Raleigh Real Estate Podcast with Greg Ismay

Friends and Clients —The real estate market continues to surge ahead. However, clouds might be forming on the horizon for sellers. Let me give you the details: 1. Ultra-low mortgage rates Throughout 2020, the popular 30-year fixed mortgage rate set 15 new record lows. It ended 2020 just one basis point higher than the latest record low and currently stands at 2.86%, a full percentage point lower than one year ago.These ultra-low mortgage rates are driving an increase in demand. Unfortunately, sales are restricted due to… 2. Record-low inventory There were just 1.28 million homes available for sale at the end of November, the last month for which we have full data. That is down 22% from a year earlier. It is also the lowest inventory count since the National Association of Realtors began tracking this metric in 1982.Unsurprisingly, home prices are shooting up thanks to strong demand and record low inventory. The median price of an existing home sold in November was a staggering 14.6% higher than in November 2019. If you’re worried this pace is unsustainable, you might be right: 3. A change in the market? Some experts warn that home prices are overheating and that affordability is suffering. They might have a point because, after five consecutive months of gains, closed sales of existing homes lowered in November. Similarly, after three straight months of record highs, homebuilder confidence in December dropped 4%. December mortgage applications also fell.  So what does this all mean for you? Well, things might get harder soon for home sellers. Lower affordability could hurt demand, and the price growth we’ve seen over the past months might slow down, or prices might decrease like we started to see before the pandemic. Fortunately, nationwide trends haven’t caught up to us yet in Raleigh. Demand is still very strong. If you were to list now, you could sell quickly and at top dollar. If you’d like to get an idea of what your home is worth right now, you can use the following home value calculator, which is based on recent Raleigh sales: Enter your address here to find out what your home is currently worth If you are considering selling while the current market lasts, give me a call at (919) 412-3475. I’ve helped many people sell in these pandemic circumstances, and I’m here to answer your questions and help however I can.

CAPE is an acronym our team uses to help sellers remember the elements that can make or break their home sale. Condition, access, price, and exposure are all key to attracting the most buyers and getting the most money possible from your sale. Today I’ll break down each of these elements and explain why they’re so important to stay on top of.First, a home’s condition is something that the seller has complete control over. Think of it this way: The buyer needs to envision themselves living in your space, so the more you can do to help them imagine living there, the better. Here’s how you can help that along: Declutter. Remove any clutter that will ruin the buyer’s fantasies. Pack your extra belongings away or get rid of them altogether. Paint. A fresh coat of paint can help a buyer envision living in your home, but period color is important, too. If you have questions about what colors are best, I’d be happy to advise you about what’s currently popular in the real estate market. Flooring. If a buyer thinks that they’ll have to change the home’s flooring when they purchase your home, they’ll be less likely to consider your listing. Deep clean your current flooring or replace it altogether to grab a buyer’s attention. Next in our acronym is access. Access is another thing a seller has total control over. Keep in mind that buyers want to see homes when they want to see homes. Particularly when they’re working with real estate agents, those homes that don’t offer wide access for showings may get overlooked. It’s typical for some sellers to be reserved about when they want to show their homes, but the more available a property is, the greater the number of buyers willing to see it, and the more potential you’ll have for receiving offers. “Generally speaking, if you get no showings for your home, that indicates that your home is overpriced by 10% or more.” Third, keep pricing in mind. If you overprice your home far beyond its market value, you’ll have few, if any, showings. Generally speaking, if you get no showings for your home, that indicates that your home is overpriced by 10% or more. If you have showings but receive no offers, that could mean it’s overpriced by 5% to 10%. If you get showings and offers, but these offers are lowball offers, that generally means that you’re somewhere between 2% and 5% over market value. When you home is priced properly, you’ll likely get many showings, receive multiple offers, and the property may even sell for higher than your list price. Finally, remember exposure. The agent you work with can help you to maximize the exposure your property receives—in other words, how many people see your listing—not only on the MLS, but also on all the websites where people are looking at homes. Make sure that the photography used to advertise your home shows it in its best light, and also be sure to track what is being said about it. If you have any questions about CAPE or about anything related to real estate, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to help you. 

Instead of talking about real estate, today I want to talk about some of my favorite restaurants here in the Triangle Area. If you haven’t been to any of these places before, I highly encourage you to check them out. Here’s my list: 1. Cafe Tiramisu. I’ve been going here for nearly two decades and it’s my favorite place to eat. The mom-and-pop family feel is something that can’t be replicated. Even though the original owners have passed away, their personality and history continue to live on. It’s quaint, quiet, and the service and the food are excellent. It’s a great business and a great place to grab a bite. 2. El Tapatio. This Mexican restaurant is a bit off the beaten path. For the last several years, this restaurant in Wakefield Crossing has been serving some delicious, casual Mexican fare for diners of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll see people from all over the area here for the delicious, reasonably priced food and the amazing service. “I highly encourage you to check out all the restaurants on this list.” 3. Vinson’s Pub.  I stumbled into this place recently when showing a couple from Texas homes in Clayton and couldn’t have been happier I did. This restaurant, right on Main Street, is in a 100-year old building. The decor is funky and hip and the menu is quite inventive. If you’re really hungry, they have a “Man BLT” that I can’t recommend enough. 4. Ole Time Barbecue. This is my “hole in the wall” pick. Down on the border of Raleigh and Cary, you can find this good, old-fashioned barbecue joint that has been servicing Carolina-style barbecue for years. It was recently named one of the best barbecue restaurants in all of North Carolina. If you’re in the mood for some meat, this is a great place to go. It can get busy and you might have to wait, but the wait is well worth it in my opinion. If you have any questions for me about any restaurant on this list or you’d like to share your recommendations with me, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

We’re taking a bit of a diversion from real estate today to talk about a few of my favorite fall weekend getaways here in the Triangle Area: 1. Asheville. This is a fantastic place to see the leaves change colors this fall. Many believe that the weekend of October 27 and 28 is going to be the best dates to do that. I highly recommend staying at Asheville Cottages, a family-owned operation that has a number of private cottages with wonderful amenities and great views of the foliage. There are plenty of galleries and boutiques to see up in Asheville, as well as delicious restaurants. My favorite one is Market Place, a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant, but you might want to make a reservation. 2. Beaufort, NC. For those of you who love boating, you know this is the boating capital of the Carolinas. This quaint little town is perfect to walk around in and the Beaufort Inn has some really nice waterfront rooms. The Cedars Inn is a historic bed-and-breakfast that’s also a great place to stay. There’s plenty of seafood dining options, including La Perla, a delicious Spanish restaurant right at The Cedars Inn. There is also Front Street Grill right on the water. 3. Kinston. If you’re a foodie, you’re probably aware of the fantastic restaurant Chef & the Farmer. You may recognize Vivian Howard from her cooking show on PBS or from her very successful farm-to-table restaurant right here in Kinston. On October 21, the Howards are hosting a celebration and a viewing of the last episode of their successful show. If you need a place to stay in Kinston, try The Mother Earth Motor Lodge for an affordable option. “Kinston is home to a world-class restaurant: Chef & the Farmer.” There you have it—our three best recommendations for fall getaways in North Carolina. If you know of a place that you enjoy going to here in North Carolina, don’t hesitate to reach out and give me a call or send me an email with your recommendations. I hope to hear from you soon.  

When preparing to make a home renovation project, one of the first important decisions you’ll be faced with is selecting the right bid. To ensure you make the best possible choice, there are five tips you should follow as you proceed: 1. Become comfortable with the overall cost. Homeowners may receive bids that are thousands of dollars apart and will often choose the one which will cost them the least. However, this is not always the best way to proceed. When it comes to remodeling projects, you usually get what you pay for. At very least, you should always look at what the other bids offer beyond just considering how they’ll impact your wallet.   2. Vet the contractor. There are several ways of doing this. Whatever you do, it’s essential that you determine whether the contractor’s skillset extends into what your project will require. The project you’re getting bids on should be something the contractor has experience with. 3. Compare apples to apples. If you receive three bids, the minimum advisable number, and one contains very little detail, don’t feel bad about asking the contractor to expound. Comparing similar details between each bid will be the key to choosing the one that best fits your needs. 4. Set up financial motivation for the contractor. Unfortunately, renovation projects don’t happen for free. Your contractor will want some compensation up front, but will also expect additional payment as their work continues. Writing performance clauses into the agreement you and the contractor come up with will be a simple way to protect you from the pain of a random payment schedule. 5. Make sure you understand what’s going on. Keeping a close eye on your project is important. Don’t be afraid to speak up, or terminate your working relationship, if the contractor isn’t performing as they should. “When it comes to remodeling projects, you usually get what you pay for.” If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Are you being scammed? These days, it’s more common than you might think. Protecting yourself against fraud when buying, renting, or selling real estate is crucial. So today I’d like to highlight some scams to watch out for as well as some information on how to protect yourself. 1. Wire fraud. The media has done a lot of reporting recently about this scam, but allow me to quickly explain it in case you’ve missed this coverage. Here’s how it works: Hackers gain access to the email account of someone legitimately involved in a real estate transaction, and then use that account to send false wiring instructions to the buyer. This results in buyers unwittingly sending their funds over to someone who has nothing to do with their home purchase.There are two key things you can do to avoid falling victim to this scam. First, make sure wiring instructions are being sent from an encrypted email. Second, make sure you call your settlement agent (which, in North Carolina, will be your attorney) and double check that you have the correct instructions. If you do these two things, you will be safe. “In this day and age, you’ve got to be careful who you trust.” 2. Inauthentic rental listings on Craigslist. Scammers are posting and promoting these false advertisements with the goal of tricking those who respond to sending them money. They do this by posting a rental listing that appears to be a very attractive offer, and then telling those who respond that it has already been rented by someone else. They then convince that person that they have another property coming available soon, and tell them that they can secure it by sending over a deposit. Of course, there is no listing. The scammer is simply trying to earn money under false pretenses.To protect yourself, you can find a legitimate listing for the property being advertised and ask the rental agent representing it whether the deal can be trusted. You can also use public records to corroborate the legitimacy of a listing. I would be happy to further explain how to do this, so please get in touch if you have questions. 3. Moving company fraud. Imagine this: You’ve made an offer on a home and gone under contract. Next, you start doing some comparison shopping to find the best deal on a mover, when you notice a Craigslist ad with a very attractive deal. Of course you decide to contact the poster and get an estimate. Then comes the day of the move. The movers load up your belongings (and perhaps ask for more money than what you’ve already given them), and drive off—never to be seen again.The lesson to take away from this scenario is to always make sure companies you work with are reputable. In this day and age, you’ve got to be careful who you trust. Check out reviews, look up credentials, and be extremely careful who you hire. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today’s market is a far cry from the mortgage crisis of 2007. In fact, it’s almost too good. But while we’re sitting pretty at the moment, our current high demand and low inventory are actually somewhat reminiscent of a time just before that low point in our market. So with that in mind, it’s time to reflect on an important question: What did we learn from the 2007 bubble burst? Let’s take a look at five crucial lessons we learned from that unfortunate period in our market: 1. Don’t buy too much house. Purchasing more than you can afford will be far more trouble than it’s worth. This was one mistake many homebuyers were guilty of just before the market crashed. It’s far better to make your home purchase according to your needs today, rather than your predictions for the future. 2. Don’t depend on your home increasing in value. With the market on its way up, some buyers are tempted to ride the trend. But what happens when this isn’t the case? There’s no guarantee a home’s value will continue to rise. Your home purchase should be based on your lifestyle and not on the hope that your home will keep appreciating. 3. Make sure you have ample cash reserves. Most experts recommend saving back six months’ worth of total expenses, so that you can still sustain your lifestyle if disaster strikes. 4. Submit a healthy down payment when you buy. People today tend to put down as little as they can, but this isn’t always a good idea. Doing this leaves you with less equity from the start, which will cause problems if the market goes south. The higher your down payment is, the more secure you’ll be in your home. 5. Buy low and sell high. This probably sounds pretty obvious, but it’s important nonetheless. “Your home purchase should be based on your lifestyle and not on the hope that your home will keep appreciating.” If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Over the past several years, I’ve been seeing a trend where buyers look for homes that will accommodate multiple generations—grandparents, parents, kids, and grandkids. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale My gut tells me that there is a demographic shift occurring here, where: 1. Grandparents or empty-nesters are becoming more inclined to live with people of other generations, and/or: 2. Younger generations are more inclined to have their parents or grandparents living with them. Since we’re all living longer, the older generations might feel the pressure of housing costs. Secondly, as people try to downsize in today’s marketplace, it’s important to know that buying a smaller home doesn’t always mean that the costs are lower. Typically people are looking for different floor plans, possibly those with main-level living, and those properties can be more costly. Conversely for the younger generation, having the parents or grandparents around could be helpful in regards to caring for children. I also think that this younger generation might worry for their parents as they slow down with age; as they lose mobility and develop medical issues, they need more attention, and their younger counterparts want to be there to ensure they’re safe and comfortable. “SINCE WE’RE ALL LIVING LONGER, THE OLDER GENERATIONS MIGHT FEEL THE PRESSURE ON HOUSING COSTS.” Putting these factors together, many people have asked about what opportunities there are where they can bring the whole family together. Some big builders are starting to build what they call multigenerational plans in which they’ve accommodated into the floor plan a space where the parents and grandparents can have their own space, alongside the general or main living areas with the rest of the family. In order to accommodate multiple generations, they might move, eliminate, or add some walls. They might make the basement a fully furnished space (with a kitchen and bathroom) with a separate entrance from the main door to foster privacy for the occupants. Additionally, if the property is large enough, then a guest house could be considered. If you have any questions about accommodating multigenerational living, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help and advise you however I can.

Today I’m joined by Randy Paquette of First Choice Radon to discuss what you can do to prevent radon from seeping into your home. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale As a gas, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. among non-smokers. It also kills more people annually than breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined. The good news is, radon is easy to test for, and you can do it with several different monitors. Randy suggests that you test for radon annually, even if you have a radon system already installed in your house. If you don’t have access to professional radon testing, you can use a home kit. Home kits take about 48 hours. After the test is done, you send the kit to a lab, which then sends you back your results. If your numbers come back a little high, you should have a professional then test your home so you know exactly what the levels are. Once you know what the levels are, the next step is to mitigate them. If you have a basement or a slab home, they create a vacuum under your home using a sub-slab system (or “fan system” as some call it), which sucks the radon out before it can get inside. “IN THE LONG RUN, THE COST OF PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY FROM RADON IS WORTH THE INVESTMENT.” If you have a crawl space home, this process takes a little more work, so the cost is a little different. Basement and slab-home mitigations cost about $1,300, but the system itself should last anywhere between 10 to 30 years, so the annual cost is negligible. It only costs about $2 per month to operate the system, which is also a negligible amount. A single test costs roughly $150. North Carolina is what’s referred to as a “red state,” meaning homes here typically have higher levels of radon in them, so $150 is a sensible investment to protect your family from something as potentially dangerous as radon is. If you have any more questions about radon or radon testing or you have any other real estate needs I can assist you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

The month of March has been cold and dreary here in the Raleigh area. So, when I say that it’s time to get ready for the spring market, many people think, “Spring market? It’s still winter!” Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale However, despite the cold, spring has definitely arrived. The spring real estate market has sprung. I recently looked at all homes listed on our MLS in the last 30 days, and I found that 62% of those properties are already under contract. This tells us that the market is at a blistering pace. So, today I’d like to bring you some tips on how to prepare if you plan to buy or sell in our spring or summer market. Let’s start by talking about buyers. If you’re thinking of making a home purchase this year, I recommend that you do so sooner rather than later. Interest rates are sliding up a little bit and many predict this trend will continue into the future. So, make your move as soon as you can. The first step to take as a buyer is to get with a good lender and get pre-approved. This will give you a good starting place for your home search. Once you’ve met with a trusted local lender, you’ll need to find a good agent. The right agent will not only be able to help you strategize your home search, but they will also be able to help you find properties that haven’t come to the market yet. Additionally, a good agent will help you make faster decisions, which will be beneficial in our fast-paced market. “LISTINGS ARE MOVING QUICKLY, BUT MORE INVENTORY WILL BE COMING TO OUR MARKET SOON.” As for sellers, you may want to wait until the summer to make your move. This is especially the case if you have children since they will be out of school during this time and more family-style homes tend to be listed at this time of year. That said, now is the best time to focus on getting your home ready for the market. That way when it comes time to list, you will be well-prepared. Listings are moving quickly, but more inventory will be coming to our market soon. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Let’s talk about home inspections. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale Beyond a general home inspection, there are several specific inspections buyers may choose to conduct while under contract. Radon inspections, termite inspections, and others are all options, depending on the features of the property and the buyer’s concerns. If, during a general inspection, the home inspector finds fault with any of the features they examine, additional inspections may be ordered to further evaluate the specific issue. When specific issues are uncovered, it can be beneficial to have a specialized expert take a closer look. Even in the case of new construction homes, the issues an inspection can uncover will more than justify the cost of the process. A home inspection usually costs around $500, with additional inspections costing between $100 and $150. Some buyers wonder why they can’t just inspect the home on their own. Technically this is an option, but if the buyer plans to use the inspection report to pursue negotiations with the seller, a licensed inspector is best. “WHEN SPECIFIC ISSUES ARE UNCOVERED, IT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A SPECIALIZED EXPERT TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.” It isn’t only buyers who can order a home inspection. Many sellers have asked me recently if they should order one before listing their property. This isn’t always advisable, but if a home is more than 10 years old, there are absolutely some advantages to doing so. When a seller orders an inspection before listing, they can get issues addressed ahead of time. It also gives them more leverage in terms of marketing the home. These are just a few key points on what you need to know about home inspections. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you are preparing your home for the market, you need to check on your crawl space. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale You may say, “Why would I even want to think about the crawl space? I don’t want to go look at it. There are spiders down there!” I completely understand where you are coming from. Like the saying goes: Out of sight, out of mind. However, we’ve had several clients experience delays and costly surprises during their transactions thanks to their crawl space. These issues could have been avoided with some preparation up front. When you look at your crawl space, there are a few things to watch out for. “AVOID COSTLY REPAIRS AND DELAYS BY CHECKING OUT THE CRAWL SPACE UP FRONT.” 1. The insulation is hanging down. If you see this, that could mean that moisture levels have risen above the acceptable level. If that’s the case, you should also look for small leaks in any pipes and get those taken care of. Check for water around the foundation as well. It could be that your gutters are clogged, that your downspouts aren’t draining properly, or that you need extensions for your downspouts. 2. Is your vapor barrier in good condition? The vapor barrier should not be torn. Make sure that it is spread out evenly and that it covers the majority of the dirt floor in the crawl space. 3. Termite bond. If you have a company that checks your property, they will do moisture readings in the crawl space. A lack of moisture helps prevent termites. If you don’t have a termite bond, it might be worth your while to get a termite inspection before you put your home on the market. These are just a few things you can do to avoid any delays or costly repairs once you get your home on the market and under contract. If you have any other questions about crawl space maintenance or preparing your home for the market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Although spring is traditionally considered the best time to sell a home, today I’m excited to share the top 10 reasons you should consider listing in the next few months before the spring market hits. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale 10. You will have the opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer in the spring. In the spring, there are more homes available on the market. By listing now, you can sell high and buy low in the spring. 9. You can restrict showings during the holidays. They don’t have to upset your family time. 8. January is when employees start new jobs. Since transfer employees can’t wait until spring to buy, you’ll need to be on the market at the end of the year to capture those buyers. 7. People are looking to buy for tax reasons. 6. People have more time to look for homes. Because people often take off work during the holidays, they will be freer to spend time searching the market than other times of the year. “LESS COMPETITION ON THE MARKET MEANS MORE EYES ON YOUR PROPERTY.” 5. Buyers are more emotional. During the holidays, people become sentimental and may be more likely to pay a higher price. 4. Houses show better when they are decorated for the holidays. Everyone loves seasonal decor, so homes at this time of year are more attractive. 3. Supply will dramatically increase as the spring market ramps up in January. This will lead to less demand, and less demand means less money in your pocket. 2. Serious buyers have fewer options. During fall and winter months, there is less competition on the market. This puts your listing at an advantage. 1. People who look for homes at this time of year are much more serious about buying. If you have any other questions or would like more information about selling your home this time of year, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

When buying a home, there are four out-of-pocket expenses that you should be prepared to pay: Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale 1. Your due diligence deposit. Our purchase contract was revised a few years ago and now stipulates that the buyer make a non-refundable due diligence deposit to the seller. This deposit does credit back to the transaction as long as you make it to the closing table. The due diligence deposits can range anywhere from $500 to several thousand dollars, depending on the price of the property and the competitive pressure against the property. 2. The earnest money deposit. This is another deposit from the buyer to the seller, in addition to the due diligence deposit. Like the due diligence deposit, the earnest money deposit credits back to the transaction at closing. The earnest money deposit can range from $1,000 to several thousand dollars, again depending on the price of the property and the amount of pressure on the property at the time of contract. 3. Home inspections. A general inspection, termite inspection, and radon inspection are the big three that you’ll want to order. Home inspections range from $700 to $800 overall. That said, there may be additional inspections required based on what the initial inspections find. If the property has a well or septic tank, those require their own inspections. Generally, though, expect to pay $700 to $800. Those expenses can be moved to the settlement statement, but it’s good to know that amount up front for planning purposes. 4. Other fees and service costs. Depending on your lender, you will have to pay some costs for the appraisal process, application fee, and more. These other services usually cost a few hundred dollars. “THE EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT CREDITS BACK TO THE TRANSACTION AT CLOSING.” These are the four main costs that you should plan for when buying a home. If you have any other questions about the home buying process or our current real estate market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

I was just talking recently with a past client, Lori, who had a great idea. As you may know, we do have a newsletter available. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale “NOW WE HAVE ARCHIVES OF OUR PAST AND CURRENT NEWSLETTERS ON THE BLOG.” This newsletter contains information on the market, vendors, local happenings, and success stories as well. This brings me to Lori’s great idea. It all started when she realized she’d gone to work without bringing along our newsletter. For this reason, she suggested that we find a way to put copies of our newsletter up on our blog. So, my team and I made it happen. Now we have archives of our past and current newsletters on the blog. For those of you who don’t receive our newsletter, please let me know and I’ll get you on the list. If you have any great ideas like this one or a question you’d like to see in our video, we’d love to hear it. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Why is being a represented buyer so important to the purchase of a new construction home? There are more reasons than you may think. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale If you have been considering purchasing a new home, it’s absolutely vital that you hire an agent to represent you. Even if you are not in the market for a new home at the moment, this information may still be pertinent to you in the future. As of late, many people have begun to shift the focus of their home search from resale properties to new construction. In the majority of popular price ranges in 2017, in fact, one in every three homes sold is a new construction. New construction purchases are becoming more and more popular as time goes on. What does all of this mean in terms of you hiring your own agent? First of all, the builder rep, or on-site agent, has a fiduciary responsibility to the seller. An on-site agent is there with the express purpose of getting the best deal for the seller—they are simply not looking out for your best interests. “HAVING AN EXTRA SET OF EYES AND EARS ON THE BUILDING PROCESS WILL BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.” Only your own agent will truly work toward getting you the best deal. Nevertheless, one of the primary reasons people tend to believe they should forego representation is cost. The cost of hiring an agent, however, is massively inconsequential compared to the money, opportunity, and peace of mind you gain from professional representation in a real estate transaction. As a matter of fact, the on-site agent, as well, would prefer you have representation. Working directly with another agent will not only help you but also everyone involved, to achieve as smooth a deal as possible. Another factor to consider in terms of cost is that add-ons, like fencing, could push the price of the property above what it was listed at. Even though you may be paying a slightly higher price, working with an agent will still greatly aid you in obtaining the greatest value possible. But, financial benefits are not all you gain from being represented. Having an extra set of eyes and ears on the building process will be extremely helpful in making sure that you are protected. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Are you looking for something fun and different to do here in Raleigh? I have a list of great venues and activities for you today. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale There are a lot of great things to do in our area, so if you get an itch to go out, here are a few different places for you to check out: First, make sure to visit the Koka Booth Ampitheatre for weekly movies on the lawn and weekly concerts, which include country music, bluegrass, and rock and roll. They even host the North Carolina symphony on occasion. The art museum also features weekly movies on the lawn and concerts. Speaking of music, North Hills has its annual summer beach series going on right now; you can check that out each Thursday night. In the fall, they will switch over to their tribute band series on Friday nights. “DON’T MISS RALEIGH RESTAURANT WEEK—EXPLORE DOWNTOWN AND ENJOY SOME GREAT FOOD!” If you are looking for some major acts, look no further than the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre. Upcoming concerts include Foreigner, John Mayer, Luke Bryan, Green Day, and more. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to check out downtown Raleigh, don’t miss Raleigh Restaurant Week from August 21st through the 27th. This is a great time to explore the downtown area and enjoy some great food. We also have some great professional sports. From the Durham Bulls to the Carolina Mudcats, there is still plenty of baseball to see this year. Soon, hockey players will be ready to take the ice. North Carolina is a college sports mecca, with Duke and North Carolina football teams getting ready to take the field. After that comes basketball. So, all throughout the year, we have some real quality sports teams to watch. When it comes to art, culture, and museums, there are a lot of great venues to consider: • The UNC Arboretum • The UNC Playmakers Repertory Theatre Company • The Duke Art Museum • The North Carolina Museum of Art • The North Carolina Museum of Life and Science in Durham • The North Carolina History Museum • The Carolina Ballet • The North Carolina State Assembly Legislature • The Governor’s Mansion • That is just a brief rundown of some very interesting venues and great places to go for inexpensive entertainment here in the area. If you have any questions about what it’s like to live in Raleigh or would like to learn more about our local real estate market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Today we’re offering you a sneak peek of a beautiful ranch-style property coming on the market this Saturday. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale Follow along with me in the video above for a guided tour of the exterior of a gorgeous property we’re putting on the market this Saturday. This is a custom-built home that was built for the developer of this particular neighborhood who also developed several other high-end neighborhoods in Wake Forest. We’re pricing this home to sell, so there will be a lot of demand for it. We’ll run open houses for it on both Saturday and Sunday, and our goal is to have it sold by Monday when the homeowner gets back from their beach trip. So what does the outside of this single-story, ranch-style home have to offer? Starting out front, a nice, big driveway circles all the way around the yard and affords a lot of space for parking. Since this home is located on the west side of US 1 in Wake Forest, this area isn’t as congested with traffic as what you would see on the east side. The lot this property sits on is well-treed, and the canopy of shade keeps things much cooler on a hot summer day. “COME JOIN US SATURDAY OR SUNDAY FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS GREAT PROPERTY.” As you can see, the current homeowner does his due diligence in terms of landscaping. He selected the home’s exterior color scheme so it would showcase the cedar shake roof, which was redone in 2008 and was recently inspected and serviced. If you’re not familiar with cedar shake roofing, it’s designed to last longer than asphalt shingles. If you’re looking for single-level living, it’s tough to find a ranch-style home with all of the bedrooms on the same level. In this home, the master bedroom and the study are on one side, and the other bedrooms are on the other. Rounding out the tour, the back of the home is bulwarked by a very generous deck that spans almost its entire length, and farther out in the backyard lies a scenic pond stocked with fish. If you or someone you know is interested in this property, come join us this Saturday or Sunday or give us a call so we can schedule a private tour of the inside.

Our strategic home buying consultation will alleviate your frustration as a buyer and help you find the home of your dreams. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale We’ve been noticing a lot of frustration from buyers in the marketplace lately about the home search process. That’s too bad, because we believe this should be a joyful and fulfilling experience. With that in mind, we’ve cracked the code to help buyers get through the ambivalence and anxiety of the home search process with a strategic home buying consultation. Look at it this way—there aren’t many important things in life you wouldn’t develop a strategy to address to ensure your success, right? Unfortunately, when addressing the home buying process, people oftentimes go online and start looking at properties in the marketplace without thinking about the strategy they’ll use to win in the marketplace. Buying a home is the most expensive purchase many people will make in their lifetime, so it absolutely requires strategy and focus. This is where our strategic home buying consultation comes in. The first step to this consultation is to understand the needs, wants, and desires of all parties involved in the process. Find out what they are and hit those targets. There may be some give and take, but doing that up front will prepare you to be more successful in the marketplace. The second step is to figure out your motivation. When there’s a home that needs to be sold in order to purchase the perfect home—whether it’s a trade-up or trade-down home—there can be a conflict of motivation. Are you more interested in finding the perfect property to motivate you to actually move? If so, the danger there is once you find that perfect property, your current home isn’t ready to be marketed. If you’re more interested in getting your current home on the market, the danger there is once it’s under contract, you’ll have nowhere to go. “BUYING A HOME ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES STRATEGY AND FOCUS.” Lastly, you have to know what you can afford. Many first-time homebuyers don’t know what they can afford or what mortgage loan products are available to them. Because of this, they wait until they can build up their down payment or credit score to where they think it should be without realizing they’re probably already qualified to purchase. The longer you wait, the more home prices and interest rates may rise. It might be more advantageous for you to move forward now. The whole point of our strategic consultation is to determine whether the time is now for you to buy a home. You’d be surprised at what we can get accomplished in 60 minutes by sitting down with folks and developing a strategic plan. This will help you enjoy the process of finding your dream home. If you have any questions about this process or you’re a homebuyer and it sounds like something that might interest you, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you.