best realtor in Charlotte

Out & About with Tina: The Women of Paris Walking Tour experience! 

Out and About with Tina, Uncategorized

I had the pleasure of attending the Women Of Paris walking tour. I wanted to learn more about women writers in Paris. This tour showed me where the successful women writers of Paris lived and created. As a group, we also stopped for some sweet treats along the way. 

There were some amazing people in the group (more than a few)..but you know I keep it real. Heidi, The host and founder of the tour company Women in Paris was informative and knowledgeable about the history, which I enjoyed. However, she made one or three chummy jokes at my expense and she didn’t get a Trip Advisor review from me. Although I still do recommend the amazing tour, it was all in European humor and fun… I guess what goes around comes around because we had a child psychologist from Vancouver in the group, I jokingly asked her for an impromptu therapy session. The joke did not go over well and the child Dr. And her friend literally did not talk to me for the rest of the tour😂Thank God there were some cool people with a good sense of humor in the small group, like Tom and Angela, the newlyweds from Seattle. Tom works in real estate and awesome Angela is an attorney with great colorful hair. We have since kept in contact via Facebook! Last but not least in the group my spirit twin and buddy, Wonjeung!!!  from South Korea, who is a student studying computer science. Wonjeung and I ran around Paris all day after the tour and it was good to run the streets and talk about our Paris experience. We still keep in contact online and send holiday cards! 

Now that you have all the group dynamics, here are all the accomplished women that were discussed on the walking tour and the places we visited for our snacks. I’ve included some pictures of the tour below! 
Women Writers of Paris:

The brilliant Simone de Beauvoir and her daring activism,

The radical Antoinette Fouque and her Editions des Femmes,

The scandalous Colette and her struggle for independence, 

The rebellious George Sand and her cross-dressing liberalism,

The benevolent Sylvia Beach and her love of literature…

Eateries:

Popelini Chou à la créme / Meert Waffle / Un Dimanche à Paris Macaron / Pierre Marcolini Chocolate / La Tarte Tropézienne Baby Trop 

Random picture of something Parisian

Wonjeung at Meert! 

Tom in the window!!

Hilarious Heidi 


Advertisements

Out and About with Tina: The Birdland All-Stars Jazz band featuring Tommy Igoe at Charlotte McGlohon Theater

Out and About in Charlotte!

The Birdland All-Stars featuring Tommy Igoe at McGlohon Theater. The finest jazz musicians in New York, The Birdland All-Stars have been thrilling audiences at “The Jazz Corner of the World” for the last 10 years.  Returning to the road for the first time in 5 years, the Birdland All-Stars have created new arrangements featuring the music of David Bowie, The Police, and Steely Dan, as well as fresh treatments of iconic compositions by Charlie Parker, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. 

I had a wonderful time at McGlohon theater hearing the jazz tunes of the Birdland all stars! They pulled an all-nighter to get to Charlotte and were performing on adrenaline and spirit alone. The band plays everything off the cuff and that’s what makes the best, unique shows. Here are some clips of their lively and entertaining performance. My feet and whole body were dancing head to toe. It’s unbelievable I managed to stay in my chair!!

 

 

Buyers:  3 Easy Steps on How to Get Your Offer Accepted (Even in a Seller’s Market)

Real Estate

To all the buyers out there that have ever experienced the heartbreak of losing a home they loved to another offer, here are 3 top tips to never experience the loss of your dream home again.

1. Work with a Realtor Who Knows What Works

Of course, if you’re in Charlotte, NC the only step you need to get your offer accepted is to work with me, an expert Charlotte Realtor. I know how to get offers accepted. But if you’re not so lucky😀 you want to work with a Realtor that knows how to put your offer in the front of the sellers over any other offer on the table. There are several ways to do that it takes a Realtor that knows the market. It also takes a sixth sense in which a Realtor just knows what has to be done to win over your offer over the other offers the seller is considering. This careful footing requires a mix of experience and intuition.

2. Put Some Skin in the Game

If you are a buyer and you’re really set on a home, to the extent that you have already pictured your children growing up in the home, prom pictures and backyard weddings than in order to have a strong chance of getting your offer accepted over others it’s best to put some skin in the game. What do I mean by skin in the game? Offer Due Diligence and Earnest Money along with your offer. The due diligence fee is the amount paid by the buyer directly to the seller, which the seller keeps no matter what. If the deal closes, the buyer will have that amount credited back at closing. But either way, that amount up front is the seller’s to keep. earnest money is a deposit made to a seller showing the buyer’s  earnestness or good faith in a transaction. I typically see earnest money deposits ranging from 1%-3% of the purchase price. For example, On a $300,000 transaction, a buyer in the Charlotte market would typically make an earnest money deposit of $3,000-$9,000. The earnest money deposit is not set and is to be negotiated between the buyer and seller. If you want to catch the attention of the seller then it is suggested to offer both Due Diligence and earnest money.

3. Have Everything Ready to Go

Having a strong offer and having your offer ready to present to the sellers will put your offer to the front of the pile in a multiple offer situation. Having everything ready includes having your pre-qualified/ proof of funds letter from a qualified lender, a fully completed offer from your realtor, and copies of your due diligence and earnest money check. If the situation calls for a personal touch it would not hurt to tell the sellers in a letter why you love the house and send it in the offer packet.

There are some tricks I simply cannot post that get my offers accepted happily every time but for the typical buyer, you can’t go wrong if you follow the 3 tips above on how to get your offer accepted, even in a seller’s market. I wish you all to have the house of your dreams!

Get To Know Charlotte’s Expert Realtor: Tina Whittaker

Real Estate

​I’m originally from Bloomfield Hills, MI.  My family and I moved to Paris, France while I was in high school where I graduated from The American School Of Paris.  This experience inspired me to study International Business Marketing and French at Eastern Michigan University. After college, I moved to Miami, Florida to escape from the harsh Michigan winters.  This is where I learned true grit and resourcefulness, such as how to parallel park in the tightest of spaces, negotiate rent prices, find the best Cuban coffee, and survive hurricane season.  In 2007, I decided to move to Charlotte, one of the top thriving cities for young adults.

Moving to Charlotte was the best decision I’ve ever made!  I’m familiar with a variety of neighborhoods in Charlotte as a result of living in many areas, including South Charlotte, Plaza Midwood, University Huntersville, and Northlake. In 2012, I purchased a home in the new and hip Charlotte neighborhood, Windsor Park. I am happy to report I was able to sell that home for 75k more than I purchased it for just 5 years later.  My professional background includes entrepreneurship, executive level management experience, and working in marketing for two major companies headquartered in the Charlotte area.

I’m delighted to work as a Realtor licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. I look forward to meeting new, amazing clients. I am passionate about helping others find a home that they cherish, securing the best deals for families, selling homes at the highest value and helping first time home buyers!

When I am not working in real estate, I enjoy eclectic hobbies including writing, studying French, entrepreneurship, water aerobics, international and domestic travel, and riding my bicycle with my rescue dog running alongside of me. I also enjoy yoga, playing basketball, live music, dining with friends, volunteering, going to the movies, current events and attending church.

Contact me today if you’re looking to buy or sell a home!

 Tina Whittaker

Wilkinson ERA Realty

Realtor® Broker NC/SC

Cell: 704-657-3381 Email:Tinaewhittaker@gmail.com