Melissa Brown

This is the best place in Charlotte, NC to watch a Carolina Panthers football game...unless you actually get to go to the game. It's the "Garage-Ma-Hal," Bill and Cindy Buchanan's garage-turned-Panther locale and memorabilia haven. 5 TVs, 3 recliners, 2 wet bars, and every square inch COVERED with Panther memorabilia. NOW...if we ONLY had a team that was going to the playoffs. Oh well...I'm still a big fan!

It's my ANNIVERSARY!!! Well not my first year, but my second year of selling real estate! I am doggone PROUD!!!! I signed on with Coldwell Banker United, Realtors in Charlotte, NC in November of 2007. The first year seems like a blur as I was baptized by fire, and realized that hardly anything I learned in my pre-licensing course would help me list a house for sale or represent a buyer, or prepare a decent CMA, or FIND business! I could write a book called "All I Ever Really Need to Know About Selling Real Estate, I learned on Active Rain!" Oh wait, Fulghum already came up with that idea!

My second year was the year the market tanked, Charlotte real estate property values declined, buyers had a hard time qualifying for mortgages, homes didn't appraise, sellers still thought their home was worth more than the comps said they were. But you know what? I persevered...and since I didn't know any better, I plugged away at becoming a master of my market area, and doing the very best job for any client I was privileged to help. If someone needs a realtor in Charlotte, NC, I am more than ready to help!

Some agents won't put a buyer in their car unless they've been pre-approved by a lender and they've signed a buyer agency agreement. Not me! If they wanted to see a house and I was free, I showed it. If they weren't ready to buy but wanted to "see what's out there," I showed them. You see, I didn't see it as wasting my time because I was developing relationships and learning my market. What else was I going to do, sit around and wait for the phone to ring? Start cold calling? Call on FSBOs and expireds? Those methods don't work for me, because I don't like it when people solicit me. So I can't bring myself to do it. More power to all of you who can, but I just can't.

Slowly but surely, I've developed a loyal following. I've already had repeat business from a prior client. I've had several referrals from past clients and from my sphere. I just keep it simple, I follow the Golden Rule and treat everyone the way i'd like to be treated myself! I've made mistakes and have been mortified, but I'm still here and doing great!

About 8 months ago, I "met" Jennifer Allan on AR and on her website, www.SellWithSoul.com. I had read an article in one of the realtor magazines about Jennifer's book called Sell with Soul: Creating an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate without Losing Your Friends, Your Principles or Your Self-Respect. I felt an immediate connection to Jennifer and her philosophy of selling real estate successfully. I've been a devotee ever since, and have bought practically everything she's written. You should really check out her website - there's so much info there, and lot's of it is FREE!

Jennifer puts on lots of webinars on all sorts of important topics, and guess what? She's doing a series of Rookie-to-Rookie shows. I'm proud and excited to announce that I am going to be one of her guest speakers on her Second Real Estate Rookie-to-Rookie Show - First Year Survivors Share their Secrets! where "soulful" 2nd & 3rd year agents survived to tell about it!

Calling all ROOKIES (and even veterans)! Join us for some fun and informative "story sharing." No holds barred - I'm ready to share my most embarrassing moments and what I learned from them. As you've learned here on AR, real estate is such a collaborative effort - we can all learn so much from each other.

So if you want to join us on this FREE Rookie webinar, click here for details. I hope to meet you there!

Thursday's Charlotte Observer's headline story declared "Charlotte Home Sales Rebound," a boost of good news just when the Charlotte real estate market needed it most! The article provides statistics from the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association, illustrating that sales of single family homes, townhouses and condos were up by 19.6% from sales a year ago in October, 2008. This is the first gain in home sales in the Charlotte Region since February, 2007, when Charlotte, NC began to feel the fallout from the national housing crisis, according to CRRA.

Factors involved in this sales boost, according to CRRA in the Observer article, are the first-time homebuyer tax credit that was initially set to expire on November 1, decreases in asking prices, low interest rates, and pent up buyer demand. This news may herald a turnaround in the Charlotte real estate market, perhaps proving that the market has hit the bottom and will slowly creep back up over the next year. The only negative aspect of the news is that market values continue to decline. The average sales price for homes in Charlotte fell to $196,204 in October, 2009, down 9.5% from October 2008, and down slightly (.003%) from Sept., 2009. Distressed properties (short sales and foreclosures) continue to contribute to the decline in housing values.

But overall, the news in October, 2009 for the Charlotte real estate market is good! More contracts (33.8% increase over October 2008) means more closings, means a reduction in inventory, and therefore a more balanced market.

So let's celebrate, Charlotte! It's time to buy and sell real estate!

Although the average sales price for homes in the Charlotte, NC real estate market declined by 9.5% from October, 2008, the number of contracts reported has increased significantly by 33.5%. That's great news for Charlotte real estate - buyers are going under contract!

Beautiful, serene Colonel Beatty Park Lake, in Matthews, NC! Captured at a moment of near-perfect stillness, this photo reflects the emerging fall foliage in Matthews, NC.

The trellis at Colonel Beatty Park is a popular focal point for amateur and professional photographers! The park is a wonderful place to unwind with the whole family. It features walking and biking trails, paddle boats, 6 tennis courts, soccer, football and baseball fields and a recreation center. Come and check out this "little piece of Heaven" right in the heart of Matthews, NC!