Top 3 Low-Cost Ways to Add Value in Charleston

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Selling your Charleston home ? Get a free home value report

Today I'm happy to be joined by Tommy Welch of 1st Class Painting & Restoration to talk about the top three things you can do to get the most value for your home.

It's a great question, Tommy said, and provided a contractor's perspective. First and foremost, (and yes, Tommy says he's a bit biased) you've got to make sure your paint is solid and neutral. He loves a good hot pink or your daughter's bright blue bathroom, but not when you're selling your home. It's not just important to be neutral, it's important that the quality of the work is good, so hire a professional.

Secondly, Tommy said, know that buyers go straight to kitchens and bathrooms when they view a house. You want the kitchen to be functional, clean, and open. If your flooring is up to date, you're probably ahead of the curve. Take a few minutes and take a non-biased look at your kitchen and bathrooms to look for what stands out as needing to be fixed or updated.

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These are game-changers when it comes to listing your house.

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Lastly, don't forget the outdoors. We live here in Charleston so we can spend 365 days a year outside, so spruce up your yard. Keep the lawn cut, get rid of overgrowth, and make sure fences and decks are properly sealed, clean, and safe. You want people viewing your home to walk outside and think "Wow! I can hang out here!"

All these things aren't just cost-effective, they're game-changers when it comes to listing your house and making a move. Tommy would love to come out and give you a totally free estimate on any of these things. You can call him at 843-324-6006 or you can email him at Tommy@1stClassCharleston.com.

Should You Buy New or Old in Charleston?

Buying a Charleston home? Get a full home search

Selling your Charleston home ? Get a free home value report

Today, I’m discussing the advantages and disadvantages of new construction and resale properties when buying in Charleston. Whenever we sit down with buyers for initial consultations, they often know whether they want an older or newer home. 

If you’re interested in an older home, typically it’ll be in a mature neighborhood with developed trees and larger yard sizes on average. Oftentimes, you’ll notice smaller kitchens and bathrooms compared to new construction developments.

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You have the opportunity to choose your add-ons with new construction properties.

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New construction includes full warranties, but sometimes the yard sizes are smaller and the neighborhoods aren’t fully matured. The surrounding community might still be in construction mode, even though your home has already been built. You have the opportunity to personally choose your add-ons, such as flooring, colors, and other features. Additionally, you have built-in equity to a recently built home; the value increased during construction, even though you’re not making payments.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding area, reach out by phone or email. I’d be happy to help answer your questions and serve your local real estate needs!

Is Bad Credit Better Than No Credit in the Charleston Market?

Buying a Charleston home? Get a full home search

Selling your Charleston home ? Get a free home value report

I’ve brought in special guest Chris Gonzalez from Tabor Mortgage Group here in Charleston to help us answer the age-old question: Is it better to have no credit or bad credit when you’re purchasing a home?

“We can actually work with both clients, whether you have bad credit or you have no credit, we’re just going to tackle those in different ways,” Chris says. 

For those without any credit, Chris says he can work with rental history, utility payments, and cell phone payments. So, even though you may not be paying anybody, you’re actually building a credit history on your own.

For bad credit, it is a little bit tougher, and the first step they'll take is to pull a credit report and see what’s causing the poor credit score.

The way to start is to reach Chris at 843-810-4821 or at Chris@TaborMortgage.com.

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We can work with both clients, whether you have bad credit or no credit.

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“We will get a credit report pulled, we’re going to review it with you, and then whether you need help or not on the credit side, we’re going to set you up on a plan and give you a timeline so you know when you can get your home purchase completed,” Chris says.

Once you’re ready, Chris will turn you back over to us, and we can help you with your real estate needs!

Thanks to Chris for joining us and teaching us about bad credit vs. no credit. If you’re interested in getting pre-approved reach out to Chris, and if you have real estate questions give us a call or send an email and we’ll get started on a conversation today.