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        <title>Charleston Real Estate Market Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/2017-10/</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/long-savannah-development-in-charleston-sc.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/long-savannah-development-in-charleston-sc.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>Long Savannah Development in Charleston, SC</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Wersquo;ve recently been asked about the new Long Savannah project which is currently being developed in West Ashley, so we thought wersquo;d share the latest news on its status. Long Savannah is expected to be the largest housing development in Charleston County, and Charleston City Council has already voted to approve the plan. There are about 3,300 acres making up the master plan which pieces together several parcels of land. A 1,628 acre County Park and a 203 acre City Park are included in this proposal. The Glenn McConnell Parkway extension will be a connection point for part of the Long Savannah Development, and the newly paved Proximity Drive off Bees Ferry Road will also be an access point.


Approximately 4,500 homes will be built in mixed-use neighborhoods that will combine residential and commercial spaces with a fire station and school sites. The goal is to create a pedestrian oriented community where residents can walk or bike to restaurants, shopping, and more. The firm designing Long Savannah is Dover, Kohl, and Partners, a Florida based company known for sustainable town planning.


In the Charleston new construction homes market, wersquo;re seeing a huge demand for neighborhoods where residents can walk to dinner or entertainment. Although Downtown Charleston offers ideal walkability and an endless supply of entertainment, only a fraction of home buyers can afford the prices (or they prefer a house with a yard outside of the peninsula instead of a small condo Downtown).


The most popular of these mixed-use communities wersquo;re seeing right now are located in Summerville new home communities where land is more affordable and more readily available for large scale development. For example, Summers Corner, Nexton, and Cane Bay Plantation are highly sought after for buyers wanting this type of walkable, mixed-use community lifestyle. However, Long Savannah will be the first of its kind in West Ashley (and Charleston County as a whole) to attempt this lifestyle on a large scale. Right now, the most popular new construction communities in West Ashley are Carolina Bay and Magnolia Bluff, so wersquo;ll be interested to see how the home prices in Long Savannah compare when its neighborhoods start building homes
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 25 Oct 2017 10:35:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/what-is-the-minimum-down-payment-to-buy-a-home.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/what-is-the-minimum-down-payment-to-buy-a-home.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>What is the Minimum Down Payment to Buy a Home?</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



We recently had a conversation with a first time home buyer who was living with her parents and working hard to save up a 20 down payment. She didnrsquo;t realize that she had already saved three times the amount she needed


This miscalculation got us wonderinghellip;how many home buyers actually know the correct minimum down payment it takes to purchase a home? We thought wersquo;d put together this blog to help other home buyers who are currently saving up their funds


Primary Residence Purchases




VA* and USDA: 0


First Time Home Buyer Conventional: 3


FHA: 3.5


Conventional: 5


Jumbo: 5




Investment Properties and Second Homes




Conventional Second Home: 10


Conventional Investment: 15


Jumbo Second Home: 20


Jumbo Investment: 25




*For a VA loan, itrsquo;s important to note that therersquo;s no PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance), but VA loans have a hefty funding fee that is added to the loan amount. In other words, this fee is not an out of pocket expense for the buyer.


Other closing costs that come out of pocket typically come to about 3 of the purchase price of the home. Some of the discount points and fees can be structured so that the seller pays for some of these costs. If you havenrsquo;t yet saved up the money for your down payment, go ahead and talk to a lender because he or she will be able to give you the most accurate number for the total amount yoursquo;ll need to have at closing. And if you need a recommendation for a trusted lender, contact us to get started


Check out our mortgage calculator
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:21:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/boone-hall-halloween-events-and-fall-festival.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/blog/boone-hall-halloween-events-and-fall-festival.html</link>
        <author>keadle@thekeadlegroup.com (Lee and Katherine Keadle)</author>
        <title>Boone Hall Halloween Events and Fall Festival</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Through October 31, Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant is hosting great Halloween entertainment for visitors of all ages:




Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch: This very kid friendly fall festival offers a corn maze, Halloween themed hayride (pictured), jump castle, two of South Carolinarsquo;s largest jump pillows, petting zoo, three story slide tower, tube swings, and sand pit. There are also great photo ops for the kids since pumpkins, tractors, and fall decorations fill this wide open space. Admission is $10 per person (kids age 2 and under are free with accompanying adult) and includes access to all of these attractions except the pony rides. Learn more about the Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch


Boone Hall Fright Nights: For teens and adults, yoursquo;ll find thrills in The Crypt, Cemetery of Lost Souls, Wicked Woods Haunted Hayride, and The Gateway in 4D. Pricing for all of these options is on their website Boone Hall Fright Nights




If yoursquo;re looking for more Halloween entertainment in Charleston, check out the Best Haunted Houses in Charleston
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 10 Oct 2017 14:53:00 -0400</pubDate>
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