The past couple of days has been interesting to say the least! SInce Wednesday evening over 30 sq miles of property (about 20,000 acres) have burned in Horry County. The fire started in a neighborhood on the outskirts of conway and made it's way to Hwy 31 which is almost to the waterway. It touched the back edge of the Grande Dunes member's course and it struck heavily at Barefoot Resort burning over 50 homes to the ground and damaging many more. This is the worst fire that Myrtle Beach has seen since 1976, but at that time the area was populated to it did much less damage to property. Residents in the Carolina Forest area even as late as last night looked out their windows to see orange flames less than a mile away. The community is rallying to provide immediate shelter for those in need. Right now they say the fire is about 50% contained so it could be days until it is totally out. Let's just hope that they can catch the flare-ups quickly and have no more loss of property.

 Donna Millen from Wells Fargo brought in a guest speaker to our business meeting last Wednesday to educate us on reverse mortgages. Clients 62 years of age and older can take a reverse mortgage out on their home (existing or new purchase) and never make another payment. In fact, the bank pays them! The P&I is collected on the mortgage when the property is sold. It gives seniors an opportunity to stay in their home for no monthly payment. They can take the money from the mortgage in a lump sum or in monthly payments. At the time the property is sold (usually by heirs) if the amount of the mortgage P&I due is greater than what the property can sell for, then the mortgage insurance kicks in and there is no loss that the heir now has to cover. On the other hand, if it is paid off and there is money left over, then the heirs get that amount. It seems like a win-win situation. The maximum loan amount is currently $417,000 and there is about a 2% increase in closing costs to cover the insurance on the loan. 

 I looked back to see what I had done in 2008 and suddenly realized that I had not been here to add an entry for over a year! I must have slept through 2008. Anyway, I am back and have made it a goal to blog on a regular basis! Century 21 Boling has done more business in the last year than just about anyone in Myrtle Beach. We are committed to our clients whether buying or selling. The market today is in foreclosures, short sales. That is where the deals are and this market is not going to strengthen until we get the majority of those properties sold. It is happening one yard at a time!