Charleston SC Metro Real Estate: November 2008

I bought an IPhone about two weeks ago and overall I have loved it.  I converted from a Razor and so it has been a big step for me.  I love having the Internet and email at my finger tips.  And, the functionality of the phone is great as well.  Below is a list of the good and not so good things about the IPhone that may help you when making a decision to buy:

Good

• Touch Screen - I love this feature tremendously.  The phone is very intuitive in this manner.
• Safari browser - this Internet browser from Apple is superb.  The graphics are excellent.  The tilt screen feature also allows for different viewing angles of the internet.
  
• Wi-Fi- the new Iphones come equipped with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi if it is not a secure network.  Wi-Fi gives you a great amount of speed to browse the net.  In addition the phone can also connect to 3G (slightly slower than Wi-Fi) and as a last resort there is the Edge network, which is mind numbingly slow but is better than nothing.  
• Tons of Free Apps - Once you have established an ITunes account, you are able to download both free and for sale applications to your phone.  As an example, I went to church last Sunday but forgot my Bible.  I picked up a Wi-Fi connection and downloaded a free Bible application to my phone.  The app allowed me to look up any book and scripture in the Bible with ease. 
  
• Acts as an IPod - no need to carry your phone or an IPod/MP3 player.   The IPhone plays your music and comes with a set of head phones. 
  
• GPS - The IPhone comes with a built in GPS system.  It can locate where you are and also give you directions to where you need to go.  The downside is that this will only work if you have an internet connection.  So if you are out if the middle of nowhere you might have problems with the GPS.

Not So Good

• Battery Life - because there are so many things you can do with the phone, the battery can drain rather quickly compared to most other phones.  But, you can adjust the settings so that the phone goes into sleep mode every 1 minute which will increase you battery life.  Also, when the time comes to replace the battery, you will have to send it in to Apple to have it replaced.
• Camera - I used the camera at a party my daughter went to and it is sub-par at best.  Any sort of movement of whatever or whoever is being photographed causes a blur in the picture.
• Touch Screen Keypad - this takes some getting use to.  When I first starting using the phone my fingers would miss type most of the words.  The keys are a little small but I have since gotten use to it.  But, I still have to be very conscious when typing so as not to have a typo. 

The U.S. Department of State has recently come out with new passport requirements that will take effect on June 1, 2009.  It is known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Currently a US citizens traveling by air from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda must present a U.S. passport when entering the U.S. and any U.S. citizen traveling back from these areas via land or sea ports-of-entry is only required to have a government issued photo id (drivers license) and a proof of citizenship (birth certificate) at a minimum. 

This air travel rule will remain, but the new rules (effective 6/1/2009) state that a U.S. citizen traveling over land or via sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda "must present a valid U.S. passport book, U.S. passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security."  This new rule will not depend upon age!  Every U.S. citizen from day 1 on this earth will need to have the documents in order to re-enter the U.S.

The new Passport Card can be used for entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry.  The card is wallet sized and is less expensive than the Passport Book.  Note:  The Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel.

The State Department has said they are doing this to "standardize secure travel documents which was passed into law in 2004.  It will also help U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to more quickly and reliably ID and process travelers.

For more information contact the state department at 1-877-487-2778 or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov

Goose Creek SC is a suburb of Charleston SC and many who work throughout the Charleston Metro call it home.  Goose Creek is home to many desirable neighborhoods to include Crowfield Plantation, Liberty Hall Plantation, Brickhope Plantation, and coming soon the new development of Carnes Crossroads near HWY 176 and 17A.

As you can see in the graph below, most homes sell for 200K and below.  There has been a considerable difference in real estate sales from 2007 to 2008.  For buyers this is good news as you will most likely get more for you money than if you decided to buy last year.  Note that this will not last.  Real Estate always rebounds.  Now is the time to buy!  Free Home Search

For sellers, my advice to most is to hold off selling if you are in no hurry and do not need to sell.  Unfortunately circumstances dictate that many people must sell.  If you are in that situation contact me for a free home consultation that will explain the process of selling a home and the strategies to getting in sold for the most money in the least amount of time.

Michael J. Johnson

843-817-5299

michaeljohnson@carolinaone.com

In this age of digital and Internet technology the time for hoarding home information has gone by the wayside.  This generation of home buyers simply will not put up with it.  They want sit down at their laptops and browse through a wide variety of homes which includes a lot  of information and photos, looking for something to catch their eye. 

A picture is truly worth a thousand words to these technology savvy buyers.  I am a strong proponent of including as many pictures as possible on a listing.  But recently I've asked myself, "Can too many pictures hurt a seller's chances of selling a home?"  I believe the answer is yes!

What I've learned is that although one should use many pictures, there are pictures that can be a detriment to the seller.  These include pictures of unstaged rooms or empty rooms.  Instead of taking photos immediately after signing the listing paperwork, have a professional home stager come into the house and give you advice on how to get the most beauty and flow of each room.  Also, empty rooms (i.e. extra bedrooms) are the hardest to photograph especially if the walls are white.  Consider either staging the room with a few pieces of furniture or simply leave out the picture. 

http://www.fusiondesignconsulting.com/before_after_photos.html

The quality of the picture is of great importance as well.  I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a house expecting the worse because of the pictures in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).  But, when I get inside, it actually looks quite nice.  The pictures did it no justice.  Invest in a quality camera with great resolution for you listing photos.  Don't rely on your camera phone.  Most do not have the ability to produce quality photos.  

Finally, if you have gotten into the habit of only posting one photo in hopes of getting people to come out to your listing to see the house for themselves, you are only hurting yourself and your seller.  Most buyers and agents do not have the time nor inclination to drive out to a home which they have little idea of what it looks like on the inside.  As a matter of fact most buyers I work with all say the same thing when there are no additional photos:  "The inside must be pretty bad if they did not include photos of the interior." 

As with most things in life there must be a balance.  Knowing where this balance lies with your listings could lead to maximum positive exposure and ultimately more successful sales.  See the following link to a website a ran across that has great examples of bad real estate photos: Bad Photos

One of my favorite things to give at Christmas are gift cards.  Most of my family lives halfway across the country and rather than spend a boat load of money on shipping, I send them a gift card to their favorite place to shop or eat.  I recently read that the National Retail Federation ranked gift cards as the third most desirable catagory of gifts.  But, I am rethinking my approach to this year's gifts. 

With stores like Sharper Image and more recently Circuit City going out of business my concern during the next 6 months is who is next.  Three is no guarantee that this bankrupt companies will honor the cards and the last thing I want to do is buy a loved one a gift card from Barnes and Nobles or Outback Steakhouse, and then watch the card become valueless when the store goes out of business in January or February. 

My answer for this years gifts will most likely be online stores that offer free shipping.  A good example is Amazon.com which offers free shipping on many of its products for orders over $25.    

Any other suggestions!

A recent lawsuit has brought to light the issue of fences in the the upscale neighborhood of The Hamlets in Crowfield Plantation located in Goose Creek South Carolina. 

According to the covenants and restrictions for the Hamlets, no fences are to be erected on your lot if you are next to the golf course or on a pond.  It is said that this rule was put in place to maintain the beauty of the entire neighborhood.  Unfortunately over the last 10 or so years many people have either gotten special permission from the HOA to put up a fence on these type of lots or have just put up a fence without permission.  Crowfield Plantation HOA management and leadership has changed a lot during this time and thus it is hard to point fingers over who is to blame.  Regardless, the fact remains that the fences are in violation of the covenants and restrictions. The biggest problem seems to be for those who have pools in their yards and thus have a fence for insurance and liability reasons.

Recently a judge ordered that all of the home owners whose fences do not comply with the covenants and Restrictions should remove the fences.  The case is on appeal. Perhaps the best fix for those who want to keep their fences is to drum up enough support to amend the covenants and restrictions to allow certain fences.

If you are interested in buying or selling in Crowfield Plantation, make sure you know what your restrictions are before you complete the transaction.  Contact Michael Johnson at 843-817-5299 to get more information about Crowfield Plantation or any other neighborhood in Goose Creek.

Michael Johnson

843-817-5299

michaeljohnson@carolinaone.com

www.providingthelight.com

Below is the sales and inventory report for Goose Creek SC as of 17 Nov 2008.  There has been an average this year of about 60 houses sold per month.  There are about 534 homes still on the market in Goose Creek.  Getting a home sold in Goose Creek is about 3 things:  Location, Condition, and Price.  This is a challenging market but by no means is it impossible to sell your home. 

If you are interested in selling or buying a home in the Goose Creek SC area and would like more information on the market and a step by step plan on how to do this, contact me, Michael Johnson at 843-817-5299.  I offer sellers a no cost home consultation which explains where you home is on the saleability index.  For buyers, my service to help you find a home is no cost service in which you will get full home buying representation.

Search Charleston SC Area Homes: www.providingthelight.com

Goose Creek SC is a suburb of Charleston SC just 20-25 minutes from downtown Charleston.  The reasons to call Goose Creek home include great roads, great neighborhoods, great schools, and also accessible amenities including major department stores and grocery stores.  Below are a few of the grocery stores located in Goose Creek:

Publix - Publix is one of my favorite grocery stores.  The atmosphere is warm and friendly.  It is a large grocery store equipped with a pharmacy, deli, backery, and meat department.  I actually feel good when I leave this store, unlike the big unpersonable worldwide chain stores.

Bi-Lo - Bi-Lo is a great community grocery store that offers a large store with a small town feel.  They offer a bi-lo card that allows you to save on your grocery bill and also at the gas pump.  If you use your Bi-Lo card at Sunoco gas stations you can save a little bit of money and we all know that every little bit counts.

Food Lion - I do not frequent this store as I live and work on the opposite side of town.  Traditionally Food Lion is a safe, clean and relatively inexpensive grocery store.   

Save-a-Lot - I have never been to this store but I hear it is nice.  Like most smaller stores they may be a little more pricy on some things but if you can catch a few good sales you might save money in the long run.

Wal-Mart Supercenter - I use to go to Wal-Mart a lot thinking that I was saving a lot of money, but the poor customer service and irritating loud announcements over the store intercom has detered me from going on a regular basis.  As a Super Wal-Mart it has  grocery, hardware, electronic, clothing, jewelry, & lawn and garden departments.  It also has a vison center, salon, bank, McDonalds, and a place to take pictures.

Michael J. Johnson, Realtor

843-817-5299

www.providingthelight.com

www.metrocharlestonhomes.com

Below is the homes sold and inventory report for Crowfield Plantation through October 2008.  If you would like more information about homes Crowfield Plantation, Goose Creek, or any where else in the Charleston Metro, contact Michael Johnson at 843-817-5299.  You can also visit my website at www.providingthelight.com.