Local Business Feature with Forsyth Magazines Associate Editor, Brooke Eagle

We like featuring locals and local small businesses frequently on our website and social feeds, because we love the Lewisville-Clemmons community and supporting those who make it such a great place to live, work, play and shop.  Today we are spending some time with Brooke Eagle, the Associate Editor with Forsyth Magazines.  Brooke has lived in the Lewisville-Clemmons area all of her life. Is there a secret we know on Brooke? You'll have to watch the video to find out!  You can also read the full interview below.

Describe your business

Forsyth Magazines consists of four publications. Forsyth Woman and Forsyth Family began in 2005 and 2007 respectively and come out monthly. These magazines celebrate women and famiy life. We love showcasing local businesses and being a resource for people new to the area and people that have been here forever. We love hosting and sponsoring events and pride ourselves in being more than just a

How Has COVID-19 Affected Real Estate Sales?

Most of us are living life at least somewhat differently, if not in a very different way, after the COVID-19 outbreak.  That means staying at home more in quarantine sick or not.  Thankfully, we have not had many Coronavirus cases in Forsyth County or the Triad area.  Even though real estate is considered "essential", Guilford County has implemented stricter Stay at Home restrictions than our state governor.  

In Guilford, real estate agents are not allowed to show a home unless it is under contract, so that means making an offer on it site unseen.  Have homes been sold that way even before Coronavirus?  Sure, but it's definitely not the norm. This is making it very challenging to sell a home in the Greensboro area. Again, thankfully, our Forsyth County leaders and local Mayors have not seen the need for these harsher restrictions.  With less than 0.04% cases  in Forsyth, I don't see the need for stricter requirements.  That being said, we want everyone to feel safe in either listing a home or buying a home, and we have a COVID-19 Policy for sellers and buyers for anyone who is interested.  That includes offering In-person Virtual Tours.  Maybe you aren't able to view a home because of travel restrictions where you live, but still need to move soon.  Please contact us, and our agents are glad to provide virtual tours via Zoom, Facetime, Google Duo, Skype, or whatever your preferred video chat app is. 

COVID-19 Real Estate Contract Addendum

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, or if you are already under contract to purchase a home, a COVID-19 Addendum can be added.  The details of an addendum can vary, but it can typically be used to extend closing dates, inspection periods, or financing contingencies. If you can't close because you lost your job or income due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the addendum can also be used to let the buyer and seller out of the contract penalty-free.  The North Carolina Association of Realtors have created such a form.

Has COVID-19 Affected Lewisville-Clemmons Home Sales?

Much of the change in our daily lives started about the first week of March due to COVID-19 governmental restrictions.  There were slightly more new listings coming on line in March than February, but an overall decrease of over 20% from March 2019.  This tells me people are hesitating to sell.  Pending sales were also down from last year over 30%. The good news is there were 37% more sales last month than March 2019 and 32% more than last month.  Year to Date sales are up as well.  That could drastically change when next month's report comes out.  

I don't mention the condo/townhome sales because there really isn't enough data from month to month because of the limited number of condos and townhomes in the Lewisville-Clemmons area. The condo/townhome numbers can fluctuate greatly on a month to month basis due to this.

Has Coronavirus Affected Lewisville-Clemmons Home Prices?

As you can see on the chart, both the Median Sales Price for March and Year to Date are up from last year at $312,535 and $289,730 respectively.  The average price is down from last year, but up Year to Date.  And the Percent of List Price Received is still very strong at over 98%.  For homes in certain price ranges, mostly entry level up to about $250,000, houses are getting multiple offers and selling over list price. This has been on-going for months now due to a large number of buyers (many Millenials who have reached home buying age), low interest rates, and low inventory.  There just aren't enough homes for sale in these price ranges, which has driven prices up for entry level and lower priced move-up homes.  There is still roughly 3 months of inventory, which indicates a strong Seller's Market. There should be at least 6 months of inventory for the market to be more balanced.  If you would like to be on our Market Report email list, so that you don't miss an update, please contact us to be added to the list. 

If you're in the Lewisville-Clemmons area or thinking about moving to the Lewisville-Clemmons area, please join us on our We Love Lewisville-Clemmons facebook group.  And as always, if you are thinking about buying or selling a home, please don't hesitate to contact us.  We're here to help!

- Tony Green, Broker-in-Charge

The Gift of Easter

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many changes we are all having to get used to including not being in large gatherings. Churches were one of the first establishments to feel the effect of coronavirus with many state governors, including our North Carolina governor, putting restrictions on how many people could be together at once.  For most Christians, Easter is the most special Sunday of the year, and many who don't attend church on a regular basis will still get up and go on Easter Sunday.  

So this year, we are all experiencing Easter in a new way thanks to coronavirus.  We started 

How to Create Comfortable and Functional Spaces in Your Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), many of us are spending a lot more time at home (#stayhome). We’re all being called upon to avoid public spaces and practice social distancing to help slow the spread of this infectious disease. While it can be understandably challenging, there are ways you can modify your home and your lifestyle to make the best of this difficult and challenging situation.

Here are a few tips for creating comfortable and functional spaces within your home for work, school, and fitness. We also share some of our favorite ways to stay connected as a community, because we’re all in this together … and no one should face these trying times alone.  One awesome way of staying connected locally is following our We Love Lewisville-Clemmons page and joining our group on facebook as well as our Instagram and Twitter feeds.

Begin with the Basics - Home Emergency Preparedness Kit

A basic home emergency preparedness kit is a great addition to any home, even under normal circumstances. It should

How to Sanitize Your Home and Car from Coronavirus COVID-19

EPA Approved Products Will Help Keep Your Home Germ-Free

Even though the coronavirus has us all boarded up inside, we still need to go out occasionally for essential items, like food at the grocery store, take-out and curbside orders from restaurants, and prescriptions from the pharmacy. And we should be cautious of surfaces we touch in public, like shopping carts, and be aware of the germs we might bring into our homes.  As we adjust to the new reality of COVID-19 as a pandemic, we have to get used to doing things a little differently. For one, we need to keep things disinfected more.  Here's how to avoid the coronavirus with these practical tips on sanitizing your home and car.

Disinfecting Your Home

Washing your hands frequently is obviously one of the best steps you can take to stop the spread of COVID-19.  Hopefully, everyone has heard that enough and has put it into practice. But the virus can still cling to surfaces we carry

What Does the Emergency Fed Rate Cut Mean for Mortgage Rates?

Mortgage Rates Have Dropped to 3-Year Lows in Response to Global Economic Uncertainty

The Fed made an emergency move to lower the Federal Funds Rate on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. This rare move by the central bank was made in response to global concerns of an economic slow-down due to the coronavirus outbreak.  The Fed cut the rate, which is the rate depository institutions lend reserve balances to other depository institutions overnight on an uncollateralized basis, by a half-point to a range of 1% to 1.25% in between its regularly scheduled meetings. 

Will the Fed Rate Cut Affect Mortgage Rates?

Lewisville-Clemmons Home Prices Continue to Rise

The Lewisville-Clemmons residential real estate market continues to be strong. Prices proceed to rise with the average sales price in January 2020 being $329,962. That is a year to year increase of 29.8% from $254,115 in January 2019. The median price also rose to $$295,000, which is 30.1% higher than January 2019. Rising prices make it harder for the average person to buy a home, but the good news is there are also more homes that came on the market in January, which was an increase of 24.1% from last year. The current inventory level is 3.2 months, but still below the level of a balanced market. Until inventory levels reach 8-9 months, it will continue to be a Seller's Market for residential, single-family, detached homes.  

Please don't hesitate to call/text us at 336.462.9544 if you have any questions regarding the local Lewisville-Clemmons real estate market or any specific neighborhood in the Lewisville-Clemmons area as well as other surrounding Triad areas.  We're here to help! 

If you love the Lewisville-Clemmons area as much as we do, connect with us on our We Love Lewisville-Clemmons facebook and Instagram pages. 

https://www.facebook.com/lewisvilleclemmons/

https://www.instagram.com/lvlclemmons/

How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in Lewisville, Clemmons or Pfafftown?

If you are thinking about selling your home, you probably have a number of questions: what's my home worth, how can I sell at a high price, how can a Realtor help, etc.  One of the most asked questions when selling your home is "how long does it take to sell a house?". And the answer is...wait for it...."it depends." Of course, no one really wants to hear that.  But like you've heard before, real estate is all about location, location, location. A house in one zip code may sell faster than a house another zip code. Or the time to sell a home may vary by neighborhood or subdivision. Of course, other factors come into play like price, condition, season, inventory, or even school district.

Showings Before Pending Sale

Most Realtors will only look at the "average days to sell" on the MLS.  But it's not all about the number of days. in these days of data driven results, we can provide more information to make you a more informed home seller.  The chart below shows the average time to sell a house in Lewisville, Clemmons and Pfafftown according to the number of

Winston-Salem Listed #31 Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report

If you live in Winston-Salem, you know it's a great place to live. There are plenty of amenities that larger cities have like great restaurants, arts but not as much of the negatives that go along with big city living like traffic and crime.  It is the fifth largest city according to population rank in North Carolina with a 2018 population estimate of 246,328.  National publication, U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Winston-Salem #31 on their Best Places to Live List. 

Winston-Salem Low Cost-of-Living and Housing

Another reason Winston-Salem is such a great place to live is relatively low cost of living. Your wages might not be as high, but your dollar goes further in Winston-Salem than most areas of the country. That includes housing as well. The average home across the country was $362,700 for September 2019 (cesus.gov).  In Winston-Salem, the average

Be Prepared for Your Buyer's Home Inspection with this Seller Checklist

Knowing that you have a home inspection coming up soon can be somewhat unnerving. There is always the unknown that you cannot see that can make you a bit nervous. Because home inspectors ALWAYS find something!  However, you can be prepared with the Home Inspection Seller Checklist provided by Preston Sandlin and Home Inspection Carolina. Preston, please share with us how this Seller Checklist came about.

Home Inspection Seller Checklist History

One night I was studying with my daughter for a science test.  She asked me, “Daddy, isn’t a home inspection kinda like a test for the seller?”  (I am a home inspector by trade)  I said, “Yes it is.”  Then, she said “Do they know what to study?”  I said, “No, but they should.”  And the “Seller’s Inspection Checklist” or “Study Guide” was born.  This is what’s going to be on the test….I mean inspection.  Download this free checklist (link below) and go through it….preferably not the night before 😀…..maybe a week or two out.  Go through this list, and consult with The Green Team and I promise your home inspection will go way smoother.  - Preston

https://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/uploads/sellers%20checklist.pdf

Home Inspector, Preston Sandlin and His Inspiring Daughter