On the Town

Hardwood floors are an option at Jasmine Row townhomes, which are priced from $179,000 to $189,000. Think upgrades at the new Jasmine Row townhomes and, soon, Jasmine Gate houses in Bolton’s Landing. It’s not that the 60 upstairs-downstairs units underway and another 58 single family homes in the works aren’t solid, attractive and functional. Rather, the builder designs dwellings so buyers can individualize the houses and townhomes without adding too much to the cost. Typical visit is four to five hours where prospective owners pick out paint schemes, countertops, cabinets, flooring and other features. Extras can include hardwood floors; refrigerators; fireplaces; additional bedrooms; and jetted tub, separate shower and ceramic tile in bathrooms. The California-based company has completed a half-dozen townhomes, including three models, with further construction to follow soon. Also, the first home is being built at Jasmine Gate a block or so away. Jasmine Row features units with three bedrooms or four bedrooms, which is unusual for townhomes. The floor plans are the Ocella, Wagner, Horlbeck, Schooner and Darrell — the four bedroom design. Townhomes are 1,614-1,797 square feet and priced from $179,000 to $189,000. They have a few standard features such as two-car garage, rear patio, 42-inch kitchen cabinets and 9-foot ceilings on both floors. Depending on the plan, attractions can also include first floor master suite, gourmet kitchen, sunroom and formal dining room. The homeowners’ association fee is $177 a month. At Jasmine Gate, buyers can choose from six floor plans sized from 2,248 to 2,996 square feet and priced at $279,000 to $307,000. The Coosaw, which has a den, loft and lanai (covered porch), will be the sales model. All plans come with a single-car detached garage. The three- and four-bedroom houses, all two story or with an optional upstairs bonus room, can have screen porches, study and large family room. Homes can go up to five bedrooms with options. There’s a low-energy-use upgrade package, which comes with the lowest price rate from the power company. Reflective material is installed on the roof, air conditioning units are energy-efficient and exterior walls are well insulated. Jasmine Gate model homes are the Kiawah, Beaufort, Stono, Wando, Wadmalaw and Coosaw. Both locales come with gas heat and gas hot water.

Builders win community awards, real estate agencies host fundraisers and workshops

Community earns AIA chapter award A new development from I’On group inspired by the historic streets of downtown Charleston has won a top honor from the American Institute of Architects Charleston. Mixson, a sustainable neighborhood in the Park Circle area of North Charleston, won the Award for Service to the Community and Design Profession. It is given yearly to a builder or developer that demonstrates excellence in a project, resulting in a better community at large. To ensure that Mixson’s work with the community continues and expands, the I’On Group has created the Mixson Civic Trust, a community support organization that will promote and organize cultural, civic, and philanthropic events within both Mixson and the larger North Charleston community. Mixson features winding cobblestone streets, residences connected by archways, and intimate parks and plazas, according to the I’On Group. It has a variety of residences, shops, restaurants and cafes, offices, places of worship and other civic gathering spots. The environmentally-friendly one-, two- and three-bedroom homes are available from the mid-$100,000s. Visit www.mixson.com or call (843) 746-9696 . Company sponsors music fundraiser KW Music Fest 2008 will be held 7-11 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Charleston Visitors Center and Bus Shed. The event , to include food and drink, will have live music featuring Ed Hunnicut and Laura Ball, and Doug Jones. Admission is a $20 donation, kids 12 and under get in free. Sponsor is Keller Williams. The fundraiser will support Hospice of Charleston, East Cooper Habitat for Humanity, Darkness to Light and Dragon Boat Charleston. To order tickets online, go to www.kwmusicfest.com. Home builders host remodeler workshop A seminar on “Sales and Marketing for Remodelers” will be held Thursday, Oct. 30 at the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association, 2120 Noisette Boulevard in North Charleston. Registration, which includes lunch and materials, is $155 for Remodelers Council members, $200 for non-members and $175 for National Association of Home Builders members. Tori Stein, CAPS, is the instructor and will explain how professionals can remodel their marketing plan. The remodeling business relies on referrals and a steady supply of leads and clients. The course is aimed at helping remodelers build a positive reputation and have contented customers in the community. It will teach remodelers how to use marketing to their advantage, generate sales leads, make sales calls and presentations, close sales, and produce top-notch customer service. The course will give designation credit for CGA, CGR, and Master CSP and continuing education credit for CAPS, CGA, CGB, CGR, CSP, CMP, GMB, Master CSP and MIRM. For more information or to register, go online to www.charlestonhomebuilders.org, call 572-1414, fax 572-8227 or mail 2120 Noisette Boulevard, Suite 106, North Charleston, S.C. 29405. Urban planners, engineers host bioswale workshop Building industry professionals are invited to a free one-day seminar in North Charleston Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The event is designed to provide regional developers, engineers, contractors and urban planners the opportunity to learn about Low Impact Development strategies for managing storm water, with an emphasis on bio-retention swales and pervious surfaces. Participants can view the bioswales at the city of North Charleston’s Oak Terrace Preserve on site. Davis & Floyd’s Mike Horton, an engineer who designed the bioswale system, will conduct the seminars along with Elias Deeb, project manager for Oak Terrace Preserve. More information on the seminars can be obtained by contacting Nicole Saladin, Nicole@belle.baruch.sc.edu, (843) 546-6219 , ext. 241 or Rebekah Szivak, SzivakR@dnr.sc.gov, (843) 953-9024 . The event is being sponsored by the city of North Charleston, Coastal Training Program, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, Davis & Floyd, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, University of South Carolina, ACE Basin, and The Noisette Company LLC. Lane & Smythe adds to staff Josie Irvin has recently joined Lane & Smythe real estate firm in Charleston. She is a magna cum laude graduate of the College of Charleston with a degree in communications. Lane & Smythe is located at 9 Broad St. downtown. Realtor hosts fundraiser for youth with liver disease A benefit will be held Nov. 18 for Tony Pasquino, a local youth with Cystic Fibrosis and liver disease. He was placed on the liver transplant list in 2008. With the cost of transplants often exceeding $500,000, many transplant patients are unable to shoulder the financial burden. Billy Johnstone, real estate agent with Century 21 Waterfront Properties, is a liver recipient himself. That’s why he is heading up the benefit, asking for support to help Pasquino receive a new liver. The fundraiser, 5:30-8:30 p.m., will be held at Daniel Island Grille, 259 Seven Farms Drive. It will include live and silent auctions, food, drinks, and live entertainment. Tickets are available for $125 at BB&T bank on Daniel Island, Century 21 Waterfront Properties and Daniel Island Grille. For more information, go online to www.tonypasquino.org. Bald eagles raise chick at The Ponds The Ponds developer Greenwood Communities and Resorts says two bald eagles raised a chick during the 2008 nesting season, citing a letter from S.C. Department of Natural Resources. The resources department commended Greenwood for conservation efforts at The Ponds, a 1,950-acre master-planned community in Summerville that includes an 1,100-acre nature preserve. “We are proud to have done our part to increase the bald eagle population right here in our very own conservation area,” says John Morgan of Greenwood and general manager of The Ponds. The resources department letter says The Ponds’ bald eagle chick is one of 305 born in South Carolina this year. The number is substantial, considering South Carolina reported only 13 at the low point of the bird’s endangerment. “Reaching the status of ‘recovered’ has been a long journey for our nation’s bald eagle population,” says Thomas M. Murphy, the resource department’s state coordinator.

2019 Shell Ring

Attractions await both families and empty nesters at elegant, architecturally stunning two-story stucco on oversized lot with creekside dock and pool. Leroy BurnellThe Post and Courier Columned back porch and six-sided covered porch show off the back deck at 2019 Shell Ring. There's also a wading pool, with views of nearby Toomer Creek. A triple tray ceiling and bay windows mark the design features in the downstairs master bedroom at 2019 Shell Ring, located off Cotton Field Drive in the gated Dunes West neighborhood. The view from an upstairs balcony at 2019 Shell Ring shows the brick back deck, pool and walkway to a dock on the creek. Stucco homes are not uncommon in the Charleston area. But the house for sale at 2019 Shell Ring in the gated Dunes West community has an exotic flavor that sets it apart. “I see someone coming from somewhere else, Connecticut, Massachusetts, maybe California,” “It has a look that’s not Lowcountry,” . Built in 2000, the two-story 4,819-square-foot home is special. The five bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home with 1.3-acre yard, swimming pool and dock on Toomer Creek is priced at $1,975,000. Much of the lawn is in the front, and there’s a long driveway flanked by two, knee-high lion statues. “That’s what makes it so nice, it’s set back from the street,” Schwarb says. A brick back porch connects to the pool deck, and a gazebo-shaped covered porch ties to a wing of the house. While the stucco exterior is attractive, the interior is eye grabbing. Just off the front walk is a fountain, again surrounded by lion figures. After climbing the front stairs and opening the door, a prospective buyer would se a wide open, two story foyer and living room. There are hardwood floors, extensive molding, stately columns and chandeliers hanging from ceiling medallions. “There’s phenomenal detail,”. Ceilings are 10 feet and higher. The extra-large master bedroom and stunning bath with jetted tub and shower are on the first floor, and there are three large bedrooms upstairs including a guest room with a tiled bath and jetted tub. The upstairs hallway has a built in “curios cabinet” and a balcony overlooking the living room. A fifth bedroom is off the mud room, which has washer and dryer hookup. The suite, accessed by a separate set of stairs, could be used as an “au pair” room. The large living quarters look onto the back porch. There’s a nearly as sizable “morning room” off the kitchen with fireplace and space for a large screen TV. The open kitchen has high-end appliances, and an island with built in stove and a second, bowl-shaped sink. The house, located in the Osprey Cove section of Dunes West, also comes with a two-car garage. A perk is the Dunes West neighborhood. The close to 2,000-home community has a homeowner’s association, with dues of $1,180 a year. Schools include nearby Laurel Hill Primary, Pinckney Elementary, Cario Middle and Wando High. There’s an Arthur Hill designed golf course, and a clubhouse with amenities center.

Abberly at West Ashley mid-rise apartments debut with sleek rentals

More than 200 high-end rentals, fitness center and swimming pool highlight new apartment complex off Savannah Highway from Virginia-based developer. Leroy BurnellThe Post and Courier Bedrooms in the Abberly at West Ashley apartment complex have plenty of space. The community has one- and two-bedroom units. Leroy BurnellThe Post and Courier This model at Abberly at West Ashley has a breakfast area off the kitchen. Units come in 13 floor plans sized from 682 to 1,388 square feet. Living quarters are upscale, amenities abundant, location close to highway arteries but set back from noisy places. Yet prices are hardly opulent at $780 to $1,290 a month. And, it’s new. The property is Abberly at West Ashley apartment homes, a 212-unit complex near the Costco discount club off Savannah Highway. The rentals are the first development in the Charleston area from Blacksburg, Va.-based HH Hunt, which is also the builder and property manager. The first units opened in the past month, including a dozen on the upper floor of the clubhouse and others in one of the four-story buildings on site. All buildings should be completed by early 2009, says Elizabeth Phillips, regional property manager. “We’ve kind of blanketed the market,” she says. Apartment features include high-end kitchen refrigerator, self-cleaning stove, microwave and dishwasher; marble countertops; maple cabinets; at least 9-foot ceilings; patios and balconies; garden tubs; and crown molding. Abberly at West Ashley has six one bedroom, one bath floor plans priced from $780 to $893 a month and 682 to 941 square feet in size. They are the Brera with or without sunroom, Chelsea, Ellum with or without sunroom and Hoxton. Two bedroom, two bath units priced from $997 to $1,129 and sized from 1,053 to 1,159 square feet are the Mission, Paseo with or without sunroom, Rino and Tremont. A Rino model is the sales showroom. There are also two bedroom, two-and-a half bath plans from 1,295 to 1,388 square feet and priced from $1,204 to $1,290 a month. They are the Vyner and Wynwood. The clubhouse has a fitness center accessible 24 hours a day, Internet ‘cafe’ with online terminals, a light-dining nook and a game room that has a table for cards, big screen TVs and, soon, an interactive Wii video game player. A swimming pool is under construction nearby. It will include a pool deck with fountains, a trellis and grills for barbecues and cookouts. In addition, “We have a maintenance staff on site,” Phillips says. HH Hunt has owned property in South Carolina for several years before starting to build, initially in Charleston. “We looked at up and coming areas,” she says. The developer is currently constructing apartment complexes in Beaufort and Bluffton and has plans for the Columbia area. “Our company is known for building and holding,” Phillips says. Leasing center hours at Abberly at West Ashley are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. For more information, call (843) 302-0868 or go online to www.liveabberlywestashley.com. To reach Abberly at West Ashley, take Savannah Highway heading west past the Interstate 526 intersection. Take the next right onto Ashley Town Center Drive. Continue on the road past Costco. Abberly is on the right.

U.S. Home Resales Rose in September to One-Year High

Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Home resales in the U.S. rose more than forecast in September, aided by foreclosure-driven declines in prices that made properties more affordable. Purchases of existing homes jumped 5.5 percent last month to a 5.18 million annual pace, the highest level in a year, the National Association of Realtors said today in Washington. The median price dropped 9 percent. The boost to sales from lower prices may be short lived as banks withhold financing on mounting concern that record foreclosures will hurt profits and depress values even more. The collapse in lending signals the housing recession will extend well into a fourth year. ``This may be a temporary bump as we clear out these foreclosed properties,'' said Adam York, an economist at Wachovia Corp. in Charlotte, North Carolina. ``As the meltdown really hits these figures in late October and November, that's when we could see some retracement.'' Resales were forecast to rise to a 4.95 million annual rate from a 4.91 million pace in August, according to the median estimate of 66 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. Projections ranged from 4.7 million to 5.11 million. Sales rose 1.4 percent compared with a year earlier, the first year-over-year increase since November 2005. Resales totaled 5.65 million in 2007. Today's figures compare with the 4.86 million level reached in June, the lowest in a decade and 33 percent down from the record reached in September 2005. Distressed Sales Foreclosure-related sales accounted for 35 percent to 40 percent of last month's total, the agents' group said. Of those, about 80 percent were for primary residence, higher than the average of about 75 percent and signaling that investors are not a primary reason for the jump, said Lawrence Yun, the group's chief economist. ``In terms of sales, I think we have bottomed out,'' Yun said in a press conference. ``The first step to housing-market stabilization is rising home sales. Hopefully, this trend can continue.'' The number of previously owned unsold homes on the market at the end of September represented 9.9 months' worth at the current sales pace, the fewest since February and down from 10.6 months' at the end of the prior month. Inventories need to continue dropping in order to stabilize prices, and that will take more time, Yun also said. In the past, the Realtors' group has said a five to six month's supply represents a stable market. Price Falls The median price of an existing home dropped from a year ago to $191,600, the lowest since April 2004. Falling home prices make it harder to refinance mortgages, pushing up foreclosures in the third quarter to the highest since record-keeping began in 2005, according to Realtytrac.com. Resales account for about 90 percent of the market, while purchases of new homes make up the rest. Sales of existing homes are compiled from contract closings and may reflect contracts signed one or two months earlier. Today's report showed resales of single-family homes climbed 6.2 percent to an annual rate of 4.62 million. Sales of condos and co-ops were unchanged at a 560,000 rate. Purchases increased in three of four regions, led by a 17 percent surge in the West as distressed sales jumped in California and Nevada. In the Northeast, sales fell 1.2 percent. Less Equity Declines in home equity have undermined consumer spending as owners have less cash to tap. A cascade of bank losses and failures has led to the most severe financial crisis in seven decades. Most economists are forecasting a recession in the U.S. and a global slowdown. As home sales shrank, builders scaled back construction projects by 64 percent through September from a peak in January 2006, the biggest decline since at least 1959. Work began last month on the fewest single-family homes in 26 years, the Commerce Department reported last week. The number of building permits issued also fell, a sign that declines in construction will continue to hurt the economy. ``The housing downswing is really not exactly even nearing a bottom at this point,'' David Seiders, chief economist at the National Association of Homebuilders said Oct. 17 in an interview with Bloomberg Television. ``The core problem in the economy is still housing, and house prices are decimating the financial markets.'' Construction companies continue to struggle. Pulte Homes Inc., the third-largest U.S. builder, this week reported a net loss of $280.4 million for the third quarter, more than double what analysts had projected. ``A bottom in the housing market may not come for some time,'' Chief Executive Officer Richard Dugas said on a conference call yesterday.

Town of Sullivan's Island

The Town of Sullivan’s Island, a barrier island north of Charleston Harbor, is comprised of approximately 2,000 residents in half as many households. These are primarily full or part time citizens that enjoy the relaxed lifestyle of the Island. There are very few short-term rentals and no hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, or other transient lodging. The Town, incorporated in 1817 as Moultrieville, did not allow lean-tos or shacks then as now. At that time lots were required to have a minimum of ½ acre and the same is true today. Sullivan’s Island is unique in that the beachfront lands which have accreted over the years, are owned by the Town and held in a perpetual easement by the Lowcountry Open Land Trust protecting the natural environment along the Atlantic Ocean. This Island has a long military history of protecting the harbor from invaders and there are many wonderful histories which capture those stories. Remnants of the military are abundant in now privately held military housing; even former fortifications are now single family residences. Many of these historic homes have withstood the test of time and ravaging weather.

The History of Folly Beach – A Timeline

The word "Folly" is an Old English word meaning an area of dense foliage 1600’s Early settlers found an Indian tribe, the Bohickets, inhabiting the island 1696 Folly Island was deeded to William Rivers. 1744 Folly was passed down through a generation and sold to Henry Samsways whose deed referred to the Island as "Coffin Land" and a map from 1780 depicts Folly as such. However, a map dated 1800 shows Coffin Land as the western end of Folly Island where the State Park is now. The name Coffin Land came from the fact that it was customary for ships with plague or cholera victims to the leave the ill travelers on barrier islands before they entered the Charleston port. On their way back out to sea, they would pick up the survivors and bury the dead. 1832 The ship Amelia wrecked on Folly Island while sailing from New York to New Orleans. Twenty of 120 passengers died of cholera while marooned on Folly Island and Charleston cut off communications and supplies to the Island, fearing it would spread into Charleston and become an epidemic. 1838 Thomas Gillespie, a Scottish captain, died on Folly. His marker still stands at the southeastern end of the Island. 1860’s The first shots of the Civil War were fired by Citadel Cadets on Morris Island. Three months later Beauregard’s men fired on Ft. Sumter. The Union army took Folly Island and Morris Island on their way to Charleston 1920’s Rumors of bootlegging on the Island. The original Pavilion was built. 1930’s The new Atlantic Pavilion, Boardwalk, Pier and Oceanfront Hotel were built where the Holiday Inn now stands. 1932 Nine families lived on the Island year-round 1934 Gershwin stayed at 708 West Artic and wrote Porgy & Bess. He also judged a local beauty contest. 1937 Over 15,000 people were at the Pier for the 4th of July celebration 1940’s Many homes were built, improvements made to roads & utilities 1955 Elmer "Trigger" Burke (the man who killed Joseph "Specs" O’Keefe of the $1.2 million Brinks robbery) rented a cottage on Folly and was arrested by the FBI on the corner of Erie & Center Street. 1956 The wooden Folly River bridge was replaced with a concrete bridge 1957 The Oceanfront Hotel and Pavilion and Joe’s Restaurant burned 1960’s Ocean Plaza was opened with 1700 feet of boardwalk, pier, amusement rides, shops, roller skating and concessions. This was the Golden Era of Folly Beach. The first surfboard on the Island was introduced by Pat Thomas. 1964 Palm reading was banned on Folly 1967 Horseback riding was banned on the Island 1977 The Pier burned again, suspected arson 1985 Holiday Inn was built 1989 Hurricane Hugo destroyed many homes and devastated the beaches 1995 The current Pier, restaurant and tackle shop was built Resource: Time and Tide on Folly Beach South Carolina, Gretchen Stringer-Robinson (1998)

BEST WESTERN HOTEL CHANGES HANDS

MANNING, S.C. — South Carolina-based EWS Investments has sold the 57-room Best Western Palmetto Inn located in Manning to Raghuvans LLC for $1.75 million. Hotel amenities include an outdoor swimming pool. Atlanta-based Hodges Ward Elliott represented the seller.

No Quick Fix for Housing Prices

The Treasury Department's rescue plan for the U.S. financial industry doesn't directly address the root cause of the crisis: falling home prices. Reuters Foreclosures in Stockton, Calif., discourage prospective sellers from putting their houses on the market. The government's plan, which includes taking stakes in major financial institutions and temporarily guaranteeing certain new bank debt, could cushion the economy and thus the housing market from further blows. But many economists say additional measures are needed to stimulate demand for homes and to reduce mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. At the heart of the rescue plan is an effort to keep the credit crunch from sending the economy into a tailspin. "If the financial system doesn't get working again, then the economic downturn is going to be much worse, and that means the housing market will be a lot worse than it otherwise would be," says Frederic Mishkin, a Columbia University economist who stepped down as a Federal Reserve Board governor in August. But some economists say the government needs to do more to address the underlying problems that triggered the credit crisis. "It's very disappointing" that the plan doesn't do anything "to stop the spiral in home prices," which is reducing net worth and creating a falloff in consumer spending, says Harvard University economist Martin Feldstein. He proposes that the federal government offer low-interest loans to replace 20% of homeowners' mortgages. The government's latest intervention comes as mortgage delinquencies continue to climb and home prices are plummeting in many markets. Some 5% of mortgages were at least 30 days past due at the end of the third quarter, according to Equifax and Moody's Economy.com, up from 4.6% in the second quarter and 3.5% a year earlier. In Florida and Nevada, delinquency rates now top 8%. Nationwide, house prices have fallen 18% from their peak in the first quarter of 2006, according to Case Shiller. By another measure, from the National Association of Realtors, home prices are off 12% from their peak. They are expected to fall an additional 10% to 15% between now and mid-2009, says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. Falling prices are feeding a vicious cycle that leads to more mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. As more Americans end up "under water," or owing more on homes than they are currently worth, more people are likely to walk away from mortgages, causing foreclosures to rise further and adding to negative market psychology. The rescue effort could buy the government some time to get other measures up and running -- and to see whether they will help stabilize home prices. Some analysts say one government initiative that appears to be bearing fruit is the increase in loan limits of mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration -- to as high as $729,000 in some cities. In September, FHA mortgages financed 28% of home purchases, up from 19% in August, according to Zelman & Associates, a housing research firm, and the number of buyers seeking government-backed mortgages more than doubled from last year, as houses have become affordable again. "If you want to buy a home, and you have enough money for a modest down payment, it's not that hard to get a mortgage today," says Thomas Lawler, a housing economist in Leesburg, Va. Over time, the government's rescue effort could make it easier for borrowers in high-cost markets such as California, New York and Boston to get a mortgage by reducing rates for jumbo loans, those too big for government backing, says Richard K. Green, director of the Lusk Center for Real Estate Development at the University of Southern California. Rates on fixed-rate jumbo loans currently average 7.91%, according to HSH Associates, more than a full percentage point above rates on conforming loans eligible for government backing, which jumped nearly a third of a percentage point Tuesday to 6.6%. But fundamental problems remain. The supply of homes on the market remains stubbornly high, while demand for those homes remains relatively weak. Home builders, including Stuart Miller, chief executive of Lennar Corp., are lobbying for a $15,000 to $20,000 tax credit to spur demand, saying the $7,500 credit passed by Congress in July has failed to jump-start sales. Prof. Green says the government needs to push mortgage companies to take advantage of the Hope for Homeowners program, which aims to put borrowers into affordable loans, but requires they share any resulting price appreciation with the federal government. The program "pretty much gets the incentives right," he says. One problem with the refinancing program is that it will help only 400,000 troubled homeowners, according to some estimates, well short of the nearly 12 million Americans who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth and are in danger of default. Chris Mayer, vice dean of Columbia Business School, says the government should push mortgage rates down to 5.25% in order to spur demand. Prof. Mayer has proposed that the government refinance homeowners who live in their homes, can document their income and show they can afford the new mortgage. When borrowers owe more than their homes are worth, he says, the government and the mortgage holder should share the write-down in equity when the loan is refinanced.

'My House Is Your House'

Against the backdrop of a tough economy, one of the smartest and most affordable ways to start your next trip is to open the doors of your home to a stranger. House swapping, or trading homes with someone else for an agreed-upon period of time (usually at the same time), is gaining more visibility and popularity. There's the economic appeal. (What's not to like about accommodations that are, for all intents and purposes, free?) But such exchanges also appeal to a growing number of travelers who enjoy the comforts of home and want to try their hand at living the way the locals do. The Journal Report See the complete Encore report. To learn more about the advantages -- and possible pitfalls -- in house swaps, we turned to Lois Sealey, who since 1985 has run Home Base Holidays, a membership-based swap service in London. A Canadian by birth, the 62-year-old Ms. Sealey became intrigued with house swaps years ago on a trip to Canada to visit family. At the time, she and her husband and children, as well as her parents, were given the chance to stay in someone else's house -- an "idyllic" lakefront cottage, she recalls -- for free. That experience, Ms. Sealey says, helped convince her that "many people would like to enjoy a home-away-from-home holiday at no cost by swapping" properties. We recently caught up with Ms. Sealey in London, via an email exchange. Here are edited excerpts from that electronic conversation: Easy Now THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Why has house swapping become more popular? What's the appeal? MS. SEALEY: There was a major leap in popularity, especially in the U.S., that coincided with the growth of the Internet. Before this time, home exchangers received two or three print directories a year and sent exchange offers by mail -- making arranging an exchange a laborious and time-consuming process. Now, being able to join an agency, have an exchange listing published online instantly, and send exchange offers by email has increased the popularity of home swapping enormously. Getty Images Although the methods for arranging exchanges have changed radically in the past 10-plus years, the reasons for wanting to swap homes haven't changed all that much. Home exchange appeals to independent travelers. The most commonly cited reason for taking part is the desire to get away from resorts and other tourists and get to know a real neighborhood and local people. WSJ: You note that travelers age 50-plus are a good fit for swaps. Why is that? MS. SEALEY: Many over-50s are empty nesters, no longer tied to taking time off only during school holidays. Many are also retired or semi-retired, making it easier to be flexible on dates and [the] length of exchange. They are able to consider exchanges at off-peak times when air fares are more reasonable, sometimes arranging both longer swaps and short breaks. Many in the 50-plus age group still live in family-size homes. What a resource this is to use for swaps in their own countries and abroad. And, as location is usually the most important aspect of home swapping, those who have downsized, perhaps to a small apartment by the sea, will also find no shortage of offers to exchange. Going Swapping: A Step-by-Step Guide Lois Sealey offers these pointers for getting started on a home exchange. First, join a suitable home agency. Look for a well-established private-membership site that charges a modest annual fee rather than "open" and "free" sites, so that you know all members are genuinely committed to arranging exchanges. Give careful thought to the information you include in your listing. Describe your home and local attractions and facilities, and give distances to the nearest large city, well-known locations and airports. Try to be as open as you possibly can on destinations, dates and the length of exchange. Add photos to your listing as soon as possible. Take the initiative and contact all members whose exchange offers look like good matches. Address each member by name, give your location and dates you can consider an exchange and whether you can be flexible. Personalize each message by mentioning what attracted you to the member's home. Respond to all offers you receive, and any questions members you contact ask, promptly. Offer to provide references. Once you have found a match, keep in touch regularly, asking and responding to questions. Let any other members you are in contact with know as soon as you agree to an offer so that they aren't delayed in looking for other swap partners. It is never acceptable to agree to an exchange and cancel a firm commitment if you receive an offer you think is more attractive later on. Suggest an exchange at a later date. Check that your household insurance will remain valid while you have non-paying guests in your home. Check auto insurance if swapping cars. If your exchange involves air or train travel, agree to buy tickets at the same time, and exchange proof that tickets have been purchased. This is a reassurance to both parties since (barring an emergency) members are unlikely to cancel an exchange agreement after buying tickets. Keep in regular contact in the run-up to the exchange. Once you both feel that everything has been agreed to, compile a simple contract to share. Taking this step avoids the possibility of misunderstandings later on. Ensure that you each know how to get from the airport to your homes; arrange where to pick up -- or send in advance -- house and car keys (if you have agreed to swap cars) and your local agent's contact details. Clean and tidy your home, leaving space in wardrobes and cupboards for guests to store their belongings. Clear out your refrigerator and leave some basic foodstuffs for your guests' use on arrival. Leave a folder with information on using appliances; house security procedures; local restaurant menus; train/bus timetables; brochures for attractions nearby; and useful local contact numbers and emergency numbers. The folder can be started several weeks before your first exchange and added to as you think of useful information. This can be kept and updated for future exchanges. WSJ: Can you quantify this trend? How many people are doing it? Is it only for international travel? MS. SEALEY: It's difficult to give more than a rough idea of how many people are swapping homes overall. A guesstimate would be 500,000 world-wide. International exchanges are still the most popular choice. But there have been noticeable changes in the way members have used the service in the last year or two. More are interested in exchanges within their own countries. Also, there seems to be a trend toward having multiple shorter exchanges, including weekend breaks, rather than one lengthy exchange per year. Likely Candidates WSJ: Is there an ideal candidate for something like this? MS. SEALEY: Probably the most important characteristics of "ideal" home-exchange candidates are that they are open to new experiences and independent travelers willing to take the time to make their own exchange and travel arrangements. They aren't overly "precious" about their home and belongings, welcoming the opportunities home swapping enables to experience different lifestyles and cultures. Conversely, someone who is overly house proud, wants their vacations completely arranged for them, hates change and would worry the whole time about their own home shouldn't consider home exchange. WSJ: What do you say to people who can't get past the fear of dealing with strangers on a fairly intimate level? After all, you're going to be staying in their homes and they'll be in yours. MS. SEALEY: It is only through regular correspondence and targeting members who appear most compatible that trust gradually develops on both sides. Most people will correspond over several weeks -- even months -- asking as many questions as they want and sometimes exchanging references...with usually a phone call or two during the final preparations when exchange dates are getting close. Some members arrange an overlap in one of the homes -- if there is space to do so -- or meet briefly at the airport. This can be reassuring. But if meeting isn't practical before an exchange, the majority of exchangers will ask a friend who lives nearby, or a willing neighbor, to act as their agent by handing over keys and being available to answer any questions exchange guests may have while in the home. WSJ: For many people, vacation is about getting away from it all. Can you truly get away from it all if you're living in someone else's home and, say, watering someone else's plants? And what about well-intentioned neighbors stopping by? MS. SEALEY: When you are living in an exchange home, it is really no different from renting a house or apartment -- except that you will nearly always have many more facilities and comforts in a "real" home than in a vacation rental property. You don't need to worry about plant care if you really don't want the responsibility. Although many exchangers enjoy the opportunities to meet neighbors and friends of the family, if this would be intrusive, you can make this clear to your exchange partners in advance so they can warn overly friendly neighbors to respect your privacy. WSJ: How much time does it typically take, from start to finish, to find an acceptable match? MS. SEALEY: Much depends on how open you are on destinations you will consider; how flexible you can be on dates and length of exchange, and how popular your location is for exchanges. Experienced exchangers allow plenty of time -- sometimes up to a year or more, depending on the destination -- before the dates they want to exchange. Although some members do arrange exchanges very quickly -- and some have been known to agree to an offer within hours of joining -- it can take a few weeks to find a suitable swap and then get to the point when both parties are ready to agree to go ahead with the exchange. WSJ: What is the average length of time for a vacation swap? MS. SEALEY: Swaps vary in length from two days to over a year. The average length for an international exchange is around two to three weeks. But this can vary a lot, depending on individual circumstances and average vacation periods in different countries. Wrong Ideas WSJ: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about house swapping? MS. SEALEY: That you won't get to know the people you are swapping with; that you need to have a large, luxurious home to take part; that you have to arrange storage for all your clothes and other personal belongings; that no one will be interested in swapping to a remote or little-known location; and that you must swap "like" with "like." WSJ: What causes swaps to fail? MS. SEALEY: The vast majority of exchanges work out very well, and we receive few complaints. Those we do receive generally involve misunderstandings rather than negligence or maliciousness. Of these, the most common mismatch involves housekeeping standards. Although all exchangers should leave their homes clean and tidy, accommodations are lived-in homes, not five-star hotels, and standards will vary. WSJ: If you open your home, what do you do with valuables, financial records and other personal papers? MS. SEALEY: As soon as you agree to a home exchange, let your household insurers know that you will be having nonpaying guests in your home and the length of stay. Your home is almost certainly safer being occupied than left empty, but not all policies provide the same level of coverage. Most insurers won't cover you for burglary unless there is evidence of a break-in, so make sure that your exchange partners are aware of all procedures to keep your home secure -- as you will do in their home. If possible, don't leave small, expensive items like jewelry in your home. Check the terms of your insurance policy on accidental damage and agree mutually that the exchange guest will pay for any damages that aren't covered by insurance. People with enough space in their homes to keep one room locked and out of bounds can store anything there that they would be concerned about, including confidential papers. Others will merely make...clear to their guests anything that they don't want touched. Many home swappers allow use of their computers, but may password protect their own user accounts and set up a separate account for their guests' use. Others may offer broadband access for guests to use with their own laptops. WSJ: What are the red flags to watch for? MS. SEALEY: During early discussions with potential exchange partners, be wary if they evade answering important questions, don't add photos to their listings -- or at least share some directly with you -- or stop responding to messages without any explanation. Avoid exchanging with anyone who appears arrogant, overly fussy or demanding. Home exchange is built on trust, mutual respect and tolerance. This isn't the travel option for prima donnas.

Real estate transactions

Charleston County The transactions listed below include properties sold for $200,000 or more and recorded July 14-18. Charleston Aubrey W. Hancock sold 37 State St. to Douglas C. Kerridge for $950,000. James C. and Robin D. Wilson sold Unit D, 108 Smith St., Radcliffe Square to James A. and Deborah A. Gaskins for $440,000. Randy J. Bates sold Unit 108, 1 King St., Fort Sumter House to Rex W. and Jane P. Huggins for $2.52 million. Shelly and Jason Rucker sold 1 Race St. to Jerry L. and Kelly J. Traino for $220,500. James Island Daniel O. and Elizabeth G. Adams sold 1445 Burningtree Road to Stewart P. and Elizabeth R. Garrett for $545,000. Mark Cartwright sold 365 Woodland Shores Road, Woodland Shores to Joshua L. Uhinck and Jennifer L. Spinner for $297,000. Richard J. and Marcia M. Claude sold 871 Wellington Drive, Lawton Bluff to Jennifer Lyn Wright for $269,000. Meridian Builders Inc. sold 930 Misty Lake Drive, Lakeside Village to David R. and Lisa C. Layne for $379,900. Johns Island John J. Deaton sold 1957 Suzanne St., Cedar Spring to Gerard G. and Anna Elise Smeltzer for $223,300. DJC Construction Inc. sold 3556 Walter Drive, Cedar Spring to Michael C. Peterson for $299,000. Ginger T. Lockwood sold Lot 45, Phase II, Anchor Watch Drive, The Anchorage to Kerie and Mark Robert Baty for $715,000. Kiawah Island Rini Properties LLC sold 4225 Mariners Watch Drive, Mariners Watch Villas to Christopher T. and Kristie H. Stephens for $380,000. Mount Pleasant/ East Cooper Christopher D. and Laurie Ann Gamble sold 197 Tidal Currents Lane, Grassy Creek to William J. and Jana R. Estes for $769,000. Eugene Kirkland Darby and Elizabeth B. Foster sold 358 Molasses Lane, Hobcaw Point to Aquilla S. and Betsy S. Turk for $477,000. Frank E. and Jamie S. Fields sold 190 Revetment Lane, Battery Point at Belle Hall Plantation to Corbett and Kate Bufton for $460,000. John P. and Gabrielle G. Gillies sold 2625 Ringsted Lane, Indigo Chase to Jackie D. Reeves for $410,000. DR Horton Inc. sold 3592 Bagley Drive, The Preston at Park West to Christopher D. and Geralyn Weis for $300,109. Walter M. Green and Lisa J. Mowry sold 1523 N. Lakeshore Drive, Palmetto Fort to Jonathan M. and Temple W. Simpson for $375,500. Brian H. and Jennifer P. Holmes sold 1568 Wellesley Circle, Wellesley Place to Christopher Lee Creaturo for $257,500. Calvin Jonathan Bosman sold 1709 Lauda Drive, Wando East to Mark J. Prough for $207,500. Sandra Klein sold 3536 E. Higgins Drive, Madison at Hamlin Plantation to Nicole Joyce for $385,000. Jacqueline J. Rodenberg sold 1500 Grimsby Bridge Road, Andover at Park West to Robert H. Sturm for $750,000. James T. and Emily C. Bradford sold 2121 Summerwood Drive, Thornwood to Matthew and Stephanie Sharib for $345,000. Joanne B. Chrisman sold 1061 Cottingham Drive, Cooper Estates to Bryce J. Westcott for $290,000. Kevin Brady and Catherine Day sold 3162 Morningdale Drive, Ivy Hall to Andrew S. and Steve M. Ackerman for $225,000. Megan Marie and Becky J. Kibbey sold 856 Fountain Lane, Lake Hunter Commons to Lydia W. and Anne Marie Parrish for $304,000. Robert K. Williams sold 1088 Black Rush Circle, Whispering Marsh to Douglas D. and Lisa M. Watson for $378,820. The Ryland Group Inc. sold 1769 Wellstead St., Pembrook to Elizabeth A. McCraw and Laura Lynn Owings for $388,075. Virgil A. and Katherine Blakely sold 3456 Henrietta Hartford Road, Tennyson to Christopher S. and Anne Marie Fields for $883,000. North Charleston Albert R. and Bessie M. Reynolds sold 5000 Parkside Drive, North Charleston to Philip E. Ingerson for $225,000. Park South Properties LLC sold 4730 Colie Morse Lane, North Charleston to Kelley I. and Rachel D. Perkins for $251,000. Seabrook Island Glisson Family Partnership sold 3072 Seabrook Island Road, Seabrook Island to Charles P. and Nancy W. Driver for $267,500. Sullivan's Island John Rhett Baldwin Jr. and Ruth M. Baldwin sold 2514 Myrtle Ave. to John Sidney Evans Jr. and Susan Moulton Evans for $1.6 million. West Ashley/St. Andrews Kelly L. Dempsey sold 1491 Ashley Garden Blvd., Hamilton Grove to Cynthia S. Crawford for $254,000. Kevin M. and Kathleen M. Woodworth sold 350 Arlington Drive, Stonecreek to Frances H. and Charles F. Rhodes III for $225,000. Michael S. and Melanie L. Jager sold 1628 Sanford Road, Rotherwood to Bradley Jason and Andree Dugal Jaynes for $320,000. Steven E. and Jennifer M. Jurch sold 4 Arabian Drive, Marsh Cove to Vladimir and Eliza Varadi for $280,000. Berkeley County The transactions listed below include properties sold for $200,000 or more and recorded July 28-Aug. 1. Kenneth L. Coan sold 121 Chasey Drive, Bonneau, Lake Moultrie Shores to Karen M. Wilcox for $220,000. William Talmadge Askins sold 2246 Daniel Island Drive, Daniel Island to Nancy H. Downie for $310,000. Ryland Group Inc. sold 203 Nelliefield Creek Drive, Nelliefield Plantation to Taylor H. and Danny N. South for $267,947. Ryland Group Inc. sold 312 Cypress Walk Way, Nelliefield Plantation to Ashley E. Heltemes and David J. Tylus for $248,017. Meridian Builders Inc. sold 108 Franklin Retreat Court, Retreat at Beresford to Michael N. Feconda for $340,000. Addco LLC sold 360 Briarbend Road, Longleaf to Orlyn Fernandez for $207,505 Troy Dwayne and Darbie Alexia Bredemeier sold 104 Barrie Court, Cadbury to Robert W. Thomas and Laura A. Bush for $214,000. Carolina Custom Homes of Charleston Inc. sold 116 Welchman Ave., Hamlets to Douglas E. and Mary T. Gressette for $550,000. Marian G. and Linda A. Brown sold 5808 Windsor Court, Dominion Hills to Nenita D. and Dienito D. Maravilla for $258,000. KB Home South Carolina LLC sold 7016 Billberry Street, The Gardens to Andrew P. Bell and Meghan E. Hutchinson for $250,175. Beazer Homes Corp. sold 350 Cicadas Song Drive, Moss Grove Plantation to Joel R. and Deanna L. Hopkins for $241,595. Oakley Point LLC sold 204 Silk Oak Drive, Oakley Point to Jack P. and Carissa M. Hagy for $200,000. KB Home South Carolina LLC sold 426 Glenmore Drive, Fairlawn to Michael G. and Kimberly Santmyer for $237,145. Patricia L. Freshwater-Scarsel sold 153 Walnut Way, Pineville, Eadytown to Thomas K. and Betty H. Gourdin for $360,000. John R. and Serena S. Bradford sold 194 Edinburgh St., Mendenhall to Robert E. and Marian E. Lovenshimer for $270,000. Richard F. and Mary E. Hoffman sold 206 New Hope Drive, New Hope Estates to James M. and Cynthia L. Bogan-Baber for $304,000. Pulte Home Corp. sold 116 Sea Lavender Lane, Pulte at Cane Bay to Gwendolyn R. Readler for $206,250. Pulte Home Corp. sold 217 Sternside Run Ave., Pulte at Cane Bay to Lawrence J. and Carol A. Tully for $209,210. Pulte Home Corp. sold 139 Billowing Sails St., Pulte at Cane Bay to William and Gayle Gordon for $353,000. Pulte Home Corp. sold 329 Waterlily Way, Pulte at Cane Bay to Frederick W. and Katharine C. Bentley for $416,582. David W. Barnett sold 1182 Saddlehorn Road, Eagle Harbor to Michael and Renee L. Jenkins for $485,000. First Coast Homes of South Carolina LLC sold 322 Sanctuary Park Drive, Sanctuary Cove at Cane Bay to Denise Rush for $205,065. First Coast Homes of South Carolina LLC sold 124 Shadybrook Drive, Sanctuary Cove at Cane Bay to Ryan M. and Adrienne R. Leaver for $208,026. Dorchester County The transactions listed below include properties sold for $200,000 or more and recorded July 28-Aug. 1. Ryland Group Inc. sold 5401 Overland Trail, Taylor Plantation to Thomas G. and Kathleen Spaits for $315,000. Marc A. Critchley sold 108 Orchard Park Drive, Bridges of Summeville to Quincy L. and Shakima D. Ford for $247,000. Lennar Carolinas LLC sold 3013 Argyll Drive, Glen At Summerset to Hope Williams for $210,000. Myers Mills LLC sold 5108 Blair Road, Myers Mill to Ronnie G. Lang for $216,540. Weekley Homes LP sold 182 McDonald Circle, Buffs at Ashley River to Kevin J. and Jenette H. Carson for $367,100. Myers Mills LLC sold 1408 Edmund Court, Myers Mill to Kristina and Robert Heaton for $241,284. Sam and Courtenay Jefferson sold 84 Cross Timbers Drive, Bridges of Summerville to Melissa C. and Steven B. Bridges for $253,000.

Updated High Society Condos for sale on King

The dwellings are one- or two-bedrooms. A local businessman is the developer. Entrenched as Charleston's downtown shopping district, King Street also has been a place where building owners would fix up the upper floors for residents, often as rentals. Among those apartments was 292 King. Then in the past year, builders gutted the upper floors and converted the space into seven high-end properties for sale. The new development, on the southeast corner of Society Street, is called High Society Condominiums. "They came in and reconfigured the floor plans to make them more modern," Brad says. At the same time, "It still kept to the Charleston look." The seven units, from 760-1,134 square feet, are priced at $499,000-$775,400. They have one or two bedrooms and 1 1/2-2 1/2 baths. Depending on the unit, homeowners association dues are $330-$480 a month. The largest residence is a townhome with two bedrooms upstairs. Among the floor-plan choices are units with lofts and 20-foot ceilings. Neil Stevenson Architects headed architectural design at High Society Condos. Perks include granite countertops and high-end appliances in the kitchen, antique-style custom cabinets, Brazilian hardwood floors, crown molding and washer-dryer hookups. The units, above the Stella Nova salon, have a main entrance off Society Street, and there's also an entrance via King Street. Off-street parking has been arranged 1/2 block away.

Park place: Harbor Homes' neighborhood off Henry Brown Parkway caters to first-time homebuyers, start-up families

Moderate-size homes at midrange prices are trademark features at Brickhope Park, a new 73-home community from Harbor Homes. The neighborhood is near Goose Creek. In an uncertain housing environment, it helps to market homes at a moderate cost, showcasing features such as engineered construction and sodded yards while displaying neighborhood perks, such as ponds and a playground. Local builder Harbor Homes has melded these attractions at Brickhope Park. The 73-home community off Henry Brown Parkway in Berkeley County is adjacent to its existing Brickhope Greens subdivision, which has homes that are a bit larger and pricier. Brickhope Park displays six floor plans from 1,115 to 1,657 square feet. The houses are priced from $134,900 to $161,900. Sales began earlier this year. Home purchasers "primarily are first-time homebuyers (and) young couples, a few singles and young families," says Penny A "play park" with climbing equipment and slides, and a 3-acre green space with soccer goals recently opened in the village. A handful of ponds dot the community, so that many houses are near water or wetlands, she says. Sidewalks link houses throughout the neighborhood. Three of the Brickhope Park floor plans are one story, and three are two story. All come with three "elevations," or looks, and have three bedrooms and two to 2 1/2 baths. One-car garages are standard on all models except the largest floor plan, which offers a two-car garage. Shaffer says a number of purchasers are paying for extras, such as fireplaces and hardwood floors. "I had a lot of people who very much like to upgrade floorings," she says. Another allure is that the community is somewhat removed from Henry Brown Parkway. "It is very private because there's one way in and one way out," she says. The neighborhood is outside the Goose Creek city limits, yet close to main arteries such as the parkway, Liberty Hall Road and North Rhett Avenue. Eventually, the parkway will connect north to Montague Plantation Road. The subdivision is a few miles from the Charleston Naval Weapons Station complex, she says. That blending of central location and modest price has proven a key draw for home shoppers from throughout the Lowcountry. "We have a lot of people looking here who work in downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant, because of the convenience," Shaffer says. To reach Brickhope Park from downtown Charleston, head west on Interstate 26 to U.S. Highway 52, exit 209A. Follow Highway 52 into Goose Creek. Turn right on Liberty Hall Road. Follow Liberty Hall to where it ends at Henry Brown Parkway (North Rhett Extension). Turn left. Continue on the parkway to Harbor Homes' Brickhope Greens entrance. Drive past Brickhope Greens to Brickhope Park. An alternative route is to take I-26 to I-526 East, take the North Rhett exit and follow the roadway to Brickhope. Neighborhood Brickhope Park. Location Berkeley County. Typical features --Sodded front yard. --Stove, stainless steel sink, oak frame cabinets in kitchen. --Built-in pest control system. --Lifetime warranty vinyl siding. --Laminate vanity tops in bathrooms. Total homes 73. Home sizes 1,115-1,657 square feet. Home prices $134,900-$161,900. Property taxes $550 on a $145,000 home. Area attractions Charleston Naval Weapons Station, Charleston Southern University, Trident Medical Center, Charleston County Wannamaker Park, Northwoods Mall, Goose Creek Municipal Complex and Interstate 26. Distance to downtown Charleston 23 miles. Schools Goose Creek Primary Grades K-2; phone, 820-8008; enrollment, 701; certified staff, 66. Sedgefield Intermediate Grades 3-5; phone, 820-4090; enrollment, 623; certified staff, 42; PACT results, 25.5 percent of fifth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 30.3 percent on math, 25.5 percent on science and 22.4 percent on social studies. Sedgefield Middle Grades 6-8; phone, 797-2620; enrollment, 864; certified staff, 59; PACT results, 17.2 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 14.9 percent on math, 29 percent on science and 10.8 percent on social studies. Goose Creek High Grades 9-12; phone, 553-5300; enrollment, 1,753; certified staff, 121; SAT results, 494 verbal and 513 math. The 1007 combined score is higher than the state average (984) and lower than the national average (1017). Housing Trends Goose Creek/U.S. Highway 52: Number of sales in the second quarter of 2008: 141 (down from 168 in the second quarter of 2007). Average sales price: $158,400 (down from $172,900). Median sales price: $156,800 (down from $161,100).

Tuppers' way: Family businesses team up to design quiet Guilford Gates neighborhood off Central Avenue

About 15 homes have been built and a dozen occupied at Guilford Gates, off Central Avenue in Dorchester County. Houses are priced from $450,000 to about $1 million or more. Leroy BurnellThe Post and Courier This 4,300-square-foot home has a large living room with fireplace and a bookcase. The community has 37 lots. The old dairy farm on Central Avenue in western Summerville has been parceled out over the years for new urbanist Charleston single homes and dwellings. Still, the Tupper family, which owned the land and milked the cows for generations, swapped the property for one attractive tract. In 2004, the family began developing the site as Guilford Gates. The custom-home neighborhood, which is launching its second phase, will have 37 homesites. Prices range from about $450,000 to as much as $1 million or more. And the neighborhood's title? "My wife's father's name is Edward Guilford Harrison," George Tupper Jr. says. "The family influence is a tremendous asset." The Tuppers chose to design a community that's upscale and in keeping with the semi-rural flavor of Central Avenue beyond Butternut Road. While developed, the property is relatively open. Houses are built based on modified home plans that owners can customize. Land sites are 2/3 of an acre to 1 acre. The community is bordered by woods and wetlands, and tall pines and oaks dot the properties. "The whole concept is it's a natural setting," Jordy Tupper says. Even so, the community is hardly out in the sticks. Guilford Gates is within Summerville town limits, three miles from downtown and even closer to new shopping centers at Central Avenue and Old Orangeburg Road. "We are right in the growth area," George Tupper Jr. says. About 10 homes built in Guilford Gates in its first phase have been occupied. Buyers have included families with younger children and retired couples. The new sector is just starting. There's a 4,300-square-foot spec home on the market for $698,000. The sprawling two-story house is indicative of the neighborhood's custom style. Based on a modified design, the home comes with coffered ceilings, crown molding, bathroom ceramic tile, hardwood floors, maple cabinets, a large living room, laundry room and a "keeping" or "moving" room with a gas fireplace, says Adrian Wood, project manager with G. Tupper III Construction. There are four doors to a rear screened porch and open deck, with natural gas hookups for grills. Blanketed with surround-sound speakers, the 5 1/2-bedroom house has a breezeway connecting to a three-car garage and furnished room above. The home sits on a large wooded lot. "It's a quiet subdivision," Jordy Tupper says. To locate Guilford Gates from downtown Charleston, take Interstate 26 west to Exit 199A, Main Street in Summerville. Follow Main Street into downtown and turn right on Richardson Avenue. Make the first left onto Central Avenue. Continue on Central for a few miles. At a fork, stay left (Butternut Road is to the right). Go less than a mile more. Guilford Gates is on the left. Neighborhood Guilford Gates. Location Dorchester County. Total homes 37. Home sizes 2,500-5,000 square feet. Home prices $450,000-$1 million plus. Lot sizes 2/3 to 1 acre. Typical features --Custom-built homes. --Large lots. --Hardwood floors. --Wooded, wetland surroundings. --High-end kitchens. Property taxes $4,021 on a $600,000 home. Area attractions Pine Forest Country Club, downtown Summerville, Ashley River, Summerville Medical Center, Dorchester County Judicial Complex and Interstate 26. Distance to downtown Charleston 29 miles. Schools Knightsville Elementary Grades K-5; phone, 873-4851; enrollment, 838; certified staff, 66; PACT results, 38.4 percent of fifth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 29 percent on math, 37.5 percent on science and 24 percent on social studies. DuBose Middle Grades 6-8; phone, 875-7012; enrollment, 853; certified staff, 60; PACT results, 26.6 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 21.2 percent on math, 28.2 percent on science and 18.4 percent on social studies. Summerville High Grades 9-12; phone, 873-6460; enrollment, 3,517; certified staff, 207; SAT results, 501 verbal and 520 math. The 1021 combined score is higher than the state average (984) and the national average (1017). Housing Trends Summerville/Ridgeville area of Dorchester County: Number of sales in the second quarter of 2008: 218 (down from 381 in the second quarter of 2007). Average sales price: $222,900 (up from $219,600). Median sales price: $183,000 (down from $194,750).

Indigo condos planned on Ashley River

Finding a new riverfront residence on the Charleston peninsula is getting harder to do. That's why backers of Indigo, to be near the Ashley Marina off Lockwood Drive, are so excited. "We feel we have a real advantage being on the waterfront and being downtown," says John Hassell, partner with contractor Paul Lauer in Turtle Bay Development & Investments. The complex of 46 luxury condominiums in two buildings received city Board of Architectural Review design approval this summer. The units include two one-bedroom dwellings at 1,500 or so square feet, 27 two-bedroom and 17 three-bedroom dwellings at 2,600 square feet. Also available will be two penthouse condos at 4,100-4,500 square feet. Condos are priced from $850,000 to $2.4 million, with the penthouses $3.5-$3.6 million. Presales should start by early October, and "we hope to be able to pull a building permit in seven to nine months," Hassell said. People showing interest in the community include "baby boomers" now in middle to senior age and empty-nesters who don't need a big house anymore. The condos come in 17 floor plans with flexibility built into the designs. They will have top-of-the-line accoutrements, including hardwood floors and Sub-Zero kitchen appliances. Residences have private elevators. Turtle Bay took over the project after a Raleigh-based group backed out. The North Carolina company did come up with the complex's name, which plays off Charleston's ties to the Lowcountry plant used in dye-making. Charleston-based LS3P is the project architect. Seagrass Real Estate & Development is handling sales and marketing. "We are sort of offering the best of both worlds," Hassell says. For more information, call 416-1195. Turnaround? Real estate figures for the Charleston area still aren't rosy, but there may be a ray of sunshine. The quarterly report for Greater Charleston from Rocky Mount, N.C.-based Market Opportunity Research Enterprises shows sales plunged 31.2 percent in the second quarter to 3,299 from 4,802 a year ago, average prices dipped nearly 1 percent to $320,747 from $323,678 and median prices dropped 3 percent to $205,000 from $211,400. So where's the hopeful news? Well, condo and townhome average prices shot up 26 percent and 23 percent, respectively year-to-year. And average lot prices increased to $91,768 in the quarter from $73,836 a year earlier. In Charleston County, the sale total slid 31.8 percent, but the average price hit a record $405,189, up from $396,557 and median price was $255,500, up from $250,000. Meanwhile, foreclosure rates in metro Charleston-North Charleston jumped in June to 1.1 percent of mortgage loans, compared with 0.6 percent a year earlier, First American CoreLogic housing researcher says. Still, the figure is below the 1.6 percent national average. Charleston area home prices decreased by 2.03 percent in June to a median $205,000. But prices nationally sunk 10.7 percent.

Market rockets to record gain

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 936.42 points on Monday. WASHINGTON — Wall Street roared back from last week's devastating losses on Monday, sending the Dow Jones industrials soaring a nearly inconceivable 936 points, as the Bush administration rushed to revamp the largest U.S. bailout plan in history. Stocks skyrocketed not only in the United States but around the world in response to dramatic efforts here and overseas, and the possibility of even bolder American action, including purchases of bank stocks by the federal government. The rally began in Asia, spread to Europe and then caught fire when Wall Street rocketed higher. After eight days of bloodletting that drained nearly 2,400 points off the Dow and wiped out about $2.4 trillion in shareholder wealth, the U.S. blue chip index rose 936.42, or 11.08 percent, to 9,387.61, its biggest one-day point gain in history. Few expected this kind of advance, which saw the Dow by far outstrip its previous record one-day point gain, 499.19, set during the waning days of the dot-com boom. The massive rebound also pushed the Standard and Poor's 500 up 11.5 percent, or 104 points, its biggest point gain ever. The Nasdaq composite index climbed 195 points, or nearly 12 percent, its second-biggest gain in percentage terms. Cheers and applause broke out on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the closing bell, and trading was so active that prices were still being computed several minutes after the closing bell, longer than it would take on a quieter day. Still, while the magnitude of the gains stunned investors and analysts, few were ready to say Wall Street had reached a bottom. The market is likely to have back-and-forth trading in the coming days and weeks, and may well see a pullback when trading resumes today, as investors work through their concerns about the banking sector, the stagnant credit markets and the overall economy. The rebound in stocks came as the Bush administration worked with executives of the nation's biggest banks to shift and shape new pieces and get credit flowing. Scrambling to catch up with events, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and the bankers were modeling many parts of their revamped program after strong initiatives in Europe, where governments put $2.3 trillion on the line Monday in guarantees and other emergency measures to save their banks. Elements being considered for the overhauled U.S. program included not only the details for purchasing banks' bad assets, the major feature of the $700 billion bailout bill that sped through Congress, but also direct government purchases of stock in banks. A financial industry official said the administration will use perhaps as much as $250 billion of the rescue funds recently passed by Congress for stock purchases, providing the banks with badly needed money. The official, who spoke with knowledge of a Treasury Department meeting Monday, commented only on the condition of anonymity because the details of the plan have yet to be released. Another initiative under consideration: providing government guarantees for the short-term loans banks make to each other, a vital credit avenue that has come under severe stress as fears have mounted over the hundreds of billions of dollars of losses that began with the meltdown of the subprime mortgage market in the United States more than a year ago. "These are tough times for our economies, yet we can be confident that we can work our way through these challenges and America will continue to work closely with the other nations to coordinate our response to this global financial crisis," President Bush said after a meeting with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi at the White House. Over the weekend, Paulson had called the heads of the five biggest U.S. banks to Washington for face-to-face talks about the rescue plan, according to people briefed on the matter. Democrats in Congress, while supportive of Paulson's desire to expand the program, complained that not enough strings were being attached, such as restricting excessive compensation for Wall Street executives who raked in millions of dollars in bonuses by pursuing risky investment strategies that have now helped push the U.S. financial system to the brink. The government should purchase stock only in financial firms that agree to cut dividends paid to shareholders, adhere to strict limits on executive compensation and curb use of exotic investment strategies, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, said Monday. As for Europe, governments there said they were putting $2.3 trillion on the line, based on pledges from Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Portugal in recent days. To assist the European banks, the Federal Reserve said Monday that it was taking actions to assure enough U.S. dollars were available to meet demand. "The government cannot just leave people on their own to be buffeted about," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The U.S. bailout bill was passed by Congress on Oct. 3. In the past 10 days, the administration has hurried to get it implemented even as officials have struggled to nail down the broad outlines of how the package will work. The administration on Monday announced the selection of a team of interim managers, picked an outside firm to help run the program and selected a New York law firm to draw up guidelines for how the stock purchase program will work. Officials also announced that Bernanke had agreed to serve as chairman of the oversight board Congress mandated. On Wall Street, investors returned to the stock market with gusto, with some saying stocks had been driven down to fire-sale prices. John Lynch, chief market analyst for Evergreen Investments in Charlotte, said Monday's rally was encouraging but he doubted it signaled the worst has passed. He pointed to ongoing strains in the credit markets and the bleak outlook for corporate earnings for 2009. "My screen is completely green and I love that, but I'm not doing any back flips yet," he said. "We still have many challenges up ahead." Denis Amato, chief investment officer at Ancora Advisors, said it's too soon to say whether the market has started to carve out a bottom and that the credit markets where many companies turn for day-to-day loans will need to loosen for stocks to hold their gains. With the U.S. bond markets and banks closed Monday for Columbus Day, it was difficult for investors to gauge the reaction of the credit markets to actions by major governments. Amato said the severity of the selling last week was one possible signal that the market might be nearing a bottom and that the stepped up intervention of the government is a welcome sign for the markets. "I think we had enough negatives last week that if the government steps in we could have a pretty nice run. Is it off to the races? No, I don't think so. We have a lot of stuff to work through," he said.

N. Charleston plan raises concerns

Affordable housing advocates and proponents of so-called smart growth likely would look at local architect Neil Stevenson's housing development proposal in North Charleston with nodding approval. Wade SpeesThe Post and Courier Developers Neil Stevenson (from left), Chic Linberry and Guido Evangelista discuss a neighborhood of affordable homes they are planning off Remount Road near Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. The plans call for about 135 homes to be built on 24 acres near existing businesses, waterlines and roads — just two blocks from the Remount Road exit on U.S. Interstate 26. The homes would be built using modular construction techniques, and the high density being requested would enable the developer to price most of the units in the mid-$100,000 range. But as residents of the neighboring Singing Pines community see it, the proposed project would create more traffic, noise and other issues. They are fighting the developer's request to build more homes than the current zoning allows in a dispute that underscores one of the difficulties of building affordable housing in an area where land prices have risen rapidly. Greg Spencer, 43, who grew up in Singing Pines, said Stevenson's proposal calls for lots that are half the size of the typical home site in his neighborhood. "They want to jam twice as many houses in the same amount of space, and it's going to create much more traffic going through that little neighborhood," he said. "It's such a small area, and you're going to double the people without making any improvements at all." If you go WHAT: North Charleston planning commission members will consider rezoning a 24-acre parcel of land to allow more homes to be built. WHEN: Tonight, 6 p.m. WHERE: North Charleston City Hall, 4900 Lacross Road. Singing Pines is an older community of single-story brick houses. The neighborhood, which has about 185 home sites, is tucked behind a heavily commercial section of Remount Road near Rivers Avenue. Stevenson's proposal, which was put together by Development Group Inc. of Mount Pleasant, would add 135 homes at the entrance of Singing Pines. The developers are seeking permission to build 45 more homes than they could under the existing zoning. By spreading the costs of the project over more houses on smaller lots, prices can be kept low, Stevenson said. "He's right in that if you can't maximize the value of the land with getting a higher density, the values are going to go up," said Tammie Hoy, an affordable housing advocate and executive director of the Lowcountry Housing Trust. Hoy applauded the developers for thinking "strategically about where development should happen." Stevenson said he approached the development as an experiment; the slumping housing market didn't matter. "Originally, the whole idea behind this was wanting to design cool houses that were affordable," he said. But developers also need to make a profit, a fact that has exacerbated a sense of distrust among some Singing Pines residents. At a heated neighborhood meeting Oct. 2, residents repeatedly brought up how drivers already cut through their neighborhood during rush hour. When it was suggested by the developers that speed bumps be added, the audience erupted in protest, saying they don't want them. North Charleston City Councilman Bob King, whose district includes the neighborhood, said he opposed the development because the residents don't like it. Planning commission member Suzanne Thigpen said she understands the need for open space. But she also acknowledged that the commission needs to weigh housing affordability concerns and the rights of developers. "We have all these little pockets in the city that can be developed. ... They have to blend in with what's already there, so that's a very important aspect at this point," said Thigpen, who is undecided on the proposal. The planning commission is scheduled to hear from the developer and Singing Pines residents at a meeting today. Stevenson said he wishes opponents would understand the importance of creating affordable housing closer to where the majority of the region's jobs are. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look around and see that traffic is ridiculous. People have to commute from 50 miles away to work," he said. Meanwhile, Spencer wonders how his neighbors will adjust to the new homes if the proposal passes. "Older people aren't as accepting to change. They're used to it being that way," Spencer said. "And they feel that this is going to be forced down their throats — which isn't always bad, progress has to happen — and that (it's going to happen) whether or not they voice their concerns."

Blotter: Highlights from City of Charleston police reports

Blotter O' The Week: Two 40-year-old men at a car dealership got into an argument when one of them accidentally let go of a balloon. The other man chided him over what that would do to the ecosystem. The one who lost the balloon ended up approaching the complainer, causing the man to pull out his pocketknife in defense.

Thieves stole a refrigerator last week, but only made it two blocks before abandoning the fridge in a woman's front yard. Talk about frozen assets.

West Ashley High School had five arrests in one day, either for assault or disturbing school, plus an additional report of suspicious activity. The real victim? A lunchroom hamburger thrown during one of the fights. Come on, man. There are starving kids in Third World countries who ... wouldn't eat that food.

A woman called police after receiving phone calls from four separate in-laws, each telling her they would "whip" her ass. Breaking News: All four will be played by Tyler Perry in the movie adaptation.

Officers responding to a call about a car break-in spotted a man carrying a purse (black suede with hearts on it) and asked if the purse was his. "It's not a purse," he told them. "It's a bag." Despite his valiant effort at metrosexuality, the man was arrested for breaking and entering.

Bikes stolen this week: nine

iPods stolen: nine

Text Threat O' The week: "i always around. u is a dead bitch and u don't know it."

The Blotter is taken from City of Charleston police department reports. We've added a cartoon and a little commentary. We've added a little humor, too. No one has been found guilty. This is not a court of law.

Debate brewing between local beer brands, state law

September 29, 2008 By Molly Parker,Staff Writer Coast Brewing Co.’s HopArt IPA flows freely from the tap at Evo Pizzeria in North Charleston’s historic downtown district. “It’s our biggest seller, for sure,” said Brendan Sweeny, the restaurant’s general manager. Other establishments in Charleston, West Ashley and Mount Pleasant reported the same. The local brewery, just 1 year old, is so popular its makers can’t keep up with demand. It seems that owners David Merritt and Jaime Tenny are whetting Charleston’s appetite for locally brewed beer. That public support could help in the spring as they attempt to persuade South Carolina’s traditionally conservative Legislature to loosen the state’s beer and liquor regulations. Their main request: Allow tastings and beer sales at the brewery. Doing so could provide them additional income and spread the word about their label, they said. And eventually, if enough microbreweries follow suit, they contend it could create a major tourism boon for the area. “If you want a vibrant beer business in South Carolina, they are going to have to change some laws,” Merritt said. Though it’s regulated under a different set of alcohol laws, Wadmalaw Island-based Firefly Distillery — which makes the region’s acclaimed sweet tea-infused vodka — will push for similar rights. The company’s efforts failed last year. State booze decree S.C. law requires distribution of beer and spirits through an independent wholesaler. The issue brewing in the Statehouse is part of a long-standing national debate over the middle man — the wholesaler who is required to transport alcohol from the manufacturer to the retailer — in the three-tiered system that has been the norm in every state since the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition in 1933. Distributors are charged with collecting government taxes, monitoring and tracking their products and providing alcohol education. The majority of states have made some exceptions to the rule, allowing beer samples and sales at microbreweries, for instance. South Carolina allows local vineyards that right, but not breweries or distilleries. Brewpubs can sell their alcohol on site but cannot distribute it elsewhere. “There’s a lot of education that needs to be done in regards to craft beer. It’s really akin to wine,” said Tenny, who also heads Pop the Cap South Carolina, a nonprofit organization that supports the region’s craft beer industry — if you can call it an industry. Few local taps In a city that prides itself on originality in hospitality, a beer connoisseur is limited largely to national and international labels. Coast, Southend Brewery & Smokehouse and Palmetto Brewing Co. are the exceptions. Palmetto broke ground in 1993, becoming the first microbrewery to open in South Carolina in more than a century. Southend opened in 1998 as a brewpub, not a microbrewery, so its eight different styles can be consumed only at the restaurant on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston. Firefly started up in 2006 and remains the state’s only micro-distillery. In the 75th anniversary year of Prohibition’s repeal, supporters of homegrown labels across the country are asking state lawmakers to a take a hard look at laws that might inadvertently hinder the art. Brewing is as much a creative career as a scientific one. Request a wheat beer, India pale ale, barley wine or pilsner, and you know generally what to expect. Yet it doesn’t take a finely tuned palate to relish the differences among labels. Beer combines the creative blend of color, bitterness, flavor and aroma, a concoction devised through the mix of barley and hops, timing and temperature. The best judge of a recipe is the tongue, says Merritt: “Does it taste good or not?” Rapid popularity Apparently at Coast, it does. The microbrewery delivered its first barrel to Evo last September. Three months later, it had maxed out production and was in 32 different restaurants within a 15-mile radius of its home on the former Navy base in North Charleston. It is among the best sellers at Gene’s Haufbrau in West Ashley, said bartender and part-time manager Chris Ficara. “It’s a great beer,” Ficara said, “but the initial interest was because customers wanted to try a local beer, so I do think there’s room for growth there.” Tar Heel state goes home-brewedNorth Carolina is among those states that made exceptions for microbreweries, and the industry there is thriving. “I can see where it would be a big bar and hurdle to breweries if you were obligated to go through a wholesaler without a choice,” said Oscar Wong, founder and owner of Highland Brewing Co. in Asheville, N.C. His is the largest and oldest microbrewery in a city that has been sprouting them in the past several years. The town of about 70,000 people has one microbrewery for every 10,000 residents, with three more planning to open by year’s end, Wong said. Neither Wong nor the Asheville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau could assign a dollar figure to the microbreweries’ economic impact on the city. But one need look no further than the mid-September Brewgrass Festival, which quickly sold out of its 3,500 tickets, to see that it certainly makes one, said Dodie Stephens, bureau spokeswoman. Many of the attendees were from out of town, she said, dumping money into hotels, restaurants and other attractions. “The menus here for local beer are longer than the regular drink menus. We promote the microbreweries heavily on the tourism side,” she said. A legislative ally Merritt and Tenny thought about moving to North Carolina. But in the end, they decided their hearts were in Charleston and that perhaps they could teach this town a thing or two about the local brew. They have already had some success. Last year, Pop the Cap found a legislative ally in Republican Rep. Bill Herbkersman, who, along with his brother, founded the first brewpub in the state in the late 1990s. The two operated Hilton Head Brewing Co.; St. Simons Brewing Co.; and Columbia Brewing Co. The joy of local beer is in the naming rights, he said. For years in Columbia, they sold a football season favorite called Cocksure Red. “I think we’ll fight the fight again,” said Herbkersman, now a Bluffton real estate developer. “We’d be crazy if we didn’t, particularly with the influx of people moving in from the North. They are just used to local brews. I think if we do it, it really provides enterprise and jobs and we can really take advantage of an opportunity.” The organization scored its first coup last year, convincing lawmakers to up the alcohol content allowed in beers from 6.2% to 17.5% by volume. (Coast’s brews range from 4% to 9 %.) Pop the Cap got its name from the high-gravity beer fight. But it is about to adopt a more holistic label, the S.C. Brewers Association, and will continue to support the state’s fledgling craft beer industry, Tenny said. Wholesalers distribute power, tooIt won’t be an easy sell. The wholesalers’ lobbying arms have a tradition of wielding a heavy influence in political circles. Between 1990 and 2008, the National Beer Wholesalers Association ranked 26th in political donations, having given more than $18.5 million to congressional candidates. In South Carolina, between January 2007 and May 2008, the S.C. Beer Wholesalers Association spent $32,054 at Houston’s Enterprise Catering in Columbia to provide lunches for state lawmakers, according to records filed with the S.C. State Ethics Commission. Julie Cox, executive director of the wholesalers association, said the organization is open to discussion. It’s too early to say exactly what the state’s two dozen distributors would sign on to, she said. But the time might have come, she conceded, to carve out exceptions for micro-breweries and distilleries in the interest of promoting small business and the tourism economy. “We’re not closing the door to anything,” Cox said. “We’re just strongly supporting our three-tier structure.” When session convenes in 2009, the brewers are hoping for a compromise. Distributors are vitalMost microbreweries of any size could not operate without the help of the middle man. Palmetto, even in its infancy, was able to find a distributor in Charleston with ease. “For us, breaking into the market wasn’t a problem,” said Palmetto co-owner Louis Bruce. “We were the very beginning of the trend. We were on the front page of the paper and stuff. Microbreweries were kind of a big deal, and it was sweeping the country, and it was just timing and dumb luck on our part, too.” Firefly co-owner Scott Newitt said that, if anything, allowing on-site tastings and sales should help distributors. The more popular the product, the more places will want it, he said. Last year, Firefly lobbied for a bill that would have allowed the distillery to sell directly from its shop. It passed the House but was never called to a vote in the Senate. Firefly, like Coast, will be back at it this spring, Newitt said. “Why should Kentucky have the Bourbon Trail and Tennessee the whiskey houses, but, in South Carolina, tourists cannot sample our vodka products?” he said.