Something we’ve noticed, particularly in recent months, is there have been more out-of-area real estate agents coming to Lake Lure and the surrounding areas to represent buyers and sellers here. The agents are coming from Charlotte, Asheville, Columbia, and as far out as coastal Carolina. While they may be permitted to represent buyers and sellers anywhere in the state, we’ve found that most of these folks are not at all knowledgeable about our neck of the woods, nor any details about the various subdivisions & amenities available within each. This can be an unfortunate situation regardless of which side of the transaction they may be.
When buying or selling a home, most people are dealing with their single largest investment. Having help from a local Realtor® who specializes in this market and is familiar with the trends, comps and many issues and pitfalls that can come up is critical for navigating through the process.
As far as listing & selling your home goes, your local Realtor® is going to be more in tune to current market trends, marketing, and the key features and benefits of your home and property. They will be in-the-know on what’s happening here on a firsthand basis and be in a much better position to establish a pricing strategy to help you get top dollar – more than what the public records might show. Without this local insight, an agent unfamiliar with our market is left to rely solely on computer-generated valuations, which cannot replace the professional expertise and local knowledge necessary for recommending an appropriate asking price.
From a buyer’s perspective, a local Realtor® can be better equipped to help you find a home to fit your criteria and lifestyle preferences. Their local knowledge regarding location, accessibility, and proximity to points of interest, local shopping, dining, medical care, and recreational options can prove to be an invaluable asset. They can also help you with the inspection process by finding local contractors and inspectors to get you through the due diligence period, so you feel comfortable moving forward with your purchase.
While writing this column, over the last 180 days in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock zip codes of 28746 and 28720, there have been 102 residential properties sold, while only 17 new listings have come onto the market, and just 3 of which are waterfront on Lake Lure. Now more than ever it is going to play out in your favor to work with a local Realtor®. Be sure to reach out to one of our many local Realtors® to help you through the process. Of course, we would love the opportunity to be considered for serving your real estate needs. Having invested, rented, bought, and sold real estate in Western North Carolina since 1997 we thrive on sharing some of what we’ve learned through the years.
Wes and Cathy Cleary of Team Cleary Real Estate, Inc. are full-service licensed NC & SC Realtors® who live in Lake Lure. TeamClearyWNC@gmail.com; call 828-785-2115 for Wes or 828-808-6790 for Cathy; http://www.TeamCleary.com.
Benefits of working with a local Realtor
