Conway, SC Real Estate News 

As a native of coastal South Carolina, I have seen several natural disasters affect our state. Hurricane Hazel when I was a small child and Hugo which totally devastated our Garden City family beach house and neighborhood. During hurricane Floyd we saw unprecedented flood waters in my home town of Conway, SC.

Last week we experienced similar devastation with massive amounts of rain. Governor Halley said this was a “1000 year event” with over 20” of rainfall over October 3-4 weekend alone.

Roads were impassable, folks stranded waiting for rescue teams to take them to shelters, and millions of dollars of damage to homes. It was and still is a sad time for many South Carolinians.

Now the county Emergency Operations Center is transitioning to recovery mode. There will be two FEMA Disaster Resource Centers open this week. One located in the north end of the county and the other the south end. Each center will have a FEMA representative and other federal agency representatives to help with assistance. There is help for those with no flood insurance as well as those who need help with temporary relocation. You may use the 1-800-621-FEMA number or the website DisasterAssistance.gov to register.

Aid for individual flood victims:

• 18 months of housing

• grants for replacement of personal property , medical or dental

• low interest loans

• Crisis counseling, unemployment assistance, and legal aid

Aid for county and states effected:

• rebuilding infrastructure up to 75% of the costs

The deadline for most assistance programs is 60 days following the Presidents major disaster declaration which was given on October 5, 2015.

Most of the downtown areas are clear now and the majority of roads are open. However, those living on the river and swamps will be dealing with the mud, ruined homes and impassable streets for weeks to come. I am touched by the outpouring of community support and caring.

My home church Trinity United Methodist church was not able to hold services this past Sunday and their parking lot and grounds are flooded. However, there is is no water in the building and we count our blessings.

Katie Brookshire just posted a video of one of our favorite home listings at 3101 Poplar Church Rd. This is in a beautiful country setting close to the Hwy 22 Conway Bypass for quick access to Myrtle Beach. Give us a call to take a look at this fantastic property. 

3101 Poplar Church Rd. Video

Halloween is just around the corner and like many Halloween fans, I often tell the familiar ghost story of the Lucas Bay Light. If you are from Conway, SC, you most certainly have heard of the Lucas Bay Light or have even experienced the sighting yourself. Legend has it that the light is the ghost of a female slave walking through the woods or down the dirt road searching for her lost child.   

I have seen the Lucas Bay light myself and can tell you that it is unexplainable and very spooky. I had been told prior to my visit as a teenager that the light may or may not be visible and that other experiences included feeling cold or often times the vehicle that you came in could have engine trouble. It has also been reported that you could hear a baby cry. 

On the night that I experienced the light, I was shocked that it was so extremely bright and obvious. I think I imagined it being hard to see or more like an ora but this light traveled smoothly through the air and was as if someone was holding a lantern not to far away from me. When it first appears, you want to believe you will see another light soon like a car coming, or hear the hum of a motorcycle, but then the light turns to an orange, amber glow and in the stillness you feel like you just walked into a standup freezer. I did not experience any car trouble and did not hear the cry of a child but none the less, I have remembered the event so well for all these years.

Have you ever experienced the Lucas Bay Light? Tell us your story!

You can see a first hand account of another individual's Lucas Bay sighting below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQSvM6mMVgg

I've been looking for a long time now to find a way to clean a porcelain enamel tub that is stained badly. As I share a love of old houses and enjoy the chance to remodel while keeping the character that they offer; I often find bathtubs that appear permanently stained and dirty. 

Without having to spend hundred's of dollars to have your bathtub re-enameled there are a few tricks to clean the tub without harsh chemicals. If you are selling an older home and want it to appear it's best, you may need to give this a try as well.

First, mix a generous amount of Baking Soda and warm water into a paste. Rub the gritty paste over all of the stained area's of your porcelain bathtub and prepare yourself for a little elbow greese action. Next, re-use any clean squirt bottle and fill with lemon juice. Turn the nozzle to mist and lightly spray the surface of the prepared baking soda mixture. Finally, using protective gloves scrub the surface of the bathtub in a circular motion with a soft cloth. Small stained area's will come clean in no-time but those of you with stubborn stained surfaces over the majority of the surface will find that you may need to use more lemon juice and repetition. Don't forget, as with all acidic fruit juices that wear away at enamel on our teeth- it will do the same to an enameled tub so don't use this treatment as an everyday cleaner.

After an hour of hard work last night, my bathtub looks like brand new using only common household products! As my 4 year old says- "Wow- it looks so sunny now mama!" The added bonus; I got a great arm workout!!! 

Items Needed:

Baking Soda, Warm Water, Squirt Bottle, Lemon Juice, Protective Gloves

The Final Tally

by Nancy M. Lee

President

Century 21 McAlpine Associates

My family is closing this week on a cute little bungalow in Surfside Beach, SC. It is located only 4 blocks from the beach and is on a beautiful wooded lot.  It has 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths.The home is presently loved and well cared for and has that comfortable family “feel”. The only problem is that the house is over 30 years old and needs some face lifting. What items do we spend money on that will be recoupable when the time comes to sell?

This is the same question home owners ask us all the time. For example, if you really want a pool, can you get your investment back? In most cases “NO”. In my experience, only about 50% of your investment will be recuperated when you sell the home. This percentage will be higher if you are in a beach front community and rent your home on a weekly basis. Tourists like a pool just like if they were staying in a motel and will rent your house for more money with that amenity.

In our case, we would like to paint or change the outside of the home from wood to vinyl for fresh color and low maintenance. According to residential specialist, that will be an investment that you can get 80% of the value back for your expense. We may also do some minor kitchen remodeling and should get 72.8% of that expense back in value. We also plan to add an additional bath and outside shower. I really want that part, even though the experts say I will only get 53% of my investment back. The upgrades that you do to the exterior will be the most profitable. Curb appeal is still the main attraction for buyers of your home.

In the final tally, you need to know that not all of the money you will spend on your home will be realized back in value when you decide to sell.