Why do we love living in Charleston, SC?  We delight in it’s beauty
and marvel daily at glances of some old relic, maybe a cornerstone in
light or shadows that has not until just that moment caught our eye. 
When I am asked this question by a visitor to our city, I feel compelled
to give countless reasons.  It ranges from architectural beauty, to
some of our more colorful characters, to the lively cultural scene, to
our seasons – yes, all four of them.  With my head cleared for a moment I
come back to the real reason I love living in Charleston……”it is home”.

When we started this real estate company our first tag line was For
Those Who Call Charleston Home.  In time our marketing grew to include
such lines as Love Where You Live, Live your Style, and most recently
Moving Forward.  As a real estate agent in downtown Charleston for the
past 27 years I have represented buyers and sellers from South of Broad
to Wagener Terrace to North Central and all neighborhoods in between. 
It has been most interesting to watch the transformation of luxury
properties in Ansonborough and Harleston Village, as well as the
transformation of lovely neighborhoods like Wraggborough and Hampton
Park Terrace.

Elizabeth O’Neill Verner writes very eloquently about home.  “Not
perfect, but easy to live in; comfortable.  For Charleston is no
“period” city, as no house is a house that sets one date throughout.  It
is a repository of treasure, not necessarily of any intrinsic
value….There is no effort in the home; it is a place to relax and to be
oneself-no pretense, absolute freedom, utter abandon.

This fall beginning, September 22 and running through October 23 is
The Preservation Society’s Fall Tour of Homes and Gardens.  Neighborhood
tours include wonderful residences in Wraggbourough, Harleston Village,
Ansonbourough, South of Broad, and Radcliffebourough.  The society was
started by Susan Pringle Frost in 1920 with it’s mission being to
preserve old dwellings.

Real estate in historic downtown Charleston continues to be of great value.  Living in Charleston continues to be a pleasure.

In the past few days I was thrilled to see our own Hank Holliday, Steve Varn, and Lawrence Thompson appear In The
Magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for their
contribution to the city by revitalizing the historic City Market.  Anyone who has not yet had the pleasure of walking through I recommend an early evening stroll.  It is fantastic.

Also, this past week, in the New York times, the article The Art Of Living Well featured
Sheila and Peter Potter who have brought great style to a number on
properties for sale in Charleston.   The article refers to Charleston as
a house town, and that it is.  I can’t think of a single cocktail party
I have attended that did not include numerous conversations about real
estate.  Charleston has to be one on the the best places in the world
for those who are interested in architecture, beauty, gardens, and
community.  No matter what era the property, no matter what
neighborhood, in Charleston you can truly Live Your Style.

Just for fun, and for all of you 5 figure mortgage friends, this article compares high end rentals to multi million dollar homes. 
Read article here

On NPR today ~ Home prices in most major U.S. cities are up for the 3rd consecutive month.

This is a very interesting article about where the Wall Street Journal suggests investing your money.
Read the article here.

So
far, home sales are up 29%. Another article in today's business
section of the Post & Courier states "On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve said it planned to keep
interest rates ultra-low for two more years. " This is a buyers market!
Read the article about the Dow's plunge: http://www.postandcourier.com/​news/2011/aug/11/down-again/
Click here to link to the article about current home sales

According to this article in yesterday's USA Today, cash buyers understand that now is an opportunistic time to take action buying real estate.
Read the article

The extension on the Tax Credit for home buyers has been approved! The credit was extended to cover all  buyers. The credit now covers current home owners who are looking to buy as long as they have occupied their house for 5 consecutive years out of the last 8. It still applies to first time home buyers for an $8,000 tax credit.  A website has been set up to explain the tax credit and hopefully it can answer any questions you have. Please click here to visit the website. The extension is only for 7 months so if you looking to buy, now is the time! The credit is only valid through April 30,2010 so act now!

If things go as planned, President Obama will sign off on a 7 month extension of the first time homebuyer tax credit, extending it until April 30, 2010. While the credit amount remains the same for first time homebuyers, there are a few amendments made to the package that open it up to more consumers. The tax credit will now apply to first time homebuyers, or homebuyers who want to "move up." Anyone who has been living in their current residence for at least five of the past 8 years and wants to buy a larger or better home qualifies for a $6500 tax credit. It is not necessary to sell your current home before receiving the tax credit, but it must eventually become your primary residence as the credit is not to be used for second homes. The credit has also expanded the income requirements to $225,000 for couples, a $55,000 increase from the previous limit. Stay tuned for updates on the final events of this extension as they unfold.

According to The National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo, families making the nations median income of around $64,000 a year could afford 72.3% of homes sold in the second quarter of 2009!!!! Those of you who are waiting around, it's time! There are programs in place in South Carolina that will give you up to $5,000 toward your down payment or closing costs and require only 3-3.5% down. Lets work out of this recession, shall we?

For those of you who are obsessed with real estate I have good news for you! Yes, things are starting to look up new home sales jumped 11% in June. This marked the highest jump in newly built homes in 9 years. Experts believe that this is due to the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit.