How much Mortgage can you afford?

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  4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

  By knowing how much mortgage you can handle, you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget. Read

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Copyright 2013 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Top Ten Reasons to Retire to New Bern, NC

There are a myriad of reasons to choose New Bern, NC for retirement. We have listed ten for your consideration.

Churches. Our faith communities are important to our area. We have a large Catholic parish and most major protestant churches are well represented. There is a local synagogue. The culture and history of New Bern have and are greatly influenced by our churches.

Life Style. New Bern is a small town with many large city amenities. While the city has less than 30,000 citizens it has the regional shopping for more than 100,000. Recreation and golf opportunities are plentiful.

History. Our city has celebrated its 300th birthday in 2010. You will find many examples of homes and structures built hundreds of years ago. The royal governors mansion has been restored and there is a NC History Center on the Trent River waterfront.

Beauty. New Bern is located on the confluence of two coastal rivers. The waterfront and historic properties have made New Bern gorgeous. Our city leaders have spent the past fifty years maximizing our appeal.

Water Sports. The Neuse River is a mile wide as it passes by our downtown. At its mouth it is the widest river in North America. The Trent River flows into the Neuse. Fishing, Sailing, Paddle Boarding, Kayaking and Water Skiing are enjoyed.

Culture. The arts are alive in our city. Several theater groups frequently give performances. Music is available  in many styles including orchestras, brass bands, small ensembles, blue grass, country, beach and rock bands. Sculptors and painters have both made New Bern their home.

Military Friendly.  MCAS Cherry Point is located 20 miles to the east of our city and fourty miles to the south is Camp LeJune. Exchanges and military medical facilities are easily accessible. The people of our area appreciate active duty military and veterans.

Transportation. New Bern is served by the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport. Both Delta and US Air have daily flights. US Highway 70 is a four lane controlled access route that heads west to I-95 and beyond. US Highway 17 gives access to the north and south. Our rivers connect to the inter coastal water ways, Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

Health Care. New Bern is served by Carolina East Medical Center. Almost every specialty is represented. Less than one hour away is the Vidant Health. It is a teaching hospital connected to East Carolina University. Less than than three hours away you have hospitals attached Duke, UNC and Wake Forest University.

Affordable. Prices have lowered over the last four years and interest rates are at an all time low. We can help you find a great home and negotiate a fabulous price.

Email or phone (252 635 1100) to begin your search today.

Before You Sign That Lease…

It’s a familiar moment: you are about to enter into an important agreement, and as you lift the pen to sign your name, you pause. Your pen hovers over the Signature line for an extra moment as you register how important this will be in shaping your future…

When it comes to home rentals in our area, just such a moment occurs when you are about to sign the next year’s lease agreement. Local rentals largely echoed the national trend to higher prices and tightening supply, so the number of dollars on the bottom line can make that hesitation linger a bit longer than before.
The fact is that the local housing situation today is vastly different than it was just a couple of years back. Especially for anyone long accustomed to local home rentals, it’s worthwhile to re-examine some major factors that point to the best housing solution. Three of them have to do with finances, timing, and lifestyle. 

* Ownership can offer significant financial advantages. Tax savings are usually the standout factor: if you can deduct the interest you pay on a home’s mortgage, you stand to save that interest amount times your tax rate – versus (just say goodbye to it!) your rental payment. Maintenance and real estate taxes have to be considered as an added cost, but homeowners also stand to benefit from any increase in the value of their home. The aftermath of the epic slide in housing prices finds us currently situated near the first part of the ‘buy low, sell high’ truism. There are no guarantees when it comes to investing, but despite large dips during recessions, most houses regain that lost value -- and more -- during economic booms.

* Record low home mortgage rates combined with the dip in home prices have green-lighted this summer for anyone waiting for the timing to be right. Local buyers are not only finding homes at affordable prices, but are also paying historic lows on amounts borrowed. Lately we’ve been reading about mortgage rates reported as low as 3.4% on 30-year loans! 

* Finally, there are all the intangibles that come into play. Local rentals certainly alleviate some of the effort involved in caring for your own property, but on the other hand, it’s tough to put a price on the value of finally having real control over your living situation. Any tenant who has been uprooted when the landlord decides to sell or move back in knows the kind of upheaval that results from an unexpected and unwanted move. 

Sometimes home rentals offer the best option for a family, but it never hurts to run the numbers. Market conditions have rarely been as ideal as they are right now for area home buyers -- and I’m here anytime to go over the latest figures if you would like to take a look!