Does being In A Flood Zone In Charlotte, NC. Hinder Your Home Sale?

Flood zone maps are sometimes outdated and even at times people start to wonder what FEMA was thinking with some of their flood plains and lines. But in certain parts of the country flooding is unfortunately a natural thing to be concerned about...However; in Charlotte I have not heard of a house that has flooded by natural occurrences. But, there are pockets and neighborhoods in Charlotte, NC. that require flood insurance on homes because there may have been a stream that ran through the back part of the yard years ago that is now dried up or some other natural occurrence. Because what flood mapping does not take into account; unless it has been revised is construction and the changing landscapes of the earth that have occurred. So, you are looking to sell your home and it is in a floodplain that requires flood insurance. Is this going to affect the value you put on the house? Is it going to hinder your chances of selling the house? It might. First, is where it is located in the flood zone is critical. Is it the property that is in the flood zone only or the house in it as well? What flood zone is it in? There are different ratings for the likeliness of it flooding. Have you ever had any issues with water in the home? What about your property? Is it always wet and damp? These are factors and things that can help you sell the house and affect the price you put on the home. I always recommend getting an updated flood map and certification from your insurance company before putting it on the market. This way you can show potential buyers where the house is located in relation to the FEMA flood lines. In addition it shows you have nothing to hide; especially if you have never had an issue with flooding the entire time you lived there. Second, disclose upfront that you are in a flood zone and the premium you pay and have an attachment of the flood map as well. If the house is on a list of potential homes they are considering this may help them look and make a decision on yours.... Third, tell a story about the house and the fact in the X amount of years you lived there you never had any issues come up with flooding (if accurate). Shows where they think the flooding can come from. I had a client that according to the flood map was in a flood zone that required insurance and the "potential flooding area' was his flower bed now. A few pictures and the map helped put buyer’s minds at ease in terms of buying this house..... Charlotte, NC. has areas that might be prone to flooding. I have not come across any yet that have actually flooded or heard of any that have flooded. But still some home owners are required to carry flood insurance and the you can still sell your house in a "flood zone' if you document correctly and explain the situation to potential buyers upfront..... For buyers if the house has never flooded and the chances look so remote; why would you pass up on a home you love and fits your needs and wants for a maybe? Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United ddicecco@cbunited.com Cell:704-519-7895 www.davedicecco.com

Do You Sell The Neighborhood When Selling Your Charlotte, NC. Home

Charlotte, NC. has become a very popular destination for people moving in form out of state or the area. I personally am dealing with more out of town buyers now than ever before. The statistics are showing this turned to be true as well as it listed Charlotte as the fifth fastest growing city (according the census bureau from 2000-2010) of the 52 major metro cities in the United States. So when you put your home on the market in neighborhoods like Dilworth, Myers Park, Southpark, Elizabeth, Chantilly, Ballantyne, Plaza Midwood, NoDa, etc.... are you marketing the house or the neighborhood as well? it is easy enough if your home is located in the lake Norman area or by lake Wylie to understand people are going to find your home if they are looking for a home near the water in the Charlotte area. And they might understand the pricing behind it when they start to look at comparable homes in the area. People moving here looking to live in the "city" will understand the fourth ward and the prices of condos uptown as well...because of the lifestyle it portrays does not vary much from large city to large city. But what about the suburbs or the urban areas of Charlotte? How are people to know if that house in Myers park for $500,000 is worth more than the home in South Charlotte in a different area? Or the same square footage why is a home in Dilworth almost double the price of one off of providence road closer to 485? These are the questions buyers are asking.... What makes your house worth so much more than another one only a few miles (if that) away. Why is it so special? Explaining this helps consumers understand the pricing that goes into homes in certain neighborhoods and areas. Telling a consumer because it is Dilworth or Myers park without explaining the history and reasons why it is priced like that will just shun away potential buyers form your house..... Most Realtors are not realizing people are buying more than a house today; they are buying a lifestyle. One in which the neighborhood and the environment is one that they want to live in and is a product of what they are looking for in life at this time....By not explaining to consumers why Dilworth, Myers Park, Southpark, Elizabeth, Chantilly, Ballantyne, Plaza Midwood, NoDa, etc.... are the right neighborhoods for them and their lifestyles and just saying that the home is located in those neighborhoods. Would you know or look at a home in a neighborhood that you felt was substantially overpriced without knowing why? Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United ddicecco@cbunited.com Cell:704-519-7895 www.davedicecco.com

Realtors Getting A Bad Reputation....But I Am A Realtor

Realtors get a bad reputation and a lot of people until they have experienced a home selling or buying process think that has had a few bumps in the road think that Realtors make "easy money". Do you think that your Realtor you worked with earned his/her compensation on that house they helped you find and close on or the home they helped you sell? Some people think what we do is easy.....In fact until I got into the business I was one of those people. I thought how hard is it to take some pictures of a house put it in the listing service wait for an offer and negotiate it out...Then go find the sellers a home to buy and i get paid to do this...Easy work and easy money. This thinking has led many people to put Realtors on a list with (dare i say it) attorney's. The dreaded list of professions we prefer not to be associated with. As a Realtor I am more than just that. I am a marketer. I have to use everything I can think of and some ideas from other people to put your home in it's best light in order to maximize the exposure I can get for your house. It is nothing for me to go back to a house two or three times to retake pictures if I feel that they are not appropriate for what I am trying to convey. I also have to come up with a great short synopsis to sum up the key features of the house to attract the internet buyer to want to look at your house and click it on for more information. Then my video ( a rarity in my area) of your home showing and explaining all the features has to be under a certain time frame or it will not load on the sites.... But I am a Realtor. I have to have some basic knowledge of the law and federal housing rules and regulations which i am governed by. It is not so easy as showing you homes and telling you that you should not live here or you should live there because of X, Y, AND Z. That violates Fair Housing...but as your agent I have a duty and an obligation to provide you with the best representation possible. I have to learn how to delicately balance the tight wire between what is a fair Housing violation and what is not. Or in layman's terms; what is ethical and not ethical. But I am a Realtor..... I have to spend countless hours searching and honing down searches for you to find that perfect house and then take you out to show you the different homes and point out things you might not have noticed with the house or the layout that i have learned about you in our fact finding mission to help you find the right house....But I am a Realtor.... Once the offer is accepted I help you schedule the closing, home inspection, show up for the 3 to 4 hour home inspection and see what is wrong with the house so I can best represent you in negotiating the repairs, coordinate with the attorney and get the necessary HOA documents and make sure the house survey is done and the home is not encroaching or having anyone encroaching on your property....But I am a Realtor..... As a Realtor there is other items that come up along the way as well to help keep transactions together that most people do not see.....But I am a Realtor..... As a Realtor I never realized how much work was actually involved in a home selling or purchasing or both transaction. And since I am from an old school mentality I believe in handling the situation from beginning to the end myself without having other people get involved if I can help it.... A home purchase is the largest single transaction a person or family is going to make in their lifetime. They have trusted that purchase and sale to me and I feel an obligation to be there with them throughout the whole transaction to the end.....because I am a Realtor. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United Cell: 704-519-7895 ddicecco@cbunited.com www.davedicecco.com