NORTH CAROLINA MORTGAGE CLOSING COSTS LOWEST IN NATION.   Bankrate.com says North Carolina has the lowest mortgage closing costs in the nation.  Closing costs average $2,650 and that includes title insurance, legal fees and various taxes.  Their survey was based on a $200,000, 30-year, fixed rate mortgage for a person putting 20 percent down and with good credit.  Included were title and settlement fees and lenders origination fees but did not include insurance, taxes, or such prepaid items as prorated interest or homeowner association fees.  At the other end of stick were Texas, Florida and New York.  New York City leads the most expensive parade with an average closing cost of $4,016. The national average is $3,118 which is up 14 percent vs. a year ago. 

WAKE COUNTY REAPS TOURISM BOUNTY.   During 2007 Wake County was the second leading tourist draw in North Carolina.  Income from visitors to the county totaled almost $1.5 billion.  This represented an increase of 10.7 percent vs. 2006.  The main attractions that drew people to the county were its museums.  Visitors to the Museum of Natural Sciences increased 7 percent.  The numbers drawn to the Museum of Art were down slightly but remained strong none-the-less.  Other major draws included the State Fair, sporting events and Artsplosure.  Gas prices and the downturn in the economy are causing people to look for things to do that are closer to home and that is of benefit to many of the areas attractions.

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

Raleigh, North Carolina.   HCL OF INDIA TO ADD 500 JOBS IN WAKE COUNTY.  HCL is a consulting firm that provides services for companies such as Merck and Boeing.  The 500 jobs will be added over the next five years and will pay, on average, $46,660 per employee per year.  Wake won out over sites in Arizona and Texas.  The president of HCL America, Shami Khorana, said that Wake’s pool  of available talent, access to three closely located universities and central location on the East Coast were deciding factors.  Although a local site has not yet been selected HCL expects to have operations running by the end of the year.

MORE TRIANGLE ZIP CODE STATISTICS.    Zip Code: 27615  City: Raleigh  County: Wake   Population: 43,793   Total Households: 17,392   Ave. Household Size: 2.5   Median Home Value (2006) $252,981   Median Home Value (2008) $292,716   Total Housing Units: 17,118   Median Household Income: $87,934        Zip Code: 27607  City: Raleigh  County: Wake   Population: 21,377  Total Households: 8,374  Ave. Household Size: 2.09  Median Home Value (2006) $251,138  Median Home Value (2008) $289,393  Total Housing Units: 9,030  Median Household Income: $67,533

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

Cary Kellogg plant to expand to 800 employees.  A number of this nation’s favorite favorite and Kellogg’s best selling “goodies” are produced at their Cary facility.  These favorites include Keebler and Cheez-It crackers, Animal Crackers, Austin cookie and cracker sandwiches, Apple Jacks and Pop-Tarts. As Kellogg wanted to expand to handle the growing demand for these products it was only natural that they go “where the game basically is” (my words not Kellogg’s).  Kellogg has 25 plants scattered throughout the U.S.  The addition of 180 workers in the Cary plant will make it their largest.  Incidentally, the plant was formerly owned by Austin Quality Foods which Keebler Foods purchased in 2000.  Kellogg then purchased Keebler in 2001.  It would seem that some double entendre comment about eating and being eaten is particularly apropos at this point but let’s get to where the rubber meets the road.  Kellogg will be adding a new shift at the plant.  They will begin to review applications for both managerial and hourly manufacturing jobs within the next few weeks.  If you have an interest in the managerial jobs you can apply through Kellogg’s web site (www.Kellogg.com. When that comes up try Clicking on Kellogg Careers. I don’t have the specific location so follow the bouncing ball).  If you are interested in a hourly manufacturing job contact the North Carolina state Employment Security Commission.  They are located at 700 Wade Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27605  Tel. (919) 733-3098.  I don’t know whether they are able to provide any information about the Kellogg jobs at this point or not. However, if not they can probably give you some idea as to how to follow up and when. 

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

Apex, North Carolina.  Trackside, a 170 acre project by Apex First Development has received the blessing of the Town Council.  The plan calls for 1,200 homes, condos and townhouses and 220,000 square feet of shops and offices.  The area is north of the Apex downtown area.  With Apex growing by leaps and bounds the developer would appear to have a “natural” in the making.  In the first quarter of this year alone Apex grew by 660 people.

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

ConAgra grows in Garner. is closing five factories in various locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Quebec.  However, they will add 30 jobs to thier plant it Garner, North Carolina.  ConAgra currently employs 650 people in the Garner plant.  The plant makes Slim Jims and Pemmican brand meat snacks.

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

Zebulon, North Carolina.  U.S. Foodservice will spend $16 million to add 98,000 square feet to its Zebulon, North Carolina distribution center.  The increase will bring the center’s size to 373,000 square feet.  The center supplies food, kitchen equipment and related products to area restaurants, hotels, schools and hospitals.  The center currently has 600 employees and services some 4,000 eastern and central North Carolina customers.  The facility puts out 110 delivery trucks every day. 

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