As we settle into the cooler months, many homeowners are more concerned with planning for the upcoming holidays than listing their homes for sale. But yesterday I listed a great home here in Greensboro because there are actually very compelling reasons why it is a great time to list your home now! 10. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs or to be transferred so they need to buy a house now. 9. Your house shows better when dressed up for the holidays with festive lights and beautiful decorations. 8. Some people have to buy before the end of the year for financial and tax reasons. 7. Buyers have more time off work to look for a home during the holidays. 6. There are fewer homes on the market during the holidays and there will be a huge increase in listings in... 12/10/2009

Wordless Wednesday....A picture is worth a thousand words...but in this case not much more.  I 'm having trouble finding comps in the area.  Any of you stagers want to take a whack at it?   Actually I think I may have some investors interested in flipping it.  It would make a very nice starter home for some racoons, possums, black snakes... 12/09/2009

Hi,    I'm Zane Gerringer, and I'm a top-producing Realtor at Allen Tate Realtors on North Elm Street in Greensboro, NC.  Technically, this Allen Tate office is located on Pisgah Church Road next to the Panera Bread, so I'm not sure why they call it the North Elm Branch.  They don't call the Allen Tate office on Green Valley the 'Benjamin Parkway Office'. If you are a buyer, I can help you negotiate the best deal on your real estate purchase, and it's a service that won't cost you a dime.  When you are buying and working with me, you're in the driver's seat - I'm just here to help and to make sure you avoid costly mistakes and ensure a smooth transaction.     If you are thinking about selling, Allen Tate Realtors has a lot ot offer.  There are some pretty impressive statistics showing o... 12/08/2009

For on-site agents, how not to sell homes. This past weekend, I took my wife and daughter out looking at town-homes for my mother.  We had a specific subdivision in mind and arrived there shortly after it opened.  We walked in to the model home, where the on site real estate agent (not an employee of the builder) was sitting at her desk.  I introduced myself and handed her a business card.  She told us her name and pointed to the door from the garage/office, into the house.   Her only other words were "take a look around". We proceeded to look through the home, quickly determining it was not large enough.  I wanted to know what other plans were available and at what prices.  As we walked back into her office, she smiled and said, "thanks for coming"  I then asked for a packet of informa... 12/08/2009

Hi all, We just staged another house for a builder that bought and flipped this adorable house.  The before pictures are really after he did A LOT of the flipping.  They changed all the fixtures, added wainscotting, added built-ins, changed the bathroom vanities and toilets, ripped out the nasty dark brown carpet and put in hardwoods and new carpet in the bedrooms, and obviously repainted the whole house.  The only thing they did keep was the kitchen cabinets.  They changed the counters and sink and put in beautiful appliance.  Can you believe it's only $92,000???  I hope he has a quick sale.  Here is our staging:   12/04/2009

It's The Perfect Storm, but a good storm, no, a great storm.  Now is probably the best time to purchase a new home in many years. Interest rates are at historic lows.  This week, thirty year conventional mortgages are hovering around 4.71%  That is phenomenal!  How many of you remember rates at 18%? The government's tax credit has been extended to almost all buyers.  First time buyers still get the 8% tax credit and buyers that have been in their current home for at least five years get a 6.5% tax credit.  It's a gift from Uncle Sam, no potential home buyer should pass up! Inventory of existing home and new construction is still high.  Whatever you are looking for, it's out there! Prices of homes are down.  There are some amazing bargains to be found.  So get on out. Call a Realtor.  Ge... 12/04/2009

I have been talking to lots of current homeowners here in Greensboro, NC and many don't know all the details about the new tax credit.  I am encouraging anyone who has been waiting to move to seize the moment! Now is the time to move to a bigger or smaller home and receive a credit of up to $6,500! Empty nesters, is your house too big? You can take advantage of this new tax credit because the house you buy does not have to cost more than your current house! Young families, is your little family growing? This credit is for you too. Here are the rules for this tax credit: You must have a contract on your new home by April 30, 2010 and it must close by June 30, 2010. The price of the new home is capped at $800,000. No credit is allowed for houses above this price. You must have lived in yo... 12/01/2009

Lately, I have been recommending to most sellers that they pre-inspect their home prior to putting it on the market.  This often comes with resistance because at first, it doesn't seem like the expense will be recouped on the sale.  I advise that this is a good strategy and could net a seller more in a slow market.  Here are some reasons: a pre-inspection catches what the buyer may find during their own inspection so that the seller can repair and/or price the house accordingly from the outset by making necessary repairs in advance, the seller can better manage the repairs on their own terms and there is no time constraint to having the job done; the seller can shop around for estimates the pre-inspection report can be offered to potential buyers to provide disclosure and evidence of re... 11/29/2009

A very Happy Thanksgivingto all Activerain members and their families.  I am very thankful for all that I have.  especially my family, my wife and two daughters.  I am thankful that I will be able to spend this thanksgiving with them.  I am thankful for all the help I have received from activerain members thia year and look forward to helping others in the future. I would also like to thank all the service men and women stationed around the world, who won't be able to spend this holiday with their families.  We are all grateful for your service and wish you the best Thanksgiving possible.     11/25/2009

Every month, I put together these market reports for Greensboro, NC and also five of the neighborhoods around Greensboro.  This month, we have seen some real improvement in the numbers, especially with our number of homes under contract. Active Homes for Sale: 2,464 Median Price: $168,902 Average DOM (Days on Market): 144 Comments: The number of active homes for sale is down 6% compared to October 2008 and is up 1.4% compared to October 2009. Pending Homes for Sale: 232 Previous Month (September 2009): 194 Last Year (October 2008): 143 Comments: The number of homes that went under contract in Greensboro, NC jumped by 62% when compared to October 2008 and also increased 20% compared to September 2009. This is a critical number to watch as it will determine what is going to happen in the ... 11/24/2009

If you're starting your home search in the Triad, look no further than ZaneGerringer.com.  This Greensboro real estate website is a great resource for buyers in Guilford County, Forsyth and Alamance counties.  Here are just a few of the unique benefits of this real estate website:   ZaneGerringer.com has Popular Greensboro Real Estate Neighborhood Searches with mapping for Fisher Park, Grandover, Green Valley, Hamilton Forest, Hamilton Lakes, Irving Park, Kirkwood, Lake Jeanette, Sedgefield, Starmount Forest, & Sunset Hills to name a few. Plus you can customize and save any neighborhood search or Triad home search that you can think of! ZaneGerringer.com also features Greensboro Real Estate Resources for making smart buying decisions and explaining closing costs, loan types and more. Za... 11/23/2009

Guilford Hills, Greensboro, NC Real Estate Market Information as of 11/6/2009 For the complete report, along with lists of all homes for sale, under contract and sold in Guilford Hills, please visit www.greensboro.featuredblog.com. Active Homes For Sale in Guilford Hills: Number of homes for Sale: 13 Average Asking Price: $147,115 Average Days on Market:  85  Pending Homes in Guilford Hills: Number of Pending Homes:  2  Sold Homes in Guilford Hills Since January 1, 2009 5 homes closed in October and 5 closed in September. Number of Homes Sold: 35 Average Asking Price: $138,451 Average Sold Price: $133,494 Average SP/LP ratio (what % of asking price did homes sell for): 96.4% Average Days On Market: 70 All data gathered from the Triad MLS 11/6/09 and is believed to be correct.  Some For ... 11/13/2009

Kirkwood, Greensboro, NC Real Estate Market Information as of 11/6/2009 For the complete report, along with lists of all homes in Kirkwood that are for sale, under contract and sold, please visit www.greensboro.featuredblog.com Active Homes For Sale in Kirkwood: Number of homes for Sale: 14 Average Asking Price: $213,414 Average Days on Market:  144  Pending Homes in Kirkwood: Number of Pending Homes:  2 Sold Homes in Kirkwood Since January 1, 2009 Number of Homes Sold: 19 Average Asking Price: $238,416 Average Sold Price: $233,126 Average SP/LP ratio (what % of asking price did homes sell for): 97.8% Average Days On Market: 57 All data gathered from the Triad MLS 11/6/09 and is believed to be correct.  Some For Sale By Owner purchases and sales have not been included in this report. 11/12/2009

Lindley Park, Greensboro, NC Real Estate Market Information as of 11/6/2009 For the complete report, along with lists of all homes for sale, under contract and sold in Lindley Park, Greensboro, NC, please visit www.greensboro.featuredblog.com. Active Homes For Sale in Lindley Park: Number of homes for Sale:  19 Average Asking Price: $183,784 Average Days on Market:  102 Pending Homes in Lindley Park: Number of Pending Homes:  2 Sold Homes in Lindley Park Since January 1, 2009 Number of Homes Sold: 34 Average Asking Price: $178,184 Average Sold Price: $170,997 Average SP/LP ratio (what % of asking price did homes sell for): 95.6% Average Days On Market: 71 All data gathered from the Triad MLS 11/6/09 and is believed to be correct.  Some For Sale By Owner purchases and sales have not been... 11/12/2009

Starmount, Greensboro, NC Real Estate Market Information as of 11/6/2009 For a complete report, along with lists of all homes for sale, under contract and sold, please visit www.greensboro.featuredblog.com.  Active Homes For Sale in Starmount: Number of homes for Sale: 35 Average Asking Price: $545,034 Average Days on Market:  128 Pending Homes in Starmount: Number of Pending Homes: 2 Sold Homes in Starmount Since January 1, 2009 Number of Homes Sold: 33 Average Asking Price: $312,233 Average Sold Price: $298,682 Average SP/LP ratio (what % of asking price did homes sell for): 95.6% Average Days On Market: 74 All data gathered from the Triad MLS 11/6/09 and is believed to be correct.  Some For Sale By Owner purchases and sales have not been included in this report. 11/11/2009

Sunset Hills, Greensboro, NC Real Estate Market Information as of 11/6/2009 Active Homes For Sale in Sunset Hills: Number of homes for Sale: 14 Average Asking Price: $293,293 Average Days on Market:  87  Click Here to see a complete list of the Homes For Sale in Sunset Hills Pending Homes in Sunset Hills: Number of Pending Homes: 4 Click here to see a list of all homes pending in Sunset Hills Sold Homes in Sunset Hills Since January 1, 2009 Number of Homes Sold: 15 Average Asking Price: $250,388 Average Sold Price: $237,253 Average SP/LP ratio (what % of asking price did homes sell for): 94.7% Average Days On Market: 82 Click here for a complete list of all homes sold in Sunset Hills in 2009 See Also: All data gathered from the Triad MLS 11/6/09 and is believed to be correct.  Some For ... 11/10/2009

Festivale Italiano 2009Sunday, November 8, 2009 from 12:00pm - 6:00pmThe goal of Festivale Italiano is to embrace the entire Greensboro community and to provide food, activities, education, art, and atmosphere that is truly Italian. This is our opportunity to step forward to celebrate a wonderful culture and a very important segment of our community! Authentic food, drink, music, art, education, bike ride, games - everything Italian will be celebrated.Downtown residents will certainly want to open their windows to catch the wonderful aroma as local restaurants prepare food for the day, listen to the traditional Italian music and entertainment, and to feel the excitement as hundreds of families fill the streets of downtown Greensboro on this Sunday afternoon! 11/08/2009

Congress passed an extension of the First-Time Homebuyer Credit.  It is expected to be signed by President Obama this morning.  The new bill has some more generous provisions than the original law.  It increases the allowable adjusted gross income to $125,000 for single taxpayers and to $225,000 for those filing married filing jointly.  Added to this bill is a $6,500 incentive for current homeowners who have lived in their current home for at least five years.   For a side-by-side comparison of the current law and the new law, click on the National Association of Realtors logo below. The $8,000 credit was due to expire at the end of this month but will now continue through June 30, 2010.  Here in Greensboro, we have seen an increase in home sales for houses priced below $200,000.  Perha... 11/06/2009

Greensboro, North Carolina's Urban Loop Mapping Tool is online to help those home buyers out there looking to buy in and around Greensboro and determine they are not too close to the new Urban loop.  As with most larger metro areas Greensboro is building an Urban Loop.  Now we all know that is a considerable material fact.  If your home is close to where a major highway is coming through the value of that home is going to be affected.  So as you are out looking for a new home use this online tool to check the address and see how close your prospective new home is to the new urban loop. You simply enter the address you are questioning and the GIS viewer will take you to that location and show how close it is to the new Urban Loops route around Greensboro.  Now half the loop is completed ... 11/05/2009

It's time for a change.  Who knows what it will bring for me. After three years as a sales and marketing manager for a custom builder, I'll be leaving the company this week.  It's really a mutual decision, that we both regret, but know is necessary.  I don't care how much the President and those in power in Washington claim the recession is over, it just aint so!   But, I truly believe the next year will be better for home sales. I will likely get back into general brokerage and try to represent several builders.  With so many leaving real estate over the last year, I think it's actually a good time to get back into it.   I also believe all the people who have put off buying new homes over the last year or so, will feel more confident about the economy and decide it's time to make that ... 11/04/2009