Fran Park  Want to talk? You can contact me by phone at 704-578-4778, or email me.
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Have you ever taken the time to Google your address? A recent message I received from www.trulia.com, a very popular home search website, provided several reasons why it would be a good idea to see what you can find out by searching your address. For example:
1. Megan’s Law. Find out who is living in your neighborhood. Search your address and “sex offender registry” to learn if there are any registered offenders in your vicinity. A good site to search if you live in North Carolina is http://sexoffender.nc.doj.gov. Other states have their sites as well. You get the idea.
2. Search crime reports in your area. You can find several sites when you Google. I like www.neighborhoodscout.com. It is a site that will provide a level of info for free, and then ask you to subscribe, but it’s not necessary.
3. Detect scammers. There have been cases where people have listed homes they did not own for sale or rent on the internet. They collect a deposit, and then aren’t heard from again. Google your address.
4. See what your neighbor’s home sold for. There are lots of sites to search for this info. I like www.trulia.com. You can search active listings, recent sold properties, and foreclosures. (A word of advice here: If you want a truly accurate, up to date market analysis, ask a Realtor® for help. These websites are helpful, but no two homes are exactly alike, and it takes a professional to do the analysis correctly.)
5. See your property records. You can look at your deed. (You received a copy of it when your sale was recorded at the courthouse, but you can’t find it now). You can determine if your property is in a flood plain. You can check your tax record, school district, fire district, and so much more. (By the way, these are public records. Anyone can see them.) If you live in Mecklenburg County, search “Mecklenburg POLARIS.” POLARIS is an acronym for Property Ownership And Land Records Information System. It’s pretty user friendly. You can search by your name. All counties have websites where you can search public records. Search for the county name and “GIS.”
6. Google Street View. This is a fun one. Two good sites are www.google.com/maps and www.trulia.com. Take a look at what potential homebuyers see when they come down your street. You will be surprised to see how many neighborhoods have been filmed at street level on trash day.
7. The best reason: Your buyers will be googling your address, your neighborhood, your town, and more. Know what they are going to know.
So, next time you’re bored with Facebook, do some search on your own property. You will find a wealth of information. Have fun!
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If you own a home, are looking for a home, or are thinking about selling a home in the Lake Norman area, here’s some current market information that may help you know what to expect in today’s market. This data is as current as June of this year, so it’s fresh information.
The table below compares four critical metrics to consider when thinking of buying or selling a home. The data has been gleaned from the Charlotte MLS system’s Statistical Analysis Module, a brand new tool I have with which I can search current market information all the way down to specific subdivisions.
For the purpose of this post I am speaking specifically of single family homes in MLS Area 13, that is, homes around Lake Norman. If you have a particular area, subarea, zip code, or neighborhood you would like to know more about, feel free to call me or email me and I will be glad to help.
So, what does the table below say? The fact that inventory is down is good news for sellers, because they have less competition. Also good news for sellers is months of Supply, down 25%. What’s the difference between those two metrics? Well, inventory is simply the number of homes for sale at any given time. Months of supply is a calculation of how long it will take to sell all of those homes if no changes occur in the market.
Buyers, you get a little good news as well. Given that one must understand that the homes around the lake are going to cost more, the average sale price has dropped a little, as has the average price for a square foot of this property.
What I take away from this data is that current sale prices, while down slightly vs prior year, are still ahead of two years ago. There are bargains to be had, but a lot less to choose from than the previous two years. One last thing; this table is measuring all price ranges around Lake Norman. If you want to know about homes in a specific range, I can help you look at that. Just let me know.
| Metric |
Jul ’08-Jun ‘09 |
% Change |
Jul ’09-Jun ‘10 |
% Change |
Jul’10-Jun ‘11 |
% Change |
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Inventory
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1725
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n/a
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1523
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-11.7%
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1308
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-14.2%
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Ave Sale Price
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$464,595
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n/a
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$478,857
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+3.1%
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$470,442
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-1.8%
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Months of Supply
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24.1
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n/a
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22.8
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-5.3%
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17.1
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-24.9%
|
|
Price Per Sq Ft
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$145
|
n/a
|
$139
|
-3.6%
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$138
|
-0.9%
|
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I heard a story the other day about a buyer all set to go to closing until she found out that there was radon present in the home. Because she was still in her due diligence period, she terminated the contract. It turns out that the test performed to determine Radon levels showed that the presence of the gas was below the EPA guideline of 4 picoCuries per liter of air. However, just the mere thought of its presence scared this woman out of a home purchase.
It would be good for us all to understand more about Radon gas. It is present everywhere, including North Carolina, even outside in the air we breathe. The levels outside are very low, and have been deemed by the EPA as unavoidable. However, if this buyer could find a way to cancel the agreement she has with her lungs to breathe oxygen, I’m sure she would. The EPA’s ideal situation is that the presence of this gas inside the home be no more than what’s measured outside.
If you are considering a home purchase, or are just wondering about the home you presently own, you can test for Radon gas in several ways, from quick home tests to long term tests done by professionals. If Radon is present in a home, it can be mitigated. A couple of points to remember; just because the home next door tests positive for Radon doesn’t mean yours will, and vice versa, homes on a slab are less likely than homes with a crawl space or basement to have Radon present, but it could still be there, and you can test for Radon anytime you want if it makes you feel safer.
The bottom line here is unless you go in the basement of the house you are considering and find the Radon specialist dead or dying on the floor, the presence of this gas should not deter you from your goal. If the level of Radon makes you uncomfortable, ask the sellers to have it remediated. If the levels are below 4 pCi/L, the seller might argue that they are in acceptable limits. But the cost of remediation shouldn’t be enough to kill the deal. Do some homework and understand the facts about Radon gas.
If you would like to know what the EPA says about Radon, check out their Home Buyers and Sellers Guide.
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Independence Day 2011 is fast approaching. For most Americans that means parades, cookouts, and fireworks. But it should also be a time of reflection on how fortunate we are to live in a country that with all its shortcomings is still the best place in the world to live. From the very beginning over 230 years ago, the freedoms we enjoy have been protected by the armed forces of this land.
My thanks to all the veterans out there that have served or are now serving to protect the freedoms that our US Constitution provides. We all owe them a debt of gratitude. For some brave veterans, the price they paid cannot be repayed. If you are a veteran, you should be proud of your service. If you know a veteran, be sure to thank him or her for what they have done.
Here’s my small attempt to repay veterans for their service to their country, and for protecting me and those I love. If you are a veteran and you are planning to buy or sell a house, and allow me to represent you, I will provide you a one year home warranty at no cost. That could be as much as a $500 savings. This offer is only for the month of July, and at least one of the parties in the transaction must be a veteran or active military person. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, call or email me and we can discuss your needs. And, thanks again for your service!
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I work with a lot of first-time home buyers, and they are always trying to keep the cost of buying down. There are a lot of costs associated with a home purchase; loan fees, attorney fees, title searches and insurance, appraisals, inspections, and surveys, to name some.
A lot of these costs cannot be escaped, but a few fall into the “highly recommended” category. Among those are home inspections, wood destroying insect inspections and surveys. Most buyers see the value in a home inspection, because they assume that if repairs are needed, the seller can be convinced to pay for them. When it comes to surveys, though, for some reason buyers struggle to see the value. What I hear a lot is, “I can always have one done after I’m in the house.”
Let me say that if you ask your closing attorney his or her opinion, I can guarantee that they will recommend having the property surveyed before going to settlement. A buyer will be paying for title insurance, which insures them against any problems issuing clear title to the property. An example of a surveying problem might be an encroachment by the seller, who may have built a fence or structure that was partly on an adjacent property. Buyers need to understand that their title insurance will not protect them on a survey issue revealed after closing.
I don’t have any horror stories that I can personally share about a past problem, because most clients have taken my advice. There are a few that feel comfortable closing without a survey. However, if you are considering a property that has a fence, outbuildings, is a large parcel of land, or has adjoining homes or structures that appear to be close to what you think is the lot line, I recommend ordering a survey. The $350-$400 spend may seem like a large out of pocket expense up front, but when you consider the cost of the home you are buying, it is a pretty small investment for peace of mind.
Remember this, too. You may not care if the property is surveyed, but when it comes time for you to sell, and your potential buyer is ordering a survey, you may wish you had spent the money to have it done when it would do the most good. Learn More about land surveys.
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I have just listed a beautiful two story home in a desirable Mooresville neighborhood. Situated at the end of a cul de sac, this house sits on a lot almost one acre in size, and the back yard is fenced. The home has a brand new roof and a totally remodeled kitchen. New cabinets, quartz counter tops, GE Profile stainless steel appliances, including the refrigerator, make this kitchen really special. The home has three bedrooms, a loft and two and a half baths, a large deck in back, and the interior has been freshly painted. This home is priced below tax value, at $200,000. This is not a short sale or foreclosure, folks. This an honest to goodness great buy on a house that you will love to own. The sellers are also offering a one year home warranty, so you can buy with confidence. Take a tour of this beauty!
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If you like to visit open houses, whether it’s to shop for a new home or just to steal decorating ideas, the weekend of June 4-5 is made just for you. Realtors across the country will be participating in the NAR’s Open House Weekend.
I will be featuring several listings that weekend, and invite you and your friends to visit them. Here’s a list of homes I will be holding open with their date and time. To learn more about these properties, click on the “My Listings” tab at the top of my home page.
Saturday, June 4, 1:00 to 4:00 PM
9110 Twin Trail Dr., Huntersville
17801 Sedona Way, Cornelius
111 Oak Village Parkway, Mooresville
Sunday, June 5, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
149 Pecan Hills, Mooresville
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Have you ever been out driving around on a Sunday afternoon and came upon a home for sale that caught your eye? You wanted to know the size, the price, the features, but the flyer box was empty? Well, if you have a smart phone, (and who doesn’t?) I have the perfect solution for you. Bookmark this address into your Blackberry, i Phone, or whatever smart phone you are using, and you will be able to search properties on the spot. The url is http://FranPark.mycbcarolinas.com. This will let you search all listings in the MLS from Charlotte to Columbia SC. That includes the Lake Norman real estate market as well.
This search tool will let you type in a street address, or just the street name, and it will pull up all active listings on that street. It will give you the pictures, and the details of the property. You can also search more broadly, and it will also let you search for open houses near you using your mobile device to pinpoint where you are. It will even let you save properties you find. This tool has a ton of features designed to help you search properties on your smart phone.
The next time you’re out and about, and see a home with a “For Sale” sign in the yard, take a minute to try the tool for yourself. It is the slickest way to search for a home on the spot. If you see something you like, and would like to get inside the home, call or email me and I will make it happen for you. If you haven’t gotten on the smart phone bandwagon yet, do not fret. I can still help you find the right home, too.
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My newest listing is a beautiful two story home with a builder-finished walkout basement, offered at $299,250. This 4400+ square foot home has five bedrooms, three and a half baths, and features GE Profile Stainless Steel appliances in the kitchen, including dishwaher, microwave, cooktop, and double ovens. The basement has a media room wired for surround sound, a full wet bar with its own dishwasher and refrigerator, and a great room for entertaining. Located just minutes from shopping and schools, this home is stellar! Tour this home and see what I mean.
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Looking for a nice ranch home in Huntersville? I have a listing in Cedarfield that you would love. It is almost 1500 square feet, has a huge, treed, fenced back yard that backs to open space. This three bedroom, two bath home has an oversized deck with a hot tub , and a patio area as well.
If you would like to see it, stop by on Saturday, May 21st, anytime between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. 9110 Twin Trail Drive is the address. If you need more directions, call me at 704-578-4778. I hope to see you there!
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Author’s Comments The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Coldwell Banker United, Realtors or the management/ownership of Coldwell Banker United, Realtors.
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