Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, it’s time to drag out the wreaths, trim and decorate the Christmas tree and deck our homes for the holidays. There are so many ways to celebrate the season, but one of the best ways is to spend time with family and friends. Getting your home ready for the holidays can be fun and daunting, but don’t worry, here are 8 simple steps that can get your space ready in no time.

1. Clean and Declutter:  First things first!  Before decorating for the holidays,  a quick clean up is all it takes.  Begin with making piles of for sale items, trash, and charitable items to make room for decorations, overnight guests and new gifts.  A nice, clean, and clutter-free space is an easy way to create an inviting home. 

Thanksgiving, also known as “Turkey Day”  is a national holiday where friends and family gather around the dining room table to give thanks over a bountiful harvest of turkey, dressing and lots of delectable sides.

Most of us have our own Thanksgiving traditions which mimics the way our family did it or the way our extended family celebrated; while each family tradition may vary, it usually circles back to reflecting on what we are grateful for over a big meal shared with our loved ones.

We asked some of our agents to share what some of their Thanksgiving traditions were and their answers are below:

Agent: Diane Smith

Agent: Jason McFadden

Agent: Myra Calhoun

Agent: Pat Goodwin

Agent:

For over 29 years, The Golden Harvest Food Bank has partnered with the community to tackle hunger by providing food items and resources to families in need. In October, Blanchard and Calhoun rallied the agents, staff, family and friends to bring in Peanut Butter and Jelly to donate to the Spooky To Be Hungry campaign sponsored by The Golden Harvest Food Bank. Together, we collected over 1,239 lbs of PB&J! To make things more interesting, we held a contest to see which B&C office could bring in the most donations and then arrange those food items into a fun display.

 How did we do?

 After the weigh-in, here’s how each office performed:

• Corporate Office           347 lbs

• Evans location               160 lbs

• Augusta

Cooler temperatures bring changes to our homes and, consequently, our heating bill. Cold days are coming and you don’t want to wait until temperatures drop to prepare for winter. Now is the time to begin weatherproofing your home. And, if you are not sure where to begin, just keep reading! 

Below we have put together a comprehensive list of tasks to help you prepare and protect your home for winter. 

Inspect Your Heating Service:  Don’t wait for it to get cold to discover your heating system is not working.  Once the cold weather hits, HVAC service providers will start to book up, and it could take days before someone can come out to service your heater.  Switch your thermostat from cool to heat; wait a few minutes- then check to see if there is

Chilly days of the holiday season calls for coffee shops and pastries; of course, most of us enjoy a cup of joe anytime of the year. But, there is just something special about visiting an inviting coffee shop during the holiday season. Cafes that are filled with latte art, calming tunes, and good company simply warms the heart. Thankfully for us coffee lovers, these types of cafes are all over the CSRA, giving us plenty of options to feel cozy, meet new neighbors, and support local businesses. And while we genuinely think every coffee shop in Augusta is great, here are eight locally owned cafes coffee lovers recommend where you can grab a cup of cozy and enjoy a freshly baked good.

1. Buona Cafe: Craft coffee & espresso drinks are offered along

October brings a variety of Halloween-themed events to Augusta.  From family-friendly activities like corn mazes and pumpkin patches to more spine-tingling options like haunted houses and scary movies, the CSRA is full of fun festive ways to celebrate. Whether you are local or passing through this Halloween season, don’t miss out on all of the thrills and chills Augusta has to offer!

Load up your ghosts and ghouls and check out a few of our agents' recommendations for some family-friendly Halloween events.

AGENTS ANSWERS:

Agent: Jason McFadden   Recommendation: Steed’s Dairy Corn Maze

Agent: David Avery Recommendation: Kroc Center

Agent: Pat Goodwin  Recommendation: Marvin Methodist Church

Agent:

by Alex Griffin | Investment Associate with Beman Group

Blanchard and Calhoun Real Estate Commercial

The Covid-19 pandemic created and exacerbated many economic headwinds in 2020. Business closures forced many employers to lay off workers or reduce hours, with unemployment hitting a pandemic high of 14.8% in April 2020. The federal government responded with multiple rounds of stimulus packages, including direct payments to taxpayers designed to boost spending. The Federal Reserve also reduced their Federal Funds Rate encouraging borrowing for investment and increased bond purchases after years of tapering. All of these measures were designed to keep the economy from completely sinking. 

Fast forward to late 2020 into 2021, post

As a new real estate licensee, the first step you will want to take is to choose a real estate broker. Or perhaps, you are already an agent and looking to switch to a broker that is more aligned with your career goals. Whatever your position, choosing the right broker will play a significant role in your real estate career and there are lots of factors to consider. Below are 7 reasons why you should consider becoming an agent with Blanchard and Calhoun.

1. Brand Recognition: Choosing a broker that has a trustworthy and familiar brand gives you credibility. For over 100 years, Blanchard and Calhoun has been a leading local brokerage in the CSRA and as a result, our brand is recognizable. We’ve developed neighborhoods, offices, and businesses

Have you read a good self-help book lately? A great way to improve all areas of your life is to read books on self-development. Reading about different ways that help you improve your life can be a great tool for growth. There is a good reason that the self-help genre has become so popular. Most people want to better themselves, even those who are already self-motivated. Life can be a roller coaster, confusing, and frustrating, and at the same time, full of happiness, hope, and possibilities. As a result, people are hungry for knowledge to overcome life’s obstacles and eager to conquer their future. 

Themes of self-help literature address all interests from entrepreneurship to relationships to finances; however, these reads can mostly be

Blanchard and Calhoun Real Estate proudly recognize our workforce of agents and employees who have made an extraordinary commitment to the real estate industry. As a token of our appreciation, we select a few deserving individuals as Vice President with B&C. Vice Presidents of B&C are individuals who have an outstanding work ethic, are respected by the community, and are real estate experts.

In September, Blanchard and Calhoun announced Andrea Bowles as one of the Vice Presidents with the company. Andrea joined B&C as a sales agent in 2006. Since then, she joined the management team as a Relocation Director in 2011. In 2019, she transitioned into her current role as the Sales Manager for our West Augusta office.

Andrea has over 19 years of real