To List Your Home Not or Not to List Your Home, That Is The Question

Housing starts rose 3.9% in November but don't put yours on the market JUST YET. Between Christmas and New Year's, I am going to take a physical look around at our local real estate market here especially new subdivisions planned in the Triangle to see at what price points we are building, but we are certainly crossing our fingers. If the builders again have the money and confidence to resume building in the Triangle, especially if it is not entirely focused in Morrisville and NW Cary, and if there are a good number of homes over $500,000 again, then we are truly poised for a recovery in the Raleigh Cary area real estate market. That means that 2011 could be the year to put your home up for sale, try to capture the gain on it, and trade up, taking advantage of fire sale prices on existing inventory before it acquires any real pricing power (which could take another year), but don't expect a gangbuster sales price on the sale of your home, just yet.

I don't think we will recover to 2006-7 pricing.  Don't count on buyers offering anything close to your list price on your home simply to move the deal forward quickly in an effort to  catch lower mortgage rates - I'm sure that's what your Realtor told you! Ultimately, buyers look at their financial situation and try to get the lowest principal on a house they can. When credit loosens up, there will again be the mindset of putting down the least they can and yet still work toward getting the lowest possible monthly payment. Think about this - did buyers care about having to pay another point as long as it meant they only had to put 10% down in the past? And did they care about yet another point when they were able to secure low doc loans or have the underwriter look past some weakness? Did they care about going for a 30 year or 40 year loan if it meant a lower monthly payment? They did not. This is human nature. We are more "monthly payment" driven than we are "interest rate" driven. There will always be, in the back of our minds, that possibility of coming into some money and paying the house off! If the higher interest rate means actually GETTING into the house, buyers are grateful.  In the new climate, loans are and will be tougher to get anyway. Very few people at all are getting the lowest rates.
 
I just had a client get turned down for a refi with a score of 730.  He is going to stop the process because he thinks it's absurd that he can pay for the house outright with liquid assets 10 times over this minute, and yet the underwriters bristled at the score - it's a long story, you don't need to hear it, but my client wants to keep his money working in investments. That was another state.  I do have an awesome loan officer and team here in town who will give your profile a thorough look and will not waste your time, and refi's are very hot right now. If you can refi and stick around and NOT trade up just yet, I would lean toward that.  I have a name for you if you write me.

The politics of the buyer climate: I follow politics and economics daily, a holdover from my last career as a portfolio manager. The richest 1% of the nation are simply not spending money right now. Sure, some are dabbling in low priced stock buys, but many are still converting to cash and waiting it out. On Jan 1, we have a whole new Congress, there is a lot of "wait and see" out there. They breathed a sigh of relief over the extended BUSH cuts, but they also know there will have to be some strategies put in place to pay down the deficit, and they know they are targets. Oh, and I am not taking sides here, I am just telling you I know how they think. And it's really not "THEY" and "US."  This mindset filters all the way down the ladder of economic status - for many reasons, it affects the $400,000 market as surely as it affects the $1,000,000 market.
 
So, back to your decision on whether to put your home on the market.  Look at your financial situation, look at how much equity you will really need to get out of the sale of your home in order to make the next move, and let that be the deciding factor. We may see better pricing strength by the latter part of 2011, but don't expect recovery to former prices. After all, out-of-town buyers, no matter where they are from, believe we had a bubble similar to theirs, and their beliefs and their motivation are what guide pricing. And the return of the out-of-town buyer  is exactly what is going to fuel the return of pricing strength in our markets over $400,000. Ultimately, it's about what a buyer is willing to pay and what you are willing to accept in order to move on.
 
Foreclosures still on the rise and high unemployment hovering close to 10% are still  putting pressure on the housing market. The good news about housing starts is just equivalent to a toe in the water! And remember, if you DO need to put your home on the market, please make sure it is competitive!  Do some sprucing, some updating, some staging. Call me, I do free consults on all of it, no strings. I also have a YOUTUBE video on this very subject at  http://www.youtube.com/greenbrokermeg

Today - Garage Sale Indoors Raleigh Cary Area

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Network meeting today, come hear Ann McKenzie speak!

How will you expand your sphere of influence today? Will you add just one more person? Two, three? If you have time for a quick midday cup of coffee, I'd love to meet you and introduce you to my women's networking group.  There's still time to RSVP, see link, only $1 to attend - located in Eagle Ridge, Raleigh, 11:30 today!

http://www.meetup.com/Coffee-and-Contacts-Eagle-Ridge/calendar/14728834/?a=socialmedia

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YouTube Video Opportunity for WPN Members 10-26 at Eagle Ridge

TOMORROW, 10-26 11:30 am. What a great venue for videotaping your presentation. We do not believe other chapters are doing this. See me tomorrow to sign up for video shoot and upload to YouTube, for free, how can you not??? First come first serve. Your ...videographer, Meg. PS - large bright room with 2 flat screen TV's for your laptop presentation.

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12pm Eagle Ridge Golf Club Today 9-14 Alkaline Water Can Protect Your Health

Come Join Me Today at a wonderful presentation For Your Health - all about drinking alkaline water for detoxification, hydrating and warding off common ailments that are normally encouraged by acidic beverages. This sounds interesting, presented by Jeannette Ferrell! $1 to attend 565 Competition Road, Raleigh at Eagle Ridge Golf Club 12 noon, come early for networking!

http://www.meetup.com/Coffee-and-Contacts-Garner/calendar/14566523/

Meg Russell
WPN Garner Chapter Organizer
Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
God grant me the resources to leave my small
piece of the planet greener than the way I found it,
the courage to ACT daily with compassion for all Your creatures
great and small, and time on Earth to teach others to do the same.

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Women's Power Networking Aug 24 11:30AM - Maggie Hall on Coffee, Virtue or Vice?

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Meg Russell Has a New Office in Cary, NC

Meg Russell, ABR, Green and Ecobroker, and Chix and Membership Co-Chair, has wrapped her Southern Wake Relocation Group into the firm Raleigh Cary Realty and is launching a new Green Buyer's Campaign to coincide with an uptick in the real estate market, effective August 1, 2010. The new firm has a very visible new location at 1151 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary and lush offices for meeting with clients, something Meg has always hoped for. The fresh new logo and presence in a high-traffic Cary office along with 40 other agents means more brand awareness and search engine exposure for the whole group. With this new office comes an additional website, http://www.megrussell.raleighcaryrealty.com as well as the former www.megrussell.com - Meg's new tools include the ability to send new or changed listings that meet a client's criteria literally moments after they hit the market, and also has the ability to text listings to her buyers. (Send inquiry by text to 919-795-5973.)

 

Meg will head up the Green Triangle Realty Group, a registered DBA, within Raleigh Cary Realty, and will use a structured green campaign to market to eco-conscious buyers who wish to reduce their carbon footprint as well as reduce their utility bills. For this exciting new transition, Meg is offering a Free Home Warranty for all her buyers, no matter what the purchase price of the home, and an additional $500 appliance credit for all home purchases exceeding $325,000. Between 2009 and 2010, Meg achieved the NAR Green certification, the internationally recognized Ecobroker certification, the Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist certification.  She already has an Accredited Buyer's Representative certification and is currently also a September candidate for the Epro certification as well as the Accredited Luxury Home Specialist certificate.

 

Meg's understands the concerns of clients who are unsure of the quality and feel of a new home.  For this concern, she offers a walk-through tour of her new Energy Star home along with the builder, who is her partner, to address your concerns and cost questions on building, buying new or buying a resale and remodeling. 

 

Meg's advice to new buyers is to interview a Realtor thoroughly before signing and to be sure the Realtor has experience in the price point of the market you are interested in.  After meeting first at a Realtor's office, a later invitation to review documents at the Realtor's home is a sure sign of pride in home ownership. "The style of a Realtor's home will tell you much about his/her knowledge and appreciation of finer appointments. The condition, or evidence of care and diligence exercised in the home's maintenance, also reflect on the Realtor, so listen closely for that invitation!" -- Meg

 

Congratulations, Meg, on the new office!

Meg Russell
Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
God grant me the resources to leave my small
piece of the planet greener than the way I found it,
the courage to ACT daily with compassion for all Your creatures
great and small, and time on Earth to teach others to do the same.

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A Thank You to Alice for My Quote in Wake Living Fall 2010 Issue

It is important to show gratitude in business, and it is important to give and give back. Somewhere, somehow in the cosmos, there is a store of benevolent energy that is created on your behalf when you give unconditionally. That is not only true in our personal lives, but in our professional lives as well. Of course, we are entrepreneurs to make a living, and to brand ourselves as the experts. But all in all, when we stop to breathe, to gather and to allocate some of our energy away from ourselves whether to a colleague's efforts or to some worthy cause, it always opens other channels of opportunity.

That's why I share with you that I have a moment, rather, a day, filled with gratitude for the opportunity I was given by Alice Osborn to help her with an article on Outdoor Lighting Trends in Wake County for Wake Living Magazine. Now, mind you, I gathered a lot of information and a lot of contacts, and took a lot of photographs of projects I haven't taken before. It was far more than she needed, but I did it because I was excited to be a part of a journalist's "creation." I shared a lot of good knowledge without expecting credit, but somewhere along the line, a little bird told me I might be quoted.

So with great gratitude, I share with you that I was quoted in this quarter's Wake Living, as well as in Fifteen 501 which is the Durham Chapel Hill equivalent of Wake Living. I am not sure whether Fifteen 501 contains exactly the same text, but I appear in the Wake Living, in the article called, Let There Be Light, fall, 2010 Issue, page 80, "You want to put your lights into your plantings so that you get a beautiful glow," says Meg Russell, an eco-broker with Southern Wake Realty (now with Raleigh Cary Realty)."

She goes on to say, "Russell, who works with clients on their building and remodeling projects 

(exclusively with Cedarbrook Construction though this text not included), suggests finding a focal point such as a pool, pond or waterfall, and then adding primary colors or color-changing effects with fiber-optics to add drama."

So, thank you, Alice, who participates in several organizations of which I am also a member.  I was happy to be of help!  The article looks great! If anyone has the recent issue of Fifteen-501, I am looking for a scan of it because there is a photo from my own collection in the same article. Happy August, blogreaders!

Meg Russell
Southern Wake Realty

Green Triangle Realty Group

Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
God grant me the resources to leave my small
piece of the planet greener than the way I found it,
the courage to ACT daily with compassion for all Your creatures
great and small, and time on Earth to teach others to do the same.

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Buy a meal at Mimis and help the Wake Women's Center

I will be at Mimi's Cafe on Walnut Street tomorrow from 6 - 8 PM meeting and greeting for tomorrow's Fundraiser for the Women's Center of Wake County, flooded in our recent rains and now closed for repairs. My group is trying to raise funds to assist with the repairs and re-opening.  Bring the below flyer with you to Mimi's for ANY meal ANY time of day (it does not have to be the hours I will be there) and 15% of your purchase will be donated to the Wake Women's Center. There is a link below this about their cleanup efforts. I have also invited agents from my new firm, Raleigh Cary Realty, would love to meet and connect! Thanks for caring! 

I am also going to be at Eagle Ridge Golf Club, 565 Competition Road, same day, Tuesday, August 17, at 11:30 AM, heading up a networking group ($1 to attend) hosting a speaker on Long Term Care and Disability Insurance. Visitors welcome. If you have had trouble reaching me for some one on one time, maybe you'll join me at one of these! Have a great Tuesday, whatever you do, make it a glorious one! And do stay in touch! There isn't much summer left!

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Click to Download and Print Flyer             Come to the Chix in Business Outreach Event Sponsoring the Women's Center of Wake County at Mimi's in Cary next Tuesday, August 17th (Chix reception from 6-8pm). Just be sure to print it out & bring it with you and 15% of the bill will be donated toward the Women's Center of Wake County. Dine any time of day for this contribution to be valid, it does need to be when the sponsors and greeters are there. That means your breakfast counts too, just be sure to bring the flyer! We cannot give them out at the door. Hand the flyer to the waitress at the table. The Women's Center of Wake County is still cleaning up from the back-to-back flooding they experienced a few weeks back. In fact, the office has mainly been closed with staff trying to reach women and children outside or make other arrangements to serve them. The Women's Center not only was providing a day shelter, food and clothing, they also provide a variety of services to assist women getting back on their feet. In addition to cleaning up the water on the floors, they hope to replace furniture with donations they receive. Read about their clean up efforts here: before printing this email

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Wake Women's Center Damaged in Storms - Fundraiser Tuesday

Join our Mimis Fundraiser for Wake Women's Ctr, dine anytime Tues. Aug. 17, FLYER in hand, to participate in raising funds to ease the urgency of need due to flooding storms of late.

Print the attached flyer or find one at the home page of Chix In Business and 15% of your meal is donated to the center. Mimi's is at 1115 Walnut Street, Cary, call 919-462-6411 for directions.  The center needs funds to dry out,make repairs, replace office items, and restock!  Please help! You can read more here from ABC 11 News:

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=7588352

The Women's Center provides an array of services for low-income and homeless women and children including basic needs such as day shelter, food, clothing, personal items, laundry vouchers, breakfast, support services including legal, health and counseling, as well as identifying transitional and affordable housing. For More Info: Women’s Center of Wake County 128 E. Hargett Street, Ste 10, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Phone: (919) 829-3711

 

Please share this with ALL your other groups, you do NOT have to be a Wacky OR a Chix member or WPN member to participate! See you on the 17th at Mimi's of Cary and thank you for your support! I'll be there from 6 to 8!

Meg Russell

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MimisFundraiserAug17WomensCenter.pdf (698 KB)

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WPN: Aug 10 Eagle Ridge Golf Club 11:15 AM Vanessa Vendola on Passion and Poetry

Where and When: Eagle Ridge Golf Club, 565 Competition Rd, Raleigh, 27603 Tuesday, Aug 10 at 11:15

Tomorrow, Vanessa Vendola speaks on passion and poetry and ways to connect with your inner self; take a moment to refresh yourself with a moment of inner joy and appreciation of the natural beauty around us, and come away with a fresh perspective on tomorrow.  WPN is here to nurture and support our female entrepreneurs of the Triangle in both our business and personal lives with enriching education and productive networking.

Come share your ideas, network, and discuss ways to build your business. This is a wonderful venue with beautiful golf course views from the large private room provided to us and coffee and lunch available from the restaurant.  There's still time to RSVP, or just come by and stop in even if you haven't RSVP - we'd love to meet you. Other chapter members warmly invited. Want to refine your speaking skills? Talk to Meg about getting on our calendar with your 10 minute presentation. Any WPN member may speak at any chapter. Please talk to Meg before or after the meeting if you'd like to join any chapter -- we'll check to see which chapter has your industry seat available. Only one individual per industry per chapter. Our Garner chapter at Eagle Ridge Golf Club at 565 Competition Road at Ten-Ten and Old Stage has many openings. See you tomorrow at 11:15 for networking!

Meg Russell , Garner Chapter
Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
God grant me the resources to leave my small
piece of the planet greener than the way I found it,
the courage to ACT daily with compassion for all Your creatures
great and small, and time on Earth to teach others to do the same.

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Garner Coffee and Contacts Meeting Tomorrow at Eagle Ridge Golf Club

To our entrepreneurial women of the Triangle, there are positions open in the Garner Chapter of Coffee and Contacts, many industries sill not represented. Claim your referral network now! Join me tomorrow at Eagle Ridge Golf Club at 11:15 for an organization meeting.Email team3@womenspowernetworking.com for more info!

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More Than 27,000 Abandoned Oil, Gas Wells in Gulf

One travesty after another, another product of capitalist greed. Where does it all end, what\'s wrong with us?

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Business Chix Incubator Meeting June 22nd, 9 AM For Women Entrepreneurs

Come to our series of meetings targeting new or existing female entrepreneurs who want to sharpen their skills or broaden their market reach. 

Please join us tomorrow, June 22, 2010, at 9 AM at Mimi's Cafe at 1115 Walnut Street in Cary, NC for the Business Chix Incubator Group. Tomorrow's topic is Personal Style as an Element in Branding Your Business. What do you need to know to create a unique image that distinguishes YOUR BRAND. Because you never get a second chance to make a first impression!  Register at http://www.chixinbusiness.org, pay $1 at the door! Plus $1 raffle.

Walk-ins also welcome! There will be a $1 raffle!

Email megrussell@aol.com if you have any questions!

Meg Russell
Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
God grant me the resources to leave my small
piece of the planet greener than the way I found it,
the courage to ACT daily with compassion for all Your creatures
great and small, and time on Earth to teach others to do the same.
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Launch of GREEN Strategies EBook for the 40th Earth Year Anniversary

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary Year of the original founding of Earth Day with 40 Green Strategies for your life and home from the ReGREEN Nation ebook at http://www.myebook.com/ebook_viewer.php?ebookId=29598

Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ReGreenNation to be notified of the next meeting of the ReGREEN Nation Triangle movement sponsored by your local Triangle GREEN Realtor, Meg Russell.

Meg Russell, REALTOR, Green, ABR, Ecobroker
Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
www.SouthernWorldRelocations.com

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Launch of GREEN Strategies EBook for Earth Week

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Week with 40 Green Strategies for your life and home from the ReGREEN Nation ebook at http://www.myebook.com/ebook_viewer.php?ebookId=29598

Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ReGreenNation to be notified of the next meeting of the ReGREEN Nation Triangle movement sponsored by your local Triangle GREEN Realtor, Meg Russell.

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New ReGREEN Nation meeting in planning stages

Coming Soon, ReGREEN Nation organization meeting, stay tuned!

Meg Russell, REALTOR, Green, ABR, Ecobroker

www.SouthernWorldRelocations.com

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Please keep your eyes peeled for the next ReGREEN Nation meeting announcement

Coming Soon, ReGREEN Nation organization meeting, stay tuned!

Meg Russell, REALTOR, Green, ABR, Ecobroker
Voice & Text: 919-795-5973
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Inside919 | CIB-Social Networking

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April 22 is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day - Join Us for a *FREE* Green Living Seminar and Strategy Planning for the new ReGreen Nation movement here in the Triangle, Meg Russell, Organizer. http://ping.fm/GNnUX

ALL are invited to either learn or contribute! Meeting is free, Mimi's encourages the ordering of breakfast.

Green businesses willl be asked to contribute to the ReGreen Nation site by becoming part of a concierge of services, a green resource for individuals and families needing the services of responsible and earth-friendly businesses -- all in one place. There will be no membership fee to contribute to the website. Come with your business cards, website and blog links, thoughts and questions as to how we can slow global warming.

We will also present a slideshow of 40 Green Living and Building tips to celebrate Earth Day and ReGREEN OUR PLANET!!

RSVP at Eventbrite by visiting http://ping.fm/xDyAS

Myebook - ReGREEN Nation By Meg Russell

In anticipation of the approaching 40th anniversary of Earth Day, see 40 Greening strategies for your home and your life in my new ebook.
Myebook - ReGREEN Nation By Meg Russell

Wake County Accolades To Be Proud Of!

As some of you who know me already know, I am big on sharing facts and news, see my Twitter @GreenBrokerMeg as evidence. Whenever I can be a resource for providing useful facts, I much prefer that over editorializing on the facts and events themselves. I give you the tools to formulate the educated consumer opinion. So I do like to put breaks into my blog writing to share...yes! Even MORE news. Instead of posting the standard blog today, I will share some statistics and accolades that you might find useful especially if you are a Realtor, Builder, Tradesman, Lender, Prospective Seller, anything that has to do with getting your friends, family, clients, buyers to move here!


Wake County's 2009 Accolades

• Raleigh was named #1 “Top City for Small Business” by Bizjournals in February 2009.

• Raleigh was named the “Best Place for Business and Careers” by Forbes.com in March 2009 for the third consecutive year.

• Raleigh was named #1 “City Where Americans Are Relocating” by Forbes.com in April 2009.

• Kiplinger’s named Raleigh #10 “Best City” in May 2009.

• Raleigh-Cary was named #8 “Best Big Cities for Jobs” by Forbes.com in May 2009.

• Raleigh-Durham was named #5 “Metro for Best Quality of Life” by Business Facilities in August 2009.

• Raleigh was named #18 “Best Cities for Working Mothers” by Forbes.com in August 2009.

• Raleigh-Durham was named #8 “Next Hot Youth-Magnet Cities” by The Wall Street Journal in September 2009.

• Sporting News named Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill #17 “Best Sports City” in October 2009.

• Cary was named #19 “Safest U.S. City” by CQ Press in November 2009.

In addition:

Portfolio.com has released its annual small business vitality survey and ranked Raleigh third among the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas profiled. A six-part formula was used to analyze the nation’s 100 largest metros, looking for the places that are most conducive to the creation and development of small businesses. The formula analyzed each metro’s number of small businesses per 1,000 residents, the one-year change in that concentration, one-year growth rates for small businesses and private-sector employment, and five-year rates for population and employment.

The highest scores went to areas that have prosperous economies, are expanding rapidly, and are densely packed with small businesses. (Portfolio defined a small business as any private-sector employer with 99 or fewer employees.)

Raleigh did top all other cities in the five-year growth rate category, showing a 22.5 percent increase in population. Also of note was that Raleigh finished high among the number of small businesses per 1,000 residents, at 27.44.

Additionally, Raleigh was the only North Carolina city to finish in the top 30. Charlotte, second in last year’s survey, fell 29 positions down from that level this time.

This survey confirmed what we have been saying about how our area is resilient amid the national economic downturn. We are ready for business at all levels, and we mean it when we say that when it comes to economic development, Wake County really is “smarter all around.” And you can take that to the bank! :)

Meg's Musings on the 2008 Census Data

Wake or Mecklenburg, Who Wins Out?

ALL of my relocation clients, when they first contact me, invariably ask the same question, "What is Charlotte like?," followed by, "I am going to visit Charlotte right after my visit with you." While I can give them some positive feedback on Charlotte, and, in fact, even a referral in to a good Charlotte Realtor whom I trust, my heart lies, of course, with my own cities of Cary and Raleigh and my own county of Wake.

Wake is the State's Most Prosperous County: A report by The News and Observer regarding 2008 census data for North Carolina found that Wake County was the most prosperous of the state’s largest counties last year, meaning counties with more than 65,000 residents.

Our median household income of approximately $65,000 was nearly $20,000 greater than the state median income ($46,500). Another strong indicator was fewer than 13 percent of Wake County residents lacked health insurance in 2008, compared with nearly 16 percent statewide.

In terms of richest cities in North Carolina, two from Wake County made up the top three. Cary was at number one, with a median income of $91,947, while Raleigh finished third at $53,825, just a few thousand shy of Charlotte at number two.

This certainly points out the resiliency of the county, even in tough times and even with more people arriving every day. There is on average a better economic opportunity to succeed here than in the rest of the state, and we are talking considerably better than average, for that matter.

The reason is – and we have said it before and will say it again – diversity among employment opportunities. The county has never become too dependent on one single industry as its primary source of jobs. Because of that, a collapse of one market or considerably large employer will not devastate the county’s constantly positive trend of economic growth.

In a year where median income actually dropped in five states – Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana and Michigan – it is reassuring to know that people in North Carolina and particularly Wake County are able to weather the storm. When the storm ends, you can bet that Wake will emerge even stronger economically afterward.

Population of Wake County Versus Mecklenburg: Charlotte is easily North Carolina’s most populated city. Consequently Mecklenburg County, which houses Charlotte, also has the highest population of any county of North Carolina. But as Wake County is increasing in population by leaps and bounds, it will not be long before Mecklenburg will be in second place in the state.

Whether it is attributed to the excellent education system, the comparatively stable housing market, or the seemingly recession-proof economy, Wake is booming, so much so that its population is predicted to grow faster than that of Mecklenburg over the next two years. According to an estimate released earlier this year by the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2011 the populations of North Carolina’s two largest counties will differ by fewer than 25,000 people.

The population of Wake County is estimated to increase by 4.9 percent and 4.3 percent in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Mecklenburg will continue to grow, though at an estimated slightly slower pace than Wake over the next two years. This means that if these exponentially increasing trends remain stable, Wake could potentially become the state’s most populated county in 10 years. Given the trends among newcomers in relocating to the state, there is every reason believe this can and will happen.

More Evidence for Raleigh and Wake County:  Portfolio.com has released its annual small business vitality survey and ranked Raleigh third among the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas profiled. A six-part formula was used to analyze the nation’s 100 largest metros, looking for the places that are most conducive to the creation and development of small businesses. The formula analyzed each metro’s number of small businesses per 1,000 residents, the one-year change in that concentration, one-year growth rates for small businesses and private-sector employment, and five-year rates for population and employment.

Raleigh did top all other cities in the five-year growth rate category, showing a 22.5 percent increase in population. Also of note was that Raleigh finished high among the number of small businesses per 1,000 residents, at 27.44. Additionally, Raleigh was the only North Carolina city to finish in the top 30. Charlotte, second in last year’s survey, fell 29 positions down from that level this time.

This survey confirmed what we have been saying about how our area is resilient amid the national economic downturn. We are ready for business at all levels, and we mean it when we say that when it comes to economic development, Wake County really is “smarter all around.”

While Charlotte and Mecklenburg remain at the top of the chart, Wake County is a rising star, so keep your eyes on the horizon.

Chix In Business Contributing To Haiti Emergency Relief

Chix In Business Contributing To Haiti Emergency Relief

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Time To Recycle Christmas Trees, Boxes, Cards. Let's All Do Our Part!

Wake County Recycling Time Again - Meg Russell, a re-post of Jennifer Wig's article from NCGOGREEN RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake County’s annual Holiday Wrap-Up Recycling Event will end on Sunday, Jan. 17. The program allows citizens to recycle a variety of celebration waste, including wrapping paper, trees, gift boxes and greeting cards. Since the program began on December 26, 2009, more than 2,154 Christmas trees have been collected. The current Christmas tree collection rate puts Holiday Wrap Up 2010 on pace to surpass the previous record of 4,307 trees collected in 2009.

The County’s program will accept the following materials: Christmas trees (remove ornaments, lights and tinsel); corrugated cardboard; chip board (paper roll tubes, cereal boxes, etc.); glossy magazines/catalogs; greeting cards; SBS board (shirt boxes, etc.); and wrapping paper (no bows or foil). Christmas trees are chipped and used as cover material for County park trails.

Celebration waste and Christmas trees can be recycled at five of the County’s Convenience Centers until January 17, 2010. All County Convenience Centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

· Convenience Center #1 – 10505 Old Stage Road in Garner
· Convenience Center #2 – 6025 Old Smithfield Road in Apex
· Convenience Center #4 – 3600 Yates Mill Pond Road in S. Raleigh
· Convenience Center #7 – 9008 Deponie Drive in North Raleigh
· Convenience Center #11 – 5051 Wendell Blvd between Wendell & Zebulon

Christmas tree only can be recycled at three County parks until January 17, 2010. All County parks are open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

· Blue Jay Point County Park – 3200 Pleasant Union Church Rd in Raleigh
· Harris Lake County Park – 2112 County Park Drive in New Hill
· Lake Crabtree County Park – 1400 Aviation Parkway in Morrisville

For more information, call Wake County Solid Waste at 856-7400 or visit www.WakeGov.com/recycling.