Expansion of Convention Center Can Pep Up Myrtle Beach Real Estate Market

The Myrtle Beach Convention center was built in 1967 as a simple civic center. Starting in 1976, it's added a 100,000 sq ft exhibit hall, grew an extra 50,000 ft, and added the Sheraton Hotel, a 400 room top quality facility.

According to city spokesman Mark Kruea, the center hosted 104 events last year: 42 trade shows, 17 consumer shows, 19 corporate conventions and 26 other activities such as concerts or competitions.

In city fiscal reports, it was indicated that this brought in more than 520,000 visitors, and annually it typically brings in around $35,000 to the area.

In 2004, the state of South Carolina granted Myrtle Beach $7 million to buy land for expansion, with the caveat of beginning work by 2009 and doubling the size of the center by 2014. Architect Steve Usry has recently submitted designs for a total 1,350,000 sq ft mega-complex that will provide space to host at least two conventions at the same time, and add another hotel with parking facilities.

Brian Monroe, director of marketing and sales told the Sun News that if we can improve our roads and air traffic abilities, the convention center can increase monetary contributions to Myrtle Beach, and bring even more people to the city. There are plans to add a performing arts center that can be used for shows, lectures, guest speakers and more. This is exciting news that will put Myrtle Beach ever closer to being a culteral resort such as Sarasota or even New York City.

It is conceivable to picture the downtown Myrtle Beach area, with its plans for other widespread renovation becoming an urban culteral mecca that increases the price of Myrtle Beach real estate and should heat up the market of home and condos in Myrtle Beach to levels of several years ago. Our overloaded concentration of resorts in North Myrtle Beach can use the boost of visitors, and even Surfside, Garden City, and Pawleys Island condos and homes can benefit from their proximity to the convention center.

The future of Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand is an exciting one, and our beautiful coastal town is about to become a national vacation resort with jobs, attractions, and a lifestyle that is second to none! We are experts in property and Myrtle Beach condos for sale. Let us help you explore the possibilities of living in our paradise.

Myrtle Beach Animal Shelters Need Help!

I just saw an article in the Sun News that said the company who usually donates the dog and cat food to our 3 animal shelters has put their donations on hold for as long as 6 weeks, and it will put a crunch on the shelters' ability to help our homeless animals.

According to the Sun News:

Mars' Masterfoods USA has temporarily stopped providing animal shelters and centers with pet food while the works put in place a new system to more efficiently track its donations, company officials said.

At least 80 to 90 percent of the pet food used at area humane societies comes from the company, according to officials at the local agencies.

"Before, each individual plant gave donations," said Debra Fair, public relations manager at Mars Petcare US. "It was harder to grasp and collect data. We want to centralize the product and monetary donations. It will allow the process to go faster and we will know instantly where donations were given."

During the suspension period, officials from the Grand Strand, North Myrtle Beach and Horry County humane societies say they will rely on what they have on hand, and some already have applied to other pet food providers for donations.

Please open your pockets and make donations or bring some food to your local shelter. These pets have it hard enough without possibly having to make do with inferior food or less treats than they already have. Donations to the Humane Society are tax deductible, and they will help your Karma along, too. I have always found that whatever you give, you will get back three-fold.

Please help if you can. Here is the contact info for all three shelters. Choose one and make a difference in an animal's life. And while you're at it, you might want to consider giving one of these beautiful animals a home.

Horry County Humane Society 843-915-5172

http://www.horrycountyhumanesociety.com/

Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach) Humane Society 843-448-9151 http://www.grandstrandhumanesociety.com/

North Myrtle Beach Humane Society 843-249-4948

http://www.humanesocietynmb.org/

Bringing Your Pets to Myrtle Beach

I ran across an interesting website that should be publicized because we get so many questions about tourists bringing their pets on vacation.

Particularly in the winter when northerners and Canadians like to come and spend several months with us, they are often wanting to bring their dog or cat with them...and who can blame them? I couldn't live without my cats that long! There are several large hotels in Myrtle Beach that will allow them, but most are not oceanfront. I have seen a couple of the very small mom & pop motels in North Myrtle Beach that accept them. Most are privately owned and the owners also have pets. But it's hard to find one.

Here's a website that will help. This is how they describe themselves in their press releases:

BringYourPet.com allows hotels and travelers to connect in a way unlike any other. For instance, if a traveler is looking for a pet friendly hotel in the heart of Myrtle Beach, they simply click on South Carolina, scroll down to Myrtle Beach, and then choose the hotel that best fits their needs. Retreat Myrtle Beach and Majestic Shores are just a couple of hotels that travelers can find listed on BringYourPet.com. Looking for a little history while visiting the beach? Then head on down to the Ashley River Inn where you're just steps away from the historic district of Charleston. Need a pet friendly vacation rental on Kiawah Island, SC? KiawahVacationRental.com is also an option listed on the South Carolina lodging page. No matter where you want to go in South Carolina, BringYourPet.com is sure to have you covered.

Check them out. Looks like a good resource for pet owners that come to our beautiful beach.
A word about condo rentals as vacationing spots... Most of the condo HOA's allow owners to have pets, but not renters. Be sure you ask before you bring your pet!

Better yet, let us help you buy your own Myrtle Beach condo so you can enjoy your vacations completely without worrying about finding a pet-friendly condo or hotel. We are the experts in Grand Strand homes, from Little River condos to Pawleys Island real estate.

Myrtle Beach Real Estate – Selling Advice

We’ve all heard of curb appeal. A couple flowers here and there can really make a difference on your bottom line. But, what about the inside of your house? Could you take a couple of hours and transform a room to make it more attractive to potential buyers? What if you had to use mainly what was already in the room and had only a small budget of $250.00?

In February Realtor Magazine did just that. Two professional stagers, along with a camera crew and some helping hands went to a Chicago area home and staged three rooms: a home office, a bedroom and a living room.

The stagers were able to demonstrate how a little imagination, some well-placed accessories and reorganizing can make a property shine and stand out in today’s slow market. In resort areas such as Myrtle Beach, real estate sales must compete with hundreds of properties. Every little thing could make the difference between a sale or a pass over.

A sales person for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Chicago, Mark Jak, ABR, told Realtor Magazine that buyers were increasingly relying on the internet to narrow their choices, so staging was important not only for showings, but for internet photos as well.

A relatively small investment can net big increases in value.

HomeGain conducted a survey in 2003 and found that staging could increase the sales price by $2,725 to over $2800. Getting rid of your clutter and deep cleaning could add between $2,093 to $2,389 to your bottom line.

There are several companies that now specialize in staging. One of those companies, StagedHomes.com found that staged home sold for almost 7% more than homes that weren’t staged. An oceanfront condo in Myrtle Beach can look like a masterpiece with the right furnishings and touch-ups, or a neglected, seldom updated rental unit with the wrong ones.

These statistics have lead to a upswing of homeowners interested in staging. StagedHomes.com offers an credited Staging Professional designation course and has had an increase in enrollment of 49% in the 6 months ending in March 07, compared to the six months before.

The great thing about the makeovers is that they don’t have to take a lot of time or cost a lot of money. One stager relied on things she already had. Another professional stager says that first impressions count, and she only stages the main hallway and areas that can be seen from the entryway. The main living area, kitchen, master bedroom are the areas where the buyers usually base their decisions.

Getting rid of clutter is important and Professional Stager, Lori Matzke says to tuck away anything smaller than a football.

Real Estate agents are starting to include staging as part of their services, either doing small jobs themselves or hiring a professional stager. The cost of a professional staging can range from $500 to over $1000 for an average-sized home. Prices normally include carpeting, painting, accessories and labor. Costs can go higher depending on the extent of the work necessary and the size of the areas to be staged. Occasionally stagers will rent furniture if the situation warrants it.

Convincing a seller that their home needs sprucing up has to be handled with kid gloves. Barb Schwartz of Staged Homes.com uses an example of detailing your car before you get ready to sell it. Your home is an asset and detailing it is a smart choice.

One realtor says that sellers have been living with clutter for years. They don’t even see it anymore. A great way to get past that obstacle is to bring pictures of similar homes with clutter and it makes the issue more apparent when you show the homeowner the similarities.

If you are having a hard time selling your Myrtle Beach condo or home, call The Myrtle Beach Condo Store and let us help to market it in a way that will make the most of your investment.

***Posted by Mitty. Visit her blog Beach Life Blog for more articles.