Archive for November, 2011

Expand Your Thomasville Home With an Outdoor Room!

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Feeling a bit cramped in your Thomasville home, but not sure you’re prepared to add on? Consider adding an outdoor room. Depending on your site, you may want an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor sleeping space, an outdoor dining area or just an outdoor gathering space. Here are some things to consider.

● Take an inventory of your outdoor space. Spend time observing where the best views are, how the sun travels through the yard in each season, where hot/cold spots are, where you might need more shade or a windbreak, and of course where doors to your Thomasville home are located.

● Cover the deck.  If you already have a deck, consider putting some kind of roof over it. Many people find they don’t use their outdoor deck because it’s just too hot and sunny there. Turn it into a porch with ceiling fans, and you may enjoy it more.

● Screen in that porch. If you have a porch on your Thomasville home but don’t use it at night because of bugs, why not turn it into a screened-in porch? You may even want to sleep out there.

● Turn the porch into a sunroom. Have your cake and eat it too. This way you have a sunroom in the winter; and, when you open the windows, it becomes a screened-in porch for the summer.

● Build a pavilion or gazebo. These are a charming, romantic option, which come in many different styles. They provide a roof overhead to protect from rain or sun, a floor underfoot, and no walls, for a view in every direction. Add drapes or shades on some sides, if you want privacy or to block a view.

If you’re looking for a Thomasville home with potential for an outdoor room, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com.

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Thomasville Christmas Parade Rolls through Downtown Tonight!

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Thomasville Georgia will welcome in the Holiday Season this evening with the annual Christmas Parade featuring Santa Clause!  The parade begins at 6:30 pm and will march through downtown Thomasville on Broad street!   The parade features floats, marching bands, and other walking groups!  It’s always a great way to kick off the holiday and we look forward to seeing you tonight in Downtown Thomasville!

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Make Your Thomasville Home More Inviting with Feng Shui

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of designing space so that energy flows through it in a harmonious way. While it may sound exotic and foreign, the principles of feng shui are based on making people feel secure and comfortable in their surroundings. If you want to try to implement some of the tools of feng shui in your Thomasville home, here are some first steps to take.

● De-clutter. This is the first and most important thing to do. Think of energy in terms of new opportunities, helpful people, prosperity, happiness, health and movement. If your Thomasville home is cluttered with stuff, it has a restricting effect, both physically and mentally, on those who live there and on those who visit.

● Eliminate ‘shars.’ Shars are considered ‘poison arrows,’ created by straight lines and sharp angles. For example, if your Thomasville home sits at the end of a T-junction, with a road pointing straight at it, this is considered unfortunate. Think about it:  Any car coming down the road could come crashing into your home! While this is unlikely, it affects you on a subconscious level, making you feel vulnerable. A feng shui remedy would be to plant a hedge or build a fence across the front of the house, to hide the view of the road and remove the subconscious threat. Another type of shar is created by furniture with sharp corners; have you ever bruised yourself on a sharp corner, while dodging clutter? If so, you can see how feng shui could make your home and your life more harmonious.

● Pay attention to your front door. Is it easy to find? Is it clean and freshly painted? Is it easy to open? Is there an open pathway leading up to it? If not, these are some things you can address to make your entrance more inviting.

● Look at pictures of your Thomasville home, inside and out. We become so accustomed to our own home we can’t see it as a newcomer would. It’s surprising the things that stand out in a photograph of something we look at every day.

● Get a book on feng shui. If you like the sound of these ideas, you should look into it further. This is only a rudimentary glimpse of an ancient philosophy.

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Get Fired Up with Quick Fixes that Will Pay Off for Your Thomasville Home

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

With people gathering for fall tailgating parties and football, it’s time to spruce up your Thomasville home. Almost every house could use some remodeling here and there, but if you’re thinking about putting your house on the market in the near future, you’ll also need to consider investing in updates that will provide a return.

So, before you fire up your grill, below are a few quick repairs to spark motivation, kindle a good investment and put fire behind a speedy sale of your Thomasville home.

● Flooring.  Consider refinishing hardwood floors, if they haven’t been done in a while; it’s worth the investment. Carpet should be in great shape. If not, replace it with a new neutral color. Also, make sure there aren’t any noticeable cracks in tile floors.

● Kitchens. Consider updating your countertops. Granite is great, but most markets still appreciate nice laminate. You can refinish cabinets with paint or stain, if they’re looking old and tired. If nothing else, a few dollars worth of drawer pulls will go a long way to sprucing up the look of your kitchen. Finally, consider replacing a worn-out faucet — it’s easy, and most home owners can probably do it themselves.

● Paint and wallpaper. Remove your wallpaper. Even buyers that like wallpaper will hate yours — it’s just a fact of life. Also, make sure every room looks freshly painted. Most buyers want a finished house, not a bunch of projects.

● Roof. Consider replacing your roof, if it needs it. You’ll get most of your money back, and your house will sell a lot faster. Buyers will likely move on from properties needing large repairs.

● Exterior. Patch cracks in the cement, plant flowers and replace dated door hardware. These are all inexpensive fixes that will pay off with a quick sale for more money.

If you’d like a professional opinion on which updates you should make for the best return on your Thomasville home, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com.

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Thomasville Home Buyers: 3 Mistakes First-Time Buyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Friday, November 25th, 2011

There are a few mistakes that many first-time home buyers make.  Here are three of the most common mistakes and how you can avoid them when purchasing your first Thomasville home.

Mistake #1:  Assuming your credit is good.

The information in your credit report determines whether you can get a loan — and how much interest you will have to pay – so it pays to be certain your credit reports are accurate.

Check your credit reports for free from all three credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to make sure everything is correct.  If you find errors, contact both the credit reporting company and the information provider (the person, company or organization that provided information about you to a credit reporting company) involved in the errors and ask them to fix the credit report errors.

Mistake #2:  Getting pre-qualified, not pre-approved, for a loan.

It’s far better to be pre-approved for a loan than to be pre-qualified.   Here’s why…

With pre-qualification, your lender does a preliminary evaluation of your ability to pay for a home and gives an estimate of the mortgage amount they’ll give you.  The lender does not verify the information you provide.

With pre-approval, your lender verifies your income, assets, debts and credit history.  They provide you with written confirmation of the mortgage amount for which you’re approved. That written confirmation demonstrates to the seller that you are committed to buying; this can give you an advantage over other buyers.

Mistake #3:  Allowing emotions to influence your decisions.

Buying a home is an investment.  It needs to be treated as any other investment.  You don’t buy stocks because they are pretty and you shouldn’t pick your Thomasville home that way either.  Make sure the home you buy fits your needs and allows you room to grow over the next few years. As with any sound investment, time is the key to a good return.

If you are a first-time home buyer, we would be happy to help you find (and get the best price for) your first Thomasville home.   Give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email me at info@FTRealty.com .

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Giving Thanks for Being a Thomasville Real Estate Agent

Thursday, November 24th, 2011

At this time of year, as thoughts turn to gobbling down turkey dinners and watching football, it’s easy to get caught up in the details and lose the spirit.  So today, we want to take a minute to say something important: 

Thank you!

Because of you, we have a job that we love: being Thomasville real estate agents. 

Thanksgiving is a holiday of gratitude, and yet too few of us remember that when we’re stuck in traffic going over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house for her famous pumpkin pie.  

So today, we’d like to say again, thank you.   

Thank you for contributing to this community, online and in the real world, by asking questions, adding your insights, and trusting me with your housing dreams.    

If we’ve worked together in the past, please know that we are sincerely grateful for your business. We hope the experience of working together led you to your perfect home and fulfilled your real estate goals. 

If you are new to this site and just beginning to investigate the sometimes confusing world of real estate, we’d like to thank you for stopping by.  We hope that we will have an opportunity to work together. 

One of our favorite things about working as a Thomasville real estate agent is that we learn so much about the lives of our clients. They let us inside their homes and tell us about their best imaginings for the future. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your life. 

Thank you for your trust.  We want you to know we’re honored by it, and take it seriously. As Thomasville real estate agents, we take pride in helping you find the perfect solution for your needs. We love hearing your stories as you embark on new chapters, and addresses, in your life.   

During the warmth of this holiday season, we hope you and yours are safe and secure in a community that you love. And we hope your turkey emerges from the oven golden brown and delicious!

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Show Your Thomasville Home Some TLC this Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

Within the walls of your house, you’ve probably raised a family, made future plans and created years of memories. Take time this month to be thankful for everything your Thomasville home has given you by giving it some green TLC this Thanksgiving. 

With Christmas right around the corner, I know it’s hard to justify spending a lot of money on your Thomasville home. Below are a few easy and affordable green projects for you to do this Thanksgiving holiday — and they’ll start paying off immediately!

Buy compact florescent light bulbs. You don’t have to do this all at once. As your light bulbs burn out, replace them with these energy savers for around $3 a piece. They last about ten times longer than incandescent light bulbs and can save you close to $40 over their lifetime.

Use faucet aerators. These only cost about $10 and are incredibly easy to install. Just unscrew your faucet nozzle or showerhead and slip the aerator in. It can cut your water bill in half by making the water squeeze through tiny holes, which makes it feel like there is more pressure. You’ll also reduce water heating bills because the less hot water you use, the less you’ll have to heat.

Put in ceiling fans. If you don’t have these in your house, then you’re missing out on a huge energy-saver. Starting around $50, ceiling fans push hot air down and help equalize each room’s temperature — just switch the blade rotation for summer and pull cool air up.

Replace your old toilet. Older toilets can dispense almost 3.5 gallons per flush, while modern low-flow toilets dispense as little as 1 gallon. If you’re in for more of a handyman challenge, you can purchase these for as low as $150. The more people you have in your house, the more savings you’ll see.

Not only will your Thomasville home and finances thank you for the green upgrades, but the environment will too. 

If you’d like more green ideas you can implement this Thanksgiving break, please call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

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Get Schooled on Thomasville Homes for Sale

Monday, November 21st, 2011

If you’re looking to purchase a new home, then you have a list of priorities. When looking at Thomasville homes for sale, families with young children consider proximity to schools and quality of school districts as two of the top concerns on their home buying checklist.

With “back to school” on the brain, your top priority when looking at Thomasville homes for sale might be how close a home is to schools. Before you purchase property near a school, take the following considerations into account.

● Top-notch education – If the local school is the best in the surrounding area, then your property value could increase. Houses in your neighborhood will be in high demand because families will want to ensure their children are included in that district.

● Around the block – Living near a school could be beneficial if you have younger children you can walk with. Additionally, your proximity will allow you to react quickly if school closes early or your child gets sick.

● Noise alert – With cars whizzing by and children walking past, you might have to deal with daily commotion and traffic. Depending on how close you live to the school, you could also be subject to noise from recess, after-school practice and Friday night football games.

● School view – Living directly across from a school could actually decrease the value of your home and increase the litter. A view of a high school isn’t as good as a view of a quaint, tree-lined street; and the constant foot and car traffic could mean more mess in your yard.

● Neighborhood watch – Do your research. Some neighborhoods surrounding schools may have better relationships with the school. If your neighborhood association meets monthly with a school, you’ll be able to voice any concerns you might have.

While there are many pros and cons to living near schools, you need to decide what is best for your family.

Whether you’re interested in Thomasville homes for sale near or far away from schools, First Thomasville Realty can help you find a home that fits your priorities.  Call us today at 229-226-6515 or email me at info@FTRealty.com.

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Madison Grove Subdivision in Thomasville GA

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

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Help the Environment by Adding Green to Your Thomasville Real Estate

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Recently, environmentally friendly or “green” remodeling has become more and more popular. Nearly every day you see a TV show or online article giving tips on how to make your home and life more eco-friendly.

The catch is that green building can sometimes be extremely expensive. And, in most areas there really aren’t enough buyers specifically looking for features like rain water catch basins and solar panels to make it worth your investment. However, there are some relatively inexpensive ways you can remodel your Thomasville real estate that will benefit the environment and go easy on your wallet at the same time.

● Refurbish what you can while remodeling. If it’s possible to refinish existing cabinets and woodwork instead of replacing them, you’ll save yourself tons of money. And, nothing says eco-friendly like re-using old, good quality materials instead of throwing them in a landfill.

● Pay for extra insulation. If you’re doing a major remodel or building from scratch, pay for insulation that exceeds the minimum code requirements. You’ll see an immediate reduction in utility bills and that can be a great selling feature in the future.

● Use sustainable and green materials. Low VOC paints and bamboo flooring are eco-friendly and still look great. You don’t have to sacrifice your overall vision in order to make your home more environmentally sound.

● Invest in new, energy-efficient appliances. Again, you’ll see an immediate reduction in your power bills. Besides, what buyer wouldn’t love brand new kitchen appliances and a modern, tankless water heater?

● Upgrade your windows. The biggest drain on the overall insulation of your home could be old, worn-out windows. By replacing them with new, energy-efficient ones, you’ll get immediate benefits that your potential buyers will also appreciate.

With smart planning and careful use of your money, you can remodel your home in ways that will help the environment, save you money and appeal to buyers when it’s time to sell.

If you could use help adding some green to your Thomasville real estate, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com for more information.

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Sell Your Thomasville Real Estate: How to Avoid Deal-Killing Surprises

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Getting from “I want to sell my house” to “SOLD” is often a long and stressful process.  The last thing you want to do is find someone who wants to buy your house and then lose him or her.  Here are five ways to avoid deal-killing surprises:

● Get a home inspection.  If you truly don’t want any surprises, get a home inspection before you put your home on the market.  Then make all repairs needed; or disclose the problems up front, and tell the potential buyers how much you’ve reduced the price instead of making the repairs.

● Do not ask for favors.  You don’t want to suddenly ask the buyers if you can delay closing for six months or if you can keep the crystal dining room chandelier.

● Go over the contract in detail.  Ask your agent to have the buyer’s agent go over the details of the contract with the buyers before they sign it.  Even if the buyers say they understand the contract, ask the agent to discuss the details with them.  This prevents misunderstandings and provides time to make contract changes well before the closing, if needed.

● Be honest.  If your hot-water heater breaks two days before the closing, don’t pretend that you love cold-water showers.  Tell the buyers what happened and that it’ll be replaced before closing.  Being honest up front builds trust.

● Remain calm.  If the buyers ask questions or make comments about the house that make you feel like they don’t love the house as much as you do, let it go.  This is a business deal.  You need to sell the house; they want to buy it.  Who cares what they say?  Remember the childhood saying about sticks and stones…

If you’re ready to sell your Thomasville real estate, we’d love the opportunity to interview for the job.  Give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com to schedule an interview.

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How to Buy Thomasville Homes Long Distance

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Buying Thomasville homes when you live in another state or country can be challenging.  Here are a few simple ideas to help make things a little less hectic.

● Investigate online.  Most people know to search for Thomasville homes online, but what about searching for a neighborhood?  Although you can’t search each and every individual neighborhood, you can research almost any city online.  This gives you a pretty good idea of what the area has to offer in the way of schools, shopping and safety.

● Hire a buyer’s agent.  While you’re searching online, your buyer’s agent can search the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for you.  She or he can email newly listed properties to you daily.

● Use your buyer’s agent as your eyes, ears and nose.  When you find a home that meets your needs, ask your buyer’s agent to visit it in person.  Have him or her take photos of the interior and exterior of the property and email them to you.  She/he can even take a video and post it on YouTube for you to see.  Ask your buyer’s agent to tell you what the home smells like and how loud (or quiet) the neighborhood is.

● Share as much information with your agent as you can.  The more you research the area, the more information you are going to have to give to your agent.  Talk with your agent and let her or him know what you have found and any areas that you may have decided against.  This will save you and your agent time.

● Visit to get a personal impression.  If at all possible, after you’ve narrowed the properties down to the top two or three, personally visit them.  While you can buy a house sight unseen, it’s best to make at least one trip to get a feel for which home most appeals to you.

For more information on long distance home buying or other tips to make your search for Thomasville homes easier, give First Thomasville Realty a call at 229-226-6515 or send an email to info@FTRealty.com.

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Thomasville Real Estate Investing: Buying a Short Sale Steps 6 through 10

Friday, November 11th, 2011

If you haven’t read “Thomasville Real Estate Investing:  Buying a Short Sale Steps 1 through 5,” start there.  This blog post provides steps 6 through 10 of the short sale process.

 6. Visit the Thomasville real estate on your short list.  You’ve already searched for short sales, researched them and narrowed your list to a few short sales that meet your criteria and have the best chance of making it to closing.  Now it’s time to personally visit the few on your short list.  Your primary purpose in visiting the property is to get an estimate as to how much it’s going to cost you to repair the home.  As a real estate investor, you want a property that needs some work so that the average home buyer won’t want it, and you can get it at a lower-than-average price.   But, you also want a property that is in good enough condition that the cost of the property plus repairs still gives you a good return on your investment.

7. Get a home inspection.  Since short sales are typically sold “as is,” it’s crucial that you have a licensed home inspector evaluate the condition of the short sale that you’ve decided is the one you want to buy.  An inspection will find problems you might not have been able to see in your initial visit to the home.  It will also give you a more precise idea of how much it’s going to cost you to repair and renovate the property.

8. Make an offer.  Now that you’ve found the short sale you want to buy, you’re ready to prepare an offer.  Have your Thomasville real estate agent prepare all the documentation and submit the offer to the seller’s agent.  The seller’s agent will submit the documentation to the lender.  Hopefully, you’ve chosen a short sale with only one lender, but if there is more than one lender, remember that all lenders have to agree on the terms of the sale.

9. Make a counter offer or walk away.  After getting your offer, the lender has his real estate agent evaluate the offer.  More than likely the lender will make a counteroffer.  That’s the time for you to do a final evaluation.  Double check your numbers using the higher purchase price and ask yourself, “Is this property really going to give me the profit I want?”  If the answer to this question is no, or if you’ve already reached the maximum you’re willing to pay for the property, it’s time to walk away.

10. Finalize the deal.  After you, the seller and the lender have all reached an agreement, get everything in writing and officially record it.  Go to closing, and the property is now yours.  Congratulations!

If you’re a Thomasville real estate investor looking for a well-priced property to invest in, First Thomasville Realty can help.  Give us a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com for more information.

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Thomasville Real Estate Investing: How to Buy Short Sales Steps 1 through 5

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Are you a Thomasville real estate investor or home buyer who wants to buy a short sale in order to get a great deal?  Unless you’re a seasoned short sale buyer, it’s not as easy as you may have been told.  In fact, there are so many steps to the process, this blog post only covers the first five.

1. Hire an experienced Thomasville real estate agent.  The first thing you want to do is find a real estate agent who is knowledgeable about buying short sales in your local market.  Unless you’re already a short sales expert, you need an experienced agent to guide you through the process because most homes that are listed as short sales never even make it to closing due to problems encountered along the way.  In fact, some stats show that as few as 1 in 10 short sales make it all the way to closing.

2. Get your financing in order.  How are you going to pay for the property?  Before you do anything else, have your financing in order.  In a short sale, the lender often moves at a snail’s pace, but you have to be able to move quickly.  Once an agreement is worked out, the lender may require that you close in as few as 20 days.  That’s not enough time to shop for a mortgage.

3. Search for short sales.  Your agent will have access to all the homes up for sale as short sales.  Let him or her help you sort through the homes to identify those that fit your needs and are most likely to make it to closing.

4. Research the short list of short sales.  Have your real estate agent (see how much work this agent is doing for you?) research the short list of short sales you’re interested in to find out how many mortgages each of them have and how much money is owed.  If you find that there are a lot of loans against a property, your best bet is to move on and find a short sale with only one loan.  Additionally, your experienced agent can steer you away from homes with lenders who are difficult to work with on short sales.

5. Be prepared to pay close to market value.  This may sound ridiculous to you because you’ve heard that short sales are an amazing bargain.  Yes, some short sales are priced very low, however, that does not mean the lender will accept that super-low price.  Typically, the short sales that actually make it to closing are going to be priced close to current market value.  Have your real estate agent research pending sale comparables to determine what the current market value is for the short sale you’re thinking of buying.

If you’re interested in investing in Thomasville real estate, First Thomasville Realty can help you find the true bargains, whether they’re short sales, foreclosures or just well-priced real estate.   Give us a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com

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How to Negotiate Closing Costs on Thomasville Real Estate

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Let’s face it, we all shop for the best deals we can get for our money.  Why should our closing costs be any different? Here are a few tips on how to negotiate good terms for the closing costs on your Thomasville real estate.

TIP  #1:  Shop lenders to get a lower interest rate on the mortgage for your Thomasville real estate.

It is not unheard of to approach your lender and simply ask for a better rate.  The worst that can happen is to be told no.  The best rates go to those with the best credit scores.  If your credit score is not at its best, improve your credit score so you can qualify for a better interest rate.

TIP #2:  Negotiate lending fees.

All lenders charge fees for things like loan origination and filling out paperwork.  Although the lending fees are negotiable, most buyers don’t know it.

Ask for justification for each lender fee.  If a lender fee cannot be waived or reduced, ask if it can be credited toward closing costs.

Realize there are some fees that are not negotiable, such as taxes, recording fees and prorated interest.

TIP #3:  Pick your own title company.

Most buyers don’t realize they have a choice when purchasing title insurance.  Although the policies are pretty standard, the cost can vary.

For more ideas on how you can reduce closing costs on Thomasville real estate, feel free to call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

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How to Prevent Mold in Your Thomasville Home

Friday, November 4th, 2011

It’s no secret: mold thrives where there is moisture. If you have moisture problems in your Thomasville home, you can expect mold. Check in your closet and find that old pair of leather boots you haven’t worn in ages. See anything growing on them?  Check wooden baseboards, and the legs of wooden furniture. If you see mold, act now.

●  Carefully check guttering. If your gutters are old and leaky, or simply clogged with leaves, they can overflow and cause water damage to the roof, or allow water to run towards the foundation, eventually admitting water into your Thomasville home. Keep gutters clean and repaired.
●  Vent moist air to the outside.  When you take a shower or cook, you’re releasing a lot of moisture into the home. Use exhaust fans during these activities.
●  Get a hygrometer. This is an electronic device that measures relative humidity. Ideally, indoor humidity should stay between 40% and 60%. If it’s over 60%, use a dehumidifier or air conditioner, depending on the season.
●  Let there be light. Mold thrives in the dark. Find ways to introduce more natural light into your Thomasville home. Keep small dark spaces like closets open.
●  Use ceiling fans. Mold thrives in stagnant areas. Use fans to keep air circulating.
●  Use anti-fungal essential oils in a diffuser. The best type of essential oil diffuser is electric, also known as a nebulizer. Choose an oil that you enjoy the scent of, such as cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus or a blend of favorites.

If you want to buy a Thomasville home that’s mold free, First Thomasville Realty can help. Contact us today at 229-226-6515 or info@FTRealty.com .

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Invite Birds to Your Thomasville Real Estate

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

The sound of birdsong is only one of the benefits of having birds frequent your Thomasville real estate. Depending on the type of birds you attract, they may also reduce the insect pest population. Here are some ways to attract birds to your property:

● Install a bird bath. Finding a good place to take a bath can be a challenge for birds, especially in dry weather. If they can find it in your backyard, you’ll have the joy of watching them bathe. If you have a cat, just make sure that you’re not creating mayhem; keep her inside, or get a hanging bird bath that will be inaccessible to her. Bird baths come in a wide range of styles and materials, from ceramic to metal to resin and more. Keep it filled, because the birds will come to rely on it.
● Put up some bird houses. Whether you have a wide open space suitable for purple martins, or a small city lot, you should be able to attract some tenants to the appropriate bird house.  Not all birds are cavity nesters, but some that are include chickadees, wrens, bluebirds and nuthatches. If you dabble in woodworking, building a bird house is a great first project for kids.
● Grow a variety of plants. Birds will not be attracted to a bare lawn. Good bird habitat includes trees, shrubs and flowering plants that provide cover, shade and food such as insects or berries.
● Put up a bird feeder. This is especially important during winter months, but some people feed birds year round. Hummingbird feeders are popular in summer, as nothing inspires wonder like watching tiny hummingbirds hover in mid-air. Alternatively, you can plant flowers that attract hummers. In general, they are said to prefer red, tubular flowers, but they can be seen visiting many types of flowers, including irises, honeysuckle and salvias.
● Be still. Sit outside, not too close to your bird bath/bird house/bird feeder, and observe. If you’re quiet and make no sudden moves, your birds will become accustomed to you and eventually feel at home. You may be surprised at the variety of birds you can attract.

If you’re looking for Thomasville real estate that has a nice yard for birds and humans, we can help.  Give First Thomasville Realty a call at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

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