Kara's Blog

Aiken, South Carolina

A Dozen Things to Discover

  1.  Discover treasures in this 32-room, 15-bathroom & 1-ballroom cottage.        

                                      

  2.  Explore Aiken's unique touch and feel sensory trail. 

  3.  Experience where the Duke of Windsor & W.Churchill have stayed.    

 

  4.  Explore the parkways where the Astors & Vanderbilts once gathered.

                                                            5.  Find the 'remains' of Aiken's one-time police station.        

                                                                                                                               

  6.  Honor the Confederate soldier and 20 Union soldiers buried in Aiken

                           

  7.  Reconnect with nature in an urban forest 3 times the size of Central Park.    

                                                       

  8.  Learn about the town that educated Fred Astaire's son.

 9.  Identify Aiken's own Derby, Preaknesss & Belmont winners.                 

10.  Stir your creative juices in Aiken's art galleries and specialty shops.

              

11.  Visit the American home of the West Highland Terrier.

12.  Play the first course in America to feature tees especially for women.

for more info..............    http://visit.aiken.net

Homeowners - you know the importance of a good first impression!   You are out in the yard every weekend, weeding the garden, mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes/trees/shrubs.  You have put a fresh coat of paint on the fence and mailbox, cleaned up the oil stains in the driveway....   You are doing a great job!!  Looking from the street - your house has great curb appeal.  

Sometimes we see something so many times everyday that we don't really 'see' it anymore.   Have you looked at the front door lately? I mean really looked at it?  Does it need a fresh coat of paint, or maybe a good scrubbing?  Are there cobwebs or bees nests up in the corner?  What about that little crack in the window?    Your potential buyers are using this door - - - - - be sure it looks just as good as the rest of the property :)

                                               

And while you are at it - might as well check the back door, too.

 

Yes - FREE!! Free concerts all summer long.  What a great little town I live in.  Aiken, South Carolina. 

 

We are so blessed to have this beautiful public garden in town.  Originally part of The Iselin family estate, Hopelands Gardens was given to the City of Aiken, and opened as a public garden in 1959. 

Enter the gardens and you get the feeling that you are in a different world - possibly even stepping back into time. Giant old trees tower over the main entrance path provide shade on a summers day.  Listen to the birds.  Smell the flowers.  Hear the fountains from afar.  Stroll along the path and you will see fields of grass, flowers galore, beautiful magnolias with flowers the size of dinner plates - really - they are some big old trees!.  As you wander through the gardens you will come upon ponds (complete with some ducks and turtles!), fountains,  amphitheaters and brides.  Yes, brides! And entire wedding parties, lol. Many local brides have their wedding photos done in the gardens :)         Actually - so many events are marked with a picture at Hopelands Gardens it seems.    Proms - Graduations - Weddings - Family visiting from out of town...!     (One of my nieces had her wedding at Hopelands Gardens, it was absolutely beautiful)  

There is even a touch-and-feel walkway with braille signs.   

 

Museums on the property

the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame, the Dollhouse, and the Carriage Museum.

 

 Hopelands Gardens offers year round beauty, but in the summer you can combine the beauty of the gardens with the sound of music!   A picnic supper, a blanket, family and friends make for a perfect Monday evening during the summer months.  Most of the concerts begin at 7:00 P.M.   And admission is  ALWAYS free.  Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on, and enjoy!

                                                  

                                                                                                   

                                        Here is the 2008 Summer Concert Series Lineup                                                        

May 5	Aiken Community Band Sponsored by: The Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch
May 12	South Boundary Sponsored by: Especially Seniors
May 19	Savannah River Winds Sponsored by: Aiken Regional Medical Center
May 26	Aiken Civic Ballet Sponsored by: Cumberland Village
June 2	Carolina Rebels Sponsored by: The Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch
June 9	Fort Gordon Concert Band Sponsored by: Cumberland Village
June 16	Maureen Simpson and Friends with Aiken Choral Society Sponsored by: Carriage Hill Living Center
June 23	Preston and Weston featuring Sandra Simmons Sponsored by: Their Biggest Fan
June 30	DePriest Trio
July 7	US Marine Corp Band-Parris Island Marine Sponsored by: The Screenprint Factory
July 14	Chris Mangelly
July 21	Alysa Smith Sponsored by: Jeff's on Laurens Hairstyling and Coloring
July 28	Aiken Brass Sponsored by: Cumberland Village
August 4	Fort Gordon Dixieland Band Sponsored by: Aiken County Shrine Club
August 11	Fabio Mann and Friends Sponsored by: The Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch
August 18	Southern Nights Sponsored by: Smith Barney
August 25 (6:30pm)	Aiken Community Band Sponsored by: Security Federal

 

 

Come and enjoy the concerts and the gardens.   You'll be glad you did.

 

       

 

Hopelands Gardens is located at Whiskey Road and Dupree Place, Aiken SC.  Open from 10am till dusk.      We'll talk about the Christmas display later in the year! :)

 

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard; I could tell
from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was
well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head;
he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the
hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.

An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'

Ok, so here we are - ready to continue!    It was rather late the other night when I was finally able to enter my post.  (guess that is when some of the technical difficulties started)

Where we left off.   I was giving some insight into the alphabet soup that follows some of our names.   Yes, we Realtors know they are designations - we know they require extra education and related sales experience in some cases.  But, the general public might not realize.   

In Part I we covered:  

The Big R (Realtor)    ,   MLS (Multiple Listing Service), 

ALC (Accredited Land Consultant)

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Now, onto Part II:

SRES = Seniors Real Estate Specialist.     I know about this one!  This is the designation that I recently had the honor of earning.  All about the special needs of the mature client.   Yes, I took the course - Yes, I passed the exam - Yes, I earned the designation -Yes, I learned some things, but, personally, I don't feel completely ready to represent myself as an SRES yet.  I still have stuff to learn.  I've got my resource notebook started - I've met with some attorneys that specialize in elder law, finance/estate planning.....I've met with a member of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association  (I didn't even know there was such a thing),  I'm learning more and more everyday to help my mature clients.  I've been to visit several of the areas assisted living communities, etc. (still a few more to visit)  There has always been a special place in my heart for our mature citizens - and when I saw this designation, I knew it was for me.   Well, a few more appointments to learn even more, and then maybe I will feel ‘ready'.  I'm excited to use what I have learned, so I can better assist my clients of EVERY AGE!!   Boomers and beyond...   (that is my new tagline - - how do you like it?)  NOT EVERY REALTOR IS A SENIORS REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST!    To find a SRES in your area: www.seniorsrealestate.com

 

 

ABR = Accredited Buyers Representative.       With this being a buyers market....the extra education and experience required to earn this designation certainly have paid off for many.  The additional education on all aspects of buyer representation and the experience required to earn this designation are not easy.   I know a few ABR's...some work with buyers exclusively, and others assist both buyer and seller clients.  NOT ALL REALTORS ARE ACCREDITED BUYERS REPRESENTATIVES.     These people have taken it a step or two further J.  My hats off to you!  To find an Accredited Buyers Rep in your area - visit :  http://www.rebac.net/MembershipDirectorySearch.aspx  (Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council)

 

 

CRS = Certified Residential Specialist.    These guys rock!  (now - remember, I'm from Jersey, so when I say ‘guys' - it means ‘y'all', lol)  The Realtors who earn this designation have completed ADVANCED training in listing AND selling, and have met rigorous sales production requirement.  NOT EVERY REALTOR IS A CERTIFIED RESIDENTIAL SPECIALIST. To find a CRS in your area - visit:  http://www.crs.com/Find_A_CRS  (Council of Residential Specialists)

 

Well, I guess I will need to do a Part III!    

I hope this information helps the buyer/seller public out there.   We work hard to earn these designations to better serve you - OUR CLIENTS!

Goodnight y'all.

You've found the right home - now it's time to make your offer.
When you make an offer, the seller has a few options.
They can:
* Accept it!
* Reject it outright if the offer does not meet the specifications in the listing
* Counter it with different price & terms

If there is strong demand for properties, a seller may not even make a counter offer, but accept one of several offers (usually the one with the highest price, and the most qualified buyer)

Here are a few tips that might help to get your offer accepted:
* Pre-approval: Make sure that you have been pre-approved, not just pre-qualified.
* Strong deposit: Include a substantial earnest money deposit. This is 'good faith' money and shows the seller that you are serious about buying the property.
* Contingencies: LIMIT the number of contingencies; include only the ones that you really need, like financing and an inspection, etc...


You want to make your offer as attractive to the buyer as possible.
Hope this helps :)

Wow! She sure has alot of letters after her name.....what do they all mean?  I've been asked this more than once, and was asked tonight, which is what prompted this blog.

As Realtors, we know the hard work (and huge expense for some of the courses/memberships) it takes to earn a designation.  But the majority of the 'non-Realtor' public haven't a clue.  to some, it is just a bunch of letters.  Alphabet soup.  If we don't fill them in, they will never know.   I want to help the general public understand those letters :)

This should help in understanding the alphabet soup after some of our names :)

For the most part, these letters mean that we have taken additional courses (some a few hours -- - some 100's of hours to complete) and have met the required sales experience in some cases.

 

 

The Big R.          This is the Realtor symbol.  It means that I am a member of the National Association of Realtors, and I have a Code of Ethics that I must adhere to.  NOT ALL REAL ESTATE SALESPEOPLE ARE REALTORS.  Believe me, you want a Realtor to look after your best interests in any real estate transactions.  You want to /and deserve to be treated fairly and honestly no matter which side of the table you are sitting on.

 

The MLS = Multiple Listing Service.    Ahhh, the Multiple Listing Service.  This is where we post our listings, to share the information with other members of the MLS.  The more people that know about your house for sale the better, right.  NOT ALL REAL ESTATE SALESPEOPLE ARE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL MLS.

ALC = Accredited Land Consultant.           This is not an easy one to get - and there are not that many Realtors our there who have earned this designation.  There are ONLY 412 REALTORS Nationwide that hold the coveted designation fo Accredited Land Consultant.  THe additional education required amounts to several hundreds of hours, andmega sales experience in multiple land sales.  I know, because the agent that I assist is an ALC - and it does not happen overnight, or over a 2 hour online course.  This is a designation that could take YEARS to earn.  And even thenthey don't just give it to you.  You have to have the sales experience to back up what you have been learning over the past couple years.  NOT ALL REALTORS ARE AN ACCREDITED LAND CONSULTANT.  And it doesn't matter what size piece of land you are buying (or selling).  To find an ALC in your area, you can go to:  http://www.rliland.com/MemberSearch/SearchForm.aspx (Realtors Land Institute)

 

To be continued.   

 

( I had this pretty much finished, but when I hit 'post'...something weird - and it was like I was logged out and my blog didn't post.  ugh.  Getting late now - - I'll come back tomorrow for part II.  ) Good night all.

 

 

 

SUCCESS:
We all have a different definition of success, but I think the following pretty much sums it up!
enjoy :) (Thanks Aunt Elaine, for sharing this with me!)

At age 4 success is . . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . having friends.
At age 17 success is . . having a driver's license.
At age 35 success is ....having money.
At age 50 success is . ..having money.
At age 70 success is . ..having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . . not peeing in your pants.

The streets are quiet in Aiken - EVERYONE is watching the third leg of the triple crown.  The Belmont.   Aiken, SC  is an equestrian town - so there are numerous 'Belmont' parties today.      Good luck to Big Brown - the jockey - the trainers - the owner - the grooms - the stall mucker - the farriers....and everyone else involved!

Let's pray for a safe race - with NO injuries to any horse - rider - or spectator.

 

 

My aunt just sent me this in an email,

and I just

had to share it with everyone :)  

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  

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GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED: 1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats. 2) When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair. 3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person 4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato. 5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food. 6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair. 7) Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time. 8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. 9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. 10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap. GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED: 1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree. 2) Wrinkles don't hurt. 3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts 4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. 5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside. 6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy. GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD 1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. 2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.. 3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there. 4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster. 5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. 6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. 7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

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Have a wonderful day with many smiles


Take the time to live!!!
Life is short. Dance naked
And eat dessert first! - sharing it, of course :)