New Year’s Resolution #1 for Your Home: Decrease the Hazards

Posted by murphylover on

This time of year, the New Year’s resolutions are flying thick and fast. You’ve seen them all before. Lose weight, get your finances in order, and snag a better job. And while the resolutions are easy to make, they’re often much tougher to keep. So for 2017, why not switch gears and resolve to get your Murphy, NC house in better working order? If that grabs your attention, consider making resolutions that apply regardless of your home’s size or operating budget.

For starters, you certainly don’t want to live in a home filled with health and fire risks. To reduce your chances of a negative outcome, follow these five preventive strategies applicable to any home.

Detect the Carbon Monoxide: Your home’s smoke detectors can alert you to developing fire danger. To increase your protection factor, install a carbon monoxide detector on every floor that contains a bedroom. This affordable little device can alert you to a blocked or leaking furnace vent or chimney flue. Without this detector, either malfunction can cause carbon monoxide to collect in your house and kill you and your family.

Find the Radon: This odorless, colorless gas can trap radioactive particles in your lungs, potentially leading to the development of lung cancer. To learn if your home has elevated radon levels, buy an inexpensive test kit at your local hardware or home improvement store.

Reduce Potential Mold: If your bathroom and/or attic aren’t vented to the outdoors, you greatly increase your home’s chances of becoming a mold factory. If you can’t easily install the vent(s) yourself, hire a competent professional to do the job.

Dig Out All the Dryer Lint: Although you frequently clean the dryer lint trap, highly combustible lint can also collect in the ducts and vents behind the dryer. Clean these areas often to knock down the fire hazard.

Older Home Remodeling Reminder: If your home was built or remodeled before 1978, you could be living with asbestos flooring and/or lead paint. If that’s the case, and you have future remodeling plans, handle these harmful substances carefully when removing them. If you don’t feel comfortable doing the job yourself, hire a specialist who will bring the proper gear.

While some projects just require a one-time effort, plan to change your smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries on a regular basis. Develop a dryer lint removal schedule, too. By working to reduce your Murphy, NC home’s hazards, your house will be a healthier place for you and your family.

Reducing everyday hazards helps keep your Murphy, NC home safe, healthy, and ready for the year ahead. For expert local insight, trust murphy nc realtors who care about your home as much as you do.

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – ilovemurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Tips for Entertaining Kids During Christmas Break

Posted by murphylover on

Kids and Christmas break go together like peanut butter and jelly. Whether the youngsters are part of the elementary school set, or have recently joined the ranks of middle schoolers, they probably view their Christmas/New Year’s vacation in much the same way. In other words, they plan to sleep late and lounge around playing with their tech devices all day.

However, you have considerably different plans for the kids’ time away from school. You’ve compiled a list of enticing home-based activities, along with suggestions for three Murphy, NC community field trips. If the weather cooperates, you might even take the youngsters to the great outdoors. Simply speaking, you intend to get them off the couch and give them a Christmas break they won’t forget.

DREAM UP SOME INDOOR ACTIVITIES
Start a Scrapbooking Tradition. Remembering Christmas Day – and all your family’s holiday gatherings – will be more fun when you view the event’s photographs. So, invite the kids to create a scrapbook of this year’s festivities. After you print out the best pictures, set up a table with paper, markers, and lots of decorative supplies. Include child-friendly materials such as glitter and stickers. Then, let the kids’ imaginations run wild, and encourage them to unveil the result during a special family dinner.

Design an Indoor Painting Studio. Painting seems to unleash the creativity in everybody – regardless of their age. Kids seem to especially enjoy this art form. Turn a spare room into a painting studio, covering the space with plastic and removing any objects you’d like to keep spatter-free. Then, equip your young artists with washable paint and large paper sheets. Provide a space where they can proudly display their finished artwork.

Set Up a Kids’ Talent Show. Everybody enjoys a family talent show, especially if there are prizes involved. So, announce that you’ll host a family talent night where each child can showcase their performance skills. Singing, dancing, feats of strength – it’s all on the table. Encourage the kids to practice beforehand, and award a special prize to the winner(s). Take video of the occasion, and watch it again over a family pizza party.

Host a Living Room Campout. Although camping in the woods is off limits during the winter, kids will enjoy a living room camp-out just as much. Announce the trip in advance, and set up your tent (or make one with blankets and chairs) in a corner of the living room. If space doesn’t permit, move the event to the family room. Plan some kid-friendly campfire games, tell stories, and make s’mores on the stove while you stay toasty warm.

GET OUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Explore Your Local Library. Although you might not realize it, your nearby library is full of hidden treasures. Besides books, you’ll find music and movies suitable for all ages. Even better, the library has many comfortable chairs (and very likely a kids’ reading section), so you and the youngsters can enjoy some quality reading time while you’re there.

For a change of pace, send the kids on a library-based scavenger hunt. In other words, they must find several books written on a given topic or destination. Each child receives points for every book they score. The child with the most points wins a highly desirable prize.

Embark on a Museum Visit. In downtown Murphy, NC, the Cherokee County Historical Museum can help kids connect to the area’s history while offering up a bounty of fascinating artifacts. In fact, the Museum features a 5,000-piece Native American artifact collection, with each item found in Cherokee County.

The Cherokee County Historical Museum is conveniently located at 89 Peachtree Street, near the courthouse and police station. When you arrive, take note of the bear and eagle figures near the entrance. Ask a museum docent about the animals’ role in Cherokee County history.

Put On Your Volunteer Hats. When kids (and adults) become consumed with holiday activities, needs of elderly or less-fortunate neighbors can fade into the background. To focus on what really matters, introduce children and teens to age-appropriate volunteer work. You’ll enjoy sharing the experience, and your kids might receive satisfaction from helping others.

In Cherokee County, numerous non-profit groups would appreciate your (and perhaps the kids’) help. As another option, offer to make meals (or run errands) for an elderly or under-the-weather neighbor. If you find a good fit, arrange a regular volunteer stint for you and the youngsters.

HIT THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Enjoy a Winter Nature Walk. If the weather cooperates, bundle up the kids and head out for a forest nature walk. Keep your young companions’ interest by giving them a purpose for their trek. For example, ask them to find different types of trees or bird calls. When you get home, research their finds via the Internet. Enjoy viewing the tree photos or listening to bird calls over hot chocolate.

Begin a Birdfeeding Hobby. With plants and seeds in winter hibernation, birds have a tough time finding food. So, provide them with some tasty snacks by making a batch of bird seed cookies. Find your recipes on the Internet, and ask the kids to help you hang the treats in your backyard. After watching your avian visitors flock to their winter feast, identify each species with a bird book or via Internet research.

Make this Christmas break one to remember with fun family activities, local adventures, and cozy memories. And if a new home is on your wish list, our murphy nc realtors are here to help you make it happen.

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – ilovemurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

SOLD SHOW! Christmas Edition

Posted by I Love Murphy on

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Watch this video to find out what the real estate market in Murphy NC and Cherokee County NC is doing! Want more details?  Join us to see properties that sell each month, our exclusive statistics, and more! 

Questions? Ready to sell? Call us now at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

RE/MAX SOLD 57% of HOUSE SALES this November!

Statistics for the Month:

Monthly Sold Stats

We hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We’re here for you so if you need your real estate sold or have questions, we’re only a call or click away!

This Christmas, we’re here to help you buy or sell with confidence in Murphy, NC. For local expertise that delivers, trust murphy nc real estate agents.

 

 

 

Going from Stink To Sold – Make it Smell Good to Sell Your House

Posted by I Love Murphy on

Selling a house in Murphy, North Carolina, or any area for that matter, is really hard when it stinks. Both literally and figuratively! If a buyer’s nose is negatively assaulted by a strong smell when they arrive in a house, they’ll often leave with a bad impression no matter how perfect everything else is. I’ve literally shown houses where the buyer took two steps inside, then turned around and left over stench.

There are all kinds of offensive odors which stand out in buyer’s minds. Something you may have become completely desensitized to will stick out like a red flag and cause buyer not to purchase your
house. Common foul odors are:

  • Pets
  • Smoke
  • Staleness and must, especially when caused by excessive moisture
  • Mold or mildew
  • Trash
  • Sewer or septic odor

Some smells can be particularly challenging to destroy, and for those, we have vendors who can take care of the worst of the worst. However there are easy things you can do to make a world of difference and ultimately contribute to hanging a SOLD sign in your yard.

Febreeze works miracles! This is one of our top secrets to make your home smell fresh and inviting to a buyer. Don’t get any “fancy” sprays or scents that particularly stand out (many folks think you’re trying to hide something if its too strong), but rather the original Febreeze seems to work the best. It doesn’t particularly standout nor is it overpowering. It makes for a fresh, clean house worthy of buying. I would encourage you not to use anything that smells stronger than Fresh Baked Cookies.

Get rid of the perpetrator! If you have a pet bed Fido has been using for the last 15 years, it may be time to go shopping for a new one. If you have covers on sofas, curtains, soiled rugs or carpeting, or any other fabric needing to be washed, now is the time! Then, maintain it with Febreeze.

As part of our service to you, we won’t sugarcoat smells! If something stands out to us, we will tell you so you can identify and take action. The nose is a sympathetic organ and can omit alerting you to a smell, especially if it has been around a while. Don’t take offense! Rather, as constructive feedback. Our goal is selling your house for the most money in the shortest period of time, and bad smells can definitely cause the opposite if you’re unaware of an issue.

Please give us a call or contact us here and let us help stage your house so you can get the best results and ultimately get your real estate sold!

John Poltrock – The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX – Murphy NC – www.iLoveMurphy.com – 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Deck Your Home with Natural Holiday Decorations

Posted by murphylover on

‘This is the season to fill your home—inside and out—with cheer, and what better way than with natural holiday decorations? Instead of reusing last year’s leftovers or spending money on new store-bought décor, step outside and let the beautiful mountains of Murphy, NC inspire you. With pinecones, evergreens, berries, and more right in your backyard, you can create festive, one-of-a-kind decorations your whole family will love.

Take a walk outside your Murphy, NC home, and you’re likely to find evergreens, pinecones, dried flowers, and more. Add some strategically placed fruit and craft items, and you’ve got the makings of stunning decorations your family and friends will enjoy. So put on your boots and grab a basket, and gather a bounty of natural materials just a few steps from your door. Then, create your decorations using the tips below – or put your imagination to work and design your own holiday trimmings.

HOLIDAY HOME DECOR

  • Door or Mantel Decoration: Create your own holiday swag by collecting a bundle of nicely textured brown twigs. Secure the twig ends with a wide rubber band that’s covered with a colorful ribbon. Add some holiday greenery by tucking one lush evergreen branch inside the rubber band.
  • Festive Wall Accents: To liven up your home’s bare walls, gather several beautiful evergreen boughs. Tack up a branch in each room, accenting your dining table, buffet, or other focal point. Add some color by hanging Christmas cards, glittery ornaments, and fancy gift tags on each fragrant green branch.
  • Indoor Woodland Display: Comb your garden and nearby woods for several unusual-looking bare branches. Fill a narrow glass vase with artificial snow, and create a branch arrangement that birds might find inviting. Add some tufts of snowy-looking cotton on the branches, and wire on colorful berries cut from faux flower sprays.

Next, wire a few realistic-looking cardinals onto your carefully placed branches. Create another desirable destination by placing a bird’s nest on the window sill. Rearrange your display several times during the winter.

FESTIVE TABLE TRIMMINGS

  • Colorful Tabletop Centerpiece: Place a striking beveled-edge mirror on your dining table. Arrange white or colored pillar candles on the mirror, adding pinecones and evergreens to provide contrasting color. Add clementines, red apples, or green pears as you wish.
  • Natural Forest Centerpiece: Choose a good-sized clear glass container. Gather pinecones, moss, seed pods, and other natural materials from the nearby forest. Find other dried floral items at a craft store or online. Beginning with the pinecones, layer your materials to create a pleasing multilayer centerpiece that adds an organic touch to your table.
  • Cranberry Candle Decor: Place a cranberry-colored candle inside a clear glass jar or cylinder. Carefully pack fresh cranberries around the candle, leaving room for the candle to burn safely. Spice up your table decoration by adding several sparkly Christmas ornaments around the container’s base.
  • Simply Beautiful Greenery: Bring out several differently sized glass vases. Fill each one with evergreen sprigs, varying the greens’ shapes and heights to create a pleasing collection of table accents.

CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS

  • Miniature Cranberry Wreaths: Give your tree some welcome red color with these easy-to-make cranberry wreaths. For each wreath, string 20-25 plump cranberries onto a section of floral wire. Shape the wire into a circle, tie it, and you’re ready to hang your mini-wreath on the tree.
  • See-through Ball Ornaments: Purchase affordable clear plastic ball ornaments at a craft shop or online. Gather miniature pinecones, small evergreen sprigs, and even colorful berries or seed pods from the nearby forest.

Carefully arrange the natural materials inside the bottom half of each ornament, and tack in place with hot glue if needed. Add the top half of the ornament, and make a colorful ribbon hanger for the tree.

  • Earthy Pinecone Ornaments: Gather a bowlful of impressive pinecones from the nearby woods. Tie each cone with a burlap ribbon. Use twine to string the pinecones together, and create a one-of-a-kind garland for your tree.

KID-FRIENDLY ORNAMENTS

  • Dried Fruit Tree Accents: If you have a dehydrator, get busy drying fruits that will retain their shape and color when thoroughly dry. Show kids how to string holiday ribbon or rustic-looking twine through each dried fruit. Ask your young helpers to trim the Christmas tree with their special holiday bangles.
  • Homemade Bark Christmas Stars: Take the kids on a bark-gathering trip through the woods. Select sections of bark from varied trees, and use glue to transform the bark pieces into star-shaped ornaments. Add a sturdy twine hanger to each one, and invite the kids to hang them in favorite spots on the tree.
  • Cinnamon Stalks Ornaments: Bind several cinnamon stalks together, and tuck in dried fruit for varied colors and textures. Add a natural-toned twine hanger. Ask kids to place their fragrant spiced ornaments in special spots on the tree.

With so many natural Christmas decorations, your biggest challenge is choosing the best ones for your Murphy, NC home. Once you select your favorites, begin gathering those materials, and watch your creations take shape. Chances are, you’ll enjoy the finished results so much you’ll plan an encore for next Christmas.

Celebrate the season with stunning natural holiday decorations straight from your backyard. Love the Murphy lifestyle? Our murphy nc realtors can help you feel right at home.

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – www.ilovemurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Check Out Our Newest Listings and Price Changes

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You can tell winter has come to Murphy, NC with temperatures dipping in the teens at night and chilly day temps below 40, but no snow in the forecast yet. Despite the colder temperatures, we still have buyers looking and buying properties along with sellers listing theirs. So, if you are interested in buying a home here in our beautiful mountains, just give us a call. One call to The Poltrock Team is all it takes, whether you are selling or buying.

PS – Getting this on Social Media? Did a friend forward it to you?? Quit lolly gagging and get it sent straight to you! 🙂 Join our updates for free by CLICKING HERE!

Click This Link to See the Newest Listings and Price Changes in the Murphy Area

If you need anything at all, we’re only a call or email away! We’re here for you when you need us 🙂

Search our MLS 24 Hours a Day Here! Be sure to bookmark it 🙂

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – www.iLoveMurphy.com– Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Importance of Removing Family Pictures to Sell Your House

Posted by I Love Murphy on
Family Portraits are great for memories, not for selling your house.
Family Portraits are great for memories, not for selling your house.

Whether you are an HGTV fan or not, you have likely heard this tip before: remove family pictures before selling your house. This is a good rule of thumb whether you are selling real estate here in Western North Carolina or anywhere in the nation.

This does not mean strip your house of all artwork. You want to stage it properly, and artwork can play a role. Scenery, decorations, etc. can make it perfect. The end goal is to ensure prospective buyers walking through your house admire your home, not the people you know and the places you’ve been. Having them picture themselves in the home, notice its features, and admire the quality is key to their buying process.

Go ahead and box up all the family pictures and get them ready for their next home. If you have lots of holes in walls as a result of taking them down, you’ll want to patch them. If you like, you can always find a handyman on our Gotta Guy list.

Ready to sell? We can help! Call us today on the number below or contact us here and let us know what we can do for you! Any time you need us, we’re never more than a call or click away.

John Poltrock – The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX – Murphy NC – www.iLoveMurphy.com – 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

The Simplest Thing That Will Make Your House Sell

Posted by I Love Murphy on

When we bought our first house here in Murphy, NC, it was a foreclosure—and there was maybe one working light bulb in every room. It made trying to make the house sell miserable and difficult. In fact, I tried to sell it no less than three times to different buyers before I made an offer on it myself, and no one would buy it! I decided it worked wonderfully for my family, so Jessica and I purchased it.

Perhaps I’m wrong; I suspect a major reason it didn’t sell is because of how poorly it showed. There were obvious things wrong with it: disgusting carpet, it needed staining outside desperately, the basement wasn’t completely finished, and a few other things. It was all cosmetic. The location was prime, repairs were reasonable, and the price was right. I, to this day, believed it didn’t sell for one simple reason – light bulbs.

This bathroom vanity is a perfect example of what you don't want!
This bathroom vanity is a perfect example of what you don’t want!

Too simplistic? Perhaps; perhaps not. Lightbulbs are one of the most overlooked yet effective tools in showing a property. In fact, anyone who has ever had their house listed for sale with me has probably heard me say, “When you have a showing, turn on every lightbulb in the house. I want it to look like the house is on fire!”

If you’re selling your house here in Murphy NC and surrounding, or anywhere for that matter, make sure that every light bulb in the house works. It may sound like a no brainer, yet you’d be amazed how many houses we show where there’s no light working in the stairwell, the kitchen, bathroom, you name it. Switch broken and that’s why the light won’t turn on? Replace it. This is simple, yet important.

The lightbulb itself matters. You want something in 3000k range of light. The “old fashioned” incandescent light bulb is the standard, yet is getting hard to find. It turns on to peak output instantly and provides a comforting, warm light. You do not want the “spaceship blue” lights as I call it (I believe the industry calls it Cool Blue or something of that nature). You also do not want the curlicue fluorescent light bulbs… unless you set the stage for each showing.

The light itself is fine in terms of output and color, however they tend to take a significant period of time to warm up and reach maximum output. By then, your prospective buyer is gone and on to the next room and didn’t get the best impression, whether they realized it or not. LED’s work great – instant on, easy to find color temperature, however can be cost prohibitive. When it comes to selling, or not selling your house, a light bulb is certainly worth the cost.

Don’t overlook the little things: lightbulbs go a long way. Want to know what else it takes to sell your house? That’s what we are here for! Call us on the number below or contact us by clicking here and we will guide you on what it takes to get it sold!

John Poltrock – The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX – Murphy NC – www.iLoveMurphy.com – 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

#1 in Murphy and the Surrounding Areas

Posted by I Love Murphy on

The Poltrock Team is awesome! John has put together an extremely professional and knowledgeable group. Each member specializes in different aspects of real estate. If you have questions, they have answers! John is a remarkable salesman! His ingenuity, resourcefulness and “can do” spirit has made him and his team #1 in Murphy and the surrounding areas. You can’t go wrong by choosing John for all of your real estate needs! I have personally sold two homes and purchased two, and each transaction was painless and stress free. If you experience any “hiccups” fulfilling your real estate needs, you definitely want John in your corner. He will make sure that every detail is handled promptly and accurately. Call or email him. You won’t be sorry!

If you’re buying or selling in Murphy, trust the team that gets it done right. Work with realtors in murphy nc who make every transaction a smooth one.

–Tom & Linda Trombley

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – www.iLoveMurphy.com– Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Come Enjoy These Murphy, NC Christmas Celebrations

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Good old-fashioned Christmas celebrations just never go out of style. You circle the date on the calendar, pile the family into the car, and head to your town center to view the annual Christmas parade. Or, maybe you gather at a local church for a special musical program or Live Nativity experience. Here in Murphy, NC, we’re lucky to have several community holiday events during the month of December. So round up your family and friends, and make this a Christmas season you’ll remember for years.

Friday December 2 at 6 p.m.

Town of Murphy: Lighting of the Tree

Murphy’s town square will again host its much-anticipated “Lighting of the Tree” event. This family-friendly program includes children’s music and dance groups, and the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a kids’ Jingle Bell Walk. To cap off this memorable evening, Santa Claus will arrive on a festive-looking fire truck. Busy Valley River Avenue will be closed for the evening, giving everyone plenty of room to enjoy the fun.

Saturday Dec. 3 at 11:00 a.m., Sunday Dec. 4 at 7:00 p.m., and Monday Dec. 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Murphy First Baptist Church
: 40th Annual Singing Christmas Tree

517 Hiwassee Street
, Murphy, NC
Share in a community Christmas tradition by viewing the Murphy First Baptist Church’s Annual Singing Christmas Tree. Now in its 40th year, the Tree features a “Find Us Faithful” theme presented by about 45 talented singers positioned on a 40-foot-high tree. While you listen to favorite songs from the Tree’s history, you can watch the Christmas story unfold before your eyes.

To create the Singing Christmas Tree, volunteers spent considerable time building and assembling the tree inside the church. Singers devoted many hours to rehearsals, blending their voices into soaring melodies and harmonies. Everyone’s hard work culminates in a memorable Christmas musical event you’ll want to experience every year.

Saturday December 3 at 2 p.m.

Murphy Hometown Christmas Parade

Bundle up the family, and get ready to enjoy a wonderful small-town Christmas parade. Beginning at the Valley Village Shopping Center, the parade route winds through downtown Murphy, ending at First Baptist Church across from McDonald’s. Choose your favorite vantage point, bring some chairs and hot chocolate, and prepare to experience some old-fashioned family fun.

Although parade participants vary every year, you’re likely to see marching units and floats sponsored by children’s groups, non-profit organizations, and local businesses. This year, The Poltrock Team will join in the fun, waving to parade-goers from the team’s “Santa’s Workshop” float. Come on out and greet them!

Friday December 16 & Saturday December 17 from 6 -8 p.m. (Drive Through)

Shepherd of the Mountains Church: Live Nativity

Providence Lane, Murphy, NC

With a calendar full of holiday parties, gift buying, and cookie baking, it’s easy to forget the real meaning of Christmas. Fortunately, Murphy’s Shepherd of the Mountains Church reminds us of the enduring value of the Christmas story, presenting a Live Nativity on its Murphy, NC campus every year since 2013.

Given as a community ministry, Shepherd Church’s Live Nativity re-creates the Christmas story using characters such as wise men, shepherds, angels, and even live barnyard animals. The much-loved manger scene is the highlight of the experience. This year, view the Live Nativity while you stay warm and comfortable in your vehicle. Note: The Live Nativity is free of charge, but donations are accepted.

Whether it’s the lights, music, or small-town magic, Christmas in Murphy is unforgettable. Ready to call this charming town home? Connect with the trusted realtors in murphy nc who know how to make it happen—The Poltrock Team is here for you!

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – ilovemurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team