Posts by : Samantha Havens

Hey tennis fans! Looking for something to do with the whole family?  Come to Charleston, SC for a week of fun filled tennis at the Family Circle Cup on Daniel Island.  This annual event hosted in Charleston, SC at the Family Circle Cup Stadium is a women's only championship that features the top players from around the world from March 30-April 7th.  As stated on the official FCC website, "The Family Circle Cup, a WTA Premier Event, has a roster of past champions that include some of the biggest names in the history of women's tennis including Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Justine Henin,...

Living and/or vacationing on Seabrook Island would surely be a treat for anyone.  Luxury amenities, a secure, gated community and private, residential surroundings.... it's all there.  Think it's unaffordable to even consider?  Think again.

Here is a featured townhome that is available for sale for under $450k - FURNISHED.  http://www.havenscharlestonrealestate.com/listings/view/residential/1128680

Ready immediately for you and your family, this home has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and an elevator should you prefer to access all 3 levels by lift rather than by foot.  Exceptionally well maintained and spotless.  Bring your bathing suits and golf clubs because that is all you need to start e...

Unique opportunity to own almost 50 acres on beautiful, private Wadmalaw Island, SC about 30 minutes from the heart of Charleston.

http://www.havenscharlestonrealestate.com/listings/view/residential/1227888

A horse lovers delight, this private retreat offers over 5000 square feet of luxury and a fully-equipped 20-stall barn and 1200 sq ft caretakers cottage. Just in case you feel the need to offer your guests even more privacy, there is a separate one bedroom guest house that connects to the main house by a covered walkway and overlooks the main home's saltwater pool. Absolutely gorgeous in pictures but even more breathtaking impressive in person.  

Call Sam Havens at 843.830...

The Charleston real estate market is hot and that does not mean rentals are being left behind!  Rentals are just as active these days and they are moving quick!  

Need a rental soon?  Want to see everything that is available at once?  Your questions are answered right here.  Click on this link for all Charleston rentals...

http://www.havenscharlestonrealestate.com/listings/index/class:8/area:21,22/lp:0/hp:999999999999/br:0/br_e:0/fba:0/fba_e:0/hba:0/hba_e:0

Have pets?  Give me a call or send me an email and I will happily customize your search for all pet friendly properties in the area.  

Contact info:

Samantha Havens, Sam@HavensCharlestonRealEstate.com, 843.830.2733

Searching for a home that's close to downtown Charleston and the beaches?  Welcome to James Island, SC.  With buyer confidence on the rise and an increased momentum in the real estate market due to favorable pricing and low interest rates, we see homes going under contract much more quickly these days leaving less inventory for buyers to choose from.  For those buyers who want know exactly what's out there under $300k, look no further.... 

Click this link to see all active homes between $200k-$300k on James Island.  After clicking on the link, you can sort the results by price or start a new search of your own with specific criteria that is most important to you!

http://www.havenscharle...

For everyone and anyone just thinking about or actively trying to sell your home! 

Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall when potential buyers view your home to see what it is they have to say or what rooms/features actually "seal the deal"?  Well, here is a Top 10 list of things that end up being the "thing" or "things" that virtually sell every home out there regardless of who the buyer is.  

Some of the most important tips include the following:

1) Curb Appeal - might sound obvious but many sellers are so caught up in improvements INSIDE their home, they sometimes forget about the exterior! And of course, not only is the exterior what buyers are going to see first but it is fr...

With Nemo rearing its ugly head for our friends and family in the Northeast, now might be the perfect time to start talking about summer.  Warm breezes, refreshing dips in the ocean and the smell of coconut suntan lotion isn't really that far off after all.  Not only are you going to want to think about the last minute workout sessions to keep yourself in tip top bathing suit weather, but it will also benefit you to get a jump on some of the fabulous vacation homes that are available to buy or rent in Charleston!  There are so many wonderful options to consider for that perfect getaway or even as a second home - Have you considered Seabrook and Kiawah Islands? What about Wild Dunes, Isle ...

It is probably one of the most important questions you will ask no matter what side of the real estate fence you are on... Buyers and Sellers are obviously interested in home values...

In my experience, there isn't just one formula to arrive at the best answer.  There are alot of pieces to the puzzle and it takes a blend of experience and thorough market knowledge to present a price that makes sense. 

Let me help you get to the bottom of this!  No obligation - Just honest, expert real estate knowledge working on your behalf.  Call today for your custom report.

Have you or someone you know been looking for that perfect location where you can relocate or just escape for a few weeks at a time with access to miles of private beach, renowned golf courses, fabulous dining and close to the cosmopolitan attractions of Charleston SC..... Your search is over.  Welcome to Seabrook Island.

Located just about 20 miles from the heart of downtown Charleston, South Carolina, Seabrook Island is a unique, oceanfront barrier island surrounded by protected marshland, gorgeous championship golf courses, an equestrian facility, multiple dining options and a natural habitat of wildlife that reminds you "you just might not be in Kansas anymore..."  Having recently un...

12 Days of Christmas???  How about 12 New Hotels of Charleston??!!  The #1 tourist destination in the world is getting ready to keep up with the surge of annual visitors - reaching about 5 million each year and growing! - with plans for TWLEVE new hotel projects going on around the city.  This amazing endeavor will provide Charleston with about 1500 more hotel rooms which represents just over 40% more than currently exists in our beautiful city. 

Get ready to enjoy boutique style and famed brand name chains spanning the blocks of Meeting, King, Lockwood, Cannon Streets ... and more....

Read more about it here: 

http://southeast.construction.com/yb/se/article.aspx?story_id=180066109

As if Charleston wasn't already all the "buzz" having just hosted the PGA Championship, been the "go-to" location for recent celebrity wedding of Ryan Renyolds and Blake Lively, and consistenly been named Top Ten Friendliest Places to Live.....now, JetBlue comes to town!  As of February 2013, JetBlue has announced that it will offer daily, nonstop service between Charleston and JFK and Boston Logan airports.  It is estimated that this service will add about 100 seats daily to these Northeast destinations -- a much needed addition based on the visitor influx from that area.  Get ready to enjoy full leather seats, great leg room and low fares!  Read the full story here....  http://www.posta...

Well, folks it's good news.  Really good news.  Just by looking at the figures in the very top row of this report for August 2012, you can see the housing market continues to head in the right direction:

Sales and Listings are UP, Inventory is DOWN.

Knowing that we have been able to reduce market inventory by about 27% in just 1 year shows significant improvement and confidence for Charleston real estate as a whole.  Even with the flood of short sales and foreclosures that are still moving thru the sales funnel, average selling prices are up almost 3% YTD.  This is GOOD NEWS and we should continue to be optimistic about the future of our economy.  On the fence about selling your home?  ...

With Summer here, I always get the urge to lighten the load, so to speak... Sunny, warm - OK hot, days (esp. here in Charleston!) make me want to have everything around the house easy, breezy and uncluttered.  You know, super comfortable yet chic.  If you've got this bug too, take the time to de-clutter now!  And if you are moving or have just moved, even better!!!  Throw out the old stuff you have been looking at too long , rearrange your furniture, artwork, heck, even your bedspreads.   It automatically perks up and changes the mood of your home decor.

Here is a great picture I found that depicts what I'm talking about....Simple, comfortable surroundings without sacrificing that tou...

Here is an interesting link you might find helpful when considering lighting for your home and/or office.

"Bring Out the Best With Layered Lighting"

http://realtormag.realtor.org/home-and-design/architecture-coach/article/2012/06/illuminating-options-in-lighting?om_rid=AABY6f&om_mid=_BP4JPyB8jktz2-&om_ntype=BTNMonthly

How many times have you had a nightmare-ish experience with a painting company you hired in the past?  Late, no-show, sloppy work, no clean-up - and then, THEY demand payment... you know the drill.  Your troubles and nightmares are over. 

Meet Southern Exposure Painting. 

Quality painting tradesmen who will not only get the job done in a timely manner but will exhibit museum-quality workmanship with a professional attitude.  It's no wonder this team of experts is well known and well respected predominately on Kiawah and Seabrook Islands, Downtown, Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant.  Their reputation with builders is impeccable, their repore with clients outstanding and their work , well...

Well believe it or not, we are almost thru the 1st half of 2012.... Where does the time go?  We say this every year and I don't think we can every truly answer it.  When it comes to the world of Real Estate, many of us are probably happy that time has passed relatively quickly because as it does, we have seen an improvement in the market which translates to an increase in sales, and a consumer confidence which in turn, fuels the overall economy.  I am by no means a market analyst, but I can tell you that my personal real estate business has increased year over year and many of my peers are experiencing the same thing. 

But, let the numbers do the talking....

Here is a snapshot of 1st Ha...

Buying a new home or thinking about it?  Just moved in and ready to get things in order?  Well, aside from all the beautiful accessories, furniture and artwork you are anxiously fussing with to get in just the right place, there are some basics you will need to have on hand to make your job a little easier.  Grab a pen and get ready to head to Lowes!  Tools, tools, and more tools are in your near future!

This is a great checklist of items - courtesy of Sold Ground - a local, reputable Home Inspection business I have used many times and would be happy to recommend to new clients.  Some items may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised what gets lost in the shuffle of a move, disappearing int...

I was especially proud to call Charleston my home as I took some friends around town this past weekend.  Yes, Charleston is beautiful in so many ways, but simply taking time to appreciate all the history and architecture that helps make it so beautiful is part of what these out-of-towners loved the most. 

Just imagining a home that tips the scales at 10,000 square feet that some unknown family over 200 years ago was not only lucky, but wealthy enough to call their private residence is sure to boggle most minds.  But actually SEEING this home's original structure and original details brings it to a whole new level. 

Here are some pictures that help bring that imagery to life.  Three incr...

 In honor of the upcoming championship from August 6-11, here are some "fun facts" that I came across from Charleston Golf News that might interest some of you....

The 1st stat is a shocker, ok not really.  I think most of us would bet that golf is predominately male in popularity.  Regardless of gender, why anyone would want to take 5 hours to play a round of golf is beyond me, but then again, I am a tennis player so that might be where my confusion begins.  At any rate, thousands will flock to Kiawah Island in a few short weeks to witness the PGA Championship being played on its breathtaking Ocean Course.  This highly anticipated event is the biggest sporting event Charleston has ev...