Life In Beaufort, SC

Precious. Practical. Perfectly placed! Now that makes for a great condo community. Now beautiful Beaufort offers a quaint community with well appointed condos. I am so excited to assist Quinnco Companies LLC  in marketing these affordable homes.

Located less than ten minutes to Parris Island, fifteen minutes to MCAS, and less than five minutes to shopping, restaurants, and of course, easy access to Broad River Bridge Boat Landing.

In addition to location these properties offer comfort and value. Spacious bedrooms, ample closets, well appointed kitchens, and private patios add to the charm and character of Oakview Commons.

Neighbors enjoy open green space graced with the lowcountry's signature live oaks draped with spanish moss.

Quinnco anwers the call for low maintenance living with a warm community atmosphere. Call today to speak to an Oakview Community onsite condo specialist.

If you need to sell your house and owe more than what the house is worth, you may consider a short sale. However, lenders do not sanction all short sale requests. You'll have to find out if you qualified for a short sale before you put your house on the market for sale.

 What are the qualifications for a short sale?

I. Home Value is Less Than The Amount Owed

The comparable sales must substantiate that the home value is less than the amount owe to the lender.

II. Seller Has Fallen On Hard Time

A hardship letter explaining the financial difficulty to the lender is required in the short sale package.

Examples of hardship are:

1. Illness / medical emergency
2. Unemployment or lost of partial income
3. Divorce
4. Death

5. Bankruptcy

III. Seller Has No Assets To Pay For The Shorted Difference

Lender will ask for bank statements and / or tax returns to make sure that you do not have other assets to pay for the shorted difference.

If you have any question on short sale or need to sale your house via short sale, please contact me.

If the walls of our cars could talk....

I guess by now it is pretty obvious to most that I am a wee bit protective and maybe even slightly neurotic of my precious (yep I said "my" so maybe even a little egocentristic) little town by the sea.

Beaufort has meant so much to me in so many ways.  I first came to Beaufort solely based on a conversation I overheard in an emergency room.  I vaguely recall the injury most likely one of my slip, trip, bump-n bruise days no doubt.

Emergency rooms are not the best places for private conversations or who knows maybe I was just blatantly eaves dropping. 

The nurse spoke of a place she had recently visited that she truly believed was "spiritually magical".

At the young age of 21, that sounded good to me! I packed up my prize position, Captain Jack (my cocker spaniel/counselor/ best friend/confidant/foot warmer), loaded up my "seen better days" mustang and headed to Beaufort.

Honestly, I could write a book (and someday I just might) about the details of the drive, the actual events surrounding my life at the time,  and the little voice inside my head that screamed "what the hell are you doing?"

But....for now, I will give you the high pointsJ.

I was a school teacher so I quickly found a job. I spent my days driving around aimlessly enjoying the most amazing sights I had ever seen in a small town.  

Even after six years, the sights, smells, faces, and sounds are as fresh as the seafood I eat each day.

Long (very long, I'm wordy) story short, Beaufort saved my life in many ways.  I had time to stop and remember who I was and that happiness wasn't a luxury but a necessity.

So where am I going with all of this???? Told you I was wordy...

I had a couple in my car, nice couple very business minded and career driven. They were just a few years older than me.

They were trying to choose between my little paradise and a larger city north of here.  I spent time educating them on the market, what was available in their range, etc... Then, I showed them around a bit so that they could get their bearings.

Then it happened......

"How do you live in such a small town?" Where is the mall?, "This place seems forgotten by society." And  on and on they went, denting, and bruising my little town by the sea.

Oops.....did I just run off the road??????!?!?

It would have been a nice commission I suppose.  

Maybe they would have learned to appreciate the true beauty of my little town by the sea.

Maybe, I shouldn't have dropped them back off at their hotel so quickly. 

If you are looking for the hustle and bustle, or the hurry up and get out of my way life style. Don't come to my little town.  You will not be happy and you will interfere with the happiness of others.

If you are looking for a life somewhat forgotten, an amazing place to raise a family, a place where your neighbors know you AND LIKE YOU, a place where you can spend a Sunday sitting by (or in) the river with your closest friend without feeling as though silence must be filled....come on down, over, across or up.

If you are lost and don't have time to find yourself, come to Beaufort. We are happy people.

No we don't have a mall and yes....we even may "talk funny" but we will welcome you and help you find your piece of paradise.

After reading through many of this week's blogs I was left with two choices. I could walk out to the dock tie an anchor around my neck and go for a bit of a one way swim, or I could share my side of the real estate story. The water is still a bit cold, so for now I will settle for sharing my side. 

Many of this weeks posts were beyond depressing. I even read one that encouraged people to "walk away from their mortgage".

What!?!? Seriously!?!? They must not be from Mississippi.

I am fairly certain that my grandmother would drive (not going over 30 the entire way, bless her heart) over 14 hours to pinch the fire out of my upper arm if I even so much thought of advising someone to walk away from anything.

Is that what we have come too? Big companies did it, big banks did it, debt is the American way, right??

Anybody else got the hibby jibbies?? I hate to break it to all the doom and gloomers but I am doing alright. Many of my clients are doing alright.

Are people facing short sales in my market? Of course. I have several foreclosures listed. But good gravy y'all, there are people working two jobs to keep their homes. I have many clients who have decided to let go of cable and Starbucks. Yes, I know it sounds criminal to forego a $5 latte, but some people are just crazy enough to do it. I even have some clients who cook at home instead of eating out every night...I know, I know, CRAZY!!!

Currently I have over 30 listings. Only 5 are REO/Short Sales. Last year I sold over 20 new construction homes. As of today, I have 17 pending contracts, only one is a short sale.

I bust my rump each and every day and like most of the world some days my bills are a bit more than I would like. I have a home and a rental property. I would take on a second and maybe even a third job, if it was necessary. I am a firm believer in responsibility. I am not saying that every person has a choice, but come on y'all some definitely have a choice. A choice to change spending habits, a choice to change their lifestyle, a choice to find a way.

I meet with sellers on a weekly basis. Many are scared, some are changing their lives in order to maintain their homes, and some are doing the same thing they have always done...manage their money. I have come into contact with a few who are throwing in the towel because they would prefer name brand purses over home ownership, but that isn't the norm.

Breathe...me, not you. I can't help it, this is a sore subject.

Sorry, some of the posts were just a bit too cloaked in defeatism for me.

Women in Real Estate and Development meets this morning to devise an agenda for 2010! Some of the most powerful, most intelligent, and most fun women will gather at City Java to discuss the best direction for WIRED in 2010!

It is going to be a wonderful year!!!

It feels as though I have been injected with a new found energy. Almost a week of  what I consider to be cold weather had my eternal summer soul pouting. I moped around the house wondering if the 40 degree, blistering pain would ever end.

It did!

Yesterday evening, I grabbed my favorite flip flops, pulled the unruly mane back in my old baseball cap, and headed to the beach.

Just the process of getting ready to go was enough to bring me back from the land of the dead.

The drive to Hunting Island is breath-taking on any day, but yesterday was like the first time all over again.

Not all of my favorite stops were opened yet,Barefoot Bubbas was showing signs of summer preparation, and the Wee Island Shrimp stand was missing. But I know it won't be long!

What's In Store, already had a few Ice Cream posters displayed.

Palms on the Parkway even looks a bit greener.

The Gullah Grub ladies were sweeping off the porch, making room for their seagrass baskets!

My toes tingle the closer I get to the entrance of the most beautiful beach on earth (obviously I am a bit biased, but hey, it is my blog)

The last stop I look for it The Shrimp Shack, even Southern Living Magazine agrees with me on this one!

It is a crime, a sin, a punishable offense to even consider passing this little place.

Two words for you, SHRIMP BURGER!

The only difficult decision is whether to stop on your way, or on your way back. Me, I choose the inevitable, BOTH.

The drive to Hunting Island is almost as fun as the beach itself.

See you at the Shrimp Shack!

Oh goody goody Ya'll!!!! It is getting that time of year again. I can hardly sit still. The water looks like glass, the birds are swooping and diving, the gators are sunning, and the "bait and tackle" shop is all a buzz!

What's a girl to do???? My first mate (pictured below) can hardly contain himself, as if he can smell the warmer waters rolling in!

Maybe it is the warmth of the sun, or the promise of a soon-to-come Spring, whatever it is, I can't wait!!!!

This is ,of course, my busy season in real estate. I am fortunate enough to have clients coming in weekly, sometimes daily and that is just about as good as catchin a big one:)

So it is time to focus! My time management skills really come in to play this time of year..No time for unproductive moments!

I love my job...and I love my town. I love the fact that I can take most of my clients fishing with me! Now that is a power lunch:)

So gear up all you other anglers!!! If you haven't planned a fishing trip down to Beaufort South Carolina, you might want to hurry...before Ryder and I catch em all:)

There is so much for everyone in beautiful Beaufort by the Sea! Make your way down, over, up or across to spend a little time in the Lowcountry. Bring your friends (both four legged and two), your family, and your flip flops!!!

We will catch a few fish, trap a few crabs, cast net a few shrimp, and enjoy the sunsets over the marsh land....all in one day!