Buying a Home: Do You Know the Lingo?

Highlights:

• Buying a home can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with the terms used throughout the process.
• To point you in the right direction, here’s a list of some of the most common language you’ll hear along the way.
• The best way to ensure your home buying process is a positive one is to find a real estate professional who will guide you through every aspect of the transaction with ‘the heart of a teacher.’

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The Top 5 Ways to Add Curb Appeal Quickly

While the groundhog predicted an early spring, we still have a few remaining days of frost on the calendar. The first week of March in the Piedmont will have a few evenings where the temperatures dip below freezing, but March has days forecasted for the 60-70 degree temperatures. These days are an opportune time to spruce up your landscaping efforts, especially if you are selling this spring.

What is curb appeal?

Curb appeal can be defined as the attractiveness of your home from the street. It applies to landscaping, outdoor fixtures, street or sidewalk, and driveway. While completely subjective, it’s important that you don't kid yourself, buyers care about and are taking in the vibrancy of the paint and condition of the siding and roof and…

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The Many Benefits of Aging in a Community

The Benefits of Aging in a Community

When considering housing, we frequently find ourselves counseling our clients that there's comfort in being around people who share common interests, goals, and challenges. While not necessarily for everyone, the comfort many find in a community doesn't wane with age; it actually deepens. Whether it's proudly talking about grandchildren or lamenting the fact that our eyes aren't as good as they used to be, it helps to be around people who not only understand what we are saying but actually feel the same joys and concerns as well. That's why many boomers are deciding to move into either an active adult community or planned multi-generational communities. In the latest 55places National Housing Survey, they were…

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Upgrading your Starter Home

Upgrading Your Starter Home

First-time home buyers make up 33% of all homebuyers in the US market, according to the National Association of Realtors in their 2019 end of year report. Most homes are previously owned. Overall 13% opt for a new construction. On average first homes were 1,850 square feet, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and were built around 1990. This is what we refer to as a "starter home." Most often it's where new couples or early career professionals who are looking to move out of their rentals for something with more predictability and control, and so that they can begin building equity. The great thing about many of our first-time homebuyers is the energy they put into their first home purchase. With much excitement and hope, our…

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Condo, Townhome or Single Family Home?

"4-bedrooms and 3-baths and at least 2500 sqf."

So often this is how buyers start off our initial conversations. If we were like most brokers this information and a price range and we'd be off and running. The question is , "Are we really adding value and helping the buyer if this is all we discuss?" This is one example of where the "Experience" in our logo pays off. We understand that when it comes to buying a home, everyone is unique. Because of our extensive building background we know that square footage is much less important than layout. We've all seen examples of wasted square footage in a home. Yes the number of bedrooms and baths are a consideration, but if this is the extent of the information we start with, a lot of time and perhaps even…

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Make the Dream of Homeownership a Reality in 2021

Make the Dream of Homeownership a Reality in 2020

As Realtors we know that the majority of Americans, share a common goal: Owning a home: a piece of land, a roof over our heads, and a place where our families can grow and flourish.

If you're dreaming of buying a home this year we know that the best way to start the process is to connect with a Real Estate professional to understand what goes into buying a home. By having your questions answered and understanding the process you will put yourself in the position to make a smart informed decision. Below are some questions to help guide you

1. How Can I Better Understand the Process, and How Much Can I Afford?

The process of buying a home is not one to enter into lightly. You need to decide…

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What Every NC Triangle Homebuyer and Homeseller Should Know in 2020

Homebuyers and home sellers in the North Carolina Triangle area are eager to know the 2020 housing market trends.
Whether you are buying or selling a home it is important to understand how to maximize the value to your family's bottom line. Understanding the residential real estate market and its possible trends will ensure your first step towards a decision with long-term benefits. One of the first questions home buyers and home sellers are asking us at the turn of the year is, "What do I need to know about the upcoming housing market?" While My NC Homes does not possess a crystal ball to see into the future, we have more than 60 years of combined experience in the industry that reinforces our confidence as we make our own predictions for the…

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Everybody Calm Down! This is NOT 2008

Everybody Calm Down! This is NOT 2008

Last week realtor.com released the results of a survey that produced three major revelations:

• 53% of home purchasers (first-time and repeat buyers) currently in the market believe a recession will occur this year or next.
• 57% believe the next recession will be as bad or worse than 2008.
• 55% said they would cancel plans to move if a recession occurred.

Since we are currently experiencing the longest-ever economic expansion in American history, there is reason to believe a recession could occur in the not-too-distant future. And, it does make sense that buyers and sellers remember the horrors of 2008 when they hear the word recession.

Ali Wolf, Director of Economic Research at the real…

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Do You Know Your Credit Score?

Do You Know Your Credit Score

Many people assume their credit score is too low to qualify to purchase a home. In reality, 84% of Americans have a credit score that would allow them to become homeowners! If you'd like to find out more about what your credit score really means, (it means much more than simply whether you qualify for a mortgage or not) let's get together and chat.

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How to Increase Your Equity Over the Next 5 Years

How to Increase Your Equity Over the Next 5 Years

Many of the questions currently surrounding the real estate industry focus on home prices and where they are heading. The most recentHome Price Expectation Survey (HPES)helps target these projected answers.

Here are the results from theQ2 2019 Survey:

• Home values will appreciate by 4.1% in 2019 {Locally in the Research Triangle market projections are averaging 5%}
• The average annual appreciation will be 3.2% over the next 5 years
• The cumulative appreciation will be 16.8% by 2023
• Even experts representing the most bearish 25% of the survey respondents project a cumulative appreciation of over 6.7% by 2023

What does this mean for you?

A substantial portion of family wealth…

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