You’re smart. You’re doing your research about home buying and homeownership (like you are right now!), so you feel like you’re prepared to avoid common home buying pitfalls. But you’ll soon find that once you’ve moved in, there is a whole new list of common problems that plague unwary first-time homeowners. To help you make […]

  The Outer Banks, along with many areas of the country, has experienced a much colder than normal year. We have even had snow twice already! This is a novelty for us. Winter is actually a perfect time for many activities in our area. So in addition to curling up with a good book in […]

Acronyms are tossed around like crazy in the real estate world, which can be confusing to even the most veteran home buyers. But don’t worry — it doesn’t take long to learn the language. Here’s a quick list of the most widely used home buying acronyms and what they actually mean. Of course, if you’d […]

We’re almost three weeks into the New Year, but it’s not too late to develop goals for 2018. Now is the perfect time to jump right in and start fresh in your current home! Need ideas? Here are a few real estate goals that you can achieve this year. Fix Those Pesky Maintenance Issues Maybe […]

A 20% down payment is a significant chunk of change. But with enough time to prepare and a little bit of creative budgeting, you’ll be able to save up for your new home sooner than you think. Follow these helpful budgeting tips to get started! Break Down Your Budget While it’s never a bad idea […]

In the season of giving, many local organizations and businesses often accept donations of clothing, household goods, and other gently used items to help those in need. Homeowners looking to downsize or preparing for a move (or just clearing up some space at home) can not only pay it forward by donating to a local […]

‘Tis the season — for goal planning, that is! Many people spend December reflecting on the year and creating a list of goals to aim for in the New Year, and recent home buyers are no exception. If you’re thinking about ways to preserve that “new-to-you” feeling in your home and keep the clutter at […]

Nothing can transform a home quite like a simple seasonal color palette. Whether you want to embrace the fall foliage, some holiday whimsy, or a little winter coziness, you can do all that with a few coats of paint and some well-placed splashes of color. The best part of all? Not only are these color […]

Picture this: It’s winter. It’s freezing. You still need to clear the last of the leaves from your lawn, but you’re finding every excuse to stay huddled inside your warm home and out of the cold, biting air. More than ever, you’re wishing your yard work would just do itself. Sound familiar? Maintenance and lawn […]

Many home sellers have considered skipping the real estate agent to save on closing costs, but very few have actually succeeded in seeing those savings. There’s a good reason: the average homeowner doesn’t have the rigorous training and real estate knowledge that a licensed agent does. But just what makes For Sale By Owner (FSBO) […]