Jane Page's Blog

Active Rain Praised at NAR for being One of Real Estate's Key Trends for Success!

That's right for those of you that did not make it to Orlando, or did not get to the Economic Issues and Residential Real Estate Business Trends Forum, you missed Active Rain praise!

Lawrence Yun, NAR's Chief Economist and one of USA Today's top market analysts and dynamic marketing strategist, Stefan Swanepoel gave a comprehensive forum about where the housing market went wrong and what we as REALTORS need to do to fix it.   And, Yes, Active Rain is a part of the solution to the Global Economic Crisis.  Well, AR may not be the only fix, but social networking sites for the Real Estate industry were a major part of Swanepoel's path to change the future of our industry.

I try to hear Lawrence Yun speak whenever I can.  He is direct and to the point and his predictions or subtle remarks have proved to be strong pearls of wisdom, that I love to soak-up with a sponge.  You can read or listen to Yun's economic theories and reports on www.REALTOR.org.

Swanepoel's approach to change beats anything that I have heard from a Political candidate in decades.  He has been a part of starting Real Estate Wiki, which I found through Active Rain and is a good source for definitions and explanations of the terms we hear and read about within the industry.

The most important thing that I have learned while on Active Rain and while I have been attending these Conferences is that Real Estate is THE leading economic and social indicator.  As REALTORS, not only do we hold our selves to a higher ethical standard, but we need to raise the bar to enter our profession.

As the preamble to the REALTOR Code implies, we have a greater duty to the national market security than we do to an individual sale.  This point has been forgotten and these two seasoned gentlemen reminded me of this fact again, today!  Not that they said this, but while hearing only 55% (if you were there you know) of the facts, their sentiments sparked this within my feeble mind.

Go forth and Socialize on Active Rain, and while you do so, you are helping  change the image of our industry and working to turn the economy around through positive interaction!  Come sing in the Rain with me!

Posted by proud Active Rainer Member- Jane Page Thompson, Aiken, SC

(Photos used in this post are from previous posts of mine and are from Stefan Swanepoel's website.  I have only written about my recollections of their speeches.)

If the Shoe Fits . . . The REALTOR should, too!

As REALTORS, we are always trying to find the fairytale, happy ending house for our clients.

Sometimes we look at so many different styles both our clients and ourselves are left in a muddle of confused images: some are too small, others too large; but when we find the house that fits "just right"- we all know it.

The same should be true when trying to find the REALTOR that is Just Right, too!  As a BUYER or SELLER, choosing an agent should be approached with the same commitment.

Do you want to feel coddled and cared for . . . ?     

        Secured and Protected, at all cost . . . ?

Do you want to fit in with the crowd or have an agent that will tap dance just for you . . . ?

Just like in finding a house, you should list the things you want in your Agent.

• Years of experience or A Fresh New Perspective
• Savvy Negotiation Skills or Matter of Fact Opinion
• Hard Sale or Soft Touch, Smooth and Polished or Coy and Surprising
• In it for the Closing or Committed to the Community
• A Tour Guide or Welcome Wagon

Whether you like broken-in leather boots, designer pumps or practical flats; You know what you need and want in a House.  REALTORS come in many styles, too.  Find the one that best fits your needs and stick with them because they will stick with you until you move in or sell.

If you want a Veteran or Newbie; A Gold Jacket or Independent- find the right Agent for your goals and the process will be even better when you Close!  If the shoe fits- The Realtor will, too!

Blog Posted by: Jane Page Thompson, Aiken, SC

"I sell Dirt in a Skirt" - and wear Merrell Mary Jane's with sport treads to do it in!

[The Photos used in this blog are from the Wikipedia Website on Shoes and from www.bunnyslippers.com and www.eluxury.com and www.merrell.com]

                              VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

I know we are all tired of the Political Grandstanding and the Campaign Ads.  We have been exposed to the rhetoric for way too long and this election year has made the case for time limits on Campaigns, but we ALL need to VOTE!

Today, a lady at the grocery store told her friend or daughter, shopping mate; that she was so sick of all of the hype that she was not going to VOTE.  Her friend expressed apathy and said she agreed and that her vote would not matter anyway.

I was at boiling point hearing these women speaking so casually about their VOTE.  Have they forgotten the lives sacrificed for us to have a free VOTE and the women that foughtfor us to have an equal VOTE?  Regardless of How you Vote, Please VOTE!  Put it in your schedule to do and go VOTE November 4th!

                   God Bless America! 

A Chance to Shine Contest: Shine in reflected Glory!

As Fall fades into Winter, as Halloween turns to Christmas; the greatest time in the calendar year gets wrapped up into turkey stuffing between halves in a football game.

Thanksgiving has become the day we rest up before we go Christmas Shopping.  Yes, we go to Plymouth Rock with our kids' construction paper Pilgrims and Wahooing Indians, but we do not allow ourselves to feel truly thankful.

As I search for ways to "shine" on the Internet in this new forum of Blogging, I can not help but think about what makes me shine.

It is not fancy listings  . . .               

      Political satire   . . .  or even . . .

Points for commenting on ActiveRain (although those are nice)   . . .     But my FAMILY. . .

The wonderful feeling of belonging that happens, even when crazy Aunt Lissa brings snow pea casserole instead of string bean.  The idea that we are part of a chain of family and camaraderie that can stretch millions of miles, cross acres of ocean; link centuries of history to hundreds of cultures- we are human and we are family.

To be filled with the Glory that only can be won and lost through your kin and to embrace that glory and turn it into love and acknowledge the courage you have from it- that is to SHINE.

So, as I look for reasons to Shine, I do not look to technology, but to those that reflect the importance of loving and life- my family.

  Happy Thanksgiving!

"The Houndslake Community centers around a 27- Hole Championship golf course in the Aiken area. Designed by Joe Lee, who designed the likes of La Costa, Doral, and Disney World.  The three nines provide pleasure to the average golfer and a memorable challenge to the advanced player. All three nine holes play to a par of 36 and average just over 3,300 yards each. Our Azalea and Dogwood nines boast over 50,000 Azaleas planted during construction in 1974 to compliment the splash of Dogwood, Holly, and Kalmia in the area." quote from the Houndslake Country Club website.

Rumors are running around that Club Owner, Weldon Wyatt, is going to close the Laurel Golf Course at Houndslake Country Club.  The reason stated by the Aiken Standard Newspaper is: Lack of Play and residents and members say they do not play because of poor maintenance of the course.  As you can see in this beautiful photo by Thom Abbott, of Southside Gallery, the 9-holes are along water and the wooded areas close to Hitchcock Woods.

The houses along this course are some of the most valuable in the development, but now these values are in jeopardy.  This course is an integral part of the community and closure could collapse the housing values in this area of Aiken.  I encourage Aiken residents and members of the Club to help save the Links!  Start Playing the Laurel, again!  Call a member and play, if you are not a member become one, everyone in this part of Aiken needs to help support the future of the golf course.

The economic devastation that this closure would bring to the Aiken housing market does not benefit anyone.  I hope citizens that live in Houndslake will write letters in protest of this closure.  The Members of the Houndslake Country Club need to join forces and stop this devastating action.  Help Save the Laurel 9!  Write to the newspaper and the club, get your voice heard.  The membership was not asked about the Club's sale to Wyatt, but now the members need to stand up and be counted, not only for the Laurel, but for our economy! 

Leave the Herd Behind- Realtors can Lead the Way!

In the Preamble of the Realtor Code of Ethics, we as members are charged with protecting the Nation's future and security:

"Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization.  Realtors should recognize that the interests of the Nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership."

Therefore, we can no longer follow the herd of negative media nor can we perpetuate the glutinous ways that the bubble provided.  The future of the real estate industry around the World and the future of the Global economy lies within each of us to turn the tide of negativity into a tsunami of possibility. 

This quote in an article for CNNmoney, What this economy means to you- Real Estate by: Stephen Gandel and Paul J. Lim:  "In the long run none of what we're doing now is going to matter that much to real estate," says Wellesley economics professor Karl Case. "Home prices have to do with the scarcity of land and perception of that scarcity."  It is clear, that Realtors need to be positive and be the leaders in getting positive news out to the public, since the media is not going to, they are to busy herding the public in the wrong direction.

Wall Street has led America into a deeper situation thanRealtors led the housing market, and we are begining to change that situation, without a government bailout of our industry.  The investment, banking and insurance industries have left every taxpayer and home owner with a debt to pay-while some of them are having facials and playing golf- but we, as Realtors, can be the positive voice in the midst of the financial panic. 

Another economist interviewed by Gandel and Lim, believes that regardless of who is elected in November, we will see taxes rise and cautions that the real estate market is key to stopping the crisis and turning the World economy around.  "Bethune adds, "if the economy continues to tank into a deeper recession, dragging the housing market along with it, then the costs to the taxpayers easily could escalate to several hundred billions of dollars." 

We, REALTORS, cannot stand by and allow this to happen.  We need to stand-up and say to everyone that there are positive things happening in our industry: $7500 first time buyer's incentives, wide selection of good inventory, loan products from local banks that are intune with the local market, anything positive.  We also need to create the scarcity required to shift the supply and demand.  This means that if a listing is not priced right in this market, or the seller is just speculating or the divorced couple does not need to sell except to eliminate bad memories; it should not be listed.  We all need to be heroes to the American economy and not take a listing that does not need to be sold, yet.  It will be best for ALL concerned to wait- explain the need to wait and hold firm.  We need to set our individual gains aside for the reconstruction of the National economy.  I am advocating a united front that puts the National security ahead of individual gain, but that wisely promotes a free market with logical restraint.  List if it is right, but some sellers think they need to downsize because of the economy, when in fact, if they do they may get upside down instead of out securely.

Realtors need to lead by being positive about the industry and being prudent in our business.  If we are a united voice of positive hope, than we can divide the public herd and redirect them away from the negative media influence.  There are well-built, fair priced and good values on the market everywhere, find them and encourage buyers to buy and sellers to sell.

The Housing Market is turning around and with Every Realtor finding the positives in their market, we can turn the entire economy around.  Break free from the negative herd and be the positive change that America needs, now!

-Jane Page Thompson - Realtor: Aiken, SC

In an article for The New York Times, "Forget Logic; Fear Appears to Have the Edge" by Vikas Bajaj interviewed several behaviorists and financial analysts to pin point the reason we fear the loss of money over the joy of earning, winning or gaining.  This prompted me to think about how the World really got here.  Bajaj's lead into the story was: "The technical term for it is "negative feedback loop." The rest of us just call it a panic."  If the panic is so great and people are killing themselves to escape the debt, why do we listen?  Why don't we turn off the negative feedback loop?

Bajaj's article went on to interview financial mangers and one, William Ackman, a prominent hedge fund manager in New York, said: "What's happening is people are crawling into a bunker and pulling an iron sheet over their heads because they think the sky is falling."  Unfortunately that is not what is happening, people are so consumed by the panic that they can speak nor emote of anything else.  Again, I asked why we have this fear and panic spreading over the Globe.  Why don't we turn it off?  And then it came to me, we need a "Global Off Day". Every human being in the World needs to send a clear message to ALL forms of media: "We don't want the spread of panic that you thrive on!"

World Markets are failing, Nations are going bankrupt and people want to first blame the real estate industry, then the banking industry, then the President- but who is really to blame?  We are, for buying into Media Hype.  And not just the news, but advertising as well, we bought into the need to buy ads and now we are buying into the fear of loosing it all and that has the World on edge.  Yet, in all of the blame game the media has not accused themselves.  Media outlets and marketing companies have not been called in front of the Department of Justice, Free speech comes with great responsibility and the World Media has failed to be respectful stewards of that freedom.  They, like everyone else need to take some responsibility for the Global panic.  And the power of the marketing companies with subliminal tools is another debate, altogether.

After 9/11, Psychiatrists were successful in their push to take the images off of the screen and in coverage of Iraq, Americans are not shown disturbing images- well if disturbing images are too much for the viewers, why then is the negative reporting and fear based journalism that is feeding the financial panic allowed to stay on the screen and front-page.

"Global Off Day", maybe a silly idea, but if it saves a life, stops reactionary selling or affords a family quality time together, lets take a day off from the media.  No "Live at Five", No News Hours, No front page panic story, No radio, No Internet home pages- a boycott against the media and their negative reporting.  Let's force them to publish good news stories on the front page, talk to happy people on the TV & Radio.  The World needs a time-out from the negative hype- we need to turn off the negative feedback loop.

Did you hear the Good News?

"The dollar rises against the Pound and the Euro in Tuesday late trading", According to the Associated Press- New York, NY.

~ The dollar is getting stronger 

~ First time Home Buyers can take advantage of a $7500 incentive

~ Record number of units for sale means a great selection for Buyers

~ Condo markets are holding according to National Assoc. of Realtors

~ Loan Products are out there, for qualified buyers, with flexible terms

~ Now is time to establish relationships with local providers: bankers, investment counselors & Realtors

~ Real Estate is Local and so is Banking, Build our economy back by investing locally

Remaining calm, positive and proactive in the wake of the current market conditions will do more than loosing faith in America by perpetuating what the negative media spin.  When confronted with the question: "Is the Real Estate Market as bad as they make it out to be?"  Say "NO!" and repeat any one of the points of Good News listed above.  The Positive change our Economy needs- is You!

We Must, We Must, We Must Increase Our Bust & the Dollar, too!

With the Economic turmoil being felt around the Globe, Realtors need to see the positives!  I am not walking around with blinkers on, nor do I profess to be a sage economist, but I do believe that if everyone involved in the real estate industry found one positive thing to say every morning, to everyone they meet, about the market, then we will be a loud voice pointing to the good and not being sucked into the bad.

Today, Go forth knowing that the dollar is strengthening against the Euro and the Canadian Dollar and that Gold is hitting record highs.  With some positive calisthenics, the dollar may continue to build its power back and that is good for the American economy!

Imagine a world without "For Sale or Lease" Signs, imagine newspapers without real estate sections.  Think of banks without mortgage departments, insurance companies without homeowners policies.  Can you see your sidewalks free from apartment & real estate guides, how about no Home Depot or Lowes.  Yes, these are all symbols of our indulgent economy, but they are also the bedrock of that economy.  Real Estate & Our Industry are not going anywhere, we just need to change the Public's Opinion.

  The National Media has been too long dwelling on the negative, why not embrace the power of the positive!  Let us all join in the chorus(anyone who's job or future depends on the industry); Let's all find the positive and SHOUT it from the streets, sidewalks, to passing cars:  We are America and we shall overcome this economy, too!  We are America and we are Golden!  We are Realtors and we shall lead America out of this economic turmoil.  We are sales people- Let's sell Americans on investing in America for the LONG TERM!

God Bless America.  Now, chest out with pride, arms raised in triumph and declare a positive- in your local market, within the stimulus plan, from the International Economy, find ONE and SHOUT!  We can be Millions of voices with one positive message; and that alone may change the Economic face of the World and it all starts with you, Now - Today!

UP, UP, UP & Away with the Negative!

• Microsoft is at 25.06 today; UP from 2006 at the height of the Real Estate Boom it was only 23.42
• The Nikkei is down 465, the Dow is only down in 420's- Today
• The US dollar is gaining value against the Canadian dollar- UP 2.3%- Today
• Gold is UP
• 5 & 10 yr. Treasury Notes are UP

Realtors we need to be UP, too!

We are at work, today, let's all find something positive to say about our industry, our business and our economic future.

People will always need places to live and people will always own places to sell- No matter what the media says, no matter how low the market may go, no matter how many Banks fail, Real Estate will always happen.

Go forth and answer the "So, how's it going?" Question with a "GREAT!!" . . .

"The Dollar is strengthening against the Canada Dollar.  Since the Stock Market and the Housing Markets are inversely related, the good news is that with a soft Stock Market, it is now a great time to make SOLID, LOGICAL, LONG-TERM Investments in Real Estate."

"With so many good deals on the market, because of foreclosures from flippers and a 40 year low on interest rates; a wise investor committed to a long term gain and maybe open to rentals, has a great selection to choose from."

"We need to turn off the television and call a Realtor to show us how our local market is doing.  Now, more than ever, is it time to get buying advice from a person committed to Ethical transactions.  Real Estate is local and a Realtor is the best person to guide you through the purchasing process."

Let's get positive, let's get unified and let's turn this market around!

Chicken little needs to cross the road or get out of my way!

No, The Real Estate Market is not booming out of control like it was in 2005-2006.  It has not fallen asleep like in 2000, it is what it is and it Is Not That BAD!  Most markets had huge jumps, and are leveling out to normal five year averages.  Yes, the mortgage crisis adds concern, but most Realtors encourage responsible purchasing and should not see their personal business suffer.  We need to be positive about what we as Realtors can offer the Buyers; that are out there looking for honest answers and reliable information in the wake of today's negative and misleading media.

Chicken Little- The Sky is NOT falling!

Realtors may have to work smarter and differently, Buyers are out there!  With the average age of agents in the 50's and the average age of buyers in the 30's, the first place to start would be learning a new way to communicate through new medias.  These digital outlets are often cheaper and more straight forward and have become the starting point for buyers' research.

The Economic Stimulus Plan and the 2008 Bailout have provided platforms for opportunity.  The $7500 new home buyer incentive, mortgage foreclosure relief and funding for alternative energy plans that will require land purchases are all areas to focus on.  Direct communication with potential buyers is key when changing the perception of available housing opportunities.

Chicken Little- The Sky is Sunny & Only Partly Cloudy- Spread the Word! 

Jumping Hurdles!

Everyday Realtors jump hurdles for their clients.  We do more than buy Lunches, play chauffeur and give city tours.

I have sat with a client through surgery, packed kitchen cabinets, bought refrigerators, changed diapers and wadded through muddy streams; but this week I have done one of the strangest things, ever.

My clients are buying a house that has several visable yards from one of the bedrooms, not unusual in a city; except when the view begins to be a deal breaker. 

After the third conversation looking out of the window, my client admits that she will put her desk at the window and just can't bear seeing the neighbors' dogs without a dog house.  You guessed it- Realtor to the rescue.  I called the neighbor and explained that his new neighbor has been very involved in the SPCA and Humane Society and that I thought a dog house would help her be happy about choosing to buy the house.  The neighbor was thrilled to be getting a doghouse because he could not figure out why his dogs were not using their dog door.  A win-win for everyone, What odd things have you had to do to? 

 What hurdles have you had to jump for your clients? 

Growing in the Rain!!

In the beginning it was a gentle drop, a slight nudge from my assistant, Kara.  I joined, set-up my profile and began to learn about this world that is activerain.

The new vocabulary and symobcabulary were an obstacle at first, but the clouds of confusion have begun to clear.  In the stillness after a heavy rain, your energies are released after being trapped by the torental downpour of the insecurity of starting something new.

The First few blogs, test your own metal and prove not to be susceptible to rust, even if your writing skills are.  A comment here and a comment there let you know that others are out there walking the same path.  You begin to find some commonalities as you hide under your umbrella and plow on with this new voice.

Sometimes your point is muddied and lost and 00000's stay, but you proceed, undeterred.  You find that sometimes a blunder can cause a ripple in the puddle, but you watch as others sing in the rain where you are only a small drip.  Their passion encourages you to keep dripping like saltwater on a stone.

Eventually, your voice becomes clearer, your interest diversify and you start cheering for others in the rain with you.  Realizing that the knowledge and help and amusement that you have found has brought you together with others that you may never have known.  The addiction is greater than monetary gain, it is connecting with a higher purpose and noble sense of camaraderie.  Daily communication serving as support in difficult times, smiles at others' achievements and a feeling that no matter what; you are not alone in the Rain!

Active Rain is a teaching tool that will help anyone in the real estate industry to find their voice, find friends and build a network that can keep your business energized- Active!

Champagne, Divots & Polo Divas

Polo is a sport of great skill, effortless team work and deep pockets.  Players are given handicaps that grade their ability to score, not score or score for the other team (10 is the best and -2 the beginning).  To be a "Zero" in the sport of polo is a compliment and makes the math easier.  Each team's handicaps must add up to equal the published tournament handicap.  Polo Clubs and the United States Polo Association host tournaments for beginners and youth to International games where the best in the World gather to play.

Beyond the complexity of the handicapping system is the team work between the players and their horses.  Polo requires multiple abilities of its players.  It is like riding a race horse in the Kentucky Derby, Swinging a golf club with Masters Tournament accuracy, shifting the play with World Cup Soccer skills and communicating with your teammates like an MBA All-Star- All rolled into one fast paced, thundering game that offers NO Monetary Prize.  That's right; there are no Million Dollar Purses, Commercial Endorsements or Fantasy Payoffs.  The teams consist of a patron and maybe a few paid players, but they are not paid by winnings, rather at the whim of the patron.  This makes it a gentleman's sport that does not come cheap, a player needs 6 horses for each game and sometimes more (a $60,000 minimum investment).

Aiken, South Carolina is a polo Mecca with over 50 fields, 9 Active Clubs, 8 months of tournament play in all ranges and 2 annual Polo Pony Sales.  Games happen all over town and out in the country, signs pop-up "Polo Today" with a sign.  Spectators drive in (sometimes a fee is required to benefit a charity) and if your car is insured in South Carolina pull-in to a spot, your car insurance will replace your windshield for free; otherwise park 15 feet away from the boards, pop your tailgate and watch the display on and off of the field.  The fashionistas that follow polo are more than Ralph Lauren devotees; they set new standards for glamour, they are Polo Divas.  The best time to check out the other spectators and the sport's Divas is at half time when the field needs its divots stomped back down, have a glass of bubbly, get a little dirty and enjoy the action.  See you on the sidelines!  

  The Eagle is Coming- Turkeys get out of the way!

We are not talking about the Bailout- but about the Economic Stimulus First Time Home Buyer Incentive!

The $7500 First Time Home Buyer Incentive is out there for use and it needs to happen before July 1, 2009.  Why is this a positive trend for the real estate market?  This incentive, when combined with FHA and other fiscally responsible loan products will allow a number of habitual renters the opportunity to purchase, often a better quality home than they could have found this time last year.

With so many houses on the market right now, it is a great time to take advantage of the liberties of the housing market.  Being able to pick and choose, means buyers can find a good number of properties that will fit their needs.  First time home buyers will also be able to get loan products that are in line with fiscally responcible lending practices: putting 20-30% down and getting loan rates at their 40 year low (6-7% aprox.) means that the local banks in your marketplace are a good place to start the pre-qualification process.  When Ben Franklin suggested the turkey as the National bird, I think he was looking at an over-stuffed Tory market; thank heavens for Jefferson and his streamlined Eagle.

Baby Boomers are looking to retirement, their children are graduating from College and starting careers and our Nation is in an economic crisis, let us not forget the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt:

"Out of every crisis, every tribulation, every disaster; mankind rises with some share of greater knowledge, of higher decency, of purer purpose."

As the blessings of a crisis that was WWII, Baby Boomers are now in a position to effect an economic change by simply encouraging their college graduate children to look to buying homes, if the can afford to do so.  For the past 40 years, real estate has been the most reliable long term investment and can be one for your children's future.  Investing in real estate is an investment in your future for long term return, not as a short term savings account.  And if you can get a little help from Uncle Sam along the way, why not buy NOW.

The economic crisis did not occur overnight, yet we want government to fix-it that fast.  The Greater Knowledge that America needs to glean from our current situation is the need for responsibility and accountability.  We have been bomb-barded by the negative press, influnenced by a pre-pubecent media focused demographic and have been standing by encouraging the excesses of those around us.  We need to say stop!

Stop to: the deterioration of family values.  Stop to: the indulgences given without hardwork to our youth.  Stop to: the overstimulated communications that are surrounding us everyday- where people Twitter to feel connected to someone, when all they need to do is turn off the electronic device, look-up and greet a fellow American, face-to-face.

We need to be connected to our local economies, local real estate markets and local issues.  When we look locally, things are not so bad, not so overwhelming!  This at-home attention and spending will add to the positive trends that are happening in our local markets.  The power to change our economy lies within every individual within their communities, we need to look to our local situations and secure our liberties; as FDR proclaimed: 

"The People of America are in agreement in defending their liberties at any cost, and the first line of the defense lies in the protecting of economic security."

Giving of Ourselves

As professionals in our communities we are looked upon to "give back" to the community that supports our business.  In that process over the years the concepts of Service, Charity, Volunteering and Personal Duty have been muddled together.

As professionals, we belong to networking groups like Rotary, Sertoma, our local Board of Realtors, etc. and we like to think that the often long hours and money committed to these organizations equates to our Volunteer commitment to community.  YES!  Service to these organizations can be considered, in IRS terms as hours donated and therefore has a value to us, as time donated not spent working and has come to mean Volunteering.  But to be a Volunteer, is to give of yourself without a financial reward.

By definition, Volunteering, charity work, benevolent actions are to be done without the motivation of finance.  So, with that said, our time spent in Service to professional organizations is just that- Service- not Volunteering.

Likewise, when we commit to chaperon our kids' field trips, or help with the school fundraiser- we believe that we are Volunteering to do Charity work in Service to the school- when in fact, we are just living upto our Personal Duties.  The idea of Personal Duty has been diminished in our society and has been pooled into the overall concept of Volunteering, in order for us to justify the time spent away from work.  Yet, Personal Duties are what make us human.  Parents have a Personal Duty to advance, enhance and support their children's education.  They should expect financial reward for this investment of time in their children by way of scholarships or giving them the tools to one day become independent.  Therefore, the hours and money given to school projects & events is not really Volunteering- it is fulfilling our Personal Duty.

When we see devastation from natural disasters and collect blankets or after 9/11 when people donated blood, acts of Charity happened.  To give to others on compulsion is Charity.  When we pick-up an abandoned dog on the side of the road and find it a home, that is Charity and Americans are good about Charity, because we like things fast and easy.  Our Country has formed WONDERFUL Charitable Organizations that depend not just on our Charity and Service, but the Volunteering of our valuable time.  The feeling of being compelled to action in the aid of others is the closest we come to the benevolence of God.  That is one of the reasons Americans are so involved in their communities on so many levels, we are givers by nature, society and culture.   

With all of the economic turmoil facing America, we will be compelled to act Charitably toward others; We will be called on to give Service to organizations; We will struggle to live-up to our Personal Duties and through it all we will find the true meaning of Volunteering.  Until we stop feeling the need to quantify every hour of our day, we will never come to understand the complexity of being a true volunteer.  The differences between Charity, Service, Personal Duty and Volunteering are simple and complex at the same time, and for those that are already committed to fulfilling hours within each category special praise to you and for those that have not grasped the idea of doing more, we need to try.  All we can try to do, is endeavor to do more, in this we teach future generations the complexity of giving and we begin to understand the greater good within ourselves.  I can think of no better way to get our Country back on track, morally and economically, than to start by doing more rather than expecting more.  I am making a personal commitment to this idea and encourage others to do the same!

My Personal Commitment Log:

Service: Work on the Local Board PR Committee and Help organize the SPCA Fundraiser that my company helps Sponsor

Charity: Answer the Red Cross Blood Drive Plea and Raise money to protect one of our local parks 

Personal Duty: Help with The School's Building Fund Campaign

Volunteer: Help a dyslexic student in my neighborhood with note taking skills

Aiken, South Carolinahas a rich history and one of her local legends claims that if you drink from Coker Spring you will return to Aiken again and again.  This was ccertainly true for me; I first visited Aiken as a wide eyed young girl, drank her waters and years later have returned.

Time changes all things, and so it had changed me and the city that I love.  As growth and development began to gobble-up the countryside and eat away at the town; I realized there were measures that needed to be taken, battles to be fought in court and changes to zoning to protect her character.  And so my legacy begins, I am, along with many others, quoted in newspaper articles and on television clips that will stay Online for years.  The points and changes required to protect our quaint Downtown are on Laserfiche public records forever.  Citizenship is a freedom that demands attention; it is not easy, nor should it be taken for granted.

• As the challenges arise that need attention, I ask how can I help to bring about the best possible conclusion.  I pray for wisdom.  Remembering to pray that:
• "God grant me the courage to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference."  

So, as I live to enjoy and love Aiken more and more each day; I know that the legacy I leave behind Online is one that honors her past, embraces her present and protects her future.

[The Serenity Prayer quoted here is from memory and Photos of Aiken were taken from the City of Aiken Website]

Aiken, South Carolina is a small Southern Town with a lot of history.  One of my good friends, Louise, is in her early 90's and remembers a time when the streets were filled with big screen icons and tabloid headliners.  In the 1930's and 40's, The Aiken Post Office steps were the key to a fantasy world that gave way to an amazing reality.

Mr Fred Astaire's first wife Phyllis Potter was accustomed to Wintering in Aiken and continued that habit while married, for 21 years, to America's dancing feet.  Whom Louise recalls, spun her up and down the post office steps as if she was as light as a feather.  His affinity for the charm of Aiken kept him returning even with his friends from the Ziegfeld Follies.  Mr Gene Kelly and Mr. Astaire created quite a stir when they both went to the Post Office together. 

The local girls sat along the granite steps hoping that they would be the next ones whisked up to dance down the street with Americas' most entertaining gentlemen.  And so the gentlemen went about their daily routine, posting letters and enchanting Aiken's own sweethearts. 

With Mr. Astaire's sister married to a Duke, it did not come as quite such a surprise to some of Aiken's residents to see Prince Edward and Wallace Simpson take refuge in their quiet town.  With friends and family surrounding them, the media was thrown off of their trail for a while.  And one of Aiken's brick walls was closed in to hide the lovebirds.

Some of Aiken's local lore, accredit Fred Astaire's love of race horses to the premiere equestrian of that generation, Ambrose Clark.  With horses for every activity, Ambrose Clark is one of America's legends in his own right.  Astaire and Kelly even owned a racehorse together at one time and it was horses that led Astaire to his second wife, who had been a jockey.

At the core of it all is horses and the stage was Aiken.  We may not have the big screen icons and thank goodness, we do not have today's tabloid headliners; but Aiken is still that charming and enchanted place were little girls' dreams come true and love is in the air.

[This blog was inspired by the recollections of a friend and my own daily reminder- The Post Office, which is nextdoor to my real estate office.  The pictures are from the City's online photo gallery and Wikipedia, where some facts were gleaned, as well.] 

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

 God Bless America!

Aiken is a small charming Southern Town where the character of the City is defended like historic buildings and ancient trees.  With the building boom and rising popularity among newcomers to live "Downtown," the existing buildingscape and diverse charm were being threatened by gigantic new homogeneous multiuse buildings.  With a zero setback in the Zoning, even existing windows in the neighboring buildings were being walled up as the new construction attached to existing foundations.  As citizens protested these types of buildings, the City had no way to disallow the permits, unless a change in the Zoning or Building Ordinance occurred, simple solution, right?

It took over 2 years and thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours and too many meetings, but the change was adopted as follows:

Proposed Amendments:  City Council had asked the Board to consider possible amendments to the Old Aiken Design Guidelines for the Old Aiken Overlay District regarding building setbacks in the Downtown Business DB Zone.  See attached memorandum from the City Manager.  At the August work session, the Board reached consensus that the following wording was acceptable:

In the DB district, a new building or addition should be set back from an adjacent building when the proposed new construction is determined to need appropriate separation from such adjacent building.  This determination may take into account any public safety issues raised by the Building Official or City of Aiken Department of Public Safety.    AMENDMENT ACCEPTED

These simple words will protect building owners' rights to safety, light and air.  They will safeguard the buildingscape and preserve the character of our beloved town; so why did it take so long? 

Well, at first the approach was to assign actual numbers of feet to the setbacks. However, when looking at what other Cities in the State have assigned, Aiken did not seem to be a fit for a hard and fast 10 feet, for example.  This issue and others like it tested our planning commission to the point of the resignation of the chair.  This left the recommending body lost and without direction.  The only recourse was to go back to City Council and ask them to override the past recommendations and send the issue to a different public body for governance. 

The elastic nature of what was adopted will serve the City in a way that no firm number could have and will allow for positive development in keeping with the integrity of existing structures.

The photos and amendment text are from the City of Aiken website.  And the final lesson learned is that Citizenship is not easy, but it is rewarding.  I hope that the hours, dollars and brain cells exhausted over this issue, in Aiken, will help another City adopt a Right to Light and Air clause in their regulations.