New in Midtown Raleigh: A Condo Close to Everything!

Renee Hillman on April 5, 2015

This latest listing is penthouse living in an ideal location sandwiched between Downtown Raleigh and the North Hills/Midtown areas. Even better… it doesn’t have the crazy price tag with it!

In this penthouse condominium, you’ll find newer neutral carpet and an efficient kitchen with black appliances, maple cabinets and even a bar top for seating! The coordinating refrigerator stays for your convenience.

In the master suite, enjoy your private bathroom with tile, linen cabinet, and walk-in closet.

In this priced-right condo, you’ll even get a guest bathroom with pedestal sink, not to mention a true laundry area with full size washer and dryer – this is one of the few condos without the need for small stackables!
Outside, check out the covered composite deck that allows you to enjoy the view! This home backs to wooded buffer and Raleigh Greenway access is just to right of the building. Don’t miss the grilling and hang out area that is located right by the building, too! This community also features reasonable monthly dues that include water and secured entry.

In the neighborhood, you’ve got all the conveniences of Costco, Trader Joe’s, ShabaShabu (awesome sushi!), and more.

Take an online tour 24/7 at http://tours.tourfactory.com/tours/tour.asp?t=1325359 and then contact me at 919-877-6708 or Renee@Renee-Sells.com to schedule a personal showing!

What the Seller Says about 137 Beaconwood Lane in Holly Springs, NC

Renee Hillman on April 5, 2015

Things you love about Holly Springs:

Holly Springs was named the “Best Place to Raise Kids in North Carolina” by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2013. The school systems are great. There are lots of places to eat or shop new growth and shopping coming as well.

Where do you love to eat (think date nights, quick bites, upscale, the hole in the wall place): The Olive Garden is great for Italian and pasta, NY Pizza has the best NY style pizza around, Kobe Hibachi and Sushi has high quality sushi and tasty hibachi, Homegrown Pizza won’t disappoint, The Mason Jar Tavern has a great southern hospitality environment, Bass Lake Draft House has great food and is kid friendly, and of course there’s always Buffalo Wild Wings and Chick-fil-A.

Where do you do your grocery shopping & other conveniences: Target, Walmart, and Harris Teeter are the main places I shop for groceries. I love to stop at Lee Spa Nails for a mani/pedi and then hit Massage Envy to release some stress with a relaxing massage. There are tons of places for shopping in Holly Springs Towne Center: Target, Marshall’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Children’s Place, Pier 1, Hallmark, and Petco just to name a few.

What were you drawn to when you bought your home:

The open concept was a real selling point. It’s great to be able to entertain while cooking in the kitchen while still being able to visit with guests in the dining and living areas. The double sinks in both the master as well as the guest bath was also a major plus. It’s great having the laundry room so close to the bedrooms and the upstairs hall closet is great for storage as well as the attic. It’s nice to see green bushes and trees out back rather than other houses.

What do you love/enjoy about the area:

I love shopping for fresh local fruits and veggies at The Holly Springs Farmers Market. In the spring and summer, I enjoy going to Bass Lake Park and Retreat Center to enjoy the weather. There’s always something exciting going on Holly Springs Cultural Center and of course I love shopping at Holly Springs Towne Center!

Tell us something about your neighborhood:

The pool is a great retreat in the summer. The neighbors are friendly. It’s a great neighborhood to walk/run in while feeling safe.

Coming Soon in Raleigh: Old Ponderosa Circle

Renee Hillman on April 5, 2015

This southern Wake County home has the best of all worlds – tons of space and a great yard, too – located just off Rand Road and Ten-Ten.
Enjoy a well laid out kitchen with light wood 42″ cabinets, newer stainless steel microwave, and a working peninsula with bar seating. This ideal kitchen opens into a breakfast nook with a beautiful bay window that overlooks an AWESOME level lot!
The formal dining room features hardwood floors – fit for those fancy meals.

The master suite bedroom shines with a vaulted ceiling, walk-in closet, dual vanities in the bathroom, alongside a garden tub and separate shower. Guest rooms share a hall bathroom.

You’ll even find a huge bonus room that’s great for must-have flexible space.

Outside it’s easy living with low-maintenance vinyl siding, no city taxes, and a location convenient to downtown Raleigh.

Showings begin Thursday, April 9 – call or email me to schedule your visit: 919-877-6708 or Renee@Renee-Sells.com!

What Clients Say About Renee: The Waltons

Renee Hillman on March 5, 2015

Many thanks to Alli Walton and family for selecting me as your Realtor – It’s a pleasure to work hard for YOU!

“We’d never bought a home that wasn’t new and honestly had NO idea what we were doing. Thank heaven we had Renee! We ran into roadblocks, errors, stumbles, and unexpected problems, and she smoothed every single one. It’s a lot of work to run all the reports, inspections, repairs, re-inspections, negotiations, etc. It’s even harder to do it with a smile and love what you do. When you find folks that make difficult things easy, you tell your friends. Hey friends, Renee is great at this! :-)”

Coming Soon near Twelve Oaks in Holly Springs – Low Maintenance 3 Bedroom Townhome

Renee Hillman on March 5, 2015

Golf course amenity living without all of the hassle at 137 Beaconwood Lane!

This better than new three bedroom garage townhome in Holly Springs is filled with upgrades and will be ready for you to call “home” soon.

Inside you’ll find hardwood floors throughout the main floor (this is an upgrade you won’t find in all others units) and a gourmet kitchen with popular dark cabinetry, granite countertops and stainless appliances and even a gas range – amateur and professional chefs alike know this is a must!

The kitchen opens to an expansive floor plan with large dining area and family room with gas logs in the fireplace. You’ll also enjoy built-in shelving and many features you expect to find in much more expensive homes, like custom blinds throughout and a true laundry room.

In the master suite, treat yourself to a spa bathroom, complete with dual vanities, soaking tub and separate shower… and don’t miss the custom closet!

This pool community is an excellent school district and is a quick drive to I-540. You’ll be right around the corner from Holly Springs Towne Center shopping and entertainment which features Target, Dicks, Michaels, Bed Bath & Beyond, a movie theater, and lots of dining options.

Coming Soon: 308 Shorehouse – Four Bedrooms and Southern Charm Near Harris Lake

Renee Hillman on March 5, 2015

Located off of Avent Ferry Road in Holly Springs, NC, this beautiful home is better than new construction – with a design taken right from the pages of Southern Living, this floor plan has it all!

Wrap around porch that lets you relax at the end of the day and an expansive dining room with gorgeous hardwoods that carry through the main floor let you entertain with style.

In the kitchen you’ll find an oh-so-chic white kitchen with subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances – including double ovens. (How many times have you cooked for the holidays and said to yourself, “my next house WILL have double ovens!”? Check!) The main floor also includes an office or ideal flex space for that craft room you’ve always wanted, too!

The master bedroom is huge with dramatic tray ceilings. In the bathroom you’ll find dual vanities, a garden tub, and a separate shower to make you feel like you are at the spa everyday. There are three guest bedrooms – one with private bathroom for a junior suite!

Outside, this lot keeps going past the recently added fence and backs to a permanent buffer that has unbelievably private views!

In this neighborhood you’ll get excellent school system assignments and you’re not far from Harris Lake, Highway 55, Parris Womble Park, and even a Harris Teeter for quick grocery shopping.

The Stats: 4 bedrooms, office, 3 full baths, 1 half bath, approximately 2,900 sq. ft. – all packaged up nicely at $325,000.

This home will be available for showings starting the afternoon of March 26, 2015, so make an appointment with me to take a first look! You can reach me at 919-877-6708 or by email at Renee@Renee-Sells.com.

Coming Soon in North Hills: Full Basement Ranch at 234 Westridge

Renee Hillman on March 5, 2015

You won’t need to look any further for a great ranch with full basement and screen porch in North Hills!

This home boasts one of the best lots in the neighborhood – nice and level – and it was recently fenced… making this property ready to go for pet owners, growing families, or anyone looking to entertain outdoors in coming months.

Plenty of updates have been made over the last few years including new roof in 2011, a completely remodeled basement, and best yet -it still has plenty of unfinished space to work with, about 550 square feet! Think of the possibilities!

Other improvements you’ll find inside include refinished hardwoods, a more open style floor plan, neutral paint, and more… all ready for new owners!

This ranch style house is approximately 2,150 square feet and features three bedrooms, formal living & dining, a bonus room, additional family room and two full bathrooms. At $300,000, this desirable North Hills home won’t last long. Make an appointment with me to begin seeing it on Thursday, March 26: 919-868-4383 or Renee@Renee-Sells.com!

What Clients Say About Renee: The Toothmans

Renee Hillman on March 5, 2015

I loved working with the Toothman family again (for a fourth time!) and am glad we were able to secure a quick sale for them! We worked together in the past to sell their first townhome, buy and sell their next home, and now have settled into a new “forever” home!

Read what the Toothmans had to say about the experience here:
Renee had our North Raleigh home under contract in 4 days! If that doesn’t make a family happy, I don’t know what would! Not only was our home under contract quickly, we also received full asking price!

Renee worked with us tirelessly to find a new home in Apex for our growing family. She would meet with us with a few hours notice when a new home came on the market and was always prepared with comps from newly sold homes in the area so we could make an informed decision. Renee is very knowledgeable about the Cary/Apex area so she was a wonderful resource as we ventured into unknown areas.

6 months after starting our search for a new home, we found our dream! Renee met with us the same day it came on the market and had our offer prepared and sent to the seller’s agent within several hours. We have referred Renee to several friends and family members in their recent moves and she will definitely have our business if we decide to move again. Thank you Renee for helping our family find our ‘Forever’ Home!

What Clients Say About Renee: The Thomas Family

Renee Hillman on February 5, 2015

Thank you, Thomas Family – I enjoyed working with you and am so glad we found a great fit for your first home purchase!

“Renee is an amazing person with an amazing set of skills and vast amount of knowledge. As first time home buyers, she helped us in so many ways. We never felt pressured. She made the process easy, and she went above and beyond our expectations. She assisted with questions we didn’t even think to ask and stayed with us through our entire house building process.” – The Thomas Family

Coming Soon to Lion’s Gate in Regency Park – A Builder’s Home with All The Upgrades!

Renee Hillman on February 5, 2015

Regency Park is one of Cary, NC’s exclusive, executive real estate communities and this home coming to the market soon in the Lion’s Gate neighborhood has all the perks, without all the maintenance.

The lucky buyers of this home will enjoy easy living fully equipped with an elevator, Australian Cypress floors, high ceilings, a gourmet kitchen with Viking six-burner range and commercial hood, two dishwashers, 100+ bottle wine refrigerator and built-in refrigerator – talk about lux!

This home features an open-flowing floor plan with formal living room that takes advantage of floor to ceiling windows – take a tour and it’ll remind you of Charleston, SC’s iconic row homes. The family room has a wall of built-ins to display all your traveling treasures and popular books. Distributed audio makes entertainment viewing a breeze! And one of the best features that’s not to be missed: a two-sided fireplace. The second side is on the covered deck – just wow!

Upstairs, the master suite is generously sized with huge walk-in closet complete with built-ins. The master bath is suitable for a five-star hotel – vaulted ceilings with designer light fixtures and stand alone japanese soaking tub complete with temperature control. The shower is a room unto itself! The junior master suite enjoys two closets plus a private bath.

A utility room functions as a multi-purpose center with built-in desk and organization area on the same floor as the master.

The lower level boasts ample storage with oversized two-car garage with built-in cabinets and walk-in storage, a bonus room with access to covered deck, and finally another junior master suite with private bathroom.

Outside, enjoy two trex decks both overlooking a wooded buffer and during the winter season, unobstructed views of Regency Lake! The loft offers endless possibilities for your needs. And even better there is a walk in crawlspace with cement pad for additional storage. You’ll enjoy the convenience of great restaurants (you must try Lucky 32!), three-season events including concerts and outdoor movies at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, walking trails and easy access to Highway 64 and I-40 within minutes!

Coming Soon in Southern Wake County – 2505 Timothy Drive

Renee Hillman on February 5, 2015

Get out out of the city and into the charm with this ~2,500 sq. ft. traditional two-story home coming to the market soon. Located just off of Lake Wheeler Road near Hilltop Needmore, this beautifully-kept home on a .69 level, wooded lot is as easy drive into Raleigh, but without the city taxes!

Nestled in a great neighborhood with just the right amount of trees and privacy, this home has fresh, neutral paint, new carpet and is move in ready. The remodeled kitchen features ever-popular granite counter tops, maple cabinets and a brand new smooth top stove and microwave, too!

Hardwood floors are a nice upgrade in the foyer, family room and formal dining room and pair so nicely with the wood-burning masonry fireplace! Three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and there’s even a gigantic bonus room – fit for all kinds of activities – with over 500 square feet ready for play, relaxation, work, or any combination of the above. Bathrooms are updated with tile and modern fixtures.

Priced ready to sell at $250,000, this is a deal that will be hard to beat in this condition and location! Contact me at 919-877-6708 or Renee@Renee-Sells.com to schedule your tour of this beautiful property.

Make Your Spring Move a Breeze with These Free and Low-Cost Moving Tips

Renee Hillman on January 5, 2015

Spring is a popular time for home buying and the resulting move that comes along with it. Although the winter weather we’ve had in the Triangle this week doesn’t make it feel too much like spring is coming soon, it’ll be here before you know it. So if you’re planning a spring move, read through these tips now and get to work early to make quick work of your next big move.

Spring Clean – Six Weeks Out: Before you pack a single thing for your move, clean up and clean out what you can first. Linen/hall closets, bedroom closets, attics, pantries, outdoor storage units and garages – in you’re being honest, they could probably all use a good purging. Trash what’s become unusable, donate what you no longer need that is still in good to great condition, and neatly put away the things you plan to take to your next home with you.

Keep an Eye out for Sales on Things You’ll Need to Buy – Four Weeks Out: Start watching for sales of Rubbermaid (and the like) storage containers at retailers like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target, etc. These not only make packing for a move easy, but are still useful for outdoor and attic storage once you’ve moved into your new digs. Buy them once for less than $10 each, keep them for life.

Get Quotes From Movers – Four to Three Weeks Out: If you’re considering hiring a moving company, now is the time to start getting quotes. Be sure to have all costs included in the quote, including any fees outside of labor like truck rental, packaging materials, travel costs, etc.

Collect Boxes & Moving Supplies – Three Weeks Out: Thanks to sites like Craigslist and Freecycle, one of the things you shouldn’t have to budget for if you plan accordingly is boxes. Businesses regularly allow pick-up of free boxes (ABC stores here in NC!) and many residents offer up boxes from recent moves rather than sending them out for trash and recycling. Spending money on packing peanuts and other materials also isn’t necessary if you consider what can pull double-duty in your move: dish towels, bedding, etc. all make for great buffer material between breakable items and the best part is you won’t have to send them to a landfill after unpacking.

Make An Inventory – Two Weeks Out: Will you need to rent a moving truck? Put it on the list. Got a friend who will let you borrow their truck — and maybe help lift those heavy items? Call to ask for their help early. Thinking about what pieces of furniture and which boxes will go in each room? Write it down now and label boxes you’ve already begun to pack.

Take It One Day at a Time – One Week Out: Who wants to spend the entire weekend before their move packing up the entire house or apartment? Nix the evening commitments and spend an hour or two each evening the week before your planned move-in date packing up one room at a time.

Those are my tips for making your next move as painless as possible. Got your own tips? Share them in the comments below – I can’t wait to read them!