All Blog Entries by Lee and Katherine Keadle

The tri-county MLS statistics are in for the last 3 months of 2012, and we’ll be doing a series of blogs so that we can focus on several trends that we’re seeing in the Charleston real estate market. First, let’s look at the Charleston real estate market as a whole – in other words, all 3 counties – before we break down these stats by area. The absorption rate for the entire Charleston area is based on a rule that if no homes were to be listed for sale, it would take 5 months for the current inventory of homes to sell (this is known as a sellers’ market). If there is a 5 to 7 month supply of homes for sale, it is a balanced market. A buyers’ market would take 8 to 12 months to sell all of the listed homes. If it takes more than 12 months to sell the

Since we’ve gotten a lot of questions about mortgages recently, we wanted to get you all of the info you’ll need to finance buying a home in Charleston, SC. Over the past few weeks, interest rates have fluctuated between 3.25% and 3.65%. Right now for a 30 year fixed rate conventional loan, rates are running about 3.375%. I’ve included below the contact info for our in-house loan officer. Whether you’re ready to buy and lock in these low rates – or if you simply need to figure out what price range of homes you should be browsing – feel free to contact Joel. In the 10 years of real estate we’ve had, Joel has by far been the best loan officer we’ve worked with.

Joel Greer with Carolina One Mortgage

Office phone: 843-414-2489

Whether you choose to

We’ve specialized in Mt. Pleasant real estate for many years now. This suburb of Charleston sees a huge demand from home buyers – especially from buyers relocating to the area. All it takes is one afternoon of driving through Mt. Pleasant for buyers to fall in love with the huge selection of shopping and restaurants, the meticulously maintained commercial centers, the master planned neighborhoods with full amenities, and the great schools (which are as pleasing in person as they are in the Charleston school ranking lists). Mt. Pleasant is known for its upscale feel and its new-ness in general since it’s been mostly developed in the past twenty years.

Mt. Pleasant is pricier compared to some of the other areas in Charleston County (for example, West

It’s come to our attention that most of the entertainment options we post involve food. And what can we say? We at the Keadle Real Estate Group love to eat! Great locally owned restaurants may in fact be part of the reason we love living in Charleston, SC. In an effort to venture out of the food box, we have included below some activities coming up in the Charleston area involving something other than food and beverages. So, here are a few ways to stay entertained and out of a restaurant this new year:

• Comedy Festival 10th Anniversary: Jan. 16-19. Performers and comedy troupes from America's top comedy hotbeds including New York, D.C., Chicago, and Atlanta have been invited to perform during the 4-day event at several different city venues. Here’s

We hope you have a happy New Year! Here are 5 local events in Charleston to help you bring in the New Year in style:

• Barsa New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party: at Barsa Tapas Lounge; tickets are $25 before or $30 at the door; read more at http://barsacharleston.com/
• The Snyder Grand Ball: at the South Carolina Aquarium; this is the 12th annual event for this ball; tickets are $135 per person; http://www.snydergrandball.com/
• Mercury’s New Year’s Eve: at Mercury Bar in downtown Charleston; tickets are $30; http://events.postandcourier.com/charleston_sc/events/show/298217727-mercurys-new-years-eve
• Republic New Year’s Eve: located on King Street in downtown Charleston; $35 general admission; get tickets at

We wanted to take a minute to thank our current and past clients. This has been one of our most successful years in the past decade. So much of our business comes from past clients who return to us for buying investment properties or moving up to a larger home. Or, they recommend us to their friends and family. Thank you for helping us do what we love – guiding buyers and sellers to make the best financial decisions possible. For most people, buying a home is the single largest investment they make in their lifetimes, and we are honored that you choose us to facilitate the process.

There are many ways to go about finding a home in the Charleston real estate market that suits your taste, budget, and time frame. New homes are gorgeous, short sales and foreclosures are inexpensive, and re-sales usually mean a quicker closing. You first need to ask yourself, “Where do my priorities lie in regards to purchasing my new home?” Do you need a home to move into right away? Do you need a home to fix up in order to save money initially? Or, do you really want a classic older home with a story to tell?

For instance, let’s say that your current home has sold, and you need to be out within 30 days. You need a home to move into right away, and you can’t fathom having to move into a rental and then your new home. In this case, timing is your

Do you already own a lot in the Charleston real estate market, or have you found the perfect plot of land to build your new home? Have you looked at John Weiland’s Mount Pleasant new homes and loved them, but the lots were not private enough or not large enough? If you said yes to any of these questions, then I may have a solution: build your perfect home on your perfect lot.

Several builders in the Charleston real estate market will build a custom home on a lot of your choosing. I have personally found that larger builders tend to be able to quote better prices due to the fact that they have access to large suppliers, and the builder typically buys the materials to build the home in bulk. Small builders may be just as competent, but they usually have

If you are planning your family fun time and creating new holiday traditions, consider these fun-filled activities in Charleston this season:

• Visit with Santa: This is a free event on Tuesday, Dec. 18, from 12-2 PM. Children can play games, enjoy music, make crafts, and get pictures with Santa (bring your own camera). Located at the Darby Building, 302 Pitt Street, in Mt. Pleasant. Read more on the Town of Mount Pleasant’s website, www.tompsc.com
• Danielle Howle and Fireworks Show Prime Time Xmas Special: On Wednesday, Dec. 19, there will be a guitar-strumming event for singers and songwriters. Admission is $5. Starts at 9 PM at Fiery Ron's Home Team BBQ, 2209 Middle Street, on Sullivan’s Island
• Family Craft Tent: On Wednesday, Dec. 19, kids can

Applying for a building permit in Charleston is not just a one-step process, so it’s best to get your application in as soon as possible. The town of Mount Pleasant is especially particular, so it can sometimes be a lengthier process for this suburb. As a builder, you must be licensed, and your license must be updated. Then you may start submitting information to the Town of Mount Pleasant’s Planning and Development Department for review. If you pass this review, you can then get a permit to build the home and sell it in the Charleston real estate market for a profit.

The first step is to submit a Building Permit Application for New Homes. The Town of Mount Pleasant has a website, www.townofmountpleasant.com/, where you can click on Planning (under