Haven of Rest Ministries (Anderson, SC)

This wonderful ministry will be serving Thanksgiving & Christmas Dinner to anyone who needs a meal during this holiday season. They could use some donations as well. Click here: Haven of Rest Newsletter for contact info, etc.

Anderson Lights of Hope: Lake Hartwell's Darwin Wright Park

During this holiday season I will be posting links of things to do around Lake Hartwell. This is definitely something you'll want to see, by Boat or by Car. Click Here for details: Lights of Hope

Making Dreams Come True....One Memory at a Time!

I AM SO......EXCITED!I love showing people what Lake Hartwell has to offer. This morning I spoke with a person I will be showing property to this weekend and he sounded so excited on the phone! I absolutely Love living on Lake Hartwell and as I told him, we are still finding new places on the lake to explore (after 15+ years for me and almost a lifetime for my husband & Real Estate partner). Last summer we found 2 waterfalls we had never seen off the Tugaloo River and we also rode way up to the top of the Tugaloo River by boat and then by car. You can never imagine how wonderful this area and our area lakes are until you experience it first hand. We would love to share our experiences with you and show you our amazing area. Click here:*ANCHOR YOUR DREAMS WITH US!*

Lake Hartwell History: Nancy Hart

For your entertainment today: Click on Lake Hartwell History/ Nancy Hart

Homeless, Area Soup Kitchens, Volunteer & Donate

I'm sure everyone thinks this is a totally random post but it is so important to help those who are less fortunate than us. Click this link: Homeless shelters & Soup Kitchen- Anderson, SC

Positive Thinking & Speaking can go a very long way!

Last night I attended an oyster roast on Lake Hartwell at a friend's home. I met new friends and enjoyed visiting with many long time friends. It seems that everywhere I go I am asked this question,"So, how's the real estate business? Is it picking up at all?". It's funny that when people ask this question they all seem to anticipate a negative, take pity on me response. My husband, Gary Smith, & I are both Realtors and have been blessed through our hard work & dedication to be very busy in this business. We both LOVE what we do and it warms our hearts every time we help another family realize their dream of owning a lakefront property. I truly believe that our market has improved. NOW is the time to take advantage of the LOW INTEREST RATES, large inventory & Great deals! *ANCHOR YOUR DREAMS WITH US!* 866.244.8439

Traveling by Boat to watch Clemson Football???? Yes, it's possible!

Well this weekend our Tigers will be playing against the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee but they'll be back at home soon! There aren't too many places where you can ride your boat to a college football game or concert but you can here on Lake Hartwell! This is the ULTIMATE TAILGATE EXPERIENCE!You can just beach your boat, walk up the hill & down the street and you're at a Clemson tradition.....THE ESSO CLUB!Clemson university owns a lot of shoreline on Lake Hartwell as you ride up the Seneca River Channel. This property is pristine and natural and home to a lot of different wildlife species. GOOOOOO.....TIGERS!

Is your Realtor really an experienced Full Time Lake Specialist?????

There are many realtors out there who say they are "Lake Specialists" as well as "Full Service Realtors". However, most of the time this is just not the case. I began my career in real estate 14 years ago this month and each year has been a learning experience. I have faced so many issues during my career that are specific to Listing & selling Lakefront property. I have a good relationship with the US Army Corps of Engineers and have a lot of respect for the rangers. I have worked full-time for my entire career as well. The 1st question to pose to your "Lake Specialist" Realtor would be: What are the 3 most common corps zones on Lake Hartwell & what does each mean? This is the simplest question of all and most agents know the answer.
Just be careful when choosing a "Lake Specialist" Realtor because buying any real estate is a huge investment and we are here to help you make the best investment decisions not just to pick up a quick paycheck.....* ANCHOR YOUR DREAMS WITH US!*
866.244.8439 (866.BIG.VIEW)

Don't worry about lake levels dropping on Hartwell!

Every year when cooler weather approaches on Lake Hartwell rumors start to swirl about projected lake levels and reasons why the lake level is dropping(just like the falling leaves). I have to say that it's pretty comical to me because I have been here many years and the water level fluctuates each & every year on Lake Hartwell. Everything in life is not perfect! We have been provided with 56,000 acres of water in an absolutely breathtaking natural setting to explore on Lake Hartwell. This lake was not built for recreation as a primary use, it was built to generate power. It's just that simple. The lake level has always recovered and in most instances, in record time.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing for prospective buyers to do is to find a realtor, like myself, who has your best interest at heart (not their own pocketbook or wallet). When you buy a piece of lake property you need a realtor who knows the lake and understands lake levels, etc. Normal drops in Lake Hartwell do NOT affect property owners who have bought a deep water lot to begin with. We are here to help you with that. In my next post I'll give you a few questions to pose to your "Lake Specialist Realtor" to find out just how well he/ she really understands lake levels, etc.
***REMEMBER....ANCHOR YOUR DREAMS WITH US!*** 866-244-8439 TOLL FREE

Many Prospective Buyers are taking advantage of LOW Interest Rates

I almost feel like the housing industry has taken an upturn. Many out of state people have been contacting me this week interested in finding the right waterfront "Deal" while the rates are LOW, inventory is high & prices are @ or very near Bottom. This is such a beautiful time of year to look at lake property and the perfect time of year to purchase (Because you'll be all set & ready when swimming & boating season comes around again). Not to mention the Memories you can make spending Holidays in your new Lake House. A good thing to do if you are interested in purchasing is to get pre-qualified so you will know exactly what price range you should be concentrating on. Below you'll find a list of several lenders who would be more than happy to help you with this process. Please make sure you tell them I referred you. I have compiled this list of referral worthy lenders based on excellent communication skills, experience, ease of past transactions, etc. Of course, if you already have an established relationship with a lender that's even better.
LENDERS:

Amy Eberhart (Community Home Mortgage):
email: amy.eberhart@churchillmortgage.com
Cel:864-314-0602

Becky Williams (Bank of Anderson):
email: becky.williams@bankanderson.com
Cel: 864-376-7283

Brenda Tyler ( First Citizens)
Email: brenda.tyler@firstcitizensonline.com
Cel: 864-414-2255

Lois Philyaw (Peoples Mortgage): Office: 864-231-7778

Introducing Lake Hartwell & Lake Keowee to Prospective Buyers from out of state

I had the privilege to share our beautiful area with new people this weekend and it brought to mind the first time I visited Lake Hartwell, Lake Keowee & Lake Jocassee. I was absolutely in awe of the natural beauty and felt sublimely peaceful. We who live here in Upstate SC & NE Ga. are probably the luckiest people in the world. Having these natural wonders all around us to enjoy takes a lot of the stresses of the world off of our shoulders. It's not hard at all to "fall in love" with our area....we prove that almost every time we show new people around our area lakes & foothills. I think it is more than appropriate for us all the Thank God every day for this wonderful gift he has bestowed on us.

4 Ways to Tell if You’re Getting a Good Deal – on Your Home!

Buying or selling a home is a funny endeavor (but not ha-ha funny - puzzling funny!). It's your biggest purchase ever, but unlike many smaller purchases, making an offer on a home can feel like pulling numbers out of a hat. And selling's no easier - the stakes are so high, and the market's so tough that you want to take any offer you can get, but at the same time, it's difficult to know whether you're leaving money on the table when you do finally sign on the dotted line.

Buyer's remorse often arises as soon as you get the contract back with the seller's signature on it - that desperate hope that your offer will be accepted instantly plummets into an "oh no - they took it - I must have offered too much! I'll bet I could have gotten it for $X thousand less!" If you've experienced this, rest assured that the same evening, the sellers were feeling the same thing: "Oh no, if I'd held out, I bet I could have gotten more!"

The best way to manage the emotional freak-out of both buyer's and seller's remorse is with information; here's how to know whether or not you're getting a good deal when you buy or sell your home.

1. Know what 'good deal' means TO YOU: Is a good deal getting the home of your dreams, over multiple offers, at a price you can afford? Is it buying a home for 30% less than its current owner paid for it? Is it getting a bargain, meaning you get a discount off what the home is worth on the open market? That's what people call having instant equity, and is possible when the seller's situation, the property's condition, your shrewd negotiating skills or your exceptionally good looks (!) enable you to get a home for a price lower than the price similar properties in the area are selling for or lower than it appraises for (the latter of these is less frequent, as many appraisers simply do not make a practice of appraising homes for much more than the purchase price agreed to by the buyer and seller in the transaction. Oh, and btw, you won't know what it appraises for until you agree to a price and get into contract!)

If you're selling your home, know what your own top priority is - is it to move your home quickly, so you can buy at today's bargain basement prices and interest rates? Is it to get every single dollar you can out of the house? Is it just to divest of the home and get closure as soon as possible, because you're struggling to keep up with the payments?

What is a great deal to one buyer or seller may not be to another, because real estate is about life - and whether YOUR real estate outcomes are good or bad is about YOUR life! So, the first step to knowing whether you're getting a good deal is to know what your own personal priorities for the transaction are.

2. Do the math - compare "your" price to other benchmarks. The price you agree to pay or accept for a home is meaningless in a vacuum; to understand whether it's a "good" price, you've got to compare it with a few pricing benchmarks.

The most important of these benchmarks is also the most difficult to get a handle on: the market value of the home. The definition of 'market value' is the price a qualified buyer is willing to pay for the property in an arms-length, open-market transaction; the best way to estimate market value is to look at what similar homes in the area have recently sold for. (The more similar, the more nearby and the more recent - the better.) To compare the price you've negotiated with the fair market value of the home, check out recently sold, similar homes on Trulia.

Also, ask your real estate broker or agent for what's called a Comparative Market Analysis on the home you're making an offer on (if you're a buyer), or an updated CMA using recent neighborhood sales (if you're a seller). If you're buying, the ideal situation is for your negotiated purchase price to be at or below the home's value as indiciated by the comparables and the CMA; if you're a seller, your goal is to receive a price at or above the market value. (To be sure, if you're a seller on today's market, it's an equally worthy goal to get your home sold - at all! - in many markets. So don't get hung up if you're not getting right around - or even slightly below - what you think your home is worth.)

Many buyers try to compare the end price of their home to (a) the list price, or (b) the price per square foot. Comparing your negotiated price to the list price is interesting, but a big gap could indicate a number of things: you could be getting a great deal, you (or your agent) could be a great negotiator, or the seller could be very unrealistic or motivated. Same on the seller's side - an over-asking price usually indicates an aggressively low list price and multiple offers from buyers. If the list price is wildly different from the market value of the home, the list price-to-sale price gap may have nothing to do with getting a good deal, on either side.

Price-per-square-foot can be overly sensitive when you look at it on homes that are much smaller than larger than the homes to which you are comparing it. A home could be 20 percent smaller than neighboring homes, but that doesn't mean it will - or should - be worth 20 percent less; it's still in the same neighborhood and may be in better condition. Unless you're comparing very similar homes that are in very similar condition, price-per-square-foot can provide a misleading picture of a home's value.

3. Factor in the specifics of your situation: seasonality, market dynamics, affordability and the competition. If you’re buying a home in Wisconsin in the winter, buyers should expect to get a better “deal” than in the summertime. When market dynamics indicate prices are trending upward in your neighborhood, what seems like an ‘okay’ deal based on yesterday’s prices may actually be even better than you thought - search Trulia’s Stats and Trends pages for your area for up-to-the-minute price trends in your neighborhood, or even zip code!

If you’re buying a home at a trough in prices for the last five years, with a 4.5 percent loan, that home will be much more affordable to you than it would have been in another time. If you’re a seller of a home where every other home on your block is for sale, and half of them are dirt-cheap foreclosures, that should cause you to upgrade your opinion of a slightly-below-asking offer! Buyers: if you best a dozen other offers, even an above-asking sale price can be a great price, assuming the home appraises at the purchase price and you can afford it!

4. Don't forget any extra "bang" you're getting for your buck. Buyers: if the seller is paying some or all of your closing costs, HOA dues, throwing in extra furniture/appliances, or otherwise sweetening the pot, keep that in mind. Sellers: if the buyer has agreed to a fast or slow close, at your request, or even came up a few thousand on their offer price to empower you to pay all your mortgages and liens off, don't forget that, either.

In today's real estate market, where sellers are constrained by their upside down mortgages and buyers are constrained by what many see as too-conservative appraisal standards, sometimes a "good deal" is simply one where the other side gives, even a little, to get you something that you want or need to make the deal work for you.

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson | Broker in San Francisco, CA