Time To Sell?

If you're current home is keeping you from moving on to your new, dream home - don't worry! You don't have to wait for the spring buying season to sell!  It is possible to sell your home during the Holidays and we can show you how.

Although November through January is often the most difficult time to sell, it does have it's advantages.  Buyers during these months are more serious about finding a home and you're less likely to have too many people who are "just looking".  There are also fewer homes on the market which means less competition!

- Holiday decor can make a home really shine but don't go overboard. Keep decorations tasteful and minimal.

- With leaves falling and grass going dormant it's important to keep your exterior of your home looking its best. Touch up paint and fix any visible cracks.

- Make sure to choose an agent who is willing to work during the holidays and will take showings at busy family times.

- Price your home competitively. Don't encourage buyers to wait for price cuts in the Spring. Consider incentives for quick closings.

- Create a strong online presence. Weather and family obligations make online home shopping even more important.  Have photos and videos that thoroughly show off your home's best features.

Use Your Crockpot This Thanksgiving

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful for many reasons but preparing and cooking a once-in-a-year meal ranks right up there at the top! It seems impossible to have everything cooked and ready to eat at the same time!

This year make use of your crockpot like never before. It will leave you more space in the oven and can be trusted to cook at least one of your menu items with minimal work from you!

Mashed Potatoes
- Wash and cut potatoes into bite size pieces (use 3 lbs)
- Add to crockpot with 1 cup of chicken stock
- Place 1/4 cup of butter - cut into cubes, on top
- Sprinkle 3 cloves of minced garlic on top
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours
- Mash and add in milk to achieve level of creaminess desired.
- Add salt and pepper to taste

Stuffing
- Cook celery and onion in butter over medium heat in saucepan
- Once softened remove from heat
- Add 1 package of seasoned bread cubes to slow cooker
- Pour in 1 and 1/2 cups of chicken stock
- Add in celery and onion
- Cook on low for 3-3.5 hours

Cranberry Sauce
- Mix 1/2 cup of orange juice, water, brown sugar and white sugar
- Stir in 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
- Pour in crockpot
- Add 1 package of fresh cranberries
- Cover and cook on high 3 hours, stirring once every hour
- Remove lid and stir well. Cook another 45 minutes

Fall Filled Days

While the stores seem to have skipped from Halloween to Christmas, its important to remember that it's still Fall!

What does this mean?

Set your clocks back an hour when you go to sleep Saturday night. Enjoy an extra hour of rest!

Don't throw out your pumpkins!  Make pumpkin puree to use in some of your favorite Fall dishes like pumpkin bread or pie.  Cut your pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Cut into manageable pieces and lay on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft. Blend or mash and drain the juice. Use for baking!

Plant a Fall garden. Cool weather crops include spinach, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

Begin experimenting for Thanksgiving dinner by trying out new recipes and thinking of fun ways to serve them!  Take advantage of deals on Fall decor for your table centerpiece.

Make a thankful tree and hang leaves on it with message of gratefulness and thankfulness.

Enjoy the shorter days with warmly scented candles and prepping the fireplace for your first fire!

Invite friends and family over to watch football on the weekends - whether you like the game or not! It's a great reason to socialize with delicious food!

What other Fall activities will you be taking part in this November?

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?