 Summer is just around the corner and the weather is getting hot quickly! This weather has me in the mood to sit poolside with my toes in the water and a refreshing beverage in my hand. Check out the current list of homes for sale in Raleigh with a private pool in the backyard.
http://bit.ly/RaleighHomesWithPools If you would like to take a look at any of these homes, pop us an email at [email protected].
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 When did you purchase your current home? Was it recently or have you been in there for a while? I know that life changes quickly. I am getting ready to have 2 kids in middle school next year and cannot believe it. As life changes so do the needs of our home. Sometimes we need more space, sometimes it's less. Our commutes to work can change. Maybe you would like a bigger backyard or a pool. Our market has done some great equity building for us homeowners in the past few years. This is a great time to take advantage of that equity that you have grown. Knowing how much equity in your home can help you to think a little more about your current house. Maybe it's time to look at having the PMI removed from your monthly payment. Maybe you have that equity to do that home project you have been hoping to do. Maybe it's time to change your living situation altogether! Are you curious about what the current value of your property is? Check it out here ---->>>> http://bit.ly/raleighhive. This is going to give you a range, but if it intrigues you and you would like to talk more about some scenarios for your specific home shoot me a quick email to [email protected] or call me at 919-491-5109 and we can talk more in depth about your situation. There are new construction projects popping up all over the area. I have been driving by this project on the way to the grocery store for months, so I jumped at the chance when Dale Gasperson, the onsite agent, offered a hard hat tour of 904 Oberlin. Don't we look fancy!
The Oberlin is located on Oberlin Road in Raleigh moments away from Cameron Village. You are a 5 minute walk from all of the shops, restaurants, and events that Cameron Village has to offer. I was so impressed with the thought and detail that is going into this project on Oberlin. Dale told me that the builder has taken 3 years to plan and develop this project. What I was able to see There are 23 opportunities in total in this community. Two have already been purchased. The model is being worked on currently, but will be available for tours soon. They are offering two 3-story floor plans as well as a 2 story floor plan ranging from 2355 square feet to 3150 square feet. Each unit has a two car garage as well as a rooftop deck. The roof top area is one of my favorite features for these properties. The 3 story deck is 750 square feet!! The 2 story is slightly smaller at 500 square feet! Both are still larger than my first apartment. Don't let the thought of all of those stairs deter you though. Each unit comes equipped with a private elevator. I also loved that there is sound insulation going in all of the walls and between the floors for noise control. Amazing 10' ceilings on the main living area and beautiful windows. The sight lines are going to be breathtaking when the units are built out. The master shower is enormous as well as the deep bathtubs that will be in the additional bedrooms. What I couldn't see yet, but will be worth the wait The kitchens will have incredible islands with stone tops. The appliances will be Sub-Zero and Wolf. You will have custom color selections for the cabinets as well. I can only imagine the details and design of the finished product in the model. It will be Pinterest swoon worthy! However, since this project is with a custom builder, you will be able to customize to how you would like it. The soon to be owners of the properties that are under contract have made some wonderful edits to their homes. One has chosen a fireplace, the other opted to not have one. One owner has added cabinets and wine fridge on the upper level for ease of access to the rooftop area for entertaining. One owner is doing custom California closets. This luxury and convenience does come at a price tag. These homes will start in the $900s. In my opinion, this is an amazing value for what you are investing in. If you have any questions or would like to see the properties, I would love to help! Give me a call at 919-491-5109 or email at [email protected]  We are often asked, "Where do you sell?" Well, the answer is just about anywhere in the Triangle! As licensed agents in North Carolina, we can show a property anywhere in the state, we just don't want to. We do know other great agents all through the county that we would love to introduce you to if you need help. Specifically, we sell in the Durham, Wake, and Johnston county areas. The picture above shows where we have been through the years.
In the last six months, we have sold in; Cary, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Morrisville, Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Zebulon. The homes we have sold were condos, townhouses, manufactured, and single family. They have been as old as 1950 and as new as 2016. Some needed a lot of work, others were move in ready. We have the knowledge you are looking for when going through this process and we strive to make it as fun and smooth a time as possible. If you are thinking of buying or selling this year, we would love the opportunity to talk to you more. Feel free to send us an email or give us a call at 919-491-5109.  Do you believe whether a groundhog sees its shadow or not is a true indication of when Spring will come? A lot of people aren’t even sure, which means we’re going to have more winter. But even if you do, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. If it’s sunny, and he sees his shadow, that means a longer winter. If it’s cloudy and he doesn’t see his shadow, it means Spring will come sooner. That seems totally backwards. And then there are lots of different groundhogs… which are you supposed to believe? Groundhogs Don’t Predict Spring Truth is, Spring never actually comes sooner, even if every single groundhog doesn’t see his shadow. It begins on a specific calendar day. Now the weather on the other hand, that’s a different story. The weather will be what it will be. Weather is something people make small talk about. But a groundhog predicting it!? Meteorologists can barely do it. So, most people don’t put a whole lot of stock in what the groundhogs “say” on Groundhog Day. However, a lot of people do put stock in the “Spring market” when it comes to real estate. Is Spring The Best Time To Buy And Sell Real Estate? So many people believe it is the “best” time to buy or sell real estate. Not necessarily. Sure, there is a definitely a “Spring market”. But, first of all, to even say exactly what day it begins is impossible. Some real estate agents even say the Spring market begins in January. Others may say March. Or April. Maybe May. And while there is no definite answer as to when the Spring market actually begins, it’s even more inaccurate to say that it’s the best time for you to buy or sell a house. It might be for some clients… but certainly not for everyone. It depends on so many variables, and upon the client’s specific scenario and needs. My Advice To You Don’t put stock in the “Spring market”, no matter what you hear, or who you hear it from. Do not base your decisions about when to buy or sell upon something people talk about as lightly as the weather… or whether the Groundhog saw its shadow or not. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. But, if you are thinking about buying or selling, or both, then we should chat. And strategize. Is now a better moment for you to begin buying or selling? Or is it better for you to wait until Spring is “officially” here? Or perhaps Summer… Or Fall… Or Winter… Like I said, it depends on a whole lot of variables. So, if you’re thinking of buying or selling, let’s just chat. If not, just stick this in your head for future reference! Happy Groundhog Day by Jenn Cole  We all set our clocks back last night (or I hope you did). It was really nice to sleep in that extra hour! I will state for the record though that I am not a fan it being so dark so early. Benjamin Franklin originally began the idea of Daylight Saving Time. The rationale is to save energy for lighting all times of the year. If you are truly interested, you can read all you want about it here.
Since this event is reliable twice a year it is a good time to remind us to do some simple home maintenance. Here is a Top 10 common items list: 1. Check your smoke detectors and change their batteries. 2. Check or replace your carbon monoxide detectors. 3. Schedule your HVAC maintenance. Your system should be checked out by a professional twice a year to extend the life of the system. It is easy to remember if you do it now and again in the spring when you change your clocks again. Here is a great guy! 4. Change your refrigerator water filter and clean the coils. 5. Stock up on winter storm supplies now. In North Carolina we will surely have at least one catastrophic winter storm where we get 2″ of snow and the city will shut down. (Insert laughter from all the new residents of the state from areas that actually get real snow!) Obviously, you cannot stock up on the essentials such as bread, milk, and eggs now. This is a good time to purchase your AA & AAA batteries, a shovel, and propane. It is also a good idea if you see a random sled that you get that now so you don’t need to drag out the pool floats for the kids like we did last year. 6. Disconnect your water hoses from the house. Shut off outside water valves if it becomes really cold. 7. Seal any cracks in your driveway or sidewalks. 8. Have the gutters cleaned when the leaves finish falling. 9. Have your dryer vent checked and cleaned. Here's a guy for that too! 10. Mulch the falling leaves. Aerate, fertilize, and reseed your lawn. This way in the spring you are already ahead of the game! You didn't think I would leave you hanging.....here's a guy for that too ;) Always remember, "a little care goes a long way". Spending a little time each season maintaining your home will payoff big time when you go to sell. After all, this is your biggest investment! by: Jenn Cole
This past weekend marked the end of the 2016 Triangle Parade of Homes. The parade of homes runs through 3 weekends in October every year. This is when builders are putting out the best of their best. The homes are voted on by out of town judges. There are gold, silver, and bronze winners for every price point. All homes that are judged receive a special feature award. This is a really big deal for our new construction market! Every year, I drag my husband around town with me to look at as many homes as we can squeeze into a day or two. This year we mainly focused on homes that were Inside the Beltline. We also ran out to see the home at North Ridge Country Club and one at Briar Chapel. The one in Briar Chapel was a special one to me. This one my sister supervised the build for the annual "Build Like a Girl House" for Garman Homes. I must say that I was a very proud big sister and the group the refer to as the "pretty committee" hit the ball out of the park on this one. This is their current model home so you can stop by and see what I am speaking about. Overall, we noticed many trends that seem to be happening currently in the new home building market. 1. Big outdoor spaces and retractable doors and screens. One of the things I love most about our area is how much time you can spend outdoors. One of the things I dislike about our area, is the incredible amount of bugs and mosquitos! This gave the best of both worlds. 2. Gray is the new black. Lots of gray from walls, to tiles, to granite, to kitchen cabinets. I prefer a little pop of color personally, but I guess you can get that other places. 3. Lighter hardwood floors and hexagon tiles. Dark hardwood floors look like they are being changed to lighter options. I have a bee obsession so of course I am drawn to the hexagon tiles! I do love both of these trends.....I think I want to do it in my own home. Someday. 4. Secret pantry. We saw this in 2 different homes. It was custom cabinetry that looked like it was a boring old cabinet. However, you opened it up and were able to walk inside. One was large enough that it was even meant to house the AV equipment. It was your own personal Harry Potter room. 5. Statement light fixtures. They are shiny, big and bright. Chandeliers are aplenty, not for only dining rooms any more. Big Ass fans were seen often as well. I love that they make ceiling fans pretty now. 6. Leathered granite. When someone falls in love with a home I can tell because they normally start touching things. Why not add some texture to the countertops. If you were able to make it out to any of the parade homes this year, I would love to know what you thought. Comment in the section below!  Everyone has their favorite social media. I am a visual person therefore a big fan of Instagram. If you are thinking of moving to the Triangle, new to the area, or have been here for a long time here are my top 5 favorite favorite Instagramers to fall in love with the area.
1. RDU Baton. This one is a total favorite. One of those that I make sure I get notifications for! RDU Baton is a collaborative Instagram project for Raleigh, Durham, & Chapel Hill. It literally passes the "baton" to a different person in the Triangle to document what they love about this area. I find new places all the time through the daily guests. (handle @rdubaton) 2. Downtown Raleigh Alliance. The good people at the the Downtown Raleigh Alliance do a great job contributing to producing events and contributing to the economic success of DTR. (handle @downtownraleighalliance) 3. Olde Raleigh. Olde Raleigh gives us insight into the way Raleigh looked back in the day. It is fun seeing what the area looked like when the buildings were new and before Raleigh was built into what it is now. (handle @olderaleigh) 4. Taste Carolina. I love to eat and Raleigh has tons to offer in that department. Taste of Carolina will keep you in the know. You can get offline with them as well and head out for a tour. It's a blast! (handle @taste_carolina) 5. Raleigh's Farmers Market. This one is not a true Instagram to follow as much as a hashtag on Instagram. Our area has so much to offer. It is a favorite place for me and my kids to get out and stroll. Check out what is in season at #raleighfarmersmarket While you are adding to the people you follow on Instagram, I would love for you to follow me (handle @jenncole) and check out Be Home Realty (handle @be_home_realty) too!  Congrats! Your home has sold. What comes next? Before you begin to pack up your things there are a few more hurdles to cross, one being the home inspection. It is the job of the home inspector to go through your home and analyze the current condition of it. I have never met home inspector that does not find several items that need to be addressed in a home. Even in a brand spankin' new one. That being said, you do not necessarily want to leave lots of items to be found. During the due diligence time frame, a buyer has the right to inspect any and everything about the home that they are getting ready to purchase. They also have the right to walk away from the transaction for any reason. Unexpected issues that pop up can make people nervous. Just as it's important to get your home ready to be marketed, it is just as important to prepare your home for the inspection. Here are some tips to get ready: 1. Change out any burnt out light bulbs. An inspector will note worst case scenario since he will not know if it is a burnt out light bulb or faulty wiring. 2. Make sure receptacles are all working. 3. Label any light switches that are hard to know what they control. 4. Change your air filters. Dirty air filters restrict air flow and may lead buyers to think that you have not taken care of the HVAC system. 5. Often when I stage a home I tell my sellers to put all the "extra" stuff in the garage or basement. Clear a path around the walls of both so that the termite inspector can look around. 6. Make sure that there is access to the furnace, a/c, water heater, and electrical panel. If something is blocked it will not be able to be inspected and that could lead to the buyers asking for you to have it inspected. 7. Leave out any records of service that you have had on your systems (i.e. HVAC) or for any recent repairs that you have had done. 8. If you know that something is in need of repair....have it repaired! Preferably, this would have already been done prior to the day that you put your home on the market, but just in case. If you have maintained your home while you have owned it there should not be too much to worry about. Eric Coates with Detailed Home Inspections is my favorite home inspector! Here is a list of the most typical problems he finds in homes during inspections. If you are just not sure how your home is going to fair, Eric can come out and pre-inspect before listing your home. If you are purchasing a home for the first time the lending portion is often the scariest part to start. There are many programs that are available to you as a first time home buyer. The Mortgage Credit Certificate is one of those programs.
Here are some tips about the program from one of our favorite lenders, Chris Long from Equity Resources. What is an MCC Credit The Mortgage Credit Certificate or MCC is a program specifically for 1st time homebuyers that is a government tax credit equal to 30% of the annual interest paid on your mortgage. There is a max of $2,000 per year. Most of our clients do get the maximum credit allowed. **Please note - This must be completed at time of purchase so if you are working with a lender that does not know what this is please give us a call as this Cannot be added after closing. Basic MCC Credit Requirements You must be a 1st time Homebuyer (meaning you haven’t owned a home in the last 3 years). Purchase price under $245,000. Total household income limits – which will depend on the county in which you are looking to purchase. How do I apply for one The only action required by you is to sign 3 forms – 1 to be signed in front of Notary. How long does it stay in effect The MCC Credit remains in effect every year you own the home. In fact even if you refinance the note you can transfer this credit to the new loan so it will remain in effect. Remain in the home for 30 yrs. you can get up to $60,000 of cash reflected as a tax credit on your tax returns Don’t miss out on your tax credit. Call Chris Long at 919-615-3152 or email [email protected] Equity Resources, Inc. * 1330 Saint Marys St, Ste B050 * Raleigh, NC 27605 Licensing Information: Corporate NMLS 1579, NC L-134393-102. Chris Long NMLS 108499. |
