Seneca Real Estate News & Listings Presented By Clardy Real Estate, Inc.

125 Lake Breeze Lane, Westminster 29693

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:56:47 GMT

Lake Hartwell Waterfront with large open entertaining areas throughout the living room, kitchen and formal dining room. The living room is crowned by a 32' cathedral ceiling and a wall of windows that overlooks the Lake, Entertaining Wet Bar, Grand Floor to Ceiling Fireplace, Spacious Master on the main level w/ private master bath, Private Office/study, Downstairs is complemented with kitchen, full bath and 2 guest bedrooms. Relaxing Enclosed all season sunroom off of the kitchen lets you enjoy the year round, 2 Car Garage, dock in place and ready to enjoy the summer on Lake Hartwell. **If square footage is important, please measure & verify**

00 Stewart Road, Six Mile 29682

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:56:47 GMT

Looking for a place to build your dream home on 5 acres with mountain views? Well this is an outstanding location for your family home. Close to lakes, rivers, hiking, Clemson University, and Duke Energy. Newer Doublewide homes or Modular homes are OK. Buyer or buyer's agent responsible for verification of acreage and restrictions. Check out Virtual Tour for additional information Listing agent is related to seller!

524 Greenbriar Drive, Seneca 29678

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:54:25 GMT

WOW! This home is just perfect! Gorgeous Hardwood Floors, Wide Open Living Spaces and a Large Chef's Kitchen, perfect for baking, serving and entertaining! Tons of cabinets. Fantastic Home to Entertain your friends and family! Gorgous Swimming Pool with slide. Storage, storage everywhere...and the entire home is very low maintentance. This would make a great get a way home with Lake Hartwell, and Lake Keowee nearby. Just minutes to town, and nearby medical facilities. Great price for the square footage and the 1.2 acres of land. Fenced in yard. Enjoy the privacy of your back yard, or rest and relax on the beautiful front porch overlooking a shaded yard and level lot.

Lot 41 Promontory Ridge Drive, Seneca 29672

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:57:37 GMT

Gorgeous lot that backs up to the Nature Trail in Stillwater, so there won't be any homes built behind you. The lot has already had a perc test completed and the house plans already drawn up, which the Seller is willing to give to the buyer. ($2000 value). This lot is priced BELOW the original purchase price and motivated sellers.

1462 N HWY 25, Travelers Rest 29690

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:57:37 GMT

COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL WITH HIGH VISIBILITY. 150 +/- FEET OF ROAD FRONTAGE ON HWY 25 NORTH. SHORT COMMUTE TO DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE, SC TRAVELERS REST, SC HENDERSONVILLE, NC OR FURMAN UNIVERSITY. CLOSE BY BEAUTIFUL DRIVE TO JONES GAP, CAESARS HEAD, TABLE ROCK STATE PARK AND SCENIC HWY 11 (no value given on existing home) **If acreage amount is important to buyer, buyers agent must verify. Rollback taxes (if any) to be paid by buyer. Listing agent is related to seller**

3.2 acres Mill Creek Road, Westminster 29693

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:02:20 GMT

Beautiful building site with over 3 acres of privacy. Plenty of space for your greenhouse, animals, and gardens.

208 E South 3rd Street, Seneca 29672

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:02:20 GMT

A Remarkable home full of great character located in downtown Seneca - Impeccably kept with stunning hardwood floors, moldings, 4 fireplaces, & formal dining room. You will enjoy the great Kitchen w/ Granite Countertops, Center Island, plus Stainless Steel Appliances. This home also provides a relaxing front & back porch that overlooks the lovely backyard.

31.4 acres South Hill Rd, Westminster 29693

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:59:44 GMT

Looking for a great recreational tract or homesite that offers natural wild life such as Deer and Turkey, If you are a hunter or just enjoy your privacy this land tract offers a couple of creeks a pond and plenty of trails and build sites. and is listed for only 3900.00 per acre but there is more just down the road you will have access to a public boat ramp accessing 54,000 acres of lake hartwell.

234 Watkins, Central 29630

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:00:44 GMT

WOW, what a great home that has been completely renovated in 2010 with new ceramic tiles in kitchen and living room, new countertops, ceramic tile back splash in the kitchen, new cabinets, carpet, and completely renovated bathroom. Many of the windows have also been replaced with vinyl windows and there are some storm windows still in great condition. The two bedrooms are spacious and have walk-in closets. This would be a wonderful home for yourself or as investment income. It has a huge backyard that is fenced and includes an extra storage building. The owner will purchase a heating unit and stove with an acceptable offer to be installed prior to closing.

203 Clemson Towers, Clemson 29631

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:53:57 GMT

Great location on Lake Hartwell in Clemson. Parking level unit in gated community features maintenance free living. Amenities include exercise room and pool. Beautifully decorated with plantation shutters and large balcony overlooking the lake. Unit includes two parking spaces and oversized storage area adjacent to unit. HOA fee and water included in rent. Listing agent is related to lessor.

Housing Market Expected To Balance Out

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:00:00 GMT

The good news is we see the light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not a train coming at us anymore. Mortgage rates are still very low and are expected to stay low throughout 2012. Over the past 5 years we’ve seen prices dropping and home owners wondering if they made a wise investment. In Oconee County, average home prices have dropped 12% and Pickens County has dropped 5% since 2007, which doesn’t sound like a lot given that places elsewhere are 25-35% less. There were 45 homes in foreclosures in Seneca this year that sold and 16 are still active. In Clemson/Central area 16 homes were sold as foreclosures and 6 are still for sale.

Right now there are 885 homes on the market in Oconee and 523 homes for sale in Pickens. If you are thinking of selling your home, it’s best to list it NOW before the Spring because you’ll have more competition in the Spring. If you currently have your house on the market, you should really get to your bottom price before Spring so that you’ll sell before all the new listings are competing against you.

Seventy-eight percent of recent home buyers said their home is a good investment, and 45 percent believe it’s a better investment than stocks. Given the current restrictive credit environment, many buyers were much more cautious about their purchase and stayed well within their means; recent buyers had higher incomes and used modestly higher down payments than buyers in the 2010 survey.

Sorrel Hoover
Realtor®, Assoc. Broker
864-449-4372
sorrelhoover@gmail.com

After Christmas Sail on Lake Keowee

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:27:00 GMT

What a wonderful time to buy on shores of Lake Keowee. Lake Keowee is surrounded by majestic mountains and is known by it's Emerald Green waters. Lot 15 in Shelter Cove offers .58 of an acre on deep water, Rip Rap Shoreline, wonderful mixture of hardwoods, and a lovely building site. This subdivision is very conveniently located in Seneca, SC.
Call Shane Clardy (864-710-6507) today for more information regarding this lot in Shelter Cove.

Shane Clardy
Realtor®, Broker in Charge
864-710-6507

Home Sales Increase Across The Country

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:33:00 GMT

The National Association of Realtors recently released their 2011 3rd Quarter Housing Report. In the report, they showed that combined sales of single family homes, condos and co-ops increased in EVERY state as compared to the 3rd quarter of last year. Here are the state-by-state numbers.

The next time someone says houses aren’t selling, ask them which state they live in and show them the chart.

The Perfect Season To Buy

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:54:00 GMT

There is still time to be in your dream home for the Christmas Holidays. One of the busiest times of the year, but the perfect time to buy that new home.

As a buyer shopping for a home you have great advantages:
1. Interest Rates are down
2. Sellers really don't want to have to put up and take down christmas decorations- they would rather go ahead and sell before the Christmas holidays
3. People are generally in good moods & in a more generous spirit
4. If there house is on the market in December- then they are serious about selling it.

Call Us Today So we can Help You Find A Home for the Holidays!

Local Realtor® Earns South Carolina Broker’s License

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:58:00 GMT

Sorrel Hoover
Sorrel Hoover, Realtor® with Clardy Real Estate has recently earned the South Carolina Real Estate Broker’s License. To qualify for her South Carolina Brokers License, Sorrel had to successfully complete 150 hours of advanced real estate principles and practices. In addition, the applicant must also have three years experience with a salesman’s license and successfully pass the SC state exam. Sorrel is an established Realtor® and loves to be involved in the community. She impresses clients and co-workers with her drive, determination and willingness to help. “Sorrel is very professional and goes above and beyond for all of her clients. We are extremely proud that she is apart of Clardy Real Estate,” said Broker In Charge- Shane Clardy.

Sorrel Hoover can be reached at Clardy Real Estate at 864-882-4864 or 864-449-4372, by email: sorrelhoover@gmail.com

A Nation's Strong Belief in Homeownership

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Should You Buy A Home Warranty? Answer: Maybe!

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:00:00 GMT

As a Realtor, I always ask my Buyer if they would like a Home Warranty included in the purchase of their home. A home warranty wouldn't be necessary for you to purchase if you're buying a new construction home because it already comes with a 1-year warranty. However, after the first year, you have the option to purchase a home warranty with warranties covering your repairs a year at a time. You can continue to pay the premium each year, and then only pay a small fee for the service call if you have claims, usually a deductible of $55-75 per service call.

Most home warranty programs will cover what are considered “moving parts”: appliances, heating systems, air conditioning, some plumbing and some electrical, and hot water heater. However, most of the time the home warranty company will not cover issues related to poor maintenance of the home, or bad construction. Be sure, you carefully read the paperwork to understand exactly what to expect from your home warranty so you don't have any surprises.

Typically, a basic home warranty plan cost on average around $450, additional coverage can be added for in-ground pools, septic systems, water wells, etc. If you end up with a serious plumbing problem, or if your heating system breaks down, having the home warranty can save you money. If you had a $450 warranty with a $55 deductible, and you needed a new $1500 heating or cooling system, your home warranty policy would save you a lot of money.

Home warranties can provide peace of mind when you are living in an older home. Homes that are at least 10 years old, and that have not had any replacements to their “moving parts”, might begin to see more problems. I highly recommend getting a home warranty for the first year that you own an older home, just because you don't truly know how well the previous owner took care of the home. A home warranty would just be some added insurance.

Home Warranty Companies

There are many businesses offering this service so its best to compare home warranty companies. Some of the home warranty companies that are well-known, national and somewhat reputable companies include:

Sensible Home Warranty
Colonial Home Warranty
American Home Shield
Old Republic Home Warranty
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty
First American Home Warranty

If you're purchasing a home, you'll most likely have a home inspection completed. Based on the home inspection, you'll have a good indication if a home warranty would be a good idea. Your Realtor will be able to order the warranty for you and the warranty will be in place on the date of closing.

Sorrel Hoover
Realtor®

Clardy Real Estate
Cell: 864.449.4372
website: www.ClardyRealEstate.com

Should I Remodel Before I Sell?

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:00:00 GMT

To sell your home in today's market there are a few things you'll need to do to get it ready. But, the good news it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. There are some small improvements that you can do that will pay off big. Typically, Realtors advise homeowners to do as little as possible - perform touch-ups on floor tiling instead of replacing the entire floor; shampoo the carpets instead of replacing them. However, if the homeowner and their real estate agent determine that the condition of certain areas is deemed to be too poor, more extensive work may provide the greatest benefit.

A recent marketing company surveyed nearly 600 real estate professionals to discover which Do-It-Yourself home improvement projects give sellers the biggest return for their buck. Here are six projects under $1,000 (amounts are estimated) that made the list.

Cleaning and decluttering. Remove any personal items, unclutter countertops, organize closets and shelves, and make the home sparkling clean.

$290 Cost
$1,990 Return

Brightening. Clean all windows inside and out, replace old curtains, update lighting fixtures, and remove anything that blocks light from the windows.

$375 Cost
$1,550 Return

Smart staging. Rearrange furniture, bring in new accessories and furnishings to enhance rooms, incorporate artwork, and play soft music in the background.

$550 Cost
$2,194 Return

Landscaping enhancements. Punch up the home’s curb appeal in the front and back yards by adding bark mulch, bushes, and flowers and ensuring current plants and grass are well-cared for and manicured.

$540 Cost
$1,932 return

Repairing electrical or plumbing. Fix leaks under the sinks, remove any mildew stains, and ensure all plumbing is in good working condition. Update the home’s electrical with new wiring for modern appliances, fix any lights or outlets that don’t work, and replace old plug points with new safety fixtures.

$535 Cost
$1,505 Return

Replacing or shampooing dirty carpets. Steam-clean carpets, replace any worn carpets, and repair any floor creaks.

If your home needs a new roof, bite the bullet and do it. Even though most roofing tear-off jobs take one to two days, buyers shy away from buying a home if the roof needs to be replaced.

Overall, buyers want to buy a home that has no deferred maintenance, newer appliances, updated plumbing, electrical and heating (including a/c), modern conveniences and is ready to occupy. In today's market, your home has to stand out above the rest and the best way you can do that is to have it in move-in condition and lower the price.

Source: HomeGain’s 2011 Home Sale Maximizer Survey: www.homesalemaximizer.com.

Sorrel Hoover
Realtor®
Clardy Real Estate
Cell: 864.449.4372
website: www.ClardyRealEstate.com

Homeownership: Why Wait?

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 03:00:00 GMT

What is PMI and How Can I Not Pay It?

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:00:00 GMT

For many individuals and families who are looking at purchasing a home, or any other real estate, private mortgage insurance (PMI) can be a major cost factor. This kind of insurance is expensive and doesn't really help the borrower insure anything. Rather, it's a general requirement imposed on property sales by the lender. Buyers have options when it comes to private mortgage insurance, but not all consumers understand how this insurance works, and more home buyers just can't figure out their own specific requirements.

Wikipedia defines PMI in the US, is insurance payable to a lender or trustee for a pool of securities that may be required when taking out a mortgage loan. It is insurance to offset losses in the case where a mortgagor is not able to repay the loan and the lender is not able to recover its costs after foreclosure and sale of the mortgaged property. Typical rates are $55/mo. per $100,000 financed, or as high as $1,500/yr. for a typical $200,000 loan.

In layman's term, it's part of your monthly mortgage payment that you pay to the lender if you are mortgaging more than 80% of the purchase price. PMI protects the lender if you should default on the loan, then the insurance would pay off the remaining amount of the loan. Typically, PMI is .05% of the mortgage loan and is not tax deductible. The PMI should drop off your monthly payments when you reach 20% principal on your loan. Contact your lender to see how much you still owe and if you've reached your PMI limit.

Some loan programs don't have PMI included in the loan and can save you money. For instance a Veteran Administration (VA) loan or an FHA loan will not have PMI included. If you wanting to get pre-approved for a mortgage, ask your lender about the different loan programs that don't require PMI or ways that you can get around paying for it.

If you currently have a mortgage and want to stop paying for PMI each month, contact your current lender and find out when the PMI will be removed from your payments or if you can pay your principal to 20% of your loan and have the PMI removed.

Sorrel Hoover
Realtor®
Clardy Real Estate
864-449-4372