Can Toyota Pull Their Face Out Of The Turf?  It looked pretty dismal with their two most valuable players Camry and Prius, on the bench. The team let the fans down taking their winning streak for granted resting on their past triumphs not adhering to the standards,it was their attention to detail and quality that created their success. It appears that some of the team got sloppy or maybe it was only one team member that spoiled the whole batch. Unlikely. Will they be able to win back their position? That is questionable. Much like a cheating spouse, once you've lost the trust it is sometimes impossible to win it back or at the very best it takes a very long time of making no mistakes and causing no suspicion. Their image and branding was to perfection, on the way up. I was impressed thi... 02/07/2010

Food Network Stars Coming To Greenwood SC Relay For Life Bake Off April 24th is the date set in Greenwood SC for Relay For Life. Cakes For A cure is the theme this year and will feature a cake bakeoff. Entrants will range form the novice, local talent and the pros from The Food Networks TV Cake Challenge or TLC's Ultimate Cake Off national talent Ashley Vicos,Christine Schnee,Dana “Sugar Daddy Herbert,Kathy Scott,Norm Davis and Zane Beg. It looks like this one is going to raise a lot of money for cancer this year and loads of fun for everyone no matter what your skill level is. Come show off your favorite cake recipe, watch the fun, or best of all taste the cakes and of course what better cause than to help find a cure for cancer. There's not a person that has not had some contact with ... 02/05/2010

Easy 15 Minutes To The Table Meal For Four Like most Realtors I lead a very busy life and my schedule is well let's just say erratic. I try to cook at home most week nights and I have a rule that the meal can't take more than 30 minutes to prepare, I was a 30 minute cook long before Rachael Ray hit the scene, if I had know how much money I could have made cooking I might have pursued that instead of real estate. It is recession proof. BUt too late for that she already got the show and I'm already addicted to real estate so I'll just share my recipes for free. Men and their wives used to travel from all over the country to hunt with my dad Neil Cost the reknown Turkey Call Maker and to get achance to talk turley with him and sometimes they would spend a couple of days at our house while ... 02/03/2010

Greenwood SC Real Estate Shines The Spotlight On A Very Shady Lady  When I made the decision to shine the spotlight on local owner operated businesses I never realized how much fun it was going to be! I am writing about the most interesting people and getting to know them in such unusual ways which makes it even more fun to do. This past week my broker sent an email out to all of us telling us about a local woman who refurbished and created one of a kind lampshades and she thought they would make wonderful closing gifts for some of our clients. I was intrigued and right away I went to her website. I decided she was my next blog post and asked a million questions. How she got started, was she self taught, how did she beome interested in doing this, was she from Greenwood or moved here, h... 02/01/2010

The New American Dream  With the number of homes in foreclosure, the loss of jobs and life savings gone in the snap of a finger who doesn't need to tread cautiously. What used to be a no brainer, owning a home that is, is now something to think very hard about before making that leap. Maybe being a homeowner is not right for you, right now. Maybe renting a little longer is the right thing to do for a few years, you know, take some time to get your feet planted firmly on the ground, save a nice down payment instead of eeeekinggg by with the minimum allowed isn't a good idea. Maybe you just think you're ready for the added expenses and after all if you could only buy a home that you could really afford would that be the home of your dreams? It might not even be as nice as the cute little ... 01/26/2010

Greenwood SC Gets New Jobs Capsugel Expanding and plans to hire 50 new employees. Capsugel is a global operation maunfacturing liquid capsules and liquid health and drug delivery products. Capsugel is already a leader in Greenwood already employing 700 residents. Greenwood Partnership Alliance spokesperson and CEO Mark Warner says he believes this is a testiment to the skill of our local workforce and the business friendly atmosphere Greenwood offers.   Working together South Carolina Department Of Commerce, Greenwood County Council, Duke Energy, and Greenwood Partnership Alliance working together to insure South Carolina is a state that is a state industry will bring their operations.  South Carolina stretches from the Atlantic coastal areas to the Blue Ridge Mountains its subtropical ... 01/20/2010

Greenwood SC Featured on Food Network Food Challenge   At the annual Festival Of Discovery this past July chef Keegan Gerhard Food NetWork star followed 4 teams during the Festival Of Discovery BBQ cookoffs this past July including the Greenwood SC team Divine Smoke. Local team members are Dennis and David Dill and David Horde were followed throughout the process resulting in hours of footage of the event. The participants were treated to a premier showing at the Greenwood Community Theatre to a packed audience. Divine Smoke said were very happy with the results and felt that the event was portrayed with class, not a hint of "fake drama to be found"! We have some of the best BBQ around comments one Greenwood resident.   Annual Uptown Festival Of Discovery in Greenwood July 8-10 2010  Bl... 01/18/2010

Beauty May Be Skin Deep  Real estate agent Mary takes the Browns to see a brand new home all shiny and bright. Mary and the Browns walk up the walk by a meticulously manicured lawn, a freshly polished front door and inside it was the same, the walls pristine with their fresh paint, wood floors reflecting their image back to them, appliances with not a sign of a smudge. All through the house it smelled like only a new home can and they were instantly in love. The Browns tell Mary, lets write a contract on it right now, we love it! Mary is excited too! Yes let's get it under contract! The offer price is decided, the closing date penned in, The Browns have already received their loan approval and qualify for the amount of the purchase price and they are ready to close asap. This is a dream... 01/16/2010

  Once Upon A Time A Town Grew and Grew and Grew Until It..... Posted by Sally Morris   Once upon a time a small town in the state of South Carolina, called Greenwood, that no one ever heard of, had a big lake near the town, Lake Greenwood. Only the people near by knew about it. The people there were so friendly and loved their town so much that everywhere they traveled they told everybody they met about this great little place that only a few people knew about.   As the word was spread around lots of industry and businesses came knocking on Greenwood's door and they were invited to come in and they put lots of people to work and the town grew and grew but unlike other towns that got bigger, the people did not grow cranky.              The people in Greenwood were so happy to have lots ... 01/13/2010

Come home to the lake! Simply great year around water location for Lake Greenwood! Pier is facing past the point of Harborside. Awesome water views. 3BR/2BA home located on wooded lot with deck and patio. Great Room/Kitchen/Dining combo, 2 BR & 1BA on main floor. One BR/1BA downstairs. Thiscould be the "little lake place" you have looking for! Perfect for buyers who desire privacy and the feel of a wooded area. Truly a must see to appreciate! Per courthouse 1224 ft on main level & 612 feet of finished basement. Buyer's agent to determine exact square footage. Single garage converted to become master bedroom suite. View from deck could be significantly widened by trimming limbs or remain as is for those who prefer privacy.             Photos courtesy of Greenwood MLS Listed By Greenwood ... 01/12/2010

It seems to me that a social conscience real estate investor can real make a difference in a community. Back in the "good old days" the local bank was the cornerstone of the community. The bank was the custodian of local deposits that provided the cash needed to fulfill dreams and aspirations or starting a new business and buying a family home. When someone needed money to build or buy a four unit apartment building to provide solid afordable housing, the bank was eager to work with them for the financing. Things have changed. Money is tight and when you find a financial institution that has loans available, the "hoops" and road blocks are becoming more frequent. Private loans and investment can make that difference I mentioned. Especially private money that has seen disappointing retur... 07/29/2009

Back in "the good old days" when the Dow was below 1,000 (yes one thousand) and securities were simple (no derivatives, no hedge funds, the futures market only dealt in commodities like corn, etc) the long term investor could make intelligent decisions. Fundamentals were key. You looked at industry trends, PE values (price to earnings ratio), management strength and style then bought into a company fully expecting that over the long term you should average a return approaching 10%. In the 80s and early 90s that worked well. The small investor and the retirement funds like IRAs & 401(k) accounts rushed into mutual funds. The easy way to participate in the inflation proof, equity building investing with management thrown in. The idea of placing retirement dollars into stocks and bonds sti... 07/16/2009

How many times have we seen the bargain hunters camping out in front of a store that is having a huge sale? I was a stockbroker back in the early eighties when the stock market had a big sale. It was like kids in the candy store picking up blue chip companies for bargain basement prices. As far as I can see, the real estate market is having its sale but where are the lines? Investers should be the first ones in but I think the tight lending environment coupled with too much uncertainty has kept many on the sidelines. How many times have you found a great deal and said, "If I only had some extra cash right now..." It is time to start thinking a bit out of the box and take advantage of the "buyer's" market. Look at your retirement funds. Those IRA accounts, old 401(k) dollars from previou... 07/10/2009

The old saying "cash is king" is very popular when it comes to real estate transactions. During this period of economic uncertainty and banking difficulties, real estate sales are down because of the lack of cash in the market. The average days on the market for real estate listings is growing every month because, even though it is a buyer's market, financing is becoming increasingly difficult. Money is tight. The real estate investor should be salivating at some of the "deals" out there. Frustrated sellers have lowered prices to bargain basement levels. The "blue light" is shining in the market with all the specials going on. Cash is needed to take advantage of the low prices and is also a great bargaining chip for even better deals during negotiations. Where is the cash! A report put ... 07/08/2009

Looking for something fun to do on the weekends?... The South Carolina Festival of Flowers is a perennial favorite!!.. Uptown Greenwood comes alive with a safari, showcase of topiary art and much more!! To get a full schedule of events for Uptown Greenwood, visit www.scfestivalofflowers.org or can call (864) 223-8411..this year's main festival weekend is June 26-28. Don't miss this beautiful festival.. 05/18/2009

Only 5 residential lots remain at Friendfield, a unique small gated community at Greenwood, SC.  Your choice of beautiful wooded lots or lakefront.  (This is a small neighborhood lake).  Lots range from $75,000 - $ 95,000.   Flagship home is a beautifully restored 100+ year old home that is one of only 5 Chippendale roofed homes in America.  It is owned by the developers of Friendfield, An Orthodonist and his decorator wife.   They have spent eight years restoring this incredible home down to the last detail.  Other homes in the neighborhood are new and range from 3000 sf upward.A beautiful entrance gate, pasture land and a conservation easement add to the beauty of this wonderful neighborhood.   Great neighbors in a private setting - yet so close to all that Greenwood, South Carolina h... 05/06/2007