No Writer’s Block Here! Coming Soon at 545 Writers Way

Renee Hillman on January 5, 2015

You’re not going to find very many townhouses with garages priced under $200,000 in Morrisville, NC – so if you’re looking for a low-maintenance lifestyle priced competitively at $173,500, be sure to make an appointment with me today to see this home soon.

Conveniently located near Davis Drive with sought after schools (check assignments here), this townhome features an open floor plan – easy for entertaining – with a family room complete with a gas log fireplace. It’s a must-have on cold snow days like this one!

The formal dining room overlooks a nicely laid out backyard – affording owners much-desired privacy – while keeping the “no maintenance” convenience in this townhome community. A galley kitchen with full sized pantry, upgraded cabinets, and refrigerator is staying for your convenience!

In the master bedroom you’ll find a vaulted-ceiling master suite with NICE walk-in closet, garden soaking tub and separate shower. This master retreat has all the right features! Each guest bedroom has ample closet space, too.

This neighborhood boasts a community pool, as well as accessibility to popular greenways, groceries and schools!

Contact me at 919-877-6708 or by email (Renee@Renee-Sells.com) to schedule a showing today. I can’t wait to show you your next home!

Coming Soon: 1104 Bayfield Drive

Renee Hillman on January 5, 2015

What a great find in West Raleigh!

Super close to Western Boulevard, US-1, and Crossroads Plaza shopping center in Cary, this three bedroom, three bathroom home includes countless upgrades and modern conveniences.

Outside, the yard features beautiful, established landscaping with drought tolerant Zoysia grass.

Inside, you’ll find hardwood floors throughout the first floor (formal rooms, family room, sunroom/office, kitchen), a completely updated kitchen with custom cabinets and island, quartz counter tops, stainless steel GE Profile appliances, and gorgeous natural light that pours in through windows backed with a lifetime warranty. You’ll also enjoy endless hot water with the Rinnai tankless water heater system.

Looking for a home for a larger family or one that includes space for the in-laws? The living room can be converted into a fourth bedroom here. Options abound!

The Sunroom/Office overlooks an awesome PRIVATE backyard, meticulously landscaped with large patio & storage shed!

This property will go on the Raleigh real estate market in early February, so contact me for a first look at 919-877-6708 or via email at Renee@Renee-Sells.com.

Coming Soon: 3608 Culater Court in North Raleigh

Renee Hillman on January 5, 2015

Make plans to see this North Raleigh home when it hits the market in February early, because it’s not going to last long!This home is located in a great cul-de-sac neighborhood location, but with quick access to Highways 401 and 540 as well as Wake Tech Community College’s North Campus.

Outside, several big trees have been removed to allow for plenty of play space and backyard entertaining. The exterior was painted in November of 2013, too!

Inside, you find lots of updates, neutral décor and finishes, new carpet, and new laminate floors. Lots of big costs have already been taken care of, including installation of a new heating/cooling system in late 2013 and water heater replacement in late 2010.

If you’re looking for an early spring closing, this home is move-in ready and will be available soon for showings. Contact me today via phone (919-877-6708) or email (Renee@Renee-Sells.com) to schedule a time to take a look in February!

A Tale of Two Closings

Renee Hillman on December 4, 2014

People really do BUY and SELL real estate in the winter! We do our best to ensure that all of our clients have exceptional experiences and two recent Renee Hillman clients are no exception to the rule:

Racine Drive in Durham

This couple got my name from another client through their alumni association – thank you SO much for the referrals! They were relocating from Northern Virginia to Durham and after looking at home options, we narrowed the search down to eight listings in particular. The first one we went to – this awesome ranch home pictured above – is the one they bought! We accomplished their housing needs in less than four hours. (Talk about efficient!) We ended up in a multiple offer scenario and I’m happy to say we won!

A special thanks to this great couple for the kind review they also provided: “Renee is absolutely amazing! My spouse and I are relocating to the Triangle from DC and Renee made this process so easy. She has so many great connections and tools to help first time home buyers. We always felt so comfortable and looked after – she is so great at keeping you on-target and in-the-know. You can not go wrong working with Renee!! – can you tell we think she’s the greatest!?!“

Berkeley Springs Drive in Raleigh

I cannot tell you how much it thrills me to share that this was a repeat client who made a profit on selling her townhome after only living there for a year and a half! We love helping our clients reach their real estate goals and are always excited to welcome back returning clients.

Happy December, everyone! If you’re considering buying or selling in the new year, please give me a call or email to discuss your goals and how our team can help you!

Renee Hillman – 919-877-6708 – Renee@Renee-Sells.com

Coming Soon: 6924 Middleboro Drive in Raleigh

Renee Hillman on December 3, 2014

Located in Raleigh, nestled between Lead Mine Road and Lynn Road, we’ve got a 3 bedroom, 2 and a half bath townhome… complete with bonus room and garage… coming this week at under $220,000!

With space to spare in the popular area of town, this property won’t be a listing for long, so drop me a line if you’d like to be one of the first to visit. I’m happy to work around your schedule to make sure that showings are convenient for you.

You can reach me anytime at 919-877-6708 or via email at Renee@Renee-Sells.com!

Exciting News for Our Team!

Renee Hillman on December 1, 2014

I’m excited to share that last week our RE/MAX One Realty team was named #16 in the state of North Carolina!

RE/MAX is an incredible brand, and thus, has lots of agents here in North Carolina, so it’s exciting to be named in the top. These numbers were compiled through the end of October 2014 – so our small, but mighty team, was working hard to reach this accomplishment before the true end of the year.

Our RE/MAX office alone has five teams in the top 20 – not to mention here locally across all companies we have the highest number of transactions per agent!

Thanks to our wonderful clients who helped us reach this honor!

Seller Says on 1003 Tamora Court, Apex, NC

Renee Hillman on December 1, 2014

We always love to hear our sellers story behind their home & what better way to share it with you!  Here is what they had to say about their home in Apex:

Things you love about Apex: It is the Peak of Good Living! Named in the top 10 places to live, it has parks, trails, shopping, restaurants – everything you could want within a short drive. And despite all it has to offer, Apex has maintained its hometown feel with an awesome downtown area filled with unique stores and restaurants you’ll love exploring.

Where do you love to eat (think date nights, quick bites, upscale, the hole in the wall place): We love the Salem Street Pub downtown for a fun, family-friendly outing – this is also where we always go whenever we have guests in town. The Peak on Salem is the perfect date night (or lunch!) spot – also fun for girls’ nights out. You can’t go wrong with a slice of Namoli’s pizza. If you’re looking for delicious Mexican food, Tacos Mexico is the place to go. It looks like a hole in the wall, but trust us, it’s amazing. And Buttercream’s Bakery has the BEST cupcakes!

Where do you do your grocery shopping & other conveniences (bulk items, pedicure, etc): We shop at theHarris Teeter in Haddon Place or the Target in Beaver Creek. For special steak nights, we’ll take the short drive to the Meat House close-by in Cary. For coffee, we get fresh beans roasted to order from Muddy Dog Roasting Company in Cary. The Beer Dispensary in downtown Apex has a wide selection of choices. Jay Andrews salon is reasonably priced and has an awesome staff of hair stylists. If you’re into antiques, Sunflowers on Highway 751 (just north of 64) has amazing finds at great prices! And if you’re looking for a unique gift, you can’t beat the selection you’ll find at all the stores in downtown Apex.

What were you drawn to when you bought your home: With all the accolades Apex is getting, there are a lot of new homes being built on small lots with little privacy. We fell in love with the backyard. We’ve had lots of fun gatherings like birthdays, dinner parties, and holiday gatherings, and the backyard has been the perfect place to host and entertain. We also loved the flow of the house – the connection between the kitchen and family room areas means you never miss a thing. To top it all off, the kitchen is wonderful, complete with granite countertops, and stainless appliances, including a gas range that cooks like a dream.

What do you love/enjoy about the area: We love the small town feel with the conveniences of suburban living. Apex takes a lot of pride in maintaining its uniqueness with annual events like the Christmas parade (complete with tree lighting, sleigh rides, and pancake breakfast with Santa meet-and-greet), Peak City Fest, Pig City Fest, and Jazz Festival to name a few. There is an amazing cultural arts center downtown that provides a variety of fun events for every age. Free concerts and movies are offered at the Apex Nature Park. You can’t beat the hometown feel of Apex! You are minutes from the American Tobacco Trail in Woodridge. And, if you need to get toRDU, RTP, Durham, or Chapel Hill – 540 is minutes away and will get you there in no time.

Tell us something about your neighborhood: Woodridge does neighborhood gatherings and activities like meet-and-greets at the pool, a Halloween “parade,” and neighborhood yard sales. Being an established neighborhood with sidewalks, it is a great neighborhood for walks or short runs. And, the neighbors on Tamora Court are awesome!:)

Improvements we made –

-Stainless steel appliances

-Fence

-New faucets

-New lighting in kitchen and bathroom

-Added grass to the back yard

-Privacy trees; other landscaping around house

-Added dual zone heating/air

-New carpet upstairs and in stairwell in 2010 (except for bonus room); new carpet in master bedroom in 2014

-New hot water heater

Get out and enjoy the Triangle Area!

Renee Hillman on November 29, 2014

One of my biggest gripes is when I hear people say “Ugh this area is so boring, there is nothing to do!” I am thinking in my head of course, what are you crazy?!

This is how the conversation goes:
Me: “What do you like to do?” (This goes the same every time.)
Other person: “I like this, this and that etc. (Fill in the blanks of what you like to do)
Me: “Well have you looked around for those things to do?”
Other: “No not really”
Me: “Well maybe that is the problem”

Although we still seem to hold on to that small town feel that so many of us love, there is a plethora of things to do. I could fill up pages upon pages here. I don’t really care what you like, whether it is sports, art, stand up comedy, food, plays, Broadway musicals, water sports, music, hiking, painting we really have you covered! Spend some time searching on the web and you are bound to find an interest group, they are an awesome source of information. Heck that is how I was able to find out where to play volleyball as an adult. I’ve met some great people that way & thankful for that Meet Up group I joined several years ago.

So I really don’t want to hear there is nothing to do. Here are some examples of random activities this weekend that I found just perusing around:

71st Annual Gourd Festival

Promoted by the NC Gourd Society, the 71st annual North Carolina Gourd Arts and Crafts Festival features displays of historical gourds from around the world and a variety of growing, crafting, and artistic competitions. There are gourd workshops both days (Sept. 8 and 9) and vendors of gourd crafts, dried gourds, seeds, books, and gourd crafting supplies. The Festival is in the Holshouser Building (round Village of Yesteryear building) on the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

Full list of events at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds click here

Cow Parade NC

CowParade, the world’s largest public art exhibit, has arrived in the Triangle! CowParade North Carolina 2012 features 81 painted and costumed cows, all whimsically transformed by regional artists, professional and amateur, from life-sized “blank canvas” fiberglass cows.

Herd locations are throughout the Triangle…now that would be a fun scavenger hunt idea for a family!

Hopscotch Music Festival 2012

3 days, 175 bands, 15 venues.

“Now in its third year, The Independent Weekly’s Hopscotch Music Festival brings 175 bands to 15 venues in downtown Raleigh. Intended to highlight the Triangle’s music scene by pairing exciting local talent with notable national and international artists, Hopscotch offers choices in just about every genre imaginable—rock, hip-hop, alt-country, metal, dance, punk, classical, noise, drone, folk, and more. It is a festival that thrives on the variety and quality of its lineup, and this year, with roughly 35% of the musicians hailing from Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and other nearby locales, it’s a testament to both this region’s musical diversity and its national relevance.

Featuring 175 bands at night, day parties, the Edward McKay Used Books & More Cultural Series, charity activities, a poster exhibition, and more, Hopscotch takes place September 6-8, 2012. We invite you to experience it with us.” –The Independent Hopscotch Music Festival, Raleigh, NC Website

From unique to normal you really CAN find those activities that will keep you happy right out your back door! Make it a great week. Renee Hillman

Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week!!! 8/20-8/26

Renee Hillman on November 29, 2014

Need an excuse to have a date night? Want to try a restaurant you haven’t tired before? Want to stay within a budget? Well I have the perfect suggestion for you this week!!! It is Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week where there are several restaurants that participate & offer price fix meals at $20 or $30/per person. There are some that are pairing wine & beer for an additional price fix amount. I highly suggest reservations which many will take thru Open Table as it gets pretty busy in a good way. Anytime we have activity in city centers it helps all of us out. There is AMPLE free parking downtown and there is also the R Line. I know I’ve already made reservations at Sullivans‘ with some friends as their menu looked tasty. You also have Second Empire– one of my favorite restaurants in the area, a four star award winner in a meticulously restored home on Hillsborough St. Zely & Ritz uses many ingredients from their local farm right in the heart of Glenwood South, the list could keep going. There are many to choose from for all types of palates!

See you downtown!

Raleigh Amphitheater… “Bringin’ the Get Down to Downtown”

Renee Hillman on November 29, 2014

I always enjoy the times I am able to spend downtown, whether it was the American Cheese Festival this past weekend (now that was an experience) to grabbing a bite to eat (we checked out Oro in The Plaza building) there are so many things to offer! I know several people that complain about the difficulty of parking, I find this hard to believe given the abundance of parking decks that are FREE.

What I am most excited about is the O.A.R concert tomorrow night at the Raleigh Amphitheater. I LOVE this venue – small, intimate, plenty of bathrooms, in walking distance to several restaurants & bars and best of all you can watch the beautiful sunsets! This is the first concert I ever took my little sisters too & it has been an annual tradition for over 12 years. I am looking forward to sharing fun times again with my sisters enjoying all that Raleigh has to offer!

Movin, Shakin & Rock n Rollin!

Renee Hillman on November 29, 2014

So what can I say, I’ve been a little busy this month! Not only did I get the great news last week that RE/MAX One Realty has amazing statistics – we are top of the class in our area across all firms for number of listings per agent, number of closings per agent, shortest time on market, largest market share, etc. I can’t complain either. My clients are the best at referring me to others which is one of the greatest compliments I can receive. Here is a recap for the month of May/June…

Closed:

102 Buckhaven Court, Apex, NC – SOLD in 3 days! A hard to find Abbington modified ranch that was move in ready. These sellers worked hard preparing their home for the market.

95 Huntington Drive, Pittsboro, NC – SOLD to satisfied new home buyers. We worked together almost a year before finding a perfect horse property for them!

1606 Township Circle, Raleigh, NC – SOLD this to a buyer that is moving to be closer to her family. This was a foreclosure & purchased sight unseen – hope she loves it J Here is what Nikki had to say: “Renee represented me in the purchase of a Raleigh town home. The transaction was complicated as I made the purchase sight unseen, and the property was a foreclosure. Renee smoothed out all the bumps in the road. It was as painless a process as any real estate purchase could be.”

3804 Olympia Drive, Raleigh, NC – SOLD to happy new buyers loving their new model home!

6805 Grimaldi Court, Raleigh, NC – SOLD to as they call themselves new townies! Relocated fromWilmington,NC. Here is what my clients had to say: “We highly recommend Renee. She took the time to research homes for us, run us all over town looking at homes, and spent the time to really check out each home we went into. Her knowledge of construction was invaluable. She was a huge advocate for us throughout the entire process. When I am ready to sell the house she sold us, I will definitely use her again!”

8 Fielding Court, Durham, NC – SOLD in 26 days! These sellers did a great job staging & that is what helped us get this home under contract quickly.

1119 Braemar Court, Cary, NC – SOLD in 47 days! This wasn’t your grandmothers ranch, it was chic, fun & contemporary.
687 Hawthorne Place, Creedmoor, NC – SOLD to a great family. This community is awesome, one of the few that actually has community amenities and just over the Wake Co. line.

7625 Ladora Drive, Willow Springs, NC – SOLD to the Jones’, they custom built this home & are adjusting well to country living.

Pendings:

249 Waterville Drive,Raleigh,NC– Short sale, sale pending

1005 Cantrell Lane,Apex,NC– sale pending, under contract in 65 days

2716 Beehnon Way,Raleigh,NC– sale pending, under contract in 48 days

1202 Chimney Hill Drive,Apex,NC– sale pending, under contract in 18 days

3105 Hickory Road,Raleigh,NC– sale pending, under contract in 22 days

9617 Kingsford Drive,Cary,NC– sale pending, under contract in 4 days

100 Chisholm Court,Cary,NC– sale pending, under contract in 1 day

606 Webster Court,Cary,NC– buyer sale pending, under contract in 1 day

2502 Watersglen Drive,Apex,NC– buyer sale pending

105 Mantle Court,Raleigh,NC– buyer, Short sale, sale pending

8303 Chimneycap,Raleigh,NC– buyer sale pending

201 Lansbrooke Drive,Apex,NC– buyer sale pending

2709 Berkeley Springs,Raleigh,NC– buyer sale pending

Free things to do this weekend 6/22! Tour de Fat & Peak City Pig Fest

Renee Hillman on November 29, 2014

Happy Monday!

I promised from the beginning this wouldn’t be all about real estate but love a chance to brag about our area and explore. We have so many neat things to do here in the RTP area!!! With that being said here are a couple of highlights this weekend, figured you would need to start getting prepared now!

Tour de Fat – This is an all ages friendly event that supports many of our local non profits and cycling awareness. I had a blast last year – I am not sure words can do this justice, it is definitely an eclectic scene but one that has something for everyone! You will be sure to laugh quite a bit. Shows, food, demos and right by the heart of the American Tobacco District on the grassy area by the DPAC in Downtown Durham. You can even dress up & do the bike ride (sign up required I believe). Definitely a great way to explore a new area/culture. This only goes to 15 cities a year & we are very lucky to have New Belgium Brewery put on this event…they are even opening a new east coast location in Asheville, North Carolina. Directly from their website: “For those who haven’t experienced Tour de Fat, it is a thrilling rite of passage that includes an unparalleled costumed bicycle parade, New Belgium beer, eccentric entertainment, local food, unusual bike contests and much more. The free event, which raises money for local nonprofits through beer and merchandise purchases, will soon exceed the $2 million mark for total funds raised.”

Peak City Pig Fest – Downtown, Apex, NC Another great community event that is free! This is the only Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event in the Triangle area. There will be about 30 barbeque teams competing for $15,000 in prize money. Their website has a schedule of events, be sure to join and check out all the fun! If you happen to see the Pharm-A-Que Team, tell them HI, this is my boyfriends’ team & they have been working hard on their recipes & rubs! I believe I have also consumed enough BBQ to last me a while. Wishing them the best of luck on a win!

Get out enjoy our area & explore! You only live once.