🛠️ The FHA 203(k) Loan: Turning North Carolina Fixer-Uppers Into Dream Homes (Without Losing Your Mind)Let’s face it: HGTV makes buying a fixer-upper look easy. You tour a dump, squint hard, and BAM—suddenly you’ve got granite countertops and shiplap walls. In reality, unless you’ve got cash stacked in your sock drawer, making that kind of magic happen takes more than vision. It takes a renovation loan. And lucky for you, the FHA 203(k) Rehab Loan exists.It’s the Swiss Army knife of home loans—designed specifically for North Carolina homebuyers who want to buy a place and fix it up, all in one fell swoop (and one monthly payment).✅ What Makes It So Awesome? Low Down Payment: Just 3.5% down, and you can even use gift funds or NCHFA grants if your savings account looks more like a checki... 05/25/2025

High Tension Towers and the FHA GuidelinesThis is why you must stay up on the HUD Handbook 4000.1 as a consultant.  In 2008 or 2009 when I did this consultation. The underwriter was poised to close escrow the following day but noticed the Pest Report called out a structural beam to be replaced. That caused this Limited 203k to switch to a Standard 203k project. I was sent out to write it up and get it turned in ASAP. When I arrived, I saw this HT tower adjacent to the house. At that time, FHA didn't allow an HT tower to be within the fall distance of a home they were working on. The deal died right then and there. I didn't charge any fee, though I certainly could have charged a trip fee. I didn't mainly because they had two and the other one closed the following day as I wrote my report... 03/02/2025

Although the media glorifies that woes of the US economy and the downturn the mortgage industry is facing, it does not stress enough that right now is a wonderful time to be in they buyer's seat. Unfortunatley for sellers, there is a surplus amount of both new homes and resells on the market, but fortunately for buyers, interest rates have somewhat repelled down and sellers are more willing to negotiate now than they were say in 2005 & in the beginning of 2006.North Carolina has been late in joining the game of surplus homes and the devaluation of prices. And although they say 'things' will worsen before they get better, this is a great time to buy, buy, buy. There are many deals in the real estate market. The number of short sales has increased two-fold in many areas of the country and... 12/13/2007

Relocation: An opportunity for a major life change and carefully planned event, or a recipe for disaster?There could be many reasons for a relocation: a new job, retirement, need for a change... My family and I had our roots deeply planted in Miami, FL and for over 30 years that is where we called home. But something began to chnage in the months preceeding our departure, I had a sense that I belonged somewhere else, but did not know where. My husband was very content and was happy just to stay put. And then... A last minute trip to the Carolinas changed our lives forever.What was supposed to be a 3-day real estate shopping vacation turned into a 7-day 'what are we doing' trip. By the time we hopped on our return flight to MIA, we had put an offer on a house and Tony, my husband, had a ... 12/12/2007