What Room Is Most Important To Home Buyers Today/

Just about all the time I hear from sellers what features and or rooms are important to buyers when buying a house? The answer is not as cut and dry as all sellers and Real estate agents would like. Each and every buyer is different and unique. Some buyers are looking for certain features in a kitchen and others are concerned about the family room. Then there are the ones that want good sized spare bedrooms..... There are too many things that a buyer is looking for that it is impossible to precisely say what features or rooms of a house buyer prefer and help sell a house. However; there is one thing I have noticed this year among buyers that seem to be a common theme among them when looking at a house. The kitchen. This room of the house seems to have the largest impact on the buyers today. Granite countertops and updated kitchens definitely give you an edge over your competition when selling your house. I have had a majority of buyers tell me they wanted to look at a house because of the kitchen. But it is not just the updates in the Kitchen. It seems buyers are looking for space in there as well. They want to be able to move around and have space to walk and not bump into one another. And counter space is a large proponent among buyers. They are looking for working space.....islands seem to add a lot of value because of the multiple use and functionality of them to a house. If you showcase the kitchen of the house and it is bright, cheery and open with moderate updates to it your traffic for showings should increase. But it is not enough to just have them in the kitchen. The other factor you need to consider is what you have laying out on the countertops. So many times i look at pictures of a house and in the kitchen the counters are cluttered with everyday items. Things we use all the time but make the countertops look small. When you are having your Realtor take pictures of your Kitchen make sure that everything is off the countertops and that it is minimized when you have any showings...let the buyer envision what they would put on the countertops and see how much space they have there.... it does make a difference. Last week I looked at two homes in the same subdivision. Both shared the same layout as well. Yet when the buyers and i were discussing them they made note to the fact they felt one had a lot more counter space than the other. The reason was one had put everything off the counters and the other had left the coffee maker and other everyday miscellaneous items on there. Even though that house was less expensive they did not want to consider it because of what they perceived as an issue with the kitchen space..... Look at your kitchen and make sure even if you have upgrades to it; that the buyer can see them and put their vision on the kitchen... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com

Thanksgiving---What This Charlotte, NC. Realtor Is Thankful For

Today is Thanksgiving Day. Traditionally a holiday we spend with our families. For most people it signifies the start of the "Holiday Season". For others it marks traditions with families that they look forward to each and every year. For others it is a time to reflect back and be grateful for what the year has brought...... This year, Thanksgiving has brought many emotions and meanings to me. Some I never gave much thought to in the past. Others that is new for the year. For me it has always been about being thankful for what I have. Growing up; I was always taught to be thankful for what you have because it was more than someone else had and wished they had. We also had the family traditions of getting together and celebrating the day as a family. As i grew older I started to create my own traditions with my family. One thing i did was remember to be thankful for what i had and to teach my children the same; we would volunteer at the local soup kitchen and help with Thanksgiving dinner for those who did not have a family to go home to. Spreading a little love and smile into someone else life gives you a better appreciation of the one you have. As a Realtor I have many things every year i am thankful for. I love my job and it shows. I enjoy meeting new people every year and making friendships that last a lifetime. I enjoy seeing the smile on someone’s face when at the closing table they have signed the last piece of paper and realize that they now own their first home. Helping someone realize the dream of owning their dream home or retirement home. The joy I get out of helping someone sell their home...The list goes on and on...... This Thanksgiving is a little different for me. In the past it has been a filled tradition of spending time with my family. For the children it signified the start of Christmas season as we have made it a tradition to put up our Christmas tree and begin the decorating for the holiday. But it has always been a day spent with my family. This is the first one that my dad will not be here for. I have been blessed to have a lot of good, no great years, with him and he has shaped me into the man I am today. Unfortunately, a long battle with cancer took him this past summer. It was a loss for me and my mother and sister and all that were blessed to know him. But it also made me realize this morning that he will not be there this year for the first time. Thus reinforcing the importance of my family in my life. Take some time out of your busy day today and call or thank your family for being there with you...You do not know how long you have with them and cherish each and every moment together as a family...My dad used to say holidays, funerals and weddings were the only time our family all got together. Now this past two years have showed me that it is more important than ever to do it more often than that. Today I am thankful for my family and my health and my ability to work and all the joy my friends and family bring into my life...So,from this charlotte realtor to you HAPPY THANKSGIVING....... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com

Thanksgiving Day Parade Charlotte, NC. 2012

Looking for something to do on Thanksgiving before eating all Turkey and all the great food that accompanies it? Look no further than the Thanksgiving Day parade in Uptown charlotte, NC. This is a great event for the whole family and one I have not missed in a few years and look forward to the great tradition for many more years as well. Called the Belk Carolinas Carrousel Parade. This has been a staple in Charlotte, NC. for over 65 years. Voted as one of the four largest Thanksgiving parades in the United States; it attracts families from all over the Carolinas to it. The parade is in participation with both north and South Carolina and features numerous floats, hot air balloons, and bands from across the region. They project over a half million people come every year to see this great parade and kick off their Thanksgiving holiday with the Belk Carolinas carrousel parade. For additional information on the parade and the route it will be taking visit their website at : http://www.carrouselparade.org/general.htm Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com