Real Estate Information

Want to invest in a Charlotte short sale? Charlotte short sales are all over the market at the moment and smart real estate investors are snapping them up because they know that Charlotte short sales represent amazing deals.

Thanks to a whole bunch of government initiatives, it's getting quicker and easier to buy a Charlotte short sale. Leigh Brown, the best short sale agent in Charlotte, can tell you that painfully slow short sales are becoming a thing of the past. Add that to the fact that the real estate market is heating up, and real estate investors no longer have the luxury of sitting on their laurels and taking their time to close their investment deals.

That's right; the real estate market is really starting to move, so if you want to cash in on the best deals on short sales in Charlotte, the time to act is NOW.

3 Easy Steps to Charlotte Short Sale Profits:

Step 1: Find the best properties in your target areas. Sound complicated? It's easier than it sounds when you get the best short sale agent in Charlotte on your side. Leigh Brown has her finger on the pulse of short sales in Charlotte. Simply provide her with your criteria for the ideal short sale and you'll be given a list of the best short sale homes in Charlotte that fit the bill.

Step 2: Clean up your credit. While you're perusing the short sales in your target area, take the time to get your credit reports and check them over for any blemishes. You don't have to have perfect credit, but you may be surprised by how adversely your credit is affected by items that are either out of date or literally do not even belong to you. A few phone calls may be all it takes to polish your credit scores, which will inevitably qualify you for better financing terms.

Step 3: Get preapproved. Because the Charlotte short sale market has really started to ramp up, you risk letting the best deals slip through your fingers if you fail to make an aggressive offer. Part of making really enticing offers to short sale sellers is having a mortgage preapproval; that way, the seller knows you're serious and doesn't have to worry that your financing is going to fall through at the last minute and they'll be back at square one. A mortgage preapproval is one of the strongest additions to a Charlotte short sale seller that you can include in your offer. (Don't know how to get a preapproval? It's easy! Just get in touch with Leigh Brown to learn the details.)

One you've nailed down those three steps, it's simply a matter of making an offer and closing the deal. Because Leigh Brown is the best short sale agent in Charlotte, investors an in a much stronger position to close their deals quickly and profitably. Her expert negotiation tactics and keen attention to detail will ensure your short sale investment deals close in record time and for record profits. Interested? Get in touch!

There are a lot of short sales in Charlotte and across the country, but that might be changing.

It's exciting news for struggling homeowners with Bank of America mortgages: help may finally be on the way.

Bank of America recently sent out the first 5,000 of approximately 200,000 mortgage refinancing offers to its clients whose homes are currently worth less than the balance of the mortgage. If you fall into that category, be sure to keep an eye on your mailbox!

These mortgage refinancing offers can save qualifying homeowners a lot of money. It is reported that monthly mortgage rates could drop by an average of 30%, which would obviously alleviate a lot of the financial burden on underwater homeowners.

Bank of America is making these offers as part of the settlement that was reached back in February in response to the robo-signing debacle and general mishandling of foreclosure proceedings, which resulted in many homeowners being left out in the cold when their foreclosure either could have been delayed or avoided all together.

The settlement amount is $25 billion, of which Bank of America's share is the largest at $11.8 billion.

To qualify for Bank of America's mortgage refinancing offer, your mortgage must be owned by Bank of America and be more than what your home is currently worth. Additionally, you must have been behind on your mortgage payments by at least 60 days as of January 31st.

The 5,000 letters that have already been sent out should be reaching homes any day now. Those 5,000 offers total over $700 million dollars in mortgage forgiveness. If you have not received your letter from Bank of America yet, but feel that you should have, be sure to give them a call.

In Charlotte short sales dominate the market, as do foreclosures and other distressed properties. However, it is anticipated that initiatives such as this one from Bank of America and the other lenders affected by the settlement should likely curb Charlotte short sales in the near future. If you are interested in purchasing a Charlotte short sale or other property, get in touch with Leigh Brown, the best real estate agent in Charlotte, right away.

As a homeowner, you may find yourself getting a lot of mortgage refinancing offers in the mail. Some people get one or more a week!

A lot of people - the vast majority, in fact - simply throw these refinancing offers in the recycling bin along with the rest of their junk mail. However, depending on your personal mortgage situation, that might not be the brightest idea. In fact, if you are paying too much for your mortgage, throwing that "junk mail" away could be the same as throwing cash in the trash.

So, how do you know if mortgage refinancing is a good deal? There are two main factors you need to consider:

#1: The difference in interest rates

If your got your mortgage before interest rates fell, there could be a huge difference between what you're paying now and what current market rates are. The general rule of thumb is to consider refinancing your home if the difference is two points or more, but you should talk to an expert like Leigh Brown to analyze your specific situation and get you on the right track.

If you only bought your house in the last couple of years, your mortgage rate is already probably quite low and refinancing may or may not be worth it in the long term.

#2: Refinancing fees

It costs money to refinance your mortgage. Sure, you'll be saving on interest, but you need to calculate exactly how much you'll be saving and whether it will be enough to offset the amount you spent to have your loan refinanced, as well as how long it will take to recoup those costs. To assist with the number crunching, go online and search for "mortgage refinancing calculators." You'll find easy-to-use, handy tools... all you have to do is input your current rate, your potential new rate, and a few other details, and the calculator will do the rest.

Overall, refinancing your mortgage is a wise step if it will save you money. Remember, a mortgage is typically a very long term investment. Over the 30 or so years of your mortgage, you will likely be paying tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest... maybe even more! If refinancing makes financial sense, it's worth the hassle of the phone calls and paperwork. Why pay more in needless interest when you could be putting that money in the bank or using it for more enjoyable and/or profitable goals, such as paying down your debt sooner or taking a much needed vacation?

Well, we're a little early for Mother's Day, but from one mother to all the others, I wanted to wish you an early Happy Mother's Day!

If you're a mom or have a special mom in your life and you're in the Charlotte area, make sure to honor the occasion by doing something fun! You can attend one of the many special Charlotte Mother's Day events happening this Mother's Day weekend.

Here are a few Mother's Day options for moms and their families:

Ballantyne Resort Mother's Day Brunch

It's an annual tradition at the Ballantyne Resort - a scrumptious and elegant brunch. There is a wide assortment of food to suit every mom's palate, as well as live music. It's $59.50 for moms and other adults and $29.50 for kids 5-12. Kids under 5 are free! Make sure to make a reservation here: reserve online here for May 13 between 11am and 2pm.

The Ballantyne Resort also offers a Mother's Day tea the day before Mother's Day (Saturday, May 12th). Visit the lobby from 1-5pm for live entertainment and an exclusive selection of loose leaf teas, pastries, and tea sandwiches.

Spa Day

Okay, the kids might get left behind for this one, but moms will still have a blast! A number of Charlotte area spas have special Mother's Day deals. The Urbana Cityspa and Teabar is offering special pomegranate and champagne drinks for moms for just $5... moms can sip a little bubbly and listen to some jazz while waiting for their luxurious massage to begin.

The Kids Make Breakfast - with a TWIST!

At the Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel this Mother's Day, kids will be dressing up in chef's hats and aprons to prepare their mom's made-to-rder pancakes. Moms can pick from maple syrup, bluberries, pecans and more - and the kids will whip them up with the help of the Renaissance's chefs. (Bonus - the kids get to keep their hats and aprons!)

The rest of the meal is buffet style with everything you can imagine, including gluten-free and vegetarian options. New this year is the Bloody Mary Buffet where moms can customize their bloody maries with specialty ingredients (chilled oysters, anyone?).

Prices are $39 for adults, $14 for kids 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under for the buffet... plus it's a fab way to let the kids make you breakfast without making the kitchen look like a war zone. :)

Don't forget Mother's Day - it's this Sunday, May 13th! Have the happiest Mother's Day ever!

Thank you for visiting our listings!  For more information at any time, including an updated price, call 704.367.4444 and enter the house number of ANY house on the market! You can call this one number for information on any listed house at any time and avoid talking to agents.

Check out this spectacular home located in one of the hottest neighborhoods in Fort Mill, South Carolina!  This fantastic 2-story home has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and offers +/-  1800 sqft heated living area!   This Saussy Burbank home has a rocking chair front porch, a private balcony, a large level lot and a detached 2-car garage. Come on in and be in awe of the attention to detail and the elegance of this home boasting stainless steel appliances, hardwood flooring and 2”blinds!  Entertaining is a breeze in the formal dining room featuring custom walls, a heavy moulding package and polished hardwood flooring. Cozy up in the great room with polished hardwood flooring, an upgraded ceiling fan and a warming fireplace. The chef in you will be delighted with the gorgeous kitchen featuring gleaming granite counter tops, espresso cabinets, a custom tile backsplash, hardwood flooring and a breakfast bar!  This bright kitchen also features highly desirable stainless steel appliances and an open floor plan. You will also love the views of the fenced backyard in the cozy breakfast area with an upgraded shimmering chandelier and hardwood flooring.  Up in the luxurious master suite, you will find a desirable tray ceiling, a cooling ceiling fan, a sitting area and a private second floor balcony! The lavish master bathroom boasts 18” ceramic tile flooring, a long dual sink vanity a walk-in shower and a deep tub. The spacious secondary bedrooms have large windows, lots of closet space, neutral carpet and are move-in ready. These bedrooms share a lovely full bathroom with a large vanity and a tub/shower combination.  Step outside onto the inviting back patio and enjoy the lush backyard with tons of privacy. This fenced lot has plenty of room to garden or just relax and read a book on the oversized patio.  There is something for everyone in this community offering a club house, playground, pond, pool, recreation area, tennis courts and even walking trails!  On top of everything else, this home is also within walking distance from top schools, shopping and a even a YMCA!  

Charlotte foreclosures have offered Charlotte home buyers some really attractively low home purchase prices over the last several years.

However, there is a certain stigma associated with buying Charlotte foreclosures (or any foreclosure, for that matter). Buyers are often concerned that a foreclosure will be in such a bad state of disrepair that the low price simply wouldn't be worth it.

People interested in purchasing Charlotte foreclosure are right to be cautious, but it doesn't make sense to be overly "prejudiced" against foreclosures.

While it is true that foreclosed properties are sometimes dirtier and in poorer shape than a traditional resale home, it is also true that foreclosures can sometimes be priced so low that buying one means an instant boost in equity, which is essentially free money for you and your family.

Reality Check #1: You have to do your due diligence on ANY home you want to purchase, foreclosure or not.

The biggest, baddest, most expensive repairs will be things like outdated electrical, non-functioning plumbing, a shifting foundation, or water penetration. Obviously, those problems can appear in any type of home, whether traditional resale or foreclosure or anything else. You need to find out what's going on with the inner workings of a house BEFORE you buy it, no matter how it's being sold.

Reality Check #2: No home is going to tick off all the boxes on your checklist AND be in perfect condition AND be decorated perfectly to your tastes.

Whether you plan to buy a fixer-upper, a brand new house, a foreclosure, a short sale... no matter what, you're probably going to have to do a little work to it. Sometimes all a foreclosure needs is a little bit of paint and new flooring... both of which are easy to DIY and/or fairly cheap to hire out to a contractor. The reason a foreclosure is priced so low is because people are having trouble appreciating the value. If you can look past the 70's wallpaper, you might have just discovered a gold mine.

The moral of the story is to not judge a book by its cover.

Some Charlotte foreclosures are terrific deals. Some, not so much. Some Charlotte resale homes are terrific deals... and some, not so much. Don't write off a foreclosure just because it's a foreclosure; be smart, do your due diligence, and find out if the home is really right for you... walking away from an amazing real estate deal simply because the landscaping is a little shabby is short-sighted and something you will live to regret.

Charlotte NC short sales have become big news in recent years. Not only are they dominating the number of listings on the current market, but they also offer promises of fabulously great properties at unbelievably low prices.

Of course, a lot of smart people looking at Charlotte NC real estate for sale are wondering if these amazing Charlotte NC short sales are really as good a deal as they appear to be. It's always wise to question something that seems too good to be true... so here's what you need to know about short sales in Charlotte.

Short sales are SOMETIMES a good deal.

A short sale is a house that is selling at less than is currently owed on the mortgage in order to prevent the homeowner from defaulting on the loan entirely. Since a short sale circumvents a foreclosure, it's good for both lender and homeowner. However, as the home buyer, you still need a strong real estate agent like Leigh Brown on your side to do the comparables.

Leigh Brown is a Charlotte short sale expert and Concord short sale expert who understands that a low selling price does NOT necessarily equal the deal of a lifetime. You still need to look at the location, the condition of the property, sales comparables, etc. Leigh crunches the numbers so you know for sure whether a short sale is actually a good deal or not.

Short sales are SOMETIMES better than foreclosures.

Foreclosures get a bad wrap for being ramshackle, dilapidated, vandalized houses. Because foreclosures often sit vacant for a fair amount of time, this reputation is not without merit. By contrast, short sales remain owner-occupied, so it is more likely that they are in better condition than a foreclosure.

On the flip side, a short sale is still owned by a homeowner in distress, which means that they may not have the money necessary to maintain their home and perform much-needed repairs. To make sure you are getting a good home in reasonable condition, you absolutely must have a home inspection (this goes for short sales as well as traditional resale homes).

You should be prepared that a short sale may not be in showroom condition, but don't let that deter you. If the home is structurally sound and generally in good repair, but just needs a little elbow grease, that could actually be a GOOD thing for you. Homes that are a little dirty or that have minor maintenance issues (such as a cracked window pane, overgrown landscaping, or ugly paint) tend to sell for less than homes that show nicely. Your best chance of getting an amazing deal on a Charlotte short sale is if you are able to look past the rough edges.

Short sales DON'T always take forever to close.

If you're searching for a Charlotte short sale, perhaps you've heard nightmare stories about never hearing back after making an offer or waiting for months and months and months to close. Well, when the banks first got overwhelmed with short sales and foreclosures at the start of the mortgage crisis, it's true that they weren't really prepared for the volume of these types of sales and, as a result, things really got bogged down.

Now, however, both lenders and the government have implemented systems to help process these transactions much more quickly. As a result, short sales don't necessarily take any longer to close on than a regular resale home. To ensure your process goes as quickly as possible, it helps to have a short sale expert like Leigh Brown on your side.

Relocating to Charlotte NC? First of all, welcome! Charlotte is a fantastic place to live, whether you're a single executive craving excitement in the heart of uptown Charlotte or a family looking to settle down in the suburbs.

Here is your relocating to Charlotte checklist:

#1: Find a place to live. First off, you have to decide what you want... an apartment? A single-family home? A multi-family? It's up to you, of course! Leigh Brown is your Charlotte real estate expert, so she can help you find exactly what you want in your price range.

Don't forget to take into account commuting times, school options for your kids, and desired local amenities. As a lifelong resident of the area, Leigh Brown can help you figure out exactly where you'd like to live - even if you've never set foot in Charlotte before. You may want to also consider Concord real estate or other Charlotte suburbs, in addition to just Charlotte NC real estate options.

#2: Figure out the logistics of moving. You'll need to pack up all of your belongings, hire a moving company, then unpack. You'll also need to sell your old house, if you have one. Leigh Brown has real estate expert contacts all across the country, so if you're looking for an agent to help you sell your old home before you relocate to Charlotte NC, she can help you find the perfect person. Leigh can also provide you with handy tips for selecting a moving company as well as getting settled in Charlotte once you arrive.

#3: Set up your utilities. After you move into your new Charlotte NC home, you will need to set up your utilities. Leigh Brown is well acquainted with all of your Charlotte utility companies, so it's easy to figure out which companies you want to use and enroll in their programs.

#4: Get your kids settled. In addition to enrolling your children for school, you probably will also want to help them learn to navigate their new neighborhood and get them involved in local extracurricular activities. Again, a simple chat with Leigh Brown is all it takes to get started. Leigh knows Charlotte schools, so she can help get you acquainted with both public and private options. She can also help you determine what extracurricular activities are available in your new neighborhood, so your children will feel right at home in no time!

#5: Tying up other loose ends. Once you're here, there will be a variety of small to-dos to take care of. For example, you'll likely want to get a new North Carolina driver's license, update where your vehicle is registered, deal with forwarding your mail and changing addresses, figuring out your neighborhood's garbage pickup days, etc. Leigh Brown is here to help you navigate it all so that you can settle into your new life and your new Charlotte NC real estate purchase as quickly and as hassle-free as possible.

Attention Chiquita staff: Are you relocating to Charlotte NC from Cincinnati OH along with Chiquita corporate headquarters? Get in touch by calling us at 1-855-WEMOVECHIQUITA. We have expert agents in both Cincinnati and Charlotte to help you sell your old home and buy your new one in Charlotte. Hope to hear from you soon!

Greetings from Leigh Brown and Associates! Now that spring has sprung, Charlotte NC homeowners and home sellers alike are thinking about landscaping.

At local home improvement stores and gardening centers, landscaping and gardening supplies are flying off the shelves. But if you're concerned about your yard's environmental impact, read on for these eco-friendly landscaping ideas from Leigh Brown:

1. Invest in a Rain Barrel

Avoid overusing water during the sweltering summer months by purchasing a rain barrel. Position the rain barrel underneath your eavestrough so it's easy to capture rain water. Select a rain barrel that has a spigot so you can attach your gardening hose. Using rain water will help you be kinder to the environment by minimizing your tap water use.

2. Choose Pest-Resistent Plants

If you are concerned about the amount of pesticides you need to use in order to keep your yard looking green and healthy, avoid those nasty chemicals altogether by choosing hardier plants that are naturally pest-resistent. Thyme, onion, and dahlia are just a few examples of plants that repel pests organically, without the use of chemicals. Try spreading your naturally pest-resistent plants throughout your garden, among more delicate plants, to keep pests at bay all throughout your yard.

3. Plant Trees Strategically

A well-placed tree can offer much-needed summer shade, both indoors and out. Not only can you take advantage of the shade while you're outside, but if you plant the tree so that it blocks the sun (or will eventually block the sun once it's big enough) from windows or even your roof, you can help keep your house cooler naturally, which will shrink your environmental impact and save you money on air conditioning bills.

If you are selling your Charlotte NC real estate, these eco-friendly ideas are affordable to implement and are great selling features for potential buyers. Not only will they save you money and reduce your environmental impact while you own the home, but they will also offer those same attractive incentives to budget-conscious and environmentally-aware buyers.