Real Estate, Life, and Other Stuff

Sarasota Florida Real Estate

2009-06-10T01:06:00.005-04:00

Sarasota Florida Real Estate –
Resort Living in Coastal Cities

If you are selling your Myrtle Beach real estate and heading a little closer to the Gulf of Mexico, Annette Smith and John Allen of Allen Real Estate Services, Inc. have provided some insight on this coastal city.

Sarasota, Florida is the cultural capital on Florida’s South West Coast. With the Sarasota Symphony Orchestra, the Ringling Museum of Art and the Van Wetzel Hall of Performing Arts, Sarasota’s residents experience outstanding performances and view galleries featuring extraordinary art collections.

John Ringling’s artistic influence spread to Sarasota’s famous St. Armands Circle where Ringing coordinated the development of Circle. A Park in the Center of the Circle provides the circus history of Sarasota as well as providing a stage for many outdoor concerts and events.

Sarasota’s Bayfront is as captivating as any painting in Ringling’s collection. Passing the Marina, visitors from around the world lose their breath as they pass moored sailboats that never seem to change locations. The Bayfront Park is home to multiple sculptures and the Dophin Fountain is featured at the tip of the Park across from the Marina.

The barrier islands of Sarasota provide some of the world’s whitest beaches. Casey Key, Siesta Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key are perfect for those visitors and residents who just require sand in their toes.

The Barrier Islands

Siesta Key just moved from last years 3rd place to runner-up in Dr. Beach’s list of 2009 Best Beach in the country announced May 22 by Stephen P. Leatherman, known as Dr. Beach. This world famous beach is famous for it sparking white sand which is cool to the touch. The sand is perfect for walking barefoot and building sandcastles. Many Siesta Key homes are on winding canals leading to the Intracoastl Waterway.

Casey Key to the south of Siesta Key is home to many celebrities and this 8 mile barrier island features luxurious mansions and estates. Many small beach cottages still exist on
Casey Key but are being bought for land value and raised. Homes on Casey Key start in the millions and the island is popular with celebrities due to its privacy.

Lido Key just west of St. Armands Circle is a European style beach. Many visitors to Lido Beach travel from France, England and Italy for extended holidays. St. Armands Circle’s shopping world-class restaurants are steps away.

Manicured Longboat Key is slightly north of St. Armands Circle. Visitors and residents enjoy private beaches, long walks and cool ocean breezes. Restaurants on Longboat Key are excellent. St. Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota restaurants, shopping and Palm Avenue galleries are a short drive from Longboat too.

Downtown Sarasota

Downtown Sarasota provides an urban lifestyle that residents are requesting. Walking to the library, bookstore, specialty shops, professional building, galleries or driving short distances is the new wave in most cities, and Sarasota is providing outstanding venues in the downtown area for its residents. A new roundabout is schedule to start construction in 2009. Downtown Sarasota condominiums are popular with each generation of Sarasotans.

Come visit Sarasota to enjoy not only our beaches but experience the culture and excitement of our vibrant city. Sarasota homes for sale are available on the mainland, the barrier island as well as downtown Sarasota.

Email Annette or John Allen for more information on the Sarasota area. Sarasota Florida real estate is experiencing a market comeback being one of South West Florida prime destinations.
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Visit my website for Florida Oceanfront Property for more info on other Florida resorts.

Cats Musicial at Carolina Forest High School

2009-03-30T06:03:00.006-04:00

Tonight I had the pleasure of attending one of the most outstanding live shows I've ever been lucky enough to hear about - The Carolina Forest High School's production of "Cats".

Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats", by T. S. Eliot. It introduced the well known song, "Memory", recorded by Barbra Streisand. (her version unrelated to the actual show)

The story is about a tribe of cats that call themselves the Jellicle Cats, who meet in a junkyard once a year for the Jellicle Ball. The party each year ends as the head of the Jellicles, Old Deutoronomy, chooses one cat who can be reborn and find happiness.

Much of the musical is introducing various cats of notoriety, and suggestions of which cat is most worthy of the honor. A few of the characters were most noteworthy for me to mention:

The Rum Tum Tugger is a tom with leopard spots and a wild mane, who is arrogant and loves the women. Bustopher Jones is a huge fat cat with a fastidiious black coat, very rich and very proud and prissy. (and did I mention FAT)

The main character in the story is old Grizabella...a tired, worn out ex-glamour cat who is now old, tattered, and miserable. The other cats shun her, nobody will touch her, and she sings the very sad song, "Memory".

Memory, all alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was...
Let the memory live again

(the last verse)
Touch me - It's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is
Look - A new day has begun

Another old cat, Asparagus, or Gus The Theatre Cat, was once a famous actor but now is old and his paws shake with palsy. He too sings of his youth and the lives that he lived.

Then the evil cat of the tribe, MaCavity, kidnaps Old Deuteronomy and a battle ensues to get him back. The cats drive MaCavity away, but it takes Mistoffelees the Magic Cat to bring Deutoronomy back, just in time for the "choosing" to be made.

Just as I was fussing to myself why Old Deutoronomy allowed the poor Grizabella to be so badly treated, he chooses HER to be reborn and find her happiness. He leads her to a stairway to the stars, and though she is fearful, she crosses to find her destiny and be happy again.

I've seen the Broadway tour of Cats twice, and this high school production was every bit as professional and talented as the singers and dancers on the Broadway show. Everyone in the audience was positively amazed at the beautiful voices and fabulous dancing these kids put forth.

If you can imagine the dancers from the show "Fame", coupled with a live orchestra (the Carolina Forest Band) that didn't miss a note, you can begin to understand just what a fantastic show this was. The stage was perfect, the costumes elaborate and true to the Broadway show. It was just a magical experience, and especially enjoyable to someone like me who loves cats. I think I smiled the entire first hour of the show, as one after another of the characters sashayed around the stage with tails held high. (well maybe not high...but very apparent!)

In the second set, they even had a group of "kittens" playing, as the mothers washed and pushed them around the stage. It was unbelievably cute.

If Myrtle Beach can produce high school talent like this, there's at least one school in South Carolina that goes beyond excellence. Carolina Forest is also one of five district schools that surpassed the national SAT average, with a score of 1024. We can stand with the best in the country claiming this wonderful school as our own.

The students and faculty of Carolina Forest High School must be proud enough to burst. For sure the sold out audience was thrilled and proud that Myrtle Beach has been blessed with these amazing and talented young people. What an awesome production!

(Photos courtesy of the Carolina Forest High School Website)

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Looking for Myrtle Beach Kids Attractions? Amusement Parks, Mini Golf, Entertainment for kids.

Find the most comprehensive Myrtle Beach real estate information and Myrtle Beach Vacations with Condolux of North Myrtle Beach.

Vacations and Golf in Myrtle Beach are NOT Off in 2009

2009-03-28T16:08:00.003-04:00

Myrtle Beach Golf Industry Still in the Green

Condolux of North Myrtle Beach is having one of the best years in a long time with golf packages and vacation rentals up around 10% from last year. I've spoken with Martin Brown several times a month since the beginning of January, and he's been happy with business since the last part of December. I'm at a loss to understand why the newspapers are still full of doom and gloom about our tourism industry.

At any rate, here's our latest press release about Myrtle Beach Golf, and some new pictures to go with it. Myrtle Beach real estate sales are also REALLY doing well now, and at least in our little corner of the world, things are looking up. Spring and sun and warm weather are on the way, too, so Myrtle Beach is coming back to the paradise we all enjoy so much!

Myrtle Beach Real Estate Mortgage Rates

2009-03-20T13:18:00.005-04:00

March 20, 2009 (Bankrate.com)

I found a gadget on Bankrate.com that gives you "real-time" rates for your area on mortgages and other credit extensions. As of March the 20th, 2009, this is what it said...

10 Year Fixed

Average rates on 10-year fixed mortgages in South Carolina fell 4 basis points to 4.51 on Friday, according to Bankrate.com's daily Your Best Interest report. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percent. The mortgages in the survey had an average of 0.68 discount and origination points.

A 10-year fixed mortgage is a loan that has an interest rate that stays the same for the 10-year term of the loan. The principal amount is reduced, slowly at first, and then at an accelerating pace, over the life of the loan. Someone taking out a $165,000.00 10-year fixed mortgage at the current average would pay $1,710.83 a month for the life of the loan.

The highest rate in South Carolina on a 10-year fixed mortgage was found at one institution that charged 5.625 percent. The lowest rate was found at one institution that charged 4.000 percent. Six months ago, the average rate in South Carolina was 5.53 percent.

20 Year Fixed
Average rates on 20-year fixed mortgages in South Carolina fell 9 basis points to 4.82 on Friday, according to Bankrate.com's daily Your Best Interest report. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percent. The mortgages in the survey had an average of 0.55 discount and origination points.

A 20-year fixed mortgage is a loan that has an interest rate that stays the same for the 20-year term of the loan. The principal amount is reduced, slowly at first, and then at an accelerating pace, over the life of the loan. Someone taking out a $165,000.00 20-year fixed mortgage at the current average would pay $1,072.59 a month for the life of the loan.

The highest rate in South Carolina on a 20-year fixed mortgage was found at one institution that charged 6.000 percent. The lowest rate was found at one institution that charged 4.250 percent. Six months ago, the average rate in South Carolina was 5.91 percent.

30 Year Fixed
Average rates on 30-year fixed mortgages in South Carolina fell 10 basis points to 5.06 on Friday, according to Bankrate.com's daily Your Best Interest report. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percent. The mortgages in the survey had an average of 0.59 discount and origination points.

A 30-year fixed mortgage is a loan that has an interest rate that stays the same for the 30-year term of the loan. Someone taking out a $165,000.00 30-year fixed mortgage at the current average would pay $891.82 a month for the life of the loan.

The highest rate in South Carolina on a 30-year fixed mortgage was found at one institution that charged 10.000 percent. The lowest rate was found at three institutions that charged 4.250 percent. Six months ago, the average rate in South Carolina was 5.83 percent.

To see all of the results of Bankrate.com's surveys, go to www.bankrate.com.
The Your Best Interest report is a daily service of Bankrate.com, a financial news and information service based in North Palm Beach, Fla. Bankrate surveys more than 300 financial products from more than 4,800 institutions in all 50 states.

Myrtle Beach Real Estate

Greenville SC Homes For Sale

Another Reason to Love Google and Its Founders

2009-03-17T03:45:00.004-04:00

Google co-founders Larry Page (left) and Sergey Brin (right) field
questions from an audience in front of a backdrop patterned with their company
logo. Photo: Associated Press / Noah Berger

It's just been announced that Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, is donating some of his marvelous profits from the world famous search engine to create a new study on Parkinson's Disease.

Sergey's wife, Ann Wojcicki, (the news media reported the name as Ann Wojcocki) co-owns a company for genome study called 23andMe. Her company, Sergey, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the Parkinson's Institute of California will fund a DNA type test for Parkinson's sufferers to mail in. Referred to as a "spit kit", the genetic test usually costs around $400. Sergey will pay the difference and offer it to the members of these charities for $25, in hopes that more information can be used with the internet to speed up the treatment or cure for the disease.

This is one more reason that I have to love Google and the two boys who created it. My mother suffered from the disease and finally died from it after about 15 years. It is a horrible, crippling, and humiliating way to end your life...in some ways worse than Alzheimers. The medication taken for Parkinson's causes schizophrenic symptoms eventually, and creates a phenomenon called the on-off syndrome, in which you are either wired and jerking from the medication being so high, or frozen like stone as it has worn off. Tolerance to the medication "Sinemet" builds up until the dosage is too high for the body to handle. The worst part is that for most of the years the patient is fully aware of everything, yet cannot control his body - or even his senses - as hallucinations, uncontrollable movements, and freezing come and go.

Some progress was made with injecting embryonic stem cells directly into the brain, but was cut short with Bush's refusal to allow the usage of them. Michael J. Fox is probably hoping with all his heart that Obama's reversal of that foolish and wasteful law will allow him to find a cure before it is too late. Parkinson's Disease is particularly devastating to younger victims... progressing faster and more completely than with older ones. Part of the needed research may find out why this is so.

Sergey's mother suffers from Parkinson's Disease and he himself carries a gene variant that increases his odds of getting it.

Those who participate in the study will also complete surveys online that document their symptoms, history with the disease, types of medications they are on, and how their disease progresses.

I would not be the least bit surprised if Google's empire and its creators lead the world into a "Star Trek Universe" of conquered disease, the end to world hunger, and eventually going "where no man has gone before". I am ever hopeful, and so proud of those two and Google itself.

Source: UPI.com/Health

The Housing Crisis - A Great Book to Read!

2009-03-07T13:52:00.005-05:00

I had the pleasure of reading one of the most enjoyable, easy to read, and informative books the other day.

Similar to the "for Dummies" line of books, but much more engaging, Jim Randel is the author of a series of books under "The Skinny On™" line, and illustrated with "Stick People™" which are absolutely a hoot. I've always enjoyed simplistic , tongue in cheek comics, (South Park is my favorite!) and Jim has managed to use his excellent little "people" to capture your attention and make learning about a sometimes boring subject FUN.

Let me preface this with the fact that I have NOT been paid or compensated in any way for this review. They sent me a free copy of the book and I read it in a couple of hours. I have another one to read as well and may also blog about it.

This book is Stick People Books™, The Skinny On: The Housing Crisis. For anyone who has asked the questions WHY and HOW we ended up with this real estate and mortgage mess, you will know the answers after you follow the little stick people Billy and Beth...as they decide to explore the American dream of buying a home back about 2005.

Jim's little couple will make you chuckle and grin as you learn how NOT to buy a house. He explains the little known problems with independent mortgage brokers who depend on the real estate agent for business. Likewise, Billy and Beth naively trust in using an inspector who also depends on the agent for his bread and butter, and the agent herself...whose livlihood depends on that commission, and proves that there's an almost invisible line between being a good salesman and taking advantage. As an agent back during that time, "Charlotte" merely goes with the flow, and allows the young couple to buy a house they can't afford, with a mortgage that should never have been invented, and a house that wasn't worth what they paid.

The book taught ME a few things, and I thought I was pretty savvy about real estate now.

With as few words as possible to explain things, and an adorable comic to illustrate and occasionally poke fun at the system, this book is a must-read for a first time home buyer, and would be a very good checklist reminder for the average person who may not understand the pitfalls of making a home purchase the lazy way.

Randel's website tells about the book, and explains it further like this:

The Skinny On™ The Housing Crisis takes the reader through Billy and Beth’s experiences dealing with real estate agents, house inspectors, appraisers, mortgage brokers, lenders and attorneys. Each of these encounters is a lesson for any person considering the purchase or sale of a home, investing in real estate or, just taking out a mortgage. After Billy and Beth close on their home, The Skinny On™ The Housing Crisis follows the story of their mortgage from lender to investment bank to investor in Europe. We learn how mortgage sales and securitizations became a trillion dollar
business, disconnecting the American borrower from the lender and de-humanizing the process.

The Skinny On™ The Housing Crisis can be purchased on his website, or through Amazon.com for $12.95 for a paperback or $9.95 for an E-Book. If you are the parents of a young couple just starting out, this would be a wonderful gift to give. But everyone will learn something from it, and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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If you want to learn more about Myrtle Beach real estate, visit any of our websites listed on the right!

Calling Myrtle Beach Home

2009-02-23T16:56:00.008-05:00

Ever wondered what it would be like to live in Myrtle Beach? According to the Chamber of Commerce figures in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, there are 25,000 permanent residents in the former, and 12,000 in the latter. Most of us came from somewhere else. Many are retirees. What is life like for those of us who have made our home in Myrtle Beach? I think most of us stay...I know I did, and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Here is what some of my friends and acquaintences have to say about life in the Grand Strand...

Richard Brooks - Myrtle Beach Real Estate Agent with Condolux
I have lived in the North Myrtle Beach area off and on for over thirty years. Each time I have moved away, it hasn’t taken long to realize that North Myrtle Beach is my home and I come running back. I love the weather here! It never gets too cold for too long and the Spring/Summer/Fall season brings us warm days, cool nights and tons of activity.

From golfing, swimming, boating, to beaching, there is something for every taste! The choices here are limitless. You can have a great meal at Joe’s Bar & Grill dining on the freshest seafood while you watch the raccoon walk overlooking the majestic White Swash. Or you can watch the gentle surf with a cold beer at Molly Darcy’s on their oceanfront deck. Living here is “being Southern at its best”…so come on down, run barefoot on the sand, and fix yourself a glass of sweet iced tea. It’s time to relax…

Mit Tressler - Works at Home for a Travel Agency
I love the winters in Myrtle Beach. One of my favorite things to do is take my dog for a walk on the beach and have a cup of coffee. It gets cold here, but if you layer a bit, it's just perfect. The beach is almost deserted and I like listening to ocean. When I get home, I always feel relaxed and like I had a good workout from walking in the sand.
Right now, I would love to have a 2nd floor condo in Market Common. Having everything within walking distance would suit me to a T, and the park across the street is amazing. I love the boardwalk in Virginia Beach. Myrtle Beach is planning
one, but it doesn't look like it will cater to people on bikes and inline skates. A boardwalk should promote all types of healthy lifestyles. I recommend Myrtle Beach to people all the time. I wish my entire family would move here.
Scott Todd - Todd Insurance Agency (Allstate)
Except for college, I have lived in the Myrtle Beach area my entire life. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to travel to almost every state and several foreign countries. I've been able to enjoy many beaches from the west coast of California and white sands of Maui to the rocky shores of Ireland and beautiful coast of Portugal.
Honestly, I have yet to find a more beautiful stretch of beach than right here in Myrtle Beach, SC. When you think of it, Myrtle Beach has a lot to
offer. It is big enough to have many of the conveniences of a much larger city but small enough to have a "hometown feel". I also find it really nice to live in an area that is still actually growing and moving forward. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

Jeremy Lenkowski - Myrtle Beach Web Designer- Web Hosting Provider
Myrtle Beach is a beautiful place. Millions of people visit here yearly. Thousands decide to stay. I am a transplant from New Jersey, right across the river from Philadelphia. I am in the IT field, and never had any issues landing a high paying position. I figured, like so many others, that I could move here, land a decent paying position, and enjoy the beach and temperate climate. It was in 2001 I decided to finally move here. I was fortunate; my sister had transplanted here with a local 3 years before, and allowed me to stay with them until I found a job.

Myrtle Beach and the surrounding areas are vacation destinations. As a result, most of the businesses operating in this area are geared toward the tourism / service industry. Much to my dismay, there is winter here. When I moved here in January, it wasn't what I expected. Myrtle Beach shut down! Anyone who has lived in a resort town can tell you, the winters are long. After the vacationers leave, and before the snowbirds arrive, there is a three to four month period where time slows down, and a transformation takes place. Myrtle Beach belongs to the locals again.

The number of people who actually reside here year round is relatively small. Some grew up here, and some like me are transplants. Like any small town, most of us know each other, or at least know of one another. If we don't directly, a call to a friend can fill in any information you need. After living here for two years, performing odd jobs, etc, in 2003 I received a call from a large local company offering me a position. A position I never applied for, and not listed in any paper. They had heard of me, and based on a recommendation offered me the position on my reputation alone. Finally, this was my breakthrough.

Five years later and I am still here. I decided to start providing small business websites in Myrtle Beach, and hosting for them at a great rate. I have many clients whom have been with me for years and others who hear about me by word of mouth. I don't advertise here; treating people right and providing an honest service is advertising enough.

In short, Myrtle Beach is a beautiful place. The people are great. There are lots of opportunities here, even now. My advice to anyone looking to move here: Treat people right, it will come back to you!

For myself, I love being able to go to the grocery store or a restauarant at midnight. I love having live theatre, gambling boats, cruises, the beach, and other entertainment you could only find in a big city, WITHOUT that big city. I could never be happy living in Atlanta or even Charlotte. I hate snow and ice, so further north is not an option. You can live well in Myrtle Beach on an average salary, too, unlike Florida and other areas. I found my niche with the web industry in Myrtle Beach real estate and Myrtle Beach vacation rentals. I moved here nearly 20 years ago, and have loved every minute of it. I often stop and reflect on just how lucky I really am to live in paradise!

I don't see many people leave once they've come here. One of my friends is a 60-something year old lady from New Jersey whose husband died several years ago. She left her kids and grandkids up there and moved down here all by herself. Her family didn't want her to do it, but she wanted to spend her remaining years in the place she loved best. And so she bought a condo, which she couldn't have done in New Jersey on her modest income. She lives where I do in Little River, for the most part safely and in a crime-free neighborhood... close to the beach and in the middle of everything. You couldn't pay her to move back. Myrtle Beach may not be for everyone, but there aren't many who would not be happy in our beautiful town!

See the Home Buyers Top 10 Trends

Real Estate Market Improving From Coast to Coast

2009-01-25T13:47:00.003-05:00

Several of my Realtor friends across the country wanted to get together and do a press release about how everyone's real estate market was gaining ground this year, and we came up with a coast to coast review of real estate in 2009.

Annette Smith in Sarasota says her home prices have come down enough to bring in buyers from Europe and Canada as well as the usual areas this year. She reports that Sarasota was number 11 on RealtyTrac's list of the top 100 cities with foreclosures. I have also seen an increase in leads from those interested in Florida oceanfront property.

Lee Cunningham in Greenville, SC reports an increase in sales in January, and is proud to say that home prices there have not taken the tumble they have in other areas of the nation. Their unemployment rates are lower than most, and had over 1300 new jobs created in 2008.

Fran Vernon, one half of the Los Angeles Realtor team of Fran and Rowena, says buyer interest in her area has returned, and is proud to say that the "California lifestyle" continues to be an American dream.

Myrtle Beach SC real estate has definately taken off since the beginning of 2009. We've seen the internet interest nearly double, and one of my friends, Richard Brooks, says he's getting leads and buyer inquiries enough to have high hopes for this year.

Martin Brown, who owns the condo rental company CondoLux, has gotten so many rental reservations that he's positively bragging about the vacation market being good this year.

As an aside, the local MB Sun Blog has a blog and picked up our press release to use as an indicator of a good year to come as well!

We probably can't help for instant recovery, but all the signs are pointing to 2009 as the beginning of the end of this real estate crisis!

Myrtle Beach Real Estate Market Update

2008-12-21T19:51:00.006-05:00

As the entire country tries to deal with our flattened economy, resorts everywhere are doing what they can to keep the vacationers coming and the buyers buying. The Grand Strand is no exception, and the state of South Carolina is reported to have the highest unemployment rates since 1983. Out of all the cities in the state, however...and probably North Carolina as well, Myrtle Beach is managing to hold its own the best. We haven't seen a lack of vacation rentals, and during this season, winter rentals and Myrtle Beach golf packages have always kept the bills paid.

For many reasons, our strongest property management companies such as CondoLux fare better when it comes to Myrtle Beach real estate, and that extends to golf course condos, homes and property close to the beach. More recently, the Waterway condominium resorts such as Barefoot Resort and Grande Dunes have gotten popular. With only a couple of strong condo rental companies in the area that have proven track records and longtime customer loyalty, CondoLux in particular is better able to market the properties to a built-in customer base and have access to the best condos to sell. Because of this, many of the stand-alone real estate agencies are in trouble, while Myrtle Beach condo rentals keep the beach's economy going.

The owners of Condolux are now expanding to Myrtle Beach, opening a new sales and rental office, and putting a lot of money into websites and marketing. By doing so even when the other agencies can't, it will actually increase even its own productivity and income.

The internet has become the most important of all marketing methods in real estate and vacation rentals. The ones that invested in an excellent website and search engine marketing early on have the advantage now. Again, Condolux has exceeded them all in the number of powerful websites promoting real estate sales, vacation rentals, luxury condo specialties, golf packages, beach houses, and even restaurants and attractions. They are joining forces with some of Myrtle Beach's other website empires as they go, and becoming giants in the field. This will benefit their property management customers and real estate sales more than anyone can imagine.

Look for more expansion and greater things to come from Condolux. There are no question that they have become the Grand Strand's leading real estate experts.

Cosmopolitan Condo Hotel Project Continues Forward

2008-11-19T08:24:00.002-05:00

Cosmopolitan Condo Hotel Project Continues Forward

by Diann Tonnesen

Many proposed high rise condo projects around the country have had the plug pulled in the past two years due to cost overruns and tightening credit. Since Deutsche Bank announced they were beginning foreclosure proceedings on the Las Vegas Cosmopolitan condo hotel project at the beginning of 2008 on their $760 million dollar loan, over 1800 contract owners were holding their breath, wondering if the development would be completed. Or if they would get their money back in full if the development was canceled.

There were many "interested parties" making bids to purchase the project, but Deutsche Bank finally took over full ownership of the Cosmopolitan under an affiliate, Nevada Property I. Deutsche Bank was the high bidder, paying $1 billion at a recent foreclosure sale to acquire ownership of the project. Those still hoping to own a piece of the Las Vegas real estate market on the Strip breathed a bit easier.

And Deutsche Bank didn't let any grass grow under its feet to make sure the project went forward. It had already inked contracts with Related Companies to take over as the resort's new developer. In addition Perini Corp. signed a new contract to complete construction work on the project. Perini had been working on the project from the beginning, and was being paid under an interim agreement since March 2008 when Deutsche Bank began foreclosing after the original developer, Bruce Eichner, failed to complete a deal to secure more financing. Increased construction costs helped drive the Cosmopolitan's construction budget from its original $2 billion price in early 2006 to its current $3.9 billion price, and Eichner was unable to find a new partner with enough capital to infuse into the project.

A letter was drafted to contract owners by the resort's new developer, Related Companies, letting them know of the management changes and informing them of progress to date. This went out to almost 1825 contract holders, assuring them of the project's completion. To date over 50% of the Cosmopolitan's exterior construction has been completed, and it is anticipated that by December of 2008 owners will be celebrating the "topping off" of both towers, including the penthouse units. The new proposed completion date for the entire project is estimated for the second quarter of 2010.

Along with a rebounding resale housing market, this is great news for the local Las Vegas real estate market. For four months straight (July, August, September and October) statistics have shown a significant rise in Las Vegas homes sales, with multiple offers on lower end properties, especially in the segment of Las Vegas foreclosures.

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About the Author
Diann Tonnesen has been selling real estate in the Las Vegas valley for more than 25 years and is considered one the city's foremost high rise specialists.

Advance Auto is a Savior for Women

2008-11-16T14:42:00.004-05:00

This is going to be a little off-topic, but I know there are a lot of single women Realtors, and probably plenty of mechanically "challenged" males as well. I wanted to tell you all about a national company that everyone has heard of, but many people don't realize what a godsend they can be - Advance Auto Parts Store.

Most people think of Advance Auto as a vague place to go buy a headlight or a carburator if you want to save a bit of money and not shop at the car dealer. But this store and these people are SO MUCH MORE.

I've been using AAP since I first moved to Myrtle Beach about 17 years ago. For several years I was living on practically minimum wage, driving a 10 year old Pontiac Fiero, and eating bologna sandwiches more often than I like to think about.

North Myrtle Beach in many ways is like the usual small town. Back in those days, more so than now, if you lived here, you eventually met the business owners, the police, the restaurant waittresses and others that seemed to help each other as much as the residents of Mayberry. One of the earliest things I learned from men that I met along the way (men LOVE to advise single women about car stuff) was that AAP was the place to buy things like windshield wipers, antennas (antennae?) and lights for the car.

There is a local garage in Cherry Grove that was so kind to me as to let me buy parts from AAP and bring them up there to install and repair my car. Now this is not something most garages will do, but in "North Mayberry Beach", so many people go out of their way to help people who work at hotels and restaurants. Most grew up here and worked at these jobs as teenagers, so they know what it's like to get by on $5.00 an hour.

Anyway, I've always known you could save money by shopping at AAP. And I quickly learned that when you buy windshield wipers from them, THEY will come out of the store and put them on for you - FREE! Now it's customary to tip the boy who does this. He's probably living on $8-9 an hour himself. But if any of you women have ever tried to put wipers on yourself, you know that it's worth every bit of $3-5 to let somebody else get their hands black.

I suppose many women have boyfriends or husbands that do this for you. But for those of us who don't, little things like this mean so much. Is your car running funny? Before you go drop it off to the GM dealership and spend a fortune, run it by AAP and let them hook you up to their diagnostic machine that might just save you a bundle. Buy a new battery there for about as much as you'd pay at Walmart...and these guys will install it for you, right in the parking lot. Got a headlight out? In most cases they will put it in for you at no charge and with no wait. Where else in the world can you expect service like that? Granted, they probably do more for a woman than they'd be inclined to do for a man, but I don't really know this for a fact either. They may well do it for every customer that walks in the door.

But today, this company amazed me beyond anything that's happened since I moved here.

Last night I must have left something on in the car from the day before. I still haven't figured it out, but when I went to go grab a burger for dinner, my car was as dead as a doornail. No horn, no lights, remote doesn't work...just dead. And I'm thinking, CRAP. It's Saturday night. Tomorrow is Sunday. Will I have to call a tow-truck or maybe I can find a neighbor to jump me off....which I hate to ask. People are funny about giving you a jump with today's new cars. I'm thinking on Sunday everything will be closed...what if I have to buy a battery? I went to bed just beside myself worrying about it. I can't stand to be without transportation.

This morning about 8am I decide to call AAP and ask if (A) they are open, which I doubt...and (B) will they loan me one of those battery chargers if I can find a ride up there.

First amazement, they answered the phone. The LADY manager (that's pretty amazing too) explains to me that they don't open until 9am, but yes, they are open. And yes, if I want to leave them a charge card or something as a deposit, they will give me a battery jumper.

BUT...she says, why not just let me send my guy to your house to help you and jump the car? I ask her how much that will cost and she tells me NOTHING. "It's our customer service", she says.

Can you imagine in this day and time (and gas prices) that any company would do this? I might add that this is a new Advance Auto that just recently opened about 3 miles from me in Little River. I've always dealt with the one in North Myrtle Beach before. These people did not know me, nor did she ask my name.

She goes on to say that since it's Sunday, they won't be busy, so as soon as they open, she'll send one of the boys to help me. And if I want to tip him something, that's up to me, but there is no charge for the service.

About an hour later, a very nice older man rides up in a yellow truck, jumps me off, and then because I'm smart, I follow him back to the store to have the diagnostic done. It shows my alternator is fine, and the battery is just low but good, and advises to recharge. This has taken about 6 miles of driving, maybe an hour of their time, and they don't charge me a dime or sell me a thing. AND ARE HAPPY TO DO IT!

Yes, I tipped the man...and well. I saved a tow-truck fee, possibly being sold a battery I didn't need, and received the kind of service most people just dream of. So girls, (and guys too!) the next time you have a car problem, remember there is a company out there that wrote the book on customer service. Advance Auto Parts is the BOMB. I can't brag on them enough.

And to the home office AAP, I hope you give the manager and all the employees at 1661 Highway 17, Little River, SC a RAISE. They do more to brand your store as a winner than all the advertising in the world.
****

This is a re-blog from Active Rain.com. I wanted this to be in Digg, and they have seen fit to banish a social site with 100,000 plus real estate agents for "spamming".

8 Tips to Selling Your Home Now

2008-11-08T05:14:00.003-05:00

Jim Remley, writer for "Realty Times" and author of Sell Your Home in Any Market, recently wrote a synopsis article for Bottom Line Secrets, with quick tips on the selling your home in this slow market we are experiencing. Here's a summary of his tips and advice...

Don't start with a higher price. Negotiating back and forth over price does not work in this market. Mr. Remley advises that you should price your home towards the lower end of the comparable homes for sale in the neighborhood. Real estate agents that may show your home will pay the most attention to a new listing. Once the home has been listed for a while, you miss this initial attention, and they probably will not even bother to show an overpriced house at all. He also advises you to recheck comparable asking prices every several weeks if the house does not sell. If you do have to lower the price, make it a LARGE reduction so that it will attract notice and even be a "best buy" in the category. **Note: Do not even THINK about what homes in the neighborhood sold for a year or so back. The market was entirely different and prices were also. If your home is listed and isn't being shown, the problem is more than likely the price.

Repair and fix up the home before you offer it for sale. In this market, fixer-uppers are most often ignored. Do all important repairs before listing.

Beautify your home's face. Remley advises to spend the money for landscaping, flowers, exterior repainting, outdoor lighting, the sidewalk, and even new doorknobs. Buying a home is an emotional purchase, and these small things will make a buyer "fall in love".

Refresh the inside, and especially when it comes to any odors. New paint, carpet, tiles, or hardwood floors can help, but if a smoker or pet owner lived there, it may be necessary to hire a "building restoration company" to do whatever it takes to remove all the smells that linger behind.

Think of any special amenities that your home can boast, and include it in the MLS listing, SPELLED OUT. Remley suggests rather than saying "inground pool" your agent should write it up as "inground pool with waterfall and hot tub".

Offer incentives to buyers. There are many home sales made by "bribing" the buyers with cash, cars, tv's or a plethora of other offers. Of the most effective, Remley says that helping with closing costs, or paying to buy down the interest rate (purchasing points with the mortgage) work the best. Be sure these are listed on the MLS as well as any advertising that you do for the potential sale. *In florida, helping with home or condo insurance would be a good incentive!

Offer incentives to brokers and sales agents. Mention the bonus in the MLS listing (not the original commissions) and be sure to disclose it on the sales contract. A lender could possibly claim fraud in the sales price if anything is hidden in cash negotiations.

Don't play the negotiation game this time. If the buyer offers a reasonable price, consider accepting it without making a counter-offer. Better to take an offer you can live with then to take a chance of the buyer making an offer elsewhere. If you are getting lots of offers, this may not be in issue, but losing a sale over a few thousand dollars is not worth the chance.

These tips are particularly important with resort areas like Florida, and real estate in Myrtle Beach SC. Areas such as Greenville SC real estate markets, and small town areas like real estate in Flower Mound Texas may not have the glut of foreclosure homes that trendier areas suffer from. All oceanfront property will benefit from attention to the tips that Remley suggested, and if you are trying to sell this type of real estate, his book could prove invaluable.

Maggie Mileski, Teacher and Mentor

2008-10-16T19:32:00.006-04:00

Having been on the internet now for over eight years, you would think that I would stop being surprised at the unusual people I meet, the friendships I find, and how much I still learn. I am very lucky to have a career that allows me to spend so much time on the computer, and I'm doubly blessed to be able to write well enough to convey my thoughts and feelings at the same time I'm doing my job. In fact, the skills I learned in high school in spelling, grammar, and communication are what enabled me to work at something I enjoy so much and find so rewarding every day.

In 1972, the innocent part of the Age of Aquarius was fading. The sweet bubble-gum music of the early Beatles and the Monkees had changed into hard, drug-promoting, disillusioned songs like "Taxi" and "A Horse With No Name". The Beatles had broken up, Nixon was elected as President, the war in Vietnam was still raging, and it seemed like half the young people were either dead, bombed out their minds, or disgusted with everything society had to offer.

I was only 16 years old, but I considered myself an adult and a "hippie". I revelled in the same anger that the older kids who had been so affected by the war were feeling. I never fit in with the popular group - the cheerleaders, athletes and rich kids that seemed to be immune to the world outside of Ragsdale High School and the society that we hippies loved to hate.

The "Socs" actually produced at least one progidy - Pat McCrory. Anyone remember the movie called The Outsiders and Ponyboy? Even in the south, much of that movie was truly the way it was in those days! Anyway, the present Mayor of Charlotte, NC and soon to be Governor of North Carolina (bless his heart) was one of the untarnished ones. Pat and a few of his friends were squeaky clean, unfailingly sweet and optimistic, and went through their high school years seemingly oblivious to the drugs, protest marching, and anarchy that the Woodstock generation was going through.

Anyway, a huge influence in my life entered the scene that year. Mrs. Maggie Mileski, teacher of English, Grammar, and Literature. She was about 5 ft tall, had a bit of an accent, brooked no nonsense, but had a sparkle in her eyes and loved her chosen profession. She may have even loved those rebellious teenagers that sulked into her class with huge bell-bottoms, fringed vests, bells tinkling, and often glazed-over eyes. She didn't seem to distinguish between the rich ones with the Izod labels and the misfits, either. She was determined we were going to learn how to spell and write, and she was going to teach us.

And I think I can honestly say that even the worst kids that came through her class did learn. I would bet that any kid who spent a year or so with Mrs. Mileski has better English skills to this day than half the population.

I was good at all things language anyway. My mother did huge crossword puzzles everyday for fun, and my father was a math whiz. Unfortunately I inherited NONE of his skills, but I did get hers. So having the best English teacher in the US was exciting and inspiring for me. She was as tough as nails and even the meanest overgrown young hulks came to respect her very quickly. She was also extremely smart, and you knew it and felt it. And her non-discriminating interest in her students presented us with an adult authority figure that we couldn't complain about or dislike!

An entire generation of kids that attended Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, North Carolina learned how to spell, how to speak less like a typical southerner, how to diagram sentences, and how to write better during the years that this tiny little ball of fire taught English in high school. I give her credit for most of the skills that gave me a better life, and calmed my rebellious spirit with self-respect and a sense of accomplishment.

I recently had an email correspondence with a rather famous lady.
Jane Straus is the "Miss Manners" of grammar and punctuation in America. A life coach as well as an English teacher, Jane wrote the "Blue Book of Grammar", one of the best reference books a writer can have. She's been interviewed on many television shows and also puts out a great free newsletter with tips and rules about punctuation, word usage, and common spelling errors. I would recommend anyone who blogs or works with a professional website to sign up for that newsletter. In several back and forth emails with Jane, I mentioned Mrs. Mileski. This prompted me to Google her and perhaps find a way to show her this article I am now writing.

Much to my sorrow and disappointment, the first thing I found was her Eulogy, written by a Catholic Priest that was also one of her students in the 80's, and came to love her as I did. His tribute to Maggie Mileski made me cry, but also made me see how truly fortunate I was to have been one of the privileged ones who knew this amazing lady.

There's no telling how many lives she touched, and she may well have been part of the reason that Pat McCrory found his success in politics. I wouldn't be surprised to find him running for President one day, while Mrs. Mileski looks down on him with those sparkling brown eyes in pride for having done her job well and making a difference in so many lives.

Investing in Foreclosures

2008-10-10T04:05:00.004-04:00

By Michael Perl, from the Bottom Line Newsletter
Equity Res-Q

Rising interest rates and the proliferation of high-risk variable-rate mortgages have pushed foreclosures to record levels.

Opportunity: Agile investors can buy foreclosed homes for as little as 80% or even 70% of fair market value (the price the home might normally sell for) from home owners seeking to avoid a public auction... from lenders wanting to get foreclosed properties off their books fast... or at a public auction.

A careful study of the foreclosure process can lead to great bargains, whether you are seeking a home to live in... to rent out... or to sell quickly for a profit.

Danger: Foreclosed homes are not always a good deal. A buyer who moves too fast can end up with a money pit.

Among the questions to consider...

*How much will it cost to fix up and maintain the home, including insurance and taxes?
*How long will it take to find a new buyer if you view the home as a short-term investment?

If you still want to buy a foreclosure property once you have considered the challenges, here's how to get the best deal...

UNDERSTAND THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS
It is important to know the steps leading to foreclosure...
The home owner “defaults” on mortgage payments, typically after falling 90 days behind.
The lender serves the home owner with a summons, and the property enters “preforeclosure.” Attorneys for the lender detail the debt owed in court.
A “final judgment” hearing is held, and an auction date is set.

The owner can sell the property at any point before it is sold at auction. Or the lender could take ownership, either through an agreement with the owner during preforeclosure or by winning the auction. The property is then known as an REO property (real estate owned by the lender).

GETTING STARTED
Consult with your bank or a mortgage broker to determine how much of a loan you could comfortably handle, and look for properties in that price range. If the home is an investment that you intend to sell, the most profitable neighborhoods often are up-and-coming areas, where about 80% of residents are renters.

Check foreclosure filings. Ask for the most recent foreclosure filings at the county courthouse. In many counties, there will be dozens or even hundreds of listings every week or two. You also could use a foreclosure tracking service, such as First American CoreLogic (800-345-7334. Typical cost: $100 to $150 per month per county.

After spotting a potential bargain, check recent sale prices of homes in the same neighborhood, making sure that the houses are comparable based on such factors as size and condition. The free Website is a useful resource.

Contact us for Myrtle Beach Foreclosures.

BEST TIME IS BEFORE AUCTION
Some of the best foreclosure bargains are found before the auction removes the sales decision from the home owner. Contact home owners of prospective properties as soon as a notice of foreclosure appears. You might send a letter to introduce yourself and express interest, but don't expect the average home owner in foreclosure to respond to your letter until about a month before a public auction would take place. By then, the owner may welcome an offer to buy the property quickly for a price that allows him/her to pay off the mortgage and perhaps end up with a little extra cash. That might mean 75% of the property’s fair market value.

If the home owner doesn't agree to sell until less than a month remains before the auction, you might not have time to arrange a mortgage. In that case, both you and the home owner should file a motion with the court for an emergency hearing (possible court fee: about $50) and a delay of the auction so you can secure financing.

Even if you can't work out a deal with the home owner, approaching him prior to the auction might give you an opportunity to inspect the house -- which may no longer be possible once a lender takes possession.

If you decide to take this route...
Be ultrasensitive to the home owner's situation. Don’t use the word “foreclosure.” Say you're interested in buying if the owner “decides” to sell.

Ask if the owner has looked into “forbearance” from the mortgage lender. Home owners sometimes can bring their loans up-to-date by making a relatively small forbearance payment to the lender. You will lose out on the house if the home owner does get forbearance, but your helpful suggestion should build some goodwill and raise your chances of a purchase if forbearance is not granted, as is usually the case.

Many home owners in foreclosure these days owe lenders more money on properties than the properties would be worth if sold. To get a great deal, you could arrange something called a “short sale” -- the bank agrees to take less for the property than is owed. In the current real estate market, banks often are willing to accept as little as 60% to 75% of the amount owed, particularly in states such as Florida, where home values have fallen substantially.

AUCTIONS ARE TRICKY
It is not easy for a buyer to get a great deal at a foreclosure auction. There are experienced real estate investors at most auctions, ready to snap up any bargains. At most auctions, the lender will bid the amount owed on the property to keep the sale price from going too low. If no one bids more, the lender -- which does not yet own the property -- will end up buying it at auction.

Auction winners generally must pay with cash or by certified check before the close of the business day -- leaving no time to arrange financing. There may not be much time before an auction to research the title and arrange a professional inspection, and auctioned homes are sold “as is,” so once you buy the property, you get it in whatever condition it is in. It's a good idea to attend a few auctions, just as an observer. I would not recommend auction bidding for the novice foreclosure buyer.

BUYING FROM THE BANK
If the bank ends up owning the home, it will try to sell it as quickly as possible, especially in today's depressed real estate market. A bank won’t give you a great deal, but it might give you a very good deal, perhaps as little as 80% to 85% of fair market value. The bank typically will make sure the title is clear of liens (which use the property as collateral) and other barriers to transfer and do some basic repairs to make the property more appealing to prospective buyers.

To find REO properties in your area, call real estate agencies and ask if any of their agents specialize in REO homes. The bank will pay the agent's commission if you eventually buy a property through him. Or call area banks and say you're interested in seeing their lists of foreclosed properties.

GREATEST DANGERS

Liens. The buyer of a foreclosed home may not know that it carries one or more liens. Some liens, such as those filed by tradespeople, are wiped away by the foreclosure process, but when it's a government agency, such as the IRS, or a home owner’s association that is owed money, the debt typically passes to the new owner. A title search performed after the foreclosure or an attorney with experience in this field can tell you what liens remain.

Cost: A title company might charge $100 to $150 to search a title for liens... a real estate attorney costs a bit more.

Condition. The property you buy might be in worse shape than you realized. Example: The previous occupants trashed the inside of the home to get back at the bank for the eviction. Try to inspect before you buy.
###

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Michael Perl, owner of Equity Res-Q, West Palm Beach, Florida. The company has bought and sold more than 400 foreclosures and preforeclosures over a six-year period.

Celebrities Tell You-Register to Vote!

2008-10-08T17:00:00.000-04:00

Before You Chain Your Dog - Dogs on Chains, Why It's Not a Good Idea

2008-09-16T01:03:00.003-04:00

This is from a newsletter that I received from my favorite animal charity, http://www.itsmeowornever.org/ . I feel deeply about this subject and thought it was worthy of spreading the article. If you want to donate to a wonderful animal (especially CATS) sanctuary, this is one of the best!

Dogs who are chained run a much higher risk of biting and are more likely to be the dogs that run off and don't come back when called.

Why? Chaining a dog goes against its natural instincts. Dogs were not meant to be chained. Most become protective of the area around them and in some cases, down right mean, even to their owners. They feel confined, trapped and it drives them crazy. They are harder to train and some appear to be literally un-trainable when really they are just going stir crazy. Most chained dogs will take off on you any chance they can get off the chain.

And why not? Coming back means they have to go back on the chain and they want to enjoy the freedom if even for a little while. Not all dogs will be biters and runners if chained, but all dogs would be happier, with a better temperament, if they were not chained.

Not to mention it’s cruel and how can anyone say they love their dog if it’s chained.

One example of this is the story my neighbor told me about a Keeshond she had as a child. Her parents did not have much time for the dog and the kids were getting older and did not have very much interest in it. As a result the Keeshond ended up on a clothes-line run, chained up in the backyard. It got to the point were you could not go near the dog without it growling at you and trying to bite. After a while the parents decided it was not worth the liability. They feared the dog was going to eventually really hurt someone. They found the dog a new home and hoped for the best.

A few months later they received a phone call from the new owners. Fear shot though the mother as she answered the phone expecting to hear the dog had bitten someone. Instead they heard how nice and sweet the dog was. Friendly as can be, loves everyone. The new owners were calling to say just how happy they were and that they loved their new Keeshond.

Turned out the new owners did not chain the dog. They were in a situation were the dog could be free to walk around the yard. For those who know the breed, you know that Keeshonden are not the type of dog to be mean or to bite. They love everyone and everything. It was THE CHAIN that drove the dog to this point. The good thing was it was reversible, the chain was taken away and the dog no longer felt the need to defend and protect, no longer felt trapped and confined.

Another case is an acquaintance that owned an English Bulldog. He had the dog tied up in the back yard. One day the dog got off of the chain. One of the neighbor kids tried to bring him home. When the boy grabbed his collar the dog bit the boy in the face. Why? The dog was confused. He was suddenly free and he did not know how to handle it. Going home meant back on the chain.

The owner of the Bulldog had told the neighbor kids not to go near the dog if he ever got free and to come and get him instead. Once again, the English Bulldog is excellent with children and loves people, but even a Bulldog will go crazy tied up on a chain all day. In fact, English Bulldogs are one of the worst breeds to chain. They have a strong desire to be by your side. Chaining them all the time drives them Crazy. Confined, restricted and trapped, it is not in a dogs nature to be tied up.

I am not talking about the occasional time when you need to tie your dog up in the park for a little while. We once went to a picnic with our dogs and our English Bulldog wanted to "kill" the Rottweiler that was there. We had to tie our Bulldog to a tree. There will be times where you will need to tie your dog. I am talking about the Back Yard Dogs. The ones with the dog house and a chain. The ones that spend the majority of their time and life chained, sitting and waiting, with nothing else to do but wait and protect.
###

It's Meow Or Never Animal Sanctuary

Outstanding Photography by Ed Carreon

2008-08-12T16:25:00.003-04:00

I have a good friend, Los Angeles photographer Ed Carreon, who has just revamped one of his websites and I wanted to bring it to public attention.

With the advent of digital cameras, we are all taking photos right and left, and you can find a myriad of images on the internet. But there is still a difference between a camera buff and a true PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER. Ed is the latter, and an artist.

Ed has worked for newspapers, freelanced for major magazines, and covered issues from the Los Angeles riots to stories about Mexican immigrants. If I'm not mistaken, he's worked for the Discovery Channel before.

Look through his "collections" and be prepared to be moved and amazed at some of them.
www.EdCarreon.com

Some other sites to visit: (shameless plugs)
Flower Mound Texas Real Estate
Frisco Texas Real Estate
Greenville SC Homes for Sale
Myrtle Beach Real Estate

Relocating To Myrtle Beach? Do Your Research on Home Insurance

2008-07-30T07:57:00.002-04:00

Located along the edge of the beautiful Atlantic Ocean, the city of Myrtle Beach is a lovely place to call home. Also a tourist destination, Myrtle Beach is known for its white sand beaches and great shopping, entertainment, and dining. After just one visit, many people never want to leave. If you plan on relocating to Myrtle Beach however, it is extremely important to do your homework when it comes to real estate, especially as it pertains to home insurance.

Flood Protection
According to the official website for the City of Myrtle Beach, the average home insurance policy just for flood protection is $348.00 per year. Though not every home owner needs flood protection home insurance, many do. Therefore, it is important to research this with any Myrtle Beach real estate property that you are interested in buying.

Standard Home Insurance in Myrtle Beach
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. After you have found the perfect home for sale in Myrtle Beach, you will want to obtain home insurance quotes and do some research to find a policy that is right for you. Take the time to really shop around and ask a lot of questions to find out what type of home insurance coverage you can expect in the event that you need to make a claim. You can get home insurance quotes online and through local home insurance agents, or you can even check South Carolina’s state insurance department for a recommendation.

What You Can Do
Once you have purchased your home in Myrtle Beach and have obtained home insurance for your new property, do your part to ensure your policy will cover your losses. Most home insurance companies recommend taking an inventory of your home and its belongings in the event that something happens such as a fire or other disaster.

Having a list of inventory already prepared, along with pictures to document your belongings, can speed up the process of getting your home insurance claim paid in a timely manner. Trying to remember everything you own after the things are gone can be difficult in a stressful time.

It helps to find a level of trust and comfort with your home insurance company because in the event that a storm passes through Myrtle Beach and damages your home, a good home insurance policy can make a big difference. Many homeowners who faced this problem with a poor home insurance policy ended up facing financial disasters when the policy would not cover the damage.

As they say, “hope for the best but prepare for the worst”. When it comes to home insurance policies for your new Myrtle Beach home, this is an important rule to live by.