Darleen McCullen, Broker-Raleigh, NC Real Estate

Written by:
Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

Recently, I contributed a post ( Raleigh, NC Event: War Veteran Interviews, April 12, 2008 - Become a Part of History! ) which mentioned the National Veterans Freedom Park, which is located in Cary, North Carolina. Copies of Veteran interviews will also be housed at the Library of Congress.

Veterans have always been near and dear to my heart because my father, as well as his two brothers served in the United States Army.

My dad and one of his brothers served in the Vietnam War in the mid-1960s. They were merely grown men when they left to go serve their country - but were able to come home and have productive lives.

It's time for their stories - as well as the stories of the thousands of other other brave men and women who've serve our country - to be told and preserved for future generations.

Cary philanthropists Ann and Jim Goodnight donated 12 acres of land for the Park. Located on near the corner of Harrison Avenue and Cary Parkway, the Park will house the the stories of all five uniformed branches of service: Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard. The Park's purpose is not to strictly serve as a memorial - but also as a place to celebrate the achievements of our Veterans.

Would you like to participate in History?

Contact Executive Director Dave Milidonis at: 919.449.5440 OR DMilidonis@aol.com

National Veterans Freedom Park
P.O. Box 4842
Cary, NC 27519

Want to make a financial contribution?

NVFP is a 501(c)(3), a subchapter 509(a)(1) publicly supported nonprofit educational foundation. Donations are tax deductible.

Darleen McCullen,

REALTOR® on a Mission... NOT Just Seeking a Commission!^TM

Written by:
Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

If you are planning to vote in the upcoming North Carolina Primary, you may wish to make sure you're actually registered to vote.

The Primary will be held May 6, 2008 - with the last day to register to vote in this election being April 11, 2008. If you live in Wake County, check out The Wake County Board of Elections One-Stop Voting Sites.

Even if you think you're registered, you may wish to double check to make sure you're actually registered here at the North Carolina State Board of Elections. You can also use the Website to update your information, as well.

The other day, I received quite the scare. Weeks ago, I received a mailing from the "Voter Participation Center" in Boston, MA. I ignored it because 1) I live in North Carolina - and this mailing came from Boston, and 2) I have been registered to vote since I was of age to do so.

But something kept nagging at me to at least call the Board of Elections to double-check so I did. Well...it turns out that I had moved out of the county briefly about 5 years ago, at which time, The Powers That Be appeared to have removed my name from their records.

When I returned to the county in 2003, I switched my registration back - and have voted in elections since then. We were able to figure out what happened - and now I'm all set for the North Carolina May 2008 Primary - but oh my, did I get a scare!

Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
Website: http://www.darleenmc.com/

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by those who are part of the ActiveRain community, including those providing comments relating to this blog, are their opinions and their alone - and do NOT reflect the opinions of Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty. Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty are not responsible for the accuracy (or lack thereof) or content provided by others.

Written by:
Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

Did You Know...

As a Buyer, often, without paying one dime out of pocket, you can have access to the knowledge, skills, and expertise of a REALTOR®? So...why leave the largest purchase of your life to "chance"?

Just One Catch...

Consider contacting a REALTOR® BEFORE you step foot into a property. Otherwise, what happened to someone I know could easily happen to any Buyer, no matter how savvy.

Allow me to share...

Recently, I received an interesting phone call from someone I've known for years who entered into a contract to purchase a home from a Builder. This person knows I'm a real estate agent - but didn't want to "bother" me to go with him around town to view homes.

Instead, he thought he would purchase the new construction home on his own because he'd "educated" himself on the Internet - and had purchased a few homes in his lifetime.

Long story short - This Buyer and the Builder started bumping heads on a few of the items in the contract - and when he didn't know what to do, guess who he calls. You guessed it! ME!

I try to never condemn anyone for their choices - because when they made a particular decision, there must have been a perfectly good reason, right?

So, I began asking clarifying questions about why he hadn't called me in the beginning. I was not surprised by the answers:

• "I've purchased a couple of homes before so I thought I could do it on my own."
• "A guy I work with told me that he didn't use a real estate agent when he purchased from the Builder - and he saved lots of money off the price. I thought I would try to save some money, too. In my job, I negotiate all day long, and this was just negotiation."
• "I keep reading that it is a Buyers Market and in the papers I see that Builders are practically giving houses away. So I figured that I wouldn't need a REALTOR® anyway. With the Builders price cuts and my negotiation skills, why waste your time?"

He went on to say that he now realizes that he should've contacted me before he got into this mess - but would I please help him now?

I really wish I could help - but I'm guessing it's too late.

Here's why...

You see, most Builders are willing to pay a real estate agent's commission only if one or both of the following things happen:

1. The REALTOR® visits the home with the Buyer initially, and
2. The Buyer writes the name of the REALTOR® on the sign-up questionnaire.

If not, then it's probably too late - unless, of course the Builder is feeling generous. (And in these challenging times when many national Builders are losing money in the housing crisis, I doubt that there will be much generosity.)

At this point, if the Buyer wishes to have a real estate agent represent him, he can pay my company's fee out-of-pocket , or be left to fumble through the transaction himself.

He asked if I could provide advice "on the side" without charging - but really, I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Since he's technically not my client, if he decided to sue me over something involving the transaction, my Errors & Omissions insurance wouldn't cover me. I'm only covered for working with true clients.

Here's How a REALTOR® Can Help You as a Home Buyer

Knowledge, Experience, and Training

Today, most Buyers will conduct quite a bit of research on purchasing a home. Even armed with all of this knowledge, a good REALTOR® will be armed with even more information about specific builders, contacts at the Planning Board to see if a road is being planned behind your new home, etc. (And if we don't know the answers right away, we know where to find the information.)

Most Buyers will purchase 3 to 5 houses in their lifetime. Full-time real estate agents handle hundreds and sometimes thousands of transactions in a lifetime.

Think of it this way...Let's say that you're an engineer and a real estate agent didn't have the same background. No matter how much the agent read about how to be an engineer, s/he would never be as good as you are.

Even if said agent took a few classes on the subject - if s/he don't have the degree and experience, it would be impossible to effectively do your job.

The same applies to real estate. It takes time, skills, and knowledge to be effective.

Good REALTORS® have training. And LOTS of it. For instance, in North Carolina, agents are required to take only 8 hours of Continuing Education (CE) per year. As I was pulling together information for my 2007 taxes, I noticed that including my minimum CE, I had amassed more than 80 hours of overall training last year.

WHY would I attend extra training? Well, as Steve Harvey, the comedian, says: "You can be ordinary or you can be extraordinary. The only difference between those two words is extra. If you do extra, you can be extraordinary. If you don't want an extraordinary life, just stop doing extra."

I'm an EXTRAORDINARY kind of REALTOR®. I stay on top of the market trends. If you would like to have my skills, knowledge, and expertise as you purchase your next home, please contact me. I would love to work with you!

Please understand that I have absolutely nothing against new home construction and Builders. I actually like them quite a bit! However, as a Buyer, wouldn't you agree that you deserve the representation of an agent who will look out for your best interests?

Want to learn more about how I can help you? See these blog posts:

• Your Builder Won't Finish the Work, Now What?
• First Time Buyers: Not Using A REALTOR®? You May Wish to Reconsider...
• Buying a New Home? Consider Its Future Resell Value NOW!
• Home Inspection for New Construction? Of Course!!
• Do You Follow Up with Clients After Closing? OR Drop Them Like a Hot Potato?
• Buyers: Should You Save Your Cash for Furniture OR Should You Purchase an Inspection?
• Do You Go Above and Beyond for Your Clients - OR Are You Just an Average REALTOR®?
• Saving for a Home? Start by Lowering Your Food Bill!

Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by those who are part of the ActiveRain community, including those providing comments relating to this blog, are their opinions and their alone - and do NOT reflect the opinions of Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty. Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty are not responsible for the accuracy (or lack thereof) or content provided by others.

Written by:
Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

I love living in the Triangle because there's something for everyone! Like what, you ask? Well...

If you like theatre, no need to travel to Broadway - you can catch really good shows right here at home.  Looking for something fun for the youngsters to do? We've got plenty of that, too! Check it out...

Let’s begin with a few of the FREEBIES…

Artspace: 201 E. Davie Street, Raleigh. Phone: 919-821-2787.

Big Boss Brewing Company. 249-A Wicker Drive, Raleigh. Tours available at 2 p.m. the second Saturday of the month. Phone: 919-834-0045.

Crowder District Park. 33-acre park features environmental educational and recreational opportunities, including picnic shelters and a 2.7 acre pond. 4709 Ten-Ten Road, Apex, NC. Phone: 919-662-2850.

Historic Oak View County Park. 19^th Century farmhouse, featuring picnic grounds, and a 17-acre pecan grove. 4028 Carya Drive, Raleigh. Phone: 919-250-1013.

Legends of Harley Drag Racking Museum. 1126 S. Saunders Street, Raleigh. Phone: 919-832-2261.

North Carolina Museum of History. 5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh. Phone: 919-807-7900.

St. Augustine's College Historic Chapel. Completed in 1896, students built this chapel under the direction of Rev. Henry Beard Delany, North Carolina's first African-American Episcopal Bishop. Remember the Delany Sisters who wrote the book and had a Broadway play called, "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years? Rev. Delany was their father. 1315 Oakwood Avenue, Raleigh. Phone: 919-516-4200.

THEATRE

Week of March 17-23, 2008:

• Raleigh Little Theatre:  The Trip to Bountiful. Prices:  $18 (Adults); $15 (Seniors/Students)
• Broadway Series South:
• Fresh Aire: The Music of Mannheim Steamroller. (March 20, 2008). Tickets range from $39 to $66.
• Go, Diego, Go Live! The Great Jaguar Rescue. (March 21-22, 2008).  Ticket prices: $17 to $40.

Upcoming shows...

• Broadway Series South:
• The Wedding Singer. (March 25-30, 2008). Tickets: $27 to $57.
• Girls Night, the Musical. (April 1 - 6, 2008). Ticket prices: $36 to $41.
• Monty Python's Spamalot. (April 15 to 20, 2008). Tickets: $47 to $77.

EASTER EGG HUNTS

When I was a child, I really looked forward to the Easter Egg Hunts! They were so much fun. Most of the ones I attended were sponsored by my church - and the parents and kids would prepare the eggs for all of the children. I always looked forward to going with my mom to purchase the Easter Egg dye - or sometimes, we would make our own natural dye from items we had at home.

Below are some local hunts going on in the Triangle:  

• March 21, 2008 (Friday):
• Town of Cary Easter Egg Hunt & Breakfast with Bunny. There will be entertainment before and after the hunts.
• 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Breakfast with Bunny. Bond Park (Kiwanis Shelter). Purchase tickets at the Herbert Young Community Center in Cary. $4 (Adults). $3 (Children 3-9 years old); Under 2, Free.
• 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: Easter Egg Hunt. Bond Park.  Free.
• March 22, 2008 (Saturday):
• 9 a.m. - Adventure Landing, Raleigh, NC. Phone: 919-872-1688. More than 2,000 eggs. Cost: $3 donation per child, which goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina.
• 11 a.m. - Carver Elementary School. Phone:  919-365-6318. Website: Wendell, NC Chamber of Commerce
• 11 a.m. - Moore Square, Raleigh, NC. Touted as Raleigh's largest and best hunt - with 4,000 eggs. The Easter Egg Hunt begins promptly at 11 a.m. - but you're welcome to arrive at 10:30 am.

Want to get your four-legged friend in on the Easter Egg Hunt action?  Check out the Doggie Easter Egg Hunt

March 22, 2008. Hunt begins at 10 a.m. (opens at 9:30 a.m.) The AniMall Pet Adoption Center Doggie Easter Egg Hunt, Apex, NC. Crowder Park. $5 per dog. Phone: 919.465.2500.

Learn more about what to do in Raleigh and the Triangle below:

• Raleigh Tourism - Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau  
• Town of Cary   
• City of Durham   
• Chapel Hill Orange County Visitor's Bureau

                        Please check back here on a regular basis to find out what's going on in the Triangle.

Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

Photos courtesy of www.Microsoft.com

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by those who are part of the ActiveRain community, including those providing comments relating to this blog, are their opinions and their alone - and do NOT reflect the opinions of Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty. Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty are not responsible for the accuracy (or lack thereof) or content provided by others.

Written by:
Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com

If you suspected a mortgage loan officer of fraud, what would you do about it?

With all the talk about mortgage fraud today, here's a true story that happened to to me some years ago - before the mortgage meltdown.

The Seller was offering closing costs - all of which I was planning to use. I banked with a credit union, and part of the attraction was that I wouldn't be charged a loan origination fee. The credit union didn't have their own mortgage folks on staff so they contracted the work out to a mortgage brokerage firm.

It appeared that I wasn't going to use all of the Seller-paid closing costs on the pre-paids, attorney fee, etc., so the day before closing, the mortgage broker decided that he would add a "fake" loan origination fee to the HUD-1 Settlement Statement to use all the money.

When I objected, he said that he just thought that he would get all the Seller's money - and then after closing, write me a check for 1/2 of the leftover amount! Say WHAT??

He was going to write me a check for 1/2 of my money - when I should have been allowed to use ALL of it towards my closing. (I was able to use the remainder of the money to obtain a credit for the items I had paid outside such as the home inspections.)

After I objected, he said he'd take the fee off the HUD-1; However, on the day of closing, the loan origination fee was was still there! What I did next shocked him...

I refused to close the loan until his company sent the attorney instructions to remove the loan origination fee from the HUD.

The following business day, I called my credit union and spoke with the Vice President, informing him of what happened and that I was about to report the company to the Banking Commission for fraud. The loan officer called begging me not to turn him in! Too late!

Long story short ... the credit union ceased doing business with the mortgage company almost immediately! I must say, though, that I was surprised that my real estate agent didn't step in to try to help. It seems that she would've tried to help protect me as her client.

If this was you - or one of your clients in this situation, what would you do?

Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Phone: 919.454.8864
Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
Website: http://www.darleenmc.com/

Photo courtesy of ActiveRain community, including those providing comments relating to this blog, are their opinions and their alone - and do NOT reflect the opinions of Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty. Darleen McCullen and Keller Williams Realty are not responsible for the accuracy (or lack thereof) or content provided by others.