Guest Blog Post by Patricia Sturbaum Dorchester Paws History Frances R Willis established Dorchester Paws in 1972 on Summerville land that was generously donated by Kapstone.  Formerly known as Frances R. Willis SPCA, today it's known as Dorchester Paws.  Because it's a 502(c)3 non-profit organizati

There’s a current narrative that owning a home today is less affordable than it has been in the past. The reason some are making this claim is that house prices have substantially increased over the last several years. Factors for Home Affordability House affordability.  It’s not just the price of

Guest Blog Post by Patricia Sturbaum Guerin’s Pharmacy on Hutchinson Square is an excellent example of warm, southern hospitality.  Guerin’s is the oldest operating pharmacy in South Carolina.  It was established in 1871 and since 1876 there has only been two families who owned the business, the Gue

Summerville had a great year for real estate in 2019.  Interest rates remained historically low, prices appreciated over 5%, and homes took less than 30 days to sell.  Summerville sold over 3500 homes this year, keeping on par with the last two years.  Below are the numbers.  Click on the graph to s

Every year my family and a group of friends go to the Mepkin Abbey Creche Festival.  It's the way we start our holiday every year. What is Mepkin Abbey? Mepkin Abbey is a Trappist monastery near Moncks Corner.  Roman Catholic monks established a community in 1949 on the site of the historic Mepkin

Christmas is a wonderful time, and it becomes almost Norman Rockwell-like here in Summerville.  There is plenty to do around town for date nights and family outings. Summerville Events We started the season with the Christmas Tree Lighting and Live Window Display.  Many people came out to celebrate.

Many sellers believe spring is the best time to put their homes on the market because buyer demand traditionally increases at that time of year. What they don’t realize is if every homeowner believes the same thing, then that’s when they’ll have the most competition.  Read below why you should sell

Are you a local gamer?  Or maybe you’re a parent or grandparent looking for new ways to connect with your kiddos?  I stumbled upon a new place in Summerville that holds a little spark of magic, which is saying a lot for someone who has never been a gamer! Palmetto Gaming is proud to be Summerville’s

Scarecrows on the Square is put on by the Junior Service League of Summerville every year.  If you haven't seen Hutchinson Square this week, the scarecrows have been up since October 13th.  Businesses, civic groups, schools and individuals all contribute.  They'll be on display this year until Frida

Fall weather is starting to grace our days.  It's the perfect time to get outside and do some of the things that are going on around Summerville.  Below is a list of events, festivals, live music and feasts coming up in the next month. Edisto Blackwater Boogie October 11, 2pm to October 12, 10amGivh

Your August Monthly Market Update will give you a snapshot of what's going on in the real estate market as well as what the experts expect in the coming months.  First, we'll review home pricing.  Then we'll address the talk about a coming recession.  Lastly, we'll discuss the housing affordability.

Summerville and Sweet Tea Many of you know that Summerville is the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea."   This is based on a list of items purchased in 1890 for a reunion of old soldiers near Summerville which included 600 pounds of sugar, and 880 gallons of iced tea.   Although our history of tea begins way

We all know Summerville works hard to make this a great place to live.  Another gem that was recently added to what the town offers is the Rollins Edwards Community Center.  The Town of Summerville, with a vision, purchased the old SC National Guard Armory in 2014.  It was then renovated and recentl

Below are 5 compelling reasons to sell your home this fall. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able to purchase…

  How Property Taxes Affect Your Payment When buying a home, taxes are one of the expenses that can make a significant difference in your monthly payment. Do you know how much you might pay for property taxes? When applying for a mortgage, you’ll see one of two acronyms in your paperwork – P&I or

Deep down in my soul, I've always been a little bit bohemian. You probably wouldn't know it from looking at me, but it's true.  (That's the realtor coming out in me - can't show all my crazy hippie ways every day!)  I love the creativity and expression of using clothes and jewelry to express who you

Often we look back and say, "I wish I would have ..."  This is particularly true of homeownership when we hear of someone who purchased a home years ago for what now seems like a ridiculously low price.   At the time it didn't seem like a "ridiculously low price".   So the more relevant question is

Lately, we've been enjoying some of the live music around town.  Since the Hutchinson Square renovation and other venues being built around town, it seems the number of concerts and live music events are growing.  I've posted several Facebook live videos in the last couple of months and many of your

When John and Joyce, parents of long-time clients of mine, decided to purchase a second home here in Summerville to be near their kids and grandkids, they didn't plan on a renovation project.  They were looking for easy living.  I hadn't met them but talked with them several times on the phone and t

Home Price Appreciation Forecast Questions continue to come up about where home prices will head throughout the rest of this year. Where will they go over the few years beyond? Therefore, we’ve gathered current data from the industry’s most reliable sources to help answer these questions: The Home