Lovely ranch end unit. 2BR and 2 full baths. Fireplace in living room. In town amenities.
Lovely ranch end unit. 2BR and 2 full baths. Fireplace in living room. In town amenities.
Here at Front Porch Realty we’re always on the lookout for new sources of free photos; we use photos in newsletters, blog posts, social media and presentations. We are happy to find Unsplash and introduce you to a service which offers fantastic, crowd-sourced photos that can be downloaded and used in your own projects. They offer beautiful, free pictures in the categories of Business, Nature, People, Technology, Food, Travel, and so many more!
Best of all, Unsplash’s photos don’t look like stock photos. While their inventory isn’t especially deep (yet!), there are still lots of hight-resolution images with truly eye-catching, creative views.
Save yourself some cash and grab some great pics here at their website: https://unsplash.com/
We’re sure that no matter what your picture needs are, you’ll find something to use with this great and free tool!
Maria has been selling the Triangle since 1991! Real estate is Maria’s passion and she is committed to helping the Latino community. Originally from Chile, Maria’s native language is Spanish and of course she is also fluent in English. Continue reading
When a market is hot, finding and buying a home can feel like an uphill battle. In a seller’s market, homes go quickly. They can be on the market one day and gone the next. And on top of the challenge of finding a home, most homes (especially the desirable ones) have multiple offers, making it harder to get into the home of your dreams.
But buying a home in a hot market isn’t impossible! You just have to approach it strategically and stack the deck in your favor to find – and successfully buy – the right home for you and your family.
Here are four tips for buying a home in a hot market that will put you a step ahead of the home-buying competition: Continue reading To Buy or Not to Buy?
You’ve heard the news reports on the housing market in our lately – low inventory, good prices, quick sales – and maybe you’re wondering where you fit into this latest market swing.

As I said at the beginning there is some low inventory with homes priced under $300,000.00; however, if you don’t look for a home then you surely won’t fine one, and there are homes to be found even in that price range. So what else do you need to consider in a home purchase? First, do you have enough money to buy a home?
The Price Tag…..
There are several loan programs available that will get you into a home for zero or a very low down payment with reasonable interest rates. But you will need to have some cash to cover expenses like the appraisal ($450) which is paid upfront and out-of-pocket in the home buying process. You will also need money for closing costs, which come due on the day you sign the promissory note at closing.
If you don’t have enough cash to cover the closing costs, talk to your realtor about negotiating these into the sales contract. There is an easy way to handle this scenario. Let’s say that you want to purchase a home that’s listed at $187,500.00. You would like to pay $185,000 for the house and you know that you need $5,000 to help cover closing costs. Simply ask your Realtor to write the offer to purchase for $190,000 with the seller paying $5,000 in closing costs.
Show me the Money…
But how do you know how much closing costs are going to be? And, how do you know if you earn enough money to be able to qualify for a mortgage loan to begin with? Now we come to the crux of the matter. The best way to answer these questions is to call me and start the application process. With just a little information, I can quickly see if you can be prequalified for a mortgage loan. I can also make sure that you’re taking advantage of the best loan programs available.
Home-ownership is part of the American dream; and with interest rates still at historically low levels now is a great time to explore your options. Call me today and let’s get started on getting you into the home of your dreams!
Jenny Miller
Loan Officer
NMLS: 1054076
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company
6736 Falls of Neuse Road Suite 120
Raleigh, NC 27615
Phone: 919-448-5355
Email: Jenny.Miller@spmc.com
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. NMLS # 1788. Licensed in North Carolina L-127865. Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. is not affiliated with the Real Estate Agent and/or Brokerage identified in this advertisement, you are not required to use Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. to obtain mortgage financing. This advertisement is provided for informational purpose only. www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Not all borrowers will qualify. This is not a commitment to lend. [Insert and program and/or additional disclaimers]. Equal Housing Lender.
From Larissa, a recent FRONT PORCH REALTY Seller Client ” …Selling you home is always stressful but working with a professional real estate professional ensures that the process goes as smoothly as possible and that your best interests are kept in mind while your home is being marketed and sold so that you can get the highest return on your investment…”
AGENT of the MONTH SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations to Donya Clark, Front Porch Realty’s Agent of the Month – April 2017
“I love helping people find their dreams in a home and I love the different personalities of each and every home I show!”
This Lady does it all. Not only is she a licensed Real Estate Broker but she is Front Porch Realty’s Office Manager. Her patience and enthusiasm are vital to Front Porch, and as Office Manager she handles our marketing, transactions, and day-to-day business for both the Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs offices.
Donya has been part of the Front Porch Realty Team since 2013 as Office Manager and became a Licensed Agent in 2016. Her husband and three children moved to North Carolina from Maine in 2003 and have called Fuquay-Varina home ever since!
Thank you Donya Clark for all of your dedication as a FRONT PORCH REALTY real estate professional!
Who needs a Buyers Agent Anyway? I just want someone to show me a house! Do I really need an agent “on my side”?
The answer is ABSOLUTELY!!!
Thankfully, for the homeowners and perspective homeowners of NC, the NC Real Estate Commission has given us AGENCY. This means when a consumer wants to buy and/or sell real property in our state, they can be represented in various ways by a real estate broker.
Working with Real Estate Agents in North Carolina
Did you know that having a buyer’s agent represent you is 100% FREE. Meaning for anyone entering into a Buyer’s Agency Agreement with a Front Porch Realty Broker, we don’t charge a single fee! That’s right, you can have a professional agent working for ONLY YOU when you purchase a home for absolutely no cost. And we highly recommend hiring one, here’s why: Not only is your Buyer’s Agent going to assist you in finding the perfect home for you, they are also going to help you make an informed offer and strategically negotiate that offer because we know what it takes in our current competitive seller’s market of today to get YOUR offer accepted. Once you are under contract for your new home, we are seasoned in getting you through the entire due diligence process and on to closing.A recent Front Porch Realty Buyer client, Molly explains “…when buying a home, it is very important to have an agent on your side because they are able to guide you and inform you of all of the possible situations that are important to investigate about a possible property. If we didn’t have a Buyer’s Agent with our last home we wouldn’t have ever taken the extra steps in researching the property… because we just didn’t know what we didn’t know!”
Interested in buying a home? Contact FRONT PORCH REALTY today and let us work for YOU!
Once a month Front Porch Realty hosts a Buying and Selling Seminar, so I thought I would tell you a little more about it here:
I came up with the idea of having a seminar because it seems like our sellers and buyers are learning about the buying and selling process online more and more these days. I, myself, admit to “googling” whenever I come across anything unfamiliar that I want to find more information about; I think something as life changing as “moving your family” deserves a little more personal attention. A good real estate professional wants to know your dreams, hopes and goals for your next home and wants to be able to guide you through this process. Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com just can’t do that! I thought maybe a low key, no obligation setting like a seminar was the way to help. We have so much to offer as professional and experienced real estate brokers. Yes, real estate has changed over the years, but we still hold a NC state license that is held to a very strict standard with the NC Real Estate Commission; legally and ethically. Our profession truly is more than sticking a sign in your yard and unlocking a door!
At our seminar I talk about what it really means to “have an agent” representing you in a real estate transaction, whether it be buying or selling or both. I talk about what we, as Front Porch Realty, look for while marketing a home for sale or helping you pick a home that best meets your needs and wants. I talk about all of the different legal and disclosure obligations of all parties to the transaction and property, and I talk about the importance of pricing as well as marketing your home. I also talk about the Offer to Purchase Contracts and all of their addenda. Contracts are much more than “lots of blanks to be filled in”. There are strategies and negotiation points on every page of the contracts and I believe that is where a lot of our skill and professionalism is proven.
We also invite some trusted contractors and inspectors that we have used over the years to come say a few words; as sellers and buyers the chance of needing a contractor is very likely as you prepare your home for the market and/or work on improvements for your new home.
I invite you to spread the word of our seminar to anyone you feel may benefit and come have some wine and cheese
with us!
Front Porch Realty Real Estate Seminar
*Every 3rd Thursday of the month
*Fuquay Varina office 604 N Main St., across form CVS
*Reserve your seat today or just come on by!