Reasons to Buy Local in Murphy NC and Cherokee County

Posted by I Love Murphy on

This article will be featured in the debut issue of The Green Sheets which will be delivered to roughly 10,000 mailboxes in the Murphy NC area. It is designed to promote shopping locally in the area and will be full of coupons and excellent values giving you, the buyer, the chance to save some money, learn about local businesses, and get to read yet another article by John. Enjoy!

With the shift in the economy, it’s become ever increasingly more and more popular to say, “Buy local!” I’ve seen billboards, bumper stickers, magazines, and more all over Murphy promoting shopping here. It’s certainly an easy concept – spend your money here and bolster our local economy. We’re talking about way more than some guy you’ll never see again at the checkout working for a living, that’s Joe’s cousin and he has 3 kids and a beautiful wife. You might even see him at church or at the grocery while you’re doing your shopping. We’re blessed with great folks in this town, and we need to help them and in turn, help ourselves.

It’s easy to run to the “big store” and buy everything. It’s easy to jump in the car and drive to Atlanta or Chattanooga and get your clothes, shoes, or widgets there (ever considered how much money in gas it takes to get there and back??). It’s easy to buy cheap imported junk that’ll break in 3 minutes when we could’ve bought it here, spent a few more bucks, and gotten something that will truly last – you know what I’m talking about!

We should make an effort to help our neighbors and help ourselves. After all, everything “trickles down” and eventually makes its way back to us. With that said, look for local shopping alternatives. This is easy.

Joe from Brasstown walks in and buys a house. Joe got a great new house and my business just generated some revenue. Here’s how it got spent: $200 – local sign guy. Everyone knows Realtors needs signs. He just made payroll for his employees for a day or two. $50 – Gas at Duncan’s or Fatback’s.  $50 – local restaurant. Take your pick, we have some great food here and that employees a lot of people – owners, chefs, wait staff. $100 – need new boots. Want to drive to Atlanta – NOPE! There’s Hogsed’s Sportswear or Clayton’s Shoe Store downtown. $50 – need cat and dog food. The easy solution is something like Wal-Mart. Again, consider Teresa’s Pet World or Wayne’s Feed Store. $100 – Need some tools. There are many options – Murphy Building Supply, Wilson’s, Dickey’s and several others. Not only that, they really know what they’re talking about and can point you in the right direction. $50 – Jessica wants some plants and Potts & Pebbles is a perfect place to get them with more expertise and plants that will live longer than a year.

The list goes on and on. Long story short, do your best to buy the things you can from locally owned and family businesses. You’ll be able to find most everything you need here, and when you can’t, ask them to order it! I was in Appalachian Outfitters a week ago and those fine folks offered to order practically anything I need! Most of our local vendors can do the same, so give them the chance. Help those out who help us every single day. Not only will you get the item you needed, but you may meet your neighbor and make a friend. You never know when you will need a helping hand!

Contributed to The Green Sheets by: John Poltrock with The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX Mountain Properties. You can reach him toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 or at www.MyMurphy.com

Enjoying the Water on Hiwassee Lake in Murphy NC This Weekend!

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This weekend turned out to be bright and gorgeous! After a long day of showing real estate to some prospective buyers on Saturday, it really was a treat to get out boating on Lake Hiwassee this Sunday.

We put in the boat at the Hanging Dog Forest Service area here in Murphy and then rode all the way to the Hiwassee Dam.

This year is exceptionally beautiful because Hiwassee is practically full! After a couple of years with low rainfall and low water levels on Hiwassee, it’s genuinely a treat to see it that full. It’s beautiful with all the Forest Service it has surrounding it, and yesterday was no exception. It’s great to ride for miles and only see nature around. Natural shoreline is certainly the majority on Hiwassee since it’s only 7% developed and Forest Service owns the rest.

If you’ve not been fishing or skiing on Hiwassee, you should! Much of the water is like glass since the channels are long, slender, and blocked from wind by the mountains. You can find a cove and just enjoy yourself and likely not see another person in your cove!

For real estate in the mountains of Murphy NC or to find out what is for sale on Lake Hiwassee, call The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX Mountain Properties toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – www.iLoveMurphy.com

Rock Star Real Estate Investor – Cherokee Scout Newspaper Article

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Here’s this week’s article for The Cherokee Scout – Murphy NC’s Main Local Newspaper. Enjoy!

Everybody knows who Rock Stars are – hugely famous and successful people in the music business. Different people come to mind depending on your generation. Some people think of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and even some new guys out today who are destined for fame.

Real estate has the same type of people – Rock Stars in their own right. Everyone knows Donald Trump, who is arguably the most famous investor of today. There are many others – Steve Wynn in Vegas, Donald Bren in California, and a list that continues on. In fact, you’ll find several billionaires who owe their fortune to real estate on the Forbes list of the 400 Richest people in America. Realistically, it’s hard to fathom a billion dollars – that’s one thousand million dollars, two hundred million Big Mac combos, just imagine that kind of money. That’s the fortune these men above have accrued through real estate investing.

The good news is you don’t need that much money to be an excellent real estate investor. They key to being a real estate investor is to buy smart, buy right, buy for the investment and not emotion, and don’t stretch yourself financially thin. There are thousands of people who have made themselves financially independent by buying one rental house at a time, and most of them weren’t their class valedictorian. Solid investments are all over the place, and you can find one to meet your own personal needs and goals.
It’s common not to plan for the future, and I find that more and more people don’t have the foresight to do so. You can easily leave the pack and plan for the future, all you need to do is have a bit of foresight, competent counsel, and act. Procrastination on something you know can positively change your future or that of your heirs is as dangerous as idle hands.

There are so many goals you can accomplish through real estate investing that are far more reliable and “real” than what most investment brokers lead you to believe. If you’ve ever been “pitched” a whole life insurance policy, you should know what I mean! STAY AWAY! Many annuities, mutual funds, and stocks are commission makers that are not in your son or daughter’s best interest. Some disreputable brokers use techniques that play on your emotions rather than your intelligence to make decisions for your loved one’s future. Diversification is extremely important, and you should consider an alternative.

Do you dream of your son/daughter going to college? How about them growing up to be a “Rock Star” brain surgeon, teacher, or fill-in-the-blank? Real estate offers so many options that can alleviate your stress in paying for their future. A rental house or a land parcel is a perfect way to invest for the long term.
Consider this simple math:

-Rental Home – $100,000 initial investment (read: purchase price), you have a $10,000 down payment (the minimum investment some whole life and annuities will take), and you obtain a mortgage loan for $90,000.  Your payment would be $594 on a 20 year mortgage at 5% – which is a 33% faster payoff than your average mortgage. Rental income – $600 would pay your mortgage, $750 would be profitable. Let’s say your son/daughter goes to college 10 years after you bought it – Here’s what you’ll have. At $600 per month on your $10,000 investment at only 8% appreciation per year – Equity of $159,892.50 – and someone else paid your mortgage. You don’t have to be the valedictorian to figure out that math works. If you run profitable rent at $750 per month (and factor in NO rental increases over the 10 years), you can stick a free-bie $18,000 in profit in your pocket or pay extra on your mortgage. If you pay extra, you’ll really blow out the formula and have a ROCK STAR amount of equity at a whopping $184,117.17. Your child can go to Yale on one stinking rental house.

-Let’s suppose you don’t want to fool with the trouble of handling renters and their problems because they “forgot” you’re actually supposed to put the shower curtain on the inside of the bath tub. That same $10,000 cash investment at, again, only 8% interest adds up to be an amazing $21,892.50. That will certainly pay for quite a bit of, well, anything.

Facts are facts, the unemotional numbers simply make sense and you too can be a real estate investor and amass your own fortune. If you don’t believe $100,000 rental houses exist or $10,000 land parcels aren’t out there, call me and I’ll have one for you. You and your child’s future depend on it.

Written By: John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – Toll Free 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – www.MyMurphy.com

Chris & Tom Barnes Bought Real Estate with The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX of Murphy NC

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Chris and Tom Barnes just purchased their “dream” parcel of land in Murphy, North Carolina. They were looking for the perfect place they could come camping with their RV, and wanted a piece of real estate that didn’t prevent them from doing that. We found it! Here’s what they had to say about their experience with The POLTROCK TEAM:

We found The Poltrock Team looking online for real estate. We decided to use them because they had properties in the area we wanted to purchase. Our overall experience was very pleasant, just like we had known them for years! They knew exactly where we needed to go and what we needed to do to get things done for the electricity and whatnot. They absolutely get a 10 for service!! We’ve given out your “calling card” to people just because they like the area. We would certainly refer you!

The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – Call Toll-Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-867-7496

New Chalet for Sale in Murphy NC Real Estate – A GREAT Buy!!!

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Here’s a beautiful chalet home for sale that’s an extraordinary buy! This home boasts two bedrooms, two baths, beautiful rock fireplace, a deck, two porches, all appliances, wood ceiling, super-sized master suite, very LARGE fixed pane glass to let in lots of natural light, paved roads, very gentle lot, lots of parking, underground utilities, and a whole lot more! This property is an extraordinary value and probably the best real estate buy on a home in all of Murphy NC right now.

It’s much larger than your average chalet and is in Country Mountain Ridge in the Ranger community of Murphy NC. Located right off of Bell Hill Road, you’re getting a great area that is close to downtown Murphy and all the shopping it offers. That and you still get the feeling of being in the woods in the mountains of North Carolina 😉

We’re Sorry, this home is now SOLD. Please check our website for all our active listings at www.MyMurphy.com

Murphy NC SOLD Real Estate Update – Homes and Land

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Happy (upcoming) Memorial Day! We certainly thank God and everyone who is a veteran and have supported our great country. Be certain to thank them and their families this Memorial Day as they have sacrificed as much, and in some cases more, than our soldiers have. Our country is full of heroes, and even though we are still in a struggling economy, we need to thank those heroes. We live in the greatest nation in the world, and they are the ones who have made it that way.

Real estate has been extremely busy here in Murphy NC. All of us at RE/MAX feel a surge, and I must admit that because of that, I am a bit disappointed in the numbers for the past two weeks. I am surprised to find only 13 properties have closed in the past two weeks. Based on the folks I have spoken with, I suspect our next update will be much higher. There are a lot of homes and land pending that is scheduled to close at the end of the month.

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!

Here are some interesting factoids that you should know about what real estate is doing:

  • 16 Homes have went pending in the past 14 days (accepted contracts awaiting sale)
  • 4 Pieces of Land went pending in the past 14 days
  • 872 – The number of homes actively for sale in Cherokee County
  • 2,347 – The number of land parcels actively for sale in Cherokee County
  • 83 – Commercial properties for sale
  • 238 – The average number of days it took to sell the homes (616 days is the longest!)
  • $216,000 is the average sales price for homes (that sold in the past 14 days)
  • 89.84% – The average list/sale ratio of the homes (Think $100,000 home sold for $89,840 on average)
  • 359 – Days it took to sell land on average (913 is the longest!)
  • 78.33% is the average list/sale ration for land

Real estate is seemingly re-invigorated with interest and people shopping – and it should be.  There’s still a hard road ahead of us, and it is very important that you have your property properly positioned in the market. The best property in the world is not selling if it’s price too high. You’ve got to be competitive right now because those that are are selling.

If you would like for us to review your property and give you an update on how you are positioned, let us know! We’re here to work for you and get your property SOLD. We greatly appreciate your business and are working tirelessly for you. You can call us toll free at the office 1-877-837-3002 or email me at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com.

Have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend!!

Sincerely,

John Poltrock
The POLTROCK TEAM
www.MyMurphy.com
1-877-837-3002

Price Reduction on almost 10 Acre Land Tract for sale in Murphy NC!

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Beautiful tract is now reduced to $65,000 for almost ten acres (9.63+/- to be more precise)! That’s only $6,750 per acre!

It’s stunning acreage at an excellent price. It has underground utilities already in place and is in a quiet area with large tracts around it – all adding to its privacy! Put your home here on this ideal location for peace in the mountains! You can live on almost 10 pristine acres.

Call The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX today for more information! Toll Free 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

The Importance of a Home Inspection in Murphy NC Real Estate

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When you’re getting a home inspection on a home you’re buying in Murphy, NC, it simply makes “good sense.” In fact, I commonly equate it to buying a Carfax Report when you’re purchasing a car – you hope you’re throwing your money away, but if there’s something that pops up, you’ll be glad you did it.

Home inspectors commonly go through a home and check a variety of items. A few of the items they check on while going through your future home can be: appliances, electrical outlets, light fixtures, heating and air conditioning systems, possibly the water, radon, commodes, water heater, and much more.

Base cost for most home inspections is $350 and can go up from there based on the size of the home and a few a la carte tests that can be done. Once the inspection is completed, you get a thick report with many pictures showing issues, concerns, and maintenance items. This report allows you to request repairs, if needed, on the home you’re buying.

One important thing for real estate buyers and sellers to remember is that home inspectors almost always find something that needs repair. In fact, if you think about it, if someone paid you $350 to check out a house, you would feel a bit obligated to find something. If there’s small nit-picky items on the inspection, in many cases you don’t need to worry about it. The key is you’re looking for major issues of concern that need to be repaired.

Need a home inspector? Go to our Murphy NC “Gotta Guy” List for Recommended Contractors today! You can find several choices on folks who do good work. The next time you’re buying a home, be certain to get a home inspection – even if your house is brand-spankin’ new. Sometimes, those check out worse than resales because sub contractors forgot to do something, something was overlooked, or a shortcut was taken.

Enjoy your new home!

John Poltrock – The POLTROCK TEAM with RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

Enjoy The Movie Theaters in the Mountains of Murphy, North Carolina!

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I love movies! So here are the local movie theatres that you might want to go see while you are in town to visit the beautiful Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains! They are all great! I really love going to the drive-in…sometimes they have double features so you get a two for your money! The Henn Theatre is a single cinema; however, it is really neat! It was built in 1934 and located in Downtown Murphy NC, so you could go to dinner, walk to the theater, then top the night off with some coffee. For more information on local attractions call The Poltrock Team!

Andrews Twin Cinema
125 Main Street
Andrews, NC 28901
828-321-3333
Henn Theatre
110 Tennessee Street
Murphy, NC 28906
828-837-2618
Field Stone Cinemas
1159 Jack Dayton
Young Harris, GA 30582
706-896-6843
Swan Drive-In Theater
651 Summit Street
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
888-469-1955

Written by Jessica Poltrock – Call The POLTROCK TEAM Today! – www.MyMurphy.com – 877-837-3002

Tips for Bargain Buying Real Estate in Murphy NC

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

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

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

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

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

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