Fayetteville, NC Real Estate Blog

It all started with the ambition and imagination of a man named Jim Jackson, who saw the potential not only in selling property, but also in capitalizing on the fresh territory of technology. This was reflected in his new company's name, Electronic Realty Associates, Inc., which opened for business in 1972.

 Long before the fax machine became a household word, ERA Real Estate was using it to sell homes. Known to ERA® customers as "The Moving Machine," it was an unprecedented national marketing resource, which could serve the burgeoning relocation market by transmitting listings from anywhere in the country to any ERA® location.

ERA continued its technology tradition with the introduction of it's first consumer website, TeamERA.com. This was followed by ERA Online^TM, which delivered to consumer's information on properties along with information on our offices and sales associates.

ERA Real Estate also broke new ground with the first nationwide home warranty program. Introduced as the Buyer Protection Plan and now called the Home Protection Plan, this program covers costly, unexpected repairs on a home's major working components - furnaces, wiring, plumbing and more - for a year after purchase of previously owned homes.

On such a forward-thinking foundation, the ERA® system's growth was dramatic, with member brokers in all 50 states by 1979. Shaping the course of real estate history by setting bold precedents, it was also around this time that the ERA® system introduced the Sellers Security® Plan, a unique program giving member brokers and agents a one-of-a-kind edge among national real estate networks. Assisting sellers whose current home needs to be sold to enable their next home purchase, the Plan advances the homeowner up to $100,000 equity for the new home, while guaranteeing that "We Will Sell Your House, or ERA Will Buy It!®"

ERA Real Estate has always prided itself on taking bold steps like these, which have included joining forces with other industry leaders. This began in 1981, when Commercial Credit Corp. (a subsidiary of Control Data Corp.) purchased ERA Real Estate, thus connecting it to the world of financial services and further establishing it in the technology industry.

The same year, the ERA® system went international, with the opening of ERA Japan. This was the first step in an ongoing expansion that currently embraces ERA® operations in 28 other countries and territories, where, as in Japan now, the ERA® franchise often rises to be the top real estate company.

The next great ERA® advance in the U.S. came in 1985, when ERA Real Estate was purchased by IMB Capital, further enhancing the stature of the brand. But landmark business achievements have never been the only way that the ERA® system measures success. Community has more than one meaning for ERA Real Estate. Just as the company has built its business from the local neighborhood to the global village, it has also built a reputation of being a good neighbor to those in need.

Since 1977, ERA Real Estate has been a national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, helping give new hope to adults and children living with neuromuscular disease. Recently celebrating its 25th anniversary as MDA's exclusive corporate sponsor from the real estate industry, the system reached a landmark of nearly $30 million in donations for the charity, with its commitment set to grow all the more in the coming years.

ERA Real Estate continues both its dedication to giving back and its consistent drive to improve its business. The 1990s marked the introduction of top training programs and ongoing awards for customer service, which help the company maintain the best-trained Sales Associates, the most satisfied customers, and the greatest business growth.

These programs include the ERA® Top Gun® Academy, a rigorous course designed to take basic sales skills to a higher level, as well as the Beyond Excellence and President's Circle conferences for top-producing sales associates and brokers, respectively. At these events, participants enjoy first-rate vacation destinations and unsurpassed networking and professional development opportunities.

Always advancing its legacy of embracing new opportunities by adopting new technology, ERA Real Estate's variety of training programs, including AccelERAtion and other courses, are available through classroom instruction, on video and online. To also serve customers through the pioneering medium of the Internet, in 1994 ERA Real Estate became the first company of its kind to post all listings online, through an alliance with listings publisher Homes & Land. It then launched its own Web site, ERAonline.com (now ERA.com), in 1995. That same year, the company launched TeamERA.com, an information center focused on providing ERA® sales associates and brokers with timely data about the global franchise and the real estate industry. The Intranet site is home to training programs, customizable marketing materials and technology programs.

In 1996, ERA Real Estate was acquired by HFS Incorporated, and became ERA Franchise Systems, Inc. Keeping in step with change, the company welcomed Peter Burgdorff as its new President & CEO. Then in 1997, the company updated its image, while preserving its proven strategies and services, with a new logo and marketing look. In 1998, HFS became Cendant Corporation, offering the ERA® system an unparalleled potential for synergy and full service in Cendant's broad real estate, mortgage, financial and relocation divisions, and other holdings.

The affiliation with Cendant also introduced an array of preferred alliances, now marketed through ERA® Select Services^SM. This program gives brokers and sales associates a competitive edge through the opportunity to offer value-added national services and local discount services to customers - from moving companies to neighborhood plumbers - for the lifetime of their homeownership. This represents the ERA® response to studies which show growing consumer demand for a "one-stop shopping" real estate transaction.

The ERA® system started the new century not just looking ahead, but observing essential American values. The future of America is in its heritage, both in culture and in years, as minorities become the fastest-growing segment of homebuyers and the population of mature Americans burgeons with the Baby Boomer generation reaching retirement age. As this future arrives, ERA Real Estate is well prepared. The company's entrepreneurial spirit, having driven its expansion into 28 countries and territories, positions it well to serve new markets, with tools such as its growing Hispanic marketing initiative and the ERA Sellers Security® Plan. The Plan helps put potential homebuyers at ease, and is tailor-made for the needs of seniors, who are interested in relocating to relatives' homes, smaller houses or retirement communities and need the confidence of a guaranteed sale for their previous home.

At the dawn of a new millennium, the ERA® system is an international neighbor, and to get to know its neighbors even better, the company launched the ERA® International Open Office weekend in 2000. Through this annual event, ERA® companies worldwide open their doors to their local communities, with civic-minded and fun activities that serve their areas and attract new customers.

In 2001 still more frontiers were crossed, as Brenda W. Casserly became ERA® President & COO, the first woman to lead a major real estate franchise network. The airwaves were alive with the ERA® message, as the system sponsored the popular nationally syndicated financial-advice radio show, "The Dolans." Services expanded into other crucial areas of the real estate transaction with the launch of ERA Mortgage. And ERA Real Estate achieved a 62 percent increase in core franchise sales for 2001, one of the most challenging years for both the nation and its businesses.

The year 2002 brought even further good news. The advantages of the ERA® brand identity were reaffirmed with the affiliation of Buffalo, NY-based Hunt Real Estate Corporation, one of the top 100 real estate companies in the U.S. The ERA® system changed its look again as it introduced sophisticated new marketing materials, and many other new tools designed to increase brokers' and sales associates' competitive edge.

The year 2006 marked a bright spot in ERA Real Estate's history as the start of a new era of opportunities and growth. The Cendant Real Estate Services Division became a standalone, publicly traded company operating under the name Realogy Corporation. Realogy is one of the preeminent and most integrated providers of real estate services in the world, and ERA Real Estate intends to fully utilize all the advantages Realogy provides in its size and scope.

A company that saw the future now enjoys a proud history. As more successes in the next 30 years and beyond beckon, ERA Real Estate is always growing, always evolving, Always There for You®.

What do you do when it's Friday night, an agent has called and wants to send you some important paperwork in regards to a listing you have and you have no fax machine at home?  Simple, K7.net ~ the service that makes life so much easier.

If you haven't heard of K7.net then you have really been missing something that will definetely make your life as a real estate or any other professional easier.  Now, with the assistance of K7.net, anyone that has a telephone based fax machine can send a fax straight to your email by calling a telephone number that was provided to you when you registered at K7.net.

Ever notice how when you send a fax from a telephone based fax machine to another telephone fax machine that the quality of the print is drastically reduced if not made completely unreadable?  Not anymore!  K7.net recieves the fax as it comes from the telephone based fax machine, which is usually pretty good at that point, and secures the image.  Then the fax message is sent directly to the recipients email address, thus eliminating the dreaded reduced readibility.  The fax message arrives in your email inbox as a .tiff file and is easily read by most picture viewing programs and printed as clearly as when it was sent as an original.

Are there any fees to use K7.net?  Nope.  The only charges ever incurred by anyone when this service is used are made to the originating fax sender if they are outside of the Seatle area, which a lot of us are.  But the cost of a 1-2 minute telephone call is a small price to pay for the convience, clarity and quality of message that could potentially be very important and needed to be timely.

If you haven't taken a look at K7.net yet, I definetely recommend that you do.  I use the service and can testify to the quality and value of the service.

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!