Charlotte, NC. Second On Best Value Cities To Live

Yes, Charlotte, NC. was recently named second on is list of the top ten best value cities to live. A great credo for a great city. I chose Charlotte, NC. eight years ago for many of the same reasons Kiplinger magazine did. First, Charlotte is diversified. Yes, we are the second largest banking capital in the United States behind New York City. But when I tell most people that they looked at me stunned. "Charlotte, NC. is a banking capital?" We are home to Wells Fargo and Bank of America. However; we are home to major fortune 500 companies also. Lowe's, Family Dollar and an array of other companies call the Charlotte, NC. area home. This adds to the diversity that Charlotte offers families. Second, we are fast becoming one of the top energy hubs in the country. Our great location sandwiched halfway between Virginia Tech to the North, Georgia Tech to the south, NC State to the east and Clemson to the west has made us an ideal destination for the young and upcoming technology engineers. It also does not hurt that Duke energy is home based here in the Charlotte region and soon may become the largest utility company in the United States. Third, a big draw for bringing in companies and maintaining the ones we have is the family atmosphere you receive when you visit Charlotte. Despite our rapid growth Charlotte is well known for it's small town family like atmosphere scattered throughout the neighborhoods in the queen city. Fourth, is the eduction system in Charlotte. Charlotte has worked hard and continues to strive for excellence in the schools. And it is beginning to show. Newsweek last year ranked 14 of our high schools among the top 1600 high schools in the country. That is almost half of our high schools. Also, proof that our education system for a large town is producing what we as parents expect out of it. Fifth, Charlotte is very affordable. One of the main reasons I chose Charlotte was because of the affordability rate here. I deal with a lot of clients who are relocating from the North and are shocked at what you can buy here and the low cost of taxes in comparison to where they are at now. Do to our large business base Charlotte has been able to keep property taxes at a reasonable and affordable level for years and all signs point to that continuing in the near future. Sixth, Charlotte is a fun city. Home to diverse neighborhoods and areas. Charlotte offers something for everyone. We have numerous restaurants and bars that cater from the upscale to the local and everything in between. In addition Charlotte is home to a professional basketball team (Charlotte Bobcats), football team (Carolina Panthers), and minor league hockey as well as baseball teams. NASCAR Hall of fFame calls Charlotte home as well... In addition to the sporting events there are a lot of museums, theaters and other cultural activities going on in Charlotte, NC. throughout the year. If you prefer enjoying the outdoors there are numerous green-ways throughout Charlotte and more being built or expanded in the area daily. Last, is the weather. because of our unique position in North Carolina we do not get the snow or the extreme cold weather other areas do. Yet, we are only a couple of hours away from the mountains and a couple of hours away from the beach... As the city strives to go green the progress shows throughout the city. Jobs are being created daily to help with the transformation and companies are moving here to take advantage fo Charlotte's forward thinking with green technolgy. Thinking about relocating or moving to Charlotte? There is so much for everyone in Charlotte. Here is the link to the article on Kiplinger's site: http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/best-value-cities-2011-charlotte.html Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com

Why You Must Have A Survey Before Closing On That House

A survey costs a few hundred dollars but the information it can provide you can be priceless. I recommend to every buyer to have a survey done on the home they are purchasing. there are many reasons as to why you should have one; and really MUST have one. First, is encroachment. Encroachment is when someone else ( a neighboring home) places something on your property. Some examples are storage sheds at the back of yards or fences. There are no guarantees because the fence is erected and the shed has been there for what looks like a little while that they are not on your property. I sold a couple of homes last year where four neighbors bordered my buyer's backyard. All four had fences which led to the seller just piggybacking off of them to close in his yard. When we had a survey done we found ALL of the neighbors had encroached on the property. it was not just an inch or two. We were talking in the feet. A very noticeable encroachment all the way around. This has ramifications based on how long this was like this and what is the buyer to do if she goes to sell the house. After a period of years if nothing is said or done the encroachment becomes part of the neighbors property thus decreasing the potential value of the house and hindering it's resale with that issue unless it is addressed upfront. Second, do you know where the property lines are for a house? On most homes you can get a safe gage as an approximation of where the property lines are. But what if they are not "normal" property lines? I just had an occasion where the builder did something wrong and cut half of the front yard to the neighbor and then gave half of that neighbors back yard to the other house. We caught ti because of a survey. Who wants to own a house where half of what normally would be your front yard does not belong to you and you own half of your neighbors back yard? it explained a lot as to why this home was on the market for a long time period. Third, if you want to do anything to your property or cut any trees down or put up a fence you need to know where your property lines are...or you could be facing taking it down or destroying someone else property..... A survey is not a luxury anymore when buying a house but a necessity....Do not purchase that home without having a survey done first. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com

What Does A Realtor For A Bank Owned Property Have To Disclose?

Bank foreclosure sales are the predominant venue for most home buyers today when they begin their home search. Bank owned homes tend to be priced below market value and there is no emotional attachment to the house for the bank. But there are a few things to be aware of when you are looking to purchase a bank owned home. One is property disclosure in North Carolina. Generally all sellers will fill out the form honestly with what they know about the house and the latest dates for replacement of anything they are aware of. Because a bank has never actually lived in the house they are exempt from any property disclosure. Some people argue, so what? Well, the fact is the bank has sent someone to look at the house and give an evaluation of what they see to be wrong with the house. In some cases they will even get quotes on doing some repairs to the house or cosmetic work if they feel it will enhance the value of the house or help in the sale of the house. Then they will make a decision as to whether to do the repair work or not. What if the bank is trying to fix a problem in the house? The bank can fix it and not say anything just as a homeowner can as well; but what about the Realtor? Do they have an obligation to say anything? Talking to realtors who represent banks on properties in the Charlotte, NC. Area the consensus is NO....They are an extension of the bank and if the bank does not want to tell they do not have to tell (unless it is a material fact about the property). Why would you not want to tell someone about a repair you did? Or inform them that the property may have hidden damage? I have shown and sold my share of bank owned properties. Some have been great deals and some have had issues. Most I would say you could see what the damage was...but in some cases not until the home inspection did we realize the extent of damage... Yet, when I go to cancel a transaction the Realtor said I knew but it is no big deal... Well what may not be a "big deal" to you may be to a single mother of two children looking for her first home. In my humble opinion (and I am only one person and am not speaking for anyone else here) I believe if a Realtor is aware there is an issue with a house or fixed an issue with the house they should inform the buyer's agent before the final negotiations are done. As a Realtor; it is upsetting to negotiate out a transaction with a bank and then do a home inspection to find issues with the house that were already known and not disclosed. Why make the buyer pay for a home inspection and waste everyone time if there was an issue with the house you as a Realtor were aware of and elected not to tell? Buying bank owned homes can be a good deal…but only if you understand the rules and what a bank will or will not tell you…… Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com