I have been showing a lot of property in downtown Charleston on the Peninsula lately, and have noticed things seem to be a bit slow.  I was showing a property to some clients of mine and the listing agent had told me a surprising statistic.  She mentioned that downtown Charleston, on the Peninsula, has seen an increase in the volume of homes selling for the last 3 years.  She also mentioned that the Peninsula alone had a market entirely on it's own, outside of the rest of Charleston.  While I agree with her that the Peninsula has it's own market independant of other Charleston areas, I was floored that the market on the Peninsula saw an increase for the last 3 years.

I decided to delve further into the MLS and find out for my self the performance of the…

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Photo Credit: EarthCraftHouse.comAn EarthCraft Home is the idea that a healthy, comfortable home can be built that reduces utility bills, while protecting the environment.  The idea is to minimize environmental impacts, and to follow a systematic approach to homebuilding that utilizes the importance of understanding how the different components of a home work together.  This means that the home performs better, is more economical for the homeowner, but it costs a little more than your normal construction costs.

This can be achieved by using certain qualifying materials, addressing energy efficiency, indoor air quality, waste management, resource efficiency, durability, and water conversation.  While EarthCraft Homes may be a little more expensive up front, the idea is that it should…

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The Senate today voted unanimously Wednesday night to extend the $8,000 tax credit for home buyers beyond its scheduled November 30, 2009 expiration date.  The credit would be available for contracts signed by April 30, 2010 and must close by June 30, 2010.  Under the new legislation the credit will also now apply to home buyers who are buying their second or subsequent home.  The credit currently applies only to first time home buyer.

The Senate vote was 98 to 0.

Under a compromise reached late last week, the tax credit for veteran homeowners will apply only to those who have lived in their current residence for at least five years.  The credit for these buyers will be capped at $6,500 while first time buyers will continue to receive $8,000.

Income levels…

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