Charlotte Home Buyers Archives - Page 2 of 129 - Houses for Sale in Charlotte NC

Why Do I Need a Real Estate Agent?

03/12/2019 by Debe Leave a Comment

Why Do I Need a Real Estate Agent?

87% Of Buyers Purchased Real Estate Through An Agent Or Broker In 2018

Why you need a Charlotte Real Estate Agent

Between the historic inventory shortage, intense competition and rapidly rising prices, navigating the Charlotte real estate market in 2018 was a real challenge for buyers. For that very reason, the vast majority of home buyers partnered with real estate professionals for their home search.

According to the 2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors, 87% percent of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. The main reason? Buyers wanted an agent to help them find the right home for them and their families (52%). I can’t tell you how many times I receive calls from buyers who ‘just found’ a listing that I had on the market (or another agent had on the market) that has been under Contract for over a week. Savvy buyers understand that full-time, high-producing real estate agents have their fingers on the pulse of the local market.

The Bottom Line

If you’re thinking about buying a home in Charlotte this spring, make sure you work with a qualified real estate professional. There’s a reason 9 out of 10 buyers partner with an agent or broker to find and purchase their dream home and I’d love to help you find yours.

Call or text (704) 491-3310 – let’s talk!

3 Reasons We are NOT Heading Towards Another Housing Crash

02/21/2019 by Debe Leave a Comment

3 Reasons Why We Are NOT Heading Toward Another Housing Crash

Almost DAILY I receive a call, text, email or Facebook or LinkedIn private message – “What is going on with the market? Are we headed towards another crash?” or “Is another recession in our near future?” or something akin to those questions. I can’t tell you how many people I have reminded NOT to listen to the ‘talking heads!’ Seriously, that’s all they are – they are speaking in general terms without any relevant data to back up their theories.

It’s very frustrating to an industry that is accustomed to combating the negatives, normally; we don’t need the help of the media or other ‘talking heads’ who truly have no clue just how local our industry really is.

With home prices softening a bit, I can understand, to some degree, that there may be a concern that we may be headed ‘toward the next housing crash.’ However, we are in a TOTALLY different market than we were during the bubble market we were in, twelve years ago.

Here are three key metrics that will explain why:

Home Prices
Mortgage Standards
Foreclosure Rates

HOME PRICES

A decade ago, home prices depreciated dramatically, losing about 29% of their value over a four-year period (2008-2012). Today, prices are not depreciating, rather the level of appreciation is simply decelerating.

Home values are no longer appreciating annually at a rate of 6-7%. However, they have still increased by more than 4% over the last year. Of the 100 experts reached for the latest Home Price Expectation Survey, 94 said home values would continue to appreciate through 2019. It will just occur at a slower & lower rate. This is great news for home buyers who are nearing being priced out of the market. In fact, many have been already and many more would be if the rate of appreciating continued at the fast pace it was over the past 3-4 years.

MORTGAGE STANDARDS

Many are concerned that lending institutions are again easing standards to a level that helped create the last housing bubble. However, there is absolutely NO proof that today’s standards are anywhere near as lenient as they were during the period leading up to the crash.

The Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center issues a quarterly index which,

“…measures the percentage of home purchase loans that are likely to default—that is, go unpaid for more than 90 days past their due date. A lower HCAI indicates that lenders are unwilling to tolerate defaults and are imposing tighter lending standards, making it harder to get a loan. A higher HCAI indicates that lenders are willing to tolerate defaults and are taking more risks, making it easier to get a loan.”

Last month, their January Housing Credit Availability Index revealed:

“Significant space remains to safely expand the credit box. If the current default risk was doubled across all channels, risk would still be well within the pre-crisis standard of 12.5 percent from 2001 to 2003 for the whole mortgage market.”

FORECLOSURE INVENTORY

Within the last decade, distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) made up 35% of all home sales. The Mortgage Bankers’ Association revealed just last week, that we currently have the lowest level of foreclosures in process since 1996 – less than 1%. That, to me, speaks the strongest to the point, we are nowhere near a recession.

Real estate statistics/data is hyper-local. Consult a local Realtor® for the local facts.

Bottom Line

After using these three key housing metrics to compare today’s market to that of the last decade, it becomes crystal clear that the two markets are simply nothing alike. We are likely in the midst of a much-needed market correction, taking real estate to a more neutral market than the sellers’ market we have been experiencing since 2013.

What Residents Like Best About Living in Charlotte

02/10/2019 by Debe Leave a Comment

What Residents Like Best About Living in Charlotte

I always enjoy listening to the 40-under-40 responses each year as the Charlotte Business Journal interviews the winners of this prestigious award. I’m always interested in where they attended college, what they have achieved, where they work, their job/title and my favorite question – “What do you like best about living in Charlotte?“

Here are some of the highlights that the 40-under-40 like best about living in the Charlotte region:

The welcoming and collaborative spirit of the Queen City
The restaurants – the culinary experience is out of this world!
The variety! One can walk on miles of greenway trails, shop at six different grocery stores, and order some of the best pizza available.
Proximity to the mountains and beaches
The number of parks and greenways
The availability of concerts and sporting events
Charlotte has that small-town feel and culture, but all the attractions and amenities of our country’s largest cities
The weather — we get the best of all four seasons!
The melting pot of people from all over the country…and the world
Reasonable cost of living
The warm and friendly people with their touch of Southern charm
Neighborhood walkability— to parks & area playgrounds, shops & restaurants
Variety of things we have locally — Whitewater Center, great restaurants, Carolina Panthers
It’s the perfect mesh of Southern charm and city living
Being a part of our growing city
The changing seasons
Charlotte has it all — from big-city life in uptown to rural farmland in the outskirts
Because Charlotte has it all, we seem to attract people from all over the country (and all over the world!), leading to an amazingly diverse population
The variety the area has to offer
Charlotte is the best all-around city—great opportunity, interesting work, easy commutes, access to arts and culture and an easy-to-navigate airport
The people and community
Not too cold; not too hot
Nice Uptown
Quiet suburbs
Small enough where you run into everyone you know at the grocery store, but then there is a very sophisticated business environment that allows for a high standard of living
Quality of life
Proximity to the coast and mountains
The cost of living relative to other large cities
Charlotte Douglas International Airport makes business travel easily accessible.
Charlotte is the perfect balance. Work pace vs. Southern charm; urban vs. green space; summer vs. winter
The sports venues
Music venues
Local breweries
Having lived in the Midwest, not owning a snow shovel is nice
Being an active member of the culinary landscape of Charlotte
This city does a great job welcoming newcomers
There are so many ways to get involved and have impact
You can live life at a fast or slow pace, depending upon the part of the city in which you reside
The community engagement opportunities.
Charlotte has so many benefits of big-city living, but without the pitfalls of mega-city living that sometimes make day-to-day life unnecessarily difficult and burdensome.
Charlotte feels like a cosmopolitan city in the sense that most people I’ve met have chosen Charlotte as a destination.
This region always feels like it’s on the cusp of something.
The wonderful people here—this city only has two degrees of separation.

Having lived here for decades, I can attest to hearing some version of each and every one of these statements from those who I have helped relocate to the area. As I keep up with my clients after they purchase, I’m always anxious to hear how they are enjoying their neighborhood and living in the area.

Each of these comments put a smile on my face because it’s exactly how I feel and exactly my hopes for my clients — that they will feel exactly like this after living here a short while. It warms my heart that they do!

If you’re thinking of relocating to the Charlotte Metro region, I’d be happy to share the hidden gems here in the city with you as well as the obvious, fabulous things to love about living here! Need to know where to find the best slice of pizza pie near your new neighborhood? Yes, I can tell you that too! Call or text me at (704) 491-3310 or email CharlotteBroker@icloud.com

BUYERS

Visit www.iCharlotteRealEstate.com for more information and to search for homes in the Charlotte Metro area. Your first step should be enlisting an experienced, local real estate broker. Selecting a great broker is not as easy as it may seem. You will want to enlist a seasoned real estate professional for your real estate needs. Again, I would love to share my knowledge of the area with you…and give you the grand tour as well!

Hiring the RIGHT Charlotte Realtor® is critical to your home buying success!

*References from any of our clients are available upon request. Or read our reviews www.CharlotteRealEstateAgentReviews.com.

Buying a Home in Charlotte in 2019? Here Comes the Inventory!

01/18/2019 by Debe Leave a Comment

Buying a Home in Charlotte in 2019? Here Comes the Inventory!

The #1 reason homeowners cited for not listing their home for sale in 2018, was that they felt they would be unable to find a home to purchase. After 3 years of declining inventory in the Charlotte region, we’re finally starting to see listings hit the market! So, let’s get together to chat about what this means for your home purchase or sale our market. Call or text (704) 491-3310. Thinking of selling? Let’s talk NOW!

Visit www.ListMyCharlotteHome.com for more information on listing your home and experiencing a successful sale with us!

BUYERS

Visit www.TheMaxwellHouseGroup.com for more information and to search for homes in the Charlotte Metro region. Your first step should be enlisting an experienced, local real estate broker. Selecting a great broker is not as easy as it may seem.

There are real estate agents and brokers who will sell you anything but, you want to enlist a seasoned real estate professional for your real estate needs. We would love to share our knowledge of the many communities in Charlotte and the surrounding areas with you…and give you the grand tour of our gorgeous city!

Hiring the RIGHT Charlotte Realtor® is critical to your home buying success!

SELLERS

Visit our seller tab above for more information on our marketing or visit 4HouseValues.com and complete the form to get an automated value; I will do the research and get back to you with an accurate valuation.

As with everything in life, preparation is key and I will equip you with what you’ll need to get you, as seamlessly as possible, through the home-selling process.

What’s my Charlotte home worth in 2019? Follow the link and complete the questionnaire – we’ll do the research and get back to you.

*References from any of our sellers are available upon request. Read our reviewswww.CharlotteRealEstateAgentReviews.com.

Hiring the RIGHT Realtor® is critical to your home selling success!

#ListMyCharlotteHome #CharlotteHomeBuyers #CharlotteHomeSellers

Thinking of Buying a Home in Charlotte This Winter?

12/29/2018 by Debe Leave a Comment

Thinking of Buying a Home in Charlotte This Winter?

The process of buying a home can be overwhelming but, you don’t need to go through the process alone – I’m here to help.

You may be wondering if now is a good time to buy a home…or if interest rates are projected to rise or fall. Our free eGuide below will answer many of your questions and likely bring up a few things you didn’t even know you should consider when buying a home.

Stories in this publication include:

There are many more articles with great information regarding home buying included in this publication. Thanks to Keeping Current Matters (KCM) for putting together these details.

You can also visit our buyers page on our main website for tons of valuable information. The more you know, the easier the process and we are all about educating our buyers so that the process is seamless (and stressless) for them!

If you have questions about local real estate, let’s talk! Real estate IS local – we know you’ve heard that before but, it’s a fact and we are equipped with thorough, detailed knowledge of the Charlotte Metro region. We’d love to share our knowledge with you and guide you through the home-buying process.

Call or text (704) 491-3310 or email SavvyBroker@me.com

Going with the Devil You Know – Is 2019 the Time to Sell Your Charlotte Home?

12/19/2018 by Debe Leave a Comment

It’s better to go with the devil you know, than the devil you don’t.

With 2020 being an election year, uncertainty will likely fill the minds of real estate investors (including individual home buyers). It typically does and then rebounds the second half of the following year. So, 2020 and 2021 may very well be weaker markets than 2019.

Home price growth slowed a bit in the second half this year, with fewer buyers entering the market. Analysts and those with their fingers on the pulse of the real estate market believe the cause is two-fold – 1. partially due to rising interest rates and 2. home prices have gone through the roof due to low inventory (you know, supply & demand), leaving some first-time buyers in their rentals until they can come up with more money down.

If you’re currently weighing your options to sell in the next 1-3 years, seriously consider selling this year – whatever you do, don’t play the waiting game.

Here are three great reasons to sell your home in 2019.

New buyers are still entering the market.

With the available inventory remaining low and even with minimally rising interest rates, buyers who are ready to buy a home will still be shopping for their dream home.

While days on the market (DOM) in Charlotte may be a few more than the average last year, buyers remain active and the chances are high that you will profit from your home sale.

NOTE: If your house is at a higher price point in our market, there is now (and always has been) less buyer interest than those in the under $500K price range.

According to NAR (National Association of Realtors®), in March of this year, data showed that millennials make up the largest share of homebuyers – 36%. In the Charlotte market, with our employment opportunities being so high and many catering to millennials, there is a constant influx of millennial first-time homebuyers in our market.

Interest rates are still quite low. Mortgage interest rates are rising. In November, interest rates crept up to 4.87%. While interest rates are at their highest since February of 2011, they remain significantly lower than the historic high of more than 18% in 1981. Many of us remember those rates – and yes, we still purchased homes.

The equity in your home. Homeowners who bought during the recession or shortly thereafter (2008 – 2012) benefitted from historically low interest rates and significantly lower home prices. If you purchased your home during the recovery years (2012-2014), your equity has also likely risen considerably.

BONUS – The more equity you have in your home, the more you’ll have to apply to the downpayment for your next home. The higher percentage of a downpayment you make on your purchase, the better your interest rates will be (of course, your credit standing impacts your interest rate as well).

Thinking of selling this year? Let’s talk! Let’s evaluate your needs and see if your situation calls for buying or selling now or in the future. Call or text (704) 491-3310 or email me at SavvyBroker@me.com.

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Why Do I Need a Real Estate Agent?

3 Reasons We are NOT Heading Towards Another Housing Crash

3 Reasons Why We Are NOT Heading Toward Another Housing Crash

Here are three key metrics that will explain why:

HOME PRICES

MORTGAGE STANDARDS

FORECLOSURE INVENTORY

Bottom Line

What Residents Like Best About Living in Charlotte

Buying a Home in Charlotte in 2019? Here Comes the Inventory!

Hiring the RIGHT Charlotte Realtor® is critical to your home buying success!

Hiring the RIGHT Realtor® is critical to your home selling success!

Thinking of Buying a Home in Charlotte This Winter?

Going with the Devil You Know – Is 2019 the Time to Sell Your Charlotte Home?

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