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        <atom:link href="http://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/2016-03/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <title>Charleston Real Estate Market Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/2016-03/</link>
        <description>Get local info and tips from Charleston real estate agents on market trends, financing, new communities, upcoming events, and more!</description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/the-strongest-real-estate-market-charleston-has-ever-seen.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/the-strongest-real-estate-market-charleston-has-ever-seen.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>The Strongest Real Estate Market Charleston Has Ever Seen</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



For the past few years, wersquo;ve watched Charlestonrsquo;s real estate market thrive with strong median price increases and diminishing DOM (Days On Market). However, in the past month, our market has kicked up a noticeable notch in regards to buyer activity. Many people are calling this the strongest real estate market Charleston has ever seen.


There are currently more than 3,600 homes under contract. So far this year, there have been 3,174 properties closed. Each of the past 2 weeks has had 400+ homes go under contract, and one of these was the 2nd busiest week in MLS history.


For buyers, this translates to a very fast paced market. For example, there was a new listing on James Island this past week that had 26 showings in 1 day (the most showings Ive ever seen). If yoursquo;re planning a trip to Charleston to see homes and wersquo;re lining up showings a week out, know that many of the homes will already be under contract by the time that date arrives. Itrsquo;s important to have backups in mind and to continue to keep an eye on new listings that hit the market until that date that we go to see homes (and wersquo;ll be doing the same on our end).


If you already live in Charleston and are simply waiting for the right home to purchase, contact us when you find a new listing that looks like it could be the one. You can also tell us your specific criteria so that we can keep an eye on ldquo;pocket listingsrdquo; or homes that are not yet showing up in the MLS so that we can get a jump start on these listings before they become available to the public. In these cases, we can usually schedule showings before the home is listed, but know that the sellers might still need to do some organizing or cleaning before the home is ready for professional photos.


In sharing this info, I donrsquo;t want to seem pushy or for you to feel stressed or rushed. However, I think itrsquo;s important for buyers to understand how strong our local market has become so that we can be prepared and make the best use of our time together. If you have a date in mind for seeing homes, please go ahead and let us know so that we can put it in our calendars and keep an eye on new listings that fit what yoursquo;re looking for as the date approaches. Itrsquo;s also important to have pre-approval from a lender before we make an offer so that we can include a pre-approval letter in with the offer. This letter alone can be a sellerrsquo;s deciding factor in a multiple offer situation. If you need recommendations for a trustworthy lender, just let us know.


Although agents like a strong market, when it becomes this fast paced it puts a lot of pressure on us to secure that top choice of homes for our client. We keep our ears perked for new listings before they hit the market, so when buyers are ready to make an offer we can provide as many options as possible. If therersquo;s a certain area, neighborhood, or home feature that yoursquo;re looking for, please let us know so that we can be on the lookout for your perfect match
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 29 Mar 2016 12:12:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<item>
    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/live-mermaids-at-the-south-carolina-aquarium.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/live-mermaids-at-the-south-carolina-aquarium.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>Live Mermaids at the South Carolina Aquarium</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



From March 28 to April 3, the South Carolina Aquarium will host the world famous Weeki Wachee Mermaids from Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. This group of three underwater entertainers will perform a choreographed musical routine for guests watching the Great Ocean Tank. Three shows are scheduled daily during these dates with additional performances at member events.


The Great Ocean Tank is perhaps the most impressive feature at the aquarium ndash; even without live mermaids swimming in it With 385,000 gallons of water, it is the deepest aquarium tank on our North American continent. It provides an incredible viewing from its two story setup with a large variety of animals including sharks, eels, and the 220 pound loggerhead sea turtle named Caretta. Visitors at the South Carolina Aquarium can also touch sharks and rays at the Shark Shallows exhibit, watch river otters play in the Mountain Forest exhibit, feed shrimp to the rays at the Saltmarsh Aviary, experience the 4-D theater, and tour the Sea Turtle Hospital. If yoursquo;ve never visited the aquarium before, we highly recommend it for adults and kids of all ages. Plus, its location on the Charleston Harbor makes for impressive views.


The SC Aquarium is located in Downtown Charleston. For more information or to schedule your visit, see the South Carolina Aquarium website.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:09:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/real-estate-near-college-of-charleston.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/real-estate-near-college-of-charleston.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>Real Estate Near College of Charleston</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



College of Charleston students, parents, and the occasional staff often ask us for recommendations on investment properties. Regardless of whorsquo;s purchasing the home, they all seem to have the same 3 criteria:




It must be within walking or biking distance to campus.


The home must be in a safe area.


The property needs to hold its value (whether itrsquo;s going to be sold in 4 years or held until retirement, it needs to be a good investment).




The Downtown Charleston real estate market is notoriously fast moving, and the best listings priced under $500K tend to go under contract the same day that theyrsquo;re listed. Because Downtown homes are so unique, it also completely depends on whatrsquo;s currently on the market. Unlike other go-to communities that we recommend for a College of Charleston commute like Meridian Place townhouses or The Regatta condos, itrsquo;s hard to compare or predict when a 2 bedroom unit in a century old duplex will be listed.


Wersquo;ve included below the best neighborhoods to consider that are within walking/biking distance to College of Charlestonrsquo;s campus. Keep in mind that since these areas are also within walking distance to King Street and some of the most popular Downtown attractions, the high demand from home buyers creates high prices. As a result, yoursquo;ll find mostly condos and townhouses in prices under $400K rather than single family houses.


Neighborhoods Within Walking/Biking Distance to College of Charlestonrsquo;s Campus


Harleston Village: Most of the College of Charleston campus is located within the parameters of this historic community.


Radcliffeborough: Also within easy walking distance of the revitalized upper King Street which boasts some of Charlestonrsquo;s trendiest restaurants and shops.


Cannonborough: Yoursquo;ll want to look south of Spring Street because this large neighborhood stretches all the way to Crosstown.


Another popular option is Bee Street Lofts because these newer condos offers little to no maintenance (an important factor to consider when yoursquo;re comparing the older homes that make up most of Downtown).


Schedule a Time to View Homes with The Keadle Group


Yoursquo;ll find plenty of College of Charleston graduates at The Keadle Group Most of us fell in love with the city as college students and simply never left. If yoursquo;re considering purchasing a home near CofC, contact us to set up a time
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 17 Mar 2016 13:54:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/charleston-ranks-in-10-trendiest-cities-you-can-afford.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/charleston-ranks-in-10-trendiest-cities-you-can-afford.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>Charleston Ranks in 10 Trendiest Cities You Can Afford</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



This past week Realtor.com named Charleston among its 10 Trendiest U.S. Cities That You Can Still Afford. To determine this ranking, Realtor compared 500 cities using these factors:




Cultural outlets such as independent movie theaters, art galleries, and live music venues


Foodie scenes like farmersrsquo; markets, food trucks, craft brewing companies, and farm to table diners that use local produce and meats when possible


Increases in population demographics for ages 25 to 34


Even clicheacute; stereotype establishments like bike stores and yoga studios




Realtor used its own home buyer stats to show where next generation home buyers were relocating, and finally they used a housing affordability index to come up with their top cities. In addition to Charleston, cities that made the list include Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Asheville, New Orleans, and St. Louis.


Every couple of months, Charleston seems to be included in some top 10 ranking, whether itrsquo;s by Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, Garden and Gun, or AARP. Charlestonrsquo;s appeal reaches all stages of people, too ndash; not just the next generation. Families, retirees, young professionals, and baby boomers all find something to love about Charleston because its history, culture, and scenic beauty make it stand out among cities on the East Coast.


Many affordability index calculators show Charleston South Carolina in the top 5 for Southeastern cities. However, know that the suburbs closest to Downtown Charleston and the beaches are the most sought after (and the most expensive). The 2 most in-demand suburbs include James Island and Mt. Pleasant. A more affordable suburb that still gives a great proximity is West Ashley. Wersquo;d be happy to recommend more suburbs to consider, or we can send a list of the lowest priced condos or townhouses if you need more affordable options in the areas yoursquo;re already honed in on. Just contact us to let us know what yoursquo;re looking for
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2016 09:35:00 -0500</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/5-tips-to-save-money-on-home-insurance.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/5-tips-to-save-money-on-home-insurance.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>5 Tips to Save Money on Home Insurance</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



As home insurance rates continue to rise, owners are looking for discounts and competitive premiums now more than ever. In an effort to save money, some home owners opt to reduce the amount of coverage which can be risky. For example, if you purchase a home for $300,000 and know that about $100,000 of the price is land value, wersquo;d recommend coverage of $200,000. However, the buyer can compare rates and pay usually a hundred or two dollars less each year by covering only $150,000. If the buyer doesnrsquo;t have an extra $50K in his/her account to part with at any given time in the case of an emergency, this can be a huge mistake.


Wersquo;ve included below 5 legitimate ways to save money on your insurance policy that donrsquo;t involve gambling with your home. And some of these tips we had to learn the hard way after years of overpaying


Use a Broker to Shop Around for the Best Rate


For many years, we used and recommended the big, national insurance companies like State Farm until we found a phenomenal broker at a local company who could consistently outperform with lower premiums and higher coverage. As a broker, she can shop around with multiple highly rated companies to find the best price for home and hazard insurance. We eventually switched our car insurance as well because she saved us almost half, which leads to my next tiphellip;


Ask Your Real Estate Agent for an Unbiased Recommendation


With 50 real estate closings per year, we look at approximately 50 different home insurance policies each year (in addition to our personal properties). This experience certainly doesnrsquo;t make us experts on insurance, but real estate agents tend to have a pretty unbiased opinion on which companies have good rates and customer service. Itrsquo;s illegal for us to receive kickbacks or money for sending clients to these companies, so when we recommend using a particular broker or business, wersquo;re doing so in an effort to make the closing go smoother and to help represent our buyer client.


If yoursquo;re considering getting a new policy, ask your Realtor for a recommendation. For most people, a home is the single largest investment they ever make, so yoursquo;ll want to make sure that yoursquo;re choosing a reputable, customer-service-oriented company. However, yoursquo;ll also want to ensure yoursquo;re not overpaying for coverage that you could have gotten for a fraction of the cost.


Take Land Value into Account When Determining Coverage


As we stated in our example above, land value does not need to be taken into consideration for home insurance coverage. In our Charleston SC real estate market where land can be worth more than the house itself for some areas, this is an important factor to keep in mind. You should be able to talk with your real estate agent and insurance agent/broker to determine a safe amount that should accurately cover what it would cost to rebuild the home yoursquo;re buying.


Ask for a Multi-Policy Discount


Depending on the company, you might be able to get a discount if you bundle your car and home insurance together. Itrsquo;s absolutely worth asking if it saves money, so be sure to put this on your discussion checklist for your agent


Double Check for Other Discounts


Having certain safety features in your home like a security alarm system, fire sprinkler, storm windows, and storm shutters can save money on your premium. On the other hand, factors like an older roof, a trampoline or pool in your backyard, and breeds of pet dogs (usually Pitt Bull or German Shepard) can raise your premium substantially. As you talk with your insurance agent, be sure to talk about these factors because mentioning that your dog is a 20 pound terrier (a real life example) can actually save you money (otherwise, I would have been charged at the full rate for an undisclosed dog).


Put Our Experience to Work


With more than 12 years of experience in real estate, The Keadle Group in Charleston takes pride in helping both buyers and sellers from start to finish. Wersquo;re happy to recommend contractors, mortgage lenders, insurance brokers, and more in order to help guide our clients in the best way possible. Talk with us to see why our clients refer their friends and family to us
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2016 14:12:00 -0500</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/diy-home-projects-to-avoid.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/diy-home-projects-to-avoid.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>DIY Home Projects to Avoid</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Itrsquo;s tempting to get inspired by a home renovation show and try to save money by doing house renovation projects yourself. However, some tasks absolutely require a professional.


Refinishing a Wood Floor


Home improvement shows love to show before and after footage of worn, wooden floors in an old house followed by the gleaming, smooth planks after refinishing. However, if a floor isnrsquo;t properly sanded and timed just right during the staining process, the result is a patch work of staining that requires an entirely new refinishing. Many homeowners with painting experience assume they can tackle a floor refinish project, but they donrsquo;t take into account that paint jobs can simply be painted over again if therersquo;s a mistake. When it comes to staining a floor, though, the job requires several workers in order to make sure the rooms can dry at approximately the same time (especially in an open concept floor plan). If there are errors during the process, a homeowner has two choices: start all over again, or buy a large rug


Also, floor sanding equipment is expensive to purchase, and itrsquo;s difficult to find these tools that are for rent. In short, it makes better sense to simply bite the bullet and hire a professional for this job.


Electrical and Plumbing Work


Therersquo;s a reason that some professionals dedicate their entire careers to being electricians or plumbers ndash; a lot can go wrong, and no two homes are built the same. With electrical systems in older homes especially, it can be dangerous to do this kind of work yourself even if you think yoursquo;ve turned off the correct breakers in your panel box. The building codes from decades ago leave a lot of room for non standard practices, so it can be difficult to figure out which wires are live or grounded. Approximately 400 deaths occur every year in the United States due to faulty electrical components, so itrsquo;s not worth the risk of injury or death to save a few hundred bucks.


Although plumbing work is much safer for the handyman, wersquo;ve seen far too many DIY projects show up in home inspection reports when it comes time to sell the home. In many of these cases when we represent the buyer as their real estate agent, we make the seller hire a professional plumber to fix these issues before closing because we donrsquo;t want to risk leaks or long term mold/mildew problems.


Tearing Down a Wall


It can be tricky to know whether a wall is load bearing until you get started. For the structural integrity of your house, yoursquo;re going to want to hire either an engineer or a very experienced contractor that you trust to make sure the wall is not supporting the weight of your home. If this project is not done properly, yoursquo;ll risk sagging floors, cracked walls, and a serious stigma when it comes time to sell your home since buyers flee from structural problems flagged in a home inspection.


Removing a Tree Near Your Home


If you have a dying, diseased, leaning, or questionable tree near your home, itrsquo;s worth hiring an arborist or certified tree surgeon to remove it. The same is true for decaying or low lying limbs above your roof (most arborists say that limbs should clear your roof by eight feet). Mature limbs can easily weigh between two hundred and four hundred pounds, and it takes a professional with years of practice to be able to guide this kind of weight safely to the ground.


Homeowners should never try climbing a ladder with a chainsaw because one fall could cause serious injury. From a liability standpoint, you also donrsquo;t want a limb or tree to fall on your neighborrsquo;s house, your own house, or a bystander.


Our Past and Current Clients Often Ask Us for Recommended Contractors


At The Keadle Group, we often hear from past clients asking for recommendations as they renovate their homes or take on needed repairs. We take pride in helping our clients well after their closing takes place and are happy to provide Charleston SC real estate advice and contact info for electrical, plumbing, landscaping, bathroom/kitchen renovations, tree work, and more. When you choose to work with The Keadle Real Estate Group, yoursquo;ll see why two-thirds of our business comes from our past clients ndash; wersquo;re always here to help
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2016 10:03:00 -0500</pubDate>
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