It's a festival and a Riverpalooza in Jacksonville, NC!

True story!  Next weekend is Jacksonville's 12th annual Riverwalk Festival and Riverpalooza on the New River!
The Riverwalk Festival is Jacksonville, NC’s most successful annual festival (now in out 11th year). The New River Palooza is a celebration of the scenic New River. Together, they make for one unforgettable weekend of music, activities and family fun. Bring your family down to the river walk September 19-20 for this Jacksonville event!  

You can enjoy everything from BBQ pig cook off, shrimp meal, belly dancers, kayak race, paddle board instruction, tons of food, live bands and vendors!

Downtown Jacksonville is steadily becoming an economic destination for arts, cultural, and educational uses.  The area has been growing considerably year over year, and the Riverwalk Festival and Riverpalooza is a fun event to highlight why Downtown Jacksonville is so great!  Hope to see everyone out enjoying the festival and Riverpalooza in Jacksonville, next weekend!!

Have you seen this home for sale near Jacksonville, NC?

No really, have you seen this home for sale near Jacksonville, NC?  Located about 15-20 minutes north of Jacksonville at 402 10th St, Maysville, NC, this four bedroom brick ranch home is the ultimate zombie apocalypse home!
Just think about it- a little outside the hustle and bustle, all brick home, small garden area in the backyard, and multiple power sources (seriously- no electric? No problem! We have propane hookups AND a generator hookup to power the rest of the house!)

This home has a formal kitchen with gas stove, tons of cabinet space, granite countertops and updated appliances, as well as a summer kitchen!  Perfect for canning, boiling water, or even an extra area to prepare food for extra zombie apocalypse survivors.  There are two wood burning fireplaces in this home, one with a granite surround, one with an all brick hearth.  The four bedrooms are all spacious and if you needed even more space, the entire upstairs has been finished from attic space to heated living space!  The upstairs could also double as a defensive stronghold to protect against incoming zombies.

You could comfortably live and grow in this beautiful home with the peace of mind of surviving any zombie apocalypse in the future.  To take a look at this home for sale near Jacksonville, NC, give me a call 910.545.0450!  I'd love to show you all it has to offer!

Toys For Tots Fundraiser Masquerade Ball!

That's right!  Tis' the season to raise funds for Toys For Tots!  The Toys For Tots organization is a non profit organization, directed by the Marine Corps and the purpose is to provide funding and support, as well as toys for children in the local area so that they may have a happier Christmas holiday!
This year, Jacksonville, North Carolina is hosting a Masquerade Ball to raise money in support of this great cause.  All proceeds and donations will go directly to Toys For Tots, and in turn, will go back to children in our community!

Tickets can be purchased at 3840 Henderson Drive, Jacksonville, North Carolina and the event will be held Friday, November 21, 2014 at the Jacksonville Country Club!  Call me at 910.545.0450 for more details and dress to impress!  The Masquerade Ball will be a great opportunity for fun and a perfect fundraiser for Toys For Tots in Jacksonville, North Carolina!

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