What is a Realtor?

Did you know that as a Realtor representing a client I owe certain duties to the client? 

These duties are part of what we provide in an agency relationship with the client.  This relationship is usually created when the agent has the client sign either a listing agreement or a buyer’s agreement.  These documents are not created to bind the client to the agent, although there is some of that.  We agree to work together, and the client agrees that I am their agent, at least in the specific houses I have shown them or for the specific time we agreed on.

In this relationship with the client, I, as the Realtor, owe certain duties: loyalty, obedience, disclosure, confidentiality, reasonable care and diligence, and accounting.  So, what does this actually mean?

Loyalty states that as your realtor, I will act in your best interests at all times.  In other words, all my actions in our real estate endeavors will be for and in your best interests; not mine, not my friends, not my family.

Obedience:  As an agent I represent you and will follow all lawful instructions in the marketing or buying of real estate.  You are the boss.  Final decisions and directions are determined by you, the client.  An agent should not push you to a more expensive house, or refuse to make an offer because it is too low, for example.  I am the trained professional in Real Estate, and I have trained in order to be your advisor, guide, teacher, and negotiator, but not to make your decisions for you.

Disclosure:  An agent is always honest and I will always be honest with all people, whether they are clients or not.  But, to my clients I must disclose all known and relevant facts that will help you make good decisions.  I owe my loyalty to my client with whom I share my information.  At the same time I cannot keep secret known material facts, this is part of being honest.  And, at the same time I owe the next duty, confidentiality, to my client for all time.

Confidentiality:  I will, and must, keep my clients lawful confidences and secrets.  As an agent I know how low a client is willing to go, or perhaps I know the urgency the client has for selling a house.  This is a confidence I never share.

Accounting:  As an agent I must account for and be responsible for all money and property that has been entrusted to me.

The last duty is reasonable care and diligence.  This means I need to know what I am doing and do it to the best of my ability.  I have taken 90 hours of real estate classes just in the first year.  These classes are in real estate law, ethics, finance, measuring and appraising, and much more.  We have to keep taking classes every two years. 

By the way, there is a difference between real estate agents and a Realtor.  All Realtors are real estate agents, but not all agents are Realtors.  A Realtor is held to a higher standard of ethics and training.

With all the trust and information you give a Realtor, it is good to know we will take care and honor your trust.

So, lets find you a house, or lets get your home sold!  Call me and let me know how I can help.

New Listing in Goose Creek

SOLD!

Check out my newest listing in the Fairfax area of Goose Creek.  The location is very good, close to shopping and my favorite library.  The home owners have taken excellent care of this home, and given it numerous upgrades.  The Florida room is bright and sunny, defiantly my favorite room of the house.  This is one of those homes you could move into without any work.

All white cabinets in the kitchen.

Eat in the kitchen, looking out to the Florida room, or Sun room.

The Florida room is heated and cooled, and has tinted windows which helps with energy efficiency.

The house has a two car garage in the back as well as a storage shed.

My husband and I in Nassau at Fort Fincastle

Several months ago my parents and I walked along Waterfront Park in Charleston, enjoying the views of the harbor and the historic homes.  Children played in and by the water fountains.  We walked towards the dock, planning to sit on the swings to enjoy the view and to visit.  For the first time since moving here, the Carnival Cruise Ship was in port.  With its bright colors and red fin smokestack it looked glaringly out of place.  The ship was larger than I expected.  I had seen the billboards debating the effect of the cruise ships on the area but I had not seen the ship in port before.

            My parents and I complained and grumbled a little about the giant colorful ship docked alongside the historical city, then I remembered I had a scheduled vacation on that ship in a few months.  I fell silent.  A large tanker sailed into harbor and deeper along the river, loaded with crates to offload.  Charleston is a port city and many ships pass through the harbor daily, bringing in goods from all over the world.   These tankers dock deeper down the river.  The cruise ship docks in the middle of the tourist area of the city, just down from the City Market.  I visited downtown several times before and after that day without seeing any cruise ships in port.

            Months later my husband and I arrived at port early in the morning, ready for our cruise.  Embarking early, we found the process easy.  In almost no time we were sitting on a back deck, nearly alone, sipping lemonade and enjoying the view of the Ravenel Bridge.  We were able to walk around the ship, enjoying views of Sullivan’s Island, the ocean and the skyline of the city with all the church steeples reaching into the clouds.  Just before launch time we moved to the front of the ship, leaning on a rail.  A few people were waiting on the city dock to see us off.  It was a chilly day, but sunny.  At 5:00, departure time, the ship blew its horn once.  It was so loud I ducked, nearly diving to the floor to the amusement of everyone around me.  The ship slowly pulled from the dock, backed up along the shore until it was lined up with the deeper channel, we turned and headed out to sea.  The passengers were festive, but the wind was brisk and cold.  Quickly we entered a fog and lost sight of land before we had pulled away.  Most passengers quickly tired of the cold wind and moved back inside, but my husband and I enjoyed the thrill of the wind in our faces as we sailed off. 

A quiet place to enjoy our meals,  in Charleston and during the cruise

            Our cruise had begun, and we enjoyed a wonderful 5 days, docking twice in the Bahamas.  We walked around Nassau and rode a moped around Freeport.  Our last day we woke in our homeport and quickly found our favorite deck for coffee and our last moments to enjoy the views.  The sun was barely up.  The fog was thick and all we could see of the Ravenel Bridge was the light at the very top triangle.   As the sun rose and brightened the fog burned off.  The water was golden in the morning sun.  Sea birds skimmed just above the sea, their wings dragging golden ripples across the smooth water.  Dolphins surfaced and dove.  The harbor was breathtaking.  The trip had been great, the ports beautiful, but how wonderful that it was our home port that took my breath away!

Last night, leaving Freeport

            The cruise ship held 2200 passengers during our trip.  The ship had 10 levels, and we were able to explore all but the bottom 3.  Our room was small, with no window, but it was very comfortable.  The only times we felt crowded were when we walked along the promenade deck during the evening.  This was the deck with the casinos and bars, and everyone seemed to be there at night.  We usually hung out on our favorite back deck, looking at the stars and the ocean.  Truly each person on the ship had a different vacation, from the dancing, drinking and gambling group to the families eating and shopping, those that visited the spa and gym, and then us.  We walked the ship during the day, sat and enjoyed views, toured on our own at the ports and enjoyed the excellent dining.  I am glad we went.

 Getting around town on a moped gave us freedom to explore away from crowds

Nature preserve, this is how the Bahamas looked before development        

    As to the controversy about the ships docking in Charleston, I am unsure.  In Nassau the dock was full of giant floating hotels, and these ships could be seen from all scenic spots.  In Freeport the ships docked in an industrial area, and tourists had to take taxis or rent mopeds, as we did.  The effect on the town seemed less obvious.  The water was clear and beautiful in both ports.  There is a lot to read about the cruise ships and I have just started.  Some people are concerned about the black smoke that comes from the generators when the ship is in port.  I can understand that.  Some people do not want the type of tourist they think cruise ships bring into town.  At a City Council meeting this type of tourist was described as “Heavy-drinking, balloon hat, flip flop, fanny pack wearers.”  Is this a cultural judgment on certain types of people?  Many of the tourists on the ship only made it to the shops in each of the ports.  As sad as that is from a travel point of view, they spent money in the port, good for the local economy.  And for every fanny pack wearer shopping, there were others that explored the restaurants, beaches and other attractions.  Travelers are a diverse group, even those on cruise ships.

Quote is from A Look at Charleston’s Cruise Ship Controversy, by Paul Motter.  Fox News.  Nov 1, 2011.

New Listing in Summerville! by Shelley Hopkins

SOLD!

Peaceful backyard, with the birds for your neighbors!

Take a look at this newly listed home in Summerville.  This property is a great deal for someone willing to do a little work to fix it up.  The location is great, close to schools and the Sangaree Library.  The home is on a short cul-de-sac, with only a few homes on the street.  Just down the road is the library, and the main Sangaree road, an excellent walking or jogging area.

The homeowner had several banana trees that produced fruit, and at least one tree is still on the property.  The bananas are smaller and tastier than what you can find in the stores.  The back yard is fenced, and behind the property are wetlands and woods, meaning that the new homeowner will have lots of privacy and peace.

This home was constructed with SIPS energy efficient panels, which translates into energy savings for you.  This is a great deal, and I am ready to show it to you right now!

Things to do in Charleston for Christmas by Shelley Hopkins

The Charleston area is a wonderful place to celebrate Christmas, and to host out of town family members.  We may not have ice cycles and snowmen, but we are not lacking in Christmas spirit.  One local tradition is the James Island County Park lights.  We piled our family into one car, and drove all around the park, enjoying a lighted Santa, snowflakes, elves tossing snowballs, pirate ships, flags, and literally hundreds of lighted trees.  The show starts at the lake with our famous Ravenel Bridge nicely reflected on the water.   Midway through the drive we parked to walk through the rest of the attractions.  Kids and parents roasted marshmallows over fire pits, children rode a merry go round, and we walked among the smells of the fires, kettle corn and funnel cakes.  The best part was the enchanted forest full of butterflies, frogs and lights sprinkled all through the trees.  Our entire family decided to make this a new tradition for the Christmas week.  We enjoyed the light show a couple of days after Christmas, avoiding the long lines and crowds.

One warm sunny day before the holiday we drove to the beach on Sullivan’s Island, wearing shorts and sandals.  As we crossed the bridge we left the sunny day behind, driving into a wall of ocean fog.  We parked and walked along the boardwalk, the fog moving among the sea grasses.  We could only hear the ocean, hidden by both fog and low tide.  The lighthouse barely penetrated the mist, and it was eerily beautiful.  The fog cleared as the sun slowly set, the colors made even more vivid as the fog burned off.  

We took our family members to see the Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island.  We all drink tea and yet we had never seen actual tea plants.  We took a tour of the plantation, viewing the farm, the green house, and simply enjoying the beauty of the area.  In the shop we sampled different hot and cold tea drinks.  The plantation has 127 acres of Camellia Sinensis tea plants, grafted from original plants rescued from a Summerville farm that had been neglected.  We also stopped at the Angel Oak Tree, an absolutely beautiful and amazing tree at least 500 years old.  It is huge, rambling, and shades an area over 17,000 square feet.  To stand under this tree is to be amazed at the beauty and depth of nature. 

Charleston has so much to see with history, museums, architecture and home tours, but how wonderful it is to be able to enjoy the outdoors any time of the year.

Charleston Single House by Shelley Hopkins

One of the best things about living in Charleston is the beauty of the nature, and of the neighborhoods and homes.  I am on a quest to learn more about the architecture and history of the area, so I am starting with the Charleston Single Home.  This is a home style unique to the Charleston area.  Homes are narrow and long, a single room’s width wide.  Usually, but not always, the homes have beautiful side porches with a door on the porch.  This door allows the main entrance to the home to be more private, and is a way of signaling if the homeowner wants company, with an open door saying welcome.

  I love the idea of a porch door because this reinforces the idea that the porch, also called a piazza, is part of the home.  These porches open to side yards or gardens.  The next home usually has fewer or smaller windows on that side, giving the garden privacy for the homeowner. 

The long slender home style with the piazza is perfect for the hot summers, offering cross ventilation.  This style started in the early 18^th century before electricity and air conditioning.  I researched the Charleston County Library web site to learn more about the history of this architectural style.  Many people thought this style was due to home owners facing the narrow part of the home on the street front to avoid paying taxes, with the idea that homes were taxed on the amount of street front they had.  This seems to be a tour guide legend with no basis in history. 

There are several main reasons this home style flourished, including privacy,  the cross ventilation and also perhaps fire control.  The first single house was recorded in the early 1700’s.  Walls surrounded the city and space was at a premium.  The single house provided a wise use of space with privacy and style.  In the mid 1700’s Charleston suffered a fire, and after this time period single houses flourished.  Row houses were closer together, and with the single house each home was separated by a side area courtyard. 

Perhaps the Charleston single is a mixture of the plantation homes of the south and the more cosmopolitan port homes many of the Charleston residences would see in their travels.  The best thing about Charleston is how these homes have such beautiful gardens and flowers.  Nearly every season of the year something is blooming or doing well, and Charleston homeowners know how to enjoy their gardens.  I visited the low country years before and my main memory was of the gardens.  Whether the home was a mansion or a humble shack, wisteria and flowers were everywhere.  With a climate like ours, why wouldn’t we enjoy every moment.

If you are interested in searching for this style home in Charleston please feel free to visit my website, ShelleyHouseHunters.com  or to home search for an already made search

Moving with Children by Shelley Hopkins

Lessons learned from moving

            My husband and I have moved many times during our 28 years of marriage.  First we moved from one apartment to another, then from town to town, and finally to new states.  We have purchased 4 homes over the years, but we are living at our 15^th address, 16^th if you count the camper we lived in for a couple of months.  We have lived in 4 states, NC, GA, WV and SC.  Most of this moving was done with children, as a typical busy family.

            A few things I have learned involve moving with children.  It is important to prepare them, but depending on the age it is best not to start too soon.  We read books on moving, and talked about the new location.  We tried to help them understand that nothing important changes.  The family will stay the same, just in a different building. 

            We let them pack a special box of their favorite toys and a bag or backpack with their most important possessions.  The box they labeled or watched me label so they would understand that this box belonged to them and would be waiting for them in the new home.  The bag they could keep with them, so that while they could see the house being packed up, they knew where the favorite toy or book was.

            When my daughter was little she had a fear that when our things went into boxes we would never see them again.  She thought we were going to start out in our new home with nothing.  Having her special bag at least insured that the stuffed animal she slept with would always be by her side. 

            We homeschooled our children, and I remember that before and after a move their schoolwork suffered.  Sometimes their behavior was less than great, and it seemed like they fought more and cried more during this time.   Moving is stressful and can be especially hard on children.

            Moving with teenagers can be very difficult.  Teens are struggling to find their place in the world, and now they are being asked to pick up and start over.  Parents need to be especially sensitive to the emotional toll moving can cause.  It is tempting to try to smooth over their worries by promising everything will be the same.  It will not be the same.  It may be better or worse, but it will not be the same.  New adventures await, but to reach them old adventures have to end.  It may be hard for older children and teens to make friends, and it will take time.  Expect some tears.  Be understanding, and know that it will get better.  Encourage them to become involved in activities, clubs, sports, or volunteer work.  Reaching out to help others is a great way to move away from our own problems.

            Try to build special memories in the new home.  Have a fancy meal together, find and enjoy new walks, discover cool little shops nearby.   Let the kids choose their own paint colors, even if the walls end up bright orange with periwinkle blue.

            For me a house begins to feel like a home after we have entertained guests, celebrated birthdays, and decorated for the holidays.  Shared memories make a house a home.