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Real estate has always been an area of interest for many people. When the housing market came crashing down people lost their faith in the real estate market and those coming back into it are looking for something different this time. They are looking for the "evolved" agent.

In the past, those looking to buy or sell real estate would ask for the "top producer" or the number one company in their market, assuming that they would receive some level of excellence that other companies wouldn't be able to give them. In theory, that would be true, however today's consumers are looking to buy into a lifestyle and experience and they want an agent who understands them as much as their real estat...

I just have to say that I am an avid watcher of Yard Crashers on DIY or........I was. If you have ever seen an episode of Yard Crashers I am sure you were amazed by the amount of landscaping that Ahmed Hassan could do in the small amount of time that he had. Take his immeasurable skill out of the picture and you still love to watch him! His personality is so great and I was always shocked when people would say no to letting him come home with them! Fast forward to today and we now have Matt Blashaw who is Realtor and a Contractor, NOT a landscaper! So WHY is he the new host of Yard Crashers and not Ahmed? Well, no one seems to know but I am not happy about it. Don't get me wrong, Matt see...

It's back! The North Myrtle Beach Farmers Market is back and I could be more excited! The North Myrtle Beach Farmers Market will open for the summer season tomorrow, May 25th, 2012 on 1st Avenue S in North Myrtle Beach between the new North Myrtle Beach library and City Hall. Since last year North Myrtle Beach has added restrooms and 2 metal roofed, open air shelters allowing vendors and shoppers to come rain or shine!

So why should you buy local? Great question!

• Locally grown produce and locally raised, grass fed, free range animals provide you with a fresher, better tasting, healthier eating experience.
• Local food lowers our carbon footprint by spending less time in transition from...

Welcome to Myrtle Beach Bike Week 2012! Traditionally held the 2nd week in May, Myrtle Beach Bike Week this year has turned into Myrtle Beach Bike Week times 3! This year Bike Week began on May 11th and ended on May 20th. However, the Harley Davidson "Cruisin' the Coast" spring bike rally began May 18th and runs through the 28th. Finally, Atlantic Beach Bike Week this year has will begin on May 25th and end May 29th. Plan ahead if you are going out this weekend and keep your eyes open for motorcycles. There will be lots of traffic, lot of tourists, and lots of bikes so please, take your time and respect other drivers. Enjoy a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!

Buying a new home can be a huge, complex undertaking, especially when it’s your first time. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced real estate agent guiding you along the way. In a survey conducted earlier this year by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services (PRERS), a Prudential Financial, Inc. [NYSE:PRU] company, 75% of respondents highlighted the importance of real estate agents in the process of buying or selling their home, with only 24% saying agents are helpful but not imperative. “Americans continue to see real estate agents as having a very important role in helping them price, buy and sell their homes,” said James Mallozzi, PRERS’ chairman and chief executive of...

The other day I got onto Facebook to update my profile feed and check some things out. I don't spend a lot of time on there reading many posts. Truth is, if it's not right in front of my face I am not going to spend much time looking for it. I spend most of my day and night on the computer or phone (when I'm not in the car of being supermom, I wish) so I don't run to get on the computer if I don't have to. I was glad this day that I did take moment to scroll down the page because I came across this quote. It caught me off guard on a day when I was feeling particularly sorry for myself, though the reason now eludes me. I loved it  so much that I went into my office and wrote it on my lead ...

Facebook has been around for a while now and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I use it on a daily basis for both business and personal use, however, I am NOT psyched about the mandatory change in our profiles and pages that is set to take place by the end of the month. The new "timeline" feature is set up to tell more of a story and yes I am techy but I am not a huge fan of change, especially when it changed the look of EVERYTHING on my page! Now I will get used to this and I will learn it inside and out (as someone who also teaches others to use it I have to) but I just had to ask, what do YOU think about the timeline feature? Do you wish that FB would STOP changing the way our prof...

These days it seems as though everything begins online. Relationships, term papers, job searches, home searches, etc. Anyone reading this right now is online looking for something. I was thinking about this the other day as a colleague was talking to me about their aversion to learning about different social sites such as Facebook or Pinterest. They have a website but it doesn't get any traffic and the entire online process seemed frustrating and confusing. I understand where this person was coming from though. In in era where people have disconnected themselves from other people and used email or text messages as a sort of filter to avoid real conversation, those who have always relied o...

Selling your home is a decision that is not made on the spur of the moment, therefore, listing and marketing your home should be well planned and well executed. Here are some costly mistakes that you don't want to make when selling your home.

1. Listing your home before it's ready. Never put a half finished home on the market. If you are replacing flooring, painting, or in the middle of updating, finish it first! Don't rely on a buyer's imagination or vision to see the finished product. If you want to sell quickly at the best price then your home must be show ready, not half ready.
2. Over improving your home. Improving your home is great, going over board is not. Keep in mind the market th...

The turn in our market was abrupt and sharp causing pain and turmoil for many homeowners and the overnight realization that the value of their home had dropped drastically. Pointing fingers and trying to find blame did us no good and now we are left to pick up the pieces and move into a better time. This is taking longer than expected but we are now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Real estate is still one of the best investments you can make but you do have to do your homework. For those who were hit the hardest and lost their homes to foreclosure or short sale, you may be wondering how you will ever be able to purchase another home again or, perhaps, why you would want to.

I ...

"Why do I need a Realtor"? Though buyers don't often hesitate when it comes to finding themselves a Realtor, sometimes they try to do it on their own until they are ready to write a contract. This could be due to a bad experience with another agent, the feeling that they can find what they want without help or just not knowing that there is someone else out there who would like to help them. Whatever the reason, a Realtor is an invaluable person to have on your side when you are looking to purchase a home. The National Association of Realtors released an explaining what a Realtor is and how they can help you.

"Why Use a REALTOR®?

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real est...

Recently I was asked why it would be better for someone to buy a home right now rather than continue to rent. I was given the who speech about how the "market hasn't hit bottom" and "we haven't seen the worst" yet. Al of which I simply respond to with, ok. What do you say? When someone has their mind made up before they ask you a question there's not much left to say. Rather than talk about how interest rates are lower than they ever have been, lending IS available, yes I said IS, and houses are more affordable than they have been in years, I decided to find out the answer to the question, why should you buy when you can rent.

Pros and Cons of Ownership

How can you tell whether owning a...

So you're ready to buy a house, congratulations! You drive and drive and look online and find the houses that you like and the areas that you want to be in. You know what you're doing, you went online and used a mortgage calculator to figure out what you wanted to pay every month and that told you how much you could spend. Now you're ready to call a Realtor and see some homes, right? WRONG!! Calling a Realtor was a great first step, if you chose the right one, you know what your next step is. Who can tell me? Anyone........you, in the back?? That's right GET PRE-APPROVED! Now don't get irritated just yet. There's a reason I am telling you this, to protect you! I have seen people fall in l...

It has been a long time coming but Property Rookies now has a website.....and a great one at that!! Someone asked me the other why I decided to get into real estate and why I was STILL in real estate. I found the last part funny. I'll tell you why later. To answer the first part of the question, I got into real estate because I had an awful experience purchasing my first home. The entire process from beginning to end was nothing short of terrible, though I could think of several other words that would better describe it, but I digress. I could bore you to tears with the details but needless to say it boiled down to a heated argument at the closing between myself and the listing agent. We ...