Charleston SC Real Estate For Sale Realtor CarolinaJoe.Com: February 2010

The Charleston, South Carolina area is a great place to live or have a vacation home. The weather is great, the beaches are fantastic, golf courses are abundant, there are many historical sites, the architecture is unbelievable, the dining is unbeatable, and the people are the friendliest in the country. It is because of these reasons that I believe Charleston SC Real Estate is truly unique. I look forward to helping you with any of your real estate needs in Charleston, Berkeley, or Dorchester counties. Today’s article is titled:

Start a Community Garden: Get the Community Involved

Sow a community garden to save money on produce, eat better, and build relationships with neighbors. A community garden can provide a fulfilling and useful way to bond with your neighbors, promote healthier lifestyles, add urban green space, and save money on food. A 4 x 16-foot raised bed within a larger community garden can provide $200 to $600 in produce annually, depending on climate, says Bobby Wilson, president of the American Community Gardening Association. But gardening is also hard work, not to mention the hassle of finding and coordinating hundreds of volunteer hours over the course of a growing season. Before you dig in, step back and look at what's involved.

Your time commitment

As an organizer, you can expect to spend about 20 to 30 hours a month for six to eight months to get a garden going, says Bill Maynard, vice president of ACGA. And you'll probably need at least two other people working almost as much time as you to look for grants and donations.
Once established, the work will ease up, especially if you have committees helping out, says Charlie Nardozzi, a horticulturist and spokesperson for the NGA (http://www.garden.org/home). "It's not the total time that's important, but the consistency."

Develop a vision for your garden

A good way to involve the community and get buy in is to hold an open meeting to discuss your garden goals, says Laura Berman, author of How Does Our Garden Grow: A Guide to Starting a Community Garden (http://www.foodshare.ca/publications_03.htm). Do you want to produce food-to eat better, feed the needy-teach children about food, or just make an ugly space more attractive?

Take special care to involve neighbors near the garden site, who can turn out to be your best friends or your biggest headaches. Many cities require community meetings before issuing permits to garden in public spaces.

Find volunteers

Before you break ground, identify a committee of at least 10 volunteers and two leaders, says Kirsten Saylor, executive director of Gardening Matters (http://www.gardeningmatters.org ) in Minneapolis/St.Paul. Look for a range of talent. A community garden needs bookkeepers, marketers, and fundraisers, as well as farmers. You'll also need to decide who can participate. Must volunteers live in a specific area near the garden? Can children volunteer? If so, are there age limits?

Deciding how many volunteers you'll need depends on the size of the garden and how much time each gardener wants to volunteer. About 20 volunteers is a workable number for a garden of 15,000 square feet. More volunteers than that are also hard to manage, says Saylor.

Post flyers near the garden; ask a local newspaper, radio, or TV station to run an announcement; and send brochures or e-mails to local clubs. Many cities that have community gardening programs also have a sign-up area on their Web sites.

Extra volunteers can come in handy for one-time jobs, such as soil preparation and planting in the spring and harvesting in the fall. Try tapping into existing organizations-corporations and civic groups, Scout troops, or school classes-to help with these projects.

Keep volunteers motivated

Keep interest high by making every day in the garden a party-even cheap snacks will do, says Sally McCabe, community education project coordinator for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/home/index.html). Celebrate spring planting or the first harvest and invite the neighborhood.

Regular weekly communication, such as e-mailed gardening tips and tasks, are also good motivators. Berman suggests designating one day a week for volunteers to meet to discuss concerns.Rules, legal issues, and insurance.

Once you have a core of volunteers, discuss the rules-working hours, care of tools, and the use of pesticides. Rules can also spell out how much produce each participant gets and how much work is required of each volunteer.

Consider whether to buy liability insurance to cover injuries to non-volunteers on the site. The owner of the property where you'll be gardening may require insurance. Other owners may agree to add a rider onto their liability insurance to cover you. Liability insurance can cost anywhere from $750 to $2,000 a year, depending on your location and the size of your property, says Bill Maynard, vice president of the American Community Gardening Association (http://www.communitygarden.org).

In many cases, gardeners and visitors will be covered under an umbrella liability policy held by the church, office park, or residential property where the garden is located, says Dick Luedke, a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance (http://www.statefarm.com/). A landowner may also ask that you provide a "hold harmless" clause, which states that the owner isn't responsible for injuries on the property. Get waivers of liability from volunteers and parental consent forms if you allow children to volunteer.

If you're planning to garden on public land like a city park, you'll likely need a permit. This process can be lengthy and require public hearings and a site plan, so start early.

Fund your garden

Initial costs could run about $3,750 to $7,500 if you have a nearby source of water, says Maynard, higher, if not. A large garden in a public park with city fees and prevailing wages for contractors could run as high as $30,000. (Gardeners can expect to spend about $50-$100 per year to maintain their individual plot.)

Seed money can come from volunteer donations or local business sponsors. Contact nurseries and home improvement centers to see if they'll donate tools, fertilizers, or seeds. Areas with active community gardens or neighborhood associations may be willing to share equipment or plants. Ask your local park district what it can loan or give.

Maynard charges volunteers at his Sacramento, Calif., community garden $25 to $50 a year, depending on the size of their plot. Some gardeners also sell their extra produce on site or at farmers' markets or share it with local charities.

Grants are sometimes available from local government through Community Development Block Grants, a federal program that gives local governments money to improve struggling urban areas, or from businesses, such as national gardening and home improvement retailers. Gardenburger (http://www.gardenburger.com/Grants.aspx), which makes vegetarian food, is another source.

You may need nonprofit tax status to qualify for some grants, but it may be possible to partner with a house of worship or neighborhood association that already has nonprofit status.
Your grant request doesn't have to just be about gardens, says McCabe. "You can focus it on community improvement, nutrition, or keeping kids off the streets."

Garden size

Community gardens vary in size greatly because of local land availability. Some are as large as 25,000 square feet. Others fall in the 2,000 to 4,000-square-foot range, says Maynard.
If you're not sure you want to the responsibility of managing a community garden, get a preview by volunteering. ACGA maintains a searchable database of community gardens (right on its home page) that would be happy to have you.

Mariwyn Evans has spent 25 years writing about commercial and residential real estate, but if she had her way, she would've spent all that time in the garden. She's the author of several books, including Opportunities in Real Estate Careers, as well as too many magazine articles to count. These days, she spends part of her week trying to grow tomatoes and volunteering as a weed puller at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Her next goal: become a Master Gardener.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for Charleston SC Real Estate homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours of Charleston SC Real Estate homes at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,
"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

Article from HouseLogic.com

Friday, February 19, 2010

8 Ways to Help Your Watershed

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Plant a Tree, Save Energy, and Grow Value

The Charleston, South Carolina area is a great place to live or have a vacation home. The weather is great, the beaches are fantastic, golf courses are abundant, there are many historical sites, the architecture is unbelievable, the dining is unbeatable, and the people are the friendliest in the country. It is because of these reasons that I believe Charleston SC Real Estate is truly unique. I look forward to helping you with any of your real estate needs in Charleston, Berkeley, or Dorchester counties. Today’s article is titled:

Plant a Tree, Save Energy, and Grow Value

Plant a tree to add value to your home and have a positive impact on the environment. Trees don't ask for much-dirt, water, sunlight. Yet they provide a wealth of benefits: They improve the air you breathe, cut your energy bills with their shade, provide a home to wildlife, and add beauty and value to your home.But every year, 3.2 million acres of forest are cut down, according to the Nature Conservancy (http://www.nature.org/initiatives/forests/misc/art22113.html). Several million more acres are lost to fire, storm, and disease. That's why planting new trees and protecting the ones we have is so important.

You can do your part by:

Caring for the trees in your yard

Supporting tree-planting activities in your community

Donating to organizations, such as The Nature Conservancy, which works to preserve the world's trees and forests, and American Forests (http://www.americanforests.org), which offers a unique way to take action. First, use its online Climate Change Calculator (http://www.americanforests.org/resources/ccc/) to determine your carbon footprint. Then, make up for your emissions by donating to a forest restoration project.

Why should you care about trees? Bankable benefits

The most tangible bang from your bark comes from energy savings. Three properly placed trees could save you between $100 and $250 a year in energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (http://www.energy.gov). Trees save energy two main ways. Their shade cuts cooling costs in the summer. In winter, they serve as windbreak and help hold down heating costs.

The National Tree Calculator (http://www.treebenefits.com) estimates that a 12-inch elm in an Omaha yard can save $32.43 a year on your energy bills; the same tree in Atlanta would save you $11.89 annually. The calculator also breaks down other dollars and cents benefits of your tree, like decreasing storm water runoff, removing carbon dioxide from the air, and increasing property values.

In our elm example, the 12-inch tree adds $40.23 to the Omaha home's value and a $57.33 to the one in Atlanta. And as trees grow larger, they can add even more value.

A 2002 study by the USDA Forest Service pegs the value a single tree adds to a property of about $630. Of course, tree value depends on size, species, location, and condition.
Adds Frank Lucco, a real estate appraiser with IRR-Residential in Houston, "On a $100,000 home [in my market], as much as $10,000 of its value could be associated with mature trees."
That's peanuts compared with the role trees play as the lungs of the planet. A report by the Trust for Public Land (http://www.coloradotrees.org/benefits.htm) estimated that one mature tree takes 48 pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere each year and returns enough oxygen for two human beings.

Plant your tree in the right spot

To get the full benefits from your trees, choose the right one and put it in the right location. Planting a deciduous tree on the west side of a house provides cooling shade in the summer. In winter, after it loses its leaves, the same tree lets in sunlight that cuts heating and lighting bills. On the other hand, an evergreen on the west side blocks sun all year long, making a home colder and darker in winter. Rather plant evergreens, a great choice for blocking icy winter winds, on the north side of your home.

If you're planting a new tree, think about its fully grown size and shape before you dig. Branches from a tree located below power lines can cause outages as it grows. Roots from a tree located too close to a home can damage the foundation or block sewer lines. The wrong tree in the wrong place could actually lower your home's appraised value if it's deemed hazardous, says Frank Lucco, a real estate appraiser with IRR-Residential in Houston.

Tree costs

Expect to pay $50 to $100 for a 6- to 7-foot decidious tree, such as a katsura or evergreen. The same tree at 15 feet will cost $100 to $200, according to Brad Swank of Molbak's Nursery in Woodinville, Wash. The Arbor Day Foundation sells saplings for as little as $8-$15, or less if you're a member.

Since trees cost money, be cautious about any home construction work. "Tree failure can happen seven to 10 years after construction, primarily because the root system fails when the soil is compacted," says Thomas Hanson, a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists (http://www.asca-consultants.org) from Kirkland, Wash. Also watch for diseases or pests (http://forestry.about.com/od/diseases/tp/An-Index-of-Common-Tree-Diseas.htm) that can threaten trees in your yard and community.

Become a tree advocate

Ensuring that your community has lots of healthy trees doesn't have to be more complicated than a trip to the nursery and a hole in your backyard. Dig it twice as wide as deep. Let kids push in the dirt and help water weekly until the tree is two years old. The Arbor Day Foundation (http://www.arborday.org) will tell you how to select the right tree for your needs and climate, where to plant it, and how to maintain it.

The foundation also is a great place to look for community and educational programs.Its Tree City USA (http://www.arborday.org/programs/treeCityUSA/) initiative provides expert advice and national recognition to cities and towns that want to establish tree-management plans.
Its Arbor Day Poster Contest (http://www.arborday.org/kids/postercontest/index.cfm) for fifth-graders gives teachers a fun way to help students learn the importance of trees.
Its nationwide list of volunteer organizations (http://www.arborday.org/programs/volunteers/index.cfm) lets you search for tree care opportunities in your state.

Considering everything trees do for you, it's the least you can do for them.

Brad Broberg is a freelance writer from Federal Way, Wash. A former newspaper reporter and editor, he writes about business, health care, and real estate for REALTOR Magazine, the Puget Sound Business Journal, and Seattle Children's Hospital, among others. He's lived in the same home for 22 years-a home he shares with seven towering Douglas Firs.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for Charleston SC Real Estate homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours of Charleston SC Real Estate homes at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

From HouseLogic.com

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Small Steps Let You Live More Sustainably

The Charleston, South Carolina area is a great place to live or have a vacation home. The weather is great, the beaches are fantastic, golf courses are abundant, there are many historical sites, the architecture is unbelievable, the dining is unbeatable, and the people are the friendliest in the country. It is because of these reasons that I believe Charleston SC Real Estate is truly unique. I look forward to helping you with any of your real estate needs in Charleston, Berkeley, or Dorchester counties. Today’s article is titled:

Small Steps Let You Live More Sustainably

Making little lifestyle changes will do a lot to enhance sustainability for the planet--and make every day Earth Day. It's a great feeling every Earth Day to bike to work and show your love of the planet. But sustainable practices-managing how you use resources to ensure that there will enough for future generations-doesn't have to be limited to once a year. With a few adjustments, sustainable practices can easily become a part of daily life and save you money while you help improve the planet.

What is sustainability?

Sustainable living is an umbrella term that covers many different ideas and programs. It can be as simple as recycling and using less water or as complex as changing state and federal policies to promote wind and solar power and high-speed rail transportation. Local planning commissions can promote sustainability by allowing higher density housing that uses less land.

If you want to support some of these public sustainability programs, you can contact your government representative (http://www.congress.org) to express support. You could also support a non-profit group like the Edible Schoolyard (http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/) program, which teaches kids how to grow and eat locally.

Opposition to sustainable practices

Not everyone is a fan of sustainable practices. Some people worry that conservation efforts produce more government regulation, increase living costs, and reduce corporate profits. Not sure where you stand on these major policies. Why not start small and see?
Eat locally. One of the biggest impacts a family has on the environment is what it eats. It takes around 10 calories of fossil fuel-in the form of fertilizers, processing, and transportation-to produce a single calorie of supermarket food, according to Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma (http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php). Cut down on your food's energy impact by eating food grown near your home.

A 2001 study conducted by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture (http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/ppp/food_mil.pdf), Iowa State University, found that the cost of transporting food from the region or the local area was four and 17 times less, respectively, than buying from national distributors.

Finding local food isn't difficult

Local Harvest (http://www.localharvest.org) will help you find farmers markets as well as farms in your region that offer subscription programs. Signing up for a subscription means you pay up front, so there's a risk if the harvest fails. Costs vary depending on the size of the share and your part of the country. A good estimate from Local Harvest is that you'll spend about $600 to cover produce for a family of four during a four or five month growing season.

Keep food even closer to home by growing your own, either in your backyard or in a shared community space (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/start-a-community-garden-get-the-community-involved/). Expect to spend several hours a week seeding, weeding, and harvesting. Gardening is also a great way to teach kids about healthy eating.The downside of eating locally is that food from a farmer's market often costs more than the same from the supermarket. And in winter, you may eat a lot of cabbage and potatoes if you stick to local eating.

Buy gently used

Everyone likes something new once in a while-and fast-growing kids require it. Consumer spending is also a big contributor to a healthy economy. But producing and transporting new products from the factory to you also uses lots of resources. One way to get new stuff and still promote sustainability is to trade something you no longer want for what you need.
Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org) is a 7 million-strong global network of people who share their possessions-for free. Once you join online, you'll receive regular email about used items that you can request and pick up. Eva Schmoock, a student nurse and mother of two in Carrboro, N.C., is an avid user. She's found new homes for everything, including paint and kids' bathing suits.

A low-tech option: Organize swap meets with neighbors to lessen your environmental footprint without opening your wallet. Get your kids to put flyers in mailboxes to promote the swap. Or try a consignment shop.

Reduce trash by composting

It isn't just what you buy that has an impact on the world's resources, it's what you throw away. The average American is responsible for almost 5 pounds of garbage a day, 12.5% of which is food scraps, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw07-rpt.pdf). That trash clogs landfills and pollutes ground water.

Want to reduce waste? Consider composting. Just put those peels and pods (but no meat or dairy products) in a separate container instead of the garbage can. When the container is full, carry it to your compost pile.A $10 plastic bucket with a lid will work; fancier models have charcoal filters that cut down on smells but cost two or three times as much. Let your kids scrape plates into the compost pail or empty the full container. You'll find a compost bin for every budget. You can fence off a small (out-of-sight) section of your yard with less than $50 worth of mesh wire and poles. Plastic bins and barrels are neater, but can cost several times more. The best part of composting: In six months, nature will convert your waste into terrific fertilizer to sustain your vegetable or flower garden.

Amanda Abrams is a Washington, D.C.-based writer who spent many years planning to be an organic farmer. Now she writes about how to make the world a better place for papers like The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for Charleston SC Real Estate homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours of Charleston SC Real Estate homes at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

From HouseLogic.com

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Charleston, South Carolina area is a great place to live or have a vacation home. The weather is great, the beaches are fantastic, golf courses are abundant, there are many historical sites, the architecture is unbelievable, the dining is unbeatable, and the people are the friendliest in the country. It is because of these reasons that I believe Charleston SC Real Estate is truly unique. I look forward to helping you with any of your real estate needs in Charleston, Berkeley, or Dorchester counties. Today’s article is titled:

Conduct Your Own Energy Audit

A do-it-yourself energy audit can teach you how to be more energy efficient and make you a more-educated consumer should you decide to hire an expert. Self-starters don't necessarily need a pro to assess their home's energy deficiencies. With a little elbow grease and one of several free do-it-yourself guides to home energy auditing, you can get a good sense of where your home is leaking hot and cool air, and how your choice of appliances and your energy use contributes to energy loss.

What you'll save on fixes

By following up on problems, you can lower energy bills by 5% to 30% annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (http://www.eere.energy.gov/). With annual energy bills averaging $2,200, according to Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov/), investing in fixes or energy-efficient replacement products could save you up to $660 within a year.

And self-audits can cost virtually nothing if you already own a flashlight, ladder, measuring stick, candles, eye protection, work clothes, dust mask, and a screwdriver-or roughly $150 if you're starting from scratch. As for time commitment, expect to spend two to four hours to investigate home systems, refer to utility bills, and conduct research about local norms for products, such as insulation, say experts.

Types of DIY audits

Since there are a variety of ways to conduct a do-it-yourself audit, you'll need to know your tolerance for the tasks involved.

Some require you play home inspector, climbing into attics and crawlspaces on fact-finding missions and delving into unfinished portions of your home to look at duct work. Questionnaire-based audits rely the assumption that you can answer such questions as how many gallons of water your toilet tank holds to the R-value (thickness) of insulation in your home.

If you don't have time to familiarize yourself with your home's systems or confidence about diagnosing problems, are disabled, are squeamish on ladders and in crawlspaces, or are already planning to invest in a major remodel, you may benefit from hiring a pro (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/paid-energy-audits-the-costs-and-benefits/).Even homeowners who complete a self-audit often hire a professional to double-check their diagnoses. A self-audit may reveal drafts but not their exact source, such as ducts or insulation, for instance. Because the costs to address a draft can range from minor to major, investing in a paid audit may be justifiable.

What should you check?

All the home systems and appliances that contribute to energy costs. Here's the breakdown of a typical home's energy usage that Energy Star references:

1. Heating (29%)

2. Cooling (17%)

3. Water heating (14%)

4. Appliances (13%)

5. Lighting (12%)

6. Computers and electronics (4%)

7. Other (11%)

Self-audits hone in on details pros may not. While the pros use special equipment to focus on hard-to-research aspects of a home's building envelope and indoor air circulation, DIY audits can teach you-based on the questions they ask-to identify and address the numerous small ways in which your home wastes energy.

Since lighting, electronics, and appliances collectively account for nearly 30% of the average home's energy costs, you can make an impact on your bills by replacing old appliances with energy-efficient replacements and simple fixes-plugging appliances into power strips versus wall outlets, making sure refrigerator doors are properly sealed and don't leak air, and opting for a programmable thermostat.

How to spot common energy leaks

1. Check your home's exterior envelope-the windows, doors, walls, and roof exposed to outdoor air. Hold a candle or stick of incense near windows, doors, electrical outlets, range hoods, plumbing and ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, and ceiling fans in bathrooms. When smoke blows, you've got a draft from a source that may need caulking, sealant, weather stripping, or insulation.

2. Check insulation R-value or thickness. Where insulation is exposed (in an attic, unfinished basement, or around ducts, water heaters, and appliances), use a ruler to measure, recommends the DOE. Compare your results against those suggested for your region via an insulation calculator (http://www.ornl.gov/~roofs/Zip/ZipHome.html).Although examining in-wall insulation is difficult, you can remove electrical outlet covers, turn off electricity, and probe inside the wall, the DOE notes in its DIY audit guide. However, only a professional's thermographic scan can reveal if insulation coverage is consistent within a wall. Insulation can settle or may not be uniformly installed.

3. Look for stains on insulation. These often indicate air leaks from a hole behind the insulation, such as a duct hole or crack in an exterior wall.

4. Inspect exposed ducts. They may not work efficiently if they're dirty, have small holes, or if they pass through unfinished portions of the home and aren't insulated. Look for obvious holes and whether intersections of duct pipe are joined correctly. Since ducts are typically made out of thin metal that easily conducts heat, uninsulated or poorly insulated ducts in unconditioned spaces can lose 10% to 30% of the energy used to heat and cool your home, says DOE.
When should a professional make repairs?

The DOE recommends calling a contractor before insulating ducts in basements or crawlspaces, as doing so will make these spaces cooler and could impact other home systems, such as water pipes. Plus, these ducts might release noxious air. DOE also recommends you hire professionals to clean ducts periodically. If you've noticed that some rooms get disproportionately hot or cold, bring that to a pro's attention. It could be duct related.

In addition, some DIY audits-like the City of Seattle's free online audit guide (http://www.seattle.gov/light/printdocs/DoItYourselfHome.pdf), suggest hiring a pro if you suspect asbestos materials have been used in insulation or around pipes, ducts, or heating equipment. Airborne or crumbling asbestos particles are a health hazard. And a pro might be the right choice when dealing with insulation around or near electrical or examining electrical systems with bare wires.

A self-audit, like a paid audit, serves as a jumping-off point to help you set priorities (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/prioritize-tasks-after-an-energy-audit/) for making your home more efficient. Whether or not you choose to make repairs yourself, one thing's for sure: You'll come away knowing more about your home's strengths and weaknesses than you did before.

Jane Hodges has written about real estate for more than half of her 16-year journalism career, for publications including MSNBC.com, Seattle Magazine, The Seattle Times, and The Wall Street Journal. In 2007 she won a Bivins Fellowship from the National Association of Real Estate Editors to pursue a book on women and real estate. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, CBS's BNET, and Fortune. She lives in Seattle in a 1966 raised rancher with an excellent retro granite fireplace. Latest home project: remodeling a basement bathroom.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210 Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idlemanhttp://www.carolinajoe.com/
Article from HouseLogic.com

Monday, February 15, 2010

Will Rewarding Borrowers Prevent Defaults?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

4 Reasons to Sell Now

Saturday, February 13, 2010

15 Top Retirement Cities

Friday, February 12, 2010

Green Cleaning Products for the Kitchen

The Charleston, South Carolina area is a great place to live or have a vacation home. The weather is great, the beaches are fantastic, golf courses are abundant, there are many historical sites, the architecture is unbelievable, the dining is unbeatable, and the people are the friendliest in the country. It is because of these reasons that I believe Charleston SC Real Estate is truly unique. I look forward to helping you with any of your real estate needs in Charleston, Berkeley, or Dorchester counties. Today’s article is titled:

Green Cleaning Products for the Kitchen

Going green in the kitchen doesn't mean going broke as long as you choose the right eco-friendly cleaners for your countertops and appliances. From meat juices to milk spills, the kitchen can be a messy place. But don't reach for caustic cleaners or synthetic air sprays to give your countertops and appliances a fresher feeling. Many environmentally sustainable products are just as effective at sanitizing your kitchen as conventional cleaners, and they get the job done without relying on harmful chemicals.

Not too long ago you had to scour the backroads of the Internet to find non-toxic alternatives, but no more: Many green cleaners are now available at mainstream retailers. Looks for brands such as Method, Seventh Generation, and Holy Cow. What's more, some of the greenest of green kitchen cleaners can probably already be found in your pantry-and cost a fraction of what you'd pay for commercial cleaners, whether conventional or eco-friendly.

Countertops

Toss out those anti-microbial wipes and sprays when you're cleaning your countertops. Most contain chemicals like sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or ammonium chlorides, which are listed as hazardous to the health of humans and pets by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, says Gary Pien, an allergist and immunologist with Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights, N.J. "These chemicals can cause eye and skin irritation on contact, and if mixed with other cleaning products, can release toxic gases," Pien says.

Combine equal parts vinegar and tap water to make your own non-toxic mix. Warm it in a glass bowl in the microwave to boost cleaning power. A 64-ounce bottle of food-grade vinegar costs about $4, so it'll set you back a buck to stir up a 32-ounce batch of homemade countertop cleaner. You won't have to dip too far into your pocketbook to buy a greener all-purpose cleaner. A 32-ounce bottle of Seventh Generation's kitchen cleaner (http://www.theconsumerlink.com/SeventhGeneration/detail/TCL+100333/13) costs about $5, while the same size conventional cleaner costs about $4.50.

Refrigerators

If you have a stainless steel fridge, add a few drops of a natural dishwashing liquid such as Mrs. Meyer's (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=84968&catid=13769) ($4.49 for 16 ounces) or Method (http://www.methodhome.com/product.aspx?page=555) ($4 for 25 ounces) to warm water to wipe off greasy fingerprints instead of shelling out the $7-$10 a store-bought stainless cleaner will cost. And when you're wiping, remember stainless steel has a grain, just like wood, and you need to clean in the same direction it runs, says Mary Findley, author of"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning." (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Green-Cleaning/dp/159257856X)

On the inside, use the tried-and-true remedy for foul fridge smells: a box of baking soda. It costs about $1. Save even more by buying baking soda in bulk: a 12-pound bag costs about $7. For sticky spills, a vinegar and water mix should clean it right up, Findley says.
Sinks & drains

Liquid dishwashing soaps with bio-based ingredients like aloe and essential oils are a good bet here as well. You'll pay a bit more than the $2-$3 the cheapest conventional soaps will cost, but when you consider this is what's going onto the surfaces you eat off of, the potential health value outweighs the extra dollar or two. If nothing else at least skip synthetically scented cleaners, which can irritate the skin and respiratory tract, says Martin Wolf, director of research and development for Seventh Generation.

If your sink stinks, try cleaning your drain with a paste made of vinegar and baking soda. Give it time to work overnight. Drain cleaners are some of the nastiest chemicals around, and at $7 for a 32-ounce bottle, they're not cheap. Enzyme-based cleaners like Nature's Miracle (http://www.naturemakesitwork.com/home/index.php) are another option: Findley says they'll eat away at odor-causing bacteria and any bits of food clogging the drain or disposal. Nature's Miracle costs more at $12 for a 32-ounce bottle, but it has multiple uses beyond the kitchen. If neither approach works, sprinkle some baking soda on a halved lemon or orange and scrub out your sink basin, then toss the citrus in the disposal for a fresh scent.

Dishwashers

Many dishwasher detergents contain chemicals called phosphates that suck oxygen out of waterways, killing aquatic fish and plant life. Bio- and natural enzyme-based dishwasher detergents like Ecover get the job done without affecting water systems, and are comparable in cost: 25 Ecover tablets cost about $7, while 20 tablets of conventional cleaner cost about $6.50.

Stovetops & ovens

Baked-on stove stains can be a real pain. "Grease-cutting" cleaners may make your stove shine, but they have decidedly less attractive health effects. Most contain glycol ethers, which Wolf says have been implicated in health problems ranging from reproductive damage to eye and respiratory-tract irritation. Instead, start by cleaning your stovetop after every meal before food bits and sauces are baked on. If you don't, you may have to combine some elbow grease with a homemade mix of vinegar and baking soda. Prefer a green grease fighter in a bottle? Go for Holy Cow (http://holycowstore.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=12909&cid=47). It's comparable to conventional cleaners at about $3 for 32 ounces.

A baking soda-vinegar paste should do the job in the oven, as well. If you can, find a natural orange-based cleaner that contains no petroleum distillates like Earth Friendly Products Orange Plus (http://www.ecos.com/orange.html) ($6 for 32 ounces). According to Findley, mixing that with baking soda can give your green oven cleaner extra oomph. Just spread the baking soda mixture in the oven, and let it sit overnight. Re-wet it in the morning. A few hours later wipe it out. It beats shelling out the $6.50 for a fume-filled chemical cleaner.

Microwaves

To scrub stubborn microwave stains, just grab a super-absorbent sponge, wet it, and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds. The steam from the sponge will soften the food bits, and the hot water inside it will make it easier to wipe off and disinfect your microwave's interior, all for the cost of a single sponge.

Alyson McNutt English has written about the joy of green cleaning for publications like Pregnancy, Conceive, and BobVila.com. She buys her baking soda and vinegar in bulk and uses them liberally for everything from disinfecting laundry to soaking up her kids' food stains.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

Article from HouseLogic.com

Thursday, February 11, 2010

10 Home Features Buyers Want

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

FHA Relaxes Anti-Flipping Rule

Sunday, February 7, 2010

How to Negotiate a Contract on Your Home

Saturday, February 6, 2010

8 Drawbacks of Overpricing Your Home

8 Drawbacks of Overpricing Your Home

Here are the consequences of overpricing you home:

1. REDUCES ACTIVITY: Agents won’t show the property if they feel it is priced too high.

2. LOWER ADVERTISING RESPONSE: Buyer excitement will be with other properties that offer better value.

3. LOSS OF INTERESTED BUYERS: The property will seem inferior in amenities to other properties in the same price range that are correctly priced.

4. ATTRACTS THE WRONG PROSPECTS: Serious buyers will feel that they should be getting more for their money.

5. HELPS THE COMPETITION: The high price makes the others look like a good deal.

6. ELIMINATES OFFERS: Since a fair priced offer will be lower than asking price and may insult the seller, many buyers will just move on to another property.

7. CAUSES APPRAISAL PROBLEMS: Appraisers must base their value on what comparable properties have sold for.

8. LOWER NET PROCEEDS: Most of the time an overpriced property will eventually end up selling for less than if it had been properly priced to begin with, not to mention the extra carrying costs.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com/

Friday, February 5, 2010

7 Benefits of Proper Pricing

Thursday, February 4, 2010

How to Price Your Home

How to Price Your Home

1. What you paid for your property does not affect its value.

2. The amount of money you need to get out of the sale of your property does not affect its value.

3. What you think it should be worth has no effect on value.

4. What another real estate agent says your property is worth does not affect its value.

5. An appraisal does not always indicate what your property is worth on the open market.

The value of your property is determined by what a ready willing and able buyer will pay for it in the open market, which will be based upon the value of other recent closed sales. BUYERS DETERMINE VALUE!!

The next best way to determine the value of your home is to request a market analysis from a Realtor you know or that is referred to you by a friend. If you do not know any Realtors I suggest interviewing two or more by requesting a market analysis of your and discussing how they will market your home. Select the agent who you most feel comfortable with and answers all your concerns the best.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

5 Essential Ingredients to Sell Your Home

There are 5 essential ingredients that comprise the formula for a successful sale of your home. They are location, condition, market, terms and price. Your home will sell at highest profit and in the quickest amount of time when all the ingredients are combined perfectly. If only one ingredient is left out of the formula or is out of proportion to the others…your home will take longer to sell and will, quite possibly costing you money.

LOCATION

The pricing of your home must reflect its location. The better the location, the higher the acceptable price will be. School districts, high or low traffic, and highway accessibility, all need to be considered in determining the value of your home’s location. We cannot control the location.

CONDITION

The pricing of your home must accurately reflect its condition. The general upkeep and presentation of your home is critical to obtaining the highest value for your home. Nature of the roof, plumbing, carpets, and paint all relate to condition. Basic rule: If we can smell it…we can’t sell it!

MARKET

Recession, inflation, interest rates, mortgage availability, competition, and the public’s perception of the general economy all make up the market. It may be a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. The pricing of your home must reflect the current nature of the market because we cannot influence the market.

TERMS

The more financing terms and options you accept, the more potential buyers there will be for your property. The pricing of your home must reflect the terms available. The easier the terms, the more valuable your property becomes. (And this is where my team of professional Affiliates really shine-by offering a broad, full-spectrum of mortgage products and options to both you and all potential buyers!)

PRICE

Is the #1 most important factor in selling your home. The consequences of making the wrong decision are painful. If you price your home too low, you will literally give away thousands of dollars that could have been in your pocket.

Price it too high, and your home will sit unsold for months, developing the reputation of a problem property (everyone will think that there is something wrong with it). Failure to understand market conditions and properly price your home can cost you thousands of dollars and cause your home not to sell… fouling up all of your plans. Setting the proper asking price for your home is the single biggest factor that will determine the success or failure of your home sale.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

24 Suggested Questions For Listing Agents

Below are 24 questions you may want to consider asking when selecting a REALTOR to work with you in selling your home.

1. Do you work as a full-time Realtor?

2. How Many potential buyers and sellers do you talk with in a week? A month? Of those you speak with, how many actually contact you as opposed to cold calling?

3. How many buyers are you currently working with?

4. In what ways will you encourage other Realtors to show and sell my home?

5. What can you tell me about the real estate market in this area?

6. What price do you recommend for my home, and what is it based on?

7. What are your average days on market?

8. What is your list to sales price ratio?

9. What kind of advertising do you do? May I see some samples?

10. How often will my home be advertised, and where?

11. How do you attract buyers from outside the local area?

12. Will you prepare an informative feature sheet for my property? May I see a sample?

13. Where and how will the feature sheets be distributed, and to whom?

14. Do you have a system to follow-up with other agents and brokers so that we get valuable feedback after every showing?

15. How often, and in what way will I be kept informed?

16. Are you associated with a national referral network that refers their buyers to you and gives you the opportunity to refer me to the top agent in the town or state I may be moving to?

17. Do you have a Team to help with the details, or are you a one man / woman wonder show & do it all yourself?

18. Do you have a way to market my home through the Internet or Virtual Tours?

19. Do you have a Specific Marketing Plan designed to sell my property quickly and for top dollar? How does it go beyond placing a sign in my yard, an ad in the paper, and notifying the Multiple Listing Service?

20. May I see a copy of your last listing as it appears to other Realtors on the MLS? (Called a “Realtors Full Report”)

21. Do you have an 800# Hot-Line so that my home is marketed 24-hours a day, 7 days a week?

22. How many homes have you sold in the past 6 months? Year?

23. Do you have references that I may call?

24. What happens if I am not happy with your service? Do you have a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy? Can I cancel my listing if I am not satisfied or am I locked in?

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

Monday, February 1, 2010

Essential Heating System Maintenance

Getting your home's heating system professionally serviced every year will keep it running smoothly and help keep heating costs under control.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is usually a good rule-except when it comes to your heating system. Even if it's humming along just fine, having a technician take it apart once a year to clean the lines and filters and give it a thorough inspection is absolutely essential. Regular servicing reduces the risk of breakdowns and prolongs the unit's life. Plus, it saves you money: For every year of maintenance you skip, energy bills jump 5% to 10% because of reduced efficiency. Here's the lowdown on heating system maintenance.

Who does the job?

The simplest way to get the work done is to hire your fuel company to do it. Oil companies and gas utilities usually provide this service, or you can hire the contractor who installed the equipment. Also, some plumbers handle heating systems.

What is involved?

The technician will clean soot and corrosion out of the combustion chamber where the fuel is burned, and check it for leaks or damage. He'll inspect the flue pipe for open seams, clogs, or corrosion that could cause carbon monoxide to backdraft into the house. He'll replace the filters on oil and forced-air systems. Finally, he'll test the exhaust from your cleaned machine and use the information to adjust the burner for maximum efficiency.

How much will it cost?

You'll pay between $100 and $180 for the service, depending largely on whether you have a gas system, which is easier to maintain, or oil, which requires a fair amount of soot removal. Usually the cost is covered by an annual maintenance contract that also provides 24-hour emergency service. While the technician is there, he should also service your water heater, assuming it has a separate oil or gas burner.

When is the best time to do the work?

Ideally, have your system tuned up in the fall so it's in top shape for the start of the heating season. Of course, that's when technicians are the busiest, so if you can't do it when you want, do it when you can-as long as your system is serviced once a year. And don't expect your provider to call to remind you that it's time. Even if you subscribe to an annual service plan, you still need to call to make an appointment. Call in the spring or summer to be sure of getting on the schedule in the fall.

A former carpenter and newspaper reporter, Oliver Marks has been writing about home improvements for 16 years. He's currently restoring his second fixer-upper with a mix of big hired projects and small do-it-himself jobs.

As always, your thoughts, questions, or comments are greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can help with any of your Charleston SC real estate needs or questions.

To look for homes anywhere in the tri-county area go to my website at http://www.carolinajoe.com/mls/

View my entire inventory of VisualTours at http://www.visualtour.com/inventory.asp?U=182210

Sincerely,

"Carolina Joe" Idleman
http://www.carolinajoe.com

Article from HouseLogic.com

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Monday, February 22, 2010

Saturday, February 20, 2010