Debe Maxwell

As a real estate writer interested in supplying our readers with the best of resources, I am very pleased to present Debe Maxwell, founder of The Maxwell House Group and partner of Savvy + Company Real Estate in Charlotte, NC.

Recently, Debe and I talked a little bit about her life, her business, and what she believes the future holds for Charlotte real estate.

RealtyBiz: Debe, did you live all of your life in Gulfport before moving to NC?

Debe: I wish! I moved all over as a child; my father was in the Air Force, then retail so, 9 different schools from K through 12!

RealtyBiz: Did you ever practice real estate in Gulfport?

Debe: No, I moved from there as a teen.

RealtyBiz: How long have you been practicing real estate?

Debe: Over 9 years – in April it will be 10 years.

RealtyBiz: What is unique about your company – what makes it different from other agents in the area?

Debe: My company is boutique–we are a very progressive company focused on customer service and marketing. Unlike other companies, we place the customers’ needs ahead of our own–I know that sounds canned but, when we receive prospect calls and internet leads, we have a point person (me) who does an extensive interview process based upon lifestyle needs and neighborhood preferences. Rather than place the client in a ’round-robin’ rotation, we partner them with the agent that best suits the CLIENTS’ needs. We are full-service, FULL-TIMERealtors® and are very active in the community as well.

RealtyBiz: Can you share a story about the most memorable sale you’ve brokered?

Debe: My former Broker-in-Charge asked me to list her $1M home for sale. We wound up doing a lease-purchase for one year because her buyer was offering a considerable sum of money to‘hold’ the home until he could close the following year. He wound up not being able to close so, as we were preparing to put the home back on the market (refinishing the hardwood floors that had taken a beating by the tenant), I received a call from a customer who saw an old online ad that I had resumed since we were going back on the market. This customer wound up purchasing the home (cash, no less!) and it was a perfectly flawless transaction–and a sweet paycheck too!

RealtyBiz: What is the strangest/funniest question a buyer and/or seller ever asked you?

Debe: Early in my career, I didn’t realize that you REALLY had to explain the purchase process to first-time home buyers! One of my first-timers asked me, AFTER the inspection and repair process, if we could place an Offer on another home. They were worried that the seller would realize that they had the best home in Charlotte and that they wouldn’t show up at Closing to actually sell my buyers the house!

RealtyBiz: Are you optimistic about real estate in Charlotte and across the country?

Debe: Charlotte, absolutely. As for the rest of the country, I can only go by what I hear from my referral partners but, I do believe that most cities are on the recovery track.

RealtyBiz: What changes in the industry, if any, do you see taking place that will keep another real estate bubble from happening?

Debe: I believe that lending guidelines remaining strict will prevent another bubble. I truly believe we’ve learned our lesson–at least this generation of real estate professionals!

RealtyBiz: Are buyers and sellers in Charlotte apprehensive about the marketplace or confident that it will return?

Debe: We’re still seeing overly confident sellers and hesitant buyers at this point. I am, however, seeing buyers realize that the homes they view online that are in good condition and pricedright, are selling before they even have the opportunity to view the property. I see many sellers still sitting on their prices, believing that they’ll be rescued in the spring market. On the other hand, many sellers are realistic and understand that the market is going to dictate their price–if it doesn’t sell at X price, then they need to reduce until it sells–and they’re doing this.

RealtyBiz: Is there a lot of industry moving into the area?

Debe: YES! We’re strong in the financial and healthcare areas and we’re quickly moving into one ofthe most prevalent energy sectors in the nation. We’ve also landed the HQ of Chiquita, which is huge for us.

No matter your political affiliation, if you’re a Charlottean, you have to be excited about being selected as THE city for the DNC in September as well!

RealtyBiz: What are the state and city governments doing to encourage businesses to move to the area?

Debe: Our governor has been a huge asset to our local economy over the past couple of years. She and our local government officials as well as the Chamber of Commerce,have beeninstrumental in bringing thousands of jobs to Charlotte. Tax incentives, local government support, the 7th largest airport in the world and a beautiful, vibrant city that offers residents 4-seasons are some of the bonuses these corporations are finding appealing about Charlotte.

RealtyBiz: Anything else you’d like to add about yourself or your business, the industry and/or Charlotte?

Debe: Residing here for decades and being a founding member of what is now Charlotte’s largest home care facility, I can honestly say that I know nearly every nook and cranny of Charlotte! My boys attended both public and private schools in the area so, school knowledge and neighborhood knowledge are second nature to me. Helping clients find the perfectneighborhood is a passion for me! As well, I have a love for marketing and getting my sellers’ listings exposed to the masses. I challenge the competition to do any aspect of listing a home better! My marketing team is second to none and truly do make me shine!

If you enjoyed getting to know Debe as much as I did, you will be pleased to learn that she will be a contributing writer here at RealtyBizNews. Be on the lookout for some fantastic, informative articles from her in the coming months!

The other side of Charlotte, one which is perhaps less well known, is reflected in British General Cornwallis’ depiction of the city which drove him out – noting that it was “a hornet’s nest of rebellion,” he coined Charlotte The Hornet’s Nest.

This fighting spirit, hidden beneath a genteel, confident exterior aptly describes the character of this historic locale and its residents.

Charlotte market watch. © Tupungato - Fotolia.com

The Numbers

A report conducted by Metrostudy for the third quarter of 2011 was recently released, and the results are interesting. Although the unemployment rate stood at 11.1% as of August 2011, and job growth decreased from 4,500 to 4,100 jobs from July to August, home closings reduced the number of homes on the market significantly.

Bill Miley, director of Metrostudy’s Charlotte division stated that “Consumers remain apprehensive with the weak job market, high unemployment, and the economy in general.”

“Inventory months of supply for all new housing types (attached and detached) dropped due to closing more homes than we started and our rising annual closing rate,” continued Miley.

“Despite our high unemployment, the Charlotte MSA currently ranks fifteenth in the country in single family permits, further testimony to the desirability, appeal and strength of Charlotte NC and the overall weakness of the national housing market,” Miley said.

Rental prices have risen by 5.6%, with a median rent of $950 per month, however depending upon locations, rentals can range anywhere from $950 to $1,350 per month. The average list price for Charlotte is at $159,900, however the median sales price is much higher at $166,100.

According to Zillow, as of September 2011, home prices in the Charlotte region were down 6.7% over last year, and home values, are currently at $132,800.00 on average. Foreclosures represent a small number of homes sold, at 0.1% year over year. Sellers are, on average, getting approximately 95% of their asking price.

The Outlook

Despite the fact that a large portion of Charlotte homes have gone down in value, a surprising number have risen, as reflected in a 12.8% increase, reflecting pockets of areas which are seeing positive growth signs. For example, homes in the Provincetowne suburb of Charlotte have seen a 16.8% increase in home values reflecting an increase which is slightly double the values at this time last year.

According to Scot Hartis, Broker and Realtor with LiveUptownNow.com, “Charlotte, NC’s real estate market hasn’t seen a “bubble” like the rest of the country.” He goes on to prove this proposition by stating that “Nowhere is this more obvious than in Uptown Charlotte and the neighborhoods within a five mile radius of center city Charlotte.

Neighborhoods like Cherry, Chantilly, Cotswold, Dilworth, Eastover, Elizabeth, Myers Park, Midtown, NoDa, PlazaMidwood, Southend, Sedgefield, Wesley Heights, and Wilmore are all going through dramatic transformation. With new condos being built and developers tearing down old homes to build new larger homes, values in these core neighborhoods are seeing some of the strongest appreciation rates in the nation.”

Debbie Maxwell, with Savvy + Company Real Estate, Inc. seems to agree with Scot’s consensus view of Charlotte’s downtown. She states that “Charlotte’sDowntown has gone from looking ‘down’ to an Uptown filled with vitality and growth! Walkability is the best in the city in what is now Uptown Charlotte.” She goes on to discuss early morning coffee meets at several coffeehouses, lunch at your choice of many fantastic restaurants, a revitalizing workout at the YMCA, and then back to the office, (via a free trolley ride if you choose) refreshed and ready to finish out the day in style.

Sports/Entertainment

Charlotte at night offers 5 star restaurants, Blumenthal theatre, watching the Bobcats at Timewarner Cable Arena, or even a fun night at the Wiskey River in EpiCentre riding the mechanical bull.

This year marks the 17th season of the Charlotte Panthers’ involvement with the National Football League, and it has been a tough year for the cats – at the moment they’re at 2-7, with a lot more work to do before the end of the season.

Education

The University of North Carolina Charlotte, spread across 1,000 acres in the piedmont of North Carolina, and situated only 2 hours from the mountains and 3 from the Atlantic is one of the fastest growing universities within the UNC system.

Offering its 25,000+ students a small college atmosphere, the Charlotte campus is known as “North Carolina’s urban research institution.”

Charlotte’s public schools pride themselves on the academic prowess of their students. According to the school, they “combine academic rigor with rich opportunities in the arts and humanities to prepare every student to compete locally, nationally and internationally.”

Despite experiencing difficult times, as many other cities across the country have, Charlotte, a city rich in history and pleasant in climate, still has much to offer.