Avondale, Check it out!

If you haven't visited the Avondale section of West Ashley in Charleston, you don't know what you're missing. They say that when you write copy for a listing that the word "charming" can really mean "old" or "run down," but when referring to Avondale it really does mean all those good things we think of. It is located at the intersection of Magnolia Road and Savannah Highway - where the road forms an interesting triangle.

I recently sold a wonderful home in Avondale and my buyers settled on the area for all the reasons that so many families do... older homes with character, an established community that is made up of young and older families alike, and a bustling retail area comprised of restaurants and interesting one-of-a-kind shops.

Avondale includes the solid public schools that Charleston is known for, plus Porter-Gaud School one of the best private schools in the area. In addition there are several parochial schools to choose from, too.

Right now there are 12 active properties available in Avondale. So if you think Avondale sounds like an interesting area, and you'd like to check it out together, just give me a call. You never know what might happen next!

Charleston, SC – A Small Town with Lots of Great Neighborhoods

So you’ve decided that you want to retire to Charleston. You’ve been visiting for many years and stayed in quaint B&B’s downtown, in Oceanside homes in Kiawah and even splurged on room-service at Charleston Place! But now it’s time to find that place of your own… a place to call “home.”

The decision to move to this easy-to-love city was a no-brainer, but where to actually settle is proving to be a challenge. You’re finding that the Charleston you thought you knew so well is actually a small town with lots of great neighborhoods you’ve never even heard of! It’s so much more than the beautiful bustling downtown with great restaurants and shopping and its historic neighborhood South of Broad. Have you heard of Wagener Terrace or Hampton Park Terrace? How about the Old Village or I’On in Mt Pleasant, or Avondale in West Ashley? Yikes!

These are just a few of the wonderful Charleston neighborhoods – each with unique qualities – that you’ll have to choose from once you begin your search for the perfect home in earnest. You’ll need someone who really understands their way around the city and can help you navigate the differences between each area. A good Realtor will be able to steer you in the right direction – and I don’t mean just drive you around from neighborhood to neighborhood.

I’ll start a travelogue of Charleston neighborhoods which I hope you’ll find helpful. You’ll know how to find me if you have any questions. Meanwhile, have fun dreaming of your final move to the Holy City!

Connie Dittrich
Realtor
Carolina One Real Estate
843.475.7993

How do You Know When Enough is Enough?

I finally got the call from my wonderful DC clients that they had a contract on the home they had been trying to sell for the past six months. "Yay," I told them, "Now we can get serious about looking for your dream home down here in Charleston."

"Not so fast." I was told. And my buyers went on to explain that they wanted to wait until they closed on their current home in the end of June, pack up all their belongings, move them into a short-term rental property in Charleston and only then begin to look for that dream home.

My excitement for them took a nose dive when I thought about all the extra time and money they might waste (and lose) if they did it this way. I understood that they only had about six weeks to get a lot done... he had to transfer his law practice over to its new owners, packing AND finding their new home. But she's retired and extremely organized. And I knew they had done a great job of "de-cluttering" prior to putting their home in DC on the market and had many boxes already in a storage facility, ready to go right into a truck. And since they'd already been to Charleston on three "previewing" trips, we all had a very good idea of exactly what and where they wanted to look for their next home.

So, when I heard the great news about the contract on their home and the conditions – 6 weeks until closing – I struggled with how firmly to resist my buyers' (who had also become friends over the past two years) idea to essentially conduct a two-step move and all that entails. Besides the time and money issues, my other rationale includes the following:

• Right now in Charleston as in many if not most part of the country it continues to be a "buyers market" meaning that there is generally an abundance of inventory available. This means that my buyers will have many homes to select from.

• Because of the Buyers market, sellers are generally more willing to negotiate, meaning that my sellers should be able to write a contingent contract based on the successful closing of their home in DC. (Doing it like this means that they can leave all of their belongings where they are and save the expense of moving and storing them.)

• The rental market in Charleston is getting tight with landlords increasing rates and demanding longer-term commitments.

Again though, I am worried about pushing too hard. My buyers are feeling the stress that all sellers do after going through negotiations and hoping that they reach a successful closing. Obviously I wasn't involved in that process and don't know if it was amicable or contentious. What I do know is that I want to be a facilitator to the process, not someone who adds to their stress.

To that end, I've put my concerns out there and will abide by their decision. And now that they have the benefit of my thinking they can add that to their decision-making process.

Charleston is More than Just a Pretty Face!

Looking for a home in Charleston, SC?
Well Charleston is more than just a pretty face!

The city of Charleston is just less than one hundred square miles, but its influence is far-reaching. And when asked, those who live in the Tri-counties of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester usually tell people they live in “Charleston” even though they may hail from Mt Pleasant, Summerville, James Island or Daniel Island.

Also known as the Holy City because of its many churches, some of them dating back to the 17th-Century, and affectionately called Chucktown by those less pious residents, even if you’ve only visited once or twice, you probably know that Charleston can grab you like no other place you’ve ever visited.

Did you know that Charleston boasts a natural harbor, clean rivers and beautiful barrier islands with miles of pristine beaches? It is bordered by the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and Charleston offers residents and travelers a view of stately colonial homes and historic buildings, European-style gardens, cobblestone streets, and a few of America’s oldest museums, so it’s no wonder that you’re thinking you want to settle down here for good!

But Charleston’s not stuck in its past. With 600,000+ residents, the metro area offers world-class opportunities with a growing economy and businesses that are gaining strength. A few of them include:

• The Medical University of SC
• The US Navy
• The Boeing Company
• The Charleston County School District
• The US Air Force

And many small businesses that are realizing their dreams and appreciating the lower cost of living that Charleston offers.

So if Charleston has tugged on your heartstrings, let me help you take a serious look and find the perfect home. Chances are that you’ll be very glad that you do.

Mother’s Day Come & Gone.

In the aftermath of a very quiet Mother’s Day, I sit and think about expectations. The ones that we believe should occur – cards, flowers, breakfast in bed. And the ones we hope will happen – children traveling home for the weekend, grand children Skyping with stories about what they’re up to and showing off new dresses and soccer shoes. And even phone calls or new pictures of those same grand kids posted on Facebook.

But in our house Mother’s Day is mostly celebrated by me (the Mom/Grandmama and my hubby (also the Gramps). He does his best to fill in the blanks where he can – joking that “… all those cards and gifts will be filling up the mailbox any day now.” And he never fails to buy funny cards (from him and our doggie daughter, Annie) and the latest treasure from Alexander McCall Smith. And we have a lovely day lounging around doing whatever we feel like.

And finally last night when I was feeling a little sleepy at about 9:00 my computer made that funny Skypie-ringing sound. I knew it was my three grand children who live on the west coast. They were giggling and saying (sort of together) “Happy Mother’s Day Grandmama!” And that made my entire day. So today when anyone asks how was my Mother’s day… my answer has been, “Great!” My expectations had been more than fulfilled.


Connie Dittrich, Realtor
Carolina One Real Estate
843.475.7993
cdittrich@carolinaone.com

With all the excitement – both positive and negative – about the death of Osama Bin Laden (OBL), it hasn’t been easy to focus on real estate or anything for the past few days. Every time I find myself getting into a worksheet with results about housing or looking online for the right home for a buyer, all of a sudden some OBL joke or syrupy poem comes across my screen and I find myself distracted and pulled away from the task at hand.

Now, it’s not that I’m not political, or that I don’t care. I do, deeply. But I believe there’s a time and a place for jokes and banter. I like them just as much as the next person. But I wish there was a way to turn off the “noise” during work hours. Maybe it’s me, but I’d like to have a day off from intrusions, a day that is distraction free and focus forward.

To that end, I’m challenging myself to NOT open Facebook and Twitter until AFTER the workday is over. I think the brilliant banter will wait until then. After all it is “social” networking… not “work place” networking. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Avondale, Come check us out!

If you haven’t been to the Avondale section of West Ashley in Charleston, you don’t know what you’re missing.

They say that when you write copy for a listing that the word “charming” can really mean “old” or “run down,” but in referring to Avondale it really does mean all those good things we think of. It is located at the intersection of Magnolia Road and Savannah Highway – where the road forms an interesting triangle.

I just sold a darling home in the neighborhood and my buyers settled on the area for all the reasons that so many families do… older homes with character, an established community that is comprised of mixed demographics, and a bustling retail area comprised of restaurants and interesting shops. So if you think Avondale sounds like an interesting area, give me a call and we can check it out together.

Connie Dittrich, Realtor
Carolina One Real Estate
843.475.7993

2011 First Quarter Stats v. 2010

Stats are in for the first quarter of 2011 versus 2010 in the Charleston, SC tri-county area. As expected, the number of [closed] sales is up by about 9% but the median price is down by about 8%*.

First quarter 2011 buying activity is the strongest it has been since 2007. And listing activity for the same period for most of the weeks of February, March, and April 2011 have seen well over 200 properties per week go under contract.

If you're thinking about getting in the market - either as a buyer or a seller - call me or get advice from your Carolina One Realtor.

Connie Dittrich, Realtor
Carolina One Real Estate
843.475.7993

*Statistics Available upon request