South Carolina Property Pros - Last 25 Posts

Vacation Get-A-Way in Wild Dunes

jbt@scpropertypros.com — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:40:00 -0500

Take a look at this vacation get-a-way in Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms in South Carolina.

A Land Survey And Buying A Home

jbt@scpropertypros.com — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:56:00 -0500

Land Surveyors mark the spot

What do Land Surveyors Really Do?
Surveyors mark the boundaries of land, create maps and legal descriptions, and plan and organize the development of property. If we don’t know the location of the boundaries of our land we can’t enjoy any unique use of it. We could not buy, sell, mortgage or develop land in an orderly and predictable fashion. The land surveyor provides that knowledge.

Why Do I need to Have Land Surveyed?
Considering the fact that your Charleston area land and house represent one of your largest assets, it makes perfect sense that you should know as much as possible about the various physical characteristics of your real estate investment in the Charleston area. Obtaining a certified land survey may quite possibly be the most important thing you do before you close on any property. Without a registered survey of your land or the land you plan to purchase, you will never know the true details of your property and are ultimately risking your entire investment. Even a minor discrepancy in the boundaries can make a huge difference. Something as seemingly insignificant as a fence post crossing the boundaries can create a snowball of expensive litigation and even worse, nasty looks between neighbors.

The Importance of Surveys in Charleston
I have found it odd that on many outer-lying islands of Charleston such as Wadmalaw Island and John's Island, property bounds are rarely marked and the original markers, if any, have long since disappeared (example: a rebar or tree that no longer sits where it once did or a drilled marker hole in a rock that was moved long ago). In these cases, a buyer is forced to approximate (or just down-right guess) where the boundaries are, based upon a vague description evidenced by where a row of hedges, a stone wall,a fence line or a utility box is today. When this is all you have to work with,the seller or the seller's agent may be able to point out approximately where the property line is, but that is almost always the best you can expect. Did you know that lenders did not even require surveys until 1987? Its true. Mortgage companies, whether they are a bank, some form of trust company or some other financial entity, pretty much always want to be sure that the land and buildings to which they are lending money be precise and exactly as described in the various documents that accompany the real estate transaction. Even more, a lender also needs to know that in the case you default on their loan, there will be no complications in re-selling of said property. So, the point here is that a survey not only protects the lender's investment, it ultimately protects your Charleston area real estate investment.
Read More about the Importance of Land Surveys after the Jump...

Land Surveyors United

What a land survey does is disclose the actual lot size, whether the various structures on the property are within the boundaries of the property and conform to building setbacks. A registered survey identifies fence and pool locations and determines precisely whether they meet regional and local zoning by-laws. Furthermore, an up-to-date land survey even go so far as to identify any possible encroachments imposed by adjoining or abutting properties and any easements that may have an impact upon the property title. The majority of lenders (at least in Charleston) will not accept a survey if it is more than six months old; nevertheless, if the seller of the property has a survey, ask them who did their survey. It may save you some money if the surveyor will update the survey. I just so happen to have a valuable resource for this type of situation! Visit and connect with professional land surveyors across the globe on Land Surveyors United and ask them anything you might be worrying about.

The Land Survey and The Closing
Sometime before the official closing on a property, you should take it upon yourself to ask your settlement attorney to review the most up-to-date survey with you and discuss any potential problems that may have been uncovered so that these may be fixed prior to closing the deal. Who owns the stone wall that appears to be in the wrong place? Is the fence or driveway shared by an easement or do you own it? Who owns all of those trees and shrubs planted along the boundary line? You get the picture. Once you actually own the property, it may become much more difficult and costly to settle issues related to boundaries. Finally, when you make it to the closing table, make sure you get a copy of that survey for your own records.

If you happen to be working with the SC Property Pros and closing on a property, don't worry-we are well connected in the land surveying industry and would never let you run into trouble like this.

House Hunting Tools and Tips

jbt@scpropertypros.com — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:00:00 -0400

I'm going to throw out a couple of House Hunting tools that even the most savvy of investigators will appreciate.

Space Designer 3D

See if all of your furniture will fit into that nice new house that you just found!

Streamline your projects using intuitive design tools: draw your walls, then drag and drop openings and furniture of your choice.

Experiment with different finishes, colors and styles

Visualize in 3D and walk through your space in one click.

Share your designs with our design professionals and get their advices immediately.

Printable Home Comparison Chart

This house hunting tool is designed for you to list the features of houses you have viewed. Having this information at your fingertips will help you make comparisons when it comes time to narrow your choices.

Facebook "Like" Button

You may have noticed that SC Property Pros are real estate agents in Charleston who have the Facebook Like button attached to all of their property listings. We did this to make it easier for you to track the listings that you like, using the Facebook interface. If you find a listing that you particularly like, just "like" it. When you are ready to make a decision, just track back all of your likes on your Facebook profile. Its that easy.

City Climate Comparison

Compare the climates between two cities with this handy tool

Google Street View

Nowadays, with abandoned, foreclosed homes standing as eyesores in otherwise well-kept cul-de-sacs, not to mention lowering the values of the neighbors’ homes, it’s good to know what kind of structure sits next door to the house you might be eyeing to buy. It’s also good to know if, for example, the house you love stands across the street from a set of railroad tracks.

Some More Helpful House Hunting Tips after the Jump...

Don't go into the purchase of your new house unprepared; to do so can be both disastrous and expensive. Spend some time here and get the house hunting tools you need.

Do a little homework

You're already moving in the right direction by reading this. Keep it up by gathering information about recent home sales prices, market trends, houses on the market and neighborhood statistics. Much of this is available on the Internet.

Make a list

Use our house hunting checklist to start a wish list of those features you need vs. those you want in your family's new house. You can utilize the home comparison chart to eliminate all of the frustration of forgetting why you liked or disliked a home.

Get pre-qualified for a mortgage

Rather than guessing how much you can afford to spend, fill out an application and receive a letter stating how much you're qualified to borrow. By getting your financial house in order, you will save time, aggravation and heartache.

Side-by-side comparison

A scorecard to compare homes is a great tool to use after you have looked at several houses.

Relax

Maintaining your perspective and your cool is key when searching for the perfect property. You may find the house of your dreams on the first day or the 30th day of the month. Try to remember your primary goal is to find the right home for your family. If you botch this, you may be sleeping in the dog house.

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION!

South Carolina Property Pros - Last 25 Posts

Vacation Get-A-Way in Wild Dunes

A Land Survey And Buying A Home

House Hunting Tools and Tips

Dirt Cheap Homes in Charleston

Pack your bags it's time to move

1050 YEAMANS HALL RD Hanahan, SC 29410

HANAHAN HOME FOR SALE

301 FOSTER GREENS CT Goose Creek, SC 29445

GOOSE CREEK HOME FOR SALE

1648 BATTALION DR James Island, SC 29412

JAMES ISLAND HOME FOR SALE

1994 SANDY POINT LANE Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

MOUNT PLEASANT HOME FOR SALE

319 PLANTATION VIEW Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

MOUNT PLEASANT HOME FOR SALE

67 DALTON ST Charleston, SC 29492

DANIEL ISLAND HOME FOR SALE

1437 WATER OAK CUT Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

MOUNT PLEASANT HOME FOR SALE

9420 HARROWAY RD Summerville, SC 29485

SUMMERVILLE HOME FOR SALE

Property Pros Online Marketing Plan

1210 TABBY DR Folly Beach, SC 29439

FOLLY BEACH HOME FOR SALE

1321 KINGFISHER CIR Hanahan, SC 29410-1121309

HANAHAN HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

242 CAROLINIAN DR Summerville, SC 29485-1105539

SUMMERVILLE HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

523 CHAFF LN Goose Creek, SC 29461-1115137

GOOSE CREEK HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

2905 ATRIUM VILLA Seabrook, SC 29455-1121279

SEABROOK ISLAND HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

9681 SEMINOLE WAY Summerville, SC 29485-1121282

SUMMERVILLE HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

730 ATLANTIC ST Mount Pleasant, SC 29464-1121280

MOUNT PLEASANT HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

3013 BROWNELL Sullivans Island, SC 29482-1121173

SULLIVANS ISLAND HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

3059 MARSH GATE DR Seabrook, SC 29455-1105329

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

63 EUGENIA AVE Kiawah Island, SC 29455-1105998

KIAWAH ISLAND HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!

14 54TH AVE Isle Of Palms, SC 29451-1121121

ISLE OF PALMS HOME FOR SALE

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME THROUGH THE SC PROPERTY PROS YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE HOME INSPECTION AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT!