I was watching one of the major national news stations last evening and they were reporting how many thousands of emails they had been receiving from very anxious Hillary Clinton supporters. First it was reported that Obama was going to announce his running mate last night. Then, it was changed to an early Saturday morning announcement via text message from Obama's camp. The news station was reporting that so many people were going to be fuming mad if Obama did not pick Hillary. Well, now that we all know he picked Biden...how about it? Are you angry? Are you angry that Obama did not pick Hillary? 08/23/2008

Many home buyers opt not to have a radon test done before they move into their home, but after working with a client with lung cancer who was very particular about his need to have the radon levels lowered to safer levels, I wondered who else would want to know these facts about radon. According to the Environment Protection Agency(EPA)(www.epa.com), Greenville county has the highest potential for indoor radon compared to other South Carolina counties. Here's what else the EPA has to say about radon... Exposure to Radon Causes Lung Cancer In Non-smokers and Smokers Alike Lung cancer kills thousands of Americans every year. The untimely deaths of Peter Jennings and Dana Reeve have raised public awareness about lung cancer, especially among people who have never smoked. Smoking, radon, an... 08/23/2008

Whether you are considering a relocation or you are a Real estate investor seeking property in Greenville, SC we encourage you to give us a call! Whether you are seeking a quality Realtor to work with, an investment partner, foreclosures, multi-family units or if you'd just like to chat and learn more about this region, Van West Enterprises, LLC will be happy to help you! Whether you are looking to flip a property or buy and hold, we'd love to speak with you about your objectives. Speak with Van West Enterprises, LLC for all of your real estate investment property needs in Greenville, SC! Call or email us today! It would be our pleasure to serve you! Thanks so much! 08/23/2008

Our boys are back in school and we had a bit of a blow-out already over the new schedule we have implemented, which shuts out any playing of the Nintendo DS during the school week. We're wondering if we're being too hard on them or too strict when it comes to this little hand-held video game they love to play. Our biggest fear is that they'll be so used to this hyper-stimulation of their senses from the video game that they'll be too excited and too stimulated to slow down and enjoy reading. For now, they're not allowed to play video games during the school week. They can play the games on Friday night and Saturday/Sunday. Do any other parents out there have any thoughts on this topic? 08/23/2008

My husband was playing one of his all time favorite guitar players the other day and I noticed after listening to him how incredibly relaxed I had become. Doyle Dykes is apparently some really well known finger-picking guitar player who is sponsored by Taylor Guitars. His acoustic music is amazing, relaxing and very effective at melting away the stress! I highly recommend you pick up one or two of his CDs. 08/23/2008

Someone sent this to me, I thought it was pretty interesting. What Exactly Is A "Hater"?A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they canlook tall. They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever good enough!When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters...That's why you have to be careful with whomyou share your blessings and your dreams with because some folk can't handle seeing you blessed... It's dangerous to be like somebody else... If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right?       You never know what people have gone through to get what they have...The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don't know my story...If ... 08/22/2008

I feel compelled to stop and reflect on the fact that I just hit over 100,000 points on the goold ole' Active Rain tally. I guess it's kind of funny to me as the points reflect the fact that I'm not only "active" on the system, but perhaps even a bit "obsessed" with this wonderful new hobby of mine. I mean, let's face it, I only got started late February or March of this year, which is a tell-tale sign that I've been active to some degree on Active Rain pretty much 7 days a week, ever since then. I enjoy it, or I wouldn't do it. It is a very well done system/service (I've never even sought out another, similar blogging site). It is FREE! I've made friends. I've learned from people far more intelligent than I in the field of Real Estate. I've been able to inspire and uplift others or mak... 08/22/2008

Downtown Greenville - Art work from area Schools Art Crossing II has a Bahamas native as a tenant. Marlon Hunt's story is unusual. He moved from the Bahamas after being given the opportunity to lease one of the new studio spaces for artists the city has sponsored. After winning the spot Marlon moved his wife and two children and purchased Simpsonville real estate. His bold lines and hot island colors represent stories, according to Hunt. His "Mother" series of paintings will be on display at the Commerce club in September. The artist community in Greenville helps add tremendous value to Greenville South Carolina Real Estate investments or homes. 08/22/2008

2 great homes in wonderful neighborhood.  4 and 5 bedrooms with over 2800 sq feet.  Wonderful neighbors with excellent locations in The Woods.  Neighborhood has pool, tennis, playground, with lots of places to walk.  Wonderful view of Paris Mountain.  Close to shopping and schools.  Low traffic area, and easy 7 min commute to downtown Greenville.  Don't miss out on these call today!  864 349-6217 www.kathysellsgreenville 08/22/2008

I knew that I had this feature on my Treo 755, but have never used it. I had lunch with a couple of friends from Keller Williams today, and one of them beamed some information right into my phone. I was amazed at how easy and effortless the process was. So, as you may suspect, I am going to be using this feature now, and I can't wait. So if I get to meet you, I might just beam you my business card instead of giving you one. 08/21/2008

Oooops! It turns out that someone was equally suspicious as I was when watching the women's gymnastic's competition at the Beijing Olympics recently. A computer hacker was researching to discover the true age of a Chinese female gold medalist and allegedly uncovered proof that the young Chinese competitor, He Kexin, is actually 14 years old. The minimum age requirement to compete is 16 years old. He Kexin won the Gold medal for the uneven bars competition, edging out the United State's Nastia Liukin. If it is true that she is only 14 years old, I would certainly hope that the Olympic officials will strip her of the medal and give the gold medal to Nastia Liukin of the United States.   08/21/2008

The nine bronze Mice on Main that inhabit the area from the Poinsett Hotel to the Hyatt are becoming famous - they have their own book which goes on sale August 23 at the Metropolitan Arts Council. It's written by Linda Kelly and illustrated by local sculptor Zan Wells who created the mice, and weaves a story about how the mice ended up at their respective locations.  The Mice on Main have become a favorite search game for kids on foot downtown and was originally conceptualized by Jimmy Ryan of Christ Church Episcopal School as a senior project. If you would like to live close to or in downtown Greenville and the Mice on Main contact us about Greenville South Carolina Real Estate 08/21/2008

I think all couples that are purchasing real estate should know this important fact: I listed a home recently where the lady's husband had passed away and she wanted to get the home sold because she could not afford to continue making the payments. When we put together the listing documents to put the home on the market, I noticed that her name was on the mortgage but not on the county tax/deed records, so I asked her to contact the register of deeds and closing attorney that closed escrow on the home when they bought it, to make sure that it was deeded as Joint tenants with right of survivorship. She was under the impression that she was on the deed and thought that she automatically had the right to sell the home after her husband passed, but this is not the case. As it turns out, her... 08/20/2008

Looking for room to grow, or room to stretch out.  This 5 bedroom 2.5 bath home is located near Furman University.  Excellent neighborhood, with pool, tennis, playground and much more.  Master on main, with 4 bedroom upstairs.  Large covered back porch with private back yard.  Lots of extras and only 5 years old.  A must see   261,500.  www.kathysellsgreenville.com  864 349-6217 08/20/2008

  For Sale By Owner Term is a real estate term which describes the situation in which a property is offered for sale directly by the owner and without the owner having asked for help by a real estate agent. The term has been used more broadly to explain the process of marketing, selling, and buying, of real property without the representation of a real estate Agent. If a seller decides to market a home as a FSBO, and a buyer who's not working with an agent wants to buy his/her home, the seller pays no commission because they did not sign on with a real-estate agent. If a buyer who is represented by an agent is interested in a FSBO home, that buyer's agent may request the owner to pay him or her a commission or finder's fee for bringing the buyer.   08/20/2008

Outside Dining will be part of the new Main and Broad Street Real Estate Development Greenville New Market Opportunity, GNMO, is providing substantial below market financing for the Main at Broad Development Project and The Children's Museum. The Main at Broad project was given $17 million in financing. The development is located downtown Greenville next to City Hall and across from the Peace Center, diagonal to the Greenville News. The location will be high profile and sits in the central area between the Upper Main Street and the developments at the West End. The project will include 65,000 square feet of office and retail space, a 135 room Courtyard by Marriott, a 250-space parking garage and the Nantucket Seafood Grill.  The Children's Museum obtained over $19million in financing fr... 08/19/2008

I listed a client's home for sale just over a week ago. We received a decent offer on the property within days after listing it. We're in the counter offer process right now, related mostly to details other than the purchase price. I can't help but be happy for my client and be grateful that this property appears to have serious buyers making an offer so quickly after listing it on the MLS and initiating other various marketing strategies. 08/16/2008

I guess this blog and photo is specifically for the group called "Active Rain Addicts". Here's the situation: This past week I finally got my act together and took my family on a real vacation before the kids went back to school. We went to the Jellystone park camping grounds in Marion, NC. This photo shows me breaking out the laptop to get busy on my Active Rain passions during a heavy rainfall. I'm sitting on the porch at the main lodge overlooking the lake, with my kids waiting patiently for the rain to stop. We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation. I just found it funny that even on my family vacation I was able to squeeze in some Active Rain time! 08/16/2008

Bill Kennedy | Keller Williams Realty | 864-990-1224 17 La Juan Drive, Greenville, SC BEAUTIFUL HOME PRICED @ $10,000 UNDER CMA VALUE FOR A QUICK SALE!!! BRING ALL OFFERS! 3BR/2BA Single Family House offered at $99,900 Year Built 1976 Sq Footage 1,547 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 2 Parking 1 Car garage Lot Size 1,547 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Check out this great buy on a safe, fenced lot with a relaxing in-ground pool! This contemporary home has a great open floorplan. The large living room feels quite spacious with vaulted ceilings and a cozy, woodburning fireplace. A separate laundry room runs off of the kitchen for peace and efficiency. The master bedroom is on the main floor, with two closets and a full bathroom. Upstairs there are two large bedrooms... 08/16/2008

Michael Phelps just set the new Gold standard for all future Olympic hopefuls. He set an all-time record of winning 8 gold medals, thus breaking a 36 year old record held by Mark Spitz. I just watched the men's relay event. You can't help but cringe as you watch the other swimmers on the United States team go back and forth and you're praying they don't screw up and blow the chance for Phelps to earn his 8th gold medal and go down in the Olympic history books. Well, they did not  blow it, and you can't help but be incredibly happy for Michael Phelps and his historic accomplishments at the Beijing Olympics!   08/16/2008