Fort Mill

5009 Crofton Drive

Custom Touches throughout this Beautiful French Provincial home sitting on Private 1 Acre Lot.  Home offers travertine flooring, 2 story stone fireplace, Spanish Cedar Double Doors, Coffered LR Ceilings, Gourmet Kitchen with Granite, Guest Suite, Master and Media on Main, 5′Plank Hardwood flooring. 3 Car Side Load Garage, Central Vac. Large Open Rec Room upstairs and Bonus. Too many options to mention!!

Fort Mill

New Survey Places RE/MAX on TOP!

Two surveys of elite Real Estate Brokerages indicate that in 2009, RE/MAX Significantly outperformed its national competitors.  To read the full article, please click on the link below.

 http://rismedia.com/2010-04-18/national-brokerage-surveys-place-remax-on-top/

Source: RISMedia

If you are thinking of Buying or Selling a home, now is a great time! Please contact me at 704-968-1965 for more information.

Fort Mill

Charlotte Home Sales Manage Another Gain

The Charlotte-area housing market eked out another sales gain in February, despite a dreary economy and nasty weather, and there are signs the upward trend could continue.

To read the full article, please visit: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/11/1305536/charlotte-home-sales-manage-another.html

If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell a home, please give me a call. Our Real Estate team is there for you every step of the way. We offer an aggressive marketing program for the homes we sell. We also offer an organized and efficient process when you buy a home with the representation of one of our agents.

For more information on how we can help you, please visit us on the web at: www.CarolinaRealtyTeam.com. You can also contact me directly at 704-968-1965.

Fort Mill

Is today a good time to buy a home?

Today, many Americans are debating whether now is the time to buy a home. Dave Kansas, writing for the Wall Street Journal, says that during the last few months, home sales data has perked up from very low levels.

He says while the housing market will improve, it’s important to remember it’s highly unlikely there will be return to the housing boom era where home prices soared 20 percent or more per year.

Prospective home buyers should buy carefully.  Borrowing too much or utilizing gimmicky mortgages is what got many people into trouble in recent years.  Today, be prepared to put at least 20 percent down for the down payment and your budget should account for both monthly mortgage and principle payments.

Know what you want. By doing ample research on what you want and what you can afford, you’ll be ready to buy the home you desire quickly.

Be ready to make the deal. Paying cash, of course, makes it easier to make an incredible deal.  As most of us don’t have that kind of cash reserves, the next best thing is to secure a pre-approved mortgage.  Having everything lined up before making an offer on a home can strengthen your negotiating position.

Closing costs can be negotiated too.  Asking the seller to pay all or some of the closing costs can reduce the sale price.

Get an inspection and make the sale contingent on what you learn. The seller should be responsible for any repairs.

Remember, buying a home is about providing a place for you and your family to live. 

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you are ready to purchase a home and take advantage of the tax credit, please don’t hesitate to call our team. We can be reached in our office at 803-802-0640 and you can contact me directly at 704-968-1965.  To view our listings, please visit us online at: www.CarolinaRealtyTeam.com. We look forward to meeting you!

Fort Mill

The News Reports – Make Sense Of It All

I have found a helpful article from Buffini & Company that helps to make sense of all the bad news we frequently hear about which leads us to ask the question – Are things really getting better?

Newspaper and broadcast outlets tend to emphasize bad news for a couple of reasons. First, many reporters genuinely believe that their mission is to report what people need to know.  Among  journalists, problems are regarded as more important than positive stories.

Second, among many news reporters and editors, good news generally is considered to be routine, if not boring.  The news media is a business competing for ratings and advertising dollars, and emphasis on the negative aspects of their stories tends to be more effective in attracting the interest of their audience.  Reports of foreclosures, failing loans, real estate scams and falling prices are emphasized while the good news about the market is frequently down played or even ignored.

 You Can Fight Back!

In recent years, there has been a major shift in the way people get their news. Technology has empowered us. Thanks to the Internet, we can reach out to hundreds of sources of information, traditional and nontraditional. Newspapers and their web sites don’t have to be the final destination in the quest for knowledge about current affairs.

A generation ago, news editors often prided themselves in telling readers what they need to know. No more. Newspapers around the country are scrambling to remain relevant by providing the type of content that their readers deem essential.

Increasingly, news web sites are offering links to outside content to help readers conduct their own search for the truth. Blogs have given a voice to thousands of ordinary people. Many online news sites now rank stories according to reader interest and offer online forums where readers can weigh in with their own opinions about news reports.

 Our team has added more homes to our listing inventory.  Please visit our website at www.CarolinaRealtyTeam.com to see the great real estate deals currently on the market. If you or someone you know is interested in how the Carolina Realty Team can help you successfully buy or sell a home, please call 704-968-1965 and I will be happy to help.

Fort Mill

Rising Sales in Most States, and Rising Prices in Many Metros (at Last!)

An Article published by NAR Research Staff stated that the latest quarterly figures on existing-home sales by state and metropolitan area home prices showed some hopeful signs.

To read the full article, please visit: http://www.realtor.org/research/reinsights/marketintelligence

If you or someone you know would like to know more about the available tax credits, please contact me at 704-968-1965 and I will be happy to assist them.

Fort Mill

New Merchants to Join Baxter Town Center

Hello There and welcome to one of Fort Mill’s most sought after Communities. Baxter Village has so much to offer that we could not resist telling you about the new merchants that have joined the Baxter Family…

• The Bump - This is due to open in the spring and will feature Maternity clothing and an infant boutique.
• Prescott Family Dentistry – Dr. Jason Prescott has a beautiful state of the art office in Suite 201. He provides dental care for the whole family including cosmetic dentistry. Visit www.prescottfamilydentistry.com or call 803-802-7878 for more information.
• Baxter Nails & Spa – This spa offers the only child-sized pedicure chairs in the area! The chairs come with flat screens and DVD players for your little princess ( or Prince).  They also use disposable pedicure trays for added sanitation. Their services include complete nail care, waxing, and facials. They have a beautiful space with flat screen TV’s, a salt water aquarium, and privacy curtains in the pedicure area. Visit them online at www.baxternailsandspa.com or call 803-578-9008 for more information.
• The Playroom Academy of Music – was temporarily open in Suite 101 in the exchange building.  They are selling sticks, strings, instruments and other music related merchandise, with a focus on gift certificates and signing students up for lessons at The Playroom Academy.  The studio is under construction upstairs, and should be open in January. The Playroom Academy uses a patent applied teaching method that is designed to ensure that students get the most out of their lessons and practice time. They are dedicated to offering easy to understand lessons that will provide students with proficient musical knowledge using a method that students of all ages can appreciate and benefit from. Lessons will be offered in all traditional band and orchestral instruments along with guitar, bass, vocals, piano, drums, mandolin and banjo. They will also offer classes in Music Production, Audio Engineering, and Computer Based Recording. Summer Music “Camps” will also be offered along with Preschool music programs for tots and after school programs for older kids! Visit www.theplayroomacademy.com or call 803-802-NOTE for more information.

If you or someone you know is interested in Buying a home in the Baxter Village Community, please contact the Carolina Realty Team at 803-802-0640 and an agent will assist you.  You can also search properties on our web site at: www.carolinarealtyteam.com.

Fort Mill

Going Green

By Dan McLeister

Need help in selecting environmentally friendly flooring? Think green.

No, we’re not talking Astroturf here. In this case, “green” means the use of environmentally friendly materials that are either readily renewable or made from recycled products. Several green certification programs and directories are available to help remodelers, builders and homeowners make that selection.

For example, the National Wood Flooring Association looks to The Forest Stewardship Council to certify wood flooring products as green when the material comes from forests operated under sustainable forest management practices. Other organizations, such as BuildingGreen Inc. (http://www.buildinggreen.com), publisher of the GreenSpec® Directory and Environmental Building News, qualify and list other green flooring alternatives, such as natural linoleum, cork and concrete

 

For the complete story, please visit:

http://www.hgtv.com/home-improvement/from-carpeting-to-cork/index.html

 

Thinking about buying or selling?  Call Becky Smith of RE/MAX Metro and Carolina Realty Team at 803-804-3375 or e-mail Becky@CarolinaRealtyTeam.com

Fort Mill

Are You Ready For The Next Housing Boom?

More wealth is created when you buy at the bottom of a real estate cycle instead of at the top.

The market has shifted from its peak a few years back, and there is strong evidence that we are now at the bottom of the cycle. In looking toward the future and at certain economic indicators, you can see that now is the time to get ready for the next housing boom.

HERE ARE SOME FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW…

Households continue to increase

The population in America continues to rise and with it the creation of new households with housing needs. According to conservative estimates, the number of households is expected to increase by 1.25 million annually over the next decade.

Here come the Echo Boomers

Echo Boomers Are Entering the Housing Market.

They are primarily the offspring of the nation’s largest generation, the baby boomers…and there are a lot of them. The echo boomers are entering their peak household formation years with close to 6 million more people than the baby boomers had during the 1970s.

…The number of echo boomers will increase and maintain a strong demand for housing in the years to come.

When Supply is Low, Demand is High.

Builders have cut back on building new homes to record lows. Based on annual household formations and approximately 300,000 home demolitions, we need between 1.3-1.7 million new homes built every year. In 2008, developers only built 892,800 units. The actual numbers for 2009 have not yet been released, but the estimate appears to be in the 500,000s…

Consider These Booming Factors –

1. Markets are currently much closer to balance

2. Existing homes sales are improving in the hardest hit states

 Thinking of Buying or Selling a home? Give me a call today at 704-968-1965 or email me at: dean@carolinarealtyteam.com.

Fort Mill

New and Improved Mortgage Forms

By Les Christie, staff writerDecember 31, 2009: 3:39 PM ET

 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Starting Jan. 1, new rules go into effect that simplify and clarify exactly what mortgage lenders will charge for a loan.

The initiative from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)requires that a new “Good Faith Estimate” form be given to all applicants, one that makes it easier to compare true costs of loans from different lenders.

For the full story go to:http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/31/real_estate/new_mortgage_rules/index.htm

Buying or selling in 2010? Call Becky Smith of RE/MAX Metro and Carolina Realty Team at 803-804-3375 or e-mail Becky@CarolinaRealtyTeam.com.

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