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Durham, NC Real Estate News

By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
 The Durham skyline will be getting a makeover in the next few years.  Two Charlotte based developers, Northwood Ravin and CitiSculpt recently bought about 18 acres southeast of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.  The land is basically open to whatever the developers want to put on it.  CitiSculpt is looking at a first phase of about $400 million.  It will be a 300 unit apartment project developed by Woodfield Investments.  There will be two office towers and possibly a hotel with a parking deck.  The towers would be between 12 and 18 stories.  Meanwhile the former home of the Elkin Chrysler dealership is getting a make over as well.  There will be office space going up as the area right now is something 99% leased.  That is both a good thing and a bad thing. The city can not attract new b...
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
 The city of Durham is looking at purchasing 4 condos for affordable housing near Durham Central Park.  The condos will be built by Lambert Development and will be priced from around $200,000 to $500,000 depending on size. The city of Durham needs to have affordable housing.  Zoning is one way to achieve that but it is only one way.  Mayor Bell has proposed buying four condos and then renting them back out on a subsidized basis.  The money would come from a 1 cent property tax that the city dedicates to affordable housing each year.  I don't know how else the city of Durham spends the money on but something like this is a start.
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
I recently moved to Durham, NC and didn't know what kind of birds they have around here but here is a good example.  Not sure what it eats.
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
The property tax for Durham could rise by one cent for the 2015-2016 budget. The increase would be for new firefighters and police which to me seems like a worthy cause.  The departments do need to show a need and also how the new officers would be utilized.  The current property tax for Durham is 59.12 cents per $100 valuation.  The one cent increase would mean a $35 increase for a house valued at $250,000 for instance. Of course this comes at a time when the state legislature is reducing the amount of money it is giving to cities potentially causing even higher tax rates.  Hopefully things will settle down quickly as the budget for Durham is due in May and has to be balanced.  Glad I am not the Mayor.  
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
Why does the legislature keep tacking bad amendments to good bills.  This bill will affect Short Sale sellers in the Raleigh and Durham area as well as the rest of the state if passed.  Please read the bill and send a Call TO Action to your state senator.   When the seller's bank accepts less than what is owed to them, then that is viewed as being "income" to the seller. Please note that while the Federal Government has decided not to tax people on this "income", now NC has decided that it WILL tax the sellers on the shortfall like it is income. Your sellers need to know that. p.s. They stuck this provision in NC's new gas tax bill. Here is the article: No mortgage relief in bill Senate Bill 20 is more than just a gas tax bill. It has the potential to affect thousands of people filing t...
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
Our yard in Virginia Beach was full of Cardinals.  We don't live as close to woods in Durham as we used to and this is the first Cardinal to come visit us and he was a beauty.
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
I find it incredible that the North Carolina legislature wants to take control of how the cities regulate home designs.  There are several bills being that would affect Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Wake Forest as well as the rest of the state.  These bills would strike down residential guidelines that tell developers how homes must look.  Another bill ends extraterritorial jurisdiction (an area outside of cit limits where city leaders control planning and zoning matters).  The Metro Mayors Coalition is lobbying against the bills, House Bill 36 and House Bill 51.  Contact your local Representative and let them know you don't want developers having control over subdivisions.  
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By Gene Allen, Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate
(Fathom Realty)
I do a lot of walking and try to take my camera with me.  Of course I always have to poke in any hole or crevice I see just to see what is hanging out.  This from is living in plastic pipe sticking out of the ground.  Not sure what the pipe is doing there other then being a home to this poor frog.  Thought about putting something in there to let him out but I didn't know if Smeagal or Gollum would be let loose.
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By Sharon Kowitz, Cary, NC Relocation Specialist ~ Buying or Selling
(CRS-SRES-ABR-GRI-E-Pro-CREN ~ COMPASS RE)
A couple of years ago I took a bus tour of Durham NC with the Chamber of Commerce to  discover American Underground. I am Real Estate Agent in the Triangle and have live  here for 16 years now. I can not believe all Durham has to offer. Duke Hospital ~ Duke University well be what most people say when you ask "When I say Durham NC, what do you think of?" One of the most impressive places we toured was American Underground, it gave me hope for the future of our youth and pride in Durham. Durham is growing with a lot to offer from dining to DePac and award winning center for Major Shows and entertainment which is adding a beautiful hotel. Check out the article about American Underground, adding 300+ jobs and new idea's we use in years to come from our local talent. Thank you Allan Maurer...
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By Bill Dandridge, GREEN, ABR, GRI, EcoBroker
(MKB, Realtors)
Durham, NC has been getting more than its fair share of good press in the past several years for good reason. The most recent article that informs the world how wonderful this town and its offerings are is an article from CNN: http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2014/07/08/best-new-ice-cream-shops/ I was first introduced to The Parlour several years ago when they were only a food truck in the pantheon Durham's excellent food truck scene. As a life-long ice cream lover, I was truly impressed with the artisinally created flavors that The Parlour creates (Orange Ginger Sorbet, Coconut Mocha, Salted Butter Caramel, Summer Corn, Blackberry, Honey Lavender, and other seasonal offerings). My wife sent me out after our kids were aspleep many times for after-dinner treats. Now that they have opened up a br...
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By Bill Dandridge, GREEN, ABR, GRI, EcoBroker
(MKB, Realtors)
I am just returning to my real estate job here in the US after a sojourn in France while my wife was doing research, so I have missed much of the day-to-day over the last couple months (since January 9th). While I was away, I did follow the general events of Durham, and am pleased to report the our city was chosen by Google to be one of the second-set of cities chosen during their rollout of Google Fiber. During the first round of choosing cities for the next generation broadband internet with speeds up to 1 gigabit per second (about 100 times faster than current broadband), Durham did compete, but was beaten out by Ausin, TX, Provo, UT, and Kansas City, KS. We did make an impressive show of our support, but was not chosen in the first round because of these three more-deserving cities...
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By Bill Dandridge, GREEN, ABR, GRI, EcoBroker
(MKB, Realtors)
It is finally below freezing in my hamlet of Durham, North Carolina, and I am very thankful for the extra insulation that is in our attic now that keeps our furnace from running all night. Although that upgrade was one of the ones made as a result of the Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program of 2011, I stil have weather-related improvements that I can make to my house to cause the furnace to work less hard. For instance, I need to place the putty-type caulk along all the openings in my 1950s crank windows. I found this great website that will facilitate those who are similarly looking to reduce their carbon footprint, Resnet.us. It is a website designed by the Residential Energy Savings Network that offers a wealth of ideas about saving energy for each room in the house. Please check it ...
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By Sharon Webb Raleigh-Durham NC Home Sales, Trusted Adviser & Client Advocate!
(Webb Realty Group | Coldwell Banker Advantage)
Homes in Harrington Pines Subdivision Homes for Sale in Harrington Pines Subdivision located in Durham, NC 27703.   Why Do People Live here?  Harrington Pines is a beautiful neighborhood of single family homes that sits conveniently two miles NE of the popular Brier Creek Shopping area and ten miles NE of Research Triangle Park. It's not uncommon to see neighborhood kids playing the streets of this quaint little neighborhood in the suburbs during the summer and playing outside in the occasional snow covered ground in the winter months. It's far enough from the main hustle and bustle of the city that residents don't feel like the urban centers of Durham or Raleigh are knocking on their door.   Looking for a home in Harrington Pines?   Interested in finding Homes for sale in Harrington Pi...
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By Bill Dandridge, GREEN, ABR, GRI, EcoBroker
(MKB, Realtors)
Durham has recently received the accolade as being the Tastiest Town in the South presented by Southern Living magazine. While the article lists several seminal restaurants here in the Bull City, it does have at least one significant oversight.     Saltbox Seafood Joint is a tasty fish joint that offers fresh from the coast fish ("local fish, freshly cooked") that the proprietor orders from a fish cooperative in Durham called Walking-Fish. That company is based on the concept of a CSA (community-supported agriculture), and twists that a bit to create a CSF (community-supported fishery). The restaurant opens at 11:00 am and is open until 7:00 pm, or whenever the fish runs out. It is open Tuesday through Saturday.     The fish are served in two styles,the first of which is shown in the ph...
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By Kerry Johnson, Helping you find your way HOME!
(Fathom Realty NC,LLC)
1009 MILTON RD DURHAM NC 27712 $800,000 | 3 BEDROOMS | 2.5 BATHROOMS | Carport 2 car CAR PARKING | 2936 SQUARE FEET Wonderfully maintained home on 47 acres with rental house and barns. Large kitchen with butlers pantry. Master suite with walk-in closet. Large secondary bedrooms. 2065 sq ft walk-up attic provides tons of storage or could be finished for additional living space. Exceptional formal areas. Property was once a working farm, could be a great place for horses. Convenient to the city with low county taxes. CONTACT Kerry Johnson Fathom realty M: (336) 504- 4999 FEATURES Butlers Pantry Hardwood Floors Fireplace Walk in closets Walk up attic Huge front Porch Formal Dining Out Buildings View All Photos: http://1009miltonroad.homeis4sale.com CONTACT INFO Kerry Johnson Fathom realty...
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By Dianne Goode, Realtor/Broker
(Raleigh Cary Realty)
The annual Festival for the Eno is sponsored by the Eno River Association to raise funds for and promote its purpose: The preservation of the Eno River Basin.  The Eno is the river that runs through Durham, NC, and the Festival happens on the 4th of July weekend on the Eno, for the Eno. Music, mostly bluegrass and folk, provides a soundtrack for the festival.  Its informational/educational purpose is evident in booths and displays about the river and its creatures.  If you want to pet a snake, for example, you can do that.  Most people pass.  Other entertainment includes a sand sculpture under construction, hawks up close and personal, and the opportunity to talk to the vendors about their wares: jewelry, glass, pottery, bird houses, paintings and photography, woodworking, soaps and lo...
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By Craig Rutman, Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor
(Helping people in transition)
And Yet Another Home Sold by Craig Rutman, Your Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Real Estate agent! This beautiful home in Durham, NC is now sold. But don't worry folks. Even though this one is no longer available, YOUR new Raleigh, Cary, Apex area home is out there. If you're looking to buy or sell a Raleigh, Cary, Apex area home, you're just a click or a phone call away. Prefer to click? www.justNChomes.com is your one stop resource for all your Real Estate needs in the Triangle area. If you prefer to call, 919-349-9530 is the number! I'm here and I'm ready to help you get your home sold, or to help you begin the search for your new Raleigh, Cary, Apex area home. About The Author Craig Rutman is a North Carolina Residential Real Estate Specialist that can assist you with the purchase and/or s...
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By Bill Dandridge, GREEN, ABR, GRI, EcoBroker
(MKB, Realtors)
Hey everybody, have you heard? Durham, North Carolina has been awarded the title of the Tastiest Town in the South by Southern Living! Next month's magazine will have a section more focused on our delicatable eateries, but here is a taste of what will be offered. I have only lived here since 2009, but I have been greatly impressed with the amount of new restaurants and offerings that have been made available in Durham. The local restaurants are worth traveling long and far for, the food truck movement has greatly blossomed, and just hanging around downtown Durham is exciting in its own right! If you would like any information about real estate in Durham while you are here, please visit one of my websites, durhamcityhomes.com or billdandridge.com. Enjoy your stay!        
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By Nevin Williams, Senior Mortgage Advisor
(Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation)
I received a call from a gentleman named Bill Dandridge in Durham North Carolina.  He was referred to me from another agent who suggested he speak with me regarding a home buyer that was declined financing due to a bankruptcy that had been discharged only 6 months ago.  Knowing that FHA loans will sometimes allow these scenarios I spoke with Bill and the client. After a thorough review of the clients finances and credit I determined that with a good explanation letter and evidence to support the applicants claims that this applicant should be able to get FHA financing approved. As the weeks went by Bill stayed in top of things, provided me what I asked for in a timely manner and put forth a lot of effort and time in helping his customer.  He coached his customer to provide me what I nee...
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By Bill Dandridge, GREEN, ABR, GRI, EcoBroker
(MKB, Realtors)
Quick Tips for Selling Quickly     Patience is a virtue for just about any circumstance including selling your home. Yet sometimes you must sell quickly when a job opportunity arises or you face an abrupt lifestyle change. Assuming your home is in good condition and free of liens, here are several tips to help expedite a sale. 1. Price your house correctly: Working with your agent, choose a price that’s somewhat lower than what you’re seeing in the market, but not too low that it will send up red flags. Let your agent establish a price he or she feels will make your house the buzz of the neighborhood. The amount may not be what you had envisioned—remember, the market has changed substantially over the last five years—yet when priced slightly below comparable sales you should attract ser...
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