Dominic Brown

It sounds like Raleigh would be perfect for you. The airport isn't more than 15 - 40 minutes from almost anywhere in Raleigh and it is an international airport which means more nonstop flights. Raleigh boasts some of the best schools in the country, and I really enjoy living in Raleigh. I posted a link at the end of this answer that lists numerous accolades that Raleigh has won including best places for business, education, jobs, low crime rate, and lifestyle. We are a little over an hour from the beach and about the same from the mountains. I am a mortgage professional in the area who is very familiar with the neighborhoods in and around Raleigh. If you are intersted, I would love to help you every step of the way, from helping you secure a mortgage to introducing you to my personal netowork of real estate professionals who can help you find the perfect house and answer any questions you may have. Please email me or give me a call at 800-784-6889 x.222 if you would like to get started. I can walk you through the process and help you find a neighborhood that offers the best schools (Raleigh has some great ones!), best parks, and other amenities you are interested in.
The link to the accolades is below:
http://www.visitraleigh.com/media/about_raleigh/accolades - Tue Jun 24 2008, 07:02

I can help you in all areas. I work closely with a major IT recruiter: Jason Smith of Accentuate Staffing (919-844-2900 jason@accentuatestaffing.com). I would give him a call first as he can help you secure a very high paying job. Where I shine is helping you locate and finance a property. I can introduce you to my personal network of real estate professionals and help you secure a mortgage easily and hassle free. Please shoot me an email at dbrown@cavaliermort.com if you are intersted in learning more or give Jason a call and let him know that I referred you. - Mon Jun 23 2008, 16:05

The first line should have a "it" instead of "and". - Mon Jun 23 2008, 16:00

One common mistake a lot of buyers make is assuming that being a first time homebuyer is an advantage and has nothing to do with negotiating the price with the seller. It is actually not an advantage as a first time homebuyer does not have a history of mortgage payments for the lender to evaluate. I work as a mortgage broker and I have numerous programs that are designed for first time homebuyers so there is no negative effect.

I believe John answerd part of the question by stating that prices are sticky coming down. Homeowners in this area are used to homes appreciating well in relation to the rest of the country and are reluctant to lower their prices. There are however, numerous homes that have been dropping in price. By stating that you are looking for a property that is $5,000 of list price isn't the best way to look at it. For one, I don't know what percentage that is of the list price. If you are looking at a $90,000 home, the percentage is a lot higher than $5,000 off a $250,000 home. Also, keep in mind that not every home is priced correctly to sell so $5,000 of the list price may still be too high. You need to approach it as a certain percentage off of the market value. I can definitely help you out with this and securing a mortgage. If you would like shoot me an email at dbrown@cavaliermort.com, I would love to help you find the deal you're looking for. - Mon Jun 23 2008, 15:58

I can definitely help you out. If you are looking to eventually purchase, I can help you look over your credit/ fianancial situation and secure a mortgage for when you are ready. We have very flexible programs that accomodate a wide variety of credit and financial situations. A mistake a lot of people make is not evaluating their credit and financials early, and instead waiting until they are ready to purchase before finding something that either shouldn't be on there or something that I can help them resolve. Shoot me an email at dbrown@cavaliermort.com if you are interested in going over everything. I would love to help you out. - Mon Jun 23 2008, 15:46

There are some great homes that are priced well below $100 a square foot. I can help you with everything from securing a mortgage to finding a property that meets the location and amenities you are looking for. There are definitely some neighborhoods I would recommend over others. Also, you will notice that the price/ square ft. will be significantly lower in certain areas. While these may seem like a great deal, the homes don't appreciate as well, and in the long run they aren't the best deal. Shoot me an email if you are interested in learning more: dbrown@cavaliermort.com - Mon Jun 23 2008, 15:41