Gov. McCrory Commends Hospice, Palliative Services

When my mom was terminally ill she was in Hospice at her home where she passed away among family. The care workers that came to help were wonderful and a godsend. This is taken from the DHHS website. Community volunteers and professional staff have cared for more than 50,000 patients and their family members in hospices and palliative care centers across North Carolina over the past 35 years. To celebrate the physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, counselors, hospice aides and clergy working to care for, and preserve the dignity and worth of every individual, Gov. Pat McCrory has proclaimed November as Hospice and Palliative Care Month in North Carolina. “The professionals and volunteers who serve terminally ill persons and their families should be commended,” McCrory said in his proclamation. More than 5 percent of the patient care hours of hospice and palliative services are rendered by dedicated volunteers, ensuring that individuals with life-limiting illnesses receive medical services, including pain and symptom control, emotional and spiritual support for both the patient and family, and live out their final days in relative comfort. Hospice workers collaborate with the Medicaid program to provide pediatric palliative care for children faced with life-limiting illnesses, and their families. Hospice and palliative care volunteers and professional staff also work with veterans, who often have unique end-of-life needs, celebrating their heroism, honor, duty and sacrifice. Thanks to a partnership between the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care and local hospices, patients and their families in North Carolina are assured of quality medical care, as well as strong emotional and spiritual support, helping friends and families cope with losses faced during illness and the grief experienced afterwards.

Durham County, NC Tax Values Rise 14%

Durham County, NC last reappraised real property values in 2008. The county wide increase is 14%. In 2008 the increase was 30%. I like the way we did it in my part of Virginia which was done yearly or in the case of Virginia Beach when houses were sold it set the value of that house for tax purposes. County Tax Administrators look at physical characteristics of a property such as age, square footage and changes could affect the value. Things like adding a deck, a garage or additions to the main structure. Real estate transactions of nearby properties are also looked at. Remember the 14% is an average so some properties will see a much higher increase and some may even see a decrease depending on location and condition. If you don't like the new tax value you can appeal it up until May 2. Information should come with your new assessment this month.

Drones and NC Law for REALTORS®

This article is from North Carolina Association of REALTORS®. Current laws and rules on the use of drones Release Date: 10/20/2015 QUESTION: What are the latest rules, laws and suggestions for the use of drones in photographing and marketing real estate? ANSWER: The National Association of REALTORS® has published an excellent list of frequently asked questions concerning the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (or drones) by real estate professionals. That FAQ can be accessed by clicking on the following link: http://www.realtor.org/law-and-ethics/drones-frequently-asked-questions The general rule is that the use of drones for real estate marketing is prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA"). However, there is an important exception to this rule: the FAA has the ability to issue what are known as "Section 333 waivers". These waivers grant authorization for certain unmanned aircraft to perform commercial operations on a case-by-case basis. Brokers interested in using a drone in connection with their real estate marketing activities can apply for a Section 333 waiver; the application procedure is described on the FAA's website. As an alternative, brokers may hire an individual or company to operate a drone on their behalf. However, before doing so, brokers should verify that the individual or company has obtained the required Section 333 waiver. NAR's website has a list of the individuals and companies specific to the real estate industry that have been granted Section 333 waivers. New federal rules governing drone use should be expected. In fact, Congress gave the FAA a September 30, 2015 deadline to develop new rules to govern the commercial use of drones in the national air space. However, the rule-making process has been delayed; NAR now believes that the new rules will not be issued before August 2016. Until the FAA issues those rules, the Section 333 waiver will be required. The commercial use of drones is also governed by state law. In August, 2015, Governor McCrory signed a new law which requires anyone operating a drone in North Carolina for commercial purposes to first obtain a permit issued by the Division of Aviation of the State Department of Transportation. Since the state's permitting process has not yet been implemented, the statute provides that a user with FAA authorization will not be deemed in violation of the state statute as long as that user obtains the required permit within 60 days after the permitting process is implemented. North Carolina's statutes contain some other prohibitions to keep in mind. One example: drones may not be launched or recovered from private property without the property owner's permission. Also, with limited exceptions, it is illegal to photograph a person while using a drone for commercial purposes without that person’s consent. NCAR provides articles on legal topics as a member service. They are general statements of applicable legal and ethical principles for member education only. They do not constitute legal advice. If you or a client requires legal advice, the services of a private attorney should be sought. Always consult your broker-in-charge when faced with a question relating to the practice of real estate brokerage. © Copyright 2015. North Carolina Association of REALTORS®, Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction of any part may be made without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. Any unauthorized reproduction, use, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited.

3813 April Pl, Raleigh, NC

$429,000, 5Bd/3.5Ba Single Family House, 3533 sqft.

Gene Allen | Fathom Realty | 919-473-9068gene@geneallen.realtor | 3813 April Pl, Raleigh, NC 27612 Deblyn Park in Raleigh 5Bd/3.5Ba Single Family House $429,000 Year Built 2001 Sq Footage 3533 sqft. Bedrooms 5 Beds Bathrooms 3.5 Baths Floors 2 Parking 4+ Garage Laundry In Unit Lot Size 0.56 Acres Virtual Tour properties.housel... Website www.viewlisting.i... DESCRIPTION Cul-de-sac classic in the heart of North Raleigh. This beauty is situated on a .56 acre lot. There are five bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Need a first floor master suite? Here it is including trey ceiling, spa bath and big closets. The kitchen has 42" cabinets, stainless gas range and granite counter tops. Upstairs are three generous sized bedrooms and a massive bonus room. Upgrades include Cathedral Ceilings, Full house wired high speed internet, security system, intercom and whole house music. Don't forget the hardwood floors, deluxe carpet, Ceramic tile in bath, extensive moldings in the formal Dining Room and the floored attic for all your extras. This finely crafted home is close to the Crabtree Mall, Rex Wooten Park, Brookhaven Nature Park and Downtown Glenwood Midtown Nothing like it in the neighborhood Raleigh see additional photos below Unit Features - Living room - Dining room - Walk-in closet - Master bath - Family room - Breakfast nook - Pantry - Attic - Range / Oven - Dishwasher - Microwave - Garbage disposal - Stainless steel appliances - Yard - Lawn - Heat: forced air - Central A/C - Air conditioning - Ceiling fans - Double pane / Storm windows - High-speed internet - Hardwood floor - Tile floor - Granite countertop - Fireplace - High / Vaulted ceiling Community Features - Security system - Guest parking - Garage - Attached ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Lots of Brick Work .52 Acre Lot 42 inch cabinets Stainless Steel Appliances Granite Counter Tops Lots of Space Big Dining Room Huge Family Room Trey Ceilings in Master Bedroom Big Rooms Big Rooms Big Rooms Contact info: Gene Allen Fathom Realty 919-473-9068 gene@geneallen.realtor For sale by Agent/Broker Posted: Nov 15, 2015, 1:14pm EST

105 Weatherstone Dr, Chapel Hill NC

$119,900, 3Bd/2Ba Condo, 1112 sqft.

Gene Allen | Fathom Realty | 919-473-9068gene@geneallen.realtor | 105 Weatherstone Dr D, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 105 Weatherstone Dr #D Chapel Hill, NC 3Bd/2Ba Condo $119,900 Year Built 1981 Sq Footage 1112 sqft. Bedrooms 3 Beds Bathrooms 2 Baths Parking 1 Other Laundry In Unit HOA/Maint $154 DESCRIPTION Gorgeous & Move-In Ready 3 bedroom, 2 Full Bath Town Home Style End Unit Condo! Within Minutes of UNC. FIRST FLOOR MASTER BEDROOM SUITE with full bath and walk-in-closet! Spacious Secondary bedrooms and Ample Storage! OPEN Living/Dining Area with NEW Carpet! FRESHLY Painted! Spacious Kitchen with Great Storage and Fabulous Natural Light! Large Back Deck overlooks Private & Secluded Backyard! Minutes from I40, Harris Teeter, Timberlyne Movie Theater and More! Tremendous Value for the Price! Won't Last Long! Chapel Hill see additional photos below Unit Features - Living room - Walk-in closet - Master bath - Range / Oven - Refrigerator - Dishwasher - Heat: forced air - Central A/C - Cable-ready Community Features - On-street parking ADDITIONAL PHOTOS End Unit Quiet Relaxing MMM Good Love Cooking Love Entertaining First Floor Contact info: Gene Allen Fathom Realty 919-473-9068 gene@geneallen.realtor For sale by Agent/Broker Posted: Sep 20, 2015, 9:41am EDT

Does a seller have to accept a full price offer?

I gleaned this from the North Carolina Association of Realtors Website. Good info. QUESTION: I just had a multiple offer situation with a buyer I am representing and she didn’t get the property. We were the first one to put in an offer. The list price was $250,000. Our offer was $252,000 with no concessions and $4000 in earnest money. The listing agent called back and said that he had four offers, and was asking everyone to submit their best and final offers. My buyer increased her offer to $259,000 with the same terms as the first offer. The seller accepted one of the other buyers’ offers. The buyer's father told me that he knew a lot about North Carolina real estate law, and according to him, the seller was obligated to take his daughter’s offer because it was the first offer made and was for more than the asking price with no concessions. Is he right? ANSWER: No, he is not. A seller is not bound to consider offers in the order in which they are submitted, whether they are for full price or more than full price. For that matter, a seller is not obligated to either consider or accept a full-price offer at all. When a seller advertises a property for sale on certain terms, it doesn’t constitute an offer in a legal sense that may be accepted by a buyer. Rather, it should be seen as an invitation to buyers to submit offers. Although a seller is not obligated to accept a full-price offer, the seller may be obligated to pay the listing firm its fee in such a case according to the terms of the listing agreement.

105 Weatherstone Dr #D Chapel Hill, NC

$124,900, 3Bd/2Ba Condo, 1112 sqft.

Gene Allen | Fathom Realty | 919-473-9068gene@geneallen.realtor | 105 Weatherstone Dr D, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 105 Weatherstone Dr #D Chapel Hill, NC 3Bd/2Ba Condo $124,900 Year Built 1981 Sq Footage 1112 sqft. Bedrooms 3 Beds Bathrooms 2 Baths Parking 1 Other Laundry In Unit HOA/Maint $154 DESCRIPTION Gorgeous & Move-In Ready 3 bedroom, 2 Full Bath Town Home Style End Unit Condo! Within Minutes of UNC. FIRST FLOOR MASTER BEDROOM SUITE with full bath and walk-in-closet! Spacious Secondary bedrooms and Ample Storage! OPEN Living/Dining Area with NEW Carpet! FRESHLY Painted! Spacious Kitchen with Great Storage and Fabulous Natural Light! Large Back Deck overlooks Private & Secluded Backyard! Minutes from I40, Harris Teeter, Timberlyne Movie Theater and More! Tremendous Value for the Price! Won't Last Long! Chapel Hill see additional photos below Unit Features - Living room - Walk-in closet - Master bath - Range / Oven - Refrigerator - Dishwasher - Heat: forced air - Central A/C - Cable-ready Community Features - On-street parking ADDITIONAL PHOTOS End Unit Quiet Relaxing MMM Good Love Cooking Love Entertaining First Floor Contact info: Gene Allen Fathom Realty 919-473-9068 gene@geneallen.realtor For sale by Agent/Broker Posted: Sep 20, 2015, 9:41am EDT