Raleigh, NC: Celebrating Valentine's Day. Where to Go, What to Do... - 01/29/08 11:49 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
Do you love holidays as much as I do? One of my favorites is Valentine's Day.
Could it be that it seems okay to deviate from my "diet" and eat as much chocolate as I like? Hmmm... My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
So...what is there to do in Raleigh (and the Triangle) for Valentine's Day? Dine out, of course!
Within this post, there's a little something for everyone...
Those who want to dine out OR Who wish to prepare a meal at home;
For singles, as well as those who celebrate "Anti - Valentine's … (5 comments)

Solomon's Restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina - 01/23/08 06:11 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I just love seeing small businesses succeed,and from time-to-time on my blog, I've decided that I will profile businesses that I think are cool.
Last night, I discovered a wonderful eatery called Solomon's Mediterranean Restaurant in Raleigh's Brierdale Shopping Center, near the popular Brier Creek shopping center. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the Mercer Portabello Wrap, and substituted chicken for the fried eggplant - and sauteed veggies for the fries. (I was patting myself on the back for making some "healthy choices", especially when all I could think about were their French Fries!)
The food … (5 comments)

Fallen Real Estate Comrades - Let's Have Some Compassion for Them - 01/21/08 10:06 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
 I think a lot. And today I started thinking about all the folks getting out of the real estate business.
We keep seeing these blog posts about failing real estate businesses and how slow the market is. I don't know about you, but it makes me really sad when I think about it.
I feel so sorry for those individuals who have worked hard and are now facing the fact that they may have to shut their doors. These folks had hopes and dreams for their businesses.
I know they didn't go in thinking they were … (7 comments)

Buying a New Home? Consider Its Future Resell Value NOW! - 01/20/08 11:16 AM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com  
I was out for my morning walk earlier this week, and for the first time really "looked" at a set of new town homes near my residence. They're nice homes, but they back up to a busy street!
I thought to myself:
What were these people thinking when they purchased these town homes?? "Were they so anxious to just to live the American Dream that they weren't thinking about the location of the home?" "Did the Builder give them incentives to purchase these homes that they didn't carefully consider the location - and the … (8 comments)

Mega Foreclosures in Wake County, North Carolina? Think Again! - 01/19/08 09:05 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I don't know about you, but it is sooooo depressing to turn on the television or read about the record number of foreclosures in the United States.
I'm happy to say that the Sky is NOT falling in Wake County, North Carolina (where the 12 municipalities of Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon) are located!
In North Carolina, foreclosure rates are almost certain to climb. However, we are quite fortunate in Wake County. In 2007, fewer than 1,400 homes actually made it to the Courthouse steps as foreclosures, according … (9 comments)

First Time Buyers: Not Using A REALTOR®? You May Wish to Reconsider... - 01/14/08 08:55 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com  
I see it all too often when I walk into the model at a new construction site ... Trusting Potential First-time Home Buyers who are not represented by a Buyer's Agent.
Inside my head, I'm screaming, "Run away from the on-site agent. S/he is working for the Builder and NOT you. The on-site agent may/may not be a licensed real estate agent!"
Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against on-site agents - and as a real estate agent, they treat me quite well. However, I, too, was once a First-time Buyer, and back then, … (15 comments)

My Bucket List: Things I'd Like to Do Before I Kick the Bucket - 01/12/08 08:28 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com  
Earlier in the week, I watched  The Early Show where actor Morgan Freeman talked about the movie "The Bucket List" - which well, is about things the main characters (played by Jack Nicholson and Freeman), would like to do before they kick the bucket.
It's strange, but sometimes, movies - and songs - for that matter, can take one down a path towards thinking about life.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but from watching the preview of it, I started thinking about things to do before I kick the bucket.
In November, I wrote a post … (7 comments)

A Big THANK YOU to the Person Who Introduced Me to ActiveRain! - 01/05/08 06:29 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
Early last year, I had lunch with Kristin Little, a loan officer, who introduced me to the ActiveRain Network. That day, I had no idea how much of a blessing being here would be to my business!
Words are not enough to describe what blogging has done for me.
It:
Enables me to do something I love to do: Write!I am a journalist by training, but since I began my real estate career, I had gotten away from the thing that I love to do most outside of real estate. Write for fun! And believe … (17 comments)

A Little Inspiration to Keep You Going... - 01/03/08 02:30 PM
Posted by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
For quite some time, I have been inspired by quotes and have been known to put them in the signature portion of my emails. It's amazing how many comments I received from email recipients.
Here are some quotes that have moved me:
 "Mediocrity is a place and it is bordered on the north by compromise, on the south by indecision, on the east by past thinking, and on the west by lack of vision." ~ John Mason. The message: Let's not be mediocre. Excellence is the only option. Recently, I saw comedian Steve Harvey on … (8 comments)

Just Got Your License - And You're Ready to Go, Right? Hold Your Horses! - 01/01/08 01:27 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
You've taken the classes and passed the real estate exam. And now you'd like to jump feet first into a real estate career. Hold your horses, my friend! There are some things you may may wish to consider first.
From the outside, real estate seems like a glamorous industry filled with monstrous commission checks and living large. Here are 5 things I wish someone would've told me:
1) Have at least 6 to 12 months of living expenses saved. You may need it! Since real estate is a 100% commission business, there will be up … (34 comments)

 

Darleen McCullen, Broker-Raleigh, NC Real Estate

Raleigh, NC

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Your "REALTOR® on a Mission...NOT Just Seeking a Commission™!"

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