What do real estate agents mean when they say the three most important factors in selecting a house are “location, location, location”?

The house is wonderful! But before you buy, carefully check the location to be sure this is the house you want to buy.

• Consider destinations

Where will family members go most often from this new location? How easy is it to reach those places from here? How accessible are schools, churches, grocery stores, medical care, public transportation, shopping malls, and neighborhood services?

• Be sure rooms have a view

What is the view from the house and yard? Is the yard right for your anticipated activities? What uses are possible for nearby undeveloped land? Is a new road planned?

• Check around the clock

Is rush hour traffic a problem? What will be the impact of special events like local high school games or church picnics?

• Crash test the driveway

How easy is it to get into and out of the driveway?

• Be service conscious

What utilities serve this property? Are the rates competitive? Do you want an all-electric house, or do you want gas or oil heat? Where will you get your mail? Where are the easements?

• Dig below the surface

Is the soil stable? Is part of the property on a flood plain — if so, what is the history of floods on the property?

• Visit the neighbors

How will you fit in with the neighbors? Do people seem to be friendly? Are houses well-maintained?

• Read the fine print

If the community has special by-laws or architectural controls over changes to a house, what are the pros and cons?

Make a list of the positive and negative aspects of each property as you tour it. Assign priorities to important elements of the house’s location.

Do you have home questions about a specific location? We can help. Call or e-mail us now. Kay Baker 910-202-3607 or kaybaker@seacoastrealty.com

To search all Wilmington NC real estate please visit www.cbbaker.com

FORECLOSURE: What Every Buyer Must Know  In today’s market, you’ll hear lots of terms used to describe “bargain” properties, distressed, short sale, pre-foreclosure, auction, REO, bank owned, foreclosure, foreclosed, and more. Confused? That’s understandable. Some of these terms are interchangeable, some are not, and some cover a whole range of bargain property types.

To understand the terms, it’s important to understand the three stages of foreclosure:

1. Pre-foreclosure stage. This stage begins when the homeowner falls behind on home-loan payments (or sometimes other terms of the loan). Lenders may wait for a second, third or even fourth missed payment before sending the homeowner a Notice of Default — which becomes public record. The homeowner then has a given period of time to respond to the notice and/or come up with the outstanding payments and fees — sometimes by selling the home in a pre-foreclosure sale, also known as a distress sale. (If a judicial procedure is required, it occurs after the notice of default is given.)One type of pre-foreclosure or distress sale is a short sale — when proceeds from the sale of a home are less than the amount of mortgage still owed to the homeowner’s lender. A lender-approved short sale (or short payoff) occurs when the homeowner’s lender agrees to accept the proceeds of the home sale as satisfaction of the mortgage owed, even though proceeds are less than the outstanding debt.
2. Foreclosure stage. At this stage, the former homeowner may or may not have been evicted — depending on state law — when the lender puts the home up for public auction (after a judgment of foreclosure in those states requiring judicial procedure).If the home sells at the foreclosure auction, (sometimes called a sheriff’s sale, trustee’s sale or step sale) money from the sale is used to pay off the costs of the foreclosure, taxes and other prior liens, service charges and advances, interest and principal on the mortgage, late charges or fees, and liens recorded after the first mortgage. Any amount left over is paid to the borrower (former homeowner). When proceeds from the sale are less than the various amounts owed, the lender may be able to hold the borrower responsible for the difference (deficiency judgment).
3. Post-foreclosure stage. When a property that does not sell at auction — either because no one bid on it or because bids did not meet the lender’s or agency’s minimum price — the property becomes real estate owned (REO) by the lender or government agency that guaranteed the loan (such as FHA/HUD, VA, etc.). You’ll also hear the term bank-ownedapplied to these properties, whether they are owned by an actual bank or some other type of lender. (Be aware: The term REO also applies to properties purchased by companies from employees who didn’t sell their home on the market before relocating, which is to say that not all REOs are foreclosed properties.)Once the lender or agency has repossessed a property following a failed auction attempt, the home is put back on the market. Most REO properties are listed for sale through real estate brokers and placed on the Multiple Listing Service.

At this stage, the foreclosure process is complete, and the property may be accurately described as a foreclosed property, while in the first two stages the home is in foreclosure and should be referred to as a foreclosure property. (You’ll find, however, that real estate writers and others sometimes misuse this terminology; be sure to ask if you are unsure what stage of foreclosure a particular property is in.)

Here is a list of current foreclosures in the Wilmington NC real estate area  Click Here for List…

For a list of Short Sale Homes Click Here….

To search the Wilmington NC MLS, please visit www.cbbaker.com

The 5th Annual Justice 4 ALL day will be this Friday March 5, 2012 from 7 am – to 7pm. 

North Carolina residents may call in with any legal question they may have and they may be offered referral resources.  The NC Bar lawyers will have the phones manned with volunteers.  There are  7 call centers in NC.  These are the numbers to call for your area of the State.

Wilmington/Southeastern 1.888.442.3428
Greenville/Eastern N.C. 1.888.616.0614
Raleigh/Triangle Area 1.800.424.9725
Greensboro/Triad Area 1.877.391.6179
Charlotte Area 1.866.616.4255
Asheville/Western N.C. 1.800.289.0013

There is a Spanish-speaking number that may be called from any area of the State -  1.855.455.4255 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

If you need Real Estate advice, please call us 800-497-7325-3607 or email kaybaker@ec.rr.com – please visit  www.cbbaker.com

Whether you are buying or selling a home, it is a good idea to purchase a home warranty to give you peace of mind.  If you are selling, you can use the warranty as an incentive for the buyer.  I would highly recommend purchasing a warranty when you purchase Wilmington NC real estate, as this gives you 1 year to make sure things are working as they should.  Of course, a home inspection should be done before you purchase to let you see what exactly you are buying.  Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage Realty uses 2-10 Home Buyers Resale Warranty.  If a seller is purchasing a warranty, we can start the warranty at the time of actually listing the house.  The seller is covered during the listing agreement time, and for a extra fee the Seller’s AC/Heat Pump are covered as well.

Provided at the closing of your home or purchased directly from 2-10 HBW*, this warranty covers normal wear and tear to your home’s major systems (furnace, hot water heater, air conditioner, plumbing and electrical systems) and major appliances (refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, built-in microwave, disposal, trash compactor). Complementary to your homeowner’s insurance, your 2-10 HBW warranty covers the repair or replacement of the most frequent and likely home system and appliance breakdowns.

When a covered system breaks down, simply place a claim online or call their toll-free number, and we will immediately dispatch a contractor to make the repair. You pay the contractor a small service fee and we pay the rest for all covered items. You don’t have to hassle with finding a contractor or worry about negotiating the cost of the repair work. In the event that a covered system or appliance cannot be repaired, we will replace it with a system or appliance of comparable or better quality. It’s the perfect solution for today’s busy homeowner.  There are warranty plans for existing homeowners who are not planning on selling as well.

For more information please visit http://www.cbbaker.com/pages.php?page=152

If you are selling an above-average-price property in an upscale neighborhood, you know your home is unique. You expect an upscale property to be marketed with the same professionalism you demand in every aspect of your life. That’s where our experience selling homes like yours really pays off.

Keep in mind, buyers who can afford your home lead busy lives like you and look for a hassle-free sale. Move-up buyers don’t need to buy now, so they wait and watch for that just-right home. It might be yours.

Unfortunately, even sophisticated homeowners sometimes make mistakes when they go to sell their upscale homes, netting less than the top-dollar price it’s worth. Or worse, the home just doesn’t sell at all.

Here are seven common pitfalls to avoid:

1. Underestimating The Competition in the Wilmington NC real estate market

Even though your property may be one-of-a-kind, there are other homes on the market being shown to the same potential buyers. Before you list your home, we’ll give you an “armchair tour” of comparable properties listed for sale in your price range. We’ll share our inside observations on how each home compares to yours and what special features stand out.

2. Overestimating The Value

When we tour the competition, you’ll notice how similar homes are priced. Features of interest to today’s buyers include location, house design and size, privacy afforded by the lot and acreage, special amenities, type of community, and quality of local schools and facilities. Together, we’ll help position your home at the right price. By avoiding the over-pricing trap — which often results in repeated price reductions making the property seem distressed — we’ll save time and net the full value of your home.

3. Relying On Location

Homes in the higher price ranges need to look magazine-perfect when shown to potential buyers. Today’s market demands that everything — doors to floors, fixtures to walls — be sparkling clean. Even minor faults loom large in what is expected to be a perfect home. In short, fix up, repair and polish like never before.

4. Over-Improving

Also, avoid over-individualizing the house or grounds. People tend to buy homes they see as an image of themselves. A home that’s too individualized with strong, personalized decorating won’t sell quickly. Avoid dramatic custom flourishes that may not suit many other people. Some buyers will mentally calculate the cost of removing the customization and deduct the cost from their offer.

Although you want your home to look its best, spending thousands of dollars to redecorate will not likely help it sell at a higher price — it may sell more quickly, though.

5. Making Your Own Marketing Decisions

The marketing plan for your home needs to reach out to the right potential buyers. We offer a first-class marketing campaign that requires careful advance planning to allow time for reserving appropriate advertising space, top-notch photography, brochure production, even special events, such as a top-broker open house.

Many homeowners overestimate the value of one-shot marketing such as newspaper or TV spot ads. What typically works better is advertising with a longer “shelf life,” in upscale publications, for example, where ads are directed at an ideal niche.

Let us help you decide whether your house could benefit from an open house or would be better shown by appointment only. Yours is not a home for curious, unqualified walk-ins.

6. Playing Hard To Get

No home sells sight unseen. Working together, we can create a plan to show the house to qualified prospects without disturbing your schedule. Details, such as the security system or guard dogs, may need to be worked out.

Rest assured, all buyers will be financially qualified, perhaps requiring an approval letter from an attorney or banker, before we will bring them to see your property.

7. Being Inflexible

You have a unique home, and you’re looking for a unique buyer. Chances are that buyer will have special needs and concerns. The most likely buyer will probably need to sell a current home to buy yours. Flexible terms, possibly including some extra time to settle on the old home, will help sell your home quickly at the right price.

Thinking of selling within the next 6 months? Call us to help get you started.  910-202-3607 or kaybaker@ec.rr.com

New Hanover County loves technology… The New Hanover County government is on the cutting edge of new technological advances by utilizing the TV White Space that was abandoned in 2008 with the national launch of digital TV.  Wilmington was the first test city for the use of the non analog device.  The FCC laid ground rules concerning the use of the White Space Spectrum and New Hanover County is the first to utilize the technology.  The first commercial installation of the White Space network was set up at Hugh McCrae park. Phase 2 will include other parks and gardens such as Vetarans Park and Airlie Gardens.  Wi Fi on caffeine will be available.

“Community leaders have been eager to keep the area in the race to develop new technologies and uses since the FCC chose the local television market as the first in the country to transition to digital TV.  New Hanover County and Wilmington are also noted in the FCC’s National Broadband plan as a model of the usability of the spectrum.

New Hanover County has provided network IP cameras, Wi-Fi routers, antennas and other hardware as well as technical installation of the new FCC approved radios.  New Hanover County, city of Wilmington and TVBS have been using white spaces for a number of business applications already, including water quality monitoring and security purposes.

Chaney says the county and city governments collaborated on a pilot project that provided Wi-Fi and video surveillance in the Creekwood housing development.  The county is also using white space to automate the collection of water quality data in environmentally sensitive areas that would have required trenching of wires.

Merry Christmas from Our House to Yours.

Spend time with family and friends, enjoy them richly.  Along the way find a way to help new friends.  This is the time of year that we must remember that it is the giving that is so rewarding.  Giving of your time, crafts, good deeds and helping others.

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. 

~Charles Dickens

Christmas is a necessity.  There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.  ~Eric Sevareid

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.  In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.  ~Larry Wilde

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.  ~Washington Irving

Remember
This December,
That love weighs more than gold!
~Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

Wilmington NC is getting  a Miracle Field for the new Miracle League.  Accessible Coastal Carolina Events Sports and Services (ACCESS) was started to bring the field to the area. “The overall mission of ACCESS is to not only provide an opportunity for those who have not yet had the chance to experience the power of play and the joy of sports but to also show the importance of inclusion within a community. Creating a place where people of all ages, races, and abilities can actively participate together, will naturally allow relationships to develop as people share interest. More importantly it is opening the door to a better world for everyone.” The Miracle League was started in the late 1990′s in Rockdale Youth Baseball program in Atlanta.  They recognized the need to include all children in a sport regardless of their abilities.  Hence the Miracle Field was started.  People of all abilities and ages could play baseball.  Eventually the fields were made to  have a rubber, non-latex surface that is helpful and safe for persons with any mobility difficulties.  The Wilmington area is excited to participate in such a wonderful project.  The fields will be built at Olson Fields off Murrayville Road. There will be playgrounds for all abilities and restrooms.  The project has raised 87.5% of it’s goal of 1.2 million dollars.  If you would like to donate in someones name as a gift for Christmas, what a great way to honor them.  The Miracle Field is truly a “miracle”  Please watch this video of the Wilmington Miracle Field.  For more information or to donate online, please visit www.miracleleaguewilm.org/

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.  ~Johannes A. Gaertner

We would like to wish each and every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving.  No matter where you may be celebrating this day of thanks, may you be filled with gratitude and good feelings.  This time of year is a time to share your talents and good fortunes.  One of the best good fortunes for you to share is your time.  Our great city has plenty of volunteer opportunities to help those that are less fortunate.  The Wrightsville Beach Magazine has a list of organizations that could use your help.  Get involved, meet new people and share your enthusiasm for our hometown.  Enjoy family and friends and reach out to those who might not have the chance to do the same.  

For a list of opportunities please click the cover photo.