Jen Mildenberger NC & SC Realtor

Are you new to the area and looking for a great place to connect with ladies just like you who are new to the area or looking to meet some great friends? I have just the group for you.

One of my past clients and great friends, Marge Farris decided to start a support group for ladies who are new to the area and are looking for support as they adjust to their new surroundings. Moving can be such a difficult and stressful time, so having a great group of women who understand and also are going through the same things can be very refreshing. Marge experienced this same feeling a few years ago when her husband was relocated with his company to Fort Mill from Pittsburgh. She found the group to be very beneficial and has enjoyed being a leader alongside her friend Joanne over the past couple of years.

The class starts on February 6, 2012 and is held at The Fort Mill Library in Fort Mill. The class will be held each week from 10:00-11:30 am. No childcare is provided. For more information, you can reach out to Marge at mafarris60@yahoo.com

Moving On After Moving In is a program that is run all over the country, so if you are not local to the area, you can find groups all over the country just like this one. I hope you enjoy this class!!

I get this question alot when clients come in from out of state to look at the area. "Jen, does it ever snow here?" My answer is always the same as it definitely depends upon the year...I can remember years when Christmas was a 70 degree day and we could ride our bikes in short sleeves and other years when it is cold, but moderate and then there was this year: A WHITE & Beautiful CHRISTMAS!

The snow started on Christmas night and when we all woke up the next day, we were covered in a blanket of beautiful snow which was great for all of the kids as there was enough snow to build a snowman and even have a snowball fight. These are pictures taken in Waxhaw, NC on Sunday, December 26, 2010.

The beauty of snow in the Charlotte area is that it lasts a day and by day 2 or 3, it has almost completely melted away...the roads were just fine this morning on my way into work, but it was an absolutely gorgeous drive in. I was able to snap a few pictures this morning as I entered Baxter Village and the sights were amazing. Here are the pictures from today, December 27, 2010.

So, if you are thinking about making a move to the Charlotte area (Charlotte, Waxhaw, Ballantyne, Baxter Village, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, etc), please make a note that we do get snow from time to time!! I hope that you and your families had a wonderful holiday weekend and are looking forward to the 2011 year ahead!!

So, you have made the decision to move to the Carolinas....Charlotte, Waxhaw, Matthews, Fort Mill, Ballantyne, Baxter Village, Tega Cay, etc!?! What an exciting decision for you! NOW WHAT!?

I totally understand and have helped many a family make the great move to the Carolinas from all over the USA and even overseas (Germany!! Singapore!! Amsterdam!!)....while it is a lot of work, some stress and tons of excitement.....what to do first is always the biggest question.....how do we start the process?? What steps need to occur before you can actually call the Carolinas HOME!!

The first thing to figure out is what you need to do in your current location. Do you have a lease? If so, find out the terms of your agreement and fees associated with breaking it if needed. Do you have a home to sell? Call a local Realtor to come out and give you a comparative market analysis (CMA) and give you steps you need to take before listings it. I have a great network of agents all over the US, so please let me know if you would like a great recommendation of an agent in your area to assist you with getting your home sold. Do you have a job lined up? Start looking for positions available in your field and submitting applications. It is very difficult to get a loan without employment, so that is a must before taking such a big leap. Are you transferring with a company? See what benefits your employer is offering you for your move such as mortgage expenses, help with selling your home and more.

Second....I highly recommend that you contact a lender to get pre-qualified for a loan. It has never been more important than it is now to get pre-qualified as soon as possible. Some buyers have items on their credit that must be cleared up before they can obtain a mortgage so it is important to clear this up quickly so you can move ahead with an offer the moment you find the home of your dreams. Another reason that this is so important is that most sellers are requiring that a buyer be pre-qualified with a lender before visiting their home for a showing. If you need a great recommendation, contact Geoff Brown with New American Mortgage by calling 704-728-6286 or email at geoff.brown@newamerican.com. We have worked together for 4+ years now, and he is able to have a full approval within 12-14 days which is quick in this market.

Third....you will need to make a decision on what area of Charlotte you would like to live. What is important to you? Schools, property taxes, proximity to work, community with a pool, active adult community, convenience to the lake....there are many reasons that people decide on a location, so decide what is important to you. You can visit my website to see more information about the area on the left hand side.

Fourth....based on the price you have been pre-qualified for from the lender, you will need to decide what type of home you are looking for. Do you want a single family home with a garage or would you be more comfortable with a townhome? How many bedrooms and bathrooms are needed? Do you want your master on the main floor or upstairs? All of these items will be good to discuss with your family ahead of time so that when you start to actually look at homes you will have a clear idea of what is important to everyone.

Finally, you need to find a local Realtor who has your best interests at heart and knows the area inside and out. When I talk to a new client, we establish a location....search criteria and budget....timeline for the move as well as anything of importance. Once I know that information, I am able to set up a search on the MLS to send listings to match those needs as they become available. Whether the buyer is one week from buying to 3 years from buying, I do not mind setting this up. By getting this information, the buyer is able to view details of a home, virtual tours, maps, school information and more. This is extremely helpful when doing research from across the miles and also sets the tone for what homes we will view upon their arrival for a home search (which is by far my FAVORITE part of the process!).

I would love the opportunity to work with you on your relocation to the area. Read my past blog post about why you should hire me to represent you as your agent!! If you are relocating with your company and they provide you with a Realtor, I am able to accept all relocations, so please ask me and I can help you with the process.

Wishing you success in your move to the Carolinas!! Let me know how I can assist you with any part of the process. I promise it will all be worth it once you have arrived and are settled!

Over the past few years, I have had the awesome pleasure & opportunity of working as a Realtor within Baxter Village at Keller Williams Realty. The location, the amenities offered and the lifestyle of the community overall are ones that most people love and they always feel a comfort once they have arrived.

Residents and business tenants alike will tell you that the area surrounding Baxter Village has developed by leaps and bounds in the past decade, but that it has stood the test of time as the economy and real estate market have shifted both UP and then DOWN. From a Realtor's perspective, I have seen Baxter Village be one of the most resilient and still ever-popular communities in the Charlotte Metro marketplace. When I show homes here, I am confident that my client is making a sound investment that will continue to resale over time due to not only what the community has to offer, but also due to location (right off I-77), low property taxes and the award winning schools. The combination of those three have helped not only Baxter Village see extreme growth and building, but also the area surrounding the community to grow stronger and more developed to carry the demands of the growing population, etc......

Retail/Dining/Services in Baxter Village: Baxter Village has many restaurants that cater to every appetite. Beef O' Brady's, Cloud 9 Martini Bar, The Fish Market, Fratelli's, Six Pence Pub, Liu Liu's, Cupcrazed, Sayago's and most importantly, STARBUCKS which is everyone's favorite spot to meet friends and network! In terms of retail, Baxter Village has Page 6 (clothing boutique), The Bump (maternity clothing), Monkeys and Mermaids (gift store), Grapevine (Wine Shop) and MORE!! And lastly, there are many services available.....from insurance agents, attorneys, hair/nail salons, dance studios, etc.... Baxter Village offers so much to not only the residents of the community, but also to the general public.

Community in Baxter Village: Baxter Village is home to Orchard Park Elementary school which is very important to alot of families looking to move to the area as they like the idea that their children are close during the day. Also within the community is the Fort Mill library which always has a schedule of activities throughout the week for the little ones who like storytime and checking out books. And last but not least, Baxter Village is home to the Fort Mill YMCA which has an indoor swimming pool, outdoor waterpark for the summer, soccer fields, fitness classes, gym, fitness equipment and more.

Amenities for Baxter Village Residents: As a resident of Baxter Village, you will be a part of the HomeOwner's Association which gives you the opportunity to use the amenities on-site as well as be invited to resident only activities. Within Baxter Village, there are 2 large community centers which each have a swimming pool and can be rented privately for activities for a small fee. The community also has tennis courts, several playgrounds, many common open spaces for playing as well as 500 acres of woods, trails and parks. Baxter Village offers more amenities than most all communities in both Fort Mill and the Charlotte area.

Real Estate in Baxter Village: One of my favorite parts of the community is the housing availability. Once completed, Baxter Village will have well over 1200 homes and townhomes that are of quality construction and built under strict architectural guidelines. Single family homes start in the low $200s and can go as high as $700,000 with the average being between $300,000-$450,000. Townhomes can be found from $150,000-$225,000. Currently, there are still a few opportunities left to build within Baxter, however, all lots should be built out by the end of 2012. Builders who have built within the community include David Weekley Homes, Saussy Burbank, SE Miller, Evans Coghill, Lillian Floyd, DR Horton and Pulte Homes.

As you can see, Baxter Village offers something for everyone whether a resident or visitor. I have enjoyed helping many of my clients make Baxter their home, and they have all had nothing but wonderful comments to say about their home as well as their community. If you would like more information about Baxter Village or would like to make an appointment to see some of the great homes available within, I would be honored to meet with you. Whether new construction or resale, I have great experience in selling in Baxter Village, and I would love the opportunity to show you why it may be the right choice for you.

I hope that you all had a relaxing and FUN Thanksgiving holiday.....in keeping with the shopping trends of the past couple of days, I wanted to share with you some great CYBER MONDAY deals in the world of real estate.

I spoke with my great friend who is a builder sales representative at Ryland Homes today, and she let me know that they currently have 4 great inventory deals available and 1 home that will be ready in March reduced for a quick sale in Waxhaw.

Ryland Homes will be leaving the Millbridge community, so they are selling 2 inventory homes at an incredible price, but also the model home. The model home is upgraded with just about every option you can choose and was originally priced at $385,000. Due to the move, they have priced it aggresively at $333,000. The home is well over 3000 sq feet and also has gorgeous landscaping. The 2 spec homes are proced at $273,000 (3200+ sq feet) and $239,000 (2500+ sq feet) which are also a large reduction from the original sales price. These 2 homes have incredible backyards and will be quick sellers. Millbridge is a planned community in Waxhaw which has an amazing amenity center with 2 pools and tennis courts, but it also is districted for the new Waxhaw schools which have been extremely popular with buyers over the past couple of years.

There is another great opportunity in Providence Grove which is in it's final stages of being done as a community. One of 2 opportunities left to buy a new home in this development which has a community pool and also attends the new Waxhaw schools. The home has 3100+ sq feet as well as an unfinished basement which is an opportunity for a buyer to add sq footage in the future. The home was originally priced over $330,000, but they have just drastically reduced the price to $299,900 to sell quickly.

And in Lawson, Ryland is working to complete their final inventory home that will be completed and ready for closing in March 2011. The home is over 3200 sq feet and priced to sell at $289,000. If you are familiar with Lawson, you will know that this community was one of the fastest selling communities in 2006-2008 and has continued to be a great seller with resales due to the extreme amount of wooded areas, culdesacs, nature trails and an extremely well thought out amenity center with 2 pools, tennis, etc......The brand new middle and high school are also located just across the street from the community. This home is an incredible opportunity and if we act fast, there may be time to pick some colors of cabinets, carpet, etc!!

The homes in Millbridge and Providence Grove can close by the end of the year if we act fast.....what a great Christmas present that would be as well as taking advantage of historically low interest rates for a lower payment!! I have also been told that there is a margin for negotiation on the prices if we move quickly on these homes. As a Buyer's Agent, I am paid by the builder, so you owe me nothing for my representation which is a no brainer. I have helped many buyers make a new home their dream come true and I would love to help you as well!

If you would like more information on any of these homes or communities, please let me know!! My email is jen1@kw.com or you can call/text me at 704-996-8195!