It might have been on your mind for a while now, or it might be something that just dawned on you yesterday. The idea of selling your home and purchasing a new one. The reasons or motivations could cover a broad spectrum of wants and/or needs. Each reason or each motivation has its own merits. Appleseed Realty wants to honor each of those reasons or motivations.
Appleseed Realty has a long standing relationship with Homes & Land magazine. Since 1973, Homes & Land has been an advocate for full service real estate professionals by offering a package of multi-media marketing platforms for the Real Estate professional to showcase their listings.
Homes & Land has established a strong local presence with distribution throughout the entire Metro Charlotte area including Charlotte, Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville, Lake Norman, Lake Wylie and all the municipalities and areas of Union County.
You can still pick up a Homes & Land magazine at your local Harris Teeter and Food Lion grocery store throughout Mecklenburg, Union, and surrounding areas.
Direct mail has been a staple for a number of years and this has not changed. A rotating direct mail system has been set up to provide valuable home buyer/seller information to different professional groups such as attorneys, medical and tech professionals, CPAs and many others.
In addition to being distributed locally, 2,500+ magazines are inserted into the Mansion Edition of the Wall Street Journal for home delivery. Every other issue, the magazine is rotated to Metro Charlotte, and to other top feeder metros along the East Coast.
I know what your question is...what about digital. Well, let's save that for another blog chat. There are many home buyers and home sellers who would still like to look at the print magazine and be able to scroll (oh, No! I didn't do that) through the pages to see if they can identify the home that appeals to them or perhaps the region or area that appeals to them.
Just to let you know, Appleseed Realty will promote your home by showcasing it in the Homes & Land magazine in order to attract home buyers from as large an area as possible. Home buyers, we can flip through the magazine together and see what style of home you will be comfortable in and what price range suits you best. You can trust Appleseed Realty and their partnership with Homes & Land magazine to do the best possible job of presenting your home and getting you the greatest return on investment. Call today 704-219-3160
Congratulations to Village of Wesley Chapel on it's 25th birthday. Celebrations will be held in Dogwood Park on Saturday, July 15 from 10:00 to 2:00. Everyone is invited to help celebrate this occasion. There will be food, fun, games, give-aways and more. Dogwood Park is located on Lester Davis Road close to intersection of Weddington Road (Hwy 84). Parking will be available across street at the church.
Wesley Chapel's existence as a community far exceeds the 25 year birthday/anniversary. Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church is at the heart of the Wesley Chapel community and has been the hub for community activities down thru the decades and even centuries. The church and school were/are located at the intersection of Hwy 84 (Weddington Road) and Potters Road South. The church as been in existence 1832 so the church will be able to celebrate its 200th year in 2032. The existence of the church predates the existence of the county in 1857.
Many families from the Wesley Chapel area attended church at Wesley Chapel UMC. You can be a part of this staple of the community! All are invited and all are welcome! Effective July 9, the church has a new Pastor, Rev. Russell Alexander from the Harrisburg area. Come out on Sunday to experience a high energy service and be a part of a growing congregation. Service time has been changed to 11:00-12:00 on each Sunday morning. Come out this weekend on Saturday to celebrate the 25th Birthday of Village of Wesley Chapel and on Sunday at 11:00 for an exhilarating religious experience (Methodist Style).
If you are among the generation known as Baby Boomers, or older, or if you watch old movies, you are familiar with the concept of doing business on a hand shake. When a man (or woman) would give their word and that was that!! Do you call those "the Good Ole Days?" There are still plenty of us who would be willing to do business in this fashion, but there are others in our society who just don't play by those rules. Therefore we find ourselves in need of putting Everything in Writing. Paperwork! Paperwork! Paperwork!
In Real Estate, this is the reason we have so many forms. And it seems every year the forms get longer and longer!! Changes on the forms do occur every year and become effective July 1. The astute Realtor will educate themselves on the forms changes early in the year in order to better represent their buyer or seller clients. Appleseed Realty will be taking training this week to become updated on all for changes for the upcoming year.
So we talked about "Everything in Writing." Did you know a verbal contract is only as good as the paper it is written on? Did you get that? You don't have a contract until you have it in writing, signed by both parties, and conveyed to all parties (in this case conveyance can be to the buyer or sellers agent). At this point in time, you have a true contract between the parties. You, as a consumer, may not know that. You, as a consumer, might think (if you are representing yourself), that if you have a verbal contract, made on a hand shake, you have something binding with the other party. If you are a buyer, then "Buyer Beware!" Another buyer could come along and offer more for the property, and the only hand shake you see is the seller waving good bye to you, because he just got a better deal! What can you do about this? Nothing! You do not have a written contract because you were not working with a qualified and knowledgeable Realtor who was protecting your rights.
So now you know! You need a written contract! How are you going to get your hands on a written contract for the two parties to sign? Who has access to such documents? The qualified Realtor!!! Who will guide you thru them and thru the process? The qualified Realtor!!! I enjoy the funny commercials being presented by NAR to try to convince home buyers and sellers that they would benefit from using a Realtor. I appreciate the commercials that say, that is who we R, Realtors because we give back to the community. But at the end of the day, the reason you, as a home buyer or seller, need the services of a qualified Realtor is to help and guide you thru the process, making you aware of your rights, protecting you, representing you, finding qualified resources for you, using our expertise to put you in the best position possible. Representing you, our Client, to the best of our ability. That is why Home Buyers and Sellers need to be working with a Realtor! Call Judy (Appleseed) Chapman at 704-219-3160
Aside from the experience and expertise of the qualified Realtor, the buyer or seller of property can "Dig" into the services offered by the Realtor and decide if this Realtor is compatible with them and meets all their needs. One service that may be offered by the Realtor as a List Agent (working for the Seller) or a Buyers Agent (working for the Buyer) is to provide a certified Flood zone report. Not all Realtors will offer this service. If you have a Realtor representing you as a List agent, having the report will give complete transparency and clarity on a property's current flood zone status based on the current FEMA effective maps. Flood zone maps change from time to time. The report shows comprehensive mapping detail including pinpoint identification of the structure(s) location on the property. Providing a report gains support from flood experts to address questions about flood zone status and possible opportunities to challenge status. In total, this can eliminate wasted time, money and potential loss of a deal due to flood zone status issues that may occur during the transaction. The MyFloodStatus report provided by Appleseed Realty LLC is certified and insured. Anytime you can reduce risk in a real estate transaction, that turns out to be a good day. Great idea to provide buyer clients with a Flood Zone report too.....just so they know what they are purchasing. Call Appleseed Realty at 704-219-3160 to have your property listed with a certified Flood Zone report or if you are in the market to purchase and want to get the best buyer representation possible.
Changing your clock for Daylight Savings Time can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. What type of changes might occur relating to Real Estate? Whether you are a buyer or a seller, the time charge has already created a different pattern in showings. For Realtors who are using the Supra Lock Box on a property, the hours for showing a property have changed to 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. This means the Supra Lock Box will NOT operate prior to 8:00 AM nor after 10:00 PM.
So on Saturday night, March 12, 2023 we moved our clocks ahead at 2:00 AM. In effect, we "Lost" an hour. Sunrise and sunset started to occur about 1 hour later than the day before. There will be more light in the evening. By June 21, first day of summer, the sun will set as late as 8:34 PM.
We have to manual make the adjustments on some devices, but some, like our cellphones, will make the change automatically. It is a great reminder to check the batteries in smoke detectors in your home. This would also offer the opportunity for you to check batteries in your flashlights to be better prepared for spring electrical storms.
According to WRAL News in Raleigh NC, "State lawmakers are trying to pass a bill keeping North Carolina on Daylight Saving Time year-round." It would be eliminating the "falling back" process to Eastern Standard Time each November. Fifteen other states have passed similar bills, including many in the Southeast.
Having additional daylight hours would make it possible for home buyers to use weekday afternoons in pursuit of their new home. Home sellers would have additional time to devote to landscaping and other repairs or upgrades to attract more buyers.
How about the Realtor? Well for this Realtor, it will take me about a month to become accustomed to the time change. I find myself wanting to sleep in later in the AM and become sleepier earlier at night. I understand that the daylight lasting longer will eventually change my "clock" and have me closer regulated to the actual time. In the meantime, I find myself thinking, well it would be 7:00 by the old time. You just have to love life!!
Freedom does have the word Free in it, but we all know that Freedom is not Free. There are so many who have made sacrifices so that we can have those Freedoms we hold dear. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind loved ones. Our Veterans range in age from the very old to the very young. I am looking back on some of the pictures of servicemen on Facebook and I see photos from different wars and different conflicts. We hold each one close to our hearts and owe them so much.
Our military service members have a great loan option in the VA loan. According to Chris Wolfe, with Integrity Mortgage, this option is reserved only for our eligible military service members. The down payment is as little as 0% down and Mortgage Insurance is not required, making this a cheaper alternative than other lower down payment mortgage products. A Certificate of Eligibility from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will determine if the service member is eligible for this loan product. In most cases, one VA loan can be obtained at a time though rarely there are certain situations where a service member may have enough entitlement remaining to purchase another primary residence while still keeping their current VA Loan, however, in most cases only one VA loan can be active at a time.
Chris further mentioned that certain manufactured homes can be purchases with a VA loan and debt to income requires can be less restrictive than other loan programs in general. Did you know that VA loans do not allow co-signers or co-borrowers unless they are your spouse? This means that a domestic partner can’t apply with a service member to obtain a VA loan if needed to qualify, but spouses of Veterans are allows to apply.
"It’s a great option for military service members looking to buy a home," said Wolfe, "and we thank you for your service and sacrifice to protect our freedoms!"
It is helpful anytime you are searching for assistance from the VA to have your DD-214 recorded with the Register of Deeds office in the county where you live. Should you misplace your original, a certified copy can be obtained from the Register of Deeds.
Someone observed recently that Veterans were honored on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day, but the rest of the year, they were set back on the shelf. If you have a family member, friend, or client who served our country, next time you see them be sure to thank them for their service. Don't just wait for Veterans Day to roll around one time a year. Let them know how much you appreciate the sacrifices they made on our behalf. Thank You To All Veterans from Integrity Mortgage and from Appleseed Realty !!!
PS There are certain nuances when working with a VA Loan. Be sure to seek out that Lender and Realtor who has experience in working with VA loans for a smoother, easier close. You know where to find them!!
Yes, we all remember the time when there were many people flipping homes. When the number of foreclosures and short sales were going off the charts, the market was ripe for this type of activity! The buyers might have to compete with other buyers, but at that time, there was No such thing as going over List Price to get a property. It was however, a real guessing game, when you went into a multiple buyer situation. Cash helped to move buyers to the top of the stack of offers. Lenders are not too keen on financing a property in distressed condition. Some buyers might be able to help the lender see the improvements they would make to the property in order to get the loan to go thru. In which case the appraiser would probably look at current value and perceived value with improvements. The goal of any "flipper" is to get the contract and the property, close and be able to rehab the property as quick as possible. Built in costs for the time the flipper holds the property are interest charges on the loan and insurance cost for a vacant property. Those premiums can be high. Plus the insurance company knows there will be workers on the property who might be careless. Who knows what kind of risk they are taking. The "flipper" who is able to complete a lot of the work himself/herself will realize the most profits. Even getting a child or grandchild in to help clean and spruce up the landscape can save quite a bit. As a Realtor, I encourage you to apply and get all required permits from the county before you complete the work. That is likely the first question a new buyer is going to ask? Was the work permitted as required??
Once you have completed the work, you will want to seek out the services of a qualified Realtor to walk you through the sales process. He/she will market the property for you and help quickly find you a qualified buyer. If your potential buyer is using an FHA loan, there are things you want to take into consideration. Why would your potential buyer want an FHA loan? Smaller down payment. An FHA loan might be the difference in the buyer being able to get the loan and affording the house, or not. IF you as a seller do not offer the FHA loan as a option for your purchaser, you are blocking out a good segment of the buyers you want to attract. According to Chris Wolfe, Integrity Mortgage Group, speaking on FHA Property Flipping, the property that is being resold 90 days or fewer following the seller's date of acquisition is not eligible for an FHA Insured Mortgage. What does this mean? The "flipper" needs to wait at least 90 days before the property is resold or find a buyer who is not using FHA. Even if the property is marketed prior to the 90 day period, an appraisal should not be performed prior to the 90 day period. If it is, another appraisal will be required, and the cost of that second appraisal cannot be borne by the buyer. Either the seller, list agent, buyers agent, or some other party will need to be able to cover that cost.
Will we see "flipper" opportunities again? The opportunities in the current market are few. Even the distressed properties are selling at such a high price, building materials cost has increased, making it hard to realize the kind of profits you need in order to take the risks. However, our market is like a living, breathing thing. It is constantly evolving. There is a chance we will see the time, once again, when "flippers" can make a nice profit at this activity. Be Ready!! Contact Chris Wolfe at Integrity to get all the important details on FHA Loan Restrictions on Resale for Property Flipping. Contact me, Judy Chapman or Angie Eubanks at Appleseed Realty for "Flipping" and All Your Real Estate Needs.
I recently had a call from a very good friend who was asking about how they could reinvest the funds they had made from selling some land. I asked if they had already closed on the land and she said yes. At that point in time, it is too late to use the 1031 tax exchange to delay any capital gains taxes you would make from the sell of the property. There are specific rules for 1031 Tax Exchange. The process has to be well planned prior to the sell of your property. It takes an attorney who knows how to handle the process. That attorney will advise you on how to proceed. It is almost better to have the property identified that you intend to purchase and maybe have it under contract, because you have only a very short window in which to use the funds before you have to release them for normal treatment. You will eventually have to pay the taxes, but you are simply "kicking the can down the road." The funds from the sell our your property are held in escrow by the attorney's office until you close on your next property. The property you purchase has to be "Like" what you sold. So if you sold a house, buy a house; if you sold land, buy land; if you sold an investment property, buy an investment property. I told my friend I would do a blog on this. Hopefully it will help someone else who is earlier in the process than they were. If you need more information, do the same thing she did, call me. If I have the answer, I will gladly share it. If I don't we will get the info from an attorney.
This is such helpful information from my friends Chris Wolfe and Barb Pilarczyk over at Integrity Mortgage Group (IMG). They are, of course, in the lending business. Their article starts out by telling how "gut wrenching" things can happen during the homebuying process when your buyer clients are not even aware that things could "change" their credit status. Here is their list.
Don't Make Major Purchases (My Note: Your buyers are going to be excited about their new home. Don't let them go out and buy new appliances and a household full of furniture on credit. Tell them to pick it all out and have the store put it on hold.)
Make unsourceable cash deposits (hard to trace, hard to explain) to your bank account. Selling personal property may require a paper trail like a bill of sale and deposit sourcing. (My Note: If a family member is going to help you out with down payment or closing costs, speak with your lender about it before hand. That has to be made known and approved by the lender in most cases.)
Don't co-sign anything for anyone. (My Note: This is not only a good rule of thumb for when you are getting ready to purchase a home. This is an anytime good rule of thumb. That sits on your credit just like it was yours and if the other party defaults, that also sits on your credit just like it was yours.)
Don't spend money that you've saved for your down payment. (My Note: Do you have money saved for a home purchase and/or emergencies? You need to have. Make a practice of "paying yourself first." An easy way to do this is to have the bank draft from your paycheck into a savings account. Make it a habit and you will get to where you don't miss it. )
Change jobs without talking to your loan officer or consultant first. Also, make sure your hours are not reduced potentially effecting your qualifying income. (My Note: If you do, it will at least be a delay because most lenders will want to see a few pay stubs from your new job before they move forward. This could cause you to lose a rate lock or worse.)
Make major credit changes. Don't let that 20% off be the reason the loan is denied! (My Note: Don't even CLOSE a credit card without checking first with your lender. This can also change your credit score, and if you are just at a level of acceptance, that could cause you to no longer qualify.)
Chris Wolfe contact info: 910-690-3764 or cwolfe@integritymtgs.com and Barb Pilarczyk can be reached at 704-989-8175 or barbp@integritymtgs.com. This is some sound advice from a reliable lender. Read it and remember it. If you know someone who is getting ready to purchase a home or land, share it with them and also, while you are at it, share my contact information. I would love to help them. I Love Referrals!!! Judy Chapman, Appleseed Realty LLC at 704-219-3160 or jbcdocgirl@aol.com
I know your first question!! Who is RON? A better question is "What" is RON. RON is one of the newest acronyms you will hear being tossed around concerning notarization. Yes, I know this is a blog post for Real Estate!! But for the Realtors in the room, and for Lenders and Attorneys, you all know that within the closing and within the loan preparation process, there are many instances where a notary is involved. So the business of Realtors and the business of Notaries have become more tightly intertwined. With the passage of Remote Online Notarization or RON, the signature of signers can be notarized electronically without the notary being in the same room as the signers. What does this mean? Also the signers do not have to be sitting in front of the attorney or paralegal. But don't jump the gun. You cannot do this today in NC. The law to provide for RON was passed, but the effective date is July 2023, about 9 months away. This will give time for the Office of Secretary of State to establish all the rules and regulations to be followed and to identify acceptable platforms with which the RONs will be able to work. This will also allow us time to get ready for RON and to educate everyone on it. As President of North Carolina Notary Association, Wednesday I was privileged to appear before the Union County Realtors Association to introduce the concept of RON to our Realtor members. It is an exciting time!! I encourage you to contact me if you would like for me to present also to your Realtor Association, Bar Association meeting, Paralegal Association meeting or other professional group within the State of North Carolina. There are so many factors to explore concerning RON and its implementation. If you are a Notary and want to learn more, please feel free to contact me. Judy Chapman, Broker/Owner Appleseed Realty LLC; Owner of A Notary Store + More LLC; President North Carolina Notary Association; National Notary of the Year 2019; National Notary Ambassador 704-219-3160 or jbcdocgirl@aol.com