How to Protect Your Well from Freezing Temperatures

Posted by I Love Murphy on

We are blessed to live in Murphy, NC. A home where we enjoy moderate temperatures throughout all four seasons. However, that does not mean that you can’t prepare for extremely cold weather! Last year, we saw temperatures dip down to 0°! Now that winter is just around the corner, you should prepare and make sure your well is protected from freezing temperatures so you can enjoy a constant water supply throughout the winter.

Supplies you should gather and/or purchase:

  • An extension cord long enough to reach from a power supply to your well
  • A good quality utility light
  • Thermo Cube Picture40 watt STANDARD bulb – NOT a fluorescent or LED (you need heat, not energy efficiency)
  • A Thermo Cube (optional – this simple device will turn the light on and off automatically as needed. It can be purchased on Amazon)
  • You can opt to buy heat strips you can wrap around your well pipes from many hardware stores. If you go this route, you may not need the above items depending on its features. Personally, I prefer the lightbulb method. It is easy to test and ensure the system is working and also keeps the ambient air temperature in the entire well house/cover warm as opposed to strips that may only keep a certain spot warm.

Heres what to do with your supplies:

  1.  Well PictureRun your extension cord to the well and then plug in your Thermo Cube FIRST, if you opt to have one.
  2. Plug in your utility light next and leave it ON.
  3. Put the light and the plug under the protection of your well cover or house.
  4. And last but not least, keep your electrical parts elevated above ground in the event water does leak. You don’t want to damage any components should that happen.

Beside here is a picture of our well at home and you can see the utility light on and operational just left and below of the center of the picture. Be sure it’s not touching anything that can catch fire. It needs to be safely secured using zip ties or something similar. Put the well cover/house back over and, voila! You’re done!

Read our page on how to cheaply winterize your home so it is protected from freezing weather and temperatures.

Also read our page on how to unwinterize your house.

Good luck and stay warm!

 Call The Poltrock 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 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Cheaply Winterize your House and Save It from Winter Damage of Freezing Pipes, Water Intrusion, and More

Posted by I Love Murphy on

It looks like old man winter is here to stay here in Murphy NC! Freezing temperatures can pose a threat that puts your house in danger of bursting pipes, flooding basements, and very expensive damages. Fortunately, you can take simple precautions to winterize your house that reduces the potential of these hazards to almost nothing. For less than $10 in supplies, you can have peace of mind that your house is safe from winter’s grip.

Here are the tips we recommend:

  • Take garden hoses off your exterior hose bibs. These are notorious to freeze and burst the pipes behind your wall which can be a real nightmare to repair!
  • Turn off the main water main coming in to your house. Usually the valve to do so is located in your crawlspace/basement or at the end of your driveway. They can be a myriad of locations, but this is the most important “to do” in preventing damage. If you have one located OUTSIDE of your house, this is the most important one to turn off.
  • Turn on the hot and cold water on all your faucets and tub/showers. This will drain water pressure off your plumbing system. Leave them open.
  • RV AntifreezePurchase 2-3 gallons of pink RV antifreeze from any auto parts store or big box retailer. Pour 1-2 cups in every sink, tub, and shower so it fills your drain traps. This does double duty – 1) prevents remaining water from freezing. 2) RV antifreeze doesn’t evaporate like water so when you come back to your house, you won’t smell septic/sewer gasses that releases when traps dry out.
  • Flush all your commodes till they can’t flush any more. Pour 2 cups of pink RV antifreeze in the back reservoir tank and 2-3 cups in the toilet bowl of each commode.
  • Leave your heat set on 50-60 degrees. In the event power goes out, this provides a buffer in your house before it drops to below freezing. Also open cabinet doors under sinks to let the warm air get to the pipes.

Slightly more advanced techniques for added security (if you want):

  • Water heaters store a LOT of water and you certainly do not want that to freeze. You either need to leave the power to it on so the water stays hot or drain it. Draining it is more work but ensures it will not freeze and flushes out of any sediment that may have accumulated. Draining requires the water main to be off and a garden hose. FIRST, turn the power to it off at the breaker panel. If you do not, you’ll burn out the elements. SECOND, connect the garden hose to the drain at the bottom of your water heater. You’ll want to run the garden hose outside or to a drain in your sink or tub. To open the valve, you’ll need a flat head screw driver and/or a small wrench. Turn it to the left and open it completely. Make certain a couple faucets are open to allow air to fill the void. When the water finishes draining, close the valve by turning it to the right.
  • Plumbers use air to blow out pipes and get all the water out. You can do this yourself with a compressor and an attachment that can screw on to a shower head or sink. Open faucets etc individually to blow out the water in that line. This is easily done with two people – one to put air in the system and the other to go through the house opening faucets. Be sure to have the air pressure on your compressor turned down to 60-80 lbs.

Want the security of all this without having to do it yourself? No problem!! Go to our Gotta Guy list of Recommended Contractors, scroll to Plumbers, and call any of them to winterize your house for you. Then, you know it is done right! It generally costs a couple hundred bucks and often the plumber will offer to un-winterize your house at no additional cost.

I will also be writing tips on how to save your well from freezing temperatures and how to un-winterize your house. I hope this helps and keeps your house safe! We’re here for you and your real estate needs, so be certain to contact us or call today!

 Call The Poltrock 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 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Facing a Highest and Best Offer when Buying Real Estate

Posted by I Love Murphy on

When you’re buying a new home in Murphy NC, the excitement of finding the one you want to buy can be truly exhilarating. Anytime you buy a home, you have to write up the contract and submit it to the seller. Being notified there are multiple offers on a home can be somewhat overwhelming, especially if you want to buy the home and beat out other potential purchasers.

When a seller receives multiple offers, they have 2+ offers on one property. I’ve seen 11 total offers on one property we had listed and represented several buyers where there were 5+ offers. A seller has several different options of how they can respond to the offers:

  1. They can choose to accept or negotiate with one of any of the offers.
  2. They can also go to all parties who have submitted an offer and request for each party to provide their “highest and best offer” by certain deadline. This is very common, especially if you are purchasing a foreclosure. I personally find this option the most fair because it allows every interested party to put their best foot forward.

Highest and Best OfferPut simply, highest and best offer is exactly that. You want to submit your best offer that you’re willing to present on the house. The BEST refers to terms and contingencies. In the eyes of the seller, they want the offer with the least contingencies and potential pitfalls. The HIGHEST refers to the highest purchase price you’re willing to pay. In the event your house were to sell for one dollar more than you offered, you lost out over one dollar. I always recommend to buyers submit an offer that is as high as they are willing to go and if they lost it for one more dollar, they would have NO regrets. I’ve had many people make their highest offer and then want to change it after the deadline – you almost never get than second chance. Don’t be one of those folks – put your best foot forward right away!

Here are some neat tricks to consider when determining what your highest and best offer is going to be if you find yourself in that situation.

  • Odd dollar amounts can work. I had one that the buyer offer something odd like $145,342.01. Guess what – they got it. Sometimes the smallest amount can make a difference.
  • Always have proof of funds (evidence of your money. This applies to downpayment amounts AND to all cash offers).
  • The purchase price can routinely over asking price for the hottest properties. As inventory dwindles, this can happen more and more.
  • If you’re getting a loan, get pre-qualified with a reputable lender. A loan letter from some fly-by-night internet operation will not have anywhere near the credibility a reliable, local lender has. It wouldn’t even be a bad idea to find out if the bank or listing agent has a lender they prefer to give you that “edge.”
  • Reasonable/quick inspection periods. Don’t ask for long periods of inspection times. Rarely will more than 5-10 days be considered.
  • Cash is king and can often win out over an equal or even higher offer that requires a loan. You may not have this option so you’ll have to make your offer shine in other areas. Believe it or not, cash is very common (especially in multiple offer situations) so just because you have cash doesn’t mean you’ll get the property or that you shouldn’t make it more compelling in other areas.
  • Closing dates should generally be as early as possible. Banks want the houses (assets as they call them) off their books ASAP. Make your offer scheduled to close as soon as you can make it happen.

If you’re in this position, good luck! It can be exciting, emotionally draining, and so many other emotions. The main thing is to lean on your Realtor for help. Every situation is different so be sure to utilize their insight and advice. We hope you get your property 🙂

The Poltrock 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 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Is October a Good Month to Sell My House and Real Estate in Murphy NC?

Posted by I Love Murphy on

When it comes to selling real estate in Murphy, NC, timing can certainly be a factor. As with any real estate market, Murphy has a “busy season” and times that are historically not as busy.  When putting your house for sale, it’s a great idea to capitalize on activity.

The answer is a resounding YES if you find yourself asking, “Is October a good time to sell my home and/or real estate in Murphy?”  

Why, you may ask? October is one of highest traffic months of the year. Many prospective buyers are coming to town to enjoy the many things there are to do this time of year. The changing of the seasons brings out the spectacular change of color in the leaves, the frequent festivals such as the Folk School Fall Festival, and the wonderful weather are just a few of the draws that makes October a very busy month. There are so many things going on and the area is so beautiful, many people simply fall in love and want to buy real estate so they can continue enjoying all there is anytime they desire.

If you’re planning, or even considering selling your property, October is a great month to act and ensure your house is available for sale. 

Contact us today!

The Poltrock 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 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Is August a Good Month to Sell my House and Real Estate in Murphy NC?

Posted by I Love Murphy on

When it comes to selling real estate in Murphy, NC, timing can certainly be a factor. As with any real estate market, we have a “busy season” and times that are historically not as busy.  When putting your house for sale, it’s a great idea to capitalize on activity.

The answer is YES if you find yourself asking, “Is August a good time to sell my home in Murphy?”

Why? August is historically a lull in new buyer activity. Folks are getting back into the “normal” swing of things now that summer is coming to a close. Kids are going back to school and a lot of parents and grandparents around the nation want to be there for it. It truly is a month when folks have many other things aside from real estate on their mind.

So how could it be a good time to put your house on the market? There are a few very good reasons.

1)    Real estate advertising is a process. From the time you sign a listing agreement, your house is not instantaneously available for sale across all advertising venues. It takes time to process all the data, input it into all various systems, advertising partners, and for it to syndicate across the Internet. Magazines and other print media have certain due dates and publish dates that must be met, follow up systems have to be put into place, and so much more. It takes a lot of work and time to do so on the back end to get your home fully on the market. Because of that, you want to make sure your house is 100% in full effect when the “busy season” arrives.

2)    Folks don’t stop shopping for homes. We may not have as many people in Murphy actively shopping for homes in August, yet people are most certainly still looking for homes online and other places. They’re making their “Must See” list for when they arrive and we certainly want your house on that list.

3)    One of our busiest seasons is upon us and you want buyers to know of your house’s availability. Simple as it seems, if folks in the market to buy a house don’t know yours is available for sale, they can’t buy it. You want those with the ability to buy your house to know its for sale, dream about it, and want to come buy it. You could miss an opportunity by waiting to put your house on the market – and that’s never a good thing.

Long story short, August is a month you want to have your house for sale during. If it is not currently on the market for sale, you should want it available sooner than later. It’s our business to help folks sell and buy homes, and it would be a privilege to help sell yours.

Contact us today!

The Poltrock 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 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Real Estate Tax Evaluation in Murphy NC and Cherokee County NC

Posted by I Love Murphy on

Taxes are a necessity to make any local government run properly. We all require basic services that we expect. For example, if we ever have to dial 911, we expect an ambulance or officer to arrive quickly.

Cherokee County is no different. A large portion of Cherokee County’s budget comes from real estate taxes. North Carolina law requires, simply put, that a county’s tax assessed value (or appraisal as some people refer to it) be as close to market value as possible. Cherokee County has opted to do a county-wide re-evaluation to determine that value once every four years. This year, 2012, was one of those years.

If you own property in Murphy, Andrews, Marble, and parts of Brasstown, you should have received your notice of value early this year. Across the county, owners noticed an average decline in assessed value of about 30% over the previous value (which, by the way, was largely based on 2006/2007 sales).

Assessed value is only part of the puzzle when it comes to your real estate tax bill. It’s also based on the millage rate. That is the amount of tax you pay per $100 of assessed value. The county commissioners have confirmed the new tax rate is $0.52.

  • $100,000 Assessment at $0.385 cents is $100,000/100x.385= $385 annually
  • That same house at the new assessment of $70,000 at $0.52 is $364 annually

Bear in mind this is not the only factor as there is also a small fire tax (to fund your fire department), etc. that will make your actual bill slightly higher than what we are estimating here. In THEORY, taxes should have remained roughly flat. Naturally when you look at it on a county level of THOUSANDS of properties on the tax records, there are certainly some variations.

If you’re looking to purchase a property and want to know what the actual tax bill is, the best way is to simply ask. Make sure you have accurate information when making decisions on a home. If you need help with anything, contact us today! We’re here for you! 🙂

CLICK HERE to Download a Tax Calculation Cheat Sheet for Cherokee County NC

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

When you’re in Murphy NC, what do you call it? Is it a mobile home, modular home, or a trailer?

Posted by I Love Murphy on

One of the real estate agents in our office wrote a great article in the Cherokee Scout, our local newspaper. In fact, it’s a question of clarification we get from a lot of folks who are looking to buy a home. Thanks to Wally, I’ll share with you what he had to say. Enjoy!

The industry likes to call it “manufactured housing.” That compares to the “stick built” or “site-built” housing, which is constructed on the home’s land.The original mobile homes were built of metal, with metal roofs and metal siding.The original “trailers” also were largely single-wide homes.

Then came doublewides. And vinyl siding. And shingle roofs.

Since they were all delivered on wheels, the name that best described them was “mobile home.”

The federal government jumped into the picture in the mid 1970’s and established a national standard for manufactured housing. Electrical wiring, insulation, etc., all had to meet U.S. Housing and Urban Development code.

Top Factories quickly learned that a doublewide home built, for example, with slightly different wall studs, floor joists, and other minor changes would pass the NC Building Code for a regular site-built house.

Mobile and Modular Homes have come a long way from their predecessors.

They termed this new product a “modular home.” Delivered on wheels – recycled back to the factory like other mobiles – and built in a doublewide factory, it was still done to the state building code. Therefore, it was modular.

Subdivisions with deed restrictions that did not allow “trailers” suddenly found themselves pressed to define what that word meant. That’s when a doublewide “modular” had been built and inspected to meet the same building code as the existing homes of the subdivision.

Lawyers met the challenge by stipulating in new deed restrictions that “all homes must be constructed on site.”

Towns and counties continue to control the placement of mobile homes with various restrictive zoning rules.

So the old word continues to be used, and continues to be resented by those who work in the industry.

“Trailer?” dealer Gary Ledford asked. “Trailer? A trailer is something you use to haul hay or a boat or a lawnmower…”

One thing I’ll add is there certainly is a difference between modular homes. There are what most call “on frame modulars” and “off frame modulars.”

  • The on frame modulars are like the doublewides most folks think of. They are mainly called that because they are on a frame, often a steel I beam, that runs the length of the house. Most are rectangular in shape
  • An off frame modular is often EXTREMELY difficult to tell the difference between it and a frame, or site built, home. It looks like a regular home, smells like a regular home, and can be shaped with all kinds of pitches, shapes, eaves, and more truly giving it the the feel of a site built home. Another difference is they commonly come in as a “grid” system that is put together like a puzzle without a frame like a doublewide. They truly can be quite nice and affordable.

I hope that provides some clarity and we hope to see you in the mountains of Murphy NC. If you’re considering purchasing or selling a mobile, modular, or other manufactured home – or any other kind of home for that matter!  🙂 – contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

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

Co-Founder of REMAX International Dave Liniger Gives his Prediction for 2012 Real Estate Market

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Dave Liniger, the co-founder of REMAX International, gives his video prediction of 2012 Real Estate. It’s a great video with excellent insight. I doubt the Murphy NC Real Estate Market will have the amount of REO (foreclosures) and short sales he predicts based on what we see. However, that could prove to be incredibly accurate for many other markets throughout the United States. Enjoy and let us know what we can do for you and your real estate needs here in Murphy NC 😉

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

Present Use Value PUV Program – a great way to reduce Real Estate Taxes on Large Land and Acreage in Murphy NC and Cherokee County NC

Posted by I Love Murphy on

When it comes to acreage tracts and land in Murphy NC, I must admit Cherokee County has great tax rates! It’s nice to live in an area where taxes are affordable and reasonable. However, it’s always nice to be able to lower your tax bill! And if you have a larger tract of land, you can lower a good tax bill to an extremely great tax bill.

Cherokee County NC, like many other counties in North Carolina, have access to a program called Present Use Value, or PUV. It is NOT designed to be a program just to drop your taxes. It provides a benefit to you (lower taxes) for sound management of your property. That is done by creating a forestry plan, etc. and properly executing it on your property. It’s truly a win-win all around.

There are several variations of the program with different requirements for each. Here are the basic requirements to be eligible for each PUV program:

  • Agriculture/Aquaculture
    • You must own at least 10 acres in the production of crops or livestock for commercial sale or 5 acres in production of aquatic species or have more than 20,000 pounds of aquatic product for commercial sale.
    • Show an average gross income of $1,000 from the preceding three year period must be shown from the sale of the products produced from the land
    • If you have more than one farmed tract, only one of the tracts (the parent tract) is subject to the minimum size and income requirements.
  • Horticulture
    • At least five acres in the production of fruits, vegetables, nursery or floral products for commercial sale.
    • You must have an average gross income of $1,000 from the preceding three year period must be shown from selling products produced from the land.
    • Christmas tree farms are part of the horticultural classification and must have at least five acres in production for commercial sale.
    • If you have more than one horticultural tract, only one of the tracts (parent tract) is subject to the minimum size and income requirements with the exception of Christmas tree farms.
  • Forestry
    • At least 20 acres in the production of forest products for commercial sale.
    • The forest land must have a written forest management plan from the NC Division of Forest Resources or a private forester and a copy of the plan on file with the Tax Administrator’s Office.
    • If you have more than one forestry tract, only one of the tracts (parent tract) is subject to the size requirements. Since income is only produced when timber is harvested, there is no yearly income requirement for forest land.
  • Wildlife
    • Tract of Land must be between 20-100 acres.
    • Must protect an animal species that lives on the land and is on the NC protected animal list or conserve a priority wildlife habitat.
    • You must have a written wildlife habitat conservation plan from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and file it with the Tax Administrator’s Office

The present use value is based solely on being able to determine the property’s ability to produce an income, NOT the estimated market value of the land.

If you are eligible and/or considering applying, I highly recommend you contact the Cherokee County Tax Office at 828-837-2421. Since they ultimately have the final say in whether you can be in the program, it’s a great idea to contact them to get pointed in the right direction on your property or land you are considering buying.

Frequently asked Questions

 –What if there is a home on the land I want to put in the PUV program? This is generally not a problem. An acre of property that your home is on will be completely excluded and taxed according to current assessments. The rest of your property can be in the program.

–What happens if I sell the property? The taxes that are “deferred” as a part of the program are reclaimed for the past three years. For example, let’s say your “normal” tax bill is $1,000 and the PUV program makes it $100 for a $900 savings each year. If you’re in the program for 10 years, that’s $9,000 worth of taxes you saved. If you sold it in year 10, you would be responsible for paying back the last 3 years of savings. So, it would be $900 x 3 = $2,700. Yet the other $6,300 is a total savings you DO NOT owe.

–How much can I expect my tax bill to be in the program? I was told by a local forester who develops plans for parcels to enter the program that it averages about $1.50 per acre. For example, if you had 100 acres, your annual tax bill would be about $150.

Are you looking to buy acreage tracts of land? If so, we’re here for you! Land is always so unique that it can be challenging to search for, even online! Let us help. You can feel free to use our FREE Land MLS Search for Real Estate OR Fill out our CONTACT US Form and let us know what your “Wishlist” is for land, and we’ll do the leg work for you! If you have any other questions or concerns, always feel free to let us know.

John Poltrock – The Poltrock 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 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

Types of Fireplaces in Homes in Murphy NC

Posted by I Love Murphy on

When it comes to buying a home for sale in Murphy, North Carolina, it is very common for folks to want to buy a home or cabin that has a fireplace. There are a wide variety of different types of fireplaces. Here’s a good bit of information on the different types we commonly see in homes in Murphy, NC.

There are two main types: wood or gas burning.

Gas Burning

Ventless or Unvented – these are a very common type of fireplace in Murphy NC because of their ease to install and the ability for them to go essentially anywhere in a home. One excellent used for them is if you find a home that does not already have a fireplace, they can be installed just about anywhere and look amazing. They are an excellent heat source, especially as a back up for electric heat pumps or furnaces. Because they are unvented, 100% of the heat generated by them stays in the home and keeps it warm. Be sure that if you use them for an extended period of time that you crack a window or door to allow fresh air in so the flames cannot use up all the oxygen in the room.

Vented – we see a lot of vented fireplaces here in Murphy as well. Vented fireplaces are great for ambiance because they produce very realistic looking flames. They are, however, not as good as a heat source. Since they are vented, the majority of the heat produced from the flames escapes outside.

Wood Burning

Straight Fireplace – these are the regular type fireplaces most everyone is used to. You build a fire and it heats the room with the crackling and dancing of the flames we all love. The major disadvantage is that it’s a whole lot more work! If you’re willing to put in the effort, a wood burning fireplace can be extremely rewarding.

Wood Burning Stove – there are tons of different types of wood burning stoves! They are an extraordinary way to heat your home with wood. They tend to burn hotter, cleaner, and more efficiently than a regular open fireplace. Many folks use them as a secondary heat source. There’s a lot of folks that use nothing but a wood burning stove too! One good sized stove can literally heat an entire home if it is properly positioned, used, and correctly sized for the space.

If you love the ambiance but don’t love the work, Wood burning fireplaces can easily be converted to gas logs, usually very inexpensively. Normally it only requires choosing a set of gas logs and having the gas company install them.

Looking to buy a home in the mountains of Murphy NC? Look no further! You can search all the real estate for sale in Murphy NC by clicking here! Want us to do the leg work for you? Check out our Dream Home Finder, share your wish list with us, and we will do the leg work for you! If there’s anything else we can help you with, contact us and we will do everything we can to help. We’re here for you!

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