The Service League of Hickory invites you to tour six extraordinary homes, each beautifully decorated. During tour hours, all homes will be open and feature chef demonstrations, live music, and more. You are welcome to visit the homes in any order you wish and stay as long as you like. Saturday, Nov. 22nd, 10a-5p Sunday, Nov. 23rd, 1p-5p Tickets: $25 each  For more information visit www.serviceleaguehickory.org or For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com 11/14/2008

The holiday season in Hickory will officially begin when the new festive and illuminating Christmas decorations are officially turned on. Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright will turn on the "official light switch" on the Flag Court on Union Square. Begins at 5:30pm and will continue until 7:00pm. Mr. & Mrs. Claus will be at the entire event greeting kids of all ages. Between 5:30-6:30 local musicians Rick Cline and Nathan Hefner will play holiday music. Downtown restaurants will be open for all to enjoy dinner in the heart of our city. For more information about Hickory, North Carolina visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com 11/14/2008

This information was in a press release from Hickory NC Government. HICKORY - Merchants Distributors Inc. (MDI) announced an expansion to its Hickory facility in Caldwell County which will result in a $50.5 million investment resulting in 200 new jobs by 2014.  MDI is a privately-owned wholesale grocery store distributor headquartered in Hickory. MDI supplies over 850 retail food stores with food and non-food items in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and Kentucky.  The MDI expansion announcement was made today at the MDI Hickory facility by MDI President Matt Saunders.  Officials from Hickory, Caldwell County, Granite Falls and North Carolina attended the press conference as well as made positive comments about the expa... 11/13/2008

I spent the week with a wonderful couple from New York and they kept commenting on how beautiful the weather was here in Hickory.  They loved the warm weather and the beautiful fall colors on the trees.  The autumn colors looked even better in the reflection of the lake. They were trying to pick an area in North Carolina to retire and had visited many different regions of our wonderful state.  They chose a house to buy in Hickory - and I can not help but believe that the beauty of Hickory combined with the exquiste weather sold them on our area. It is great to spend time with people from other states - they help me appreciate how lucky I am to live in Hickory, North Carolina. For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com 11/08/2008

CATAWBA HOLIDAY FESTIVAL AND PARADE WHEN: Saturday November 9 from 10am to 3pm. WHERE: Downtown Catawba. WHAT: Get in the holiday spirit today. Petting zoo and inflatables.   HOLIDAY HOUSE WHEN:  Saturday November 9 from 10am to 5pm and Sunday November 9 from 1pm to 5pm and Friday November 14 from 10am to 5pm and Saturday November 14 from 10am to 5pm and Sunday November 16 from 1pm to 5pm. WHERE: 1124 Willow Creek Dive, Newton WHAT: Get inspired by great design ideas. Admission is just $10 and benefits the March of Dimes.   WINE AND CHEFS NIGHT WHEN: Thursday November 13 from 7 to 9pm. WHERE: 1124 Willow Creek Dive, Newton WHAT:  Get inspired by great design ideas. Admission is just $25 and benefits the March of Dimes.   WESTERN PIEDMONT SYMPHONY CONCERT WHEN: Saturday November 8 at 8pm... 11/08/2008

The Catawba Valley Camera Club in Hickory NC  has been around since 1947 and they are always looking for new members that love photography.  They have meetings the first and third Wednesdays from 7 - 9pm in the North Annex of the Arts Center in Hickory (SALT Block).    Come and learn from some of the best photographers in the Hickory area.  Right now, they are focused on  THE  IMAGE*INATION  COMPETITION !! The Catawba Valley Camera Club in conjunction with                   The Hickory Museum of Art presents                                             2nd Annual Photo Competition OPEN COMPETITION Non ProfessionalAMATEUR ADULT and YOUTH DIVISIONS SUBMIT YOUR BEST PHOTOGRAPHSENTRY FEE - $10.00 UP TO 2 ENTRIES CASH PRIZESPlus one-year membership to theHickory Museum of Art and Catawba Vall... 11/07/2008

No I mean it .....stop the press from "scaring America" into a recession.  Now there is no doubt that our financial markets are going through a serious "adjustment period" and that new regulations and disciplines are definitely in order. And I am not ‘minimizing" the severity of problems associated with our banking, housing and stock markets.   But give me a break!  Here are some recent headlines that typify how news agencies no longer just report the news but rather contribute to the uncertainly and panic gripping the nation: At the time this article was written, here are a few of the headlines: USA Today -  "U.S. Stocks Poised for steep drop" The Boston Globe - "Economic signs in Mass. point to a recession" The Wall Street Journal - " New loan fix unlikely the last" The Philadelphia I... 10/24/2008

Everywhere we look people are talking about the economy.  Speak to most real estate agents and you'll hear such words as...downturn, decline, buyer's market and foreclosures.  For us the bottom line is that no time in recent history has the need to return to the fundamentals of marketing and selling real estate been more important! It has always been about adding value to our services as real estate professionals.  Let me repeat this...."It has always been about adding value to our real estate services"!  Those agents that choose to constantly provide more services and information... will inevitably do well regardless of the trends in the housing market.  I have friends in the business that made good livings in real estate when mortgage rates were 17% - 18%.  Remember those days?  And t... 10/24/2008

Mike Kelly Jr. Real Estate Video Channel It is a work in progress. So check back often. I have created a Mike Kelly Jr. Real Estate Channel on You Tube. You can follow the link above to view videos of my listings and and other interesting videos about Hickory North Carolina. 10/22/2008

Many sellers feel that they should take their house off the market during the holidays. But you should think twice before making that decision.   For most people their homes look the best in the fall and winter.  With beautiful fall decorations in October and November and then Christmas decorations in December, homes are more inviting, warm, and cozy.  People decorate their homes for family members to come and visit. This warm inviting atmosphere can also be appealing to a buyer.  They will be able to imagine themselves spending the holidays with their family in their new home.  Fall often brings out the more serious looker who needs to find a home right away.  If they are taking time from their busy schedules to look at homes than they are going to be serious buyers.  People do not cas... 10/21/2008

Mike Kelly Jr of CENTURY 21 American Homes and Marti Ward of Wachovia Mortgage will be hosting a First Time Home Buyer Seminar on Monday October 20, 2008 at 7pm at the CENTURY 21 American Homes Office at 2258 US Highway 70 SE (next to the Hickory Furniture Mart). Come and find out how to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit the the US Government is offering until June of 2009.   Learn the steps needed to apply for a mortgage, how to buy a bank owned or foreclosed property, and how to get started in buying your first home. Despite the what you may hear in the news, there is still money available for people to get mortgages. This is a great time to buy, with interest rates at an all time low and there are plenty of homes to choose from at really good prices. For more information contac... 10/11/2008

Did you know that the Federal Government is offering a tax credit of up to $7,500 if you purchase a home between April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009? With interest rates this low, housing prices reasonable and the tax credit so appealing there has never been a better time to be a first time home buyer. Call me 7 days a week at 828-234-0479 to discuss your options. For more information check out my website at:  www.MikeKellyJr.com 10/11/2008

I wrote this article for the Hickory Daily Record and was very excited when I opened the paper this morning and saw it. Guest Commentary By Michael Kelly Jr. Published: October 2, 2008 In a recent article in the Hickory Daily Record, a local agent and writer pointed out that all indications and statistics point to the fact that the Hickory area housing market is currently in a buyer's market. While this may be true, it does not mean that it is necessarily a bad time to buy a home. I want to point out some benefits to the consumer of a buyer's market. 1. Thanks to the recent housing stimulus bill, first-time buyers can receive up to a $7,500 tax credit on purchasing a home. While this credit will need to be paid back over time via taxes, I think this is a wonderful incentive. How great w... 10/02/2008

I live in Hickory, North Carolina and recently ran across some facts about our fair city!  I've always known what a great town it was but never realized how fortunate we are live in a place that compares so favorably to other locations throughout the U.S.  The following stats are representative figures comparing 2007 to 2008: Cost of Living...................... -12.79% below the U.S. average Population growrh.................+8.49% over 2006 Median home prices..............+3.71% over 2006 Unemployment rate..............5.60% Cost per student per year......$4275, the U.S. average is $6058 Student to teacher ratio.........15 students Wow!  These are just a few of the reasons for living in our area.  If you can think of others, please comment. Ken Eidenmiller                             ... 10/01/2008

Remember the old Abbott and Costello routine..."Who's on first?"  This beloved sketch had it's beginning in the 1930's in a touring vaudeville revue called "Hollywood Bandwagon.  Since then it has been performed countless times and in 1956 a gold record of "Who's on First?" was placed in the Baseball Hall of Fame museum in Cooperstown, New York.  Little did these comedians know how prophetic their routine would be in describing today's real estate and financial markets.  Think about these comparisons as you enjoy listening to the following link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M: 1st base - Who?   ............................Today's buyer 2nd base - What?.............................Today's lender 3rd base - I don't know.....................Today's government Left field - Why?..... 09/24/2008

The City Of Hickory's Public Art Commission brought color to Hickory in a unique way this year. Local artists were chosen to paint 21 metal benches to be placed around town.  See my first installment of    "Art On The Bench" Local Artists Bring Color To Hickory NC - Part 1  for photos of the first 4 benches on Union Square in downtown Hickory. Thanks to my sweet hubby, I was able to find and photograph 6 more "art benches" on Saturday around Hickory. He drove while I jumped out to do photos - except for the 2 photos he took for me on busy Hwy 127. I still have 11 more benches to find and share. This has been like a scavenger hunt, great fun! Two of the art benches are located in the "SALT Block" of Hickory.     Ocean Fantasy by Heidi Rice is a tribute to children's creativity - located ... 09/15/2008

Mike Kelly Jr. of CENTURY 21 American Homes has earned the EcoBroker Certified® designation, having successfully completed a unique and informative training program on the energy and environmental issues that affect real estate transactions. He is the first REALTOR® in Hickory to achieve this certification as he joins the movement of professionals pushing the real estate market toward energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthier design/features in homes and buildings.  The "performance home" movement is getting a boost thanks to this type of high quality real estate professional earning the EcoBroker designation.  EcoBrokers®, like Mike Kelly, throughout the country are forging this market and creating competitive advantages for their customers.  With national surveys indicating that 80... 09/14/2008

In the Southeastern of the United States lies the leading producer of tobacco of the USA: North Carolina. This state was once a part of the old Carolina territory, and was a confederate leader in the American Revolution. It was also here in 1930 that the Wright Brothers made their first successful airplane flights. North Carolina indeed boasts of rich cultural heritage. In this state, you can get a chance to see fun oddities– from a shell-shaped gas station to a leprechaun village in Prospect Hill. The rural atmosphere is North Carolina provides respite from the hectic pace in urbanized cities. Geography and Demographics The state of North Carolina is the 29th largest among the 50 states. It has a total area of 139,391 sq km (53,819 sq mi) and owns 10,256 sq km (3,960 sq mi) of inland w... 09/09/2008

For many people, owning a home is a sign of accomplishment. But, like any other worthwhile venture, there are steps you must complete before you get the payoff. buying a home is no easy task, but if you follow these seven steps, you can take some of the hassle out of the process. First, you need to decide on what you want and need in your house and neighborhood. Creating a list of what you do (and don't) want makes house and neighborhood selection easier for you. For your real estate agent, your "wish list" lets him or her know what to consider and what to pass by. Next, you should handle the financial aspects. Getting preapproved or prequalified is a detailed process. You don't want to wait to get this done. When you are preapproved or prequalified, sellers are more likely to want to d... 09/09/2008

In some real estate markets today, it is very expensive to buy a detached single family home. What 's more, many people do not want the responsibility and work associated with owning a home and surrounding land. A great solution to these problems in many cases is the purchase of a condominium. Condos allow people to be homeowners without many of the pricy drawbacks. There are several things to consider though before deciding whether a condo is the right choice for you. First, take a look at the benefits of buying a condo. Condos are almost always more affordable than single family units. This is because you are essentially splitting a lot of the home-owning costs with your neighbors. Individually you own the space within your own walls, but collectively you own the exterior and common a... 09/09/2008