Charlotte, NC. Among Top Ten Cities For Boom

I just sat down at the doctor office and pulled out my laptop and opened to the local Charlotte news. The first thing I notice is an article listing the top ten cities that are the most likely to boom form the recession. Amidst my curiosity i decided to open the article and see what Forbes magazine felt the top ten places were for growth following the recession.

Well looking over the list I quickly noticed that Charlotte, NC. was ranked 8th on the list. A very impressive spot to be ranked. Forbes put it 8th on their list of boom towns because of our mild climate (protected by the Appalachian mountains to the west and inland enough to not be drastically affected by the ocean), low home prices in comparison to other cities it considered, our small size (really???have they been to Charlotte) allowing us to grow and not be the bottle neck nightmare cities like Atlanta are.

In addition our Charlotte -Douglass airport may not be one of the top ten largest airports in the United States; but we do serve both domestic and international flights adding to the allure.

But, the main reason I believe we are on the list was the last reason they pointed out. Our infrastructure. Charlotte even during the downturn of the economy has invested in the infrastructure of the queen city. that forward thinking has and will help Charlotte become a powerhouse among major cities in the United States. Without a strong infrastructure no city can survive for a long period of time.

This study supported what i realized six years ago when i migrated to Charlotte form the North East...It will boom and I want to be here for the ride. To read the full article click on the link:
http://blogs.forbes.com/joelkotkin/2011/07/06/the-next-big-boom-towns-in-the-u-s/

Dave diCecco
Realtor/Broker
www.davedicecco.com

What Does Absorption Rate Mean To A Seller?

There is a constant throwing around of terms among Realtors that the average Joe does not know or understand. one term is absorption ate and what ti means to them as a seller.

So what is absorption rate. Absorption rate by definition is the ability of the real estate market to absorb or sell all of the houses for sale in a given amount of time in a specific area. For example, you live in providence plantation and let's say there are an average of 10 homes sold in that subdivision each month. That means on average that subdivision sells 120 homes a year. if there are 120 homes on the market at one time then it would take an average of 12 months for your house to sell. That number changes month to month as well as some homes go on the market and others go off the market.

So, I am selling my house why is this important. The absorption rate will let you know that if you are looking to sell your house and price it at fair market value in providence plantation (for example) that it would take up to one year on average to sell your house based on the current trends.

What a lot of sellers fail to understand when they put their house on the market is the average time it will take to sell a home in that neighborhood. Now, you can increase your odds of getting your house sold and also decrease your odds of getting your house sold based on how you price it in comparison to others in the neighborhood.

If you know the absorption rate and say i do not want to wait a year..you can lower your price to a more competitive price in comparison to the other homes to attract an offer sooner than later.

If yo are not in a hurry and rather wait to get fair market value for your home you can price it for fair market value and know it could take up to a year or longer to sell your home.

Absorption rates are great when you are thinking of selling a home and a vital piece of information needed to make a decision that is best suited for your needs.

Dave diCecco
Realtor/Broker
www.davedicecco.com

Should The Listing Agent Be present for ALL Showings?

before you start saying I am out of my mind...let me preface this some by saying what works in some parts of the country may not necessarily work in other parts of the country. With that said, I was asked today by a former client if I believed having the listing agent present for all showings was a good thing.

My answer was easy...NO WAY. When I take buyers out to look at homes in the Charlotte area it is expected that the homeowners will not be there for the showing. i understand that sometimes circumstances preclude the seller from leaving until I arrive...That is okay. But, when my buyer client wants to go look at a house he does not want the seller or thier agent, looking over his/her shoulder and piping in on the house trying to sell them a house?

Also, if I was a buyer I would not want the home owner or the listing argent there...I would not feel comfortable talking to my beloved wife and might be afraid of what my kids might say if I know the listing agent was lingering around during the showing.

I may also feel like I cannot spend the adequate amount of time viewing the home to see if it is the right home for me. What if I want to discuss with my wife the potential layout of our furniture in the house? Am I going to do it with the listing agent standing there? Why would I want to show my interest in the house and hinder my negotiations on the house?

Yet today, I had a previous client of mine tell me that even though they felt I did a great job on marketing their house...they liked the idea of someone going back to the basics in selling a house. Is that really going back to the basics or is it a way to sabotage a potential sale of a house in this market?

With so many choices out there for buyers right now...why make it more difficult for the buyer to view your house? Why not make it as pleasant and enjoyable an experience as possible for them?

Dave diCecco
Realtor/Broker
www.davedicecco.com