If you are a First-Time Home Buyer or haven't owned a home in the previous 36 months, you may be eligible for an $8000 1st Time Home Buyer Tax Credit!  You must close on your home purchase by November 30, 2009.  Check out the information provided below or contact Cheryl Powell with Remax Gold  at 704-363-8902 or cherylpowell@remax.net for more details. Considering the bargain list prices on many homes, record low interest rates and the $8000 1st-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit... now is one of the best times ever to buy a new home.  Hurry before prices increase, interest rates rise and the Tax Credit expires! 07/08/2009

Great News for North Charlotte! Reported from the MLS, as of mid June 2009 Christenbury Hall is the areas best-selling community over $500,000 in the Northeast Charlotte/Concord/Davidson region. You can learn all about the Christenbury Community here. 06/26/2009

My 2 daughters attended Cox Mill Elementary School in Concord NC last year and again this year. My oldest daughter, Annalisa, graduated and is headed to 6th grade!     Above: Annalisa with a few friends in her class and again with her principal, Mr. Hull. Visit my web site at www.YourRealtorTony.com for more info on our schools, area and properties for sale.   06/23/2009

The City of Concord is taking applications for Concord 101. Concord 101 is a course designed for citizens to learn about their local government. The free 10-week course begins September 1 and culminates with a graduation ceremony.    Residents of Concord over the age of 18 are invited to submit an application by August 21. Class size is limited to 25 participants.   City employees will conduct classes from 6:30 -9:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights. Citizens will get a first hand look at what it takes to run city services such as garbage, water, police, fire, parks and recreation and much more.     This course gives citizen the opportunity to interact closely with City of Concord staff and to know who we are and what we do. We also want our citizens to give us input and take a more active role i... 06/12/2009

If you are looking for a convenient time and location to buy some fresh fruit and veggies, try stopping at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast on Tuesday afternoons. A Farmer's Market will be set up each Tuesday afternoon between the hours of 3:00-7:30 p.m. near the employees entrance. This entrance is a blue awning on the Carolina Mall side of the hospital. 06/10/2009

Whew!  I knew that the Cocoa Cola 600 was supposed to be the longest race of the year, but this was just too ridiculous.  I needed a nap when it was over.  After two days, six and a half hours, 224 laps completed, TONS of rain/rain delays and an incredibly risky but ultimately smart call by Crew Chief Rodney Childers, David Reutimann won the 50th race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the #00.  In fact, three of the six caution flags were thrown for rain.  This is so NOT the way I like to see a race end.  My driver (Jeff Gordon) has won races under caution and in the rain and I still don't like it.  It's quite a letdown.  In a beautiful testiment to the men and women who lost their lives fighting for our freedom, at 3pm local time, all cars on the field stopped, turned off their engines and s... 05/25/2009

Just a quick update to all my NASCAR peeps out there. After a very lengthy rain delay and valant attempt by NASCAR to clear the track, the race at Lowe's Motor Speedway has been postponed until Monday. So, tune in to your local Fox affiliate at 12pm EST, when the longest race of the year is scheduled to begin. In case you don't know the qualifying order, here ya go: 1. Ryan Newman #39 16. Greg Biffle #16 30. Matt Kenseth #17 2. Kyle Busch #18 17. Kurt Busch #2 31. Paul Menard #98 3. Jeff Gordon #24 18. Scott Speed #82 32. Max Papis #113 4. Mark Martin #5 19. Carl Edwards #99 33. Jamie McMurray #26 5. Jimmie Johnson #48 20. Bobby Labonte #96 34. David Ragan #6 6. Kasey Kahne #9 21. David Reutimann #00 35. David Stremme #12 7. Mike Bliss #9 22. Kevin Harvick #29 36. Casey Mears #07 8. Bri... 05/24/2009

On Saturday, May 30th, downtown Concord will offer a tour of 6 private gardens, plus the one at the historic Forest Hill United Methodist Church. The tour route is 2 miles long, and can be walked or driven. Concord restaurants along the route will be offering samples from their menus to visitors. For more information read the Charlotte Observer article Concord opens its gardens.   05/24/2009

Memorial Day is the time for Americans to remember and give thanks to the men and women who have died while serving our County in the military service.  If you live in the Piedmont of North Carolina and are looking for a place to pay tribute this Memorial Day, you may want to visit the Salisbury National Cemetery.  This facility serves veterans in a 23 county area of the Central Piedmont Region of North Carolina. The historic section of Salisbury National Cemetery was established by Confederate authorities to serve as the burial ground for captured Union soldiers incarcerated at the prison in Salisbury, and is located at 202 Government Road in Salisbury. The Salisbury National Cemetery Annex is located behind the William "Bill" Hefner VA Medical Center at 501 Statesville Boulevard in Sa... 05/24/2009

According to my lender sources and The Arizona Herald article "HUD says bridge-loan program hasn't been killed", HUD is still moving forward with a plan to let first-time homebuyers use the currently available tax credit of up to $8,000 as collateral for "bridge loans" to cover the down payment on FHA insured mortgages. According to the article, HUD spokesperson Brian Sullivan stated that the program details haven't been finalized and would not say when the bridge-loan program would be initiated, or whether it would be substantially different from what originally was announced. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this program will be approved... it might just be the shot in the arm that the real estate market and our economy needs to recover! For background information regarding thi... 05/21/2009

I recently read an article in the RE/MAX Times (a publication for RE/MAX Agents) regarding The U.S. Treasury Department, who recently unveiled a plan designed to streamline and encourage short sales.  Under provisions of the newly created "Foreclosure Alternatives Program," the process will soon include standardized documentation, cash incentives to lenders and moving allowances for homeowners. Here's a Treasury Department fact sheet about the plan, as well as a release from the National Association of Realtors.  You may also want to read The New York Times story, headlined "Lenders More Open to Short Sales". Many real estate agents avoid short sale listing and buyer transactions, because of the long, frustrating and often unsuccessful process.  But, with distressed properties currently... 05/21/2009

Concord's Junior Charity League Garden Tour will be from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Saturday, May 30. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the tour. The self-guided tour will begin at Forest Hill United Methodist Church and continue through six homes in downtown Concord. This is a unique opportunity to view private gardens in downtown Concord while sampling delicious offerings from Concord's own restaurants. All the proceeds go to benefit the Junior Charity of Concord. For more information, visit www.jclofconcord.com 05/20/2009

Well, it was bound to happen. Given today's state of the economy, many people are travelling less and spending less on entertainment. An article in The Independent Tribune says that business at The Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord has been "slower than usual". One vendor says that his business is off by 60%. If you've been avoiding going to the races because tickets were sold out or you'd prefer not to fight the huge crowds, this may be just your opportunity. The Coca-Cola 600 will be in Concord this Sunday, May 24, 2009 and there are plenty of good seats still available.  According to local media, there are also hotel vacancies near the track this race week. 05/20/2009

There's been a lot of buzz in the real estate and mortgage industries about FHA allowing home buyers to use the $8000 tax credit as a down-payment.  However, in this case the government giveth and the government taketh away! Tuesday May 12, 2009, in an address to several thousand REALTORS® gathered at "The Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy," at the 2009 REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, DC, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said that FHA was going to enable home buyers to access the $8,000 tax credit at closing, so the funds can be used as a down payment.  This was to be accomplished by allowing FHA's approved lenders to "monetize" the tax credit through short-term bridge loans, which would have allowed eligible home buyers to access the funds imm... 05/19/2009

The Federal Housing Administration is considering to permit its lenders to allow home buyers to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment.Originally, buyers wouldn't receive the funds until after they filed their tax return. That deterred some people from using the credit. The National Association of Realtors has been calling for the change. If this goes into effect, FHA's lenders will be permitted to "monetize" the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table. This could be yet another incentive for buyers to get off the fence! I'll post more about this as the info becomes available.   Broker/Realtor 980-254-7263 The Suddreth Group www.YourRealtorTony.com **Visit my website to search for homes in Concord ... 05/18/2009

This is a follow up to my post about the school bus that was involved in an accident on the way toCamp Thunderbird in South Carolina. That same day, Mr. Sheppard, Superintendent of Cabarrus County schools, contacted Great Wolf Lodge to see if arrangements could be made to accommodate the children, to try and make up for the accident and canceled school trip.   Well, on May 11, that is exactly what happened. The 5th grade class was treated to a day at Great Wolf at no charge!   Great Wolf is conveniently located off of I85 near Concord Mills Mall and Lowe's Motor Speedway.   Visit Great Wolf's web site for more info on this exciting resort.     The children were given access to the arcade  and water park.  And what a water park it is!!!       Fun, Fun, Fun         and more fun. There is ... 05/17/2009

My beautiful niece Tiffany Dawn Young-Diven gave birth to her first child today!  His name is Connor Brian Diven, he weighs 6 pounds 14 ounces, is 19 inches long, and has strawberry blonde hair! Tiffany is a very special young lady with a kind and loving personality.  I know that she is going to be an AWESOME mommy!  Connor is the BEST Mothers Day present ever for his Mommy Tiffany, his Grandmas Robin and Sharon, all of his great grandmas, his aunts and everyone else who loves him! Congratulations Tiffany and Chris on the birth of your adorable baby boy...             05/10/2009

Stars in the Park Summer Movie Series Join us for movies and more on CD Lyons Ball Field at Les Myers Park on the fourth Friday of June, July and August. The outdoor movies have been edited for family viewing. Games and activities and inflatable amusements will begin on the ball field at 7:30 p.m. Each movie will begin at 8:45 p.m. or at dusk. The movies are free to all who attend. Food and concessions will be available for purchase. Don't forget your chairs or blankets to sit on! Friday, 6/26- Madagascar 2 Escape from Africa Friday, 7/25- Kung Fu Panda Friday, 8/22- Wall-E Les Myers Park is located at 338 Lawndale Ave. SW in Concord. For more information please contact Parks & Recreation at 704-920-5600 or email at recreation@ci.concord.nc.us 05/07/2009

If you've been looking for something different to do, check out the Old Courthouse Theatre's production of "Run For Your Wife".  This is a comedy LIVE theatre production about a cabby who has two wives.  Old Courthouse is a Community Theatre that was founded in 1976... celebrating its 33rd season.  It is an all volunteer organization that provides live theatre productions.  The theatre is located at 49 Spring Street NW in Concord NC.  They will kick off the season with an OPENING NIGHT WINE TASTING, where patrons will have a chance to taste KST Georgian all natural wines.  Doors will open at 7:00 for snacks and wine and the show starts at 8:00. Performances will be held at 8:00pm on April 30 and May 1 ,2, 7, 8 & 9, as well as 2:30pm on May 3 & 10. The cost is $15 for Adults, $12 for Sen... 04/29/2009

News Channel 36 did a report on USDA Rural Development loans last night.  It said that the program is "little known", but I've known about it and helped my clients utilize the program for years.  The USDA Rural Development agency (yes, the United States Department of Agriculture) has two different loan programs, Direct and Guaranteed.  Eligibility for both types of Rural Development loans is determined based on household size, income and the buyer's credit worthiness.  Both programs are 100% (NO DOWN PAYMENT) loans with NO MORTGAGE INSURANCE.  FHA loans and Conventional loans with less than 20% down payment require mortgage insurance, which is based on your loan amount and added to your payment each month... so no mortgage insurance is quite a savings to buyers. The Rural Development Gu... 04/25/2009