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Archive for February, 2010

VIDEO: Pending Home Sales Head Back Up Feb 02

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NEW! Certified Lead Renovator Training Course Feb 05

New Lead-Based Paint Renovation Rules Begin APRIL 2010!
Sponsored by the Property Management Division of the NC Association of REALTORS®

On April 22, 2010, EPA and North Carolina will require contractors to be trained and certified as renovators, if they disturb paint in the homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978.  Contractors will also be required to train their workers to follow lead-safe work practices to reduce potential lead exposure to protect children. This one-day class taught by a North Carolina trainer with the National Center for Healthy Housing satisfies the training requirement to achieve compliance with North Carolina, EPA and HUD rules. For more information on the new renovation, repair and painting rules go to: www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

Date:  Wednesday, February 17th

Location:  Coastline Convention Center, 501 Nutt Street, Wilmington, NC

To register for this class, please Click Here to print and complete the registration form. Then mail it with your payment to NCAR, 4511 Weybridge Lane, Greensboro, NC  27407. There will be NO on-site registration for this program. Cut-off date for registration is February 10th.  Do not delay and register today!

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Wilmington Housing Market Makes National Headlines Feb 10

Tax Credit Helps Wilmington Housing Market Rebound

By Christine Dugas, USA TODAY

The Wilmington, N.C., housing market ended the year on a good note, despite the region’s tough economic times. Home sales rebounded from a slow start when a boost from the first-time home buyer tax credit kicked in. The buyers who took advantage of it accounted for 34% of home sales last year, says Mary Martin, president of the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors.

Now that the tax credit has been extended and expanded to include repeat home buyers, agents hope it will keep sales moving. But beach property sales are still lagging: Loans are much stricter for vacation-home buyers and investors, Martin says.

HOUSING MARKET: Track the rise, fall and … rebound?

Sales status. Last year, Wilmington home sales were down 16.2% compared with the previous year. But in the last quarter of the year, sales reversed. In December, sales were up 19.8% from December 2008. The improvement has raised hopes that the market has hit bottom and may be turning around, Martin says.

Price points. The median price of houses sold was 5.6% less than a year earlier. Home foreclosures are declining. “Prices seem to be stabilizing, which is good,” Martin says.

New homes are being concentrated in the $200,000-to-$250,000 range, because those are selling, Martin says. The price range is not just desired by first-time home buyers: Older empty-nester couples are moving into such smaller homes, too.

Local economy. The unemployment rate was 10.2% in November, slightly higher than the national rate of 10% at the time.

“We’ve been more hard hit with this downturn than any of the five that I’ve experienced as an economist,” says William Hall, professor of economics at University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

The real estate development industry in particular is suffering.

“That is more than just construction. It includes finance, insurance, real estate leasing, architects and others,” Hall says.

About three years ago, economic analysts estimated that one out of five people in southeastern North Carolina had a job related to real estate development. The numbers are closer to one in 10 now, Hall says.

Hot ‘hoods. Wilmington is a historic port city. The downtown area has cobblestone streets, boutiques, restaurants and the Cape Fear Riverwalk. Many people love the historic charm, Martin says. And of late, more of them can afford to live downtown because condominiums have been built there.

The new buildings are not modern-looking on the outside, because the city requires them to fit in downtown. The price for a one-bedroom condo ranges from about $160,000 to $180,000, while a two-bedroom starts at about $200,000, Martin says.

(View original copy of article at: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/closetohome/2010-02-08-Wilmington-Delaware-real-estate_N.htm)

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Membership Changes: January 9th to February 11th Feb 12

ALLIED MEMBERS
Shirley Strangstalien, First South Bank 

DESIGNATED REALTORS®
John Arntsen, JWA Properties, LLC
Janiel Blackman, J Blackman Real Estate
Robert High, Robert High Properties, LLC
David Loy, David G. Loy
Kenneth Richmond, Richmond Realty & Investments
Nancy Trout, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Charles Ward, Shoreline Realty

NEW OFFICE
David G. Loy
J Blackman Real Estate
JWA Properties, LLC
Richmond Realty & Investments (Secondary)
Robert High Properties, LLC
Shoreline Realty

NEW REALTOR® MEMBERS
Jason Bell, Harley & Associates Commercial
Georgianne Bolinger, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Paula Campbell, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Steven Campbell, BlueCoast Realty Corp.
Carol Ellington, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty
Alice Ervin, (Secondary), Intracoastal Realty Corp.
Dustin Faithful, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
John Femia, Wilkinson & Associates
Misty Ganey, Azalea Realty, Inc.
Steven Graham, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Robert High, Robert High Properties, LLC
Miriam Hunt, Coastwalk Real Estate, LLC
Nicholas Jupena, Wilkinson & Associates
Eddie Lewis Jr, Braxton Realty, LLC
Chelsea McNeil, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Harriet McNeill, Network Real Estate
Matthew Ovaitt, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Jessica Pirone, EXIT Coastal Connection Realty
Joanne Smith, Wrightsville Realty Group, Inc.
Terrant Smith, Barfield & Associates
Mary Stephenson, Intracoastal Realty Corp.

REINSTATEMENTS
Morris Atkins Jr, Atkins Appraisal Services
John Craig, Craig and Associates
Tambra Jackson, Realty World Carolina Shores
Brian Lewis, Autumn Hall Realty, LLC
David Motte, Wrightsville Sands Realty, Inc.
Karen Patrick, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Edward Paula, Intracoastal Realty Corp.
Tom Roper, Southeastern Real Estate Co, Inc.
Theresa S. Smith, Wilkinson & Associates

RESIGNATIONS
Rebecca Anderson, Korman & Associates
Judith Beha, Brookside Realty Group
Doris Canady, Intracoastal Realty Corp.
Kristopher Caudle, Intracoastal Realty-Rentals
Jeffrey Chase, RE/MAX Coastal Properties
Becky Filer, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Nancy Freiburger, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Cynthia Jacobs, Port City Properties, Inc.
Kathy Kibler, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Ronald Mikesh, Parker Realty Group, LLC
Holly Ogle, Ogle Sales & Marketing
Tina Pike, Network Real Estate
Thomas Shoaf, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty
Joan Sibbald, Premier Homes and Properties
Walter Smith, Coastal Community Specialist, LLC
Melissa Snowden, Investments By The Sea, Inc.
Susan Wiliams Prudential Laney Real Estate

TRANSFERS
Howard Bailey, Keller Williams Realty
Roger Boggs, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Robert Cunningham, Wilkinson & Associates
Jackie Dae, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Janice Devos, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty
Dana Gore, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty
Danielle Houfek, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty
Rene Hunter, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty
Thomas Inksetter, Wilkinson & Associates
Cynthia Jones, Wilkinson & Associates
Thomas Plaskett, Commercial Realty
Meredith Rouse, Intracoastal Realty Corp.
Lisa Sledzik, Century 21 Sweyer & Associates
Peggy Stone, Wilkinson & Associates
Charles Turner, SeaShore Realty Group
Gene Wallin, Southeastern Real Estate Co, Inc.
Susan Walker, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Bettielou Weddle, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty

TERMINATIONS (For Nonpayment of Fees) 2/1/10
Sean Layton, Prudential Laney Real Estate
Tom Roper, Southeastern Real Estate Co, Inc.

TERMINATIONS (For Failure to Resign or Transfer After 30 day Drop)
Thomas Prince, Wilkinson & Associates

*NONE for: COOPERATING KEY & DECEASED

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