Client Appreciation Party, Spring 2013

So have you been wondering what we’ve been up to? …A lot!!

There have been some big changes for Chandie and her business this year. We’re very excited by the growth that has taken place and the transformations it’s brought to the business. With the addition of Chandie’s husband, Jeff, to the team, we’ve officially become the Hupman Real Estate Group. We feel very fortunate and blessed by the growth we’ve had over the last year and we wanted to make sure our clients knew that at our most recent client appreciation party, from the prizes and food to the party favors…

Our “Thank You For Growing With Us” Herbs!

Another important part of this particular party was the introduction of the Hupman Group’s campaign to give back a portion of what we make to improve the local communities in the greater Savannah area, as well as around the world! To that end, the Hupman Group has partnered with Central India Christian Mission to build wells in communities throughout India that do not have clean drinking water. We were very excited to be able to present the check for our first well to be built! We’re looking forward to sharing those pictures with you in a future post!

Jeff explaining about the wells in India and the group’s desire to give back.

Mark sharing about Central India Christian Mission.

A Thank You Hug!

It was yet another fun-filled evening with our clients, supporters, and friends. We had a great time at the Kentucky-Derby themed picnic party and we hope all who made it out did too! A special thanks to Brad Bixler from The Coastal Bank and his family for the generous contribution of prizes and help to make it such a great evening. Thanks to all who attended – we’re looking forward to seeing you again at our next party! Enjoy some more photos of the recent party below:

 

Kid’s Corner

Photo Fun

Food table

The give-away prizes

Derby-themed Mint Julep table

Give-away’s!

The lucky iPad mini winner – iPad courtesy of Brad Bixler with The Coastal Bank!

Counting out the trivia winners

The Kentucky Derby – themed trivia game!

That’s right – live music at this shindig!

Our icebreaker game…

Chandie and Laura having some photo fun!

Fall Client Appreciation Party, November 17, 2012!

Thanks to all to all those who made it out for our second semiannual client appreciation party. This time we had a good ol’ lowcountry boil and oyster roast. The food was amazing, the view was beautiful, and the company was great! We had a blast watching everyone enjoy the freshly roasted oysters, games, bonfire, and fantastic prizes. We hope we’ll have a chance to spend time with you all again in April for our spring client appreciation cook-out. Take a look at the pictures below to see the fun!

Pre-oyster shucking

Back porch, pond view

Beautiful view from the back of the party barn. That pile of logs became a roaring bonfire!

Our amazing party barn. Special thanks to Cheri Keller for letting us spend the evening there!

Our oh-so-delicious lowcountry boil spread. Boiled shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausage, macaroni and cheese, salad, dessert. YUM!!!

The prizes for our drawings! Eight lucky winners!

The bonfire by moonlight

Our chef EXTRAORDINAIRE, Trey Stokes. This man was amazing!!

Did I mention the game room upstairs?

Shucking the oysters! I liked the “Chandie method” – cracker, oyster, squeeze of lemon, dollop of cocktail sauce. Eat & enjoy!

More games!

Anxiously awaiting the prize drawings!

Our first drawing winner got to choose from all eight gift baskets. A hard decision!!

I think she was happy with her pick :)

Winner #2

Winner 3

Winner 4

Winner 5

Winner 6- look at the size of that basket!

Winner 7

Last but definitely not least, winner 8!

You should have seen how much these two ate- I don’t know WHERE they put it!

Neighborhood Profile: WaterWays Township

The aptly named WaterWays Township in Richmond Hill is a place you’ll want to know about! It’s like a slice of Venice along the beautiful Georgia coast!

Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration–there are no gondolas around with drivers in striped shirts. But that doesn’t mean you can’t jump in your boat, kayak, or over-sized lily pad and paddle yourself to one of many locations within the neighborhood! WaterWays Township, developed by Fletcher Management Company, offers six-and-a-half miles of marsh frontage, over three miles of winding lagoons, and numerous acres of ancient oak hammocks. It’s a place where “water isn’t just a way to get around, it’s a way of life.”

The 2,300-acre community offers homes and home sites at a wide range of values. The amenities include lagoons designed by bass-fishing legend Bill Dance, the WaterWays Golf Club by Tom Fazio, the Swim & Fitness Club,  plenty of beautiful social areas, and much more. For more details and information, take a look at the neighborhood’s website.

Chandie had the opportunity to check the area out in person recently. Here are some snapshots of the trip!

 

Have you heard the news? New short sale guidelines!

But wait- what’s that you ask? What exactly IS a short sale? I know- we’re all familiar with the term, but the details are a little fuzzy. Kind of like a twinkie, but maybe that’s just me.

Here’s the rundown for you: When a homeowner fails to make the payments on his or her mortgage, the lender (bank)  may take possession of the property. In those circumstances, the homeowners are no longer a part of the sales process. This is called foreclosure. A short sale is usually the first step to avoid foreclosure. Much like in a foreclosure, a short sale can occur when the borrower (homeowner) can no longer make their mortgage payments and owes more on the home loan than what the home is worth in the current market. The homeowner will attempt to avoid foreclosure proceedings by listing their home for the current market value and the lender will take less for the home than the amount of the borrower’s loan. Once the seller accepts an offer, it will have to be approved and accepted by the lender.

Short sales can be complicated. Don’t let the name fool you- they typically take anywhere from 3-6 months to complete, although each case may vary. Not only are they time consuming, but the outcome is not guaranteed. The lender is under no obligation to accept a short sale. However, in some cases, a short sale may be the best option to pursue. Anyone in a situation to consider a short sale, whether selling or buying, should look for a realtor with experience in short sales. 

And now the new stuff, effective November 1, 2012:

• Homeowners with a mortgage backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will be able to do a short sale even if they are current on their mortgage if they have an eligible hardship such as the death of a borrower or co-borrower, divorce or legal separation, illness or disability, or a distant employment transfer.
• Homeowners will be able to make a financial contribution at closing in exchange for the lender not pursuing them for a deficiency judgment later (assuming the homeowner has sufficient income and/or assets).
• Military personnel who are being relocated will be automatically eligible for a short sale and will be under no obligation to contribute funds to cover the shortfall between the outstanding loan balance and the sales price on their homes.
• Subordinate-lien payments will be limited to $6,000. Previously lenders would often attempt to negotiate a higher payment from the homeowner.
  In certain circumstances, homeowners will be eligible to receive up to $3,000 in relocation assistance.

Thank you to Michael Caputo with WR Starkey Mortgage for the new info.

Michael Caputo
Cell (912) 658-2366
Efax 866-546-8940
mcaputo@starkeymtg.com

Have YOU had experience with short sales? What advice would you give to buyers or sellers considering this option?

It’s That Time Of Year: Halloween!!

Get those toothbrushes ready, candy is EVERYWHERE this time of year! If you’re anything like me, Halloween registers the start of cooler weather and all kinds of fun holiday activities. I love it!

But every year I seem to draw a blank when it comes to actually dressing up for this particular holiday. Sure, you can run out to the store and pay $50 or more for a costume, but the only outfit I want to spend too much money on to only wear one time is my wedding dress. So I’m of the make-your-own school of Halloween costuming. And since this weekend is the weekend for Halloween parties, I thought perhaps you could use a little last minute help with your DIY outfit as well. Click on the image below to see 10 simple and quick ideas!

My favorite: the ceiling fan. Go Ceiling!!

The Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival!

Did you make it to the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival this weekend in Richmond Hill? If you didn’t, you missed out! And not just on the incredible crab stew and cajun jambalaya we were serving up at the Exchange Club booth! Check out our photos for a look at the fun!

The site of the festivities in the heart of Richmond Hill!

There was live music!

There were games!

Entering the Fair!

There were rides!

Nothing got by them. No need to strap yourself down to the lawn! ;)

There were port-a-potties.

And more port-a-potties.

And vendors and artisans galore!

There was PLENTY of food!!

Some good stuff was dished out at this booth!

Cooking up the stew in the Exchange Club booth. Yum!

Chandie dishing out some of that great crab stew.

Chandie and Aimee helping out the Exchange Club!

We’re already looking forward to next year!

J.D. Power and Associates Award!!

We wanted to share the good news with everyone about the recent award Keller Williams Realty received from J.D. Power and Associates. We’re so excited to be a part of the real estate company recently voted “Best in Overall Satisfaction for Buyers AND Sellers!”

J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information service best known for its extensive surveys and research into customer satisfaction. A top award from them such as this in a competive market like real estate is a true honor! A big thanks to all our amazing clients!!

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