Posts by : Alan Donald

October has arrived and, after a close call with Hurricane Dorian last month, the fall weather is in our near future along with many outdoor activities such as Fall Festivals, Music Performances in the Park and Halloween on the 31st! Here is our October 2019 calendar of events:

9/26-10/6: MOJA Arts Festival, various locations 
1: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I am Film Screening, Charleston Music Hall, downtown Charleston
1-31: Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch, Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant 
2: Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors: Dragons Tour, Charleston Music Hall
3: Keepin' Jazz Alive, Charleston Music Hall
3, 10, 17, 24: Live Under the Oaks Concert Series, Mount Pleasant Towne Centre
4: George Thor...

Will Your Remodel Pay Off? The Best (and Worst) Ways to Spend Your Budget

Most new homeowners have something about their property that they want to change. And as family needs and design trends shift over time, many will eventually choose to remodel. Some homeowners make updates to their property before listing it to maximize their potential sales revenue. Whatever your reasons are for taking on a home improvement project, it’s wise to consider how the money you invest will impact your home’s value. We’ve taken a look at six popular home renovations and identified those that—on average—have the best and worst returns on investment. So before you lift a hammer or hire a contractor, take ...

Should You Fix Your House Up to Sell It, or Sell "As-Is"?

With the fall season upon us, change is in the air. For many families, children are growing up and moving out of the house, maybe leaving for college or taking a jump into the working world. Parents are finding themselves as empty nesters for the first time. The question inevitably arises: is it finally time to downsize?

If you’re pondering that thought, you may also be wondering if you should fix-up your house before you sell it, or go straight to the market "as-is" pricing it accordingly or offering an allowance so that potential buyers can do the updates and remodeling they wish. If you’re one of the many homeowners this camp,...

Last week Realtor.com released the results of a survey that produced three major revelations:

• 53% of home purchasers (first-time and repeat buyers) currently in the market believe a recession will occur this year or next.
• 57% believe the next recession will be as bad or worse than 2008.
• 55% said they would cancel plans to move if a recession occurred.

Since we are currently experiencing the longest-ever economic expansion in American history, there is reason to believe a recession could occur in the not-too-distant future. And, it does make sense that buyers and sellers remember the horrors of 2008 when they hear the word “recession.”

Ali Wolf, Director of Economic Research at th...

Tips for Buyers

In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your home search.

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now, you’ve probably come up with a list of things that you’d LOVE to have in your new home. Many new homebuyers fantasize about the amenities that they see on television or Pinterest, and start looking at the countless homes listed for sale through rose-colored glasses.

Do you really need that farmhouse sink in the kitchen to be happy with your home choice? Would a two-car garage be a convenience or a necessity? Could the "man cave" of your dreams be...

Those of us who have been in this industry for a long time have seen the signs of a market shift coming to our local market for a few months now. But the indicators can be confusing.

Let's take home prices; Home prices in South Mount Pleasant (29464) have been pretty flat for the last 12 months. And in the last 3 months prices have softened a little, perhaps when sellers who wanted to sell in early summer panicked and lowered their price expectations to get a buyer before the end of the summer.

The graph below shows the median sales price for single family, detached homes in zip 29464 (12-month moving average). 

Although us Realtors do not have a great confidence in the ZEstimate(R) va...

When searching for a home, you may end up selecting a property in a community with a Homeowners Association (HOA). Before you buy, it’s important to know how HOAs work and what they mean for you.

According to a recent article on Realtor.com,

“In a nutshell, an HOA helps ensure that your community looks its best and functions smoothly…The number of Americans living in homes with HOAs is on the rise, growing from a mere 1% in 1970 to 25% today, according to the Foundation for Community Association Research.”

An HOA is governed by a board nominated by the homeowners in the neighborhood. It is designed to make sure the residents have a support structure to maintain the value of the communi...

Back in 2009 I wrote a blog post on the top 10 reasons some people may not like Charleston, SC (read below) which got more than 17,000 views! Ten years later, it's time to update this list. What would I change now? 

1. Charleston is now a larger "small" city (pop. est. 850,000) and it has become a little more diverse, although it is experiencing growing pains that are reflected in increased traffic issues.

2. Hurricanes have become more common (a common issue in Florida, the Gulf and the East Coast of the US)

3. Employment opportunities and salaries have improved, with the arrival of Boeing, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz manufacturing plants, and the growth of technology companies like Boomt...

Probate & Real Estate

Our real estate services fully complement the Probate Attorney's. In this 3-episode series sheds some light into the probate process and the different functions that a Personal Representative of an estate must perform in South Carolina, as it relates to real estate. This introductory video features Probate Attorney Michael Sgobbo, Esq., who answers some of the basic questions about probate in SC.

We help the Personal Representative or Executor determine the best property disposal strategy and offer a team of service providers (relating to the disposal of the real estate in the estate) to help them achieve their objectives. Whether they choose to have a quick,...

How Property Taxes Can Impact Your Mortgage Payment

When buying a home, property taxes are one of the expenses that can make a significant difference in your monthly payment. Do you know how much you might pay for property taxes in your state or local area?

When applying for a mortgage, you’ll see one of two acronyms in your paperwork – P&I or PITI – depending on how you’re including your taxes in your mortgage payment.

P&I stands for Principal and Interest, and both are parts of your monthly mortgage payment that go toward paying off the loan you borrow. PITI stands for Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance, and they’re all important factors to calculate when you want to determine...

Kids are back in school, the weather seems to be cooling off and September is finally here. There are tons of fun annual events happening this month including Beer Week, Water Week, Park Circle Oktoberfest, and Chucktown Showdown as well as many concerts to go and see! Don't forget about our holidays including Labor Day (2nd), National Wildlife Day (4th), International Day of Charity (5th), National Cheeseburger Day (18th), International Day of Peace (21st), the Fall Equinox (23rd), Rosh Hashanah (29th-1st), as well as many more you can check out here!

Here is your September 2019 calendar of events: 
1: Lowcountry Jazz Festival: Day Two, Charleston Gaillard Center, downtown Charleston
1-2:...

A Taller Wall or a New Drain?

Recently, Charleston City Council officials have been in a debate about asking the State to reopen the Spring-Fishburne project, which would help with drainage in the lowcountry, since Mayor Tecklenburg recently has proposed to ask the State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) for more funding for the Low Battery Wall project.

Council members are trying to convince the City that any extra funding currently should go towards the Spring-Fishburne project which is to create a new drainage tunnel to hopefully end the constant flooding that happens on Septima Clark Parkway, or as we call it, the Crosstown, and not towards the Low Battery project, which would build the low...

Serious About Selling? 5 Steps to Make Your Home the Best on the Block

We all want to be good neighbors. But when it comes to selling your home, it’s not just about “keeping up with the Joneses.” It’s about outshining them at every opportunity!

If you’re looking to sell your home fast and for the most money possible, you’ll need a strategy to set it apart from all the other listings competing for buyers in your area. That’s why we’ve outlined our proven, five-step plan for serious sellers.

Use these five tactics to help your listing get noticed, win over buyers, and net a higher sales price than your neighbors!

STEP 1: Stage Your Home to Show Its Full Potential

The average seller wil...

5 Step Strategy for Downsizing Your Home

In our “bigger is better” culture, there’s an expectation that each home should be larger and grander than the last. But life changes like divorce, kids leaving for college, or even the simple act of growing older can prompt us to find a smaller home that better suits our shifting needs and lifestyle.

In fact, the advantages of downsizing are being increasingly recognized. A “tiny house movement” has gained passionate advocates who appreciate the benefits of living simply at any age and stage of life. Not only does a smaller home typically cost less, it also takes less time and effort to maintain.

Whatever your reasons are for downsizing, the pr...

When you have been renting for a long time, it can be difficult to make the decision to purchase a home.

Consider these advantages of being a homeowner:

If you are considering a home purchase, you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of owning a home. Here are some of the disadvantages for your consideration:

Charleston County's Academic Magnet High School is No. 1 in National Ranking of Public High Schools

On April 30th, U.S. News & World Report announced that the Academic Magnet High School (locally referred to as "The Magnet" or AMHS) led the rankings in a pool of about 17,000 public high schools in the nation.  Academic Magnet is frequently ranked in the Top 100 of various websites and publications and is known for not only its rigorous course loads but also for having some of the most academically gifted students in Charleston County. As a state that falls among the worst-performing academically in the nation, The Magnet really stands out and there is a reason why. Almost all of its co...

The first day of classes is right around the corner with students returning to Berkeley and Dorchester County schools on the 19th and to Charleston County schools on the 21st.  So be sure to grab some more days of fun before the kiddos go back to school and don't forget to inform them about "cooties"! Click here for the medical guide for cooties to share with your cuties. Enjoy some of the events listed below and celebrate any number of fun and silly national holidays that everyone can enjoy such as National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (2nd), National Friendship and Sisters Day (4th), National Women's Day (9th), National Son and Daughter Day (11th) and National Financial Awareness Day (14th), ...

July has arrived and so have the Independence Day celebrations! Bring out the grills, call up your friends and family, and watch one (or more) of the many fireworks shows and the 10th Annual Salute from the Shore 'Air Parade' happening on the 4th! Other long-running annual events this month include the 15th Annual Sweetgrass Festival on the 13th and the 16th Annual Charleston Caribbean Jerk Festival on the 20th.  More fun for all abounds throughout the month, with an array of movies, summer concerts and sporting events! So mark you calendars, put on your sunscreen and enjoy!!

Here is your July 2019 calendar of events:
1: Christmas in July, Coconut Joe's Beach Grill, Isle of Palms
1-3, 9...

College of Charleston Gets a New Innovative Course of Study

While the College of Charleston teaches many disciplines, its main objective is to be innovative. Yet the most innovative career option is engineering and the college does not offer this program ... at least not until next year! To help meet the strong demand for engineers which has been outpacing supply in South Carolina and elsewhere, the College of Charleston will be introducing a new interdisciplinary program of study - Systems Engineering - that will be "the only one of its kind in South Carolina at the undergraduate level". College President Andrew Hsu has been working with Boeing, Bosch, the Charleston County Economic...