Tips for Today’s New Home Buyers

The good news is that if you are in the market today for a new home in North Carolina, current pricing and long-term costs are at historical lows. And don’t forget, you can take advantage of the $8,000 new buyer tax credit and way low financing rates.

According to CarolinaLiving.com, if you are looking for a new home, the following is what the Carolinas’ real estate experts advise:

1. Know Your Motivations. Think through both your short- and long-term motivations. Write down a list of your “must haves” then rank and share with your Realtor.

2. A Professional Realtor Makes a Difference. Insist on a licensed Realtor who has earned Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) credentials. Ask for and speak to references. Inquire about foreclosures and short sale opportunities in the neighborhoods on your list.

3. Organize Your Finances. Set your budget and get financing lined up in writing. Count on 20 percent down to get the most favorable rates. Plan on holding for at least five to seven years. Calculate points and closing costs.

4. Think Ahead. If you’re buying in a new community with unfinished roads and “promised” amenities, ask to review their HUD filing, Infrastructure Bond, or other written guarantee of completion.

5. Do Your Research. Read up on the town and region. Plan vacations around your search. Spend some time in the County Courthouse for some objective information on recent sales.

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6. Get to Know the Area. Tour, explore, and go out of your way to meet informed neighbors. Visit the local schools, whether you have children or not, as it’s a good indication of value. Drive the property at different times of day and night checking for noise, traffic, light pollution, etc.

7. Make Offers. Cash is always king. Paper is cheap. So be prepared to make numerous cash and non-cash offers that are less than the listed price, but not frivolous.

8. Homesites Require Planning. If you’re looking to buy a homesite or land and build your dream home, then you need to be prepared to work with a community developer, architect and builder. Or, find a Realtor Land Institute member who has earned Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) credentials and specializes in assisting land buyers.

9. Consider Spec Homes. Consider a new construction spec home where you get to make all the selections on interior and exterior of a home that comes with fresh warranties.

10. Buy Green. Buying a green, energy efficient home is a great way to protect your investment and improve your health. “Green mortgages,” offered by some lenders on new green homes, often feature a reduced down payment and other valuable terms based on calculated energy savings.

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A special thanks to these Carolina experts who contributed to the CarolinaLiving.com article: Mike Brazeal, Bright’s Creek; Wilson Green, Echelon Sales; Allen Jezouit, Redstone Properties; Donna Sue Jones & Deronda Lucas, Shumaker Homes; Dan Kingsbury, Lake Carolina; Mark Knopic, LongCreek Plantation; Lisa Randolph, High South Realty; Kristen Anthony & Debbie Holland, CarolinaLiving.com.

Your New Home in Durham, NC

Brightleaf at the Park (Ridge) is a master-planned community in Durham with great amenities intertwined with natural areas. Durham is a colorful, creative and entrepreneurial community and is the proud home of Research Triangle Park, Duke and North Carolina Central universities.

The community of Brightleaf is minutes from I-540 and Research Triangle Park and also close to downtown Durham and Raleigh. Three major malls at the Glenwood Avenue retail corridor in Raleigh are nearby, for shopping, dining and entertainment.

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Brightleaf Ridge features homes with crawl space foundations and granite kitchen counters. Other great features include smooth 9" ceilings (per plan), brushed nickel lighting and hardware.

The Davenport model (2,535 Sq. Ft.) has 3-6 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a 2-car garage. It is priced from $269,900.

Enter your Davenport new home…

…through optional elegant French doors leading into the living room/study…

…notice the natural light streaming through the windows in the breakfast area and the open two story family room complete with media niches…

…step into the optional sunroom or screened porch and feel right at home, or use that space to add a 5th bedroom suite…

…find plenty of room in the owner’s suite and bath upstairs, plus 2 bedrooms and the expansive bonus room…

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Have a growing family? Add a rec room or one or two additional bed/bath suites, or expand the owner’s retreat to include a sitting area.

Brightleaf community amenities include a clubhouse, sports complex and several miles of rustic trails.

The Club at Brightleaf includes the 15-acre "Tim Wilkison Signature Facility", a sports complex which includes tennis, swim, and fitness facilities. The club has, as its centerpiece, a 5,500 square foot clubhouse where, you'll find a snack bar, fitness room, Yoga and Pilates room and a child watch area. Personal trainers are on staff to help create the best workout for you.

Several miles of rustic trails accomodate hikers and mountain bikers alike. The trail system interconnects all of the villages and amenities within Brightleaf. You'll also find a pond, sculptures and wildlife preservation areas.

Brightleaf is waiting for you to call it home…

Acclaimed as one of the most livable large cities in America, Charlotte is thriving with exceptional quality of life, a diverse, vibrant economy, and a very favorable climate. As the home of the “New South,” it is a dynamic city that combines world-class amenities with Southern hospitality. It is also the nation's second largest banking and financial center and the headquarters of seven Fortune 500 companies.

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Check out some upcoming March events in Charlotte:

Curious George Live! - March 12-14

Don't miss this new musical! Starring in his own original, live musical, stage production and for the first time touring arena and theater stages throughout the country, Curious George is on a mission to help Chef Pisghetti win a world-famous meatball competition. This adventure takes him to Rome and The Golden Meatball Contest. With every swing and flip, George takes the audience through a fun-filled, entertaining story with lots of music and dance that the whole family will enjoy.

Charlotte Goes Green – St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 13

Everyone is Irish for the Day! The annual festival features live Irish music, Irish dancers, pipe bands, a children's amusement area, Irish, Celtic & other vendors and lots of food and beverages, so come hungry. There's no admission fee to the festival. The parade starts at 11:00am on Tryon Street, beginning at 9th Street and ending at 3rd Street. There are over 100 pipe & drum bands, Irish dancers, floats, animals and more! Over 50,000 spectators watched the parade last year.

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Irish Tenors with the Charlotte Symphony - March 19

Since joining forces in 1998, The Irish Tenors have sold millions of CDs, mixing contemporary music with timeless tunes like Danny Boy, My Wild Irish Rose, and Fields of Athenry. Highly charismatic performers, the singers have thrilled audiences around the globe, and in the United States, the Tenors are one of the most successful Irish touring acts ever, second only to U2.

Harlem Globetrotters - March 20

The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters are bringing their 2010 World Tour to Time Warner Cable Arena. Now in their 84th consecutive season of touring the world, the Globetrotters showcase a captivating assortment of trick shots, high-flying dunks, and ball handling wizardry with a side-splitting array of comedy guaranteed to entertain both the young and the young at heart.

“Jersey Boys” - Beginning March 31

”Too good to be true!” raves the New York Post for "Jersey Boys," the 2006 Tony Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide all before they were 30!

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Life in Charlotte is enhanced by great southern cuisine, excellent schools, more than 100 golf courses, 15,000 acres of parks, two major recreational lakes and a safe environment for the whole family.

If you are looking for a new home in the Charlotte area, visit www.SheaHomes.com to view some amazing properties. Shea Homes North Carolina also has new communities in the following areas: Apex, Burlington, Cary, Charlotte, Concord, Durham, Huntersville, Indian Trail, Mint Hill and Waxhaw.