charlotte foreclosures: Real Estate-Not YOUR Ordinary Box of Chocolates-You SHOULD Know What You Get! - 07/06/11 01:48 PM
REO, Short-Sale, Foreclosure, and drop dead/bottom-line price. Fun for buyers!
Here in Charlotte we have all the above..... and more...
Is there any other term that defines how buyers are searching?
My last call from a prospective buyer today was this:
" I want a deal and don't want to over-pay for my next home"
I have a comment to all buyers in this market -
I hear you.
So, here is the starting point:
What Do You want To Buy? The Barn door is wide open and the world is your oyster....to a degree.
Smart buyers know that many "bargains" … (3 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: If a house falls into foreclosure, and nobody hears it, does it make a sound? - 11/21/09 11:30 AM
Yes it does and generally it is a sad one. It's the barker on the courthouse steps. And the whimper from the owner(s) as the leave they property. It's the sigh emitted from the neighbors when they find out. Or the questions from the children.
It's the sound of the times. It's also a sigh from me as I show the aftermath while looking at the brightly painted children's bedrooms, sitting empty and knowing this was somebody's home. But every season has a turn. And what was once, can be again. New sounds come from the home. Sometimes they are sounds … (26 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Perfecting the Art of Procrastination…If That’s What You Want to Call It - 08/30/09 12:07 PM
Sometimes deadlines are a good thing. They get people motivated.
For people here in the South, when the power company threatens to cut your power off, leaving you with no air-conditioning, your complaining and heated family will treat you like the Soup Nazi character from “Seinfeld’....Hence motivation.
But if you say “no sweat”, believing a magical extension of the $8K first time home buyer credit will happen, and any urgency is moot; my response is: Gamblers beware.
I personally would not pin my home buying response on an unconfirmed idea. See… the government still uses April 15 as a deadline … (6 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: December fruit costs $8,000 more. Get Peachy Deals in Charlotte that are Ripe for the Pickin’…NOW ! - 08/11/09 10:44 AM

Want or need a home in the greater Charlotte Area ? ...and think it is out of your grasp?
Think again.
Hot Sweet deals are within arm’s reach.
All you have to do is get qualified,
and pick from the many "deal trees” (Charlotte neighborhoods).
Who wouldn’t want a juicy deal on a home the saves you thousands? And at a mortgage interest rate that is at a historical low?
 
...And  it gives you Home ownership! And it Gives you a Mortgage Interest deduction !
So many neighborhoods, So little time to jump on the … (0 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: The Perception of Bad in the Face of Good, or Why We Get Thrown Under the Bus - 08/07/09 02:38 PM
It only takes a few bad apples for any profession to have it's name sullied. Perception can become reality when the overblown truth about a few becomes the general perception of a group. Ask a loyal American that follows Islam if he or she feels jaded by bad press concerning a handful of nut jobs.
We are experiencing an accelerated media point in our socially charged world. Bad information travels fast. We no longer look for the good. We sit in harsh judgment of groups mimicking what talking heads say on TV or blast in Op/Ed columns. It seems like … (4 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Matthews NC Exposed !...On A Good Note! Just Another Fun Charlotte Area Community with good bones - 08/07/09 08:36 AM
Matthews NC Exposed ! ... and on a good note! Just another Charlotte Area Community with Good Bones.
There is plenty of history around the town of Matthews North Carolina. Its location is Southeast of Charlotte; the two blending at their seams. SE Charlotte is the new comer in this party-Matthews has been around since 1872.  It's first name was Stumptown (the land was riddled with forest stumps); then the name changed to Fullwood (John M. Fullwood was the first postmaster in 1825 and owner of the Stagecoach Inn); and finally the name, Matthews.  Named after Dr. Walter Matthews, a director of the railroad (built … (0 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Bobbing for some Foreclosed Homes in Charlotte is like Bobbing for Apples - 07/14/09 09:17 AM
Sometimes you have to take a big bite.
Great foreclosed homes at irresistible prices require buyers to be prepared to give their highest and best offers. Why? Because if it is an unbelievable deal, it will have multiple offers submitted. If you really want the house and are prepared to pay for it… go for it.
Are you overpaying for the home? Ask your agent; for the most part, no. You are just paying a higher price than the listed price. It probably still will be a great bargain.
Is this a bait and switch? No. Banks realize at times that … (26 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Green Your Home To Make You Smile and Get a little More Green in the long run - 07/11/09 10:22 AM
The hot days of summer are once again upon us.
Humidity rises, swimming pool waters warm, and the air conditioners whirrr.
Whether inside or poolside, start digging through some landscaping magazines. Improve your yard, improve your home's value. A good reason for the word GreenIf you have lived in Charlotte NC,  you have witnessed the breathtaking displays of color brought about by Azaela's, Dogwoods, Crepe Myrtles, Tulips, Daffodils, Maples and Poplar Trees...from the ground to the sky, our area offers a burst of magnificent colors every season.You can create this as well. It's not expensive, and it's not hard. You may actually find it … (2 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: When to Remove The Chive Stuck in Your Teeth - 06/28/09 01:51 PM
In this myopic business, sometimes even the best delivery is overshadowed by the obvious. To point: why show up when you personally don’t show well.
This is a stopping point in this post for those who refuse to dress for success. If you are a top producer with a bed head and chives in your teeth, I guess I’m in need of your infomercial because I don’t get it. Probably never will.
If first impressions are a major factor in how clients select agents, why show up looking like bevis or buthead?
I am amazed at agents that have a bohemian … (18 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Why Bungee Jumping won't help you sell your Home - 06/24/09 02:01 AM
You’ve decided to make the plunge and sell your house. But listing it with a Realtor® gives you pause, because of the commission thing.
You decide to go commando and sell it yourself.
Yep, I’ve got a sign from Home Depot. Yep, it’s on Craig’s list. And yep, I’ve bought and sold a home before. (Actually 4 years ago  with a Realtor®).
I’m ready.
I even have a back-up plan to sell it on one of those do it yourself with the FSBO happy limited service, flat fee, one time shot, get the bare minimum, with 1 picture in the … (9 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Watching The Nice House Sail Away - 06/23/09 03:39 AM
Sometimes buyers become disengaged in the home buying process and decide to wait.
A flurry of initial activity filled with “I’m ready to buy”, turns into a pile of doubt that is almost inconsolable from the agent. Often this malaise leads to the one house they really liked, but hesitated on, going under contract to another buyer. Live and learn.
Fear of loss is a motivating factor when hesitant buyers become reengaged. This stop and start process can also cause agents to experience a form of “whiplash” as well.
Many times I have seen clients start as if they were … (12 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Are You Smarter Than A Fish ? - 06/03/09 04:21 AM
I’m sure you are. Yet you fall for the same bait every time. What’s up with that?

Foreclosure mania is filling buyer’s mouths like a mantra from a yoga class. Some foreclosures are nice values. But many have more problems than a used Yugo.
Further examination of non-distressed properties may prove to be the best overall value.
 
Figure it this way: You can find a property that on the onset looks great because of the price. It fits the mantra because it’s a foreclosure. But the house needs $20-30K in repairs and updates. Are you ready to undertake this … (7 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Fortunately I Have All My Feathers Numbered for just Such Emergencies...Charlotte NC Real Estate Follies - 05/18/09 04:31 AM
Selling or buying a house requires, at times, a pretty thick skin, and most importantly An Experienced Agent.
Why?... Because Sometimes the unexpected happens. And when the unexpected happens, who do you turn to? ....Why you, if you are going it alone.
Wait a minute! Unexpected?  Just what unexpected things can happen? Buying or selling a home without an agent is so simple. Anyone can do it...(or can they?)
So after careful consideration, here is my first installment of:
Just Ask Claude
1.  "Dear Claude, having listed our house ourselves without an agent, we required a Pre-Qualification letter from the buyers, … (10 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: The Facinating Thing About Nothing - 05/05/09 03:55 AM
First there is a lot of it. Nothing is everywhere and people use it all the time.
They even use it as part of their bartering system.
Most people like the idea of paying nothing. But it has it's costs.
Sometimes you have to pay nothing to qualify for something. Mortgage assistance comes to mind.
And then sometimes we have ideas that have nothing to do with the subject at hand. I have found many instances of this.
I have also come across people that have nothing to say. In many instances this is a very smart person.
But I feel … (18 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Chewing the Cud of Buyers Remorse - 04/22/09 08:54 AM
So we're under contract and everything is going just as planned.
Lender Larry is on top of things and closing looks to be a walk in the park.
Then out of nowhere, the buyers get the blues, and worry warts start to appear.
How did this happen? They were all excited just a week ago.
Rooting around for the source of the remorse, I find the planted seed.
In their exuberance to spread the word they found a Curmudgeon.
Some people like to poop on other people's parade.
Seems that an expert relative gave darth warnings about buying a home and … (52 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: Free advise ....coming to an Ear near you - 04/20/09 08:51 AM
If you want advise on buying a home, you won't have to go far. There is a ton of free advise. Its everywhere. Unfortunately some of it may not prove to be very valuable.
There are people who have read about buying a home, and other theorists, that are quick to pipe in.
Then, there are the well intentioned friends who bought a home a couple of years ago, eager to tell you what to do.
Of course we know family members always know best, although they may live in another state.
There is a reason why we hear this phrase … (12 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: My house took a pill ... and now it's not worth the inflated tax bill. - 04/20/09 02:38 AM
The Appraised Value of the home is less than the Tax value....rats
This can be a really is a hard pill to swallow.
This unfortunately common experience is replicating everywhere with the advent of declining market values combined with REO and short sales.
May I suggest another pill...A trip to the tax assessors office, armed with your "New" data.
The "science" of taxing your house is based on a formula derived (at least here in Charlotte) on the value of your house. Taxes on homes (just as value) have gone up over the years. So when a market correction happens, and … (7 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: So the Easter Bunny is an egg thief - 04/06/09 08:26 AM
I really have never fully understood the Easter Bunny thing... even as a kid.
We all understood Santa (or pretended) 'cause that's when you got the cool stuff.
But the Easter Bunny? This is wacked !
I think our ancestors did some serious drugs to come up with this one.
Here we have a Rabbit that somehow gets his hands on some psychedelic eggs (stolen) and instead of just giving them away...he hides them. I really don't get the moral to this story. Can someone explain a religious tie in here?
Anyway you have to hand it to the marketing … (19 comments)

charlotte foreclosures: There is some Monopoly Money out there for the taking. - 04/03/09 08:14 AM
Look I don't really know where this money is coming from, For sure taxpayers. But who cares ?

Even if its monopoly money, it spends like greenbacks and it's available in a credit for first time home buyers.
So anyone , Anywhere, and hopefully here in Charlotte, who is thinking of buying a home for the first time, Get it now so you can get your FREE money. It's $8,000. It's available in the form of a credit toward your tax liability.
The stipulations are pretty straight foward. If you are single and make less than $75K you get $8K. … (6 comments)

 
Claude Cross, Charlotte NC Homes For Sale (Homes By Cross, Inc. )

Claude Cross

Charlotte NC Homes For Sale

Charlotte, NC

More about me…

Homes By Cross, Inc.

Address: 3430 Toringdon Way , Suite 200, Charlotte , NC, 28277

Office: (704) 975-1733

Fax: (704) 246-7878



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog