Posts by : Alan Donald

"How is the Market?"

This is the most common question we get asked as Realtors. At the risk of sounding evasive, the best answer is to say "Why do you ask?". 

The point is that we need more information before we can answer the question appropriately.  Is the person asking about his/her neighborhood, city, zip code or metro area? From what perspective - homeowner (seller's)/buyer's/investor's or renter?

Our market (Charleston Metro Area) is still strong (seller's market). However momentum is shifting and many sub-areas are behaving differently. For example, while the median Months of Supply for the whole Charleston MLS (single family detached homes) is pretty stable at 3.9 months, some...

June has arrived and so has the scorching heat! As a matter of fact, we hit the 100s in late May so get ready for a hot summer! The Spoleto Festival USA is now in full swing and you still have time to see some of the amazing and beautiful pieces. Father's Day is mid-month (16th) so don't forget to treat dad to a day of golf and celebrate him! There are tons of events going on this month, including many to help escape the heat.  Be sure to check them out!

Here is your June 2019 calendar of events:

1: Rotary Club Charity Duck Race, Smythe Park Lake, Daniel Island 
1: Soundtrack of the 80s, Charleston Music Hall, downtown Charleston
1: Summer Comedy Jam, Scott's Grand Banquet Hall, North Cha...

Reboot YOUR Commute to Reduce Traffic

Many local businesses - representing more than 39,000 total employees combined - are encouraging what they call "Reboot the Commute" in an effort to help mitigate area traffic affecting quality of life for many people daily. This business-led campaign spearheaded by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) is challenging employees to help lower traffic congestion by staggering work hours, ride sharing, using public transit, and other means. Well over half of employees drive alone to work (80%) or drive to work between the peak congestion period of 6:00-8:30AM (60%). Reboot the Commute is trying to educate employees about alternative wa...

UPDATED: Augist 1, 2019

The Alan Donald Team has SEVERAL PRE-APPROVED BUYERS who want to buy homes. Please note they have seen EVERYTHING that is available on the MLS.

Whom do you know looking to sell in the next 2-3 months that we can match with a fully-approved buyer?

Below are our team's urgent buyer needs:

MOUNT PLEASANT, WEST ASHLEY

• Investment property
• Condo or townhouse
• 2+ bedroom, 2+ bathroom
• Low or no HOA/regime fees
• OK if it needs cosmetic upgrades & TLC
• Up to $250,000
• Ideal timing: OPEN

MOUNT PLEASANT SOUTH

• 3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms, 1,500+ sq. ft. Townhome/Single Family Detached
• Master down
• 2-car attached garage
• Move-in condition
• Up to $350,000
• Ideal...

May is here and the weather is spectacular for the world-renowned and 43rd annual Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto Festival (its sister arts festival with local and regional artists), both taking place across Charleston from May 24th through June 9th. Other annual events celebrated this month include the Kentucky Derby (4th), Cinco de Mayo (5th), Mothers Day (12th), Memorial Day (27th) & area school graduations ... as well as birthday celebrations for hometown celebrities Darius Rucker and Stephen Colbert, both born on May 13th ... and so much more!

Here is your May 2019 calendar of events:

1: Peter and the Starcatcher, The Pearl, West Ashley
1: Superhero Special Needs Dance Pa...

Bye, Bye Hominy Grill!  So Sad to See You Go!

Hominy Grill was one of the first restaurants we "experienced" when we moved to Charleston nearly 15 years ago.  Bet that's true for many newcomers.  It was also one of our "go to" restaurants when we had visitors.  Probably also true for many locals.  So we are very sad to see it go.  But we can certainly appreciate owner and James Beard Award-winning chef Robert Stehling's reasons.  Read more here ... and if you are looking for new restaurants to try, check out Eater Charleston's Spring 2019 list here.

Want to Learn to Code for Free?

The S.C. Department of Commerce’s Office of Innovation and Build Carolina officially launched SC Cod...

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR CASH AND MINIMIZE YOUR STRESS WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME

Top 5 Success Tips for Sellers

In the higher price points of the Charleston SC Metro Area, such as Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant, we have seen the start of a market shift - I would describe the market as still going with the foot on the gas, but with the handbrake on. Buyers have LESS URGENCY and are a LOT PICKIER than when the market was very hot 2 years ago.

Given the availability of new homes (6 out of every 10 buyers in Mount Pleasant North of IOP Connector buy new construction) most buyers are comparing pre-owned homes with NEW CONSTRUCTION homes. 

Sellers can control only their home PRICE, its CONDITI...

As more and more baby boomers enter retirement age, the question of whether they should sell their homes and move has become a hot topic. In today’s housing market climate, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to adapt to your needs in retirement.

According to the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (NAEBA), there are 7 factors that you should consider when choosing your retirement home.

1. Affordability
“It may be easy enough to purchase your home today but think long-term about your monthly costs. Account for property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, utilities – all the things that will be due w...

Spring is here and there are lots of outdoor events and activities this April. The week-long Volvo Car Open tennis tournament on Daniel Island kicks off the month and concludes on the same weekend as the Cooper River Bridge Run and Summerville's Flowertime Festival.  The month wraps up with Mt. Pleasant's 32nd Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival.  In between, there are a host of other exhibits, expos, fairs, festivals, galas, performances, shows, sporting events, and tournaments both inside and out, not to mention Easter, Passover and Earth Day services and celebrations.  So get out there and have some fun!

Here is your April 2019 calendar of events:

1: Indiana Jones: The Last Crus...

Area farmers markets are getting back into full swing again!  We are fortunate to have so many from which to choose!  Here are some of our more popular seasonal and year-round farmers markets (with links) and their 2019 schedules:

Charleston Farmers Market 
Marion Square, 329 Meeting St.
Saturdays, April 13 – November 30, 8am – 2pm

Folly Beach Farmers Market
Folly River Park, Center St., Mondays, 4pm – 8pm
& Joe Richardson Park, Saturdays, 11am – 4pm

Hanahan Family Farmers Market
Reservoir Hall, 1601 Eagle Landing Blvd.
Thursdays, 3pm – 7pm

Isle of Palms Farmers Market
Isle of Palms County Park, 1 14th Ave.
Thursdays, September – October, 3pm – 7pm

James Island Farmers Market (Sunday Brunc...

The spring housing market is off to the races! The inventory of homes for sale is increasing, buyers are out in force, and interest rates have remained low, peaking the interest of buyers and sellers previously on the fence about making a move.

New research from realtor.com shows that the first week of April is actually the best time to list your house for sale! The report used “trends in median listing prices, views per property on realtor.com, home price drops, median days on market, and number of listings on the market over the last three years,” to determine a ranking for every week of the year.

Listing your home in the first week of April contributes 14x more property views, 5% les...

A friend of mine sent me this article from the Wall Street Journal that I found very interesting and right on the money!

A Growing Problem in Real Estate: Too Many Too Big Houses

Baby boomers and retirees built large, elaborate dream homes across the Sunbelt—only to find that few people want to buy them.

Large, high-end homes across the Sunbelt are sitting on the market, enduring deep price cuts to sell.

That is a far different picture than 15 years ago, when retirees were rushing to build elaborate, five or six-bedroom houses in warm climates, fueled in part by the easy credit of the real estate boom. Many baby boomers poured millions into these spacious homes, planning to live o...

Is Your House Priced To Sell Immediately (PTSI)?

In today’s real estate market, with more houses coming to market every day and eager buyers searching for their dream home, setting the right price for your house is one of the most important things you can do.

According to CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index, home values have risen at over 6% a year over the past two years, but have started to slow to 4.4% over the last 12 months. By this time next year, CoreLogic predicts that home values will be 4.6% higher.

With prices slowing from their previous pace, homeowners must realize that pricing their homes a little OVER market value to leave room for negotiation will actually dramatically ...

One of the biggest challenges sellers face when listing their house is decluttering. Cleaning out some of the more personal decorating choices allows buyers to imagine themselves living in the house.

Those planning to sell soon are in luck! Marie Kondo, the inventor of the KonMari Method of Tidying Up, has gained popularity with her new Netflix series. She gives some great tips for sorting through years of accumulated possessions that we all collect in our homes.

“The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak t...

We just got 757 Chatter Rd. in Wakendaw Lakes Under Contract!

This is the perfect time of the year to place YOUR home on the market, and get TOP MARKET PRICE if you have a SOLID MARKETING PLAN (look at our 99-Step Plan).

Contact us on 843-900-0155 to get started. 

Current Home Buyer Dilemma: Should I wait until home prices soften, or should I buy now when interest rates are low?

This is an age-old question and there is no "standard answer", since the answer depends on the potential buyer's risk tolerance. From an AFFORDABILITY perspective, any movement in mortgage interest rates will be much more significant to the buyer's bottom line than any movement in home prices. 

Home purchasing affordability depends on 2 main elements: Home Prices and Mortgage Interest Rates: The likelihood of a "negative market correction" on home prices in the Charleston Area for the next 3 years is 3%-5%. The likelihood of mortgage interest rate hike for the next 3 year...

March is here and it appears that spring has sprung!  With it comes an eventful month that includes the Food + Wine Festival, home and garden tours and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, not to mention great sports and entertainment events across area venues. Enjoy!

1: Aaron Lewis: The State I'm In Tour, Charleston Music Hall, downtown Charleston
1: Old Dominion: Make It Sweet Tour, North Charleston Coliseum
1: Charleston Gallery Association Artwalk, downtown Charleston
1-2: CSO's Romeo & Juliet with Violinist Robyn Bollinger, Charleston Gaillard Center, downtown Charleston
1-2: Southbound: Photographs of and about the New South, Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, downtown Charleston
1-15: Ca...

Strong Growth Projected for Charleston in the 2019 Economic Forecast

Last month, the Charleston Metro Chamber presented the 2019 Economic Forecast at their 28th Annual Economic Outlook Conference.  On the positive front, highlights included continued economic expansion, ongoing growth in jobs and a strong continued military presence.  However, it also recognized the housing attainability crisis the region is facing.  Read more here ...

USS Charleston Latest to Join US Naval Fleet

A ceremony was held on March 2nd at the South Carolina Ports Authority Columbus Street Terminal to commission the USS Charleston, the US Navy's latest vessel to join its reinvigorated fleet.  The USS Charlesto...

Carolina Park Elementary Rated "Excellent" (A+) by SC State Department of Education

Carolina Park Elementary is a beautiful new school with great leadership, excellent staff, leading-edge learning tools and state-of-the-art technology.

When all of those things come together they create a powerful learning environment. In just its second year of existence, Carolina Park Elementary has been rated one of South Carolina's "Top 20 Elementary Schools" (tied for 14th), placing it in the top 2% of schools statewide.

In addition to a high rating, the school is within easy walking or biking distance for students who live in Carolina Park. Another winner for Charleston County School District and ...