There is a huge difference between a Foreclosure and a Short Sale. If you are a Seller of a property and just need to talk to someone about your options, who do you call, the originating lender, a friend or family member? All mentioned are good sources of comfort, but not the cold hard facts about the reality in today's housing market. Short sales are becoming a preferred option in selling a home in today's market. There is a negotiation between you(seller) and the lender where they allow you to sell your home at a discounted price and the difference between selling price and amount owed is negotiated for payment. Sometimes the difference is forgiven in total, they may take a percentage of the amount, or they may ask you to pay it back entirely as if you borrowed the money. The Short Sa... 01/31/2009

Sometimes, you've got to put up with a little mud and a little rain to find Heaven.I met with a gentleman Thursday morning, so that I could preview his creek-front property on St. Helena Island. I had never been to this particular locale. The weather was overcast and drizzly. Okay, that's euphemistic. It was just flat-out miserable.But it was also one of the best moments of a very busy week for me.If you're familiar with the works of Pat Conroy, you are familiar with the Lowcountry of the Meechams and the Wingos, the fictional characters based on the author's own tormented family. In The Great Santini, Beach Music and The Prince of Tides, Conroy tells us of life in his Beaufort, SC, the Lowcountry of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.On Thursday, as I stood in the rain and the mud and surveyed... 01/30/2009

After completing my first foreclosure contract this year, it amazes me the REO company's still drag their feet and have become no more efficient than in recent years. My buyers were spot on with everything, we had our due diligence done before the ink was even dry on the original contract. And the forms kept coming; not liable here, no representation there, blahblahblah. The golden egg is it's done, we are ready to close and it will still be done in in less than 45 days. My point is this; if you are a buyer that wants a home and think that a foreclosure is the way to go, you might want to call a Realtor (not just any) first to get the real picture. There are major risks involved; most don't qualify for certain loans programs, major repairs might get done-small repairs..HA. If there are ... 01/29/2009

Hello Beaufort agents and residents.  This week ERA Evergreen and the Marek Team have two Open Homes for viewing.  On Friday Jan. 30th from 11:30 - 1:30, please join The Marek Team and the rest of ERA Evergreen real estate at newly constructed 31 Applemint Lane and 1 Country Manor Rd.  Home cooked Chicken Pot Pie will be served at 31 Applemint.  For a preview or directions click 31 Applemint Lane or 1 Country Manor Rd. (I'll add this link tomorrow) As always, to search all MLS listings in the Beaufort SC area, visit my Lowcountry Properties website.   01/28/2009

But then again, please do!! Beaufort County Association of Realtors MLS showed we are over 100 Under Contracts!! Considering we were at 80 just a few months ago, that's huge! Best part is our season isn't due to begin for another 2-3 months, I sure hope this is a trend. It's a positive, however small it may be. 01/27/2009

I am sure most of you are familiar with the MDA annual Lock-Up. Someone turned me in and it is my responsibility to raise my bail. It is for an extremely good cause. I am blessed with good health as is most of my family. I wouldn't normally use Active Rain for this type of request; however, it seems forgivable. I know times are a bit tough, but there is always a way to help. I would be most appreciative of any contributions! Click Here TO GET ME OUT OF JAIL 01/27/2009

While showing property at a local development a few days ago, the Realtor on duty (whom I know fairly well) pulled me aside and asked me to call him later. He had "an opportunity" he wanted to discuss with me. Even though I trend towards skepticism with "opportunities," I'm open-minded enough to listen. No need to bore you with all the details. He wanted to talk about the product to your left, MonaVie, an energy drink he was pretty excited about. Yes, it involved multi-level marketing. He was very upfront about that.  My friend wanted me to hook me up with a couple of the other local participants in the area who have had some success, and he also wanted me to attend a meeting this week with some of the more successful national figures.  I got off the phone, and I pondered the conversati... 01/26/2009

To any of you Beaufort area realtors who did not get the message, The Beaufort Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Business 101 seminar this Wednesday (1/28) at TCL New River River Campus in Bluffton..  The class will be from 8am-12pm.   This seminar will show how to grow your business by getting back to the basic.  For more information Blakely Williams at 843-525-8527 or blakely@beaufortsc.org. With times so tough I though this class might be interesting to some in the Beaufort area.  I plan to attend as Blakely is a great speaker, and I love the previous class I had with him.  As always, customers looking for real estate please check out my Lowcountry Properties website for valuable information on the Beaufort SC real estate market. 01/26/2009

Today begins my second week of classes for my Broker's license. As a former high school teacher, there is simply not an adequate supply of self-discipline to hinder my obvious disdain for the monotonous. As an industry so entrenched in the latest and greatest technology how is it that our required courses are right out of Bedrock!?!? Seriously people. The methods are so historical in application (hand calculating Escrow accounts...etc) that I am quite certain my hair became gray at the very idea. ***Disclaimer, I find gray hair attractive, distinguished, and full of character. Just not on me***  Why is it that we aren't using the ever present technology in these courses?? Why am I being taught methods that aren't used on a daily basis? With our industry under the microscope, has no one ... 01/26/2009

Well here we are in the first month of 2009 and already we have seen an increase of almost 20% in our local MLS pending sales (under contract). This inlcudes all types of properties, but hey, the numbers don't lie. Back in November, we were down to 81 U/C's and today it's 98 and 4 closed the last few days. With the interest rates hovering around 5%, the folks that were on the fence about buying, seem to believe the time is right to get moving on that home purchase before it's too late. With a lot of foreclosures and short sales still on the market, there are some great deals to be had. I just put a home under contract that we got for almost 40% less then it was on the market a year ago for. With military folks getting ready for the "seasonal transfer", usually starting in April, I think... 01/24/2009

It's Friday and I am sure your thoughts are all about the weekend.  Mine are.  It is a beautiful, sunny, and mild day here in Beaufort, SC.  Were you able to get all your errands and things done this week? If not, consider the possibility of extra hands.  This allows for the freedom to do the things on Saturday that you want to, not that you have to!  If one has or is considering purchasing a second home in the area, it would be nice to come in and have all the groceries on hand, air/heat on so you come into comfort, and maybe even a nice hot meal ready when you arrive so then all you have to do is relax and enjoy the serenity of the ocean and/or marshes or maybe even a night on the town with friends.  This is one more way to de-stress from the daily grind!  In the Lowcountry, being lai... 01/23/2009

Trying to conduct a real estate transaction without the services of a full-time Realtor is like sleep deprivation. Until you get a good night's sleep, you don't know what you're missing. Likewise, folks trying to buy or sell property without a full-time Realtor have no idea how much unnecessary stress they've been experiencing, and how much time they've been wasting, until they sit down with a qualified agent. How many folks have you dealt with over the years who "just wanted to deal with the listing agent?" These folks spend countless hours driving themselves around town, looking for signs, calling listing agents, visiting various websites, and calling more agents off these sites. And the whole time, these buyers think they are being efficient. I spent a couple of hours with some folk... 01/20/2009

No matter who you are, where you are, or even your political view, there is no denying today was special. At mornings first light I woke to find a Southern rarity. SNOW. I am currently in Columbia, South Carolina taking my broker's course. Outside my hotel window, my eyes were treated to flakes, flurries and a beautiful white topping that simply isn't typical in beautiful South Carolina. I felt like a little girl. My first instinct was to hurry downstairs and make the biggest and best snowball ever made. Adulthood kicked in and I realized that should I decide to launch this ball of perfection I could very well land myself in jail. So I resisted. Instead, I grabbed a cup of coffee and turned on the morning news. Somewhat less adventurous yet not likely to land me in the slammer. Millions... 01/20/2009

Chris Skrip of RE/MAX Sea Island Realty is a sponsor of the 1st Annual Beaufort Festiv-ALE in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort South Carolina. Please join us for this incredible 4 day event! Calendar of EventsFestiv-ALE Golf Tournament"Brewin' on the Links" Fe'brew'ary 26, 2009 - 11am The Sanctuary at Cat Island$100 - Free to VIP Pass HoldersFestiv-ALE "Brewin' on the River"Sponsors Appreciation and VIP PartyFe'brew'ary 27, 2009 - 5pmIncludes Private Tasting and SeminarHenry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion$50 - Free to VIP Pass HoldersFestiv-ALE "Brewmaster's Concert"Fe'brew'ary 27, 2009 - 7pm-10pmHeadliner - Michelle MurrayOpening Act - Chris and ChristianHenry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion$15 - Free to VIP Pass HoldersFestiv-ALE "Brewin' on the River"Saturday ... 01/16/2009

Tomorrow, Saturday January 17th, is the 4th Annual Oyster Roast & Microbrew Festival hosted by St. Peter's Catholic Church.  The event is being held at Live Oaks Park in Port Royal near Beaufort South Carolina.  This is always a well attended event in the Beaufort community.  If you find yourself in Beaufort South Carolina tomorrow, stop by and have some oysters and beer! 01/16/2009

Jeanne Dial is proud to announce the grand opening of her company, Dial-A-Jeanne!  Dial-A-Jeanne provides errand services to include grocery shopping, house sitting/watching, business courier services, and just about anything you need.  Think of me as your GIRL FRIDAY!  Great for locals and second home owners in Northern Beaufort County and the Sea Islands (Dataw, Harbor and Fripp Islands) Serving Beaufort County North of the Broad River to Fripp Island. Pic provided by: Shannon The Bottle Genie 01/15/2009

01/14/2009

Child Care Facilities: http://www.mccssc.com/community/relocation.asp Phone # 843-846-1160, Located on Laurel Bay, Child Care on Base. http://www.hobbithill.com/main.html?src=%2F, Hobbit Hill Preschool, Off-Base Child Care http://informationpages.com/sys/pageserver.dll?b=1133&f=pw6922, Honey Tree, Off-Base Child Care http://www.superpages.com/bp/Ladys-Island-SC/E-C-Montessori-Grade-School-L0127297029.htm?SRC=portals&C=Child+Care+Services&CP=Community+%26+Government%5ESocial+%26+Human+Services%5EIndividual+%26+Family%5EChild+Care+Services%5E&L=Beaufort+SC&lbp=1, E C Montessori on Lady's Island Chris Skrip works with families stationed at Beaufort Air Station, MCRD Parris Island, The Naval Hospital in Beaufort, South Carolina.  Chris would consider it an honor to assit you in buying a hom... 01/13/2009

In today's market where many agents are extremely cautious about taking on new listings, I took on an entire development. A development that had been listed almost a year with absolutely no success. What was I thinking? I was thinking that somehow the previous marketing strategy completely missed the mark. The previous company, an icon in our area, wasn't accustomed to catering to first time buyers. A tremendous company with outstanding agents, just not as familiar with the needs of this community's target. This new community was exactly what so many of my buyers had been searching for however, I didn't even know that much about it myself. I pride myself in staying apprised of any and all new opportunities for buyers. This community just hadn't had the exposure necessary to reach it's t... 01/13/2009

If there is a Gmail maven out there, I need your help.  I am attempting to load up a particular category of contacts in my Gmail account. However, after I input the name and email address, and save it, I'll go back and the email address won't be there. The name will be there, however. Any ideas? Does that sound familiar to anyone?  Is there an easy, quick way to get an answer from Gmail support?  As always, any suggestions are appreciated. Have a great day. 01/11/2009