Buying a Home in Charlotte, NC

Home Search, Spam, & Earthlink

As general rule of thumb, do you let other people make decisions for you?

I don't like it. I get this bristling feeling inside. Words start ricocheting around in my larynx. If I open my mouth, "You're not the boss of me!" will come out. It might spew forth with might or it might be barely audible. Invariably, I hear, "What did you say?" Experience kicks in at that point. I quickly evaluate the temper, power and size of the speaker and respond appropriately. You know, like, "I said, sounds good to me honey."

But you know what? I really don't like software that makes decisions. Earthlink is really irritating me. Earthlink has instituted a powerful blocking mechanism for its email subscribers. With the click of a keystroke, Earthlinkians can now say, I'm sorry Wayne, but I only accept mail from people I have approved." I'm a guy who likes approval - so I don't approve of this.

"You're not the boss of me!" It roared from my throat as though I had the power to type a lightning bolt through the keyboard. I hammer the keyboard expecting a non-lethal sort of tazing to zap this Earthlinian and gently tell them that I am a decent human being merely trying to help them. Of course, the fingers viciously drumming the keyboard have no power at all.

This is when you start talking to yourself. "I'm a hard working Realtor. I've helped a lot of people. I don't deserve to be treated this way." I'll let you in on a secret - Sales people are kinda' big into Pity Parties. I continue, "Lots of people are moving to the Lake Norman area of North Carolina. This year, Ann and I have helped people from Georgia, Tennesse, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and California. And we got to know them all through email. These Earthlinians would love me too - if they would just let us email them."

But nooo...with a keystroke Earthlinkians can activate software that decides to erase any evidence of my personality and expertise. I totally understand the need for Spam control. I use Norton to protect myself from the evil among us. I permit Norton to sequester suspicious email. I think everyone should do it. But I get to check those squestered emails before they are sentenced to the Black Hole of cyberspace...because occasionally, useful email gets tagged as evil.

My point: I decide.

The Earthlinkian automatically sends me an AutoResponse form. It is the most remedial of forms. "You visited our web site. We will send listings of homes in the Lake Norman area. Will you send us your criteria?" That's about all I can say in the form. Doesn't that sound warm and friendly?

Here's my plea; all you Earthlinkians, please re-take control of your email. When you decide to shop on the Internet (call it surfing if you want) for a Plasma TV, or a Chevy Blazer, or a home in the Charlotte area...of course sales people are going to contact you. They want to help you get what you want. Let our emails get through. If you don't see any value in our services, get rid of us.

Ann and I are easy to get rid of...just reply to our email and say, "Leave me alone." You'll never hear from us again. It's that easy. You can do it...you don't need Earthlink making all your email decisions.

Well, I gotta' go my wife just said, "One football game a week is plenty - you don't need to watch any more." "Hey, you're not the boss of me!" See it's easy to take control. "What did you say?" "I said, sounds good to me, honey."

Cya' when you are ready,

Wayne

www.findahomecarolina.com

Realtors & Used Car Salesmen

Every time The Gallop Poll on Honesty and Ethics is released, we can always expect the same players at the bottom of the list...Attorneys, Politicians, and Salesmen. Now ususally the American public likes to give some Sales Personnel a break and really bust the chops of Used Car Salemen. I'm not convinced (based on my last interaction) that New Car Salesmen deserve to be a separate designation. But in general, all Sales people get whacked. Real Estate Agents are not far behind.

I think everyone is afraid they are going to be Sold something. Afterall, that's how these Sales people work - they can't make money, if they don't sell something...right? These Sales People are trying to coerce you into buying something of theirs before you find something better...right? It's all about mistrust. All of my customers come from the Internet; I know most of them come slathered in mistrust...I expect it.

I also expect them to be uninformed...that is why the mistrust exists.

Rather than trying to unlock the mysterious mind of a mistrusting uniformed Home Buyer, I'm going to tell you the best way to shop for your next home.

Email a Realtor; start a conversation. Judge 'em. Are they informative? Do they follow up timely? Do you like them?

Schedule a visit and tell that Realtor that you are coming. "My husband and I are coming to Lake Norman next month. I would like to arrange to meet you and see the neighborhoods in Cornelius and Huntersville." What can you expect? Well, Ann and I would schedule a tour of homes. You could expect to walk through 10 homes on a Saturday. If you narrow your selection, you will receive detailed information on each home to help you make a selection. If you select, we will help you negotiate the best deal.

That has to be easier than driving through unfamiliar neighborhoods with no inside information while guzzling up your own gas...doesn't it?

Mistrust is normal. Being a Real Estate Agent is like any other profession - we have good ones and bad ones. But you can easily overcome mistrust - just open up and start talking. If you aren't getting what you want...block them...unsubscribe...tell 'em, "Dear John - this just isn't working out. But don't try to do it all by yourself. A professional will make sure you see everything and won't try to SELL you a home - they will let you buy the home you want. And when they do, remember the experience and give us a better rating in the next Gallop Poll.

Cya' when you're ready,

Wayne

www.findahomecarolina.com

A Good Buyers Agent

If you take a few minutes to think about it, you want a Buyers Agent to help with the purchase of a home. Because you are a logical person and it makes sense. High gas prices alone will convince you to let an Agent do all the driving. :-) Common sense will tell you that the research, market value analysis, negotiations, financing packages, inspections, repairs, agreements, attorneys, and closing is work that few have time to handle on their own. So, you want an Agent, right.

Amend that; you want a Buyers Agent. Why? Here's a typical scenario: You are Home Buyer. You print out a dozen pages of homes from the Internet. You hop in the car and start driving through neighborhoods looking for homes. You check out Lake Norman then drive to Northstone; it's terrific. Macaulay is cute. Wynfield is striking. Then you spot a home in Riverbend that looks good. Eagerness gets the better of you; you want to see it, so you call the number on the sign. The person who offers to show you the home is an Agent for the Seller (Boooo-Hisss). That Agent's job is to sell you that home. From the moment you begin to speak, that Agent is collecting information to get a better deal for his Seller. Selling Agents have something to sell and if this home is not exactly what you want - they have something else to sell. When you drop by the Mercury dealership, he doesn't care if a Honda makes more sense for your family - he sells Mercurys. Most of us don't like to be SOLD.

Good Buyer Agents do not have an inventory of homes to sell. We have no agenda to sell any home. Good Buyer Agents don't SELL. They absorb your criteria and conduct exhaustive searches until you find the right home for your family. That type of commitment and service is an asset to your objective; wouldn't you agree?

Selecting a Buyers Agent is not easy. Some of you will have brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins, or friends with a Real Estate License. Some of you may not want to but you will be forced to use a member of the family or a friend. That's still (probably) better than having no representation at all.

For those who have the freedom to choose, my suggestion is to get references or testimonials. People write testimonials because they are satisfied. I'll tell you what else I like about testimonials and references; it demonstrates effectiveness without regard to stature. Often a young enthusiastic Buyer Agent is far better than a jaded experienced Agent. Of course, it is possible to be old and enthusiastic. :-)

In my opinion, what more could you ask for when trying to reach a decision?

Cya' when you're ready,

Wayne

www.findahomecarolina.com

MLS - Multiple Listings Services

Over 80% of you start the process of finding a new city and new home by searching the Internet. It's an exciting endeavor. You choose a search engine and pick from thousands of sites offering photos and descriptions. You choose one, then another, and yet another.

We wonder Why? Why do you visit so many web sites to search for homes in a state, city or neighborhood? Is it because you think each site has unique homes - do you think you will find a stash of homes on one that you can't find on another? It may seem like it because so many Real Estate Web Sites are designed to feature the properties they sell or because the data is not updated often enough.

Fact: On the Internet, there are only three sources for homes for sale. Easily the largest source of homes is the MLS - the Multiple Listing Service. In the Charlotte area the Multiple Listing Service has over 25,000 homes in inventory. The second source of available homes is the new Home builders (Ryan, Ryland, Pulte, KB, Shea, St. Lawrence, DR Horton, Niblock etal.) Most of these homes have a 5-7 month build time and are available on the MLS. The third is what we refer to as FSBO's - For Sale By Owner. That's it...no secret stashes.

Everybody is re-packaging the same product. Some sites front load their property. Some sites lead with featured properties or most expensive properties. Let's face the truth; some are just difficult to navigate. Any of these factors drive you to click elsewhere, where you see a home that you did not see before...so you think there are multiple stashes of homes...thousands of sites but only one true source...it's merely packaged differently to sell homes.

Our clients tell us that they click and click and click...and often don't know where they have been or how they got there. Their second biggest complaint is out of date information. How often have you found a home on a web site only to learn that it is Sold or Under Contract? You are excited, looking for a new home, and the frustrating process is killing your buzz.

To improve the efficiency of your search, we recommend that you determine where you want to live first. For example, if you have narrowed your search to the Lake Norman area of North Carolina, the next most important step is to research neighborhoods. Once you have a handful of neighborhoods that feel right...then you are ready to look at homes.

Yeah, that's a lot of research; and you may not know where to find all that stuff. We believe you should get the help of a good Buyer Agent...BTW, we're good and we are Exclusive Buyer Agents :-) 

It's a daunting task; don't be hesitant to accept help. Good Buyer Agents should not be in the business to sell you a house; they should help you find the right home...I know that's what we do and why we work with buyers exclusively. Also, Good Buyer Agents will also unearth any of those FSBO's that match your criteria and arrange for you to look at those homes as well. If a new construction home is your choice, it's still wiser to work with a Buyer Agent than to face those folks alone (see previous post)

If you want to search on your own, go to our web site. You can rummage through EVERY home available in the Charlotte area. Our information is current; it is updated every 24 hours. You cantake advantage of our systems that can make the whole process much more efficient and you won't miss a thing. If it's out there, we know about it.

Cya', when you are ready,

Wayne

www.findahomecarolina.com

Schools in Charlotte Area

"How are the schools?" Tell me about the schools in that neighborhood?" "I've heard bad things about that school." "I've read that Lake Norman High School is the best school, is that true?"

Man, how am I supposed to answer those questions?

About half the people who contact us about homes and real estate in the Charlotte area list schools as a primary factor when choosing a neighborhood. I direct them to the Internet: http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/  -  or to the web site of the schools systems. Neither are much help to a parent. New Yorkers & New Jerseyans are flocking here for temperate weather, less congestion, and lower taxes. Floridians are moving here for more temperate weather, less congestion, and lower taxes. So they come and visit. They turn on the TV in hotel room and listen to the radio in their rental cars. What do they hear? Issues in the Char-Meck school system.

The Internet is a powerful tool. We all see web sites making fantastic claims: Re-grow your hair - re-claim your sexual prowess - Make millions while sitting on your ass at home. We don't believe it. Most of us don't buy it. However, let someone start a web site forum about schools and parents begin to believe every post they read...because they love their children and they do not want them to experience a less than opportunistic education.

Again, I ask: how do I answer the questions about schools?

Well, I can start by professing my beliefs. I believe that teaching in college might be (just) a job but teaching our youth requires considerably more. Teachers have a responsibility to try and reach each child. If a Teacher doe not have that fire in the belly - get out. Get a job that suits you better. Next, if a Principal cannot lead and determine which Teachers have the passionate commitment to reach each child, then they serve no purpose. If the Principal is not willing to deal with parents honestly, they serve no purpose. They should be removed and replaced. And Administrators should be reduced to the barest minimum. They have nothing to do with the educational process. They have become nothing but a place to park an ass and collect a check. I'm positive we need a few to coordinate buses, pay the actual workers, facilitate benefits, and politic for budgets. Currently, the bloated admin is a burden that sabotages the efforts of all involved.

Now that I have that off my chest, I think every parent should go to the schools, introduce themselves, and collect a few promises from the Principals. Secondly, recognize that most schools are what your children make of it. The secondary schools here offer advanced classes just as they do in your part of the country. Hopewell sends kids off to Duke and Northwestern. North Mecklenburg sends kids off to Naval Academy and Stanford. Your efforts, your interest, and your commitment are the best tools available to improve the schools here or anywhere. Lastly, try to remember that much of the venom that is spewed on the Internet (about our schools) comes from people who do not seem to have answers only a forum to repeat the same complaints...over and over and over...

Cya', when you are ready,

Wayne

www.findahomecarolina.com

Model Homes

Man, ya’ gotta’ love shopping Model Homes. Lush landscaping greets you at the curb calling like sirens to stroll inside. Crown Moulding decorates ceilings everywhere, Granite Counters gleam in kitchen, and an airy bright Sunroom calls you to sit and enjoy a book and a cup of coffee.

Each different model is loaded with upgrades. But that’s not the way they are sold. Did you ever try to buy a car at the advertised price you saw in the newspaper or TV? Upgrade that radio to a CD player? Do you want the All-weather tires? That 4 cylinder is a little under-powered; do you want to upgrade to the 6? Model homes have the same Sell Technique. Visiting them is a great way to learn a few decorating tips. However, it is a very misleading strategy for finding and buying a home.

If you decide to drive around Charlotte over a weekend, it is not hard to find the model homes. It seems every corner is adorned with directional signs guiding you from one home builder to another. You drive up to Lake Norman, past a sculpted stone entrance, you drive by the community swimming pool, and walk up the path to the sales office to tour the Model Homes.

When you do, please remember that the smiling greeter is the same as the car salesman. They have one objective; they want you sign a contract. After the contract is in place, negotiating is over. There is a safer way to tour model homes. Align yourself with an Exclusive Buyer Agent and let them run interference for you. That’s what Ann & I do. We go with you. When you want to just drive around on your own, we give you a stack of business of cards. Pass them out; I call them, “Get Out of Jail Free” cards.

Oh, and one more thing, an Exclusive Buyer Agent will be there for you, interpret contract terminology, coordinate inspections and repairs, and ensure that all the details of the final contract are accurately recorded in your favor. And to date, none of our buyers has ever had to pay us a dime. We negotiate our fee from the sellers.

Stop by again – because I have lots of other truths to share about the home buying process. If you want professional, dedicated, and friendly help buying a home in Charlotte, let us know.

Cya’ when you’re ready.

Wayne

www.findahomecarolina.com