Why Buying a Home is a Sound Decision

Many people are thinking about buying homes in 2023. If you are new to home buying, you might be wondering if now is really the best time to buy. It is normal to second guess yourself when so much money and your future is on the line. There are a few national factors and also some considerations that are common knowledge to realtors, but might not be known to you, regarding the soundness of investing in real estate in 2023.

National Market Conditions

We are not seeing home prices fall dramatically. On the contrary, in some local markets, home prices are inching up. The Triangle is still experiencing a shortage of homes and many buyers can be frustrated by bidding wars and a continued advantage of sellers, however, this is indicative of a strong…

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4 Surprising Things That Will Increase Your Homes Equity

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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Economic Growth Projections for the Raleigh, Durham NC Area

Many metropoles in the US are undergoing big shifts in how we use and value space, or occupancy. Where we are working and living and what is more desirable for work, and for life, have changed pretty dramatically. Work at home? Work at work? Work at home some, work at work some? It can be confusing to understand how occupancy, the job market, and how people are working, relate to real estate values, especially when real estate values for local sellers and buyers depend on the "at the moment" value. We would like to share insights on the state of development and projections on the Raleigh Durham area and how rankings nationwide for livability can mean for 2023 sellers and buyers.

Frequently, we report on the job market in Raleigh Durham, and how…

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What's Ahead for Home Prices in the Coming Year

What's Ahead For Home Prices?

This fall has been a rocky one for financing. With the federal reserve continuing to raise interest rates, borrowers are facing more higher financing costs than in the past several years. We understand that there is a lot of uncertainty in today's market and wanted to share the latest perspectives from economists. Much of our content regarding market fluctuations discusses historic trends in housing and economics and we want to reinforce that when other sectors of the market are more volatile, it does not necessarily mean that housing suffers as well. Let's look at what the market is doing and what the experts are forecasting.

What goes up must come down

Interestingly and not necessarily very reassuring are…

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Inside HOA Fees - My NC Homes Guide

Inside HOA Fees

Are you considering purchasing a home with a homeowners association? Wondering what the fees cover and how often they are assessed? Some buyers avoid purchasing properties with homeowners associations. Whether the fees seem steep or they worry that the association will have too much control over their property, there are pros and cons. Some buyers appreciate knowing that the HOA will insure the community is well kept, some enjoy lawn maintenance and the fact that neighbors have restrictions and duties, which can help retain the value of the total neighborhood. There may be security advantages if the community is gated or patrolled. We wanted to offer an inside look into HOA fees for our buyers. If you are looking to purchase a home…

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Why Rising Inflation Shouldn’t Delay Your Home Ownership Plans

We go over many of our buyer concerns on our blog and usually, one of the most common ones is, "Is right now a good time to buy", accompanied by, "Is right now a good time to borrow?" Depending on what your finances look like and how much you have saved for a down payment, it is almost always a good time to invest in real estate. Even with limited inventory, inflation, and increasing interest rates. Let's talk about why this is the case and why you should not necessarily delay home ownership plans in the face of inflation.

First, housing is an asset that over time grows in value so if you have cash and would like someplace to put it so it does not lose value, housing is a great option. Ali Wolf, economist at Zonda posits "If you have cash and are…

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Pre-Approved for a mortgage? Savvy Buyers will Shop Under Budget

We have been experiencing constricted inventory for nearly three years here in the Research Triangle area and buyers are becoming increasingly anxious as mortgage rate increases are on their minds. Doing everything they can to win multiple offer situations from making sight unseen offers, waiving appraisal contingencies, making their offer "As-Is", and granting seller possessions after closing for free. Simply being truly "Pre-Approved" or offering cash is standard practice and expected. However none of these accomplish much if you are outbid. The best strategic advice for buyers in looking in the Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh NC area, is to shop below budget. Here are the reasons why.

Bidding Up

It can be very deflating news to read that you…

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Living in Chapel Hill

There is no doubt that the lifestyle on The Triangle is hard to beat. We are regularly ranked in top places to raise a family and achieve work life balance. We have great restaurants, and much more, however certain areas are not for everyone. My NC Homes have been Realtors in Chapel Hill for many years and the three of us have more than 60 years of collective experience, we have a knack for knowing what area suits what buyers. To help, we have compiled this list in particular for Chapel Hill. If you are looking for Chapel Hill Real Estate, please click here! If you are looking for Cary, Pittsboro, or Durham, we are also experts in this area, so click on the links.

Food

Bon Apetit Magazine ranked Chapel Hill as one of the foodiest small towns in…

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Inspection Panic: How to Calmly Evaluate Inspection Reports

May Day May Day!!!! The inspection report is back and it lists dozens and dozens of "defects", what can I do!! Receiving the inspection report can feel like a personal affront. My NC Homes has talked hundreds of buyers and sellers off a ledge and helped them understand what the inspection reports are saying and their implications. Below we dive into what they include and do not include and when panic, is warranted. Remember, homeowners who are considering selling in the future can reach out to My NC Homes for a referral for inspection companies prior to listing.

What is a home inspection report?

A home inspection report is supposed to be an objective document provided after an evaluation by a qualified home inspector. It should include…

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Are Homes More or Less Affordable Now Than in the Past?

There is non stop press coverage questions whether there is a bubble in the real estate market, discussing the severe lack of inventory, timber shortages, labor shortages, and more, but how does all of that really affect affordability? Can you guess the last time homes were this affordable in The Triangle? Are you under the impression that homes are overpriced right now? Homes are more affordable now than they have been since 2016. Let's dive into some statistics on the affordability of home buying, RIGHT NOW in The Triangle.

Home prices are appreciating and prices have been steadily, arguably rapidly; rising in nearly all domestic markets. When we hear prices are going up, we immediately think houses are becoming unaffordable and as Realtors, we…

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