Liz Freeman

Many folks living in Greenville fantasize about running off to their own personal retreat in the mountains, at a lake or at the beach. But how do you know which vacation home is best for you?

Choosing a location

Do you want your vacation home to be in the middle of all the activity, or enjoy the peace and quiet of a secluded location? Is a condo at the mountain your cup of tea or a farmhouse tucked away in the woods? Whichever environment you prefer, here are some things you should consider:

• Popularity. A house in a hot vacation market will usually cost more than a place off the beaten path. At the same time, continued popularity may help you profit from appreciation.
• Proximity to your home.
  If you plan to visit regularly, look for a place that's easy to get to.
• Rental possibilities.
  If you're hoping to offset some costs by renting the home for part of the year, find out about seasonal demand for rentals in the area.

Maintaining your getaway

Regular upkeep is more difficult with a vacation home than with your primary Greenville residence, but no less important. The value of the home, both as an investment and as a place you enjoy visiting, depends on good maintenance.

If your primary residence is not far from Greenville, you may want to make weekly visits to mow the lawn, water the garden, clean the gutters or shovel snow. If doing it yourself is impractical, consider hiring a vacation property management company to provide maintenance services during the times when you're not using the home.

Visit LizFreeman.com and LizFreemanHomes.com to learn more about buying a vacation home or give me a call for more personal service.

It doesn't matter if you are moving across town or across the country, moving is stressful! But a little planning can go a long way to making the move to your new Greenville home less stressful. Below are 10 time-saving tips for a hassle-free move.

1. Make a list.

Create a week-by-week checklist of everything that needs doing. Start 60 days prior to your move and include the most trivial items. Staying on schedule will eliminate a lot of headaches, especially the closer you get to moving day.

2. Hire a quality moving company.

If the quote you get from a moving company seems too good to be true...it probably is! An unreliable company will cost you more in the long run, so be sure to check out the companies you interview with the Better Business Bureau.

3. Have a yard sale.

Now is the perfect time to get rid of items you haven't used in the last few years. Why pack, move and unpack something you most likely won't use in your next Greenville home? Discard it now rather than later.

4. Create a system.

Create a color coded boxing system with a different color for each room in the house. Only pack items for a specific room in specific boxes. Let your movers know which colors correspond to which room so they will put the boxes in the correct room.

5. Unplug.

Most movers won't unplug appliances, computers, etc. Before the movers arrive, disconnect all appliances, electrical equipment and lighting fixtures that go to your new Greenville home.

6. Stock up on packing supplies.

Don't run out of packing tape the morning of the move; have plenty of packing supplies on hand. Early on in the moving process, start gathering boxes, tape, bubble wrap, newsprint, box cutters and markers. Try to save time and the environment by packing with materials you already have. Load up suitcases and plastic containers and use pillows, scarves and towels to "wrap" fragile items.

7. Pack a moving survival kit.

Pack a "last-to-go" box with all of the necessities-toiletries, snacks, important documents-and keep it with you instead of packing it in moving truck.

8. Clean it up.

An empty house is much easier to clean than one with boxed stacked everywhere. Clean your new home before you move in so you can concentrate on unpacking after the movers leave.

9. Create a floor plan.

Prior to the move, create a floor plan with graph paper and cutouts for the furniture. Plan where the furniture will go so the movers can put it in the right place the first time and you don't have to move it around later.

10. Change service prior to the move.

Arrange for your mail, utilities, phone, cable, Internet and any other services to be transferred prior to the move so you don't have a lapse in service. There is nothing worse than not having water, heat or air conditioning on moving day!

Learn more about moving and Greenville homes by visiting LizFreeman.com and LizFreemanHomes.com.

Pitt County and Greenville foreclosure homes spiked in April compared to February and March. There were 41 new foreclosure filings in April compared to 31 filings in February and 30 filings in March, according to RealtyTrac.com.

Pitt County and Greenville Foreclosure Activity and Home Price Index

Pitt County and Greenville foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings - default notice, foreclosure auction notice or repossession notice - each month. Home price appreciation is based on month-over-month percentage change of the Home Price Index. The Home Price Index is calculated from home sales records.

Pitt County and Greenville Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

The Pitt County and Greenville foreclosure rate is .01% below the state of North Carolina and .21% below national statistics.

Are you or someone you know behind on your mortgage payments and facing a Greenville foreclosure? You do have options. A short sale may be the answer to saving you, your family and your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) with extensive training in helping families in distress situations. Give me a call for a private consultation.

Learn more about Greenville real estate at LizFreeman.com and LizFreemanHomes.com.

Should you move up to a larger home? This is a question many Greenville home owners are asking. The questions below will help you decide whether you're ready for a home that's larger or in a more desirable location.

1. Have you built substantial equity in your current home?

If you have owned your Greenville home for a number of years you might have built up some equity. Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to determine your loan balance. Then give me a call to determine your home's market value. The difference between your loan amount and current market value is your equity. Get the market value of your Greenville home.

2. Has your income or financial situation improved?

If your income has increased, you may be able to afford a higher mortgage payment.

3. Have you outgrown your neighborhood?

Often, the neighborhood or location you buy your first home in may no longer suit your needs. You may want to be closer to work, be in a better school district or have a home on a lake rather than close to it.

4. Are there reasons why you can't remodel or add on?

Sometimes adding on to your current home is the answer. If you will end over-improving for the neighborhood, moving may be a better option.

5. Are you comfortable moving in the current housing market?

In the current real estate market, your Greenville home may not sell quickly for what it would have a few years ago, but the home you buy also less expensive.

6. Are interest rates attractive?

A low rate not only helps you buy a larger home, but also makes it easier to find a buyer and interest rates are currently at record lows.

If you answer yes to most of the questions, it's a sign that you may be ready to move. If so, please visit LizFreeman.com or LizFreemanHomes.com

Pending home sales rose with many first-time buyers taking advantage of historically good housing affordability conditions, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in March, increased 3.2 percent to 84.6 from a level of 82.0 in February, and is 1.1 percent higher than March 2008 when it was 83.7.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said it should take a few months for the market to gain momentum. "This increase could be the leading edge of first-time buyers responding to very favorable affordability conditions and an $8,000 tax credit, which increases buying power even more in areas where special programs allow buyers to use it as a downpayment," he said. "We need several months of sustained growth to demonstrate a recovery in housing, which is necessary for the overall economy to turn around."

Let's take a look at the April sales statistics to see how the Greenville NC real estate market looks:

Greenville NC real estate sales statistics for April show pending sales decreased by 19% in 2009 compared to April 2008. The average sales price decreased by 13% to $161,383 while sold listings were down 39% from 2008. Market times increased 17 days or 11% from 2008.

Learn more about the Greenville NC real estate market by visiting our websites, LizFreeman.com and LizFreemanHomes.com.

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Information is provided by the Greenville Multiple Listing Service and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.