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You have been online, found the neighborhood you like in the school district you have to have.  You have a list of homes you want to see.  Let's go house hunting, Gwen.....

Not so fast, we need to make sure you qualify for this home before you see it.  We need to be sure you have a high enough credit score and wages to support this house.  When you buy this is for a 30 year commitment, not a 12 month lease.  You need to be sure this is what you want.

When you work with me, I want you to qualify and to borrow from someone local.  Someone we can sit down with if a problem comes up.  We need someone close by that will answer the phone.  Someone who wants this to happen as much as you do.  ...

Every state has different rules about real estate and how the transfer of property takes place. Robert has over 35 years experience and is my personal attorney on real estate, wills and some estate planning. I sat down with Robert Whitney, one of the attorneys who closes property in Oconee county, to  ask him the questions I am ask during each transaction.

1) Why do real estate closings in South Carolina take place at an Attorney's office?  They closings don't have to take place at my office but it is less expensive--the buyer and seller are not paying me to travel to closing.  The convenience of doing it in my office is less expensive, more secure and private.  The attorney's office...

Terry Howe
Auctioneer 101

Last Friday, I sat down with Terry Howe, an auctioneer that I have used in the past.  I wanted to ask Terry a few questions that I had been asked over the years and put this together in an article that my customers could read and understand why sometimes an auction is better than listing with a real estate agent.

Gwen:  What does an auctioneer do?

Terry:  I have been in the auction business for over 30 years.  The definition of what I do has changed over time. 

1. I act as an intermediary between family members, attorneys, banks and judges.
2. I inventory and appraise personal property and real estate. I develop evidence to make equitable divisions of assets....

Building Lots in Walhalla with Creeks 

There are a few things to consider when buying a building lot with a creek.

1) The house and improvements have to be 50 feet from the creek.  EPA has ruled that any building that has to be treated to prevent termites has to be 50 feet from running water.

2) Trees and vegetation along the creek banks cannot be disturbed.  Erosion is a factor in building so creek banks must be stabilized if you remove the vegetation from the banks.

3) Creeks are a great water feature and if you have running water, be sure to maximize your outdoor space to take advantage of the sounds of the water as well as having viewing areas to watch the wild life around the cre...

Click here to search for Homes in Walhalla SC with Hardwood Floors      

Yesterday was the first class to graduate at the new Walhalla High School on Highway 11.  The construction process was just over 2 years and we now have a most impressive high school with computer labs, science labs, and wireless technology through out the school. Walhalla is a great school offering football, tennis, cross country, soccer, basketball, soft ball and baseball.  The campus includes a new stadium and playing fields.

Oconee is school choice, you can go to any school if you provide the transportation.  If you want the school to provide transportation, you must live in the district. Walhalla School dist...

624 North Lake Drive Salem SC

3 lots with hardwoods and pasture. Fenced ready for your horse. Come to visit the area, hike, fish, swim and be just minutes from Highway 11 North.  Convenient to Jocassee and Keowee Lakes. Storage for 2 boats. You must see this property if you like to play at the lake.  624 North Lake Drive, Salem is offered at $82,500.

By MySmartBlog

When a buyer starts to look for a house, they start on the internet, news paper and in the real estate magazines. This is just the beginning of the job of buying a home...the most expensive purchase of your life.

The buying process is very long and complicated...things have to be done in a certain order, some things take longer to get done and have to be ordered before others.  You have to be familiar with the process and the requirements of the mortgage company, county/city requirements for you to occupy a home and just general things that have to be done before the house will be yours. Working without an agent to represent your interest as a buyer is foolish and can be quiet expensive...

A couple of things to consider when talking to an agent who will represent you.  

1. Buying a house takes time, from start to finish the average buyer spends a year looking and buying a house.
2. You must be honest with them, hidden things always come out before closing.  Everyone is better off knowing the secrets and handling them as they need to be handled.  
3. Commission is what makes the agent work for you, there are no free rides.  In most cases there will be commission offered to the buyer's agent from the seller and seller's agent.  It may be a token amount or it may be an acceptable amount for the work the buyer's agent will be doing...either way, commission is something that needs t...

I have 7 squash plants that bloom everyday.  Do I have any squash to cook?  Anything to show for all these blooms?  Nope, nothing, no fruit just blooms. I have decided that I need bees.  We have flowers but no bees.  I do not mow until the dandelions make seed(...more for us to mow but more flowers to bring bees to us.) We do not use pesticides. Still we have no bees.

I started my research this weekend.  I need to plant lavender, catmint, sage, cilantro, thyme, fennel and borage...all herbs that Henry will use to make his meal time dishes taste better.  I also need crocus to get them coming early in the spring, buttercup, asters, hollyhocks (does anyone plant hollyhocks anymore?) anemo...

Just in time for summer vacation!  this old fashioned mountain cabin is now on the market.  3 bedrooms, 1 bath, kitchen with room for a couple of cooks.  This property is 2.35 acres near the Oconee State Park.  Teach your kids and grandkids how to have fun without an I-Pad.  Room for a hot tub, tree house or horse shoe pit.  Come to play, come to stay.

This property is being sold AS IS.  The seller has never lived at the property.  I can tell you it needs a new roof, but there is only 1 layer of shingles so put on a metal roof and get to playing.  Look at this one and see the possibilities of no phone, no internet, lots of family time.  Close to the National Forest, Oconee State Park, Ch...

Just did a search for Keowee lots and homes with mountain views for a client and thought I would post the results here.  Click the link below to see what I saw.

Have a great day and when you are ready to purchase your Keowee Lake home or lot, remember Gwen, I represent buyers, not sellers on Lake Keowee.

Lake Keowee Homes and Lots with Mountain views

if the link does not work, copy and paste 

https://www.coolmountainescapes.com/listings/index/class:1/area:16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23/lp:0/hp:999999999999/br:0/br_e:0/fba:0/fba_e:0/hba:0/hba_e:0/ftr_lake:40/ftr_lot_description:201

Each year I introduce buyers to the idea that you do not have to buy a house, you can buy a lot and build a house.  Everyone hears the horrors of building, but it does not have to go down that path.  You can build a house without having problems if you plan and prepare before you start the building process.

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I am not talking about picking out the cabinets, I am talking about getting a septic tank installed, a well put in place or getting a water tap in place.  Most builders will do this for you but if you want to increase the value of your property while y...

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:

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

Single Family Properties: Oconee Sales

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...