Karen Hoeve - Articles

Karen Hoeve is a professional realtor who specializes in the dynamic Raleigh real estate market. With over 20 years experience, Karen has dedicated her life to bringing families and homes together. For more information contact Karen today or visit www.yourraleigh.com.

• Condo Loans Becoming Stricter
  03/04/2008 | Mortgage
  The rules will state what percentage of units is allowed to be rental units. If you are planning to be a full time resident, you will want a complex which has a low percentage of rentals. (You also need to ask if the condos above you, below you, and to either side of you are rental units. This may be the reason why the condo unit is up for sale!) Read
  
• Keep Your Driveway Up With the Joneses'!
  31/03/2008 | Real Estate
  We are always hearing about curb appeal and how it will improve our chances of selling if we pay attention to it. Well, technology has come up with a great way to help us to improve the curb appeal of our driveway, and this is also the latest idea so it will give your home the edge in the property market. Read
  
• How Easy is it to Buy a Home?
  31/03/2008 | Real Estate
  It is really quite easy to buy a home, and it is also a great idea right now, but what are the pitfalls involved? Well we all know the obvious foreclosure risks; I think most of us have read enough of that in the newspapers. Read
  
• The Real Estate Alchemist: Dust to Diamonds
  19/03/2008 | Real Estate
  If the house is structurally sound, you just need to bring it up to snuff with the surrounding neighborhood. This is ideally a cosmetic job- one that'll require minimal funds and maximum sweat. You want to mine out a job you can do without hiring any outside contractors. Read
  
• Get on the Trolley to a Hot Neighborhood
  18/03/2008 | Real Estate
  Buying a property in what might become an up and coming neighborhood can be a path to high points and big dollars with your housing investment. But, there are some points to consider when scouting one of these potential neighborhoods. Read
  
• Mary, Mary Quite Contrary- How Green Does Your Garden Grow?
  17/03/2008 | Gardening
  Although gardens have that illusion of being "green" just by their very nature, truth is, in most garden centers, the supply sources for many gardeners, you will likely find rows of chemical pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, products that have been linked to serious illness and the production of carbon dioxide. Read
  
• Quality Public Education
  14/02/2008 | Real Estate
  In 2004 Forbes magazine ranked Raleigh, North Carolina's Wake County Public School System ( WCPSS ), third in the nation for "Best Education in the Biggest Cities". It's no wonder, as Greater Raleigh is able to provide superior education opportunities in both public and private settings. WCPSS is a national leader on the education front. Read
  
• Rescue your Backyard From Boredom
  13/02/2008 | Real Estate
  You see them everywhere: empty, unused yards and wallflower decks adorned with nothing but a lonely barbeque. All over the country, the typical American backyard is a mass of untapped potential. So unnecessary! If you want to make the most of what your home has to offer, don't take this important living space for granted. Read
  
• Market your Services to More First-time Buyers
  06/02/2008 | Real Estate
  First time real estate buyers are some of the most valuable clients out there, and the Internet is your best bet for attracting them. That's because new buyers are generally younger and spend more time doing research before entering the market, all of which adds up to more Internet use. Read
  
• Understanding Craftsman Architecture
  06/02/2008 | Real Estate
  Many older homes in cities today have their roots in the Arts and Crafts movement. With their squared, low-lying layouts and sturdy construction, these homes are often easy to spot, but generally not as widely recognized or studied as Victorian homes from the same era - they simply remain unclassified or incorrectly identified as ranchers. Read