Whether you are a new homeowner or have owned your home for years, here are four vitally important things you really need to know about your house. You will be glad you knew about them in an emergency.

1. Water Shut-off Valves

There are several water shut-off valves that you should be familiar with in your home. There is usually a shut-off valve at each sink and toilet. For a problem such as a clogged drain or a faucet that won't stop running, you can shut off the water at that source until the repair can be made.

There is also a water shut-off valve for the whole house. If a pipe breaks and water starts to gush, you need to turn off the house shut-off valve to stop the water flow. Make sure you know where this valve is. If you had a home

Are you considering hiring a professional to assist you with buying or selling your home? This is a big decision, as the sale of real estate involves large amounts of money and there's a lot of things to keep track of. Hiring the wrong Realtor® can be a disaster. Whether buying or selling, it's critical that you ask the right questions when you interview agents. After more than 25 years as a Realtor®, here's my list of the 10 questions I advise my friends and family to ask.

How To Interview A Real Estate Agent

1. Are you a Full-Time Broker? Are you available on short notice to show me homes for sale (or handle potential buyers for my house)? Do you have time to work with me now? Not all agents work full time, many have second jobs or other

Selling a home is an arduous process. From setting a price, to finding the right time to do it, to the hope of the property garnering quick interest, there are a number of things that build doubt and concern. This is where the advantage of working with a qualified North Carolina real estate agent will set your mind at ease.

The Research Triangle area in North Carolina is one of the biggest hotspots for young professionals in the area. With the revitalization of old warehouses and mixed-use buildings into high quality living establishments, more and more people have begun flocking to the Research Triangle area. That being said, the increase in popularity for properties in the area has prompted the need for real estate agents to assist clients in the

Fall is a favorite season for many who live in the Triangle area. As the heat of summer fades giving way to a comfortable cool, it is a great season to buy or sell a home. While spring is known as a popular time for real estate transactions, industry trends point to the fall as the best time to sell a home.

The Benefits of Selling Your Home in the Fall

For sellers, the autumn real estate market is ripe with serious buyers looking for a good home to match their needs. The fall market tends to showcase fewer homes than spring and summer. As a result, your home will become will likely be the focus for many shoppers. To gain a competitive edge in the market, take advantage of the fall season to create curb appeal to impress potential buyers.

How

For dog owners, selling a home can be a challenge, especially when it comes to finding a place for your furry companion to stay during showings.

Buyers don’t want to view homes with dog(s) around, so owners will typically turn to friends and neighbors to watch their pets during showings and open houses. But sometimes that’s simply not an option.

Luckily, there are some options in the Triangle for pet owners to get their pets out of the house for an hour or an afternoon.

Dog-Friendly Parks in the Triangle

When the weather is nice, a great option is to take your dog to the park. There are plenty of dog-friendly parks in the area. Here are some parks that are welcome to dogs:

• Homestead Park, Chapel Hill - This park features a

This is the Year of the Smart Home

You come home from a long day’s work to your empty home, but it’s ready for you. The thermostat is set to your favorite temperature, all of the lights are dimmed, and the dishwasher is quietly running. The sprinklers are watering your lawn and the dog is sleeping in his bed after being fed by the automatic dog feeder.

This may sound like a scene from a movie, yet this could be your reality if you join the smart home trend.

According to CNBC, 2017 will be the year of the smart home, with over 80 million smart home devices being delivered worldwide. These products include devices for the kitchen, living room, bedroom, home security, and even the yard.

Popular Smart Home Products To Watch For

With

Today, more people than ever are working from home, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. According to Forbes, “68 percent of U.S. workers say that they expect to work remotely in the future."

But in order to be productive in the comfort of your home, you must have an organized office space. Here are some quick and simple tips to help make your home office a model of organization:

Dedicate a Space

One of the drawbacks of working from home is all of the distractions. Other members of your family want your attention. Household chores are never ending. And sometimes the TV, refrigerator, and sofa are just calling your name.

There is no way to eliminate these distractions, but you can minimize them by dedicating a room only for your

We’ve all driven by those houses with the calf-high-brown grass, lack of flowers, and dead garden beds. We’ve also all seen those pristine envy-inducing lawns with their lush grass and gorgeous gardens.   Whether you’re trying to sell or add curb appeal to your home or are just making sure your neighbors don’t get angry, lawn care is important to maintaining your home’s curb appeal.

By spending a little bit of your time fixing your lawn this summer, you can create a stress free oasis on your own property. It just takes a little effort to attain the perfect look. Here are some tips to make the transformation from drab to fab a little bit easier. 

Know Your Grass

First thing’s first, you should know what breed of grass you have, as there

Now is the perfect time for investment property seekers to looking into buying a rental home in Chapel Hill. Over the past three years, we have seen the value of Chapel Hill apartments nearly double. This upward trend is a good sign for those interested in investing in Chapel Hill property.

It Started with a Massive Renovation

Three years ago, some Chapel Hill neighborhoods were not as desirable as they are today. With rising crime rates and apartment buildings that had not seen any recent renovations, the value of select neighborhoods was low. However, that changed when prominent Chapel Hill real estate investor, Daniel Eller purchased then Timberlyne Village Apartments, as they were known back then.

Once acquiring the property, Eller set to

As a longtime Realtor, Larry has seen it all. When he and Andrew founded My NC Homes, it took almost no time at all for them to agree on how they’re team should operate. Experience, integrity, and results. These are the pillars in which their team is founded on because they’re also what’s most important to you as a buyer or seller.

When working with the My NC Homes Team, you can expect nothing but the best service possible. Their team is committed to treating their clients the same way they would wish to be treated were the roles reversed. My NC Homes was founded on the belief that your best interested are the top priority, not the agent’s commission.

Dual Agent: Why NC Homes Doesn’t Represent Buyer & Seller In A Single Transaction

To