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.

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.

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