June 2011
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HENDERSON PROPERTIES

News From Henderson

Henderson Properties,Charlotte’s premier full-service real estate company, is pleased to announce that it has obtained three new association management contracts.

Shelton Ridge, a 20 home community in Huntersville, is under construction. Located near the Vermilion community, Shelton Ridge is being developed Bowman Development Group.  The community association manager will be Lyle Walter from Henderson Properties.

Chapel Gate, developed by D.R. Horton, is located in Rock Hill, SC.  The community has 45 single family homes.  Suzanne Crosser, who works from Henderson Properties office on Highway 160 in Fort Mill, will be the community association manager.

Crowns Gate Townhomes consists of 26 homes in the Elizabeth neighborhood near uptown Charlotte. Lyle Walter will be the community association manager.

“These communities selected Henderson Properties for our experience with overseeing maintenance projects and our ability to fund capital improvement projects to care for their communities,” said Phil Henderson, President of Henderson Properties.

Henderson Properties’ community association management division offers a full range of services to homeowners and condominium associations including:

• Board and annual meeting management, including information preparation, notification and reporting, as well as training of new board members.
• Compliance with the association’s governing documents, including regular inspection of the community and resolution of rule violations.
• Community services, from responding to inquiries and requests from members to community Web site services.
• Financial services, including annual budgeting, collection of assessment and delinquent payments, monthly financial reporting, accounts payable, and facilitation of audits.
  

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Community Association Manager Kara Disotell has completed the Community Associations Institute’s training and received her Association Management Specialist designation.

The Community Associations Institutes’s training program is the only national certification program designed exclusively for managers of homeowner and condominium associations and cooperatives. An AMS has the fundamental knowledge and expertise required to effectively manage homeowner and condominium associations. Through a comprehensive certification exam, rigorous professional standards and continued training requirements, the AMS certification helps insure that a Community Association Manager has the knowledge, experience and integrity to provide the best possible service to the associations they managed.

“We’re proud to have our community association managers pursuing the highest standards in the industry,” said Phil Henderson President of Henderson Properties.

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RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DIVISION

Here We Grow Again

As the rental market continues to improve and the sales market continues to flounder, we are excited about the growth that Henderson Properties has achieved.  As some of you may already be aware, we have made some recent staff additions and changes at Henderson Properties so we can handle everything the market can throw at us.

We have promoted a few team members and added some new positions to the staff so that we can continue to provide the best customer service possible in managing your investment property.   We are in the process of reducing the portfolio sizes of all of the property managers and will be hiring an additional Property Manager so we can continue to give you and your property the attention you deserve.  If your property is re-assigned to a new manager, you will receive a written notice in the mail from your new manager introducing themselves to you along with their business card.  During the transition your Property Manager will contact you to immediately address any outstanding issues.  We will also be adding an additional Assistant Property Manager to our staff to continue to serve the needs of your residents during their tenancy.

We at Henderson Properties realize the value in providing the best service to our customers as Charlotte’s Premier Real Estate Company.  We truly appreciate your business and look forward to continuing our relationship with you.

Henderson Properties’ Rental Property Managers can handle your property in a professional manner and deal with all legal issues related to evicting residents.  If you’d like more information please contact us at Investors@HendersonProperties.com or 704-970-4145.

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION DIVISION
Irrigation Costs Money!

This is the time of year when the temperatures start rising and irrigation is needed to get your lawn to that lush green everyone strives for. In the process of turning on your irrigation, be sure to inspect the irrigation on a regular basis throughout the season, one for conservation purposes and another for plant health. Many homeowners find a dead or dying plant and can’t understand why it is dying. Their first thought might be that it is not getting enough water, but did you know that certain plants and shrubs can die from excess watering. Be sure to check next to the plant’s root ball with a shovel for moisture in the soil before turning the water up or down. Wasting water will hit you directly in the pocket.

By inspecting your irrigation system on a regular basis and making sure all irrigation heads and lines are working properly you can save yourself or your community a lot of money. Some associations with larger irrigation systems should hire an irrigation company to do a mid season inspection. They should make sure all zones and valves are working properly and that any new plant life is not blocking irrigation heads and keeping water from getting to other plants. At the end of the season, the better job you do at monitoring the irrigation, the less plant loss you will have maximizing the overall cost savings.

Our community association management staff can assist you with analyzing the irrigation needs of your common areas by working with the community’s landscape contractor or providing an irrigation specialist.  For help with your community’s irrigation system or anything else in your common areas please contact our community association management staff at HOA@HendersonProperties.com or 704-970-4155.  Visit our YouTube channel to see videos on Community Association Management.
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REAL ESTATE SALES DIVISION
Smaller Homes are Trendy

Our homes are becoming smaller and simpler compared to oversized McMansions of a decade gone by. Younger generations are still looking for expandable space in their homes to prepare for bigger families. Empty Nesters, those with aging parents or planning for their own retirement years want easy maintenance, quality materials and smart systems for the changing family and their needs. Basically, streamlined, smart and cutting-edge make-overs and energy-efficient upgrades are the new trend in smaller homes nationwide.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the median size of new U.S. homes fell from 2,277 square feet in 2007 to 2,135 square feet in 2009.  It’s not necessarily a reduction in the number of rooms but the size of room and overall home size that’s getting smaller. The bottom line is that new construction homes must compete with the high number of foreclosures on the market and smaller size helps bring down the price.  That being said, home buyers still want amenities such as high-end designer faucets and cabinetry, granite counter tops and high tech appliances.

As a result of more people staying in their homes long term, the quest for energy efficiency continues to be one of this year’s hottest trends. Buyers want better wall insulation, better insulated windows, better sealing duct work, low energy LED lighting and Energy Star-rated appliances.

Smaller kitchens and bathrooms are also definitely in for 2011. The kitchen still remains the hub of the home, but doing more with less space is what more home buyers want. When it comes to bathrooms, the focus is on designer basins and tubs and creating a relaxing spa-like atmosphere rather than size. Again, homeowners want smaller homes and functional home features that work easily for them.  Here are some additional smart, practical and efficient home trends in 2011:

• More and more homeowners are going green and getting energy-efficient upgrades. They are focused on maintenance and repair projects that lower the operating costs of their home.
• Open floor plans are also popular. Removing interior walls opens up spaces in older homes, helping to modernize them and help families be more flexible with the square footage they already have.
• Due to home values still falling in many areas, many homeowners are creating tranquil, relaxing and soothing spaces within their current homes such as Zen-like bathrooms and intimate small nooks for decompressing, distressing and quiet time out.
• More people are choosing to work from home so homes are taking on more of an industrial/commercial look for utilitarian convenience and professional creditability. Industrial high-tech design is extremely popular like exposed beams, stainless steel and architectural details.
• Homeowners want to pay CASH rather than borrow for home projects. They are on a budget and are carefully choosing what projects they can afford and do without with the money they have. Rather than remodel an entire room, homeowners are saving money by updating selected features like cabinets, counter tops and hardware

For more information on buying or selling a home please contact one of our Realtors at Sales@HendersonProperties.com or 704-544-0253.  Visit our YouTube channel to see videos on how to prepare your home for sale.

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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE DIVISION
Maintaining Your Investment

Are you, and your home, ready for the summer?  Properly maintaining your home not only saves money by avoiding costly emergency repairs, it also gives you more time to enjoy the comfort of your property in a more relaxing fashion. Now is a great time of year to go around your home and identify areas that can become problems, or maybe just freshen up its appearance so you can get the most enjoyment out of it.

Pressure washing the surfaces of your home, along with decks, patios, and outdoor furniture sets the stage for many hours of enjoyment.  And, applying weather sealants to appropriate surfaces extends the years of enjoyment you can receive, without costly repairs or replacement.

Check the perimeter of your home at grade level.  Is the mulch too high?  Make sure the level of mulch is low enough to not allow water to intrude into your home by getting behind the siding.  Always leave space beneath the siding to avoid problems.  Also, notice the soil under the gutter line.  Can you see where water has eroded a line?  That’s a good indication that rainwater is not moving through the gutter system properly, and overflowing.  Keep your gutters clear of any obstructions, it can greatly minimize the amount of water cascading down the side of your home, and possibly finding its way inside.

Investigate the seals around your doors.  Weather stripping and sweeps not only help in keeping your home cool efficiently, it also helps in keeping insects outside.  Remember, if you can see out, something a can get in.

Henderson Properties is one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most respected real estate firms. We are proud to offer residential maintenance services to the homeowners in our communities through the Henderson Properties Maintenance Division. Our commitment to our customers is to provide them with the best possible level of service, at a fair price. We have a passion for perfection.

We hope that you will let the Henderson Properties Maintenance Team be your proactive partner in handling your preventative maintenance and home repair. We offer complete and affordable maintenance and repair services through our own in-house staff and extensive contractor contacts. Our skilled technicians will provide friendly service and quality and value that can’t be beat, from a company that you know and trust. Let us work together to maintain and preserve the value, beauty, and safety of your home.

Contact our Maintenance Division at Maintenance@HendersonProperties.com, 704-535-1122 ext. 26 or fill out a maintenance request on our website at https://www.hendersonproperties.com.  Visit our YouTube channel to see videos on home maintenance tips.