charlotte home buyer tips: 10 Things To Do After Relocating To A New City
- 06/09/18 08:36 PM
Even when you move within the Charlotte Metro region, this list will come in handy! Having lived in nearly every area in the city over the years, I can tell you that you'll want to adapt to your part of the city first; the rest will follow...in time.
Discovering alternative routes to schools and to work are a great way to spend a weekend afternoon too. Yes, we have GPS & WAYZ that we can use but, actually 'learning' those routes will serve you well in the weeks & months to come.
Welcome to Charlotte!
Free at last! The backbreaking work of moving … (8 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: 4 Steps to Presenting an Offer in the 2018 Charlotte Market
- 06/08/18 08:30 PM
4 Steps to Presenting an Offer in the 2018 Charlotte Market
For weeks or maybe even months, you’ve been searching for the perfect place to call home and you have finally found it! The price is right and in such a competitive market, you want to make sure that you make the perfect Offer. After all, your goal is to guarantee that your dream of making this house yours, comes true!
Below are 4 steps to presenting an Offer (from Freddie Mac) but, also spot-on in today’s Charlotte market:
1. What's Your Price?
“You’ve found the perfect home and you’re ready to buy. Now what? Your real estate agent will … (13 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Just Because Someone Else is Doing It Doesn't Mean It Is Right
- 05/20/18 09:53 PM
A great reminder from Chris Ann Cleland about reviewing Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) for every home buyer.
Looking at the neighbors' yards/decks/fences/patios may seem like the easiest way to determine if something is allowed but, it's not always pertinent to the here & now. Over time, Addendums are added and exceptions can be made by one Board that won't be made by another. I've run into that several times here in Charlotte communities.
It's never 'fun' reading through the CC&Rs but, is certainly required reading when buying a home!
Just Because Someone Else is Doing It Doesn't Mean It Is Right
There is an assumption … (4 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Hiring the Right Realtor®: 10 Tips for Happy Home-buying
- 05/19/18 11:22 PM
Hiring the Right Realtor®: 10 Tips for Happy Home-buying
Before the onset of Internet real estate marketing, I crafted a marketing postcard titled, “Hiring the Right Realtor® makes a world of difference.” I used that card for years and it has been copied by local agents more times than I can count! I have actually received my own postcard (verbatim with another agent's name) at my own home on numerous occasions! My husband always gets a kick out of them and enjoys my reaction when he hands me one that he discovered in the mail or in an online agent’s ad.
Why has this been copied so often? … (43 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Bubble or Correction? We Say Correction and Here's Why
- 05/14/18 09:05 PM
Bubble or Correction? We Say Correction and Here's Why
Regardless of the market, you are going to find naysayers...and sometimes those naysayers can be "loud" and really give you pause. Lately I've heard a lot of speculation about our market 'bubble' and have done significant reading on this topic. Oddly enough, KCM posted some wonderful supporting graphics that drives my point home.
THE CONCERN: Are we repeating the 2006 housing bubble, with the resulting 2008 burst and another recession?
No - Today's housing market is quite different than the bubble market we experienced twelve years ago (can you believe it's been 12 years?). These 4 points explain … (50 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Rent vs Buy - Waiting Until Next Year Will Cost You Even More
- 05/14/18 08:04 PM
Rent vs Buy - Waiting Until Next Year Will Cost You Even More
Charlotte home prices have increased by 7.1% year-over-year. Over that same time period, interest rates have remained historically low, which has allowed many buyers to enter the market. Interest rates are beginning to increase ever-so slightly though.
What Does This Mean as a Charlotte Home Seller?
As a seller, you will likely be most concerned about ‘short-term price’ – where are home values headed in the course of the next six months? Will your buyer pool be reduced with an increase in interest rates?
What Does This Mean as a Buyer in Charlotte?
Conversely, as … (25 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Myth-Busting Mortgage Credit Scoring
- 05/13/18 09:44 PM
Due to the shift in the Charlotte real estate market, home buyers are forced to be 100% prepared when presenting an Offer on their dream home. Charlotte home buyers are forced to be aware of the importance of Credit Scores.
Information and tools are easily available to home buyers via sources all around them - the internet, mortgage lenders, financial advisors, etc. The first step is understanding mortgage credit scores.
Mortgage credit score knowledge can prove to be highly beneficial to a borrower who is seeking a mortgage loan in order to purchase their new home in Charlotte.
The post below is authored by Mortgage Originator Gene Mundt, … (10 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: How Much House Can I Afford? What Every Homebuyer Needs to Know
- 05/12/18 08:52 PM
Thanks to Peter Mark for this valuable information that covers buyers financing/affordability questions, regardless of your location. Charlotte home buyers, this is a great read! In fact, it is a must read for anyone about to embark on the home buying process.
It's far better to be informed upfront, instead of surprised down the road.
If you're thinking of buying a home in the Charlotte Metro region, I'm happy to share my knowledge AND my lender list with you so that there are no surprises for you. Give me a call or text (704) 491-3310 or email DebeM@remax.net.
#CharlotteHomeBuyerTips #TipsForBuyingAHomeInCharlotteNC #CharlotteRealEstateAgents
The question, how much … (5 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Charlotte NC Buyer Steps to Homeownership, Part I
- 08/21/17 08:06 PM
Charlotte NC Buyer Steps to Homeownership, Part I
CHARLOTTE NC HOME BUYERS - What should you expect when buying a home in Charlotte NC? You should expect unsurpassed customer service and knowledge of the area. You should expect to have this be the easiest home-buying processes you've ever experienced! You will no longer be 'allowed' to worry; we will take care of the details for YOU! When you work with The Maxwell House Group, the home buying process will be broken down to four simple stages:
1. Pre-Purchase Consult
2. Shopping for Your Home
3. Purchasing Your Home
4. Settling-in
This is the first of the four-part series.
STAGE 1: THE PRE-PURCHASE CONSULT
Before we head out shopping for … (26 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Tight Housing Market? 3 Tips to Ensure You Get the Home You Want
- 07/03/17 11:22 PM
Dealing With a Tight Housing Market? 3 Tips to Ensure You Get the Home You Want
As Charlotte home prices continue to rise, potential buyers are working hard to find a home the fits their own needs. However, finding the right home in a tight market can be even more of a challenge when it comes to striking the right balance. If you're immersed in the market in the hopes of finding the perfect home, here are some things you should do to ensure you don't miss out on a great opportunity.
The Search is ON! Keep an Open Mind
When you’re in the … (25 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: FAQ: What do You Think the Sellers will Accept as a Fair Offer?
- 06/18/17 08:19 AM
FAQ: What do You Think the Sellers will Accept as a Fair Offer?
There's no template for choosing the right price when making an Offer. As a rule of thumb, 5% off the list price won't typically ruffle any feathers…unless you’re in an incredibly hot sellers’ market. Many buyers have read or been told by family or friends to Offer 90% - 95% - 97% of list price - that's a fatal mistake and will not get you the keys to your new castle!
There are several things to take into consideration when crafting an Offer and establishing a fair Offer price:
How long has the property … (32 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Sometimes Making an Offer Sight-Unseen is the Way to Go!
- 05/27/17 08:43 PM
When You Know the Market - Sometimes Making an Offer Sight-Unseen is the Way to Go!
After showing 22 lots today (in 2 neighborhoods) and a luxury home buyer some fabulous homes in gated communities, I took a wonderful couple to see a home that they have under Contract but, have never seen! They live out of town and kept seeing homes that they loved online hit the market and by the time they could get to Charlotte to tour the homes, they were under Contract.
An incredibly impressive historic home hit the market early this week and my clients immediately phoned me to say … (12 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: WARNING! Charlotte Home Buyers - Do NOT Use Online Valuation Sites
- 03/23/17 08:19 AM
WARNING! Charlotte Home Buyers - PLEASE, Do NOT Use Online Valuation Sites
If you're an active real estate agent in this market, you understand the frustration with online valuation sites when it comes to working with buyers...and sellers, for that matter! Reading Elizabeth Weintraub's post yesterday about pricing, prompted this post - as well as a real-life experience for a Charlotte home buyer this week.
A very nice property came on the market recently and I immediately notified my buyers that we needed to see the property - IMMEDIATELY! It was the perfect home for them - pristine, in their target neighborhood and had every single thing … (70 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: BUYING A HOME? CONSIDER COST, NOT JUST PRICE
- 02/16/17 07:26 AM
BUYING A HOME? CONSIDER COST, NOT JUST PRICE
As a seller, you are likely most concerned about ‘short term price’ – where home values are headed over the next six months. As a buyer, however, you must not be concerned about price so much as the ‘long term cost’ of the home.
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Freddie Mac project that mortgage interest rates will increase by this time next year. In fact, we’ve already seen a slight increase and another expected early next quarter as well.
To add to a home buyer’s awareness, according to CoreLogic’s … (13 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Charlotte House Hunting: Five Small Signs That Can Indicate Larger Problems
- 12/11/16 10:47 AM
Charlotte House Hunting: Five Small Signs That Can Indicate Larger Problems
It’s not at all uncommon for homebuyers to recount horror stories about properties that appeared to be fine at first glance, but were actually hiding very expensive problems to which no one was remotely aware. If you fail to do your Due Diligence, you may find your dream house turning into a nightmare. The next time you walk through a house, pay attention for these five signs that the property might be hiding a foul secret or two.
Mold, Water Spots and Water Damage
Both older and newer homes alike may develop a … (10 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Choosing Your New Home? It's All About Lifestyle
- 10/02/16 01:22 AM
Choosing Your New Home? It's All About Lifestyle
Your first mission when choosing your new home - Find the Perfect Neighborhood that Fits Your Lifestyle. Yes, it really is ALL about Lifestyle!
Buyers, anxious to make a quick home selection, often fail to take into consideration whether their new Charlotte home will work for their particular lifestyle. I can’t tell you how many buyers we get who canvas the Metro area, in search of the perfect home. I can relate as I’ve done the very same thing - I’ve lived in Charlotte for a very long time (over 3 decades!) and have moved to an area … (26 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Writing the Offer: 4 Ways to Catch the Charlotte Seller’s Attention
- 08/30/16 10:44 AM
Writing the Offer: 4 Ways Catch Charlotte Seller’s Attention It takes time and effort to find the perfect Charlotte home to by. However, in a hot real estate market, you don’t often have a lot of time to ‘react’ to your find. After you have found that home, you now need to convince the seller that your Offer is the one they want to choose. There may be multiple Offers already on the table, so you are in a situation where you are in a serious competition for the home.
However, even if your Offer is the only one the sellers have in their … (10 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: New Construction or Old House? Tips for Charlotte Home Buyers
- 03/12/15 03:03 PM
New Construction or Old House? Tips for Charlotte Home Buyers
Which One is Right for YOU?Are you trying to choose between Charlotte new construction and a resale home? While there are many differences between the two, the majority of the time, a Charlotte home buyer’s decision is made based upon one or more of the following factors:
WYSIWYG
RESALE: Yes, what you see is what you get with a resale! When purchasing a resale home (for the most part), what you see when you tour the home is what you get when you move into the home. Anything affixed to the property such as … (7 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: Let's Get This Thing CLOSED! 5 Tips to a Timely Closing
- 03/05/15 11:42 AM
Let's Get This Thing CLOSED! Five Tips to a Timely Closing
When a Charlotte home Seller accepts an Offer from a Buyer, the process of obtaining the property has only just begun. The Buyer now has to perform detailed due diligence including all inspections, survey, appraisal, approval (Title search, pay-offs from seller) from an attorney and obtain a mortgage – all of which can be time consuming. Here are a few ways that you can speed up the mortgage process and close the deal ON TIME.
Get Conditional Approval Before Touring Homes
If you have not been conditionally approved for a loan before making an … (11 comments)
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charlotte home buyer tips: The Debate Over Escalation Clauses - The Fiduciary Duty Lies with US
- 03/03/15 01:07 PM
The Debate Over Escalation Clauses - The REAL Fiduciary Duty Lies with US
We’ve exhausted the discussions of pocket listings and drone photography so, I suppose it’s time we move on to the next hot topic! Recently we have had many heated debates over Escalation Clauses. Escalation Clauses are widely used in many states - especially those in hot real estate markets.
I don’t recall the first time I utilized an Escalation Clause but, I can tell you, for my Buyers and Sellers, they’re the next best thing to sliced bread! And with the Charlotte real estate market heating up, bidding wars becoming … (35 comments)
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Even when you move within the Charlotte Metro region, this list will come in handy! Having lived in nearly every area in the city over the years, I can tell you that you'll want to adapt to your part of the city first; the rest will follow...in time. 
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