Bill and Sarah's Blog

The Value in Listening...

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:15:42 -0500

Today I had to meet an appraiser at a client's home for an appraisal outside of Westminster, South Carolina. He turned out to be quite late. I was early on purpose. When I got there, our client came out. She is an 82 year old African American woman who loves to talk about her life both past and present. I can sit with her for hours just asking questions and listening to the stories.

I was looking forward to sitting and visiting with Miss L. while the appraiser was doing his thing. She always has great stories. Today we just sat in the rockers outside on her front porch as we waited for the appraiser to come. As time passed, Miss L. began to tell me about how she was the first black person to ever move into that part of the county, and how several people tried to run her off over the years, even one with a shotgun!

I sat there in amazement as I listened to this sweet little old lady share story after story and time passed by quickly. She was contrasting how from a discrimination standpoint most things around there are different these days (for the better), but there were still a few in the neighborhood with some deep prejudice against her and her family living there still many years later. Sad! She said she never backed down though, and even when they tried to run her off by taking her to court, the judge ruled in her favor.

As we moved on to other subjects, she began to tell me of all the different places she had worked over the years. Amazing, she had gone from working in a jewelry shop, to being a licensed nursing assistant, to being the private health care assistant of a prominant judge and even working at the Governor's mansion.

She shared with me her philosophies on making money in real estate and how she was a "Democrat" that lived her life like a Republican financially :) Not sure what that meant, but I was amazed at the financial knowledge this little lady had accumulated over the years. She had flipped properties, bought land at tax sales and sold for profit, and even had her own house built. She is one of those people that make you wonder if they have a bunch of money stored up, but they live very, very meagerly.

While Miss L. shared with me lots of details about her children and where they are now, I remembered something from the Bible about honoring older people. It really is a good thing to respect the elderly and really be interested in their lives. I bet there are many more older people who can teach me plenty out there if I will take the time and listen.

As Realtor's, Sarah and I always find it interesting to sit down and just get to know our clients. They are not just a money source, they are real people with life experience and many times they just wanna talk about stuff. All it takes is a caring ear. Many of them have become friends who we have dinner with from time to time.

After the Appraiser finished and drove away, the stories began to flow from Miss L. once again. She knew I had to get going, so she wound up with telling me that although she isn't rich, she feels she has had a rich life, and after we sell her house, she's going back to being a personal health care assistant again in Georgia. At 82 years old! I thought that amazing! I asked her how old the person she was gonna take care of is...she said "Oh she's my age." At a time when most would be content in sitting and rocking the rest of their days, Miss L. was going back to work. I asked her "Why are ya gonna do that Miss L.", and she responded matter of factly "I doesn't wanna just sit around all day or I would probably just shrivel up and die!."

Way to go Miss L.! I sure hope we can get this house sold for you.

Could Somebody Check me for Ticks?

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:48:07 -0500

We have several clients trying to move here from out of state that have businesses or jobs and cannot come here more than a few times per year to look for property. Many of you probably have similar situations. Every so often, our clients will call or e-mail and ask us to go out and look at this or that piece of land, or maybe a uncleared lake lot.

One thing that is great about this is that usually our client has the MLS number and some very detailed info on the perspective properties, so some of our work has been done for us. We love it when a client is so pro-active, and willing to do some of the searching for properties themselves. Not really because it saves us work, but because we have found that it educates them on the area, and they become much more involved in the process. Of course this can create additional work for us, because while we are coming up with potential properties for them, they are also doing the same. But in our experience, having a pro-active client who is really into the process can be a great thing. Sometimes they get to know the area's developments better than we do!

After some initial investigation at the courthouse, we usually hop in the car, and take a ride out to take pictures and inspect the properties, and then e-mail them with additional information and pictures.

Sometimes land and lots for sale around here are completely uncleared, and it's pretty much like walking in a forest. We've been in quite a few places where our 4WD was needed. One of our clients went out to look at a property last year and got stuck in their vehicle, and had to be towed a little bit to get out! We all joked about that for a while.

Down here in the deep South, it's quite common for Sarah and I to come back to the office and ask "Could you check me for ticks?" during the spring and summer months. We bet that's something that many less rural Realtors have never dealt with! Probably not very high on the top 10 list of the questions Realtors ask each other right? :)

As with most Realtors, we also work with many people who just ask us to find them a property, and then let them know what we find so we can take them to showings. Not pro-active at all really, but still enjoyable and that type of less involved client is getting much more rare these days.

There are so many tools available now with the huge amount of current information available online, that we are probably going to see more and more clients moving into the pro-active category. Fine with us. We'll work with them pro-active or not. Ticks or no ticks :)

Falcon's Lair Golf And Residential Community - Great Golf and Leisure in the South Carolina Upstate

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:58:24 -0500

Hidden just a few miles up Scenic Highway 11 in Walhalla, South Carolina there is a peaceful golf and residential community that is both beautiful and affordable. Fresh mountain streams...Beautiful rolling hills and fairways...Gorgeous mountain views. Falcon's Lair is a wonderful golf and residential community in Upstate South Carolina that has much to offer. Located just off Lecroy road and South Carolina's Scenic Highway 11 in Walhalla, and within very easy access to I-85, Falcon's Lair is positioned in the picture perfect foothills area of the Upstate,. There are no less than 3 of the top large recreational lakes in South Carolina very nearby. New residential lots and houses are now available. That special home or lot you're looking for may even be available for purchase right now! See our website listed below for current Falcon's Lair listings!

This Community also makes a great place for a second home, or purchasing a lot for a future home build. Lots available in Falcon's Lair range in size from .060-2.92 acres. For more info on lots and building. Your "Better Lifestyle" Team can help you through the process, and we will use our connections and resources to answer any questions you may have.

We know Falcon's Lair!

Powell Real Estate!

For more info and an informational video visit our website at:

http://www.scmountainlakeliving.com/

Falcon's Lair Features:

18 Hole Championship Golf Course
5 Sets of Tees from 4865 to 6900 Yards
Bent Grass Greens
Large Driving Range
Putting & Chipping Greens
Practice Sand Traps
Golf Lessons
Spacious Clubhouse
Pro Shop
"The Nest" Grill/Eatery
Lots Now Available from $27,500-$55,000
New Construction and Existing Homes Available

You can count on your "Better Lifestyle" Team to assist you all along the way in your search for land or a home in Falcon's Lair Golf and Residential Community. It truly is a great place to live and play. This community is our specialty, and we would be honored to give you a tour of the area, and find all the answers to any questions that you may have.

For more info and an informational video visit our website at:
http://www.scmountainlakeliving.com/

Investors Boosting Business in Feast & Famine Times...

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:16:31 -0500

I BUY PROPERTIES!!! - You've seen those signs stuck on everything

from telephone poles to car bumpers right?

We were speaking with a friend the other day. A friend that has been in the business as a licensed RE agent for only a little over 5 years. He was telling us about how he has several investors that he has been working with from almost the beginning. This guy is always a top producer. It was interesting to us because we have noticed a pattern - that many RE agents who are successful both in slow periods and busy periods, seem to always have at least one or two investors that help keep them afloat.

Our friend went on to tell us how one particular investor had paid many of his bills over the years because the investor has purchased so many properties through him. In his case...over 50 closings!

Our broker also always has a list of several investors he works with that are constantly looking to purchase investment properties. Even in times like these, he has people looking to spend the money if he can find them the right investment properties.

We as a team have a few investors who regularly keep us looking for "Flip" properties or properties they can purchase and rent out, but with so many people searching for investment properties in the same price range, it can be very hard to find them in such a small county such as ours (Around 73k people.) Sometimes we venture to surrounding counties in the search. Personally, we are always on the lookout for properties that we can rehab and work as investments for us too! Lately when we have found one, we end up selling it to one of our friends though.

As experienced property flippers ourselves, we understand what a great investment flipping or renting a property can be. We would like to establish some more career-long relationships as the real estate representatives of people looking to purchase investment properties in the Upstate South Carolina area.

We would really appreciate any advice from those of you around the country who work a lot with investors. Advice on how to establish contacts with investors and possibly how to find people interested in purchasing investment properties? There's a wealth of knowledge here at Activerain, and we would love to learn some pointers. We know we can call the numbers on the signs we see stuck everywhere and make contact that way, but any more ideas? Thanks Much!

http://www.scmountainlakeliving.com

2 For the Price of One! Church Buildings and Land for Sale in Walhalla, South Carolina

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:04:37 -0500

Very Well-Kept Buildings For Sale in Walhalla, SC with Many Possible Uses...

Spacious buildings kept in very good condition. Currently used as a church. Approx. 10,000 sq. ft. together sitting on over 2 acres!
Would make a great low cost per sq ft. home for a growing church, or possibly a business that needs space and many offices/rooms such as a growing Daycare.
Brick building has 12 rooms on lower level, and 6 on the main level, plus the large meeting areas and bathrooms.
Separate rear building has full kitchen area, bathrooms, and a large open meeting area. Buildings include heating/air. Many possibilities!
Listed at: $258,900.00

Visit Our Wesbsite at: http://www.SCMountainLakeLiving.com for more info!

Listed at: $258,900.00

Horse Farm For Sale in Westminster, SC only 1 1/2 Hours from Atlanta!

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Sat, 03 May 2008 10:24:30 -0500

3 BEDROOM, 2 BATH HOUSE ON 16.26+- ACRES. PROPERTY FEATURES A QUALITY BUILT APPROX. 3 YEAR OLD 3000 SQ. FT. HORSE BARN WHICH INCLUDES ELECTRICAL AND WATER, FOUR 12' X 12' STALLS. TACK ROOM, AND A PRIVATE OFFICE; ACREAGE HAS LOOPING TRAILS CUT FOR HORSEBACK RIDING, STREAMS, AND SEVERAL PASTURE AREAS.

Conveniently Located just about 2 miles from town (Westminster,SC.)

PERFECT PROPERTY FOR HORSES AND CATTLE.

Listed at: $229,500.00

See More Pics and Info at: http://www.SCMountainLakeLiving.com

Lake Jocassee in the Beautiful Upstate South Carolina Mountains

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:56:29 -0500

Take a drive out of Walhalla, SC up Highway 11 for about 15-20 minutes, and you will find one of Upstate South Carolina's relatively unknown areas of pristine beauty - Lake Jocassee and Jocassee Ridge. The first time we saw these places, we just stood there in awe of the natural beauty. We live near Lake Jocassee and continue to be amazed at the this area in the mountains. Our camera's have snapped many shots that's for sure!

Here are some Lake Jocassee facts (pronounced "joe-kas-ee")

83,400 acres of land were purchased from private land owners and the Singer Corporation in 1963. In 1967, Duke Power Company began the Keowee Toxaway Project, which culminated in the construction of Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee using several rivers including the Whitewater, Thompson, and Toxaway Rivers. Lake Jocassee is approximately 7565 pristine and beautiful acres with about 75 miles of shoreline. Completed in 1973, the dam on Lake Jocassee is 385 feet high, and impounds four rivers. Lake Jocassee's is known to be 325 feet deep or more, with an average depth of about 157 feet..

Surrounded by mountains, Lake Jocassee is one of the most scenic lakes in South Carolina. The area is of such beauty that it is worthy of being captured in paintings and on film. The water is usually crystal clear, and the shoreline includes beautiful rock cliffs, sandy beaches, and forests galore. The shoreline of Lake Jocassee has had very little development and remains quite natural. Plans are to keep it that way for the future. Wildlife is abundant, and includes bears, eagles, hawks, beavers, and lots of other animals. In addition, the waters of Jocassee are full of life and many fish, including Bluegill, Brown Trout, Largemouth Bass, Catfish, Rainbow Trout, and Smallmouth Bass. Lake Jocassee is one the most popular lakes in Upstate South Carolina. Many people love it especially for fishing.

The main way to access Lake Jocassee is through Devils Fork State Park. This park was developed and is managed by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Lake Jocassee is located in both Oconee County and Pickens County.

For more information and pictures of Lake Jocassee visit our website at:

http://www.SCMountainLakeLiving.com

Lake Keowee in Oconee and Pickens County of Upstate South Carolina

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:35:16 -0500

One of the great attractions here in the Upstate South Carolina area is a large and beautiful lake called Lake Keowee. People come from all over the country visiting the area, and we meet tourists probably at least once a week that are considering living here after visiting the area sometimes only once. The area's lakes are usually one of the key reasons.

Lake Keowee was constructed by Duke Power Company for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power. The word Keowee, means "Place of the Mulberries," Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto visited the area when he traveled through in 1540.

Lake Keowee is considered by many as one of the most beautiful and clearest lakes in South Carolina. The mountain views from various sections of the lake are simply breathtaking. It's 18,500 acres of water and 300-mile shoreline make this large lake and the surrounding areas popular for fishing, swimming, tubing, water skiing, boating, camping, day trips, and picnics. It can be quite warm in the summer months, but still remains cool enough to be refreshing for swimming and water sports. This lake is known to be about 297 feet deep, with an average depth of about 52 feet..

Lake Keowee is located about 90 minutes from Atlanta, 45 minutes from Greenville, SC , and around 2 hours from Charlotte. Only 15 or so minutes away is the town of Clemson - home of Clemson University and the Clemson Tigers. This lake is mostly in Oconee County in and near cities such as Seneca, Salem, Clemson, and West Union, but it also reaches into Pickens County.

For more information and pics of Lake Keowee and the Upstate South Carolina area, visit our website at:

http://www.SCMountainLakeLiving.com

The Great Vehicle Sign Debate...

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:55:15 -0500

We run around the county in our bright red car with signs on the doors and lettering on the back window. As a team it has created opportunities for us to make contacts and advertise. Friends and past clients who are now friends regularly comment that they always know where we are cuz they see our car all the time.

Considering the fact that the full color picture signs (we designed ourselves) were less than $100 and the window lettering was around $100, we sure consider it to be inexpensive advertising that is constantly working for us throughout the day. If we have sold one property as a result of the signs getting us the lead to start with, or more likely getting someone we have already talked with to remember to call us back, then hey, those signs have been a very lucrative investment. We also know from experience that it re-enforces our existing relationships with clients.

From time to time, we meet others in our profession that consider vehicle lettering and signs to be a bother, or sending a desperate message, or maybe a little low class. Could be...Hmm...maybe upper end clientele (I.E Big Money) would think so? Not so sure about that as we have never had any of our clients looking for higher dollar properties make any negative remarks, but we have had some of them make positive remarks. Most of the people we deal with are looking for properties under $650k though. Does it really make a difference to a possible client if your car is lettered?

Another area that we would think female Realtors could have regarding signs would be that they could potentially attract someone with bad intentions or get harassing calls. As a team it is possible for us to try and avoid as much danger as possible by always showing property together, and letting our main offices know when and where we are showing. But a single Realtor that has noone to go with them to showings may not have the same luxury. Still, some very successful female Realtors in our area have lettered vehicles. One of our area's top female Realtors for years even has her picture on the vehicle window.

Guess it probably depends on the area of the country each Realtor is in. Down here in the South in these relatively small counties it works as a great advertising point for us; but does it work in LA, New York, or some other huge metro area? Does it work in your area? Just wondering what our reader's experiences have been and how you feel about it.

Walhalla, South Carolina - The Golden Corner of the Upstate

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:13:38 -0500

Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Walhalla, South Carolina and Oconee County have many wonderful things to experience. Natural waterfalls, orchards, botanical gardens, forests, parks, and so much more. The four season climate is mild, and is suitable for taking part in most outdoor adventures throughout the year.

The Upstate region where Walhalla is located is an area that truly does have something for everyone. Popular outdoor activities include white water rafting, canoeing, boating, water skiing, tubing, fishing, lake swimming, cycling, hiking, golf, horseback riding, swimming at local shoals, and atv riding.

History reveals that Walhalla was started as a settlement of immigrants who came over from Germany, Hamburg, and Bavaria along with some Irish, English, and Scots. Walhalla is a small Southern town, with tons of charm and some great festivals and events such as Octoberfest.

Numerous large lakes and beautiful rivers are all nearby for your enjoyment. Lake Keowee is a centrally located lake that boasts 18,500 acres, and 300 miles of scenic shoreline, and is considered by many as one of the most beautiful and clearest lakes in South Carolina. The area is filled with scenic mountain trails, winding country roads, and breathtaking views that deserve to be captured in paintings and on film.

We live and work in Upstate South Carolina on a day-to-day basis helping people with their real estate needs. Meeting new friends each day is a wonderful part of our daily life. We find that people relocate to this area from Florida, the Midwest, California, New York, Atlanta, and many parts of the country after being here for only a short time on vacation. They simply fall in love with this place! Many retire here or own second homes in the foothills of the mountains or on the lakes. Allow us to meet with you, and give you a short tour of the area to show you some of it's wonderful attractions. We're sure that you will fall in love with this area as we and many others have.

Upstate South Carolina is still a relatively unknown jewel!

http://www.scmountainlakeliving.com

Market Values Going Up or Down in the Area?

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:28:43 -0500

The area we are in here in Upstate South Carolina (Oconee County, Walhalla, Seneca, West Union, Anderson, Salem, Westminster) is doing alright as far as home market values go. Better than alright as compared to many places in the country and even in this state we guess. March prices here in 08 compared to March of 07 show that we are up a bit over 6% on the median price of homes, condos, and villas sold and also up over 1.3% from last year to this year currently.

The Upstate area here in SC is becoming more and more popular, and we are seeing quite a few travelers coming in this spring to check out what the county has to offer as far as retirement and second homes go.

The negative though, that is effecting so many Realtors in this area, is that the number of homes sold is down over 21% as compared to March last year, and over 19% YTD compared to last year. We will see what the April data shows, but I have a feeling the numbers will be a little better regarding number of homes sold as compared to last year, and hopefully the values will continue to rise or be at least stable.

I know many other Realtors are dealing with a much worse local market situation than we are and we feel your pain, as we recently returned from an area in the midwest in Illinois that seemed to have foreclosures in every neighborhood, and unfinished developments and spec houses just sitting. We have seen more foreclosures showing up lately around here, but nothing in comparison to what we saw in Illinois.

There's a light at the end of the tunnel though, and and we still have hope (and pray) for a much better national and local market this summer!

http://www.scmountainlakeliving.com/

The Ripple Effect of Overpricing a Home

Bill and Sarah S. (Better Lifestyle Team) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:57:54 -0500

We listed a new home for a client last year in a beautiful community. This client came to our office and asked us to list his home, but was very set on listing it at a certain price, He was adamant that this was the lowest he could list it for and still make a little profit. Both of us thought the price the client wanted to list at was about $10k too high to be competitive with the market in that community, and we warned him seriously about the dangers of listing too high to start with.

So what happened with that listing you ask? Well..we'd love to say that it sold at the asking price, but as with many other homes that start out listing overpriced, it is still sitting for sale about 9 months later and now listed with another broker at over $10k less.

What we tried to convince our client of from the beginning is that The old method of "Let's list it at that price, and if we don't get it sold within a few month we will start dropping the price" has some inherent flaws. There is a Ripple Effect of sorts, and this is something we have learned to take seriously when we list a property for a client.

We always feel it is our responsibility to perform a CMA (Comparable Market Analysis) to see how any home we have as a potential list compares with current and recently sold properties in the area. Not just a pricing analysis, but taking into consideration other assets such as views, swimming pools, attractions, etc., and what the time on the market has historically been for comparable properties.

The ripple effects that we have seen when overpricing a property at our client's request are:

The worst thing is the "New on the Market" advantage is quickly lost as less people want to view the property because it is priced too far above the competing houses in the area that are for sale. Impossible to count how many showings are lost in the first few weeks of the listing because of this one factor alone.
Ripple - The client many times only wants to drop the price after a few months of "trying" to get their price. Then they want to drop the price a few thousand which still makes the house listing price un-competitive with the market. Now the house has been on the market for 60 days already!
Ripple - Another month or so passes and the house still sits there. Many people still won't look at it because they feel even with negotiations it would never get into their price range (definitly not the way to go about it in our opinion.) Plus the price still isn't low enough to get into their "search" price range and doen't even show up. Easy to count how many homes have sold in the past 60 days in the price range the listing should have been listed at. One or more of those home sales could have been the listed home!
Ripple - Time drags on, and the client wants to drop the price a few more times over the next three months. The home has been on the market for 6 months, with few showings and little interest. The client is frustrated with the listing Realtor. The Realtor is frustrated with the client not listening to them in the first place, and nobody has made any money.
Ripple - The listing brokerage and Realtor has lost hundreds if not more dollars in advertising, open houses, gas, etc.
Ripple - The listing Realtor's average time on the market for listings is drastically effected to the negative.
Ripple - The listing Realtor's reputation could possibly be tarnished and potential referrals and future sales lost as a result of just one overproced listing.

There are more ripples, but you get the idea. Things can go bad, but with this scenario it's like a slow grind. The thing is...the house may not sell right away even when priced right because of countless other factors, but listing at a competitive price that is on target is very important. It's also a high motivation factor in getting the property sold quickly.