Okay, technically it’s still spring for a few weeks, but let’s not kid ourselves. When the colleges get out around here, everything just picks up a little; consider it a byproduct of living in a college community.

When summer comes to North Carolina, people start thinking about daily drives or week-long family stays at the coast. Others escape the heat by driving the other way to the mountains. North Carolina is made for the sunny, warm weather. Sure, it’s hot and steamy, but it’s the south, and that’s kind of the point.

There’s a different mood around here when the wam weather sets in. The entire region becomes more enamored with good times and memories than commute times and deadlines. We think it’s why so many people enjoy living here. It’s a lifestyle unlike anywhere else.

In another few weeks the high schools will be graduating its seniors and then summer will be in full swing. It’s close enough for now. Get out there and enjoy it.

A funny thing about real estate trends is that you don’t realize they’re happening until they’re well under way. It just takes some time for us to recognize them.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal from the National Association of Realtors, median housing prices are up in 51 metros around the country. The article states, “The median price for previously occupied, single-family homes sold in the January-March quarter rose compared with last year in 74, or 51%, of the 146 metropolitan areas tracked by the National Association of Realtors, the trade group said Wednesday. Prices fell in 72 metro areas.”

To many industry players, this could mean we hit the long coveted “bottom” of the housing market. Thus, it’s only up from there.

In the Triangle, most believe we hit it a while back. Prices are still down overall, but a number of other indicators have been trending positively for quite some time. However, we all want to see it happen nationwide.

One thing that provides the Raleigh/Cary/Durham market such an advantage is our healthy mix of critical fundamentals, like jobs and education advantages, both at the university and secondary levels. On top of that, the lifestyle opportunities continue to foster growth. Weather, major sports, well-designed communities and easy commutes are keeping the population growth steady and our local leaders, overall, continue to do a good job keeping it all together.

May 8 is National Teacher Day. It should be celebrated.

The best way to pay tribute to America’s teachers is by remembering what it is they have done for us. We should look at ourselves, then look back at the teacher that helped create that identity. Sometimes, all it takes is one pat on the back, one word of encouragement or a single science lesson to forever impact the future of a child. We’re not sure any other profession in existence has that kind of power.

Every job has a way of contributing to the fabric of a community, but few are involved in its formation as intricately as educators. This is as true in a small rural town as it is in the makeup of our country. When you dig deep enough into a person’s role in society, you’ll find traces, and in some instance full blown evidence, of a teacher’s impact. It’s a special skill that few people have and that everyone should recognize.

Here’s to you teachers, good job out there. And thanks for everything. Have a great May 8.

Sure, this is a real estate blog. But we’re also a local business, so we like to watch other local businesses find success. It’s good for the local economy and our already solid job market.

Point is, we have one of the nation’s top ten most innovative technology companies residing right here in the Triangle, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s “Technology Review.” Semprius is a small manufacturer of solar panels that can generate 50 percent more power than standard solar cells being used today. MIT’s recognition labels Semprius’s product as “one of the world’s most promising technologies.”

If you don’t follow energy politics (don’t worry, few people do) you may know that one of the biggest knocks against solar power is its cost per watt of electricity. In other words, solar energy is really expensive. However, Semprius’s technology has the potential to lower the cost of installing large solar arrays that many believe can assist us in reducing (note: not eliminate) dependency on fossil fuels.

The company has also won several awards and is hoping to employ more than 250 area folks once its manufacturing plant is built in Henderson. Semprius is one of many nationally-recognized companies that operate here and employ our families, friends and graduates.

The predictions for the 2012 real estate market, for both residential and commercial, called for moderate growth. Almost five months into the year, those prognostications are on track.

The National Association of Realtors, of which we are members, reported this week that across the country its “index of sales agreements” has increased 4.1 percent for March, the highest rate of growth for this metric since 2010, when a national tax incentive was in place for home buyers. The index is just over 100, which indicates a “healthy” market.

Clearly, low prices and record-low 30-year mortgage rates are continuing to stimulate the market. As we’ve stated numerous times on the blog though, foreclosures and short sales will continue to hold prices where they now stand for quite a while. But that’s actually a good thing. We need the market to move however it can. And remember, real estate is historically cyclical, it will always go up and down. While this latest downfall has been more dramatic and complicated than more natural market corrections, it’s still subject to the nature of supply and demand.

Please let us know if we can answer any questions for you about moving or the value of your home.

After reading about what happened to the beautiful, historical brick home in Downtown Raleigh’s Oakwood neighborhood the other day, we started thinking about how today’s houses compare to those built many decades ago.

My, how things change.

Speaking of change in home design, Realtor Magazine blogger Melissa Tracey recently shared with readers a number of new trends in home design, most of which we haven’t seen yet in the Triangle. For example, rectangular floor plans. Instead of steep gable roofs and varying pitches, apparently a more defined, simple shape is taking hold. Builders are finding it a design that can accomodate more space on a smaller footprint. Oh, and they cost less to build. Interesting.

Pocket offices are another emerging design trend. This makes sense, given our mobile lifestyles and the decreasing footprint of our technology tools. We no longer need a big monitor stand and room for a desktop computer, printer and scanner. iPads and laptops are dominating the consumer market and home office usage is simply following suit. A pocket office is basically a small alcove or built-in desk with enough room for some storage and workspace. Actually, you can use an empty closet as a pocket office, if you have the space.

Tracey also mentioned the rise of “shadow units.” No, not under-cover military outfits, but small, secondary rooms or apartments built on the same floorplate but clearly defined as separate, not unlike a duplex, and connected by a door. This coincides directly with the shift toward multi-generational households we discussed a while back.

Anything else you’re seeing in home design that interests you as a home buyer? For more information, see Tracey’s blog here.

Normally we wouldn’t post about bad things that happen to homes. But unfortunately, one of Raleigh’s great old homes was severely damaged when a fire broke out at 516 E. Jones Street in the Oakwood Neighborhood. No one was injured and it looks like the house “may” be able to be restored.

Historical homes like this are part of what makes living in the Triangle so wonderful, especially in Downtown Raleigh. Few places around the country take as much pride in their history as the south, and that pride often materializes in the care we put into many of the region’s older homes. Many neighborhoods have in place strict guidelines to ensure that the antiquity of their community is preserved—as it should be.

Character is hard to find in houses today. We’re lucky to have places like Raleigh’s Oakwood, Downtown Cary and Salem Street in Apex that exemplify southern charm and concern for our past. We’re never surprised to hear clients ask about homes in these areas, as they tend to be filled with people who appreciate their house as a home and work hard to maintain its place in the story of their community.

We wish all the best to the owners of this beautiful old home.

Photo by Takaaki Iwabu – TIWABU@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

If you haven’t noticed yet, it’s the big building with the Earth sticking out of it.

Located in Downtown Raleigh’s government and museum district along Jones St., the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will soon be opening (April 20) the new Nature Research Center, which will house everything from the super-cool to the super-gross. (Studies on navel bacteria, anyone?) Either way, it’s all in the name of science.

The most prominent feature of the facility is obviously the giant model planet that juts out over the street like a blue and green wart. It’s actually called the SECU “Daily Planet” Multimedia Sphere, and its insides are good for all kinds of high-definition movies and 40-foot presentations about museum projects and research. Much of its use will aid live research being conducted at the center. How cool is that?

A big goal of this renovation was to allow citizens to observe actual science being conducted. This adds to the impact of the educational experience and also, justifiably so, allows citizens to see what our tax money has helped create. The museum will also play host to science conferences and peer symposiums.

This is very unique, very worthwhile addition to Downtown Raleigh. This is the type of facility that helps set the Triangle apart from other popular regions around the country. It’s a big city amenity in a small city atmosphere.

If you want to read more about everything going on at the North Carolina Nature Research Center, just check out its website.

These are very good signs.

Despite that, home prices for Cary, Raleigh and Durham are still decreasing, good news for buyers. Average home price in the Triangle is just around $210,000. Considering everything else that living here includes, that number represents a tremendous value.

Certainly foreclosures remain an issue, but not as dire a one as predicted. The distressed home sales market will continue to impact the overall market for years to come, however. There are just too many out there to not be a factor.

You can access monthly housing market reports for regional counties, in PDF form, on the TriangleMLS website.

As we mentioned last month, North Carolina has been pushing ahead of other states in landing some major movie productions. “Iron Man 3″ scouts, which begins filming in little over a month, will be on hand in the Triangle in the next few weeks to scout for extra talent and nail down set locations.

This is a great way to boost regional economies, create jobs and promote the state as a tourist destination. (Just look at what “Lord of the Rings” did for New Zealand.) Movie production is also a reflection of the type of resources an area has on hand, such as hotels and restaurants, as well as a variety of landscapes and architectural diversity. In other words, movies aren’t filmed in boring locations.

This is more good news for our growing economy and hats should be tipped to the state government for adding this critical component to our financial wherewithal.

“Iron Man 3,” the third and probably final film in the highly successful comic book franchise starring Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, will be filmed just after the opening of “The Avengers,” which is expected to be one the highest grossing movies of this summer.