I was asked today if I was going to that seminar tomorrow by a friend of mine. I asked what seminar.My friend said this one as she is handing my two tickets and says that the tickets are worth $225 each. I looked at the tickets and said that I would love to go and thank you for thinking about me, but what about you? Why are you not going?My friend says that she has to take care of some clients tomorrow and cannot make it.What a true friend that is.This seminar is called Get Motivated! This is a business Seminar.The guess speakers are, Colin Powell, Rick Belluzzo, Zig Ziglar, Roy Williams, Tom Hopkins and Steve Forbes.It is an all day event at th RBC Center.I will blog tomorrow of my exciting time for tomorrow. 10/10/2007

I was working on an offer today. It is difficult these days. The buyers think it being a buyers market and they will not offend the seller by low ball offers and get the property.I have had many of conversations with these buyers about doing low ball offers in a property priced market even if it is a buyers market. I made myself clear that the seller could be appalled by the offer and not even counter and never sell to them even if they come back with a full price offer. I even say put yourselves in their shoes and see how you fell them what would you like to offer.Well, I just put in an offer $30k less than market value. Then I called the LA and I was told that there has been two other offers that were higher than this one and one completely rejected and the other could not get financi... 10/09/2007

Raleigh Real Estate - New Listings - Downtown Condo's Just Listed!1Raleigh Real Estate Listings400 W. North St. -  $598,000City: RaleighSubd: WestMLS#: 610899Design: Design - One StoryRooms: 6SqFt: 1553Bedrooms: 2F/H Baths: 2 / 0Acres: 0Year Built: 2007Parking: Parking - Assigned SpacesJust Listed!2Raleigh Real Estate Listings400 W. North St.-$499,000City: RaleighSubd: WestMLS#: 610379Design: Design - One StoryRooms: 6SqFt: 1553Bedrooms: 2F/H Baths: 2 / 0Acres: 0Year Built: 2007Parking: Parking - Assigned SpacesJust Listed!3Raleigh Real Estate Listings1401 Coopershill Drive $209,000City: RaleighSubd: Meadow WoodMLS#: 608749Design: Design - One StoryRooms: 5SqFt: 1234Bedrooms: 2F/H Baths: 2 / 0Acres: 0Year Built: 2007Parking: 1 GarageJust Listed!4Raleigh Real Estate Listings400 W. North ... 10/08/2007

This is the final installment in a 3 part series on how to stage your Raleigh home to sell for the highest price in the shortest amount of time.  In Part 1 I discussed what to do to the outside of your home to prepare it for sale.  Part 2 covered what to do to the inside.  This article will bring it all together. Why Bother? If the things I asked you to do in part 1 and 2 seem like a lot of trouble, well they might very well be.  You may be asking yourself, “why should I bother?”  The answer is easy.  You will make a huge return on your investment, easily thousands or dollars.  And you will enjoy the process of selling your home more and have less stress in your life.  These seem like two very good reasons to me, but you will ultimately have to decide for yourself. Many people claim the... 10/08/2007

Wow - Can you believe it?  It's almost NC State Fair time!  That means cooler weather, crispy fall leaves, the smell of funnel cakes and roasted corn on the cob, ferris wheels, rides and games - OH MY! If you have never been to the NC State Fair - I sincerely hope that you find the time this year.  It truely does has something for all ages!  This years entertainment ranges from Carolina's own Daughtry to the Food Networks Paula Deen.  It is sure to be entertaining! For admission costs, special events, vendors and more details check out 2007 N.C. State Fair ~ seriously twisted fun! I would love it if you could share some of your favorite pass-times at the fair and what you are looking forward to this year.  Personally?  I can't wait to see Daughtry and Paula Deen!  And, I hate to admit t... 10/07/2007

Did I say part 2 would be up on Monday?  Man, where did the week go?  Well, here it is... This is the second installment in a 3 part series on how to stage a home to sell in the Raleigh real estate market for maximum value in the shortest possible time .  Last time I gave you some great tips on how to prepare the outside of your home and explained how important preparation is to effective marketing.  In this article, we move inside your home and go into some detail on how to prepare it to appeal to a many buyers as possible without spending a fortune. Make it Look Like a Model! Once we have the outside of your home prepared we are half way there.  After your home has passed the buyer’s preliminary investigation by looking great in the advertising and meeting their discerning tastes when... 10/05/2007

I received a phone call about a company that promises to send you only screened leads in return you only have to do a one time set up fee and then from there it is month to month.The sales rep  is going over how good these leads are and how they would benfit my business by helping with a certain zip code that  last 6 months did 75 closings. I was well OK out of the 75 closings how many of those closing were because of your company?Sales Rep did not have the answer.So I asked how many leads were sent to this zip code in the last 6 months?Sales Rep said 6 so in 12 months that would be 12.I said OK out of the 6 or 12 how many of them went to closing.Sales Rep is now dancing.So I finally bit the bullet and say look I will NOT purchase anything right now but I will look over your website and... 10/04/2007

It must be obvious that I'm not the best cook in the world.  I didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I was little I must confess. I was always out playing in a tennis tournament or traveling.  My mother was, and still is, in real estate and she didn't really have time to cook.  She would be out showing properties all day in the heat and just didn't have the energy to cook.  Like mother, like daughter. That said, I do like to go out to eat on the weekends with my husband Mauro and sometimes my 16-year old daughter Jordan will join us too.  We love to sample the Best Restaurants in the Triangle.  We like different types of food and like to try different things around town since there is such diversity.   When I first moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1991 we didn't have a l... 10/03/2007

Raleigh Real Estate  -   The new foreclosure The new Raleigh NC foreclosure:This foreclosure is in move-in conditionThis foreclosure has appliances.This foreclosure does not have a bad smell.This foreclosure is priced at market value.This foreclosure has landscaping.This foreclosure was once someone's American Dream. Just today I showed 4 Corporate owned properties. All of which were built between 2003 and 2005. What does this tell you? It tells me that average hard working American's are losing their homes because of funky mortgages they had zero business getting in the 1st place. I am sure knowing what they know now they would have bought within their price range.  10/01/2007

Raleigh Real Estate - 24 hour notice just does not work.Showing Instructions  -  Raleigh ListingsThis weekend I was showing properties in Bedford. Bedford is located in North Raleigh off of Falls of Neuse North of 540.  There are currently over 100 available homes. There are 30 homes that meet my clients criteria.So Mr, Seller if it is a weekend and you want to sell your lovely home. You must make an exception to your 24 hour notice.There is just tooo much inventory. Sellers must be flexible. Otherwise your home will sit on the market.Seller requires 24 hour notice  ----- NO EXCEPTIONS ----- I called again today. Waiting for a call back. 10/01/2007

Sumerlyn is a new subdivision being developed by national builder Centex Homes in Southeast Raleigh, NC.  This location off Battle Bridge Road is in the middle of the surge in growth in the area, as the affordability of Southeast Raleigh land is attractive to builders. See the Sumerlyn slideshow on Flickr. Sumerlyn homes have sold from the $150,000's to $200,000, with living areas from 1930 up to 2970 square feet.  Three or four bedrooms and 2.5 baths are common, as well as 2 car garages on suburban lots. Click here to view available homes in Sumerlyn. Property taxes are approximately 0.9% of the assessed Tax Value. More Information on Wake County North Carolina  Property Taxes. Neighborhood kids are assigned to great schools.  School assignments are managed and controlled by Wake Coun... 09/30/2007

The split bedroom floor plan offer these features.1     Privacy for the Master bedroom2     Master bedroom is on the opposite side of the home3     Your guest to use the guest bathroom and not the Master Bath through your master bedroom4     You have guest and they are on the opposite of the house5     You need a mother-in-law suite and now you have one. She will be on the other side of the home.6     Better resale.Look you are still in the same house and can help each other out, but out of each others hair so to speak. It is more appealing. Also, when you have this floor plan on the first floor it is much easier for you to help your parents if they need to move in with you for what ever reasons. I know it is cheaper to build a 2 story home than the split bedroom floor plan on the first... 09/30/2007

What is a 1031 Exchange? A question I am often asked. The IRS Says this about a 1031 Exchange; “Generally, if you exchange business or investment property solely for business or investment property of a like-kind, no gain or loss is recognized under Internal Revenue Code Section 1031. If, as part of the exchange, you also receive other (not like-kind) property or money, gain is recognized to the extent of the other property and money received, but a loss is not recognized.Section 1031 does not apply to exchanges of inventory, stocks, bonds, notes, other securities or evidence of indebtedness, or certain other assets.” Of course, the IRS explanation doesn’t answer as many of the questions as it raise, hence this post. 1031 Exchanges are a legal, smart and safe way to defer taxes followi... 09/29/2007

John's Pointe subdivision off Battle Bridge Road in Southeast Raleigh offers affordable starter homes in a suburban location.  Homes are built by Perry Builders and Phoenix Builders. John's Pointe homes have 3 to 5 bedrooms, 2.5 to 3 baths, and range from 1700 square feet to 2300 square feet.  2 car garages are typical.  Listing Prices and sales range from $150,000 to $215,000.  HOA dues are approximately $300 per year to maintain common areas. Click here to view available Active Listings in John's Pointe. See the Flickr slideshow of homes and street scenes in John's Pointe. Wake County property taxes are about 0.9% of the assessed Tax Value.  More information on Wake County Property Taxes is available here. Wake County Public School System handles school assignment and school manageme... 09/28/2007

If you're planning on attending the 2007 Raleigh Parade of Homes you may want to make the drive out to Hidden Lake in Franklin County.  Last Fall, when Hidden Lake had just launched the neighborhood I wrote a blog about the community called: Hidden Lake Profile. Fast forward to the Fall of 2007 and this neighborhood has come a long way.  Despite the commute into the Triangle the neighbors in this community love the large lot sizes (2+ Acres w/great lake views) and several lots have been sold in this gated community.  Here are some pictures taken today of the featured Bost Home for this years Triangle Parade of Homes: This home is also the home of the Annual Fundraiser for the HBA.  Come on out and check it out!!   09/28/2007

Triangle residents--->you definitely don't want to miss this one.  I had the opportunity to be invited to the Hasentree sneak preview today.  Hasentree has a whopping 12 homes on the Wake County HBA Parade of Homes this year that starts tomorrow.  The builders in this community have outdone themselves.  I must admit - I grew up in a high-end home in Dallas, TX and the architectural standards there are very high.  My mother is in real estate and she regulary comments that NC Real Estate is "behind the times".  I think my mother will have to rethink her comments after the unveiling of the homes in Hasentree.  And, quite frankly, it's not as far out as you think.  Off of HWY 98, it's only 5 minutes from the new shopping options off of HWY1.  The top custom builders are involved in this awa... 09/28/2007

Are you thinking about selling a home in the Raleigh area in the near future?  Regardless of whether we are in a seller’s market, or a buyer’s market, there are some timeless principles that you can always apply to maximize your profit when selling your home in Raleigh, or anywhere else for that matter.  This article is the first in a three part series about how to prepare your home to sell quickly, for top dollar, without having to invest a ton of money. Curb appeal is the easily the single most important factor in preparing your home for sale.  The old saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression is the rule to live by with regards to curb appeal.The way your home looks from the street affects so many other aspects of my marketing plan.  I will spend an enormou... 09/28/2007

I do not know how many have had the time to do any wine tasting. But it is rather fun.I remember when I was growing up that one of my Aunts loved to drink wine. Later in life I tasted tested that wine and I did not see what it was all about. It did not taste good at all. I only took the one sip and that was it. PS is was a DRY wine.Then I took a visit to Eperney, France. Yes, where none other is made: Dom Perignon. I learned very quickly that you must hold the glass on the steem so you do not change the wines tempeture via your fingers, Now, swirl the wine in the glass so you can smell what flavor you are going to be taste testing. The best part is just about to happen. Yes now you take a very little amount of wine into your mouth. Now, now now, do not swallow that wine just yet. You mu... 09/27/2007

I recently came across an article from MSN.com titled, "Six Team-Building Lessons from the NFL".  No, this was not in the sport's section, in fact, it was in the Business and Careers section.  I have always been a big sports fan and I have always tried to incorporate a competitive spirit in myself and my co-workers.  When I see others attempting to do the same thing, I get excited to see the changes it can make in an office.  Real Estate is an industry that weeds out the ones who don't find the right people to work with.  Just like any sport, if an individual can't work with others effectively, he finds himself searching for a job.  The market calls for a an office with a "team focused" set of individuals, willing to help each other through a transaction.  The agents that are solely foc... 09/27/2007

Varias formas de registrar el título de propiedad raíz Un título es una documentación legal que otorga pertenencia de propiedad raíz. Esto se debe indicar en la Parte II de la Solicitud Uniforme para Préstamo hipotecario Residencial 1003 como "manera en que se registrará el título".La decisión de la manera en que se va a registrar el título no se debe dejar para el último minuto, ya que tiene un gran impacto sobre la futura planificación tributaria, el futuro financiero del prestatario(s) y de sus respectivos herederos, y la elección del prestamista.Es de gran importancia para el asesor hipotecario trabajar conjuntamente con el planificador financiero o el asesor tributario del prestatario, para poder ayudar al futuro cliente en las decisiones que mejor convengan de acuerdo al caso en p... 09/27/2007