Mike Sackman, Beaufort County SC Real Estate, Military Relocation, REO

As a Realtor that has done transactions in Bluffton and Beaufort areas in recent weeks and years and a member of both MLS associations covering the two areas, I want to shed some light on how the MLS system works and how the two geographic locations vary,

Basically, there are two MLS associations covering the area of Beaufort County (and some outlying counties). Depending on the company a Realtor works for, you are involved with the Hilton Head MLS or the Beaufort MLS, but some companies are associated with both, as is the case with the company I work with. This works in my favor since I have a broader range of homes to show my clients and can compare home prices for the entire county and not just one area. I like being a member of both, I can help my clients learn more about the local Real Estate and I can be their "one stop source" for the entire area and not have to refer clients to another agent due to not being a member of that particular MLS and not having access to available homes.

Geographically, Beaufort and Bluffton are separated by the Broad river, so we consider the areas as being SOUTH of the Broad or NORTH of the Broad. Highway 170 and 278 are four lane corridors between the Beaufort and Bluffton and make the drive easy (approximately 30 minutes). Not to mention it's a beautiful drive, passing over two gorgeous rivers and preservation land on both sides of the road, never to be developed.

"As the crow flies", the two areas are closer if you drove a boat across the Broad River or Port Royal Sound! I take my boat from Port Royal Landing Marina to Hilton Head for lunch on nice days and it takes 30 minutes, by land it would be an hour "out of season".

As the saying goes, "to each their own", both areas are great and are about the same distance to Savannah and Charleston. For information on how to receive listings from both areas or receive information on listing your home and benefiting from the exposure that I can bring as a member of both MLS associations, please contact me for a consultation.

Have a great day!

As I drove down my road today, the reality of the home selling situation has hit home, literally. There were 6 out of 20 homes between mine and the stop sign at the end of the block. I thought to myself home many of those homes were owned by military folks transferring out and how many weren't, I know at least 4 are military so the other two are obviously moving for one reason or another.

Now my curiosity peaked and I decided to drive down to the other stop sign when I came home, another 7! So that's 13 on my one block of 60 or so homes. Some of these homes have been on the market for 180+ days, nothing unusual in today's market, but competition from foreclosures increases every day, so the pictures doesn't get prettier with days on the market.

So what's a seller to do...is foreclosure the only option, who can help me, how did this happen, where do I go now??? The list is goes on, but believe it or not, you do not have to foreclose, you might not even need to sell (unless you are leaving the area of course).

If you have a home currently listed, speak to your Realtor about options and possible assistance from your current lender. They may be willing to work with you on whatever the problem might be, they may even lower your interest if you have a really outrageous rate. I read an article that mentioned one lender had worked out a forebarence for 2 months payment to allow the home owner to catch up on their bills, that's where they actually allow you to miss a payment, but add it on somewhere in the loan, typically on the end.

Short sales are, in my opinion, a MUCH better alternative to foreclosing. Seek the advice of a REALTOR that is experienced in the sale of distressed properties and someone that is willing to hear your situation and understand all the options available to you.

As the Lowcountry starts to wind down from an unusually cold winter (it's still lingering), it's time to get the offshore gear out and get ready for some Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin (mahi-mahi), and whatever else makes the reel scream! Typically, we need to go out 40 or 50 miles so it's a long day, say 5-5.

Recently, we have been hitting the local flats when weather permits to jump schools of redfish, typical schools hold up to hundred or so fish in the 4-10 pound class. It's really nice when we have one of our typical 75 degree days in February with no clients in town to get on the flats boat at low tide and make something happen!

As I talk fishing for fish, it's also the time of year when Home Buyers are fishing for a good deal. The saying is "fish start biting when the yellow butterflies are flying" is absolutely true, I guess since it coincides with flowers blooming and the smell of spring. What that means too is it's time to get the house ready to sell and get the sprucing up in full swing. When the buyers start coming in to town, will your house show well, will the inside be neat and tidy and the outside blooming with a variety of colors to attract a passing buyer??

If you're a home buyer fishing "for a new home", now is the time to check your credit score and find a lender to get a pre qualification and to let you know just how much you CAN SPEND, but not NEED TO SPEND. You don't need to be alone in your home search, find a Realtor that knows the ins and outs of today's market can really take the stress and anxiety out of the process and let you do what you need to do, which is find a home that makes you happy! A good Realtor can direct you to the best deals and make the entire process less stressful and maybe even enjoyable.

So whether you are Buying or Selling, we are all fishing one way or another, the big question is....

DO you want a keeper, or a throwback?

As a Realtor that is interested in always understanding the industry and obtaining knowledge to help my clients, I set forth to get my "Military Relocation Specialist" qualification. Yes I served 22 years in the Navy and feel I'm well qualified to help the men and women in our armed forces, but I wanted the official deal! I have closed many deals with military transferee's, helped people buy homes from Japan, and have done very well.

But as I found out, there is no such qualification as a Military Relocation Specialist! I Searched at the National Association of Realtors site and the closest qualification that they know of (though don't recognize) it the CRP, Certified Relocation Professional.

So, if you are military and someone classifies themselves as a Military Relocation Specialist, you might want to dig a little as to what credentials they have. I guess it's up to the person making the claim that they can follow through with what they offer. I didn't write this to cast doubt on ANYONE or their abilities, it just struck me that the title, Military Relocation SPecialist follows so many official credentials, and it's really a self proclaimed specialty. If anyone knows any different, please email me the link to get my certification!

The key to working with military families? Using the latest technologies to connect with clients around the world and get them information quickly, understanding the the VA loan process, and keeping in mind the need for a quick resale down the line as the family gets transferred to its next station. I will make the claim, "I am a MILITARY RELOCATION SPECIALIST", and proud of it!

NAVY MASTER DIVER(ret)

This article was in the Military news section and I think it's worth a view from everyone. Military men and women have no choice when they transfer, it's "do your time here and move on". Our military folks have really been caught in the middle of the meltdown and it's really becoming an issue within the forces.

As a retired Navy guy, I feel for these young families and what is happening to them; first the war, now their homes!

The "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" (S. 336), most commonly known as the economic stimulus bill, has an administrative provision that would relieve military homeowners on PCS orders who are bottom up on their mortgages or otherwise suffer a significant loss on the sale of their homes. The bill would temporarily extend coverage to these groups under the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP), which normally only applies to members whose home values are depressed by base realignments and closures. The provision would cover servicemembers and federal civilian employees in these categories who purchased a primary residence before July 1, 2006 and who receive PCS orders or suffered a wound, injury, or illness while deployed between that date and September 30, 2012.

Thanks,

Mike