Fall camping can be a great experience, even for novices. Fewer people camp in cooler weather, so you'll find less commotion and more wildlife. Autumn colors are another bonus, and generally there are fewer fire restrictions in the fall. Stargazing is top-notch this time of year. The main challenge for fall camping is keeping your body warm. About 90 percent of your body heat radiates from your head, so wearing a hat makes a remarkable difference. Use a cold weather rated sleeping bag with a barrier between the ground and sleeping bag. You may need more than one barrier layer - a foam mat with an air mattress would be great to use. Consider using a tent heater, which operate on propane or electricity. Remember that an electric heater will only be useful at a campsite with an outlet. Pro... 09/24/2008

We hear a lot about the Baby Boomer market.  Yes, they are real and they offer the Real Estate Industry a tremendous opportunity.  I include Realtors, Developers, Builders and Architects in that industry group who will prosper in this growing group. Realtors must stop trying to sell bricks and mortar and sell Life Style.  No, Mother's Dining Room furniture will not fit in this home, besides it has no formal dining!   Instead, "It has this wonderful dining area with a great view of the outdoor gardens and waterfall."  It's open to the Gourmet Kitchen and Sun Room so you can enjoy the companionship of your friends and family while the meal is being prepared." Developers must understand that they cannot cramp the upscale buyers into Zero Lot Lines.  They still want some space (but not as m... 09/24/2008

Sure, years in the business is important, as is education, training and designations.  Is dollar production more important than the number of transaction sides?  "I'm a MILLION DOLLAR PRODUCER!" is over used.  If you are not a million dollar producer you are not going to have a full time career in real estate. We measure our business success using one scale, Personal Referrals. With 80% of our business coming from our sphere of influence we have been able to grow our business even in this down cycle time.  When the market picks up our business will double! It's the best possible marketing!  We invest 1/3 as much keeping in touch with past clients than we do in our Web Site and Printed Marketing.  If you don't like picking up the phone to call FSBO's or Expired's, call past clients. It a... 09/24/2008

Well, the Fall Season is officially here. You can feel the change in the air. The morning air is crisp and cool and the afternoons are still warm, but not so humid. It is a great time of year to enjoy being outside. The leaves will soon be showing off their beautiful display of colors. It is an awesome sight in the South. Then there is a downside, the leaves will start falling and it will be time for the chore of raking leaves.  With the change of a season brings a sense of newness, change and hope, I am looking forward to this season to see what it may bring. I am hoping for the best for all of us. Ginger Ryals Prudential, C Dan Joyner and Young Realtors Jan Walker Team 864 680 2770 09/21/2008

With the events in the financial markets lately in reference to the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the $85 billion bailout of insurance AIG, all which can affect the housing market, everyone may be getting a little over board and sea sick from all the wavy action. But if your good with the waves then you will be-able to ride it out. You will then end up at the shore. If you want to succeed then you need to hang in there and manage the business to your best ability. We can all get caught up with the stock market falling and then rising with its up & down yo-yo action, but remember life goes on. You will have good times & you will have bad times. Many things in life that are important goes in cycles. Just ride it out. Don't let them get you down. Or if they do, get back up on your feet and ... 09/20/2008

Most of us would love to leave a healthier planet for our children. But how to live a greener life? Its easier than you think. 1. Use Green Cleaning Products Common cleaning products are filled with toxic chemicals -- compounds that are directly linked to cancer, reproductive disorders, lung and skin damage, and other serious health concerns. Kids are especially vulnerable. Cleaning chemicals are a major contributor to indoor air pollution -- and keep in mind that inside the house is where the average family spends 90% of its time. 2. Install a Water Filter Clean, safe water. This is a simple home improvement that is smart, easy and cost-cutting: no more plastic water bottles, no more fossil fuels used to deliver the H20, and no more water delivery bills, either. 3. Use Energy Efficient... 09/19/2008

Fall weather is here, and the streets are full of prospective homebuyers. How do you make sure your property stands out above the rest? I will explain a few ways you can update your home to make sure it shines to its complete potential and help you achieve the largest return on your investment. Fresh Paint Fresh paint is the most cost-effective and profitable improvement you can make. Even if your home doesn't need a new coat, painting the interior walls a neutral color and the ceilings white can make rooms look bigger, brighter and cleaner. Less then around $25, you can give an older looking room a complete makeover. New flooring New flooring will increase the market value of your home, shabby floors can add a problem to a sale. Instead of spending money on carpet or hardwood, try lami... 09/19/2008

It is Friday Night Lights again and it is show time for the Byrnes High School Rebels.  Lincoln High School from Tallahassee, Florida will play Byrnes High School tonight at 7:30 pm in Duncan, South Carolina. It will be quite a showdown. The Rebel Empire is looking forward to this challenge. Are there any Realtors from the Tallahassee area coming to the game or do you have any players or coaches on the team?                                                 Ginger Ryals                                                 Prudential                                                 C. Dan Joyner and Young, Realtors                                                 Jan Walker Team                                                 864 680 2770   09/19/2008

Purchasing One-Site will help your company to control and thereby lower payable costs by providing integration, accuracy, control, and efficiency: Integration Property management companies need's a system that can serve as a front end to their existing company, but that is designed for use by site personnel, Purchasing One-Site provides a very inexpensive and user-friendly portal, giving your site personnel access to your enterprise resource planning system. Accuracy Purchasing One-Site helps prevent errors in coding, in vendor selection, and other common errors made in purchase orders or invoices. The system allows us to identify and correct errors before they are transmitted to the company accounting package (for example, by predefining which general ledger account is usually used to ... 09/18/2008

The use of natural energy sources to provide heating and electricity is rapidly increasing in popularity among homeowners. The more natural and renewable energy sources is needed to take the burden off our current dependency on fossil fuels. We can attempt to save the earth from devastation if we act now, and by making the switch to natural and renewable energy sources. many other issues need to be addressed, making the switch is a major step forward in the fight against climate change, and the fight for a cleaner environment. Switching over will not be easy nor cheap. Some of the kits are fairly descent but some can be very expensive.                                                     Below are just a handful of the advantages relating to the use of natural and renewable energy source... 09/18/2008

When buying a home, be sure to note that you do not have to pay for an agent. So many buyers are afraid that they can save some money by not using an agent. In fact, it is often the opposite, realtors are trained and/or experienced and are working for you to get the best deal. Then as a buyer you are also more likely to refer your agent to friends or family members by having a favorable working relationship. The only costs to be paid will be to  the lender, attorney as well as the home inspectors.  If you have questions you should always feel comfortable going to you Real Estate Agent. 09/18/2008

This is the best time of the year when the weather changes in the season, The leaves change colors and fall, You break out the warm clothes, set by a camp fire with family and friends, Memories can be made and never forgotten. I remember setting by the fire once watching the little ones roast marshmellows and having the time of their life. Those are the times you will always remember and cherish. We always have at least one fire maybe two in the fall and of course we take pictures. we always break them out the following year to look at.                       09/17/2008

How many of you are tired of these gas prices going up on a daily basis? It's no wonder you see less cars on the road every time you go out. How can anyone beable to work with prices like these. I couldn't believe the other day when we went out and passed a gas station and noticed that it had gone up 20 cents more from the time we passed it which was about an hour later.  When is this gas madness going to stop? 09/17/2008

If you're the mother of a baby and can't wait to go for your first mother-daughter manicure, get her fitted for her first bra, or give her a makeover, you might get a kick out of Hilarious infant high heels. "Her first high heels" are crib shoes for infants under six months old.  I know if I had an infant daughter, I think they would look cute on them, to me It's just like the head bows that you see when they are an infant. What do you think? Hilarious or disgusting?   09/17/2008

 2 (500 ml) cups butter 24 oz. (680 g) chocolate chips 4 (1000 ml) cups flour 2 (500 ml) cups brown sugar 2 tsp. (10 ml) (Bicarb) soda 1 tsp. (5 ml) salt 2 (500 ml) cups sugar 18 oz (500 g) Hershey Bar (grated).  (Cadbury chocolate for Australians & South Africans) 5 (1250 ml) cups blended oatmeal 4 eggs 2 tsp. (10 ml) baking powder 2 tsp. (10 ml) vanilla 3 cups (375 ml) chopped nuts ( optional )         ....................  Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder.  Cream the butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal,  Salt, baking powder, and Bicarb (soda).  Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar, and nuts.  Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at (180 °C ) 375 degrees  ( The above quantiti... 09/17/2008

I can't believe it.  Rain is falling in the Upstate of South Carolina. It has been raining in our area since last night. It has been mostly a steady rain with a few rounds of heavy showers. Everywhere that I have been today, everyone is bragging about the rain. Wow, it is a great day!! It makes you want to go outside and play in the rain.                                     Thankful in the Upstate                                     Ginger Ryals                                     Keller Williams Realty                                     864 680 2770    09/16/2008

I mean when your getting off work at 5:30 PM Friday evening and you need to fill your gas tank up for the weekend's work, (sure we've heard the news and weather about hurricane Ike coming ashore) and you drive to your local gas station and it's pump handles are covered. (but the first clue was there was only one car driving away, like myself, when normally it is packed!!) Then I look across the street to the small station where hardly anyone frequents and there are cars lined out in the street in both directions! "Nope, I'm not gonna do that!!!!"  So I drive a little further and the pumps continue to be closed. Finally after driving a couple miles up the road I find a station, not my favorite, but in this instance it looks pretty inviting and even though price had jumped 50 cents that d... 09/14/2008

In todays market buyers and sellers are much more savy then years ago, today's client with the help of the internet does their homework before the first phone call is made to an agent. Using mailers are still some what effective but with so many agents in any given area doing the same thing what makes you stand out in the crowd. learn to go that extra mile to make you stand out of the crowd it will pay major rewards in the long run. 09/13/2008

I know that we are all sick of hearing about and dealing with the gas prices. Yesterday, I watched the prices in my area go from $3.699 to $4.609. One station had gas at $3.699 and the station across the street had gas at $4.609. It is a crazy time, but it still hits the pocketbook really hard.  So, I am going to look at the positive side this weekend. Since the cost of gas has been eating away at our budget, we have already been cutting back on things such as eating out, shopping and going to the movies etc. This weekend, we decided to make the best of the situation, we love football, so we are going to watch football and use the DVR to record football to make sure we don't miss a game. We are going to watch teams that we don't normally watch, pop some popcorn, make brownies, grill out... 09/13/2008

Uncertainty about the housing market has left many homeowners hesitant to spend money on improvements. But with contractors hungry for work and willing to bargain, now could be a good time to remodel.   1. Reface your kitchen cabinets - Make them bright and appealing. 2. Replace the sinks and faucets - Put in up to date sinks and the newest faucets. 3.  Replace your countertops - Update your counter top with style. 4.  Say hello to new toilets and tubs - Always make sure your toilet and tub are top brands. 5.  Replace your bathroom cabinets and sinks - Always update cabinets and sinks when changing toilet and sink. 6.  Re-roofing your home - Noone likes a leaky roof. 7.  Replace your home siding - Only if it needs replaced, replace certain ones. 8.  Replace your old windows - You might ... 09/12/2008