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    <title>Linda's Blog</title>
    <link>http://activerain.com/blogs/lindasellsupstatesc</link>
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2306833/spartanburg-real-estate-buyers-don-t-put-the-cart-before-the-horse-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: Buyers, Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse!</title>
      <description>&lt;h3&gt;
&lt;a href="http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/"&gt;Spartanburg Real Estate: Buyers: Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse!&lt;/a&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZARXWXqGltc/TdXbiHspTII/AAAAAAAAACs/gW2MeySyCxc/s1600/222Bridgeport.jpg"&gt;&lt;img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZARXWXqGltc/TdXbiHspTII/AAAAAAAAACs/gW2MeySyCxc/s200/222Bridgeport.jpg" border="0" height="150" alt="" width="200"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Beautiful Home for Sale&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Boiling Springs&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CYuxcST9CsM/TdXbmapozhI/AAAAAAAAACw/Vp3G5sTAi_Q/s1600/217Charlesworthfront.jpg"&gt;&lt;img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CYuxcST9CsM/TdXbmapozhI/AAAAAAAAACw/Vp3G5sTAi_Q/s200/217Charlesworthfront.jpg" border="0" height="108" alt="" width="193"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Great Starter Home for Sale &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in Spartanburg&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&amp;#65279;&amp;#65279;&amp;#65279;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Home for Sale In Spartanburg&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;In &amp;nbsp;Convenient Location&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Spartanburg Home for Sale &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;In Historic Beaumont&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;I have been in real estate here in the Spartanburg SC area for over 12 years now and it never ceases to amaze me when buyers do not want to get preapproved! They want to go look at homes for sale&amp;nbsp;and WHEN they find the right one then they will get preapproved! Now, I suppose that makes perfect sense to them, however it is "putting the cart before the horse" as that old expression goes! Buyers, if you are reading this and recognize yourselves, please keep reading as I share why this does not make sense.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Have you looked at your credit report lately? There could be something there that needs to be cleared up before you can buy that home for sale you have fallen in love with! &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;How much debt do you have? You may need to look at a different price home than you think you need to be looking at! Your debt ratios may prevent you from going as high you might like! &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is your employment situation really permanent? Quite often you cannot get approved for a mortgage if you are a temp or a contract worker. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Did you recently buy a new vehicle with a big new car payment to match? Could affect those debt ratios! &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Did you change jobs recently and now you work in a totally different field? You might need to wait a little longer! &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Past foreclosure, short sale, or bankruptcy? Usually need at least 3 years of really good credit history before you can buy again. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Have you applied for alot of credit recently? Lots of inquiries can affect your scores! &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any recent late payments? Many loans require a 12 month history of no late payments. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Buying a home is NOT like buying a car! Make sure you get preapproved before going out to look at homes in Spartanburg&amp;nbsp;and make sure you find qualified professionals to help you every step of the way. The home buying process can be lots of fun, but also can be stressful with lots of possible landmines along the way when you go it alone!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, remember, don't put the cart before the horse!&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Please feel free to contact me for help and visit my website at &lt;a href="http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/"&gt;http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Happy House Hunting for that perfect home!!&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bOchg-Bf958/TdXfiW3a2AI/AAAAAAAAAC8/AAu91xtuPGo/s1600/2CP_RES_215743_0001.jpg"&gt;&lt;img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bOchg-Bf958/TdXfiW3a2AI/AAAAAAAAAC8/AAu91xtuPGo/s200/2CP_RES_215743_0001.jpg" border="0" height="101" alt="" width="200"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;#65279;&amp;#65279;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7ENf1qphT8/TdXglr9GIlI/AAAAAAAAADA/N21nJPgT5dQ/s1600/41377_1347742343_5044_n.jpg"&gt;&lt;img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7ENf1qphT8/TdXglr9GIlI/AAAAAAAAADA/N21nJPgT5dQ/s200/41377_1347742343_5044_n.jpg" border="0" height="200" alt="" width="132"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;td&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&amp;#65279;&amp;#65279;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Each Office is Independently Owned &amp;amp; Operated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
 &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 00:11:14 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2306833/spartanburg-real-estate-buyers-don-t-put-the-cart-before-the-horse-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2281523/spartanburg-sc-spring-fling-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg SC: Spring Fling!</title>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iMLFQXLw1F0/TcIoRmmWnuI/AAAAAAAAACk/JHFBzcvGjGc/s1600/Img_5900%255B1%255D.jpg" id="usa-link" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iMLFQXLw1F0/TcIoRmmWnuI/AAAAAAAAACk/JHFBzcvGjGc/s320/Img_5900%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" height="213" alt="" width="320"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Spartanburg Spring Fling&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May 6, 7, 8&amp;nbsp; 2011 &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Downtown Spartanburg &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;It's that time&amp;nbsp; again!&amp;nbsp; Time for Spartanburg's most popular street festival! Spring Fling.&amp;nbsp; This popular Spartanburg Downtown Festival has been&amp;nbsp; drawing crowds for over 30 years and has something to offer every member of your family.&amp;nbsp; From Arts and Crafts Vendors to live entertainment by Local and National Musicians this festival showcases the best of Spartanburg! When it comes to music whether you are a little bit country, a rock &amp;lsquo;n roller, into pop rock, blues, gospel, alternative rock, R&amp;amp;B, or jazz you will find a band for you!&amp;nbsp; One of the concerts on Sunday will be the 2009 "American Idol" winner Kris Allen.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;Many other activities and types of entertainment will be&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; offered such as the&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;Disc Connected K-9&amp;nbsp;s&amp;nbsp;(a professional dog and Frisbee show), a classic car show,&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/0/2/6/5/ar130464884656203.PNG" height="90" alt="" width="208" style="float: right;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;and a professional bicycle race -&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;The Spartanburg Regional Classic&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;that features top cyclists from all over the world.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;The races are presented by Partners for Active Living. and have become popular events.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;&lt;img src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/7/2/6/2/ar130464919926275.JPG" height="126" alt="" width="114" style="float: left;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: right;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Another new addition to Spartanburg Spring Fling is&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: right;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The Underground&amp;nbsp;which will feature&amp;nbsp;inter-active gaming&amp;nbsp;and a texting competition.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: right;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;On Sunday&amp;nbsp; (Mother's Day)&amp;nbsp; there will be a Mother&amp;nbsp; Daughter Look-A-Like Contest and a Scavenger Hunt with $1000. worth of prizes for someone's lucky mother! And of course there will plenty of&amp;nbsp; food&amp;nbsp; and drink vendors so you can indulge in typical festival food or more gourmet menu items. General Admission is free and there is ample parking in Downtown Spartanburg. Festival hours are 6 pm-10 pm on Friday, 11 am- 9 pm on Saturday, and 1 pm -&amp;nbsp; 7 pm on Sunday.&lt;br&gt;&lt;em&gt;So come on out and enjoy the 33rd Annual Spring Fling in Downtown Spartanburg!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 May 2011 22:38:32 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2281523/spartanburg-sc-spring-fling-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2255229/spartanburg-real-estate-so-do-you-really-want-to-buy-a-short-sale-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: So Do You Really Want To Buy A Short Sale??</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;In today's world of real estate there are many opportunities for good deals. Foreclosures, motivated sellers, and short sales are examples of some of those opportunities. For those of you who may not have heard the term "short sale", a simple explanation is that a homeowner is trying to sell their home for less than what they owe their lender and are asking them to accept that lesser amount and also cover the expenses associated with the sale. On the surface that may sound as if it should be really simple, however it is much more involved than you the buyer may realize. I have handled numerous short sales in the Spartanburg area, many before most agents even knew what a short sale was. Over the 12+ years that I have helped people to buy and sell homes I have managed to handle some short sales successfully, some unsuccessfully and have found them to be difficult, challenging, frustrating, and rewarding! Rewarding because homeowners who desperately want to sell their home as a short sale rather than go through a foreclosure are extremely appreciative of their agent helping them through such a stressful time in their lives. It is critical that short sale agents be compassionate, empathetic, and sympathetic, as well as being a good listener! Unfortunately, bad things happen to good people and any of us could end up on the verge of losing our homes!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a buyer there are things that you need to understand about short sales.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Rule # 1 -- Patience, patience, patience! Do not expect daily or even weekly updates! Your agent cannot make loss mitigators or negotiators communicate with them. Quite often the attitude is "when we have anything to tell you you will hear something. When you don't hear anything then we have no news!" This is not your agent's attitude so please understand when there is no news it is not for lack of concern or effort on your agent's part.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Understand if you need to be in a house in 30 or 60 or even 90 days then attempting to buy a short sale may not be for you! Short sales can take months sometimes! When you start to get impatient remember Rule # 1!!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The process is so much more involved than you and possibly even your agent realizes. There are so many "layers of approval".  For example there is the mortgage insurance company and the investors that have to approve the sale.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;There is lots and lots of paperwork involved! Quite often the listing agent has to send the same paperwork numerous times since there is a "black hole" that some of it disappears into!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Many lenders will not approve Home Warranties and quite often will limit the amount of closing costs on a short sale.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Quite often short sales are "AS IS" sales. If the house does not meet your lender's requirements for financing you may either need to look at a different type of financing or move on to a different property.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Understand that you still need to be reasonable with your offer. Usually a short sale is already listed significantly below normal market value. Your agent can advise and counsel you as to an appropriate offer based on comparables and an evaluation of the condition of the property.  Short sale homes may have deferred maintenance issues that could affect value.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Every short sale is different! Sometimes the list price is approved by the lender and sometimes the listing agent is just trying to generate interest by dropping the price. Don't assume that the list price is the price the bank will approve!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Quite often the agents commissions ( ie: paychecks) end up being reduced by the lender even though the agents are doing alot more work to try to get this worked out for you and the seller! &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The lender will order BPOs (Broker Price Opinions). The information that the BPO agent will primarily use will be recent sales from MLS (Multiple Listing Service).  Again as stated above be reasonable with your offer.  More than likely you will get a good deal but making a ridiculous offer will not help you to get the short sale worked out!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Remember - this process is just as frustrating for the seller and the agents as it is for you! Your agent wants you to get the house you want for the price and terms that work for you! The listing agent wants to get their seller out of the situation they are in without a foreclosure on their credit. There is no advantage to any of these parties to drag their feet. Basically all parties have the same goal! Everyone wants to make it to the closing table!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is just an overview. It is not intended to be a complete list of everything involved in a short sale. Hopefully this overview will help you understand more about short sales and what is involved, and help you to appreciate the efforts of all parties involved!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;After all of this if you decide to make an offer on a short sale, remember Rule # 1 - patience, patience, patience!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If I can help you or anyone you know please feel free to contact me at &lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt; or call me at 864-909-2500.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;And please visit my website at &lt;a href="http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/"&gt;http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:53:36 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2255229/spartanburg-real-estate-so-do-you-really-want-to-buy-a-short-sale-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2255226/spartanburg-real-estate-parade-of-homes-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: Parade of Homes!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Spring Parade of Homes is coming soon! Homes all around Spartanburg will be open on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 from 2 pm - 5 pm each afternoon.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Whether you are looking for your dream home, gathering decorating ideas, trying to find the right agent to market your home, or just want to see what the inside of some homes look like there will be lots of homes open!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I will be featuring Beaumont Mill Village which is now a Local Historic District on the Parade of Homes and will have 5 homes open!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;408 Gentry St&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;442 Gentry St&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;443 Gentry St&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;115 Phifer Dr&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;693 Maywood St&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please stop by to visit these homes and find out more about Spartanburg's rich history that is tied to the textile industry. There will be members of the Beaumont Neighborhood Association on hand to share with you just how much this neighborhood means to them!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information please contact me at &lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt; or 864-909-2500.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;And visit my website at &lt;a href="http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/"&gt;http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:50:24 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2255226/spartanburg-real-estate-parade-of-homes-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2249306/spartanburg-real-estate-buyers-don-t-put-the-cart-before-the-horse-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: Buyers, Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I have been in real estate here in the Spartanburg SC area for over 12 years now and it never ceases to amaze me when buyers do not want to get preapproved! They want to go look at houses and WHEN they find the right one then they will get preapproved! Now, I suppose that makes perfect sense to them, however it is "putting the cart before the horse" as that old expression goes! Buyers, if you are reading this and recognize yourselves, please keep reading as I share why this does not make sense.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Have you looked at your credit report lately? There could be something there that needs to be cleared up before you can buy! &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;How much debt do you have? You may need to look at a different price home than you think you need to be looking at! Your debt ratios may prevent you from going as high you might like! &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Is your employment situation really permanent? Quite often you cannot get approved for a mortgage if you are a temp or a contract worker. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Did you recently buy a new vehicle with a big new car payment to match? Could affect those debt ratios! &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Did you change jobs recently and now you work in a totally different field? You might need to wait a little longer! &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Past foreclosure, short sale, or bankruptcy? Usually need at least 3 years of really good credit history before you can buy again. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Have you applied for alot of credit recently? Lots of inquiries can affect your scores! &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Any recent late payments? Many loans require a 12 month history of no late payments. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Buying a home is NOT like buying a car! Make sure you get preapproved before going out to look at homes and make sure you find qualified professionals to help you every step of the way. The home buying process can be lots of fun, but also can be stressful with lots of possible landmines along the way when you go it alone!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;So, remember, don't put the cart before the horse!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Please feel free to contact me if I can help and visit my website at &lt;a href="http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/"&gt;http://www.sellingupstatesc.net/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Happy house hunting!!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:27:11 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2249306/spartanburg-real-estate-buyers-don-t-put-the-cart-before-the-horse-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2249231/spartanburg-real-estate-it-s-official-beaumont-is-now-local-historic-district-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: IT'S OFFICIAL!! Beaumont is now Local Historic District!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;History was made on April 11, 2011 when Spartanburg City Council passed the second and final reading regarding making Beaumont Mill Village a Local Historic District! Normally council chambers are somewhat subdued however immediately after the final reading applause broke out! Many years of hard work was finally realized. Being situated on the "Gateway to Spartanburg", Beaumont becoming a Local Historic District is a major victory for those of us who champion historic preservation and will definitely have a positive impact on the city of Spartanburg. There are several different types of architectural styles unique to mill villages reflected in Beaumont ranging from circa 1890 to 1946. Styles include the very simple Saddlebag style to craftsman bungalows. There is a tremendous variety of different types of architectural styles in this community and once inside these treasures it is amazing to see the uniqueness of each of these homes. Many have the high beadboard ceilings, beautiful wood floors, and transoms over interior doorways. I have chosen to highlight the Beaumont Mill Village for this year's Spartanburg Herald-Journal's Parade of Homes April 30 and May 1 from 2 pm to 5 pm each day. There will be 5 homes open that weekend and residents from the community will be on hand to answer questions about the rich history of the village. You are invited to visit so you can see first hand why this village is worth preserving! I look forward to seeing you there!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please visit my website to find out more about homes in this Historic neighborhood!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.sellingupstatesc.net"&gt;http://www.sellingupstatesc.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Beaumont Mill Village" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/3/1/1/8/ar130298234881131.JPG" height="256" alt="Beaumont Mill Village" width="372"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:34:14 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2249231/spartanburg-real-estate-it-s-official-beaumont-is-now-local-historic-district-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2225817/spartanburg-real-estate-beaumont-mill-village</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: Beaumont Mill Village</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Beaumont Mill Village is a major step closer to becoming a Local Historic District!&lt;/strong&gt; On March 28, 2011, Spartanburg City Council met and held a public hearing. Making Beaumont Mill Village a Local Historic District was on the agenda. Martin Meeks, a respected architect who specializes in preservation of communities such as Beaumont spoke as to the study that was conducted, the architectural styles of housing in Beaumont, and an overview of the guidelines. He and the City Planning Department went to great lengths to come up with guidelines that are realistic and would not be a major burden on property owners. No one would be expected to rehab their properties to meet these guidelines at this time. Only when the property owner is ready to make repairs or improvements would the guidelines affect what they do. There are 2 categories of types of improvements, major and minor works. The guidelines will not come into play with any interior improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Stephanie Monroe with the City Planning Department also spoke about possible grant money they working on trying to make available to owner occupants to help with improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Several individuals spoke in favor of making this happen. Only 2 residents of Beaumont spoke out against the issue. One of those who spoke out felt that Beaumont had been fine all these years and that the neighborhood did not need any restrictions to dictate what people can and can't do to their property. Lewis Settle, President of the Neighborhood Association was one of the ones who spoke in favor citing concerns over preserving the vital history of the neighborhood, keeping the neighborhood safe, and not allowing the neighborhood to decline as some other neighborhoods in the city have over the years. Other life long residents of Beaumont spoke out in favor relating positive memories of growing up in the community and of how their parents worked in the mill when it was in operation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I spoke out as a member of the real estate community in Spartanburg sharing how important it is to preserve our rich history that is tied to the textile industry and how strongly I feel that by preserving Beaumont Mill Village we will be preserving history but also will be preserving property values. In time I can envision this becoming a popular neighborhood for hospital employees and college employees due to the convenient location of Beaumont.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Spartanburg City Council Members in attendance unanimously passed the first reading! This is an exciting time for Spartanburg and for Beaumont Mill Village! This designation will definitely have a positive impact on real estate values in Beaumont. I look forward to working with buyers who have a desire to live in this community that is such an important part of our city's rich history!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:58:13 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2225817/spartanburg-real-estate-beaumont-mill-village</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2190507/all-internet-no-print-does-it-matter-</guid>
      <title>All internet, no print. Does it matter?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;When I first became a real estate agent 12+ years ago one of the first questions every seller would ask me was &lt;em&gt;"when will my house be in the newspaper?"&lt;/em&gt;&amp;nbsp; As the years have gone by I get that question less often. &amp;nbsp;Many sellers still ask about the books, which in our market here in Spartanburg, SC is The Real Estate Book.&amp;nbsp; As far as newspaper we do not have a Sunday real estate section anymore but a Friday insert called Carolina Homes.&amp;nbsp; I find that many sellers do not get the newspaper these days and are not always aware of the change from Sunday to Friday.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When I go to appointments where I am competing with other agents I am finding that my competition quite often tells Mr or Ms Seller that they only do internet marketing. Of course they present this in a very positive way.&amp;nbsp; They probably talk in terms of the power and reach of the internet and how your first showings are on the internet first whereas years ago your first showings were actual physical showings, etc, etc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;To be honest I firmly believe that an effective marketing plan includes both print and internet. I also believe that many of these agents who are touting that they only do internet marketing are really not fully disclosing the reasons why.&amp;nbsp; The last few years have been challenging &amp;nbsp;for real estate agents and, as in any business when less is coming in then you have to re-evaluate how much you are spending and cut back. Many agents have chosen to cut back by not doing any print marketing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of course why would any agent tell a prospective seller that they cannot afford to market their home in print? &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Every market is different and in Spartanburg, SC I believe it is critical to have a balanced marketing plan that includes various mediums. Social media is important, as well as maximum exposure on the internet. Buyers are not just looking on realtor.com these days. They are checking out Trulia, zillow, oodle, and many other websites. Agents need to have a personal website for their business and utilize search engine optimization. Agents need to use twitter, facebook, &amp;nbsp;activerain. The list goes on and on!&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;And, yes, print still matters.&amp;nbsp; After all, when you dine out there are always books like The Real Estate Book!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:24:39 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2190507/all-internet-no-print-does-it-matter-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2190440/spartanburg-real-estate-beautiful-home-in-boiling-springs-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg Real Estate: Beautiful home in Boiling Springs!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;As you enter this lovely home you will be impressed with the gleaming hardwood floors and spacious floorplan! For more information please visit &lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt; or call Linda Rademacher at 864-909-2500.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;4 bedrooms&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;2.5 baths&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;approx 2386 SF&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Large rooms&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;.73 acre lot&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;2 car attached garage&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Lots of cabintes and counter space&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Spartanburg MLS 193278&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Bible Church Rd" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/4/7/7/8/ar13002392987746.JPG" height="451" alt="Bible Church Rd" width="555"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Bible Church LR" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/7/2/3/6/ar130023939463271.JPG" height="415" alt="Bible Church LR" width="566"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Bible Church LR 2" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/3/5/4/3/ar130023948934536.JPG" height="426" alt="Bible Church LR 2" width="568"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Bible Church kitchen" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/8/4/6/3/ar130023963336488.JPG" height="427" alt="Bible Church kitchen" width="570"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:43:16 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2190440/spartanburg-real-estate-beautiful-home-in-boiling-springs-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2184028/spartanburg-sc-a-bicycle-friendly-town-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg SC: A Bicycle Friendly Town!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Many of you may not realize that &lt;strong&gt;Spartanburg, SC&lt;/strong&gt; earned the designation of&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;being a &lt;strong&gt;Bicycle Friendly Community&lt;/strong&gt; in 2006&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;In September of 2007, Spartanburg reached&amp;nbsp;the goal of earning a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community designation and became the first bike friendly community in the state of South Carolina. In August, 2011&amp;nbsp;Spartanburg has to reapply to either maintain the current designation or be eligible to move up to a higher level (Silver or Gold).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are many opportunities for biking in and around Spartanburg. Biking is a great way to stay in shape and have quality family time on a smaller budget than many activities require! Don't forget to keep safety in mind and wear helmets and other protective gear like kneepads.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Some places you may want to check out for biking are listed below. Now that Spring is just around the corner you may want to plan a bike outing to one these popular trails or events!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Croft State Park Natural Area&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;has 12 miles of biking and hiking trails.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;A green retreat in the heart of fast-growing Spartanburg County, the park also offers a playground, picnicking and camping areas, as well as fishing and boating in two lakes, including 150-acre Lake Craig.&lt;br&gt;Croft also is known around the region for its equestrian facilities. The park regularly hosts shows in its arena and boasts more than 20 miles of equestrian facilities and 55 stalls.&lt;br&gt;The diverse park was once an Army training base and covers nearly 12 miles of rolling, wooded terrain that also provides habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna just five miles from bustling downtown Spartanburg.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mary Black Rail Trail&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can start this flat paved multi-use trail from one of three community plazas.&amp;nbsp; You can enjoy walking, riding, or skating on this smooth mainly tree lined rail &amp;shy;to&amp;shy; trail built on what was once a section the Norfolk Southern rail line. This is the first section (1.9 miles) of what will become the 12-mile Hub City Connector of the Palmetto Trail, which will pass through Spartanburg. It is open from dawn to dusk and it's FREE!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;USC-Upstate Trail&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This 1.3 mile trail runs along the bank of Lawson's Fork Creek and has views of the creek along some sections.&amp;nbsp; Muskrats and beavers are common along the water's edge and a variety of birds including kingfishers and great blue herons. Picnic areas are available. You can access this trail from the campus of USC-Upstate. FREE to enjoy!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Assault on Mt Mitchell&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This a grueling competitive ride that is only for those who have trained for it. It starts in Spartanburg, SC and is 102 miles long! Your destination is the summit of Mt Mitchell. It was started in 1974 and draws riders from all over the US. To be eligible you must have completed the Assault on Marion the preceding year. The Assault on Mt Mitchell will be held on May 16, 2011. For more information go to &lt;a href="http://www.theassaults.com"&gt;www.theassaults.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether you are in&amp;nbsp; great physical condition or not there is a trail for you! Get out and enjoy the great outdoors on your bike this Spring in YOUR Biketown -- Spartanburg, South Carolina. You will be glad you did!&lt;/p&gt;
 &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 12 Mar 2011 00:18:20 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2184028/spartanburg-sc-a-bicycle-friendly-town-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2179121/beautiful-mountain-views-home-for-sale-in-inman-sc</guid>
      <title>Beautiful mountain views! Home for sale in Inman, SC</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are you looking for a convenient location, nice lot, great neighborhood, full basement, and beautiful mountain views? Then this home may be the right one for you! &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;150 Grandview Dr&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Inman, SC&amp;nbsp; 29349&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Spartanburg MLS # 191783&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;4 bedrooms, 3 full baths&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;2 car attached garage&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;1.43 acre lot&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Fenced backyard&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Hardwood floors in many rooms&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Split bedroom floorplan&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Approx 2463 SF on main level&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Approx 667 finished SF in basement&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Workshop area in basement&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Master bedroom with hardwood floors&amp;nbsp;is approx 17 x 17 &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Huge walk in closet in master&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Sitting room off master&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Formal dining room and a breakfast area&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;So many other great features! You just need to see this beautiful home!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Offered at $285,000.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="150 Grandview Dr" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/6/0/5/4/ar129969694945064.jpg" height="201" alt="150 Grandview Dr" width="333"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Grandview mtn view" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/7/9/4/3/ar129969723734978.jpg" height="264" alt="Grandview mtn view" width="338"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Grandview DR" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/2/1/1/2/ar129969738221129.jpg" height="309" alt="Grandview DR" width="342"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Grandview Dr deck view" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/7/9/8/7/ar129969750578973.jpg" height="245" alt="Grandview Dr deck view" width="344"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:39:47 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2179121/beautiful-mountain-views-home-for-sale-in-inman-sc</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2177075/going-it-alone-is-being-a-fsbo-right-for-you-</guid>
      <title>Going it alone! Is being a FSBO right for you?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Every market has its share of sellers who choose to market their home on their own rather than list with a real estate agent. &lt;/strong&gt;In my market many of those sellers still are willing to work with real estate agents who bring buyers to see their homes, after all they are still saving money. If you plan to FSBO then do your homework first. Don't just put a sign in the yard and expect buyers to line up wanting your home, after all your home is the nicest in the neighborhood, right?!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;If it were that easy all real estate agents would be rich! So much more goes into effectively marketing a property. Below are some things you as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) need to think about before choosing to go it alone!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Do you have the ability to put together a marketing plan utilizing high quality, professional &amp;nbsp;marketing pieces?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;How will you qualify the prospects who inquire about your property?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;How will you handle showings?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Can you afford to purchase a website to market your home &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; will it get traffic?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Can you listen more than you talk?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Are you familiar with the necessary legal disclosures you are required to provide to prospective buyers?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Once you find the right buyer how will you handle preparation of contracts?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Do you know what a CL-100 Wood Infestation Report&amp;nbsp; is and do you understand what may be required by the buyer's lender?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Are you familiar with different types of financing and whether your property meets the requirements for financing such a FHA or USDA Rural Housing?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Have you considered safety?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These are just some of the things that experienced real estate agents handle when they have a property listed for sale. When you choose to be a FSBO you now have the responsibility for many of these items. Although you may choose to go it alone, make sure you have an attorney draw up the purchase contract and ask for advice from that attorney on how to handle some of the other issues regarding getting your transaction to closing. Don't totally go it alone!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Another thing to remember is that the buyer is trying to save that same real estate commission that you are trying to save! It is impossible for everyone to save the same dollar!&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;And statistics show that most sellers net more money WHEN they are listed with a competent, knowledgable, real estate professional!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/em&gt;So in closing, you may want to think twice before going it alone!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:45:36 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2177075/going-it-alone-is-being-a-fsbo-right-for-you-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2174742/spartanburg-sc-real-estate-adorable-homes-in-beaumont-</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg SC Real Estate: Adorable Homes in Beaumont!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Check out these opportunities in Historic Beaumont Mill Village! Whether you are looking for a home for you or investment properties you may find the right home here! Own a part of our history!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please visit &lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt; for more detailed information.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;693 Maywood St&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;$39,900.&amp;nbsp;-- &amp;nbsp;Just Reduced!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Must see inside to appreciate! Cute 1 bedroom, 1 bath with lots of updates! Newer laminate flooring in living room and bedroom. Ceramic tile in kitchen. Stainless smooth cooktop range and stainless french door refrigerator stay! Don't miss out on this dollhouse that is definitely less than rent! Central heat and ac.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="693 Maywood" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/4/3/9/6/ar129951969869344.jpg" height="165" alt="693 Maywood" width="252"&gt;&lt;img title="693 Maywood kitchen" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/0/5/3/8/ar129951978083507.jpg" height="161" alt="693 Maywood kitchen" width="230"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;443 Gentry St -- Just Reduced!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;$71,900&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Spacious 3 bedroom, 1 bath + sunroom! Hardwood floors in most rooms. Transoms over doorways. Lots of character! Nice kitchen with pantry and farm style sink! large rooms. Central heat and ac. Vinyl siding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="443 gentry" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/7/3/4/2/ar129952029624379.jpg" height="176" alt="443 gentry" width="250"&gt;&lt;img title="443 gentry BR fireplace" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/0/5/5/1/ar129952071215507.jpg" height="171" alt="443 Gentry BR fireplace" width="218"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;115 Phifer Dr -- Just Listed!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;$54,900&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Cute 2 bedroom, 1 bath with pretty hardwood floors, newer windows. Central heat and ac. Lots of charm. Nice landscaping. Deck overlooking private, fenced backyard. Vinyl siding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="115 Phifer" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/9/2/4/6/ar129952105264297.jpg" height="200" alt="115 Phifer" width="280"&gt;&lt;img title="115 Phifer Dr LR" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/9/5/1/4/ar129952117441596.jpg" height="199" alt="115 Phifer Dr LR" width="255"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;408 Gentry St&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;$36,900&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;So much potential in this 2 bedroom, 1 bath home on corner lot. Newer stove in kitchen. Large kitchen. Aluminum siding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="408 Gentry St" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/2/6/4/3/7/ar129952142873462.jpg" height="222" alt="408 Gentry St" width="256"&gt;&lt;img title="408 Gentry stove" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/3/3/5/ar129952164553349.jpg" height="221" alt="408 Gentry stove" width="168"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:20:18 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2174742/spartanburg-sc-real-estate-adorable-homes-in-beaumont-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2173799/spartanburg-sc-real-estate-historic-beaumont-mill-village</guid>
      <title>Spartanburg SC Real Estate: Historic Beaumont Mill Village</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Several years ago&amp;nbsp;I decided to purchase a modest 2 bedroom, 1 bath bungalow in Beaumont Mill Village. Beaumont is a neighborhood located on what many consider to be the gateway to Spartanburg, SC. Beaumont is convenient to Spartanburg Regional Hospital, Converse College, Wofford College, and our thriving downtown area. Part of the old mill has been restored and the Southeastern Conference (college athletics) is based there.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Over the years the Neighborhood Association became concerned that if they didn't do something positive that their neighborhood would decline. Out of that concern was born the idea of seeking Local Historic Designation for Beaumont Mill Village. It has been a long road to travel for this Neighborhood Association, with plenty of bumps and twists and turns along the way. I wish I could say that I had been involved from the beginning but I wasn't even aware of the effort at first. As soon as I did become aware of the efforts I chose to get involved. That involvement has evolved into me attending the Association Meetings, volunteering at neighborhood events, and publishing the Beaumont Newsletter. I guess all of that makes me rather unique since I do not live in my little bungalow. Technically I am an investor since my property is tenant occupied.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The process is very involved and one of the things the city did was to have Martin Meeks, a respected architect to conduct a study and put together proposed guidelines for Beaumont. Considered to be one of the few mostly intact mill villages left in our area Beaumont is a prime candidate for historic preservation. With Spartanburg having a rich history tied to the textile industry it is important that we preserve this important part of our history.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Hopefully we are nearing the end of this journey. We are finally back on City Council's Agenda and there will be another vote on this important issue later this month after several information sessions to provide answers to questions and also to explain the process.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I firmly believe that being designated a Local Historic District will be good for Beaumont, good for the people of Beaumont, and good for property values in Beaumont. I envision Beaumont as becoming a popular neighborhood for buyers who treasure our history and want to be a part of preserving history in Spartanburg SC!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:27:37 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2173799/spartanburg-sc-real-estate-historic-beaumont-mill-village</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2173678/real-estate-photos-think-before-you-click-or-don-t-click-</guid>
      <title>Real Estate Photos: Think before you click or don't click!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I&amp;nbsp;pride myself on the quality of the photos I take&lt;/strong&gt; of my listings and it never ceases to amaze me when&amp;nbsp;I see some of the shots agents post on MLS and on their websites! I admit I am very picky, after all I'm a Virgo (no matter about our signs having changed I will always be a Virgo!). As professionals shouldn't we all be particular about the marketing pieces we put together for our clients?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Some of my pet peeves&lt;/strong&gt; include leaving the toilet seats up, then clicking anyway and voila the potential buyer doesn't see the other great features of the bathroom in question. The image of the toilet seat being left up is ingrained in their memory! Another pet peeve is when you see the agent holding their camera in the reflection of the mirror. When you take time to think before you click and consider different angles you can still get that shot minus your refection in the mirror.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One of my biggest pet peeves&lt;/strong&gt; is when agents think it is ok to "borrow" my pictures without asking! Not that&amp;nbsp;I would agree to allow them to borrow them. My business philosophy is pretty simple! Do your own work! You are supposed to be a professional! I had an agent recently "borrow" my pictures and since there are no rules against this in our MLS there was nothing I could do about it. However, since the agent was (is)&amp;nbsp;clueless about the correct way to do it I at least have the satisfaction of knowing that the resolution is way off and the pictures look horrible when you double click on them! I feel bad for the seller and can't believe they haven't noticed and addressed this with their agent.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;So in summary, take time when you take pictures of your listings, take lots of pictures, think about your shots before you click utilizing various angles, and NEVER EVER "borrow" other agents photos! After all who wants to see a toilet prominently displayed with the seat up??!!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 06 Mar 2011 21:05:41 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2173678/real-estate-photos-think-before-you-click-or-don-t-click-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2171077/owner-financing-in-real-estate-great-idea-or-potential-landmine-</guid>
      <title>Owner Financing in Real Estate! Great idea or potential landmine? </title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Over the years I have run into all different&amp;nbsp;challenges in real estate. Guess that's why I love what&amp;nbsp;I do and am still in this profession after 12 years! Here lately&amp;nbsp;I am finding more and more situations of owners thinking they can offer owner financing as a solution to selling their home. Great idea? Perhaps not! Unless you own your home outright then remember all those documents you signed at closing? The ones that I know you read from beginning to end! Right!!?? Somewhere in all those docs was probably a due on sale clause that states that they can call the note payable in full. Owner financing could land you in that situation! In my opinion, true owner financing should only be offered by sellers who own their property with no mortgages on the property.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you are a buyer, then remember the old saying "buyer beware"? Let's say you decide to "purchase" a home with owner financing. The owner has a mortage n the property. What if they get into financial difficulty and use your payment for other purposes and do not pay the mortgage payment? Where does that leave this buyer when the lender is ready to foreclose?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Buying or selling real estate is complicated and you definitely need the assistance of a professional to help you manuever through the potential landmines out there. Before you jump into an owner finance situation obtain advice from appropriate professionals such as a real estate licensee, a real estate attorney, and possibly an accountant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Avoid those potential&amp;nbsp;landmines and protect the biggest investment you may ever make!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 23:56:37 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2171077/owner-financing-in-real-estate-great-idea-or-potential-landmine-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2171000/no-more-slipping-and-sliding-</guid>
      <title>No More Slipping and Sliding! </title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;No More Slipping and Sliding! Those who know me know that I am an animal lover, and especially love dogs. All kinds. I do prefer dogs with soft coats rather than short wiry hair. Well to be more specific my dogs! I tell them they are the best puppy dogs in the whole wide world and that I love them bunches and bunches, etc. Ok, you get the picture! I like other people&amp;rsquo;s dogs too but it&amp;rsquo;s just not the same. Kind of like your children versus other people&amp;rsquo;s children. Actually, my dogs are my children. They just have 4 legs and can be left alone at least for a few hours without supervision. About a year and half ago my big dog, Neo, got hit by a vehicle. It scared us half to death and we are very lucky that he wasn&amp;rsquo;t hurt more seriously than he was. Ever since that happened he does not do as well on hardwood or laminate floors. He has slipped so many times and then panics and ends up hurting himself. That has evolved into him being afraid of floors! I know that sounds silly but he is. Some evenings he is afraid to go down the hallway from the den to our bedroom. We have purchased many throw rugs which have helped some but we can&amp;rsquo;t exactly cover every inch of flooring with throw rugs! So my husband did some investigating online and found boots for dogs! They come in sets of 4 and come in various types &amp;ndash; for example ones for serious hiking and ones for climates with lots of snow and ice. I am sure you know what is coming next. He ordered a set and we tried them out. When we first put them on Neo it was as if he had clown shoes on! He walked around so awkwardly and couldn&amp;rsquo;t just jump up on the couch as easily. It took some time for him to adjust to them and now he does so well with them on. He only needs them on his front paws to help him get up. The best part is that when he has his boots on he no longer slips and slides and he is not afraid of floors anymore!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title="Neo wearing his boots!" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/6/0/7/3/ar129929674337069.JPG" height="600" alt="Neo wearing his boots!" width="800"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:48:11 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2171000/no-more-slipping-and-sliding-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2162708/real-estate-in-spartanburg-sc-it-s-a-great-time-to-buy-or-sell-</guid>
      <title>Real Estate in Spartanburg SC: It's a great time to buy or sell!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;No matter where I go when people find out I am in real estate the first thing they usually ask is "How's the market?" With the last 3 years being rather challenging in real estate&amp;nbsp;it was difficult to always say it was great, when deep down inside it didn't feel so great! No matter what class you go to they teach you to say business is great no matter what it really is like! I have watched long term friends and business associates get out of the business and many still out there but struggling to survive! Well, I can say I am a survivor and looking forward to a great 2011 in real estate! Everywhere&amp;nbsp;I look agents are busy, phones are ringing, turnouts at open houses are better than we have seen in a while. Agents are showing my listings again (finally)! It truely appears that we have turned the corner. Businesses are bringing jobs to the Upstate of SC. Life is good again! Interest rates are still excellent and now is definitely the time to buy. There are still deals to be had. Lots of inventory with a mix of short sales, foreclosures, and of course "normal" listings in good condition and priced reasonably. Those of us who live in the Spartanburg and Greenville areas of SC or the Upstate of SC, as many refer to this part of&amp;nbsp;the state&amp;nbsp;are blessed. Yes, it has been tough. Yes, many have lost their jobs. Yes, for a while there it was challenging to be in real estate or to be trying to sell your home. However, yes, there are new job opportunities out there and yes, it is a great time to buy or sell in the Upstate of SC. 2011 is here and our market is well on its way back.&amp;nbsp;I am glad and proud to still be a real estate agent and looking forward to helping lots of buyers and sellers realize their real estate dreams in 2011. Linda Rademacher is here to stay and when you ask how's real estate I will answer -- GREAT!!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:45:57 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2162708/real-estate-in-spartanburg-sc-it-s-a-great-time-to-buy-or-sell-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2161719/-putting-the-cart-before-the-horse-</guid>
      <title>"Putting the cart before the horse!"</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I was on a bus recently with several other REALTORS&amp;reg; and as we conversed about various topics the conversation turned to buyers and sellers &lt;em&gt;"putting the cart before the horse'&lt;/em&gt; as the old expression goes. In my twelve+ years in real estate I frequently hear the following: "When I find the right house, then I will put my house on the market" or "when I find the right house then I will talk to the bank and get approved". Frustration seems to be a common thread with real estate agents when they have to deal with this hurdle over and over again.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In my opinion as real estate agents we are not only providing a service &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; in the sales profession but also in the business of educating the public. It is our responsibility to explain why this logic that makes perfect sense to the buyer, is flawed! When you the buyer find the perfect house you need a preapproval letter to go with your offer. Most agents have seen&amp;nbsp; buyers from time to time broken hearted when they find out there is something negative on their credit preventing them from obtaining a preapproval. Or a buyer finds the perfect house but they have to sell their house before they can buy. In today's real estate world where days on market are running much longer than they have in the past the likelihood that this buyer will miss out on the house they have fallen in love with is very high! So, the bottom line here is, don't put the cart before the horse! Get preapproved first! Put your house on the market before doing any serious looking! Trust your agent to give you sound advice. They do this every day and it is their job to look out for you, including helping you to NOT put the cart before the horse!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class="agent_signature"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Linda Rademacher, REALTOR, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CENTURY 21 Blackwell &amp;amp; Co. Realty, Inc.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2260 Boiling Springs Rd&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Boiling Springs, SC&amp;nbsp; 29316&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;864-909-2500&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:Linda.Rademacher@century21.com"&gt;Linda.Rademacher@century21.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.SellingUpstateSC.net"&gt;www.SellingUpstateSC.net&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; LindaSellsupstateSC.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Linda  Rademacher (Century 21 Blackwell &amp; Co. Realty, Inc.)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:51:32 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/2161719/-putting-the-cart-before-the-horse-</link>
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