Hudson River Landing . . . this photo says it all.
This morning when I opened my newspaper at breakfast and saw this photo, my thought was this photo says it all and may be one of the best of the entire crash landing into the Hudson. Although a bit grainy as it is a newspaper photo, it gives a pretty clear picture of their situation and was the photo that spoke volumes about that near tragedy.
The passengers are on each wing, some standing knee to hip deep in frigid water, appearing to balance the plane because of their fairly equal numbers on the wings. I, along with hundreds of thousands of people was relieved to know all the people were able to escape with almost no injuries. They were grateful to be alive and thankful for their pilot's extraordinary skill and judgment in landing on the river and to God for keeping them safe. The co-pilot and all flight personnel I'm sure also did everything in their power to get the passengers to safety. With no intent to take away from the Pilot's skill and courage, we don't always remember to include the support personnel in the accolades afforded the pilot. When this sort of thing happens, even the news media begins bringing God into the conversation, which is very rare.
My youngest son lands in and flies between LaGuardia and Charlotte fairly often in his job and this crash and the possibility of other crashes because of the geese will always be a concern in my mind and that of anyone flying from/into that airport. Although the danger is not limited to that airport at all, apparently, the river is home or a stopping point for many water fowl.
I'm certain there are many thankful family members and co-workers of those survivors. It was one of the plane crash news stories with a good ending and that in itself, was awesome. Let's all be thankful for the outcome . . . 146+ lives spared by the quick thinking of that Pilot.
Today, I was following up on leads from my web site and another from Craig's List. I called a woman who had completed the form to search on my site and there was a problem with the phone number. I then emailed her and asked her to call me or give me another phone number; not really expecting a response after the message on the number said it was temporarily disconnected. She responded with her home number and we talked just just prior to this post.
This young woman will not be an immediate prospect, but will be in 2010! She is studying Internet Design, and working toward a degree in Business. She had logged onto my web site to look at beautiful homes. When we talked she told me she had been searching for such a dream home in order to print a copy and place it beside her computer to motivate her to keep working hard to achieve her goals. She can search on my site any time and print out as many pictures as it takes to motivate her.
She will reach her goals I'm sure and then plans on coming to Greenville to work and live; I'm betting she will do exactly that. It was so refreshing to hear a young adult sound so positive and determined. I will keep in touch with her to see how she is progressing from time to time and not necessarily because she will buy a home in 2010. It will be a pleasure to know she is continuing her studies and staying with her plans to reach her goals and working to keep her motivation high. Greenville, to her, is the "place to be in South Carolina" as she lives in a small town and cannot wait to go to where there are more opportunities. It someday be my pleasure to help this young woman in her job search and to find a home.
Last Friday, I had lunch with a Realtor Friend at a reasonably new Bistro on Fairview Road in Simpsonville. I was in for an unexpected treat. I'm not normally a huge fan of grits but after seeing this dish on a nearby table, I decided to give the Shrimp & Grits with tomatoes a try. The presentation was really good on every dish I saw them deliver to the adjoining tables.
The dish arrived at our table (with some wonderful bread and butter) and proved to taste as good as it looked. There was a sauce around the grits/shrimp & tomatoes that made you know why the entire dish was so good. It was a great meal and I was definitely a cleaned plate-er on this meal. We decided right then to treat some of our clients to this Bistro in the future
When it was time for dessert, the waiter suggested a Banana Crème Brulee which lived up to his description of a dessert that was flying out the door. It tasted like an upscale banana pudding without the cookie/wafers but instead, a browned sugar sprinkled on top.
The owner said they were a Regional Southern Bistro and Kim and I agreed this tasted like a dish you might be served in a fine restaurant in Charleston, SC. But, they are right here in Simpsonville, SC and I urge you to go by for lunch or dinner if you live anywhere nearby. Should you ever visit, it would be a treat to eat here also.
Photos do not do the food justice . . . next time, I will have my camera ready to take photos.
Several years I had a home that was sort of off the beaten path, needed updating, the Sellers wanted to price it at current market value even though it needed the new carpet, paint, appliances, etc. The house had country decor whose wallpaper and decor was way out of style, and the neighbors house to the right was not very well kept. The seller's ccompany in Canada was buying the seller out and calling the shots.
We finally convinced them to reduce it to a reasonable price and received a low offer on it. The person at his Corporate office in Canada who was handling the negotiations turned down the offer. A few weeks before a buyer's agent for the soon to be new listing agent who got the listing after me, left the heat on about 85 in the upstairs apartment and naturally, the seller was angry at me instead of them. Although I do not think this particular agent did this deliberately, it was odd that it happened- then he got the listing. I was the one who found it while checking on the house one day. Several months later, the agent sure enough, got the listing and it had an offer within a few months or less. He had gotten them to lower the price also, if memory serves me correctly.
Well, guess what, it was almost an identical offer to the one I had a few months earlier. Bottom line, it cost the corporation more in the long run to keep it longer, it cost the homeowner more to pay utility bills, etc, and there was damage to a fence that someone rammed their vehicle into, apparently on purpose.
Had they or the corporate owner listened to my advice and statistics, it would have been far more cost effective for them all. I wonder if that Corporate Real Estate Manager still has his job?
From my Mortgage Lender . . . . good news . ..
Just as a barometer, rates did indeed open up with a substantial improvement. We are currently sitting at approximately 5.50% at the par rate on a 30 year fixed mortgage. About a .375 to 0.50% improvement over our close on Friday. If you have any fence sitters, this might be the catalyst needed to move them to buy.
Don't know about you, but I'm going to email my SEO in the event anyone wants to refinance now. Any news like this is good news for all of us.
Experienced, Knowledgeable, Hardworking, and Professional. Knows communities in the area, Property Values & Marketing Homes. You will not be disappointed when you work with me.
Broker, Accredited Buyer Rep, Graduate-Realtor Institute.
Listening intently to learn more about your real estate needs and determining my strategy to get you there. Repeat business for me has been as high as 30% per year and that tells me I am doing a good job for my clients. One couple in particular, I SOLD 2 homes for them and helped them with the purchase of two other homes for a total of 4 transactions in 8 years. Many others buy through me when moving here and if transferred again or moving up to a bigger home, they also buy and/or sell with me. Why? Because they know I have their best interest in the forefront of everything I do. They also know my judgement and knowledge in real estate is a result of my 12+ years experience.
Within our area real estate community, my reputation for honesty, integrity and expertise in the home buying and selling process is well known. Becoming "The Family Realtor" for entire families gives me a sense of great satisfaction.
Markets I serve in the Greater Greenville Area are primarily Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Powdersville, Easley, Taylors, Travelers Rest, etc. Our Multiple Listing Service covers all of Greenville, Pickens & Oconee Counties and parts of Spartanburg, Laurens and Anderson counties.
The Real Estate Market and
Home values
The community
People
Life
The Belief in . . .
Doing the right thing
Treating all people with respect
Making a living by what I get . . making a life by what I give
It has been my pleasure to meet and work with many wonderful people over the past 12+ years while helping them buy and sell homes. Almost without exception, those home selling/buying experiences have given me a great sense of satisfaction of a job well done and happy clients to show for it! Let me add you to the list when you are ready to sell and or buy a home in our area.
Hi Sheila. First, let me thank you for your time and excellent guidance into the Greenville real estate market. Both Sharon and I thought you put together our interests very well. I just wanted you to know how much we appreciated all your time and information. For a Real Estate person to recognize an honest effort from another Agent is quite a compliment. Thanks again, and we will be in touch with you soon.
Sincerely,
Suzanna Rose
"I really wanted to thank you for all your help in the sale of our home in Stonehaven. Your knowledge, enthusiasm, and attention to detail brought forth the fastest and easiest sale of a home we ever imagined or experienced! With each step of the process, we felt informed, up-to-date and confident in you and your ability to close the deal. And you did! Sheila, thank you just doesn't even begin to express our gratitude for what you did.. You were really more than just a REALTOR. "
Warmest Regards,
Rhonda & Tim Dent
"You were also an inspiration as a REALTOR. Your professionalism and enthusiasm are something I keep in mind when I am dealing with my clients."
An Edina, Minnesota REALTOR®
When I decided to relocate to Greenville , SC from New Jersey to pursue the next step in my career, I assumed it was going to be both challenging and stressful. I knew that I didn't want to throw my money down the tubes renting, so I was determined to find a home right away and had about 1 months time to do so. Not only was I faced with the task of finding a home in a short period, but I was also a first time homebuyer. I did not know anything about purchasing a home! So, I surfed the web and did my research about the area and I mistakenly stumbled across the web site of Sheila Reeves. That was one of my best mistakes EVER! I filled out all the information on Sheila's site and she got back to me in less than 6 hours! She then contacted me the next day and answered several of my questions. At that moment, I knew I was in good hands. Sheila immediately sent me listings to view in my price range, set me up with a great mortgage company and freed up her busy schedule to work with my busy schedule. I spent a week with Sheila and I could not have asked for a better, more dedicated person to work with. Sheila treated me like one of her sons. She looked out for my current and future best interests every step of the way. In about a week's time I had to have seen many homes. I finally found the perfect home in a great neighborhood with great schools only six miles from my new office. Sheila Reeves is an honest, dedicated, trusting, hard working individual that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a real estate agent in the Greenville area. I normally do not write about my experiences when dealing with people, but my overall experience with Sheila was just so remarkably pleasant, that I could not go without expressing how I truly felt. Thank you Sheila for everything!!!!
Brendan Major
Simpsonville , SC
To: Mr. Jim Fritzsche, Broker
RE/MAX Foothills
I just wanted to let you know what excellent service we had from Sheila Reeves in our most recent home sale and subsequent purchase. She has handled four transactions for us all total. The purchase of our current home was very tedious and it required extreme dedication and attention to minute detail. It was further complicated by the lack of knowledge and concern of behalf of the seller's agent. Had it not been for Sheila, we would never have succeeded. In addition, she sold our home in six days, due in part, to her very professional marketing brochure! She remained very patient and worked with us faithfully over many months. You can rest assured that we will remain loyal to her and will continue to recommend her to all who are interested. She will always be to us "The Best!"
Ms. Kathleen Pitts
To: Ms. Kathleen Pitts
Thank you for your uplifting note you wrote to me about Sheila Reeves. She works extremely hard for her clients and you have first hand knowledge of that fact. By your taking the time out of your busy schedule to write me really says a lot about Sheila. The RE/MAX ad slogans are surely true, such as "Above the Crowd" and "Outstanding Agents, Outstanding Results." We all try to uphold those kinds of values at RE/MAX Foothills, but Sheila sets the bar very high for all of us to reach.
Mr. Jim Fritzsche
Broker/Owner
I wanted to let you know I enjoyed assisting you and Sandy Pearson with her closing last Friday. I especially appreciate your efforts to "encourage" Mr. Woods to come to the office and sign the deed so we could complete the transaction. It is always a pleasure to work with realtors, such as yourself, that are willing to put forth an extra effort for their clients. It makes the "closing experience" much more enjoyable for everyone.
J. Chris Brown
Attorney-at-Law
Thank you for time and patience in helping us find our new home. It is PERFECT for us and we love it.
Dawn Worley
Thank you so much for your help in locating for us the perfect home! We love it! We cannot thank you enough for all that you did, especially during such a difficult time in your life. I appreciate all that you did to make sure everything went smooth on our end, and it did.....This is the fourth home we've purchased and by far this process was the easiest.
Tim & Rhonda Dant
Thanks again for all of your help. I appreciate all of your hard work to meet with all the contractors and handle the money for the windows. Julie and I want to thank you for making the sale of our home easy. There is no way that we could have managed the offer, inspection, contractors, paperwork and closing so quickly from so far away. Since our move to Illinois we dreaded having to go through the long distance selling process, but with your marketing we had an offer in less than 30 days. Thanks again for everything. We will definitely recommend you to anyone we know looking to buy or sell in the Greenville area.
- Mike and Julie Cunningham
To whom it may concern,
We were moving from Upstate NY to Greenville and needed to find a real estate agent. Looking on line made it easy to select Sheila because she had the absolute best web site for researching houses. Our time to house hunt in Greenville was very limited, so we needed to see a lot of houses in a short amount of time. Sheila knows the area extremely well and took the time up front to understand our requirements. She lined up a lot of houses for us to visit, normally a scheduling nightmare, but she did it. Her knowledge of the entire area and surrounding areas gave us the best opportunity of finding the house we wanted.Once we selected the house we wanted, Sheila completed a spreadsheet showing detailed market comparables, and based upon that information we made our opening bid and began our strategy for buying the house at the best price. Once we got our bid accepted, Sheila's work did not stop there but extended to overseeing the due diligence phase of the home buying process. Every professional Sheila recommended was a "professional" and performed as such.
In summary, Sheila is the best agent we have ever had and did so much work way above what normally is performed by most agents. She is still helping us, giving us recommendations about businesses in the area. She is a wealth of knowledge. We happily recommend her to anyone and especially any out of towners who need to quickly find someone that they can completely trust. We really believe that Sheila had our best interests at heart through the entire home buying process. If anyone would like to call us to discuss Sheila, we would happy to do it.
- Phil and Susan Cirulli
"Sheila, I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone who is looking to enter the real estate market. Your knowledge, professionalism, thoroughness and attentiveness created an absolutely smooth and trouble-free home buying experience."
- Mark Rumminger"Sheila, you evaluated it, you worked it, you marketed it, you SOLD it! In other words, you did in less than six weeks what the other agent couldn't do in six months. You told us right off the bat, we had a house that was in a niche, and it would take some extra work to find the right buyer who wanted to be in that niche. But you did it and we really appreciate it. We're now back home. Thanks for everything, all the way to closing!"
- Joe & Debbie Summerville"Thank you for your hard work & professionalism in helping us find a new home in Greenville. More importantly, thank you for your sensitivity to our personal needs and for being so patient with our long move process. We respect your business ethics, your responsiveness, your good nature and we are glad to have your friendship."
- Doug & Lisa Warwick"Michelle and I want to thank you for your assistance during the selection, construction and completion stages of our home purchase in Greenville. Given the fact that we were in Germany during most of that time, it was especially helpful to be able to see the photos you emailed us on a regular basis as construction progressed. With your help, we were able to stay on top of any potential problem and had photo documentation. We will be happy to recommend you to anyone we know who might be buying or selling a home."
- Jim & Michelle Doherty"Chris and I wanted you to know that "you" made the homebuying experience a good one, especially going through construction. I was very confident that you would take care of us and guide us in the right direction, and you did!. Thank you .. . . . . . . .you are a wonderful person!!"
- Cyndi & Chris BellWhen we came to Greenville in 2000, Sheila worked for us as our Buyer's Agent and found the ideal home for us in an attractive subdivision convenient to the airport. When we were ready to move back to Germany, Sheila put our home on the market and had it under contract within the first month. She helped us through all the aspects of both transactions and we came to rely on Sheila for her honesty, knowledge of the market, dependability, and attention to detail.
We would not hesitate to highly recommend Sheila to you, whether you are ready to buy or sell.
Sheila was very helpful during the sale of my home. She was the second agent to represent me and was able to get the home under contract within 2 weeks from the time she took over the listing. I live internationally and Sheila used all her resources to sell my house. She worked diligently to resolve an issue that came up during the inspection process in order to close the house. Sheila definitely provided her own touch to accomplish the sale of my home. You will not be disappointed if you hire Sheila as your Agent.
- Sebastian Goulet
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