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Gaelic Myths & Mayhem

A Celebration of Halloween through the ages!

Sponsored by The Historical Enrichment Society & Irish Events NC

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Koka Booth Ampitheatre is located in the heart of Cary at Symphony Lake.  It has been recently ranked in the Top 10 Ampitheatres in the US.  The creative minds at the ampitheatre are bringing a special treat for the holidays!! An outdoor skating rink.  Here are all of the details:

I spent many years in high tech before launching my career in Real Estate.  I say this because REALTORS are rappedly ramping up their technical skills to be competitive in the marketplace.  One way to increase one's business is to have a blog.  Now the big question is:  "How do I drive traffic to the blog".  I've been doing a lot of reading and their is a techie guru that keeps a blog specifically on online marketing, SEO, etc.  I wanted to share a link to his blog:  http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/

1. Use lists.
2. Be topical... write posts that need to be read right now.
3. Learn enough to become the expert in your field.
4. Break news.
5. Be timeless... write posts that will be readable in a year.
6. Be among the first with a great blog on your topic, then encourage others to blog on the same topic.
7. Share your expertise generously so people recognize it and depend on you.
8. Announce news.
9. Write short, pithy posts.
10. Encourage your readers to help you manipulate the technorati top blog list.
11. Don't write about your cat, your boyfriend or your kids.
12. Write long, definitive posts.
13. Write about your kids.
14. Be snarky. Write nearly libelous things about fellow bloggers, daring them to respond (with links back to you) on their blog.
15. Be sycophantic. Share linklove and expect some back.
16. Include polls, meters and other eye candy.
17. Tag your posts. Use del.ico.us.
18. Coin a term or two.
19. Do email interviews with the well-known.
20. Answer your email.
21. Use photos. Salacious ones are best.
22. Be anonymous.
23. Encourage your readers to digg your posts. (and to use furl and reddit). Do it with every post.
24. Post your photos on flickr.
25. Encourage your readers to subscribe by RSS.
26. Start at the beginning and take your readers through a months-long education.
27. Include comments so your blog becomes a virtual water cooler that feeds itself.
28. Assume that every day is the beginning, because you always have new readers.
29. Highlight your best posts on your Squidoo lens.
30. Point to useful but little-known resources.
31. Write about stuff that appeals to the majority of current blog readers--like gadgets and web 2.0.
32. Write about Google.
33. Have relevant ads that are even better than your content.
34. Don't include comments, people will cross post their responses.
35. Write posts that each include dozens of trackbacks to dozens of blog posts so that people will notice you.
36. Run no ads.
37. Keep tweaking your template to make it include every conceivable bell or whistle.
38. Write about blogging.
39. Digest the good ideas of other people, all day, every day.
40. Invent a whole new kind of art or interaction.
41. Post on weekdays, because there are more readers.
42. Write about a never-ending parade of different topics so you don't bore your readers.
43. Post on weekends, because there are fewer new posts.
44. Don't interrupt your writing with a lot of links.
45. Dress your blog (fonts and design) as well as you would dress yourself for a meeting with a stranger.
46. Edit yourself. Ruthlessly.
47. Don't promote yourself and your business or your books or your projects at the expense of the reader's attention.
48. Be patient.
49. Give credit to those that inspired, it makes your writing more useful.
50. Ping technorati. Or have someone smarter than me tell you how to do it automatically.
51. Write about only one thing, in ever-deepening detail, so you become definitive.
52. Write in English.
53. Better, write in Chinese.
54. Write about obscure stuff that appeals to an obsessed minority.
55. Don't be boring.
56. Write stuff that people want to read and share.

As you have read in some of my previous posts, developers from California, Florida, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois (in particular) are pumping money into new commercial construction in the Research Triangle area.  From 2000 through 2005 the nation’s population grew 5.3%, North Carolina’s population grew 7.8% and the seven county Triangle region grew by 14.8%.  Developers expect three of the seven counties, Wake, Chatham and Johnston (in particular) to continue to show strong increases in population and commercial growth well into the forseeable future: especially as new segments are added to Interstate 540.  

 I recently worked with a 1st time homebuyer.  He had the best intentions but he needed a lot of help.  He  needs three things to buy a house -- good income, good credit, and some cash. And if he lacks any one of those, sometimes even if they lack two, there is often a way around it.

After all, if you have enough cash, income and credit won't matter. You can simply pay cash for your home. If that's your situation, in fact, you're in a strong negotiating position and can sometimes buy at a bargain figure, because you represent a sure thing, a simple transaction, for the seller.  You've heard the saying, "Cash is King". 

So what if you have good income and credit, but lack money for down payment and closing costs? Several options are open to you. For starters, veterans can obtain a VA-guaranteed loan with no down payment at all. And if you can find sellers who agree, the VA will allow them to furnish the cash outlay you need, covering everything from bank points to your prepaid property taxes.

Any buyer can apply for an FHA-insured mortgage, with down payment of less than three percent. New regulations allow the down payment to be furnished by a relative. Some of your closing costs (prepaid mortgage insurance premium for example) may be financed along with the rest of the loan. And a cooperative seller may agree to cover some of your other costs.

Or perhaps you'll find a seller willing to "take back" financing -- let you pay month by month on a mortgage, with nothing down and minimal closing costs. You'll need a sterling credit record and really dependable income before a seller is likely to take such a chance on you, and it will help if the seller doesn't need immediate cash. Small income properties owned by elderly landlords who are tired of managing tenants are likely bets.

In recent years, many new programs have offered special opportunities for those who can't meet the usual credit qualifications for mortgage loans. Some of these programs are federal, others are state-sponsored or even local. Some require you to receive credit counseling and attend education seminars on how to manage money.

This property is Crystal Downs Horse Farm.  This stunning property is situated on 41.73 Acres.   

The property was once used as a breeding facility and features a barn with 9 stalls, wash area, tack room, and wonderful quarters for a live-in-attendant. Next to the barn are 2 dressage rings and a regulation polo field.  

On the opposite side of the property is a beautiful lake located entirely on this property. The 2876 square foot home sits on the far side of the like providing a magnificent water front view. The interior of the home has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and lots of upgrades. The exterior of the home has a second story balcony over looking the lake, a 500 square foot wrap-a-round deck in the rear which over looks the in-ground pool, hot tub, and gazebo. The front of the property is enclosed by a private wooden fence which surrounds rolling fields. The back end of the property is wooded with lots of various hardwoods and pines.  Pricing inquiries should be sent to Tracy@TracySantrock.com

Many newcomers ask me about things to do in North Carolina.  My family just loves this daytrip from the Triangle.  Take a leisurely drive to Asheboro so the kids can go to the Zoo. The Polar Bears are a big draw. After the zoo mosey over the Seagrove, North Carolina a short 5 minute drive away. There are over 50 potters in this area that sell their wares directly to the public. This is a link to the Seagrove Area Potters Association

Last, if you're really ambitious, head over to the Richard Petty Museum which is also in the area. If you're in to race cars your family will love this stop.


Email me at Tracy@TracySantrock.com if you need directions.

Hasentree, a new luxury home community in North Raleigh area has about 750 acres with 423 homesites, all built around a Tom Fazio design golf course. Nestled among 38,000 protected acres of the Falls Lake Nature Preserve, Hasentree will feature an abundance of open space. The community will have more than 600 homesites spread across 925 acres, with nearly half of the available land dedicated to open space.The fact that it is a Fazio course will make it a very desireable area. Fazio is the designer of courses such as Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, Pinehurst #8, and Wake Hampton also here in North Carolina. He is the designer of 14 of the courses listed in Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Courses. He has certain requirements of the housing developments around his courses to take full advantage of the setting and make it as pleasant of a golf experience as possible while satisfying the desires of the home owners.

All of the homes in Hasentree will be custom homes by 22 of Raleigh's most respected builders. The developer, Creedmoor Partners, has a history of designing beautiful neighborhoods including Linville, Devon, and Galloway here in the Triangle area.

Construction is underway and prices range from $800,000 to over $3 million. In addition, there are still a limited number of lots available for public sale.   In addition, there will be a large clubhouse, three swimming pools, massage treatment rooms, a fitness center, kid's club, and theatre all within walking distance of the entire neighborhood. The community is designed with families in mind.

Reservations are now being accepted (secured by a $5,000 refundable deposit) for the fall release of homesites. Buyers interested in homesites or homes currently under construction can send me an email at Tracy@TracySantrock.com or call me at (919)656-5310. 

IF you weren't able to make it to the 2006 Parade of Homes or if you are planning on remodeling your home in 2006 you may want to stop by the 2006 Remodeled Home Tour. The Remodelers Home Tour presents examples of how renovations can transform living space - blending old and new for the optimum in aesthetics and function. With projects in various price ranges, the Tour has been the perfect source for anyone planning to remodel, now or in the future, or for seeing the newest trends in the building industry (architectue and interior design).

Remodeled homes are located in various parts of Wake County, and will be open on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006 from 10:00am-5:00pm, and on Sunday, Oct. 22 from 1:00pm-5:00pm. Look for the list of homes on the Tour and addresses at the bottom of this page. Admission is $5.00 per person. Pick up an Admission Booklet at any of the homes on the Tour or at the HBA office. A portion of the ticket proceeds benefits Building Together Ministries.

Take a look at the top 12 entries:

1. Cameron Park Comfort, Wood Wise Design & Remodel
2. Gandhi Pub, Designs Down Under Ltd
3. DeLightful DeLovely, Beaman Building & Realty
4. A MacGregor Must-See, Distinctive Remodeling LLC
5. Annandale Drive House, Trendmark Inc.
6. Manchester Drive, HomePro Builders Inc.
7. Canterbury Heights, The Renovation Specialists LLC
8. Casual Modern Elegance, Quality Design & Construction
9. Falls River Place, Corbett Construction Company Inc.
10. Kings Way, Corbett Construction Company
11. Anderson Manor, Archwood Building Company
12. Skinner House Renovation, 2SL Design Build LLC

We recently wrapped up the 2006 Parade of Homes.  The center of attention, of course, was on the many new homes in all price ranges that were open for the public to see. 

Because of the growth the Triangle area continues to enjoy, couples who can afford homes of $1 million and above  primarily looking at either new homes or for a lot they can build their dream home on.  That is all well and good.  However, in the process many resale homes are overlooked and surprisingly a number of them represent above average values.  I say surprisingly because the comparative value vs. either a new home or the cost of one to be built clearly favors the resale home. 

If you are a local resident thinking of something different or if you will be moving to this area you might want to ask for a copy of my “Top Value Homes” (done by price range). What constitutes a “Top Value Home”?  It can be a home priced below comparables, it can be a home of high quality in a great location that should have sold more quickly than it has and therefore might be available at a more satisfactory price than its current listing price, etc.  These homes may be nearly new or twenty years old.  If you are interested in a copy please ask by price range:

• $1 million to $1,250,000
•  $1,250,000 to $1,500,000
•  $1,500,000 to $2 million
•  $2 million to $3,000,000
•  $3,000,000 and above. 

If you are interested in buying or selling in the Triangle please visit my website at www.TriangleNCHomes4Sale.com for more details.