Charter One Realty Blog

Are There Going to Be More Homes to Buy This Year?

If you’re looking for a home to purchase right now and having trouble finding one, you’re not alone. At a time like this when there are so few houses for sale, it’s normal to wonder if you’ll actually find one to buy. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), across the country, inventory of available homes for sale is at an all-time low – the lowest point recorded since NAR began tracking this metric in 1982. There are, however, more homes expected to hit the market later this year. Let’s break down the three key places they’ll likely come from as 2021 continues on.

1. Homeowners Who Didn’t Sell Last Year

In 2020, many sellers decided to pause their moving plans for a number of different reasons. From health concerns about the…

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5 Reasons to Sell Your House This Spring

When selling a house, most homeowners hope for a quick and profitable transaction that puts them in a position to make a great move. If you’re waiting for the best time to win as a seller, the market is calling your name this spring. Here are five reasons why this is the perfect time to sell your house if you’re ready.

1. There’s high demand from homebuyers.

Buyer demand is strong right now, and buyers are active in the market. ShowingTime, which tracks the average number of buyer showings on residential properties, recently announced that buyer showings are up 51.5% compared to this time last year. Daniil Cherkasskiy, Chief Analytics Officer at ShowingTime, notes:

As anticipated, demand for real estate remains elevated and continues to be…

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Today's Market is Nothing Like 2008

Last March, many involved in the residential housing industry feared the market would be crushed under the pressure of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. Instead, real estate had one of its best years ever. Home sales and prices were both up substantially over the year before. 2020 was so strong that many now fear the market’s exuberance mirrors that of the last housing boom and, as a result, we’re now headed for another crash.

However, there are many reasons this real estate market is nothing like 2008. Here are six visuals to show the dramatic differences.

1. Mortgage standards are nothing like they were back then.

During the housing bubble, it was difficult not to get a mortgage. Today, it’s tough to qualify. Recently, the Urban Institute released…

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Charter One Realty Welcomes Billy Keyserling

Beaufort, SC, March 2021 – Charter One Realty (www.CharterOneRealty.com) has announced that real estate professional, Billy Keyserling has joined the company as a REALTOR. Billy joins the company at their Downtown Beaufort office located in Beaufort, SC, and can be reached at 843-592-0400 or by email at BillyKeyserling@CharterOneRealty.com. 

Entering Real Estate as a hobby almost fifty years ago and professionally not long thereafter, Billy Keyserling has mastered all levels of real estate. Starting as a general residential agent, Billy became a very successful top producing agent and highly regarded infill residential developer. He started Keyserling Real Estate which became Coldwell Banker Keyserling and then merged his growing company with Coldwell…

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Charter One Realty Welcomes Meg Winkler

BLUFFTON, SC, March 2021 – Charter One Realty (www.CharterOneRealty.com) has announced that real estate professional, Meg Winkler has joined the company as a REALTOR, partnering with Diana Sroufe. Meg joins the company at their Belfair office located in Bluffton, SC and can be reached at 407-399-1537 or by email at MegWinkler@CharterOneRealty.com. 

Meg began purchasing investment properties at a young age to supplement her salary as a Special Education teacher and ultimately made real estate her primary career. Meg grew into a top producing agent in varying markets around the DC area. Meg's clients benefit from her wisdom regarding value versus cost reasons and returns on investment, ultimately assisting them with an informed, high-quality decision…

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Charter One Realty Welcomes Michelle Elliott

Charter One Realty is pleased to announce that Michelle Elliott has joined the company as an Agent, partnering with Becky Herman and Monica Davis of Herman and Davis Properties. Michelle and her team bring over 20+ years of experience in sales, marketing, and real estate in the Coastal Lowcountry. Michelle has joined the company at their Park Lane office located in Hilton Head, SC, and can be reached at 704-737-3128 or by email at MichelleElliott@CharterOneRealty.com.

Michelle comes to Charter One Realty from a national franchise brokerage in the Lowcountry.  She has been involved in all aspects of real estate, starting her professional career in the banking and real estate industry, focusing on mortgage lending, operations, and compliance. She always…

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The Benefits of an Experienced Real Estate Agent

When you are in the market to buy a house—or need to sell your current home—that is the time to use an experienced real estate professional. An inexperienced agent can cost you time and money, and unfortunately, maybe even put you at risk of losing out on your dream home.

Current market dynamics mean that experienced real estate agents are all the more valuable. With rare exception, negotiating the transaction is the most complex part of buying or selling real estate. At the same time, it is the one that can involve the most creativity. For that reason, it is important to have an experienced professional on your side who has successfully worked through many different transaction scenarios.

If You Are A Buyer

Searching for real estate for…

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5 Best Restaurants in Bluffton: The Growing Food Scene

With so many new concepts opening the past few years, we are always on the quest for the best restaurant in Bluffton. Our small town maintains its charm and hospitality while expanding in ways to better serve the growing community. One of those ways is by growing the food scene!

Bluffton is attracting chefs of all types who are putting their heart and soul into restaurants, cafes, bakeries and specialty shops throughout town. Trying new dishes can fill the void created by travel limitations right now; it brings us some excitement to try new flavors and regional cuisines.

New-to-you dishes can leave you wanting more, and Bluffton has so much to give. Since there is no time like the present, venture out to try a new cuisine or new spot! Now more than…

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3 Ways Home Equity Can Have a Major Impact on Your Life

There have been a lot of headlines reporting on how homeowner equity (the difference between the current market value of your home and the amount you owe on your mortgage) has dramatically increased over the past few years. CoreLogic indicated that equity increased for the average homeowner by $17,000 in the last year alone. ATTOM Data Solutions, in their latest U.S. Home Equity Report, revealed that 30.2% of the 59 million mortgaged homes in the United States have at least 50% equity. That doesn’t even include the 38% of homes that are owned free and clear, meaning they don’t have a mortgage at all.

How can equity help a household?

Having equity in your home can dramatically impact your life. Equity is like a savings account you can tap into…

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New Buyers Surprised by How Affordable Homes Are Today

Headlines matter. Right now, it’s hard to read about real estate without seeing a headline that suggests homes have become unaffordable for most Americans. In reality, there’s hard evidence that shows how owning a home is more affordable than renting in most parts of the country, as record-low interest rates are keeping monthly mortgage payments about 23% lower than the typical payment of 20 years ago. Despite the facts, misleading headlines persist, and they impact how hopeful homebuyers perceive the market.

In a recent survey by realtor.com, home shoppers indicated they were surprised by what they could actually afford when buying their first home. In fact, 47% discovered their budget was larger than they expected. George Ratiu, Senior…

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