Thoughts on Christmas

21 12 2011

It’s snowing here at wordpress.com. It’s probably the most snow I’ll see all winter. In South Carolina we rarely see snowflakes, and when we do it almost never sticks to the ground. In the six years I’ve lived here in Charleston we’ve had one snowfall that was measurable. There was a snowman in every yard that morning.

Vickery's

Vickery's

Even without the snow, Christmas is a magical time of year here. It’s warm so people are out and about, enjoying the weather and their time off. These are some of my favorite things about Christmas in Charleston.

James Island County Park offers one of the best light displays in the country, called the Holiday Festival of Lights. They have a 3-mile loop set up with thousands of lights in the form of everything from a candle stick to replicas of the old and new bridge over the Cooper River. Cars line up and crawl bumper-to-bumper through the park to enjoy the lights, the music, the activities, shops, and a visit with Santa.

Speaking of lights, it seems like there are more houses with lights on here than anywhere else I’ve lived. The restaurants and businesses around town hang lights as well. There’s something special about a palm tree and Christmas lights. Last night we enjoyed the lights and palm trees on the deck at Vickery’s on Shem Creek. Read the rest of this entry »





What Does it Take to Get Your Business?

15 11 2011

Business people around the world spend countless hours and dollars trying to get our attention so we’ll buy their product or service. Now more than ever I believe we are in a time when consumers choose to do business with people and companies they feel they can trust.

I find that when people don’t know someone they trust who can provide a product or service they need, they are willing to work with someone based on transferred trust. Transferred trust is where you trust someone because someone you trust told you you could. It’s like having a friend give you the answer to the bonus question on your final test.

In a business like real estate there are opportunities to connect consumers with other business professionals every day. We recommend home inspectors, lenders, insurance providers, moving companies, storage companies, hotels, restaurants, and so on.

My clients, family, and friends are happy when I can make their problems go away by giving them a name and number to call. Once they’ve made the decision to use the information I’ve given them, they know they can sit back while their problem goes away.

I don’t recommend people I don’t trust or haven’t had a positive personal experience with, unless someone I trust has said it’s okay to do so. In the world we live in it’s so easy to get tangled up with the wrong people. Doing so can have a small impact on us, such as paying a few extra dollars we didn’t need to pay, or a huge impact, such as losing an opportunity to achieve our dreams.

Successful business people realize products don’t attract sales. Service does. If I recommend someone who fails to increase the trust between me and the person I told to call them, I stop recommending that person. For a list of my most trusted resources, please click here.

 





Four Years and Blogging…

9 08 2011

Four years ago today I started this blog with a post called Putting Down Roots. A total of four people have read those words in these four years.

But I haven’t let it discourage me. Every now and then I stumble on a topic people really want to know about, such as Stimulus Package Helps Home Owners Too (3/09; 1,681 views), or FHA Nehemiah Program Offers Downpayment Assistance (5/08; 1163 views).

Early on I discovered readers are not so much interested in the houses themselves; they are looking for a way to get the house they want. There are also some who consult blog articles for advice when they aren’t sure whether or not to trust what their real estate agent is saying.

Hopefully I’ve said something over these years and with these 145 posts that has helped someone save money, hire the right agent, negotiate a deal, or avoid something bad. Thank you to everyone who’s been along for the ride, and keep those seat belts fastened, because we’re not done yet!





Cruising: from Charleston

16 06 2011

My husband and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas last week to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. We haven’t taken very many vacations since we’ve been together and neither of us had ever been on a cruise before so I think it’s safe to say this was a monumental occasion.

We set sail from Charleston aboard the Carnival Fantasy on June 4. After seven days touring islands and relaxing at sea, we returned to the beautiful Charleston harbor. While I was sad to see our trip come to an end, I have to say it was a wonderful feeling to walk through the front door of our home less than 60 minutes after getting off the ship.

How many people can say they live in a city where that’s possible?

To book your next cruise call Grace Wincklhofer at 843-821-6862 or contact her by e-mail: cruisingwithgrace@juno.com.





Where’s the Beef?

27 04 2011

This post was contributed by Andrew Wright, a Carolina One Mortgage loan officer.

Nearly anyone over the age of 30 remembers the little old lady in the Wendy’s commercial trying to purchase a hamburger and wanting to know where the meat was.

Almost everyone this day in age can relate. Today we are constantly left wondering “where’s the service?”

ANY experience with a vendor can be made or broken through the level of customer service provided.

If you’ve been out for a fine meal and felt that you were treated without respect, the food wasn’t good, and what started out as a memorable evening became memorable for the wrong reasons.

Don’t even get me started on going to the mechanic, the doctor, any government office, or dare I say trying to purchase a home or applying for a home loan?!

Excellent customer service can be achieved through the smallest details. There is a fast food restaurant that requires the employees to respond to a “thank you” by saying “my pleasure.” I am so impressed with this one little detail that I’m actually disappointed if I stop in for a meal and I don’t hear it!

We all deserve the best customer service as consumers of goods and services and really should expect nothing less. Excellent customer service is the “meat” in a vendor/patron relationship. So just like the little old lady in the commercial we have the right to ask “Where’s the Beef?”





Stephanie Davis Earns National Recognition

31 03 2011

Stephanie Davis (yours truly), a REALTOR® with Carolina One Real Estate, has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representation (ABR®) designation by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR).

The ABR® designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate professionals who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.

It’s such a blessing to help others achieve their dreams of home ownership. Thank you to my friends and family – many of whom are also my clients – for helping me grow and thrive in a very challenging career field. Today marks the first day of my 5th year in real estate, and I wouldn’t be here without you.

Please visit the REBAC Web site for more information about the ABR designation for REALTORS®.





Getting Motivated for 2011

26 10 2010

The last quarter of the year is well under way. Where do you see yourself 12 months from now? Is your head where it needs to be to take on 2011?

Three years ago as a new agent I went to a two-day real estate seminar that helped me get my head on straight so I could be productive at work.  The seminar stripped away all the “stuff” in real estate and showed me how to focus – really focus – on the activities that actually produce income.

It’s easy to come to work and look busy. With the internet, social networking, and e-mail I can spend eight hours a day attached to my computer and accomplish nothing for my business. Similarly, I can get up on Saturday morning and spend all day thinking about getting ready to start cleaning my house and never actually clean anything.

What does it take for you to dive in and do what needs to be done every day, week, month and year? What will it take for 2011 to be your best year ever? Read the rest of this entry »





Today’s Real Estate: Longer Contracts, More Work. Better Hire a Pro.

3 06 2009

scratching_headUsed to be – and I say that with all my two years of real estate experience – use to be that once a buyer and seller agreed on price and terms, closing would follow about 30 days later. However, now that short sales, foreclosures, government assistance programs, and bad credit have become more the norm than the exception, closing dates are getting pushed further and further out. In my own business, for example, three closings scheduled for early June have all been postponed to later in the month. Read the rest of this entry »





Wow! First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

25 07 2008

Earlier this week I shared news that Congress is voting to do away with seller-funded downpayment assistance programs. Bad news for most first-time home buyers – and sellers too. However, there is a silver lining. Yesterday The New York Times published an article that tells more about what the bill has to offer. According to the NYTimes, there’s something for everyone in this bill. My personal favorite is the $7500 tax credit Read the rest of this entry »





Economic Stimulus Checks

24 04 2008

The big debate: what impact will the Economic Stimulus package have on American families and the economy in general? If you’re like me, you’ve already spent the money a hundred different ways in your head. Wouldn’t it be nice to go on a giant shopping spree? Maybe take that vacation you’ve always wanted? My hunch is that most people will Read the rest of this entry »








Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 366 other followers