ActiveRain Community

Your first home may not be a palace, but it is your home! Now that you have closed on your first home, you can set about making it into a palace for you, your friends, and your family.  Here are some affordable upgrades for your first home! Be sure to share some pictures with me – the before and after!Start with these seven easy affordable upgrades that can help spruce up a tired living space for a few hundred dollars or less:Start with a power-wash – It won’t cost much, but having your home’s exterior professionally power-washed will give it a fresh, bright look – and since curb appeal counts, make sure the lawn is edged, hedges are trimmed, and weeds are pulled.  You will be amazed by how this simple affordable upgrade will transform your home from the outside in.Freshen the front doo... 09/23/2026

If you need to move quickly on a purchase, rehab, or bridge loan in Phoenix or anywhere in Arizona, hard money lenders offer fast, asset-based financing that traditional lenders usually cannot provide. Here, you will find clear details on rates, fees, loan-to-value limits, typical loan amounts and timelines, Arizona regulations, and real case studies to help you compare lenders. Check out the application checklist and sample term sheets to see what you need to qualify and how to get funded fast, with no surprises.Why select a dedicated Arizona hard money lenderHaving a local lender helps close deals faster and lowers the risk of delays. A Phoenix-based hard money lender can finish a stalled purchase in just a few hours instead of days because they already work with local title officers... 09/23/2026

                        Miami & South Florida Relocation Resources     Military & Government Relocation in Miami: A New Resource for Service Members, Veterans & Federal Employees     A military PCS, Coast Guard assignment, federal transfer, VA home purchase, or government relocation can create a very different real estate search depending on where someone will actually work in South Florida.                                           Local South Florida Experience         Betty Garcia         Betty Garcia is a South Florida real estate agent with 25+ years of service and experience, helping buyers, sellers and relocating households throughout Miami-Dade and Broward.         The goal of our new relocation resource center is simple: help people start with the correct duty station, federal... 09/23/2026

There are reports you read, and there are reports you have had the opportunity to help shape through years of discussion.MIT's Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab, with support from the National Institute of Building Sciences, has released its latest roundtable report, “Delivering Resilient Housing Solutions After Disasters.” I was fortunate to participate in the May 2026 roundtable and, going back to the original work in 2019, have now participated three times in this continuing conversation about disaster recovery and the role factory-built housing can play. I am only one of roughly 50 contributors to this latest discussion, but I believe I am among the relatively small group who have participated in every round since the beginning.What strikes me most about this newest report is how much t... 09/23/2026

Over the years I've tried other real estate forums, and in almost all cases I eventually left unsatisfied.The "neutral" referral group?  If you didn't belong to the "right" brokerage, it wasn't happening.Other groups that are just there to pimp lead sites.The groups that if they have a moderator, you'd never know it.  Violations of simple decency are common.  Exit, stage left.And then there's this place.The Community Guidelines and Weltanschauung (don't ask me to pronounce it) set the expectations for behavior.An example of why this place is different:"ActiveRain believes that it is in the best interests of real estate professionals to build a community that is focused on educating one another. ActiveRain believes its future depends on members of all experience levels openly sharing the... 09/22/2026

What is a good way to build a retirement nest egg? Many consider investing in real estate to be a great way to build financial security.  Unfortunately, only 15 percent of Americans are actually investing in real estate other than their primary residence, according to a real estate investing study by RealtyShares. So what is holding people back?What Is Real Estate Investing?Investing in real estate means buying property to earn income and build wealth, either on your own or with the help of real estate investment companies. Many investors own more than one property, and their earnings include rent paid by tenants and the equity they build through appreciation. Investment property owners have different tax considerations for their investment properties than they do for their primary resi... 09/22/2026

Coming Soon: Rare Top-Floor Penthouse Treehouse ViewsImagine coming home to soaring cathedral ceilings, skylights and peaceful wooded views from your own top-floor penthouse. This rarely available residence at 6350 Red Cedar Place offers a wonderful combination of space, style, privacy and convenience.Step inside to a bright, open interior with newer luxury vinyl plank flooring and an expansive living room, dining room and den designed for both comfortable everyday living and entertaining. The versatile den can even be converted into a third bedroom.Spacious breakfast room off the kitchen with views.  At the heart of the home is a beautifully renovated white eat-in kitchen, with skylight, complete with abundant cabinetry, quartz countertops, a French-door refrigerator, a double oven, an... 09/22/2026

Sometimes you deserve a second chance, not because you weren't fabulous the first time, but because the timing and circumstances weren't quite right. You just got overlooked."   -Carol Williams  Second Chance Saturday is all about giving deserving posts more exposure. If you see a deserving post that didn't get Featured, be sure to tag Carol in the comment section of any post and watch for it in the next edition of Second Chance Saturday.  Let's Welcome Our First-Time Bloggers:Note: We don't feature first-time blogs that aren't about real estate or those that appear to be spamming their own blogs. We consider that spamming the site.  Murad Ali  Sayed Emaz Ali  Ernso Cleus  Rick DeGroff  Lina Berrios  Khurram Abbasi  Ryan Benroth Mathews Ayeula  Aim Builders   Sandra Daniels  Watch for t... 09/26/2026

It's been a while since I've spent much time here on ActiveRain.There was a time when I LOVED writing blogs on ActiveRain- sharing real estate stories, talking about our local communities and connecting with other real estate professionals.  Then, as happens in this business, life got busy.Real estate changed, Property Management grew.  My business evolved and somehow blogging moved farther and farther down the list of things to do.But I'm back.And this time, I want to spend quite a bit of my time talking about something that has been a major part of my career for many years:Property Management.I've worked in property management for decades and one thing hasn't changed:Owning a rental property can be a great investment.  Managing it is a completely different job. There is a lot that hap... 09/22/2026

If you suddenly lost power for several days, or received a notice that you needed to leave your home quickly, would you be ready?My own Canyon Creek community HOA board recently encouraged residents to have a “go bag” ready, and that got me thinking about what we might actually need if we had to leave in a hurry.Where to get started: Create a simple “Go Bag”   “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain I love quotes from Mark Twain, and this one got me thinking about how often the hardest part of accomplishing something is simply getting started. Whether it’s a project around the home or office, making a change in our work, or tackling something we’ve been putting off, that first step creates the momentum to get things moving. Without that first step, nothing gets co... 09/27/2026

This is a good reminder that real estate is about more than making a sale. Building trust and doing right by the client is what makes the difference. The Fine Line Between a Great Salesperson and a Con Artist Have you ever noticed… A really good salesperson and a really good con artist can look exactly the same? They’re polished. They look you in the eye. They’re warm, engaging, and make you feel comfortable almost instantly. That’s not by accident. Both have learned how to connect quickly, build trust, and guide people toward a decision. Those are valuable skills, and in real estate, they matter. So, what’s the difference? It's That One Word: Intent A professional salesperson is trying to understand you.A scammer is trying to influence you. Years ago, we might have called them “con art... 09/21/2026

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark TwainI love quotes from Mark Twain, and this one got me thinking about how often the hardest part of accomplishing something is simply getting started.Whether it’s a project around the home or office, making a change in our work, or tackling something we’ve been putting off, that first step creates the momentum to get things moving. Without that first step, nothing gets completed.That got me thinking about something else we should all be getting started on: being prepared.It’s September and National Preparedness Month, and it made me look around at some of the things I’ve been checking off my own list. I’ve had trusted vendors help with cleaning out the gutters and trimming tree limbs, and I’ve already scheduled an HVAC tune-up fo... 09/22/2026

Planning on selling your home and want to make sure it appeals to today’s buyers? Do you dream of a light, airy living space? Do you want to feel like you’re living inside of a cloud? Below are 5 tips for a lighter living space, now.Paint it white. Well this is an obvious one. From walls to wood paneling and hardwood floors, two coats of white paint will turn your living space into a year-round winter wonderland. Done and done!  If you stop in at Strosnider’s there will be lots of shades of white for you to choose from.Minimize to get a light airy living space!  Do you really need that stack of books or all twenty of those awkward family photos on that side table? Clearing off surfaces will lighten space with smooth lines. Cut clutter by adding hidden storage systems (like an ottoman wi... 09/21/2026

Thanks Debe Maxwell, CRS and Carol Williams for hosting this month's challenge.   Many of us long-time members would like this site to be like it once was years ago.  How can we make it better?With less and less daily posting, and the newbies don't interact, where are we going?When I started years ago, there were classes/seminars to take to learn how to do a proper market report, how to do a proper listing, and how to let us know the property was sold.   There still may be an area somewhere I don't know about to show how to do a proper blog.I know Carol does a great job with the newbies' first post on first thoughts and getting them started.   SO many post ONE BLOG, and are done.  They cannot commit to more.   Don't know what to write about....   Or afraid of writing (we all can underst... 09/22/2026

 Good morning and hello again from Tim from my home office in beautiful Cottage Grove, MN.  Hope all is well for you and you had a wonderful weekend.  Wanted to share Tim's Time Outs with you again. AWARENESS: I AM ALIVE AND OPEN TO MY WORLD; Today I awaken to a world of choices.  I release the old baggage of yesterday.  Each situation provides new opportunities to fill my world with new ways of being.  My eyes are open, my breathing is consistent, my ears are tuned to clarity.  I speak my mind and "Choose Life" as I move through the day. If I feel dull or negative about life, I am reminded that I have choices.  I can change my mind and my perceptions.   I sit quietly and breathe easily.  I remind myself that I am the author of my life.  I release the gray and am open to the colors that... 09/21/2026

Opening our hearts builds bridges. Attacking builds walls.And perhaps choosing love doesn't mean we have to agree with one another. It means choosing to see the person in front of us as someone who wants to be heard, valued and understood, just as we do.If we can choose to love ourselves and others, perhaps we really can begin to act differently.   “The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.” …….. bell hooks I read this quote by bell hooks recently in an article written by Maria Shriver, and it made me stop and think about how we interact with one another. It also made me think about something I experienced this weekend at an awards luncheon in Dallas hosted by my new brokerage, Coldwell Banker Apex. It was a wonderf... 09/28/2026

REALTOR REFERRAL ALERT Looking for a REALTOR for Big Pine Key, Florida ( since we do not have a Preferred REALTOR in this city - it is now open to everyone)   Details - Buyer looking at the end of October to take possession - Price Range - $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 Cash Buyer- Will want to pre-screen any and all buyers agent before selecting the right person. - Does not want to consider anyone with less than 1 yr experience.   To be considered - send a TEXT ( if you call me, I will remove you from the possible list ) 850.270.8014 - a questionnaire will be sent to you to forward for the Buyer to decide.   Recommendations and comments will also be ignored   See more at MOVING TO FLORIDA! Group 09/21/2026

I DON’T CARE WHO THIS OFFENDS — WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT AREN’T WORKING.The cost of living keeps putting pressure on working families.Two parents working just to keep up.Single parents trying to do the impossible.Families watching groceries, housing, insurance, utilities and other everyday expenses consume more and more of their paychecks.And somewhere along the way, we have to ask:WHEN DID WORKING HARD BECOME NOT ENOUGH TO GET AHEAD?I believe government has a responsibility to look at the policies it creates and ask a simple question:ARE THESE POLICIES ACTUALLY MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THE BILLS?What about our veterans who struggle with housing and financial insecurity?What about seniors trying to afford healthcare and remain financially independe... 09/21/2026

  Many of you have followed me since the early ActiveRain days. I started my ActiveRain journey back in 2007-2009 blogging about Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach real estate as Christopher Webster with Island Palms Realty - 1091 Redi Mix Road, Little River, SC 29566 and info@myrtlebeachhomeandloan.com. From there I grew into Columbia SC real estate and spent time with EXP Realty, LLC. Today, after 22 years as a licensed SC Broker, I'm home with Epique Realty - License #47107 - as AllStarBrokerSC     My current and only active market is Columbia SC - Northeast Columbia 29229, Pontiac, Elgin, Blythewood, Lexington, Richland and Kershaw Counties.     My old Myrtle Beach / Little River blogs under Island Palms Realty and my previous EXP Realty blogs are archived here for history - they n... 09/21/2026

On September 10, 2025, National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reported that a median home value price was $429,100 in August of 2026 higher 1.6% from the price of $422,400 in August of 2025.Single family home sales were at annual rate of 3.62 million units in August of 2026 declined 1.9% from July of 2026, and lower 1.1% from home sales in August of 2025. The median single family home price was $434,800 in August of 2026, increased 1.7% from August of 2025.Condominium and co-op sales were at an annual rate of 360,000 units in August of 2026 down 2.7% from July of 2026, but gained 1.5% from August of 2025. Median existing condo price was $371,600 in August of 2026, grew 1.5% from August of 2025.Distressed homes sales were 2.0% in August of 2026 same as from 2.0% in July of 2026, and unc... 09/21/2026