Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mint Hill NC Real Estate Profesional=Rich Ferretti

“As business professionals, we all look to align ourselves with others having greater experience or results, in hopes we will learn ourselves. I personally have found several that meet that mold, and Rich Ferretti is among the top tear. I have gotten to know Rich over the past year pretty well, and I am amazed at how much effort he puts into everything he does, and every person he meets. My wife & I are not real-estate agents, but we have purchased and sold 5 homes in the past 10 years. I can say without a doubt, Rich provide a superior service than any of the agents we have had. In this down turn economy, as a buyer…. Or seller, you need the best to accomplish your goals, and Rich Ferretti is the guy that will help you do that. Joe Balich President Meridian DesignBuild, Ltd.” March 20, 2010

Thank you Joe….

Rich Ferretti, your Charlotte NC, Matthews NC, and Mint Hill NC real estate professional offering you most stressless NC Real Estate process

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Tips for First Time Home Buyers


Owning a home can bring comfort and stability, however the process to get there can seem daunting. While there comes a point in life when a person should own a home in the interest of their future, many do not quite know how to handle this task in a way to decrease stress. Here are some tips for first time home buyers:
1) Make a list of what you’re looking for and the price.

-Sure, we all want the mansion with seven bedrooms and a swimming pool, but it probably will not fall into your price range. It is important to set a price range, and then think about areas you want to live in, number of bedrooms, amenities such as washer and dryer and central air and heating. What are the things you cannot live without? What are the things you would like, but don’t necessarily need? Setting up a list will allow you to narrow down the number of options and will ensure you aren’t make compromises when you don’t have to. When visiting the houses, it is encouraged to bring the checklist and a digital camera. This helps keep track of the homes, while also organizing your thoughts and feelings on each home and the amenities it has to offer.

2) Give yourself adequate time to process.

-How motivated are you at this point? Sometimes people will look for years for a home, but those are people who are looking for fun, not out of necessity or a drive to own a home. Motivated buyers will probably find their home in two weeks, depending on scheduling. If you want to see many, many homes, it will take you longer. Remember, you do not want to overload your brain. While a highly motivated buyer could ask to see 20 or 30 homes in a day, details will be lost and that buyer may be mistaken about which home is right. Instead, set the cap on seven home tours a day. This may take you longer to find the perfect house, but this way you are sure to remember the important details.

3) Go with instinct but don’t jump before you leap

- Remember to ignore your instinct to shop around. Sometimes we find something we want at a store and we feel the desire to visit other stores to ensure we are getting the best deal. You must suppress this urge when buying a home. Once you find the perfect house, it is important to make an offer quickly before another person takes it from underneath you. However, this does not mean you should be hasty! Going to see the home a second time is recommended. Going to see the home at different times of the day and week is also recommended. Listen to your real estate agent; they are required to point out what may need to be fixed. Don’t allow the initial excitement of finding the home that looks perfect on paper cloud your judgment. It may be in a great neighborhood and have the exact number of bedrooms you want, but what if all the pipes need to be replaced? Pay attention to detail, be aware of what repairs and changes you’re willing to do, and once you find the home you love, visit often and make an offer.



Are you interested in more information about the Mint Hill, Matthews and Charlotte area real estate market? Check out http://www.minthillrealty.com/

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Mint Hill North Carolina 28227

Click here to search for homes in Mint Hill NC, Matthews NC and Charlotte NC.

Mint Hill NC Homes

Want more information about the Mint Hill, Matthews and Charlotte area real estate market? Check out http://www.minthillrealty.com/

Mint Hill NC Homes for Sale

Mint Hill NC, where Mayberry meets the 21st Century.

Search Mint Hill NC HOMEs at Mint Hill NC Homes and Real Estate

Here’s a sample:

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Call Rich Ferretti, your Mint Hill Real Estate Professional at 704 564 0807 or visit him on the web at www.RichFerretti.com

Find out why I call Mint Hill NC home.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Keeping Cool this Summer—Rich Ferretti Mint Hill North Carolina

Here’s some tips on keeping your house cool this summer. I know how hard it can be during these days when temps are in the 90s with high humidity….
Tricks to Keep Your House Cool this Summer

By Paige Tepping
RISMEDIA, June 17, 2010--As the temperatures continue to rise this summer, so does the cost of keeping your home cool. While homeowners across the country come to depend on air conditioners to keep the temperature down during the warm summer months, there are other options that will keep you cool while keeping your energy bill low.
Fans and ceiling fans
-If you’re looking for ways to beat the heat, a ceiling fan can be a great investment for your home. This one appliance can make a room feel 6 or 7 degrees cooler, and even the most power-hungry fan costs less than $10 a month to use if you keep it on for 12 hours a day. Good fans make it possible for you to raise your thermostat setting and save on air-conditioning costs. Fans don’t use much energy, but when air is circulating, it feels much cooler. Ceiling fans are best, but a good portable fan can be very effective as well.
-You should remember that even mild air movement of 1 mph can make you feel three or four degrees cooler. Also, make sure your ceiling fan is turned for summer – you should feel the air blown downward.
Shades, drapes or blinds
-Install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house. Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun (east-facing windows in the morning and west-facing windows in the afternoon) to keep the sun’s heat out and help fans or air conditioners cool more efficiently. Always remember that the best way to keep your home cool is to keep the heat out.
Internal Heat
-The most common sources of internal heat gain are; appliances, electronic devices and lighting. Be aware of devices in your home that are generating heat and if you have air conditioning, use it wisely.
Don’t put lamps, televisions or other heat-generating appliances next to your air-conditioning thermostat, because the heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer. The heat they produce will make the thermostat think your house is warmer than it really is, and your system will run harder than it needs to.
-Unless you absolutely need them, turn off incandescent lights and heat-generating appliances. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents; they produce the same light but use a fifth the energy and heat.
-You should also try to avoid heat-generating activities such as cooking on hot days or during the hottest part of the day. If you are cooking, use your range fan to vent the hot air out of your house. By reducing the amount of heat in your home, you will use less energy to cool it.
Plants
-Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units, but not block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses less electricity. Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides will keep your house cool in the summer and allow the sunlight to warm the house during the winter.
Roof and Walls
-Paint your roof white – If you’ve got a flat roof, paint it with a specially formulated reflective paint or just paint it white. The reflective effect will help to keep the rooms under the flat roof much cooler.
Other things to remember
-Humidity makes room air feel warmer, so reduce indoor humidity. Minimize mid-day washing and drying clothes, showering and cooking. When you must do these things, turn on ventilating fans to help extract warm, moist air.
-Avoid landscaping with lots of unshaded rock, cement, or asphalt on the south or west sides of your home because it increases the temperature around the house and radiates heat to the house after the sun has set.
-If the attic isn’t already insulated or is under-insulated, insulate it now. Upgrading from 3 inches to 12 inches can cut cooling costs by 10%.

Rich Ferretti is your Mint Hill NC Real Estate and Charlotte NC relocation professional.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

South Park Shopping Charlotte NC

Walk to South Park and all the fine restaurants.

This unit has all the upgrades: Granite counters, ceramic tile, hardwood flooring, extra special storage unit. Wonderful balcony that over looks all the action.

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  • You’re Home

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  • Roof Top Patio

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  • Roof Top Pool

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  • Gourmet Kitchen
    • Granite Counter
    • Lots of builtins
    • 42 inch cabinets

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  • Dining area
  • Computer niche or wet bar on wall

Visit www.4620PiedmontRow.com for a complete tour.

Call Rich Ferretti, your Charlotte NC real estate professional or visit Rich on line at www.RichFerretti.com.

Let’s find your home today.

BEST BUY=====Charlotte NC Homes for sale==Over 3000 Sq Ft and priced at 239,000

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Large home that offers so much

  • 4 large bedrooms
  • 3 full baths
  • Open floor plan
  • HD projection system
  • 2nd floor loft area
  • Double patio

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  • Formal Living room

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  • 2nd Floor Loft

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  • Large great room with open floor plan

Visit www.8928Oransay.com for a complete tour.

Call Rich Ferretti, your Charlotte NC Real Estate and Charlotte NC Relocation professional.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Choosing to Relocate To Charlotte?

More and more Americans are choosing to relocate to Charlotte. For many years, the city has seen a steady increase in both its residential population and corporate entities. Nine of the nation's Fortune 500 companies house their world headquarters here in Charlotte, and in the past twenty years more than 170,000 new jobs have been created in the Charlotte region.

Charlotte's robust local economy has become a national model of strength and diversity. Communications is the leading employment sector here, but Charlotte is known for its banking industries. Other types of businesses such as IT, computer and office manufacturing, software design, and electronics manufacturing. And internationally known firms such as IBM, SAIC, Microsoft and GE Capital are proud to be some of Charlotte's leading employers.

While Charlotte has long been a haven for retirees, the city is also one of the most popular relocation destinations in the country for professionals and families. The city offers all of the amenities, attractions, and excitement of a major metropolitan hub, but maintains the cozy, close-knit feel of a much smaller town. Charlotte is not only one of the nation's most beautiful cities, there is truly something for everyone here!



Want more information about the Mint Hill, Matthews and Charlotte area real estate market? Check out http://www.minthillrealty.com/

Monday, June 14, 2010

Special Provisions Allow Military Home Buyers to Capture Tax Credits

Did you know there is a special tax provision for our military families?
 
Special Provisions Allow Military Home Buyers to Capture Tax Credits

RISMEDIA, June 10, 2010--Military families seeking to buy a home can count on a little tax help. The Homebuyers Tax Credit, which provides eligible buyers with a tax credit of $8,000 for first time buyers and $6,500 for repeat home buyers, ended on April 30, 2010 for civilians. However, active duty military or those on extended overseas duty have until on or before April 30, 2011 to have a binding sales contract in place. The bill also exempts qualified service members on official extended duty from tax credit recapture rules.
"We honor those who serve our country and are glad that this bill acknowledges the unique circumstances they face," said Benjamin Clark, 2010 President of NAEBA (www.naeba.org). "This bill ensures that members of the military have equal opportunity to participate in the homebuyer tax credit and offers relief to struggling military families by making the mortgage payment tax deductible."
The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 provides a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence and a tax credit of up to $6,500 for repeat home buyers who have owned a home for five consecutive years out of the prior eight years. The tax credit is available for eligible purchasers who have a binding sales contract in place by April 30, 2010, and close by June 30, 2010. However, realizing that members of the military, the Foreign Service and Intelligence Community have unique circumstances the bill has special provisions for this group:
-- Tax credit extended for one year for military personnel serving outside the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning December 31, 2008 and ending May 1, 2010.
-- Eliminates the 36-month recapture requirement for military personnel, including members of the Foreign Service and intelligence community, forced to sell or move from a tax credit home as a result of an official extended duty of service.
Visit www.irs.gov for more information on qualifying and claiming the tax credit. To learn more about NAEBA and the benefits of using an exclusive buyer agent, visit www.naeba.org.

When you’re ready to start looking for that dream home, call or visit Rich Ferretti, your Mint Hill NC real estate professional.

Mint Hill Real Estate and Good Customer Service

No Matter what type of business you’re in you just can’t beat “Good Customer Service”. Here’s a great article to make sure you’re on top of your game. Whether you’re selling real estate in Mint Hill NC or providing dry goods…People want to be treated the right way.

Enjoy

Keeping Customers With Good Customer Service

RISMEDIA, June 10, 2010--Successful companies provide proactive customer service. Proactive customers service leads to increased business and loyalty. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Be a double checker
Customers appreciate it when a sales representative takes a minute to check on an item they've asked for. It lets them know they're being listened to and cared for.
Do something extra
Average service is about meeting the customer’s expectations. Great customer service is exceeding it. Give your customers more than they expect, and they'll return to do business with you.
Take the initiative
Offer several solutions to the customer's predicament. If one doesn't work, make sure you have multiple avenues to resolve their problems. This way, the customer knows you are trying your best to help them, and in the future will not hesitate to buy from you, since they'll know whatever problem they have, you'll be able to fix it.
Psychological Triggers To Target
Consumer's behavior is often consistent with their previous decisions. Therefore, if a customer says "yes" to an offer, make another offer that relates to the first.
• Determine the nature of the product so you can relate it to your prospect. Find which characteristics of your product have caught the prospect's interest.
• If your product has a flaw, don't avoid it. Bring the flaw into the open right away. This will make the negative feature less negative. Then concentrate on the benefits.
• Tell prospects a story concerning the product you are selling; this establishes a relationship while focusing their attention.
• Make them feel special. Offer an exclusive product to make your prospective customer feel like they will be the owner of something only a select few can have.
• Simplicity is key. The easier it is for a potential customer to make a choice, the more likely they are going to make it.
• Live up to your promises. Be as specific as you can in your copy. Be an authority on your product; this will further establish you as a credible source.
• Get customers actively involved in the buying process. Talk to them as if they already owned the product.

Rich Ferretti is a Mint Hill Realtor that lives the phrase Customer Service. You can see by his testimonials.

Rich Ferretti, Mint Hill NC

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Investing in Real Estate Now is a Good Idea Because…

The country is in a recession, and that makes everyone a bit uneasy when it comes to taking risks. However, the best investment to make for your future is buying real estate, and the best time to do that is during a recession! Right now, real estate properties are more affordable, allowing more people spanning income levels to find a nice home for a cheaper price. In addition to that, there are more homes to choose from at this time. For those who want an affordable investment opportunity, the numbers of properties to choose from at the moment is high and this means there are more homes available at a cheaper price.
This is a buyer’s market. It is said in basic economic classes that it is good to do the opposite of what the majority of people are doing. Right now there are a lot of people selling homes but there aren’t very many people buying homes. This gives you the upper hand in negotiating price and the bidding competition is basically non-existent. More advice from Economics 101, is that investing in real estate allows you to have full control over your asset, more control than any other investment or asset would have. Fixing up a home can increase its value by a little bit, but adding another room or a porch can add $50,000 to your home’s value! This is also a low risk investment because the returns have an incredibly high probability of being good. People will make money when they sell their home.

Taxes can be a headache for anyone, but owning property can be tax write off! The government wants to encourage people to own property, and you can find many ways to turn owning real estate into a business that will provide you tax cuts. Playing the stock market could mean that a stock owned will double in value, however a person only benefits from this by selling. With real estate, when a property doubles in value, you can just refinance and still keep the property! The money made when refinancing is tax free and goes straight to your wallet.

But let’s forget all this talk about economics and investing and returns. Truth be told, while investing in real estate is smart to do from a economic standpoint, it is also smart to do emotionally. The peace of mind that comes with owning a home within your means is incomparable to anything else. When renting a home or apartment, you are always answering to someone else about every little thing. Owning property means improvements and repairs are in your control, paint and decorating is up to you, No increase in rent, no surprise visits from a landlord, just a nice space that offers privacy and personality. Also, while it is important to have a good retirement fund, some overlook one of the greatest assets to add to retirement: a home. Imagine a house where your family can live, grow up in, move out, and all the memories that will be associated with it. In the end, you will have your retirement fund, as well as the family home which will be a constant reminder of happy memories.



Would you like more information about the Mint Hill, Matthews and Charlotte area real estate market? Check out www.minthillrealty.com

Monday, June 7, 2010

Charlotte NC—Real Estate and Home for Sale

Just listed home that offers so much

This 4 bedroom, 3 full bath home has a great floor plan.

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  • 4 Bedroom (one on main level)
  • 3 full baths (one on main level)
  • Large Open Floor plan
  • Super kitchen with lots of counter space and cabinets
  • 2nd floor loft that could be used as playroom or library

Visit www.8928Oransay.com for complete information

Rich Ferretti is a seasoned veteran in the Charlotte NC real estate market. Visit Rich at www.RichFerrett.com

Friday, June 4, 2010

Mint Hill NC Relocation—Oxfordshire Community

Mint Hill NC Real Estate and Relocation—Oxfordshire Community

Desirable Oxfordshire Community

www.5617Sugarcane.com

Looking for a great home with lots of room and yet close to everything? Well, look no further.

This is one of Mint Hill’s finest communities.

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  • Mint Hill NC Location
  • Oxfordshire Community
  • All Brick
  • 4 bedroom (one on 1st floor)
  • 3 Full Baths (one on 1st floor)

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  • Large lot
  • Peaceful cul de sac

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  • Formal sitting room or gathering room
  • Large deck that over looks wooded yard
  • Listen to the birds while relaxing in your own hot tub

Call Rich Ferretti, your Mint Hill NC relocation professional.

www.RichFerretti.com or Rich@RichFerretti.com

704-564-0807

Mint Hill NC – Oxfordshire Community

Mint Hill NC—Oxfordshire Community

STOP THE CAR----DID YOU SEE THIS HOME?

www.9824Hofstra.com

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  • Oxfordshire Community
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 1/2 Baths
  • 3/4 acre
  • Large 2 car garage with special shelf brackets

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A TRUE GREAT ROOM

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Could you ask for a better layout?????

Call Rich Ferretti 704 564 0807

www.RichFerretti.com or Rich@RichFerretti.com

Mint Hill NC relocation and real estate-

That’s all you have to remember

Charlotte NC Townhome---$78,000

Charlotte NC Townhome

  • Priced at $78,000
  • Close to shopping and restaurants
  • Walk to light rail
  • Off Park Road
  • Close to I485
  • Great investment

Call Rich Ferretti for a personal tour of this “move in ready” CharlotteTownhome today.

Rich Ferretti is your Charlotte NC Real Estate professional with over 20 years experience.

www.RichFerretti.com

Rich@RichFerretti.cm

704.564.0807

Mint Hill NC Real Estate===It’s all about you.

Tips to Personalize Your Space

By Paige Tepping
RISMEDIA, June 4, 2010--Buying and moving into a new home can be a stressful process, but for many homeowners, the fun is just starting. A new home in a new location offers the perfect opportunity for homeowners to reclaim their space and personalize it by using objects, furniture and themes that are important or meaningful. Here, the experts at Ryland Homes offer tips to help you find your inner decorator and personalize your home so that it suites you for years to come.

Be true to you. Your home tells a story about you, so fill it with objects that you enjoy. Decorate for you – not for others.
Tread cautiously with trends. Trends are great, but not always practical for your lifestyle or your pocketbook. Ask yourself if the design you implement today is the one you’ll want to look at years from now.

Think of others. When planning your space, imagine it with people in the room. Often, homeowners try to decorate their homes like pictures they see in a magazine. But those are for photo shoots – not for real life. Instead, focus on what’s comfortable and functional for you, your family and your guests.

Focus. Find an inspiration around which to focus your design, whether it be a piece of furniture, art or a meaningful antique. By planning your design around your most prized items, you can maintain focus and stay true to your style.

Wow ‘em with white. Nothing brightens a room like a touch of white. By simply adding a white throw pillow or towel to a room, you can make it feel cleaner, brighter and more luxurious.

Think in 3-D. Don’t forget that every room has three surfaces to consider: the walls, floor and ceiling. Each helps establish the mood.

Cast the best light. Even the best design can look shabby in poor lighting. Choose good lighting to maximize your surroundings.

Look ahead. Kitchen and bathroom upgrades tend to offer the most return on investment when it comes time to sell your home, so don’t overlook upgrades like tile and cabinetry.

Thanks Paige, everyone can learn something from your article.

Rich Ferretti, Mint Hill Real Estate Professional.

www.MIntHillRealty.com

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Why you still need a Realtor

1. Better Access/More Convenience
A real estate agent's full-time job is to act as a liaison between buyers and sellers. This means that he or she will have easy access to all other properties listed by other agents. Both the buyer's and seller's agent work full time as real estate agents and they know what needs to be done to get a deal together. For example, if you are looking to buy a home, a real estate agent will track down homes that meet your criteria, get in touch with sellers' agents and make appointments for you to view the homes. If you are buying on your own, you will have to play this telephone tag yourself. This may be especially difficult if you're shopping for homes that are for sale by owner.
Similarly, if you are looking to sell your home yourself, you will have to solicit calls from interested parties, answer questions and make appointments. Keep in mind that potential buyers are likely to move on if you tend to be busy or don't respond quickly enough. Alternatively, you may find yourself making an appointment and rushing home, only to find that no one shows up.

2. Negotiating Is Tricky Business
Many people don't like the idea of doing a real estate deal through an agent and feel that direct negotiation between buyers and sellers is more transparent and allows the parties to better look after their own best interests. This is probably true – assuming that both the buyer and seller in a given transaction are reasonable people who are able to get along. Unfortunately, this isn't always an easy relationship.
What if you, as a buyer, like a home but despise its wood-paneled walls, shag carpet and lurid orange kitchen? If you are working with an agent, you can express your contempt for the current owner's decorating skills and rant about how much it'll cost you to upgrade the home without insulting the owner. For all you know, the owner's late mother may have lovingly chosen the décor. Your real estate agent can convey your concerns to the sellers' agent. Acting as a messenger, the agent may be in a better position to negotiate a discount without ruffling the homeowner's feathers.
A real estate agent can also play the “bad guy” in a transaction, preventing the bad blood between a buyer and seller that can kill a deal. Keep in mind that a seller can reject a potential buyer's offer for any reason – including just because they hate his or her guts. An agent can help by speaking for you in tough transactions and smoothing things over to keep them from getting too personal. This can put you in a better position to get the house you want. The same is true for the seller, who can benefit from a hard-nosed real estate agent who will represent their interests without turning off potential buyers who want to niggle about the price. (In order to benefit from hiring an agent, you need to choose a good one. Read Finding A Good Real Estate Agent for more insight.)

3. Contracts Can Be Hard To Handle
If you decide to buy or sell a home, the offer to purchase contract is there to protect you and ensure that you are able to back out of the deal if certain conditions aren't met. For example, if you plan to buy a home with a mortgage but you fail to make financing one of the conditions of the sale - and you aren't approved for the mortgage - you can lose your deposit on the home and could even be sued by the seller for failing to fulfill your end of the contract. (Keep in mind that the details of any contract may vary based on state law.)
An experienced real estate agent deals with the same contracts and conditions on a regular basis, and is familiar with which conditions should be used, when they can safely be removed and how to use the contract to protect you, whether you're buying or selling your home.

4.
Real Estate Agents Can't Lie
Well, OK, actually they can. But because they are licensed professionals there are more repercussions if they do than for a private buyer or seller.  If you are working with a licensed real estate agent under an agency agreement, (ie. a conventional, full-service commission agreement in which the agent agrees to represent you), your agent will be bound by common law (in most states) to a fiduciary relationship.  In other words, the agent is bound by license law to act in their clients' best interest (not his or her own).
In addition, most realtors rely on referrals and repeat business to build the kind of clientèle base they'll need to survive in the business. This means that doing what's best for their clients should be as important to them as any individual sale.
Finally, if you do find that your agent has gotten away with lying to you, you will have more avenues for recourse, such as through your agent's broker, professional association (such as the National Association Of Realtors) or possibly even in court if you can prove that your agent has failed to uphold his fiduciary duties.
When a buyer and seller work together directly, they can (and should) seek legal counsel, but because each is expected to act in his or her best interest, there isn't much you can do if you find out later that you've been duped about multiple offers or the home's condition. And having a lawyer on retainer any time you want to talk about potentially buying or selling a house could cost far more than an agent's commissions by the time the transaction is complete. (This doesn't mean you can ditch hiring a lawyer altogether. Read Attention Home Buyers! Why You Need A Lawyer.)

5. 
Not Everyone Can Save Money
Many people eschew using a real estate agent to save money, but keep in mind that it is unlikely that both the buyer and seller will reap the benefits of not having to pay commissions. For example, if you are selling your home on your own, you will price it based on the sale prices of other comparable properties in your area. Many of these properties will be sold with the help of an agent. This means that the seller gets the keep the percentage of the home's sale price that might otherwise be paid to the real estate agent.
However, buyers who are looking to purchase a home sold by owners may also believe they can save some money on the home by not having an agent involved. They might even expect it and make an offer accordingly. However, unless buyer and seller agree to split the savings, they can't both save the commission.
The Bottom Line
While there are certainly people who are qualified to sell their own homes, taking a quick look at the long list of frequently asked questions on most “for sale by owner” websites suggests the process isn't as simple as many people assume. And when you get into a difficult situation, it can really pay to have a professional on your side.

Rich Ferretti is your Charlotte and Mint Hill NC Real Estate Professional.

www.MintHillRealty.com

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Home Repairs

Owning a home for the first time brings about a whole new slew of responsibilities, including home repairs. No longer will the friendly landlord provide basic home improvements, this time it is up to you. When looking for a new home to buy, it is a common to excuse certain aspects by thinking repair and remodeling is always a possibility. Before you start redesigning and gutting your home, here is a guide of common home improvement projects and the average cost.

Depending on what climate you are living in, roof repairs may be fairly infrequent. However, whether it's every five years or every twenty years, roof replacement is probably in your future. Roofs are extremely important for energy conservation and the main protection against the elements, but that doesn't mean they have to be without personality. Asphalt shingles are the least expensive, therefore are the most common. Removing old shingles can be $30-$60 per square (roofing is figured in "squares", which is 100 sq. ft.) and new asphalt shingles are $50-$150 per square. They may be cheaper, but they can come in fun colors and they are functional and durable. Next in price are metal and concrete tiles, which can range from $115 to $650, however these roofing materials can add a lot to the curb appeal of your home. Ceramic tiles are very modern, chic, and stylish and can cost $275-$500 per square and finally slate tiles are the most expensive because it takes great skill to install them. Slate tiles will cost $1000 per square, however they can also last up to fifty years.
Sooner or later, there will be a plumbing issue and unless you are or are friends are blessed as a very handy person, you will have to call a plumber. Plumbing issues are more common in older homes, but every home will eventually have issues because of basic wear and tear. Replacing a toilet, bathtub, shower or basin will range from $200 to $1500 as a base price. Replacing pipes for small homes will $2000 to $2500 and continue to rise in price the bigger the home and the more bathrooms there are. Remodeling or adding a bathroom can be pricey, but if you have the budget for it, it is also very rewarding. Remodeling an entire bathroom starts at the base price of $6000, and adding even a modest half bathroom will start out at $4000. Retiling a bathroom will cost $800-$2500.

In the summer months, it's hard to imagine living in a house without air conditioning. However, older homes may not have a central air conditioning system, which means this may be an added cost for you at purchase of the house. Adding central air conditioning onto an existing forced air system will cost $2000 to $3000. Adding a heat pump to a forced air system will cost about twice as much. Repairing or replacing any part on a central heating or air conditioning system will be the most common expense and will cost $1200 to $2000.

These are the most common repairs on a home, and when looking for a house to buy it is important to keep the cost of these repairs in mind. Ask questions about the plumbing and the roof. If the house is perfect except for the bathroom, maybe work your budget around to ensure you will be able to remodel. If the house hasn't had a roof replacement for 25 years, perhaps you need to forgo another project. Remember, asking questions is key and budgeting for repairs, especially unexpected repairs, will allow you peace of mind in the future.


Are you considering a move? Would you like more information about the Mint Hill, Matthews and Charlotte area real estate market? Check out http://www.minthillrealty.com/

Why Now Is A Good Time To Buy A Home

Many may think that now is definitely not the time to purchase a house because times are tough, right? Wrong. As home values begin to diminish and interest rates linger at extremely low levels, for first-time home buyers it just may be the perfect time to start looking for that perfect house. Obviously if you have a secure job, it will be way easier to take those steps in order to put a down payment on a house, and eventually purchase something you can call your own.
Purchasing a home is a huge investment, especially for first-time home buyers. First, a buyer needs to determine how much money they can actually spend on a house. It is important to understand your funds and determine how much you can realistically afford. It is also important to study the market, and make sure that the potential house is something that you could see yourself living in. Purchase for the "big picture" of things, and make sure that you're in it for the long haul. It may be more profitable to purchase something that you can see yourself living in for a long time. Plan ahead, and make sure the neighborhood is up to your standards, focus on schools in the area (if you plan on having children), and also look for things that could possibly bring the value of the neighborhood down.

Sellers in this type of economy are more than likely willing (and prepared) to negotiate on housing prices. Make sure are able to make a bargain on the house, and still have some money left over in order to decorate. Also, because of the economy, houses are staying on the market a lot longer than they used to, which means that you will have more choices to pick from. Because there is a wide variety to pick from, you have a better chance to choose a home that fits all of your needs.

In this type of economy, the buyer has the power to name their price, which means more savings! Home buying variables could change 6 months from now, so why hesitate on purchasing? Those who are interested in making "safe" decisions and continue to rent are delaying their opportunity to build domestic wealth. You can also anticipate an increase in rent because of the tight times, so if you wait around for the right deal to come along, you might actually be missing out. The real risk is to wait to buy a home in this economy. Interest rates are at an all time low, and prices are starting to level off, so it's time to decide if you're ready to make a bargain!


Want more information about the Mint Hill, Matthews and Charlotte area real estate market? Check out http://www.minthillrealty.com/

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You can find great local Mint Hill, North Carolina real estate information on Localism.com Rich Ferretti is a proud member of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, a free online community to help real estate professionals grow their business.

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Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate Professional. Visit our site www.RichFerretti.com