Open House in Ballantyne Country Club!

OPEN HOUSE! No appointment needed, just stop by! The open house will take place this Sunday, June 28th from 1PM-3PM. The address is: 11506 James Jack Ln, Charlotte NC 28277. Come check out this BEAUTIFUL home in Ballantyne Country Club and see what it has to offer.

11506 James Jack Lane is a beautiful 3-story home located in Charlotte, N.C. Nestled in the Ballantyne Country Club subdivision, this executive home overlooks the 14th green and has newly refinished hardwoods in all of the formal entertaining rooms. The master suite is conveniently located on the first floor and is complete with a large sitting area and a fireplace.

The finished basement has been newly remodeled and offers additional entertaining space with a custom wet bar and a fully covered patio. Another master suite is located on this level as well, which is a plus for the homeowners and any guests they have.

       

James Jack Lane is listed at $1,025,000 and has 5 additional bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms and 2 half baths. This home is a must see! There will be an open house on Sunday, June 28th, 2015 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. If you have any additional questions, contact Showcase Realty at 704.997.3790.

8024 Juniper Court, Indian Trail, NC

HUD Home of the Week – 414 Leander

HUD Home of the Week

414 Leander Street is a very charming 1-story home in Shelby, North Carolina that is an incredible deal at only $66,800, more than 43,000 below tax value.

The home has a cozy front porch, is more than 18 hundred square feet and sits on a third of an acre with lots of mature trees. This is a 3-bedroom 2-bath home with many interior period details. It features hardwood floors, a fireplace and crown molding throughout. The home has an open kitchen, tons of natural light, a bonus room and an unfinished basement perfect for extra storage. It has easy access to HWY (74) and is close to dining and entertainment in Shelby.

For more information on how to purchase this HUD home contact Showcase Realty today at 704-997-3794 or visit our website at Showcaserealty.net

Showcase Realty Holds Safety Training Workshop for Real Estate Agents

How to stay safe when showing a property?
It’s 5pm on a Friday and you are showing your last property of the day. A man appears. He becomes persistent to come inside. His voice gets louder and he pushes you inside the home and slams the door. Do you know what to do? Do you know how to protect yourself?Continue reading

Charlotte homes see drop in negative equity

Charlotte homes see drop in negative equity

Courtesy of the Mecklenburg TIMES

By: Roberta Fuchs January 13, 2015

The number of the Charlotte area’s mortgaged homes with negative equity fell to 6.8 percent in the third quarter of 2014 from 8.4 percent in third quarter 2013, according to CoreLogic.

 

The third-quarter 2014 figure rose slightly, however, from the second quarter of 2014, when 6.7 percent, or 31,652, of the homes in the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord metropolitan statistical area carried negative equity. In the third quarter, that figure was 32,244 homes.

 

Negative equity means that borrowers owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. The situation can occur because of a decline in real estate value, an increase in mortgage debt, or a combination of both.

 

The CoreLogic report found that an additional 3 percent of area homeowners with a mortgage in the third quarter had near-negative equity, or less than 5 percent equity in their homes. The number of Charlotte area homes in near-negative equity decreased from the previous year, when 4.1 percent of homeowners with a mortgage had less than 5 percent equity in their properties.

 

The number of mortgages that were near negative equity in the second quarter of 2014 was 2.9 percent.

 

John Chesser, senior analyst at UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, says he believes the year-over-year decline in negative and near-negative equity reflects the steady recovery in the overall housing market, and strong growth in the local employment rate, which has boosted Charlotte-area home sales.

 

“The rise in negative equity during the recession was a natural consequence of the rapid drop in home values,” Chesser said. “Now, lending is tighter, so new home purchases result in a more solid equity position for purchasers and the overall rise in prices is helping reduce the negative equity situation that existing owners have been in over the last few years.”

 

Nancy Braun, owner and broker-in-charge of Showcase Realty in Charlotte’s South End, agrees. She attributes the drop in negative equity to a strong appreciation in housing prices, which is a reflection of the local economy.

 

“Plus,” she said, “We still have investors purchasing in the Charlotte-area market, which has bumped up prices as well. Low inventory is also boosting higher offers.”

Continue reading at The Mecklenburg TIMES

Showcase Launches Real Estate Web Video Series

Nancy Braun Launches Real Estate Web Video Series

 

HowstheMarketTV.com Delivers Real Estate News and Information

HowstheMarketTV.com is set to deliver local, regional and national real estate news and information on the web.  The new video series is scheduled to distribute original content weekly focusing on current news, breaking developments, and the latest trends in real estate.

Nancy Braun, Owner and Broker in Charge of Showcase Realty launched the new web series with the mission to entertain, empower, and inform listeners with real answers to their real estate questions. Every episode is designed to provide listeners with a fresh perspective on market conditions, answers to common real estate and home improvement questions, and insider secrets taken from her 18 years of personal experience as a Realtor. The HowstheMarketTV.com web series will also offer down-to-earth conversations with area professionals, show partners and special guests.

HousingWire ranked Showcase Realty 46^th in the nation among a very elite group of firms for their fastest growing companies report, HousingWire Fast50™. Showcase Realty is the only company in North Carolina and the only real estate brokerage firm to rank in the Housing Wire Fast50™ for 2014.

“No matter where I go, or who I talk to, the same question always comes up; ‘How’s the market?’ It’s the question on everyone’s mind who is thinking of buying or selling real estate, and it was a natural fit for the show,” says Braun.

With this unique format, Braun aims to make real estate accessible to the average buyer and seller as well as Realtors and real estate professionals. The web series will feature monthly appearances from show partners and will continue to grow in 2015 with additional partners and sponsors.

Laurie Baker, Attorney with Baker Law, lends her legal experience to the show by educating buyers and sellers on what to expect at closing. Jim Potter, President of Old Towne Development, brings a wealth of knowledge on how to increase home value with repairs and renovations.

Each episode of HowstheMarketTV.com is also available as a podcast with new shows uploaded every week.

Nancy Braun opened Showcase Realty in 2008 with one full-time assistant and a part-time bookkeeper, just before the Charlotte housing market crashed. Weathering the storm, today Showcase Realty sells more than one home every 16 hours, for a total of 527 properties in 2013. Located at 1430 S. Mint St. in the Historic South End district, Showcase is committed to selling homes and surpassing customer expectations with professional service, personally delivered. For more information visit Showcaserealty.net.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

HowstheMarketTV.com – HUD Homes

HUD Homes: The Biggest Deal You Don’t Know About

Buying a HUD home is certainly one of the best real estate deals available. HUD homes are actually properties owned by HUD, the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These are homes where the owner failed to pay an FHA backed loan and resulted in a foreclosure. These properties are now back on the market for sale, often at a great price.

However, before buying a HUD home here are three very important tips:

1. Find an experienced Realtor. Purchasing HUD homes involves a lot of details; rules for investors vs home owners. When bidding on a HUD home homeowners that plan on occupying the home will have a slight advantage or real estate investors.  An experienced Realtor can guide you through the bidding process.

1. Understand Your Financing Options. One of the most economical ways to purchase a HUD home is through the $100 down program. Conventional loans can also be used as well as 203-B programs or the 203k loans.

1. Properties sold AS IS. Unlike typical homes for sale on the market where you may have the opportunity to negotiate for repairs cost. This is not the case with HUD homes. What you see is what you get. So do your homework, make a licensed contractor part of your team and make sure to get a honest estimate on repair costs. Some HUD homes only require minor cosmetic repairs. Other properties could have extensive and perhaps hidden repairs.

Watch the video           Listen to the Podcast

If you’re ready to buy a HUD Home give us a call at Showcase Realty 704-440-0007 and our team will be happy to assist you with your next home purchase. And remember, for every home bought or sold with Showcase Realty, we make a donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Charlotte.

Just give me a call, Nancy Braun at Showcase Realty 704-440-0007

And for more valuable information like you’ve heard on today’s show go to HowstheMarketTV.com You can look at more videos, previous podcasts, and get valuable tips with our easy to download free reports about buying or selling a home. Just go to HowstheMarketTV.com and click free HUD Buyers Guide.

Showcase Realty’s Julius Green a Real Estate Rising Star

Showcase Broker Julius Green Rising Star

Showcase Realty broker Julius Green was selected as a Real Estate Rising Star! by the Charlotte Observer’s home|design. Julius, a Kansas City native, enjoys the hustle and bustle of Uptown and is carving his niche in University City, Mint Hill and South Charlotte areas. “I’m into real estate for the smiles on the faces of homeowners when I hand them the keys to their new home,” says Julius, who closed on his first property with Showcase in less than 60 days.

home|design will honor rising star recipients at Chima Brazalian Steakhouse Tuesday, November 18^th 6p,-7:30pm. A profile of the Showcase Realty rising star Julius Green will be published in the December 6^th issue of Charlotte Observer home|design.

Congratulations to Showcase Realty broker Julius Green on this prestigious honor.

Trulia’s Top 10 Agents You Love to Hate

10. The agent who’s dangerously walking that “ethical” line.
9. The agent that doesn’t anticipate potential problems.
8. The agent that tries to be a big bully.
7. The agent who doesn’t focus on the details.
6. The agent that quotes crazy high prices to win a listing.
5. The agent that avoids (okay, ignores) every call and email.
4. The agent that forgets everything and anything.
3. The agent that always over promises and under delivers.
2. The agent that misses all of the contract deadlines. And doesn’t know it.
1. The agent that could use a little more training.

Click here to read more

Study: N.C. Ranks No. 3 in Business Environment

Study: N.C. Ranks No. 3 in Business Environment

The state of North Carolina ranked No. 3 in business environment by Development Counselors International, a New York based firm that ranks national economic development. In a recent study more than 300 corporate executives gave their opinion on the cities, states and regions with the best climate for future business development. The top five states with the best overall business environment were:

1. Texas
2. Florida
3. Georgia and North Carolina (tie)
4. South Carolina
5. Tennessee

News like this could influence business and political leaders to not only continue what North Carolina has been doing right to garner such praise, but to double down on key data points that appear to spur business growth and development. Many realtors know that a healthy economy often creates an equally healthy demand for more housing. Developers in Charlotte are rushing to build Uptown housing units, apartments, and luxury condos. Seasoned real estate brokers will take note of this growth spurt and position themselves for the ripple effect caused by this wave of economic development and growth.

The top five regional or community economic development groups ranked by “best in class” included:

1. Kansas City Area Development Council
2. Charlotte Regional Partnership, Columbus 2020 (tie)
3. Greater Phoenix Economic Council
4. Greater Houston partnership, Nashville Chamber of Commerce (tie)