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June 2009

7 -- Full Moon
14 -- Flag Day
21 -- Father's Day
21 -- First Day of Summer

Positive Signs for the Triangle

Hi Friends, 

Just Listed in Sunset Ridge!

• 304 Sunset Grove Drive, Holly Springs
•  Custom details, 3rd floor bonus, gorgeous landscaping
• 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 4650 sq. ft on .42 of an acre
• Price: $599,900        MLS: 1665487

Just Listed in Regency Park Estates!

• 107 Avenue of the Estates, Cary
• Private, estate home with in-ground pool and cabana
• Neighboring 1 acre lot available for separate purchase
• 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 5120 sq. ft. on 1 acre
• Price: $1,250,000        MLS: 1663656
   

Just Listed in Willow Spring!

• 1609 Kendall Hill Road, Willow Spring
• Lovely upgrades, bonus and 3 rd flr rec room
• 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2910 sq. ft on .59 of an acre
• Price: $324,900        MLS: 1662401
   

Just Listed in Cary’s Oxxford Hunt!

• 134 Solstice Circle, Cary
• Private, fenced backyard and upgraded kitchen
• 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1810 sq. ft. on .12 of an acre
• Price: $224,900        MLS: 1665161
   

Just Listed in Willow Spring!

• 7312 Trevorwood Drive, Willow Spring
• Great outdoor spaces with deck, brick patio and screen porch
• 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathroom, 2480 sq. ft. on .69 of an acre
• Price: $292,500     MLS: 1666277

Just Listed Townhouse in Brier Creek!

• 9825 Castain Drive, Raleigh
• End unit  with 1 car garage, hardwood floors and blinds 
• 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1450 sq. ft on .08 of an acre
• Price: $179,900         MLS: 1665891

Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.
-- Walter Anderson

Home Sales Increasing in Many Areas

According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), historically high housing affordability and low mortgage interest rates, combined with buyer opportunities in the distressed sales market, have increased home sales in many areas of the country.

“There has never been a better time to buy,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, who presented the report at a recent Economic Issues and Residential Real Estate Business Trends forum. Yun commented on a convergence of favorable buying conditions while emphasizing how important it is for home buyers to stay within their budgets.

“Housing affordability is at an all-time high, mortgage rates are historically low, and interest rates are the lowest they’ve been since the days of Eisenhower,” said Yun. “Now that buyers will be able to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment, we should see additional buyers enter the market.” Yun said he doesn’t anticipate an immediate pickup in the coming months, but believes early summer will be a critical indicator of how home buyers are responding to the tax credit.

“The stimulus and falling inventory levels will help stabilize prices,” said Yun. “My projection is home sales will be 10 to 20 percent higher the second half of this year than last year and we will come out of this recession in 2010.”

TOP

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
-- Mother Teresa

Enjoy a Movie ... in the Backyard

Looking for something extra fun to do this summer that doesn't cost much or require long drives or crowds? How about a backyard movie? Setting up a backyard movie is simple, fun, and can deliver an experience similar to a drive-in movie of yesteryear. Here's how to do it:

1. Plan it in advance. Invite friends and neighbors if you're in the mood to mix socializing with a good movie.
2. Move your TV outside and place it on a sturdy stand. Or, if you have a laptop or DVD player and a projector, use that instead. You can usually rent a projector from your local library, school or college for fairly good rates (or purchase one online in the $200 to $300 range). Hook the laptop or DVD player up to the projector or TV.
3. If you're using a projector, you're going to need a screen. Use a white sheet, canvas or the side of your house or garage if it's smooth and a light color. If you use a white sheet or canvas you'll also need a blackout cloth behind it.
4. Layout out blankets, pillows and beach chairs, arranging them so everyone can see the screen. Have a few extra blankets handy in case it gets chilly out. If you have a lot of bugs in your area, you might want to spray the yard with an outdoor insect repellant several hours before movie time.
5. Set up a snack bar with popcorn, pizza, an assortment of beverages, and any other theater fare you know attendees will enjoy. Keep a clear path to the snack bar and the house so nobody trips in the dark; have a few flashlights handy if it's a really dark night.
6. Throw in a DVD appropriate for the audience and have fun.

Whether you just do it once to liven up a Friday night, or plan on doing it regularly throughout the summer, it's sure to be a hit. It's also a great way to have an inexpensive kid's birthday party or graduation celebration. Let's just say it's a good excuse to socialize and enjoy the outdoors while enjoying a good movie.

He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts.
-- Samuel Johnson

Common Closing Costs

If you have ever bought or sold a home, you're probably aware of the costs associated with a real estate transaction. If you're a first-time buyer, however, you might want to know what "closing costs" to expect. Keep in mind costs and fees vary from state to state, and there may be unique costs to your locality, but the following are pretty common:

• Escrow fees
• Property taxes
• Interest
• Loan origination fee
• Loan discount points
• Title insurance
• Survey fee
• Recording fee
• Document preparation fees
• First payment to escrow account for taxes
• First payment to escrow account for insurance
• Homeowners insurance
• Homeowner association fee
• Home inspection report
• Property appraisal

Once you pinpoint the home of your dreams, your real estate agent will be able to give you a good estimate of anticipated costs.

Freedom lies in being bold.
-- Robert Frost

Recognizing Common Insect Infestations

It's that time of year: lawn care, gardening, and -- bugs. No matter how diligent you are and how hard you try, when it comes to lawns, insect infestation is a likely possibility. Just like weeds, insects can turn your lush green lawn into an embarrassing eyesore. Following are some common infestations:

Ants -- We might think ants are a natural part of the yard, and they are, but be aware that ants can kill your lawn too. If you see lots of large ant hills in the same area as your dying lawn, there's a good chance the hills are smothering the grass or an ant nest below is smothering the roots and prohibiting growth.

Sod Webworms -- This insect prefers new lawns and feeds on the grass leaves at night, leaving ugly brown spots or patches across your lawn. If you notice new brown patches quickly taking over your yard, sod webworms may be the source.

Mites -- If your grass leaves appear spotted or blotchy, it may be because mites are sucking the sap and damaging your lawn. If several of your neighbors lawns are dotted with brown spots too, mites could be the problem.

Leafhoppers -- If your recently planted lawn suddenly takes a turn for the worse, or your older lawn starts getting whitish patches, consider the leafhopper. With an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 species, this insect sucks the sap from your lawn's stems and leaves. The leafhopper is very small and green, gray, yellow or brownish in appearance.

Ticks -- OK, ticks don't kill your lawn, but they can stop you from enjoying your yard. If your property is adjacent to a heavily wooded area or you have lots of deer, dogs, rabbits, or other small critters running through your yard, be sure to check for ticks as they can cause various health problems, including Lyme disease.

These are a few of the most common insect infestations, though there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other possibilities. The good news is that if you can identify the infestation you can go down to your local gardening center and purchase the solution.

Good things, when short, are twice as good.
-- Baltasar Gracian

Understanding the 5 Types of Wine

Learning about wine can be difficult because there are so many variations, but it may be easier if we break it down and keep in mind there are basically five types of wine: red, white, sparkling, rosé and fortified. Each one has obvious taste, color and texture differences, but how they are produced may be even more significant.

Red Wine -- The grapes are destemmed, crushed, and yeast is added to the mixture of juice, skins, seeds, and pulp, and then fermented. This unique mixture is termed must, and after fermentation this mixture is pressed. Red wine is red is because the grape skins have been interacting with the juice for a period during the fermentation process. In addition, the longer the skins interact with the juice, the more tannic the final product. The wine is then stored in oak barrels, aged a number of months or years, and bottled.

White Wine -- The grapes are picked, destemmed and crushed. Unlike a red wine, the grapes are quickly pressed to obtain the juice, various yeasts are added, and the fermentation process begins. After fermentation, better quality whites are aged in oak barrels or stainless steel tanks (sometimes both) and then bottled. White wine is white because the juice and skins are only in contact for a very short period.

Sparkling Wine -- There are four main methods of sparkling wine production: simple injection of carbon dioxide (the process used in soft drinks); metodo Italiano - Charmat process, in which the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in bulk tanks, and is bottled under pressure; methodé champenoise, where bubbles are produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle, a process that can take two to five years; and transfer method, where after secondary fermentation in the bottle the wine is transferred into a larger tank.

Rosé Wine -- Rosé wine combines some of the white and red processes. The grapes are harvested, crushed, and fermentation is implemented. The skins are mixed with the juice a few days to pick up the pinkish color, then pressed and the fermentation completed. Two other techniques include Saignee (bleeding the vats) and blending (uncommon).

Fortified Wine -- Two popular fortified wines include port and sherry. A fortified wine is produced by adding brandy, and often sugar, back in the wine. Port, for example, is fortified with brandy earlier in the fermentation process; whereas with sherry the alcohol is added after the end of fermentation or shortly before the end.

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.
-- George Bernard Shaw

June Movie Releases

• June 5
  • The Hangover
  • Land of the Lost
  • My Life in Ruins
• June 12
• Imagine That
• The Taking of Pelham 123
• Moon, Inc.
• June 19
• The Proposal
• Year One
• June 24
  • Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• June 26
• My Sister's Keeper
• Fireflies in the Garden

*Wide releases only. Opening dates subject to change.

One�s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.
-- Henry Miller

The Key to Camping: Preparation

While millions of outdoor enthusiasts enjoy camping year-round, summer is by far the most popular time of year. If you want to be one of those campers who goes out more than once a year, the key is to be prepared for various conditions. Whether you'll be fishing, hiking or just reading a book under a shady tree, the following tips will help you be ready when the camping bug bites.

• Essentials -- Tent, flashlights, batteries, sleeping bags, a blanket or two, folding chairs, lantern, hammer, knife, lighter, insect repellant, sunscreen, first-aid kit, garbage bags, food, water and snacks.
• Cooking -- Propane stove (or grill and charcoals), plates, utensils, tub, organic dishwashing soap, can opener, bottle opener, spices, cooler, ice and towels.
• Clothes -- Closed-toe shoes, sweatshirt, light jacket, swimsuit, socks, cap, sunglasses, beach towel, rain gear.
• Misc. -- Camera, firewood, lighter fluid, pocketknife, rope, binoculars, compass, area map, games, balls, walkie-talkies.

Now that you have your essential gear ready to go, you and your family or friends can pick up on short notice and hit the road. Depending on your area, you can usually find a camping site, but it's always a good idea to call ahead if you're in a popular camping destination.

Once you arrive at your destination and have setup camp, the real fun begins. Each member should have input as to what they want to do: biking, hiking, swimming, fishing and exploring are all perfect for camping. While these activities are entertaining, part of the fun of camping comes from just hanging out at camp and responding to whatever comes your way. Be sure to plan for inclement weather as well (cards, dice and board games are all fun to play in the tent).

Other camping activities that are creative and fun include walking through the campground late at night, stargazing, scavenger hunts, geocaching, cloud watching, rock or tree climbing, skipping rocks, journaling -- and of course -- building a campfire, roasting marshmallows, singing campfire songs and storytelling.

Exaggeration misleads the credulous and offends the perceptive.
-- Eliza Cook

Free, Powerful Synchronization Utility

DirSync Pro is a free, powerful utility for file and folder synchronization. It can synchronize one or several folders both bidirectional and unidirectional. The program can help you make incremental backups, saving you a lot of time because you don't need to copy all the files -- only new or modified files will be copied.

DirSync Pro is an open source utility that is not bogged down with commercial text, advertisements or spyware. In addition, it is platform independent and operates under most operating systems, including Windows, Macintosh and Linux. The utility is easy to use and can be configured in multiple ways to match your needs.

Check it out at: http://directorysync.sourceforge.net.

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RE/MAX United
51 Kilmayne Drive Suite 100
Cary, NC 27511

This eNewsletter contains information, facts and opinions from various individuals and organizations. This eNewsletter is provided on an "as-is" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. I/We are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Consult with your doctor, fitness consultant, attorney, accountant, or other professional advisor when necessary. © 2009 eNewsletterSolutions.