Winter – the Best Time to Sell Real Estate in Murphy NC

“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.

Mountain Cabin House in SnowThe 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.

Ready to list your real estate this winter and stand out from the crowd? Let’s make it happen—start today at murphy nc real estate.

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.comJohnPoltrock@gmail.com

Foreclosure Alert! 5 Bedroom Home on 47 Acres, Pool, Ponds, And so much More!

219 Norton Pond Foreclosure Home for SaleHere’s a foreclosure in Murphy NC you don’t find much! This house is one of the best deals I’ve found! The house was built in 2000, has 47 acres, 5 bedrooms and an office (permitted for septic on 3 bedrooms), full finished basement.

Almost 4,000 square feet on the house alone, cement patio, landscaping, 3 ponds, attached 2 car garage, detached 4 car garage, and a lot more! This thing has it all and is only price at $700,000! It’s the best values on a high end foreclosure I’ve seen.

Don’t miss out on a rare foreclosure opportunity like this—let us help you secure the deal at murphy nc real estate.

If you wold like to find out more information or to see this property, call me at 1-866-687-7496 or email to JohnPoltrock@gmail.com . This estate will sell quickly!

Remodeling Your Home in Murphy, NC

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 home 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

Real Estate Alert! Two Bedroom Cabin for Sale in Brasstown NC on more than Three Acres!

90 Weber Lane, Brasstown NC 28902 Home for SaleHere’s an outstanding home for you money! This cabin styled home boasts an astounding approximately 3.05 acres that is in a spectacular area and lays great. It’s gentle and rolling, so if you wanted, you could use the entire parcel or keep it wooded for low maintenance. Not only that, it essentially owns the cul-de-sac, so you have the best of end-of-road privacy! Coupled with paved roads almost right to the property, you can’t beat it!

The home itself has two bedrooms, one and a half baths with central heating and air conditioning. The kitchen is open and spacious with lots of cabinet and counter top space. The living room is large and open with a vaulted ceiling. There’s a native stone wood burning fireplace that reaches all the way to the top of the ceiling! It’s quite impressive. The washer and dryer are on the main level so you don’t have to go down the stairs to get to the laundry – which is extremely convenient when you’re living in a home.

The partial basement has a wood burning stove that can alone heat the entire home, a large work space, and a bonus room that could be used for just about anything. It’s a walk-out basement, so you can easily access if from outside without having to go through the main home.

This is a home that is a huge buying opportunity and you have to find out the current price and see this home in person! It’ll sell fast, so be sure to check it out faster before it’s sold.

Missed this cabin for sale in Brasstown? Let us help you find the next hidden gem—start your search at murphy nc real estate.

This Home is Now SOLD!!! 

Call us Today! The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – Toll Free 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – www.MyMurphy.com – Email us Today!

Ideas to Help Foreclosure Problems Locally in Murphy NC and the US

Being a Realtor, I get to see the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. There’s nothing uglier right now than foreclosures. They’re a hot topic among buyers and faux pas amongst owners – and rightfully so. No matter who you are or your situation – a vacation home, a primary home, a speculative investment – I wouldn’t wish a foreclosure on anyone.

It seems the hot topic amongst politicians and the media right now is health care reform . In college, I studied the work of a man named Abraham Maslow who developed a “hierarchy of needs.” Summarizing it, the need for shelter is far more important than the need for security in health care. It seems that we would do a better job of addressing one of the most important aspects of people’s lives.

There are so many opportunities our government and financial institutions should be pursuing to help families in this predicament. Here are a few things our representatives should be actively pursuing:

  • IRS Forgiveness – when a struggling family has a short sale on their home or investment (sell it for less than the bank is owed), do not make the forgiven debt income on their tax return to be turned in to the IRS. If you can’t pay your home mortgage, you won’t be able to pay the coming IRS bill. It’s more of an incentive to go into foreclosure than to have IRS problems. Who would you rather have chasing you? A bank or the IRS? It shouldn’t be this way.
  • Make secondary market mortgages more flexible – loans that are at community banks and owned by community banks are having much more success in getting modifications to help families. Where the major problem is loans that are sold in the secondary mortgage market (most are) are totally inflexible. 3 months late? Foreclosure. Simple. Stupid. Many families want to keep their home and if they are legitimately striving to pay and/or find jobs and have the prospect of it, they shouldn’t be kicked out. Take the payments they miss or payments they can’t make and put it on the back of the loan. The bank or investor makes more money and families get to keep their home. It’s not rocket science, but rarely can it happen because mortgages are not flexible or take too long to change. It will take a literal act of congress to make the change.
  • Time – banks are getting all this money and turning around to use the government loaned money to buy up other banks. So we, the taxpayers, who need help are financing things that do not directly help us. What will help people in foreclosure the most is simply time. People should be able to let their bank know as soon as they see trouble on the horizon and get a modification or other idea that will make the difference between owning their home or losing it. Many banks are trying to do loan modifications, but not fast enough. It can take 30 days for a decision maker at the bank to even look at a loan modification or offer to purchase a short sale! Not only that, they many times claim you must be 2 months or more late before they’ll help. This is not acceptable.

There are so many things our nation’s leaders can do to help us, and it’s important to realize there is no black and white answer for any of it. I’m also not promoting that people who are not paying their mortgage, or intend to, should be able to stay in their home. That’s not right – when you commit to pay back money you borrow to your momma or to a bank, you should make every attempt to do it. What I am promoting is to help people who are in a bad situation and need help. Just throwing TARP money at it will not fix the problem – it will take dedication and work.

In the more than 40 transactions I’ve closed this year, I’m quite thankful to say only a few of them were foreclosures or about to be. Behind every one of them there was a story – a family, and a set of circumstances that no one should have to bear. If our leaders are looking to change our nation one family at a time, here would be a great place to start. Ask your representatives what they’re doing to help – because if they’re doing nothing, they’re not doing a good job.

If you’re in a foreclosure situation or feel one is coming for you, give us or your Realtor a call. Sometimes you feel shamed and embarrassed. It’s tough, but you shouldn’t be. Tackle the situation head on and contact a professional who may be able to help.

If you’re facing foreclosure or see one coming, don’t go it alone—reach out today through murphy nc real estate for help and guidance.

Written by: John Poltrock of The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX. You can contact him at JohnP@remax.net or toll free 1-866-687-7496

Cherokee County and Murphy NC Septic Permits May Be Extended at NO Cost!

Thanks to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, many of the septic permits that were set to expire are automatically extended to as long as Jan 1st, 2014.

The bill is designed to extend the life of certain state development permits and approvals for builders who have put a project on hold due to the economic situation. The bill affects any permit that was current and valid at any point between January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2010. This means any permit  that was active on January 1st of 2008 shall be automatically extended.

This will help many developers and property owners not need to put a septic system in the ground right away. This is a good bill that will help many people. Thank you NC Commissioners!

Have questions about how extended septic permits affect your land? Reach out to us anytime at murphy nc real estate.

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

September – Best Month for Real Estate Sales in Murphy NC

Wow! It’s hard to believe that it’s October already! There are so many things going on in the world of real estate right now – which is great! It seems like it’s been forever since the last Bi-Weekly update. Since we began this column in Murphy’s newspaper – The Cherokee Scout – it threw a curve ball in the “release” of our update. We’re working on getting that in sync now, so please pardon the delay.

October brings several wonderful things! Be sure to remember The RE/MAX Client Appreciation Picnic is next Saturday from 4-8! BE SURE TO COME!!! If you think you can make it and haven’t confirmed already, please let us know – we’d love to have you!
 
Fall appears as its going to be early this year, so be sure to enjoy while its here!
 september
On to real estate! September was a tremendous month. It proved to be the best September in the past 3 years. An astounding 63 properties sold in a one month period – and by anyones calculations – two per day is phenomenal! Also not reflected in these sold properties, United Community Bank (UCB) did an online auction that yielded quite a few sold properties – lots sold from a mere $2,000 to $8,000 in several instances.
 

 

You must be a subscriber of The POLTROCK TEAM’s
Bi-Weekly Real Estate Update to get the Link to
the sold properties for the past 14 Days.
See sold prices, pictures, and descriptions of what’s sold!
Email John at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com and join our SOLD Update!

 

 
SOLD Home Statistics in Murphy NC for September
(40 listings)
  Low High Average Median Total
List Price $40,000 $299,900 $172,424 $165,000 $6,896,950
Selling Price $40,000 $300,000 $152,836 $143,500 $6,113,432
List/Sold(%) 59.93% 100.09% 88.44% 89.78%
Price/SqFt ($) $0.00 $146.34 $43.22 $0.00
Days on Market 16 701 233 175
 
 
SOLD Land in Murphy NC Statistics
(23 listings)
  Low High Average Median Total
List Price $12,500 $215,000 $60,691 $39,900 $1,395,900
Selling Price $10,000 $185,000 $51,447 $29,100 $1,183,270
List/Sold(%) 37.93% 209.80% 83.63% 81.08%
Days on Market 113 648 301 190
 
Note the interesting phenomena on the lowest SOLD percentage of list price – Land reached as low as 38% of list and homes as low as 60% indicating some steep discounts (or high overpricing) on homes sold. There’s a direct relation between over pricing a home in today’s market and an extreme high time on market. In fact, the high time on market was an astonishing 701 days! If you don’t want to have an extended time on market like this, ensuring your home is priced competitively in the market is of the utmost importance. If you want a review of your property to see if any adjustments are necessary, give us a call or email and we’ll do the work for you.
We have seen a lot of offers thrown out there – in fact The Poltrock Team alone closed 13 transaction sides in September. We’re still seeing some of the Offers to Purchase come in extremely low and did not fly – we had offers as low as 33% of listing price. This was what I call a “Vulture” offer – folks offering ridiculous offers to see what they could get away with. Even with this happening, most of our buyers realize value even today, and that is perfectly indicative of the market. In fact the highest list to sell ratio was 100.09% of asking price – this means someone paid slightly more than asking price to ensure they bought the property.
 
Real estate is currently on the rise! Keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers for consumer confidence to continue to rise and for people to buy homes and land in the mountains of Murphy, NC!
 
As always, we thank you for the opportunity to work for you. We work hard every day and work 60+ hours per week for our clients and would love to work for you and your real estate referrals.
 
If you have any questions or anything we can do for you, please CONTACT US! Thank you for your business and trust. If you know of anyone looking to buy or sell real estate anywhere in the United States, please give us their name and number and we will take care of them to make certain they get the best service no matter where they are.

Want expert insight into current real estate sales or a pricing review of your property? Let us help—start today at murphy nc real estate.

Written By: John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team – Contact us Today Toll Free 1-866-687-7496

The Poltrock Team’s NEW Murphy NC Area and Real Estate Information Packet NOW Released!

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!
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!

Ready to explore real estate in the mountains with confidence? Request your FREE Buyer’s Packet today through murphy nc real estate.

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