beaufort: The Power of A Random Act of Kindness
- 08/24/14 11:14 PM
Kindness if a wonderful thing.
Yesterday, I saw a woman purchase three new pairs of shoes for a grandmother who was school shopping for her granddaughters. I was fortunate to be a bystander for this magnanimous gesture.
The grandmother was struggling to find something affordable for the two girls, who were probably ages 10 to 13. After a few minutes of looking around, the grandmother suggested to the girls that maybe they try again next week.
The next thing I knew, this bystander stepped in and was helping the young girls find Sperrys (not cheap), and the bystander even bought a pair … (1 comments)
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beaufort: Thoughts on offer "staging" blog by Jeff Dowler
- 08/18/14 09:46 AM
Active Rainer Jeff Dowler wrote a great blog about "staging" our offers, to put our clients' best foot forward.
Jeff's blog touched all the right bases about the actual presentation of the offers, so I won't belabor the point by repeating his points.
However, I want to applaud the premise. Communication is essential to any business transaction, perhaps none moreso than in real estate transactions. Taking a few moments to put a better face on the offer makes perfect sense.
How many times have we been handed (or emailed) an offer by a snarling, surly agent who seems to almost … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Give two "thumbs up" for the Realtors
- 08/16/14 02:45 PM
Riddle me this -- What do you do when you have a contract pending, and, in no particular order, inspections reveal active termites, substantial wood rot and termite damage, plumbing that needs a complete overhaul?
Answer? Easy, you communicate. You keep talking. You keep the deal alive. You let cooler heads prevail.
The deal described above happened, and it just closed, in no small part, I am glad to say, to the hard work and steadfast of the Realtors involved.
With all due respect to our FSBO friends, this deal would have failed without professional agents involved.
Yes, we … (4 comments)
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beaufort: Country Living, Minutes from Historic Beaufort, Water, and Beaches
- 08/14/14 09:44 PM
Offered at $138,000, this property has the "wow" factor. A recently updated home sitting on approximately 1.5 acres, close to Saint Helena Island's beach access, and Station Creek boat launch. The grounds of this home are accentuated by huge beautiful open grassy area, which is perfect for myriad uses -- the children can frolic
in the yard, or you can entertain friends on the ample deck off the back of the house. Privacy abounds out back. Hunting Island is about 15 minutes away, and Beaufort is a pleasant 20 minute drive.
The owners have done the heavy lifting in the … (1 comments)
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beaufort: Hilarious Photo and Caption
- 06/20/14 10:12 PM
I "lifted" this very funny photo from the Pinterest page of Diane Morales, a Keller Williams agent in Saint Charles, ILL.
I am not sure if this bug-eyed agent is directing his frustration at another agent's buyer client, or his own buyer client.
This funny graphic made me harken back to the most ridiculous offer I ever encountered. I was on the selling side. This was about 12 or 13 years ago.
I don't remember the exact terms, but the offer went more or less something like this --
Offer was something like 70 percent of the asking price, on a $690,000 … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Picking up Property for Pennies on the Dollar -- But Which Dollar?
- 06/14/14 12:06 AM
I recently met a gentleman who was looking to pick up raw, undeveloped land for "15 to 20 cents on the dollar."
That is all good and well, I told him. But, I continued, "which dollar are you referring to"?
Was it the dollar of the early 2000s, when land prices were exploding at 25 to 30 percent a year, or the dollar of the last few years , in which the air had gone completely out of the land market?
The land market is recovering, but it is still lagging behind the residential market.
In the early 2000s, the market was … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Port Royal Redevelopment?
- 06/13/14 11:50 PM
Beaufort, SC real estate observers s have been waiting for years for the next step to be taken in Port Royal, where 50 acres of pristine waterfront property awaits development. For years, the South Carolina Ports Authority operated a lightly-used shipping port on the site. The port has been shut for several years now.
First, just a few years ago, former Gov. Mark Sanford signed a bill ordering the closure of the port, which sits behind an imposing wall of rusted chain-link fence. Gov. Sanford also ordered the property be sold for development. Real estate excitement hit fever pitch as speculators swarmed the quiet little town … (0 comments)
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beaufort: What Does It Take To Be A Successful Agent These Days?
- 05/11/14 10:44 AM
If I were to try and boil success -- in real estate or any profession -- down to one word, it would be integrity.
With integrity comes honesty, professionalism and thoroughness.
With integrity comes courtesy, and civility.
Integrity allows you to act in the best interest of your client, yet still treat all parties honestly.
With integrity, it doesn't matter if you sell one home per year or 100.
If there is no integrity, what is there?
… (3 comments)
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beaufort: Will Bitcoin Ever Be Accepted Here?
- 05/05/14 09:20 PM
Can't I have a firm understanding of Bitcoin. What I do know is that the online currency was created by someone who uses the alias Satoshi Nakamoto, and Bitcoin is gaining popularity among vendors. According to Money Magazine, bitcoin can buy you a pizza in some places, and even a manicure.
But will Bitoin ever be able to buy you a house or a piece of land?
With the way technology is changing, I'd have to say "yes."
I suppose you can demonstrate existance of funds in Bitcoin, just like you can get a letter from Bank of America or Wells Fargo.
… (1 comments)
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beaufort: The 80 Percent Rule
- 04/27/14 01:55 PM
The 80 % rule dictates there is no such thing as a "perfect" home. So, armed with this fact, buyers should bear in mind that there are no 100 percent houses. But there are plenty of homes which offer 80 percent of what you are looking for, as a buyer.
A Realtor friend of mine proposed that the only way to get a 100 percent home is to build it. But, I would suggest this is even difficult, because the location of a home is part of most buyer's wish list.
So, while you may be able to build a 2000 square … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Things Heating Up In The $150k And Under Price Range
- 02/09/14 12:34 AM
Here we are in early February, the tail end of the winter market, and we are seeing many buyers have to scramble to get offers in before the home of their choice is bought out from under them.
Yes, urgency has returned to the Beaufort, SC real-estate market, as more buyers are competing for a seemingly dwindling supply of homes in the $100,000 to $150,000 price range.
An old axom of real estate has been that "The home you looked at and liked today is probably the home someone else looked at and liked yesterday."
It seems like it was just recently that the … (2 comments)
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beaufort: $400 to $500 Well-Spent
- 02/05/14 11:09 AM
New homes are covered by the builder's warranty, which is very comprehensive and covers the structure from top to bottom. However, if you are purchasing a pre-owned home, we recommend buying a home warranty plan, offered by the likes of Old Republic, American Home Shield or 2-10. Starting at about $400 a year, new homeowners can have limited protection for all sorts of problems which could arise at your home, from electrical and plumbing issues to appliance breakdowns. And coverage does not have to coincide with the purchase. Home sellers can utilize the plans during the listing period. … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Paukie Island, A Deep-Water Hidden Gem in Beaufort, SC
- 01/29/14 04:30 AM
The waterfront community of Paulkie Island is one of Beaufort’s best-kept deep-water secrets.
Located just west of Beaufort, Paulkie Island is off the beaten path, without being totally out of the way. If you have read any of Pat Conroy's fiction, you know what I am talking about.
Paulkie Island has a similar feel to communities like Coffin Point and Land's End, on St. Helena Island, in that you are unlikely to stumble across these communities by accident. You almost have to know where you are going to get there.
And this is part of what has helped Paulkie Island maintain it's … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Foreclosure Absoption Rate Suggests Thinning of Inventory
- 01/20/14 11:23 AM
For those seeking to capitalize on a foreclosure home purchase in Beaufort, SC, the window of opportunity could be closing.
Current Beaufort real estate absorption rates indicate that the number ...of available foreclosures on the market could be significantly thinned by the time this summer rolls around. In other words, these foreclosures aren't going to be around forever.
According to Beaufort Multiple Listing Service stats, the current absorption rate for existing foreclosure homes on the market is only 2 months. The "absorption rate" is the amount of time it is estimated to take to sell all home currently on the market, … (1 comments)
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beaufort: New App For Award-Winning Beaufort Community
- 01/16/14 10:26 AM
Here's to creative thinking. The development team of Habersham, SC has created and released a development app, according to a Habersham marketing materials "gives users an easy-to-use interface and a complete resource for everything related to (the) award-winning town."
Habersham is one of the coolest, best thought-out neighborhoods in the Lowcountry. Condos and townhomes are currently available in the $240,000 on up, with single family homes available in the upper $200k range. For more information, visit my Habersham page at www.explorebeaufortrealestate.com.
… (0 comments)
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beaufort: Hamilton Village, High-End Condos in Beaufort, SC
- 01/02/14 12:22 PM
For years, Beaufort was yearning for a high-end condominium option in the downtown area. Located just over the Beaufort River from Historic Downtown Beaufort, Hamilton Village is one of the growing number of high-end condos popping up in the Beaufort area.
Hamilton Village residents enjoy stellar views of the Beaufort River. There is an attractive pool on the grounds of the community, and dock space available on Factory Creek, which flows behind Hamilton Village.
All units are one level, and enjoy nice finishes and upgrades. Residents enjoy all the amenities of Beaufort, from the Lowcountry's beautiful views, fishing, golf, … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Spring Island, SC
- 01/01/14 11:21 AM
Spring Island, SC. Located just beyond the gates of Callawassie Island, in Okatie, SC, Spring Island may be the most unique residential community in Beaufort County.
Spring Island is a 3,000-acre nature preserve.
Although home to a golf c...ourse considered by golf enthusiasts to be among the finest in America, it is not a “golf community.”
Spring Island is home to two superb restaurants, a 13,000-square-foot fitness and pool facility, tennis, equestrian programs, fishing and water sports of all kinds, it could never be called a “resort.”
There is an almost mystical charm to Spring Island that transcends everything you’ve ever heard … (0 comments)
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beaufort: Something To Think About Regarding Foreclosures
- 01/01/14 01:15 AM
One of the first statistics a lot of buyers want to know is Days on Market. When it comes to statistics regarding a bank-owned property, we can always disregard this statistic.
Foreclouse is a process that usually takes a bank months to complete. Only after the several month foreclosure process will a property be ready for marketing.
For instance, while researching investment property for a client earlier today, I came across a pair of homesites in an established, waterfront neighborhood just outside, just outside of Beaufort. One of these homesites has a panoramic river view. The other is on tidal creek with an existing … (2 comments)
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beaufort: Gold, Real Estate, and the Value of Buying Enthusiasm
- 12/31/13 11:10 PM
I read an Assoiciated Press story this morning that reported gold "closed out its worst year since 1981." And, yet, I have heard absolutely no commercials in recent months from Rosalind Capital or any of theother gold peddlers regarding what a great time it is to buy.
Crazy, isn't it, that a couple of years ago, when gold was at an all-time high, the airwaves were flooded -- and I mean flooded -- with commercials urging investors to jump in and buy. Everyone from Sean Hannity to G. Gordon Liddy served as pitchmen for gold, touting the fact that the metal was at … (1 comments)
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beaufort: Merry Christmas from Beautiful Beaufort, SC!!
- 12/26/13 12:53 PM
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Kindness if a wonderful thing.
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