According to figures released yesterday, North Carolina resale home sales stabalized in December after a huge decrease in November. Statewide, 5,100 homes sold in December, up 3% from the 4,959 that sold in November. November sales were down 22% from October. This is good news and again supports the notion that North Carolina, which was one of the last states to suffer from the effects of the recession, will also be among the first to recover - Tina
Wynbrook, the KB Martha Stewart neighborhood on Strickland Road between Creedmoor and Leesville Roads has lowered their base model prices a whopping $65K. They offer 1/2 acre lots and a variety of floorplans at a fantastic location. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll be glad to forward more information - Tina
Use Re-useable Shopping Bags
When shopping at the grocery store, or really, any store, use reuseable shopping bags. You can find inexpensive, re-useable tote bags at many of your favorite stores. Target, Whole Foods and Harris Teeter all sell these bags. CBHPW even has re-useable shopping totes available as well for only $2 each. (All proceeds will benefit the HPW Foundation.)
Forgot your tote bag? Just make sure to recycle your plastic bags once the groceries are home. Most grocery stores in the area do have recycling bins at their locations. You can also use them as lunch bags or to help clean up when walking your pets.
Did you know? Plastic bags are made from non-renewable petroleum resources and require the use of toxic chemicals during production and processing. Plastics production produces 14% of the toxic air emissions in the US. Due to their propensity to blow away, plastic bags are not only unsightly, they can harm and kill wildlife. Even when the plastic bags make it the landfill, they will last for several lifetimes.
The requirement for downpayment in this area is 3.5%. Seller can pay for up to 6% of the sales price in closing costs for the buyer. The 2009 maximum loan amount for an FHA loan for Wake County is $271,050. This is a slight decrease from the 2008 limit of $295,000. Loan limit for Durham County is higher than Wake County at $334,650. Please call with questions, this is a great time to buy - Tina
One of the very popular loans right now is the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) loan. This loan is available for properties that are in areas that meet the definition of being rural, including some areas such as Fuquay Varina, Wendell, Knightdale, Youngsville and parts of Wake Forest. The earnings limit for a family of four is $86,100. You do not need to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify, but can’t own another home at the time of closing. For more information, please call or email- Tina