Charleston is very different than Seattle, in many good ways, and since I’ve lived here most of my life, I’ll tell you about the good and bad.

First, the weather will be very different.  Our weather is warm and humid, and in the summer, downright hot.  Think 98 degrees with 90% humidity- no need for flannel shirts!  Your new wardrobe should include plenty of short sleeved shirts and flip-flops (Rainbows).  We hardly ever get snow.  If we do get a dusting of an inch of so, expect schools to cancel classes and roads to be closed- this usually makes for good laughs from folks that have moved here from up North or out West.  We just don’t know how to drive in the snow (actually I do because I lived in Boston, but just speaking in generalities). 

We do have cool days, even stretches of days below freezing in the winter,  but during this time of year, it still reaches the 80s.  My family and I were swimming in our pool last week!  The ocean is warm and perfect for swimming and watersports as well.  Unlike the chilly Pacific, the Atlantic heats up quickly in the spring, topping out in the 80s during the summer, almost like bathwater.  Boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing, fishing, kitesurfing……many ways to enjoy the ocean and our plentiful waterways. Our beaches are clean and beautiful, with wide sandy expanses to enjoy sunbathing or a stroll.

Washington is a blue state, we’re a red state. However, Charleston County itself is blue.  We’re probably the most progressive county in the state, but overall, Charleston is more conservative than Seattle.

We do have good schools in the Charleston area.  We have problems like every school district, but schools such as the Academic Magnet, School of the Arts and Wando High School have won national awards.  If you want to learn more about schools in the area, check out www.ccsdschools.com.

Coffee on every corner?  Not quite, but your own Starbucks has quite a presence here in Charleston, as well as coffee shops  such as Rutledge Coffee and Cream, Port City Java,….

We haven’t produced our own Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Jimi Hendrix, but we do have Hootie and the Blowfish, Edwin McCain and a pretty nice little music scene.  We have the Music Farm downtown, a Convention and Performing Arts Center and  the North Charleston Coliseum for larger acts, and one of my favorites, the Windjammer on Isle of Palms (a bar on front beach).  Each week in our local paper, the Post and Courier, they have the Preview section on Thursday, where you can check out local venues and find out what’s happening on the upcoming weekend. Visit the Post and Courier  at www.charleston.net.

We also have the Charleston Ballet Theatre, Charleston Symphony, Footlight Players, Charleston Stage Co, Village Playhouse……. many opportunities to enjoy community theater, music, and dance.  Charleston is also host to the Spoleto Festival each year during the last week of May and the first week of June; a celebration of the arts that is one of the largest in the world.  Visit www.spoletousa.org for details.

We have outstanding restaurants!  Just to name a few of my faves- Charleston Grill, Peninsula Grill, Oak Steakhouse, FIG, Il Cortile del Re, Cypress…..I could go on and on.   You’ll want to try some Southern favorites such as barbeque, shrimp and grits, and sweet tea.  Many of our restaurants create their menus using local seafood or old fashioned southern cooking (think collard greens and sweet potato casserole).

Like to golf? Our wonderful climate makes the game possible year round! We have the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, the Links and Harbor Courses at Wild Dunes, neighborhood courses, public courses….. I don’t golf myself, so I can’t give you any more of the scoop here.

Charleston  is home to the College of Charleston, the Citadel (a military college) and the Medical University of SC, so we have some of the vibrancy of a “college town”.  MUSC also has a teaching hospital, attracting researchers from around the world.  We have an outstanding medical community.

Professional sports?  We don’t have the equivalent of the Mariners or Seahawks…. Here you’ll find the Charleston Riverdogs (Class A affiliate of the NY Yankees), SC Stingrays (hockey team- 3 time Kelly Cup Champs) and avid fans of college sports- the biggest state rivalry game will be on 11/28/09 between USC and Clemson.  Go with a local to a Clemson or Carolina game to experience tailgating at its best.

Here are some of the negatives, which you may or may not have in Seattle- bad drivers, humidity, mosquitoes, no-seeums (tiny annoying gnats), “Palmetto bugs” (roaches),  hurricanes, earthquakes, snakes.   As far as earthquakes, we haven’t had a big one in over a hundred years.  Hurricanes- our last big one was Hugo in 1989.  You just have to stay informed during hurricane season (June 1st to Nov 30th), make preparations if a storm is heading our way, and evacuate if warnings are issued. 

You may see the motto “Smiling faces, beautiful places”- this is very true for SC.  We have friendly people, and Charleston consistently wins most mannerly city awards from travel magazines.  Charleston is an old city, rich with history dating back to the 1660s.  I would encourage you to visit downtown Charleston to view the architecture, walk the remaining cobblestone streets, or maybe take a carriage ride.  

This is a great place to live and raise a family! We have a pretty laid back lifestyle, a wonderful climate, and plentiful opportunities for fun.  Finally, you’ll have to get used to hearing “ya’ll” .   

You can apply by submitting a three minute video stating why your family should win, but they have specifically said “No sob stories please!”.  Families will be matched with their interests.  Submissions through July 9th.  Beginning July 10th, the public can vote on the families and winners will be notified around July 16th.  Vacation must be taken by August 31st.

Visit www.charlestonvacationgiveaway.com .

HANALEI, Hawaii — If life is a beach, Hanalei Bay must be heaven.

This remote, two-mile crescent-shaped beach on Kauai where the emerald mountains meet the sparkling sea was selected No. 1 on “Dr. Beach” Stephen P. Leatherman’s 2009 list of top 10 beaches, which was released Friday.

Hanalei beat out other shores stretching from San Diego to Cape Cod.

“The sheer beauty of Hanalei Bay is breathtaking,” said Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. “It’s really an idyllic setting.”

Hanalei features postcard views from every angle and is untouched by the feverish development that has transformed the coastlines of other islands. It’s cherished by both locals and tourists as the perfect spot to swim, surf, snorkel or simply escape and unwind.

“It’s just gorgeous,” said Annie Meredith, who regularly surfs in the bay. “You’ve got green mountains, white sand, blue ocean — that’s kind of hard to beat.”

The runner-up on Leatherman’s list was Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Fla., followed by Coopers Beach in Southampton, N.Y., on Long Island; Coronado Beach in San Diego; Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii; Main Beach in East Hampton, N.Y., on Long Island; Cape Hatteras in Outer Banks, N.C.; Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Fla.; Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod, Mass.; and Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, S.C.

Leatherman based his selections on 50 criteria, including water quality and temperature, cleanliness, weather, sand, safety and facilities. And Hanalei is his personal favorite “getaway beach” in Hawaii.

“If I want to get away from it all and forget about the rest of the world, Hanalei is about the best place to go, as far as I know,” he said.

Hanalei is located on Kauai’s North Shore around the corner from the Napali Coast, the most stunning corner of the state. One side offers lush valleys, dramatic waterfalls and sculpted mountains with peaks that rise 4,000 feet. On the other is the Pacific, where dolphins and sea turtles can be seen.

The big attraction here is that it’s not a big attraction. Unlike in the high-rise jungle of Waikiki, where thousands of glowing-pale tourists sprawl across the sand like eggs in a carton, there’s plenty of breathing room in secluded Hanalei.

For the full article, visit http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090522/Best.Beaches/

*** Beachwalker Park at Kiawah is on one of the barrier islands off of the coast of Charleston, SC.  It is a gorgeous area overlooking the river and waterways as they flow out and meet the ocean. This is a public park with parking, picnic tables, showers. Kiawah Island is a private gated community.

By Liz Pulliam Weston

 Popularity is a mixed bag when you’re looking for vacation property.

A hot destination means more crowds, more traffic, longer lines. But if you’re keeping an eye on investment potential — and more than one out of three second-home buyers say they are — then you want to buy where others want to be.

What you really want, though, is to buy today in an area that’s going to be hot tomorrow, so what are the ingredients that will turn a sleepy village into the next Aspen or Hilton Head?

A beautiful setting is a must, but here are some other important factors:

• Proximity to growing urban centers. Vacation towns typically need to be within a two- to three-hour drive of a major city, or at least reasonably close to a big airport.
• Plenty of recreational opportunities. There has to be lots of stuff to do beyond shopping, which is why most thriving resort towns are near ski lifts, beaches or mountains. Some cultural cachet — a theater or film festival, galleries or museums — is also nice.
• Decent weather. You have to be able to get outside to enjoy all that recreation.
• Significant commercial investment. The old-timers may grouse about the new hotels or malls, but these are good indicators that others think the community is on the way up.
• The “it” factor. The community gets discovered by movers, shakers and celebrities — or at least enough other folks like you — for prices to get bid up.

Consider the following two lists of hot (and potentially hot) vacation home markets compiled by EscapeHomes.com, an online listing service for second homes, timeshares and other vacation property. Youll see some interesting similarities, as well as a few towns that break the rules.

The top 10 towns for second-home investments

EscapeHomes.com identified popular second-home destinations that appreciated at least 10% a year in value between 1998 and 2002 and which may have further to go.

 The results are based on their own listings for real estate in these communities. Listings aren’t sales, though, and EscapeHomes.com doesn’t reflect the whole market. In fact, real estate professionals in some of these towns (Asheville, N.C., for example) say sales were never that hot, while those in others (Park City, Utah, and Sunriver, Ore.) say appreciation has slowed in recent years.

Where possible, Ive included price appreciation figures compiled by the federal Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, which oversees housing finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and which compiles housing sales data for larger metropolitan areas.

With all those caveats aside, here are the Top 10 second-home investment markets:

• Asheville, N.C. This mountain town boasts the Biltmore Estate and a thriving arts and crafts community. Home prices are up 35% in the past five years, compared with the national median growth of 27.8%.
• Park City, Utah. The Olympics-related frenzy has cooled, but Park City is still a preferred destination for skiers and other winter sports fanatics. Prices this year are up between 5% and 7%, according to real estate broker Mike Sloan, statistician for the areas Board of Realtors.
• Ashland, Ore. Lovely weather, lovelier scenery and cultural cachet combine in Ashland. Located about halfway between Portland and San Francisco, the town is also home to Southern Oregon University and the highly regarded Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Ashland’s home values have exploded in recent years. Home prices in the region that includes Ashland and nearby Medford have risen at least 40% since 1998, according to federal figures, while a local appraiser puts Ashland’s average home price growth closer to 70% in that period.
• Port Townsend, Wash. This picture-perfect Victorian seaport lay nearly untouched for most of its long history until being discovered by Seattle yuppies in the 1990s. It’s still quaint, but relatively mild weather and proximity to Olympic Peninsula attractions have increased its appeal for retirees and urban refugees.
• Beaufort, S.C. You know Beaufort, even if you’ve never been there. You’ve seen it in movies like The Big Chill and Forrest Gump, and you’ve read about it in the pages of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini by one-time Beaufort resident Pat Conroy. Fishing, shrimping and a National Historic Landmark District are features of The Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands.
• South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Though it shared Americas largest alpine lake with the more glamorous Lake Tahoe, Nev., this community was long the dowdy little sister. No more. Two new Marriott’s have replaced a strip of decaying old motels along the main drag, and there’s talk of a convention center. Median home prices are up 21% from last year, said Madeleine Gutierrez, vice president of the South Lake Tahoe Association of Realtors.
• Daytona Beach, Fla. Nineteenth-century industrial barons popularized Daytona, which is probably best known for the international raceway built in 1959 and the Daytona 500 auto race. Eight million visitors pour through annually. Home prices are up 44% in the past five years and nearly 9% in the last year alone.
• Sunriver, Ore. This central Oregon resort area is near Bend and the Mt. Bachelor ski resort, about four hours from Portland and two hours east of Eugene. Whitewater rafting, hiking and skiing are favorite pastimes. Prices on some properties are about double what they were eight years ago, realtors say, but appreciation has slowed down in recent years along with the economy.
• Myrtle Beach, S.C. The beaches along The Grand Strand — and the areas 120 golf courses — draw 14 million visitors annually. Despite the crush, Myrtle Beach consistently winds up in various listings of the nation’s best beaches and best retirement towns, with home prices rising at an 8% annual clip.
• Charlevoix, Mich. This little town lies between the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix in northern Michigan. The population of the town and surrounding area is 8,500 full-time residents — which climbs to 30,000 in the summer. Golf courses and water fun are the main attractions.

10 emerging second-home markets

Here’s another intriguing list EscapeHomes.com has concocted: vacation-home areas that are just beginning to get popular with its users. There’s no guarantee any of these will become the next Myrtle Beach. In fact, given the more remote and generally northern location of many of these sites, you can pretty much count that out. But there could be some second-home price appreciation ahead.

• Burnside, Ky. Community boasts a Catfish Festival and bills itself as The Only Town On Lake Cumberland! Its near Lexington, Frankfort, Louisville, Nashville and Knoxville and not far from the Big South Fork National Recreation Area.
• Caribou, Maine. Snowmobilers and cross country skiers venture down from Quebec and New Brunswick to enjoy the scenery in this northeast Maine town.
• Ely, Minn. The Gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a second home mecca for residents of Duluth and Minneapolis-St. Paul.
• Island Park, Idaho. This area near Yellowstone and the Grand Teton national park’s, is becoming an alternative to Bozeman, Mont. and Jackson, Wyo.
• Ketchikan, Alaska. This is a paradise for hunters, hikers and anglers, but you have to want to get there. Its more than 37 hours by road and ferry from Seattle, the nearest big city. Closer is Juneau, the state’s capital, but you still can’t get from here to there by road.
• Lake Martin, Ala. Bass fishing is big in this town nestled in the southernmost foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Nearby: Birmingham, Montgomery and Atlanta.
• St. George, Utah. Speaking of gateways, this little town is near much of Southern Utah’s most spectacular country, including Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks National Monument and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Closest cities: Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.
• Sisters, Ore. Another Central Oregon contender, Sisters is northwest of Bend. It’s a former lumber town turned fishing and tourist mecca on the edge the Deschutes National Forest. Closest cities are Portland and Eugene.
• Waterville Valley, N.H. Tucked inside the White Mountain National Forest, Waterville Valley offers all the outdoor experiences you could want, and then some. Concord and Manchester, N.H. are nearby. Boston is about 2 hours south on Interstate 93.
• White Mountains, Ariz. A cooler alternative to Phoenix, about four hours away, the White Mountains region offers snow sports in winter, golf and hiking in the summer and picturesque Indian villages all year round.

Now, for my input:  I’ve been to alot of these towns- Asheville, Lake Tahoe, Daytona, Park City, and yes, they are very nice and have much to offer.  You’ll even see that Charleston’s neighbors to the north in Myrtle Beach made the list, as well as our neighbors to the south in Beaufort.  But when you look at the criteria for choosing the towns……

*A beautiful setting: well, we have this in Charleston- historic antebellum homes, plantations, beaches, palmetto trees, marshes, waterways,……

*Proximity to an urban center or airport- downtown Charleston is only about a fifteen to twenty minute drive from the airport, where you can find non-stop flights to NYC, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta. Or if you’re flying internationally, a quick flight to Atlanta can then get you anywhere in the world.

*Recreational opportunities/cultural cachet- in Charleston, we’re surrounded by water, so there’s fishing, boating, kayaking, surfing, paddleboarding…. Also some fabulous golf courses such as the Ocean Course at Kiawah, the Links and Harbor Courses in Wild Dunes……tennis, biking, or simply running or walking on our beautiful Ravenel Bridge (site of the annual Cooper River Bridge Run).  As far as culture, one of the largest arts festivals in the country, the Spoleto Festival, begins tomorrow.  Charleston has a multitude of art galleries, the Charleston Ballet Theater, Charleston Symphony, local theater companies such as the Footlight Players and Charleston Stage.

*Decent weather- We have this as well (even though it’s been rainy and windy all week!)- For example, my family and I normally swin in our backyard pool from March until October, sometimes even taking a Thanksgiving dip!  Our weather is warm and subtropical, offering ample time to get outdoors and enjoy.

*Commercial Investment- The following comes from the Charleston Chamber of Commerce:Comprised of three counties – Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester – the Charleston region is a highly diverse market, strategically located on the Atlantic coast half-way between New York and Miami. The region, which covers more than 3,100 square miles (8,192 kilometers), combines a thriving economy, rich history and breathtaking environment to offer an outstanding business climate and a quality of life that is second to none.

My husband has a sports car which he gets repaired at ERR.  The owner of ERR, Karl Troy, provides honest and expert work.  Karl is not only a mechanic, but a racing professional himself.  He provides race team quality work and people come from great distances to get their cars repaired at ERR because of Karl’s outstanding reputation.  When my husband had to have his car towed recently, Karl even met him after hours…  He is committed to providing good customer service, and isn’t that really what we all want?

Visit their website at www.europeanroadandracing.com. 

The bad news is the number of short sales and foreclosures on the market, which continues to rise.  This makes it harder for non short sale properties to compete. If you need to sell, you have to price well.  Experts have predicted that we won’t hit bottom until 2011, and we won’t see today’s prices again until 2014!

If you need some guidance in pricing your home, I would be happy to meet with you. Or get a “market snapshot” to monitor what’s happening in your area- the widget can be found on the home page of this website.

Outlook Favorable for Second-Home Market
Despite weakening second home purchases in 2008, the long-term demand looks favorable for the second-home market because there are large numbers of people in the prime years for buying a second home.

Currently, 39.2 million people in the United States are ages 50 to 59—a group that dominated sales in the first part of this decade. An additional 44.8 million people are between 40 and 49, and another 40.7 million are 30 to 39.

“While economic factors can affect sales from one year to the next, the fundamental demand from these large population groups will remain,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “Given that most people become interested in buying a second home in their 40s, the bulge of population approaching middle age should drive the second-home market over the next decade.”

The median price of a vacation home was $150,000 in 2008, down 23.1 percent from $195,000 in 2007. The typical investment property cost $108,000 last year, which is 28 percent below the 2007 median of $150,000.

“As in the market for primary residences, it appears that many sales of deeply discounted distressed homes are pulling down the median price in the second-home market as well,” Yun says.

Yun says lifestyle considerations are the single most important factor in the vacation home market.

“People are buying weekend homes or recreational property to use themselves or for a family retreat—investment considerations are secondary for most vacation-home buyers with relatively modest interest in renting,” he says.

2008 Second-Home Market Declines

The combination of vacation- and investment-home sales slipped to 30 percent of all existing- and new-home transactions in 2008, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ^®‘ latest report.

However, more than four out of 10 investment buyers and more than three in 10 vacation-home buyers paid cash for their properties, with large percentages indicating that portfolio diversification was a factor in their purchase decision.

The market share of homes purchased for investment was 21 percent last year, unchanged from 2007, while another 9 percent were vacation homes, compared with a 12 percent market share in 2007. The total share of second homes declined from 33 percent of all transactions in 2007. In 2005, the peak year for home speculation, 40 percent of sales were second homes.

NAR’s 2008 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey shows vacation-home sales dropped 30.8 percent to 512,000 last year from 740,000 in 2007. Meanwhile, investment-home sales fell 17.2 percent to 1.12 million in 2008 from 1.35 million in 2007. Primary residence sales declined 13.2 percent to 3.77 million in 2008 from 4.34 million in 2007.

Yun says the findings are understandable given the economic backdrop.

“We expected vacation-home sales to fall given the impact of a declining economy on discretionary purchases,” he says. “A steady share of investment-home sales results from buyers taking advantage of deeply discounted prices in many areas, with a smaller portion of new homes in the sales mix.”

Vacation Home Market Snapshot

The typical vacation-home buyer in 2008 was 46 years old, had a median household income of $97,200, and purchased a property that was a median of 316 miles from their primary residence; 35 percent were within 100 miles and 36 percent were 500 miles or more.

When asked about their reasons for purchasing a vacation home, 89 percent of buyers wanted to use the home for vacation or as a family retreat; 27 percent to diversify investments; 27 percent to rent to others; 26 percent to use as a primary residence in the future; and 17 percent for use by a family member, friend or relative.

Some other findings on this market:

• In terms of location, 26 percent of vacation homes were purchased in small towns, 23 percent in a rural area, 23 percent in resorts, 20 percent in a suburb, and 8 percent in an urban area or central city.
• Seventy percent of vacation homes purchased in 2008 were detached single-family homes, 18 percent condos, 5 percent townhouses or rowhouses, and 7 percent other.
• Sixty-nine percent of vacation home buyers and 84 percent of investment home buyers purchased existing homes; the rest purchased new homes.
• Investment-home buyers in 2008 had a median age of 47, earned $85,000, and bought a home that was fairly close to their primary residence – a median distance of 19 miles.
• When asked about the most important reasons for purchasing an investment home, 58 percent said to provide rental income; 38 percent to diversify investments; 19 percent for use by a family member, friend or relative; and 15 percent to use for vacations or as a family retreat.
• Twenty-eight percent of investment homes were purchased in a suburb and another 20 percent in an urban or central city area, 23 percent in a rural area, 22 percent in a small town, and 6 percent in a resort area.
• Sixty-four percent of investment homes purchased in 2008 were detached single-family homes, 22 percent condos, 8 percent townhouses or rowhouses, and 6 percent other.
• Vacation-home buyers plan to keep their property for a median of 12 years; 58 percent plan to keep their vacation home for 11 years or more. Investment buyers plan to hold their property for a median of five years.
• Eight in 10 second-home buyers consider it a good time to invest in real estate, compared with 71 percent of primary residence buyers.

Looking for a second home?  I’m a Resort and Second Property Specialist (RSPS Certified)- I’ll help you find the perfect vacation home in Charleston or on the coast. Call me at (843)324-3476 or email lgordon@carolinaone.com.

Visit www.bridgerun.com to get more information on registration, travel info, etc.  It is a great event and fun for all ages- my daughters and I have run together the past few years.

On Sunday, there is a Chef’s Feast at the Embassy Suites Charleston Area Convention Center. This benefits the Lowcountry Food Bank,  in particular fighting childhood hunger.  Chefs include Brett McKee of Oak Steakhouse,  Robert Carter of Peninsula Grill,  Sean Brock of McCradys, Mike Lata of Fig,  and Mike Collins and Scott Lovorn of Circa 1886.  The event goes from 6:45 to 9:30, tickets are $150.  For more info or tickets: http://www.lowcountryfoodbank.org/chefsfeast.asp

Do you have a loved one with Alzheimers? There’s a benefit for the SC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association tomorrow.  The Parrot Head Club is hosting a Mardi Gras Crawl on Shem Creek.  It starts at Red’s Ice House at 2pm, then visit Vickerys, Sette VII, and Water’s Edge, returing to Red’s for a silent auction and after party. Tickets are $20, or $25 day of event. For more info:http://www.lcparrotheads.org/Mardi09Reg.html