Justin Winter’s Carolina Lake and Mountain Blog

Recent Testimonial

“Dear Justin, We wanted to drop you a note to thank you for helping us sell our home on Lake Keowee.  You and your staff are true professionals.  The whole process was very smooth and relatively painless.  You are a good friend, a great neighbor and the best realtor in the area.  I would highly recommend your services to anyone looking to buy or sell. Wishing you continued success, Best regards,”
Chuck + Kay - Lake Keowee, SC 

A $60 million Alliance takes The Cliffs Communities® to New Heights

An extraordinary collaboration between owners and management redefines community in The Carolinas.  Click cliffs-news-july-2010.pdf to read the full article.

Another Satisfied Client

Justin,

I just wanted to thank you for all of your hard work helping us find our home on the lake.  You really did a terrific job from our first phone call to meeting us at the house on the day we closed (you were washing our windows when we arrived as you may recall)!  I specifically want to compliment you on your knowledge of the many homes we toured as well as the market in general. We were amazed that you could answer almost all of our (very detailed) questions immediately and those that you couldn’t you researched and got us answers quickly.  Additionally, we appreciated your approach; we didn’t feel that you were “selling” but rather felt you were “advising” and were a great resource in that capacity.  

We are probably similar to most buyers in the Cliffs and Reserve - we wanted to make our own unpressured decision on our own timeline but we needed information and advice from a market expert - you filled that role perfectly.  The fact that you own property in the Cliffs and Reserve made your insights even more valuable.

I suspect your success in real estate is related to the fact that this is the “2nd Act” of your career following your success as a business owner - your background provides an understanding of what is important to buyers of high-end homes and the knowledge that information, and not pressure, is the key to decision making.

Thanks for all of your help - we look forward to seeing you at the club!

Thanks,

Pat K.  (Atlanta)

Here is what Justin Winter & Associates has sold in 2010:

February:
W99                                 The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®  Sales price: $440,000
119 Buck Ridge Road    Hwy 11 & Roy Jones                        Sales price: $337,500

March:
122 Blue Water Trail    The Cliffs at Keowee Falls South®  Sales price: $1,627,500

April:
1865 Cleo Chapman Hwy    The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®  Sales price: $893,000
105B Portside Court            The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®  Sales price: $700,000
114 Mossy Way                     The Cliffs at Keowee Springs®      Sales price: $450,000
303 Clear Lake Court          The Cliffs at Keowee Falls South® Sales price: $1,000,000

May:
518 Ginseng Drive                The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®  Sales price: $50,000
102 Teaberry Lane              The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®  Sales price: $600,000
405 wind Flower Drive        The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®  Sales price: $1,375,000

June:
507 Merganser Way            The Cliffs at Keowee Falls North® Sales price: $800,000

July:
122 Sun Drop Court            The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®    Sales price: $3,000,000
316 Eastatoe Parkway       The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards®    Sales price: $1,050,000
530 Sunset Point Drive      Stoneledge at Lake Keowee             Sales Price: $275,000

August:
317 Fernwood Drive            Keowee Bay                 Sales price: $575,000

Remembering the meaning of Memorial Day

With such a special day upon us, I thought I would take a break from writing about the housing market, interest rates, stock market, economy etc.  The story below was sent to me in an email from a friend who is a veteran.  I am not sure where it originated or even if it is true but the message is powerful and it touched my heart.  My two brothers were casualties of the Vietnam War, so Memorial Day is a difficult day for my family as well as many other families.  Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer where family and friends gather for picnics, boating etc.  I hope, though, we will all take a moment to reflect on those who have fallen, have served, and continue to serve for us. Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend and enjoy the warm beautiful summer months ahead! Patti
MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, “We have an H.R. on this flight.” (H.R. stands for human remains.) “Are they military?” I asked. ‘Yes’, she said.
‘Is there an escort?’ I asked. ‘Yes, I already assigned him a seat’.  ‘Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck? You can board him early,” I said. A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck.  He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier.  He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us. ‘My soldier is on his way back to Virginia,’ he said.  He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words. I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no.  I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand.  He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure.  About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. ‘I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board’, she said.  She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home.  The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left.  We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia.

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear.  He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. ‘I’m on it’, I said. I told her that I would get back to her.
Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages.  I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.  I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted.  He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher.  We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family.  I sent a text message asking for an update.  I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:
‘Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft.  The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side.  A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family.  The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp.  It is a private area for the family only.  When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home.  Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans.    Please pass our condolences on to the family.  Thanks.’ I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job.   I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father.  The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, ‘You have no idea how much this will mean to them.’

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.   After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area.  The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway.  It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit.  When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

‘There is a team in place to meet the aircraft’, we were told.  It looked like it was all coming  together, then I  realized that once we turned the  seat belt sign off,  everyone would stand up at  once and delay the family from  getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers.   He did that and the ramp controller said, ‘Take your time.’

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake.   I pushed the public address button and said, ’Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement.  We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect.  His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life.   Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold.  Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX.  Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter.  Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.’

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures.  A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door.  I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see.  I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands.   Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping.  Words of ‘God Bless You’, I’m sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind   words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane.  They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made.  They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA.

Author Unknown

Cash will allow Cliffs to finish amenities, assure prospective land owners

By David Dykes • Staff writer • April 21, 2010 GreenvilleOnline.com

In the past two years, 4,000 people have toured Cliffs’ properties but some have been reluctant to purchase a home or undeveloped lot because of uncertainty “inside The Cliffs and outside The Cliffs,” said Jim Anthony the developer of Cliffs Communities.

Surveys have shown 60 percent of those people still are interested “so now we can call them back and say, ‘hey, there’s certainty,’” he said.

Anthony said he had reached a critical goal for his Cliffs Communities company, raising more than $60 million from property owners who stepped up and loaned him money to complete amenities associated with his golf course projects.

Many of the property owners in The Cliffs communities had encouraged him to consider the debt offering, Anthony said.

He has said his Travelers Rest-based company didn’t make a profit last year, though he expects it will later this year or early in 2011.

Anthony said he will spend an additional $50 million over the next six years to complete the projects. That removes much of the doubt that has surrounded The Cliffs’ eight developments, which have struggled in recent months as banks tightened credit and home sales slowed in the economic downturn.

“We think this is the most important thing we’ve ever done,” Anthony said.

He said the success of The Cliffs’ private-placement offering to property owners adds “much more certainty” for the 3,000 who have invested more than $2 billion in their properties and club memberships.

Anthony said some proceeds will be used to complete construction of the Gary Player-designed golf course at The Cliffs at Mountain Park in northern Greenville County and the course designed by Tiger Woods at The Cliffs at High Carolina east of Asheville.

Anthony had suspended construction on the Mountain Park course while he attempted to resolve the concerns of conservation groups worried about the development’s impact on the North Saluda River. He said he expects soon to announce a final agreement with the conservation groups that will resolve those concerns.

Construction should resume in 30 to 45 days, Anthony said.

Marc Player, whose legendary father is designing the Mountain Park golf course, said the steps taken by Anthony are gratifying not only for the golfer’s company, which moved its main worldwide office to the development, but also for his family, which has built a home there.

A wholly owned Cliffs subsidiary called ClubCo will own and operate the amenities, Anthony said. The investor group will have two members on the six-member ClubCo board.

“There was no pressure, there was no arm-twisting, there was no subtle or covert pressure applied to anybody,” said Steve Humphrey, a New York native who has lived in The Cliffs at Glassy community for 4 years.

The former chief executive of National Gypsum Co. said that of the 2,200 Cliffs property owners eligible to participate because they have golf or family memberships, “well over” 500 have taken part in the debt offering.

“We believe that The Cliffs is a viable business model that is confronting challenging economic times and lots of uncertainty in the minds of buyers,” he said. “Building out these amenities eliminates the uncertainty that enables them to take the same kind of step forward that we’ve done, which is to invest in and ultimately build and live here.”

In the event Anthony’s company failed, the property owners would own the amenities and have control of their fate, Humphrey said.

He said each property owner participating in the debt offering, which is continuing, must have a net worth of at least $1 million. The average investment has been $130,000, Anthony said.

The offering consists of seven-year notes from The Cliffs secured by Anthony and the amenities. The notes will pay 12 percent annually, Anthony said.

Mountain Park, announced in 2006, is the largest Cliffs development, a 5,000-acre project with lots for 1,500 homes. The golf course will stretch along North Saluda between State 11 and U.S. 25.

Gary Player said in a recent interview that he supported Anthony’s private-placement offering and he would continue working with the developer.

“If I sit on the other side of the table now, I’ve got to encourage this man,” Player told The Greenville News . “Particularly in these economic times, you’ve got to encourage every developer, every person who wants to invest in your state.”

Bordered by hundreds of thousands of acres of protected woodlands, three national forests and one national park, The Cliffs communities offer luxury homes and home sites in a variety of settings.

Membership in one community entitles a member to more than $150 million in completed amenities at all eight developments, including what soon will be eight golf courses crafted by Player, Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Ben Wright and Tom Jackson.

Founded in 1991, Anthony’s company includes three mountain communities in Greenville County — The Cliffs at Glassy, Cliffs Valley, and The Cliffs at Mountain Park — as well as three lakeside communities at The Cliffs at Keowee, and two mountain developments just outside Asheville, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove and The Cliffs at High Carolina.

How To Keep Your Waterfront Home Safe

Owning a waterfront home or property is a great way to let your family relax and enjoy nature. Homes on Lake Keowee, as well as many other South Carolina waterfront properties, offer stunning views and plenty of fun activities for everyone to enjoy. However, lakefront living also has many potential hazards. Homeowners with waterfront property have a huge responsibility to make sure their property is safe, and to make sure their family and guests know how to stay out of danger in the water.Follow these simple guidelines to keep your Lake Keowee waterfront property safe:

1. Check your local weather forecast before going out on the water.

2. Always tell someone that you are going out and when you plan to return.

3. Make sure your residential dock is securely fastened to the shore, in good repair, and well-lit.

4. Make sure you have plenty life vests in a wide range of sizes and that all vests are in good condition.

5. Familiarize yourself with the navigation aids and buoy system before going out on the water.

6. Be aware of overhead power lines when operating a sailboat.

7. The general rule of traffic on the water is that boats approaching from the right have the right of way.

8. If the boat capsizes, stay with the boat.

9. NEVER operate a boat under the influence of alcohol!

Things To Do In Greenville, SC

The city of Greenville, South Carolina is located just a few miles east of the Cliffs Communities® at Lake Keowee. Greenville visitors and residents enjoy a wide variety of attractions and leisure activities, particularly in Greenville’s recently revitalized downtown. Downtown Greenville, SC, offers fabulous shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and outdoor recreation—and is of one of the most beautiful small towns in the Southeast. Don’t miss some of these highlights in downtown Greenville.

Falls Park

Falls Park is a beautiful, natural oasis in the center of downtown Greenville that attracts visitors from across the region and around the world. This park, located along the Reedy River, was designed by prominent landscape architect Andrea Mains. The park consists of multiple “garden rooms” displaying seasonal flowers; it also boasts two waterfalls and two amphitheaters–the Bowater Amphitheater and the Carolina First Amphitheater–both of which serve as performance venues during the warmer months of the year. The most prominent feature of the park is the magnificent Liberty Bridge, a suspension bridge that spans the upper falls and allows visitors to survey almost the entire park from above. Visit www.fallspark.com for more information.

Fluor Field at the West End & Greenville Drive Baseball

Greenville is proud to be the home of its very own Minor League baseball team, the Greenville Drive. The Drive is an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and plays more than 70 home games each season at Fluor Field in Greenville’s West End. The Fluor Field stadium was modeled after the famous home of the Red Sox, Fenway Park, and like Fenway, has a “Green Monster” (a 30 foot high wall in back field) and “Pesky’s Pole” in right field. In 2006 Fluor Field won the title Ballpark of the Year, thanks to its fan-friendly features and unique architecture. Come to Greenville and enjoy an evening of Greenville Drive baseball with the whole family.www.greenvilledrive.com

Heritage Green

Greenville has a strong cultural and artistic heritage, and this community’s love of the arts is apparent throughout the downtown area. Perhaps the center point of cultural activity in Greenville is the Heritage Green, a downtown campus of four museums: The Greenville County Museum of Art, The Museum & Gallery at Heritage Green, The Upcountry History Museum, and The Children’s Museum. Also located at Heritage Green is the Greenville Little Theater and the Hughes Main Library of the Greenville Library System. Visitors who enjoy modern art, classic paintings by the old masters, great books, local history, or just family fun, will find Heritage Green a great spot to visit.www.heritagegreensc.com

Greenville is also home to some world-class restaurants and great performing venues like the Bi-Lo Center and the Peace Center for the Performing Arts. These attractions and many more are all a short drive away in Greenville, SC.

Housing Experts Say Real Estate is Recovering

Some of the nation’s top economists believe the housing market has turned and better days are on the way for the housing industry.

Increases in jobs, credit, and affordable homes will overcome impediments such as rising interest rates, and the expiration of the Federal stimulus program to push the housing market toward recovery, says Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist for Barclays Capital.

“I would bet even odds that we’re at a bottom and that we’re going to see improvement in the coming months,” says Karl Case, co-creator of the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index and a professor of economics at Wellesley College.

“The underlying trend is turning positive,” says Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Source: Bloomberg, Kathleen M. Howley and Rich Miller (03/15/2010)

Summer Fever

The warm sunshine we enjoyed this past weekend was a first reminder that it will soon be time to play on the Lake.  LAKE KEOWEE!! That name brings to mind such fun!  I need to get my “honey-do” list done NOW!
 
First, and probably most importantly, the boat and sea doos need to be checked out and made water ready.  I am NOT qualified for this chore, so it’s time to schedule the marine shop to come and get it!
Second, the exterior of my home and the yard have been sorely ignored over the bitterly cold days of winter, so it’s time to clean the gutters, freshen up the paint, and get the yard into some resemblance of order.  It has been easy to ignore errant limbs and leaves from the inside of the house, but the lawnmower is not made for mulching.
Which brings up item Three:  lawnmower serviced.  I suppose I could buy a new one, but it has been a personal challenge for four years to keep this one going for one more season.  Another phone call.
Fourth.  This one is a YIKES!!!!!!  Swimsuit.  I told you, YIKES!!!!!!!!   I have always done a good job with daily exercise, but somewhere along the way, my caloric intake has overtaken my outgo.  Time to adjust.  If I start now, I can be ready by summer.
 
Summer on Lake Keowee.  I have really never lived anywhere else, but I am certain there can be nowhere better!
 
OK.  Where’s the phone?  Time to get started!