About Aiken County, SC

I don't know how everyone else does it, but I don't title my blog until I have finished writing. I usually have a main topic that I plan to write about - and the title usually ends up being pretty much about the subject matter, but sometimes I like to throw a reader off a little, haha. So that is why I wait till last to fill in the title. My subject is about the answer to a question that I get asked alot. How did a Jersey girl end up in Aiken,SC? It usually one of the first things people ask when they meet me, lol. It is pretty much the same story that everyone has. This is the readers digest condensed version: I came here on vacation - loved Aiken - and moved here......

This is the full blown version,. My sister-in-law and her family moved to the area in 1986. They kept saying how nice it was, yet nobody ever went to visit. Some of their friends went to visit, but nobody from the family. Well, we finally came down to visit in 1996 - a whole 10 years since they had moved down. It was during all the excitement of the Olympics in Atlanta, GA - which I learned was only 3 hours away! (and less than 3 hours to the beach - and less than 3 hours to the mountains - and about 7 hours to Disney!!!) We stayed for two weeks. It was a little boring out in country where she lived, but when we came to Aiken - wow. it was nice. We loved it! What a nice city, everyone is so friendly, the cost of living was so much lower down there than what we were used to, the weather was great! We saw an ad in the newspaper for apartments for rent - I don't remember exactly, but I think they were like $325/month. At the time, we were paying $675/month for a small two bedroom. We thought - OMG, what could they possibly be renting for that price! This is going to be funny - a joke...and what a story we will have for when we get back home, lol. So we made appointments to go see the apartments. Well, the joke was on us! The apartments, although older than ours, were very nice. Not only was it a great location - it was larger than our present apartment, had a swimming pool on the property, a huge laundry room on the property (we had one washer/dryer in the basement for four apartments to share...ugh), tennis courts, and playground across the street. We were shocked! It was great :) During our 12 hour drive home, after a great vacation, we discussed maybe moving to Aiken. Our 4th grader was not happy about that at all. By the time we got home - the decision was made. We were moving. We looked at the calendar - picked a date - called the apartments to see if they had one for us.......and we moved to Aiken six weeks later. .....

.........and been loving it ever since :)

Yes, right here in the center of lil' ole Aiken, SC, pop. @25,000, is Hitchcock Woods. Over 2000 acres - one of the largest urban forests in America. Over 75 miles of walking/riding trails. ONLY HOOF AND FOOT TRAFFIC ALLOWED!! (oh, horse drawn carriages are also permitted) It is so beautiful, that I just don't have the words to describe. Peaceful, serene, beautiful. So many different trees, birds, flowers, animals, plants - even a river of sand running through it.! People have been riding their horses and foxhunting on this land for over 100 years , (It didn't become Hitchcock Woods till 1939), and the hunt continues today. Of course they don't use live foxes...the hounds follow a scent trail......the horses follow the hounds..... up hills, through meadows, over fences...... very exciting! You can walk your dog in The Woods, go for a stroll, jog, take a picnic........ Walking (or riding) along Kalmia Trail in late spring is so pretty with all the Kalmia blooming, and there is another trail where you can see Spanish Moss (like the Old South)..and beautiful wildflowers - - every trail is different, but just as beautiful.

All of this natural beauty and history right here in the middle of our great city!

The Hitchcock Woods are not funded by The City - but depends on private support.

If you want to learn more about The Hitchcock Woods... you could visit: www.hitchcockwoods.org

Check it out on Google Earth! It is pretty cool. Look at Central Park.... then look at The Hitchcock Woods.

As far as real estate goes....The Hitchcock Woods is like our ocean.....and the property surrounding it is prime beach front property!! LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!! And ohhh - the homes that Aiken's Winter Colony built are absolutely AMAZING! but that will be a different blog!

Here is a little peek into our great city.  I came here on vacation about 12 years ago...and was so 'taken with Aiken' that I moved here 6 weeks later!    I hope you get the opportunity to visit soon.  You may be 'taken with Aiken', too :) A quiet little horse town - very near Augusta, GA. (you know - where they play The Masters Golf Tourny every April)

This week I had the opportunity and privilege to view a new documentary film that gives the audience an in-depth look at the lives of six Thoroughbred trainers, the horses they trained while on the Kentucky Derby trail and an intimate look at those closest to them.
The narrative showcases the disparate personalities and backgrounds of the horsemen, their families, assistant trainers and grooms. The film "The First Saturday in May" was shown Wednesday night at the Aiken Center for the Arts.
Brad Hennegan, who co-wrote the documentary chronicling the rigors of the 2006 Kentucky Derby trail with his brother John Hennegan and Mark Krewatch, attended the screening. The Hennegan brothers also directed and produced the film that was shot over a period of 16 months. The film is eligible to be nominated in the Best Documentary category by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
The six featured trainers and their horses included Michael Matz and Barbaro, Kiaran McLaughlin and Jazil, Dan Hendricks and Brother Derek, Bob Holthus and Lawyer Ron, Dale Romans and Sharp Humor and Frank Amonte and Achilles of Troy.
The Hennegan brothers produced this 97-minute documentary that captures the spirit, presence and challenges of the backside of a racetrack, the joy and jubilation of the Winner's Circle and the heartbreak of defeat.
The viewer is more than just an observer as the audience gets an up close and personal look at the people who've given their lives to the sport of Thoroughbred racing and can share in their emotions which are palpable, touching the viewers' heart and imagination. The documentary reaches not only the Thoroughbred racing fan and horse lover but also the casual fan and layman who can relate to the film's universal themes.
"We followed 12 horses all together," said Brad Hennegan to the audience Wednesday evening. "We followed owners and jockeys, and it just seemed these stories seemed to work the best together."
A portion of the DVD sales will go to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

When it comes to investing in property there is no right time or wrong time, anytime is good when investing in property. The market is so wide and high that it is always possible to find some value in there. It can be easier or harder to find value depending on the state of the market but it is always there. There is always some sort of property that has been in neglect, disrepair, or simply has motivated sellers that must make a sale. Properties such as these make for a great buy at any time no matter the state of the market. Another thing to remember is that the Real Estate market moves in cycles. It never stays low or high for too long. Eventually things reverse and go back to the way they were in the previous half of the cycle. With a little bit of knowledge you can come close to predicting the cycles and making a killing in the market. The market is also unpredictable with the leading experts unable to always buy low and sell high. Most of the time it is just educated guesswork that may or may not work so you there is no point in waiting for the ideal time to invest in the market.