NoDa is the historic arts district just Northeast of Uptown in Charlotte, NC.  NoDa offers a rich and eclectic mix of arts, entertainment, shopping, eating, breweries and cultural enrichment.  I had the pleasure of previewing NoDa’s newest resident, Mac Tabby Cat Café, for The American Dream TV as they prepare for their Grand Opening at 3204 N Davidson St.  Mac Tabby fits right in with The Dog Bar, Smelly Cat Coffee, Cabo Fish Taco, The Blind Pig and The Rat’s Nest Vintage (sensing a theme here?)

Mac Tabby Cat Café is the realization of a lifelong dream of Lori Konawalik.  Her love of cats has inspired her to adopt and foster cats and kittens for over 35 years.  She pursued her American Dream to a new level in 2017, partnering with Catering to Cats and Dogs to find furr-ever homes for homeless cats and kittens.  

The concept is super simple and brilliant:

•  Catering to Cats and Dogs RESCUES homeless cats
•  The cats are vetted (spayed/neutered, combo tested,   
•       vaccinated and microchipped)

 They come to the Café (maximum 12 at a time) where 
​       they are available for fun, stress relief and ADOPTION
For an hourly rate, you can hang with the cats – chill, work, play – and find the purrfect 4 legged addition(s) to your FAMILY.

​The people side of the café offers cozy seating and a varied menu of drinks and food from local establishments like Pure Intentions Coffee, Lenny Boy Brewing Company and Black Cat Tea Company.  There are a variety of fresh baked cookies, energy bar, crunch bars, muffins and the newest addition – empanadas!  You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages – I’ve had many a picnic there!  And you can bring the food and drink into the cat side – just please don’t share the people food with the cats.  Treats and Cat Wine are available for purchase if you wish the treat the kitties!

The first year was a great success – 118 adoptions!  When the location in NoDa became available, Lori new her dream of being in NoDa would become reality.  They moved over in December 2018 and began transforming the space into the amazing refuge Lori envisioned.  The Grand Opening is imminent (within days . . . ) ​so stay tuned to www.Facebook.com/Mactabbycare/ or www.Facebook.com/JennyLinichRealtor. 
​Walk-ins are welcome.  Reservations are highly encouraged!

Can you imagine a time with no New Years Day Celebration?  No countdown, no ball (or pinecone) drop, no kiss to ring in the new year?  I ran across some interesting history of New Years Day that I thought I'd share:

January 1, 45 B.C., was celebrated as New Year's Day for the first time in history as the Julian calendar took effect.Soon after becoming Roman dictator, Julius Caesar decided that the traditional Roman calendar was in dire need of reform. Introduced around the seventh century B.C., the Roman calendar attempted to follow the lunar cycle but frequently fell out of phase with the seasons and had to be corrected. In addition, the Roman body charged with overseeing the calendar, often abused its authority by adding days to extend political terms or interfere with elections.
In designing his new calendar, Caesar enlisted the aid of Sosigenes, an Alexandrian astronomer, who advised him to do away with the lunar cycle entirely and follow the solar year, as did the Egyptians. The year was calculated to be 365 and 1/4 days, and Caesar added 67 days to 45 B.C., making 46 B.C. begin on January 1, rather than in March. He also decreed that every four years a day be added to February, thus theoretically keeping his calendar from falling out of step. Shortly before his assassination in 44 B.C., he changed the name of the month Quintilis to Julius (July) after himself. Later, the month of Sextilis was renamed Augustus (August) after his successor.
Celebration of New Year's Day in January fell out of practice during the Middle Ages, and even those who strictly adhered to the Julian calendar did not observe the New Year exactly on January 1. The reason for the latter was that Caesar and Sosigenes failed to calculate the correct value for the solar year as 365.242199 days, not 365.25 days. Thus, an 11-minute-a-year error added seven days by the year 1000, and 10 days by the mid-15th century.
The Roman church became aware of this problem, and in the 1570’s Pope Gregory XIII commissioned Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius to come up with a new calendar. In 1582, the Gregorian calendar was implemented, omitting 10 days for that year and establishing the new rule that only one of every four centennial years should be a leap year. This is our present day calendar.

Jenny Linich Home Team with Keller Williams offers Fort Mill homes for sale in Fort Mill, South Carolina. We also serve Charlotte and surrounding areas including York and Lancaster counties in South Carolina.  Our focus on providing detailed market research on new and existing homes for sale in North and South Carolina gives you the edge you need in this competitive
market!
Jenny is featured as a Power Player of Real Estate on The American Dream TV.
She is a licensed Realtor in both states and a certified real estate instructor for both
online and in person classes in South Carolina.
​Fort Mill real estate is particularly hot because of the high quality York County School District and all of the new home builders in South Carolina.  
If you want to sample what it is like to work with Jenny, download her sample comparison guide to buying a new home in Fort Mill, SC by clicking on the link below.  Whether you're interest is in Charlotte real estate or Fort Mill real estate, Jenny Linich will take the time and care to find your dream home.  Jenny is with the Keller Williams Charlotte Ballantyne Area office and serves South Carolina in addition to North Carolina. Visit Jenny Online at                    www.newhousesfortmillsc.com

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With BLACK FRIDAY just around the corner, it’s good to know the deals on things you just can’t wait for:
7 Things You Should Buy in October

New Cars
October is traditionally one of the best months to buy a new car, as dealerships are eager to offload last year's inventory ahead of new models arriving towards the end of the year. Buy at the end of the day or month when salespeople strive to hit quotas.  It's also worth shopping for a new car around the second Monday in October, as Columbus Day deals could lead to big discounts.    
Halloween Costumes
You'll find the lowest prices on all things spooky at Amazon and Walmart, where Halloween costumes should sell for as little as $8.
European Vacations 
Doesn’t this sound good?!  Consider October as your month for European adventure, as it falls within the industry's "shoulder season." This is a period when you can benefit from off-season prices while popular tourist destinations are still set up to entertain visitors. October travelers will enjoy better hotel deals and mix with the locals, rather than joining tourist-swamped queues!

Pizza
October is National Pizza Month, so we're anticipating some top deals on pies from our favorite restaurants and takeout places. Expect tasty deals from Domino's and Papa John’s— Love their support of Clemson Tigers with 1/2 off the day after a gridiron win!  We'll also look to Pizza Hut this month for a 25% off coupon.

In-Season Produce
Shopping for in season produce doesn't just make for tastier meals. Prices can drop by up to 50% when fruits and vegetables are at their most plentiful. In October, you can expect to see cheaper pumpkins, cranberries, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and pomegranates.   

Plants
Speaking of the growing season, green-thumbed folks who are looking to cut back on the cost of planting should head to their local garden centers this month. As these outlets host their end-of-season sales, you'll see particularly big deals on perennials, which don't need to be replanted each year.  
Big savings onTropical plants for those with a big green thumb.  Hibiscus sell at low prices during October because they can't survive the colder weather. You can buy them now and nurse the plants indoors until next spring.

​Wait Until Black Friday to Buy...
Aside from the notable exceptions we mentioned above, November is generally the best time of year to buy almost everything, thanks to Black Friday.
Appliances
No other month comes close to offering the quantity or quality of appliance deals we see in the run-up to Black Friday.
iPhones
If you're planning on buying a new phone, know that we won't see any direct discounts on these handsets until November.
Laptops
Black Friday week always seems to be the best time of year to buy a new laptop.  Budget-conscious shoppers can expect to see no-nonsense 12" Chromebooks fall to $99 at Best Buy
TVs
Don't buy a new TV until Black Friday. Most — if not all — size categories will fall to their best prices of the year. 
Electronics
It's not just TVs and laptops that will reach all-time lows in November. All sorts of electronics from headphones to speakers to smartwatches will be great deals!Canon generally hosts its best sale of the year around Black Friday, as well, where you can pick up refurbished DSLR cameras and lenses.
Gift Cards
Whether you're buying gift cards to cut down costs on your own shopping, or you're stocking up for holiday gifts, know that Black Friday will bring with it the best gift card offers of the year thus far. 
(Information gleaned from several internet sites) 
Jenny Linich Real Estate offers Fort Mill homes for sale in Fort Mill, South Carolina. She also serves Charlotte and surrounding areas including York and Lancaster counties in South Carolina.  Her focus is on providing detailed market research on new and existing homes for sale in North and South Carolina.  Jenny is a licensed Realtor in both states and even teaches real estate courses in South Carolina. Fort Mill real estate is particularly hot because of the high quality York County School District and all of the new home builders in South Carolina.  
If you want to sample what it is like to work with Jenny, download her sample comparison guide to buying a new home in Fort Mill, SC by clicking on the link below.  Whether you're interest is in Charlotte real estate or Fort Mill real estate, Jenny Linich will take the time and care to find your dream home.  Jenny is with the Keller Williams Charlotte Ballantyne Area office and serves South Carolina in addition to North Carolina. Visit Jenny Online at                    www.newhousesfortmillsc.com

Fun Fact - The National Assocaition of Realtors research shows sellers using a professional REALTOR sell their homes for 11 - 17% more than For Sale By Owners
​
Why do Sellers attempt to sell on their own?
The typical reason given is to save money

While there’s a willingness to pay an agent to bring a Buyer, the most common stated reason given when a home owner tries to sell their home on their own is to save the listing agent fee.

Upon further discussion, I usually find what’s most important is the
Bottom Line
(netting the most amount possible from the sale of their home.)
​
There are many ways a Seller can leave money on the table when they don’t have a professional REALTOR on their team.  Two examples from a recent transaction:

1. Accepting an offer for less than their asking price

The discount they gave my Buyer was more than they would have paid a listing agent to represent them

 2. Under pricing the home from the start  

The appraisal came back 16.2% higher than they were originally asking

Not knowing the value of your home can really cost you!

And it is not just about the money

Money Magazine agrees with the nearly 90% of sellers who use a REALTOR for a number of reasons:

Selling a home takes time:

1. Time to develop and execute marketing

2. Time to hold open houses

3. Time to take calls from REALTORS, Buyers, Lenders, Attorneys, Inspectors, Appraisers, Surveyors, Repair People and Contractors

4. Time to meet Buyers, Inspectors, Appraisers, Surveyors, Repair People and Contractors

Selling a home requires knowledge of neighborhood trends:

“The market is shifting every day. It’s the agent’s job to keep abreast of those changes,” says Ryan Fitzpatrick, director of sales for New York real estate agency CORE.”
http://time.com/money/collection-post/2803544/should-hire-real-estate-agent-to-sell/)

Selling a home requires negotiating skills:

There are many issues to negotiate . . .
Selling price, Earnest Deposit, Due Diligence Period and Fee, Repairs, Closing Costs, Closing Date (just to name just a few)

And don’t forget, when the FSBO cooperates with the Buyer’s agent, they are paying a trained negotiator to work for the other side!

Selling a home takes knowledge of the contract paperwork
This is a legally binding agreement involving what is very likely your most valuable financial asset. (and there is A LOT of paperwork!)

​

If you are thinking about selling your home on your own, wouldn’t it be worth a 20 minute conversation to see how I get your home sold with the highest net to you?

Reach out today and let’s set a time to get together! 

The Best things to Buy in August!

Well this is fantastic! 

Did you know that in our wonderful state of South Carolina, during the month of August, there is a sales tax free weekend on a number of great items?

Yes, It’s true. Since 2000, August 3 – 5 is called a “sales tax free weekend”. Visit www.sctax.org to get all the details on items to buy with no state tax.  There are 16 states that currently participate and the items include but are not limited to: clothing, accessories, shoes and back to school supplies.

It’s also a great time to purchase some electronic devices such as Ipads, Iphones and kindles as the newer models are always slated to be launched in the fall. 

If it’s wine you fancy, it’s a terrific time to buy it in bulk. September is when the harvest is and vintners are looking to make room.
 

Knowing the best time to buy certain items can help you spend less and save more.
 
For every avenue there is to spend money, there’s a loophole for spending less of it,” Yahoo tech columnist David Pogue writes in "Pogue's Basics: Money." Pogue calculates that by shopping when prices on everyday items are lowest, the average American family could save roughly $855 a year.
Additionally, https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/28/5-things-to-buy-in-july.html has determined that summer clothes, in particular patriotic items, go on sale in July since they have often been in stores since April and the surge of clothes for cooler fall weather take over the shelves and racks.Also, July 20th thru August 5th is when Nordstrom’s ½ yearly sale occurs. And there are deals that shouldn’t be missed!
 
July is also considered an optimal time for buying jewelry as there are no holidays that are considered jewelry holidays in July.
 
After Father’s Day, tools tend to go on sale.  With weather warming up, its often too warm in the South to do as many outdoor projects in the later summer months. The 2 biggest grilling holidays have passed at this time, Memorial Day and 4th of July,  so finding a deal on grills and barbeque equipment might be quite timely, too.

Fitness gear makes the list again as retailers drop prices on items that are remaining based on peoples fitness goals not being achieved due to vacation and the impending school year beginning.

Purchasing furniture is another good bet in July as new models tend to arrive in August.  Furniture retailers need to make room for new inventory.

According to www.cbsnews.com/news/what-to-buy-on-sale-every-month-of-the-year-in-2018/. Amazon Prime Day is in July, as well. This is a great time to purchase Echo’s, Kindles and more. This sale usually last about 30 hours and the discounts are quite heavy on Amazon products.

Planning on enjoying fireworks this Fourth of July?

Well, we have America’s first Vice President to thank for that.
So, thank you, John Adams.

The idea of lighting up the sky on Independence Day was thought up by our nation’s second President.
“It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”  
He wrote, to his wife Abigail, and the Declaration of Independence was transposed the next day.
​
Charlotteans have an abundance of ways to celebrate with Fireworks shows and more beginning this weekend.

The first annual “Strut your Mutt Talent Show” will be held at Lucky Dog Bark and Brew with proceeds from entry fees going to benefit Long Trails to Happy Tails Dog rescue. There will be dogs available for adoption, as well. This event is a 21 and over party so only your fur children are allowed. For additional details visit https://luckydogbarkandbrew.com/event/strut-mutt-talent-show/

Sunday, July 1st the Charlotte Symphony will light up the sky with colorful fireworks and an amazing performance of songs celebrating America. Tickets are $18.00 for adults and children under 12 are free. “Celebrate America” Festivities begin at 8:15. For more information go to http://www.charlottesymphony.org/

On July 3rd, Tuesday, the family can take in shows such as “Red White and Boom” in Old Town Rock Hill beginning at 9:45 pm.  This spectacular will include fireworks and a free concert.
The US National Whitewater center will also be holding an event on the 3rd with free admission and many other free activities including live music and fireworks. There is a charge for parking.

I am thinking I just might attend the July 4th extravaganza at BB&T Ball Park which is the Skyshow Firework Spectacular. Fireworks will light up our gorgeous skyline right after the 6:05 pm game ends and right outside the stadium from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm there will be a street fair at Romare Bearden Park.  Plenty to do for the whole family.

Whether you celebrate with family and friends I leave you with this sentiment from Sinclair Lewis…
"Intellectually I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country."

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So, you want a career in Real Estate . . . 
The good news is it is relatively simple process to take the first step - getting your real estate license in both North Carolina and South Carolina!  
The process is the same while some of the details vary per state. Here are the nuts and bolts:
Process:
¨ Have a high school diploma or GED
¨ Be 18 years old or older
¨ Complete Real Estate Commission approved pre-licensing Education
¨ Successfully complete the state real estate licensing exam
¨ Work for a Broker-in-Charge
Pre-licensing Requirements:
Both pre-licensing classes are available from Fortune Academy through York Technical College.  (Real Estate Sales 1 and Advanced Principles of Real Estate)
North Carolina
After successful completion of 75 hours of education, you are eligible for the state level exam.  Once you've passed that exam, you are ready to activate you license and go work for your Broker-in-Charge!  
South Carolina
You must complete a total of 90 hours of education.  Successful completion of the first 60 hours are required to sit for the state exam.  (You must attend all 60 hours and pass a written, multiple choice exam)  The last 30 can be taken before or after passing the state exam.  (The 30 hour class does not have an exam at the end of the class - yea!)  Once you've completed the 90 hours and passed the state level exam, you are ready to activate your license and go to work for your Broker-in-Charge!  
 
Post Licensing
North Carolina requires a total of 90 hours of post licensing be completed within 3 years.  You can take them in less than 3 years if you wish.  You must take at least 30 per year.
South Carolina has no post-licensing requirement
There are some exemptions from the education requirement. Contact me for those details.
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