Recently through my pre-launch website for Sara's Home, I received a request for help from the parents of Journey Blackmon, a 6 yr. old from Lancaster, SC. I spoke with Journey's step dad- Kervin Crockett and he explained the situation. Journey was diagnosed with having a Wilm's Tumor in her kidney in August 2008. She was treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and then surgery removing the cancer. On March 16, 2009, Journey was diagnosed with a second cancerous tumor that has appeared in her lower spine. She will need to go through the same treatments to remove this second tumor. Journey's step dad, Kervin is a long distance truck driver and her mom, Jeany is a stay at home mom. Because of being in and out of the hospital due to being with Journey, Journey's parents Kervin and Jeany Crockett have fallen behind on their mortgage payments and need $1737.07 to bring their mortgage payment up to date and avoid going into foreclosure.
We are in the process of setting up Sara's Home as a 401(c)3 tax exempt organization and will be able to give tax exemption receipts for your donations very soon. In the meantime, we request that you give to Journey's case and help her family not lose their home to foreclosure due to the heavy burdens of dealing with cancer. Journey is the first of hopefully hundreds of patients we will help during this already difficult time period.
Please donate now (Attn: Journey) and make a difference in a little girl's life! Let's raise the needed money by April 21st (her birthday) and give Journey an amazing BIRTHDAY GIFT!
Here's to Education, Giving Back, Wealth, and Freedom! - Flower De Raadt
Buying foreclosure properties at the courthouse steps
Sunday, 08 March 2009
Last week I went to the monthly foreclosure sale at the courthouse steps. It was my first time attending a foreclosure sale and these were my observations.
When I first arrived, the sheriff was standing higher up on a bench and there were about 20-30 people around him. An assistant passed out a handout of the properties that were up for auction. You are to arrive with cashier's checks or money orders on hand to purchase the properties on the spot and be given the title. There were 14-15 properties on the list with 2-3 of them being struck out and the rest available. As the bidding began there was a common theme that began to arise. There were many spectators and those wishing to bid and then there were those that actually had the cash to buy. It was easy to note whom were the investors in the crowd. Most of them stood together as they all knew each other and had pre-printed lists that they had brought with them of the properties with comps, maps, and details. They didn't bid on any of the properties in this case all acred lots that were up for grabs at $1500 each but instead waited to bid on actual houses. A certain man did pick up about 5- 7 lots all within the same subdivision. This man was an interesting figure. He was a lean, hispanic man whom seemed to be in his late 30's-early 40's. He wore a soiled mechanic's jumper suit and had various tattoos and looked a bit scruffy. He didn't seem the kind of person whom would have the cash to buy these properties all at once yet he did. The investors in the crowd mentioned that he was probably buying to build small houses on the land to sell or rent out. I didn't ask. There was one property or piece of land that did gain interest from the public and the bidding started a bit higher at $2500. It ended up going for about $5000 for that piece of land to a couple in the crowd. (read more)
Recently through my pre-launch website for 
