nc: Raleigh,NC Real Estate: Affordable housing takes a lick in The News and Observer's attack on REALTORS®
- 07/12/07 04:06 PM
In the ongoing effort to reduce advertisement revenue, to offend REALTORS® everywhere, and to support increased difficulty in home purchasing, the Raleigh News and Observer also took a few swipes at all of us in an editorial that commingled REALTORS®, commissions, legislative corruption, and generally got me worked up a little. Check it out for yourself. Quite a few nasty and tangential digs in there, aren't there? Associates at KELLER WILLIAMS® Realty Market Center #377 in Cary, NC were asked to chime in to the N&O with our dissent. Well, you can usually count me in on the old, "Chime In With Dissent." Here's my offering, just submitted: "The N … (9 comments)
nc: Cary, NC Real Estate. Again: Fast growing and affordable! And Warm! But, "Carry, NC?"
- 07/12/07 12:51 AM
REALTOR Magazine Online yesterday mentioned a Christian Science Monitor story about population growth in "Affordable, Warm Cities." They reported the great population growth in many affordable suburban towns near larger Southern cities, similar to the BusinessWeek.com experience I enjoyed. We are right next door to Raleigh, North Carolina, so I think that suburban description fits. So they misspelled Cary as "Carry." More commonly we get "Carey." Whatever. We'll take it. Great to have escaped the brunt of the "housing slump." Glenkirk built out fast. As did Bishop's Gate and Weathersby.
And there are many others. I anticipate that Cole's Creek by Drees Homes will do quite well, and Governor's … (8 comments)
Cole's Creek offers large square footage with home prices starting at about $500,000 and driven higher by choice of options and elevations. High vaulted great rooms, hardwoods, screen porches, stone and brick exterior accents, gas heat, and culdesac layout without heavily traveled through streets are among the desireable amenities. Click to view available Active Listings in Cole's Creek.
Wake County Public Schools will be available to Cole's Creek Kids. Click for more on Wake County Public … (2 comments)
Homestead was developed in the 1970's and is home to custom built homes on lots that average over an acre in size, with some as large as 4 acres. Home styles vary from contemporary, ranch, cape cod, to traditional 5-4-and-a-door colonials. Home prices vary widely, although historically the neighborhood does not have a great many sales in a year. Homes tend to range from $400,000 and up when they do go on the market. … (6 comments)
I did a little Real Estate Show on Lake Crabtree County Park, Wake County, NC. Also, you can visit the 44 photo slideshow on Flickr. Lake Crabtree is on Aviation Parkway, next to Interstate 40, Exit 285, and offers great accessibility for local residents who want a quick picnic in quiet woods near water. In the upper end of Lake Crabtree there are usually a couple of Great Blue Herons looking for fish. … (0 comments)
nc: Cary NC Real Estate: Crape Myrtles, Gorgeous and bountiful blooms!
- 07/10/07 03:58 PM
It's Crape Myrtle time in Wake County, NC. Behold! The Crape Myrtles are in full bloom. Crape Mrytle, lagerstroemia indica, is one of the most common, most loved and colorful shrubs or trees in the southern landscape. Their ability to survive in urban landscapes, profusion of colorful blossoms over a long growing season, multitude of varieties and colors, and interesting growth habit and bark appearance combine to make them applicable in almost any setting.
Believe it or not, such flamboyant beauty can be overused, and we often take these beautiful trees for granted. We can even overlook the displays of blossoms after a day … (10 comments)
nc: Cary, NC Real Estate, MacGregor West, Premium custom Homes
- 07/05/07 01:50 PM
A few years after MacGregor Downs was a mature community, the adjoining community, MacGregor West was developed. Again the focus was on custom upscale homes to appeal to professionals who needed a great location with convenient access to Cary and Raleigh, North Carolina.
MacGregor West was an immediate success and has continued to be very popular. Homes are attractive, on reasonable lots in view of current new construction standards, and highly landscaped. As in any upscale community, you can expect to invest $500,000 to "whatever" in a MacGregor West home. Click here to view available Active Listings in MacGregor West. … (7 comments)
nc: Raleigh, NC, Lake Wheeler is a recreational paradise!
- 07/05/07 10:49 AM
Lake Wheeler is a part of the Raleigh, North Carolina Parks System. The 650 acre lake is the focal point of the 800 acre park. Fishing, Boating, water skiing, Picnicking, birding and other nature studies, and general loafing are among the worthy pursuits the lake and park support. The park is open to all, and residents from all parts of Wake County, NC use the facilities. The lake was named after Raleigh Mayor, Fred Wheeler, and was flooded in the 1950's. Maximum charted depth is about twenty-five feet. See the Lake Wheeler slideshow on Flickr. Picnic facilities abound along the access road to the lake. And … (2 comments)
nc: Cary, NC Real Estate: MacGregor Downs, Classic country club community, "near everything."
- 07/05/07 05:54 AM
MacGregor Downs was developed in the 1960's around the MacGregor Downs Country Club. MacGregor Downs is located in south central Cary, NC, and accessed from Kildaire Farms Road or from Tryon Road. Central to life in MacGregor Downs are the Golf Course and the community lake, along with a fabulous location that offers access to all the best of Cary, and easy access to Raleigh, North Carolina. Click here to view available Active Listings in MacGregor Downs.
Homes in MacGregor Downs were custom built. Some of the 40+ year old properties are being razed for new construction, a testimony … (2 comments)
nc: Durham Real Estate, Grandale, New neighborhood, fine home values, excellent access!
- 07/05/07 03:06 AM
Grandale is a new community being built by national tract-builder Centex Homes on the south side of Durham, NC. The neighborhood is located off Grandale Road. Grandale entrance sign Homes in Grandale range from 2700 to 3500 square feet, with prices from $360,000 to $450,000. Typical amenities include 4 or 5 bedrooms, and 2.5 to 3.5 baths. Stone, brick and fiber cement siding, along with metal roof accents combine to present imposing facades. 2 car garages, natural gas heat, and gas log fireplaces are the rule. Grandale has a Home Owners Association. Currently, HOA dues are approximately $372.00 annually and are used to maintain common areas … (2 comments)
nc: Cary NC Real Estate, Trees, Trees, and more Trees in our neighborhoods!
- 07/05/07 01:20 AM
People decry the removal of trees from parcels of land that are being developed for new homes. Too often, they are all too accurate. The pressure in the Wake County, North Carolina to develop all land within a reasonable distance from Cary or Raleigh or the Research Triangle Park has pressed builders and developers to offer smaller and smaller lots. But Buyers are demanding larger homes. Those 6,000 square foot homes on 1/5 acre lots leave precious little room for most species of desirable large shade trees. I fear that we will never see homeowners planting and nurturing willow oaks to their full … (4 comments)
nc: July 4th, and a Real Estate gang gets together....Keller Williams Cary
- 07/04/07 04:18 PM
What else are you going to do when you can see the fireworks from the office? Why not pitch a tent, break out a grille, and get together to chat, celebrate the 4th of July, and watch the fireworks show? We did, at KW Market Center #377 in Cary, NC, complete with the KW spirit of sharing. (In other words, I ate...I mean 'shared'... a BUNCH of Jim ODonnell's too-good-to-be-true homemade brownies. I'm sure he has a secret recipe, protected and locked away.) I'm an "Eat dessert first" sort of guy, so my first photo was the pies, cakes and cookies that folks brought. … (2 comments)
nc: July 4th, and a couple of stories I'll never forget.
- 07/03/07 03:15 PM
1. We were still living in Pennsylvania and I always had the week of July 4th for vacation. That year, about 20 years ago, we decided to drive to Atlanta and visit my sister. We were coming home, and stopped in a motel for the night. On July 4th, we were in a restaurant for breakfast and reading the July 4th issue of the newspaper. The front page featured story was the uplifting story of a woman and her daughter and the hardships they had overcome while emigrating from Korea to the United States of America. I can't remember the details, but … (3 comments)
nc: Cary, NC Real Estate, Extra Mile? Sure. And don't let your service effort come up a little short.
- 07/03/07 02:36 PM
Have you ever experienced customer service that fell a little short of your expectations? You know, when your supplier, store, or vendor just didn't really finish the job? Feels terrible, doesn't it? Know what feels worse, I think? That would be being the vendor who fumbles the ball; who doesn't follow through and finish the job. Sometimes life gives us insights into how it feels to be the customer. These little vignettes can be very instructional to those of us who make a living in sales endeavors. This story happened last year. But, as the customer, I haven't forgotten. I bought a Dell printer. It arrived quickly, … (2 comments)
nc: Wake County Foreclosure homes: "Buyer must be Preapproved by Seller" What's up with that?
- 07/03/07 01:52 PM
I have seen more of these lately in the Wake County, NC market. "Bank owned property Sold As IS. Countrywide addendums and Countrywide pre-approval needed to accompany offer." Particularly from Countrywide and Wells Fargo. The Seller requires a prospective buyer to get a preapproval from the Seller before accepting an offer. I know that foreclosures are a dreary business. I know that people try to buy properties they are not qualified to buy, and that loan officers will hand out pre-approvals they know they can't fund like penny candy, to score points and possibly get future business. But, isn't it intrusive and onerous for a … (41 comments)
nc: Scratch that Itch! Poison Ivy in Cary, NC. More than you wanted to know!
- 07/03/07 01:30 PM
I was over at Fred G. Bond Park, Cary, North Carolina, tonight checking out the evening view and came across a bumper crop of poison ivy. Oh, how much easier life has become since I learned to identify poison ivy before I stomp through a knee high patch. We have wonderful conditions for the culture of poison in Wake County. I just had to snap a few photos, in absolute altruistic service to humanity. Of course, the stuff morphs into several different formations, vines, bushes, sprawling plants. So it doesn't all look like the photos. We try... This year I killed, I hope, a monster … (4 comments)
nc: Wake County, NC, Ponds and Lakes, the evolving post...
- 06/25/07 03:17 PM
Wake County, NC is blessed with an expansive clay soil that is suitable for holding water in ponds and lakes. So, Wake County is also blessed with a plentitude of private and public ponds and lakes. Some have waterfront homes, while others are reserved from development to preserve water quality. Who can resist a good water view? Here are a few of the hundreds of private and public lakes and ponds in Wake County. I will have more and will update from time to time with additional photos. Roll your cursor over the photos for the name and location of the lake...
… (6 comments)
nc: Raleigh, NC Real Estate: Heritage Point, Custom-built homes, easy access to all that Wake County offers!
- 06/25/07 02:24 PM
Heritage Point is a subdivision of fine custom-built homes in North Raleigh, off Creedmoor Road, near the intersection with I-540. Most homes were built in the late 1970's to mid-1980's with a few homes dating from the 1990's. Besides the custom features of the homes, a hallmark of the subdivision is the lots. Most lots are one acre, or more, with some lots over two acres in size. Click here to view available Active Listings in Heritage Point.
Heritage Point is within minutes of groceries, and other shopping needs, with multiple venues from which to chose. The proximity to I-540 offers … (0 comments)
Valley Stream homes' exteriors are vinyl siding, with brick or stone accents. Homes are both single level and two story.
Recent sales in Valley Stream have ranged from $135,000 to $204,000, with square footages from 1200 to 2400. Valley Stream has a Homeowners' Association. HOA dues are approximately $250/year and cover common area … (1 comments)
nc: Rottweiler attacks KW agent yesterday! How scary is that?
- 06/15/07 03:25 PM
I received this email during my second cup of coffee today. A co-worker had a very frightening experience, was attacked by a Rottweiler and was injured yesterday. I haven't had anything like this happen, but it certainly got my attention. I pulled the agent's name from the email, as she has enough on her mind: "Hello Team Cary - One of our fellow KW Cary agents, ******** was attacked by a dog yesterday while showing property. She is at home recovering. She will be ok. ****** was showing property and had ventured into the backyard of the home with her 2 clients when she noticed … (15 comments)
In the ongoing effort to reduce advertisement revenue, to offend REALTORS® everywhere, and to support increased difficulty in home purchasing, the Raleigh News and Observer also took a few swipes at all of us in an editorial that commingled REALTORS®, commissions, legislative corruption, and generally got me worked up a little.
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