Real Estate Information

Just as fashions and car styles change from year to year, so do home features that head the “most wanted” list of potential buyers of Greenville NC real estate. Where wall-to-wall carpeting was once the rage, hardwood floors, now reign supreme, and a formal, center dining room is often viewed as a negative feature rather than a positive one.  And style preference has certainly changed; replacing the McMansions on the “must-have” list are arts and craft bungalows, mid-century homes, and residences with Old-World charm and character.

WHAT’S IN:

• Green features:  Energy-efficient appliances, air-tight windows, heating systems, etc., have become expected features..
• Sustainable materials:  The use of stone, terra cotta, bamboo, and cork are popular choices.
• Storage areas:  A garage, preferably a 2 car, is a must, as are walk-in-closets, pantries, and an abundance of storage space.
• Condition:  No fixer-uppers for this year’s buyers.  They are looking for a move-in-ready, well-maintained piece of Greenville NC real estate.
• Layout:  The open layout with few walls is still the most popular, as it allows for casual dining, family gatherings, and large-scale entertaining.
• Luxury touches and the amenities that convey luxury:  High dollar finishes, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, tile baths, counter bars and stools are all desired.
• Outdoor Living:  Screen porches, outdoor kitchens, two-way fireplaces, and the all-important deck or patio add to a home’s appeal.
• Specialized space:  Reflecting today’s lifestyle, high on the wanted list are media and workout rooms.  Some type of foyer or entrance space is also a necessity for today’s buyers.
• Quality bathrooms:  Definitely more than one!  Pedestal sinks; soaking, jetted, and claw foot tubs; and a separate shower and tub are also very popular in the bathroom right now and are what most buyers are going for.

WHAT’S OUT:

• Retro touches:  Features of 1970’s-80’s homes such as avocado appliances, walnut cabinets, and Formica countertops are being shunned this year.
• Dated layout:  Buyers of Greenville NC real estate are giving a “thumbs down” to restrictive layouts and are eschewing bedrooms off living or dining rooms, center dining rooms, and stairways located directly in front of an entrance door.

And topping the list:  Since this is still decidedly a buyer’s market, the most desired feature this year is a bargain, be it in price or incentives, or both.

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:

4415 Parker Ct, Farmville NC 27828

MLS# 103022

Beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bath home with lots of upgrades.  Lovely home custom built for current owners.  This home boasts molding throughout, hardwood flooring in foyer and formal dinning room, ceramic tile in the kitchen with stainless steel appliances.  You will enjoy the finished bonus room, office and screened porch.  Amazing value!

Learn more about 4415 Parker Ct. 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 November, 2011, according to RealtyTrac.com. 1 in every 8,444 housing units received a foreclosure filing. The average sales price of a Greenville NC home was $134,213 and the average sales price of a foreclosure home was $102,632, a $31,581 savings.

Greenville NC Foreclosure Activity and 30 Year Interest Rate

The interest rate on a 30 year mortgage was 3.99% in November and there were 6 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 0.16% below national statistics, 0.05% below North Carolina figures and the same as Pitt County numbers in Novmeber.

Greenville NC Foreclosure Activity by Month

Greenville NC foreclosure activity is falling. The number of Bank-owned properties decreased from 7 in October  to 6 in November while the number of Auctions decreased from 2 to 0.

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.

Yes, we’ve reached the end of what has been a difficult year for so many, and yet we’ll celebrate the coming of 2012—and a fresh start-- with glittery hats, silly horns, champagne (or beer), and kisses at midnight.  We’ll reflect on the old year and make resolutions for the new one.  Forecasters of the future will capture our imaginations as we wonder what is to come in terms of scientific discoveries, political unrest, wars, health issues, and the economy.  So many questions—and so many possibilities…it’s enough to wear one out.  So sit back in the den of your Greenville NC real estate, relax, and ponder these points.

• Did you know that celebrating the New Year is a tradition that dates back nearly 4000 years? Or that Julius Caesar was the first person to designate January 1^st as the start of the new year?
• Did you know that the symbol of Baby New Year dates back to ancient Greece? The Greeks marked the rebirth of their god of fertility by parading a baby around in a basket.
• 40 to 45 percent of American adults make one or more resolutions which include weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking, and money management. By the second week of January, 25 percent of people have abandoned their goals, however.
• Certain foods play an important role in the kitchens of Greenville NC real estate on New Year’s Day.  Circular foods such as donuts and cakes represent good fortune, while legumes, especially black-eyed peas and lentils, promise good luck and wealth.  Cabbage and other greens whose leaves resemble folded money are also popular, as is ham, which symbolizes progress and prosperity. 
• As with many other holidays, numerous superstitions and traditional practices are connected with the onset of the new year.  It is thought that the first visitors to your Greenville NC real estate will bring you good or bad luck, depending on who you keep as friends and enemies, and in Italy people wear red underwear on New Year's Day as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year.
• And as for the future of Greenville NC real estate?  Opinions vary from the cautiously optimistic to those far less rosy, with many financial gurus still sitting on the fence.  Oh, for a crystal ball!

As you reflect on the past year, do remember the good things that have occurred in your life and in the world and resolve to greet 2012 with a positive attitude and a sense of anticipation.

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:

1546 Candlewick Drive, Greenville NC 27834

MLS# 102889

Private home on a wooded lot that is located at the back of the subdivision.  There is a new deck on the front and the back of the home.  Throughout the home you will find new paint.  The kitchen boasts ceramic tile floors, a dishwasher, disposal, tile countertops, breakfast bar and smooth top range.  There are two bedrooms on the second floor and a third bedroom/bonus room on the basement level.  Greatroom has a fireplace. Both front and back doors were new in December 2011.  Storage building measures 12.3 feet X 8.3 feet sold as is.

Learn more about 1546 Candlewick 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

December is indeed a busy month for most folks as they shop, plan, party, and attend religious, social, and cultural events.  It begins too soon after Thanksgiving and ends with a bang as it ushers in a new year.  It is a season unto itself, one filled with excitement, symbols, customs, reflection, and a general sense of good will.  Four major celebrations occur during December, both secular and religious (or a combination of the two) and include the following:

December 20 -28.  Hanukkah (or any one of a dozen spellings). 

This  Festival of Lights is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean revolt of the second century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by the ;lighting of the candles on a nine-branched menorah, one candle on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night, and it is customary to give children one gift (gelt) each night.  Although it is based on a military victory, it is actually considered a time to celebrate Jewish independence and religious freedom in general.  Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday in the Jewish year; in the United States, however, its closeness to Christmas has brought greater attention to Hanukkah and its gift-giving, special foods, and games.

December 25.  Christmas

The religious basis:   Christmas is a Christian holy day which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is typically celebrated on December 25^th, and the word Christmas comes from "Christ's mass." The story of the birth of Christ is told in the opening chapters of the gospels of Luke and John.  Each contains different elements of the Christmas story. The visit of the Archangel to the shepherds and the birth of Jesus in a manger are from Luke. The story the visit from the Wise Men bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh are from Matthew.

Over the years Christmas has also become a very popular social holiday with an emphasis on lighted and decorated trees and wreaths, exchange of presents, caroling, special foods, and the colors red and green.  Christmas traditions abound throughout the Western world, many of which have secular origins, some with their roots in ancient folklore and pagan beliefs. Click here to learn about a wide range of Christmas customs.

December 26-January 1. 

Kwanzaa.  Neither political nor religious, Kwanzaa is a reflective holiday which was created in the 1960’s to foster pride and unity among African-Americans.  Kwanzaa is a week -long celebration honoring universal African-American heritage, family life, and culture. It features activities such as lighting a candle holder with seven candles—each representing an important principle of life--and culminates in a feast and gift giving.  Visit Wikipedia for much more information about this holiday

December 31.  New Year’s Eve. 

New Year's Eve is a social holiday observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies New Year's Eve is often celebrated at festive gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to say goodbye to the current year and celebrate the incoming one. The observance of New Year's Eve generally extends through midnight of January 1.  It is a holiday celebrated throughout the world and has many different names.  The dropping of the ball in Times Square and the singing of Auld Lang Syne are symbolic of this holiday in the U.S.           

Here are outstanding power point presentations dealing with each of these holidays. Although the site is designed primarily for children, the extensive array of topics and interesting information provides excellent reading for adults, too.

Greenville Real Estate For Sale:

2907 Cedar Creek Road #C, Greenville NC 27834

MLS# 102844

Great townhome located just two minutes from PCHM.  This home boasts an updated kitchen with new cabinets, refrigerator, dishwasher, new HVAC in 2006.  Outside you will enjoy the patio with privacy fence.  The HOA includes free basic cable, pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, gated community and yard service.

Learn more about 2907 Cedar Creek Road #C 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

In the month of December, many owners of a Greenville NC home turn their attention to the holidays, to lights and wreaths and cheerful displays that chase away the darkness of the shorter, colder days. This month’s days—and nights—are usually filled with shopping, decorating, and entertaining, and the overly-busy homeowner is tempted to postpone routine maintenance tasks and overlook those specific to the month.  Use this friendly reminder of “must do’s” to jog your memory, clear your conscience, or just escape the chaos of the season.

OUTSIDE:

• Clean the gutters.  Click here for tips on doing this quickly and safely.
• Clean and oil garden tools.
• Mulch around shrubs and trees.
• Start a compost pile with raked leaves.
• Download this printable to-do list for gardeners which covers the care of shrubs and trees, lawns, perennials and bulbs, clean-up, and maintenance.
• View this YouTube video to assist you in trimming your Greenville NC home with lights and check out this website to learn how to wrap trees and bushes.  (Check all lights for defects before using them.)

INSIDE:

• Change the HVAC filter.
• Check all smoke detectors.
• Clean your oven.
• Make certain your fireplace is clean and in good working order.
• Click here for tips about safely putting lights on the tree in your Greenville NC home.
• Buy and put up the tree.
• Check lists for menus, gifts, etc.
• Decorate the house.
• Look under sink cabinets to check for moisture and/or leaks.
• Having guests? Clean out the guest room (or space). Dust, vacuum, change linens. Prepare a care package of whatever you think your guest might enjoy. Spend the night in your guest room to make sure it´s comfortable.
• Evaluate the amount of moisture in your home. Low moisture content in the air can cause excessive static electricity, dry coughs, and problems with your sinuses in the coldest parts of the winter. Consider purchasing a humidifier—cost ranges between $30 and $150.  (Old home remedy trick: hang a sheet or towel in the shower area and keep it wet and the shower curtain open. Moisture then evaporates and gets into the air. Swap out the sheet or towel at least every week. This trick may make the coldest, driest months more comfortable.)
• Check your roof for broken or missing shingles.

Although this list is long, the tasks are actually rather short and just may allow you time to rest, relax, and enjoy the month’s activities.

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:

1875 Quail Ridge Road #N
MLS# 101110

Great location in popular Quail Ridge.  This home boasts new laminate floors in the great room and dining room.  There is some new paint in the downstairs.  This home has been well maintained.  Outside you will find a beautiful fenced patio with wired storage area.

Learn more about 1875 Quail Ridge Road #N and other Greenville homes for sale by visiting HomesofGreenvilleNC.com, and GreenvilleNCRealEstateCo.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.