Downtwon Raleigh Restaraunt Week

Restaraunt Week is this week! Have you been? I hope to check out one of the spots this weekend with friends. Today from 10am to 2pm they are giving away FREE samples from some of the participating restaurants! Check out everything you need to know about it here!

1st Time Homebuyers Tax Credit!

I am so excited about the tax credit that has just been introduced! I hope it will generate some buyers who are ready to snatch up some of the great deals that are to be had in our market! Here is a website to answer many questions about it: www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com

Turns out that a first time buyer does not have to be a "First Time Ever" buyer--if you haven't owned a home in 3 years, you qualify. It is also not being required to be paid back!

Hope you are all having a Happy Mardi Gras! Visit Rey's Restaurant in Cary to get your beads!

www.ReysRestaraunt.com

Where is all the Good News?

I've always been an avid watcher of the newscasts. It's habit with me. I usually tune into the local channels in the evening, and GMA in the mornings. I like to hear what's going on in the world and keep up to speed. It's also become a key part of my business.

Real estate, obviously has been a HUGE topic for the past several months. How bad it is, people losing their homes, and how nothing is moving. Very little is being said when good things happen. I am sure that EVERYONE saw the article in the N&O last Wednesday with the headline "42000 Jobs Lost"--but if you flipped to page 7B, you saw an article about Californias market actually hit an upswing in December, and that the West region is starting to climb out of the hole it's been in.

That's GREAT news for our area--don't we have lots of folks moving here from other places? Don't they need to sell their homes before they buy? Isn't it great that things are selling?

I hope that people will turn off the TV sometime, and find a local source who really knows what's going on. Get in touch with a local realtor, someone you know and trust. It's their job to keep on top of what's going on in your local market. They can give you the confidence and reason.

It is a GREAT time buy, I had some clients do this week! They got a great deal on a home, timed it just right, and are very happy. They'll get an unbelievable interest rate I am sure.

The Triangle is not immune from what's happening in the world, we know that. But it is a great place to call home, and when things pick up in other places, they pick up here. We are still a destination many want to be.

Oh! And I almost forgot! I actually won a Soup Cookoff last week in our office! There were 8 contestants, and my "Frogmore Stew" was a hit! It's a low country boil, full of shrimp, sausage, corn & potatoes. Very simple and easy to make!

Mondays are for fresh starts

Mondays are always like a blank slate for me. You can start over with new ideas for the week, new plans, new fun for the coming weekend!

With coffee in hand, I start out with a brainstorming hour in the morning. Thinking of new ways to generate real estate leads, checking out the newest homes on the market through our MLS, and contacting prospects.

The real estate market always slows down at the holidays, but this is the best time to start generating ideas and strategies for the new year.

Monday's pick for a great dinner:

Peak City Grill & Bar, Salem Street, Downtown Apex
ALL YOU CAN EAT RIBS for $19.95--www.peakcitygrill.com

Who is the Hungry House Hunter?

Everyone has their favorite neighborhood eatery. Whether its a coffee shop that knows just how you take your first cup of morning brew (I'm a 1 cream and 2 Splenda girl myself), or the pizza place that you head to every Friday to enjoy the wine special and catch up with friends---most of us have at least one home away from home. A place where we know the menu, know the people, and find great food.

As a realtor in the Triangle area of NC, I work mostly with buyers. Some of my clients may already know this wonderful place I call home, and some are just beginning to discover what it has to offer.

As much as I love helping a new client find the perfect home, I love to recommend where they can find their new "home away from home". I think it gives people a sense of community, belonging and can sometimes help make the transition easier when they move to a new place.

Everyone always like a good recommendation for where to eat, right?

I came up with the title rather quickly, and although it sounded a little silly, I thought it was catchy enough, that people would remember it.

I'm a native of the Triangle area, specifically Cary, and one of my favorite pastimes is to try new restaurants. It feels good to support the local guys, the ones who rely on word of mouth to keep their business going. Finding a great slice of pizza and 2.50 draft of cold beer is only the icing!

I hope folks will find this information useful, and fun. I think we can all use a little humor these days, and positive views on the real estate market as well.

Follow me as I wander Wake County digging up some of the best eateries the area has to offer. I am open for suggestion too--I'd love to hear where you think the best spots to get a great meal are.

For now, I must go, it is lunch time after all...