Have you ever thought about investing in real estate?
Investing in real estate is a long-term investment opportunity. In this shifting real estate market, you may be able to purchase investment real estate that will secure your financial goals for the long term.  We have clients that are able to buy homes on a credit card! There are some great deals on the market today for building long term wealth. The ticket to this market is having good advice to help you make smart moves!

 I keep a current list of "Investor Best Buys" that I would like to share with you.

 Investing in real estate may not be the right fit for you today, but we won't know for sure until we sit down to discuss it.

We can help you flip homes (yes even in this market we are doing it), develop or grow a rental portfolio, or just buy a home to live in that will yield a nice return on investment down the road. Check us out at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

It's called "buyer's market" for a reason! This is the age of the buyer!

Who do you know right now that is renting? With so many opportunities for first-time home buyers, everyone who is renting should at least explore what opportunities may be available. Sellers are now helping buyers with down payments, buying down rates, concessions, and much more! Who do you know that might want to learn more?

The real estate market changes quickly, so don't let your friends miss out on this fantastic opportunity. Real estae in Kernersville is holding strong. First time homes in Kernersville below $150K are selling very well. The Triad real estate market as a whole is doing well. Just dont be the person who looks back in a few months frow now and says "man wish  I would have bought then!" Email or call me today with the names and contact information of people I may be able to help. You can find out more information at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

What is an opportunistic market?
When the real estate market shifts, it creates opportunities. There is money to be made in every real estate market. What are the opportunities for you or someone you may know? The Kernersville real estate market is strong! Who do you know that we can help?

1.      First-Time Home Buyers

2.      Move Up to a Larger Home

3.      Investors

4.      People in Trouble with Their Home

As your Kernersville economic and real estate expert, I look forward to helping you or someone you care about explore these opportunities. Please call me or pass along my name to a friend. You can check out our website at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

I work with a lot of foreclosure buyers and sellers in the Winston Salem, NC area. I must say foreclosures are a new breed these days. Once upon a time foreclosures were not a desirable property and had a stigma about them for the average buyer. These days EVERYONE wants to buy a foreclosures! Man things have changed.

The misunderstanding that I have seen in this new market is that buying a foreclosure means you are getting a great deal. NOT TRUE!!

Many times it is true that buying a distressed property can land you a good investment. However, in this buyers market there are a lot of GREAT deals that are not foreclosures.

The rub with a distressed property is that you are buying it "as-is" so there is no repair request done. Meanwhile, you can get a great deal on a home that is being re-sold and negotiate a great price AND get the seller to help you with repairs.

The moral of the story: Everthing that glitters is not gold. Keep an eye out for the deals out there, not just the foreclosures! If you would like to see some great deals check out our hot deals: www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

Just a friendly reminder that my team and I are available for any banks who may need an agent to conduct a BPO (broker price opinion) anywhere in the Winston Salem, Greensboro Advance, Lewisvlle, Clemmons, Kernersville, NC areas.

We have a team of 3 agents one is a full time administrator and team manager so you know you will get everything you need on time and in a hurry!

We are organized and ready to serve. Please contact us at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com and we will help any way we can!

It always seems that sellers want a "local" agent to list their home. While a agree with this statement, its the definition of local that seems to be a point of clarity. Just because some one lives in the very near geographical location to you home, does not mean they are the best agent to represent you.

Often sellers are better to hire a trained, professional, who is likey in high demand in more than just one small location.

For example, there are a lot of animal vets near my house, but I drive past them all to get to the best vet I have ever encountered from the best school out there. He cares for my pets in a manner that other vets will not. Again, being convenient is not always the same as being talented.

If more sellers were aware of the importance of hiring a trained, experienced, professional I think the housing market would mend a lot faster. Don't get me wrong you should not hire someone who is not knowledgeable about the area and the community. After all, location, location, location, always helps a property sell.

Moral of the story: Sellers should be more selective of the QUALITY of the agents they hire rather than the QUANITY of miles the live from the property. Always interview agents and hire the well trained, equiped agent, with whom you can get along well.

If you are thinking of selling, buying or investing in real estate in the Kernersville, Winston Salem, Mocksville, Advance, Lexington, or surrounding areas feel free to check us out at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

With this new market comes new terms and unique situations. The real estate market today is full of foreclosed and distressed properties. So here is a quick breakdown of what you might encounter in this market:

BPO: this stands for "Broker Price Opinion." Banks who have taken possession of a property and are ready to sell it call on real estate agents to help them determine the sales price.

REO: stands for "Real Estate Owned." This is a short term used to describe a bank owned property. The real estate has gone all the way through the foreclosure process and the bank is now the official owner...and they want to sell it.

Short Sales and Pre-Foreclosures: These terms are used interchangeably. They refer to a property that is still owned by an individual, but they are getting behind and want to sell before the bank has to foreclose. Sellers have to demonstrate and document a financial hardship and they can check with their lender to see if they will allow the property to sell for less than the amount owed. This is a win-win. The bank takes a hit of course, but it is less than the cost and time involved to foreclose. Meanwhile, the seller's credit is hit, but not AS hard as a foreclosure. This also demonstrates their sincere efforts to avoid foreclosure.

We at The Carolina Crew can help any buyers or sellers regardless of their situation. We are well versed in short sales, REOs, and preforming BPO's. Its our goal to reach the win-win so check us out at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

I just got back from previewing this great new neighborhood in Kernersville, NC! Brunswick is a $210-$300K. Tons of space for the money. This is not the typical cookie cutter home either! There homes are quality built, well designed, and aesthetically pleasing. This market is providing some great opportunities for move up buyers. This neighborhood is a great place for first time buyers to make a claim and set up for years to come.

The Brunswick neighborhood is built by Windsor Homes. They are a quality builder with great options, floor plans, and top notch service. The homes in Brunswick have great curb appeal and are sure to please all members of the household.

I highly recommend stopping by the Brunswick neighborhood in Kernersville and seeing what a great job Windsor Homes have done. If you would like me to schedule a showing or provide you with more information about the Brunswick Neighborhood, please feel free to contact me at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com.

Everyone is looking for a deal! In most people's mind that means buying a foreclosure. While foreclosures are certainly known for being a good opportunity for buying a deal. They are not always the best avenue.

In a market where the media is really preaching foreclosures we would certainly be branding with that idea. However, the market in my area is an 80-20 market.  80% of the homes are trying to sell and the other 20% are really IN the market. That 20% includes many foreclosure but also some GREAT re-sale properties that are priced very aggressively. This smaller portion of the market is a "seller's market" and those homes go fast!

So for sellers it is important to know that everyone wants a deal, so when you get ready to sell you better be in the best condition and the lowest price of all your competition. This will ensure you get sold instead of just "trying."

Buyers, don't get tunnel vision and be open to ALL the deals out there, not just foreclosures. Often foreclosed home will not qualify for FHA loans due to condition of the property. With a good re-sale you can get a turn-key home at a great price! It is important that you have a good agent advise you on any purchase to ensure that you are actually getting a deal today! Be weary of the "when the market turns" pitch! This market may be our new norm so make sure you have someone helping you plan for when you get ready to re-sale the home years down the road! For more information see us at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com

HARP Loans were released April, 2009 by Fannie Mae and this is a new refinance program. It stands for Home Affordable Refinance Program.

This new program good until June 2010, allows home owners to qualify for the now low mortgage interest rates.

Many home owners have lost value in their homes over the last few years and because the value has gone down they were not eligible to refinance Their LTV or Loan to Value does not allow them qualify for a conventional mortgage.

As with every home loan there are requirements. Some of the major points are:

1. Property can be 1 to 4 units for a primary residence.

2. Current mortgage loan must be owned Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac

3. Monthly Mortgage Payments must be up-to-date

4. Loan-to-value (LTV) can be no more than 105%


This may be a great option for you if you are planning on staying in your current home for several more years. This is not a good idea if you plan to sell the home in the next 2 years and you have refinanced for near 100% or more. This can help you cut the budget and help you live more comfortably if you plan to stay in the home. Feel Free to contact us at www.TheCarolinaCrew.com for more information.