Raleigh, North Carolina.  No It’s Not College Football or Basketball.  It appears that if you want to be certain that people will read what you have to say you have to provide a list of the 10 best, 10 worst, 10 most expensive, etc.  Despite all the gloom and doom about the economy, the housing market, automobile sales, skyrocking gasoline prices (looks like I could make a list of the 10 most depressing factors facing our economy and most individuals) there are areas where the sun shines a little brighter than in others.  Forbes did an article about - America’s Recession Proof Cities. I think that title is a little much but it does point out that some areas are still doing pretty well.  Raleigh has, for quite a number of years, been blessed to be at or near the top of a lot of lists regarding jobs, home sales, breadth of business climate to name but a few. Not long ago I mentioned that Raleigh was among Forbes Magazines 10 favored cities. The blessed 10, per the current article, are Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Charlotte, Dallas, San Jose, Raleigh, Salt Lake City and Seattle.  Forbes looked at umemployment, job growth in non-farm payrolls, construction, health services, financial activities, education, leisure and hospitality, natural resources, manufacturing, transportation and utilites, professional, business services and they considered which areas posted the best gains in median home prices.  They also looked at how the productivity level of each city would be impacted by declining home prices and increasing foreclosures.  When all these factors were taken into consideration the cities that came out best were the above named ten. 

Texas had four of the top ten because of historically lower home prices, the availability of land, less zoning restrictions and an energy market risen, like the Phoenix, from the ashes.  Also, all four cities had declining unemployment rates.  Various factors were responsible for the favored position of the other top ten cities.  What caused me to bring this up again, in particular, is how true the old saying is that “what goes around comes around.”  Much of the southwest has had a long period of not enjoying the sunshine much of the rest of the country was enjoying because of problems in the oil patch.  Declining oil production, declining jobs in the oil industry and the availability of “cheap foreign oil” all conspired to do a lot of hurt to those areas.  Well, the chickens have again come home to roost.  The price of foreign oil is doing a number on all parts of this nation but at least the demand for the oil we produce is doing wonders for the businesses that are both directlly and indirectly involved in it.  So, if people in Texas, Oklahoma and a few other places are inclined to enjoy their time in the sun it is to be understood.  While none of us like what is going on at the pump one can hardly begrudge the folks that work in the various oil and energy related businesses their reviving prosperity.  Oklahoma city is prospering not only in the energy area but in agriculture and manufacturing as well.  It was great to see how well they supported the   NBA team “on loan” to them from New Orleans.  They should be next in line for a franchise of their own and at the moment that looks like it might be Seattle. 

John Fish (919) 696-3474  Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com 

Wake Forest, North Carolina.  An Unusually Good Value In Hasentree. ”Honey, what would you like for Christmas?”  If you have a pocket that can handle $2.4 million this home offers a lot pizazz, is a very liveable, and is an absolutely great one to entertain in.  The first five photos of the home are two front views, the foyer, the office/study (15×18) and the dining room (15×16.5).  The foyer features a high arched window wall and a detailed woodwork frame.  The dining room has a slim and graceful wrought iron chandelier.  The recessed medalion area above the chandelier and wainscoating accent the room.     

 I AM REVISING THIS POST.  THE SIZE OF IT CAUSED PROBLEMS, AT LEAST ON MY END, SO I HAVE DELEATED THE BALANCE AND AM ADDING IT, ONE SECTION AT A TIME TO FUTURE POSTS - STARTING ON DECEMBER 4.  ALSO, I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT THIS DOES TO THE SPIDERS BUT - - - - .

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com 

Research Triangle. As national newspapers and magazines continue to extole the job opportunities and quality of life in the Research Triangle Area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Cary and other areas that surround Research Triangle Park), the newcomers continue to flood in.  The question becomes “where do they all come from?”.  Since the IRS knows more about your business and mine than you and I do, here are statistics based on their data: Of the newcomers who moved to the area during 2003 and 2004, 13.7% came from New York.  Our next door neighbor Virginia produced 9.1% and Florida was neck and neck with them at 9.0%.  Next in line were California at 8.7%, New Jersey 5.7%, Pennsylvania 5%, Georgia, Texas and Maryland each produced 4.7%.,and South Carolina sent us 4.2%. If you are going to be moving to this area and would like to know more about it, send me an email and tell me about your family.  What do you like, what things do you and your family like to do, what are you looking for in a home and what is your price range and if you have a job lined up who is it with and where will you be working?  I would be happy to supply the information you need and help take a lot of the uncertainty and frustration out of your move.  John Fish - Keller Williams Realty - My cellular is (919) 696-3474, my business mailing address is - 7701 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 100 - Raleigh, NC 27615, my email is marvmax@mindspring.com and my web site is www.JohnFish.com. or send me a blog message.  I look forward to hearing from you.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  No, I am not talking about couples who are parting company but rather about those who have two or more homes and divide their living time (to various degrees) among them.  While the snowbirds have been doing their annual winter trek from colder climes to Florida’s golden shores for a couple of months once a year for many and many a year, the new breed will fly back and forth between their homes as often as once a month - sometimes more.

National Association of Realtors figures indicate that during 2004, 36% of all homes purchased were second homes.  It is not just Florida that has been the beneficiary of this second home market.  Phoenix, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, Nashville and most of California have been strong participants as well.  This market should continue to enjoy strong growth as some 75 million baby boomers become “golden oldies”.  Florida reaps the benefit of dual home ownership not only because of year around warm weather but also because it does not have state income tax or any state death taxes.  Texas, Nevada, Washington and Tennessee are other states that don’t have a state income tax.  Cities with mild winters and that have good air service to a lot of heavily traveled locations are naturals to participate in the second home boom as well.

 Couples lifestyles, income, types of businesses or jobs and locations of relatives also effect where they will buy second homes.  Builders who purposely develop marketing strategies for second home buyers say that second homes now have to have most, if not all, of the same ammenities the main residence has including home offices and high-speed internet connections.  They also have to factor in such senior requirements as wide doorways and hallways, elevators and access to good health-care facilities.  Condominiums are benefiting from this trend for multiple homes as well as single family homes.

There is a substantial movement of people to North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama from Florida by those who find they don’t like the Florida heat and humidity, who want to be closer to relation and friends they left in the north and north east and who like a change of seasons without the extremes of winter weather found in those states.  Because Raleigh has an excellent airport and airline flights to many major cities, three major universities within twenty-five miles of one another, is the state capital, has a major and growing position in the medical and high-tech fields and the jobs they offer, a superior highway system, is only a two hour drive from the coast and a four hour drive to the mountains, it is reaping the benefits of being a two home buyer market as well.

 If you would like to investigate living and investment possibilities in Raleigh and the surrounding areas call me at 919-696-3474 or send me an email (marvmax@mindspring.com) outlining your needs and interests and I will see that you get the information you want.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Cary, North Carolina.  During the last 40 years Cary has grown at a sizzling pace; from 7,500 to 115,000 residents.  Much of this growth is due to its close proximity to the Research Triangle Park.  In fact, the August issue of MONEY MAGAZINE has an article called “Best Places to Live” in which they rate cities across America (with a population of under 300,000) on the basis of jobs, economy, safety, education,k ease of living, art, leisure and park space.  In this list of 90 cities Cary ranked number 5 over-all and had number 1 ratings for jobs, economy and safety.  All of which brings me to an article by Dudley Price in today’s Raleigh News and Observer.  In it he duscusses the real estate market for single men and, more specifically, in Cary.  While the marketing of single family homes, condos or townhomes to single family men has not been something major homebuilders have done in the past, the currently slowdown in the nation’s economy has caused some of them to be more aggressive in marketing to many different segments of the market place. 

The National Association of Realtors indicates that during 2005 married couples were 61% of the housing market, Single women 20% and single men 9%.  To digress for a moment, of single women buying homes, 60% purchased single family homes, 18% purchased condos and 17% townhomes.  Of single men - 62% purchased single family homes, 17% townhomes and 16% condos.

In Cary KB Homes is marketing some townhouses in its Twin Lakes subdivision toward the single male buyer.  And what do they build into a townhome for single male buyers?  Stone floors, stainless steel appliances and glass-walled showers.  Of the 23 units sold in the first phase, men have purchased nearly half.  KB Homes townhomes are 1,378 square feet to 1,573 square feet and cost from $155,000 to $200,000.  

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website:  www.JohnFish.com