Homeowners are Sitting on Record Equity, So Here’s How to Cash Out When Mortgage Rates are Rising

During the last year, home prices rose, making many Americans house rich.

By the end of the third quarter, borrowers had a record $9.4 trillion in tappable home equity collectively, or an average of $178,000 per borrower, says Black Knight.

When tapping those dollars, it’s best to consider your whole financial picture, including current debt amount and associated interest rates, how much you’re looking to borrow, available HELOC vs. cash-out rate offerings, and the timeline for paying off the additional debt.

But with 24% of all first-lien mortgages with an interest rate below 3%, cash-ou...

Achieving the Dream of Homeownership

Homeownership has long been considered the American Dream, and it’s one every American should feel confident and powerful pursuing. But owning a home is also a deeply personal dream. Our home provides us with safety and security, and it’s a place where we can grow and flourish.

We remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many of us will remember his passion and determination for the causes he championed, including his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. As we reflect on his message today, it may inspire your own dream of homeownership. And if so, know you’re not alone. With a trusted real estate advisor at your side, you can begin y...

January 2022 Events 

( Copyright © 2022 The Alan Donald Team)

Welcome in your 2022 new year with one or any number of exciting events happening this month! There are polar plunges, Charleston Restaurant Week (begins the 13th), Charleston Winter Wine Festival (29th), live concerts and much more this month. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the 17th and there will be several events commemorating him. Plus, you can create your own fun celebrating any of the month’s unique and wacky national holidays such as National Bird Day (5th), Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day (11th), Appreciate a Dragon Day (16th), Winnie the Pooh Day (18th), Penguin Awareness Day (20th), and Global B...

CHARLESTON, SC IN THE NEWS

Area Efforts to Assist Birdlife
Restoration of the Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary, located in Charleston Harbor, is now complete, giving pelicans and other shorebirds that migrate along the East Coast close to 32 acres of important nesting habitat. The work was a collaborative effort of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the SC Department of Natural Resources and many donors that involved using over 600,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. Read more here. Another effort that is in the early stages is the installation of new tracking towers in the Charleston area and across the state to improve the understanding of and protectio...

FHFA Announces Increase in Conventional Loan Limits

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) just announced that conforming loan limits for mortgages to be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2022 for one-unit properties (in most of the U.S.) will be $647,200, an increase of almost $100,000 from $548,250 in 2021. This is a significant increase that will give home buyers the ability to finance higher priced homes and still fly under the jumbo radar. Interestingly, buyers can still get a 30-year fixed mortgage loan for under 3% per year! Read more here.

Roper Hospital to Leave Downtown Charleston

Early last month, it was announced that Roper Hospital, which opened on Calhoun S...

December 2021 Events

’Tis the season of celebrations! This month, Chanukah ends on the 6th, Christmas is on the 25th, Kwanzaa begins on the 26th and New Year’s Eve rings out the year on the 31st. To help us partake, many Charleston-area municipalities and others are hosting holiday events such as concerts and performances, holiday markets, parades and tree lightings. Plus, we’re in the midst of oyster roast season! We’ve listed many weekly and individual events below and provided links so you can find out more. Take a look at what’s listed, have fun, and stay safe!  And be sure to make use of the downtown parking voucher when you’re doing your holiday shopping in town. 

Corelogic (R) reported in their latest Homeowner Equity Insights that U.S. homeowners with mortgages have seen their equity increase by a total of nearly $2.9 trillion since the second quarter of 2020, an increase of 29.3% year-over-year.

Source: CoreLogic

Get your HOME EQUITY estimate today!

November is going to be a busy month! Several local area municipalities have elections on the 2nd, clocks turn back an hour when Daylight saving time ends on the 7th, Veterans Day is on the 11th (although the parade in downtown Charleston will be on the 6th) and Thanksgiving will be celebrated on the 25th this year. The Charleston area also has a few annual fairs and festivals happening this month, like the 8th Annual Charleston Beer Week (1st-7th), the 2021 Coastal Carolina Fair (1st-7th), the 2021 Blues Festival (20th) and more!

There’s also a variety of sports, entertainment and other special events taking place as well as the continuation of several area farmers markets. Run...

SC Ports To Have 1st Woman Lead a Top-10 US Container Port

The current president and CEO of the SC Ports Authority (SCPA), Jim Newsome, will be stepping down effective next July 2022 after 13 years “at the helm”. He is recognized for expanding and enhancing port infrastructure and operations and making strategic investments that have resulted in a doubling of cargo volumes over a 10-year period. The SCPA board has unanimously approved the appointment of Barbara Melvin, its current COO who first joined the SCPA in 1998, to replace him. She will be the first woman to run a Top 10 container port in the US. Melvin, as COO, has been overseeing daily port operations as well as directing majo...

HOT NEW LISTING in Mount Pleasant's OLD VILLAGE!

• 4-br., 1.5-ba., 1,500 sq. ft. home on 0.21-acre lot. 
• Very high WALKABILITY, SCHOOLS and RESTAURANT scores: https://vid.us/towl88
• Details & pics below. 
• Showings: 843-900-0155. 

559 Klein Street
Mount Pleasant, SC

MLS# 21027748 - Residential

This renovated 4br/1.5ba + den, 1-story home in the Old Village is only a short walk or ride to Mt. Pleasant Academy, Pitt St. Pier and other nearby amenities. Upon arrival, note the fresh landscaping, ample parking and newer front porch, roof shingles, fencing and driveway. Once inside, take in the nice flow from the living room to both the den and dining area and the bright, s...

Beautiful 4-bedroom 2.5-bathroom family home built on a corner lot and ready to occupy!

Desirable Mount Pleasant schools, neighborhood pool, playpark, sidewalks and walking trails.

As you walk in the door onto the laminate floored foyer, there is an office with French doors on your right. Next you have the formal dining, enhanced by an arched entryway. Continue to the family room opening up to the kitchen/eat-in area. The kitchen has granite counters, stainless steel appliances and two pantry closets. A half bath, screened-in porch and attached 2-car garage complete the ground floor.

Upstairs the large and bright master bedroom with master bath, separate tub/shower, dual sinks, enclo...

WalletHub, a company devoted to helping consumers improve their financial planning, has published their most recent “Best & Worst States to Retire” ranking, in which Charleston, SC was ranked as the No. 2 BEST PLACE to retire in the U.S. Here are the Top 10 cities. Read the full article.

Wow, there is so much going on in the Charleston area this month! There’s truly something for everyone! Several fairs, festivals and holiday events are planned, including the MOJA Arts Festival (1st-10th), the Goose Creek Fall Festival (2nd), Summerville’s Flowertown Festival and the Charleston Greek Festival (both 8th-10th), the Columbus Day long weekend (9th-11th), Charleston’s Latin American Festival (10th), Mount Pleasant’s Children’s Day Festival (17th), Folly Beach’s FollyPalooza (20th), the Coastal Carolina Fair (28th - November 7th) and Halloween (31st). Plus, if you love beer, Oktoberfest continues on from September into early this month AND Charleston Beer Week runs from...

Charleston Remains No. 1 Among Travelers and Retirees

Charleston is the No. 1 US city for the 9th year running among travelers who voted in Travel + Leisure magazine’s annual survey for its 2021 World’s Best Awards. It also ranked 18th on its list of cities across the globe. It’s no surprise that it earned these rankings for its culinary scene, beautiful architecture and historic charm. Read more here and here.

Plus, a recent study of over 180 US cities conducted by WalletHub found that Charleston is the No. 2 place to retire in 2021, led only by Orlando at No.1 and up one spot from last year. Nearly 50 metrics were taken into account, such as affordability, health care, availa...

It’s September and with that comes the Labor Day long weekend (4th-6th) and cooling temperatures. We also have some great events to look forward to, including the Lowcountry Jazz Festival (3rd-5th), Charleston Restaurant Week (9th-19th), the Summerville Sweet Tea Festival (18th), the 44th Annual Cooper River Run (25th), the new High Tide Music Festival (25th) and the 8th Annual Summerville Italian Festival (26th). Plus, our area farmers markets still have lots of offerings. We’ve listed several weekly and individual events below and provided links so you can find out more. Let’s have some fun!

Weekly events throughout September:

Tuesdays: Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, Moultrie Middle...

Isle of Palms - IOP - Ranked as Richest City in South Carolina

A report by Forbes Magazine ranks IOP as the state’s richest city with at least 1000 households. Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey’s five-year estimates, it found that the city’s median household income was $122,228 and its mean household income was $175,009. When that constraint on minimum city size is removed, Kiawah claims this position on Forbes’ list. Its households have a median household income of $193,750 and a mean household income of $324,624. Recall that the median is the middle value when a data set is ordered from least to greatest while the mean (average) of a data set ...

NEW LISTING!

310 Saucer Rd., Summerville SC 29486

Call/text 843-900-0155 to arrange a showing!

310 Saucer Road
Summerville, SC

MLS# 21022557 - Residential

This beautifully-maintained & upgraded 3-br/2.5ba home on a pond lot in Magnolia at Cane Bay Plantation is vacant & move-in ready! Inside, you'll love its open plan living & dining area with a gas log fireplace, well-equipped kitchen, 9-ft ceilings, master suite, welcoming loft, large laundry room, tankless water heater & attached 2-car garage. The kitchen boasts granite countertops, S/S appliances including a gas range, 42''-tall cabinetry & a central island. Upstairs, you'll find the loft, 3 bedrooms & 2 full bathroom...

NEW ON THE MARKET

Park Circle diamond in the rough! Perfect opportunity for investors, rehabbers or first time buyers looking to add their personal touch! This 3 to 4-br., 2.5-ba., handicapped equipped brick ranch home with lots of character features a master down, a large detached workshop, a well pump, a generator and a FROG with private access that may have rental income potential. The main level has a kitchen with ceramic tile floor, a formal living room with an electric fireplace, an eat-in dining area with oak hardwood floor, 2 bedrooms and a full bathroom. Plus, a newer addition (with vaulted ceiling, skylight, fireplace, bay window and French doors opening onto the raised bac...