Real Estate Information

Congratulations!  You’ve survived the process of leaving one home and finding another and the onus of packing everything up and then unpacking the same boxes.  Your child is enrolled in a new school; you’ve found a new bank and a new doctor; you’ve investigated trash pick-up times, licensing requirements, and registering your car; and your mail is being forwarded to you on a regular basis.  So now what?

Now that things have calmed down, and you’re somewhat settled in your Greenville NC home, you may feel a bit lonely in an unfamiliar place.  The following tips are designed to help you become acquainted with and feel a part of your new community—the first steps in recreating the sense of belonging you had in your previous location.

• Go on-line to learn about your new area and what it has to offer.  Look at the city Chamber of Commerce, or convention and visitors’ bureau websites and request maps and free visitors’ guides.  Research religious facilities, cultural opportunities, parks and outdoor activities, and so much more. 
• Acquire a regional map and drive around.  Explore shortcuts and pinpoint the location of shopping malls, medical facilities, the post office, libraries, city offices, etc.
• Talk to neighbors.  Request advice about home maintenance companies, babysitters, doctors and ask about the civic league or HOA associated with your Greenville NC home.
• Take a walking tour of your neighborhood.  Introduce to and initiate conversations with residents who are outside.  Compliment their yard or ask for directions, for starters.
• Attend garage/yard sales nearby.  Shoppers at these events are usually friendly and gregarious, so talk to them.
• Read the local newspaper to discover places of interest and happenings in the area.  Look for clubs or group meetings that focus on your interests—art, gardening, sports, books, crafts, etc.
• Seek out neighborhood coffee shops and restaurants and get acquainted with the “regulars.”
• Join a service club such as the Lions or Kiwanis or get involved with a political group.
• Join a recreation center or gym.  Attend classes there or work with a group who will share your interests.
• Visit a library or bookstore to pick up books, maps, and visitors guides for your new town.
• Volunteer.  Check with a local church or synagogue, a hospital, library, or school near your Greenville NC home.  Volunteering is a terrific way to meet people and to make you feel an integral part of the community.
• Give a housewarming party and invite all your neighbors.  Such an occasion is a good impetus to finish unpacking and finalizing the decorating of your Greenville NC home.  It is also a wonderful way to make friends.

Before long you will become familiar with your new environment and be comfortable there.  Best of all, you’ll “belong” once again!

Search all Greenville NC real estate and homes for sale.

Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, Liz Freeman knows the Greenville, North Carolina area inside and out.  Most of her team members were born and raised in Pitt County, NC which has provided them with strong ties to the area, allowing them to become a successful Greenville NC real estate team.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale. Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call.

Greenville Homes For Sale:

3717 Cancion Street, Greenville NC 27858

MLS# 103459

Charming home in the desirable neighborhood of Tucker Estates.  The kitchen has new granite countertops and most of the interior has been painted recently.  All of the bedrooms have walk in closets.  The master bedroom is conveniently located on the first floor. The 4^th bedroom could be a bonus room.  The backyard has been professionally landscaped with a retaining wall.

Learn more about 3717 Cancion Street and other Greenville homes for sale by visiting HomesofGreenvilleNC.com, and GreenvilleRealEstateCo.com.

Search all Greenville homes for sale.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale.

Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call

The present state of the real estate market may well be a boon for would-be buyers, but it is a certainly a difficult one for sellers. No longer can the latter count on making a great deal of money (or even any money, for that matter), but the large number of Greenville NC homes for sale means that sellers are competing to find a buyer. For those of you who are first-time sellers and have never been through the home-selling process, the following suggestions are designed to help you face reality, make your property appealing to a buyer, and ultimately sell your home.

PRICE IT RIGHT FROM THE START:

Since the greatest number of showings will occur in the first two to three weeks of the listing, it is important that you set the price (based on comparables and advice of your Realtor) competitively at the outset. Lowering the price after the initial listing only wastes time and costs you potential buyers.

BE PREPARED TO LOSE SOME MONEY: 

Understand that this is a market based on supply and demand and that you just may not be able to sell for the appraised value of your Greenville NC home or even what you paid for the property a few years ago. The market value of your home today is what a buyer is willing to pay, so unless you want to hold on to your home until the market improves, be prepared for the possibility that you may be the one bringing money to table.

ACTIVELY PROMOTE YOUR HOME: 

Ask potential Realtors you interview how they plan you market your home--and to whom? If it is a starter-home that will appeal to the younger set, then take advantage of technology such as smart phones, attractive photos on the internet, and sites that contain information that potential buyers can access electronically. And don’t forget the old-fashioned word-of-mouth approach. Spread the word among friends, family, coworkers, etc., and ask them to do the same.

OFFER INCENTIVES: 

Today’s sellers are turning more and more to finding ways to create interest in their property and motivate hesitant buyers. Since builders of new homes offer such incentives, it is becoming commonplace for sellers to do the same. Examples of incentives include:

• Paying points will reduce the buyer’s upfront cost and appeals to the cash-conscious.
• Buying down the interest rate: Offering to pay discount points to lower the buyer’s I interest rate will make your home more affordable, and thus more appealing.
• Paying for some or all closing costs: By doing this you are once again decreasing the amount of upfront cash needed by a buyer. You can determine the mount you will contribute or the items you will cover.

        *Providing a home warranty: If you are competing with newer properties, a home warranty will give the buyer some insurance against costly repairs during the first year or two. Such an offering is a relatively inexpensive but is appealing to a concerned consumer.

Note: If you do offer incentives of any kind, make sure that they are included in your real estate listing.

MAKE YOUR HOME MOVE-IN READY: 

Generally speaking, today’s buyers of a Greenville NC home are not looking for a fixer-upper or even for a property that requires any work at all. Their busy schedules motivate them to purchase a house that needs no effort or expense on their part. That isn’t to say that you have you have to make major upgrades, but you do need to make any necessary repairs, complete any projects you may have started, and consider brightening the interior up with fresh pain and new flooring. 

Search all Greenville NC real estate and homes for sale.

Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, Liz Freeman knows the Greenville, North Carolina area inside and out.  Most of her team members were born and raised in Pitt County, NC which has provided them with strong ties to the area, allowing them to become a successful Greenville NC real estate team.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC  real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale. Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call.

Greenville Real Estate For Sale:

1345 Doris Circle, Greenville NC 27858

MLS# 103380

Wonderful home located in a sought-after neighborhood.  Are you looking for privacy?  This could be your new home.  Located on over 2 acre lot with a lovely salt-water pool and lots of updates since 2007-Roof, HVAC system, Smart hot water system, Some appliances in kitchen, Exterior paint and New accessories for the swimming pool.  Screened porch, 3^rd floor walk-up attic, large unfinished bonus room, replacement windows. 

Learn more about 1345 Doris Circle and other Greenville real estate for sale by visiting HomesofGreenvilleNC.com, and GreenvilleRealEstateCo.com.

Search all Greenville real estate for sale.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale.

Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call

Five of the nation's largest banks, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Ally Financial, have agreed to a $25 billion settlement deal over wrongful, deceptive, or unfair foreclosure practices. Attorney generals in each state are currently reviewing the deal and must approve it before it goes into effect.

The deal, if approved by the states, will attempt to reshape the mortgage industry and will offer at most about $1,800 to each Greenville NC home owner who went into foreclosure; it will also make it easier for current homeowners to reduce the principle of their mortgage or get loan modifications. It will not, however, help those wrongly foreclosed on regain their property, nor will it fully release banks from future criminal lawsuits by individual states. The settlement would apply only to privately held mortgages issued between 2008 and 2011, not those held by government-controlled Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

As part of the deal, about 1 million homeowners could also get the principal amount of their mortgages written down by an average of $20,000. One in four Greenville NC homeowners with a mortgage owe more than their home is worth. These so-called "underwater" borrowers currently have little chance of refinancing.

Under the terms of the agreement, about $17 billion of the total amount would go towards reducing the principle for struggling homeowners, $5 billion would be placed into an account for states to use to help pay homeowners recover from "deceptive foreclosure practices," and $3 billion would be used to cover the cost of helping Greenville NC homeowners to refinance at 5.25%.

Liberal activists and some lawmakers have criticized the ongoing settlement talks, arguing that the Obama administration should launch a broad investigation into the mortgage practices of big banks and push for a settlement that is tougher on the banks. "In a world of Occupy Wall Street, activists across this country are going to be looking at this deal very closely," said Bob Borosage, co-director of Campaign for America's Future. He stated that there should be no "sweetheart deal" with major banks and said a $25-billion agreement would be just a "slap on the wrist."

Although Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said the mortgage servicing problems were "part of a long-standing ugly pattern of homeowner abuse" by large banks that warranted a thorough investigation and prosecutions, Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan told state governors that an announcement will be made within weeks.

Search all Greenville NC real estate and homes for sale.

Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, Liz Freeman knows the Greenville, North Carolina area inside and out.  Most of her team members were born and raised in Pitt County, NC which has provided them with strong ties to the area, allowing them to become a successful Greenville NC real estate team.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC  real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale. Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call.

Greenville Homes For Sale:

3318 Pauls Path Road, Lagrange NC 28551

MLS# 103135

Own a Southern Mansion, with a 2 acres stocked pond, new playhouse with electricity, cedar cabin for guests, basketball court, tennis court, pool and the entire property has lights on timbers.  This magnificent home boasts 30 foot ceilings in the foyer, 2 parlors, billiards room, sunroom, theater room, loft, an attached apartment and workrooms.  Outside you will enjoy relaxing by the 120K gallon pool that has been refurbished along with the pool side entertainment room.

Learn more about 3318 Pauls Path Road and other Greenville homes for sale by visiting HomesofGreenvilleNC.com, and GreenvilleRealEstateCo.com.

Search all Greenville homes for sale.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale.

Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call

There were 94 Greenville NC foreclosure homes in December, 2011, according to RealtyTrac.com. 1 in every 6,333 housing units received a foreclosure filing. The average sales price of a Greenville NC home was $137,667 and the average sales price of a foreclosure home was $74,677, a $62,990 savings.

Greenville NC Foreclosure Activity and 30 Year Interest Rate

The interest rate on a 30 year mortgage was 3.96% in December and there were 8 new foreclosures.

Foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings – default notice, foreclosure auction notice or bank repossession – each month. Interest rate is based on the average 30-year fixed rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Greenville NC Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Greenville NC foreclosures were 0.14% below national statistics, 0.04% below North Carolina figures and the same as Pitt County numbers in December.

Greenville NC Foreclosure Activity by Month

Greenville NC foreclosure activity is falling. The number of Bank-owned properties stayed the same in December with 6 properties while the number of Auctions increased to 2.

Are you or someone you know behind on mortgage payments and facing a Greenville NC foreclosure? You do have options. A short sale may be the answer to saving you, your family and your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE). Give me a call for a private consultation.

Search all Greenville NC real estate and homes for sale.

Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, Liz Freeman knows the Greenville, North Carolina area inside and out.  Most of her team members were born and raised in Pitt County, NC which has provided them with strong ties to the area, allowing them to become a successful Greenville NC real estate team.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC  real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale. Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call. 

Greenville Real Estate For Sale:

2729 Townes Drive, Greenville NC 27858

MLS# 103135

Best buy in Breezewood Townes! Fabulous three bedroom, two and half bath townhome with 2006 square foot attached one car garage, walk-in closets in all bedrooms.  Large greatroom has new laminate flooring, vaulted ceiling, gas log fireplace and exit to patio that is enclosed by a wooden fence.  The master suite offers a vaulted ceiling, two closets, double vanity, whirlpool tub and separate shower.  Conveniently located to shopping, schools and ECU

Learn more about 2729 Townes Drive and other Greenville real estate for sale by visiting HomesofGreenvilleNC.com, and GreenvilleRealEstateCo.com.

Search all Greenville real estate for sale.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale.

Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call

When you buy Greenville NC_ real estate without a down payment of at least 20%, the lender, be it FHA or a private mortgagor, requires that you purchase mortgage insurance to protect it against financial loss.  Mortgage insurance, not to be confused with mortgage life insurance or homeowner’s insurance, assures the lender of no financial loss or a very reduced one) if you default on the loan.

The cost of this insurance—from .25 to 6% of the loan—is almost always the responsibility of the buyer of Greenville NC real estate.  (There is such a thing as lender-paid insurance, but this type carries a higher interest rate and is non-refundable.)  Usually the borrower has a choice of payment plans, which included the following:

Annuals. The borrower pays the first-year premium at closing; an annual renewal premium is collected monthly as part of the total monthly house payment.

Monthly Premiums. The cost is slightly more than traditional mortgage insurance plans but monthly premiums dramatically reduce mortgage insurance closing costs. Borrowers pay for mortgage insurance monthly as part of their total monthly house payment but need to pay only one month's mortgage insurance premium at closing, rather than one year's.

Singles. The borrower pays a one-time single premium (instead of an initial premium and renewal premiums). Since single premiums are typically financed as part of the mortgage loan amount, no out-of-pocket cash is used for mortgage insurance with a nonrefundable premium at closing.

These plans offer the choice of refundable or nonrefundable premiums. A refundable premium allows the borrower the opportunity to receive money back on any unused portion, in the event that mortgage insurance coverage is discontinued before the loan is paid in full. The cost for a nonrefundable premium is slightly less than that of a refundable premium, thereby giving the borrower a small savings. If coverage is discontinued on a loan with a nonrefundable premium, the borrower has no opportunity for a refund.   If you are unsure which plan is best for you, visit your state mortgage insurance office.

Unfortunately, rumors and myths abound about the difficulty or even impossibility of cancelling refundable mortgage insurance.  Fortunately, however, the Homeowner’s Protection Act of 1998 requires lenders of insurance loans for Greenville NC real estate to notify consumers of their rights in this regard on a yearly basis and to automatically cancel the insurance when the mortgage has amortized to 78% of the original property value.  In addition, you may apply for cancellation of your mortgage insurance when that percentage reaches 80%.  For specific details of the HPA requirement in terms of timing and content of these notices, click here. 

While paying for mortgage insurance does entail an extra expense for the home purchaser, it also has its benefits.  It allows new buyers to become a homeowner sooner than if they needed to have a 20% down payment and greatly increases their buying power.  Repeat buyers can gain a significant tax advantage by having more deductible interest to claim.  They can also use the money saved by not putting down 20% to cover moving costs or to put into other investments.

Search all Greenville NC real estate and homes for sale.

Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, Liz Freeman knows the Greenville, North Carolina area inside and out.  Most of her team members were born and raised in Pitt County, NC which has provided them with strong ties to the area, allowing them to become a successful Greenville NC real estate team.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC  real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale. Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call.

Greenville Homes For Sale:

2106 Southview Drive, Greenville NC 27858

MLS# 103053

Professionally updated and decorated; this four bedroom, three bath home is located in a neighborhood accessible to shopping and ECU.  Kitchen has all new stainless steel appliances, new paint in most rooms and gas pack was new in 2007.  A nice wood fence surrounds the backyard.

Learn more about 2106 Southview Drive and other Greenville homes for sale by visiting HomesofGreenvilleNC.com, and GreenvilleRealEstateCo.com.

Search all Greenville homes for sale.

Liz Freeman and her team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Greenville NC real estate market. Liz assists buyers looking for Greenville NC real estate for sale and aggressively markets Greenville NC homes for sale.

Liz is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), avoid foreclosure and short sale expert, committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit Liz Helps.com. You can reach Liz by filling out her online contact form or give her a call