That’s right – RE/MAX was just awarded TWO awards by J.D. Power. That’s amazing - especially to get both awards! It takes hard work, dedication, and a lot of good customer service! You’ll see what we mean by checking out Testimonials to The Poltrock Team at REMAX.

Selling your house? Buying a home? Call The Poltrock Team today at REMAX! After all, what other real estate agents in Murphy NC can say they have an award from JD Power?

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

In the height of the real estate market, there were several flat rate and fee MLS listing companies that arose when you could slap a yard sign up on a house and it sell practically instantly. After all, who needed a Realtor? Real estate practically sold itself!

Times have changed and you can tell just by turning on the news that the real estate market has changed and shifted drastically. Often it leaves the average seller and spectator in the dark as to what’s happened. What’s my property worth? How long is it going to take to sell it? What advertising do I need to do to get my home or land sold? These are common questions that may go through your mind – along with countless others.

Flat rate and fee MLS services aren’t available in Murphy NC largely. Even if they were, they’re dangerous no matter where you are selling a home. Why? It’s easy to look strictly on the up front financial side of the net sheet and say you save yourself thousands of dollars by skipping on a Full Service Realtor. However, consider these thoughts:

• Advertising sells homes. You’ll never find a buyer, especially with remote locations in the mountains of Murphy NC, if folks don’t know your home is available for sale. With flat rate services, they don’t offer advertising other than the MLS. That’s only a very small portion of the equation. Expansive advertising, reputation, and a marketing plan with follow up is key. Also consider, do you have the time to put it in all the advertising venues your house deserves?
• Leads come from advertising. Leads are prospects who inquire about your home. Without advertising, you don’t get leads. Even in the off chance on comes from the MLS presence, who’s going to follow up on them? Without someone to return calls, show the home,  answer questions, and close the purchase, you’ll never stand a chance of getting it done. A flat rate broker can’t do this.
  

  I shouldn't have paid the up front fee!!

• Legalities. Do you know what can protect you from getting sued by your prospective buyer? There are a lot of legal ramifications that can come back to haunt you if you don’t dot your I’s and cross your T’s. Do you know which ones to do? This is a huge implication and saving  few bucks for a tens-of-thousands liability isn’t worth the gamble.
• Negotiations. Negotiations is a HUGE part of a real estate transaction. In fact, it’s probably one of the largest parts of it. Once a buyer is ready to purchase your home, let the negotiations begin! Price is always ones of the first items – the buyer wants the cheapest price and the seller wants the most money. It’s an age old story yet you want to make sure that it works out the best for you it can. Then, there are repair negotiations after the home inspection that can often destroy a transaction if not properly handled. It’s imperative to have experience, training, and a true advocate for your position. Otherwise, you’re liable to “give away the farm” when you don’t have to. How much would that cost you?
• Lender Negotiations. With many homeowners owing more on their home than it is  worth in today’s marketplace, we often have to negotiate with lenders to find a way to get the home sold. This takes a high level of training and experience. Would you want to try to tackle a mortgage company or bank on your own?
• Pricing. Pricing a home is one of the most key elements to getting it sold. We all have preconceptions of what our home is worth, and understandably so! You’ve worked hard on it, perhaps raised a family in it, and it simply becomes a part of you. Mispricing a home happens a LOT and it’s important to make sure you “hit the nail on the head.” How many homes have you sold? What comparable sales did you use? Those are important and you won’t get any guidance from a flat fee broker – they don’t care if it sells or not because you just paid their full fee upfront. Hire someone who can guide you and show you a logical pricing strategy.
• Performance Based. As I mentioned above, a flat rate MLS system doesn’t care if you sell because they just made their fee… upfront. In my book, you just paid too much because they have no vested interest in you OR your home! A traditional Realtor has a vested interest in your home… just like you do. They have time and money in advertising, showing, enhancing, and doing all the things they do for you. Regardless of whether they charge 5% or 20%, you don’t pay them a dime till they’re successful! Now that’s how you get your real estate agent’s interests in line with yours… and certainly not through an upfront fee.
• Scams – some of these internet MLS sites I researched are straight money stealing schemes. They charge usually $500+ and it doesn’t go anywhere but their website. Some even claimed “MLS Exposure.” Their site has little traffic and it doesn’t go to the MLS that is used in the area of your property. If that’s not a ripoff, I don’t know what is.
• Time. Do you have the ability when a buyer prospect calls to drop what you’re doing and go show the house? In today’s world, jobs, children, distance from the property, and more can make it REALLY hard to this!

So don’t come out of your real estate sale looking like the broken piggy bank! Hire a professional, full time Realtor with your best interests in mind. Call The Poltrock Team in Murphy NC today and find out the difference!

Be sure to check out Testimonials to The Poltrock Team and you can even fill our Sell My Real Estate form and we’ll contact you!

The Poltrock Team – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team – REMAX of Murphy NC – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

When folks look at their tax value of their real estate in Cherokee County (which encompasses Murphy NC, Andrews NC, and many others), it looks awfully good – if you sell it for that price, that is! However, there’s a substantial disconnect of what the tax assessed value vs. the price real estate is actually selling for.

When we do a market analysis for a prospective seller on a piece or real estate, we use many different approaches to come to a final valuation to determine what we can expect the home or land to sell for in today’s real estate market. One of many things is the tax assessment value.

We’ve been tracking what homes actually sell for vs. their assessment value. We’ve found that, on average, homes are selling for 70% of their tax value. For example, that means a home with an assessment of $100,000 sells for $70,000, on average. Although it amazes me how accurate this can be in a substantial amount of homes, we still find “outliers” where this doesn’t apply. For example, land can fall way outside these parameters in either direction. One large factor is how long the owner has owned their real estate. I’ve noticed the longer a property is owned, say 30+ years, the values tend to be closer to the market value. There are also other factors as well.

As we speak, Cherokee County is working on the new re-evaluation of all the real estate in the county. This is a massive undertaking! To ensure they are as accurate as possible, they have hired an outside and unbiased appraisal company to help hone the values. The new evaluation is scheduled to become “active” on January 1st, 2012. It’s very likely residents and property owners will be notified of their new evaluation a few months before it becomes active.

Are you thinking, “Sell my house!” or “sell my land!”? Let Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team help you! We’re always here to help guide you through the entire process. If you’d like to know how we’ve worked for clients like you? Be sure to check out our testimonials. Contact us today!

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

As I was laying in bed the other night watching an episode of Pawn Stars on the History Channel, I saw where one of the guys bought an old Coca-Cola machine that was a prop for sales guys back in the 1930′s. It was rusted, beaten up, and looked pretty bad. They bought it for $100 and went to a restoration specialist and got it cleaned up for $300 or so bucks. It looked brand new! It went from being worth $1,000 being a rust bucket to being worth $2,500 cleaned up! That’s a 500% return on his $300! I thought to myself, “I wish I could find a neat investment like that…”

Truth is, I work in it every day! Your house is one of the largest investments you and I will ever make. You spend tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars on it. You fix it up, put your own personal touches in it, and make it better than when you bought it or built it. Your house works the same exact way as that rusty old Coca-Cola machine. There are certain things you can do to make it show like a million bucks and ultimately cause it to sell faster and for more money than if you didn’t.

For example, a couple just moved out of their home and listed it with us and wanted to make sure that it sold fast and wanted to know what they could do to make it happen.

1. Pressure wash with a qualified professional. $175 later, the decks look brand new and the house looks like a showcase.
2. Clean. Even though its vacant, $100 later, it looks totally different.

They’ve invested less than $300 and its going to make their home sell faster and for a higher price than it would without. Every case and every home is different, so there’s places you can invest your money to make your home go for the best possible scenario.

Also be receptive. Everyone asks, “what can I do to my home?” What I find is that even though the words come out of everyone’s mouth, they don’t usually mean it. Whether its because they don’t want to spend the money or just don’t feel like putting forth the effort, most people don’t want to do anything. Ask the question, do the suggestions, and don’t get mad at the messenger! We give suggestions to help you, not hurt your feelings, so please don’t take it that way. Uncle Vern won’t be mad at you if take his picture down for a few months while you’re selling the house!

When you’re ready to sell your house, give us a call. We can guide you through the entire process of selling your house, provide tips and things to do to make your house sell the best, and get you to the closing table! If you want to know what it’s like to work with us, be sure to read our Testimonials to The Poltrock Team.

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

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

John Poltrock at REMAX Mountain Properties in Murphy, North Carolina is now short sale and foreclosure certified! He has completed his SFR designation, which is sponsored by the National Association of Realtors and specifically designed to help those who are facing foreclosure or needing to sell their home in a short sale.

Not only that, it’s important for both buyers and sellers! In the complex world of buying foreclosures or short sales, there are certain steps and information required to ensure the closing goes smoothly and happens as quickly as possible. Without the proper knowledge, a short sale can easily task 120 days to close! We have the experience to

• Negotiate with lenders – both primary and secondary mortgage lien holders
• Direct sellers to the proper finance, tax, and legal professionals.
• Develop a short sale package for sellers giving them the greatest likelihood of being approved
• Limit your risk! Both buyers and sellers have some risk, and we know what to minimize it!

Arming yourself with The Poltrock Team’s knowledge, expertise, and education ensures your short sale or foreclosure transaction in Murphy NC goes as smoothly as possible. If you’re looking for the best, call The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX TODAY!

The Poltrock Team – Call us Toll Free 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – www.MyMurphy.com

“I’ll wait till the Spring to sell my property, then I’ll do it.” I hear this rather frequently. It’s as though the spring season sells real estate itself.

The upcoming winter wonder land will do a lot for us – it will bring about three of my personal favorite holidays. It will unite family members who haven’t seen each other in far too long. It’ll bring warm cups of marshmallow embedded cocoa around warm, crackling fireplaces. Yes, winter brings people together in ways no other season can. It also sells real estate.

Contrary to an incorrect popular belief, real estate sells well in Murphy, North Carolina in the middle of winter. Why or how you might ask? First my experience then facts.

I’ll let you in on a privy secret. Yes, buyer volume decreases slightly in winter. However, the buyer quality skyrockets. Buyers become more willing and dedicated to finding the home or land they want to purchase. Although I can’t explain it, it is certainly true. The best I can think of it is if someone travels all the way to Murphy to look at real estate while it’s cold outside, they certainly want to find their parcel. Not only that, the cat is out of the bag. Winter is one of the best times to buy. You can see the way land lays, the neighbors and surrounding land, and even the potential views the property has. Winter truly reveals more about the property than Spring or Summer could even dream of.

Now for the facts. The first quarter of 2008 produced outstanding results. In fact 19 homes and 20 parcels of land sold per month – that’s 39 properties sold each and every month, in the dead of winter! When an average of 1.3 properties are selling per day, that’s really good by pessimist’s standards. 39 property owners went against popular belief and fully succeeded in selling their property – why would you want to miss that opportunity?

Couple 1.3 sales per day with the reality that winter is when folks coming in Spring begin their research. They begin compiling the list of homes and land for sale they want to see in person when they get here. I’ve had buyers watch a house for months eagerly awaiting to see it! If your property is actively advertised during that time, you get the exposure to those “Springers” you would otherwise miss.

Truth is, now is an extraordinary time to list and sell your property. If you want to find out what your property’s value is in today’s market, call The POLTROCK TEAM or your Realtor today. While those who believe winter is a bad time, you can capitalize on their popular belief. While they’re missing a huge opportunity, you can seize the moment.

Want to Sell Your Home or Land in Murphy NC or Cherokee County NC? CONTACT The POLTROCK TEAM Today!

Written by John Poltrock, The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties. He can be reached at toll free 1-866-687-7496 – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com