What client services are you entitled to when you hire a Buyer's Agent? - 10/31/08 02:54 PM
Did you know that when you call on a real estate agent, you are a CUSTOMER.  Did you know you are treated differently depending on if you are a customer or client?  How do you become a CLIENT?  Just like a seller becomes a client by signing an agreement with the listing agent, you can gain client level services of a real estate agent and be protected as a client.  A buyer becomes a client by signing a written agreement spelling out the terms in a Buyer's Agency Contract.  Clients receive more services that customers. 
South Carolina Agency Law specifies that … (10 comments)

Top 10 Common Myths Shared by Homebuyers* Myth #1 - 10/29/08 09:05 AM
Myth #1: All agents are the same.
The general public thinks that everyone that has a real estate license is the same.  The Rebac article* poses a great example: "Does everyone with a driver's license operate a vehicle the same way?  Of course not! Drivers approach the road differently. Realtors do vary considerably in their approach to their job as well." Some realtors are part time and do not take the job of assisting you in your most important investment seriously.  Real estate designations are another way to gauge agents that are serious about their job.  An agent with designations shows … (9 comments)

Homebuilders say Now is the TIME TO BUY in SC - 10/24/08 02:49 PM
An article titled: "Homebuilders: Now is the time to buy" was published in the Charleston Business Journal on 10/24/08.  Homebuilders across the state are getting together to send out the message that the SC housing market is strong.  It made a good point that most of the serious housing problems are contained in many areas like California and Florida, etc.  Doug Woodward, professor of economics at the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina further adds that "South Carolina has less toxic subprime mortgages than most states. Actually, South Carolina has few fundamental problems with mortgages."
The article further … (2 comments)

Top 3 Places to Visit in the U.S. - 10/22/08 08:21 PM
Last week, the Today Show, shared winners of Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards.  You guessed  it,  Charleston, S.C. made the Top 3 list of Cities in the US!  Charleston, SC beat New York City out of the number 2 spot for best U.S. city to visit.  San Francisco remained number 1 and New York City fell to number 3.  Additionally, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, SC, about 20 minutes South of Charleston, was ranked #3 of Top Resorts on the Mainland U.S.  Pretty impressive for little ol' Charleston.  Charleston, SC is beautiful, historic, charming, hospitable and full of great restaurants, beaches, … (10 comments)

No more MI available on Investment Properties - 10/18/08 11:01 AM
With the stock market not doing so well, I know many investors ready to put their money back into real estate where you can at least cash flow on the right investment and have a steady long term appreciation. Plus, they also agree on the buy low, sell high principle and they believe the real estate market is ripe for picking.  
I just heard that as of October 15, 2008, there are no longer any MI companies left willing to insure Investment Property transactions.  Due to these recent changes by all of the MI companies, there are no lenders who are able … (4 comments)

What season is your life/business in? - 10/15/08 05:01 PM
Every business, whether real estate or not, goes through seasons.  Quite frankly, we experienced quite a long spring break and summer vacation during the hype of soaring prices and easy to get loans in the Charleston SC real estate market and most other places.  However with all of the changes, oversupply of inventory, tightening mortgage guidelines, lower consumer confidence just to name a few, we can say with certainty that WINTER is here.  The real estate party is over, and the hangover has set in.  During the party, there was quite a bit of overconsumption, overpurchasing and debt building.  During this … (9 comments)

Top 10 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Hire Your Next Realtor... - 10/11/08 12:17 PM
It is often that I am asked how the market is doing.  And the response from the public is yeah, I know a lot of realtors and they are getting a "real" job or a part time job.  I don't have a part time job. Real estate is my "real" job. I'm STILL a full time realtor. Yes, the market is tough, and no, I'm not getting another part time job.    
As a seller or buyer, it's important to evaluate who you select to represent you in your next transaction.  A real estate transaction is a detailed and complex process … (13 comments)

Attn: Dave Ramsey fans ~ Join new group - 10/08/08 02:03 PM
I was introduced to Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace University about 2 years ago when I was asked to facilitate the class.  I had heard of him and I always thought I had a good handle on money. I was a saver, not a spender.  But after listening to the material, I was floored by how much I didn't know and how my ways of thinking about how I handle money were not the best.  There was room for improvement. I fell into the many myths about money and credit.  Dave Ramsey has been mentioned numerous times in the media, in … (6 comments)

Halloween is going to stink this year - 10/06/08 03:04 PM

I hope this is some real estate humor you can all appreciate! Hopefully it will not be the case on your street. I hope that by this time next year, we can all look back at this crisis and know the worst is behind us and that the future ahead is bright. 
 
 
 
… (10 comments)

A lesson on being poor - 10/06/08 11:05 AM
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked. "Oh Yeah" said the son. "So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered, "I … (31 comments)

You are losing buyers if you don't Price it at the break! - 10/05/08 01:00 PM
There are many pricing strategies, but after reading Why list with the #8?, I thought I'd throw it my 2 cents?
The common philosophy is to price a listing below a break because it sounds or looks better psychologically. For example instead of $270,000, price it at $269,900 or instead of $200,000, price it at $199,900.   
When it comes to pricing and you are close to a price break ($25,000, $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000), the price should be strategically placed at the break (at least initially). Hear me out on this. 
When I do a reverse prospect search for my … (18 comments)

A sure fire way to get referrals from your buyers without them even knowing it! - 10/03/08 03:09 PM
I've been using Visual Tour for about 4 months now.  I've only used them for listings but finally started looking outside the box.  I have a buyer that decided to purchase a new construction spec  home.  They are a military family relocating to Goose Creek, SC to be stationed at the Naval Weapons Station.  Most of their family is out of state and they mentioned they didn't think their family would be able to visit for a while.  During their home inspection, I took my camera to the house and created a visual tour of the house and emailed a link … (18 comments)

Need some healing...try this pharmacy - 10/02/08 02:05 PM
It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided  what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful  when eaten raw. We're such slow learners... God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and  radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and … (6 comments)

 
Dsc_0108 Rainmaker_large

Michele Reneau, Realtor, GRI ~ Charleston, SC Relocation Experts Team

Summerville, SC

More about me…

Certified Staging Professional (CSP) Elite Instructor

Address: 628 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC, 29464

Office Phone: (843) 814-6680

Email Me

Charleston SC real estate, Military Relocation Experts serving Goose Creek SC, Summerville, SC and surrounding areas. CSP Elite Instructor, How to Maximize Your Client's Equity Through Home Staging.



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog