Posts by : Rosette Garcia

As the name suggests, flood insurance is a type of insurance policy that will pay out if your home is damaged by flood waters.

If you are taking out a mortgage to buy a home in a federally designated flood zone, you are required to buy a flood insurance policy. These zones are in parts of the country in which the risk of serious floods is high. Your lender won't give you a mortgage in these parts of the country if you don't first buy flood insurance.

To find out whether the home you are buying sits in one of these areas, enter your ZIP code in FEMA's flood map service center. Your mortgage lender will also be able to tell you whether you are required to buy flood insurance.

If your hom...

As home professionals, we're often asked questions about design, how to make improvements work and the resale value of decor ideas like kitchen renovations or bathroom updates. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions:

What is the best way to decorate a small room?

The key to small spaces is to make the size work. Don't overcrowd it with too much clutter. Use a rug to create floor boundaries, add plenty of lighting and use mirrors to reflect the light in the space.

How do I choose the right paint color for my walls?

There is no wrong answer when it comes to choosing a color. Whatever color you love, go with that. There are no rules saying you have to use a light shade in a...

We started on the south end of Pawleys Island and parked in the largest public beach access in Georgetown County. To get to the point, we walked further south and there’s a small creek that separates Pawleys Island from Debidue Beach (easily confused with Debordieu Colony). As we reached the point, we both spied Debidue Beach and realized one day we’ll need to coordinate access to the gated communities of Prince George and Debordieu to walk even further south. 

Pawleys Island is a pristine, quiet coastline. With fewer people, there were more seashells and we even came across a few starfish. With an average sold price of $2.4 million, the oceanfront homes are gorgeous. Most homes are olde...

French country is a traditional design style that delightfully blends continental European sensibilities with rustic country charm. A French country kitchen can be perfect for anyone seeking the effortless yet refined look of this style. Here are some ways to incorporate French country design into your kitchen:

Colors

Choose warm, earthy colors, such as cream, beige, off-white or light yellow, for your walls and cabinets. You can also add some splashes of color with accents like curtains, dishware or linens.

Natural materials

Blend natural wood, stone and clay into your kitchen design. Consider wooden beams on the ceiling or a stone backsplash. You can add natural textures with woven ...

If you're like many Americans, your home will be the most expensive thing you own. It will be a key part of your estate as you plan for the long term. So you need to think strategically from the outset.

To start with, if you want to know how much of a mortgage lenders think you can handle, get preapproved for a mortgage before you start shopping for a home.

What is preapproval? That's when you work with a mortgage lender to determine how large of a loan that lender is comfortable giving you. To begin, you'll provide a lender with copies of your last two paycheck stubs, last two months of bank account statements, last two years of tax returns and last two years of W-2 forms.

Lenders wil...

The stats below are compiled from a variety of sources. Surprisingly, NC and SC differ significantly with South Carolina having a significantly lower tax burden. Since it’s the middle of Hurricane Season, I also wanted to share storm numbers. Again, South Carolina wins! We have cheaper gasoline too! That said, I love my northern neighbors. Please don’t hesitate to ask if there’s any way The Anderson Team can you help you learn more about the area

NORTH CAROLINA’S TAX BURDEN 

Real estate tax rate: 2.82% (19th in U.S.) 

Vehicle property tax rate: 0.45% (32nd in U.S.) 

Income tax rate: 2.87% (36th in U.S.) 

Sales and excise tax rate: 4.36% (27th in U.S.) 

Number of Direct hits by...

Opportunity awaits just outside downtown Conway! This 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom home is in a no HOA, well-established neighborhood. With stunning live oak trees this property offers a fenced in yard and a lovely covered back patio. From the front porch, you enter the home into a spacious living room that is the heart of the home. To the right are three bedrooms, and to the left is a dining area that leads to the galley style kitchen. The gas range and washer and dryer are 2020 and the HVAC was installed in 2019.

Check out the 3D Matterport Tour and schedule your appointment today!

OPEN HOUSE! Join us this Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm for an open house at 310 73rd Avenue North, unit 3B, in Myrtle Beach. This spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo is just a short walk to the beach in the exclusive Palm Ridge II community. Make sure you stop by to see this beautiful condo! Luke will be hosting and giving away Stella’s Homemade Ice Cream and Cakes gift cards for attendees.

Click to view details for 310 73rd Ave N, Myrtle Beach

When you apply for a home loan, your lender will review your credit reports, check your credit score and pore over your finances to make sure you can afford your monthly mortgage payment. Along the way, your lender will look for certain financial missteps that might make him or her nervous about approving your application.

Late payments: Ever pay your credit card bill late? Maybe you skipped a car payment one month. The bad news? Those late payments will show up in your credit reports, which are maintained by the national credit bureaus of Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. And when you apply for a mortgage, your lender will have access to these reports to review.

Late payments remain on...

Refrigerators are often breeding grounds for unintended science experiments and forgotten food. But it doesn't have to be that way. Getting into a routine with better refrigerator organization can help you stay on top of the food you have, reduce your grocery bills and even facilitate healthier eating. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Invest in Organizers

The best way to keep something from getting lost in the back of your fridge is to invest in organizing containers. A Lazy Susan can help you access items often pushed to the back. Soda organizers can optimize space, giving you even more room.

Use Your Vacuum to Help Clean Drawers

The mess left behind by produce in your refrige...

Book lovers understand the need for sufficient storage space for their favorite books. You want a place to celebrate the knowledge within and access what you need when you need it. But books take up a lot of space and are more likely to accumulate than dissipate. The best way to store and display books depends on several factors, including the size of your collection, the available space and personal preferences. Here are some ways you can store and display your books.

Use bookshelves

Bookshelves are an excellent way to store and display books. You can choose from various materials, such as wood, metal or glass, and sizes that will fit your collection. Depending on your space, you can u...

Your lender is required to send you a loan estimate after you complete your mortgage loan application. This three-page form is important: It lists the important financial details of your mortgage loan.

The loan estimate will list your loan's interest rate and monthly payment. It will also estimate how much you'll pay in closing costs, the fees charged by your lender and other third-party providers to originate your loan.

The loan estimate will also list any penalties you might face for paying off your loan too early and provide an estimate for how much you might have to pay in homeowners' insurance and property tax payments.

Why does the loan estimate matter?

Once you receive your loa...

Are you thinking about remodeling your bathroom? Whether you plan to do it yourself or hire someone to complete the work for you, it can be wise to educate yourself about the most common mistakes so you can make an effort to avoid potential long-term headaches.

Here are some of the most expensive mistakes people commonly make as well as how you can take measures to avoid them:

Opting for DIY when a contractor is a better choice

When remodeling your bathroom, the odds of running into unexpected issues are considerably high. Unless you're doing something for purely cosmetic reasons, it's worth speaking to a professional before you tear down any walls or make changes to the plumbing. Whil...

Upon entering the main level of the home, you will see additional living space that can easily be an office, play room or gathering area. There is a half bath, laundry room and storage closet tucked away for convenience and ease. the kitchen flows into the family room that also has a dining area and gas fireplace. Outfitted with a spacious pantry, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, this is an entertainer's delight. The family room leads to a large screened porch allowing you to enjoy summer evenings longer. The primary suite is ideally located on the first floor with tray ceilings and a spacious ensuite bathroom with double vanities, standing shower, linen closet, water c...

New Single Family Listings: 939 homes were added for sale in our area which is a drop of almost 25% from last month and almost 30% fewer new listings than last July. Of those single family homes added to the market for sale, 398 of them are new construction.

Closed sales for all property types took a sharp dive from 1,652 closings in June to 1,133 in July.  

We have less inventory to sell in July than we did in June but we have 30% more inventory than last July so overall, we’re headed in the right direction to have a balanced market. 

Average sales price went down for the second month in a row and the average price is almost $10,000 less in July than it was in May of this year.

Pendi...

This home features two bedrooms and two bathrooms in the main home and also has an unfinished apartment or mother-in-law suite with another full bathroom! This home is a perfect blend of country charm while also being updated with granite countertops, crown molding and beautiful flooring throughout the home. Equipped with a 50 year metal roof that was installed in 2020 and a water heater that was replaced in 2021, this home has been lovingly improved with new windows and doors. Even the studs used to build the home are cedar providing a natural resistance to pests. The kitchen is a chefs dream outfitted with stainless steel appliances including two ovens and a large eat in dining area. Pl...

Fantastic opportunity to own your own slice of heaven and it comes with so many extra features! This 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom manufactured home includes more than 2800 heated square feet and has a huge 12 x 20 covered back porch. The copper metal roof was installed in 2019 and the HVAC was replaced in September 2022. The back yard is fenced and the lot is just over 1 acre so there's plenty of space to park your RV, boats and all your toys (along with two 30 amp outlets in the rear of the home), and there is no HOA! With a circle driveway that goes around the entire property, parking will be easy! This home is a split floor plan with the primary bedroom being on the far right and the other th...

During an appraisal, an appraiser will visit the home you are buying or the home you currently own. This professional's goal is to determine how much the home is worth.

Appraisers consider several factors when determining a property's value, including the number of bedrooms and bathrooms; the home's size, age and style; and the neighborhood in which the home is located, with a desirable community boosting the home's value.

Appraisers will also look at comparable home sales. These are recent sales of similar homes in the surrounding area. By considering how much money these homes brought in when they sold, appraisers can more accurately determine the current market value of the property ...

Looking at the numbers reported by the Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors, June is pretty flat compared to May. The average price of a sold property dropped by $1,740 so prices went down a little. But when the average price is $383,622... it's not much at all. 

If you’re waiting until prices drop further… let me tell you why that’s probably a bad idea. Compared to last June, prices are up by almost $23,000. 5 out of the last 12 months, we’ve seen a small decrease in price. But overall, prices are trending up. If you’re waiting because you need to save more for a down payment, pay off a car or a student loan, I completely support waiting. But if you’re able to buy right now and you...

Accent Furniture and Upholstery: Introduce colorful furniture pieces, such as chairs, sofas, or ottomans, in vibrant hues or patterns. Additionally, consider using colorful throw pillows, blankets, or curtains to bring a pop of color to the room.

Area Rugs and Carpets: A colorful area rug or carpet that complements the existing decor and furniture will instantly brighten any space. Look for floor coverings with bright accents of color, texture and pattern. Rugs can add a sense of warmth and comfort to any room.

Artwork and Wall Decor: Hang interesting  paintings, prints, or photographs on the  walls to bring  color into the room. Alternatively, you can display vibrant tapestries, woven ...