Many Triangle homeowners consider renovations in the new year. Some renovations recoup the investment in resale and are more desirable than others. The spring is an excellent time to renovate a home and if you are considering selling, we recommend, instead of large-scale renovations, making curb appeal changes linked here, to take advantage of the current market conditions. We are sharing home renovations according to Fortune Builders that yield the best ROI by percentage, and explanation according to our expertise. If you are thinking about selling in The Triangle, please contact a member of My NC Homes to discuss the best strategy for selling this spring.

Landscaping: ROI 100% : Fresh landscaping adds both curb appeal and value to a home. Where…

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Are you considering retirement? Are you thinking about downsizing? Is 2023 the year to do it? As we contemplate making these major life decisions, timing can be very important. Depending on the structure of your retirement, if you choose to retire sooner than later, you stand to earn more money through interest and also the time you sell your home. We wanted to go over some current market conditions to help those who are considering making this transition in The Triangle.

Downsizing and Home Selling

Are you ready to downsize? If this feels "too final", consider reframing downsizing. This can feel like a ton of work, but the first step is to clear the clutter, recognize the opportunity in reducing maintenance of homeowning, and considering the…

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4 Surprising Things That Will Increase Your Homes Equity

Investing in real estate is generally considered a sound strategy for growing wealth, especially in areas where home values are rising, like The Research Triangle. Home equity is a homes value minus liens or debts against a home. There are a number of factors within and outside of a homeowner's control that amounts to a home's equity. To grow home equity and its’ values there are some surprising things you may not be aware of. As experts in home values in The Triangle, we are sharing some of our top "surprising" tips.

  1. Meticulous Renovation Documentation

It is well known that investments in renovations such as a new roof, a kitchen upgrade, or bath upgrades increase the value…

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The Research Triangle is recognized nationally for a high quality of life for residents. It has a number of the top universities including UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, NCCU and Duke University within its bounds and as a result, there are incredible museums, hospitals, and culture. Another byproduct of such wonderful educational resources is corporate and tech investment in the area and a great job market. For these reasons, real estate is highly sought after, increasing in value, and a great investment. One of the most desirable types of real estate is developments that are exclusive and offer amenities within the development or nearby. Golf club communities abound in The Triangle and here are some of our top club picks.

Find your perfect…

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Winter Events in the Research Triangle

While the temps are dipping in the early months of the year, we wanted to offer some outdoor and indoor events throughout The Triangle. The Triangle truly has excellent entertainment and celebrations year-round, and these events prove it! From Valentine's to Block Parties, here are some great ways to enjoy The Triangle in the winter.

Black History Month on The Triangle 

February is Black History Month and in recognition, in Durham, the 20th Annual NC MLK Black History Month Block Party and Parade will be in Durham on February 4th. This celebration includes marching banks, step, dance, drill teams, mascots, and more.

Valentine's on The Triangle

Does a certain someone make you see stars? Why not…

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Making Your House A Home

Much of our blog reports on market conditions, local area lifestyle information, home improvements as well as Buyer and seller information. To frequently we fail to talk about just enjoying your home. We would like to underscore the importance of making a house a home. When we think about increasing curb appeal for sellers, what about for buyers to envision themselves in a home? What are some steps you can take to really envision your ideal home, and then start your search. It is a great time to buy over renting, and stabilizing housing costs is a great way to invest in your future.

Your Future Space

How do you take up space? This is more than an abstract concept. When you are envisioning your new home, where are the…

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When reading about real estate, it is important to remember that there never has been, will there ever be a national real estate market. All real estate markets are local. Supply and demand in real estate is dictated by what buyers are willing to pay and sellers accept, in a precise location. It is imperative to work with a highly experienced Realtor who can filter the national real estate noise to deliver local real estate insights. We would like to offer some reasons why it is important to debunk this national market myth for local Triangle area buyers and sellers.

Markets to Watch

A local market is influenced by a number of factors and does not exist in a vacuum. Job growth, population growth, housing affordability, proximity to desired…

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Changes to Credit Reporting and What it Means for 2023 Buyers

For many who are looking to buy a home, the variability in interest rates may have put a halt to your search. Some of our Buyer clients have concerns about obtaining financing, as a result of their credit scores as interest rates rise, they assume they won't qualify.

If you share these concerns, we have great news. There are big changes to how credit is being calculated and debts reported that may impact your ability to borrow, in major positive ways. Let's go over the five major changes to credit reporting in 2022 that impact your ability to borrow in 2023.


  1. The No Change Change. Credit scores stalled in 2022. Overall the average gain was 7 points, which takes scores back…

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Creative Ideas as Mortgage Rates Rise

The FED's effort to battle inflation, by increasing interest rates, can be very frustrating, confusing and difficult for home buyers to understand. Many consider the volatility of rates to mean that they should not buy a home now, or that it is too difficult to buy a home with conventional lending. It is true that conventional mortgage rates are much higher than they were just a year ago, however, it does not preclude you from purchasing. Homeowning has many benefits including emotional, stabilized housing costs, and the financial benefits of building equity that make it a smarter decision than renting. With mortgage rates predicted to continue to rise in 2023, we thought this would be a great time to discuss…

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The Emotional Benefits of Homeownership

Are you considering becoming a homeowner? Congratulations! This is one of the biggest financial decisions you can make. You will experience many benefits, including stable housing costs, and building equity, but one thing you may not have considered is the varied emotional benefits of homeownership. Let's outline the emotional benefits that becoming a homeowner holds.

 

Increased Financial Stability

Mortgages unlike rent are most commonly fixed; in other words your monthly payment will remain unchanged unlike rent which year after year continues to rise as shown in the chart below. Rental prices have been skyrocketing for years. Buying a home with a fixed-rate mortgage gives you the opportunity to…

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