Spacious brick home built in 2007 and only used as a model. One-story 3BR/2B open design with hearth room off kitchen and private terrace. Beautiful finishes including hardwood floors, granite, FP w/gas logs and stainless appliances. PRICED TO SELL $375,000 (UNFURNISHED PRICE). Stop by the Longleaf Sales Office to Preview This Stunning Property 910-692-3111 OFFICE OPEN DAILY 800-522-9426
The Moore County Register of Deeds Office in Carthage has recorded the following property transfers valued at $50,000 or more. December 28-31, 2009 Lois A. Chaney to John A. and Lynne A. Ammons, Lot 9 U12 P2 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $223,000. Robert L. and Dianne R. Edwards to William J. and Lynn A. Taylor, 7.36 acres, Sandhills Township, $75,000. Irving G. Adams Et al. to BAC Home Loans Servicing LP and Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP, Trustees Deed B3297/384 Tract Carthage Township,09 SP 263 $70,000. Alicia Tucker and Brock & Scott PLLC to Bank of New York Mellon Et al., Trustees Deed B2857/37 Lot 361 Echo East Seven Lakes Mineral Springs Township, 09 SP 200 $110,500. Rhonda E. Hall to Brian J. and Nassim Kouba, Lot 882 S9 Highland Trails, Sandhills Township, $205,000. Jean M. Grantham to John E. and Krista L. Stieby, Lot 74 S5 Clarendon Gardens, Mineral Springs Township, $423,000. Barbara M. McAllister to Michael and Sho C. Brittingham, Lot 228 U10 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $218,000.
Robert W. Stedman to Larry L. Moyer Et al., Lot 5353 Village Green Seven Lakes West, Mineral Springs Township, $180,000. Verna Mattson Et al. to Bailey T. Parker Jr. and Bailey T. Parker Jr. Revocable Trust, Lots 1164 1165 P1C Mid South Club, Mineral Springs Township, $1,200,000. Teresa M. Alesch to Wyeth S. and Jutta A. Anderson, Lot 21 U15 P2 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $301,500. Janet O. Peele Et al. to Andrew N. and Claire A. Robertson, 1.7 acres, Sandhills Township, $105,000. Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company to Sean Furby, Lots 12 East End ADD Aberdeen Sandhills Township, $70,000. Anne B. and James M. Crabbe to Telum Protection Corp., Unit 3B Midlands Hall Condo, McNeill Township, $160,000. SN Commercial LLC to Paul D. Musser, 3.01 acres, McNeill Township, $66,000. Jeffrey F. and Ellen K. Marcus to Beaver Path Enterprises LLC, Lot 41 Plainview Sandhills Township, $129,000. Judith E. Crisanto to Elaine M. Brenneman, Homesite 13 Village Green, McNeill Township, $102,000.
Donna Skeens Et al. to Daniel B. Jr. and Lynne N. Harward, 8.19 acres, Carthage Township, $85,000. Jacqueline H. Ardner Et al. to Bernard M. and Paula T. Spinner, Lot 52 U1 P1 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $390,000. Joan E. Kayes Et al. to Amy Blondin, Lot 65 S1 Ramapo Village Mineral Springs Township, $126,000. Carol L. Thomas Et al. to Ronald M. Peters Et al., Lot 734 U1 P1 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $192,500. G. Herbert Fahy to Jason G. and Alison C. Halbert, Lot 3240 SA P1 Pinewild, Mineral Springs Township, $300,000. Gwen C. Webb Et al. to Jonathan P. and Nita F. Halloran, Lot 598 U1 P1 Pinehurst, Mineral Springs Township, $160,000. Philip R. Baker Et al. to Donna L. Guyon, Lot 5490 Wedgewood Seven Lakes West, Mineral Springs Township, $303,000. Pinehurst Area Realty Inc. to Ryan and Lacey Trumbo, Lot 3 Midland Estates, McNeill Township, $370,000. Elizabeth A. and Matthew Giri to Granville Financial Inc., Lot 8 Pinehurst Heritage, Mineral Springs Township, $60,000.
Sean O’Leary Et al. to Entrust Northeast FBO Mary B. Davidson IRA #1866 Et al., Lot 4 McDeeds Creek, McNeill Township, $650,000. Raymond J. Fallon to Kelly Macary, Lots 1920 BL A&2 Pinebluff, McNeill Township, $125,000. Vincent J. and Kathryn E. Kiernan to Kathryn E. Kiernan, 1 acre, $79,000. Conrad R. Nurge Jr. Et al. to Dean C. Dwiggins Et al., Lot 619 U16 P2 Pinehurst, McNeill Township, $67,500. Karl L. Martin and Kelly Y. Maher to Michol Stanzione and Christopher P. Derickson, Tract, Mineral Springs Township, $130,000. Agnes K. Lowder Et al. to Gay T. and Duncan A. Haskell Foundation Inc., 69.70 acres, Sandhills Township, $491,500. Fairwoods Estate Joint Venture Et al. to George F. Vickers Trust and Patricia S. Vickers Trust Et al., Unit 13G Fairwoods Estates, Mineral Springs Township, $175,000. Fairwoods Esates Joint Ventures Et al. to Michael J. and Darlene L. Whitaker, Unit 17G Fairwoods Estates, Mineral Springs Township, $193,000. Cathy A. Pitt to William and Dale Crisp, Lot 346 Echo East Seven Lakes, Mineral Springs Township, $135,000.
It’s Your Life. Read All About It. PAGE 2
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010
Professionally Speaking
Dear Community,
Realtor® Code of Ethics Protects the Public, Clients and Realtors® The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) adopted the Code of Ethics in 1913. REALTORS® are real estate professionals who have chosen to join the National Association and abide by its strict Code of Ethics. What does this mean to you? It means that any REALTOR® with whom you work has voluntarily agreed to abide by a Code of Ethics, based on professionalism and protection of the public. REALTORS® are subject to disciplinary action and sanctions if they violate the duties imposed by the Code of Ethics. How does the Code of Ethics affect everyday real estate practices? If a REALTOR® represents you, whether you are buying or selling a home, you can count on that REALTOR® to: 1. Be honest with all parties in the transaction – not just with
you, as his or her client, but also with the other real estate practitioner and his or her clients. 2. Put your interests ahead of his or her own, at all times. 3. Disclose all pertinent facts regarding the property and the transaction to both buyer and seller. 4. Be truthful in all communications with the public. The Code of Ethics is a promise to the Public, Clients and fellow Realtors® that you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. It is mandatory for new REALTORS® to take the Code of Ethics orientation. It is also mandatory that PinehurstSouthern Pines Area Association Realtors® members complete an Code of Ethics refresher course every four years.
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 8, 2010
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Buy Now Before Home Sales Heat Up Job transfers or other circumstances often mean that homebuyers can’t choose when to move. But for most buyers, timing is just one of the many variables that can enhance or diminish their purchasing power. Naturally, most people prefer to move during summer months when the kids are out of school and the weather is more agreeable. And typically, there are more homes on the market during the prime AprilAugust selling season.
However, there are also many more buyers competing for those homes, which means that the law of supply and demand can drive up prices. At the very least, sellers are sometimes less inclined to negotiate when buyers are more abundant. By waiting for the weather and the home selling season to heat up, you risk paying more — and may even jeopardize your ability to qualify for the best mortgage terms. Now, of course, there’s an even bigger incentive to pur-
“I will provide an outstanding mortgage experience from application to closing” chase a home within the next few months. You must have a contract in place by April 30 of this year to capitalize on one of the expanded homebuyer tax credits. Since real estate agents, lenders, and appraisers will be especially busy as that deadline approaches, now is the time to get started on the
road to your new home! 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 910-692-6225. Reprinted with permission of The Printer, Inc.
Visit us online at: www.thepilot.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010
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Take Advantage of Buying Now by Selling with Smarts With today’s changing housing market, the opportunities to buy a new home are tremendous. Interest rates are low, prices are extremely competitive, and many builders are offering fantastic incentives. But if you’re like twothirds of people in the new home buying market today, you’ve got a home to sell first. On any given Sunday afternoon, hosts of lookers are visiting open houses across the country. How can you prepare for an open house? It’s a question on many sellers’ minds. Follow these tips, have a plan and you’ll have likely will have a new home buyer signing on your dotted line sooner than you may expect. Experts say the home’s cleanliness, condition, and overall appearance create traffic from potential buyers. This traffic generates offers on a correctly priced home. An important thing to keep in mind about setting a price is to remain realistic. Some sellers are concerned that the value of their houses have declined slightly and want to wait until prices have gone back again. Think about it this way: It’s always better to trade up in a buyer’s market, like the one we are in now. For the sake of argument assume since the highest point of the market your home value has dropped 10 percent, from $300,000 to $270,000. While the value of your house has fallen, the price of higher-end homes has also dropped. A home selling for $500,000 in the past has also dropped 10 percent in value, and PAGE 12
now sells at $450,000. If you sold your home today for $270,000 and purchased the larger house for $450,000, the difference in price would be $180,000. But if you waited to recoup the 10 percent value on your home and sold it at $300,000, chances are that same larger home would also move up in price to at least $500,000. That is potentially $200,000 price difference between the two homes. So by selling today, you would actually save $20,000 moving up now. While how much you ask for your home is obviously the key factor in many buyers’ minds the presentation and cleanliness of the home is crucial. The buyer must be able to envision their belonging in their “new” potential home. Keep personal items like photographs to a minimum. Locate any clutter around your home and either throw it out or organize it neatly. Consider how often you use items in the clutter. If you haven’t used it in over a year it may be time to toss it. Don’t forget that some items can be donated to various items in your community which may be a better option for some items than throwing them out. Clean off your kitchen countertops and pack up small knickknacks. Not only will the house appear more organized and spacious; but you may get a heads up on packing up for your impending move. Pack up essential items into a box that can be easily moved into a closet when not in use. You may want to remove most books from your book-
shelves, leaving just a few with some nice decorative pieces. Remember that potential buyers will like to look everywhere in the home. Organize all of your closet spaces and kitchen cabinets. Before the open house is the time to do a full and thorough cleaning of the areas in your home you’ve been avoiding organizing the past year. Renting a storage unit may be helpful as well. Remove any furniture that blocks walkways or windows. Consider stowing away your now empty freestanding bookcases. Removing extra table leaves will make rooms appear larger and remember to leave just enough furniture to showcase the room’s purpose. While it is essential the buyer is able to see their things in the home; a home that is too empty can appear cold and lifeless. Make any minor repairs you can before potential buyers come through. Wash your windows inside and out. Polish up faucets and mirrors and don’t forget to hang fresh towels in the bathrooms and kitchen. Overly worn rugs should be stowed away or replaced and the entire house should be vacuumed. Consider having the carpets shampooed and air out any musty smelling areas. Off scents will surely break a potential buyer’s interest if even on a subconscious level. Other tips include turning on all of the lights to highlight the home’s amenities and setting the dining room table for a “decorative appeal.” Buy fresh flowers for
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vases throughout the home. Make sure the doorbell is working and children’s rooms “are minimally personal.” If potential buyers do not have children, you want them to see the room as a possible guest bedroom or office, while maintaining a possibility of children’s room for those with kids. Keep “curb appeal” in mind as well. Walk outside and see what your house looks like. How does the landscaping look? How about the front porch? Make certain that your house number can be read from the street and remember to keep your sidewalks clear and your lawn mowed. Trim shrubs and trees and if needed, freshen mulch beds and consider planting some flowers. Selling your home doesn’t have to be a headache if you are prepared. And most of all remember to relax. Keep things in perspective. While it may take more than a week to sell your home -- as was often the case during the boom years of real estate, with a little extra preparation your home will be sold before you know it and you’ll be moving into you new dream home. For more information on selling your home, contact The Moore County Home Builders Association at www.mchba.com or visit the National Association of Home Builders at www.nahb.org/timetobuy. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010
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Ten tips for living more sustainably in 2010 (ARA) - The beginning of a new year - and a new decade - is the time many people pledge to live differently. For many, that change means living a more sustainable lifestyle. Sustainability, once only a buzz word, is now fast becoming the way to live consciously. From reducing your water usage to buying organic, here are 10 simple ways to make 2010 the year of sustainable living: 1. Use water more efficiently: Water is a limited resource and limiting it within your household is a cornerstone of sustainability. Rain barrels, largely unheard of even a decade ago, are becoming a popular way to collect and reuse rainwater for purposes like gardening. Meanwhile, conserving water in the home by taking shorter showers or even fixing a leaky faucet also can make a difference at a time when many communities are experiencing water shortages or are expressing concerns about water overuse. 2. Compost: Turning over leaves by way of a new compost garden is one way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. A compost heap is a simple, effective way to collect yard waste, like leaves and grass clippings, and kitchen scraps such as raw vegetable
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peelings and coffee grounds, and return them to the ground as organic matter. 3. Seek earth-friendly packaging: To better fill that compost heap, alter shopping habits to look for products with compostable packaging. Snyder's of Hanover, for instance, recently introduced a new Pretzel Variety Sack of 100-Calorie Pretzels and Pretzel Sandwiches in the market's first 100 percent compostable outer package made from 100 percent renewable cornstarch-based plastic. The new Variety Sack includes a special logo indicating that the bag can be composted and is made with sustainable materials. In addition to that example, more manufacturers are switching to cardboard packaging materials, which are made from renewable materials and can be recycled or composted. 4. Buy local, embrace organic: Many farmers, ranchers and, increasingly, food manufacturers, are offering foods and beverages made using sustainable practices. It could be a farmers market tomato, a local dairy's milk, an organic snack food, like new Organic Honey Whole Wheat Sticks and Organic Whole Wheat and Oat Sticks from Snyder's of
Hanover, or any number of natural or organic items. The bottom line is that natural, organic and locally produced foods provide both sustenance and sustainability. To learn more about Snyder's of Hanover's sustainability initiatives visit www.snydersofhanover.com/Sustainability/. 5. Go to seed: Take the locally grown movement a step further like in your own backyard or patio. An afternoon spent planting seeds or small plants can yield plenty of rewards a few weeks or months later, in the form of fresh, inexpensive and convenient vegetables and fruits. You don't need a large tract of land, in fact, to start a small garden. 6. Ride out the trend: Sustain your own energy level by opting to ride a bike or walk to a destination that isn't all that far away. Add a basket to a bike or take along a backpack to bring something back home. 7. Re-recycle: Recycling is nothing new and most people have been recycling in some form for years. But recycling can be taken to another level, going beyond obvious and traditionally recycled items like soda cans or newspaper to the smallest of waste materials, from plastic straws to the paper straw wrap-
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per. Why not recycle apparel as well, by donating clothes and buying gently used clothes? 8. Plug in: Learn how to operate appliances more efficiently. For example, use cold water in the washing machine: clothes will still be cleaned, without the use of heated water. Turn off appliances when not in use, whether it's the television, video game player or radio. Better yet, completely unplug. Many electronics and battery chargers continue to draw a small amount of power even when they are switched off. Instead, use a power strip to cut power completely when not in use. 9. Lighten up: Use energy efficient lighting and bulbs when possible and turn off lights when not in a room. That will cut energy use - and the family budget. 10. Get involved: As the sustainability movement gains traction among the public, there are more opportunities to join in. Local communities, schools and organizations often have green committees, and there is a plethora of national and grassroots organizations geared around earth-friendly living that appreciate new volunteers or members. Courtesy of ARAcontent FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010
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