“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Groomtown, NC

Visit the Edible Schoolyard at Greensboro Children's Museum

06-25-10
Andy Leung
Andy Leung: Real Estate Agent in Greensboro, NC

Looking for something new to do with the kids this summer? Check out the new Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro Children's Museum located in downtown Greensboro, NC. This is the first children's museum in the entire country to have an officially licensed Edible Schoolyard.

Greensboro Children's Museum Edible SchoolyardAn Edible Schoolyard is an idea started in California to create a teaching garden and kitchen where children can experience how foods are grown and create healthy meals and snacks from foods collected from the garden. The Edible Schoolyard at Greensboro Children's Museum is located on a half-acre site. Many types of vegetables, fruits, and herbs are grown here. There are even a few chickens and turkeys that call the garden home.

The Edible Schoolyard is led by a dedicated and knowledgable staff. Dr. Charlie Headington is the Edible Schoolyard Director. You may remember him from the numerous articles he has written in the News and Record about Slow Food Piedmont, gardening at Greensboro Montessori School (GMS) and his experiences of farminig in Italy every summer. Eleanor Farlow, the Garden Educator, comes with tons of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for gardening. She was a teacher at GMS for years prior to taking this new position. GMS is surrounded by organic gardens that are integrated into the curriculum.

So visit the Edible Schoolyard at Greensboro Children's Museum soon. Your children may even surprise you and eat a vegetable! A tomato looks so much more appealing when it is fresh from the vine!

Team Leung Seeing RED!

05-14-10
Andy Leung
Andy Leung: Real Estate Agent in Greensboro, NC

Yesterday, the Keller Williams Realty office in Greensboro, NC was seeing red! It was our annual RED Day, a day when we give back to the communities that support us. RED is an acronym for Renew, Energize and Donate and is observed by Keller Williams offices across the country and around the globe.

About fifty of us spent the day Camp Carefree in Stokesdale, NC, a camp specially designed to provide the summer camp experience for children with special needs. Our big project was staining a giant wooden pirate ship and the many decks and docks around camp. Here are the links to local coverage of the event. If you look closely, you can see Lisa Postlmayr of our team. http://news.yahoo.com/video/greensboro-wxii-18191235/painting-the-town-red-for-children-19827653

http://www.digtriad.com/video/#/Local%20News/Realtors%20Give%20Back%20To%20The%20Community%20/49911607001/49960901001/85544707001

Top 10 Blunders that could cost you when purchasing a home.

Angela Lawrence - Realtor/Owner - Greensboro - Winston Salem -High Point: Real Estate Agent in Winston-Salem, NC

Blunder #1 - Trying to time the market to buy or refuse to buy.

There is no accurate prediction as to when it may be the right time to buy a home. If you have lender approval and are ready for home ownership, then do it. All the time waiting to time the market, you could be building equity, getting tax deductions and reaping the other advantages of owning your own home.

Blunder #2 - Making an offer with no contingencies in place.

In most cases, you will put down earnest money (a good faith deposit) on a home. Make sure you have contingencies in place to receive your earnest money back - such as if the home does not appraise, lender does not give you loan approval, major structural issues are found during the inspection, or if the seller did not disclose material facts, etc.

Blunder #3 - Not speaking with a lender before viewing homes.

With tighter lending restrictions now in place, you definitely must know how much home you can afford and if a lender will actually lend you the $$$ for a mortgage loan. By getting pre-approved, it tells the seller that you are a strong buyer and not just someone "kicking tires" thus the seller will be more likely to negotiate.

Blunder #4 - Not thinking about if you have to sell the home later on.

You must think about resale later on. Find a home in a sought out location and amenities that future buyers will want. Even though you may think you will be in the home for a long while, you never really know what life changing things could happen in the near future to shorten your length of stay.

Blunder #5 - Not reading the fine print.

At closing, there will be tons of documents to sign. Lucky for you, there are only a few documents that are critical, you may request a copy of these ahead of closing so you can review and ask questions before closing.

Blunder #6 - Not doing your homework on the neighborhood.

Finding a great neighborhood will increase your home's value. Visit the neighborhood several times a day, talk to neighbors and ask their opinion of the area. Chosing a home close to your work and shopping can be a good fit for your lifestyle too. Even if you may not have children, good schools districts raise property value. (See blunder #4).

Blunder #7 - Not doing research on a foreclosure or fixer-upper.

Even though you may find a bargain, beware of the pitfalls. Repairs can be stressful and very costly. Get estimates on repairs and renovations to make sure they will pay for themselves.

Blunder #8 - Purchasing a home you cannot afford.

Even though a lender pre-approves for you a large payment, it still may not be a good idea to max out, since this could lead to trouble later on. To play it safe, your payment should not be more than 28% of your monthly income.

Blunder #9 - Buying the first house you see.

This is definitely common sense. You could miss out on a good deal or regret your purchase. Of course you don't have to visit every home on the market, but at least compare a minimum of 3 homes before making an decision.

Blunder #10 - Not getting a home inspection.

Don't leave it up to to your friend or relative to give their blessings, instead hire a license professional inspector. The home may look great but it is a mistake to assume. Even new homes have problems. Make sure you are there during the inspection so the inspector can explain issues. Prices of home inspections vary in this area, ranging from around $300 to $500 depending on the size and age of the home but it is money well spent in the long run.