Charlotte Real Estate Search Engine
Just wanted to write a quick entry to describe the Metrolina Home Finder, a new Charlotte real estate search engine we’ve just launched that’s more detailed and easier to use than anything I’ve seen.
You can search Charlotte real estate or real estate from virtually anywhere in the region with just a few clicks and if you want to get into detail, you can perform searches based on almost anything.
One of my favorite features is the neighborhood-county compound search. This tool allows you to search within a specific neighborhood but only in certain sections of that neighborhood. This is especially useful when you are interested in a particular builder or level of amenities or, if you want to stay on a certain side based on the county. Yeah, a lot of Charlotte real estate is in a neighborhood that’s divided up into two separate counties. And almost always, one county is more desirable than the other.
Then there’s the school district search. And again, this can be combined with other criteria so if you want to find that perfect home for sale in Charlotte that happens to be in the exact elementary AND high school districts that you desire, this is the best way to go.
Plus, we took a lot of time with the interface to ensure that, even with all of this data and field selections, it was still easy to understand, read, and use for virtually anyone with basic computer experience.
And unlike many websites out there, we have a no harassment policy for our visitors. So you never have to worry about asking questions and then being bugged forever when all you really wanted was a single answer. We have salaried licensed associates (not sales agents) available to answer your questions about Charlotte real estate during all business hours and even in the evenings or on weekends. Again, with the singular goal of providing the highest level of Customer service available.
Sure, we’d love to help you buy one of the thousands of Charlotte homes for sale at our website. But it’s not our job to push, prod, or otherwise be really annoying. When you’re ready, just give us a call and we’ll be here with the most experience and the best tools that you can find anywhere in Charlotte.
Click Here to Access the All New Metrolina Home Finder
Short Sale Specialist?
Lately, I see this term a lot “Short Sale Specialist.” In a way, I’m happy that so many people have embraced this form of real estate. Years ago, I used to wonder why more agents didn’t offer something more than “I’m sorry, you’ll just have to bring cash to closing” or even, “It looks like we couldn’t sell before foreclosure, would you like me to find you a rental?” So many of my clients from years back were previously listed tens of thousands too high by another Realtor who didn’t know how to do a short sale or in those days, didn’t even know what a short sale was.
Now days, everyone throws around the term “Short Sale Specialist.” There’s a couple of new training courses for real estate agents that are designed to teach the ins and out of the short sale business but honestly, they’re sort of a joke. It’s not that they don’t convey good information but seriously, a half day training course is only enough to teach the glossary of terms. Short Sale listings are perhaps the most complex version of residential real estate brokerage. The LAMB Group has been a short sale specialist in Charlotte NC since the late 90’s and I’m here to tell you first hand, a specialist is someone who has not only been doing it for many years, but also has performed at least 50 short sales in the last 12 months. The fact that I’ve been doing them for 14 years gives me a foundation of systems and staffing to ensure the details do not get missed, and certain useful loss mitigation contacts, but things change way too much and in this business and you’re really only as good as the experience you have lately. And by the way, I say 50 to be fair to the 5 or 6 other agents in Charlotte who are truly specialists at this too. We actually worked on more than 200 short sales last year.
While years ago, I used to get listings from agents who never even tried a short sale, now I’m getting them as a result of failed short sales. Some banks are just easier than others and when an inexperienced “short sale specialist” comes up against a more formidable opponent, they usually collapse under the frustration of a seemingly impossible situation. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past 14 years, it’s that you never give up and never take no for an answer. If a bank tells us something that we don’t want to hear, we hang up and try again. Sometimes, I’ll have two people work an entire day (16 hours combined) just to get the “yes” that our client needs. 15 “no’s” but it only takes one yes to stop a foreclosure.
And that’s exactly what we did with a new record on Friday. We stopped 14 foreclosures in a single day. Everyone assumed that we were closed and probably assumed the banks were closed too because of Good Friday. But the banks were open and so were we so it made contact easy and the stopping spree 🙂 began. And none of those foreclosures were with the same bank, and none were stopped in exactly the same way. Honestly, that’s what it takes to be a Short Sale Specialist…. 14 different ways to stop a foreclosure, probably more, and the staffing to make it happen. Its not all about that though, here are some questions that you can ask your “Short Sale Specialist” to help determine what they really know about the business.
- How many Short sale transactions have you closed in the past year?
A. This number should be at least 25-50 - How many years have you been doing short sales OR, what year did you do your first short sale?
A. Anyone who has been doing them for less than 3 years is an opportunist who jumped on the bandwagon, they have not dedicated their career to this line of work. Look elsewhere. - How many short sales have you successfully closed with MY Bank?
A. This is important, every bank is different. Make sure they show you the approval letters. They can censor any specific names or account information. - What sorts of procedures do you employ to ensure the successful marketing and buyer retention for short sales?
A. We have over 120 procedures for this, a real Specialist could go on for ten minutes with an answer to this question. - Do you have trained loss mitigation negotiators working for you?
A. It is absolutely not possible to do the kind of volume which allows for anyone to call themself a specialist without at least 2 assistants. If your agent works alone, they are not experienced enough to be calling themself a specialist. - Please explain your management and organization system.
A. Managing short sales requires detailed record keeping and systematic follow-up. This cannot be done with a Day Timer or paper files. A short sale specialist should be on the edge of technology and understand the benefits of CRM applications. - What sort of short sale specific marketing do you do? What is your marketing plan in general?
A. Buyers of short sales are different, and you can’t target them in quite the same way as the general public. Additionally, anyone in short sale needs to sell fast so your “specialist” needs to have comprehensive advertising in place. Simply using the MLS and the free IDX internet sites is not usually enough.
There are so many more questions but asking the above and listening for tell tell signs of discomfort from your agent may be all you need to tell if they are truly a short sale specialist, or if they just want to sell short sales. I don’t blame anyone for trying to get into this business but when the financial future of your life is on the line, you can’t afford to choose anyone other than the best. The LAMB Group lists and sell more short sales than anyone in North or South Carolina and at our current rate of growth, we’ll be #1 in the Southeast very soon. If you are in need of a real Short Sale Specialist in Charlotte NC, please give us a call or simply post to this blog.
Thanks for reading!
South End IS GROWING!!!
With South End attracting more and more people per year it seems that it is also attracting entrepreneurs. The newer hip area that’s attracting small business owners is in South End which is an area of Charlotte that has scene steady growth in the past years. South End has great history behind its very cool atrichtechure. This community was estbalashied in the 1850’s with most of the buildings housing large textile companies. The area took a dive in the 1970’s & 80’s but then sprung back to life in the 1990’s with a large amount of resturants, small business’s, and design related industries such as granite and antique furniture stores/shops.
Head to South End
Charlotte North Carolina
South End has scene pretty decent real estate growth with new buildings popping up left and right. Some of the area’s buildings are Village Lofts, Abbot Streetproffesional Townhomes, The village of South End. This area of Charlotte offers residents easy communiting to and from uptown as well as other cool areas on South Blvd. Many of the residents are young working proffesionals who enjoy easy living lifstyle and the convience of public transportation and the metropolitian lifestyle.
South End
If you are looking for activities and things to do then South End is where you want to head to. Art Galleries, Farmers Market, and do not forget the First Friday’s; whichis when local business’s open there doors a little past operating hours to allow on goers extra time to browse and explore the area. There is a very long list of great resturants and bars which you can find on the South End website. Some that come to mind are Tyber Creek Pub, Prices Chicken Coop, Nikko’s which is a great Sushi place.
Explore Charlotte
My advice to any one who is looking to Explore Charlotte espceilay since the warmer weather is here I would start in South End. If you are alos looking for real estate opportunities please canotact The Lamb Group, Lamrealtors.com
Great Starter Community
Starter Home Neighborhood in Charlotte
Welcome to Madison Park neighborhood in Charlotte NC. This is a thriving and on the “radar”, for a great starter home community. Located between South Blvd and Park Road, this area has scene and abundance of growth. Lots of development in the area has made this neighborhood conveniently located to great shopping, restaurants, nightlife, and very quick and easy access to I-77. This community is known for its 3 -4 bedroom ranch – split style floor plans. The majority of the homes were constructed in the late 1950’s and was one of Charlotte’s post WWII modern neighborhoods.
Madison Park
South Park
and Park Road shopping center, Madison Park is really right in the perfect area of Charlotte.
Home Values in Charlotte NC
2 years ago I purchased a home there and within just a few months turned the home into a beautiful updated home for just under $12,000; yes this seems like a lot of money but since home values have held fairly in Madison Park the improvements have certainly helped its value and will mostly likely make it an easy sell when the time comes. If you work in Uptown and can’t stand sitting in traffic, don’t worry the light rail is located just a few blocks from Madison Park. Having the Light Rail close to this beautiful neighborhood just adds to the amenities Madison Park has to offer. There are currently 28 homes for sale in Madison Park which to say the least is not a lot of homes on the market given the boom this neighborhood has had. The average asking price for homes in Madison Park right now is $257,548 and offer 1,500 – 1900 sq ft. The total days the homes stay on the market for are 88. Since January 1, 2009 there have been 3 sold homes in Madison Park. If you are interested in learning more about Madison Park please contact The Lamb Group.
Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate is Growing
Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate
Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate is among the nation’s strongest real estate markets. With all signs pointing towards a buyer’s market, now is the time to purchase a home. As of March 2009 Charlotte North Carolina real estate average home price is 197k at a decreased amount of 4.5 % from year to date. Don’t be discouraged by this if you are buying a home because values will go back up if you are in the market or are thinking of relocating to the South’s #1 ranked cities to move to; now would be the time to do so.
Interest Rates at Historical Lows
Interest rates are at historical lows and inventory is rather high for the Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate Market. The popular hot spots in Charlotte are Myers Park, Dilworth, Fourth Ward, Elizabeth, and Freedom Park. These areas have seen significant depreciation but that is good because if you can get into any of these areas you will be sitting very nicely once our little economic hiccup is thru. First time home buyers in Charlotte make up for 41% of the buyer pool which is a very positive sign for a growing economy which I truly believe this area is in. Yes of course the nation is feeling the pinch and even Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate has too but these are times for a growing area to speed full ahead and really take advantage of good home values and fantastic buys.
Charlotte Real Estate Offers Entertainment
Keep in mind that Charlotte North Carolina is one of the south’s newest and upcoming cities that there is more and more to do here on a daily basis. The downtown area has been growing and with the new Epicenter, which is the new thriving hotspot of the “uptown” area you should find plenty of shopping and restaurant to accommodate your appetite for a fun. Not to mention the construction of several new condo/mix use high rises and hotels, Charlotte is really becoming a city to visit and live in. I like to think of it as the upcoming Denver or Houston of the southeast.
Charlotte weather- just another day
The choice of weather today would generally be characterized by most as horrible, dreadful, nasty. Cold that seems to bite through me in ways I haven’t experienced in North Carolina and then the rain. It isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s painful. Not so much pouring as you would think of in an unpleasant storm, but piercing, like little daggers of acid shooting from all angles, sideways and even upwards at times. The wind’s driving it all, without its help this would simply be another dreary day at work. And of course, I’m working. I’ve managed yet again to schedule a full day “in the field” on exactly the day I should have been inside doing paperwork. Putting luxury homes I have for sale in the computer, editing photos, payroll, anything but this. But this funny thing is, I don’t really mind the weather. Being outside in it, it’s almost like a challenge, some sort of winter event you have to prepare for with the right clothing, preparation, and approach. And that just covers the walk to the car. Okay, it’s not THAT bad, but that’s how I deal with it. I’m not one to complain about everything around me and life’s full of variety so whatever- I’ll just deal with it and absorb the malice of the day as just another one of life’s experiences. Enjoy it even. Why not? I mean, so long as it doesn’t become an everyday occurrence, it is an experience. Isn’t life about experiencing everything, even those things you’d rather not do on a daily basis. At least today will make me appreciate the gorgeous Charlotte, NC weather more, when it finally returns from its brief vacation. I know this is pretty weird coming from a real estate agent, at a Charlotte real estate blog (did you like that keyword?) but to be honest, if I don’t write about something else every once in a while, I’ll never keep up with postings on this thing every day. This sort of stuff comes more naturally to me, I suppose. Talking about myself, a great quality for any Charlotte realtor, huh? 🙂
Uptown Charlotte Real Estate has new hope
Uptown Charlotte has some hope in the uncertainty of the Wells Fargo – Wachovia Merger. The new skyscraper originally known as Wachovia Tower and meant as their crown jewel of Charlotte had a fearful future for many Charlotte area residents until yesterday, when a deal was reached with Charlotte based energy company, Duke Energy.
Duke energy, which helped to create Lake Norman and all of the luxury real estate it compliments, will move its headquarters to the tower and lease 20 of the 48 floors. In doing so, the building will now be known as Duke Energy Center and renew the commitment of Duke Energy to the Charlotte region.
Uptown real estate has been hit pretty hard by the recession with double digit vacancy rates predicted by the end of 2010. This new lease has ensured that at least part of the Wachovia Empire will be used and not left empty like so many other commercial spaces.
Stable and constant commercial growth will inevitably spill into the residential Charlotte Real Estate market. Uptown condos and townhomes, along with outlying communities such as Elizabeth, Myers Park, and Dilworth all depend on Uptown to fuel their home sales.
Charlotte Real Estate is Ranked #3 in the Country….again
Charlotte, NC Real Estate is back at the top of the national real estate market again according to the S&P / Case-Shiller home price index. This measures homes prices in 20 of the nation’s largest Metro areas around the country through December of 2008. Charlotte was at the top of the best markets in the country due to having one of the smallest rates of decline in our property values.
Some of the worst hit sub-markets in Charlotte, which are likely fueling the fact that we have any decline at all, are those in areas that were most similar to other national metro areas now falling at the bottom of this list. For example, Waxhaw Real Estate, just a few years ago, saw phenomenal increases in value which were driven by speculation even more than real value. Today’s buyers, even Luxury Home buyers, are mostly looking for a deal, they aren’t as concerned with the Prestige that comes with a particular zip code. While the markets are slower than normal everywhere, prices aren’t affected like you’d think unless values are being driven by foreclosures or short sale listings.
No matter how good Charlotte Real Estate is doing, inventory is high and so those buyers who aren’t afraid to make a purchase will inevitably get a great deal if they have the right representative. Things are more complicated now than ever and it takes an experienced Charlotte REALTOR who knows where prices have been historically, not just in the last 6 months, to help decipher what the appropriate investment would be. Plus, a lot of the best deals are being sold in foreclosure and pre-foreclosure. These aren’t your typical seller to buyer transactions and its takes more than a typical Charlotte Realtor to get them done right. Especially if you’re looking for a luxury foreclosure, I’ve seen banks concede up to 400k off of what would be a million dollar home. Although rare, it’s possible to find, you just have to know where to look.
If you’re interested in taking advantage of both foreclosure/pre-foreclosure listings AND one of the best markets in the country, give me a call. We have more short sale listings than anyone else in the state, and we have experience in selling every type of foreclosure out there. Happy hunting!
Hope for Credit Card Companies in the Time of Foreclosures
Recently much attention has been paid to the mortgage industry and its falling grace over the last few years. Specifically, the government has made a true investment in the companies which own the largest debt in the country. With the latest +700 billion dollar bail out soon coming to fruition, the government has noticed that there may be a better use of the money than helping to purchase the failing assets of banks across the nation. What the government has discovered is that given the type of funds that will be available to these banks, it is unknown if help will reach the average consumer.
The governments have decided that with the rise in Foreclosures and the Short Sale of homes, it is believed that the help needed should not go to the mortgage industries but rather to other industries that are showing a great deal of losses in current months. Industries such as the automotive and manufacturing sides of commerce where the dwindling economy and lack of sales have caused giant companies to collapse. Foreclosure Help no longer seems like what will occur but rather the help to the entire nation that needs it.
Charlotte NC Real Estate 