Have you ever driven by the old Jim and Tammy Bakker built “Hertiage Towers”? The towers are located in Fort Mill SC Regent Park off of US Hwy 21. Is the tower an eyesore for nearby Fort Mill home owners or a diamond in the rough for future senior citizens? If you have not seen Heritage Towers, you’ll find a high rise tower located in what seems to be an odd location for such a tall 21 story structure. There is a fence around the building shielding anyone from falling bricks off of the building. Basically the tower and some areas around the tower look like an un-kept, decaying,  unfinished safety hazard.

Tower owners Morningstar Ministries will meet with York County Council on March 5th to discuss the fate of the tower. Moringstar Ministries has been trying to restore the tower to be used as a high rise christian based retirement complex. Unfortunately their restoration plans, which started in 2004, have never been fully implemented or completed. York County has been pressuring on the group to restore or tear the tower down since 2007.

The long battle between York County and Morningstar Ministries is scheduled for a final resolution in March. The public is invited to the March 5th York County Council Meeting to listen to Morningstar Ministries “final” proposal to the County .

What’s your opinion. Should the Towers stay or be taken down?

March 30-31, 2012 Newport Pig Cooking Contest Newport, NC

April 12-21, 2012 Come-See-Me Festival Rock Hill, SC

April 20-21, 2012 Pickens Azalea Festival Pickens, SC

April 28-29, 2012 Kings Drive Art Walk Charlotte, NC

May 4-6, 2012 Orangeburg Festival of Roses Orangeburg, SC

May 11, 2012 Blue Ridge Fest 2012 Pickens, SC

July 4, 2012 Jacksonville’s Freedom Festival Jacksonville, NC

Here is a link to South Carolina Festivals

$315,000, 2,908 sq ft, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths

1255 Shadow Bend Drive City Tega Cay, Sc 29708

York County, Fort Mill Schools, Riverview Elementary, Gold Hill, Ft Mill High

Hard to find level play yard! Home is on a .4 acre lot in Lake Shore. Enjoy lake living, golf course, walking trails and so much more. Nicely appointed home with a bright kitchen, granite counters, neutral palette. Master on main, with three large bedrooms and bonus room up. Lots of storage, fenced yard, easy move in!

Additional Features:

• Estimated Heated SqFt: 2908
• Estimated Lot Dimensions: 100x150x112x150
• Fireplaces: One
• Garage Spaces: 2
• Garage Type: Attached
• Master Bedroom Level: First
• Master Bedroom Level-1: 1
• Style: Bungalow/Craftsman
• Year Built: 2004
• Living Room: Formal
• Dining Room: Formal
• Family/Great Room: Vaulted Ceiling, Fireplace
• Master Bedroom: First Floor, Walk-In
• Master Bathroom: Double Sink, Garden Tub, Separate Shower, Water Closet
• Kitchen: Breakfast Area, Pantry, Range, Dishwasher, Built-in Microwave, Garbage Disposal
• Laundry Room: Laundry Room, First Floor
• Interior Features: Window Treatment Cnvy, Garage Door Opnr, Access To Attic, Smoke Detector, Fireplace, Ceiling Fans
• Flooring: Vinyl, Wood, Carpeting
• Construction: Concrete Siding
• Heating: Gas Furnace, Dual Systems
• Cooling: Central Air, Dual Systems
• Water Heater: Gas
• Foundation Type: Crawl
• Other Rooms: Foyer, Bonus Room
• Exterior Features: Patio, Front Porch, Insulated Windows
• Estimated Age Of Building: 6-10 Years
• Community Amenities: Restrictions, Clubhouse/Rec. Facility, Pool, Tennis Court
• Utilities Available: Electricity, Natural Gas, Public Water, Public Sewer, Cable TV, Underground Utilities
• Lot Description: Corner

Information Deemed Reliable But Not Guaranteed.

Call me for questions or showings.

Infrared Thermography (IR), or more commonly referred to as Thermal Imaging, is a technology developed for use by the Defense Department; however, it provides a tool that has become very powerful for other industries, especially the Home Inspection industry. In years past, IR cameras were prohibitively expensive; only recently have the costs of the technology become low enough to be feasible for use by home inspectors, etc.

An IR camera basically takes infrared energy given off by an object and converts it into colors visible to the naked eye. This technology is very advanced, but the use of the camera is very basic. The colors shown by the camera can, with a little interpretation, represent temperatures of an object, or in this case components in a home. It is in understanding what these temperature differences can be caused by that becomes invaluable in a home inspection. For example, when water evaporates, it tends to cool the surface that it evaporates from. If a home is experiencing moisture penetration through a basement wall, or if there is an active roof leak that is not visible because the signs of wetness have dried up since the last rain, the IR camera may be able to identify the leak due to the cool surface where evaporation is still occurring. Using this logic, the camera can also be used to detect defects in: plumbing (some leaks are to slow to cause the surrounding surfaces to become visibly wet), HVAC (loss of conditioned air in duct system…), electrical (overheating of components), insulation (missing or improperly installed), even some wood destroying insect infestations that are otherwise concealed to the naked eye can be found due to the heat termite colonies generate.

Admittedly many issues detectable by an IR camera may also be apparent without the use of the camera. However, for the few defects that would not be found during a typical visual only home inspection, the benefits can be tremendous. Slow water leaks can spread deterioration extensively before becoming apparent to the occupants; missing insulation can cause elevated utility costs and may never be apparent without the use of an IR camera, etc.

Many home inspection companies have not yet invested the resources needed to acquire good equipment and training necessary to properly perform an IR inspection. Although the cost of the cameras has come down a lot in recent years, a minimum specification camera can cost $5,000 or more; lesser cameras do function, but their level of detail may cause the thermographer to miss defects that are more readily apparent with a more powerful camera. Furthermore, many inspectors unfortunately forgo the cost of training which can be as much as $2,000. Without proper training, an inspector can miss defects, or cause as many problems as they may find.

Some home inspection companies do now offer Thermal Imaging Inspections. For most the service is in addition to the standard home inspection; limited surveys are typically $250 to $400. Some home inspection companies include IR as part of the basic home inspection because of the value it brings to the customer.

Above is a summary of  Tega Cay single family homes sales for 2011. The information was prepared using data from Carolina (Charlotte metro) MLS. Homes.

According to CMLS data, 25 more homes sold in Tega Cay in 2011 compared to 2010. The number of days on the market reduced 15%. Average homes sold prices were down 2% from last year but the list price to sold price ratio was flat holding near 96%.

Overall , selling more homes than the year before is a positive trend.   One thing to watch in the coming months is the trend that there are  less homes for sale now than last year. The reduced inventory trend during early fall 2011 was down almost 40% from last year and ended closer to 20% down in December. If the reduced inventory trend continues, this may signal better news for home sellers if the home buyer demand increases.

A note about the numbers – Tega Cay is on the border of NC and SC and included in the Charlotte Metro. We have two overlapping Multiple Listing Services that serve our area. The services are the Piedmont MLS and Carolina MLS. Not all homes for sale in our area are added to both MLS services. So homes sold reports can vary depending upon which service is used. I choose to use CMLS data for this report but I am a member of both services and would be happy to share your neighborhood results with you. Just give me a call or send me an email.

Information Deemed Reliable But Not Guaranteed.

Call me for questions or showings.

In years past, most people did not have their homes inspected before they bought them; you accepted the home “as-is.” In recent years, it is more common to have the home inspected by a licensed home inspector prior to closing. If you choose to save a few dollars now by not hiring an inspector, you will be at risk when you sell the home later. It is very likely that the future prospective buyer will get an inspection, and then you may be faced with having to pay for repairs. Your realtor may confirm that in a typical home inspection, the average cost of defects found in the home can be significantly higher than the cost of the inspection. Furthermore, defects found and repairs made by the seller prior to closing may offset the cost of the inspection.

Inspections make sense even for new homes. Even the best of builders will admit that there are no perfect homes. Any hidden defects in the home after the builder’s warranty expires may be a liability for you when you sell the home. When you sell the home in years to come, you may be forced to pay for repairs or corrections that the builder should have done for free when the home was new.

$315,000, 3,000 sq ft, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths

1183 Windsong Bay Lane Tega Cay, SC 29708

York County, Fort Mill School District Riverview Elementary, Gold Hill, Ft Mill High

Subdivision: Lake Shore at Tega Cay

Beautifully maintained home with nicely updated features. Hardwood flooring in all main living spaces, gourmet kitchen, custom lighting and draperies. Master on main, office, large laundry room, and spacious screened porch overlooking a private yard with golf course views. Bonus room and three additional bedrooms up. Huge storage areas, irrigation system, security system and surround sound.

Additional Features:

• Estimated Heated SqFt: 3000
• Estimated Lot Dimensions: 154x51x222x139
• Fireplaces: One
• Garage Spaces: 2
• Garage Type: Attached
• Master Bedroom Level: First
• Master Bedroom Level-1: 1
• Style: Bungalow/Craftsman
• Year Built: 2005
• Living Room: Formal
• Dining Room: Formal
• Family/Great Room: Vaulted Ceiling, Fireplace
• Master Bedroom: First Floor, Walk-In, Tray Ceiling
• Master Bathroom: Double Sink, Garden Tub, Separate Shower
• Kitchen: Breakfast Area, Pantry, Range, Dishwasher, Built-in Microwave, Garbage Disposal
• Laundry Room: Laundry Room, First Floor, Washer/Dryer Hookup
• Interior Features: Garage Door Opnr, Security System, Access To Attic, Smoke Detector, Fireplace, Ceiling Fans
• Flooring: Ceramic Tile, Wood, Carpeting
• Construction: Concrete Siding
• Heating: Gas Furnace, Dual Systems
• Cooling: Central Air, Dual Systems
• Water Heater: Gas
• Foundation Type: Crawl
• Other Rooms: Study/Library, Foyer, Bonus Room
• Exterior Features: Deck, Screened Porch, Irrigation System
• Estimated Age Of Building: 6-10 Years
• Community Amenities: Restrictions, Clubhouse/Rec. Facility, Pool, Tennis Court
• Utilities Available: Electricity, Natural Gas, Public Water, Public Sewer, Cable TV, Underground Utilities
• Lot Description: Cul-de-sac, Wooded, Golf Course

Information Deemed Reliable But Not Guaranteed.

Call me for questions or showings.

The Fort Mill School District has achieved the AP Honor Roll for years 2011 and 2012. The Fort Mill School District is one of 2 South Carolina school districts that made the honor roll. Laurens County School District is the other South Carolina school district on the honor roll

College Board was founded in 1900 and is a not-for-profit membership organization committed to excellence and equity in education and connects students to college success and opportunity. College Board is well known for their SAT college entrance exam.

The Toy distribution day is Sat., Dec. 10, 2011: 9-11am at LifePointe Christian Church on 2266 Deerfield Dr. Fort Mill, SC 29715.  On  the 10th, not only do parents receive the gifts for children, but parents and children also enjoy free food and refreshments! Kids enjoy a visit from the Chick-fil-A cow, bounce house fun, face painting, Christmas crafts and more!

Toys For Joy NEEDS Toy Sponsors and Volunteers for distribution day set up and the event. For more informtion go to Toys For Joy Website or email at ToysForJoyFM@yahoo.com.

The following are “Angel” pick up points and toy drop off points:

1. Chick-fil-A Baxter:
Address: 1600 Hwy 160, Fort Mill SC, 29708
Phone: (803) 578-4030 (Closed on Sundays)

2. Del Taco, Rock Hill:
Address: 2476 Cherry Rd., Rock Hill, SC
Phone: (803) 980-7151

3. Lifepointe Christian Church:
(Beside Knights’ Stadium in Fort Mill.)
Address: 2266 Deerfield Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29715
Phone:  (803) 802-8500

4. USA Tire and Auto Care:
Address: 100 Fort Mill Square.  Just off Doby’s Bridge Road/Tom Hall St.
Phone: (803) 548-2055

Friday Dec 2nd

Rock Hill SC – starts at 6:30 p.m. starts on on Oakland Avenue in front of Winthrop University and ends downtown.

Saturday Dec 3rd

Fort Mill SC – starts at 11 a.m. at Unity Cemetery and travels down Tom Hall Street to Main Street.

Hickory Grove SC – starts at 3 p.m. near the old Oxford plant and travels down Wylie Avenue to the VFW building.

Sunday Dec 4th

Tirzah SC – starts at 3 p.m. on Tirzah Road between S.C. 4 and S.C. 161 in York.

Clover SC – starts at 3 p.m. at Old North Main Street, travels down Main Street and ends near Ultra Avenue. 

Wednesday Dec. 7th

York SC – starts at 4:30 p.m. and runs along Congress Street through the center of town.

Saturday Dec. 10th

Richburg SC -starts at 11 a.m. at Old Richburg Road, route on Main Street.

Van Wyck SC – starts at noon near the post office and ends at the post office.

Fort Lawn SC – starts at 2 p.m. where U.S. 21 South starts, travels down Main Street and ends at Municipal Drive.

Lancaster SC – starts at 6 p.m. and runs from Main Street.

Lake Wylie SC –  Boat Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. at Buster Boyd Access Area and T-Bones on the Lake.

Saturday Dec. 17th

Lowrys SC –  starts at 1 p.m. at the Community Center, goes into Lowrys and ends at the Community Center.

Tega Cay SC – Santa Claus rides with the Tega Cay Fire Dept down all streets in Tega Cay, starts at 8:00am

More and more homes are being equipped with internal features that act as back-up protection behind the alarm system. For example, motion detectors are now very popular inside homes, and can detect intruders in the event that somebody somehow manages to bypass your external security system. Additionally, recording video cameras are now features of security systems in many homes, and can keep track of suspicious activity in or around your home. Both of these features can be great for keeping track of activity inside your home when you are not there, and can be very useful if, for example, you are out of town for an extended period of time.

Perhaps even more useful, and more commonly used, is the technology that allows you to monitor your home security system over a cellular network by way of your mobile device or tablet. These days, you can have full access to your system’s control panel from remote locations, meaning that you can arm and disarm your system, and that you will be alerted in the event that somebody enters or exits your home when he or she was not supposed to or expected to.

When put together, technological advancements like these can contribute to making your home the safest possible environment. Ultimately, there is no more important aspect of a home than its security, as the most important function you have as a homeowner is to keep your family safe and secure. Older features such as house alarms, and basic security concepts such as ADT yard signs, can contribute greatly to protecting you and your own, but it is also prudent to take advantage of newer technologies like the ones described above.

The above editorial was written by Ryan Huser, a Marketing Assistant representing HomeSecurityFamily.com, and written specifically for HomesFortMill.com

Publix also announced it will build a store on Hwy 521 near Dolby’s Bridge Rd in Indian Land in Lancaster County SC.  

With the new grocery stores opening in late 2012 or early 2013, comes approximately 100 jobs for each store. See Reporter Burbeck’s video story below.

The Playhouse  leased 9,129 sq ft of retail space at the Pendleton Village Shopping Center, 1504 Carolina Place Dr,  next to Lowes Home Improvement on Hwy 160 and I 77 in Fort Mill SC. Their slogan is “Where Fun and Good Health Collide!” and offers programs like:

• Kid Fitness Classes
• Art Lessons
• Birthday Parties
• School field trips
• Healthy Living tips
• Adult/Teen fitness
• Childhood obesity initiative

They are open M-Thursday 10 to 7:30 Weekdays , 9 to 8 on Fridays and Saturdays, and Noon to 6 on Sundays.

Children 3-12 are $9.95

See their Facebook Page  and Twitter Post:

Baxter’s Bunch PlayhouseBaxter’s Bunch Playhouse is NOW OPEN! Come see us today from 10-7:30! 22 hours ago · 8 likes · 0 comments

Just so you know, Fort Mill SC is just minutes south of Charlotte and considered part of the Charlotte Metro. Continental Tire moved its headquarters to Lancaster County SC (Near Fort Mill SC) in March of 2009. For more info, see our post about the Continental Tire HQ move. 

CTA was recognized as the ninth best place to work in the greater Charlotte area. The award recognizes companies with benefits, policies and practices that are among the area’s best. The annual evaluation of the work environment is based on employee surveys, conducted by a third party. CTA was also ranked as the ninth Best Place to Work in the Large Business category by the Charlotte Business Journal in 2010.

So why is Continental Tire a great place to work? According to Continental Tire’s press release:

“Continental Tire the Americas is a great place to work because of our people,” said Jochen Etzel, Chief Executive Officer, CTA. “The fact that we have been recognized for this prestigious award two years in a row, and that this award is based on employee feedback, makes this recognition very special.”

“We’ve worked hard to create a work environment that values employees’ contributions and provides them with outstanding careers at Continental,” Etzel said. “In addition, our business continues to grow, and we are very excited about welcoming new employees to our headquarters over the next several years.”

CTA’s headquarters in Lancaster County is home to nearly 400 employees. The building opened in 2009. Due to the significant growth in the CTA business, Continental has been hiring additional employees at a steady pace.

On October 6, 2011, CTA announced an investment of more than $4 million to expand its Lancaster County, S.C. headquarters. The investment will provide for a 16,000 square foot addition to the headquarters location, bringing the total size of the building to 91,000 square feet. The investment also includes the creation of 80 new jobs over the next four years.

The preliminary November 8 2011 Tega Cay election results show Ron Kirby and Chris Larsen securing the 2 available Tega Cay City Council seats. Out of 5,896 register voters in Tega Cay, approximately 13% voted Tuesday. Greg Rogers, who ran in the last Tega Cay election for city council came up at least 167 votes short to win a city council.

Both Cris Larsen and Ron Kirby are not new to the Tega Cay City Council. Chris Larsen is currently on the city council and Ron Kirby has served on the council in prior years and is filling John Dervay seat which expires in January.

The board also voted to move up the opening of the 9th elementary school near the Massey community on Doby’s Bridge Road to the same year 2014.

The Board’s sited reason for the open date changes are:

1. Cost saving advantages on construction and opening the 2 new schools at the same time.
2. Although there is an enrollment freeze at Gold Hill Elementary and and soon to be Orchard Park, there is still room at other Fort mill Elementary schools. The district wants to maximize the space at all schools and not open a new school before it is needed. Of course this means some new elementary students may have to go to a school that is in another part of town for a while. Fort Mill School District’s current elementary school facility capacity is 6,300. The district is currently at 5106 Students.
3. Redraw the district lines once for the simultaneous opening of the 2 new schools rather then twice in separate years.

Ann Springs Close Greenway and Springs Farm Fall Festival & Corn Maze

Horse rides, hay rides, kids hay mazes, pedal carts, kayaking and canoeing, arts and crafts, and more

Oct 28 Fri 6-10PM, Oct 29 Saturday 10am-10pm, Oct 30 Sunday 1pm-6pm – Click for more info

Tega Cay Fall Festival

Bands, hay rides, arts and crafts on display, Kids zones (jump rides), food

Tega Cay Golf and Conference Center Oct 29 Saturday 10am-6pm Click for more info

Fort Mill Fall Festival

Trick or Treat down Main Street, music, costume contests and more.

Oct 31 Monday 5pm-7pm

Baxter Village 11th Annual Fall Festival & Market Day

Hay rides, moon bounces, slides, food, music, shopping, games, estimated 160 boths, and more

Nov 5th, Saturday 12pm-6pm

Update 11/14/11 – Tenders has closed

Here are some tweets about the closing…

PDQ Restaurant in Gray Stone Crossing Shopping Center in Tega Cay (Hwy 160 between Dam Rd and Stonecrest Blvd) has changed its name to Tenders Fresh Food. PDQ or now Tenders, opened last September 2010 with a fresh food concept and menu consisting of hand-breaded chicken tenders, chicken and turkey sandwiches (prepared grilled or crispy), hand-cut fresh fries, fresh squeezed lemonade, milkshakes and a variety of salads. See last years post What-is-the-pdq-fresh-food-fast-restaurant-in-tega-cay.

On A October 9 2011 press release, Tenders Fresh Food located in Cornelius, NC, is pleased to announce that its current sister location in Tega Cay, SC, will be taking on the same name and corporate culture dedicated to community service.

Why the name change? According to President of Operations Steve Erickson, Tenders had a difficult time branding itself and finding their identity as PDQ or “People Dedicated to Quality.”, “The problem was that people couldn’t figure out who we were. The local citizens confused PDQ with other restaurant concepts and our name was not indicative of what we specialize in.” This change, along with the emphasis on community contribution in the form of fundraising, full-service catering and providing healthy lunches to local schools, is what the Company believes will help them flourish.

Tenders in Tega Cay offers employee appreciation discounts for other great local Companies, frequently do fundraising nights for local schools, charities and churches, and offer healthier catering options including: grilled tenders, raw vegetables, salads and fruits.

Pictured are Tega Cay homes recently sold or pending by Century 21 First Choice Realtor Carmen Miller. Over 100+ homes have sold in Tega Cay this year. Our area home market is seeing approximately a 40+% decrease in inventory of homes listed for sale compared to last year at the same time.

Tega Cay homes priced under $300,000 are selling in under 90 days on the market and averging 95% list to sales price ratio.

Thinking of selling but need more information? I would be happy to meet with you and give you specific market information as it applies to your home!

Congratulations goes out to the the Fort Mill High School Marching Band for a job well done. The FMHS Band On Saturday October 15, won every award that they could in Akron Ohio including the winner and Regional BOA Champion.

The Oct 15th 2011 Akron Bands Of America completion consisted of 22 bands competing from 8 states. This is the first time the Fort Mill Band has won 1st place at the  BOA Regional Championship. The previous highest finish was 2nd place. 

The Fort Mill HS Band buses arrived back in Fort Mill Sunday evening as were greeted by an escorted by the local fire and police department.  At the FMHS school, parents and supporters gathered to cheer on the students for their achievement. Read more at the bands website at bands-of-america-akron-regional-results.