Glen Tucker

The Last Firework

Our family recently had the privilege of celebrating Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary, as well as July 4th. Every year for the past 21 years we have gathered at the lake to cook burgers and light fireworks. It started before my brother and I married our wives, and progressed through all four of our kids toddling across the shoreline with diapers full of lake water.

With Mom and Dad (Nina and George) selling the lake place soon, this summer has been a time for us to reflect on the faith, family values, and tradition passed down to us and our children by them. We are truly blessed.

This year, Mom lit the last firework. Not really sure why, but it just seemed appropriate.

We'll gather again next year if the Lord is willing, and light fireworks somewhere different. The house on the lake is nice, but like all other structures, it's just a pile of lumber. A home is defined by the people who fill it, not square footage or the view. We'll light another last firework again next year. Maybe this time Dad will do it.

May you and your family be blessed as we pass the midpoint of 2011 and always have a place to light fireworks.

Glen

Liz is Gardening.​.....Again / Guest Speaker

You might be a redneck if.........

your wife's garden contains three tomato plants and a satellite dish. I'm OK with the small garden thing, as long as Liz's tomatoes don't interfere with ESPN reception.

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Mike Huffstetler is a local NC State Certified Residential Appraiser with 25 years' experience. To help tackle what can be a difficult topic for sellers, I ask him to comment on the return on investment for larger home improvements:

Many times I get calls from individuals asking how an addition, improvement, upgrade or an amenity will increase the value of their property. The answer is, if there is enough data that can be used to determine how the market may react dollar wise to a particular item, then an appraiser may be able to make a determination of value. However, this is a very difficult process called "pairing sales". Most of the time, it is not an amount near or equal to actual cost. My recommendation is to view these items for future sales appeal and your own pleasure and enjoyment.

Sales appeal means that if you had an item that was appealing in comparison to another similar property without it, the market would probably choose your property over the other.

G.M.(Mike) Huffstetler
NC State Certified Residential Appraiser

Mike has been a friend and valuable resource over the years. His office number is (704) 786-5755 if you need a good appraiser.

As always, please contact me if we can be of service with real estate.

Glen

I Forgot About The Wallpaper

Last month I spoke about preparing your home to sell. One thing I neglected to mention in the paint section was wallpaper.

If you have it, take it down. Two reasons: 1) Wallpaper is very personal. It's difficult to pick wallpaper that appeals to the majority of buyers; 2) Wallpaper dates itself quickly. Styles and patterns change often and can easily look dated in five years.

Just so no one feels bad, here is a picture of our bathroom. Liz and I built 13 years ago and at the time thought dark blue stripes in our master bath were really cool. While I have maintained most of my coolness over the last 13 years, our wallpaper has not.

We are still in a very strong buyers' market. Recent data shows our home values in the Charlotte area fell around 5% in 2010. If anyone would like detailed market info., let me know and I can send a link to some more in-depth data.

I got sidetracked on the wallpaper this month, so next month I'll discuss the return on investment for items such as replacement windows, roofs, etc. In the meantime, please call if we can be of service. A lot of what we are doing now is helping people understand the market so they can decide whether or not now is the time to make a move.
 

Glen

Home Improvemen​t and Sydney Lowe's Red Jacket

Hello Everyone,

As much as it pains me, congratulations to the Tar Heel fans on your regular season. Roy Williams did an outstanding job coaching the team. I've got a great idea... we'll trade you Sydney Lowe and Monty Towe for Roy and throw in the red jacket for free.

One of the reasons the Tar Heels are better than the Wolfpack this year is that the Heels are better coached and better prepared to play. Selling your home is very similar. The home owner who is most prepared for the selling event is usually going to win. The market is tough right now. Sellers need to prepare themselves for the competition by pricing their home correctly and having it in excellent condition. We can and do sell homes in all stages of repair, but if you want to maximize your sales price in a buyer's market, you must be prepared.

STOP: the remainder of this e-mail goes into some detail about preparing your home to sell and return on investment. There is no poetry or pictures of Liz's weed-infested garden. Feel free to stop reading at any time.

One of the most common questions we get is, "What do I need to do to prepare my home to sell?" The short answer is, call me and we can develop a list that is personalized to your home and budget. A more general answer to help you get started thinking about the process is as follows:

1. Start cheap and work your way up to the more expensive items as your budget allows.

2. Your Home's Exterior - First impressions on the exterior of your home are important and usually more labor intensive than costly.

• repair anything on the exterior of your home that is loose, broken, or rotten
• get your grass (or weeds) green
• neatly manicure your lawn (edge the sidewalk and drive way) and reseed bare spots
• trim the bushes and trees
• put fresh pine needles in the beds and around trees
• have something blooming in the beds
• put fresh paint on front porch rails and door if needed
• replace or polish tarnished coach lights and door hardware
• have shutters cleaned, painted, and/or replaced
• get driveway and sidewalks pressure washed if needed
• have exterior pressure washed and painted if necessary

3. Your Home's Interior - The three major items we usually identify on the interior of a home that give the most bang for the buck are cleaning/decluttering/staging, painting, and replacing floor coverings.

• Cleaning/Decluttering/Staging - Clean everything in your home spotless. Windows, baseboards, sinks, tubs, toilets, lights, ceiling fans, switch plates, floors, counter tops, appliances...........everything. Furniture pieces and other large items may need to be reduced to help all rooms show as large as possible. General clutter ranging from toys, hobby items, collections, etc., need to be organized and minimized. Many successful sellers rent storage space to help themselves properly declutter. When you feel like you're done cleaning and decluttering, clean and declutter some more. Once everything is cleaned and decluttered, the final touch is staging. It does not have to be elaborate. Liz is really good with this component of the preparation and enjoys the opportunity to help. It can be as simple as moving a few pieces of furniture to the right location and adding a plant or picture to help change the focus of a room.
• Painting - Warm, neutral colors in all the living areas always produce a great return on investment. Light beige walls with bright white trim sell well. Probably 60% or more of the homes I review need painting before they are put on the market. Fresh paint is very cost affective (especially if you do the work yourself) and can produce a dramatic change to your home's interior appearance. Flat paint is usually recommended. Liz has some color charts from local paint suppliers if you would like her help.
• Floor Covering - Most items up to this point can be done with little-to-moderate expense. Floor covering can be costly but may be worth the investment depending on the overall condition and price point of the home. Badly worn or stained carpet and vinyl (linoleum) needs to be replaced. At times replacing vinyl with tile can be a good investment, but it is very specific to the individual home and price point. Refinishing existing hardwoods that are badly scratched or damaged can also be a good investment.
• Other Items - Replacing counter tops, appliances, lights, etc. can add a "WOW" factor, but usually need to be evaluated on an individual basis.

4. Repairs - We always recommend doing any needed home repairs before selling. Otherwise the homeowner is trying to get quotes and have work done for the new buyer while they are under the stress of moving out and closing. We have a list of recommended contractors and can assist with repairs if so desired. If I were selling my own home, I would have a home inspection and repair all the items on the list before putting it on the market.

"How much value will my....
...$10,000 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. mural I painted on the side of the barn add to my sales price?" Or more commonly, how much will my new A/C unit, vinyl fence, replacement windows, roof, outbuilding, room addition, etc. add to the value of my home? That's a great question and one I hear on almost every listing appointment. I'll go into some detail on this subject next month.

Glen

Valentine's Day.......Again

My original intent was to compose a marginally useful e-mail on updating your home to maximize resale value. But then I realized Valentine's Day was near, and once again felt compelled to woo my bride with poetry. Happy Valentines Day Liz. You're the best.

Rose are red
Violets are blue
We sell houses
Me and you.

Some are white
Some are yeller
You're a lucky chick
To have me as your feller.


I'll send out a note on maximizing value in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if anyone has questions or we can be of service, please let us know.
 

Glen

2011

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year's Day. Ours were quiet and enjoyable as we spent time with family. We did manage to make it an exciting Christmas for Liz's Uncle D, though, while visiting the in-laws in East Tennessee. With icy road conditions on Sunday, we let our 16-year-old drive us to lunch. Uncle D rode with us to the restaurant. After a very "exhilarating" car ride to our meal, he chose to find alternate transportation for the return trip home.

2011 looks to be similar to 2010, with most experts predicting home price declines anywhere from 0 to 10%. The primary factors are still the inventory of foreclosed properties that banks have yet to release, as well as the unemployment rate. Most mortgage interest rate predictions I see call for the rates to remain around 5%.

We remain in a strong buyer's market in Cabarrus County and surrounding areas. If you are considering a real estate transaction this year, call us. We'll be glad to discuss the market with you.

As a reminder, please don't forget to change your address book. Our new e-mail address is glentucker@remax.net


Glen

New Website and Merry Christmas

Hello Everyone,

Our new website is up and running. If you have a minute, take a look and let us know if you have any comments or suggestions ( www.glentucker.com ). Yes, I know removing my picture would be be a great place to start ...... we'll get to work on that right away.

As Christmas approaches, Liz and I want to thank everyone again for your business and friendship this past year. We are blessed to be able to make a living doing something we enjoy.

Merry Christmas from the Tuckers,
Glen, Liz, Matt & Hannah

Liz's Garden Makes Dramatic Comeback

Just when we thought all hope was lost, a few brave basil plants broke through the tangled mass of weeds to reach maturity.

The little fellas on the outside were caught when they tried to make a break for it.

Cabarrus and surrounding counties continue to remain in a buyers' market, but we are selling homes in this "new normal" environment. If we can answer questions or help with real estate matters in any way, please don't hesitate to call.

Glen

NCSU beats UNC for 4th Straight Year

Sorry, I was just checking to see how this subject line would look on my November e-mail.
I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the great weather we've had for the last week or so. Thought it might be a good idea to leave Liz alone about her garden this month and pass along a few thoughts about the Real Estate Market:

Currently
First and foremost, we are still selling houses. Without a doubt though, we remain in a very strong buyers' market. For reference, a balanced market would typically contain a 3-5 month supply of homes. Most local market segments I am analyzing have at least a 10 month supply of homes with some segments in excess of 24 months.

Short Term
I hope to see an increase in sales from now through the middle of November as buyers who would like to purchase before the end of the year become active. We have already seen evidence of this based on the number of our listings that have gone under contract within the last few weeks. We anticipate the market will slow down for the holidays around the middle of November and remain slow for the rest of the year.

Long Term
We will eventually recover. I will not guess when that might be. When the recovery does start, it will be slow and gradual.

Sellers
Qualified buyers are in short supply and have a lot homes from which to choose. Your home will need to be in premium condition and priced low enough to create excitement among potential buyers.

Buyers
Low interest rates and great prices make it an excellent time to purchase. With the uncertainty in the long term market, I am advising buyers to plan on staying in their new home for at least five years.

A Personal Note
Liz and I have been very blessed to continue to make a living in what has been a tough market the last several years. I feel like a big part of what we do is helping folks understand the market and how it might impact their individual situation. If we can help in any way, please don't hesitate to call.

Glen

Interest Rates and Hungry Rabbits

Very rarely do I open an attachment and get surprised. Interest rates are so low, though, this one caught me off guard. Click on the attached rate sheet from Tuesday.

Still no hope for Liz's garden. It has gotten so bad the rabbits now refuse to enter. Call us if we can help with real estate. We need food for the rabbits.

Glen

Money Needed for Vegetables

I needed a picture of something funny for our monthly marketing update. This is perhaps the most humorous thing going on at our house right now. I present to you..........

~~~Liz's Vegetable Garden~~~

Call us if we can help with real estate. Liz needs money for vegetables.

Glen

My Lawn Mower and the Market Are Both Doing Better

Several of you asked whether or not that was really my lawn mower in the picture. Yes it was. Surprisingly, it was salvageable for a reasonable cost. It mows a little sideways now and ain't real pretty, but it works.

Home sales have improved, fueled partially by the tax credit that expired April 30th. I expect to see a cooling off period of 30 to 60 days as the market reloads with buyers. I have no doubt that the credit did add some first-time buyers to the market and also helped motivate some move-up buyers to get off the fence. My guess, though, is that history will show that the credit did not greatly increase the total number of home sales in 2010 but served only to change their timing.

While the market is better, we are still in a buyer's market with an oversupply of homes. Move-up buyers remain in a great position as they are saving more on their purchase than they are sacrificing on their sale. If we can answer questions about the real estate market or provide information that may help you with planning, please don't hesitate to call.

Glen

YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK IF...

...you look out your window while traveling down Highway 29 and notice your lawn mower is passing on the right.

Long story. Call us if we can help you with real estate. Liz needs a new lawn mower.

Glen
 

No More Poetry

Sadly, after numerous less than flattering remarks, I have decided to retire my ink bottle and feather pen. I now return to the more familiar ground of real estate agent and bone headed husband.

The first article I read Sunday morning was "What Next? Economists Divided on Future." Since the experts aren't sure yet, I'll leave the long term stuff alone and speak about current personal experience with our local real estate market.

We have seen a significant increase in activity over the last several weeks. More phone calls, more showings on our listings, and more qualified buyers ready to purchase. Most buyers seem to be motivated at least in part by the April 30th tax credit deadline. The higher the purchase price though, the less significant the tax credit becomes. In addition, I have been involved in two multiple offer situations in the last 10 days, and last week, one of my clients had the sale of their condo in California fall through but had it under contract again a few days later. All are encouraging short term signs. People are buying and selling houses. However, there is still an oversupply of properties on the market. The majority of resales that are moving seem to be discounted foreclosures or non-foreclosed homes in excellent condition and priced aggressively. We remain in a strong buyers market.

If you are thinking about buying or selling this year, give us a call. We will be glad to provide information to help you decide if it is the right time for a move.

Glen

My Softer Side

With Valentine's Day approaching, our office manager pointed out that I'm a complete slug and suggested I do something romantic for Liz. After much reflection, I have decided to woo my bride of 17 years with poetry. Happy Valentine's Day, Liz.

Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
I sell Real Estate
And so do ...........................................................You
(Please note the pause and fancy letters for dramatic effect.)

If anyone has thoughts of selling this Spring or Summer, it's time to put your home on the market. Call me If I can help.

Glen