Sitting on the fence and trying to time the real estate market in the SC Lowcountry can be tiring. We can say with certainty that the perfect storm is here, and listing your home this Fall is a very wise thing to do to capture buyer fury, low interest rates, and top dollar. Based on history & market activity this is as close to a crystal ball as we can get.

If you’re trying to decide when to sell your house, there may not be a better time to list than right now. The ultimate sellers’ market we’re in today won’t last forever. If you’re thinking of making a move, here are four reasons to put your house up for sale sooner rather than later.

1. Your House Will Likely Sell Quickly

According to the Realtors Confidence Index released by the National…

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One of the best parts about working with a REALTOR to buy a home is all the support and resources you can access after you’ve moved into your new home. While this isn’t a standard part of the REALTOR relationship, if you’ve chosen to work with a great agent – one who prioritizes your relationship over the transaction – you’ll have a great go-to resource for all things related to houses/condos/neighborhood/real estate. 

Here are just some of the questions we regularly get asked by our past clients (and are more than happy to answer):

House/Condo Questions

  • Can you recommend a good handyman/plumber/electrician/roofer/drywaller/pest control company/general contractor/floor installer/cleaner/painter/etc.? Your realtor is intimately…

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6 Reasons You Need A Buyer’s Agent When Buying New Construction

Do I need a real estate agent when buying a new home? Inquiring minds want to know.

When you decide to take the leap and buy a new construction – a home you get to customize and be the first to live in – it can seem so easy. You are the one calling the shots, and there is no risk of winding up in a home with a bunch of problems caused by previous owners.

Unfortunately, if you go forward blindly into your home purchase you will not be the first to discover that buying new construction is not as simple, or as trouble free, as you imagined.

There is still a lot that can go wrong, and you can still wind up with a property that is not nearly as perfect as you expected.

One of…

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With home prices continuing to deliver double-digit increases, some are concerned we’re in a housing bubble like the one in 2006. However, a closer look at the market data indicates this is nothing like 2006 for three major reasons.

1. The housing market isn’t driven by risky mortgage loans.

Back in 2006, nearly everyone could qualify for a loan. The Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI) from the Mortgage Bankers’ Association is an indicator of the availability of mortgage money. The higher the index, the easier it is to obtain a mortgage. The MCAI more than doubled from 2004 (378) to 2006 (869). Today, the index stands at 130. As an example of the difference between today and 2006, let’s look at the volume of mortgages that originated when a…

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Home prices have increased significantly over the last year, which in turn has grown the net worth of homeowners. Appreciation and home equity are directly linked – as the value of a home increases, so does a homeowner’s equity. And with these recent gains, homeowners are witnessing their financial stability and well-being grow to record levels. 

In more good news for homeowners, the most recent Home Price Expectations Survey – a survey of a national panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists – forecasts home prices will continue appreciating over the next five years, adding to the record amount of equity homeowners have already gained over the past year. Below are the expected year-over-year…

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It's the age-old question when thinking about selling your home: Should we renovate before we sell or just try to sell it now? The answer is always dependent on the times. That is why it is always best to discuss it with your Realtor first. We are trained in knowing what the market is calling for. We can also eyeball quickly what needs a small facelift and what is best to leave for the next owner. We would hate for you to go through a costly renovation when the market doesn't call for it. While this original article was written in March 2021, it still remains accurate & very true. 

 

When thinking about selling, homeowners often feel they need to get their house ready with some remodeling to make it more appealing to buyers. However, with so…

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Ask the next ten real estate agents you meet to tell you the biggest reason why a deal falls through. The odds are every single one will say it’s because of financing, usually because of a low appraisal.

But the fact is, a low appraisal can be good (and bad) for a buyer and there are ways to salvage the transaction and get the property you want. 

In this article, we’ll explain the biggest reasons for a low appraisal, how to get the appraisal that matches the purchase price, and what to do if your home appraisal comes in low.

What is an Appraisal?

One of the common contingencies in a real estate purchase contract is that the property must appraise for the purchase price. A home appraisal is a report provided by a licensed professional that…

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Many people are sitting on the fence trying to decide if now’s the time to buy a home. Some are renters who have a strong desire to become homeowners but are unsure if buying right now makes sense. Others may be homeowners who are realizing that their current home no longer fits their changing needs.

To determine if they should buy now or wait another year, they both need to ask two simple questions:

  1. Do I think home values will be higher a year from now?
  2. Do I think mortgage rates will be higher a year from now?

Let’s shed some light on the answers to these questions.

Where will home prices be a year from now?

If you average the most recent projections from the major industry forecasters, the expectation is home prices will…

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An escalation clause is language inserted into a purchase offer for a home that's intended to make sure a buyer is the highest bidder. It's typically used when a buyer and their real estate agent strongly believe a house will receive multiple offers.

An escalation clause states that the buyer will pay a certain amount of money above the highest offer the seller receives. It generally includes a ceiling cap to make sure the buyer doesn't agree to pay more money than they can afford.

 

Learn more about escalation clauses and how they work.

What Is an Escalation Clause? 

An escalation clause improves the odds that a home buyer will submit the highest offer. It typically includes three parts:

  • Proof of an offer: Sellers can only use the…

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A real estate transaction can be an emotional roller coaster, especially for first-time buyers. A home is not an everyday purchase—you’re buying your future, the place where your kids will grow up and a lifetime of memories will be made. And a house has a much higher price tag than anything else you’ve ever bought. That alone can be scary. The money and emotions make up a big cocktail of stress. A study commissioned by homes.com shows that first-time buyers find the process overwhelming;   

  • 1 in 3 buyers cried during the process. 
  • 2 in 4 experienced anxiety. 
  • 44% of buyers felt nervous throughout the process. 
  • The average buyer had four arguments. 
  • 2 in 5 described buying their first home as “the most stressful event in modern life.”
…

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