Author: RARE Charleston

Picture this: It’s winter. It’s freezing. You still need to clear the last of the leaves from your lawn, but you’re finding every excuse to stay huddled inside your warm home and out of the cold, biting air. More than ever, you’re wishing your yard work would just do itself.

Sound familiar? Maintenance and lawn care can be tedious and exhausting chores, especially on the coldest or hottest days of the year. But there are types of residential developments that take care of these chores for you.

The Many Faces of Low-Maintenance Living

Low-maintenance communities, in general, are neighborhoods that provide services such as lawn care and exterior maintenance through an association fee. In a maintenance-free community, especially, little — if any — maintenance is required on the homeowner’s part.

As is the case with any neighborhood, different communities offer different amenities, especially when it comes to low- or no-maintenance living. So to give you a better idea about what to look for in a low-maintenance home, we’ve come up with a quick guide.

Low-Maintenance Townhome Developments

If you want all the space of a single-family home but don’t mind sharing a wall, a townhouse is a great option for low-maintenance living. Though the amenities many vary from community to community, townhome developments typically provide common area maintenance and landscaping.

Low-Maintenance Condominiums

Think of condos as upgraded rental apartments: you have your own space, you can access community amenities, and you can count on someone else to take care of the most mundane chores. It’s important to note that condos are a type of ownership: when you own a condo, you own everything within the walls of your home. Unlike with townhomes, you aren’t required to care for the exterior. In addition, condo associations typically maintain the common areas and provide services like trash removal and pest control. Depending on the association, the community may also provide utilities, phone service, and cable or Internet.

No-Maintenance Residential Communities

Some communities, like 55+ communities, take care of more than just the common areas. True maintenance-free communities may also take care of your home’s exterior maintenance, lawn care, landscaping, and services like trash or snow removal.

Real estate options in these no-maintenance communities can include condos, townhomes, and/or single-family homes.

Where to Do Your Research

If a community has an association, check the rules and regulations to learn about what services the association provides. Not sure where to look? It never hurts to ask a trusted real estate agent.

Reposted with permission of RARE Charleston.
Please visit blog.rarecharleston.com for a comprehensive list of articles pertinent to home-ownership in the Lowcountry.

Author: RARE Charleston

Nothing can transform a home quite like a simple seasonal color palette. Whether you want to embrace the fall foliage, some holiday whimsy, or a little winter coziness, you can do all that with a few coats of paint and some well-placed splashes of color. The best part of all? Not only are these color schemes great for seasonal home decorating, they work wonders when staging your home to sell, too! Here are a few irresistible color schemes you can blend into your home this fall and winter.

Down to Earth: Rust Red and Terra Cotta

Connect with nature in the fall season using rich tones of red and brown. For an added touch of earthiness, incorporate natural elements like wood to really pull the look together.

Rustic: Persimmon and Oatmeal

Play up the autumn harvest theme with muted orange, shades of beige, and decorative elements like apples and pumpkins.

Cozy: Cream and Espresso

Neutral hues can make your home feel warm and inviting in the chilly fall and winter months. For a fun and functional look, add floor-length window coverings, which will keep the cold out and the coziness in.

Cheerful: Turquoise and White

Even if the weather outside is frightful, your home doesn’t have to be! Pair bright shades of blue with white to achieve a relaxing yet cheerful look. On a gray couch (like in the image above), turquoise accent pillows add a fun pop of color to the room’s neutral surroundings.

Small splashes of color here and there can go a long way into decorating a room for all seasons. All you have to do is switch out a few decorations and you’re set for the next season!

Merry and Bright: Snow White and Holly Green

While we typically think of red as a traditional holiday color, you don’t need bold hues to achieve a dramatic and trendy look. Stark white is becoming more and more common in interior design. To achieve this minimalist winter look, paint your space bright white and add pops of color with greenery.

When Selling a Home, Stay Neutral

The art of home staging is all about catering to the buyer. But since home buyers have drastically different tastes in color schemes, staying with a neutral color palette is the best way to appeal to the greatest number of buyers.

Reposted with permission of RARE Charleston.
Please visit blog.rarecharleston.com for a comprehensive list of articles pertinent to home-ownership in the Lowcountry.

Choosing the right association can be as important as the home style. After all it not just about the amenities offered, but what type of guidelines you will be expected to adhere to. In this business we often encounter new homeowners that purchase without considering the HOA's role in the community and how it may affect them. While HOAs can help maintain home values and may provide fantastic amenities they may also prevent you from constructing that 20 ft rock climbing wall you've been dreaming of building in your backyard. To make sure the community is a good fit for your family be sure to ask these 6 questions before you buy.

RARE Charleston: 6 Questions to Ask When Considering a Neighborhood with an HOA

While we all love to grill, communities that share common walls such as condos and townhomes often have regulations prohibiting open fire grills. But that doesn't have to ruin your summer barbecue plans. Read on to learn about bobvila.com's top three pick for electric grills and their advice for picking the one that is right for you.

Bob Vila's Buyer’s Guide: Electric Grills

Ravenel Associates is proud to announce we are a Tier 1 sponsor for the Sea Island Habitat of Humanity’s National Women Build Week 2018. This week is meant to spotlight the homeownership challenges faced by women and invite them to devote at least one day to help families build strength, stability and independence through housing.

This year’s home is being built in the Heritage Oaks community on James Island. The proud new owner is Leland, a single father and hardworking employee of the Kiawah Island Community Association. The progress on this home is quite amazing. Follow along on Sea Island Habitat’s Facebook page or on their website at http://seaislandhabitat.org. Below is a picture of the Donor board posted at the jobsite. Our logo is also on the t-shirts worn by volunteers.

Ravenel Associates wouldn’t have been able to make this contribution if it wasn’t for all of our wonderful employees that make our continued growth and success possible.

Curb appeal can make all the difference when it comes to selling your home. Without it, buyers will lose interest before seeing the amazing features the inside of your home has to offer. The following slideshow from Bobvila.com helps identify ten common issues that may be hurting your curb appeal, most of which can be resolved quickly and at no cost.

Click here to view the slideshow.

After our record cold winter most of us can't wait to start spending time outside. As you begin preparations for your garden keep in mind that some plants can do more than just add curb appeal. This year you may want to consider plants that also help with mosquito control.

Click here to learn more.

Anyone who's ever experienced a leak from a connecting unit knows what a nightmare it can be coordinating access and repairs. Don't let your leaking toilet become a problem when most repairs are simple fixes.

To learn Bob Vila's Top Tips for a Leaking Toilet click here.