iRaleighRealEstate Blog

Just wanted to remind everyone that early voting ends Saturday, November 1st.  Also, remember that in North Carolina you have to vote for president separately. If you only vote a straight Democratic or Republican ticket, then you haven’t voted for president.

Here are just a couple of locations:

Triangle Town Center Mall
5959 Triangle Town Blvd., Raleigh NC
Phone: 919-856-6240
Sat, Nov 1, 10am-5pm

Pullen Arts Center, Shuffleboard Room
105 Pullen Rd., Raleigh NC 27607
Phone: 919-856-6240
Sat, Nov 1, 10am-5pm

Wake Tech Main Campus, Rm 119 Early Childhood Ed. Building
9101 Fayetteville Rd., Raleigh NC 27603
Phone: 919-856-6240
Sat, Nov 1, 10am-5pm

Cary Towne Center Mall
1105 Walnut St., Cary NC 27511
Phone: 919-856-6240
Sat, Nov 1, 10am-5pm

Wake Forest Community House, Main Hall
133 W. Owen Ave., Wake Forest NC 27587
Phone: 919-856-6240
Sat, Nov 1, 10am-5pm

Wake County Board of Elections Office
337 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh NC 27601
Phone: 919-856-6240
Sat, Nov 1, 10am-5pm

Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling real estate, The FREEMAN/DAVIS TEAM would love to help.  For more information, please visit www.HomeSearchRALEIGH.com.

OK…it’s only a few more days til Halloween and if you have not done so already, better work on that Jack-o-lantern before the ghouls start knocking at your door.  As is usually the case in such situations, we’re here to help…this time with our pumpkin carving tips!

• Choose a large pumpkin.  The larger the pumpkin, the easier it is to carve.  Avoid any pumpkins with bruises or moldy stems, as they will spoil much faster.  Pumpkins with a lighter color tend to be softer and easier to carve.
• Draw your design on the pumpkin with a water based maker beforehand.
• When cutting out the top, place the knife at a 45 degree angle so that the lid will have a place to rest when you replace it.  If you cut straight down, the lid will fall through.
• Remove seeds and pulp.  When cleaning the pumpkin, save the seeds .  Toasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy as well as tasty snack.  Use a large, heavy metal serving spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape the insides.
• When carving, keep a portion of the knife blade in the pumpkin and use slow, steady strokes.
• Carve the facial features closest to the center first and work outward.  Cut the larger features in sections.
• Remove carved portions by gently pushing them into or out of the pumpkin.
• Flatten a spot at the base of the pumpkin for the candle, but avoid digging too deep because the pumpkin becomes prone to rot.
• The best way to make a carved pumpkin last longer is to slow down the dehydration process.  To do this, take a Q-tip and Vaseline all the cut edges on the face that you previously carved.
• A small battery operated touchlight is a safer choice than candles for lighting your jack-o-lantern.
• Sprinkle the bottom side of the pumpkin lid the ground cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cloves to let your jack-o’-lantern to double duty as an air freshener.

OR….

• You a can purchase the eyes, ears, nose (and probably a few other Jack-O-Lantern) anatomical attributes and just stick them on the pumpkin.  It’s kinda like decorating Mr. Potato Head only the head is a lot heavier!

Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling real estate, The FREEMAN/DAVIS TEAM would love to help.  For more information please visit www.HomeSearchRALEIGH.com

Frost – Frost breaks down the chlorophyll all at once, this trapping the chlorophyll resulting in longer lasting leaves and color

Rain – A rainy summer and dry fall is best for the leaves. However there is a thin line between too little and too much.

Slope – The high angle of a mountainside causes rain to run off the soil so it is well drained. This allows trees to have drier roots, thus, tree color on these slops is consistently beautiful.

Temperature – Warm temperatures results in the leaves turning color later in the fall, usually meaning a shorter season.

Stress – When a tree is stressed this causes the leaves to turn color and fall early. Stressors include man made factors such a nearby lighting, or natural such as a tree fungus.

Optimal Conditions for brilliant colors are cool clear days combined with an early frost, hopefully around the end of September

Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling real estate, The FREEMAN/DAVIS TEAM would love to help.  For more information, please visit www.FreemanDavisHomeTeam.com

Home sellers usually share this belief about fall: As the leaves come down, so should their For Sale signs but actually, removing a home from the market could be a mistake.

Buyers don’t have a month when they say they’re going to buy. They buy when they need to buy, and that need happens 12 months out of the year.  Fall often brings out the more serious lookers who need to find a home right away. Additionally, there may be less competition because many sellers aren’t willing to stick it out through fall and winter.  And with slipping home values, sellers run the risk of fetching a lower price for their home if they take it off the market and relist in the spring.

As a listing agent, we advise our sellers that fall is a time to regroup.  For starters, they should look at the price of their home-and whether it is competitive.  Take a good hard, honest look at what’s on the market right now. You want your house to be the best value.  The economy will continue to be soft nationwide and you have to price things realistically.  This continues to be a buyer’s market and sellers should also use the off season to their advantage. Putting up fall decorations-like a wreath on the door-and setting a few mums on the porch can bolster a home’s curb appeal.

Fall is also an ideal time to get rid of clutter and embark on home-improvement projects neglected during spring and summer. We suggest sellers tear down old wallpaper, update the carpet, paint and do a thorough cleaning. In pricier homes, sellers should consider higher-end upgrades like adding granite countertops, wood floors and ceramic tiles.

Just as one should not strongly consider taking a home off the market this fall, those considering selling should strongly consider this as being a good time to go to market, for many of the same reasons as above.  The Freeman/Davis Team can offer you sound advice so please contact us for a free consultation.  Visit us at www.FreemanDavisHomeTeam.com for more details!

Did you know that most people decide if they like you within the first 12 seconds of your meeting? Making a positive first impression is essential in life, whether it’s for an important job interview or a new romance. Here are 5 simple, sure-fire ways to make an excellent “first impression” on other people…

• Smile warmly. If you are concerned your smile might look forced or unnatural, try this exercise: Stand 6 inches away from the bathroom mirror and say “GREAT!” in your best comic voice. It’s guaranteed to crack an embracing grin. When you meet someone, think “GREAT!” and your easiest, natural smile will appear.
• Immediately focus on the person’s eye color. This will ensure you are making strong eye contact with the other person.  Little or no eye contact can mean you have something to conceal or aren’t interested. Randomly break eye contact so a dominant “stare-down” effect doesn’t occur. This will keep the other person comfortable and will signal you are actively ready to listen to them.
• Keep your stance and body language open. Keep your arms uncrossed and your hands relaxed and in view. Folded arms and closed fists show rigidity, self-protection and potential challenge. Avoid standing sideways – aim your heart toward the heart of the person with whom you are talking.
• Mirror the other person’s body language and gestures. Here’s an old NLP (Neural Linguistic Programming) trick that really works! Many selfimprovement gurus have taught this technique in their expensive seminars. People have instant rapport with someone talking and acting similar to themselves. If someone speaks loudly and gestures with their hands to make a point, match their vocal volume and delivery accompanied by the same hand gestures. You can even “cool down” an angry person by mirroring, then leading them to get “in sync” with your calmer voice and relaxed body language.
• Begin conversations with open-ended questions. Use the classic “who, what , where , why and how?” as an opener to stimulate conversation.  Starting with “do you?, have you? or are you?” can interrupt conversation flow with “yes-no” answers. In the course of speaking, take deep abdominal breaths to keep your voice in a lower, middle range. Your delivery will become more confident and self-assured.

We have much more cool tips for you online at www.HomeSearchRALEIGH.com.  Click on the “Service For Life” newsletter tab on the left of the screen!

Call today for a private viewing of 9148 Fawn Hill Court, as impressive inside as it is curbside. Combine its grand two-story foyer, gourmet kitchen and formal living and dining rooms with its spacious family room, stacked stone gas fireplace and exquisite master suite and it’s no wonder why this floorplan, “The Duke,” has proven to be a winner in Brier Creek.

Details and Floorplan Online at www.9148FawnHill.com 
See the Video at www.TourFawnHill.info

Good morning from The Freeman/Davis Team at www.HomeSearchRALEIGH.com.  It’s starting to look like we should probably not begin our days with a look at the news.  Sadly, many of us see the fruits of our labors being eaten away by situations that are beyond our control.  Hopefully, what you have seen vanish over the last month (or less in many cases) will not be gone forever.  Long term investments in our country and the stock market have traditionally always made money…the “key words” here are “long term.”

The wild financial situation continues. The economy took another hit yesterday and Stocks started out down again this morning before rebounding. While it is very frustrating to watch hard-earned dollars evaporate, historical data suggests that we may be nearing the bottom.

One bright spot is that oil prices are plunging, falling from a high of $147 per barrel last July to around $80 per barrel this morning, which means your trip to fill up at the gas station should be slightly more bearable. 

Sometimes these events just have to run their course.  Let’s stay focused on what’s good in our lives and know that all things in this world are temporary.  Best wishes to you all and “Hang In There!”

The motor fuel tax has funded America’s roads for over 70 years. It has served its purpose well and has many positive features, the most important being that it is easy to pay (many people may not even be aware that their total at the gas pump includes this tax).  As you may have heard, the University of Iowa is beginning a study of our driving…yes, OUR DRIVING, here is the Raleigh/Durham area.

What is the study about?
The University of Iowa Public Policy Center is conducting a national study to evaluate public response to the new mileage-based road user charge system.  This system could one day replace the gas tax.  We are looking for participants to help us develop and test the best possible system for vehicle drivers.

To participate in the study, you must:

If you meet these requirements and are interested in being part of the Road User Study, you can complete an on-line survey to get started. Once you have completed the survey, a member of the study team will contact you if you are selected to participate in the Road User Study.  For more info, go to www.roaduserstudy.org/survey.aspx

Here’s the good part…participants will be paid $300 after completing the training session and having the on-board computer installed in their vehicle. The monthly compensation will be $40 per month for 8 months. Participants will be paid a final compensation of $275 after completing the exit interview and having the on-board computer removed from their vehicle. The total compensation for completing all study requirements is $895.

Now if we could only get them to pay for our gas!