recruitment climbs at wEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern COAST AS AGENTS RESPOND TO IMPROVED MARKET CONDITIONS

WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast has announced recent growth at the company’s three offices, “thanks to an improved real estate market,” said Sales Manager Monica Riga. 

“It’s also rewarding to discover as we add new and experienced agents that they share a high regard for what Weichert has to offer,” Riga said. The agency offers a time-proven set of Weichert systems and tools at no charge to agents.  These include in-person training for new agents, mentoring, one-on-one coaching for experienced agents, support during transactions, an Internet leads system direct to agents, and marketing support, all of which enable them to perform professionally and to provide unequaled service to their clients—therefore, to prosper.”

Among the most recent additions to the SurfsideBeach location since July is Realtor Matthew Alexander, an eight-year resident of the area who makes his home in Myrtle Beach.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from CoastalCarolinaUniversity before becoming a real estate professional.  Realtor Judy Connaughton, also working from SurfsideBeach, is a resident of Murrells Inlet.  She earned a master’s degree in corporate and public communication and a training professional certification and had an earlier career in learning and development and human resources.  Realtor Kris Pankhania was born and educated in London, England, relocating to California before moving to South Carolina and into real estate.  Pankhania previously worked in the airline industry.

Realtor Heather Imielinski has joined the Weichert office in North Myrtle Beach, where she also resides.  With an associate degree in health, physical education, and recreation, Imielinski is active in Myrtle Beach cycling and running organizations. A fitness professional for more than 15 years, she currently owns a personal training company.

Realtor Colleen Kane has joined the Myrtle Beach (CarolinaForest) office. As a 16-year resident of Myrtle Beach, Kane said she knows HorryCounty “like the back of my hand” and is well qualified to assist homebuyers and sellers throughout the market.

Broker/Owner Scott Jackson brought the Weichert brand to the market in 2003 with the opening of the first office of WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast in North Myrtle Beach.  He and Riga can be reached at 843-280-4445.  The company website address is www.southern-coast.com

Are you ready to move to the beach??

Looking for Real Estate in Myrtle Beach, or North Myrtle Beach? 

Weichert Realtors Southern Coast can help you find the perfect property that fits your needs. 

Call 843-280-4445 or come visit one of our office locations: North Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest, or Surfside Beach.

Also, Don't forget to check out Weichert's Open Houses this beautiful September Weekend!

Here's a sneek peek:

Open House: 09/09/2012 -09/09/2012 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
View Listing Detail
	Listing Name:	Not within a Subdivision
	Address:	5609 N Kings Hwy Myrtle Beach SC 29577

Open House: 09/09/2012 -09/09/2012 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
View Listing Detail
	Address:	1429 Waccamaw Drive Garden City SC 29576

For a complete list, CLICK HERE.

www.weichertcarolina.com

Realtor Kris Pankhania has joined the Surfside Beach office of WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast. A resident of Myrtle Beach and a member of the Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS® (CCAR). Pankhania will assist homebuyers and sellers throughout Horry County.

Born and educated in London, England, Pankhania has lived in California since 1999. Her community involvement has included serving as a PTA member and a four-year member of a school site council. An avid traveler, she is enthusiastic about Italy. Her professional background is in the airline industry.

Pankhania can be reached at WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast, Surfside Beach, Telephone 843-280-4445.

Congratulations to Last month's Top Producers at Weichert Realtors Southern Coast!

Team MacNair came in 1st place as Top Listing Agent(s) followed by Nannette Nelson, and Anna Marie Brock.  

Anna Marie Anna Marie Brock leads in the Top Sales Agent category followed by Team MacNair and Sean Kort.  Congratulations guys!

If you are interested in contacting one of these hardworking agents, call 843-280-4445.

WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast has expanded its weekly series of free real estate career seminars every Tuesday at 6 p.m. to include sessions at all three of the agency’s offices.

Anyone interested in learning more about a career in real estate can attend at:  1011 Highway 17 S., North Myrtle Beach; 3701 Renee Drive, Myrtle Beach or 820 Surfside Drive, Surfside Beach.

“Veteran realtors are returning to the field due to the improved market conditions, and new agents are investigating the potential,” said Broker/Owner Scott Jackson.  “We find it rewarding that the word is out about what Weichert has to offer.”  The agency provides in-person and online training for new agents, as well as one-on-one coaching for experienced agents, support during transactions, an award winning Internet leads system and marketing support.

Registration is requested via email at careers@southern-coast.com.

Realtor Matthew Alexander has joined the Surfside Beach office of WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast. As an eight-year resident of the area and a member of the Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS® (CCAR), Alexander will assist homebuyers and sellers in Myrtle Beach. He is a resident of Myrtle Beach.

Alexander earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from Coastal Carolina University.

Alexander can be reached at WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast, telephone 843-280-4445.

Housing Passes a Milestone

By DAVID WESSEL

The housing market has turned—at last.

The U.S. finally has moved beyond attention-grabbing predictions from housing "experts" that housing is bottoming. The numbers are now convincing.

Nearly seven years after the housing bubble burst, most indexes of house prices are bending up. "We finally saw some rising home prices," S&P's David Blitzer said a few weeks ago as he reported the first monthly increase in the slow-moving S&P/Case-Shiller house-price data after seven months of declines.

The U.S. finally has moved beyond attention-grabbing predictions from housing "experts" that housing is bottoming. The numbers are now convincing, according to David Wessel on The News Hub. (Photo: Bloomberg News)

Nearly 10% more existing homes were sold in May than in the same month a year earlier, many purchased by investors who plan to rent them for now and sell them later, an important sign of an inflection point. In something of a surprise, the inventory of existing homes for sale has fallen close to the normal level of six months' worth despite all the foreclosed homes that lenders own. The fraction of homes that are vacant is at its lowest level since 2006.

The reduced inventory of unsold homes is key, says Mark Fleming, chief economist at CoreLogic, a housing data-analysis firm. For the past couple of years, house prices have risen in the spring and then slumped; the declining supply of houses for sale is reason to believe that won't happen again this year, he says.

Builders began work on 26% more single-family homes in May 2012 than the depressed levels of May 2011. The stock of unsold newly built homes is back to 2005 levels. In each of the past four quarters, housing construction has added to economic growth. In the first quarter, it accounted for 0.4 percentage points of the meager 1.9% growth rate.

"Even with the overall economy slowing," Wells Fargo Securities economists said, cautiously, in a note to clients, "the budding recovery in the housing market appears to be gradually gaining momentum."

Economists aren't always right, but on this at least they agree: A new Wall Street Journal survey of forecasters found 44 believe the housing market has reached its bottom; only three don't. (The full results of the Journal's July survey will be released at 2pm ET)

Housing is still far from healthy despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to resuscitate it by helping to push mortgage rates to extraordinary lows: 3.62% for a 30-year loan, according to Freddie Mac's latest survey. Single-family housing starts, though up, remain 60% below the 2002 pre-bubble pace. Americans' equity in homes is $2 trillion, or 25%, less than it was in 2002 and half what it was at the peak. More than one in every four mortgage borrowers still has a loan bigger than the value of the house, though rising home prices are reducing that fraction slowly.

Still, the upturn in housing is a milestone, a particularly welcome one amid a distressing dearth of jobs. For some time, housing has been one of the biggest causes of economic weakness. It has now—barely—moved to the plus side. "A little tail wind is a lot better than a headwind," says economist Chip Case, the "Case" in Case-Shiller.

From here on, housing is unlikely to drag the U.S. economy down further. It will instead reflect the strength or weakness of the overall economy: The more jobs, the more confident Americans are about keeping their jobs, the more they are willing to buy houses. "Manufacturing had led growth and construction had lagged," JPMorgan Chase economists said last week."Now the roles are reversed: Manufacturing growth has slowed as private construction comes to life."

Plenty could go wrong. The biggest threat is a large shadow inventory of unsold homes, homes which owners won't put on the market because they are underwater, homes that will be foreclosed eventually and homes owned by lenders. They have been trickling onto the market, slowed in part by government efforts to delay foreclosures; a flood could reverse the recent rise in prices. Or the still-dysfunctional mortgage market could get worse. Or overly zealous regulators or a post-election change in government policy could unsettle mortgage lenders or home buyers.

But the housing bust is over.

WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Southern Coast has announced the company-wide top producing agents for May. Earning first place for Top Listing Agent was Christine Pruger, followed by Teresa Poole in second place, with Anna Marie Brock in third for the month. As a team, J.D. MacNair and Heather Imielinski took first place in the Top Sales Agent wins for May, with Nannette Nelson in second place, and Ted Stavrakis in third.

Based on the highest sales volume for listings or closings in May, the honors were awarded at the company meeting on June 7.

To contact any of these top producing agents, call Weichert Realtors Southern Coast at 843-280-4445.

If you're interested in Myrtle Beach Real Estate, or North Myrtle Beach Real Estate, you've come to the right place!

Weichert Realtors Southern Coast covers the whole grand strand, so if you're looking for your dream home, Weichert can help! 

Check out this preview of open houses for this upcoming weekend.  Feel free to come out and visit, and speak with the Sales Associate on site. 

Open House: 04/15/2012 -04/15/2012 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
	Address:	4282 Pinehurst Circle X-9 Little River SC 29566

Open House: 04/15/2012 -04/15/2012 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
	Listing Name:	Not within a Subdivision
	Address:	5609 N Kings Hwy Myrtle Beach SC 29577

For a complete list of open houses, CLICK HERE.