WE BE Bloggin with LowCountry Joe®

An Open Letter to Daufuskie Island Folks

Happy Spring from the South Carolina LowCountry….

It seems like years since I sent out a letter to my Friends, Clients and Customers on Daufuskie Island. And actually, it has been. Like many real estate brokers I have relied heavily on the internet to “spread the word”, if you will, about my business and related services. But when you get down to it, I really am an old fashioned kind of guy, so it just “feels right” to pen this correspondence. So if I may, let me pontificate briefly on LowCountry Joe Real Estate Services and how these services may benefit you.

What I believe to be my most important service and the one I am most proud of is my “Fresh Daily” Real Estate statistics report on www.LowCountryJoe.com. Each morning I manually search the Multiple Listing Service for yesterday’s listings, pendings and solds. I then present this information for your perusal in an easy to read format. This process takes me over an hour each day to complete but it is the only way I have found to “net it out” and get down to the business of the day. I believe I am the only Realtor in the Lowcountry that provides information this way. As a result, I have had over two hundred twenty thousand (220,000) visits to my site and numerous letters of appreciation from around the world.

And then there is “The Blog”. It wasn’t long ago I didn’t know what that word meant. But I learned very quickly that if I didn’t Blog I may as well get out of the real estate business. So I built www.WeBeBloggin.com and already have over one hundred (100) entries. I have worked hard to promote my blog both in the US and internationally. The immediate results have been more than satisfactory and www.WeBeBlogging.com is fast becoming “The” real estate blog site for the LowCountry.

And last but defintely not least is LowCountry Joe Video Productions. I started this company to be able to provide almost instant slide/video productions of my Real Estate Services over the internet. I produce videos, sometimes Lowcountry generic, but often specific to a particular listing or event and have them up on YouTube, Yahoo and Google within hours. The results have been nothing short of phenomenal and makes me wonder how it the world I ever did business without them.

I leave you with this quote “If you don’t plan the hunt you are just walking in the woods”. I am positive my planning will provide successful results for LowCountry Joe Real Estate Services and successful results for you should you hire my services.

Have a great day and a great Spring.
Low Country Joe

Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

Faster than a speeding bullet….powerful as a locomotive…can jump buildings in a single bound…..Ya know, I loved Superman as a kid, even had a red suit with a big red S on it. But as I grew out of that funny looking costume and into the pin striped suits and nano seconds of IBM, the concept of speed continued to influence my life. That is, until I was lucky enough to take the Coosawhatchie exit off I-95 so many years ago and run smack dab into the laid back heart of the Lowcountry. It was as if I had arrived in a time warp….there was a sense of serene calm as my Bride Mary and I passed by Locals rocking in their old fashioned chairs…..Spanish moss swayed effortlessly in the Carolina sea breeze, limbs of huge historic live oaks cooled our passage with a tunnel like canopy and kids safely played with their dogs in spacious yards.

Well things have changed….you can still take that Coosawhatchie exit but the old country stores with their wooded rockers are long gone…replaced with brightly lit convenience stores. Credit cards at the pump have sped the traveler along and the interaction between traveler and Local has all but disappeared. Actually very few folks take that route now….driven by an inborn sense of urgency, miles of 278 are the avenue of choice….quickly whisking the weary traveler at speeds over 70 MPH to their Hilton Head destination.

Now most folks arrive at the rental counter, more frazzled than when they left….beat up by the long ride and tired “wee ones” making a fuss. The lucky ones, however, will just be starting their Lowcountry journey, looking forward to the next leg….You see, their destination can only be reached by boat….They are going to the mystical Island of Daufuskie.

“Welcome Aboard” the white shirted mate beckons as legs still stiff from the long ride attempt to adjust to a rocking boat. Stress, Anxiety and Pressure are left behind as the big diesels kick in setting the land-locked travelers off on a watery adventure. Once weary kids are miraculously rejuvenated as bottle nosed dolphins are spotted on the Port side. Families are naturally brought together as adult arms hold onto excited kids fascinated by these friendly creatures. The hours of monotonous driving are forgotten….the kids laugh and squeal….salt air blowing in Dad and Mom’s face acts like a tonic and like magic the world begins to slow down.

Daufuskie appears in the distance and over the next few days the rest of the transformation from land-lubber to Islander will take place. With cell phone left in their room, they will have the opportunity to come together as a family….to experience what life is all about….to slow down. The kids will ride their bikes, fish in the ponds and be free to play at their leisure. Rocking chairs like the ones used at Coosawatchie will be the chair of choice and digging into a passel of shrimp at Marshside Mommas will be pure ecstasy. These will be the times the kids will fondly remember as time quickly passes by. These are the times that are important……These are the slower times of Daufuskie.

Daufuskie Island Snow Birds

This Sunday morning in February breaks clear and crisp as I force myself out of the coziness of my down covered bed. Sunlight creeps through curtained windows and chirping sounds of a Carolina Wren herald the dawning of God’s special day.

I used to be an early bird when I lived in Pennsylvania. For me, weekend mornings were made for fishing and watching the sun rise over the calm mist covered waters of Tamarack Lake. But lately, as the years have progressed, I have been just as happy snuggling next to my Bride and floating away into the serenity of never-never land…..As Mary turns and gets the pillow just right I fight off “snoozing second thoughts” as I am determined to experience first hand the beauty of this new found day.

After an invigorating shower with the window open to let in the fresh sea air, I make my way to an outdoor bench next to my very own pond. I am greeted by a Carolina Chickadee singing “chic-a de-dee as it happily flutters about in a low-lying bush. Its mate answers the call and soon I am being surrounded by a whole plethora of fidgety little birds. I chuckle as the spectacle reminds me of the scenes in Cinderella where they fly about helping make her dress. As I lean back and sip my coffee in this newly created aviary a tufted titmouse gets into the act with its “S’you…..S’you” and then all of a sudden an eerie silence.

My first thought is to look skyward for a red-shouldered hawk that frequently has left feathers strewn about in my yard after a recent kill….But all I see is a clear Carolina blue sky….and then….its Alfred Hitchcock time! Somehow my little friends instinctively knew of the coming of “THE BIRDS”. I mean real big birds….black Boat-Tailed crackles. At first only a few were visible at the tip top of the tall standing loblolly pines and then, just like in the movie they arrived. Not hundred but thousands of them swooping out of the sky echoing their sharp gurgles and “chur chur” chirps.

At first, I must say that I was given quite a startle but I quickly reminded myself that Hitchcock was really strange and that eye-pecking only happened in the movies. And after all, these birds, pesky and ominous as they looked were only using my yard as a resting place on their trip back North. Soon they migrated from the trees to the ground and then back again….but it wasn’t their magnificently coordinated movements that was fascinating…. it was their sound. Sitting on that bench in the middle of Mother Nature’s spectacle was like having the best seat in a huge amphitheater with the best of acoustics and speakers. Their high pitched melody migrated from ear to ear and then in some kind of grand finale they screeched and squawked in unison and were gone. I looked back toward the house hoping that Mary had been aroused by the spectacle and had shared it with me, but there was no such luck. She was still in la-la land and it would be my experience alone to reminisce and marvel at and to share in friendly conversation and the written word.

A freshening breeze out of the East brings the soothing sounds of the ocean waves and the Chickadees come to life. A bass feeds on an ill fated fly and the ripples quietly spread over the velvety waters of the pond. As I prepare for Church I will have a renewed reason to resound and emotional AMEN when the Reverend utters his favorite opening remark “Isn’t this a great day to be alive.

LCJoe

Mam....Want to buy some seeds.....

January 7, 2011 A little early....but as the sun shines through the window of Bloody Point Light, I feel compelled to share one of my favorite stories of all time. Once again, I sincerely hope my parallel life experience brings some early sunshine and happiness into your home. LowCountry Joe Just like clockwork, my Burpee seed catalogue showed up in my mailbox today.  And just like I always do, I browse intently through the colorful flower laden pages and get a bit misty. You see....it feels just like yesterday that I received my Burpee sales kit and excitedly trudged through the snow  "peddling" a little sunshine to welcoming adults. A few years ago,  I penned a short story included in today's blog about that experience. Unknowingly at the time, in a place called Daufuskie a world away, a young man named Ronnie was also "peddling" seeds. He was not trudging through snow, however,  but meandering down dirt roads canopied with  Spanish moss laden live oaks. I sincerely hope this parallel life experience brings a bit of happiness and sunshine into your home.   LCJoe

Spring (spring) 1. The first season of the year in North America 2. To arise by growth, as from a seed or germ, bulb, root etc. 3. Pertaining to characteristic of, or suitable for the season of spring: spring flowers. "TIME" Spring 1957….. "PLACE"…. A small country community not far from Pittsburgh, PA….Knock…Knock…Knock…." a petite lady wiping her hands on a large white apron emerges…."yes Joey…how can I help you"…."Mrs. Komis….would you like to buy some seeds"? ….."just got them in today" I continue and shyly but confidently open the top of the brightly colored Burpee’s seed sales box. "My…. Aren’t those packages pretty" she exclaims…"Yes Mam, really bright and colorful aren’t they….especially those blue Forget me Nots"…the package says you can sow them right after our last frost and in only seven to ten days you will have seedlings sprouting in that flower box right over there on your window….says so right here on the packet"….."Well how much are they Joey?" …Mam…they are only ten cents a pack….and if you buy five packs they are eight cents". "Well lets take two packs of the Forget me Knots, and two of the daffodils…..ahh….just give me a dollars worth and I will plant some around the back porch too"…….Thank you Mrs. Komis….they will look pretty there, and with money in hand I trudge through the snowy yard, into the muddy street and towards the next farm house. "TIME" Spring 2003….."PLACE"….The small general store next to Marshside Mama’s on the South end of Daufuskie Island, South Carolina…..With a large passel of mail collected from our quaint outdoor post office boxes I enter the store greeted by the well wishes of the accompanied locals. They are seated haphazardly around a plastic table, affectionately known as the round table, and make room for me by shooing away the calico cat that had laid claim to one of the accompanying plastic chairs. A cold Budweiser appears as if from out of nowhere and Daufuskie’s equivalent to the England’s House of Commons reconvenes. Somewhere between comments about the slowness of the County to fix our community dock to the demise of Osama bin Laden the conversation turns to our recent run of rainy Spring days. "My order of seeds got in the other day but it will be some time before planting" a disgruntled Islander mumbles….."too wet" ….."You know, I used to sell seeds on the Island when I was a kid" Ronnie, a long time local native chimes in" ……"I inquisitively respond" …."were they Burpees?"….."Sure were" he responds " did you sell them too?"….The rest of the House of Lords take up another matter as Ronnie and I look at each other in bemused amazement as we enter into our own little time warp into the past. I am taken back to times when I was enlightened and thrilled when opening that brown shipping carton filled with colorful packets on a snowy Pennsylvania day and remember how I brought happiness to my neighbors with an early sign of Spring…..and I can see a twinkle in Ronnie’s eye as he talks about walking the dirt roads of Daufuskie bringing a bit of sunshine to the Locals in the form of packets of colorful Burpee seeds…..and when he talked about his dream of selling enough seeds to get the grand prize "a real B B gun" only to come up short, I must admit I got a bit "misty"…..but we both nodded with approval how Mom and Dad pitched into buy out "the lot" so that we could reach our goal and realize our young dreams. Well Spring has once again come to the Lowcountry…..The daffodils and dogwoods are blooming…..the ospreys and eagles are building their nests, the marshes are turning bright green , the pond frogs are croaking…..and I am getting ready to spread a little sunshine. Just like Ronnie and I did in the Spring of 1957 I once again will become a purveyor of Burpee seeds….. The first pack will go to my Bride Mary for being the Spring of my life for 31 years…the second pack goes to my Mom for her help reaching a youthful dream and buying up "the lot" …..the third pack goes to Ronnie for reminiscing with me "sometimes its good to get misty" and a packet goes to you. Send me your snail mail address and plant these Forget Me Nots in your flower box, yard or wherever…. and may they bring a little sunshine and happiness to your life. If you live up North you can sow them after your last Spring frost……. and in 7 to 10 days the seedlings will emerge……Says so right here on the packet…. LC Joe

The Color of Pansy's....A Great Miracle

Pansies....my all time favorite flower. They make me happy....they make me smile....they make me feel young. These particular beauties reside at the entrance to Haig Point Plantation on Daufuskie Island. There are yellow ones and orange ones and purple ones. It's early morning in this pic and they are reaching towards the rising sun. Most importantly they are in an area where the deer don't get to.

Deer simply LUV pansies like I do but for a different reason. They think they are yummy to the point that they will go anywhere to munch a few. Last year I had some yellow ones on my porch. In the middle of the night I was awakened by this clomping sound. That's right deer on my porch . I flicked on the light and the little stinkers just kept on munching. They only left when I explained in no uncertain terms that I loved venison as much as they loved pansies. Off they went, unpolitely flicking their big white tails at me, bounding down the steps and into the woods.

So for no other reason than a chance of weekend contemplation and reflection, I leave you with this pansy quote.

"How does a pansy, for example, select the ingredients from soil to get the right colors for the flower? Now there's a great miracle. I think there's a supreme power behind all of this. I see it in nature."
Clyde Tombaugh

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day from LowCountry Joe and my pooch "Dog Face"....Thats right his name is "Dog Face" and has been hangin' around the Bloody Point Lighthouse for many years. Actually "Dog Face"  was feelin' kind of bad since Uno took all the "Press" the last few days ....see the following blog.....so I decided to show him off in all his glory.

Now this dog is no ordinary dog as evidenced by red hearts on his nose, ears and posterior. He doesn't shed...nor smell...which places him in a higher category than Uno.....at least from my point of view......Anywho....Dog Face and I wish you a wonderful Valentines Day......and if you happen to have a dog of your own....give he/she a Valentines Day chocolate heart treat and a big old hug.....

Ain't nothin' but a hounddog.....cryin' all the time...

Just when you think you never want to read a front page of a newspaper again, a picture of a dog shows up and changes everything...That's right a DOG. Actually he shared the USA Today front page headlines with Obama and McCain as they woofed at each other trying to garner votes...

Now this dog ain't your ordinary pooch....He just happens to be the #1 Top Poocherino at the upscale Westminster Dog show......And his name is Uno......And a fine dog he is....A Beagle.....A hound if you will....Now I don't know if ya know anything about beagles but they are the loviest dogs ever to befriend mankind....I used to have one...his name was Henry.....That's right...Henry the Hound.....I used to hug him a lot when I was a bad boy ...when I was cryin' for whatever reason and then smell like him for the rest of the day....Ohhhh Yeaaaa....beagles do smell...that doggy smell...and to high heaven I might add.....But I loved Henry and he loved me....even though he also shedded big time all over me and the house and made my Mom crazy...

Anywho...its back to UNO......Ya gotta love this dog for what he did....He sent a prissy winningest toy top poodle ever named Vikki packin' all the way back to Japan. Talk about "cryin' all the time"....its a long trip back to Japan stuck in a chilly cargo hold....He with all four feet and floppy ears  "single footedly" sent the pride of poodledom back home to retire without a gold medal.

Now I was looking for a moral to this story....but sometimes you just don't need a moral. Al ya need is a lovey homey dog to make you laugh....and that's what Uno made me do this morning ...Laugh..

And that's that from LowCountry Joe.

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STOP THE PRESSES.......Just when I finished up with my "Doggie Blog" the following shows up in Thursday's Island Packet........Good thing Uno doesn't live in Sea Pines.....he would have eaten his leg off......All I know is there must be something in the Sea Pines water.....

In the dog, er, jail house: Barking man gets howling mad at local dogs

Published Thursday, February 14, 2008

A Sea Pines man's bark wasn't as bad as a security guard's bite.

The officer patrolling the neighborhood heard a man screaming profanities and "barking loudly like a dog" near the intersection of Lawton Road and Sorgum Lane at 8 p.m. Thursday, according to a Sea Pines security report released Wednesday.

The officer turned the corner to find a 47-year-old man dressed in black "howling into the air," the report said.

The howler complained that dogs in the area had been bothering him, so he went to confront them and their owners.

There were two problems with that explanation: First, the dogs only barked when the man antagonized them, the officer said.

Second, the officer detected the strong odor of liquid spirits on the barker, who became increasingly belligerent as he stumbled back and forth between the woods and road.

The man spent the night in jail.

The dogs spent the night at home.

How quickly we forget....by Guest Author Dianne McClusky

Real estate just like stocks has an ebb and tide and moves up and down sometimes so slowly that you really don't notice cause we're just too busy with other activity in our lives.  Not too many years ago we were in a similar market where properties were reasonably priced, stayed on the market for a reasonable amount of time and had buyers and sellers who were also reasonable.  Then we hit several years of quick sales that drove the prices higher and higher which created an unusual market condition of quick sales--flips---and mortgage programs that crept outside our normal guidelines...similar to the "tech" stocks of not long ago.

So now, although we think it is an off market, we are really back to a more normal state.  And as Martha says--"a good thing".  Inventorys are good, interest rates are good and sales are back to normal. People purchasing their first home are the ones who really need some help.  It's our job along with the mortgage companies to educate and guide these "first timers" through the process.  Why....because we all like to have a place to call HOME.

We have many properties available for our "first timers".  Also "a good thing".  They may have to save a little more and wait a little longer but they will be there.  For information on how to get started give me a call and we will hook you up with one of the best and treat you like family.

Sea Pines Real Estate is "HOT"

WOW......Talk about 'HOT"......I was updating my "Fresh Daily" WEB Site stats this morning and pulled up Sea Pines from the MLS.......Low and Behold.......There was seven (7) homes pended this week alone for a total of almost Twelve Million (12,000,000) Dollars........I did a further check and found fifteen (15) more  in the pending column with an additional  value of approximately sixteen million ($16,000,000). If I can still add without a calculator......That comes up to about twenty eight million $28,000,000 in pended sales.  Further research shows an additional  eleven (11) homes in the 2008 sold column totaling fourteen million ($14,000,00.00).

I dont know......maybe there is something in the Sea Pines water so I plan on going down this afternoon and have a drink.

LCJoe

January 2008 LowCountry Real Estate Facts

You have heard it before......"Just the Facts Mam"....."Just the Facts".....

So here we go with some interesting January 2008 LowCountry real estate facts....but you will have to put up with  some pontification as well .....because I simply just can't "Do Facts"...It's not in my nature.

Stats are from Hilton Head Multiple Listing Service....."For the month of January 2008"

Homes Only......Villas and Lots in future blogs.......

*Total Sales Dollar Volume of $42,468,275.00 was eighteen (18) percent more than 2007.

*Average days on the market (DOM) increased by fifty five (55) days...."Took Longer to sell". Previous year, 2007, average DOM was ninety one (91) days whereas 2008 shows one hundred forty six (146)

*Percentage of list price to sales price has remained the same at approximately ninety five (95)%.

*Closed properties (number of units/homes) are very close to 2007 figures. 2007 ...Seventy Seven (77) as compared to 2008 Seventy Two (72)

Bottom line....the Hilton Head Lowcountry "home" market has remained stable. Prices remain steady but it is taking longer to sell. This flies in the face of "National Media" commentary and "gloom and doom prognostications.

If you would like stats for your particular Plantation/Community/Area please drop me a note and I will forward.

Have a great day and "Think Spring".

LCJoe

RE/MAX Broker