I had a pretty good reason not to blog last night - the beach. Those who know me, will completely understand. I'm a beach girl all around. Anytime of the year, I'll take it! Give me some sand to stick my toes in. Though there is internet (sometimes) at the beach house, I made the bold decision to leave my laptop in Columbia. The only technology that made the trip was my iPhone and Kindle which makes blogging a bit more tedious. 

A fun time was had. The weather was absolutely perfect all three days and a nice base tan was scored. I find the beach so tranquil and savoring the small things left in this world - the smell of the marsh, sunscreen, books, drinks, sand dunes, the salt-weathered homes, and the active, coastal habitat of the low-country. Pawleys Island isn't your hustle and bustle beach, it's your spa. The beach prides itself on being "arrogantly shabby" and what a faithful description. On Saturday night, a newly managed Frank's Outback dinner/drinks was mouth watering and the outdoor atmosphere was just a chic as the menu. 

And then came Monday morning - a quick snap back to reality. The email dings started going off and an offer for a property came in. This week is going to be busy, but I'm rejuvenated. Bring on the last week of April 2014!

Pic above: My fur-child, Sullivan (named after Sullivan's Island...more proof I'm a beach girl) soaking in the afternoon sun on the patio.

Night Y'all!

I'm suppose to blog every Sunday night. That is my commitment to this page, but I have been struggling with the content since Sunday. Do I write about the market, the house I just listed, the condo that got an offer with the first showing, or a new local brewery I tried out this weekend?  Well, not exactly. 

This is prime "real estate" season and any decent Realtor can expect an increase in business. To me, it means more than just another closed deal. I take pride in my clients and truly try my very best to provide them with the best service - which leads me to tonight's topic. 

The client pictured above is a personal friend of mine turned client. It has been a fortuitous journey finding "THE" home. She proved wrong the saying "3rd time's the charm" because guess what? It wasn't. Come to find out, 4th time is the charm. Everything felt right with the 4th house and it goes to show you that what is meant to be, will be. I'm so happy for her not just because I consider her a friend, but because this house is her. It came to her. I didn't pick it out, she did. I wish her many more years of happiness in this absolutely charming home. She deserves every bit of it. Enjoy!

With a crazy, busy week in real estate (and one that will only get busier) sometimes I have to take a breather and learn to appreciate the local goodness going on around town. I get so caught up in the day to day schedule changes that my profession requires, I forget about all the goodness this town actually offers. It's why people move here and choose to have a life here. And, it's awesome. Columbia is so frequently compared to Greenville, SC or Charleston, SC. Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE Charleston. I went to college there and didn't leave for over four straight years (yes, even the Summers) without a good kicking and screaming. While the above towns each have their own charm, Columbia is truly growing on me. And, no, I don't think I'm the only one. There have been and are so many local favorite businesses that have popped up in the last year. It took me a breather, my Mother in town, and a beer for me to realize, well, Columbia, SC is pretty cool. Regardless if you are a Tiger (Go, Tigers!!) or that other team here. 
Today I was stopped at a red light beside the "Chicken Man" and Sunday enjoyed a yummylicious BBQ sandwich from Southern Belly Pig on Rosewood. 
I truthfully believe each of these run-ins were to make me: 1. take a breather 2.enjoy local flavor 3. appreciate people wanting to relocate to Columbia, SC. 

I get it now.

This week has been the week of repairs. Ahhhh, such an unknown factor in real estate and one I try to always brace my clients for the unexpected. Buyers/sellers are oh so thrilled to finally get the home under contract, but a good Realtor knows that isn't the battle. The battle comes after the buyer hires their designated home inspectors to go in and pick apart the home under contract. Yep, it's true. Under SC state contract, the buyer has 10 business days to inspect a home inside and out. Usually there are three inspections performed: 1. general 2. termite 3. HVAC. After the 10 days, buyers usually come back with a laundry list of items they request to be repaired before the new owner takes possession. This is simply another negotiation step in the home buying/selling process. If buyers and sellers don't reach agreement on repairs, buyers can walk and the seller's house goes BOM aka Back On Market. Womp, womp.

Oh, your house is perfect you say? Unfortunately, most likely not. Even new construction builds have faults. And chances are, if you live in a charming, downtown bungalow there will always be a price to pay for that charm. There are six major factors to a home: Roof, HVAC, Termite/CL 100, Electrical, Plumbing, and Structure/Foundation. These can be the most costly components to a home and it's important to know how much these are to repair in the future. This is great summary on why you should get an inspection. AND, why it's important to hire a Realtor to negotiate and guide you through the transaction. 

So, this means after inspection repair requests a buyer will get a perfect home? Nope. In rare cases, sellers will agree to fix every single, little item requested and is usually not how the dice are rolled. All homes come with their own kinks - it simply comes down to what the buyer and seller come to a "meeting of the minds". All in all, 9 times out of 10, there is always a common ground reached and we find ourselves all sitting at the closing table a few weeks later handing over keys.

Don't let it rain on your parade!

L. Gilstrap

Columbia, SC real estate has been hoppin' - no other way to put it! The market is finally starting to bounce back and hot properties are flying off the market. All the homes to the left have gone under contract in the last month. 

Congrats to these buyers/sellers on a job well done! There are many other properties like these that come on the market everyday, so don't fret. If you are looking to buy or sell your home, please feel free to contact me. I'd love for your house to make the blog one day! 

Happy April!