For Agents – Will You Survive

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The last decade has provided agents a windfall of success. The market was so good that almost anyone could expect have a successful real estate career. Today, agents are faced with many challenges brought about by our failing economy. The type of buyer and seller have changed. The way houses are sold and bought have changed. And the way agents organize and conduct their business has changed.

The agents embracing change will survive the down market. The ones who don’t change the way they work, will be one of the many fatalities of our business.

Never before has the following statement been more meaningful: There are those who make things happen…Those who watch things happen….and Those who say… “What Happened?”

Many agents will feel they need their company to survive, and the company will do it’s best to make the agent feel that way. The truth is, the company needs you more than you need them. Your transactions may decrease over the next few years, but the fees and percentages you pay your company on each deal will not decrease. The result is….less money in your pocket.

A person on a 50/50 split who only does half the transactions this year that they did last year, will be receiving half the commissions they received last year. On the other hand, the same agent with our company receiving 100% of their commission, will receive the same amount of money even though they only did half the transactions. Regardless of your current split, the extra money you would receive with our company could really help offset any reduced transactions.

We want the agent to receive a 100% commission check with no strings attached!
Because of our lower agent count, agents are able to communicate with the owners, other brokers and mentors easily.

Agents who have joined our company tell us that they have learned more advanced skills and techniques with our company, than they have within their entire career

See Carolina Living Agent Careers

Carolina Living Real Estate Embracing Green Solutions

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At Carolina Living we are embracing technology that eliminates the hassle of shuffling paper.  With our adoption of the software offered by Gopaperless.com, we can now get all documents signed, sealed and delivered without the client ever picking up a pen, faxing, scanning or handling paper at all.

At Carolina Living Real Estate we are always embracing new technology that enables to serve our clients better and more effeciently.

Contact us and let us show you how.

Tax Credits For Your Charlotte Area Home

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Tax Credits for Adding or Replacing Insulation

According to  Gil Rudawsky at House Logic a very informative site created by Realtor.com!

A federal tax credit makes adding insulation an even cheaper way to improve your home’s energy efficiency and cut your heating and cooling bills.

f putting a dent in your home’s heating and cooling bills is a priority, then adding insulation needs to be at the top of your to-do list. It’s a relatively affordable home-improvement project, and the savings can be felt almost immediately. Some DIYers can even tackle the project themselves over a weekend.

For a 2,200 square foot home, adding insulation to an attic can cost from $1,000 to $2,500 including labor, depending on how much you put in and how easy it is to install. Effort and expense go up when you add insulation to exterior walls or around hard-to-reach ductwork. A federal energy tax credit worth up to $1,500 can help defray the cost.

Read more

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Thinking Lease Purchase in the Charlotte Area? Think Again

By admin

Why do we say Think Again? Lets examine things closely.

Buyers run a significant risk of entering into a Lease Purchase – How?:

  • The Seller could take your rent payments and not make a single mortgage payment and the property could go into foreclosure. (Yes, this has happened)
  • The Seller may not keep up with the property. (from repairs, to taxes and you name it)
  • Any improvements the Buyers only benefit of the Seller, unless the Buyers actually close on the property.
  • As they say, “life can get in the way” and one of the parties to the contract may not be able to perform.

Having said that, Buyers are  more and more questioning the availability of this scenario because of the status of our economy.

Here are some seller risks you should be aware of:

The Buyers don’t have acceptable credit to buy today and hope that in the near future their credit will be better and they can qualify for a loan. Risk: How far off is the buyers’ credit from credit-worthy? Depending on the buyers’ situation, the buyer may not be able to cure their credit in time to buy the home. Then, the buyers cannot buy the house and the seller will have to clean up the house and prepare it for sale.

The Buyers have a home to sell. Risk: The buyers still haven’t sold their home at the end of the lease. If the buyers love the home and want to buy it, the best option is to reduce the list price on their current home and get it sold. Then, buy the new home.

The Buyers want to test out the neighborhood/house/city/etc. Risk: The Buyers are not committed to the new home. Even though they have entered into a binding purchase agreement, many Buyers think the Lease Purchase agreement is a Lease Option.

The Buyers think that some of their Lease payment will go toward the Purchase Price of the home. Risk: Though some Lease Purchases have a buy down provision, this is not true in most of the Lease Purchases that I have reviewed.

  • If you feel you your only option is to enter into a Lease Purchase, please take heed of the  following precautions:
  • An attorney must create the Lease Purchase documentation. Our standard Realtor forms do not cover all the items that need to be addressed.
  • Spell out very clearly what both parties expect at the end of the Lease Purchase.
  • Use non-refundable earnest money to ensure that the intent is understood and the Seller is compensated if the Lease Purchase does not come to a close.  Also, I believe the attorney should hold the monies AND collect the rents and pay the mortgage.  Too often we have heard of the seller keeping the funds and no making payments.  The home is foreclosed on and the buyer is out his/her money!

The Buyers should do their due diligence before they move in:

  1. Do an Inspection and Negotiate the Repairs. Determine in writing who will be responsible for repairs during the lease term.
  2. Examine the Title.
  3. Get an appraisal.
  4. Have the Seller buy a Home Warranty.
  5. Sellers should keep the home fully insured. Buyer should insure their contents.
  6. Neither Buyer nor Seller should make changes to the house during the lease term, unless negotiated by all parties.

Consider, Buyers and Sellers may simply consider signing a Lease with an Option to Purchase giving the buyer right of first refusal to buy the property at the end of the Lease.  However, the buyer would not be obligated to buy the home.

Be sure to get an attorney involved to create the language necessary to protect both buyers and sellers with any options involving a Lease Purchase.

Earn A Tax Credit and Save Money On Your Charlotte Area Home

By admin

Are you looking for ways to save money, go green and get a tax credit all at once.  Well House Logic created by the National Association of Realtors has the website and articles for you.

According to Mike DeSenne on Houselogic.com he talks about using your tax refund to save money and get a tax credit. If you want to invest a tax refund in your home this year, consider these five great projects that cost around $2,500

1. A tankless task – tankless water heaters

2. Think pink – insulation tips

3. No pane, no gain – window changing tips

4. Give your garage a facelift – garage door idea

5. Emergency power to the people – power tips

This article will give you great ideas for long term savings in and on your Charlotte area home.

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Charlotte Area Homeowners – Beware The Homeowners Insurance Claim

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Homeowners Insurance: To Claim or Not to Claim?

According to the National Association of Realtors website (www.Houselogic.com), not all homeowners insurance claims should be filed.

You pay for homeowners insurance to protect yourself from financial ruin, yet filing a claim when disaster does strike puts you at risk of seeing your annual premiums increase by hundreds of dollars.

Here are some of the topics covered in the article”

Be mindful of deductibles, liability

Some claims are worth skipping

Dealing with denial of your claim

Read the entire article

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

The Best Of Carolina Living Real Estate

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Carolina Living Has Never Been Better

The Charlotte area continues to be one of the most sought after areas to live in the Southeast. From job opportunities to great real estate investments, our area is continues to show strong growth.

Whether looking for a rental or a great deal on a home to buy, the Charlotte are has it all.

Here is a list of very informative websites created by Carolina Living Agents assisting you in finding the home you need.

Lake Norman Communities

Find Charlotte Homes For Sale

Gaston and Lincoln County Real Estate

Mooresville Area Real Estate

Charlotte Property Management and Rentals

Energy Tips From Carolina Living Real Estate

By admin

Are you looking for energy savings for your Charlotte and surrounding area home?  The National Association of Realtors has created a website to help you with finding and making good choices.

We are featuring one of the articles here:

5 Tips For Saving Energy In the Family Room

The family room is the place where we spend so much of our time.  There are things we can do to save money and energy if we just follow some simple steps.

The fun—a video game console, TV, DVR, DVD, and stereo system—that your family room provides comes with a price. By reducing standby power, using rechargeable batteries in remotes, and replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, you could save up to $130 a year in energy costs.

And if you’re in the market for a new TV, you can save even more energy by being flexible on the type you buy…

Read the rest of the story By: Jane Hodges at NAR’s House Logic website.

As always contact Carolina Living Real Estate for all your Charlotte area Real Estate needs!

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

North Carolina Back in Top 5 Top States For Business

By admin

state-flag-north-carolina

Good news was released this week discussing the bright future of North Carolina. . North Carolina was ranked #4 in CNBC’s 2010 Edition of “America’s Top States for Business.”

North Carolina has become one of the top places for retirement.   We know the state of North Carolina is attracting bright young talent.  We know that young people who go away to school return back here to build a career and start a family.

We know that middle age professionals are migrating here to retool and regenerate.  We know that the career entrepreneur in need of an international airport, choose the Charlotte area for their destination.

Charlotte remains to hub in the South for banking, NASCAR and much more.

Carolina Living Real Estate and Property Management is committed to finding homes for all these people one family at a time.


A Unique Opportunity With Carolina Living Real Estate

By admin

Have you considered joining one of the fastest-growing populations in post-bubble America: the Accidental Landlord?

Over the past two years, Carolina Living Property Management has joined one of the fastest growing professions for Real Estate Brokerages which is Property Management in Charlotte.

As you know, the inventory of homes for sale is twice as big as it was three years ago, which has meant a longer wait to sell.

The rental market, on the other hand, is robust.  Currently Carolina Living Property Management has average days of on the market for it’s rentals at less than 45 days.

We are one of the few firms in the area that has the unique ability to list a home for rent and for sale simultaneously.  Our Listing agents focus on marketing your home for sale while the property manager’s focus on getting your home rented while sharing responsibilities and information about interested parties.

So, what goes into deciding if renting your Charlotte area home is right for you?

We have written some very helpful information concerning the choices and what goes into the process.  Please visit our website at Carolina Living Property Management and learn all about our services and the choices you have.