This lovely hard coat stucco home, located at 14 Pearl Reef Lane in Hilton Head Plantation constitutes an excellent value. Lovingly maintained by present owners, the home has 3 bedrooms and 3 full-baths, 2 living areas that flow from a convenient open floor plan plus a screened porch that overlooks a serene tropical lagoon setting. Additional ameneties include 2 fireplaces, hardwood floors and ceramic tile.
OWNERS HAVE VERY REALISTICALLY PRICED THIS HOME @ $509,000. AT PRESENT, THERE IS AN EXECUTIVE TENANT IN PLACE WHO WOULD BE HAPPY TO STAY IF FUTURE OWNERS DESIRE A SHORT TERM RENTAL IN PLACE PRIOR TO MOVING.
EASY TO CLOSE--NOT A SHORT SALE OR FORECLOSURE BUT PRICED FOR TODAY'S MARKET!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH MY WEBSITE . I LOOK FORWARD TO INTRODUCING YOU TO HILTON HEAD PLANTATION, LOCATED AT THE NORTH END OF HILTON HEAD.
Today is Earth Day, and where most of the world chooses to focus on recycling and global warming today, I am focusing on something much, much more important.
My great-grandmother used to say to me, "Red, use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. That's the way we did it during the Depression, and that's the way you should do it now. Any other way is wasteful and does a disservice to your family and neighbors."
Growing up, that's exactly what we did. My great-grandmother was big on finding deals and discounts, using something until it was dead, and extending the life and quality of the things we already have. This, of course, was from back before being "Green" was in style, before global warming was even on our social radar, and before people thought frugality was just a fad.
It was sometimes amazing to hear her stories about a time that was simpler, a time where community was so much stronger, and a time that money wasn't everything. She lived simply even in her old age when money was more plentiful and she could do more than play Bridge with her friends or go down to the Bingo Hall.
Sadly, my great-grandmother is no longer with us today, but every Earth Day, instead of rolling my eyes at the harping on recycling or buying into the "Green" products that stores are touting, I think about what I could do to live more simply. What could I use up? What could I wear out? How can I make do? Can I do without that XYZ item at the store?
Many don't know this about me here on the Rain, but in my off-time, I'm also a Frugality Blogger. I teach classes to those who want to live a simpler life, to those who either want or need to make do for a while. I run articles at least three times a week about how to simplify. What's my point? My point is that I'm not trying to talk out of my *** here, but to pass on a very valuable lesson from my dear ol' great-granny and those days so long ago where they didn't have the choice to follow this advice.
Here's some simple things you can do to simplify today, and every day:
1. Instead of running to the store (wasting time, gas, and money) for one ingredient, find something to substitute in your meal. Use AllRecipes.com's ingredient search to try a new recipe, or if you're brave enough, swap your asparagus for the broccoli that will die a horrid death in three days.
2. If you have barely used clothing that is still in style or that you love, but it's a size too big or too small, learn how to sew. For those of you who aren't handy, invest in a tailor; generally, alterations are much less costly than new clothes, and you're not tossing perfectly good clothing into the black hole that is Goodwill.
3. If you're out of shaving cream, use conditioner (this is one of my favorites!). Use lemon and baking soda to clean wooden cutting boards. Vinegar and water cuts grease in the kitchen (especially that awful black stuff that comes from cooking there for a year)!
4. Use used dryer sheets to dust off electronics. They're soft enough for the screen (after use) and they eliminate that awful static cling that attracts dust!
5. Use those single lost-mate socks to help clean up spills on the rug. You're not going to wear them anyway, so spray your spot cleaner on the spot, pull the sock over your fist, and use twisting motions to sop the stain right out!
The main lesson here is to really think about what you're throwing out, donating, giving away, or leaving behind: Can you repurpose it? Can you substitute something else in its place? Can you use it up before you have to throw it away?
Happy Earth Day 2009, everyone! Here's looking forward to a simpler life.
I just feel the need today to blog about the top 10 things I love about real estate. I am sitting here in the aisle of our church sanctuary watching my daughter dress rehearse for her weekend performance, and enjoying my wireless (yet again!).
I'll go backward in true Letterman style:
10-I can update my files while eating ice cream and sitting on the floor!
9--I can market my listings in the middle of the night, giving new meaning to flex hours:-)
8--I was at my son's Special Olympics Torch Run today, when most were working, discussing strategy with my Team Leader! We really do have great tools----
7--I told my husband I needed a new laptop with tablet that would fit in my purse, so I could take it with me everywhere---and he bought it for me (I love you honey:-))!
6--Commission checks ROCK!
5--I get to go into the most fantastic homes, and NO ONE assumes I am burglerizing! And I'm not, so it's all good.
4--Did I mention that commission checks ROCK!
3--Passive income through referrals. Having a lazy week? No issues--refer away!
2--I can write off my mileage and gasoline expenses--for the most part! Love that!
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON----
1--I always have a reason to start talking to total strangers! And they always have something new to chat with me about! AND--I call that prospecting, and so does my Team Leader (does that mean I can write off my gym membership?)
But really, I do love what I do, and I hope it shows. As I have never known another type of market--this one is working for me, and successfully. So, I am joyful and it is good! Just thought I'd share. Now, check out my new One Team-Keller Williams First Coast fan page on Facebook and let me know your thoughts!
Respectfully---Christa
(who is watching the choir leader slowly lose her mind----too many kids, not enough parents)
The post touched off some interesting public and private discussions. The number huggers are everywhere and their logic, in a very comfortable, that-sounds-like-something-i've-done-before, kind of way, can certainly appear sound. They ask questions like, "Why broadcast to 10 people when you can broadcast to 10,000?" Who could argue with that, right? <raises hand> The clue to the answer lies in the question itself.
Broadcasting?
Is that really what we're doing in the social media space? Some think so. I don't. I received a direct message from Matt Rathbun this morning that contained a link to a page selling a Twitter Mini-Course Book. I'm not sharing his site. I'm not giving Snake Oil salesman link love. Matt wasn't kind in his analysis.
The people who will succeed by treating Twitter, Facebook and other social networks like electronic direct mail are people who are selling “magic” solutions for growing your business to people looking for “easy” “I want results now” answers. And those successes will be short lived. Because that’s not how effective social media marketing works.
Engagement Is The New Marketing Metric.
Engagement through Social Media is aligned with how trust is built, how real relationships form and transactions result. "Working to build relationships (over time)" is not as easy to sell as "attract more customers now!" But those who see its wisdom will profit in the long run.
In 2008, Forrester Research rightly stated that "engagement" was the new marketing metric. "Using engagement, you get a more holistic appreciation of your customers' actions, recognizing that value comes not just from transactions but also from actions people take to influence others. Once engagement takes hold of marketing, marketing messages will become conversations, and dollars will shift from media buying to customer understanding."
All the numbers that really matter are related to engagement. Forester proposed a four "I" concept for measuring engagement.
Involvement tracks site visitors, time spent, page views and more (old-school stuff)
Interaction measures the contributions to blogs, photo and video creation and uploads, and purchases
Intimacy tries to understand consumer attitudes, perception, and feelings about a brand through surveys or monitoring technology as well as applications providing an interactive environment between brand and consumers
Influence measures the likelihood that consumers will recommend or advocate products or brands
I'm not against numbers per se. But the numbers must mean something. Would truly engaging with 10,000 be better than truly engaging with 10? Of course. But the key to the value in that statement is the word "engaging." How many people can YOU truly engage? It's going to be a different number for you than for the next person stumbling onto this post.
YEO (You Engaging Others) is not focused on YOU. It's focused on OTHERS. YEO is about communicating in a way that allows you to be heard above the noise. It’s about listening more than talking. And it's impossible to listen when all you're doing is broadcasting.
There's a play in baseball they call the 'squeeze play'...rather than explain it with Xs and Os...Let me just say that it contains elements of surprise, bunting, quickness, timing, and a whole lot of luck...
When it works (about half the times it's tried) it looks impressiveand ingenious and results in a run scored...when it doesn't work, however, it looks awful, stupid, too risky, bush league, and desperate...
Now, let's look at real estate...
Real estate is often like that...there are many 'squeeze plays' in real estate...when the risks seem to outweigh the advantages...but a lot of real estate results are unpredictable...that's why we don't get paid by the hour...
Trust is very important in a 'squeeze play'...the runner at third must trust that the batter will make contact with the pitch, otherwise the runner will be tagged out foolishly at home...
How often is 'TRUST' misplaced in a real estate transaction...or how often is someone, just learning, made to look like an expert, but, in reality, is a novice at best...
I can think of many 'squeeze play' stories in my career in real estate...some are funny, and some are not so funny...
Personally, I love the 'squeeze play' in baseball, but when it comes to messing with someone's largest life investment or tinkering with some family's American Dream, I'd rather not take the risk...!!!
'SAFE', is the only call for a true Real Estate Professional...!!!
Today I used a new technical defense to successfully defeat a motion for summary judgment for foreclosure and I wanted to pass it on to other attorneys (or those who know attorneys) helping homeowners in foreclosure.
This happened in Florida, but other states' rules could provide the same type of relief.
The bank filed its foreclosure some months ago and the homeowner tried to represent himself and did a poor job of it because there were several deficiencies in the pleadings filed by the bank. Then I came into the picture just 8 days before a scheduled court hearing to grant the bank's Motion for Summary Judgment of Foreclosure, at which time the public sale date for the house would have been set.
As with most foreclosure suits the promissory note could not be produced so the bank was going to produce at the hearing an Affidavit of Lost Promissory Note. This is permitted under a special state statute that creates a mechanism to prove up a financial instrument that was lost by the holder.
However, the Rules of Summary Judgment say that any pleading to be used by the moving party (here, the bank) must be filed with the court and provided to the other parties at least 20 days prior to the hearing.
The bank complied with the lost note statute (they had the lost note affidavit to give to the judge), but not the court rule about the 20 days, I argued -- and the judge agreed and denied their Motion for Summary Judgment.
This whole exercise was not to create a delay so the client can live in the house for free -- it was obtained so the client can complete a short sale (he still needs a buyer) and avoid a foreclosure deficiency judgment that will haunt him for the next 20 years.
I pass this on in the hope that this customary practice by the lenders will be recognized by attorneys and used to help out those needing more time to find a better solution than foreclosure.
Copyright 2009 Richard P. Zaretsky, Esq.
Be sure to contact your own attorney for your state laws, and always consult your own attorney on any legal decision you need to make. This article is for information purposes and is not specific advice to any one reader.
We talk about staging homes here on ActiveRain, a big part of home staging is de-cluttering. The good news Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are getting together for some spring cleaning and de-cluttering of the web.
"There is a lot of clutter on the Web and with this, publishers will be able to clean up a lot of junk,” said Matt Cutts, an engineer who heads Google’s spam fighting efforts. “I think it is going to gain traction pretty quickly.”
This is not about fighting malicious spam on the web though, it is about naturally occurring "duplicate content," non malicious duplication that the search engines sort through the best they can, now. They've just decided to collaborate and use a new tool to de-clutter the web. The Big Three (search engines that is...) are cooperating to sort through the kind of duplicate content that is not trying to game the search engines.
Each of the three big search engines announced their intent to combine to clean up the Web on their own site. The Google Webmaster Central Blog has their announcement "Specify your Canonical" using a Swedish Fish example.
The canonical url is the real thing. It's authoritative.
I think the explaination on the Microsoft blog is the easiest to understand:
"... Live Search has partnered with Google and Yahoo to support a new tag attribute that will help webmasters identify the single authoritative (or canonical) URL for a given page. The link tag defines a relationship between a document and an external resource. In this case, that resource is the canonical URL. The following is an example of the new link tag attribute for canonicalization:
<linkrel="canonical"href="http://mysite.com"/> "
ActiveRain
There's been worry about duplicate content on ActiveRain since the beginning. When Localism was first introduced "duplicate content" became a worry for some... Same content showing up under two diffferent URLs. Then ActiveRain introduced "Outside Blogs" or the "antiquated and hilariously dilapidated" Outside Blogs which have now been replaced with "Individual Blogs." Three urls same content. Then there's "re-blogging" which some members think is evil. Applicable?
Think of it from the point of view more of it being easier for you to find things via the Internet than something to put on your list to do... or even to understand.... Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are going to do all the heavy lifting, the people behind the scenes will work on the details for those of us who are clueless and confused.
I hate to admit it, but "bank" has truly become a four letter word.
I was sitting at my desk a couple of days ago, when one of my co-workers going thru the MLS, rhetorically asked: "price increases?....who the heck increases their prices in this kind of market?" I was busy and did not respond, but the question lingered in my head, bouncing around my skull like a shout in an echo chamber.
It was later that evening when checking e-mails, that I recognized the address on one of the"auto-prospecting" messages. Sure enough, it was a listing where one of my buyers had a $1,000 over LP seller-accepted offer waiting for seller's lender's approval.
I opened it up, and to my amazement, the listing price had been increased from $120,000 to $126,300, and under "Agent Remarks" it read: "original buyer canceled - send all offers"
I couldn't believe it.....the question in the cob-webs of my mind had been answered! ....it was the banks, trying to squeeze every drop of blood out of their "soon-to-be-theirs" inventory....and it was My Buyer!
......they just weren't content with selling the property at market value, they wanted to see if they could get juussst a little bit more!.....and they didn't even give us the professional courtesy (right or wrong) of notifying my buyer and I!!
Maybe in an up-trending market, this kind of strategy would've made sense, but under current conditions, with the seller already in default, and knowing that out here in the west, the foreclosure fuse is only about 90 days long, they just sentenced the seller to a foreclosure on his record.
Not to mention the extra cost of the foreclosure, additional selling time trying to find another buyer, and the potentially detrimental effect on their solvency, of having yet another piece of property on their books.
One other point comes to mind, they just indiscriminately walked away from a contract without even a hint of additional negotiation ..... if you provide the seller with an offer by a willing and able buyer, at full listing price or above, and the seller rejects the offer, ....isn't the seller liable for a commission?
The bank could argue that they were not the seller and that "they", had not signed the listing agreement, therefore, claiming innocence. They might even encourage you to take "Joe the seller" to court and try to get your commission money.
But, isn't the bank acting as "seller de facto" when they step-in at the end, and make ALL the decisions that are rightfully a seller's to make?....final sales price, any give-aways or concessions, closing costs, choosing the Title company, COE dates, how much commission to pay the Realtors, changing the listing price on MLS, changing the locks on the property, etc., etc.
It would be interesting to see how this scenario pans out in a court of law .... I guess I will soon find out when I send the bank the bill for my commission.
I guess the banks just don't care. Not content enough with utterly ruining their industry, they are now stepping-in and trying to upset ours. They make their own rules as they go, ....they are ignorant of real state law, and regard the MLS/Commissioner's rules with contempt.
In short, they are tromping on the delicately balanced world of real estate law and ethics, with the carelessness and clumsiness of a neanderthal. They handle themselves in a most unprofessional, unethical and illegal manner.
They need to be made accountable....they need to be stopped....they are out of control...they got us into this mess! If we go along with them, we will be just as guilty of messing up the real estate industry as they are of the financial system collapse.
Kind of reminds me of the joke about the color gentleman (politically correct?), on his way to get a vasectomy and his friend asks him: " Why are you wearing a tuxedo to go get a vasectomy?" and he responds: "If I'm gonna be impotent, I wanna look impotant!".
So, if the banks want to act like the sellers, they need to become the sellers.
The records show that 3 out of 4 short sales fail, and more and more of them are becoming foreclosures due to the inadequate, time-consuming and cumbersome system used by the banks. It only follows, that short sales need to be done-away with altogether, except in the most necessary of cases.
A Short Sale is only a notch above a foreclosure, and it is at par with a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure.
So rather than the usual walk thru the fog, dictated by THE DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCY DEPARTMENT, where we list the property, get an offer, get it accepted by the seller, and then, we start all over again with the bank as the seller, to find out if they'll counter or even approve a contract weeks down the road ....
.......why couldn't we just eliminate the middle man, allowing the seller to DEED the PIQ to the bank IN LIEU OF FORECLOSURE, and then just treat it like a normal REO?
At the very least, we would be now clear who the owner is, ....we would know that the bank is signing the listing agreement, ..... the commissions would be set as a percentage or a flat fee ahead of time, ....and the banks would be a lot more motivated to get off their butts and move that property OFF their shelves!!!
The days when banks were regarded with awe-inspiring admiration, pillars of our society, are long over.
Today, their image has been reduced to that of bottom-feeders in the lagoon, no longer able to stand up to the greatness they once commanded.
"So far the industry hasn't shown any kind of foresight. One reason foreclosures are so rampant is that banks and their advocates in Washington have delayed, diluted, and obstructed attempts to address the problem." Quote from: How Banks are worsening the foreclosure crisis ...read 2/13/09 article here http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20090213/bs_bw/0908b4120034085635
There seems to be something sinister and perverse about the way the banker's minds' operate....and please excuse the frivolity with which I use such blanket statements, I know that individually there are many good people trying to make a living at these institutions.
It could be the intoxicating effect of swimming in so much money .... maybe it is the God-like power they exert over people's lives .... where they can improve or ruin somebody's life with the stroke of a pen .....maybe it's just ignorance or lack of empathy....
....it reminds me in a sick way of a serial killer's profile, where the crime is committed not for the destruction of life, but for the feeling of absolute control over someones life.
Like that old chinese proverb reminds us ..... "we can't put fresh tea in the cup, until we ger rid of the old tea" ...... so I say, ....cut the rope and let the dead weight fall to the bottom....most of the banks are walking dead already.......as Realtors, let's stand up for our industry and regain our sesnse of professional pride.
Because negativity, whining and otherwise just Chicken Little type complaining makes me tired I always try to find the positive side to things. Since the Big News has been the Stimulus Package the past couple days, that's where I was trying to find something positive.
It should be no surprise that Energy Efficiency and Green Collar Jobs have a potential WIN with the Bill. I ran across an article on CNET that laid out much of this information and MORE
Tax Credits for projects that have Electricity derived from Biomass, Landfills, etc. were extended through 2013.
Which we will Desperately NEED because they are now offering a $7500 Tax Credit for Plug In Electric Vehicles. That should put a nice little strain on some already Taxed Grids throughout the US.
The $2000 Cap on the 30 percent Tax Credit for Solar Hot Water was lifted and now matches the 30% on Solar from the October Bailout.
Which Homeowners in Houston TOTALLY wish they had during Hurricane Ike last year when we had no power for weeks on end!
$30B to spend on Smart Grid, Advanced Batteries and Energy Efficiency
Although much of the Energy Efficiency will go toward Federal Buildings - Advanced Batteries for Solar Systems is Fantastic!
All of that is great, but probably the ONE thing that I am personally the MOST excited about is this- According to the article that I read on CNET:
"To retrofit existing homes to be more efficient, the bill extends and expands tax credits for purchase "such as new furnaces, energy-efficient windows and doors, or insulation," according to the committee report. The House and Senate versions extended these credits to 2010 and increased the level to 30 percent with a cap of $1,500 on combined purchases, according to Environment and Energy Daily (subscription required)."
These credits were set to expire at the end of 2009. With much education still in order for Homeowners on how to Make the Homes more Energy Efficient, I am THRILLED that this was in there.
So, you have another year to replace your Furnace, get new insulation and all that other SEXY GREEN stuff that makes your electric bill lower!
Piggy-back mortgages, using second liens, are all but dead. Conventional loans, with down payments of less than 20%, require private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI companies have hiked down payment requirements.
The larger down payment requirements were implemented to “limit loss exposure” to the lenders and guaranteeing agencies/insurers. That’s good right? Well, not necessarily good for you, the borrower. Low down payment loans, while more expensive, help to limit buyer losses in a down market. Low down payment loans transfer market risk from the borrower to the lending institution; it makes the borrower “too big too fail”.
That’s EXACTLY what these big banks and brokerage firms did; they borrowed so much that they became “too big to fail”. Former Labor Secretary, Robert Reich, outlines the conundrum we face by consolidating the companies who were “too big to fail” into larger institutions that are…REALLY “too big to fail”.
What’s that mean to you, the would-be home buyer?
You never want to borrow money you can’t afford to pay back…BUT…a low down payment loan just might give you some insurance against a declining real estate market. It gives you LEVERAGE with the lender when things get…a bit dicey.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Today is Earth Day, and where most of the world chooses to focus on recycling and global warming today, I am focusing on something much, much more important. 
of luck... 
Real estate is often like that...there are many 'squeeze plays' in real estate...when the risks seem to outweigh the advantages...but a lot of real estate results are unpredictable...that's why we don't get paid by the hour... 
so funny... 
We talk about staging homes here on ActiveRain, a big part of home staging is de-cluttering. The good news Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are getting together for some spring cleaning and de-cluttering of the web.
Because negativity, whining and otherwise just Chicken Little type complaining makes me tired I always try to find the positive side to things. Since the Big News has been the Stimulus Package the past couple days, that's where I was trying to find something positive. 
;)
;)
