Real Estate Information

Heidi Hines, a local real estate agent in Charlotte, NC says: “If you want to achieve the highest price in the least amount of time you should pay close attention to the following bullet points.”

• Faux Painted Walls – Looked great, may still look great, but are outdated
• Wall Paper – Modern prints and style are good. Old, worn or outdated…not good
• Bright, hit you in the face colors – Not good. Soft or neutral colors…good
• Shag carpet, sculptured carpet, sea foam green, mauve etc., worn, dirty, spotted, smelly or torn carpet NOT GOOD…Neutral color carpet...great!
• White appliances & white or natural color kitchen cabinets...NOT GOOD. Stainless steel appliances...good!
• Plain countertops…NOT GOOD. Granite Countertops...GREAT
• Fake flowers or plants with caked on dirt on them...NOT GOOD
• Front doors that are dirty, need painting or weather beaten…NOT GOOD
• Dirty or cracked windows, spider webs, dust on the ceiling fans and air returns…NOT GOOD
• Poor curb appeal, more weeds than grass, no flowers, overgrown shrubs...NOT GOOD

Unfortunately styles and trends change. What was in style 10 years ago most likely is not in style today. Today’s buyers are looking for houses that have already been updated. They want a house that they can basically move into without the hassle of updating.

The current real estate market is flooded with inventory, which means you will be faced with a lot of competition. If you want to be one of the lucky houses that sells, you should consider all the bullet points listed above.

If you choose not to make the changes you may be in for a long wait, and don’t forget, the longer a house stays on the market the less money you can expect to achieve.

And here is your morning coffee...

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.
Now put the foundations under them."

- Henry David Thoreau

BUILD YOUR OWN!

"Follow the yellow brick road," sang Dorothy and her unusual entourage in The Wizard of Oz, as they marched toward the Emerald City. The road was clear and their direction set. What they didn't know was that the good witch and the joyful munchkins had sent them down a road leading to a wanna-be fake wizard behind a curtain.

Have you ever had friends or family direct you to take a "yellow brick road" of their imagining? If you blindly followed their advice, you may have ended up in your own Emerald City of disappointment. The truth is that you have the power to create and follow a yellow brick road of your own, one that leads to the realization of your dreams.

The hard part is that YOU must also lay the paving stones of that road. You must first decide on a destination, and then be certain that each brick faces in that direction. Along the way, you may be distracted by winged monkeys or a wicked witch of your own making. If you succumb to those distractions, you may look back to find that your paving stones are uneven and lead in the wrong direction.

Only by having your destination clearly in mind will you arrive unscathed by life's many dead-ends and hairpin twists and turns. You must also be committed to the work involved - choosing only the right bricks, having the patience and perseverance to lay them straight, and the strength to avoid life's temptations as you work.

In the words of Thoreau - "If you have built castles in the air . . . "

11033 Fountain Grove Drive
Charlotte, NC 28262

Offered at $389,000

5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, bonus room, private office, two-story living room, eat-in kitchen, great room with gas fireplace, sprawling master suite, large fenced backyard, two tiered deck, irrigation system, dual staircases, two car side load garage...more

Call 704-458-4636 today to schedule your personal tour of this home!

Heidi Hines, a local real estate expert in Charlotte, NC says: "When you are buying or selling a house it is a good idea to be up-to-date on the most recent statistics".

Listed are several statistics that I hope you will find interesting:

• 48% of first-time buyers are married couples
• 68% of repeat buyers are married couples
• The typical buyer purchases a 3 Bedroom/2 Bathroom home
• The average buyer searches for 12 weeks
• The average buyer views 12 homes
• 19% compromised on price & size
• Most buyers would not compromise on storage space

TOP FACTORS influencing where a buyer purchases:

1. Quality of the neighborhood
2. Convenience to work
3. Affordability of the home

Sellers Facts, Trends & Demographics

• Sellers generally move about 18 miles from their previous home
• 21% sold because the home was too small
• 15% sold for a job relocation
• 50% traded up to a larger house
• 28% bought a comparably sized home
• 21% traded down in size
• Median agent of a seller is 49
• The typical seller owned their home for 8 years

REAL ESTATE IN THE NEW ERA

• More than 80% of builders expect to do away with formal living rooms & the number of houses with 3 or more bathrooms and four bedrooms is dwindling
• In 2011, as Echo Boomers (children of the baby boomers) move into the housing market, multi-family home starts are forecast to rise 16%
• 94% of buyers are using the internet to search for a home purchased through a real estate agent

Sources: National Association of Realtors, 2010, 2011…RISMedia 2010,2011...CNN Money 2011, Real Trends, Inc., 2010….The Nielsen Company, 2009

And here are my top picks for the week...

	5861 Rolling Ridge Drive Price: $1,790,000 Beds: 5 Baths: 6 ½ Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 7000 Welcome to 5861 Rolling Ridge Drive. This spectacular 5 bedroom, 6.2 bath, custom home features everything you could ever dream of...and more. Spectacular five bedroom, six full bath, two half bath, custom home located in the gated community of Pine... View this property >>
	10254 Culpepper Court Price: $339,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 3077 Stunning three bedroom, plus a bonus room, two and a half bathroom home located on a cul-de-sac lot in the subdivision of Britley. Enter this home through the inviting two-story foyer offering hardwood flooring, a palladium window, built-in display ... View this property >>
	21237 Pine Street Price: $129,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 3 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1710 Attractive three bedroom, three and a half bathroom end unit located in Mulberry Street Townhomes near downtown Cornelius. The powder room offers hardwood flooring, a pedestal ink and silver fixtures. The great room offers hardwood flooring, crown m... View this property >>
	11305 Quarterhorse Court Price: $174,400 Beds: 4 Baths: 3 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2297 Impressive four bedroom, three and a half bathroom home with an in-ground pool located on a cul-de-sac lot in the subdivision of Steeplechase. Enter this home through the welcoming foyer offering hardwood flooring, crown molding, chair railing and p... View this property >>
	6213 Regal Court Price: $359,900 Beds: 5 Baths: 3 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 4008 Stunning all brick five bedroom, three and a half bathroom executive style home located in the swim and golf community of Highland Creek. Enter this home through the welcoming foyer offering hardwood flooring, transom window, side lights in the door... View this property >>
	8614 Sawleaf Court Price: $95,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1550 Attractive three bedroom, two and a half bathroom home located in the subdivision of Kingstree. The welcoming foyer greets you with warmth offering hardwood flooring. The two-story great room offers neutral carpeting and a gas fireplace with enterta... View this property >>
	4811 Fairvista Drive Price: $299,900 Beds: 5 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 3338 Dazzling five bedroom, two and a half bathroom all brick home located in the sought after swim and golf community of Highland Creek. The inviting two-story foyer welcomes you into this home offering hardwood flooring, a transom window and crown mold... View this property >>
	9333 Kestral Ridge Drive Price: $195,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 1686 Immaculate three bedroom, two full bathroom ranch style home located in the popular swim and golf community of Highland Creek. The inviting foyer welcomes you into this pampered home offering hardwood flooring, a transom window, chair railing, pictu... View this property >>
	3801 Melshire Lane Price: $159,900 Beds: 4 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2123 Gorgeous four bedroom, two and a half bathroom home located on a cul-de-sac lot in the subdivision of Cheshunt. The inviting two-story foyer welcomes you into this home offering hardwood flooring, a decorative plant ledge and a double door coat clos... View this property >>
	5301 Bentgrass Run Drive Price: $174,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1945 Immaculate home offering three bedrooms, two and a half baths located in the distinguished swim and golf community of Highland Creek. The two-story foyer is sure to greet family and friends with warmth featuring a chandelier window, chair railing, p... View this property >>

Heidi Hines of Charlotte, NC believes that there should be one day out of the year known as “Love your Realtor” day.

It is not uncommon for the public to think that Realtors have an easy, fun job riding people around looking at houses, but the truth is our job is much harder than it may appear.

A full time real estate agent must be prepared at all times to switch gears and make adjustments to their schedules. They are not able to shut down their business at 5:00 pm; instead they have to take their business home with them.

When asked to place a house on the market for sale, they have the tough job of telling the seller what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. It is not easy telling a seller that the market will not allow them to get the much higher price that they were hoping to achieve. It is not easy telling the seller that their house has a pungent odor, or that it is way out of date and needs updating. It is not easy telling them that they are up-side-down on their house and they may now have to consider a short sale.

Buying or selling involves a myriad of emotions, and a Realtor has to be prepared to deal with the good, bad and the ugly. The nicest person in the world can turn into a monster in the blink of an eye. Emotions kick in and usually the only one the buyer or seller has to express their emotions to is their Realtor.

Yes, at times we are subject to a lot of abuse, but that is just part of the life of a Realtor, and also the reason why not just anyone can be a Realtor.

And here is your morning coffee...

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"The tragedy of life is not so much what men suffer, but rather what they miss."

~ Thomas Carlyle

TAKE A SIESTA!

When setting goals and planning our future, we sometimes fail to look far enough ahead. Consider the following story:

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while." The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs." The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, then stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life."

The banker scoffed, "I'm a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. You would eventually open your own cannery and control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles, and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years." "But what then?" asked the fisherman. The banker laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions."

"Millions? And then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos." (!!!)

So . . . what are you working for? The IPO or the good life? Stop working toward "someday," and appreciate your success on this day. Take time to enjoy the siesta!

3801 Melshire Lane
Charlotte, NC 28269

Offered at $159,900

4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, pre-inspected, neutral decor, soaring ceilings, completely renovated eat-in kitchen, both formal areas, security system, finished two car garage, move-in condition...more

 
Call 704-458-4636 today to schedule your personal tour of this home!

Heidi Hines, a real estate expert in Charlotte, North Carolina, says beware of the “chipper”!

Definition: Chipper… “An agent who will knowingly put your house on the market at a price that is far above current market value.” The “chipper” will do this in an effort to win the listing. You should be aware of the “chipper” for the following reasons:

• A house that is overpriced is not on the market, it is off the market
• A house that is overpriced will most likely not appraise
• A house that is overpriced will sit on the market a long time, and the longer a house stays on the market the less money a seller can expect
• The “chipper” will ask for a reduction in price each month until they finally get the price down to current market value, by that time it is too late!
• The house will get a stigma and become known as “the house that nobody wants”

When interviewing agents if one opinion of value is much greater than the other or others, you should be very cautious, for you may be in the presence of a “chipper”.

And here are my top picks for the week...

	146 Wendover Trace Price: $294,700 Beds: 5 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 3044 Impressive five bedroom, two and a half bathroom home located in the subdivision of Morrison Plantation, convenient to shops, restaurants and the lake! Enter this home through the welcoming two story foyer offering hardwood flooring, crown molding, ... View this property >>
	917 Anderson Street Price: $264,999 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1811 Brand new three bedroom, two and a half bathroom home located just minutes from Uptown Charlotte in The Arts District. This home offers: 2 pc Molding entire first floor except powder room, staircase and 2nd floor Hall Wood flooring on entire first f... View this property >>
	4811 Fairvista Drive Price: $299,900 Beds: 5 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 3338 Dazzling five bedroom, two and a half bathroom all brick home located in the sought after swim and golf community of Highland Creek. The inviting two-story foyer welcomes you into this home offering hardwood flooring, a transom window and crown mold... View this property >>
	6132 Hidden Meadow Lane Price: $159,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1536 Pristine three bedroom, two and a half bath, two story home located in the desirable neighborhood of Highland Creek offering stunning curb appeal with professional landscaping and a well manicured lawn. Enjoy the many amenities that surround you in ... View this property >>
	1632 Lombardy Circle Price: $288,000 Beds: 2 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1338 OPEN HOUSE Saturday, April 16th 1:00 - 5:00 pm Craftsman style two bedroom, two and a half bathroom condo with a basement located in Dilworth in the complex of Lombardy Green, within walking distance of restaurants and Freedom Park. The inviting foy... View this property >>
	10011 Montrose Drive Price: $269,900 Beds: 4 Baths: 3 Sq Ft: 2863 Stunning four bedroom, three full bathroom home located in the sought after swim and golf community of Highland Creek. The welcoming two-story foyer invites you into this home offering hardwood flooring, a palladium window, a plant ledge, side light... View this property >>
	6220 Oak Cove Lane Price: $224,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2584 Gorgeous three bedroom, two and a half bathroom home located in the distinguished swim and golf community of Highland Creek The two story foyer invites you into to this welcoming home offering hardwoods flooring, a chandelier, palladium window above... View this property >>
	7532 Pickering Drive Price: $209,900 Beds: 4 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2504 Fabulous four bedroom, plus bonus room, two and a half bathroom home located in the subdivision of Newell Place. Enter this home through the welcoming two-story foyer offering hardwood flooring, a palladium window and side lights in the door. The po... View this property >>
	7825 Taymouth Lane Price: $184,900 Beds: 4 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2197 Gorgeous four bedroom, two and a half bath home in the sought after swim and golf community of Highland Creek. The inviting two-story foyer offers hardwood flooring, crown molding, side lights in the door and a chandelier. The powder room offers a c... View this property >>
	363 Tranquil Avenue Price: $399,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 1938 OPEN HOUSE Saturday, April 16th 1:00 - 5:00 pm Beautiful three bedroom, two full bathroom ranch home located in the subdivision of Myers Parks. The spacious entry hall greets you with hardwood flooring, crown molding and side lights in the door. The... View this property >>

2492 Christenbury Hall Court
Concord, NC 28027

Offered at $119,900

0.38 acres, gated community with custom home ranging from $600's to $1.5million, the community offers a club house, playground, pool, pond, tennis and more

Call today to schedule your personal tour!

 

917 Anderson Street
Charlotte, NC 28205

Offered at $264,999

3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, new construction, sunroom, gourmet kitchen, spacious great room with stone fireplace, double porches, heavy molding, hardwoods throughout the main level, arched entry into the dining room, master bedroom with trey ceiling, fenced yard...more

Call 704-458-4636 today to schedule your personal tour of this home!

Like most large cities, Charlotte, North Carolina has an abundance of real estate agents all standing by ready to assist you with your real estate needs. With so many to choose from, how do you pick the one that is right for you to sell your house?

Naturally, a person is going to be drawn toward the agent with a great personality, the one who obviously has great people skills. This is the type of agent who “beams” confidence, a quality that can be a plus when dealing with buyers, sellers and other agents.

Experience is a major factor that should be considered. Ask the agent how long they have been actively working as a real estate agent. Length of time in the business can be deceiving, because some agents may say eight years, but have only been moderately successful.

Look for the agent who is able to immediately supply you with a large list of testimonials from past clients. Ask the agent how many houses they list each year and how many of those houses actually sell.

Caution: Many agents prefer to work with buyers, so if they cannot show you an extensive list of sold listings, they may be what I refer to as an “occasional”, listing agent. Example: You may have used agent Jane to help you purchase a home. Jane did an exceptional job as a “Buyers Agent”, so you decide to call Jane when you are now ready to sell your house. She puts your house on the market and six months later the house only had one showing! You are perplexed because Jane is not performing the way she did when she sold you the house.

Jane may be an “occasional” listing agent and prefers working with buyers. She will take a listing, but only when it is offered to her.

The agent who prefers working with listings is geared up to meet the needs of the market. They have in place tools and techniques that help create and attract potential buyers. When your house is shown it is usually due to something your agent did to create the showing. Listing agents know how to capture buyers.

There are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part you stand a far better chance of your house selling if you use an agent who predominately works as a listing agent, but who also has buyer agents as part of their team.

And here is your morning coffe...

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts."
- Henry David Thoreau

"To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition."
- Samuel Johnson

"Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out."
- Robert Frost

BUILD A WALL OF HAPPINESS!

To affect the quality of anything first requires action of some sort. Affecting is the opposite of passivity. In a passive state we can only BE affected, but we ourselves have no effect on our surroundings or other people. Hold that thought for a moment and consider next the result of your "affecting."

Ambition leads to action. Your ambition leads you to affect the quality of the day through some action. So what is the ultimate result of your ambition transformed into action? Johnson suggests it is "to be happy at home."

If, as Johnson recites, being "happy at home" is the ultimate result of your ambition, then why are you working so hard? Is there a way to avoid working evenings and weekends? Could you schedule your child's soccer game into the week's plans? Is that next appointment more important than celebrating life with your spouse at anniversary time?

One way to affect the quality of your day, which in turn may result in happiness at home, is to "build a wall," to paraphrase Frost. Keep in mind that walls may limit you if they are constructed of heavy gauge steel and mesh rimmed with concertina wire. Walls can also be formed as a low hedge or a split-rail fence - even more simply as a line in the sand. Rather than limiting us, they become a mere reminder of how far we are willing to go.

As we affect the quality of our life and push our ambition to the limit, we may also make choices about the boundaries of our lives. By choosing sound principles of living, for example, we may say "No" to friendships with those who operate outside our boundaries of accepted activities. We may decline meaningless activities, or the occasional committee appointment, which robs us of our valuable time.

In the end, WE are solely responsible for affecting the quality of our individual lives. We must choose wisely.

It is not uncommon to hear a real estate agent talk about the buyer who viewed 45 houses before they made the decision to purchase.

When agents show that many houses before a decision is made, it is a pure indication that the agent did not do their homework. Exhaustion, confusion, frustration and stress are experienced by the buyer and agent as a result of showing too many houses.

An agent should always take the time to counsel with the buyer to determine their needs, desires, motivation, background, and purchasing power. The answers to these questions will provide the agent with a “Recipe for Success”.

The agent will be able to match the buyer’s needs to the current market inventory and select the homes that meet or exceed the criteria. By doing this, the list of homes that a buyer will need to see is usually reduced down to 5-10 homes, not 45 or more.

CAUTION: Many couples will start the home search thinking that they both want the same things in a house, when in fact they may be as different as night and day.

One way to assure this does not happen is to play a little game that goes like this….sit far enough apart so that you cannot see each other’s paper. Draw a T on the paper. On the left side write what you absolutely have to have in a house, and on the right what you would like to have. When done, compare each other’s papers. Quite often you will find you actually are not in agreement at all. Now on another paper, draw the T and compromise and agree to each category.

Once you have an agreement you will be able to find a new home in half the time it would normally take, and with far less stress!

And here are my top picks for the week...

	2224 Tully More Drive Price: $79,900 Beds: -1 Baths: -1 Sq Ft: 0 Build a custom home to fit your lifestyle in this spectacular golf community. Just over a full acre wooded lot located in the Irish Creek subdivision and within biking distance of the North Carolina Research Campus, a village with shops, restaurants... View this property >>
	5935 Princeton Avenue Price: $54,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 1802 Appealing three bedroom, two full bathroom home with a rocking chair front porch located in the Princeton Park subdivision. The open living room offers a vaulted ceiling, a chandelier, wood-like flooring, crown molding and chair railing. The eat-in ... View this property >>
	5861 Rolling Ridge Drive Price: $1,790,000 Beds: 5 Baths: 6 ½ Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 7000 Welcome to 5861 Rolling Ridge Drive. This spectacular 5 bedroom, 6.2 bath, custom home features everything you could ever dream of...and more. Spectacular five bedroom, six full bath, two half bath, custom home located in the gated community of Pine... View this property >>
	19219 Dutch Iris Lane Price: $195,000 Beds: 4 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2355 Charming four bedroom, two and a half bathroom home located in the subdivision of Magnolia Estates. The dramatic foyer showcases the open staircase and features hardwood flooring, palladium window, a decorative plant ledge, side lights in the door a... View this property >>
	1010 Farmfield Lane Price: $98,000 Beds: 4 Baths: 3 Sq Ft: 2186 Attractive four bedroom, three full bathroom split level home located on a cul-de-sac lot in the subdivision of Olde Concord. The inviting foyer welcomes you into this home offering marble flooring, a palladium window, chair railing and a brass acce... View this property >>
	1632 Lombardy Circle Price: $299,000 Beds: 2 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1338 Craftsman style two bedroom, two and a half bathroom condo with a basement located in Dilworth in the complex of Lombardy Green, within walking distance of restaurants and Freedom Park. The inviting foyer greets you with warmth offering hardwood flo... View this property >>
	5819 McTaggart Lane Price: $369,900 Beds: 6 Baths: 3 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 4376 Stunning six bedroom, three and a half bathroom Saussy Burbank home with a finished basement located in the sought after swim and golf community of Highland Creek. Step-up the stacked stone steps to the rocking chair front porch accented by stacked ... View this property >>
	9823 Brandybuck Drive Price: $229,000 Beds: 4 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2580 Stunning four bedroom, plus bonus room, two and a half bathroom home located on a cul-de-sac lot in the Cabarrus County section of Highland Creek. This sought after community offers a golf course, playground, multiple pools, recreation area, tennis ... View this property >>
	11305 Quarterhorse Court Price: $174,400 Beds: 4 Baths: 3 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2297 Impressive four bedroom, three and a half bathroom home with an in-ground pool located on a cul-de-sac lot in the subdivision of Steeplechase. Enter this home through the welcoming foyer offering hardwood flooring, crown molding, chair railing and p... View this property >>
	6416 Tunston Lane Price: $179,900 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 ½ Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 2074 Spectacular three bedroom, two and a half bathroom home backs up to the pond in the award winning community of Highland Creek. The inviting two-story foyer welcomes you into this home offering hardwood flooring, a palladium window, transom window ov... View this property >>