Impromptu Visitor to Salisbury NC Writes a Review!

Katie Levans visited Salisbury, North Carolina on a whim...and blogged about what she found! 
 
Here is what she says in her article:

 "18 things to see, do and eat in Salisbury (45 minutes from Charlotte)" (www.charlotteagenda.com - September 9, 2015):

"I made a blind trip to Salisbury on Wednesday afternoon. I didn’t do any research, didn’t look up any sites to explore, didn’t even put in an address. I just mapped my way from Charlotte to Salisbury and decided to figure out the rest when I got there. 

What I found was a thriving downtown district, a true Old South Main Street revival (or preservation) and just a gem of a town."

Read more, and check out the wonderful photographs, of Katie's visit by following this link: 

http://www.charlotteagenda.com/16240/18-things-to-see-do-and-eat-in-salisbury-45-minutes-from-charlotte/

When Katie has you convinced that Salisbury, North Carolina is The-Place-To-Be...give Realtor® Greg Rapp with Wallace Realty a call: (704)213-6846. 

Let Greg show you why making your home in Salisbury/Rowan County is a decision you'll be happy with for years to come!

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

September! The Perfect Month to Buy?

Is This September the Perfect Month to Buy a Home?

Republished from www.Realtor.com by Jonathan Smoke (09/01/2015)

"It’s the perennial question, and one that both consumers and the media have asked me incessantly over the past few weeks: When is the best time of year to buy a home?

The question inspired me to look at the seasonal patterns for supply and demand a couple of weeks ago, revealing the upper hand that buyers who are willing to close on a home in off-peak times like the fall and winter might have.

But upon closer inspection I found this: September could be the best month all year to sign a contract to buy a home.

Why? Multiple factors are coming together to make this September unique.

The first factor is supply. Buyers will now have more choices than they have had for the past 10 realtor.com®, the single biggest factor holding back buyers from making a purchase all year long has been the inability to find a home that meets their needs.  That’s because both existing- and new-home supply has been tight all year. Happily, listings inventory on realtor.com has been growing all spring and summer, a pattern that continued into August. As of the third week in August, inventory was at 1.91 million units, up 3% from July and up 21% from January.

months. According to our daily survey of visitors to

Normally inventory peaks in August and begins to slow as the nights grow longer. But this year the typical seasonal decline will start a bit later. There will be more choices in September than any other month in 2015.

The second factor is demand. Now that school has started, demand has already started to decline. You can see the evidence in the nonseasonally adjusted pending home sales data reported by the National Association of Realtors® last week. The nonseasonal estimated number of new contract signings in July was down 12% from June. This kind of decline is entirely normal for July, since most contracts signed in July won’t close until after school starts.

And, of course, with less competition for the most listings all year, pricing power weakens as inventory takes longer to sell. The seasonal pattern to pricing and median age of inventory tells us that the best deals come in the dead of winter. Signing a contract in September will likely mean you could close before Thanksgiving. That means September buyers won’t have as much moving hassle from winter weather, since for most of the country the threat of snow and ice picks up in December.

The third, and final, factor: the current low level of mortgage rates. Thirty-year fixed rates ended last week under 4% as a result of the recent stock market declines—sometimes a little turbulence in one area stabilizes others.

Why pay more later when you can pay less today? The average 30-year fixed rate touched 4.2% in June but has since pulled back and danced around 4%. Rates are likely to be closer to that June peak by the end of the year. So signing a contract to buy a home soon would enable buyers to lock in today’s lower rates before they start their long-awaited ascent.

With low rates, more choices, less competition, lower prices, and the chance to move before “harsh winter” enters our regular vocabulary again—this September sounds pretty enticing, especially if you’re ready and have been looking but unable to buy so far this year."

Republished from Realtor.com®, "Is This September the Perfect Month to Buy a Home?", Jonathan Smoke, September 1, 2015.  

(Jonathan Smoke is the chief economist of realtor.com, where he analyzes real estate data and trends to develop market insights for the consumer.)

When you're looking to purchase property, whether residential or commercial, in Salisbury/Rowan County, North Carolina, be sure to call Greg Rapp/Wallace Realty FIRST!  His testimonials speak for themselves...and he can help you find what you need while the timing is right!  Call 704.213.6846!

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

Sold - Great Bungalow in Fulton Heights! There's More Where That Came From!

Greg Rapp with Wallace Realty just closed on this great bungalow in the highly desirable Fulton Heights Neighborhood of Salisbury, North Carolina!

This home was not an easy sell. While this home at 427 Heilig Avenue looks just as charming as can be from street-side, the home needed a BUNCH of work. It has great bones and a wonderful yard, but the interior needed major repair and updates...and cleaning.

But challenges such as these don't daunt Realtor® Greg Rapp. This home stayed on the market for just 30 days before Greg had its buyers lined up and the home under contract.  Greg's marketing strategy is a class-act in the Salisbury/Rowan real estate market.  And this home is only one example of that.  Greg has had several homes go under contract in less than 30 days.

If you've had your eye on the Fulton Heights neighborhood, don't fear. There are more homes available here, and in other fine Salisbury neighborhoods. And many will not be as challenging or labor intensive as 427 Heilig Avenue. Trust us...this was an anomaly!  Most are in wonderful condition and move-in ready. Give Greg a call to see what's out there!


Looking to sell your home? Look no further!

Whether your home might be a challenge to sell, or if it is a premium property, call Greg Rapp/Wallace Realty today: (704) 577-9965. Everything he touches turns to SOLD!

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

10 Benefits of Using a Realtor® to Buy a Home

10 Benefits of Using a Real Estate Agent to Buy a Home ~ by Rebecca Fairley Raney

 

Start the Countdown

In tough times, most people are looking to cut costs any way they can. And in a home purchase, who wouldn't want to save that extra 3 percent -- an extra $3,000 per $100,000 of the sale price? That's typically what buyer's agents make on real estate transactions, and most experts think it's money well spent.

It's true that anyone can shop for a house, and even get a peek inside, without formally signing on with a real estate agent. But unless you have time to make home shopping a part-time job, an agent might be able to match you with the perfect property much faster.

Say you want a swimming pool. Or don't want a swimming pool. Or maybe you want a fenced-in yard for the dog or a basement playroom for the kids. If you're looking for something specific, a real estate agent is the person whose job it is to know if there's a house out there to fit your needs, and he or she will hold your hand through the deal to boot.

Let's look at some of the top benefits of using an agent to buy a home.

#10  Ethical Consideration

Though not all real estate agents are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), those who do join the group agree to abide by a code of ethics. That code essentially stipulates that Realtors deal with all parties of a transaction honestly.

Under the code, the Realtor is obligated to put the clients' interests ahead of his own. He or she is also required to make full disclosure about the problems with a property and be truthful in advertising.

The code of ethics has some teeth; local boards governed by the NAR enforce the provisions. Penalties can include a $5,000 fine, a one-year suspension from the association or a three-year expulsion. How frequently this happens is unclear. Because local boards handle enforcement actions, no national statistics on penalties against Realtors are available.



#9  Pricing Expertise

Most real estate agents can set a price on a home the minute they walk through the door. If they have a lot of experience in a market, they know how well a neighborhood holds its value, too.

While anyone can spend a few minutes online and pull information on sales of comparable houses, real estate agents have the experience to know whether a specific house is overpriced or underpriced. In the best-case scenario, an agent will have such a good idea of what you're looking for that she won't even waste your time touring houses that won't work.

Not only can agents provide all the data on local home sales that you want to see, but they can also bring assets to the deal that come from years of watching waves of transactions in the neighborhood.

#8  Requesting Repairs

Often, the touchiest part of a real estate purchase involves the delicate dance of requesting repairs. Areal estate agent will be able to identify trouble that you may not see, as well as recommend a good independent home inspector who will provide a detailed report on problems with the house.

These reports can be dozens of pages long. Within all those pages, some problems are important and others aren't. If the house is in reasonably good condition, requests for repairs can make or break a deal. The agent will have a good sense of what's reasonable to request and what's excessive.

In many cases, it depends on you as the buyer, too. An agent can read the situation and suggest what would work for you. "Each buyer has a different tolerance for what they need to do," says Elizabeth Mendenhall, the 2011 vice president of committees for the National Association of Realtors. "Some need [a house] to be in a better condition."

#7 Finding Available Homes 

Though most homes for sale are widely available for buyers to assess on Web sites, in some cases, sellers don't want the fact that they're selling to be widely publicized. In those cases, only the real estate agents know the houses are for sale.

"Sometimes people don't want it advertised actively," Mendenhall says. "Maybe it's a more for personal reason, that they don't want their neighbors or friends to know that their house is for sale."

Sometimes health problems, financial problems or divorce factor into the need for privacy. Or sometimes, people don't want the sale advertised during the holidays. Either way, working with a real estate agent gives you access to homes you might otherwise miss seeing.

#6  Tackling the Paperwork

If you've ever bought a house, you've probably dedicated a full shelf somewhere to the documents that were involved in the transaction. These probably include the written offer, the written and signed counteroffer, the little details (like specific repairs) and what exactly was and was not included in the sale. The paperwork can be tiresome.

This is when a good real estate agent can save the day. Often, these offers and counteroffers are limited by a time frame. The agents are armed with fax machines that, in good economies, never stop churning out paper.

The odds of missing something, not initialing a margin or not checking a box, can drop substantially when you're working with someone who knows the paperwork inside and out.

#5  The "Purple Room" Phenomenon

Aside from the technical aspects of a sale and the mistakes people can make in the paperwork, real estate agents know neighborhoods and houses inside and out.

Mendenhall calls it the "purple room" phenomenon. If a buyer wants a house with a purple room, she says, the experienced real estate agent will know the house that's for sale that has that room.

In a more general way, an agent will be aware of features that don't show as well on the Internet. If a buyer is looking for a house with a space that could be used as an office, an attached mother-in-law unit or a room that's perfect for showing off a prized grandfather clock, a human agent is more likely to find a match than a real estate Web site.

#4 Unemotional Negotiation

As levelheaded as you think you are, when you're fighting with a seller over adding a hose to the dishwasher because the water drains on the floor, it's easy to lose your cool. Having an agent to write the requests objectively and forward them to the seller saves you the trouble of getting overly emotional about the deal.

Say the seller won't budge on the dishwasher hose and you want to adjust your offer. The agent can handle that part calmly, too. Experts advise that you let the agent take the heat in difficult negotiations.

The best way to make a deal is to look for the positive part of every offer and counteroffer, and never let the other party see you make a sour face. Often, the most effective way to do that is to present the face that's doing business -- not your own.

#3  Code Expertise

If you want to buy a charming little house near a business district and turn the front parlor into a candle store, you need to know if the city will allow it. Typically, an experienced real estate agent is familiar enough with local zoning ordinances to make sure you don't buy the wrong house.

By the same token, if you want to build a fence in the backyard or add a bedroom, an agent should be able to make sure you're buying a property where the city allows it. Also, some cities may require expensive upgrades on older properties when they sell. For example, if a house isn't connected to the city's sewer system, and a buyer will be required to spend tens of thousands of dollars to connect the property, the real estate agent will make sure that requirement is disclosed before the deal goes very far.

#2   Thorough Record Keeping

Although real estate agents aren't lawyers,they can serve as good resources years after a deal is closed. In some states, licensed agents are required to keep full files of all documents in all transactions for several years.

While you may (and should) keep files yourself, you can count on your agent to keep that information organized and safeguarded should trouble crop up with the property in years to come. You'll also be able to contact your agent at any time in the coming years should you have questions about the property yourself.

#1  Avoid Closing Problems

When a sale nears closing, all kind of pitfalls can kill the deal in the final hours. A real estate agent knows to watch for trouble before it's too late.

For example, the title of the house may not be clear -- some long-lost relative might be listed on the title who hasn't signed off on the sale. Or maybe the lender is causing a problem by not meeting the timeline on financing.

"When you're getting close to the closing, you want to make sure there aren't any unexpected title issues, that the financing has come through and that all of the professionals involved are staying on task and on timeline,"Mendenhall says. Real estate agents are used to dealing with these types of issues and can work through almost any challenge that arises.

(Raney, Rebecca Fairley.  "10 Benefits of Using a Real Estate Agent to Buy a Home",  13 January 2011.  HowStuffWorks.com , 30 July 2015.)

 

Greg Rapp is a licensed Realtor® with Wallace Realty.  When you want to find the home you want, or sell the home you're in, using a trusted real estate agent with a proven track record eases the challenges of real estate transactions!  

Call Greg for your next property deal: 704.213.6846

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

307 Wake Drive is SOLD! But There Are Others Like This - Waiting for YOU!

While Realtor® Greg Rapp specializes in historic homes and properties, not all his real estate transactions are with old house lovers.

307 WAKE DRIVE in Salisbury, NC was just sold by Greg Rapp. What a great house! 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, built in 1965, with over 2700 square feet of living space in this all-brick home! We love brick homes for their energy efficiency, lasting value, and low maintenance! The world's most beautiful and most practical homes are built with brick.

Yes ~ this one is SOLD! But don't fret if this type of home is on your radar! There are other homes similar to this one, and you'll want to call Greg at (704)213-6846 to check them out!

For instance: This beautifully appointed brick home at 110 Polo Drive in Salisbury, North Carolina! This single-story, 2700+ square foot, 4-bedroom/3-bath brick home exudes spaciousness and graciousness at every turn.

The kitchen alone in this gorgeous home is nearly 20’ x 12’ ~ it's hard to tell what our favorite feature might be, from the octagonal center cook’s island, to the charcoal-colored granite countertops, to the creamy beige tiled floors ~ quality and storage abounds! 

The center work island is encircled with drawers and cabinets, the kitchen walls have cabinet space galore, built-in wine rack and microwave cubby, and if this were not enough, there is the pantry for storing all those extra goodies! A breakfast nook overlooks the side yard.  

Or maybe your favorite feature will just be the multiple skylights that stream natural daylight into this warm cooking and gathering space.

110 Polo Drive is appointed with beautiful and large formal dining & living rooms, each with large windows and chair rail details. The den or Great Room will be a favorite gathering place with its high, vaulted ceiling and fireplace outfitted with gas logs, and French doors leading to the exterior tiled patio space.

Your most treasured place in this Country Club Hills home is certain to be the large courtyard~style patio. The courtyard patio has walls on three sides, with French doors leading from both the Great Room and the Master Bedroom, and provides seclusion and privacy, before expanding out into a large tiled backyard entertaining space.

 

In addition to the privacy and seclusion this patio provides, courtyards such as this offer many landscaping and planting advantages, such as providing a framework to support climbing, trailing, and espaliered shrubs, trees or vines ~ and the opportunity to create a fabulous container garden area!

And speaking of space . . . the Master Bedroom Suite, one of four large bedrooms, will astound you! The Master bath alone is a huge 18’ x 13’ space that includes dual walk in closets, dual vanities, a jetted tub, and separate glass-door shower. The Master Suite also has French doors leading to your courtyard patio! This country-club home has an additional 2 more full baths.

The modern architectural style of 110 Polo Drive offers the convenience of single story living, with Master Bedroom, Living Room and Great Room, Dining, Kitchen, and laundry all on the main floor. You'll be sold on the high, vaulted roofs with multiple gables, and its open floor plans with living and eating areas melding together in a smooth sweep of spaciousness.

110 Polo Drive is a single-story home and in addition to being set back considerably from the street with a gracious sweep of front lawn, features a spotless double attached garage lined with an array of shuttered windows and beautiful landscaping, providing provides even more space!
 
The home is all brick and composite building materials, meaning low maintenance for you, the owner! And 110 Polo Drive offers the added convenience of being located on the Country Club Hills subdivision, close to area hospitals, Catawba College, and Downtown Salisbury shopping, dining, and culture.

This impeccable brick, Country Club Hills home, with over 2700 square feet of extraordinarily large rooms and living spaces, it’s gracious courtyard patio, and its proximity to the Country Club of Salisbury, can be yours today for just $235K. Annual taxes for this wonderfully spacious home, with its set-back location, wide sweep of front lawn, and impeccable landscaping are just under $3500 a year!

Call Salisbury, North Carolina Realtor® Greg Rapp to see the grand space and low maintenance life style this wonderful Polo Drive home has to offer! 704.213.6846 ~ you won’t be disappointed!

110 POLO DRIVE
Salisbury, NC 28144
MLS #: R54988
List Price: $235,000

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net

Now is the Ideal Time to List Your Property With Greg Rapp

Realtor® Greg Rapp is closing property deals in the Salisbury/Rowan County area!  You'll want to talk to Greg, (704) 213-6846, if you are thinking of selling YOUR home or commercial property!

"The real estate market has been booming in recent years, but the market never heads in a straight line. If you're looking to sell your home or your vacation property, now may be an ideal time to cash out.

Let's go over a few of the reasons it makes sense to sell your home now.


1. Mortgage rates are likely heading higher. The Federal Reserve has made it clear that interest rates will be moving higher. Fed chief Janet Yellen recently said that rates will move higher later this year after seven years of central bank easing that helped the battered real estate market bounce back following the subprime lending crisis.

We're already seeing market sentiment starting to factor in the inevitable hike. After bottoming out at 3.77 percent in April, rates for 30-year mortgages have crept up to 4.26 percent, according to rate monitor Bankrate (RATE).

This should be alarming if you have a house to sell. It means that potential buyers are getting less bang for their borrowed buck, and that could drive home prices lower to balance things out. With cash buyers peaking last year, the market's now at the mercy of mortgage-seeking buyers. Higher rates won't help.

2. You may as well get out while the getting is good. Last month was great for sellers. Existing homes sold at the fastest pace since early 2007. The National Association of Realtors is reporting that home sales rose 3.2 percent in June, pushing the seasonally adjusted annual rate to 5.49 million homes changing keys. Even the real estate agency is conceding that the strength in turnover is likely tied to fears that rates will move higher in the near future. Median sale prices have risen 6.5 percent over the past year -- to a new record of $236,400 Nationally -- but that momentum will be challenged in the new normal of rising mortgage rates.

3. Locking in today's low rates. A common gripe during the housing boom is that if someone sells a home, they still need to find a new place to live. This could be an ideal time to consider trading down, moving to a more affordable housing market, or possibly even renting. However, if selling now results in buying now, it's probably a good idea to do it sooner rather than later to lock in today's rates.

Waiting for rates to move higher may result in better prices as a buyer, but is that a chance you want to take? You don't want to be priced out of your next address.

4. Your home will stand out. There were 2.3 million existing homes on the market at the end of June, according to the National Association of Realtors. Given the recent spike in buying we can divide that by the 5.49 million annual rate of seasonally adjusted sales to see that we have just a five-month supply of homes in the market. That's the lowest that it's been in years, making it easier for your own property to stand out if it's put on the market.


Home prices have posted year-over-year gains for 40 consecutive months. No streak lasts forever, and the climate is right now to consider moving on if it's something that you were planning on doing anyway." (Rick Aristotle Munarriz, 4 Reasons to Sell Your Home Now, DailyFinance.com, July 27, 2015)

So if you're thinking about selling your property, now is the time to contact Greg Rapp at Wallace Realty and get it on the market!  Call 704.213.6846 today!

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net