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Recycling Christmas Trees and GOATS!!

 

I'm not rushing you, but when you’re ready to say goodbye to the 2020 Christmas season, here’s some information about what to do with your Christmas tree.

Well... Dried out Christmas trees become increasingly flammable as days go by, so maybe I am rushing you just a little bit.

Most towns and cities recycle Christmas trees for mulch, so recycling your tree is a way of “paying it forward.”

Here are some great links & info for information on how to recycle Christmas trees in various towns and cities around the Triangle. There are options for curbside pickup and drop-off at recycling centers. There's even a farm that would love Christmas tree donations for their goats to eat!

Cary
Remove artificial decorations, including wire, tinsel, lights, etc. Place the item at your curb y 7 a.m. on your scheduled yard waste collection day. MORE INFO

Raleigh
The City of Raleigh has offered some recycling tips for the holiday season.  MORE INFO

Apex
The Town of Apex is collecting real Christmas trees as part of regular yard waste collection services. Remove all decorations from trees, including any nails from the stand, and place at the curb for pickup on your scheduled day. MORE INFO

Wake County
You can drop off your tree at several Wake County convenience centers and parks.

All facilities are closed January 1st, but starting January 2nd, here’s the schedule:

Wake County Convenience Centers
Hours: 7 days a week, 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Site 1: 10505 Old Stage Road, Garner
Site 2: 6120 Old Smithfield Road, Apex
Site 4: 3600 Yates Mill Pond Road, Raleigh
Site 11: 5051 Wendell Blvd., Wendell

MORE INFO

WHAT ABOUT GOATS??

Awww....  Goats love eating Christmas trees! Some farms happily collect old Christmas trees for their very appreciative goats.

Hux Family Farm, at 1923 Shaw Road, Durham, has put out a call for Christmas trees! They’re looking for pine trees with as few chemicals as possible on them. Text 9196667258 or email huxfamilyfarm@gmail.com about drop-off. They promise lots of pictures and videos of their goats chomping on the trees!

A second area farm that has expressed an interest in Christmas trees for their goats is The Dean Farm, 2690 Wendell Blvd, Wendell. They say to just pull into the driveway and throw them out! But you might want to contact them to make sure that they’re still looking for trees. 919-624-0685 or thedeansfarm@gmail.com.

Hill Ridge Farms, 703 Tarboro Road, Youngsville, has also said they’d love some Christmas trees for their goats. Check their Facebook page before you go to see if they have any updates. 

Consult your municipality’s solid waste services website for information.

A Note of Caution
When you put curbside might give potential burglars an idea of what new items are in your house, like televisions and game consoles. So, you might want to consider dropping those boxes off at drop-off centers instead.

Need a new home for your Christmas tree in 2021?  Contact me & let's get started!

It's Property Tax Time! Here's All the Info You Need

 

Like all inevitable things in life, taxes are unavoidable.  So let’s get this convo going as the deadline for paying property taxes is coming up on January 5!

**NOTE:  for the purpose of this conversation, I will be talking about HOME property taxes only.

What is NC property tax as it pertains to homes? 

Property tax rates are applied using a calendar approach. This means that your current tax bill utilizes the time you owned the home from Jan-Dec of the current year. So, they are paid in arrears.  

**I will be happy to explain how this works if you buy or sell property during the year.  CONTACT ME NOW

Residents of Wake County have an average effective property tax rate of 0.88% and the median annual property tax payment is $2,327.  This means if you have a home that is tax valued (not the same as a real estate appraisal) at $400K, you will pay 0.88% tax on it or $3520. 

Here are some tax values for counties near Wake:

Source:  NC County Tax Rates

Tax bills are typically mailed in July and are due September 1st.  There is an extended deadline of January 5 of the next year, so you can pay at either time.  Keep in mind that this may affect your taxes for the year.  If you pay in the next year, you cannot claim them for the current year.  Check with your tax advisor.  

**Tax bills are not mailed to mortgage companies. The majority of lenders electronically access and retrieve tax data directly from our system, eliminating the need for a paper copy of the bill.  If you pay through your mortgage company, the final responsibility is still yours.  Check with them to make sure they are being paid and that you are not double paying. 

North Carolina’s property tax is “ad valorem,” (translation, “to value) which means that it is based on the value of property. A county assessor determines the value of a property and is required to revalue a property at least once every eight years. In Wake County, it is every four years.  The goal of the reappraisal is to determine the current market value of the property.  The last county home tax assessment was done in January, 2020.  The next one will be in January, 2024.

NOTE:  A tax appraisal from a county assessor is not the same as a real estate appraisal.    

** CONTACT ME FOR YOUR HOME'S VALUE and learn your accurate, personal, home value.   It's FREE!

Definition of Terms:

A Tax appraisal provides an estimate based on general algorithms from several public sources. 

A Real Estate Appraisal is typically conducted by a licensed, accredited NC Appraiser.  It is an  appraisal is an unbiased professional opinion of the value of a home and is used whenever a mortgage is involved in the buying, refinancing, or selling of that property.  It determines the value the bank is willing to mortgage.

A Home Value Report is provided by an experienced, knowledgeable Realtor and will give you an accurate price point of your specific home based on extensive research, personal evaluation & recent, nearby comparable homes.  This is the most accurate current value of your home.

Did you find this article helpful?  Questions?  Let me know! 

When do You Take Down Your Christmas Tree?

 

When it comes to holiday decorations, there are two kinds of people: Those who take down their Christmas trees on December 26, and those who aren’t quite ready for the season to be over. And while taking down the tree is usually less fun than putting it up, there’s actually another good reason many people wait to do it. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to keep listening to Christmas music and admiring your festive decor, you’re in luck:

Tradition says you should be celebrating Christmas (and leaving your decorated tree up) through January 6. 

You’re probably familiar with the song about the 12 days of Christmas—but you may not have known that the 12 days don’t actually start until Christmas Day, meaning there are almost two full weeks of celebrating to do after Santa arrives. According to Christian tradition, January 6 marks the day the three kings actually arrived in Bethlehem and signals the end of the Christmas celebrations. 

This day is called The Feast of Epiphany, The Twelfth Night, or Three Kings Day, and in some parts of the world, it signifies a celebration that’s just as big as the one on Christmas Day. And while I’ll welcome any excuse to leave up the red and gold ornaments,  tradition says it’s actually unlucky to take your tree down before this date. When you finally take down the tree, don’t just leave it on the curb; you can actually recycle live Christmas trees by finding a recycling program or having them chipped into mulch for your garden.  I'll be posting on where/how to recycle soon.

While the Christmas festivities technically end on Epiphany, the holidays aren’t over just yet. The day also marks the official start of the Mardi Gras season, so it’s tradition to serve King Cake on January 6. The tradition of Three Kings Day is actually where the name “king cake” comes from—and why there’s a tiny plastic baby hidden inside.  I'll be posting on that, too.

I'm definitely in the "leave it up longer" group.  I love how it looks & want to keep it as long as possible. How about you?  When do you take your tree down?

 

Did You Outgrow Your Home in 2020?

 

Did You Outgrow Your Home in 2020?

It may seem hard to imagine that the home you’re in today – whether it’s your starter home or just one you’ve fallen in love with along the way – might not be your forever home.

Many needs have changed in 2020, and it’s okay to admit if your house no longer fits your lifestyle. If you’re now working remotely, facilitating virtual school, trying to exercise at home, or simply just spending more time in your own four walls, you may be bursting at the seams in your current house.

According to the latest HOME PRICE INSIGHTS from CoreLogic, prices have appreciated 7.3% year-over-year. At the same time, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) REPORTS that inventory has dropped 22% from one year ago.

These two statistics are directly related to one another. As inventory has decreased and demand has increased, prices have been driven up.

This is great news if you own a home and you’re thinking about selling. The equity in your house has likely risen as prices have increased. Even better is the fact that there’s a large pool of buyers out there searching for the American dream, and your home may be high on their wish list.

Bottom Line
If you think you’ve outgrown your current home, let’s connect to discuss local market conditions and determine if now is the best time for you to sell.

Whatever your Lifestyle...

 

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