Fayetteville, NC Real Estate Blog

At ERA Strother Real Estate in Fayetteville, NC we are very proactive in the training of our agents.  Today we had a two hour block of training on the subject of appraisals presented by Dennis Chew, Appraiser.

Dennis was very thourough in his coverage of the subject and it's apparent that he has been conducting appraisals for quite some time and has quite a vast knowledge of the subject.  The subject matter was put forth in a very straightforward manner that was both entertaining and educational.

One of the subjects he spoke of was that of "allowances" often made by seller's when listing a property for sale.  For those not familiar with this term it refers to things such as carpet allowance or painting allowance, where the seller is not going to actually be the one making the repairs, yet allows the buyer some monies, recorded on the HUD statement, for the repairs.

In essence, the allowance actually lowers the bottom line of the total due on the house, not often does a buyer actually recieve cash money for the repairs.  Everything given to the buyer must be recorded on the HUD statement for legalities.

The essence of the talk involving the allowances was in reference to how it effects appraisals.

Dennis explained it like this:  Even if a seller allows a buyer an allowance of money to make a repair, the appraiser can still deduct for the item that needs repair, thus the seller is basically losing twice.  For instance:  the house needs new carpet.  The seller offers a $2,500 allowance for the carpet to be replaced.  The buyer is going to see a credit on the HUD statement that shows the total credits to them went up $2,500 and the seller was debited it.  No cash money will actually change hands in this situation.

Next, the appraiser arrives at the home to gather the information for the appraisal process to be completed.  The appraiser notes the carpet that needs to be replaced and, unfortunately in this situation, the appraiser subtracts from the value of the house the amount that he consider the carpet will cost to be replaced. 

Now, if it had been written into the sales contract that the carpet would be replaced before closing, the situation could have turned out different.  The seller may very well have spent $2,500 for the carpet to be installed, but the appraiser would not have shown that subtraction on the appraisal.  There would have been a "re-inspection" fee from the appraiser but not the big loss of value because the appraiser considered the carpet that needed to be repaired.

If the seller elects to not replace the carpet and only offer the allowance, the seller could very well be giving up the $2,500 to the buyer as a credit and losing a monetary amount on the appraisal due to the appraiser noticing the bad carpet.

Something to think about, definetely.  If you are going to sell a house, don't lose twice.  Be sure and talk with a real estate professional, such as myself, in regards to the options available before making any quick decisions.  Being able to counsel sellers in matters such as these requires a knowledgable real estate representative.

ERA Real Estate is on the leading edge of the real estate business.  In an effort to serve our clients well we understand that everyone in the family needs to be remembered.

ERA Real Estate now introduces ERA KIDS!

An area that is specifically designed to cater the the little ones during the home buying process.  With activities such as coloring, connect the dots, and printable stickers, ERA Real Estate has not forgotten the little ones during such a busy time in thier parents lives.

Go ahead, visit my website, www.MyNewNCHome.com and you will see a link for the ERA Kids page, give it a try!

ERA - on the cutting edge of real estate!  ERA Strother Real Estate proudly serves those who serve our country covering the Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg and Hope Mills areas of NC.

Never seem to have time to sit down in front of the computer but still wanting to search for a new home?  Trying to get your non-ERA real estate agent on the telephone but no one will answer leaving you unable to search for a new home?

Well, not anymore.  ERA Strother Real Estate along with ERA.com have made it easier than ever to search for that new home that you have been looking for.

Introducing ERA.com Mobile.

Now by simply entering www.ERA.com in the browser of your cellular phone you can search all of the homes that are currently on the market in any area that ERA Real Estate serves.

Once your mobile browser lands on www.ERA.com, simply enter the city that you are interested in and the state and in just a second you will be shown the listings for that area.

Interested in a demonstration of the service?  No problem! 

Follow this link: http://www.era.com/eramobiledemo/xhtmlbrowser/index.html

ERA Strother Real Estate....serving the needs of the Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg, Hope Mills areas of NC.

The MyNewNCHome Team is making some changes!  In an effort to always serve our clients with the best possible real estate services, the MyNewNCHome Team is making a change in the company they affiliate with.

Starting Monday, July 7, 2008, the MyNewNCHome Team will begin a new affiliation with ERA Strother Real Estate in Fayetteville, NC.  Our new home will be located at 2931 Breezewood Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28303.  The MyNewNCHome Team can still be reached at the same number as before and our website address will remain the same. 

In order to bring our clients the latest and most convienent real estate services, it was time for a change!

Have a real estate need?  Contact the MyNewNCHome Team today and let us show you how easy working with the MyNewNCHome Team and ERA Strother real estate can be!

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We proudly serve the Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Harnett, Moore, Spring Lake and surrounding areas.

Top 10 ways to help out your inspector

1. Confirm with your Realtor ® that the utilities are on and pilot lights are burning.
2. Make sure the inspector has access to any keys, alarm or entrance codes.
3. Tell the inspector about any areas of concern or things that you may be "worried" about.
4. Make certain to give accurate information during the ordering process. Receiving your report on our web site is easy unless the supplied email address for you is incorrect.
5. Read the Inspection Agreement carefully. Misconceptions about what the inspector will, and won't do can often be taken care of by just reading this agreement. Also be certain to sign this, while you are with your agent, or just ask your agent to sign it. 
6. Allow yourself a little time to look at the inspector's web site. As a home Buyer, and inspection Client, you will be better informed, more knowledgeable and this tends to enhance your overall satisfaction with the inspection process
7. If you have directions or comments on how to find the home, tell the inspector. Even he has a hard time finding an address every now and then!
8. If you choose to attend the inspection, ensure that children and pets won't hinder the inspection. It takes a great deal of focus, and concentration to professionally inspect a home; help the inspector by letting him do his job. Also, tell inspector about animals to be kept outside.
9. Although the inspector is happy to print your report on-site, if you are short on time, or just want to "save the trees" just check your email that evening! The entire report will be at your fingertips in seconds for you to print or view as many times as you would like, for as long as you wish.
10. Know ahead of time who should receive a copy of the report. If you want any assistance from the seller on repairs, inevitably your agent, the sellers' agent, and even the seller will want to see your documented fin dings.. If you inform the inspector of whom should receive the report, he can do that in a few seconds. This saves A LOT of faxes, paper, phone calls and wasted time for everyone. But, if you choose to not let anyone see the report but you, that's OK too! Just remember to tell the inspector.

Take these actions and your home inspection will go faster and will result in a cleaner inspection report!

Imagine your first home purchase, your next home purchase or you last home purchase.  What an exciting time, a time of anticipation and stress.  A time of worry and intense dreams.  You want the process to go as smoothly as possible and the closing to come quickly and painlessly.

What could possibly go wrong? 

Believe it or not...a lot of things.  Something going wrong is the last thing the seller and especially the buyer wants to happen, especially if there are short time lines on either side for the move.

What can be done to  find the problems before they become major issues?  That's right...a home inspection.  I always suggest a home inspection be done by a seller of a home prior to listing a home to discover any problems that might possibly cause the transfer of the property to be delayed.

One of the companies I use is HomeCheck Home Inspection.  HomeCheck home inspection has a reputation, at least locally, of being one of the best home inspection companies. 

With thorough reports which include pictures and descriptions of any problems found, the home owner and buyer can be assured of the condition of the home that they are buying or selling.

In today's world, buying a home without a home inspection is a risky endeavor.  You just never know what problems you may be buying without employing the services of a home inspection service.  The cost is negligible, usually no more than $300 in my area, and can be worth much more than that if major problems are found with the home that you are on track to purchase.

Need more information about home inspection services?  Contact the MyNewNCHome Team today!

The dam is about finished and the water is starting to pool!  Soon, the Town of Hope Mills, NC will have the cherished lake that the town was named after to enjoy once again!  This event has been long awaited by the residents of Hope Mills, NC and the surrounding areas.  It's been a long time since the sun has set on the beauty of Hope Mills Lake.

Five years ago on Memorial Day 2003, a sudden and very heavy rainstorm centered itself over the Fayetteville, NC and Hope Mills, NC areas.  The storm dropped a deluge of rain resulting in the eventual demise of the earthen dam that once held back the water of Hope Mills Lake.

The new dam is quite a concrete creation.  With the bill totaling around $9.8 million dollars, the Town of Hope Mills has began filling the lake and everyone that remembers what it was before is waiting in anticipation.  During the dry time, many trees and bushes have sprouted in the lake bed causing the Town of Hope Mills to send in cleanup crews to cut down the trees and get the lake bed ready for refilling.

The new dam is 750 feet in total length and was created in a zig-zag pattern.  This dam is 600 feet longer than the old one to meet the new regulations in holding back the massive amount of water.

When completed, the dam will be named in the honor of former Hope Mills, NC Mayor John Henley.

If everything goes as planned the lake is scheduled to be filled by August 2008 and town officeials plan an October dedication ceremony of the new dam.

For those that remember the former swimming area, it is being increased in size along with adding paddle boats and kayaking.

I was born in Fayetteville, NC...about 20 miles from Hope Mills, NC but I can remember the old Hope Mills Lake very well.  The days of the 4th of July fishing tournaments, the water skiing and the "old swimming hole" are very fond.  I for one look forward to the lake making a comeback and once again being a place of family enjoyment.

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The MyNewNCHome Team is proud to serve the Hope Mills, NC area of North Carolina and surrounding areas!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Jacob....Happy Birthday to you....

Well, on this date one year ago at 9:03 am I had just become a new father for the first time.  I can still remember the events as if I were standing there right now.

Here we are, one year later.  My son has changed so much and grown into a little boy, leaving the, what I call, "infant stage" behind.  Now, yes, I am aware that he is reaching toddler and is no longer the little baby that he was, but you must understand, he is so independant, wanting to do everything himself and for himself. 

So what have I learned you are asking....

1.  I learned to never be afraid to smile at someone you do not know.

     We, as adults, tend to grow into a creature that keeps to themselves and doesn't go out of our way to make a friend like we did when we were children.  Sometimes something as simple as a smile can make a world of difference in someone's day.  I mean really, have our lives become so mudane that we no longer want to associate with new friends?

2.  I learned that a giggle, is EXACTLY how we shold approach life.

     Now granted, my son being only 1 doesn't have really anything to worry about.  His biggest worries are "when am I going to eat, can someone change my diaper, and someone give me a hug when life rears it's ugly head in a way I don't like".  But, there are times when he looks at things around him and gives off a giggle, a giggle that takes the reality of life and turns it into something not so harsh.....maybe we all need to GIGGLE a little more....

3.  Enjoy life and by the way, take a nap....

     Everyday my son has fun.  He really has no worries and my question is why do we.  So what if we don't get that buyer or seller today, another one will be along pretty soon.  The other thing my son does everyday is take several naps.....are you like me, are you exhausted most of the time?  Guess what that means....yep, not enough rest.  To preform at our best we must be rested and ready to go, so I encourage you....SLOW DOWN AND GET SOME REST....your business will benefit from it.

Here is an interesting site.  It is a site where consumers, playing the part of "Watchdog", can report the lowest gas prices they find in the area they are in around NC.

With today's ever soaring gas prices, 24th day in a row that prices have risen, this site makes finding the cheapest source of gas possible without wasting that precious supply in your tank.

When you visit the site you can search for your area by zipcode and it will show you what has been entered and at what time of the day it was entered. 

I can see these type sites gaining alot more traffic in the near future because of the state of the fuel prices.

When visiting the site, you will notice near the top on the right side that you can add a link of sorts to your site for this.  I have added it to my site and figure it is just one more way of providing service to the community.

Go ahead...check it out, your gas tank depends on it.