Purchasing a Bargain Charleston Area Home at Auction

When most people picture how they will buy a Charleston, SC house, they imagine visiting properties with their real estate agent, zeroing in on a suitable home in a neighborhood they like; making an offer; purchasing the home.

But there are also less straightforward ways to go about buying a Charleston area house. One way people purchase houses today is at a Charleston, SC town auction. Homes usually go on auction because they have been foreclosed upon or have unpaid tax liens; but there are any number of possible reasons. For the buyer, a real estate auction presents an opportunity — but also hurdles to clear. 

A first possible drawback can be a real showstopper: the relative difficulty of thoroughly checking out the home’s interior. When it proves impossible to inspect inside, some research about the neighborhood, the history of sales in the area, and even visiting other open houses in the neighborhood can give some feel for what comparable neighborhood homes are like.

Too, auctions in Charleston are usually geared toward cash buyers. In many cases, companies require you to register before you may join the bidding. As with car auctions, it’s almost always necessary to come prepared with cash (in the form of certified checks). Most auctions require the entire sum to be paid immediately, while others specify a set portion or amount. In short, Charleston real estate auction buyers need to have done their homework beforehand.

There can also be vagaries in timing. For any homebuyer who needs to move in right away, an auction may not prove to be a feasible option. Especially with foreclosures, if the home is not vacant at the time of auction, the eviction process can turn into a lengthy court battle if the occupants are unwilling to leave.

Buying a home through a Charleston, SC auction can be a great way to nab a home at a bargain basement price, but being aware of the complicating factors is a must. There are many ways to find the perfect home – and I’m here to help guide my clients through the choices that will work best for them.

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com

Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

Charleston, SC Home Staging Works When You “Deep Six” Personality

Staging a Charleston, SC home for sale may not be rocket science — but doing it well does require a marketer’s ability to step outside yourself to picture what will most appeal to potential buyers. Our first instinct is to set up our home exactly as we like to see it, but that’s not how the professional stagers do it.

When you think of the way a model home looks, you begin to get the picture: they are always pleasantly neutral. Sort of boring, actually. Always. It must work!

Once you’ve listed your Charleston home, there are some very common home staging pitfalls to avoid. First and foremost, as much as possible, pack up your personality and stow it in with the cartons of kid stuff you’re clearing away. Simply assume that prospective buyers won’t love the piles of Oprah magazines in the living room — or the kids’ art projects in the den. 

And it’s almost always unnecessary to undertake huge renovations. Home staging is not synonymous with redecorating. Often, sweeping renovations wind up being a money-throw that’s never returned. In home staging as in most activities you undertake in selling your Charleston area home, consult with your Realtor^® partner: it’s often the case that simply lowering your asking price even part of the amount you would have spent will get the job done – and faster!

This autumn, as you do a first walkthrough to consider your Charleston area home staging approach, start by opening all curtains and blinds. The reason? Home staging is most successful when the rooms are filled with light. If potential buyers walk in the door and see a dark or dimly lit room, that’s a house that looks far less appealing – especially as we go through the Daylight Savings months. So throw the blinds open, turn all the lights on, and you’ll see what your prospects will be seeing.

Taking the prospects’ view is what home staging is all about. And when you are looking for an agent to help get you there, I’m ready to put a plan to work for you!

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com

Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

-Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook Real Estate

Charleston, SC

FSBO Sellers Can Find a Path to the Charleston Area Multiple Listings

If you’re planning to sell your home “For Sale By Owner” (best known as “FSBO”) in Charleston, SC this autumn, it will be vital that you give some serious thought to the MLS. “MLS” (Multiple Listing Service) is the database used and updated by real estate professionals and trade associations. It’s used to organize and publicize available listings for everyone interested in buying a house. Access to any MLS system is restricted to agents and brokers, since they are licensed, insured, and have been trained in correct use of the technically-complex system.

In today’s digital age, FSBO sellers who chose to just put up a lawn sign and advertise in Charleston, SC newspapers put themselves at a daunting disadvantage. Yet if you try to sell your house yourself as a Charleston area FSBO, there are ways you can get your property included in the Multiple Listing Service.

One way to get a listing in MLS systems is by registering on one of the FSBO websites, like ForSalebyOwner.com (which includes a “Find a Pro” tab on its home page!). Such sites usually sell several different packages, including various uses of MLS, with up-charges for things like additional photos or unlimited listing times.

When preparing your listing, you’ll want attractive, professional-quality photos; a clear, concise selling description; and accurate metrics including your address, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square feet, lot size, etc. Accuracy here is vital – lawsuits have been successfully pursued against sellers who provide inaccurate square footage or other metrics. (Stymied already? Your tax records usually contain the needed information).

 You will also need all the lawfully required disclosures – and, of course – an asking price supportable by recent and accurate comps.

In case that sounds like a lot — just to deal with the listing, much less the whole sellingprocess — you’re not alone. If you’d rather worry less about getting your home sold and focus more on finding your next one, hiring an agent is always an option. If you’re preparing to sell your home in Charleston, SC this autumn – FSBO or not – I welcome your questions anytime!

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com

Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

-Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook Real Estate

Charleston, SC

Do’s and Don’ts for Planning Relocation to Charleston, SC

When companies need to move employees who are also homeowners, they have to make the transition as painless as possible (or risk losing a valued asset). UrbanBound is a Chicago-based professional relocation group who know the landscape. “Even the most hands-on HR departments in the world can have too much on their plates to give relocation the attention it needs,” they point out. Thus the $16 billion relocation industry!

If you’re contemplating a relocation to Charleston, SC any time soon, even without the services of a specialist, there’s much we can learn from the do’s and don’ts they offer. Here are some key don’ts:

Don’t Underestimate the Commute

If relocation to the Charleston Area will find you entering unfamiliar territory, don’t rely on MapQuest to tell you how long your drive to work will be. Take a serious look at public transportation, too, as you choose where you want to live in relation to your new job.

Don’t Overestimate the Raise

When you are relocating, the difference between a $30,000 and $45,000 salary (or even $70,000 and $100,000) might actually amount to a decrease in real earnings. When you’re considering cost of living differences for a relocation to or from Charleston, don’t be tempted to stop at the obvious living expenses, like housing and food. Will you be doing more holiday traveling to visit those you left behind? Will the kids wind up in private schools if available public schools aren’t up to snuff? You’re looking for all cost differences…which can go the other way, too!

Don’t Ignore Key Findings

The experts mention (politely) that not only do you have to do the research; you also have to accept the results. School quality really can vary. Even noise quality can be a factor that drives location. Best practice? Find out what people have to say about where they live, good and bad. When you plan a Charleston, SC relocation carefully, you’ll take advantage of your new opportunity while avoiding common oversights. And if relocation is in your future, I’m here to help you find the right — and practical — new place to call home.

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com

Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

-Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook Real Estate

Charleston, SC 

Simple Energy Conservation Plan for Property Owners in Charleston, SC

Energy costs may not be skyrocketing as quickly as some other costs, but Charleston area property owners continue to watch incoming utility bills with a wary eye. It’s only natural: they remember sudden energy price leaps in the past.

One of the ripple effects of high energy prices is the possible impact on anyone planning a future sale of their own property in Charleston, SC. Canny prospects are likely to demand to examine past utility bills — sometimes going back for a year or two. As we encounter cooler weather, that’s why it’s doubly important to keep a lid on gas and electricity bills.

Some of these steps you can take are easy to accomplish…and all too easy to forget!

Most experts recommend setting the water heater thermostat between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, with the exact setting dependent upon your area’s microclimate, Charleston property type, and your particular household’s requirements. The goal here is to avoid sustaining temperatures above the 140-degree mark — which would be sure to add digits to this autumn’s energy bill.

 Now is the time to take an inspection walk around your property on the lookout for leaks, be they toilets, pipes or faucets. It’s easy to do a double-check, too: just keep an eye on your meter over a two-hour period when there is no water use (this idea comes from Mark LeChevallier of American Water). If you spot activity, you may need to do more active detective work.

Clogged air filters are more serious than most would think: they can burden mechanical systems — not only boosting energy costs, but eventually damaging the mechanicals behind them. Failing to replace filters causes dryers, heaters, AC units, etc., to run longer. It’s easy to picture what the impact on the monthly energy tab can be.

Being able to produce low energy bills is just one way to help prospective buyers see the wisdom of buying your Charleston area property. If you are considering selling your own property in Charleston , SC anytime in the future, now is the time to make a few changes.

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com

Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

-Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook Real Estate

Charleston, SC