Thinking of selling your home, condo or building lot? The more you know about the real estate market in your locale, the better your chance will be for getting the best possible price for your sale.

Making a smart deal and getting the best price always has meant studying the market and being an educated seller. But these days, with so much inventory on the market, selling “smarter” is even more important.

Strange as it may seem, home prices in some markets have actually gone up from last year. Plus, demand will change depending on the price range and even the neighborhood. So, it’s vitally important that you know the demand for a house, condo or building lot like yours in your area? (more…)

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One of the fastest growing industries among the home trades is the energy audit. Although energy audits have been available for many years, this new crop of analysts is seen to be wielding high-tech tools such as infrared cameras. Armed with this recently affordable technology, these men and women can produce comprehensive reports on a home’s energy efficiency, along with suggested fixes and contractors.

To pay for these expensive tools, the information produced can’t cheap. The reports typically cost $300 to $700, though aid often is available for low-income homeowners. Some utilities provide audits free. Anyone can call himself an “energy auditor,” making it tough to know who is legit. Some suggest products and services to fix energy flaws, but don’t always disclose that they have ties to the products’ makers or sellers. (more…)

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It’s time to start thinking about how to make your home stand shoulders above the rest if you are planning to sell in 2008. However, don’t make unneeded repairs for which you won’t be able to recoup the improvement costs. The most important concepts of making your home salable are to give the appearance of being neat, clean and spacious.

Remodeling magazine found that homeowners could recover 83% of the cost of a minor kitchen remodel at resale compared with 78% of a major kitchen remodeling. Therefore, logic suggests that you replace a countertop if it’s crumbling but not if its only fault is having an outdated appearance. And, there’s no need to update to granite unless the competition has granite countertops as well. (more…)

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Last week’s response, from the Federal Reserve and the White House, through the Congress, may not be enough to counter the current recessionary fever gripping the United States economy. Even with mortgage interest rates approaching the 5.25 percent all-time lows of ‘02-’04, home sales continue to falter.

The last three weeks have resulted in a panicky stock market as demonstrated plainly on stock market charts. As the markets declined, everyone seems to have finally waken to danger, and the hazard itself continues to grow. Once confined to mortgages and the very strange “structured” IOUs, an economic pullback threatens defaults in a wide range of credits. The typical victims of an economic slowdown is credit, the result of a badly impaired system. If the credit market isn’t in complete and unmanageable shambles, then it’s close. (more…)

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While there’s snow on the ground, it’s time to think of a remodel, or just a renovation of your vacation rental property. Many say that vacation property owners, those who rent their home or condo for a few months each year, will face increased competition as more rental units come on the market in upcoming months.

Why the increase in inventory? Simple, it’s because so many units sit unsold. Faced with making continued mortgage payments on their units, owners are deciding to rent the propertys, just for the cash flow.

What do you need for your unit to be more rent-able than the competition?

Most prospective renters look for the amenities. Swimming pools, video games, pool tables and big-screen televisions make for an attractive rental unit. Since eating out can break a vacationer’s budget, adding restaurant quality cooking appliances, equipment, swank dining furnishings, cozy decor and adequate lighting can make for quite an eating-in experience. (more…)

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With all the talk from the automotive industry about energy savings, homeowners are beginning to consider a switch from incandescents to compact fluorescent bulbs. These energy-efficient bulbs have come a long way since they were introduced some years back. But, misconceptions about their usage, and their energy saving attributes remain in the minds of consumers.

We consumers are bombarded with statistics that seem too good to be true. Advertisements tout that if every homeowner were to replace light bulbs in five fixtures with energy-efficient bulbs, greenhouse-gas emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road.

So, what are the truths among the media hype? Read on … (more…)

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$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

click here for more information

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