If you are wondering if now is the right time to buy real estate CNNmoney.com posted an article on March 5, 2008 “that this is the best time to buy real estate since 2004.” To see the full article follow this link:    http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/04/real_estate/markets_less_overvalued/index.htm?postversion=2008030522  Every day when I look at the stock markets declining it makes me wonder if people are thinking the same thing I am….time to take money out of the volatile stock markets and invest in the awesome real estate deals that are out there today…before prices start to rise again.  I have to chuckle when potential buyers tell me that perhaps they should wait to buy until interest rates go down again….folks I have to share with you a true story that when I purchased my first home in the early 1980’s interest rates were 17%!!!!I was tickled pink when the builder of the home we were wanting to purchase offered to buy down our interest rate to 13% for 2 years.  We said HOT DANG  what a deal….so we jumped on that deal in a flash!!! We refinanced the home in 2 years to a greatly lower rate and ended up selling that home after about 5 years making 30-40k in equity to put down on our next dream home.  That’s how we started our real estate portfolio that just grew and grew and grew over the years.  When I tell this story to my Buyers today they just laugh and think….17%??? That just can’t be!  Well all you folks who remember purchasing real estate in the 1980’s know how true it was.  I tell people now that there are so many good deals out there RIGHT NOW!  If you wait until everyone gets the big picture here and starts to shift their investments back into real estate…those fabulous deals will be harder and harder to find.  Now is the time to invest in Real Estate!!!

Once again the Feds did drop another 1/2 point today to 3%.  This rate cute was widely expected.  But what does it mean to the average consumer?  Follow this link for a detail explination of how this latest cut will affect the mortgage consumer and overall economy:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/fed/main-Jan302008.asp

Today the Federal Reserve drop rates 3/4 point with experts predicting another drop to occur during their regular meeting scheduled for January 30th.  What does all this mean to the average consumer?  Follow this link for what experts have to say:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/fed/main-jan2008.asp

Wow, it is finally here!  Mortgage rates his a two year low this week as lenders are now offering 30 year fixed rates below 6%.  Rumors aboud that the Feds are planning a rate cut again that could drive mortgage rates even lower.  Click this link for the full story:

http://www.bankrate.com/gookeyword/news/mtga/Dec0607_mortgage_analysisa1.asp

Now is the time to buy with rates low and many fabulous deals to be had.  Left over inventory here on the lake have dropped to for winter close-out prices.  Lake Norman has very low water levels at this time which is a great time to see a property at it’s worse for an accurate waterfront water depth as all waterfronts are not created equal.  Better hurry or the best deals will be gone fast! 

Yes it is true the tides are shifting!  Here at Lake Norman the buyers are on the move with a renewed sense of confidence and many “deals” being snatched up quickly.  What’s behind this rally? The last FED cut seems to finally be having some affect in the mortgage industry with rates slowly starting to come down but banks are being very cautious who they are lending money to.  Another very exciting development in the mortgage industry is The three largest US banks, Citigroup, Bank of America and JP Morgan, have announced a plan to buy up billions of dollars of troubled investments in an effort to help boost the market and help lenders return to normal credit conditions.  Follow this link for the full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7044525.stm

Everyone wants to know: Is now the time to buy? Did we hit bottom yet and is it safe to start investing in real estate again????  The national media has been in great debate over this very topic this week.  Everyone wants to follow the rule “Buy low and sell high”.  But…how is the average consumer supposed to know when the “low” is at it’s lowest point and when it is time to start to scoop up the deals that are now out there in the real estate market.  When speaking to my clients who ask me this very question this is what I tell them: Like many experts I compare real estate to the stock market.  It is a commodity that has its ups and downs.  If you invested heavily in the “Dot Coms” of the early 90’s you will understand my analogy very well.  My Brother lost big time in that stock market slide.  It was sad to watch as he had invested most of his portfolio into those stocks and relied upon them to keep him secure into his senior years.  His security is especially important as he has a serious debilitating condition that will prevent him from working in his current profession in the near future.  So his loss really, really hurt his financial standings.  Like other Dot Com investors at the time many saw the prices of their stock begin to drop and sold off fast.  Others held on thinking that the trend would bounce back shortly and therefore decided to buckle their seat belt and hold on for the ride.  Some of those brave souls bailed out and took a loss when things started to look serious.  Yet others held on thinking that surely the bottom was near and that their stock investment would bounce back soon.  Sadly some of those investors rode their Dot Com stock to the end where they were left with nothing when those businesses went under.  So in this comparison it leaves us wondering “where in this slide are we at now???”  Are we at the top of the slide with much devaluation still to take place in the housing market or are we at the bottom with housing prices bouncing back soon??  Well no one has a crystal ball to see into the future but there are some critical signs to watch that the upswing is near.  By the time it hits the media the news is old! So I watch the experts and their buying habits.  These are really smart people who have good sense of when to buy and when to sell.  It always seems when times are tough the rich get richer doesn’t it??? From my viewpoint right now this is what I am seeing:  I see investors scooping up waterfront homes and land like crazy.  They are in a nervous frenzy to buy as much as they can right now.  Another critical indicator: What are the rich doing with their money right now????? These are the people who can purchase with cash and don’t need loans…what are they doing now???? Psss..Here’s a little secret: they are buying real estate like crazy! What do they know that we don’t?  The best time to purchase is when nobody else is buying.  I’m just sharing my observations from a “Bird’s eye view”!

What could be more fun for family entertainment this weekend at the lake than checking out Lake Norman’s Denver Days Fall Festival.  To find out what complete details of this local event go to:

http://www.denvernc.com/denverdays.htm

This week a greatly awaited cut by the Feds of a .5 points.  Does that mean that we shall see the mortgage lenders follow suite with immediate rate drops for mortgages???? Maybe not!  Follow this link to see why:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mortgages/20070920_rate_cut_affect_mortgages_a2.asp

Living on the lake is a frame of mind.  It’s like living on vacation 365 days a year!

  Lake Norman is my kind of place. My family and I really enjoy the Lake and it’s people. After moving to Lake Norman several years ago it didn’t take long to realize that living on the lake is a frame of mind. It’s like living on vacation 365 days a year!  You know when I first came to Lake Norman I was amazed that here at Lake Norman you can live and play in the same place.  I believe Lake Norman is truly a gem of the Charlotte metro area offering a rare combination of lake living within close commute to downtown Charlotte and the airport.

There’s something for everyone here at Lake Norman with prices ranging from $400k to over 5 Million.  Ideally located, Charlotte is also situated within 2 hours of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and 4 hours to Charleston South Carolina and North Carolina’s Outer Bank areas.   Adventurer seekers can go whitewater rafting, panning for gems, visit the Biltmore Estate and take in spectacular scenic vistas that the Blue Ridge Mountains are known for.  Or explore Charleston South Carolina know for exceptional Southern hospitality & fine dining, or take a horse drawn carriage ride to discover Charleston’s rich historic and architectural splendor.  The nearby town of Kannapolis North Carolina is home of the Lowes Mortor Speedway.  NASCAR races and nearby fans are numerous here at Lake Norman with many race shops and celebrities living here on the lake.

 Lake Norman is the largest lake in North Carolina and truly a fun- lover’s mecca drawing people from all over the United States.  That makes for a very friendly mix of people looking to make new friends as they downshift from all the hustle and bustle to a new lifestyle they have been yearning for.  Great Schools also help to make this a nice place to raise a family.  I was surprised that prices were very reasonable which turned my dreams of owning a waterfront home a reality.  Weather seeking a vacation home, retirement home, or a primary residence now is the best time to be investing in waterfront property at Lake Norman!

Team Nadine is honored to be Prudential Carolina’s Realty’s Realty Team of the Year for 2005 & 2006 for top sales in the entire Charlotte region and is ranked top 1% of all Prudential Realtors Nationwide with 77 million in closed sale over the last 24 months. We are also proud to be the *2005 & 2006 Crescent Development  REALTOR OF THE YEAR for top units sold in the Charlotte region. 

To learn more about the Lake Norman area visit www.ALakeHome.com!

Welcome to Nadine Roberts’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in Denver.