This one-of-a-kind lakefront lot is truly unique within the Malone Bay community. It is one of the most desirable, if not the most desirable lot among the few remaining properties with waterfront access to W. Kerr Scott Lake.

Malone Bay features 18 lots at W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir. 14 are Lakefront and meet private dock requirements. This is a gated community with Lots ranging from 2.3+- acres to 6.8+- acres On the Hwy 421 side of the lake just off South Minton Road, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

Main Channel Views.
300 feet of waterfront.
Dock with boat slip and 2 jet ski slips.

2.86 acres.

MLS Number: 51155
List Price: $359,000
Lot Size: 2.86 ac.
Apx Acreage: 2.86
Type: Waterfront
Area: Area 2
Suitable Use: Residential

Topography: Rolling
Utilities: Underground Utilities
Road Frontage: Private Road
Restrictions: yes
Water/Sewer: Public Water
Miscellaneous: 1-5 Acres
Location: Malone Way

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search for : Malone Bay, W. Kerr Scott Lake, W. Kerr Scott Dam

Rental property makes a great investment. But, just as with any real estate purchase, location is everything Your best bet for a solid rental property will be in an established, high-demand rental area, with easy access to schools, universities, shopping, and other amenities. Avoid “white elephant” buildings with an unusual design or location, or isolated units stuck out in the boondocks. Look for a location that you would find attractive if you were renting. Once you select a general area, you’ll need to decide whether you prefer single-family homes or multi-unit apartments. Both can make good rental properties. However, there are some important differences. Single-family houses are often in shorter supply as rentals. And because they’re more desirable from a tenant’s standpoint, they generally command a higher rent per square foot than apartments. (more…)

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The housing bust is making it more expensive for workers to relocate for jobs. As a result, there is increased pressure on employers to offset housing-related losses for transferring employees. Many of the larger companies have long reimbursed managers for relocation costs like household shipping and moving expenses, real-estate brokers‘ fees and house-hunting trips. During the real-estate boom, companies didn’t need to help employees with actual home sales. Homes moved quickly, and rising values often allowed employees to profit from their relocations. The most generous companies are buying employees’ homes from them at an appraised value, often determined by averaging two or three appraisals from real-estate professionals and reimbursing the employee the difference. (more…)

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When buying a property, most, if not all prospective homeowners employ the services of a home inspector. That person is usually licensed to perform the service. The inspector, someone with professional knowledge and experience, is needed to provide adequate and reliable information about the conditions in, on, under and around a home. However, this does not mean that everyone who assumes the title of home inspector is sufficiently qualified. Among those home inspectors who are qualified, the services they provide are valuable, substantial and well-worth the expense. Just a few areas that need investigation are the general construction of the home, electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning, the roof covering and in some areas of the country, radon intrusion. (more…)

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Impact fees are popping up in a rapidly expanding number of cash-poor U.S. municipalities scrounging for new revenue sources while federal funding for local infrastructure has become more difficult to obtain. The one-time fees, imposed on builders and often folded into home prices and passed on to buyers, are used by cities to fund construction of infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, parks and even fire stations for rapidly growing neighborhoods. A 2006 Kansas State University survey found that 39% of the 292 U.S. cities responding imposed impact fees on new construction last year, up from 25% in 2002. Property-rights advocates decry impact fees and other so-called exactions — requirements to donate land or make concessions to gain a government permit — as a means for local governments to avoid unpopular tax increases for all residents by singling out new arrivals to pay for city projects. (more…)

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Until recently, kitchens were not intended as places of entertainment, but were designed to accommodate one cook. Usually them mom, she prepared meals in a closed-in box away from the rest of the home. But these days, 21st century cooks aren’t content to toss the salad in isolation. Homeowners want a good kitchen. They realize that good kitchens sell homes and outdated, unattractive floor-plans and appliances can hold nix a potential sale. In this “soft” real estate market, sellers always seem to benefit by making sure that their homes appeal to the largest number of buyers and that includes the “gourmands” in the mix. (more…)

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To help minimize losses in this stagnant, oversold real estate market, many home builders are diversifying their portfolios to include remodeling. And it’s causing a few problems. In order to complete a project, a true remodeling contractor must be understanding of a customer’s needs and be willing to provide a higher level of customer service than new home contractors customarily provide. A lot of home builders don’t understand the demand of what it takes to do a remodeling project. Many can and do build an entire, new house with minimal problems. But with remodeling, most of the time, clients are living in the home while renovation is on-going. Work around their schedule is many times a main point of customer dissatisfaction. (more…)

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When freebies failed to attract new buyers, builders increasing saw their bottom line eroded by excess inventory and rising carry charges. In all, the tactic appeared to be backfiring. Potential home buyers are proving unwilling to purchase homes until prices stabilize, fearing further price depreciation, so builders have not gotten the sales volume needed to compensate for their reduced margins. The market is not expected to improve soon and builders desperate for cash and saddled with inventory, many have been unwilling to resist price-cutting. If they didn’t cut their prices, they reason, buyers would either turn to competitors who offer better deals or buy used or foreclosed homes. Potential buyers are coming in “nine or 10″ times. If they hear the deal today is better than the deal was two weeks ago or a month ago, they’re not going to buy. (more…)

search for : home buyers, price depreciation, foreclosed homes

$5,850,000

MLS Number: 50913

City: Valle Crucis, NC
Stories: 2
Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4.5
Area: Boone-Blowing Rock, NC
Year Built: 1990
Plus Five fully furnished 1,400 sq. ft. Rental Cottages. Each built in 1996 on approx. 1/2 acre sites. Current cottage average annual rental income $150,000.

39.4 acres with 360 degree view of Blue Ridge Mountains.

5,200 sq. ft. main house built in 1990 on 1.24 acres.

No restrictions and no zoning offer many other options:

* Family compound
* Corporate retreat
* Religous retreat
* Horse farm / Dude ranch
* Recording studio
* Cottages can be sold separately
* Land can be further subdivided if desired

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

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search for : Valle Crucis, NC, Blowing Rock, NC, Blue Ridge Mountains

The DVD “Open House” is a hilarious musical experience which chronicles the American dream of finding a home. The crew acts through Sunday open houses featuring 2000-square-foot lovers (you know, like mile-high clubbers), desperate real estate agents, a jewel thief, cops on the case, and other “tire kickers” with loose open-door policies. With some catchy tunes and B-movie actors, it’s been called both “funny and original” and “the worst musical ever.” It’s a bargain gift available for as little as $4.50 from Amazon.com, For real estate agents in this down-market it may be just the thing to bring holiday cheer. (more…)

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For residential construction projects, hardwood flooring is a popular choice. But there are other choices, and they can give your floors a different look and feel. While hardwood strip flooring comes in pieces cut lengthwise from lumber, another variation of hardwood flooring is end grain that comes in sturdy blocks cut from the ends of pieces of lumber. It makes for a durable floor with an interesting grain pattern because the end of the wood faces up. Once used primarily in demanding environments like factories, it is increasingly being used in homes. For a more elaborate look, you might consider painted wood floors, which were common in the 18th and 19th centuries but are seen less often today. You can try creating simple geometric patterns by marking off shapes like large diamonds with painter’s tape and filling them in with floor paint, or you can hire a professional. (more…)

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Up until recently, underwriters usually rubber-stamped an appraisal report if it included information about three comparable properties that sold in the area within the previous six months that supported the purchase price of the property being appraised. Due to the fact that property values are under pressure in some areas, lenders may ask to see information about comparable listings that sold within the last three months. The more recent the comparable, the more indicative it is of current market value, particularly in a changing market. In areas where it is evident that property values have declined, borrowers may be required to increase their cash down payment by 5 percent. The lender will still make the loan, just not for as much as the borrower requested. This can pose a problem for borrowers who are cash-strapped. (more…)

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Chainsaws, like any cutting tool, are dangerous if not handled properly. That doesn’t mean you need to be afraid to use one, just that you need to exercise caution and common sense whether your are male or female. Chainsaws have an exposed cutting chain with highly aggressive teeth, and their length and weight can throw an operator off balance. Cutting often takes place in wooded areas or other areas with unstable footing, adding to the danger. The other thing about chainsaws is the unpredictability of the material that you’re cutting. Limbs can twist and bind the chain; trees can tip or fall in a direction you don’t intend; and the saw can occasionally kick back. (more…)

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After reading “Affordable Remodel,” a new Taunton book by general contractor and Fine Homebuilding magazine contributor Fernando Pagés Ruiz, it makes sense that many contractors have, as a result of their years in the field, a unique intelligence about what makes economical sense in a remodel and what doesn’t. Many of the book’s suggestions are not just about space and construction but about design. One idea, pictured on the back cover, shows a fireplace faced with slate tile from the hearth to the mantle and then faux painted in similar hues from the mantle to the ceiling. You get the vibe of the stone all the way up to the ceiling, without the all-stone cost. If the book does fall short at all, it’s where nearly every other book like this fails, and that is by ignoring the consumer’s need to know how much things cost. (more…)

search for : Fine Homebuilding, faux paint

The numbers of people with homes to plunder has risen fast in recent years. But police and security experts say robbers are hitting homes more because their traditional targets — banks, stores and offices — have been hardened with closed-circuit video surveillance, alarms and guards. By comparison, security at many private homes remains lax, they say. Indeed, in several high-profile crimes, assailants gained access through unlocked doors. In other cases, home-alarm systems apparently weren’t turned on. Security and alarm experts say this is a surprisingly common mistake: Many homeowners lock their doors and set alarms only when they are away. (more…)

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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

click here for more information

These days, with so much turmoil in the home sales marketplace, sellers are not automatically turning up their noses at offers that come in far below their asking price. However, buyers who do ask for deep discounts still risk offending sellers to the point where they quash any deal. So before making an aggressive offer, real-estate professionals advise that some homework is in order. Also, buyers need to effectively explain why the price of a home should be lower. Certain sellers are going to be more willing than others to negotiate a low offer, and there are several giveaways that might indicate more leeway on the issue of price. For instance, if the sellers have already purchased another home and that sale has closed, they’re likely to be more willing to make a deal. (more…)

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The recent fires in southern California have resulted in more than 1,000 claims from policyholders. While the fires are a continent away from our locale, we use them as an example of the need for a timely filing of insurance claims. While claims often don’t need to be filed immediately after the damage has been done, homeowners’ insurance companies encourage homeowners to file soon. The sooner the better can get your life back to normal as quickly as possible. Insurance companies understand you have to find a place to live and make sure family is safe and make sure they’re settled. But there can be a time limit on filing claims, and it’s important to call the insurance company as soon as you know there is damage. (more…)

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The idea that the mortgage availability problem is somehow a “subprime” issue, involving only those with minimal credit, is just not so. Why then have foreclosure numbers exploded? The answer doesn’t just concern subprime loans, it concerns the entire mortgage system, a system where loan officers are not required to get the best rates and terms for borrowers, overcharging borrowers is perfectly lawful and federal regulators failed to protect the public interest. As the Federal Reserve has just reported, it’s not just subprime loans that have caused lenders to scurry. Look what the Fed says is happening with jumbo loans, big mortgages for those with solid credit. The bottom-line reality is that we have a lending system which needs to be modernized. Bills now moving through congress would require loan officers to be licensed, loans to be documented, lenders to be responsible and borrowers to be informed. Most importantly, lenders would finally have an obligation to work for the best interests of borrowers. (more…)

search for : subprime, subprime loans, Federal Reserve

“When you’re buying a home you are buying the trees and shrubs,” says Neil Sexton, sales director for Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. He’s talking about the price of curb appeal and understanding exactly how to quantify it in dollars. “When some people make an investment of 50, 100,000, 200,000 or 300,000 dollars worth of landscape assets over time or at one time five years ago, they should be able to, if they take care of them, benefit from highlighting the value of those when it comes time to sell,” explains Sexton. When you video tape your home and all its assets, knowing the value of your trees, shrubs, and lawn is equally important. (more…)

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Many parents find that buying a house or condo for their college kids makes sense, both as an investment and in giving their kids a convenient (and quiet) place to succeed in their education. Parents who are financially able to do so are choosing to invest in real estate close to campus for their college bound offspring. In many cases, it’s preferable to dormitory fees or apartment rent. For students, a campus house or condo can offer greater freedom, a choice of roommates and more amenities, including a full kitchen, private bath, deck and hot tub, cable and Internet connectivity, and covered or enclosed parking. For parents, it offers a chance to not only recoup some of the skyrocketing cost of the aptly named higher education but, if approached correctly, can even launch their baby birds into the world with something college can’t provide: a good credit history. Even parents of limited means can derive many of the same benefits by co-owning a campus house with other parents.

(more…)

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Renters are the newest victims of the mortgage mess. Across the country, a rising number of landlords are falling behind on mortgage payments, sending their properties into foreclosure, according to legal-services attorneys, local officials and financial experts. In many cases, their tenants are being forced out of their homes. Often, the tenants’ first inkling of trouble occurs when they get a letter from the bank directing them to leave the premises. In many cases, the homes and apartments entering foreclosure are owned by investors who got low-rate teaser mortgages and intended to hold the buildings for a few years and then sell them at a profit — before their mortgage rates rose. Now, with the housing market badly depressed in many areas, the owners can’t sell the homes or afford the higher mortgage payments. Many are defaulting. (more…)

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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

Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, with all federally regulated financial institutions ordered to be in full compliance by Nov. 1, 2008, the so-called “Red Flag” provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA), requires that financial institutions and creditors develop and deploy an Identity Theft Prevention Program for combating ID theft on new and existing accounts. The Red Flag regulations are included in the same massive regulatory overhaul of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that gave consumers free credit reports and a host of additional protections.

(more…)

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Consistent with the latest sign of fallout from a spreading credit crisis, more banks have tightened lending standards on home mortgages. The Federal Reserve indicated that many banks reported tighter standards for traditional prime mortgages, nontraditional mortgages such as “interest only” loans and for subprime mortgages, those offered to borrowers with weak credit histories. The Fed survey, which was conducted in early October, found that 41 percent of banks responding said that they had tightened loan standards either “considerably” or “somewhat” for prime residential mortgages, those offered to borrowers with strong credit histories.

(more…)

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Kitchens and bathrooms are key elements responsible for the greatest return on renovation investment. The state of one or both of these rooms may be the deal maker or deal breaker in a real estate sale. The design of these rooms can also make a home more liveable, particularly for those facing physical or mobility limitations. These rooms are considered pricey to redecorate or rebuild, so they rarely receive annual overhauls or frequent up-dates, even when they deserve them. In kitchens, modernizing or renovating is often postponed until a major appliance dies. Since home is the center of our lives and will be more so as the years pass, why do we let the two key rooms fall so far behind technological progress and lifestyle dictates? Why do these rooms only get “made over” when it’s time to leave? Why do we feel it is all right to live at a lower standard of living than a buyer is prepared to? (more…)

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There are a lot of things in your house that can cause allergies. A few of the big things that cause allergies are dust, mold, and mildew, and those are things that can happen year round. Especially when remodeling, enclosing the work area to keep allergens from coming into contact with you will help to reduce the movement of allergy causing particles. Hang plastic sheeting over the doorways in rooms where work is underway. If you’re having a small area worked on, when the project is finished do not carry the sheeting through the house afterwards — small particles can be dropped into the carpet and upholstery. During the California fires many people were outside in heavily burned areas looking through the rubble without masks. Some people even exercised in the extremely poor weather conditions. Health experts say that’s similar to smoking a few packs of cigarettes in one sitting. Tiny particles of ash can get inhaled deep into your lungs and cause severe irritations for a very long time. (more…)

search for : dust, mold, and mildew, California fires

Your range hood serves a couple of very important purposes in the kitchen, and selecting the right one is something that warrants some comparison shopping. Range hoods come in several sizes, finishes and designs, and that’s where most people start when they’re shopping for a new one. First of all, it needs to be the correct size to match the width of the opening in the cabinets above the range, and to match the width of the range or cooktop itself. Hoods come in a couple of standard sizes, including 30, 36 and 42 inches in width, with the depth being designed to fit with standard 12-inch-deep upper cabinets. There are some variations available in many of the higher-end models, so knowing the size you’re looking for is the first step. (more…)

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This one-of-a-kind lakefront lot is truly unique within the Malone Bay community. It is one of the most desirable, if not the most desirable lot among the few remaining properties with waterfront access to W. Kerr Scott Lake.

Malone Bay features 18 lots at W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir. 14 are Lakefront and meet private dock requirements. This is a gated community with Lots ranging from 2.3+- acres to 6.8+- acres On the Hwy 421 side of the lake just off South Minton Road, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

Main Channel Views.
300 feet of waterfront.
Dock with boat slip and 2 jet ski slips.

2.86 acres.

MLS Number: 51155
List Price: $359,000
Lot Size: 2.86 ac.
Apx Acreage: 2.86
Type: Waterfront
Area: Area 2
Suitable Use: Residential

Topography: Rolling
Utilities: Underground Utilities
Road Frontage: Private Road
Restrictions: yes
Water/Sewer: Public Water
Miscellaneous: 1-5 Acres
Location: Malone Way

click here for more information

search for : Malone Bay, W. Kerr Scott Lake, W. Kerr Scott Dam

Home energy auditors often will target the humdrum solutions that provide big benefits relative to the cash outlay, like installing low-flow shower heads and insulating water pipes. The audit itself is a relatively straightforward process. Depending on the number of tests run, it takes anywhere from an hour to an afternoon. A recent audit for a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house built in 1957, for example, indicated that the most cost-effective upgrade was to replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, at a cost of $35 and an annual saving of $87. The bulbs should pay for themselves in five months. The upgrade with the longest payback is installing a programmable thermostat, which should cost $162 but saves only $26 per year — a payback period of six years and three months. The most expensive suggestion in the report: Increase attic insulation, at a cost of $772, for an annual saving of $315, or a payback of two to three years. (more…)

search for : Home energy auditor, replace incandescent bulbs