Archive for February, 2009
Avoid the Top 10 Selling Mistakes!
Serious about selling your home? Before you sign anything, read about these common mistakes that home sellers make:
1. PRICING TOO HIGH: It’s no secret, price is everything. Overpricing does more to discourage buyers than any other single factor. When you overprice, you put your home in competition with homes that may be newer, larger or have more amenities than yours. You help your competition sell their home. This leads to long days on the market, and costs you, the seller, money in the long run. Make sure you get your pricing advice from a professional agent who knows the market. MORE..
7 Essential Steps to Selling Success.
Knowing and using these 7 essential, yet simple steps is crucial to achieving the best deal possible – whether you decide to sell your home yourself or hire a professional real estate agent to help you.
Take a look at the seven-step system I have outlined in this report. Then, if this new approach to marketing your home makes sense and you want to learn more, I’ll show you how to skillfully and specifically apply each of these critical steps to get your home sold for the most money in the shortest amount of time! More info.
Aiken roads getting $17M from stimulus!
Millions of dollars of stimulus funds are headed to Aiken County to help improve roads and transportation.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation has released figures and the specific locations for projects where the money will be spent.
The list ranges from regional mass transit to road paving and was released for public comment so the public can share its two cents on how the billions are spent.
Aiken is a major recipient of this first wave of projects with a total value of $17,215,177.
All of these projects have been selected because they are “shovel ready,” meaning they could be started immediately with funding, according to Wayne Rogers with the Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG). Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Eight Insider Tips For Home Buyers
1. Be a Pre-Approved Buyer: A pre-approved buyer always has the advantage in an offer situation. Becoming pre-approved is very easy: you complete your loan application with a credit check prior to beginning your home search process. Pre-approval means that you have actually been approved for the purchase by a lender, which gives you the edge in home purchase negotiating.
2. Beat The Competition to The Best New Listings: The search process can be both fun and trying. You will notice that some homes sell very fast and others hang around for long periods of time. The best homes at the best prices sell fast. Keeping on top of this is essential. Connect with a professional Real Estate agent that knows the market and keeps you updated. More info.
How Much House Can You Afford?
Determining how much home you can afford, or what payment you feel comfortable with, can be a trying process. Calling lenders, looking at mortgage loan programs and interest rates can be confusing, to say the least. There is an easy way to get started, and give yourself an idea of where you stand.
The first step is to find out what mortgage interest rates are at the current time. You can typically do this with a couple of phone calls to lenders or some quick looking on the internet. Get your rates on conventional fixed rate loans. Now use this handy table to see what your payment would be at different price ranges and interest rates. Payments might be higher or lower than those shown in the chart depending on current interest rates.More info.
Aiken equestrians compete in Florida.
OCALA, FLA. — A number of Aiken residents have been competing and enjoying success this winter at HITS Ocala at the HITS Post Time Farm, including DFG Stable’s Daniel Geitner and Hollow Creek Farm’s Angel Karolyi.
“So far it’s been going great,” said Geitner. “We’ve had real nice weather the last couple of weeks. It’s been nice, big jumps, and a lot of competition for the hunters and the jumpers. The horses have been jumping well, we’ve sold a horse and the students have been doing well.” Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
For retirees, these two small breaks could add up to a big boost!
Sometimes good things come disguised as minor rule changes. And for retirees, that’s certainly true this year. In recent months senior citizens received two relatively small breaks designed to improve their retirement incomes—the suspension of required minimum distributions (RMDs) for IRA and 401(k) accounts for 2009, as well as a 5.8% cost of living adjustment (COLA) in Social Security payments. Nice, but no big deal, right? Actually, those changes could add up to a significant chunk of change, according to a soon-to-be-published analysis by T. Rowe Price. Here’s the scoop:
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
House bill loosens mortgage modifications.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The House is expected to vote on a bill Thursday that would let bankruptcy judges erase some mortgage debt for troubled homeowners and shield mortgage servicers modifying loans from bondholder lawsuits.
According to a summary, the legislation would also strengthen the capacity of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp to deal with bank failures and make permanent an increase in the insured deposit limit to $250,000. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Displaced: New doc explores Ellenton.
Around 6,000 Americans heard news in November 1950 that would force them to leave their home, uprooting all they had from an area some had lived in for six generations.
They had to move as progress, and national security, demanded their homes as they were designated as the site to make the most deadly weapon of the age. Anything standing on the hundreds of thousands of acres the government claimed would soon be razed to the ground.
These people were the residents of Ellenton, Dunbarton and other hamlets. They were forced to leave for “the bomb plant,” as the Savannah River Site was known was in its embryonic phase.Now, a new documentary is being released to celebrate and memorialize these folks and what they had to give up. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Sweetgrass basket weaver to instruct workshop.
Learn the skills of sweetgrass basket making and discover a deeper understanding of the heritage of the techniques.
In celebration of Black History Month, the Aiken Center for the Arts (ACA) is offering a Sweetgrass Basket Workshop. The workshop will be held on Saturday at the Aiken Center for the Arts. Led by Mount Pleasant instructor Vera Manigault, the class is open to everyone and no experience is necessary.
Sweetgrass baskets are uniquely from the Lowcountry and evolved from basket weaving skills brought to the United States from Africa more than 300 years ago. Manigault’s baskets have been featured in Southern Living and were used in the movie “The Patriot.” More info.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Gov’t expands national program to buy foreclosures.
Tucked into the economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama last week was $2 billion to expand a nascent and controversial program to help cities and states buy and fix up foreclosed homes.
Last month, the Department of Housing and Urban Development signed off on hundreds of grants to all 50 states totaling almost $4 billion. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program, as it’s known, was passed last year as part of a housing rescue plan that was regarded at the time as the most significant housing legislation in a generation. Full story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Golf event to raise money for good cause.
Aiken County Habitat for Humanity’s next Women Build house is being co-sponsored by the Women of Woodside.
To help raise money for the project, the group is hosting a golf tournament, “The WOW Cup,” to be held on Monday, March 16. The tournament will be played on the Woodside Jones course and The Reserve at Woodside course. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Horticulture expert to speak at Aiken Tech.
Felder Rushing, co-host of public radio’s “The Gestalt Gardener,” is coming to Aiken courtesy of the Aiken Master Gardeners.
Rushing will give a lecture at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 7 at the Aiken Technical College amphitheater in building 700. His topic will be “Slow Gardening – More Stuff, All Year, With Less Effort.”
More Info.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Great News as the County approves dog trip!
Dogs who might otherwise be euthanized here can get a new lease on life in Massachusetts with a resolution Aiken County Council approved Tuesday.
The resolution officially establishes an agreement between Aiken County and the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, Mass. for the transfer of animals for the purpose of placing them in qualified homes.
Earlier this month, 13 dogs from the Aiken County Animal Shelter were transported to the shelter in a horse trailer equipped with a video feed, warm hay for the dogs to nestle in and buckets of water to keep them hydrated during the 1,000 mile trip. Full story.
Obama throws $75 billion lifeline to homeowners.
MESA, Ariz. — President Barack Obama threw a $75 billion lifeline to millions of Americans on the brink of foreclosure Wednesday, declaring an urgent need for drastic action — not only to save their homes but to keep the housing crisis “from wreaking even greater havoc” on the broader national economy.
The lending plan, a full $25 billion bigger than the administration had been suggesting, aims to prevent as many as 9 million homeowners from being evicted and to stabilize housing markets that are at the center of the ever-worsening U.S. recession. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Save Money on Interest and Taxes!
Purchasing a home can save you money very quickly. FIRST, you’ll save on taxes because the interest on your home mortgage is tax deductible. If you rent, your landlord gets the break.
SECOND, you’ll save on interest payments while keeping the great tax advantage. More info.
3 things sellers must know about Short sales.
Underwater on your mortgage? A short sale may be an option, but you first have to convince the bank to erase part of your debt – and your credit will still suffer. So is it worth it?
How To Do a Short Sale. Why Would a Lender Accept a Short Sale?
Definition: A short sale occurs when a property is sold and the lender agrees to accept a discounted payoff, meaning the lender will release the lien that is secured to the property upon receipt of less money than is actually owed.
Also Known As: Shorted sale
Alternate Spellings: Short-sale
Common Misspellings: hort sale
Examples: If the unpaid balance of a loan is, say, $100,000 and a property sells for $90,000, under a short sale the lender might accept $90,000 as payment in full.
A short sale in real estate is not always a pleasant transaction. Full Story.
Battle of Aiken comes to life again!
Blue coats and gray coats will clash once again this weekend as The Battle of Aiken reenactment kicks off.
This year marks the 145 anniversary of the historic battle which was fought, quite literally, on Richland Avenue in Aiken and the 15th anniversary of the reenactment. Spectators and reenactors alike will converge on the fields off Powell Pond Road and take part in the recreation of Joe Wheeler and his Confederate troops’ campaign against Gen. Judson Kilpatrick and his Union men. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
The Seller’s List of 25 Easy Fix-Ups.
The condition of your home will have a huge impact on how fast it sells, and its eventual selling price. Preparing your home for sale can pay you huge dividends. Many fix ups cost very little and consist mostly of time and some elbow grease. Here are some simple tips to help your home show its best.
Snag a great deal on a short sale!
Short Sales – where a lender agrees to take less than it’s owed on a mortgage – are rising sharply. Here’s how you can profit.
(Money Magazine) — When Brian Gavitt, a physician, and his wife Gayleen, a stay-at-home mom, started to eye homes in Sacramento last winter, they knew they were looking in the hardest-hit areas of the housing bust. So the couple, who were relocating from Lansing, figured they could land a fantastic bargain in no time at all.
The part about the bargain turned out to be true. The Gavitts bought a five-bedroom house in the upscale Natomas Park neighborhood (“Even now, you don’t see FOR SALE signs up anywhere,” says Gayleen.) And it was a steal at $300,000, a full $200,000 less than they would have paid just two years ago. Full Story.
How To Do a Short Sale. Why Would a Lender Accept a Short Sale?
Definition: A short sale occurs when a property is sold and the lender agrees to accept a discounted payoff, meaning the lender will release the lien that is secured to the property upon receipt of less money than is actually owed.
Also Known As: Shorted sale
Alternate Spellings: Short-sale
Common Misspellings: hort sale
Exhibit looks at dwindling architecture.
Explore the sites, tastes and sounds before, during and after the Great Depression in South Carolina during “Abandonment and Rediscovery: The Vanishing Architecture of Central South Carolina,” an art exhibit presented by the Rivers, Rails and Crossroads Discovery Center beginning Saturday, Feb. 28 from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The drop-in reception includes a meet and greet with the artists, Southern-style refreshments, blues harmonica player Walter Liniger and local Barnwell County resident Barbara Still will speak. The art exhibit features paintings by Janet Kozachek and photographs by Nathaniel Wallace, both local artists. The artwork includes historic buildings in South Carolina, including the Shamrock Hotel in Blackville. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Obama’s foreclosure fix on the way.
The president is set Wednesday to unveil plans to stem foreclosures and stabilize housing. Loan modifications and help for those near default are expected.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Obama administration officials are hammering out the details of a $50 billion foreclosure prevention program that the president is set to unveil Wednesday in Arizona, sources said.
Details remain scarce, but officials are looking to help homeowners who are in danger of defaulting on their mortgages, as well as those already behind, according to sources close to the discussions. Until now, most government and industry efforts have centered only on the delinquent. Full Story.
Woodside is focus of magazine article.
“Where to Retire” magazine profiles Woodside Plantation in its March/April 2009 issue.
Aiken’s upscale, gated community has many features which appeal to the magazine’s readers, its editor said, like leisure and social venues which will be highlighted in the publication’s Best Neighborhood section.
“This wooded, all-ages community offers ample leisure opportunities for active retirees with four golf courses, riding trails, miles of walking paths and social opportunities in a variety of clubs and groups,” said Editor Mary Lu Abbott. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
The United States Equestrian Federation,
will be holding its High Performance and Young Developing Rider Training Sessions Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m. at Three Runs Plantation. A brunch will be hosted Thursday by Wayne Raiford at Three Runs Plantation. A Cross Country Schooling Session will be held Wednesday afternoon at Paradise Farm.
For more information, call (540) 687-0033.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Zillow Report Shows Homeowners Facing Reality, Sort Of.
When it comes to real estate, more Americans are moving from denial to acceptance. Zillow.com, a Web site that provides housing-market information, says it found in a recent survey that 57% of participants believe their homes lost value during the past year. That was up from just 38% in a similar survey during last year’s second quarter.
Zillow estimates that values declined on 76% of all U.S. homes during 2008. Full Story
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Sign of spring brings promise!
The color of hope is yellow. When the chill of winter slaps Aiken in the face as it has this past week, I look for the coming of spring – the hope for tomorrow – in a small yellow flower.
This week, the first sign of arriving spring came at the same time as our coldest temperatures. Yet, there it was popping its head out of the dead leaves in my wife’s perennial bed – the first daffodil.
I was excited to see this harbinger of warmer times. It was much later than it has been in the past few years when mild winters have given way to daffodil season shortly after Christmas.
This year has been different. Cold weather belies the notion that global warming is occurring. Coat weather has come too often, and the sound of the furnace turning on in the middle of the night brings uncomfortable visions of dollar bills fluttering out of my wallet.
Full Story.
Dogs get new lease on life in New England.
With Gretchen’s time nearing the end, her last chance was a ride to Massachusetts. Her last chance has become a new life.
Gretchen was one of the 13 dogs the Aiken County Animal Control shelter shipped to a no-kill shelter in Massachusetts through a partnership between the two shelters and a horse transport company.
Now, at least 10 of the dogs already have new homes in just a little more than a week.
Betty Bilton, director for the Northeast Animal Shelter, in Salem, Mass., said the animals arrived Feb. 4, after a 1,000-mile trek courtesy of Fairway Horse Transport. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Homebuyer Tax Credit – An update.
A $7500 tax credit that will be available for qualified purchase of a principal residence by a first time homebuyer between January 1, 2009 and September 1, 2009.
The credit does not require repayment. Individuals who purchase in 2009 using financing assistance from state and local mortgage bonds will be permitted to use the credit, as well.The $15,000 homebuyer tax credit didn’t survive the final negotiations on the stimulus bill. Instead, Congress slightly increased to $8,000 an existing $7,500 credit for first-time homebuyers and eliminated repayment provisions.Congressional negotiators said that $8,000 number isn’t yet finalized.
The move was sure to disappoint those who had favored a more generous $15,000 credit for all home buyers in the Senate bill. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Transferring your home to a trust.
Trusts are useful when it comes to transferring property without the hassle and expense of probate. One special trust can be helpful in transferring your residence to your children or grandchilden, as well as obtaining a future estate tax savings. This trust is known as a Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT) and its use now is timely because property values are depressed. The advantage of this technique is that you can not only transfer your residence(s) to such a trust, but all of the future appreciation in your property will be out of your taxable estate. Such an advantage is especially advantageous if your estate will be large enough (more than $3.5 million) to be liable for estate taxes.
A QPRT allows the residence owner to transfer the title of his residence to the trust and remain in the home for an extended period of time while still taking advantage of gift and estate tax savings. In this case, the residence owner would be the donor or the trust, and this technique can work for up to two homes: the donor’s primary residence and one occasional residence. Naturally, you would have to name a trustee, typically not yourself. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
RESPA Required Use Rule in all new Closings!
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a new regulation to become effective on January 16, 2009, which reforms many aspects of its regulations implementing the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). These changes are intended to clarify and simplify the disclosures that are provided to borrowers at mortgage application and closing. The rule consists of several parts, most of which will not have major direct or indirect impacts on home builders. One provision, however, will prohibit home builders from offering incentives in exchange for a home buyer using a builder’s affiliated mortgage and/or title company. A number of NAHB’s builder members either own or maintain joint ventures with mortgage and title companies. HUD’s new rule has thus taken away a critical marketing and customer service tool for our members.
* NAHB v. U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia) Full Story!
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Go For the Green! Home improvement projects with conservation ideals.
Incorporating “green building” in your home improvement project is a double-edged sword well worth wielding.
Provided you are prepared for the extra leg work and higher up-front costs than those for conventional building, the pay-off is reduced energy and maintenance costs, increased home values and environmental protection. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Secrets to a Successful Move! Busy moving season is right around the corner.
Planning to move this summer? You’re not alone — summer is the busiest time of year for professional movers, according to the American Moving and Storage Association. It’s an arduous process, but these tips will make your transition much smoother. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Cut Your Electric Bills Painlessly A few simple tricks can save you a bundle.
When Mom told you to turn out the lights, she was thinking of saving energy dollars, not rolling blackouts and bankrupt utility companies. Rarely have Moms words of wisdom been as fitting as they are now and not just in California. Electricity rates are going up everywhere.
Besides switching off lights, there are several other painless methods to conserve energy and save money on your electric bills. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Do You Have Buyer’s Paralysis? Many issues can be at root of indecision.
You’ve looked at dozens of homes. Your REALTOR® is about to tear her hair out with frustration. You are paralyzed, letting one great home after another pass you by. Why can’t you make a decision?
Buying a home can be an overwhelming process. There are so many decisions to make and any of them can mean serious financial consequences. A home, after all, is hardly a liquid asset. Nor is it a growth investment, according to Wall Street definitions. It’s your greatest financial debt, even while it puts a roof over your head. As it appreciates, it also needs repairs and maintenance. With all that weighing on you, no wonder you’ve got commitmentphobia. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
It is Easy to Be Green. 5 low-cost things you can do to go greener at home.
When that certain lovable Muppet Kermit the Frog sang “It isn’t Easy Being Green” so long ago, chances are pretty good that he wasn’t referring to how easy it is to help the environment.
Helping the world go greener can begin with you. Anything from purchasing the right appliances to changing out a light bulb can make a huge difference to both the world around you and even your pocketbook in the long run. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Buyers, Get an Edge During The Busy Spring Season! Getting started early is key to success.
The spring and summer months are traditionally the busiest times of year for the residential real estate market. Weather is more cooperative and many families like to move while the kids are on their summer break.
But in recent years spring, for many regions, has meant more homes on the market, but also more buyers, fierce competition and an increase in prices.
If you’re in the market for a house this spring, there are a number of steps you can take to try to give you the advantage over other homebuyers…… Full Story.
Augusta stations to make the switch.
Augusta television stations and ETV are all going ahead with the digital transition, which will take place on Feb. 17.
ABC’s affiliate WJBF News Channel 6, NBC’s WAGT Augusta and CBS’s WRDW News 12 will either cease all analog broadcasts on the effective date or act as a “night light station,” meaning the station will discontinue regular programming on its analog channel.
Those TVs which will see nothing on Feb. 17 are those that still receive an analog signal via an antenna on top of the TV or on a roof, although digital converter boxes are available for such TVs. Full Story!
New House or an Old One?
As you embark on your venture to buy a home, one of the first decisions to make is whether
to buy new or purchase an existing home. Each choice has its advantages, and there is no
single answer that works for everyone.
You may be drawn to the shiny new, energy-efficient appliances, the great room, and the
beautiful master suite offered in a new home. But you may also like the charm, the canopy of
trees that drape over the sleepy neighborhood streets, and the increasing value of an
existing home you’ve been eying.
Here are some things you’ll want to ponder as you decide which route to take.
Existing homes offer many considerations for potential homebuyers, including:
* The neighborhood. Many people are drawn to developed neighborhoods for the sense of
community that has been established. The mature landscaping and developed trees are often a
considering factor.
* Maintenance and repair. If you’re considering an existing home, be sure you have a
good handle on the working status of all major systems. Hire a professional home inspector
to check out the house. As appliances and systems age they naturally require repair and
replacement, something which may be reflected in a purchase price.
* Home improvement. If you enjoy small repairs and home improvement projects around the
house, then an existing home would be your cup of tea.
* Existing features. When you buy an existing home, you typically don’t have to worry
about buying the extras, such as blinds for the window, a security system, or a landscaped
back yard.
* Land. In most metro centers, new homes may have less land than newer properties. Why?
Because of changes in land-use patterns.
* Location. Existing homes are often found in older, more convenient metro core areas
rather than outlying suburbs.
* The opportunity to remodel. In some cases buyers may prefer an older home in a
particular location which can be modernized or expanded. In effect, use the existing home as
a base to build a unique property.
* Price. In general terms, existing homes tend to be less expensive than new properties.
As well, existing homes are likely to come complete with items which may represent new home
extras—blinds, landscaping, built-ins, etc.
* Track record. When you purchase an existing home, you know how much the property has
appreciated over the years — in effect, you have an index of sorts which measures the
community’s marketplace appeal. At the same time, like stocks and bonds, you know that past
results do not guarantee future marketplace performance.
* Taxes. Depending on your state, you will likely have lower property tax rates. Also,
many older households aren’t required to pay for local bonds associated with new
development, such as schools, parks, or road or transportation improvements.
* Traditional layout. If you like the formal living and dining rooms, an existing home
will likely satisfy you.
Full story from www.Realtor .com.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Land conservancy to meet THIS afternoon!
The Aiken Land Conservancy (ALC) is holding its annual meeting and asking for support from anyone who rides horses, walks dogs or has a general love for nature and green space.
The event will be at The Willcox hotel on Sunday between 3 and 5 p.m., and is intended to attract new members and reconnect and inform current participants.
The ALC is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of open, undeveloped space in Aiken County. ALC is one of 20 land trusts within South Carolina and one of more than 1,000 land trusts nationwide. ALC has preserved more than 1,200 acres of land throughout Aiken County. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Garden clubs’ lecture series set to start on Saturday .
The Aiken Garden Clubs Council brings a lecture series to the museum this weekend that will help local gardeners get more out of the great outdoors.
The Garden Clubs Council’s Spring Lecture Series opens with a presentation from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Aiken County Historical Museum by John Nelson. Nelson is the curator of the A.C. Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina, and writes the “Mystery Plant” column which appears weekly in the Aiken Standard.
Lectures will take place on the first Saturday of the month in February, March and April, according to Garden Clubs Council president Pam Kolb. Full details!
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Trip gives dogs a second chance at life
Thirteen dogs at the Aiken County Animal Control shelter got a new lease on life Tuesday, as well as a ride to Massachusetts.
A horse transport company that had delivered horses to Aiken let the pooches tag along on the 1,000 mile journey to Salem, Mass., where they will await adoption at a no-kill facility, the Northeast Animal Shelter.
Bobby Arthurs, chief enforcement officer for Aiken County, said moving the 13 dogs would free up additional space for other adoptable animals, as well as save these dogs’ lives.
Full Story!
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Steps to take to prevent Forclosure!
One of their educator’s Cindy Tesch says there are some steps you should take if you fall behind on your mortgage – most importantly you need to devise a payment plan. But to do that Tesch says you have to confront your problem and that means confronting your mortgage company.
“Most consumers are scared or afraid because they don’t know what their mortgage company is going to tell them. So you want to stay in contact with the mortgage company,” Tesch said.
Tesch says mortgage companies are very willing to work with you. Something that’s really important to keep in mind — once your payment plan is set up you must make cuts to your budget because each month you will be paying your regular mortgage plus your back mortgage.
“If you really want to keep the home, look at the budget, see what is absolutely necessity and then cut out what isn’t. For just the time so you can get caught up on that mortgage,” Tesch said.
You may even consider selling certain assets — like a car if your family has two cars but can survive on one.
“If you really want to keep the home, look at the budget, see what is absolutely necessity and then cut out what isn’t. For just the time so you can get caught up on that mortgage,” Tesch said.
You may even consider selling certain assets — like a car if your family has two cars but can survive on one.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Census report shows number of SC farms increasing
CHARLESTON, SC (AP) – A new national report shows more farms in South Carolina than at any time during the past three decades.
The 2007 Census of Agriculture, which surveys agriculture every five years, was released Wednesday.
It shows almost 25,900 farms in South Carolina. The last time there were that many was back in 1978.
Rhonda Brandt of the National Agriculture Statistics Service in Columbia says the number follows national trends showing a 4 percent increase nationwide in the number of farms.
But the average farm now is smaller. The average size of a farm in South Carolina back in 1978 was 226 acres. In 2002 it was 197 acres and now it’s only 189 acres. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Bank of England cuts RATES, ECB holds steady.
FRANKFURT (AP) — The European Central Bank halted its campaign of rate cuts on Thursday, leaving its benchmark refinancing rate at 2 percent, while the Bank of England cut by a half-point to a record low 1 percent as it combats a deepening recession brought on by the world financial crisis.
The decision by both banks was widely expected but marked decidedly different approaches to the global economic woes that have sent markets plunging and led to thousands of layoffs, reduced worker hours and factory shutdowns. Full Story.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Break the chain that confines, restrains dog
By GARY WILLOUGHBY Aiken SPCA executive director If you are reading this article, you’re likely an animal lover who treats your pet like a member of the family. You feel that your dogs enjoy the fresh air outside, like you do. When the weather is nice, they want to be outside to play, get exercise and maybe chase a squirrel that is brave enough to hop in the backyard.Full Story!
Finance Calculator and More!
Looking to buy or just want to see what your rent would allow you to buy? Want to refinance in this economic climate? Answers to these and so many other questions! Find out here! Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Therapist using horses in treating PTSD
An individual may look healthy physically, but it’s possible that, even without any physical manifestations, stress and traumatic experiences can take their toll on both humans and horses.
But, thanks to psychotherapy, horses and humans are interacting and bonding with one another to help each other heal.
This Sunday, soldiers who are stationed at Fort Gordon and have returned from their deployment in Iraq, and at risk members of the community, will have a chance to use a unique modality to help with their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Psychotherapist and horseman Suze Maze will be using Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) to help.
The therapy sessions will be conducted on Sundays at Equine Rescue of Aiken. Full Story!
Aiken’s quartoseptcentennial celebration to last all of 2010
The City of Aiken is gearing up for its 175th anniversary.
City officials held the first planning session at the Municipal Building Thursday to begin preparing for the year-long celebration that will kick off the first of next year.
The City of Aiken was established on Dec. 19, 1835. The last anniversary celebration was in 1985, when the City recognized its 150th anniversary. However, then the festivities only lasted 12 days, and many Aiken residents missed out on some of the events, said Mayor Fred Cavanaugh.
“This time we decided to extend it over the whole year so everyone can participate,” he said.
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Obama pledges mortgage help.
WASHINGTON (REUTERS) — U.S. President Barack Obama promised Saturday to help lower Americans’ mortgage costs with a new plan, coming soon, that would revive the financial system and “get credit flowing again.”
Obama, who has made fighting the country’s economic and financial crises the top priority of his young administration, called on the U.S. Senate to approve an economic stimulus bill that the House of Representatives passed this week. Full story.
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Aiken, where horses are Kings!
Wayne’s Automotive Center has a unique tow!
The cold weather can bring a plethora of problems, and sleeping the wrong way can add to that dilemma. And for Cabot Trail, an 1,800 pound draft horse, the chilly temperatures made sleeping a bit awkward on the morning of Jan. 17.
“They said that particular Saturday, was the coldest temperature in 30 years, and he had a blanket on,” said Pixie Baxter, Cabot Trail’s owner. “And even though he spends some of the night laying down, apparently on this particular night he curled up like a cat with his legs tucked under him, and went down. By the time I got down here to feed him in the morning his rear right leg was unable to move.” Full Story
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