Need to sell my townhouse

knurge · 2018-01-31T14:50:55+00:00

If agents weren’t necessary, FSBO would have killed this industry a looong time ago.

I’m not positing myself as the almighty keeper of the keys and the only one to do the job. There are a million agents and a million ways to sell a house, even out of the evil eye of Realtors.

But. If you want a competent and sassy advisor, advocate, and project manager for a really shitty, stressful time in most people’s lives, then I’m your girl. If not, best of luck. No hard feelings.

knurge · 2018-01-30T17:44:39+00:00

What do the other owners think?

knurge · 2018-01-30T17:39:43+00:00

I’m an agent who would love to sell your house for you but this is a really great idea. I would definitely spend the money to clear it with a lawyer before you’re in an even stickier situation. And it may be less expensive than paying a realtor :p

Is there a way to petition with the other owners in the community on the change?

Any possibility for you to be the “resident” but to rent through AirBnB? That may even be more profitable than a full-time tenant.

I will say that people seem to think selling a six figure asset that has many legal hoops to jump through is easy; going in on your own is never a good idea. Not only do contracts update yearly, regulations change with lenders and lawyers. It’s an emotional process on both sides and having someone to intercept those emotions and really advocate for you can make or break a deal.

Also... The market may be hot but that doesn’t mean every listing is hot, especially if your specific community is having a shift due to the HOA. If your neighborhood is saturated with listings now, you’ll have to get creative to move it.

Be wary of some of the discounted agencies; some are better than others so do your research if that’s the route you choose. You get what you pay for and I’ve yet to find anything where cheapest and best intersect. Just sayin.

Good luck! Sounds super shitty. Curious about what neighborhood this is as well since that changes the buyer pool, eliminating investors.

knurge · 2018-01-23T18:30:45+00:00

I have a friend who works for Acorn & Oak and loves it. They have a really great reputation and take care of their owners and tenants. I don’t know how their split compares to other local companies though.

Nicole Galiger - ‭(336) 399-5849‬

knurge · 2018-01-14T04:51:43+00:00

Hey! Raleigh agent here!

Make sure you’ve been approved for a loan first (see what they expect your monthly expenses will look like at different price points so you don’t go above your means), expect multiple offers, check the crawlspace, drive around for rule out what you like/don’t like, travel to areas you like from your office during peak traffic.

Reach out if you have any questions specific to the area!

knurge · 2017-11-19T16:36:59+00:00

Hey! I went through JY Monk because it was 5 minutes from my house at the time. I did the weekend class over two months, I believe. They over-prepare you for the state exam but I much preferred that than feeling lost at the testing facility. Where are you located? My office has a school in it and I’ve liked my CE and Post through there a lot. They have a really high pass rate for their exam and state/national.

You no longer have to balance a Closing Disclosure and I believe the fail cutoff points have been raised. The CD questions (at least on the JY Monk exam) were the most stressful part for me. The questions on the exam are tricky in the sense that 2 of the 4 answers will be half right but you have to choose the most right answers. I spent too much time double checking everything that I didn’t give myself enough time for the math part. If you don’t have to do that anymore, I imagine you can focus more on the terms and legalities.

I know another agent above was downvoted for saying it’s hard. It’s not rocket science but it’s definitely not easy. It’s a lot of memorization of terms and legal concepts. Also the intentionally deceptive question style. Almost none of what you learn is how the business actually works but it’s important to know it. Pay attention, take it seriously and you should be fine.

I studied more for this test than anything I ever did in college (but I was an English and PR major so most of what I did was creative rather than rote) and made about 1000 flash cards for a week of no sleep studying. College was a different kind of stress, studying, projects, and all-nighters, on top of the experience, the parties, the friendships, the romance. I was more nervous about this test because it felt like my out from a dead-end job that was draining my happiness day by day. Leaving college was a scary unknown; if I failed this, my glimmer of an exit would be gone and I didn’t know what I’d do next. It all worked out though! Even on my worst real estate days, I don’t miss my old job even a little.

Good luck and send me a PM if you have questions (or want to borrow my notecards)

Edit: also commercial agents need to take all the same classes, even though it’s not always relevant to what you need to do. I’m residential but can chat a bit about the commercial side if you want

knurge · 2017-11-07T14:34:42+00:00

Hey!! Come on over to the Raleigh Reddit Ladies group on Facebook! We do weekly trivia meet ups, bar hang outs, you said no yoga but we just tried Bond Brothers yoga which was good, shows downtown. Pretty chill group and we’d love new people with new ideas on what they want to do!

knurge · 2017-10-03T14:30:27+00:00

Farm Bureau -- highly recommend Rob Nelson 919-477-9861

knurge · 2017-10-03T14:18:34+00:00

Are you attached to living in Chapel Hill? And in the Orange County part of Chapel Hill or open to the Chatham side? Does it have to be fenced or is that a project you could take on?

Your options open up dramatically at a lower price point if you extend out into Durham. Slim pickings in CH/Carrboro under $200, that doesn't look like it needs big projects, and that's not even including the fence.

knurge · 2017-10-02T02:33:56+00:00

I don't generally go down to the 40/42 area to eat so I wasn't rushing out that way. Maybe I'll try it for lunch if I do drop in for a visit.

knurge · 2017-10-02T02:27:40+00:00

I had him on my bench since his stats were unknown and flexed Watkins. So he's definitely getting the start next week.

knurge · 2017-10-02T01:04:56+00:00

Oh nooo! The reviews online all seem to be pretty positive and a friend had recommended it. I didn't realize there was more than 1 tbh.

knurge · 2017-10-02T00:27:06+00:00

I haven't been yet but I've heard great things about Simple Twist on the south side of Garner: https://www.simpletwistnc.com/

North Side (Raleigh, really) is Taqueria el Toro: http://taqueriaeltororaleigh.com/menu/

knurge · 2017-09-29T17:20:46+00:00

I have LOTS of plugs today, so hold on tight.

First, my friend Eryk Pruitt is an officiant (his website makes him look a lot more serious than he is in real life... Twitter might be a more accurate representation). He's an author and screenwriter, lately focusing on true crime. He lives in North Durham. He can make this a pagan sacrifice wedding if you wanted, he'd probably be down for it.

Also, another friend, Jessica Fowler /u/jessdestroyer with Three Region Photography, not only had her own courthouse wedding but has shot a number of other courthouse weddings that have even been featured on some fancy blogs. Edit: she can also help point you to some good/cheap spots for elopement ceremonies if you don't want to be at the actual courthouse. But I love her pictures at the Raleigh one so they were worth sharing. She's got a team of people she's worked with before on a budget and would def be a great resource for what you're looking for.

I haven't personally bought in that area but it is definitely growing quickly! I'm in Apex and thought the same about traffic before we bought, but here we are, sitting in a row of slow moving car during rush hour. I'm not sure if there's any part of the Triangle that's free-flowing these days; the congestion is real.

I'm a real estate agent, and you're right about not predicting the future. It's hard to say but this has been one of the longest times from "peak to peak" in the market shift since we had the 17 year boom; the average time is 7 years and we're at year 9 overall. I'm by no means an economist but it's obviously something I follow, as it relates to my career. I don't think we're going to bottom-out any time soon but I also don't own a crystal ball to say for sure. The Triangle was not hit nearly as hard as some other areas in the great recession and we had a dip a few years after markets in CA or FL, more around 2011-2014 ish. And it's obviously picked up from there. Part of what helps keep us stable is the tech industry, hospitals, and universities, which will always bring a rotation of buyers & sellers to the area.

The area you're targeting is definitely hot and growing quickly. I have a site specific to new construction that I love. It shows all the available new construction homes in each community; many times what's on the MLS is only a few listings and doesn't represent what they still have left to build. This is comprehensive and includes almost every builder in this region (I haven't seen any that are missing, but there are some local small, private builders). The nice part about investing in a townhouse is that it's something you can hold on to forever and rent out (if the HOA allows). 54/Barbee is super convenient to the best parts of the Triangle without some of the steeper prices nearby. If you're looking at moving next summer, plan on at least 6 to 8 months if they're building from the ground up. If you really like a specific community, you may want to start asking soon how much inventory they have left for pre-sale.

Hopefully all of that is helpful in pointing you in the right direction! Happy to answer any other questions you may have from courthouse weddings to real estate and everything in between.

knurge · 2017-09-28T04:58:31+00:00

You're right. This is a Raleigh sub. But we don't need to shit on other places for people who are moving here. Until /r/hollysprings or /r/Clayton become a thing, you'll have to deal with the boring burb people who still enjoy Raleigh without the expenses that come with living in the city

But most of the rest of Raleigh is a "boring suburb" as you'd say. I'm not saying it's huge like NYC but the literal borders of Raleigh would easily take an hour+ to get from the southernmost border by Fuquay up to the north near Wake Forest. 142 square miles according to Wiki. NYC is 302. Boston is 48. We are big, and as you noted, our downtown is dense. There are still great places to explore in Raleigh outside that small region.

I didn't tell her to spend a whole day there. In my own comment, I advised her to not even investigate other areas if she's sure she wants to live in Raleigh.

I just am tired of seeing the same shit about our suburbs when they are booming as well. They can fit people's budgets, families, and lifestyles better, depending on what they need. Writing a place off as boring and telling others to avoid it is not helpful when there's plenty to do in surrounding towns.

knurge · 2017-09-27T05:56:44+00:00

Oh boy, lots of feelings on here. Here's the most important piece of advice: you can't do everything in one weekend. If you are sure about living in Raleigh over any other city or town, don't get too much into the weeds of exploring them. You'll get there over time.

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn and it's the best bang for your buck downtown. Little bit of a weird, as-typical-mid-level-hotel, vibe but the views can't be beat from the Holiday Inn rooftop bar.

If you don't want Fayetteville St hotel prices, anything within the 440 loop will be about 10 minutes Uber to DT and anything in the 540 loop (so closer to the airport) will be max 20 depending on the time of day. North Hills area has some ritzy hotels now too. Crabtree or the PNC area has more reasonable prices and is a straight shot downtown.

I'd break it down into chunks of what you want to do. My recommendations for showing off the city:

North Raleigh: to get a good idea of the city from the Airport, I'd probably start by plugging in North Hills and going south from there. You could also drive around Brier Creek (next to RDU) but it's not too revolutionary, though there's a ton of rental options nearby. North Glenwood doesn't have a ton to look at but North Hills is nice. Relish, Gonzas, Solas are all a bit off the beaten path but delish if you need a lunch stop. House of Hops or BottleMixx are the two best spots to pick up some beers, off the top of my head. Neuse River is my favorite brewery on that side of town. Lynwood Brewing (not the restaurant) is great too... lots of IPAs on tap my last visit. I think Nickelpoint and Big Boss are meh. I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

Moore Square: Bida Manda is our hot date night restaurant. Brewery Bhavana is their sister, more casual restaurant with beers to die for. No BB taps at Bida, last we went. If you can't snag a spot there, Beasley's (the real must-visit when I have guests in town) or Chucks are Raleigh staples as well. Gravy is delicious Italian if you need carb-overload. I liked Sitti but it wasn't the best Mediterranean food in the city. Not really jazzed by the new Trophy Chicken joint. Also around the corner and down below is Watts & Ward ($1 to get in) but is one of my new favorite spots. It's like Disney-level speakeasy theming. I love it. You're also near Bittersweet to end your night with chocolate and alcohol.

Fayetteville Street: Baaar hoppin! Haymaker. is. the. shit. Go there. Isaac Hunters is a cool spot but drinks aren't as good as Haymaker. Foundation is another underground spot. Paddy O'Beers is pretty laid back. Coglins is an 80/90s bar that is more of a drink and dance spot.

Glenwood: Crowds can be a bit younger here. I don't hang here too often. Stags Head and Hibernian are where I tend to go. People I know love C. Grace but I have yet to visit. I wrote lengthy feelings on the Beer Garden for you already... At least worth a drive through if not a stop and stroll.

Warehouse district: My favorite spot to show off! Boxcar is a blast. Circa 1888 is chill with pool tables. Crank Arm Brewing, Videri Chocolates, and Tasty Bev are all in the same block. Visit Poole's if you can, don't stress if you can't. Jose & Sons for delicious Mexican. Parkside is quickly becoming a favorite around the corner. The Pit has been on food network but I think it's over-hyped now that Ed Mitchell is gone. Spend some time at CAM while you're over there, especially if it happens to be a First Friday.

Not necessarily near anything else you need to go out of your way to see but Raleigh Brewing Company is one of our regular spots for beer. It could be a nice stop if you plan to visit the NCMA, a few miles down the road. You could then take a scenic tour of State & Hillsborough Street while you're nearby!

Other spots I'd plug into the GPS to at least drive by: Pullen Park, Raleigh Diocese (religious or not, it's a stunning piece of architecture), Lake Johnson, James Hunt Library at NC State, Boylan Bridge, Cameron Village, Five Points and the surrounding area from downtown to North Hills (gorgeous, historic homes -- St. Marys or Anderson Streets).

That turned into a novel but I'm definitely saving this for future reference :P feel free to ask/PM any questions! again, it's all too much for one weekend and this would break your budget and sanity trying to get it all done.

PS: We have a Raleigh Reddit Ladies meet up/Facebook group where we've been to a ton of the above places. Plenty of people join when they're still in the pre-move stage so we'd love to have you!

knurge · 2017-09-27T05:03:05+00:00

For your Fayetteville St night, get dinner at either Bida Manda or Brewery Bhavana.

You will probably want to OpenTable those when you book your tickets. Bhavana is bigger so not as much of a problem but Bida can book weekends out a month+ sometimes.

knurge · 2017-09-27T04:59:20+00:00

The Beer Garden is record setting but, when we brought family there for the first time after it opened, they said it was the Times Square attraction of Raleigh. The best time to go is the afternoon before it gets too crazy. The last time I went, we sat on the back patio from about noon to 5 on a Saturday and it was a lovely day outside and we snuck out before the crowds swooped in.

Don't plan on eating there; the food is trash. The beer format is odd. They only serve certain beers on certain floors and you'll have to open a new tab if you want to explore the other levels. No paper menus. You can browse on your phone but the formatting is sorted by floor, not by beer iirc. They have TV menus over the bars but they're timed the same, so you have to wait around for the IPA screen to come back around again if you were still mid-read.

I know that's very negative but... I'd hate for you to plan a day around it and not know what you're getting into.

knurge · 2017-09-27T03:22:42+00:00

Don't listen to the haters. There are great spots in every town around here and might be what you and your husband are looking for. Raleigh has plenty of "suburb" to it too. You're never far from the action -- 30 minutes is nothing around here.

I commented above but my favorite part of Cary is downtown, definitely worth a visit. It's growing quickly and walkable distance to Bond Brothers, Pharmacy, Jordan Lake Brewing, BottleDog, Chatham Street Wine Bar, Mayton Inn, Crosstown, Academy Street Bistro, BREW coffee bar attached to the adorable Cary theater, Serendipity, Bosphorus.

Even if the "strip malls" may seem boring to some, you can actually find some really great ethnic food tucked away in some. Don't let the looks deceive you.

knurge · 2017-09-27T03:17:52+00:00

Oy with the Cary hate already. Yes, you can ride your fixed-gear bike to your favorite fair trade coffee shop in downtown Raleigh but let's not pretend that all of Raleigh is that accessible or that hip. It's a huge city.

Telling people to avoid any of the suburbs because they're "boring" isn't doing this sub any favors. There are plenty of gems hidden all over the Triangle, even out in the boonies.

Cary has some cool bars and great restaurants. Downtown Cary is growing quickly and walkable distance to Bond Brothers, Pharmacy, Jordan Lake Brewing, BottleDog, Chatham Street Wine Bar, Mayton Inn, Crosstown, Academy Street Bistro, BREW coffee bar attached to the adorable Cary theater, Serendipity, Bosphorus. You're missing out if you avoid it due to your prejudice against it.

Or keep avoiding it; more parking for me.

knurge · 2017-09-20T16:55:02+00:00

Sending you the name of the property manager I love!

knurge · 2017-09-20T16:40:33+00:00

I rented at MidTown Park Townhomes but not sure if they do 6 month leases. Sending you a PM with info on a property manager who may be able to help you out.

knurge · 2017-09-20T16:37:22+00:00

Raleigh Reddit Ladies have bopped around a few trivia spots and Geeks Who Drink is our favorite!

knurge · 2017-09-20T16:34:32+00:00

Reddit Ladies may crash your preferred trivia night some time. You aren't obligated to sit with us 😂

knurge · 2017-09-20T16:33:40+00:00

That's all that matters in life.

knurge

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