ActiveRain Community

Buying a home is exciting yet can be a complex process. Some buyers become too overwhelmed, and end up making crucial mistakes. And oftentimes, mistakes in real estate are very costly. Let's look at the top mistakes Charlotte NC homebuyers make and how to avoid them. Not getting pre-approvedA mortgage pre-approval is simply a statement of your credit score. . It is released by a lender or bank after a loan officer has closely evaluated your finances. Getting pre-approved will determine how much money you can borrow, as well as how much you can pay monthly.  Getting pre-approved paves the way to transition to making an offer for the  Charlotte, NC home you want. You can also narrow down your home search by tailoring it around the mortgage amount. Remember, though: if you’re pre-approved ... 09/26/2023

“Love it. Work it. In there, lies your ultimate win.”― Kevin Abdulrahman.. #Delegate #VirtualAssistant #Outsourcing #CoachKaterina #Quotes #QuoteOfTheDay #QuotesDaily #QuotesToLiveBy 09/25/2023

It's beginning to feel a lot like 2008 all over again in some respects.  Yes, the exact details are a bit different,  but the market seems to be dropping in a majority of locations. As a buyer who specializes in just one component of real estate, I'm not able to see the big picture, but there has been a definite increase in the amount of inquiries that I recieve from my websites that offer to purchase homes from owners who are heading towards financial troubles. With the Fed hinting that one more rate increase is coming this year, the net effect on home prices is in a downward direction. I realize that some markets are insulated from the negative inclination due to a variety of factors, but I'm seeing an ugly froth on the horizon. What do you think? 09/25/2023

  As the world rapidly transforms into a more tech-savvy environment, it's becoming increasingly important to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). Many people are now aware of classic SEO advantages like unique content and link building, but as we proceed further through this digital age, voice search is shaking up the game. Voice assistants have come on the market with lightning speed in recent years, and optimizing your website for them is now essential if you hope to maintain a beneficial standing in online searches.  In this blog, we're taking an in-depth look at Voice Search Optimization -- from its history and importance all the way down to concrete tips for responsive implementation. So get ready - revolutionizing your SEO efforts has never b... 09/25/2023

  Interactive content has been quickly gaining traction as an instrumental tool for marketers to engage with consumers in a highly personalized and creative way. In recent years, digital marketing has made great strides in its ability to hold the attention of those it connects with, and interactive content is at the forefront of this revolution; captivating viewers with multimedia experiences that create deeper relationships between brands and their followers.  Whether you are launching a new product or increasing brand loyalty, interactive content can provide unexpected opportunities to deliver impactful messages that leave a lasting impression on your audience. Let's explore some of the ways interactive content is transforming the landscape of digital marketing today. The Impact of In... 09/25/2023

Good morning and hello there from soggy, wet, and rainy Cottage Grove, MN.  Wishing you a wonderful Monday and hope you had a fabulous weekend.  Wanted to share Tim's Time Outs. CREED FOR OPTIMISTS: *  Be so strong that NOTHING can disturb your peace of mind.*  Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. *  Make all your friends, clients, and family feel there is something GOOD in them.*  Look at the sunny side and POSITIVE side of everything.*  Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best.*  Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own success.*  Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.*  Give and greet everyone with a smile!*  Spend so much time improving yoursel... 09/25/2023

Are you pondering the age-old question of whether to rent or buy your next home? In August 2023, we witnessed some intriguing trends in the real estate market. Let's dive into the numbers and see which option might be more affordable for you.Top 10 Metros that Favor Renting over Buying in August 2023 Rank Metro Median Rent Monthly Buy Cost % Difference (Buy-Rent) #1 Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX $1,670 $3,946 136.3% #2 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA $2,906 $5,859 101.6% #3 Columbus, OH $1,222 $2,458 101.1% #4 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $1,898 $3,779 99.1% #5 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $2,892 $5,672 96.1% #6 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $3,367 $6,581 95.5% #7 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $1,709 $3,314 93.9% #8 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $2,851 $5,526 ... 09/25/2023

Do people read your posts? This question has always been a topic of discussion on Active Rain.  Yes, people do read your posts!  For those in doubt, let me share with you a an email I received just last week on a post that I wrote back in 2015  South Palm Drive  My post happened to have a very personal connection to someone, hence the email was very heartfelt. I include a portion of it here: We lived at XXX South Palm Drive in the early 1960s. My family then moved to XXX S. Bedford Drive...On a trip to Hawaii in the early 1990s, we stopped in LA and went to Beverly Hills to see the house at XXX S. Bedford Drive. It was more beautiful than I had remembered. We used to dive off the second floor into the pool much to my parents' dismay!  I was just a kid in love with outdoor living. It was... 09/24/2023

On September 21, 2023, National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reported that regional existing home sales in the Northeast unchanged 0.0% to an annual rate 480,000 homes in August of 2023 from of July 2023, but lower 22.6% from August of 2022. The median price in the Northeast was $465,700 in August 2023, higher 5.8% from August of 2022.Home sales in the Midwest up 1.0% to an annual rate 970,000 homes in August of 2023 from of July 2023, but dropped 16.4% from August of 2022. The median price in the Midwest was $305,300 in August of 2023, rose 6.8% from August of 2022.Home sales in the South down 1.1% to an annual rate 1.840,000 homes in August of 2023 from July of 2023,  and fell 12.4% from August of 2022. The median price in the South was $366,100 in August of 2023, increased 3.2% fro... 09/25/2023

Recently a friend and past client posted a wonderful piece she found in her mother’s hand writing: "In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.Life must be understood backwards; but it must be understood forward.Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there." This text, written in her mother's handwriting, conveys several inspirational messages to me:u Value of Life: "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years." This suggests that the quality of one's life experiences is more important than the quantity of years lived.u Ambition and Effor... 09/25/2023

 Food for Thoughts 9/25/2023  (Quotes to ponder & motivate you!) Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, Fathom Realty WA LLC Kitsap, Pierce and Mason county, Washington's preferred waterfront real estate Agent & BrokerIn any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are, do intelligent analysis on them and then you have to know yourself, who you are and what you're capable of doing !Attributed to . Edwin Moses (1955~) Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog post! This post was researched, authored, and photo is by Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, © 2008-2023, all rights reserved. All information is deemed reliable; however it should be independently verified by the reader. Any reproduction of this blog pos... 09/25/2023

Building confidence is an ongoing process. It's about cultivating a mindset that encourages growth, positivity and resilience.   Building Confidence in Business: The Road to Success 🌟   We all know that in the ever-competitive world of business, having a robust (but, within reason!) sense of self-assurance can be your secret weapon. Confidence is like a garden; it requires constant nurturing and care. So, how do you foster confidence that not only sustains but flourishes? Self-Reflection is Key 🪞 It all begins with a deep understanding of oneself. Take time to recognize your strengths and acknowledge your achievements, no matter how small. Remember, every giant oak tree started as a small seed.   Continuous Learning 📚 Being well-read and informed cannot be overemphasized - especially in... 09/26/2023

Food for Thoughts 9/24/2023  (Quotes to ponder & motivate you!) Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, Fathom Realty WA LLC Kitsap, Pierce and Mason county, Washington's preferred waterfront real estate Agent & BrokerNobody is gonna love you like you. You're gonna be your best salesman!Attributed to T.I. (1980~) Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog post! This post was researched, authored, and photo is by Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, © 2008-2023, all rights reserved. All information is deemed reliable; however it should be independently verified by the reader. Any reproduction of this blog post is prohibited without the prior written permission of the author… 09/25/2023

 Food for Thought 9/24/2023  (Quotes to ponder & motivate you!)Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, Fathom Realty WA LLC Kitsap, Pierce and Mason county, Washington's preferred waterfront real estate Agent & Broker  In sales, a referral is the key to the door of resistance!Attributed to Bo Bennett (1972 ~)Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog post! This post was researched, authored, and photo by Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, ©2008-2023, all rights reserved. All information is deemed reliable; however it should be independently verified by the reader. Any reproduction of this blog post is prohibited without the prior written permission of the author… 09/25/2023

Get ready for the holidays because I'm super excited to show you this new rental listing!What's Inside?Built in 2018, this two-story home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Located at Lofts at Village Walk, this is definitely one for the books.Key Features: Fancy wood floors everywhere The kitchen is like a chef's dream come true. There are shiny appliances, a big island in the middle, a closet for food, and super shiny countertops. You can eat in the kitchen, and there's a cozy family room for having fun with your family and friends. There's a super fancy bedroom with a big closet where you can put all your clothes. And guess what? Two more bedrooms! One of them even has its very own special balcony. Location, Location, LocationWhether you like the busy city or the quiet countryside... 09/24/2023

10707 Sprinkle Lane  Greenspring ValleyOwings Mills 21117Country Comfort -Historical Significance-Ecologically Important Sprinkle Lane is located in the heart of The Greenspring Valley on a .55-acre private dead-end lane.  This is where old meets older- a  2-story 1783 log house was merged with the existing two-story 1903 tenant house.  The log house, back in 1988, was in a field west of Frederick, Maryland.  At that time, it had no roof, nothing between the logs, and the only occupants were cows.  The present owner moved this log house to Baltimore's Greenspring Valley to its current location. Check out the bedroom skylight/window in the ceiling,  installed by the owner, to enjoy the moon at night and more light during the day.       Imagine your porch swing on the colorful front porch... 09/23/2023

Fall In Sedona Happy First Day of Autumn!Hummingbird catching a "breakfast gnat"Those who have seen my Autumn and Fall posts in past years, know that the leaves do not change (generally) untill late October with peak color coming in November. Oak Creek Canyon under Midgley Bridge on Nov. 6thThe Autumnal Equinox is a moment in time.  It is when the sun crosses the celestial equator.  It is not an entire day.  The season changes as soon as the sun makes that crossover. So, even though we don't have color right now, here is a sample of what to expect. Japanese Maple Leaves on the Ground - DecemberWest Fork Trail - October 19th (This is the most popular trail during fall)Oack Creek Canyon - November 10thWishing all the "3 C's" of AutumnCozy ~ Colorful ~ Cool  09/23/2023

Last week I promised I would begin sharing some of my favorite all-natural regimines. Whenever I begin to feel things are a bit, "off",  I resort to some of my "go-to" chemical-free, beautifully derived tonics, elixirs, and syrups. I have found these natural options work great and have zero side effects.Today, I am going to share my fermented honey-garlic miracle syrup. It is super easy to prepare using only two ingredients, fresh, local honey, and garlic cloves. An airtight glass jar will also be needed. Then, just a dark cabinet for a few weeks and, voila - Fermented Garlic Honey Goodness!Before I share the instructions, let's discuss some of the benefits of this syrup:🐝 IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOST - Fermented honey and garlic provide a powerful antioxidant, anti-viral, and anti-microbial eli... 09/23/2023

Definitely my favorite blog in the Sacramento area is by appraiser, Ryan Lundquist.  It's called Sacramento Appraisal Blog.At all times it's important for Realtors to stay up to date on the market, but especially when times are changing such as now.  I run stats myself weekly and I always have feelings about the market (after 35 years in real estate) but I love seeing or hearing another professional's opinion.  Ryan also lets us share this information with our clients and on social media, which I much appreciate.  I have found that it helps sometimes with certain clients to give them the perspective from a 3rd party and Ryan's blog is a great source for this!Here is an excerpt from a recent blog of Ryan's that I found interesting. 10,000 HOUSEHOLDSLook, we talk about pent-up demand all ... 09/24/2023

  I love to look at new construction homes!  I think we all do, right?  And we have. a lot of new home subdivisions in Elk Grove right now!I like doing this not just to find a home for my current clients, but also to see the latest inventory, what's hot in homes right now and of course to get decorating ideas!  How about you?This post is for day 17 of The 30-Day Real Estate Social Media Challenge:“Post a photo or a video of yourself sharing a fun activity or funny anecdote or joke related to real estate.”#30dayrealestatesocialmediachallenge 09/23/2023