Print listings, get directions, update lockbox, preview homes, clean out car, and show property. Repeat. How many times do we do this? Maybe more a few years back, right? Do you enjoy the process? Are the motions second nature so much that at the end of the day you can't recall much about the houses, the reactions, or even the entire day? Do you get to the third house and wonder how you even got there? While in Japan, I studied their "mindful" approach, I spent my days speaking to elders, young women, and business men who are able to transcend the rote routines of daily life. It was nothing short of fascinating. It isn't natural for me, it doesn't happen automatically. I have to make an effort to be mindful. It is an effort that is greatly rewarded when accomplished. I force myself and ... 12/06/2008

Sometimes, with the game on the line in the bottom of the 9th, the pitcher gives you a perfect pitch to hit. I mean, he throws a fat, lifeless tater over the heart of the plate. It's like the All-Star Game home run derby, and you should be able to park that ball in the upper decks. Instead, you whiff!!!  Nothin' but air.   A buyer gave me a big, juicy pitch to hit the other day, and I whiffed.  Big-time.  This prospective buyer told me she had decided to work with another agent because of her mortgage lender's national tie-in with that Realtor's parent company, a franchise.  She didn't specify, but there was some sort of incentive. Maybe there was some closing cost assistance involved somewhere, or some other "saving." Whatever the incentive, she said this affiliation between lender an... 12/06/2008

My sense of humor has always been my saving grace even when I was the only one laughing. I hope you enjoy my view of the Twelve Days Of Christmas..... On the first day of Christmas my sellers gave to me....A call from a ticked attorney On the second day of Christmas my sellers gave to me...two "Where are you?" and a call from a ticked attorney. On the third day of Christmas my sellers gave to me..three french words Two "Where are you?" and a call from a ticked attorney. On the fourth day of Christmas my sellers gave to me...four "Today I can't Show" Three french words Two "Where are you?" and a call from a ticked attorney. On the fifth day of Christmas my sellers gave to me..Five attempts for a closing! Four "Today I can't Show" Three french words Two "Where are you?" and a call from a ... 12/04/2008

A lot of you do wonderful things with your posts, in terms of photos, links, etc.. I'm a visual guy, so I really appreciate an excellent point punctuated by a peppy photo. A couple of weeks ago, I was able to add a photo to a post, but at the end of the piece. The photo would have been much more effective, I though, higher in the story, which for some reason, if memory serves, I couldn't quite figure out. I'm sure this is an easy fix, but is there a simple way to insert photos into the middle of a post? Also, I've noticed some really eye-catching background on some of your home pages. Any suggestions on that would be helpful, or any suggesstions on how to jazz up a post. Have a great, prosperous day, guys. 12/03/2008

I was wondering if you've seen my 2009 business plan? I can't seem to put my hands on it. I've looked in the trunk of my car, where every other extraneous piece of business-related paper seems to end up. I've searched in my house, and my office. It's nowhere in site, though.  Maybe that's because I haven't done it.  Sometimes, the truth is cleansing. So let me be honest. For the ninth straight year, it's December, and I am preparing to enter another year without  a business plan. This, despite the fact the need for one has never been more obvious because of the shaky real estate market. I have often thought of the insanity of trying to build a house without plans, surveys, engineering, etc. And yet, year after year, I begin in January with no plan. Make no mistake, I have had some very... 12/03/2008

If this isn't a wake-up call to all of those buyers sitting on the fence waiting for the bottom of the real estate market to be reached....... Hey, MR. BUYER, take the leap now!!! I personally locked a 5.375% interest rate today on a 30 year fixed conventional loan!  In April, I got a 30 year fixed conventional loan at 6.5% and thought I had worked miracles!  Interest rates have dropped!  There is 'cheap money' out there! Also, there are some fantastic deals with Short Sales, Foreclosures, and a Buyer's Market for the first time in many years.  If you have been waiting for that perfect opportunity to jump into the Beaufort South Carolina Real Estate market, now is the time!  Give Chris Skrip  at RE/MAX Sea Island Realty  a call for all of your Foreclosure and Short Sale needs or questio... 12/03/2008

I wanted to give all of my Active Rain  supporters an update on the Angel Tree program that I blogged about earlier in the week.  Since then, an article has been published in The Beaufort Gazette and Lady's Island News.  The response has been overwhelming!  We cried out to our Beaufort Locals and they came to our rescue.  There was a young lady that stopped by the RE/MAX Sea Island Realty  office this morning to pick up 6 Angel Tree Tags, then before leaving asked for 6 MORE!  I believe, there is no better gift than the smile of a child on Christmas morning when they are unwrapping their presents!  Because of this program, there will be 102 more children unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning.  Thank you, Mary McClaskey  of RE/MAX Sea Island Realty for piloting Realtors Who Care! Article... 12/03/2008

Beaufort SC Real Estate Web Strategy   Realtor Training Seminar Thursday 12/11/2008 The Brokers of Exit Realty in Beaufort South Carolina, Shelia and Greg Bennett, are bringing Key Yessaad again to hold a special training on Real Estate Web Strategy. The training is designed to help Realtors and Brokers design an Internet Strategy that produces results and transcends the arduous jargon that floats around the Real Estate Industry. Realtors understand that having a successful Web presence is important but getting the right ideas and habits are few and far between... this course is designed to answer the fundamental questions and offers a Plan of Action that Realtors can trust to design an organic Real Estate Strategy driven by their needs to serve their Buyers and Sellers. A syllabus of t... 12/02/2008

  LIST PRICE: SOLD PRICE: DOM: HIGH LOW AVERAGE MEDIAN TOTAL PRICE LISTING COUNT $699,000 $75,000 $255,716 $220,000 $9,461,500 37 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 899 6 406 346   Currently, there are 37 home sites available in Islands of Beaufort neighborhood near historic downtown Beaufort South Carolina.  The prices range from a low of $75,000 (interior) to a high of $699,000 (deep water/waterfront).   LIST PRICE: SOLD PRICE: DOM: HIGH LOW AVERAGE MEDIAN TOTAL PRICE LISTING COUNT $1,150,000 $469,900 $733,700 $649,000 $5,135,900 7 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 332 20 151 165   Currently, there are 7 single family homes available in Islands of Beaufort.   The price range from a low of $469,900 to a high of $1,150,000. Islands of Beaufort is a neighborhood composed of the inland area of the neighborhood, Deer Island an... 12/01/2008

  LIST PRICE: SOLD PRICE: DOM: HIGH LOW AVERAGE MEDIAN TOTAL PRICE LISTING COUNT $2,800,000 $167,500 $505,993 $419,000 $14,673,800 29 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 842 18 249 183 Currently, there are 29 single family homes available in Pleasant Point Plantation.  The lowest priced home is listed at $167,500 and the highest is $2.8M for the 'big house' located on deep water.  The home listed at $167,500 is priced WELL BELOW market value for this neighborhood or really for any home in the Beaufort area at $76.14 per square foot!  This neighborhood is having its challenges because the golf course is closed.  The neighborhood itself is beautiful and peaceful with interior, marsh front, marsh view, and deepwater homes and home sites.  Just for the record, the listing for $167,500 is not my listing nor a R... 12/01/2008

Attached is an article that appeared in The Beaufort Gazette  today about Realtors Who Care  collecting gifts for The Salvation Army's Angel Tree  program for teenagers from 13-17 years of age.  This age group is normally left out of gift collection efforts; however, for the 2nd year in a row, Realtors Who Care will be collecting gifts for this age group. To read the full article, click on the link below. http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local/story/634650.html Many thanks to Mary McClaskey of RE/MAX Sea Island Realty  who piloted Realtors Who Care program starting in fall 2007. 12/01/2008

Foreclosure Home Sales in Beaufort County, SC  As we continue to hear about the real estate market and all of its adjustments we have to ask ourselves "Are people still buying homes?" and the answer is simply YES!! As the home for sale inventory grows it often seems as if the market has come to a standstill. Now, I am not saying real estate is flying off the shelf like it was 2-3 years ago but there is still a need to be met. I will focus on the home buyer side in this message.  With the economists pushing consumers to get a better understanding and to focus on what they need versus what they want is a change in thinking from how most people shop. This is also the case when someone is buying a home. The home buyers in the market are beginning to focus more on their needs than wants and ... 11/28/2008

Sometimes, the simplest things in life are the best. A thanks is one of the simplest best things in life. Anyone is capable of offering it, from a 2-year-old child to a 90-year-old.It doesn't cost a penny, yet it can warm the heart of the recipient like a diamond ring. Today, Thansgiving 2008, I have much to be thankful for.   I am thankful that my wife, and my six beautiful children, are all waking up under the same roof on this Thanksgiving Day.  I have a 13-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter, so I know  this will change soon enough.  So, for now, I am blessed to enjoy another chaotic, thunderous Thanksgiving, surrounded by those whom I love the most. Even as the real estate market moans, groans, and weezes along, I am thankful to be a part of a profession that is so central to s... 11/26/2008

Yesterday, the Kiwanis Club delivered 120 full Thanksgiving meals to families in need in Beaufort South Carolina.  Each meal cost approximately $27.00 and included 10 different items - and a turkey! Chris Skrip  and Mike Sackman  of RE/MAX Sea Island Realty  were two of the delivery men.  They were asked for their assistance by Doug Jacobs of South Carolina Bank and Trust. When asked about the experience, Chris Skrip said, "It was a rewarding experience to know that you are helping local Beaufort families in need at the Holidays." Thanks to the efforts of our local Kiwanis Club, local volunteers, and Bi-Lo Grocery Stores, 120 families will enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday with a nice traditional meal. Happy Thanksgiving! Photo compliments of ClipArtOf.com. If you are looking to buy or sel... 11/26/2008

This blog is to all of my friends on ActiveRain that are either single, couples with no children, or empty-nesters that are trying to find something creative to do for Thanksgiving dinner.  I am trying something new this year!  The British Open Pub on Cat Island in Beaufort South Carolina is having an incredible Thanksgiving dinner with 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. seatings still available as of this afternoon. As many of my AR friends know, it is just me and Chris (and our dogs Blue and Leve) in our household, so cooking a large turkey for 2 people is not on the top of my list for Thursday.  The forecast is calling for good weather....I think we will go fishing instead! Anyway, sending a shout out to anyone in the Beaufort South Carolina area - doesn't matter if you live here or are just v... 11/25/2008

Honestly, it isn't that bad. I suppose it heavily depends on your perspective, your location, and your ability to see through mud. As any small business owner, it is imperative that I know exactly what my production was for the year.  If I were to listen to CNN, FOX, or well most of my colleagues, I would be certain that my annual performance would be a sight for poor eyes.   It isn't. My numbers are not exactly any reason to jump on a plane to Bali, but they certainly aren't any reason to jump off a building either. I am pleased. This has been a difficult year mentally, physically, and as with any Realtor, emotionally. Numbers don't lie though, right? I continue to hold Public Open Houses and Broker Open Houses. I stay current on market trends. I research all marketing avenues. And I c... 11/25/2008

I was a bundle of nerves going into my Thursday afternoon listing appointment. I was nervous because I knew I would be dealing with a man with unrealistic expectations. I figured I had two choices,  either to go along, and get stuck with an overpriced listing, or upset a fellow parishioner of my church by telling him his house wasn't worth what he thought. I liked neither choice. In a recent blog post, I used sports agent Drew Rosenhaus to make a point about our need as professionals to shoot straight about price. I heard Rosenhaus explain on an ESPN program recently that a large part of his job representing football players is helping them succeed by telling his clients what they do NOT want to hear. I have sometimes fallen into the trap of being a real estate "yes" man, and have gone... 11/21/2008

 Exit Realty of Beaufort holds a Successful Blogging Training Exit Realty of Beaufort, led by Shelia and Greg Bennett, held a Real Estate Blogging Strategy Training Seminar Thursday November 21st with a strong participation of their Real Estate Agents... The session, led by Key Yessaad, focused on the necessity of Beaufort Realtors to find a direct path of connection with their Buyers and Sellers in the Greater Beaufort area and how Blogging opens that path organically. The 4-hour training seminar was well received and well attended by Shelia Bennett, Greg Bennett, Jeanne Swain, Gayle Keeling, Lisa Brown, Janice Baker, Tony Hagwood, Richard Neill, Perry Allmond, Kathy Baker, Mary Strick, Kathy Moses, Melissa Evans, and David Thompson.  The demanding course did challenge the Realtors on ... 11/21/2008

For those of us that are all about healthy living, this blog is for you!  This blog will tell you all about workout facilities, health food stores, and alternatives for a healthy lifestyle in Beaufort South Carolina.  With all of the warm weather we have in coastal South Carolina, most all of us live an active life style.  I hope you enjoy my suggestions/recommendations:  Yoga: http://www.yogachandracenter.com/ (Yoga Chandra Center) http://www.beaufortyogamassage.com/ (Sattva Center for Yoga & Massage) Fitness Centers: http://www.ymcabeaufortcounty.com/ (YMCA on Richmond Ave Port Royal) http://www.omnibeaufort.com/ (Omni Fitness - 2 locations in Beaufort SC) http://www.curves.com/ (Curves for Women - locations around Beaufort SC) Massage: http://www.wellness.com/dir/2561208/salon/sc/be... 11/21/2008

   Realtors Thanksgiving Prayer   Thank you for all the little things Emails requesting help with a dream A cell phone that still rings And bloggers who are exactly what they seem.   Give me patience for neighbors And family and  friends Who see Realtor and think favor  Lord, continue to help me grin.   Grant me peace during stress and please hold my tongue from commenting on the mess our industry has become.   Let my lockbox unlock my fliers still fly my sellers avoid shock and my buyers still buy.   For my Lord, I am just an agent hanging on with all my might occasionally using the internet to vent and a little wine to sleep at night.   By Cherimie Crane   ~~~Happy Thanksgiving to All~~~~                   11/21/2008