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Jan. 2011

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Hickory News….Be “in the know”!

Business -

Paramount Motors – building a new facility on Hwy. 70, next to the

KIA dealership. They will be selling and showcasing their high-end sports

car brands, such as Porche, Volvo and others. Look to see them open in

the spring.

Mike Johnson Toyota - expanding their sales lot and building. They

will have an elevator that can take cars to the roof to be displayed! Look

for the cars in the sky by this summer.

New Medical Complex – There will be a new medical complex in the

Mountain View area – Unifour Family Practice. Look for it to open later

this year.

Hickory Green Apartments – New apartment complex being built

off Sweetwater Road, east of the Lowes Home Improvement Store on

Hwy. 70.

Hickory by Choice 2030 Project

The City of Hickory is in the middle of updating the Hickory by Choice: Future Land Use

and Transportation Plan. The plan, which was originally adopted in 1999, will be updated

and revised to address current and anticipated challenges in the future development of

Hickory. – PUBLIC HEARING IS JANUARY 18

Art Smart

You must see the current exhibits at the Hickory Museum of Art! Carl Moser, the

acclaimed photographer, is on exhibit until Jan. 16. Also, don’t miss a performance by

the Resurrection Dance Theatre of Haiti, on Jan. 15 at 2PM. Go to the HMA web-site for

details, http://www.hickorymuseumofart.org/home.php.

“No matter whether you’re moving

across country, or across town,

I can help. Ask me how!”

A Thought For The Month…

“To succeed in life, you need three

things: a wishbone, a backbone and a

funnybone.”

Reba McEntire

Recipe – Cheese Bread

1 cup yellow or white cornmeal

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp butter or margarine

3 eggs, separated

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1 tsp. baking powder pinch of cayenne

Mix in med. bowl, cornmeal and salt. In medium

pan, bring 2 c. water and the butter to a boil. Add

to cornmeal mixture, stirring with a whisk. Add

cheese and stir until melted. Add milk and beat

until smooth. Cool. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly

grease 2 qt. casserole. In med. bowl, with mixer,

beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat egg

yolks in small bowl until thick and light. Fold

whites, yolks, cayenne, and baking powder into

cornmeal mixture until combined. Turn into

prepared casserole. Bake 55-60 min. or until

puffed and golden. Serve hot, spooned from casserole, with butter.

Winter Gardening – Hanging baskets

Lenten Rose - (Helleborus odorus "Double

Queen") is a winter-blooming perennial

flower. It has a clumping growth habit and

reaches a maximum height of 3’ tall and has

a spread of 1 to 3’wide, ideal for a hanging

basket.

Giant Snowdrop - Giant snowdrop

(Galanthus elwesii) is a perennial bulb. The

common name, snowdrop, refers to the

resemblance the flowers have to drops of

snow. They grow up to 1’ tall and have a

max. spread of ½ ft. wide in a clumping

growth habit that looks attractive within a

hanging basket. They grow best in full sun

or part shade and moist, humus-rich soil.

Pansy - (Viola x wittrockiana) is an annual

flower that grows in winter for a vibrant

burst of color. They have a low-growing,

clumping growth habit that looks attractive tucked into hanging baskets and attracts

butterflies. Pansies grow best in full sun to

part shade and moist, well-drained soil. Read more: Winter Plants

Business of the Month I am working with this team right now and have been very pleased!

Home Staging, Move Management, Tag Sales, Age in Place www.renestingresources.com Cindy Lundy 234.2337 Anne Brock 381.7622

Trivia Contest – Winner receives FREE XL Pizza from Dante’s –

Q: What is the only animal that can fly backwards?

Be the first to call, text or e-mail me! 828-238-0947, suzannewilliams@cbbh.com.

Real Estate Corner…. I invite you to email me your questions and I

will address them in the newsletter.

Q: What is zoning all about?

A: In North Carolina, the General Assembly has given all municipalities and

counties the power to zone lands within their borders, and in some cases

municipalities can zone outside their borders. By the passage of a zoning

ordinance, the legislative body of a municipality or county may allocate and

regulate business in one area, restrict other lands to residential uses only, and

limit industrial development to still other areas.

There is no uniform pattern of zoning districts or codes or symbol for them. So,

for example, I-2 may mean a certain type of industrial district in one city, and

mean a different type in another.

To see all of the zoning codes and their meanings, you can go to the City of

Hickory web-site, www.hickorygov.com, and then type in zoning in the search

bar. From there, click on the Zoning Use Table link – it’s a great resource!

Hickory Market Conditions – a review of 2010!

2010 YTD Statistics – what sold, for how much, in what length of time? BOM – back on mkt., PND – pending, EXP – expired, WTH – withdrawn, DOM – days on market

Home is Still a Good Investment

According to the National Association of Realtor’s latest survey of home buyers and

sellers, a typical seller who purchased their home 8 years ago experienced a median

equity gain of $33K – a 24% increase – while sellers who were in their homes for 11 to

15 years saw a median gain of 40%. “85% of recent home buyers see their home as a

good investment, and nearly half think that investment is better than stocks”, says Paul

Bishop, NAR vice president of research.

Puddingstone House Concert –

Puddingstone is having its first HOUSE CONCERT ever! You are invited! The concert will

be held at Jim and Patty Williams’ house in NW Hickory. The date is Feb. 5 at 7:00PM. Snack

and beverages will be served prior to the concert so we can all have a chance to meet and

mingle. You can also tour the house, as it is for sale! Attendance will be limited to 40 people –

tickets are $25.00 each. Go to www.puddingtone.com and you can purchase tickets there. Or,

call me at 238-0947. House concerts are a BLAST! Don’t miss it!

Thanks for Thinking of Me! Did you know I can help you or any of

your friends, family or acquaintances save

time and money when buying or selling a

home? Thanks for keeping me in mind

with your referrals…and spreading the

word! 828-238-0947

How much is your home

worth?

If you are thinking of selling your home, you'll

need to know exactly what it is worth before

putting it on the market. As a Hickory area real

estate professional, I analyze home values and

determine market prices every day. By

comparing your home to recent sales and other,

similar homes on the market I can quickly tell

you what your home is worth. This analysis is

known as "Comparative Market Analysis", or

CMA. I'll be glad to perform a CMA for your

home and provide you the results for FREE –

no strings attached; no pressure!

The Funnies

An elephant was drinking out of a river

one day, when he spotted a turtle

asleep on a log. So, he ambled on over

and kicked it clear across the river.

"What did you do that for?" Asked a

passing giraffe.

"Because I recognized it as the same

turtle that took a nip out of my trunk 53

years ago."

"Wow, what a memory" commented

the giraffe.

"Yes," said the elephant, "turtle recall".

Upgrades that Pay Off!

Creating memorable first impressions with home improvements pays off, according to Remodeling Magazine’s 2010-11 cost vs. value report. Here are the top 5 improvements that bring the biggest pay-offs …..

Entry door replacement

Garage door replacement

Siding replacement (replace with fiber-cement siding)

Kitchen remodel

Deck addition

Suzanne Williams

Coldwell Banker Boyd & Hassell

828-238-0947,

suzannewilliams@cbbh.com

INTEREST RATES courtesy of Wells Fargo

30-Year Fixed 4.875%

30-Year Fixed

FHA 4.750%

15-Year Fixed 4.250%