What's Cooking, Lake Norman?











{December 29, 2007}   Stopping Spam

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I don’t get it, but recently I’ve been getting hit with tons of spam.  Yes, my spam filter catches most of it, but it still clogs up the system and makes it run slower.  I often wonder if anyone has ever really opened up a spam email and said “you know, this is just what I need!” I know I haven’t.  The New Yorker reports that 100 billion unwanted emails are sent through the world’s computers every single day!

USAA has offered some useful tips in my recent USAA magazine (it’s a bank and insurance company for military and their dependents):

  • Ever seen the emails with the link to “unsubscibe”?  Don’t click it…it is often a way to confirm that your email is indeed valid.
  • Be selective about sharing your email address in public forums such as chat rooms.
  • Open another email account for using outside of friends and family members.
  • Don’t forward chain emails.  All they do is put your and yours friend’s addresses into the hands of strangers.  Seriously, has anyone ever really gotten anything free, or dropped dead from not sending on a chain? 


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By around 4 pm on Christmas Day the crew was becoming restless.  All boxes were opened, all new toys tried out and all new clothes…well…shoved to the side.  It was high time to get out of the house and look at Christmas Lights.  We tried to go to the lights in McAdenville, but the line was so long it killed my holiday spirit.  Instead, we mosied around Lincolnton and found some beautiful lights!

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Thanks Lincoln Times for pics!



orlando-real-estate-agent-742795.jpgWhen I first started my career in real estate, the number one question I was asked was “how hard was the exam?”  Everyone seems to have a secret desire to be in real estate.  I have a great friend who says she just loves going to open houses, so she knows she’d love being in real estate.  As with every job in the world, there’s more to it than that.

One great thing about this job is the flexibility I have.  When I’m sick, I answer to myself and rearrange my own schedule.  If the kids are out of school, I work from home.  That flexibility works the other way, too.  I consider myself “on duty” pretty much every weekend and I’ve spent all day showing homes with a kidney infection because my clients had flown in from out of state.  Most agents I know work more than 40 hours each week.

You have to complete a pre-licensing course (75 hours at last check) and pass a class exam.  Finally, you must be able to pass the State Examination.  You can find out about this on any school website; I went to Mingle. I found the class difficult, much more difficult than the State Exam.  My class prepared me for the mounds of contracts we have to know, legal terms, real estate terms, marketing, HUD settlement statements, taxes and figuring out my commission.

Now, here is what they won’t tell you: You must be able to take criticism with grace.  Buying and selling a home is often an emotional undertaking; tempers flare and emotions boil and the person in front of the customer takes the brunt of most of these eruptions(psssst….that’s  you!). 

You must know when to provide guidance, yet know when to step back and give your customer’s space.  Above all, an agent must return any phone calls promptly!  You have to be available!! 

A real estate agent has to be disciplined.  If you are inclined to procrastinate, this may not be the job for you.  No one will hang over your shoulder, you have to hustle to get your customers.  You have to wake up, get dressed and get out the door.  You have to knock on a few doors if business is slow.

Believe me when I tell you it’s more than just listing a house in MLS and then picking up your check when it magically sells.  It’s work, sometimes very hard work.  But it is the most fun I’ve ever had while doing it!



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Holy Mackeral!  This house is humongous!  Situated on the prestigious Lake Hickory, it is a stunning 11,800 (and some change) total square feet!  And has 3000 extra unheated square feet to boot!  So you’re telling me they have a garage bigger than my last house?  Unfair!

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This home is just under $4 million and boasts 6 bedrooms and 6 full/ 2 half baths.  It has a beautiful in-ground pool, too.   This Georgian style beauty was built in 1999 and sits on over 7 acres!  It really is a steal, if you think about it. 

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{December 22, 2007}   A House with History!

1765 home 

The nerd that I am loves looking through the MLS at properties to see what is new or different out there.  I found the oldest home listed currently in the MLS just now and it was built (so it says) in 1765.

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That is pretty impressive, but in the description it states that Thomas Jefferson played cards in that very home!  Pretty cool, huh?  This 8 room home boasts nearly 3000 square feet of space and comes with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.  Those must be some biiiiiiggg rooms!

This house is in Oakboro, NC and lists for only $269,900. 



{December 20, 2007}   Christmas Shopping

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In spite of my horrible cold, I knew I had to do it today.  I had to finish up my Christmas shopping, and I was really not in the shopping mood.  Have you heard of the Wii?  I really wonder if they do exist or is it a made up toy whose purpose is to cause hysteria among otherwise sane parents around late December?

I have been on the lookout for that stupid game for a few months now, and even this year they are nowhere to be found!  I knew I could forget it last year, but this year?  Anyway, I ended up wheeling around a cart filled with disappointment through Target before I gave up.

I hope my 11-year-old likes cash.



{December 18, 2007}   Is your agent tech savvy?

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Statistics have shown that 80% of homebuyers start their search on the internet.  Probably half of the business I’ve done this year has come from out of state!  These buyers saw properties on the internet, contacted me and made all decisions on a weekend visit!

If you are selling your home, you must have an agent who knows her way around the web.  It isn’t a perk anymore, it is a necessity.  Your agent needs to know how to take excellent digital photos of your home, and make a virtual tour for you.  Some agents even make a website for every listing!  The fact is our MLS used to be a marketplace used by other agents to find suitable properties.  Nowadays, so many websites pull from that MLS to publish information on their own buyer websites.  REALTOR.com and Carolinahome.com as well as Trulia are all places buyers go, and your listing had better be there with pictures and every ounce of information needed!

Buying your home is an equally important reason to find an internet savvy agent.  Searching our Charlotte MLS is a feat in itself and took me quite a while to master. 

How do you know if an agent knows her way around the ‘net?  Several ways actually. 

1. Run a search on her name.  See how prolific and involved she is online.

2. Check out her blog *end plug*

3. Look for a designation such as Epro.  This means the agent has taken a course and passed to earn that designation.



{December 16, 2007}   Ho Ho Ho!

Santa Pups

Yesterday was cold and wet in the Lake Norman area.  I did not put so much as one toe out of the house after a busy week, and it felt delicious!  Instead I stayed home all day baking goodies to give to friends and customers to celebrate the upcoming holidays. 

First, I made mini cheeseballs, and put them in a basket with potpourri, hot caramel apple cider mix, crackers, spreaders, gingerbread candles all neatly packaged with bows and basket filler.  They were cute and well received!

I also made a Christmas punch and filled up small pitchers to give, and some chocolate cakes shaped like little hearts. These will be delivered with edible bows!  I have many more treats planned for the coming week, and my kids are anxious to help me. 

This Christmas, what a nice idea to give a piece of yourself to those you care about.  My kids had a great time this weekend, and it really helped us keep our holiday spirits up while the weather was frightful.



{December 14, 2007}   “Is this a bad neighborhood?”

Bad Neighborhood

I’ve had clients ask me this question before and then get frustrated by my non-answer response.  The fact is, unless I can back up an “opinion” such as this with facts, I could be in violation of the Realtor Code of Ethics.  Facts that may be given by the Realtor include high crime rate, poor quality of construction, traffic congenstion problems, etc. 



{December 13, 2007}   Giving back

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I know everyone is so busy these days.  Sometimes I feel like my husband and I only talk about who is getting what child from where and have no time for each other.  But nearly 5 years ago I was forced to slow down when my daughter was born 12 weeks premature.  She stayed in the NICU at Catawba Valley Medical Center for 53 days, where we received the best care for her.  We now fundraise for the March of Dimes each  year.

We all have something in our lives that we should feel fortunate about.  How about making a promise to yourself in 2008 that you will find a way to give back to your community in some way?  The rewards are so worth the extra work you put into your day.  Merry Christmas!Preemie



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