Happy New Year!

Best wishes to you and your family for a safe and happy New Year!

Should I List (or Keep My House on the Market) During the Holiday Season?

If your home is on the market going in to the holiday season, you may be asking yourself if you should keep it on the market during the holiday season. Should you put your home on the market during the holiday season if you are thinking about listing your home?

REALTORs hear this question a lot this time of year. You may have fewer showings during the last few days of the year. People tend to be busy shopping, baking, going to parties and spending time with friends and family this time of the year. They may defer looking for a home until things quiet down after the first of the year. However, the buyers that make time to search for a home during the holiday season tend to be more serious than other buyers. So, don't be turned off by fewer showings.

Some tips to help your home show well (and sell!) during the holiday season:

• As with other times of the year, keep your home neat and tidy. I know it's harder this time of the year, but clean homes show better than dirty homes.
• If you live in a snowy climate, remove snow and ice from walkways.
• Keep holiday decorations to a minimum. Less is more with decorations while trying to sell your home. You want potential buyers to focus on the beautiful features of your home, not the decorations.
• Do not put up offensive decorations.
• Keep gifts (and other valuables) put away during showings. You do not want to attract potential thieves.
• If you have pictures of your yard during the spring, put them out for potential buyers to see. Seeing your plants in "full bloom" may help a buyer make a decision.

If I can help you answer any real estate questions you may have, let me know. I can be reached by email at Kathy@KathyRukat.com or by phone at (843) 267-2710.

Avoid 10 Common Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Make

Buying your first home can be a stressfull situation. Having an experienced real estate professional by your side can eliminate some of that stress. I have created a complimentary report entitled, "How To Buy Your First Home The Easy Way! Avoid 10 Common Mistakes First Time Homebuyers Make." To get a copy of this free report faxed to you, call 1-800-814-2712, ext. 9200. You will hear a brief description of the report, then you will be asked to enter your fax number. The report will be faxed to you in about 30 seconds. If you prefer to have the report emailed or mailed to you, call the toll-free number, enter the extension and follow the prompts to leave me a voicemail with either your email address or mailing address.

Update on Homeowners' Insurance

Homeowners' Insurance has been increasing over the last few months in the Myrtle Beach area. Many things contributed to this increase including the rough hurricane season the US saw in 2005. The Director of Insurance and other South Carolina politicians suggested expanding the South Carolina Wind and Hail Pool.

What is the South Carolina Wind and Hail Pool? The SC Wind and Hail Pool is a source of funds used to purchase wind and hail coverage provided by the state. In Horry county, residents east of Business 17 can obtain wind and hail coverage from the SC Wind and Hail Pool. This pool provides coverage for these property owners since their regular insurer will not provide wind and hail coverage east of Business 17. Insurance coverage through the SC Wind and Hail Pool is not cheap!

After the large increase in homeowners' insurance (especially in the condo community) seen this spring and summer, government officials suggested expanding the Wind Pool to the Waterway. Expanding the Wind Pool would help condo owners obtain insurance at lower rates. However, homeowners between Business 17 and the Waterway could be effected adversely. Traditional insurance providers would not provide wind and hail coverage to property owners if they could use the SC Wind and Hail Pool. Those homeowners could see an increase in their wind and hail premium. The conclusion (for now) is that the South Carolina Wind and Hail Pool will not be expanded.

I will be posted more information about homeowners' insurance over the next few days.

Homeowners' Insurance

Because of last year's strong hurricane season, insurance companies have been pulling out of coastal areas. Homeowners are either being dropped from their current insurance company and having to find a new company or they are facing higher insurance premiums. That's been a challenge this summer! The same thing happens to condo owners. With many condos, the hazard insurance is included as part of the HOA fee. What we've seen along the Grand Strand is a sharp increase in condo HOA fees. Some fees have nearly doubled or tripled. Some HOAs have decided to keep the HOA fee the same as in the past, but they will charge a monthly special assessment to cover the higher insurance premium.

Keep insurance premiums and HOA fees in mind when you are looking for your home or investment property. If the condo policy has not come up for renewal, ask your REALTOR® to find out when the policy will be renewed. Also, ask your REALTOR® to verify the HOA fee that is listed in the MLS.

If you have any questions about insurance or other real estate issues in the Myrtle Beach area, please give me a call at (843) 267-2710 or email me at Kathy@KathyRukat.com.

How To Guarantee You Will Get Your Home Sold This Time!

Having your home on the market and not having it sell can be frustrating for the homeowner and the listing agent. I have created a FREE report entitled, "How To Guarantee You Will Get Your Home Sold This Time!" To get a copy of this free report faxed to you, call 1-800-814-2712, ext. 9000. You will hear a brief description of the report, then you will be asked to enter your fax number. The report will be faxed to you in about 30 seconds. If you prefer to have the report emailed or mailed to you, call the toll-free number, enter the extension and follow the prompts to leave me a voicemail with either your email address or mailing address.

Myrtle Beach After Labor Day

The summer has come and gone. Many first-time visitors and long-time visitors vacationed in Myrtle Beach this summer. Now that it is almost Fall, what does that mean for your investment property? You will notice smaller income checks from your rental management company. The good news is people still visit Myrtle Beach in the Fall and Winter months. Swimsuits are traded in for golf clubs, then golf clubs are traded in for tickets to one of the shows.

If you have a property currently listed at this time, I'm sure you are wondering if there is a chance it will sell in the last part of the year. While I can't guarantee anything, I can share my experiences with the real estate market in the "slow winter months." I have found that the Fall and Winter is just as busy, if not busier, than the Spring and Summer. In the last quarter of last year, I was more busy with closings and sales than I was during the Spring and Summer.

Remember, real estate is localized. Keep that in mind when you read or hear reports that paint the real estate market with a broad brush. Also keep in mind that Myrtle Beach is still a "cheaper buy" than other East Coast markets.

If you have questions about Myrtle Beach and the market here, please give me a call. I can be reached directly at (843) 267-2710 or by email at Kathy@KathyRukat.com.

Marketing a Home

Living in your home while marketing your home to buyers can be tough. You must keep the house in "model" condition and you have to be ready to show your home at any given time. Here are some tips to keep your home in tip-top shape for potential buyers!

Welcome to My Blog!!

Welcome to my Blog!

I'm starting this Blog to share information on the Myrtle Beach market, local events and news, real estate information, MLS end of the month stats and updates on my listings. Feel free to post a comment or ask for additional information, and share this Blog with your friends and family interested in the Myrtle Beach area! I plan to add a new post each Thursday.

Talk to you soon.

Buyer and Seller Instant Notification

Do you want to be INSTANTLY notified when a home in the area you like is for sale? It could be the "Sandcastle of Your Dreams"! Complete this form.

Do you currently have your home listed for sale and you would like to know when you have more competition? Knowledge is key! Complete this form.

Search the Grand Strand MLS

Search the Grand Strand MLS for the most up-to-date properties for sale. From this link, you can search by MLS number, Area, Subdivision, Address, Property Type, Property Features and more. Register a unique username and password on the site and save your searches and your favorite properties. Easily communicate with me your favorite properties, and I can "Help You Find the Sandcastle of Your Dreams" even faster!

If you have any questions about a property you see, please call me at (843) 267-2710 or email me at Kathy@KathyRukat.com.

How To Contact Kathy

You can contact me directly at (843) 267-2710. If I am unavailable by phone, my email address is Kathy@KathyRukat.com. My website is www.KathyRukat.com.