And you'll never believe what happened next!!! - A Blog from the Charleston & Mount Pleasant Real Estate Market

Family, Vacation or Investment Property, Wild Dunes, Isle Of Palms, SC

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Fri, 08 May 2009 07:35:57 -0500

My wife's newest listing. This stunning home is 3 minutes walk from Wild Dunes/Isle of Palms beach.

It would make a superb family home or vacation home or investment income property.

Amy Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | 843-425-6522

1 Pelican Reach, Isle Of Palms, SC

Stunning Home Close To Beach

5BR/3.5BA Single Family House

offered at $1,016,000

Year Built	1988
Sq Footage	2,890
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	3 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Covered spaces
Lot Size	0.19 acres
HOA/Maint	$200 per month

DESCRIPTION

Only steps from the beach, This stunning beach house is the perfect place to relax. It is light, bright and airy throughout. This home has been lovingly maintained and updated. 1 Pelican Bay is truly move in ready and neutral throughout. It has not been a rental. The kitchen and bathrooms have been updated. The roof is only 6 years old and the heat pumps, are 1, 3 and 5 years old. This is not your standard Pelican Bay Plan. This home has been expanded to include an extra large and airy family room, an extra bedroom, an office/artists studio/5th bedroom and a screened gazebo. The rooftop deck is a fabulous place to listen to the ocean and enjoy a good book. All of the bedrooms in this gorgeous home have private decks. The home sits on a pretty lagoon, and wildlife abounds. A path directly from the backyard, leads to the BEACH. The lot is oversized with a wooded buffer and expansive front lawn (mowed by HOA). It is situated at the end of a cul-de-sac for a truly private and relaxing setting. Pelican Bay also has a private pool for homeowner enjoyment. This home is conveniently right across the street from the Property Owners Clubhouse.
If square footage is important - MEASURE!!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Family room	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse	Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)
Golf course	Gated property	Secured entry

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

1 Pelican Reach	Open living
1st Floor Master	Deck off 2nd Floor Master
View view from deck	3 minutes walk to beach

Contact info:

Amy Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

843-425-6522

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 8, 2009, 4:09am PDT

Humbling!

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:43:25 -0500

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Listings Update - Tanner Hall, Hanhan area (Now with Major Price Reduction and Special Bank Financing).

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:29:48 -0500

Alan Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | (843) 709-8123

1136 Lands End Dr, Hanahan, SC

Uncompleted Condition

5BR/3.5BA Single Family House

offered at $325,000

Year Built	2006
Sq Footage	3,550
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	3 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Covered spaces
Lot Size	0.22 acres
HOA/Maint	$125 per month

DESCRIPTION

This stunning new home is ready to be finished. Due to a divorce situation the list price is for AS IS uncompleted condition. The builder is willing to quote a price to finish the home. This is a great investor opportunity or perfect for a growing family. The open two story great room is filled with natural light. The home is pre-wired for surround sound, intercom and security system. The kitchen has an option for either a gas or electric stove, tons of cabinet and counter space and easy access to the large laundry room. The master suite has plenty of room to relax, a jetted tub, and an abundance of closet space. This home has an elevator shaft if needed (currently an extra closet). The house and huge raised deck have a gorgeous view of the pond and fountain. Upstairs are 4 large bedrooms and 2 Jack & Jill full bathrooms. This custom builder has built this home for easy, elegant living and has paid attention to detail. From additional moldings and trim inside and out, to a deck built with no visible top screws, this house has it all. This home is less than 1 block from the Tanner Hall boat ramp/dock on to deepwater and the proposed childrens playground. A huge garage has plenty of room for multiple cars or a boat. Tanner Hall subsection will have separate amenities including a pool and tennis courts. Only minutes to I-26, 526, schools, hospitals, malls and shopping centers.
If square footage is important - MEASURE!!
THIS PROPERTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR FIRST FEDERALS NEW SPECIAL FINANCING!!
NEW OWNER OCCUPIED IS 100% 30 YR, 3.85%!!!
INVESTORS CAN GET A 95% LOAN AT 3.85% TOO! AMAZING!!!
This price would need to be approved by the bank as a short sale.

see additional photos below

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

THIS PROPERTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR FIRST FEDERALS NEW SPECIAL FINANCING!!

NEW OWNER OCCUPIED IS 100% 30 YR, 3.85%!!!

INVESTORS CAN GET A 95% LOAN AT 3.85% TOO! AMAZING!!!

This price would need to be approved by the bank as a short sale.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

1136 Lands End Dr	Side Elevation
View of Lake	Sunroom/Kitchen Eat In
Community Boat Ramp/Dock	Master Bedroom

Contact info:

Alan Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

(843) 709-8123

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 27, 2009, 9:15am PDT

What's this building used for?

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:17:22 -0500

Please look at the first 2 of 12 photographs of this buliding.

Who occupies the building?

Or what is it's use?

If you know then please keep it to yourself.

Next couple of photographs.

Any guesses?

More clues to come later!

Happy guessing!

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 3040 Highway 17 North Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, 29466	Work: 843-266-5000 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

New Homes avaliable from David Weekley Homes - Update

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:06:22 -0500

The following are the new homes available from David Weekly Homes as from 3/26/2009

Homes Ready Now for Foxbank Cotton Hope in Moncks Corner as of 3/26/2009

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BURGESS	Foxbank Cotton Hope	$207,360	318 Harriswood Lane	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!
SANTEE	Foxbank Cotton Hope	$152,490	324 Harriswood Lane	1	3	2	1 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for Foxbank Plantation in Moncks Corner as of 3/26/2009

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	HOUSTON	Foxbank Plantation	$297,595	183 Red Leaf Blvd	2	4	3.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for Salt Grass at Carolina Bay in Charleston as of 3/26/2009

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BROOKSLEY	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$382,456	3005 Sage Way	2	4	3	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
ROSEDALE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$346,317	3001 Sage Way	1	3	2	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
SYRACUSE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$358,822	1741 Manassas Drive	2	4	3.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
SYRACUSE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$414,440	1715 Manassas Drive	2	4	3.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
WOODVALE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$347,707	3025 Sage Way	2	3	2.5	1 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Bluffs at Ashley River in Summerville as of 3/26/2009

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BERLIN	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$259,900	141 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	3	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!
BRIDGEMONT	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$309,000	107 Crossing Water St.	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!
MEMORIAL	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$269,900	130 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Ponds in Summerville as of 3/26/2009

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
MYLA	The Ponds	$348,900	104 Westoe Street	2	4	2.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
OSPREY	The Ponds	$378,900	120 Westoe Street	2	5	3	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Should you need any further information please contact me.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 3040 Highway 17 North Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, 29466	Work: 843-266-5000 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

New Listing - 2416 Bending Oak Loop, Rivertowne Country Club, Mount Pleasant

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:03:17 -0600

Amy & Alan Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | 843-425-6522 or 843-709-8123

2416 Bending Oak Loop, Mount Pleasant, SC

This home is a relaxing retreat with wonderful amenities.

5BR/4BA Single Family House

offered at $649,000

Year Built	2008
Sq Footage	3,800
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	4 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	3 Covered spaces
Lot Size	0.32 acres
HOA/Maint	$88 per month

DESCRIPTION

This home is a relaxing retreat with wonderful amenities. The entrance hall boasts plenty of room. The staircase features lovely iron work. To the right is a large dining room with stunning coffered ceiling. The the left of the entrance hall is a large office with access to a full bath. (This could be the 5th bedroom). The large gourmet kitchen has rich dark wood cabinetry, wall oven, stainless steel appliances and a bright eating area with bay window. The morning room opens to a sunny deck. The pantry is oversized with plenty of space. The family room has a coffered ceiling and built in cabinetry with a double sided fireplace to the media room. French doors open on to the large screened porch overlooking a small creek. This home is perfect for entertaining or for a large family. The main level media room also opens to the porch and has plenty of room for a pool table and movie viewing area. This room also has a wet bar. Upstairs the master suite opens to an upper sun deck. The walk in closet has ample storage. The master bath has an oversized shower and separate jacuzzi soaking tub. Never run out of hot water with the tankless Hot water heater! The laundry room is conveniently upstairs. Two other upstairs bedrooms are oversized to comfortably fit all of your furniture and are connected by a Jack and Jill Bathroom. The guest bedroom has it's own private bathroom. The home has an elevator shaft. The garage has 3 doors and tons of space. The current owners can park 3 cars and store their boat! The Point residents have access to a beautiful large crabbing and fishing dock area complete with boat slips. (owners may leave personal boats docked for 48 Hours.) Home owners use the Rivertowne Country Club Pool, playground and clay tennis Courts. These are included with HOA dues. Rivertowne Country Club is open for dining regardless of membership. Stop by and enjoy this wonderful community.
If square footage is important - MEASURE!!

see additional photos below

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse	Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)
Golf course	Lake	Playground

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Amy & Alan Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

843-425-6522 or 843-709-8123

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Feb 21, 2009, 1:39pm PST

New Listing - 2015 Shell Ring Circle, Dunes West, Mount Pleasant

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:09:19 -0600

Amy & Alan Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | 843-425-6522 or 843-709-8123

2015 Shell Ring Circle, Mount Pleasant, SC

Beautiful Waterfront Home in Gated Golf Community

4BR/3.5BA Single Family House

offered at $1,395,000

Year Built	2007
Sq Footage	4,400
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	3 Car garage
Lot Size	1.15 acres
HOA/Maint	$100 per month

DESCRIPTION

Waterfront home in gated golf community. Approx. 5 ft at low tide, floating dock, stationary dock with 12,000lb boat lift. pool with Jacuzzi waterfall, outside shower, outside kitchen (With grill) and bath. Outside storage for pool supplies. Large outdoor living area, great for entertaining. Patio with fish pond off the Dining Room. 4 bedrooms, including Master Suite with sitting/exercise area, private access to back entertaining area/pool, large bathroom with his/her private closets. Large 16x20 storage area, that is climate controlled, carpeted and sheet rocked. Large office with custom built-ins, overlooks front yard. Full Media room over garage with custom-built in student center. Guest room complete with bathroom and access to a private deck overlooking views of Toomer Creek. Great gourmet kitchen with Dacor 48" gas stove with 2 ovens, built in stainless steel refrigerator. Area off dining room has a service center/bar. Most rooms on the first floor have a wonderful view of the backyard entertainment area, pool, water. Home has Security System, and is wired for an entertainment system in the downstairs and upstairs media rooms. Home also has sound system in Dining Room, Kitchen, Office, Family Room and outside. Please verify square footage, contact Dunes West for information on POA, Golf Fees, Club & Pool Fees and work out facility fees.
If square footage is important - MEASURE!!

see additional photos below

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse	Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)
Golf course	Lake	Playground
Gated property

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

"Deep Water" Floating Boat Dock

Stationary Dock with 12,000lb Boat Lift

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Amy & Alan Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

843-425-6522 or 843-709-8123

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Feb 17, 2009, 10:57pm PST

45 Things!

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:57:40 -0600

Following a post buy Jason Crouch, inspired I think by a Facebook post by Amanda Hall, here is my answers to the questions in Jason's post.

You can read Jason's blog post here - 45 Things You Don't Care About - Tagged on Facebook by Amanda Hall

1.Were you named after anyone? Not my first name, but my middle name (David) comes from my father. Pretty traditional really.

2. When was the last time you cried? When I met my kids at airport after not seeing them in person for 6 months.

3. Do you like your handwriting? Absolutely Not. The one thing I should have paid more attention to at school.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Smoked Chicken.

5. Do you have kids? Yes. 2 of them. Unfortunately they live with their mother in the UK. We talk on the phone and computer regularily and they really enjoy having their holidays in the USA.

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? I think so. I'm a good, loyal and trusting person, I hope.

7. Do you use sarcasm? Yes, it's the lowest form of wit. Which suits me.

8. Do you still have your tonsils? No. We were the first bit of my body to go. Even before losing baby teeth.

9. Would you bungee jump? Possibly. People that know me will think thats a strange answer for somebody who has spent a past working life absieling off tall buildings and bridges in the UK.

10. What is your favorite cereal? Wheatabix or Kelloggs Corn Flakes. Kelloggs CocoPops as a treat.

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Not if I can get them off without.

12. What is your favorite ice cream? Coffee or Phish Food

13. What is the first thing you notice about people? Their body lanuage.

14. Red or Pink? Not sure I want to answer that with out knowing more!

15. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My toes.

16. Who do you miss the most? My kids.

17. Do you want everyone to complete this list? Could be interesting.

18. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Brown jeans and black slippers, I just got up.

19. What are you listening to right now? Nothing, apart from the tap tap tap of the wife anwsering her emails.

20. If you were a crayon what color would you be? Purple.

21. Favorite smells? The sea or cold crisy fresh air.

22. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? A friend's wife.

23. Do you like the person who sent this to you? It was not sent too me, I read Jason's blog regularily and this seamed like an interesting exercise.

24. Favorite sports to watch? None really, but prefer motor sports, if I have to pick one, it would be the Motorcycle World Championship. Valentino Rossi is just amazing.

25. Hair color? Darkish brown, now slightly peppered with grey. A look I don't mind too much.

26. Eye Color? Hazel

27. Do you wear contacts? No - I couldn't see to put them in. I need to get them checked actually.

28. Favorite Food? umm, difficult. It really depends on what country I'm in. in the USA - Chori Pollo, in India - Curry, in the UK it would be between a tradional cornish pasty and a dish called "Cottage Pie".

29. Scary movies or happy endings? Scary with a happy ending and a car chase and possibly some shooting and Bruce Willis or Nicholas Cage in it.

30. Last movie you watched? Bedtime Stories, it wasn't my choice, But I enjoyed it.

31. What color shirt are you wearing? Darkish blue/purple t shirt from Santa Barbarra.

32. Summer or winter? Summer.

33. Hugs or kisses? Both, but kissess if I have to choose.

34. Most likely to respond? Not sure I understand the question.

35. Least likely to respond? Not sure I understand the question.

36. What book are you reading now? A Dean Koontz novel and a 1000 Places To Visit Before You Die.

37. What is on your mouse pad? Nothing, it's a boring grey circle.

38. What TV show did you watch last night? Greys Anatomy

39. Favorite sound(s)? The exhaust note from a Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalve fitted with the optional sports exhaust system. A truely unbelievable noise.

40. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Not keen on either, but Stones if I have to choose.

41. What is the farthest you have been from home? Madras, east coast of India or it might be the southern tip of India. I would have to measure it, but I'm not sure I need to be that acurate.

42. Do you have a special talent? Yes/No. The ability to cheer people, even strangers up.

43. Where were you born? Chesham, Buckinghamshire, UK. About an hour north of London. parents were London commuters for my first couple of years.

44. Whose answers are you looking forward to getting back? Not really applicable but I will be keeping an eye out for other peoples "45 Things".

45. How did you meet your spouse/significant other? We were "sort of" introduced by my wife's and my best friend. I was in the UK and my wife was in the USA. It was complicated to start with.

Ten Accoclades for Charleston in 2008

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:08:57 -0600

1) Travel & Leisure named Charlestonians America's friendliest people, and the magazine's readers ranked the city the No. 4 in America in its "World's Best Awards."

2) Dr. Stephen P. "Dr. Beach" Leatherman put Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island at #10 in AMERICA'S BEST BEACHES 2008

3) Charleston was named one of the five Great American Cities by Parade Magazine.

4) Golf World's 2009 Readers' Choice Awards put Kiawah Island Golf Resort as the best resort course in the U.S. It ranked Charleston and Kiawah Island as No. 1 among top golf destinations in North America and Europe.

5) Cottage Living put Noisette in North Charleston as one of America's 10 best neighborhoods.

6) Luxury travel expert Andrew Harper put Charleston in the "10 Places in America to See Before You Die".

7) Yahoo.com ranked Charleston the No. 3 spot on a similar, "before-you-die" list.

8) Southern Living landed the city as its top Spring Vacation Destination and Orbitz.com ranked Charleston the sixth fastest-growing city in the U.S. for a winter getaway.

9) Charleston beat New York to the No. 2 spot in Conde Nast Traveler's Top 10 Travel Destinations in the U.S. The magazine's same Readers' Choice Awards ranked Kiawah Island the second-best island in North America.

10) American Style Magazine ranked Charleston the sixth best arts destination among mid-size metropolitan cities.

WordLess WedNesDay

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:32:58 -0600

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Which Social Networking Site Do You Use and Why?

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:02:18 -0600

Below is my comment to an excellent post from Kris Kombrink. I wrote so much I thought I would Re-Blog it.

My Comment:

Your success in Social Networking, to me anyway, depends on what you wish to achieve.

I would agree with your comments regarding Facebook, but I know of several agents that use that platform very successfully (and they don't even have an open profile).

LinkedIn I also use a lot, (please see my ActiveRainer's Group on LinkedIn or contact me for details), sorry had to put that in, but this platform works on two levels. The first, a networking arena with other real estate (and other) industries looking to build links for outbound and, to be honest, more importantly inbound Referrals. The second level is at an individual/business level within your local community/locality looking to build your SOI.

I can't comment on Twitter as I have not caught that bug yet.

ActiveRain works well, mainly, in my opinion, because it is a great tool for many jobs, networking, keeping up to date, learning, new ideas and marketing yourself though Localism.com

There are so many other Networking & Social Networking platforms, from the big names like, YouTube, Facebook and sites like Hi5 down to more specialized sites like KayakMind, BlackPlanet and iVillage which have their own appeal to their users.

I recently looked to see how many "Networking" sites there are, Any guesses? 10, 20, 40?

Well I got to over 50 within 30 minutes of looking.

To give a little prospective, these are all sites with over 1,000.000 unique visitors/Users.

Since my answer is now longer than the original post and that it is such an interesting (to me anyway) subject, I shall Re-Blog this post in my own blog.

Via Kris Kombrink ~ Real Estate Marketing (The Kombrink Team, RE/MAX Excels - Chicago's Western Suburbs):

The agents on my team recently attended a Social Networking class at the local community college. They didn't come back with any magic bullet or anything, but I think they had a little better understanding of this new medium.

One interesting thing they mentioned to me about the class was that the instructor really pushed Facebook as the primary site to be using. They briefly mentioned Active Rain, Twitter and Linked In. Now I'm still new to this whole Web 2.0 thing but I have kind of prioritized the sites in my own head, and Facebook comes in dead last.

Don't get me wrong, I love Facebook and use it a lot in my personal life, but from a business stand point I would have to say Twitter and Active Rain are my #1. Active Rain is great for exposure and tapping into what other agents across the country are thinking about. And I love Twitter as a great place to learn the latest marketing and stuff.

So what's up with Facebook, do people use it for business and if so, how?

Who wants to be linked from Google's blog? I am not joking

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:57:39 -0600

Following an earlier "re-blog" of RealBird's blog post "Google Street View gets massive new coverage"(sorry that makes this a "re-re-blog).

Anyway Realbird has now posted the below blog which is giving you a chance to "WIN" a Google Blog link to one of your listings. For full details, read Realbird's post below.

So read the post below and then go a sign up for your chance to "WIN".

Via Real Bird (RealBird Inc.):

In March 2008, - when we released the Google Street View integration for the RealBird single property websites -, we were fortunate to be presented as one of the a case studies on one of Google's own blogs. Even better, they linked to one of the property websites we featured as an example. That's right, an editorial link directly from Google herself to a then active, for-sale listing. Unfortunately, that particular property website has been deleted by our client and that led to an interesting situation: there is a link currently active on one of Google's very own blogs, pointing to a RealBird property website with "Property information no longer available" content. Now that's a waste of link love and goodwill, don't you think? We would like to redirect this link to a current listing website of one of our members. So here we go:

Sweepstakes

To be fair to all of our current and future clients, we decided that we are going to randomly select a RealBird listing which has Street View coverage available.

Pre-requisites:

Be a real estate agent/broker - residential or commercial

Be the listing agent/broker of the property advertised

Street View coverage must be available for your property address

In order to participate for free, all you have to do is:

Post your listing on RealBird (signup or login to create your property website, it's free)

Copy your RealBird single property website Url below as a comment

That's it. Please note, that we can only redirect to a listing website for which Google Street View is available because the Google post is explicitly referencing 3rd party Street View implementations. Other than that, any type of listing will work (residential, commercial, rental etc.)

The sweepstakes will run till January 17, 2009. No purchase is necessary, the RealBird Listing Publisher is a free service. We will randomly select the listing from the entries submitted as a comment.

There are three distinct benefits here:

Direct click-through traffic from Google's blog

Direct link from Google's blog for SEO

Most importantly: another power-marketing tool to present for your current and future sellers. This is a one time, special and a lucky opportunity for all of us. I am not aware of any other time, when a for-sale property was directly linked from Google's blog. Google is such a huge brand that all of your sellers will instantly recognize the value of their listing being linked from Google's blog. And even better, that is an achievement they will attribute to you, their real estate professional.

Please share the word...

Have questions? Let us know...

If you liked this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed

-- Zoltan
RealBird.com

For free, high-impact, online listing marketing, visit RealBird.com

Our Listings - Tanner Plantation, Hanahan, SC - An update

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:36:21 -0600

Amy & Alan Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | 843-425-6522 or 843-709-8123

1 Mossey Creek, , Hanahan, SC

Great lot in small sub section of Tanner Plantation

0.22 acres Vacant Land

offered at $89,900

Lot Size

0.22 acres

DESCRIPTION

New Marsh front neighborhood! Perfect for a dream home or builders spec. The lot has beautiful mature trees, and backs up to a pond. The area behind the pond will remain wooded. The left side of the lot is wooded with a creek running along side. Great privacy and woods across the street as well. Close to modern conveniences. Only minutes to I-26, 526, schools, hospitals, malls and shopping centers. Mossey Creek has a stone bridge entrance that will be lined with Charleston style street lights. Tanner Plantation has a shopping area. Neighborhood will have natural gas.

see additional photos below

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Amy & Alan Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

843-425-6522 or 843-709-8123

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jan 6, 2009, 10:24am PST

Alan Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | (843) 709-8123

1136 Lands End Dr, Hanahan, SC

Uncompleted Condition

5BR/3.5BA Single Family House

offered at $400,000

Year Built	2006
Sq Footage	3,550
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	3 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Covered spaces
Lot Size	0.22 acres
HOA/Maint	$125 per month

DESCRIPTION

see additional photos below

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Alan Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

(843) 709-8123

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jan 6, 2009, 10:24am PST

Amy Langstone | Carolina One Real Estate | 843-425-6522

1140 Lands End Drive, Hanahan, SC

Wooded lot overlooking pond close to Community Boat Dock & Landing

0.25 acres Vacant Land

offered at $139,900

Lot Size

0.25 acres

DESCRIPTION

A chance to build your own custom home. Tanner Hall in Tanner Plantation is building an ammentity center and has a community boat dock and landing.

see additional photos below

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Amy Langstone

Carolina One Real Estate

843-425-6522

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jan 6, 2009, 10:25am PST

Will the Tesla Electric car be a success?

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:40:32 -0600

If you live in California, you may be more aware of this than the rest of us.

The thought of driving an electric car puts most of us off straight away.

The thought of an electric sports car is all most laughable..... Well not any more.

As I understand it, and I may be wrong, it has been known, a .net man from silicon valley has done what Detroit or any place else has yet to do.

Which is to produce an electric car that people may want to own at a cost that is not ridiculous.

The car is electronically limited for a top speed of 125 mph and will do 0 - 60 in under 4 seconds, has a range of 220 miles and will re-charge in approximately 3.5 hours.

For more in depth information please visit the Tesla Motors website.

Update

Following the comments made by David Lars below, here is some more information.

Fisker Automotive

Bright Automotive

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
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Water Saving Technology - Available in Clockwise or Anticlockwise depending on your Hemisphere

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:56:29 -0600

There is a company called Water Saving Technologies who devloped an easy system to save water and money.

The Aqus System basically recycles and clenese the water from your bathroom sink and uses it to flush the toilet.

The system is expected to save 8 gallons a day based on a 2 person bathroom. That's 2920 gallons a year. A quick check with your utility bill will give you an idea of the yearly saving.

The system was featured Best Of What's New 2007 in Popular Science magazine in the article "Guilt Free Flushing".

The draw back is the approximate cost of $295.00 but this will be recouped by the savings over time.

For a business or frequently used bathroom for a larger family this could some equate to savings.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
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Agent Safety Warning - Mount Pleasant area

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:08:24 -0600

An agent at a New Homes site

"had a really shady guy come through her site at Carol Oaks in Mount Pleasant just today. He was 6'5", thin, with dark hair and drove a red dodge ram pick-up truck. He couldn't answer any questions regarding home interests, he wanted to be shown the gargage and when other people came he left out the back door. He was scoping with another guy that was driving another car following him."

Please beware and be careful, it may be nothing but always air on the side of caution.

New Homes avaliable from David Weekley Homes - Update

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:28:00 -0600

This is the last update from David Weekly Homes for 2008.

The following are the new homes available from David Weekly Homes as from 12/30/2008

Homes Ready Now for Daniel Island - Pierce Street in Charleston as of 12/30/2008

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	ALLEN RIDGE	Daniel Island - Pierce Street	$641,420	1743 Pierce	2	3-4	2.5	2 / Detach	2/12/2009

Homes Ready Now for Foxbank Plantation in Moncks Corner as of 12/30/2008

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	JAMESON	Foxbank Plantation	$283,759	185 Red Leaf Blvd	1	3	3	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for Salt Grass at Carolina Bay in Charleston as of 12/30/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BROOKSLEY	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$382,456	3005 Sage Way	2	4	3	2 / Detach	2/26/2009
BROOKSLEY	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$359,251	1747 Manassas Drive	2	3-4	2.5	/ Detach	Ready for Move In!
SYRACUSE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$350,712	1741 Manassas Drive	2	4	3.5	2 / Detach	2/26/2009
SYRACUSE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$415,140	1715 Manassas Drive	2	4	3.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
WOODVALE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$346,857	3025 Sage Way	2	3	2.5	1 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Bluffs at Ashley River in Summerville as of 12/30/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BERLIN	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$289,900	141 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	3	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!
BRIDGEMONT	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$310,612	107 Crossing Water St.	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	2/10/2009
MEMORIAL	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$299,900	130 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Ponds in Summerville as of 12/30/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
MYLA	The Ponds	$379,900	104 Westoe Street	2	4	2.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
OSPREY	The Ponds	$399,900	120 Westoe Street	2	5	3	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Should you need any further information please contact me.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
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A year in my ActiveRain life

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:47:06 -0600

I joined ActiveRain on the 8th January 2008, a year has passed.

So what's gone on in the past year.

On 24th May, I posted my 100th blog, entitled strangely "My 100th ActiveRain Blog - The Numbers - What do they mean?". So I thought for my 1 year anniversary I would carry this thought on.

I then decided to review my blogs to see how and if they had changed, along the way I gathered the statistics below. I think that even after a 164 posts, that my blog is still true to it's blog description "

Number of Blogs: 100 now 164

Number of times My Profile viewed:1038 now viewed 3269 times

Number of Subscriptions to My Blog: 4 now up to 18

Thanks to - J. Teeple Elkhart-Evelyn Johnston Thomas (Tom) Morgan Hometown Realty, Inc. GMAC Real Estate Danny Thornton and since then Julie Chapman Chapman Realty Homes Brunswick Georgia
Columbia SC Homes for Sale by David Patterson Sonja Babic New Bern NC Prudential Clear Water Realty Jackie Nees Melissa Breeland * Rate A Home Griselda Tealdo-Perez, REALTOR®, e-Pro, GRI, TRC
Leander McClain Realtor, Burlington County, NJ Real Estate & Luxury Homes
James Downing - REALTOR® - Washington DC Real Estate Real Bird Hubert Miles JoLynn Pipkin, DCC & Christopher Mest for subscribing.

Highest Number of Views (all time): was 442 now 1016 and the Highest Number of Clicks (all time): was 382 now 924 are still for New Homes, New Community - On Johns Island, Charleston County, SC

The figures for blogs since my 100th post are as follows:

Highest Number of Views: 803 for All Year Round Fun - Blackbeard's Cove, Mount Pleasant, SC

Highest Number of Clicks: 525 for All Year Round Fun - Blackbeard's Cove, Mount Pleasant, SC

Highest Number of Comments: 14 for My 100th ActiveRain Blog - The Numbers - What do they mean?

Ratio of Views to Comments: 98.6 to 1 has dropped to 130.6 to 1

Number of Comments I've Left: 114 now 267

Number of Comments I've Received: 159 now 316

Average Views per Blog: 140.4 now up to 248.5

Average Clicks per Blog: 77.3 now up to 106.2

Average Number of Comments per Blog: 1.424 now up to 1.902

Most Viewed, Clicked, Commented (combined) Blog: ActiveRain on LinkedIn

My favorite Blog Post: First day back at school

Well, I am still wondering what I will be saying at my 200th post. We will have to wait and see!

Wishing all ActiveRainer's a Happy & Prosperous New Year.

New Homes avaliable from David Weekley Homes - Update

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:15:59 -0600

The following are the new homes available from David Weekly Homes as from 12/23/2008

Homes Ready Now for Daniel Island - Pierce Street in Charleston as of 12/23/2008

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	ALLEN RIDGE	Daniel Island - Pierce Street	$641,420	1743 Pierce	2	3-4	2.5	2 / Detach	2/11/2009

Homes Ready Now for Foxbank Plantation in Moncks Corner as of 12/23/2008

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	JAMESON	Foxbank Plantation	$283,759	185 Red Leaf Blvd	1	3	3	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for Salt Grass at Carolina Bay in Charleston as of 12/23/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BROOKSLEY	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$359,251	1747 Manassas Drive	2	3-4	2.5	/ Detach	Ready for Move In!
SYRACUSE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$415,140	1715 Manassas Drive	2	4	3.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
WOODVALE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$346,857	3025 Sage Way	2	3	2.5	1 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Bluffs at Ashley River in Summerville as of 12/23/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BERLIN	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$289,900	141 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	3	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!
BRIDGEMONT	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$310,612	107 Crossing Water St.	2	3-4	2.5	2 / Front	2/12/2009
MEMORIAL	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$299,900	130 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Ponds in Summerville as of 12/23/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
MYLA	The Ponds	$379,900	104 Westoe Street	2	4	2.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
OSPREY	The Ponds	$399,900	120 Westoe Street	2	5	3	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Should you need any further information please contact me.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Becoming Green - It's a wrap!

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:10:46 -0600

I saw an article recently in Popular Science magazine, one of those magazines that just seams to be lying around at the doctors/dentists. Anyway, the article was about a company called Nanosolar and there revolutionary new solar panels.

Some of the problems with traditional solar panels are that they a made with Silicon (it's expensive and in short supply), they have to be made of glass (breakable and very heavy) and they have to be mounted (time and more money) which adds up to them being EXPENSIVE.

This cost relates to the amount of time that your free electricity is going to take to pay back your investment.

What Nanosolar have done is design and manufacture solar panels that are paper thin. They "print" using semi-conducting ink on to Aluminum sheets though a room size press. The end product is giant rolls of solar panels. This means it can be almost wrapped around buildings, used to almost replace paint or cladding's.

The apparent cost of traditional solar panels is approximate $3 per watt, to compete with coal this would need to be in the $1 per watt range. Nanosolar will produce their PowerSheet for approximately 30 cents per watt.

To read the Popular Science article in full, click here.

Becoming Greener - What can you do?

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:58:51 -0600

How can we become Greener?

There are several different levels on the route of becoming greener.

They start with the simple things we can do every day to become greener.

This is not a definitive guide to all things green, it's more a thought provoking list to inspire you to think about and make little changes. These can help the environment and your bank balance.

Step 1 - Easy as changing a light bulb!

Change your light bulbs for compact florescent light bulbs ones. These use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
Turn lights out in rooms when you leave and turn it back on when you come back in.
Save water, don't run facets longer than you have too.
Recycle as much as you can. Think about a composter for the garden. Instead of sending your green scraps to the landfill you can easily make your own compost for your garden.
Use re-useable bags available at the grocery stores rather than disposable plastic ones that you throw away.
Check around your doors and windows for drafts. This can be easily done using a hairdryer and a candle or just a candle on a windy day. Repair any gaps by caulking them up or installing draft excluding strips.
Turn down the thermometer on the heating/cooling system. One degree can equate to up to a 5% reduction in your heating bill.
unplug any chargers used for phones, mp3 players, etc when they are not being used. Saves electricity and removers a potential fire hazard.
Don't use a screen saver on your computer, turn your monitor off.
Turn off computers, televisions, etc when not in use rather than them being on stand by. This could add up to a 5 - 8 % reduction in the electricity you use.
Only use the dishwasher/washing machine when full.
Do the washing up by hand if it's only a few items.
Dry clothes out doors (where practical) rather than using the dryer.
Buy products that are made of recycled material or are recyclable when used or that the packaging is recyclable over other comparable products.
When you have finished with something, can it be sold or given away rather than just putting it in the trash. You can sell just about anything using the likes of Ebay.com, craigslist.com or your local web sales sites like Yahoo group lemonade-stand here in Charleston, SC. Most of these are free or at a low cost. Consider taking stuff to your local Goodwill store.
Lower the temperature on your water heater to a 120 deg F. It's safer if you have children and is nromally still hot enough. (Check that your dishwasher has a booster heater if it requires hot water at 140 deg F for optimal cleaning).
Take a shower instead of a bath.
Install water saving shower heads can reduce the water you use from 3.5 - 5.5 gallon per minute down to 2.2 - 2.5 gallon per minute. Saves water and saves heating water.

Step 2 - A little more effort!

Car share/pool for your trip to work or to collect the kids from school.
Walk or take the bicycle to the neighborhood pool or shops instead of your car.
Collect rainwater for use in watering the garden.
Add motion detectors to outside security lighting or replace with solar lighting with motion detectors.
Check and/or add insulation to your roof space. 12 inches of insulation is recommended.
If you are replacing a household appliance, check into it's green or energy saving features.
Stop junk mail or unwanted catalogues . See web sites like Directmail.com, 41pounds.org, greendimes.com and many others for information on how to go about this.
Repair or replace a dripping facet.
Maintain, service your car to keep it's engine fuel efficient.
Keeping vehicle tires at the recommended pressures reduces fuel consumption.
Undertake an Energy Audit to find and improve your homes efficiency. You can find details on this by searching the web or sites like wikipedia.com will have information.

Step 3 - A lifestyle change!

Downsize your car or change your car for a model that is more fuel efficient.
Install a rainwater collection system to use rainwater for flushing the toilets, etc.
If you are carrying out home improvements or a remodel, think about using renewable, recyclable, energy efficient materials. Recycle your waste, don't just send it to the landfill.
Install water saving toilets.
Replace old water heaters, air conditioning and furnaces with energy efficient ones.

Step 4 - As big as a house!

Have a green house designed and built .
Sell your car and use public transport for travel.

I have not included many items in Steps 3 & 4, this is for two reasons. Firstly they are major steps and can involve major costs and lifestyle changes and secondly, anyone who is looking to carry out this level of change is going to be researching the subject, hopefully.

Again the above is not a definitive list and not all changes are practical for everyone, but it doesn't take a lot of research or effort to make simple changes and these add up in savings for you and a cleaner environment.

How can this not be a good idea!

As a little teaser, we recently applied a few of these changes to our own home a couple of months ago. This has resulted in an approximate reduction of $50.00 per month in our electricity bill (compared to the same period last year. We will be making further changes.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
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Guide to the Home Buying Process in the USA - BritishExpat.com article

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:58:23 -0600

Whether you are buying your very first home, or you are an experienced veteran of home buying, the process is unique in every state!

This guide is meant to show you the likely steps you may have to take and the sort of questions you may wish to ask. It is not meant to be a definitive guide to buying Real Estate in the USA.

Understanding the home buying process is the key to making it a pleasant experience, and will very likely reduce the stress levels considerably!

1) Selecting a Real Estate Agent

Most states in the USA require that the Agent helping you buy or sell real estate holds a Real Estate License, but this is not true in every state. The easiest way to know that you dealing with a Licensed Professional is to look for a Realtor. A Realtor is a licensed Real Estate Agent that has joined the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which regulates their behavior and sets ethical standards for them to work too.

There are many ways to find a Realtor. Use www.Realtor.com to do a area/location search. Use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo and search for "Realtor" and the location you are moving to. While looking at properties in the area to which you wish to move, keep a note of the Realtors/Agents listing the properties for sale. Use websites such as www.ActiveRain.com or www.Localism.com to do research on your area and make a note of the Realtors/Agents who contribute useful information. If you know someone who has bought a property in the USA, ask them who they used. It doesn't matter which state the transaction was in. If they were happy with the service they got, their Agent can research a couple quality Realtors/Agents in your required location. Most Realtors/Agents will do this because if you use one of their selected Realtors/Agents they will receive a "referral fee" from the agent at the end of your transaction with them. This is normally 25 - 35% of their commission fee.

You are not required to select a Realtor or Real Estate Agent to buy a house in the USA, However it is in your best interest to have one representing you. You may be asked to sign a Buyers Agency Agreement. This is a contractual relationship with the Agent. The Agent will be representing your interests solely, not those of the seller. If you do not you should be aware that if you have not signed a Buyers Agency Agreement with a Realtor/Agent then any agent you deal with only owes you "Truth" and "material facts/disclosures". Any personal information you give them could be disclosed to the seller, which could lessen your negotiating position.

2) Interviewing a Realtor/Agent:

Once you have selected 2 or 3 (or more) Realtors/Agents to interview, arrange to meet them if possible or carry out interviews over the telephone. You could even email them a list of questions to answer if you do not want to speak to them directly.

The questions you ask are personal to you. It's about getting to know someone, having a good feeling about your relationship. Some facts you may want to find out are:

Are they a full time agent?
How long have they been a Realtor/Agent?
How many properties have they helped clients buy in the last year?
How many properties have they helped clients sell in the last year?
Do they have a website?
Do they have a blog?
How are they going to find you the best home that meets your requirements?
Ask for testimonials from previous clients?

Remember, a very successful agent may have a team and not be the actual person you deal with. Although new agent will have less experience (they have an experienced Broker In Charge behind them) and will possible have more time and energy to spend on you. Websites can be an extension of personality as can blogs and therefore are another good source of information on the agent.

3) Buyers Agency Agreement

Once you have selected your Realtor/Agent you should sign a Buyers Agency Agreement (see earlier note 1c) with them. This sets out your requirements, the time limits, and the expectations in writing. Once signed this agreement ensures that the Realtor/Agent works in your best interests. They owe you Care, Confidentiality, Obedience, Accountability (looking after you money), Loyalty and Disclosure. Any decision is always yours, but listen to your Realtor/Agent. Part of their job to advise you!

Your Realtor is owed Trust, Honesty and Disclosure by you.

A Buyers Agency Agreement is an employment contact and therefore can be terminated by either party at anytime.

4) Interview/Select a Mortgage Lender

This is an important step. When it comes to buying a home, you may be ready and willing, but you must find out if you are able! You may be in for a big disappointment if you skip this step.

Get a copy of your personal credit report. This can be obtained online or locally for a nominal fee (see the Yellow Pages under Credit Report). You can skip this step and let the Lender obtain it, but having it in your hand as you interview a couple Lenders, is a real advantage - especially when it comes to sharing personal financial information with someone you are not yet sure you are going to do business with!

Think carefully before using online Lenders. While the rates/terms maybe competitive, it can be a nightmare to deal only with a toll free number if a problem occurs. Local Lenders are more easily accessible and may come to the Closing to assist in the final transactions.

Get Pre-Qualified. Choose a couple Lenders that you want to interview. Some Lenders charge a very small fee for this, but most do not - especially if you have your own credit report! Call each one and tell them..."Hi, I'm <your name>, and I am beginning the process of buying a home, and I would like to get Pre-Qualified". Some Lenders will handle this over the phone and some will ask that you meet with them in person. In general you can expect the Lender will ask you questions about your income, your debts, and your assets. Be honest and accurate. Don't be afraid to mention you are interviewing a few Lenders - they want to earn your business!

Pre-qualification is the step that determines;

How much down payment and closing cost money you will need
What interest rate options and loan programs are available
How much home you can afford
How much your monthly payments will be

Choose ONE Lender. After you have interviewed several Lenders, decide on one that you feel has the best to offer, and that you are most comfortable with.

5) A Few Important Details

When you use a Realtor/Agent, he or she is most likely to be working on behalf of a Broker In Charge. The Broker in Charge works for the Real Estate Company that your agent is affiliated to. Any agreement that you sign with a Realtor/Agent is an agreement with the Broker In Charge/Real Estate company.

Normally a Client is a person that has a written Buyers Agreement or Listing/Sellers Agreement with a Realtor/Agent/Broker In Charge.

Usually the seller of the home pays the commission for the sale. This is normally in the region of 6% of the sale price but can vary. The commission is typically, but also can vary widely spilt with the Buyers Agent at a 50/50 ratio. This is how the Buyer's Agent gets paid, so to the purchaser it is a no cost option.

If you do not use a Buyers agent, then you could try and negotiate the sellers asking price down by this percentage, but you would then be acting on your own.

Trust your Realtor/Agent, and listen to your Realtor/Agents recommendations. Think about it. Just like you do with your job, your Realtor/Agent lives and breathes Real Estate day in and day out every day of the year. It's extremely unlikely that you or your friends or relatives, know the local real estate market better than your Realtor/Agent! Use your Realtor/Agents knowledge and experience to your advantage!

There are Federal and State Laws governing the Real Estate market and contracts. These differ widely from state to state. One State's Laws may have its roots based on Old English Law and another may have its roots based in Napoleonic law. Another good reason to use a local professional.

6) Time to Look for a Home

Make a list of your requirements. The more requirements you have the less available a potential property becomes. Prioritize your requirements into "Must Have" and "Would Like" also a list of "Do Not Want" and "Dislikes". For example; fenced yard, near water, corner lot, cul-de-sac, amenities, etc.

Set out the price range, locations/areas you would like and the minimum and maximum numbers of bedrooms, bathrooms, sq ft and garages, etc that you require.

If you have hired a Realtor/Agent, give the requirements to them and they will do the search for you. If you want to you can also do your own search, because ultimately you know what you are looking for. Let your Realtor/Agent know if you are Pre Qualified for a mortgage and for how much.

If you are doing your search yourself there are numerous national websites and individual Real Estate company websites to search. The most up to date and accurate information will come from your Realtor/Agent.

7) Found a House you like:

From this point forward if you are not using a Realtor/Agent then the steps between here and purchasing your new home are individual choices that you will have to make. Good luck!

Your Realtor/Agent will make an appointment for you to see it and any other houses on your short list. Even if you have found your dream home, it is still worth seeing a couple of comparable properties so you know how to negotiate if you make an offer.

When you are sure that you have a property that you wish to make an offer on, then your Realtor/Agent can get the history of the house and do a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) to give you information on what to offer. Your Realtor/Agent can advise you on offer price and offer strategies but the final decision is yours.

Once you have made an Offer in writing you must wait to see if the Offer is Accepted or a Counter-offer is made. If the Offer is Accepted then the contract is Ratified and moves on to the next stage. If the Offer is Counter-offered then the your original Offer is now Void and the Counter-offer is now the Offer being negotiated. Each Counter-offer voids the offer before it. This process can continue until agreement is reached. If the Counter-offer is Acceptable then it can be Ratified. If it is not Acceptable you can either Counteroffer again or walk way from the deal.

When the acceptable Offer/Contract is agreed upon the Buyer normal pays a deposit called Earnest Money or Escrow. This is put in a Trust account controlled by the Realtor/Agent's Broker In Charge or an Escrow Company or a Title Company until the Closing where it is then credited back to the Buyer.

8) Once you have a Ratified Contract

Home Inspection - This is the Buyer's opportunity to perform any and all inspections that are material to the Buyer. Be sure to discuss the Buyers Inspection Period with your Buyers Agent at the time of writing the Purchase Offer. Buyers Inspection Period begins upon contract acceptance, and expires as identified in the Purchase Contract. Typical Inspection Period is 14 days after Contract Acceptance. At a minimum, the Buyer will order and have performed a professional Home Inspection. This is usually paid for by the buyer. Any repairs needed are then negotiated between buyer and seller.

Wood Infestation (Termite) Inspection may be carried out during this time frame or a certificate provided by the Seller (this may differ between States)

Lead Based Paint - This also if necessary should be carried out in this time period. If the house was built before 1978. (This may differ between States)

Appraisal - This is carried out by the mortgage company/lender to make sure that the property is worth the amount of money that you are borrowing against it.

9) Closing the Deal

This is the process that transfers ownership of the Property and Title and the Funds from the sale to the relevant parties. This does differ between States. Your Realtor/Agent will advise the exact method and parties involved.

Congratulations! The Real Estate Transaction is behind you and it's time to move into your new home!

This article was published on BritishExpat.com in May 2008 - (http://britishexpats.com/articles/usa/home-buying-process-usa/)

New Homes avaliable from David Weekley Homes - Update

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:43:51 -0600

The following are the new homes available from David Weekly Homes as from 12/2/2008

Homes Ready Now for Daniel Island - Mitchell Wharf in Charleston as of 12/2/2008

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	SUMMERVILLE	Daniel Island - Mitchell Wharf	$411,737	1511 Mitchell Wharf Street	1	3	2	2 / Detach	12/3/2008

Homes Ready Now for Foxbank Plantation in Moncks Corner as of 12/2/2008

	Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
	JAMESON	Foxbank Plantation	$293,759	185 Red Leaf Blvd	1	3	3	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for Salt Grass at Carolina Bay in Charleston as of 12/2/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
SYRACUSE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$415,140	1715 Manassas Drive	2	4	3.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
WOODVALE	Salt Grass at Carolina Bay	$346,857	3025 Sage Way	2	3	2.5	1 / Detach	12/9/2008

Homes Ready Now for The Bluffs at Ashley River in Summerville as of 12/2/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
BERLIN	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$289,900	141 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	3	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!
MEMORIAL	The Bluffs at Ashley River	$299,900	130 Ashley Bluffs Rd.	2	4	2.5	2 / Front	Ready for Move In!

Homes Ready Now for The Ponds in Summerville as of 12/2/2008

Plan	Community	Price	Address	Stories	Bedrooms	Baths	Garages	Estimated Completion
MYLA	The Ponds	$379,900	104 Westoe Street	2	4	2.5	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!
OSPREY	The Ponds	$399,900	120 Westoe Street	2	5	3	2 / Detach	Ready for Move In!

Should you need any further information please contact me.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
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Mount Pleasant Market Comparison Statistics for 2002, 2004 & 2008

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:04:47 -0600

The figures below are for Mount Pleasant (MLS Areas 41 & 42) for Single Family Homes.

They show the volume of transactions for year 2002, 2004 and 2008

To understand what the tables show, firstly, in general terms, area 42 is a more established area with the majority of new housing being built in area 41 not that these figures are seperate between the two areas.

For instance, there are more active properties in May 2008 than in 2002 or 2004. This is partly because there of the areas development. This also needs to be considered for Sold figures as the area contains many more homes than in 2002.

Active (No. of Properties)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

2002

206

185

180

205

166

156

209

191

187

141

130

2004

154

138

209

212

204

208

133

164

159

149

134

2008

259

214

225

235

241

205

200

172

163

139

N/A

Sold (No. of Properties)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

2002

127

108

151

134

144

132

2004

158

125

154

186

184

135

116

112

116

127

2008

109

127

117

N/A

Sales Dollar Volume for Sold Listings

	2002	2004	2008
JAN	$18,777,761	$27,809,447	$35,667,084
FEB	$22,168,937	$29,794,401	$33,097,176
MAR	$34,023,232	$52,759,045	$36,039,618
APR	$28,222,472	$42,569,486	$37,003,875
MAY	$37,513,111	$52,292,810	$54,898,367
JUN	$44,907,076	$66,411,384	$59,478,738
JUL	$36,386,391	$67,435,172	$60,978,566
AUG	$41,798,559	$49,842,654	$45,064,768
SEP	$35,484,710	$42,622,648	$26,262,998
OCT	$26,584,323	$40,094,437	$29,199,380
NOV	$23,694,964	$44,341,677	N/A
DEC	$37,175,787	$48,690,105	N/A

Available Inventory

Current Inventory	2002	2004	2008
JAN	1089	651	1668
FEB	1156	623	1768
MAR	1133	579	1767
APR	1120	572	1818
MAY	1131	546	1845
JUN	1057	521	1804
JUL	976	502	1771
AUG	946	483	1735
SEP	905	443	1686
OCT	922	420	1670
NOV	870	434	1675
DEC	915	405	1685

The one fact that I can easily extract from the above figures is that to use them to gauge what the housing market is doing you need to fully understand the area they related too.

You could say that according to Sales Dollar Volume for Sold Listings chart that May 2008 (quiet market) was busier than May 2004 (boom market).

So yes the past sales and sold statistics are useful but only if you fully understand what you are looking at and how to apply them.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
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Construction Exchange - Networking for the Construction Industry

Alan Langstone (Carolina One Real Estate) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:18:17 -0600

This may be of interest to anyone looking to build new links with the construction industry.

Construction Exchange, a free on-line community was formed in July 2006 and has been growing steadily since then.

It is possibly of more interest to those commercial/industrial construction and finance services providers than the typical real estate services but you never know!

Anyway, please take a look at the presentation below or visit the Construction Exchange web site.

If you have any constructive (pun intended) comments please leave them below or for those of you who have a LinkedIn profile you could contact Josh McGarva directly.

Alan Langstone Real Estate Agent Langstone Team Carolina One Real Estate 1951 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29492	Work: 843-284-1932 Mobile: 843-709-8123 Fax: 843-202-8675 alan@carolinaone.com www.langstoneteam.com
"Trust, Integrity & Service"
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