Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Set To begin August 27,2012

yes, it is that time of the year again when we get ready for school to start. Like most families you are beginning to receive your childs classroom assignement or schedule in the mail (depending ont eh grade they are going into). All of Charlotte, NC. schools are beginning classes August 27,2012. if you ahve children in schools in means getting up and getting them ready for the first day of school... If you do not have children in school then it is the day we all dread for commuting into work since the traffic seems to be more bottlenecked that first week as school buses and crossing guards extend our commute time to work. I have attached a link to the charlotte-mecklenburg schools calender here for you to view so you knwo when the children will be in and out of school. I have found it very helpful putting it on my refridgerator so I can keep track of when they are in school and not in school. I also like knowing the days I can sleep in a little later knowing I am not dealing with the buses and extra traffic in the morning as well.... To view the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School calender click : http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/mediaroom/calendars/Documents/2012-2013%20Calendar%20with%20Waiver.pdf Dave diCecco Coldwell Banker United Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com

Do You Factor In Property Taxes Before Buying A Home IN Charlotte, NC?

Today online we can do so much research before we go to look at a home. We can find a home and see what average rates are and calculate monthly payments. But when we do this are we factoring in what the property taxes are going to be in our monthly budget? Property taxes are going to be a part of the equation whether you factor them into your monthly payment or not. Moving here six years ago from Connecticut I was stunned at how low the property taxes were for a house in comparison to the Northeast. I figure i pay about 75% less here for my house in taxes than if I had the same house in the Northeast. But it was still a factor when I went to look at homes.... I had a budget in mind and that budget was what my wife and I were comfortable a month paying. In Charlotte, NC. area property taxes vary on the value of the house. Depending on your price point for a house it can be anywhere from $100 to $300 a month addition to what the principle and interest payment are on a house. It adds up fast.... When I have a client that says they are pre-qualified for X amount of dollars from their bank and want to look at certain homes i first ask them what are they looking at in terms of a monthly payment that they are comfortable with. What they want to comfortably afford a month may not be the same number as what they are approved for; because the property taxes are not factored into their equation. By knowing what a buyer in Charlotte, NC. wants to pay a month I can estimate if the payment fits the sale price of the house approximately and tell them they are okay or not. Consider that for every $10,000 on a price of a house affects your payment about $33.00 a month. Not adding in your property taxes can affect your buying ability by as much as $30,000 and up. That is a large swing in home values and can put you in different neighborhoods than you anticipated. When you are looking to get a home budget in your property taxes before putting an offer in....Your real Estate agent should be able to tell you what the seller paid last year for the house in property taxes. It can affect how much you offer for the house and whether you are comfortable buying the house or not.... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com

Do You Interview Schools Before Buying A House In Charlotte, NC.?

With families looking to purchase a home today with record low interest rates and prices that by all accounts have hit the bottom and are beginning to climb; how do you choose the right house? One large factor I have noticed among buyers this spring and summer season is the schools. How do we know the school is good? I usually direct families to a couple of different websites that give statistical information on schools in the Charlotte school system. One is www.ncreportcards.org and the other is www.greatschools.org. However; these give you some idea of how the school performs in comparison to other schools in the district and the state. But is the school the right one for you and your children? I have started this year scheduling appointments for potential homeowners that want a house to visit the schools that are going to be in their district when they purchase the house. You can learn so much more about a school by visiting it and going to see it than you can from statistics. Is the school safe/ how is the learning environment? What are the teachers like? What is the school schedule like? Do they offer special programs? What if your child wants to go down a certain major of study; does the school offer it or are you going to have to transfer to a magnet school program? Being a father of four children; my wife and I were put in the same dilemma when we moved to charlotte area seven years ago. We based our decision on information we found online on various websites and forums. But it did not give us the true picture of the schools. We know we liked what we read about the schools and felt comfortable sending our children there. But we did not know the schools. After enrolling the children in school we met with the principal and guidance counselors and a few of the teachers from different grade levels...At that time we realized we made the right decision for our children. however; a friend of ours dis the same thing but ended up sending his son to a magnet school for middle school because of his love for arts. That led to a longer day and more complicated schedule of getting him to a bus stop and ensuring he is picked up at a certain time. They admit that had they visited the schools and learned about the different programs offered they would have looked at homes in an area closer to the school their son goes to now.... I always tell home buyers for every positive comment you find about a school you can find a negative one. You need to meet the school principal and talk honestly about your expectations and what you are looking for out of the school and make sure that the school is best suited for your child needs. What is important for one family may not be for another. And a lot of us purchase homes today because of the schools in order to give our children the best possible chance of a great education as we can... So why are we not visiting the schools before buying a house? Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com