DENVER, NC: Get ready for boating season! On March 31st, 2012 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm vessel safety inspectors from the Lake Norman Flotilla of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary will be at Lake Norman Realty’s Denver office, 1818 Hwy 16 N, to conduct vessel safety inspections.

The event will help ensure boats are “safe from bow to stern.” Upon successful inspection, a decal is affixed to the vessel, indicating all required equipment is aboard and functioning properly. This decal is also known as “The Seal of Safety” and indicates to law enforcement agencies that the boat is equipped with the required safety items. If the boat does not pass, the boat owner will be given information on how to successfully pass. These inspections can help keep boaters safe and also prevent unwanted tickets during lake outings. Inspection time per boat will be approximately 10 minutes. The primary goal of a safety inspection is to discuss with boat owners the required safety equipment and safety features specific to their boat. Results of the safety inspection are not reported to anyone.

Fun giveaways, games for children, and popcorn and drinks will be provided by Lake Norman Realty. Also information on the US Coast Guard Auxiliary will be on hand.

For more information on the Lake Norman Coast Guard Auxiliary:http://a0541708.uscgaux.info/index.htm.

For questions on the event, please contact Eric Taylor at 980-297-0141

Yesterday, I enjoyed a informative real estate training session at Verdict Ridge Golf Course’s Clubhouse.  We also learned some updates about the course and housing from Scott Knox.  Scott shared a video with us about the transformation that the Golf Course will go through in the Fall to Bermuda Grass.  It was an interesting segment.  Verdict Ridge is already one of North Carolina’s most attractive courses, but I feel assure the addition of the Bermuda Grass will provide a even more beautiful back drop to the golfer that is already in love with the course and community.

We had a delicious lunch provided by Verdict Ridge’s Clubhouse Restaurant, “Guilties”.  Since it is open to the public, you should definitely try it out one evening.  It is equipped with a fully stocked bar and a lovely terrace looking out over the course.  Here is a link to Guilties’ Menu… http://verdictridge.com/golf/emailer2020/img/verdictridge/2012_Website_Menu(1).pdf

I thought you may also be interested to know that a new phase is opening right off the entrance on Kidville Road.  Six home lots and patio homes.  We have such a need in the area for patio homes and I think they will find these to be a hot commodity!  On their website, www.VerdictRidge.com, they provide information on several custom builders and Bellamy Homes is also expected to participate.

Here are some upcoming events outlined on the Verdict Ridge website:

Feb. 16th Guilties CLOSED lunch and OPEN dinner
Feb. 16th Ladies Bunco 7 PM

March 8th LGA Dinner

March 17th Member’s Spring Kickoff Golf Tournament

March 24th Murder Mystery Dinner

April 27-29 Men’s Member/Member

April 28th Off To The Races Derby Event

Here is additional Information on Rates:

Rates

Range Balls:

• $5.00 per bag (40-45 balls)
• Family Range Plan is included in all Golf and Sports Memberships.

Member Cart Fees: $18.00 per person for 18-holes

If you have any questions or if you would prefer to book your tee time over the phone, contact the Pro Shop at 704-489-1206.

Last, but certainly not least… Visit this link… http://verdictridge.com/golf/proto/verdictridge/grand_larceny/grand_larceny.htm

Verdict Ridge is offering a Guilty Golfer Card with Four Different Valuable offers to play the course.  All you have to do is visit the link, supply your information and receive a card.  Scott Knox was kind enough to provide me with a card, so … see you at the course!

As reported by News  at Norman…

East Lincoln Betterment Association (ELBA) will host the second of its “Winter Cultural Event Series” on Feb. 16. “Where Are We Now?” will be the topic for the February event that begins at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Unity Presbyterian Church on Unity Church Road. This program will follow the current and future of East Lincoln, and will be presented by Darrell Gettys of the Lincoln County Planning Board and Kelly Atkins, director of planning. “Is East Lincoln ready for the active economy?” is one of the questions to be addressed. At the February meeting, ELBA will also hold a general session meeting; new board members and officers will be installed. For March 15, the meeting will be at 6 p.m. and will feature East Lincoln “Food Delights and Diversity.” For this event, local farmers will feature organic foods, seasonal foods, and diversity in offerings that will be shared. There will be a “local pottery” sale and other dining pleasures. Kevin Star of the Lincoln County Extension Service will partner with ELBA and Sally’s Y for this event. While these events are free to attend, the event will also be a membership drive for ELBA. All residents are encouraged to attend. A family membership is only $25 per year. With your membership, you will be contributing to the positive betterment of East Lincoln. For more information, visit the website at www.elbanc.org or call Peggy Tschudin, ELBA president at 704-842-7877.

Thank you News@Norman for your tireless work keeping Denver NC Area residents on top of area events!  To visit News@Norman ‘s website…

http://www.denverncnews.com/

This home has a Traditional Exterior with a Fabulous Open Floor Plan. This fenced lot is virtually flat with a Mature landscape & is Just down from the COMMUNITY  POOL. The Two Story foyer is overlooked by a loft on the upper.  No Carpet on the Main. Formal Dining with Moldings and Formal Living/Study.  The casual living areas are open and of windows to provide natural light with a Great Room, Bay Window Breakfast Nook, and Kitchen. The Great Room offers a great Focal Point with the Gas Log Fireplace and includes Surround Sound.  The Kitchen offers a tile backsplash, upgraded cabs with lighting above,  a Desk space and an island/bar.  All Bedrooms  are located on the upper level including this large master suite with tray ceiling, His/Her Closets and a Private Master Suite Bath.  The bath is equipped with a dual vanity, separate shower & garden tub. The laundry room is located on the second floor with cabinetry.  Full Bath 2 also includes a dual vanity & don’t miss the powder room on the main.  The Recreation Room is situated over the garage and includes a perfect spot for window seating and playing a game of pool. 

The Gates is a Large Community just down from the New Hwy 16, Business 16 and Hwy 73.  Three Entrances with Monuments.  Two Community Pools with Playgrounds and Recreation Areas.  Street Lights and Curb and Gutter.

Michelle Nantz –DenverOffice

Title: Broker/REALTOR
Work Phone: 704.483.1518
Work Fax: 704.483.3553
Cellular: 980.722.4971

Address: 1818 Hwy 16 N. Denver, NC 28037
Email: Michelle@LKNagent.com

There are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent real estate professional:  integrity, in-depth community and market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills, and a high-quality professional network ~ all of which are hallmarks of Michelle Nantz.

In 2003, Michelle began her career in real estate, after a successful career in restaurant and hotel management with her last position as Regional Director of Operations running 56 hotels throughout two states. She owes her success in real estate and management to her expertise in people skills, managing, negotiating, and follow-up.  However, it is Michelle’s dedication to quality service that she ultimately credits her success.  Michelle shared, “In my experience as aLakeNormanreal estate professional, I’ve found that providing the very best service is essentially about putting my clients first. This means keeping myself accessible, being a good listener as well as a good communicator, and responding quickly to their needs.”

This “client first” philosophy combined with continual personal improvement and keeping up-to-date with the latest technologies is a cornerstone of both Michelle’s and Lake Norman Realty’s business philosophy.  In addition to Michelle’s extensive real estate education and her experience in the local market, she is also an Accredited Staging Professional^®,which brings additional value to marketing her clients’ homes.

Michelle and her family have made theLakeNormanarea their home for over 10 years.  In her rare leisure moments, you’ll find Michelle with her three children and husband, or unwinding with gardening or reading.   “I live and work in this community and only have the best interests of our community and its members in mind,” says Michelle. Her community activities include participation in Denver Days, Relay for Life and support forChristianMinistriesand area schools.

Beyond the Headlines: Recognizing Opportunities in Today’s Real Estate Market

By Abigail Jennings

It never fails. Wherever I go I am asked, “So, how’s the market?” I always enjoy

answering this question and discussing the “new normal” of today’s real estate market.

Our market today offers historical opportunities rich with possibility.

Perhaps one reason I’m asked this question so often is that news reports have a way of

confusing the issue. Many times we hear sound bites announcing definitively, “Home

prices on the rise,” or, ”Sales were up last month,” only to hear a seemingly conflicting

report the very next week! When evaluating what we hear on the news, it is critical to

listen for the data behind the report. Were the statistics local or national? Did the

numbers refer to units sold or the total volume of sales? Was the report based on the

average or median sales price? Often, the news report is so short it fails to mention these

very important pieces of information, rendering the headlines somewhat hollow to say the

least. The cumulative effect of these often-too-superficial reports is to make the real

estate market seem more volatile than it actually is.

In a nutshell, our real estate market continues to be affected by the Wall Street downturn

our country experienced several years ago. The 100% loans made to homeowners at the

height of inflated home prices, and the job loss created by the ripple effects of the

banking crisis have both been key components defining our current housing market.

Most homeowners who are secure in their jobs and homes do not fully understand the

repercussions of their neighbors’ misfortune on their home’s value. Unfortunately, the

sale prices from these distressed sales become the market comparables for all the homes

in the community and continue to lower home prices. Until the thousands of pending

short sales and foreclosures become finalized, it will not be possible for our home prices

to finally settle.

With that being said, I hope I did not scare any potential buyers or sellers off! Although

this news paralyzes some into steering clear of real estate today, in fact, it is quite the

opposite. Now is truly a phenomenal time to buy. Growing up in the Lake Norman

region, I always heard people talking about missed opportunities to buy a waterfront lot

for a few thousand dollars in the 1970’s. Today, I believe our real estate market offers

possibilities similar in their historical importance. Even homeowners who are waiting to

sell their home hoping for more equity in the future may want to rethink their delay in

entering the market. Today’s money will buy “more house,” and when combined with

interest rates at extraordinary lows, the opportunities are truly historical.

Speaking of history, let’s take a look back in time and see what we could have gotten in

2006, 2008, and 2010 in one of Lake Norman’s finest luxury waterfront communities. In

2006, $1.75 million would have bought a gorgeous home with a total square footage of

around 6500. In early 2008, considered by many to have been the peak of real estate

values, a neighboring home of 5300 square feet sold for almost the same money (just

over $1.7 million). In late 2010, the most recent comparable home on this street sold for

$1.4 million. But this one weighs in at over 7500 square feet, considerably more

spacious than either of the first two examples. And this pattern is fairly consistent in all

neighborhoods and price points throughout our region over the same time period. As you

can see, your money will buy you more in today’s real estate market.

For those of you with something a bit more luxurious in mind, a new property has just

entered our local real estate market which further illustrates my point. Chateau Lyon

offers not only the grandeur of scale, but also lavish attention to details beyond anything

else offered in our region. Built by furniture entrepreneurs Larry and Jane Hendricks,

this home cost over $22 million to build with elements and architectural features from

around the world. Situated on perhaps one of the loveliest sites in Alexander Island, a

cozy and exclusive neighborhood on the shores of Lake Norman, Chateau Lyon’s views

are as breathtaking as the home itself. The Hendricks spared no expense when building,

importing pinion stones hand-carved in the fields of Mexico, eighteenth century

handmade roof tiles from France, reclaimed 250 year-old heart pine plank flooring,

Biblical stone floors from the Middle East, as well as original paintings, gold-leaf

paneling, and fixtures directly from a 1901 reproduction of Marie Antoinette’s summer

home in Lyon, France; and much, much more. Although many of the home’s details are

precious antiques, this home is an astounding modern wonder with every “smart home”

feature you could imagine; creating the ultimate in the best of both worlds.

A rare gem of a home, Chateau Lyon captures the heart and mind of all who enter its

awe-inspiring halls. Its magnificent rooms each embody the spirit of this grand estate,

which feels like a visit abroad and a step back into history. It’s a historical bargain too,

as the once $22,000,000 castle is now offered at $8,000,000. So if you’re considering

calling Chateau Lyon home, don’t let the headlines dissuade you. After all in 30 years,

you don’t want to look back with regret on your missed opportunity to own a waterfront

castle for a mere $8 million.

Over the past few years, thousands of North Carolinians have lost their jobs due to a slow economy. Many homeowners – perhaps you are one of them – have found it very difficult to keep making their monthly mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their home. The N.C. Foreclosure Prevention Fund offers a Mortgage Payment Program to North Carolina homeowners who are struggling to make their mortgage payments due to job loss through no fault of their own or other temporary financial hardship, such as a divorce, serious illness, or death of a co-signor. Services are provided by HUD-approved counseling agencies statewide.

You may qualify for the Mortgage Payment Program if you are: •unemployed •earning less than you have in the past •facing a temporary financial hardship (for example, you have lost income due to divorce, separation, serious illness, or death of a co-signor) •have a good mortgage payment history prior to your recent income loss or financial hardship To participate, you may be behind (or at risk of getting behind) on your payment, or in foreclosure. To those who qualify, the program offers zero-interest loans up to $24,000 to cover your mortgage and related expenses for up to 24 months while you search for or train for a new job. If you live in one of the 50 counties with the highest unemployment, you may be eligible for up to $36,000 over 36 months.

You may be able to get help in one of three ways: •one-time assistance to bring your mortgage current •short-term assistance while you are looking for a job •long-term assistance while you participate in an approved job retraining program When your application is received and your eligibility is confirmed, the N.C. Housing Finance Agency may place a temporary stay-of-foreclosure for up to 120 days so that the company that owns your mortgage cannot foreclose on your home or take other legal action while your Mortgage Payment Program loan application is under review.

If you qualify for the loan, the N.C. Housing Finance Agency will make your mortgage payment directly to your loan provider or bank. At the end of the assistance period, you will resume making your mortgage payment. If you remain in your home for 10 years, the loan will be forgiven, and you do not have to pay it back. After you have lived in your home for five years, the loan is reduced by 20 percent a year for years six through 10 until you owe nothing. You repay the total amount only if you sell or refinance the home in the first five years, and only if the sale proceeds are sufficient to repay it. Please note that if you refinance your property for better loan terms, we will subordinate our second mortgage; however, if you refinance to consolidate debt or take out cash, the second mortgage loan must be repaid.

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