Charleston SC Real Estate

Inexpensive exterior selling tips

charleston-sc-real-estate-agent — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:40:54 +0000

First impressions count. That’s why your yard needs to be inviting. Trim back the bushes and trees, especially if they block views from the windows and make your home difficult to see from the street.

Keep the lawn mowed, preferably on the diagonal.
Plant yellow flowers such as marigolds along the walk or by the front door. The color yellow sells.
Wash the exterior windows.
Paint or replace the front door and buy new hardware.
Power spray the house to get rid of dirt and cobwebs.
Buy a new welcome mat for the front steps.
Paint or replace the mailbox.
Paint your house number on the curb or buy a plaque displaying your house number and install near the entry.
Wash or replace a front porch light fixture.

Investing in the sale of your home

charleston-sc-real-estate-agent — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:32:53 +0000

Many people assume that if you live in a nice neighborhood and put your house up for sale, the buyers will come. For the most part that can be true but there are two important things that will keep them there. An aggressive asking price or a home that is move in ready. We have seen so many sellers lose buyers to homes that had fresh paint, a professional cleaning prior to listing, and landscaping. Buyers today want the work to already be done and will choose the home with the least amount of foreseeable stress unless they are getting a sizable discount and even then it it may not sell them. People are looking for good deals but they are also looking for homes that they feel won’t add stress to their life. Good thing to remember when you want your house to sell. There are small inexpensive things you can do to get your house ready.

Michelle

Ending 2010

Charleston SC Real Estate — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:29:10 +0000

Like many sectors, 2010 was a tough year in real estate. With foreclosures and short sales still flooding the market it is hard to tell when we will see the decline in prices come to a holt. Selling during this time is extremely stressful for sellers especially those who bought or refinanced in the past 5 years and who held appraisals for much more than their neighbors were selling for.
Elizabeth Group Real Estate helped those who were working with losses, short sale situations, and thin margin lines and it was difficult for all involved. As agents, we all want our sellers to get close to what they feel their home is worth but in this market values are hard to identify and change so quickly. Appraisals used to be good for up to a year but now banks typically are looking for 3-6 months max, that’s how fast the values can change. It used to be in our business that sellers were always walking away with checks in hand moving on to bigger and better places and today we still see that in most cases but this year we also saw some downsizing and clients bringing a check to closing in order to get some needed financial relief. What we have to remember is everything comes in cycles and this too shall pass. As frustrating as it has been for all involved we are making progress. We are learning how to deal with these tough times and it has taught us all lessons young and old. Real Estate is an investment and does carry with it certain risk and it must be respected. There are no guarantees of value, it’s just like a stock in that it could sell for one price today and another price tomorrow based on the recent comps. The Charleston real estate market has been good to us for many years and for that we are thankful and we look forward to the cycle continuing into a healthy rebound for sellers in the future.
Buyers have enjoyed being able to afford a little more home this year and are finding rare property within their price range. This has been a joy to be a part of, several of our buyers got better locations, more square footage, and excellent terms, things that would not have been available just 24 months prior for them. Although financing was tough this year and buyers had to have extreme patience to get through the paperwork, all in all the banks worked as hard as they could to keep deals together and keep buyers happy. We saw some fabulous rates cross the closing tables this year. As you can see from previous blogs helping someone find a home is a great honor and we take it seriously. From all of us at Elizabeth Group Real Estate Thank you for your business in 2010 and we look forward to serving your real estate needs in 2011. Happy New Year Michelle

Newly Designed Website for Charleston SC Real Estate

Charleston SC Real Estate — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:59:10 +0000

We’re excited that our new website is completed. Explore the new advanced property search for quickly locating charleston real estate.