Tastefully Decorated Cabin Decor

There are a lot of home owners who wrestle with the question, “Should I list and sell my home in Murphy NC fully furnished?” When it comes to working with real estate buyers, this question doesn’t have a direct answer because there are a couple considerations that come in to play.

Is your furniture nice and will it target your likely buyer? Then you certainly need to consider the option of selling it furnished. If it’s cabin furniture in a nice chalet or something of that nature, then you’d better believe it will help. If you want to keep some pieces for yourself, you need to say so in the listing or leave a “Detail Sheet” that will specifically tell them what goes and doesn’t.

Does it clash? You don’t want Florida beach decor in a mountain cabin, and believe me, people try to. If it doesn’t fit the look and style of your home, it’s likely that it will hurt you and you need to get rid of it.

Is the furniture junk you don’t want to move? Although an abrupt and direct question, if its junk and you don’t want it either, the buyer probably doesn’t want it either. In fact, it may be advantageous to get rid of your furniture and spruce it up. You can donate it to many organizations who will appreciate it, like Christian Love Ministries. You’re paying for professional service, so ask your Realtor what to do – what to keep, get rid of, etc.

Not sure – it’s not junk and not sure if the buyer will want it either? Ask your Realtor. Also, I would encourage you to separate the furnishings from your listing. In other words, put “Furnishings Negotiable” on the listing. That way, if they want them, you can work out a separate agreement while keeping them out of the real estate side.

Each case can be different, so be sure to hire a professional who can not only sell your home in the mountains – but can also guide you through the process and coach you on how to capitalize the best from your investment. If you don’t have a Realtor, call us!

Sell your Real Estate with Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team – Call The POLTROCK TEAM Today! Toll-Free 1-866-687-7496 – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – REMAX Mountain Properties in Murphy NC

Water – it’s one of the most desirable features of any piece of real estate. It’s not hard to get used to the gorgeous, burbling splash of water rushing through a creek – but that leaves a question. Internet pictures of land and homes for sale can be so deceiving. It can look like a river on the computer to find out someone had a garden hose upstream and a camera with a close zoom – disappointing! So when you get to Murphy, NC, here’s what terms you can expect to hear on running water.

What is a Branch?

A branch is a local term used to describe a very small water feature. It’s like a creek or a stream – only much smaller. In most cases, you’ll find it to be only a few inches wide – often less than 6 inches. This term doesn’t give you any guidance as to the volume of water flowing through it – I’ve seen some that have water screaming through it!

What is a Stream?

A stream is slightly larger than a branch and can still often be called a creek by folks. Technically, if it is less than 60 feet wide, it can be called a stream. However, most of the time people call smaller flowing water streams.

What is a Creek?

This is what you get when you live in the mountains of NC!

Creeks are one of my favorite water features here in Murphy, NC. There’s such a wide range of what’s available. We have many creeks that are home to native and stocked trout. That’s good fishing! They also vary in size – some are very big and rival the size of rivers while others are just barely big enough to where you could jump over them.

Some of the most reputable and largest creeks here are Hanging Dog Creek, Fires Creek, Owl Creek, Shoal Creek, and several others.

What is a Crick?

Think localism for the word creek.

What is a River?

Most folks know what a river is. Rivers are designated bodies of water and there are three of the them in Cherokee County, NC - the Hiawassee River, Nottley River, and Valley River. All of them are gorgeous bodies of water with the Hiawassee being the largest of the three. You can find many fish in all of them – including trout!

Are you looking for water front property in Western North Carolina?

CLICK HERE to see all of The Poltrock Team’s REMAX Land and Home Listings for sale in Murphy NC

CLICK HERE to search the entire MLS for Murphy NC

Don’t see what you want? Let us do the leg work for you by using Our DREAM Property Request!

The Poltrock Team – RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free 1-866-687-7496

Gated developments are something rather new here in Murphy, North Carolina. They are becoming far more frequent with mid to upper scale developments and subdivisions. When you’re looking to buy a lot for sale in Murphy, North Carolina, a gated entrance may be something you do or do not want.

Gated entrances certainly serve a good purpose at keeping those that don’t belong out. Not only that, they often look impressive. Generally speaking, gates are left open during the day here in Murphy NC. Many operate on timers or light sensors and close at dusk. You’ll find that most don’t stay closed during the day.

Many folks from areas other than Murphy consider gated developments as being “uppety” and full of rigid restrictions and covenants that don’t allow them to use their property in the way they want. Bear in mind Murphy’s developments are not like those of Florida, Michigan, and other places. We don’t have the Nazi home owner’s association that measure grass or anything like that (thankfully!). The homeowner’s associations here are largely in place to only maintain the roads, common areas, and well water supplies for the development.

With that said, if you are leaning toward NOT buying land in a subdivision with a gated entrance, I would reconsider your reluctance in not purchasing it. Depending on your goals in buying property, a gated entrance may still be a an excellent option.

If you prefer a gated entrance, let us know. There’s no good way to search for the feature on the MLS system, and we’re happy to send you the communities we know have it.

Want to buy a home or land with a gated entrance? Want to buy a home or land without a gated entrance? Contact us TODAY and we’ll send you properties that fit what YOU are looking to buy!

John Poltrock, The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free 1-866-687-7496

Here are a few subdivisions in Cherokee County with Gated Entrances: Timberwood Mountain Estates, Five Forks, Crisp Mountain, Valley River Walk, Outlook Ridge, North Oak Estates, and several more.

If you would like to request your FREE copy of our exclusive Buyer’s Packet, call us or email JohnPoltrock@gmail.com to get your copy today!

Request your FREE copy today!

When buying real estate in the Mountains of Murphy, North Carolina, there are tons of things to take in to consideration and questions you may have- especially if you’re not very familiar with the area.

We’ve worked to put the information about Murphy, NC together in one place for you – our Exclusive Buyer’s Packet. Now, Version 2.0 is officially released today!

Here’s what you can expect to find in the new version:

• A map of where Murphy, NC is
• Weather and climate information on temperatures, rainfall, snow, and much more
• Profile of Cherokee County
• Area information
• Types of Homes for sale here in Murphy NC
• Golfing
• Boating and Fishing
• Camping and Hiking
• ATVing
• Horseback Riding
• Income producing Cabin Rentals
• Places to Go
• Other activities and things to do
• Area Hospitals and Health Care
• Why REMAX and The Poltrock Team?

If you would like to request your FREE copy of our exclusive Buyer’s Packet, call us or email JohnPoltrock@gmail.com to get your copy today!

Search our inventory of homes and land for sale in the mountains of Murphy NC today on our website FREE with no sign-up required!

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – REMAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – Call us Toll-Free 1-866-687-7496

Many parts of the United States have some sort of land use controls on the real estate to make things uniform, similar, or prevent problems before they ever occur. We commonly get asked, how does zoning work in Murphy NC?

Zoning

Most of Cherokee County has NO zoning. The only part of the county that does have zoning is the Murphy NC City Limits, which are actually quite small compared to what many people are used to. The City Limits is broken into several different zones like commercial and residential with varying levels of each. You can obtain a copy of the zoning ordinances at the Murphy City Hall – their phone number is 828-837-2510

Deed Restrictions

Mostly, the county is controlled with deed restrictions which govern, usually, things that cannot be done on a property. They are said to “run with the land,” meaning they cannot be altered and regardless of who owns it, the restrictions remain intact (unless they expire).

Generally speaking, deed restrictions are very basic in Murphy with the main intention being to retain property values and keep places looking nice. You usually find them in subdivisions and communities. We don’t really have any with super-strict requirements like some horror stories we hear from other places – thank goodness! Many of our common restrictions are:

• No mobile homes, manufactured homes, and in some cases, modular homes.
• No junk cars or untagged or unlicensed vehicles.
• No used appliances to be left on property and all trash to be in refuse containers.
• Certain square footage limitations. Our common range is from 800-1400 square feet minimum, depending on the community.
• Many more recent ones reference “Earth Tone” colors to be used on the house so you don’t have a random pink, purple, or yellow house in a cabin community.
• No livestock/farm animals – sorry! In some cases, your dream of a llama farm is no more!
• Must complete a home within 1 year of beginning building

That gives you a good idea of many of the common restrictions we see. In fact, you can download a copy of the Brookgreen restrictions by clicking here. Although older, many of our newer restrictions say the same basic thing.

Unrestricted

You can do anything you like, so long as its legal, with unrestricted real estate. An unrestricted parcel may be perfect for you if you’d like to: 

• Have an RV or camper on your land for extended periods of time
• Build a house over a long time (over a year’s time)
• Have livestock or other animals
• Run a commercial business out of the “normal” areas
• Simply not have to worry about someone else’s rules

Larger tracts of land (3 or more acres) are not very hard to find that are unrestricted. Smaller parcels less than three acres can be more challenging to find depending on the area you want to be.

Looking for a home or land in Murphy NC? Let The POLTROCK TEAM find it for you! You can Search Our Murphy NC Listings, Search the entire Murphy NC MLS for Free, or complete our “Dream Home Finder” for Murphy NC Real Estate and we’ll find it for you!

John Poltrock – Certified Residential Specialist – The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Us Toll Free at 1-866-687-7496

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

            Real estate has been a hot topic here lately in the news – and its positive! Nationally, sales were up for the month of February. Ms. Lisa Floyd of Carolina Farm Credit was kind enough to send an article from USA Today that sums up what we as Realtors and mortgage lenders are seeing. Home mortgage rates have dropped to less than 5% and have spurred a race to buy a new home and to refinance current ones. Coupled with rock bottom low prices on homes, buyers are in search of great deals and good rates – and you’ll find them.

            With that said – there are some things you really need to consider when you’re looking for a new home today.

• Consider ALL the purchase options:
  • Foreclosures: if you’re a buyer, this is really becoming a hot topic. There are some great values on bank owned properties and then there are some rip-offs no matter what the price is. Don’t get caught up in the “allure” of buying a foreclosure. It doesn’t make you a “sophisticated” buyer or make you look like you’re on the cutting edge with your friends. There are many times as good or better buys that the bank doesn’t own. Look at ALL your options because many times there are better choices. (You can learn more about foreclosure buying and tips on our website www.iLoveMurphy.com . Search “foreclosure”)
  • Short Sales: This is another hot topic that not everyone knows about. This is where the current owner is selling their property for less than what they owe on it. The bank either forgives the difference or agrees to do a personal loan to the owner for the difference (in which the owner still has to pay back the lost money over time). I’ve seen several cases where there’s a better buy on short sales than foreclosures, so this is a good consideration. In this case, you MUST have patience because it will be very drawn out.
  • Sellers: this is the tried and true way and doesn’t have the fancy new lingo attached to it or make you sound sophisticated, and many times this is still the best way. Many homes have been owned for 10+ years and they can afford to sell it at a great value. Other sellers MUST move and are willing to take a hit to get on with their lives. There are thousands of other possibilities here and you should certainly not rule this out just because it’s not the “cool, new thing.”
• Here’s what you must have when you buy a new property:
  • Patience: If you’re dealing with foreclosures and short sales, you better have patience and the ability to wait. If you need to move in to a house yesterday, you had better look at some other alternatives. Odds are there will be delays coupled with large amounts of waiting to find out about offers and more.
  • Patience: Nope – I didn’t stutter here. This is more important than anything. Sometimes you won’t find what you’re looking for right away. You’ll have to be willing to tell your Realtor to look ACTIVELY for you and be able to act fast when the right thing comes along. Although there are a lot of homes on the market currently, some styles/categories/types of homes in certain price ranges are very picked over. As such, you need to have the ability to wait and look for the right thing.
  • Money in Hand: There’s no need to walk in with a suit case of money (although you’ll be able to negotiate a bit harder for a better buy if you do!). You do need to be prequalified with a reputable mortgage lender and have verifiable funds to pay your down payment. This is very important because sellers (or banks which won’t even look at your offer unless you complete this step) will take you far more seriously and give you a better value.
  • Don’t Fall in Love: When you’re negotiating for practically anything, you have to be able to have “walk away power.” You’ll get a better deal if you have the ability to walk away from the table and move on to the next thing. If you fall in love, you loose that ability. Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with buying a property you absolutely love. It may cost you a little bit more, and that’s okay. It’s probably worth it.
  • Representation: With all the new topics, concerns, and issues that face you in your real estate purchase, it’s not wise to try and tackle it on your own. Real estate is one of the largest investments you make, and you should have a Realtor and/or an attorney who specializes in real estate working for you. As Warren Buffett said, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” Make sure you’re comfortable with and trust your agent and/or attorney.  They should also have the heart of a teacher. They need to be able to break everything down for you so that you can easily understand it and the choices you have.

            Real estate is an excellent investment strategy when it’s done correctly. We’re finding buyers that are ready to buy now because they know that the market is dragging bottom! You can look free of charge with no obligation to see what properties are available on our website at www.MyMurphy.com. Contact us or your agent to find some great opportunities that aren’t online because they’re out there!

            If you’re selling your property now or considering it, yes – the value of your property is down from the peak of the market. The good thing is you can take this information and utilize it once your property is sold and you’re buying another. You WILL get a better buy now than what you would have, even if you got more money for it before. Truthfully, it’s likely a zero sum game and the numbers are just different. Talk to your current agent or call us and we will help you any way we can. We’re here for you!

John Poltrock, The POLTROCK TEAM with RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com - Call us Toll-Free at 1-866-687-7496 – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com

I met with a man a few days ago who found us by reading our article on “What to Expect When Offering to Buy a Foreclosure in Murphy NC” and “Foreclosure Houses and Tips to Buying Them in Murphy NC“. It was one of the most discouraging attempted real estate purchases I’ve heard of in a long time.

The moral to his story is buy smart – go through a typical real estate transaction that have safeguards built in for your purchase. Read on and you’ll understand better what I mean.

Jim, as I’ll call him, bought a house with several acres adjoining the US Forest Service and absolutely loved it. He bought it from a wealthy friend of his who was a developer in Florida and life treated him well. They agreed to exchange it in a sale for $170,000. His buddy said he didn’t have to do a straight purchase, that he would be happy to finance it for him like a bank would. They did what’s called a Land Contract.

Jim put $40,000 in cash down on the house and has been making payments for several years. He’s put in a new well, done several major renovations, and by this time, he has invested about $120,000 total of cash in the property. Then he came home and found foreclosure documents on the door to his home.

Turns out the seller has a first mortgage and an equity line that’s been over extended on the property and hasn’t paid in months. The bank is foreclosing – simple as that. Since he has no legal ownership, his name is not on the deed, and the mortgage liens far superseed any right he has to the property, he cannot get anywhere. No bank will tell him what is owed on the property or anything else for that matter.

Jim has lost $120,000 in his own cash and now has nothing to show for it. His only option, if he wants to keep the house, is to wait for it to come out the other end of the foreclosure process and buy it. That means he will likely have $200,000 in a home that should be his that worth substantially less than that.

What could or should he have done in this instance? A traditional closing with owner financing in place. The closing attorney would have made sure there were no liens on the property (and if there were, they would have to be paid) and issued title insurance at closing.

Moral of the story again – Be smart about closings and buying real estate. Use a Realtor (namely The POLTROCK TEAM! and/or an attorney that specializes in real estate closings (you can find real estate attorneys in Murphy NC on our Gotta Guy List). That will give you true professional advice that can ultimately save you thousands, or in this case, over $100,000.

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – Murphy, NC Real Estate – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll-Free at 1-866-687-7496

There are many different types of real estate you can purchase when you come to Murphy, North Carolina and our surrounding communities in Cherokee County NC. Here are some of the residential investments available to you:

Types of Homes

Land

Land Tracts—A virtually endless category, land tracts is usually no less than 3 acres. You can have smaller acreage all the way to hundreds of acres. Often you will have to run power, put in driveways, clear homesites, and many things like that. If it sounds like a cumbersome task, don’t worry about it! We have many very reputable contractors who can take care of everything for you from start to finish. The beauty of many land tracts is that you can make it your own and do most anything you like with it.

Which type of property are you searching for? Email me if you’d like me to search for you. Please visit our FREE online services and search our listings for sale in Murphy, North Carolina or Search ALL the listings for sale in Murphy NC.

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist - www.MyMurphy.com – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – 1-866-687-7496 – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com

Appraisals can do you a lot of good when you get ready to sell your property here in Murphy, North Carolina. Real estate prices are constantly changing, so it’s good to have an accurate analysis of what your value is.

Realtors are able to perform a CMA, or Comparable Market Analysis. When you’re ready to sell your home, this will give you a good idea as to where you should price your property. There is a difference between an appraisal and a CMA. Appraisals are often more detailed in valuation, yet they frequently do not take into account current market trends.

With real estate values going down, many people interested in selling are using old appraisals to try to hold onto former higher prices. This strategy is a stage of denial that will hurt your home’s position to sell. If you list it too high to start off with, your home develops a “stigma” to it that will make it stagnant on the market and ultimately sell for less than what you could have achieved originally.

Other times, sellers are using an appraisal from a refinance. More often than not, that appraisal is not necessarily useful in marketing your home. Sometimes the appraisal is biased toward a certain value, whether it is conservative or high. You can read more about inflated real estate appraisals here.

Old appraisals mean nothing. Think of it this way: it would be the same as printing off a stock quote from when Enron shares were worth $50 per share. Consider taking it to your stock broker now and expecting the same price. It won’t happen. Real estate operates the exact same way, just the numbers are larger and more difficult to determine. Unfortunately, your real estate does not have a “ticker” streaming across the front of it telling us the current market value of your home.

An accurate appraisal will help you sell your home. Leaving a current appraisal on your counter while trying to sell will help prospective buyers determine how you priced and the value of your home. When and if you get a new appraisal before selling, ask around to find a good appraiser. Get a good recommendation and call them in.  Be certain not to influence their pricing. You want an unbiased evaluation of market value to sell your home. Make sure they know that’s what the appraisal is for.

All that being said, it’s not necessary, but having an appraisal done can give you a great marketing edge. It can give you the competitive edge over the competition. An average appraisal costs about $400 and can be an excellent investment when you’re selling your largest investment.

John Poltrock, CRS – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – For Real Estate in the Mountains of Murphy, NC, Call The POLTROCK TEAM at (866) 687-7496