Aside from historic sites and beautiful beaches, Charleston is known for notoriously sweltering summer weather.   Many home buyers moving to the Charleston area are concerned about their summertime utility bill.

Here are a few ways to reduce the cooling cost for your Charleston home:

Have your HVAC system serviced regularly.

It's worth investing in a contractor to clean and inspect your HVAC system once or twice a year. Things like dirty coils, low refrigerant levels and air leaks in duct lines can all add up on your electric bill. If you aren’t sure who to call, ask about one of our trusted local partners, like Fogel Services.

Upgrade your water heater.

Tankless "on-demand" water he...

Spring and Summer Events in Charleston

From amazing art walks, to music filled evenings, to meandering strolls soaking up the history of colonial homes, the list of Spring and Summer events in Charleston is nearly never ending.

Between the paid events like High Water Music Festival to free activities on the beach, it’s easy to understand why Charleston has been named The Best City in the World for several years running.

10 Free Activity Ideas

Visit the Angel Oak
Dolphin watch at Waterfront Park, Fort Moultrie, or the Battery
Walk the Bridge
Spend the day on one of the areas stunning beaches
Have a picnic in a parks
Tour the Charleston Tea Plantation
Attend the Charleston Farmer’s Market
Catc...

Charleston, SC always sparkles with southern hospitality. Its deep roots and antebellum architecture embrace the spirit of locals and tourists year round, but spring in Charleston is when the city truly comes alive.

Bursting blooms in bright colors, local artisans old and new, salty sea breezes, farm fresh produce, and waddling goslings crossing the cobblestone streets add to the award winning ambiance of this thriving coastal town.

Weather

Charleston’s spring thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature of not too hot and not too cold. The classic flip-flop, t-shirt combo worn by locals is perfect for an afternoon full of activities and adding a simple light jacket at the end of the day m...

Buying a fixer upper and cutting back on finances is a great investment, but purchasing a home fraught with problems can lead to major dollar signs...if you don’t know what you’re doing. Fixer uppers can transform into lucrative profitability and wallets laden with cash, or shapeshift into money hungry pits of despair, riddled with flaws that can’t be fixed and draining wallets faster than a first time home buyer in a checkout line at Ikea.

So how do you know what to buy?

Buying a Fixer Upper

Ideal Property

You’ve heard it before, and you’ll continue to hear it until the world ends. Real estate is all about location, location, location. Finding a low priced property or foreclosure in ...

Park Circle in North Charleston is one of the most eccentric and sought after neighborhoods in Charleston.  

 Originally comprised of rice plantations then developed into a community focused on green space and parks, the Marquis style design of Park Circle became one of the first English Garden style communities in the US.    

With its perfect location, STEAM schools, diverse dining and love for local fare, it’s easy to see why Park Circle has become so beloved by both natives and newcomers in the present day:  

1. Location, location, location: First and foremost, it’s all about location in real estate. Park Circle is centrally located to the entire town of Charleston, and it’s easily a...

The holidays are swinging into gear! Menus are planned, presents are wrapped, and friends and family will soon be near. Before they come, take some time to accomplish these quick outdoor touch ups that’ll boost your curb appeal for the holidays and get buyers to the door in the new year:

1. Repaint the shutters and front door: A bright and beautiful coat of paint will catch people’s eyes and draw them straight onto your property. Be sure to choose a matte, one coat outdoor paint that’s easy to wipe clean. Don’t forget to use painters tape to avoid getting paint lines on the house.
2. Change the address #s: Take a step back, put yourself in the mind of the buyer. Gauge the easiest, most nota...

The verdict is still out on home staging during the holidays.

Some real estate pros believe holiday decorations should be sacrificed all together. Because, let’s face it. It’s pretty hard for buyers to picture themselves living in a home if a blow up Santa is ho, ho, ho-ing on the front lawn, and a choo choo train screams along the skirt of a ginormous evergreen.

Flip the coin, and other pros swear by the comforting spirit of glittering lights, gingerbread houses, and cinnamon scented candles.

If the decision is made to decorate a home during its sale, be sure to understand these key factors when home staging during the holidays:

1. 
   Classic curb appeal is key. A simple wreath, flower b...

Happy Fall, Y’all!

Although the weather hasn’t quite cooled off Charleston is still celebrating the arrival of autumn in a variety of ways. Whether you’re looking for family friendly fall festivals, polka dancing in your lederhosen at area Oktoberfests, haunted hayrides through spiderwebs at local fright nights, or picking your own great pumpkin from the patch, we’ve created the ultimate guide to help you have fun in Charleston all October long!

Check out our A Ghoulish Guide to Charleston’s Pumpkin Patches, Fall Festivals, Oktoberfests, and Fright Nights below, and please be sure to let us know if you see an event that we’ve missed!

Awendaw

Owl-o-Ween
Center for the Birds of Prey
4719 ...

Hurricane Florence made a devastating impact on both North and South Carolina and many people lost their homes, cars, personal possessions and all out livelihoods. It’s now abundantly clear that all coastal dwellers must have a natural disaster recovery plan in place because Mother Nature is so unpredictable.

Would you know what to do if your home was filled with water or the roof was blown off by the wind?

This natural disaster recovery plan will give you an idea of where to begin if your home is hit by a major catastrophic event:

Disaster Recovery Plan

1. Stay Tuned In! Pay attention to the local news and authorities when it comes to your town. Only return home when state and city of...

We Buy Houses

Did you know?

With backgrounds in contracting and engineering, we have created an investment team who loves getting into the nitty gritty of tri-county real estate. We thoroughly enjoy the thrill of the home buying process, and investing in the Charleston real estate market is a dream come true for us. Throughout the years we have come across clients who were shackled to either residential and commercial property in some form or another. These unwanted circumstances caused them unwavering worry and crippling anxiety because they didn’t know where to turn or how to get rid of real estate.  

We have always seen ourselves as service providers rather than salespeople, and we soon...

Gatehouse Realty: We’re Not Salespeople, We’re Service Providers

There is a legitimate trust problem in real estate.

From inaccurate descriptions to unprofessional photos to overpricing homes just to get a listing, there are a lot of bad apples to be seen in the Charleston real estate market.

When we first founded Gatehouse Realty in 2014, we made it our mission to change the misconception that real estate agents just see dollar signs. Sure, making money is part of the job, afterall it is at the heart of every business, but money is really not what opened the gate into real estate for us.
We have personal experience, business knowledge, and licensure in a slew of other industries including...

Hurricane Preparedness Checklist for Your Home

From June 1 to November 30 hurricane preparedness should be on the forefront of everyone’s mind in the Gulf of Mexico and along the East Coast.  With all the rain we’ve seen already this year, it is quite evident hurricane season is in full force.

It is never too early to prepare for a hurricane and having a plan will be a game changer when the threat of a hurricane exists. Last year we talked about the 5 key elements of hurricane prep which included the hurricane safety checklist prepared by the American Red Cross, Charleston evacuation zones as well as basic tips on how to safeguard your personal life and home.

This year we’re delving de...

Home Staging 101

What exactly is home staging?

Home staging is very literally the act of preparing a private residence for sale on the real estate market.

Spending a weekend cleaning and organizing your home before it goes on the market will help you put money in the bank. Statistics have shown staged homes sell faster and for more money. We’ve previously explained what not to do when trying to sell your home, and today we’re going to talk about what you should do in order to ensure your home sells for top dollar.

Home staging is a very big deal in the Charleston real estate market, and we believe it is imperative to stage your home correctly before listings ever go live. Buyers need to...

Office Space for Rent in Moncks Corner, SC

We are so thrilled to announce our newest renovation project is now complete!

This commercial renovation was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up, and it was definitely a doozy. The building didn’t have windows, the kitchen was a catastrophe, wood paneling lined the walls, and the lighting was dark and dismal.

We have renovated 80+ private homes in the Lowcountry, but this was our first commercial space. We had an amazing time tackling this listing, and we believe all of our hard work will pay off.

Nestled one block off main street in Moncks Corner, this office space for rent is perfect for an attorney, insurance office, real estate office, CPS, mark...

Ask Yourself These Questions Before Buying A Home

Tips to Buying a Home

Whether you’re an eager first-time home buyer or a seasoned buyer who’s bought a home before, it’s imperative to be prepared for all costs involved with buying a home. There are so many factors to consider when buying a home, and the thought of finally putting down some roots can be intimidating.

Asking yourself these questions before buying a home can ease the anxiety and lighten the load of the home buying process:

What’s Your Credit Score?

Knowing your credit score is one of the first things you should figure out before buying a home. This score plays a major factor into whether or not you will be preapproved for ...

FAQ of the New Tax Law & How it Will Impact Real Estate in SC

We receive a lot of questions from family, friends and clients regarding the new tax laws and how they will affect real estate in South Carolina, Charleston real estate especially.

We’ve compiled a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) we’ve received, and we’ve tried to answer them as best and as honestly as we can in the videos below.

Please bear in mind, we are only offering our opinions for informational purposes only. We do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice...

10 WAYS TO ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOME

The slower late winter months are the perfect time of year to start tackling your spring cleaning list. Whether you plan to put your house on the market or you want to put your own personality into the living areas, starting earlier in the year is definitely the time to get to work on your home. Starting early will do nothing but reap rewards and following these 10 easy tips will add value to your home:

1. Spruce up the yard: Everyone knows the first thing that sells a home is its curb appeal. Though curb appeal may not necessarily add monetary value right off the bat, the appearance of a home will definitely factor into its sales price once it goes onto...

Tips to Winterize Your House

Charleston, SC is finally starting to see colder weather which means it is the perfect time to winterize your house and gear up for the warmer months which lie ahead.

Although the best city in the world is known for having very mild winters, you should still take the time to follow these simple steps to winterize your house so you can save money on your energy bills and make some ticks on your spring cleaning checklist.

Outdoor Tips to Winterize Your House

1. Remove window mounted A/C units

You’d be surprised at how much heat can escape through your window unit and around where it’s installed. Make sure to remove all window units as soon as possible or right befo...

Top 5 Mt. Pleasant & Summerville Neighborhoods with No HOA

Mount Pleasant and Summerville are two of the most sought after areas to live in Charleston, SC. Inventory is low while demand is high in both Mt. Pleasant and Summerville, and homes in neighborhoods with no homeowner association fees (HOA) are even hotter commodities in the already popular suburbs.
If you’re looking at real estate in Charleston, SC be sure to check out the top five neighborhoods in Mt. Pleasant and Summerville with no HOAs:  

Cooper Estates: Not only is this a waterfront neighborhood, but it’s HOA free as well! This well-established, historic neighborhood is home to large lots, well-built homes, and convenience to...

5 Key Elements to Hurricane Preparedness

With super storm Hurricane Irma threatening the shoreline of the Southeast, hurricane preparedness is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

There are 5 keys elements to hurricane preparedness which will keep your home and family safe before and after the storm:  

1. Plan Ahead: First and foremost, it is imperative to book accommodations as soon as there is a real threat to your area. You’ll be shocked at how quickly hotels will book up, and the closer the hurricane is, the more expensive rates will be. Be sure to book somewhere that has a 24 hr cancellation policy. That way, if the track of the storm changes, there’s no harm, no foul for you or ...