List of Charter Schools

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

Clayton Fear Farm

I’m there what about you???

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

If you haven’t played with You Tube lately you should, it is a lot of fun. I have created my own real estate channel that will offer many great tips of real estate and hopefully a little humor as well. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/user/thescotthoffmanteam

To clean your home is to free it from dirt, pollutants and other elements.  Not only that, but cleaning can also translate into organization and proper storage of your possessions and eliminate your home’s clutter.  Either way you look at it, cleaning is an important task and, although not the most fun, it can be simplified with a few tips, tricks and a little knowhow.

Roll With It

When storing clothes, roll them instead of folding.  This not only prevents fold lines, but also results in your clothing taking up less space.  What does this mean for you?  Quite simply, you can maximize your storage space and still keep your clothes free of creases.

Stain Removal

If you want to remove stains from countertops, appliances, flooring or other surfaces, consider using baking soda or a vinegar/water combination.  Either one of these is less harsh than typical cleaning products and still provides a quick fix for most of your stain removal needs.  You may also consider anti-bacterial liquid soap and water for cleaning some surfaces.  It’s important to note that you should never submerge any electrical appliance into water.  Instead, spot clean it with a cloth.

Categorize & Organize

Before starting to clean, create categories for your clutter.  By separating your items by intent, such as keep, donate and discard, you will be able to move through your cleanup quickly and efficiently.

Getting Rid Of Dust

When you clean, you are likely to stir up a little dust here and there.  Regardless of how much or how often you clean, dust is a part of life and it’s bound to find its way into a few corners.  If you want to reduce the presence of dust in your home, try using a portable air cleaner in the room where you are cleaning.

Cut It Out

Instead of simply tossing out your old bills or credit card offers, shred them with a cross-cut or confetti-cut paper shredder.  This will prevent any unscrupulous crook from sifting through your garbage and discovering personal financial information.  If you don’t own a paper shredder and don’t have the extra money in your budget to purchase one, simply use a pair of scissors and cut anything with your name, address, social security number or banking information into small unreadable pieces.

Plastic Please . . .

Cleaning leads to tossing those unwanted items away, which means you may have a need for a lot of garbage bags.  You can use the plastic bags from your local grocer to line your small wastebaskets.  The handles make them easy to retrieve, tie and discard.  The next time you are asked if you want paper or plastic, say plastic please.

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

Need another reason to call North Carolina home check out Raleigh’s City Market

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

Finding the perfect home is a task, but shopping for the best home loan can be even more tedious.  With so many lenders promising low rates, closing costs and little or no down payment requirements, it’s often difficult to know which way to turn.  Luckily, there are several steps that you can take to find the right lender for your individual needs.

Assess Your Situation

Do you know what your credit score is?  If not, you should.  Most lenders rely on this triple digit number to determine both your creditworthiness and interest rates.  If you have excellent credit, you can probably work with almost any lender.  If you have severe blemishes in your financial past, however, finding the right lender may require a little more footwork.

How much money do you have for a down payment?  If you are on a budget, you will need to choose a lender that can help to get you into a home with a minimal down payment.  Knowing where you stand will give you a good idea as to which lender you need to work with.

Compare Rates

As is the case with anything in life, it pays to shop wisely.  Because a home is the largest investment that most people will ever make, it stands to reason that comparison shopping is a must.  As you speak with various lenders, ask about their rates, loan terms, qualification process and down payment requirements.

Interest rates change often, which means locking in your rates when they are low can save you a bundle of money.  Because there are so many lenders competing for your business, you will be greeted with plenty of appealing offers, including low rates, closing costs and down payment requirements.

Demand The Best

You are the one buying the home, so you should be the one to choose the length of your loan term.  With the exception of a situation where payments are simply unaffordable, it’s up to you to decide how long you want to pay for a house.  Many homebuyers prefer a longer loan term to keep the payments low, while others want to get the home paid for as quickly as possible with a shorter term.  It’s important to keep in mind that the longer you pay for a home, the more money you will end up spending in interest.

It’s a good idea to talk to your lender about their willingness to accommodate your needs.  If you’re in doubt about which lender to choose or are new to the area and need a little guidance, ask your REALTOR® for a referral.  He/she knows the business and will be more than happy to assist you in making your dream of home ownership become a reality.  

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

• Manicure the yard.

• Clean the windows, doors, and front entry.

• Plant flowers-tastefully, and abundantly!

• Pressure clean the exterior.

• Enhance and beautify with lighting.

• Reseal the driveways.

• Paint your house.

• Focus on the front door.

• Don’t forget the shutters.

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

Great video of the kids, enjoy.

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com

Download now or watch on posterous

Dogs_Best.wmv (2486 KB)

Every Homeowner Should Know

1.  Create the illusion of space by rearranging the furniture.  Try different combinations or remove and store pieces that make it feel crowded.

2.  Arrange the furniture in living areas into intimate groupings that suggest entertaining and ideal conversational settings.

3.  Consider rental furniture, especially when the pieces you have don’t match, are badly worn, or are in any state of disrepair.

4.  Add decorative pillows and slipcovers in warm neutral tones to hide flaws and make pieces blend.

5.  Eliminate clutter.  Store or get rid of appliances, gadgets, newspapers, mail or anything that takes up space or distracts attention.

6.  De-personalize your home so buyers can imagine living in it.  Store pictures, awards, trophies, collectibles, and other personal keepsakes.

7.  Paint walls in inviting neutral colors to cover flaws and freshen rooms.

8.  Add small luxurious touches to bathrooms and bedrooms.  Think plush towels, fresh flowers, high-end bed linens, and pretty bath soaps.

9.  Eliminate unpleasant odors and smells that can kill a sale.  Fragrant candles, plug-ins, and home sprays can help, but nothing smells better than clean.

10.   Plants add an aura of softness and warmth to any room.  Large or small, real   or silk-they’re a favorite of professional stagers.

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Mebane or any of the Triangle surrounding communities, we are here to help.  We are your Triangle Area Trusted Advisors in Real Estate, here to provide exceptional service with all your home buying and selling needs.  Please make sure to visit HPWtv and learn more about the various communities that make up the Triangle.

If you find these great tips interesting please check out my website at www.RaleighRealEstateSearch.com