Buying a Home in Charleston, SC

Every real estate professional of the Keadle Real Estate Group loves the Charleston area and is familiar with the rewards of calling this great area “home.” If you are considering moving to the Holy City and wonder what makes it such a fantastic place to live, here are 10 things to love about Charleston:

1. Real Estate: From elegant homes with white columns to modern condos with all of the amenities, anyone can find a place that is perfect for them. With thousands of Charleston Real Estate homes available, the perfect home may be just around the corner!

2. History: If you love history, Charleston is the place to live. From historic buildings to plantations dating back hundreds of years, you cannot escape the pull of yesteryear as you stroll

Since we get a lot of questions about real estate taxes in Charleston, we’ve included a tax estimator below. Often buyers assume that they’ll pay the same amount in taxes as the previous owners, but when a home is recently purchased the assessed amount usually changes. Because Charleston’s home prices have increased so much in the past few years, the taxes are generally higher for the new home owner.

This is the most accurate Charleston County tax estimator we’ve found for primary residents. It’s recently been updated, so if it’s been a few months since you visited the county’s website, you might want to plug in your numbers to check the results.

Remember that second homes/investment properties are taxed at the 6% rate instead of the owner

Before relocating to a new area, it is wise to research the cost of living associated with a particular community, town, or city, as well as the career prospects available to new residents. The real estate professionals of the Keadle Real Estate Group often answer detailed questions from clients inquiring about how affordable it is to live in Charleston and how the job market is faring compared to the rest of the country.

Depending on your finances, Charleston can be an exceptionally affordable place to live. Exploring a greater variety of communities in the local areas will open up the doors to a multitude of appealing properties that fit your income level. For example, certain areas will have higher taxes and insurance, which will increase the cost

Buying your first house is an exciting adventure, especially when you are looking in or around the beautiful areas of Charleston. However, your enthusiasm must be met with conscious forethought and careful planning. There are many factors that must be taken into account to determine the ideal timing for a first-home purchase. At the Keadle Real Estate Group, we love the homes and communities of Charleston as much as you do, but we also understand that purchasing your first home is a monumental financial leap. To assist you with your home buying strategy, here are 3 factors you must consider in determining when it’s the right time to buy your first house:

1. Are your finances and career stable? Defaulting on a mortgage can seriously damage your

Since it's hurricane season on the East Coast, we wanted to discuss the main flood zones in Charleston. As real estate agents, these are conversations we have regularly with buyers, whether they’re starting out their home search (trying to estimate ongoing tax and insurance costs) or narrowing down to just a few homes (weighing the pros and cons before making an offer to purchase).

There are 3 main brackets of flood zones you’ll find throughout the Charleston tri-county area:

X: Charleston’s Safest Flood Zone

The X flood zone is the safest for buying Charleston real estate because it is the lowest risk for flooding. FEMA uses this category for properties that have seen no flooding or less than 1 foot of collected water in the past 100 year

We’ve included below some of the most frequently asked questions we get from home buyers in case you’ve wondered some these questions yourself!

• Lot sizes in Charleston: Many buyers are surprised to learn that the average lot size for a newer home is about .2 acre unless you’re looking in the $500K plus price range. For older homes built in the 1980’s or before, you’ll find an average lot size of about .4 acre. With the exception of Dunes West, acre sized lots are difficult to find under $1 million unless you look in the rural areas like Johns Island, Wadmalaw, or Rural West Ashley (areas known for their farmland and horse pastures).
• Waterfront homes: Because waterfront properties are the most sought after in Charleston, this demand drives up

If there’s anything we learned from the housing market down turn of 2008, it’s that buyers need to purchase homes they can afford. Too often as real estate agents, we see buyers with plenty of debt and only a moderate income getting half a million dollar homes. Some buyers assume that if a lender is able to creatively get them qualified for a $500K home, that should be the price range they shop for. However, you need to make your own personal decision on what price range and monthly mortgage payment you’re comfortable with.

Get Pre-Approved for a Home Loan

Getting pre-approved should be the first step in your home search for several reasons. The most obvious reason is that knowing what you can afford can make a difference in the size, quality,

Buying a home is an exciting, life-changing experience. But it also comes with many responsibilities and costs that overzealous buyers tend to overlook. For a smooth home-buying experience, avoid making these top three mistakes.

Overspending

By far, the biggest mistake home buyers make is thinking they can afford more than they really can. Even if you get approved for a $250,000 loan, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can afford a home of that price. Can you easily afford your rent or mortgage payment each month, or will you be struggling to make ends meet?

Home buyers often make the mistake of only considering how much it costs to buy a home and not the costs of owning one. Just a few of the monthly costs you’ll need to consider include:

Owning a historic home is just one of the many reasons people move to Charleston. Known for its variety of architecture types, the city is also overflowing with opportunities to buy historic homes whether you want a plantation home or something a little simpler as found in the French Quarter. With its rich history and vibrant culture, you don't want to miss our on Charleston Real Estate and the history associated with it. 

In the city, there are some locations that have more desirable historic properties than others due to walkability, nearby sites and attractions, and proximity to the water. These areas include:

South of Broad

This is where history began in the city. A neighborhood of stately historic homes, you’ll find beautiful homes in

Charleston is home to a variety of waterfront properties from ocean view to beachfront, shallow water, deep water, marsh front, and tidal creek. Homes with waterfront views and easy beach access are the most expensive in the area, but they boast a location that can’t be beat.

Waterfront Properties in the City

Charleston is well known for having some of the best boating on the eastern seaboard, and deep water homes are in high demand. The majority of these homes are situated on the one of the city’s three rivers that feed into the harbor: Ashley, Wando, and Cooper. Many of these homes not only offer spectacular views, but also feature private boat lifts and docks.

Just west of the Ashley River is home to some of Charleston’s premiere