Linoleum makes a comeback as “green” flooring material

Linoleum, to my surprise, is making a comeback as a trendy new “green” building material.  I always thought that linoleum was a brand name for sheet vinyl and was I ever wrong.  It turns out that this bit of ingenuity, a throwback to the nifty fifties is derived from completely natural materials: linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, and jute.  It is constructed with renewable resources, has no VOCs inhibits bacterial growth and can last up to fifty years.  Linoleum is now available in trendy colors and patterns and easy to install click style locking tiles.  The flooring product offers style, ecofriendliness, low allergen, hygienic properties and it is less expensive than other hard surfaces such as wood and cork.  To learn more about this product available at Home Depot, google Forbo or marmoleum.

Chatham home revaluation will happen in January

Chatham County property owners will see their home revaluation in January in the form of a new tax value on their tax bill.  The state mandates that home values must be adjusted every four years to be sure that home owners are paying their fair share of property tax.  County commisioners considered a proposal to delay revaluation one year due to the state of the economy.  After further investigation, it was decided that a one year delay would not be a significant enough savings to provide relief to taxpayers.  Chatham residents enjoy low taxes, sometimes less than half of what our Chapel Hill and Carrboro neigbors are paying.  Although it is likely that homeowners will see an increase in home value, given the low tax rate, changes in tax bill should not be too painful.

Chapel Hill voting results say a lot about the community

The most interesting and telling part of the Orange County election results is that over 70% of the registered voters participated in the November election.  Chapel Hill is an educated population that cares about community affairs and speaks its mind.  Here are the details for the local results:

Orange County Election Results

N.C. State Senate District 23

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Ellie Kinnaird	73.37	51,739
Jon G. Bass	26.63	18,780

N.C. House of Representatives District 50

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Bill Faison	100	17,894

N.C. House of Representatives District 54

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Joe Hackney	100	7,236

N.C. House of Representatives District 56

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Verla Insko	100	30,835

Orange County Board of Commissioners At-Large

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Bernadette Pelissier	69.48	48,115
Kevin Wolff	30.52	21,132

Orange County Board of Commissioners District 1 (pick 2)

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Valerie Foushee	53.38	50,556
Pam Hemminger	46.62	44,155

Orange County Board of Commissioners District 2

Candidate	Percent	Votes
Steve Yuhasz	100	54,670

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If you didn’t find the information you are looking for here or want to know more about the NC election results, visit: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/ for statewide results.

Job of pest management going to the dogs

Mark Twain once said, “if you want a friend you can trust, get a dog”.  Perhaps now he might say, “if you want to be sure you don’t have termites, get a dog”.  We have all heard of drug sniffing dogs but did you know that dogs are now being used in the home buying process?  I recently met the sweetest dog named Bella who has had special training and now she works for a pest management company.  She can sniff out termites, bed bugs and mold and as she demonstrated, she is very good at it.  The great thing about this little girl is that she was a rescue at one time.  Her owner had given her up because she had too much energy.  Now that she has a job, she is calm and she is worth $10,000.  If you would like to hire Bella to work for you, she is available throughout the triangle.  Please contact me for details. 919-357-6064.

Seagroves annual pottery sale this weekend

This post has nothing to do with real estate but it is about living in NC.  North Carolinians are fortunate to have a state that values and preserves our heritage and history.  Wheel thrown pottery is one part of that. This weekend the master potters of NC will be showing and selling their wares in Seagroves.  If you have not had a chance to go to this event, try to check them out this weekend.  In my opinion, (as an amateur potter), the NC potters take pottery throwing to a higher level than anywhere else I have seen.  Hand crafted one of a kind works of arts or crafts are gifts that will be cherished for life. You can be sure that a gift of pottery will not end up being regifted or donated to charity.  For those of you who want to buy American, this is a way to support the national and local economy.  To learn more about this event you can visit: http://www.seagrovepotteryheritage.com/.  For a recommendation of a local potter for commissioned works, please contact me at 919-357-6064.

Chemical free mold removal: fact or fiction?

I recently learned about an eco friendly mold removal system that is not only safer and chemical free; it does a more thorough job.  Those days of hiring someone to do the unthinkable (to hand scrub every beam and post) are gone.  This system uses dry ice and mechanical blasting, similar to sand blasting, to vaporize the mold from the surface.  Because it does not use any chemicals, no residue is left behind.  This system also can include the application of a product that to prevent the mold from getting established again.  Mold removal is an expensive repair and the first step to remedy is to have a mold specialist evaluate the cause and type of mold that is present.  For a recommendation for a mold specialists or details on this mold removal system in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, please call me at 919-357-6064.

Durham’s top neighborhoods for resale in 2008

Durham real estate market held its own this year.  Now that the 2008 season is winding down, some market data is available. Prices remained stable with zero growth or depreciation.  Number of homes sold was down significantly over 2007.  Current inventory is about an eight month supply.  The neighborhoods that did the best on resale, dominating the number of sold properties were:  Woodcroft, Hope Valley and Grove Park, in that order.  As a realtor, this comes as no surprise as these communities are conveniently located with a short commute to Duke or UNC and offer an affordable price point that appeals to residents, grad students and first time home buyers.  Spring brought multiple offers on many properties and quite a bit of competition, keeping home values stable.  A couple other favorite neighborhoods that ranked near the top were Woodlake, with a slightly higher price/sf and Chancellor’s Ridge, with a significantly higher average home price.  All of these communities have a history of good resale and offer location and amenities that have broad appeal.

Visit NC website says it all!

My new favorite website is visitnc.com.  If you are considering a visit to or move to NC, you must check out this site.  This well designed, comprehensive plethora of information is easy to navigate and serves a broad audience from tourist to resident. Whether you want information on recreation, parks, lakes, beaches, the mountains, small towns, B&Bs, hotels, festivals, concerts, cook-offs…its all there.  To learn about living in the Raleigh Durham and Chapel Hill area, navigate to the links to the Piedmont area or just search by city.  One of the incredible things about living in NC is that we enjoy a very diverse landscape.  Living in the triangle, we are just a couple hours from the beautiful NC beaches and a couple hours to the majestic Great Smoky Mountains and the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.  The Piedmont is a very special place.  North Carolinians enjoy year round golf, gardening, boating, hiking, biking, nature and bird watching.  As a community, we support the arts and preserve our heritage.  So check out this website and find out what is so special about living in North Carolina.

www.visitnc.com

For some of my other favorite links and local tourism information, please go to my website or contact me directly at 919-357-6064.

Buying a duplex can provide a way to afford a starter home

Buying a duplex as your first home may be a good way for some to get started in this tough economic environment.  Many lenders will consider rental income to qualify for a loan.  For those just starting out who have a good credit score and are on the fringe for qualifying income, a duplex may be the answer.  For rental to be considered income, you will need to show rental history and a signed lease.  Adding  the first time home buyer tax credit into this mix may stir up a win/win.  I will be placing a Chapel Hill/Chatham duplex with great rental history on the triangle MLS on Monday.  If you want to learn more about this property, please check my website www.mariescheuring.com or give me a call 919-357-6064 to receive the property details by email.

Who wants free electricity?

There has never been a better time to consider adding solar power to your home.  The federal government and our progressive state of NC are offering a tax break that makes it easier than ever to afford solar technology.  Beginning Jan 1, 2009, you will get a 30% tax credit on your federal return.  NC is offering a 35%  for the investment as a tax credit on your state return.  That two combine to an irresistable 65% tax credit.  Considering that you will have free electricity through the life of the system, 20+years, this is a no brainer.  So, if you dream about pulling into the garage and plugging your car into your solar powered home; your day has come.  Solar will probably never be more affordable and it actually is now available from local contractors.  Here are two links that will provide the details:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?
http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/incentive2.cfmIncentive_Code=NC20F&state=NC&CurrentPageID=1