Archive for August, 2009
What Every Real Estate Agent Owes You.
Who does the Real Estate Agent work for? You say you? Maybe not! Traditionally, the Real Estate Agent worked for the ‘seller’ even though they may spend all their time with you finding you the right home. Fortunately, the situation has changed. You have a choice. Be sure to make it! Do you want more [...]
Rent to buy or lease purchase
Although all these home are for sale and for short term rent, the seller will also consider Lease purchase. Each case will differ, so call the agent today for more details!
Men, Women Vary on Home Shopping
When it comes to buying a home, women are in a bigger hurry, according to a national survey for Coldwell Banker Real Estate that delved into the homebuying psyche.
Coldwell Banker wanted to understand the difference between men and women in the homebuying process so it could help its practitioners do a better job of guiding first-time homebuyers who must make up their minds before the tax credit expires on Dec. 1.
Here are some key findings:
* When asked how long it took before they knew their home was “right” for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their minds the day they walked into the house vs. 62 percent of men. On the other hand, significantly more men needed two or more visits (32 percent of men vs. 23 percent of women).
* 55 percent of women find it more important to be closer to their extended family than to their job, compared to only 37 percent of men.
* 64 percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested. More than half of men agreed (51 percent).
* When the respondents were asked how they would use an extra 12×12 room if it could be anything they wanted, men and women agreed on the top three responses: Bedroom, office/study, and family room/den.
* 8 percent—nearly all of which were men—said they would use the extra space for recreation/entertainment.
* 70 percent of couples said the responsibility for making major financial decisions–such as homebuying–are shared equally.
Source: Coldwell Banker Real Estate (08/17/2009)
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Study: Americans Still Want to Be Home Owners
Despite all of the bad news in the media about homeownership and mortgages, most Americans still believe buying a home is a great investment, according to a new study commissioned by Bankrate.com.
Among the findings from the study:
* 92 percent say that a home is a good investment for the future.
* 48 percent worry about losing or being unable to afford their homes.
“These results provide an interesting illustration of the public’s mindset in a difficult economy,” says Julie Bandy, editor in chief at Bankrate. “While nine out of 10 still believe in the American dream of homeownership, nearly half worry about losing their homes.”
Source: Bankrate.com (08/18/2009)
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Habitat raises the walls on a new home.
Sharon Jackson and her three children got the chance to watch their dream become a reality at a Habitat for Humanity wall-raising ceremony Saturday.
Jackson and her daughters Lameisha and Katrina and her son Randall gathered with representatives of the Aiken chapter of Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans on Saturday at the work site on St. John’s Place. Together with the day’s work crew, they raised the last wall’s framing and held it into place while the crew secured it with hammer and nails.
“I found out about Habitat for Humanity through the newspaper. Every time I’d read about a Habitat house I’d think about it, and I’ve got two friends who got Habitat houses,” said Jackson. “Christina Lewis at Security Federal Bank really encouraged me to go through with it, so I filled out an application. I really thought I wouldn’t get approved.” Full story..
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New Aiken SPCA uses innovative designs for shelter
By BARBARA NELSON
Aiken SPCA president
Do you want to adopt a shelter animal but find yourself unable to make the trip to the facility because you feel bad seeing them confined behind chain linked fenced kennels surrounded by gray concrete walls that echo with the sounds of barking dogs?
Have you ever wondered if there is a better way? Well, there is, and the new Aiken SPCA to be built on Willow Run Road will be it.
Innovative shelter architects and building product manufacturers are teaming up with shelter professionals to design and construct cageless facilities aimed at improving the physical health and behavior skills to the homeless animals that are up for adoption. Really good facilities, like the new SPCA will be, are also educational and offer job opportunity.
The building is animal centric, meaning that the pets have views to the outside world, while staff and support are in the interior. Adoption floor dogs and puppies will live in suites with doors, window light and piped in classical music, comforted by beds, special toys for mental stimulation, frequent exercise and human socialization. Dogs will go out for daily exercise, agility and training to prevent the development of depression and behavioral problems.
Adoption floor sociable cats will live in colonies of 10 to 12 individuals in large rooms with lounging areas along walls, ceiling and floors. They will be able to walk through a cat door to the outside porches that face visitors arriving at the front doors. People will enter the colonies and interact with cats so they can have a chance to observe behavior. Cats that prefer only a companion or two share space in glass-walled mini colonies with plenty of interactive toys. Kittens have separate space across the lobby hall in their own spacious mini-colonies.
The new center is designed with state-of-the-art ventilation systems that pull in 100 percent fresh outside air that is exchanged 12 to 15 times per hour, virtually eliminating disease transmission and odors. This reduces medical costs for treating sickness, reduces euthanasia rates and vastly improves the health and well being of people working and visiting the facility.
In dog adoption, pets are paired up in 8′ x 8′ glassed suites with beds raised off the floor and are walked three times a day by trained volunteers who teach all sorts of good skills. In a short period of time, the animals are housetrained and may even know some basic obedience commands, which increases their chances of adoption and decreases the chances they will be returned.
The new building has room for volunteer training, lockers and cleaning up. All of this makes for happy people who want to spend more time at the shelter or dog park and who feel good about spreading the word about the fun and good work they are doing. An animal shelter doesn’t have to be a sad place to go; instead it can be the highlight of the day and a place for the community to meet, take classes and visit with others as well as the animals.
New shelters designed and built like the future Aiken SPCA become community destinations and learning centers that offer pet therapy training, obedience classes, job training and science education for school age children interested in the life sciences.
In fact, the Regional Spay and Neuter Clinic has purposely been designed to encourage visitors to observe preparation and surgery through glass windows, making education one of the important elements and functions of this new facility.
Want to learn how you can help with this project?
Call the shelter at 648-6864 and ask to speak with Executive Director Gary Willoughby.
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Why Rent When Buying is Cheaper?
The foreclosure crisis has knocked down prices so much in some parts of the country that it’s cheaper or only slightly more expensive to own than it is to rent.
BusinessWeek, with help from research firm Reis, calculated ownership costs assuming a fixed-rate, 30-year mortgage for 100 percent of the purchase price with no down payment. The magazine said that had they factored in a 20 percent down payment – what most people must make these days – owning would have been cheaper than renting in most metros.
“It’s a great time to buy,” says Mollie Carmichael, senior vice-president of John Burns Real Estate Consulting in Irvine, Calif. “If you can own a home for less than the cost to rent, then it’s a logical financial proposition.” Full Story..
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World bike polo champion has strong tie to bike polo in Aiken.
What exactly is bike polo? Still under the ESPN radar, bike polo developed as an affordable, more accessible alternative to the costly game of polo. It combines the elements of low impact cycling, the hand-eye coordination necessary in racket sports and the camaraderie found in team sports. Matheson considers it “exercise without realizing it and much more entertaining than riding a stationary bike.”
Anyone can play the game. All that is needed is a bike, a helmet, a bike polo mallet and ball, a field and seven other people who want to play. The game itself consists of a 30 minute match with four 7.5 minute quarters or “chukkers.” The objective is simple – to score as many goals as possible between the opponent’s goal posts. With no goalies, the game moves at a fast pace.
The Bike Polo League in Aiken practices most days around 7 p.m. at Powderhouse Polo Field. To learn more about the league, e-mail bikepolo@bellsouth.net.
Though at first the game may be challenging with the new skills needed to play combined with the balance required to stay on the bike, the game can become a lifetime hobby, as it has has for Matheson.
Full Story.
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Become a Master Gardener with fall class
Are you interested in becoming a Master Gardener? If so, you’re in luck; the Clemson Extension Service will offer a Master Gardener program at its Aiken office this fall.
The class will run for 14 weeks starting Sept. 1 and will meet every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Participants do not need any previous experience, but an interest in gardening is required. Those who enroll will learn a variety of skills, including plant nutrition, basic plant pathology, vegetable gardening and tree and small fruit culture.
After becoming a Master Gardener, class participants can volunteer by answering horticultural questions on the office’s extension, speaking to gardening and civic clubs and assisting the community with gardening projects.
Master Gardeners also volunteer at Meet a Master Gardener at the Aiken Farmers Market to answer questions and volunteer for the Rent a Master Gardener Program in which Master Gardeners visit people’s houses to give advice and answer questions.
The deadline to sign up for the class is Friday. For more information, call 649-6911, ext. 114, or stop by the Clemson Extension Service Office at 1555 Richland Ave. E.
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Life in Aiken, SC
Visit Aiken, South Carolina, where Main Street is a bridle path and people are in love with horses.
Article in Southern Living. Full story here…
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Local leaders review the State of Our Community;Aiken.
As they addressed the “State of Our Community” at the annual Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday, four speakers sounded a common theme in describing the City of Aiken, Aiken County, the Aiken County School District and the business community – a reason for optimism despite a challenging economy.
The speakers included Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh, County Council Chairman Ronnie Young, school Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt and Chamber board Chairman Joe Lewis of the Savannah River Banking Company. About 400 people attended the event.
State of Business
State of Education
State of County
City of Aiken, The full story..
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Local leaders review the State of Our Community;Aiken.
As they addressed the “State of Our Community” at the annual Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday, four speakers sounded a common theme in describing the City of Aiken, Aiken County, the Aiken County School District and the business community – a reason for optimism despite a challenging economy. The speakers included Aiken Mayor [...]
Soccer Cup prep continues.
More than 130 youth soccer teams will participate in the 14th annual Aiken Soccer Cup.
The two-day event will begin Saturday and continue through Sunday. The tournament, being hosted by the Georgia-South Carolina Bulls, draws thousands to Aiken each year.
The GA-SC Bulls began in 2008 with the merging of the Columbia County Patriots, the North Augusta Soccer Club and Aiken Soccer Club. The club is a part of the Honolulu Bulls Soccer Club organization.
This year the games will be played at Powderhouse Fields, Winthrop Fields and Whitney Polo Fields.
According to Kim Bryan, the vice president of Aiken Soccer Cup, holding the tournament at the polo fields is a big draw for the event. “You really get a nice feel for the tournament,” she said. “The fields are in great shape.”
Since the fields offer a large amount of open space, Bryan said many games are able to be played all at once. Full story..
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Attend screening of new Civil War film at art center.
From the director and creators of the “Battle of Aiken” comes a new film to premier in Aiken.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, at 2 p.m., the Aiken Center for the Arts (ACA) will screen the latest Civil War film from Christopher Forbes called “Perfect Disguise.” The 103-minute film will be shown in the Brown Pavilion.
“‘Perfect Disguise’ is a feature-length motion picture that takes place in the South during the Civil War. The story concerns a young woman who joins the Confederate cavalry disguised as a boy to avoid marriage to a terrible man,” Forbes said.
“Perfect Disguise” is based on the novel of the same name by Lydia Hawke. Nearly a third of the film was shot in Aiken County.
Forbes and nearly the entire cast will be on hand for this screening, including lead actors Heather Clark of Augusta, Dave Long and Tripp Courtney, both Aiken County residents. Most of the actors will be dressed in period costumes.
At the conclusion of the film there will be a question and answer session. “Perfect Disguise” posters, DVDs and memorabilia will be available for purchase at the screening.
“Perfect Disguise” is a PG-13 level motion picture. It does contain mild language and some realistic depictions of wartime violence.
General admission is $8 and $2 for children and those with military ID. Tickets are available now at the Aiken Center for the Arts. Tickets will also be available the day of the show. For more information, call 641-9094.
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Investors Eye Florida
“Florida is overdeveloped, over speculated, and overleveraged,” says Greg Rand, managing partner at Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty.
Florida is also a great buying opportunity, he insists.
With 78 million baby boomers expected to retire in the next two decades, the Sunshine State’s prospects are good, Rand says.
The smart money is coming back to Florida, agrees Harvey E. Green, president and CEO of commercial real estate brokerage Marcus & Millichap. Green has been investing in real estate for more than 40 years.
Ruth Trettis, a broker at Premier Properties in Naples, Fla., says she has sold nine homes in Port Royal, the city’s most affluent area, to one buyer. That buyer, who purchased the properties at deep discount, hasn’t done anything with them, even though the costs of just holding them are high. The buyer, Trettis says, bought the properties because he has a strong belief in real estate as a long-term investment.
The key is patience, says Green. “Real estate was never a short-term investment.”
Source: The New York Times, Paul Sullivan (08/07/2009)
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Mortgage Brokers Try to Change Appraisal Rules
The National Association of Mortgage Brokers spent nearly $1.1 million in the second quarter to persuade legislators that the new rules for home appraisals discourage sales and push down prices.
The new rules, which took effect May 1, prevent mortgage brokers from ordering appraisals. Only a mortgage lender can order an appraisal, and they must do it in a hands-off way.
The association lobbied Congress, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a filing with the House clerk’s office. In all, the mortgage brokers have spent $1.5 million lobbying in 2009.
Source: The Associated Press (08/17/2009)
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Strong Gain in Existing-Home Sales
For the first time in five years, existing-home sales have increased for four months in a row, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – rose 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.24 million units in July from a level of 4.89 million [...]
The Best Places for Animal Lovers to Live
Nearly 40 percent of American families own at least one dog, a pet that demands some green space. Cat, rabbit, bird and other kinds of pet owners aren’t so concerned about space and weather, but they are affected by local and state regulations that limit where pets are permitted and what kinds of vaccines they need.
U.S. News & World Reporttook all these issues into account when it created its list of best places for pet lovers to live. It also considered the number of dog parks, proximity of large academic veterinary centers and legal tolerance for pets in public spaces like beaches, outdoor restaurants, and public parks.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Shorting Bank of America
We all know a short sale is when a homeowner and the bank that holds their note agree to sell for a price that’s less than the amount of that note. It’s sort of a win win, in that the seller walks away without having to fund the deficiency, and the bank doesn’t have to worry about taking back another property via foreclosure.
Short sales are, in short, all the rage. Along with other distressed sales, including straight up foreclosure auctions, and REO sales, short sales are painfully common these days. I too find that they’re all the rage, but for me the rage is more like the way they make me feel and the frustration that boils into a mild form of pencil throwing rage. The problem is that banks treat short sale requests as if they’re doing the buyer a favor, and I think it’s the other way around.
Last August, while searching for a run down home to buy in hopes of making some money off a future sale, I stumbled upon a forlorn home outside of Fontana. It was a sad little home. Hiding behind Williams Bay style weeds. This humble shack had been abandoned, and it was a perfect remodel candidate for the less puffy lipped Lake Geneva Jeff Lewis.
I remembered that the home had been on the market a few years earlier, so I contacted the previous listing agent only to discover that my little weed adorned pig was heading to foreclosure. In an attempt to stall the foreclosure, I wrote an offer and had it quickly accepted by the seller, pending short sale approval by the lender.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Felines compete for title of top cat at 28th annual Masters Cat Show.
NORTH AUGUSTA — The feline competition was fierce as entrants faced off Saturday at the 28th Annual Masters Cat Show.
The cats and their owners took over the Riverview Park Activities Center gymnasium for the one-day show, which is sanctioned by the Cat Fanciers’ Association Inc. The show was sponsored by the Masters Cat Club, a member of the CFA, and championship and premiership entries and registered kittens were scored for regional and national CFA awards.
“We’ve been doing cat shows since 1983,” said Masters Cat Club member Shirley Storey. “We have 191 entrants this year, in kittens, championship and premiership categories; the premiership category is for cats who’ve been spayed and neutered. We’re very grateful to the Activities Center for letting us have the cat show here; it’s hard to find a good show hall, and this one has worked out very well for us.”
Judges for this year’s show were Bob Goltzer of Titusville, Fla., Douglas Myers of Leesburg, Va., Rhett Bockman of Jacksonville, Fla., Jan Rogers of Stephenville, Texas, Carla Bizzell of Pensacola, Fla., Kathy Calhoun of Chicago and Teresa Keiger of Greensboro, N.C.
“These one-day shows move very fast,” said Bizzell. “So far the quality has been really lovely, and this is a fantastic little show venue. I do about 30 shows a year, and this is a really nice-quality show. It’s got a good count and great Southern hospitality, which is my favorite thing.” Full story..
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Single-Family Home Construction Rises
Construction of single-family homes rose 1 percent in July, the fifth month of continuous increases and a 37 percent rise compared to last winter when housing construction hit bottom, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Tuesday.
Construction of apartment buildings fell 13 percent in July, which pushed the combined level of construction starts down 1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 581,000 units. This number surprised some knowledgeable observers who had predicted an overall increase.
Applications for building permits also declined in July, down 2 percent from June to an annual rate of 560,000 units.
Most economists ignored the bad news. “It’s the general trend that matters and with housing, the direction is up,” wrote Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors.
Source: The Associated Press, Alan Zibel (08/18/2009)
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Why Rent When Buying is Cheaper?
The foreclosure crisis has knocked down prices so much in some parts of the country that it’s cheaper or only slightly more expensive to own than it is to rent. BusinessWeek, with help from research firm Reis, calculated ownership costs assuming a fixed-rate, 30-year mortgage for 100 percent of the purchase price with no down [...]
The Best Places for Animal Lovers to Live
Nearly 40 percent of American families own at least one dog, a pet that demands some green space. Cat, rabbit, bird and other kinds of pet owners aren’t so concerned about space and weather, but they are affected by local and state regulations that limit where pets are permitted and what kinds of vaccines they [...]
Commercial real estate gets worse
The commercial real estate downturn is deepening, threatening to slow the economic recovery.
To try to contain the damage, the Federal Reserve said Monday that it will extend into 2010 a program to help investors buy commercial property loans. But some say that will have limited impact.
“We seem to be nearing the end of the recession but the situation in the commercial real estate market is getting worse,” says Patrick Newport, an analyst at IHS Global Insight.
About $83 billion of office, retail, industrial and apartment properties have fallen into default, foreclosure or bankruptcy this year, says research firm Real Capital Analytics. The default rate for commercial mortgages jumped from 1.62% to 2.25% in the first quarter and should hit 4.1% by the end of the year, says Sam Chandan, president of Real Estate Econometrics. The carnage will likely cut half a percentage point off economic growth this year and in 2010, Newport says.
Fueled by easy credit, developers built too many shopping malls and office buildings from 2004 to 2007. As the economy soured, vacancy rates rose. Property values are down about 40% from their 2007 peak, Deutsch Bank says, and loans for commercial properties have come to a virtual standstill.
By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY
Full story…
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Mortgage Applications Rise on Falling Rates
Mortgage applications bounced back last week with the Mortgage Bankers Association market index rising 5.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to the previous week.
On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 4.8 percent and was up 25 percent compared with the same week a year ago.
The recent seesaw of mortgage rates has affected refinances more than purchases. The refinance index rose 6.9 percent last week after falling 7.2 percent the previous week, reflecting declining mortgage rates. The purchase index, which has trended upward gradually, rose 3.9 percent.
Here are the average performances of mortgage rates this week:
* 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.15 percent from 5.38 percent.
* 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 4.52 percent from 4.71 percent.
* 1-year ARMs decreased to 6.66 percent from 6.71 percent.
Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (08/19/2009)
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Hopelands Welcomes the Big Band Features.
The Hopelands Summer Concert Series will continue this Monday, August 24 with a performance from the Big Band Features. 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 Cumberland Village.
Col. Bill Clark and Mr. Bill Foss have put together a stellar group of performers which has been labeled “The Southern Nights and Friends”. This ensemble will present a one-time salute to the “Big Band” era. The players are drawn from throughout the CSRA and include the Southern Night dance band with ten additional musicians resulting in a truly big band of 21 instrumentalists and vocalists.
The music for this program will feature some of the best known songs from over 14 “Big Bands”, including Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, “Duke” Ellington, “Count” Basie, Stan Kenton, and Woodie Herman.
All concerts will begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted and will be held at Hopelands on the Windham Performing Arts Stage. The concert series is intended to bring the performing arts to Aiken and the surrounding area for fans of all ages. Admission to the series is free.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Vet care is not optional.
Thousands and thousands of us own pets in this area. The vast majority understand that the responsibility of pet ownership doesn’t stop with a bowl of food and water. Pets can be expensive and that fact must be considered before taking on the responsibility.
This fact is something we try to review with any potential adopter when they want to add a new cat or dog to their family household. It’s also important to remember this if you find a dog or cat in the woods, on the side of the road or if you answer a “free to good home” ad in the paper.
About 10 times a day, every single day we are open, we receive a call from a pet owner who hasn’t thought these facts through. Some are wanting free or low-cost vaccinations because they have a pet and tell us “I don’t have any money to go to a vet.” Other, more troubling calls are the ones from people with a sick or injured pet. They often want free medical care for this animal because they also “have no money.”
As you might imagine; these calls are very frustrating to our staff members. The people answering the phones are certainly not wealthy people themselves, but they love their pets and know that as soon as they take a pet into their home, they are committing part of their personal budget to provide care, shelter and food for the animal they adopted. Full Story..
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Waiting is hardest part.
Since the beginning of 2008, well more than 1,000 animals have been adopted from the Aiken SPCA.
Dogs and cats joined their new families. We’ve seen pot-bellied pigs be born onsite, each finding loving new homes. Countless birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, a Nile monitor lizard and even a chinchilla attracted someone’s attention and were adopted from us.
During that time period, a few animals never quite drew anyone’s attention and have spent this time at the shelter. The great part of working for a group that keeps all adoptable pets until they are adopted, without time limits, is that you really get the opportunity to know them, to work with the shy ones, heal the heartworm-positive ones and socialize the ones who are scared and don’t show well in a shelter.
The downside is that occasionally a great dog or cat will spend too much of its life waiting each and every day, hoping today will be their lucky day. The competition is intense, as the SPCA is always receiving cute kittens and puppies in the shelter. Even adult dogs, if they are really small, will barely stay long enough for us to give them a medical check and a name.
Big Boy is a victim of what I like to call the “last of his litter” syndrome. He’s a hound mix who has been at the shelter for the vast majority of his life. He and his brothers were city strays who were never claimed. As you can imagine, they were cute hound puppies, and the others were quickly adopted. Big Boy just never drew anyone’s attention and soon grew into a big, goofy dog with floppy ears. He’s spent more than a year at the shelter, sometimes going to an off-site adoption event to show him off and being seen six days a week by potential volunteers, without capturing anyone’s heart enough to take him home. Full Story..
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Receivers Take on Foreclosure Hassles
Some banks tired of the headaches involved with foreclosures are turning properties over to receivers, which for steep fees keep the banks’ names off the properties, pay all the costs and taxes, and handle the maintenance.
It’s hard to track down exactly how frequently this is happening, but membership in the California Receivers Forum, a trade group, has gone from 300 in 2007 to 550 today.
Beyond not having to deal with the minutia of property management, the advantage for the banks is avoiding local and state governments that increasingly are fining owners and managers of properties for code violations. In some areas, the fees are a punishing $1,000 per day.
Also, in the case of a newly developed property, avoiding taking title on a property allows banks to avoid liability for construction defects and injuries on unsecured construction sites.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, David A. Graham (07/29/2009)
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Flow with arts center in ‘Cruise’ festivities.
The Aiken Center for the Arts will take visitors along on a sea cruise Saturday with the Aiken Arts Alive Sea Cruise event.
The fourth Aiken Arts Alive event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Arts Center on Laurens Street, and the festivities are free and open to the public. Activities include crafts workshops for children, mural drawing, silly photos, face painting, visits from the Big Cheese and Sandi the Balloon Lady, artist demonstrations and musical performances.
“We started doing these Aiken Arts Alive days to open the Aiken Center for the Arts up to everybody, to have fun and to have something fun the first weekend after school starts,” said the center’s Executive Director Kristin Brown.
Musical performances will be a highlight of the party. The Pan Jive Steel Drum Band will headline with performances at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Fiddle Faddle, a string instrument group led by Laura Tomlin, plays at 11 a.m.; the Aiken Singers perform at noon; Abatsu African Dancers and Drums take the stage at 12:30 p.m.; and South Boundary performs at 1:30 p.m.
Hailing from Hickory, N.C., the Pan Jive Steel Drum Band has ensembles ranging from two to 12 musicians and has a repertoire that runs from Caribbean to pop.
Aiken Arts Alive also serves as a reception for the Brenda Douglas Exhibition, the South Carolina Watermedia Society Traveling Exhibition and the Aiken Center for the Arts “Van-go Into Art” summer camps. Summer campers can take their works home during Aiken Arts Alive.
“It’s just a fun-filled day,” Brown said.
For more information, call the Center at 641-9094.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
PBR again rides into Aiken.
Aiken will be invaded by 1.2 million pounds of dirt, raging bulls and fearless riders this weekend.
The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Enterprise Rent-A-Center National Tour has teamed up with the USC Aiken Baseball team to host a fundraiser for the athletic team.
The dirt starts flying in the USCA Convocation Center on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.
J.B. Mauney, 2008 reserve World Champion, 2006 PBR Rookie of the Year and the youngest PBR rider to hit the $1 million mark in career earnings by the age of 21, will come to town.
On Friday, fans have two chances to meet him in person. From 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., Mauney will sign autographs for fans at Boots, Bridles & Britches at 1310 Pine Log Road. He will also meet fans and sign autographs in the lobby of the Convocation Center starting at 7 p.m. on Friday. He will then ride in the event, competing to win $15,000 in prizes.
Mauney became the first man to ride 8 seconds on the previously unridden 2008 Bull of the Year, Bones. He earned 93.5 points on the wild ride in which Bones bucked like never before. Mauney had attempted to hang onto the back of the bull 13 times before he was able to conquer the beast.
Tickets to this year’s event are $20 for the lower level and $15 for the upper level. Tickets are available at the USC Aiken Convocation Center Box Office, online at www.csratix.com or by phone at (866) 722-8877.
For additional information, call 643-6901.
Groups of 15 or more will receive $5 off all tickets purchased. Call Katie Wells at (706) 262-4573 for group pricing.
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Uptrend Continues in Pending Home Sales
Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6 percent to 94.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May, and is 6.7 percent above June 2008 when it was 88.7.
The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was in July 2003. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a combination of positive market factors is fueling the gains. “Historically low mortgage interest rates, affordable home prices and large selection are encouraging buyers who’ve been on the sidelines.
Activity has been consistently much stronger for lower priced homes,” he said. “Because it may take as long as two months to close on a home after signing a contract, first-time buyers must act fairly soon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit because they must close on the sale by November 30.
National Association of Realtors®
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Think Tanks Predict More Renters
While most people think the worst of the housing crisis is over, there are some skeptics who predict that the industry will face further serious challenges.
A new analysis compares the cost of renting to the cost of buying and concludes that they are now close to equal. It also predicts that because of persistent joblessness there will be fewer buyers and more renters in the future.
The study, released Thursday by two think tanks — the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) — also says current home owners with mortgages will remain underwater for “some time,” increasing the likelihood that foreclosures will continue.
“In communities where foreclosure remains a problem, home owners should be given the opportunity to remain in their homes as renters paying the fair-market rent,” says Dean Baker, Co-Director of CEPR and an author of the study.
Source: Center for Economic and Policy Research and National Low Income Housing Coalition (8/06/2009)
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Why the Foreclosure Plan Isn’t Working
Why can’t mortgage servicers process more than 9 percent of the applications of borrowers eligible for a government retooling of their loans?
Here are five reasons spelled out:
1. Fax machines. Most loan servicers require that applications be faxed. “It’s archaic. Given all the problems we’ve had with lost faxes, it seems unreasonable to use a fax system,” said Michael van Zalingen, director of homeownership services for Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago.
2. Too many forms. Each servicers has its own form, as does Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
3. Outdated info. By the time the multiple forms get through the fax machine, the info is outdated and applicants have to start all over.
4. Green personnel. Servicers are hiring and training staff by the thousands and most of them haven’t been on the job long enough to understand the process.
5. Too complicated to comprehend. Some eligible borrowers are receiving loan modification offers without even applying, but the paperwork is such gobbledygook that they mistake it for trash and throw the offers away.
Source: CNNMoney, Tami Lubby (08/11/2009)
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Sales Associates Eligible for SBA Loans
The flagship loans of the U.S. Small Business Administration–as well as a new loan created as part of the federal government’s big economic recovery initiative–are available to individual practitioners, SBA has clarified.
The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® sought clarification from SBA after hearing that lenders in some jurisdictions were making the loans to practitioners while others were not.
Having these loans available to individual real estate licensees without ambiguity potentially gives a shot in the arm to practitioners who are struggling with high business-related debt. The new loan program, called ARC (For America’s Recovery Capital), is an interest-free, deferred payment loan of up to $35,000. One of its intended uses is to help businesses get out from under ruinous debt.
Thus, if practitioners have maxed-out business credit cards (it has to be business-related debt; personal debt won’t qualify), they can pay that debt off with the far-more attractive SBA loan.
SBA’s two flagship loans, known as the Section 7(a) and Section 504 loans, are also open to individuals. The terms of these loan programs have been made more attractive recently, so practitioners have additional loan options that they might want to consider.
On the 7(a) loans, the SBA says, “To assist small businesses during the economic downturn, the American Recovery and Reinvestnent Act authorizes SBA to temporarily reduce or eliminate loan fees for borrowers . . . and raises the loan guarantee from the current level to 90 percent.”
More information on the loan programs is included in a REALTOR Magazine video interview with NAR Government Affairs.
By Robert Freedman for REALTOR® Magazine Online
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Second Quarter Existing-Home Sales Rise
WASHINGTON – Existing-home sales in the second quarter showed healthy gains from the first quarter in the vast majority of states, and price declines have increased affordability in most metro areas, according to the latest survey by the National Association of REALTORS®.
Total state existing-home sales, including single-family and condo properties, rose 3.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.76 million units in the second quarter from 4.58 million units in the first quarter, but remain 2.9 percent below the 4.90 million-unit pace in the second quarter of 2008.
Thirty-nine states experienced sales increases from the first quarter, and nine states were higher than a year ago; the District of Columbia showed both quarterly and annual rises.
Gain Appears to Be Sustainable
“With low interest rates, lower home prices, and a first-time buyer tax credit, we’ve been seeing healthy increases in home sales, which are a hopeful sign for the economy,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “There have been sustained sales gains in Arizona, Nevada, and Florida, as well as diverse areas such as Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Nebraska. Full story….
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Sellers Continue to Cut Prices
Nearly 25 percent of all U.S. homes for sale on Aug. 1 had a price cut in July, according to data compiled by the real estate Web site Trulia.com.
The percentage of price reductions has continued to increase month-over-month for the past three months. The total value slashed off active listings now totals $27.8 billion. The average reduction was 10 percent from the original price.
Cities showing significant increases in the percentage of listings with price cuts from June 1 to Aug. 1 were:
* Fresno, Calif.: 67 percent
* Colorado Springs, Colo.: 27 percent
* Kansas City, Mo.: 25 percent
* Oklahoma City, Okla.: 24 percent
* Albuquerque, N.M.: 22 percent.
Cities with significant declines in the percentage of listings with price reductions included:
* Dallas: -42 percent
* Las Vegas: -33 percent
* Louisville, Ky.: -33 percent
* Los Angeles: -19 percent
* Washington, D.C.: -17 percent
Source: Trulia.com (08/14/2009)
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In Resilient Markets, Housing Values Rise
Despite the seemingly endless news about falling home values, there are cities across the country where home prices are on the upswing.
Using data from Zillow.com, BusinessWeek magazine identified the strongest housing markets by ranking cities based on the share of single-family homes in which values rose in the second quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter in 2008.
Here are the top-10 winners and the share of homes with increasing values:
1. Boulder, Colo., 60 percent
2. Spartanburg, S.C., 56.81 percent
3. New Orleans, 53.62 percent
4. Binghamton, N.Y., 53.61 percent
5. Fayetteville, N.C., 52.23 percent
6. Pittsburgh, 48.80 percent
7. Little Rock, Ark., 46.96 percent
8. Gainesville, Ga., 46.63 percent
9. Burlington, N.C., 45.41 percent
10. Oklahoma City, 40.20 percent
Source: Business Week, Prashant Gopal (08/12/2009)
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Basic Features Appeal to First-Time Buyers
First-time homebuyers are forcing home builders to think frugal by penny-pinching on upgrades.
Nearly 50 percent of new homes sold in the first six months of 2009 cost less than $200,000, the largest share for the first six months of a year in five years. The average size of new homes fell to 2,065 square feet, the smallest since 2000.
“The high end isn’t moving, so builders have to dumb-down their designs and put in Formica kitchens and the bare-bones carpeting,” says Brian Bethune, an economist at IHS Global Insight.
The barebones approach is helping builders that focus on first-time buyers improve their profits. Standard Pacific Corp. has more than doubled its stock price and Meritage Homes Corp. is up 84 percent.
Source: Bloomberg, Kathleen M. Howley and Daniel Taub (08/06/2009)
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Treasury Pushes Bankers on Loan Modifications
During daylong meetings Tuesday, the Treasury Department pressured executives from 25 mortgage companies to promise to work harder to modify more mortgages for troubled borrowers.
The officials agreed orally on a new goal of 500,000 loan modifications by Nov. 1.
The meeting stemmed from concern that the program to modify mortgages will fall far short of the original goal of 3 to 4 million modified loans. As of this week, only 200,000 borrowers were enrolled in three-month trial loan modifications.
“Today’s meeting was an opportunity to identify ways to accelerate the program and bring relief faster,” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a statement.
Bankers who attended the meeting complained that the original announcement of the program led the public to believe that modifications could be accomplished immediately.
“It was very difficult as an industry as a whole to try to live up to those expectations,” said Dan Frahm, a Bank of America spokesman.
Source: The Associated Press, Alan Zibel and Daniel Wagner (07/28/2009)
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Foreclosure Bargains Are Disappearing
Buyers of foreclosure have to be quick these days. Some houses go under contract fewer than 90 minutes after they are put on the market, says Brad Geisen, founder of Foreclosure.com.
“For every listing that comes out, we have 10 buyers,” says Cesar Dias, an associate with Approved Real Estate Group in Stockton, Calif.
Dias had 15 minutes of fame after introducing foreclosure sales tours last year. Now the tours are defunct because there are not enough homes to show.
“We had a lot of inventory last summer. Now we’re down to 1,500 listings — from more than 5,000,” Dias says.
In Florida, real-estate investment companies, buying in bulk and paying cash, face competition.
Even in the hard-hit Detroit area, bargains are disappearing.
“For a good house that’s not too beat up, in a good neighborhood, there’s no lack of buyers in this market,” says Andy Sakmar, founder of Century 21 Sakmar in Rochester, 20 miles north of the city. “There are a lot fewer of these properties than a year ago, and the super buys get multiple offers.”
Source: CNNMoney.com, Les Christie (08/06/2009)
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Saturday dog wash helps shelter pets thrive.
By RACHEL JOHNSON
It’s time to de-stink your pup.
The third Aiken SPCA Dog Wash of the summer will be held on Saturday at Cold Creek Nurseries from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. All dirty dogs are invited to come and get pampered.
Pampering stations will be set up in the parking lot at Cold Creek Nurseries. 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 less than 30 pounds.
Other spa day options include a sudsy bath for $13, a nail trim only for $7 and an ear clean only for $5.
On Saturday, the SPCA will be microchipping and selling T-shirts, and a groomer is expected to be on hand to sell flea and tick prevention medicines.
The dog washes serve as a fundraiser held by the Aiken SPCA to 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. We had record numbers at the July dog wash.”
For those unable make Saturday’s wash, the final Aiken SPCA Dog Wash is scheduled for Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cold Creek Nurseries, 98 Hitchcock Parkway.
For more information, call Aiken SPCA at 648-6863
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Tickets are still available for weekend dinner and a mystery.
An evening of intrigue mixing dinner with entertainment is on the horizon for this weekend.
The Aiken Downtown Development Association’s (ADDA) fourth annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theater will be held on Friday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at Newberry Hall. The dinner serves as the ADDA’s largest fundraiser of the year.
This year the script has been written by Aiken residents Thurmond Whatley and Maureen Woltermann. They have penned a script for the fictitious Alvin Aiken Advertising Agency.
The show includes spoofed local advertisements that are sure to raise an eyebrow and evoke a laugh as it combines death, on-the-edge advertising, over-the-top phobias and cameo appearances by the Rev. David Cozad of First Presbyterian Church, Father Grant Wiseman of St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church, City Manager Roger LeDuc and Assistant City Manager Richard Pierce. Full Story..
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Fed Will Keep Key Rates Low
When the Federal Reserve ends its meeting on Wednesday afternoon, it is almost certain to leave the key rate at or near zero and pledge to hold it there.
That makes it likely mortgages will stay historically low and rates on home-equity and other consumer loans will hug 3 percent.
But it is unclear whether the Fed will continue some programs that have kept mortgages and other consumer debt even lower than the market might expect. One such program involves buying U.S. Treasurys. The Fed is set to buy $300 billion worth of Treasury bonds by the fall. It has bought $235 billion already this year.
“I think they’ll let it expire. It seems the mood turned against Treasury purchases in the last couple of months, and there’s been some skepticism whether it has worked in bringing rates down,” says Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan Economics.
Source: The Associated Press, Jeannine Aversa (08/11/2009)
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Economists Pronounce the Recession Over
The majority of economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal say the recession is over and Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke deserves another term.
Of the 47 economists the newspaper surveyed, 27 said the recession has ended and 11 predict another trough this month or next. The rest refused to commit. But they were nearly unanimous is saying that Bernanke should be rehired.
Gross domestic product is expected to grow 2.4 percent in the third quarter at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. Economists were also heartened by a better-than-expected jobless report in July.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Phil Izzo (08/12/2009)
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Library to show horse movies.
The Aiken County Public Library offers a movie marathon for lovers of horses and racing this weekend.
“The Derby Stallion” screens from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and “Virginia’s Run” screens from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, and “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken” will be shown from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and “Moondance Alexander” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
All movies will be shown in the library’s first floor meeting room, and all showings are free and open to the public.
“It’s Aiken, and there aren’t any races this time of year, so we thought it would be fun to do movies about other races,” said library manager Michael Swan. “I’ve watched all these; they’re fun family movies about a variety of horse events – some are traditional races and some are a little more unusual. They’re also all inspirational stories; that’s something I enjoyed about them all.”
Swan noted that most of the movies, though of good quality, were not big hits at the time of their release. “The Derby Stallion,” released in 2005, is probably the best known thanks to the success of its star Zac Efron in the High School Musical franchise.
For more information about the movie marathon or about other upcoming events, call the Aiken County Public Library at 642-2020 or visit www.abbe-lib.org.
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Mortgage Rates Dip Slightly
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 5.22 percent during the week ended Aug. 6 from 5.25 percent the prior week, Freddie Mac reports.
Over the same period, the 15-year fixed-mortgage rate slipped to 4.63 percent from 4.69 percent.
As for adjustable-mortgage rates, the five-year fell to 4.73 percent from 4.75 percent, and the one-year dipped to 4.78 percent from 4.80 percent.
Source: Los Angeles Times (08/07/09)
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Shorting Bank of America
We all know a short sale is when a homeowner and the bank that holds their note agree to sell for a price that’s less than the amount of that note. It’s sort of a win win, in that the seller walks away without having to fund the deficiency, and the bank doesn’t have to [...]
McDonald’s to help SPCA spread the word
The Aiken SPCA and McDonald’s have teamed up to educate the public on spaying and neutering.
Starting soon, Tom Powers-owned McDonald’s will be filling takeout bags and lining trays with pamphlets that promote the no-cost or low-cost spay and neuter programs available in Aiken County.
The partnership started when SPCA staff dined in a McDonald’s and struck up a conversation with Powers.
“They gave me ‘the 9,000 animals enter shelters and 7,000 don’t come out’ information,” Powers said. “I said, ‘Ya’ll need to tell people about this.’”
The pamphlets that will be handed out in the fast-food restaurants draw attention to that statistic and provide information on the Aiken County Animal Shelter and SPCA’s low-cost spay and neuter voucher programs, which are available to qualifying households.
Animal advocates believe that spaying and neutering cuts down on the unwanted pet population.
“We are always trying to spread the news of spaying and neutering,” said Barbara Nelson, president of the SPCA’s board of directors. “It is the responsible thing to do, and it is affordable.”
Nine thousand fliers have been printed, and Powers plans to distribute them to customers on the busiest days at the McDonald’s on Richland Avenue, Whiskey Road and York Street.
“Hopefully people will take advantage of the programs available,” Nelson said. “It is good that there are businesses and people that support us.”
For more information on the SPCA’s voucher program, call 648-6863.
For more information on the Aiken County Animal Shelter’s voucher program, call 642-1537.
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Savannah River Plant exhibit has been expanded.
The Aiken County Historical Museum has expanded its tribute to the history of the Savannah River Site.
The Savannah River Plant exhibit now takes up three rooms on the museum’s main floor. The rooms cover the construction of the nuclear facility, the plant and its staff’s involvement with Aiken County civic organizations and the future outlook for the Savannah River Site.
“When I got here in 2006, this exhibit was downstairs in a tiny, dark room,” said the museum’s Executive Director Elliott Levy. “For something that had more effect on Aiken County than any other industry, that just seemed wrong. We wanted to give the Savannah River Plant exhibit the location it really deserves.”
Paul Sauerborn, who manages the Savannah River Site Cold War Historical Preservation Program, helped Levy collect many of the artifacts, photographs and information used in the exhibit redesign.
Levy pointed out that the redesigned exhibit is a precursor to the planned Savannah River Site Heritage Center, which Sauerborn’s program will also help stock.
“We think it’s appropriate that the Savannah River Site Heritage Center will be owned and operated by the Savannah River Site Heritage Foundation Inc., which is a nonprofit foundation. We have the artifacts, but the Center is going to curate them,” Sauerborn said. Full Story..
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Bargains Abound for Retirees
Now could be the perfect time to buy a home for your post-employment years. After all, home prices are down an average of 10 to 20 percent from the peak in most areas of the country and as much as 40 percent in some of the most appealing retirement areas.
Here are some factors that a potential buyer of a retirement property might consider:
* Moving to an area that has been hard hit by the housing downturn, like Miami or Las Vegas, can mean great prices for buyers.
* Trading a big home for a smaller property will reduce the cost of maintenance, insurance, and taxes.
* Buying a property now and renting it out can be profitable in the right areas as more people today prefer renting to owning.
In addition, below are retirement meccas where prices have dropped significantly, according to data from Moody’s Economy.com and the National Association of REALTORS® :
1. Las Vegas: -51 percent
2. San Diego: -47 percent
3. Phoenix: -52 percent
4.Tampa, Fla.: -38 percent
5. Naples, Fla.: -27 percent
6. Myrtle Beach, S.C.: -16 percent
Source: Money Magazine, Michaela Cavallaro (07/29/2009)
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Low-cost animal clinic opens practice in Aiken
A low-cost animal clinic in Martinez, Ga., has expanded into Aiken.
Heartsong Spay/Neuter recently opened at 126 Dominion Drive off Whiskey Road.
The clinic offers low-cost spay and neutering services, dental services and vaccinations for pets. A full-service grooming facility is also available.
Since the Martinez clinic opened in 2006, Heartsong has completed more than 7,400 surgeries and countless vaccinations.
“We are dedicated to helping communities within our reach learn about, talk about and actively promote spaying, neutering and regularly vaccinating their pets so they can live longer, happier lives and so the unnecessary killing of animals in our nation’s shelters can cease,” said Loretta Emmons, Heartsong owner.
Emmons also operates the animal rescue service Heartsong.
Surgical and grooming appointments can be made by calling 649-3655. Vaccinations and flea, tick and heartworm prevention products are available on a walk-in-basis. Pet supplies also are available.
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Tips for Getting a Good Appraisal
Appraisals can be tricky these days. Here’s some advice from Maureen Sweeney, a Chicago-area owner of an appraisal firm, on getting an accurate and fair appraisal.
* Both the real estate practitioner and the owner should be present for the appraisal and follow the appraiser around. Make sure he doesn’t miss anything important.
* Ask questions to determine if the appraiser has identified the correct neighborhood boundaries and if she’s comparing the home to similar properties.
* Bring a copy of a recent tax bill and a survey of the property, and give them to the appraiser.
* Provide a list of improvements to the home.
* Offer your professional opinion about what makes this property worth more than other properties in the area.
Source: Chicago Tribune, Mary Umberger
Belvoir to host inaugural clinic
The inaugural Belvoir Farm Hunter Clinic, benefitting the Aiken SPCA, gives riders a chance to give back to the community while improving their skills as a horseman.
The clinic will be held Aug. 15 and will be conducted by Belvoir Farm’s Mike Sharp at the Belvoir Farm South Equestrian Center in Windsor. Sharp has developed a number of outstanding riders and has conducted clinics in New England, the mid-Atlantic, Oregon and Kentucky. In addition to competing in Europe, he was the Chef d’Equipe for the Bermudan show jumping team.
“We’re going to work on getting everyone to get their horse to relax, so they’ll be able to perform at the highest level,” said Sharp. “I’ve done these clinics for years, and this will be the first one I’ve conducted in Aiken. Everyone needs a different perspective.”
The clinic is open to riders of all ages, levels and abilities, said Sharp. All riders who are going to participate in the clinic are required to wear approved protective helmets with a chin strap. The clinic sessions will last approximately 1¬½ hours.
Registration for the clinic will begin at 7:30 a.m., with session one starting at 8 a.m.; obstacles will be set at a 2-foot maximum. The second session will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and will feature obstacles 2 feet, 3 inches to 2 feet, 6 inches high. Session three will be conducted from noon to 1:30 a.m., with the obstacles set at 2 feet, 9 inches to 3 feet, 3 inches in height.
The cost of the clinic is $65 per rider, with 15 percent of the entry fees being donated to the Aiken SPCA. The maximum number of riders being limited to six riders per session.
Checks should be made payable to Mike Sharp, accompanied by a registration form and must be received by Aug. 7. For more information, call 646-5714 or 617-8353.
Eight more SRS tours are planned.
The Savannah River Site will be opening its gates to the general public again this fall.
A highly successful pilot program conducted in March confirmed that the public is very much interested in learning about the past, present and future of SRS. Online registration for the first tour filled 300 seats in less than 24 hours.
Based on the success of the pilot program, the U.S. Department of Energy is reinstituting the public tour program, with eight tours that will begin in September and will include a few added features.
“Feedback from the pilot program told us the public wanted more so we’ve lengthened the tour agenda and included a stop at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory,” said Jeff Allison, DOE-SR manager. “We’re also including drive-by tours of both Dunbarton and Ellenton, former towns that were relocated when the government began constructing SRS in the early 1950s.”
Tours will last about four hours and will begin and end at the Aiken County Center for Hydrogen Research campus near the Site.
Tour participants must be U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old, have valid photo identification (required on the day of the tour) and provide their full name (as stated on their photo identification) and birth date.
Participants will be required to provide their Social Security number on the day of the tour, with security checks to be conducted prior to each tour.
For more information or to register for a tour, visit www.srs.gov and click on “About SRS” for the SRS Tour Program or use the direct link to www5.hanford.gov/srstours.
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