Weichert, Realtors Mark Thomas Properties Agent Lisa Janes Historic and Older Home Blog

Showing her passion for and knowledge of older homes, Weichert agent Lisa Janes now shares her twelve years of real estate experience on her blog. If you're thinking about buying an older or historic home, you owe it to yourself to check out Lisa's blog.

Forget What the TV Real Estate Experts Say - Here's the 'Real Deal' on the Triangle, NC Real Estate Market

It's hard these days to know what to believe about the greater Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill real estate market conditions. The complete market data for the third quarter of 2009 is now available for free download here.

Want even more? Get the complete 'inside scoop' on Triangle, NC real estate- including school report cards, market trends, AND search the entire MLS here!

New Blog Feature! Call me for FREE using Google Voice

The link just to the right of this post will now connect you to me by phone FREE! Want more information about the Triangle, NC real estate market? Need the best electronic homesearch tools? School information?

If you're buying or selling real estate in the greater Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Hillsborough area, you need to speak to me first!

Trinity Park Durham, NC - 1411 N. Gregson St - OPEN SUNDAY Oct 4th, 2009 2-6 pm

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WEICHERT, REALTORS - Mark Thomas Properties agent Doug Osborn just listed this beautifully renovated Trinity Park Georgian. Our first open house will be Sunday, Oct 4th between 2-6 pm. Hope you can stop by.

Search the MLS for all Trinity Park homes for sale (Updated daily)

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WEICHERT, REALTORS - Mark Thomas Properties' agent Eric Buschman honored by NC Association of Realtors as Rising Star

The North Carolina Association of Realtors recently recognized WEICHERT, REALTORS - Mark Thomas Properties' agent Eric Buschman as a 'Rising Star'. Eric has been with the company for about five years and is a member of the company's Founders Club-one of the first five agents to join the firm.

The Rising Star award is given to Realtors who have been in the business for less than five years and have been major contributors to their Realtor organization. Eric initiated the company's adopt-a-highway program almost four years ago and he is very active in the Durham Regional Association of Realtors Community Service Committee where he helped organize the charity auction- raising approximately $15,000 in the past two years.

Read the article published in NCAR's Insights magazine.

The Latest 'Inside Scoop" on the Triangle, NC Area Real Estate Market is Available Now

I think one of the biggest problems for today's real estate consumer is separating fact from fiction as it relates to the current real estate market conditions in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill area.

My new, updated Triangle, NC area market trend reports should help! I just made the August 2009 market trend reports available for free, immediate delivery to your email inbox- no waiting! Get the latest, most up-to-date information on the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill, NC real estate market now.

Learn about average sale prices by county, appreciation rates, local hot markets, and more!

Get Mark's Triangle Area market trend reports now! (Don't worry- the information contained in this link is updated monthly- so you'll always get the latest market data even if this blog post is old by the time you find it)

From Mouse to House: Weichert Makes High-Speed Connections!

When talking to homesellers, I'm often asked "What makes Weichert different from the other guys?"

I always end up talking about our internet strategy- it's the most powerful in the business! Check it out for yourself here: From Mouse to House: Weichert Makes High Speed Connections.

Thinking about selling your home? You MUST have an online strategy. Sure, any firm can take you to realtor.com, but there are literally hundreds of real estate related websites where you need to be. And, just 'being there' isn't enough. Today's homebuyers want a quick response to their inquiries. From Google, Oodle, and Kaboodle to Frontdoor and Backpage, WEICHERT, REALTORS - Mark Thomas Properties gives you more. When selling your home, call Mark Thomas at 919-730-7067 to receive the 'inside scoop' on Weichert's comprehensive online marketing strategy.

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You can also get the complete 'inside scoop' on the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill real estate market, as well as search the complete MLS database of available properties here!

Search all Woodcroft Homes For Sale in Durham, NC

Follow this link to get the most up-to-date MLS listings for the entire Woodcroft community in Durham. This link will allow you to search the entire Triangle Multiple Listing Service database for all Woodcroft homes for sale. This is the same MLS database that Realtors use. Follow this link below:

Search all available Woodcroft homes in Durham, NC now! You won't have to wait to receive emailed passwords or login information. You will receive immediate access to the data.

Woodcroft real estate is among the most popular in Durham AND the entire Triangle, NC area.

IMPORTANT: After you reach the search page, enter 'Woodcroft' in the subdivision field and 'Durham' in the city field.

Search all available Woodcroft homes in Durham, NC now!

Your Listing Has Expired, Now What? -- 3 Reasons Why Homes Don't Sell

I hear it all the time. "My home was listed for a long time with a top agent and it still has not sold. What did we do wrong? Mark, can you help me?"

Yes, I can.

There are only 3 reasons why homes don't sell:

1. Price (needs to be reduced) In my opinion, over seventy percent of the listing inventory in the Triangle, NC MLS is overpriced! Overpriced listings just don't sell- especially in market conditions like we have today.


2. Condition (needs improvement) Successful sellers today understand that they must get their home ready to sell. Gone are the days of providing 'allowances' for poor paint and worn carpet. For the most part, today's homebuyers simply don't want to buy your 'project' - they'll just go down the street and buy a home that is 'move-in ready'


3. Marketing (or lack of it) Today's real estate market requires comprehensive, aggressive, and cost effective marketing in order to find the buyer who will buy your home. Simply putting your home in the MLS and hoping for a sale just doesn't work anymore. (I'll even put your home in the MLS for free, just to prove my point!) It takes a lot of work to sell homes today!

If you've tried to sell your home and have been unsuccessful so far, please call me for a 'no obligation' analysis of your situation. I'm happy to tell you why your home has not sold AND I can provide you with a detailed marketing plan to get the job done. I have over twenty years of sales and marketing experience and I can help you. Please call me at 919-730-7067.

First TIme Homebuyers should pay attention to homes like these! You'll LOVE Woodcroft in Durham

Grove Park - Hot Summer Deal - Don't miss this one!

I don't usually post info about specific listings on this blog, but this is just too good a deal to pass up! Call Mark 919-730-7067

Triangle NC Area Real Estate Market Recovery Continues - Durham County Leads Area

The Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill real estate market continues to recover. Total number of closed transactions in Durham County through July 31, 2009 are down only 19% versus the same period in 2008.





Get the complete 'inside scoop' on the Triangle, NC real estate market.

Search Triangle NC MLS

Triangle NC Real Estate Market Recovering

Performance by county.

$8000 Homebuyer Tax Credit Video

Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill Real Estate - 1st Quarter 2009 Market Summary Results are in!

The Triangle, NC area, including Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, first quarter 2009 real estate market performance is down compared to the same period in 2008. Depending upon the exact real estate sub-market,the actual number of real estate closed sales is down approximately 33%-40%. Orange County, including the cities of Chapel Hill and Hillsborough outperformed Durham and Wake County.

You can also get the complete 'inside scoop' on the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill real estate market, as well as search the complete MLS database of available properties here!

Best Real Estate Deal in Durham, NC Blogsite now available

The Best Real Estate Deal in Durham, NC blogsite in now available! At this blogsite, seasoned real estate broker/investor/trainer, Mark Thomas, locates and features only the best Durham homes- so that you won't have to!

Just reduced by $10,000, the Durham Real Estate Deal of the Month for March is a beautiful 4 bedroom Woodcroft home with 1998 square feet. There's also an unfinished basement that could easily be finished to provide an additonal 754 square feet. Situated in the Chestnut Bluffs area, this one is priced to sell YESTERDAY! Warm, neutral colors, and plenty of natural light make this home the March's 'best deal'. As a Realtor serving Durham since 1993, I always hear good things from owners who live in Woodcroft! The fantastic Woodcroft Swim and Tennis Club, walking trails, as well as its close proximity to shopping (Woodcroft Shopping Center and The Streets at Southpoint Mall) and schools make this a fantastic bargain.

Call Mark Thomas now to schedule a showing for this 'Durham, NC Real Estate Deal of the Month' View the full MLS listing information sheet and don't forget to click on the first photo displayed on the sheet in order to view additional photos of this property. You can also get the complete 'inside scoop' on the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill real estate market, as well as search the complete MLS database of available properties here!

Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms Real Estate - Update through March 24, 2009

As of March 24, 2009, total real estate sales in Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms are down 50%, compared to the same period in 2008.

As of March 24, 2009, the total number of home sales in Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms was 18, compared to 38 homes sold in the same period in 2008. Request the complete 'inside scoop' on Triangle, NC (Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill) real estate, and gain immediate access to the MLS data.

New Blog Features Best Chapel Hill Real Estate Deals

A new Chapel Hill, NC real estate blog features only the 'best of the best' values in Chapel Hill real estate. Visit BestChapelHillRealEstateDeal.blogspot.com to see the best values in Chapel Hill real estate.

Become a Real Estate Agent in Chapel Hill, Cary, Raleigh, and Durham, NC Area

Tired of your 'corporate' job? Unsure of your future? Looking to move your career in a different direction? Is now the time to think about becoming a Triangle, NC area Realtor? Though the Chapel Hill, Cary, Durham, and Raleigh, NC real estate market is down slightly, I believe the area remains poised for significant growth in the near-term!

Surprisingly, downturns (OK, let's call it a recession) really do create opportunities! The most recent slowdown in the housing sector is no different. Today's real estate consumers have different needs- and those needs require real estate agents who are different, too. Are you web savvy? Can you text? What is a SERP, anyway? Follow me on Twitter and enjoy the video below! Send me an email if you're interested in learning more.

Learn more about Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill

The three main cities in the Triangle, NC area are Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh- each city has its own personality. With a combined population of almost two million people, the area has grown to be one of the major metropolitan areas in the Southeast.

Take a YouTube video tour of Durham, NC. Food, music, basketball, technology- it's all in the video. Discover Durham!





Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau's List of Top 10 Things to do in Chapel Hill


Interested in Raleigh? Find 'Things to do' in Raleigh here.

Need a Million Dollar Home? No Shortage of Luxury Homes in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill Market

As of March 2, 2009, the greater Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill area has 426 homes on the market with list prices over $1M. It's a great time to find your dream home!

February 2009 Durham, NC Real Estate Market Down Twenty Percent compared to February 2008

Is Durham County leading the Triangle, NC area out of the housing slump? February 2009 sales data for the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill area indicates this could be the case!

The total number of real estate sales in February 2009 for Durham county shows that Durham outperformed other Triangle, NC area counties, including Wake and Orange. According to sales reported in the Triangle Multiple Listing Service (TMLS), Durham had a total of 138 sales in February 2009 compared to 173 sales in February 2008. Durham's 20 percent drop is less than half the drop seen in Orange and Wake Counties, where total number of sales for the same periods are down 49 percent and 46 percent, respectively. Get the complete 'inside scoop' on the Triangle, NC real estate market.

Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms Home Sales - 2009 Update through 2-23-09

There have been 10 sales in Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms so far in 2009, compared to 17 sales for the same period in 2008. Both neighborhoods consistently rank in the top 10 of all Triangle, NC area (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill) neighborhoods.

Search the MLS for all available Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms homes now!

Triangle NC Area includes more than just Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill - Update on Chatham County Real Estate

Sure, everybody wants to know about market conditions and the average sale price of homes in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham, but did you know the Triangle Multiple Listing Service includes an additional 16 counties? One of these counties, Chatham, (view map) is located south of Orange, Durham, and Alamance and west of Wake.

The average sale price of homes in Chatham County is currently $342,582, down about 6% from January 2007. The total number of real estate transactions dropped almost 60% in Chatham County from January 2007 levels. Chatham County inventory is currently up about 25%. Use the 'contact Mark Thomas' link on the right side of this page and ask for the complete Chatham County real estate market summary.

Triangle NC Real Estate Available Inventory Levels and Market Absorption Rate

As of January 31, 2009 there were 17,460 properties on the market. The average days on market is 102. We currently have a 12.8 month supply of homes. Use our FREE search tool to find your perfect home from all available MLS inventory!

Average Sale Prices of Triangle, NC Area Homes, Including Orange, Durham, and Wake Counties

In January 2009 the average sale price of a home in the Triangle, NC area market was $224,831, compared to $225,175 in January 2007. This is a slight decrease of only 0.2%.

Looking at average home prices by county:

Orange County (includes Chapel Hill and Hillsborough) home prices fell the most from $342,226 in January 2007 to $291,956 in January 2009 - a 14.7% drop.

Durham County (includes city of Durham) had a more modest drop- $207,088 in January 2007 to $202,380 in January 2009 - a 2.3% decrease.

Wake County (includes Raleigh and Cary) home prices increased - $242,295 in January 2007 to $250,618 in January 2009 - a 3.4% increase.

January 2009 - Number of Triangle NC Area Real Estate Closings Down vs. Same Period 2008

The number of real estate closings in the greater Triangle, NC area for January 2009 is down about 45% compared to January 2008. Wake County, including Raleigh and Cary, is down 44%. Durham County, including the city of Durham is down 46% and Orange County, including the cities of Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, is down 45%. Get the complete 'inside scoop' on the Triangle, NC real estate market.

Need Information about Triangle, NC Real Estate? - Links to Local Tax Office, Register of Deeds, and Geographic Information System (GIS) Info

Ever wanted to know the tax value of a property? How much your neighbor paid for their home? Is your home located in a flood plain?

This information and more is available to you immediately and, best of all, it's free! You'll find the following links useful as you do your research on Triangle, NC real estate. Find information about Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill homes.

For Durham County (includes properties located in the City of Durham)
Durham County Geographic Information System (GIS)
http://rodweb.co.durham.nc.us/ Durham County Register of Deeds

http://www.ustaxdata.com/nc/durham/durhamsearch.cfm Durham County Tax Office

For Orange County (includes Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough)
http://web.co.orange.nc.us/webinquiry/ Orange County Register of Deeds

http://web.co.orange.nc.us/TaxInquiry/index.asp Orange County Tax Office
http://www.co.orange.nc.us/gis/gisdisclaimer.asp Orange County Geographic Information System (GIS)

Wake County (Includes Raleigh and Cary)
http://www.wakegov.com/gis/default.htm Wake County Geopgraphic Information System (GIS)
http://web.co.wake.nc.us/rdeeds/ROD/Real%20Estate/Real%20Estate%20Home.htm Wake County Register of Deeds
http://www.wakegov.com/tax/default.htm Wake County Tax Office

Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms are Consistently Among Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill Favorite Communities

Woodcroft and Hope Valley Farms are consistently among the most popular communities in the Triangle, NC area. In 2008 Woodcroft was the 3rd best selling neighborhood with 153 total transactions. The average price for a home in Woodcroft in 2008 was $177, 532. With amenities such as hiking trails, Woodcroft Swim and Tennis Club, and close proximity to Duke, UNC, NCCU, and Southpoint Mall, it's easy to understand Woodcroft's popularity. The average age of a home in Woodcroft is about 21 years.

Hope Valley Farms, just next door to Woodcroft, is a bit newer and, with its 121 sales in 2008, ranks 7th of all Triangle neighborhoods. The average sale price of a home in Hope Valley Farms in 2008 was $207,528. The average days on market was 63 in 2008.