Archive for July, 2009
Servicers Limit Participants in Loan Program
The Government Accountability Office on Thursday criticized the Obama Administration’s estimate that as many as 4 million people will be helped by the Treasury Department’s loan modification program.
The GAO says servicers representing 85 percent of eligible loans have signed up and only 50 percent of eligible borrowers are participating. As a result, many borrowers who believe they are eligible are complaining that they are unable to take advantage of the program.
The GAO recommended that the Treasury Department develop better procedures to ensure that loan servicers are both capable of carrying out the program and adhering to its rules.
The program allows eligible borrowers who are in default or at imminent risk to lower their monthly payments to no more than 31 percent of their pre-tax income by modifying their loans.
Source: CNNMoney.com, Tami Luhby
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County Complex battling bat infestation
The appearance of several winged creatures at the Aiken County Complex has been driving the county, well, batty.
A few small bats have been found in offices at the complex on Richland Avenue with the most recent one hanging from the ceiling in a hallway, and it is a cause for concern. It is suspected the nocturnal creatures have been making their home in the building’s attic.
“They’re here and there, but it’s still too many,” said County Administrator Clay Killian. “We’re going to bring in the exterminator.”
This is not the first time the county has had to do this.
About seven months ago, a service was called to investigate the problem.
Killian said they staked out the complex at night and spotted where the bats were entering and exiting the attic. Those holes were plugged.
“We thought we had flushed them out,” Killian said. “Apparently, they found another breach.”
Jim Soper, owner of Pest Specialists in North Augusta, said an opening does not have to be very big for a bat to get through. “If you put your finger through it, they can get in,” he said. “Normally where they start is the gable vents.”
He said the most common way to deal with bats is exclusion (plugging the holes) but bat removal or exclusion is strongly discouraged from May 1 until Aug. 15 because it is mating season.
According to Soper, the three types of bats most common in this region are the evening bat, the brown bat and the free-tailed bat, and they feed entirely on insects. Their size varies from less than half an ounce up to seven ounces, depending on the type of bat.
No one has been injured by a bat at the complex, and the ones found have been either dead or dying, but they are still a nuisance.
Soper said, as a general rule, bats will not attack people, but their urine and feces can become toxic when it piles up if an infestation goes undetected for a period of time.
“We are certainly very concerned,” Killian said.
By HALEY HUGHES
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Truth in Lending;changes take effect July 30, 2009
Lenders will be subject to new disclosure requirements for mortgage loans under the Federal Reserve Board Truth in Lending Regulation (Reg Z). The new requirements apply to loan applications filed on or after July 30, 2009.
The new rules are complex and compliance will be a challenge for lenders. REALTORS® will want to learn the basics so they can advise clients of potential delays and the new procedures.
Here are key highlights of the changes:
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DON’T FORGET … TILA changes take effect July 30, 2009
Lenders will be subject to new disclosure requirements for mortgage loans under the Federal Reserve Board Truth in Lending Regulation (Reg Z). The new requirements apply to loan applications filed on or after July 30, 2009. The new rules are complex and compliance will be a challenge for lenders. REALTORS® will want to learn the [...]
Golf course improvements on display
Golf course renovations are nearly complete at Houndslake Country Club, and a party will be held to celebrate.
Work began in May on green side bunkers on the club’s Dogwood Nine and Azalea Nine courses, and new sod was laid on the putting green complex.
Work was done on Azalea’s bunkers and is nearly complete on Dogwood’s bunkers.
The Country Club invites club members and the public to see the improvements Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Those who want to take advantage of the renovations by playing the Azalea Nine can do so for the reduced rate of $20.
“There will be complimentary hot dogs, iced tea and tours of the renovations,” said club General Manager Jeff Howell.
The Dogwood Nine improvements should be nearly completed by then so that visitors will be able to see the before, during and after of the renovations.
Steps in renovating bunkers include removing the sand, digging out the bunker’s original shape, remolding its edges and banks and dumping the sand back in.
Howell said cost of the work is roughly $500,000, but that it was time to have it done.
It is recommended that bunkers be renovated every 12 to 14 years but Houndslake’s had not been touched since the club opened in the 1970s.
“Ours were in terrible shape,” Howell said. Those who wish to play the Azalea Nine should call the golf shop at 648-3333 for a tee time. Houndslake Country Club is located at 901 Houndslake Drive.
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Equine Rescue pairs with County services.
For some, one organizations’ results have been life-changing, and the impact they’ve had on both humans and horses has been incredible.
In less than three years, Equine Rescue of Aiken has been able to find nearly 200 horses new homes, giving the animals a second chance at finding a warm and nurturing environment and giving their owners a new family member.
Now, Equine Rescue has started to work closely with Aiken County Animal Control to help improve the lives of more horses.
“We’re moving forward with the County, we’re going to set up contracts so that I will be able to help if we do have a situation where the horse is in danger,” said Larkin Steele, Equine Rescue of Aiken. “If (the County is) going to seize it, it’ll be (the County’s) animal, and Dr. Lisa Handy (Carolina Equine Clinic) and I will take care of the horses. (The County has) to come up with a protocol for how long they’re going to keep a horse at Equine Rescue of Aiken and how they’re going to pay for it. And then, I think we’re going to need to reach out into the community to people who may have pastures available, so that when the horses get up to a good body weight, have had all their shots and are healthy, they’ll be able go there (to the pastures) as a standby until the County sets up their own adoption program for the horses. And if we can help, we will.”
An important part of the program is to see the horses move from Equine Rescue of Aiken to the transitional pasture areas, so the rescue will be able to help and accommodate more horses, Steele said.
“That way I won’t have to absorb every single horse that comes to me,” said Steele. “I still want to help the County, but I still have a lot of horses I’m trying to help. We have to set up a system to ensure that the horses are well taken care of after they leave our facility.” Full Story..
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Recipes sought for historic cookbook.
As part of the 175th anniversary of the charter of Aiken next year, a historic cookbook will be published, covering food and recipes from the early 1800s to the present time. Local resident Kathy Urban Huff is author of the cookbook, as yet unnamed. While her research at the Aiken County Historical Museum, the library, private collections and interviews has yielded much valuable information, she is reaching out to the community for more.
“I want to use as many local Aiken recipes as possible,” Huff said. “There are individuals and families I know of whose histories go way back in Aiken, but I know there are many more I will miss unless they respond to this appeal.” For this reason, she is calling upon the community with deep roots in Aiken to send her copies of old family recipes and cooking stories, “the older the better,” for possible inclusion in the final product.
Huff plans to organize the cookbook into time periods instead of the usual course designations of appetizers, soup, salad, bread, etc. “The cookbook will begin with cooking and recipes from the early 1800s. No one cooks over an open fire any more – unless you count grilling – so the truly old recipes will be of more curiosity than use. However, as food equipment and availability changed through the years, recipes became more interesting and varied. For example, the menus from the grand hotel years are fascinating.” Full Details..
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Landscaping correctly helps keep summer heat out of the house.
By KEN SHEINKOPF
McClatchy-Tribune
Q: We moved into a new development a couple of years ago and while we love our home, the barren landscape really looks terrible. We haven’t been able to afford putting in all the landscaping we’d like, but we want to start this summer. Our biggest problem is keeping heat out of the house, so where should we begin?
A: I gave a talk to some students and began by telling them that I thought Johnny Appleseed was one of the true pioneers of energy efficiency in this country. You probably know the legend about the guy who traveled around the country planning apple trees everywhere, but you may not realize that he was a real person. John Chapman spent 50 years planting apple trees around the country in the early 1800s, and I think that qualifies him as a true energy pioneer.
Trees do a terrific job of cutting down on heat and improving the air quality, primarily in the heat islands that are a special problem in urban areas.
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Experts Say Now is the Time to Buy
Many investment experts advise it’s time to buy. With prices falling, it is a once-in-a-generation chance to load up on property, they say.
How much of an investment portfolio should be devoted to real estate? David Swensen, who manages Yale University’s endowment, says 20 percent is a smart number.
One possibility is real estate investment trusts (REITs), which, despite the fact that they are slashing dividends to conserve cash, are still paying average yields of 7.3 percent. That’s double the yield on Treasurys.
Should a home be part of the equation? Michael Kirby, founder of Green Street Advisors, says no.
“You should own a house to provide shelter,” says Kirby. “In a way, it’s not an investment, and it’s not part of your investment portfolio. It’s really just a living expense. By owning a house you are prepaying rent.”
Source: Forbes (08/03/2009)
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FHA Loans Set Record
The Federal Housing Administration guaranteed 186,000 mortgages in June, a record number in its 75-year history.
FHA loans are popular because they are one of the few sources of low-down-payment mortgages. In the last year, they have accounted for about 46 percent of all mortgage applications.
Along with increasing numbers of FHA activity comes a rising number of delinquent loans, with the level of FHA mortgages in some stage of foreclosure reaching 7.4 percent in May.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos (07/20/2009)
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Don’t let puppy mills stay in business.
One of the toughest calls the Aiken SPCA gets is when one of our area animal control departments finds out about a suspected puppy mill and is going to investigate. What they find is often something you simply can’t un-see.
Puppy mills are different than good breeders who follow guidelines of organizations like the American Kennel Club and who are seeking to produce the best examples of a particular type of dog or cat. The mentality behind a puppy mill is different; money is the singular motivation for breeding animals.
Puppy mills found their origins on large scales in the Midwest post-World War II when farmers began looking for alternative crops and seeking to meet the growing demand for puppies throughout the country. Because of the condition in which the puppies live (lying in chicken coops, rabbit hutches or other areas not designed for puppies) and lack of veterinary care, many of the animals raised this way display physical and emotional issues.
Mothers are bred indiscriminately and far too often, and their puppies are often taken away too early to ship them out somewhere while still very young. Where are these dogs sold? These days, the Internet is a puppy mill breeder’s best friend. They either sell them directly or find a wholesaler to do the work for them. These puppies also show up in flea markets, classified ads, pet stores, even being sold out of the back of the truck or van in some parking lot. The buyer sees the cute puppy, buys it impulsively and finds out later that often the puppy has medical issues, emotional issues and other physical problems resulting from inbreeding, overbreeding and indiscriminate breeding. Full story..
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Hopelands Welcomes Fabio Mann and the Savannah River Brass Works
The Hopelands Summer Concert Series will continue this Monday, July 27 with a performance from Fabio and the Savannah River Brass Works. The performance will take place on the Roland H. Windham Performing Arts Stage at Hopelands and will begin at 7 p.m., lasting approximately an hour. This performance is presented by the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch.
Fabio Mann, Trumpet (one of the ensemble’s founders), performs with many local and regional ensembles ranging from classical to jazz and pop. As a soloist for many churches and musical venues in the CSRA, Fabio can be seen and heard in performance on almost any weekend throughout the year. Fabio is usually found working at his office when he is not musically engaged; or if time and opportunity permit, dropping a line in some exotic fishing hole with family and friends.
Rachel Misner, French horn, a Hoosier transplant, gigs throughout South Carolina and Georgia when she is not playing with her dog, Coda. She supports her habit by teaching strings to school children in the Metro Augusta Area and playing horn with the Augusta Symphony. In her spare time she enjoys ballroom dancing.
Landscaping correctly helps keep summer heat out of the house.
By KEN SHEINKOPF McClatchy-Tribune Q: We moved into a new development a couple of years ago and while we love our home, the barren landscape really looks terrible. We haven’t been able to afford putting in all the landscaping we’d like, but we want to start this summer. Our biggest problem is keeping heat out [...]
Lease-Purchases on the Rise
One way that buyers without enough money to get a mortgage can purchase a home is with a lease-purchase agreement.
Usually, the terms of the deal include a lease and an option to buy with part of the rent going toward the downpayment. The forced savings helps buyers amass enough to buy the house in the specified time frame, usually three to five years.
Cindy Walker, an associate with South Island Real Estate in Melbourne Beach, Fla., recently helped a young couple negotiate such a deal. She received a rental commission for the lease arrangement, and she will get a sales commission if the purchase option is executed.
Some real estate professionals find this arrangement unacceptable, but Walker says, “I look at it as money in the bank.”
She offers these tips for anyone contemplating using a lease-purchase option:
* Don’t be afraid to ask the seller if the owner would accept a lease-purchase agreement. Sellers might find it attractive once they understand it will generate regular rental income.
* Negotiate how much money will go toward the downpayment and whether the buyer or the seller or both will handle maintenance and repairs.
* Avoid prepayment penalties. No prepayment penalty increases the incentive to do the deal quickly. In most cases, that’s a good thing from both the buyer’s and the seller’s points of view.
Source: Florida Today, Anne Straub (07/19/2009)
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NAR Supports Incentives for Green Buildings
In testimony before a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® reiterated the significance of its green office building. NAR also reinforced its support for energy-efficiency tax credits, block grants, and weatherization assistance investment.
NAR’s office building on Capitol Hill was the first newly constructed, green-certified building in the District of Columbia, demonstrating NAR’s commitment to environmentally sustainable real estate development.
“NAR has taken a number of important steps to raise public awareness about green buildings and their benefits in the marketplace,” said Jim Helsel, NAR treasurer and a REALTOR® from Pennsylvania specializing in commercial real estate. Helsel served as chairman of NAR’s Real Property Operations Committee in 2002-03 that oversaw creation and development of the REALTOR® building that was certified for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and was awarded the Silver LEED rating by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2004 when the building opened. Full story.
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Investors Drive Foreclose Prices Up
Home shoppers in parts of the country with lots of foreclosures are finding it increasingly difficult to buy. Investors are bidding up prices thousands above the original asking price.
Federal legislation slowing the number of foreclosures is adding to the problem by reducing the number of homes on the market. For instance, in Las Vegas, one of the areas where the bidding problem is greatest, home inventories are down 10 percent since March, according to the Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®.
When a bidding war erupts, the problem is particularly difficult for traditional buyers because investors are usually cash purchasers. They can bid up a property without concern whether the appraisal will prevent them from getting a loan.
Experts say the problem is not unlike the situation at the height of the housing bubble. “This market is about as abnormal as the hypermarket that we came out of a few years ago,” says Jay Butler, director of the Realty Studies program at Arizona State University.
Source: The Associated Press, Jonathan J. Cooper (07/20/2009)
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Museum in Edgefield pays homage to wild turkeys
A museum dedicated to the wild turkey sits just outside Aiken County.
The National Wild Turkey Federation’s Winchester Museum in Edgefield offers interactive wild turkey exhibits, rare artifacts, wildlife oddities and animated displays in the 7,200-square-foot museum, which focuses on the restoration, management and hunting of the wild turkey.
Brian Purtymun, a spokesman for the NWTF, said more than 10,000 people visit the museum each year.
“This is definitely an educational, interactive place for families,” he said.
Purtymun said the museum offers CSRA residents a fun, budget-friendly outing for the entire family.
Winchester’s displays tell the story of the wild turkey. Some of its features include an animated storyteller who sits in a rocking chair and tells stories about the history of the NWTF, turkey hunting and conservation.
Also featured is an animated Cherokee Indian, who shares legends and stories about wild turkeys, and a retired USDA Forest Service helicopter. Displays that show the evolution of the turkey call are also housed in the museum.
Efforts to save the wild turkey, which once faced extinction, are among the many videos featured at the facility. Admission to the Winchester Museum is free. Guided tours of the facility are also available to visitors by setting up an appointment, said Purtymun.
The museum sits next to a 120-acre Outdoor Education Center, which features nature trails, a pond habitat site and a pavilion that makes a great spot for a picnic lunch.
The Winchester Museum and Outdoor Education Center are located at 770 Augusta Road in Edgefield. The facility is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays.
The NWTF was founded in 1973. It is a national nonprofit conservation and education organization with a mission dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving hunting traditions.
For more information, call (803) 637-3106.
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Economic indicators rise more than expected in June.
By TALI ARBEL
Associated Press
NEW YORK — More plans to build homes, higher stock prices and fewer people filing first-time claims for jobless aid sent a private-sector forecast of U.S. economic activity higher than expected in June.
It was the third straight monthly increase for the New York-based Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators, and another sign pointing toward the recession ending later this year.
The index rose 0.7 percent last month. Wall Street analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a gain of 0.4 percent. May’s reading was revised up to a gain of 1.3 percent from 1.2 percent, while April was scaled back to 1 percent growth from 1.1 percent.
The group also said activity in the six-month period through June rose 2 percent, with an annual growth rate of 4.1 percent. That’s the strongest rate since the first quarter of 2006.
The index is meant to project economic activity in the next three to six months.
If these conditions continue, “expect a slow recovery this autumn,” said Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein. Full story..
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S.C. home sales increase 13% in June
The number of homes sold in South Carolina has risen for the second-straight month. Nearly 4,200 homes were sold in June, an increase of 13% compared with May, according to the latest report from the S.C. Association of Realtors.
In May, home sales totaled 3,704, which was an increase of 16% over sales in April.
June’s figures also represent the best year-over-year showing so far in 2009, with an 11.3% drop compared with June 2008 numbers.
Of the 15 regions reporting home sales for the association, 14 reported an increase in sales compared with May. The only area that reported a loss was the Southern Midlands Association of Realtors. It sold three more homes in May than it did in June, according to the report.
Of the state’s three major metropolitan areas, Charleston posted a 9.4% increase in June sales compared with May, Columbia saw a 10.5% increase and Greenville had a 13.3% increase, the report said.
The median price of homes in South Carolina was $147,000, up from $142,000 in May. The average number of days a home was on the market was 144, down from 155 in May. More Details
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Home Builder Optimism Climbs
Home-builder optimism improved this week with the National Association of Home Builders’ index of member sentiment rising two points to 17, its highest since September 2008.
The report tracks the perceptions of 484 residential builders nationwide. Index readings lower than 50 indicate a predominance of negative sentiment. Still, this increase could be a sign that new-home contractors are seeing improvement in the market.
Source: The Associated Press, Alex Veiga (07/16/2009)
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Washer, dryer to aid animal shelter.
Christmas came very early at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.
On Wednesday, a brand new industrial-size washer and dryer was donated by three families who pooled their money together. The equipment was delivered and installed this week. The new units are so much bigger than the previous ones that some cat cages had to moved to accommodate them.
The three families asked not to be identified, but one of them did comment on the donation.
“We did this because we heard the shelter was operating with a household washer and dryer. There was no way they can keep up with it all,” she said. “It is not the responsible thing to stand back and say something should be done. This made us feel good.”
Not only are the units new, but they are also much more efficient. The washer and dryer have capacities of 60 and 75 pounds of laundry, respectively.
Typical household washers and dryers range between 10- and 12-pound capacities.
Previously, staff had to rush to get loads of laundry done in the morning because the dryer would heat the room to an uncomfortable temperature while it was running. Laundry stopped at noon, and the blankets, towels and pet beds would pile up.
Now, shelter staff can do laundry all day long if they wish.
Crews were installing the new equipment Wednesday, and Animal Control Chief Law Enforcement Officer Bobby Arthurs said they put them to use beginning Thursday.
“We are very excited,” he said. “This has been needed for some time. We do so much laundry every day.”
The Aiken County Animal Shelter accepts donations of towels and blankets, which can be dropped off at 411 Wire Road.
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Report: New-Home Construction Increasing
Despite high unemployment and general concerns of too much existing inventory, new-home construction appears to be rising.
According to Friday’s report from the U.S. Commerce Department, construction of new homes rose 3.6 percent in June compared to May. Building permits climbed 8.7 percent, and single-family home starts jumped 14.4 percent to 470,000, after rising 5.9 percent in May.
In real numbers, ground was broken for an estimated 58,300 houses nationwide in June, and an estimated 58,400 building permits were issued.
Here’s a look at housing starts in different U.S. regions:
* Midwest: up 33.3 percent
* Northeast: up 28.6 percent
* South: down 1.4 percent
* West: down 14.8 percent
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Jeff Bater (07/17/2009)
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Center for the Arts helping Equine Rescue of Aiken
Buy a painting; help a horse.
Two local artists have teamed up with Aiken Center for the Arts to help the efforts of Equine Rescue of Aiken by offering original works of art and donating the proceeds to the effort.
Carol Sue Roberts and Sharon Taylor Padgett paint on location throughout Aiken, and recently completed two small paintings at Equine Rescue of Aiken. The framed oil paintings are on display at the Art Center and they have decided to donate the full price back to the facility that helps rehabilitate abandoned and neglected horses.
“The rolling hills and beautiful setting of Equine Rescue of Aiken made a perfect setting for us to paint,” Padgett said. “Carol Sue chose to capture the reflections in a pond on the property, and I painted the rolling hills and a pasture.”
Equine Rescue of Aiken provides a haven for race horses, show horses, event horses, trail and draft horses, polo ponies, saddlebreds, barrel racers, broodmares and foals that were destined for slaughter. Safe now, thanks to owner Larkin Steele, these horses now have food and water and veterinary care on a beautiful 80-acre farm in Aiken.
“While painting on location, Sharon and I were both thinking the same thing; we wanted to donate the paintings back to this cause in some way,” said Roberts.
The two paintings are on display at Aiken Center for the Arts and the entire sale will go back to Equine Rescue of Aiken.
“We are very supportive of this partnership with the artists to support Equine Rescue of Aiken. Everyone will enjoy seeing the artist’s view of the Equine Rescue environment which provides an essential sanctuary for horses,” said Kristin Brown, executive director of the Aiken Center for the Arts.
Home Lending Rates Falling Again
Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages fell to 5.14 percent for the week ended July 16, down from 5.20 percent a week before and 6.26 percent a year earlier, Freddie Mac reports.
Interest on fixed home loans has fallen in four of the past five weeks, and Freddie Mac economist Frank Nothaft says rate activity during that time has lowered the monthly payment on a $200,000 loan by $56.
Here’s a look at how other mortgage rates performed this week:
* 15-year fixed loans fell to 4.63 percent from 4.69 percent.
* One-year adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 4.76 percent from 4.82 percent.
* Five-year hybrid ARMs bumped up a notch to 4.83 percent from 4.82 percent.
Source: Grand Junction Free Press, Wyatt Haupt Jr. (07/17/09)
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Faulty Appraisals Harming Housing and the Economy
Twenty-six percent of builders are seeing signed sales contracts fall through the cracks because appraisals on their homes are coming in below the contract sales price, according to a nationwide survey conducted by NAHB.
“Home builders are increasingly concerned that inappropriate appraisal practices are needlessly driving down home values. This, in turn, is slowing new home sales, causing more workers to lose their jobs and putting a drag on the economic recovery,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson.
The survey showed that nearly 60% of the builders are reporting that inadequate appraisals are causing serious problems in the market, with the biggest problem being comparables of new single-family homes that are too often based on foreclosures and distressed sales.
“Lost home sales are killing jobs, deepening the housing slump and hurting local economic activity,” said Robson, who noted that construction of 100 single-family homes generates 324 local jobs, $21.1 million in local income and $2.2 million in taxes and other revenue for local governments in the first year.
Of those who are reporting appraisal problems, 54% said that the appraisal amount was actually less than the cost of building the home. Full Story.
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New committee designed to help horse enthusiasts in the community.
A group who will have the ear of policymakers has been formed by the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce.
The Equine Steering Committee was created to give horsemen, equine advocates and enthusiasts a voice, in addition to working toward improving and identifying needs within not only the equine community but also the community as a whole. The chairperson for the Equine Steering Committee is Sidelines magazine publisher Samantha Charles.
The equine steering committee is working toward building solidarity among the horsemen in Aiken, said Charles. The committee is scheduled to meet Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, 121 Richland Ave. E.
The current Equine Steering Committee is composed of 30 members, but it is Charles’ goal to quadruple the representation on the panel and to hear from all horsemen concerned about Aiken’s equine community.
The group was kept small during the initial phases so it could direct its energies and focus toward defining short-term and long-term goals and objectives, she said. Charles would also like to see more members of Aiken’s equine community become involved with the South Carolina Horse Council.
“We’d like to get more people involved and have more cross discipline representation,” said Charles, who said she would love to see more involvement from people who participate in Western disciplines, and the Walking Horse community.
Aiken has established itself as the state’s equine leader, and its powerful presence has been demonstrated in a number of recent surveys showing the impact not only on the area’s economy but also on how the industry benefits the community.
The Equine Steering Committee boasts four subcommittees, said Charles – the marketing subcommittee chaired by Mary Watts; the conservation/open space/integrated trail committee is co-chaired by Reed Edwards and Larry Byers; the government affairs committee chaired by Buzz Rich and the international horse park subcommittee, which is being co-chaired by Todd Stilp and Marlene Gorman.
For more information about Monday’s meeting or the Equine Steering Committee, call 257-7407.
By BEN BAUGH.
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Whom do I call regarding concerns about animals in City and County?
Our phones ring off the hook each day with a variety of questions.
As a 74-year-old animal welfare organization that is well-known by many residents of the CSRA, the Aiken SPCA is usually the first point of contact when an animal question arises.
People call to report their dog or cat missing or that one wandered in their yard or was found in a parking lot or on the side of the road.
There is a network of people who help get the word out to reunite pets.
We take the information and post it at the shelter, as does Aiken County Animal Control. We inform City of Aiken Animal Control, as well.
At the new website, http://aikenpetsreunited.org, information and photos are posted there, as well as on www.twitter.com.
Local veterinarians also usually have space in their offices to post lost pet reports.
Local vets and shelters can also scan these found pets for microchips, which, if they have one, will greatly speed up the reuniting process.
The other types of calls we frequently receive are reports by people who are concerned for the well being of an animal.
It may be a thin horse in a pasture, a dog left outside without shelter, a potential fighting ring or a potential hoarder, someone who may have vastly more animals than they can properly care for.
These issues need to be investigated by the animal control department that has jurisdiction in the area.
Pending Home Sales Record Fourth Straight Monthly Gain
Pending home sales show a sustained uptrend, rising for four consecutive months with very favorable housing affordability and a first-time buyer tax credit boosting activity, according to the latest survey. The Pending Home Sales Index increased 0.1 percent to 90.7 from an upwardly revised reading of 90.6 in April, and is 6.7 percent higher than May 2008 when it was 85.0. The last time there were four consecutive monthly gains was in October 2004. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, cautions that there could be delays in the number of contracts that go to closing. “Closed existing-home sales have improved but are coming in lower than expected because some contracts are delayed or falling through from the application of new appraisal rules for many transactions,” he said. “Rises in contract activity show buyers are becoming more active even as they face much more stringent loan underwriting standards. Speedy clarification of the appraisal rules could smooth a housing market recovery and support the overall economy.”
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NAHB Applauds GSE Adjustments of Appraisal Guidelines
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is pleased with one underwriting guideline adjustment made last week by government sponsored enterprise, Freddie Mac.
Freddie Mac’s Bulletin 2009-18 announced several changes to the GSE’s underwriting guidelines. The changes deal mainly with the documentation required for income and asset verification, make “condominium hotel” loans ineligible for purchase, and eliminated Form 70A, Energy Addendum as a required attachment to appraisals.
More notably, Freddie Mac made several “Best Practices” recommendations for selecting appraisers and reviewing their products. One of these contained the statement that Freddie does not require appraisers to use Real Estate Owned, foreclosures or short sales in selecting comparable sales but rather that appraisers must “certify that comparable sales chosen are those most similar to the subject property.” These should include distressed sales if they are representative, something many industry professionals have been requesting since the Home Valuation Code of Conduct was enacted on May 1, 2009.
In a press release on Monday, NAHB Chairman Joe Robson said that this was “a step in the right direction,” but that this modification needed to go further. He called for additional changes that would allow appraisers the option of expanding both the geographic area and the time frame for comps in cases where local and recent contracts are heavily skewed toward distressed sales. Full story...
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NAR Supports Incentives for Green Buildings
In testimony before a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® reiterated the significance of its green office building. NAR also reinforced its support for energy-efficiency tax credits, block grants, and weatherization assistance investment. NAR’s office building on Capitol Hill was the first newly constructed, green-certified building in the District of Columbia, [...]
Mortgage Fraud Continues to Increase
Mortgage fraud continues to increase as vulnerable homeowners seek answers to their housing issues, according to the 2008 Mortgage Fraud Report released Tuesday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Reported losses to fraud hit $1.4 billion, up 83 percent compared to 2007 and are likely to climb even higher in 2009, the FBI said.
The number of fraud reports was 63,713 in fiscal 2008, up from 46,717 the previous year.
“The downward trend in the housing market during 2008 provided a favorable climate for mortgage fraud schemes to proliferate,” the report said. “Several of these schemes have the potential to spread if the current economic downward trend, as expected, continues into 2009 and beyond.”
Source: The Associated Press (07/08/2009)
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Can the Industry Restore Consumer Confidence? Industry Leaders Weigh In
RISMEDIA, July 17, 2009-A few years back a Harris Poll survey found that Realtors were named among the “Top 12 Most Trusted Professionals in America.” How do American home buyers and sellers feel today? In this month’s NAR Power Broker Roundtable, industry leaders weigh in on what real estate professionals need to focus on now to restore consumer confidence and help turn the struggling markets around.
Moderator: Virginia Cook, Special Liaison for Large Firm Relations, NAR
Participants: Jon Coile, President, Champion Realty, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland;
Helen Sossa, President, Prudential Palms Realty, Sarasota, Florida; and Vince Leisey, President, Prudential Ambassador Real Estate, Omaha, Nebraska.
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Luring First-time Buyers – 5 Tips to Beat the Competition, Sell Your Home
RISMEDIA, June 19, 2009-(MCT)-A federal tax credit of up to $8,000 is nudging many Americans into buying a home for the first time, good news for those trying to sell one. Still, selling a home isn’t easy in most markets today. To get the typical first-time buyer to bite and submit an offer, a house [...]
Avoiding mortgage rip-offs
Consumer Mortgage Audit Center Reveals the 5 Most Common Mortgage Violations RISMEDIA, July 17, 2009-Ninety-eight percent of all mortgages are potentially eligible to be renegotiated due to Truth in Lending Act violations according to a review of thousands of mortgage documents undertaken by the Consumer Mortgage Audit Center (CMAC). The vast majority of the violations [...]
Putting the ‘short’ back in short sale
Tips on how to make process go smoother Lately, homebuyers are seeing more and more short-sale opportunities, but it seems as if fewer purchases are actually being completed. The perception in this case is correct. The short-sale process has become a nightmare: it goes on forever, sometimes never coming to a satisfactory conclusion even after [...]
Give kids a close-up truck experience
The City of Aiken Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism is gearing up for its seventh annual Touch-a-Truck Day.
City officials will begin setting up at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center this afternoon for the event, which will be held Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m.
Touch-a-Truck allows kids to climb, sit, play in and get hands-on with heavy machinery. The event will be held in the front parking lot of Odell Weeks at 1700 Whiskey Road.
This year’s event will include a bulldozer, bucket truck, case loader, dump truck, ambulance and fire truck, which will be in a roped-off area for children.
For this event, the City is teaming up with the Golden Harvest Food Bank and asking those who come to donate a canned good or $1 to help fight hunger locally.
In addition to the vehicles, several drawings will be held for door prizes. There is a special treat planned for kids near the end of the event. Members of Aiken Public Safety will spray the area with a fire hose.
Children are asked to bring along bathing suits and a towel.
RSC Equipment Rental is sponsoring the event.
For more information, call 642-7631.
Are Today’s Homes Undervalued?
An over-correction on prices will delay economic recovery.
After dropping for three years, home prices appear to be stabilizing. The median national home price today is about $169,000, down almost 14 percent from a year ago and an estimated 30 percent from its peak. It’s safe to say we’ve reached the point where prices are justified by the fundamentals of the economy and may even represent an undervaluation.
Foreclosures and short sales comprise about 50 percent of transactions today, creating market distortions in otherwise stable neighborhoods. In determining valuations, we’re capturing only transaction prices, and prices of those properties might be 20 percent below values of other homes.
For that reason, it’s possible that widely cited projections that a third or more of home owners are underwater might be off the mark. The consequences of these missed projections are significant. Lenders are shying away from refinancing mortgages of otherwise creditworthy households on the basis that their homes are underwater. By not making these loans, lenders are exacerbating the financial hardship faced by these households.
Yet there are encouraging signs on the horizon. The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, which Congress improved two months ago by eliminating the repayment requirement and increasing the benefit to $8,000, is working. That credit, coupled with all-time-high housing affordability and continuing low interest rates, is leading to solid inventory improvements in most markets. Yet when we look only at homes in high-cost areas requiring jumbo loans, the months’ supply is in the stratosphere: almost 45.
What’s clear is that the challenge today is getting credit moving again for everyone. Until then, markets will continue to be distorted by the disproportionate number of short-sale and foreclosed homes for sale.
Lawrence Yun is chief economist of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
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Helpers needed for storm season
It takes a number of people to ready this area in the event of a hurricane and coastal evacuation, and the local chapter of the American Red Cross needs more.
After more than one month into the hurricane season, there has not been any major activity along the coast, but a lot of volunteers need to be prepared to spring into action when Gov. Mark Sanford calls for either a voluntary or mandatory evacuation of coastal communities when disastrous weather threatens.
“We always need more volunteers,” said Joey Hutto, emergency services coordinator of the Aiken County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Volunteers open the shelters in Bamberg, South Aiken High School and North Augusta High School, make sure the facilities are adequate and coordinate food service, if necessary.
This year, there are 247 evacuation shelters across the state, which is nine more than a year ago. The shelters could house 156,000 people if all were used.
Hurricane season started June 1 and will run through Nov. 30.
The Red Cross will host a shelter operations training for interested volunteers at First Presbyterian Church on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call 641-4152.
Copies of the 2009 South Carolina Hurricane Guide can be downloaded at www.aikencounty.net.
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Ten New Tax Breaks for Homeowners.
Congress’ inclusion of home energy incentives in the $787 billion stimulus plan it passed in February has a steady stream of customers heading to Manhattan’s Green Depot, a nationwide chain that carries environmentally friendly and sustainable housewares such as LED light bulbs and cork flooring. Most popular? Solar products, says Brian Tereza, the store’s general [...]
Best And Worst Home Improvements.
Before you install that custom wine cellar or bamboo flooring, it’s wise to make sure such upgrades won’t leave you in the red long-term. Fancy features such as these might not seem so essential to a buyer with different tastes. Rather, in a market slump, sellers whose properties have the right add-ons get the highest [...]
Best Home Improvements To Make In A Recession
Installing energy-saving technologies is a great way to save money on homeowner costs. The days of undertaking quick-fix remodels to sell a home more quickly and for more money are long gone. Now, with loans hard to come by and home sales slow, remodeling is all about projects that save you money in the long [...]
Horses are big business for Aiken County economy
In 2008, the Aiken Chamber of Commerce commissioned a survey by the University of South Carolina Aiken School of Business to outline the Economic Profile of Aiken County and the Economic Impact of the Equine Industry. This study revealed that the equine industry’s economic impact in Aiken County tops $72 million annually and provides more than 1,800 jobs in Aiken County.
What this study shows is that horses go above and beyond simply being for hobby or pleasure riding. The reality is that horses are an industry – and a big one. In 2005, the American Horse Council housed in Washington, D.C., hired Deloitte Consulting, LLP to do an economic impact study that showed that the horse industry in the United States contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy and supports 1.4 million jobs on a full-time basis. When indirect and induced spending is included, the industry’s economic impact reaches $102 billion. The study also estimates the horse population in this country has reached 9.2 million.
Here in Aiken, we have quite a large market share of this valuable industry as horses have been an important part of Aiken’s charm for more than 135 years. Within the last six years, this horse friendly community has attracted equestrians from all over the country, from places where horse communities have been repeatedly squeezed out by over development and a lack of understanding of equine as a valuable industry. With the increased interest in the beautiful rural landscape and horse friendly country of Aiken, the economic impact of this historically revered industry has also taken off.
With this growth in mind, the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce created an Equine Steering Committee in 2009. Having seen too many towns in the country lose their valuable equine industry to overgrowth and the loss of open space, the Aiken Chamber wants to be proactive in protecting this industry in Aiken. The Chamber commissioned survey shows that the Equine Industry is our third largest industry group in Aiken. What is particularly interesting about this industry is that it is one that brings a huge income without the usual expensive infrastructure. Without attention to long range goals, this industry could be in jeopardy of being squeezed out of Aiken County – just as it has been in so many other areas where all these new horsemen have moved from. Full Story.
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Six Alley restaurants unite for SPCA
Restaurants in The Alley are joining forces this week to celebrate the dog days of summer with the first Alley Fest.
Organized by the owners of The Alley’s six restaurants, the event is a benefit for the Aiken SPCA and is a joint effort of Up Your Alley, Papa Russ’s BBQ, West Side Bowery, Davor’s Cafe, Aiken Brewing Company and Takosushi.
SPCA volunteers will man the entrances to The Alley from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday selling Alley Fest admission wristbands for $2, in different colors for minors and adults.
Adults with a wristband can carry open containers on the festival grounds from a Budweiser beer tent that will be set up in The Alley, courtesy of AB Beverage Company.
“This is going to be, we hope, the first of four or five events like this a year, each for a different charity,” said Russ Richardson, owner of Papa Russ’s BBQ. “We’re happy to be downtown and trying to create interest in being downtown. All the restaurants in The Alley like the SPCA – there’s something about this community and its animals – so it was a natural choice.”
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Concert tickets for Rose Hill series on sale in advance through Thursday
This summer Carolina beach music returns to town to help celebrate the warm weather.
The historic Rose Hill Estate plans to host its second summer concert series with the first show kicking off the series on Friday. Concerts will be held every other week through Sept. 4.
First on the lineup is one of the most popular bands in Carolina beach music and rhythm and blues – Chairmen of the Board. The band is well known for their hits “Give Me Just A Little More Time,” “Gone Fishin’” and “Carolina Girls.” The Chairmen of the Board, a Charlotte-based trio featuring General Norman Johnson, Danny Woods and Kenny Knox, also launched the Rose Hill Estate series last year.
Other bands on the lineup include Billy Scott & the Party Prophets. They will take the stage on July 31 with Billy Scott, who first started his entertainment career in 1965 while stationed at Fort Gordon with the group Georgia Prophets. The group’s songs “California” and “I Got the Fever” have seen great success on the national charts.
The Fantastic Shakers will return to the Rose Hill stage on Aug. 14. The group, fronted by Bo Schronce, have a long catalog of chart and radio hits, including the beach music standard “Myrtle Beach Days.” Other chart toppers include “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing,” “Shakin’ the Shack” and the often-requested ballad, “Where Do I Go.”
The series concludes on Sept. 4 with the Charleston-based band The East Coast Party Band. The group features six lead vocalists, a full horn section and a dynamic stage show.
Series tickets for the Rose Hill Summer Concert Series are $100 each, which includes admission to all five concerts. Advance tickets are on sale now through Thursday only. Individual, day-of-show tickets for each concert will be priced at $27.
For more information on the Rose Hill Summer Concert series or to reserve season tickets, call 648-1181.
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Unique art on display at the Aiken Center
The eyes of more than 25 children peer from behind their glass frames, pleading for a place to call home.
During the month of July, the Aiken Center for the Arts is home to the South Carolina Heart Gallery. All of the beautiful faces portrayed in the exhibit are awaiting adoption in the state of South Carolina.
The Heart Gallery is a national program utilizing the power of photography to help find adoptive homes for children lingering in foster care. The concept for the Heart Gallery was born in New Mexico and spread nationally. South Carolina joined the program in 2005 and has seen an overwhelming success rate.
The South Carolina Heart Gallery sets up exhibits across the state to spread awareness and help find permanent loving placements for the children.
“It is very touching, some of it is so sad, but the good part is we find this works well everywhere. More than a thousand children have been placed nationally as a result of the program,” said Millie Qualls, program coordinator of the South Carolina Heart Gallery from the Office of the Governor. “It is a photography exhibit where we ask local photographers to donate their services. The children are referred by the Department of Social Services.”
To learn more about the Heart Gallery visit www.scheartgallery.org.
Want to Go?
What? Heart Gallery Reception
When? July 16 from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Where? Aiken Center for the Arts
Cost: Free
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Volunteers needed for Women Build house
Aiken County Habitat for Humanity is asking women to roll back their sleeves and help build a house.
The nonprofit agency is very close to breaking ground on its fourth Women Build house, and volunteers are still needed to hammer, saw and paint at the site in Warrenville, which will be the future home of Sarita Hicks and her family.
If you have never wielded a hammer or screwdriver before, you are still welcome to join in.
“Supervisors will be there to assist in the learning process,” said Linda Purdy with Habitat for Humanity.
Women Build means that the volunteer construction crew is made up almost entirely of women.
A meeting for anyone interested in volunteering for this Women Build project will be held at South Aiken Presbyterian Church, 1711 Whiskey Road, on Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. Veteran Women Build volunteers will be on hand to describe past Women Build projects and will explain how to get involved.
To get a jump start, visit www.habitataiken.org and click on the VolunteerUP button to register and sign up for the build dates you want to volunteer.
A very limited crew of women volunteers will be needed on Friday and Saturday to build the storage shed and again on July 31 and Aug. 1 to help build the floor system.
A full crew of volunteers will be needed starting Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 when the house walls will be erected.
The official ground-breaking will be July 22 at 10 a.m. at 294 St. John’s Place, Warrenville.
Volunteers work Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Lunch will be served.
If you have a hammer, tool belt, gloves, safety glasses and other construction materials, bring them with you to the job site. Do not wear open-toed shoes or sandals.
If you would like to help with lunches, contact Judy Sennett at 644-8814 or Louise Plodinec at 644-5822.
For more information, call Eric Lenser at 642-9295, ext. 108.
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Rethinking the Open House
RISMEDIA, July 14, 2009-It’s a familiar weekend scene in American neighborhoods, the ubiquitous Open House; three signs, a flag and one seriously bored agent watching Rachel Ray reruns in the family room. It is apparent from the Open Houses I have visited that many agents don’t know why they are there. Many are newer to [...]
Faulty Appraisals Harming Housing and the Economy
Twenty-six percent of builders are seeing signed sales contracts fall through the cracks because appraisals on their homes are coming in below the contract sales price, according to a nationwide survey conducted by NAHB. “Home builders are increasingly concerned that inappropriate appraisal practices are needlessly driving down home values. This, in turn, is slowing new [...]
Market Pulse;Existing-Home Sales for April
Existing-Home Sales for April
4.68 million
This is a seasonally adjusted annual rate, which is the actual rate of sales for the month, multiplied by 12 and adjusted for seasonal sales differences.
Pending Home Sales Index for April
90.3
This Index measures housing contract activity. An index of 100 is equal to the level of activity during 2001, the benchmark year.
Source: NAR Research
Signs of a Sales Upturn
The pace of existing-home sales showed an encouraging gain of 2.9 percent in April to 4.68 million units, suggesting renewed interest among buyers as interest rates remain low and affordability high. In an even more encouraging sign, NAR’s forward-looking Pending Home Sales Index is up for the third month in a row—and the increase is significant. The index rose 6.7 percent to a level of 90.3.
*Numbers are adjusted from figures published in the June 2009 issue.
Confidence Holds Steady
Practitioners’ expectations for sales activity is largely holding steady, according to NAR’s most recent survey of REALTOR® confidence. Practitioners are a bit gloomier about buyer traffic than seller traffic, but overall changes from the prior month are slight.
Results are based on 2,625 responses to 6,000 surveys sent to large and small real estate offices. The survey asks practitioners to indicate whether conditions are strong (100 points), moderate (50), or weak (0). Responses are averaged to derive results.
Lawrence Yun is chief economist of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
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Hawks and owls will be present at raptor seminar.
Guest speakers Larry and Carol Eldridge will bring some fine-feathered friends to the July installment of Birds & Butterflies’ 2009 Nature Series.
The Eldridges will speak on “Raptors of South Carolina” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the nature shop, located on Laurens Street. The Jackson couple does wildlife rehabilitation with the Carolina Raptor Centers in Charleston and Charlotte, N.C., and will be bringing birds from the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, according to shop owner Ron Brenneman.
“Carol is actually a biologist, though she’s not working in that field now, and Larry works at the Savannah River National Laboratory in environmental safety and waste management,” Brenneman said. “They do raptor rehabilitation and a lot of education programs. We must be close to 10 years doing this seminar with them, and it’s very popular – we’re always at capacity. There is still space available on the advance sign-up sheet, though. This one is popular with people with children, too, because kids really enjoy seeing the live hawks and owls.”
The seminar is free, but advance sign-ups are required as space is limited. Refreshments and chances at door prizes are included on seminar nights, and seminar attendees get a discount on store merchandise purchased on lecture nights.
“I think it’s a good chance to get to see a live hawk and owl up close,” Brenneman said. “That’s something a lot of people never get to see.”
For more information or to reserve a seat at the seminar, call Birds & Butterflies at 649-7999.
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Balloon creations displayed, for sale at Center
Balloon magic has taken over the main gallery at the Aiken Center for the Arts (ACA).
The Balloon Lady, Sandi Brandner, and her husband Tom have transformed the ACA into a colorful playground filled with imagination and creativity.
To inflate and twist for the exhibit, the Brandners engaged the help of their four granddaughters, Brittany and Chelsea Anders and Julianna and Marianna Bochnak.
In just three days and with more than 1,000 balloons, the exhibit came to life featuring an aquatic section, cartoon characters and a bride and flower girl.
The Brandners have been making balloon creations for more than 30 years.
At the start of their balloon endeavors, resources were limited.
However, as the years have passed, the supplies have changed and their knowledge has expanded.
Today, various shapes, sizes, colors and preprinted balloons are available from a variety of sources. Houses, life-size people and a range of creations can be made with balloons.
“We learned from a magician more than 30 years ago. At that time, the only way to learn was directly from someone,” Sandi Brandner said.
“We now have a variety of balloons to work with and different pumps; you used to have to blow them up by mouth,” Tom Brandner said.
Want to Go?
What? Balloon Fun Exhibition
When? July 9-31
Where? Aiken Center for the Arts galleries
Cost: Free
Information: 641-9094
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Hopelands Welcomes Mellow-D featuring Pam Bowman
The Hopelands Summer Concert Series will continue this Monday, July 13 with a performance from Mellow-D featuring Pam Bowman. The performance will take place on the Roland H. Windham Performing Arts Stage at Hopelands and will begin at 7 p.m., lasting approximately an hour. This performance is presented by The Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch.
Mellow-D is a group of well versed, talented, and top musicians that have formed an alliance to offer quality entertainment to clients. Their musical backgrounds expand four continents, all of the major hubs from Vegas to New York with a musical library of whose who. All are prolific professionals in their own right on their instruments, whether as a soloist in concert or as an accompanist with the ensemble. Mellow-D plays jazz for dinners, wedding parties, country clubs, concerts (opening acts), cruise ships and can top off the night with dance music from the electric slide to a shag shuffle. You like the blues or a sweet bossa nova Mellow-D is your band. A clean cut, sharp dressed, band that has learned how to entertain an audience. If special music is needed, fret not; with a group of three well seasoned arrangers who can put out the chart and music just the way you want it. Mellow-D is a fun band for your entertainment purposes.
GROUP MEMBERS:
Pam Bowman – Vocals
Not Gaddy – Drums, Percussion, African drums
Chris Mangelly – Piano, Keyboard, Arranger
Sonny Pickett – Upright/Electric Bass, Arranger
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Get your dogs clean for a good cause.
Dirty dogs of Aiken are being called to freshen up.
The second Aiken SPCA Dog Wash of the summer will be held on Saturday at Cold Creek Nursery from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The dog washes are an annual fundraiser held by the Aiken SPCA and provide vital resources for the animal shelter.
“All of the money raised goes directly for the operating costs of the SPCA,” said Linda Strojan, secretary of the Board of Trustees for the Aiken SPCA. “The shelter depends on it. I am excited for Saturday and hope we have a good turnout for it. The July dog wash is one where all the dogs are dirty, hot and in need of a bath, so we hope they will all come.”
Pampering stations will be set up in the parking lot at Cold Creek Nursery. Different grooming options are available for the dogs. The works includes a wash, nail trimming and ear cleaning. The cost of the works package is $30 for dogs more than 100 pounds, $25 for dogs between 30 and 100 pounds and $20 for dogs under 30 pounds.
Other spa day options include a sudsy bath for $13, $7 for a nail trim only and $5 for an ear clean only.
“We usually raise about $2,000 at each event, and it is a really good opportunity for us to see animals – Aiken SPCA alumni – adopted from us,” said Gary Willoughby, executive director at Aiken SPCA. “The same core group of volunteers participate and it is really a social event with a lot of the same people and dogs returning.
“We get to know many of the dogs by name. It is also a good time for flea prevention,” he said. “The dogs go away healthier and happier then when they came. It is just a really fun atmosphere.”
Upcoming Aiken SPCA Dog Washes are scheduled for this Saturday and Aug. 15 and Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Cold Creek Nurseries located at 98 Hitchcock Parkway.
Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.
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Mortgage Applications Up Despite Holiday
Demand for mortgages returned last week after two consecutive down weeks, pushing the index up 10.9 percent to 493.1 from 444.8 the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis that reflected the July 4 holiday.
On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 0.5 percent compared with the previous week, but rose 7.2 percent compared with the same week a year ago.
The refinance index increased 15.2 percent, while the purchase index rose 6.7 percent.
Mortgage rates were mostly unchanged from the previous week. 30-year fixed-rate mortgages were flat compared to the previous week at 5.34 percent;15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 4.83 percent from 4.81 percent; and 1-year ARMs increased to 6.58 percent from 6.52 percent.
Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (07/08/2009)
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Don’t be surprised – there are rules for adoption, too
Most of us aren’t too crazy about a lot of rules. We have rules as kids as to when we have to go to bed, what we can eat, what clothes we can wear and at school it’s even worse. We even have to get permission to use the restroom; a hall pass is like gold for a school kid.
There are rules for when we can buy a car, even rules to follow at our jobs, in our marriages and in almost all other aspects in our lives. Now you want to adopt a dog or cat from the Aiken SPCA, and you find out there are rules there, too.
Believe it or not, some folks are surprised when they show up to adopt that there are rules the SPCA needs to enforce before pet adoption. The Board of Directors has developed a set of rules for the protection of the animals. Unfortunately, experience has proved that some people do not tell the truth about why they want to adopt and about their living conditions.
There are mean, unscrupulous people who only want an animal so that they can use it for pit bull fighting bait or other abusive treatment. There are also many people who have no clue what responsible ownership means and continuously lose dogs, then just go get another one to replace it. There are other people who are “collectors” and have too many animals, for which they cannot provide. There is a long list of reasons why potential adopters must be screened. Full story.
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