Charleston Real Estate

10 Quick Ways to Upgrade Your Home

2007-09-04T09:57:00.000-05:00

10 quick ways to upgrade your home

By Bankrate.com
Many people see huge dollar signs flash like neon lights whenever they hear the words "home improvement," but there are many things you can do to spiff up the old place without spending a fortune.
Upgrades
Here are 10 low-cost ideas that can pay high dividends to get you started:

10 cheap ways to upgrade your home
1.
Make your kitchen cook.
2.
Give appliances a face-lift.
3.
Buff up the bath.
4.
Paint works wonders.
5.
Step up storage.
6.
Mind the mechanics.
7.
Look under foot.
8.
Let there be light.
9.
Reframe your entry.
10.
Consider curb appeal.
1. Make your kitchen really cook. The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones. If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. Rather than spring for a whole new cabinet system, which can be expensive, look into refacing the ones you have. Many companies will remove cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes and then add brand-new doors and drawers at price considerably less than new cabinets. Unless the cabinets are mica, a fresh coat of paint can also do the trick.
2. Give appliances a face-lift. If your kitchen appliances don't match, try ordering new doors or face panels from the manufacturer. Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other. It can be as simple as removing a couple of screws, sliding the panel out and flipping it over.
3. Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. Simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference. You can replace an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl -- often applied right over the old floor. If your tub and shower look dingy, consider regrouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but still can be cheaper than paying to retile walls and refinish a worn tub.
4. Paint.New paint makes everything look clean and bright again. And don't forget the ceiling. Paint the trim a contrasting color. Another option: Paint a wall three different shades of the same color. Measure equal sections and use painter's masking tape to mark off each area. Do the bottom of the wall first with the darkest shade. Once it dries, do the middle section with the next lightest shade and so on.
5. Step up your storage. Old houses, particularly, are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, add do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets. Firms such as ClosetMaid allow you to measure and redesign your closets online. You can also get design details and parts for these systems at many large home-improvement stores. Most closets can be updated in a weekend or less. In the end, your closets will be more functional while you're living in the house and will make your home look more customized to potential buyers when you're ready to sell.
6. Mind the mechanics. Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder in Hopkinton, Mass., advocates spending a few bucks on nitty-gritty stuff. "It's often very worthwhile to hire an electrician and plumber for a couple of hours to look over your electrical services, wrap or fix loose wires, fix any faulty outlets, and check for and fix any water leaks," Perry says. "Those details tell a buyer that someone has really taken care of the home and can really influence its price."
7. Look under foot. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look cleaner. A professional carpet cleaning is an inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are in good shape and are neutral colors. If your carpet is showing serious wear, cover it with inexpensive, strategically placed area rugs. Most real estate agents don't suggest replacing wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house unless it is truly hideous. The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting.
8. Let there be light.If you have boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms, consider replacing one of the room's lights with an eye-catching chandelier. Home stores offer a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures. Add accent lighting, instead of sticking with the two ordinary lamps that flank both ends of the sofa. Spotlights that plug into existing outlets can direct light to features you want to emphasize, like art or plants. If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.
9. Reframe your entry. It's the first thing you, and your guests, will see. Repaint or refinish that front door and if you have a basic steel front door that has gotten dented, consider replacing it with either another inexpensive steel door or a fiberglass, wood grain door for slightly higher cost. Next, replace that worn, flimsy little knob on your main entry door with a more substantial-looking handle-and-lock set. A nice, big piece of hardware signals newcomers that this is a solid home. Then, place two large planters on either side of the front door, with a profusion of healthy plants spilling out. Look for foliage colors and blooms that complement each other. Go for different heights and textures, mix perennials and annuals, blooming and no blooming varieties. If you want to add another touch, tie it in to the front door with a coordinating wreath.
10. Consider curb appeal. Although it sounds obvious, a nicely mowed lawn, a few well-placed shrubs and a swept walkway makes a great first impression. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. What buyers see when they first drive by your home is tremendously important. No matter how nice it is inside, they may never come back. If you don't have a green thumb, consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup. These kinds of changes can instantly change people's perception of your home and, therefore, increase its value and your neighbors will love you for it, too.
To find out your homes value before and after--- go to: http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com/Charleston_SC_home_sales.shtml

What is a buyers market?

2007-08-29T12:09:00.000-05:00

No matter what town you are living in or where you want to move, the home buying and selling market will be swinging toward one of two directions. Either it will be in a buyers' market or a sellers' market, or sometimes, a little of both.
Most real estate practitioners consider a typical market to be one in which homes take an average of six months to sell. REALTORS® keep track of this number by keeping up with the days on the market (DOM) of every home listed and sold. That means that in the MLS, there are likely to be at least six months worth of inventory (homes) on hand to sell for the number of buyers in the market. If the number rises above six months inventory on hand, then the market is swinging into a buyer's market. If it falls below, it is becoming a sellers market. A buyer's market is one in which there are too many homes on the market for the number of buyers. Homes take longer to sell and prices fall.
Sometimes buyers believe that winter time is a buyers' market. Although it is true that there are fewer buyers, there are usually a compensating fewer homes on the market as well. Homes offered for sale during slower times of the year are generally aggressively marketed, and may not sell for a significantly lower price than they would if they were marketed in a busier period.
In the spring, a seasonal adjustment occurs, and more homes come on the market. Buyer activity picks up as families with children (still the single largest buyer demographic) buy homes so they can move during summer vacation. A buyers' market can easily exist in the spring, if conditions dictate - that there are more homes than buyers, falling prices, and longer DOMs.
Sometimes a buyers' market can be created that lasts for a long time. The exit of one or more major employers from a community, a natural disaster such as a flood or earthquake, or some other catastrophic event can affect home values in an area for years.
Seasonal or not, any time there are more than six months' inventory on hand, there is a glut of homes on the market. Whenever there is a surplus of homes, and prices begin to drop, sellers will work harder to attract buyers, including adding incentives such as owner-financing or a large "redecorating allowance."
As homes become more competitive, buyers realize that their interest is at a premium and they will increase their demands to sellers. Those nice chandeliers that normally would not be included in the purchase price of the home, now become a bargaining chip for the buyer. The buyer may ask the seller to provide a home warranty at the seller's expense, or for the seller to pay more of the closing costs than usual out of the settlement proceeds, or any number of other contingencies.
People who have occupied their homes for many years may be able to sell their homes at a profit in a buyer's market because they have built equity, but they will find that if they have performed little or no improvements the home will compare even more poorly with the glut of homes on the market and it will command bottom dollar.
Sellers who are in a must-sell position may take little or no profit from the sale of their homes, or may even be forced to take a loss. The homeowners who are most hurt by a buyer's market are those with little or no equity built into the home. If they are forced to sell, they may have to come to the closing table with cash to pay their mortgage off or allow the home to be repossessed by the lender.
The one certainty that can always be counted upon is that one side of the market will never stay on top forever. In fact, it can turn on a dime. The same area that remains depressed for a period of time can make a comeback as lower prices stimulate reinvestment.

The local market now--- Prudential Carolina Real Estate

2007-08-21T12:43:00.000-05:00

To our friends and neighbors,
Recent changes in the real estate market have made local and national headlines for well over a
year now. As we do from time to time, we wanted to share with you our perspective about what’s
happening locally and how it might impact you if you’re a buyer or a seller in today’s market.
The “seller’s market” of two years ago, with few homes for sale, rapid appreciation, decreasing
affordability and high buyer frustration, has been replaced with the “buyer’s market” of today. Although
there is strong buyer activity, with a record breaking 11,000 homes for sale, there is simply too much
inventory for all of it to be absorbed. The market will settle somewhere in the middle with a healthy
balance between buyers and sellers. This adjustment feels unsettling but is necessary and will insure the
long term health of real estate.
What does that mean to you if you’re active in today’s Charleston real estate market?
If you’re a seller, you may find that you have more competition than in the past. You need to
work with your real estate professional to understand your specific market area and the homes that you
are competing against. Most importantly, you need to price your property competitively so that your
home is one that buyers will want to see. Be assured, if you are motivated and have a need to sell, you
can be successful.
If you’re a buyer, today is the best opportunity we have seen in recent history. Interest rates are
low and there are many homes to choose from. Real estate is a sound long term investment and
mortgage interest and property taxes are often tax deductible. If you’re thinking about buying your first
home or moving up to another home, don’t miss this opportunity.
At Prudential Carolina Real Estate we are optimistic and confident about the future of real estate
in Charleston. All of the key factors that contribute to a healthy real estate market are in place. Interest
rates and unemployment are predicted to remain low, demographics are strong and our local economy
continues to grow, driven by the many reasons that make Metro Charleston such a desirable place to
live.
For updates on the latest market statistics visit our website at www.prudenitalcarolina.com. If
you need guidance about your real estate needs, or if you just want more information, please contact a
Prudential Carolina Real Estate sales associate. It would be our privilege to help.
Grange Cuthbert Patty Scarafile Michael O’Shaughnessy
Vice Chairman CEO and President Chairman

Thinking of Buying a home?

2007-05-02T07:35:00.000-05:00

Thinking of buying a home? The first step is to speak with a lender. At Prudential Carolina Real Estate we have an in house lender that is fabulous. Go to http://www.homemortgagechoices.com/
to apply! Then go to http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com./Charleston_SC_homes_for_sale.shtml
to search the MLS live!

Tips for flipping!

2007-04-24T08:16:00.000-05:00

Flipping houses has become very popular and has sparked a number of television shows that gloss over the small details of what it takes to flip a house and maximize profits. If you aren’t willing to get a little dirty and invest your own time and sweat, be prepared to lose a significant chunk of profit to contractors. The more you take on yourself, the more profit potential. This article will give you a tip or two to save a buck and the basic contents of a house flipper’s essentials first day toolkit. Baths and KitchensTwo of the most important areas that can make or break the sale of a house are the kitchen and the baths. These can also be areas where fixture replacement can be expensive. However, just because fixtures look bad, doesn’t mean they must be replaced. Sometimes good solid cleaning strategies and a bit of elbow grease can make a fixture look renewed. Baking soda and bleach are two components of the house flipper’s essentials kit. Baking soda is a low abrasive cleanser that can be rubbed into surfaces with a wet sponge and used like popular name brand cleansers. It works very well on stainless steel sinks, as well as on porcelain. It has the added benefit of being a deodorizer, so when you rinse it down tub and sink drains, it can eliminate drain odors, especially if a property has been sitting unused. It is also biodegradable. Bleach is an old stand by for getting out stains and sanitizing. Pour some in that ugly toilet bowl and let it sit for a few hours, then use a toilet brush to clean the bowl. You may have to do this more than once. Remember that bleach will remove color from things it comes into contact with, so be careful not to spill or drip it on non-colorfast surfaces. Both these cleaners can help to remove stains and grime from laminate and cultured marble counter and sink tops. Test laminate for color fastness in a hidden area, before using bleach. I found a great product for removing cigarette burn marks and some other stains from cultured marble sink tops. It comes in a kit along with excellent instructions and two freebies—instructions for removing surface scratches on porcelain and a handy little book that gives “recipes” and instructions for inexpensive cleaning products. This product is called the Burn Buster Kit and the URL is in the Additional Resources. Well worth the investment.
After you have cleaned your tubs and sinks, before you do any finish repair or installation of new fixtures, strip out any old caulk that is discolored or stained and replace. They make a tool for this, but I have found a utility knife and a straight edge razor blade in a holder does a better job. Do not use painter’s caulk for wet areas, it will mildew. I recommend GE Silicone II, a Home Depot item. To give your caulk a professional looking finish, squeeze the caulk along the seam, then use the Homax caulk finishing tool to remove excess caulk (available at Home Depot for about a dollar). Wipe excess caulk from finishing tool frequently with facial or toilet tissue. Finish by gently wiping the caulk with a smooth damp rag. If you plan to keep flipping, invest in a hand held steam cleaner. It gets into corners, cleans tile and grout, toilets, sinks, refrigerators, stoves, just about anything that won’t melt. Steam is also a super disinfectant. Because the steam loosens dirt, it may be as easy as wiping to clean. Now that your fixtures and counter tops are all clean and looking good, just add some updated faucets, spouts and handles—and of course a new toilet seat—voila, looking good. CabinetsWhite kitchens are very fashionable, while that old dark wood is out of style. You don’t have to replace all those cabinets—big bucks. Take off the doors and hardware. Clean and then lightly sand the doors and the cabinet frames. Give them a coat of white primer, then a coat of good white semi gloss paint. Replace the old hinges and handles with updated versions and you have potentially saved yourself thousands of dollars and created a clean look. This process works for bathroom sink cabinets as well. Use white or use a color that compliments the wall color. Use masking tape to mark the doors so you know where they go back and put all your hardware (screws, hinges, handles) in zip lock bags, if you plan to reuse, so they don’t get lost. A product like Greased Lightening will remove grease from kitchen hardware, but remember to clean them immediately, don’t let them soak or they may rust. OdorsA great product for eliminating odors in closets, cabinets, carpets and an assortment of other places is OdoBan. It works well on pet odors too. You can buy this at Sam’s Club (membership is well worth the dollars) or through Home Depot Supply (they can probably special order it for you at any Home Depot store, item #115500). It comes in a gallon jug and you can mix it to any strength needed. Instructions are on the label. Always keep a spray bottle of this around. Cracks and Gaps
Keep a few tubes of painter’s caulk and a caulking gun in your first day kit. Use painter’s caulk to fill small cracks at wall corners or where ceilings and walls meet. It is also good to fill gaps where molding is not fitting tight against walls, where countertop is gaping from the wall or as a quick fill for nail holes when you don’t have any spackle. Be sure to smooth the surface. The best way to do this is with a soft wet cloth. Once you paint over your caulk repair, it becomes invisible and gives your paint job a nice finished look. Spackle (wall board mud) is the standard for drywall repairs. If you are inexperienced with spackle, you may want to opt for one of the new lightweight quick dry spackles such as Patch N Paint. It dries faster than regular spackle, it is easier for a novice to apply and it works well for small holes. Home Depot has it in a kit. Holes in WallsHow many times have you seen a door handle put a hole in wallboard? You can put caulking tape and caulk over the hole and spend a lot of time trying to “feather” the edges of the repair so that it doesn’t appear as a bump. Or, you can purchase a wall protector circle. It sticks to the wall, covers the hole, can be painted the same color as the wall and prevents another occurrence. It is available from Home Depot Supply in different colors and sizes (item #807835) and probably can be found in hardware stores. If the hole is in the wall where the above solution is not an option, try this. Take a piece of lightweight cardboard (top of a nail box, back of a telephone book, business card, etc.), punch a hole in the middle and insert a piece of string or twine (a twisty tie will do in a pinch). On the backside of the cardboard, tie a small finish nail, piece of wire or a hair pin to the string and arrange it so that you can pull it tight against the cardboard, but not back through the hole. A piece of tape can help secure it. Fold, but don’t crease the cardboard and tuck it into the wall hole. You want the piece of cardboard to open inside the wall. Once it is open, pull the string to hold the cardboard against the back of the hole. Now put some regular spackle in the hole. Don’t try to fill the hole all at once. Put in enough spackle to cover the cardboard and hold it in place. Once this dries, cut the string, add more spackle and continue the process until the hole is filled. Then, sand and paint. Reviving WoodFor wood you don’t intend to paint, an easy revival technique is to rub the wood with Tung oil (a hardware or home improvement store item) using a clean, dry, lint free rag such as T-shirt material. The Tung oil moisturizes the wood and gives it a bit of sheen. StovesThere is nothing like good old Easy Off to clean the inside of a dirty oven, unless you have a steam cleaner. Those little chrome colored drip pans beneath the burners can be purchased as replacement sets for under $15.00 at a home improvement store or an appliance parts store. Replacement is recommended for these because they rarely clean up to a sparkle. Knobs can also be replaced. Take a sample with you to the appliance parts store or find the model and serial number on the stove and call the appliance parts store to find a match. Mirrors

Mirrors over sinks tend to de-silver around the edges. There three potential solutions for this, if you don’t want to replace them. They are given to you here in order with most recommended first. 1. Take the mirror down and have a glass and mirror store cut it smaller to eliminate the de-silvered areas. 2. Purchase mirror edges from Home Depot Supply. They have a kit containing everything you need (item #900423). The kit contains mirror edges that are glued to the exiting mirror, giving it a three dimensional effect. 3. Buy some wallpaper border and glue it to the mirror edges to cover the de-silvering—make sure you miter cut the corners to give it a good finish and that the pattern chosen compliments or enhances the colors in the room. Minimize Repair Clean UpTo minimize repair clean up, find a sturdy box about the size of a large microwave. An empty copy paper box is good too. Take this box with you from room to room as you are making repairs or installing fixtures. Put all your trash, nails, broken bits of drywall or glass, empty containers, etc. in this box. Trash bags are not as good as a box for throw aways that have sharp edges because they can puncture the bag and the box is safer for you when dealing with sharp edges. All your trash is in one place and you have one box to carry out. By having all the trash in one place, you can quickly remove it if a potential buyer shows up early to have a look. House Flipper’s Essentials ToolkitThe items listed below will give you a big jump on getting your flip pointed in the right direction. Once things are clean, it is easier to see what needs replacement or repair. Trash box, paper towels, cleaning rags (such as old T-shirts), trash bags, broom, dust pan, cleaning bucket, toilet and scrub brushes, old toothbrush (for hard to reach corners and tight spaces such as around faucets and knobs), sponges, Zip Lock bags (for small parts, screws or parts you need to take away for matching), permanent marker for labeling, pencil and notepad (to write down to dos and things you find you need), baking soda, bleach, glass cleaner (or one of the cleaning formula recipes from the Burn Buster Kit’s Good Old Fashioned Cleaning booklet), drain cleaner, plunger, phillips and flat head screw drivers, a pair of pliers and/or channel locks, painter’s caulk, caulking gun, spackle, spackle mud knife, dust mask, safety goggles, light bulbs. Make sure the water and electric are on, otherwise take your own water and go in the daytime (take a flashlight too). You should be present when utilities are turned on, especially water and gas. If the water gets turned on when no one is around and there is a leak that you don’t know about, the price of your flip could go up dramatically due to water damage—and a gas leak would not be pretty!

Hardwood Floors

2007-04-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

Well, there's something that I would like to say! I love wood flooring! And there's a lot of flooring to admire out there. You'll find lots of choices with both hardwood, and engineered flooring.
To help avoid any confusion, let me help you with few definitions. Now hardwood floors are just that- Hardwood. Solid wood floors come in planks, strips, or parquet.
Another choice you'll need to make is whether your solid wood flooring is finished, or unfinished. Now unfinished means, you'll need to sand and seal. I gotta tell you: this is an easy choice for me. A pre-finished floor will cost about a dollar per foot more than an unfinished.
The difference will seem incredibly insignificant after you've been on your hands and knees for 48 hours and your back is completely shot.
Hardwood floors they add a lot of beauty and style. Don't be too floored about the cost. They also add substantial value to your home!

10 Cheap Fixes to Boost Your Home's Value

2007-04-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

10 cheap fixes to boost your home's value
Short on cash but ready to renovate? Think new door handles, not new doors, and spiffed-up appliance fronts, not new appliances.

Looking for ways to spruce up your home without putting yourself in the poorhouse? Whether you're getting ready to sell your home or want to spiff it up inexpensively for your own enjoyment, we've got 10 good strategies for you to consider.
The actual cost and payback for each project can vary, depending on both your home's condition and overall real estate market values in your region of the country.
1. Make your kitchen really cook. The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. Potential home buyers make a beeline for this room when they first view a home for sale, so make sure your kitchen looks clean and reasonably updated.
For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.
If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. "Rather than spring for a whole new cabinet system, which can be expensive, look into hiring a refacing company," says serial remodeler Gwen Moran, co-author of "Build Your Own Home on a Shoestring."
"Many companies can remove cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes, then add brand-new doors and drawers. With a fresh coat of paint over the whole set, your cabinets will look like new."
If you're handy, you can order your own replacement cabinet doors and door fronts from retailers like Lowe's Home Improvement or The Home Depot and install them yourself.
2. Give appliances a facelift. If your kitchen appliances don't match, order new doors or face panels for them. When Nicole Persley, a Realtor with Real Estate of Florida, in Boca Raton, was sprucing up her own home to sell, her mix-and-match kitchen bothered her. The room had a white dishwasher, microwave and wall oven mixed with other pieces that were stainless steel with black trim.
When Persley called the dishwasher manufacturer to see about ordering a new, black face panel, the customer service representative clued her in on a big secret: Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other.
"All I had to do was unscrew two screws, slide out the panel and flip it around. Sure enough -- it was black on the other side!"
Persley, who has remodeled numerous homes for resale, says that a more cohesive-looking kitchen makes a big difference in the buyer's mind -- and in the home's resale price.
3. Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. "Even simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference in the look of the bath," says Moran.
Moran also suggests replacing an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl. "You may not even need to take up the old floor. You can install the new floor right over the old one," she says.
If your tub and shower are looking dingy, consider re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.
4. Step up your storage. Old houses, particularly, are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, Realtor Moe Viessi of Miami suggests adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets.
Firms like ClosetMaid allow you to measure and redesign your closets online. You can also get design details and parts for these systems at many large home-improvement stores. Most closets can be updated in a weekend or less.
In the end, your closets will be more functional while you're living in the house and will make your home look more customized to potential buyers when you're ready to sell.
5. Add a room in a week or less. "If you have a three-bedroom house with a den, the only reason the den can't be considered a bedroom may be because it doesn't have a closet," says Persley. "If you add a closet to that room, you've now got a four-bedroom house. That adds a lot of value."
Persley says it's usually possible to add a custom closet system and drywall it in for less than $1,500.
6. Mind the mechanics. Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder in Hopkinton, Mass., advocates spending a few bucks on nitty-gritty stuff. "It's often very worthwhile to hire an electrician and plumber for a couple of hours to look over your electrical services, wrap or fix loose wires, fix any faulty outlets, and check for and fix any water leaks," Perry says. "Those details tell a buyer that someone has really taken care of the home and can really influence its price."
7. Look underfoot. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look cleaner. A professional carpet cleaning is an inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are in good shape and are neutral colors.
If your carpet is showing serious wear, cover it with inexpensive, strategically placed area rugs. Unless it is truly hideous, most Realtors don't suggest replacing wall-to-wall carpeting right before you sell your house. The new homeowners may want to choose their own carpeting after they move in.
8. Let there be light. If you have boring recessed lights in your dining and living rooms, consider replacing one of the room's lights with an eye-catching chandelier. Home stores offer a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures these days. If you have a ceiling fan and light, you can also buy replacement fan blades (leaving the fan body in place) to update the fixture's look.
9. Reframe your entry. Do you have a flimsy little knob on your main entry door? If so, spring for a substantial-looking handle-and-lock set. "A nice, big piece of hardware on the front door signals to newcomers that this is a solid home," says Viessi.
Also, if you're stuck with a basic steel front door, Persley suggests painting or faux-finishing it for more eye appeal. "It's becoming a trend in Florida to add wood-grain doors to a home's entry or garage. The good news, though, is that you can easily paint existing metal doors with stain and paint," she says.
After using a good metal primer, Persley gives the door a base coat of paint (again, be sure to use one approved for use over metal). For a cherry wood look, Persley uses a burgundy base paint. After it dries, she brushes over the base coat with a cherry wood stain. "It really looks amazing, and it only takes a few hours," she says.
10. Consider curb appeal. Although it sounds obvious, a nicely mowed lawn, a few well-placed shrubs and a swept walkway makes a great first impression. "What buyers see when they first drive by your home is tremendously important," says Viessi.
If you don't have a green thumb, consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup. "These kinds of changes can instantly change people's perception of your home and, therefore, increase its value," says Viessi. And hey, your neighbors will love you for it, too.
Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth?
http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com.preview.z57.com/Charleston_SC_home_sales.shtml

Easter

2007-04-06T15:11:00.000-05:00

Today is a quick blog.......

Happy Easter! Have a great holiday weekend!

Check out the link for great things to do in Charleston for your holiday weekend.
http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com.preview.z57.com/custom8.shtml

South Carolina State Laws

2007-04-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

South Carolina Adoption Law: South Carolina permits single GLBT people to adopt. It is unclear whether same-sex couples are allowed to adopt. It is unclear whether a person can adopt his or her same-sex partner’s adopted child.
South Carolina Birth Certificate Law: Gender Identification Issues: South Carolina will not issue new birth certificates, but it will issue cards that can be attached to the old birth certificates indicating change of name and sex.
South Carolina Custody and Visitation Law:Courts typically will not consider a parent’s sexual orientation in custody and visitation determinations unless it is shown to adversely affect or harm the child(ren). There have been no cases dealing with transgender parents or same-sex co-parents.
South Carolina Donor Insemination Law: There is no provision on donor insemination in South Carolina state law.
South Carolina Hate Crimes Law: This state has no hate crimes law.
South Carolina Marriage/Relationship Recognition Law: South Carolina law and the state constitution both purport to ban recognition of marriages between same-sex couples. There are no other forms of relationship recognition for same-sex couples in state law or policies.
South Carolina Non-Discrimination Law: South Carolina law does not address discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
South Carolina School Law: South Carolina law does not address school issues relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.
South Carolina Sodomy Law:The South Carolina sodomy law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, 2003, as a result of the Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas.
South Carolina Surrogacy Law:South Carolina state law is unclear on surrogacy.

Visit the link for information on how to protect yourself when purchasing a home as a couple.
http://www.gaycharlestonrealestate.com/custom4.shtml

Market is good in Charleston!

2007-03-30T15:55:00.001-05:00

It's a great time to buy in the Charleston Area! The interest rates are still low and builders are offering incentives on standing inventory. The market slow down in other areas has created a mild buyers market in the Charleston Tri-county area. We are still seeing steady population growth and a solid job market increase with new industries moving in. Our market is somewhat affected with potential buyers having longer delays in selling their existing home in other states. Ready, willing and able buyers now have a better inventoy to select from. We simply have more builders, more homes and increased competition between the builders with incentives and price adjustments in some areas. We also have a few more resale homes in the inventory.

How Do You Choose a Color Palette?

2007-03-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

How Do You Choose A Color Palette?
1. Start with the formal areas of the house: The living room, dining room and entry hall. Choose a color palette for those areas first, then pull one color from those areas. For example, take the red sofa and tone it down (say to burgundy) for your palette in more private spaces such as the den, office or bedroom.
2. Choose colors from the largest pattern in the space: If you’ve got patterned upholstery, an oriental rug or large piece of artwork, "pull" a color from the pattern. If you’re looking for a neutral paint color for the walls, look for the beiges and whites in the pattern.
3. Throw open your closet and study the color of your clothes: Most people buy clothes in colors they like to wear and think they look good in. Similarly, you should decorate your rooms in colors you look good in. If you don’t wear yellow, don’t get a yellow sofa.
4. Decorate your space from dark to light vertically: A real "cookbook" way to make any space look good without much risk, McCauley says, is to use darker color values for the floor, medium color values for the walls, and light values for the ceiling. "Any interior space replicates the outside world. The exterior environment is generally darker below our feet (the earth itself), medium valued as you look straight ahead (buildings/trees) and lighter values skyward."
5. Use the color wheel: In general, analogous color schemes—those that use colors next to each other on the color wheel, such as blue and green—are more casual and relaxing and work best in informal or private spaces. This is a good strategy for a bedroom, where you want to rest and recover. Complementary colors—those opposite each other on the wheel, such as red and green—provide more definition and tend to make rooms more formal and exciting. This is a good plan for areas where you plan on entertaining.

6. Use the rule of 60-30-10: "When decorating a space, divide the colors in the space into components of 60 percent of a dominant color, 30 percent of a secondary color and 10 percent of an accent color," says HGTV. The walls will most likely be the majority, the upholstery would represent the secondary color and accessories such as a floral arrangement or throw pillows would make up the rest. "Works every time!" "The colors are properly balanced and there is a shot of color (the 10 percent color) for interest."
7. Go with the architecture: If you have a small room in your house, don’t paint it white to make it seem bigger. Instead go with the architecture and paint it a rich, warm color to make it cozier. 8. Let your big rooms expand with light, let your small rooms wrap you up and nurture you.
9. Follow your own personal style: If you decorate honestly, other people will appreciate it because it’s you, even if they’d never decorate their own house in the same way. That means that if you want to make every room in your house red, white and blue, go for it. You can make any color look good as long as it’s your taste.
10. Whatever color scheme you choose, HGTV advises to put something black in every room. A black lampshade, a black box on the coffee table, a black picture frame. "The black clarifies all the rest of the colors in the room."

Would You Buy It at this Price?

2007-03-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

Would You Buy It at this Price?

If you ask too much for your home when placing it on the market, you should ask yourself if you would pay this price yourself. The honest answer is usually "no." Yet, many homeowners overprice their property and then expect their Realtor to work a miracle and sell the home at the inflated price. Why do people price their homes too high?
*THEY COULD ALWAYS MAKE AN OFFER - This often quoted remark is a fallacy. Buyers don't make offers on homes they don't visit and they won't visit homes that are obviously overpriced.
*WE CAN ALWAYS REDUCE OUR PRICE LATER - The longer a home remains on the market, the less it sells for. Once a property gets market weary, buyers and Realtors begin to suspect there is something wrong with the house. The best time to price it correctly is at the outset. It will make a strong first impression and the word will get around that somebody had better buy it quickly before it is sold. So, if you are inclined to price it right, sooner is better than later.
*I NEED THIS MUCH TO BUY MY NEXT HOME - Your present home has a certain value regardless of how you plan to use the proceeds from its sale. If you put unrealistic expectations on the sale of your present home in order to get enough money to stretch into your next home, you will probably not be successful in selling this home and lose your opportunity to purchase the next one.
*ADVICE - When setting an asking price, remember to ask yourself if you would be willing to pay this price if you were buying your existing home, always ask for the latest market facts.

Rent- vs- Buy

2007-03-21T12:02:00.000-05:00

Still renting? Get smart!
A college-educated single male 30-something with his own sole proprietor business, who has always been a renter, recently told me: "I don't think I really want to buy a house and, anyway, I can't afford to." He would like to have more financial independence but has no idea how to get it. Although his business regularly brings him in contact with real estate agents, some of whom he considers close friends, no one, apparently, had presented him with the wealth-building possibilities of buying a home...or the specifics of how to get from here to there and come out ahead.
Our hard-working renter, Joe, pays $1,200 a month in rent, which he easily covers with his income. Being single, and without the expense of responsibility for others, he drives a decent car, travels a bit, and has saved $60,000 cash, plus taken the maximum Roth IRA deduction every year, so he's starting to get his retirement savings going. His credit is very good. So why is he still renting? Because...
1. He's not sure he's going to stay here (although he's been here, renting, for 6 years);
2. Property values in this market have dramatically increased in the past 5 years and he's afraid he's missed the window of opportunity (but might not that indicate that prices will keep going up?);
3. He doesn't want to spend a lot more than he's paying in rent;
4. He doesn't know how he can afford a house because the median house price in our market is around $207,000.
5. He does not understand that TIME is on his side. The sooner you begin to invest in real estate, the more wealth you will accumulate over time. In 20 years from now, Joe will be in his early 50s. With the seemingly endless population growth, there is no reason to think demand for housing will decrease, especially in desirable places like Charleston, nor that values will do anything but rise.
What I suggested is this: Buy a house NOW (they keep going up in value). Since his business is doing well, he will probably continue to be here for at least a few more years. If he decides to move, he can 1. keep the property and rent the house and should break even on the mortgage and continue to take advantage of appreciation; or 2. sell the property when he moves and keep whatever profits tax free,(if he has lived in it for over 2 years) up to $250,000 profit per single person ($500,000 per couple), or 3. sell the property at a later date (when it is no longer his primary residence) as an investment and exchange the profit for another investment property in what is called a 1031 Exchange.
The benefits, besides the emotional satisfaction and freedom of owning one's own home, are many:
1. You are SAVING money into your own account, not throwing away money on rent. Historically, the payments made on a property, over 3 years or more, are typically recouped at closing, making your mortgage payments a sort of savings account. This does not include the wild appreciation of the past few years seen in certain markets.
2. Tax deduction of all mortgage interest payments. To be clear, this is not a straight deduction off the top of your income, but rather an itemized deduction. For example, if your mortgage interest payments are $1,500 per month, or $18,000 per year, you can deduct the $18,000 from your income. But be aware that if your standard deduction is, say, $9,000, you pick up an additional $9,000 and not an additional $18,000. This is important to factor, but usually, it's a significant increase in deductions, especially if you do not have a lot of other deductions. Talk to your tax advisor or get out the 1040 package and figure it out for yourself.
3. You are building EQUITY, NET WORTH & CREDIT worthiness.
4. You can take advantage of TAX FREE PROFITS.
5. You are starting on the road to long-term security and wealth-building.
**NOTE: it is possible to obtain an "interest only loan." This is not an adjustable-rate-mortgage (ARM) but, rather, a 30-year fixed wherein you can choose to pay the interest only. Since little of a mortgage payment is allotted to principle in the first 15 years of a 30-year mortgage, the monthly savings of the principle can make the difference between comfortably affording a property and being stretched too thin. While doing this does not pay down your principle, if your plan is to hold it for 2-5 years and your market is appreciating at least as much as your interest rate, and/or you improve the property over time, this could be a viable option. But as, always, careful analysis of various options and scenarios is advised.
For more information on real estate, and how you can qualify for and profit from home ownership or residential investment, please fell free to contact me via email at
erika@gaycharlestonrealestate.com or eperry@prucar.com

Why should I get pre-approved before buying a home?

2007-03-20T15:58:00.000-05:00

Year ago, buyers didn't worry about financing their home purchase until after they found the home they want to buy. Once they had an accepted offer, they'd shop around for a week or so and then submit a loan application.
Sellers do not want to waste time when selling their home, buyers are now (most of the time) required to put in pre-approval letters with their offers on homes. This makes the buyer seem more stable, it gives greater influence in negotiating a purchase price, and can act quickly when they find a home they really love.
There are 2 parts to mortgage approval: 1) approval of the borrower, and 2) approval of the property. Mortgage pre-approval is a process whereby the borrower is approved for a specific amount of mortgage. This approval is usually only good for a specific amount of time. A property approval is one with satisfactory appraisal and a clear title report. Final mortgage approval also requires a purchase agreement that is signed by the buyer and seller.
If you'd like free advice on getting pre-approved, or for any questions...... give me a call!
See you tomorrow!

A Quick Clean!

2007-03-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

By Emily LapkinSpecial to HGTV.com
"If it’s not dirty, don’t clean it," says Queen of Clean Linda Cobb. That’s the most important thing to keep in mind when it’s time to spruce up before someone stops by. Here is Cobb’s ultimate guide to a quick cleanup!
1. Take a laundry basket and go from room to room picking up things that don’t belong. Stash the basket in a closet or somewhere guests won’t look.
2. Next, tidy up the bathroom that guests will use. Wipe it up quickly, light a candle and make it look nice. Remember: That’s the room where they have the most time to sit privately, unobserved and look around.
3. Next if you have time, run the vacuum in the main rooms they’ll be in and fluff the pillows.
4. Shut the door on other rooms that will not be seen or needed to be used if they’re messy.
5. If it’s nighttime, turn on some lights. If it’s daytime, open up the shutters or the curtains or the blinds. A well-lit room looks cleaner.
6. Next, take a pan of water throw it on the stove throw in some cinnamon and cloves and let it simmer to give your house a nice, fresh scent.

For more great ideas on cleaning and decorating... go to....
www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_cleaning_tips_hints/article/0,1801,HGTV_3111_4514853,00.html

Women Home Buyers

2007-03-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

Interesting:
As a group, unmarried females purchased an avg. of 1 million homes last year. A Harvard study identified these findings of this buyer group in it's study; "Buying for Themselves: An Analysis of Unmarried Female Home Buyers".

The median age is 42 and median income is $37,000.
They have been more likely to purchase condos than single-family homes.
Three -quarters of the homes they purchase have cost no more than $200,000
They are likely to compromise on a home's size and cost to get the attributes they want- but less likely to compromise on location or neighborhood quality.

These trends are starting to change as the group gets larger. More "single" women are building homes, and purchasing larger homes; 4% are now purchasing for over $300,000. Tap into the potential of this growing buyer market in 2007.

Walk America

2007-03-10T16:51:00.000-05:00

On April 28, 2007 I will be participating in a 5 mile walk for the March of Dimes Walk America. This is a great organization. Please sponsor me or anyone else that you know that is participating.
If you would like to sponsor me.... give me a call and I can tell you how. 452-1143

Walk America 2007
Walk for a special child in your life a healthy baby a premature baby or a sick one. ... The March of Dimes is in the midst of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar campaign to address this growing ...
www.walkamerica.org

Check out the link for more information. Don't forget that you can donations are tax deductible.

Have a great day,
Erika

Edisto Lane

2007-03-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Just wanted to tell you about a great local band. You probably already know about them (unless of course you have been living under a HUGE rock). Definatley check them out whenever you get a chance, they have a wonderful following! Follow the link to learn more

http://www.edistolane.com/

Febuary 2007 Market

2007-03-06T15:56:00.000-05:00

Overall, February 2007 was strong. There were 621 new listings in the city of Charleston adding to an inventory for a new total of 2361 properties on the market. 369 properties went under contract or were pending and 169 properties sold with an average price of $350,809. Sellers received 95.7% of asking price. The average days on market for homes that sold in February 2007 was 105 days. Last February , there were 263 properties that sold with an average of $334,757 and seller's received 98.09% of list price and an average days on market of 61 days. Properties that are selling are priced right and in excellent condition. Overall the Charleston market is strong despite national trends. To find out specific market conditions for your home or neighborhood, please contact Erika for a FREE no obligation analysis.