I am selling a note for a single family home in Florence, South Carolina.  The note details are at www.ss-investments.net/florencenote.pdf. The property was sold in February 2013 for $25,000.  The buyer put $3,500 down and received a note for $21,500 at 8% per annum for 10 years.  The property value is approximately $58,000.  The note is less than 50% of the value.  To date, the buyer has made one payment.  If your seasoning period is longer than one month and may be interested, let me know what it is and give a tentative offer.  If the tentative offer is acceptable, we will wait for the seasoning period to elapse. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to submit an offer. Aaron 03/11/2013

Lots of agents have great ideas to share about hosting a successful open house. You hear about rules like how many directional signs to put out (4), how many balloons to attach to each sign (3), and the list goes on. But if you're in the South and the weather is 100 degrees the # 1 thing on your checklist had better be air conditioning. Do your homework. Visit the house BEFORE you volunteer to hold it open. And Heaven help you if it is new construction (new construction is not just hot but offers hazards to your power suit and pumps --- things like Sheetrock dust and wet paint). Even if the house is cool, if they moved and took every last stick of furniture, don't forget to pack your folding chair.  You can only pace for so long! Another thing for your list:  I really think you should c... 07/31/2011

  Anyone who has ever moved knows that there are seemingly a million and one tasks to remember, from selecting a moving company to switching off utilities. All of the adjustments and changes involved in moving to a new home can be even more challenging when you have a pet. But there are ways to prepare to minimize the stress to your furred, feathered and finned friends.     The preparation process can be as crucial a stage as the move itself – familiar settings are disrupted as furniture gets moved and belongings packed away. A cat or dog will wonder who all these strangers are (potential buyers, inspectors, movers, etc.) and what’s happening to the pet’s familiar “territory” (changed location of litter boxes, favorite sleeping places, etc.) – which is how an animal sees your home.   Fo... 07/30/2011

Effective August 1, 2011, Freddie Mac will offer second home purchasers the opportunity to purchase HomeSteps homes through the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative.  The First Look Initiative supports Freddie Mac's mission to stabilize communities and support housing recovery through the creation of affordable home ownership opportunities. This ongoing initiative offers owner occupant homebuyers, second home purchasers, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grantees and non-profits engaged in community stabilization efforts the ability to purchase HomeSteps homes during their initial 15 days of listing without competition from investors. Often it seems that when we tell obvious investors that only owner occupants may make offers during the 15 day period, they respond, tongue in cheek, ... 07/28/2011

  I've been in real estate since 1984.  I've seen our association of REALTORS grow from a local board to a regional one.  Now the statistics don't just reflect our market (Florence the county seat) but all the other little rural areas that revolve around it.  From Andrews to Wallace, all of these areas are now reflected in our numbers. STATS FOR THE PEE DEE REGION SOLD # SOLD AVE SOLD $ AVE DOM June 2011  153  $127,761  170 June 2010  189  $129,622  117 YTD 2011  674  $125,017  145 YTD 2010  864  $128,100  120 What does that really mean to me?  If a buyer calls and asks me about a home in Wallace (yes I could google it or mapquest it) and I have never heard of Wallace or (insert the name of any other remote location here) am I truly representing that buyer's best interest by showing him... 07/14/2011

  JANUARY 2011 Regional MLS Data According to the Pee Dee REALTOR Association, "pending sales in our region decreased 28.7 percent since January 2010 to 87 agreements signed.  New listing activity decreased 18.6 percent, which means sellers placed 272 new homes on the market." The association also reports a decline in sales prices.  According to their report, "median sales price decreased 8.7 percent from last January to $109,450.  Negotiations moved toward buyers as Percent of List Price Received at Sale decreased to 86.7 percent.  Months Supply of Inventory increased 15.4 percent to 14.5 months."   02/16/2011

Freddie Mac First Look Initiative Gives Home Buyers 15 Days to Buy Homesteps Homes Without Investor Competition Homesteps is the real estate sales unit of Freddie Mac and markets a nationwide selection of Freddie Mac owned homes. The Freddie Mac First Look Initiative allows any home shopper to buy a Homesteps Home as their primary residence during the first 15 days of the property's listing without competition from investors. The goal of this initiative is to help stabilize communities and foster affordable homeownership opportunities by giving home buyers 15 days to buy a Homesteps home as their primary residence without investor competition. Our office handles a lot of homes for Freddie Mac/Homesteps and we have assisted our local board office with training for other agents in our are... 02/16/2011

    Is the real estate market stabilizing? How are home values in my neighborhood? These are the top questions on homeowners minds. Everyone is wondering how home prices are faring in their neighborhood. Some homeowners have put off moving indefinitely. For those considering moving up or downsizing, this could be a potential mistake. You could miss out on a window of opportunity with todays incredibly low interest rates and low (but stabilizing) housing prices. Waiting might mean higher interest rates (your real estate dollar buys less) and higher home prices in your move up or downsize range. For a limited time, I'm offering a free market report on home sales & home prices in your area. Critical information if you're looking to move. Simply call or email me to request your Free Home Sa... 09/22/2010

Thanks to the huge numbers of borrowers that have been defaulting, the Federal Housing Administration is now making it tougher to qualify for FHA mortgages. Beginning this spring, the FHA upfront mortgage premium will cost 2.25% of the loan amount, up from 1.75% in the past. In addition, new FHA borrowers will need a minimum FICO credit score of 580.  If they have a lower score, they will be required to put down 10% instead of the minimum 3.5% down payment. FHA will also cap the amount that sellers can pay at closing to contribute to the borrower's closing costs.  Currently this figure is 6% of the sales price and will be reduced to 3% of the sales price. Whether you're buying or selling, it is important to choose a REALTOR that is on top of what is happening in the current market. Feel... 03/11/2010

This home is being sold strictly as an investment property only. Asking Price: $40,000 Owner Financing AvailableRental Income: $650 / monthProperty Value:$58,000 - 3/1.5- 1400 sq ft- detached 2 car garage- fenced in yardhttp://www.ss-investments.net/properties/81029506.html It is time for me to move onto another property, so I am looking to free some cash. This a great investment property for the new and experienced Real Estate Investor. The tenants have been living in the property for over a year now. We are able to work with some creative financing options to help you purchase the property. If you are interested in purchasing a property that will cash flow from Day 1, contact us to structure a deal that works for you. Aaron www.ss-investments.net 01/27/2010

Getting It Right the Second Time: To Remodel or Not to Remodel By Amy McCalman Sometimes the house that was once your dream home is challenged by the changing realities in your life. Then it's time to decide whether to change the house you're in, or just change houses. Your family may not be the same one that originally moved in – kids arrive, or people start to work more at home, and the house suddenly seems smaller or unsuited to new needs. Or maybe your new-home search has just been taking too long, and you've decided to try and make your current one "new" instead. This is a major undertaking that calls for serious consideration before moving forward. Are you so happy with your current neighborhood that you'd like to do as much as possible to avoid moving, or are you ready for a chan... 01/25/2010

   Old vs. New Of the many concerns to weigh when buying a new house, a major one is whether to buy a new one in name only: both state-of-the-art properties and distinguished older homes have their attractions - and possible drawbacks. In making this decision, it's important to literally leave your preconceptions at the door of any home you're considering. Quality construction can appear in any era, and you just have to be knowledgeable about the strengths and problems to look for in each individual house. Surely newer homes assure a certain measure of structural integrity, energy-efficient features, and safer electrical wiring and heating systems. They can have less wear and tear, more modern conveniences built in, an aesthetic more suited to today's tastes, and often better handicap a... 01/20/2010

According to the 2009 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 90% of home buyers use the internet. To clarify where this data is coming from, according to REALTOR.org, "the 2009 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is the latest in a series of large national NAR surveys evaluating demographics, preferences, marketing and experiences of recent home buyers and sellers. Among national surveys, NAR's Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is unprecedented in size and scope." Therefore, if you're selling your home, you need to be working with an agent that is up to speed on the latest technology. The real estate community is a close one.  We all work together to sell each other's listings.  So we get to know each other really well.  I... 01/02/2010

Staying Power: The Joys and Challenges of Historic Homes by Amy McCalman, ABR, ABRM, Broker, CRB, GRI -- ERA Leatherman Realty, Inc. Real estate professionals like to offer as many kinds of properties to prospective customers as there are different personalities of buyers. And few real estate properties have more personality than a historic home. By the standards of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, any structure at least 50 years old may qualify for historic-landmark status. This is determined by a home or other building's demonstration of particularly significant architectural features or now-rare styles, or its role in important past activities or events (famous inventions, once-pivotal industries, presidential birthplaces or visits, etc.). To be sure, such homes present ... 12/11/2009

Our Homes For Sale - Basic Features List Price: $244,900   Bedrooms: 4   Type: Single Family   Baths: 2.5   1004 Cedarwood CircleFlorence, SC29501 MLS#: 101826   Sq Ft: +/-2493   Status: Active   Garage: 2   Stories: 1.5   Year Built: 1999   Feature Details Fireplaces: 1:Gas Logs in Great Room   Heating: Gas Pack   Cooling: Central Air   Deck/Patio: Deck   Pool: Neighborhood Pool Across the Street   Association Fee: $300/yr (if Clubhouse Amenities - Tennis Courts, Pool)   11/08/2009

There is a surge of first-time home buyers in California and across the country who are taking the plunge into the still-shaky housing market, exchanging rents for mortgages. Lured by a combination of a drastic drop in home prices, expanded FHA-insured loans, record-low interest rates and an $8,000 federal tax credit, these newcomers are breathing new life into a beleaguered market. Their entry, many hope, will help slow the fall in home prices and sales. First-time buyers bought more than half of the existing homes sold in February, according to the National Association of Realtors®, and helped add to the 5.1% increase in sales from the month earlier. Enticed by the huge drop in prices around her neighborhood, first-time buyer Ucilia Wang says she's willing to take the chance that pri... 04/20/2009

Very Nice Upstairs Unit - Very Well Maintained - ALL APPLIANCES CONVEY! Great Central Location! Seller Is Motivated And Will Consider All Reasonable Offers!  Priced at $90,000 2BD 2BA 1280 sqft 03/03/2009

 Upstairs Unit Overlooking The Water - Fresh Coat of Interior Paint Throughout Including Ceilings - Master Bedroom Overlooks the Water - Master Bath with Linen and Walk-In Closets, Dual Vanities and Seperate Shower - Spacious Laundry Room - Large U-Shaped Kitchen with White Cabinets - Screened, Carpeted Porch Also Overlooks the Pond - Condo is a Newer Low Country Style Unit in a Great Location - Short Sale Has Been Approved, Bring All Offers! All Terms Subject to Bank Approval- Please Call Assist 2 Sell Smart Choice Realty for Further Information 843-667-6278! Bring Offers Price at $118,000 1714 A unit #4  03/03/2009

  ONE OWNER HOME! Huge Walk-In Pantry in the Kitchen - Large Greatroom with Fireplace - Walk-In Closet in Every Bedroom - Heat Pump is Less Than 5 Years Old - Newer Carpet - 16 x 20 Wired Workshop - Fenced Backyard - Motivated Seller! MUST SEE! 01/20/2009

            Beautiful Home in Desirable Monticello Subdivision! Breathtaking Entrance with High Cathedral Ceilings and Pool View - Greatroom is Open to the Kitchen - Downstairs Master Suite with His/Her Closets, Ceramic Tile Bath and a Private Screened Porch - 2nd Screened Porch is off the Greatroom - Screened Porches Lead Directly to the Deck - Walk-In Attic with 2 Access Areas - Sprinkler System - Beautiful In Ground 18x35 Pool - MUST SEE TO APPRECIATE! Great area Great schools what else could you want! For more pics of this home and other fantastic listings please visit us at www.4florencehomes.com 01/20/2009