Congratulations to the Five Schools in South Carolina that were awarded the 2010 National Blue Ribbon Schools award. Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet in Goose Creek and Charles Pinkney Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant two Lowcountry schools honored.
National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of excellence that other schools can emulate, and have proved superior academic achievement or dramatic gains in student achievement. Schools must have either 40% of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and show dramatic improvement on test scores, or regardless of demographics, the school must perform in the top 10% of schools in the state.
Charles Pinckney serves 975 students in grades 3-5, and has consistently achieved excellent absoulute performance ratings on its school report card. School leaders say their sucess lies in a belief that all children can learn and excel.
Howe Hall serves 422 students in grades K-5 with a poverty level of 46%. School administrators believe the arts education students receive is a key ingredient in their success. The School's level of achievement in academics and arts is among the highest in the state on assessments.
The other schools in South Carolina that were awarded the Blue Ribbon include Ballentine Elementary in Irmo ,Greeenville Technical Charter High School in Greenville, and Powdersville Elementary in Greenville.
Congratulations to all the winners! Keep up the good work!
Patty Saarafile, Carolina One's CEO wrote this letter this week to all of our Clients, friends and neighbors. She does a tremendous job of helping us all explain why July's numbers had dropped so dramatically!
Please remember, Real Estate is local. Whats happening now nationally is certainly not what we are experiencing in the Charleston area. If you have questions about your neighborhood, please call me for a complete market analysis!
August 27, 2010
To our clients, friends, and neighbors,
After a strong spring real estate market, this week there have been national headlines in the news about the 27% drop in July home sales compared to July 2009. While Charleston's numbers for July are similar (21% down in the number of sales and 27% in the sales volume), it's important to understand the reasons and to look at the bigger picture.
The spring market was stimulated by the April 30 deadline for the tax credits. Rather than the "normal" cycle of home sales, many sales were pushed forward by buyers wanting to take advantage of the tax credits. As a predictable result, we have seen a drop in the number of buyers in the market, because they bought before April 30. The good news is that there are new buyers in the market every day, and within another month or two, we should see the market level out to more normal seasonality.
All real estate is local. Looking specifically at Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties, year to date sales are up 21% in sales volume over January - July 2009 and the number of homes sold is up 19%. The statistics are very encouraging and Charleston is blessed by many advantages, but again understanding that the spring tax credits played a large role in these increases, unemployment remains high, and our economy is still troubled by multiple and complex issues, these percentages will likely soften by year end. What we are experiencing are the ups and downs of a housing market trying to recover. We believe we have seen the bottom of the market and, regardless of the percentages, 2010 year end home sales will be stronger than 2009. Nonetheless, any sustainable recovery will be gradual, bumpy, and it will take time. Cautious optimism might be an appropriate outlook.
What does all this mean for those in the market at this confusing time? If you're a home seller, yes, you can sell your home now. The key is compelling pricing that makes it stand out above its competition. If you're a home buyer, there has never been a better time to buy than today. Interest rates remain at historical lows (4% range) and selection and value are exceptional. Like the economy, the real estate market is cyclical. The market will improve and when it does, these favorable conditions for buyers will not be there.
Statistics are different for every geographical area and every neighborhood. Your Carolina One sales associate is here to help with any questions about your individual situation. As always, thank you for your continued trust and confidence in Caroline One.
Sincerely,
Patty Scarafile, CEO
CHARLESTON, SC-(July 12, 2010) More than 1,000 homes sold in June, marking the highest number of residential real estate transactions in nearly three years. According to the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® (CTAR), 1,022 homes changed hands at a median sale price of $185,612 in June. The last time more than one thousand transactions closed was August of 2007.
Homes are selling on average, almost 2 weeks faster than they were one year ago, with days on market for June 2010 averaging 105, as compared to the June 2009 average of 118. "The most encouraging data are the year-to-date statistics" said Jeremy Willits, CTAR President, "They exemplify the ongoing stability and minimal yet healthy growth of our recovering market-sales volume has been steadily increasing since the beginning of this year and median prices remain firmly in the mid $180-range." Year-to-date, 31% more homes have sold than in the first half of 2009, and median prices have remained stable, increasing by a slight 1% margin. "The extension of the closing date for those who qualified for the Homebuyer Tax Credit will help thousands of people across the state of South Carolina who would not have been able to close by the original June 30 deadline, due to the high volume of loan activity the banks are trying to work through" said Willits. As of June 30, 2010 there were 9,869 homes listed as actively for sale with the Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service. Mid-Year Market Recap*
*all figures cited are preliminary figures recorded on the 10th of each month BERKELEY COUNTY Median sale prices varied by 1%--down slightly from $172,361 in June 2009 to $169,875 in June 2010. CHARLESTON COUNTY The area of Mount Pleasant that lies south of Highway 41 recorded the most sales in the County, with 105 closed transactions at a median price of $340,000. DORCHESTER COUNTY While median sale prices dipped approximately 5% in Dorchester County when compared to last June, homes are selling significantly faster in this area-average days on market decreased by more than a month's measure, dropping 39 days to an average of 64. The most active area of Dorchester County was the Summerville/Ridgeville area, with 115 sales at a median price of $157,327. MAY 2010 ADJUSTMENT |
Well, I personally think Mt. Pleasant, SC should have been higher on the list, but what a wonderful honor!
Mt. Pleasant, SC was named Money Magazine's 100th Best Place to live in the United States.
So how did Money magazine decide the winners?
Using statistics from data services company Onboard Informatics, they crunched the numbers to come up with the best small cities for families to live. Theses cities populations needed to be between 50,000 and 300,000. Mt. Pleasant's current population is estimated to be about 65,000 and is slated to grow to 85,000 by 2015.
The writters also factored in additional information on the economy of each small city such as the fiscal strength of the government, availability of jobs and housing and the quality of the schools available to the residents.
Finally, the writers visited all of the top contenders and interviewed residents, assessed traffic, parks and gathering places and considered various intangibles such as community spirit.
It is clear from all of the accolades that Mt. Pleasant has been receiving lately from being named by the National Civic League on June 18th as a top 10 All America City at its 61st annual celebration to the latest honor from Money Magazine that Mt. Pleasant, SC was, is and will continue to be a terrific place to call home!!!!
This home is a tremendous value in the Mt. Pleasant Civic Pride Award Winning Neighborhood of Hidden Lakes!
Come on in and see me Ya'll
Best value in Hidden Lakes, by FAR! A great family home in Hidden Lakes, a Mt Pleasant Civic Pride Award-winning community. FULLY RENOVATEDhome with all new carpeting, refinished oak hardwood floors, new ceramic tile, a kitchen makeover with granite, new cabinetry & new stainless steel appliances, and new bathrooms. Solid wood interior doors. Smooth ceilings. Durable ALL NEW siding is custom 6" Nucedar, a LIFETIME WARRANTY "green" product made of PVC and recycled plastics; never paint again! New roof in 2005. Main HVAC new in 2006. Transferable termite bond (Ledford's) in place. No irrigation bills, as the in-ground lawn sprinklers are centrally supplied from the large neighborhood lake. Low HOA fees pay for neighborhood clubhouse, pool, playground, tennis courts, the wonderful lake, and irrigation water access; boat/RV storage available for a one-time nominal fee. American Home Shield warranty available. Home inspection report by SolidGround is available for review. This is a great "like new" lifetime home in one of Mt Pleasant's best locations. Make it yours now!
Realtor with Carolina One Real Estate Mt. Pleasant North office. Specializing in the East Cooper area of Mt. Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Sullivans Island, Downtown Charleston and West Ashley.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2012 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
While the median sales price of $185,612 is approximately 4% lower than last June's peak price of $192,626, it is consistent with median prices thus far in 2010. 
