Posts by : Adrianne Anderson

A rainfall shower features a generous size head that gently streams water and is meant to imitate the experience of being in the rain in your own bathroom. Installing a rain shower head depends on personal preferences and priorities. Do you prioritize a luxurious shower experience and are you willing to accommodate the installation requirements and potential increase in water consumption? In that case, a rain shower head can be a delightful addition to your bathroom. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of installing  a rain shower head:

The pros:

Rainfall-like experience: A rain shower head provides a gentle, soothing water flow that mimics standing in a refreshing indoor rain sh...

This year, Adrianne and I were blessed by your support as we help people buy and sell real estate. We used this blessing to help not one but two families who needed help this Christmas via the Billy’s Boys Foundation. Let me tell you about how it all started.

When I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to cross paths with a man named Billy Dillard. Billy became a mentor and a huge influence on my life. I was one of hundreds of “Billy’s Boys” who over the years, gathered at his house every week, shared a devotion and then talked about what we were glad about, sad about and sorry about. On any given day, there might be 30 guys or there might be 2. But Billy had his door open with a froze...

In the fast pace of day-to-day living, a well-organized kitchen is a necessity. However, finding the time to design an efficient kitchen is another thing all together. Where to begin? The kitchen pantry is the best place to start. This kitchen element provides storage for groceries, spices, kitchen utensils and small appliances. The first thing you will want to do is to assess your cooking needs and the space you already have to store it.

To start with, you might remove all the items from the pantry and decide what really needs to be put back inside. Do any of the foods have expired dates? Are you storing rancid cooking oils? How about spices and herbs that have lost their flavor over ti...

“Tis the season” of misleading headlines that don’t take into consideration what the market does every December. Below is a market recap where we crunch the numbers for you so can understand what happened in November and what is most likely going to happen in December. 

November 2023 continued a trend that has occurred since the spring: a little more inventory with more homes being added to the market and a slightly more balanced market. There’s still a much lower inventory of properties to sell when compared to pre-pandemic. In November, there were 5,057 homes for sale on the market, which is the highest volume we’ve seen in almost 3 years. However, that’s still far short of the Novembe...

The first thing you may ask is, what is a wet room? A wet room is a bathroom in which a free-standing bathtub sits in the same area as a walk-in shower. Current shower trends show a preference for more luxurious, seamless, open lines without the traditional glass enclosure. This creates a light and airy feeling in the bathroom. The key element of this type of bathroom is that it must have proper drainage. This means that all water needs to flow toward a single drain set in a sloping floor. In other words, the space must be completely waterproof. 

What are the advantages?

• Wet-room renovations will work for both large and small bathrooms. However, small bathrooms will benefit the most f...

Everyone knows a Realtor. There are more than 5,000 Realtors in the Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors. Hopefully, one those is Your Realtor. 

A Realtor should be an important part of your professional network that includes a doctor, attorney, accountant, mechanic, roofer, plumber, financial planner, etc. What’s unique about a Realtor compared to all of the other professionals… if you have a good Realtor, they can connect you with the rest of the professionals. A good Realtor will constantly develop new connections to help their clients. A good Realtor is connected to the community and knows the best restaurants and can recommend things to do. 

Here are a few services we can offe...

What is a scullery, you may ask?

A scullery is a second small kitchen used for prep work and storage. All the mess and cleaning associated with meal prep takes place there, out of sight of the main kitchen. In Victorian times, English manor houses employed kitchen servants to do all the activities needed to cook family meals in the "downstairs" section of the house. A separate scullery was part of the kitchen landscape and it was staffed by a scullery maid.

Nowadays, homeowners have a scullery to conceal all the mess of meal prep, leaving their kitchens spotless and ready to entertain guests. In other words, all the meal prep magic happens out of sight, like behind a magician's curtain....

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...

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 ...

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...

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...