The real estate headlines continue to be confusing.
Two weeks ago I read a headline that said “10% jump in September Existing Home Sales.”
Last week there was a headline that read “September Pending sales slip 1.8%.”
How can that be? The first article references CLOSED transactions.  The second article references transactions that went UNDER CONTRACT in September.
Both reports [...]

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I went through college pounding nails and framing residential houses during the summer and winter breaks. That experience, coupled with growing up as an “SOB,” (a.k.a., Son of a Broker), had me acutely aware of the pros and cons of becoming a Realtor®.  In the early 70’s, it seemed every business major like myself pictured [...]

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If you’ve ever moved (and who hasn’t?), you’re aware of the excitement, stress and work involved. But what if you were responsible for moving several hundred people across the country?
At Allen Tate Relocation, one of our roles is to assist companies – large and small – with group moves to the Carolinas. While the process [...]

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Well, the summer is behind us, the 3rd quarter books have been closed, and the holidays are fast approaching.  The question I am being asked now is, “What will the market look like for the rest of this year and next year?” Here are some thoughts on where we are now and where we are [...]

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As the weather gets colder and colder and we move into winter here in the Carolinas, it’s important to take the proper measures to winterize your home to prevent losses and future claims.
Here are some main points on winterizing your home:

Prepare your fireplace by inspecting the damper, storing chopped firewood away from your home, and [...]

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Why did I choose real estate for my career?  Honestly, it chose me.
I grew up in the business. My Grandfather was a commercial builder, and my Dad expanded into commercial real estate, development and property management when he took over the business in the early 50’s. I didn’t have plans to be part of the [...]

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The holiday season is busy for everyone, including criminals. Dan Starks, our local self defense expert, gave our office a list of “must dos” to protect ourselves from criminals, and, each November, we review them as a reminder of easy, quick ways to stay safe (for more tips, visit his website www.danstarks.com):
Home Safety Tips:

Keep valuables [...]

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I am always telling the kids you only need a little to go a long way. Waste not want not. Today, finding ways to save and conserve have quickly become top priority. When thinking of housing and homeownership the word that comes to mind, in terms of saving, is “green.”
So, what does going green really [...]

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Is there any way to lower the cost of insurance for my teenager?
Let me tell you.  I’ve been there.  I have two adult children now, but I remember the insurance impact of their driving like it was yesterday!  After getting the quotes, I thought I was having a heart attack.
Luckily, I wasn’t…..but that didn’t help [...]

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When I was growing up, my family lived in a neighborhood of homes built in the 1960s.  Its Florida site offered a park down the street where I spent hours playing with friends, and a canal behind the house where I learned to water ski. We moved to another home when I was a sophomore [...]

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