Living the Charleston Coast Lifestyle with Jennifer O'Brien

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/11/15/how-to-pay-a-lower-interest-rate/

You don’t have to pay 7% for your mortgage interstate rate. Here are 3 ways to get a lower rate.

If you have been looking to buy a home, you’ve seen the interest rates rise from about 3% in January to 7%. That’s a BIG difference in your monthly mortgage payment. But there are lenders and programs available to help get you a lower rate.

1) Lock into a 5-year Adjustable Rate Mortgage

If your purchase price is $640,000 or higher, you are applying for a jumbo mortgage. There are lending programs offering 5.3% locked in for 5 years for a jumbo loan. If the rates lower within those 5 years, you can refinance for the lower rate. If they haven’t lowered, then the rate is capped at an increase of 2 points each year. So after 5 years, your rate would increase to 7.3%. If you aren’t applying for a jumbo loan you can lock into a 6.3% rate for 5 years.

2) Buy Down your Interest Rate

I would recommend this in certain situations - mostly buying new construction.  To buy down your interest rate you pay a higher fee at closing. Let’s say this locks you in around 5% for the 1st year, in the 2nd year it will increase to 6% and then 7% for the 3rd year. I recommend this for new construction, because we can ask the builder to pay this for you! This means no additional money out of your pocket AND you get the benefit of the lower interest rate.

3) First-time homebuyer programs can help with costs

If you’re a first-time homebuyer with limited means, you may be able to qualify for one of the federal programs available that help you buy a house with a lower down payment and reduced closing costs. 

Overall, it’s vital to talk to your lender! As you have seen, the market changes quickly. Your lender is at the forefront of the changes and has various programs to fit your circumstances. If you don’t have a lender please let me know. I have 3 great lenders that I work with and have worked miracles for my clients.

Jennifer O’Brien

(610) 283-0867

www.jenniferobrienhomes.com

[email protected]

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/11/08/thanksgiving-in-the-lowcountry/

Spending Thanksgiving in the Lowcountry? Here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate the day! 

Thanksgiving kicks off the magical season in Charleston and we love to spend it surrounded by friends, family and giving back to our community.

There are more than enough great causes in Charleston a. Whether you’re an animal lover, a a — there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you.

No lowcountry Thanksgiving feast would be complete without an Oyster Roast or a Pig Pickin!  a spend time with our closest friends and family. 

Our golf courses are open for an early morning round! This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions! Having a fun match with friends to see who takes home the prized Pecan Pie!

At the end of the day, eager to walk off the delicious meal, we head to the beach to watch the sunset. 

If you’re looking for ideas to make your lowcountry holiday spectacular, let me know! I’m happy to help with some great ideas for family fun!

I hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving 

Jennifer O’Brien

(610) 283-0867

www.jenniferobrienhomes.com

[email protected]

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/11/01/my-plan-to-sell-your-home-for-the-highest-amount/

A lot of sellers leave money sitting on the table. I make sure we get your home sold for the highest price as fast as possible. 

We will work together to develop a plan that best fits your needs and to maximize the return on your home 

First we prepare your home for listing photos and to be opened for buyers to come and walk through your home. Preparation can in- clude decluttering, touch-up painting, updating fixtures, landscaping, and staging. 

In today’s hot sellers market, I have found it best to list on a Thursday. By doing this, we get ahead of the buyers that are planning their weekend around house shopping. 

I will pre-market your home to dunes properties agents to generate excitement and interest 

Once staging and professional photographs are completed, I will create the video and online marketing, and prepare the distribution as soon as your home hits the market 

An electronic showing request system will be utilized to schedule showings. 

Both you and I will receive text message requests from real estate professionals to show your property. 

Jennifer O’Brien

(610) 283-0867

www.jenniferobrienhomes.com

[email protected]

You don't want to miss this property - https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/10/25/you-dont-want-to-miss-this-property/

Hey Y’all, I’m out previewing this brand new listing on Isle of Palms. The transformation is absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to show it to you.

A stunning mid-century modern retreat nestled on a half acre lot in the heart of Isle of Palms. This home has been completely renovated to the studs, offering luxury living with an incredible new layout and garage addition- all just a short bike or golf cart ride to the beach.

As you enter the home, you'll notice the high ceilings, modern vertical shiplap, and mid-mod color palette throughout, accompanied by warm wood tones, sophisticated lighting and other designer details. 

Entering the main living area, your eye is immediately drawn to the beautiful outdoor space. The pool features a custom Brazilian hardwood deck, custom outdoor shower, and cabana which create a truly stunning atmosphere, especially when lit up at night. Enjoy your days lounging by the pool, cooking meals in the covered cabana, and finish your nights with cocktails by the fire in the cozy, custom seating area.

This is truly a one of a kind property. This home is listed by my very good friend Layne Kipp with Dunes Properties. 

Let’s schedule a call to explore if 1900 Waterway Blvd is a fit for you.

How to Get Top Dollar for Your Home? - https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/10/18/how-to-get-top-dollar-for-your-home/  

My pricing strategy, on average draws offers over asking price for my sellers. You are unique and your life circumstances are unique. We will work together to develop the best strategy for your needs. A comparative market analysis will identify the best comparable sales and market trends to price your home, including similar homes recently sold or under contract similar homes for sale now, and similar homes not sold. For example, expired listings.

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/10/11/visiting-the-south-carolina-aquarium/

So we also get the advantage of walking around the aquarium and checking it out. So let's go see what it looks like.

Well, y'all, one of the fun activities you can do in Charleston is head down to the South Carolina Aquarium. Let's take a sneak peek and I'll show you what they have.

Well, that's a sneak peek of the aquarium. If you're looking for some more fun things to do in Charleston, send me a quick message. I have lots of great recommendations.

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/10/04/you-dont-want-to-miss-this-event/

Are you interested in Kiawah Island Real Estate? Then you don’t want to miss this event!

On November 5th, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra is hosting a Tour of Homes on Kiawah Island. They will be showcasing some of the most stunning and exclusive island homes in the Lowcountry. 

Kiawah Island is a private island community located just 21 miles south of Charleston in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Famed fairways, top-tier tennis, unparalleled amenities, and ten miles of pristine Atlantic shoreline cultivate a lifestyle of sporting and social abundance. Here, a myriad of architectural styles define the acclaimed aesthetic of each neighborhood.

One of the newest neighborhoods is a 62 and older community. This is already 50% sold out, if you’re interested we should plan a tour!

On Saturday, November 5, from 10 to 3, guests are invited to tour magnificent island homes.

After the Tour at 5 p.m., the Charleston Symphony will be performing a free concert at the West Beach Conference Center.

Proceeds from the tour will be used to support the Charleston Symphony and to provide scholarships for student and professional musicians throughout the Lowcountry.

Visit the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Website to purchase tickets.

And give me a call if you want to learn more about Kiawah Island Real Estate.

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/09/27/do-i-need-an-inspection-for-new-construction/

All right, y'all. Should you have a home inspection for your brand new home that was just built? Absolutely. Let's talk about why

So is the builder going to inspect your home? Yes. Is the city gonna come through and inspect your home? Yes, but everyone is human. They can miss things. So I always insists that you have an independent inspector come out to check the property. Some of the things that they're gonna look at is the roof, the flashing, all of the appliances and whether they're operating and the heating system. These are vital parts of your home and some things could be missed.

Part of the process is the builder's own inspection, and you can see that they have some touch up paint here, some areas marked that they haven't yet completed and they've gone through and done a really good job of checking out their list of items that still need to be finished.

Y'all if you can see this front door, it's either gonna need an adjustment or the builder's gonna have to add some weather stripping. You can see daylight coming in through there, and you certainly don't want to move into a new home and have daylight coming in.

One of the things that might be found is that the doors need to have a bit of an adjustment. So like the door right behind me here into the pantry, I want to open it and it's just kind of a little wonky. So our inspector will note that. We'll hand that into the builder that will get fixed for you before you move in. 

Alright y'all, I'm gonna open that door and kind of show you what I was talking about. See if you can, you know, hear the issue. Heard that sound there? There's just something a little bit in here. It needs to be adjusted and the builder will take care of it for you.

Y'all, this is Brandon. He is my preferred inspector, so anytime you work with me, I'm gonna try my best to get you to have Brandon inspect your home. What I really like about Brandon is that he is absolutely honest. He is very thorough and he will give you his real opinion about everything.

After the inspection, Brandon or your inspector is gonna go over everything that he found. He was gonna show you pictures and then at the end of the day you'll also get a report with all of the pictures and all of the details. Here's Brandon showing Emily what came up in her inspection.

Brandon: There'll be a lot of things, A lot of it is kind of just like final punch list type things. Um, there's a few things that are, you know, bigger concerns. --

What's really great about new construction is we are gonna take that report and we are gonna forward it directly to the project manager for your house. They're gonna take care of everything so that by the time your new home orientation comes around, it should all be finished and buttoned up.

So again, y'all definitely, definitely, definitely get a home inspection for new construction. For any other tips on buying homes, gimme a call.

Book Launch in Charleston! - https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/09/20/book-launch-in-charleston/

Hey, y'all. I am at the South Carolina aquarium, which is in downtown Charleston, obviously on the Harbor here for the book launch for the sequel to “The Islanders” written by Mary Alice Monroe, and Angela May. And it is about three kids that spend their summer on Dewees island. Hopefully by now you realize that I am in love with Dewees and the expert real estate agent there. 

So stick with me and let's check out what a book launch at the aquarium is all about in Charleston.

Y’all, well, we got some snacks here, some beverages, and this is just the entrance to the aquarium. If you have never been here.

Y’all here is Angela May talking about the book with some of her fans and we'll get Mary Alice out here. 

Y'all here's Judy Fairchild, who does “Nature Walks with Judy” and I'm sure you've seen a lot of the stuff that I posted for her, but her and Reggie are here.

“We made a bunch of Dewees Island curriculum. We have like a whole history packet for people that look at the artifacts that are in our nature center since they can't get there. 

Fantastic. And they have some of their nature books here for sale and lots more information about Dewees.

All right. Y’all, so they've got those fun little what's your pirate name? So here's mine: Monkey Buckets Sea Wolf. Interesting.

A few more of the books that Mary Alice wrote, and then here's copies of “The Islanders”.

So here is my copy of the sequel book and the first copy you can see they've got a little picture of it on the back. If you haven't read this yet, it's fabulous and it's really a great read.

Well, that's what a book launch is like here at the aquarium. If y'all are looking for a fun read this summer, pick up Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May's book, “The Islanders”

View the Video version of this episode at: https://www.jenniferobrienhomes.com/2022/09/13/wild-dunes-resort/

Did you know that the Isle of Palms is home to one of the best resorts? Perfect for family vacations or private getaways. Stay tuned and let me introduce you to Wild Dunes Resort. 

Located on the Northern end of the Isle of Palms, Wild Dunes offers a reprieve from the stress of everyday life. Immerse yourself in the ideal low country setting, luxury amenities and enjoy a slower pace. Inside this gated community, you'll find a world of wonder to explore. The resort offers two signature golf courses designed by Tom Fasio, a full service spa and wellness center, top 10 ranked tennis facility with 12 clay courts, miles of pristine beach, luxury pools, critically acclaimed restaurants, and so much more.

The real estate in wild dunes is some of the best in Charleston with a variety of home styles and price points, we can find the home of your dreams. Whether you want a home for vacation or to stay for a lifetime. Give me a call and we can explore your options in the luxurious Wild Dunes Resort.