About Berkeley County, SC

It is often that I'm asking for a landscaper recommendation or that I recommend one to clients. Clients with vacant homes need regular maintenance and sometimes curb appeal assistance--the most common being de-weeding, pinestraw addition and a good edging. The landscaper I'm going to recommend is someone that I utilize on my personal rental properties. Within 2 months of the new maintenance service, one of my tenants emailed me to let me know the lawn had never looked so good. Chris Straney of Good Earth Landscaping became my go-to guy for landscaping services. Chris makes my job easier. I always handle getting estimates for out of town clients and Chris is very accessible. I can just send him a text or email of the address with a short description of what is needed. And I get an email estimate within 24-48 hours. Not only is he accessible, he is reliable. I had previous service on my rental property and my tenants would call me to ask me when the lawn was going to be cut. Chris is at my property every 2 weeks and I don't worry about getting overlooked. And even better is that he takes before and after photos (one such example of before and after is pictured here). Since many of my clients are out of state, this is such a wonderful service that both my client and I appreciate. If you are in need of landscaping service, consider Good Earth Landscaping. Chris can be reached at goodearth@comcast.net or 843-810-7441.

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We are approved by Boeing 3^rd party relocation company as Charleston Boeing Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. Visit us at www.CharlestonBoeingRealtors.com. Contact Top Real Estate Agents, North Charleston, SC Relocation Experts, Licensed Realtors® in South Carolina at 843-849-5217 or info@CharlestonRelocationExperts.com to list your home for sale or to purchase a home in Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville, North Charleston, Hanahan, Mount Pleasant and the surrounding areas in Charleston County, Berkeley County or Dorchester County. The Charleston Relocation Experts Team specializes in relocations, first time homebuyers and creating marketing exposure to sell your home in the Charleston SC Real Estate market. View all homes for sale at www.myCharlestonMLS.com

We recently took a listing in Goose Creek, SC in Berkeley County that had been on the market for over 10 months with another company. The first listing was occupied by the homeowners and the 2^nd listing was vacant after they relocated out of the area. I previously blogged about this listing showing vacant, occupied and staged photos-Take a look at the difference here. I've posted photos of the most dramatic room transformation here-the dining room.

During the previous 10 months, they had approximately 25-30 showings with not even one offer. In just 10 DAYS, we had our 1^st showing and an offer in hand. I do not believe this is luck of the draw. The property shows amazingly different and looks like a model after the fantastic staging job by First Impressions staging company and it cost the owner less than 1% of the sales price to have the whole house staged and repaint this room. Because of the new look, we even raised the price slightly to offset the staging costs. While the offer is still in its infancy and I'm not sure we will come to terms, the fact of the matter is that this home has now generated an offer. Staging works! This home proved it in just 10 days to elicit an offer. Even if this one doesn't work out, I'm confident, we'll get another bite.

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We are approved by Boeing 3^rd party relocation company as Charleston Boeing Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. Visit us at www.CharlestonBoeingRealtors.com. Contact Top Real Estate Agents, North Charleston, SC Relocation Experts, CRS, GRI, ABR. Licensed Realtors® in South Carolina at 843-849-5217 to list your home for sale or to purchase a home in Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville, North Charleston, Hanahan, Mount Pleasant and the surrounding areas in Charleston County, Berkeley County or Dorchester County, South Carolina. The Charleston Relocation Experts Team specializes in relocations, first time homebuyers and creating marketing exposure to sell your home in the Charleston SC Real Estate market. We can also be contacted at info@CharlestonRelocationExperts.com. To view all North Charleston SC and surrounding homes for sale at www.myCharlestonMLS.com

Understanding the Title Search

Among the many areas of due diligence in buying a home, a title search, or sometimes called a title examination, is one of the most important. The title is a document that gives evidence of an individual's ownership of property. The title search is usually performed by an attorney (usually the closing attorney) in an effort to ensure that the title on a particular house is free of encumbrances. An encumbrance is any lien, liability, or charge against a property. The attorney performing the title search will be looking for many things including:

1. Mortgages - looks for 2nd and 3rd mortgages that may affect the closing.
2. Life Estates
   
3. Right of Ways
4. Judgment liens
5. Special assessment liens
6. Current leases
7. Deed restrictions
8. Easements
9. Tax liens
10. Mechanic liens.

It is important to note that if a buyers is securing a loan from a lending institution, that lending institution will require a title search to be performed to assure the seller is conveying a good and marketable title. Upon completion of the title search, the attorney will most likely offer the buyer Title Insurance.

What is Title Insurance? Title insurance normally covers defects which do not appear in public records. Title insurance indicates only that title is insurable and not that it is without defects. If no defect is found it is considered Marketable Title, which means that it is a title that an ordinary person in an ordinary market would accept. This is based on the concept that no title is completely free of all defects. There are two type of title insurance policies. Mortgagee Policies are policies that would cover the amount of the mortgage only. Owners Policy are policies that would cover the owner's equity plus the mortgage if there were one.

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Understanding Real Estate Property Rights!

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Goose Creek Real Estate Stats - Oct 2009

Energy Star Residental Tax Credits

More great news for the Charleston-area economy: Automotive tire industry leader, TBC Corporation, is moving in, creating jobs and boosting the port’s activity.

TBC recently announced plans to occupy a 1.1 million square foot distribution center to be developed in Rockefeller Group Foreign Trade Zone / Charleston in Berkeley County. The 400-acre industrial park is a joint venture of Rockefeller Group Development Corporation and MeadWestvaco Corporation’s Community Development and Land Management Group.

The infrastructure and the proximity of the Port of Charleston complement the planned growth and will allow the companies to meet the growing demand of their customers. The East Coast Distribution Center will primarily support TBC’s wholesale operations.

The expansion of TBC’s east coast distribution center to the Berkeley County site near the I-26/Jedburg Road interchange will provide necessary access to the deepwater Port of Charleston, which will allow TBC to receive product from international as well as domestic suppliers, subsequently streamlining product and inventory management to the benefit of its customers.

TBC’s distribution center will have a dramatic positive impact on Berkeley County, the Charleston region, and the entire State of South Carolina. Accordingly, a collaborative private/public effort was forged to pursue TBC. TBC will be one of the largest users of the Port of Charleston, and TBC expects to bring thousands of containers through the Port annually.

Wanting to search for Charleston, SC real estate, then please visit us on the web. If you are looking for beach area real estate then stop by our Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island or Folly Beach web site.  If you want to live in one of the better planned communities on the East Coast then visit our site devoted to Daniel Island homes.  If you want to live in one of Charleston's best suburbs look for homes in Mt. Pleasant, SC here. We also have a site devoted to retirement and second homes in Charleston.

Buying real estate is a a great long term investment. After all, as Mark Twain once put it, "Buy land, they're not making any more." When getting involved in real estate it is important to make the distinction between the two major types of property and the rights involved in each. The two types of property are Real Property and Personal Property.

What is Real Estate? Generally speaking, real estate is defined as any interest in land. Note that interest in this case is defined as one's rights, powers, privileges, and/or immunities in real estate. Land is best described as the surface of the earth extending downward to the center of the earth and upward to infinity, including things put there by nature such as trees and water. This is mostly associated with real property.

What is Real Property? Real property is the land plus things permanently attached to it either by nature or by man. For example, the lot plus the house, fence, trees, bushes, and/or a well would be considered real property. Real Property comes with three property rights:

1. Mineral Rights - the property owner usually owns the mineral rights below the surface since land ownership extends downward to the center of the earth. The right to mine the property or sell the mineral rights usually comes with ownership.
2. Air Rights - Because ownership of land extends upward to infinity land rights include the air space above the land. The government most often will supersede and restrict these rights with zoning restrictions and by allowing aircraft to use the airspace above your land.
3. Water Rights - Water rights vary by state and usually fall into one of two categories: Riparian Rights and Littoral Rights. Riparian Rights deal with ownership of property along bodies of water that flow (rivers and creeks) and property lines depend on local laws. In South Carolina Riparian property rights hinge on if the stream is navigable or non-navigable. Property owners along navigable rivers and streams property rights extend only to the water's edge. Those along non-navigable rivers and streams could own the land under the stream to the center of the stream. Littoral Rights deal with ownership along large lakes, seas, and oceans affected by tide currents. Ownership here usually extends to the mean high water mark.

What is Personal Property? All property that does not fit the definition of real property is usually classified as personal property. Personable Property is usually movable. Historically Personal Property has been called (and is still called this in some areas of the country) personalty or chattel property. Types of Personal Property include:

1. Emblements - Emblements are annual growing crops (must be replaced each year). Examples include corn, wheat, and tobacco.
2. Trade Fixtures - these are fixtures used in a trade or business by a tenant. These include store shelves or restaurant equipment.
   
3. Chattel Real - this is usually paperwork that displays an personal property interest in the real property. This includes leases, mortgages, and land contracts.