Barbara Newton

Hi Hoosier,
Wow, you've put forth a fairly broad question. Whether or not you should buy now or wait to see if your $1M will buy more for your money later on really depends on what type of property you want, and in what part of downtown zip 29401 you want to be in - it has lots of different areas and prices. The type of property, size, and location make all the difference. Do you want a house with historic charm but modernized kitchens and baths in the area south of Broad (somewhat near the Battery); or do you want a new condo with views of the bridge; or do you want any number of other properties that fall outside those 2 categories. Assuming you want at least 3 BRs and 2BAs for your $1M, right now on the market in zip code 29401 there are 66 single family dwellings for sale:
30 houses - ranging in size from 900sf to 3160sf, and in price from $462.5K to $1M (none have water views)
36 condos - ranging in size from 1330sf to 3250sf, and in price from $350K to $980K (10 have water views)

Like most real estate in any city, the really prime properties are very limited in number and seldom come on the public market. But, there are other wonderful properties that do come on the market in sought after areas, and their level of desirability is reflected in their price, and how long they stay on the market before being sold.

You can buy a very nice home in downtown Charleston today for $1M or less. The key is, what is more important to YOU - knowing you can find a desirable home at a very good price in today's market, or waiting for a possibly lower price market and the unknown of being able to find a home you really want to buy at that time.

On a personal level, I will tell what most any woman will tell you about shopping for anything (and we are the time honored experts at shopping); if you are in the market for something, and you find it at a good price, you better buy it - because most of the time if you wait for it to be on sale, it's not there when you go back. And, you usually won't find a substitute that you Iike quite as much. So, come on down and take a look at what's on the market now, and see if you find something you want to buy. If you don't, you will at least have had an enjoyable trip to a great city, and you'll also have an excuse to come back again soon to look some more :-).

When you have made the decision to shop or buy, and if you would like my help, please contact me. I will be happy to help you in any way I can. Building a relationship of trust with my clients is paramount to me, and I quite simply consider helping them find the best home to suit their needs, at the best price, as being my job.

All other considerations aside - you know the sooner you buy in Charleston, the sooner you get to come enjoy this wonderful city, and call it home. Hope you will come join us soon.

Best regards,
Barbara Newton
The AgentOwned Realty Co.
843.810.9561 - Tue Jun 23 2009, 18:18