Charleston Voted the No. 1 Place to Retire by Wallethub

Cities in Florida still take nearly half of the top spots, according to WalletHub’s 2022 Best and Worst Places to Retire survey. This year Charleston, SC edged out Orlando, FL as the top place to retire in the country! The survey assumes that retirees will live on a fixed income and ranked 182 cities based on four key categories of equal weight: affordability, activities, quality of life and health care. Read more here.

Volvo to Debut SC-Built All-Electric SUV Successor in November

On November 9, Volvo Car will unveil their South-Carolina-built EX90, the all-electric successor to its best-selling XC90 sport-utility vehicle. Ac...

Wow! It’s already October and we have festivals galore to enjoy across the Charleston area this month: Oktoberfest (8th), MOJA Arts Festival (through the 9th), Latin American Festival and Summerville Italian Festival (9th), SC Reggae Jerk & Wine Festival and Edisto Beach Fall Festival (15th), Children’s Day Festival (16th), FollyPalooza (20th), several fall and harvest festivals, The Fall Tours of Architecture, History, and Gardens (5th-29th) and the Coastal Carolina Fair (15th - Nov 7). For holidays to celebrate this month, there’s Columbus Day (10th), Halloween (31st) and a host of others highlighted on this page. We’ve also listed lots of weekly and individual events below - with lin...

ESTATE PLANNING 101

We invited attorney Morgan Insley of Blanco Tackabery, to talk with us about estate planning, a topic that is important for seniors, children of seniors and even for young families. 

Her contact information is below. 

Morgan Insley, Blanco Tackabery
mmi@blancolaw.com (336) 293-9006

Alan Donald, alan@alandonald.com

It’s September and we can look forward to cooler temps and several festivals in the Charleston area this month, such as the Edisto Beach Shag Festival (2nd - 4th), Lowcountry Jazz Festival (3rd - 4th), Fall Food Truck Festival (10th), Pechakucha (15th), Resonance Music and Arts Festival (15th - 17th), 3rd Annual Cookin’ On The Creek BBQ Festival (16th - 17th), Sweet Tea Festival (17th) and MOJA Arts Festival (29th - October 9th). Plus, there are some major holidays, including Labor Day (5th), Hispanic Heritage Month (15th - October 15th), Constitution Day (17th), Yom Kippur (24th) and Rosh Hashanah (25th). The Autumn Equinox - when fall officially begins - is on the 22nd. We’ve listed m...

SEPTEMBER 2022 NEWS

Pickleball Restaurants Coming to the Lowcountry
Have you heard about pickleball? It’s claimed to be the fastest-growing sport in America. Perhaps closer to ping pong and badminton, it’s played on a court that is similar to but smaller than a tennis court and even comes with a kitchen. To learn more about it, watch this video. And if you are already a local player, have you heard about the two new pickleball developments being developed in Mount Pleasant and Summerville? Crush Yard is a club and casual restaurant complex that will soon open off Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. The 40,000-sf complex will have 8 indoor courts, shuffleboard, outdoor fire pits, live music, a...

August 2022 Events

School resumes later this month, but there’s still time to take advantage of many fun events occurring across the Charleston area. Looking for something to do with your children? Goose Creek hosts Kids Fest on the 6th, with plenty of activities and food for everyone. Want to boost your spirits? On the 27th, you can join the SC Reggae Jerk and Wine Festival in downtown Charleston or head over to Deepwater Vineyard in Wadmalaw for the 2022 Grape Stomp Festival. Schedule tee times for Sunday the 5th to celebrate both National Golf Month and International Beer Day. On the 26th, break out the leashes and take your dogs for a walk in honor of National Dog Day. For more t...

AUGUST 2022 NEWS

New and Upcoming Attractions for Greater Charleston 

Two new museums are coming to downtown Charleston and new rides will be on offer at this fall’s Coastal Carolina Fair in Ladson. The Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC) has just opened the Charleston Apple Museum, with over 75 exhibits showcasing the evolution of Apple devices and related items from its 40+-year history. The museum, located at the CDC’s Flagship on Morrison Drive, is open to everyone with free admission, and the founders hope schools and children interested in technology will visit to discover how far technology has come. Donations are also accepted. Read more here. Charleston will soon welcome the $1...

The housing market is at a turning point, and if you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, that may leave you wondering: is it still a good time to buy a home? Should I make a move this year? To help answer those questions, let’s turn to the experts for projections on what the second half of the year holds for residential real estate.

Where Mortgage Rates Will Go Depends on Inflation

While one of the big questions on all buyers’ minds is where will mortgage rates go in the months ahead, no one has a crystal ball to know exactly what’ll happen in the future. What housing market experts know for sure is that the record-low mortgage rates during the pandemic were an outlier, not the n...

1481 Landings Run, Mount Pleasant, SC

Click Here to Get Directions

$700,000

3bed - 3bath - 0.33-acre lot

Photos | Maps & Local | Schools | Print

Peaceful enclave with a CONVENIENT LOCATION, CHARACTER & PRIVACY! Built on a beautifully-landscaped 1/3-acre lot on a quiet cul-de-sac, this 2-story, 3-bd/3ba upgraded home boasts DUAL MAIN SUITES, high vaulted ceilings, French doors, large windows and a delightful screened porch that allow soft natural light and serene views of the private, fully-fenced backyard overlooking a wooded tidal wetlands area. The yard has been thoughtfully planned and carefully maintained so you can show off your gardening prowess, relax, unwind, entertain...

Plans Accelerated to Widen I-26

In response to regional traffic growth, the SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has fast-tracked plans to widen Interstate 26 from 4 to 6 lanes for 70 miles between Charleston and Columbia. The State Legislature recently approved $600 million for this undertaking, with just over $450 million to come from Covid-19 aid allocated to roadworks and the remainder from the state’s “rural interstates” budget.  This move will cut six years from the original timeline, with completion now projected for 2034. The 30 percent increase in lane size equates roughly to traffic growth experienced statewide over the past decade, with 22 million vehicles now traveli...

Happy Independence Day, everyone! If you’re looking for ways to celebrate over the July 4th weekend, check out this article and our list below. You’ll see that there’s something for everyone across the metro area.  Later in the month, there’s the 10-day Beaufort Water Festival starting on the 14th and the 18th Annual Sweetgrass Festival in Mount Pleasant on the 23rd. National Vanilla Ice Cream Day is also on July 23rd, and if you are looking to celebrate it properly, stop by The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar off of the IOP connector for a special ice cream treat. For more fun things to celebrate, visit this website for something new every day!

WEEKLY EVENTS THROUGHOUT JULY:

Monday...

The Mark Clark Extension Project

This proposed highway extension project connects the Southern end of I-526/Hwy 17 with the James Island Connector and Downtown Charleston.

The following information was extracted from https://www.scdotmarkclark.com/

"The purpose of the Mark Clark Extension project is to increase the capacity of the regional transportation system, improve safety, and enhance mobility to and from the West Ashley, Johns Island and James Island areas of the Charleston metropolitan area." 

Current Project Schedule

Proposed 2-Phase Project

Here's a great video simulating the proposed extension from the air:

If you have questions, please visit https://www.scdot...

Higher Rates and Short Supply: The State of Real Estate in 2022

The last two years caught many of us off guard—and not just because of the pandemic. They also ushered in the hottest housing market on record, with home prices rising nationally by nearly 19% in 2021, driven primarily by low mortgage rates and a major supply shortage.1

But while some had hoped 2022 would bring a return to normalcy, the U.S. real estate market continues to boom, despite rising interest rates and decreasing affordability.

So what’s driving this persistent demand? And is there an end in sight?

Here are three factors impacting the real estate market right now. Find out how they could affect you if...

Record Growth and Expansion Plans for CHS Airport

As the number of passengers traveling through Charleston International Airport (CHS) continues to rise, so does its need to expand. The airport served close to 487,000 air travelers this April alone - second only to July of 2021 when over 490,000 arrivals and departures were recorded. During the first four months of this year, CHS welcomed almost 1.5 million passengers, which is greater than the same period in 2019 before Covid-19 impacted travel. CHS CEO Elliott Summey believes the airport will set a new record in the summer months to come and projects 5 million passengers by the end of this year, due to both new carriers and route exp...

Food for Thought: "Everything You Wanted to Know About Probate But Never Dared to Ask"

This week we had the privilege of sponsoring a "lunch and learn" hosted by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce on the ins and outs of probate.

Our guest speaker, Judge Irvin Condon, CPA, Esq. was very entertaining and informative. 

As Certified Probate Experts (CPE), our main goal is to help Personal Representatives by providing "connections" to professionals and service providers who may be able to help them with their probate duties.  Click the picture below to view some of the service providers we can connect them with.  Read more here.

If the estate wants to sell any real estate (in any state...

May 2022 Events

We're thrilled to report that after such an “event-ful” April, the festivals continue into May! There’s the 39th Annual North Charleston Arts Fest (4th-8th), 51st Annual Charleston Greek Festival (6th-8th), McClellanville’s 44th Annual Lowcountry Shrimp Festival and Blessing of the Fleet (7th), Mead-ival Festival (21st), 11th Annual Charleston Food Truck Festival (21st-22nd), Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto Festival (both 27th - June 12th). There’s also a great array of events for everyone and many local farmers markets to check out. Plus, it’s Asian American Month and we have some holidays to celebrate, including May Day (1st), Eid al-Fitr (1st-2nd), Cinco de ...

Charleston in the News - May 2022

Boeing’s SC DreamLearners STEM-Education Program Hits Major Milestone!

Last month, the education program known as South Carolina DreamLearners and spearheaded by Boeing, reached the milestone of having 1 million participants. The STEM-based program, which began in 2012, exposes students to advanced manufacturing and aerodynamics. They learn to build drones and about robotics, programming and how to build planes. Geared primarily to meet the state’s Force and Motion standards for 5th-graders, students of all ages and across the state (via a virtual learning component) are able to participate. Speakers and site tours also inform students about Boeing’s op...

Check out 1501 Menhaden Ln. in Mount Pleasant!

NEW LISTING! 4-br. 4.5-ba. home in Stratton by the Sound.

Details & Pics: https://bit.ly/1501Menhaden

Showings and Info: 843-900-0155

1501 Menhaden Lane
Mount Pleasant, SC

MLS# 22010584 - Residential

Quality, semi-custom, coastal craftsman elevated home on a pond lot with water views of Copahee Sound! As you step onto the inviting full front porch, a pair of Charleston gas lanterns and daybed swings welcome you. You'll be tempted to linger there to take in the views and ocean breeze while sipping a glass of sweet tea. Once you enter through the glass front double entry doors into the foyer, cast your eyes across the grea...

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has tracked multi-generational homes since 2012.

In its 2020 Profile of Buyers and Sellers, NAR reported that demand for multi-generational homes increased to a high of 15% during the Covid pandemic. 

According to NAR, "Pre-pandemic there was an even split between buyers who purchased a multi-generational home for aging parents and for adult children boomeranging back or never leaving. Now the top reason to purchase a multi-generational home is for aging parents to move into the home...there are some data from consumers to support the fact that this living situation is a permanent change. While the concern of COVID-19, loneliness, or ch...

Growing Interest in Charleston Area Industrial Properties

There is growing demand for the acquisition and leasing of industrial facilities in the Lowcountry, given their potential to help address supply chain issues faced regionally and across the U.S. and world. Their proximity to what is now the 8th largest US maritime port and to fast-growing population centers in the Southeast are contributing factors. Record sales prices are being achieved on existing distribution centers, with purchases being made by large out-of-state and international real estate investment firms. The most recent such purchase topped $109 million for a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Summerville. A...