Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate; April Price Changes

There are a total of 16 homes that came up on the report showing price changes in April. Amazingly of the 16, two homes actually raised prices by 10K

The largest price decrease was 18K with the average reduction coming in around 1oK.

Of these homes, the average days on the market is 64 days which continues to show a buyers market. In past markets it would take many more days before sellers were willing to drop prices as much as 10K.

If you are interested in the Birkdale and/or Birkdale Village area, this is definately the time to begin looking. Our market is beginning to show some small signs of recovery and this trend will not continue forever.

Remember you can always see ALL the Huntersville NC Homes For Sale on the right side of this website!

If you are interested in additional information or would like to see any of these homes, please contact your Birkdale and Birkdale area agent at 704 451 7051.

Lake Norman Area Real Estate - Just Listed A Beautiful Lake Norman Waterfront Home

Lake Norman Real Estate:One of the Best Waterfront Lots on all of Lake Norman

This home sits on one of the most beautiful lots you can find on Lake Norman. Currently the asking price is $1,295,995 and is worth every penny.

This home is a Professional Interior Designers Personal Home and the attention to detail speaks for itself. Brand new Pella Windows have been installed and the views of the lake are breathtaking. Don't be fooled by the size of the home which is approx. 3000 sq. ft and 4 bedrooms. The high ceilings make if feel much larger.

CLICK HERE to See A Slide Show of this Beautiful Lake Norman Waterfront Home

Features:
-3,000 Sq. Ft. on one level with 4 Bedrooms and 3 Full Baths
-280 Feet of Lakefront with Fantastic Lake Views Throughout the House
-Very Open Floor Plan with Soaring Ceilings
-Large Covered Porch Overlooking the Lake
-3 Car Oversized Garage with Built-in Shelf Wall and Workbenches
-Exterior - All Brick Veneer
-Very Private Lot in Subdivision Offering Pool. Tennis, Marina, and Boat Ramp
-Easy access to I77 via the New Exit 32
-Low Iredell County Taxes
-Beautifully Landscaped
-70'X5' Pier, 20' Steel Ramp. 20'X32' Cherokee Steel Floating Dock
-11 Feet of Water at Boat Dock
-All Jenn-Air Appliances - Gas Range/Grill and 2 Ovens (1 Convection)
-Multi Zoned A/C with Natural Gas Heat - Gas Log Fireplace
-Large Master Suite and Bath with Jacuzzi
-Multi Zone Security System
-Lake Fed Irrigation System

Beautiful Sunset Views

If you have questions or interest in this property,please contact your Lake Norman Agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Lake Norman Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

Selling Lake Norman; What would my Lake Norman Home Sell For?

Lake Norman Relocation, You Will Want to Consider It

Why Lake Norman is such a great Destination

Roby Robertson 704 451 7051

Committed to Saving My Clients Thousands When Buying and Selling Real Estate

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate; You Now Have It All

Here is now what you get when you visit this site!


Acive Listings in Birkdale and Birkdale Village - CHECK

Sold Listings in Birkdale and Birkdale Village for 1st qtr. 2009 - CHECK

Rentals in Birkdale and Birkdale Village - CHECK

Rentals all around the Lake, Click on the Lake Norman Property Management Link - CHECK

Obtain a Comparitive Market Analysis - CHECK

Search for Properties - CHECK

Lots of great information about the area including a cool video - CHECK

An agent dedicated to customer service - CHECK

Please visit often and if you ever need a customer service focused agent, please contact your Birkdale and Birkdale Village area agent at 704 451 7051!

One of Birkdale Village's Best Kept Secrets

Located in the heart of Birkdale Village, The Corkscrew is quite easily Lake Norman's best kept secret!

The Corkscrew offers an extensive collection of affordable, hard to find wines will satiate the pallette of even the most educated wineaux!

Don't let that scare you. The Corkscrew is really the most layed back group of people you'll ever meet! The Corkscrew combines comfort and style with friendly, educated staff, to create the ultimate wine lovers sanctuary!

So, whether you're a seasoned wine vet, or just getting your feet wet, The Corkscrew has a bottle for you!

Don't Forget: Wine tastings every Thursday from 6-8pm! 4 wines for $5 Live Music Thursday through Saturday!

For all your Birkdale and Birkdale Village real estate needs, please contact your Birkdale and Birkdale Village area agant at 704 451 7051.

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;Choosing Your Neighborhood

In the Lake Norman area, Birkdale and Birkdale Village offer beneifts that appeal to many different many needs and desires. When searching for your next home, use these Neighborhood Considerations to help with the decison and be sure to consider Birkdale and the Birkdale Village areas.



Keep in mind that the neighborhood is part of what you buy when you purchase a home. Find out where the neighborhood is going – and where it's been. The property value of houses in the neighborhood can tell you a lot, as well. Ask your Real Living agent for a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA).


Remember, if you're looking at a well-regarded, established neighborhood(like the Birkdale and Birkdale Village areas) or an up-and-coming one, you may find it worth the extra money you'll have to put into the purchase of the home. On the other hand, if the neighborhood is past its peak, you may want to lower your offer accordingly.


Either way, your Real Living agent can help you negotiate fair market value for the home you want.



Get to know the neighborhood.



You can learn a lot about the character of a neighborhood just by driving around.



Also consider talking to some of the neighbors about concerns such as:

• How do the children routinely reach their schools, play areas and friends' homes–by walking, bicycle, bus or do parents drive them?


• Is public transportation available for commuting or shopping? How far away is your place of worship?


• Do any local ordinances affect pets, parking, lawn care or other activities? What are the disadvantages of the neighborhood? Freeway, railroad or airplane noise? Factory pollution, heavy traffic, exposure to heavy storms, possible flooding?


• Are there homeowners' association restrictions?


• Beyond talking to the neighbors, here are some additional avenues for information:


• Drop in on local school board, government or other open community meetings.


• Visit the schools.


• Dine and shop in local establishments. (Tip: Be sure you overhear what the locals have to say about issues of neighborhood concern.)


• Subscribe and read the community newspaper(s).


• Explore public and private lake access.

Buying a home requires a lot of introspection.

Use these questions as you consider what type of community you'd like to live in and be sure to share your answers with your Real Living agent:

1. Which type of living do you prefer?Urban, Suburban, Semi-rural, Rural


2. Which type of population density would you prefer?Low, Medium, High Would you prefer a community whose population is:Decreasing, Stable, Increasing


3. Which natural features are the most important to you?Woods, Hills, Flat land, RiversLakefront, Stream, Pond,Lot Size


4. How do you commute to work?Walk, Drive, Car pool, Bus What's the distance of your commute?0-5 miles, 6-10 miles, 11-20 miles, 20 + miles


5. What's the maximum amount of time you'd be willing to have for your morning commute?Less than 20 minutes, Under 30 minutes, 1 hour


6. Would you use available public transportation for local trips or to visit nearby communities? Yes, we do have public transportation into Charlotte from the Lake Norman area!Yes, No


7. Where do you prefer to shop? Central commercial districts, Shopping malls, Community shops


8. Which type of school do you need now or in the next few years?Elementary Middle/Junior High Senior HighCommunity College College/University


9. Which amenities would you desire to have nearby?Recreation, Entertainment, Music, Movies,Live Theater, Sports Arenas, Museums, Nightlife,Public Parks, Private Country Clubs, Fraternal Groups

Finally, as you refine your home search, request a free Buyer Market Analysis from your Real Living agent. This information-packed profile of specific communities (or with a side-by-side comparison of any two communities) lets you consider schools, neighborhood amenities and demographic profiles.

For a perspective to see how Birkdale and Birkdale Village stack up, please contact your Birkdale and Birkdale Village Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Birkdale and Birkdale Village Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Birkdale and Birkdale Village Area Home Sell For?

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;First Quarter Statistics

First Quarter Statistics for Birkdale and Birkdale Village:



Active Properties = 46
Average Days on the Market = 43
Max Days on the Market = 268

Pending Properties = 4
Average Days on the Market = 58
Max Days on the Market = 99

Sold Properties = 11
Average Days on the Market = 150
Max Days on the Market = 269

First Quarter Statistics for Huntersville

Active Properties = 418
Average Days on the Market = 64
Max Days on the Market = 771

Pending Properties = 45
Average Days on the Market = 85
Max Days on the Market = 348

Sold Properties = 101
Average Days on the Market = 129
Max Days on the Market = 485


If you are need assitance , please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Birkdale and Birkdale Village ;Web Tools To Make Life Easier

Recently I came across an article in our Realtor Magazine that listed some helpful web tools to use in our profesional and personal lives.

Mint.com - Secure financial management tool pulls data from checking accouonts, savings accounts, credit cards, mortages and other loans to help track expenses.

GetDropBox.com - Back up your important documents and email messages. This tool syncs with your computer to save documents and allows you to access them via te Web from any computer.

Inhabit.com - For Home owners who want to go green, this eco-friendly design blog provides tips.

Yelp.com - If homebuyers are new to the area, Neighbors review local restaurants, spas, doctors, plumbers and more.

Billshrink.com - Discover hidden fees in your credit card accounts and cell phone bills, and get recomendations for lower-cost alternatives.

GasBuddy.com - Before filling up, do some comparitive shopping.

DesignSpongeOnline.com - Di-it-Yourselfers on a budget will love the easy home decorating projects and gift ideas.

As always, if you need any assistance with Huntersville Area Real Estate, please feel free to contact your Birkdale Village Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;Real Living In The News

After reviewing many real estate companies, the producers of Eye on America, a nationally syndicated television news magazine hosted by Greg Gumbel, chose Real Living to be featured in an episode as part of the show’s series on Growing Trends in Franchising.

Real Living was the only real estate company to be featured in the special!

Check out the video here

Real Living In Style has offices in Mooresville and Davidson with plans for additional offices in south Charlotte.

Contact your Real Living Office today at 704 746 3937.

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rrates Slide Toward Record Lows

U.S. 30-year fixed home loan rates on Wednesday slid by as much as 3/8 percentage point to about 5 percent, nearing record lows, after the Federal Reserve more than doubled its planned purchases of mortgage-related securities.

The Fed's actions state "we will not walk away from supporting this marketplace," said Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH Associates, a mortgage information publisher in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.

"This means that there is going to be a buyer for mortgages at these levels for the foreseeable future," Gumbinger said. "That serves to enforce to the consumer that not only are interest rates low, but they are going to remain low and be stable" through the year.

Read the entire article!


Along with the First Time Home Buyer Rebate, this opportunity may never occur in our lifetime again!


If we can assist you with Birkdale and Birkdale Village area Real Estate, please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

Birkdale Village Townhomes For Sale

Do you want to enjoy walking to dinner, shopping or movies in Birkdale Village? The Townhomes at Birkdale Village may be your answer.



Imagine a live with shops, cafes, shops,restaurants and entertainment just outside your door!

Check out the list of the homes for sale at Townhomes of Birkdale Village!

If you would like to see any of these or out Birkdale and Birkdale Village homes, please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;Disclosure of Agent Compensation

The North Carolina Association of Realtors has just released a new form dedicated to allowing firms/agents to fully comply with the compensation disclosure rule.

Agents/Firms are required to disclose additional compensation like buyer agent bonuses and referral fees from Home Warranty Companies.



Some Home Warranty Companies offer referral fees for using their Home Warranty Services. A typical amount is around $75.00. Additionally, sellers sometimes offer a buyer agent bonuses. This happens more often with new construction but is sometimes offered by re-sale sellers as well.

Educate yourself about Lake Norman Real Estate. You have a right to know if these circumstances exist.



If you are need assitance with Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate, please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

CHIP – Community Homebuying Incentive Program

100% or 97% financing available with no PMI

Highlights:

Maximum loan: $417,000.00

Maximum income limits: 97% financing - $64,300.00, 100% financing - $51,440.00 household income. Can go higher for 5 and over person occupancy.

If home is located in a census tract area (about 60 in Mecklenburg county) the income limit is waived. No Income restrictions if moving in census area.

Ratios: 33% housing, 41% total debt. Can go up to 45% with 720 credit score and no other debt

Term: 30 year fixed only

Homebuyer Education: Required

Can use approved down payment assistance program for down payment, closing costs and prepaid, including seller funded down payment assistance.

Property: Single family residence, or condo

Minimum buyer contribution: $500.00

Reserves: 97% financing – one month PITI, 100% financing – two months PITI

Credit Qualifying:

No 30 day delinquencies within the past 12 months. Derogatory credit must be explained.

Collections may not have to be paid, but judgments must be paid off.

Student loan payments will not be counted in debt as long as payment will be deferred at least 12 months from loan closing.

For 100% financing, minimum credit score must be 660. No minimum credit score needed for 97% financing.

Non-traditional credit sources can be utilized. Must be opened and maintained for 12 months.

Minimum number is three sources of non-traditional credit, excluding rental verification.


If you are need assitance with buying or selling your home, please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;Selling Your Home in Winter?

Selling Your Birkdale or Birkdale Village Area Home?

There are some great marketing strategies for selling your home during this time of the year, so find the hidden advantages of your home during this slower season. With the leaves gone from trees, potential buyers may be able to see the exterior of your home clearly and without obstructions. If you live near a bus route or near any roadway used for special services, make sure the buyers know how nice it is to have the streets in your neighborhood plowed or de-iced regularly. They may discover a whole new appreciation of the area in this case.

Just as in the summer months, keep your home exterior nicely maintained all winter long. In the case of a winter ice storm, clear your yard of any fallen twigs or branches. Keep your driveway shoveled and the outside warmly lit. If you're showing your home in the evening, outdoor lighting is always a plus. Everything from small accent lights lining your walkway to larger lights that illuminate the entrance to your home are great for showcasing its charm when the sun goes down. Because the holidays are over, make sure all Christmas decorations are taken down; however, winter wreaths or dried arrangements around the door are always a welcome seasonal touch—especially if they add more color to a grey landscape.

Inside your home, keep the thermostat at a warm and inviting temperature. You will also want to keep all rooms well lit. If you aren't planning on being home often, keep both inside and outside lights on timers to keep electric bills at bay. Make sure all windows are thoroughly cleaned and curtains and blinds are open. Try to schedule a showing or open house during peak daylight hours to maximize natural light in your home.

The smells and ambiance of your home can make a big impression on a potential buyer. If you own a wood-burning fire, then you have a great advantage. Fireplaces can bring both a warm light and comforting smell to your home. Other smells that may favorably affect a buyer's mood are chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, freshly baked bread, apple cider and vanilla. Want to create a nice aroma without baking? Place a drop of vanilla extract on a baking sheet, then in a warm oven. This can mimic the scent of freshly baked cookies.

Remember, there may be fewer prospective buyers during the winter, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to sell your home. Be creative with the way you stage interior spaces and treat everyone who enters as a respected guest. For more information on selling your home during winter months, contact me today.

Need More Information on how repairs increase the value of your home. Your Birkdale and Birkdale Village area agent uses the Home Game Tool to help you decide.

If you are need assitance with selling your home, please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Huntersville Area Real Estate; Price Changes For February

Another sign of the times! February In the Huntersville, Birkdale and Birkdale Village areas was Active with the change to listing prices.

Huntersville Area Price Changes

84 homes changed or reduced the listing price in February. The most drastic changes occured on a home priced above 1 million and a home priced just under $300,000.

The Huntersville Luxury Home has a rivate pond w 25ft waterfall. Gym complete w/Steam shower/Large Sauna. Media room, Library, Deluxe office with gorgeous built-ins. Dual starcases. Third floor framed & ready for finishing would put this 7200sqft dream home to 10,000+ sq ft! Completely secluded & private. Awesome wildlife. A Mountain like retreat 4 miles from exit 23 I77!

The Huntersville home with the greatest drop in price started at $289,500 and dropped to $189,500. A whopping $100,000 in this price range is huge!This home has 3 or 4BR, 2 bath, split ranch home w/vaulted ceiling & gas fireplace in great room, open kitchen with island, breakfast room, master bedroom with vaulted ceiling, double vanity in bath, separate shower & garden tub. Pristine condition. Fenced rear yard & patio, plus front & rear landscape lights.

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Price Changes

13 Homes had price changes in Birkdale and Birkdale Village. Of the 13, Birdale Village led the way with 7. The most drastic of these is a home in Birkdale Village that dropped in price from $280,000 to $240,000. Another drastic drop in this price range.

This is more evidence that it there is so much to choose from no matter what price range you exist!

If you are interested in seeing any of these or other homes in the area, please contact your Huntersville Area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email.

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Huntersville Area No Hassle Buyer Program

Birkdale Area Real Estate; Why Blogs Are Better!

Looking for Huntersville and Birkdale Village Area Information?

Ever gone to the search engines trying to find information about Birkdale and Huntersville and you keep stumbling on the same static information. By static I mean information that is rarely upated and worse yet, makes you enter an email address or phone number to get the information you want?

I use to have one of those until I discovered blogging and Web 2.0 with things like Facebook, Twitter, Digg etc.

Why is blogging better and why is my blog the best. I will give some reasons.

1. I write about useful information tha will help all levels of buyers and sellers of real estate in the Birkdale and Birkdale Village Areas.


2. I update this information at a minimum of 5 times a week. It keeps the information fresh and up to date.


3. On the right side of the blog you can find many tools to use. First I created pre-defined up to the minute list of active homes in the Birkdale and Huntersville areas with both homes for sale and rentals. The results take you directly to the Real Living listings which allow you to schedule showings, map the property and see all the details.


4. You also have a place to perform you own search, request an evaluation of your own property, ask to be contacted and check out our Lake Norman area property management services.


5. You can check Previous Posts for information posted in well over 100 posts about Birkdale and the surrounding area.


6. You can find links to my partner sites.


7. Pages at the top of the blog have information that is frequently requested.


8. You can post a comment to ask a question without the hassles of realtors calling you before you are really ready to buy or sell.


9. Check out all the posts and if you can't find something, just request that I write about it with a comment! I will do it within 24 hours.

As you can see, I make every effort to provide the most valuable information you may need to make an informed decision.

Please bookmark my blog and come back often!

If you ever need assistance with Huntersville Area Real Estate, please feel free to contact your Huntersville Area Agent at 704 451 7051 or by email!

Huntersville and Birkdale Area Real Estate;First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Explained

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

As Modified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
February 2009

With all the talk of Stimulus Packages, it can be very confusing. Is it $15,000 or $7,500 or $8,000. Do I have to pay it back? Am I eligible? How do I take advantage of this windfall?

One of the key questions I have been receiving is what does "refundable" mean? It means that if you do your taxes and your tax liability is only $5000, that gets wiped out and you get an additional $3000 back (assuming you bought a house worth more than $80k, it is 10% of the purchase price up to $8000). If you have no tax liability, you get $8000. If you are due a refund of $1000, you get $9000 total back. There may be exceptions to this but that is how it works for the vast majority of people.

This is in this way much better than the Senate’s $15,000 credit that would have been spread over two year’s tax liability.

Credit Amount: 10% of purchase price up to $8000.

Eligible Property: Any family residence (including condos, co-ops, townhouses) that will be used as a principal residence.

Refundable: Yes. Reduces (or can eliminate) income tax liability for the year of purchase. Any unused amount of tax credit refunded to purchaser.

Income Limit: Yes. Full amount of credit available for individuals with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 on a joint return).

First Time Home Buyer Only:Yes. Purchaser (and purchaser’s spouse) may not have owned a principal residence in 3 years previous to purchase.

Repayment:No repayment for purchases on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

Termination:December 31,2009.

Effective Date: January 1, 2009.

All in all, this is great incentive to purchase your Huntersville and Charlotte Area home during 2009. With interest rates still at historic lows and all the inventory of homes, this could be the best time ever to buy a home.

If you need any questions answered about Huntersville and Cornelius Area Real Estate please contact your Huntersville area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email!

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Birkdale Real Estate; Beautiful Home For Sale

Beautiful golf course home!Overlooks the 8th tee box, great landscaping, tons of upgrades inside and a gunnite pool in the backyard. Corian countertops in kitchen, hardwoods mostly on 1st floor, open floor plan, irrigation. One of the nicest lots in Birkdale!

Home Features:

Full brick two-story home on 8th tee of sought after Birkdale Golf Course.
42' cabinets, gas range, corian countertops, and open to great room for great entertaining.


Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 4
Total HLA: 3000 - 3600


Offered By: Lake Norman South Realty© 2009 Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc.

All rights reserved.

See All The Details of This Beautiful Birkdale Home


If you need any questions answered about Huntersville Area Real Estate please contact your Huntersville area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email!

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Huntersville Area Real Estate, Appraisals Are Playing A Bigger Role

You've finally secured a contract to sell your home and think the closing is just a formality?

Not so fast. Things have changed in the real estate world we now live in. Lenders are much more cautious in every way

Declining prices have appraisers scrutinizing home values with a very conservative eye. One aggressively priced sale can create a more broad range of comparable values, and its critical that a seller's agent have a firm handle on comparable sales, should a dispute over the appraisal arise during the contract period.

Its not that uncommon, in todays market, for brokers to have to order an additional appraisal and/or walk the appraiser through differences in quality between the comparable homes.

Another problem we see is the approved lists that Lenders maintain. Available appraisers can come from all areas of the region with little knowledge of the region the subject home exists.

Another reason to enlist the help of a seasoned broker with a detailed knowledge of the homes in your price range in your community.

If you need any questions answered about Huntersville Area Real Estate please contact your Huntersville area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email!

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Birkdale and Birkdale Village,Why We Procrastinate

A good friend and client of mine here in the Birkdale Village area sent me an article she recently wrote and I just had to share it with my visitors.

Make a personal assesment after reading this!

Actually there is no such thing as procrastination for what we do or don’t do is simply a shift in priorities. What we believe is important on one level of consciousness has competing forces on the nonconscious level which always wins! When it comes to exercise or other commitments we “think” we make to improve our health and well being, we often get distracted with other pressing issues and demands on our time. So why do the distractions win over our important commitments over and over again?

In a nutshell it is simply because we are “wired” to be motivated by pain or pleasure, and we are creatures of habit. Unfortunately, the pain of “not” doing and its consequences often has to get so intense before we act that it is often too late to reverse the harm done. That is exactly why wellness and disease prevention are a hard sell. There is no pain!

So how do we move “choosing” wellness and healthy habits to the top of our priority list? We increase our awareness of what the consequences of today’s decisions will “feel” like tomorrow. We stop making excuses and get out of denial. When people want to quit smoking on the conscious level but their “will” loses out to that all powerful force-habit, we comfort our ourselves with rational lies (or rationalize) saying things like, “Well, you have to die of something.” Personally, I can think of less painful ways to depart!

Aristotle said, “First we make our habits and then our habits make us.” Make just this one promise: “I will take responsibility and embrace what is mine - my life, my health, and my choices.” Your routine choices make your habits - even the good ones.

Edie Raether, MS, CSP, is a Change Strategist - an international speaker, author and wellness consultant. Visit her at www.raether.com

If you need any questions answered about Huntersville Area Real Estate please contact your Huntersville area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email!

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?

Birkdale and Birkdale Village Real Estate;No Cost/Low Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home

Need to Sell Your Huntersville Area Home?

Our recent Realtor Magazine had an article about Home Staging that I believe to be helpful to my sellers and others wanting to sell their homes.

In this highly competitive market, every little improvement can help you sell your home.

Here are 8 No Cost/Low Cost ways to Spruce up things.

Move It
Simply rearranging the furniture can re-energize a room. Add and remove furniture, lamps, rugs and accessories from other parts of the house to create a whole new look. Mirrors are particularly useful when it comes to updating a room. Sometimes just moving a mirror can create a welcoming feel.

Plant It
Houseplants are underrated component that can add texture, warmth an color to any room. Just drop plants in their store containers into decorative planters. Group plants of differing colors, heights and fullness for the most dramatic effect. Be sure to eliminate scraggly plants and only keep those that are well maintained and in good condition.

Paint It
Paint is one of the easiest and cost effective ways to make a substantial impact. Use dramatic colors in power rooms and dining rooms and more neutral colors in living areas. Don't go too crazy wit colors. Always try to put yourself in the shoes of that buyer.

Organize It
Clutter happens over time and homeowners become oblivious to it over time. However buyers can get overwhelmed by it. So, neaten up! Hooks and shelves inside doors give a place to hand coats and keys, while canvas bins or natural baskets help contain magazines and mail.

Hide It
Have a banged up wall? It may be easy to camouflage. Paintable wallpaper( available for as little as $16.00 a roll) will smooth uneven wall or hide minor dents and dings. For more adventurous owners, you can use a step process of base and glaze. REMEMBER: Your intent can NEVER be to mislead buyers; you must disclose flaws that affect home values.

Replace It
Cabinet handles, switch plates and other small pieces of house hardware can update a home for just a few dollars a piece. Inexpensive quick-connect faucets can make upgrading a look in your bathrooms a snap. Fresh towels and a new toilet seat go a long way to making a bathroom feel clean and new.

Light It
Lighting can have a major impact on a home's look and feel. Light is such a mood setter. Add dimmers if possible and just turning the lights down can create a cozy feel. Add dimmers in the dining room, bathrooms, kitchen and even hallways for less that $4 each.

Clean It
Turn a critical eye to flooring to make sure it's up to snuff. Scrub grout. Rub out scratches and nicks on wood floors with scratch cover. Don't forget about baseboards. Believe it or not, buyers pay close attention to this stuff. It these are clean buyers know the home is well maintained.

If you need any questions answered about Huntersville Area Real Estate please contact your Huntersville area agent at 704 451 7051 or by email!

See Also:

Be The First To See Huntersville Area Hot New Listings as soon as they become available.

What would my Huntersville Area Home Sell For?