Celina's Blog

We're Sittin' in High Cotton in Manning, SC on a Wordless Wednesday!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:47:30 -0500

Lunch yesterday w/ CTann Starr, Mama Liz, Kim P..Santee will never be the same!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:57:37 -0500

I had a blast yesterday having lunch with all my "Blogganistas" at Clark's Inn and Restaurant in Santee, South Carolina. I was so excited last week when C Tann Starr emailed me that she was coming down to visit with her mom in Greeleyville (just outside Manning.) She originally invited me to a barbeque at her parent's house, but because of scheduling and limited communication (see C's Blog about being in "Twitter Hell" lol) we were unable to get it together. Mama Liz suggested a lunch meeting in Santee and it was on!

I know you can't wait to find out just who showed up to this Lunch of Champions. Mama Liz Loadholt arrived first, even though she had the longest drive (she's always early so she can greet everyone with a big hug.) I bounced in shortly afterwards, inhaling the awesomeness of Clark's aroma. C Tann Starr arrived with her Facebook addicted brother who was just as charming as C, along with his sweet and very quiet girlfriend. Actually, she wasn't so quiet, the rest of us just overpowered the conversation. Imagine! Then, Kim Parker-Peasley came in with our favorite guest of all... Little Miss Maddie, our miracle baby. JL Boney was invited but had a conflict. Maybe next time, JL!

I felt so unworthy being in the presence of such blogging queens. I am the quiet type that sits back and soaks up everyone's ideas in ActiveRain. I'm one of those self-help nerds who loves to learn. Don't get me wrong, I think I have okay blogging ideas, but I get overwhelmed sometimes when I anguish over "perfecting" my blog post. C offered some valuable advice about that. Thanks C - I'm posting this one today! Ironic that I post this on a Wordless Wednesday. I know, I know... be patient with grasshopper, okay?

My only regret was that I was so excited and came out of the Wyboo office in such a hurry that I forgot my camera! Photos will follow guys... just as soon as Mama Liz emails them.

Thanks, you guys for the great conversation, and thanks so much, Mama Liz for buying our lunch!

Celina Gleason, Realtor

Serving all your Real Estate Needs for: Lake Marion Area of Manning/Summerton, SC; Clarendon County, SC

Check out my featured listings: www.manningscrealty.com or email me: Celina@sc.rr.com

or Call me Direct: 803-473-6002

Market Report for Clarendon County, SC

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:33:13 -0500

The Clarendon County, South Carolina market has weathered the storm and is holding steady. Has it been a tough year? Sure - but we are resilient people who are not falling for the "Chicken Little" theory.

My personal production has not been near what it was last year; however, in looking at the overall numbers and comparing the figures from last year at this time, there has not been a great deal of change in the overall market. Luckily, when other areas of the country were booming and overbuilding, our area remained steady and careful not to create an overabundance in inventory with new construction homes. The builders in our area made calculated decisions about their new construction planning, and as a result, they are still in business! If you are interested in relocating/retiring to our area, NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE! Prices have adjusted thirty percent from last year and activity is now starting to increase. If you are looking for a waterfront or lake area home, now is the time to invest. Although our state tax laws have changed, we are still very competitive and reasonable with our tax base. Here is a brief overview of our activity:

As of today's date, we have 457 residential listings. This time last year we had 552.

Sept - Oct '08: Sept - Oct '07:

New Listings This month: 40 New Listings for month: 86

Avg List Price: $137,000 Avg List Price: $155,200

Pending/Under Contract this month: 19 Pending/U Contract for month: 19

Sold this month: 25 Sold for month: 36

Avg Sold Price this month: $121,000 Avg Sold Price for month: $152,700

If you have been contemplating making a move to our area or invest in a future retirement home, I would be happy to help you find what you are looking for. Prices are more reasonable than ever. I am a full time Realtor specializing in waterfront and lake area residential homes. Take a look at our active listings on my website: www.manningscrealty.com I look forward to serving you.

Celina Gleason, Realtor, Million Dollar Producer

Direct Cell: (803) 473-6002

Gorgeous Lake Marion - Manning/Summerton, SC

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:07:50 -0500

Celina Gleason | AgentOwned Realty | 803-433-2800

Lake Marion Area, Manning, SC

RETIRE IN BEAUTIFUL S.C. LOWCOUNTRY!

3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $100,000

Year Built	Unspecified
Sq Footage	1,300
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	.25 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

RELAX...Take in all the unspoiled beauty that Clarendon County has to offer. From boating, skiing, kayaking, to very reasonably priced guided fishing tours, we have the recreation activity you are looking for. You will enjoy golfing at any one of our local golf courses, one of which was rated 10th on the entire East Coast! We have patio homes starting in the mid hundred thousand range. From gated communities to that perfect shady lot in the country, we have the housing inventory to meet your needs. Maybe you like shopping; if so, Manning and Santee have just what you're looking for. Soak in the golden sunsets, glistening over the calm waters of Lake Marion. History buff? you'll love historic Charleston, SC - only one hour away. Historic Plantation tours, harbor cruises, and more activities than there is space to list! Just a little over an hour from Manning is the pristine coastline of the Atlantic. Come on down and have a tall glass of sweet iced tea with the friendly locals. Spend one day in the wonderful "Mayberry" atmosphere and you'll fall in love with the South Carolina lowcountry just like I did over thirteen years ago! Call me and I will be happy to assist you in your home search. Or, check out my website to search our available properties: http://www.manningscrealty.com

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Hardwood floor
Tile floor	Living room	Dining room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Laundry area - inside	Swimming pool

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse	Storage space(s)	Fitness center
Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)	Golf course
Lake	Gated property

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Gorgeous Santee Cooper Lakes Marion & Moultrie

Patio homes starting in the One Hundred Thirty Thousand Range!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Celina Gleason

AgentOwned Realty

803-433-2800

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 29, 2008, 12:10pm PDT

PLEASE look at this Killer's face... He may visit your office...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:27:36 -0500

I want everyone in the ActiveRain industry to see this guy's face. This joker shot a young lady execution style in the dry cleaners just feet away from my real estate office in my wonderful, sleepy little town. He INTENDED to kill her, but thankfully, the bullet only mushroomed at the base of her skull. Miracle? I'd say that is the understatement of the Century! Not one artery was hit, not one major nerve was damaged - not even a crack in her skull! The most damage he did to her was to her psyche - and to ours, as her hometown family.

Manning is the greatest town. We are a farming community with a fantastic Lake (Lake Marion) and quite a draw for retirees because of our golf courses and wonderful climate. I'm guessing this guy found his way to our town by the I-95 corridor and raped us of something sacred- our peace of mind.

This brave young victim was recently interviewed on the Today Show on NBC, talking about her horrible experience and featuring the monster who made her lie on her face and shot her in the back of the head. He didn't HAVE to shoot her, but he did. He only robbed the cleaners of a minimal amount of money, showing no regard at all for human life. My goal in this is to simply get his face out in as many cities and small towns as possible. He needs to be caught before he takes another life. If he shot one person in the back of the head without any struggle or resistance, he will do it again. Look at him long and hard, and be careful with walk-ins in your offices. If he looks familiar, WILL YOU PLEASE CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES IN YOUR TOWN?! Please post this in your offices (especially if you are along the I-95 corridor.)

Thinking about Retirement?... Think Manning, South Carolina!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:37:16 -0500

Isn't it TIME you thought about a great place to retire? Consider our beautiful City, Manning, South Carolina. Stroll with me for a moment, will you? The smiles are plentiful and the friends are waiting on the porch with a tall glass of sweet iced tea and a swing with your name on it!

If porch visiting is too laid back for you, there are plenty of other activities to get you going! Manning has so much to offer. You'll love the choices; from fishing our nationally known and lovely Lake Marion, to our fantastic golfing, where you can Golf-til-You-Drop! This part of the Lowcountry is practically a Hunter's Paradise!

I have lived in Manning for almost fourteen years now and I absolutely love it! I moved from a much larger city and, at first, thought I would be sorry... I was! Sorry that I didn't do it years earlier! After my return from my first downtown shopping experience my husband asked me how it went. I chuckled and told him I was waiting any moment for Sheriff Andy Taylor and Opie to round the corner! The people really are known for great southern hospitality.

We have the real estate inventory you need. We have upscale gated communities and very nice subdivisions. If medical services are a concern, let me put your worries to rest! Our hospital is planning yet another expansion right now. Even if you need a specialist that we don't have locally, we are one hour or less in any direction from major cities and major medical providers.

If you would like more information about our wonderful area, please give me a call and I will be happy to mail or email you an informative packet. I would love to introduce you to my beautiful home!

Celina Gleason, Realtor: www.manningscrealty.com Direct Cell Number: (803) 473-6002

AgentOwned Realty

Some Days You're the Pigeon, Others You're the Statue!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:04:48 -0500

I have spent the last few days literally in a knot, worrying about and praying for the poor people of the Gulf Coast. My memory is not short about these horrible acts of nature's fury as my mind goes back to the chaos and destruction Hurricane Hugo sent our way in 1989. That dreaded knot in my stomach is forming again as a result of the otherwise sweet name of Hanna. Our area was without power for almost a month after Hugo. Can you imagine?

Amazing how quickly the unfortunate shoe on a group of people can be placed upon your own foot. I'm not ashamed of begging in advance for your prayers for our area. Our market economy was already in a state of near crisis and now... Hanna.

Just goes to show you that in life, some days you are the Pigeon, flying around without a care in the world, depositing where you wish; and some days you are the STATUE, receiving those deposits! If you can't chuckle about the bad times, what can you do?

On a serious note, will you please pray for our fine folks in South Carolina?

Crucial Life Lesson I Learned from My Dog...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:04:06 -0500

Prissy was her name, and she taught me more about people than I ever learned from a human. Prissy was a chihuahua my husband just HAD to have. I wasn't really warm and fuzzy about the whole inside dog thing, much less, the inside dog that looks like a rat thing. Anyway, one day Prissy was visiting my father-in-law's chihuahua while we were on a mini vacation and low and behold, got herself pregnant. GREAT! To say that we disliked each other was a major understatement. She already knew she didn't have my favor and with my husband being her favorite possession, I wasn't her fave either. This being her first litter and compounding the situation, I knew with her tiny size, she may have some trouble in the birth. So now I'm nursing this little demon.

All night long, my husband and I took turns checking on her when the birth process finally started. We decided we would get back up around 4:00 a.m. so we set the clock, but it malfunctioned and did not alarm. At five I woke up on my own and ran to check on her. As luck would have it, she had given birth to all four puppies and all were dead, except one. Each dead puppy had what appeared to be a puncture would at the back of the head. I thought she panicked in the birth and bit them, causing them to die. As soon as she saw me, she started the most demonic growling I'd ever heard from her. I knew I wasn't her favorite but this was a bit much. I thought to myself, "You little devil... you've killed your own babies!" As you can imagine, she REALLY lost all my sympathies. She wouldn't let anyone (not even my husband) go near that live puppy, EXCEPT me. What do you know? I gave her the bare minimum treatment to get her back to health, but no sympathy. After all, she had killed her own puppies, and what normal animal does that? Time rocked on and her one live puppy thrived, but Prissy never seemed the same. She would still growl furiously if anyone but me came near that puppy... strange. If I didn't know any better, I thought she was depressed. I later did some research and found that her puppies had a birth defect. She had not killed her babies after all... in fact, she was depressed about their deaths. Boy did I feel like a piece of dirt! After I beat myself up for a couple of hours, I went to Prissy and had a long, human heart to dog heart talk. I know, I know - she's just a dog, right? I just felt that I let her down right when she needed me the most.

You know, sometimes we do that with people we are working with, or our own family, or a neighbor in need. Someone once said, "Hurting people hurt other people." Without looking deeper, we react at the surface when someone lashes out. Maybe it's a homeowner who is about to lose their home. Maybe it is a loss mitigations rep who's up to their eyeballs in short sales and looming foreclosures and we are the tenth person to chew them up and spit them out in a given day about why our closing is being delayed. It has been over ten years since Prissy had her puppies, and there is not on instance that I see another dog that I don't think about her valuable lesson. I think Erma Bombeck once said, "Guilt - It's the Gift that Keeps On Giving." So, let me save you some future guilt. Today, when someone lashes out at you for what you think is no reason, look a little deeper into their situation. Don't rush to judgment. They just might be your Prissy.

1231 Prince's Trace, Summerton SC - Lake Marion - Listed at $129,900

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:32:43 -0500

Celina Gleason | AgentOwned Realty | 803-433-2800

1231 Prince's Trace Circle, Summerton, SC

Lake Living @ it's best! Minutes away from landing, gorgeous Carolina Room, screened bbq porch.

4BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $129,900

Year Built	1993
Sq Footage	2,200
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	1
Parking	4+
Lot Size	.75 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Perfect for entertaining lots of friends. Spacious & immaculate, huge master suite w/ office & lg master bath, 2 storage bldgs w/ screened bbq/fish cleaning porch, beautiful Carolina Room & lovely landscaping, Large shade trees in front and back yard. Taxes last year were only $155!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
Walk-in closet	Family room	Living room
Office/Den	Dining room	Breakfast nook
Dishwasher	Refrigerator	Stove/Oven
Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Golf course

Lake

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Celina Gleason

AgentOwned Realty

803-433-2800

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 21, 2008, 9:04am PDT

WATERFRONT - Lake Marion - Ready for this Price? $279,900!!!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:16:29 -0500

Celina Gleason | AgentOwned Realty | 803-433-2800

79 Ridge Lake Drive, Manning, SC

One of the most reasonably priced waterfront homes on the market in the entire region right now. This community offers every amenity you can imagine!

3BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $279,900

Year Built	1995
Sq Footage	1,575
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	.20 acres
HOA/Maint	$35 per month

DESCRIPTION

GORGEOUS WATERFRONT home w/ Direct, Private access to Lake Marion from back yard! Price includes pier, appliances, a W/D, 2 car garage, vaulted ceilings, blinds, sprinkler system & yr round lawn maint available. HOA & lawn maint fees apply. Enjoy lowcountry wildlife from the screened back porch. Tennis courts, Olympic sz pool, exercise room, library, meeting hall, golf til you drop! Call Celina (AgentOwned) 803-473-6002 for appt today.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Tile floor
Living room	Breakfast nook	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Microwave
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Swimming pool

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking	Guest parking	Business center
Clubhouse	Storage space(s)	Fitness center
Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)	Golf course
Lake	Gated property	Secured entry

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

WATERFRONT-Lake Marion-Private Pier

PRICED TO SELL...REALLY!!!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Celina Gleason

AgentOwned Realty

803-433-2800

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 19, 2008, 4:34pm PDT

Great Life Lesson I Learned from a Dog...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:28:39 -0500

Stressed out?... Just add WATER - Visit Lake Marion in Manning, SC

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:36:37 -0500

Retire in the Beautiful South Carolina Lowcountry!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:20:27 -0500

Celina Gleason | AgentOwned Realty | 803-433-2800

Lake Marion Area, Manning, SC

RETIRE IN BEAUTIFUL S.C. LOWCOUNTRY!

3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $100,000

Year Built	Unspecified
Sq Footage	1,300
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	.25 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Hardwood floor
Tile floor	Living room	Dining room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Laundry area - inside	Swimming pool

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse	Storage space(s)	Fitness center
Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)	Golf course
Lake	Gated property

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Gorgeous Santee Cooper Lakes Marion & Moultrie

Patio homes starting in the One Hundred Thirty Thousand Range!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Celina Gleason

AgentOwned Realty

803-433-2800

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 29, 2008, 12:10pm PDT

3BR/2BA in town of Manning, SC; Listed at $90,500!!!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:54:10 -0500

Celina Gleason | AgentOwned Realty | 803-433-2800

117 Hillcrest Street, Manning, SC

Nice neighborhood, Hdwood floors, recent interior painting done, bathrooms redone, ceramic tile, carport enclosed to create family rm, fenced back yd,

3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $90,500

Year Built	1970
Sq Footage	1,072
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2
Lot Size	.28 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This home is priced to sell! Conveniently located to hospital, banks, shopping, schools, etc. Public water and sewer and niced fenced back yard for privacy.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Hardwood floor
Tile floor	Family room	Living room
Dishwasher	Refrigerator	Stove/Oven
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Swimming pool

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Beautifully landscaped

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Celina Gleason

AgentOwned Realty

803-433-2800

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 29, 2008, 5:27am PDT

U.S. Postal Brainiacs make me want to GO POSTAL!!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:28:52 -0500

Okay, this is one of those "venting" blogs! Had a closing on a house today in a well established neighborhood. This particular house has had a designated E911 address for over two years. Buyers were posting their address change at their local post office in Michigan and were told by the postal worker that they could not make the address change because the address of the home here did not exist in their system. We stopped climbing telephone poles to make phone calls years ago - what does she mean, we don't exist?! (lol) Number one, just because it doesn't exist in their system does NOT mean that it does not exist. Okay, well--- whatever, I'll just beebop down to our local post office and get the matter straight. What did I do that for?!!? I spent 45 minutes begging the warden at window number one for a simple letter, email, post it or whatever she would be willing to give me stating that XYZ Outofmymind Lane does exist so that I can fax it to the rocket scientists at the P.O. in Michigan to prove our address.

The warden and the new postmaster (seems like we've had a dozen in the past year) kept arguing that I needed to contact the office of E911. My reply was that they did their job two and a half years ago when they assigned this house an address and if I show up there asking that they do the job of the postal service they are going to laugh at me and promptly kick me out of the joint. It took me close to an hour to convince our fine postal workers that this was not an E911 problem - it was a postal service problem. They finally typed a one liner on a blank piece of paper confirming that they would indeed deliver mail to XYZ Outofmymind Lane and stamped it. No letterhead, no signatures, but plenty of misspellings!

Of all my years in Real Estate, that experience was a first and hopefully, the LAST. Anyone else out there tired of dealing with the MORONS at their local post office? GRRRR!

Agent Attacked by a Couple?!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:37:27 -0500

This incident happened last year to an agent in my office; however, I saw a recent blog that triggered the ordeal all over. Everything is okay with her, thanks to a city worker who just happened to be watching out for her. I'm not a "falling sky" kind of person, but feel that I should share this with you Rainers to keep you aware when you are showing.

This agent was in the process of showing a couple a home a few blocks from our office in our sleepy little non-violent town. A man and woman walked up to the front asking her if they could see the same house. Not wanting to turn down business, she explained that she would finish up with this first couple and be happy to show them the house immediately afterward. She had never seen this man and woman before and was lulled into a false sense of security; after all, it was a "couple" and another woman would make it safer. Boy was she wrong! The man got her into one of the back rooms and put his arms around her. Luckily, a city worker and friend of this agent's was next door working and could see the whole ordeal through the windows of the vacant house. Thankfully, one call to the police and the situation was handled. The man and woman were arrested and quickly released to move on and pull their same ploy on some other unsuspecting Realtor.

I'm a Realtor and I have to go into vacant homes all the time just like every other Realtor. I try not to worry too much about potential attacks, but I try to be smart. I try to make myself aware every time I go out. There are lots of options out there for safety, but nothing replaces awareness and listening to your intuition. We have set up code words in our office that if one of our agents calls in and mentions a particular name we immediately go into action. Every Realtor should have a plan in place for the second they begin to feel uncomfortable when they are showing.

My husband recently signed me up for a concealed weapons class, which I passed with a perfect score. Will I carry my weapon when I show?

Question about Craigslist.com for you Realtor Rainers...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:07:25 -0500

Has anyone been using Craigslist.com to advertise their listings? I've used it and have gotten tons of calls. Thanks in advance for all your replies!

Celina Gleason, Realtor - AgentOwned Realty, Manning, SC

Blah, Blah, Blog...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:37:08 -0500

So what's up with all this "blogging" business? I'm certainly no pro at it yet, but it has helped me to increase my rankings on the internet. It takes only a few minutes to do and it's like having my own little online editorial page, which is really off the hook! As a Realtor, I look for every opportunity to build my business. This has been a relatively easy way to increase internet traffic to my website. Living in a recreational, retirement area like the Lake Marion area, I am constantly searching out ways to get an "edge" on the competition. Activerain has given me that opportunity - FREE! Kudos to the creator of this wonderful tool!

Military Support Should Not be Scarce...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:35:40 -0500

Am I proud of the direction our country has gone in the recent few years? Well, let's just say that my allegiance to my country has never been based upon a certain political sect. I'm proud of my country regardless of politics or who is in leadership. I certainly hope that I can continue to say that in the future. Part of what makes me proud is the fact that we have honorable members in all of our military branches who are sacrificing their own comfort and fighting to KEEP us free. Some of them have been called to war in some of the most horrific conditions.

Early on as a Realtor, I grasped for ways that I could show my appreciation to those dedicated members who serve. I offer to pay for the entire one year Home Warranty of any serviceperson (active or retired) who purchases a home through me. This is a top-of-the-line warranty - not just the cheapest one. Global Home USA Warranties are some of the best out there, and these fine military folks are the BEST!

I challenge all other real estate profesionals to do the same for your military servicemen and women. What can YOU do to give back something to these brave military members?

Celina Gleason, Realtor - AgentOwned Realty Million Dollar Producer

Is there an alternative to Foreclosure? Sure - it's called a "Short Sale"...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:50:02 -0500

What is the alternative to the "F" word? (That would be "Foreclosure" and NOT a recent slip of the lip by some actor in Hollywood.) To answer my previous question - "Short Sale" is a wonderful alternative to foreclosure. Ultimately, being able to make your mortgage payments and keeping your home is the ideal scenario - that is, if you live in a perfect world. However, we all realize that anything can happen to anyone, no matter how well prepared one may appear to be.

If you think you are facing a foreclosure, you should consult with a Realtor about negotiating a short sale on your behalf. There are quite a few things to consider, however. If you owe more than the home is worth, or more than it is able to bring in your present local market, your mortgage company will have to either forgive the difference, or give you a 1099-C reflecting that difference to you as income, unless you can prove to the IRS that your debts at the time of sale exceeded your net worth. Now, before you go thinking that the mortgage company is being difficult, think again. That is an IRS law - not something that the mortgage company has any control over.

Putting aside the risk of being forced to claim income from the short sale, this foreclosure alternative appears to be the best route for your average homeowner in financial distress. If you have any questions about this, you should check with a Realtor in your local market, or you may email me: Celina@sc.rr.com

Celina Gleason, Realtor Million Dollar Producer - AgentOwned Realty Company - Manning, SC

Ask your Mortgage company questions!

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:56:14 -0500

A couple came into my office on Saturday needing my notary services on paperwork to retire their double wide mobile home title. In case you don't know the significance of performing that task, here in our county, that process incorporates the mobile home into the property as real estate instead of "manufactured housing". It helps in several ways, one of which is combining the tax bills so that the owner only receives one bill instead of one bill on the land and another on the home. It may also help in obtaining mortgages on the property.

I tried not to pry in that couple's business, but I felt that I needed to ask them if they were facing "having to downsize". In other words, I wanted to know if they were in over their heads with their payment. They responded that they were "current... right now," and said that they may be contacting me to list their home after they finished the detitling process. I told them that I would much rather them work with our in-house mortgage company on refinancing at a lower interest rate (if their credit was sufficient).

Oh that Realtors would educate their local public about trying to KEEP their homes rather than walking away from them. These mortgage companies DO NOT WANT FORECLOSURES! With all of the negative hype lately about predatory lenders, etc., most mortgage companies will work with these homeowners to negotiate. Sure, there are slack homeowners out there who simply want something for nothing and want the lenders to do all the work. HOWEVER, the majority of homeowners out there are hard working folks who simply want the security of their own home.

IF YOU ARE FACING FORECLOSURE PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE find yourself a Realtor who is willing to help you negotiate with your mortgage company. What do you have to lose? Remember, nothing comes easy and it may take some work, but with a little effort and a Realtor by your side advising and helping you along, you can make it through this tough time without losing your investment. This blog was longer than I wanted, but I am passionate about folks keeping their homes!

Sad Market? No! Prime Opportunity...

Celina Gleason (AgentOwned Realty) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:01:28 -0500

In spite of the negative media recently about real estate, it is my professional opinion that now is the prime time for purchase. Never in real estate history have we enjoyed this long a span in record low interest. The housing market has a plethora of properties that are ripe for the picking. Thankfully, the recent market slow down has provided us with a revision in prices, or "market correction" in our area. It has been my experience that the foreclosure hoopla has been blown substantially out of proportion - at least in our local market. Sure, there are foreclosures happening every day, but not on the scale that the media would like you to think. Take a long second look at home buying today - whatever market you live in!