New Tax Provisions in Mortgage Bailout Bill - 06/30/08 08:51 PM
There is a new tax credit for First time home buyers in the Mortgage bailout bill that is now in Congress. First time home buyers (married, filing joint) would receive a 10% tax credit up to $8000 on their purchase.  There is a max of $4000 for singles.  However, you would be required to pay the IRS back over a 15 year period at 6 2/3 % of the amount starting after the first year.  If you sell within one year, you forfeit your credit.  If you sell later, you will be liable for taxes on the remaining amount of credit.  Their … (2 comments)

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? An Independence Day Quiz - 06/30/08 06:59 AM
With the 4th of July just around the corner, see if you can answer these two questions.....
1.) 3 US Presidents died on the 4th of July.  Which one of the following was NOT one of them?
Thomas Jefferson
Woodrow Wilson
John Adams
James Monroe
 
 
2.) One US President was born on the 4th of July.  Was it.....
Woodrow Wilson
Andrew Johnson
Calvin Coolidge
Harry Truman
Scroll for answers
 
 
 
 
 
1.  Woodrow Wilson - Adams and Jefferson died the exact day in 1826, Monroe died 5 years later
2. Calvin Coolidge
 
 
 
 
… (3 comments)

The Best of the Gipper - 06/29/08 06:51 PM
Just a little nostalgia.... I ran across these great quotes from my favorite President, Ronald Reagan.  For many, they will bring back fond memories and leave a smile on your face.
I hope you're all Republicans." -speaking to surgeons as he entered the operating room following a 1981 assassination attempt
"I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself."
"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from … (14 comments)

Move America Forward - 06/27/08 06:55 AM
There is a huge internet campaign going on right now sponsored by MoveAmericaForward.org and Michelle Maulkin.  The goal is to send the largest amount of care packages to our troops in Irag and Afghanistan EVER!  You can pick a package starting at $15.99.  Anyone interested can go to
http://www.thecampaignstore.com/store/default.asp?parentid=409
I apologize if this is considered advertising....
… (9 comments)

In Order to Grow, You Must Step Outside Your Comfort Zone - 06/27/08 06:30 AM
These are some challenging and uncertain times we face.  We should all keep in mind that it is really a Blessing in disguise.  Facing uncertainty can be a good thing, as it forces us to step out of our comfort zone and finds ways to be creative and resourceful.  Many things around us are changing and are out of our control.  It is important to both recognize and embrace change, then step out of your comfort zone, face the world and holler (as one famous President once said) "Bring it on!!!"
… (5 comments)

Anti-flipping Rules - 06/27/08 06:08 AM
Good news for investors of foreclosed properties!  The Federal Housing Authority has temporarily waived it's "anti-flipping" rules and will now insure mortgages on properties that have been owned by the current seller for less than 90 days. The idea, according to the FHA Commisioner, is to help get rid of the glut of forclosed and abandoned properties that are burdening neighborhoods around the country. The 90 day policy had slowed the process down and the waiver is in effect until June 2009. 
… (9 comments)

Not a good day...... - 06/26/08 07:51 AM
So, I have been working with a buyer client for a few months - new to the area and wanted to explore many communities before making a decision.  He was pre approved contingent on the sale of his condo in another state.  We finally narrowed down the community and was in search of the perfect home, when yesterday, after I emailed him the perfect listing to see, he informs me that his condo will be going into foreclosure!  Sorry, he says, I will not be able to buy anything, anytime soon..... ugh...
… (9 comments)

Get Off Your Duff! - 06/26/08 06:57 AM
It seems the market is in a delicate situation right now.  A University of Michigan poll finds "record number of consumers now think there are very attractive prices on homes for sale."  Pent up demand is there, supply is up, and for people who need to move or buy, the timing looks good.  On the other hand, higher rates are changing the affordability equation.  The bottom line is if you're thinking of buying or selling any time soon - get off your duff.  If you see a house you like at the right price, make your offer sooner rather than later … (6 comments)

Something's amiss with these headlines - 06/25/08 01:44 PM
Just glanced at the news headlines:
Headline 1.  Supreme Court rejects death penalty for child rape
Headline 2.  FBI - 300 Child prostitution suspects arrested; 433 victims recovered.
What else is there to say?
… (4 comments)

A Positive Attitude - 06/25/08 12:59 PM
A positive attitude is both good for your health and a crucial ingredient for success in life.  Somedays it is difficult to maintain and some never had one to start.  One easy step to get you going is this...  Divide a sheet of paper into two columns.  For a few days, jot down, in the left column, all of the negative thoughts that come into your head.  Rewrite each thought in a positive way in the right column. For example, "I will never get this finished by the end of the day!" could become, "I will probably get most of this finished … (5 comments)

A List of Relaxing Thoughts - 06/24/08 12:36 PM
Feeling a bit stressed these days? Try these "thoughts"
See problems as opportunities
Don't take it personally
There is no right answer
It's not a perfect world
Let go. Let God.
This too shall pass
Refute negative thoughts
Stop overgeneralizing
Control yourself, not others
Be yourself
… (2 comments)

Commercial Real Estate Class - 06/24/08 12:32 PM
Today, Keller Williams held a terrific class on the basics of selling Commercial Property and all that goes along with it. David Gantt, an attorney, was graciious enough to spend some time with us and share his infinite knowledge on the subject.  Many agents, both experienced and new attended, and I feel comfortable speaking for everyone when I say it was both enjoyable and extremely useful.  Thanks David Gantt and thanks Keller Williams!
… (0 comments)

IRS takes pity on us self employed - 06/24/08 06:01 AM
High fuel prices are even getting the attention of the Internal Revenue Service.  Monday they announced they are raising the mileage allowance that business and self employed individuals can claim for the remainder of 2008. Effective July 1, the agency will raise the optional standard rates for vehicles from 50.5 cents per mile to 58.5 cents.  The new rate also applies to those opperating automobiles for charitable, moving and medical purposes.
… (10 comments)

Who would have thunk it? - 06/23/08 07:14 AM
And one of the hottest real estate markets in the world is.............Bagdad, Iraq!!??  Yes, according to Realty Times.  "Following the latest initiative of the US led surge, security has increased and now the market is in full throttle."  Prices are up 67% and demand is high.  The surge in home sales are mostly due to residents returning from surrounding countries of refuge.  More than 67,000 families have returned since mid September.  Who would have thunk it?
… (12 comments)

Lowball Offers - 06/22/08 08:23 PM
I was reading a piece on Bankrate.com regarding a debate on lowball offers.  It said conventional wisdom claims that lowball offers don't work and homebuyers are warned not to insult the sellers.  And those sellers are counciled not to counter offer "disrespectful" buyers.  Are you buying that?  I guess it would depend on what area of the country you are in, but according to a realtor in Coral Springs, FL, an offer that is less than 25% of the listing price is a lowball offer.  So what is a lowball to you?  One defintion is an offer so low that the … (13 comments)

Paint the Perfect Sale - 06/22/08 08:01 PM
Getting your home ready to close the deal for the most money starts with knowing were to begin - and most often, that means, quite literally you have to paint the perfect sale. 
Things like wallpaper and paint color can significately influence buyers.  Warm neutral wall colors are a sure bet as well as removing dated wallpaper.  Stripping wallpaper can be both tricky and time consuming.  If not done correctly, you risk damaging the wall beneath.  In some cases, priming the wallpaper with an oil based or aklyd primer will seal the surface and allow you to paint over it with … (1 comments)

Friday Funnys - 06/20/08 05:42 PM
A man goes to work with bandages on both of his ears.  His boss asks what happened.  He says "I burned my ears".  The boss asks " how'd you do that?" He said " I was ironing my clothes, the phone rang and I accidently answered it with the iron".  the boss said "ok, so how about the other ear?"  he said "They called back"
… (5 comments)

No Regrets - 06/19/08 04:33 PM
Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right, forget about the one who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they only said it would be worth it.
… (4 comments)

The "Boomer' Niche - 06/19/08 07:59 AM
The baby boomers (those born 1946 - 1964) make up 26% of our population. (78 million!)  According to the latest NAR survey, 70% of those will be buying a second home this decade. 54% will be buying in their current state, looking for vacation homes within a 3 hour drive from their primary residence.  46% will be looking outside of their state.  What do they want?  50% are looking where watersports are available (beach and lakes), with 37% specifying fishing and boating.  They are also interested in media rooms and extra space for aging parents and visiting grandchildren. What do we … (3 comments)

Great Chinese Proverbs - 06/18/08 08:01 PM
He who strikes the first blow, admits he's lost the argument.
He who asks is a fool for five minutes, he who does not ask is a fool forever.
If heaven made him, earth can find some use for him.
If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it.
Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think.
… (2 comments)

Drill here! Drill now! Pay less! - 06/18/08 12:12 PM
The President finally stood up this morning and told it like it is - as much as we don't like it, we need oil for the forseable future. Period.  He asked the Democratic run Congress to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling and many other sensible solutions that would increase supply, production, alternative and renuable energy.  Granted, none will help immediately, but nothing the Democrats are proposing (ie windfall profit tax on oil and energy companies) will either.  In fact, history has shown the more you tax an activity, the less of that activity you get.  The Democrat leaders in Congress immediately … (29 comments)

That cup of Joe can prolong your life - 06/18/08 11:23 AM
The latest and largest study seems to show that moderate coffee drinking (up to six cups a day), may not only be good for you, but may actually prolong your life.  The study showed this to be especially true in women. The study followed over 86,000 women and over 41,000 men from 1980 - 2004.  Women who drank at least 3 cups a day had a 25% lower risk of death from heart disease and a 18% lower risk of death from a cause other than heart disease or cancer, compared to non-coffee drinkers. The study for men was not as conclusive,  … (4 comments)

Michael Vicks Pit Bull new lease on life - 06/17/08 09:46 PM
This is totally awesome!  One of the pit bulls rescued from Michael Vicks dog fighting ring has a great new life!  He freely roams a cancer treatment center in California and "comforts" those who are there recieving chemo treatments.  The article is really neat and has his picture wearing a clown collar.  He is a huge hit! Link to story........http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25214356/
… (8 comments)

Newsletters - 06/17/08 09:16 PM
I've started a newsletter campaign and was wondering if others have had success with this.  After learning average person looks at a post card for 2.5 seconds, I thought that a newsletter, in an envlelope would at least take that long to open.  It has some real estate news, but is primarly useful information. It may peak interest to take a minute to read and if sent on a regular basis, may make potential clients more comfortable. 
… (9 comments)

Water in your cellphone? No problem, just pass the rice? - 06/16/08 08:32 PM
I haven't dropped my cellphone in the bathtub lately, but next time I do, I will try Popular Mechanics remedy....Immediately cut the power and no matter how tempting, do not try to power up to see if it works! This is what will fry your phone.  Remove the battery and use compressed or cool air to remove excess water. Never use a hair dryer! (this next step is my favorite) Bury the phone and battery in a bowl of uncooked rice overnite.  There you have it - recipe for success!
… (12 comments)

DOWNPAYMENT GIFT PROGRAMS - 06/16/08 09:50 AM
I've been noticing more hoopla over downpayment gift programs such as Nehemiah and AmeriDream.  It seems the FHA is once again trying to ban these programs, claiming they artificially inflate prices and are 3 times likely to end in foreclosure versus other types of loans.  As an agent, we are happy for anything that may help someone buy a home.  But as an average citizen, I think the FHA's point is well taken. Nothing invested is nothing lost to some.  What has been your experience with this and what are your thoughts?
… (0 comments)

I WAS BLOWN AWAY - 06/16/08 06:25 AM
I cannot wake up in the morning without coffee and reading the paper.  The two combined just seem to jumpstart my brain.  There was a nice piece in the Greenville News regarding the recent success of Greenville's latest campaign called I WAS BLOWN AWAY. All of you golfers who may have watched the BMW Charity Tournament on the Golf channel may have noticed the many commercials promoting our great city.  They have a terrific website - www.iwasblownaway.com - where you can get a great feel for the charm and beauty of Greenville, SC and a place for transplants (like myself) and … (9 comments)

INTERNET PROVIDERS TO PUT LIMITS ON "BANDWIDTH HOGS" - 06/15/08 08:24 PM
According to an article in NY Times, Time Warner is starting a trial where customers will pick a plan (like cell phone plans) and will be charged a surcharge should they exceed their bandwidth limit.  Comcast plans to "manage" traffic by slowing the speed of the heaviest users - the so-called bandwidth hogs at peak times.  AT&T is planning on pricing based on data volume.  This is nuts!  My computer is on way more than my TV.  Will this mean we will have to cut back on blogging or searching the MLS? Oh no!
… (2 comments)

Realtor's Open House - 06/15/08 07:20 PM
I just noticed a blog from Michelle Way about realtor open houses ( for agents, not buyers)and do they work.... But the comment section was closed and I was curious about everyone's opinions on this.  I suppose in a niche market, or higher end luxury homes it may help with exposure.  What's your take? Leaving my comments open.
… (8 comments)

One more thing about oil..... - 06/15/08 07:00 PM
Have you noticed that over the last few months, the Saudi's refused to increase production, saying there is no need.  Lately, over the past few weeks, the talk of us actually exploring for more of own has been rising.  Today, I just heard the Saudi's have decided to open a new oil field and increase production.  It seems to me that everytime they think we are getting serious about that, they do what they have to do to bring the price down, just enough to take away our incentive to produce more of own.  I hope someday we are totally energy … (11 comments)

Some facts about oil - 06/15/08 06:51 PM
Did you know that there are 42 gallons of crude oil in a barrel?  Out of that barrel they produce 19.5 gallons of gasoline, 9 gallons of fuel oil and 4 gallons of jet fuel.  But get this - a 747 uses 5 gallons of jet fuel per mile!  Jet fuel is amost $6 per gallon, depending on the area of the country.  I guess I got the urge to look up this crazy stuff today because I filled up my car today.....
… (2 comments)

REAL ESTATE BLOGGERS FACING LAWSUITS! - 06/14/08 08:04 PM
Just read an interesting piece in Realtor online magazine.  The article claims there have been over 100 judgements valued at 17 million dollars against real estate bloggers in the last 3 years.  60% were for defemation, 25% for copywright infringement, and 10% for privacy.  One agent in Miami is fighting a 25 million dollar lawsuit for claiming a developer went bankrupt.  Seems to be a fine line between free speech and landing your butt in jail! What do ya think?
… (8 comments)

4 KEY ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESS IN LIFE - 06/14/08 01:01 PM
A recent Harvard Business School Study recently came out with the 4 key elements for success in life.
1 Experience
2 Knowledge
3 Intelligence
4 Attitude
How would you rate these as to most important?  The study showed this - Experience, Knowledge, and Intlelligence accounted for 7%!  Attitude accounted for a whopping 93%!!!!The best part is ATTITUDE is the element we the most control over.  How do you keep a great attitude?
… (5 comments)

Questions that Haunt Me - 06/13/08 07:15 PM
I believe these are from Steven Wright -
If the professor on Gilligans Island can make a radio out of coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?
If corn oil is made from corn and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
Why is bra singular and panties plural?
How is it that we put a man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea … (2 comments)

Buyers Top Ten - 06/13/08 04:35 PM
According to NAR's latest survey, these are the top ten buyers must haves:
1 Central Air
2 Garage , 2 spaces
3 Walk in closet, mb
4 Backyard space
5 Cable/ satelite ready
6 Highspeed internet access
7 Separate shower in mb
8 Patio
9 Fencing
10 home less than 10 years old
Is this what you are finding?  I find more want 3 car garage and less than 5 years old
… (6 comments)

Friday the 13th - 06/13/08 12:35 PM
My father in law just emailed me a picture that I must share.  This photo was taken on Friday the 13th, 1969.  At about 5am a garbage truck lost its brakes and rolled down a big hill right into their house!  At the time, my husband was about 14 and had 4 younger brothers and sisters.  The youngest was 2.  Amazingly, no one was hurt and my husband slept through the whole thing!  It took 5 months to repair the house and the family, (5 kids and 2 adults )had to stay in the local Holiday Inn - imagine that with … (7 comments)

Mortgage Rates are climbing! - 06/13/08 11:31 AM
According to Bankrate.com, the 30 year fixed rate mortgage jumped 26 basis points to 6.52% this week- the largest increase since Feb 20th.  The 15 year fixed is up 28 basis points to 6.12%.  A basis point is one onehundreth of 1 percent.  Four weeks ago, the 30 yr was at 6.12%.  The good news is that they were much higher last year at this time - at 6.84.  Here's to hoping all of our buyer clients locked in last week.....
… (1 comments)

33 and counting.... - 06/13/08 09:54 AM
Tomorrow is a bit of milestone for me.  My husband and I will be celebrating our 33rd Anniversary!  Holy cow - that's a long time!  We were actually high school sweethearts and I was only 18 , he was 19 when we got married.  He had just joined the Air Force and we immediately moved away.  That was probably a good thing.  when you are that young and have no clue what you are doing - but sure think you do, being away from family and friends, not only taught us, but forced us to work out our differences.  I wouldn't … (0 comments)

Confessions of a news Junkie - 06/12/08 03:55 PM
I must confess that I am a news junkie!  I am not happy unless I know everything that is going on in the world! Lately there have been some very odd stories in the news.  What are the chances that 5 friends on a scuba diving vacation, off the coast of Indonesia, get caught in a current, go astray for 20 miles in shark infested waters, finally reach an island only to find that it is a sanctuary for Komodo Dragons???? Apparently they spent the next 12 or so hours fighting off the carnivorous creatures with rocks!  In case you missed … (2 comments)

 

Susan McQuaide

Simpsonville, SC

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Keller Williams

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