Star team april_newsletter-final

Don't Be Fooled By The Common
“Relative In Trouble” Scam
Learn how to get Top Dollar for your
home in ANY market! Call us for a free copy of our
money saving report.
877-333-4466
____________________

ISSUE 13 Volume 4
North Carolina’s Crystal Coast

Inside This Issue…
Don’t Be Fooled by the Common
“Relative in Trouble” Scam.......Page 1
Save $$$ on Your Phone Bill......Page 2
Detecting Unwanted Visitors .....Page 2
Recent Listings ...........................Page 3
Seven Ways to Get Your Child Excited
About Reading ............................Page 4
Market Overview ................Page 5 & 6
Meet Kimberly Maness..............Page 7
Real Estate Corner .....................Page 7

You get a phone call that one of your relatives has had an accident,
been robbed, or is stranded in another country. Your loved one needs cash
and asks that you wire the money. This scam has been around a while, but
the number of people (particularly the elderly) who are falling for it is
rising. Do the following so you don't get scammed:
Ø Question the caller about the family member in trouble. The call
may start with “Hi Grandma!” (Scammers may get family information
from social networking sites.) Before saying a name, ask the caller for
their middle name. If the caller says, “It's about your granddaughter,”
ask “Which one?” before saying a name.
Ø Don't let the caller instill fear. Fear that something bad will happen if
the money is not sent can be a motivating factor to comply with the
request. Fear can cloud rational thinking.
Ø Don't keep the call a secret. Posing to be your relative, the caller
may say they are too embarrassed and to not tell others. But don't be
fooled by this trick – let others know about the request immediately.
Ask the caller if you can call back – they won't want to give you a
number.
Ø Try to make contact with the “real” person. Hang up with the
imposter and call, email, or text your real relative. If they are on
vacation, contact other relatives to find out their itinerary.
If you get a “relative in trouble” call or fall for something else you
think is a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Go to
www.ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. You also can contact
your State Attorney General's office.

Thinking Of Buying A Home Soon?
If you're planning to buy a home in the next 6 months, you'll want a copy
of our Free consumer guide, “7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When
Financing Your Next Home.” Our exclusive report will help you avoid
frustrations and costly pitfalls when buying a home. To get a copy,
simply call us at…877-333-4466

Please Visit our Website www.StarTeamRealEstate.com - over 3,400 listings!

Word of the Month…
Studies have shown your income and
wealth are directly related to the size
and depth of your vocabulary. Here is
this month's word, so you can impress
your friends (and maybe even fatten
your wallet!)…
Scurrilous: (sker-a-less) adj.
Meaning: offensive, defamatory and
vulgar
Sample Sentence: The scurrilous
online attack was hurtful and untrue.

Buyer Beware
U.S. Customs seized $1.26 billion worth
of counterfeit goods coming into the
country last year. These were the top 6:
1. Handbags/wallets
2. Watches/jewelry
3. Wearing apparel/accessories
4. Consumer electronics
5. Footwear
6. Pharmaceuticals/personal care

Useful Health Websites
•

www.spinehealth.com – Thousands
of articles and videos from doctors
about back pain, neck pain, and
related disorders. A forum for
discussion and doctor profiles too.

•

www.kidshealth.org – Most visited
site about kid's health. It's divided
into info for parents, kids and teens.

•

www.agingcare.com – Learn about
all aspects of getting older from
caregiver information to specific
challenges older people experience.

Quotes To Live By…
The young man knows the rules, but the
old man knows the exceptions.
–Oliver Wendell Holmes
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it
is the courage to continue that counts.
–Winston Churchill
Wisdom is the quality that keeps you
from getting into situations where you
need it.

Save $$$ On Your Phone Bill
Have you reviewed your phone situation lately? Consider one or all of
these options to save hundreds of dollars a year:
Eliminate your landline. First, study your phone bill to see if you're
paying for extras (like caller ID) you may not need. If you decide to ditch
your landline because you have a cell phone, make sure you have
excellent cell coverage at home. Another option is to switch to VOIP
(voice over internet protocol) like Vonage, Skype, Ooma and even
MagicJack. Unlimited local and long distance calls can range from $5 to
$20 a month, that can save you over $100 per year.
Bundle your services. You can save $20 or more per month if you get
your cable, Internet, and landline from the same provider. There's an
extra $240 each year in your pocket for the same services.
Ask your cell phone provider for a cheaper plan. If you talk to the
same people daily, a “favorites” plan may better suit your needs. If you're
sending more text messages, go to an unlimited texting plan. Or, consider
a pre-paid cell phone where you only pay for minutes you use. Depending
on your talking time, that could save you up to $500 a year.

Would You Like To Know How Much Your
Neighbor's Home Listed Or Sold For?
Maybe you're just curious. Or maybe you want to know how much your
home is worth. Either way, we can help…with no “sales pitches” or runarounds. Call us at 877-333-4466 and we'll give you all the facts.

Detecting “Unwanted” Visitors
Could you be sharing your home with uninvited visitors – like mice,
squirrels, birds, or even termites? Pests are a common problem for
everyone, so here are a few tips to spot them and what to do:
Where you might find them. Look for animal droppings, signs of
chewing, and odor in your kitchen, basement, closets, and attic. Check
any moist areas like around air conditioning units. In the case of termites,
look for “dirt tubes” around your home's perimeter, particularly in cracks
or crevices.
What to do. You know how to trap mice in the kitchen. After you trap
them, be sure to clean up crumbs and keep food sealed up. When it comes
to larger animals, like squirrels, birds, or snakes, don't try to remove them
yourself. They can be dangerous when cornered. If you suspect you have
the larger visitors or tiny bugs like termites, hire a professional animal
catcher or pest control company.

–Doug Larson
2


To hear more about these properties or any of the
properties The Star Team has listed, please call
1-877-255-1676 then enter the Info Line Number.

Recently Sold
111 Maxwell Dr, Harkers Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4BR / 4BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $689,000
537 N Kinston Ave, Atlantic Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 3BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $575,000
105 Ocean Oaks, Emerald Isle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 3BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $390,000
A-1 The Bluffs, Morehead City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 2.5BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $325,000
215A Reserve Green, Morehead City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 2.5BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $305,000
111 Sweet Grass Trail, Cape Carteret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4BR / 3.5BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $299,985
196 Drum Inlet, Morehead City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 3.5BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $297,500
A-21 The Breakers, Pine Knoll Shores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 3BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $265,000
137 Yaupon Rd, Pine Knoll Shores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 2BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $255,000
100 Reserve Ln, Morehead City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3BR / 2.5BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $252,500
102 Dogwood Circle, Pine Knoll Shores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $240,000

Featured Listings
For recorded property information call 1-877-255-1676 then enter info Line Number

SOUND FRONT w/ WATER ACCESS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

NEW PRICE

SOUND VIEWS

NEW G
N
LISTI

111 Sea Trace Lane
NEWPORT
$2,699,000
INFO LINE #240

301 Front Street
BEAUFORT
$655,000
INFO LINE #127

5214 Driftwood Lane
MOREHEAD CITY
$449,500
INFO LINE #902

1804 Shepard Street
MOREHEAD CITY
$375,000
INFO LINE #163

CLOSE TO BOAT RAMP

TONS of UPGRADES

THE PROMISE LAND

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

NEW G
N
LISTI

NEW G
N
LISTI

NEW G
N
LISTI

NEW G
N
LISTI

3204 Evans Street
MOREHEAD CITY
$345,000
INFO LINE #112

405 Lord Granville Drive
MOREHEAD CITY
$339,000
INFO LINE #360

1404 Shepard Street
MOREHEAD CITY
$325,000
INFO LINE #540

1604 Wedgewood Drive
MOREHEAD CITY
$299,000
INFO LINE #148

THE PROMISE LAND

BRANDYWINE BAY

NORTHWOODS

NEW PRICE

911 Oak Drive
MOREHEAD CITY
$265,000
INFO LINE #542

1C Bluewater
ATLANTIC BEACH
$175,000
INFO LINE #210

NEW G
N
LISTI

1900 Evans Street
MOREHEAD CITY
$280,000
INFO LINE #550

104 A Reserve Lane
MOREHEAD CITY
$279,000
INFO LINE #144

201 W. Fort Macon Road • Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
Phone (252) 727-5656 • Fax (252) 727-5959 • info@StarTeamRealEstate.com • www.StarTeamRealEstate.com

3

Brain Teaser…
Julie was born on December 14, yet her
birthday is always celebrated in the
summer. Why?
(See page 7 for the answer.)

What's My Home Worth?
If you want to know your home's current
value, we will gladly conduct a
Maximum Value Home Audit.
Request this “no charge” in-depth
analysis by calling us at:
877-333-4466.

Learn From The Best Colleges
For Free

7 Ways To Get Your Child
Excited About Reading
Does your child spend too much time watching TV or playing video
games and not enough time reading? Here are 7 quick tips to make
reading fun and exciting:
1. Let your child choose books they're personally interested in. This
way they won't get bored right away. If they can't decide, help them
by matching a book topic with one of their interests.
2. Encourage them to act out the book as a play. Kids love to perform
for others, and this will help them remember more.

These schools offer free courses online
for various subjects including history,
law, and math:

3. Ask your child to draw pictures of the characters. This gets them
to really think about the details, plus it's fun!

•

Notre Dame: www.ocw.nd.edu

4. Read chapter books. These have more surprises and character
development, which will help your child visualize the words more.

•

Duke Law Center:
web.law.duke.edu/cspd/lectures

•

•

MIT Sloan School of Management:
www.ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloanschool-of-management
Oxford University:
www.maths.ox.ac.uk/opencourse
ware

Have A Laugh

5. Take turns reading and let them ask questions. Also, have them
read aloud to their siblings or friends.
6. Work with other parents to start a book club for kids. Here's a
video: www.howdini.com/howdini-video-14452277.html
7. Get your child an eReader. If you can't get them away from video
games, at least make their time in front of a screen more productive. If
you have an iPAD, go to www.progressbythepage.com to find a
reading app. It comes with a list of free eBooks, and ways to monitor
their time spent reading.

Excited about his new BMW, a man was
out driving at top speed. Soon he saw
the flashing red and blue lights behind
him.
The cop examined his license and
asked, “If you can give me a good
excuse for your speeding that I haven't
heard before, you can go.
The man responded, “Last week my
wife ran off with a cop. I was afraid you
were trying to give her back.”
The cop handed back the license and
said, “Have a nice weekend.”

Computer Skills Resource
Whether you are new to computers and
need basic training or just want to learn
some new skills, you can get free
tutorials at: www.GCFlearnfree.org
4

A Heartfelt Message to Our Special Clients
and Friends...
We want to thank the following for their recent business and referrals:
Pete and Nancy Deichmann, New Bern, NC
Stuart and Margaret McRae, Cary, NC
PJ and DeVan Barbour, Garner, NC
Sherry and Chuck Duke, Goldsboro
Kim and Kevin Avolis, New Bern, NC
Paige and Bill Gillespie, Henrico, VA
Becky Whitley, Morehead City
Karyl and Jim Kraft, Newport, NC
Lavonne and Jeff Kramer, Cary, NC


MARKET OVERVIEW - FIRST QUARTER 2013
Here are several charts that will give you an overview of the real estate market in Carteret County

First Quarter Year Over Year Results

This spreadsheet compares both Single Family and Condominium Sales by Key Areas compared to the same period last year.
Single Family homes unit sales were up 5% and average price was up 9%. Emerald Isle, Highway 24, and Newport showed
exceptional sales increases and Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Highway 24, and Pine Knoll Shores showed very good average price
increases.

Overall Market Summary
All Categories for First Quarter 2013
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Total Unit Sales – All Categories were up 11.0%
Total Dollar Sales – All Categories were up 11.0%
Average Selling Prices - All Categories were Even with last year
Total Inventory – All Categories were Even with last year
Pending Contracts – All Categories were up 15%

Our market is definitely improving. Unit Sales are up and have been so since 2010. The average selling prices for all categories
are even with last year. Some areas are seeing double digit increases in the average selling prices. Even though the total inventory
is the same as last year we are also experiences shortages in certain property types. Pending Contracts are up 15%. This is our
best indicator of future sales. Interest rates are inching up slightly but still remain around 3.5%. Interest Rates and the fact that
many people have deferred purchasing property for the past 5 years are definitely fueling our real estate recovery.

5

Total Unit Sales
Since 2003
All Properties
This chart clearly shows the Unit
Sales Trend over the past 10 years.
Our market peaked in 2005 and
declined through 2009. We have
seen steady increases beginning in
2010 and this trend continues
through the first quarter of 2013.
Total Unit Sales are up 11% this
year.

Average Selling Price
All Properties
Crystal Coast
MLS Service
This chart shows the Average
Selling Price for All Properties in
our MLS. Prices peaked in 2007
and have been declining through
2010. Prices have stabilized
somewhat since then. Currently our
Average Price is Even with last
year. We expect a slight increase in
average selling prices by the end of
this year and very moderate
increases over the next few years.

30-Year
Fixed Rate Mortgages
Interest rates bottomed in November
and December 2012 and have
inched up over the past three
months. 30-Year Fixed Rates
averaged 3.57% in March. Rates
are near historic lows but are
expected to continue trending
upward. It's the perfect time to
purchase real estate or refinance
your current property.

6


Thanks For Thinking of Us!
Did you know we can help you or any of
your friends or family save time and
money when buying or selling a home?
Thanks for keeping us in mind with your
referrals…and spreading the word about
our services.

Brain Teaser Answer:
Because she lives in the southern
hemisphere!

What New Car Dealers Won't
Tell You
•
•
•
•

Negotiate from the invoice price up
instead of from sticker price down
(find prices at www.kbb.com).
Make an appointment to look at cars
on Tuesday or Wednesday, when
they'll spend more time with you.
Pay attention to overall costs and not
just the monthly payment.
Get all promises is writing or the
salesperson might “forget.”

Meet a Teammate!
Kimberly Brady Maness
Broker, Buyer/Listing Specialist
201 West Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach, NC 29557
(919) 971-4181 – Direct
(252) 727-5656 – Office
(252) 727-5959 – Fax
Kim@StarTeamRealEstate.com
Growing up in Carteret County, Kim loves and knows the area well.
She lived in Raleigh for many years where she helped her husband
grow his residential construction business. Six years ago, Kim moved
back to Carteret County and has worked in the new construction and
real estate markets on the Crystal Coast. Whether you need a buyer’s
agent or seller’s agent, Kim is committed to service excellence and
will do what it takes to help you buy or help you sell a property!

The Formula For Water
Teacher: “George, what is the formula
for water? “
George: “H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O”
Teacher: “Is that the formula I gave
you yesterday?”
George: “Sure. I remember. You said
H to O.”

THANK YOU for reading our
Real Estate Today personal newsletter.
We try to produce a newsletter that has
great content and is fun and valuable to
you. Your constructive feedback is
always welcome.
AND…whether you're thinking of
buying, selling or financing real estate,
or just want to stop by and say “Hi,” we'd
love to hear from you…

The Star Team
Star Team Real Estate
877-333-4466
info@StarTeamRealEstate.com
www.StarTeamRealEstate.com
Disclaimer: The information contained in this letter is intended for
informational purposes. It should not substitute as legal,
accounting, investment, medical and other professional services
advice. Always seek a competent professional for answers to your
specific questions. This letter is not intended to solicit real estate
properties currently for sale.

Real Estate Corner…
Q. What are some mistakes I should avoid when I invest in real estate?
A. Even smart investors make mistakes. Here are three common mistakes and
what you should do instead:
• Not Doing Your Homework. Evaluate your financial situation and
understand the right numbers to calculate. Learn the basics about cash flow,
appreciation, and loan amortization.
• Not finding the right property. Do a thorough search, including “off MLS”
deals and best buys, to find the right property for you. Work with a
®
REALTOR who is an Investor Specialist. He or she can help find a good
investment property.
• Failing to get a professional inspection. You need to know if there have
been problems with the property and that they've been properly addressed.
To learn more about owning investment property, call and ask for our Free
Consumer Report called “How To Avoid 8 Dumb Mistakes Even Smart
Investors Make.” We'll be glad to send a copy right to you.
Do you have a real estate question you want answered? Feel free to call us at
877-333-4466. Perhaps we'll feature your question in our next issue!


7

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