Spring?

I don't care what the groundhog said, it sure is starting to look like Spring around here! The Daffodils, Forsythia and Camillias are blooming and it appears that I will have to get the birdhouses cleaned out soon since the birds have been checking them out during the past week or so. Then there is the looney woodpecker who insists on trying to peck holes in some of the metal buildings on Broad Street each morning. Honestly, you'd think that bird would learn sooner of later.

Perhaps this good weather is just a teaser, before the remainder of winter's cool weather comes along. I don't know, but we have been enjoying some very nice temperatures and I am definitely ready for Spring!

Along with the springtime weather we've been enjoying, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of home buyers visiting the area. Rick and Carol flew down from Ohio and chose a lot to build their retirement home on. They made an excellent deal on a lot in Oriental. Bob and Stephanie drove down from New York with daughter Miranda. They are thinking about having a home built in the Brice's Crossing area, near the new elementary school in New Bern. Scott and Melissa, with Alexandria, Madison and Cameron have gotten situated in the new home they purchased last year. Lou wants to find a wooded lot with some elbow room and begin construction on a home for his family. John and Bama have been looking at a fixer-upper on a great 1 1/2 acre lot. Robert and Margaret are enjoying the home they purchased in Vanceboro. Al joins us from Florida and has gotten moved into the condo with his dog Doobie. They appear to be enjoying their walks around Oriental. Ronnie and Cindy wanted a condo, but thought it over just a little too long. Someone else bought the one they wanted, so we're keeping an eye out for another. And Richard, Tiffany, Connie and Steve are all headed this way from various areas of the country with their families.

Predicted Home Appreciation

Last week, I received an interesting e-mail from Edsforecast, which has input from twenty economists and projects home appreciation rates. Their projections cover the entire country, and are broken down into the various metropolitan areas of each state. While there are quite a few areas that are expected to have a negative appreciation rate, the New Bern area is expected to have a positive rate of 1.71 to 3.25% during the next year.

Their forecast for the next five years is as follows:

Your Forecast Value 36 Months from now shows an increase of 11.43 %

Forecasted Value Range 3 Years From Today :

Increase of 8.93 % to an Increase of 13.93 %

Metropolitan Area Forecast

Period of Time Total Appreciation Prediction*

Next 12 Months (1 year) - 2008...............1.71%
Next 24 Months (2 year) - 2009...............5.64%
Next 36 Months (3 year) - 2010...............8.93%
Next 48 Months (4 year) - 2011...............10.58%
Next 60 Months (5 year) - 2012...............11.45%

* Edsforecast only predicts a 3 year property specific forecast.

A Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) represents the current U.S. defined sampling area or region for reporting data to various local and state governments. The area may cross various counties and state lines to form a qualified statistical sampling region. The area above represents the MSA for the 28562 Zip Code area including New Bern, Havelock and Oriental. Metro area forecasts are not property specific. You must enter a full address and zip code to get a 3 year property specific forecast.