Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo Sings With Wyclef Jean at Pre-Super Bowl Party

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Autumn Checklist

Really beginning to feel like fall now with the rain and cooler temperatures today and the rest of the week. Thought this would be a good time to share this information. A key to protecting the investment you’ve made in your home is by following a regular maintenance schedule. By performing preventative maintenance on an on-going basis, you’ll avoid many of the big ticket repair items that can lower the value of your home. Here are helpful checklists for monthly and fall maintenance.
Monthly
		Test your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
		Check the filters on your heating and cooling systems.  Be sure to clean and change according to the manufacturer’s schedule.
		If you have a humidifier or an electronic air filter, check these as well.
		Check faucets for drips.  Check plumbing for leaks.

Autumn

Smoke Alarm / Carbon Monoxide Detector
		Test your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
		Change the batteries in both.  This should be done twice a year.
Furnace / Heating System
		Have your system serviced by a qualified service company.
		If you have electric baseboard heaters, vacuum them to remove dust.
		Remove the grills on forced air systems and vacuum inside the ducts.
		If you use a portable humidifier, it’s time to clean it.
Water Heater
		Extend its life expectancy by draining a gallon or two of water from your hot water heater at least twice a year.
Windows and Doors
		Put up storm windows.
		Remove screens from the inside of casement windows to allow air from the heating system to keep condensation off window glass.
		Ensure windows and skylights close tightly.
		Make sure all doors to the outside shut tightly.  Renew weather stripping as required.
Outside
		Check your chimney for obstructions, such as bird’s nests.
		Clean gutters and test downspouts to ensure proper drainage from the roof.
		Make sure the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation wall.  Remove mulch from the foundation wall as well.  This helps prevent water damage.
		Drain and store outdoor hoses.  Prepare your outdoor faucets for winter freezes.
		Protect young trees and bushes for winter and winterize gardens.
		Trim shrubs and trees so that they clear the foundation, exterior walls, and roof of the house.
		Store outdoor furniture.
Well Water / Septic Tank
		If you have well water, test the water quality. Testing for bacteria twice a year is suggested.
		If you have a septic tank, measure the sludge and scum to determine if the tank needs to be emptied before spring.  As a general rule, septic tanks should be pumped out at least once every three years.

Parade of Homes 2009 Begins

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Here it is the first weekend in October. A couple of things are a given. The State fair will be starting soon and Parade of Homes has begun. Realtors and Builders have been looking forward to this date with anticipation for months. Homes can be found from Apex to Zebulon and prices from the low 100's to over a million. Something can be found for everyone. Parade homes can be viewed this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, October 9-11, and October 16  -18 from 12 to 5. Advertising has been a little light up to now but should pick up as this week goes by. Looks like a lot of nice product at attractive pricing. Also the $8000 first time home buyers credit, which will be expiring Nov. 30th, should have a lot of new buyers out looking hard. Be glad to supply more information on any of the parade homes or other properties. Just email or call me.

Another East Wake Subdivision!

I have been watching this development, Poplar Creek Village, slowly emerge over the past year and a half. Looks like all the infrastructure is in place now. The subdivision is located on Poole Road just east of the intersection with Hodge Road. There are 5 homes listed in MLS at this time, though I have not seen signs that construction has begun on them as yet. Sizes are in the 2100 to 2400 square foot range with prices from $234,000 to about $250,000. Looks like they are concentrating on cottage style homes. Four out of the 5 homes are 1.5 story with unfinished second. This should really appeal to senior buyers.

Sign of Life in Knightdale

Cheswick Parade Home

The last year was not kind to new subdivisions in Knightdale. Two approved subdivisions, Langston Ridge and Cheswick went dormant after most of the infrastructure was in place. Now Cheswick is cranking back up under a different developer, Terramor Homes. Cheswick located off Hodge Rd just south of the 64 bypass, has pulled permits and is in the process of building a model home and a parade home that should be ready by the end of the month. Hope Langston Ridge will follow suite in the near future.

Closing Statistics for Knightdale , NC Aug 2009

Knightdale, NC Real Estate Closings Stats

27 Closed Listings Aug 1, 2008 thru Aug 31 2008

	Beds	Baths	SqFt	LP	LP/SqFt	SP	SP/SqFt	SP/LP	DOM
High	5	4	2,791	$389,900	$143.14	$350,000	$131.21	102%	302
Low	2	2	1,040	$87,000	$71.55	$87,000	$71.56	90%	0
Average	3	2	1,829	$184,006	$99.79	$177,353	$96.63	97%	76
Median	3	3	1,970	$171,950	$99.95	$174,500	$94.05	97%	67

32 Closed Listings Aug 1, 2009 thru Aug 31, 2009

	Beds	Baths	SqFt	LP	LP/SqFt	SP	SP/SqFt	SP/LP	DOM
High	4	5	4,400	$435,000	$133.86	$425,000	$130.74	103%	283
Low	3	2	1,022	$106,000	$59.09	$83,000	$60.23	78%	0
Average	3	2	1,861	$174,836	$97.57	$172,003	$95.75	98%	60
Median	3	3	1,648	$156,500	$98.63	$157,000	$98.03	99%	39

26 Closed Listings July 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2009

	Beds	Baths	SqFt	LP	LP/SqFt	SP	SP/SqFt	SP/LP	DOM
High	6	4	3,750	$350,000	$143.04	$340,000	$134.50	110%	473
Low	2	1	1,035	$61,900	$41.57	$68,000	$45.67	89%	0
Average	3	2	1,992	$177,763	$90.15	$174,516	$88.94	99%	82
Median	3	3	1,886	$149,900	$89.76	$152,500	$89.94	98%	26

A little good news, a little bad news with these stats. The good news: five more closings than August of last year and six more than last month. Also saw a drop in days on market from last year and a huge drop from last month. Now for the bad news. Average sales price continued to slide a little with about a 3% drop in sales price from a year ago. Looks like sellers are seriously considering the current market by dropping their list price by about 5%. Good news for sellers is that the price per square foot appears to be heading up with a good increase over last month and almost back to the 2008 level. My opinion is that the market looks good for buyers with lots of well priced properties on the market. I also see good signs for sellers with the days on market dropping and sale prices beginning to rebound a little. Looks like a tween time with good opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Time for everybody to get off the fence!