Seller’s are always asking if they should wait until the holidays are over to list their home for sale. If you’re ready to sell, there are many good reasons to go ahead and list during the holiday season:
- People who look for a home during the holidays tend to be more serious buyers!
- Serious buyers have fewer homes to choose from during the holiday season - less competition means more money for you!
- Homes show better when decorated for the holidays!
- Buyers are more emotional during the holidays, so they are more likely to pay your asking price!
- Buyers have more flexibility and time to look for a home during the holiday season!
- Some people buy before the end of the year for tax reasons!
- January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until the spring to buy, your home must be on the market NOW to capture those buyers!
We all know how important it is to think green so that together we can get our environment on the right path again! In this regard I’d like to start sharing some of my “green tips” with you moving forward, and ask that you share some of your own green ideas for building a better world! Some ideas will relate to home building, some to other ways that we can think and act green in our lives. I hope you’ll enjoy these and incorporate them in your everyday lives!
November is time for family and lots of cooking! This month’s green living tips will all be about how to cook ‘Green!’·
Most of us eat a lot of pasta. Make extra, toss with olive oil, and keep in the fridge so you don’t have to heat an entire pot of water to the boiling point every time you want some.
If you have one, use a pressure cooker. It really saves on energy.
Try using a solar box cooker.
When and where possible eat local and fresh. Eating local produce means you show your support to local farms and trade communities.
When cooking, switch off the stove nearly three quarters of the way through cooking, instead of at the end. The pot’s higher temperature will continue to heat the food for a few more minutes. Remember to cover the pot or pan to seal the heat in as well as the flavors.
I have homebuyer’s and investors asking me all the time which are the top selling townhome and condo developments. The following data is compliled from the 4-county area that we normally think of as comprising the Triangle area of North Carolina; Wake, Durham, Orange and Chatham. The data is based on number of houses sold for January -September 2008.
Neighborhood
Southern Village
Twin Magnolias
Hope Valley Farms
Bent Creek
Bedord/Falls River
Cole Place
Anderson Pointe
Brook Forest
Town Hall Commons
Draymoor Manor
Long Lake
Camden Park
Brittany Woods
Cornerstone Park
Delta Ridge
Keystone Crossing
Brier Creek
Driftwood Manor
Breckenridge
Hedingham
I’m proud to announce that this year, CB/HPW will be supporting the families of the Me Fine Foundation. These families have children being treated at Duke Hospital in Durham and UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and could really use our support during the holiday season. We have a tree in our office full of Angels, you can select an Angel off of the tree and provide a gift for a family in need. You can donate toys for the children in the family, a gift card for gas so families can travel to and from the hospital, or much needed groceries for the family. Each Angel will list either a gift item or specific gift card needed.
If you’d like to participate in this worthwhile program, either stop by the office and pick-up an Angel, or call or email me and I can pick one for you and give you the information. Thanks so much for caring for these families! Tina
- Loans are available at historically low rates.
- We are in a buyers’ market - there are many well-kept, well-priced homes to choose from.
- Sellers’ are more willing to negotiate price and terms than ever before.
- Great tax deduction.
- Buyers’ investing in the market at this time will surely build wealth for their future when holding on to the home for several years.
- Pride of ownership.
- Great tax benfit available for first-time homebuyers (you are a “first-time” buyer if you haven’t owned for at least 3 years.
Call or email me today to talk about why it might be a great time for you to buy! - Tina
One of the biggest changes we’re seeing in the current market place in Wake County is the number of homes on the market vs. the same time last year. Currently there are just over 9,300 homes on the market in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Garner, Morrisville and other areas comprising Wake County. This is compared to just over 8,300 homes on the market at this time in 2007. This is not great news for sellers who are finding that it is taking longer for their home to sell than it might have a year ago, while it’s great news for buyers who have a great selection of homes to choose from and are able to negotiate a better deal including seller paid closing costs, price, preferred closing date, etc. The Triangle area continues to appreciate one of the healthiest real estate markets in the country, making it a great time for buyers who have been sitting on the fence to hop off and move forward. I’m always here to help, and to protect your best interests. Please call or email with questions and requests for information - Tina
I want to let all of my freinds and clients know that I’m available to help with rides to the polling sites for anyone in the Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Morrisville, Apex or Knightdale area needing help. This is such a wonderful, historic day in America, and regardless of who you choose to vote for it’s so important that we all get out today to cast our vote for our elected officials. If you need help in getting to the polls, please call me right away at 618-7171 and we’ll help you get there! - See you soon, Tina