Charlotte Area Homeowners – Beware The Homeowners Insurance Claim

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Homeowners Insurance: To Claim or Not to Claim?

According to the National Association of Realtors website (www.Houselogic.com), not all homeowners insurance claims should be filed.

You pay for homeowners insurance to protect yourself from financial ruin, yet filing a claim when disaster does strike puts you at risk of seeing your annual premiums increase by hundreds of dollars.

Here are some of the topics covered in the article”

Be mindful of deductibles, liability

Some claims are worth skipping

Dealing with denial of your claim

Read the entire article

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

The Best Of Carolina Living Real Estate

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Carolina Living Has Never Been Better

The Charlotte area continues to be one of the most sought after areas to live in the Southeast. From job opportunities to great real estate investments, our area is continues to show strong growth.

Whether looking for a rental or a great deal on a home to buy, the Charlotte are has it all.

Here is a list of very informative websites created by Carolina Living Agents assisting you in finding the home you need.

Lake Norman Communities

Find Charlotte Homes For Sale

Gaston and Lincoln County Real Estate

Mooresville Area Real Estate

Charlotte Property Management and Rentals

Energy Tips From Carolina Living Real Estate

By admin

Are you looking for energy savings for your Charlotte and surrounding area home?  The National Association of Realtors has created a website to help you with finding and making good choices.

We are featuring one of the articles here:

5 Tips For Saving Energy In the Family Room

The family room is the place where we spend so much of our time.  There are things we can do to save money and energy if we just follow some simple steps.

The fun—a video game console, TV, DVR, DVD, and stereo system—that your family room provides comes with a price. By reducing standby power, using rechargeable batteries in remotes, and replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, you could save up to $130 a year in energy costs.

And if you’re in the market for a new TV, you can save even more energy by being flexible on the type you buy…

Read the rest of the story By: Jane Hodges at NAR’s House Logic website.

As always contact Carolina Living Real Estate for all your Charlotte area Real Estate needs!

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

North Carolina Back in Top 5 Top States For Business

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state-flag-north-carolina

Good news was released this week discussing the bright future of North Carolina. . North Carolina was ranked #4 in CNBC’s 2010 Edition of “America’s Top States for Business.”

North Carolina has become one of the top places for retirement.   We know the state of North Carolina is attracting bright young talent.  We know that young people who go away to school return back here to build a career and start a family.

We know that middle age professionals are migrating here to retool and regenerate.  We know that the career entrepreneur in need of an international airport, choose the Charlotte area for their destination.

Charlotte remains to hub in the South for banking, NASCAR and much more.

Carolina Living Real Estate and Property Management is committed to finding homes for all these people one family at a time.


A Unique Opportunity With Carolina Living Real Estate

By admin

Have you considered joining one of the fastest-growing populations in post-bubble America: the Accidental Landlord?

Over the past two years, Carolina Living Property Management has joined one of the fastest growing professions for Real Estate Brokerages which is Property Management in Charlotte.

As you know, the inventory of homes for sale is twice as big as it was three years ago, which has meant a longer wait to sell.

The rental market, on the other hand, is robust.  Currently Carolina Living Property Management has average days of on the market for it’s rentals at less than 45 days.

We are one of the few firms in the area that has the unique ability to list a home for rent and for sale simultaneously.  Our Listing agents focus on marketing your home for sale while the property manager’s focus on getting your home rented while sharing responsibilities and information about interested parties.

So, what goes into deciding if renting your Charlotte area home is right for you?

We have written some very helpful information concerning the choices and what goes into the process.  Please visit our website at Carolina Living Property Management and learn all about our services and the choices you have.

The Deadly Sins Of Overpricing Your Charlotte Area Home

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Overpriced Homes in Charlotte NC
I am sure you have heard about the drop in prices of homes across the U.S. Here in the Charlotte area, we are not immune to those problems. Luxury homes like those on the waterfront of Lake Norman have especially been hard hit. Agents at Carolina Living Real Estate take pride in doing the research to price a home accurately. It has become a difficult process with each and every Charlotte neighborhood having to deal with foreclosures. If you are selling your home or thinking of selling your home, here are some real reasons why you should pay close attention to the comps your Carolina Living agent provides for you.

1. Appraisal problems. Appraisals are killing deals all over the Charlotte area. You need to know that many appraisers are looking at the same comps that your agent is providing. As a matter of fact, your agent should be contacting the appraiser to ensure that the comps are accurate to how he/she priced the home. If the home does not appraise, most likely the deal will fall through unless the seller will come down on price.

2. No Showings. This speaks for itself but with the Internet buyers will already know that a house is overpriced before their agent even shows them the facts. Overpriced homes are skipped over a majority of the time. The longer the home sits the more likely it becomes stale. This causes any potential buyer to assume desperation resulting in very low offers.

3. Promoting the competition. Think about it. One caveat to overpricing your home is that you are directing the buyer to your neighbor. While they would love to see your home sell for more, it is likely that it won’t and the home priced right will get the traffic.

4. Sending the wrong message. When agents see new listings pop up they immediately see if it is priced realistically. If not, they won’t even bother showing it to their clients. (see number 2). If they do, the stigma of being unrealistic sticks with the listing and the agent will most likely tell the client that negotiations will be pointless.

5. Lost opportunities. Buyers searching online and agents searching online will never see your listing as they enter price parameters in the search!

Homeowners Insurance for Charlotte Homes

By admin

Charlotte NC Area Homeowners Insurance: Time for an Annual Check-Up

Are you a new home buyer in the Charlotte Market?  How much coverage should you get?

Have you owned your home for a while and think it is time to evaluate your coverage? If you are in this category and you think it is time to evaluate your coverage, you are in the real minority.  No one I know ever looks at their policy once they purchase the home.  However maybe you should…

These are questions that are too often glossed over and misunderstood.  Well the National Association of Realtors has created a website to help you with all your housing needs.  Specifically, they answer some of the questions gone unanswered concerning homeowners insurance.

If you are thinking of buying a Charlotte area home or already own a home, you should read the article about evaluation the policy.   Check out this article By: G. M. Filisko at House Logic.

If you are an investor or thinking about renting your home be sure to read about liability insurance in the same article.  This is an area you should think about.  Get other helpful  renter information at Your Charlotte Property Management Company.

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Beware The Chinese Drywall

By admin

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has identified the Chinese drywall manufacturers whose drywall emitted high levels of hydrogen sulfide in testing conducted for the agency by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). There is a strong association between hydrogen sulfide and metal corrosion.  Even in the Charlotte NC area we have seen some of these problems.

The following list identifies the top 10 drywall samples tested that had the highest emissions of hydrogen sulfide, along with the identity of the manufacturer of the drywall and the year of manufacture, from highest to lowest.

  • Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (year of manufacture 2005) China
  • Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
  • Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2005) China
  • Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
  • Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
  • Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
  • Shandong Chenxiang GBM Co. Ltd. (C&K Gypsum Board): (2006) China
  • Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM): (2009) China
  • Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2009) China
  • Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2009) China

Find More helpful information at House Logic brought to you by the National Association of Realtors.

Does your home have Chinese Drywall?

1. One of the first signs of Chinese drywall is a strong sulfur smell, similar to the smell of rotten eggs. Lots of people in new homes pass this off as smell from the paint, or new carpeting, etc. If you smell sulfur in your home, you should consider a method of testing. See the resources section for more. Also, just because your home doesn’t smell like sulfur doesn’t mean you don’t have Chinese drywall. In cooler environments, Chinese drywall contaminated homes have been found not to smell.

2. Check for corrosion on your metal faucets, drains, mirrors, picture frames, jewelery, etc. Anything that contains decorative metal in your home should be checked for pitting, darks spots, or a dark discoloration. These are tell-tale signs of Chinese drywall

3. Also, check the copper in your home. If you see darkening of copper wires, you may have Chinese drywall. A good place to check the copper in your home is at your water heater. There should be a few copper pipes around the top of your water heater.

4. Watch for failing appliances. If your large appliances like TV’s, air conditioning unit or refrigerator have stop working or are working poorly, especially if they are relatively new, you may have Chinese drywall in your home

Information courtesy of Ehow

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Your Guide To Charlotte Area Outdoor Maintenance

By admin

Garages and outbuildings

Vegetation should be pruned at least 3 feet away from buildings to prevent mold, pest infestation, or damage to siding from high winds. Large tree limbs should be trimmed to prevent them from touching the structure. Cost: $15 for a pruning saw and $10 for pruning shears. Allow 1 to 2 hours for pruning.

Inspect the underside of garage and outbuilding roofs for water damage, which can point the way to a roof leak. Small cracks in the foundation should be filled with the appropriate caulk. Maintain a proper grade around the buildings to ensure sufficient drainage. This may require the addition of soil.

Twice a year, check the automatic reverse safety feature on the garage door to make sure it works properly. Check to see that the door has no bent casters and that it rolls smoothly in the tracks. Perform a visual check of bolts for snugness. In the case of attached garages, proper weather stripping at the base of the door can greatly improve a home’s energy efficiency.

This article courtesy of Douglas Trattner at House Logic (your guide to maintenance and improvements to your home) brought to you by the National Association of Realtors

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Find Your Charlotte Area Home First

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Fill out the form below and a Carolina Living Realtor will contact you to set up your very own search delivered directly to your email address.  As soon as a home that meets your criteria becomes available, you will be the first to know…

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