Axcent Realty

10/24/2022

509 Oak Circle, Easley, SC 29640 $359,900.00

Upstate South Carolina is one of the top 10 desired regions in the country to move to, and Easley is in the middle of the upstate region. In fact, Central, SC, a small town just a few miles away was named because it is central to Atlanta and Charlotte back when the railroads were the king of long distance travel.

This immaculate modern home with 4 bedrooms, and 2 and a half bathrooms was built in the traditional style. It is close to the heart of downtown Easley, and Kings Park which is a great place for the kids to play or families to get together is half a block away.

The kitchen is filled with quartz countertops and backsplash and off-white shaker style cabinets. The layout of the kitchen makes it ideal to make preparing and serving family and friends a breeze. The perfect spot to cozy down on those cool nights. On one side of the kitchen is the den with a stone fireplace with gas logs, and on the other is the large open living and dining room space in which to to entertain. Upstairs are the 4 bedrooms, each of which has a special feature of its own. Whether it be the shiplap siding to the accent walls. Walk into the spacious master bedroom with its vaulted ceiling and barndoor access to get to the master bath. For convenience, the laundry room is also located upstairs. Also note that both HVAC systems have been replaced.

When the weather allows it (which is pretty much most of the year) step outside to the backyard and a large deck which is the perfect spot to barbeque, entertain or just relax. Practice your putting with a 2-hole green off the deck. A wood-stained fence which matches the deck encloses the back yard and lends a privacy to the rear of the home. Front, rear and side yards offers a blend of rose bushes, dogwood trees, other bushes, trees, and lawn done in a professional manner.

Axcent Realty is a full service real estate office offering consultation, listing and selling properties in Upstate SC.

Call: 864-442-5151, 9-5, M-F, Contact individual agents on weekends

10/24/2022

To Buy or Not to Buy...that is the question.

You may be thinking, "Interest rates are going up, there seems to be more properties for sale, I think I will wait a little longer before committing to buy a home. Surely, the prices will go down."

If you want to purchase a property in upstate South Carolina at the lowest possible price, that may not be the best strategy. A better one would be, "There is no better time than the present."

Consider the following: In the latest statistics provided by the state Association of REALTORS, Sept. 2022 over Sept. 2021 has seen an increase in inventory...but that is something we have needed for quite sometime. However, the medium price of properties Sept. 2022 over Sept. 2021 has increased by 15%. Days on the market have decreased. The Feds are considering another jump in the prime interest rate they charge before the end of this year, but many of the lenders I have spoken to are expecting the rates to start decreasing next year to the point they are back to around 4% within the next 18 months or so. And, another very important statistic is that (statewide), we (in South Carolina) are short some 30,000 family living units. With the majority of the growth statewide taking place along the coast and in the upstate region, this one statistic should keep prices up.

In closing, there is no question that properties are staying on the market for more than just a few hours, and most of them are not being inundated with multiple offers. No, they are staying on the market days and weeks longer, but the prices are still inching upward even as the inventory is creeping up as well. We have a major election in just a couple of short weeks. Historically, the activity in the real estate market slows before an election, and jumps back up afterward.

10/24/2022

What does it mean to "Buy Down" a mortgage & what does it cost?

Buying down a mortgage simply means (for a cost) you are "buying down" the interest rate of your mortgage and therefore reducing your monthly payment...but there is a cost. Determining what that cost may be involves a lot of factors; your credit score, how much you make, how much you are putting down, and how much you are borrowing are just 4 of the factors involved. "And is it worth the cost?" is a question that should always be asked.

Let's consider one possible scenerio: You are making a purchase of $335,000.00 and putting 25% down and financing $251,250.00 Your credit score is 700+. Your current interest and principal payment (not counting escrow) at a 7.25% interest rate amortized over 30 years would be about $1,714.00/mo. To buy down the interest rate by 1/8% (or 1/8th point) will cost about $1,000.00 and the payment will be reduced to around $1,693.00/mo. for a savings of $21.00/mo. and $252.00/year. Looking at the savings, it will take almost 4 years to break even; to get to the point the savings have paid for the costs. Now you might ask yourself, "Will I stay in the house for at least 4 years?" What you plan for and the reality of what actually happens may be a major game changer in your life.

However, in closing, lets throw out one more thing for consideration. It may be you need to reduce the payment because of your income. Your borrowing power as determined by your lender may be just under $1,700.00. To borrow more than 80% of the purchase amount may create adding PMI or some other cost factor to your payment which does no good. If your funds are tapped out, you may ask the seller to pay the $1,000.00, the 2,000.00, or whatever it takes to get your payment amount down to where you qualify. However, the seller does not have to do this. They may just decide to wait for the next buyer to come along.

09/02/2022

Upstate South Carolina is one of the top 10 desired regions in the country to move to, and Easley is in the middle of the upstate region. In fact, Central, SC, a small town just a few miles away was named because it is central to Atlanta and Charlotte back when the railroads were the king of long distance travel.

This immaculate modern home built in the traditional style is close to the heart of downtown Easley. The kitchen is filled with quartz countertops and backsplash and off-white shaker style cabinets. The layout of the kitchen makes it ideal to make preparing and serving family and friends a breeze. The perfect spot to cozy down on those cool nights.

On one side of the kitchen is the den with a stone fireplace with gas logs, and on the other is the large open living and dining room space in which to to entertain. Upstairs are the 4 bedrooms, each of which has a special feature of its own. Whether it be the shiplap siding to the accent walls. Walk into the spacious master bedroom with its vaulted ceiling and barndoor access to get to the master bath. For convenience, the laundry room is also located upstairs. Also note that both HVAC systems have been replaced.

When the weather allows it (which is pretty much most of the year) step outside to the backyard and a large deck which is the perfect spot to barbeque, entertain or just relax. Practice your putting with a 2-hole green off the deck. A wood-stained fence which matches the deck encloses the back yard and lends a privacy to the rear of the home. Front, rear and side yards offers a blend of rose bushes, dogwood trees, other bushes, trees, and lawn done in a professional manner.

You must see this truly outstanding home to truly appreciate all it has to offer. You will be glad you did.

07/04/2022

03/30/2022

To help the senior citizens in our community: https://www.assistedliving.org/senior-housing/.

Learn about the range of senior housing and senior care, including independent living for seniors, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care, in-home senior care, and nursing homes.

01/27/2022

In the news:

The November Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed annual inflation hitting 6.8 percent, the highest in 39 years. We project it to average 7.0 percent in Q1 2022 before decelerating to 3.8 percent by the end of 2022 under our forecast path of monetary policy.

(CNN)President Joe Biden is struggling in the minds of the American public. While his approval rating is down on a slew of issues, his difficulties are perhaps most noticeable on the economy.

Biden now sports the lowest net economic rating of any president at this point through their first term since at least Jimmy Carter in 1977.

Explanation: Although our current economy is a far cry from that which developed during the Carter years in office, the one thing that is consistent with both times is a higher (than normal) inflation. Currently, our economy is strong, we have low unemployment; in fact much of the unemployment we are experiencing is self imposed by the individual; but the price of consumer goods is keeps going up, which is a definite sign of inflation.

The Feds will attempt to control the inflation we are experiencing by slowing down the economy somewhat through a series of interest rate increases. What the government charges the big banks to borrow money is passed through to the consumer with an increase in mortgage and loan rates. It has long been anticipated that 2022 will be the year the rates start increasing, there is the possibility that the Feds may impose not 2 or 3 increases this year, but as many as 7. Beginning in March when the first increase is anticipated, 5-7 additional increases can easily increase the rates we are seeing on mortgages rise by 1 or more percentage points.

As rates increase, the purchasing power of the consumer is lessened. If you are considering making a major purchase this year, certainly speak with your lender and REALTOR to maximize your purchasing power.

11/11/2021

Welcome your agent Andrew Johnson. Andrew offers a unique blend of skills to his profession as a REALTOR based on his past experiences. Of note is his time in the military. Give Andrew a call today to help you with your real estate needs. 864-990-6399

11/11/2021

Welcome your agent Kenny Greiner. As a Navy Vet, Kenny brings a wealth of experiences to his profession as a REALTOR. Give Kenny a call today that he can share them with you during your search for a new home. 864-247-1183

11/11/2021

We truly value our veterans for who they are and what they have done, and want to say "Thank you" to all who have served this country.

10/07/2021

Not quite ready to make that decision to make a real estate purchase. Are you still 6, 12, 18 months out? It is never too early to start preparing for that all important decision. Begin with a good agent. All of our agents at Axcent Realty are professionals who can't wait to help you prepare for that time you want to make a move. Face it, there are a lot of pieces that must fit together to make a purchase happen, and your agent from Axcent Realty can help you find all those pieces and make sure they go together in the right order.