A wise man once said …
You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.
That wise man was Steve Jobs and it seems that a certain Mark Zuckerberg took those words to heart because last week, Facebook went [...]

Full Article

If you’re reading this blog, you’re a bit of a “house junkie.” You are interested in residential real estate (maybe even a bit obsessed) and learning as much as you can about purchasing it, selling it, owning it, renovating it, building it, insuring it, and maintaining it. Here’s another thought. How about just feasting your [...]

Full Article

As I started this Homebuying Adventure, I’ll have to admit I was a little nervous about the mortgage process (check out my video here!).  Hidden in my credit closet were several credit cards with more debt than I would like to admit. So when Mollie Bergstrom from Allen Tate Mortgage said something about pulling my credit score, [...]

Full Article

I’ll be honest with you – going into this Homebuying Adventure, I knew next to nothing about mortgages and what they entailed. Pre-qualification, pre-approval, fixed rate, APR … it was all Greek to me. What I did know was that I had friends who were paying mortgages that were less than my monthly rent and [...]

Full Article

I love helping friends pick out paint colors. I have a few tried-and-true colors I always recommend. While I still love going to the store to pick out paint samples and consult a professional, there are times when I am out and about and see a color I love. I have to know what it [...]

Full Article

At the Allen Tate Company, we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with two legendary leaders, Jolaine Lanier and Jeannene Poarch. Both of these leaders retired this month after 30 years of service to the real estate industry.
Both Jolaine and Jeannene started their careers in 1981, and both became very successful [...]

Full Article

Just when I thought I had seen every idea on the planet for fundraisers, another even more imaginative fundraiser emerges. The idea here is hair-raising!  Forget the walk-a-thon, the chocolate sales and eating at certain restaurants on certain nights.
St. Baldrick’s Day is an annual event where participants raise money to have their head shaved. [...]

Full Article

The official definition of “madness” includes everything from insanity and lunacy to great folly, enthusiasm and excitement.  In the case of Mint Hill Madness, however, “Madness” is simply an annual family-friendly weekend festival that celebrates the arrival of fall. Sponsored by the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce on the last weekend in September every [...]

Full Article

After meeting with my Realtor®, Maggie Redmond, and diving through the information packet, I realized this Homebuying Adventure was going to be about more than just buying a house!  Lucky for me, Maggie came to my rescue. No more overloading on information by myself.  She made everything simple.
As I digested the step by step buying [...]

Full Article

Earlier this month, we turned another page on what has been a long methodical recovery.  Sales for the first time notched ahead of 2010 year-to-date. That is a milestone, especially since 2010 had the tax credit provision in the first half of the year. Looking back, what we have learned is that the tax credit [...]

Full Article