Living on Topsail Time

Our dogs, Lilly and Pearl come to the office with us every day. Lilly was adopted when her owner died and Pearl came to us two years ago next March. We feel, as do many, that the presence of dogs in the office benefits us and our agents greatly. Stress levels are reduced and it is quite difficult to stay angry or upset when there are happy faces greeting you!

It is no surprise then, that one of the causes we champion is the Topsail Humane Society and their efforts to build a new facility for their No Kill shelter. On Saturday, October 11th - Dogs Rule Holiday - our biannual Junk Yard Dog sale will be held at our offices in Surf City. Proceeds will go to the THS. We will also be accepting blankets, toys and other dog related items for donation to the shelter. Cats are not slighted! Operation TopCat on the island humanely captures and spays feral cats, and places for adoption and fostering the many cats and kittens without homes.

We've said goodbye to two of our dearest friends in the past two months. Bill and Brenda Hunt's soft coated Wheaton Terrier, Sam passed away in August. Just last month, Dot Cotman's Scottish Terrier Buelah was diagnosed with cancer, very advanced and left us. We will miss these two wonderful friends always.

There are many web sites where you can help. One of our favorites is this one, The Animal Rescue Site and it is so easy. Costs you nothing and the animals win!

Two of our dearest friends in the real estate business, Gene and Bobbie Anderson, have decided to retire. Over the past eight years, they have been our mentors, our colleagues, and most importantly, our friends. One of the columns in Gene's monthly newsletter was a comprehensive snapshot of market conditions. While Kathy does the layout, design and nearly all the writing for our Living on Topsail Time newsletter, market stats are left to me. Gene was a good teacher and we think that continuing to offer this feature in our newsletter will provide our clients and friends with a realistic picture of what is happening, especially during these challenging times.

Right now, even though we are experiencing less than optimal market conditions, we are still above the numbers for last year. Sharing our knowledge of local conditions - the closed sales for 2007 and 2008 both on and off the island - are eye opening for both buyers and our listing clients.

So, we will continue to provide these statistics, carrying on a tradition started by Gene and Bobbie Anderson and relied upon by bankers, buyers, sellers and our own team, for the clearest picture possible.

Check out our LINKS and take a look at our October newsletter!