The RE/MAX offices on the Grand Strand sponsored this years ICE awards, Ty & I had the pleasure of going. It was fantastic! We enjoyed the entertainment of local shaggers, a portion of the La Grande Cirque (the circus with no animals as my 3 year old puts it), & the Irish Tenors. We really enjoyed it! This was the 4th annual Incredible Customer Experience (ICE) awards ceremony, it was held in Myrtle Beach Saturday at the Palace Theatre this night was also sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. The winners were presented with a 12-inch engraved crystal award, they looked really nice and they had the RE/MAX logo engraved in it! RE/MAX was very excited to be present for the ICE Awards, everyone looked beautiful!
Amusement/Entertainment
Business: Grand 14 Cinemas
Individual: Dave Genevro (Barefoot Resort & Golf)
Communication
Business: WMBF News
Individual: Kevin Cox (Horry Telephone Cooperative)
Dining
Business: Chick-fil-A (13th Avenue, Myrtle Beach)
Individual: Angelo Antonucci (Angelo's Steak & Pasta)
Financial
Business: Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union
Individual: Rhonda Phelps (First Citizens Bank)
Lodging
Business: Marina Inn at Grande Dunes
Individual: Sandie Custer (Hampton Inn Broadway at the Beach)
Nonprofit
Business: Mercy Care
Individual: Ralph McAteer (American Red Cross)
Professional
Business: DDC Engineers Inc.
Individual: Frederica Chestnut (Lighthouse Care Center)
Real Estate
Business: RE/MAX Ocean Forest
Individual: Radha Herring (Watermark Real Estate Group)
Retail
Business: Bed Bath & Beyond
Individual: Nora Mason (Costco Wholesale)
Service
Business: Thompson Construction Group – HVAC Division
Individual: Rod Trostle (A&I Fire & Water Restoration)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The 50 Most Powerful People in Real Estate
Dave Liniger
Residential Brokerage
What he does: chairman and co-founder, RE/MAX International
In position since: 1973
Why he is powerful: Since Liniger helped found RE/MAX in Denver in 1973, the company has grown into a global brand of franchisee-owned and operated offices with nearly 96,000 sales professionals. Margaret Kelley is the company's chief executive, but Liniger remains an influential voice in the real estate industry. He encouraged agents to help families facing foreclosure, and more than 10,000 RE/MAX agents earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation in 2009.
Posting from Buisness Week
Monday, March 22, 2010
Little River SC
Little River South Carolina is the oldest -- and one of the most unique -- towns along the greater Grand Strand. Known for its fresh seafood, fishing charters, annual blue crab festival, and historic centuries-old live oak trees, it is one of the last communities on the Grand Strand where a slower pace of life still exists.
Little River is about 20 miles to the north of the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach, so residents and visitors alike share more peaceful days in this quaint fishing village. Yet Little River is just a short drive to all the Grand Strand's famous attractions, signature golf courses, unique variety shows, shopping outlets and world-class entertainment. It's no secret that property values and real estate in Little River are rapidly rising in value since almost every one who visits wants to move or have a second home here. There's a quality of life that residents cherish and visitors admire in our beautiful town on the north end of the Grand Strand
Little River is about 20 miles to the north of the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach, so residents and visitors alike share more peaceful days in this quaint fishing village. Yet Little River is just a short drive to all the Grand Strand's famous attractions, signature golf courses, unique variety shows, shopping outlets and world-class entertainment. It's no secret that property values and real estate in Little River are rapidly rising in value since almost every one who visits wants to move or have a second home here. There's a quality of life that residents cherish and visitors admire in our beautiful town on the north end of the Grand Strand
North Myrtle Beach Homes & Condos for sale.
So what are you looking for? A condo? A house? We can help! Everyone is looking for a "deal"! Please call RE/MAX at the Coast for more information on the deals you see below. 843-663-5663.
Looking for a "deal" on a house in North Myrtle Beach?
Are you looking for a BRAND NEW home in North Myrtle Beach? With 1801-1900 sq feet? How about one really close to all of the hustle and bustle in North Myrtle Beach? No POA's! This foreclosure is listed for $229,900 3 bedroom 3 baths.
Condo: 1 bedroom 1 bath in Harbourgate Marina. $97,500 Beautiful direct views of the waterway and marina. Fully furnished, full size sleeper sofa, washer/dryer, and dishwasher. Prime location! On-site boat storage, covered parking and on-site pool, Hot Tub, Ship Store, on-site restaurant and waterway tiki bar.
Please call RE/MAX at the Coast for more information and more pictures.
Looking for a "deal" on a house in North Myrtle Beach?
Are you looking for a BRAND NEW home in North Myrtle Beach? With 1801-1900 sq feet? How about one really close to all of the hustle and bustle in North Myrtle Beach? No POA's! This foreclosure is listed for $229,900 3 bedroom 3 baths.
Condo: 1 bedroom 1 bath in Harbourgate Marina. $97,500 Beautiful direct views of the waterway and marina. Fully furnished, full size sleeper sofa, washer/dryer, and dishwasher. Prime location! On-site boat storage, covered parking and on-site pool, Hot Tub, Ship Store, on-site restaurant and waterway tiki bar.
Please call RE/MAX at the Coast for more information and more pictures.
The Ice Awards
The 4th Annual Myrtle Beach Area ICE Awards will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at The Palace Theatre located at Broadway at the Beach. The event is from 6:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. beginning with a Cocktail Reception from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., the Awards Ceremony from 7:00 - 8:15 p.m., followed by the After-Party Celebration 8:15 – 10:00 p.m. Tickets are only $30 per person and includes admission to the entire event, including cocktail reception, awards ceremony and after party. Look for the RE/MAX on the Grand Strand logo at this event.
Susan G Komen
RE/MAX International has been a proud supporter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® since 2006. Through its sponsorship of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series and the Home for the Cure™ program, RE/MAX International and its associates have contributed over $3.1M to the fight against breast cancer!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
SC Realtors Open House
Picture this: On April 10 & 11, 2010, thousands of blue balloons will be flying above mailboxes at open houses from the Lowcountry to the Upstate. It’s all part of the first-ever statewide open house weekend!
South Carolina REALTORS® aren’t the only ones showcasing properties during that weekend. State and local associations across the country have also designated April 10 & 11 as Open House Weekend. From coast to coast, blue balloons will showcase thousands of open houses. It’s a buyer’s dream!
The timing couldn’t be better for buyers. Interest rates are low. There’s a supply of homes at all price points. And the Open House Weekend is two weeks before the April 30 deadline for the homebuyer tax credit.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Great News!
SC State Housing Authority is excited to announce our 2010 PALMETTO HEROES PROGRAM. The Heroes selected for the 2010 initiative are “Police Officers – Fire Fighters – EMS - Teachers”. Borrower(s) must meet SC State Housing's first-time home buyer requirements. The program features a reduced mortgage interest rate and down payment assistance is available. The funding will be limited to $40 million. Loans are available on a first-come first-served basis and borrowers must have an accepted sales contract on a home prior to reserving funds. All SC State Housing loan policies and procedures will be in affect for this program. See our program guides and manual for specific loan details.
Police Officers – Borrower must be a full-time police officer with state or local government agency including correctional officers with the South Carolina State Department of Corrections
Fire Fighters and EMS - Borrower must be a full-time or volunteer fire fighter or EMS with a state or local government agency
Teachers - Borrower must have a South Carolina Teachers Certification and be employed as a classroom teacher or have a contract to receive a paycheck begin teaching within 60 days of closing on the home.
INTEREST RATE –The fixed interest rate will be 5.125
DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE included
Police Officers – Borrower must be a full-time police officer with state or local government agency including correctional officers with the South Carolina State Department of Corrections
Fire Fighters and EMS - Borrower must be a full-time or volunteer fire fighter or EMS with a state or local government agency
Teachers - Borrower must have a South Carolina Teachers Certification and be employed as a classroom teacher or have a contract to receive a paycheck begin teaching within 60 days of closing on the home.
INTEREST RATE –The fixed interest rate will be 5.125
DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE included
South Carolina Housing
South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Loan Program assists low-to-moderate income S.C. families and individuals by offering a competitive market fixed interest rate mortgage loan. SC State Housing also offers down payment assistance based on availability, which may be used toward down payment and closing costs. Applying for the Mortgage Loan Program is simple; contact one of our Participating Lending Partners by selecting the tab from the list at the right side of the screen. You may also select the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority Loan Program tab to learn more about each feature available.
Please call RE/MAX at the Coast for more information on these great opportunities at 843-663-5663.
Please call RE/MAX at the Coast for more information on these great opportunities at 843-663-5663.
Giving Back!
Children's Miracle Network
You can make miracles happen for sick and injured kids through the Miracle Home® program. As a supporter, you can:
• Make a per-transaction pledge to support your local children's hospital.
• Market properties as Miracle Homes.
• Send the perfect closing gift to homebuyers and sellers.
• Customize marketing materials to promote your affiliation with Children's Miracle Network.
• Organize events to raise funds and awareness.
Because of the dedication of RE/MAX helping sick and injured kids over the past 18 years, RE/MAX has become one of just three fundraising sponsors to reach $100 million in total donations to Children's Miracle Network.
In a final push to reach the $100 million mark in 2009, RE/MAX Associates defied a global recession to raise more than $7 million through the Miracle Home program and by sponsoring community fundraisers such as golf tournaments, auctions and more.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sellers: Staging is a Must
You may not have the budget to hire a professional stager, but every home seller can follow a few helpful staging tips to make sure their house looks like a buyer's dream home.
As a seller, you want your home to make a positive first impression. In order to do this, you repair, clean, and strategize marketing for your open houses, but home staging takes it one step further.
It allows the buyer both the mental space to imagine their own belongings in the rooms and the ability to get excited about the life they could have in your home.
Here are some tips to get you started:
Declutter:
Less is more. It's a motto that is true for so many things, and staging is no exception. Grab a box, label it "living room" and go through and remove the unnecessary decor. Remove family pictures and trinkets. A buyer needs room to see their lives in your home, not themselves in your life.
Remove Furniture:
Bulky pieces, or too many furniture items, can clutter the buyer's vision of the room. There should be enough furniture to clearly spell out what the space is intended for (e.g. dining room), but not so much that the room seems smaller than it is. Also, do not "multipurpose" a room during staging, meaning that your "craft/living room" should now just function as a staged living room.
Fireplaces:
If your fireplace is stained black, a cheap and easy fix can be paint. A simple white or cream can compliment many modern styles. If your fireplace has a tile surround, consider updating it as a do-it-yourself project.
Avoid Themed Rooms:
Resist the temptation to redecorate your den in the theme of your favorite sports team, or make your daughter's room a princess palace. You want your home to appeal to a wide range of buyers. A single buyer will have a hard time imaging their exercise equipment next to all that pink.
Keep it Neutral:
This doesn't mean monotone taupe, beige, and more eggshell. It means have the walls painted a neutral and then accent with color throughout the rooms with pillows, throw, artwork, and minimal accessories.
Clean Again:
This should go without saying, but deep cleaning is an essential part of staging. Febreze is your friend. If you have animals in your house, you may have become acclimated to the odors. Consider having your carpets cleaned. Burn welcoming -- and odor covering -- candles, such as vanilla and gingerbread. Hang new shower curtains. And hang clean towels. Cover dirty couches with new, inexpensive slipcovers.
And finally, consider some of these inexpensive updates that can add value and staging appeal to your home. Outdated light fixtures can be changed rather inexpensively. Paint or stain patios and concrete that look dingy. Vinyl tile can be laid using easy snap lines. Carpet squares can be pieced together to freshen up tired flooring. You may also think about buying new appliances. These are great selling points, especially the stainless steel version, and you should be able to get money back on your investment.
Use these tips for your home staging and you're sure to impress your prospective buyers
by Carla L. Davis
As a seller, you want your home to make a positive first impression. In order to do this, you repair, clean, and strategize marketing for your open houses, but home staging takes it one step further.
It allows the buyer both the mental space to imagine their own belongings in the rooms and the ability to get excited about the life they could have in your home.
Here are some tips to get you started:
Declutter:
Less is more. It's a motto that is true for so many things, and staging is no exception. Grab a box, label it "living room" and go through and remove the unnecessary decor. Remove family pictures and trinkets. A buyer needs room to see their lives in your home, not themselves in your life.
Remove Furniture:
Bulky pieces, or too many furniture items, can clutter the buyer's vision of the room. There should be enough furniture to clearly spell out what the space is intended for (e.g. dining room), but not so much that the room seems smaller than it is. Also, do not "multipurpose" a room during staging, meaning that your "craft/living room" should now just function as a staged living room.
Fireplaces:
If your fireplace is stained black, a cheap and easy fix can be paint. A simple white or cream can compliment many modern styles. If your fireplace has a tile surround, consider updating it as a do-it-yourself project.
Avoid Themed Rooms:
Resist the temptation to redecorate your den in the theme of your favorite sports team, or make your daughter's room a princess palace. You want your home to appeal to a wide range of buyers. A single buyer will have a hard time imaging their exercise equipment next to all that pink.
Keep it Neutral:
This doesn't mean monotone taupe, beige, and more eggshell. It means have the walls painted a neutral and then accent with color throughout the rooms with pillows, throw, artwork, and minimal accessories.
Clean Again:
This should go without saying, but deep cleaning is an essential part of staging. Febreze is your friend. If you have animals in your house, you may have become acclimated to the odors. Consider having your carpets cleaned. Burn welcoming -- and odor covering -- candles, such as vanilla and gingerbread. Hang new shower curtains. And hang clean towels. Cover dirty couches with new, inexpensive slipcovers.
And finally, consider some of these inexpensive updates that can add value and staging appeal to your home. Outdated light fixtures can be changed rather inexpensively. Paint or stain patios and concrete that look dingy. Vinyl tile can be laid using easy snap lines. Carpet squares can be pieced together to freshen up tired flooring. You may also think about buying new appliances. These are great selling points, especially the stainless steel version, and you should be able to get money back on your investment.
Use these tips for your home staging and you're sure to impress your prospective buyers
by Carla L. Davis
Real Estate Outlook: Reading the Numbers
When it comes to the current housing recovery, never assume the path leads straight up.
That's just not the way it's playing out.
As the economic and real estate numbers this week suggest, it's more like two steps forward, one step back, one step sideways.
The new quarterly home price numbers released last week by Standard & Poor's Case Shiller index show we're headed toward gradual improvement on a national basis -- and a lot better than that in key metropolitan markets.
On a seasonally-adjusted basis, Case-Shiller's 20-city index was up three tenths of a percent -- the seventh consecutive monthly improvement in pricing. Fifteen of the 20 cities in the survey posted positive price appreciation last quarter.
Check out some of the increases Case Shiller measured in the largest urban markets -- a five percent gain year over year for prices in San Francisco, three percent for the year in Dallas and San Diego, plus higher than average jumps in metropolitan Washington DC, Boston and Denver.
Even hard-hit Las Vegas and Phoenix saw small increases in the new report, despite the ongoing high percentage of total sales transactions involving defaulted and foreclosed properties.
Mortgage giant Fannie Mae also came out with its latest forecast -- and sees gradually improving conditions in the months ahead.
Fannie's chief economist Doug Duncan said that despite temporary setbacks in sales in any given month, the underlying reality in the marketplace is that the employment situation, slowly but surely, is getting better, and is likely to continue to do so.
Duncan is particularly impressed by the creation of 540,000 new jobs for households nationwide in January, and a shift by employers away from part-time positions to full time.
"The upswing in employment data means positive news for economic growth," said Duncan. "Better financial strength for households makes it easier for people to make payments and more likely they'll buy houses."
Okay, that's the bright side of the picture this week. Now for some sobering, one-step-backwards news: Builders saw sales of newly-constructed homes in January plunge by 11 percent - hitting their lowest level in decades, according to the Commerce Department.
No question that some of that was caused by the bad weather that pounded much of the country recently. But part of the steep decline also signals caution on the part of potential buyers, who still aren't sure whether we've seen the bottom in prices.
Mortgage rates certainly aren't keeping buyers away, though. Thirty year fixed rates averaged just over 5 percent last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, while 15 years rates averaged 4.4 percent.
by Kenneth R. Harney
That's just not the way it's playing out.
As the economic and real estate numbers this week suggest, it's more like two steps forward, one step back, one step sideways.
The new quarterly home price numbers released last week by Standard & Poor's Case Shiller index show we're headed toward gradual improvement on a national basis -- and a lot better than that in key metropolitan markets.
On a seasonally-adjusted basis, Case-Shiller's 20-city index was up three tenths of a percent -- the seventh consecutive monthly improvement in pricing. Fifteen of the 20 cities in the survey posted positive price appreciation last quarter.
Check out some of the increases Case Shiller measured in the largest urban markets -- a five percent gain year over year for prices in San Francisco, three percent for the year in Dallas and San Diego, plus higher than average jumps in metropolitan Washington DC, Boston and Denver.
Even hard-hit Las Vegas and Phoenix saw small increases in the new report, despite the ongoing high percentage of total sales transactions involving defaulted and foreclosed properties.
Mortgage giant Fannie Mae also came out with its latest forecast -- and sees gradually improving conditions in the months ahead.
Fannie's chief economist Doug Duncan said that despite temporary setbacks in sales in any given month, the underlying reality in the marketplace is that the employment situation, slowly but surely, is getting better, and is likely to continue to do so.
Duncan is particularly impressed by the creation of 540,000 new jobs for households nationwide in January, and a shift by employers away from part-time positions to full time.
"The upswing in employment data means positive news for economic growth," said Duncan. "Better financial strength for households makes it easier for people to make payments and more likely they'll buy houses."
Okay, that's the bright side of the picture this week. Now for some sobering, one-step-backwards news: Builders saw sales of newly-constructed homes in January plunge by 11 percent - hitting their lowest level in decades, according to the Commerce Department.
No question that some of that was caused by the bad weather that pounded much of the country recently. But part of the steep decline also signals caution on the part of potential buyers, who still aren't sure whether we've seen the bottom in prices.
Mortgage rates certainly aren't keeping buyers away, though. Thirty year fixed rates averaged just over 5 percent last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, while 15 years rates averaged 4.4 percent.
by Kenneth R. Harney
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