Mr. Nice Guy Wins Again!

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

I just ran into a client who I helped to buy a new home a few months back. She told me a very interesting story… WAIT, I am getting ahead of myself…

We were in a very competitive market for their price range and they had very specific requirements for their new home. They had narrowed there geographic location down to just 20 square blocks that was walking distance to the best schools in the county. It wasn’t that they weren’t willing to pay market price. It was difficult due to the fact that the area they were looking in has a very lower rate of turnover. There were only 3 homes available at the time.

We found the perfect home on the day it was listed. I called the owner to schedule a showing and was asked if I could be flexible with my timing because the family had two small children who usually napped during the time that I wanted to show the house. I agreed and we scheduled the showing for a few hours later.

I called the listing agent to let her know that I was writing an offer and I was told that there was another offer coming in. The listing agent recommended that we write our “highest and best offer” right from the start. We did.

The next day, our offer was accepted and we quickly advanced to a successful closing.

A few days after closing, the sellers realized that they had left a critical piece to their BBQ sitting on the side of the house and they asked to be able to drop by to retrieve it. The buyers were happy to oblige.

During the pick up, the seller told my client an interesting story; apparently we weren’t the highest offer! The other buyer had written their offer with an escalation clause that would have put my clients about $1000 short of a successful deal. When asked why they accepted our offer, this was the response:

Your agent was so nice and the other agent was very rude. When the other agent called to make an appointment, they were upset that the kids would be sleeping and tried to “strong arm” us into allowing them to show the house according to their schedule. We would never do business with someone like that! Your agent was so pleasant that we knew that the sale would be smooth and easy.

Mark Hall

reposted: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3262551/mr-nice-guy-wins-again-

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Mother’s Day History

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

Happy Mother's Day!

Contrary to popular belief, Mother’s Day was not conceived and fine-tuned in the boardroom of Hallmark. The earliest tributes to mothers date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and to the offerings ancient Romans made to their Great Mother of Gods, Cybele. Christians celebrated this festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honor of Mary, mother of Christ. In England this holiday was expanded to include all mothers and was called Mothering Sunday.

In the United States, Mother’s Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it “Mother’s Work Day.”

Fifteen years later, Julia Ward Howe, a Boston poet, pacifist, suffragist, and author of the lyrics to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” organized a day encouraging mothers to rally for peace, since she believed they bore the loss of human life more harshly than anyone else.

In 1905 when Anna Jarvis died, her daughter, also named Anna, began a campaign to memorialize the life work of her mother. Legend has it that young Anna remembered a Sunday school lesson that her mother gave in which she said, “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother’s day. There are many days for men, but none for mothers.”

Anna began to lobby prominent businessmen like John Wannamaker, and politicians including Presidents Taft and Roosevelt to support her campaign to create a special day to honor mothers. At one of the first services organized to celebrate Anna’s mother in 1908, at her church in West Virginia, Anna handed out her mother’s favorite flower, the white carnation. Five years later, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling for officials of the federal government to wear white carnations on Mother’s Day. In 1914 Anna’s hard work paid off when Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother’s Day as a national holiday.

At first, people observed Mother’s Day by attending church, writing letters to their mothers, and eventually, by sending cards, presents, and flowers. With the increasing gift-giving activity associated with Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis became enraged. She believed that the day’s sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of greed and profit. In 1923 she filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother’s Day festival, and was even arrested for disturbing the peace at a convention selling carnations for a war mother’s group. Before her death in 1948, Jarvis is said to have confessed that she regretted ever starting the mother’s day tradition.

Despite Jarvis’s misgivings, Mother’s Day has flourished in the United States. In fact, the second Sunday of May has become the most popular day of the year to dine out, and telephone lines record their highest traffic, as sons and daughters everywhere take advantage of this day to honor and to express appreciation of their mother.

“Who ran to help be when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My Mother.”

-Ann Taylor

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY FROM EVERYONE AT EB&A

Elaine Brabham and her mother

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Featured New Listing

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

Antler Drive
Lot 3 & 4
Charleston, SC 29405
Baker Townhouses

3 Bedroom, 2 1.2 Bath, 2 Story, 1 Car Garage Attached, 1,726 Square Feet, 0.10 Acres

NEW CONSTRUCTION! FEE SIMPLE TOWNHOME equipped with all the “bells and whistles.” Brick exterior accented with beautiful white columns greet you at your front door – Screened in back porch 10 x 23′ to enjoy your secluded backyard and a garage to park your car – these are just a few of the special features that complete this wonderful home. Interior boasts new hardwood floors downstairs, great open kitchen, great room and dining room -  All stainless steel appliances, including refrigerator – 1 bedroom downstairs with large walk-in closet and full bathroom, which has jacuzzi tub and separate shower – 2 large bedrooms with a full bathroom upstairs – Convenient location to I-526, I-26, Boeing, Airport! MUST SEE!!!

For more information on these listings contact either:

Julie Gilmore

Mobile: 843-991-3347
Office: 843-766-6662
E Fax: 866-511-2792
Email: juliegilmore@findyourcharleston.com

Deanna Steedley

Mobile: 843-708-3234
Office: 843-766-6662
Office Fax: 843-735-5137
Email: dsteedley1@yahoo.com

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BUYING A HOUSE 101

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

Tips for buying a house

The top 10 things you need to know when buying a home.

1. Don’t buy if you can’t stay put.

If you can’t commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner – even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it’s an even worse proposition.

2. Start by shoring up your credit.

Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.

3. Aim for a home you can really afford.

The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you’ll do better to use one of many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.

4. If you can’t put down the usual 20 percent, you may still qualify for a loan.

There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, offer low-interest mortgages that require a down payment as small as 3 percent of the purchase price.

5. Buy in a district with good schools.

In most areas, this advice applies even if you don’t have school-age children. Reason: When it comes time to sell, you’ll learn that strong school districts are a top priority for many home buyers, thus helping to boost property values.

6. Get professional help.

Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

7. Choose carefully between points and rate.

When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points — a portion of the interest that you pay at closing — in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time — say three to five years or more — it’s usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.

8. Before house hunting, get pre-approved.

Getting pre-approved will you save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can’t afford and put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.

9. Do your homework before bidding.

Your opening bid should be based on the sales trend of similar homes in the neighborhood. So before making it, consider sales of similar homes in the last three months. If homes have recently sold at 5 percent less than the asking price, you should make a bid that’s about eight to 10 percent lower than what the seller is asking.

10. Hire a home inspector.

Sure, your lender will require a home appraisal anyway. But that’s just the bank’s way of determining whether the house is worth the price you’ve agreed to pay. Separately, you should hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.

Reposted: CNN Money http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson8/index.htm

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Featured Residential Listing

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

397 Shadowmoss Parkway
Shadowmoss Plantation
Charleston, SC 29414

Beautifully Landscaped Front Entrance

4 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2 Story, 3,398 Sq Ft., 0.46 Acres

THIS IS THE “SUMMERLAKE” FLOORPLAN DESIGNED BY FRANK BETZ ASSOCIATES FEATURING 4 BEDROOM AND 3 BATHS. THE MAIN LEVEL HAS GORGEOUS SOLID HARDWOOD FLOORING AND THE BUILDER HAS ADDED PLENTY OF CUSTOM TRIM WORK THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE. THE FIRST FLOOR MASTER SUITE FEATURES A BEAMED VAULTED CEILING AND DUAL “HIS AND HER” WALK-IN CLOSETS. THE LAUNDRY ROOM IS ON THE MAIN LEVEL PLUS AN ADDITIONAL BEDROOM THAT COULD BE USED AS A STUDY/OFFICE OR MOTHER-IN-LAW SUITE. THE MASTER BATH HAS A WHIRLPOOL TUB, HUGE CERAMIC TILED SHOWER WITH DUAL SHOWER HEADS AND A DRYING AREA. THE KITCHEN IS A COOK’S DELIGHT WITH GRANITE COUNTER TOPS, KRAFTMAID CABINETRY W/ PULL OUT SHELVES, UNDER COUNTER LIGHTING, EAT-IN BREAKFAST NOOK AND AN UPGRADED APPLIANCE PACKAGE. THE GREAT ROOM OFFERS LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHTING WITH BEAMED VAULTED CEILINGS AND A SOLID WOOD FIREPLACE MANTLE WHICH CAN BE GAS OR WOOD BURNING. UPSTAIRS YOU WILL FIND A LARGE AREA THAT CAN BE USED AS A CRAFT AREA OR TEEN STUDY NOOK, TWO ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS THAT SHARE A JACK-N-JILL BATH AND A LARGE 385 SF BONUS/MEDIA ROOM. OUTSIDE YOU CAN ENTERTAIN ON THE REAR DECK OR SCREEN PORCH WHICH HAS HIGH VAULTED CEILINGS OVERLOOKING THE 17TH GREEN.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROPERTY PLEASE CONTACT:

John Deitz®

JOHN DEITZ, BROKER®
843-270-0654
843-766-6662
jdeitz41@gmail.com

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Featured Commercial Listing

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

531 Folly Road

Charleston, SC 29412

Lease Rate: $17.00

Formally Joesph’s Salon, located beside Dr. Beall’s Denist office and across the street from Publix on Folly Road. This 1,650 square feet of great looking space is now available for your office address. This space consists of an entry hall, 3 large rooms, break room, 2 restrooms, and a large rear deck surrounded by lush landscaping. It was completely renovated in 2003 and has great visibility from Folly Road!

For more information on this property contact:

Rosemary Stafford, Realtor®

Cell: 843-697-9697

Office: 843-766-6662

Email: RosemaryStafford@FindYourCharleston.com

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Cooper River Bridge Run 2012!

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

We would like to wish everyone luck who are participating in the Cooper River Bridge Run!

Here are some facts about the Bridge Run:

MISSION

The Cooper River Bridge Run provides a world-class 10-K foot race. The race promotes continuous physical activity and a healthy lifestyle through education and opportunity.

VISION
The Cooper River Bridge Run is the best organized and the best conducted 10-K race in the world. It includes world-class competition in a unique setting with unparalleled participant satisfaction. It broadens community cooperation and participation in healthy events throughout the year. The Cooper River Bridge Run serves as a model of health motivation for other communities throughout the world.

OBJECTIVES

  • Increase interest in cardiovascular exercise in the Community.
  • Raise funds for public education on the importance of exercise.
  • Generate a spirit of community involvement and volunteerism.
  • Promote and publicize the Cooper River Bridge Run.

HISTORY OF THE COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN
At 10A.M. on Sunday morning, April 2, 1978, the starting gun was fired for the First COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN and the race began.  Even at that time it was successful beyond the organizers wildest expectations.  Or was it?  The first race entry form had this prophetic line just under the race name:  “…..destined to become a legend”.

Race director for the inaugural race, Keith Hamilton said that best part of the day for him was standing in the parking lot at Patriots Point after the race started and seeing the bridge covered with humanity.  He said they had expected a maximum of 500 runners and that 340 had pre-registered.  The $3.00 entry fee included a T-Shirt designed by the race director.  There were only 4 awards categories in the first race, with merchanidse awards 3 deep in each.  The categories were: open male, open female, masters male and masters female.

Race day morning was sweltering hot, but despite the 82 degree heat, another 600 or 700 runners registered.  Olympian (1952, marathon) Ted Corbitt was one of the runners.  A lot of runners fell out from the heat and some had to be hospitalized.  In the early days of road racing there was a lot of debate as to whether water should be provided for runners on race courses and by committee vote there was none for the first Bridge Run.

Race day morning, after the race had begun, the police made the race officials move the finish line back about 150 yards, which made the course short.  The race began at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, went across the reversible lane of the new bridge (use of the bridge had required legislation sponsored by State Senator Dewey Wise), went down Meeting Street to finish at White Point Gardens on the Battery. Read more on this and other years click here.

Reposted: http://bridgerun.com/about.php

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Bring On Spring! Get Your Bright On!

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates
What a great phrase “spring is in the air” is, especially after a long, dark, stormy winter.
If you’ve been suffering from a case of cabin fever because you’ve been in lockdown all winter, now is the time to have your spring awakening by greeting the season with freshness.  And by all means, lighten and brighten your décor. Mother Nature isn’t shy about color and you shouldn’t be either.

To a colorful vase, add a flowering branch and voila! -- a touch of spring!

  1. First things first – spring cleaning. What would feel better to clear out those winter blues than making your house sparkle? Clear up the clutter, then roll up your sleeves and tackle the big stuff. Clean air vents and ducts, dust off your base and crown molding, scrub your light switches and walls, and wipe off the blades of your ceiling fan. Two things that will really make you happy? Wash your windows and clean your draperies, blinds, or curtains.
  2. Buds are peeking out, trees are leafing, spring flowers are blooming. That screams out botanical decorations. But subtlety is your friend. Add a vase full of beautiful leaves or blooming branches such as forsythia. Throw a floral pillow on the sofa. Scatter pressed leaves on your table and don’t forget the fresh flowers.
  3. Get your bright on with colorful vases, pillows, rugs and other accessories. Goodbye to winter’s heavy burgundy, navy and gray colors, and hello to the bright end of the spectrum. Add splashes of citrusy colors or other fun shades like happy blues or purples. Keep it modern and avoid pastels.
  4. Change out your dark, heavy curtains for a lighter look. The somberness of winter is over. Take off the velvet and brocade draperies and put up sheer cotton voile, silk, linen, poplin or muslin.
  5. Ready for a little work but big change? Paint! Once you’ve gotten some inexpensive new pillows or vases or other accessory to add a punch of color, take that item to a home improvement or paint store and find something that complements it. Look at swatches to match a color in the accessory or have your paint mixer analyze a patch for your own custom color. Or why not go a little crazy with a color you love but were afraid to decorate with? It’s just paint.
  6. An inexpensive jute or coir rug can make an excellent canvas for your spring décor. If you can draw, paint your own design on the rug and if you can’t, try a stencil. Your new rug can add some pizzazz to a casual area, like a patio, sunroom or breakfast nook.
  7. Fill cylinder-shaped vases with fruit. If you have three, try oranges, lemons and limes. Or mix all three together in a big glass hurricane jar to bring the outdoors in.

Reposted: http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/decorate/interiors/spring-decorating.aspx

Copyright © by Move, Inc.

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Featured Listing

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

6230 Shilelagh Oaks Parkway

Ravenel, SC 29470

Shilelagh Oaks Farms

Beautiful Front Entrance To Your New Home

$324,900

4 Bedroom/2 Bath               2,433 Sq Ft               4 Acres               2 Car Garage Attached

SELLER IS MOTIVATED to sell this Low Country Retreat with 4 acres of privacy and only 10 minutes from Bees Ferry Road. Quiet and beautiful, this home has room to grow. The kitchen has a built in wall oven and microwave while the island has a Jenn Air cooktop with down draft. Tile countertops and oak cabinets give a homey feeling which is fitting for a country home. All floors(except bathrooms which are tiled) are HARDWOOD and beautiful. The split floor plan offers master bedroom privacy from the other 2 bedrooms. The 4th bedroom is a very large room above the garage and just off of the kitchen. The style is homey and country-like. You can relax on the FULL LENGTH FRONT PORCH, HUGE DECK or in the SUN ROOM just off of the family room. The roof was replaced 3 years ago along with a new 4 ton A/C unit. The septic tank was redone with double drain fields 4 years ago and the well is 400 ft deep. The well pump has also been replaced this month. The stacked front loader washer and dryer can convey. The home is professionally landscaped and the outer areas are naturally wooded. Get away from it all and get a great deal!!



Beautiful Entrance to your New Home!


For More Information Contact:

Stephanie Howard, Realtor®

Stephanie Howard

Email: Stephanie@Stephanie-Howard.com

Cell: 843-224-5912

Office: 843-766-6662

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Real Estate Outlook: Job Growth and Builder Confidence

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Elaine Brabham and Associates

by: Carla Hill

The latest monthly report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the unemployment rate is still on its way down. This is good news for job seekers and home sellers alike.

The current unemployment rate is now at 8.3 percent. Last year the annual average was 8.9 percent, with nearly 14 million unemployed. February saw an increase of 428,000 employed, movement in a positive direction.

Will these newly employed be entering the housing market? We’ve heard it said over and over again over the last year that affordability rates are at historic highs.

This means more Americans today are able to afford buying a home than ever before. Does this mean more buyers for you home?

The latest Census Bureau’s American Community Survey indicates that while many Americans can now afford to buy, the price range they can afford may be much lower than some sellers had hoped for.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) it takes around $26,430 of annual income to afford a $100,000 home. “In 2012, about 28.9 million households in the U.S. are estimated to have incomes lower than that threshold and, therefore, can only afford to buy homes priced under $100,000,” they reported. “These 28.9 million households form the bottom step of the pyramid. Of the remaining 87.5 million who can afford a home priced at $100,000, 23.3 million can only afford to pay a top price of somewhere between $100,000 and $175,000 (the second step on the pyramid).”

The higher the prices go, the smaller the pool of buyers. For many states and towns these average prices are much lower than their area median.

The Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau, both homeownership and rental vacancy rates are practically the same as they were in 2010. Does this mean buyers, even at lower income levels, are taking advantage of today’s affordable rates and prices?

National vacancy rates in the fourth quarter 2011 were 9.4 percent for rental housing and 2.3 percent for homeowner housing.

Among regions, the rental vacancy rate was highest in the South (12.0 percent) and lowest in the West (6.6 percent). The rental vacancy rate in the West was lower than in the fourth quarter 2010, while the rates in the Northeast, Midwest, and South were statistically unchanged.

Builders are building confidence in the multi-family housing market. The NAHB reports that the Multi-Family Production Index rose to the highest level seen since 2005.

Looking forward to the next six months, builder and developer expectations improved in the fourth quarter for all three components: low-rent units, market-rate rental units, and for-sale properties.

“The apartment and condo sector continues to be a bright spot in the housing market, with the overall index at its highest level in six years,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “The rental components have been the driving force behind the increased index level. And although the for-sale component remains weaker, it is still double what it was just six quarters ago.”

This is good news since historical trends show that when these indices perform well, we’re likely to see movement in Census figure one to three quarters in advance.

Published: March 19, 2012
Reposted: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20120319_realestateoutlook.htm

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