Tag: Dunes Properties

Summer is almost here, the weather has finally started cooperating again and we’re gearing up for lots of outdoor activities!

If you’ll be around the Johns Island/Kiawah/Seabrook areas come join us and stop by our Bohicket Marina office because we’ll be staying open later for you.  Stop by and say hello!

The Importance of Professional Photography

Although this may seem like common sense, it is surprising how many legacy property management programs overlook this #1 in marketing a vacation rental home or condominium. The web has changed how customers absorb information. The importance of visual has not changed, but the speed in which a customers needs to experience the vacation home through photograph has changed dramatically.

Vannessa Carter is one of our historic Charleston office agents and she has such poetic love for Charleston we had to let her share her story here:

Vannessa Carter, dunes properties

Where do I begin to describe one of the greatest love stories of my life???

My first visit to Charleston was in 1984 during a college course, studying Civil War history. I can remember walking around the city with my classmates after a trip to Fort Sumter and promising myself that I would live here one day. It took a while but I made good on that promise.

For me, Charleston has been the place of family vacations, a favorite college class, girls’ getaways and falling in love…with both the city and the “Sweet Boy.’ Meeting Kim probably put my plans on a fast track but the city had me at hello, way back in 1984.

You don’t have to take my word for it, Conde Nast says that we are the  planet’s best city for 2012. I am not going to argue with that! Charleston offers two very distinct lifestyles that mix and mingle beautifully. On the one hand we have the beach life. Lazy, sun filled days on the beaches, paddling a kayak or SUP, oyster roasts, bike riding and sunsets. On the other hand we have a historical urban life. Downtown has some of  the best of food and dining in the United States, it is one of the best shopping cities according to USNews & World Report, The Daily Beast sobers us by naming us the fourth drunkest city and Travel & Leisure says that we are the fourth best looking bunch of people in the US.

We seem to be on the radar of every major publication these days. I am very proud to call Charleston my home and was thrilled when my daughter, Warner, recently said that she was going “home” for the holidays. She was talking about Charleston. One of my motives for moving here was that my daughters, family and friends would always want to visit without too much coercion. So far, it seems to be working.

Despite all of the current press about Charleston, it is still a small southern town with only about two degrees of separation between people you meet and people you know. After a year here, I am always shocked at how easy it is to connect the dots among friends. Everyone is very happy these days with all of the attention shining on our hamlet of happy and there are lots of reasons to be so happy.

Charleston is way too diverse to describe it all in one place. Instead of trying to do it here, in other sections of this site I am going to give you descriptions of the different areas of Charleston and what they each offer to make Charleston the sum that is greater than all of her parts.

1505 Lady Anna Lane on Seabrook Island. 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths, 3634 sq. ft.  Offered at $2,200,000.

A casually chic plantation house.  Marshfront with river access all on a quiet cul-de-sac in Jenkins Point Plantation. Timeless in style, grand in dimension but intimate in presentation, this home is a “must see” for anyone ready to unwind and share this very special destination. With ancient moss draped oaks framing the long marsh views across Bohicket River to Wadmalaw and Edisto Islands, this .7 acre property is one of a kind. Entertain in your 45′ x 20′ great room with its breathtaking soaring ceilings and more than 40′ of glass inviting the outside in. Enjoy cool breezes and amazing sunsets from wide dining and entertaining porches surrounding the house. Kayak from your private dock on a tidal creek across Bohicket River to Cherry Point or Rockville or simply relax around your secluded in-ground pool. Built in 2002, the home has cedar siding, a new standing seam metal roof, wide heart pine floors and top of the line appliances. 12’ceilings and transoms throughout contribute to an open, light and bright home. The master suite, private sitting room/office and guest suite are both on the main floor, 2 charming and spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms are upstairs. Parking for 5 cars under the house. The house oozes casual elegance, charm and flair.

Click here for virtual floorplan, photos, and more.

Listed by Joy Millar

(843) 425-2816 | jmillar@dunesproperties.com

A whole heck of a lot. That’s what. The Upper Peninsula is defined as the area North of the Crosstown (Highway 17) and South of Heriot Street (basically) and includes the neighborhoods of the Westside, Hampton Park Terrace, Wagener Terrace, North Central, Longborough, Lowndes Pointe and parts of the Eastside. Home sales in this area recently have been out of this world – so much so, that I have started skulking around at homes under renovation to see if I can help my clients get a jump on them before they even come on the market.

So if you are looking for a mostly renovated, completely renovated, or a new construction home under $500,000 here, you better be ready to jump.  Here are the numbers for your statistical enjoyment.

10 homes sold in the past month.

+

22 homes on the market.

+

22 homes under contract.

EQUALS

2 months of housing inventory = Sellers Market

So you ask – what do I think is driving all this activity??

1. It’s an extra hot real estate market this year.
2. People are realizing they don’t have to cross a bridge to live in a great neighborhood at a reasonable price.  And there’s so much history!
3. Hampton Park is pretty spectacular.
4. Upper King Street is, well, moving on up.  This makes these neighborhoods just a stroll or a quick bike ride away from some of the best restaurants and shops in town.
5. Small local businesses are flocking to the area around Upper Meeting and North Morrison Drive (“NoMo” for short) for inexpensive commercial lease rates and short commutes. SIB just announced this morning that they are moving their headquarters to NoMo from Meeting St south of Calhoun St.
6. Restaurants and bars are opening here slowly but surely. Bob Carter’s Rutledge Cab Co. at the corner of Rutledge and Mount Pleasant is packed – all the time. As is Santi’s and The Tattooed Moose.
7. The schools are improving.  Not only are they being rebuilt, but also they are being rethought.  For example, the James Simons Elementary School will become partly Montessori.
8. Overall, there’s a great sense of community, with community-driven change.  People are passionate about this area and spend their time working together to improve it.

So let’s take a look at the homes under contract and how long they lasted before they had a contract. That will give you a good idea of demand for the Upper Peninsula! Note that some of them had been on and off the market for years, and as soon as they came back up recently and were priced right, they were under contract.

MLS# 1204829- 18 FRANCIS ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $209,000 – 109 Days.

1224717 -311 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $239,000 – 92 days. (This and the other St. Philip addresses are the new construction homes in the nook of the King Street off-ramp from 17)

1224796 -301 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $239,000 – 48 days.

1222925 – 75 SIMONS ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $259,000 – 145 days. (also new construction)

1224794 –  307 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $265,000 – 0 days.

1224795 –  305 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $265,000 – 20 days.

1224831 –  0 FISHBURNE ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $269,000 – 22 days. (Also part of King St off-ramp project)

1224829 – 302 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $269,000 – 1 day.

1304868 – 235 FISHBURNE ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $295,500 – 6 days. (Though it was on and off the market since July 2010)

1224792 –  309 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $299,000 – 0 days.

1224793 – 303 ST PHILIP ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $299,000 – 2 days.

1301297 –  1007 ASHLEY AVE, CHARLESTON, SC – $299,900 – 4 days. (Though on and off the market since July 2012)

1301171 –  81 GORDON ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $300,000 – 28 days.

1225650 –  203 SAINT MARGARET ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $306,900 – 90 days.

1300787 – 163 MAPLE ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $324,000 – 0 days.

1304620 –  31 DUNNEMANN AVE, CHARLESTON, SC – $369,000 – 7 days.

1304375 – 12 CLEVELAND LN, CHARLESTON, SC – $369,900 – 14 days.

1213573 –  368 ASHLEY AVE, CHARLESTON, SC – $379,000 – 250 days.

1304476 – 109 FISHBURNE ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $412,000 – 2 days.

1303548 –  101 SAINT MARGARET ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $424,000 – 21 days. (Though on and off the market since April 2010)

1303287 – 76 MAPLE ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $426,500 – 20 days.

1302095 –  176 SAN SOUCI ST, CHARLESTON, SC – $429,900 – 19 days.

And the sunset views over the Ashley River from the fishing dock at Longborough, aren’t too bad either…:)

Kristin Walker

You can find me at  Charleston Inside Out or riding my bike all over downtown Charleston.

(843) 412-3333 | kwalker@dunesproperties.com

This week’s Charleston Regional Business Journal reports that residential sales in Charleston are up and the inventory is down compared to this time last year.  So, is it turning into a seller’s market? It’ll be interesting watching it play out.  2013 Charleston MLS president Dave Sansome is quoted in the CRBJ as saying “Many areas of our region are squarely in seller’s market territory. That doesn’t mean that sellers can start overpricing their homes and expect them to sell, but it does mean that they have a bit more room to negotiate for the price they want than they have in recent years.”

Our business has definitely increased. Our Isle of Palms office is the #1 office in volume and sides for residential sales in the resort of Wild Dunes and on Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island. We are quite ahead of our competition if I may blow our own horn for a moment.

As reported by MLS from 1/1/13-3/13/13 residential sales by office for Sullivan Island, Isle of Palms, and Wild Dunes

The Business Journal article by Lauren Ratcliffe reports that Charleston sales are outpacing last year’s by over 18%. In February of 2013 722 homes were sold with a median price of $181,334 and Charleston hasn’t seen sales volume like that since February of 2008 when 733 homes sold. Inventory has decreased by 1000 homes in comparison to this time last year.

 If you are thinking about selling, now might be the time.  As us about the Dunes Difference and see what we can do for you. If you are interested in buying, you might want to get started looking. We can help you with that search here.

Check out 120 Wando Reach Court.  Our new listing in River Reach at Remleys Point, one of the more exclusive Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. This 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home is 4939 sqft. and just must be seen to be believed. Lots of unique touches make this a wonderful home. Offered at $2,499,000. Listed by Joe Walker and Donnie Whitaker of dunes properties®.

Contact: Joe Walker (843) 345-4510 | Donnie Whitaker (843) 607-0954

Joe  jwalker@dunesproperties.com | Donnie dwhitaker@dunesproperties.com

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 1302879 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

Charleston (and the entertainment media in general) is still abuzz about the surprise nuptials of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively over Labor Day weekend.  The couple was married here in Charleston at the cotton dock at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant. The event was planned by Martha Stewart’s crew, so you know it had to be one fabulous, well done affair that we’ll unfortunately have to wait until December to sneak a peek at when the event will be featured in Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine. The couple chose Charleston reportedly because Reynolds has a love for the city and it has become a special getaway for him and Lively.

Now you bride to be may be shying away from the idea of a destination wedding after reading “$3000 cake” or “Carnival hour” and “Martha Stewart’s crew” but a destination wedding is not just for the rich and famous.  If you are planning a wedding, look to Charleston! The weather here is usually gorgeous and even the winters are mild by the standards of most. And if you want a summer destination wedding but the idea of standing outside in the sun isn’t appealing,  the beach is a more breezy option for you, or a yacht during a coastal or harbor cruise.  There are also plenty of air-conditioned, indoor options.

And don’t forget the food. Get kitschy and rent the airstream trailer from Jack’s Cosmic Dog and treat your guests to hot dogs (and veggie dogs) with plenty of different fixins, cookies instead of cake from Charleston Cookie Company, believe or not Piggly Wiggly can make a great cake if you are minding your budget.  Or a catered mix of elegance and southern comfort food (like mac and cheese or shrimp and grits) from the likes of Cru Cafe or Good Food Catering.

Think of the wedding photography; the beach, the gardens, the harbor front, the pineapple fountain in waterfront park (I am proud to admit the pineapple has a special place in my wedding album).  The locale is beautiful, there is something for every taste from eclectic and funky to elegant to whimsical.

And the second to the commitment you are about to make to your partner, the guests! Dunes Properties vacation rental properties are a great option.  Vacation rentals are a perfect, cozier and often more cost efficient alternative.  You can make your own meals, a larger group can gather more comfortably in a living room than a hotel room which makes staying in a welcome pleasure, and the beach could be in walking distance or right outside the back door. And your guests will love that staying with Dunes Properties means a slew of local businesses will offer them discounts – Charleston SUP Safaris eco tours , Flipper Finders kayak tours, high speed boat tours of Charleston harbor with Thriller Charleston, golf at the Links at Stono Ferry, what would make better photo ops for groomsmen or bridesmaids than a day of roller skating at Hot Wheels Skating Center , horse drawn carriage tours of downtown with Palmetto Carriage Company, ghost tours with Bulldog Tours and others.   Charleston Green Taxi offers discounted transportation, and On the Spot Baby Equipment and Rentals has everything you need for little ones away from home at 10% off for guests as well. And if you just want to see where Blake and Ryan tied the knot, Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens offers $2.50 off adult tickets.

What are waiting for? Start planning that Charleston wedding!

Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist and senior vice president of research for the National Association of Realtors, delivered the keynote address and discussed the Charleston real estate market last Wednesday for area members of Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.  He had lots of good things to say about the Charleston market in general. Read the whole story and watch the videos HERE.

Now what does all this mean to you as a homeowner, Buyer, or Seller? Be sure to talk to your agent, they are there for you whenever you have a question about home ownership and the market in general,  not just if you are interested in buying or selling right now.  You can speak pressure and commitment free to a dunes properties agent any time by calling 800.476.8444 or stopping by one of our four offices at 214 King St. downtown, 31 Center St. on Folly, 1400 Palm Blvd. on the Isle of Palms, or at Bohicket Marina near Seabrook/Kiawah Islands.

Opera lovers in Charleston rejoice.  Dunes Properties would like to extend a warm welcome to Opera Charleston.

The anticipated first production of the inaugral season will be Carmen and the star of the show will be world famous Denyce Graves, mezzo soprano from the Metropolitan. If you are unfamiliar with Carmen, it is a French comique written by George Bizet based on the novel by Prosper Mérimée. It will be presented at Memminger Auditorium March 9 and March 11.  Check the schedule here.

For the opera novice- the story of Carmen is about aseductive gypsy woman (Carmen), passion, lust, betrayal, obsession and destruction. It’s also one of the most world-famous performances. A good place to test out the operatic waters.

Founded by  David Templeton and Scott Flaherty, who also serves as Artistic Director.  Louis Salemno is the Principal Conductor and Music Director.