The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

McKinley Washington Bridge, Edisto SC

….So you have made it to the Big Bridge…only just a few miles to go to get to Edisto. That’s what our parents would say when we were children… The ride to the Beach seemed like an all day ride. But we knew, once we got to the Big Bridge that we were almost to Edisto. Back then the Bridge was called the Dawhoo Bridge. It was a swing bridge that was built in 1954. It was electrically controlled by a bridge tender. Its operator worked in twelve hour shifts and his tiny office was located in the middle of the span. We often would joke that the only time you would see a traffic jam on Edisto was when the bridge would get stuck in the open position- which happened often.

Dawhoo Bridge

The Bridge Tender's Office

Dual Lane Dahwoo Bridge

The first bridge was built around the 1920 was a single lane. It too was a swing bridge. This bridge was manually operated by a giant crank. However, the operator lived in a caretaker’s house on the shore. When a large boat or ship wanted to pass, they would blow their horn and the operator would come out and climb up on the bridge and turn the crank by hand to slide the bridge open.

Circa 1920s Dawhoo Bridge

The Big Bridge

Today we have a dual lane span bridge. With a cost of $54.9 million dollars and a span of 5,584 feet is a modern marvel. It was built and dedicated around 1993. It was named after Congressman Mckinley Washingtion, Jr.

I know that you are about ready for some warmer weather and a good dose of Edisto…so I took a few photos of the Big Bridge and some cool views…just so you know that you are almost there…

...Just us birds hanging out on the Bridge..

The Beautiful Dahwoo River

Its a bird's Life

Remanants of the Dahwoo Bridge-now a fishing pier

Wind swept Marshes under the Bridge

So the next time you get to the Big Bridge…know you are almost to Edisto.

Edisto Beach-Now That’s Heaven!

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

Cell-843-908-2101

Toll Free 800-726-1881

Visit my websites:

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Edisto Beach Real Estate-Edisto Beach Turkeys???

February 23, 2010

Edisto Beach, SC

…it was a wet and soggy day on Edisto. But as always, nature always reveals a Wow! I was so dreading putting out For Sale signs in the rain today. I was heading to this marshside property on Turtle Point Lane that I just recently listed off of Jenkins Hill road. The road was muddy and it still was misting rain…when all of a sudden I saw about 30 Turkeys grazing in the field. I stopped and clicked a few shots. They didn’t seem to mind me and I stayed a while and gazed in amazement. They turned a gloomy day into to a memory. That’s Edisto…never leave home without a camera…you never know what’s around the next corner.

Edisto Beach-Now That’s Heaven!

Edisto Gobbler...look at that Beard

Edisto Turkeys

Don't Shoot- These are Beach Turkeys

Beautiful Jenkins Hill Plantation

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

Cell-843-908-2101

Toll Free 800-726-1881

Visit my websites:

Visit my Blogs:

Edisto Beach Real Estate-SC POS Tax Update

February 22, 2010

Edisto Beach Corks

Edisto Beach Real Estate

Edisto Beach, SC

Here is the Update on the POS Tax:

Point of Sale Update

Last week, the Senate took up, debated and voted on the compromise amendment to H.3272, point of sale assessment reform. The Compromise did the following:

Eliminates point of sale assessment for 6% properties transacted in 2010;
Caps point of sale increases at 80% on 6% property in years thereafter;
Clarifies ATI triggers (corporate, lineal, easements, etc.);
Clarifies the definition for rollback millage calculation and includes millage lookback recapture provision;
Creates a study committee on the index of tax paying ability;
Clarifies that the issuance of a permit does not constitute an ATI per se;
If a property sells for less than the assessed value on the books, the burden of proof is on the assessor to prove the higher value; and
Includes disclosure language on estimated property taxes.

The Senate gave the bill second reading after nearly 7 hours of debate on the evening of February 9th. On Wednesday, the Senate took a roll call vote on third reading to the compromise amendment. The vote failed did not receive the necessary 2/3 of the Senate and failed by a vote of 28 to 13 on nearly partisan lines. We were three votes shy of the necessary 31 votes. The following day, the Senate voted by unanimous consent to recommit H.3272 to Senate Finance Committee but to allow it to retain its place on the Senate Third Reading Contested Calendar.

Again, a special thank you is due to Senators Alexander, Hayes, Davis, McConnell Thomas, and Larry Martin. They did an excellent job of explaining the issue, leading the debate, and supporting our lobbying efforts inside of the Senate Chamber.

How Your Senator Voted on POS

Below is a list of the roll call vote to give H.3272 third reading. Largely the vote was down party lines, however, it should be noted that Senators Elliott, Reese, and Setzler broke ranks and voted to support the amendment. Here is how the vote broke down:

YES
Alexander, Bright, Bryant, Campbell, Campsen, Cleary, Courson, Cromer, Davis, Elliott, Fair, Hayes, Leatherman, L. Martin, S. Martin, Massey, McConnell, Mulvaney, O’Dell, Peeler, Rankin, Reese, Rose, Ryberg, Setzler, Shoopman, Thomas, Verdin

NO
Anderson, Grooms, Hutto, Land, Leventis, Malloy, Matthews, McGill, Nicholson, Pinckney, Scott, Sheheen, Williams

NOT VOTING
Coleman, Ford, Jackson, Knotts and Lourie (Lourie had official leave from the Senate Wednesday)

Your grassroots work is incredibly important to getting H.3272 back out of the Finance Committee. Please take a minute to CALL YOUR SENATOR.

If your Senator voted yes, your message is:

THANK YOU for your support, leadership and patience;
Addressing point of sale is far too important to SC’s economy to let die;
Please do not give up on this effort; and
Please help us move this bill forward.

If your Senator voted no, your message is:

Addressing point of sale is far too important to SC’s economy to let die;
All parties had agreed to the compromise that was on the table;
SC Realtors will not relent on this issue;
Please reconsider your position; and
Help us move this bill forward.

Edisto Beach-Now That’s Heaven!

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

Cell-843-908-2101

Toll Free 800-726-1881

Visit my websites:

Visit my Blogs:

Edisto Beach Real Estate-Edisto Beach State Park Receives Awards….

February 18, 2010

Congratulations to Susan Spell and all of her staff…the State Park is truly one of Edisto’s Treasure. Here is a press release written by Savdailynews.com

Edisto Beach State Park

Flowers at the Edisto Beach State Park

Edisto Beach, SC

Edisto Beach State Park Staff Receives Service’s Top Award
The staff at Edisto Beach State Park has been awarded a top honor from the South Carolina State Park Service.

Manager Susan Spell and her staff were presented the Director’s Award at the Park Service’s recent annual managers’ conference at Hickory Knob State Resort Park.

The award is not presented each year. “We present this award when it’s time to recognize employees who have particularly distinguished themselves in the way they exemplify the values of stewardship and service that have been the guiding principles of South Carolina’s state park system since it was established more than 75 years ago,” said Phil Gaines, director of the State Park Service.

“Manager Spell and her staff at Edisto Beach State Park personify those principles each and every day, adding up to exceptional effort and contributions to the preservation and presentation of this outstanding park and all it has to offer to South Carolinians and visitors from near and far,” Gaines said. “This is a complex, diverse park. Managing it so well is not an easy job.”

Spell also was recognized for her 20 years of service to the state. At Edisto Beach, she leads a staff of 13 people who manage 1,200 acres of beach, marsh and maritime forest. The park was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and also offers cabins, camping, a nature center and Edisto Interpretive Center, the state’s longest handicapped-accessible hiking trail and a shell mound believed to have been built by Native Americans as long as 4,000 years ago.

In addition to the demands of their daily duties, Park Service leaders cited the park staff for such accomplishments as successfully handling a flooded campground last fall and managing the renovation of the historic CCC-built cabins without interrupting customer service. The park also is responsible for the protection of endangered sea turtles and other wildlife on its miles of beach, creek and forest.

“Edisto Beach State Park attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and, thanks to the efforts of Manager Spell and her team, manages to make sure that each of them can have as positive experience as possible at one of the state’s most outstanding public assets,” Gaines said.

Edisto Beach-Now That’s Heaven!

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

Cell-843-908-2101

Toll Free 800-726-1881

Visit my websites:

Visit my Blogs:

Edisto Beach Real Estate-First Realtor on Edisto to Get SFR Certification

February 13, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Cal Griffin

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Company

Broker in Charge

800-726-1891

Cal@CalGriffin.com

www.CalGriffin.com

Cal Griffin Earns NAR Short Sales and Foreclosure Certification

Buyers and Sellers Benefit from REALTOR^® Expertise in Distressed Sales

Edisto Beach, SC — Cal Griffin with The Edisto Beach Company has earned the nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. The National Association of REALTORS^® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS^® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.

According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures. For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction. REALTORS^® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

“As leading advocates for homeownership, REALTORS^® believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results,” said 2009 NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Foreclosures and short sales can offer opportunities for home buyers and benefit the larger community, as well, but it’s extremely important to have the help of a real estate professional like a REALTOR^® who has earned the SFR certification for these kinds of purchases.”

The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk, and provides resources to help REALTORS^® stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves. To earn the SFR certification, REALTORS^Òare required to take one core course and three Webinars. For more information about the SFR certification, visit www.REALTORSFR.org or call 1-877-510-7855.

Edisto Beach-Now That’s Heaven!

…if you are in trouble with your mortgage…the Worst thing that you can do is Walk Away! Please talk to me or another certified Realtor. There are better options and I would be glad to show you the possibilities. There is Hope!

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

Cell-843-908-2101

Toll Free 800-726-1881

Visit my websites:

Visit my Blogs:

Edisto Beach Real Estate-The Worst Thing that you can do is Walk Away…

February 12, 2010

Edisto Beach, SC

Has the Economy Got you Down??

The Worst Possible thing you can do is Walk Away…

Yes we are in tough times…and yes most of our beach real estate is under water…the job market is even tougher…our income is way down…it feels like we have hit the Wall. And maybe some of us have. But the Worst thing that you can do is Walk Away from your home or your property on Edisto Beach.

You hear reports daily on the TV and in the paper, of normal every day folks like yourself faced with a similar situation. You know…the bills keep piling up, collectors calling, downright harassing letters come in your mailbox and the burden drags on day after day. You say to yourself, “If I could just leave all of this behind me and start over-things would get Better. I will just pack up and leave and start a new.” “The bank can handle another foreclosure”.

I am telling you don’t do it! I promise you that if you just abandon your property things are going to get worse than they are. Much worse! The buzzards(Bill Collectors) will really start circling. You will find yourself slapped with judgments and/or liens, they will garnish your wages, they will take your children and sell them at auction (just kidding), your life will become a living hell. Your credit will be destroyed for the next 7 to 10 years. Have you ever tried to live in America without some sort of Credit? You need credit to get a cell phone, you need credit to get car insurance and even hospitals are checking your credit before they will admit you. Where do you go in today’s world without someone pulling your credit?

So what do you do from here? There is hope. There is a way to get out of this mess that you are in. Walking Away is not an option. But you do have several options that will not leave your life in a total shipwreck and will not totally destroy your credit score. Did you know that most banks are horrible at personal contact. The first time that you miss a payment-you will get a stern letter from the bank reminding you to make a payment. The next time, you will get an even stronger letter and from then on you will get a monthly letter stating that you are late. After a while of letters you will get a foreclosure letter and then it will be over soon after and you will be asked to move out(by the Sheriff).

During the process, your favorite banker(the one who persuaded you take the Loan) will probably not call and ask if there is something they can do to help you. They are not going to call and offer a hand or a care. At this point, they just want their money or you out of their house. But I am here to tell you there is hope-there is a solution to your problem. Here are a few of the options:

1. Refinance-lower your by payment by getting a lower interest rate or longer payback period(15 to 30 years)
2. Sell and Bring Cash to Closing-cashing in your IRA or selling Treasury Bonds
3. Lender Workout–

Forbearance-lender may work with you on the payments until you get a job or another income.

Repayment Plan-sometimes the lender will work out a payment plan.

Loan Modification-reduce your payments by

Getting a lower interest rate or longer pay

Back.

4. Short Sale-sell for less than you owe on your

Mortgage.

5. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure-this is where you

Agree to sign the property back over in exchange

Forgive the lender to forgive your debt.

6. Foreclosure-it is pretty obvious that this is the

The last resort but don’t wait until it gets this far.

Call your lender immediately and discuss your options or call a lender who has been trained in

Distressed properties.

Please Don’t Walk Away without talking to me or someone first. We will be glad to walk you through the process and discuss your options. I will be glad to do all of this for free. Yes, I mean it. Absolutely, no charge to you- The last thing you need is another bill. Please don’t hesitate to Call. It will be my pleasure to serve you and your family.

Edisto Beach-Now That’s Heaven!

P.S.

I just received my certification for SFR(Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource) Certification. I have just studied and learned about all the latest programs and work-arounds and would be glad to share them with you.

Cal Griffin

The Edisto Beach Real Estate Advisor

Edisto Beach, SC

Cell-843-908-2101

Toll Free 800-726-1881

Visit my websites:

Visit my Blogs: