Information about Charleston, South Carolina and the areas that encompass it.

Hanks Seafood RestaurantSouthern Living has once again given our beautiful city of Charleston great recognition. Charleston was recently named The South's Tastiest Town. World-class restaurants such as FIG, Husk, McCrady's, Blossoms, Magnolias, SNOB (Slightly North of Broad), Cypress, Grill 225, High Cotton, and Hominy Grill to name a few of the most recognizable restaurants.

Being in real estate and showing houses here for those looking to relocate to Charleston, I'm always asked, "So where are the best restaurants to visit while we're here?" The first question out of my mouth is always the same- "What kind of food would you like to eat?" You see, as any local knows in Charleston, you could spend the next 3 years visiting a new restaurant every day if you decided to eat at a…

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Shrimp boats along Shem Creek It's that time of year again for the Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival! Come on out to Waterfront Park, Sunday April 29th from 11:30am to 6:00pm.

This wonderful event used to be located near Alhambra Hall in the Old Village, but since it has outgrown the original location- it has been relocated to Mount Pleasant's Waterfront Park at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge.

This festival highlights some of the best local seafood that Charleston has to offer, and is community-supported benediction that calls for a safe and prosperous shrimping season in Charleston! It should be a great event this year with live music, local crafts, kids activities, a boat parade, and of course the ceremonial blessing of the shrimp/fishing fleet here in…

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March 21-April 20th

Beautiful gardens surrounding a downtown home in CharlestonIt's that time of year again for the 66th Annual Festival of Houses and Gardens. This festival features the interiors of our beloved downtown historic antebellum homes, as well as the beautiful surrounding gardens of approximately 150 homes in 10 colonial Charleston neighborhoods dating to the 18th Century.

Take a walk and enjoy Charleston's distinctive history, architecture, gardens, and culture. This tour allows the public to view some of America's oldest historic homes, during Charleston's peak blooming season.

The tours feature 7 to 10 properties each day, of ten neighborhoods, dating from the American colonial period, through the antebellum and Victorian eras, to early 20th century. Take a walk back in history, and place…

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A flood on Ashley, downtown Charleston SC Chances are, if you're living anywhere near the coastline of Charleston, South Carolina, then you're paying for flood insurance due to the the fact that Charleston's elevation is just above sea level. If you're financing your home, then your lender would have required it at closing when you purchased. However, if you paid cash or if your house is in flood zone x, then it wouldn't be required. See more on Charleston flood zones.

But what is this about flood insurance rates going up, and will it affect me? Yes. The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 was passed in June of 2012 which will increase flood insurance premiums over a 4 or 5-year period.

The National Flood Insurance Program states that premiums were off as much as 40% of…

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Ready to Run?

The Cooper River Bridge Run in full effectThe April 6th, 2013 race date is close upon us! Are you ready to run or walk in one of America's best organized 10K runs?

This incredible race in Charleston, South Carolina has one of the most beautiful, serene, and unique settings around the country. Starting in Mount Pleasant, this race is enjoyed by the young and the old, the fast and the slow, those that run and those that walk. There are world-class athletes that train all year for this particular race, and those that enjoy walking the 10K while taking in the Charleston Harbor, and downtown Charleston's rich history.

April in Charleston certainly provides for some of the best weather during this time of year, and what better setting than running over North America's longest…

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Find the best Charleston area for investing If you are living in Charleston, South Carolina and looking to invest some of your hard-earned money into real estate- which areas should you consider, and what might be a good buy?

There are many opinions on what might be the best gameplan.  One certainly has to take into consideration the best areas, the best price ranges to purchase in, and what kind of investment property to purchase.  For this blog post, I'd like to cover a few of the areas surrounding downtown, Charleston. I'm not the 'end all' pro when it comes to investing, but after living here in Charleston practically all of my life- I've seen different areas excel in this Charleston real estate market.

As anyone knows, the three most important factors when choosing real estate is…

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We truly have the best city in the world. If you've had the opportunity to live or visit here, then you know what I mean.

Take a look at this excellent video from Charlestonly.com that encapsulates the feeling of being right here, in Charleston...

 

Video from Charlestonly.com

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Greg Rand, CEO of OwnAmerica and host of Rand on Real Estate on WABC radio recommends Charleston and Grand Rapids on the FOX Business Network "Where to Invest Now" segment.  Charleston, SC is once again on the national radar with not only a wonderful place to live- but also a smart investment as well.

What are you waiting for?  Find your dream home in Charleston via the Charleston MLS.

**Fast forward to 1:40 for the Charleston, SC housing segment.

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Charleston is once again on the national stage.  This time, it's a wonderful writeup of our beloved city in The Wall Street Journal.  This article is one writer's perspective on her visit for a long and interesting weekend.  Take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to read about what fun can be had in Charleston...it'll be worth it!

You can read about the writer's weekend in Charleston in the Wall Street Journal article on Charleston.

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If you've lived in Charleston for long, you know that Morris Island is just another great Charleston experience.  This island is inaccessible by car, so you'll either have to take a boat to get there, or parachute out of a plane.  If parachuting isn't for you, then let me suggest Adventure Harbor Tours.

This is a good friend of mine's local business where he takes folks, families, you name it- to Morris Island which is located near Ft. Sumter and on the Charleston Harbor.  This is an exclusive stretch of beach that is mostly very quiet, and if you get there in the morning- you'll get first pick of all the shells.

What makes this adventure so intriguing are the explorations that Howard creates.  Howard has lived here all of his life, so he'll be able to…

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