a Big Sister
Early Childhood – Pre-K

Lego City: Wrecking Valentine’s Day
Pre-K – 3

Baby Faces: Eat!
Early Childhood – Pre-K

Are You Ready to Play Outside
Pre-K – 3

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see?
Pre-K – K

The Giving Tree
“Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.” So begins Shel Silverstein’s beloved story about a tree that literally gives her entire self to the person she loves
K-2

Down by the Cool of the Pool
Pre-K – K

Red Pepper, Yellow Squash: A Book of Colors
Early Childhood – Pre-K

The Snowy Day
Pre-K – 3

Perfect
Pre-K – K

Grab your favorite read aloud book, find a buddy, and start celebrating World Read Aloud Day!