Do you own a home that had much of the mature trees and shrubs removed? It's time to look at the benefit of landscaping. A well landscaped yard is not only environmentally smart but did you know that homes with mature trees, lawns and shrubs can fetch up to a 15% higher selling price! Now we are talking aren't we? In this real estate market more money can mean everything to a seller. Let's throw some numbers out there. This means for an average home price of $250,000, a home with a well maintained landscape can sell for up to $37,500 more than a home without those towering trees and well trimmed shrubs. That should get you thinking! Studies show there is more return on investment with landscaping than any other improvement you can do to your home. 

To start, a new homeowner should think "trees" first. Trees take the longest time to mature but also offer the highest benefit for the homeowner. Within 5-10 years many trees are already producing shade and screens. There are fast growing trees that will mature within five years and these can be planted first with the slower growing trees mixed in the landscape (check with your local garden center for the best choices). Some great choices in North Carolina are maple, cherry, river birch, Bradford pear and Leyland cypress.  A well placed and maintained tree can bring several thousand dollars to your home's selling price. As an added benefit, homes with trees have up to 20% lower heating and cooling bills. 

Next place shrubs in your yard. Shrubs mixed into the landscape, not just along the foundation, produce windbreaks and privacy. Most shrubs will mature in less than five years. Homebuyers love homes that have natural privacy screens. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from but I have found one of the fastest growing for a privacy screen in North Carolina is the wax myrtle. For extra tranquility, flowering shrubs such as azaleas, rhododendron, and hydrangea are beautiful planted under the tree canopy in the Pinehurst area. 

Lawns and flowers add that extra punch that draws attention and the "Oohs and aahs". When choosing grasses and flowers - think low maintenance and in the Sandhills of North Carolina also think drought resistant. 

Gardening can be fun and is one of the best, if not the best, return on investment for your home. So homeowners, make my life easier (and yours too) and plant some trees and shrubs this fall. You will be glad you did. 

Now, I'm heading out to sit under my willow oak tree (planted 10 years ago and already a shade tree) and finish my morning coffee while enjoying the wildlife in my yard.

OK, I was just beginning to really get into this Twitter thing and this morning there was no Twitter to be found anywhere! Now, like many others I'm in Twitter withdrawal mode. Twitter has been attacked by a denial-of-service attack Attacks such as this are malicious efforts to make websites unavailable to consumers. They usually hit services such as online banks and credit card payment gateways. Now they have hit Twitter.

So guess I will have to go do something else for awhile until my Twitter can Tweet again.

When it comes back! :)

www.RealEstateInPinehurst.com

Yes, you can buy a home with little or no money down in the Pinehurst, NC area. It's a first-time homebuyer market and time is running out for you to get the best possible deal. Uncle Sam is offering an $8,000 tax credit to all first-time home buyers and this deal will end on November 30, 2009. You must have your new home closed by this date. This is money in your pocket! This credit does not have to be paid back. Also, did you know if you have not owned a home in the last three years you are considered a first-time homebuyer. 

My first-time homebuyers have been getting 100% loans with all or very little closing cost. Don't listen to anyone that tells you this is not possible. It is possible and I have been doing it over and over even through this housing crisis. Do you have less than a stellar credit score? Well, this can be worked out too! You just have to hook up with a real estate agent that knows how to get this done. 

There are simple steps to get you where you want to be and they really aren't very time consuming nor difficult. 

Step One:

Get mortgage preapproval. This is usually just a phone call and I have seen my buyers get preapproved in about 15 minutes time! Don't know where to start, call me and I will get you started. It's easy - I promise. Loan preapproval is essential in this market. Most sellers will not even look at an offer until they know you have gone through this step. Loan preapproval will also give you excellent insight of how much house you can afford, your payments and as you are hunting for your new home you will know what your top price needs to be. 

Step Two:

Let's start house hunting! I will listen to your wants, needs, and things that you would just like to have. We will scope out the location that is best suited for you. You can save searches and favorite homes and I can help you get through the "not so great homes" and get you to the one that is perfect for you. Most of my buyers see less than 10 homes and within those ten they find the perfect house! Although, keep in mind you will see as many homes as needed until we find the perfect one. 

Step Three:

Contract and closing. It will take about six weeks to go through closing. We will get inspections on your new home and you will feel comfortable with your home before you move in. Inspections are covered under your closing cost - remember I can get most or all of this paid for you. 

Step four:

Moving in your new home. I have been told over and over by my first-time homebuyers, "You told me you could get me in a house with little or no money down and you did! Gosh, I never knew this was still possible." Don't you want to also own your own home? 

In our area mortgage payments for first-time homebuyers are lower than most rents! So why make your landlord rich instead of owning your own home? Why pay a security deposit on a lease? Home ownership is probably the best investment you will ever make toward your future.

The best part of all this is, I do not charge you a fee for buying your new home! That's right, in our area the seller pays the fee and they have already agreed to do so through a contract with their listing agent. 

So let's get started!

 Homes for First-time Buyers in the Pinehurst, NC area  Refine your search to see your price range!

I had the pleasure of meeting, Active Rainer, David Patterson from Keller Williams, Columbia, SC in our Keller Williams Pinehurst Market Center. David gave the agents a presentation on blogoshere and social networking and will be teaching classes in Pinehurst in the next several weeks. He was a real inspiration! 

Our world is quickly going from print marketing to a world where we must develop an online marketing and social media strategy.   David will be teaching the Keller Williams Pinehurst agents how to incorporate Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Active Rain and many other social networking sites into their marketing plan. 

This class is one that I am really looking forward to attending.  I have already been using a lot of the social network sites in my personal life as well as for business. So I'm ready to take it up a notch! 

Agents, have you noticed that your print marketing plan is just not bringing in the calls anymore? Do clients seem to be flowing to all the agents that have a hefty online presence? Maybe it's time you consider social networking in your marketing plan. 

Sometimes I have a bit of a lead foot. Now I'm not talking about 95 in a 35 here, I will just push it a little bit. It's called being busy and always thinking I can do just one more thing before leaving on my next venture. 

Whispering Pines police puts these electronic speed limit signs out that will even tell you - Hey, you are going 28 miles per hour in a 25 zone and we will be watching you soon! 

Now, I have lived in Whispering Pines for 16 years or so and I KNOW what is going to happen when the flashing sign goes down. But I will do it anyway - hop in the car and head down the road going just a little too fast. 

Bam, they will get me every time! Oh the agony of seeing flashing blue lights. The officer will sit in his car for what seems like forever! All the while I'm thinking, "I'm going to be late this time (sigh)." I know he is smiling as he pulls my info on his computer. Actually, he probably already knows my evil ways because the vanity plate on the back of my car seems so familiar. He is thinking, "Hey, I've been behind this one before!" 

Then the big question comes, "Ms. Breeding, have you ever been pulled in Whispering Pines before?" Now I know most people would be inclined to say, "No never!" but alas, that computer is flashing like a beacon, "Ha! You got her again!" So I fess up and tell the truth, "Oh yeah, several times!" The next question is, "For the same thing?"  My answer, "Oh yeah, every single time." I'm then told if I keep racking up these warning tickets the next one will be a real one. (Sigh). Guess I will see Mr. Officer in about a year when I forget to watch that 25 mile per hour flashing sign. 

One reason I love living in Whispering Pines is because of our police force. Really, I love these guys! We boast the lowest crime rate in Moore County. I know that our officers do a fantastic job. They are quick responders, they cruise our village streets at all hours and people better tell their friends if they are leaving their houses late at night, they can expect to be checked out on the way out.  Nothing gets past the guys on our force. They have a well known reputation in the Pinehurst area of, "You better watch those speed limit signs in Whispering Pines - they will get you every time." 

Now I must stop driving 28 in a 25 and I won't be listening to a friend's advice to buy a red sports car (to help the economy) and to change my vanity plate to read "Zooom!"

Check out homes in Whispering Pines, NC

Although there are a lot of hazards in real estate there is one that agents sometimes forget about until it is too late -a vicious dog. 

I and a fellow agent had quite a scare this weekend while showing property. We walked up to a house where an agent said they would be putting a lockbox on right before we were to arrive. As we walked up to the front door we saw there was no lockbox. The client and I stayed in the front yard and Amanda, my partner/agent, went to the fenced back yard to make sure the lockbox had not been placed on the back door. 

Before Amanda walked in the fence she made a lot of noise, rattled the fence and called out to make sure there was not a dog. When she felt pretty safe there was no dog, she opened the fence, went inside and walked to the back door. Nope, no lockbox to be found. She turned around and found herself eye to eye with a very large dog (a boxer) standing between her and the gate. She froze because the dog was in attack posture. She started trying to softly call out to us but was afraid to make too much noise - we did not hear her. 

In the meantime the listing agent arrives and opens the door.  We entered the house and realized Amanda was taking too long. We walked to the back door to look for her. There she was, frozen in the yard, face to face with a vicious dog!  The listing agent ran out and grabbed the dog by the collar. About the time she had her hands on him, he lunged forward and jumped toward Amanda, snapping his jaws right at her throat! The client and I yelled for Amanda to run toward the house as the listing agent was holding the dog. She made it inside, no harm done, but it scared all of us half to death. 

Now, this was a dog the listing agent was trying to tell us was "friendly and sweet". No owner can say a dog will not attack given the right circumstances. This dog saw an "intruder" and was protecting his turf. 

We had a huge scare and a lesson well learned. If unsure, I think I or others that are with me will stay out of fenced yards. Thank goodness Amanda knew to freeze and not move until we found her and I'm so thankful we found her in time.

OK, I was in the office this afternoon and I told the story of my first car. I was the ripe old age of nineteen.  I had just started my first job and all I needed was a car. The hunt was on!  I found a bronze colored hatchback Ford Pinto on a bank repo lot. I called the bank up and bought that car! Gosh, I was "wheeling and dealing" way back then. When I told this story three people in the office chimed in and said, "That was my first car too!" 

Do you remember the Ford Pinto?  It was back when American made cars were cheap (or should I say economical) and you never even thought about buying anything made across the ocean. Now jump a couple of years later, I must have been about 20 or so. The news came out that if they were hit in the back they would blow up! That's OK, I just made sure nobody was following ME too closely, yeah right!  I turned that car upside down in a ditch and guess what, it didn't blow up! Hey, I drove that car into the ground and it was the best car deal I have ever had in my life.

Here's a video about the Ford Pinto.  I see my car in this video!

Oh, the memories.

Let me know if the Ford Pinto was your first car!

 Ford Pinto Video

As everyone well knows the market has shifted and keeping an open mind and the willingness to change will get us through. 

Most agents, like me, are watching the market. At any time we may pop-up with a change in selling strategy.  Like the little Chameleon, if we stay green, it won't be long and the big bird, called the shift, will swoop down and have a nice lunch and that lunch will be us. So we better be willing to change and change quickly.

Things to watch:  

Is the same marketing strategy working now as worked six months ago? If the answer is no, it is time to switch gears and fast! 

How many units sold and what are the prices of properties in the last month, last six months, last year and where does it look like we are heading?  If there is a decline price adjustments are in order, more staging, and it is time to really spruce up the outside of the house to give as much curb appeal as possible. 

What are mortgage rates doing? It doesn't take much of a rise in interest rates and it seems like the buyers run for the forest! I never quit understood this, but it happens. As prices fall, a small change in interest rates really does not have an impact on payments. Oh well, the buyers disappear so this means time to go out and "pound the pavement".  

Mortgage approval, it's tougher and I don't see it letting up any time soon. I believe, "If there is a will there is a way!" The most important thing for buyers is to get pre-approved, it can take time. If you are a first-time homebuyer time is running out for the $8,000 tax credit. 

Most important, stay positive! An excellent agent will let you know where the market is shifting and can give you advice on the changes that need to take place and you will see success!

June is Adopt a Cat Month! With over 4,000,000 cats ending up in shelters every year this is the perfect time to adopt a wonderful new friend. Spring and summer is kitten season and so many of these wonderful, sweet kitties would like nothing more than to find a forever home. 

I use to be a "dog person", that is until I adopted my first cat. Max came to me in December of 1994. I was trying to think of a nice Christmas gift for my family. There was this little kitten, a "pet quality" Siamese kitten that was up for adoption. I called and found out that there was a person interested in the kitten but they wanted to make him a "barn cat". I was then told, "Come and get him and "rescue" him from this fate and he is yours, he needs an inside home with playful children".  So Max came into our lives, full of energy and yes, he loved playing with the children. He would keep the kids entertained for hours. He also slept with my daughter every night until she went away to college. The start of the children's college days was rather hard on little Max. Max cried for three nights straight when he couldn't find his "sleeping partner." 

 Max is the sweetest cat. He sits on the back of a chair and waits for my return when I'm away. Greets me at the door with a happy meow each day when I come home, sits and cuddles in my lap every chance he gets, comes when called, and even does the "begging trick" by sitting up on his hind legs. He has been my best friend for nearly 15 years! June 4^th is Hug Your Cat Day and Max will sure get his hugs. Hey, you have to own a cat to honor Hug Your Cat Day! Right? 

Cats make great companions! 

Cats are playful - if you have kids, the shelter can help you pick out a cat with the perfect personality for children.

Cats are already housebroken - I found this to be a wonderful trait. Cats and kittens will naturally use a litter box.

Cats are very affectionate and LOVE to cuddle

Cats are very clean and do not have an odor - they bathe themselves

Cats are independent enough that you can leave them at home and go to work with no worry. Cats are perfectly happy when you go on vacation. Just have someone drop in and check on them. This really saves on boarding expenses!

Cats are perfect for apartments, condos and small houses. They don't need a lot of space and they don't make noise to bother the neighbors. 

Adopt a cat or kitten this month from your local shelter and have a wonderful new friend and at the same time save a life. Here's a great website for pet adoptions.

Of course have your kitten or cat spayed or neutered. Your cat will be happier and healthier for it and you won't have to worry about finding homes for a litter of "unexpected" kittens. 

I will be doing a cat food drive for the animal shelter this month in honor of Adopt-A-Cat Month. If you are interested in donating cat food (yes, I will also take dog food) please give me a call and I will pick it up and deliver it to our local animal shelters.

Did I see a glimmer of sunshine yesterday? I think I did! Retail sales were up, the stock market was up and banks are returning stimulus money because they are showing a profit. This sure looked like sunshine to me. So what can each of us do, as an individual, to help pull the United States back to a growing, prospering nation? The optimist clubs across the nation have the best outlook I can find. They follow a creed and it is great "food for thought." 

Everyone is talking about hope. We hope the unemployment will be less, we hope the sales will be more and we definitely hope the stock market will rally. Maybe we need to take it one step further and have faith instead of just hope. Hope is you want it to happen and faith is you know it is going to happen. That is a big difference, folks. 

The problem with our country right now is we just are not seeing the sunshine, we instead are seeing the cloudy day. If we put our faith in high gear and know that this recession will end, just as all others have ended in the past, we would find ourselves pulling out much faster. Each person, in their own small way, can make a difference. 

How can each of us help? When we are just hopeful and at the same time fearful it is natural for us to pull back and do less spending and investing. Of course, with less spending and investing a downward economic spiral is created of even more fear and a further decline in spending and investing. What a vicious cycle! We must have faith that the economy will get better and refuse to participate in this recession. Try waking up each morning, think "sunshine" and say, "I refuse to participate in this recession!" Your neighbors need you, your nation needs you. 

We create our own reality through our thoughts - faith will lead us. Give it a try and let me know how it works out for you.