Real Estate Information

Staging your home should be a fun, cheap experience that can significantly affect the quantity of leverage you have when negotiating the sale of your home. But first you need to understand where to start. Haphazardly staging your home without a plan or guide to what you are doing
will result in missed opportunities and a staged home that lacks a cohesive flow. When your staging your home, heed the Prime 7 Must-Do’s of Home Staging.

1. Replace burned out bulbs.
   This is huge. Because you live in your home, you have likely become less alert to stuff you see every day, including the third bulb that burned out over the lavatory mirror 6 months ago. Take an admirer or family member who doesn’t live with you through your home and see if they notice any burned out bulbs that you have possibly missed. Burned out bulbs mean lack of maintenance to a home buyer and may cause them to think they will be doing a heap of fixing before moving in.
   
   
2. Remove excess huge furniture.
   Another epic mistake most do-it-yourself home owners make when staging a house is leaving their giant furniture sets in every room. Massive furniture can dominate any room, especially smaller rooms, thus consider taking away any of the non-essential pieces. This will surely accentuate the home’s square footage.
   
   
3. Avoid mixing dark furniture and poor lighting.
   Dark furniture can be equally harmful as large furniture. Dark furniture pulls the eye towards it rather than allow your gaze to wander smoothly. Unless your home has many expansive windows that allow in lots of sunlight, avoid dark furniture.
   
   
4. Detach yourself from your home.
   Detaching yourself from your home is terribly difficult, especially when the home was custom builty; however, it’s better to develop a thick skin about your home so you can stage it to appeal to as many buyers as possible. One key facet to detaching yourself from your home is to remove photos of family and personal items that may hold sentimental
   value. When you show your home, the focus must be the home. Potential buyers want to see themselves in the home, not you.
   
   
5. Raise the bar on your windows, literally.
   Low sitting windows with drapes can make ceilings appear lower than expected. Raise the bar above your window and mount it nearer to your ceiling to give the impression that the ceiling is higher.
   
   
6. Clear away ‘catch-all’ stations round the home.
   Everything has a place and typically that place is all in one spot. Occasional shelves,
   
   
   kitchen counters, and tables by the front door are highly visible locations that tend to end up covered in mail, keys, and random travel belongings. Clearing away these areas is vital for creating an inviting space.
   
   
7. Get a pressure washer and wash away the weather.
   Your home’s exterior bears the burden of making the first impression that can build or break a buyer’s interest in your home. Several times I have toured homes with purchasers who refused to go into a home as a result of a poor outward appearance. Buyers do not want to buy another person’s problem. Rent a pressure washer from a local home improvement or rental store, or higher a professional to do the job. Spray down the outside of the house. Pay special attention to the corners of the home which will harbor generations of spider webs, insects and grime.

Understanding the Prime 7 Must-Do’s of Home Staging can help you avoid costly staging mistakes and help sell your staged home faster than competing homes on the market.

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

Property Details

Active

Stonington

$225,000

Listing Information

• MLS ® : 453210
• Bedrooms: 3
• Full Baths: 2
• Half Baths: 1
• Sq Ft: 1892
• Lot Size: .21
• Garage: 2 Car
• Heat Source: Electric

Property Description

Located in the quaint community of Stonington, this one of a kind home offers an open, spacious floor plan with cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors, formal dining room, a great room with a fireplace and spacious screened porch and fenced yard for family fun and entertaining. The XL master suite has a jacuzzi tub and separate shower and all three bedrooms are upstairs. There's a separate well for irrigation of the front and back yards. Located on a quiet cul-de-sac street you'll love the location and convenience of being so close to area shopping.

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is sponsoring a Habitat for Humanity Build and needs your help. Volunteers will be working multiple Saturdays from September 25th through December 18th, 2010 and they need lunch. If you are able to donate or provide bag lunches at a big discount, the Habitat/Sea Coast Food Committee would love to hear from you!

The donation is TAX DEDUCTIBLE. The amount needed (15 to 35 lunches) varies from Saturday-to-Saturday, so please call to see what days they need to fill. The main contact for the food committee is Cathi Anderson. Please call her at 910-228-3625 if you are able to donate.

Thanks!

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

Happy Monday Morning!

I hope you enjoyed the great weather we had this weekend!  I think cooler temperatures are on the horizon and will be welcomed with open arms in this area considering the heat we've had this summer.

Well, you can't sugar-coat last week's housing reports, but they don't necessarily foretell a "double-dip" recession in real estate. July Existing Homes Sales were off 27.2%, at an annual rate of 3.83 million, well below the expected 4.65 million rate. The months' supply went from 8.9 to 12.5 and there was also a rise in inventories. The truth is, the expectation was a bit high.  An annual rate below 4 million for July makes sense, given that the home buyer tax credit was slated to end in June.  Getting an $8,000 check from the government certainly encouraged lots of people to move up their purchases. For the same reason, experts also predict weak August numbers, but after that, some feel existing home sales will start heading back to about 5.5 million units annually.  For the year, inventories are down 2.0%, while the median price is UP 0.7%.   Interest rates are still at historic lows which continue to make homebuying and refinancing very attractive for consumers.  If you want to discuss your options, give us a call.

Have a great week and remember to call The Cameron Team for all your real estate needs!

Sincerely,
The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

Keeping track of the belongings inside your home can seem like a daunting task, but creating an inventory is important for purchasing insurance and coping with those events that we often don't want to think about - home fires, break-ins, etc. However, What You Own, a program by M-One Studio makes it super easy to keep track of their home's belongings. Users can build an inventory organized by room and can even add receipts and pictures. Once built, homeowners can quickly see how much it would cost to replace their belongings. 

What You Own is free to use and is compatible with Windows and Mac systems. Download Here.

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

Greetings from Wilmington!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Sorry for the delay in getting out my Monday Market Report.  We had internet/email technical difficulties most of the day yesterday.  If you tried to contact me via email yesterday and I haven't responded to you, please resend.  Quite a few of my emails are in la la land!!

We've seen the typical slower time in our market the past few weeks right before school starts.  In Wilmington, the traditional school calendar starts tomorrow and once everyone gets back into a routine, I think you'll see the activity pick back up.  Interest rates are still at record lows so if you are on the fence about buying or refinancing, please let us know and we'll be glad to point you in the right direction.

There are still an increasing number of homeowners that are in financial distress and unfortunately, I think you'll continue to see those numbers rise until the economy and job market stabilize.  To get your home sold in todays market, it's very important to price your home aggressively and get it in tip top shape.  If you have any questions about the market or your home's value, please give us a call or email.  We're glad to help any way we can.

Have a great week!

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

See more pictures of 16 Wayne Drive.

Property Details

Beaumont/Forest Hills Area

Active

$265,000

Listing Information

• MLS ® : 446530
• Bedrooms: 3
• Full Baths: 2
• Sq Ft: 1981
• Lot Size: .45
• Heat Source: Electric

Property Description

This beautifully maintained brick ranch is located in the sought after Beaumont/Forest Hills area in the heart of Wilmington and across the street from the neighborhood park. The exterior has been freshly painted and the large front porch invites you from the moment you enter the driveway. This functional floor plan features large room, an updated eat-in kitchen with center island and custom cabinetry, beautiful hardwood floors and easy access to the deck and backyard. Ideal for entertaining family and friends this lovely home is also conveniently located minutes to downtown Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach and area shopping and dining.

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.

Recently, Forbes compiled a list of schools it has chosen as the "Best College Buys" as deemed by "the most quality for each tuition dollar spent". Forbes explains how the list was created:

To produce the ranking, we divided each school's overall quality score by its average sticker price tuition and fees for 2008. All schools with an actual four-year graduation rate lower than 20% are excluded from the Best Value ranking.

UNCW ranks #17 out of 100 schools. To see the complete list, visit the Forbes website.

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Michelle Roberts, Buyer Specialist, 910-431-5686

Alexa Winstead, Marketing/Closing Coordinator 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw and Hampstead.