Author Archives: Carol Morgan

Green is the New…Pain Killer?!

PPG-Porter-GreenIn today’s society, people throw around the word, “green” more than I can count on my hand. Green can mean many things like building green homes, driving green cars, using green appliances and eating green food. Although many can argue that green is overused, what if green meant more than saving the environment? What if I told you it could actually increase your work productivity, reduce your stress and lessen the number of migraines you may get.

A professor of architecture and landscape architecture at Texas A&M University, Roger Ulrich, PhD., conducted a study that shows that following surgery, patients recover faster and require less pain medication if they are able to view tress, as opposed to a curtain or a brick wall outside their window.

This concept of the inclusion of nature within architecture is not unheard of. It is known as Biophilic Design, and it makes sense. We come from natural environments, and we should never leave these environments. Although not all environments allow for a large window or a tree, the concept of Biophilic Design is not restricted to sunlight. Consider an office in the center of a tight building with no windows, fluorescent lighting and drab walls. It’s time to get rid of those headaches and improve your mood and your health by bringing nature into the office space by adding a color such as PPG Porter Paint’s “Olive Sprig 410-4.” Don’t forget to use furniture with true wood grains showing through. Also, add a house plant or pictures of natural settings to calm your nerves. You’ll be amazed how little natural fixtures can make you feel more comfortable.

Visit the PPG Porter Paints website for more design and home ideas. Also, visit our website for all the trends and latest Carolina real estate news.

Raleigh’s Recent Population Growth and Job Opportunities Rise

raleigh-aerialAlthough job opportunities are at an all time low, finding a job might be easier than you think. Relocating for new job opportunities is never easy, but now it may be worth it. Pack your suitcases and move to Raleigh for a new life, address and job.

With the city’s recent population growth, Raleigh is now fourth on Kiplinger’s list of eight cities with surprising job growth. Based on the U.S. Department’s labor projections, cities like Raleigh will outpace the nation’s seven percent job growth average between now and 2017.

Kiplinger’s analysis considers demographic trends and industry growth. They analyzed metro areas contain a population of at least one million people, and a track record of above-average population and job growth from the 2008 to 2009 recession.

The beautiful city of Raleigh is surprisingly beating nationwide economic instability. With approximately 75,000 new jobs, Raleigh has only a 7.4 percent unemployment rate. Major employers like Duke University, the University of North Carolina, IBM, Cisco, GlaxoSmithKline, Nortel, Verizon and Lenovo transforms Raleigh into a magnet for high-tech and biotech jobs. Raleigh is also home to many government jobs as well as thousands of private-sector jobs including the regional hub for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Other cities with rapid job growth include Nashville, San Antonio, Orlando, Portland, Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Atlanta.

For a complete list of eight cities with surprising job growth, visit Kiplinger. For more information on Carolina real estate, visit the website.

Special Deals for the Ready to Buy in HUD Homes

HUD Homes can be great for ready homebuyers or those eager for investing

HUD Homes can be great for ready homebuyers or those eager for investing

Those looking for the inside scoop on some lesser known real estate deals should consider HUD homes, where those that are ready to buy can scoop up great deals. HUD homes are often popular for those interested in

investing, but they can also be a great path for cash-strapped but savvy homebuyers. The Equifax Finance Blog explores how these homes are different in a recent article, “

How To Buy A HUD Home.”

A HUD home is a special kind of

foreclosure which has been repossessed from Federal Housing Agency loans. In an effort to get these homes back with people living in them, HUD homes are often competitively priced with special incentives for owner-occupiers. These special incentives include a special 30 day window of opportunity for owner occupiers to put in offers.

The offer period and many other facets of HUD homes are different from traditional homes, so it is more important than ever to have an experienced HUD real estate agent when looking for a deal with these homes. The agent can help your tell good from bad in these homes, help you strategize through the online offer process, give you sound advice throughout the entire process and more.

For information about HUD homes as well as

real estate predictions and news, explore the frequently updated Equifax Finance Blog.

North Carolina Cities Make the 10 Fastest Growing U.S. Cities List

Charlottecity

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Charlotte’s population has grown 64.6 percent between 2000 and 2010 making it one of the 10 fastest growing cities in America. Despite the recession and housing market, Charlotte has record population gains despite the national average of 10 percent population growth.

Initially recognized as a transportation center, Charlotte is now the “second largest financial center in the nation, after New York,” said Bob Morgan, president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

Jobs at big banks like Bank of America, Citi, Ally Financial, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo have helped the city grow tremendously.

Because of this population growth, there was an increase in demand of Charlotte new homes.

Another North Carolina city that has overcome the odds despite economic instability is Raleigh with a 63.4 percent growth between 2000 and 2010. Because of the high percent of population growth, there has been an increase in building Raleigh new homes.

Named after Sir Walter Raleigh who popularized tobacco use, the city of Raleigh once depended on the tobacco crop for economic success, but now Raleigh is known for its intellectual hub of many technology firms. These firms include Red Hat, an open source software company and Etix, a web-based ticketing company for sports, entertainment and travel.

For a complete list of the 10 fastest growing U.S. cities visit CNNMoney. For more information on Carolina real estate, visit the website.

Carolina Real Estate Agents Can Attend Specialized Training Course for Distressed Homeowners

ToolsThe Charfen Institute is offering a Certified Distressed Property Designation course to provide agents the perfect tools, processes and education to help distressed homeowners avoid foreclosure. Due to a high demand for property education courses, North and South Carolina local area REALTOR® Associations will offer industry-leading Real Estate Short Sale courses.

The North Carolina Association of REALTORS® and Greensboro Regional REALTORS® Association will meet June 14 and 15 in Greensboro, N.C.. If you are in the Cary, area, the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® will meet August and August 2. In addition, the Coastal Carolina Association of REALTORS® will meet in Myrte Beach, S.C. on August 7 and August 8.

This is an excellent opportunity for local real estate professionals to learn how to help homeowners facing financial hardships, while also earning their Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) Designation. Agents with this certification better understand homeowners’ circumstances and can better navigate foreclosure alternatives.

Since 2008, unemployment, underemployment figures and mortgage delinquency have been at a record high. Recent estimates show that more than one in five homeowners nationwide owe more on their home than it is currently worth.

To find out more about these events in the Carolinas and nationwide visit http://www.cdpe.com/schedule.

Struggling homeowners can get free assistance from a CDPE-designed rate estate agent in their area by visiting http://www.cdpe.com/find/cdpe. For more information on Carolina real estate, visit our website.