Wilmington NC real estate

Wilmington NC real estate | Patio Home with Awesome Neighborhood Amenities

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:41:34 -0800

Fabulous home just reduced in great Wilmington NC neighborhood.

Key Colony at Covil Estates | Premier neighborhood with picture perfect amenities.

Low maintenance living in this spacious patio home located on a cul-de-sac nestled in Key Colony at Covil Estates. This lovely home is very open and airy with a Florida Room and screened porch overlooking an oversized privacy fenced wooded yard. This floor plan is truly designed for family and entertaining. Read more here

Wilmington NC real estate Kay Baker & Associates New & Innovative Marketing Techniques

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:46:32 -0700

The Wilmington NC real estate market has been busy and there is alot of homes on the market. Innovative and interesting marketing techniques are the way to give your listings more exposure. You are definately marketing to buyers which makes your sellers happy, but to further extend the exposure we actively market to realtors. We extend 100% marketing coverage to our sellers and we back it up with agressive action. The past 4 weeks we have had a Sell a Home | Win a Cruise promotion. Each week we send out 8 of our homes to realtors with an invitation to Win a Cruise if they sell one of these homes in the next 7 days. A Certificate will be given at closing for a cruise for 2 to the Caribbean or Mexico. In this market you have to constatntly be searching for new marketing techniques. Kay Baker & Associates stives on being ahead of the marketing curve for Wilmington NC real estate and our sellers take notice of that. For more information on real estate please read more here

Right Time to Buy a Second Home

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:31:02 -0700

It may be the most beneficial buying time right now for a second home.

Read the rest of the story...

Housing Stimulus May Increase to $15,000

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:42:14 -0700

Congress was approached this week by Business Roundtable's Housing Working Group, which is chaired by Realogy CEO Richard A. Smith, to increase the housing market stimulus. Read the rest of the story...

Home Mortgage Credit Tips

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:49:54 -0700

Home mortgage do's and don'ts to get the best terms for a home mortgage are right here...

The Regency at Landfall NC

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:55:58 -0700

The Regency at Landfall near Wrightsville Beach NC offers luxurious, coastal living. Read the rest of the story...

Mortgage Tips for the Homebuyer

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:53:46 -0700

Before you begin your home search, there are a few words of wisdom from a long time professional Realtor that will put you in the best negotiating position. Read the rest of the story...

Homebuyers anxiously wait for the bottom of the market

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:37:31 -0700

How will you really know where the bottom of the market is? You probably will not. Read the rest of the story...

Housing Market Revives in Wilmington NC

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:05:47 -0700

The Wilmington NC real estate market is heating up. More contracts written and more online activity are seen daily. Read the rest of the story...

Your $8000 tax credit

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:51:00 -0700

The time is now to get your $8000 stimulus. Find out if you qualify...

Forbes lists Wilmington NC in Top Cities

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:26:26 -0700

Forbest recently listed Wilmington NC in the top 20 cities for business and careers. Read the rest of the story.

Home Sellers Paying Higher Rates for Quicker Sale

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:29:27 -0700

Many motivated home sellers are now willing to increase the commission rate for a faster sale! Read the rest of the story...

Real Estate Market Sales in Wilmington NC

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:03:34 -0700

The first quarter of 2009 has proven to be a fairly active one in the $150,000-$300,000 price range for Wilmington NC real estate sales. Read the rest of the story....

Second Home Opportunities on Figure Eight Island NC

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:34:22 -0700

Figure Eight Island may just be positioned for Spring real estate second home or vacation home buying opportunities. Figure 8 Island is located just North of Wilmington, NC and Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Read the rest of the story...

Virtual Tours Sent by Text Message in Wilmington NC

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:32:50 -0700

You all know how I love my technology. Well I have a new toy now that I adore. Home buyers in Wilmington NC can now text and receive mobile virtual tours of my listings. Read the rest of the story...

Time to Buy Those Vacation Homes

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:37:59 -0700

What better time to purchase a vacation or second home than now! And what better location to buy than Figure Eight Island NC real estate. Rest of the story....

New Technology for Buyers and Sellers

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:51:38 -0800

Good News for Home Buyers and Sellers

Coldwell Banker International announced this week that home buyers and sellers can now access real estate listings on Coldwellbanker.com in 28 countries via iPhone and Blackberry phones.
"Now consumers in the home buying and selling process can easily search both domestically and internationally using their mobile devices," said Michael Fischer, senior vice president of marketing for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. "Coldwell Banker will continue to find ways to blaze a trail with technology that provides consumers with listings anytime, anywhere."

The Coldwellbanker.com site now as a totally different look and feel, along with navigation specifically tailored for optimal viewing from the mobile device. The site automatically recognizes that it is being accessed by a mobile device. Users do not need to download any special software to benefit from this enhancement. Rest of the Story...

Wilmington NC in Top Six Cities Nationwide

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:40:14 -0800

Top 6 Cities Named for Housing Values Increase

When you hear all the gloom and doom on the news media, we get some very positive news for Wilmington, NC real estate. A government report released by the Federal Housing Finance Agency states that Wilmington NC ranks in the top six cities nationwide where house values have increased the most over the last five years. Wilmington has experienced a substantial 62.1 percent increase. Others named were Honolulu at 78.7%; Virginia Beach at 72.6%; Flagstaff at 66.5%; Bellingham, WA at 65.6% and Baltimore at 60.6%. Rest of the Story...

Wilmington NC Real Eestate Market Report

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:58:23 -0800

The Economy and Bailouts

The last couple of months have had our world spinning and we have learned that while one industry hurts it affects other industries. Everyone wants a bailout these days, while it may take a while for all these different plans to work, it seems to be moving the markets in the right direction. With the Fed announcing just before Thanksgiving that it would purchase up to $500 billion in mortgage-backed securities, we saw mortgage rates drop from 6.06% to 5.5%.

Wilmington NC Market Conditions

We continue to be down in the number of homes sold in Wilmington, NC but our rolling 12 month average sales price which is now just behind 2007 by $19,402, this represents a minus 7.1%. In units we are showing a 39.8% decline. Most agents will agree that it is a buyer's market when the listing inventory exceeds 6 months; we are there at 20+ month supply of homes. We have a few plus factors - Our listing inventory is down as expected this time of year, and the average list price has remained stable. Our average list price is down just $48.00 from December 16th, 2007. Our average days on the market are 117 days which is typical for a buyer's market it went up by 1 days over last month. The list to sold ratio is 93.4% we want this number to be going up, and it went down from last month. Our sold units are down by 39.8% from last month. One area I continue to look at is the Pending Inventory, and based on the current numbers we will see decreases as we approach the winter. Our pending inventory numbers have gone from the high 900's the first week of July into the mid 840's the first part of August and into the mid 760's the first week of September and into the high 690's the first week of October and we are now approaching the low 600's here in mid November. Through November and into early December the pending inventory touched 597 and is now back into the low 600's. I would like to tell you that we are reaching bottom, some interesting facts; Average list price has ranged from $411,964 (current) to $420,000's for the last 7 months, and the rolling 12 month average sales price is only down 7.1%.More.

Wilmington NC Now on Google Street View

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:23:48 -0800

Google Street View

Well, Wilmington NC has made the news again! Google has added Wilmington NC to their list of "Special Cities" for their new "Street view". Realistic 360* views of streets at eye level. Last December the google truck was sited in our area, and one of the locals ran outside to take a picture of the truck with google logo and a camera perched on top, and sure enough he is in the google street view online. More...

Wilmington NC Popular Christmas Destination

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:12:16 -0800

With Christmas approaching, the visitors are arriving. Wilmington NC has so much to offer visitors from the best shopping at Mayfaire to the many Christmas events and attractions. For starters is the Worlds Largest Christmas tree, an oak that is believed to be more than 400 years old and covered with 5,250 bulbs, which was lit last week at Wilmington's Hilton Park at The 79th Annual Lighting! Of course Santa & Mrs. Claus made an appearance. The Dolphins are out in Wrightsville Beach, & Pleasure Island is gearing up for their Island of Lights. The Historic Downtown Candlelight Tours, Enchanted Airlie, The Battle Ship Lighting and a Christmas Parade highlight some of the holiday festivities that Wilmington is famous for. And, this weekend, let's don't forget the Annual Christmas Choir & Orchestra at First Baptist Church, Christmas in the Country at Poplar Grove Plantation and Holiday Light Tours. Slow down and take time to enjoy and reflect during this busy time. Help others by putting a smile on their face. Need help with real estate, or have a question we might be able to help you with, please don't hesitate to call us or visit www.cbbaker.com. Search by schools, map, zip codes, neighborhood and more.

Worlds's Largest Living Christmas Tree in Wilmington NC

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:05:35 -0800

The 79th annual lighting of the World's Largest Christmas Tree in Wilmington NC was held Thursday night at 6pm at Wilmington's Hilton Park. The massive oak tree covered with spanish moss is believed to be more than 400 years old and covered with 5,250 bulbs. It was first lit in 1928 with over 500 multicolored lights The tree lighting event was also celebrated by the arrival of Mr. & Mrs. Santa. For the first time, the ornaments were hand made by local school students. See picture....

Short Sale is a Better Way

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:13:08 -0800

What is a Short Sale

A short sale is when the bank is willing to accept less than the actual payoff on the loan. Why would a mortgage company do that? A foreclosure is a lose, lose situation for the mortgage company as they lose revenue, the mortgage insurance company loses premiums and pays a claim, the investor is not collecting principal or interest, there is potential damage to the property and lower property values have a negative effect on the real estate market. But, the homeowner has the most to lose with foreclosure on your credit record for up to 7 years which can be viewed negatively by lenders, employers, and insurance companies.

Short Sale is a Win Win

Therefore, a short sale can actually be a win, win for everyone. The mortgage company reduces their losses, the mortgage insurer minimizes claim payment, and additional damage to the property is avoided during a foreclosure. The real estate market does not experience as much negative stigma, therefore property values do not go lower. And, the homeowner can successfully sell their home and not have a foreclosure on record.

How is all this accomplished?

First of all, any homeowner who is experiencing difficulty in making the monthly payments should call a reputable Realtor experienced in negotiating short sales. There is an art to it, to say the least. The Realtor will discuss the current market value and the amount necessary to payoff your mortgage. The most important action should be to actively list the home on the market for sale. If the homeowner owes more than the current market value, the experienced Realtor will contact the lender's loss mitigation department and assist the homeowner will all the documentation necessary to facilitate a short sale. One of the most important documents being the hardship letter, which can make or break the deal. Other documents would include 2 years tax returns, 2 months pay stubs, 2 months bank statements, and the most current mortgage statement.

One very important factor that most lenders do not tell you, is that the homeowner is liable for any deficiency in the short sale. But, a Realtor experienced in negotiating short sales can often times negotiate with the lender for the deficiency judgment and 1099 to be waived, reduced or ask for an interest free promissory note.

Lastly, to all homeowners it is never too late or too early. The most important asset you have is your home. Please give us a call to get your home on the market for sale and avoid foreclosure. And, you may know of someone in that situation, tell them to contact us immediately at kay@cbbaker.com.

For investors, a short sale can be a wonderful buying opportunity. We can provide you with a list of short sales and or foreclosures in Wilmington, NC. Just email me a kay@cbbaker.com.

Kay Baker, a life long Top Realtor in Wilmington, NC brings local knowledge and experience to her valued clients. With her decades of experience in the Wilmington, NC real estate market, she can greatly benefit her buyer clients in choosing the perfect Wilmington NC neighborhood, in the negotiation process, obtain the best financing, obtain a home inspection and negotiate the repairs, and assist with the final closing preparations. Her sellers can also reap the rewards of a successful and aggressive Realtor that is always eager to sell their home at a record pace and for the most money possible. Kay has a long track record of selling homes quickly and exposes her listings on over 100 websites.

Kay has earned numerous awards for her outstanding production over the years including the prestigious Coldwell Banker President's Elite Club.

Kay Baker may be contacted at kay@cbbaker.com or www.cbbaker.com.

Will the Feds Bailout the Housing Industry?

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:36:08 -0800

Realtors are asking for a buydown on the rate to 4.5%

With a new President on January 20, 2009, just exactly what does this mean to the housing market. No one knows for sure exactly what this will mean, but, we are hearing pleas from Realtors nationwide. The National Association of Realtors and Realogy Corporation, a global provider for real estate and relocation, have both submitted a proposal to Congress for a federal buy down of the interest rates to 4.5%. "There are millions of credit-worthy people ready to jump back into the housing market, but they need to be motivated," said Realogy President and CEO Richard A. Smith. "In our view, the incentive of substantially lower mortgage rates would directly stimulate the housing market -- both in sales volume and price -- and thus accelerate the overall U.S. economic recovery." They are proposing that the buy down could be funded from the $700 Billion federal plan to put liquidity back into the markets. The buy down proposed would apply to the purchase of all homes under $1 Million Dollars. The NAR is also asking for a temporary $7500 tax credit for all buyers. There is also a request to make permanent the FHA limits to $729,750.

Realogy Corporation conducted a survey amongst their 2300 independently owned and operated real estate companies such as Century 21 and Coldwell Banker and the brokers unanimously stated that they predicted an increase in home sales if the interest rates were in the 4.5% range. Rest of the story...

A Realtor's Secret to Selling Your Home for Top Dollar

Kay Baker (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:49:14 -0800

Selling your home

Selling your home could be one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. And if you are like most sellers, your ultimate goal is to tell your home for the most money in the shortest possible amount of time.

If your home has been on the market and you have not received any offers you're probably facing the question of what to do. If your house stays on the market too long without selling it can begin to appear "stale" and can actually damage your future chances of a sale.
How long is too long? If your home has been on the market for as much as 45 days and you have not received an offer, you need to pay special attention to these tips from a longtime professional Realtor. Rest of the story....