Creating-an-Energy-Efficient- Home

Understanding the Difference between Green and Energy Efficient Building

EnergyStar, ECOSelect, LiveGreen, EnergyPlus, GreenBuilding, Leeds, HERS score, these are just some of the many designations and terms homebuyers may see or hear when looking for a new home. It's easy to understand why many homeowners and homebuyers either lump them all together assuming they are one and the same or ignore them entirely. The truth is while there can be some overlap between "Green" home features and "Energy Efficient or Saving" features they are not one and the same.

Green Home Building 

In order to build green, contractors focus on four main areas, starting with materials. True "green" construction starts with materials that are natural, renewable,…

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We all expected the unexpected when it came to the real estate market in 2020, it was anyone's guess how the housing market would fare. The effect of a global pandemic on markets in the digital age had consequences that are completely unforeseeable, and the boom in the housing market is one of them. Many of our contemporaries and housing economists predicted changes across the board, but few predicted the strength of the market, especially the demand for homes. We have not seen the demand of this magnitude since 2006.

As we are witnessing markets gain more stability with mass vaccines and the reopening of economies, the housing predictions are becoming more cohesive. The second half of 2020 witnessed a veritable boom in real estate, according to…

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Homeowners Net Worth

A Homeowners Net Worth Is 40x Greater Than a Renter's

One of the best ways to build your family's financial future is through homeownership. Recent data from the Federal Reserve indicates the net worth of a homeowner is actually over 40 times greater than that of a renter. Maybe it's time to start thinking about buying a home, especially when they are so affordable in today's market.

Every three years the Survey of Consumer Finances shows the breakdown of how owning a home helps build financial security. In the graph below, we see that the average net worth of homeowners continues to grow, while the net worth of renters tends to hold fairly steady and be significantly lower than that of homeowners. The gap between owning and renting just keeps…

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Five Simple Graphs

Market Chatter

There are already no shortage of experts weighing in on the future real estate market, and there is little doubt that over the coming months there's going to be considerably more. As everyone reading this already knows; I have a crystal ball, it's my secret power that allows me to sell real estate and write real estate blogs. Now that my secret has been disclosed here are a few things to keep in mind over the coming month. *

Why the Housing Market isn't Likely to Crash Like Last Time!

  • None of the "experts" has a crystal ball and not one of them has been through this before. 
  • Mortgage Requirements are much tougher now than they were leading up to the 2008 Crash.
  • Appreciation has remained around 5% annually rather…

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Aging in Place

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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The real estate market is expected to do very well this year as mortgage rates remain at historic lows. One challenge to the housing industry is the lack of homes available for sale. Last week, move.com released a report showing that 2020 is beginning with the lowest available housing inventory in two years. Here's what industry experts are saying. 

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EmptyNester

Congratulations!

In the next couple of months, millions of students will be graduating and moving out of their parents home. Hopefully you're celebrating; your child has graduated and is moving on into the next stage of their lives and you are about to do the same. Trust me it's good stuff, you and your partner get to spend more quality time together and making plans becomes so much easier. I know this was the case for my wife and I, it's how we ended up in North Carolina. I encourage you to be proud;think about how far you've come since they were first born.

 

Is it time to make a move?

Now may be a good time to take a look at your home and really think about is it ideally what you'd like to spend the next 10-20 years in? What…

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Tired of Renting - 2019 The Cost of Renting Vs Buying

2019 The Cost of Renting Vs Buying

If you're tired of renting, you are not alone, the vast majority of Americans rightly believe that owning a home makes sense as this video below shows. 

While home ownership may not be ideal for everyone, here in the Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh area of North Carolina the numbers are awfully compelling if you know you'll be living here for a minimum of three years. The longer you live in the area, the more compelling the numbers are. If you're as into data as the My NC Homes team is, you'll want to check out the link below for Buying Vs Renting. We originally sat down and laid out the numbers in 2012, then Larry updated them in 2017 and honestly in the past two years the thing that's changed the most is…

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Five Great Reasons To List Your Home This Holiday Season

So often we have Sellers tell us they want us to list their home after the holidays, and we certainly understand that there's often enough going on without the added headaches of showings, But based on our experience working with relocation buyers here in the Research Triangle, we believe it's often better to list your home now rather than waiting until after the holidays.  We explain why in the short video below

If you're thinking of selling and want first class service, masterful marketing and expert advice, let us know and we'll contact you promptly for a free consultation. 

 

 

 

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It's a question we hear on a regular basis, "We love your site but we were hoping you could get a "free online valuation. Why don't you offer this on your site?"   

Why Zillow Values Your Home Wrong

My NC Homes has reviewed a dozen or more of them, trying to find one we felt good about offering our clients/customers. The truth is we haven't found a single one that we felt was worth putting on our site. They're all flawed for the same reason; they calculate your home's value using a number of false assumptions. The first is that all lots within a neighborhood are the same. They don't know whether your lot backs to a beautiful glade or a powerline, whether it's level, hilly, a corner lot, backs to a highway or is positively (or negatively) impacted by adjoining properties. Next they…

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