Emily Shapiro

Since moving here 10 years ago, I've noticed there are quite a few "drawbacks" to living in this otherwise awesome city...here are just a few warnings to those of you considering the move:

1. The mere threat of snow flurries may keep you home from work or school...it's just horrible.

2. Weight gain is possible within the first year as you adjust to foods such as shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, and lots of cornbread. http://www.discovercharleston.com/cuisine/cookbook-lowcountry.htm

3. You might have to learn how to play golf, since you'll be surrounded by numerous award winning courses. http://charlestongolfguide.com/courses.shtml

4. Complete strangers will wave or say "hello" quite often. http://www.travelandleisure.com/afc/2008/category/1/subcategory/2

5. It's very difficult to decide which beach to visit. http://beaches.discoversouthcarolina.com/charleston/charleston-main.aspx

6. It's possible that you could become addicted to boiled peanuts. http://www.boiledpeanuts.com/

7. There are too many dining options. http://www.sciway.net/tourism/chasrests.html

8. Friends will start "dragging" you to oyster roasts and boat outings. http://www.sciway.net/shop/sc-oysters.html

9. We tend to take longer lunches, so you may have to rearrange your work schedule to accommodate this inconvenience (this is the worst!)

10. Living in a "vacation city" may make some of your friends extremely jealous.

1. Guests always comment on the nice breezes going through your home...but your windows and doors are all shut. http://www.greenhomeguide.com/index.php/knowhow/entry/974/C236

2. Your monthly visits to the allergist are starting to cost about as much as your mortgage payment. http://www.earthcrafthouse.com/documents/abn/abnjuly07.pdf or http://www.greenhome.com/info/articles/fighting_allergies/5/

3. No, the previous homeowner did not sponge paint your bathroom in brown - that's mold silly. http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/fix-leaks-fight-mold.html

4. The office coffee is pretty bad, but you had to stop your morning trips to Starbucks so you could afford to pay your electric bill. http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-electricity/green-electricity-top-tips.html

5. You decide to have a home inspection before you put your home on the market (good idea) but during the radon testing, the inspector darts out of your house without giving you an invoice. http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/hmbyguid.html

6. You just spoke to your neighbor and your recent water bill is about the same - nice, but they just filled their pool last month. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/amorylovins/33/low-cost-ways-to-conserve-water-at-home.html

7. Even the White House is doing it! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29944122/

8. You've calculated that your carbon footprint alone is bigger than that of the First Family living in the White House. http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator

9. You can't take a hot shower while your dishwasher is running. http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/tankless-water-heaters-460225

10. It will help you feel better about the future! http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/greenhouse-effect.htm

More Useful Links:

The 10 easiest ways to green your home:

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107876

How to go green home buying:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/home-buying

Green Home Environmental Store:

http://www.greenhome.com/

EarthCraft House certification:

http://www.earthcrafthouse.com/About/criteria.htm

This post is pure humor, but I added some relevant links to help make it a little more educational!

1. So my cousin Jeff is going to do our loan...says he doesn't even need to pull our credit! Isn't that great? http://homebuying.about.com/od/findingalender/tp/LOques.htm

2. I know they already framed and sheetrocked the house, but we really want to add an extra bath and a room over the garage...or you can get us out of this contract, right?

3. We just put $20,000 of furniture on our Rooms-to-Go card and bought a new boat...are they going to pull our credit again before we close?

4. Hey, can you pull over so I can get that For Sale by Owner flyer? http://www.lendingtree.com/real-estate/advice/finding-a-realtor/why-use-a-realtor/

5. Thank you for showing us all these great homes this weekend, but my uncle is a Realtor and he can write the offer for us.

6. Finally! We have a ratified contract...I didn't want to tell you about all that mold under my porch, but now we're safe! http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html

7. I just lost my job yesterday, would you mind if I gave the lender your cell number for the job verification call?

8. Do we really have to take our 5 yellow labs out of the house every time it shows...they really love people! http://homebuying.about.com/od/sellingahouse/qt/sellwithpets.htm

9. I don't have $5,000 to bring to closing tomorrow...can't they just take it out of your commission? http://www.saveforhouse.com/understanding-closing-costs-on-your-1st-home.html

10. We just want to look at one more house before we close next week...

This post is really more for those of you who are planning on visiting the Park Circle area or considering a move here. That's because, if you already live or work in the area, you are most likely already familiar with how awesome EVO is! Located at 1081 East Montague Avenue, this is definitely my favorite place to get pizza since my office moved to Park Circle, and many of my friends actually name it as their favorite restaurant in general. EVO is a great place for lunch or dinner, and their bar area is also a comfortable atmosphere for casual talk and drinks if you are just looking to catch up with someone. So, what should you try during your visit to EVO? Well, I have 2 favorite pizzas: the pistachio pesto pizza and the pork trifecta. The pork trifecta may be addictive...I've picked one up "to go" on my way home a few times now! They also have terrific soups at EVO...the sweet potato was my favorite. It was freezing outside this sweet & creamy soup did the trick! If you haven't already been, I would definitely recommend a trip to EVO next time you are in the Park Circle area...it may make you want to relocate!

For their full menu and more info, visit EVO's website at: www.evopizza.com

Ever since I joined the AgentOwned Realty office in Park Circle, a subsection within North Charleston, SC, I have been amazed at how close knit the area's residents are. It reminds me of stories about "the good old days", when neighbors would actually have meaningful conversations with eachother, invite eachother over for coffee, and watch out for one another. I'm certain there are numerous neighborhoods like this within the Charleston area, but I have not personally encountered one in quite a while. It's great to see that "true community" still exists.