You’ve found me on the web, how to find me in person?  My office is located at 2820 Henderson Drive, the portion between the Gum Branch and Henderson Intersection and Western Boulevard and Henderson Light.  A snap to find.  Office hours are 8-6 M-F and 9-4 on Saturday though I often work on Sundays as well.  I work in residential real estate with a bulk of my business helping military families relocate and find a new home in our area.

Jacksonville is growing tremendously, especially the last few years.  I have some great links on my website http://www.McKenzieSellsHomes.com to the local paper, schools, stores, and MORE. . .snoop around a little and learn more about our area.

If a move to the Onslow County area is in your future, I would love the opportunity to earn your business.  Contact me today.

Http://www.Century21Champ.com http://www.ci.jacksonville.nc.us/opencms/opencms

http://www.ncgov.com/ http://www.co.onslow.nc.us/ http://www.jacksonvillenc.net/

I thought I would start posting some updates as I have them for the 2008 Relay for life campaign here in Jacksonville, NC.  Every spring, the event takes over Northside High School at the Commons for a “relay” to raise money and awareness for cancer research.  My office is always a major contributor and participant. . .several ways to donate. . .and I’ll have more info posted regarding that soon, but you can sponsor a luminary for someone who has been diagnosed or has perhaps even sadly lost their battle with cancer, sponsor a walker or just make a donation to the cause.  The event itself is pretty fun for families, lots of booths to visit many of which have games, food, usually a radio station and a band perform and it’s for a great cause.  The first team meeting was last week so I expect information will be flowing shortly.  Just wanted to get it on your radar.

I hope you all are enjoying good health this new year, seems I have finally succumbed to the yucky flu/cold thing going around, after weeks with the sniffles (due in part to working outside where one day we’re enjoying 70 degree days and the next night is around 19!) I am under the weather and taking a day or so away from work.  There’s lots to read abotu regarding the fed cut in interest rates and what it means for you both regarding mortgage options and refinance possibilities but also credt card rates.  Working on buying a home in the 2008?  Be responsible with your credit, pay bills on time and keep balances as low as possible in ratio to the available line of credit.

Heading home for some tea and soup.  I hope you all are enjoying the sunny weather today and do something fun, maybe I’ll track down a yummy cupcake to make me feel better. . .what’s that saying again?  Feed a cold starve a fever?  Either way, I think a treat can only help. 

You can always learn more about the Onslow County area, Jacksonville and the surrounding areas at either of my websites:

Http://www.McKenzieSellsHomes.com and Http://www.910Homes.com

AND email at McKenzieSellsHomes@gmail.com

This is a repost, I thought it a pretty succinct article and found myself a wee bit busy with my parents in town for the weekend and working but wanted to make sure I had something up to make up for the last few days.  

Fed Cut: What It Means for Your Mortgage

by Diana Olick
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

provided by

On days like this, I think it’s important to go back to the ol’ mortgage primer and figure out exactly what all this news means to you, to your mortgage, to your home equity line and to your home’s financial future. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the 30-year fixed is not tied to short-term treasuries.

Fixed mortgage rates are tied to long-term bond yields that move based on the outlook for the economy and inflation. And guess what? The long-term outlook for the economy isn’t exactly rosy right now.

More From CNBC.com • Stock Star & Rock Star • Tech Stocks: Opportunity to Buy or Not? • Experts Sound Off on Market Turmoil

Today’s rate cut does affect short-term adjustable rate mortgages, but not really as much as you might think. Why? Because this rate cut was already priced into the market, maybe not three quarter’s point, but definitely a half-point. So if you are facing a reset on your ARM, you’re in much better shape today than you were just six months ago.

For example, if your rate adjusts Feb. 1st, and your ARM is pegged to the 1-year treasury, than your reset is going to be to 5.25 percent as opposed to the 7.5 percent that it would have been in August. That’s going to make the payment much more manageable.

So does this cut stem the foreclosure crisis? Maybe a bit on the margins, but not really, and here’s why: the bulk of the folks facing foreclosure because they can’t make their monthly payments have no equity in their homes and no money to put down on a refinance.

While rates might be lower, this is a market where lenders and investors are much more aware of risk and will gravitate toward borrowers that represent less risk. So many folks will still find themselves in trouble. For people who are having trouble paying the initial rate on the loan, forget it. No help there.

As for those looking to buy a home, that is, get a new mortgage, while ARM rates may be lower, the mortgage landscape is still a far far different tundra than it was just a year ago. You can’t do a stated income loan anymore, and you can’t do 100 percent financing. Tighter standards don’t change with a rate cut.

And I want to add my two cents here about a home equity line of credit. Yes, the rates are lower now, but I really don’t think that means we should all start using our homes as ATM’s again, which is what got us all in trouble in the first place. This is a time to pay off debt, not to gather more. The housing market is still in trouble.

The statement from the Federal Reserve this morning: “incoming information indicates a deepening of the housing contraction as well as some softening in labor markets.” We all know the price correction in housing is still underway with home prices across the nation (yes, I know, some markets worse than others) expected to fall further, so this is no time to put your home in more hoc. Just my two cents, which I’m putting in the bank as we speak.

For Jacksonville, NC and the surrounding area of Onslow County, the market is picking up quickly.  . .which generally does happen this time of year but stronger than ever.  It is amazing to see what happens in a town with tremendous job security and pretty steady growth.  Things are a little slower in the over 200,000 price range, not nearly as slow as the rest of the national average. . .but compared to simple family homes, especially those priced below 150,000 if priced right for their conditon and location, they sell easily within the first month of hitting the market.  We have seen a few repos starting for folks who got themselves in a pickle with TOO MUCH MORTGAGE. . .but again, not nearly the national trend you hear about on the news.  Next article, how buying a home in this area is often CHEAPER THAN RENTING–when you think that many sellers pay closing costs and earnest money deposits are often around $500. . .I’ll explain in the next intallment.

I thought I would check in to say things are getting a little less high-profile here in Jacksonville, our small town has seen a lot of the new crews lately and a lot of ourselves all over the tv. . .I was so sad to see such a tragic end to it all and hopefully, police will apprehend Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean soon. . . it sounds like daily they are getting better leads on him.

I thought I would attach a funny photo I had from a pal of mine, her husband was grinning from ear to ear the other morning at her and she couldn’t figure out what he was up to and he finally pointed at the sticker. . .thought you could use the smile too so I had to pass it along.  I hope you day is a little brighter and more fun real estate info to follow.

Onslow County is full of warm and friendly folks, so if you are getting orders here or a friend or family member is, fear not.  This is a great place to live.

http://910Homes.net http://www.McKenzieSellsHomes.com

Please keep the family and friends of Lance Cpl. Maria Frances Lauterbach in your thoughts and prayers.  I work on Henderson Drive (in Jacksonville, NC), maybe a block away from Gum Branch Road where they are searching for her body.  I think we were all holding out hope that she, and her unborn baby, were still alive.  We found out today that seems to not be the case.  The details of the case seem to continue to unfold, and to be truthful I haven’t been following it that closely. . .just so sad that her mother, during the holiday season lost both her daughter and grandchild.  I hope that if you see our little town on the news in the next few days as the case continues to develop, you’ll know that there are lots of great people here and many of them are hard working Marines. 

Many new construction neighborhoods end up looking a little matchy-matchy, in our area often with few or no trees since they are often developed on what was farmland.  There are a few things that can make your new home look a little more custom built and complete and stand out a little in your neighborhood when the time comes to sell.  One drawback when buying new in a military town, is that you will more likely be selling at the same time as several of your neighbors since you all received your orders at the same time you arrived in the development, it’s logical that you might be leaving at the same time as well.  So, preparing with well thought out landscaping that will be mature or at the least thriving when you leave and a few touches, you might be a lovely standout for buyers when the time comes.

1. Trees!!!  And evergreen!!!  You may have no control over when you have to move, PCS orders can come almost any time of year.  Plan for your home to look its best no matter the season with plantings that look good and have COLOR!!!  I’ve listed some examples in other articles, but I can’t stress it enough.

2. Many builders save money by installing only WHITE garage doors and WHITE front doors for an entire development.  You would be surprised to see how handsome and “finished” a house looks simply with those two doors painted to match the shutters on the home or a complementary color. . .need ideas?  Visit your home improvement store to look at exterior paint color combinations.  Your home is probably vinyl as well as the shutters, which you really can’t change but a colorful door makes your home extra welcoming.  One of my favorite homes in a development I visited this week was grey with black shutters, the garage door was painted black and the front door a merry shade of red, it looked sharp compared to its neighbors and only for the cost of some time and paint.

3. Jazzy hardware.  Small details make a neat difference.  Think of adding shutterdogs to your shutters just for looks (they won’t be functional but they do look nice on a home).  Visit http://www.jamespetersonline.com/shutterdogs.htm to see examples.  Kick plates and door knockers to match your hardware are always a nice touch and of course serve a nice function too.

4. Something other than builder grade fixtures.  I am not suggesting your break the bank here,  after all , when you go to sell, an appraiser will be using your neighbor’s homes to justify the price of yours, so nothing extravagant but discount home stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot have great stock options that are much more interesting than what the builder probably installed.  Even if you only switch out the fixtures visible from the street, it’s a nice touch and gives your home more personality.  Your local home improvement store no doubt has classes or hire an electrician to make the switch out for you.

5. Make sure there’s a theme.  I love palm trees as much as the next person, especially having spent a large chunk of my childhood in Hawaii, but I have to say, I don’t think palm trees when I look at a brand new farm house style structure in a huge subdivision.  Think of how all the small pieces work together to create a cohesive “look”. . .think not of just what things you like yourself but what, in context with your home, looks “right”. . .you will probably know when you see it.

6. I make house calls.  I’m more than happy to meet over coffee to help you figure out improvements or changes that will make your home more enjoyable to live in and more attractive to buyers down the line. . .give me a call or shoot me an email, perhaps even with pictures and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Happy accessorizing!

http://www.McKenzieSellsHomes.com   http://www.910Homes.net

It is true that two rooms really help sell a home, your bathrooms and your kitchen. . .but there are small things that every home owner should know about that will help sell your home. . . if you can’t afford to a fancy renovation to your home.

1. A clean home and yard are worth every moment you spend on them, buyers appreciate it.

2. Buy new toilet seats that fit correctly (you’d be amazed how many older homes I walk into and the ORIGINAL toilet seats are there!) and that the lid is down for all showings and trash cans empty. . .and no novelty seats, I have actually shown a home that had clear acrylic toilet seats with barbed wire embedded in them, from then on, my customers called it “the weird toilet seat house”. . .don’t be that house!

3. Remove all personal photos and clean off your fridge, maybe a magnetic note pad or your real estate agent’s magnet but that’s it.

4. No more than two or three appliances out on your counter-tops, everything else put away.

5. It is worth the money in an older home to either hire or do it yourself-replaces every wall socket and switch with bright white ones with matching plates. . .buyers see that as a well maintained electrical system.

6. Have your air vents immaculate and a fresh filter in place.

7. Working light bulbs in every fixture!!!

8. Your home done in as neutral colors as possible.

9. If you are thinking about getting rid of something, do it now.  That bookshelf in the guest room that’s falling apart and won’t make the move with you, get rid of it now, it will make that room seem even larger. . .same goes for other rooms in the house, the more furniture and nick knacks you eliminate the larger and more airy the rooms will seem.

10. Don’t be there for the showings.

Pretty simple and worth every penny. . .in reality I think you can do everything on this list for under $200!!!  Even if you aren’t moving soon, these very small changes can make your home more enjoyable to live in.