Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an interesting article written by Carla Hill with RealtyTimes.com about today’s mortgage rates.

You’ve heard it all across the media. Interest rates are at historic lows. If you are new to the mortgage process, these figures and statements give you little frame of reference. Let’s take a moment to look at where interest rates have been over the last few decades, and what today’s rates really mean for homebuyers. Interest rates are affected by a gamut of factors. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, “Lower interest rates make it easier for people to borrow in order to buy cars and homes. Purchases of homes, in turn, increase the demand for other items, such as furniture and appliances, thus providing an additional boost to the economy. Lower interest rates mean that consumers spend less on interest costs, leaving them with more of their income to spend on goods and services.” And this is, after all, what you want people to do in a down economy. You want them to reinvigorate the economy with spending. The Fed continues, “If the rates that consumers and businesses have to pay to borrow rise too rapidly, however, spending may decline, leading to an economic slowdown.” So, it is a intricate dance the powers that be must perform in order to steer the economy the best they can. They, namely the Federal Reserve and Banks, are seeking stable prices, high employment rates, and sustainable growth in the economy. 30 years ago, in 1980, when many first-time home buyers parents were making home purchases, Freddie Mac reports that the 30-year fixed rate mortgage hit a staggering 16.32 percent. Let’s compare that in relation to today’s interest rate, averaging around 4.5 percent.

• In the most basic terms, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for $100,000 at 16.32 percent, will cost you around $1,450 a month.
• For the same mortgage at a 4.5 percent rate, you’ll be paying $580 a month.

The difference is astounding, and this is the main reason the media is shouting news about interest rates. If you are in the position to buy, now could very well be the time.

Article Courtesy of RealtyTimes.com.

Wilmington, NC home builder and remodeler Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers some simple steps to making the move to a new home as easy as possible for your pet.

Experts agree that pets thrive on routine. But how can that routine be maintained during a move? There are some simple steps that you can take to make the transition from old home to new home easy on you and your pet.

The first step is to visit your current veterinarian. If you are moving out of the area, be sure to request your pet’s medical files, this way your new vet will know of any conditions your pet has been treated for and when they’ll be due for their next vaccinations. Be sure that if your pet is on any medications, that you’ll have enough of the needed prescriptions to last until you visit your new vet.

While you’re at the vet, consider microchipping your pet. A microchip is a small transponder, as small as a grain of rice, that is implanted just under the pet’s skin. The Humane Society says, “Microchips provide an extra level of protection in case your pet loses his collar and tags.” The cost is relatively inexpensive, especially when you consider that one chip can last up to 25 years. Along these same lines, update your pets ID tags with your new address or phone number if necessary.

When you are beginning the actual process of moving boxes and transferring your belongings to your new residence, consider first prepping, a pet friendly area in your current home, and then in your new home. You can designate one room that will be out of the way of movers. Fill the room with the pet’s favorite toys and bedding, as well as their food, water, and if applicable, litter box. Your home is your pet’s sanctuary, and for the time being, this room will be their connection to this.

Once you’re living in your new home with your pet, the best thing you can do is maintain your routine. If you usually walk your pet in the mornings, make the time to continue this tradition. If you come home at lunches to let your dog out, be sure that either you or a reliable pet walker are there for your dog. This is also not a time to change your animal’s eating habits. Keep with the same brand and type of food as before the move.

And finally, you’ll need to search out your new hot spots. This means pet supply stores, veterinary offices, dog parks, and pet sitter and walker servicers.

If you are new to your area, feel free to ask your real estate agent for recommendations for a new vet, as well as where the aforementioned local hot spots might be, such as local establishments that are pet friendly.

Article Written By: Carla L. Davis, RealtyTimes.com

Wilmington, NC Green builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes understands the importance of recycling and would like to share the following information about recycling paper, courtesy of NCGreenPower.org.

• Every ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees compared to paper made from virgin materials.
• Instead of using a new piece of paper for rough work, turn over a used copy and write on the other side.
• Junk mail is more than an annoyance. It clogs landfills as well as your mailbox, and costs millions of trees and tax dollars every year.
• 5.6 million tons of catalogs and other direct mail advertisements end up in U.S. landfills annually.
• The average U.S. household receives unsolicited junk mail equal to 1.5 trees each year—That’s more than 100 million trees for all households combined.
• 44 percent of junk mail is thrown away unopened, but only half that much junk mail (33 percent) is recycled.
• Americans pay $370 million annually to dispose of junk mail that doesn’t get recycled.
• On average, Americans spend 8 months opening junk mail in the course of their lives.
• Start by registering with the Mail Preference Service of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). It won’t guarantee you a life free of junk mail, but it can help.
• You can also go to OptOutPreScreen.com, which can enable you to remove your name from lists that mortgage, credit card and insurance companies use to mail you offers and solicitations.
• One option is to use the Stop the Junk Mail Kit developed by the Consumer Research Institute.
• The website JunkBusters.com provides further guidelines for reducing junk mail and other intrusions, from unwanted e-mail (Spam) to telemarketing.
• Pay your bills online! Eliminate your paper trail as well as the energy used to transport paper bills.
• Go digital. If only 10 million people in the US change Mon-Fri newspapers to online, we could save almost 50,000 trees each year!
• Manufacturing products from recycled materials requires substantially less energy and natural resources than products from virgin materials.
• You may think that a lot of paper gets recycled, but according to the National Recycling Coalition, Americans throw away enough office paper each year to build a 13-foot-high wall of paper from New York to Seattle.
• Do your part – recycle!

Wilmington, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages those in the area to take advantage of FREE ADMISSION to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, NC. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day the Fort Fisher aquarium will waive all admission fees on January 18, 2010. Exhibit gallery highlights include alligators, sea stars, stingrays, sea turtles, clownfish and a rare albino alligator! For more information, visit their website!

New Hanover County, NC home remodeler Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share some exciting news for one of our local historic sites. WHQR 91.3 FM reported today that the owners of Poplar Grove Plantation struck a deal with the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust to ensure that the land will never be developed. Below is an excerpt from the WHQR report and to read more, click here!

“Poplar Grove Plantation secured what’s called a ‘conservation agreement’ that will protect the civil war era plantation located near the Pender-New Hanover county line.

This rapidly developing area is also home to Futch and Foy creeks. And Coastal Land Trust Director Camilla Herlevich says the Poplar Grove project will help preserve the creeks, which are some of the most pristine creeks in the region.”

Wilmington, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share the latest technological developments in MLS listings! The Wilmington Regional Association of REALTORS will soon be introducing Realty Connect, a system that makes it easier to access information on homes for sale in our area. It will allow a passerby to send a text message code from the available homes to a national access number and receive key information and photos back to you in seconds. Below is an excerpt from the recent Cape Fear Business News article and to read more, click here!

“’We continually seek out the best technology tools and providers for local real estate consumers and our members. We are pleased to offer Goomzee’s industry-leading SMS marketing platform. More home buyers are relying on technology for information when buying a home, and WRAR recognizes the need to empower the real estate sales professional with useful technology to reach today’s buyer, especially on their mobile phones,’ explains Brian Bell, WRAR Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

An increasing number of Americans look to their cellular phones for instant access to information. According to the International Association of Wireless Telecommunications, also known as CTIA®, there are 276.6 million US mobile phone subscribers representing 89% of Americans.”

Wilmington, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is proud to have Horizon Custom Colors as our painting trade partner. Owners Paul and Joy Pittman pride themselves on impeccable customer service, competitive pricing and knowledge of the latest Green paint products. A locally owned, family-oriented business, we would recommend Horizon Custom Colors to anyone for all interior and exterior painting needs! Contact them today at 910-520-2365 or email them at horizonpainting@aol.com.

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages you to attend the 7^th Annual ChowdaFest at Fat Tony’s Italian Pub. At their historic downtown Wilmington, NC location at 131 N. Front Street, the event will be on November 7^th from 12:00 – 7:00 pm. New England, Manhattan, and Down East varieties of chowder will be served and live bands will begin at noon and play until sundown. Admission is $5.00, includes a cup of chowder and will benefit the Carolina Canines for Service.

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share that our local airport, Wilmington International Airport, now offers a real-time Flight Tracker on their website! We understand that international travel is important to many people that may consider moving to the Cape Fear area, and the Flight Tracker is just another exciting attribute to our local airport. Visit their website to see how the Flight Tracker can make your traveling experience that much easier!

St. James Plantation, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share that although most markets experienced a downturn this year, Wilmington, NC was among the few that outperformed its previous four years! Local housing markets near Wilmington, NC that were also among the Top 15 were Myrtle Beach, SC, Raleigh, NC and Charlotte, NC. According to the article by Builder Online, “Wilmington, NC has the second highest ratio of permits pulled per resident, behind only Myrtle Beach. The population here, 355,700 by Census estimates, has been growing at a better than three percent annual rate for the last five years, well above the national average. Primary residents are drawn by a four-season climate, close proximity to Atlantic beaches, and affordable housing.” To read the complete article, click here!