460 Zion Road, price reduced again!! This unique quality custom built home is on 4 acres.  All the property is fenced with woven wire fencing.  The property is rolling grass with a pond near one side.  The property behind this one has a conservation easement and the property to the left is over 50 acres.  Private, quiet and a nature preserve.

Mountain views and a long private driveway make having curtains unnecessary. Make all offers known as the seller is motivated to move to Florida.
 

I made a u-turn to take this picture.  This is the biggest oak tree I have ever seen in the upstate area. I know there are bigger ones in the low country, but this one took my breath away.

Can you imagine what this tree has seen?

Sunday was overcast, too gloomy to stay home and a holiday to boot.  I put on my discovery shoes and hit the road.  I wanted to look for flowers and signs of spring...we had snow this week and I am very tired of winter.  

We headed south on Highway 11 to I-85, and then took the 1st exit in Georgia.  We went to Hartwell and saw a cross made of flowers...a very different Easter cross.  

We then went Elberton where we found the Georgia Guide Stones. The tablets contain the following instructions in multiple languages:

Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature. Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity. Unite humanity with a living new l...

You Really Want it , you really need it!! A place to go to, no phones and no worries here. This cottage was built in the 60's and renovated over the past 5 years.  The home is vinyl sided with an almost new roof...30 year roof.  The floor plan is great for a lake house all the social areas look out to the lake, bedrooms are on the road side, so it will be quieter to sleep.  This home has a real, wood burning fireplace with built in book shelves on each side.  Compact with lots of uses.  No wasted space.  The covered porch is on the lake side end of the house, easy to serve from the grill or kitchen big enough to relax on and still have room to eat at the same time.  Be good to yourself, t...

Single Family Properties: Oconee Sales

Single Family Properties	January 2012	January 2013	% of Change
Units Sales	171	160	-6.4%
Average Sales Price	145,405	157,119	+8.1%
Median Sales Price	127,500	130,000	+2.0%
Inventory of Homes for Sale	3745	3501	-6.5%
Sales to List Price Ratio	91.4%	92.9%	+1.6%
Months Supply of Inventory	15.7	14.6	-6.9%
Days on Market	193	131	-32.2%

 

Things are getting better in real estate and the numbers show it.  The number of days a house is on the market is down by...

Seneca Foothills Elks Annual Chili Cook-off will be February 23rd starting at 6 pm.  Bring your best chili and see if you win the pot of cash.  $5 per person to taste all the chilies and to vote.  Our winner for the past 2 years is bringing his to defend the championship.

This is an easy cook off.  No rules.  If you call it chili you can enter.  We have had Chicken Chili, White Bean Chili, Texas Chili that will rip your eyes out,  you name it we will be the judge.

Judging will start at 7 PM prizes will be given out at 8 PM.

Everyone is welcome, so put it on the calendar, February 23rd at 625 EN 1st Street in Seneca, beside the Time Drive In.

Have you been dreaming of a home on the lake?  Mountain get away? but you did not want to get into 30-50% down payment and 6% interest?  

Good rates and down payments are back.  If you have a credit score of at least 640 and 10% down payment I have a lender who will do less than 4% on 2nd homes, 50 miles or more from your primary residence.  So all you buyers from Greenville to Charleston...I have lake houses and mountain cottages priced good...no great.  Now is the time to buy. Don't wait as the inventory is shrinking as everyone finds out about our good deals!!

This weekend will be the peak color weekend.  Octoberfest was last weekend. Usually we have rain and all the leaves come down. Not this year.  This year the weekend of October 27/28 will be the best leaf looking time.

My favorite leaf looking drive is a loop.  I like to go from Walhalla up Highway 28. Stop at the look out just above the Dakota Grill.  From this look out you can see the stadium at Clemson and on a clear day you can view some of the buildings in downtown Greenville.  Continue up Highway 28 and turn right on Highway 107.  I like to stop by the fish hatchery and walk around for a while.  If you have time take a picnic and walk to the river for lunch.  Easy hike and at this...

Simple Check List for Land Purchase

Will your house site perk for a septic system?  Get a permit from SCDHEC before you close.

Have a survey done.  Property lines do not move; the seller’s memory is not always correct.  A new survey will mark the lines; a plat will be a drawing showing land lines as well as improvements. All the corners will be marked.  After closing remark the lines with white oil based paint.  It will stay on the trees for years and you will know where the property boundaries are.  White PVC pipe over the pins is a good idea too.

Title Search, is also a must.  Checking the title back 60 years ensures that the party selling the property has the right to sell as ...

Saturday, September 29, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  

National Hunting & Fishing Day

Duke Energy's World of Energy, Seneca

FREE family fun day in the outdoors! Come experience all of the wonderful recreational opportunities that the great outdoors provides to us - archery, air rifle shooting, fishing, camouflage games, kayaking, learn about wildlife and their habitat and habits, view the World of Energy Visitor Center, take a nature hike, visit the Boy Scout demo camp site, and much, much more. All equipment is provided. Bring your family, bring your lunch and spend the day with us. Over 25 conservation organizations will also be on hand with displays and exhibits. A concessionaire will be o...

The Wine Emporium

 

FREE WINE TASTING

 

Friday August 24, 3:00 to 6:00 PM.

 

 

Eight wines will be open for tasting.

 

 

Special Guests for Friday’s Tasting,

 

Mickey Rudolph and Karen Camacho Rudolph, Proprietors of Finca Venta Don Quijota, El Toboso (Toledo), Espana

 

 

 

Please come to The Wine Emporium this Friday.

 

Taste the wines that may be of interest to you and take advantage of some great values.

 

The Wine Emporium :  A Wine For Every Purse and Palate

 

(864) 944-1015            1229-A Stamp Creek Rd                   Salem, SC 29676

...

Have you ever picked an apple while the bees buzzed in the clover at your feet? Tasted the crisp texture from the sun warmed apple?  Felt the juice run down your chin? It is apple picking season in Long Creek SC.  You can pick them or just stop in the stand and buy them.  Apples are a good source of vitamins and fiber...just what we all want to hear, but really they are a great source of enjoyment straight from the tree or in a pie or salad.

Bryson's Apple Stand is on Chattooga Ridge Road about 1 mile from Highway 76 in Long Creek SC.  The stand is open 7 days a week through the apple season and they have apples, peaches, jams & jellies, fresh from the farm.  You can call them at 864-6...

July Listing: 511 Sleepy Hollow Court, Lake Cherokee

2 bedrooms 1 bath deck great room with fireplace sun room pine floors through out good view of the lake good water frontage dock on the lake $159,900

The Importance of a Buyer’s Agent

In South Carolina we are required to follow assigned “Rules of Agency” and when an agent “lists” a property the seller becomes that agent’s (and the company’s) “client”. By signing the listing contract they have made a commitment to each other. By definition an agent (and their company) must give their client the following:

Obedience Loyalty Disclosure Confidentiality Accountability Reasonable care & skill

If a buyer comes along and asks that agent to show them a property “listed” by that agent or with that company, they are a customer.  That agent must give customer care:

Present all offers in a timely manner Account for money or other pr...

Keowee Key is a great real estate value. This gated subdivision offers golf, tennis, swimming and 195 other activities. Whether you are ready to retire or just want a place to play. At this time there is 5 waterfront homes less than 500,000.  There are 3 nice almost new homes on the golf course. There are 2 very nice homes around $250,000 that are over 3500 square feet.  Call me today to check out any of these great values today. There are also 7 homes less than $150,000.

I do not list at Keowee Key, so I am the perfect buyer's broker to represent you in your purchase of a great real estate value at Keowee Key.

Duke Power's World of Energy Presents: Free outdoor movie 9 p.m. Friday, June 22 Featuring Journey 2: The Mysterious Island on a giant, 43-foot outdoor movie screen. Spread a blanket on the grass or come by boat. Bring your own snacks or buy concessions on site. No pets and no alcoholic beverages, please! In the event of bad weather, please call 800-777-1004 for cancellation information. Our next movie is scheduled for August 10th! Selection of movie title will be real soon! Hope to see you there!

I love watching YOUTUBE videos of homes in the area, especially the ones I have shown or previewed.  I was watching one this morning about a house on a lake.  Great video, but the one thing that was missing was the smell.  When I was there, the house reeked of plug ins and when I reached the basement you could smell the musty shut up smell a 2nd home gets when it is not being used.

So to prevent the odors of a real showing from keeping your house from selling, do the following:

1) Charcoal in open bins under the beds, in the closets...out of sight will absorbe the moisture that collects in an unoccupied house. There are also commercial damp traps and if you have a dehumidifier, use it. ...

Happy Mother's Day to all my friends and families who are mothers.  Wishing you a quite and peaceful day!! 

You must create a plan, if you want to have an easy home purchase.  Just looking at houses will not get you a home.  You need to know where you are going and how to get there.

You first must decide when you want to purchase. You can look at homes, go to open houses, look at the websites, and look and look.  Once you make a decision to buy you must decide what your time frame will be. Do you want to buy before school starts? Before Memorial day so you can use the lake all summer? Before the 4th of July, so you can use the lake and get a good deal? 

Then you must talk with a loan officer, you do not want to look at homes you cannot afford.  You also do not want to have to move again in 18...

 Fiddler's Cove Fisherman, Bill Warther, Guest Poster.

As you can see the fish are biting at Fiddler’s Cove Lake.  Kraig (my son) and I drug a few out of this hole last August. We caught & released.  You can tell it pays to release because this one was 19". A buck without eggs but I returned him. He happens to be #13 for the year for black bass. I caught three fish on the first 3 casts of the year:  2 small bass and a blue gill that was 11.25' long 9.5" wide and 1.25 thick. She was full of eggs and as bright orange as I have ever seen a blue gill. I checked her nose and tongue and she was a true blue gill. Not a shell cracker. What a brood fish !!!! The other 12 bass I caught were 16” or...