Virtual Tour: "Bristol" Parade Home

Homes By Dickerson's "Bristol" is one of the 2012 Parade of Homes entries in Briar Chapel this year, which just started this weekend. Situated near the cul-de-sac on Dark Forest and backing up to a wooded buffer, this home has a number of eye-catching trim details, including beautiful herringbone pattern hardwood floors, a window seat with built-in bookshelves, a cedar-encased screened porch, and carved newel posts to name a few. With easy access to the 24-mile trail system from the backyard, and a short walk to the amenity-rich clubhouse and salt-water pools, this home is worth a look.

If you're not able to tour the Parade of Homes, call Jen Winkler at 919-593-3662 to schedule a showing of this beautiful home.

View the Tour



Mortgage Rate & Inventory Levels Update

One of the questions I'm most often asked by homebuyers these days has to do with where mortgage rates are heading. Since I don't have a crystal ball, nor am I a mortgage broker, I usually refer them to one of my preferred lenders.

What I can tell is that this is an EXCELLENT time to purchase or refinance a home, since money is on sale! According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate slipped to a new all-time low of 3.49% last week for borrowers willing to pay 0.6 discount points at the time of closing (one discount point is equal to one percent of your loan size). Likewise, the average 15-year fixed rate mortgage rate dropped to a new all-time low last week of 2.77% with the same accompanying 0.6 discount points.

If you have a home to sell, you'll want to pay attention to another important figure... months supply of inventory. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the national existing home supply slipped to 6.1 months last month — very close to the 6.0-month marker which separates a “buyer’s market” from a “seller’s market”. Here in the Triangle, we saw inventory levels drop by over 35% in August compared to the same period last year.

In other words, if you were thinking of putting your home on the market next Spring, you may want to reconsider and get it listed now. I'll be happy to recommend a good agent, if you don't already have one.

2012 Parade of Homes Features Six Briar Chapel Green Homes

Now in its 29th year, the 2012 Parade of Homes in Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties will be held over the next three weekends: September 29-30, October 5-7 and October 12-14, 2012 from Noon-5pm each day. This is a free, self-guided tour showcases the latest designs and technology trends.

This year, Briar Chapel has six entries in the Parade:

• The "Yates" - 9 Pokeberry Bend Dr. (Saussy Burbank)
• The "Carsen" - 39 Pokeberry Bend Dr. (Saussy Burbank)
• The "Teague" - 68 Owen Towne Rd. (Saussy Burbank)
• The "Milliron" - 139 N. Serenity Hill Cir. (David Weekley Homes)
• The "Millhaven" - 371 Tobacco Farm Rd. (Homes by Dickerson)
• The "Bristol" - 371 Dark Forest Dr. (Homes by Dickerson)

This year's event also enables builders to enjoy some friendly competition, as each home on the Parade is judged by a panel of industry representatives from other markets in our region. These judges examine the design, quality, and creativity that each entry demonstrates, resulting in a numerical grade for each house. Awards are given to homes that achieve the highest scores in each price category.

If you would like a guided tour of these homes, please contact Jen Winkler at 919-593-3662. She will be more than happy to point out the various green features that are available in these homes, as well as show you the amenities that residents enjoy throughout Briar Chapel.

Annual Briar Chapel "Pups in the Pool" Event a Huge Success

Once the pool season comes to a close each year, it's a tradition for Briar Chapel residents to bring their dogs for a swim at the annual "Pups in the Pool" event. This year's event had perfect weather and was well attended.