When your staging your home to sell, you think about the color of walls, The decorations through out the rooms, the furniture you have. The out side is just as important. When potential buyers pull up, What do they see first? The out side. They look at the landscape, Shrubs & flowers. When a house looks good from the outside makes it inviting to see the inside.   09/07/2008

Are you having trouble keeping up with your mortgage payments? Have you received a notice from your lender asking you to contact them? Don't ignore the letters, Always call them back to find out what can be done to save your home. If you are unable to make your mortgage payment: Here are some tips to try to save your home. 1. Don't ignore the problem. 2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have a problem. 3. Open and respond to all mail from your lender. 4. Know your mortgage rights. 5. Understand foreclosure prevention options. 6. Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. 7. Prioritize your spending. 8. Use your assets.   9. Avoid foreclosure prevention companies. 10. Don't lose your house to foreclosure recovery scams! 09/06/2008

This past week, my oldest boy, Jacob, went out with his class on a field trip. Not just any field trip, but a long drive away, and a one night sleep over! My boy is 8 years old and he's in the 3rd grade. I am quite protective of my kids and I must be honest that I was a bit freaked out over this. I just didn't think it was necessary or appropriate for a third grader to have a sleep over field trip. I certainly never did anything like that when I was his age. Well, he went, and he had a blast and took pictures, and now has some great memories and experiences, etc. He came back to me safely the very next day. I know I need to chill out a bit and allow my kids to do more things as they grow up. For the rest of Jacob's life, I'll be worrying about him and concerned for his safety. That's wh... 09/06/2008

I just read an article on Money.com about the rate of defaults expected over the next couple of years on Option Arm mortgages. They're expecting the rate of defaults to double over the next couple of years. I can't say I'm the leat bit surprised to hear this. When I was still living in Irvine, CA, I saw many people taking advantage of these loan products. The so-called "option" aspect is that you can choose to pay either a negative amortization payment whereas you're not even paying the entire amount of interest due on that given payment and you increase your indebtedness on the loan, or you pay an interest only payment, or you pay a "normal" payment whereas some money goes towards paying down the principal. I knew years ago that this type of loan product was out of control in places li... 09/06/2008

Tonight was just too cool! My neighbor had recently purchased a high quality projector system and he wanted to put together an outdoor movie theater experience for friends, family and neighbors. He built a large wood frame and pulled a white painter's tarp across it and secured it so as to function as a movie screen. He had a high end amplification system and large, stereo speakers offering up great sound to compliment the very large screen. So, we all gathered in his yard and watched the classic E.T. movie and he even provided popcorn to the kids! Very cool idea on his part! It worked out great! 09/06/2008

The other day I pulled into the parking lot at Chick-Fil-A to get my boys some soft ice cream at the drive through. I was pulled towards a rather interesting sight and I had to park and check it out. It was one of these new Smart cars. I don't know anything about them. Interesting as hell, however! I was amazed at the design, the engineering, the assumption that it's great on gas, the tiny size and after all that amazement going through my mind...I was equally curious as to how something like this would handle a major accident. I took the picture below while my Yukon XL was parked directly beside it. Kind of funny to note the size difference. As much as they may be great, and good on gas and fun to drive, etc, somehow I don't think my family of six and our dog would fit in this "Smart" ... 09/06/2008

I remember long ago when my first boy, Jacob, was born and friends and family who already had kids would always tell me "enjoy your children, they grow so fast!". A statement like that never really sinks in. You have to just wait until one day when you're shocked to see your first born come walking into the room, taller than ever, bigger than ever, and looking more like a handsome young man than your little baby boy. My youngest boy, Jason, just turned three the other day. I'm so very blessed that he's a happy, healthy little guy. When he was born, he had multiple holes in his heart. After months of waiting and living with the very real possibility of open-heart surgery, my little Jason's heart began to heal on its own. Today, he loves his Star Wars figurine and his new Star Wars Light ... 09/06/2008

Most mortgages carry what is called an Acceleration clause, which is a section of the mortgage contract that may specify the due date of the payments, and also include the steps the lender will take in order to penalize the borrower for late payments, or if the borrower fails to pay at all. The Lender may also apply a fixed amount if the payment is not paid within a specified time after the due date, and the lender can call the entire balance of the loan due and payable at once when the borrower misses a payment. With most of these mortgages, a late mortgage payment does not really go against a borrowers credit until it is 30 days past due. Normally lenders will try to collect the missed payment(s) first, but the lender will probably not call the entire balance due and start the foreclo... 09/05/2008

Tonight was Gov. Sarah Palin's big night. It was her first chance to show millions of Americans just who she is, what she stands for, how she handles herself and what she thinks of both John McCain and their opponent, Barack Obama. For those of you who saw her deliver her big speech at the Republican National Convention, the big question now is "did she deliver?" She took quite a few jabs at Obama. She called him out on his lack of overall experience, lack of any executive leadership experience and lack of any specific accomplishments as a Senator. Did she deliver the goods? Did she win you over? Do you have a newfound respect for her? Do you have a newfound admiration for her? If you watched Gov. Sarah Palin's speech tonight, how do you feel about her now?   09/03/2008

I have had an account set up on Active Rain for a month, yet have never posted a blog before now.  Why?  I guess I have had such a struggle with technology during my real estate career that new things which involve technology scare me, or I tend to put on the back burner.  It's time to break out of my box and start blogging on a daily basis.  Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing and learning with others.  Have a wonderful day!!!    Lindsay Saunders, Realtor Keller Williams Realty Simpsonville, SC 864-607-0479 www.LindsayMSaunders.com   09/03/2008

Hello and welcome to my Active Rain training workshop at the Keller Williams Greenville Central office. We are all learning how to maximize the Active Rain environment to the fullest extent possible. Active Rain offers a wonderful tool to learn from others, educate others, have fun, market our businesses, serve our clients and even make friends with colleagues in the industry. Now, we'll learn how to insert a photo: KirkWestervelt Keller Williams Realty Greenville, SC (864) 451-2402 www.upstatehomesearch.com 09/03/2008

Needless to say, this year with the economy the way it is, vacation was not at the top of our to do list.  We were working in the yard one day and we put some sand in a bald spot of the yard to simulate growth.  Immediately, my toddler ran into the garage and grabbed all his beach toys and decided he was at the beach.  We decided that it was time to take a little vacation to the beach.  We did not realize how bad we really needed to get away.  Thanks E for keeping us straight. Danielle Scott, Associate Broker Keller Williams Realty Greenville, SC 864-616-0958 www.LivingInGreenville.com 09/03/2008

REALTORS:...get top dollar for a home through creative marketing....know how to deal with the  paperwork and avoid legal issues that can prevent a sale from closing....are knowledgeable on asking buyers essential qualifying questions about their finances....save sellers time by pre-qualifying buyers before taking them through their home....schedule all showing appointments, preventing sellers from having to allow strangers into their home. ...It all boils down to this: Real Estate Professionals consistently sell homes more quickly and for higher prices than someone would if doing it themselves. 09/03/2008

Don LaFontaine, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai hospital. He was 68 years old. Don's voice talents have appeared in over 5000 movie trailers and also in nearly 350,000 commercials. He's the guy who starts off a movie trailer with the classic line "In A World...." I admired and respected Don. I used to wonder how incredibly interesting and rewarding it must be to have his career. His talents will be missed by many! One of the warmest, most talented voices in Hollywood is now being enjoyed throughout heaven! Rest in peace, my friend! 09/02/2008

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's Teenage Daughter Is Pregnant! Is This Topic Fair Game or Off Limits? The first big "negative" news from the Palin camp has hit the mass media over this past weekend. Alaska Gov. Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant. Word from the Palin camp is that her teenage daughter will keep the baby and she will marry the father. An equally big story within this story is the debate of whether or not this topic is fair game or "off limits" as it involves a candidate's family (in this case, a teenage daughter). Do you think this topic is fair game when considering Palin as Vice President? If so...WHY? Or, Do you think this topic should be off-limits? WHY? Does the teenager's choice to keep the baby and marry the father offer a shining example of her core values, beliefs and ... 09/02/2008

At this point, Obama has to be asking himself the obvious question; "Did I blow it?" "Should I have chosen a woman for VP?" With some 18 million voting for Hillary, it would seem that McCain has made a very strategic decision in his choice of Gov. Palin. With all the "fresh, exciting quest for change" being the mindset of the Obama camp, he certainly offered up a non-fresh, washington insider who's been there forever, when he chose Biden as his running mate. Clearly, he did it to counter his obvious lack of on-the-job experience. However, Biden leaves very little to be desired, for the masses who were excited about either Obama or Hillary running for office. Simply put, there's nothing exciting, fresh or new about Biden. McCain is not exciting, fresh or new. He's been around forever and... 08/31/2008

Do you have a concealed carry permit? If so, can you help shed some light on this topic for me? My spouse is concerned for my safety and he is asking me to seriously consider getting a concealed carry permit. Is this the ultimate self defense measure? What should I carry, if I do this? (model, type, caliber?) How do you carry? On my body? In a purse? Type of holster? The whole thing seems so extreme and even scary. However, I see my husband's point that if my life is being threatened, or if someone violently assaults and attempts to rape me, or if someone wants to car-jack my vehicle while I'm in a parking lot with my kids in the back seat....I guess I wouldn't think twice about relying on such self defense measures. It seems like one of those topics that has many things to consider. Cl... 08/31/2008

It's that time of year again! The boys are back in school, they'll be brining home assignments and homework. The church will start up the youth program again very soon, so we'll be able to start going with the whole family every Sunday again. The YMCA flag football sign-ups are coming up, and youth basketball sign-ups as well. It amazes me how loose and free the summertime is and how incredibly structured and tightly-scheduled our lives are during the school year. Our boys used to complain they were "bored" during the long summer. Now, they don't have time to think twice about being bored! 08/31/2008

My husband keeps telling me he is considering selling his Yukon XL and buying the newly designed 2009 Honda Fit. This is a sub-compact car. When I see them on the road the only instant thought that comes to mind is "death trap". We've all see images of cars when they're reduced to a twisted, torn, shredded piece of metal and plastic after a sever accident. When I see these Honda Fit cars, I see instant death for those unfortunate enough to be in one during a serious accident on the freeway, for example. That's not to say that the Yukon XL guarantees safety in an accident, but let's face it....you've got a hell of a better chance at surviving a serious crash in a Yukon XL versus a Honda Fit. I guess I do have one other thought when I see a Honda Fit....I feel like ripping one of the smal... 08/31/2008

Today we'll have a block part, bar-b-que and send off party for our neighbor who is being deployed to Iraq for quite a long time. I feel so proud of him and appreciate his service to our country, but I can't help but feel so sorry for his wife and kids. They'll be without their daddy for quite a few months. My heart goes out to their family and my prayers go with him on his tour of duty. 08/31/2008