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Knowledge Center
NC Real Estate Knowledge Center
Clear, practical guides to buying, selling, financing and investing in North Carolina real estate.
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Guides (15)
Buying a Home
Due Diligence Fee vs. Earnest Money in North Carolina
The two deposits in a North Carolina purchase contract are not the same. Learn what the Due Diligence Fee and the Earnest Money Deposit each do, who holds them, and when they are refundable.
6 min readBuying a HomeHow the Home Buying Process Works in North Carolina
A step-by-step walkthrough of buying a home in North Carolina: financing preparation, offers, due diligence, appraisal, closing attorney and closing day.
8 min readBuying a HomeWhat Happens During a Home Inspection in North Carolina?
What a licensed North Carolina home inspector reviews, what is excluded, which specialized inspections buyers commonly add, and how findings are used during due diligence.
6 min readBuying a HomeWhat Happens if the Appraisal Comes in Low?
How lenders use appraised value, why an appraisal can come in below the contract price, and the options buyers and sellers typically consider in North Carolina.
5 min readSelling a HomeWhat Does It Cost to Sell a Home in North Carolina?
The categories of cost a North Carolina seller should plan for: brokerage compensation, excise tax, attorney and settlement fees, payoff amounts, prorations and negotiated concessions.
6 min readSelling a HomeHow the Home Selling Process Works in North Carolina
From pricing and required disclosures to offer review, due diligence, appraisal and settlement, the sequence a North Carolina seller should expect.
7 min readNC Contracts & ClosingUnderstanding the North Carolina Offer to Purchase and Contract
A plain-English overview of the standard North Carolina Offer to Purchase and Contract: the key terms, the deadlines it creates, and why every blank matters.
7 min readNC Contracts & ClosingWhat Happens at a North Carolina Real Estate Closing?
North Carolina closings are attorney-conducted. Here is what the closing attorney does, what happens at settlement, and why recording, not signing, completes the transfer.
6 min readNC Contracts & ClosingWhat Is the Due Diligence Period in North Carolina?
The due diligence period is the negotiated window in which a North Carolina buyer investigates the property and may terminate. Here is how it works and what happens when it expires.
5 min readFinancing & AssistanceHow Much Money Do You Need to Buy a Home in North Carolina?
The cash a North Carolina buyer actually needs: due diligence fee, earnest money, inspections, appraisal, down payment, closing costs and prepaid items, and when each is due.
6 min readFinancing & AssistanceDown Payment Assistance Programs in North Carolina
How down payment assistance generally works in North Carolina, the types of assistance that exist, and how to check which programs may apply to your situation.
6 min readNew ConstructionBuying New Construction in North Carolina: What Buyers Should Know
How new construction differs from resale in North Carolina: builder contracts, deposits, timelines, inspections, warranties and the role of your own representation.
7 min readNew ConstructionBuilder Incentives: How They Work
What builder incentives typically look like, the conditions usually attached to them, and how to compare an incentive against a lower price.
5 min readReal Estate InvestingHow to Analyze a Rental Property
A structured way to evaluate a rental: income assumptions, operating expenses, capital reserves, financing and the return measures that follow from them.
7 min readReal Estate InvestingCap Rate vs. Cash-on-Cash Return vs. DSCR
Three common real estate return measures, what each one actually tells you, and why they can point in different directions on the same property.
6 min read