Eugene: If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, our first guest this morning has some convincing reasons why you should take the leap.

Coleen: That's right. Welcome this morning, Nancy Braun with Showcase Realty. Nancy, great to see you as always, thanks for being here.

Nancy : Thank you. Good morning.

Coleen: Okay, so some of those are thinking about selling their home, they may wonder when is the right time. You say, now is the right time. Why is that?

Nancy: I can't even imagine in the  23 years I've been selling in real estate a better time than right now. There is just very, very little inventory so buyers are competing with other buyers to get the limited homes that are for sale, so the prices have gone up, interest rates are lower. Everything is conducive for a very strong seller's market.

Eugene: And does that cross from like $150,000 to something that's $700,000 or even more? What's the range?

Nancy: The catch is, the lower price range is flying. Just flying. You put in on the market, one day it's gone. And then anything over $500,000, it really depends upon the area. The closer into town, it's gonna be a stronger market. Further away, it's typically a slower market. It depends upon, you know, the quality of the home, but if you're contemplating selling a home in the next year or two, this would be the time, your opportunity.

Coleen: Now is the time because it'll sell. What about interest rates right now?

Nancy : They're historically low and we're still hovering around four percent and it is anticipated that they have to go up. So we know they're gonna go up, it's not if, it's when.

Coleen: And how does that benefit home sellers?

Nancy : Well, the buyers have greater buying power so if they are focused on most buyers especially under $500,000 are gonna think about "What's my monthly payment?" just like when you're buying a car. Not how much is the car but what's my monthly payment, and if it's all tied in to interest, then your interest rate is gonna dictate what price range you can buy, ultimately.

Eugene: So if we're talking about lack of inventory, does that mean that people get into bidding wars?

Nancy : Yes, totally. They have to be prepared for that. I always have conversations with my agents about how to prepare  your client to be realistic and to jump when they see the house. They really need to write the offer right then, And they need to make sure that they get the

best offer they can in because they are competing against multiple bidders.

Coleen: By the way, Nancy and her team are really good in making sure that you have the absolute best offer. I know you take a lot of care and pay a lot of attention in making your home buyer get the  house.

Nancy: That's right. It's really important to put your client in the best light, so we want an approval letter or proof of funds if it's a cash purchase, and then we do a personalized letter from the buyer to the seller. We put a nice package together with a table of contents and all the relevant information so they know they are dealing with someone very professional that's going to bring this to the closing table.

Coleen: That's very nice. Can we talk about millenials?

Eugene: Yes.

Nancy: Yes.

Coleen: Are they buying homes now? I mean, I think I've read that oh, they're just...millennials are just renting, they're not buying, but you say they are entering the Charlotte market.

Nancy: They are starting to buy. For a long time they weren't buying. You saw them renting and spending most of their income on rent and not investing into the future, but they are starting to buy and now they really jumped into the secondary market, so they're not first time home buyers, they're buying homes that are over $300,000 rather than had they done it right out of college and tried to be under $200,000.

Eugene: So they make us even more attractive. Shouldn't we be doing any contemporary renovations or any type of things to get the house prepped up for sale?

Nancy: Absolutely. A ot of people don't have vision. Buyers you take them in and there's orange wallpaper different colors that they might be turned off and you say "It's just a can of paint" They reply, "I can't deal with that"

Nancy : So the millennials they don't know how to fix things or you know...so ...

Eugene: Is there an app for this?

Coleen: Right.

Nancy: So you know it's important to shine and it's an emotional decision for most buyers so paint is the cheapest way to make an improvement. Cleaning the home is great. Minor updates as well. It’s debatable whether they should be putting a ton of money into rehabbing the home unless you're a flipper so it really depends upon the property and your goals.

Coleen: Make it pretty and make sure it's squeaky clean .That makes a difference. How do home sellers benefit from tax advantages?

Nancy: Well, right now we still have advantages to selling the homes so that you don't have a tax on the gain from the home up to certain amounts depending upon if you're married or single. So a seller could realistically sell a home for substantially more than they paid for and not pay any taxes on those gains, so why not?

Eugene: Why not?

Nancy : In a perfect world, you'd buy a house every two years and sell and get a gain, and buy the next house because it's all tax free. Now, it depends and there are limits.

Coleen: You're so good Nancy. Thank you so much! You're offering a copy of your "Five reasons why now is the right time to sell your home" correct? Nice of you to do that. For your free copy, you can visit

perfecttimetosell.com. Go there for that free copy or you can call Nancy Braun at 704-997-3794. She's ready to help you buy or sell a home today. They are ready for you.  Nancy, thank you so much.

Eugene: Thank you, Nancy.

Nancy: Thank you.

On the verge of signing a Charlotte home for sale contract? Read this first.

After years of saving and months of planning and searching, you’re now ready to buy a home. You’ve found one you love and you’ve created a payment plan. Before you take the final steps of signing the dotted line, here are a few questions you should be asking to seal the deal.

• What is the market value of the home for sale in Charlotte? You should have been informed by your real estate agent about your market value,but if not, please ask. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to buying a home, because you want to learn as much information as you can about the home you want to make an offer to.

Sellers are aware that the home must be priced right for it to sell. But it will not hurt you to ask your REALTOR® to do a comparative market analysis. The CMA contains all the comparables in the area, so you have a good idea of what the market value of the home is.

• When was it last sold and how much did the seller pay for the home? Knowing the original value and comparing it with the current value will give you an idea about the market. If the home was sold five years ago, and the market has not drastically changed, there shouldn’t be much of a price difference.
• How long has the home been on the market? Homes that have been on the market for six months or longer typically means that it is overpriced. It can also mean the owner may be willing to negotiate and lower the price.
• Did the current owners do renovations or upgrades? The answer to this question will help you gauge how much money was used to improve the home, and how much they are expecting as ROI.
• What’s the HOA and utility cost? You want to have an idea of how much your monthly expenses will be, because you’ll also be paying a monthly mortgage.
• What’s the closing costs and will the seller help with the closing costs? You need to find out how much the closing costs are so you will not be surprised when you have to pay them at closing. Also, you need to know if the seller is willing to make concessions and pay some of the closing costs.
• What were the problems you encountered while living in this Charlotte property? Before you sign on the dotted line of the contract, ask the seller if there are issues with the home. Don’t expect the seller to disclose everything, but at least you’ll have a general idea of what to encounter when you live there.

Ask about pest infestations, flooding issues, noise, etc. If the home happens to be right by a busy street, ask if the noise level gets too bothersome.

• Do the appliances have warranties? Though the appliances look new, it is always better to know when they were bought and if they still have warranties, because you never know when they’ll stop working.

Think of it as a money-saving effort. Appliance repair is not cheap, so you need to have the warranties on hand.

When you ask the right questions, you’ll be surprised at the answers you’ll receive. From there, you can continue to move on with the transaction, or ask for more time to think about it. 

Your  home in Charlotte NC is your investment, so learn everything possible about it so you can know the best way to secure it.

Call me, Nancy Braun, at (704) 997-3794. Let me help you find the home that fits you and your financial needs.

Coleen: It's a stage of life that some of us dread and others look forward to: becoming an empty nester and one of the first things to consider is whether to downsize your home.

Eugene: Well this morning we welcome Nancy Braun with Showcase Realty to the show. Hello how are you doing today.

Nancy: Great, Good morning.

Eugene: Good.

Coleen: This is something a lot of our viewers are facing you know when the kids are leaving the house they're going off to college or getting jobs that kind of thing. It might be time to consider downsizing.

Nancy: Actually people downsize quite a few times. They don't necessarily do it once, it's kind of in stages. So they might have bought the house with the children in mind and then they wanted to be in a certain school district or they wanted a big yard or they wanted a pool. And now the house might not fit their needs for their current situation.

Eugene: You know you said the very first thing you do is consider putting your house on the market.

Nancy: Yes. So it's declutter and get your homes in a staged condition. So you know we just live in our homes. We have pets and we have lots of stuff and especially when you're downsizing you’re accumulating a lot of stuff.

Eugene: So much junk.

Nancy: That's right. That's right. So that's one of the biggest challenges people kind of freeze and say “Well I have too much stuff what am I going to do with it?”

Coleen: And I think it's a daunting task for most people when they think “We've lived here for 20 years you want me to you know we have all this stuff” How do we manage that Nancy? I mean is it selling pieces of furniture? Is it donating?

Nancy: It's all above. It's all above. So there are, we can connect our clients with different services and help them figure out you know the three piles. Am I going to donate? Am I going to sell? Or am I going to keep? Or am I going to trash out? So we can do it and it's just one room at a time. And we work through that because people they don't want to necessarily move with their boxes that they moved with before that they never opened 10 years before.

Eugene: And what do you tell people who want to sell a home but they don't want to sell too quick because they don't know if they have another place to move to? That's a big fear among people.

Nancy: That is a big fear. So there are some financial situations where they might not have the cash to be able to buy. And it's a seller's market in this area. So there are some options they can do a home equity line and pull some money out of their home or they could even pull from their IRA. They have a 60 day grace period without the tax burden on them. And there's some other things that they can talk to their accountant about. And as far as pulling money out but I'm in a situation right now where I have a client that is buying a smaller home they're downsizing and the seller is downsizing another time and they're working it out together so one is getting access before they even close. So people work with each other. So it's not insurmountable. We can figure out a way to get from one step to the other without necessarily selling their house before they move into the other house. 

Coleen: Yes don't let that be a deterrent.

Nancy: Right. I have a lot of creative options.

Coleen: I know she's a smart cookie. Yeah I know you do and your team works to make that happen. And when people are downsizing there are a lot of options to those adult active communities. Maybe it's a townhouse, townhome maybe it's a condo.

Nancy: Right. So their life has changed and they might want to be able to travel and not worry about keeping up with the landscaping and maintaining the home and being able to leave the home for a month and go on a cruise or a lot of my clients want to be in an amenities neighborhood so they can make friends. They might have bought a home with a huge lawn and they don't really know their neighbors and instead they want to be closer together so they can meet other people and have social activities and maybe go to the community pool and go do events and parties with their neighbors. So their life and their needs and their social world has changed and downsizing is a great opportunity rather being strangled by this big enormous house. 

Coleen: Yes it makes so much sense if you're looking to downsize and want to buy or sell your home. Call Nancy at Showcase Realty. The number is 704-488-3109. Again 704-488-3109. You can also visit experthomehelp.com. Again the Web site is experthomehelp.com. And that's where you'll receive a free copy of Nancy's book. It's The Ultimate No Holds Barred Guide to Selling and Buying a Home in the Carolinas. So go there to receive a free copy of Nancy Braun's book. Thank you so much you're excellent at what you do.

Light-flooded turnkey ranch home in Charlotte that celebrates space and landscape

Enjoy the privacy and retreat offered by this move-in ready, executive ranch style home that showcases space and modern amenities in every space and corner.

Nestled on 1.56 acres of wooded land, this  4 bedroom, 2.5 bathrooms, 3,748 square foot Charlotte home delivers the easy living you've been dreaming of.

You'll love its expansive front yard with mature trees, tree-lined driveway and scenic drive through its gorgeous neighborhood.

The previous owners have also ensured that this home is well-maintained. Its exteriors were painted in 2016 and the interior painted in 2017. The ceiling skylight in the breakfast room and sunroom were also replaced by the previous owners.

This real estate property offers the peace, retreat, and serenity you want, all wrapped up in a gorgeous package of space and light.

As one of the most beautiful homes in Providence Plantation, the new owners will surely appreciate all the amenities this home has.

Providence Plantation is a highly sought-after subdivision 11 miles south of uptown Charlotte.

This community is prominent for its large lot cuts, beautiful homes, excellent schools and various amenities. On top of it all, this neighborhood is known for its peace and proximity to shopping and uptown.

From this home, there are great schools, both public and private,  within a four-mile radius.

An interior that radiates warmth and elegance

Exposed bricks on the portico entrance add character to this stunning home.

Step inside the elegant front door and into an amply sized foyer flooded with natural light. High ceilings, neutral-toned walls, and skylights welcome you into this gorgeous abode.

The polished hardwood floor enhances the warmth and elegance of this spacious interior.

To the left side of the foyer is a french door that opens to the large gourmet eat-in kitchen of this Charlotte real estate.

This kitchen is designed to impress! It features immaculate countertops, a huge center island, stainless steel appliances like the GE profile gas stove and oven bought in 2008, a pantry, and loads of storage spaces.

Under counter lights, recessed lighting and imported Italian hand-blown glass lights above add sophistication and style, creating a magazine-page worthy kitchen.

Across the kitchen is a good-sized space for a breakfast nook. There's also a chef's built in desk at the corner, a great spot for planning meals and inspiring party-worthy meals.

Meal times become more exciting when you are surrounded by great food and the wonderful company of friends.

For large gatherings and celebrations, the formal dining room of this home is the right space.

Large windows let light stream into this elegant dining room that can comfortably fit a six person dining table and chairs.

Past the French doors, the hallway opens to a fabulously spaced living room with vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and a wood burning fireplace with a towering brick mantle.

Moroccan style panels add charm and character to this already stunning room.

This spacious living area is a great spot for rest and relaxation. Feel your stress drain away as you enjoy the warmth of the fireplace while relaxing on the sofa.

If you love to entertain, this vast living room will easily be your guest’s favorite space.

Adjacent to the living room is a beautiful sunroom with custom glass door insert and lots of windows overlooking the private backyard. Two skylights along with the glass windows allow plenty of natural light in this room.

This sunroom is the perfect place to entertain indoors at any season.

In spring and summer, you have a wonderful view of the thick lush foliage of the deep woods. Fall brings an array of warm colors from yellow to red, and the winter view offers a sense of calm and serenity.

More living spaces to enjoy!

Another special feature of this fantastic home for sale in Charlotte is its spacious den.

If there is a room in this house specially designed for your guests, this is it! It features vaulted ceiling, large windows, a wood burning fireplace, and a custom full bar and sink, perfect for entertaining.

Need a home office? This home has one, and its ready for you and your furniture. Carpet floors complement the neutral toned walls, giving you that professional office look.

A master suite with a rustic feel

Need a private sanctuary? You’ll love what this home offers.

The master bedroom is large and has vaulted ceilings with exposed beams and a walk-in closet with California style organizers. Large windows overlook the greenery, giving you a great view every morning.

Set with the most comfortable bed, it will deliver you restful nights and great sleep.

The master bathroom is just as lovely with its granite counters, heated floors, shower with multi jets and garden soaking tub with jets.

Look forward to indulging in some self-pampering at the end of the day in this luxurious bathroom that can rival a five-star hotel.

A large deck overlooking a private backyard

A great home wouldn’t be complete without a fantastic outdoor retreat, and this Charlotte home delivers!

This vast deck overlooks the large spacious flat backyard bordered with trees, giving you the privacy you want.

If you love having guests over, an outdoor barbecue grill would be a wonderful addition to this deck.

Host family gatherings and holiday parties on this fabulously spaced backyard.