Donnie Whitaker Real Estate

Yesterday the three bids for the Wild Dunes beach renourishment project were received. The City council will be voting formally at a special meeting next week to accept and notify the winning bidder. The company that will most likely get the winning bid, has the larger pumping machine and can begin immediately. When I say immediately that doesn’t mean tomorrow but as soon as the bid if formalized (next week) this company whose equipment is currently in New Orleans can began mobilizing and they tell us it will take two to three weeks to move the pumping barges and pipes up here. The actual pumping of sand should begin toward the end of May and barring any unforeseen problems (mostly weather related) they expect to have completed the total beach renourishment in two months or by the end of July. The pump runs 24/7 and the line will be coming in at the Property Owners Beach House site. One other item not formally resolved is receiving the written notification from the Army Corps of Engineers that we can proceed – we have been told that everything is okay by the Corps but not in writing yet. When the project is done we will see right around 200 feet of beach both ways.

While the number of sold property was down on the Isle of Palms, Wild Dunes, and Sullivan’s Island in March of 2008 vs. March 2007, it appears things may be picking up. I think it is safe to say most listing agents would tell you their showings have seen an increase and most buyers agents would say they are seeing an increase in those interest in whats for sale. Fortunately, we are also getting some positive press by the media for a change.

While spring is upon us and summer right around the corner, it will be interesting to see how things shape out. Is the market great? No, are we seeing signs of better days ahead? Possibly. Just remember, the housing market is a continuous cycle. I guess you could say what goes down must come back up!

While many people are still choosing to buy vacation property on the islands, an increasing amount are starting to buy in the City. Why downtown? Well for starters, Charleston has been ranked top three in the country for shopping, and is considered to have some of the best restaurants as well. Many like the idea of having a permanent parking space in the city and being within walking distance to all of the shops and restaurants. When they decided on taking a trip to the beach, they can drive 15 minutes either way to the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, or Folly Beach. Parking is much easier to find on the beaches. While prices can be steep downtown, they are not as out of reach as some people might think . To buy in the shopping district, you are looking at a price range of around $350,000 – $3,000,000 with homes toward the battery ranging up to $7,000,000 or more.
If you have been considering buying downtown, a good place to start would be the real estate studio. Here you can search through all of the listing on plasma tv’s.

For those who dont know, or have never been, the Family Circle Cup has started. If you have never been, and have the chance, it is worth checking out. The Family Circle Tennis Center is located in Daniel Island and one of the best tennis facilities in the country. Each year they draw some of the best women from the WTA Tour and have great activities with free clinincs for you and the kids. I am going to post the link here so if you want more information you can get it. I hope you have the chance to check it out!

Well, I have finally done it. I now have my own personal website that can be found at www.dwcoastalliving.com. This will allow you to easily search properties for sale in the Charleston Market. You will also find some helpful tips for both buyers and sellers, be able to check the local weather, and get information on new developments to the area. I hope you will find my site enjoyable and easy to navigate. I look forwar to hearing from you soon!

Sincerely,

Donnie Whitaker