MEETING MURRAY con't from p. 34
Pinehurst was in receivership, and the banks
owned notes, but they had no clue how to get rid
of the property. Murray was the man for the job.
He recalls, “I came here April 1983, to work for
Pinehurst Properties. We had 6,000 lots to sell,
and we sold them all.” From Pinehurst, Murray
was sent to Clearwater to run a project, but, “It
was too south.” Returning to Pinehurst in 1989,
Murray established Moore County Real Estate
Brokers (MCREB).Murray’s first official office for
MCREB was located on the second floor of the
Harvard building in downtown Pinehurst. After
selling a property on Highway #5 to a friend,
Murray rented an office space where you can
still find him today.
Moore County Real Estate Brokers sets itself
apart in the business through education. Murray
affirms, “My basic premise is I don’t try to sell
anything. I educate the consumer so they can
make the decision that’s best for them. Value is
when there’s none better—no matter if you are
a buyer or a seller, whether you’re in the market
for a million dollar house or a $100,000 fixer
upper. When you are ready to sign, you should
know that there isn’t another transaction out
there that will be better or worse—that this is
the best we can find.”
Earning his first real estate license in Colorado
in 1971, Murray remains a broker in three states
(CO, NC, Fl) and a salesman in Montana, Murray
explains, “In the old days, a broker was the guy
in charge, and the salesman license had to work
under the broker. Now everybody is a broker,
but you work as a provisional broker for two
years. The title Broker in Charge comes with
extra schooling and an escrow account although
attorneys handle this now. The difference
between selling real estate in 1971 and selling it
now is we could sell a house, and be done with
it on a legal sheet of paper one side. Today we
require 42 legal sheets of paper or more! What
did we gain with all the bureaucracy? Nada.
Nothing. Closing times, however, over the years,
haven’t changed.”
Another noticeable change in the local real
estate market is prices have nearly doubled.
Murray shares, “Take Village Acres, for example.
I sold six lots to the first developer out there.
He built six houses and made money with all
priced at $55,000 to $58,000 a piece. That same
house today would be over $100,000 without
any updates. In Pinehurst, I’ve sold those old
mansions for $125,000 that are now priced
at a million and a half, maybe two. I sold a
7,000 square foot home belonging to a New
York publisher and his concert organist wife
for $154,000 that would sell for two and a half
million today with two acres, walking distance
to the hotel, and incredible features like a
fireplace with marble that came from a quarry
in Italy from which the Vatican was built.”
As for the revitalization of our downtown
areas, Murray states, “Southern Pines did it the
best! They went almost a block on each side of
Broad Street and allowed rezoning to business;
they made the downtown viable. In 1983, most
businesses on Broad Street were either shuttered
or barely afloat; half the buildings were empty.
Now look at it! Broad Street is the best street in
the county!”
As real estate doubles in value, land is
becoming harder to find. “No doubt about it, real
estate sales in this county are going to continue
to rise,” projects Murray. One of the reasons
remains the tax structure here compared with
say Richmond or north. The difference in taxes
will make their house payment for a year. Also
the military and those who support the military
are a primary market. Another driver is 40 miles
north is Apex, Cary, Raleigh. The same house for
$200,000 here goes for $350,000 up there."
Truly a wealth of knowledge, Murray knows
Moore, and Moore County Real Estate Brokers
continues stronger than ever. Going on 40
years in real estate, and approaching 55 years
since high school graduation, 50 years since
college graduation, and 48 years on returning
from Vietnam, Murray continues to set records
and make connections all over the county and
beyond. Take the time to meet Murray; you’ll be
happy you did! �� For more info, pp. 7, 34.
SANDHILLS
CINEMA 10
Tightwad
Tuesdays
Visit on Tuesdays
for $6.00 admission
and $2.50 for a
medium popcorn!
FRANKTHEATRES.com
695-1100 104 Brucewood Rd, S. Pines
UNDERTAKING con't from p. 26 UNDERTAKING continued
and sink will need to be selected before moving
forward with your order of countertops. You’ll
find excellent guidance from any of our local
plumbing supply companies, including Hughes
Plumbing Supply, Hubbard Pipe & Supply and
Ferguson Enterprises.
Tile. There are amazing tile products
available for most any area of your home. Highdefinition
tiles are produced with incredible
texture and detail resembling hardwood floors,
fabric and natural fibers. Glass tiles are still
very popular and can be used on their own or
as accent pieces. If you have your eye on a tile
you want to consider for a backsplash, be sure
to have the sample with you while hunting for
countertops. If you selected the countertop
material, ask for a small sample to use while
shopping for tile. ALWAYS try to look at all your
selections together: tile, flooring, cabinets, wall
color, countertops, etc. That way, you can then
be assured that everything works well together.
Meadowcreek Tile is located in the Design
Center and works seamlessly with all of our
design staff and clients to assist with selections.
Appliances. While a new appliance package
can be expensive, it may be the one investment
that makes you fall in love with your kitchen.
There are so many amazing new features in
the appliance world: super-quiet dishwashers,
convection ovens, smart ovens, steam ovens,
modular cooktops, microwave drawers and even
some appliances with Wi-Fi options. Just be
consistent in choosing the exterior finish colors,
but there are no rules that all of the appliances
have to be from the same manufacturer. Our
friends at Kees Appliance in Aberdeen can
educate you on the latest offerings that fit your
cooking style and budget. Don’t get in a hurry!
Check out all the options to find the pieces that
work best for you and your lifestyle.
Dressing the Walls. Painting can be one
of the least expensive options for remodeling
your kitchen. Choosing the best paint color to
coordinate with everything can be trying. Our
design team are experts with paint colors and
can always make good recommendations to
consider for any room in your home. A brief
consultation is usually all that is required to
review your selections and offer a paint color
option. Removing or replacing wallpaper
should also be considered. Wallpaper is still a
great option for both kitchens and bathrooms.
UNDERTAKING con't. next column
New styles are more textural and made of
durable materials that are hypo-allergenic,
sanitary and easy to clean. We have numerous
vinyl wallpapers that resemble grasscloth, brick
walls, wood planks, fabric and more. If the walls
are in rough shape, then it will take a lot to get
a smooth paintable surface, wallpaper may be a
good option.
Lighting & Electrical. No kitchen update
is complete without addressing the lighting
issue. So many kitchens in older homes have
inadequate lighting. It’s time to remove the
recessed or ceiling mount fluorescent bulbs!
Working in a kitchen with poor lighting is not
much fun and can be quite frustrating if you
do a lot of cooking. Here’s a few options to
consider: 1) install recessed cans within the
primarily aisles of the kitchen; typically a 6-inch
can works best 2) install pendant lighting or
4-inch recessed cans over sink areas 3) add
under cabinet lighting (the addition of a lightrail
molding is recommended to hide them)
4) consider uplights above cabinets or toekick
lighting underneath 5) add strip lights or puck
lights behind glass wall cabinets.
LED light fixtures are great for kitchens
as they provide good light intensity and low
maintenance as you will probably never have to
replace a bulb.
This is also a good time to review GFI
receptacles and switches. Changing switches
and outlets to a more decorative product is
a nice improvement to any space. Consider
dimmer switches for certain portions of the
lighting package.
The Finishing Touches. Once you have
the big pieces in place, don’t forget to add the
personal touches. Everything in a kitchen
does not have to be cabinetry and appliances.
Consider reworking old furniture pieces to
be used for pantries or islands. Add details to
windows with blinds, textured shades or fabric
valances. Add fun and decorative stools and
artwork. Don’t be afraid to make it your own –
let your style and personality show through! ��
Village Design Group is a team of 10 interior
design professionals who have operated in the
Sandhills area for over 36 years. The Design Center
is located on South US 15-501 in Southern Pines
next to Zaxby’s. Stop in or call for an appointment
with our cabinetry specialist, Megan McIvor at
910-692-1000. Our design staff will be happy to
help with your project! For more info. See ad p. 31.
p.36 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 132
/FRANKTHEATRES.com
