Student loans can stop loan applications cold.  This about how Raleigh gets rid of student loans without paying them off than the mortgage approval process. Can this impact the housing market?  You tell me.  The situation:  37 million owe nearly a trillion (with a ‘t’ folks) dollars in student loans.  All debt affects the mortgage application approval process.  What can be done when you can’t just pay them off?   There’s hope.  Let me reassure you on that point.  My research shows there are basically four ways: 1.  Forgiveness for doing x 2.  Forgiveness due to your income 3.  Discharge 4.  Bankruptcy Let’s look closer at how Raleigh gets rid of student loans without paying them off.  The four avenues: 1.  Forgiveness for doing x deals with programs that reward you for something you do.... 07/08/2013

How exciting would it be if when driving through a neighborhood anyone that was thinking about Selling and or Buying  Shined a flashlight at you, waved at you and invited you in to help them? Reserve Your Seat   Jill Denovan is going to share with us what she calls her “Home Prices Listing Generator” She is going to share with us How she gets them to raise their hand How she turns them into a Lead How she turns them into a client And finally how she turns them into an advocate    All I can say is wicked smart Reserve Your Seat As you can see we have a lot to cover so don't be late.  Let's make some money.  See you there. This is a brand new class that you won't want to miss.  Be there live so you can ask questions and participate! Nothing being sold so leave your money at home!!! Does y... 07/06/2013

Does media answer the question “How long will it take to sell my home?”  Not when you need local information.  Here’s answer specific to Raleigh North Carolina. When we put our home for sale, we’re ready for the buyer to pull to the curb money in hand and make an offer.  Unfortunately, buying/selling real estate takes a while.  Knowing the local trend helps you plan and provides basis for realistic expectations concerning your real estate agent. Media usually compares the current month with the prior month or the current month compared with the same month a year ago.  Of greater benefit is a full 2-year trend line for homes in your price range and local area. Because all real estate markets are local, this data reflects the local housing market in Raleigh, NC.  National data doesn't hel... 07/01/2013

Want to make this year's July 4th festivities extra specail? Don't know where to find fun and interesting things to do in the Triangle area? Well, look no further, because we've got them all!  Here is a list of fun, family things to do that will be a hit with everyone! Stay safe, and enjoy!   July 1-4th in the Triangle: July 1st 4:00pm Parent/Child Clay Workshops Durham Arts Council - Durham7:05pm Durham Bulls vs. Columbus - DurhamJuly 2nd 4:00pm Parent/Child Clay Workshops Durham Arts Council - Durham7:05pm Durham Bulls vs. Columbus - Durham7:30pm Ciompi Quartet Chamber - Duke Gardens8:00pm Jason Isbell - Lincoln Theatre Raleigh8:00pm LeeSaar The Company - Reynolds Industries Theatre Durham July 3rd 3:30pm Durham Farmers Market Foster St DurhamJuly 4th - 11:00 am Independence Day Open ... 06/30/2013

How exciting would it be if when driving through a neighborhood anyone that was thinking about Selling and or Buying  Shined a flashlight at you, waved at you and invited you in to help them? Reserve Your Seat   Jill Denovan is going to share with us what she calls her “Home Prices Listing Generator” She is going to share with us How she gets them to raise their hand How she turns them into a Lead How she turns them into a client And finally how she turns them into an advocate    All I can say is wicked smart Reserve Your Seat As you can see we have a lot to cover so don't be late.  Let's make some money.  See you there. This is a brand new class that you won't want to miss.  Be there live so you can ask questions and participate! Nothing being sold so leave your money at home!!! Does y... 06/28/2013

You never thought you’d owe more on your home than it’s worth.  But you do.  The main question on your underwater mortgage - is the end in sight?  Let’s look.   It’s embarrassing.  It’s painful.  Mainly it’s scary.  Most of us can handle a bad situation better when we know it will end someday.  When will the sun shine again?  Here are 2 tools you can use to find out. It’s true the tools only provide an estimate.  I thought you would prefer an estimate rather than being totally in the dark.  Here goes. Realtor.com calculator can help you predict your home’s value through 2017.  Here’s how it works: 1.  Enter your home’s value today.  Use recent sales in your neighborhood.  Yahoo! Homes can provide a range of values.  Many real estate agents would gladly provide an estimate. 2.  Choose an... 06/27/2013

Back in the day I decided to buy a house and rent current home.  A good way to build a nest egg.  Things have changed.  Can you do this today? I was reminded of the old days recently when Shawn approached me.  He was considering this investment option.  Before he decided, he wanted to know whether this was still possible.  This was my reply: Sure, it is possible.  Stricter mortgage qualifications apply today.  Many people decide against the option to buy a house and rent current home when they learn the requirements.  Before attempting, use these guidelines as a quick test. 1.  Mortgage approval process includes your ability to make both monthly payments even though you’re only applying for home loan on the house you are buying. 2.  Rental income can be considered.  Strict guidelines ap... 06/20/2013

Bryan and Ashley decided they wanted to own their own home.  “To the web” was their battle cry.  They were overwhelmed with choices.  What next?  Having just moved to Raleigh they lived with Ashley’s dad.  He said “Calculate how much house you can afford & avoid this pitfall.”  Bryan could figure out how much they could afford, but what pitfall should they avoid? Ashley’s dad explained.  To look at the family finances and decide how much they could afford was a good idea.  A necessary step as a matter of fact.  Searching the web with this dollar amount in mind would keep the volume of houses to a more manageable number.  The pitfall to avoid was to believe that this first step was also the last step. He went on to say that they could ID which neighborhoods were in their price range this... 06/17/2013

If you are ready to move out on your own, and Kiss Your Landlord Good-bye…  CONGRATULATIONS!  In February of 2012 – the newest part of the Government’s program to help people buy a house went into place!  As mortgage interest rates continue to climb in the summer of 2013, these Government programs are more important than ever, because they increase buyer qualifications – allowing folks who have been renting to purchase a slightly larger house than they would otherwise be able to buy… with very few out of pocket expenses.  This page is full of what First Time Homebuyers in Raleigh NC should know because we get so many questions about where to start in the homebuying process... Johanna Brown, an agent with Re/Max United in Cary,  said it would be pretty common for people sitting on the fe... 06/14/2013

In a nutshell, the main reason people move to Raleigh are; the wonderful economy and employment opportunities, great place to start a business and raise a family, the beautiful landscape, world-class education options and overall quality of life.  What was once a mild capitol city mostly made up of government buildings, and College Campuses,  is quickly getting a facelift that is continuing to gain national attention! For prospective Raleigh homebuyers the “hot spot locations” continue to be North Raleigh, North Hills / Midtown Area and Downtown Raleigh.  First Time Home buyers love the condos and walkability of downtown. Upscale shops and amenity and restaurant laden North Hills also offers up a great walkable area, at a higher price point.  North Raleigh is a mix of price range and s... 06/14/2013

Find Raleigh NC Homes for Sale   OR   I've made it very easy for home buyers to find active and available homes in the North Carolina Triangle area.  There are three different options to find Triangle homes and NC Communities. Below are the three best ways you can search for homes in the Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas of the NC Triangle. Option 1: You can do a home search on my primary website at www.NCStyleHomes.com (this one cannot be saved at this time but, only displays active properties). If you can’t find the home you're looking for here, it probably isn’t an available Triangle home as this links directly to MLS and only displays homes that are active. Option 2: You can set up your own home search at www.FindNCStyleHomes.com. This one can be saved and you can log-in ... 06/13/2013

The Real Estate Market Statistics are out for May 2013 and once again there are many positive trends.  For North Raleigh the number of Closed Sales was up +33.1% when compared to the same time period in the year 2012.  The total number of Closed Sales was 398.  The inventory of homes for sale was down -10.3% however.  The total number of homes for sale in North Raleigh in May 2013 was 1304.   The Absorption Rate for North Raleigh pretty much held steady at 5.3 which indicated a Sellers Market.  This statistic shows a -29.5% drop from the same time period last year.  Please keep in mind this statistic is ONLY for North Raleigh and different areas of the Triangle are experiencing different markets.  For more information regarding the Absorption Rate, what it means and how it effects both ... 06/11/2013

Who does Raleigh real estate market favor in June 2013 –buyer or seller?  Media sound bites are normally national in scope.   Here’s Raleigh, NC trends. What are media comments based on?  In my experience, it's usually a comparison between the current month and the prior month or the current month compared with the same month a year ago.  More comprehensive data is needed by those who will actively participate in the real estate market.  In response to that need, I present you the following market analysis.   Market divided into four segments: Red Line: Represents Top Market Segment - Most Expensive Homes Green Line: Represents Upper Middle Segment of Market Orange Line: Represents Lower Middle Segment of Market Blue Line: Represents Least Expensive Homes Because all real estate markets... 06/03/2013

So, you've moved passed Steps 1 and 2 - you've picked your lender and found the Realtor® that is going to help you find that perfect home.......  What?  You missed Steps 1 and 2?  No worries - you can catch up at "The 5 Steps to Buying a House".  Go ahead, catch up, I'll wait!  (hint: click the link) The next 3 Steps in Buying a House are very time sensitive and will take careful coordination.  ** It is important to note that Steps 3 - 5 may differ from state to state and what I am outlining here is specific to North Carolina. Step 3: The Offer To Purchase  Congratulations!  You have found "the" home and are ready for the next step - Making an Offer.  Don't be scared!  The lender and Realtor® that you chose in Steps 1 and 2 are there to help guide your through this process.  Your Realto... 05/20/2013

  Award winning “PC World” magazine is the largest-circulation (750,000 audited copies monthly) computer magazine in the world says… Google+ is now the 2nd largest network.  Only Facebook is larger, but Google+ is gaining. So what you say?  Find out Tuesday   Reserve Your Seat     Why should you care?  You can’t ignore this many eyeballs.  You owe it to yourself to at least check it out. The key question:  How can you use it to advantage in your real estate business? We will be covering: = Circles = Local Listings = Communities = Your profile - How to set it up = Keywords (remember last week) = Posting Do’s = Posting Don’ts = Plus a Bonus Tip you don’t want to miss It’s going to be jammed packed with info so don’t be late… See you Tuesday Reserve Your Seat As you can see we have a lot t... 05/16/2013

Whether you are a first time homebuyer or a seasoned buyer a home purchase can be a little scary!  Even if you have rode this bike before things change.  Let #RaleighRed help you understand the home buying process step by step and get you on your way to that home of your dreams. Did you know that when buying a home you need a team?  Do you know who's on your team?  Here is a more in-depth look at who you need on your team and what role each will play in your purchase.  (hint: click the link!)  Step 1:  First and MOST important?  A Mortgage Lender! A mortgage lender will be able to tell you how much home you can afford.  It really isn't as easy as just thinking, "Well, I pay X now so I am looking for a mortgage payment about the same."  A mortgage lender will do an in-depth analysis of y... 05/15/2013

It's OK to Wear Ugly Shoes... When You're Bowling in the Raleigh, Cary, Apex Area! Yeah, yeah, I know. Those bowling shoes are kind of ugly! But bowling is fun and you can forego fashion for a few hours to have some fun... can't you? Where to Go Bowling in the Raleigh, Cary, Apex Area   Where to Go Bowling in the Raleigh, Cary, Apex Area   View Larger Map About The Author Craig Rutman is a North Carolina Residential Real Estate Specialist that can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Raleigh - Cary – Apex metro areas; or any place else in the country by connecting you with a relocation professional in your destination of choice. To find all available homes for sale in the Triangle area of North Carolina, please visit www.justnchomes.com Call me TODAY at 919-349... 05/15/2013

The N. Raleigh Real Estate statistics are out for April 2013 and we continue to see improvement in the market!  Both the Average Sales Price and the Median Sales Price have increased since the same time last year and the average Days on Market has decreased.    Both Closed Sales and the Inventory of Homes for Sale in North Raleigh has increased steadily since February.             The Absorption Rate in North Raleigh has remained stable at what is considered a "balanced" market - neither a seller's market nor a buyer's market.  It is important to note that this is just for North Raleigh - the Absorption Rate varies in the different areas of Raleigh.           The average Days on Market has seen a slight decline since February 2013.             If you are interested in learning a bit mor... 05/14/2013

222 Glenwood | Raleigh Upscale Condo complex Complete with: Secure Access Controlled Complex Reception Officer Private Health Club Landscaped Pool and Courtyard WiFi at the Pool and Courtyard Residents Clubhouse opening onto outdoor grill and firepit An excellent opportunity to own in Downtown Raleigh Elevator access to the shops within the complex   222 Glenwood is situated in the Raleigh | Glenwood South Glenwood South includes  Trendy shopping Nightlife Convenient and superb restaurants Dog Park Grocery shopping including Harris Teater and Trader Joes 222 Glenwood is a great place to live -    See our list of Condos for sale by clicking this 222 Glenwood Link   05/12/2013

Raleigh Downtown has lured another 250 jobs!   Ipreo, the New York technology company has leased a full floor of office space in the One Bank Of America Building in downtown Raleigh, confirming that Downtown Raleigh is the "in Place" to live, work and play. Building in downtown is gaining momentum and the Raleigh city centre is a throbbing metropolis. Young people are buying up condo's and townhouses, while homes inside the beltline are commanding more and more attention.   If you have been considering purchasing a Downtown Raleigh investment, then this is the time to do it. Rentals are in demand and there is a good chance that your investment can grow in value over the next few years. With the moves by large companies like Citrix and Redhat to the Raleigh Downtown area, the signs for i... 04/27/2013