Ahhhh, the impact just one play can have. Did you watch the Panther’s game yesterday in which they suffered their first loss of the season? If not, then let me fill you in.
From The Charlotte Observer:
The Panthers held a seven-point lead with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. They faced third-and-8 at their 29.
They could’ve played it safe and called a running play, hoping to maintain their lead at halftime.
They chose a more aggressive approach, throwing instead of running, but nothing too risky.
It came oh-so-close to working.
Instead, it backfired dramatically.
Minnesota cornerback Antoine Winfield blitzed from Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme’s right side and decked him full-force, causing a fumble. Winfield picked up the loose ball at the 19 and ran it in for a touchdown.
Suddenly, the score was tied and the Vikings were on their way to a 20-10 victory.
Needless to say, the whole momentum of the game changed on that one play and as a result, they Panther’s suffered their first loss of the year. Fortunately, there’s still a long way to go and the Cats are tied atop their division with Atlanta and Tampa Bay, both at 2-1 as well.
In case you can’t tell, I’m a HUGE Panther’s fan and LOVE kicking back and watching them play on Sunday’s. Even when the loss comes down to just one, momentum changing play!
Filed under Carolina Sports Beat, Charlotte NC, Fun Stuff by 
With all the talking heads screaming bloody murder about the financial markets, it’s enough to make any intelligent home owner think twice about selling a house right now. I mean with all the doom and gloom you’d think the world was coming to an end tomorrow.
Not true!!
Yes, we’re definitely going through some rocky times financially. Just ask Merril Lynch and Lehman Brothers. But, we’re very fortunate here in the Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, and Charlotte NC area because the housing market remains very strong.
Is it down compared to previous years? Sure. It’s definitely a buyers market. Foreclosures are available in almost every neighborhood, which in turn can affect property values and the potential price you might get for your house, but that doesn’t mean you should sit on your hands and not sell.
If you’re thinking about selling your Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC home, now’s as good a time as any, believe it or not. The key to getting the most out of the sale of your home in this market is to do the following:
- Price it correctly.Nothing sinks a solid home sale faster than pricing incorrectly. Price it too high and it’ll sit on the market longer than it should. Under price it and you end up leaving money on the table. If you have questions about how you should price your house, I’d love a chance to help you come up with a price that will move your home quickly for top dollar.
- Make your house stand out.If there’s competition from other houses, you MUST make your property stand out. A fresh coat of paint, inside or out. Steam cleaned carpets. Refinished hardwood floors. Some simple, inexpensive staging. A refresh of the landscaping. All of these are things that can be done to help you house stand out from the crowd and even though it might cost you a little bit of money, it’ll be money well spent.
- Work with a professional that can get your home the exposure it needs.The key to selling your home quickly, for top dollar is to make sure it gets the maximum amount of exposure possible. Working with an experienced real estate agent that knows the ins and outs of marketing a house effectively in today’s marketplace can do wonders for getting your house sold very quickly.
Again, I’d love an opportunity to show you what I can do to help you sell your Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC home quickly, for top dollar.
Remember, just because all you’re hearing about is the doom and gloom of the economy today, it doesn’t mean you should sit on your property. Selling your home for top dollar in today’s marketplace is still very much within reach, it just requires a careful plan of attack to making it happen.
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Charlotte NC, Fort Mill SC, Hiring An Agent, Home Sellers, Market Trends, Rock Hill SC, Sell Your Home by
If you’ve been paying attention to the news at all then you saw the big news from the financial markets that Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch agreed to be bought by Bank of America, headquartered here locally in Charlotte NC, for some $50B dollars. On top of that, the stock market tumbled close to 500 points today sparking many to ask the question, is this as bad as it gets?
Well, I’m certainly no expert when it comes to the financial markets, but just based on what I’ve read and heard, I’d venture a guess that this isn’t rock bottom just yet. According to an article I read on MSNBC.com,the answer to how many more banks are going to fall flat on their face because of questionable management practices is dependent on 2 questions.
“First: When will home prices stop falling? The value of trillions of dollars of assets held by big investors — both here and around the world — is pegged to the underlying value of the real estate on which those assets are based. Every quarter that home prices fall, those assets have to be marked down further.
Second: When will the foreclosure rate stop rising and stabilize? As of the end of June, some 9 percent of all Americans holding a mortgage were either late on their monthly payments or in foreclosure. Those foreclosures add to the backlog of bank-owned properties that go onto the market, putting further downward pressure on home prices.”
It certainly makes for a precarious situation, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to pack up and move to a cave in the middle of nowhere!
Fortunately for us here in the Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC market, the housing market is still strong. Yes, there are some bargain properties out there, but that doesn’t mean EVERYTHING’S going for rock-bottom prices.
If you’re looking to sell your Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC home, you can still get a good price for it. You just need to be certain you price your home to sell and not simply to negotiate. Many people make the mistake of thinking if they list their house higher thinking they’ll be able to negotiate it down. Unfortunately, it rarely happens this way as people see just the ‘too-high’ price and don’t even make an offer.
If you want to sell your home quickly AND for top dollar is this unsteady market, it’s critical that you price your house to move. If you’re not sure what that price is, I’d be more than happy to provide a Comparative Market Analysis to help you decide if now’s the right time to sell your Rock Hill SC area house or not!
And stay tuned to this blog because this week I’ll be sharing more tips for buying OR selling your dream Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, Tega Cay SC, York SC, or Lancaster SC home in this turbulent financial marketplace.
As I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting news and tidbits of information about the Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, and Charlotte NC, I’ll occassionally come across articles or blog posts that really jump out at me. The one I came across today is one of them.
This article ranked the top 25 most over-rated ‘things’. There were things like crocs, Donald Trump, owning a car (uuuhhh, they’ve obviously never been to middle America!), and even owning a home. I think that right there should tell you how credible this list is, but the one that really jumped out at me was when they listed ‘Charlotte NC’ and then asked if it was the ‘worst city in America’. Excuse me!?!
Some of the reasons they listed were a rising crime rate, a weakening economy thanks to some big hits some of the local companies have been taking, namely Wachovia, Bank of America, and Lowes, and “driving to the beach or the mountains isn’t as easy as it once was, with rising gas prices, traffic and sprawl.” Uuuuhhh, did they suddenly demolish the interstates that lead to either the beach or the mountains?
Now I may be a bit biased, but I think the Charlotte area’s a fantastic place to live and I believe it will continue to be for many years to come. Are there some issues like rising crime and urban sprawl that need to be dealt with? Absolutely, but what city in America doesn’t have those issues?
Granted, the recent hits taken by Wachovia, Bank of America, and Lowes are certainly downers, but they’re not going anywhere any time soon. They’re all behemoths in their respective industries and there’s no way they’d decline to a point where it totally destroys the Charlotte economy like we’ve seen when local factories decimate small towns. Charlotte’s just too big and diverse for that to happen.
I guess overall I was a bit surprised by the ‘honor’, but when you consider they also listed amongst their things that are over-rated Angelina Jolie and the Nintendo Wii, and they suggest buying a mid-90′s Geo Metro instead of a Toyota Prius, you can draw your own conclusions.
So what’s your take? What do you think about Charlotte being ranked as one of the top 25 most over-rated ‘things’?
Go ahead and leave your comments below.
You can read the whole article on Charlotte HERE.
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Charlotte NC, Life In the Carolinas, Opinions by
Buyers and would-be investors often look to foreclosure sales to find real estate bargains. But newcomers to this market could find some unpleasant surprises if they go in blind. All homes should be thoroughly inspected by a professional home inspector before sealing the deal.
Why inspect if you can’t negotiate?
Foreclosure homes are usually “as-is†sales. This means that buyers cannot negotiate for the cost of needed repairs, as they may do in a traditional home purchase. Buyers must absorb repair costs themselves and consider this in their purchase offer at auction. So why get a professional inspection on a foreclosure property?
Too many foreclosure buyers think they’re getting a deal when, in fact, they might be purchasing a property with substantial and costly defects. The repair of these major issues could exceed the savings gained in buying a foreclosed property.
Sellers at foreclosure auctions are not usually obligated to disclose defects. But buyers can empower themselves by getting a professional property inspection before the auction that will provide valuable insights about the condition of the home. If pre-auction property inspections are not permitted at the foreclosure sale, buyers will need to weigh that risk carefully.
Knowledge is Power
Even with a significant influx of newly foreclosed properties due to the sub prime mortgage mess, the foreclosure market can be competitive, and it is often dominated by experienced real estate investors. Armed with the right information you can make informed bids and find the best home at the best deal. After all, a bargain isn’t a bargain if it costs more than expected down the line.
Remember, buying foreclosed properties can be a risky business, so be certain to consult with needed professionals, including a reputable, certified home inspector, to address questions about specific issues. More homebuyer and home maintenance tips are available online at housemaster.com.
This information is provided for general guidance purposes only. Neither DBR Franchising, LLC nor the local HouseMaster® franchise warrants its accuracy and assumes no liability related to its use. Contact the local franchise office and/or qualified specialists for advice pertinent to your specific house or circumstances. © Copyright 2008 DBR. Each HouseMaster franchise is an independently owned and operated business. HouseMaster is a registered trademark of DBR Franchising, LLC.
* * This information is provided with permission from HouseMaster.com. * *
Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Charlotte NC, Fort Mill SC, Home Buyers, Rock Hill SC by
