Cary Real Estate Blog

A great place in Cary to celebrate spring

Come celebrate spring at the Western Wake Farmers’ Market (WWFM) opening day, April 3, 8 am-12 pm, at 1226 Morrisville Carpenter Rd. in Cary.  Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht will celebrate the market’s second season with remarks at 10 am. Chef Ricky Moore of Giorgio restaurant will share samples of his signature dish, Goat Cheese-Lavender Fritter with local honey at the Education Tent.  Shop for spring flowers and seasonal, local foods for your Easter celebration on opening day, and return each weekend for the food and in support of community. The market’s web site, www.WesternWakeFarmersMarket.org, features all the farmers and vendors, plus much more.

The WWFM will be open 34 Saturdays, through November 20, rain or shine, to provide area residents with access to locally grown and crafted foods. Market offerings include seasonal produce, grass-fed meats, North Carolina seafood, eggs, artisan breads and desserts, coffee, flowers, vegetable plants, wine, natural cleaning products, jewelry and more. Gardeners will be able to purchase seedlings, including heirloom varieties, for their gardens at home.

 A growers only/producer’s only market

The Western Wake Farmers’ Market is a grower’s only/producer’s only market, which means all the vendors either grew or hand-crafted their products and have not purchased these goods elsewhere to re-sell them. All vendors are located within 125 miles of the marketplace to ensure access to local, fresh foods.

Seasonal produce available at market is picked at the peak of ripeness for the greatest taste and nutritional benefit, and it has been grown with little to no pesticides. Eggs and meats from grass-fed animals offer much greater nutritional value and significantly less saturated fat than these products sold at grocery stores. Supporting local family farmers also nurtures community and a local economy, while helping the environment. For instance, produce sold at many area grocers has traveled an average of 1,500 miles (and sometimes even across continents), compared to less than 125 miles.

 Featuring a guest educator each week

The market features a guest educator each week and live, family-friendly music. You may sign up for a free e-newsletter, which details what is fresh at market each week, special events and more, through the web site’s Newsletter tab.

We at LG Real Estate highly endorse the Western Wake Farmers’ Market (WWFM).  Lee Ann Crowder from our staff remarks that the variety of food including cheeses, fish, and vegetables is excellent and she enjoys meeting Cary neighbors at the market.

The Town of Cary remains the safest place in the state of North Carolina to live, work, and raise a family, according to a study by CQ Press, publisher of the annual “City Crime Rankings 2009-2010“.  

For 11 years in a row, The Town of Cary has achieved this ranking and is among the safest cities in the nation to live. For more information and to review the full article, please visit The Town of Cary Website.

YOU’RE UNDER CONTRACT – WHAT’S NEXT?

Here at LG Real Estate, we have noticed a significant upswing in our activity level starting in December.  Our showings have increased, our phones are ringing, and we placed 3 homes under contract the last 2 weeks of January.  Let’s say one of the homes we placed under contract was yours …. What’s next?

First, usually within 7 days of signing the contract, inspections will be set up

These inspections are most often for the home, for radon, and for pests.  If the NC licensed inspector has reason to question what he observes with the HVAC units, the structural integrity, or the rest of the house, other professionals can be scheduled by the buyers to give an opinion.

Next, you as the seller normally wait 7 to 10 days for the inspections to be completed. 

Then, together we review the inspection report and a list of requested repairs.   In today’s market, you need to be prepared to do the majority if not all of the listed items.  In many cases, the buyer’s request that the repair work be done by a NC licensed general contractor.  Our team has great relationships with many contractors / vendors in the area and we can always make suggestions of people that have a proven track record with us. 

Once the agreed repairs are complete, we substantiate the work by sharing the receipts with the buyer’s agent. 

Then, the buyer’s agent will normally schedule a time for the buyers to “walkthru” the home and visually look at the repaired areas.  The buyer’s walkthru can include a re-inspection of the agreed upon repairs by the hired inspector.  This walkthru helps the buyers feel confident about their purchase.  That is why, at this stage, you as a seller can feel a great sense of relief knowing that all the repair work was completed by a quality vendor.

If I can share one tidbit of advice, it is that the money to complete the repairs identified by an inspector needs to be part of your budget from day 1.  A pre-inspection prior to marketing you home is an excellent idea.  My team and I will work diligently with you through this part of the process.  It’s our job to guide and support you through the inspections and repairs so that your “under contract home” is now a “sold home”.

Looking to buy a home in Cary - now is the time to pull the trigger.  Here’s why:

1.  Availability – There are currently 777 detached homes for sale in the Cary, Apex, and Morrisville areas.  The abundance of homes on the market affords you a great opportunity to pick and choose so that finding your dream home is an easier task.

 2.  It’s a buyer’s market –The number of homes for sale in most price ranges far exceeds the number of buyers coming into the market, so it’s a buyer’s market.  Since many of the homes have been on the market for a considerable time, motivated sellers are reducing their price and much more willing to negotiate.

 3.  Interest rates are at historic lows – Earlier this year, rates on conforming 3o year fixed mortgages hit a level not seen in decades and have remained near that low for weeks.  In addition, Capital Bank and Crescent State Bank have designed special low rate mortgage programs to help boost traffic to new home communities in Cary.

 4.  Tax Credits Available for a Limited Time – First-time homebuyers have until April 30, 2010, to take advantage of the federal tax credit of up to $8,000!  Repeat homebuyers have until April 30, 2010, to take advantage of the federal tax credit up to $6,500! Renovations: Are you buying a home that needs a new roof, windows, or insulation? Qualified homeowners may receive a tax credit for 30% of renovation costs, up to a maximum of $1,500, for energy-efficient improvements to their current primary residence.

So now is the ideal time to find your dream home here in Cary.  For an inventory of our current listings in Cary and to view all the available homes, please visit our website at LG Real Estate.

Last weekend our son Ryan and daughter- in- law Dani took their baby Sadie for a trail walk to see a Lake in Cary.  I was curious about the path and Lake since they live in a North Cary neighborhood called Weston Manor.  Well upon further investigation, I found the Black Creek Greenway near their home and starting in North Cary Park. 

Black Creek Greenway is one of 27 different greenway trails in the town of Cary.  It is 1.8 miles long and meanders from the park down along Black Creek to Crabtree Lake. 

 The Town of Cary describes a greenway on it’s website as a “Corridor of protected open space managed for conservation, recreation and non-motorized transportation”.  Black Creek Greenway links several Cary neighborhoods to Crabtree Lake and North Cary Park. 

 Greenways are linear parks that from a real estate standpoint enhance the beauty and value of the Cary neighborhoods they connect.  Here are some of the advantages of greenways the town of Cary lists:

•  Providing a recreational amenity for walking, jogging, and bicycling in a natural setting remote from traffic;
• Preserving pristine open space to enhance Cary’s quality of life;
• Linking our neighborhoods with parks, schools, community centers, and other neighborhoods;
• Helping control storm water runoff, curb erosion, and minimize flooding which can damage our property;
• Improving Cary’s water quality by buffering streams, filtering pollutants, and recharging our groundwater;
• Adding value to our property by merit of proximity.

A convenient map of the town of Cary’s greenway and trail system is illustrated on the town’s website.  The greenway trails in Cary total 34 miles in length and are open from sunrise to sunset.

I invite you to plan a Cary greenway or trail outing – pack a picnic, grab your bikes or hiking shoes, and enjoy the simplicity and beauty of this wonderful system.

Cary Homeowners waiting for the right time to move up to a larger home, here is some very good news. 

The Senate voted Wednesday to renew the government’s $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and to expand the tax credit program enabling many homeowners who buy a new primary residence to receive a $6,500 refund.

The bill, which passed 98 to 0 in the Senate, should reach the House floor by Thursday, November 5th.  Assuming the bill passes in the House, the legislation would then go to the White House for the president’s signature.

Here are the highlights of the Tax Credit Program:

• Buyers who have owned their current homes at least five years        would be eligible for tax credits of up to $6,500.
• First-time homebuyers or anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three years would still get up to $8,000.
• To qualify, buyers in both groups have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010, and close by June 30.
• The credit is available for the purchase of principal homes costing $800,000 or less, meaning vacation homes are ineligible.
• The credit would be phased out for individuals with annual incomes above $125,000 and for joint filers with incomes above $225,000.

Cary currently has a great inventory of both new homes and resale homes.  To view the homes for sale and the Cary Neighborhoods, visit our website at CaryHomesNc.com.

If you are looking for a few HAUNTING ideas for Halloween, here are some of my favorites in the area:

At the Cary Koka Booth Amphitheatre, scary Halloween moves such as Frankenstein and Night of the Living Dead will be shown the week of October 26^th through October 30^th.  The price is a mere $3.00 and children under 12 are free.  Check out http://www.boothamphitheatre.com/ for the schedule.

Just down the road from our office, we have a corn maze, hay ride and more this year.  It’s called the Green Acres Corn Maze and is located on one of the few remaining local farms.  More info can be found at www.greenacrescary.com.  You can also find a dollar off coupon at http://greenhopehigh.wcpss.net

And, if you have teenagers or love haunted tours as an adult, we took my son Dakota and a few of his friends to Greensboro for the 1 hour 10 minute outdoor haunted tour called Woods of Terror.  It’s all outside and quite the experience.  It was so cool!  Check it out at http://woodsofterror.com

Let me know if you have any favorites…

Yes, downtown Raleigh is only 20 minutes from Cary and we at LG Real Estate highly recommend this culinary journey:

 Saturday Afternoon Walking Food Tour To Raleigh’s Global Gastronomy

 Experience a culinary journey of sight and taste that spans a cross-section of Downtown Raleigh’s undiscovered international restaurant venues, blended together with some forgotten historical tidbits of the city to create a unique global perspective that readily replaces preconceived notions about Raleigh.  It’s fun, informative and delicious.

The food tour stops numerous times for sample tastings at 6-8 local restaurants. For example,

• A local contemporary American restaurant that received top honors recognition, or
• A local venue that features many original NOLA recipes, or
• An Asian restaurant that will have you dreaming of dumplings, or
• A Euro-gastro pub that raises the bar on culinary excellence

When: Saturdays- 2:30 pm (don’t be late)

Who:  Able-bodied adults, no more than 10

How Much:  $ 28 per person (+$2.50 svc chg), includes all tastings at 7- 9 restaurants

Weather:  Tours are rescheduled if there is a cancellation due to severe weather

What’s it like:  Delicious, fun and informative (but remember we’ll be walking approx. half of the 3 hours)

What to wear:  Comfortable clothes & walking shoes

Where to meet:  Former Capital City Grocery Porch, 10 minutes before departure, 10 West Franklin St, Raleigh. Free Parking for our customers            

Where to buy tickets:  Check tour dates, reserve and pay a minimum of 24 hours in advance of tour date. Click here for available dates and tickets

Please sign up for a tour and let us know how you liked it.