We all seem to have more stuff than ever before and a lot of that stuff gets crammed into the closets. Then when you list the home on the market, and buyers come to have a look, they reach for a closet door and are greeted with an overstuffed, unorganized mess. The prospective buyers don’t see your valuables as prized possessions; instead what they see too little space closet space. Buyers have trouble picturing their belongings in a home that’s filled with clutter. Savvy agents will recommend organizing, not just the space you see immediately upon entering the home, but also all the closets in the home.

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Beautiful Wilkes County NC Timber Frame Home and Mountain Property.

MLS Number: 51166, List Price: $898,500

2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, 2 half baths, 2 car attached garage, full basement, and a barn on 5 acres of land.

These terms are used to describe thousands of homes and yet some things just can’t be described, they have to be experienced. This is one of those homes that really has to be seen to be appreciated.

This majestic Timber Frame home of the Bob Timberlake genre is not just another house, it provides a feeling of home that is not about walls and floors and windows and doors. It creates a feeling of the flow between your outdoor and your indoor environment that is seamless. Everywhere you look there is a view. Everything you touch feels natural and beautiful in a way that cannot be described, only owned.

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

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Congress gave homeowners facing financial distress some good news last week. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that would end the controversial practice of imposing federal income taxes on borrowers whose mortgage lenders forgive a portion of their debt as part of a pre-foreclosure short sale arrangement. The House-passed bill (HR 3648) would prohibit income tax levies on home mortgage debt discharges. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate (S 1394). The House bill is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007, thereby assisting borrowers who received debt relief any time this year, and in future years. It would not apply, however, to transactions closing in 2006 or earlier.

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A recent spike in foreclosure filings is helping self-storage facilities here thrive like never before, according to those who manage them. Many self-storage facilities are near capacity. Thousands of units are filled with furniture, appliances and decorations owned by people whose mortgages are in default — and those in the industry are hoping it stays that way. When people are in need of space, the cost is usually not a major concern. Storage unit operators say that most people don’t fuss about price. People say they’re going to stay one to two months but most people stay seven to eight months. Once it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. They come and pay their rent and say they’re going to get it out but never do.

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search for : foreclosure, Storage unit operator

With pending home sales at a six-year low and home prices flat, people are no longer willing to sink as much money into their kitchens as they were during the boom. Spending on kitchen renovations costing more than $20,000 was $53.4 billion in the year ending August 2007, a 40% drop from the same period a year earlier. For people who bought at the top of the market, having little or no equity to borrow against means having to tap other sources. Also trouble for the home-renovation industry: Money is drying up for people seeking home-equity loans or lines of credit to finance projects.

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search for : pending home sales, home-renovation, home-equity loan

For decades solar energy use was largely confined to a small fringe of diehard conservationists. And their sole option was typically a “solar thermal” system that stores heat from the sun to warm pools or appliances. But these days, solar power is going mainstream in many more homes, helped along by a proliferation of new solar technology like cheaper photovoltaic cells and new solar-powered gadgets.

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Beautiful Wilkes County NC Log Home and Mountain Property.

MLS Number: 50863, List Price: $359,900

Bedrooms: 3, Full Baths: 2, Half Baths: 0, Est Total SqFt: 2600, Type/Style: Log Home, Area: Area 6, Middle School: Cntrl Wlks, High School: Wlks Cntrl, Construction: Log

Foundation: Combination, Roof: Metal Roof, Floors: Carpet/Hardwood/Tile, Garage/Carport: None-Garage, None-Carport, Interior Features: Master Bedroom, Main Level, Large Master Bedroom, Walk-In Closet(s), Hardwood Floors, Fireplace(s), Great Room, Exterior Features: Double Pane Windows, Wooded Lot, 1-5 Acres, Hot Tub, Subdivision: N/A, Lot Size: 2.47, Apx SqFt: 2600 - 2800 SF, Basement: None

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

click here for more information