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Testimonials I would like to share my buying experience that I had with Mr. Michael Martin. Michael, Gwen and I had visited The Cliffs, initially in 2007 and then earlier this year and had concluded that the combination of lakefront property with a mountain view was not going to be available at an acceptable price point. Then we met Michael Martin, who came highly recommended by friends he had worked successfully with finding their lot on Lake Keowee. Michael’s initial approach was to show us a cross section of available lots from which he gauged the particular features that were important to us. At the end of our first day riding with Michael we were impressed by his knowledge of the Keowee market and convinced that he would do a good job in identifying a suitable lot, should one exist at our price point. We let Michael know that we were in no rush and that we were happy to look at property over the remainder of 2008, so that’s how we left it. Well, two weeks later, Michael calls with the message that he’d found a newly listed lot that met all our criteria and was priced attractively within our range. We hurried down from Atlanta, quickly agreed with his assessment of suitability and value and decided to move forward. However Michael’s service didn’t end there. He quickly put us in touch with excellent mortgage sources and attorneys and subsequently assisted in finding local help to construct a temporary pathway down to our dock. If you are considering purchasing on Lake Keowee we highly recommend Michael. His knowledge of the area is outstanding and he has built his business on a keen ability to understand, meet and exceed client needs/expectations and delivering superior service. Gareth & Gwen Clarke, We were new to lake property ownership and Michael was a tremendous asset. His knowledge of Lake Keowee allowed him to have a methodical plan that made us feel we had seen everything we were interested in without wasting our time. He listened and watched our reaction while we viewed properties which allowed him to narrow the search quickly. He seemed to know what we were looking for before we knew. I never felt like we had any wasted trips. When he found the property we bought, Michael knew it would be the one and he was right. We would highly recommend Michael to anyone interested in Lake Keowee. We are extremely happy with our purchase and his guidance throughout the process.
Dear Michael, Dear Michael, Dear Michael, Matt and I want to thank you for all of the hard work and understanding that you put into helping us achieve Matt's long time dream of owning property at Lake Keowee. We were both impressed with your thorough knowledge of the lake and the available lots when we first met with you. Even though we weren't quite ready to buy at that time, you spent a day of your time to show us around the lake and discuss the lot features that we found ideal. After that afternoon, we both knew we'd be back to see you! When we recently decided it was the right time to buy a lot (just about a year after our first tour of properties with you!) you were able to quickly identify a great location that was coming up for sale, and worked tirelessly to help us close the deal. Your work and patience with us is even more impressive since we were negotiating while in Hawaii and California. Matt often commented that he appreciated the fact that you must have stayed up late into the night to finish communications with us despite the vast time zone differences. Needless to say, we're looking forward to building our dock and house, and to the many years ahead of us being able to enjoy a quiet family retreat. We have already recommended you with great confidence to friends who have mentioned an interest in Lake Keowee. Kindest regards, Dear Michael, I am finally getting around to writing a note to thank you for the excellent service you’ve given us from the time we decided we were interested in a Keowee lakefront property, and even now; a month after closing escrow on the property. Living about 2,000 miles away, and as President of a fast-growing medical company, spare time is at a premium. You seemed to understand exactly what we were looking for, and only showed us those properties that fit our requirements. The bank you referred us to approved us for a jumbo loan within a week, and were delightful to work with. In advance of our visit, you helped us get the approvals for the septic tank and a dock. When we came out to sign our documents and see our property “live” for the first time, we were thrilled. The property was even more beautiful than the pictures we’d seen. And now as we move forward with plans for docks, decks and so on, you continue to support us by providing us with names of craftsmen that you use and that you know will give us good work for a fair price. We have recommended you to quite a few other people. The personal service you give your clients goes beyond expectations and apparently doesn’t end with the commission check. Steve and I both look forward to having you come visit us at our new lakefront home once we get it built! Best Regards, Dear Michael, Kathy and I can't thank you enough for your help in finding the perfect lake home for us. We deeply appreciate all your assistance with the transaction. You quickly zeroed in on exactly what we were looking for, eliminated the properties which didn't suit our needs, and made each visit very productive, saving us a lot of time. You promptly returned our phone calls and followed through, but we never felt pressured. In addition, your local contacts and referrals have been wonderful, which is a great help to out-of-towners like us. Most importantly, your pleasant manner, knowledge, and guidance made the entire process simpler and most enjoyable. We feel we have made a friend and look forward to working with you in the future. We would be pleased to provide you references at any time. Sincerely, To Whom It May Concern: Michael Martin was our realtor during the summer of 2005 as we searched for a lot on Lake Keowee. We gave Michael a price target for what we wanted to spend and we began our search for a lot not being familiar with the Lake. Michael’s knowledge of the lake was impressive as he knew exactly what was available and the recent transactional history of lots in our price range. He also knew what was coming available for sale via the auction process. What was most impressive with Michael was how quickly he learned what we liked and did not like. This happened in just 3-4 lot visits with us. We came not knowing a lot of what to expect and yet Michael worked with us to clearly decide match our desires with affordability so we were satisfied with our final decision. While we did not find something we wanted in our first visit Michael so clearly understood what we wanted, he found our final purchase on his own. We felt very safe in dealing with Michael and trusted him to find us a lot without being there. I would recommend Michael Martin as a realtor for purchasing property on Lake Keowee and would definitely use him again. John and Janet Gallager Michael, Michael, We wanted to let you know how much we appreciate the knowledge and expertise you brought to our search for property on Lake Keowee. Buying a property in another state makes it imperative that you work with someone who is knowledgeable and efficient. When we came into town, you had a list of properties that matched our needs, and you didn't waste any time showing them to us. You sure have a handle on what's going on there-- from available lots and desirable communities, to what offers have a chance of winning at auction. Sorry we brought down your auction win-ratio, but you can chalk that up to our inexperience. Once we saw the results, we knew you were right on the money! Anyway, we love our lake property and can't wait to get down there and start enjoying it. Sincerest thanks, Michael We just recently purchased a home on Lake Keowee, using Michael as our Buyer’s agent, and it was the easiest real estate transaction we have ever been involved with. Michael never tried to sell us on something we did not need. He really helped us rank what was important to us and what was not. He found us a home in our price range within a matter of weeks and from beginning to end everything went smoothly. Michael returned phone calls and e-mails promptly and always found an answer to our questions. We would highly recommend his services, and if we are ever in the market again we will definitely use Michael. A pleasure to work with! Kendall & Karen Alley Michael Michael Martin has been terrific in assisting us as we looked for and eventually bought our dream lot on Lake Keowee. The fact that he specializes in Lake Keowee property provides him with an unparalleled knowledge of all that is going on and the resultant values that can be found. This experience and expertise are complemented by his absolute honesty and trustworthiness. The combination makes for a real estate professional that is beyond reproach and the ultimate in effectiveness. We highly endorse Michael to anyone interested in purchasing property in the Lake Keowee area. We are proud to call him a friend and look forward to working with him again. He is, without a doubt, the very best Sam and Linda Merrill Michael We have been owners of various properties on Lake Keowee for 15 years. As such, we have had the opportunity to communicate with many realtors in the area. When looking for our latest property we connected with Michael Martin through his web page. We exchanged general information about what we were looking for and arranged to meet in person to discuss. When we met, Michael had already sorted through all available properties on the Lake and had pre-selected a few that he thought might be the best fit for our project. He proved to be extremely knowledgeable about the area and was sensitive to our specific needs. He went beyond what most realtors would do in order to help us secure the property that we selected. His attention to detail and customer service is above any that we have previously experienced, and I recommend him to anyone looking for lake property. Richard & Debbie Pressley Michael We had been interested in purchasing water front property on Lake Keowee for approximately a year when we met Michael Martin. We were working with another real estate agency and had become incredibly frustrated with the process. They never discussed the possibility of signing a “buyer agency agreement” with us. There was no consistent follow-up during that time period to help us locate a property. Overall, they just didn’t seem to care whether or not we found what we were looking for. Shortly before the April, 2005 opening at Waterside Crossing, we were feeling very discouraged about the prospects of being successful at the auction. It was at that time that we spoke to Michael and asked if he thought he could help us find a property that was right for us. From the beginning, Michael treated us in a way that made us feel like he cared. He worked diligently to determine what we were looking for and how we could get it. He educated us on the auction process such that we entered it feeling confident that we had a chance to be successful. Sure enough, we were able to secure two water front properties, allowing us to choose which one we would ultimately purchase. Michael continued to stay involved throughout the closing process, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and that we were completely satisfied. We have worked with a number of real estate agents in the past and have never felt that someone was truly looking out for our best interests throughout the entire process. Not only would we work with Michael in the future, we highly recommend him to anyone interested in purchasing property on Lake Keowee. The Williams Michael, My wife Rita and I live in Greenville, SC and are very fond
of our home. Most of our recreation time is spent on lake
Keowee and had often dreamed of having our own place there.
Four years ago we purchased a waterfront lot located in Waterside
Crosing. We came to the realization that we were not going
to make the lake property our primary residence and the cost
of building and maintaining both homes was financially irresponsible.
After this decision was made we called Michael martin. We
told Michael that we wanted to sell our lot and find something
in the 300 to 350 range ready to move.in. Michael Huskey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Martin, our Buyer's Agent, was truly our partner in searching for the right property at Lake Keowee. His knowledge and experience, along with his keen sense of listening and understanding to our needs made our experience memorable. We were looking for our spot "to retire on" at Lake Keowee, not just land to buy and put back on the market the next day so we were very particular yet price driven as well. We had the flexibility to look at property on our own if we wanted to and discussed our findings with Michael and got his feedback on the area. Most often he could describe a piece of property to us so well that we knew ahead of time if it was a waste of our time to go look. Again, knowing us as clients, he could direct us and "did direct us" to our dream property. We found what we feel to be the best property at our price level on the lake! Thanks Michael. The bonus is that after we have closed on our property and are finished searching we now consider Michael a friend who I'm sure we'll be seeing when we relocate to Lake Keowee in the near future! Kimberly & Patrick Miller Patient, knowledgeable and professional …..words that I readily use to describe Michael Martin. Michael has diligently and patiently worked with me for more than 10 months to find the property that was just right. It involved many calls…countless questions…..constant research….all the while facilitating the process rather than trying to push me toward a decision. Michael did all the groundwork to let us know what was available . He walked all the lots and gave us invaluable information about the area…..Michael is the person to help you in Keowee. Don and Diane Brown Asheville , NC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, After discovering Lake Keowee on the internet
over a year ago, we decided to contact a realtor, spend Veteran’s
Day weekend in the area, and ultimately purchase lakefront
property. While another realtor took days to reply to our phone
call, one“missed” call to Michael resulted in a
returned call within minutes. That caught our attention--a
professional, interested in his clients. Michael far exceeded
our expectations in knowledge of Lake Keowee, ethics, humility,
and impeccable service. We gained more knowledge about Lake Keowee in a day with Michael, than in a year of investigating on our own. Michael evaluated our personal goals and family interests to help narrow our focus to newer planned communities with amenities. Michael patiently spent the day giving us a tour of nearly every community that met our initial criteria, walking each available property with us, despite the rain and muddy conditions. At no time were we ever pressured to make a decision on any property nor encouraged to look at property outside our price range. Within days, we chose a beautiful waterfront lot in Waterford Pointe. After signing the contract, Michael handled all additional details– retained an attorney for our closing, coordinated contingency follow-ups, inspections, and permit applications–all within days. Michael kept us completely informed of the progress, right through closing.
In today’s world, discovering a realtor
who truly considers a client’s interests and satisfaction
over a desire to close a sale is a rarity. Without hesitation,
we would highly recommend Michael Martin to anyone interested
in Lake Keowee property. Al and Debi Mangiapane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, After talking by phone with a few realtors who had advertisements saying they specialized in Lake Keowee properties, I set up a meeting with Michael Martin. Even over the phone I could tell that his knowledge of the area exceeded his competition. In the initial meeting Michael was professional, asking the right questions to help me with my search for lakefront property and best of all – prepared! In each successive meeting he always brought requested information to make the most of my time in the area. Since I live a few hours from the lake Keowee area that was critical for a successful property search. This was my first purchase of lake property and he made sure that I was considering all the attributes of property visited. Michael’s follow-up on my questions was always thorough and he kept me fully informed throughout the purchase process. I have worked with several realtors in different parts of the country and his level of service was the best I have experienced. I can recommend Michael without hesitation to assist in a property search in the Lake Keowee area. Ralph Palmer Marietta, GA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, We want to Thank You for all your hard work and the WOW Service that you provided us. In every step of the process you were there for us. Before we met you, we spent over a year looking for a waterfront lot for our second home at Lake Keowee. With all your knowledge, patience and experience you helped us achieve our goal. We will highly recommend you to anyone. Thanks again, Paul & Angela Calvin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, Michael helped us spot a deal that would typically go unnoticed by the brokerage community. Michael spotted a piece of property on the north side of the lake big enough to divide into 2 parcels and was instrumental in aligning all of our approvals and surveys to do so. Michael helped us subdivide the lot into the most marketable configuration, considering water views, dock placement, septic fields, etc. He went above and beyond the typical transaction and created value for us.” Pat Chesser -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, "In the self-promoting world we live in it becomes harder and harder to find genuine care and concern for people and the decisions they make in their lives. Even though real estate can be more of luxury decision in our lives, it still takes the right person to help assist so that we don't fall into the wrong sales pitch and just fulfill quotas. I find that Michael has that care and concern as well as the knowledge of Lake Keowee and it's surrounding areas. But aside from being knowledgeable; Michael's personality shows trustworthiness and humbleness, qualities that in my opinion are rare commodities in the business world. In the past I have dealt with agents that their only goal was to increase their paycheck versus understanding my vision and thoughts. You will not find that with Michael, you will find that he is just as eager to learn from others than clamoring for the spotlight. I appreciate his down to earth attitude and would recommend his services to anyone". Melissa Honeycutt Asheville, NC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, Carrie and I would like to thank you again for all your help in acquiring our beautiful lakefront lot. We so appreciated your knowledge of the lake and the organized way in which you showed us the properties that fit our desires. Every once in a while, you run into an individual that stands out from others. In the past few years we have talked with and met many realtors and you have by far set yourself apart from the rest. You have truly taken the time to understand our needs and goals. The research, detail and time you provided us, without a doubt, helped us make the right decision. We would highly recommend that anyone considering real estate in your area use your expertise and professionalism. Sincerely, Bob & Carrie Chamberlain Fort Myers, FL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael: Stephanie and I would like to take a minute to again thank you for all of your hard work helping us find a waterfront lot on Lake Keowee. Even though we live in the upstate of South Carolina, we knew virtually nothing about all of the beautiful lakes in the area. We feel very fortunate to have found your web site as our first introduction to Lake Keowee. It was very comforting to us to have your undivided attention when looking at homes and lots (even despite an 8-year old and a dog!) and when discussing the merits of each property we visited. You clearly made every effort to understand our needs, and to fit them to what we were shown during our visits to the Lake. Your organizational skills were second to none – not once did we feel that we were wasting our time looking at real estate that would not closely suit our needs. Once we decided to purchase a lot instead of a home, the knowledge of the Keowee area you had gained by walking each and every lot ahead of time was truly impressive – and greatly appreciated. As we narrowed our choices and finally decided on the property that was right for us, you made the entire closing process smoother than any closing we had ever been involved with. In addition, your contacts for dock construction, shoreline improvement, and land clearing have made the “after the sale” issues equally as painless. I hope you continue to dedicate yourself to your clients, as you have certainly done with us. It is so refreshing to work with an agent who has the buyers’ best interest at heart. In fact, I have already passed out several of your business cards to friends who are looking to purchase at Lake Keowee! Thank you again for everything. Sincerely, Dr. and Mrs. Eric Bour -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, Many realtors will drive you to a "lot", but very few, if any have walked the several hundred lots that you have. We were very impressed with your lot profiling system that included tons of helpful information. You optimized our time by sitting down and understanding what our specific requirements were and matching those to appropriate lots. I am sure we saved days and hours of time by partnering with you! You have have helped us sell and buy two lots now and you truly do all the "leg" work. Thank You, Anne and John Sheffield Atlanta, GA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, Stephanie and I would like to thank you for your assistance in helping us secure our “retirement property” at The Reserve. We most certainly appreciated your knowledge, professionalism and your attention to detail! Should we have the opportunity to recommend your services to anyone looking for property on Lake Keowee, please be assured we shall readily provide your name and number to them. Thanks again for your help and dedication to us!!! Best regards, Jerry and Stephanie Barton Atlanta, GA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I want to TRY to say in words what words can't
say. I read your endorsements on the web site shortly
after I came in contact What is professionalism to me: Thanks for your help Michael! Regards,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wanted to take the opportunity to thank Michael Martin for his excellent customer service during the buying process. My husband and I had very specific criteria which had to be met as we pursued the process of finding our waterfront lot on Lake Keowee. I am thrilled that we used Michael to achieve our goals. He had specific details on all waterfront lots available on Lake Keowee and used his knowledge to immediately narrow our selection. He saved us many hours of searching on our own and getting no where. We had a couple of obstacles to overcome before closing and Michael handled the issues like a true real estate professional. Michael represents himself as a consultant and not a salesman and that is exactly what he did. He consulted us on lots which would work for us and lots which would not work and always explained the positives and negatives of each lot. We highly recommend Michael to anyone wanting to make a purchase on Lake Keowee. He certainly knows the lake!! Thanks again for the out standing job!! Bob and Chris Reed Greenville, SC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the first time I spoke to Michael I knew he was the buyer's agent for me. He promptly returned my call, which several other realtors did not, was forthright, and listened intently to my needs. I am in real estate for a living in another market and know how rare it is for someone to genuinely be giving of the time and attention necessary in courting a prospective client. We were able to locate the perfect piece of property, and he assisted me in negotiating a very creative deal. I would recommend Michael very highly to anyone buying or selling on the Lake and assure you he will not disappoint. Thomas Wolfe, III Asheville, NC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In these days of political rhetoric and empty promises of “I will do this” or “I believe in that”, it was most refreshing to find a person who, not only believes in what he is doing, but proves it with his actions. We are not talking about a presidential candidate, but a small town realtor, Michael Martin , who, above all, believes in honest, friendly, customer oriented service. My wife and I stumbled across this S. C. jewel when we were looking for lakefront property on Lake Keowee , S. C. We spent approximately 7-8 wonderful hours on two separate visits and found that within the first hour, Michael had zeroed in on our wants and wishes for lakefront property. One of the things that impressed us the most, above his friendly charm, was that he understood his product. This is only done through hours of “walking the walk” before you can “talk the talk”. It was obvious that he had put shoe sole to soil and knew exactly what each lot had to offer. This was a most welcome experience for us and we have recommended him to several friends in hopes they will come be our neighbors on the lake. Tom & Nancy Breland Davie , Florida -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you truly have a love, passion, and enthusiasm
for what you do, it comes easy and we found that in Michael
Martin. We are from Southern California and were in search
of affordable waterfront property in a warm weather climate
where we could live year around for our retirement. In doing
some research we became interested in the Lake Keowee / Clemson
area and decided to take a scouting trip. While searching online
we came across Michael Martin who specialized in Lake Keowee
properties. We sent him an e-mail, told him when we would be
in the area and if he would be available to show us some properties
or point us in the right direction. Michael responded quickly
and made himself available to meet with us over the Veteran's
Day Weekend. Michael spent all day Saturday driving us to different
properties and explaining the lakes characteristics. We were
awed by the lake's beauty and offerings, but when we were undecided
about a particular lot Michael invited us back to view the
properties by boat. Returning two days later we spent about
four hours on the water touring Lake Keowee and found our beautiful
lot. Michael works with an impressive amount of patience and
professionalism. His passion and enthusiasm for the area is
contagious and his desire for his clients to be happy with
their purchase is evident. With Michael Martin's assistance,
we have found the lot of our dreams and have something very
special to look forward to in our retirement. The only thing
we wish we could do now is retire early and hit the water.
Thank You Michael. La Verne , CA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We were lucky the day we called Michael Martin
about purchasing a home on Lake Keowee . Never before have
we worked with a realtor who placed our needs ahead of his
available listings. Michael was always on time for meetings,
always did his homework, always explained things that confused
us, was honest beyond comprehension and handled everything
in a capable and professional manner. He was everything a realtor
should be but rarely is. We hope that if we need the services
of a realtor in the future that you will be available. We will
call you first. Greer , SC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill and Leigh Easterday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maxie Putnam and Lori Benson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He listened carefully to our desires with regard to what we wanted in a lake home and then carefully made recommendations based on his extensive knowledge of the area market. Because we were out-of-state buyers, we had to maximize our time when we were in the area. Mr. Martin greatly assisted this process by providing on-line information and photos so that some homes could be evaluated before we even arrived. He was able to do this because he personally previewed every home before recommending it to us. This resulted in very little wasted time in our search process. We were able to buy a home confidently because of the homework that Mr. Martin did for us. In short, Michael Martin is by far the most professional real estate agent that we have ever dealt with. We would recommend him without hesitation to anyone interested in purchasing in this area. Matt and Annie Hornsby -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael was very knowledgeable about Lake Keowee. He was able to help us narrow our search immediately. He communicated to us every available piece of property within our price range. Michael was patient with us and did not try to push us into something that did not feel right. Although it was challenging, Michael had a sincere interest in making sure that we found something that would satisfy both of us. Michael was very professional and stayed positive throughout our search. We are currently building our dream home on Lake Keowee. Thanks to Michael's help we found a great spot! Tim and Sherri Guin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kitty and Brian Chivers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy and Shari Roberts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve and Sue Streblow -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mollie and James Woodside
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MLS: 146226 Private cove deep water lot in the Founders section of The Reserve at Lake Keoweee. Click here for more information |
 The Reserve at Lake Keowee is a 3,900 acre private lakefront community tucked into one of the most beautiful and untouched regions of the Southeast. Click here for more information |
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