Real Estate Information Archive

I remember, as a child in school, there were certain classes that were always difficult for me to muddle through.  Whether I just wasn't interested in the subject matter or if I just was not wired to "get it" as other kids did, it was a point of contention for my parents and I.  They knew I was reasonably intelligent so much time was spent focusing on my weaknesses.  With classes, you simply must "pass" them and even do well in them if you want to make it to the next level (the next grade, college, grad school, etc.). All this makes me wonder what kind of negative impact we may have on our kids when we are so focused on getting them past thier weaknesses and less time cultivating thier natural talents?

As adults, it is different.  We have the ability to refocus on our strengths.  We use our strengths to work around weaknesses or we get help or outsource when we need it. Sometimes we forget this and get caught up worrying about those things that don't come to us as easily.  Be self-aware of what you are doing daily, watch your productivity, and make changes when you need it.  And of course, enjoy the morning coffee!

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

DUPLICATE YOURSELF!

Watch young children on the playground and you will notice them trying to duplicate each other. One hangs upside down on the monkey bars, and soon everyone is doing the same. Check out a pre-teen with a punky new hair-do, or a new style of "radical" footwear, and soon their friends are following suit.

It continues in high school too, with "tricked out" hot cars and cell phones. So . . . is it any wonder that we attempt to duplicate each other as adults as well? We look at our desk mate's approach to getting new business, then we do the same - regardless of the fact that said desk mate is getting no results.

Is there an alternative to this senseless copy-cat approach to life? Yes - but making the change may not be so easy. You begin by looking inside rather than outside. With all the distractions competing for your attention, this may be the most difficult step. Nevertheless, take a look inside to determine your best talents and skills. Ask yourself, "What do I do well? What are my strengths? What do I enjoy doing most?"

Next, write yourself a plan that incorporates your answers into a personal action plan. Remember, you were born an original, so put that originality to work. To help the plan work, avoid distractions from those who question your new direction, and learn to "duplicate yourself".

To avoid distractions, consider moving your desk, working from a home office, or avoiding the social scene at your office. Focus your time and attention on achieving your new-found objectives. To duplicate yourself, hire assistants to prepare direct mail or update your website. Avoid all tasks that you can hire someone else to do.

In short, live and act the part of the original you really are!

Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

WHICH BOUQUET DO YOU PREFER?

Whether or not you have a green thumb, you probably know that gardens may contain either annual or perennial flower varieties. Annuals are fun to grow for several reasons: 1) they sprout quickly from seeds, 2) they flower the first year, and 3) their colors can be brilliant and most pleasing. They are also less hardy and die out at the first sign of frost. Each spring, new seeds must be planted.

Perennials are another story. Growing from seeds, they take longer to sprout and rarely flower the first year. Their colors are more subtle hues, and they require more attention in the early stages. They must be cut back in the winter and covered with mulch, and may require fertilizer in the spring. They also come back year after year, returning with stronger roots, greater beauty and abundant growth. With time, they require less and less attention, yet continue to prosper. No matter how cold the winter, they always return with renewed vigor.

Friendships and business relationships are a lot like flowers, and may also be either annual or perennial in nature. They may be quick to bloom and most enjoyable to experience, yet fade quickly at the first hint of trouble.

Others grow more gradually through trust-building and respect. They may not dazzle the senses or leave us breathless, yet they are consistent, trusting, and produce a warm glow that hardly fades when tested by adversity. These relationships grow over time, and produce an abundance of lasting beauty.

In business, as in personal relationships, the best things in life come with time and caring. When planning your life's garden this spring, why not devote your attention to the perennials? With an added touch of patience, you can look forward to the sweet fragrances to come.

Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE!

Are you enjoying the good times? Have you achieved your goals and become comfortable in the knowledge that you have reached the zenith of your life and career? But wait! Hold on just a minute. What if things were to change suddenly . . . and you ended up back at the proverbial "Square One"?

Maybe that's already happened to you a time or two. Perhaps your career took a sudden turn in a direction you hadn't anticipated, or a health problem caught you totally by surprise. What did you do then? Were you paralyzed by fear? Did you feel cheated, or angry? Did you blame circumstances for your new situation?

No doubt you are able to rationalize objectively that all of us face change from time to time, that it's a part of life. It's difficult, however, to be objective when change suddenly stares you straight in the eye.

Some answers popped up this week to the challenges of change. You'll find those answers in a short, easy-to-read book entitled "Who Moved My Cheese?" Written by Spencer Johnson (co-author of "The One-Minute Manager"), it's the story of two little mice named "Sniffy" and "Scurry" and two little people the size of mice called "Hem" and Haw." The story traces the whimsical challenges faced by these tiny characters as they travel through the maze called "real life."

If you have ever been challenged by change in your world, you'll find comfort and sage advice in this simple story. It's waiting for you to read, and it's worth the short time you'll need to absorb the lessons it contains. This is a great story - don't miss it!

Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408

Great news-hopefully, for the those home buyers that did not get closed on thier property by June 30, 2010 in order to qualify for the substantial tax credits. The Senate has approved an amendment to a bill (HR 4213) that will allow those buyers who were under contract by the April 30th deadline to still get the tax credit-as long as the property closes by September 30, 2010.

The bill has not been officially voted on yet due to ongoing discussion about other parts of this bill.  Once it has been agreed on by the house and senate, it can be voted into law.

Keep in mind, this does not open up the tax credit to those that were not under contract by April 30.  The active duty military and other qualifying personell will be eligible for a full of extension of both the contract date and closing date.

Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408

You may recall the story of how steel-magnate Andrew Carnegie commissioned Napoleon Hill to learn the true philosophy of success from America's most successful individuals of the early 1900's. Hill's search for those success secrets culminated in his well-known book "Think & Grow Rich".

What you may not know was how Hill almost squandered the opportunity offered by Carnegie. At the end of a long interview, Carnegie abruptly told Hill, "We've talked a long time and I have shown you the greatest opportunity a young man ever had to become famous, rich, and useful. Now - if I choose you out of the two hundred and forty other applicants - if I introduce you to the outstandingly successful men in America - if I help you get their collaboration in finding out the true philosophy of success - will you devote twenty years to the job, earning your own living as you go along? We have had sufficient discussion. I want your answer - yes or no."

Hill tells that he spent twenty-nine seconds struggling with a negative mental attitude, thinking of all the hurdles he would face over the twenty-year project. Finally, finding the positive mental attitude he had temporarily lost, Hill replied, "YES!"

How did he know it took 29 seconds to answer? At that point, Carnegie showed Hill the stopwatch he had been holding beneath his desk. Carnegie had allowed Hill just 60 seconds to show his positive state of mind, the one trait he felt most critical to achieving his desired results.

Hill hesitated. We all do from time to time. What's important, like Hill's answer, is that we ultimately grasp that sometimes-elusive positive mental attitude, and adopt it as our own. Had he hesitated for thirty-one seconds more, Napoleon Hill would have given up a wonderful opportunity (as well as depriving us of his inspiring book). He didn't . . . and neither should we.

Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408

Summer has finally arrived after a long winter this year.  The beautiful city of Wilmington NC is bustling with tourist and locals, enjoying what all this sophisticated beach town has to offer… shopping, dining, the arts and more.  The Wilmington NC Real Estate market has really picked up compared to this time last year. Today we are seeing offers being negotiated and homes being SOLD.  Now is the best time for sellers since this is the busy season for buyers coming here in this coastal community.  Many visitors coming to town are also here to do their Wilmington NC home search.  This Historical city is an extremely desirable area to live and this has helped keep our market stronger than most and home values from falling as drastically has other parts of the country. Being a Buyer Specialist in the Wilmington NC area, I deal with buyers on a daily basis wanting to relocate to Wilmington and those who are looking to purchase a second home for vacations or family getaways.  Many think that because it’s the south, houses are inexpensive, but Wilmington NC real estate has held its own through this incredible housing crisis.  In this beautiful port city, it’s a dream location for many people making it a valuable investment to call home.  Is Wilmington the place you want to call home?  How can I help you get where you want to be in the time you want it? You can reach me at 646-644-4424!

 Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408

Hi there!  My name is Jennifer Buske.  I recently joined Chris Baynes & Associates as a Buyer Specialist, and with over 10 years of experience, I truly enjoy helping my clients hunt for the perfect home.  I moved to Wilmington, NC from Manhattan, NY and it’s AMAZING!  You may ask yourself… Why Wilmington?  The answer is easy.  Sun, Surf, Beautiful Beaches, and Wilmington real estate is affordable living.  It was time to ditch the nosey doorman, crowded elevators and the glass bubble in the sky for a better quality of life.  The day we arrived, the first thing I did was trade my stilettos for a pair of flip flops and immediately added color to my wardrobe since it was quite clear the only place a black suit belonged was at a funeral in this beach town.  I then decided to join Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty after having already worked with Chris and his team during our Wilmington NC home search.   So here I am, living minutes from the beach, sunny skies, and working with the best team of people in the Wilmington area.  Let me ask you a question.   When do you want to start enjoying your new home on the coast?  How can I help YOU get there?   You can reach me at 646-644-4424!

Wilmington NC Real Estate Sales - Chris Baynes REALTOR Chris Baynes and Associates is one of the areas most successful Realtor Teams.  We specialize in helping buyers and sellers with real estate services in the greater Wilmington NC area including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Castle Hayne, Hampstead, Leland, Belville, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County, and all Wilmington NC Real Estate.  (910) 470-4408