Although summer is just about over already, you still have plenty of time to make plans for a vacation down in the Lowcountry. In fact, Charleston and its surrounding beaches is a great place to visit in the early and even late autumn months. If you were busy in the summer or prefer cooler but comfortable temperatures when you vacation, there are few better places to check out than the Charleston, SC area.  Here are several things to look forward to if you rent a vacation home in Charleston during autumn:

Visit the Beaches When They're Less Crowded: Although the peak travel season in Charleston, SC can last all of the way into November, there is certainly a drop-off in September. The main reason for this is because kids go back to school, and many professions go back into full swing. If you have the opportunity to take time off in the fall, you'll experience mild temperatures (Charleston can be in the 70s into late autumn), beautiful beaches, and other amenities of any coastal destination in the southeast.

Enjoy the Perks of Major Metropolitan City: At the same, Charleston, SC is not like a shore town that may shut down once the summer season is over. Charleston, SC is a major commerce hub and features world-class restaurants, shops, entertainment centers, historical sites, and much. You won't have to worry about figuring out what to do when you get a Folly Beach rental or any of the other beaches and towns in the Charleston metropolitan area. In fact, you might not have enough time to do everything that you wanted to do. That's why there's always next year. We can guarantee you that you'll experience something new every time you visit Charleston.

Save Big on Vacation Rentals and Other Expenses: Experience the best of Charleston and its beaches without paying a premium for it. Although our realtors can certainly help you find great deals on rentals during the busiest time of year in Charleston, there's no question you will pay less when the height of peak season is over. As we mentioned above, the peak season of Charleston tourism begins to wane once school gets back into session. If you are on a budget but still want to experience an amazing vacation with family and/or friends, you might want to wait until the fall to find an affordable rate. 

John's Island, SC is one of the most beautiful parts of the greater Charleston area and most of the homes for sale there are keepers. However, even the most beautiful house can come with surprises, and those can lead to regrets. Here are four tips from us at Carolina One for making sure you go into the buying process with your eyes open, and come out with a dream home and no regrets.

1.  Talk to the neighbors – This is a step surprisingly few home buyers take, and yet it can make all the difference in the world. Most John's Island residents are friendly and happy to talk to potential future neighbors, and they will have insider info on the neighborhood that you won't get from listings or even walkthroughs. Ask whether anyone in the neighborhood has plans to do major renovations, what they like and don't like about their street, what the schools are like and anything else on your mind. Often, neighbors will volunteer info you never would have thought of asking about.

2.  Test drive the commute – Fortunately, John's Island is one of the most commuter-friendly towns around Charleston. Just a ten-minute drive from downtown, there are two bridges that tend to keep traffic flowing even at peak hours. Nonetheless, we always recommend testing out the commute if possible. Get up early one day and swing over to the Island first, then try driving to work at the hour you'd normally leave. Can you picture yourself doing this every day?

3.  Swoop through at all hours – Checking out a neighborhood means more than just seeing it on a Sunday afternoon. What is it like on a weekday? How about a Friday night? When considering buying in a neighborhood, we advise driving through several times at different times of day and night. It will be good to know if the neighbors are up later and partying after midnight, or if a street is too sleepy for you even on the weekend. The more time you spend in the neighborhood, the better you will know if it truly feels like home.

4.  Verify extra costs – One of the biggest sources of buyers' remorse comes from unexpected costs. Usually, these costs could have been anticipated with a little research. For example, you should always contact your own insurance company and get a quote on the home insurance instead of relying on a seller's figures; they may have discounts that you won't. Similarly, if the home needs repairs, don't rely on a seller's estimates for those repairs unless they can show you the recent quotes from real contractors. Otherwise, get your own contractor to give you a quote before proceeding.

What else do you check out before seriously considering a home?

If you've ever considered moving to South Carolina, then you've probably been looking at Charleston. Charleston is one of the biggest cities in the state, and is beautiful, affordable, and historic while still providing residents with many modern-day conveniences. However, big cities aren't right for everyone.

Many people prefer to live just outside of them where they can breathe the free air. If you're a big nature lover who still wants to remain close to the city for easy access to your job, stores and other conveniences, then John's Island, SC is the perfect place for you! Here are three reasons why:

1.  It's surrounded by farm land – Believe it or not, there was once a time when farmland dominated the countryside. While much of America has since become more industrialized, replacing many farms with factories, strip malls, and offices, plenty of farms still exist – and many of them are closer than you think! John's Island has many properties with generous acreage, some of which were farms in the past and could be again. You may not be looking to start a farm, but you could always have a nice plot of fruits and vegetables for the summer. Or you might just want to enjoy the rural atmosphere. Either way, John's Island is the place to be! 

2.  It's home to the historic Angel Oak – Are you familiar with the legendary Angel Oak tree? There are many nature lovers who have traveled hundreds of miles just to see this historic, breathtaking tree. What makes this tree so special? Not only is it believed to be at least 1,500 years old, but it is also 65 feet high and offers an astonishing 17,000 square feet of shade. It's the perfect place to go to read a book and relax on a hot summer day!

3.  There are hundreds of homes located by the water – Have you always dreamed of having a home by the water? If so, then you're in luck! John's Island has dozens of homes for sale that are located along tidal creeks, rivers, and other waterways. The Wadmalaw Sound and the Kiawah and Stono rivers are some of the most popular places where people choose to invest in real estate. Many John's Island residents will tell you that the water is not only beautiful, but very relaxing and peaceful, making the area the perfect place to call home!

What do you think makes the perfect home for a nature lover? Whether you're looking for farm land, beautiful bodies of water, or even just a nice tree to enjoy, you'll find it all on John's Island, South Carolina!

As one of the most beautiful communities surrounding Charleston, John's Island, SC has recently gotten a lot of attention and more people are considering buying homes there. So what is the island really like? Here are some quick facts to help give you a feel for the area:

• John's Island truly is an island – The island is bordered on one side by the Wadmalaw Sound and on the other sides by the Stono River and Kiawah River. This natural island has beautiful land and plenty of space because it was historically somewhat isolated from the surrounding townland.

• It's a very quick drive from Charleston – Despite that historic separation, John's Island is now very connected to the outside world; from downtown Charleston, it's only a ten minute drive away. The two bridges to and from the island include a 4-lane expressway, which means that traffic moves smoothly even at peak times and is rarely bogged down.

• It has 350 years of history – Native Americans, including the Kiawah, Stono and Bohicket nations, have lived on John's Island since time immemorial. The first European settlers arrived and created settlements on John's Island by the 1670s. Early relations between Europeans and Native Americans were friendly, and the settlements focused on growing indigo, an important dye export.

• The island is known for its historic properties – With history spanning the Colonial, Revolutionary and Civil War eras to today, the island has many surviving historic structures including beautiful plantation homes.

• Development has been carefully controlled – Much of John's Island remains undeveloped rural land, including unspoiled wilderness with woods, meadows, tidal creeks, and shoreline. There is new development and both homes and lots are available, but this development has been managed to preserve the island's serene atmosphere.

• One of the oldest oaks in the U.S. is on John's Island – The Angel Oak has been a landmark since at least 1717. While it is not the oldest tree in the United States, it is high on the list, with estimates of its age ranging from 400 to 1500 years old.

• John's Island is known as a great place to raise a family – Between high-performing local schools, a strong community spirit, and an extremely low crime rate, it's hard to find a better place for kids to grow up on the eastern seaboard.

• John's Island homes are surprisingly affordable – While the island certainly has its share of multi-million dollar properties, there are a number of beautiful homes under $500,000 as well.

What has gotten you interested in John's Island, SC?

Summer should be the season for getting away from it all, but taking a vacation isn't as easy as it looks. If you work in America, you're getting far less vacation time than employees in other countries. The disparity in vacation time should explain why some people still haven't a chance to take some time off this summer, but a lot of people that aren't going on vacation made their choice because they can't afford to. You may be planning saving up for a big purchase, or you may think that you just aren't making enough at work to take any time off. It may seem like a vacation is out of your budget but, with the right planning, you could easily afford a week at a rental in Charleston or eventually your own Summerville, SC real estate to head to in the summer. If you need to get away this year, try out a few of these money saving tips.

Forego a summer vacation

If you aren't going on vacation because you can't afford it, you need to open yourself up to the possibility of going on an off-season vacation. Most rentals and hotels will be booked from May to August, and people who rent during those times will have to pay a lot more than people who go during the off-season. When most people think about the ideal time to vacation they think about the summer, but you can have just as much fun during the fall, winter, or spring.

Time your travel

If you have to fly to your vacation destination, you could save a significant amount of money if you plan your flight for the right day and time. A lot of people will try to fly during the weekend, or on a Friday or Monday. Simply booking your flight on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday could save you a couple hundred dollars. Also see if you can get a flight early in the morning or late at night. Since we're on the subject of travel, we should tell you to . . .

Avoid flying

When most people consider traveling for vacation, they immediately think of taking a plane. Airplanes can be expensive, but they take a lot less time than driving by car would. If you don't want to have to pay for a plane ticket, but also don't want to drive, consider getting to your vacation destination by train. Trains are bit more expensive than making your trek by car, but it's considerable less expensive than having to fly. Amtrak and other rail services offer great discounts for people that travel during weekdays, and you could save hundreds in travel expenses.

We may move for work, we may move for family, but some people move just because they want a change of scenery. The annual migration study conducted by United Van Lines showed that a lot of people moved to the Carolinas in 2013.  With cities like Charleston and Raleigh, and unique areas like Johns Island, SC and Ashville, NC, it can be easy to see why people can’t wait to get to the Carolinas. Sometimes, it takes more than a general good feeling to move to a new area. Before you set your sights on a new place, make sure you know the answers to these important questions.

How much do I really know about where I want to move?

Maybe you want to move since you vacationed in the Carolinas and loved it. Or maybe you’ve read about the state being the hottest place to move. It can be really easy to fall in love with an area when you’re on a vacation or reading about it online, but actually living there can be much different from what you expect. Do you know about laws in the area that you’re planning on moving into? Do you know what your commute will look like?  How much do you know about the local school district? If all you can say about a state is that it’s beautiful or that there is a lot to do, you should start to re-think your decision to move.

How will this affect my bank account?

When we’re talking about your financial situation, we aren’t talking about financing the move. The cost of living can be dramatically different from town to town, and local and state taxes may be different from what you’re used to. A lot of people end up relocating to the south because the area is usually less expensive than most northern states and cities. Moving to a new state area doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll end up living somewhere cheaper, if anything many people overestimate the amount they’ll save and end up with much less extra money that they’d originally hoped. 

Am I ready to devote time to this move?

Moving from town to town in the same general area can be stressful and can require a lot of planning, so you can imagine how long moving to a different state can take. You won’t be able to take a single day off of work and get everything done in one weekend. Think of this move as a process that will have to unfold overtime. You may have to hire professional movers to handle the majority of the work so that you can focus on cleaning, unpacking, and setting everything up in your new place.

Most people, when they look to settle down and raise a family, have an idealized image of everything from the house they live in to the school district they send their children to and the places they spend their weekends. For many, this wonderful suburban utopia involves picket fences and main streets; these people can find what they're looking for in Goose Creek, SC. 

Residents Enjoy Southern Weather

For those in the north, snowfall is a mere par for the course during the winter months, but for the residents of Goose Creek, snow is a rare sight to see. While this fact may deter anyone looking to take a ski vacation from booking a flight to South Carolina, those that don't care for the white stuff can take pleasure in a southern winter in which the highs average around the upper 50s. 

A School District to Be Admired

One of the main factors that usually determine where people look to settle down is how the school district fares compared to those nearby. Goose Creek, SC has a lot going for it in the education department, not the least of which happens to be Marrington Middle School of the Arts. Goose Creek has 14 schools within its district, and Marrington Middle School of the Arts happens to be one of two there that garner a perfect 10 in the GreatSchools rating. A unique school within the area, Marrington can be a great place to send a child that demonstrates a gift in any variety of the creative arts. 

A Crossroads of Old and New

The town of Goose Creek is relatively new, having been established in 1961, but the area has a long history ingrained in this country's roots. This meeting of old and new is reflected in the houses that you can find within the town. While some developments are new and reflect a more modern look, there are still many old-fashioned homes on the market that retain the look of that classic southern home, complete with large porches, perfect for rocking chairs and porch swings. Regardless of your taste in homes, Goose Creek has you covered.

At Goose Creek, you can truly get all you want out of life and the place you live. If you've always wanted to live out the classic American dream, this is the place for you. 

Some people move to the Charleston area for work, and others just want to be closer to their families. Others come for the low cost of living, and some just love the architecture and feel of the city. The reasons that you might want to live in and around Charleston may vary, but they're all possible because of one thing: the area's long history. South Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies, and settlers have been living in the greater Charleston area for centuries. A lot of residents list the area's famous history as one of the benefits of living there.

If you want to move to a place that has a rich history, and has made generous contributions to our culture, you should consider looking for Summerville, SC real estate. Summerville is just 20 minutes away from for Charleston, and it's the perfect place for someone that wants to live in a town with an abundance of southern charm. There are over 700 homes and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Summerville alone, so this town has seen its fair share of historic events and has raised a lot of interesting people. Did you know that . . .

Athletes love Summerville

Are you a sports fan? You may be interested to know that a lot of athletes have either called Summerville home, or currently live in Summerville. New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner may play for a team in a different state, but when it's off-season, he calls Summerville home. Are you really more of a football fan? Don't worry! Summerville has its fair share of football legends. A.J. Green started off his career playing football for the University of Georgia, and he was drafted for the Bengals in 2011. He made it to the 2012 Pro Bowl, and had been the first rookie receiver to play in the Pro Bowl since 2011. But before he was an NFL pro, he was just another student at Summerville High School.

The name explains a lot of the town's history

If there's one thing the Carolinas are known for, it's our humid and hot summers. Today, these are made more than bearable by air conditioners and electricity, but back in the 1700s, summers weren't just unbearable, they were also terrible for your health. Plantation families along the Ashley River had to deal with mosquitos and disease, along with the oppressive heat, so many would move to higher elevations from May to September. The breeze coming through the pine-forested ridges of the area were just what people needed to stay cool.

The town was a health destination

The pines and breeze didn't just help people stay cool; some people think that the fresh air and generally agreeable weather had curative properties for people. During the last decade of the 19^th century, the International Congress of Physicians declared Summerville as one of the two best places on Earth for the treatment and recovery of lung and throat disorders. People started to flock to the town in the winter months, and Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft liked to vacation in the area during the coldest months of the year.

Are you close to reaching the point in your life where you don't have to work anymore and can retire? Congratulations! After all those years of effort, you deserve the opportunity to relax and enjoy your time off. Many people look forward to retirement, but hate to see all their hard earned money and savings disappear. South Carolina real estate is very affordable, which will leave you with plenty of money to enjoy during your golden years. Folly Beach is the perfect place to consider for your retirement years for the following reasons.

• Life's a Beach – Folly Beach is known to locals as "the Edge of America" and is a gorgeous town. There are numerous surf spots here, and they have become some of the most popular on the East Coast. Go fishing, hiking, and biking or just spend some time looking for the unique Lettered Olive seashells that dot the coastline. Living near the beach is a great way to entice your grandkids to visit, as well.

• Great Climate – When people retire, they often want to go somewhere with warmer temperatures.  South Carolina has fabulous weather and people love its humid, subtropical climate. Another great thing about this part of the country is that winters are short, while the summers are long and balmy. And if there's ever a day that seems too hot, you're only steps from the beach. Taking a dip in the beautiful Atlantic Ocean is a great way to cool off.

• Proximity to History – Folly Beach is an ideal place for retirement because, while the town itself is quaint and quiet, you are very close to Charleston. Charleston is the oldest city in the state and is filled with tons of historical attractions. History buffs will love visiting spots like Fort Sumter, the Charleston Museum (the oldest museum in the country), and the many plantations nearby. In addition, the city is known for its eclectic mix of low country foods, which include southern, French, and Caribbean.

If you're looking to retire in an affordable beach town, with great weather and proximity to historical attractions, Folly Beach is the place for you. Get in touch with realtors that specialize in South Carolina real estate and start searching for your retirement dream home today. 

Those who are considering the purchase of a fixer upper in South Carolina are making a smart choice, if they do things properly. Purchasing a fixer upper can save you a lot of money, teach you a lot during the renovation process, and allow you to personalize the home. But what should you look for when buying a property that's going to need some TLC? Read on for advice that will help you make an educated and appropriate decision for your life . . . and avoid any money pits.

Calculate Cost of Repairs

Before making an offer on a home, you'll need to calculate the cost of repairs. Find a good home inspector in the area and have them look at the house to determine what needs to be repaired, and how much that would cost to do properly. When they walk through, go with them so that they can explain things along the way.

If the house in question is an older home, make sure that the inspector that you choose has adequate experience with and knowledge of structures in that age range. A person who only specializes in modern constructions may be inclined to think that everything in an old home needs repair. Also, have the contractor that you've selected walk through the home so that they can create a written cost estimate for the work they intend to do. If planning on doing the majority of the work yourself, you should calculate the cost of supplies that are needed to complete the project.

Always factor in an extra twenty percent for additional repairs, as unexpected problems have a tendency to pop up in old homes.   

Up for the Challenge?

You'll need to decide what you can do yourself and what needs to be handed over to professionals. Improvements such as painting and wallpaper removal are simple enough to handle, but other things like electrical work and plumbing may be over your head; these issues need to be considered before purchasing the home.

Do You Have the Time?

Also, you need to seriously consider whether or not you have the time to do the job. Are you in a position where you can take time off of work to fix the house up? If not, do you and your family mind living in a space that is being renovated for an extended period of time, since you can only work on the home on weekends? Lots to consider here.

Purchasing South Carolina real estate can be an exciting and fun process, but you'll need to make sure that the fixer upper you choose is worth your while. With the right purchase, your hard work will pay off and you can turn the lackluster house that you bought into a lifelong home.