On this important day, it is my deepest hope and prayer that we can, as a country, continue to honor the noble sacrifices that our veterans have made on our behalf. British writer George Orwell said it better than I can say it: “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” Let’s be honest - in this great country of ours, we have it good. Especially around Raleigh and Cary, we are able to live a very good life! But this good life does not come without a cost. Since Revolutionary War times all the way to THIS VERY MINUTE, our soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen have put themselves in harm’s way to protect our country. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice, paying for OUR liberty with their very lives.
One man who has taken the debt that we owe these brave men seriously is Dave Milidonis. Through the North Carolina Veteran’s Freedom Park in Cary, he is attempting to build an interactive monument to honor these veterans and to educate future generations about these heroic men and the level of sacrifice that is required of any society such as ours that wants to remain free. Today would not be a bad day to make a donation to this most worthy cause!
In case you have not noticed, we are currently in the midst of combatting a most evil enemy, who most certainly wants to kill us and destroy our liberty, and replace it with a most cruel and evil system: A system, in fact, that would leave no room at all for the “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” that our forefathers pledged their “Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor” to attain. This must not occur. This is why we must continue to fight.
Today is Memorial Day that we take time out from the activities of our normal lives in order to remember these men. (And, owing to the changes that have taken place in our modern age, a few women as well.) So, please, enjoy your liberty today. But, please fly the flag, and please do not forget to say a prayer in rememberance of our veterans and in love for our current service members! If you want to honor them in person, there is a service conducted by American Legion Post 67 today at 10 a.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery. For information contact the post at 481-4811.
It seems that someone else has their doubts about the new Bank of America no-closing-costs program. (See my earlier BLOG entry.) Kenneth R. Harney
wrote about it in Realty Times, and has the same take that I do. (Full Article Text) I really do not see that B of A is giving away free money out of the goodness of their hearts. (I am SURE that they have little goodness in their hearts. Read about Matthew’s Story on Clark Howard’s website and see why I say this on what I feel is good authority. See why people took 50 million dollars out of B of A over their despicable behavior in this case, and their refusal to make things right.)
In any case, I still maintain that there is no such thing as a free lunch anywhere, much less in the mortgage lending world. Closing real estate deals costs money. And you, as they buyer, or you, as the seller, are going to be paying these fees. The only question is who will do it and whether they pay for it at closing, or over the life of the loan with a higher rate.
INC Magazine has moved the “Raleigh-Cary” area up its list of the top 20 “Large City Business Boomtowns.” We were 13th best last year, and 7th best this year! (See the Listings)
I must note two interesting things. 1 - We are now a “Large City,” which will come as a surprise to many, though not all. 2. We are getting better! 13 to 7 in one year is not too shabby!
How about we show you why we are such a great area? Drop us a line for a free relocation package, including maps and lots of area info. And how about a tour? If you provide the time, we will provide the transportation and the coffee. And if we like you, we will teach you the secret of the Char-Grill. (Otherwise, we will let you try to figure it out. Locals will know what I am talking about!)
I sat down across from her at the Hardees on Walnut Street. We went there before we went to look at some rental homes in Cary. She and her husband had come down a month or so before, and, after receiving some excellent advice from my friend and mortgage broker Larry Charns, determined that they would probably rent for a year and then buy a home.
They are coming from Northern Virginia. They are coming here with hope, excitement, and with not a little bit of trepidation. The husband has a job here, in Durham. The wife does not (yet.) How will they make their living? How will they pay their rent and other bills on one income? Will the husband like his new job? Will the kids like their new school? What about moving all their worldly possessions in the back of a U-Haul bound for Cary?
I must admire people who see our great area as their opportunity. They are willing to take a chance - a “Leap of Faith” - and put their trust in the Lord that the details will work out. And you know what? They usually do work out. It is hard to see how they will work out, when you are in the midst of the event, but with a little hustle and a little determination, work out they will. We have an area that is so blessed with smart, hard working people, and opportunities created by these folks, that it is hard not to find a good job, and hard not to find your spot here.
In any case, even though I really do not make any money on showing rental properties, I am just happy to help this family find their entrance into the Cary area. I know that, with faith and hard work, they will do just fine. (And maybe, someday, I can help them buy a home of their own!)
We could use a good rain-soaking from a tropical storm right about now! As long as we get the rain, and not a lot of wind, we ought to be good. The Western part of North Carolina really needs the rain, and it would not hurt us at all! Even though the lakes are full, and we have plenty of water, we are a bit dryer than we ought to be around here.
But when the REAL hurricane comes, as they sometimes do, you want to be ready. Lowes has some good hurricane safety tips:
Generator Safety
Chainsaw Safety
They have some other good FAQs about boarding up windows and such, but that is really for people at the coast. I own a chainsaw and a generator, but that is also because I am a tool-oriented fellow, and not just because of hurricanes. My old generator got trashed in Hurricane Fran in 1996, when I lent it to my in-laws, who live in Topsail Beach. My new one is a hoss, and can power the whole house! I have not had to use it in quite a few years. (Knock on wood…) Speaking of wood, I HAVE had to use my chainsaw a good bit since then, but only because I live in Medfield Estates, which has a LOT of trees, as it is an older subdivision. When I bought my house, the trees had been neglected, and a good deal of pruning and cutting down of dead trees was in order. And no, I did NOT hit the house, the kids, the car, the dog, or anything else important! But, then again, I know what I am doing. Do NOT try this at home, unless you are comfortable that YOU know what YOU are doing! Or call me - I’ll help if I can!
Hurricane season starts June first. This week is NOAA’s official Hurricane Preparedness Week. We don’t get hurricanes every year in North Carolina. In fact, it is rare (but certainly not unheard of) for us to have a tropical storm make it all the way into the Triangle with hurricane-force winds. The last time that this happened was with Hurricane Fran in 1996. Those of us who lived here certainly remembered it! I slept through it, having been up doing hurricane preparations at my in-law’s place for about the last 24 hours before Fran struck. When I woke up, the power was out, and I had to cut a bunch of trees off of friend’s houses. (They all knew I had a chain saw!) The flood plains had flooded, as one would expect, and we all began the process of piling broken tree limbs at the curb for the city to pick up. Progress Energy got the power hooked back up, sooner some places and later others, and life went back to normal after a while.
Much more common is for us to get a tropical storm this far inland. That usually means that a few trees that were dead or dying some down, along with a bunch of rain. This is often a beneficial rain, and tropical systems have been known to be great drought busters during those time where we have less rain than we would like.
So, hurricanes and tropical storms are not things to be feared - at least not in the Triangle - but they are things to be respected and prepared for. Throughout this week, I will put some more hurricane prep tips on the BLOG. So - think about it, but do not let it unduly trouble you!
Forbes says that things have climbed 6.3% in the last year in our Raleigh-Cary Market. (Full Article Text) We are listed as the sixth best market in the country - not too shabby! (Raleigh Market Caption)
If you come buy a home here, you are bound to make some equity, as long as it is in a good place. Don’t worry - we can show you where that is!
The May 2007 edition of Black Enterprise Magazine cited higher education, technology and health care as reasons for the exalted ranking, along with the cost of operating a business being 12 percent below the national average.
So, what are you waiting for? Sounds like they are on to something: That something is a basket full of good reasons to move your business to Wake County!
Hotwire has named the Raleigh-Durham area as one of the Top Ten Value Destinations in the US (Number Three to be exact.) Atlanta and Dallas have us beat.
I have nothing against either of these cities, and I have spent LOTS of time in Atlanta (watching my Braves play!) But, overall, I would rather be here! The Braves are great, but North Carolina’s Variety Vacationland puts us over the top, in my book, with the sheer diversity of things to do.
According to Raleigh’s own News and Observer, Raleigh will appear in the June edition of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as one of the “Best Cities for Young Singles.” (Full Article Text)
Now, it has been a LONG time since I was a single man in Raleigh. She Who Must Be Obeyed, A/K/A the lovely and talented Mrs. Weaver, has seen to it that I have not been a “single” for almost 10 years now, and she kept a close eye on my “single” activities activities for a few years before we sealed the deal in front of the altar. Therefore, I could be considered to be the least young single person in the Triangle, or at least close, so I have no first hand stories about hip singleness in Raleigh!
I have been here to see my younger, single friends have a great time in the “New Raleigh” that is friendly towards bars, restaurants, and entertainment spots. Raleigh sure is a far cry from the sleepy state government town where the sidewalks rolled up at 5 PM that it was when I got here!
Be careful, though: With these pretty Carolina girls and their male counterparts, you may not wish to stay single forever!
