First Time Home Buyers - The Ultimate Checklist

If you're a first time home buyer then there's a good chance you are getting lots of conflicting information, from the Internet, your friends, family and co-workers. We hear things from when we're speaking to our buyer clients that never cease to surprise us as it's so often incorrect. There's a lot to consider and some prep work required. Here it is, a definitive guide to preparing to buy your first home.

Getting Ready: Mortgages and Financing

1. - Start saving for your down payment.

It may seem obvious, but if you're going to buy a home you're going to need money and the sooner you start saving, the sooner you can start looking for a home in earnest. Saving for a down payment is frequently the biggest hurdle for first time buyers, so it…

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Things to Know Before You Buy a Tiny House

There are things to know before you buy a Tiny House. Tiny houses are sweeping the nation with their charming looks and function-packed features. At no more than 500 square feet, they focus on simple living without sacrificing on quality or comfort. And speaking of quality and comfort--tiny houses can be stocked with everything from Smeg fridges to clawfoot tubs. This level of comfort makes tiny houses livable for more than just a vacation. Now before you head off to purchase your tiny home, it’s a good idea to do your research. Here's a look at what you should know before buying a tiny house.

Tiny houses can be divided into two main categories; tiny houses on wheels and tiny houses on foundations.

Tiny houses on foundations are built…

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How Your Family Can Prepare, Plan and Recover from Natural Disasters

Preparing for Natural Disasters

People and businesses in the Carolinas are emerging from the aftermath of Hurricane Florence this week. Our home sellers were holding their breath as Hurricane Florence made her approach. Everyone in the Triangle was scrambling for basic needs. Clients selling their homes in this active market were also preparing extensively for measures to protect their homes. The majority of residents in the Triangle were fortunate to avoid extensive damage and disaster that other parts of of North Carolina are experiencing as a result of Florence.

Preparing your family

Hurricane Florence is not the first nor will she be the last hurricane to move through the Triangle. As storms like this increase in frequency, homeowners…

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How to find a Great Place to Live

What makes a home a great place to live?

Buyers want a great place to live, which involves more than just the house. Beyond the walls that people call home lies the neighborhood and community that make a particular location a great place to live. We asked our buyers to define what makes a particular place great and we asked our sellers what they'll miss most when leaving the area behind.

Defining what makes it great

Location

For some buyers location might be at the top of the priority list when trying to decide what spot is right for them. Work commute can be a factor, and location to shopping, dining, or access to the highway might determine what is most important. We work with a wide variety of clients from different generations; both…

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Trinity Park Rich in History

Rich In History

In the late 1800s, Durham had a robust economy based on tobacco and textiles. This thriving town had fashionable homes, a new hospital, and a respected university: Trinity College, which preceded Duke University.

Anchored by Queen Anne-style homes originally built for college professors, the area features homes in a variety of architectural styles including Victorian, Neo-Colonial and Craftsman. After a brief period of decline in the mid-20th century, Durham residents banded together to form the Trinity Park Neighborhood Association. This association was instrumental in halting hasty development and demolition of historic homes, and a priority was placed on restoring owner-occupancy.

Trinity Park is comprised of approximately…

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Should I Outsource or DIY My Home Maintenance Tasks? Part 2

Outdoor home maintenance: outsource or DIY?

A home requires regular maintenance both indoors and outdoors. The maintenance required on the exterior of the home is dictated by the weather climate where we reside. Maintenance is time sensitive due to the exposure to the elements.  Making sure you keep up with regular exterior inspections as a critical first-step. This gives you the option to do it yourself (DIY) and save money in the long term. 

Your House

The roof

Your roof is your first defense against the weather. The roof is also taking the majority of the beating from the sun, wind, rain,  hail, and snow. It is important to regularly inspect your roof for major   damage and signs of wear that may need repair. However, we encourage   our…

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Should I outsource or DIY home maintenance tasks? Part 1

Indoor home maintenance: Outsource or DIY?

Homeowners face a multitude of decisions as they manage their households. Whether it is regularly needed maintenance or special situations, homeowners will inevitably make decisions to either outsource or DIY the work themselves. New homeowners especially may be especially keen to save money at every opportunity.  Not all DIY maintenance work is created equal. The more experience with DIY will inevitably show you that, some jobs are better left to the professionals. In this blog, we will look at some common indoor home maintenance tasks that will make homeowners ask, “Should I outsource this home maintenance job or do it myself?”

Inside the Home

Some homeowners keep a regular schedule of tasks to…

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Moving Locally in the Research Triangle

The topic of moving during the college years or right after was not a big deal. In the later years when you approach the subject of moving there are many groans and sighs. Sympathy from friends is a given; moving often means the juggling of work schedules, when to pack, school activities, finding new veterinarians, and more. As adults, we become more established. We tend to accumulate and our families grow to include children or furry friends. In the case of some of our clients, we have witnessed the coordinated move of dogs, cats, fish, and chickens.

Some families need to consider school districts, the timing of selling a home, or whether the home they are building will be ready. Sometimes there isn’t a permanent place to land immediately after a…

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Raleigh Metro Area is #2 for Job-first Movers in the U.S.

According to a new study by Apartment List, 59.4% of Raleigh metro renters choose to move to the Raleigh metro for the job, making it #2 metro in the nation for job-first movers.

Growing job market with large technology companies, start-ups and job opportunities in science and academia make the Research Triangle surrounding Raleigh appealing to new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) grads. Combined with relatively low housing prices, the Triangle is the next go-to destination for tech workers around the nation. Despite rapidly increasing rent prices, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are still more affordable than most tech centers.

According to the study, only 25% of Raleigh metro renters are plan on settling down in the…

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Welcome to the Neighborhood: Our 5 Best Housewarming Gift Ideas

Moving. We have all experienced arriving at a new destination and trying to figure out what to unpack first, while at the same time pushing off hunger or thirst and possibly dealing with our kids and pets. Who can't empathize with the experience of being overwhelmed and exhausted when we see new neighbors arrive with the moving truck and carting boxes into the house. It is often good to let the dust settle the first night before heading over for a meet and greet, but we have identified some of the best housewarming gifts sure to endear you to your new neighbors.

Without knowing what your new neighbors like, their hobbies, or sense of style don’t run the risk of picking out decor they feel obliged to keep. Keep to items that they can use and…

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