Our monthly newsletter article.

Amid the hustle and bustle of beach life on Hilton Head Island and the daily grind of Bluffton, sometimes we just need to escape! There's nothing better than a day trip to Charleston, SC exploring hidden alleys, gorgeous flower-box lined streets, and hidden historical hideaways. Grab your walking shoes and lose yourself in all there is to explore. Leave the guidebooks at home. Close your eyes and imagine a bygone era. The best way to see Historic Charleston is on foot and to weave in and out of cobblestone streets and hidden pathways. Don't forget to ask locals where their favorite spots are. You will be surprised by what you find!

This spring, drink up the heady smell of new blooms as everything starts to come alive in Charleston. It is the perfect…

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With real estate being so busy these days, we know that you are looking for Best of the Best when it comes to Realtors in the Lowcountry. We're sure you know a lot of Realtors and some you like and some you don't. Being the best is important to our team, and working hard for our customers with strong integrity means even more. We have high expectations and treat each of you the way we would like to be treated. Trust is #1 in our book, and we do not take this lightly in anything we do. We know how to get the job done and take pride in paying attention to the details. Let us show you what it means to work with Realtors that care about building and growing relationships. Reading this article by Million Dollar New York's Ryan Serhant, had us thinking...maybe…

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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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The market is tight as inventory is low, and there are many buyers circling to get into the game. Right now it's fair to say that we are knee deep a “Seller’s Market” in the South Carolina Lowcountry and that one needs to be very savvy in order to have their offer accepted. 

There is an art to writing an offer and having a strong, knowledgeable Realtor makes all the difference. Coming in aggressively and locking down a property before multiple offers are presented usually lands you the best opportunity and the desired home. Dancing around the obvious might cause a purchaser to end up with their disappointing second choice. 

  • Go in knowing your bottomline and where you are comfortable walking away from the transaction without any regrets. Don’t…

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Live the Bug Free Life!

So you want to add a screened-in porch to your property to have a light-filled, breezy, bug-free place to relax? Join the club! But before you launch into construction, you'll of course have to consider how much the renovation will cost. According to 2020 research by Improvenet, "a wrap-around porch that contains windows and screens can run up to a maximum of $30,000." But this is if you're starting completely from scratch, without an existing porch. The good news: There are a few tricks of the trade that will help keep spending down (or up, if you're looking to make yours large and luxe), and the price tag can be well worth it from an investment standpoint.

Here are three things that will hugely impact the final cost of your…

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What Is a 1031 Exchange and Why Is It Important?

A “1031 exchange” is the nickname used to discuss Section 1031 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service’s tax code. This section states that if an individual exchanges one investment property for another via a 1031 exchange, they may be able to defer capital gains (or losses) that they would otherwise have to pay at time of sale.

Section 1031 applies to “property” beyond real estate, but many 1031 cases deal with buildings and land. We’ll only discuss 1031s in relation to real estate.

WHY IS A 1031 EXCHANGE IMPORTANT?

So why is a 1031 exchange important? It allows real estate investors to defer paying capital gains and potentially build wealth through real estate investing.

Think about it…

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When it’s time to sell your home, will you be the one who puts up the For Sale sign? The idea of putting up a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) sign will probably be a consideration with the hope of avoiding the majority of the 6–10% selling costs that come with having a real estate agent list your home.

With an FSBO, prepare to take on all of the duties and liabilities that you otherwise would be paying an agent to assume. You will have to find access to comps to accurately price your home, and you will need to be aware of the legal aspects of a home sale. Be sure to check your state’s laws for selling your home and determine if there are any regulations you must additionally comply with as a FSBO. Any omissions may be costly and litigious.

If you are an…

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How to Price Your Stuff so It Sells

Pricing your merchandise right is crucial when you're having a yard sale. If you set the prices too high, your stuff won't sell. If your prices are too low, you lose money you could have made. To make the process a little easier, here are a few dos and don'ts of garage sale pricing.

10 Yard Sale Pricing Dos 

    • Price everything before the sale starts.
    • Price each item individually. The only exceptions are groups of like items that are all priced the same, such as books. Place all of these on a table together. Make a simple sign with big lettering that says "Books $1 each" or whatever price you've set. Hang the sign on the front of the table or on the wall behind it.
    • Use a fine-point marker to write…

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When inventory is low and eager buyers are driving prices up, how can a seller best strategize for a successful home sale--and avoid pitfalls?

Real estate sellers might think that a “hot” market means fast, easy money for their home. After all, a hot market means low inventory combined with lots of buyers looking for the perfect place. In many instances, a hot market does indeed mean a faster sale at or above asking price. However, there are some pitfalls that a house seller in a hot market needs to be aware of before watching the money roll in.

Get Your Home and Property Ready to Show

One of the “lucky” aspects of a hot market is that outdated or quirky homes sell more quickly than they otherwise would. As buyers become more and more…

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Remodeling Homes Around Pets

When it comes time to remodel or make home improvements, some pet owners go to extremes to provide a pampered environment for their pets. From building in-the-wall cat tunnels to designing outdoor dog runs, homeowners with pets drop big bucks on remodels that they hope their pets will enjoy.

 According to The Humane Society, almost four out of every 10 households in the U. S. own at least one dog, and about the same number own cats. HSUS says there are 73 million dogs and 90 million cats living in American homes.

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates higher numbers of pet ownership than HSUS. The APPMA says six out of 10 households have a pet and pet owners spend more than $40 billion a…

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