Right now, the residential real estate market is not lacking in sales activity. It is caused by fabulous interest rates, rock-bottom prices and an increase in demand. Thus far, the first two months of 2012 are 50-60 percent greater as compared to this time last year.  All indicators for the Carolinas look at a healthy [...]

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With temperatures nearing 70 degrees these past few days, it is hard to remember that we have just started the month of February. I remember my first February in the Carolinas – and thinking that it was so bitterly cold and dreary. But I really didn’t mind, since I was just so happy to be [...]

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“The greatest masterpieces were once only pigments on a palette.” – Henry S. Hoskins

Recently, I attended a builder event for Regent Homes at St. Johns Forest. The moment I walked in the door, I felt not only warmth from the hospitality, but also from the home itself.
This made me wonder why some homes just [...]

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Do you dream of owning your own home someday? The pundits want us to believe that your generation – born between 1980 and 1995 – are disenchanted with the dream of homeownership. But I, for one, don’t believe it for a moment, although for the first time in history, you’re not leading the charge in [...]

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What is playing out in the Carolinas is that October 2010 was the bottom based on closed unit sales. The Allen Tate Companies closed over 14,400 properties in 2011 which is 400 more than 2010 and more than 2009 and 2008.
That supports the theory that we’ve hit the bottom and it’s onward and upward from [...]

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It is the time of year when everyone feels compelled to either summarize the year that has past, make a top 10 list or even some combination of the two. We are no different.  When we decided to write this blog, we asked our Realtors what information they would include on our list. Here are [...]

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Earlier this month, there was more news that, for the fourth straight month, existing home sales were up nationally from the previous year’s levels. What is the reason? A lot of this uptick is due to the tax credit of the Spring of 2010 where sales were borrowed from the second half of 2010. This [...]

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… With boughs of holly – and other assorted lights, trees and blow-up reindeers that take their rightful places in our homes and on our front lawns during this special time of year. As I drive through the neighborhoods in awe of the Christmas lights and decorations, I am always impressed by that one house [...]

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Happy Holidays!  It’s time to get those letters sent to the North Pole! I hope you get everything you want this holiday season as you write your annual letter to Santa Claus.
Here is a sneak peek at my letter to Santa:
Dear Santa,
This is Tony Jarrett from the Allen Tate Company.  Remember me?  I’m the one [...]

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Like many of you, I relocated to the Carolinas. I moved here 20 years ago and now, this is the place I call home. For many years, it was my “new” home, but as time passed the word “new” faded into the background. This year, I will travel up to Pennsylvania, the place where I [...]

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