Whether you are looking to buy or sell, our REALTORS can offer the highest levels in real estate expertise and professionalism. Don’t hesitate to contact one and allow us to help guide you through that process!

We are honored to share that the readers of the Greenville News recently voted us Best of the Upstate in multiple categories, including:

Best Realty Company, Residential
Best Realty Company, Commercial
Best Property Management Company

Our very own Maggie Aiken, pictured right, was vosted Best REALTOR for the FOURTH consecutive year!

Thank you for your support during the nomination and voting process! Curious who readers selected as best-in-class in other categories? Check out the full list here!

Photo courtesy of Richard Shiro and the Greenville News

As you look at your outdoor living spaces with an eye for upgrades, where will your time and money be best spent? Fresh landscaping? Sprinklers? A new fence? A firepit?

Fortunately, 2018 Remodeling Report: Outdoor Features, co-produced by the National Association of REALTORS® and National Association of Landscape Professionals, offers some ideas. First, there are two ways to look at your improvements:

1. Curb appeal to make your home more attractive to buyers when you’re ready to sell.
2. Personal enjoyment while you live in the home.

If you’re thinking strictly of return on investment, regular lawn care, landscape maintenance and tree care and trimming each restore 100 percent or more of the costs, says the survey. Regular attention to watering and drainage will prevent unsightly dead spots in your yard. Removing dead tree branches or limbs growing too close to the house prevents storm damage. Keeping bushes trimmed prevents overgrowth that obscures your home’s features.

But money isn’t everything. What about personal enjoyment, convenience and satisfaction? Tied for first place on the “Joy” Score with a perfect 10 are an irrigation system and a fire feature. The next most appealing projects were a new wood deck (Joy Score - 9.8), a water feature (9.8), statement landscaping (9.7), and an overall landscape upgrade (9.6).

The report validates what real estate professionals have been saying all along – curb appeal matters, and landscape improvement is money well spent. You’re adding beauty and convenience to your home, which future homebuyers will appreciate.

REAL Trends, an independent industry publication and consulting firm, recently released its annual list of America's Best Real Estate Professionals.

To be included in the ranking, agents must have closed at least 50 transactions or $20 million in sales volume during 2017. Teams must have closed 75 transaction sides or $30 million in sales volume during 2017. All production numbers are independently verified by a third-party to ensure accuracy and report integrity.

The following C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS agents and teams were among those recognized for South Carolina:

AGENTS:

Melissa Morrell | #12 in SC, Agent Sides | #8 in SC, Agent Volume
Maggie Aiken | #37 in SC, Agent Sides
Robbie Haney | #66 in SC, Agent Sides
Bob Schmidt | #84 in SC, Agent Sides
Jennifer Van Gieson | #99 in SC, Agent Sides

TEAMS:

Spaulding Group | #10 in SC, Team Sides | #7 in SC, Team Volume
The Toates Team | #11 in SC, Team Sides | #17 in SC, Team Volume
The Chet & Beth Smith Group | #17 in SC, Team Sides | #12 in SC, Team Volume
The Keagy Team | #20 in SC, Team Sides
The Clever People | #32 in SC, Team Sides
MacDonald HomeTeam | #54 in SC, Team Sides
Pam McCurry Team | #55 in SC, Team Sides
Sheri Sanders Team | #66 in SC, Team Sides

Older homes that served our grandparents and parents well may appear poorly planned for today’s families. They tend to be smaller with narrow lots, closed-off kitchens, and fewer bathrooms and bedrooms. On the other hand, older homes tend to offer character and quality craftsmanship that is unmatched today. So, should you tear down an older home or remodel it? 

First, choose the neighborhood. You’re buying the location, so it should meet as many of your household’s needs as possible - schools, transportation, entertainment and enrichment, medical care and shopping. It should have plenty of homes similar to the one you have in mind, including remodels and scrapped homes replaced by new construction.

Homes offered at “lot value” means that the structure offers no further value. This is a great candidate for a total remodel or teardown. If the lot is large enough, it can hold added square footage or a complete new home. But if the home has plaster moldings, stained-glass windows, all-wood stairs, and other artisan features, know that those things can’t be easily replaced today. You may want to preserve those unique elements and consider remodeling to complement the home’s original design.

Take your general contractor with you to see what needs to be brought up to date and if it’s more practical to remodel or rebuild. Like homes in like neighborhoods help determine and improve value, so don’t over-build or over-improve without similar comparable homes nearby to support your home’s value.

Mark Rajcic | Greer Office
Racheal Garrison | Augusta Road Office
Kerilyn McQuate | Augusta Road Office
Julie K. Gibson | Garlington Road Office
Dina Elm | Simpsonville Office
Joel Tippitt | Anderson Office
Frank Yanoviak | Garlington Road Office
Jen Frain | Simpsonville Office
Jay McAbee | Simpsonville Office
Gabrielle Harriott | Easley Office
Amy Bower | Pelham Road Office
Ryan M. Lentz | Garlington Road Office
Renade Helton | Easley Office
Lisa Humphreys | N. Pleasantburg Dr. Office
Jeff Parks | Garlington Road Office

Selling your home is one of the largest transactions you’ll ever make, so you want to make sure you sell your home quickly, for the most money and for the best terms possible you don’t want to start off on the wrong foot. Here are three things sellers should never do.

1. Sell it yourself. A REALTOR has the resources and experience to help you price, show, sell your home and safely navigate it to closing. He or she can provide numerous marketing and showing services to help sell your home quickly and with as few hurdles as possible.
2. Pick the wrong sales professional. Interview several real estate professionals to learn how they plan to market your home, what services they provide, and what you need to do to get the highest and best offer for your home. Choose the one who is straight with you about your home’s assets and drawbacks, and who explains current market conditions so you’ll know how to price your home successfully. Check out our Seller's Guide for some starting points.
3. Ignore your sales professional’s advice. Your C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS sales professional is trained to help you present your home at its best. Staging, updates, and repairs will help, but what’s most important is price. Your home’s price, location and condition should be supported by comparable homes in the area. You’ll attract the most interest if you price slightly below comparable homes, allowing room for buyers to bid up the price.

Remember, every market is different and can change quickly, so be prepared.