Archive for the 'Jackie Stutts' Category

A Balloon (and cause) You Can Believe In

October 19th, 2009 categories: Ballantyne, Betsy Mayer, Blake Garvin, Donna Johnston, Giving Back in Charlotte, Jackie Stutts, Michael Gibbons, Rhonda Gibbons

This photo from an actual tethered ride much like our rides in Ballantyne will be -
see below for more “blow your mind” balloon facts!

Unlike so many balloon stories lately – the RE/MAX hot air balloon is no hoax (no runaway balloon boys) and next Monday afternoon it will be rising above Ballantyne for a very good cause! Join RE/MAX Executive Realty and the TalkCharlotte team for the annual Link Up for Kids golf tournament and balloon ride.

That’s right next Monday RE/MAX Executive and friends (like you) we will be playing golf and riding in a real hot air balloon to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network | Levine Hospital…

“Today, more than 170 hospitals throughout the United States and Canada, specializing in treating children, make up CMN. The organization is unique in that 100 percent of the money raised in each community benefits the local participating CMN hospitals. These funds will help provide the resources necessary to introduce and maintain high quality medical programs, equipment, and facilities for pediatric patients.

RE/MAX Executive is the largest RE/MAX contributor to CMN in the Charlotte region with donations regularly topping $50,000 a year.

The money raised at the 2009 “Link Up for Kids” will stay in the Charlotte area to benefit The Levine Children’s Hospital on the campus of Carolinas Medical Center.”

Great cause, a lot of fun – we hope you’ll join us to play golf and or ride in the “very well tethered” balloon – no balloon boys here! The balloon will be at the Ballantyne Country Cub Monday 10/26(probably at the driving range) rides weather permitting from 4:30-6:30 (a $5 donation for each rider is appreciated)

Did you know?

• the balloon basket is rattan – it holds 2-3 people
• ride will be 4-5 minutes up to 40 ft
• the propane flame burns at several hundred thousand degrees & rises 15 feet & burns 40 million BTUs
• 40 million BTUs is equivalent to 400 home furnaces burning at the same time!
• the air inside the balloon is 250 degrees F and is equivalent to air in 6 – 2000 sf houses
• balloon is 75 feet high and 60 feet wide

It’s all very safe – our balloonist Tom Lattin is certified by the FAA – so come out, bring the kids, do some good and ENJOY THE RIDE** or if you prefer just learn something new and watch the balloon – it’s amazing!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 3 Comments »

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 »

What can you learn from a barefoot Realtor?

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

Women. Women do curious things (OK we won’t even start about the curiosities of the male species) and most of those curious things your Mom (especially), your wife, your boss, your teacher do end up being instinctively…RIGHT! The real estate business is all about instinct and being right, no wonder women do (and should) dominate the residential real estate business.

I have the pleasure of working with five women on the Talk Charlotte Team – there is a lot of  Charlotte real estate experience on this team (more than they’d readily admit) and a lot of smarts. A funny thing happened a couple of weeks ago to my favorite team member** and it got me thinking about the value of a team, does it really make a difference to YOU when you’re looking to buy or sell a home? I think the answer is, it depends.

It depends on how much faith and trust you plan to put in your real estate professional ~ in this market I strongly suggest you find a good one you believe in and trust.
How do you find a good agent, do you need a team?
It depends on whether that team starts with a group of people who know what they’re doing, who care and are committed to being remarkable. Remarkable meaning that your experience with that Realtor is so fantastic that you want to tell your friends all about it ~ too often in this world the only thing you want to do is tell your friend to avoid the agent.

We’re pretty confident as a team we’ve lived up to the remarkableness standard and we have a peck of testimonials and kind words here to show for it! We give back too, a lot here and here and here and of course here and that too defines who we are and how we deal with and care for and about our clients – when you really care it shows and it works for you.

So what’s up with all this team KUMBAYA (if you need the words) and what’s with the picture of the barefoot Realtor? A couple of weeks ago I got a call from my favorite teammate** (and wife) Rhonda – she needed a favor…It went something like this…

Honey I’m on the way to the closing, there’s a little blue bag in the kitchen do you think you could bring it to me ASAP?
(me being a guy of course) “Why, can’t you wait?…
Well honey not really…
(me) “OK but what’s in the bag?”
My Shoes!

Now I know going to a closing barefoot might not be earth shattering but as I was driving over with Rhonda’s shoes (DUH) I thought to myself there were four other people (Jackie, Donna, Betsy or Blake) who would have happily brought Rhonda her shoes or anything else she may have needed. And they would do the same for you if you were Rhonda’s client! So what can you learn from a barefoot Realtor? When you work with any one of our Realtors ~ you get five more capable and hard working professionals ready to help you in whatever you need…even if you forget your shoes!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

TalkCharlotte…Much More than a Hunch!

May 21st, 2009 categories: Betsy Mayer, Blake Garvin, Donna Johnston, Jackie Stutts, Michael Gibbons, Rhonda Gibbons

Here’s the story…(yes go ahead and click) ~ you know you want to! OK so maybe comparing the Charlotte real estate market to the Brady Bunch is a stretch BUT hey these days we could all use a dose of that fabled Brady mirth!

I’ve been mostly a fly on the wall the last few years writing this blog and watching my wife Rhonda build her very successful real estate business. Along the way Donna has built TalkCharlotte into something very special. I’ve learned three things:

1. Being a good Realtor® is hard, very hard work
   
2. It is not about us. (Marcia, Marcia, Marcia…)
3. It is all about you.
   

So how does a Brady infused team picture make this about you? It doesn’t. But look at the pictures, the smiles, the eyes ~ Donna, Betsy, Rhonda, Blake, Jackie and Michael are on a mission to change the way things are done, to think different. Sure things are tough and while the world is focused, obsessed with foreclosures, median home values, short sales, making a killing or not losing your shirt ~ we are taking things back to the basics….helping YOU buy or sell a home on the best terms and at a value that actually allows you to sleep soundly in that new home!  Along the way we’re also going to be putting the FUN back into buying or selling a home. We’re really good at working with people who remember the excitement and delight of finding the perfect home. Those homes are out there now more than ever.
And that is all about you!

We hope you enjoy our new identity we think it reflects our personality(s) and our vision for Charlotte Real Estate and that’s…much more than a hunch!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

TalkCharlotte Team “Chips In” at Charlotte Realtor Care Day 2009

April 28th, 2009 categories: About Our Realtors, Betsy Mayer, Blake Garvin, Donna Johnston, Giving Back in Charlotte, Jackie Stutts, Rhonda Gibbons, Sunday Inspiration

Chipped and scraped and scraped and cleaned and painted would be more like! All for a great cause, for some great people in a great City! On Friday 600 Charlotte Realtors teamed up and fanned out to work ~ fixing roofs, painting and doing general maintenance on  33 homes in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. Helping those people who can not perform critical home maintenance and repairs due to financial or physical limitations.
Fridays are a busy day for Realtors so we are extra proud that the entire TalkCharlotte team was out early ~ Jackie, Blake and Besty the earliest birds ~ Starbucks delayed Michael, Rhonda and Donna ~ we worked the entire day. Our job (we thought) was to prop up and paint a porch on a traditional Charlotte home in the Plaza Midwood area ~ little did we know we’d be scraping and painting an entire home! It seemed a little daunting at first but we channeled “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” and got to work making sure we could “Move that Bus” at 4PM! The homeowners worked with us side by side and the day flew by ~ it was fun and satisfying for everyone! (please click on the picture titles for a special treat!)

Nice work if you can get it!

Up on the roof!

You know when you look around you see all kinds of people doing amazing things for others. If you are “being the change you wish to see in the world” then KUDOS and keep it up! If you’ve been on the sidelines please consider getting out there and doing some good for someone else – I guarantee in the end it will do more for you!

Move that Bus!!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: No Comments »

So you think we have it tough…

March 13th, 2009 categories: Charlotte Real Estate & More, Home Financing, Jackie Stutts

 

So you think we have it tough now, take a look at this. This was lifted off the front page of the Charlotte Observer on March 30, 1980. My wife Jackie Stutts and I bought our first house in closing months in 1980. Considering where the interest rates had been earlier in the year, we were more than thrilled when rates dropped below 12% and we got our first mortgage at the bargain basement rate of 11.75% for a 30 year fixed rate with a 10% down payment. We thought we had made the coup of the century and we felt good about what we had done. Rates would never be that low again.

Today’s interest rates are at the lowest level that they have been in years. If you are waiting for rates to drop another 0.125% before locking your loan, take a quick look back at 1980 for a reality check and think of just how lucky we are to have rates consistently below the 6.5% level.

Requirements to get approved for a home mortgage have tightened up some over the past year but these adjustments get us back to the 1980’s. The article talks about loans requiring 10% and 20% down payment. A down payment. What a novel idea. There is absolutely no mention in the Observer article of 100% financing. Can you believe it? Actually having a true investment in your home in order to buy it.

Yes requirements have tightened up some but with a good credit score, a little money for a down payment (only 3% for FHA loans) and a job in hand there is plenty of financing out there for a home mortgage for you.

Don’t get too bogged down focusing on waiting for rates to drop another 0.125%. If you are happy with your interest rate and comfortable with your monthly mortgage payment, you might want to consider locking in your rate while you can. You just never know (as this article shows us) when rates will move in the wrong direction for you.

By Terry Stutts-Myers Park Mortgage

Spoken by Donna Johnston | Discussion: No Comments »