The Standard Commission Rate to Sell Your Home Is...... This could be a very simple post - I could easily say "There isn't one!" and be done with it.  However, I have noticed lately that there still seems to be the misconception among the general public that there is a set commission that a Real Estate agent (whether Realtor® or not) charges to sell your home.  There simply isn't which leads to another question.... What are discount brokers?  Again, a simple answer - I have never met one.  There are, however, two different types of Real Estate companies.  Traditional (Full Service as some like to call themselves) and Limited Service (a more a la carte type menu of services) Traditional Firms:  •·     Market your property to the fullest within the guidelines set forth by their respectiv... 08/28/2010

Blue Jay Point Park has a little bit for absolutely EVERYONE!  Between the lake, playgrounds, the baseball fields, soccer fields and trails it is simply a fantastic way to spend an afternoon!  My son is taking a field trip to Blue Jay Point Park this week with his school and I am so jealous - he will have a blast!    Typically, we we go, we take advantage of the huge playground that is there but this time decided to explore some of the exhibits they have as well as some trails that we had never hiked before......AMAZING!  The Blue Jay Point Center is loaded with educational information about the Falls Lake Watershed, Recycling, the forest, insects, etc....Learned quite a bit about the region that I hadn't know before!  Just outside of the center is the park's garden.  It is loaded with ... 08/28/2010

Wake Forest NC Community Calendar, Events and Things To Do - August 30 - September 5, 2010Be sure to get out this week and enjoy this cooler weather we are FINALLY experiencing in Wake Forest NC!  There are some amazing destination shops in downtown historic Wake Forest NC, awesome restaurants and coffee shop and plenty to do to help you spend your day!  Below are some of the events and meetings taking place this coming week - be sure to check back for some late additions as things to do in Wake Forest NC are ALWAYS being added to the calendar!Public Meeting: Wake Forest Bus ServiceTuesday, Aug 31; 5 – 7 pmWake Forest Town Hall, Ground Floor Meeting Room, 301 S. Brooks St.Wake Forest area residents will have the opportunity to offer their input on the Town’s bus service during a public ... 08/28/2010

Wake Forest NC Neighborhood Expedition - Focus on Northampton Northamption in Wake Forest NC is a wonderful community that offers tremendous homes, large lots and great amenities for it's residents.  Northampton is locate between Chalks Road and Jones Dairy Road which makes getting out and about in Wake Forest NC a breeze!  There is a mix of resale homes and new construction homes available in Northhampton which means you have quite a few different styles to choose from.  You can visit their on-site model home to preview any of the presale lots that are available as well as peruse the different floorplans and options they have to offer.  Northampton in Wake Forest NC offers it's residents a private community pool, a community playground and a picnic area with tables and a grill.  Many o... 08/28/2010

Weekends in Wake Forest NC - August 27 - 29, 2010 FINALLY!  The weather in Wake Forest NC has started to get a little cooler!  We may have a few more scorchers before it is all said and done but for now it is beautiful outside and should be awesome all weekend!  With the start of school activities were a little more on the reserved and quiet side this week and that rings true for the weekend as well.  Nonetheless, there are some things to do that you just might want to pencil into your calendar! Wake Forest Farmers Market Saturday, Aug 28; 8 am - noon Downtown parking lot, 110 S. White St. Come shopping for all your fresh vegetables, pasture raised meats, free range eggs. Baked goods, herbs, honey, jams and perserves. Fine art and crafts. Music provided by Larry Kirwan. Get up early, gr... 08/26/2010

If you missed the first post on Quick Guide to NC Residential Property Disclosure For Sellers you can certainly catch up! Just click over to Quick Guide to NC Residential Property Disclosure for Sellers Part I of IIPart I of this series was focused solely on the responsibility of the Property Seller. However, as a potential Home Buyer you are entitled to receive a NC Residential Property Disclosure prior to making an offer or shortly thereafter.  Here is how it would come into play for you as a Home Buyer. Once you find the property that you are interested in making an offer on, your Buyer's Agent would receive the signed NC Property Disclosure from the Listing Agent.  The form should be filled out completely and signed by the sellers.  Please read the Property Disclosure carefully!  It... 08/26/2010

When Your Home is Listed Be Mindful of Your Requests When a seller puts there home on the market they may make a few requests of Buyer's Agents and their Buyers for when their home is shown.  While that is perfectly acceptable and within your rights I thought I would list a few of the most common requests that I have run into and what some of the "issues" there may be with the requests. Please do not let cats/dogs outside - While your pet is your family member you may have a buyer looking at your home that is allergic to pets and quite possible afraid of them.  Also, you put a huge burden on an agent that is trying to show your home.  While it is their job to point out the highlights of your home and give the buyers a tour they will become distracted with trying to wrangle pets.  It rea... 08/25/2010

Dear Seller - Have You Checked Your Listing OnLine? Trust is very important when it comes to selecting your real estate agent!  You must know that they have your best interest in mind and that they will go above and beyond to get your property sold for the most amount of money in the least amount of with a minimal amount of stress to you.  With that said...... I have seen VERY bad examples lately in the local Multiple Listing Service.  Many of the offending examples are: Pictures - in the local Triangle Multiple Listing Service we are permitted to have 25 photos of a property.  (Please know that it is different in other parts of the country) Is YOUR agent doing their part in taking advantage of the multitude of pictures allowed?  The amount of pictures isn't even as big a concern as the... 08/24/2010

I have my camera with me at ALL times in the car while driving around Wake Forest NC!  You never know when an opportunity will present itself or if a photo might become the focal point of a blog post.  Well, today i was going through some of the pictures I have and thought I would put together a few slide shows about Wake Forest NC.  Enjoy! If you have any questions about Wake Forest NC or any homes for Sale in Wake Forest NC please feel free to give me a call or simply send me an email - I'd be happy to help!  Wake Forest NC Neighborhoods "Wake Forest NC Neighborhoods"Create a free slideshow with Picnik! Historic Residential and Commercial Wake Forest NC"Historic Wake Forest NC"Create a free slideshow with Picnik!  Historic Downtown Wake Forest NC"Historic Downtown Wake Forest NC"Creat... 08/22/2010

Has an opportunity presented itself to you to possibly relocate to Wake Forest NC?  How exciting!  Any move can be somewhat frightening when there are so many unknowns involved but I'm here to help!  I've tried to answer as many of the questions that I normally receive from out-of-towers as I could but if you have more questions then by all means, let me know!  Consider me your Wake Forest NC Real Estate Agent - I am here to help in any way I can. Where is Wake Forest NC?  Wake Forest NC is located centrally in North Carolina in Wake County. We are equidistant from both the great Appalachian Mountains and the Carolina Coast making day trips a breeze regardless of your chosen outdoor activities!  We are just a few minutes to downtown Raleigh NC and an easy commute to Research Triangle P... 08/22/2010

Things To Do In Wake Forest NC!  August 23 - 29, 2010 Well, this is it!  The 2010 - 2011 school year starts for traditional schools in Wake Forest NC!  There will be more school buses rolling on the roads so be super careful on the neighborhood streets and don't forget to get familiar with the school zone speed limits. Check out some of the playgroups this week in Wake Forest NC for the PreSchool age as well as Homeschool Groups!  It's a great way to meet other families and make some new friends! Preschool Playgroup in the Park Monday mornings thru Aug; 9:30 am – 11:30 am Holding Park, 133 W. Owen Ave. Come enjoy the beauty of the day and meet new friends while the children play on Mondays during the summer months. This informal group, sponsored by Wake Forest Baptist Church, meets at H... 08/21/2010

Closed Sales in Wake Forest NC were down by -27.2% for the month of July, 2010.  While that may seem like a substantial drop in sales the overall year to date Closed Sales are up by 15.4%. There was a 3.9% increase in the Inventory of Homes for Sale in Wake Forest NC. Both Average Sales Prices and Median Sales Prices saw an increase for the month of July 2010.  Average Sales Prices increased 3.3% compared with July 2009 and Median Sales Prices rose 9.9% when compared to the same time in 2009. The most popular Price Point for Homes for Sale in Wake Forest NC remains $200,000.00 - $300,000.00.  There is a great selection of homes available in this price point! If you have any questions regarding the statistics in this Wake Forest NC Real Estate Report please feel free to give me, your Wak... 08/20/2010

Weekends In Wake Forest NC - August 20 - 22, 2010 With school starting back up next week it is a pretty low-key weekend in Wake Forest NC!  Whew, it has to slow down sometimes.  It's been an incredible summer with loads of events and activities - and, if you had fun this summer just wait till you see what Wake Forest NC has in store for you for the Fall!  Get ready - festivals are on the way....... Wake Forest Farmers Market Saturday, Aug 21; 8 am - noon Downtown parking lot, 110 S. White St. The Wake Forest Farmers Market offers fresh produce, pasture raised meats, free range eggs, baked goods-breads, pies, cakes and cookies. Granola, honey, goat cheese, fresh and dried herbs. Jams and preserves. Hand made soaps and lotions, hand spun fiber, fine art and crafts. Garden plants. Music by... 08/19/2010

Wake Forest NC Neighborhood Expedition - Focus on St. Ives Estates Welcome to St. Ives Estates in Wake Forest NC!  St. Ives Estates is a beautiful community with rolling tree lined streets and simply magnificent custom homes on large, well-manicured lots.  St. Ives Estates is quietly tucked away off of Kearney Road yet convenient to both Capital Boulevard and Highway 98 making commutes to both Durham NC and downtown Raleigh NC a breeze. St. Ives Estates is a swim community with a large pool for residents, tennis courts for residents and a clubhouse that is perfect for neighborhood get-togethers or private parties.  This quiet community offers plenty of room to spread out yet amply opportunity be partake in "community".  Currently, there are 8 homes for sale in St. Ives Estates and they ... 08/18/2010

Is This A Bad Neighborhood? There is almost NO other question I hate worse than this one from a Buyer.  I don't know what YOUR definition of "bad" is as it is all relative.  What is not desirable to you may be perfectly acceptable to another.  We all see things differently. When I represent a buyer it is my obligation to show them EVERY home that meets their needs.  If you are moving to Wake Forest NC and you give me criteria to work within when researching homes for you then you can rest assured that I will let you know of every house available in Wake Forest NC that meets those needs.  If your definition of "bad" is based on criminal activity I can certainly provide you with links to the Wake Forest Police Departments website where you can research what, if any, criminal activity has ... 08/17/2010

Thinking of Selling Your Home?  Here's Your Homework Assignment It can be quite a bit of work getting your home market ready!  I am sure that by now you have heard the mantra of CLEAN and DECLUTTER.  And, if you haven't, here are some great posts that can help you catch up! Home Improvements that Won't Break the Bank...... First Impressions - You May Not Get a Second Chance So Make It Count! "The Devil is in the Details" When It Comes to Selling Your Home! This post, however, is NOT about cleaning up and getting your home market ready in appearance but what YOU, as a seller, can do to make it a smooth transaction for everyone. I have a checklist that I like to share with each of my sellers prior to listing their home of action items they can complete.  Here are just a few to share: Prop... 08/17/2010

Many homes for sale in Wake Forest NC are located within subdivisions that have Restrictive Covenants and are subject to regulation by the Owner's Association.  For that very reason, it is CRITICAL that you review the Restrictive Covenants and Bylaws PRIOR to signing an Offer To Purchase Contract.  It is your Real Estate Agents responsibility (Buyer's Agent) to provide you with the covenants prior to signing the Offer To Purchase.  After reviewing you will not only need to sign the Offer To Purchase, provided you accept the Restrictive Covenants, but also the Owners Association Disclosure and Addendum if the purchase is a ReSale. The Owners Association Disclosure and Addendum will provide you with the Name, Address and Phone Number of the Homeowners Association as well as what is "paid ... 08/15/2010

What Is A North Carolina Residential Property Disclosure?  Part I of II Whether you are buying or selling Residential Property in North Carolina and it is a RESALE property you will need to be familiar with a North Carolina Residential Property Disclosure.  To avoid confusion I have broken this post up into two parts - Part I will deal with Sellers and NC Residential Property Disclosures. As a seller of single family residential property in North Carolina or a building with up to 4 units you are required to fill out and furnish to Buyers a N.C. Residential Property Disclosure.  The Disclosure is a form with 21 questions regarding the property that you have for sale and it's condition.  You need to review the questions and answer with one of the following answers: YES - If you answer yes... 08/14/2010

Things To Do in Wake Forest NC!  August 16 - 22, 2010 The summer is quietly coming to a close in Wake Forest NC!  Schools are starting back and with that the focus is on getting back into routines.  There are a few events this week on the Wake Forest NC calendar and you won't want to miss them!  There is a great workshop offered this week "Drugs Uncovered: What Parents Need to Know!".  This is a must attend workshop for parents and I am thrill that this is being offered. The Wake Forest NC Farmers Market is still offering some of the areas BEST produce along with fresh jams and preserves, hand made soaps and lotions and baked goods.  The Wake Forest Farmers Market is ALWAYS a great stop on your Saturday mornings! Also, if you are still scrambling to get ready for school you might want t... 08/14/2010

  I recently finalized a home sale in Heritage Wake Forest in Wake Forest NC .  My delightful client is making the move here from NYC - Brooklyn to be exact -  and just fell in love with the Townhome built by Jack Lichtner in the Links.    And who wouldn't?  Take a look at what's in her backyard...  a golf course and a very relaxing lake view...  There's also a new Wake Forest Greenway System just across the way as well!                 Here's just one of the entrances to her new subdivision - isn't it pretty!  The stonework weaving all through Heritage is just delightful...               She's not my first client to fall in love with Heritage Wake Forest.  And It's no wonder with the fantastic master plan, variety of homes and prices, and activities available from golf, tennis, hiking... 08/13/2010