Should I Have A Termite Inspection Done When Buying A Home?

With home sales increasing the one variable I get here in the Charlotte, NC. is should I have a termite inspection or is it a waste of money..... The question basically answers itself. Termites as we all know can and do cause massive destruction to a home. Most home owners do not know they even have termites or what to look for. Unless a house is treated on a regular basis there is a good chance that there are termites possibly in the house. I have sold homes on a slab that have had termites as well as homes with a crawl space. They do not discriminate against one or the other. The problem with them is that unless you know what to look for you have no idea they are even present in the house. I know a lot of home buyers tell me the house is on a concrete slab and there is no way termites can get in. That is so untrue. I have seen them come up through the ground and into homes more times than not. In fact I think it is easier to locate and find them on a slab than it is in a crawl space. My own personal house is built on a slab and my garage was infested with termites last year. Fortunately I knew what to look for and quickly got the issue resolved....But for most people they think it may be ants and ignore the issue. On a crawl space it is a little more complicated. We tend not to go into our crawl space that often and it is a breeding ground for termites. I sold a home where the termites had eaten away at the band sill around a third of the house weakening the wood to the point that it had to be replaced in addition to getting the termites treated. However; by just looking at the band sill we were unable to detect the house had termites. Only after a qualified termite inspector checked the house that we discovered they were there and had been there awhile. Having a termite inspection done eases the mind and allows you as a home buyer to go in knowing that the unseen bug is either not present, not done any damage or the issue has been corrected before any major damage was done. So is a termite inspection necessary or not? My professional opinion is I would not buy a house without having one done on it... I rather side on the part of caution then find out later after the damage has been done. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United Cell:704-519-7895 ddicecco@cbunited.com www.davedicecco.com

Is That Charlotte, NC. Neighborhood Safe?

Is that Charlotte, NC. neighborhood safe? That is one of the most commonly asked questions to me from buyers who are relocating here from another area. It is also one that is difficult because as a Realtor I am not allowed to answer that question with a yes or no answer. Nor would I. The issue becomes is what one perceives as safe may not be viewed as safe by another person. And the same could be true going the other way...So how do you know if the neighborhood or area of Charlotte, NC. you want to move to is a safe neighborhood or not for you and/or your family? One website that Charlotte, NC. area offers is through the police department. I have found this site to be great and clients I have referred to it to formulate their own opinion of the safety of a neighborhood and surrounding area in the Charlotte, NC., area have had nothing but positive things to say about it and rave to me about how it helped them in their home search for their family. The website is: http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cmpd/Pages/default.aspx. From there on the top bar click on for your safety and crime mapping. That will give you a one page quick tutorial on how it works. Then click on the hyper link for the crime mapping in blue. Put in the address and the time line and zoom in or out to get an overview of crimes in that area and the type of crimes if any. This site will give you the crimes reported as well as incident calls made to the police department in the area you are searching in....Based on the incidents and the type of incidents you can decipher if the neighborhood is safe for you and your family....... As a Realtor I cannot answer this question ethically. However; I can give you the information you need to get the data to make a decision that is best suited for you and your family in terms of safety. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United Cell: 704-519-7895 ddicecco@cbunited.com www.davedicecco.com

Charlotte, NC. Area 4th Of July Events 2013

The fourth of July is always a great time of the year. Between barbeques, picnics, travel and get together with family and friends. But if you are looking for something to do this 4th of July in Charlotte, NC. and the surrounding areas; I have compiled a list of events going on for you as well as links to the websites for them: The grand daddy of all events for the 4th of July will be the Novant Health July 4th Spectacular show. This event attracts large crowds and is considered one of the top fireworks shows in the country. The city of Charlotte spends over $50,000 a year for the show and it can be seen from neighboring towns as well. It all begins with family filled activities that usually begin around 6 p.m. and end at 9:00p.m. The fireworks begin at 9:30p.m. and generally last 20 minutes. Admission is always free and they have various activities for the kids and of course vendors on hand as well as live music. The event is held at memorial stadium in uptown. The other spot that seems to be attracting some attention in the past few years is the US National White Water Center. They do a two day event starting on the third of July and running through the fourth of July. They offer free live music and a fireworks show each night. If you have not visited the white water center you are missing on one of the Charlotte areas greatest places to visit. A link to their site is: http://usnwc.org/4th-of-july-festival/ The town of Matthews will hold their own fourth of July events starting at around 5:30 at town hall/public library. They do a people's parade that goes about a mile through the heart of downtown. It is great for the kids since you can decorate your bikes in red white and blue and be part of the parade. It ends up at stumptown park where there will be live music by Too Much Sylvia and activities for the kids as well as giveaways and food vendors. The whole event ends around nine so you can get to a place and maybe be lucky enough to catch some fireworks or watch them on TV. Matthews does not do any fireworks on the fourth of July. The link http://matthewsnc.gov/ForResidents/UpcomingEvents/tabid/68/vw/3/itemid/355/d/20130704/Default.aspx The town of Huntersville hosts the event on Birkdale Village during the day from 10 a.m. to 1p.m. The vent is great for the family and kids. There is bike decorating, face painting and other fun activities for the whole family. Admission is always free and a good time is had by all who attend. http://huntersville.org/Departments/ParksRecreation/Events/4thofJuly.aspx The town of Indian Trail will be holding their annual fourth of July parade that day with other activities as well. The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. with a flag raising ceremony and a watermelon eating contest. Followed by one of the largest parades in the Charlotte area at 11:30a.m. http://www.indiantrail.org/home.php?cat=169 The town of Waxhaw is one of the only towns I know that does an all-day event for the fourth of July. Starting with a parade in the morning at 10a.m., After the parade there is a break before the fun begins again with beachfest that starts at 4:30 and runs until 8:30p.m. After that stay around and watch the fireworks show...A great day that is fin filled with lots to do. In between enjoy all the small shops and stores waxhaw has to offer. http://www.waxhaw.com/ There may be other towns locally doing some type of events. Over the years I try to find the different ones hosting events and this seems to cover most of Charlotte and the surrounding areas. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July.... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United Cell:704-519-7895 ddicecco@cbunited.com www.davedicecco.com