Many home sellers have considered skipping the real estate agent to save on closing costs, but very few have actually succeeded in seeing those savings. There’s a good reason: the average homeowner doesn’t have the rigorous training and real estate knowledge that a licensed agent does. But just what makes For Sale By Owner (FSBO) […]
The theme of “community,” a word defined as ‘a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common,’ is one that keeps cropping up as I continue to enjoy my years on Hatteras Island. I’ve written about people and places that add to this sense of community, including museums, […]
From personalizing your living spaces to turning a profit when you sell, there are dozens of reasons why first-time home buyers can’t wait to find a home and make it their own. Though there are plenty of benefits of owning a home, here are the six benefits that stand out from the rest. 1. You […]
As another summer draws to a close, it’s time to share an update on the Hatteras Island real estate market. This year has provided much positive news in the real estate market as well as for the island in general. The Bonner Bridge Construction continues to amaze all that have had the opportunity to pass […]
Email scams are as old as, well, email, but as the years go by, these scams have become more and more sophisticated. Recently, several home buyers have fallen victim to specially targeted email scams that attempt to rob them of their closing costs — sometimes up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. These types of […]
There is always a summer story on Hatteras Island, a place known for romantic legends, swashbuckling tales and historical happenings that fill our history books and museums. But this season the summer story is still with us in the form of a new island off Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s iconic Cape Point. The island is […]
Let’s say you have your heart set on buying a home in a community with a swimming pool, a clubhouse, and maybe even a playground or trails. Having access to these amenities often means living in a community with a homeowners association, or HOA. Generally, an HOA is responsible for keeping the neighborhood looking beautiful […]
A quick Google search is all it takes to discover hundreds of new recipes, do-it-yourself projects, and tips about how to stage your home. With so much information available online, especially about the home selling process, many homeowners start to wonder whether it’s faster and more cost-efficient to sell their own homes rather than hiring […]
One of the great pleasures of living on Hatteras Island is the people you meet here. Many, like my husband and me, moved here after having lived and worked elsewhere. What is remarkable about these transplants is how many of them are willing to use their skills and talents to enrich their new community. And […]
To DIY or not to DIY? That’s the question on many homeowners’ minds when there’s a repair or home improvement project on their to-do lists. The good news is that you can do plenty of things on your own. But for other projects, you’re better off hiring a licensed contractor, plumber, or electrician to do […]
