356 Lone Tree Lane , Clover , SC

This beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath home offers a large family room with gas fireplace and a large kitchen with lots of custom cabinets. Many extras including a side load 2 car garage, hardwood floors, laundry room, and ample storage makes this a must see. Listed for sale at $145,000 this large deck overlooking a large wooded back yard with a creek offers a great private outdoor living space in a great neighborhood , Faulkner Ridge in Clover. Give us a call today

The Power of the Net

I continue to be amazed at the power of the internet and so much of our business is generated by our use of the latest technologies. February ended up being a record month for The Guilliams Team for the number of searches done on our website for potential buyers. The internet is a strong tool and we strongly recommend that if folks are not comfortable or familiar with it you need to get that way because it is the future and the future is here. Not too long ago if folks were looking for a home they would contact a realtor and spend hours at a time driving around looking at neighborhoods and homes. Today people are so busy and they don't have the time or the desire to drive around looking. Buyers are savvy and they use the internet to help them narrow down their searches. Once they have a few properties they contact their realtor to preview homes. We work with our buyers as well to understand what is important to them in their home search so that we can research additional properties, but many times the search is narrowed down by the time we go and preview homes. The internet is a wonderful and remarkable tool and give The Guilliams Team a call today and let us help you better understand the power at your fingertips.

Take Advantage Of Our Networks

As we continue to grow our business, and with our professional background, we both realize the importance of building and maintaining a strong network of contacts. We have been fortunate in our careers to build relationships with real estate professionals throughout the United States. How does our network benefit our clients? Easy. We are often asked for advice from friends and previous clients who are relocating to another area if we know of a real estate professional who can help them in their new area with finding a new home. Moving to an area where you don't know any real estate professionals can be a daunting task and many times people will just take potluck and call someone from the yellow pages. Let us help connect you with a person that we trust who we know will offer you top service and share their knowledge of the area when you are moving and looking for a new home. We have such a strong network of professionals willing to help you that we trust and we will follow up to make sure they are doing you a good job. If you find you are in a position where you have to relocate let us help take the hassle and anxiety out of the process and connect you with one of the real estate professionals we trust and recommend. Give The Guilliams Team a call today.

356 Lone Tree Lane , Clover , SC

This beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath home offers a large family room with gas fireplace and a large kitchen with lots of custom cabinets. Many extras including a side load 2 car garage, hardwood floors, laundry room, and ample storage makes this a must see. Listed for sale at $155,000 this large deck overlooking a large wooded back yard with a creek offers a great private outdoor living space in a great neighborhood , Faulkner Ridge in Clover.

Remodeling for the New Year

As people start out the new year they often visualize changes they want to make in their lives whether it is a remodel of the body, the mind or the home. Sometimes a makeover of the body and mind can be quite challenging, however, a remodel or makeover of a home can be much more simple. First thing is to determine what kind of budget you have to work with on your home remodel. One of the biggest changes you can make to your home with the least expense is paint. Changing and updating paint colors can give your home a brand new look. Don't be afraid to experiment with color because if you don't like the paint color remember it is not permanent and you can always re-paint.
Another great way to change the look of your home without putting out a lot of cash is to update the lighting. We always keep a lookout for stores including the big box stores that have clearance sections on lighting because it is a terriffic way to find deals. Changing out lights can be a great way to update your home and a great tip when buying lamps is to purchase lamps that you can use in different rooms. By doing this you can change out lamps from the bedroom to the den and everyone will think you have done more updates than you really have.
Just like with lamps buy furniture that you can move from room to room. One time I remember wanting to buy a chaise lounge for my bedroom and I remember being advised that a better investment might be a club chair and ottoman. This ended up being smart because I could use the chair and ottoman in the sunroom, den, kitchen or bedroom. Be smart when making purchases and try to purchase to use for multiple purposes.
As you can see there are simple changes that you can make that are inexpensive and there are other changes that can be made that are more of an investment. Be smart, be brave and have fun with the changes you want to make. It is your home and it should reflect your style and taste and what brings comfort to you and your family.

Christmas Shopping in York County

Hard to believe that we are in the holiday season, but ready or not here it is. People are decorating their homes, putting up the Christmas tree and thinking about all the gift giving they plan to do. During this time of year shopping can quickly become a frustrating task, but make it fun and special to find the perfect gift for the people you are blessed to have in your life. As I start thinking about the shopping I will do I plan this year to try and stay away from the hectic pace of a big city and enjoy the many local shopping opportunities that our area has to offer. A couple of favorite places that will be part of my shopping destinations include the Millwood area, Baxter Village, Manchester, the Galleria and downtown Rock Hill. Great shops that are unique and quaint and offer selections galore include Monkeys and Mermaids, Paula Gillman and Company, Birds of a Feather, Chicos, Overhead Station, TJ Maxx, Books A Million, New South Interiors, Target, Belk and so many more. The new Wal Mart in Rock Hill is incredible and I love the layout so I am sure I will be making a trip or two for many items. Make the most of your shopping by sticking close to home and enjoying all the many shops that York County has to offer. Have fun and let the shopping begin!

Improve Your Credit

1. Review your current credit report for accuracy. Everyone is entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus-Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Get a copy of your credit report and look at it for accuracy. First, make sure that the information in your file is about you and only you, not someone who has a similar name or a similar Social Security number. It is very common for your credit reports to have mistakes or incorrect information. At a minimum, make sure that the information you are being evaluated on is current and correct.

2. Repair credit report mistakes. If you find something on your credit report that is incorrect or missing, you should dispute the mistake by contacting the credit bureaus directly. All credit bureaus have their dispute procedures on their website. They are also required by law to investigate any disputed items and these investigations will usually be done within 30 days of your request.

3. Pay your bills on time. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Payment history accounts for roughly 35% of your credit score. Paying bills on time is the most important thing to do. If you’re struggling to catch up, contact your creditors to work out a payment schedule.

4. Increase the length of your credit history. This accounts for about 15% of your score. Don’t cancel your old card or get a lot of new ones in a short time span because this can hurt your score.

5. Keep credit card balances low. It’s a good idea to keep the balances below 25% of your available credit. Even if you pay off your credit cards every month, a high average balance will impact your score. This accounts for about 30% of your credit score.

6. Keep new credit requests to a minimum. This accounts for 10% of your score. Every time a lender runs your credit, an inquiry is recorded. If you are trying to get a loan, don’t apply for new credit cards first.

7. Be aware that paying off a collection account will not remove it from your credit report. It will stay on your report for seven years.

8. Pay off debt rather than moving it around. The most effective way to improve your credit score in this area is by paying down your revolving credit. In fact, owing the same amount but having fewer open accounts may lower your score.

9. Beware credit-repair scams. By all means, don’t pay someone to wipe away the negative items in your file. If they don’t follow through, the damaging items will reappear in two or three months.