Every once in a while someone pops up into your life that makes you stop and take notice.

Mike Desormeaux is one of those people.  You know the type. His work ethic is second to none, his desire to make others successful in their investments is unstoppable.  He’s like the energizer bunny.  No matter what obstacle pops up in his way he just keeps going and going.

And, even though Mike’s story has nothing whatsoever to do with Myrtle Beach real estate, I think you’ll agree that it is completely relevant.

Mike was out with a bunch of friends earlier this year and just as friends do, a few of them were complaining about events in their life. People who had lied to them, cheated them, not lived up to their word. You know the type of conversation. It’s the same one that’s going on in your local bar or Starbucks right now.

Mike walked back to his car that night and said to one of his friends that life shouldn’t be this way. We should focus on good deeds, good talk, progress, support, encouragement, opportunity, possibilities.

And then his friend shared a story that made all the difference.

Mike’s friend’s parents owned a furniture store years ago, and one night they found someone sleeping in the doorway of the store. Instead of chasing the person away, they offered to take him to their house, to enjoy dinner with them, and to have a good night’s sleep in a warm bed. The person took up the offer.

The story blew Mike away.

He decided right there that he had to do something about it.  But how do you keep these kinds of stories going? How to you create a tidal wave of action that has one person doing a good deed for another and then them for another?  How do you create a domino effect of actions?

It took awhile for Mike’s idea to take shape.  But today, his idea is ready to go.  It’s not new, not by a long shot.  It’s actually based on that movie, “Pay It Forward”.  But the implementation is absolutely brilliant.

Here’s how it works:

1. You do a good deed.
2. You pass on a special key chain that has a unique number on it.
3. You share your story.
4. You follow your key chain as it creates a “chain of action”.
5. Watch as the story you started unfolds!

And the neat part…..each key chain is encoded with the original do-gooder’s postal code, so that you can see how far your key chain travels!  Your good deed at the Starbucks in your town may end up resulting in good deeds being done for someone else half way across the country!

And you can watch it happen! To get started, grab a key chain at www.ChainOfAction.com. Mike is paying for the start up of this with his own money. No sponsors, no help, nothing. He used eLance.com to help him build the website and that’s it.   I have no idea how he is paying for the supplies (I assume it’s from his own pocket) and I believe his family is helping him mail out the key chains, so be patient!

And let’s pass this story on!  Amidst all the chaos in the world right now let’s grow Mike’s idea on our own.  Let’s take matters into our own hands.  Go to www.ChainofAction.com right now to get your key chain.

Thanks to Tom Karadza, our affiliate in Toronto, for sharing this inspiring story.

Make your home more attractive with this list of five super-fast home improvements that will help your home stand out in the crowd.

1. If you have any chandeliers, especially if they are crystal, clean them with one part vinegar and three parts distilled water. (The distilled water is especially important - no water spots!)  Here’s the super-easy part: use a pair of cotton cloth gloves and wet them with the mixture. Use them to wipe down every part of your chandelier. Then, use a dry pair to wipe off the liquid.  This is much faster and easier than any other method we’ve seen. And, your clean chandelier will sparkle like the top of the Chrysler Building!

2. If you have any sliding windows or doors, clean the tracks, then apply a spray silicone lubricant (think WD-40). Your windows and doors will glide like new.

3. Look carefully at your bathtubs. If you can see any stains, your buyers will notice them too. Mix equal parts of tartar sauce (yes, tartar sauce) and baking soda.  Add a little lemon juice to make a paste. Rub stain with a cloth. Wait an hour, then rinse off.  As an added bonus, you can use any of the remaining mixture on your fried shrimp.

4. Slow drains?  The buyer’s home inspector will find ‘em and report ‘em. But forget the Liquid Plumr… It’s 2008 and time to go green.  Add vinegar and baking soda and cover for fifteen minutes. The baking soda and vinegar will get into your pipes and the resulting chemical reaction will blow the clog up through the sink and all over your bathroom - but your drain will run normally again. (Okay, that was a joke. The vinegar and baking soda will, however, dissolve the clog.) Rinse with hot water. Repeat if necessary.

5 . Have peeling wallpaper?  Who doesn’t!  Use a knife to spread wallpaper paste on a piece of white writing paper. Slip the writing paper under the peeled wallpaper and press the wallpaper against the wall, slipping out the writing paper as you do so. Smooth with a cloth to remove any air bubbles.

By eliminating these five common detractors, your home will show more beautifully, and sell faster and for more money.

I regularly listen to the moaning and groaning from rookie and veteran real estate agents complaining about having to justify their commission to a hostile buyer or seller client.  This is not just bad for an agent’s morale, or bad for their business, it is just bad business having to defend anything.

I’m not about to regurgitate the full array of reasons why anyone should use a full-time real estate professional instead of your Uncle Fred who dabbles part-time in real estate.  But I started thinking of all the challenges I’ve learned to overcome, that an Uncle Fred won’t know how to handle, much less have prepared for in advance.  These days, while we are seeing more transactions taking longer to close, and every third party carefully dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s, it is clear that Uncle Fred just won’t cut it… especially in the specialized market of Myrtle Beach real estate.  You need someone who has “skin in the game” - someone who won’t get paid until all of the hurdles are cleared and you get what you want.

Here is the list of challenges I came up with.  Remember… I’ve dealt with all of these personally, work to avoid them, but know how to overcome them, just in case.  How many of these would have to happen to you before you’re cursing at Uncle Fred?

A. Challenges presented by the lender or mortgage broker:

1. Lender does not properly pre-qualify borrower.
2. Lender loses the file.
3. Lender asks for supporting documents in bits and pieces, infuriating the buyer, instead of asking for everything up front.
4. Lender changes underwriting standards mid-stream.
5. Buyer purchases a big-ticket item during escrow and no longer qualifies.
6. Lender decides at the last minute they do not like borrower or the property.
7. Lender raises rates, points, or costs immediately prior to closing.
8. Buyer balks at the fine print in the terms received the day before close.

B. Challenges presented by the other real estate agent:

1. Will not return phone calls.
2. Transfers to another office.
3. Did not pre-qualify their client for motivation.
4. Goes on vacation and leaves no one to handle file.
5. Does not understand/lacks experience in real estate transactions.
6. Has poor people skills.
7. Allows client to become upset over minor points.
8. Does not communicate with client.

C. Challenges presented by buyers:

1. Did not tell the truth on loan application.
2. Did not tell the truth to their agent.
3. Submits incorrect tax returns to lender.
4. Lacks motivation.
5. Lacks down payment, or changes the source of funds.
6. Family members sabotage the deal.
7. Is inflexible regarding condition/inspection/resolution.
8. Finds another property that is a better deal.
9. Always trying to negotiate one more thing.
10. They do not execute paperwork in a timely manner.
11. Job change, illness, divorce, or other financial setback.
12. Does not obtain insurance in a timely manner.

D. Challenges presented by sellers:

1. Loses motivation (expected job transfer did not go through, etc.)
2. Property has hidden defects that are subsequently discovered
3. Home inspection reveals small defects that seller is unwilling to repair.
4. Removes personal property from premises that buyer believed was included.
5. Is unable to clear up problems or liens.
6. Seller did not own 100% of property as previously disclosed.
7. Seller thought partners signatures were “no problem” but they were!
8. Seller leaves town without giving anyone power of attorney.
9. Seller delays the projected move-out date.

E. Challenges presented by appraisers:

1. The appraiser is not local and does not understand the local market.
2. Few or no adequate comparable sales available.
3. Delays (too busy or too lazy)
4. Incorrect/incomplete appraisal.
5. Appraisal too low.

F. Challenges presented by inspectors:

1. Too picky.  Goes overboard.
2. Scares buyer.
3. Infuriates seller.
4. Makes mistakes.
5. Delays report.

G. Challenges presented by closing attorneys:

1. Does not find liens or problems until last minute.
2. Inflexible.
3. Poor service.
4. Loses paperwork.
5. Loses earnest money.

If any of the items on this list made you think, “Oh, come on. That doesn’t happen!” I assure you that they do, and do so more often than you think.  This list should make perfectly clear the value of having a full-time real estate professional working for you - whether buyer or seller.

We at Price & Company Realty sweat the small stuff every day (so you don’t have to) in order to avoid all of these challenges.  But just in case, we are both prepared for those challenges and can also effectively negotiate around them.

And, last but not least… We have no agents named Fred.

Last Saturday afternoon, ten thousand little yellow rubber ducks raced across the Intracoastal Waterway at Barefoot Landing.  This is one of those things that you just have to see to believe.

Each duck represented an individual or corporate sponsor donation to the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach, with race winners celebrating their victory winning prizes as valuable as a $5,000 gas card courtesy of event sponsor Myrtle Beach Harley Davidson.

This year’s Paws Across The Water event raised about $23,000 for the Society.  Prize winners are listed on the Humane Society website.

We’ve been asked a number of times over the last few days for our opinion on all the hullabaloo about the mortgage market. With the news inundated by stories about government takeovers and bailouts and weird names like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and mortgage-backed securities… it’s enough for most consumers to just cover their ears, shake their heads and walk away.

As usual… Price & Company Realty to the rescue!

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson made it explicitly clear over the weekend, that the Federal Reserve has absolutely no intention of allowing our mortgage market to implode, and the Fed will do whatever it takes to maintain stability.

2. How to fix the underlying causes of this mess in the first place is something that the next Congress, not the Fed, will have to address.

3. Most importantly, as a result of the Fed’s actions over the weekend, rates on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage dropped significantly.  One large bank went from 6.25% to 5.625%.  Another went from 6.5% to 5.75%.

So… if interest rates were keeping you from jumping into the Myrtle Beach real estate market… now is the time!