Triangle Area Real Estate News & Information - First-Time Homebuying

8 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Triangle Area

The Triangle area is known for a lot of things; college basketball, Research Triangle Park, and barbecue, to name a few.

But there are a lot of lesser-known things about this area that make up its culture and flavor. Here are eight fun facts about the Triangle:

 On the forefront of healthcare.

 Durham is home to a large number of medical-related companies. In fact,  there are more than 300 of them, and they have a combined annual  payroll of more than $1.2 billion.

 Cradle of technology.

 Research Triangle Park (RTP) is two miles wide and eight miles long, and is home to 136 companies involved in research and development. They employ 37,600 people in fields such as nanotechnology, pharmacology, biotechnology, information technology, and…

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The Future Of Durham-Chapel Hill Real Estate: Looking Ahead To 2017

Realtor.com recently released their national housing forecast for 2017 that includes big news for the Raleigh-Cary and Durham-Chapel Hill real estate markets. According to the report, home prices and sales are expected to rise across the country next year by 3.9% and 1.9% respectively, although the Triangle Area is predicted to see some of the highest increases across all of the markets.

Raleigh in particular could see home prices rise 4.16% next year with an estimated growth of 7.6% in home sales, which could make them one of the 10 strongest real estate economies in the nation next year.

The report ranks Durham –Chapel Hill just a few spots behind Raleigh, with an expected increase of 2.55% in home prices and 8.95% in sales. So far this year,…

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5 Key Ways To Avoid Risk & Safeguard Your Home Insurance Rates

Being a homeowner means that there is always some element of risk involved. The risk is not only what can happen to you, but also the liability you may incur when accidents happen on your property, or even on someone else's property.

Each of these potential problems can raise your homeowner's insurance costs, or may even prevent you from obtaining coverage. Here are some things you need to consider in terms of reducing your risk:

Keep Swimming Pools Safe

While swimming pools can be a lot of fun for the family, and a great way to cool off in the summer, they do come with some additional insurance risks.  Someone could fall on the deck and get hurt, or a child could wander into the pool area and drown.

The result could be high medical bills,…

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Still Looking For The Right Home? Try These Apps During Your Home Search!

It’s easier than ever to find homes for sale in Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. Gone are the days of driving around from neighborhood to neighborhood looking for a property with a sign out front, crossing your fingers that it has everything you want. Nowadays you just have to visit a website, set your search preferences, and homes matching your settings are all at your fingertips. What’s more is that when you register with My NC Homes, relevant searches are delivered to your inbox! It couldn’t be easier, or could it?

Even with some preferences set there can still be several listings to choose from in larger cities. Fret not – these handy home buying apps could be just what you need to find the right home for you in this big market.

Google Maps

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Why Should I Buy A Home While Going To College In The Triangle Area?

A new study by HomeUnion found that student renters in Chapel Hill and Durham are paying considerably more for housing than those in other parts of the country. The study found that the median price to rent home within a two-mile radius from UNC right now is around $1,700, which is typically much more than market value. Most students prefer to live off-campus, largely because the cost of campus housing is simply too much for what you get in return. With the start of the semester right around the corner, it’s crunch time for many students to find a place to live if they haven’t already.

Imagine if you could avoid the stresses of finding a place to rent altogether. If you’re looking to spend a few years in the Triangle Area, it could be very…

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How Technology Is Changing The Real Estate Industry

The online community is changing the way that success is measured in the industry. Five, ten, and twenty years ago, the role of a real estate agent was considerably different than it is now. Back then, agents had to seek out information and catalogue it, so their successes were largely based on the amount of data they had at their disposal. Nowadays, it’s not so much about how much data you can curate, but how well you know the local market and the kind of service you provide. Whether the agents like it or not, good and bad experiences are broadcasted across online review platforms and social media, which can persuade or dissuade people from wanting to work…

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How To Avoid Dealing With A Dual Agent When Buying Or Selling A Home

Before we talk about dual agency, let’s look at the conventional relationship between an agent and a client. The client can be either a seller or a buyer.

Hiring A Realtor To Sell Your Home

A home seller will hire a broker to handle the home sale. The broker becomes the seller’s agent. The seller expects the Realtor to do everything in the Realtor’s power to get the seller the best deal on the sale. In the course of the transaction, the seller will probably tell the Realtor certain details that may affect how the realtor handles the sale. For example, the seller may need to move immediately and be willing to take a lower price if necessary to sell the house. Or the seller may be in no hurry to sell and will not accept a low price under any…

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How To Make Your Renovations Easier When You Buy A Fixer-Upper

Step 1: Find The Right Home

Some buyers are out there with the specific goal in mind: to buy a fixer-upper. With an extensive background in construction, the My NC Home team wants to help you find a good home that's worth restoration. They'll advise on whether or not its a viable home to renovate, and help you find the home that best suits your needs. Once we've found the right home, we'll help you negotiate a fair price so that you can buy the house and start making your vision a reality.

Step 2: Renovate It!

When you buy a home with My NC Homes, they don't just hand over the keys and call it a day, they're with you every step of the way. If you're planning to do some construction work post-purchase, then they want to help you follow through…

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Love Butterflies? Here’s How to Grow Your Own Butterfly Garden

Many of us find It fascinating to watch butterflies as they flit from flower to flower. They are beautiful, delicate creatures. But they aren&rsquot just beauties, they also pollinate flowers. There are over 170 different species of butterflies in North Carolina. Wouldn&rsquot it be nice to have a few of them spend time in your garden? Here are some ways you can attract butterflies to your yard.

Grow caterpillars to get butterflies.

As strange as that sounds, you want to grow caterpillars. Caterpillars turn into butterflies as adults. So if you don&rsquot have caterpillars, you won&rsquot have many butterflies. To grow caterpillars, you need the right host plants. These plants include clover, honeysuckle, peas, violets, milkweed, pipevine,…

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Durham & Chapel Hill Real Estate Market Updates - Spring 2016

So here we are again at the beginning of another spring market in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. The azalea's are in bloom, despite abnormally low temperatures, and things are looking beautiful. It's a great time to go out and start your home search, or is it?

Over the last few years the real estate market in our area has gotten tougher and tougher for buyers in Durham and Chapel Hill. We are seeing very little inventory and prices are going up up up. For example, in Orange County, year over year, the median sales price is up 34.8% and inventory is sitting at a 4 month supply, where 6 months is considered a balanced market. Durham county is up 17.1 % and inventory is sitting at a staggering low of 1.9 months of supply. So some buyers are asking…

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