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In our years of experience selling real estate, we have easily walked through more than a thousand homes for sale in the Charleston, SC area.  Some homes are very well staged for showings, and you can tell that the home owners have really taken care of the home and have made good improvements to it.  And, the money that the owners spent to update or improve the home should be paid back in full (and maybe with some profit) when they sell it.

Although we’ve seen some really good home improvements that pay off in the end, we’ve also seen some really bad home improvements.  In fact, some of the worst features we’ve seen in homes for sale have actually been made by the sellers from “do-it-yourself” projects. 

Sellers assume if they spend $10,000

When potential buyers drive up to your house, the first thing they see is the front of your house.  And, buyers know that usually the exterior of the house is a good indicator of the inside of the house.  The old saying that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover does not apply to real estate!  So, the front of your home can make a very important first impression on potential buyers.  As a seller, you want to make the best first impression possible.  You want your home to have curb appeal and make buyers want to see the rest of the house.  We’ve included seven ways to improve your curb appeal: 

1)  Mow the lawn regularly while your home is on the market.  If you have patches in your yard where grass doesn’t grow, you can either sow some grass

Many people sign a real estate contract and don’t even understand what terms they’re agreeing to.  We think it is important for you to have a basic understanding of this legally binding contract.  You don’t have to be an attorney or a real estate agent to appreciate the basic legal requirements of owning a home.  We’re going to explain the real estate contract using everyday language so that you can sign your contract with confidence!

1)  The contract must identify both of the parties involved in the real estate transaction – the buyer(s) and the seller(s).  Both parties have to be at least 18 years old and be mentally competent.

2)  Both parties must be in mutual agreement about the terms of the contract.  This is often called a “meeting of the

When we try to determine property value for your home, we compare your home with old MLS listings and active listings on the Charleston MLS.  No two properties are completely alike, but some properties are similar enough to compare prices.  So, we look at comparable homes that have recently sold in your area (sold listings), homes that were for sale on the market but never successfully sold (expired listings), and homes that are currently for sale (active listings).  Aside from these comparisons, we also take other factors into consideration when determining a home’s value.

1.  One of the most important factors that affect value is location.  Homes close to the beach or to downtown Charleston sell at a higher price.  You can install all of the