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Winter means different things to different people depending on where you live in the country. Some areas experience a winter wonderland from November to February as the landscape is blanketed with thick snow. In other areas, trees lose their leaves and the weather gets crisp, but even a light snow dusting is a major event. But if you love the feeling that winter gives you — even if you live in Orlando or San Diego — you can bring it inside to make your home feel festive no matter the time of year. Here are some ideas for decorating with a winter color scheme.

Cool Colors

With winter comes cold colors like blue, silver and even pure white. These are great colors to use to decorate your h...

Even though we live in the age of technology, with our faces frequently in front of screens, there are still some among us who enjoy the feeling of holding a physical book in their hands. However, over time, the question becomes where to find space to put all these books. That all depends on how much space you are willing to dedicate to a library. Fortunately, beautifully designed home libraries can be large and formal or small and cozy. Again, the driving factor will be how much space is available.

Library shelves are the main feature in a library to keep your books well organized, thoughtfully displayed and easy to access. The first thing to do is take a walk through your home and asse...

One of the bigger challenges in purchasing investment properties is coming up with enough money for a down payment. Say you want to purchase a single-family home costing $150,000. A down payment of 10% of this home’s purchase price would be $15,000. That’s a lot of money. But don’t let this dissuade you. The BRRRR investment method can help.

What is the BRRRR approach?

BRRRR stands for buy, rehab, rent, refinance, and repeat. And it’s a tested method that real estate investors have long used.

Buy: First, you buy a distressed home or one that is in foreclosure for a lower price than you’d pay for most properties in that community. Buying a home for a price t hat is low enough is key. If...

Private mortgage insurance, better known as PMI, provides a type of financial safety net to your lender if you should stop paying your mortgage on time. How much you pay will vary, but PMI typically costs 0.1% to 2% of your loan amount.

That can add up. If you are taking out a mortgage of $300,000 and your PMI runs 1% a year, you'll spend $3,000 a year on PMI. That comes out to $250 a month.

How to avoid PMI

You don't always have to pay for PMI. Your lender won't charge you for this insurance if you come up with a down payment equal to or higher than 20% of your home's final purchase price.

Say you are buying a home for $300,000. If you come up with a down payment of $60,000 — equal t...

Approximately 70% of U.S. households have a pet. About 45% of Americans share their homes with dogs and almost 30% are cat owners. While pet ownership is a rewarding experience, we do have to consider how to keep them safe and happy and protect our furniture from them. Choosing pet-friendly fabrics can bring you peace of mind where this matter is concerned. Here are some choices for your pets:

Microfiber and microsuede

Anyone with cats will tell you they are the sweetest pets but that they can have destructive tendencies. Most importantly, they destroy furniture when they engage in regular feline scratching behavior. But there is a simple fix: Replacing your existing furniture with piec...

Before the frost appears, you will want to prepare for the months ahead to avoid higher energy costs and minimize any damage that can be caused by the cold weather and snow. This is especially true for those of us living in the colder, northern region of our country. Here are 10 tips to help you get ahead of the frosty days that are on their way:

1. Roof — Check your roof for any loose or broken shingles that need to be replaced. Cut back any overhanging trees to prevent falling branches, pine needles and leaves from accumulating and damaging the roof. Snow guards and roof heat cables are available to prevent ice dams from forming. A telescoping roof rake is a safe way to remove snow whi...

This article talks through the concept of being grateful in the midst of real estate heartaches.

Helping people with their real estate needs isn’t always first time home buyers and growing families. Real estate is also involved with death, divorce and a terminal diagnosis. I’m truly thankful for the opportunity to help when people need it the most. To step in with market expertise and to truly listen to my clients needs and to help them with a difficult transition is one of the most rewarding experiences I have in my life. Does it take a toll? Absolutely. I hope I’m never so calloused that I don’t cry with my clients when they are heartbroken. I also hope I’m always a steady hand on the ...

As final numbers for October 2023 are available for review, we took a look in the rear view mirror and compared last month to October 2022. Click through to read the article and learn a few insights that might help you in the upcoming market.

Last month, the average sales price of all properties was $366,822 which is a light increase over the average October 2022 sold property of $365,450. In the months in between, the average price peaked at $386,387 and valleyed at $352,957, demonstrating that the market is constantly changing. However, compare that to October 2021 and the average price was $309,576. The average price of real estate close to the beach goes one way over time: UP. 

Will...

Like all fixed-rate mortgages, your interest rate will never change with a 40-year, fixed-rate mortgage. Your rate will remain the same until you pay off your loan, refinance your 40-year mortgage into a new loan or sell your home.

The difference between a 40-year mortgage and other fixed-rate loans comes in the term. The 40-year mortgage comes with a longer term than other loans, one that stretches four decades.

As with other mortgages, you'll pay this loan back with interest in regular monthly payments. If you hold your loan for its full term, you’ll make 480 payments — 40 years of 12 monthly payments.

What is the benefit of a 40-year mortgage?

The biggest benefit of a 40-year, fixe...

According to one story, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance came down on a store manager for not collecting sales tax on the pumpkins the store was selling. "Why should I collect taxes? I'm selling food — not taxable in New York," said the manager.

"Come on," said the NYSDTF, "we all know that no one is cooking and eating those pumpkins. They're carving them for Halloween."

The manager shrugged. "All I know is that pumpkins are food. If people choose to do something else with them later, that's none of my business."

It's just speculation the conversation went like that. But what is 100% certain is that the NYSDTF truly addressed this for any entity selling pumpkins in...

Originating in Denmark, hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) is a hallmark of Danish culture, an inviting philosophy of comfort and coziness that brings more contentment. It's a perfect design style for a home where you want to feel embraced by serenity all day long. Here are a few ways to embrace hygge in your home this season:

Warm and soft textures

Use soft-to-the-touch materials to create a cozy ambiance. Incorporate plush blankets, fluffy rugs and comfortable cushions in your living spaces. Opt for natural materials like wool, cotton or faux fur to add warmth and texture to your decor. Introduce soft lighting with warm-toned bulbs or candles to enhance the cozy atmosphere.

Natural elements

With more than 60 miles of coast along the Grand Strand, it has been an incredible experience to see our gorgeous beaches. We began our Murrells Inlet, Garden City and Surfside walk the mouth of Murrells Inlet at the north jetty. Waccamaw Boulevard ends with a gated community so the only way to see this stretch is to park and walk to the point. What stuck out most to me most is that we walked during a full moon at high tide (often called a King Tide) and the waves were crashing hard against the seawalls of many homes. Some yards and a few homes are in the process of being reclaimed by the beach and it was a stark reminder of the realities of living along the coast. The beaches of Murrells...

In 2005, my friend Gene Henry and I wanted to have a haunted house. We wanted to create a fun, scary event for locals and donate a portion of the proceeds to a children's charity. The perfect location for our dream was Conway's Lower River Warehouse. Built in 1890 and located on the scenic Riverwalk, it was 8,000 square feet of spooky opportunity. 

Starting a haunted house isn't easy. It especially wasn't easy in a small, conservative rivertown that wasn't sure if they wanted a late night attraction run by two 20 something year olds in city limits. The fun started with the special event application. Since we weren't a parade, outdoor concert or festival, no one with the city knew what to...

While a home’s decorative front doors attract most of the attention, garage doors are often ignored. Available in a variety of materials, finishes and colors similar to those of front doors, garage doors are coming into their own as an important design element. Along with front doors, garage doors create a unified style statement about your home.

Garage door materials fit all budget levels, and choices include steel, fiberglass, wood or aluminum. Glass windows or inserts are custom options. Another option to consider is insulation. Opening and closing garage doors several times each day will decrease your home’s energy-efficiency. Insulation may be the solution. This is especially true f...

It is estimated that 30% of a home’s heat goes out the windows. Is your home long overdue for replacement windows? The first thing you will want to do is assess all the windows in your home to know if it is time to replace some or all of them. As an additional incentive, the energy efficient home improvement credit allows homeowners to take advantage of a tax credit for qualifying home improvements. Here’s what to look for.

Broken glass or damaged window frames can leave space for unwanted and destructive insects such as termites to enter your home. Water seeping in from the outside can also create mold and mildew issues.

Wood rot or water damage on your window frames will not improve a...

You know that you can borrow against the equity that you've built in your home, using the funds from home equity loans to pay for whatever you want, whether you're ready to remodel your aging kitchen or pay off high-interest-rate credit card debt. What you don't know, though, is whether it makes more sense to take out a standard home equity loan or a home equity line of credit, better known as a HELOC. Which loan product is the better choice?

What are equity loans?

Building equity is one of the main benefits of owning a home. Equity is the difference between the value of your home and the amount you still owe on your mortgage. If you owe $250,000 on your mortgage and your home is worth ...

Open shelving is as popular as ever given, its versatility and ability to adapt, to any kitchen style. Open shelving offers easy access to frequently used kitchen items. They also provide a place for displaying decorative items such as baskets, plates, and cookbooks that add a pop of personality to your kitchen.

An open-door policy

If you are only planning to include a shelf or two open shelving installation can be a simple DIY project You can choose interesting brackets or corbels made from metal, stone, or wood to finish the look. Directions and videos on how to install shelves are readily available on the web. However, for more advanced projects, you may want to consult with a contra...

While radiant bathroom floors have the appearance of a normal  surface, the real magic starts  below the surface. Radiant heating warms up the floor directly from below the floor’s surface.  Compared to traditional radiators which need to reach 167 degrees Fahrenheit to heat a room, radiant flooring only needs to get to around 84 degrees. The heat travels up through other objects in the room and warms the entire space.

Eliminating slippage and cold spots on radiant bathroom floors are just some of the many benefits.  Reducing moisture and mold growth and as well as being energy efficient are meaningful by products of having a radiant bathroom floor. Unlike other HVAC options, radiant und...

When you make your mortgage payment each month, a portion of your dollars will go toward paying down your loan's principal balance. But a good chunk of your payment will also go toward paying the interest that your loan accrues.

During the earlier days of your mortgage, more of your payment will go toward interest and less will go toward paying down your loan's balance.

The good news is that you can deduct from your taxes the interest you pay on the first $750,000 of mortgage debt. And if you bought your home before Dec. 16, 2017, you can deduct the interest you pay on the first $1 million of your mortgage debt.

How much will this deduction save you?

How much you save because of the m...

Did you know that the latest a major hurricane has ever made landfall in South Carolina is Oct 15th and the latest any tropical system has hit SC is Oct 31st? That said, the only named hurricane to make direct landfall in Myrtle Beach was an unnamed category 2 storm that hit October 31, 1899. 

October storms and McClellanville seem to have an interesting relationship:

Hurricane Matthew in 2018 made landfall in McClellanville as a category 1. Our area had larger impacts from flooding after the storm than the hurricane itself. Before we named hurricanes, two other storms hit McClellanville in October: a category 3 in 1893 and  a category 1 in 1913. If you’re keeping score… only 6 named st...