1. On the MOVEThe Helen Adams Realty Monthly Market Update
December 2015
Residential real estate is experiencing its
best year since the recession. Housing
demand is healthy, and that is expected to
continue until the end of the year. Home
sales are actually set to have their best
national showing since 2006. More of the
same is anticipated in 2016, but inventory
and affordability challenges coupled with
mortgage rate increases will likely keep
any sort of monster growth in check.
This should be a good thing for keeping
home prices from increasing too rapidly
to maintain economic stability.
New Listings in the Charlotte region
decreased 4.7 percent to 3,042. Pending
Sales were up 18.1 percent to 3,000.
Inventory levels fell 22.5 percent to 11,666
units.
Prices Continue to Gain Traction
Reprinted from November 2015 CRRA Monthly Indicators
P2 Vital Signs
P3 In Memory of our
Founder, Helen Adams
P4 Residential Closings &
Beth’s Bits
In
this
Issue
Prices continued to gain traction. The
Median Sales Price increased 9.4 percent to
$197,000.ListtoClosewasdown7.3percent
to 115 days. Sellers were encouraged as
Months Supply of Homes for Sale was down
34.0 percent to 3.3 months.
Unemployment rates across the nation
changed little last month, which bodes
well for an increase in buying activity.
The national jobless rate was 5.0 percent
in October, which was 0.7 percent lower
than the year prior. Although housing and
employment data are quite positive at this
juncture, it is still certainly possible for
listings and sales to be down in year-over-
year comparisons. Bad weather and the mix
of housing available to buyers tend to have
a greater effect on trends at the end of the
year than during the midsummer months.
www.helenadamsrealty.com
Ballantyne Office
15235-J John J. Delaney Dr.
Charlotte, NC 28277
Beth Haemmerlein
BROKER/REALTOR®
Cell: 704.243.8773
beth@helenadamsrealty.com

2. The Vitals:
A look at Charlotte’s Overall Real Estate Market
• Inventory continues to shrink, with the
change in new listings in the Charlotte region
decreasing year over year 4.7% to 3,042 and
total inventory down 22.5% from last year.
• The price range with the strongest sales was
$200,001-$300,000.
• Months supply of homes for sale has shrunk
to 3.3 months. This means that inventory
remains low and it remains a very competitive
market for buyers.
• Condo sales seem to be more popular this
month and are ahead, up 26.2% since this
time last year.
• For the 12-month period spanning December 2014 through November 2015, Pending sales in the Charlotte
region were up 16.1 percent overall.
Change in
Closed Sales
Pending
Sales
Change in
New Listings
Average
Sales Price
Total
Active Listings
Average Days
List to Close
Months Supply of
Homes for Sale
-3.3%
2,439
-4.7%
3,042
-7.3%
115
+18.1%
3,000
-22.5%
11,666
+5.8%
$240,663
-34.0%
3.3
(1)
(1) Data Represents change in data since this time last year. (2) Data Represents the most recent month’s data for CMLS.
(2)
Monthly Market Snapshot
Charlotte, NC and the Surrounding Areas
Market Updates
Monthly Average 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Rates
as reported by www.freddiemac.com
4
3.86
3.67
3.71
3.77
3.67
3.84
3.98
4.05
3.91
3.89
3.8
3.94
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
Nov. 14 Dec. 14 Jan. 15 Feb. 15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15 May. 15 Jun. 15 Jul. 15 Aug. 15 Sep. 15 Oct. Nov. 15

3. In Memory of Our Founder, Helen Adams
Two thousand fifteen marked a monumental year for Helen Adams Realty. Perhaps most
noteworthy was the celebration of our 40th year in business. The company celebrated by
establishing the Helen Adams Realty scholarship fund at UNC Charlotte and has succeeded
in providing financial aid to its first candidate. Internally, the company continued to celebrate
its commitment to providing the highest level of customer service. This foundation of giving
and giving back was laid by the company’s founder, Helen Adams.
While the year provided many wonderful moments and accomplishments, it also brought sad
times for the Adams family and the company. On November 25th, 2015, Helen passed away.
At the service for Helen, held at Christ Church Charlotte on November 28th, 2015, her family
stood up and, fitting for Thanksgiving weekend, spoke about how thankful they had been to have her in their
lives. Jeff Adams, current President of Helen Adams Realty and Helen’s son, had this to say about his mother
at her service:
“She was a true real estate pioneer and entrepreneur and saleswoman extraordinaire. And in her heyday she sold
the lion’s share of some of the finest homes in town.
So a word about her real estate acumen: I can remember sitting outside of her office and listening to her negotiate
a deal. Her delivery was always eloquent and up-front. She had a great sense of timing and she could always figure
out how to put a deal together – no matter the circumstances. I
realize now that her intuition had a lot to do with her knowledge
of the market and the strong relationships she developed with her
clients, peers and colleagues.
She had a passionate belief that she would make the deal happen
in their best interests. Her clients knew this about her and they
trusted her advice… and this is her legacy.”
Helen will be missed, but her values live on, in her family, her
company, and in all of those that knew her.

4. 2745
3050
2359 2263
3195
3408
3845
4434 4383
3905
3436
3073
2439
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Nov. 14 Dec. 14 Jan. 15 Feb. 15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15 May. 15 Jun. 15 Jul. 15 Aug. 15 Sep. 15 Oct. 15 Nov.15
$234,351
ASP
Residential Closings for the Entire CMLS Area
November 2014 - November 2015
$228,085
ASP
$228,080
ASP
$227,104
ASP
$229,437
ASP
$233,505
ASP $218,673
ASP
$241,176
ASP
$245,197
ASP
$255,125
ASP $240,169
ASP $237,646
ASP
$240,663
ASP
Beth's Bits:Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and one of the best things about Christmas is Christmas
tree decorating! It’s truly an annual event that involves visiting a dozen or more tree vendors or tree farms
to find the perfect tree, then walking down memory lane as we put up ornaments gathered over the years.
Then, we sit back and enjoy it until after “Little Christmas,” which happens to be my birthday, January 6th
(12 days after Christmas). But then what? What do you do with your Christmas tree after Christmas? In-
stead of just throwing it out, here’s some ideas of other things to do with your tree this year:
Mulch With Needles: Pine
needles dry quickly and
decompose slowly, making
them an excellent moisture-
and mold-free mulch for
ground-covering crops, such
as strawberries, to rest on.
Make Coasters and Trivets:
Cut thin slabs off the trunk,
sand them smooth, and apply
a thin coat of polyurethane to
keep the sap off tables and
glassware.
Chip It: Rent a chipper (get
a few neighbors together to
split the cost) and feed the
tree through it. Next spring,
spread the wood chips under
shrubs; they’ll suppress weeds
and, as they decompose, add
nutrients to the soil.
Feed a Fire Pit: It’s fine to use
a few of the quick-to-ignite
branches to start an outdoor
fire pit—but never in an in-
door fireplace, where creosote
build-up is a hazard.
Stake Your Plants: Strip small
branches and use the
remaining twigs to support
indoor potted plants or stake
leggy seedlings.
Create a Bird Sanctuary:
Place your tree in its stand
outdoors. Fill bird feeders
and hang them from the
boughs, or drape the tree with
a swag of pinecones coated
with peanut butter.
Insulate Perennials: Cut off
boughs and lay them over pe-
rennial beds to protect them
from snow and reduce frost
heaving.
Edge Your Borders: Cut the
trunk into 2-inch
discs and set them
into the soil to
edge flower
beds or
walkways.