Local Information

You might have heard that Charleston was recently ranked #1 by Travel + Leisure in their World’s Best Cities list. Last year it was ranked #2 in this list (and was also their #1 Best City in North America). Factors in their most recent list included: history, culture, cuisine, and a unique blend of antiquity and modernity.

Every year, Charleston seems to be added to yet another ranking as one of the top places to visit and to live in the country. Here's a sample showing some of the most recent:

• For 3 years in a row Condé Nast Traveler voted Charleston, SC the #1 city in the United States.
• Charleston always bodes well with Southern Living, which has named it Best Southern City and Most Mannerly City, among others.
• AARP has rated our city

Charleston, SC is a large enough city to support a varied job market, numerous parks and recreation complexes, a great health care system, and some of the best public and private schools in South Carolina. You'll find lots of festivals and annual events every month such as the Cooper River Bridge Run, Family Circle Cup tennis tournament, Spoleto arts festival, the Southeastern Wildlife Expo, and the Charleston Food + Wine Festival.

For sports fans, Charleston has a minor league baseball team (the Riverdogs), a professional soccer team (the Battery), and a professional hockey team (the Stingrays) - not to mention the college sports teams at College of Charleston, the Citadel, and Charleston Southern. You’ll also find great rec leagues where amateur

With school getting out for the summer, we thought we’d include some of the best kid friendly spots in Charleston in addition to your usual home listing update. Whether you’re looking to exercise, educate, or just entertain the little ones, here are some fun options to check out:

• Spoleto Festival USA and the smaller, more localized Piccolo Spoleto are currently underway until June 12. Most people associate Spoleto with adult performing arts, but you’ll find plenty of children’s events, too. Your kids might enjoy the Youth Music Series where choirs and steel drum bands from local schools perform (most of these events are free). Also, check out the Children’s Programs at the Library, Concerts in Parks, and the Sand Sculpting Competition.
• The

From March 28 to April 3, the South Carolina Aquarium will host the world famous Weeki Wachee Mermaids from Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. This group of three underwater entertainers will perform a choreographed musical routine for guests watching the Great Ocean Tank. Three shows are scheduled daily during these dates with additional performances at member events.

The Great Ocean Tank is perhaps the most impressive feature at the aquarium – even without live mermaids swimming in it! With 385,000 gallons of water, it is the deepest aquarium tank on our North American continent. It provides an incredible viewing from its two story setup with a large variety of animals including sharks, eels, and the 220 pound loggerhead sea turtle named Caretta.

This past week Realtor.com named Charleston among its 10 Trendiest U.S. Cities That You Can Still Afford. To determine this ranking, Realtor compared 500 cities using these factors:

• Cultural outlets such as independent movie theaters, art galleries, and live music venues
• Foodie scenes like farmers’ markets, food trucks, craft brewing companies, and farm to table diners that use local produce and meats when possible
• Increases in population demographics for ages 25 to 34
• Even cliché stereotype establishments like bike stores and yoga studios

Realtor used its own home buyer stats to show where next generation home buyers were relocating, and finally they used a housing affordability index to come up with their top cities. In addition

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

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