Real Estate Information Archive

http://www.wilmingtonvideotours.com/web/tour/show/video/branded/1148

New store with tons of shabby chic furniture and unique, personalized gifts! Perfect place for redecorating your home or simplyy a birthday gift for your bff!

Located off Market Street. In the shopping center where Smithfields and Big Lots is!

Homes items----How Long Should It Last?

100 years or more

Brick Siding: Lifetime of the home

All Wooden Floors: Lifetime of the home

Celluslose Insulation Materials: 100-plus years

50-100 years

State, copper, and clay and concrete roofs: 50+years

Copper Gutters: 50+years

Kitchen Cabinets: Up to 50 years

Modified acrylic kitchen sinks: 50 years

Vinyl Floors: 50 years

30-50 years

Thermostats: 35 years

Wooden Windows: 30 years

Wood Shake Roofs: 30 years

French Interior Doors: 30-50 years

10-20 years

Built-in Audio System: 20 years

Aluminum Windows: 15-20 years

Asphalt Shingle Roofs: 20 years

Faucets, kitchen sinks: 15 years

Gas Ranges: 15 years

Cultured Marble Countertops: 20 years

Dryers and refrigerators: 13 years

Air Conditioning Units: 10-15 years

Lighting Controls: 10+years

Interior and Exterior Paints: 15+years

Electric or gas water heaters: 10 years

Air Conditioners: 10-15 years

Furnaces: 15-20 years

5-10 years

Security Systems: 5-10 years

Heat and Smoke Detectors: 5-10 years

Dishwashers: 9 years

Microwave Ovens: 9 years

Carpet: 8-10 years

STAGING TO SELL

Proven Staging Updates under $100

EXTERIOR

~paint the front door and shutters ~ you would be surprised at how much a fresh coat of paint on the entry door and shutters will liven up the curb appeal.

~maintain your front yard ~  a poorly maintained yard gives the impression of a home in disrepair. Lawn and shrubs that are neatly groomed with fresh mulch and tidy edgings looks well groomed.

~add details ~ a new mailbox, stylish house numbers, a new light fixture and /or potted plants that flank the front door are great ways to add instant appeal.

~power wash your home and driveway~ a good power washing can leave the paint job looking fresh, and can remove the oil stains from the driveway.

INTERIOR

~install new hardware on kitchen cabinets ~gives the cabinets a wonderful facelift. Brushed nickel is the most popular metal tone.

~install new light switch and outlet covers ~ looks fresh and gives the impression that every detail has been taken care of.

~wash windows ~  clear windows without the screens look best.

~paint the walls ~ You can dramatically change the look and feel of a room with a fresh neutral color.

~replace the molding ~ an older room can easily be updated with some new molding…usually painted a crisp white.

~install under cabinet lighting ~ a dramatic change in kitchens

~replace bathroom sink faucets ~ gives a clean updated feel

to the vanity area.

~replace bathroom light fixture ~ updated lighting gives the impression that the bathroom has had some updates.

What Are The Top 10 Signs That You Need A New Realtor

Ever get the feeling that the Realtor you hired is not working out for you? Whether you're a Buyer or a Seller and are using a Realtor, here are the Top 10 Signs That You Need A New Realtor...

1. Your Realtor took your listing 2 weeks ago and it's not on MLS yet...Time to get a new Realtor.

2. Your Realtor can only show your home in the evenings after she/he comes home from full-time job...Time to get a new Realtor.

3. Your Realtor enters your photos on MLS ~ Upside Down...Time to get a new Realtor.

4. The only time you heard from your Realtor was when your listing agreement was going to expire...Time to get a new Realtor.

5. Your Realtor uses blank business cards and pencils in her/his name and number...Time to get a new Realtor.

6. Your Realtor never answers you calls and always has an excuse...Time to get a new Realtor.

7. Your Realtor is always late for appointments...Time to get a new Realtor.

8. Your Realtor's voice mail is always full so you can't leave a message...Time to get a new Realtor.

9. Your Realtor lists the wrong directions to your property on MLS...Time to get a new Realtor.

10. Your Realtor gets an offer for your house after one year on the market and tells you to wait for a higher offer...Time to get a new Realtor!

Okay, so now you're looking for a new Realtor and It's time to get a new one...Call me Jennifer Farmer to get results! 910-297-9811

Hi Everyone,

I have a friend whom has a three month old daughter, Hannah Dombrowski. She is a very sick little lady in need of a heart transplant at Duke University. Hannah's father is a Police officer for New Hanover County and has been for some time. The family is struggling both emotionally and financially. If you can do anything to help please do. Here is the link to her page. You may donate through it. Thanks so much, any little thing will help the family as it is costly to stay away from home.

 http://www.everribbon.com/ribbon/view/5433

Have a great evening,
Dee

Economic activity appears to be picking up across North Carolina, with fewer people filing first-time claims for state jobless benefits and forecasters predicting a bounce in new housing starts by 2013.

The bright spot is the declining number of initial jobless claims – now at a four-week average of about 13,000. That’s approaching the pre-recession figure, Boardman says.

If many new jobs aren’t being created, at least the number of people losing work has slowed.

The state’s housing markets are still jammed by a large volume of foreclosures, but as that problem resolves, new construction will pick up, Boardman says, adding: “... recent forecasts expect new housing starts to increase by 2013. They reached a low of 33,296 in 2010, compared to the high of 95,408 in 2006.”

Through January, the first seven months of the 2011 fiscal year, state tax collections were $195 ahead of a $10.5 billion budget target, according to the report.

For more info please follow the link below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2012/02/27/data-suggest-nc-economy-is-slowly.html

In an effort to keep you informed I wanted to let you know of a recent FHA announcement.  Beginning April 1^st FHA will increase its annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP) by 0.10 and upfront premiums (UFMIP) will also increase by 0.75 percent.   A $100,000 loan amount will increase the monthly payment by $11.73 and the upfront increase will be $750.00. 

1. Add curb appeal: "Make sure the house is cleared of winter clutter, that windows are washed, that the front door is painted or clean,” says Brad Knapp, regional vice president for the National Association of REALTORS® for Ohio and Michigan. “You have to give the house good curb appeal.”  
2. Declutter: Remove clutter from the home so that buyers can actually see what all the home has to offer. Any excess belongings of the sellers should be stored in the garage or in a storage unit. 
3. Be careful not to offend: "Hunters and fisherman often have game hanging on the walls," Knapp notes. "Some people are offended, so get that off the walls and into the garage."
4. Consider staging: "It might behoove [sellers] to hire a professional stager to help them," says Robert Simon, a professor at Cleveland State University. "You have to get it right so it looks lived in, but definitely not cluttered."
5. Complete routine maintenance: Make sure your sellers complete any routine maintenance projects before the home is listed. Also, sellers need to realize that "people don't care if you spent $15,000 fixing the roof. It's worth nothing," Simon says. "The market expects the roof to be in tip-top shape. You have to go above and beyond."

The housing supply is expected to normalize in two to four years, Barclays Capital projects, assuming that household formation rates increase to 1.1 million and construction remains slightly above 2011 levels.

Household formation--which is a reflection of population growth and housing affordability--has drastically dropped since 2007, reaching about 300,000 to 500,000 per year. Historically, the rate is about 1.25 million.  

home prices will likely see a 1 percent appreciation this year (that’s after falling 3 to 4 percent through March), Barclays Capital estimates. It is also projecting a 1 percent price appreciation in 2013, followed by 2 percent to 3 percent appreciation levels. 

But to reach those goals, the housing supply needs to continue to shrink first. 

For more info please follow the link below:

http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2012/03/05/when-will-housing-supply-normalize