Rececently  Julia Isaacs of the Brookings Institute for the Organization First Focus wrote an interesting article titled The Ongoing Impact of Foreclosures on Children. In the report, Ms. Isaacs quantified the number of children that have been impacted:

2.3 million children have already lost their homes to foreclosure

3 million additional children are at risk of losing their home

She also noted the four ways foreclosures may affect children negatively:

“First, and most obviously, families receiving foreclosure notices are much more likely to move than other families, and, … children who move frequently do less well in school.

Second, homeowners receiving a foreclosure notice are under a lot of financial and psychological stress, as they struggle to stay in their house, and if that fails, to find a new home quickly…parents under a lot of financial distress sometimes engage in harsher and less supportive parenting, which in turn can lead to negative behaviors on the part of children, making it harder for them to interact well with peers and in school.

Third, foreclosures and housing instability have a negative impact on physical as well as mental health, with studies finding higher rates of non-elective visits to emergency rooms and hospitals in ZIP codes with the highest foreclosure rates, as well as a strong association between housing instability and postponement of needed health care visits and necessary medications.

Finally, because foreclosures are often highly concentrated in certain neighborhoods, children living in or near foreclosed homes may suffer the consequences of living in neighborhoods with more vacant houses, higher crime rates, lower social cohesion, and a lower tax base.” KCM Blog April 24, 2012

In addition to Julia Isaacs research, my personal experience as a CDPE Certified Distressed Property Expert in the greater Raleigh area, is that there is still a lot of confusion, questions and misunderstanding about short sales and foreclosures with adults so you know it is confusing to children.

From a financial standpoint, short sales are always the best option. The short sale process allows homeowners to work with the bank and pre-determine the day they will need to move out. A short sale allows families to move with a plan and they do not leave the neighborhood with the headaches associated with a vacant house on the block for a long time. There is a level of dignity in a short sale that almost never takes place during the foreclosure process.

When a home goes into foreclosure, the owner has two choices:

1.   Move and leave the house vacant for months

2.  Stay and wait to be evicted.

The second choice can create even more stress on families as they wait for the day an official knocks on the door demanding you and your family leave immediately. A foreclosure in a neighborhood also has other concerns:

• Home values fall more in neighborhoods where there are foreclosures
• Abandoned house look scary to children
• Grass grows tall a parents are worried their children will be bitten by snakes, rodents etc.
• Foreclosure notices attached to doors, Property Preservation Inspectors going in and out of the houses and Sheriff cars in a neighborhood worry adults, so you know it concerns children too
• Children do not understand why people lose their homes or why they have to move.
• Peer pressure is great among children and where there is confusion, bulling and shame is usually close by.

Children hear the news, see the vacant houses and know something is wrong. In many cases, they go to school with children who have lived through foreclosure or short sale and had to leave their home. A friend who once lived in their neighborhood now lives in an apartment. Children are confused. Why did their friend have to move? Why is that house vacant? Why is the grass so tall? Is it haunted mommy?

This is a great time for parents and adults to teach children valuable life lessons. The people who are losing their home to foreclosure are not bad people. They were unprepared for loss of income and the downturn in the real estate market. What can we learn from this experience? What can we change and most importantly what can we teach our children?

It’s not hard to see why the city of Raleigh, NC has become such a sought after location. If you’re moving to the area or in the market for a Raleigh home, check out what the City of Oaks has to offer.

Things To Do in Raleigh, NC

There are plenty of attractions in Raleigh, NC for all kinds of people.

If you’re an outdoors person, the great variety of parks in Raleigh, NC is sure to please. The NC State University Raulston Arboretum and WRAL Azalea Gardens are beautiful to visit during the spring when the flowers are in bloom. The William B. Umstead State Park is also a wonderful place to go if you enjoy hiking or canoeing.

Shoppers won’t be disappointed by Raleigh’s malls and shopping centers. With ten major shopping plazas to pick from, visitors are sure to find their favorite store or boutique.

The Raleigh, NC farmer’s market, just five minutes from NC State University, offers seasonal, local produce, potted plants and baked goods.

The PNC Arena and Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts have a wide variety of entertainment including shows, plays and concerts throughout the year.

Raleigh’s Family Friendly Environment

Families new to the area are sure to be impressed by the excellent private, public and magnet schools around the city. Raleigh neighborhoods provide families the luxury of living in comfort without having to travel too far for amenities, education and fun.

If you’re looking into new homes in the Triangle area, let us know. Contact us if you would like to set up an appointment to view available houses or townhomes in Raleigh NC!

Top Spring Cleaning Recommendations:

Let’s take it from the top with the roof – If your shingles with dark stains have an air born algae that not only looks ugly but it also reduces the life of your roof shingles. It is literally eating the shingles away and keeps getting worse every year because the growth spreads fast. Replacing a roof is very expensive and algae can reduce the 20 to 30 years lifespan by 25%.

A simple solution  may be to hire a professional to clean the roof. It will only cost a few hundred dollars and the roof will look brand new and last longer too.

While you’re checking out the roof,  check your flashing and rubber boots around each vent pipe for cracks or missing sealant. It is common to replace roofing boots every 5 to 7 years because the hot sun will dry them out.  Dried out roofs often cause leaks.

Look at the sealings and caulk.  Sealing the joints this spring will be a lot less expensive than replacing wood rot on the exterior and the inside water stained ceilings that the leak caused.

Lastly,  don’t forget to clean the gutters too. Full gutters will not allow rain water to flow out and away from the foundation of the house. Instead, it pushes the water and moist debris into the fascia board causing wood rot behind the gutters. This issue can be very expensive to repair so avoid this with your spring cleaning.

Power wash, with low pressure, the exterior of your house and deck to remove dirt, mildew, mold and pollen that has built up from the past humid summer, cold winter and flowering spring.  Without spring cleaning these unsightly adherents on your house will spend the rest of the year eating through your exterior paint.  This will cause you to spend money on painting sooner than you should.  With a good coat of paint, a regularly cleaned house may last 5 to 7 year before a need for exterior paint.

Decks usually need to be sealed every 2 to 4 years. After power wash cleaning, seal the deck to preserve the wood. Without sealant decks weather to a lifeless grey color, boards warp, dry out, crack and rot. While you having fun with that power washer you might as well do the sidewalks and driveway too.

Washing the windows will streaks caused by power washing and will enhance your view out them all year long.

Keep the Air Conditioning Unit in Tip Top Shape

Spring is a great time to get your unit service and checked.   It is much better to know if the refrigerant or something is leaking now vs when it is 100 degrees outside!

Don’t forget your yard!

Make sure to make time to move the pile of leaves away from the foundation of the house, trim away tree branches that are touching the roof and prune the shrubs back more than you think you should.

Debris against the foundation leads to water in the crawl space. Tree branches damage wood exterior and roof shingles in storms.  Shrubs, if not pruned well, will grow out of proportion to the house.

You have probably seen shrubs that take over the sidewalk, cover up the windows and smother the porch. This takes away from curb appeal of the home and is one of the most costly things to correct when it’s time to sell.  If they get too big and out of control they can’t be pruned back to the size needed to be attractive. They have to be removed and replaced with new landscaping. Starting over is never fun and also expensive.

After pruning, fertilize the shrubs and lawn, add some fresh mulch and spray for bugs.

Now go fire up the grill! It’s time to enjoy the great outdoors and your spring exterior cleaning is complete!

We’ve all had the experience of going to purchase an item at a store without having much knowledge about the product itself.

In these cases we rely on the sales person to be honest with us, give us the best recommendation, and tell us the truth about the product.

Do You Trust The Salesperson?

The problem with this is that the salesperson is getting paid by the store. They get paid to sell you a product in their store, and in many cases they are paid commission based on the price of the product they sell.

These transactions happen very fast. You may end up purchasing something you didn’t really need because the sales person was that convincing and the store’s ambiance was that alluring.

Where’s Your Representation?

In these cases, you have no representation. After all, not only is the salesperson representing the store they work for but you lack the product knowledge to effectively represent yourself.

It can be very easy to get taken advantage of in these situations. And the same holds true for Triangle area new construction purchases when you’re not working with an experirenced Raleigh, NC area REALTOR.

At Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS, you are our responsibility. You are our star. You are our client. We represent you and you alone. Contact us so we can represent you for your new construction home purchase.

If you’re searching for a new home around Raleigh, NC, you might have wondered if you need someone to represent you. Is it really worth it? If you think you want to go it alone, here’s what could happen:

Let’s say you decide to check out a model house in a Raleigh community with newly constructed homes. Of course, model homes are going to look amazing. They’re set up that way to get your attention. You probably won’t find one that isn’t impeccably clean and clutter-free. Sometimes refreshments are available, and music is often played in the background to put you at ease.

The agent who represents the builder will walk you through the model home and show you all the updated features. He or she will provide you with the knowledge you need concerning this particular Raleigh community. You’ll also find out about the builder and, most importantly, information about the cost.

If you’re convinced that this is the right home for you and decide to make a move on it, things might not go as smoothly as you think.

In these scenarios, the agent who represents the builder is obviously going to put the builder before you. He or she will still assist you with the contract, though. But once you sign it, there’s no going back.

As you go through the contract, the agent might try to pressure you to buy things you don’t want – upgrades or extras that only make the price go higher.

And if you think you’re going to get the same attention from the agent during closing, you’re in for a surprise. You’ll be facing the builder’s attorney and the builder’s agent. Basically you’re stuck on your own at a time when representation is vital.

Don’t let your Raleigh area home search end like this. If you want someone who will represent your interests, be sure to contact us.

Visit our new construction page to learn more about new construction in the Greater Raleigh area.

If you’re looking into the Raleigh area real estate market, you shouldn’t go it alone. Our free Buyer’s Agents will make sure you find the home that’s right for you – at the right price. Here are a few ways we can make that happen.

1. Free Representation – The Buyer Agent shares a fee with the listing agent that represents the builder. Which means all the information your agent will provide won’t cost you a thing!

2. Knowing the Real Estate Market – Builders often boost prices with new phases in the community. Your Buyer’s Agent will put in the time to compare closing sales and concessions offered in the neighborhood so you can make a well-informed offer.

3. Meeting Your Interests – Our agents are dedicated to meeting your interests so you can make the right choice. We want to ensure you have a solid understanding of your resale value and have the best home buying experience possible. That said, your Buyer’s Agent is concerned with making a quality relationship and would love to serve you in the future.

4. Pros and Cons –We have 100% fiduciary responsibility to clients, which means you’ll be given the good and bad that comes with your purchase. Your Buyer’s Agent will keep you informed about communities that may be of interest to you in your home search as well.

5. Lot Premiums and Resale Values – Developments are bound to have some houses that won’t sell as easily as others. For instance, some homes might be built in an undesirable area, like a flood zone. These homes are often enhanced with more upgrades than houses built on better lots. Your Buyer’s Agent will inform you about the resale value of these lot premiums.

6. Risk Awareness – Whether you’re buying early or toward the end of construction, your Buyer’s Agent will let you know if you’re paying too much in a certain neighborhood or phase.

7. Understanding the Upgrade – Just because the house has a lot of upgrades doesn’t mean you’re getting your money’s worth. Some upgrades can be marked 100% to 400% above their real value! To find out which upgrades will provide you a good return, your Buyer’s Agent will be sure to tell you which ones are worth your while.

8. Clarifying the Contract – Builders may have contracts with terms that put the buyer at a disadvantage. It’s important to keep an eye out for the following items:

• Non-refundable money from the buyer
• No refund of deposits if builder breeches contract
• Daily financial penalties if a buyer misses a closing date but, no penalties if the seller fails to deliver the home for months
• Testing for radon only allowed after closing www.epa.gov/radon

9. The Right Time to Close – You never want to close with an incomplete house. A Buyer’s Agent will encourage you to close only when the house is officially complete.

10. The Importance of Home Inspections – While the builder might tell you otherwise, your Buyer’s Agent knows that a home inspection is absolutely imperative. Even if the house seems perfect, you don’t want to find out it’s not when it’s too late. Mistakes are made during construction, and only an inspection can ensure you peace of mind.

Be sure to let us know if you’re planning on starting your home search soon!

Visit our new construction page to learn more about buyer representation and new construction in the Greater Raleigh area.

Don’t forget to change your clocks and move the time forward by one hour.  It is also a great time to change your air filters and smoke detector batteries.   Thinking of maybe doing some other maintenance around your home?  Be sure to check out the Team’s Triangle Business Directory for a list of great service providers here in the area.

Townhomes in Twin Lakes  range from the $150′s to the $190′s and you can choose from floor plans with homes up to 3 bedrooms and up to 3 1/2 bathrooms, on 2 or 3 levels.  You can event add a Morning Room,  and a Luxury Owner’s Suite with a Sitting Area to your new floor plan.  All homes come with granite countertops, hardwood floors in the entry, 42″ Timberlake Maple cabinets in the kitchen, an outdoor patio and exterior storage.

The Townes at Twin Lakes has resort-style recreation like a pool with a slide and cabanna, tennis, sand volleyball, and a child’s playground.  Whatever your needs, convenience and style are all inclusive here!

If you would like more information contact one of the Linda Craft & Team’s Buyer Specialists, Karen Dyer, at 919.235.0007.