I don't think I'm being a pessimist here. I prefer to be more of a realist. Zillow published a report about this showing that homeowners across the nation are overly optimistic about the value of their home with 41% of homeowners surveyed believed that their home value will increase in the next 6 months.
It's certainly never been a better time to buy with low interest rates, tax credit incentive, inventory galore and lowest prices in 6 years or more. It's never been a better time to sell for the same reasons even for sellers that might be upside down. Believe me, we sold our home this year for less than we paid for it and brought money to the table even though we put 5% down and paid the mortgage down over 5 years. But we are moving up to a bigger home for less money that we could have 5 years ago so now is the time for us to make a move into our dream home.
In my opinion, the short sale and foreclosure projections are grossly underestimated and based on some of the leading real estate spokespersons that I respect (like Steve Harney), recovery is still a long way off, at a minimum 2014 and up to 2023 for some states like CA, AZ, OH, FL. There are signs in the Charleston area that things are improving, but I prefer to temper the optimism with the following information that may impact the market in the next year or two.
Interest rates by this time next year will most likely increase 1-2 points. They can't stay low forever. Higher rates will also contribute to more falling prices since buying a home at $200K at 5.5% vs 7.5% will throw many people out of the ball game because the principal and interest payment will increase by over $250 per month.
What are we gonna do after the tax incentive ends? First time homebuyers are accounting for about 60% of sales. Homeowners that want to move up and take advantage of the credit may or may not be able to if they can't compete to sell their home with existing resale, short sales and foreclosures.
I have a rental property that I put up for sale a year ago that didn't sell. The lease is almost up and based on values, I have to list it for $15,000 less now. I just don't realistically see values increasing anytime in the near future. The good news is that in my area, they seem to be static for the time being. This could be a false sense of security given by the 1st time buyer tax credit which has increase sales and held values somewhat steady.
Buyers should make a calculated move on the decision to purchase. If you have to move in 2 years, it's probably not a great idea to buy a house unless you plan to keep it as a rental (which isn't a bad way to build wealth, but it does take some consideration). My opinion on values is that I don't think you will lose as much value as your value will be static for some time until the economy and real estate markets heal their wounds depending on where you purchase. In order to re-sell your home and break even, on average with the cost of selling a home and paying a buyer's closing costs which is customary in our market, your home would have to appreciate approximately 9+ percent. It's possible that you get a stellar deal on a foreclosure or short sale and we have helped many buyers do this, but most people will pay market value. Even if you land a great deal, you are most likely dumping money into it to make it your own as banks do not care for properties that way owners do.
We still have lending issues where lenders have swung from one extreme of loose lending to the other where it seems like you have to give a blood and urine sample to get your loan closed. A balance will have to be struck in the financing world to assist in the recovery. And home buyers and owners will have to get back to the basics of living within their means and saving for a downpayment.
While it's difficult to predict what will happen, I think we cannot be naive about it because buyers and seller alike need us to help them make good decisions. For some people, that will mean not purchasing and non selling but it's important to give them good information so they can make that decision. We have a short window of opportunity for the tax credit to stimulate the market but it is a fallacy to believe or lead consumers to believe that we will get back to the good ol days of soaring appreciation any day now. We might call them overly optmistic homeowners, but I agree with Zillow that they are just most likely misinformed or confused.
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.
We are approved by Boeing 3rd 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 2nd 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 1st 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.
We are approved by Boeing 3rd 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
I have my business checking account with Bank of America (BOA). About a year and a half ago, I started a savings account as a sinking fund for big purchases that I make on occasion and to build a reserve for my business. Well, I recently used much of the savings to replace the transmission in my car but left a small balance. Over the course of a few months, I think saw my account in the NEGATIVE! I was shocked and not sure how that could happen. Much to my surprise, BOA had been debiting a $12.00 maintenance fee from my savings account.
When I opened the account, I was clearly told that I would not be assessed any monthly fees as long as I maintained a minimum balance of $10,000 between my 2 accounts. Easy enough so I agreed. I contacted BOA and the customer service man was nice enough to refund me 3 months worth of monthly fees, but that still left 6 more months of charges I was out. He said I would have to call back and speak to the center where I started my account. No where on BOA's website could I find this number so I called back to the same number. The lady told me that I should have checked my savings account statements for suspicious activity and I could have reported it sooner. While, I check my checking account statements to balance my checkbook, I never thought in a million years, I would have to check my savings account for suspicious activity from my BANK!!! Ok, so maybe it was my fault for not catching it, but I assure you that I would have NEVER started a separate account had I not been told I would be assessed any fees as long as I maintained the minimum balance between my 2 accounts. Strange enough, I told her I wasn't charge this fee when I started the account and she told me they usually give a 3 month waiver. Ok, well, from checking my statements, I wasn't charged a fee for 5 months. She couldn't explain that. Then there was one month I was charged the fee, but I had at least the minimum balance supposedly required. Then she said, oh, but there was one day the balance went below. What the heck happened to average daily balance?! She couldn't give me another contact to speak to. She only suggested that I walk into a banking center. I have a feeling they will not be able to help either and I have a feeling, I will be closing this account and taking my money elsewhere.
Each Veterans Day, it's a wonderful opportunity to say thank you to our past and present Armed Forces service men and women. I'm thankful for my father (22 years), husband (11 years), countless friends and clients who have served, as well as the 24+million veterans who have served in the past. I'd like to challenge you to consider looking for ways to show your gratitude by looking for ways to support active duty families each and every day--the mom or dad and children left behind or the soldiers in faraway places away from their families. You could take dinner to the family missing their wife or dad or provide a few hours of babysitting. There are many opportunities and programs to support our troops a far. Here are a few:
Please encourage your family or business to unite to show thanks and support to the 1.4+ million who are currently serving in uniform today as your way of showing gratitude for their service. The Charleston Relocation Experts Team invites our clients, friends and family to assist us in the Red Cross Holiday Mail project. We will be collecting holiday cards to send to troops. Please visit the website http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail for dos and don'ts. You can drop your card off at our office before Dec 4th at 628 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 and we'll send them in one big package so they arrive by the deadline. Thanks for joining us in this effort!
We are Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. 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, visit www.CharlestonBoeingRealtors.com and then click on Search for Homes. Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CRETeam
The $8,000 tax break for first-time buyers, which was set to expire at the end of this month, will continue until April 30. Buyers would have to have signed a contractual purchase agreement, but not necessarily close on the sale. Another 60-day cushion beyond the end of April would be provide to complete the closing to June 30, 2010.
The measure removes the first-time-only stipulation opening the tax benefit up to existing homeowners who've lived in their current residence for at least five years but want to relocate to a new primary residence. The incentive amount for those buyers is $6,500.
The income limits for both first-time buyers and existing homeowners would be $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples - up significantly from the current first-time buyer thresholds of $75,000 per individual and $150,000 per couple.
The tax break would only be offered on homes priced at $800,000 or less, and beneficiaries who sell the home or stop using it as their primary residence within three years would be required to repay the credit.
The tax credit is also set to be extended for another year for military personnel serving outside of the United States until June 30, 2011. What a great way to honor our military heros with Veteran's Day approaching this week.
Please join me on November 10, 2009, in wishing the United States Marine Corps a Happy 234th Birthday.
I'd also like to extend this tribute to all of the men and women serving in all branches of the U.S. Military - Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. Thank you all for your tireless dedication to keeping our country safe. Veteran's Day is November 11th. Please remember to thank a veteran this week.
We are Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. 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 Click Here and then click on Search for Homes.
We just took a listing that has previous been on the market in Goose Creek for over 10 months. When we reviewed the past listings prior to our listing appointment, we instantly knew the problem(s) and how we could improve the odds of selling. The problem was presentation! It's the first rule in marketing IMHO. The product must be appealing and packaged properly. This is a lovely home with a fabulous floorplan in a wonderful community but the previous listings didn't convey this. If buyers don't like what they see in the photos, they aren't going to step in the door.
During the first listing, the house was occupied and wasn't showcase properly to entice a buyer. This home is in a neighborhood competing with new construction and a model home making it irrestible to buyers. In second listing, the house was vacant. The rooms looked small, lonely and forgotten. This home needed the dining room needed to be painted and the house needed to be staged. The transformation made by Melissa Marro of First Impressions is amazing as showcased in the photos below. We are expecting amazing results and can wait to report back. What do you think? Which house photos are going to make a buyer schedule a showing? They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I believe they can be worth several thousand dollars in saving carrying costs and helping a seller retain more of their equity. I wish I would have met this seller sooner because I believe if we had taken this listing sooner and made these changes, they would have sold sooner and at a higher price since the market has changed in the last 10 months when they went on the market.
UPDATE 11/16/09: We've been on the market 10 days and we just got our first showing and an offer!! While it was a low offer and I'm not sure if we'll work it out, it goes to show staging works! This property was on the market with another agent for 10 MONTHS with NO action. Just 10 days with staging has produced an offer!
We are Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. 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 Click Here and then click on Search for Homes.
Have you passed by the bright orange building? If you have tire, brakes, alignment, struts, etc, be sure to stop in for friendly and honest service at Geralds Tires and Brakes. They have truly mastered the art of customer service. I've been taking my car to Geralds for over 15 years. I'll never forget my first experience. I was 18 and drove a Mustang. The brakes had been squeaking and this college student was on her own. I took my car into a name brand auto shop known for brakes to find out what was wrong. The techinican told me my brakes needed to be replaced and it would cost $750. $750 to a college student might have well as been asking for my index finger. I couldn't afford $750! I drove away just about in tears wondering where I would come up with the money. I passed by Geralds in the bright orange building and decided to stop in for a 2nd opinion and hopefully a lower price. After 45 mins, a friendly face squatted beside my chair and said, "Ma'm, your rear brakes are squeezing because they need to be adjusted. We took care of it for you and there's no charge. Have a great day!" It was everything in me not to bear hug this man. I said, "Are you sure? Because I just got an estimate from someone else that told me my brakes had to be replaced."
"Yes Ma'm. I'm sure."
Then it dawned on me that this other place tried to rip me off! As I got in my car, there was a single red rose on the passenger seat with a printed note that said, "Thanks for letting us serve you!"
Hello!? They were honest about the work needed. Fixed it. Didn't charge me for it and then give me a rose. Talk about knowing how to treat a lady! I've never gone anywhere else for anything they can do. Granted they are always busy so there may be a wait, but there is always a friendly face to greet you and I know I will get an honest assessment. And I know you will too! Also, if you purchase your tires from Geralds, they offer free tire rotation and flat tire plugs and patches for the life of your tires. Can't beat that!
Geralds Tires and Brakes has 6 Charleston area locations. They are open Monday-Saturday but you'll want to get there first thing in the morning to avoid the long lines. Visit their website, http://www.geraldstires.com, for more info.
We are approved Charleston Boeing Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. 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.CharlestonBoeingRealtors.com and then click on Search for Homes.
There are so MANY fun and wonderful things to do in the Greater Charleston, SC area but the costs can add up, plus it can be tough to know where to start. For a limited time until Dec 31, 2009, you can purchase your "Be a Tourist in Your Own Town" pass which offers residents of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties free one-time admission to 33 area attractions and discounts at 24 restaurants during the month of January 2010. Visit their website to view which attractions http://www.beatourist.net/attractions.html and what discounts are available. Some popular attractions include Aiken-Rhett House, Carolina Ice Palace, Charles Towne Landing, Charleston Museum, Magnolia Plantation, Middleton Place and The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. Popular restaurant offering discounts on the pass include 82 Queen, Bocci's, Morgan Creek Grill, Tommy Condon's Irish Pub and The Library at Vendue Inn.
Passes are $20 for an individual or $50 for a family (up to 4 members). A local ID is required to purchase. Passes are on sale November 1 - December 31 and are valid for use during the month of January 2010. Passes may be purchased by visiting www.beatourist.net, calling 843-853-8000, and are available at any official area visitor center. Take advantage to see your town at a fraction of the cost and enjoy!
We are approved Charleston Boeing Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. 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.CharlestonBoeingRealtors.com and then click on Search for Homes.
For some, the list below can be depressing depending on which state you live in. But on a positive note in looking at the info below, prices have never been lower. In Charleston, SC, Moody's predicted that Charleston would only decline 1 more percent and the bottom would be in the 4th quarter of 2009. Now is the perfect time to buy, enjoy homeownership and be on the incline in the next 5 years. As a seller, you have to ask some tough questions. Can I hang on to the property for at least 5 years? If the rent doesn't cover the mortgage, can I pay the difference? Can I afford the necessary maintenance that may come up in the next 5 years i.e. water heater, dishwasher, HVAC, or roof replacement, HOA fees, regime fees, landscaping, carpet replacement, etc. Sometimes, it may be better to cut losses now when you consider the cost of maintenance and repairs.
On October 6, 2009 at 11:51 am, Steve posted this blog that I think is interesting and would like to share. Please find his original post here.
Steve says:
"Many sellers want to know how long would they need to wait to again see the prices of 2005-2006. Moody's and Fiserv have actually studied this point. Here are the years that different states will probably return to those prices:
Before 2014
Maine Vermont Kentucky Pennsylvania South Carolina Alabama Alaska Iowa Montana South Dakota North Dakota Wyoming Nebraska Kansas
2014-2017
Massachusetts Connecticut Delaware Ohio West Virginia Indiana Wisconsin North Carolina Tennessee Mississippi Arkansas Missouri Louisiana Oklahoma Texas Colorado New Mexico Washington Oregon
2018-2022
New York New Hampshire New Jersey Maryland Rhode Island Illinois Hawaii Georgia Idaho Utah
After 2023
Virginia Florida Michigan Minnesota California Nevada Arizona
There are two ways to look at this data. First, if you are thinking of selling, sell now - don't wait. The other point is, if you are buying this year, in 43 of the 50 states you could see a dramatic increase in value within ten years. I think this data can help both buyers and sellers make good decisions for themselves and their families."
Per Steve Harney's comments, The information was taken from a study done by Fiserv and Moody's which was reported by Seeking Alpha on 9/19. I highly recommend Steve Harney's blog. You can find it at www.SteveHarneyBlog.com
We are Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. Contact Top Real Estate Agent, North Charleston, SC Relocation Expert, 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 Click Here and then click on Search for Homes.
Charleston SC real estate, Military Relocation Expert serving Goose Creek SC, Summerville, SC and surrounding areas. CSP Elite Instructor, How to Maximize Your Client's Equity Through Home Staging.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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 
first listing was occupied by the homeowners and the 2nd listing was vacant after they relocated out of the area. I previously blogged about this listing showing vacant, occupied and staged photos-
a savings account as a sinking fund for big purchases that I make on occasion and to build a reserve for my business. Well, I recently used much of the savings to replace the transmission in my car but left a small balance. Over the course of a few months, I think saw my account in the NEGATIVE! I was shocked and not sure how that could happen. Much to my surprise, BOA had been debiting a $12.00 maintenance fee from my savings account. 
service men and women. I'm thankful for my father (22 years), husband (11 years), countless friends and clients who have served, as well as the 
United States until June 30, 2011. What a great way to honor our military heros with Veteran's Day approaching this week.
stop in for friendly and honest service at Geralds Tires and Brakes. They have truly mastered the art of customer service. I've been taking my car to Geralds for over 15 years. I'll never forget my first experience. I was 18 and drove a Mustang. The brakes had been squeaking and this college student was on her own. I took my car into a name brand auto shop known for brakes to find out what was wrong. The techinican told me my brakes needed to be replaced and it would cost $750. $750 to a college student might have well as been asking for my index finger. I couldn't afford $750! I drove away just about in tears wondering where I would come up with the money. I passed by Geralds in the bright orange building and decided to stop in for a 2nd opinion and hopefully a lower price. After 45 mins, a friendly face squatted beside my chair and said, "Ma'm, your rear brakes are squeezing because they need to be adjusted. We took care of it for you and there's no charge. Have a great day!" It was everything in me not to bear hug this man. I said, "Are you sure? Because I just got an estimate from someone else that told me my brakes had to be replaced."
add up, plus it can be tough to know where to start. For a limited time until Dec 31, 2009, you can purchase your "Be a Tourist in Your Own Town" pass which offers residents of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties free one-time admission to 33 area attractions and discounts at 24 restaurants during the month of January 2010. Visit their website to view which attractions 
looking at the info below, prices have never been lower. In Charleston, SC, Moody's predicted that Charleston would only decline 1 more percent and the bottom would be in the 4th quarter of 2009. Now is the perfect time to buy, enjoy homeownership and be on the incline in the next 5 years. As a seller, you have to ask some tough questions. Can I hang on to the property for at least 5 years? If the rent doesn't cover the mortgage, can I pay the difference? Can I afford the necessary maintenance that may come up in the next 5 years i.e. water heater, dishwasher, HVAC, or roof replacement, HOA fees, regime fees, landscaping, carpet replacement, etc. Sometimes, it may be better to cut losses now when you consider the cost of maintenance and repairs.
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