Welcome to Stephanie Gasparovic's Real Estate Blog!

BUY OR SELL NOW!!! If there’s not enough urgency there, I don’t know how else to say it! I recently read this article in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/24/AR2010012402996.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR. This is another article about the Federal Reserve backing out of purchasing mortgage backed securities in March. Simply put, the Fed put up about $1 TRILLION to keep interest rates artificially low to help the housing market get back on track when the economy was tanking. In many ways it worked. It got interest rates back at historic lows and helped people refinance, buy, and sell homes. As everyone knows, you can buy more house with a 4.5% interest rate than you can with a 5.5% interest rate. So, with the Fed backing out, experts are predicting that interest rates will go up. As interest rates go up, property sales slow down. What does this mean? Your best window of opportunity for buying or selling a home is closing quickly!! If you are buying, interest rates are still at historic lows. Supply is up, demand is down, so that means better pricing for buyers. It’s not all bad for sellers. Yes, prices are down so you probably can’t sell for as much as you could have a while back. But it’s all relative, and it’s better to sell when interest rates are low because (a) there are more buyers looking; and (b) buyers can afford more. This is especially true for sellers in the higher price ranges.

We still have a lot of movement in our market. It’s a great time to buy or sell. Call me or email me if you have any interest in the Hampstead, Wilmington, Jacksonville, Topsail Beach NC Real Estate markets. There is still time!

We are beginning a brand new year in our real estate market that we’re really excited about! In January, we completed our business plan for 2010 and studied our market “seasonality” to find out how much business is done in each quarter of the year. Here is what we found for our Southeast Coastal NC Market:

18 % of the year’s business is done in the 1^st Quarter (January-March).

28% was done in the 2^nd Quarter (April-June).

31% was done in the 3^rd Quarter (July- Sept.).

13% was done in the 4^th Quarter (Oct.-Dec.).

Since our market (Wilmington, Hampstead, Topsail Island Beaches, Jacksonville NC) is a relatively warm, coastal area, many people think that not much business is done in the first quarter. However, you can see that 18% of our market’s business is transacted in the first quarter.

But this year is different!! This year, we are expecting a bigger first quarter than normal because of the First Time Homebuyer Credit and the other tax incetives available for home buyers. Interest rates have risen a bit lately, but rates are still relatively low. With all of that, we’re very optimistic on 2010 and the first quarter that just began!

We’re wrapping up 2009. Despite all the doom and gloom national news about real estate, we had a great year in our real estate market (Hampstead, Wilmington, Jacksonville, Topsail Island NC). Our team and all our agents are in the process of finishing up our 2010 production goals. We’re shooting high, and I continue to be very optimistic about our local real estate market. The truth is, we live in a wonderful place that has so many attractions. We have the various beaches, downtown Wilmington, the aquarium, and a growing movie industry. The bottom line is that people love to come to Wilmington and the beaches for vacation, the holidays, or just weekends where they can get away.

Although the national news may still continue to spew bad news, I still remain optimistic and positive about our market (By the way, I do not watch the news, because it’s just too negative. I keep up with the news that I want to know about on the internet, and I get it from legitimate news outlets that don’t spew all the fear and garbage just to get ratings). People love our area and they’re not going to stop coming. There has never been a better time to buy homes or land. Prices are extremely low, and a higher supply of inventory has brought prices down to reasonable levels. Sellers have had to be realistic in the marketplace in order to sell their homes. Interest rates continue to stay very, very low. That’s a great combination that makes it a great time to buy, or great time to “buy up.”

And of course, there is still the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers, and the $6,500 tax credit for those who sell an existing house and purchase another. So as the year winds down, holiday wishes from all of us here at Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, Inc. and let’s all hope for a great new year!

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas. Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities. Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time! At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power – Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826   www.StephanieGasparovic.com   Search All MLS

With the Thanksgiving holiday now fleeting, we will remember being bombarded with Black Friday sales pitches and we’ll hear all the stories of crazy lines and pushy customers. And hopefully we won’t hear of any more stampedes this year! In our real estate market, if there were a Black Friday—a time to buy property at discount—it would be right now. There are two main factors that in my estimation support this: First, prices in our Hampstead and NC Beaches markets have really dropped. It’s about supply and demand, and there is a huge supply, which drives the prices down. Second, economic and real estate experts agree that in the spring of 2010 interest rates will increase (read this Article from the Wall Street Journal for details). The reason rates will go up, they say, is because the Fed has announced they will stop purchasing mortgage backed securities. This will drive rates higher, which means less borrowing power and higher monthly payments if you wait until the spring to buy. So if you’re thinking about buying or selling in the Hampstead, Wilmington, or NC beaches area, you might want to consider now instead of waiting.

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas. Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities. Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time! At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power – Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826   www.StephanieGasparovic.com   Search All MLS

Long Point Estates is a unique waterfront and water-access community like no other.  And the time to buy has never been better.  We’ve just reduced prices for all remaining Long Point lots.  These lots have some of the most beautiful views you could imagine.  Overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway/Topsail Sound, you can see Topsail Island, Lea Island, Figure Eight Island, and you can look straight through the inlet to see the waves crashing in the ocean!  On some days, you can even hear the waves crashing! Discover a lifestyle filled with exquisite boating, nature, and convenience!

Long Point has a community pier with boat slips available for purchase.  The most affordable waterfront lots in Long Point are “second row” lots that have gorgeous views of the Intracoastal Waterway to the front, and also a deep water canal in the back yard where you could keep your boat wet in the water!  Prices have just been reduced and luxury waterfront living has never been this affordable!!

“Short Sale” is definitely a buzz word in today’s market. There are many short sales in our local market of Hampstead, Wilmington, Jacksonville, and especially on the beaches- Surf City, Topsail, and Wrightsville Beach. We understand what it takes to represent a seller in a short sale and help them navigate the short sale with their lender and try to get the property sold—and approved by the lender—before the property goes to foreclosure. But short sales are very tough, and they don’t always work out. Here is an article that explains in detail why short sales are so tough. http://rismedia.com/2009-10-22/are-short-sales-anything-but-short/.

Many buyers these days are looking for great deals, so they want to look at short sales or foreclosures. We have access to all of these deals, but depending on the buyer, buying a short sale may not be what they’re really looking for. Normally short sales take much longer to get closed—sometimes many, many months. And often times they never end up closing due to the lender not approving the sale, or sometimes the lender just takes so long that the buyer can’t wait any more. There are many traditional properties in the market that are great deals that are priced below market value. This is a buyer’s market, so if you’re looking for a deal, there is probably something out there for you. It’s a great time to buy, especially since mortgage rates are still at an all time low.

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas. Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities. Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time! At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power – Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826 www.StephanieGasparovic.com Search All MLS

It’s great to see so many people gaining interest in “green things” and the environment.  From buying and living in an energy efficient house, to recycling, to buying and eating organic foods, I do what I can every day to support as many green initiatives as I can.  The great thing about going green in real estate is that not only is it the right thing to do socially and environmentally, but it also can save you some green—money—over the long run.  Energy Star rated appliances, windows, and ceiling fans are becoming the norm these days new constructions.  So are tank-less hot water heaters that use natural gas or propane to heat water only when hot water is turned on. (We have one at our house and we love it!). 

We’re fortunate that many of the builders that we work with in our exclusive communities recognize the benefits of going green.  Many of our listings include energy efficient features and designs that may cost the builder a little extra, but it will end up saving homeowner a lot of money for years to come. 

Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, Inc. is thrilled to see that Exit Realty continues to be at the forefront of environmental issues.  See the following article where Exit Realty founder Steve Morris discusses how important environmental issues are in today’s real estate marketplace: http://rismedia.com/2009-10-06/teal-is-the-new-green-how-one-companys-focus-on-the-environment-is-creating-new-marketing-strategy-for-agents/.

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas.  Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities.  Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time!  At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power – Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826   www.StephanieGasparovic.com   Search All MLS

So, today I am 39 weeks pregnant, only one week short of my due date of October 26^th! I'm getting very excited, and definitely ready to have the baby! Thanks so much to Chantel, Eric, Rose, Andrew, and Brad - all the members of Team Gasparovic - for taking great care of all of our clients and our communities while I've been preparing for the baby's arrival. The experience of the past few months has shown that Team Gasparovic truly works and succeeds as a TEAM. I am very happy to be a part of such a great business in Real Estate.

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas. Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities. Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time! At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power – Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826 www.StephanieGasparovic.com Search All MLS

Must Hurry to get the $8,000 Tax Credit!!— Most of you know about the $8,000 tax credit for “First Time Homebuyers.” This certainly provided a boost to our local markets in Hampstead, Wilmington, and Jacksonville NC.

A couple things many people don’t know:

(1) It’s not limited to just first time homebuyers. You can qualify for this credit if you haven’t owned a home in the last 3 years;

(2) This credit ends November 30, 2009. This means if you don’t close on the property before that date, you don’t get the $8,000! That only leaves about 45 days, and that’s about how long it normally takes to close a deal after it goes under contract. So for those of you out there that might be on the fence about buying a home, you might want to consider this. Getting $8,000 for buying a house is a great deal that we’ll probably never see again. Combine that with the fact that prices are at a record low, and mortgage interest rates are at a record low as well!! Has there ever been a better time to buy?!?!?

All of our listings and exclusive subdivisions would work for the tax credit. The Cottages at Avendale are a great entry level price point for true first time homebuyers, with prices starting in the $130’s.

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas. Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities. Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time! At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power – Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826 www.StephanieGasparovic.com Search All MLS

Everyone always talks asks whether or not anything is happening in the "real estate market."  I'm always surprised to hear people that live around here (Hampstead, Wilmington, Jacksonville NC) speak negatively about the market based on things that they see or hear on the national news.  So let me tell you what I see in our local market right now.  We have seen increased activity with our listings, our buyers, and our subdivisions.  In two of our exclusive subdivisions we have dramatically reduced prices which has really increased interest from buyers and people who are "just looking."  In Avendale subdivision, we have an incredible deal on 41 Raven Drive-- a brand new house that is over 3000 sf, and it's priced at $299,000!  If that's not enough, First Federal is offering special financing for approved buyers for 3.875% fixed rate loan, with 100% financing, no PMI, and no lender fees!  That may be the most incredible deal in the market right now, and I guarantee it won't be around for long.  There are also some incredible deals on the Cottages at Avendale with 1100sqft - 1700sqft new homes starting at $130,000.  We also have just reduced prices in Hammock Watch, which has some of the most breathtaking waterfront and water view property around.  These homesites now start at $99,000 which includes access to the community dock with 5 boat slips and water access at the nearby boat ramp.  And of course, all of these properties are in the award winning Topsail School District, which is why so many people choose to buy and live in Hampstead, NC.

Stephanie Gasparovic, Realtor®
Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates is the educated choice in Hampstead NC Real Estate and the Greater Wilmington NC Areas.  Visit one of our exclusive Hampstead NC Communities.  Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates has all the listings all the time!  At Stephanie Gasparovic & Associates, we believe that knowledge is power - Let us put our knowledge to work for you!
(910) 264-7826     www.StephanieGasparovic.com     Search All MLS