Of course, there are lots of places here where you can't swing a snake without hitting someone from New Jersey, Ohio or California, and many neighborhoods feel about as Southern as a snowmobile trail.

But just a few exits down the interstate in any direction, and you'll quickly realize you're a long ways from home. The kudzu will be the first clue. The roadside stand selling boiled peanuts will be your second.

In that spirit, here's a primer on some things you may have to get used to, and others you'll love right away:

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Despite the worsening subprime loan crisis, financial expert James DiGeorgia sees opportunity in the real estate industry.

Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) September 7, 2007 -- As the subprime loan financial crisis continues to spiral out of control, leaving Wall Street in a funk, financial analyst James DiGeorgia advises investors to keep an eye on the real estate industry as an opportunity.

"In today's market, many investors are panicking, selling off what could be great companies and REITs, simply because they are tainted by what is perceived to be an across-the-board indictment of the real estate industry," said James DiGeorgia, publisher of 21st Century Investor (www.21stcenturyinvestor.com). "Despite what's happening to many companies, there is money to be made in this sector. But, as always, investing should be done carefully and patiently.

"Some companies have been unjustly beat up as a result of impulsive sell-offs. Clearly, they are being tarred with the wrong brush."

DiGeorgia points out that for many REITs, it's "business as usual." He advises investors to watch companies that continue to pay dividends and have projections to raise them in the near and long-term future. And, he points out that many of these companies have not relied on subprime loans. These, too, are worth watching and could offer good value at this time.

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WHEN Peter Toner, an agent at Prudential California Realty in La Jolla, Calif., arrived in San Diego from England 10 years ago to practice real estate, he realized the city had a market quirk unlike any he had encountered. There were properties listed with a price range as opposed to a set price. Rather than being listed at $550,000, say, a house might be put on the market for $510,000 to $565,000.

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CHARLOTTE—THE GATEWAY TO THE SOUTH

Captivating, Colorful, and Cosmopolitan

By James R. Hagerty
From The Wall Street Journal Online

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Patrick McCrea figured his four-bedroom home in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, featuring new hardwood floors and a hot tub, would "kind of sell itself." So he decided to use a discount real-estate broker rather than pay a standard commission of about 6%.

Mr. McCrea, an entrepreneur, turned to Sharon Jebavy, who owns a tiny discount brokerage called HomeWise Real Estate Services, based in Columbus. For a flat fee of about $500, she places listings on the main database for brokers in any given Ohio region. Her customers also typically agree to pay a 3% commission to any agent who locates a buyer.

But shortly after signing with HomeWise in February, Mr. McCrea found himself in the crossfire between scrappy discounters and Cleveland's real-estate establishment. Myra N. White, a branch manager at a big local brokerage who heard about the listing, told Mr. McCrea that he was "damaging" himself by working with Mrs. Jebavy.

The discounter, she warned, had run afoul of rules of the database, which Cleveland brokers control. For instance, Mrs. Jebavy had customers with "For Sale By Owner" signs on their lawns. That violates a rule of the database -- which relegates such listings to less prominent status. The database staff even dispatched someone to take pictures of the offending signs.

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Amazingly, a couple of the Realtors have come up with prices that are lower than you expected. Although they back up their recommendations with recent sales data of similar homes, you remain convinced your house is worth more. When you interview the third agent’s figures, they are much more in line with your own anticipated value, or maybe even higher. Suddenly, you are a happy and excited home seller, already counting the money.

But which Realtor do you choose?

Want to learn even more? www.realestateabc.com 

Homeownership is becoming a reality for more and more Americans. During 2000, the US homeownership rate reached 67.7%, the highest rate ever. Yet many Americans don't realize that homeownership is within their grasp.

A home is a financial asset and more: it's a place to live and raise children; it's a plan for the future; it's an investment in your community. That's why we at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development want all Americans to have an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of owning a home. And we are especially proud of our work to help first-time homebuyers: thanks to our special programs, more than 81% of FHA-insured loans went to first-time homebuyers during 2000.

Knowledge is said to open doors. This is literally true when it comes to buying a home. To become a first-time homebuyer, you need to know where and how to begin the homebuying process. The following questions and answers have been carefully selected to give you a foundation of basic knowledge. In addition to helping you begin, this brochure will give you the tools necessary to navigate the entire process - from deciding whether you're ready to buy, all the way to that final proud step, getting the keys to your new home.

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A report on pending home sales data from a major Realtor group Wednesday shows that the housing industry remains a mess.

The National Association of Realtors said pending home sales -- the most forward-looking of any housing data -- fell 12.2% from June to July. The index, which is based on contract signings, was down 16.1% from a year earlier.

NEW YORK (AP) — Real estate investment trusts have taken a drubbing this year as some investors have grown concerned the real estate portfolios these companies hold are overvalued. But a drop in share prices of REITs could signal an opportunity for investors willing to look under the hood at what a company owns.

The adage about the importance of location in real estate is easily forgotten when times are good but can prove prescient when times are difficult. REITs, which generally pay out most of the income they generate through their investment properties through dividends, can invest in a variety of holdings from office buildings to malls to apartment buildings to self-storage facilities.

Given the variety, investors should remember that some investments will hold up better and even thrive while others wither.