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Aikens Only Weekly Real Estate Product

Home Hunter
5/4/2012 5:29 PM Page 1

An advertising supplement to the Aiken Standard

Sunday, May 6, 2012

NEW

What s NEW in our market? . See us on Facebook at Carolina Real Estate Company
CT ONTRA DER C 3 DAYS! UN JUST IN

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ER UNDRACT CONT

HOPELAND FARMS COTTAGE

Adorable cottage has been completely updated with wood floors and decorator colors throughout. Included are formal living room with fireplace, formal dining, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and new chefs kitchen with Mexican tile floors, granite countertops, glass front cabinets and top-of-the-line appliances. A large screened porch overlooks the landscaped back lawn with brick patio and wood privacy fence. Call Courtney Conger or Randy Wolcott

Delightful updated home with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, large deck overlooking gunite pool with pool house and bath, newer barn/workshop on 1.72 acres. Access to Hitchcock Woods! Call Courtney Conger 645.3308 $359,000

FOXCHASE

11 acre turn-key horse farm in Bluffwood East. 9 acres fenced and cross-fenced in grass. Nearly new barn has 3 stalls, storage, tack room with full bath, heat & air, washer & dryer. Call Lisa Hosang $289,000

TUCKED AWAY FARM

delightfully renovated downtown cottage. Fabulous new master bath, updates throughout the 4 bedroom home. Call Courtney Conger or Randy Wolcott $399,000

FOXTROT ClubsOTTAGE C 16th hole from this Lovely views of Aiken Golf

NEW
SOUTH BOUNDARY

NEW
OLD AIKEN COTTAGE

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BLUFFWOOD EAST

$210,000

Rare opportunity! Lovely residential building lot in historic downtown Aiken. The level lot is partially cleared, and located under the canopy of oaks on our most photographed street. Call Angela Little 292.3709 $195,000

Completely renovated 2 bedroom cottage on Solann Street has fenced yard with garden space, wood and tile floors, fireplace and ceiling fans. Call Randy Wolcott at 507.1142 $118,000

Visit us at www.CarolinaCompany.com 803. 648. 8660 800. 880. 0108

2 adjoining equestrian lots offered at 62% UNDER APPRAISAL! Each lot is approximately 16 acres, ideal for clearing & grassing for horses. Call Randy Wolcott at 507.1142. ONLY $64,000 each lot

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AUTOMOBILE INFORMATION:
DRIVERS LICENSE Newcomers have 90 days after establishing residency to apply for a drivers license. With a valid out-of-state driver's license, only an eye exam or statement of visual acuity from an eye specialist is required. Military personnel may operate on a valid driver's license from their home state. For Information Call: 1-800-442-1DMV (1-800-442-1368) www.scdmvonline.com

DRIVERS LICENSE OFFICES 1755 Richland Ave., Aiken 803-641-7752 1913 Ascauga Lake Road, North Augusta 803-279-6659 TAGS/REGISTRATION
Newcomers have 45 days after establishing residency to purchase South Carolina license tags. To purchase license tags, you will need to fill out Form 400, available from any Division of Motor Vehicles office. Before getting your tag, you will need to pay the property tax on the vehicle at your local tax office. The South Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles handles vehicle tags. Offices are open Mon.- Fri. 8:30am - 5:00pm.

UTILITIES:
ELECTRICITY Aiken Electric Co-op 803-649-6245 or 1-800-922-1262 www.aikenco-op.org Mid-Carolina Electric Co-op 803-749-6400 or 1-888-813-8000 www.mcecoop.com South Carolina Electric & Gas 803-442-2000 or 1-800-251-7234 www.sceg.com/en NATURAL GAS SCE&G Gas Operations 106 Langley Dam Road Aiken, SC 29834 (803) 643-5916 TELEPHONE AT&T Residential 1-888-288-2020 Business 1-866-620-6000 www.att.com Atlantic Broadband 1-888-301-8649 WATER City of Aiken 803-642-7613 www.aiken.net City of North Augusta 803-441-4219 www.northaugusta.net Jackson Water Department 803-471-2229 New Ellenton Public Works Commission 803-652-2862

GOVERNMENT
Aiken Co. Administrative Offices 828 Richland Avenue W. 642-2012 Aiken City Offices 214 Park Avenue, S.W. 642-7654 Jackson Town Offices 106 Main Street 471-2228 New Ellenton City Offices 200 Main Street 652-2214 North Augusta City Offices 400 Buena Vista Ave. E. Municipal Bldg 441-4202 VOTER REGISTRATION Voter Registration Office 916 Vaucluse Road, Aiken 642-2030 TAXES Aiken County Tax Office 642-2081

INFORMATION SOURCES:
Aiken Chamber of Commerce 121 Richland Avenue E. 641-1111 www.aikenchamber.net Aiken Board of Realtors 648-1891
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Deadlines are every Tuesday at Noon.

Real Estate Sales Rep: Lauren Molony 644-2376 or Kathy Boyette 644-2349. Advertising Director: Dee Taylor

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Doug Haley Sr. Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS ID: 609887 803.644.3013 douglas.b.haley@bankofamerica.com

Angie Webber Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS ID: 628763 803.644.3012 angela.k.webber@bankofamerica.com
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NEW PRICE

NEW PRICE

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Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Agent

1. Education & Experience
You dont need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if you hire a real estate professional who does. Henry Ford once said that when you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. The trick is to find the right person.2 For the most part, they all cost about the same. Why not hire a person with more education and experience than you? Were all looking for more precious time in our lives, and hiring pros gives us that time. Agents take the spam out of your property showings and visits. If youre a buyer of new homes, your agent will whip out her sword and keep the builders agents at bay, preventing them from biting or nipping at your heels. If youre a seller, your agent will filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere from lookie loos3 and try to induce serious buyers to immediately write an offer. Agents either possess intimate knowledge or they know where to find the industry buzz about your neighborhood. They can identify comparable sales and hand these facts to you, in addition to pointing you in the direction where you can find more data on schools, crime or demographics. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $350,000, but an agent will know it had upgrades and sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow. Contrary to what some people believe, agents do not select prices for sellers or buyers. However, an agent will help to guide clients4 to make the right choices for themselves. If a listing is at 7%, for example, an agent has a 7% vested interest in the sale, but the client has a 93% interest. Selling agents will ask buyers to weigh all the data supplied to them and to choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand and the conditions, the agent will devise a negotiation strategy. Real estate agents can disclose market conditions, which will govern your selling or buying process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. Data such as the average per square foot cost of similar homes, median and average sales prices, average days on market5 and ratios of list-to-sold prices, among other criteria, will have a huge bearing on what you ultimately decide to do. Real estate agents network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell. Due to legal liability, many agents will hesitate to recommend a certain individual or company over another, but they do know which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing. Agents can, however, give you a list of references with whom they have worked and provide background information to help you make a wise selection.

7. Negotiation Skills & Confidentiality

Top producing agents negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, they can remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction and because they are skilled. Its part of their job description. Good agents are not messengers, delivering buyers offers to sellers and vice versa. They are professionals who are trained to present their clients case in the best light and agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests.

2. Agents are Buffers

8. Handling Volumes of Paperwork

3. Neighborhood Knowledge

One-page deposit receipts were prevalent in the early 1970s. Todays purchase agreements6 run 10 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and statemandated disclosures nor disclosures dictated by local custom. Most real estate files average thicknesses from one to three inches of paper. One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands. In some states, lawyers handle the disclosures, thank goodness!

9. Answer Questions After Closing

4. Price Guidance

Even the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call to your agent can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. Good agents stand by ready to assist. Worthy and honest agents dont leave you in the dust to fend for yourself.

10. Develop Relationships for Future Business

5. Market Conditions Information

The basis for an agents success and continued career in real estate is referrals. Few agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up new business. This emphasis gives agents strong incentives to make certain clients are happy and satisfied. It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again. Many will periodically mail market updates to you to keep you informed and to stay in touch.

6. Professional Networking

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GOT REALTOR?

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The Aiken Standard is pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtain housing. All real estate advertising in the Aiken Standard is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discriminations. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law.

Publishers Notice

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