Posts with tag 'Buying A Home in Charleston'

Many homeowners believe that once they sign their closing documents, choose an insurance company and begin making payments, their monthly mortgage payment is settled. That may be true for the principal and interest portion of a fixed-rate mortgage, but it is not necessarily true for the total amount withdrawn from the homeowner's bank account each month.

Property taxes, homeowners insurance and escrow shortages can all change the total monthly payment. A homeowner who overlooks a letter from the county, insurance company or mortgage servicer may discover the problem only after the payment has increased.

South Carolina's 4% Legal Residence Assessment

South Carolina provides a 4% property-tax assessment ratio for an owner's qualifying legal residence. Other residential real estate generally receives a 6% assessment ratio. A home is not officially lab...

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A few years ago, I worked with a buyer who was approaching a milestone birthday. He had spent years working hard, saving money, and planning for the future. Like many first-time homebuyers, he wasn't searching for the perfect property. He simply wanted a place he could call his own. After a lot of searching, he found a home that fit both his budget and his goals, giving him the opportunity to take an important step forward.

What stands out most from that experience isn't the house itself. It's the pride he felt when he became a homeowner. It was the excitement of holding a key that belonged to him, the freedom to make decisions about his own space, and the confidence that comes from achieving something many people spend years hoping to accomplish. The emotional impact of homeownership often goes far beyond the physical property.

Many first-time buyers feel pressure to fi...

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One of the first things I tell buyers when we start looking at homes is that I'm probably going to be the devil's advocate during our showings.

That usually gets a laugh.

Then I explain what I mean.

If you fall in love with a house, I'm not going to try to talk you out of it. In fact, if you decide it's the right house for you, I'll do everything I can to help you get it.

But I'm still going to point out the things you may not love.

Not because I want to ruin the excitement.

Not because I want you to keep looking.

And certainly not because I don't want you to buy the house.

I do it because buying a home is em...

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One of the questions I find myself wondering about lately is whether all of the new construction taking place throughout the Charleston area is changing the market for homeowners who may be considering selling an existing home.

It's a fair question.

Drive through parts of Berkeley County, Summerville, Goose Creek, or even portions of Mount Pleasant and you'll see new homes being built at a pace that would have been difficult to imagine a decade ago. Builders are opening new phases, releasing new lots, and offering incentives designed to attract buyers.

At the same time, thousands of pre-owned homes continue to come on the market and successfully go under contract.

So what does the data actually tell us?

I recently reviewed more than 800 pending...

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Buying your first home in Charleston, SC often involves more than just saving money and getting approved. Job changes, credit preparation, and life events can all impact timing. The buyers who succeed are the ones who stay consistent, adjust when needed, and keep moving forward—even when the process doesn't go as planned.

The Long Road to "I Did It"

There are some buyers you work with for a season.

And then there are some you've been quietly walking alongside for years—without ever calling it that.

He grew up alongside my son—one of those familiar faces who's just always been part of life. Ou...

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