Charlotte NC Real Estate

Short Sales about to get easier?

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:25:22 -0600

It looks like there's a change coming in the short sale industry, news of which is leaving a lot of Charlotte Short Sale Listings specialists with eager anticipation. Fannie Mae lead the way about 6 months ago with new requirements that forced many banks to start expediting the approval process for Fannie Mae short sales and also, enforcing the negotiated commission amount to the Charlotte NC REALTOR, and REALTORS everywhere. Short Sale specialists haven't seen a lot of impact from that decision yet, however; this type of decision (while not always imposed immediately) does produce reverberations. Now, the treasury is finally extending its Making Home Affordable plan to the short sale industry after delaying the onset most of this year. This proposal now pays both the first and second mortgage lenders $1,000. to do a short sale but even better, it's paying the homeowner $1,500! I LOVE that part. How cool will it be to do a listing presentation where you can finally offer them something tangible? And probably the best part of this new proposal is that they are stipulating time lines for offer acceptance. 6 weeks to 6 months is no longer an option, their new goal will be 30 days from start to finish. Of course, this is just something that's being proposed by the government and for those of you that know about loan modifications, you probably heard that 6 months into the "Making Home Affordable" plan, exactly 35 people actually received modifications nationwide. They're doing better now, but the banks are large and no change comes quickly for them. Hopefully, in a year or so, buyer agents will stop dreading the short sale and it will be about as easy as a typical REO. Oh and this plan, like the one from Fannie Mae, will block the bank from cutting our commission at close. It's about time, I'm tired of working twice as hard and getting paid 15% less. And I'm sure that most buyer agents would just assume sell the home across the street at 3% and go under contract in 3 days, than to have to sell my short sale listing at 2.5% and wait 6 weeks. Hopefully, soon, there will be no difference in either

I updated my blog today!

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:44:18 -0600

I know, "who cares" :-) I just sort of realized last week that I probably spend 3 hours a day to write emails to people so why not spend another 20 minutes to keep my blog visible on the Internet? My Short Sale listings blog used to rank on the first page for several keywords and it seems to have disappeared. So no more! I finally changed the picture and updated the front page and now I'm writing this (pointless) blog entry just to get rolling. I'll post something relevant tomorrow, after all, I just wrote two pages of content for the home page so I have to get back to work. See ya.

Avoid Foreclosure, Short Sell Your Home!

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:39:48 -0600

The American dream has many meanings to many different people. To most, it means the ability to materialize dreams of wealth and fortune. Part of that hope is the dream of owning a home and property. The foundation of our country was built on people searching to begin a new life and a new pride of ownership. Unfortunately what was first a dream has become a nightmare for those who are unable to pay their mortgage. These people are facing a perilous venture in an economy where fewer and fewer people are becoming able to afford the dream of home ownership. Thankfully there is hope in the form of Short Sales and how they can benefit those in needs.

Short selling a house is the best way for those in a foreclosure situation to avoid completely ruining their credit and to have hope in the future to someday rebuild and start anew. Essentially, a Short Sale of a home involves negotiating the pay-off of an individual's loan to where its price is lower than market value. This ensures that a buyer can be found quickly and the foreclosure avoided. Another beneficial aspect of a Short Sale is that there is essentially no cost to the seller. Commissions are paid from the bank by way of a reduced pay-off. Another part of a short sale home is the marketing of it to prospective buyers. Investors look at short sale homes as a great way to invest in property and basically buy the previous home owners equity for free. All and all the short sale of a home is extremely beneficial to that in need and allows hope for people that look to someday rebuild and move on.

Elizabeth Avenue Faces Growing Pains

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:08:10 -0600

In efforts to revitalize the 1 mile stretch of retail shops on Elizabeth Avenue, the city began construction back in December of 2007. The plan was to improve the area from the CPCC Campus east to the Presbyterian Hospital. The city's goal was to balance the needs of mass transit with the utility of retail business in the area. Additions such as new sidewalks, bicycle lanes, new trees, and even locating rail lines for a future inner-city rail line planned for the area. The project was initially supposed to be completed by this December has been extended to April of 2009. It is because of this extension that local retail shops have become distressed. Mass construction has hurt local business hard due to increased difficulty in accessibility to the local shops. Companies are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet with business plummeting up to 60% for some.

Business owners primarily blame the lack of communication between construction officials and owners in the area. As businesses struggle to stay afloat, they are finding new ways to cut down overhead and increase sales. Restaurants are cutting breakfast and lunch out to focus on dinner. Retail shops are carrying fewer inventories and diversifying their operations. What is truly detrimental to these businesses is that they are finding it very hard to have hope for a resolved end. Communication is getting better with the city but it is unknown if wading through the storm will result in a new area for Charlottians to congregate.

Queens College Receives Some Flare

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:52:52 -0500

The final installment to Queens College in Charlotte is a 22,000 pound sculpture adorning the front campus. Designed by the late James Rosati, the sculpture stands about 16 feet tall and is made entirely of steel. Named "The Triple Arc, I" the installment will shine on the campus for at least the next few years. On loan from Rosati's Estate, this expression of art is said to be a statement to the beautification of Charlotte and the addition of art pieces around the city. Another piece by the same artist which can be seen is the "Two Angled Forms" which rests outside the Charlotte Plaza building at fourth and college.

I'm happy to see that Charlotte is truly making an effort to add an artistic flare to its scene. The fact that they are concentrating on a college campus also adds that it will be an inspiration to the youth attending college who will be impressionable to the artistic form. There is also a sense of exclusivity that the Queens College campus was chosen for the site. I am sure that in the next few months this piece will become a somewhat local attraction. No doubt, I will be stopping by to see it myself.

A Local Place for Children with Disabilities

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:04:58 -0500

A 2000 Census stated that 1 in 5 Americans has a disability. This is a staggering number when considering the population of the United Sates. On a local level, volunteers have created a haven for those children who face their disabilities every day. Located in Nevin Community Park, Mecklenberg Division of Parks and Recreation has developed a play area that suits the needs of children with all types of disabilities. From contrasting colors to help those with visual impairments to quiet zones for children with autism. Designers based their fabrication on other disability friendly parks in America and with the help of hundreds of volunteers and were able to construct the playground in a matter of days. People came out from all over. From Wachovia CEO's to sororities, people showed up in numbers ready to work. The playground is now complete and will have its grand opening on Oct. 29^th.

In times of hardship and need, isn't it great to see true acts of kindness? It really does warm my heart to think that so many people showed up to help devote their time to a good cause. It is quite obvious that although many playgrounds do fit the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities act, they truly do not have the best facilities for all in need. Attributes like ramps instead of stairs and safe zones for children to be calm and collected. It is extraordinary to see the amount of thought and research going into this project. I would love to see more of these parks open up around the Charlotte area. Although this is a great location, I believe that it is necessary to overhaul more playgrounds to offer such great facilities to more charlotte residents.

Stocks rally, thanks to Bush?

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:38:06 -0500

A few weeks ago when the giant collapse of the US Economic structure occurred, people were forced to take a step back and reevaluate the way that we invest and the confidence we have in the system. But what most Americans don't know or realize is that the effect of the US Stock Market is felt worldwide. Comparative stock markets around the world became adversely affected by the massive withdrawal of funds necessary to keep stock prices in their current state. Markets in Japan, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom all felt the effects of the US Stock crash. It wasn't until Bush's planned infusion of money to relieve some of the debt that markets have shown a reversal of the misfortune.

With Bush's announcement of a proposed summit in the beginning of next year, world markets have begun to rebound from the shock of the fall. It seems like even though the Bush Administration has been criticized for its handling of the crisis that it seems to be working. The DOW Jones Industrial Average closed at 8905 last week. This is up 53 points from the previous day. Gains like this give hope to investors who are otherwise reluctant to put money back in the system.

On the flip side a phenomena has occurred which many did not foresee in the fallout from this occurrence. With stock markets dropping to all time lows, many investors are seeing an opportunity to buy into the market at prices which were unthinkable just a few weeks ago. Among other things, this has been a helping hand in assisting the aftershock from this crisis. I think that as long as the proposed summit goes through, the world will soon rebound from the shock of this fallout and retain its integrity in the world market.

Which Candidate is best for my Company?

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:22:20 -0500

With the election coming to fruition this November many of us, including myself, have still not decided which candidate would be best for both myself and for my business. With a slew of different marketing done by each prospective candidate, it is easy to become confused. I believe that what it comes down to is which Presidential Candidate is best for my company and my family. Unfortunately this is the way that most of the country looks at the upcoming election. The thought that each individual will vote on the candidate that is best for the country is a lost notion these days. But then again why should we worry about the rest of the country. The reason is that each one of us no matter what situation we are in will be affected in some way by whoever is elected as our president for the next four years.

What I need to know is that given my situation as a small business owner and a family man, what are the issues that are going to sway me from one candidate to the other. I find that the few issues that truly affect me are each candidates views on Taxes, Health Care, energy and Labor. To summarize the candidate views simply, Obama believes that any small business owner that makes over $200,000 will be taxed 39.6 Percent. This would bring it back to the same percentage on business owners that were in place during the Clinton era. Although small business in this bracket only make up close to 2% of all small business, the contributions that are made by this percentage are great. Contrary to Obama, McCain would permanently affix the tax cuts that were put in place during the Bush Administration.

In regards to health care, Obama would mandate that all business offer a discounted healthcare program to their employees. This would force all owners to fork out money to provide insurance even if they cannot afford it. McCain's solution suggests that health insurance would be up to the individual. By giving a tax credit to individuals, he believes that a great competition would be created for individuals seeking healthcare. Either way I believe that these two views show two different extreme remedies to help with the massive healthcare issue in America. Altogether I just don't understand how candidates can have such strong beliefs yet with no compromise. The true test of these candidates is when they will be elected, I hope that they will be able to stick to they're word.

A New Niche for the Charlotte Real Estate Market

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:50 -0500

I know that most of my blogs begin with how terrible the state of the economy is these days but I really can't avoid it. It seems like I cannot escape the looming debt of the nation or rising fuel prices. This is why I love to write about companies who are defying the mold. A person like Milton Silver of Silver Investments is one of those making a stand and continuing to work, business as usual. Teamed up with Jeffrey Epstein of Marjorie Capitol are completing construction on a slew of new Office/ warehouses in the Charlotte area, the first of which being located on Granite Street near I-77 on Westinghouse Blvd. Basically, Silver will be building 46,000-square feet located on a 8.38-acre site as multitenant. Six more single tenant buildings will come in the near future. Additionally, the two joint companies will be purchasing additional sites like a 20,000-square foot building in Concord on Ivey Cline Rd. As I have said before it is great to see this type of commerce exist in this day. Silver has responded to woes of a failing economy by developing more and more property in the Charlotte area. They are finding that if relationships are maintained with close banks such as BB&T, that there is credit when needed. It is with this leverage with they're bank that Silver and Epstein will continue to build well into the future. Surprisingly, while the home market slows the commercial rental market has picked up some speed. Compared to a 18.1% tenant vacancy in 2007, Vacancy has dropped to 16.7% this year. This means that their new $3.15 million project will soon have a list of new tenants soon

RE/MAX without the desk fees

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:38:36 -0500

Normally, I post blog entries more for keyword optimization and SEO but this one isn't for that at all. I'd really like some feedback. I've been offering positions on my team for about a month now with only moderate success. The thing is, I'm offering something that seems to be really cool for most anyone who is an average agent, closing one to two homes per month. Especially for RE/MAX agents who now pay $1,000 to $1,500. or more for desk fees, I'm offering RE/MAX branding for half of that, just $550 per month and the only thing I'm asking for is an additional 5% to cover team marketing. $550 a month with a 90% split and RE/MAX Branding, not a bad deal at all! I'm also offering a second plan with a 75% split and just $150 a month in fees, still not too bad but I always like to see what other people think.

Like I said, I've been test marketing the plan for a little while with only moderate results but I can't tell if it's because of the low level of exposure or maybe because other agent's interpretation of it is different from mine. Maybe people don't think it's true and there's a catch? Any feedback that you guys could give would be appreciated before I put it on a postcard and send it to basically everyone in the area :-)

Thanks,

geoff

Presbyterian Growth inspires new Growth on Elizabeth Ave

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:01:14 -0500

Presbyterian Growth inspires new Growth on Elizabeth Ave

In a failing market such as the one here in Charlotte, it is uplifting that companies such as Grubb Properties are making an effort to keep moving forward and develop this beautiful city. The $75 million dollar project is located a block from the Presbyterian and will hold a 78,000 - square foot medical office building. Additionally the building will house 20,000 square feet of boutique retail shops, 282 residences in Sterling Elizabeth Apartment Homes which will surround a full parking deck. Combined with another 750 parking spots this center is planned to be a huge asset to the area while revitalizing the area between Hawthorne Lane and Independence Blvd.

It is thanks to the growth of the Presbyterian Hospital that has given Grubb Properties the opportunity to build such a structure. Without the demand for Medical Office space it is doubtful that Grubb would have been able to complete the construction of this property. As of now there is a projected completion date of early 2010. Hopefully by that time the property will have attracted enough interest to fill its empty space and attract buyers to its doors. Perhaps the addition of a purposed movie theatre would help with this but until the completion date comes to term we will not know.

Innovative Thinking brings Hope to Charlotte Residents

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:58:16 -0500

With the dwindling economy, a presidential election, rising gas prices, and a shady real estate market, Charlotte residents have a lot to worry about these days. Thankfully, in these times of concern some charlotte developers are coming up with new ways to market property and create revenue in these times of change. Specifically, three companies have come up with new ideas which are not only current to this time of technology and green living, but that also appeal to an unsure market that still has the ability to buy new homes.

One of the companies that stands out from the rest is ASPTH LLC. A South End developer, ASPTH has come up with an unusual way to market the remaining 16 units in their Condo development called The Abbot South End. With help from Freedom Realty Exchange (www.fre.com) ASPTH has developed an online auction where bidders from all over the world can bid on homes at a fraction of their original asking prices. By doing this, ASPTH has opened the market of their potential buys from a local area to a global area.

Additionally another company that has drawn a line in the stand is a purposed "green" townhome development by the name of Rea Rd. Insite Residential has completed plans for a 10 Unit Condo Development on 1.8 Acres. It is planned that each condo will feature energy saving appliances, insulation, and low flow toilets, faucets, and showers, sustainable wood flooring, and formaldehyde-free cabinets, interior trim, and flooring. Additionally the units are designed to maximize lighting during the day. Irrigation will be composed of reclaimed rainwater for irrigation, as well as planting drought resistant plants.

It is amazing to see what people will do in times of crisis and need. I believe that it is even more amazing how creative sellers can be in order to stay afloat in these times of hardship. The few companies that I mentioned are only a couple of examples of the innovation that has arisen. It is also nice to see that with better sales as they're goal, developers are still searching for ways to create a smaller footprint from each of us that lives on this planet. Hopefully more developers will take the cue from them and keep finding new ways to lessen our green house emission and increase the sustainability of our homes and our lives.

Kids are feeling the pain of the struggling economy

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:48:03 -0500

With a dwindling economy looming over our heads, it is easy for us to become overwhelmed and p[anic at the thought of what is to be in the near future. We spend our days watching the DOW Jones shrink day after day. Many of us have lost our jobs or perhaps worry that their job may not be as concrete as they had once thought. Throughout all of our worries there is a group that we would normally not believe would be affected by this crisis, the children. While mommy and daddy struggle to make ends meet or find new employment, it is easy to forget that our children are just as affected by these changes as we are. While parents begin to cut out their daily visit to the coffee house or perhaps the new gym membership, children are finding that the occasional vacation to Disneyland or the beach are becoming few and far between. Karate and Dance lessons are being cut so why should we feel like we are the ones in crisis. It is important that we recognize the grief that our children are experiencing in this time of peril. More importantly, we must remember that as we feel pain and anxiety so do our children. The question is how to consol them and to create a stable atmosphere. Some parents believe that honesty is the best policy. These parents will inform the children of each situation that may be going through. If they're losing a house or if someone has lost a job the children will know. But do they really understand the ramifications and realty of these adult situations? Another approach is to lie and create a false realty for them. The problem with this is that if a situation does come up where changes are to be made the children may become confused. Essentially I believe that the best course of action is to explain to children your situation depending on they're age. While younger children may remain oblivious to financial situations, older ones may be able to comprehend the situation. What's even better is that by being honest but appropriate you are able to teach a life lesson about money and planning. This situation is the best by ensuring that our children do not make the same mistakes as we have in this time of financial crisis.

PREFORCLOSURE HOMES FOR SALE IN MATTHEWS NC

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:45:44 -0500

Phone: (704) 785-8784

rachel@thelambgroup.net

Fax: (704) 706-2522

...another STEAL from

The LAMB Group

Glenwood

Manor

$119,900

MUST SEE WEBSITE FOR PICTURE AND MORE.

ARV (neighborhood average)	$139,900
Approx Repairs (Do it yourself)	Paint & Carpet

Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
Square Feet	1680
Year Built	1990

A great deal in Glenwood Manor! This lovely home worth $129900 is selling for $119900. An awesome deal in a GREAT neighborhood with great ammenties. The spacious ranch, 3 bed ,2 bath home with a large living room with vaulted ceilings and a cozy fireplace is a great place to put your feet up. This house also has a open floor plan kitchen with a eat in breakfast area. Check it out today. Hot deals like this dont last long!

Warmest Regards,

Rachel Harris

Director of Client Relations

The LAMB Group with RE/MAX Gold

Office: (704) 785-8784

Fax: (704) 706-2522

Email: rachel@thelambgroup.net

URL: www.ShortSaleCarolina.com

Great deal In Charlotte NC

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:59:21 -0500

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

Phone: (704) 785-8784

rachel@thelambgroup.net

Fax: (704) 706-2522

...another STEAL from

The LAMB Group

Highland Creek

$174900

MUST SEE WEBSITE FOR PICUTURE AND MORE.

ARV (neighborhood average)	$190000
Approx Repairs (Do it yourself)	Paint touch ups

Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2,5
Square Feet	1700
Year Built	2004

Unbeleiveble deal in Highland Creek! This lovely home worth 190k is selling for $174900. A sweet deal in a GREAT neighborhood with awesome ammenties. The two story, 3 bed ,2.5 bath home with 2 story great room, large kitchen and great lay out. Check it out today. Hot deals like this dont last long!

Warmest Regards,

Rachel Harris

Director of Client Relations

The LAMB Group with RE/MAX Gold

Office: (704) 785-8784

Fax: (704) 706-2522

Email: rachel@thelambgroup.net

URL: www.ShortSaleCarolina.com

Short sale in Charlotte North Carolina

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:07:31 -0500

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

Phone: (704) 785-8784

rachel@thelambgroup.net

Fax: (704) 706-2522

...another Short Sale from

The LAMB Group

Great value!$89900

MUST SEE WEBSITE FOR PICUTURE AND MORE PRE-FORECLOSURES!

6203 Suntrace way

Charlotte NC 28269

ARV (neighborhood average)	$100000
Approx Repairs (Do it yourself)	Paint touch ups carpet cleaning or replacement

Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
Square Feet	1200
Year Built	1993

**PRE-FORECLOSURE!** Incredible all brick ranch in an established neighborhood. A little TLC and this home will be tennant ready. Hardwood floors, large updated kitchen with beautiful cabinets. Well below tax value, a great deal. Check it out today!

Warmest Regards,

Rachel Harris

Director of Client Relations

The LAMB Group with RE/MAX Gold

Office: (704) 785-8784

Fax: (704) 706-2522

Email: rachel@thelambgroup.net

URL: www.ShortSaleCarolina.com

Homes for sale in Charlotte NC

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:10:22 -0500

Where do you want to live? In Charlotte, NC real estate, you have a lot of options. Many neighborhoods cater to families with amenities and features that are perfect for kids and adults alike who are looking for something fun to do after work everyday. Other Charlotte Neighborhoods are walking distance to shopping, work, and entertainment. While others put you out in the middle of the woods with a lot of land and privacy. Wherever you want to live in Charlotte NC, there are homes for sale in Charlotte NC for you and we can find them. We're The LAMB Group and we won't stop until we find a Charlotte home for sale that's perfect for you.

Who needs leadstreet anyway?

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:02:33 -0500

I am sooo over leadstreet and i couldn't be happier. I have been working for years to keep my Charlotte NC Real Estate website at the top of rankings but then to have all my clients say that they hate the search feature and would rather use Allen Tate!! Arahhh! :-) I'vbe been fighting Ecare at RE/MAX ever since the change to the inferior IDX solution but they don't seem to care. I really think e-neighborhoods is paying them to use it (or something) because leadstreet sucks and it's so beneath RE/MAX to use such garbage as thier primary search tool. I just switched over to an independent solution from www.idxbroker.com. It's fully customizable and has lots of cool stuff that leadstreet was totally missing. Especially in the back office part where I can track my visitors every click and see what they did, even when they don't give me many details. Plus, it juts looks nicer and has more features, basically what you'd expect from today's technologies. You should check it out, it's really cool! Just go to my site for Charlotte NC Real Estate. Bye for now!

I got my first client from a blog!

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:14:28 -0500

I've been bloging for about a day and a half (maybe a little longer) and already have a client from a Blog thats for Charlotte NC Real Estate on another network. She wrote me in was in response to a post I'd made reagrding the increase of Short Sales in Charotte NC but unlike the posts here, her commment didn't come to me in an email so I didn't even see it until 6 days later! I guess I need to be more on-top of that from now on. Anyway, hought it was really cool so I geuss I'll have to keep wirting. BTW If you're looking for a huge inventory of Short Sales & Pre-foreclosures in Charlotte NC, check out my site! http://www.lambrealtors.com/pre_foreclosures.html Thanks!

Charlotte Real Estate Updates

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:40:43 -0500

I just updated my website, www.LambRealtors.com. Sure I do this pretty often but this time I redesigned the entire homepage with new content and pictures. I hope it doen't destroy my rankings but the old stuff was out of date and just boring to me, especially since I didn;t even wrote most of it! Anyway, for the best that Charlotte NC Real Estate has to offer, check out my website!

How to buy a Pre-foreclosure

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Sat, 17 May 2008 08:03:19 -0500

Buying a preforeclosure can be frustrating but rewarding if you have the paticence to wait. Pre-foreclosures are very diferent from traditional foreclosures so if you're asking yourself," What is a Pre-foreclosure? " then click that question to learn more. If you already have some experience with them as many people do these days, then you know they can be quite frustrating. I find that most buyers going into the process know that it will take a while to buy their pre-foreclosure but they don't really conceive exactly how long 4 to 6 weeks will FEEL when they are waiting on an answer. I can't count how many times I've told an agent that it will take 6 weeks and then 5 weeks later, they back out of the deal because it just took too long. What the heck? That was one of the reasons we started requiring the cover sheet on all of our Charlotte pre-foreclosure properties because I became convinced that Charlotte REALTORS weren't thoroughly explaining the process to the buyer, just hoping it would go faster. After all, tell most buyers they just have to wait around for 6 weeks and they say no. Buying a pre-foreclosure takes a long time. There's a lot that we do at The LAMB Group to speed up the process and we're proud to say that just two of our listings took longer than 6 weeks in 2008. And, we were able to sell a half dozen of them in less than a week. It really all depends on the bank but I've seen, in general, that the longer you have to wait, the better the deal a bank will give. It seems that the larger banks who are more departmentalized will take a lot longer but as a result of their size, the loss can be greater on the loan. Whereas with a smaller bank, they are readily available and quick to respond but can't afford as great a loss so they don't negotiate as much. Whatever the case, a lot of great pre-foreclosure deals can be had if you just have some time and paticence. As for making the offer, I'll post that blog next time. For now, I have to run. If you're interested in Charlotte Pre-foreclosures, no one has more than we do so check out our website by clicking the link below!

Pre-foreclosures in Charlotte NC

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:56:56 -0500

Pre-foreclosures are on the rise, as are the rest of those types of properties that exist as a result of unethical lending practices and new homes sales techniques. We listed 7 new pre-foreclosure short sales just last week and I hear it every single day from some new distressed homeowner. How they paid 10% too much for their home because the new home builder told them it'd be a great investment or their loan adjusted to 12% making monthly payments impossible. We do have a problem with Short Sales but it's not the agents who are helping these people out of a bad situation who are at fault, it's those people who got them there in the first place. Sure we can say that personal responsibility would help to prevent someone's home from becoming a pre-foreclosure but the truth is, many people just aren't that educated regarding these issues. They barely understand high school math, (not being mean, just a fact) so they have no hope with the residential loan application. But whomever may be to blame for the rise in Charlotte pre-forclosure listings , the fact remains that our economy stinks and a lot of damage was done over the past few years by the lending and new construction industries. The'll be a lot more short sales in Charlotte NC coming soon.

If you happen to be an investor who's looking for an undervalued property, or an agent with investor clients, we have possibly more pre-foreclosures (that you can actually buy) than anyone else. Since we list (on average) about one new pre-foreclosure home per day, we maintain a mailing list of investors and their agents who receive first notification of these homes, even before we place them in the MLS. Just visit www.PreForeclosureWorks.comfor a comprehensive list of our preforeclosure listings and also our sign-up sheet.

Charlotte Homes for Sale

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:24:42 -0500

Wow, I knew keeping up this Charlotte homes for sale blog would be hard to impossible and I was right. I think its been a long time since my last post about Charlotte NC real estate but I'm going to try harder. I may even have to pay someone to do it for me but I'm sick of bouncing around in the rankings. My site, www.lambrealtors.com was #6 at Yahoo for Charlotte NC Real Estate and overnight it dropped off the top 100. What the hell? I didn't really make any changes to the content of the site, just the flash header but now, they don't like me anymore. Still have all the same information about homes for sale in Charlotte NC, just not the same rank. We'll fix it but it has to start with more blogging, they all seem to like them a lot. Anyway, more to come!

So, if you're at Northlake Mall in Charlotte, NC but you're still working, does that still count as a day off?

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 15:40:49 -0600

Looking for Real Estate around NorthLake Mall in Charlotte NC? Click Here

Today is my step-daughter's birthday party at Northlake mall so I managed to not schedule any appointments on a Saturday. Pretty crazy for me since Real Estate in Charlotte NC has kept me busy working weekends for about the last year and a trip to Northlake Mall for any other reason was just out of the question. In fact, I think it's been open for like 2 years, I've driven past about 1000 times and this is my first time inside. Pretty sad but hey, i can't complain about being busy. Real Estate in Charlotte is still great, even though there seem to be a lot more homes for sale in Charlotte NC than there are buyers. But anyway, back to my question, If you're sitting in North lake Mall in Charlotte NC, around a bunch of people who are taking the day off, but you're still working on the laptop, does it count as a day off? If I could count it then it'd be my first of 2008. It almost feels like a day off, anyway. Whatever, tomorrow is Sunday and it'll be back to working with all of the homes for sale in Charlotte NC. By the way, if you didn't already click one of the other links, you can try this one :-) Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate

Park Creek for Nothing, and the pool for FREE :-)

Geoffrey Lamb (The LAMB Group w/ Keller Williams) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:48:58 -0600

I really can't believe this one hasn't sold yet. I have a listing in Park Creek with 1000 square feet more than the neighbors and the same price. There's like 4 listings at 550k, they all have three-thousand sqft and my guy has four. Plus, crazy-nice upgrades, features, built-ins, and a secluded lot with trees on two sides. This is a pre-foreclosure short sale and the price is about to go down again, we only have a few weeks, and with a 600k+ value (during summer) this is a sweet deal. I just need someone to find it before this falls apart and the bank takes it. In case you haven't noticed, I do a lot of short-sales, have 15 now and 3 to 4 more each week. The MLS# for this one is 742773 and you can get more info HERE. If you want to see more pre-foreclosure Charlotte Real Estate listings, check out my new but quickly growing short-sale page. It'll include a posting of each new pre-foreclosure several days before it hits the MLS. The address is http://www.lambrealtors.com/pre_foreclosures.html