By Stanley Popovich

Many people deal with the anxieties of buying or selling a home. This process can be confusing to many people. As a result, here is a list of ways that a person can use to manage the anxiety of purchasing or selling a home.

The first step is to determine your goals in purchasing or selling a home. Determine what you want to accomplish. It will save you a lot of time and money in the long run if you know what you are looking for. Sit down and think about the overall goal of what you are looking for and convey this to your real estate agent. Some people like to write down their goals on a piece of paper so they have something to go back to when they get stressed.

Educate yourself on the steps of purchasing or buying a home. Go to your local bookstore and find some books that will explain the process of buying or selling a home. There are many books available that can inform you of the process and will help reduce the anxiety of the situation. Most importantly, you will be able to make smarter choices that will save you time and money.

Find a reputable real estate agent that can help you accomplish your goals. Ask some of your friends on who they recommend and get in touch with them. Referrals from people you know are a great way in finding a good real estate agent.

Get your finances organized. Make sure you have an idea on what you can afford and also make sure that your credit is good. The financial aspect of buying or selling a home does not have to be scary if you have a sound business plan and a realistic budget. Some people may buy a home that they can’t afford and this can cause problems down the road. Determine what you can afford and develop a budget where you will be able to keep up with your bills.

In addition to using the services of a good real estate agent, try to get a friend who is more experienced to help you. Chances are good that you know someone who has purchased or sold a home. You could ask them for their assistance and ask them questions on what to do and what not do. Having a friend who can assist you along the way can really help reduce the anxiety of the process.

Read the fine print on everything before signing and do not assume anything. Ask questions if you are uncertain on some aspects of buying or selling a home. A good real estate agent will not mind if you ask questions, however you should do your part and try to educate yourself on the entire process.

There will be times when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the current situation. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. Once you calm down, you will better able to make the right decisions.

Purchasing or selling a home does not have to be a bigger deal than it has to if you take the proper steps. There is help out there if you get stuck or confused. The most important thing is to do your homework. Determine your goals, educate yourself on the steps to reach your goals, ask questions, and take it one step at a time. If you follow this advice you will be better able to reduce the stresses of purchasing or selling a home.

BIOGRAPHY:

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

Posted on June 19th, 2010 by sgwaltney
Filed under: The Emotional Aspects of Buying and Selling Your Home | No Comments »

Oriental itself is a quiet place to live, a place where the air is crystal clean and the waters are still pure and the people see no reason why they shouldn’t be friendly, yet modern shopping centers, historic attractions, and beautiful resorts are only a short drive or an easy voyage away. With less than 900 residents, Oriental is a village on a bank of the Neuse, the widest river in the nation (five miles wide at Oriental and never, never crowded).
We are 6 miles up the river from the Pamlico Sound, second only in size to the Chesapeake Bay along the entire east coast. To the east, across the wide Pamlico Sound, lies the 125-mile necklace of barrier islands called the Outer Banks, with miles of uncrowded beaches, charter fishing fleets, campgrounds, nature trails, wildlife refuges, the tallest lighthouse and the highest sand dunes on the coast, the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Museum, and the famous outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony”. You can go out to the islands by private boat or state-operated ferry.

To the northwest, about 25 miles from Oriental, there is the city of New Bern, which offers complete shopping facilities and unusual attractions such as the historic Tryon Palace restoration, and a tour of a dozen fine old homes that line the tree-canopied streets.

We are pleasantly aware of the four seasons, but our fall is long and warm, and our winter is only occasionally dusted with snow and mild enough to allow year-round jogging, tennis, golfing, and boating on miles and miles of meandering waterways. Many people know Oriental as the “Sailing Capitol of the Carolinas”.

We have a great many acres of fine land left, much of it on creeks, canals, and rivers. Our traffic flows freely and nobody waits in line for anything, and so our people are relaxed and happy, and we’re taking every precaution to keep things that way.

The capitol city of Raleigh is only three hours away, and the mountains are within reach for a vacation weekend any time.

If you’re planning a visit, call 800-327-4189 and our team at Century 21 Sail/Loft Realty will help you arrange accommodations. If you’d like, we’ll be happy to offer you a tour of our beautiful area. Give us a call to learn more about Oriental and surrounding Pamlico County.

Posted on June 9th, 2010 by sgwaltney
Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »

About Oriental

Oriental itself is a quiet place to live, a place where the air is crystal clean and the waters are still pure and the people see no reason why they shouldn’t be friendly, yet modern shopping centers, historic attractions, and beautiful resorts are only a short drive or an easy voyage away. With less than 900 residents, Oriental is a village on a bank of the Neuse, the widest river in the nation (five miles wide at Oriental and never, never crowded).
We are 6 miles up the river from the Pamlico Sound, second only in size to the Chesapeake Bay along the entire east coast. To the east, across the wide Pamlico Sound, lies the 125-mile necklace of barrier islands called the Outer Banks, with miles of uncrowded beaches, charter fishing fleets, campgrounds, nature trails, wildlife refuges, the tallest lighthouse and the highest sand dunes on the coast, the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Museum, and the famous outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony”. You can go out to the islands by private boat or state-operated ferry.

To the northwest, about 25 miles from Oriental, there is the city of New Bern, which offers complete shopping facilities and unusual attractions such as the historic Tryon Palace restoration, and a tour of a dozen fine old homes that line the tree-canopied streets.

We are pleasantly aware of the four seasons, but our fall is long and warm, and our winter is only occasionally dusted with snow and mild enough to allow year-round jogging, tennis, golfing, and boating on miles and miles of meandering waterways. Many people know Oriental as the “Sailing Capitol of the Carolinas”.

We have a great many acres of fine land left, much of it on creeks, canals, and rivers. Our traffic flows freely and nobody waits in line for anything, and so our people are relaxed and happy, and we’re taking every precaution to keep things that way.

The capitol city of Raleigh is only three hours away, and the mountains are within reach for a vacation weekend any time.

If you’re planning a visit, call 800-327-4189 and our team at Century 21 Sail/Loft Realty will help you arrange accommodations. If you’d like, we’ll be happy to offer you a tour of our beautiful area. Give us a call to learn more about Oriental and surrounding Pamlico County.

Posted on May 5th, 2010 by sgwaltney
Filed under: Neuse River Living in Oriental, NC, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Blue crabs are plentiful in the Neuse River. The life cycle begins in the salt waters of the broad sounds, where female or “sponge” crabs deposit their eggs between the first of June and the end of August. At birth the baby crabs are about 1/25 of an inch long and look like swimming question marks. This “zoea” sheds its shell many times and is called a “megalops” when it begins to resemble the adult. Crabs hatch from eggs in late June, usually pass through the larval stage by August, and begin to move up river during early fall, or until cold weather halts the migration. In the spring their journey is resumed and full maturity is reached in 12 to 14 months. In order to increase its size, the crab must molt, or shed, its exoskeleton shell home. As it approaches a molting it becomes a “peeler” and when it actually discards the old shell it is called a “soft shell”. It is then velvety in texture and roughly 1/3 again as large as before. During the struggle to survive a crab will often lose a leg or a claw. Within a week of such loss, however, a new limb begins to form. Within two moltings, the new limb is full-sized and functional.
Crabmeat is delicious, and a favorite way of preparing is simple steaming. Diners do the digging for the sweet meat at the table, in much the same manner as lobster is enjoyed.
Fishing for a great variety of species is excellent in the creeks, rivers, and sounds near Oriental, NC for those who have the equipment and expertise.
Catching blue crabs, on the other hand, is simplicity itself, and anyone can do it. A common method is to tie a fresh chicken leg to a length of stout string, drop the leg into the water from any convenient dock, wait until a crab clamps on, then haul up the prize and deposit him in a cooler, always maintaining a healthy respect for those claws, of course.
Crabmeat is a special delicacy in Oriental, NC, and since crabs abound in surrounding waters many residents set their own crab pots. In season the delicacy can then almost become every day fare!
The less done to crabmeat the better eating, but Ms. Anne Gwaltney always fixed the best crab cakes on the Carolina Coast. Ms. Anne, co-founder of Sail/Loft Realty and mother of owner, Larry Gwaltney, retired from Sail/Loft Realty several years ago.
She has been kind enough to share her recipe.
Sail/Loft Crab Cakes
1 lb. backfin crabmeat (all shell removed)
1 egg
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Beat all ingredients together except the crabmeat. Gently mix in the crabmeat.  Form into 6 cakes. Sauté in a small amount of butter just until hot- about 3 minutes on each side.  ENJOY!

Posted on March 12th, 2010 by sgwaltney
Filed under: Neuse River Living in Oriental, NC | 2 Comments »

 I asked a friend, Nancy Karl, to share why she and her husband, Fred Karl, chose to retire to Oriental, NC.  Here’s what Nancy told us.  

“My husband and I heard of North Carolina’s sailing capital quite a few years ago from friends that had homes here and those that cruised the intracoastal Waterway. They had urged us to take a look at Oriental, a small town with a big boating population. We knew it was the place for us upon our first visitand finding the right real estate came easily.

Our move to Oriental signaled the fulfillment of the dream of retiring on the coast in a sailing community. When we arrived at our new waterfront home, we were led by the gentle breeze to the back of the house where the Neuse River,
glistening in the sun, greeted us as well as the sailboats taking advantage of the wonderful weather. Several days later, dolphins put on a show for us and it was as if they were saying, “Welcome to Oriental!!”

Oriental, NC is known for the friendliness of its people. Soon, we became acquainted with members of SCOO (Sailing Club of Oriental) and knew right away that we would like to be part of this active sailing club. SCOO is open to any full time resident who owns a boat (sail or power) which boasts a cabin with a galley and a head. Another requirement for membership is to complete two overnights on your boat at scheduled sailing events. There are about twenty such events each year. Besides water events there are land events where the delicious food is plentiful and the camaraderie not to be beaten.

Another club for sailors is ODC (Oriental Dinghy Club). Despite the name, it’s for sailors and their sailboats who enjoy racing. If you don’t want to race your own boat, you may crew on someone elses. Captains are always looking for enthusiastic sailors to help them compete and even win now and again!! My husband crews on a boat and eagerly goes off to each racing event. Besides the sailing, he looks forward to the sumptuous lunches prepared by the captain’s wife.

ODC has weekly races during three seasons of the year. The winter, although milder than other sections of the country, are a bit too cold to enjoy sailing to the fullest so during that time, many a sailor thinks about what he should do
to win in the next season! The boats range from day sailors to 40 plus feet. The races are managed by a whaleboat which has been dubbed the “African Queen.”  The enjoyment continues after a some races with a land event where great food and racing stories abound.

The enthusiastic spirit of Oriental is also evident in the new sailing school for children The Stern Youth Sailing Program. This program was made possible by many residents volunteers who actually built the sailing prams that are used by the young sailors. What a wonderful testimony to the spirit found in Oriental!!

Besides the boating clubs, there are many other activities to enjoy. The Pamlico Musical Society brings to town wonderful concerts throughout the fall, winter and spring. Also, for lovers of opera there is OOPS (Oriental Opera Preservation Society) and the list continues with book clubs, breakfast and dinner groups, biking and kayaking groups and more! AND, the Pamlico Community Chorale is always looking for voices to add to the seventy plus members.
The relaxing times are special, too. The beautiful Neuse River and the many creeks calm the soul and renew the spirit.

If you want to be on the coast of North Carolina, come to Oriental which truly is a special place to be. It’s a small town with a heart as big as the water that will greet you.”

Should you desire to explore Oriental, NC as your retirement destination, check out real estate in Oriental, NC  at Century 21 Sail/Loft Realty’s website, www.sailloftrealty.com

Posted on February 21st, 2010 by sgwaltney
Filed under: Neuse River Living in Oriental, NC | Comments Off