Charlotte Area Boasts Top Cities To Live In North Carolina

I always knew when my wife and I decided six years ago to move that Charlotte, NC. was the right destination. We did a lot of research on the area and we felt there was a lot to offer us and our family. An article i read the other day helped support this. Going through yahoo I have been following a series on the best places to live in the United States. In early January they posted for the state of north Carolina. Even though Charlotte did not make the list (no major metro area did) towns in the suburbs of the Charlotte metro area did. In fact 6 of the top 20 cities in North Carolina were suburbs of the Charlotte area. In fact, the top three cities were all suburbs within a half hour drive of charlotte, NC. Marvin, NC. came in Number one followed closely by Weddington, NC. and Davidson, NC. Mooresville, NC. pulled in at number 10 with Waxhaw at number 16 and Wesley Chapel at number 19. Coming from Connecticut and living in the outskirts of New York City I appreciate the fact that the small towns in the suburbs of Charlotte were recognized. I made the move up north to the outskirts of New york city and have done the same here in Charlotte. The article goes to prove why I tell so many people that are relocating to the Charlotte, NC. area why I think it is the greatest area of North Carolina to move to. Here is the link to the website for the complete list of the top twenty cities to live in North Carolina. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com

The Value Of A Realtor In Pricing Your Charlotte, NC. Home For Sale

In the age of technology and mathematical equations and computers; you would think there is a clear cut answer to what my house is worth. But there really is not. There are many variables that play into the equation. Some people go to Zillow and use the zestimate to get a gauge on the value of their house. While the data is compiled and sent through some formula to come up with a value on a house; it leaves out critical information along the way. The computer cannot tell if the house was in need of major repairs or was move in ready. how much work did the buyer have to do to bring the house up to the standards that most people would consider livable? These are factors that a computer cannot add in to the equation. Others look and see what similar homes in the neighborhood sell for and ask themselves if Johnny down the street is asking X for his house we should be able to get X for ours. But, just because Johnny is asking that for the house does not mean he is going to get it for his house. Another area people get misled for home prices is short sales. Because an agent has a home marketed for a certain dollar amount is no guarantee the bank is going to accept that number for the house. In fact; in most cases they want more than that for the house...it is a gauge we use to get an offer and see where the bank is willing to go on the price of the house. The only true way to gauge a value of a home is to consult with a Realtor in the Charlotte area. Ask that Realtor for a market analysis of what your home is worth. Ask them to produce data to support their claim on the value of the house. Then go and find another Realtor in the charlotte area and get a second opinion. if both Realtors are within a few thousand of one another then you have a true and accurate number as of that time for the value of your house. it is not like we have a crystal ball that tells us the value. but an experienced Realtor who knows their Charlotte, NC. market will be able to tell you that this house sold for this because it needed A,B, and C. this home sold for this because the sellers had done X, Y and Z. The same can be said for charlotte, NC. Homes that are on the market for sale. Also, is it fair to compare a resale home (one in where the seller is selling the home) versus one that is a foreclosure? Distressed properties tend to sell for less because of a lot of variables; one being it is "AS-IS ". A Realtor should be able to honestly tell you the value of your home based on what has sold and what is trending on the market right now...Only with that information can you truly make an educated decision on what to price your Charlotte, NC. home for to help get it sold in the quickest time frame for the most amount of money. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com

Nine Steps To Help You Locate and Purchase Your Charlotte, NC. Home

As the spring approaches (it actually feels like it never left here in Charlotte, NC.) people are considering that move to either owning their first home, upgrading their home, downsizing their home or relocating to Charlotte from other areas of the country. the whole process can be overwhelming to buyers. Where do you begin? First, decide on where in the Charlotte area you want to live. Charlotte is such a large area that it encompasses different neighborhoods and style depending on a person's personal preference of lifestyle. Second, sit down and write a list of what you MUST have in your new Charlotte home and WANT to have in your new Charlotte home. Include things like fireplace, 2 car garage, granite countertops, ranch, 2 story, brick, vinyl, kitchen, hardwood floors, etc... Third, check your credit. You should be doing this at least once a year. But, request a copy fo your credit report and make sure there are nothing on it that should not be on there. Fourth, set a budget. i prefer to ask home buyers what they are comfortable at monthly. When you start looking at the online at mortgage calculators there are factors it does not take into account. Mortgage insurance, home owners insurance and it estimates property taxes and interest rates based on what you put in. By setting a monthly budget for your housing payment a Realtor in the Charlotte area should be able to back you into a price point for a house. Fifth, find a Realtor. All of the Charlotte area Realtors can show and help you buy a home anywhere in the Charlotte area. But, you are hiring the Realtor to work for you. (Do not worry you do not pay the Realtor the seller does). Interview over the phone or in person different Realtors until you find one you are comfortable with...One you feel you can trust and will look out for your best interest in the whole process. Do not sign anything committing you to the Realtor if you are not comfortable with that Realtor (you have no obligation to do that). Sixth, talk to a mortgage professional. Based on your credit report your Realtor should be able to refer you to someone they have worked with that can help get the approval process done quickly for you..... Seventh, have your Realtor send you homes and lots of them. Weed through them and pick out your top five to look at. If you look at more than that in one day you will start to forget what you looked at....Keep looking until you find the right house for YOU.. Eighth, after looking at homes ask your Realtor for the schools and check on the neighborhood online....We cannot steer a client towards or away from a neighborhood. However; we can provide you with websites and places to go to get information so you can make the best educated decision possible. Ninth, have your Realtor send you the comparable for the house you like and help advise you on a proper offer price...negotiate out the transaction and settle on a fair price for the house. Following these nine steps can help you alleviate some of the stress that goes into looking for and buying a house.... I advise all my buyers on these steps and provide then with all the information they need to make sure the decision is best for them. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com