Here’s our monthly eNewsletter filled with interesting articles, fun stuff and of course, real estate info.

April 2016

FRONT PORCH NEWS

with Lisa Alford 704-408-2834

On a Personal Note

Spring is here! The real estate busy season has definitely kicked into high gear too. In fact, I’m late on getting out this newsletter because of it 🙂

For buyers – rates are still incredibly low which gives you more buying power for your dollar. You don’t want to miss out on this great opportunity as they will go back up. In fact, check out this great new app I have – you’ll love it! On your phone app store download Home Scouting. You will need my code, it’s my last name – Alford. It’s a direct feed from the MLS and is always up to date and accurate, unlike the commercial sites/apps.

If you are a homeowner and are even starting to think about selling – call me please! We are seriously experiencing a lack of inventory and have more buyers and not enough homes on the market. I recently put one on the market at 11:00 p.m. and had two offers by 2:00 p.m. the next day!

Lisa Alford, Broker/Realtor
Alford Realty Group
Southern Homes of the Carolinas
704-408-2534
[email protected]
www.AlfordRealtyGroup.com

Here are our Featured Properties for this month. Want to see your home here? Call me at 704-408-2834

Here are March’s Real Estate Stats for our area:

Win a Free Coffee Card

It’s easy to win! Find the quiz question inside this newsletter, then email me your answer. Each month, all correct entries have an equal chance of winning.

Last month’s question: How many leaves does a Shamrock really have?”
Answer: Three. Clover with four leaves is an anomaly, so considered lucky.

Thank You Friends!

Welcome new clients and Thank You to friends who’ve trusted me to work with you, your friends, family and coworkers. Special thanks this month to…

Christine O. & Garrett H.,
Lisa R., Adam S. & Hannah S.

Origin of April Fool’s Day

One theory about April Fool’s Day is that it began in 1582 in France with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. At that time, New Year’s Day was moved from March 25 to January 1.

Traditionally, the entire week of March 25 to April 1 had been celebrated as New Year’s Week, so when people rebelled against the change, they decided to celebrate the New Year on the last day, April 1.

These people were labeled “fools” by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on “fool errands” or sent invitations to nonexistent parties. The butts of these pranks became known as a “poisson d’avril” or “April fish” because a young naive fish is easily caught.

Free Consumer Report

To Open House…Or Not to Open House?

Why do agents hold open houses? Do houses really sell on open houses? Who stops by? Would you benefit from holding an open house when you sell?

You might be surprised at the answers. Open Houses do work, but often not for the reasons people think.

If you’re thinking of selling soon, grab a copy of my report:

Should Your Agent Hold Open Houses?

Click Here to Read the Report

Interior Design: Not Just About Decorating

During a classroom activity about jobs, a young girl said she wanted to be an interior designer when she grew up. The teacher said she should think about real careers.

The mother, when she heard about this answer, presented the teacher with the following from Wikipedia:

Interior design is a field within environmental psychology, which concerns the environmental conditions of the interior. It is a study of the relationship between an environment and how it affects the behaviour of inhabitants, with the aim of maximising positive effects.

Further defending her daughter, the mother pointed out that interior design careers can be found in corporate design, architectural firms, and real estate sales.

Interior design, she said, isn’t just about decorating. It’s about creating the right flow, mood, and function. Interior design studies have shown that crowded environments—like low income high-rise projects—can contribute to violence, while harmonious environments can make people more peaceful. That makes interior designers part scientist, part artist, and part social engineer. Now that’s a worthy career choice.

Table of Contents

Décor Quiz: Which Decade?
704-408-2834
See you next month!
~ Thank you!
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Décor Quiz: Which Decade?

Which decade from the 1950’s to the 2010’s do these decor elements most belong to? (Answers at bottom.)

Shag carpet
Turquoise cabinets
Avocado appliances
Brown wall paneling
Sofa sectionals
Mid-century modern décor
Boomerang patterned Formica
Hot pink
Pastel wallpaper

“I Wonder What They’re Asking for that Home”

When you’re wondering about the price of a home you’ve just driven past (or wondering what your home would sell for, or how much house you can afford), don’t wonder. Instead, call or text me for answers! If you don’t already have my number in your phone, why not put it in now?

Lisa Alford 704-408-2834

Just for Fun:
A Husband’s Secret to a Happy Marriage

Once a friend asked me: “What is the secret behind your happy marriage?”

I said, “In my house, I make decisions on all the bigger issues, and I let my wife decide the little things. This keeps everything in its proper perspective.”

“How did you get her to agree to that?” asked the friend.

I said, “Well, it just worked out that way. See, my wife decides how to dress the kids, which car we should buy, how much money to save, where to go on vacation, and which sofa, air conditioner, or refrigerator to buy.

But I make all the big decisions, like whether America should attack Iraq, whether Britain should lift sanctions over Zimbabwe, and where the Olympics should be held next time. My wife never objects to my decisions and I don’t object to hers. It seems to work out well.”

Help for Spring Cleaning

If you’re planning to do spring maintenance…repaint the house, landscape the yard, re-roof, etc…I can recommend top quality service providers to help out. Text or call me for names & numbers!

704-408-2834

April Quiz Question

Which month has 28 days?

Click Here to Email Your Answer

Decor Quiz (from above) Answers: Which Decade?

Shag carpet

1960’s

Turquoise cabinets

1950’s

Avocado appliances

1970’s

Brown wall paneling

1970’s

Sofa sectionals

1990’s

Mid-century modern décor

2010’s

Boomerang patterned Formica

1950’s

Hot pink décor

1960’s

Pastel wallpaper

1980’s

Should I buy property right after high school?

My initial response to this unusual question was Are you crazy? But then I thought, Why not? Your youth can work to your advantage, especially when a smart parent stands with you. Here are some ways to look at investing in your first property at a young age:

You could plan to live in a property for a few years, wait for the value to rise, then sell it to fund your next purchase. For instance, you could buy near college and rent it out to roommates, then sell when you graduate.
If the cash flow is there, you can rent the property out to others while you do something else with your life. Be sure to include a management plan.
If it’s a fixer, you can live in it, put in sweat equity, and then resell at a profit. Some loans will not allow you to sell within a certain time frame of when you buy, so consider that when looking at loans.

If you know a young person who wants to buy property, get in touch with me. Together we’ll help them succeed.

When Was the Last Time You Cleaned These?

Your mattress, phone, door knobs, purse, or keyboard? Experts say that these are the most common items that people seldom clean, and that they are among the dirtiest everyday items in our lives.

A quick swipe with an antibacterial wipe takes care of the door knobs, purse, and phone, but what about a mattress or keyboard? Here’s how to clean those:

Mattresses: Mattresses can harbor spills, stains, dirt, smells, skin, bed bugs, mold, and dust mites that build up inside and exacerbate allergies, acne, and illness.

To clean a mattress, you can take these steps: First vacuum with a clean attachment. Then sprinkle baking soda over the mattress and rub it in lightly. Let it sit for two hours, then vacuum again while banging on the mattress. Spray with a natural anti-bacterial, such as lavender or clove oil.

Keyboard: A 2008 UK study found that a keyboard is dirtier than a toilet seat — seriously! The reasons? Not washing your hands often enough, sneezing on your keyboard, eating near the computer, and more than one person (especially children) using the same computer.

To clean a keyboard, use a can of compressed air to remove lint, skin, and dust mites. Then soak cotton swabs with alcohol, squeeze out excess liquid, and wipe down the keyboard. Do not allow liquid to drip into the keyboard.

See you next month!

Don’t forget to call or forward this email to friends in need of real estate help.

~ Thank you!

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Our mailing address is:
PO Box 452
Mooresville, NC 28115

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Lisa Alford