My, my, my!  I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Texarkana Texas, where my mother-in-law (Nell Miller) had her house under contract to close on Tuesday, April 25th.  Since the possession of the property was to exchange at closing, my husband and I left April 19 to get Nell, as she will be living in one of our furnished rentals.  We wanted to make sure we had enough time to get all of her things sorted, distributed, packed, sold, or donated. 

After arriving in Texas, my brother-in-law showed up with a U-Haul, and loaded all of the furniture to take.  After he left, we packed everything Nell wanted to keep, including a few chairs, loads of dishes, clothes, etc., and had a yard sale to get rid of the rest.  We were finished by Saturday evening leaving us Sunday to visit relatives, Monday to load her personal belongings into our own U-Haul we were bringing back to GA, and Tuesday morning to close and head home.

Sound like a plan, right?  It should have worked.  We met with Nell's real estate agent after we got there.  We asked to please have the closing scheduled for early in the day, and also asked about appliances that were to remain since there are not covered in the seller's disclosure (as they are in GA.)  She said that the home was listed without appliances, so the washer/dryer, and refrigerator did not stay.  After my brother-in-law left to take the washer/dryer to his daughter in San Antonio (five hours away), the listing agent called to say she was mistaken, those appliances were advertised with the house.  Could he bring them back?  NO!!!  When I asked about the status of the HUD-1 (closing statement that's required to be available 24 hours before closing), I was told that the loan was in underwriting. 

In Texas, title companies do the closing.  Makes no sense to me, because from underwriting it goes to the attorney, then to the title company to close.  In GA, the loan package goes to the attorney who does the closing.  Tuesday, I called the title company to see if the loan package had been received.  She told me it was STILL in underwriting, and that she didn't think there was anyway we would close that day.  I called the agent and suggested an extension to the contract.  After the buyer signed an extension through Friday, we signed and started to GA.  To make a long story not quite so long,  she STILL hasn't closed on that house.  Supposedly, the buyer is signing his paperwork today, Friday the 28th, at 2:00pm.  The paperwork will be overnighted to Nell who should receive it tomorrow.  She will then have to get her signature notorized and sent back where technically, I guess it will close on Monday May 1st.  WHAT?????

While this was going on, I had a buyer who was buying a condo on St. Simons scheduled to close on April 26th.  His signed paperwork was in the attorney's office on Friday, April 21st.  The sellers came into the attorney's office, signed their side, and it closed at 10:00 am April 26th.  Of course, this buyer's agent followed up with the loan, made sure that everyone knew that it was a mail-away closing for the buyer, followed up with the attorney, and stayed on top of the transaction throughout the whole process.  Our contract says "time is of the essence."  That means the contract means what it says!  I did have one closing once that was delayed by an out of town lender that I recommended my clients not use, but I have since refused to work with that lender. 

Texas's contract also says "time is of the essence", but it must have a whole new meaning over there!  Regardless, Nell is safely in GA, and getting aclimated to our way of life.  We went to dinner last night and my two-year old granddaughter sat on one side, and "Grandma Nell" on the other.  Both colored with crayons and had a great time! 

Check your smoke alarm batteries, and make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy.  Why do I say this?  Because we were awaken Easter morning by our smoke detector going off!  Thank goodness the batteries were good!  The fire extinguisher was our 2nd line of defense, and thank goodness for a handy chemical fire extinguisher!

While our kitchen suffered severe damage, and our house had some smoke/soot damage, at least no one was hurt.  PLEASE add these two important items to your toolbox of home safety items, and make sure that they will function as intended!  You'll be very glad you have them if the need ever arises. 

OK, here it is: www.918Beachview.com - our newest listing.  If you haven't been to Jekyll Island in a while, you'll want to check out the visual tour on the site.  As a result of last year's G-8 conference held here, Jekyll benefited by an entrance update.  I've also included a photo of the bridge on 17 beside the highway.  This is a beautiful drive!

But the wonder of Jekyll Island is the fact that it is restricted to 35% development by the state.  That means no traffic jams... EVER!  The state park feel on the island truly creates a unique atmosphere.  What a wonderful place to vacation and enjoy nature. 

Jekyll Island is home to the sea turtles, and the 4th Annual Turtle Crawl on Jekyll Island is scheduled for May 6 - 7. This year’s festivities include a USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned triathlon; 5K Fun Run/Walk; educational programs, live music and fun for people of all ages. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.

Each year, the Turtle Crawl attracts athletes and sea turtle enthusiasts from throughout Georgia and the Southeast. This year, the Turtle Crawl features a triathlon (a 1.5 K swim, 40 K bike and 10K run in a course that highlights the natural beauty that can be found on Jekyll Island). Looking for a less strenuous course?  Check out the 5K Fun Run / Walk to start at 8:30 on Saturday, May 6. This Fun Run/Walk is open to all.  What a way to enjoy the beautiful vistas on this georgous island!  Other events continue throughout the weekend as Jekyll Island provides live music, educational programs, food and more. For more information, click here.

The month of March has ended and here are the final numbers.  This report was compiled April 3, and represents the past 30 days' activities:

This represents all residential properties: houses, condos, multiple family dwellings, and mobile homes.  This report does not include land or lot sales. 

The hottest area on St. Simons was S2 - the mid-south area of the island.  That area saw 19 listings, while 21 sold and 13 more went under contract.  

Another hot area is Jekyll Island, where there were 5 listings, 3 sold and 3 under contract. 

McIntosh County saw 21 homes listed, while 21 went under contract, and 20 closed.  Wow!  Camden County had 10 listings, 17 went under contract and 4 closed.  Our neighboring counties are doing well!

But, listen to this... EVERY AREA ON the mainland in Glynn County had more homes sell than were listed.  Those total numbers were 81 new listings, 93 went under contract, and 104 closed!  

This clearly shows that the housing market here remains strong.  While it is true that there are areas in the country that are experiencing a significant slowdown, that clearly is NOT the case here.  Now is a great time to list your home, and if you're considering buying, these numbers indicate that prices will be going up, so now's the time for buyers, too.  Statistically, this is the beginning of our busy time, and it looks like this year will be no different. 

Following the real estate market is a great way to identify trends in the areas.  If there is a specific area that interests you, let me know, and I'll prepare a report just for you!