Is it still as surreal for you as it is for me?? Heading into March we were experiencing one of the most active years in real estate in quite some time. Not crazy pricing, just lots of people buying because the mortgage rates were (and are) so compelling. In many markets, our inventory levels were so low, buyers and agents...
For many a second-home buyer, or even first-time homebuyers and downsizers, condos or townhomes are great options considering they can be lower maintenance then single family homes and often they are less expensive. Let’s look at two very different markets – Downtown, and Mount Pleasant inside of the IOP Connector. In both, the median price of a condo/townhome is about...
Let's take a look at what's happening in the real estate market in three locales: Downtown Charleston (south of the Crosstown), James Island (technically mostly also Charleston), and Mount Pleasant (south of the Isle of Palms Connector). The Spring selling and buying surge is over, and the numbers that tell a tale are in....While the Charleston market overall is basically level compared to last year, we are seeing some changes by area, and while these three areas are vastly different, I think it's interesting to see what is going on in each, all influenced by local and external market forces.
As of July 10, 2018, the City of Charleston's new short-term rental ordinance goes into effect. After a proliferation of illegal rentals marketed via platforms like AirBnB and HomeAway, the City and neighborhood groups decided a set of rules and a structure to manage and monitor them would be beneficial to most who live here. I for one am glad. The term illegal seems a bit harsh, but the truth is, only a handful of properties in Downtown Charleston have been legally permitted for short-term rentals for years -
Gah!!! This June! Day upon days of temperatures over 90 with heat indices of 100 to 115! I usually depend on July and August for that level of torture. But it brings to mind a conversation I frequently have with people considering moving here from more Northerly Climes. Generally, it goes like this: Nice Northern Client: Hi Kristin – I...
I’ve been dreaming up my dream house for decades. Do you do that? My current daydreams swirl around a home with Contemporary Lowcountry architecture, L-shaped with a long view across something beautiful. And a pool. I must have a pool. So with these imaginings and my personal research, coupled with my experience working with developers and architects, I know what...
I’ve never fallen out of love with the Lowcountry, but Dewees Island always reminds me what a mad, deep, eternal love it is. Just 20 minutes by passenger ferry from the Isle of Palms marina, it is a world apart from that to which we’ve become accustomed. On Dewees, nature is your constant companion – the flora, the fauna, the...
I’m not kidding. Try shaking a stick at all these stats I’m about to throw your way. As you know, I mostly like to write about the areas I love and with which I am intimately acquainted – namely, the Charleston Peninsula, parts of Mount Pleasant, and the Islands too. But every now and then it’s good for me to...
With the arrival of the much anticipated January restaurant week in Charleston, we can all loosen our belts once again after sticking to our New Year’s resolutions for approximately 3 days. From January 4-22 (it’s a long ‘week’), locals and tourists alike have the opportunity to sample 3 courses from a prix-fixe menu, ranging from $20 at Bubba Gump Shrimp...
Update on January 13, 2017 – It seems strange that I just wrote about this house a short while ago. Since then, structural engineers deemed it unsafe and endangering the homes surrounding it. So the City gave the owner permission to demolish it. Keep in mind – this almost NEVER EVER happens, particularly to such a notable historic property. I’ve...
The allure of the Sword Gate house is real. A massive, magnificent mystery behind a towering brick wall, seen only through hand-wrought iron gates featuring two brawny swords. Who owns it? Only a few are privy – otherwise the rest of us are left wondering who in the world is Bear Gate Realty Limited – the name listed in the...
If you have been a subscriber to this blog for more than a year, you may recall in August of 2015, I launched a huge new construction project I had been working on since December of 2013 with the incredible team of JJR Development, Dow Inc, and Architect Julia Martin – HARLESTON row. HARLESTON row is a collection of six new...
copyright 2017 | Kristin B. Walker
