Columbia SC Airport Becomes an International Hub!

Hello Friends,

I want to apologize for not contributing to this blog in the last weeks. Unlike what you hear in the news, our real estate market is strong and healthy, thus my team and I are grateful for what we have. We are fortunate to make in impact on people's lives by helping them achieve their real estate goals.

So, onto another subject. Our lovely, quaint little airport is growing! Spirit airlines http://www.spitirair.com/ will begin service to and from Columbia Metro, CAE, starting in May of this year. This is EXCITING FOLKS!

I first heard of this a year ago, when it was on the radar screen that a new airline would make our airport truly an international. To much of my surprise that time is here. Spirit seems committed to putting our airport on the map with flights into South America, and the Caribbeans.

Imagine booking a last minute flight to...hum...I don't know Lima Peru...for less than $400 - Fly out for the weekend and be back on Monday. What can you do in Lima Peru? How about visiting Machu Picchu, the lost Inca city? Imagine your co-workers asking you. So JP...what did you do this weekend? Oh...I just took a quick flight to Peru...and hiked in the Andes. Very Cool Indeed!

Some other destinations include most of the Caribbean islands, Panama, Puerto Rico. Heck pretty soon it may be Cuba with Castro retiring!

So as you can read I am excited about this. In my line of business we don't get to travel very often, and when we do, is usually for a short period of time. With Spirit flying conveniently to great points of interests, I will be sure to take advantage of the cheap, convenient flights in and out of our lovely, hassle free Columbia Metropolitan....oops, or soon to be Columbia International airport.

Happy travels my friends,

JP

Sales person? No! Real Estate Counselor? Yes!

My background was not in sales, so when I decided to go into real estate few years ago, I took a big gamble. I knew I was a people person, I knew I cared about people. I knew I was honest. I knew I worked hard to achieve a goal.

I look at others and I think I'm doing it all wrong, but my team and I are getting amazing results!

Although I am in the top of my market, I don't consider myself a "sales-person", and I don't do any of the things sales people are supposed to do. I don't have a script, I don't bother people, I don't knock on doors, I don't have a cute saying on the back of my card, I don't have a magnet on my car, I don't ask for referrals, I don't network, I don't push a product, I don't even carry business cards most of the time (I know I should). It's not about me, it's about them...

Instead, I focus 100% of my attention to each and every client. I ask a lot of questions. I find out exactly where they are in their lives, and why they need to buy or sell. I find out all the intricate details and then I counsel them. We devise a plan together and we work together to implement it. They have 100% of my attention, dedication, loyalty and focus.

I get the job done, because I want it done as badly as they do. For the time we work together, their goal is my goal, their pain is my pain, their concern is my concern. There is no you and I in that equation, it's "us, we, ours"... I express that in every sentence. I get that from my corporate training, it was never "I", but always "we".

We at J.P. & Associates believe in clients for life... we may lose the deal, but we don't lose the client! Tell the Truth! Always look out for your client's best interest! Don't let your buyer clients purchase anything you wouldn't buy yourself. Put yourself in the shoes of your seller clients, that way you'll work harder!

Sales Person? No! real estate counselor? Yes!

Feds Cut Rate again..good news for us..

Well, you have to say this about our government, they do try. You can't help to hear all the doom and gloom news these days surrounding real estate and how terrible things are in the economy as a result. Well that's good news for us here in the greater Columbia area. No, I am not crazy. This is all great news for us. We are not the rest of the Country. We are this bullet proof market that inches up every year at a snail pace. Cozy, relaxed Southern style! However, no reason why we can't take advantage of all the benefits everyone else is reaping to try to get back up. There are some many new incentives out there for both buyers and sellers like record low rates, new Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae programs, great National builder's incentives, etc...

While the rest of the Country unfortunately is correcting their markets, we continue to move full steam ahead. We have some small issues mainly surrounding high end homes, and new construction inventory, but for the most part our market is on a record setting year again...yes...we are kicking butt and taking names down here. For the greater Lexington area this year we have OUTSOLD (Volume and Units), and OUTLISTED 2006 - a record year.

So in the end all this hype will definately continue to fuel our market, buyers will reap the benefits of low interest rates and sellers will find them selves in a great situation to upgrade to a bigger home. Sure we can't expect to stick a sign in the front yard and get three offers (ah...how I longer for those days...), but with the right marketing, the right agent and the right price your home will still sell. If you are buying, you can take advantage of discount with names such as "Five Finger Discount". Seriously, there's one out there with that name!

Enjoy the holidays my friends, words of wisdom...dont believe all that you read, and ask the expert for some FREE real estate advise. You could gain thousands!

Thanksgiving week...a busy week for REALTORs

Hello dear friends. I hope turkey day was a joyous day. Frankly mine was magical. I watched the Macy's parade on TV with the kids, and at the same time the colorful leaves falling. A hot cup of coffee in my hand...turkey in the oven...friends soon to arrive. What a soothing day...oh yeah, and let's not forget a little Football..."how bout them Cowboys!" Now you see why I called it magical...when was the last time Dallas was 10-1...hum...never. Stress was just flowing out of me. Detoxing. It was one of the most relaxing days ever for me.

So as I reflect about yesterday, I gear up for today and the weekend. Mentally. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times in the year for REALTORs and home sales. This is the mad rush to get into a home for the holidays. At the same time, families are together and wonder about living close to one another...thus sparking the new home fever for many families. Heck, my wife was looking at new homes this morning...I am telling you it's in the air. Turkey, Pecan pie, and a new home.

So what are doing to prepare. Many agents will gear up for a two or three day Open house extravaganza. Many will post office hours, many like yourstruly will prepare to answer the phone non-stop until Sunday evening. My team and I are carrying the largest number of listings we have ever had. With so many listings, people call about information about each home. I will make sure they have the answer they are looking for, as well as be prepared to open some doors for the truly interested ones. Possibly giving at least two families something to cheer about this holiday season. The sellers and buyers...not to mention the Piccinini's :-)

The activities for each agent will vary, undoubtedly the FULL time REALTORs like myself and my team, will be ready to go. Just like our favorite teams and players playing on turkey day, your favorite agents will be working this holiday to make sure we make the American dream a reality for you and your family.

Enjoy Thanksgiving and God Bless Your Family.

JP

JP's First Post - Downsize, improve our quality of life

Well, hello dear friends. Blogging, yeap, why not. This will give us a chance to talk about real estate, Lexington, Lake Murray, Columbia and our families.

We are fortunate to live in a great place. I spent a few days this week with two great families. One from Syracuse, NY and one from Detroit Michigan. You know what these two families had in common (other than they were both looking at houses with yours truly)? They were searching for "La dolce vita". The good life. Not in Tuscany, not in California, but right here in Columbia South Carolina.

QUALITY OF LIFE! Such a sweet word, yet so elusive to most of us. Why? There are many places in the US where the quality of life is abismal. South Carolina offers the chance to improve standards of living for many families. Thehousing is affordable and cost of living index is one of the lowest in the US. Let's not forget the weather, the beaches, and those smiling faces. Yeap, South Carolina is a great place to live and raise a family. Those of us that live here have it made...Wrong.

Just because we live in such a great place, I know so many people, including myself, that get caught up in the rat race. Keeping up with the Jones'. It just never seems enough. We are never happy, simply content for a few months.

Just to keep us we live to work and serve. All of us to some degree could improve our quality of life. Just think if we cut back on some of the items and "needs" that we have grown so accustomed and dependent on, our lives would most definately improve, our checking accounts would be fatter, and our significant other happier! Let's get back to what's important in life. Our families. Not work, not fancy toys, not big McMansions. Do you really need a 3000 sqft home for a family of four? Hey I am a REALTOR, okay, I will sell you a 3000 sqft home don't get me wrong, but do you really need it?

It's the simple things in life, like a day at the park, kicking the soccer ball with your son, cooking ALL day for that Sunday gathering, rocking on that front porch while we watch our children play (no cell phone in sight!). Those things are important in life. If we all downsized our lifestyles, stopped for a minute to focus on the important things in life we would all live in a much better place.