Our First Look at the New Bonner Bridge

The new Bonner Bridge is finally complete, and, for today’s message, we’ve brought you a quick video of what it looks like.

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I recently had the pleasure and privilege to head on up to Hatteras and cross the new Bonner Bridge.

This upgraded bridge has greatly improved the flow of traffic, meaning your travels to the Outer Banks will now be smoother and safer than ever.

If you’re thinking of purchasing property in our area, this new bridge is just one more benefit of living here in the Outer Banks.

Reflecting on a Successful 2017 and Looking Forward to an Even Greater 2018

2017 was a great year for Colony Realty, and we want to thank you for helping us achieve our goals.

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Last year was a great year for Colony Realty. I want to take a moment to look back on our successes and give thanks to all those we were able to help and those who were able to help us. 

As you may recall, I was the 2017 president of the Outer Banks Association of Realtors. This position required a lot of time and energy being spent both in and out of the Outer Banks area over the course of the year. In the midst of those duties, my team was still able to serve our customers day in and day out and help them buy and sell many homes.  

Once the 2017 numbers came in, it was revealed that we were still among the top 25 highest-selling agents in the Outer Banks. On the southern beaches of the Outer Banks, we were among the top four. In my hometown, we stayed ranked No. 1 in terms of both units sold and the total volume of sales. 

What’s the difference between unit sales and the total volume of sales? A unit sold represents a buyer buying a home and/or a seller selling a home. The total volume of sales represents the dollar amount of those sales. I don’t set yearly goals based on dollars, though. I like working with people. It doesn’t matter to me whether you want to buy or sell a $150,000 home or one worth $2 million. 

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We’re always looking to help you fulfill your real estate dream.

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I’ve been a real estate agent since the fall of 1998, so I’ve been doing this a long time. Along with that tenure comes experience and wisdom relating to our market. We’re always looking to help you fulfill your dream of owning a home on the Outer Banks or divesting yourself from one, if need be. If you’re one of the people who allowed us to serve your real estate needs in 2017, I want to thank you personally. Although our team didn’t accomplish every goal we set out to achieve last year, we were still very successful. 

For 2018, we’ve set a goal of 50 transaction sides. If you’re looking to sell a property on the Outer Banks, I’d like to apply for the job of being your Realtor. There are many things Colony Realty (and our sales team, specifically) can do that make us different from other agents, including our excellent communication. We can keep you informed during the entire home sale process, give you an estimation of your home’s value, and provide a time frame of the sale itself. 

Now that I’ve passed the gavel to 2018 president of the Outer Banks Association of Realtors, I want to say that I was thankful for the opportunity to serve our association and all of our clients and customers. 

As always, if you have any real estate questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home in the Outer Banks area, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d love to help you.

Introducing Our Newest Buyer's Agent: Sylvia Mattingly

Today, we’re excited to introduce our team’s newest member. Let’s take a look at what she had to say about what she brings to the buying process.

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Allow me to introduce Colony Realty’s newest member: Sylvia Mattingly.  We’re so excited to have her on our team as a buyer’s agent. 

Sylvia is eager to help people make their real estate dreams come true. So if you’ve ever thought about owning property on the Outer Banks, please get in touch with her. She would be more than happy to help in any way possible. 

Sylvia has been a resident of Hatteras Island for the past 25 years, and while she isn’t new to real estate, she is very excited to be joining our team. Sylvia has always had strong business aspirations, having been an entrepreneur at Equine Adventures for 18 years. 

When it comes to why clients should work with Sylvia as a buyer’s agent, she says, “It’s very important for buyers to have their own representation.”

“I want to represent you, provide quality information, and help you make an informed decision when purchasing real estate on Hatteras Island,” Sylvia continued. 

Those of you who have past experience in buying real estate will know that pitfalls can sometimes occur during the process. The cost of flood insurance for different areas, for example, can sometimes pose an issue for buyers. 

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Sylvia is eager to help people make their real estate dreams come true.

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Buyers thinking of purchasing property in areas such as the village of Avon need to realize the additional costs associated with living in certain flood zones. These zones were remapped in 2008, and certain zones can be very expensive in terms of flood insurance. 

When you work with Sylvia, you can be confident in her ability to identify and work through these kinds of pitfalls. She will help you narrow down the properties you’re interested in before your first meeting. To achieve this, the process might involve Sylvia visiting properties to preview them for you. 

This “boots-on-the-ground” approach is greatly helpful in the real estate process. The internet is obviously an amazing tool, but it still isn’t able to show you every aspect of a property you may be interested in. This is exactly why it’s so important that Sylvia makes a point to visit properties for her clients, to preview them in person. 

I think Sylvia is going to bring a dynamic aspect to our team. You can text or call Sylvia at (252) 996-5208 or email her at sylvia@colonyrealtycorp.com. 

And as always, if you have any other questions for me or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Are Short Sale and Foreclosure Homes Worth It?

Lately, clients have been asking me two questions. They ask me what I do for fun, and also whether it’s worth it to pursue short sales or foreclosures.

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Lately I’ve been receiving the same two questions pretty often. 

The first thing people ask a lot is what I do for fun. Well, one of my favorite things to do is head on down to my 412-acre farm in Bertie County. In the fall, I like to hunt on my other property, which is 1,300 acres. 

I always have a great time working the ground for food plots and trails. Of course, I’ve got to be on the lookout for rattlesnakes whenever I visit. 

But in any case, it’s nice to get away from the beach for a change of scenery. 

The second question I’ve been getting a lot is back on the subject of real estate. People are wondering if they should pursue short sales or foreclosures. 

Sometimes short sales can be laborious, and these homes aren’t always the best to buy because of deferred maintenance. 

Just this past year I had a client who was interested in a beautiful waterfront property, only to find out that the home was basically rotten on the ocean-facing walls. I also recently worked with a foreclosure home that had settling issues.

When pursuing short sales and foreclosures, it’s best to seek professional help. Having the best possible agent working with you will make a huge difference. My team at Colony Realty Corporation has all the tools to do proper due diligence for you.

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When pursuing short sales and foreclosures, it’s best to seek professional help.

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If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.