Come join us as The Shops at the Belvedere, on West Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, present
Rock the Plaza
August 21
5:00-8:00pm
Featuring Classic Rock Sounds from the 60's and 70's with the hottest new local band
The Rear View Mirror 
Food and Beverage by: Dog Nation Grill, O'Donnell's Pub, Cold Stone Creamery and Pick ‘n Pig Bar-B-Que
Help us support our military families in North Carolina by donating gas cards, Walmart/Target gift cards, AAFES/commissary gift cards, MC/Visa gift cards, cash or checks made out to Operation Homefront of NC.
Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind and to wounded soldiers when they return home. For more information please visit www.operationhomefront.net
Donations can be dropped off at participating Belvedere Plaza stores or at the following locations:
FrontGat
e Properties, 206 Commerce Ave, Southern Pines
Cold Stone Creamery, 11088 US 15-501 Aberdeen
ConnectNC, Inc., 420 SW Broad Street, Southern Pines,
Moore Music, 1546 Suite 5, Hwy US #1
Special store discounts for military ID card holders at participating Belvedere Plaza Shops.
Linda Breeding
910-690-8368
Welcome to the more then 1,200 young golfers and their families this week! We are excited that you are here for the third addition of the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship Tournament being played in Pinehurst July 30, 2008 - August 3, 2008.
Need great places eat? Here are some of the local favorites. This will give you some great ideas. As they always say, "Go Where the Locals Go".
Best Coffee Shop
Stop by the Java Bean Plantation located at 410 SW Broad Street in Southern Pines. This has to be the best place for that morning cup of Jo! You can smell the coffee brewing from across the street! They also have muffins available. Like Mochas? - they make the best.
Best breakfast - Before You Hit the Course
Mac's Breakfast Anytime with five locations in the Pinehurst area is a local favorite and the menu is varied. The Pinehurst Track Restaurant (the Pinehurst harness track) located at 180 Beulah Hill Road in Pinehurst is wonderful and you might get a glimpse of some of the beautiful horses and trainers. Do you want a quick donut or muffin? Granny's Old Fashioned Donuts located at 201 Johnson St in Aberdeen (right off US #1) has the best donuts and muffins in town.
Best Lunches
There are a lot of great lunch spots in Pinehurst but here are my personal favorites. The Market Place located at Midland Road in Pinehurst has great sandwiches. I think they have the best chicken salad in town! Sweet Basil located at 34 NW Broad Street in Southern Pines and the Villager Deli on 6 Chinquapin Road in Pinehurst are also wonderful. Do you want organic and Natural food stop by 195 located at 195 Bell Avenue in Southern Pines (behind the car dealership on Old US 1 in Southern Pines).
Best Dinners
Dinner time will be crowded so make reservations or try to get there early. There are lots of great places to eat. Head down 15-501 toward Aberdeen, along 15-501 and US 1 in Aberdeen is "Restaurant Row". Here are some of the local favorites.
Best Italian: Vito's Ristorante and Pizzeria located at 615 SW Broad Street in Southern Pines right beside the railroad track. Vito's always has standing room only, so make reservations or try to get there early or a little late. Stop and speak to Vito while there, he will be walking around the dining room.
Best Steak and Seafood: Two of the local favorites and they are both located on US 1 right across the street from each other. The JFR Barn and The Lob-Steer Inn. Both have the best salad bars in town. Also good is Beefeaters located on SW Broad Street in Southern Pines. Casual dress.
Fine dining: Stop by and try Pinecrest Inn and Restaurant at 50 Dogwood Road in Pinehurst or Chef Warren's at 215 NE Broad Street in Southern Pines, Chef Warren's has limited seating so make reservations early. This is a fun place, make a point to chat with Chef Warren while there, he's a lot of fun. Ironwood Café located at 2176 Midland Road in Pinehurst is another great. 195 located at 195 Bell Avenue in Southern Pines is the place for Organic and Natural Food (also on the Best Lunch List).
Other great Places: Basils Restaurant and Nina's Classic Cuisine both located in Omstead Village, Center Park Avenue in Pinehurst. Both have limited seating, call early for reservations.
Casual Favorites: El Chapala Mexican located on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Bennett Street in Southern Pines, the locals love the friendly, outgoing personality of the servers. If you want down-home southern Bar-B-Que and Seafood try John's Barbeque and Seafood located at 10985 US 15-501 in Southern Pines. Dress down for John's Barbeque it is very casual with lots of North Carolina southern hospitality.
Have fun kids and families! We are glad you are here!
Linda Breeding
910-690-8368
OK first time home buyer you are excited, aren't you? You can't wait to get into your first home and you start going forward with the home buying process. Buying a home is complicated and this fact can cause you to make a lot of mistakes. These mistakes can be costly, don't fall for them.
Don't Understand Financing
Most first time home buyers don't understand the importance of being preapproved on financing. Some people have credit issues which can be worked out in a matter of a few months that can greatly improve your chances of buying the home you desire. With these issues corrected you may even be able to get a lower interest rate which of course can mean lower payments and/or qualifying you for a nicer home.
It is also important to compare mortgages and even talk to several mortgage lenders. There are so many different mortgage programs available. Mortgages are not a "one fits all." Ask questions and lots of them! Compare "apples to apples" and learn and understand which mortgage program will be best for you.
Ask for an Estimate of Closing Cost from your lender. Real estate agents are able to give you most of the cost for closing and can even tweak up your Estimate of Closing Cost to make it more locally accurate. With the different loan programs your agent will need the estimate of the bank fees (your highest cost to close). You must understand how much your closing cost will be up front before looking for a home. When you place an offer on your new home you may even be able to have the seller pay some or all of these costs. Also, the amount of the closing cost will impact how much down payment you will be able to place on your home, if any.
It is imperative that first time home buyers understand how much house they can afford and how much your monthly payment will be including taxes, insurance and home owner associations. It is nothing more heartbreaking for you than to have your sights on a certain home and find out later that you will not be able to obtain a loan on that particular home.
You will find that most agents are reluctant to start assisting you in the search of your new home until you are at least preapproved for a loan. It is very disappointing to find out after we have shown you homes we will have to "bring you down" or "bring you up" in price. Bringing you up in price, in other words if you qualify for more home than you thought, is rather easy. We can make you happy. The problem surfaces when we have to "bring you down in price". Once you start looking at more expensive houses the lower priced homes just will never seem to fit.
And most important ask questions and lots of them. No question is "dumb". What would be "dumb" is not to ask and understand everything you can about your mortgage.
Running Wild
There is a behavior I refer to as running wild. First time home buyers will frequently rush off looking at every house they can on their own, surfing the web, calling on advertisements, visiting open houses and for sale by owners (FSBO) and the list goes on. This can cause you big problems - number one you have no representation and may do or say something that can greatly harm your chances of getting the best price and terms for yourself down the road. Slow down, find a real estate agent you like - one that deals with a lot of first time home buyers, and let your agent do the leg work for you. Your agent can show you all the houses on the market, even the FSBO homes, and once you are working with a real estate agent you are protected. In my area, the seller pays the commission so this service is free to you. Take advantage of it! Not only that, it's a lot less work for you.
Wants to see ALL the houses
I see this one over and over with my first time home buyers and I warn each and every one about this very common mistake. Your real estate agent, based on your criteria, will show you the "best" houses first. For some reason first time home buyers, even if they find a house they love, will want to keep viewing houses. I have had buyers tell me, "I want to make sure there is nothing better out there" or "I want the perfect house." Well, guess what will happen if you do this? By the time you view ALL the houses and decide, "Yes, that is the house I want (the first or second one you saw)!" that house may no longer be available! Gone, under contract, someone else got it! Please, please don't do this - there is no "perfect" house. You will make your house "perfect" by making it your home and adding your little touches. That is what makes home ownership fun!
Doesn't look at resale value
Resale value is an important fact for first time home buyers to consider. The average time an owner lives in a home is five years. Then guess what? You will want to resale that house! You want to be in a location or buy a home that has resale value, one that you will be able to cash in on equity gain years down the road. Some first time buyers say, "I'm going to live in this house forever" Well, forever is a long time and life changes, your family may grow, you may have a job change, or you may later just want a larger house. Listen to your real estate agent - if he/she has doubts on resale value - run don't walk away.
Doesn't get home inspection
Get that professional home inspection folks, no matter what. Many first time home buyers (all buyers really) will attempt to save money by not getting a professional home inspection. Sure it cost, but it is a very small amount of your total closing cost. The home inspector can find issues in the house that could cost you money, BIG money, down the road. Don't let this happen to you! I even advise people buying new construction homes to have a home inspection, I have seen mistakes in new construction houses that was done by a subcontractor that the contractor did not even know about - but the contractor made sure it was corrected for the buyer prior to closing. You will not regret you had the home inspection.
I love my first time home buyers! I love their excitement, their questions and the fact that they need a little extra time and nurturing. What I love best about my first timers is when I hand them those keys to their new home! I love their smiles! I know you are starting an exciting time in your life and I know you are also making the best investment you can ever make. Enjoy this time.
Looking for a first time home? Give me a call and I will make sure the process is an easy one for YOU!
Linda Breeding
910-690-8368
Market Update for Whispering Pines, NC
May 1, 2008 - May 31, 2008
There are currently 68 Homes listed as active in the Village of Whispering Pines
High Price $645,000
Low Price $150,000
Median Price $301,450
Average Days on Market 126 days
Five homes sold in the Village of Whispering Pines during the month of May 2008
High Sold Price $400,000
Low Sold Price $166,000
Median Sold Price $245,000
Average Days on Market 151 days
Homes sold for an average of 94% of their listed price.
Inventory levels remain steady, prices remain steady with only very slight decreases from last year. Buyer traffic is down slightly from last year. I am currently seeing increase in buyer traffic in May compared to April. The market in the area is holding steady and we are not experiencing huge declines on values.
Linda Breeding
910-692-8368
The Village of Whispering Pines, NC
Less than a 10 minute drive from the Village of Pinehurst is one of the best kept secrets in the Pinehurst Area, the Village of Whispering Pines. Do you enjoy walking and biking along gently curved tree lined streets with gorgeous lake views along the entire route? Or maybe your passion is fishing for large mouth bass, swimming or meeting friends on a pontoon boat in the center of the lake for a "yak and snack." This is the daily life for the residents of Whispering Pines. Not to mention, enjoy a wonderful start to your day with a cup of your favorite coffee as you watch some of the most incredible sunrises North Carolina has to offer or end your hectic day sitting lakeside and watching the magnificent sunsets - because in Whispering Pines you are able to enjoy both!
The approximately 2400 Whispering Pines residents know that this is one of the best communities in the Pinehurst area and for the enjoyment of six beautiful lakes, parks, and boat docks there are no association fees. It just doesn't get any better!
Is the Country Club Life for You?
As an option residents of Whispering Pines can join the Country Club of Whispering Pines which includes two 18 hole Ellis Maples designed golf courses, driving range, putting green, dining room, proshop, tennis courts and swimming pool. There are five different membership categories to meet the needs of everyone.
Easy Commute to Ft. Bragg and Pope Air Force Base
A lot of our military families from Ft. Bragg and Pope Air Force Base prefer to live in a community with the amenities of Whispering Pines rather than on-base. The Village of Whispering Pines offers this alternative with an easy commute of just 25 minutes.
I think it is well worth for people moving to the area to take the time to check out this wonderful lake and golf community.
Give me a call or email me if you have any questions about the Village of Whispering Pines. I look forward to hearing from you.
Linda Breeding
910-690-8368
Linda Breeding, a Pinehurst native, is a focused real estate professional who understands that paying attention to the smallest detail can impact the success of your next move.
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