Thomasena Washington with Saussy Burbank in River Walk

One of the favorite things we do as Realtors, is help clients find new construction homes in new communities. Sometimes it can be a daunting experience for buyers, but Thomasena Washington of Saussy Burbank Homes is one of those new home sales agents that makes us want to come back to her again and again for assistance.

First of all, RiverWalk is an extraordinary community that has a  velodrome and river access. It is a master planned community in a great location and it’s going to be an incredible community as it continues to grow.

The Bovender Team has worked with Saussy Burbank for years. They build beautiful Americana style homes with unique details and charm.

A recent first time home buyer, new to Charlotte, closed on one of Saussy’s inventory homes this month. Thomasena – a consummate professional – was hands-on during the entire process. She went the extra mile and did everything she could to simplify the up-front process for the buyer, while working diligently and tenaciously behind the scenes to ensure a smooth contract to closing. We always work with quality professionals and that always make a difference in the final result at closing. In this case, working with Thomasena in this community is a slam dunk!

The app offers features far beyond “home for sale” components and has appeal to more than just those doing price comparisons and information searches. It has appealing features to those who are not in the midst of a home purchase or sale.

Most of all, the team wants the app to showcase what is special about the Bovender Team and pretty much mobilizes the team’s website, bovenderteam.com – making it accessible using iPhone and droid mobile devices.

The app does allow research on home prices and valuations, as well as photo tours of homes, but it also has a Vendor List that gives users their own personal Angie’s List  – only better because it comes with a Bovender Team recommendation and are the same vendors the team uses every day.

What do you get with the ABT app?

• Featured Homes
• Featured Rentals
• Market Updates
• Local Events
• Vendor List
• Vendor Specials
• Realtor Network Access
• Home Care Tips
• Real Estate-centric News and Articles
• Intros to the Entire Team
• Share with a Friend Option

Even those with just a passing interest in real estate can find the app useful.  So download the app today!

In case you don’t know them, The Andy Bovender Team is Allen Tate’s #1 Team in the Carolinas for 2011 and 2012 – committed to the highest level of customer service, cutting edge technology, and working hard to be the top Real Estate Team of choice in both Charlotte region and Upstate SC.

Learn more by visiting The Andy Bovender Team website.

Absolutely beautiful home in Town Center of Baxter Village. Just steps away from shopping and dining. Great curb appeal. Features open floorplan great for entertaining, kitchen has custom cabinets, huge island, premier appliances, granite, large pantry. Hardwoods on main, all bedrooms w/walk-ins, including a guest suite w/private bath. Luxurious Master Suite w/ separate shower & garden tub. Fenced yard w/ patio and much more!

Take a tour!

177 Mills Lane, Fort Mill, SC 29708
4BR/3.5BA/2-Car Garage
$569,900

Timeless classic Evans Coghill home! Luxury details incl custom barrel entry w/ dual mahogany doors, wrap front porch w/ bead board ceiling, wide plank hw, butler’s pantry w/ wine cooler, gourmet kitchen w/ granite, custom cabinets, & ss appls. Tiled mudroom w/ private friend’s entry, dual bonus rms, covered rear porch, bay window w/ box seat, huge fncd irrig yard, designer hardware & much more!

Take a tour!

419 Esther Court, Fort Mill, SC 29708
4BR/3.5BA/2-Car Garage
$537,000

Beautiful Evans Coghill home on cul-de-sac lot. Features hwds,formal dining,office, mudroom,fireplace in great room,built-ins,stunning kitchen w/ upgraded cabinets,granite,ss appl,large bkfst, sep. staircase to bonus room,tons of storage,master suite w/ marble vanity & semi frameless shower,new screened porch w/coffered ceiling perfect for entertaining, wooded lot,oversized garage,new roof & more!

Take a tour!

1074 Gardenia Street, Fort Mill, SC 29708
3BR/2.5BA/2-Car Garage
$382,000

One-of-a-kind EarthCraft certified home on cul-de-sac. Features Bamboo floors throughout main, formal dining room, office, great room w/ fireplace, custom crown molding, gourmet kitchen w/ ss & CesarStone countertops, luxury MBR on main w/ jacuzzi tub & granite, tons of walk -in storage on upper level, sound system, tankless water heater, front & back porch painted in 2011 & more.

Take a tour!

952 Gardenia Street, Fort Mill, SC 29708
4BR/2.5BA/2-Car Garage
$525,000

Gorgeous custom home w/ Master on Main! Chef’s dream kitchen w/ granite counters, island, cust bcksplsh & glass inlay cabs, SS appls w/ double oven. Wide plank hrdwds, tile, custom faucets & hardware, 10ft ceilings, spacious guest suite & 2nd BRs, jack-n-jill bth, cust mouldings, large laundry/mud rm, study, dual bonus, built-ins, huge screened porch overlooking great backyard, irrigation & more!

Take a tour!

5814 Savona Terrace, Fort Mill, SC 29708
4BR/3.5BA/2-Car Garage
$525,000

Absolutely stunning custom home located in Baxter Village. Features hwds, formal dining room, office, gas fireplace in great room, 10′ ceilings, large mudroom w/ dropzone, 8′ doors, custom kitchen w/ granite, ss, stone backsplash, sep staircase to bonus room, beautiful master suite, new carpet upstairs, new paint on front & back porch, oversized garage, fenced yard w/ covered porch and so much more!

Take a tour!

204 Mills Lane, Fort Mill, SC 29708
4BR/3.5BA/2-Car Garage
$357,000

Gorgeous immaculate home w/ double front porch. Features open floorplan, hwds on main, dining room, office, gas fireplace in great room, gourmet kitchen w/ large breakfast area, spacious master suite w/ dual vanity & garden tub, peaceful 2nd floor porch retreat, back deck leads to garden patio, perfect for entertaining, extra wide garage for storage, professionally designed landscape & much more!

Take a tour!

This gives the roof inspection tremendous power over the potential for any of these homeowners to actually successfully close a deal on their home.

If you are the homeowner and your roof fails inspection and replacement is recommended, it is highly unlikely that your potential buyer would volunteer to cough up the cost of a new roof. This means that you’re likely to be holding the bag for the cost of a new roof or – at the very least – a roof repair.

The last thing someone with a house on the market probably has in their budget is $25K for a new roof, so keeping up an inspection schedule across the years – or at least facing inspection results PRIOR to listing your home – is important to being able to close when you have an offer.

Of course, hail isn’t the only culprit for roof damage. Four of the most “popular” causes of roof damage are: poor maintenance, wind damage, other weather related damage – including hail – and improperly installed flashing. But we hear more about hail damage because of the door-to-door storm chasers who peddle their replacement roof “deals” immediately on the heels of hail storms. (Always be wary of these storm chasers. They are often scam artists and should be checked out through the Better Business Bureau before you even get a price from them!)

Most experts advise regular roof inspections – and while they are not terribly expensive (somewhere between $200-$400) folks often put it off because they just don’t imagine that they could have deal-stopping roof damage without it showing up in a leak. Unfortunately, leaks happen long after deal-stopping damage is evident to an inspector.

Most inspectors don’t want to climb up on your roof – but sometimes looking directly down on the shingles is the only way to spot damage. Angles often hide defects. So be sure to find an inspector who will find a way to get a close look at your roof – such as using a ladder, using binoculars or viewing it from a dormer window’s vantage point.

Read Myths and Facts of Hail Damage Insurance Claims.

One thing is for sure: Working with a good Realtor will ensure that you don’t find out about any roof issues as you are trying to close your deal. A Realtor who has your best interest in mind will make sure that your house is ready for the scrutiny of inspectors long before your reach the closing stage.

Talk to The Andy Bovender Team to find out more about what you need to do to prepare your home for listing.

We’ve done a little research and can share the common seasonal pests and ways to keep them from taking up residence in your home…

Flying Insects

Protect your home by screening in your windows, doors, and other openings with mesh that is at least 18 x 18 strands per square inch.

Carpenter Ants

Prevent them from gaining a foothold by storing firewood away from your home and removing deadwood and scraps from around your foundation. Direct your rain gutters away from your house so water does not accumulate around your foundation.

Pavement Ants

Keep them out by sealing cracks and holes in your foundation to eliminate access points. Cut vegetation away from your foundation. Avoid using landscape timbers and stones adjacent to your foundation. Keep landscape mulch less than 2 inches thick and at least one (1) foot away from the foundation.

Cockroaches

To protect yourself from infestation keep things dry.  Cockroaches typically enter homes in search of water and cooler temperatures during the dry summer months. They are also attracted to food crumbs, spills, and food such as produce left on the table.  Proper maintenance and cleaning will help alleviate these potential house guests.

Mosquitos

Prevent mosquitos from multiplying and becoming a nuisance by keeping your home dry. After all. mosquitos breed and thrive in water, no matter how small the puddle. Avoid leaving water in watering cans around your home. Other sources of water that could attract mosquitos are birdbaths, wading pools, or garden ponds.

Termites

To keep termites away, make sure that you keep gutters and roof lines in good repair and free of debris to reduce wood rot. Store firewood away from your home and remove deadwood and scraps from around your foundation.

Wasps

Keep wasps from being attracted to your home by avoiding decorating with fragrant candles or planting fragrant flowers near your home since these insects are often attracted to sweet scents.

Now that you know some of the common seasonal pests and what is attractive to them, you can take the proper actions to keep your home pest free.

There is more that you can do to make your home even less attractive to pests. Clean!

Putting a little elbow grease into Spring cleaning can help you keep pests out of your home and enjoy your Summer.

Literally brushing away Winter cobwebs helps to clean the slate so that pests don’t have places to make themselves at home.

Clean your kitchen and keep it clean. Ants, cockroaches and mice are attracted to the crumbs, spills and greasy residue that are often found in kitchens. Scrub countertops down (don’t miss the sides) and be sure to wipe down the fronts of your cabinets. Clean around your stove and worktop since grease residue often collects here. Don’t allow dirty dishes to collect in your sink. Keep trash containers clean and sealed. Remove remaining food after your pet has finished eating.

Clean out your cabinets.  This should be done regularly, but if not, Spring is a fine time to start. Remove old food. Check expiration dates and remove anything that is past its use-by date.  Old bags of flour are a favorite of pantry pests like Indian meal moths so get rid of anything that is old. A good rule of thumb may be to throw away anything that you cannot remember the last time you used it. Make sure everything that you use is sealed tightly in plastic or glass containers to protect it from any pest invaders.

Remove clutter – even in your closets, basement, garage or attic. Eliminating this clutter from your home can reduce the places inside your home that are attractive to pests. Don’t forget to include your gutters in your Spring cleaning!

Install or repair window and door screens. If you like to open your windows in Spring and Summer, be careful! Flies, mosquitoes and spiders love open doors and windows. If you took out your screens in the Fall, put them back now. First, however, make sure that they are free of any holes and that they fit snugly.

Make yard work part of your Spring cleaning. Piles of brush, wood or anything too close to your home are harbors for pests. They also attract termites and carpenter ants.  Make sure you maintain a one-inch gap between soil and wood portions of your house and keep mulch away from your home’s foundation.

Eliminate damp areas inside your home.  Pests such as earwigs like moist areas in your basement, under sinks and near your washing machine. Do what you can to reduce the moisture by running a dehumidifier or mending any leaky pipes.

Check around your property’s exterior. Look for areas that may be in need of repair because they can allow insects or rodents to enter your house. Repair cracks in your foundation and block holes in the exterior of your home. Caulk wherever you can to seal entryways into you home for pests.

Combining your new knowledge of seasonal pests and cleaning tips that make your house less inviting to them, you can really put yourself on the fast track to having a pest free Spring and Summer!

The Charlotte Museum of History is located in east Charlotte on an eight-acre wooded campus with the Hezekiah Alexander House in each Charlotte.  Hezekiah Alexander’s profession was listed in Mecklenburg County Deeds as a blacksmith and then a planter who was born in Maryland and was a 2^nd generation American.  Read more about Hezekiah Alexander.

Since its acquisition by the Methodist Home in the 1940s, the house and surrounding land have had an interesting history. The Foundation that owns and manages the property is now known as The Charlotte Museum of History. Read more about the history of this noted Charlotte house.

Today, the Hezekiah Alexander House is the foundational homesite of the Charlotte Museum of History. This educational organization captures and shares the stories of the Charlotte region from settlement forward through exhibits and programs. The museum collects, preserves, researches, and interprets regional artifacts, including the oldest surviving house in Mecklenburg County, the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Homesite.

The address of the Hezekiah Alexander House and Charlotte Museum of History is 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215.

SIZZLE VS STEAK OR SIZZLE AND STEAK? by KCMBlog.com

It’s often so difficult to choose who to work with in a real estate transaction. It’s tough to know the great agents and loan officers. I believe finding the great ones can truly prove to be a gift to your future.

What is the “Steak”?

To me, that’s the part of the agent or loan officer’s expertise. They are fluent in their industry, their available products and inventory, the current market conditions, and the entire process that you will be undergoing. The “steak” is about using their excellence in execution to deliver a comprehensive solution for their clients.

What is the “Sizzle”?

To me, that’s the branding, marketing and name recognition the agent and/or loan officer has. It’s the websites, Twitter accounts, Facebook personal/business/community pages, LinkedIn, FourSquare and Pinterest stuff. It’s the glossy brochures and advertising they do. Sizzle is about drawing attention in order to create a buzz.

It is rare to find an agent or loan officer that is both, and when you do find them, I will argue that you have almost a moral obligation to tell everyone you know about them.

It puts homeowners, for example, in an awkward position. Do I want an agent who is awesome at Sizzle- one who garners attention for my home, or do I want an agent who is a great technician that can identify a good deal and make sure it closes? Of course, we want both, but which is more important to you?

Similarly, do buyers today need the big name brand lender or loan officer that is advertising their services everywhere or should they find a true advisor who understands interest rate movements, tax consequences, and how a mortgage can impact long term financial planning? It would be great if you could have both, but which is a requirement for you?

For a while now, I have preached that real estate and mortgage professionals need to be experts and superior marketers, but which is more important? Because of that old 80/20 rule, it seems you are going to have to choose one or the other. Do you need credible advice when buying or selling or better promotion of your property (because you’re comfortable in your own knowledge base)? Do you subscribe to the quantity over quality mantra or vice versa?

The advice is…first decide whether you want steak or sizzle? Then, decide what the person talking to you offers…OR hold out until you can find that diamond in the rough who embodies both.  read the original blog at http://www.kcmblog.com/2012/06/21/sizzle-vs-steak-or-sizzle-and-steak/

Stats courtesy of CRRA and CMLS.  For more stats on our market, visit http://www.bovenderteam.com

NEW TEAM APP!..You can stay up on all the latest market news and trends with the NEW Andy Bovender Team App on your smart phone, pad or tablet device. Currently available for the iPhone, iPad, or Droid, simply search Andy Bovender Team in your app search window, download and install.  It’s fast and FREE!  Developed by INSite Business Solutions (http://insitebiz.com) exclusively for our team, this all-in-one app provides a one stop shop for anyone with real estate needs plus a whole lot more.  Get market updates, real estate news and articles, extensive local events, access to a comprehensive list of vendors and their specials, contact our team, get a referral in another area, search featured rentals, and much more.  This app was designed to bring you value long after buying or selling a property. Download the Andy Bovender Team App today from your iPhone, Droid, or tablet and tell all your friends to do the same, you can’t afford not too!

YORK COUNTY HOUSING MARKET STARTS TO RISE .. by CharlotteObserver

While sales are not near heyday of early 2000′s, first-quarter single-family permits this year show significant increase from same time last year.

Consumer confidence is stimulating a sluggish York County housing market, say those who make and sell homes.
In the last few months, homebuilders have started – or announced plans to start – construction in several subdivisions. Baxter Village near Fort Mill, one of York County’s most popular communities, is almost built out. So far this year, David Weekly Homes, one of the initial builders there, has sold 25 homes in Baxter, the total number it sold there for all of 2011.

“We were at the bottom a year ago,” said Bob Zweier, president of Saussy Burbank, one of the builders in Baxter Village near Fort Mill and Riverwalk in Rock Hill. “We’ve bounced off the bottom, and it’s a slow, tedious, sometimes painful progress forward.” Mart Vitner, an economist with Well Fargo Securities in Charlotte, said current regional housing inventory is selling quickly with some sellers getting “two to three bids above the asking price.” With job growth in the south Charlotte areas of Ballantyne and South Park, “I’m not surprised that folks are choosing to live in South Carolina,” he said. “This is the real deal. We have bottomed out.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/06/18/3325835/york-county-housing-market-starts.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

From there we toured around the Bank of America Stadium and discovered little known facts about the Carolina Panthers. Off to Spirit Square, zipping across roads and around the sparkly “Firebird” statue at Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Pausing at the intersection of Trade and Tryon, we admired the four statues there. The statue representing “Commerce” is symbolized by a gold miner spilling money on the head of a banker. Did you know the face of the banker is modeled after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan?

We slowed down a little as we drove through historic 4^th Ward. Enjoyed the charming and quirky pastel colored Victorians with interesting courtyards and porches.

It started to lightly drizzle as we headed back to our starting point. Finished off a great afternoon with milkshakes and burgers at Mattie’s Diner. A fantastic day and a super way to appreciate all that Uptown Charlotte has to offer.

Taking a Segway tour of Charlotte is a great way to spend a fun afternoon ,while also learning a little more about this great city of Charlotte which many of us call home!