So you decided to buy a home in Cary, NC.  Fantastic!  You have a variety of choices including hundreds of beautiful neighborhoods and thousands of new homes currently being built.  Of course you want to buy your dream home, the one that fits your needs and appeals to you the most.  Before you pull the trigger on your new home, consider this piece of advice.  Lenda Goulding, Cary realtor and President of LG Real Estate, says when buying a home “Always Think Resale”. 

When it comes to thinking resale in Cary, let’s look at some of the demographics of Cary provided by the Cary Chamber of Commerce.  The average age of a Cary, NC resident is 33.7 and 72% of Cary’s population is made up of families.   The average family in Cary moves every 5 years.  So the odds are very good that the home you buy today will be for sale in the next 5-8 years.  “Always Think Resale”

So when thinking resale, try to purchase a home today that will appeal to the largest number of future buyers.  In Cary, the highest number of future buyers are going to be …… yes, that’s right ….. Families.  So, what does a family want when purchasing a home.  Here are three important criteria to consider:

1.  Location, Location, Location – Appealing and well kept neighborhoods, quiet and safe streets (cul-de-sacs), neighborhood amenities such as pool and tennis courts, and of course convenience to shopping.

2.  The home itself — In Cary go for a 4 or 5 bedroom  home with a bonus room and plenty of bathrooms.  The kitchen should be large with modern appliances, plenty of storage space, and a 2 or 3 car garage.  A large flat backyard is always an attractive feature for a family.

3.  Schools –Whether you have kids or not, you should look closely at the schools.  In Cary NC, you want to look at all three schools in your neighborhood - elementary, middle, and high school.  Also, where are the year round and magnet schools located for your area?   A great resource for reports and Wake County school information is: www.wcpss.net/.

 So now you found a great neighborhood in Cary with wonderful schools and a home that suits your needs today.  What else is important to keep in mind in Cary when you’re “Always Thinking Resale”?  Answer: New Home Competiton.  

In Cary there are literally thousands of new homes being built with all the latest and greatest amenities and home styles.  When you sell your home in Cary in the next 5 - 8 years, your main competition will be new homes.  The way you compete with new homes is to keep your home updated and in what Lenda Goulding (LG Real Estate) refers to as “Parade Pretty”. 

So look for a home with a functional floor plan that is well built and maintained.   If a home has “good bones” (Lenda again) it can be updated over time to compete with new homes.  The landscape is another often overlooked criteria.  Remember, new homes are not going to have well developed and mature landscapes.  So purchase a home with a good landscape blueprint and work to continually upgrade your landscape.  Here is where your home home can really shine and beat those new home beauties. 

In summary, when you buy your next Cary, NC home, review the factors outlined in this article and of course, “Always Think Resale”.   Please drop us a line with any ideas you have for enhancing resale potential when buying your Cary NC home.                                                            

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We’ve all heard it…before selling your house you need to declutter. 

And, here at LG Real Estate, we have a process where we preview each of our Cary, NC listings before they go on the market and suggest to the sellers what needs to be removed.  But, what then?  I thought I would take a moment and just list a few of our favorite donation organizations in Cary, NC.

Habitat for Humanity in Wake County

If you remodeled your kitchen, bathroom or any part of your home in the getting your home on the market process, you can check out www.habitatwake.org to see if you can utilize their limited pick up service or drop off old cabinets and any usuable leftover building materials.

Dress for Success

Have you been cleaning out your closets? A new location is opening in the Raleigh/Durham area at Northgate Mall by June 2nd.  This group has served more than 400,000 women by providing business appropriate clothing.  To find out more and learn about donation sites, see www.dressforsuccess.org/trianglenc

Teaming for Technology in Wake County

A division of United Way that has lots of information on how to donate computer equipment, help out a worthy nonprofit school or a family and even get a tax break.   http://www.unitedwaytriangle.org/t4t/donate.asp

Dorcus Thrift Shop in Cary, NC

Located at 1231 NE Maynard, the Docus Thrift Shop sells used items and helps local neighbors in immediate crisis.  If you go during their store hours, someone will write up a receipt for your donations and even help you unload your car.  Check out www.cca-cary.org for store hours and a detailed list of what they accept. 

Official Site for Wake County - Wake.gov

This is a neat resource for Cary area real estate.  You can use this link and then there is a search engine that will help you with options to dispose of about everything from old paint, to ink cartridges, to propane tanks, to plumbing options.  Take a look at  http://www.wakegov.com/recycling/trashtakers/default.htm   

Do you have any favorite donation places in Cary, NC?  If so, please share.

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Not everyone has experience with selling homes.  I, myself have only sold one home.  I’ve bought two and I think this is definitely the more pleasant of the two transactions.  I am not a licensed real estate agent.  I have been working as an assistant for almost a year, and I have learned so much about real estate transactions.  So, as an ‘outsider’, if you will, I can give you some tidbits about the process of selling a home.  It’s the basics and a very good place to start, if you aren’t a veteran seller.

Step 1  Before going on the market.  Once you know that you are going to sell you home, take a deep breath.  It is a time consuming project.  These steps are pretty well known:
• De-clutter, need I say more?
• Interview agents.
• Decide on a price. 
• Determine showing instructions. 

Step 2  You are on the market.  Yahoo!  That part is done.  Find a buyer!

Step 3  Under Contract.  Accepting an offer is an entire blog entry all on its own and I am not about to tackle that tricky one.  But let’s say you have already accepted one.  What now?  You’re done, right?  Nope!  Here’s what to expect:

• Closing date – Buyer usually picks a date that works for them, but this is negotiable.  Sometimes it is simply a date picked almost randomly.  It can be adjusted.
• Inspection - Buyers typically hire an inspector.  The inspector comes to the home and checks the house out.  They look for things like shingles that are missing, gas log fireplaces that aren’t working, water under the house, etc. 
• Repairs – From the inspection the buyers can create a repair request.  This is a formal list of things they want repaired before closing.  You can decide to fix all of them, some of them, none of them, or offer money in lieu of fixing them.  Of course, there are ramifications to each of these decisions and your agent should explain them all to you.  Once that is negotiated, you sign the repair request.  Now you MUST do what you agreed to do or the buyer can back out of the purchase. 
• Deed & Lien Waiver – Legal paperwork that the seller must sign for the sale of the home.  This is typically prepared by the closing attorney, but you can have your attorney draw them up if it would make you feel more comfortable.
• Attorney instructions – What?  I have to give the attorney instructions?  Aren’t they supposed to know what to do?  Well, yes, but where and how would you like your proceeds delivered?  Oh, maybe that is a good idea.  Pay off the mortgage and give the rest to me!
• Closing – You technically don’t have to go to this one.  You can sign all the paperwork ahead of time. 

Now take another deep breath and move on to your new home!

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When I recently googled the phrase: How to keep your home in top condition the results I got were very interesting.  Here are the top four entries:

1. 74 tips to keep your car in top condition
2. Keep your pool in top condition
3. Keep your minnows in top conition
4. How to keep your hair in good condition

Wow!  Most people think about keeping their car, their pool, or their hair in top condition but what about their home.   Well, I’m not planning on selling my Cary NC home anytime soon.  Of course, but consider this - Your home is in many cases your largest financial asset - worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.    It certainly makes perfect sense to protect, enhance, and maintain such a valuable real estate investment at all times. 

The best standard to use for keeping your home in top condition is to keep it in selling condition. We all know how much work, improvement, maintenance, and cleaning we do right before we sell our home.  The problem is we never get to enjoy all this effort once our home sells.  

So how does one go about bringing their property up to selling condition now - when they are not planning on listing their home.  Here’s a suggestion - Have your home inspected periodically as if you were going to sell it in the next 90 days.  Hire a licensed North Carolina home inspector to gain a better understanding of the condition of your property. 

Home inspectors typically evaluate structural components (floors,walls,roofs,chimneys, foundations), mechanical systems (plumbing, electrical, heating/air conditioning), installed appliances and other major components of your property.  Home inspection reports range in cost or should I say investment from $300-$500 depending on the size of your home.  Once completed, you should review the report with the inspector and make the repairs necessary to keep your home in top condition.   By taking a proactive approach, you can keep your home in selling condition and protect one of your largest and most valuable assets.

Additioanlly, upgrading your kitchen, bathrooms, and making other improvements are vitally important in today’s real estate market especially with so many Cary new home neighborhoods.  Please review some of our other article on CaryAreaBlog.com which address these topics. 

In summary, investing in the maintenance, enhancement, and upkeep of your Cary NC home is money well spent.  Please share with us any tips or ideas you have used to keep your home in top selling condition.

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In listing a home in Cary, NC, one of the key questions for us to ask new clients who want to sell their home, is…

• Did YOU add on that deck? or
• Was that beautiful 3rd floor space always finished? or
• Did YOUR condo always have an elevator?

As listing agents, we at LG REAL ESTATE spend a great deal of time educating our sellers on the importance of getting a permit for many “innocent” or “common” additions or modifications. The lack of a permit can break a sale! We are not allowed to market any unpermitted space in TMLS, our Multiple Listing Service. And, today’s savvy buyers want to make sure that all improvements are permitted. The need to go back and get prior work permitted is so common, that the Town of Cary has set up a rather painless process in their permitting department to handle it.

You can get the all the details online at www.townofcary.org.

Here are the everyday items that need a permit per the town’s website:

• Converting a residence to a business.
• Constructing a deck, screened porch, or sunroom.
• Installing an irrigation system.
• Installing a swimming pool.
• Adding a ceiling fan. - Can you believe this one????
• Finishing an attic or basement. - THIS IS THE BIGGIE FOR US!
• Replacing a furnace or air conditioner.
• Replacement of water heaters in the same location with the same fuel source.
• Installing gas logs, attic fans, skylights

As you can see, some items would be easy to get a permit for. But an attic expansion could require the Town of Cary to tear holes in the sheetrock of your attic if they cannot verify the wiring was put in to code. They also require stair railings. Many do-it-yourself projects leave the stair railing out. Also, the stairs have to be a certian height. For one LG Real Estate client, we are unable to list the square footage for a 3rd floor expansion at this time because the risers were not built to code. These NC Building rules are in place to protect each of us as consumers.

If you are unsure if your project requires a permit, call Cary Inspections & Permits Dept at 919-469-4043 between 8am and 5pm weekdays.

Have you experienced any permitting challenges? We’d love to hear about them.

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Staying with the theme that Lee Ann started last month, I wanted to discuss another energy efficient tip that is not always on our minds. 

LIGHT BULBS

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL):  Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs.  The CFLs use 50-80% less energy than incandescents and lasts up to 10 times longer too!  One website showed a savings of $47 per month in electricity costs! (In the average household, compared to incandescent bulbs.) 

Progress Energy, the electric supplier in Cary, NC and the surrounding areas has a page on their website that is dedicated to CFLs.  (They also have a number of other energy savings ideas, check it out…)  There is also the reduction in air and water pollution.  Saving electricity reduces CO2 emissions and sulfur oxide.  CFLs are versatile too.  You can use them in almost any household application.  They do cost a little more than incandescents ($2.98), but the savings is in the long run.

There are some limitations to consider too: 

• On/Off Cycling.  CFLs are sensitive to frequent turning on and off.  Your closets are probably not a good place for a CFL. 
• Dimmers.  Although there are CFLs for dimmers, be sure you have that one specifically.  A regular CFL may have a much shorter life span when used with a dimmer switch.
• Outdoors.  A CFL used outside should be protected form the elements.  Check the packaging before putting a CFL outside.
• Spotlight vs Area Lighting.  These are great for  area lighting, but not for targeted lighting.
• Mercury Content.  A CFL generally contains an average of 5 mg of mercury (one-fifth of that in the average watch battery and less than one-one hundreths of the mercury in an amalgam dental filling).  But mercury is a toxic metal.  Be sure to dispose of these properly and to take caution if you break one.

LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes):  Are there any other options?  Yep, LEDs. LEDs are small solid light bulbs that are extremely durable and energy efficient.  You have seen them places, but may not have noticed.  The next time you are sitting at a stop light, really look at the light.  Is it one large red circle or hundreds of tiny lights making up a circle?  Chances are it is the latter.  Why has the state or city decided to change the lights to LEDs?  They are long lasting and energy efficient.  LEDs last 10 times longer than CFLs and 133 times longer than incandescents.  LEDs also use very little energy.  Traffic lights with LEDs use at least 80% less electricity.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?  One website showed a savings of $55.47 per month in electricity costs (in the average household, compared to incandescent bulbs).  There are other benefits as well.  LEDs do not have a filament, so they can handle applications like flashlights and headlamps.  They also do not cause heat build up.  LEDs produce 3.4 btu’s/hour compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs. 

As with all things, there are some limitations to consider with LEDs too:

• Cost.  The cost of LEDs continue to decrease, while the types of LEDs available continue to increase.  An LED bulb designed to replace a 25 watt incandescent bulb may cost around $40.  (No, that is really $40!)  Obviously the cost savings is in the long run. 
• Light field.  LEDs give off focused light.  This makes them perfect for things like flashlights, reading lights, spot lights, etc.  New designs are addressing this so that 360 degrees of light can radiate, like an incandescent bulb. 

So, have I run out and bought CFLs or LEDs for my house?  Not  quite.  The cost for the LEDs is still holding me back and I don’t want to put in CFLs where there is constant on/off cycling.  I have put CFL bulbs in places that are not easily reached or almost always on, like the garage ceiling lights and the light above my sink in the kitchen. 

Energy efficient homes aren’t only good for the environment and your wallet, they are a good thing when you need to move.  People are becoming more and more conscious of that ‘extra’ cost when buying a home.  What will it cost to heat, cool, or light it?  Everyone wants to save money with the necessities.

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All Home Improvements Are Not Created Equal

You want your home to look as nice as possible while you live there or when you list your home for sale on the Cary real estate market.  But which projects will give you the most return-on-investment (ROI) for your remodeling dollars?  The list below provides information on the best remodeling paybacks.  The costs are averages in the Cary, NC area and may not reflect the size of your particular project or area of the country.    

If you are selling your home, choose a real estate agent who is very familiar with your Cary neighborhood and the homes for sale that are your competition.  An experienced agent can recommend which projects are critical and necessary for you to compete favorably in your neighborhood and current real estate market.

   Quick and Inexpensive Home Repairs  Listed below are some low-cost improvements that people tend to forget about.

Please share with us your most profitable or innovative home improvement idea.  

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Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of using objects, space and environment to create balance and harmony.  Feng Shui works with Chi, the energy that connects the universe. By manipulating Chi, you can improve 9 areas within your life and your home.

 Each of these areas or life situations also corresponds to a specific area of your home. The areas are charted in a particular order by use of a bagua. This is an eight sided figure, the center being the 9th area. By using the bagua and your main entry door into your home, you can determine the areas for each life situation.

To improve each of these areas, the use of specific colors, light, movement, and Chinese “cures” are the foundation of Feng Shui.   If you are planning on selling your home, the use of feng shui is an excellent starting point in preparing your home to sell.         

 An excellent source of Feng Shui information is the book, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Karen Rauch Carter.  Her website is http://www.fengshuipalace.com/ .

What are your thoughts on the use of Feng Shui to improve the feel and energy flow of your home?  

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With tax time quickly approaching, one of our Cary area real estate services is to educate our clients with any tax tips that might help you save money.

In some of our established Cary and Morrisville, NC area neighborhoods such as Preston, homes are becoming of age where a few of the household systems are needing replacement. For example, in the heart of the 101 degree August days we had here in the summer of 2007, my AC died. Upon further inspection, we were required to replace our main unit with a newer, more energy efficient model. After a few nights in the heat, it was money well spent. But our original unit was only 10 years old. Some household items are going to fail sooner than others.

Just before the end of the year when LG Real Estate was gathering articles for our newsletter, the Real Estate Market Update, I became aware of a tax credit that I can now use. Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in their primary home can receive a tax credit of up to $500 beginning in January 2006 through December 31, 2007.

For installing my particular type of efficent AC unit, it appears that I will get a credit of $300. However, i will still check with my accountant.

What is nice about a tax credit is that it reduces the tax dollar-for-dollar while a deduction only removes a % of the tax that is owed.

There is more detail on these energy-efficient upgrades on www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm.

Do you have any tax breaks that you can pass along to our Cary area real estate clients? If so, please respond.

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To Update or Not To Update, That Is The Question…

In our area (Cary, NC) and most areas, the kitchen is the heart of the home and what can make or break an offer.  So if your kitchen is looking a little outdated, but it is time to move on to another home, the question stands: to update or not to update (and what to update).

 Let’s look at a simple case in point.  We currently have a home for sale in a desirable neighborhood in Cary, NC.  This piece of property has a wonderful lot with mature trees, great deck and patio, manicured lawn, great curb appeal and a FABULOUS screened in porch (or 4 season room).

    Isn’t it beautiful? Almost like a showroom…

The floor plan is great and versatile enough for a retiring couple, family with small children or a house full of teenagers.  What’s the kicker?  The kitchen.  It is in need of some (not tons) updating.  The cabinets are in very good shape and the layout is good, but the solid surface counter tops give it a dated, tired, older look. 

Now, are these just my impressions?  No.  This home has had many, many showings (more than 30!), but the feedback is almost all the same.  Great sun room/screened in porch, great lot, etc., but the kitchen looks dated/the kitchen needs updating/client doesn’t want to take on hassle of updating the kitchen/client is looking for granite counter tops.  You get the gist.

It has been on the market a while and we have all this feedback, what to do?   Options: update the kitchen or lower the price.

My suggestion: replace the countertops.  Cost? Approximately $4,800.  I think it gives you the biggest bang for the buck.  Once the granite is installed, the whole kitchen looks like new, even the cabinets and floors feel warmer.  Will it make that much of a difference?  Take a look at another home where we replaced the countertops with granite and see what you think:

BEFORE                                                      AFTER

Doesn’t it look warmer, more inviting, more updated?  What do you think? 

To Update or Not To Update?

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