11 Reasons to List During the Holidays

1. People who look for a home during the Holidays are more serious buyers! 2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the Holidays and less competition means more money for you! 3. Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home! Less demand means less money for you! 4. Houses show better when decorated for the Holidays! 5. Buyers are more emotional during the Holidays, so they are more likely to pay your price! 6. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the Holidays than they do during a working week! 7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons! 8. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until Spring to buy, you must be on the market now to capture that market! 9. You can still be on the market, but you have the option to restrict showings during the six or seven days during the Holidays! 10. You can sell now for more money and we will provide for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year! 11. By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the Spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money! This will allow you to sell high and buy low!

Time Flies and Change Happens!

It has been a while since my last post, but there sure has been a lot happening in the world of The Shore Team!  Mark, Lisa, and I are very excited to announce that we will be a part of bringing a Keller Williams franchise to Winston-Salem!  KW is a HUGE player in the national real estate scene, and while there are some offices in our vicinity, as of now there is not one in Winston-Salem.  But, all of that is about to change!  We are partnering with some other like minded, motivated, full time, and LOCAL agents to bring the franchise here, and we could not be more enthusiastic about this. While the official change happened Friday, this morning several of our team members had the chance to sit down and really dig into some of the tools that KW has to offer its agents -- HOLY SMOKES!  We are blown away, and it was just the tip of the iceberg!  For those customers that are sticking with us, we appreciate your patience as we make this transition, but it WILL be worth it!

3 Questions You Must Ask...

The KCMBlog had a great post for anyone considering purchasing a home. Click here for the full article, but the 3 questions are: 1 -- What are the experts recommending? 2 -- When will I begin to see an appreciation if I buy now? 3 -- Why am I buying a home in the first place? Number 3 is particularly important. Forget the financial aspect and think about what your "picture" of homeownership includes -- a fenced backyard where your kids can play? somewhere you can paint a different color every week? Regardless, Lisa and I have extensive experience in working with both empty nester buyers, first time buyers, and all types in between. Contact us today!

Appreciative and Humbled!

A sincere thank you to everyone who voted for Lisa and me in the TriadMomsonMain "Mom's Choice Awards"! We are humbled and appreciative of this honor, and it never ceases to amaze us that we are being recognized for something we genuinely LOVE. MUAH!

More than Meets the Eye on TMOM!

The following is a blog just posted on TriadMomsonMain.com... enjoy!

Growing up I had several friends whose moms didn’t “work." Back then that meant that they didn’t work a public job. I remember thinking of my own mom and the hours she pulled teaching, working towards her graduate degree, often working part-time jobs on weekends - all the while shuttling my brother and me everywhere, fixing supper every night, etc. I would automatically think of these stay-at-home moms and snort derisively, thinking it must be nice to be so privileged. Even once I finished school, I still looked at SAHMs and marveled at such a calm, peaceful existence.

This went on for years. Then I had my first child.

After six weeks at home with my precious, perfect, beautiful son, I was ready to go back to WORK just so I could RELAX! Diapers, bibs, blankets, Babywise… I was exhausted! I thought I’d be able to “sleep when the baby sleeps,” but had I done that, when would the diapers be laundered? Who would wash the pump parts? Who would make sure the burp cloth matched the bib which had to match the blanket?

I’m getting carried away here, but my point is that there is A LOT more to being a SAHM than meets the eye. The same could be said of being a Realtor. My mom (the same multi-tasking, job juggling, on-the-go-dynamo mentioned above) worked for me a while back as my assistant. After just a few hours at work with me, she was blown away by what all goes into this business. If I am at lunch with a friend, she will comment that my phone dings, rings, and beeps every 10 seconds. When my children are in bed and my husband wants to tell me about something interesting that happened that day, he usually has to wait until I “call one more client” or send “just one more email”.

Just as a SAHM sleeps in, has a contented child who independently plays all day, and chats with friends while doing her nails, Realtors drive fancy cars everywhere, stick pretty signs in yards, and smugly wait for the offers to start rolling in so they can count their money. WRONG!

My day can go anywhere from breaking someone’s heart by telling them a deal is dead, to cleaning a toilet in a home that has been left vacant too long. I start every day with a to-do list, but rarely does my day go according to plan. Imagine walking out the door with your daughter, all dolled up for church in her pretty dress and matching tights, and then… well… poop. Literally. It’s sort of the same thing in mine and Lisa’s worlds. It’s 10 am, I’m congratulating myself on having already returned four phone calls, put out signs for my upcoming open house (and cleaned the counters and swept the stoop…), carried on contract negotiations on two homes via text, when SPLAT… a neighbor calls to tell me that water is seeping under the garage door of a home owned by some clients who are on vacation and unreachable. YIKES.

Make no mistake, I love my career and know that Lisa feels the same way. But, just as SAHMs don’t sit around all day watching soap operas, we don’t just daydream that a home will sell or a customer will find the perfect home. We agonize, strategize, and categorize constantly.

One of my goals for this year is to make my clients more aware of what I do daily. Oftentimes I assume my clients know that I am working hard for them. But if you don’t see us working first-hand, we can’t expect you to know! You hire us to do a job because you trust us, but we must make a better effort to communicate to you just how hard we are trying. I have lost sleep worrying about my son’s happiness and my daughter’s health, but I have also lost sleep brainstorming ways to work out a seemingly impossible real estate situation. It isn’t a 9-5 job by any means. This is probably why some of the best agents I know were once SAHMs!

Ultimately, I truly believe real estate is a calling. We get so involved in our client’s lives, from family to finances to faith, that it can seem overwhelming at times. There are moments when, just as I often did those first few weeks after both my children were born (and still do, occasionally!), I simply have to step outside, take a deep breath, and thank God for the chaos. Truly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Why Spending $$ is Sometimes the Best Way to Save $$

Yet another great post from KCMBlog on why you need to hire a professional. You may think it's costing you money, but there are so many instances I personally know of where it has SAVED people money!
Click here for more.

Blessed

I have been (trying to) finish up some packaging of some Christmas surprises for my first time buyers (and some sellers!) this year as I have been here at Warren's Gate today... WOW. Lisa and I have been really blessed this year. When we first partnered up in January, we set a goal for ourselves as a team. Even in this down market, we have surpassed that goal. I am not saying that to brag but because I am so truly thankful to my past and present clients, customers, service providers, and fellow agents... without you, and the challenges (some good, some bad!) you bring to the table every day, I would not have a career that I literally LOVE. I am blessed. I get to interact and meet new people every day, I am never in the same old routine day after day, I help people achieve their dreams, I work with other people who truly love what they do (believe me, if they don't... well, they don't last long!), and the possibilities are endless for where our business can go. If my children are sick, I can be with them. If my husband has a ballgame, I can be there. (That isn't to say I'm not carrying on 4 conversations with clients via text and email the whole game, but you get my point!). I have "easy" transactions and I have hard ones, but I learn something new every single day. I'm just blessed. Did I say that already? :-)

Lisa, you are the best. Thank you for enriching my business and my life with your smile, your work ethic, and your laughter (even if it is AT me instead of WITH me). You motivate me not just to work hard but to do it the right way and for the right reasons. My only regret is that we didn't find each other sooner.

So, how can YOU be blessed this year? Did you know rates are a full point lower than they were a year ago? This means you could potentially buy MORE home for the same amount of money you were thinking you would have to pay before you got cold feet due to the media critics. Sellers, did you know your home CAN sell, and even better, at a good price? It IS possible, if you take things in perspective and have your home in top notch shape. Remember, sometimes the blessings are not the dollars at the end of the stay but the enjoyment you got out of it at the end of the day.

Again, I am blessed. Just wanted to share...

ComeHomeToClemmons.com Featured in Video

Neil Brown of Brown Advertising put together a video of client testimonials highlighting his talents as a graphic and web designer. Lisa and I were honored to be included in the video (and it's proof positive we need to stick to selling homes as opposed to our movie careers!). Honestly, though, if you are looking for an edge for 2012 in your marketing, contact Neil. HE WILL NOT TRY TO SELL YOU, but his products will do it anyway. Just no other Realtors, please... :-). Simply click "video" above --

Seriously, to get an idea of what he can do, look at ComeHomeToClemmons.com. I literally said "Here are some photos, some general info... run with it and see what you can do." It really is dynamic and represents Warren's Gate beautifully. Way to go, Neil!

Photo Op!

Lisa and I were fortunate to be featured in The Winston Salem Journal's recent HomePlace. We spoke about our utilization of social media, and how we have incorporated it into our "toolkit" for both buyers and sellers. Click here to see the article.

It's Crunch Time

I had 2 different people ask me today about the local market, and that is such a loaded question! Lisa and I are extremely busy, and for that we are so grateful, BUT we are also having to have some very difficult discussions with our clients. Sellers are no longer joyous when they hear they have an offer -- instead they cringe and ask "how bad is it?" Buyers are no longer optimistic about the value they are getting -- instead they are asking "what if the value ends up going down even more?" We don't have crystal balls, but it is more important than EVER to hire a trusted real estate professional. We can walk you through the process, whether buying or selling, and eliminate some of the guesswork. Contact us today -- don't wait for spring. Rates will be higher, and more homes will be on the market with which sellers have to compete. It's definitely crunch time!

Adventures in HomeBuying -- THE END!

Genevieve and Amy wrap it up with the final installment of the Allen Tate Company's "Adventures in Home Buying" series on YouTube. If you don't have time to watch the video, here are some pointers to remember:

 Talk with a Realtor®.
 Keep an open mind.
 Check your credit score.
 Do the white glove test.
 Location affects price.
 Check out the area.
 Get pre-qualified.
 Better safe than sorry.
 Insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all.
 Offer is more than price.
More information can be found on these on the Allen Tate blog athome.allentate.com.

I'd definitely encourage you to view the videos... viewing something makes me much more likely to remember it, and I fgure many of you are the same. Just go here to see them, and if you decide to embark on step #1, call us today!

Why are the Fees so "High"?

Lisa and I are representing an experienced 3rd generation custom builder in our Warren's Gate community in Clemmons, NC. It is for active adults who do not want to worry with exterior maintenance of their lawn OR dwelling. One question we get often concerns the monthly HOA fee... on the surface, it seems high compared to other "simialr" communities (I say that tongue in cheek because few "no maintenance" communities are truly "no maintenance", but that is another blog post!). Anyway, we explain that dwelling insurance is included. All the occupant needs is an H06 policy, which covers contents and interior "stuff"... here is an email I sent recently to a potential customer that puts it in more understandable terms:

If you want to mention this to your insurance agent, what is needed is called an H06 policy. It is contents plus interior shell (that’s “Amanda speak”…). The exterior is completely covered by the master policy of the HOA. The reason this is CRUCIAL these days is because of how appearance affects perceived values. If your neighbor goes into foreclosure, abandons the property, or just plain and simple fails to maintain it, the HOA is still maintaining the exterior. So, if a tree limb falls on the roof during the time it is unoccupied, it will be fixed rather than sit there and cause more and more damage. Similarly, if your neighbor is under insured and something like that happens, you don’t have to worry – all homeowners in the neighborhood have the same level of insurance, so one underinsured or absentee homeowner’s lack of maintenance does not bring the whole neighborhood down.

Depending on the level of coverage, you CAN have some costs savings with the HO6, but that is relative to your level of comfort. So, that MAY be a benefit, but the definite and main benefit is in future protection. With all the foreclosures, short sales, etc, happening now in ALL price points, this is tremendous for peace of mind.

One of the things I said about K****** leads just to this issue. K****** has some gorgeous properties, but there is NOT a blanket HOA policy there. In the last few years, there have been quite a few short sales and foreclosures out there. I personally had a home on the market 2-3 years ago that was gorgeous inside and out, but the lack of maintenance of the properties on both sides just killed it when it was shown. That is a worst case scenario, but in this day and age very relevant.

The HO6 covers contents as well as the following example… should you go on vacation and have a water leak, your HO6 covers the internal damage.

Let me know if you have questions. I tried to relay this is “non Realtor speak” like you said yesterday ;-), but your insurance agent will absolutely be the best person to explain it in more detail. I can also give you contact info for the policy holder of the policy out here at WG if you or your rep would like to speak to them.

*** Another important point to realize about the dues is that they have a repair and maintenance escrow built in, so that your chance of all of a sudden getting a $3000 assessment for gutters and downspouts in the mail one day that is due and payable within 60 days is MUCH less. In the case of WG, money for things like that is being set aside little by little every month.

Finally, to put it all in perspective, how much do you spend in a year just on your yard?? I know I personally spent over $200 in weed killer ALONE in July (that is still sitting unused on my front porch, by the way). So, to get all lawn maintenance (that will actually be done!), exterior maintenance, sprinklers in the front and back (and the water for them), repair escrows, maintenance reserves, dwelling insurance, sidewalks and street lights, entrance upkeep, and HOA management for $217.50 a month really isn't a burden...

Just for Fun...

I'm back from vacay and WHAT A DAY! So, in lieu iof a "real" post, I thought I'd post our new partner pics just for fun ;-0

Click here to see them!

What Do I Need to Ask???

There is a GREAT post on Allen Tate's At home blog today. I didn't realize that I haven't posted in over a week (YIKES!), so I guess I should be ashamed for just pointing you in the direction of another blog, but I really do think the info is relevant. I was especially impressed by the "other obligations" question. That has really become relevant for me, as yes, as a matter of a fact I DO have other obligations now... namely an adorable 2 year old and precious 1 year old! But, never fear! I realize this may be a hindrance to our partnership. Everyone is totally cool with the need for family time, but let's face it, when you want your agent, you want your agent NOW. So, yet another reason why I am soooo thankful I have partnered with Lisa. She can fill my gaps, and I can fill hers. Aaaahhhh.... it's a 2 for 1 deal!

The other part that really spoke to me dealt with what communication mode you prefer. I will text, email, tweet, call, etc... and not all agents can say that. If texting is important, make sure you work with an agent who regularly communicates that way. If phone calls are important, make sure your agent has her mobile phone with her constantly. If email is your preferred method, make DOUBLY sure they have mobile email capabilites and don't just check their messages once or twice a day. Time is of the essence, folks!

Read the full article here.

A "Flurry" of Activity

If you are like me, you are working from home (or not working at all) today thanks to the snow and ice storm... not a bad thing to sit in your pjs and work away :-). We had snow, ice, and sleet yesterday and last night, but that is not the only kind of "flurry" happening around here...

BUYERS ARE LOOKING. Just in the past 2 weeks my partner and I have been amazed at the number of buyers, previously lying low, who have expressed an interest in finding a home and finding one quickly. Other agents in our office have said the same thing, so that tells me it is time to act. Sellers, you MUST be not just competitive but compelling. You must be staged and ready to show. You must be flexible with few showing restrictions. Talk to your agent today about where you need to be as far as pricing goes. Remember, the longer you wait the more you will be affected by increased short sales and foreclosures. A $1200/month payment quickly adds up, so reduce now and get the burden off your shoulders.

Call me TODAY to discuss!