Lake Norman's; Speechless Sunday - 08/30/09 10:06 AM

It is moments like this that I wish I were Teresa Broadman.  During a recent visit to the Daniel Stowe Botancial Gardens I saw this magnificent butterfly.  I just have a point and shoot camera but at least it cooperated with me and stayed fairly still while I shot this photo as it enjoyed a blooming Lantana bush.  There is nothing more spectacular than Mother Nature!
 
… (9 comments)

Lake Norman Real Estate: The Utimate Car Week! - 08/29/09 11:46 AM

 
Anyone who has lived in Mooresville (Race City USA) knows that cars are a big part of life for many folks here.  From NASCAR to the local drag strip to our monthly Cruise-ins and weekly gatherings of car collectors of all kinds, if you are a car fan, this is THE place to be...well with the exception of  Monterey California during "Car Week"!
One of my client's, Brett Hemphill, thought it might be fun to share a bit about this incredible week for those that may not have been lucky enough to attend it.  All I can say is WOW … (12 comments)

Wordless Wednesday: Lake Norman NC - 08/26/09 09:20 AM
 
I couldn't resist sharing this photo of one of my favoirte homes on Lake Norman which I took this summer after viewing some waterfront homes for one of my buyers.  It's not often that you find a log cabin ESTATE complete with its own vineyard.  This property is located along the Western shoreline of Lake Norman in Sherrills Ford just off of Molly's Backbone on Azalea Road.  No, I did not make up the street names! 
… (10 comments)

60 Things about life in Lake Norman that you won't find in the tour guides! Part 4 - 08/26/09 08:16 AM

 
There is so much about life in my wonderful Lake Norman community that one can only learn after living here.  If you have been following this series you will now know that you need to carry a compass with you because there are so many trees it is very hard to get a true sense of direction, that roads will change names when you least expect it and how to pronounce some names that aren't quite what you expect.  Here is the last of my series:
 
Out Buildings: When I first started looking for homes here I keep reading … (5 comments)

Speachless Sunday: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens - 08/23/09 10:06 AM
 

 
Last weekend my husband and I went to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens which is just south of Charlotte.  This was just about the last of the summer color so Crepe Myrtles were the highlight of the outdoor gardens.  However, when I entered the orchid gardens I was overwhelmed with the way the plants were naturally growing literally in the air!  What a treat!
 
… (12 comments)

60 Things about life in Lake Norman that you won't find in the tour guides! Part 3 - 08/23/09 09:27 AM

 
If you missed Part 1 and 2 of this series, then you don't know how to pronounce Appalachian properly, or that you shouldn't be surprised to have complete strangers wave at you as you drive by most any Lake Norman neighborhood or why you need to merge quickly onto our Interstates.  Here is Part 3:
 
Boatslips are scarce on Lake Norman, so try to get one with your house!  This is one thing I wish my Realtor has told us when we purchase our home here on Lake Norman.  Duke Energy oversees the lake and they are making boatslip and dock … (4 comments)

Are you ready to start your own real estate firm? Here's how Part 7! - 08/20/09 10:53 AM
GET THE WORD OUT!

 
Wow!  It's now official.  You are the owner of your own real estate firm!
 
You have analyzed why you wanted a business and outlined your business model Part I .
You have created a Mission Statement, Vision, Values, Goals and Objectives  Part 2 . 
You made a list of all of the nuts and bolts of starting a new firm and executed it Part 3. 
You have developed an awesome brand, logo and marketing materials Part 4 . 
You created or re-designed your blog, websites and hired an IDX firm Part 5.
Your firm license was issued, you have moved your listings … (40 comments)

Southern Kitchen & Bath Show in Charlotte August 28 - 30, 2009 - 08/19/09 11:09 AM


 
Mark your calendars for Friday, August 28 - Sunday August 30, 2009.  The Southern Kitchen & Bath  will be in Charlotte at "The Park" (formerly the Charlotte Merchandise Mart).
Kitchens and bathrooms, especially Master Bathrooms, are certainly where the excitement is in new home construction and in remodeling here in the Lake Norman area especially outdoor kitchens.  If you haven't seen the latest in design trends and features this is a great opportunity to wander exhibits and vignettes getting inspiration or ideas for your own remodel or home building plans.
The Southern Kitchen and Bath Show's theme:  "Hundreds of experts...Thousands … (6 comments)

60 things about Life in Lake Norman that you won't find in a tour guide! Part 2 - 08/18/09 04:38 PM

 
A while back I wrote part one of this series about life in Lake Norman 60 Things about Life in Lake Norman Part 1.  Most of the 60 things on this list are not information you will find in any tour guide or Chamber of Commerce website but I thought it would be fun to share some of the interesting and quirky things  I have discovered/observed since moving here in 2005:
 
Road names changes:  This is a biggy...Don't be surprised if the road you are on changes names or if you come to an intersection and find that the right side … (7 comments)

Are you ready to start your own real estate firm? Here's how Part 6! - 08/16/09 11:09 AM
 
Again, for the sake of those who have not followed this series,let's recap: Part I addressed the questions about why you want to open your own firm and what sort of business model you envision.   Part 2 goes into great detail about how to develop a Mission Statement, Values, Vision, Goals and Objectives.  Part 3 shares the nuts and bolts of how to start a new company and Part 4 discusses branding and marketing and Part 5  is all about your blog, website and IDX. 
By now, if you are this far along in the process of starting your firm, you probably have an extensive To Do … (33 comments)

Lake Norman Real Estate's Friday Hot Sheet August 14, 2009 - 08/15/09 02:54 PM
 
Lake Norman Hot Sheet: August 14, 2009 

 
I always look forward to doing the research for my Friday Hot Sheets because it gives me a chance to see the most recent snapshot of what is REALLY going on with our Lake Norman Real Estate Market.  It can be confusing and frustrating to follow the national real estate news because their reports are a month or more behind and our local market is usually quite different from the national trends.
The above chart is a summary of today's "Hot Sheet" from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes … (6 comments)

Are you ready to start your own real estate firm? Here's how Part 5! - 08/13/09 02:14 PM
 
 
 
So let's recap: Part I addressed the questions about why you want to open your own firm and what sort of business model you envision.   Part 2 goes into great detail about how to develop a Mission Statement, Values, Vision, Goals and Objectives.  Part 3 shares the nuts and bolts of how to start a new company and Part 4 discusses branding and marketing.
Part 5 is all about your blog, website and IDX.  Up until now, if you were like me, you had at the very least your own blogsite that had search capabilities etc. just like a traditional real estate website.  But, if … (31 comments)

Wordless Wednesday: North Carolina Pottery Kiln Sales - 08/12/09 03:51 PM

Any of you who happen to follow my blog will know I am a big collector of Catawba Valley Pottery.  The potters in Catawba follow the traditional methods handed down for hundreds of years, including firing their pots in handmade groundhog kilns using wood to make the fire.  This is a photo of Michael Ball's most recent "burn" that got so hot severall pots in front actually melted.  Below are two of the pots I purchase at his sale last Saturday.

Yes, these are all eyes!

One of his signature pieces...he only made two because they take so … (7 comments)

Lake Norman Real Esate's Business of the Week: "On the Corner of Art and Main" - 08/12/09 02:05 PM

 

 
Mark you calendars for this Friday, August 14th, 2009 from 6-9 pm  for the popular and growing "On the Corner of Art and Main"monthly gallery crawl in Historic Downtown Mooresville!  
"The Corner of Art and Main" is an artwalk featuring live music, art and festivities. Enjoy wine and cheese as you browse the many shops on Main and Broad Streets that will be featuring the works of local artists.
This Friday's artwalk coincides with the Depot Fine Gallery's August Exhibit free opening reception from 6-8 pm.  (105 West Center Avenue in the historic train depot).  This month's exhibit features three … (0 comments)

Are you ready to start your own real estate firm? Here's how Part 4! - 08/07/09 12:58 PM
  

Finally, I get to write about the really fun and creative part of starting your own real estate firm:  Branding, logos and marketing materials!
If you have been following this series, Part I and Part 2  and  Part 3, you now are well on your way.  If not, you might want to go back and read them before reading this post.
Branding
We hear a lot about "branding".  As a matter of fact, there are some great posts here on ActiveRain about branding, one by Miamism.com's talented creator Ines Garcia stands out as a must read!  But, if you want a simple … (56 comments)

Starting you own real estate firm: Part 3 - 08/04/09 10:01 AM

 
In this installment, I am going to talk about two important components necessary for a successful and smooth transition from agent to broker/owner.  Please see Part I and  Part 2 if you want to catch up.
Planning your exit strategy
Because of the number of real estate agents who have switched real estate firms recently, I was able to have some valuable insight into how best to transition from RE/MAX to my own firm which I will share with you: 
READ YOUR CONTRACT! It is important to know what your obligations are BEFORE making your move.  In my case, I knew … (10 comments)

Lake Norman NC July 2009 Home Sales Analysis - 08/03/09 07:59 AM

Last week seemed to be one in which every source/pundit of economic news decided to put a positive spin on new data; from our GDP to national June housing sales.   For the most part the news was good simply because we didn't do as badly as predicted.  Or, in the case of North Carolina existing home sales, they posted their "smallest decline since August 2007 in June with a 17% decrease in total units sold compared to the previous year" according to the North Carolina Association of Realtors. 
What concerns me is that this type of news will encourage more optimism in … (6 comments)