America has become the land of short term fixes. Instant gratification. Free money! Free gas! Woo hoo! What ever happened to gold ole fashion hard work, a can do attitude and long term stability. How about accountability for your actions? Ok, now I am ranting. Back to the topic.
This is not intended to be a politically charged, finger pointing,..(read more)
Pessimists dominate the financial and economic news right now and may have you scared to buy a home. In addition, fears of the inability to qualify for a loan have many would be buyers putting home buying on the back burner. So, should you go for it, or wait?
When economic times get tough, the Federal Reserve eases (lowers) the Federal Funds Rate which is the rate at which..(read more)
Schools, Schools, Schools - currently one of the biggest draws to the Fort Mill area. It definitely played a big part in my family's decision to move here. My wife and I have been very impressed with the two years our daughter has spent at Orchard Park Elementary.
I can only expect that the two new elementary schools opening in 2009 will continue to provide quality education..(read more)
Hey Fort Mill / Tega Cay locals! Remember when the only “sit down restaurant” in town was Fish Bones? Things are REALLY changing fast around here….
Ok, I’ve never been a big fan of Wal-Mart. I just don’t like the way the 800 lb gorilla bully’s the little mom and pop shop keeper. Well, it’s kind of hard to hate the new Tega..(read more)
Listening to the National Media drone on about how dismal things are in residential housing is enough to make you cry, get a little sick, then cry again. And, after seeing the California Market first hand last month, it’s not pretty. But, you have to remember that the National numbers are not necessarily an accurate reflection of what’s going on right here in Fort Mill, Tega..(read more)
Bubble this, bubble that, bubble burst....... etc etc etc. Real Estate markets in California, Florida, NY, and many other places had the luxury of double digit appreciation for a long time. Sources say that the Florida market was up 100% and California was up 150% in early 2006. Now things are sliding down, inventories are up and the whole picture is changing.....
Not true in Fort Mill,..(read more)
Real Estate Myth: Real Estate Agents are all Filthy Wealthy
FALSE: Some are. And they earned it by being the best of the best in an occupation where more than 95% drop out within 5 years (most in the first year). As for the vast majority, they are at best making a living, or are just flat out struggling.
Most people don't realize what comes out of the commission..(read more)
Real Estate Myth: I'll save money if I don't use a buyer's agent.
Wrong - Many buyers think they can strike a deal with the seller by coming in without representation. This is an unwise assumption. The seller has already negotiated a fee with the listing agent and his/her brokerage. If the listing agent is going to have to handle both sides of the transaction, he/she is going..(read more)
I already found the exact house of my dreams, I don't need a REALTOR.
FALSE- Touring people around to find the perfect house is only 10% of the real estate agent's job. There's still 90% of the job to do. That's where you truly need a good REALTOR (a.k.a. Project Manager). After the house is found, you still need to write the offer. How are you going to write the offer? Stop and..(read more)
So many things to talk about…. I’ve got a hundred things going on in my mind about Real Estate. Topics I plan to cover in the next few months are as follows:
* The perception of REALTORS (and how we can improve it)
* All the hands in the REALTORs’ commission
* Real Estate Myths
* Real Estate - Late night TV (infomercials)
* Real Estate TV Shows(read more)
