In 2000, I retired from Delta and had no idea what the future held in store. Now, 2010 approaches and 2000 seems as though it was yesterday. Some things I remember:
2000: Y2K and all the possible scenarios - we survived it!
2001: September 11 happened while I was attending a funeral in Buffalo, Wyoming…it was a long drive back to Alabama.
2002: My Dad passed away.
2003: Starting to sell a little real estate at Lake Martin.
2004: More real estate…is there a career after Delta?
2005: More buyers than sellers at the lake - a tremendous year.
2006: Our daughter was married.
2007: Our son was married.
2008: Recovery from the drought, the real estate bust, and economic worries.
2009: Absolutely my best year ever in Real Estate AND our first Grandchild!
2010: … I wonder what tomorrow holds?
I want to wish my family, friends, colleagues, and my customers the best and most prosperous New Year.
For several years, we were weekenders commuting from Atlanta as often as possible. We usually managed to plan Thanksgiving at the lake - weather was never a factor - we just wanted to be here. One Thanksgiving Day, we were all set to fry our turkey and realized we did not have enough peanut oil! So, off we went to Piggly Wiggly in Dadeville to resupply. Unfortunately, they were sold out of peanut oil - and it looked like our turkey dinner plans were in trouble - it was too late to start cooking a bird in the oven. But wait!! Piggly Wiggly had turkeys already cooked - with dressing and gravy - what a great solution - and the food was great! Seems like the little things really remind you to count your blessings. We do have so much to be thankful for - including some terrific Lake Martin memories.
Halloween is one of my husband’s favorite holidays. It is a time to dress up in scary costumes, create haunted houses for the neighborhood children and pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters who come to call. Since Lake Martin is a rural, second home/retirement community, there isn’t an abundance of children living around the lake. Therefore we don’t have a lot of trick-or-treaters show up at our door. Actually, we haven’t had any in several years. This makes my husband sad.
So, my message to all you folks living on Lake Martin, invite your kids and grand-kids for Halloween this year. Bring them to our house. Make my husband happy, he’ll fill their bags with candy.
What a great night for folks who came to sample a taste of 16 area restaurants on Tuesday, August 11 at Camp Civitan! The Taste of the Dadeville Area was sponsored by the Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce to spotlight local restaurants and provide an entertaining evening for everyone. Music by the Brown Derby Jazz Band added a nice touch for the more than 300 attendees. Food and music were followed by a raffle for prizes and cash!
If you missed it, shame on you! This was a terrific evening - stay tuned for future events.
I’ve learned some very valuable lessons from two women, Janie Merrifield and Lisa Hammond, who were previously named REALTOR® of the year: 1. No transaction is too small. 2. It always helps to be helpful. 3. The old saying – “what goes around, comes around” is a sure thing in real estate.
Every year, buyers ask to see property on Lake Martin in a certain price range. This year, the magic number is between $300,000 and $400,000. There are several great buys that fit the bill and here are just a few.
Check my website for more information on these and other properties.
Summer is almost here and Lake Martin is as busy as ever. The lake level is high and holding steady; plenty of property is for sale and quite a few places are selling. Now might be the right time to make your move if you ever wanted to buy that get-away on the lake, purchase a second home, or nail down your future retirement spot.
Lake Martin is full and open for business as the official summer season begins this weekend. Road traffic is heavy, stores are busy, boat ramps are in use, and marinas are selling lots of stuff from gas to potato chips! While many family gatherings have been dampened a bit with frequent rain showers, folks are still on the water having a good time. After all, if you’re swimming , skiing, tubing, fishing, or otherwise playing in the water –a little rain can’t hurt! People at the lake always make the best of it when a holiday weekend comes around.
DO NOT look back and say, “Why didn’t I buy that place at the lake when I had the chance?” Timing is everything and now may be the best time in years to purchase property at Lake Martin. There are lots of properties to choose from, sellers seem to be negotiating, interest rates are really low, and mortgage money is available.
It is hard to move forward when all the news we hear and see is bad. But some folks are braving the bad news and are buying lake property right now. Last week, I worked with two different buyers who each obtained 4.5% financing from different lenders. They both purchased condos. By the end of this month, two more families are purchasing homes in the area, one is on the lake and one has lake access. One of these is a second home and one will be a primary residence and each one got a great interest rate.
Many sellers are asking reasonable prices for their lake places and they are open to offers. So, if you’re looking in a certain price range, look at prices a little higher than your upper limit. And for goodness sake, hire a REALTOR® to help you find the best place at the best price on Lake Martin!
Whether you want a cabin…
Congratulations Toni, What a great honor and recognition. Good job!