Sandhills Real Estate

Come visit this elegant all brick home in Whispering Winds with a huge fenced in yard and cozy back patio area.

Three bedrooms on the first floor and a bonus room upstairs. Two and a half baths. Beautiful hardwoods and tile throughout.

Formal dining with soaring ceilings as well as an eat-in kitchen with lots of counter space and lovely granite counter tops.

Lots of quality! Just a few years old but feels brand new! The garage features a workshop area. Dick Tremblay from McDevitt Sotheby's will be your host and Bill Bullard of First Mortgage Corporation will be on hand to answer all of your mortgage questions. Hurry and purchase this lovely home and take advantage of the tax credits ($8000 for first time and $6500 for existing home buyers) which are over at the end of April. Call Dick with any questions @ 910.986.3251.

Visit www.McDevittTownAndCountry.com for all of our Virtual Tours! We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

The Moore County Register of Deeds Office in Carthage has recorded the following property transfers valued at $50,000 or more.

January 11-15, 2010 Michael L. Edwards to Therese A. Rainer, Tract, $175,000.

Camina Design & Construction Inc. to Fox Hollow 3 LLC, Tract, $210,000.

Aileen L. and Cloves L. Hare to Donnie R. McNeill, 21.897 acres, Sheffield Township, $72,500.

William C. Thompson to Catherine and Renee Leflore, Lots 1315 Sunny Side Addition, McNeill Township, $155,000.

Leona J. Plizga to Glen and Kathleen Davis, Lot 238 Longleaf, McNeill Township, $248,000.

Scot D. and Stacy L. Spooner to Tom E. II and Jennifer A. Flanagan, Tract, McNeill Township, $259,000.

William D. Rocchi to Carolyn A. Bowman, Lots 355 356 U8 PI Pinehurst, $186,000.

Branch Banking and Trust Company to Casey A. Oakley, Tracts, Greenwood Township, $57,500.

Mile Away Farm Inc. to Cameron C. Sadler, 4.44 acres, McNeill Township, $200,000.

William G. and Deborrah K. Little to Philip W. and Larisa P. Houston, Lot 183 S6A Pinehurst National, Mineral Springs Township, $555,000.

Roy Y. Williamson Jr. Et al. to Elizabeth A. Futrell, Tracts, Carthage Township, $83,000.

Tammy G. Williams Et al. to First Bank, Trustees Deed B3352/327 2.013 acre, Bensalem Township, 09 SP 204 $145,000.

Lillian S. and S.R. Ransdell Jr. to Boles Family LLC, 0.95 acres, Sandhills Township, $212,000.

James R. King to Brian S. and Kassandra Caddell, 41.980 acres, Greenwood Township, $66,000.

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Champions Ridge LLC to Gary D. and Mary A. Smith, Unit 158 Champions Ridge, McNeill Township, $85,000.

Champions Ridge LLC to James M. Dannemiller, Unit 269 Champions Ridge, McNeill Township, $394,000.

Kip Friedman Et al. to DM McVickers Inc., Trustees Deed B3271/590 Lot 645 U16 P2 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, 09 SP 62 $249,500.

Jimmie D. Ross Et al. to Glenda F. Kirby Et al., 61.67 acres, Carthage Township, Exception, $290,000.

R. Peter and Mary K. Zimmermann to John G. Bicket, Lot 3 P1A Golf Course Number 7, Mineral Springs Township, $1,500,000.

Sidney E. Thompson Et al. to Mary A. Woodford and James K. Leslie, Lot 44 U11 P2 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $575,000.

Elinor S. Roll Et al. to R. Peter and Mary K. Zimmermann, Lot 53 Middleton Place, McNeill Township, $300,000.

Jeannette C. Donnelly to Sherry D. Page, Lot 634 U16 P2 Pinehurst, McNeill Township, $240,000.

John C. and Anne T. Keifer to Lana L. Rebert, Lot 224A S2 Whispering Pines, McNeill Township, $290,000.

Barra Investments LLC to Timothy P. and Robin K. Stanton, Lot 6 S9 Whispering Pines, McNeill Township, $285,000.

Mark A. and Ronda A. Harbison to Anthony and Maryanne Maisano, Lot 93 P4 Glen Laurel, Sandhills Township, $238,000.

David A. Summers Et al. to Aaron T. Mayo and A. Nicole McClelland, Lot 162 U2 P1 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $240,000.

Harvel Realty Inc. to Shawn E. and Traci C. Brooks, Lot 20 Cordelia Hills, McNeill Township, $294,000.

Out & About in Real Estate Keep us involved Send us your event photos to share with the community. Submit digital photos accompanied by caption information to mwood@thepilot.com.

Alyssa Stroker, a 7th grader at the Southern Pines Middle School, comes by the Fore Properties office for her Girl Scout Cookie orders. Lisa Stafford, and her daughter Tanna, and proud dad, Scott Stroker enjoy a laugh with Alyssa.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

Professionally Speaking

Dear Community,

What Good Information Comes from AVM’s?

Last week with the help of fellow Realtor® Hamp Thomas, who specializes in property appraisals, we began looking inside the world of automated valuation models (AVM's) as they are used by internet websites to answer the question "What's my home worthnow?

AVM’s do a commendable job of sorting massive amounts of data. There are many industries that depend on this data to develop their long range business plans.

These models track sales volumes and trends by gathering information from tax rolls. They can sort specifics like the total sales of new construction homes, sales by zip codes, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms sold most often, price

ranges with the most sales volume, and even things like short sales and foreclosures.

While AVM’s serve many important business functions providing accurate property valuations is not their forte. The information should not be considered an appraisal value or a Broker’s Price Opinion. For something as important as an appraisal or BPO, you need professional assistance; you need a Realtor® who has experience in the local market.

When you’re buying or selling a home, this is not the time to trust any computer program. There never been a more important time to seek the advice of an experienced, local professional Realtor®.

Elizabeth Childers

Pinehurst - Southern Pines Area Association of REALTORS®, INC. The Voice for Real Estate in the Sandhills www.pinehurstncrealtors.com Published every Friday by The Pilot in partnership with the PinehurstSouthern Pines Area Association of REALTORS, with a circulation of 19,000.

Deadline for the Sandhills Real Estate Guide is 5:00 pm on Tuesday.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

When Is It Time To Float Or Lock?

Although interest rates still remain at historically low levels, even a small fluctuation could affect your financing plans. Because adjustments occur almost weekly in response to changing market conditions, buyers have an important question to ask themselves. Should I lock in or float the interest rate on my new home loan?

Mortgage lenders typically “hold” a quoted rate for 30 to 60 days. But what if you plan to build a new home that will take six months to construct?

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

Or you’re on the cusp of qualifying for a mortgage? if rates go up, you may face higher monthly payments and may even jeopardize your ability to qualify for the best possible loan terms.

If you’d rather avoid potential rate hike, talk to your mortgage consultant about locking in the initial interest rate.

Lock-ins of 90 days are common, but they’re also available for up to a year. While lenders generally charge a small fee for this option, the cost could eliminate larger increases down the road.

“I will provide an outstanding mortgage experience from application to closing” Many buyers, however, want to stay flexible with a floatdown option, which allows a one-time “re-lock” if rates decrease before closing.

Almost all lenders offer an a ffordable float- down option, but be sure to compare the costs before committing.

As with any aspect of home financing discuss the pros and cons of these choices with your mortgage lender to

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get a current perspective on interest rates.

For a free consultation to discuss which type of mortgage loan will work best for you, call Victoria Spannaus at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage at (800) 741-7813 or 910-6926225.

Reprinted with permission of The Printer, Inc.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

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Celeste Jackson joins Keller Williams Realty - Pinehurst Market Center Celeste Jackson, a real estate professional in Pinehurst, has joined the Keller Williams Realty – Pinehurst Market Center.

Celeste joins her mother, Laurene Stubbs, as a member of the Pinehurst team. She is a Laurinburg native, and her husband, Chris, is a police officer with the City of Laurinburg.

They are the proud parents of 4 beautiful children.

Ms. Jackson was previously a broker with Vision Realty in Laurinburg and is the VicePresident of the Laurinburg/Scotland County Board of REALTORS for 2010.

“We are truly lucky to have

Celeste join us here at Keller Williams - Pinehurst,” says Team Leader Terry Rainer.

“Keller Williams Realty offers its associates unparalleled career growth and lifelong learning opportunities in the real estate industry. We know that Celeste will be a great fit and that it is our clients and customers who will truly benefit from her joining Laurene and all of us here.”

“I chose Keller Williams Realty because of its reputation for integrity and its agent-centric business model,” says Ms. Jackson. “As I grow my real estate business, Keller Williams Realty will provide the training,

technology and support to help us reach our goals.” Celeste Jackson can be reached at CelesteJackson1@hotmail.com.

The Pinehurst Market Center, located at 206 Commerce Avenue, Southern Pines, NC, was established in 2009 and has 54 associates. Year to date through November 30, 2009, the Market Center has shared more than $67,547 in profits with its agents.

To learn more about Keller Williams Realty, call Terry Rainer at 910-692-5553 or visit www.CareersOfALifetime.com.

Celeste Jackson

It’s Your Life. Read All About It. PAGE 10

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

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New Homes Built to Fit New Priorities Can you imagine living in a 175,000 square foot home?

That’s how large George Vanderbilt built his North Carolina home, the Biltmore, in 1895. With 250 rooms and 43 bathrooms; everyone can agree the home had more space than his family, his friends, and friends of his friends could ever hope to use.

The real question is what size home is right for your family?

Even though the average home in the United States is far smaller than the Biltmore, it is a fact that Americans have tended to build larger and larger homes over the years. In 1973, the typical newly-built home was 1,660 square feet. Near the end of 2008, the average size had grown to more than 2,500 square feet. That represents nearly a 50% increase in the average home size in a single generation.

But lately, that trend has changed. Builders are now seeing demand for smaller homes.

By early 2009, according to federal government data on new housing starts, the average size of homes had decreased to 2,400 square feet.

One of the other trends is not just smaller homes; but higher end mid sized homes that include the amenities of larger homes such as gourmet kitchens, granite countertops, large master bathroom suites, and open floor plans; but incorporated in a smaller overall footprint.

You may be very surprised if you total the square footage of the rooms in your home that PAGE 12

you regularly use. Several years ago I actually measured the size of the rooms that my wife and I used use on a weekly basis and the total was just over 1,600 square feet out of a five bedroom home. Studies show that few Americans actually regularly use much over 1,900 square feet of their larger homes.

A number of factors are most likely the reason for this new trend towards smaller but more upscale homes.

First, family size has been decreasing over the years. The average household in 1960 had 3.3 people, while in 2008 it is 2.5. Families don’t need to build homes with a lot of bedrooms if they aren’t planning to have as many kids as previous generations.

Also, Americans are becoming more focused on energy conservation and energy costs.

Clearly a smaller new home will cost less to heat and cool than a larger new home with similar energy-efficient features, and will leave a smaller carbon footprint on the environment. Not to mention proportionally reduced overall long term maintenance costs.

Clearly, the economy is also impacting new home buyers’ decisions. Cost-conscious home buyers are choosing to include more and higher-quality features in their new homes rather than just increasing the overall square footage. Many realtors report that buyers are expecting homes with upscale interior finishes at all price points in today’s market.

Today’s modern open floor plans and high ceilings can also make a mid sized home actually feel more spacious than a larger home square foot home with low ceilings and a closed traditional floor plan.

So the “perfect” home for your family may be a custom 7,000 square foot golf front showstopper. Or it may be something very different -smaller, cozier – but no less charming.

Whatever your preference— size, features, price, or something else—new home builders

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today are providing homes that will appeal to a wide range of tastes and budgets, with more customization choices for your lifestyle than ever before.

For more information on building your perfect sized home, contact The Moore County Home Builders Association at www.mchba.com for a extensive list of professional builders and tradesman in our area.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

Free Home Buyer Seminar Scheduled Saturday, January 23rd from 10am-Noon at Pinehurst Surgical Clinic’s Renaissance Room Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Weichert Realtors are sponsoring a free seminar for potential home buyers on Saturday, January 23rd from 10AM-Noon at Pinehurst Surgical Clinic’s Renaissance Room. Pre-registration is required. Among the topics covered will be Understanding the Home Buying Process, Home Financing Options & Preapproval and Home Buyer Tax Credit – Explanation and Timeframes. A question and answer period will follow each topic.

“We feel that with favorable interest rates, low home prices and the availability of the tax credit, folks would like to learn more about these topics in a relaxed atmosphere”, commented Richard Schuck, Broker at Weichert Realtors. “This will be a useful information session not a sales pitch”, he added.

There will be several open houses following the program from 1:00PM-4:00PM for those interested. A listing of homes on the tour will be available at the seminar.

You can register at www.wfhm.com/victoria-spannaus by clicking on Attend a free local event or by calling Richard Schuck at 910-3151898. Seating is limited so please register early.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

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