For the first time since February 2007 (five years!), the listing inventory for single family detached homes in Goose Creek, South Carolina has dipped below 300 units.
This is a positive sign for the market, since supply and demand drive sales and value. If demand for housing stays the same – and it has year-over-year (see chart, below) – we should start to see home prices firm up and then rise. Read the rest of this entry »
The Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS@ (CTAR) announced this week Stephanie Davis of Carolina One Real Estate will be honored as one of its REALTORS® of Distinction for 2011 at its awards luncheon on February 23.
The REALTORS® of Distinction award recognizes Charleston REALTORS® who have achieved the top 10% in sales production, met additional continuing education requirements, and adhered to CTAR’s strict code of ethics.
Her 2011 sales production puts Davis in the President’s Circle category, which means she closed $5,800,000 – $7,999,999 in volume and/or 20-29 units (sides).
The Post & Courier will publish the full list of 2011 REALTORS® of Distinction in late February.
It’s snowing here at wordpress.com. It’s probably the most snow I’ll see all winter. In South Carolina we rarely see snowflakes, and when we do it almost never sticks to the ground. In the six years I’ve lived here in Charleston we’ve had one snowfall that was measurable. There was a snowman in every yard that morning.
Vickery's
Even without the snow, Christmas is a magical time of year here. It’s warm so people are out and about, enjoying the weather and their time off. These are some of my favorite things about Christmas in Charleston.
James Island County Park offers one of the best light displays in the country, called the Holiday Festival of Lights. They have a 3-mile loop set up with thousands of lights in the form of everything from a candle stick to replicas of the old and new bridge over the Cooper River. Cars line up and crawl bumper-to-bumper through the park to enjoy the lights, the music, the activities, shops, and a visit with Santa.
Speaking of lights, it seems like there are more houses with lights on here than anywhere else I’ve lived. The restaurants and businesses around town hang lights as well. There’s something special about a palm tree and Christmas lights. Last night we enjoyed the lights and palm trees on the deck at Vickery’s on Shem Creek. Read the rest of this entry »
In years past, when a family decided to buy a house, men would hope to find a house with a shed or workshop in the backyard where they could escape the house to get some time alone. If they ended up with a house that didn’t have one, many men would build one to suit them.
Over time, men started taking over the garage. If the garage was big enough, they would build a workbench inside it, turn it into a weight room, set up a pool table, and/or display their trophies and deer heads there. Women would “let” their husbands have the garage; the house was their domain.
When the boys who grew up playing video games became men, they started looking to claim a space inside the home. Many grew up playing their games in a bonus room, or Finished Room Over the Garage (called FROG in the South), naturally they started looking for FROGs in the homes they were buying. They would refer to this room as the “man cave,” with visions of comfort and solitude dancing in their heads.
Today those men have kids who also play video games, and systems like Wii and PlayStation Kinect have reunited the family. Now that families are enjoying indoor recreation together, FROGs with their sloping ceilings are not always big enough to accommodate the equipment or the number of family members and friends using the room. Solution: the Media Room. Read the rest of this entry »
There’s a reason Crowfield Plantation is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the greater Charleston metro area. Aside from its natural beauty made up of luscious trees, rolling hills, picturesque lake and award-winning golf course, its convenient location to I-26, and easy drive to downtown and Summerville, Crowfield is home to nearly all of Goose Creek’s luxury real estate… and don’t we all love luxury?
In Goose Creek, “luxury” is a relative term, but for this post we’ll define it as homes priced over $500,000. Two homes have sold in Goose Creek above $500,000 since 2007: 134 Welchman in 2009 for $519,900 at $131/s.f., and 103 Meridian in April of this year for $585,000 at $125/s.f.
Let’s take a look at the three Goose Creek luxury homes looking for new owners right now. Read the rest of this entry »
My husband and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas last week to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. We haven’t taken very many vacations since we’ve been together and neither of us had ever been on a cruise before so I think it’s safe to say this was a monumental occasion.
We set sail from Charleston aboard the Carnival Fantasy on June 4. After seven days touring islands and relaxing at sea, we returned to the beautiful Charleston harbor. While I was sad to see our trip come to an end, I have to say it was a wonderful feeling to walk through the front door of our home less than 60 minutes after getting off the ship.
How many people can say they live in a city where that’s possible?
To book your next cruise call Grace Wincklhofer at 843-821-6862 or contact her by e-mail: cruisingwithgrace@juno.com.
Stephanie Davis (yours truly), a REALTOR® with Carolina One Real Estate, has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representation (ABR®) designation by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR).
The ABR® designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate professionals who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.
It’s such a blessing to help others achieve their dreams of home ownership. Thank you to my friends and family – many of whom are also my clients – for helping me grow and thrive in a very challenging career field. Today marks the first day of my 5th year in real estate, and I wouldn’t be here without you.
Please visit the REBAC Web site for more information about the ABR designation for REALTORS®.
TJ's Beef & Brew in Goose Creek, SC
In this down economy, Goose Creek, South Carolina, has continued to grow and thrive. Since I moved here five years ago several businesses have opened up and expanded here, including Lowe’s, Chik-fil-a, Southcoast Bank, and East Shore Athletic Club. This month we’ve added the local flavor of TJ’s Beef & Brew to our ever-expanding roster of places to eat, shop, and experience.
I’m always eager to support local businesses and try new things, so last week I met a friend at TJ’s to see what they had to offer. We felt welcome right away as we walked in through propped open doors and were met by a friendly gal ready to seat us. Inside, the décor was clean with a long bar that started at the door and extended the length of the space; dark green paint on the walls with black booths; couches gathered around a fireplace; and nearly a dozen flat screen TVs hanging on the walls. Read the rest of this entry »
Wal-Mart: 4.5 miles one-way
One thing I always wanted was an active lifestyle. Tennis, boating, biking, hiking, didn’t matter, I just wanted enough time in my day/week/month to fit it in. For the last three years or so I’ve been running about three times a week. However, about a month ago severe knee pain caused me to trade running for biking.
Biking Goose Creek has given me a whole new appreciation for this great city. I love that I can get from one end of it to the other on my bike. Already I’ve discovered and become intimate with the many trails in Goose Creek – trails I’ve known about for years but never experienced because they weren’t right by my house. Read the rest of this entry »
Many home sales and closings were in jeopardy this week after the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) ended last Friday.
NFIP provides flood insurance to homeowners in participating communities in flood-prone areas, who could not otherwise obtain coverage due to cost or ineligibility. Without insurance provided through NFIP, property owners in federally designated areas across +10,000 communities nationwide could not obtain mortgages (realtor.org). Read the rest of this entry »
