Myrtle Beach Real Estate Blog

DR Horton hosted the monthly Realtor Night Out event last night at Liberty Taproom.  It was definitely worth attending as they announced two exciting new communities here in the Myrtle Beach area, Ocean Walk (formerly Bermuda Gardens) and Fox Chase.

Ocean Walk offers new single family homes and townhomes in a prime location just minutes from the beach.  Located on the southern end of Myrtle Beach just off Highway 17, this small community has an intimate feel with top notch amenities including an indoor heated pool, hot tub, outdoor walk-in pool, lazy river, and state of the art exercise room.  Homes in Ocean Walk offer upgrades such as granite countertops, hardwood and tile flooring, brushed nickel fixtures, and so much more.  Pricing starts in the upper $100s and limited home sites are available so contact us today for more information.

Fox Chase at Collins Creek is located off Highway 707 in Murrells Inlet convenient to the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk and everything else the southern end of the Grand Strand offers.  Amenities include community pool and clubhouse.  DR Horton is building new homes starting in the low $200s. 

Contact Beach Realty Group today for more information about purchasing a new home in either one of these fabulous communities.  843-424-6900. 

I want to share with everyone a beautiful listing we have in the Calais neighborhood of Grande Dunes here in Myrtle Beach.  This home is located at 342 Posada Drive and is being marketed through our Signature Home Collection which is geared toward advertising high end properties.  Contact us today for additional information on this home or any other property in Grande Dunes.  843-424-6900.

New construction homes in Myrtle Beach offer great opportunity for customization which is an aspect of new homes that most buyers love. Depending on the homebuilder many upgrades come standard while others charge for upgrades. There will be some tough choices but if you choose wisely you will add tremendous value to your home which will make it more desirable when it comes time to sell.  In this article we will discuss which upgrades you should pull the trigger on for your new home in Myrtle Beach.

1. Kitchen - The kitchen is increasingly becoming more of a focal point in homes today.  This is a great place to spend some extra money.  Ceramic tile floors, granite countertops, top-of-the-line appliances, custom cabinets, and a tile backsplash will all increase your home’s value.  Be sure to comparison shop on the prices for your appliances as sometimes the builder will mark them up higher than a large retailer like Lowe's or Sears.

2. Bathrooms - The second most important areas you want to focus on are the bathrooms.  Tile floors, double sinks (especially in the master bedroom), and nice cabinets are all nice options for you to choose when designing your new home.

3. Landscaping - I cannot overstate the importance of curb appeal for a home.  Most builders provide minimal landscaping so it is a good idea to hire a landscaper to come in after the home is built and put a nice mature landscaping package in.  Or if you have a green thumb you can do it yourself.  Lawn sprinklers are also a must here in South Carolina.  The hot summer sun will torch your grass without them.

4. Outdoor Living Space - Patios, decks, and lanais that include outdoor kitchens are becoming more popular today.  If you are building a custom home many times the builder will take care of adding this option.  If you are working with a national homebuilder you may need to add your outdoor living space after your home is complete.

5.  Square Footage - You can never go wrong when adding square footage to your home.  Many homebuyers and Realtors will place a huge emphasis on the size of a home when estimating its value.  A bonus room, sunroom, and even an office will give you that extra square footage.  These are usually pretty pricy upgrades but are usually worth it if you can afford them.  In the case of a bonus room adding a bathroom is never a bad idea.

The options are endless when it comes to the upgrades you can choose when building your home in Myrtle Beach and there are a lot of very solid builders to choose from.  Contact a Myrtle Beach Realtor today at 843-424-6900 and we can guide you through this sometimes overwhelming process to make sure you are making smart, informed decisions.  If you do this you will undoubtedly end up with your dream home.

A great opportunity brings expansion! Beach Realty Group is excited to announce our latest venture, Beach Rental Group! Our new endeavor will include property management and long term rentals. We are thrilled to welcome Lori Day to our company to head up Beach Rental Group, and are so happy to have her experience and knowledge leading the way! Stay tuned for more information and be sure to like our new facebook page.  Call 843-839-5117 for additional information.

The newest Myrtle Beach retirement community has now started selling the first phase.  Carillon at Tuscany is a 55+ community for those looking for an active lifestyle.  The builder/developer is DR Horton and homes in this gated community start in the low $200s.   Lawn maintenance and irrigation are included in the monthly HOA fees leaving you more time to enjoy the beach, golf, or just plain relaxing.  There are several different floorplans to choose from.

Tuscany features a state of the art clubhouse, two huge sparkling swimming pools, a lazy river, a full size fitness center with commercial grade equipment and locker rooms, two tennis courts, a 24 seat movie room, pool table, card room, a number of parks with benches, and a five mile walking/jogging trail.

Located just off Forestbrook Road and Highway 501, Carillon at Tuscany is convenient to shopping, golf, dining, and all of Myrtle Beach’s world class attractions, including the beautiful Atlantic.

Call 843-424-6900 or email us for more information about the community or purchasing a home in Carillon at Tuscany.

Wouldn't it be nice to sell your home without the expense of paying a real estate agent? Selling For Sale By Owner is effective occasionally, however the majority of people selling property who attempt it eventually end up having to list their home on the market with a realtor. This wastes precious time and might delay the sale.

There are undoubtedly other downsides to attempting to sell without full market exposure. One is that you need to take off work to show your home. Another is that you could be showing your home to potential purchasers who are not pre-approved or even ready to purchase right now.

Perhaps a far more significant disadvantage of selling without full market exposure is that you will never know what it could have sold for with the benefit of a real estate agent marketing your home. You could be leaving cash on the table.

Powerful marketing is definitely one of the crucial elements of realizing the best selling price possible for your home.  Two other essential elements are properly preparing your home for sale and pricing it properly in the market.

You will attain the best results by listing with a real estate agent who provides a marketing plan that incorporates widespread exposure. Find out precisely what an agent will do in order to entice prospects to view your home.

More than 90% of homebuyers these days utilize the internet as a part of their house hunt. That number is even higher here in the Myrtle Beach Real Estate market because of the high number of second homes and investment properties in our area. Be certain that when your home goes on the market there are plenty of excellent photos that show your home off. Research shows that buyers overlook online listings that do not contain photos.

For buyers to relate with your home, the photos will need to be laid out in such a manner that the potential buyers really feel they are wandering through your home. Make sure not to convey that the home has a strange floor plan by positioning photos in a random sequence.

I cannot stress too much just how critical it is that the photos of your home are high quality photos that represent the property appropriately. Exterior photos and photos of the view will go a long way in helping you sell your home. Make sure to include other photos of special features your home has..

Video is fast becoming a popular strategy to introduce buyers to a home. Although, just as with photos, lousy videos can do far more harm than good. Be certain that the person who takes the video is proficient. Quite a few photos and videos seem like they were being taken by somebody who was in a hurry, with no awareness to whether the property was in focus or even properly lighted.

Photos and videos capture exactly what is in view, please make certain your home is uncluttered and staged for sale prior to photos being taken.

Contact us today to set up an appointment to go over our detailed marketing plan or request a FREE CMA.

National Association of Realtors released its latest pending home sales index figure last week,
and for the second month in a row the index is UP.

So what does that mean to you?

Let me connect the dots for you....

The index is up, but even more telling than that, the index has broken 100.

The only time since the housing boom collapsed that the index has broken 100 is when the home owner tax credit was in effect.

SO THAT MEANS  that the index has returned to that level a year since the credit has been in effect means the housing market is strengthening completely on its own, without any stimulus.  NICE.

And that's not all...

Not only are home sales up, but housing starts are up.

Even home prices are stabilizing in many markets and even heading up in some.

Fantastic news!  If you are interested in more information on our Myrtle Beach Real Estate market, contact BRG at 843-424-6900 today!

Hi everyone!  I'm Caryn (Jeff's wife). 
I'm taking on the blog submission for today as my small contribution to the BRG Team.

There is a flurry of behind-the-scenes work going on (as well as the day-to-day work of selling homes)
and the Team is working, working, working to get this launch underway.
So forgive them, and bear with ME - just for a little bit.
They'll be posting like mad soon.  VERY SOON.

For now, let's talk about the obvious.
The Spring Fever that began as a tiny itch for all of us may now be classified as full epidemic status
since the calendar flipped to March 1.
Windows were thrown open, shorts were pulled from the drawer, mass cleaning ensued,
and Riley even walked around barefoot in the backyard.
(You should have seen her face as she discovered the feel of cold grass under her bare little feet - priceless.)
But I digress.

Myrtle Beach is the BEST place for Spring.  Not only is the weather totally sublime,
but there is just so much to do here.
And to really kick off Spring comes Saint Patrick's Day, and all the events that go with it!

Here are just a few events for you to choose from:

Ocean Boulevard Saint Patrick's Day Celebration
March 12th,   2pm to 11pm
Between 8th and 11th Avenues North, Myrtle Beach
There will be vendors with authentic Irish food and drink, a Kids Zone, games, contests, and fireworks.
Plus several bands including Days of the New and Sister Hazel will be performing!
Admission is free.
After-party at Bumstead's Pub

23rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival
Saturday, March 12th, 9am to 4pm
Main Street, North Myrtle Beach
A parade of green down Main Street, followed by a street festival hosting over one hundred arts and crafts booths, food vendors, and two stages with continuous musical entertainment.
Kids will enjoy their own area full fo rides and games.
Admission is free.

2nd Annual Irish Fest
March 12th, noon to 5pm.
The Market Common at Valor Park
There will be lots of Irish beer selections, and facepainting and games for the kids!
Admission is free.

If you're more interested in green beer and drink specials, Myrtle Beach has a bunch of
Irish themed bars and pubs.
Try your luck (get it - luck - St. Patrick's Day - haaa) at:
Handley's in Carolina Forest, Blarney Stones at Broadway at the Beach, Finn McCools on Lake Arrowhead Road, or Molly Darcy's Irish Pub and Restaurant on Ocean Boulevard in North Myrtle Beach, just to name a few!  You're sure to have a good time!

Happy Spring to you all, and keep checking back for more posts from the Beach Realty Group! 
In the mean time, go "like" Beach Realty Group on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/BeachRealtyGroup 
You know you want to....

Big things are happening around here.....BIG THINGS.  I've been crazy busy networking, diligently researching, and feverishly exploring amazing and incredible new possibilities for Elite Realty Group.  I've got BIG news to announce!  But be patient.....

I'm.not.quite.ready.yet.

So stay tuned my friends!  STAY.TUNED.

It's quite the appropriate Jimmy Buffet album title to describe whats coming to Ocean Boulevard in May 2011!

Take a 200 foot ferris wheel, add a Jimmy Buffet's Landshark Bar & Grill, toss in a retail shop, and then situate them side-by-side on the new Ocean Boulevard Boardwalk.  What do you get you ask?  You get AWESOME.  Can you feel me people?  I AM EXCITED.  If you know me at all, you know I love music, I love food, and I love fun.

I remember many many evenings spent at the Margarittaville at Broadway at the Beach.  Even my surprise 30th birthday was there!

As soon as the new Ocean Boulevard Boardwalk opened, off we went with the then brand new-ish Baby Girl Bean to check it out!

A friend told us about the new open-air oceanfront rooftop restaurant and bar at the 2nd Avenue Pier last summer, and we all spent evenings there together until the weather turned cool.

AND NOW.....it seems the food, fun, and libations guru's of Jimmy Buffett's Landshark Bar & Grill are teaming up with the Skywheel people to create a wonderful attraction to add to the Boardwalk.

I will certainly have the family and friends in tow and be one of the very first patrons when they open up in May.  I'll keep you posted!