Have you heard of Forkful in Jacksonville?

Well, have you??  Forkful is a locally owned restaurant in Jacksonville that I absolutely love!  They serve fresh food with a  little bit of Mediterranean flair and I honestly always leave super satisfied!

What makes Forkful great?

Let me count the ways....

It's locally owned and operated.

The food is made from scratch daily!

There are always gluten free options, no trans fats, and no MSG's!

You can choose healthy, or even be a little naughty!

They always have something new that they're trying out.

It's super affordable!

You can order online and have it delivered!

Not only is their food phenomenal, but you get generous portions and they cater.  Because of their local roots, Forkful always seems to be pitching in on one fundraiser or another.

You can choose from rice bowls, salads, wraps, homemade soups, or a combination of any of them!  Check out their menu here!

Lots of yumminess to choose from, and truly, the food wizards at Forkful are always cheerful and that really makes the whole experience super!

Still don't have you convinced that this place is the berries?  Call me for a lunch date!  I could always use a good reason to check out one of my fave places in Jacksonville!

Amanda Parmer

Red Sapphire Realty Group

Keller Williams Realty

910.545.0450

Looking for homes near Camp Lejeune?  Click here!  Then have lunch at Forkful, because looking at homes all day can make you hungry!!

Top 10 Biggest Mistakes Home Sellers Can Make!

Selling your home can bring an entirely new version of stress into your life, so to make it easier, take these steps to avoid the top 10 biggest mistakes!

Step 1.
Declutter!  You're all ready planning to move.  Go ahead and start packing up stuff that you don't need.  If you have dust around it or dig to find it, pack it up!  Stuffed closets, crowded countertops, knick knacks, broken exercise equipment, and overflowing drawers can make a home seem smaller than it is.  Consider a yard sale or storage unit.

Step 2.
Hide your pets.  Just because your fur babies are part of your family, doesn't necessarily mean that potential buyers will appreciate them as much.  Remove your pets for all showings- take them with you, keep them at a neighbor's house, or consider kenneling at a doggie day spa.  Erase them from your home!  Have the carpets, and possibly furniture, professionally cleaned to eliminate any pet odors.  Often when non-pet families enter a pet friendly home, they'll pick up on the slightest animal smell, no matter how clean your pet family is!  And a clean smelling home is always inviting!

Step 3.
Be scarce yourself!  You know how it feels when you walk into a department store and there are salespeople everywhere trying to help you or offering advice on something?  That's how potential home buyers feel when they are looking and trying to envision themselves living in a home and the homeowner is lurking around.  

Step 4.
Don't discount the first offer.  It's easy to be offended when you receive a low ball offer on your home.  However, it's easier to negotiate with someone who is willing to put an offer on the table, rather than no one!  The longer you hold out for a better offer, the more likely you are not to get one.

Step 5.
Always negotiate.  Don't take it personally.  This is a business transaction, and most often than not, the buyer that made an offer is somewhat emotional about the decision.  There is usually always a way to meet in the middle to achieve a win-win!

Step 6.
Out with the old!  This is the time to replace burnt light bulbs, broken blinds, worn or tattered carpet.  You wouldn't purchase a dented, dirty car over an immaculate shiny one would you?  The same goes for house shopping.  Put your best foot forward.  You may need to invest a little bit of money to spruce up, but this is the time to spend money to make money!

Step 7.
Remember curb appeal.  It's very important for the outside to be just as immaculate as the inside.  Freshen the mulch, keep the grass trimmed and the flower beds weeded.  Any peeling paint or missing siding- fix it!  Clean the gutters and pressure wash if needed.

Step 8.
Depersonalize!  Take down your treasured personal touches- children's refrigerator artwork, treasured religious artifacts, ultimate frisbee trophies and Johnny Cash shrine.  These things can be valuable and it's safer if they're not in plain sight anyway, but besides that, it's more difficult for potential buyers to visualize themselves living there.

Step 9.
Light and Bright!  Buyers are always attracted to light, bright, and warm homes.  If it seems dreary they'll feel dreary in the home.  Rid the home of heavy drapery, get high wattage bulbs, clean the windows, and consider ditching the wallpaper or wood paneling.

Step 10.
Get on the honey-do list!  It's almost always cheaper to fix what's broken, rather than wait for a professional to do it.  And you'll save yourself more in the front end if you can identify the things that need taken care of rather than wait for a buyer or home inspector to find it for you.  Ultimately what happens is if a buyer finds one small thing that needs repaired or replaced, they will start looking for more.  So go ahead and save some time, headache and dollars and knock out those honey-do items!

Taking these steps can help you avoid the top 10 biggest mistakes!  Call me if you have any questions, or if you'd like to discuss what you need to do to get your home sold!

Amanda Parmer
Red Sapphire Realty Group
Keller Williams Realty
910.545.0450

Click here for a list of great homes for sale near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Gorgeous New Construction Homes in the Highlands at Queens Creek!

Welcome home to the Highlands at Queens Creek!  New Construction homes in this community range in size from 2000-3200 heated square feet.  The artfully designed homes feature stone accents, hardwood flooring, granite countertops, wainscoting, crown molding, 9' high ceilings and even more luxurious touches.

                           

                                   
Residents of this neighborhood can enjoy the community's basketball courts, athletic fields, pool, clubhouse, and running trail.  Within minutes of Queens Creek, Camp Lejeune and located in the Swansboro school district, these homes are perfectly situated on large spacious homesites and convenient to everything!

This gated neighborhood features over 50 acres of recreation area and the exquisite craftsman style construction in the Highlands at Queens Creek is sure to please and welcome you home.

Call Amanda Parmer 910.545.0450 for your personal tour of these beautiful homes in the Highlands at Queens Creek!

Home buying in Jacksonville, NC

The real estate market in Jacksonville, NC is currently shifting, making it a great opportunity for home buying, especially with the large number of foreclosure homes on the market.  In fact, 49% of homes sold recently are foreclosure homes, which is the highest number we've seen in years.  Resale home sales are up 29% from where they were this time last year (not including foreclosure homes) which is a great indicator that home buying activity has increased.

While new construction home sales have been dominating our market for the last few years, we've noticed a decline since September last year.  Which is great news for homeowners who might be interested in selling.

Buying a foreclosure home in Jacksonville, NC is attached with a certain amount of risk, as with any home purchase.  However, with considerable due diligence, homebuyers can potentially buy a home with no to little repairs and walk through their front door into significant equity!  The home buying process with foreclosures is very similar to a normal purchase, but there is usually less negotiation.  Working with an experienced REALTOR® can help with navigating the process and ensure a happy ending to the home buying process, whether with foreclosures or a traditional sale.

With the prevalence of foreclosure homes in the Jacksonville, NC real estate market, now is a perfect climate for real estate investment.  Many homes qualify for financing and are ripe for picking, whether for flipping, or long term investments.  If you, or someone you know, may be thinking of investing in real estate, our team of professionals is experienced with real estate investment and can easily help you identify possible properties and determine if the numbers will work.  

Call Amanda if you're thinking about buying or selling a home in Jacksonville, NC! 910.545.0450

Homes for sale near New River Marine Corps Air Station

Homes for sale near New River Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) are conveniently located minutes from Topsail Island beaches, Stone Bay, shopping areas and schools.  Area residents enjoy how close to everything they are as well as not being in the traffic of Jacksonville, as well as, lower taxes.

835 Mill River Road is located about 4.5 miles from New River MCAS.  Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large bonus room, this home has over 1700 heated square feet of living space and a one car garage.  It's situated on a corner lot in an established community near the Southwest Creek- perfect for fishing!

308 Carlisle Court offers four bedrooms and two bathrooms with an open floorplan.  The living room in this home is huge with vaulted ceilings and a fireplace.  This home offers lots of storage and also has a fenced yard! 

115 Laredo Drive is an almost new home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and sits on almost an acre!  The backyard has a large wooden privacy fence and backs up to trees for the ultimate feeling of privacy and seclusion.  Built in 2011, the home has been updated and meticulously maintained for its new homeowner!  Better than new, it all ready has the fence, blinds, security system and storage systems in the closets installed.  Offered for sale at a discounted price and exceptional condition, this home is a five minute drive to New River MCAS!

Don't miss 178 E. Ridge Court!  This home has over 2200 heated square feet of living space, three large bedrooms and a bonus room, two and a half bathrooms, and TONS of storage space.  Backing up to a small creek, residents in this neighborhood enjoy canoeing, fishing and kayaking right from their own backyards!

 

For more information about homes for sale near New River Marine Corps Air Station, call Amanda!  910.545.0450

Top Ten 4th of July Pet Safety Tips!

No July 4th celebration would be complete without fireworks, festivities, BBQs or beach days!  While we are enjoying and celebrating our freedom with loud noises, pyrotechnics, flashes and bangs, many times our pets feel the opposite way.  July 5th is reportedly the busiest day of the year for the American Humane Society.

In an effort to curb this statistic and help keep our furbabies a little less stressed and safer, here are the Top Ten 4th of July Pet Safety Tips!

10.  Keep your pets inside as much as possible.
  This might seem obvious, even if pets are used to lots of activity and loud noises.  However, a panicking pet might be inclined to run for safety or break restraint.
9.  Don't use insect repellant on pets that isn't pet specific.
  The same goes for sunscreen.  Some products for people are actually toxic for pets, so err on the side of safety and only use recommended pet specific products.
8.  Alcoholic drinks are actually poisonous to pets,
  Fermented hops and ethanol is toxic to dogs and cats and can cause respiratory failure, coma and death.
7.  Going to a Fireworks Display?  Leave your pets at home.
  Not only may the fireworks upset your pet, but you never know who is in the crowd and could be allergic, or who may have brought their own pet who isn't as nice to others as yours is!
6.  Have your pet properly identified.
  Whether that's with a tag on their collar, a microchip, or a sign that says, "Please return to..."  Make it easier for them to get back home.
5.  Glow toys and glow jewelry is not man's best friend's best friend.
  If ingested, gastrointestinal irritation, excessive drooling and blockages can occur.  They're easier to look at on the outside than the inside, if you catch my drift!
4.  NEVER use fireworks near pets!
  Not only can the pet possibly be burned, but fireworks contain toxic materials such as potassium, nitrate, and other heavy metals.
3.  Don't encourage feeding "table food" to your pet.
  While you may know what they're eating, other people may follow suit and unknowingly give your pet something bad like chocolate or beer!
2.  Lighter Fluid and Matches are harmful to pets
  Skin irritation could lead to licking which can lead to ingestion and even kidney disease!
1.  Citronella Insect Repellant is also harmful to pets.
  The result from inhalation can cause pneumonia and eventually death if the pet is in close proximity of the repellant.

Make it a safe and fun holiday, and keep your pet safe with these tips this 4th of July!

Four Bedroom Home For Sale in The Commons of Jacksonville!

This four bedroom home for sale in The Commons of Jacksonville is perfectly located minutes from everything with all the convenience and amenities that The Commons has to offer!

This home offers a great open floorplan for entertaining, with a large living room with a fireplace and windows overlooking the backyard.  The flow leads easily into the formal dining room and eat in kitchen.  The kitchen features tons of cabinet and counter space as well as a massive pantry and access to the great backyard.  You'll have plenty of privacy in this yard with the trees and landscaping strategically placed for maximum comfort and ease of maintenance!

 

Upstairs you'll find four bedrooms and two bathrooms.  The owner's suite is impressive with soothing designer colors, ample closet space and a bathroom made for relaxing!  The large soaking tub will be calling your name at the end of the long day of work.  Dual vanities and an oversized shower make sharing a bathroom less inconvenient.

The second, third, and fourth bedrooms are all generously sized and offer plenty of closet space as well with closet organizers all ready installed.  This home is move in ready and features many conveniences that might other wise be an afterthought!  Blinds are all ready installed, the home is tastefully painted throughout, easy to maintain vinyl siding and gutters all ready installed and the landscaping is also low to no maintenance as well!
Situated in The Commons and within walking distance to shopping, Commons Elementary, Middle and High Schools, this four bedroom home is very desirable and priced to move.  Call Amanda for your personal viewing!  910.545.0450.