For folks unable to fully document income and looking to purchase or re-finance soon, it’s important that they go above and beyond to document and prove their credit-worthiness. They should provide contracts, bill payment history, and any tax information they have. The key is to be creative. Be active in their attempt to convince the lender that they are a low-risk borrower, in spite of their inability to fully document their income.

Some say the overcorrection to the lending industry has missed the real issue. According to one source the elimination of a particular type of loan does not solve the problem. Various types of mortgages are needed to meet the needs of diverse borrowers. The real disaster occurred not because of one type of loan but instead because of a lack of accountability–the lender making the loan wasn’t necessarily concerned if the loan defaulted because these risky mortgages were pushed off lenders’ books and packaged up and sold to third parties.

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In Baltimore, A-Plus Neighborhood Homebuyers LLC is now acquiring central city rowhouses — spending thousands of dollars extra on eco-friendly upgrades they’d never done before — extra heavy insulation, bamboo flooring and high energy- efficiency appliances and lighting.

Three thousand miles to the west in Seattle, Aaron Fairchild of G2B Ventures is raising $50 million for the Efficient Real Estate Fund, the first limited partnership designed solely to buy urban houses at wholesale prices, perform major energy-efficiency retrofits on top of regular rehabs, then turn the properties around as rentals and for-sale houses.

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This is a gated community with lots ranging from 2.3+- acres to 6.8+- acres on the Hwy 421 side of the lake just off South Minton Road, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

W. Kerr Scott Lake is 1500 acres with 50 miles of shoreline and is controlled by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is clean water with good fishing and is excellent for boating, kayaking, skiing, and swimming. The property is surrounded by National Parks. Wilkesboro is a beautiful community and town with friendly people. It is located just 40 miles east of Boone and Blowing Rock, NC and one and a half hours northwest of Charlotte.

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A recently released report cites that approximately 30 percent of the increase in a home’s sale value is accounted for by added tree cover. The results show that each $1.00 invested in upgrading an average landscape to excellent quality returns $1.35 in added property value. While most homeowners know that landscape is a big draw for buyers, they are unsure of how much and what kinds of landscaping affect the property value.

The study also reports that general tree cover adds 2 percent to 9 percent to the value of existing homes and 7 percent for new construction on tree-covered lots. Just a single tree can add up to 2 percent to the property value, according to the study. Hedges, walls, landscaped curbs, and dense vegetation can each add 2 percent to 4 percent to the property value. And if your home has more trees than nearby homes, the value shoots up by about 7 percent. Sophisticated designs in landscape affect property value in a very positive way.

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87.5 +/- Acres Available For Residential Subdivision Mountain Development, 7 miles from West Jefferson, NC

Paved Road and Bridge Built To State Specifications.

Average of $23,000 per acre.

This Property Should Retail For Approximately $50,000 to $60,000 per acre.

ALL PROPERTY HAS LONG RANGE MOUNTAIN VIEWS

Contact Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247

or

email Greg at grstike@charter.net

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With buyers scarce and financing tight, some home sellers are offering rent-to-buy options to potential buyers. In fact, there’s been enough of a spike in interest that ForSaleByOwner.com added it as a search option on the site, says spokesman Eric Mangan.

These deals, also called rent-to-own and lease-option, usually require buyers to pay extra rents each month plus up-front fees of about 5% of the purchase price. The regular rent then goes in owner’s pocket (presumably to pay the mortgage), but the additional payments are used to buy down the price of the home.

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The beautiful water front home is located in a private community with spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has a double deck boat dock, an enclosed boat garage and a private ramp to launch your own watercraft. The home was built originally in 1972 and totally renovated in 2002. A four car detached garage was built in 2002.

There is a total of 264 ft. of water front. Beautiful three tier sea walls accent this elegant home. Hard wood and tile floors, modern appliances and vaulted ceilings are only a few of the amenities that capture you with this home.

Private dock permit.

List Price: $1,800,000
Flexibility: Willing to finance
Acreage: .75 acres
Type: Waterfront

Floors: 2
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4
Sq. Footage: 3700
Garage Size: 4.0
Year Built: 1972, totally renovated in 2002
School District: Nebo

Suitable Use: Residential

Topography: Rolling
Road Frontage: Private Road
Location: Lake James, Burke County, NC

Amenities: Waterfront, Fireplace, Central AC, Alarm, Wood Floors, Gas Range, Patio, Wheelchair Accessible, Nature/Bike Paths, Boating, Controlled Access, Spa/Jacuzzi

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search for : Lake James waterfront home, Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake James, Burke County, NC

You see a really pretty home with a For Sale sign on the front lawn. You write down the broker’s information and can’t wait to get home to take a look at the listing details. Now, if you have an iPhone, you can get the information on the spot.

Zillow.com released a free iPhone app last month, enabling consumers to get the low-down on more than 88 million homes - and not just the ones for sale.

This iPhone application is GPS-powered so the map follows you as you stroll, with price estimates popping up along the way. Pass a sale sign and you can access pricing, number of bedroom and baths, square footage and other info.

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Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

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Although our national parks comprise less than 5 percent of America’s public lands, they are the crown jewels of a nation without royalty, one of America’s greatest assets. Together, they weave a tapestry across the nation that showcases our landscape’s splendor, honors our heroes and preserves our history.

Unfortunately, our parks are confronted by many of the same threats they faced years ago, as profiled in the film. Chronic funding shortfalls, air pollution and inappropriate development are taking their toll. Budget and staffing shortfalls at the Blue Ridge Parkway impact the Park Service’s ability to maintain cultural sites and ensure maintenance of roads. At Great Smoky Mountains National Park, additional funding is needed to maintain hiking trails, historic sites and educational programs.

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