Archive for September, 2009

Jenny? Do I have your number 867-5309

September 30th, 2009 categories: About Our Realtors, Betsy Mayer, Blake Garvin, Donna Johnston, Jackie Stutts, Michael Gibbons, Rhonda Gibbons

Jenny, let’s pretend you are:

• Interested in the Charlotte area, thinking of relocating
• Actively looking for a home in Charlotte
• Looking to sell your home in Charlotte

…and then let’s say you happen upon our TalkCharlotte or maybe our HouseHunt website ~ both offer free and comprehensive searches of the 28,150 Charlotte MLS homes/condos for sale.
…and let’s say you’re serious so you go ahead and register so you can access the full search tools
…and let’s say you’re leery about giving your real name, phone number and email address….

STOP!!

WE ARE NOT THIS!

Of course you’re leery because you (or a friend) have been burned, spammed, relentlessly pitched/sold, or heaven forbid duped.

Now let’s say your name isn’t really Jenny? your phone number isn’t 867-5309? and your email is not jenmovedon@hotmail.com?

• What if you trusted us just a bit and gave us a preferred way and time to contact you?
• And what if we respected that and promised not to spam, pitch or dupe you?
• What if our first goal was to earn your trust? and then to help, really help at your pace?

What if all you got from Rhonda Gibbons, Mike Gibbons, Betsy Mayer, Blake Garvin, Jackie Stutts or Donna Johnston was answers to your questions, help with effective searches, unique ways to market your home and insight into an ever more complex real estate transaction from experienced real estate professionals who work at your pace? Give us a try…..

Jenny, do I have your number?

OK, OK you know you want it…

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Apples, Oranges? Appraisals Are Becoming Rotten Fruit

September 28th, 2009 categories: Charlotte Real Estate Trends, Home Financing, Selling Your Home

I share my friend, Miami Realtor Ines Hegedus-Garcia’s appraisal that whether you’re in Miami or Charlotte nobody is happy with the current state of residential real estate appraisals.

Home appraisals used to be, more or less a check off (not a good thing), a part of the process to ensure that someone did not buy a home that was wildly over or under priced (as Martha would say that’s a good thing). Nevertheless the exact and only true value of a house is the price that a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept, today – kinda like a share of stock – yes the free market is funny (and works great) that way! Sarcasm aside appraisals are important and (when done right**) they do provide an invaluable measure for homeowners and lenders alike. Here’s the rub there is no right way to do an appraisal and the most professional appraisers will tell you even the best appraisals are subjective and as much art as science.

The problem started about 15 years ago when Americans stumbled on a treasure chest literally under their feet - the home equity line – the mother lode first for home improvements (good), then boats (worse) and ultimately even bottles of three buck chuck (bad) at Trader Joes (now in Charlotte). We went crazy using our newfound “home-wealth” to bankroll (most of) our American dreams. There was only one pesky hitch to get into the chest (your own chest) you had to have a key which was held by the bank – and to get to the key you had to go through a gatekeeper, the appraiser! Long story short – equity lines flowed like mountain springs as many appraisers checked off on treasure chests bigger than the house – not a problem since American home values would increase forever and ever (we’ve always been an optimistic lot). Well in 2007/2008 the party ended – the treasure chests slammed shut, fingers and dreams were crushed.

Past is always prologue and all that treasure hunting inflated home values beyond belief. As we know banks (and regular Joes) got their heads and foreclosure notices handed to them as home values and loans unraveled.

What now? Well the lenders have predictably overdosed on reality and the appraisal process is feeling the brunt of this fervent – albeit understandable fiscal conservatism. The home valuation pendulum has now swung as far right as it was left and we are left with the scarily governmental HVCC Home Valuation Code of Conduct which in part “…attempts to curb inflated appraisals by refusing reports from people selected, retained or compensated by mortgage brokers and real estate agents.” Appraisers are selected by “round robin” – many are not familiar with the neighborhoods they appraise and the unintended consequence of this abject objectivity is the process has become a black hole where …

A new code of conduct, that sounds great, right?  Well as @Ines so deftly describes in her MIAMISM blog post Appraisals Kill Deals ~ in practice that code of conduct seems more like a cloak of Teflon – no over-values are gonna stick to me says Mr. or Ms. Appraiser – undervalue is de rigueur. Result? Inconsistent, uniformed appraisals are killing reasonable real estate transactions (indiscriminately and unnecessarily). What should you do — now more than ever make sure you’ve got the right agent – look for the most smart, the most informed, the most candid agent you can find and for now anyway, pray for a return to common sense!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2200sf, pole sold as is

September 25th, 2009 categories: Friday Fun

really don’t need words for this one….Happy Friday! (and be careful out there)

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

Think Outside the Socks.

September 24th, 2009 categories: Good stuff we find

I don’t usually do this but this company seems so neat and fun and I know that this time of year many of you are looking for fun gift ideas. I rave about Seth Godin and he raves about Little MissMatched and even wears their mismatched sox from time to time. So enjoy and remember if sometimes things don’t work out perfectly (like sox) that may be just fine! “Think outside the Socks”

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Homebuyer Catnip | Your Charlotte HomeSTORY

September 23rd, 2009 categories: Charlotte HomeSTORY, First Time Home Buyers, Michael Gibbons

Homebuyer catnip, huh – sounds like Mike has been nipping on something that has nothing to do with cats! So let me explain. You’re thinking OK, “I have a house but I’m not sure I have a HomeSTORY?” Good news if you have a home you have a HomeSTORY and it’s just waiting to be told! A HomeSTORY is simply all the stuff that makes your house a home. The problem is most people selling their homes are sharing stats, data and pictures but not their story! So thinking different (as always) I came up with the Charlotte HomeSTORY concept to change all that!

Regular readers know that I am big on getting back to the basics, to the joy of real estate read my post Looking or a 1974 Buick Century? I’m Your Realtor for more on that. We all know the market stinks for everyone; buyers are stymied by tight financing or because they can’t sell their own home and sellers face the double whammy of low prices and oversupply. We’re all trying to navigate real estate’s “perfect storm”.

But here’s the thing people are buying and yes, selling plenty of homes it’s TRUE ~ in fact Charlotte’s $250k and below market is booming (OK that’s relative) but the market IS active, there are a lot of first time buyers out there. But not every house is selling – the homes that stand apart sell (are bought) first. It is more important than ever that sellers position (price and preparation) their home to shine from day one.

But I’m afraid you need to do more than that, you need to do things that no one else is doing and that is where the HomeSTORY idea comes in. Absolutely price your home smartly, repair, paint, declutter, clean spit and shine do all that and then make your house a home – personalize it. That does not mean you want your walls to look like a family reunion or that you leave out your Rush Limbaugh fuzzy slippers on purpose – it’s not that kind of personalization! Rather you want potential buyers to see themselves in your house, they may look at 20 similar houses and the house they pick is the one they feel they can make their own!

Here are a few examples of HomeSTORY in action:

• No Ho Hum Townhome
• HomeSTORY Black Oak Drive
• We Don’t Want to Sell

Writing your own HomeSTORY is like catnip to buyers – because you are sharing the personal story about your house and helping them visualize living there. I work with my clients in writing the HomeSTORY encouraging them to be authentic and candid including things that are special to them:  (what the buyer’s thinking)

• a special party or event (great for entertaining, hosting family events)
• proximity to shops, parks, restaurants (safe, I won’t have to drive everywhere)
• memories of bringing home a newborn (kid friendly, families)
• peaceful retreats (maybe I can read the paper on the deck in my PJs)

This is all the stuff that only you the homeowner knows – the little secrets, the good stuff.
Now a little goes a long way here so I council my homeowners to handwrite the story and keep it to one page, two max. We are getting awesome feedback from homeowners and buyers alike. Buyers like the personal touch and buyers remember, they remember the HomeSTORY homes! For sellers it helps them focus on and highlight the positives – the things they love about the house which are often the very same things the buyers want! Writing the story brings a lot of things into perspective and I think makes for a smoother and more successful transaction.

So if you’re in the market to buy a house in Charlotte look for the HomeSTORY ribbon on the sign – you can be sure there’s a story behind that front door. And if you’re looking to sell I hope you’ll consider letting me help you share your home’s story – it might just make all the difference! Drop me an Email

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

Ch…Ch…Changes | Myers Park versus East Meck High Classroom Showdown

September 17th, 2009 categories: Charlotte Schools, Cotswold, Dilworth, Eastover, Landsdowne, Myers Park

Well all heck has not quite broken out yet, but it’s brewing! Two of Charlotte’s venerable high schools may soon be pitted against each other as result of Charlotte’s continuing growth and evolution. As with any growing city Charlotte’s neighborhoods are changing and the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System (CMS) is scrambling to keep up.  Most recently CMS was faced with the unpopular but ultimately defensible? decision to have Mint Hill kids attend Independence High School versus the newly minted (sorry) Mint Hill HS – again few were happy but such is the byproduct of growth!

Change is brewing (listen) now in the heart of Charlotte, in the legacy neighborhoods that define our city, Myers Park, Cotswold, Eastover, Dilworth and Lansdowne. Whether or not YOU live in one of those neighborhoods you know this is going to impact you, it’s going to impact all of us as Charlotteans! The argument goes….Myers Park (I am a Myers Park grad ‘79) high school has too may kids and East Mecklenburg not enough – but clearly it is NOT that simple.

The impact of this one will undoubtedly be more than simply realigning some student assignments – there’s talk that the immensely popular and successful International Baccalaureate (IB) program might even move from Myers Park to East Mecklenburg – sounds draconian to me but it’s on the table! As the Charlotte Observer said today.. As soon as the plans went online “Parents in the Dilworth neighborhood began organizing within the hour” – the Observer has a good story on this today the first of MANY to come I’m sure. And her’s a link to the actual CMS proposals with maps so you can see for yourself the impact this is going to have.

So what does this mean for homeowners who live in the affected neighborhoods? It depends of course on what happens and when but it does not look good for some home values. Like it or not (and it is always subjective) but homes in the Myers Park district tend to sell better then those in the East Meck district or for that matter other districts — that goes too for South Mecklenburg which shares boundary lines with Myers Park. I like to think this is more due to Myers Park preeminence as opposed to South or East’s performance – in fact both of those High Schools have enjoyed a resurgence the past few years and it wasn’t long ago East Meck was a shining star for CMS! BUT the reality is for now home values and saleability may be impacted and if you live in or want to live in one these neighborhoods you need to pay close attention and take action as appropriate. I don’t have the answers but would be happy to talk with you and or neighbors about the situation and to offer options.

For now my hope is that two of Charlotte’s grandest educational institutions will be able to coexist successfully, that the only battles will be on the playing fields and that the freedom and spirit exhibited in their mascots the eagle and the mustang will prevail!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 7 Comments »

Charlotte, It’s A REALLY BIG World Out There

September 17th, 2009 categories: Good stuff we find

Surfing a bit this morning and stumbled upon Chai Pilgrimage (gorgeous photos) reminds me, you?  It’s a REALLY BIG world out there – Charlotte is home but it’s only the beginning…

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 2 Comments »

Is Your Charlotte Home Search Missing Something?

September 14th, 2009 categories: Communities, Good stuff we find

Talk about a needle in a haystack! Did you know right now there are over 19,000 homes (& 3889 condos) for sale on Charlotte’s Multiple Listing Service (better known as MLS) Did you know many popular websites only let you search a portion of the homes! Do you know what you’re missing?

As you well know the internet has brought some powerful tools to home buying and selling. In fact you have many of the same tools once reserved for licensed real estate agents – You too have the power and this is a good thing! Keep in mind though that depending on the website you use some of the tools may be limited – Nothing worse than thinking you’re seeing all the properties that fit your parameters!!
Make sure the search tools (websites) you use are:

1. Powerful – yet easy to use
2. Comprehensive – are you seeing everything that’s available?

I’d like to suggest our newest feature at TalkCharlotte — you can now search Charlotte homes by map (Google) — this makes it super easy to set up (and change) your search features and see not just WHAT your search brings up but WHERE it is – if you’re like me I want to see on a map just where the home is! And once you find an area you like you can then see other homes nearby. How close is the school? how close is the YMCA, the shopping center etc. Of course because you’re using TalkCharlotte you;re getting a direct feed from the Charlotte MLS so you’re seeing 100% of the homes, townhomes and condos for sale in Charlotte!

Here’s an example of what you can do with our new map search! Get started with your own search right here MAP SEARCH

Charlotte Ballantyne Area / 3 bedroom / 2 bath / $200-300K

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

Ho Hum Just Another Charlotte Townhome FOR SALE…

September 12th, 2009 categories: Charlotte/Matthews, First Time Home Buyers, Michael Gibbons

Not so fast….every home has as story and Melissa’s homestory is anything but Ho Hum! I stumbled upon Melrose Place Townhomes a few months ago while helping a client relocating to Charlotte from Buffalo. We found the perfect townhome, I fell in love with the neighborhood
and now am lucky to have the opportunity to help Melissa sell her townhome just few doors down from John!

So why Melrose Place? Good news if you’re shopping for a reasonably price townhome in Charlotte right now it’s a classic buyers market (see chart below) ~ BUT ~ there are always properties that rise above, stand out ~ BUCK THE TREND and SELL ~ the reason? Even in the worst of markets people are on the move – they have reasons to buy and sell – maybe you’re a first time homebuyer see >> October 5th or maybe you’re getting married, maybe you’ve been promoted! or relocated or downsizing whatever your reason there are always great properties like 3708 Melrose Cottage Place…I’ll let Melissa tell you why in her own words (see full homestory below)…

“The town of Matthews if inviting, warm, quite and friendly and the community of Melrose Place mimics those traits. Melrose is home to all ages and (a security guard) offers a sense of security…the landscapers do an excellent job…leaving residents free of the worry of mowing the lawn or trimming bushes….conveniently located, twenty five minutes from anywhere in the Charlotte area, yet nestled away from the hustle and bustle

I have great memories of using the beautiful clubhouse to surprise my fiance’ Maurice on his birthday and of relaxing on my patio with a glass of wine overlooking the pool… I am sad to bid farewell to this home as I prepare to begin a new life with my future husband in our new home! I hope you feel the happiness I’ve enjoyed in this home. Melissa”

One of the most common questions I get from clients looking to buy a home is “Why are they selling?” It’s human nature to be curious and our first instinct is there’s A REASON (usually bad) when the reality is most of the time sellers like Melissa LOVE their home and neighborhood and would prefer not to sell BUT circumstances, life comes in. That is why when I list a home  I always ask my sellers to share their “homestory” ~ what is it they love about the location, the neighborhood ~ what is it they love about their home! BECAUSE more often than not that is what YOU are going to love too!

I hope you’ll check out the Melrose Place neighborhood and when you do make sure you stop by 3708 Melrose Cottage Place — it’s the one with a lot of happiness and love…definitely NOT HO HUM!

Melissa’s handwritten “homestory”

Homestory Charlotte townhome

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »