Here is a Schedule of events happed in and around Charlotte Motor Speedway during Race week:

If you are looking for more events, check out the 600 Festival- Food Lion Speed Street Event:

Maybe you are looking to meet and greet a few different NASCAR drivers and other celebrities, check out their appearance schedule below!

Make sure to take advantage of all the great events going on around town in preparation for the Coke 600 on Sunday evening at 6PM at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Learn more about Speed Street here.

Don't miss this beautiful south Charlotte home in a great location!

MLS#: 2153634
5 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom all located in Cobblestone, near Ballantyne.

“Beautiful and spacious home. Large open kitchen with breakfast room overlooking park like backyard and peaceful pond. Enjoy the outdoors from the screened porch or patio. Bedroom and office on the main floor has access to a full bath. Easily walk to YMCA and close to Ballantyne, Stonecrest and Blakeney shopping. In the sought after Ardrey Kell High School district”

Cobblestone School Information:
Elementary School: Hawk Ridge Elementary School
Middle School: Community House Middle School
High School: Ardrey Kell High School

Cobblestone Real Estate Market Statistics:
Number of active single family listings in Cobblestone: 2
Average listing price for all active single family listings in Cobblestone: $372,400

The number of closed sales in Cobblestone has increased 100% over the last 12 months to 8 closed sales.

The average sales price for homes in Cobblestone have increased 24.2% over the last 12 months to $263,625.

The average number of days on the market for homes in Cobblestone has increased 16.1% over the last 12 months to 125 days.

The months supply of inventory for homes in Cobblestone has increased to 1.2 months during the last 12 months.

For more information on this property contact Peggy Leo-Gallo. To learn more about Peggy, click here.

Kitchen:

• Add a bright fun back splash between the counter tops and cabinets: you can do it on the focal wall, just above the stove or throughout the entire space! Many brands now come with an easy install option, and an affordable price, so in one weekend you can give the space a complete face lift.
• Change out the hardware on your cabinets: This simple swap will have you feeling like you’re in a brand new space in no time! Try something more bright an fun like a patterned knob from Anthorpologie or Hobby Lobby, or maybe you just want to change the finish from brass to brushed nickel.
  

• Bring in fresh flowers: Spring time is the perfect time to brighten up your home with bright fun flowers. Most grocery stores have great deals on bright wild flowers or spring daisies and hydrangeas, and fresh arrangements can really brighten up your space!

Dining Room:

• Swap out those placemats and napkins: If you are into playful and fun placemats, spring is a great time to use them to spice up the décor! This is a really inexpensive way to play with pattern and color without making a commitment in a room! Pair placemats and napkins together that you usually wouldn’t and try taking a risk!
  

Office:

• Brighten the bookcases: Add a wall paper, solid color, or painted pattern on the back wall of a bookcase for a fun pop of color! This will really brighten the room and bring the focal point to a new place in the room! If your office is more of a serious space, consider adding a map design or a leather textured wall paper.
  

Bedrooms:

• Grab a few new throw pillows: Accent pillows are a great way to change the look of a room. You can even recover the ones you have! Just changing the focal accent color in any room can make a huge difference you could even highlight the brighter colors in the design for spring and the more muted earth tones for fall and winter, that way you always feel like you are getting a fresh new take on the space!
  
• Paint the dressers: Another great way to freshen up a room is to change one of the larger pieces of furniture. This doesn’t mean you have to buy something brand new, just repurpose what you already have, maybe go from dark to light and add some different knobs, a few bucks can go a long way in making a big difference in the space!

Bathrooms:

• Switch the Linens: Changing out the colors of your bathroom linens, especially if you keep them in an open storage system, like a wall rack or a basket, will really brighten the room, especially if you leave out hand towels by the sink, or unused towels on the towel racks on the wall. Changing out the bath mats and rugs can also make a huge difference in making the room seem more light and airy, especially in smaller spaces, those lighter and bright colors will give the illusion of more open space.
  

Living Room/ Family Room:

• Swap the Shades: Make slight adjustments to your decorative lighting by giving your lamp shades a face lift, you can pick out a new shape or color OR you can just update the ones you have by adding cording, beading, or some ribbon onto the  edges!
• Hang new drapes: Think about moving away from your heavy linen and lined drapes for the spring and summer months. Switching to a sheer, or a patterned/embroidered sheer with make the room feel much lighter and way more airy.
  

Other Ideas:

• A fresh coat of paint goes a long way to brighten a room, even if it’s the same color, ridding the walls of smudges, and dirt that may have collected over time with open and lighten the space.
• Consider painting the ceilings, you don’t realize how discolored they become over time, and the closer you can get them to a crisp, clean, white, the larger the rooms will feel because the ceiling won’t feel like its creeping down on top of you!
• A bright new area rug can also change the look and feel of the room. It can highlight new colors and even inspire a new room layout!

These simple changes are sure to help keep those hard earned dollars in your pocket, while helping you get a new look fit for the seasons! Make sure to check out more ideas and tips in our reference articles or check out some of the ideas we have been pinning on our home décor boards!

Sources:
6 Quick And Cheap Ways To Give Your Home A Spring Makeover – Scott Garner – Realtor.com

9 Simple DIY Weekend Decorating Projects – Scott Garner – Realtor.com

Staging to sell or Stay in Spring- Frontdoor.com

Check out this beautiful home in Woodhall! For more photos of this property click on the image above!

MLS#: 2153568
5 Bedroom, 4.5 Bathroom, located in Woodhall, in Waxhaw, NC!

“WOW!! Magnificent Home on Breathtaking Grounds overlooking a Peaceful Pond! Attention to Detail at it’s finest for this Pristine Home! Grand Entertaining Rooms, Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen, and Second Living Quarters. Gorgeous Master Suite opens to Terrace overlooking manicured Acreage. Separate Drive to 3 Car Detached Garage features plumbed expansion space. This is a MUST SEE!”

Woodhall School Information:
Elementary School: Sandy Ridge Elementary School
Middle School: Marvin Ridge Middle School
High School: Marvin Ridge High School

Woodhall Real Estate Market Statistics:
Number of active single family listings in Woodhall: 4
Average listing price for all active single family listings in Woodhall: $924,625

The number of closed sales in Woodhall has increased 20% over the last 12 months to 6 closed sales.

The average sales price for homes in Woodhall has decreased 19.8% over the last 12 months to $818,350.

The average number of days on the market for homes in Woodhall has increased 5.3% over the last 12 months to 140 days

The Months supply of inventory for homes in Woodhall has decreased 42.8% over the last 12 months to a 1.4 month supply of homes.

For more information on this listing contact Joel Bennett. To learn more about Joel, click here.

Saturday May 18, 2013

11296 Ballantyne Crossing Avenue – Charlotte, NC 28277
MLS#: 2148703

Join us for an open house from 2-4PM on Saturday May 18.

2026 Manor Mill Road – Charlotte NC 28226
MLS#: 2152919

Join us for an open house from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM on Saturday May 18th.

1009 Gainsborough Drive  Matthews, NC 28014
MLS#: 2124267

Join us for an open house from 1-3Pm on Saturday May 18th.

7363 Laurel Valley Road Charlotte, NC 28273
MLS#: 2133497

Join us for an open house from 2-4PM on Saturday May 18th.

Sunday May 19, 2013

5325 Piper Glen Drive   Charlotte, NC 28277
MLS#: 2139844

Join us for an open house from 2-4PM on Sunday May 19th.

1624 Club Road   Charlotte, NC 28205
MLS#: 2149985

Join us for an open house from 2-4PM on Sunday May 19th.

831 Henley Place   Charlotte, NC 28207
MLS#: 2153636

Join us for an open house from 1-4PM on Sunday May 19th.

For changes,  updates, and more information on our open houses, check here.

1. Where do you see yourself (or your family) in five years?
   Buying a home is not a temporary deal: unlike renting you cannot walk away from your mortgage after a year with little financial obligation. If you think you may be changing jobs, or you are finishing up a degree or some type of training program that may require you to relocate in the short term, purchasing may not be for you. Getting into a mortgage will be more lucrative for you in the long-term so try to think longevity.
2. How does your credit look?
   It’s important to know about your credit, and potentially your partner’s credit if you plan to co-borrow on a loan. Credit plays a huge role in your mortgage amount, so if you are talking about buying make sure you are managing what debt you have, if any, and work to maintain and improve your credit score.
3. Can we afford all the expenses of homeownership?
   Homeownership is more than making your monthly mortgage payments, you are now responsible for home and yard maintenance, home repairs and improvements, and all bills associated with living in the home, which may have been covered for you in previous rental agreements. All of these things can put a major dent in your reserve funds. It’s also really important not to over-commit by draining your savings or borrowing from family to be able to afford your first home. On the upside, when you get a fixed mortgage it will be consistent, unlike rent which can rise annually.
4. How is the market where you live?
   Its important to be up-to-date on the local market trends. You need to know what houses are selling for in the areas you are interested in vs. what you can afford, and you need to know if the market is stable or if it tends to fluctuate on a regular basis. It’s also key to keep up with home inventory levels, as this can have a huge impact on selling price of homes. The best way to find all of this market information is to contact a real estate agent.
5. What is your exit strategy?
   In an ideal world we all like to think that we will stay in the new home we purchased for many years, at least long enough to keep you from losing money on the deal, but things change. You need to be prepared for a swift exit if you (or your partner) get(s) a new job, loses a job, has a family emergency that requires you to move, etc. It’s important to talk about how you would handle these events up-front so you are prepared to deal with them should they arise. Will you sell first, then buy? Or, can you float multiple mortgage payments for a period of time? Is renting an option if you are unable to sell quickly. All of these are options you need to be willing to weigh in the event that life happens, as it often does.
6. What is our lifestyle?
   Thinking about how you live your day to day life and what you need in your home to do this is key in making a decision. If you travel a lot for work, or work late hours and don’t have time for much home maintenance, you need to consider your lot size, floor plan, etc. Also, if you plan to entertain, or like to have overnight guests, you want to make sure the home can accommodate those things. Your new home should be an extension of your lifestyle. Making sure it has all the right elements is key to staying happy in your new space.

Once all of these points have been discussed you are well on your way to making a sound decision in your first home purchase. You want to make sure you know exactly what you are getting into, financially, as well as personally, and using these exploratory questions will help get you on the right track. After all, you can only buy your first home once, and don’t you want to love it? Check back next Friday to learn about some of the most common mistakes made by first time buyers.

Source: Rent Vs. Buy: Six Questions Newlyweds Need To Ask by Deidre Woollard – Realtor.com

Make sure you check out this great home on Montford Drive! To see more photos of this property, click on the image above.

MLS#: 2153348
3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms all located in Madison Park

“Charming home in Madison Park. Completely updated 3 bedroom  2 bathroom with eat-in kitchen that opens onto a large deck overlooking private fenced backyard.”

Madison Park Real Estate Market Statistics:
Number of active single family listings in Madison Park: 12
Average listing price for all active single family homes in Madison Park: $252,706

The number of closed sales in Madison Park has increased 47.8% over the last 12 months to 102 days.

the average sales price for homes in Madison Park has increased 0.2% over the last 12 months to $193,107.

The average number of days on the market for homes in Madison Park has increased 3% over the last 12 months to 136 days.

The Months supply of inventory for homes in Madison Park has decreased 59.4% over the last 12 months to a 3.8 months supply of home.

For more information on this property contact Brock Norris. For more information on Brock, click here!

Well, have you considered using the driving tour feature on the Helen Adams Website? By using this feature you can select some of your favorite homes and save them to the driving tour, then select a starting location, and Google will map the tour for you, and give you written directions all from our website!! Here’s how you can set up your tour!

On our homepage click onto the quick search box and add in the parameters of your search, such as area, price range, number of bed rooms and bathrooms, etc. Once you have personalized this to your preferences, click search and you will come to a results page that looks similar to the on below.

As you look through the search results you can click on the address to expand the box and view more information and photos about the homes that are listed for you. As you are looking you can add homes to your favorites OR you can add them to your driving tour by clicking on the images at the bottom of the listing.

Once you have added your favorite homes to your driving tour, you can click on the tab at the bottom of the page that reads “driving tour” to review all your selections, or if you add one by accident or change your mind along the way, you can delete them here!

Once you’re ready to get your directions click the green arrow in the pop-up menu that says “view and print map of driving tour.” Once you click this you will be taken to your Google generated map, you will be asked to select a starting location and provide the address. It might be great to include your office, or your child’s school here so you can get a feel for the drive. You can also rearrange the tour order by changing the numbers in the drop down menu.

Once you have everything set up for your tour, and everything is in the proper order, click get directions to refresh the map. Once the map and directions are complete,  you can email them out to someone OR you can print them out and take them along with you! Location is key to finding the right place for you (and your family) while you are house hunting, so make sure you take advantage of the simple tool to help ease your search process!

You don't want to miss this great Huntersville home! To see more photos of this property, click on the image above.

MLS#: 2152096
4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms all located in Cedarfield off Gilead Road in Huntersville.

“Lovely home with rocking chair porch. 2 story foyer, formals, kitchen with updated appliances opens to greatroom with fireplace. Many improvements. Exterior painted 2012. Private wooded backyard.”

Cedarfield School Information:
Elementary School: Torrence Creek Elementary School
Middle School: Bradley Middle Shcool
High School: Hopewell High School

Cedarfield Real Estate Market Statistics:
Number of new single family listings in Cedarfield (on the market less than 10 days): 2
Average listing price for all active single family listings in Cedarfield: $213,812

The number of closed sales in Cedarfield has increased 13.9% over the last 12 months to 41 closed sales.

The average sales price for homes in Cedarfield has increased 5.8% over the last 12 months to $187,568

The average number of days on the market for homes in Cedarfield has decreased 25% over the last 12 months to 106 days.

The months supply of inventory for homes in Cedarfiled has decreased 53.1% over the last 12 months to a 4.1 month supply of homes.

For more information on this listing contact Nancy Tate. To learn more about Nancy, click here.

Rebecca Madej, of our partner Cunningham and Company fills us in on how long you have to wait before jumping back in.

Rebecca:

“How soon after a short sale can I purchase a home?” Now there’s a popular question.   The answer is: it depends.

With FHA financing a borrower may purchase a new home as long as the mortgage and other installment debts were current for the 12 months preceding the short sale.  If the borrower was in default at the time of the short sale they cannot purchase for three years following the sale.    A lender may make exception to this rule if the default was for extenuating circumstances beyond the borrower’s control.  Keep in mind that a borrower is not eligible for a FHA loan if they pursued a short sale simply to take advantage of a declining housing market and/or to purchase a similar or superior property in the same area.

Conventional loans will allow for a borrower to purchase a primary residence two years after the short sale completion date if their down payment is ≥20% and the short sale was caused by extenuating circumstances.  If the short sale was a result of financial mismanagement then four years must pass.

VA financing will allow for a new home purchase after two years have passed since a short sale and with USDA loans it’s three years.

So if you or a client has a short sale in their past, please know a new home purchase isn’t impossible.

“How soon after a foreclosure can I purchase a home?” The answer again: it depends.  As a general rule and assuming a positive credit history since the foreclosure:

Conventional loans will allow for a borrower to purchase a primary residence 3 to 7 years depending on whether the foreclosure was a result of extenuating circumstances or financial mismanagement.  Per Fannie Mae extenuating circumstances are “nonrecurring events that are beyond the borrower’s control that result in a sudden, significant, and prolonged reduction in income or a catastrophic increase in financial obligations.” Borrowers would also have to provide documentation to support the extenuating circumstances such as a divorce decree, medical reports/bills, notice of job layoff, etc.

With FHA and USDA financing a borrower may purchase a new home 3 years from the date of the foreclosure sale.

VA financing is the most lenient because they will allow for a new home purchase after two years have passed since a foreclosure.

Keep in mind that these are general time frames and the clock doesn’t start on the ‘recovery period’ until the foreclosure is finalized, not when the borrower moved out, was served foreclosure papers, etc.    A previous foreclosure doesn’t make future home ownership impossible, you just need to understand the options. For more information, Contact me, I’m here to help.

Rebecca Madej

Follow Rebecca’s blog at: http://rebeccamadej.com/blog or sign up for her weekly email newsletter to keep up on all the important mortgage/financing topics.