First-Time Home Buyers Guide to Charleston: Finding Your Place in the Southern Gem

Charleston, South Carolina, is a Southern gem with a rich history, culture, and thriving real estate market. From grand historic mansions to tiny waterfront cottages, Charleston, SC, houses for sale reflect the city’s elegance and comfort. Prospective buyers can discover their right home in the city’s diverse architectural styles and thriving communities with a real estate market including historic homes, modern projects, and everything in between. If you plan on acquiring a piece of this gem, Charleston SC real estate agent Roslyn Kay Parker can provide invaluable insights to make your home-buying journey easy.

Parker

Things to do in Charleston, SC

Gibbes Art Museum

The permanent art collection at this downtown Charleston Beaux Arts edifice spans four decades. You can stroll through the Gibbes in under an hour, but it’s preferable to linger, appreciate your favorites, and read the informative commentary.

Walking Tour on Your Own

Horse carriages, pedicabs, and official walking tours are all great ways to see the city. Sometimes, you want to explore without a historical lecture, and walking is the finest approach. Visit Waterfront Park’s harbor-side pier to see the ancient Colonial city wall, then head to the East Bay to see a regatta.

The Hack Hargett Restaurant

The hotel’s ground-floor restaurant’s tasting menu is popular, but The Caviar Bar is exclusive. The scene is established with flickering votives, beautiful banisters, songbirds, palm trees, maples, and mellow jazz crooners.

High-Wire Distilling

Charleston’s only distillery since prohibition, High Wire, attracts visitors with its unique spirits and cypress-paneled tasting area. You’ll see unique mills, shiny tanks, and a big copper pot still with a Jules Verne window. In the tasting room, you can experience artisanal spirits on flights or cocktails you can make at home for the finale.

First-time home-buying tips in Charleston, SC

Improve your Credit

Start improving your credit score a year or two before buying your first house. High credit scores can help you get pre-approved for a mortgage and get a low interest rate. Go through the dispute process to remove unauthorized accounts or erroneous data from your credit history.

Create a budget

Carefully plan your home-buying budget to prevent overspending and buying a house you can’t afford. Your budget should reasonably predict the type of home you can purchase. When budgeting, include property taxes, HOA fees, insurance, and repair expenditures.

Know Your Goals

Having a list of desired home features, suitable locations, and budgetary limits will help you narrow your search and move into your ideal home faster. To narrow down your first home preferences, consider the size, location, and features in addition to price:

Request Pre-Approval

After choosing a mortgage lender, get pre-approved to speed up home-buying. Pre-approval lets your lender review your financial information and provide you with a mortgage amount for house hunting.

Use a Local Realtor

Local real estate professionals can help you find the ideal home for your needs and budget. The appropriate realtor can use their connections to find hidden gems in downtown Charleston.

Home inspection

This phase involves signing a sales contract with the seller outlining the conditions of the house sale. A standard house inspection involves visually assessing the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roof, and foundation.