charlotte homeowner tips Archives - Houses for Sale in Charlotte NC

It’s National Homeownership Month – Here are 10 Reasons to Celebrate

06/01/2021 by Debe Leave a Comment

It’s National Homeownership Month – Here are 10 Really Good Reasons to Celebrate

National Homeownership Month began as a week-long celebration of homeownership in 1995. In 2002, President George W. Bush proclaimed June as National Homeownership Month saying,

“Homeownership is an important part of the American Dream…A home provides shelter and a safe place where families can prosper and children can thrive. For many Americans, their home is an important financial investment, and it can be a source of great personal pride and an important part of community stability.”

During an interview back in the 1980’s, I was motivated by Warren Buffet’s words, “Never pay another man’s mortgage.” I was so inspired by his words, I bought my first house and never looked back. In fact, when I started doing online marketing, one of my first domain names I chose was LoseYourCharlotteLandlord.com – homeownership is so very important to our futures.

Our homes are so much more than just the houses we live in. In 2020, our homes also become our workplaces, space for homeschooling our children and safe havens in which we’ve weathered the toughest moments during a global pandemic. The census bureau revealed this year (2021), that 65.6% of Americans now call their homes their own, a rate that has risen to its highest point in 8 years.

As National Homeownership Month kicks off this month, homeowners have every reason to celebrate. A survey by Gallup just ranked real estate as the best investment you can make for the eighth year in a row, yet another of Warren Buffet’s bits of wisdom I heard in the interview I heard back in the 80’s. Americans also voted real estate as the preferred long-term investment in unprecedented numbers.

Unlike other investment options, the benefits of owning a home aren’t purely financial. Here are the top ways Americans are winning by owning a home.

Non-Financial Benefits:

1. Be a Better Citizen: Select a home in a neighborhood where others share your values. Owning a home is essentially owning a part of your neighborhood. Homeowners have a stronger connection to their neighborhoods and are more committed to doing volunteer work and are more involved.

2. Pride of Ownership: Owning a home is having a space that is uniquely yours. You can customize it to your personal liking and make it reflect your personality and values.

3. A Safe Space: Owning a home gives you a sense of security and privacy – two things that have become even more valuable as we’ve tackled the challenges of the recent health crisis.

4. A larger living space: Face it, we’ve been cooped up for over a year now – spread your wings!

5. Provide your children a different education: Are your children stronger in a particular subject or have a talent that you would like to see them build upon? Own a home in the school zone that is perfect for YOUR child.

Financial Benefits:

1. Forced Savings: Owning a home builds equity. Your equity grows with each payment you make toward your mortgage. This form of forced savings can be used down the road to help you accomplish your biggest financial goals, including retirement, building family wealth and avoiding paying someone else’s mortgage.

2. Tax Benefits: While I am no CPA, I do know that I, personally, see tax benefits from the properties that I own. Reach out to your CPA to confirm your tax benefits with homeownership.

3. Appreciation: Owning a home is making an investment that steadily gains value, and experts project home values will continue to rise in the years to come.

4. Stability: Owning a home means having better control over your future housing payments. Over the years, a mortgage stays relatively steady, but rent costs continue to rise.

If you own your home, take time this month to celebrate the ways homeownership has added value to your life. If you hope to become a homeowner this year, let’s connect today to take the first steps toward achieving your goal. Call or text me at (704) 491-3310 today!

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment [INFOGRAPHIC]

06/01/2021 by Debe 1 Comment

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment [INFOGRAPHIC]

Americans have chosen real estate as the best investment for 8 years running. There’s a reason for that – home equity has risen exponentially with the incredibly low inventory levels. This is even more evidence for sellers to take the plunge and sell during this low supply market. It’s never, in the history of selling real estate, been a better time to sell!

For buyers, even with the rising prices, why NOT begin building equity while the market is hot? I recently did a neighborhood sales increase for one in my market and the owners saw a 14% increase in valuation in SIX MONTHS. While there are other neighborhoods that are showing even stronger gains, I challenge you to find any other investment that can top that return!

For the eighth year in a row, real estate maintained its position as the preferred long-term investment among Americans.
According to Gallup, real estate has been gaining ground against stocks, gold and savings accounts over the last 11 years and now stands at its highest rating in survey history.
Let’s connect if you’re ready to make real estate your top priority this year, whether buying or selling. Call or text me at (704) 491-3310 today!

P. U. – What’s that Smell?

02/04/2021 by Debe Leave a Comment

P. U. – What’s that Smell?

When a circuit breaker overheats, the plastics and heat-resistant chemicals used to make the breakers, as well as outlets or wiring insulation, may emit a fishy or urine-like odor. You can often smell the odor throughout the house, but it is more intense near the breaker box or in the room of the faulty outlet or wiring. The odor may intensify or diminish with changing temperatures and circuit usage. Because it is often a circuit breaker of a high-demand appliance (HVAC, dishwasher, etc.), it can be difficult to identify the origin as those appliances are not always running.

The odor can be caused by any number of electrical problems, including but not limited to:

Overloaded circuits
Short circuits
Undersized wiring
Undersized circuit breakers
Loose plugs in outlets
Improperly inserted circuit breakers
Damaged outlets
Damaged electrical insulation

Typically, the fishy smell is an early indicator of a serious electrical problem that could lead to a fire. So, the first call to make when you when you notice a pungent fishy, urine-like, or burnt plastic smell near your breaker box, any outlets or electrical devices? Your electrician! He/She has the equipment to do a thorough inspection to find the scary culprit.

NOTE: I am not a licensed electrician, nor do I pretend to be one! I learned the above, first-hand. The photo of the burned breakers (yes, we had TWO of them) are of our breakers.

Our first clue was the fishy odor. Then our HVAC breaker tripped 3 days in a row. We made the call and what we found out was that the 60 amp HVAC breaker contacts were not making the proper connections. That breaker overheated and melted and then started burning the one across from it in the breaker box.

5 Ways to Protect Your Yard from the End of Winter Temperature Drops

03/06/2019 by Debe Leave a Comment

5 Ways to Protect Your Yard from the End of Winter Temperature Drops

Each year, about this time, we have one or two freezing nights, just when you think spring has sprung! Each year, beautiful blooms, exposed to the freezing temperatures, die or are browned/damaged by the frigid weather.

When the below-32º temperatures are predicted, here are a few easy tips to protect your budding or blooming yard at winter’s end:

5 Tips to Protect Your Yard when the Temperature Falls

• Place patio chairs over larger plants and shrubs to protect them from the elements.

• Cover the branches of blossoming trees at night with trash bags – but, remember to remove them in the morning so the blossoms don’t cook in the springtime sun.

• Use cardboard boxes to insulate plants against frigid temperatures.

• If you’re anticipating bad weather, think about picking up some sturdy wire mesh that you can use to encircle plants and then cover them with plastic.

• Turn empty laundry baskets, kitchen pots or terra-cotta planters upside-down to cover young, sprouting plants – it will protect them from severe weather.

If you’re looking for a home with space for a spring garden, I can help! Contact me today at (704) 491-3310.

What You Need to Know about the 2019 Mecklenburg County Tax Revaluation

01/25/2019 by Debe Leave a Comment

Charlotte homeowners have been bracing for big increases in the tax value of their properties since our last revaluation was done during The Great Recession. So, as you can imagine, the revaluation of real property is going to be considerably more than the ‘normal’ increases since we went from them being performed during the lowest of lows to now, the highest of highs.

Sales prices have continued to be on the rise, therefore our valuations are going to reflect that. Charlotte’s real estate market has boomed out of The Great Recession with some 70 new residents moving here each and every day.

Mecklenburg County’s property website has been slowed to a crawl as tens of thousands of residents close one eye to take a peek at their new assessed tax values. Thousands have lined up to file their appeal of the county’s valuation decision.

Why now?

Mecklenburg County reassesses property values every eight years, as does all of North Carolina. Because property taxes are a primary source for our local government, this scheduled re-calculation is a must to keep the County operating at its highest capacity.

Property taxes pay for things like public schools, community colleges, libraries, local government employees’ salaries, parks & rec, sanitation, sewer, police and fire protection, roads and other local needs. Each of these items can have its own percentage rate that is multiplied by the assessed value of your property to determine a portion of your bill. The taxes you owe for each item are totaled to determine your final property tax bill.

The Country has systematically put a price tag on every property within its borders. This value is used to calculate property tax paid to the city and county government. The property tax rate, also called a multiplier or mill rate, is a percentage by which the assessed value of your property is multiplied to determine your new tax bill. Homeowners in the city of Charlotte pay $1.31 for every $100 of assessed value — or about $5,240 for a $400,000 home.

You will receive your new valuation this month in the mail; there is no need to pay your 2019 bill at this time. Actual tax bills will go out beginning July 19, 2019. Your taxes will be due on September 1, 2019, and to avoid penalties or interest, must be paid by January 7, 2020.

The county tax assessor’s office prepared the Board of Commissioners that residential property increases would average more than 40%. I’ve spoken to many clients this week, all of whom are reporting a 33% increase in residential taxes. The new commercial tax valuations are the ones that are significant with many being 100% or higher.

Check your property tax value

If you haven’t checked the site yet or don’t know where to go to check the value of your property, visit the Mecklenburg County’s property records website and enter your address.

This will take you to a page that has the details of your home and a breakdown of the valuation (land, building, extras). The new value is in the top right hand corner. Note the hot link on the right hand side (red arrow under Assessment Details) will take you to the letter that the County is sending.

This information is valuable if you need to appeal or have the county correct any misinformation you find. Contained within the letter, you will receive an “Informal Review Form” and that MUST be completed within 30 days of receipt of your new valuation.

If you opt to appeal the valuation formally, you may file a Formal Appeal with the Board of Equalization and Review (BER) by May 20, 2019.

The new valuations (Notice of 2019 Real Estate Assessed Value letter) were mailed Wednesday, so they should start hitting our mailboxes today.

Next Steps

Contact the County Assessor’s Office at AssessorQuestions@MeckNC.gov or call (980) 314-4226 if you have questions regarding the new assessment. And, of course, I am not a CPA or tax attorney so, if you have further questions, please contact your financial planner, tax attorney or CPA.

Home Maintenance & Inspection Schedule – Annual Checklist

12/21/2018 by Debe Leave a Comment

Today is officially the first day of winter and we are reminded of the harsh treatment our homes receive from Mother Nature each and every winter season. Owning a home is a dream come true for many and keeping that dream home in its top condition requires a little preventative maintenance. Just as we have an annual physical with our physicians, consider yourself your home’s doctor – at least the one that oversees all maintenance!

You may not be able to do the work but, if you need a vendor to help with any of the items on the checklist below, let me know. I have a great list of vendors who often help my clients – and myself – with needed home repairs found during our seasonal inspections.

Call or text (704) 491-3310 if you need the name of a great contractor for your maintenance needs or if you would like a printable .pdf of this list, courtesy of Homes.com.

Have a wonderful winter & a fantastic New Year!