Localism: North Myrtle Beach, SC

Bookworm MeMe

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:20:00 -0600

I guess it's no secret that I'm a bookworm. There is a viral bookworm me-me going around and I caught it not once, not twice, but five times! Thank you Robert, Julie, Terri, Steve and Bridget for tagging me with it!

Robert Rauf http://activerain.com/blogsview/797257/Bookworm-MeMe-A-Different-Twist-thanks-to-Kara

Julie Kippen http://activerain.com/blogsview/800710/Bookworm-Meme

Terri Visser http://activerain.com/blogsview/798300/Tag-Im-it-Whats-a-Non-Meme

Steve Shatsky http://activerain.com/blogsview/798700/Book-em-Dan-O-A-Meme-about-Books

Bridget McGee http://activerain.com/blogsview/801392/My-Closest-Book-MEME-Ive-been-tagged

I love books! I was born and raised in a communist country where knowledge was censured and a good book smuggled in from the free world was a veritable treasure, even when it was written in a foreign language. Most of us managed at least one or two other languages for precisely this reason.

One can not imagine the scope of the human desire for knowledge, unless one is subjected to this very dearth of information. My arrival to the US and my new access to books marked the beginning of my opportunity to open the door of unlimited knowledge. I can not describe the magnitude of the joy of having a huge library at your disposal with every possible subject abundantly stocked. I read everything I could get my hands on with the voraciousness of a starving person freshly rescued from an arid island. Having indulged long enough on the French Classics, the only books worth reading available to us in Romania, I embarked on my journey to assimilate as much factual information as possible. The truth is: you don't want to play any kind of trivia knowledge game with me and let's just leave it at that!

I am always reading several books at a time, but the dictum was to pick the one at hand, so here it is: "Anticancer - A New Way of Life" by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. Although the title sounds sterile and boring, this book is nothing of the sort, I assure you! It was written by a doctor who was diagnosed with terminal cancer about 15 years ago. The book is about his personal journey, and as such, it is as much about humanity and the soul's quest for meaning as it is about a disease that is decimating our population.

"The incidence of prostate cancer (which by definition affects only men) has risen still faster than that of breast cancer in Western countries. It rose by 200 percent in several European countries between 1978 and 2000, by 258 percent in the United States over the same period. And finally, the argument concerning early screening is insufficient to explain these numbers: The increase in cancers that are not routinely screened for (pancreas, lung, brain, testicle, lymphoma) is equally striking, if not more so.

There is indeed a cancer epidemic in the Western world. It can even be dated, quite precisely, to World War II. A major study published in Science has shown, for example, that for women carrying high-risk genes (BRCA-1 or BRCA-2), the risk of developing breast cancer before age fifty has virtually tripled for women born after the war, compared to those born before the war."

I am following orders and tagging the following compadres:

Chuck Willman http://activerain.com/blogs/chuckwillman

I am ALWAYS interested in what Chuck is reading. He has an open mind and that makes for an exciting reading advisor.

Rich Dansereau http://activerain.com/blogs/richd

Rich has a restless soul fed by a kind heart and he is a "knowledge globe-trotter".

Michael Tarabotto http://activerain.com/blogs/appraisalsolutionscorp

Michael seems to read the same books I do. For many reasons, I feel he is my twin here on AR. I want to know if we are currently exploring the same venues.

Gene Wunderlich http://activerain.com/blogs/genewunderlich

I am Gene's nr. 1 fan. His sense of humor is remarkable and his scope of knowledge unparallel. I want to know about his book du jour.

Marti Garaughty http://activerain.com/blogs/garaughty

Marti, the blog artist, is so multifaceted and I have always been intrigued. Furthermore, I want to know if his current read is in English or French. Quels magazines est-ce que tu lis?

Happy Reading!

Bookworm Mirela Monte Join The Optimist Group!

Back-up Offers, a Wonderful Addition to our Arsenal

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:38:46 -0600

Back-up Offers, a Wonderful Addition to our Arsenal

I've been using back up offers for many years. Almost without fail, the other agent in the deal is not familiar with this wonderful tool. How many of you are using back up offers in your Real Estate practice?

Just what is a back up offer? When you have a desirable property and more than one offer, the Seller has to choose the best one. What happens to offer nr. 2?

If the Buyer's Agent is savvy, offer nr. 2 will become a back-up offer. If, for some reason, offer nr. 1. falls out, Buyer nr. 2 steps in and buys the property for the already negotiated price and terms.

Do any deals fall out these days? Does the bear... Never mind! Why not have contract nr. 2 in place, just in case? I've closed a lot of deals this way. As a listing agent, I always recommend this route when we have more than one offer. As a Buyer Agent, I always use this route also, if by chance I lose the deal to another buyer (not likely). The way I write the back up addendum, my Buyer client can exit the deal at any time prior to being moved into the primary position. That way, we can still keep looking, but have the back up offer in place, just in case the primary buyer can not close on the deal. This works like a charm.

How many of you have successfully employed the Back-up Offer solution?

Myrtle Beach Real Estate by Mirela Monte Join The Optimist Group!

BANK OWNED & FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES IN HORRY COUNTY AND GEORGETOWN COUNTY

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:36:27 -0600

Buyers' Choice Realty is your source for Bank Owned and Foreclosure properties in Horry County and Georgetown County. Check us out on the web at:

www.MyrtleBeachHomes.US/BankOwned - Updated list of all Bank Owned properties for Horry & Georgetown County
www.MyrtleBeachHomes.US/LocalForeclosures - Updated list of all Foreclosures for Horry & Georgetown County

Buyers' Choice Realty also has access to all of the properties that are going to auction on the courthouse steps every month before they go! Grab an amazing deal with Buyers' Choice Realty today!

Call us at 843-280-7283 to talk to one of our Real Estate specialists, and let us help you find a steal! These
properties are going fast!

Brianne "Brie" Bender
Buyers' Choice Realty
www.MyrtleBeachHomes.US

Featured Bank Owned Properties

525 5th Ave South
Walk or Golf Cart Ride to the Beach!
List Price $449,900
Sold As Is
Bring all offers!

178 Palmetto Harbor Drive
Waterway Views!
List Price #$449,900
Sold Ad Is
Bring all offers!

Baywatch Resort in North Myrtle Beach - Condos Sold in the Past 3 Months:

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:24:52 -0600

Baywatch Resort - Sold in the past 3 months - 8/14-11/14/08

CONDO/TOWNHOUSE Summary Statistics
	High	Low	Average	Median
List Price:	$339,900	$94,900	$208,044	$179,900
Sold Price:	$310,000	$89,900	$186,544	$164,000

Bldg Name	ADDRESS	Sale/Rent	BR	EstSqFtUR	Total SQFT	DOM	List Price	$/Total SQFT	Sold Price	$/Total SQFT
BAYWATCH	2701 S OCEAN BLVD	For Sale	Efficiency	01Less than 400	399	50	$94,900	$237.84	$89,900	$225.31
Baywatch	2801 S OCEAN BLVD	For Sale	1	06 601-650	580	76	$130,000	$224.14	$125,000	$215.52
Bay Watch	2701 S Ocean Boulevard	For Sale	1	06 601-650	550	158	$140,000	$254.55	$125,000	$227.27
Tower 3, Phase 2	2801 S Ocean BLVD	For Sale	1	06 601-650	650	77	$189,000	$290.77	$157,000	$241.54
Baywatch II	2801 S Ocean Blvd.	For Sale	1	07 651-700	600	258	$179,900	$299.83	$164,000	$273.33
BAYWATCH PH II	2701 S OCEAN BLVD	For Sale	1	05 551-600	550	137	$179,900	$327.09	$164,000	$298.18
Bay Watch Resort	2711 S Ocean Blvd	For Sale	2	17 1151-1200	1150	131	$309,000	$268.70	$264,000	$229.57
Bay Watch Tower III	2701 S Ocean Blvd	For Sale	2	16 1101-1150	1100	148	$309,800	$281.64	$280,000	$254.55
Bay Watch II	2801 S Ocean Blvd.	For Sale	2	21 1351-1400	1115	551	$339,900	$304.84	$310,000	$278.03
	Total Listings					Avg	Avg	Avg	Avg	Avg
	9					176	$208,044	$276	$186,544	$249

Four of these nine transactions were effected by my office and I was the procuring agent in three of them. Baywatch is a wonderful oceanfront development with superb water amenities, a well managed HOA and a perfect location.

Baywatch Resort by Mirela Monte Join The Vacation Group!

Baywatch Resort in North Myrtle Beach Total Sales Jan 1 - Nov. 8, 2008

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:49:58 -0600

Baywatch Resort in North Myrtle Beach Total Sales Jan 1 - Nov. 8, 2008

CONDO/TOWNHOUSE Summary Statistics
	High	Low	Average	Median
List Price:	$399,900	$94,900	$229,811	$215,000
Sales Price:	$377,000	$89,900	$212,511	$195,000

Bldg Name	BR	EstSqFtUR	Total SQFT	DOM	LP	$/Total SQFT	SP	$/Total SQFT
BAYWATCH	Efficiency	01Less than 400	399	50	$94,900	$237.84	$89,900	$225.31
BayWatch I	Efficiency	01Less than 400	400	214	$119,500	$298.75	$90,000	$225.00
Bay Watch Phase II Tower III	Efficiency	03 451-500	400	121	$104,900	$262.25	$94,000	$235.00
Bay Watch I	Efficiency	02 401-450	401	333	$99,999	$249.37	$95,000	$236.91
Bay Watch 1	Efficiency	01Less than 400	400	165	$111,000	$277.50	$95,200	$238.00
Bay Watch Resort	Efficiency	02 401-450	450	120	$98,700	$219.33	$96,800	$215.11
Bay Watch	Efficiency	02 401-450	400	191	$124,900	$312.25	$102,000	$255.00
	1	06 601-650	580	76	$130,000	$224.14	$125,000	$215.52
Bay Watch	1	06 601-650	550	158	$140,000	$254.55	$125,000	$227.27
Tower 3, Phase 2	1	06 601-650	650	77	$189,000	$290.77	$157,000	$241.54
Baywatch II	1	07 651-700	600	258	$179,900	$299.83	$164,000	$273.33
BAYWATCH PH II	1	05 551-600	550	137	$179,900	$327.09	$164,000	$298.18
Bay Watch	1	06 601-650	551	39	$174,900	$317.42	$170,000	$308.53
Bay Watch Resort	1	09 751-800	750	196	$184,900	$246.53	$170,000	$226.67
Baywatch Phase II	1	06 601-650	650	177	$192,500	$296.15	$180,000	$276.92
BayWatch Ph III	1	08 701-750	750	149	$205,000	$273.33	$190,000	$253.33
BayWatch III	1	07 651-700	700	102	$219,900	$314.14	$190,000	$271.43
BAY WATCH	1	07 651-700	652	89	$215,900	$331.13	$195,000	$299.08
BAY WATCH PH 3	1	07 651-700	700	63	$199,500	$285.00	$197,000	$281.43
BayWatch	1	06 601-650	601	934	$215,000	$357.74	$200,000	$332.78
	2	14 1001-1050	1050	51	$257,600	$245.33	$258,000	$245.71
	2	17 1151-1200	1150	38	$280,000	$243.48	$258,000	$224.35
Bay Watch Tower III	2	16 1101-1150	1100	148	$309,800	$281.64	$280,000	$254.55
Bay Watch Resort	2	17 1151-1200	1150	393	$324,500	$282.17	$280,000	$243.48
Bay Watch Resort PHI	2	16 1101-1150	1017	35	$289,500	$284.66	$290,000	$285.15
Bay Watch Resort PH III	2	15 1051-1100	1100	588	$322,500	$293.18	$290,000	$263.64
Baywatch PH3	2	17 1151-1200	1100	46	$299,900	$272.64	$295,000	$268.18
BayWatch III	2	17 1151-1200	1151	131	$315,000	$273.68	$295,000	$256.30
Bay Watch Resort	2	17 1151-1200	1150	400	$324,900	$282.52	$299,000	$260.00
BayWatch Tower 1	2	14 1001-1050	1050	184	$319,900	$304.67	$308,000	$293.33
Bay Watch II	2	21 1351-1400	1115	551	$339,900	$304.84	$310,000	$278.03
Bay Watch III	2	19 1251-1300	1264	362	$329,900	$261.00	$318,000	$251.58
Bay Watch Resort	2	17 1151-1200	1100	58	$369,900	$336.27	$335,000	$304.55
BAYWATCH 1	3	18 1201-1250	1250	202	$379,900	$303.92	$355,000	$284.00
BAYWATCH PH 2	3	17 1151-1200	1175	77	$399,900	$340.34	$377,000	$320.85
				Avg	Avg	Avg	Avg	Avg
				197	$229,811	$285	$212,511	$262