Dianne Goode's Blog

No matter what the calendar says, no matter what the temperature is, if the daffodils are out it's SPRING!

Last Friday morning, Amber and Sean Johnson closed on their first home.  Lots of hugs and happiness -- they were so excited!  I myself have closed on many houses over many years, but I still remember the first one!  I wish I had a photo of that closing, and that's why, as agent, I always take my ...

Winter in the Triangle is a quiet season, offering a respite from the busyness of spring, summer, and fall.  Days are short.  Bare branches trace patterns against the sky. 

I once received a letter from a lender I'd never used.  At the top was my name and office address, and the body of the letter talked at great length about how this lender was interested in me, personally.  The letter promised me great personal service.  It told me that I could expect my wants and...

   "Perfect" means utterly without flaw or blemish.  No isssues.  Perfect is the ideal.  Unfortunately, perfect does not exist -- not in houses anyway. Home buyers are looking for love.  Do we require perfection in order to love?  Of course not!  Our family members and friends, the people we lov...

Just recently, a buyer asked me about buying new construction.  I explained to her that builders will often pay some closing costs, if the buyer uses their preferred lender.  "But," she said, "I thought all sellers were paying closing costs these days." Alas no, list price does not include buyer'...

 Buyers want to know how many homes they can see in one outing?  Well, that depends. It depends on how much time we have.  2-3 hours is typical. It depends on how far apart the homes are.  The more time spent driving between houses, the less time we have to spend inside them. And it depends on wh...

Good news for North Raleigh  -- Neomonde has opened its third location in Harvest Plaza, at Six Forks and Strickland Road.  No more driving downtown, no trekking to Morrisville.  Now we have it all, right here!  Fresh baked pita bread, speciality Middle Eastern food market, and tasty deli dishes...

To be trustworthy -- worthy of trust -- is the essence of good character, and the foundation of strong relationships whether personal, professional, or corporate.    Our intimate personal relationships are always grounded in trust -- or at least, the successful ones are.  Wife/husband, parent/ch...

Active Rain provides a unique opportunity to make friends you've never met -- and then meet them! This Christmas I traveled to Florida to visit family in my home state of Florida.  I'm from Central Florida, specifically from Brooksville, a small town 45 miles north of Tampa.  When I was a kid my...