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The year Thanksgiving took on a new meaning for my family

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:03:09 -0600

I have to admit that for many of my years Thanksgiving was just about turkey, dressing and football. But then in 1992 my life changed forever. I've thought about it more this year than in years past because of the days on the calender this year. You see in 1992, Thanksgiving was also on November 26th. And the Sunday before thanksgiving was when a disaster hit and changed things. It was a warm day. I was in town at a meeting with my 4 year old in tow planning my 10 year high school class reunion. A storm was brewing with some nasty looking clouds so I decided to head home.

On my drive home I saw on the horizon a tornado and it began to hail on my truck. I pulled over (no shelter) and put my little 4 year old in the floor board with a jacket over her and then put myself over her. I really thought that hail was going to break my windshield. I can't tell you how long we stayed like that, although I can tell you that it felt like an eternity. When the hail stopped I buckled Abigail back into her car seat and headed the 3 miles I had left to go home. When I turned on my street I found I could not get home because so many trees were down in the street.

I stopped 1 mile short of my house to talk with a neighbor that had a tree through his dining room window. I was anxious to get home so he let me drive through his yard to go around the tree blocking the road in front of his house. There were several homes I passed, power lines were down and popping and I was pretty scared and worried about my parents. I lived with them at the time after my divorce. Then about half a mile from my house 7 homes were gone. Completely gone. Just the foundations remained and I was in pure panic and so was my daughter. There were no standing trees, no homes and I saw some of the wildest things you can imagine... like a bath tub wrapped around a tree truck.

I actually had to get out of my truck and move a tree. Now I know you are thinking that little ole Tammy couldn't move a tree, but let me tell you when you are that scared you can move an entire tree. I was back in my truck and driving slowly when I met a car. It was my father, but not his car. He was driving a neighbor who had a huge hunk of metal stuck into his face to the hospital. We couldn't call 911 because there were NO phones. He told me mom was okay, but the house was a wreck and to be really careful of all the downed power lines.

I headed on home to find we had what turned out to be $30,000. in damages, no power. Needless to say I was very Thankful to see my mother and she was VERY THANKFUL to see me and her only Grandchild. Now my little Abigail she had ONE thing on her mind at this point. She was worried about her swing set. And by the grace of God while trees had crushed my dad's ski boat about 6 feet from the swing set, it sat there unharmed at all. The chains on the swings were twisted and tangled, but still unharmed.

There would be no turkey in the oven at our house that Thanksgiving.

And while there was a tree IN my room, 7 on the roof of the house, one in the septic tank and over a hundred down on the 2.5 acres my parents owned, the storage room that had all my "stuff" in it had a huge tree down across it and things I had stored after my divorce were all ruined. The biggest loss for me was a baby crib. My PAPA had bought it second hand in Washington DC when my mother was born for $5.00. My Grandmother had painted little bears on it and refinished it. My mom had used it, then her three little sisters and her brother. Then I slept in that crib, then my little brother, then my cousins, then my own daughter. The insurance company had nothing to offer that would ever make that better.

Of course my things I lost were not at all sad compared to 3 of the people in my community who lost their lives that day. Not all all sad compared to the people who were in the hospital, not at all sad compared to my 7 neighbors who had NOTHING left.

It was a week before we had power restored to our house. I did not sleep that night, it was raining into our house. We weren't leaving to go to a hotel for fear of looters. On Monday our family came. My aunt took my daughter home with her and the work began. Sometime around 9 am a local deputy pulled up and opened his trunk and had fried bologna sandwiches and hot coffee. I was very Thankful for it too. The rest of the week the Salvation Army had a truck to come by with hot meals once a day. On Thursday... Thanksgiving 1992 a host of people from my church, my family and my community showed up at our house with all the Thanksgiving food. So we all took a break from cleaning up the mess and stopped to give thanks to God for what we had, for our lives, for our family, for our church family and for our friends.

My X-husband (who is generally speaking not a really nice guy) even showed up and helped an entire day to rebuild a storage building. My uncle came with a well house to cover our well, my other uncle came and they cut up trees and we burned limbs and worked. By this time tarps covered the holes and the insurance adjusters had come and repairs were under way. I did more physical labor in the next few weeks than ever before or since in my life.

I haven't been neglectful in giving thanks to God since. It was a life lesson in what is really important in life. A home isn't a house, it's a place where your family lives. Family and friends are a blessing in life that you should never take for granted.

Thanksgiving for me is very special now and this year because the dates are the same I've spent a lot of time reflecting about that day. And while a tiny little part of me will forever be heartbroken that my own future grand babies will never get to sleep in my mama's second hand crib I have moved on and remained thankful that even after a tornado took "things" away from me I was left with all my loved ones. I am still a little leary when black clouds roll in and tornado warnings are posted for my area. But always on Thanksgiving I remember the blessings from 1992.

So I wish for all of you to have a very Happy Thanksgiving, make sure you tell your family and friends that you love them. And make a special effort to go out of your way to help someone in need this year. I am ever so Thankful for the very special kindness of those and I knew and loved and that of complete strangers that I have always made an effort to help someone in need around Thanksgiving. You never know when the kindness you show someone might just be that act of kindness that changes their life forever.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Speechless Sunday- The real march of the penguins

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:34:10 -0600

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Leftovers for Thanksgiving...

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:23:36 -0600

I am fortunate that I have a wonderful family. My mom and dad have been happily married for 45 years and they both worked jobs that allowed for wonderful long summer vacations. My mom didn't work until I was about a year and half old and then took another year off work when my little brother was born. I remember my dad used to take off the two to three weeks I was out of school for the Christmas holidays. And when my parents worked, for the most part we stayed at my grandparents house up the street. Of course occasionally one of our Aunts or cousins was our babysitter as well. Holidays were wonderful family times and I have great memories.

Time passes and things change. Both my parents are retired now... and like always available for any holiday celebration. The rest of the family... not so easy.

First there is my husband. 6 days on, 3 days off 5:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. You see, they don't let all the prisoners go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so somebody has to be there to watch them. His job does come with some nice benefits, we have good insurance and it offers a nice retirement package. So we deal with the holidays as they come.

Then there is my brother, he's a GM of a restaurant that happens to cater on Thanksgiving to families, who don't have to have time to shop and cook, but still want to sit down to that Turkey and/or ham with dressing, gravy and all the trimmings. To make this happen my brother starts working in the middle of the night before Thanksgiving getting literally hundreds of "Thanksgiving to go" meals ready for pickup.

And now there's my daughter's boyfriend. And thankfully they also don't close the fire department (just in case someone has a Thanksgiving disaster) and he has to work too. So we have a plan.

Thanksgiving comes to the Lankford clan a day early. So on Wednesday while you all are working we'll be sitting down at my house this year to have all the trimmings and need a nap by 1:00. It's okay by me that our "Thanksgiving" is a day FREE of football. :) I'd much rather see As the World Turns anyway.

But on Thanksgiving Day while the rest of you are having your feast, we'll be taking a turkey sandwich to work. And I'll be having one at home while I clean up from our early celebration. (Well not my brother) I think by the end of the day he doesn't want to see turkey again for another year.

So enjoy your Thanksgiving. We certainly will enjoy ours.

And Lane Realty will be closed this week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to give all the agents time to be with their families. Of course we can and will be available by appointment.

I actually wrote my second contract on Thanksgiving Day the year I got my real estate license, but that's a story for antoher day.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

No good deed goes unpunished!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:19:08 -0600

It is in my nature to trust. I always give the benefit of the doubt and trust people until they give me a reason not to. This week I got one, no, make that a dozen reasons not to trust someone that my initial instincts told me not to trust from the first moment I saw him.

I'm not about to say that because a person "looks like" he belongs in prison he should be there, but in this case I now believe that is exactly where this person should be.

As a favor to a friend I helped a potential seller with a lease/purchase agreement. I didn't like the looks of the purchaser, but the seller, my friend, has a son who has a "past", but had straightened his life out. He wanted to give this young man an opportunity to become a home owner.

It didn't work out the way we had hoped it would 6 months ago.

I will start with... the purchaser lied about having the power switched to his name and the seller trusted him and never checked. Oh and the water bill too. I went to court on Wednesday with the seller to get a judgment for the September and October rents. We both know that although the judge issued this order the seller will never pay a dime of those unpaid rents.

Today my friend stopped by my office and told me he had to pay over $1,000.00 in unpaid utility bills to get the utilities turned back on. The house is trashed and my friend will have to pay additional thousands of dollars to replace the carpet, paint, and clean. Oh and when the power was turned off they left food in the closed refrigerator and it's no longer usable.

We sat on the back porch and laughed about it all. After all crying would not do any good.

It is really a shame that when someone with WAY less than perfect credit was given an opportunity to lease and then purchase a home with owner financing from someone willing to "take a chance" on a young person who had made mistakes that he ruined that chance.

I can't say that I would never support giving the same type of person a second change again, I know myself and I know I would. But the lessons I take from this and would like to share is...

Trust, but check.

My friend should have checked with the power and water company to see if the buyer/renter had actually switched the utilities and he should have made visits to the home to see the condition. I should have insisted he do these things. So as I take away this lesson... I'm hoping that anyone reading this will also afford people second chances, but still... check.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Politics in general just make me unhappy, but...

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:15:34 -0600

I am not telling any person in Georgia that you should vote for this candidate for Governor, but I am asking that you at least check him out before you cast your vote next year in the primary. I'm personally supporting Ray. I feel strongly that his views on policy reflect many of my own views. I am thrilled with some of the legislation that he has already authored in part that will be introduced as early as January in the state legislation.

Ray McBerry is a strong beliver in state's rights. I'm excited about his campaign tours and look forward to getting to meet him when he visits near by. But the most exciting thing about Ray McBerry to me is that he isn't a politician at all. He's a small business owner, so I know that he sees the struggles of these economic times and faces the same problems I face as a small business owner.

So just do me the favor of getting to know a little more about Ray McBerry before you cast your vote in 2010. And read the legislation that Ray helped author that will be introduced in the state house in January.

Politics, while not something I discuss with clients every day, are important to the housing market. And I think it's a good thing to research all the candidates you consider before casting your vote. I have been reading about candidates running for Georgia's next Governor for weeks and the conclusion I reached was that Ray McBerry is more like the rest of us regular Georgians and our rights and he got bonus points for not making a career out of politics.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Date night was fabulous in downtown Milledgeville

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:32:15 -0600

If you ever read my blog before you might know that I adore my nearly perfect husband. Last Thursday after a particularly stressful day at the office that ended with an agent finding one of her listing left unsecured by another agent being the 5:01 issue... my sweet husband showed up at the office to go take down one of my signs and take me to our weekly "date night".

There's a new place in downtown Milledgeville, which is actually filled with a wonderful array of dining, called the Asian Bar and Grill. For those of you familiar with downtown Milledgeville it's three doors left of "The Brick". If you haven't been downtown in a long time, it's below my old college hangout "The Opera House".

We were greeted and seated promptly and it's decor is really nice. They have a huge fish tank filled with koi and they were fun to watch. The offer a full bar and Asian dining choices around the globe. You can choose from Thai, Chinese, Korean and Japanese among others. My husband went with Curry Chicken and I choose Shakey Beef from the Korean menu choices. It was a beautiful plate and the beef just melted in my mouth.

Sometimes when we eat in downtown Milledgeville and the weather is nice we walk around and window shop. Thursday was no exception. There are some really nice antique places downtown and it's always fun to "people watch" with the college kids in town milling around. (Don't college kids keep getting younger and younger?)

The Asian Bar and Grill which did come through with a fabulous dinner and excellent atmosphere in which to enjoy it did leave us hanging when it came to dessert. My Donald doesn't feel the dining out experience is quite complete without dessert, so our walk ended up at Blackbird Coffee Shop. Blackbird coffee shop is also a wonderful little place and it was really hard to choose which dessert I wanted with my coffee because they ALL looked so good. We ended ordering 4 "bites" which are just what the name implies.... bites. We choose a chocolate tart bite, a coconut macaroon bite, a cream puff bite and an eclair bite. We took them all nicely boxed up home with our coffee and had dessert at home.

So if you are looking for a really nice date night place, downtown Milledgeville has a lot to offer and I highly recommend the Asian Bar and Grill and dessert and coffee from Blackbird.

And if you are having stress of your own from buying or selling property, just call me, I'd be more than happy to handle the stress for you and help you with your sale or purchase.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Wordless Wednesday- is your current home too small?

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:03:56 -0600

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

When buying a new phone... make a call before you leave the store!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:04:17 -0600

Last night I went out to dinner with my husband and then we stopped by the Verizon store because it was time for me to get a new phone. I love their coverage, so I choose to stay with Verizon, but I have to admit I'm never usually satisfied with the service in the local store and last night was again, no exception.

First of all, there were 5 employees in the store and 3 customers, yet I still had to wait. I truly do not like to wait. I'm known for asking for the first appointment of the day for doctor visits, dental visits and haircuts, but I just don't like to waste my time waiting. When I have an appointment to show property to a doctor, dentist, or hairdresser I don't make them sit in my office and wait to start seeing property. But I stood and waiting, because even though you have to wait, they have NO CHAIRS for you to sit and wait.

I already wasn't in the best of moods because our dining experience had been one where the manager had called us a "training table" and my husbands meal was comped. The food was okay, although my husband's not cooked to order dinner was much better than the manager who got all up in my personal space to apologize. I don't like people in my personal space too much either.

So after about half an hour of waiting, while in a bad mood, it was FINALLY my turn for service. I explained my phone needs to the clerk and also told her of the brand name I prefer because I've had good service and own stock in a particular company. That seemed to aggravate her somewhat. But finally I settled on my new phone and she looked at my ID and went to work. I requested she transfer my contacts and she said okay. Finally after more waiting she handed me both my old and my new phone and we were on our way.

On the drive home I asked my husband to call my phone.... I wanted to see what the ring setting was and decide if I liked it, but that didn't happen. Instead my husband got a message that my phone was not in service. Oh that's not good. Now we had left the store after closing hours, so it wasn't like I could turn around and head back to the store.

I had gotten my last phone via the mail (and I expect will get ever phone I ever get this way in the future) and remembered that if you dial *228 you can "activate" a new phone. So I tried it and it worked. But still none of my contact numbers are in my new phone. I have to go back to the store and wait again. And that's not making me very happy.

So if you buy a new phone... do two things before you leave... make sure it works and make sure your contacts have been successfully transferred.

And if you want to see property, and don't want to have to wait.... call me, I PROMISE I'll be ready before your appointment time and have properties lined up for you to see. Thankfully living at Lake Sinclair is very relaxing and no matter how stressful your day is, your evenings at home looking out over the beautiful lake will make it all better.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

New on the market at Lake Sinclair

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:29:52 -0600

My new listing, priced at $199,900 isn't about the "house", although there is a very 1216 sq. ft. singlewide manufactured home in great condition with 2 Bedroom and 2 full baths, a large covered porch, on nearly an acre with 125 feet of shoreline with seawall built. There's also a beautiful view. The lot is very gentle sloping from the house to the lake.

It would make a really nice weekend/vacation place for wonderful memories to be spent on weekends and summers on Lake Sinclair.

But ideally at some point the new owners of this property wil build a lovely retirement home on this Lake Sinclair lot that is fitting for this cul-de-sac. It's located on a point that is just off the main channel- close enough to have a great view, far enough to not have the beating a seawall takes on holiday weekends on the main channel.

There is also currently already a dock. The drinking water is currently supplied by a private well, but the tap fee has been paid to hook to county water if you would prefer.

The greatroom has patio doors overlooking the lake and a nice fireplace. The open eat-kitchen features a bay window floor to ceiling offering lots of light.

Again, the price is only $199,900.

Call today to get more details or set up a viewing of this property located on South Steel Bridge Road on Lake Sinclair.

He who hesistates has no lake house.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Lake Sinclair buyer says "It doesn't really matter what agent I talk to"

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:38:57 -0600

Yesterday I read a post by Liz Moras on this subject and it prompted me to talk to buyers in my area a little.

I got a call Saturday evening at home.

The customer dialed the office number, but at Lane Realty if you dial our office number after business hours, you still get an agent (please don't call after 11, we do need sleep). It's been a long standing practice at Lane Realty to forward the phone to a full time agent for customers who call during evening hours or before the office opens at 9 a.m. We strive to be available when customers/clients need us. And you never know what time someone might call to make an appointment.

Back to my call. The caller had been at Lake Sinclair earlier in the day with a cell phone that had service from a company that didn't offer good service in this area. He was calling to inquire about the price of a home we have listed. It was not a clear connection and his cell dropped the call. The duty agent had tried to reach him back and left voice mail. Later in the evening he was calling to make an appointment to see the home he had inquired about. I explained to him that I would get in touch with my agent that had duty that afternoon and have them contact him. He seemed upset that I would not make an appointment with him. He said, "It doesn't matter who I talk to, I don't care."

Well, I'm about to explain why I think he should care...

When you are looking for a home on Lake Sinclair there are many avenues to do plenty of looking on line. You can find houses and photos that peak your interest and call agent after agent to make appointments, but it's my opinion this isn't the best way to find a house that suits you.

It's my opinion that you should first decide if you like this area and would like to purchase at home here and then take the following step.

FIND AN AGENT TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR SEARCH FOR PROPERTY.

You see, Lake property is a very unique thing and Lake Sinclair has 15,000 acres and 417 miles of unique shoreline. It's about so much more than finding a neighborhood you like and a house you like. You need an agent with good communication skills to help you with the so much more. There are things like:

Do you want a boathouse? a double boathouse?
How deep do you want the water?
Do you want property with a boat launch?
How large would you like your dock?
Would you like open view on the main lake or a quiet cove with less boat traffic where your children or grandchildren can play in the water?
Do you want an area with building restrictions?
When boating are you going to have to let the top down to go under a bridge to get to the main lake?
Do you want the best fishing places on the lake?
Do you want the best skiing places on the lake?
Three counties border the lake with three very different millage rates for property taxes, which is in your budget?
Information about schools and hospitals in the three different counties vary also, would how long it would take an ambulance to reach your home matter? how about a fire truck?
There are 4 types of ownership on Lake Sinclair: Fee Simple, Strip lease, residential lease, and full lease.

You see, it's complex, and once you hire an agent who is familiar with these things and let them know what is important to you, you can be emailed lists of properties that would fill all or the most important of your wish list. We are also as agents familiar with which lenders have products for each type of property you might be considering. For example if you are looking at a lease lot we know which lender to send you to see, or if you are looking at a manufactured home we have loan officers who do those also.

So it really is to your benefit as a purchaser to find an agent and hire them. If you sign a Buyer's Brokerage Agreement that agent is then obligated to work on your behalf to help you find a home.

If you wanted to paint your house and you called Lowe's, Home Depot and Ace Hardware and Sherman Williams to inquire about paint... you are still sitting there with the same color. If you hire a painter and make a contract you will get your house painted. Same principle. If you hire an agent, that agent will work FOR YOU to find your Lake Sinclair home.

At Lane Realty we have a staff of full time agents to help you located and negotiate to find the best house at the best price available. Just give us a call today if you are looking for a home on Lake Sinclair and would like to HIRE an agent to represent you and help you have a Lake Sinclair home soon.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

My Sincere Thanks to all who have served their country.

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:49:33 -0600

Thank you to my husband and my daddy for helping to keep our nation safe.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

My American Soldier, my hero, my Donald!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:45:15 -0600

My husband is my hero! He served our country in the U.S. Army for 12 years. He grew up being one of those "military brats", he was born in Virginia, spent time in Japan and ended up in San Diego as a teenager.

His father walked out of his life when Donald was just 14 years old. For the past 30 years my husband has not seen nor heard from his father, yet he is the best daddy ever to MY daughter, Abigail.

Donald and I met just over 11 years ago. I was on line in a chat room talking to my web guru. I made a comment about a song and some unknown person disagreed with me and then my Donald jumped to my defense. I've always been one of those "I can take care of myself" kind of girls and didn't feel I needed anyone to come to my defense. But he went on to say that he used to live in Georgia. Turns out he'd spend 4 years at Ft. Benning and 3 or 4 more at Ft. Stewart. He didn't really have a great opinion of my fine state. He said it was too hot and it rained every day.

We exchanged email addresses and a romance began... across an ocean. He was stationed in Germany. And to this day I don't know who "the man" was, nor do I care. But once when I emailed to him to "duck and run" if he heard gun fire, but as he was worked close security detail at the time, he explained to me that it was HIS JOB to jump in front of "the man" to take the bullet. From the beginning our relationship has always felt perfectly right. I truly feel we are a part of each other.

In the middle of fall 9 years ago Donald did not re-enlist. He flew home to visit his family in California and in January of 2001 he moved back to hot, sticky, humid Georgia. At the time he used to sing this song to me all the time. And he was a lot like the man in the song. No car, no job, just a few things tossed into a back pack and me picking him up at the Atlanta airport (he didn't actually walk).

We were married in the summer of 2002. And life has been a wonderful journey together every day since. I remember this one time when he was yelling at his youngest son, for not doing a school project that was due, that I watched Colin's eyes glaze over and actually saw the very second that he just tuned out what his dad was saying and at that moment I grew as a parent and realized there is no need to yell at my daughter. That if you talk softly, you child might listen. This knowledge certainly helped me get our 3 children through their "terrible teens".

Donald sometimes talks about when he was a MP stationed in Georgia,I know a lot about his time in Germany, but just about the only thing he's said about his time in Saudi Arabia was that you could really see all the stars in the sky when you are out in the dark desert at night. I don't pry or push. I just listen. I also know that he had a lot of fun when he helped keep the 1996 Olympics secure. He has some really cool photos from that adventure. He was so fascinated with the tattoo of the Olympic flame on one of the softball players that we have several photos of that. But due to the location of that tattoo, I better not show you those, I'll just leave that to your imagination.

I have the greatest respect for my husband's service to his country. I have an awsome love for his family. His mom, raised 4 wonderful children. Donald was # 2. When their dad was no longer in the picture, she stepped up and did a great job. My Donald is a kind, gentle, hardworking, smart and emotional man.

In February of next year will mark his ninth year with the Georgia Department of corrections. So he continues to work in a field that helps keep America secure and safe. I'm very proud of my husband and his service to our country. I'm thankful that last night he had a fabulous dinner in the oven when I got home from the office. I'm grateful that he sings to me. I'm overjoyed that he tears up at sad movies so I don't have to cry alone. And I'm blessed that he's the "daddy" that my daughter was missing in our lives for so many years. He is a true hero. To his country and especially to me.

This song is my tribute to MY AMERICAN SOLDIER, my hero, my husband.

706-485-9668

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Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

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A real American HERO!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:31:07 -0600

Today I had the pleasure of speaking to a true American Hero on the phone. His name is Robert (Bob) Paschal and he is an American Soldier. Of course at 79 he's retired. He served 5 tours of duty in Korea and Vietnam and served in the Air Force for 22 years. But his work on behalf of soldiers continues.

He says the Lord lead him to do this work. Today 5 purple heart veterans arrived in Crawford County Georgia. They are all in wheelchairs. Tomorrow they are going hunting thanks to Bob. That's right, hunting. The Crawford County Lion's Club, which Bob is the president does this annually.

Bob told me not to give up on my husband telling the things that he can't yet bring himself to speak of from the time he was in a war zone. Bob said, "I finally told my wife after 50 years, so don't you give up on him."

The "deer" hunting is not so much the point of the "deer hunt" that he Lion's club sponsors. It's more about the veterans getting together with others that have shared the same experiences.

I'm looking forward to meeting Bob very soon and getting some photos from this year's hunt to share with you.

But for now I'd like to ask you to consider doing what I did today. Drop a check in mail to the

Crawford County Lion's Club

PO Box 531

Roberta, GA 31078

If every person who reads this mails just $10, it might be enough to give a disable veteran an experience of a lifetime. An experience he thought was out of reach to him forever because of his injuries. With Veterans Day just two days away, think of this as a gift to give back something to someone who sacrified so much for our freedom. Please consider.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

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Fall on Lake Sinclair

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:23 -0600

It's really still warm for this time of year, the highs have been a little above average in the 70's this week and finally we've had a week without 5 days of rain.

It is really beautiful this time of year on Lake Sinclair. The fish are biting and water is calm and most of the ski boats and seados have been put away for winter.

Fall is really my favorite time to be out on the lake putzing around in a pontoon boat. (I long ago gave up water skis and fast boats). My husband is the fishing fan in the family. I'm pretty satisfied to have a good book along.

Our two dogs also love the lake and it's hard for us to keep them out of the water. Labs don't care how cold it is and our Great Dane well he'd follow Laney anywhere.

There are still some wonderful real estate bargains out there right now and I'd be happy to come in off the lake and show you some of them if you just give me a call.

Lane Realty is open 7 days a week. 9 to 5 Monday to Saturday and from 1 to 5 on Sunday. But for the week of Thanksgiving we will close Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and only show property by appointment those days.

Check out our web site and search the Lake Sinclair Area MLS to see what available properties you might be interested in seeing.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Bargain priced foreclosure... Putnam County on 15 acres

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:44:44 -0600

This beautiful 6 bedroom brick home went to auction last month, but the bank did not accept the highest bid. It's back on the market and the price has been reduced.

It's now listed for $359,900.

It's a huge house with big rooms, a two car attached garage, a full finished basement. The basement is plumbed for a second kitchen to be added. The master bedroom suite is on the main floor with additional bedrooms and baths on the upper level and in the basement. The basement is a walk-out with a view of the pond.

It's on 15 acres and has a pond, paved driveway and well kept grounds. I expect at this low price that it will not last on the market very long. If you want to see this home, just give me a call on my cell phone at 478-456-5161 and I'll be happy to set up a showing with you.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Oh be careful little mouth what you say.... because my ears can hear!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:26:19 -0600

I had a phone call yesterday asking me to recommend a home stager. I was about to go to my handy dandy little file box of numbers, but the caller kept talking and I withdrew my hand from my box of numbers and listened.

It seems this caller was making an attempt to "deceive" an appraiser. They are in the "process" of a refinance deal and are telling the bank this is their primary residence. I suspect it is not.

My reasons are quite valid for my suspicions.
1. I previously had this home listed

2. I had done an interior CMA since my listing.

3. The owners do not work locally

4. The house has no furniture

5. The house has no refrigerator

6. The house has no running water.

7. The house has no heat or air.

8. I deemed it "uninhabitable" when I saw the "house"

I viewed this property as a "tear-down" not a "fixer" when I listed it a few years ago and the owner told me nothing has been done. When I had this property listed I had it entered into the MLS as a "Lake LOT". The value is only in the actual waterfront property.

Now I don't think he should have trouble getting a mortgage as a second home, but I will not be a part of sending him someone to furnish his home to make it appear as though someone lives there so he can get a better rate and say he lives there. I hate that I'm not going to be sending business to my friend in the area who stages homes, but I also called her to let her know his name and that if by chance he did get her number, she might not want this job.

I will not every knowingly put my license in jeopardy for any reason.

When first we practice to deceive...

So if you are not being honest... please don't call me for help. I'm happy to help so long as I don't have to forget my moral compass.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

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Wordless Wednesday- Almost wordless anyway!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:06:38 -0600

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

I know now, I did a good job!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:37:16 -0600

This morning my phone rang around 11:00 a.m. It was my daughter and there is nothing unusual about her calling me. She calls me every day. Some days multiple times. We're very close and so when I saw her name on the caller ID I figured she was just saying hi and checking in.

But today she had a question. "Mom, do I need to drive home and vote?" My answer was no. You see we have nothing to vote on this November in my county. No candidates being elected this year and no referendums to vote on this year. It was one of those moments where I sat back and said... my daughter turned out great. She is still quite young, just 21. She is also on of the most responsible young women I know. She has fabulous work ethic and genuinely cares about her fellow man. And obviously she feels voting is a responsibility, not a right or a privilege.

It reminded me of November 3 years ago. I had of course arranged for my daughter to get a ballot at college so she could vote for the governor of our state. Some of her dorm mates had laughed at her as she studied her ballot and looked up information on candidates and reforendums. She called me that day too, with an outrage in her voice because she couldn't believe that other 18 year old girls on her hall had no intention of voting and didn't really care.

I'm very proud of my daughter. I have to sit back and think that she must have been listening to me at some point when she was pretending to do something else.

So did you have an election where you live today? And if you did, did you vote? And if you have children, are you teaching them the importance of voting? It is our voice. It is the only way we are heard.

And if you are buying a home, it's equally important to have a buyer's agent to guide you through the process. You should listen, not let them make your decision, but thoughtfully listen to their advice before you make a decision.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Toto nowhere to be found, but Dorothy did stop in!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:57:18 -0500

Every year my Donald carves me a pumpkin, The seeds are roasting in the oven usually by this time, but not this year.

We go to the market and we buy a big bag of candy. We trim the lantana off the steps. The porch light is on, the lights are dim and we get ready... just in case.

And as always, out where we live, the knocks do not come to our door with one single exception.

This year the one beautiful little girl who came to knock on our door and say "Trick or Treat" was Dorothy from Kansas. She was just beautiful and we nearly stuffed her pumpkin full of candy, puzzle books, pencils and gummy things. She gets a real loot at our house, because we only buy candy we like since we usually end up having to eat it.

Dorothy also stayed to visit a while. She got to play with Gabby and give her a fresh catnip leaf as a treat. She also gave a treat to Glen and Laney, but only while they were in their crates, since each of my dogs were larger than Dorothy.

Isn't she just adorable?

I just love those Ruby Red Slippers with those blue socks.

I know that next year we will do the same thing again, buy the pumpkin, carve the pumpkin, put up the decorations and buy the candy and turn on the porch light and wait and while I don't know who will show up... I am sure that I will always have one little pretty girl come to my door and say "Trick or Treat".

Do you turn out your lights? Leave Home? or do you participate in Halloween?

Now I have to go and take care of the cookies in the oven. I can't put the pumpkin seeds in until I take out the cookies and let the oven cool to the right temperature...

Happy Halloween everyone!

Purrrrrr!

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Save your family's life with the "fall back" hour this weekend!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:50:39 -0500

Every year house fires cause over 4000 deaths in the United States. Approximately 130 of those deaths are in the state of Georgia. Many could be avoided if all families have working smoke alarms in their homes. Of course having a smoke alarm isn't enough. You have to have WORKING smoke alarm. It should be tested at least monthly and you should have a fire escape plan for your family that you have actually practiced.

Remember those fire drills when you were in grade school? Well plan one for your family. You should practice several times and with no notice to all family members. An in the middle of the night drill will tell you if your family is ready and would likely survive a house fire. It's also a good idea to have several fire extinguishers in your home. I have one in my laundry room, one in the kitchen and one in my bedroom. I also had one in each of my children's rooms when the kids still lived at home, but I sent them off to college with them. (I also keep one in the trunk of my vehicle)

So this weekend when you get that extra hour... make good use of it. Make sure you have working smoke alarms, add fresh batteries and sit down and plan your fire escape plan with your family. It could save your life and the lives of those you love if you just have a plan of action to take in case of a fire.

I've heard it said so many times that people say "well I'd try to get my photographs, they can't be replaced." Well I've lost a family member in a house fire and your photographs can be safe guarded, but you certainly can't replace people. You can scan photos and store the cd at the bank in safe deposit box or use one of the many on-line places to store your photos. Get your family out. Make a plan.

The Ready.Georgia website has some great information for planning. And some do and do nots for different types of fires that you should know and teach your children about.

Most home fires occur in winter when heat from different sources is being utilized. So Saturday night when you are getting ready to go to bed, remember to change your clocks! But even if you forget that... don't worry you'll be early not late to church! But whatever you do, don't forget to make sure you have a working smoke alarm and a fire escape plan. It just may save the lives of those you love. And I can't think of anything more important than that.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Milledgeville T-shirt company sells great product!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:42:40 -0500

My daughter works for this company that makes and sells these t-shirts. They can be custom imprinted. Prices are great and if you might be interested please give Abi a call at 478-456-5878.

They are great shirts and can custom imprints for a really good price. And I think with the video the product sort of speaks for itself with the resistance to fire.

And as always if you are are looking for property on Lake Sinclair give me a call. I'd be happy to help you with that.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Because Lane Realty lists Lake Sinclair foreclosures... we know how to represent buyers on these deals!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:39:07 -0500

For years now Lane Realty has been listing foreclosures. As the market has changed more and more foreclosures are occurring and dictating market values. So if you are looking to purchase a foreclosure in the Lake Sinclair area who better to help you than a brokerage thatis familiar with the process and extra steps and paperwork of a foreclosure.

There are a lot of great deals out there right now. Even private party listings have values that are lower than they have been in years.

If you are looking for a waterfront property on Lake Sinclair it's a great time to invest

Here are just a few of the deals available.

For a more complete list of properties available you can visit our website and search the Lake Sinclair Area Multiple Listing Service.

It's updated daily!

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Raising children at Lake Sinclair!

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:08:04 -0500

I recently heard a story, it's was part of a book I'm listening to in my car, about people moving away from their hometown for work. I sit and ponder that my little town has lost jobs over the past few years. Some manufacturing jobs have been cut back and others lost all together. I suppose I feel fortunate that my community has two colleges and a technical school, a VA center, a hospital and still two prisons in the area that employee people. Do I worry about it? I do. Would I move to a city for work? No, I would not.

For me family has and will always come first. I was a single mom for 14 years. My daughter was and is the light of my life. And I raised her right here in little old Eatonton, GA. A place that many of my high school classmates fled from without so much as a glance back. But my family is here and here is where I will be. And my daughter, Abigail, who is a senior in college is one of the brightest, happiest kids I know. She has fabulous work ethic and is really a good person.

So if you are looking for a nice area to raise a family.... Lake Sinclair is a good choice. We are just an hour drive from Macon, not more than an hour and half from most places in Atlanta. So buy a house here and commute to work if you need to work in a city.

I recently mentioned that I've jotted down a few poems in my day and one of my friends here on ActiveRain prodded me to share.

So here is a copy of a poem I wrote for my daughter when she was a high school senior.

This was the ad I put in her senior yearbook.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Marketing your Cat House????

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:54:04 -0500

I love my cats and I have three of them. They have the run of the house all the time. I don't let them get on the table or the countertop when I'm home, but of course I find the occassional item knocked off the window sill over my sink, so I know they MUST go there when I am sleeping or at the office.

I also have two large dogs. When I am home they have the run of the house, they also have crates inside for sleeping and a fence outside.

BUT, my house is not on the market. I am fully aware that most people would walk into my house on any given day and think it was a zoo.

Today I showed a home that had at least 15 cats and smelled like more. I really couldn't count them as they were running and hissing and trying to escape out the door. The sand boxes (and I didn't count them either) were not scooped, there were ants in the cat food and water had been spilled in the basement.

It's not my listing, so while it's not my place to have a sit down meeting with the owner, maybe they will read this post. I did give feedback to the listing agent and I will NOT be showing that house while it is still occupied again. My clients will not be making an offer on that house either.

We really couldn't tell much about the house because the smell prevented us from staying long enough to really tour it. The view outside was lovely. The garden was nice, the decks were fabulous. The price is good. It has a fruit trees, a carport, a storage shed and a nice lakeside dock and seawall.

If you are listing your home and you love your pets there are some things that are a must.

Feed your pets when you are home
Scoop the litter box
Crate or walk your dogs during showings
Crate your cats during showings.

And while this is just a suggestion... if you have 15 cats... just move first and then maybe your home will have a reasonable chance to sell.

I know I would need to move with 5 animals, have my carpets professionally cleaned and paint and removed drapes to get rid of the cat dander in my house. I do these things on a regular basis just because I want to live in a clean house, but again, my house is not currently on the market. And I do love my pets.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Flood insurance could be an issue for sellers on Lake Sinclair

Tammy Lankford/Broker (Lane Realty) Lake Sinclair — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:17:26 -0500

Thinking of selling your home on Lake Sinclair? Think it doesn't matter if you don't have flood insurance because you have no mortgage? Well your buyer may have to have a mortgage so it's still something to think about.

Today I got this email inquiry:

Tammy, I have not connected in some time, but wanted to say hello and get some guidance-My sister and I have a home over off XXXXX River on XXXXX Drive and we looked into flood insurance recently and were told by our insurance company today that she plugged in our address and we are in flood zone A- I remember that I read that some mapping was re-done, but not sure on the specifics as we do not have a traditional mortgage thru a bank where they may have informed the owners-we are being told the cost would be $2K /year- just wondering if this is what other folks have run into when they go to sell their homes, do banks now require flood insurance in the area if you go to sell to a new buyer that gets a loan? what if the new buyer cant afford $2K a year; also, the insurance company mentioned gettting a certificate or something-I am so confused on this issue and wanted to find out the correct information and make sure I have the right information on our home for future-any information about the best course of action or a resource would be helpful- thanks a ton

Potential Seller

I sent her back an email with a link to a post I wrote last winter when FEMA maps were still quite new to Putnam County.

I have advised all of my sellers and most of them have taken my advice to get an elevation certificate because most homes don't need to have flood insurance, but there is a process you must go through. To be exempt or to have people wanting to purchase your home to be exempt you need a LOMA. (Letter of Map Ammendment)

Full pool of Lake Sinclair is 340 feet above sea level. The height of the top of the Sinclair Dam is 343 feet above sea level. Homes are required to be above the 343 to be issued a LOMA from FEMA. The process is not difficult. You need to get an elevation certificate from a registered surveyor and file paper work with FEMA for consideration of map ammendment.

Of course it takes time. The process is 8 to 10 weeks usually. So by the time a LOMA is issued your buyers could have walked, lost their rate lock, purchased another home.... so the time to get your LOMA is NOW. Before you list your house.

The link above is to my previous post that includes local surveyors that will be happy to get the process started.

Beginning July 9, 2009 submittals for request should be sent to LOMC Clearninghouse, 6730 Santa Barbara Court, Elkridge, MD 21075 to the attention of LOMR Manager on MT-2

For questions about this type of request you can contact the MAP ASSISTANCE CENTER of FEMA at

1-877-336-2627

It's important not to wait.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.