Wanting to search for Charleston, SC real estate, then please visit us on the web. If you are looking for beach area real estate then stop by our Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island or Folly Beach web site.  If you want to live in one of the better planned communities on the East Coast then visit our site devoted to Daniel Island homes.  If you want to live in one of Charleston’s best suburbs look for homes in Mt. Pleasant, SC here. We also have a site devoted to retirement and second homes in Charleston.

Wanting to search for Charleston, SC real estate, then please visit us on the web. If you are looking for beach area real estate then stop by our Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island or Folly Beach web site.  If you want to live in one of the better planned communities on the East Coast then visit our site devoted to Daniel Island homes.  If you want to live in one of Charleston’s best suburbs look for homes in Mt. Pleasant, SC here. We also have a site devoted to retirement and second homes in Charleston.

Focusing on promoting businesses throughout the area east of the Cooper is a rather difficult task, especially this year. The fiscal 2010 budget is a whopping $4 million less than that in 2009. Instead of raising property taxes, Swails has developed a consolidation strategy to save money.

The town has eliminated 32 vacant positions while implementing a wellness program in an effort to save money. This particular program will reduce employee insurance costs dramatically. Additionally, the sanitation department will begin using different trucks, thus reducing operating costs.

Economically, Mayor Swails is taking a calculated approach. He stated that the town is focused on attracting and retaining businesses. The strategy will fill the vacant storefronts before expanding and building new locations.

Another point of interest was the lack of a Main Street. The town of Mount Pleasant is looking to expand roadways to create more investment corridors. These roads include Coleman Boulevard, Johnnie Dodds Boulevard, Long Point Road, Patriots Point and Oakland Plantation.

The town is also looking to benefit from Boeing’s recent decision to put a manufacturing plant in North Charleston. Mount Pleasant is hoping that many spin-off businesses and vendors locate within its city limits.

Over $150 million in road and intersection projects are planned for the upcoming year. The major projects include: $70 million for widening of Johnnie Dodds Boulevard from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to the Kmart property at Bowman Road; $50 million for the overpass at Interstate 526 and Hungryneck Boulevard; and $15 million for the widening of U.S. Highway 17 from the Isle of Palms Connector to S.C. Highway 41.

Despite the numerous changes and ongoing roadway construction, Mount Pleasant, SC is one of the most highly desired areas for homebuyers in the nation.

The town of Mt. Pleasant, SC launched a marketing initiative in September that is encouraging residents to take part in their research. Aiming to develop a business plan that will increase the quality of life for residents, town officials want to hear from YOU!

The Web site, IdeasForMP.com, was created to act as a community forum – a place to share thoughts, pictures, video, personal stories and ideas for improving Mt. Pleasant.

As the Web site reads, “We’ve launched a long term, strategic marketing effort to help improve the quality of life for all our residents and businesses and we want to incorporate your input and feedback.”

So if you’re a current Mt. Pleasant resident with some ideas for the town’s future or thinking about moving to the area, check out IdeasForMP.com and get a glimpse of this vibrant, close-knit community.

Every year the Municipal Association of South Carolina Municipal Association of South Carolina recognizes and encourages innovations and excellence in local governments through its Achievement Awards. The 2009 winners were recently announced.

The town of Mount Pleasant was the 2009 recipient of the Public Service Award.

Mount Pleasant is a rapidly growing and vivacious area, making it a highly desired place to live. Local officials in Mount Pleasant knew that it was nearly impossible for middle-income workers to find a place to live in town.

Many of these workers were commuting from nearby towns – Goose Creek, Summerville or West Ashley. These long commutes were not only tiresome for the drivers themselves, they also created extra congestion on the roadways.

The town council created the Workforce Housing Advisory Committee which in turn generated workforce housing in various areas around Mount Pleasant. These zoned areas provide affordable housing within the town of Mount Pleasant.

Consequently, numerous workers can now live within the city in which they work. This has dramatically cut down on commuting traffic and made the lives of many middle-income workers much less stressful.

Qualified first-time homebuyers in Berkeley, Charleston or Dorchester counties could receive the money from the Homeownership Resource Center, a division of Family Services Inc.

The additional $3,500 will be given to one qualified person or family at each of the six First-Time Homebuyers Workshops hosted by the Homeownership Resource Center, a nonprofit, Housing and Urban Development-approved counseling agency.

The recipients must attend one of the free workshops and close on their first home by Nov. 30, the date the tax credit is set to expire.

Topics to be discussed include mortgage programs, buying HUD properties and foreclosures, home inspections, homeownership insurance, getting the most out of your real estate agents, legal fees, and current market conditions.

For more information, visit www.fsisc.org.

Learn more here: Folly Beach Blog

The new elementary school spans more than 65,000 square feet and overlooks the magnificent Intercoastal waterway. This swanky $18 million facility comes fully equipped with the newest technologies, to include hi-tech smart boards in each classroom. These technologies have many parents excited.

“This is the optimum setting for the superb education this school will provide. I’m ecstatic that both my children are able to attend this fine institution,” boasted one proud parent.

However, it’s the nautical theme that has the kids excited. These new, fresh ideas will hopefully make this school a fun place to be and a fun place to learn.

Mount Pleasant Academy isn’t the only new school in Charleston County School District this year. Three other middle schools are scheduled to open next week: Orange Grove, Zucker, and Moultrie Middle Schools. Moultrie Middle School tops the lists being 120,000 square feet at a hefty price of $34 million. But who can put a price on your child’s future?

A: A good place to start is the Web site of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

It has a variety of useful information for homeowners as well as a link by states of its housing-counseling agencies that can provide advice on purchasing a home and brief you on homebuyer programs.

But move fairly quickly if you want to take advantage of the federal break for first-time homebuyers.

Under that program, included in the economic-stimulus plan, those who haven’t owned a home for at least three years are eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent of the value of the home, up to $8,000, if they purchase a home by Dec. 1.

Besides the federal tax credit, a number of state housing-finance agencies offer related or additional programs.

Washington was among the first states to offer bridge loans of the $8,000 tax credit for a down payment.

The list has been growing. Check the Web site of the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

Numerous local government and nonprofit programs also may be available. The National Association of Realtors advises checking with a Realtor to learn about available resources in a given area.

— Dave Carpenter

Q: When does it make sense to pay off a mortgage, rather than continuing to make monthly payments?

A: The first consideration is whether you truly have enough to pay off your mortgage.

Try to anticipate scenarios where you might want that cash, such as for college, a new car or other big purchases.

Beyond that, evaluate it like any other investment decision. How would you put the money to work if you didn’t pay off your mortgage? Would that alternative reap a greater return?

One advantage of paying off your mortgage is that you know exactly how much you’ll be saving — the interest rate on the loan after taxes.

Investing in the stock market could very well be more lucrative but it doesn’t come with any guarantees. Your earnings would depend in large part on how long you invest the money and the market conditions in that period.

“That’s why it’s not a slam dunk. It depends on the economic situation,” said Steven Weinstein, president and chief investment officer for Altair Advisers, an investment consultant in Chicago.

If you have a 30-year mortgage at a fixed interest rate of 5 percent, for instance, you’d be saving 5 percent on the money by paying it off.

Based on historical trends, you would likely earn more than that by investing in the stock market over 30 years.

But the prospects get dicier over shorter time spans.

— Candice Choi