South Carolina

As I stumble out of bed and sprint towards the coffee maker I wonder if I am the only one who begins each Monday with the following prayer:

Dear Lord,

Please get me to the coffee maker quickly and safely.

Please forgive me for the words I say when I realize it is empty.

Help me to remember all my blessings as I get behind a driver who has no where to go and is getting there at turtle speed.

Soften my tone as my first phone call is from an attorney explaining yet another delay on my closing that seems to rival each and every aspect of Murphy's Law.

Remind me to plug the fax machine in BEFORE spending an hour on the phone with tech support.

Teach me the power of humility when I realize that the mass email I just sent had a "slight" spelling error.

"Beautiful Beaufort Hoes For Sale" somehow, I think I will get many replies.

Lead me NOT into temptation as it occurs to me that some Realtors just don't give feedback no matter how many times I beg. Dear Lord, place your strong hands over my mouth as we both know how big it can get.

Dear Lord, walk beside me all day so that when people ask me who on earth am I talking to I have a splendid answer!

May your Monday be Manageable!!!!

Are you considering a move to Beaufort South Carolina? Are you looking for a slow southern lifestyle full of lazy Sunday’s, evening entertaining, Saturday BBQ’s with family and friends? Maybe you desire a place where dinner can easily be found on a short boat ride or moments fishing or crabbing off a community dock? If you are considering a move to Beaufort South Carolina, you are coming to the right place.

Beaufort has so many wonderful areas including the ever so popular Lady’s Island. Lady’s Island residents enjoy spacious yards, numerous public boat landings, easy access to rivers, tremendous schools, and some of the most beautiful scenery around.

Below are just a few homes that can easily be found of the highly sought after area of Lady’s Island.

The Blake at Somerset Point

Personalize Your Home Starting at $228,900

The Ausborn at Somerset Point

4 even 5 Bedroom Options Starting at $247,900

The Verdier at Somerset Point

Gorgeous Double Porches, 4 Spacious Bedrooms

$262,310

Aiken polo will be here before we know it - check back for updated schedules....

Aiken Polo Club - 2012 Sunday game schedule (they play on the historic Whitney Field, in Aikens Horse District)

New Bridge Polo Club - schedule coming soon

302 Polo Club Spring 2012 schedule

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I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself! What are you waiting for?!!

Have real estate questions? Give us a call, we're happy help.

The Carolina Real Estate Company - 333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken, SC 29801

803-648-8660

be sure to mention that you saw my blog!! thanks :)

Maybe you were there -maybe not - but be sure to add it to your calendar for next year! What am I talking about - why Aiken Prep Fest of course! Our own Jesse Colin Young (of the Youngbloods) is one of the founders, and this year one of my friends won the 'sing out contest' and got the opportunity to sing onstage with Mr. Young himself!

Here's a link to the story in the newspaper: Aiken Standard:

And here's a link to the Aiken Prep Fest info page, where you can see the finalists videos - check out the winners video! Congrats to Susan :) Oh, she won a cool new guitar, too!

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I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself! What are you waiting for?!!

Have real estate questions? Give us a call, we're happy help.

The Carolina Real Estate Company - 333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken, SC 29801

803-648-8660

be sure to mention that you saw my blog!! thanks :)

There are a myriad of ways that unforeseen hardships can change the joy of owning a home into an incredible burden. Maybe you've lost your job, or have unexpected medical bills beginning to pile up, or your monthly mortgage payments have increased beyond your current budget. No matter what the cause of your troubles, ignoring the problem won't help, it will only make it worse. You must act quickly to resolve the issue.

The following are a few examples of how to stop a foreclosure on your home:

1. Look for Other Sources - Most homeowners don't realize they have a variety of resources that can aid in making mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure. Consider the income created by unemployment or disability insurance and your savings as possible cash-flow resources. Other examples include slashing the household budget by trading in expensive items like cars, boats, and motorcycles for cash. Even retirement funds can be used, but beware that many people with access to their retirement funds can be penalized for early withdraw and face increased income taxes.

2. Contact Your Lender - If you have reviewed all possibilities of creating cash-flow to pay your mortgage, then it's time to reach out to your lender. Do this as soon as possible! Your ultimate goal in contacting your lender is to create an agreement that will alter your mortgage so that foreclosure proceedings can be stopped before they are finalized.

3. Review the Options - After contacting your lender, or in some cases the servicing company that handles the loan for an investor, you may have other options available. Typically lenders are not required to make adjustments to your loan, but many will consider it a viable option--one that benefits the lender and you and can include refinancing.

Possible options to discuss with your lender include:

• Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure - In this option, your lender may accept the return of the title to your home, but beware that the lender may still sue for loss and report any uncollected funds due to loss to the IRS as taxable income to you. This option may have negative effects on your credit report.
  
  
• Claim Advance - If you have a private mortgage lender, they will often provide a cash advance to bring your loan payments up to date. Sometimes this money is interest free and may not have to be repaid for years.
  
  
• Re-Amortization - In this option the payments you have missed are added to the balance of the loan, making your account current. Your debt will increase and your monthly payments will be higher unless the lender also agrees to extend the term of the loan.
  
  
• Short Sale - Considered by many one of the best options available to avoid foreclosure, the short sale is an increasingly popular option. In this option, the lender accepts less than what you owe on the property, relieving the homeowner of debt. Lenders are often willing to accept a short sale because it greatly reduces the expense and time involved in foreclosure proceedings. In most cases, a short sale does less damage to your credit than a foreclosure. A qualified REALTOR will be exceptionally helpful in completing the short sale process with you. We have helped many homeowners in Anderson SC and Greenville SC areas and would be happy to help you. Contact us today!

One note of warning, beware of any company claiming that they guarantee they can stop any foreclosure no matter what you owe. The Federal Trade Commission recently compiled a list of warning signs that a "foreclosure fixer" company may be a scheme. Those warnings include any company that requires you to pay for services upfront, tells you to send mortgage payments to it directly, or asks you to turn over the property deed, or tells you to avoid contacting your lender directly.