Congratulations, Raleigh! You have beat Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, Washington and many other cities in the Most Wired Cities list published by Forbes’ Magazine.   Moving to the number 1 position was quite a jump from last year’s 15th spot.   Special thanks to our city planners, private business owners and developers who have installed wireless connections in downtown Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Area. 

Raleigh Rankings Include:

Raleigh Housing Ranks First

Raleigh Ranks in Best Colleges List

Raleigh’s Charter Schools

Raleigh Ranks Tops Jobs Growth

If you are interested in hearing more about relocating to the Greater Raleigh Area, including Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Wake Forest, Garner and Clayton, please feel free to call me at (919) 235.007.  My Raleigh Real Estate Team is here to help you.

Linda

Many people are hearing the word “short sale” and sometimes it can be confusing as to what that word really means.   I thought I would share with you my perspective as Certified Distressed Property Expert here in the Greater Raleigh, North Carolina area.

If you, or anyone you know, has any further questions or if you would like a private, confidential analysis of your current real estate situation, please call me at (919) 235.0007.  I am here to help you.

Linda

Every week my team provides a weekly report to all of our current sellers.  The report covers where we market their home, how many showings they have received, what the feedback is from their real estate home showings, etc.   We also include a report on what their local competition is from a buyer’s perspective here in the Greater Raleigh Area Real Estate Market.  I thought you might have a question on this too so I thought I would share.

Linda,

The location of the houses you sent and used in my weekly home competition report concerns me. I am actually familiar with this subdivision off of Rock Quarry Road. Yes, the houses are similar, but the area is not.

Bob

Hi Bob,

I understand your analysis of different locations as well as your concern. However, please note that my search comes direct from MLS and it pulls only your MLS area which is about a 5 mile radius. It also pulls your price bracket. The way this search was created for you is Read the rest of this entry

Over the past two years I have met with many Raleigh area home sellers who wanted to sell and buy a new home. However, the declining Raleigh real estate market wasn’t going to allow them to net enough money from the sale to be able to purchase a new home. The Government  has now stepped up and is helping Raleigh area move up buyers by giving them a $6,500 tax credit if they buy before April 30, 2010.  

How Will A Raleigh Homeowner Benefit?

The $6,500 tax credit will really help many sellers offset any depreciation they may have experienced in the Raleigh Real Estate market and will give them the extra funds they need to buy a new home. When selling a home you have to deduct the mortgage pay off, property taxes, real estate commissions, revenue stamps and other miscellaneous charges for selling a home. The remainder after everything is paid is the net proceeds. Or better described the check the seller gets at closing to spend on their new house. The Government is giving them an additional $6,500 tax credit to help home sellers in Raleigh buy new homes. This is pretty exciting especially when you consider mortgage interest rates are still around 5% for a 30 years fixed rate mortgage. The low interest rates and the tax credit will help many homeowners get into better houses than they ever dreamed.

Raleigh Mortgage Lending Guidelines Have Changed

Today in order to buy a home most lenders require a minimum of 5% down. We can usually negotiated to get the mortgage closing cost paid by the seller but, when the Raleigh housing market hasn’t appreciated over the past several years it makes it really hard to sell and be able to net enough money from the sale for the down payment on a new home. The $6,500 tax credit will put many home buyers in the market now that could only sit and wait before. Here are some details:

Who is Eligible   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.

First time homebuyers are busy looking for great houses under $300,000 in our Raleigh Real Estate Market.  Here are a few homes that have just come on the market or have had recent price changes:

For more properties in the Greater Raleigh Area feel free to check out my raleigh real estate website where you can create your own search.

This week my real estate office has been very busy with several out of state families who are relocating to our Greater Raleigh area.  One of the neat things about having a large real estate team is that  we all work together sharing our knowledge and experience to best meet the needs of our clients.  When families relocate to the Triangle sometimes their needs are more complexed than just which Raleigh area home or neighborhood they want to live in. They need to know where to find the best doctors, playgrounds and daycare options just to name a few.    Many of our Team members have children and have relocated themselves so they are a great resource for families. We know that Moms and Dads have so many things to take care of in a move and my Team loves to all pitch in to help relocating families in their transition .  Here are some tips you may want to know or share with someone relocating with children.

A Few Quick Moving Tips For Raleigh Area Families:  Read the rest of this entry

One thing I get asked alot by home sellers in my listing appointments is what they need to do to get their home sold.  Many people know to go ahead and pack away unneeded items, repaint the walls into neutral colors and others hire a professional home stager.  Staging has been the huge buzzword with Raleigh Home Sellers ever since HGTV hit the air waves. Triangle Real Estate Agents  know that to get a home sold in a Buyers Market that a well-staged home has to be the rule rather than the exception. When you hear the word staging our minds image decluttering and furniture placement. However, with 10 houses for every one Raleigh home buyer that is not enough. “Refreshing” is the new trend for home selling success. Read the rest of this entry

Everywhere I seem to go these day whether it is at my real estate office, a Carolina Hurricanes Game, Community Event or just around Raleigh people ask me “Have we hit bottom yet?”  Many know of friends, family or neighbors who have had their homes on the market for sale here in the Greater Raleigh area and have shuttered thinking about what they might need to go through if they needed to sell their house. 

Home prices around the country have dropped for the past 3 years straight and many people believe we have finally hit bottom. The median national home price today is about $169,000, down almost 14% from a year ago and down 30% from it’s peak. By comparison Raleigh area real estate values are only down 11% from it’s peak with a median home price of $232,000. Those of us living in the Triangle and RTP surrounding area can all be grateful we own real estate near Raleigh the North Carolina state capital instead of other parts of the United States.

Right Now I am Seeing Two Types of Home Buyers in the Raleigh Market

Read the rest of this entry

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