Remodeling a home is a huge aspect of real estate. When you buy a new home, you may want to change something that doesn’t fit you or your lifestyle. Perhaps you’ve lived in your home for years and your needs and/or wants have changed. No matter what the case, remodeling your house can the perfect solution.

If you’re doing small repairs, some things you can do yourself. For those that you don’t know how to or want to do, please feel free to use our Gotta Guy Recommended Contractor list. This way, you can find the right guy for the job. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, email us and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

If you’re doing a massive repair job and want to higher or a contractor, here are some good tips for you.

1. Get three or more written estimates from good, solid contractors.
2. Get references and actually call to check on the work they did. If you get time, stop in and see it for yourself.
3. Check with the Chamber of Commerce for any complaints. Ask around - Murphy is a small town! If folks were treated bad by someone, they’ll let you know.
4. Be sure the contract says what exactly is to be done for the job and how changes will done.
5. Make as small of a down payment as you can in the even the contractor fails to complete the job. “Milestone” payments may also work well so long as they are not too large. You want to keep the contractor’s interests the same as yours.
6. Be sure the contractor pulls all the correct permits, is licenses, and has insurance.
7. Have the timeline in the contract that states when work will be completed and what recourse you have if it’s not finished on time.
8. Find out if the contractor’s workers will do the job or if subcontractors will be hired to do certain parts.
9. Have an agreement for the contractor to indemnify you if the work doesn’t meet building codes and/or other regulations.
10. Have in the agreement for the contractor to be responsible for cleaning up the site and be responsible for any damage done.
11. Have a guarantee that the materials used fit the specifications you set.
12. Do not make final payment till the job is fully completed and you are satisfied.

Remember that the contract is an agreement between you and the contractor and it will be a give and take until you both are satisfied. If you made sure you got the right person for the job from the beginning, you’ll be able to enjoy your new renovation for years to come.

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-687-7496 – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com -The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX Mountain Properties in the Mountains of Murphy, NC

When you’re getting a home inspection on a home you’re buying in Murphy, NC, it simply makes “good sense.” In fact, I commonly equate it to buying a Carfax Report when you’re purchasing a car – you hope you’re throwing your money away, but if there’s something that pops up, you’ll be glad you did it.

Home inspectors commonly go through a home and check a variety of items. A few of the items they check on while going through your future home can be: appliances, electrical outlets, light fixtures, heating and air conditioning systems, possibly the water, radon, commodes, water heater, and much more.

Base cost for most home inspections is $350 and can go up from there based on the size of the home and a few a la carte tests that can be done. Once the inspection is completed, you get a thick report with many pictures showing issues, concerns, and maintenance items. This report allows you to request repairs, if needed, on the home you’re buying.

One important thing for real estate buyers and sellers to remember is that home inspectors almost always find something that needs repair. In fact, if you think about it, if someone paid you $350 to check out a house, you would feel a bit obligated to find something. If there’s small nit-picky items on the inspection, in many cases you don’t need to worry about it. The key is you’re looking for major issues of concern that need to be repaired.

Need a home inspector? Go to our Murphy NC “Gotta Guy” List for Recommended Contractors today! You can find several choices on folks who do good work. The next time you’re buying a home, be certain to get a home inspection – even if your house is brand-spankin’ new. Sometimes, those check out worse than resales because sub contractors forgot to do something, something was overlooked, or a shortcut was taken.

Enjoy your new home!

John Poltrock – The POLTROCK TEAM with RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

Brasstown Lawn Care is a locally owned, family operated business. They specialize in mowing, weed eating, edging, hedge trimming, aeration, fertilizing, seeding, planting, pine straw, mulching, fencing, flower beds, pressure washing, and home security watch.

Call Ronnie today for a free quote!  Call direct at (828) 361-8429 or at home (828) 837-8140.

Located in beautiful Brasstown, North Carolina, my family and I started our lawn care service in 2004. Since then, our business has been growing each year, and we hope to do business with you. Our family motto is "To treat our customers with respect, satisfaction, and a job well done."

-Ronnie Byers (Owner/Operator)

Call Ronnie today for a free quote!  Call direct at (828) 361-8429 or at home (828) 837-8140.

Continue to scroll down for some before and after photos.

Before and After

Before and After

Before and After

 Additional Jobs by Brasstown Lawn Care

 Call Ronnie today for a free quote!  Call direct at (828) 361-8429 or at home (828) 837-8140.

About a year ago, I wrote an article as to how Wildblue Satellite Internet was a great opportunity for folks in Murphy, North Carolina because it brings high speed Internet to anywhere in Cherokee County. Now I must tell you how poor my experience with them was.

After having them for a full year now, I can personally provide a testament to their disservice.  Do not waste your time or money on them unless you have no other option. Although I’ve not used them personally, I would consider the other alternative company, Hughesnet.

Don’t get me wrong, Wildblue works fine when it is set up correctly. Their problem is customer service is atrocious at best. They are not willing to do anything to help the customer, If you do decide to use them, make sure you do a speed test and it has the amount of bandwidth you’re supposed to have before the technician ever leaves.

If you would like to know more details of the experiences I had, here they are in bullets:

• First sign was when I first got it, they were not willing to alter plans to show me the different speeds even though I was possibly willing to pay more. They wanted to bump up the plan, force me to pay for the entire month when I wanted less than ten minutes just to see if it was worthwhile to upgrade.
• I referred at least two clients/friends to them when I first signed up that I know for fact purchased their service. As part of their referral program, they agree to take $50 off your bill as an incentive to send them business. Both I know mentioned my name and told them about the referral. They never gave me one cent credit on my bill even though I called them and told them about it, who bought their service. They could easily verify it on their computer.
• After having it for a couple months, it caused problems switching back and forth between service providers. Example, going back and forth to the office was painful. I called and they had me change some setting. It helped some, but it took our office technician to actually fix it.
• After 4 months or so, I inquired as to why I was only getting half the speed of what I was paying for. The representative agreed there was a problem and asked if I would like a technician to come out and check the dish. Of course I would! Good – that will be a $99 charge. What??!! I didn’t touch the dish and it has been like this since the beginning? Even the phone company comes out and fixes the lines if you have problems. In the end they would do nothing to help.
• Blue Ridge EMC is running fiber Internet and I signed up with them around month 10 of the service just to have true high speed and began using it.
• Month 11 – I call to cancel. Can’t do it till closer.
• Month 11.5 – I called to cancel again. They agreed to send a technician out and fix it for free. Nope – too little too late. Offered a free month of service. Again, too little too late. Finally was able to cancel. Received a confirmation number (THANK GOODNESS I wrote it down) and made sure that I would get no more bills. Nope, Nothing, The end is what I was told.
• Today - I’m on hold with them having to fight a charge they told me they wasn’t going to happen. I don’t expect much help. Thankfully its on my American Express who will dispute it for me if I get no where with them. And now after holding for 50 minutes and 19 seconds, I’m hanging up with them and letting AMEX deal with it.

John and Jessica Poltrock – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX of Murphy NC - Real Estate Services – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll Free (877) 837-3002 and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!

Some folks are concerned that someone needs to check on their vacation and second homes to be sure everything is safe and sound. Even though Murphy is a very safe area, it’s nice to know there’s nothing to be worried about with your home. Now there’s an excellent service available that provides that!

Mountain Cabin Care is now available to watch your home for a very reasonable service fee! Click the link to find out more details on this great service.

John and Jessica Poltrock – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – Murphy, North Carolina Real Estate – Homes, land, and commercial properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll Free (877) 837-3002 and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!!!

Murphy Crime and Demographic Rates HERE

As I sit here and write this, I know for sure that I am going to have to walk out in the nine degree weather this morning to face the crisp, cold air to thaw out my water pipes. Of course, I’m sure I’m not the only fortunate person to have to do this. Sad thing is, I know better! Here are some quick and easy tips on how to *keep* your water pipes from freezing whether your in Murphy, North Carolina or anywhere else.

Preventative care is one of the first steps. If you have a well (which is the norm here), make sure it is properly insulated. Many people use insulated fake rocks to cover their well and protect it from the elements. Don’t forget you need more than that! Wrap it in insulation around the casing and pipes. Also, it’s not a bad idea to install a light bulb in with the well to help keep it warm and above freezing. Be safe with this! Be sure its properly installed so not to start a fire. The US Forest Service (and your neighbors!) doesn’t appreciate fires! Also, make sure there’s no gaps between the ground and your well house/covering. This is a prime spot for the cold air to sneak in. You want it well insulated just like you would your own house.

If you’re like me, you’ve already passed the preventative maintenance part – my pipes are frozen! If you can, wait till the temperature warms up and let it work itself out. Be careful! You may need to turn your water main off so pipes that may have burst don’t give you personal waterfall in your house! If you don’t have the luxury of waiting, get out there and defrost! Common household items work well – hair dryer, small space heaters, and heating pads will work wonders. Spend some time out there and get it done. Make sure to thoroughly check for leaks once you have water – you don’t want to damage your house.

Good luck out there! Stay warm and if you need additional help – call a plumber! Here’s some you could try local in Murphy NC:

• Sandidge Plumbing – (828) 837-6296
• Mike Adams
• Christian Plumbing (I’ve not used them, but have heard good things)

Here’s a great article with even more from Red Cross’s Prepare.org

John and Jessica Poltrock – Real Estate in the Mountains of Murphy North Carolina – Homes and Land for Sale – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnP@remax.net – (877) 837-3002 – Demand The POLTROCK TEAM!

*Recommendations are given as a convenience to you. We cannot guarantee the work of these contractors. We advise you do your own research and select a plumber you feel will meet your needs.

In our real estate market, we have so many clients coming to purchase a second home or land they can enjoy now and in the future. Dreams of retirement, log cabins, mountain views, and warm fireplaces can quickly be dismantled by the wrong bank. Why? A variety of reasons come in to play.

Out of town banks are usually the ones to avoid – but not because they’re bad banks. We run into this commonly because many of our clients come from out of town and want to use the same one they have all their accounts with. This makes sense for convenience and sometimes even for the interest rate. Where it runs into problems is they are unfamiliar with our market and require double appraisals, forms, and other things that are simply not commonplace in our area.

Who to use? We have many local opportunities that will prevent many of the kinks that can occur before they happen. Each buyer and property is totally unique, so different banks and lenders will fit certain instances better. Some of the good choices include:

• Nantahala Bank
• BB&T
• Appalachian Community Bank
• SunTrust Mortgage (Now located conveniently in our office!)
• United Community Bank

Most every one of these banks can meet or beat any bank rate out there, so why go through the hassle of an out of towner? Want a personal testimony on why not to use a local bank? Ask a fellow RE/MAX agent from New York who is buying a property here. Visit www.JackiePratt.com and ask! And if you’re looking for New York real estate, she’s the top gun!

You Can also visit our Gotta Guy List, which is local Recommended Contractors and more in Murphy, NC

John and Jessica Poltrock – REMAX of Murphy, North Carolina – The POLTROCK TEAM – Homes and Land in the Mountains – (877) 837-3002 – JohnP@remax.net - www.MyMurphy.com

Many of our customers and clients come from flat lands looking to find their mountain dream spot. Whether they’re looking for a lot in a mountain community, an unrestricted lot, or a tract of land with a lot of acreage, septic permits help ensure you are buying a piece of real estate you can build on and enjoy.

The above image gives you an idea of what a septic system looks like, and a permit is essentially Cherokee County’s authorization to put a septic system in the ground. They look at your soil type and decide whether it is capable of absorbing the amount of water you’re putting in the ground based on the amount of bedrooms your home will have.

Let me give an illustration of what COULD happen if you don’t get a permit when you buy: You buy the perfect piece of real estate. In a few years, you go to build your home on your land. You don’t want to start building your house till you have the permit in hand. If you apply for it after the fact and the county inspector goes and says your property is not suitable, you’re done for! Yes – there are some ways to appeal it. If you can’t get one at all, you have a property that just dropped in value to next to nothing that would only be worth something to the neighbor next door.

Play it safe – make you contract contingent on receiving a septic permit unless you have a very good reason not to. We would be more than happy to consult with you on how this process works.

Learn what the cost and price is of installing a septic system in Murphy NC by reading this article.

John and Jessica Poltrock – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy, North Carolina – (828) 837-3002 – (866) Murphy-NC

Some things never change! 2009 is here and its still important to get a septic system permit. Read our 2009 post on why its impotant to buy land for sale with a septic permit in Murphy NC.

Murphy, North Carolina has experienced quite a bit of new construction to come on the market in the past 4 years. Everything from chalets, log cabins, cabins, ranches – you name it. We should even have condos coming soon if the project takes off. We’ve been blessed with a great new inventory giving real estate buyers more choices on new homes.

Many builders have become a bit nervous and have drastically cut their inventories. This has left buyers with fewer choices on new construction homes. Even so, many of the reputable builders still have quite a few they are building as I write this. Those are the best to buy.

As I read the Wall Street Journal (August 1, 2007), it references that inflation rose just 0.1% in June from May. It also mentioned labor costs increased 0.9% last quarter. That number is a national number that even affects the local real estate market. However, I believe home builders will find that labor will drop as many sub contractors find less jobs are available. We may find general contractors will do more of the building process and sub out less.

I personally feel that would be a great change because the whole affect dominoes the cost of building a new home. A cost plus contractor (costs 100k to build a new home so the contractor would make, say, 15% of that) can do more and will not be paying a profit to a company that installs the hardwood floor for example. If you’re not paying profit on profit, then your total building cost will go down.

All in all, it should be a good thing for labor costs in local construction to go down. It will weed out shady or fly-by-night sub contractors that should be there in the first place. If you are looking to build in our market, let us know! We would be more than happy to point you to a reputable builder who you can trust will be here for years to come. You can even find a Recommended Contractor or Builder in Murphy NC Online at our Gotta Guy List!

John and Jessica Poltrock - RE/MAX Mountain Properties – Murphy, NC – (828) 837-3002 – (866) Murphy-NC – www.MyMurphy.com

How much does a well cost? Who can I use to drill my well? Should I buy land without a well? How deep will I have to go to get water? What’s the chance I won’t get water? What happens if it goes dry? What kind of minerals are there going to be in my water? Will my water be good?

These are all questions I hear regularly when my clients and customers are looking buy real estate in Murphy, North Carolina. The truth is, these are all very pertinent questions that every buyer and investor should ask. The mountains make “hitting” water much different than flat land. The real advantage here in Cherokee County is that we have some of the purest, best tasting water come straight from a well and to your tap.

When it comes to wells, here’s a good summation – there are no guarantees. There’s good news though – experienced well drilling companies are a tremendous, and quite reliable, resource that can give you answers to your questions depending on the area you find your property. We frequently use and recommend Cherokee Well Drilling due to their extensive knowledge and many, many, many wells they have drilled.

Certain areas are prone to mineral deposits that can show up in your water supply. On the same note, certain areas are notorious for having deep and/or low yield wells. For example, parts of Hanging Dog, Wolf Mountain, Indian Rock Springs, and a few others are notorious for having deep and low yield wells. These really aren’t the norm but illustrate how you can ask to make sure the piece of real estate you choose is in a “safe” location.

Here’s the answers to many of those common questions. Yes – you can buy land without a well. People do it every day and end up just fine. Many swear they have the best water in the country. The answer to the rest of the questions? Ask your local well source, look at the neighbor’s well, and find out the history. The beauty of well water is that it is clean, pure, and reliable source of water. I, too, have a well I use every day and love it! You can also send your water to the state for a nominal $25 fee and find out the mineral content and whether there is any contamination from bacteria for only $10 more.

To sum it up, wells are a great source of water. Just ask a professional when you find the land you love and you won’t have to worry about sleepless, or thirsty, nights.

John Poltrock - The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Today Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496