FBI installing home security systems? SCAM!

A new scam is out there offering a free security system. The telemarketers are trying to trick you to install the new security system free of charge.

A telemarketer is offering a FREE install of a system, signs, and stickers. The system is automated and calling homes targeting the elderly it seems like.

Let's be logical here, the FBI is not in the security business. They are not even interested in residential crime. They deal with federal issues and are in the business of investigating.

Secondly, the security installation business is cut throat. The government would not get involved in home security, at least for now…

So if you have gotten a message offering this installation, just ignore it. It is just another person lying to try to get into your wallet.

Here's the news story about a lady in Virginia Beach who helped bring it to light.  Usually, when it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Crimson Faire- Richland's Next Big Thing!! New Construction Homes near Camp Lejeune and New River MCAS!

Crimson Faire is a new construction neighborhood in Richlands, off of Gum Branch Road, approximately 11 miles from Western Boulevard.  Featuring homesites from a half acre to upwards of four acres, this community is perfect for those who want their privacy, at an affordable price!

New construction homes range in sizes from 1,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet and feature 3-4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 2 car garages.  With three different builders in the community, it promises to not look like a "cookie-cutter neighborhood."  

Boasting floorplans from A. Sydes Construction, Caviness and Cates, and Wynn Construction, home buyers are sure to enjoy functional and energy efficient floorplans on large homesites!  All builders are offering closing cost assistance and other buyer incentives on these great new construction homes.

The Stansbury floorplan by A. Sydes Construction features three spacious bedrooms and two bathrooms in a split floorplan.  The large open living area flows easily to the kitchen and dining room.  The large master bathroom and walk-in closet is a MUST SEE!  Situated on over an acre, this home is priced at only $150,000!  

This is the Eastman floorplan by Wynn Construction.  The three bedrooms and two bathrooms offer plenty of room for the growing family.  The tray ceiling in the living room is gorgeous and you'll love the Carolina evenings on the back patio!  The kitchen boasts plenty of counter space and a large pantry!  Priced at $158,900, this home is ready for it's new family!

Crimson Faire offers the neighborhood feel with space and privacy, as well as being in the Richlands school district!  Call me today to take a look at these great homes!

Amanda has earned the Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR®) designation through the National Association of Realtors® and can offer a higher level of expertise and service to her buyer clients.  Call her today for all of your home buying needs!

Amanda Parmer  910.545.0450  ajparmer09@gmail.com

www.AmandaParmerSellsHomes.com

Riverwalk Park, Jacksonville, NC is one of six finalists for Great Places in NC Contest!

If you've been to Riverwalk Festival, National Night Out, Onslow Oktoberfest, Winterfest or any of the free movie nights in the summertime months, you've witnessed how Riverwalk Park in downtown Jacksonville, North Carolina has become a center for family-friendly events and activites.  These events and the efforts of our local businesses, planning committees and organizations like Bettering Our Local Downtown (BOLD) over the last twenty years has earned Jacksonville, North Carolina a place in the running for top honors in an online contest celebrating great places in the state.

Downtown Jacksonville is one of six finalists in the Great Neighborhoods for Kids category, of Great Places in North Carolina.  Residents can vote until 5pm this Friday by going to ncgreatplaces.upickem.net.  You can read more about this great honor here.

Using a VA Loan?

The majority of people buying a home in Jacksonville, North Carolina utilize their VA loan entitlement.  Why wouldn't you?  It's 100% financing, with little to no closing costs in this housing market.  It's a perfect opportunity to invest in your financial future!
But there are some things you might not know!

~You can use your VA loan more than once!  Many military members intend to use their VA loan for their "forever home".  But it's actually designed for first-time homebuyers!  Even if you use your VA loan on one home, you are still entitled to use it again and again and again!  And, you can use it more than once at a time!  Military members move around!  That's the lifestyle.  But just because you have a home in California that you bought with a VA loan, doesn't mean that you can't simultaneously have a home in Jacksonville, NC with a VA loan!
~You only need 90 days of active duty service during wartime to qualify to use your VA loan!  And, you don't need perfect credit (although it doesn't hurt!!)
~The VA isn't lending you the money- they're only backing it up for you, kind of like insurance.  So you can still shop different lenders for the best interest rate!
~They are for primary residences only.  However, military members move around- a lot!  So after a reasonable amount of time, it can be used for a rental home if necessary.

For more information on how to utilize your VA entitlement to buy a home, give me a call!  I can recommend lenders in the area who are familiar with VA loans and who have worked with my military clients in the past!  

Don't Shoot the Messenger!!

So part of my job as a professional REALTOR® is prospecting.  One of my methods of prospecting for future clients is telling people about my current inventory.  Not only does it give me the opportunity to speak with other people about real estate, but serves as a great service to my seller when I call other people to talk about their home for sale.  Point blank, it's cold calling.  It's not easy, it's not always very fun, but it does work.  So I do it.  Today, I was calling around my listing at 146 Locust Court, Jacksonville, NC, 

 and one of the gentlemen that I had the pleasure of speaking with asked me to never call his home again because, "Realtors® are nothing but scam artists and take advantage of these young Marines in this town."  He belabored the point to tell me about the new 3.8% real estate tax that everyone has to pay is in the Obamacare bill and how no one in Jacksonville will be able to sell their home and it's only going to add to the 200 foreclosures in our town.  (His words, not mine!!)
Little did he know, I am, in fact, a US Army Veteran and I am in a very committed relationship with a Marine, and actually come from a military family.  So truly, scamming young Marines is not on my list of things to do.  I know not everyone has the same goals, but I think I speak for most of my REALTOR® comrades by saying that it's just not true.
I tried to explain to him that his information isn't accurate.  The fact is, the real estate tax of 3.8% ONLY applies to individuals who make more than $200,000 (adjusted gross income) and $250,000 for couples.  I don't think that's going to harm the average consumer in the Jacksonville, North Carolina real estate market right now.  
And as far as there being 200 foreclosures on the market- the actual statistics, according to Jacksonville Board of Realtors® MLS today, there are 2,424 homes on the market for sale in Onslow County.  Of those homes, 165 are foreclosure homes.  That's less than 7%.  And nationally, speaking, foreclosure sales are at an all time low since 2007, according to Les Christie at CNN Money.
Another part of my job, and probably the most important job, is educating.  I think it's more important for people to know the facts, rather than what they heard in the media or what their neighbor told them about the housing market in Toledo.  I don't go to the salon to ask about a weird noise my car is making, I go to the mechanic.  REALTORS® are here to educate and guide, as well as sell houses.  All REALTORS® aren't the same, and some are better than others.  Call me for a more detailed statistical analysis about the Jacksonville real estate market!  I'd love to help!

6 Reasons To Reduce Your Home Price

Of course you want to get the most money for your home when you sell it, but consider these six reasons on why you should improve your price:
1. You're getting little to no showings.  Buyers are typically looking first by price, then by features.  Make your first impression the best!
2.  You're getting showings, but no offers.  Look at your competition- are there other homes that have similar features and amenities for the same price?  It's all about the bang for your buck!
3.  Your home's been on the market longer than similar homes.  This is what we tend to call "shop worn."  When a home sits on the market for 30, 45 or even 60 days, buyers are waiting for the price to drop to "get a good deal."
4.  You have a deadline.  It's not always home much money you need from the sale that determines the price of the home, it's how much money the buyer is willing to spend.  If you have a deadline, your better option is to price it aggressively, instead of holding onto the property- and the mortgage payment and carrying costs.
5.  You can't make upgrades.  Maybe you're flat broke and absolutely cannot afford fresh paint on the walls, carpet cleaning, or adding curb appeal.  But the feedback you're getting is that your home isn't as well-appointed as similarly priced homes.  That means you're not competitive.  It's time to accept that buyers expect to pay less for a home that doesn't show as well as others.
6.  The competition has changed.  If weeks go by with no offers, continue to check out the competition.  What new listings have hit the market?  Are the other listings dropping their prices or offering incentives?  Talk to your Realtor for the best options!

Please contact me if you're considering buying or selling a home!  I would love to help, and I'm never too busy for any of your referrals!

HELP! I'm upside down in my mortgage!

The truth is, many people are right now!  For most of us who bought homes in Jacksonville, North Carolina between 2000-2008, we saw mortgage interest rates in the neighborhood of 6%, 7%, and even 8%!  With interest rates starting out that high, it's hard to pay down on the principle amount of the loan within the first few years of paying it back.  Lump that in with sheisty lending practice and the worst economic recession this country has seen in almost 50 years, of course many of us would be upside down in our mortgages.

Fortunately the real estate market in Jacksonville, North Carolina has mainly been fueled and fed by the military community and VA backed loans.  Which means, for the most part, we've remained stable.  Statistically speaking, in a good real estate market, you will find 3%-9% of the market will be foreclosure homes for sale.  As of today, the market in Onslow County, North Carolina is 6.7% foreclosures.  
With that said, there is an increase of short sales in the market place as well.  Short sales, by definition, are homes that are being sold for less than what the seller owes on it, because the sale price of the home will not cover the liens or the cost of selling.  Not everyone qualifies for a short sale, and it is ultimately up to the lender to decide if it's in their best interest to accept it.  Short sale is a better option than foreclosure, because it doesn't stay on your credit report as delinquency, foreclosure, or bankruptcy.  Instead, it's reported as "paid in full or less than agreed."   And with concentrated effort on credit repair afterward, a short seller can be back in good standing within two years.  Another benefit of short selling is that personnel with security clearances won't suffer with a short sale on their credit report, as opposed to a foreclosure, which would disqualify that person from a security clearance.
Short Sales definitely have a benefit to both sellers and buyers, and there is a time consuming and an intense paperwork route that has to be navigated.  For more information, contact a REALTOR® who specializes in Short Sales and Foreclosures.

Amanda Parmer has devoted extra time pursuing education to better navigate the ever-changing world of short sales and foreclosures and has earned the SFR and CDPE (Short Sales and Foreclosures Resource and Certified Distressed Property Expert) designations to better serve clients, offer sellers a better alternative to foreclosure, and help educate the general public about our housing market.