All Blog Entries by Lee and Katherine Keadle

Selling real estate can be a tough job, and it's much tougher when our clients don't listen to the advice we offer. Whether you're going to be buying or selling a home in the near future, please educate yourself on these suggestions we find ourselves making weekly!

For Home Buyers

The market is probably stronger than you think. Despite constant news headlines, social media articles, and blogs like this one, many Charleston South Carolina home buyers don't realize just how strong our market is. Especially if they're coming from another part of the state or country, it takes some time (and perhaps missed opportunities) before they're brought up to speed. Brand new listings might require a full priced offer depending on the area or neighborhood.

When you sell your home, you pay the same amount of commission regardless of the listing agent you choose. It's important to find the best listing agent possible because your agent can negotiate a higher sales price, smooth over appraisal and inspection issues, reduce your liability, and make the entire process much smoother for you. So if you have the choice between an agent who's fresh out of real estate school or an agent with a proven track record, it should be a no brainer as to which one you should hire. With 14 years of experience selling homes in Charleston, I've put together a list of the most important questions to ask and also the answers I would look for if I were in your shoes.

Question: How long have you worked in real estate here?

So you've found the perfect listing agent to sell your home, decided on list price, and signed your paperwork. Now what? Many sellers think their work is mostly done at this point. However, it's crucial to get your home show ready before the photos are taken for your listing (and certainly before your first showing)!

After showing well over a thousand homes to buyers in the Charleston South Carolina real estate market, we've gotten pretty good at gauging buyer feedback and predicting what are both the selling points and the turn offs for a listing since we hear some of the same comments again and again. These tend to be the most common problem areas for listings:

• Curb appeal matters: You'd be amazed at how many times I've pulled up to a

Even in the strong sellers' market we're experiencing right now, some listings sit on the market for far too long and create a stigma that leaves buyers asking "Why hasn't this home sold?" or "What's wrong with this house?" Or, on the other end of the spectrum, some hot new listings sell within a day or two leaving the sellers wondering whether they could have gotten more money. A good real estate agent can help prevent both of these scenarios.

How to Choose the Right Listing Agent

When choosing a Charleston SC listing agent, here are some hallmarks to look for to ensure you're hiring the right person. Your listing agent should:

• Offer professional photographs and a virtual tour. Simply put, better photographs help create more showings.

If you're looking to purchase a home in one of the few remaining buyers' markets across the country, you should talk with your Realtor to see how far below listing price your initial offer should be. He/she will be able to pull comps for your market to determine how low of an offer you can negotiate.

However, most markets in the United States have done a full pendulum swing from the 2008 to 2012 downturn and are now very strong sellers' markets. Charleston South Carolina is a great example for discussion. In real estate markets like Charleston, the best listings are going under contract within 24 or 48 hours of being listed. In higher price points or less demanded suburbs, this can take up to a week or two.

When sellers' markets see such a low

Condos and townhouses are the most affordable options for buying real estate since developers can build more of these per acre compared to detached, single family houses. When we talk with home buyers, they’re often confused about the difference between condos and townhouses. We’ve included below some important distinctions between the two types of property along with a checklist that should help you choose which option is right for you!

Condos: The Lowest Maintenance Home Possible

Many buyers compare condos to apartment living because paying bills is all that’s required. By definition, condos have no individual land ownership associated with them. In other words, a homeowner would own the unit itself. All of the common areas have shared

Savvy home buyers understand that purchasing a home costs significantly more than the final offer a seller accepts. If you are a first time home buyer, you might be tempted to stretch your budget to its limits in order to obtain the house of your dreams. However, this decision can set you on a path leading to a mortgage payment that you might struggle to afford.

Leaving a sizable buffer between what you can afford for a home and what you pay for a home is a wise home-buying strategy. Added on top of the price of the home are the closing costs, attorney's fees, and lender's fees. Approximately 3-5% of the purchase price is added for closing costs and lender's fees, which can include loan application and credit report fees, property appraisal costs,

Some home features are subjective and could very well appeal to the right buyer. Worse case, they pose a problem with an easy solution. For example, a lime green accent wall will turn off most buyers but can be easily remedied with a bucket of paint. However, there are 5 deal killers I’ve found in the literally thousands of showings I’ve done that consistently put a halt in the showing. And it’s a shame because sometimes buyers really love the home until they discover the deal killer.

If you’re a seller, and you realize that one of these applies to you, don’t worry. We’ve also included solutions below to keep your showings from getting derailed:

Above Ground Pools and Hot Tubs Create Hassel

Although above ground pools and hot tubs can be fun,

You might have noticed that The Keadle Group loves Charleston County Parks! As Gold Pass Members and frequent visitors of the parks, we also include lots of their events and festivals on our social media posts, blogs, and weekly home listing updates. Whether you're considering relocating to Mount Pleasant or already live in the area and are looking for things to do, you must check out the Palmetto Islands County Park location off Longpoint Road!

This county park offers 943 acres of preserved wetlands, woodlands, and ponds for residents to enjoy. Here are some of the special features included in admission:

• Paved nature trails for walking, jogging, and biking
• Crabbing dock with kayak launch
• A large playground that accommodates a wide age

After showing literally thousands of homes, it's easy to spot: sellers who have outgrown their home. Often, it was the first home they had ever bought. It was all they could afford at the time, and its 1200 square feet was enough.

Several years later (with perhaps a pet, spouse, or kid added to the household), they're ready to sell their home and move up to a larger house. However, it's obvious to real estate agents and even some home buyers that this house might not be big enough. Whether you're selling a home with 600 or 2,000 square feet, you want the space to feel as big as possible. Here are some tips we've found to help maximize every room in your house!

Remove as Much Stuff from Each Room as Possible

Unless you're a complete