Prepare Your Home for the Holidays with these Decorating Tips!

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The holidays are approaching. Today, we thought we'd do something a little different and share this festive video on holiday decorating tips from HGTV. Designer Angelo Surmelis shares several great ideas to spread holiday cheer throughout the home. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Pay attention to the mantle. If you don't have some already, buy some kind of garland to drape over the mantle. Next, use leftover ornaments and candles to add light and texture. When choosing ornaments and candles, ensure they are in the same color-palette. This helps make your mantle a great focal point!
2. Use smaller Christmas trees. Every house has their main Christmas tree. In addition, you can also purchase smaller, inexpensive, eco-friendly trees to place throughout the home. Decorate these trees with strips of fabric from a T-shirt in holiday colors to save money for the main tree.
3. Use what you have. Be resourceful. Adding a plate charge and place mat to your everyday dining set adds some jazz to your table. Fresh-cut flowers and candles will help finish the look. You don't need grand, expensive candles -- a little candlelight goes a long way!

As you can see, it doesn't take much to make your home feel more festive. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

More Reasons to Sell This Holiday Season

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Today we are excited to bring you part 2 of our series that is answering the question of why you should sell during the holidays. This is an important question that comes up a lot this time of year, because the holidays really are a great time to sell. Here are five reasons why:

1. Employee transfers

January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees can’t wait until after they move to buy, you need to be on the market now in order for them to buy your home.

2. Homes show better during the holidays

Homes have a different look and feel during the holidays. Buyers can sense the warm, cozy feeling of the holidays rush over them, making it more likely for them to purchase.

3. You can restrict showings

Just because your home is on the market during the holidays, doesn’t mean it has to be on the market for the holidays themselves. You can restrict showings during those six or seven days around Christmas and New Year's. Buyers understand you have family commitments just like they do, as long as you have some advanced notice of which days you want to restrict showings, it will work out.

4. Become a non-contingent buyer

Selling during the fall and winter will allow you to become a non-contingent buyer in the spring, the most desirable kind of buyer any time of year.

5. Buyers are energized

This is especially a great time to sell because it's a joyful time of year. People are generally happier and more prone to making the decision to purchase just in time for the holiday season.

If you have any questions for us about selling during the holiday season, we are always here to answer them. Give us a call or send us an email, and we look forward to speaking with you soon!

Why Should You Sell Your Home During the Holidays?

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A lot of people think that the real estate market shuts down when the weather gets cold and the days get shorter. However, selling your home during the winter isn't a bad idea at all. Actually there are multiple good reasons to sell your home this winter:

1. Buyers are extremely serious during the winter. Often they are desperate to find a home, so you'll enjoy a quick and profitable sale.

2. There is much less competition during the holidays because sellers don't expect anyone to be looking for homes. This means you'll need to be priced correctly and your home needs to be in turnkey condition.

3. The number of listings on the market will increase dramatically when January comes around. Take advantage of current market conditions to get your home sold for top dollar.

4. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during a work week. Have your home in top-notch shape and be ready for showings!

5. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.

As you can see, there are lots of good reasons to put your home on the market this winter. However, time is running out, so call me and let's set up a consultation to get your home sold!

What Can Moisture Do to Your Crawl Space?

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Today we are going to be discussing how to deal with moisture in your crawl space, an important thing to pay attention to this time of year. We’ve had dry weather for a while, but things are starting to get a little more wet. This has gotten us thinking about some warning signs that your crawl space and basement have water damage, so we want to give you a few things to think about to help you avoid and/or combat the problem quickly.

1. Ask yourself if it smells musty.

If it does, there is a reason. Get the area checked out, because the smell could be coming from several different sources. You may just need a new moisture barrier.

2. Long term moisture causes long term problems.

If left unchecked or ignored, moisture will cause mold that can grow underneath the subflooring. There are companies that specialize in removing mold and fungus from homes, and we know several that we would be happy to refer you to.

3. Check your insulation.

Is it installed properly? If it is, you should see the pink side of the insulation, with the paper side attached to your subflooring. If it’s falling down, put it back up or replace it.

So check these things out if you smell something funny or just want to be proactive about any water damage your home may suffer. Being proactive about these kinds of things is beneficial to your pocketbook in the long run. If you have any questions for us, just give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

When Is the Best Time to Sell a Home?

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We’ve been getting a lot of questions from sellers recently, the most popular of these is probably: “Is it the right time of year to sell my home?” Today, we are going to answer that question, as well as provide you a few valuable tips about home selling, no matter when you decide to list.

As we get closer to the holidays, people get concerned that the window to sell their home is gone and it won’t bring enough money if they list now. We want you to remember these three things about home selling, which should calm your fears about “missing your opportunity to sell.”

1. It’s always about the price

When you sell your home, you’ve got to price accurately. To do this, you need a comparative market analysis done for your home that will give you an idea of where you can price your home to sell quickly. 

2. It’s always a good time to sell your home

Given that your home is in good condition, ready to be sold, and priced correctly. 

3. Buyers around the holidays are serious

Many times, they want to move before school starts for the second semester, or get into a home by the time their job transfer is complete. There are a number of reasons buyers could be out looking at this time of year, but in most cases, they are very serious about buying. 

If you have any questions for us, or are thinking about selling your home, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to help you out!

Iredell County Real Estate Market Comparison

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Today, we're going to take a quick look at the Iredell County real estate market. Specifically, we'll compare this year's market to 2014 from January through August.

In 2014 the actual number for closed residential residences was 1,494 units that closed. In 2015, we had 1,584 units close. That's 90 more units than last year, which means that the market is a bit better than last year.

The average sales price in 2014 was $268,000. In 2015, it is still $268,000. If you break this number down based on what area you are in, that number will definitely change.

As for days on market, in 2014, it took 138 days for a home to sell. This year, the number went down to 103. You would much rather have your home sold in 30 days, but on average, it's taking 103 days.

It's critical to understand that these numbers cover the entire county, and may not apply to you individually. You have to look at pricing, the condition of your home, and what things you need to do to improve your home and make it the most competitive home on the market.

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

How to Get the Most Value Out of a Home Inspection

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Today is part three of our series about home inspections. Inspections are highly valuable to the buyer, and they're important to the entire process of purchasing real estate. I'm going to continue to list off ways that you can prepare for an inspection.

1. Trim the vegetation around the property: The inspector will want to walk around the home, and clearing any overgrown bushes will help the inspector and it will speed up the process.

2. Remove any wood debris: You'll need to remove debris from your deck and your crawlspace.

3. Pay attention to moisture in your crawlspace: This can lead to serious problems in the future, so be sure to thoroughly inspect that area of your home. We're seeing more and more issues arise from this, and more and more buyers are expecting homeowners to have a moisture barrier.

4. Clean mold and mildew in your bathrooms: Mold and mildew are just unsightly, and they can be removed easily. Take the extra time and get rid of it before the inspector sees it.

5. Clean your gutters: Dirty gutters don't leave a very good impression on your inspector, or on potential home buyers.

Hopefully you find these tips to be valuable. Getting ready for a home inspection is important if you want to improve your home before selling. One of the more important things that you can do before an inspection is to simply communicate with your home inspector to find out exactly what's wrong and how you can fix it.

If you have any further questions about this, or about Iredell County real estate in general, please don't hesitate to contact me!

How Do Septic Systems Work in Iredell County?

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Today we are here to talk about the basics of septic systems here in Iredell County. One of the biggest questions we get is "How do I hook onto the county sewer?" Well, there is isn't one, so you are going to find that you probably have a septic tank. Municipalities or neighborhoods will sometimes run septic systems, but what we are talking about today is septic tanks.

Over the past few years, people haven't been very worried about pumping their systems. However, maintenance has now become an issue. Confirm with a septic tank specialist what you should be doing with yours, as there may be some additional chemicals for you to add in.

Septic systems become an issue with buyers or sellers due to septic permits. Today, they are based on the number of bedrooms in your property, not the bathrooms. Your septic permit tells you how many bedrooms your home is set up for, so we have to be conscious of that and reveal to the public what the permit establishes for your bedrooms.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to speaking with you soon! 

How to Organize Your Home Before a Showing

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I recently found a good video on HGTV that I thought would be helpful to you if you're preparing to sell your home. It's essential that when you show your home to buyers, it's clean, organized, and decluttered. You'll want to empty out your closets, or at the very least, get them organized.

One thing you can do to get organized is put up shoe hangers in your doors, and store everyday items inside them such as cleaning supplies, utensils, or anything else that you can fit in them.

Another way to cut down on clutter is to use labels, or pick up storage bins to keep items like cords or wires in.

A tip for organizing your closet is to divide your clothes into four different sections: hang, sell, donate, keep, and fold. Once you have something marked out for every category, you can then organize your closet in any way you see fit. Here's an extra tip: you can use belt hangers to hang your necklaces and other jewelry.

I just thought this video would be useful for organizing your home, whether you're selling or if you just want to tidy up a bit.

If you need any assistance with staging, decluttering, or selling, please don't hesitate to contact me!

What Should You Do Before Your Home Inspection When Selling?

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Today, we share Part II of our 20-point discussion on home inspections! 

Buyers will get a home inspection done just about every time they purchase. However, it's becoming more and more common for sellers to have their home inspected before they put it on the market. This allows sellers to fix problems in advance and find issues they had no knowledge of before. 

There are a number of things you should do to prepare for your home inspection:

• Make sure the water heater is accessible: Have it turned on and operational also.
• Replace the batteries in the smoke detector: If it's randomly beeping, it's time for new batteries!
• Clean the ashes in the fireplace: Having a chimney sweep come over can be very helpful.
• Light the pilot light: If you have gas logs, you'll want to make sure it's ready to go.
• Have remotes easily accessible: If you have remotes for your fans or fireplaces, make sure the inspector can find them.

If you have any questions about the inspection process, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you!

Are Home Inspections Absolutely Necessary for Buyers?

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As a buyer, you have the right to hire a home inspector for a property that you're looking to buy, and you should absolutely have an inspection done. Keep in mind that you will be paying for the inspections, but the cost is well worth it. 

You need to know the condition of the property before you buy it, and this is the best way to determine what needs to be fixed. Many times there are things about the property that not even the seller knows, so this can be helpful for the sellers in making repairs before a sale.

You always need to pick a trusted home inspector, because you don't want any surprises down the road. I always recommend a termite inspection for people living in our area, and the good thing is that it often covers more than termites. 

As always, if you ever need assistance when you're buying or selling in Iredell County, please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to watch the next video in this series!

Twenty Ways to Prepare for a Home Inspection - Part 1

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Home inspections are critical in the process of buying and selling a home, and there is usually no way around them. That's why I'm beginning a three-part series where I'm going to be providing you with tips on how to prepare for inspections and ensure that your home shows well during them. This can be a stressful time, but it doesn't have to be.

1. Make sure nothing is blocking the attic. The home inspector will surely want to go up there to check on your roof, so make it easy on yourself and them. 
2. Don't forget about the crawl space. Homeowners often forget that the crawl space will need to be examined as well, and this helps the inspector determine if you have problems caused by moisture. 
3. Make the electric box accessible: Often times these boxes are located in the garage and we have things propped up against them. 
4. Replace all burned out light bulbs. This is a common issue, and sometimes when home inspectors see this, they'll think that the fixture is broken, not the light bulb. 
5. Secure your pets, or move them elsewhere. They just seem to get in the way and are better off somewhere else. 
6. Have your HVA system inspected prior to the inspection. If you have dirty filters the home inspector will take note, and this will not look good on the report.
7. Clean your windows. This is especially true with thermopane windows. Sometimes when they're dirty they'll think that the seal is broken, so be sure to clean them beforehand.

Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to watch the next video in this series!

What Closing Costs Do Buyers Have to Pay?

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Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in again. Last time, we talked about closing costs from a seller's perspective. We are back to do the same thing today, but from the buyer's perspective this time.

In terms of closing costs for buyers, they are different based on whether you are paying with cash or with financing. If you are paying cash, your two big costs are a title search and title insurance. You also may have to deal with various home inspections as well, but that's at your discretion. 

When you are borrowing money from a lender, they will have certain expenses you are required to pay. A loan origination fee, an appraisal fee, credit report, flood certification, an origination fee, and any other expenses they require. It depends on both the loan and the lender what your costs will be. They will give you that info with your pre-qualification. 

If you have any questions for us, just give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

What Are Closing Costs Like in North Carolina?

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Hey everyone, thanks for joining me again today. I'm going to be answering a question today from a client about seller closing costs. Susan wants to know:

"What are closing costs based on and what percentage of the sale goes to the seller?"

Susan, that's a great question. There really isn't a specific formula for what a seller nets on their property. As a seller, you will be paying for a deed in lieu waiver that is done by your attorney. Then you also have to pay revenue stamps to the state of North Carolina, based on a formula of two dollars for every thousand dollars of value.

Of course, your real estate commission, prorated share of the real estate taxes for the year in which you are selling, and any kind of mortgage or equity line tied to your real estate will also need to be paid off.

Those are the basic costs that sellers will have. In addition to those, it's possible you may also be paying for a home warranty, or even some of the buyer's closing costs. 

When you have questions about real estate and need the truth, you have to give me a call. You can always reach me by phone or by email if you have any questions at all!

How Do Tax Assessments Affect the Value of Your Iredell County Home?

         

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Today I have a question from a client here in Iredell County in regard to a tax assessment that they received. Their tax assessment has just been reduced on their home and they're wondering if that means their property taxes and property value have also been reduced.

This is a great question. But let me first explain that there are three different values to your property.

• Tax value: This is what you pay to the county
• Appraised value: This is the value that an appraiser gives to your home when they come to place a value on it. They compare your home to similar properties that are near your home to determine a value. This is the value that the bank will care about when someone is getting a loan to purchase your property. 
• Market value: This is the most important value on your home, and this is what willing buyers will pay for your property. This is determined by market conditions, location, interest rates, the condition of your home, and other comparable home sales. 

So, tax value is very different than the market value. A lower tax value on your home does not mean that your home's true market value has taken a hit.

If you are confused about any of this information, or if you would like help finding a value for your Iredell County home, please don't hesitate to contact me.