Sea Coast Surpasses $1 Billion Sales in 2015

Posted in News You Can Use, Team Gale, Wilmington NC Real Estate on Nov 11, 2015

Congratulations to our fellow Sea Coasters for an incredible 2015... and it's not over yet! $1,000,000,000 in closed sales is quite an accomplishment and we are so proud to be amongst this elite family of realtors.

It is truly a privilege to serve the greater Cape Fear region and we are in awe of the opportunities still coming our way in terms of the rate people are relocating and planned new communities in development.

Here's to another billion in 2016!

Food Drive to Benefit Mother Hubbard's Cupboard

Posted in Events In Our Area, News You Can Use, Team Gale on Nov 04, 2015

The Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors' has encouraged all members of their Community Affairs Committee to collect non-perishable food items in their respective offices through November 18th, to benefit Mother Hubbard's Cupboard. This food bank has served Wilmington since the mid-1980s, feeding the hungry through a combination of donations from the public and federal "Emergency Assistance" funding.

In addition to non-perishable and frozen goods, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard accepts donations from a "Wish List" that contributes to the upkeep of their mission and other avenues by which th...

Student Loan Debt Keeping Millennials from Homeownership

Posted in News You Can Use, Team Gale on Oct 14, 2015

The September "Insight & Outlook" report from Freddie Mac highlights how student loan debt will influence the market and hinder Millennial homeownership.

Reportedly, student loan debt has tripled in the last 10 years, with balances concentrated among the population under age 39. Freddie Mac's chief economist, Sean Becketti, notes that "recent data has confirmed that not all student is created equal. Students who attended schools with less-certain educational benefits have not fared well. Borrowers who did not complete their studies have fared worst of all... Moreover, a change just this month ...

6 Common Closing Delays

Posted in News You Can Use, Team Gale on Sep 30, 2015

The Hiscocks with Nothnagle Realtors have a great blog post about closing delays. Finding their article on Pinterest really got us thinking... so we have narrowed a list to 6 common reasons a home sale can be delayed.

From the Rochester Real Estate Blog: Whether you’re currently buying or selling a home or you’re planning on buying or selling a home in the future, it’s important that you understand that there can be delays in a real estate closing.  A real estate contract and the terms and conditions that are set forth in a contract do carry significant importance, however, they are not always...

Moving Tips: Make Unpacking Less Daunting

Posted in Buyer Tips, News You Can Use, Team Gale on Sep 23, 2015

Coldwell Banker Blue Matter has articles on everything from kitchen updates to ideas for holiday decorating to understanding real estate jargon.

Contributor Lindsey Chamberlain shared some tips for de-stressing the process of unpacking in your new place. Read her complete list here.

•  Clean your home or apartment before you move in! Areas like the kitchen and bathroom will be so much easier to clean without a clutter of boxes. Set aside some time to give the important areas of your new home a thorough once-over.

• Your movers and helpers are likely to be way more enthusiastic and limber at th...

Slide Fest Wilmington

Posted in News You Can Use, Team Gale on Sep 18, 2015

There is no shortage of outdoor recreation, activities, or festivals in the greater New Hanover area. With our mild climate, cultural establishments, and coastal views, the end of summer does not mean the end of fun!

On Sunday, September 20, Red Cross Street in the downtown district will be blocked off to through traffic between Third Street and Water Street as the city hosts "Slide Fest."

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to splish and splash about a 300-yard water slide through the beautiful, historic riverfront. Tickets are still available, priced at $10 for a single ride; $25 for 5 r...

Common Missteps in House Hunting

Posted in Buyer Tips, News You Can Use, Team Gale on Sep 16, 2015

Before you dedicate every Saturday to hitting as many open houses as your city holds, you need to know what you're looking for. If your Trulia search produced over a hundred results, you may lack focus in your "wants" and "needs" criteria which will make your eventual house hunt increasingly frustrating.

Making sure you are informed before entering into the search process will help you narrow what you're looking for and get to the offer stage more quickly.

Here are five tips from Team Gale to help you as you set off on your journey to homeownership!

1. Shopping for a home before you know how mu...

Wilmington Among Best Cities in Nation for Independent Entrepreneurs

Posted in Local Business Profile, Market Reports, News You Can Use, Team Gale, Wilmington NC Real Estate on Aug 27, 2015

Wilmington scored the second slot on NerdWallet's Top 10 Prime Locations for Independent Entrepreneurship. Apparently the Port City and it's outlaying regions are chock full of the right people to support businesses large and small!

183 metropolitan areas were evaluated for this report. Those cities needed to have 15,000 or more businesses, and a population greater than 250,000. Average revenue of businesses, percent of businesses with paid employees, and number of businesses per 100 people were considered; along with median annual income, median annual housing costs, and unemployment rate....

Three Onslow Towns Named Best for First-time Buyers

Posted in Jacksonville NC Real Estate, News You Can Use, Team Gale on Aug 19, 2015

NerdWallet, Inc. recently analyzed the best cities in North Carolina for first-time homebuyers. Three Onslow area towns ranked in the top ten!

Data on cities from across the Tar Heel State was examined to see the growth of population, appreciation of home value, median income, and crime rating between 2010 and 2013.  Half Moon (5th), Jacksonville (8th), and Piney Green (9th) proved to be among the best places for first-time homeowners to live.

The financial advisory company has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNBC, and Forbes. They also evaluated Alabama and New Jerse...

Demystifying The Refinance Process

Posted in Buyer Tips, News You Can Use, Seller Tips, Team Gale on Aug 10, 2015

Markets across the nation have rebounded from the burst bubble of '08, with more and more homeowners proactively trying to optimize and stabilize their assets. Home ownership is one of the most, if not the most, important investment a person or family can make. If you plan to stay in your home for some time, refinancing is responsible; as it provides the opportunity to assess the value of your home, clarify your equity, and potentially save you money on your outstanding mortgage payments. One issue associated with refinancing that always hangs people up is whether it costs anything to explore....