New Home Sales Rise

Sales of new homes rose 3.1 percent in September - a sign that the recovering housing market continues to rebound.

Since January, new home sales have increased by 13 percent compared to the same time period in 2015.

Experts believe the increase is due to improvements in hiring, salaries and low interest rates. The number of new homes on the market remains low with only a 4.8 month supply of new homes available.

Due to the limited demand of new homes, prices have risen by 2.7 percent to an average of $377,700.

Each month prices continue to go up and the number of available houses go down. Mortgage rates remain at historic lows. If you're in the market for a new home now is the time to buy!

Alternatives to Halloween Candy

Halloween is a time for treats, sweets and lots of delicious eats!  While that is a fun and time-tested tradition there are ways to think outside the box when it comes to trick-or-treating this year.  Check out our list of unique Halloween treats!

- Stickers - Halloween themed is best!

- Temporary tattoos

- Small bags of pretzels or gummy bears

- Halloween theme pretzels or erasers

- Stamps

- Bubbles

- Bouncy balls

- Glow sticks or bracelets to wear while out trick-or-treating!

If the typical fun-size candy is more your speed, you aren't alone. The National Retail Federation anticipates $2.5 billion will be spend on Halloween candy this year. The most popular choices? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats and Butterfinger.

Fall Activities Near You

Enjoy the cooler weather and get outside this weekend! Here are some fun Fall activities within driving distance.  Pack a jacket and hit the road!


Steeds Dairy Farm - Grovetown, GA

- Open Saturdays from 10am-10pm
- Open Sundays from 1pm-7pm
- A real working dairy farm
- Family-friendly corn maize during the day and Haunted Maize at night
- Hay rides, jumping pillow and petting zoo


Holiday Farms - Ridgeland, SC
- Open Saturdays from 9am-Dark
- Open Sundays from 1pm-5pm
- Pumpkin patch, jump pad, hay rides
- Duck races, corn grinding, Barnyard Zoo


Clinton Sease Farms - Lexington, SC
- Open Saturdays from 10am-11pm
- Open Sundays from 2pm-7pm
- Pumpkin patch, hay rides and corn maize
- Haunted attractions available at night

Preparing for a Storm

With Hurricane Matthew baring down on Florida and the Southeast, now is the time to ensure you're prepared in the event of a natural disaster.

The most important thing to remember is to heed the words of your local government, law enforcement and emergency division. This includes knowing the latest forecasts and evacuation orders. Don't endanger your lives and the lives of others by not listening to the people around you who are trying to keep you safe.

Ensure you have a safety kit and first aid supplies on hand.  This includes:

- Water - gallons of water for consumption and hygiene
- A three-day supply of nonperishable food
- Flashlight and batteries
- Can opener
- Cell phone chargers
- Weather radio
- Extra cash

First Aid Kit

- Latex gloves
- Burn ointment
- Eyewash
- Bandages in various sizes
- Soap
- Sterile dressings
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Non-prescription drugs such as aspirin, antacid, anti-diarrhea medicine

Ensure all prescription medicines are full and readily available.

What else do you do to prepare for a natural disaster?