Leesa L. Finley -Wake Forest NC REALTOR® Wake Forest NC & Raleigh NC Real Estate

Each week I update a FREE report with Foreclosures, Short Sales, and Auction homes for sale in Wake Forest NC and the surrounding area. This report includes single family homes as well as townhomes/condo and all prices are included!

There are some incredible homes each week on the Foreclosure Report and I can say that I have previewed the majority of them. Some are in need of repair and TLC but others are in move-in ready condition and priced competitively!

If you would like more information on Foreclosures in Wake Forest please feel free to visit my website and check out this weeks latest report. If you are searching in another area of Raleigh NC such as Garner, Apex, Franklinton and other surrounding areas please feel free to get in touch with me - I would be happy to prepare a custom report just for you.

>> Download Weekly Foreclosures Report for Wake Forest NC HERE <<

The Wake Forest NC community is rich in artistic talent in ALL mediums! We have local artists that are amazing with paiting, clay, metal, photography, music and so much more. Wake Forest NC showcases artists OFTEN whether it be through the monthly Art After Hours, annual Artist Studio Tours, our springtime Six Sundays in Spring as well as cross promotion between our local artists.

This year for the Holiday Season Wake Forest ARTS.org will be showcasing some of the local art in a gallery setting at ARTS 206 December 2 - 18, 2011 on Fridays through Sundays during the afternoons and the evenings. You'll need to check out their calendar for exact times. The opening on December 2 is from 6 - 9 pm to coincide with the Lighting of Wake Forest! WOW - what a way to truly kick off the Holiday Season in Wake Forest NC!

This 100 under $100 is an opportunity for shoppers to choose original pieces of art for uner $100.00. You'll be able to find art in 2-D and 3-D creations, including paintings, pottery and photographs.

Location: ARTS 206 - 206 S. White Street, Wake Forest NC

Dates: December 2 - 18, 2011 (check calendar for specific times)

For a sneak peek at some of the art to be on display you can stop by the Twisted Vine Wine Shoppe located above Wake Forest Coffee Company at 156 S. White Street, Wake Forest NC.

So many times potential sellers want to try and sell their home themselves (FSBO - For Sale By Owner) Why is that? Well, I have found, more often than not, that it is because sellers sometimes aren't quite sure what a professional Realtor® can do for them.

A professional, equipped and skilled Realtor® will assist you with a wide range of skills and aid you in making invaluable decisions during the real estate transaction. While the following list is by no means inclusive of all of the significant services a Realtor® will provide it is an outline of how you can most certainly benefit from employing a professional:

• Pays for all marketing and advertising costs. Be sure to ask your Realtor® for their marketing plan.
  
• Adds experience and expertise in all aspects of the sales process including, but not limited to marketing, negotiations and more.
  
• Brings a network of known, trusted real estate professionals. If your Realtor® doesn't have the answer, he or she likely knows someone who does.
• Always has your interests in mind so you always have someone on your side. Ask your Realtor® what the difference is between Seller's Agents vs. Buyer's Agents!
  
• Handles and advises on all price and contract negotiations. A competent Realtor® will have prepared a rock solid CMA that will assist you with arriving at a List Price. For more information regarding CMAs/Market Analysis you can check out this post.
  
• Gives an unbiased, realistic view of your home and your options. Unlike buyers and sellers, an agent has no emotional attachment to property. It is important to listen to your Realtor® when discussing the highlights and potential short-comings of your home.
  
• Being an objective liaison, potential buyers are more likely to tell your Realtor® the truth about your home, even if it is unflattering. This un-biased viewpoint will help you make the necessary changes to get your home sold.
• Your time is valuable. A Realtor® allows you to spend your time how you want.

Selling your home in Wake Forest NC can be a tricky and sensitive process. Most times it is best to remove yourself from the front line and allow an experienced and qualified Realtor® handle the process.

If you are currently contemplating selling your home in the Wake Forest NC Real Estate Market I can help! I would be happy to meet with you and review your options, current market conditions and my marketing plan with you. I am just a phone call away at 919.649.6128 or you can simply send me an email.

Remember, I live, work and play in Wake Forest NC - I know this market better than anyone!

I was having a conversation the other day with another Realtor® about safety and I remembered this post I had written a while ago and dug it up for her to read and LIVE by! Then, I got to thinking, it is definitely worth reposting so consider this a reblog of me! ;)

Safety can NEVER be taken too seriously nor should it be overlooked just to make a buck! So, whether you are a buyer, seller or a fellow Realtor® please take a peek at an older post of mine about Realtor® Safety - it may just save you one day!

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I don't know why, but I still find it amazing when Potential Buyers get mad at me for not dropping everything at a moments notice and meeting them at a vacant house. Mind you, complete strangers!

By my nature, I am a friendly person, never met a stranger and can ALWAYS strike up a conversation. I love meeting new people and finding out what they are about, how they live their life, what they enjoy and what we have in common. My career also dictates that I have this pre-determined outgoing nature - I mean, really? How can one sell Real Estate if they don't like meeting new people.

What may be one of my greatest assets could one day be my demise if I didn't adhere to my own personal "Code of Safety" and listen to my common sense. There are simple rules that I self-administer and well, quite frankly, if a Buyer or Seller can not appreciate them and/or respect them then we simply weren't meant for each other.

1. I will NEVER respond to an email from a stranger and agree to meet them at a vacant home.
2. I will NEVER respond to a phone call from a stranger and agree to meet them at a vacant house.
3. I will NEVER host an Open House by myself.
4. I will NEVER work with any buyer until there has been rapport established and identity verified.
5. I will NEVER meet a COUPLE at a vacant home.
   

If you call me/email me and I don't know you then be prepared to meet in a public place, answer questions, and verify your identity. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, an aunt, a friend to many and I love my security and MY LIFE.

If a Buyer can not respect these wishes and rules of mine then perhaps they are better suited with another Realtor®. Keep in mind, I don't do blind dates but please don't mistake that for bitchy.

Recent cases of Unpleasant Realities*:

• St. Louis, MO - A man posing as a home buyer waited until he got a 24 year old real estate agent in an unfinished aprt of the basement and then pulled out a handgun. He handcuffed her and sexually assaulted her, at one point putting a knife to her throat. Afterward, he robbed her and warned her not to scream for help before leaving her alone in the new home she thought he wanted to buy.
• Liberty Township, OH - A man wearing a ski mask showed up at a model home. The on-site agent immediately asked the man to leave and closed the model home's door, but the agent later found the man standing inside the garage. The man grabbed her, but she fought him off and he fled the scene.
• Cary, NC - A man registered in a neighborhood's model home, then asked to see homes in the community. Once the agent had taken the man to another home in the development, the man pulled out a knife and attacked the agent. She was bound and sexually assaulted.
  

*cited from the 2009-2010 NC Real Estate Update Course

The incident in Cary NC, for those of you that don't know, was literally 10 minutes away from me. While many may always have the feeling "that could never happen here" - THINK AGAIN!

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention an incident that happened to my West Coast Sister, Cristal Drake. She was robbed at an Open House in July 2009. I'll never forget how I felt when I read her post - she really is my kindred and I just can't imagine. You can read about her unfortunate event at her blog post...... Be On The Lookout for These Open House Thieves! North Orange County Agents PLEASE READY!

I don't care if you are a SEASONED AGENT or NEW TO THE BUSINESS - NO SALE IS WORTH YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY! End of story and there really is no discussion needed. There are many tips that I could give as both an agent and a Broker-In-Charge.....

• ALWAYS have new clients meet you at your office or public place such as coffee shop, etc.
  
• When at all possible - have another agent go with you when working with new clients.
• If you get that icky feeling - ALWAYS go with your instincts!
• Have a code word set up between you and your office so that when you are out and about showing you can call your office and they will instantly know that you need help.
• ALWAYS leave an itinerary of where you are showing with either your BIC or another agent in the office.
• Keep you cell phone on you at ALL times! Have 911 programmed into speed dial.
• There are many "tools" that are available for protection now available nationwide through the various Association of Realtors® offices - explore them and find one that you are comfortable with.

And for all of you buyers reading this right now. Yes, you are what keeps me going in my career and without you I wouldn't be as successful as I am. However, there are quite a few "YOU'S" out there and if you can't respect my wishes then how can I possibly respect yours?