Don't believe the hype...the Charlotte NC market is doing just fine...

While waiting in line to take my mom to lunch on Mother's Day, I had a brief conversation with a lady who, upon hearing that I'm in real estate, immediately said "Wow, it must be hard for you right now."  She honestly perplexed me so I asked her what she meant.  She said that she's heard how bad the market is right now, so I must be struggling.  I told her "That's just not true."  The media goes to great lengths to make situations out to be much worse than they are.  I hardly watch the evening news anymore because of the ridiculous amount of sensationalism the local newscasters use to get folks to tune in.  This lady obviously bought into it as I'm sure most people do. 

 The fact is that just the week before, I sold two houses plus within an hour of her comment, it turned out that my waitress at lunch was my past client and she brought her supervisor over to meet me because...drum roll... she is ready to buy a house too.

 So the market is just fine.  Yes, it's a buyer's market here in Charlotte NC and Concord NC.  And yes, sellers have to prepare their homes more carefully and price them closer to what they're worth.  But our market is far from the disaster stories in places like Florida and California.  We in the Charlotte area have had a steady rate of appreciation as opposed to the steep inclines (and subsequently steep declines) that have affected other markets across the nation. 

To get top dollar for your home or to get the most home for your money, the best method is to work with a capable agent who knows the market, is an expert negotiator and is more concerned with hearing about YOUR goals and concerns than they are about telling you how great they are or on what lists they are ranked "Number 1". (Have you ever noticed how many agents called themselves "Number 1" at something?  It's quite comical.)

 So to everyone watching the news and reading the papers, please remember that real estate is a local business.  Markets change with areas.  For the best information on what values really are, find a good agent who studies the markets and can speak knowledgeably about them.  If you want information on Charlotte, Concord, Harrisburg, Huntersville or the surrounding markets, give me a call or email and I'll gladly fill you in on what's happening here.  As a resident since 1980 and a Realtor since 1996, I'm watching our local market carefully.