“South Carolina lawmakers say they’re likely to review penalties for numerous speeding convictions after three people died in a wreck that police say involved street racing.
Carlene Carol Atkinson, 44, of Lake Wylie, S.C., last week was being investigated for what role she might have played in an April 4 wreck that police say was triggered by two cars racing along N.C. 49 near the S.C. line. She has been convicted of speeding 14 times since 1999, state records show.”
It’s certainly a tragedy that these 3 people lost their lives to such senselessness and hopefully the SC lawmakers will take the time to review the current guidelines for speeding violations.
In NC, a driver can lose his license for racking up 12 points in a three year period. In addition, you could have your driver’s license is suspended for 30 days for driving at least 15 mph above a 55 mph speed limit.
In SC however, a person’s license isn’t suspended until it shows 12 points against it at one time, PLUS a driver gets half the points removed from his license each year, AND if a driver gets close to 12 points, he can take a driving class and get four points removed.
So the laws in SC are considerably different and it’s not to say the change would have prevented these unfortunate deaths, but it certainly could have!
Filed under News Reports, Random Thoughts by 
As with any crisis that occurrs, whether it be a natural disaster or the current economic turmoil we’re experiencing, we’re going to see unscrupulous people come out of the woodwork trying to prey on the hardships of others. Well, it’s no different with the current mortgage and housing crisis we’re seeing across the country.
However, the Federal Government is taking steps to cut down on the number of victims of mortgage modification scams. As reported by CNBC today:
“Top federal and state officials on Monday announced a broad crackdown on mortgage modification scams, accusing “criminal actors” of preying on desperate borrowers caught up in the nation’s housing crisis.
Government officials say scammers are seeking to take advantage of borrowers in danger of default by charging them upfront fees of $1,000 to $3,000 for help with loan modifications that rarely, if ever, pay off.
“These predatory scams callously rob Americans of their savings and potentially their homes,” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said. “We will shut down fraudulent companies more quickly than before. We will target companies that otherwise would have gone unnoticed under the radar.”
The Federal Trade Commission has sent warning letters to 71 companies it says were running suspicious advertisements.”
Now, are there viable, legitimate organizations that can help people in need of help? Definitely. However, it’s important that you do your homework and investigate any such organization offering to help. Check with the Better Business Bureau, ask for references, and don’t hand over any money until you’ve checked multiple sources.
In this case, help is available for free from government-approved housing counselors. You can find a list of them here: www.makinghomeaffordable.gov
Filed under News Reports by
According to a Yahoo! news report published last week, Charlotte NC, Rock Hill SC’s larger neighbor, was named as the 19th best place for business and careers.
As published in the Yahoo! Real Estate news report:
“[Yahoo's] rankings looked at the 200 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., which range from the New York metro and its 11.7 million people to Olympia, Wash., with a population of 241,000. We examined each on 11 different criteria. Economic research firm Moody’s Economy.com supplied data on job growth over the past five years and projections through 2011. Economy.com also provided business and living cost data as well as income growth and migration trends.
We also turned to Bert T. Sperling, city researcher and co-author of Cities Ranked & Rated for some labor supply and quality of life information. Sperling furnished data on college attainment, crime rates, local colleges and cultural and recreational opportunities in the area.”
So even though our area has been hit with numerous after-effects of our flagging economy, it still looks as though Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, and all the surrounding areas are positioned quite nicely. And once things start turning around, we’ll be that much better off!
Filed under Carolina Business News, Charlotte NC, Fort Mill SC, News Reports, Rock Hill SC by
This clip is from last Thursday and offers a bit of insight into what’s going on with the Charlotte NC and Rock Hill SC/Fort Mill SC real estate markets:
[media:http://www.sharonsellscarolina.com/media/videos/FoxNews_EconomicTurnaround.flv]
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Charlotte NC, Fort Mill SC, Market Trends, News Reports, Rock Hill SC by
A recent study released by RealtyTrac, a nationwide real estate data collection and analysis firm, reports that most foreclosures last year were packed into a very small number of counties in just a handful of states.  In fact, more than 1/2 of the nation’s foreclosures took place in just 35 counties across the country, a sign that the current housing crisis began in a few small corners of the country.
As one would expect, California and Florida led the way in foreclosures actions, and it was these 2 states that caused Wachovia Corp, the banking giant that was headquartered in nearby Charlotte NC, to falter considerably, paving the way for Wells Fargo to come in and purchase the bank late last year.
Fortunately, here in Rock Hill SC and For Mill SC we’ve been quite lucky in the fact that the number of foreclosures have remained relatively low, especially in comparison to other areas.
While President Obama’s recently revealed plan to help the mortgage crisis calls for some $75B worth of aid, it is sure to some significant challenges, especially given this revelation that much of the foreclosure activity is centered in small pockets across the country.
To see an interactive map of the nation’s foreclosure activity since 2006, visit the USA Today article here.
Filed under Charlotte NC, Market Trends, News Reports, Real Estate Research by
