Cathleen's Blog

BOND PARK IN YOUR BACKYARD

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:47:59 -0600

Cathleen O'Hannigan | fonville morisey | 919 608-3053

208 Red Field, Cary, NC

Live in the Park! Bond Park!

4BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $274,500

Year Built	1994
Sq Footage	2,280
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	10,454 sqft
HOA/Maint	$41 per month

DESCRIPTION

Rare BRICK & VINYL on a CULDESAC backing to Bond Park! There's even a screend porch. Totally private yard with access to walking trails. Big gorgeous formal dining & living rms. Enormous kitchen! You'll never run out of storage space in this home! Master features extra spacious walk in closet, btfl views, jetted tub! This is a winner and the price is right for fast sale. NEW HVAC!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C	- Central heat	- Fireplace
- High/Vaulted ceiling	- Walk-in closet	- Hardwood floor
- Family room	- Living room	- Dining room
- Dishwasher	- Stove/Oven	- Microwave
- Attic	- Laundry area - inside	- Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Guest parking	- Clubhouse	- Swimming pool(s)
- Tennis court(s)	- Lake	- Playground

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Brick and Vinyl

- Culdesac

- Literally just 5 steps to Bond Park Trails!

- Brand new HVAC

- Brand new water heater

- Screened porch

- Formal dining

- Totally private

- Excellent schools

- Huge kitchen

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Photo 4
Photo 5	Photo 6

Contact info:

Cathleen O'Hannigan

fonville morisey

919 608-3053

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Nov 3, 2009, 11:25am PST

Apex NC: Charming Custom Home

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:17:08 -0500

Photo Gallery

Description

Three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, formal dining, gorgeous front porch. This home was built by one of Raleigh's finest custom builders. Located in Scotts Mill, (one of the BEST and MOST desirable neighborhoods in Apex). Lowest price in the neighborhood by far because sellers are anxious to move! This home is loaded with character. Very open floor plan. Kitchen features a breakfast bar and smooth top down draft range. Large deck and pretty yard with fruit trees and grape vine. BEST schools!

Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	2.5
Parking Spaces:	1
Year Built:	2001
Subdivision:	Scotts Mill
Lot Size:	.15
Garage Size:	Single
School District:	Olive Chapel, Lufkin Rd, Apex
Square Footage:	1752
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1687256

Location

205 Country Valley Court Apex NC 27540

vFlyer Id: 2856557

Cary NC Bond Park Beauty

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:09:19 -0500

Photo Gallery

Description

Delightful transitional style home with high ceilings, open floor plan and over LOADED with $50k worth of recent upgrades! Three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, family room & living room. Most recent comparable homes sold in $250s WITHOUT a new kitchen and new roof and new hardwoods etc.

New 30 year architectural shingle roof, new kitchen with quartz counter tops (better & more expensive than granite), new hardwood floors (site-finished) in living room, dining room, family room and entry, new water heater, new high end stainless steel appliances, new paint inside & out, new carpeting (high end). Over 50 masonite boards replaced with hardiplank. Smooth ceilings downstairs, fully fenced yard, double deck. All this and across the street from fabulous 310 acre Bond Park and Bond Lake!

Walk across the street to access the fabulous Bond Park trails (4.9 miles worth). Bike, walk or jog around the lake, walk to the boathouse & row a boat on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Walk to the amphitheatre and see a performance (many are free), or enjoy a picnic at the beach, play ball on the athletic fields or play on the Lazy Daze Playground.

Oxxford Hunt is a wonderful community with lots of amenities. It's an easy walk to the pool, tennis courts and clubhouse. The Oxxford Hunt Swamp Foxes is a very active and fun swim team. There is a bunco group, wine tasting club, pool parties and a neighborhood watch.

Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	2.5
Parking Spaces:	2
Year Built:	1990
Subdivision:	Oxxford Hunt
Lot Size:	.19 acre
Garage Size:	Two car
School District:	Cary, Reedy Creek, Cary
Square Footage:	1980
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1686038

Location

205 Trafalgar Lane Cary NC 27513

vFlyer Id: 2839239

Morrisville 5 Bedrooms Almost New Townhouse

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:40:52 -0500

Photo Gallery

Description

4 Bedooms + Bonus room on a culdesac with private fenced yard. Backs to woods for total privacy.

What a sweet deal! Use the $8,000 First Time Buyer Tax Credit THIS YEAR!
Owner will pay closing costs!
This townhome is only 2 years old and in a great location with excellent schools.Excellent condition, decorated in neutral colors so that you can move right in!

Have you checked the interest rates lately??? THIS IS AN AWESOME TIME TO BUY!

This versatile floor plan allows for either 5 bedrooms or 4 bedrooms + a bonus room.

Features

Bedrooms:	5
Bathrooms:	3
Parking Spaces:	1
Year Built:	2007
Subdivision:	Downing Village
Garage Size:	1
School District:	Wake
Square Footage:	2050
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1653753
Bonus Room:	Yes

Location

422 Plank Bridge Morrisville NC 27560

vFlyer Id: 2369911

Cary NC Handyman Special! $208,000

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:51:21 -0500

Photo Gallery

Description

4 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths and office. ALL rooms are generous sizes! HUGE fully fenced backyard with lots of mature trees, buit in tree house and swing set. Cathedral ceilings in master. Formal dining. Breakfast area in kitchen. Fantastic location convenient to all with great schools! Needs some work, but after repair value is $270k+!!! Hurry and take advantage of this opportunity for $30,000 in instant equity! Swimming pool community and very active swim team. Walk to Bond Park.

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2.5
Parking Spaces:	2
Year Built:	1986
Subdivision:	Oxxford Hunt
Lot Size:	.26
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Wake
Square Footage:	2565
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1650138

Location

608 Trappers Run Cary NC 27513

vFlyer Id: 2302097

Townhouse in Raleigh Way Under Tax Value: $52,000

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:47:16 -0500

Description

Clean and ready to move into! Brick end unit in great area. Haven't seen a better deal around! Great for investor or to live in. Rents for $590. Backs to woods for privacy. Way under tax value for fast sale.

Features

Bedrooms:	2
Bathrooms:	1.5
Year Built:	1992
Subdivision:	Berkshire Downs
Square Footage:	950
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1651449

Location

8115 Farmlea Raleigh NC 27616

vFlyer Id: 2328903

Townhouse in Downtown Cary for Only $79,950

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:43:25 -0500

Description

2 Bedrooms, 1/5 baths. Brick front, vinyl sides. Live downtown! Presently rented for $690.00. Would make an excellent investment property. Walk to restaurants, library, the spa. On the bus line. How convenient can it get? Have a low monthly payment and live the good life of home ownership.

Features

Bedrooms:	2
Bathrooms:	1.5
Parking Spaces:	1
Subdivision:	Krendle Woods
Attached on:	2 Sides
Square Footage:	965
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morise

Location

1014 Parkthrough Cary NC 27511

vFlyer Id: 2262982

Sick of the Economic Crisis? Here's Your Escape!

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:35:15 -0500

Ok, maybe it's just a band-aid for a day, but I promise it will be FUN!!!

If you live anywhere in the Triangle, you owe it to yourself to visit Shakori Hills where every Spring and Fall, the GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance is held there. Enjoy clean air, great food, dancing, music on four stages, jamming with strangers (trust me, it's fun), cabaret, loads of childrens' activities, even yoga (I'm sooo there!).

The festival lasts 4 days (started yesterday 10/9) and boasts around 40 bands. All kinds of music! Learn to clog, sprawl out on the grass and listen to stories, boogie to a Zydeco accordian, get a massage and just be like a child again!

This place sounds like my style and I'm forgetting about work today and going there! Hope to see you there.

http://www.shakorihills.org/

How About the Goverment Bail the Little Guys Out?

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:18:07 -0500

Brian Como's blog post on The Government Bailout starting me thinking about our ailing housing market.

We are having an awful time getting showings on our listings, let alone real bonafide offers (the ones that aren't 60% off asking and using grandma's feather bed as a downpayment). How about the Government give $20,000 down payment interest free loan to any buyer purchasing a primary residence. The conditions would be that the loan be paid back when the home sells, the buyer puts in at least 5% down, and total down payment be minimum of 10%, preferably 20%, and buyer cannot take money out of the home with a HELOC or 2nd. Refinance allowed, but no money out.

I think this would motivate all those buyers sitting on the fence to get out there and buy, which would help our housing market tremendously. Should not be limited to first time buyers. There are plenty of people out there who lost their homes and people who can't buy in another area because their homes haven't sold.

NO MORE 91%-100% down loans. If people can't save up a down payment, they have no business buying a home. They need to prove that they can manage their money first! Americans have to STOP thinking like the government, spending money they don't have!

Cary, NC 5 Bedrooms, Cul-de-sac Way Under Market $310,000

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:24:23 -0500

Photo Gallery

Description

Best Schools! 107 Equestrian Court, Providence Commons. Formal dining and living, huge family room, bonus room. Beautiful large fenced-in yard + giant double-deck. Sought-after schools: Weatherstone, Davis Drive and Greenhope. Formal dining and living + Huge Family room. Gorgeous home! Price: 310,000. This is a short sale, subject to lender approval.

Features

Bedrooms:	5
Bathrooms:	2.5
Parking:	2 car garage
Year Built:	1997
Subdivision:	Providence Commons
Lot Size:	.23 acre
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Wake
Square Footage:	3047
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1600421

Location

107 Equestrian Cary NC 27513

vFlyer Id: 1688140

Best Home for the Money in Apex, NC $264,900

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:20:43 -0500

Photo Gallery

Description

This one won't last! Charming modern home with a cozy personality. Open floor plan, formal dining, spacious master retreat. Tucked away on a quiet cul-de-sac in a delightful swimming pool community. Excellent schools. This home has received lots of loving care, and many updates including new tile floors in the kitchen & master bath, chair moldings, new light fixtures & designer paint. Convenient to US 1 & Beaver Creek shopping, restaurants, movies.

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2.5
Parking:	2
Year Built:	1996
Subdivision:	Waterford Green
Lot Size:	.23
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Penny Rd, Apex, Apex
Square Footage:	2177
Agent Name:	Cathleen O'Hannigan
Broker:	Fonville Morisey
MLS #:	1623048

Location

2215 Winpost Apex NC 27502

vFlyer Id: 1899705

Country Living for Under $200,000

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:14:55 -0500

This beautiful home is on a huge lot in Holly Springs, NC.

Lot size: .72 acre

NO HOA! NO Restrictions!

3 bedrooms, 2 baths.

Room to finish off attic and have a bonus room

Price: $199,950

Address: 1300 Trotter Bluffs, Holly Springs, NC

This home is on a quiet street very close to the highway 55 bypass, making it an easy commute to RTP.

Are Lowballs Being Accepted in Your Market?

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:52:24 -0500

It's no secret that lowball offers are on the rise, but are they getting accepted, and if so, WHERE?

I've been getting some really low ones lately, which isn't the norm for my market. The surprising thing is that I'm hearing some are being accepted!

This Blows My Mind!

I just had an offer for 15% below the asking price. The buyer's agent told me that her buyer has had several of his lowballs accepted. I asked for names and addresses of these so called lowball sales, and confirmed that this lady was not off her rocker. I was floored.

Is it happening to your sellers? I know they are getting the low offers, but are they accepting 10% below asking? 15% below? 20% below? Even more than that?

I know short sales attract the low ones. We haven't had too many of those in Cary, NC. In fact, they are rare here. In other areas, I'm wondering if sellers are accepting lowballs and if lenders are approving the short sales on .70c on the dollar or even lower. And if so, is that because the true market value is 30% lower, or is it because the buyers are getting REALLY good deals?

5 Bedrooms + Bonus in Cary with Top Schools

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:18:32 -0500

Just Reduced! $359,999

Over 3,000 square feet in excellent condition on a culdesac street in Providence Commons, one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in Cary, NC. This home features an extra large yard with deck.

Walk to Fresh Market, YMCA, Prestonwood Country club and Preston Corners.

There is a formal living room, formal dining, huge family room and kitchen plus a breakfast nook.

The 5th bedroom and 1/2 bath could easily be a guest or in-law suite.

High ceilings, trey ceilings, crown mouldings, chair rails, and so much more!

Call Cathleen O'Hannigan for more information or for an appointment to view this special home.

New Blogger: Picture Fun

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:04:05 -0500

I'm new to blogging and have never posted a picture on my blog. So here goes....

This is a picture of my puppy, Sophia.

And this is a picture of my dog, Al Pacino.

Now that I've got that figured out, I can't wait to blog about some interesting topics. I would love to put my puppy on my business card, but I think it's tacky to have pictures on business cards. If I had a horse it might be different....

Pet Peeve: Realtor Business Cards

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:51:21 -0500

Okay, I'm in a mood. I admit it. I don't understand why most realtors put their pictures on business cards. I do understand actually.... name recognition. But.... aren't we still rated below lawyers and just above used car sales people? Does this practice help our reputation? Isn't it incredibly tacky?

Who am I to talk? I do it. But not for the usual reasons. I do it because I'm too busy to take the time to figure out another way. I want to make an elegant simple business card with no exhaustive list of phone numbers (who needs all those!), no blurb about how I love referrals, no list of all the designations that no one cares about, including me, and NO PICTURE of me OR my dog! Designing that card has been on my list for 10 months now. I will get around to it very soon because I'm running out of the tacky ones. When I get my new cards, I'll take a picture and post it here.

Back to the tackiness of pictures on business cards. Think about it: if you were going to hire a lawyer, would you hire one who gave you her business card with her picture on it? Wouldn't you think she was a "shark" or "seedy" character? How about if you were going to have knee surgery? Would you really trust the doctor with his picture on his card over the ones without? Maybe I'd go for pictures of a dog trainer and her dog. That would be cute. Or a photographer's self portrait. Maybe even an actor because that person's face really is important if I'm to hire him. But a real estate agent? I think it cheapens our profession and I don't think we need any more cheapening.

When I think of a professional business card, I think of something simple and elegant. And less is so much more.

Blog Day Afternoon

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:49:33 -0500

The person who got me to sign up for Active Rain asked me why I haven't been blogging lately. "If I had the time to blog, I'd blog" I replied. "well, that's what the after midnight hours are for," she said. I gave her a blank stare. I really do prefer a good book to relax with. But we both did agree that both buyers and sellers are on the internet now, and blogging is the way of the future. But how can I fit it into my life?

While driving home, I realized that open houses would be a great time to blog. I could sit on the sofa with my laptop and blog away all afternoon!

Wasn't it just 6 weeks ago, here in Cary NC that I could get a dozen people to my open house? Yes, it was! I'd send out 200 invitations, put up a few signs and I'd have no time to be blogging away on my laptop. I tried one of those "mega open houses" just a couple of weeks ago and just got 1 neighbor. Guess the slow times have hit our area. I longed for my old home state of California, where I could put out 50 signs WITH my name rider and get all kinds of people! Not here in Cary. We can only put out 3 signs that blend in with the landscape so no one sees them. And NO name riders!

The good news is... no more sudoko at open houses!.... I'm gonna blog away!

My Time Has Gone to the Blogs!

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:08:07 -0500

I was up past midnight the past two nights making comments on blogs, writing my own, searching for information on Active Rain.... And then I woke up late the past two mornings and wondered: where on earth is my time going? It's gone to the blogs!

I started thinking about when I first started in real estate back in 1983. There were no computers used in real estate back then. No blackberries either. Heck, we had to cart around big thick books full of listings and mark them up when sold. If we wanted the newest ones, we had to physically drive down the the local mls office and look at the sheets on the counter. I did this twice a day. No one had a cell phone. In fact, when I got my car phone (yes, it was hooked onto the car and couldn't be carted around, and it was HUGE), I only knew a handful of other realtors who had one. People actually asked me: "do you really need that?" Like it was some weirdo object from outer space. Yes, I needed that.... I made tons of sales because I could call my buyers right away when I saw a new listing. In those days, homes sold really fast.

Oh... we previewed property in those days too. So I'm wondering, does blogging and blackberries, instant messaging, and all the other fun & new technological items of interest really save us time, or does it take up more of our time? It will be interesting to see as I blog more and more. Right now, I'm thinking that I had more free time back in the 80s even though I drove to the mls twice a day and previewed property for all of my buyers. Oh... and lockboxes were only for vacant houses back then. We had to meet the other agent and their buyers at our listings for showings, and in rare cases, pick up the keys from the listing office and drop them off. And cold calling was easy because we didn't have to check each number against a directory.

I'm starting to like this blogging business, but I'm not sold on the idea that technology saves us time. I don't think it helps our relationships with people either. There's something weird about my husband and I being in the same room, but rather than talking to each other, we are blogging on our computers! Guess it's comparable to an evening in the 80s where we are sitting in the same room reading our books. Nothing wrong with that, so why do I think typing on the computer is odd? Perhaps it's just new and I'm slow to accept change. Any comments?

Hard to Sell Homes

Cathleen O'Hannigan, Cary NC Realtor (Fonville Morisey) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:02:03 -0500

Caveat: This is my first blog ever!

Up until very recently, I thought only weird people with tons of time on their hands "blogged." I mean, look at the name: BLOG. What the heck does that mean? My husband has been blogging for a couple of years, real estate associates regularly "blog" and so now, I decided, it's finally my turn.

For starters, Buyers and Sellers are very interesting to me! They are all so very different, and I love getting to know each new client and figuring out how I can help them to achieve their goals. Right now, I feel quite content that I was able to help a family sell a home that was just one house away from a very noisy highway. The home was on the market for a long time with another broker and reportedly (by seller) had no activity. I went to visit the vacant home and was greeted by scores of bugs all over the front porch and front door! It was obvious to me that they had been there quite awhile. There were some quite impressive cobwebs. I saw the movie Charlotte's Web and saw for myself that it takes some time to create such intricate designs.

I entered the home and gasped at the condition: dirty carpet, dirty walls, bugs galore, no charm whatsoever! I did the comps and reported back to the seller everything that I had discovered. I suggested that the home would need painting, carpeting and staging to sell. The owners listened and voila! the home was transformed! I had a lot of fun pretending that I was on Extreme Makeover, shopping at Habitat For Humanity for such charming accesories as fireplace mantels, dining tables, etc. I charmed the place up big time, complete with stylish window treatments, the old standard wine bottle with glasses, etc. The home sold in a day for full price.

Here is an actual quote from my sellers: "Cathleen is such a smart and caring professional. She does exactly what she says she is going to do. Her marketing plan for us was brilliant. What an excellent negotiator!"

What bad market???? If a home is staged right and looks fantastic and is priced under $250,000, it's SOLD! It's the over $250,000 price range that is suffering a bit.... but that's material for another blog. Or is it called "blog post?" Aw hell, it's my first posting ever. Wahoo!!!