Chapel Hill Durham Real Estate

Title companies provide title insurance after a search of public records ascertains that the seller has the legal right to sell the property.  In North Carolina, attorneys conduct title searches and a title company issues the policy based on their certification.  In many other areas of the country, title companies perform many of the functions which the closing attorney performs in North Carolina. 

So why the need for title insurance?  Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to guarantee a title (recorded through the “Deed”) is clear of hidden defects, circimstances that could cause anoter party and yourself to both believe you have a claim to the same property.  Examples include mistakes in wills and other legal documents, criminal impersonation and forgery, missing heirs, and confusion stemming form similar names.  As a home owner you risk losing your home and the land under it unless you possess a clear title.  Should hidden defects surface challenging one’s title, title insurance will defend the title, in court if necessary, and cover the owner’s loses up to the full value of the policy.  That’s why “Lenders Coverage” typically equals the loan amount but “Owner’s Coverage” typically equals the full purchase price.

A title policy is very inexpensive, a one-time expense usually costing less than a year’s Home Owner’s Insurance premium on the same house.  You need a new policy each time you buy new property.  Whenever you refinance you also need a new policy, and usually your existing one can be “updates” at a reduced cost.

Title Insurance is just one of the details that can make buying a home overwhelming.  Having a good buyer’s agent can take the worry out of the details so you can concentrate on the excitement of your new home!  For listings in the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham and Hillsborough areas, a great place to start is www.GreatTriangleHomes.com, with lots of pictures, descriptions and more! 

Each year, over 150,000 injuries requiring a visit to the emergency room result from misuse of ladders.  When attaching Holiday decorations, hanging Christmas lights, etc., be safe about your ladder.  First, inspect the ladder to be sure there are no split rungs, loose rivets, etc.  It is best to use a ladder with slip resistant rungs, and of course avoid using a rickety old ladder that sways!  When leaning your ladder against a wall, the bottom should be pulled out at least one-quarter of the height of the ladder.  Never, never stand on the top rung!

If you would like someone to help you with this, there are several reliable “handy man” services who will assist you.  For Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties, contact Connie Shuping, Great Triangle Homes - The Shuping Advantage Team at Keller Williams Realty, for names of reliable and reasonably priced helpers.  You can also reach Connie at (919) 951-1945 or ConnieSells@kw.com.   Happy Holidays!

When selling your home, smoke odors not only reduce interest in your home but can actually keep people who might be interested from even considering your home.  This is because to those who do not smoke or use tobacco products, there can be a stigma associated with it, but moreso because buyer prospects fear the odor cannot be mitigated.  It is important too to realize that non-smokers are much more sensitive to tobacco odors just as those without pets are more likely to notice pet odors which the home owners themselves do not.

The following will greatly reduce smoke odors to even the most sensitive noses:

1)  Of course, remove ash trays, lighters or matches, and cigarettes so that buyers are not predisposed to “notice” any smoke odors

2) Change the air filters in all return ducts

3) Wash table cloths, drapes, rugs, etc.

4) Professionally or steam clean upholstered furniture

5) Professionally or steam clean all carpets 

6) In extreme cases, walls and ceilings will require new paint to eliminate odors; paint itself does not seal in the odor, so it’s important to use an oil-based primer, such as KILZ original formula

7) And of course, after going to all this trouble, do not smoke inside your home, even once; you must take it outside to protect your new investment in effort and expense

The above can result in thousands of dollars difference in the price and time it takes to sell your home!  For more information about paint cover up, go to www.kilz.com.  For available houses in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro,. Hillsborough and Durham areas, go to www.GreatTriangleHomes.com.

Selling a home in Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas is just as stressful as anywhere else when it comes to winter Holidays– any extra stress can become overwhelming during the busy holiday season.  Since selling your home is a very real possibility even during the Holidays, these bits of advice can help:

Home Selling

• Consider that you may have a wider variety of  religious affiliations and denominations inside your home than usual.  Plan your holiday decorations accordingly to minimize the liklihood that any potential buyers feel uncomfortable surrounded by numerous symbols of any one religion.
• Make sure buyers can see your house.  Excessive or extremely striking decorations detract from the home itself, which is what you are trying to sell– the home, not the decor.
• Big decorations, such as a large Christmas Tree for example, can consume a room and make it seem small to prosepctive buyers. 
• To coordinate a smooth move from your current house to your new one, be sure to line up the closing attorney, movers, etc. well in advance.  Also check with attorneys, banks, etc. at both the selling and buying end to be sure their hours of operation coincide during Holiday schedules so that you don’t end up in limbo.  

For expert guidance on selling your home in any season, contact  a leading area agent.  Connie Shuping, with over 20 years experiece, can take the guess work out of your home selling experience and minimize the stress inherent in all home sales.  Contact Connie at 919-951-1945 or e-mail her at ConnieSells@kw.com.  View her website at www.GreatTriangleHomes.com 

Buying a home in Chapel Hill, Durham and surrounding areas is no different than anywhere else when it comes to winter Holidays– any additional stress easily multiplies during busy holiday activities.  These tips can help:

Home Buying

• As the year ends, some sellers are more motivated.  To get your best deal, ask your agent for guidance on reasonable pricing before making an offer.  If you think Sellers are going to give away their homes, then your offer may be offensive and do more harm than good in establishing a dialogue towards reaching a price acceptable to everyone.
• During a home inspection, winter weather can make some areas of the house inaccessbile or impossible to view.  Be sure your agent writes into your contract that for roof, heating and air, and other inspections, if the weather prohibits proper inspection, they can be done later– even if that requires after the contract target date.  You want to be sure that no major defects are obscured.
• Schedule your moving company well in advance, as holidays off and other factors may offer a narrower scheduling window.

To locate the best house for you and them get the best deal possible, learn more at www.GreatTriangleHomes.com

Chapel Ridge is the latest Bluegreen golf course community springing up in the Chapel Hill area.  Chapel Ridge offers 615 single family custom home sites, on almost 800 acres, 390 of which will not be built on, but rather devoted to the golf course, recreation and conservation areas, and common property.  This community offers too many positive features to mention in a blog, but a few of them include:  conveniently located close to Chapel Hill, Raleigh, RTP; affordable golf memberships for the Fred Couples Signature Semi-Private Golf Course; low Chatham County taxes; and best of all, you can bring your own builder, and begin construction when you are ready, whether that may be next month or next year!

For more detailed information on this community, and/or if you have been thinking of purchasing a lot and building your custom home in Chapel Ridge, contact Wilma Gunnesch at 919-951-1944 to represent you in the transaction! 

Whether buying a home, townhome or building lot, the first step in beginning to look at property is to know how much you can afford.  Some people expect more than they will be able to qualify for, which means they won’t be able to get financing to purchase any of the the homes they are looking at.  Others may not be comfortable with the amount of loan, and therefore monthly payment, with which lenders are willing to provide them.  Therefore, your first step is to talk with a lender.  Your Real Estate Agent can provide you with names of good lenders who will give you straight facts.  Not-so-good lenders will gladly take your money for application and other fees regardless of whether or not they think they can get your loan through; you will not get these fees back if you don’t get the loan.

Most lenders can pre-qualify Buyers over the phone in a matter of minutes.  Pre-qualfication lets you know what the bank is comfortable loaning to you, prepares you for the amount of monthly payment associated with the loan, and gives you the confidence you need when negotiating your Offer to Purchase and Contract.  Even as we head into a somewhat slower market than we have recently experienced, even properties that have been on the market for months can suddenly put Buyers into multiple offer situations.  Knowing the price you are comforatable with helps you make the quicker decisions sometimes needed, and having a pre-qualification letter to submit with your offer helps ensure that the Seller takes your offer seriously. 

A good lender has lots of loan programs from which to choose, is creative, and can help you choose the loan program that is in your best interests.  Although there are some very good Banks to whom I refer some clients, I often recommend Mortgage Brokers because they tend to have access to a wider variety of loan programs.  This is especially important if you have special needs or are in certain situations:  for instance, low cash for down payment, you already own a house which hasn’t sold yet, you are a veteran and want to use a VA loan, you are self-employed as of yet without a proven track record, etc. 

Beware of “internet lenders” who may not be accessible when the going gets tough.  When you use a local lender, you or your agent can get in touch with the lender to find out what’s wrong and help come up with creative solutions to get your loan through.  When problams do arise, many internet lenders don’t return e-mails or phone calls, and you have no way to stop in their office (if they haven’t responded to you) to determine what the problem is and fix it.  In addition, internet lenders, because they aren’t familiar with the local area, often employ appraisers from other areas who do not know our area and as a result, your loan can have appraisal problems and be rejected when you in fact, as well as the property, are actually well qualified! 

At Great Triangle Homes - The Shuping Advantage Team at Keller Williams Realty, we have had great results with Carolina Home Mortgage and their friendly, solution-based service.  We’ve had them get loans through for our clients who had started with another lender who couldn’t make the loan, and not only did Carolina Home Mortgage get the loans through but they did it with better rates than the previous lender had quoted!  You can learn a lot on their website at http://carolinahomemortgage.com/ or come into the Keller Williams office and meet one of their representatives, David Field who maintains an office conveniently within our own, and view David’s website at www.loansnc.com

Known as “Greenway Pedicabs”, bicycle powered rick-shaw type carts can now be spotted in Chapel Hill and Carrboro along Franklin and Main Streets.  Fares are reasonable and tips should be given to those who power the bicycles.    The route is from Carrboro Farmers Market to Morehead Planetarium.  Pedicab hours of operation are 9 pm to 2:30 am Thursday through Saturday, and similar times outside these hours may be available by appointment.  Since there are only 2 Pedicabs, it’s best to call ahead and schedule your ride, but you also can “hail” a Pedicab just as you would a regular taxi when you spot an empty one going by. 

The idea came about in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases and global warming using new energy concious ideas.  Fueled by Students United for a Responsible Global Envirionment (SURGE) together with private investors, and endorsed by the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, the Pedicabs made their first appearance this past August leaving the Carolina Inn and taking people to their restaurant and entertainment destimations throughout town.  To reserve your Pedicab or get more information, call (919) 951-8158.

Today, November 7, is election day!

As in all across America, the outcome of today’s election in the Orange County precincts will have an anormous effect not only on the future of our local area, but in the state of North Carolina and our country as a whole.  There are so many issues that require attention, and your vote does matter.  Take a few minutes today and go vote.

City and County polls will be open today from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm.  You can obtain information, or locate your precinct’s polling location (you will need to scroll down the page on the Orange Co. site , and down the left sidebar on the Durham site) at: 

http://www.co.orange.nc.us/elect for Orange County and the cities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough and

http://www.co.durham.nc.us/elect for Durham and Durham County.

Get together with co-workers, family and friends and get out and vote!  Each of us collectively has the power to change things and get our region and America back on track!

Anyone who has lived in the Triangle area for long will agree that the area offers beautiful weather (most of the time), a variety of seasons, and a plethora of academic and cultural settings.  But more than that, the Triangle is particularly welcoming to senior citizens who are eager to continue an active lifestyle.  There are senior centers in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and several in Durham, among others.  Seasoned adults may also spend their time volunteering with the many service organizations in the area.  Examples include the YMCA, NC Botanical Gardens, UNC Hospitals Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).  For recreational and social activities, the area offers public golf corses, private country clubs, several lakes and many community parks.  Raleigh offers world class professional theater performances, and the number of universities in the area provide additional opportunities for viewing first rate Drama, Music and Dance performances, such as Duke University’s reknowed annual Amercan Dance Festival (ADF) in Durham.  Duke University includes DILR (Duke Institute for Learning in Retirement), part of Duke’s continuing education program.  Similar programs– continuing education tailored for seniors– are offered by NC State in Raleigh and UNC in Chapel Hill as well.  The Triangle also offers top-rated medical centers at Duke and UNC.  Since the Triangle features a mild climate and an incredible amount of cultural, recreational, educational & medical facilities, it’s no surprise that the area has become one of the most sought after locations for retirement in America.  Compared to many popluar regions nationwide, housing in the area is more reasonably priced, making the Triangle just that much more appealing.  If you know someone who is searching for the perfect place to retire, tell them about the Triangle.  For Seniors who want an overview of the area’s housing, or are ready to move forward and purchase a home or townhome, a great resource is Great Triangle Homes-The Shuping Advantage Team at Keller Williams Realty.  They frequently work with Seniors and know the best areas.  One can contact Connie Shuping or Wilma Gunnesch at 919-951-1945, or at GreatTriangleHomes@kw.com, or view their website at www.GreatTriangleHomes.com.