Living Right In N.C.

So I just was thinking - what has changed about the way I do business in the last year or so?  I have to say I have gotten a lot bolder with what I am willing to tell a seller.  This has to do with both price and condition.  Things that it takes to sell their home!  While I beleive I always knew ...

My neighbor came over to my house the other day looking frantic.  She started talking immediately as she saw me.  "My water heater broke" she said out of breath, "and now there are 50 gallons of water leaking down the inner walls and floors of the house."  That next morning, as the forth workers ...

My father-in-law is one of those "I can fix that" type of guys and truth be told, HE CAN.  For a man whose very first experience with any tool was when he was first married in his first house, it seems incredible to me that he now can practically build a house by himself now.  He always reminds u...

The mortgage landscape has changed significantly recently.  If you are considering a mortgage, there are a few things that have changed that you'll need to have in mind prior to starting the process.  •Inadequate Home Equity As home values in many areas fell, some homeowners found that they don't...

So last week I got a call from a local agent.  She was looking to put her home on the market.  I had done a deal with her in 2005 when she was with a big name firm.  Since then she left that firm. It had to be the easiest and fastest listing appontment ever!  She knew the drill - review of the pa...

I admit it, I am a transplant from NY.  When my husband and I were looking for a place to hang our hat we looked in both South and North Charlotte.  At that time, I had just moved from living many years in Manhattan and was looking forward to a different paced lifestyle.  I worked on Wall Street ...

After having heard a realtor friend recount the first story below, I couldn't help but look online to search out other funny and scary stories of open houses.  I share them both as a laugh and maybe a cautionary tale.  Enjoy the laugh and hope that you aren't next!  "I was setting up for an open ...

How long has the property been on the market? If it's getting a little stale, it might be ripe for a lower offer, experts say. Likewise, find out if there's been a price reduction and when it happened. Why are the owners selling? The agent showing the house is likely to remain mum on this one. Bu...

PHOTOS:  I have heard many legitimate reasons why sellers don't like to show a lot or certain pictures in their listing.  Some sellers want to keep their privacy and/or have valuables they don't want in photos.  The problem with providing little or no photos is this may be construed as a red-fla...

I wrote some time ago about Smart phone app's that you can download to make your work as a realtor a lot easier.  Smart phone apps make our lives in general easier and more interesting but it has not taken long for cyber-criminals to make the switch from hacking computers and attacking and hackin...