I had a gentleman who lives in another state contact me on my Raleigh Real Estate website about listing his 92 year old mother’s home. He said she had gotten ill over Christmas and could no longer live alone. He needed to find a senior continuing care facility in the Greater Raleigh area for her to move too because all of the family lived too far away to take care of her long distance. The long term care facilites were very expensive and he needed to know what the house was worth. I met with his mom, who was the sweetest thing in the world and didn’t look 92. I hope to be so lucky. I gave him a price and he was pleased then he tried to take the hardest step and here was our dialog:

Hi Linda,

I have talked to my mother and she is so indecisive I am not sure how to push her forward at this point. She doesn’t feel that she knows where to go and doesn’t know how to go about making the decision. She feels that she needs to make a decision on where to go before going forward. I try to provide help but she is very hard to deal with. She needs to be gone from that house!

Bill   Read the rest of this entry

Linda Craft’s Raleigh Real Estate office is a bustle of activity today as she and her team pass out a truckload of Apple and Pumpkin Thanksgiving Pies to their past clients.   Linda and the team wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe holiday weekend.

Beware of Candy from a Stranger

As parents we teach our children to never take candy or get into a car with a stranger. Yet everyday around the world strangers call into real estate offices and ask the eager 100% sales commission based real estate agent to meet them at a house so they can see it. What happened from childhood to adulthood that we forgot the lessons our parents taught us?

This month in the Greater Raleigh Area, a female real estate agent was held at knife point and raped in a vacant new home. Every year somewhere in the country reports are sent from the National Association of REALTORS and local real estate board office telling of another tragic story of rape, robbery or murder. Last year a female agent who was raped and stabbed multiple times survived because she was wearing a Blue Tooth and had Read the rest of this entry

The RBC Center has announced a Part-Time Job Fair which will be held
Read the rest of this entry

Yesterday I called one of my clients and she was in an absolute panic. She had lost her wallet and was on the phone trying to cancel all of her credit cards. If this has ever happened to you then you know the fear, stress and dread she was feeling.

Here is a quick tip that will help ease your mind and take some of the work and panic out of the process.

Go to your nearest copy machine today. Open up your wallet and copy the front and back side of everything in it. Put the copies in a safe place such as a locked file cabinet or safety deposit box. If you lose your wallet it won’t be fun but, you will be able to protect yourself quickly and rebuild the contents without losing sleep over what you may have forgotten.

If your wallet or purse is stolen or lost for an added measure of protection you can also do the following:

1. File a police report in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc were lost or stolen. This prove to the credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first stip toward an investigation if there is one.

2. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizatons to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the social security fraud line. Placing this alert means all creditors will have to contact you before they can authorize new credit.

a. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

b. Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

c. Tran Union: 1-800-680-7289

d. Social Security Administration fraud line: 1-800-269-0271

I hope this never happens to you but, sooner or later it probably will. I have had a car stolen with my purse in it and my car broken into on vacation and my purse was stolen out of it. I’ve learned the hard way to  never leave my purse in the car and I have a copy of my wallets content locked in a safe place just in case I drive off from a gas station pump and leave my wallet on top of the car like one of my employees did last week.

Linda

I remember when my daughter Kelly attended Wake County schools and the fun we had shopping for new clothes and school supplies each year. Today preparing for back to school has become more complicated.  There are so many things to keep up with and many of you have children in elementary, middle and high. 3 schedules, 3 schools. WOW, I only had one to keep up with!

Because of all the frequent school changes that take place every year I have updated my website to provide one stop shopping for parents looking for information to balance a hectic schedule.   We have the latest in school information and childcare. If you know of anyone else that could benefit from this resource please pass it on.

Wake County Schools, Bus Routes, Daycare, Track Out information and more, found on LindaCraft.com

• Ability to search by zipcode for local daycares and child care providers.  See their star ratings, comments and general information. 
• Information on Project Enlightenment and Special Needs Services educational options
• The ability to search for Wake County base school information by street name and house number 
• The 2009-2010 early release schedule
• 2009-2010 Wake County Bus Route Information
• Resources for Homeschooling in North Carolina
• Private and Charter School Information
• Wake County Magnet school information, including the ability to search by city and grade
• Orange County, Johnston County, Durham County, Chatham County and Chapel Hill, Carborro School Systems and much more. 

Our team’s goal is to make your life easier as a parent.   We also offer other family resources including information on Raleigh, Cary, Clayton and Wake Forest  parent groups, moving checklists for kids and much more. 

Ahhhh school days… I miss the bus stop where all the mother’s gather with a cup of coffee in their hand. Enjoy the moments, they grow up so soon.

Linda

CNNMoney released it’s report this week on the  2009 Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the United States.   Our own Cary, North Carolina ranked second.    Even though I have been a residential real estate agent in Cary and the Triangle area for over 24 years it still excites me every time I hear or read  how great others know our area is too.   I moved to North Carolina 26 years ago and like many of you would never consider living anywhere else.   When people consider relocating to Cary, Raleigh, Wake Forest or any other city in Wake County they always comment how friendly everyone is,  how clean and pretty the roads and neighborhoods are and  how affordable it is to live here.

Information About The Triangle Area

If you are relocating and want a free relocation package or would like to know  what I consider some of the best real estate buys in the Raleigh, Cary area,  feel free to call me. I also have information on the $8,000 tax credit, Triangle area rentals, and am an expert referral resource for great home repair and remodeling companies.   I would love the opportunity to share my real estate knowledge with you and  your friends.  Please call or email if I can be of service and thanks for reading my blog.

Linda

Raleigh, North Carolina is always ranked in the top 10 best places in the USA for work and play. Many people believe with such high accalades that a great home in Raleigh must come with a huge price tag. Well, I have good news for you…Raleigh real estate is very affordable.  

Check out this Raleigh Real Estate Market Data :

April 2009 T.A.R.R. Report

Average detached resale Raleigh home price $263,310

Average new construction Raleigh home price $281,935

Average Raleigh condo price $168,961

Average Raleigh town home price $179,018

To view every home for sale in Raleigh, including Raleigh new construction and surrounding cities such as; Cary, Apex, Morrisville, RTP Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, Durham, Wake Forest and others visit: LindaCraft.com

Raleigh real estate is affordable!

People who have been waiting to buy real estate in Raleigh are going to be house poor if they don’t act fast. Raleigh home mortgage interest rates went up three times in just one day this week. A Raleigh home that you could have purchased a little over 48 hours ago at 4.75% is now 5.25%. A real estate purchase in Raleigh will end up costing you 10% more for your Raleigh home mortgage if rates increase 1%. Buy now or buy less later!

There has never been a better time to buy a home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Housing inventory is plentiful, $8,000 tax credit is still available to qualified first time home buyers, foreclosures, short sales, new construction  and motivated sellers make up the Raleigh real estate market. Any home mortgage interest rate  below 6% is considered a great interest rate. If you are a home buyer sitting on the fence, now is the time to move on a new Raleigh home before your opportunity is lost.

If you are wondering how much house can you afford then check out our mortgage calulator and pre-qualification section.   Our mortgage lenders also offer many specialized programs to ensure that you are finding the best rate and mortgage for your needs.

If you have any questions about home buying please contact me.

Have a great weekend.

Linda

Going Green in your Raleigh Home will help you save green every month. You do not have to build a new home  from the ground up to have a healthier, greener home in Raleigh. These quick home tips will help save the earth while reducing your monthly housing expenses too. 

TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE

Turn your hot water temperature down to 120 degrees and cut hot water heating energy compsumption

SWITCH THE LIGHTS

Compact fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than traditional bulbs. Replace them in highly used fixtures such as porch lights, bathroom vanities, and office lights.

SAVE WATER

 Install low-flow shower heads and faucets to cut back on water flow or shorten your shower time and your water and heating bill

PLUG OUT

Use a power strip for your Raleigh home office or entertainment center. Even in standby mode, electronics account for 15% of the household electricity.

SWITCH OFF

Remember to turn off the light when you leave the room and to unplug your computer and other appliances when not in use. These small gestures will save you money and protect these items during bad weather. 5 to 10% of your energy cost goes towards lighting

ADJUST REFRIGERATORS

of all your appliances your refrigerators will use the most electricity in your Raleigh home.  Adjust the temperature to 37 degrees F and your freezer to 0 degrees F  and save.

WASH CLOTHES 

in cold water and save roughly 36 cents a load.

DRY CLOTHES OUTSIDE

Hang your heavy duty clothes and bed linens outside and get that fresh smell.  You’ll also be reducing the amount of  energy you use in your home.

SEAL IT

Search for hidden air leaks around doors, window, electric outlets and in your attic, basement or crawl space too. Seal them with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping. With four seasons in Raleigh sealing a  home can cut energy consumption by up to 10 percent.

NIGHT NIGHT

Lower your themostat at night and stay warm with a down comforter. For each degree you lower it, you’ll reduce heating cost 3% to 5%.

RATE IT

Look for Energy Star-rated products for your Raleigh home. They can save you a third of energy cost.

Going Green with Raleigh real estate can turn your home into an energy-efficient investment.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Linda