Charleston Real Estate Market Blog

Over the past 6 months, we’ve watched numerous homes in Downtown Charleston sell within mere hours of being listed. While sellers are enjoying the strong market that works in their favor, the current trend makes our job as buyers’ agents tough. It’s often a hard pill to swallow when Downtown home buyers learn that for certain price ranges and neighborhoods, they’ll have to make a full price (or nearly full price) offer within 1 day of a home hitting the market if they want to secure their top choice. The doubters often have to lose out on an offer or two before they understand the reality of our current market.

Although home buyers understand the appeal of our city, we’re often asked why Downtown Charleston homes sell so quickly – and how sellers

For many home buyers, saving enough money for a down payment is the hardest part of the buying process. Some buyers have to wait years until they’ve saved the 3.5% to 5% needed to put down for a mortgage.

In Charleston, housing appreciation runs roughly 6% a year depending on the area, meaning that prices might be going up faster than a home buyer can save each year. With the low rates that we’re still seeing with mortgages and the ever-increasing home prices, it’s important for serious buyers to pinch their pennies or risk getting priced out of the homes they can afford.

The Importance of Time Frame (How Interest Rates Affect Your Purchasing Power)

As a general rule of thumb, a 1% change in mortgage rates produces a 10% change in your

You put your home up for sale, but you realize that something is amiss: you simply cannot sell your home. If your home hasn't attracted a serious buyer, it’s time to look at the reasons why and remedy the problem as soon as possible.

If you have your home on the Charleston Real Estate Market, here are the seven most common reasons why homes do not sell:

1. You’re Asking Too Much

After the housing bubble, people have seen their home values shrink drastically. It could be that you’re not asking a realistic price in today’s market for your area. The number one reason that sellers overprice their home is because of emotional attachment. They're simply not objective when determining the true value of the home.

Ask a real estate agent

The new year is upon us, and you should make some resolutions for your home in 2016. Every home is different, but here are some recommendations that will be true for each and every household in America.

What should you be doing in 2016?

1. Make Your Home Safer

If you haven’t already done so, you want to make your home safer this coming year. You don’t want to live with any potential health hazards, and you want to check to see if your home has radon.

You’ll also want to:

• Install carbon monoxide detectors

• Install fire detectors

• Install security alarms depending on the area you live

Another recommendation is to add dates to your calendar for when to clean out your dryer’s lint. According to the US

When you're house hunting, there are a few warning signs that you need to be on the lookout for. Sellers don’t always disclose the whole truth to potential buyers, and it’s impossible to have a professional inspector inspect every house that you tour.

What warning signs should you be aware of when you are looking for Charleston Real Estate?

1. The Neighborhood Is Ripe With Sales

Are there a lot of homes in the neighborhood for sale? Maybe you noticed graffiti or vandalism on some of the buildings, but the home that you’re looking at is spectacular. It’s easy to find a beautiful home in every neighborhood, but curb appeal shouldn't be the only thing you’re looking at.

If you notice that a lot of people are leaving the neighborhood,

If you are considering a search of Charleston Real Estate, it's important to ask yourself "What are the best jobs in Charleston?" There are many career paths available in the city. The top industries in terms of pay and top sector rankings include the following:

1. Management Occupations

The average salary in this field is $99,250. Within this sector, there are several different job titles that a person can hold with their own respective salary. A few of the most popular occupations, include:

• General and operations managers

• Advertising and Promotion Managers

• Marketing Managers

• Financial Managers

• Human Resource Managers

2. Business and Financial Operations

Another very popular

The right Charleston real estate agent will make the process of buying or selling a home as simple and stress-free as possible. But finding an agent that fits the bill can be a challenge. It’s not quite as simple as hiring the first agent you meet. Here are some tips to help you find the right real estate agent for you.

1. Choose an Agent with the Right Credentials

Most real estate agents specialize in a particular area, which can be advantageous for you as a buyer or seller. Look for an agent that has the right credentials for your particular situation. Some of the most common designations real estate agents have include:

• SRES – Also known as Seniors Real Estate Specialist. These agents have completed specialized training

When on the lookout for Charleston Real Estate, you may be looking for something the appeal of a smaller town. While the peninsula may not have a small town feel, there are several areas in Charleston that are not only charming, but provide you with the small town feel that you normally find in the country. Here's why:

1. Charleston Has a Low Crime Rate

Walking around any big city will have you grabbing onto your purse and feeling generally unsafe. Charleston is a little different because the city is very safe, with a violent crime ratio of 1000:2.39.

Locals are proud of their city and its history, and there is so much to do beyond going to the beach or one of the many parks in the area.

2. Charleston is Friendly

Small

Just south of the midpoint of South Carolina's coastline sits the historic city of Charleston. Founded in 1670, Charleston was first known as Charles Town and was named after King Charles II.

Throughout history, the city has seen periods of great wealth and prosperity as well as times of great poverty. Two major wars were fought within the city, which were followed by occupations of invading armies. Charleston has endured fights with pirates and Native Americans, hurricanes, catastrophic fires, and earthquakes.

So, how did this great city get the nickname of "the Holy City"?

How Charleston Came To Be Known As the Holy City

King Charles II granted a charter in 1663 for the Carolina territory to eight loyal friends. On the west bank of the

When moving to your dream beach house, it’s important to know that it won’t always be sunny and warm outside. While it’s true that you’ll be living in a prime location with mild weather, you will still need to deal with winter seasons and cooler nights.

When you move, there are a few things that you need to know. The following tips will help make your move just a little bit easier.

1. The Summer Months Are Very Busy

In the summer, prime beach locations are a big draw for tourists. You’ll notice an increase in traffic and the amount of people renting homes around you. In most cases, beach homes will rent for cheaper in the winter and higher in the summer. This means that your neighbors may change with the seasons as rental prices rise.