Dawn's Blog

Get out this weekend, Durhamites!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:15:04 -0500

The weekend ahead has loads in store for us in the Bull City -- Downtown Durham! With all of the good things happening, why not get out and enjoy the weather, mingle with other residents, network, and celebrate our awesome city!?!

Just a few of the options include:

Music on the Lawn in the American Tobacco District (Friday 5/29 from 6-8). Performers are The Kari Sickenberger Band with Natalya Weinstein and John Miller (a BackPorch Music Production) Feel free to bring blankets or lawn chairs. Food and beverages can be enjoyed from the American Tobacco restaurants .

For those looking for more active pursuits, the annual "Running of the Bulls" 8k race , partially sponsored by The Bull City Running Co. begins at 8am on Saturday, 5/30. The race is to benefit the Durham Central Park and the Durham YMCA's WeBuildPeople Program.

For a very unique lunch experience, why not head over to Durham Central Park for the Bull City Chili Cook-off? Starts at noon on Saturday, 5/30.

And, don't forget that the Durham Bulls host Buffalo for games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park !

COMING SOON!
Cool Tuesdays Begin on June 2 at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub! Network with the downtown community while supporting a local restaurant!

And, as always, if you're looking to buy or sell a home in the Triangle area, or if you'd like a personal tour of our amazing city, please get in touch!

Dawn Grasty, Broker

Prudential York Simpson Underwood

dgrasty@nc.rr.com 919-210-5418 www.dgrasty.com

Taste of Durham, this Saturday 5/23 from 11-7!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:40:48 -0500

Revive Your Senses: Discover a feast for your taste buds, ears, and eyes with an International twist!

Celebrate the diversity and international cultures in Durham at the Taste of Durham Festival this Saturday, 5/23, from 11-7!

TOD has gained regional and national recognition with its quality food tasting experience and ecclectic music lineup! This year TOD presents: Grammy Nominee & "Miami's Best Latin Band" Locos Por Juana; Durham's own John Brown and the Groove Shop Band; and Elmwood from Tennessee!

Your Passport to Festivals within a Festival:
Choice Restaurant Food Sampling, Top Notch Music Showcase, International Dance Demonstrations, International Wine Tasting Pavilion, Beer Tasting Garden, Good Life Demonstrations, Arts and Cultural Activities, Family Fun, and so much more.

Here's a partial list of the many fun things to try!

Wine & Beer Tasting!

International Wine Tasting: With various wines from regions and countries, sample a sophisticated selection of fine beverages from close at hand and around the world.
Beer Tasting Garden: Sample hard-to-find, newly discovered, or unique beers from various breweries and surrounding stations.

Food!
Some of the best local chefs will showcase gourmet, home-style and international food samples.

Music!
The ecclectic music lineup features known national and regional musicians and emerging artists. Some of the genres in this year's TOD include: Latin, Jazz, Blues, and other international styles!

Dancing!
A variety of international dancers demonstrating their exquisite skills.

More fun!

Enjoy snow sledding in May, Artistic Ice Carving, rides and activities to bring out the kid in all of us.

What Can American Idol Teach Us in Real Estate?

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:29:24 -0500

I have to admit that I have been glued to this season's American Idol. And, in an effort to justify all the hours I've spent in front of the tv over the past months, I've decided to point out some obvious and not so obvious lessons that we can learn from the American Idols!

1. Have a dream. "You're going to Hollywood!!!" Woohoo!!!! It all starts with your heart. Is real estate really something that makes you happy? Do you love what you do? Can you imagine doing anything else? Having passion for what you do is something that can't be faked. People are drawn to passion, and your success will always start with your own dream in your own heart.

2. Be yourself. How many times did we hear the judges extoll the contestants to make a song their own? It's not enough to simply know the scripts and the words to say. It's not enough to know the rules of real estate, to know the right answers. Your personality and your character must come through to really get the results you want. You can't get away with faking it these days -- people are way too savvy for that! Don't be afraid to let insert your sense of humor, your sincerity, your expertise in communicating. . . fill in the blank. But always be true to who you are.

3. Play to your strengths. Some Idol contestants were mediocre vocalists, but expert showmen. Some played instruments beautifully. Some had a face that the camera just loved. And, they all seemed to know and capitalize on their strengths. Like them, we can't all be the best at everything. So, figure out what your strengths are, and work to make them what identify you as the realtor to choose! Are you an expert relationship builder? Are you extremely sincere and honest? Do you have an unbeatable knowledge of a neighborhood or specific architectural style? Make sure that people know what you're good at! That doesn't mean that you should forget about those things that are more difficult for you. Stretching into your discomfort zone is what makes you grow! Vulnerability is also an attractive attribute!

4. Listen to feedback. "Dawg, for me, for you, that wasn't the right song choice". Randy and the other judges are the best at what they do because they have years of experience in their field. In our offices, and in our transactions with other realtors, we have access to the same depth of experience. Be open to suggestions from other agents, learn from their experience, and use it to build your perfect performance!

5. Prepare. The Idol contestants used all the tools available to them to put on their best show. Song choice, music arrangements, coaching, costume and makeup, stage effects -- and hours of practice! A smooth presentation, a successful transaction, and satisfied clients are all the result of lots of work and preparation. Know and take advantage of the tools available through your office, familiarize yourself with the latest technologies, and visualize yourself successfully going through every stage of the transaction from presentation to past client follow-up. Nothing can replace all the hard work that goes into preparation.

6. Be confident. Simon has often said that if the contestant doesn't think of himself as a winner, no one else will. It's true! Wake up each day knowing that you are going to do something that will make you a success. Know that you have the training and knowledge to attract business, and to represent your clients at the highest level! You bring about what you think about!

7. Ask for what you want. Contestants unabashedly say "I want this more than I've ever wanted anything in my life!" Well, that might be overstating your desire to get that listing a little. . . But, the point is clear -- if you want the business, ask for it. Make it clear that you are not only willing to do the work, but you WANT to do it. You want them to pick you. You want to be their choice.

8. Connect. We may not be on camera in front of the entire television-watching world (thank goodness!), but we are on stage, in a way. Our expression, our voice, our body language, and our responses are all opportunities to connect to the client or potential client in front of us. In ways that are uniquely you, reach out and be present!

9. Set goals. So, maybe you haven't wanted to be a real estate agent since you were 3 years old. . . But, now that you've selected this career, and are determined to work hard to be successful, you have to set regular, attainable, and specific goals to get you the success you want. We all know this. So, do it!

10. Have fun. When contestants are loving the moment, living their dream, it's almost magic. Those behind the scenes films of pranks between contestants and friend-making moments are memorable, because we know that it's the small things that mean the most. The big wins are monumental, but being able to find humor in the steps along the way is priceless. Life has to be fun, we have to enjoy the trip, and in this field of real estate it's often so easy to take ourselves too seriously. Lighten up! Wear a boa while you make your prospecting calls, dance in that Open House when no one is looking, and sing "We Are The Champions" at the closing table!

Durham Deemed AAA Credit Worthy by Top Three Reporting Agencies

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:18:12 -0500

At a time when financial institutions are crumbling, citizens are struggling to make ends meet, and the economy seems incredibly bleak, it's nice to know that our city's creditworthiness remains strong. And their excellent financial management benefits us as citizens by ensuring that the most money possible is available for community improvements, such as municipal capital projects like street improvement, parks and recreational facilities, and renovations to municipal buildings.

Three of the biggest of the big bond rating agencies (Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Ratings, and Moody's Investors Service) have each re-affirmed their ‘AAA’ bond rating for the City of Durham.

The ‘AAA’ debt rating is like an 800 FICO consumer score! It's the highest rating a municipality can receive, and just as a good credit score gives a consumer the best interest rates available, this 'AAA' rating allows Durham to borrow money at the lowest interest rates available. Durham is one of less than 20 cities nationwide that has ‘AAA’ ratings from all three major bond rating agencies. That's incredible!

According to City Manager Patrick W. Baker, “We are extremely pleased to be cited yet again for our strong financial performance due to our conservative fiscal management. The ‘AAA’ rating is a strong indicator for our citizens that we diligently and efficiently manage their tax dollars. Our ‘AAA’ rating allows us to issue GO bonds and provide our taxpayers with significant savings on the interest as we work to improve our community.” In light of mismanagement of some of the country's largest financial institutions -- this give me, for one, incredible peace of mind -- not to mention local pride.

Oh, and I looked up "General Obligation (GO) bonds" on wikipedia: A general obligation bond is a common type of municipal bond in the United States that is secured by a state or local government's pledge to use legally available resources, including tax revenues, to repay bond holders.

Among the reasons cited by the bonding agencies for Durham's AAA rating were the city’s conservative management practices, resulting in historically solid financial performances and a sound fiscal position, and the city's healthy economic position, including a sizeable tax base and diverse local economy supported in part by a stable institutional presence. I knew that diversity was good for Durham!!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Good Things are Happening in Durham! Congratulations to the City Manager and his staff for serving us well, and for a job well done!

Northern Ireland and Ireland!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:11:20 -0500

My two best friends and I went on a vacation in 2006 that began in Belfast and ended up in the Republic of Ireland's SW coast. My two traveling buddies and I had been to the Republic of Ireland previously, and decided that we had to go back to complete the tour of the northern half of the island. I'm so glad we did

We did a good deal of research prior to going, and we made a kind of rough schedule of how to visit all the "must sees" in our 10 day timeframe. It's funny how the things you think are going to be highlights before you leave take the back burner to some unexpected sights and experiences once you're there. Travel guides are helpful, but how can they anticipate the serendipitous convergence of events that make for the best memories?

For example, meeting a man in Derry who was kind enough to walk through the Bogside's many murals and give us some insider info. He could give us insider info, because he was there on Bloody Sunday -- his brother was actually killed there -- and he had a unique view on the healing that's taken place in the country and where they are today. You can't get that kind of stuff from a book!

To me, traveling is about meeting the people, and seeing their home through their eyes. In Ireland, it's easy to do, because they are the world's best story tellers and no one is a stranger there! We met a lovely old woman named Mary (go figure!) in a Northern Ireland village as we walked to take a look at an ancient church that was being renovated. She told us of her family in the area, how the church plays in their lives, how proud she was that they were going to be able to worship there again, and of course, she had a little Catholic vs Protestant discourse as well. It's clearly still a sensitive topic, although even with someone of her generation, there seems to be acceptance and a tenuous peace there

As we traveled out of the larger bergs into the tiny rocky coast towns, the magic really began. Horses, sheep and cattle wander right out to the ocean cliff's edge. Sunsets bring the most magic cast to an already enchanted area. I look at those animals and wonder if they have any idea how special this place is!

From man-made wonders to natural ones -- this place was somewhere I'll never forget. It occurs to me how the history there is so accessible. You can be driving down the road and just off to the left will be a castle ruin in the middle of a field. Maybe there's a small informational plaque -- maybe not. And, one that just blows me away is that you can find ancient burial sites called dolmens, or portal tombs ,out in the middle of a cow field. We're talking 3000+ years old!

There's a distinct lack of commercialism or even promotion going on there. I think it's been related to the fact that Ireland has not had money to commercialize and advertise these things in the past. But, with their newfound wealth, I fear that things will be changing soon in this respect. For example, the first time I went to SW Ireland I visited the Cliffs of Moher. There was a parking lot, but that was it as far as their attempt to accommodate visitors. You walked up a very rocky path, and could climb right out to the edge of the cliffs and look down. Then, two years later when I returned to my beloved Cliffs -- there were two huge paved lots, a gift shop, and fancy paved walks and steps leading to the cliffs. But, the worst part was that they had built a wall about 10 feet from the cliffs, and you could barely see over the thing. The feeling that you had discovered a "natural wonder" was gone. Don't get me wrong -- it's still beautiful, especially from a distance as in the picture above -- but the undisturbed wilderness is no more at the Cliffs of Moher.

Then after a week of exploring uncharted territory, we made our way to our favorite little town in SW Ireland -- County Clare, the town of Doolin. It's known worldwide as the best place for traditional Irish music. It has never let us down. We wrapped up our vacation with three days in Doolin touring around the Burren, the coast, and surrounding small towns. Of course each day ending with supper and a few pints at our favorite local pub, McDermott's. Our all-time B&B favorite was the Seascape in Doolin! The proprietors were kind and helpful, the food amazing, and the accommodations splendid. And, the views! Best of all, it's a few hundred yards from McDermott's!

I have been back again since this trip, went straight to Doolin and stayed nearly two weeks. I liked having that hub from which to explore very much. But, either way -- traveling from one B&B to another, or day tripping from a single spot -- Ireland is a must see! And, in my opinion, the sooner the better!

BTW, two of my trips were arranged via a wonderful travel agency called CIE Tours. We selected the package with a rental car and B&B coupons called Go-As-You-Please Ireland (B&Bs were available throughout the country and everywhere we went was great!). It gave us the flexibility we wanted, was very affordable, and the people were great help with all of our questions.

A Book You Must Read -- The Lost Choice, by Andy Andrews

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:08:36 -0500

The Lost Choice, by Andy Andrews

There are books that transport you to another place and time, books that make you laugh til you hurt, books that deepen your understanding of events, and books that keep you up at night.

Then, there are books that change you forever.

This book, The Lost Choice, by Andy Andrews is such a book for me.

I bought the book several years ago, and stuck it on a shelf and forgot about it. Fast-forward to now.

I went into the catastrophe that is my home office, without really knowing why, and walked over to the bookshelf and this book just jumped out at me. I know it sounds kooky, but really there was no reason for me to go in there, and no reason for me to look on that particular bookshelf. I just did. And, I came out to the sofa and settled down with it to kill a little time until the rain let up.

The book, a parable about taking control of your life and having the responsibility to make a positive impact on the world, was just the shot in the arm that I needed. It's one of those books that fills you with hope and purpose -- something that maybe someone besides me also needs during this slump in the real estate market that may tend to make you feel out of control and helpless.

This book was a gift given to me at just the right time. I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think.

Durham Introduces New Tiered Water Rates

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:31:11 -0500

Posted by : Dawn Grasty, Broker

dgrasty@nc.rr.com, www.dgrasty.com

919-210-5418

After successfully navigating through serious drought measures, Durham has settled on an innovative way to encourage its citizens to continue to be smart about their water usage.

Simply put, the less water you use, the lower your rate. They're calling it Tiered Water Rates.

The Durham City Council voted to implement rate increases while at the same time introducing a tiered rate structure designed to encourage single-family residents to conserve water. The lowest Super Saver Tier 1 will be given to customers who are the most efficient with their water us, reserving it for more essential needs. Less critical water use, such as irrigation, car washing, and filling pools, will likely bump you into a higher tier and cost more.

The new plan includes five tiers for single family residential customers. (All non-residential customers are set at the Tier 3 rate, and all irrigation accounts are set at the Tier 5 rate.) Water and sewer service charge increases are also included in the new structure.

It gets a little confusing in the calculation, but in general here's how it goes: The new rate tiers reflect what the City charges for a "unit" of water as shown on bills, which is 100 cubic feet, or 748 gallons. Remember, these rates do reflect an increased cost in general in both water usage itself, and the service charges associated with both water and sewer services.

So, since according to the city of Durham most residential customers fall in the Tier 3 range, using about 16 units over a two-month billing period, let's look at how that usage would be calculated. A customer using four units over the two-month period will be charged at the Tier 1 rate and see about an $11 increase in their total bill. A customer using 12 units over the bi-monthly period would be charged at the Tier 1 rate for the first two units of each month, at the Tier 2 rate for the next three units of each month and at the Tier 3 rate for the remaining unit used each month. This customer's bi-monthly bill would increase about $13.

Service charges for both water and sewer will also rise. These "base" charges cover the cost of meter reading and billing and other fixed costs of the water and sewer operations. For customers with 5/8 meters (primarily residential customers), service charges will increase from $2.58 per month to $5.11 per month for water and from $3.19 a month to $5.71 for sewer services.

Why did we have this increase? A city representative stated that the new rates will help pay for large capital projects including a new automated meter reading system, a new elevated water storage tank, additional water supply options (Teer Quarry and Jordan Lake), interconnections with other utilities and plant and system rehabilitation projects.

If you'd like to see a good estimate of your next bill (which should be August for monthly customers and September for bi-monthly customers), you can go to www.durhamsaveswater.org, where they have a handy calculator. You'll need to have your latest water bill handy, as it will require information from that.

Also on their website, you will find a link to "The 111 Tips" that outline many simple, everyday changes that you can make to use water more efficiently. Or you can call Durham's One Call line at 919-560-1200.

With this new tiered structure, using less water will not only save you money, but will save Durham’s water resources, the environment, and our way of life. It was a little scary in that drought, and I for one don't want to go back there again!

SW Durham Real Estate: Planned Growth is Great for Everyone!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:24:59 -0500

Post written by:

Dawn Grasty, A "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

phone: 919-210-5418

email: dgrasty@nc.rr.com

web: www.dgrasty.com

Is it possible to control growth in order to maintain the beauty of SW Durham?

As a resident of southwest Durham, I am incredibly proud of our area's beautiful tree-lined streets. I love that the developers of some of the earliest subdivisions in SW Durham understood the importance of maintaining mature trees, including green spaces and parks in our neighborhoods, and of maintaining buffers as well. I want to be sure that this natural beauty is maintained.

I have visited so many new subdivisions in other areas that are built on clear-cut lots, and it's enough to make you cry. Our wooded areas support many species of nesting birds, foraging deer, and small animals. While development inevitably impacts these animals, wise planning will minimize pressure on wildlife, and encourage diverse habitats. Not to mention the impact on water and ecology in the area.

From the granddaddy of SW Durham subdivisions, Parkwood (which I am proud to call home!), to the newer developments around the Streets of Southpoint mall -- growth, change, and development are being closely monitored and planned to meet the goal of maintaining all that is good about SW Durham.

For details on growth plans, SWDurham.org has a fabulous website. You can not only read up on latest zoning issues and planned development, but you can get detailed descriptions of the goals for ongoing SW Durham development.

As a realtor, I am always cognizant of things that impact property values. As a resident, I'm always concerned about maintaining all the good reasons that I chose to make SW Durham my home. It was great to learn about SWDurham.org, where I signed up to receive regular updates (and peace of mind) about the future of the area.

If you are interested in learning more about SW Durham real estate, and all that the area has to offer, I'd love to talk to you. You can search for homes on my website, or call (919-210-5418) or email (dgrasty@nc.rr.com) to discuss your needs and I'll do it for you.

Contact me, if you're ready for a "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate!

Durham: 6th Annual Golden Leaf Awards, Nominations Being Taken Now!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:18:52 -0500

Post written by:

Dawn Grasty, A "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

Phone: 919.210.5418

email: dgrasty@nc.rr.com

web: www.dgrasty.com

It's all about curb appeal!

Realtors are always talking about that first impression a potential buyer gets upon approaching a property. It's an aesthetic and emotional reaction to the home and it's environs that either excites the buyer about seeing more of the home, or makes them want to turn around and move on to the next home.

There are entire tv series, books, and magazines dedicated to helping consumers understand the value of curb appeal, and how to maximize your home's draw for potential buyers.

BEFORE AFTER

The Golden Leaf Awards competition not only has to do with encouraging the community of Durham to take responsibility for improving our homes and neighborhoods, but could also have the effect of improving property values in Durham. Who wouldn't want that!?!

More about the Golden Leaf Awards

Durham is serious about making the city even more beautiful. This year marks the 6th year this award has been given to recognize the best visual contributions to the Durham community. The competition is designed to encourage better designed and better managed properties in Durham. Two agencies, the Durham City-County Appearance Commission and Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc are co-sponsoring this years event.

So, whether you have a new property with an excellent design, or if you have improved an existing structure you can be in the running. The judges also consider the impact structures have on improving the character or livability of an area, and attempt to raise community awareness of the value of ongoing maintenance in landscaping, etc.

The Golden Leaf will be given in the following categories: Community Properties, Commercial Properties, Residential Properties, Landscaping and Maintenance, Outstanding Individual, Sustainable Properties, and Keep Durham Beautiful. The Sustainable Properties and Keep Durham Beautiful awards are new for this year’s event.

Nominated projects must be located within Durham County. The nomination deadline is Friday, March 21, 2008, and winners will be announced at a public ceremony in May.

To obtain an entry form or for information on eligibility requirements, visit www.durhamnc.gov/departments/planning/gold_leaf.cfm or contact Lisa Miller, planner with the Durham City-County Planning Department, at (919) 560-4137, extension 270 or via e-mail at lisa.miller@durhamnc.gov.

It could be a "New Day in Triangle Real Estate" for you!

If you're considering a home improvement, and would like to consult with me regarding the potential return on your investment, or if you'd like help determining your property's current curb appeal from a realtor's perspective, contact me!

And, as always, if you're looking to sell or buy a property in Durham, I would love to help you! Call at 919.210.5418, or email at dgrasty@nc.rr.com.

Durham: Some Comic Relief re the Drought. . .

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:50:51 -0600

COME ON RAIN!!

The drought situation isn't funny, but, it's always fun to poke fun at local government, isn't it?!

These cartoons were in the local paper recently, and made me laugh. Hope you find some humor in them, too.

Durham, like many other North Carolina counties is suffering a serious drought -- the worst in recorded history. Below are the details of current water supply levels, and the county's stage IV conservation mandate.

For more details you can visit Durham's Water Conservation Division's website.

According to the Durham Water Conservation Division (as of March 2):

Current Conditions

Using the 30-day running average demand as of March 2, 2008 of 20.08 MGD:

Days of supply of easily accessible, premium water remaining (Lake Michie, Little River Reservoir): 169 days
Days in Teer Quarry storage remaining: 19 days
Days of less accessible water below the intake structures remaining: 60 days
Total days of supply = 248

Stage IV - Severe Mandatory Conservation Modifications Enacted, effective December 3, 2007

Stage IV of the ordinances incorporates practices in Stage I, II and III and increases the level of conservation efforts to require the following Mandatory Measures:

NO watering or sprinkling of any lawn or grass.
NO watering of trees, ornamental shrubs or vegetable gardens except by hand-held container on Saturdays, between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. or 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Do NOT wash down outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, or for other similar purposes.
Do NOT fill any wading pool or swimming pool or replenish any filled pool except to the minimum essential for operation of chemical feed equipment
Do NOT use water for any unneccessary commercial or public purpose.
Do NOT operate water-cooled air conditioners or other equipment that do not recycle cooling water, except when health and safety are adversely affected
Do NOT serve water in a restaurant or similar establishment except upon request.
Do NOT use water for any unnecessary purpose or intentionally waste water.
Do NOT Wash any motor vehicle or other type of mobile equipment. Any person regularly engaged in the business of washing motor vehicles and any commercial car wash facility shall be permitted to use water for such purposes, when 50% water savings are documented.

A couple tips from their site:

1. Time your showers, and keep them under 5 minutes. You can save 1000 gallons of water per month!

2. Put a drop of food coloring in the tank. If it shows up in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Leaks are easy to fix and can save 500 gallons of water per month!

Dawn Grasty

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

www.dgrasty.com

919-210-5418

Durham: New Durham Performing Arts Center!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:50:01 -0600

Post written by:

Dawn Grasty, A "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

Phone: 919.210.5418

email: dgrasty@nc.rr.com

Web: www.dgrasty.com

The Durham Performing Arts Center is Coming Soon!

Today at the Durham Chamber of Commerce's annual luncheon, the new Durham Performing Arts Center was introduced to the community with a performance of songs from these plays: The Color Purple, Rent, Legally Blonde, & Fiddler on the Roof. The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) promises the best direct-from-New York BROADWAY hit shows each and every season. Tickets for these inaugural plays, scheduled for next spring (2009), as well as other information, including becoming a "friend" and volunteering are available on their new web site.

Opens December 2008…tickets on-sale this Spring!

North Carolina has a new live entertainment theater like no other. Specifically designed to present the biggest shows on tour, The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) puts you close to the stage, with no seat further than 135 feet. Featuring world-class performers, spacious seating, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, and convenient parking, DPAC allows you to experience live performances in an entirely new way. From Broadway musicals to concerts, family shows to comedy, at DPAC you're up close. Centrally located in the American Tobacco District just minutes off I-40, I-540 and I-85, and adjacent to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Just one more Great Thing Happening in Durham!

And, if this gets you excited about the possibility of living in or near Durham, I'd love to hear from you! You can search for homes on my website, or give me a call to discuss your housing needs, and I'll do the searching for you!

Looking forward to making this "A New Day" in Triangle Real Estate!

Dawn Grasty

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

919-210-5418

dgrasty@nc.rr.com

SW Durham Real Estate: Parkwood Architectural Styles

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:58:56 -0600

Post Written by:

Dawn Grasty, A "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

Phone: 919.210.5418

email: dgrasty@nc.rr.com

Web: www.dgrasty.com

The construction of Parkwood began in the 1960s, and continued into the 1990s, including detached homes, townhomes, and condos. Parkwood is located in SW Durham, just one traffic signal west of the intersection of highways 54 and 55. It's proximity to RTP, I-40, the Durham Freeway, and easy access to Raleigh, Chapel Hill and downtown Durham have helped make it a top selling Durham neighborhood since it's inception. Sales Data for 2007 show that Parkwood has maintained steady appreciation and yet remains an affordable housing option in Southwest Durham.

You'll see that the entrance to Parkwood isn't flashy. There are no high-tech gateways, no gurgling fountains. Instead you're welcomed by an old-school carved wooden placard with the neighborhood's well-known name, surrounded by beautiful seasonal plantings, and both sides of the entry are lined with huge magnolias. What an introduction to the established neighborhood with it's many traditional homes, on large lots with mature trees and shrubs, all surrounded by lush parks and lakes. You'll also find neighborhood pools, a public library, a fire station, a convenience store, houses of worship, an elementary school, and athletic parks. A far cry from many new cookie cutter homes on postage-stamp sized lots! There is so much to love about Parkwood!(Here are the Parkwood Restrictive Covenants and updated bylaws, for your reference.)

One of the best things to love is it's variety of architectural styles, which include the Ranch, the Two-Story, the Contemporary, and the Split-level.

The Ranch
Ranch-style houses are an American original home style that was popular during the 1960s and 1970s. The ranch house is noted for its long, low to the ground profile and create a very informal and casual living style. The ranch has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in recent years. Lucky for Parkwood, as the neighborhood is chock full of them! And, if you're looking for casual living, Parkwood is hard to beat.

The Two Story
Parkwood contains two-story homes with a variety of exterior styles. Some are more colonial in style with tall columns, shutters, and often period ornamentation. Some are more farm-house style with a large covered front porch, perfect for rocking chairs. These homes offer lots of space, usually with most bedrooms upstairs, although occasionally a bedroom on the main floor.

A variation of the traditional two-story, is the split-foyer. The entry is midway between the two levels, and once inside, you can choose stairs up or down stairs. This style is also enjoying a resurgence of popularity. Since their are many of these homes throughout Parkwood, too, that's great news!

The Contemporary
You know them by their odd-sized and often tall windows, their lack of ornamentation, and their unusual mixtures of wall materials--stone, brick, and wood, for instance. Architects designed Contemporary-style homes (in the Modern family) between 1950 and 1970, and created two versions: the flat-roof and gabled types. The latter is often characterized by exposed beams. Both breeds tend to be one-story tall and were designed to incorporate the surrounding landscape into their overall look.

Parkwood contemporaries are usually compact, and often the exterior belies the wonderfully open interiors in the period style.

The Split Level
A Modern style that architects created to sequester certain living activities--such as sleeping or socializing--split levels offers a multilevel alternative to the Ranch. The nether parts of a typical design were devoted to a garage and TV room; the midlevel, which usually jutted out from the two-story section, offered "quieter" quarters, such as the living and dining rooms; and the area above the garage was designed for bedrooms. This has become a very popular choice in recent years, and offers a nice change of floor plan from the more traditional homes. Again, lucky for Parkwood, there are a large number of split level homes to choose from.

Regardless of your architectural style preference, you'll find that Parkwood offers a lot of home for the money. You can search for homes currently available in Parkwood on my website. I'd love to hear from you!

Dawn

Broker

Prudential Carolinas Realty

919-210-5418

SW Durham Real Estate: Parkwood Sales Data 2007

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:47:11 -0600

Post Written by:

Dawn Grasty, A "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

Phone: 919.210.5418

email: dgrasty@nc.rr.com

Web: www.dgrasty.com

Parkwood is a subdivision in Southwest Durham with excellent access to I-40 and the Durham Freeway (Hwy 147), Research Triangle Park, and The Streets of Southpoint Mall. It's also midway between Chapel Hill and Raleigh, making it an excellent location for couples working in those opposite directions. It's also a breeze to get on the Durham Freeway and head to Duke, Duke Hospital, or the downtown area.

Parkwood is a great neighborhood for first time home buyers, with very affordable homes that have healthy appreciation. Home building in the neighborhood began in the 1960s and continued into the 1990s. You can find a variety of home sizes and styles, all in a very well-maintained environment with parks, lakes, athletic fields, a library, an elementary school, houses of worship, a fire department, a beauty shop, a convenience store, and the Piedmont Wildlife Center.

Parkwood ranked number four in the number of homes sold in Durham subdivisions in 2007. Below are the details of those sales:

Total number of homes sold (includes detached, townhome, and condo sales): 49

Sales price range: $69,900 (for 2 BR / 1 BA condo) to $229,900 (for a 3 BR / 2 BA lakefront home)

Average sale price: $134,900 for the average 3 BR / 2 BA home

Average sale price per square foot: $94 sp/sf

Percent sale price to list price: 99% (sellers were able to get 99% of their asking price)

Average Days on Market: 76 (below Durham's overall average of 87)

**These represent only homes sold in the Triangle MLS. For Sale By Owner and other non-multiple listed homes are not included.

To search for homes currently available in Parkwood, please visit my website: www.dgrasty.com Or, you can call (919.210.5418) or email (dgrasty@nc.rr.com) and I'll do it for you! We're very proud of our neighborhood, and are always looking for new good neighbors!

Dawn Grasty

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

919-210-5418

Anyone Doing Oprah's "A New Earth" Seminar?

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:18:50 -0600

There's been quite a lot of buzz about the book, "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. It's a book about finding your life's purpose. I think it's Oprah's February book club selection.

The seminar is to be 10 weekly sessions, webcast Mondays at 9p EST. Starts in early March. I think they'll discuss a chapter each night, and you're to read the book in advance of the discussions to get the most from them. I hear it's a pretty complicated book.

I'm always looking for useful spiritual guidance, and this seems like a good (and free) opportunity. Has anyone else heard about this, and are you taking part?

You can sign up at: www.oprah.com/anewearth

Durham: The Red-headed Stepchild

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:21:11 -0600

Post Written By:

Dawn Grasty, A "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate

Broker, Prudential Carolinas Realty

Phone: 919.210.5418

email: dgrasty@nc.rr.com

Web: www.dgrasty.com

Being a redhead myself, I can say this: Durham is the "Red-headed Stepchild" of the Triangle area of North Carolina.

The Triangle comprises primarily of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill -- and many surrounding cities and towns. But, Durham is definitely the point in the triangle that has something to prove. The beauty of our position is that we try harder -- both to share the many great things about our city and to continue improving our city in ways that surprise residents and visitors alike.

The Durham Chamber of Commerce and the Durham Convention and Visitor's Bureau are doing a great job of promoting an image of the Durham we are so proud of. Here are some national accolades that support their slogan, Durham: Where Great Things Happen.

Durham has great schools!
Three of Durham Public Schools’ six traditional high schools are on Newsweek Magazine's “Top 1,000 High Schools” list. (2006)

You can afford to live in Durham!
The cost of living in Durham is the 22nd lowest among the 311 urban areas in the United States (ACCRA Cost of Living Survey, 2nd quarter 2006)

You can find meaningful employment AND build your career in Durham!
Durham ranks 8th among Top 10 Metros for Business & Careers by Forbes Magazine. (2006)

High quality healthcare is abundant in Durham!
Duke Hospital is named among the Top 10 Hospitals in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. (2006)

Singles can get connected in the social fabric of Durham & the Triangle Region!
Durham & Raleigh area is named one of the “Best Places for Singles” by Forbes Magazine. (2006)

For more information about Durham: Where Great Things Happen, click on this link: http://www.wheregreatthingshappen.com/share

As a realtor in Durham, specializing in Southwest Durham, and specifically in the neighborhoods of Parkwood, Woodcroft, Woodlake, and Hope Valley Farms, I have found that these awards are making my job pretty easy. Being a red-headed stepchild has turned out to be a great life for me, and it looks like Durham is thriving in the role, too.

If you want help starting your "New Day" in Triangle Real Estate, you can call (919.210.5418) or email (dgrasty@nc.rr.com). Or, you can visit my website to begin your search right now! I'd love to help you find out the Great Things that are Happening in Durham!

I look forward to hearing from you, and helping you!

Dawn

SW Durham Real Estate: How I Chose Parkwood

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:14:11 -0600

Honestly, I never imagined myself living in Durham. But here's how it happened. This is a true story!

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I bought my first home -- a townhome actually -- in Carrboro. I loved the small-town atmosphere and the sense of community there. I thought I would never leave. Then, as I accumulated more "stuff" and desired to live in a neighborhood a little quieter and less "studenty" and a home a little larger, I began looking for a detached home. I quickly found that there were no homes in my price range in neighborhoods that I found attractive in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro areas. So, I slowly began expanding my search, inching just over the Orange County border into Durham County. But, I was nervous about leaving the comfort zone of my home base, I was prepared to give up my dream of a little home of my own and stay in my cramped townhome.

As I began exploring the Southwest Durham area, and began seeing children playing in yards and neighborhood parks there, my fears started turning to excitement. People were out walking dogs, neighbors stood in yards chatting, baseball teams played at neighborhood ball fields, and they seemed perfectly happy! I jokingly created a criteria for choosing my new neighborhood. If the people I passed waved at me when I waved at them, then that neighborhood was a contender. To my surprise, Southwest Durham was full of "wavers".

As I narrowed down neighborhoods with homes I could afford, I was drawn to the older neighborhoods with mature trees and shrubs, walking paths, lakes, and parks. I would never have dreamed that I could afford to live in a neighborhood with the character and beauty these had to offer. Some of my particular favorites were Woodcroft, Woodlake, Parkwood, and Penrith. All had distinct character -- their own personalities.

Ultimately, I chose Parkwood. It had the atmosphere, diversity, convenient location, and community feel that I so desired. And, it was full of "wavers"! I learned that Parkwood was one of the first subdivisions built in Durham. When IBM opened its offices in Research Triangle Park, the neighborhood was created for quick access to the job for its employees, and was quite innovative for its time. It was built with its own elementary school, lakes and parks, and a shopping strip that met many of the residents' shopping needs. Home styles ranged from brick ranches (the classic Carolina home!), to more modern contemporary styles, to colonial two-story homes, to the rage of the era -- the split-level.

The home I chose was a three bedroom, two bath brick ranch on a quiet cul-de-sac. It was the perfect size, on a large lot with plenty of big trees. I loved the traditional style and the comfortable floor plan of the home. The lot was nearly a half an acre, and since I had two large dogs, it was important to me that they have plenty of room to run. But the thing I loved the most, and which tipped my decision in the "buy" direction, was the fireplace and beautiful mantel in what was to become my new house. I know it's not logical, but home buying is a very emotional one on many levels, and that fireplace took me back to my childhood home, and represented comfort, family, friends, and happiness.

I have never regretted my decision. As a matter of fact, I fall more in love with my neighborhood, Southwest Durham, and Durham in general every time I come home. The fact that Durham receives bad press only makes me more fierce in my loyalty. I have come to see all the wonderful things about Durham. It is a wonderfully diverse city, with a sense of connectivity that is difficult to explain. Durham offers a bounty of outdoor activities, excellent opportunities for volunteering, world-class restaurants, all the excitement of a university community, an art scene that rivals much larger metropolitan areas, and community festivals that feel very small-town America. It is a city that embraces and learns from its rich history, and looks forward passionately to the possibilities of the future. The excitement of the downtown transformation is testament to that fact.

The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau is doing a fabulous job of promoting our proud city. Their campaign, Durham: Where Great Things Happen, is brilliant. I share their website every chance I get.

http://www.wheregreatthingshappen.com/share

Today Parkwood has a neighborhood library, a handy convenience store, several houses of worship, an elementary school, a beauty shop, a fire station, the Piedmont Wildlife Center, a baseball field, basketball courts, community pools, and beautiful lakes and parks. Parkwood homes have a very healthy appreciation, and the neighborhood continues to be one of the top-selling neighborhoods in Durham after over 45 years. As a matter of fact, Woodcroft, Hope Valley Farms, and Parkwood are three Southwest Durham neighborhoods that are consistently in the top-selling Durham neighborhoods. Its proximity to RTP, to UNC Chapel Hill, NC Central University, and Duke University, and some of the best shopping and dining in the state at The Streets of Southpoint Mall are huge selling points. Here are the 2007 Parkwood Sales Statistics.

When home buyers tour Southwest Durham with me, my excitement and pride are very evident. I sell more homes in the Southwest area than any other area of Durham. Maybe my passion is contagious, but honestly, Southwest Durham sells itself.

I couldn't be happier with my choice of homes and neighborhood. I hope to never leave! If you'd like to buy or sell a home in the Triangle area, you can search on my website, or call me at 919-210-5418. I'd love to hear from you!

How do you keep "The Secret" going?

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:43:43 -0600

The Secret has changed my life. It's what you hear most often when people talk about this phenomenon, because it's the most powerful message of empowerment that there is. We can have, be, and do anything we want -- simply by using the law of attraction to call it to us.

It's not a difficult concept at all. But, it isn't a change that has come without its challenges for me, either. I find it so easy to fall back into old habits. There's a lifetime of unlearning to do in order to totally assimilate The Secret.

Starting with thoughts that life is hard and not fair (that's a really big one!), negative self-talk (I'm too this or that, I'm not good enough. . ), negative money-talk (money is the root of all evil, people who have alot are bad). And these are just the tip of the iceburg. There are some conversations that go on in my head that I'm sure I'm not even fully aware of yet -- do I really deserve all this happiness and success? If I do get all that I want, will my friends and family still love me? There's a lot to cover, and it doesn't happen overnight. Even Jack Canfield said that it took him years to finally get it.

So, I'm being gentle with myself. Praising and blessing myself for the progress that I am making, and staying aware of the thoughts and feelings that I have.

I keep reminding myself throughout the day that what I think about I bring about. If I find myself having negative thoughts, or feeling bad, I use some of the tricks I learned in The Secret to change my mindset. And I've used their suggestion to create a vision board. It's a collage of pictures that represent the things that are most important to me and the intentions that I have around those things. So, for example, I have a big picture of a couple in love and the word "passion" right in the middle of my board. It is my intention to attract my perfect partner to me. I believe that he's on his way, and I can't wait to meet him!

I also try to stay in a place of thankfulness -- an attitude of gratitude they say in The Secret. I used to keep a gratitude journal, and I've started doing that again, too. It's the little things and the big things -- someone lets me in a line of traffic to get on the interstate, someone tells a touching story, someone shares a real estate idea with me.

And, I have friends who are also using The Secret to create the life they want. We talk about our challenges, our successes, and we keep each other on track when old habits try to pop up. It's been a great way to further bond with them, and to know that we're not only changing our own lives but helping change each other's, and the world. I get so excited about the possibilities that I almost don't have words to describe it.

This is my journey. It's my chance to create a life that has meaning and that is worthy of me. The mantra that I picked up from Dr. Michael Beckwith on Oprah's second show on The Secret was "I deserve and am available to more good than I have ever experienced, realized, or imagined before in my life." Wow.

I'd love to hear how others are doing putting The Secret into action. And how you're keeping on track, and avoiding old habits. Advice, suggestions?

Wow, did you see Miss January?!?!

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 21:57:40 -0600

Look at the legs on that one!! Watch her shake that tail!!

Calm down -- we're talking dogs here -- this is the "Pet Friendly Real Estate" group, right!?! :-D

Our clients this past year had the most adorable pets! And, pet lovers are even worse than new parents for talking incessantly about their "kids". . . So, we felt that we got to know our clients' furry family members as well as their 2 legged ones.

When we started thinking in October or November about holiday gifts for our past clients, we were inspired to put together a calendar featuring a different client's pet each month. We sent out an email asking for submissions, assuming that we'd probably have to add our own pet pix to fill out the entire calendar. But, we had more than enough -- some months featured a group of pets -- to fill out the project nicely. We used www.ofoto.com to create the projects -- and they were very reasonably priced as well. We hand-delivered them along with a little bag of homemade doggie biscuits in cute holiday shapes.

It was a great way to keep in communication with our clients, to reinforce the idea of us as their pet-friendly realtors, and they're already talking about next year's pix and themes.

2 Durham Public Schools middle schools receive prestigious national recognition

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:14:15 -0600

More great news on the education front in Durham! This release was recently provided by the DPS to celebrate the great strides Durham schools have made, and to share the national recognition with Durham citizens.

"2 Durham Public Schools middle schools receive prestigious national recognition

DURHAM-Strong course selection, innovative character education for students, and a zest for overall academic excellence are among the reasons that Carrington Middle School and Shepard Middle Magnet School both have been named Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

Carrington and Shepard were named Schools to Watch because of their academic excellence, responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents and their commitment to helping all students achieve at high levels. In addition, each school has strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability in order to bring about continuous improvement.

"Carrington has a tradition of excellence, and over the last few years we have been strategic in our efforts to implement new and innovative strategies to meet the academic and social needs of our students," said Carrington Principal Julie Spencer. "As a school, we are committed to looking at the whole child as we meet the needs of our students. Our students know that they are the center of our work and the reason why we are here."

Spencer attributes Carrington's selection to:

•· Capturing Kids' Hearts training, which has provided a framework of strategies to personalize school for students. Teachers greet students at the classroom door with a handshake, talk about "good things" that are going on, and create social contracts to outline behavior expectations.

•· A strong elective program. More than 20 options for student electives from which students can choose, including strings, Latin, reading or theater. These and many other courses provide relevant and enriching lessons.

•· A "well-rounded" school atmosphere providing many different ways to engage students. With 15 different sports teams, an active arts department, a variety of clubs for students, and an effective after-school program.

•· Teachers who are dedicated to excellence. Teachers plan together daily and meet for school-based staff development on a weekly basis. Carrington boasts a relatively low teacher turnover rate.

•· A great sense of school pride from our students, teachers and parents. Students wear "boosters" (handmade spirit buttons) to show school spirit on game days. Students, teachers, and parents wear Carrington Spiritwear regularly to show off their school spirit.

"Each member of our Shepard family shares in the excitement of this honor," said Ken Barnes, Shepard Middle School principal. "Our students are the most important members of our family and as they enter these doors today, as in every day, they know we care about them, both in and out of school. We will continue to strive to excel in providing the education our students deserve."

Barnes cites the following elements that make his school a "School to Watch:"

The International Baccalaureate Approaches to Learning expose students to a variety of learning activities.

The Guidance Department serves students' needs academically and emotionally. The school utilizes Peer Mediators, Group Support Sessions and various problem-solving tools to enable the students to work through relationship issues and improve as students.

The Positive Behavior Support Team recognizes students at their best. This team utilizes the Panther Reward system to encourage students.

Staff members are trained in the Capturing Kids Hearts program. This program helps each staff member to identify with students as individuals. They build on these relationships by encouraging community involvement from parents, various local universities and organizations.

Shepard's small population narrows the elective selections for students. However, students are able to have the opportunity to take unique electives, such as Law and Forensics. Each student is also exposed to both Spanish and French, whereas in other middle schools, students are exposed to one language. To compensate for the electives, teachers utilize after school hours to offer Drama, Dance, MSEN, Battle of the Books, Kid and Parents Reading Together, TopCats, and Odyssey of the Mind.

"We could not be more proud of these two fantastic middle schools, their principals, teachers, students and parents!" said Superintendent Carl Harris. "How exciting it is to have two middle schools that serve as models for the nation. This is just the beginning of the improvements we will see as middle-school improvement plans continue to be developed and implemented throughout our district."

Launched in 1999, Schools to Watch began as a program to identify middle grades schools across the country that were meeting or exceeding a set of strict criteria for excellence. The Forum developed a Web site (http://www.schoolstowatch.org/) featuring online tours of schools, as well as detailed information about the selection criteria used in the recognition program.

The National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform is an alliance of 65 educators, researchers, national associations and officers of professional organizations and foundations dedicated to improving education in the middle grades.

CONTACT: Dr. Terri Mozingo, Associate Superintendent

Instructional Services, 560-2027

Julie Spencer, Principal

Carrington Middle School, 560-3916

Ken Barnes, Principal

Shepard Middle Magnet School, 560-3938"

Durham Named One of 100 Best Communities for Young People

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:05:46 -0600

Recently, the Durham Convention and Visitor's Bureau provided the following exciting press release, announcing yet another very important recognition for the city's efforts to continually improve and provide a great future for it's youngest citizens. I'm very proud to share the press release below:

"Durham Named One of 100 Best Communities for Young People

(DURHAM, N.C. - Jan. 26, 2007) Durham is one of only two communities in the state selected by America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People for its outstanding, innovative efforts that benefit children and youth. Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell was on hand to receive the honor Thursday evening in Washington, D.C., while attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

The 100 Best competition honors communities for their commitment to provide healthy, safe, and caring environments for young people. Around 450 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands took part in the competition.

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau spearheaded the effort to submit the extensive, 22-page application on behalf of the 16-organization Durham Public Information and Communications Council. The City of Durham, Durham County, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, Durham Public Schools, Durham's Partnership for Children, and Triangle United Way were also actively involved in submitting Durham for consideration.

DCVB and other Durham messengers use accolades like this to establish credibility and to assist in economic development efforts. "Durham's efforts on behalf of young people are too often underappreciated," said Mayor Pro Tem and founder of the Durham Youth Council Cora Cole-McFadden. "I'm glad that DCVB followed up on my suggestion to get Durham the recognition it deserves."

Because of its selection as one of the 100 Best, Durham is now eligible to apply for up to $100,000 in funding to help resource a collaborative plan for delivering more programs and services for its young people. "Nothing is more important than seeing that our children and youth have the resources and support systems they need to thrive and succeed," said America's Promise Founding Chairman General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.). "When a community provides all that its young people need to be healthy and secure, they deserve to be honored and showcased as an outstanding example of what it takes to successfully nurture this nation's young people."

First launched in 2005 by General Powell in partnership with Capital One Financial Corporation, the 2007 100 Best Communities for Young People competition began accepting applications in September 2006. Durham and the other winners were chosen by a distinguished selection panel of civic, business, and nonprofit leaders, including United Way of America President BrianGallagher, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and Moderator of Meet the Press Tim Russert, CEOs for Cities' President and CEO Carol Coleta, and former Denver mayor Wellington Webb.
About America's Promise

Founded by retired General Colin L. Powell, the America's Promise Alliance is the nation's largest private-public partnership committed to ensuring that every child receives the five fundamental resources-the Five Promises-essential for success: caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education, and opportunities to help others. Alma J. Powell currently serves as chair. Marguerite W. Kondracke serves as president and chief executive officer. Among the founding partners are the Corporation for National and Community Service, Points of Light Foundation, The United Way of America, Communities In Schools, and MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership.

America's Promise grew out of the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in 1997, where Presidents Bush, Carter, Clinton and Ford, with Nancy Reagan representing President Reagan, challenged the country to make children and youth a national priority. President George W. Bush affirmed his commitment in 2001.

About Capital One

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company, with more than 324 locations in Texas and Louisiana. Its principal subsidiaries, Capital One Bank, Capital One, F.S.B., Capital One Auto Finance, Inc., and Capital One, N.A., offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One's subsidiaries collectively had $47.2 billion in deposits and $108.4 billion in managed loans outstanding as of June 30, 2006. Capital One, a Fortune 500 company, trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 500 index.

About Durham Public Information and Communications Council

The Durham Public Information and Communications Council is a collaboration of sixteen organizations, which provide information about Durham as a "place" to work, live, or visit. It was chartered by the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau and Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce in 1997, following an audit of the communications functions of Durham messengers by Epley & Associates. Meetings are held monthly with the senior communications and public information officers for: City of Durham, County of Durham, Downtown Durham Inc., Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham Regional Association of REALTORS, Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, Durham Corporate Relocation Consortium, Durham Technical Community College, Durham Police Department, Durham Public Schools, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, The Housing Authority of the City of Durham, North Carolina Central University, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and Research Triangle Foundation.

Durham News Service is a service of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, a local tourism development authority and the official destination marketing organization for Durham, North Carolina, including Research Triangle Park.

Shelly Green
(919) 680-8302
Shelly@durham-cvb.com"

Finding a Nice Niche

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:17:59 -0600

Say that 10 times fast!

I know that a clear niche is very beneficial when marketing yourself. There are condo experts, first-time-buyer specialists, historic property afficionados and many more creative ones that I'm just not able to think of right now.

So, I've been trying to determine my niche. I've been thinking about my interests and passions, and have decided that it's harder than you think to translate your interests into real estate. But, what I have come up with is that I am hopelessly silly, kooky, in love with animals. If I can find sellers and buyers who are either also crazy about their pets, or at least like the idea of working someone who is an animal fan -- we'll both be happier.

I've done a little brain storming about how this will look in practice. Appealing to people with pets might mean that I advertise that my vehicle can accomodate visitors with pets, knowing which hotels are pet friendly, having discounts at local puppy spas, that a portion of my commission goes to local animal causes, etc.

But what I don't know is -- is this a niche that can be effectively marketed to?

Has anyone done anything similar or know of anyone who has? Any great ideas you can share about how to maximize connection to the pet-loving real estate market?

WARNING: gratuitous flaunting of adorable puppies follows. . .

25 Misperceptions About Durham

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 20:46:06 -0600

25 common misperceptions about Durham and the realities behind them
Ready responses to misinformed comments and common misperceptions about Durham.
The following common misperceptions and the realities behind them can be used to respond to negative word-of-mouth or water-cooler talk that undermines Durham and its assets in the perceptions of visitors and newcomers.
1) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham has a poor self-image.
REALITY: Scientific public opinion polls consistently reveal that Durhamites are

pleased and proud of their community. For example, more than 71% of residents

are pleased with Durham as a place to live, and those very pleased outnumber

those very unpleased by 7 to 1. Durhamites are also proud of the community by

5 to 1 (with very proud, 6 to 1). It is true that deference is often misinterpreted as low self esteem.

2) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: RTP is located between Raleigh and Durham.
REALITY: RTP was carved from Durham pinelands in 1959 as a special Durham County tax district for research and production. It is now surrounded on three sides by the City of Durham and a mere four miles from Downtown Durham. RTP is a business park, owned by the Research Triangle Foundation. It's now eight miles long and two miles wide, spanning 7,000 acres. There are two cities or towns between RTP and Raleigh. However, a relatively new part of RTP now drops into Wake County but toward Cary and Morrisville.
3) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: The only reason visitors come to Durham is for business.
REALITY: Visitors come to Durham for many reasons, but research confirms that the largest proportion of Durham visitors-55%-come to Durham for pleasure/leisure purposes, compared to the 28% who travel here for business (including conventions). Some (17%) are here on personal reasons, such as utilizing any of Durham's outstanding medical facilities or weight management centers. Even the largest proportion of overnight visitors-46%-travels to Durham for pleasure/leisure, with 37% traveling here for business purposes (including conventions).
4) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham is just an old tobacco/factory town.
REALITY: Durham is proud of its heritage, but it began to evolve into a health care/research community as early as 1910. That conversion accelerated in the 1960s, and any significant textile/tobacco manufacturing waned by the 1980s. Durham is now home to half of the state's biotech companies, and health care, research, and education drive the economy.
5) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham is the blue-collar town of the Triangle.
REALITY: While Durham is proud of its blue-collar tradition, it has a lower percentage of blue-collar jobs now than Raleigh/Wake County and 10 percentage points less than the state average. Today Durham's largest employers are comprised of creative class businesses, with a focus on education, high-tech, medicine, science, and technology.

6) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham draws visitors proportional to its population.

REALITY: While in some destinations this is a "rule of thumb," Durham far outdraws its own population. Total annual visitors outnumber residents 21 to 1. Overnight visitors alone outnumber residents 4 to 1 annually. A good illustration: airport enplanements. Even though Durham comprises 8% less of the region's population than Raleigh, it outperforms the state capital in non-connecting (resident and visitor) enplanements drawn through the airport by 2%. In visitor-related enplanements, Durham outdraws Raleigh by nearly 10%.

Durham draws 48% more tourism expenditure and 28% more local tax revenue (including 106% more occupancy tax revenue) than its proportion of population.

7) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham is a suburb.

REALITY: Durham is the core city for a 4 county metropolitan statistical area so by official definition it isn't a suburb. It's also the fourth largest city in North Carolina, fastest growing city over the last Census. The misperception that Durham is a suburb often derives from a mistaken notion that all regions are centered around one dominant city. The Research Triangle Region is one of a number of "polycentric" regions with separate, distinct communities and no dominant center.

8) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Duke town/gown relationships are poor.

REALITY: Durhamites brought Duke to Durham and provided its initial financing to become one of the e world. Similarly, Duke officials have always worked hand-in-hand with Durham residents to improve the community. Never has this been moevident than today with several organizations and year-long communityoutreach programs and activities working to sustain communications and relationships between the University (staff, students, and administraand Durham residents and business owners.

Carolina, the vast majority of Durham ACC fans identify themselves as Duke sports fans. Durham also has a large concentration of Duke alumniwho either remained in Durham or moved back to Durham after graduation.

the Durham/Wake County line in Morrisville. It is co-owned by the cities of Durham and Raleigh and the counties of Durham and Wake.

groups. It is also a community that values open expression of opinion and differences: it receives very highrankings for "tolerance" in scientific matrices. Durham is an experiment and model in power sharing and conflict resolution around difficult socioeconomic issues.

11) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham thinks of itself as the "red-headed stepchild" of the Triangle.

REALITY: This term originated when news media noted that Durham is treated like the "red-headed stepchild" of the Triangle. Durham has always valued that it is different, more textured, and diverse, but there is no evidence in scientific polls that it considers itself the "red-headed stepchild." In fact, from residents per square mile, jobs per square mile, jobs for non-residents, day-visitors, etc., it is the engine for the entire Research Triangle region. On top of that, Durhamites are innovative, progressive, open, and above all, proud of their community.

12) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: There is nothing to do in Durham at night.

REALITY: Durham has around 50 venues that provide live nightlife entertainment. Scientific surveys of visitors, both overnight and day-trippers within a 100-mile radius, show Durham outperforming the average for similar-sized destinations in North Carolina in the area of nightlife.

13) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham and Raleigh should go by the name "Raleigh-Durham" because most people think of the Triangle as one big place.

REALITY: Nearly 8 out of 10 residents of the Triangle prefer to characterize where they live by a specific city, town, or county and reject the term Raleigh-Durham for any other use than the name of the jointly owned Airport. The number seeing it as one area shrinks even more the longer a person lives here. National surveys show that, by 4 to 1, people see this area as made of separate but nearby communities. Nearly 50% indicate that any confusion is caused by the name of RDU International Airport or the assumption that there is only one city per airport.

It is true that surveys of news media show a near even split between the perception of separate communities vs. one big place. The media has divided the world into large, multi-community viewing, listening, listing, or marketing areas. Oftentimes these multi-community areas get misused as the names of single "places."

14) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham has a high crime rate.

REALITY: Durham's crime is at or below average for a cohort of 9 Southeast and 28 national communities of similar size and makeup. Click here to review the statistics. Crime in Durham is localized, and intense local activism is driving the crime rate down every year.

15) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham draws mostly local and state conventions.

REALITY: Durham is different from similar-sized destinations in North Carolina in that Durham mostly hosts conventions and meetings that are international/national/regional in scope (65%). It is true that most third-tier destinations (like Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem) host predominantly state conventions, even if they aren't the state capital. Durham is also home to 37 associations, of which 65% also happen to be international/national/regional in scope.

16) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Durham has plenty of developable land and always will.

REALITY: Durham is the state's fourth largest city, shoehorned into the 17th smallest county in land area. Also, a third or more of the county was set aside in watershed to create Falls Lake, so that nearby North Raleigh, which wouldn't perk, could be built out. Further gentrification (or imploding some neighborhoods to create new ones) is one possibility, but there is no guarantee that the unique composition of a community can be retained.

One thing is a given: Durham will come to rely more and more on visitors and health care to fuel the business climate and to spread the burden of funding local government services.

17) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: There should be only one CVB for the Triangle because rivalry is destructive.

REALITY: Visitor Bureaus are local tourism development authorities, by nature designed to reinvest occupancy taxes from business in a specific city or county in order to fuel that specific business climate and expand its tax base. They participate in scores of cooperative marketing efforts to stretch marketing dollars, but ensuring specific community brands. But the three Universities that give the Triangle its name have proven that rivalry can be invigorating, and similarly, keep several different destinations on the shelf, ensuring many more bites of the tourism "apple."

18) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: The Triangle is centered around Raleigh.

REALITY: Traditionally all regions were centered around a dominant city. But the Triangle is one of a new breed that has no one dominant city or town or county. It is a polycentric "family of communities." This is a struggle for news media for which it would be much simpler to truncate its 22-county Triangle viewing area to the name of just one community. But being polycentric makes the region much more attractive as a "family of unique and different communities."

19) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Consultants can lump statistics for a polycentric region like the Triangle and use it in comparisons with centric regions.

REALITY: Consultants studying the Triangle (and even some Triangle leaders) have been tripped up by this one for years. It is apples-and-oranges to compare a region composed of two MSAs (and no dominant center) to regions like Charlotte, Austin, and Sacramento, which are centered around one dominant community. They function very differently in almost every way. The Triangle can better take its lead from the three big-name research universities that provided the region's namesake, RTP.

20) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Corporate sponsorship is difficult to obtain because Durham events haven't earned it or don't perform as well as events in other communities.

REALITY: Durham generates an unusually high number of nationally acclaimed events for a community of its size. The dilemma with corporate sponsorships is that, in the last few decades, Durham's major employers have elected to distribute sponsorships and underwriting based on where employees live vs. where they work. Because half of the people working in Durham commute from elsewhere, half of the sponsorships follow them home. While Durham draws some sponsorships from employers in other communities, there is an extreme imbalance.

21) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Postal addresses reflect actual physical locations.

REALITY: For some time now, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has assigned street delivery designations for mail with little or no regard for actual physical locations. While this permits the USPS to better deploy employee capacity, such designations are very confusing for visitors, newcomers, and residents.

In the early 1990s, Durham led a successful effort to correct the addresses for thousands of businesses in Southeast Durham that had been mis-assigned as Morrisville. The same will need to be done for those in Southwest Durham mis-assigned as Chapel Hill, Northwest Durham mis-assigned as Hillsborough, Northeast Durham mis-assigned as Butner, etc.

22) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: The name of Durham's largest meeting facility is Durham Marriott At The Civic Center.

REALITY: The name of the publicly owned civic center is simply "Durham Civic Center". A privately owned hotel with a Marriott franchise leases the air rights above the building, and it is appropriately named "Durham Marriott At The Civic Center". The owners of the hotel also contract with the City and County to manage the public Civic Center, but the naming rights were never sold or transferred. The civic center is governed by a publicly appointed Durham Civic Center Authority.

23) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Students in Durham public schools do not perform on par.

REALITY: Durham school children have long outperformed state and national averages when the results are disaggregated by race/ethnicity. Durham students also perform well compared to students in a number of other communities, nearby and in the region. Click here to see the latest disaggregated test scores.

24) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: Consultants questioned why a mall like The Streets at Southpoint was built in Durham.

REALITY: It's true but these consultants, even though based in North Carolina, neglected to grasp that the Triangle isn't centered around any one dominant city. The mall's developers accurately identified Durham as the perfect Triangle location for a "super" regional mall, and The Streets at Southpoint is a huge success. But even before the mall, Durham drew the highest market share of non-resident day-trippers of the three core Triangle counties for purposes other than work, and shopping ranks right at the top.

25) COMMON MISPERCEPTION: I-85 is an east-west Interstate.

REALITY: This is a great trivia question. I-85 is a north-south Interstate, but through Durham it predominantly runs east-west. Durham is one of the nation's few communities traversed by two major Interstates (I-40 which runs east-west, and I-85, which runs north-south) and one of the very few through which two major Interstates run parallel.

I Can't Get a Home - I Don't Have Good Credit (Think Again)

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 20:12:08 -0600

I Can't Get a Home - I Don't Have Good Credit (Think Again)

Help is available, and home ownership is within reach!

http://www.naca.com/

Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of American (NACA) is a non-profit organization that offers an Affordable Mortgage Program for people with less-than-perfect credit.

Counselors sit down with applicants and look at income, expenses, and credit. If the applicant has a serious credit problem, NACA will work with them to get them on track for home ownership.

Key points about the program ( View NACA's Ten Steps to Home Ownership )

Prospective home buyers must attend a homebuyer workshop & meet with a NACA counselor (free)
The interest rate is equal to or slighly LOWER than the going rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage
No down payment is required
The bank pays most of the closing costs
Most times the buyer only needs to come up with the the first year's property tax & homeowners insurance, plus $500 for the attorney and inspection fees.
Buyers must participate in five NACA activities per year.

Click on links above for more information.

What we love about Durham. . .

Dawn Grasty - Durham NC Real Estate (Prudential Carolinas Realty) — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 18:37:15 -0600

A local publication, The Independent Weekly, recently asked it's readers to tell them what they love about Durham. Here are a few of the nearly 100 responses they received, many touching on similar strengths--diversity, friendliness, beauty, civic involvement. You can find the entirety at: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A31991

It's the brick and the kudzu. One a victim, the other a victor. Never in my life growing up on the West Coast have I seen a city so full of red and brown brick both subsisting and disappearing. It marvels me. The brick in Durham remains a poignant symbol in the history of the tobacco industry. I hear locals expressing a discontent for its gentrification. There seems there's no stopping it. One of my favorite things to do in Durham is ride my bike through downtown to the old Tobacco Trail. The sprawling, dangling kudzu makes me feel like I'm in some enchanted dreamland. There seems to be no containing it. One day the subsistent brick factories may all be turned into offices, boutiques and fancy restaurants. But at least later, who knows how soon, they will not be able to withstand the relentless, ravishing kudzu.

I moved back to Durham after five years in New York City. The reason: There are millions of interesting people from all walks of life in New York, but somehow you never get to meet that many of them. And there are thousands of interesting people from all walks of life in Durham, but somehow you get to meet a lot of them. I feel my life has been enriched even more by living here than by living in the largest city in the country, just by showing up at the grocery store, the coffee shop, the Y, the neighborhood.

Some towns display their jewels in showcases. Durham casually conceals hers in old cigar boxes and brown paper bags. Behind a storefront, a riveting production of Chekhov. In an apartment over a Main Street office, a collection of antique harpsichords. Next to a parking lot, down a narrow path, a graceful garden with sculpture. On a residential street (no sign out front), a celebrated restaurant. When our treasures are too big to hide, we have other strategies. The lofty building that serves as our community's cathedral? We call it a "chapel." (referring to the Duke Chapel)

I love zipping to work in minutes: no highway driving, no traffic jams. (My husband can bike or walk on the American Tobacco Trail to his office.) I love seeing movies at the Carolina; sipping a latte at the Guglhupf Cafe; hanging out at Foster's Market; eating at the Thai Cafe, Sitar Indian Palace, Bahn's and Saladelia's. I love readings at The Regulator and shopping at Vaguely Reminiscent. I love walking in my neighborhood of Forest Hills. I love fresh eggs and flowers from the Farmers' Market. I love that lonesome whistle of the freight trains in the night; I love "Hit Bull, Win Steak." I love concerts in Duke Chapel, the wisteria-covered pergola in the Gardens, the new Nasher Museum; Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Blue Devils. I love the Eno and the dancers who come to town every summer. I love the emerging art scene. I love being part of a community where people of all colors work and play alongside one another and I love that the only people who move here are ones who feel the same way. I love living in the best-kept secret in the state.

One of the many things we most love about Durham is its wonderful music and arts culture. In late March we noticed an ad in the Indy announcing a chamber concert by the Durham Symphony to be held on a Sunday afternoon. This reminded us of the many happy musical moments we shared in the 1980s when we lived in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. The quality of the performance we enjoyed that afternoon was as good as it gets, easily on a par with the best available in any other city in the country. What a great pleasure it is to live in a small city that consistently presents and maintains such a rich and diverse offering of music, film, dance, and indeed all of the arts at the highest level.

The sunsets are sneaky in Durham, like a lot of the beauty. You have to be in the right place at the right time and remember to look. Just before dusk, go to the top of the field on East Campus that slopes down to the intersection of Markham and Broad. The huge willow oaks become backlit with orange, fiery red and pink, then purple, as dog walkers, runners and Frisbee-tossers pass by. The greens of the grass and trees become deep, rich and finally, dark, as everything quiets into night and the lights of the corner tavern come up.

Now, you've got to come find out for yourself what there is to love about Durham. We really are the best-kept secret in the state. Whether you're looking for a newly built home, a mid-century modern, a Carolina classic ranch, or a charming 1920's bungalow -- Durham has it all.

Dawn's Blog

Get out this weekend, Durhamites!

For a very unique lunch experience, why not head over to Durham Central Park for the Bull City Chili Cook-off? Starts at noon on Saturday, 5/30.

And, don't forget that the Durham Bulls host Buffalo for games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park ! COMING SOON! Cool Tuesdays Begin on June 2 at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub! Network with the downtown community while supporting a local restaurant!

Taste of Durham, this Saturday 5/23 from 11-7!

Here's a partial list of the many fun things to try!

What Can American Idol Teach Us in Real Estate?

Durham Deemed AAA Credit Worthy by Top Three Reporting Agencies

Northern Ireland and Ireland!

A Book You Must Read -- The Lost Choice, by Andy Andrews

Durham Introduces New Tiered Water Rates

SW Durham Real Estate: Planned Growth is Great for Everyone!

Durham: 6th Annual Golden Leaf Awards, Nominations Being Taken Now!

Durham: Some Comic Relief re the Drought. . .

For more details you can visit Durham's Water Conservation Division's website.

Stage IV - Severe Mandatory Conservation Modifications Enacted, effective December 3, 2007

Durham: New Durham Performing Arts Center!

SW Durham Real Estate: Parkwood Architectural Styles

SW Durham Real Estate: Parkwood Sales Data 2007

Anyone Doing Oprah's "A New Earth" Seminar?

Durham: The Red-headed Stepchild

SW Durham Real Estate: How I Chose Parkwood

How do you keep "The Secret" going?

Wow, did you see Miss January?!?!

2 Durham Public Schools middle schools receive prestigious national recognition

Durham Named One of 100 Best Communities for Young People

Finding a Nice Niche

25 Misperceptions About Durham

I Can't Get a Home - I Don't Have Good Credit (Think Again)

What we love about Durham. . .

And, don't forget that the Durham Bulls host Buffalo for games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park !

COMING SOON!
Cool Tuesdays Begin on June 2 at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub! Network with the downtown community while supporting a local restaurant!