🎄✨ Merry Christmas to Our Stellar Realtors, Agents, and Brokers! ✨🎄

Ho Ho Ho! 🎅 As the jingle bells ring and the snow gently falls, we want to take a moment to spread some Christmas cheer to the fantastic family of realtors, agents, and brokers who make the real estate world go 'round!

This year, you've turned more houses into homes, made dreams a reality, and navigated the real estate roller coaster with grace and determination. You've been the guiding North Star 🌟 for so many families, helping them find their way home.

As we all hang our stockings with care, remember that your hard work and dedication have filled many homes with joy and laughter. While you've been busy checking lists (and maybe checking them twice), know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

So, as you sip your eggnog 🥛 and unwrap your presents 🎁, take a moment to pat yourself on the back. You deserve all the warmth and gratitude this season can bring.

Here's to a season filled with peace, love, and plenty of closed deals! May your holidays be as bright as a freshly listed property and as warm as a cozy, just-sold home.

And remember, if you find yourself under the mistletoe, it's the perfect opportunity to seal it with a "sold"! 😘

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

With all the warmth and cheer,

The Broker Journal Team.

IN THIS WEEK’S BRIEF:

• Free: This week’s freebie 🆓

• Trends: Average Rates this Week for North Carolina 📊

• Tax Talk: How to Put Property Into a TRUST🏡

• News: Real Estate’s Latest Insights 📰☕

• Fresh: Real Estate Matchmaking Magic🤝

• The Puzzle Place 🧩

• Fun: Real Estate Meme of the Week 😉

Unleash Your Social Media Magic with Our Weekly Gift! 🆓

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Join us every week to explore eye-catching and beautifully crafted templates designed specifically for devoted Brokers, Realtors, and Real Estate Agents like yourself. Customize them effortlessly and watch your listings pop in a whole new way! 🌟

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Average Rates this Week for North Carolina 📊

How to Put Property Into a TRUST🏡

Real Estate’s Latest Insights 📰☕

🎁 Last-Minute Wonders: Stocking Stuffers Under $50 for Your Holiday Rush!

🐾 2023's Top Picks for Pet Insurance in North Carolina

📜 North Carolina's Guide to Securing a Business License in 2023

📄 Effortless Leasing: Your Go-To North Carolina Lease Agreement Template

🏠 North Carolina 2023: Unveiling Housing Market Trends & Prices

📉 Record-Level Price Cuts in Homes: Unpacking the Why Behind the Trend

🏡 Orange County's Latest Buzz: High-End Homes Embrace a New Trend

🏢 Duke's Latest Luxury: The Rise of Swank Student Apartments

💹 Small Town, Big Growth: Triangle Home Values Nearly Double in 5 Years

🏗️ On the Rise: South Raleigh's New Affordable Housing Project

📅 Timing the Market: Discover the Best Day for Home-Deal Hunting

🏡🤝 Real Estate Matchmaking Magic: Strangers Turn Co-Owners in NC's Vacation Home Adventure

Hello, real estate enthusiasts! Ever thought about buying a vacation home with people you've never met? Sounds like a plot for a reality show, right? Well, in North Carolina, this isn't just a quirky idea – it's a reality, thanks to the wonders of fractional ownership and a dash of matchmaking!

Meet our diverse cast: an F15 pilot, a venture capitalist, civil servants, fresh parents, seasoned parents of teenagers, and even grandparents. Their common thread? A dream to own a second vacation home. Enter Plum, a Durham-based startup that's like the Cupid of co-ownership. They specialize in pairing up potential co-buyers and smoothing out the nitty-gritty of banking, taxes, and accounting. It's not your grandma's timeshare – this is full-on fractional ownership, where you actually own a piece of the property pie.

Last December, magic happened when four couples – the Summe-Gulas, the Cormiers, the Munson-Russells, and the Pflaums – met through Plum. Their first face-to-face? A caravan trip to Surf City, a scenic drive southeast of Raleigh. Imagine this: four cars, a list of potential dream homes, and a weekend of house-hunting. "We checked out 15 properties!" exclaimed Hope Pflaum, who, along with her husband Tim, brought some 60s flair to the group.

The weekend was a flurry of opinions, compromises, and hot takes on each property. What started as a gathering of strangers quickly turned into a "little family" of aspiring vacation homeowners.

Initially, most had their sights set on two-bedroom condos under $300,000. But together? They aimed higher – think $1 million high. While that first trip didn't quite seal the deal, by March, they hit jackpot: a stunning four-bedroom oceanfront home on Topsail Island. Price tag? A cool $929,000.

Some in the group took a leap of faith, buying without seeing the property. Trust was the name of the game. The home, affectionately named Coral Reef, is a stone's throw from Surf City Pier and all the local fun. And guess what? The furniture was part of the deal!

Fast forward to now, and the co-owners are Airbnb pros, renting out the property during peak season to cover most of the mortgage. In the quieter months, each couple enjoys a couple of weeks of beachside bliss. Maintenance and decisions? All sorted through shared Google docs and monthly video chats. “We’ve got each other's backs,” shares Jenn Summe, the group's initiator.

So, what's the big picture here? Fractional ownership isn't new, but it's making a comeback as an innovative solution in these times of inflation and sky-high property values. Platforms like Plum are making waves, democratizing the market for vacation homes. Launched in 2022 with $1.5 million in funding, Plum is on a mission to make vacation homes accessible to more than just the ultra-wealthy.

"The time is ripe for co-ownership," says Plum founder Matt Williamson. With property values soaring, something's got to give for those vacation home dreams to come true.

So there you have it – a story of strangers turned co-owners, all thanks to a little modern real estate matchmaking. Who knows, maybe your next property adventure could start with a swipe right on a fractional ownership app! 🏖️🤔

🏡💸 North Carolina Real Estate 2024: Predictions, Twists, and Turns!

Hey there, real estate aficionados! As we look towards 2024, the North Carolina housing market seems to be holding a few aces up its sleeve. Last month's home prices had us all doing a double-take – talk about sky-high! The median home sale price hopped up by 3.9% from last year, landing at a cool $363,600. But, with homes on the market dwindling down by 13.2%, it's like a game of musical chairs out there.

So, what's cooking in Charlotte and Greensboro? Charlotte's playing in the big leagues with a median sale price of $405,000, while Greensboro's cozying up at $277,000. And get this – there are spots in North Carolina where prices actually dipped. Plot twist, anyone?

Now, let's chat about interest rates. They're hitting some record highs, making a few buyers play hard to get. But with homes still selling above list price (28.3% of them, to be precise), it's clear the market's still sizzling.

🏡 If You're Buying: Dodge those bidding wars and sweet-talk sellers into concessions. With mortgage rates hovering around 8.5%, it's a significant commitment, but refinancing could be your ace in the hole if rates take a dip.

🏡 If You're Selling: Now's your golden hour to cash in on North Carolina's hot prices. Homes on the MLS are sprinting off the market, selling 17.5% faster and for more dough than their off-MLS buddies.

So, what's the deal with North Carolina's real estate scene? In one word: Sluggish! But don't let that fool you – home values have skyrocketed by 56.61% in the last five years. Yet, with sales dipping by 20.5% last September and interest rates climbing the charts, buyers seem to be playing hard to get.

🔮 2024 Housing Market Predictions:

• Home Sellers, Take Your Marks: Those playing the waiting game in 2023 are likely to jump back into the market in 2024, especially with Baby Boomers downsizing, potentially adding a whopping 30 million housing units to the market.

• Mortgage Rates, Settle Down: After hitting a dizzying 7.79% in October 2023, we're betting rates will find their zen in the second half of 2024, probably staying north of 6%.

• Home Buyers, Come on Down: The high-interest rates scared off some buyers in 2023, but with rates easing up, we're expecting a return of the house hunters.

• Home Prices, Keep Climbing: The price tags on homes have been steadily going up, and experts predict they'll keep on that trajectory as long as the supply-demand tango continues.

• New Home Constructions, Get Ready to Shine: With builders dishing out $30,000 concessions to lure buyers in 2023, new constructions are set to be a hot ticket in 2024.

And the million-dollar question: Will the Housing Market Crash? Unlikely! North Carolina's beauty, mild climate, and booming job market make it a magnet for buyers. Plus, it's a haven for outdoor buffs and has some pretty friendly tax policies. So, don't hold your breath for a crash anytime soon.

2024: Buyer or Seller’s Market? It’s a bit of both! With home prices on the rise and an uptick in new listings, sellers might have the upper hand. But, with new builds throwing in some hefty concessions, buyers have a lot to look forward to as well.

Whether you're eyeing a chic condo in Greensboro or a family home in Charlotte, spring 2024 might just be your time to shine in the North Carolina real estate market. 🌟🏠

Click here to play our fun Crossword for this week!

Real Estate Meme of the Week 🤣

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