Sell Apartment Quick

Many aspects of Russian buildings, in particular Moscow apartments for rent still not regulated. In particular, this concerns the classification of houses. “Despite the fact that we have the specialized organizations, any document, which determines the signs of the apartment in Moscow of different level, we do not have, counts the leader of the department of the new constructions of bureau of real estate “agent 002” Dmitriy Ivanov. – It will not appear within the next few years, because it is profitable to the house-builders , on the basis of the market behavior, to move classification first into one, then to other side. The simple craftiness, which makes it possible to play with the positioning”.

Realtors themselves determine how “clubby” the house is. Someone indicates that there must be not more than 40 apartments, others adhere to previous standards. In the opinion of the director of sales of the agency of elite real estate Penny Lane Realty, in recent years appeared the tendency of increasing the size of the club-house objects. Experts concur only in one – the less, the better. The categories “exclusive”, “prestigious” and “status”, “private” still not alien to the audience, to which attention are presented the apartments of the class “premium”.

“First of all, apartment in the club house must have maximally convenient planning, which makes it possible freely to approach the design of internal accommodations, says the director of the department of elite real estate in Penny Lane Realty Alexander Ziminskiy. – The height of ceilings must be not less than three meters”. Specific characteristics from the windows are very important. According to Dmitriy Ivanov, a good form is capable to increase the cost of apartment by 30%. Moreover it is necessary that the aprtment’swindows would have a view minimum of two, better – to three sides. Very important also that the houses of the same class would be located all around: this creates the sensation of social uniformity.

Very important that each apartment will have minimum of two parking places reserved for cars. There are also little-known, but very key points, which strongly influence status of house. Experienced buyers never forget to inquire, where in the house garbage access is located. If it is located near the staircase it is a minus. The Apartment of the class “premium” implies the presence of concierge and maid services, who will be responsible for the removal of accumulated garbage into the packets and carry out to the rear garbage can, from where special machines will take away it.
The area of contemporary apartment in the club house – not less than 100 square meters (maximum – 500). There was a proposal to sell smaller apartments – from 60 meters, but this exactly was an example of the very case of game with the positioning: the owners of apartments of class “premium” must not feel restricted with space.

But the basic sign of club house – is an arrangement in the center of city. “The first club houses appeared in the middle of the 90’s on Ostozhenke and in other regions of Moscow, where there are limitations on the height of the apartment houses, says the leader of the division of urban real estate of Penny Lane Realty agency, an elite Russian real estate company. – First these were houses in the center of the capital, but tendency did not pass the test of time: indeed it is necessary that all communications would correspond to contemporary technical level, and in the buildings XIX century to reach this without the reconstruction is impossible”. A question with parking here arose: there was no place for tenants to park their cars. All this led to was the fact that the old buildings located in the center of Moscow were reconstructed, and became new elite houses.

Modern clients, who rent apartments in the club houses, interested in objects with the uniqueness, “pearl in the rough”. Houses with the winter gardens, the French windows (from the floor to the ceiling) are in great demand, the beautiful and well-organized territory is required. “Furthermore, clients interested in the presence of the conference rooms, where it is possible to discuss working questions, adds Andrey Ufimtsev. – Rooms for rest and guest rooms (with the leather sofas, the lively colors and the aquariums), daycare centers for children, where it is possible to leave a child, in case of emergency.

Of course in the houses of this level services must be managed by the property management company, with high credentials and for the reasonable price rich people as everyone knows, know how to count the money. The presence of the fitness center in the house, club or beauty salon is no longer necessary according to the expert’s opinion. It is no longer so urgent: people find their own beauticians and trainers, they prefer to use their services. Protection is extremely important. “Safety system must be set to the professional basis and include several levels.

Important role plays the face control of the future tenants”. According to the chief administrator of sales for the company “[Gras]” Damir Ayzatulin – to acquire apartment in the club house a person must be recommended by other tenants or founders. “The high level of fortune – significant, but not unique component of the social uniformity of club house” – It is not possible to create the situation of absolute maximum comfort in the house, where live completely unknown people. In our houses the client control is very strict, it is not always exactly known why and what in the client’s form caused the failure to accept application by house-builder. They can ask potential buyers about anything they desire to know before making a decision to sell an apartment, but to professional even half a phrase is sufficient in order to compose impression about the man”.

Mean price in club house $18 of thousand for the square meter. It can reach also to $35 thousand – in the most claimed complexes. However, such expensive apartments rarely left for the free market: previous owners prefer to sell to their relatives and friends. According to the forecasts of analysts, an increase in the prices of the club apartment in Moscow will in 2007 compose 20-25%, moreover in the spring- years the cost of bonus meters will grow by 10%.

There are not too many club houses on the market today. But experts foretell although not too rapidly, but noticeably development of the market for the apartments of the class “premium”. It is possible to build houses with small number of apartments, even in the center of Moscow. For now traditional locations of club real estate – [Ostozhenka] and Arbat alleys – However the potential of these regions is limited; therefore house-builders begin to turn their attention to other regions – Zamoskvorech’ye, Plyushchikhu, clean ponds: they within the next few years can comprise competition to traditional elite houses in the center of Moscow.

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Rent Back

If you are facing foreclosure and see that you are not going to be making your mortgage payment on time or have already missed one payment, then you are in the pre-foreclosure stages.  Meaning the bank hasn’t foreclosed on you yet, but it could possibly happen in the near future.  This is a time you must act quickly and decide how you are going to go about avoiding foreclosure.

You have several different options you can go with in the pre-foreclosure stage.  Today we are going to explore why you should sell your home in the pre-foreclosure period.  You will want to investigate as many options as possible, but remember that you are on a time crunch, racing against a bank foreclosure.

Often many homeowners wait until right before a foreclosure auction is to take place, before they decide to sell it as a pre-foreclosure sale.  Many times this is due to the homeowners waiting around looking for reprieve from the lender.  If you have poor financial standing your not likely to get reprieve, so you should familiarize yourself with the pre-foreclosure sale process.

If you are not in a great financial situation and know you not going to receive assistance from your lender, doing a pre-foreclosure sale is one way to save your credit standing.  This is important if you plan on buying another home in the future.  If you are officially foreclosed on your credit can be negatively impacted for years.
So if you make the decision to sell your home, it is best to tell your lender, they may possibly give you more time before the foreclosure auction happens.  This is important so you don’t have to sell your home at bottom dollar value.  Speaking with your lender is a good idea, to let them know where you stand. If they have any last minute solution for you this is the time they can let you know.  Otherwise the lender can realize you’re selling your home and you can feel confident that, it’s the right decision.

You can either try to sell it on your own or with a Realtor.  The Realtor can most likely sell it faster than you.  Being that they already know people in the market looking for a good home.  It can also be good if you are emotionally attached to your home and are upset about selling it.  This can come across to the buyer if you are showing the home and may discourage their purchase.

If you do end up using the services of a Realtor to help sell your home, you may receive some extra money.  This is because retailers tend to sell homes at or around their assessment value.  The bad side is, not much of that money is going to be left over after paying your mortgage and the Realtor.  The most you can hope for is enough to make other living arrangements.  For instance if you going to rent an apartment you’re going to need enough for first, last and security deposit.  If you have bad credit, they may even ask for a higher security deposit or possibly you may have to find a co-signer.

The biggest downside to selling your home is loosing your home.  This is why most homeowners wait to the last minute.  But remember there are other places out there and this is a chance for you to come out from under the stresses of foreclosure and start again.  This is a chance to get out from under all your bills and get in a place that is more affordable.



Real Estate Professionals

There is a real art to selling a home. Long ago the home sales bushiness became far more than posting a sign on the front lawn and then waiting for buyers to arrive. The selling of a home has become a much more involved process for both the seller and the listing agent. One of the main reasons for this has been the emergence of real estate as a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Also that fact that real estate has become one of the major areas of investment has made buyers more savvy and this has created more work for agents and sellers alike. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing, what it does mean is that people are expecting more for their money and have become more educated about purchasing.

What this means for the average seller is that they too must educate themselves and learn to showcase their properties properly in conjunction with the expertise of their realtor to create a package that is undeniably desirable to buyers. There are several ways that this can be accomplished: As the home owner you have certain responsibilities in order to realize the greatest profit from your home sale.
Price your home properly. This is extremely important. Homes that are unrealistically priced don’t sell, at least not very quickly. Overpriced homes tend to alienate buyers before they even look at the home. Confer with your realtor, get a CMA done and decide on a reasonable asking price.

Get rid of excess furniture and other items. Mess is a huge factor in many people’s negative impressions of homes. Move out any stuff you don’t need on a daily basis. You are going to have enough to move out eventually, why not get a head start on it?

Get the exterior of the home is pristine condition. In real estate first impressions are critically important. Typically people’s impression will be partially formed by the time they see your house from the street. Make sure they have a good experience with your homes facade. This will include doing such things as detailing your yard, spending some time cutting and trimming the lawn, painting the house and refinishing the driveway. Not only will these things improve the looks of your home but they can positively affect the asking price.

Never be hesitant to do extra work to improve your home’s chances of selling quickly and for the amount you want. If you take the time to set your home apart from others that its competing with, it will make your experience as a seller much more enjoyable and less stressful.



Quick Property Sale

Maryland is one of the U.S. home markets that is seeing a lot of action. Perhaps this is due to its proximity to the nation’s capital or perhaps it is due to the fact that Maryland is a great place to live. Either way, the Maryland market is jumping and it is becoming more and more important to set your home for sale apart from the masses. Now, some homes are simply possessed of an amazing style and atmosphere right from the start and there is little that can be done to improve and already impressive offering. However, for the vast majority of homes, the responsibility falls to the seller to ensure that their home is properly staged and ready for sale.

The process of preparing a home for sale is as complicated as the seller wants it to be. There are any number of things that can be changed in a home to increase its value. From new floors to new appliances, from something as minute as new towel racks to something as major as a whole new bathroom, the possibilities are endless. The trick is to be able to look at the home and discern what is necessary and what is not. Many home owners have found out the hard way that the changed they made were good but did not properly address the needs of the average home buyer. extravagant design changes may make the home look better but what about the functionality of the existing rooms? The home must be livable; no matter how good it looks it will be hard to sell if the basic necessities of life are ignored. For instance: putting in new appliances is always a good idea. Home buyers like to see shiny new appliances in the kitchen. Let them know that they are all warrantied and in proper working order.

Try to look at your home with a detached and independent viewpoint. Think about the negative things that a buyer will notice if they view your home. Buyers are picky and rightfully so as they will be spending a big chunk of money on a home. You would likely be just as picky when purchasing your new home right? so, what would you replace? Make a list and work them off before listing your home and don’t hesitate to ask your realtor for advice during this process. Their expertise in home selling is a huge asset.



Sell and Rent Back

You keep hearing that the real estate market is slow, and sure enough, the houses for sale in your community just seem to be sitting. But you still need to sell your house and you can’t wait around forever. So what do you do?

While there are many factors to consider if you need to sell your home right way, the asking price of your property is probably one of the most important.

Some background information is needed at this point. In a balanced real estate market where the supply of homes is relatively equivalent to the demand for homes, the sales price of a property is usually determined by evaluating the sales price of similar homes in the same community (known as comparables or “comps” method). In this method, a seller would typically price their home at, or slightly above, the price of similar homes that recently sold in the same community. However, in a slowing market, the supply of homes exceeds the demand, which produces a situation where buyers have many choices.

The “comps” approach is a useful method in a balanced market or in a market that favors sellers, but is less useful in a market that favors buyers. The reason for this is that in a buyer’s market (where supply exceeds demand), homebuyers have many choice and sellers must compete to attract their attention.

In a market that favors buyers, prices tend to drop as sellers under bid one another to get their house sold. If you need to sell your property and can’t wait, then ask your Real Estate agent to re-evaluate the asking price of your home and to make a recommendation about changing the asking price below your competitors. In this type of market, homebuyers demand a bargain and the price is a top consideration.

Although price is a top consideration, there are many other things you can do to improve the probability of selling your house in a slow market. If your house is just sitting and you’re not getting visitors or offers, ask your Realtor to come up with a list of ideas that will improve your chances. Encourage them to be through and creative in their proposed solutions.

You should also keep in mind that the real estate market can be very different from one community to the next, even between communities that are just a few miles apart. Even in a slow market, some communities will continue to demand a premium price, while price reductions will be evident in a neighboring community. Your Real Estate Agent can provide you information about which communities are “hot” or “cold” in your region of the country, which will help you price your home to sell quickly.



Rent Back

Earlier this year we sold our family home. Not only that we did it within nine days with two families battling it out for our property. What a pleasant surprise it was to sell it so quickly! It was a surprising sale because our property, although extensively renovated, was quite old, on a very busy road, pretty small, and a high asking price.

So how did we do it? Well my husband, who is a very busy man, happened to be away with work therefore it was up to me to interview three realtors. I did some research and chose high profile real estate agencies that had consistent and high sales averages. (You’ll probably notice that I only interviewed males – this wasn’t intentional – they were the names given to me and available at the time).

I staggered the three interviews over two days and with each one, an appraisal was done of the property taking into account renovations and special features.

Realtor One when asked how much he thought the property was worth couldn’t give me a figure, not even a wild guestimate! Not only that, he sounded unsure and unmotivated about anything to do with our property (or anything else for that matter). I showed him around our house and pointed out special features, and all our renovations – still no response. When I mentioned what our asking price was the response was head nodding and not much else. I uttered a silent “You’re fired…next!”

Realtor Two said all the right words. He was a real go-getter, smartly dressed, clean shaven, innovative and energetic. He assured me that if I wanted the house sold and we had a firm asking and reserve price, then he would be the man to do it. Then he continued to talk – a lot – for a long time, using the latest buzzwords. It was difficult getting a word in. However, once the asking price was mentioned there was a pregnant pause. He slowly replied that my asking price was at the very top end of the market, and implied we’d be very lucky to reach it. Still, he’d sounded convincing…sort of…

Realtor Three listened attentively and nodded every now and again and paraphrased me, ensuring we were singing to the same hymn sheet. As before he asked what our asking and reserve price were. Just as before the asking price appeared to be surprising. I watched his face and could see he was mentally calculating and assessing the property’s worth. I showed him around the property as I did with the others, and he was genuinely impressed what we were offering. He became very motivated and made suggestions that made sense.

For several months we did nothing, still unsure of when we were actually going to put our home on the market.

The first and second realtors never made contact again. They’d left it up to us to contact them when we were ready. Realtor No 3 kept in regular contact with generic updates of the area and never pushed us to do anything. He simply signed off on each letter that when we’re ready, he’d be ready.

The first realtor was totally disinterested in anything from the property to us as people, and the other, although innovative and motivated didn’t exhibit empathy and curiosity about us – the owner’s, and no follow up. Connection is so important and although the first two were very nice individuals, it was something that was sadly lacking.

No 3 definitely got the job.

So why did he get the contract? Simply put, apart from keeping in regular contact, his knowledge and experience, and never aggressively trying to get our contract:

 He treated me (by this stage he was dealing directly with me) respectfully.

 He was always available to speak via telephone.

 He listened and understood what I wanted – nothing was ever a problem.

 He showed genuine interest in us as people. Conversations often turned to unrelated matters and we spoke of family and our travels.

 The one that clinched the deal was that he totally connected with us in the nicest way. We knew he had our best interests at heart.

There are many factors involved when selling property and choosing the right realtor. The main points I’d pass on are:

 Do your research – get to know your suburb if you don’t already, start reading the latest real estate material; speak to people in the industry – particularly the realtor’s you’re interviewing – you’ll get a feel of their knowledge and level of interest.

 Keep interviewing until you come up with someone that has strong people skills – not only are you looking for a connection, you’re also looking for someone who’ll connect strongly with prospective buyers.

Last but not least:

 Love the home you’re selling and others will love it also.

 Intuition is a great tool to have so when the time comes, use it.



Sell and Rent Back

Sellers are facing a tough decision in today’s market. “Do I sell now or do I keep my home for the next 5-7 years?” Most sellers are choosing to stay in their homes and not sell.

That’s a good thing for those sellers who are forced to sell for one reason or another and don’t have time to sit back and wait. For the seller who has to sell their home in the next 90 -180 days, a lot of decisions need to be made and a lot of effort needs to be put

into the sale.

There are 11 of the most common mistakes made by sellers:

1. Lack of Curb Appeal – The first thing that a buyer sees is the front of a property. They will see a picture online on a web site, or they will drive by the property. Either way, the curb appeal of the property is extremely important if the seller is going to maximize their sales price. Even though the old adage goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” most buyers do. Clean up the front of the house, trim bushes and trees, plant new flowers and make sure the grass is green.

2.Cluttered and personalized interior – Once you’ve attracted that potential buyer, caught their eye, and got them to look at the property further, make sure the inside is in tip-top condition. Imagine that the property is a brand new, model home, and your job is to stage it for sale. That is the goal you need to set for the interior of the property. De-clutter the entry and living room. Remove personal pictures from the walls and shelves. Take out the oversized recliner that is blocking the walkway. Open up the walkways, take out large furniture, remove the ‘wall of fame’ in the hallway and minimize the personal pictures. The goal is to show that each room has more than enough space for its furniture and the buyer needs to be able to imagine their own furnishings in each room. It’s OK to pack the garage with all of the extra stuff, but it preferable to move it all off of the property to a separate storage area.

3.Walls in need of freshening up – Once you have removed all of the clutter, you will see that the walls are dinged up and have hand prints all over them. You’ll see that the vacuum has marred up the base boards and the cord has made black lines along the edges of the walls. Spruce up the paint; repaint the entire interior if needed. Add some color to the walls too; don’t just paint them Antique White. Don’t be bold and paint the room’s red or purple, but pick a soft color that compliments the current furnishings while it is neutral enough that the buyer can imagine their own furniture in the rooms.

4.Stained & old flooring – Now that you’ve removed half of the furniture from the property, you will see where the sun has faded the carpet, walkways that have been created around the old furniture and stains had been hidden under the sofa! The cheapest way to fix things is to have the flooring professionally cleaned. In many cases, if the carpet is less than 5 years old, this will work. But if you still have that orange shag carpet from when you bought the place…its time to replace it! Again, don’t go out and find apartment grade, tan carpet. Find a carpet that compliments the current décor but will still be neutral for the next owner. Talk to the local carpet store about what’s in style in the area for a reasonable price.

There is the option of offering a carpet allowance to the buyer, but if a potential buyer walks in to the property and is hit with a 20-year-old carpet, or a stained and worn carpet, you will have lost all ‘first impressions.’ Don’t be cheap when it comes to selling your biggest single investment.

5.Shredded and faded curtains – Don’t forget about those window coverings and curtains. The sun is harsh and eats curtains. Dust collects and sticks to mini-blinds. Update the window coverings throughout the property. If you still have the matching bedspread and valance, be sure it’s not from the 1950’s! If you love it so much, then pack it with the rest of the furniture in your storage unit and put up some new, clean mini-blinds with a shear around the window. Make sure the window openings are clear and let in a lot of light. Nothing makes a room feel small like having no natural light. Bright and airy is key here.

6.Pet/smoke odors and stains – Once you have replaced the flooring & repainted the walls, most pet and smoke odors will be gone, but how do you keep them from coming back? Don’t let the pet back into the property! Don’t smoke inside anymore! Seriously! Find a friend or family member to watch the dog while your property is on the market. Not only will it keep the property from smelling it will also make showings easier because the buyers won’t have to worry about getting bit! As for smoking…do it outside! You can handle smoking outside while you are on the market. A little suffering now will save thousands later!

7.Boring Bathrooms – Clean them and keep them clean. Add some colorful hand towels to the counter, maybe a fragrance candle & potpourri. Make sure the bathroom smells clean & fresh and has a little color.

8.Kitchen Clutter – Clear off the counter tops. Nothings says “small kitchen” like having every small appliance there is neatly staged on the countertop. What this says is “The kitchen has NO cupboard space and everything has to be kept on the counters.” Find room for everything but the coffee maker and the toaster. If there is room for those, then put them away when not in use! If you’ve still got a 1970’s microwave the size of an oven, get rid of it. It’s probably leaking radiation anyway. Go out and buy a small microwave to get you through the sale of the house, or just don’t replace it until you move to a new property. You don’t need popcorn at night anyway.

9.In the Backyard – If you’ve got a large yard, make sure it is de-cluttered and seems easy to maintain. Make sure the grass is green, the shrubs and trees are trimmed and the clutter is removed. If the yard is small, make sure it is all but empty. Stage a small table & chairs so the buyer can imagine sitting outside, drinking coffee and reading the morning newspaper. Make the backyard an extension of the property but not a nuisance and something that is too much to take care of.

10.Wrong Price – Pricing the property correctly is going to be the toughest of all for most owners. Everyone has lived through the past 7 years of appreciating prices and nobody wants to think that they left money on the table when they sell. Unfortunately, the lack of buyers is affecting the market value of property. There are simply not enough buyers out there for the number of sellers that need to sell. Price will be 90% of the reason a buyer takes a closer look at your property. Talk to your Realtor® about the market value and price it right. Talk to three different Realtors® and get their opinions on value.

11.Choose the Right Realtor® – Once you have the property properly staged, cleaned up, curb appeal in place and have spoken to at least three Realtors® then you need to choose the right one. Make sure that the Realtor® has experience in a Buyer’s market. He/she must know how to properly market a property for sale when there are more buyers than sellers. You need to have maximum Internet exposure. The Realtor® must be experienced with a full-spectrum of marketing, not just putting a sign in the yard and hoping someone will drive by and see it. Recent studies say 100% of today’s buyers will search the Internet before buying their new home. Ask for at least 3 references from the agents. Ask how many homes they have sold in the past 90-180 days. Don’t rely on what they sold a year ago, that was a different market. Ask them how close to the original asking price was the final sales prices. You don’t need to list at a high price and then get beat up by the agent for price reductions. Price it right in the beginning and you will net more money than being on the market for 6 months and reducing the price several times.If you follow these easy steps, you will have a much better chance of selling your property quickly, and for top dollar. While there are no ‘magic pills’ to get a property sold, these tips will go a long way toward getting you to your goal.

Richard Daskam is a top producer in the Southern California area. He is a Broker-Associate with Keller Williams Realty and has been selling real estate since 1990. Richard experienced the last Buyer’s Market in the 1990’s and uses what he learned then to help his clients today. Richard can be reached at 562-857-1965 or on the Internet at www.FindRichardOnline.com.



Rent Back

The company PENNY LANE REALTY became one of the sponsors and the active participants in this major event. This year, according to the data of organizers, more than 12 thousand people came to celebrate American Independence Day.

During the official opening ceremony, appeared the ambassador of the USA to Russia William Joseph Burns and the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia Andrew B. Somers. All those arrived to the holiday awaited the most diverse entertainments – exhibition of automobiles, appearance of DJ’s and musicians, clowns, trampolines, sea of the balloons, drawings, surprises, different sport games, and also numerous food and beverages.

The company PENNY LANE REALTY also prepared for the guests of holiday several pleasant surprises. The great looking brokers of the department of the lease of apartments told Moscovites and guests of the capital about the company and the services provided by it, gave out coupons with the 10-percent

discount to the services of department. The cartoons’ heroes Micky Mouse and Schrek, dressed in Penny Lane t-shirts shirts, gave to children and adult memorable gifts and souvenirs. But the super present and truly the center of universal attraction at the holiday undoubtedly became located near the PENNY LANE REALTY’s tent attraction by the name “Cash Box! ”, where each participant, could try its luck, in catching the real money, as much as possible.

And even when it began to drizzle toward the evening, the rain did not spoil the great mood people were in, because in the PENNY LANE REALTY’ s tent, all people, who proved to be unready to the whims of weather, the smiling brokers of Penny Lane Realty generously gave out umbrellas.

if you like my article please visit my website at

www.eng.realtor.ru to read more about russian real estate.



Sell and Rent Back

Fewer than 10 years ago, Charlotte, NC, was a medium-size city with a strong banking industry. It quickly grew into one of the southeast’s most prosperous cities, drawing revenue from Wachovia, Bank of American and smaller, funds management businesses. This growth spurred more growth. People arrived and the population grew. Residential and commercial property was built and the real estate market boomed.

Then the recession hit and Charlotte’s quick rise stumbled. Too many project developments, too many residential properties on the market, and not enough buyers, or not enough capital to sustain the gigantic real estate bubble.

Now Charlotte is in a precarious situation. It is working hard to pull itself up from the recession. It is using its vital economic muscle to make the coming years prosperous and healthy. It is leaning on its cultural attractions, its high quality of living and successful population to attract commercial investors and realtors with the future in mind.

Make no mistake, though, that real estate is a hot topic in Charlotte. Many downtown buildings and office spaces are for sale. Bank of America and Wachovia are in transition, Project developments need to be sold and homeowners are waiting for the economy to recovery before they think about selling or moving into another home. For some, if you have the capital, good credit and job security, now is a good time to consider buying a home. One local development firm is happy that some people are in this category. The Royal Court Condos, slated to open in February, are selling and prepared for occupancy.

The building – 11 residential floors atop 21/2 of parking – has 35 units left for sale, but competition is getting scarce.

Fewer than 1,000 high-rise units are still under construction in the center city. Three towers have been postponed, and two have been halted by legal disputes.

“We feel good about Royal Court,” Hollidge said. “The financing market on future construction will limit the projects coming out of the ground for the foreseeable future.”

The market should tighten and could work in Royal Court’s favor as fewer units are built in and around the city, said housing analyst Emma Littlejohn of The Littlejohn Group.

This is good news for some. For others, the trick now is to wait out the economy, to raise capital and plan for the future. If that sounds like the most reasonable thing for your and your family, a smart option is to rent in Charlotte. Plenty of attractive, affordable apartments are on the market.



Quick House Sale

“When most people think about searching for an apartment, they do not even consider enlisting in the services of a broker or realtor. Rather, they look through newspapers, rely upon word of mouth, or use an online apartment locator to assist them in the search. This is unfortunate because a realtor can be of great help when it comes to finding an apartment.

Many do not realize that a realtor does so much more than sell real estate. In fact, a real estate agent can be a key source in finding a great apartment at a cost you can afford.

Putting Realtor Knowledge to Work for You

One of the best parts about using a real estate agent as your personal apartment locator is the fact that a realtor is quite knowledgeable about different neighborhoods. In fact, a competent realtor should be able to answer any questions that you might have about the different neighborhoods you are considering moving into. The realtor should also know quite a bit about the apartment complexes in those areas and whether or not any apartments are available. In this way, you can better determine if the neighborhood is a good fit for you.

Some factors you might want to consider when searching for an apartment include:

• Is the apartment conveniently located near to public transportation and other conveniences, such as stores?

• Is the neighborhood and the apartment complex family-friendly?

• How bad is crime in the neighborhood?

• How long of a commute will you have to take to get to work?

• Are there parks or other attractions nearby?

If any of these are important to you, your realtor should be able to quickly determine the neighborhood in which your should concentrate your search.

Save Time With a Realtor as Your Personal Apartment Locator

Most of us lead very busy lives and, as such, we don’t have time to call about every available apartment or to visit every one that is available. After you tell your realtor what you are looking for, he or she can narrow down the choices and take you to see only the apartments that are most likely to suit your needs.

If you are getting ready to move into the state or city, this time saving element can be a necessity. After all, you don’t have time to travel back and forth to look at many different apartments. Rather, you can higher a realtor to narrow down your choices and arrange for you to see all of the potential apartments in just one day. That way, you only have to take one day out of your busy schedule to see what is available.

Having a realtor work as your own personal apartment locator can save you a great deal of time and inconvenience. If you are moving into the area, contacting a real estate agent ahead of time can make the move much easier and create for a far smoother transition. Even if you already live in the area, however, getting help from a qualified real estate agent will still save precious time and will simplify the entire process.”



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