June 2007

Mount Pleasant is one of Charleston, SC’s hottest real estate markets because it has the best public schools in Charleston County and some of the nicest all-inclusive neighborhoods in the Charleston area.  The good school districts and the great home selection in Mt. Pleasant have created a high demand of buyers. 

This high demand has always yielded higher-than-average prices for the Charleston area.  However, in this new real estate market Mount Pleasant has become an even better value for home buyers.  In this past year, inventory (meaning homes for sale) in Mt. Pleasant has exceeded demand.  The demand is as strong as it’s ever been.  But, with the large number of sellers, buyers are able to negotiate tens of thousands of dollars off the asking

Many people sign a real estate contract and don’t even understand what terms they’re agreeing to.  We think it is important for you to have a basic understanding of this legally binding contract.  You don’t have to be an attorney or a real estate agent to appreciate the basic legal requirements of owning a home.  We’re going to explain the real estate contract using everyday language so that you can sign your contract with confidence!

1)  The contract must identify both of the parties involved in the real estate transaction – the buyer(s) and the seller(s).  Both parties have to be at least 18 years old and be mentally competent.

2)  Both parties must be in mutual agreement about the terms of the contract.  This is often called a “meeting of the

We get a lot of questions about HOAs.  HOA stands for Homeowners’ Association, and most neighborhoods in Charleston, SC have them.  The HOA is a non-profit group that manages a community.  Sometimes it is made up of residents from the neighborhood who work with a property manager (usually a professional, paid group who specializes in keeping up neighborhoods). 

Their work is paid for by all of the home owners in the neighborhood by HOA fees.  These fees range in price from about $150 to $8,000 per year.  HOA fees vary in price since they cover different things.  Some HOA fees simply cover grounds maintenance for all of the green spaces in the neighborhood.  If you live in a townhouse or condo, your HOA may cover insurance (although we usually

You may have heard this before:  “What are the three most important things to consider with real estate?”  The answer, of course, is location, location, and location.  So, everyone knows it’s important – but why?

Location is the single largest factor when determining property value, especially in Charleston, SC.  Location is the only thing you cannot change about a home.  You can take a not-so-impressive home and completely renovate it to the point that it is unrecognizable – new floors, new cabinets, and fresh paint.  However, the location remains the same.

So, let’s say that you already know your price range, but you’re not sure about where to live in Charleston.  If you want to buy a home with good resale value, be sure to look in highly

Many factors can affect your financing during the home buying process.  From the time you apply for a mortgage until the time of closing, you should not make any drastic changes to your financial status.  So, be sure to follow these 8 tips in order to keep your financing intact for your closing.

1)  Don’t co-sign a loan for someone else.

2)  Do not become self-employed, change jobs, or quit your job.

3)  Set aside your money for closing costs, and don’t touch it until closing!

4)  Be sure to make your credit card payments on time, and don’t use your cards excessively.

5)  I know it is tempting to buy furniture for your new house, but just wait until after the closing!

6)  Do not buy a new car (as one home loan officer joked, “You may be

We get a lot of questions about schools in Charleston, SC.  When clients tell us they want to be in a good public school district, we tell them to look for homes in Mt. Pleasant or Summerville because these two areas have the best public school systems in Charleston.  And, in Summerville, you specifically need to look for Dorchester District 2 (it is better than Dorchester District 4). 

When people find out they have two options for places to live in Charleston with good public schools, they usually want to narrow their search down even more.  So, the main differences between these two areas are price and location.  Mt. Pleasant is more expensive than Summerville, but most areas in Mt. Pleasant are about 10 minutes from the closest beaches and