Home for the Holidays

Prep you home for success during the festive season!
Quick tips on how to be successful in the real estate market this season. 

(Inspired by an HGTV article)

Decorate tastefully
You do not want to take away from your home's natural curb appeal by cluttering your yard with blow up Santas and an entire herd of light up reindeer. Keep it simple with a wreath and a few lights.

     

Hire an Agent
That's where we come in. You want someone who will continue working hard for you even through this busy family time of year. 
















Price your home to sell
This is a great tip for every time of year, but especially when there are a lot of extra expenses due to holiday purchases. You want to still be affordable along with the tree and gifts. 



Be certain you have AWESOME photos 
Do not settle for mediocore phone pictures or un-professional photos of your home. Pictures sell homes. Especially now that much shopping is done online for homes. Your photos may be the only thing prospective buyers ever see. Make sure your real estate agent can work with a professional photographer to capture the beauty of your home. Bluewater has an in house photographer :)

Photo by our Photographer Liz










Open houses during this Season
These can be very festive and a great opportunity for you to help buyers see what their holidays could look like. Provide things like hot cocoa and peppermint sticks, Make sure the home is warm. And a cookie or two never hurt. 



"Offer holiday cheer in the form of financing.
Bah, humbug! Lenders are scrooges these days, but if you've got the means, then why not offer a home loan to a serious buyer? You could get a good rate of return on your money"

Are you Viewing a Haunted House?

Over half of home buyers are willing to purchase a presumably haunted house. As surveyed by Realtor.com. Are you one of those special few who are brave enough to live among the "not so alive" crowd.

Here are a few tips to watch out for if you don't intend to.

Cemetery on the Property
Over 100 Years Old
Quick Transition of Owners
Close Proximity to an Old Battlefield or Indian Burial Ground
Un-explainably LOW asking price


But there are savings at "stake" here you say.
Well yes, some spooky houses can sell for significantly less than comparable abodes.
Actually, 34% of the surveyed would purchase Amityville horror if it were listed at 1-30%
under market value.

But wait, what would scare you out of such a great deal?
75% claimed levitating objects would be enough to make their knees knock
63% say moving objects would make them high tail
63% responded unexpected visitors make for a quick hasta la vista

Have you ever lived in a haunted house?

Feel free to share your story in our comments below. We would love to hear your chilling tale.

Not ready for a ghouling night yet. Here is a link to our "Last Minute Halloween" board on Pinterest to help you out.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

School Shopping...I Mean House Shopping

The millennial generation is looking for homes to expand in. (millennials being individuals born between 1980-2000). Over 60% of home buyers overall will consider schools in their home hunt. 90% of which are willing to exclude specific wish list amenities in return for living in the desired school zoning. Buyers will pay upwards of 20% more than budgeted to achieve ideal placement as well. Websites like Realtor.com and Zillow are now including school rating on their home search results. If you or someone you know falls in this vast category, make sure they know how to acquire the necessary information.

Interview local residents in the area:
Ask them about their school experiences
What programs are available at the schools
How is transportation (bus routes)
Are there after school programs
Private or Public
How are the sports programs


Carteret County Schools
If you are looking to relocate to Carteret County, visit the Carteret County Public School site here. There are a total of 17 public schools from Pre K to High School. Carteret County Public Schools has a total of 8,587 students enrolled spending $8,884 each year per student.  Annual EOGs have shown that students enrolled at Carteret County Schools score higher in math, science and reading than the North Carolina average. GreatSchool.org gave this district an 8 out of 10 rating.  


Onslow County Schools

If your home search is within Swansboro, Jacksonville or other towns in Onslow County - you have a total of 37 public schools. For more information about Onslow County Public Schools, visit their website here.  Over 25,000 students are enrolled in the Onslow County School System. Annual EOGs have shown that students enrolled at Onslow County Schools score slightly higher in math, science and reading than the North Carolina average. GreatSchool.org rated this district a 6 out of 10.