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The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) routinely collects water samples at more than 120 locations along South Carolina’s beaches.

Water monitoring samples are taken to test for enterococcus bacteria – to indicate presence of bacteria in the water. Elevated levels of these bacteria in the water can indicate possible contamination by fecal waste. Enterococcus is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans, pets and wildlife. Enterococci are typically not considered harmful to humans, but their presence in the environment may indicate that other disease-causing organisms may be present.

If high numbers of bacteria ...

The community name of Berkshire Forest in Carolina Forest is commonly used to describe both of the following:

• Berkshire Forest is the name of the “Master Planned Community” off of River Oaks Drive in Carolina Forest. Pulte has completed this Master Planned Community
• Berkshire Forest is also the name of the “Subdivision” that Pulte is building. This Berkshire Forest Subdivision continues to expand, resulting in the Berkshire Forest Subdivision being actually contained within 3 different Master Planned Communities:
  1. Berkshire Forest is part of the Master Planned Community of Berkshire Forest (development completed)
  2. Berkshire Forest is part of the Master Planned Community of Villages ...

As you peruse real estate opportunities in the MLS you will come across listing opportunities defined with the property classification of “Interval Ownership”.

Interval Ownership is a fee simple ownership and contains the same rights as any other property conveyed by deed.  Interval ownership is technically a system of timeshare ownership in which the owner acquires title to a specific property for a certain period of time each year (typically certain week or weeks).

Interval Ownership, also commonly referred to as “Fractional Ownership” – has an investment approach in which the real estate asset is split between the individual shareholders.  All of the shareholders will then split the ...

Effective July 1, 2022, Captain’s Cove is now Oceanside Landing.

This Murrells Inlet active adult 55+ community began development in the late 1980's.  There are approximately 225 single family home sites.  Oceanside Landing is now owned by an investment group that has properties in other states across the US including Florida and Arizona.  Oceanside Landing is located close to the beach, the marsh walk, restaurants, shopping, and more!  Oceanside Landing has a community pool, clubhouse, and so much more!  This Murrells Inlet 55+ community is located within a mile of the Atlantic Ocean!

Current homes for sale in Oceanside Landing.

Contractors for the Surfside Beach Fishing Pier say they are now looking at mid-December to February/March to complete the more than $18-million project.

In a meeting, Wednesday, July 27, about the construction of the town’s pier, the town council and the public heard from contractors and engineers about the pier’s status.

Representatives from Consensus Construction, Collins Engineering, LS3P and consultants from Leitner Management Group answered questions from town administrator William Shanahan and council members.

As contractors continue to extend the length of the pier, now on eight of 13 pile bents, other crews are at work on the buildings that will house businesses on the pier pl...

Myrtle Beach Bicycle Map and Routes

Bicycles are allowed on the beach before 10:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. from May 1 through Labor Day.  Bicycles are allowed on the boardwalk only between 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. from May 1 through Labor Day.  There's no afternoon window for bicycles on the boardwalk during the peak summer months.

Many of the city’s public beach access points have bicycle racks.  Bicycles do not need parking decals and parking is free.  The following beach access locations offer bike racks:  Anderson Park, Breakers Park, Cameron Park, Gardens by the Sea Park, Hurl Rocks Park, Plyler Park, 14th Avenue Pier and the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk at First through Ninth Avenues No...

SC Legislature Code of Laws Section 56-2-105 - Golf cart permit and the operation of a golf cart

(A) For the purposes of this section, "gated community" means any homeowners' community with at least one access controlled ingress and egress which includes the presence of a guard house, a mechanical barrier, or another method of controlled conveyance.

(B) An individual or business owner of a vehicle commonly known as a golf cart may obtain a permit decal and registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles upon presenting proof of ownership and liability insurance for the golf cart and upon payment of a five dollar fee.

(C) During daylight hours only:

(1) A permitted golf cart may be ...

• The widening of Carolina Forest Boulevard and the installation of the Shared Use Path along Carolina Forest Boulevard from Gateway Drive to Postal Way projects are complete.
• The extension, widening, and realignment of Postal Way is well underway with Phase I (from a point near Publix to Waccamaw Pines Drive) being complete and Phase II (Carolina Forest Boulevard improvements and improvements on roads North/West of CFB) scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, weather dependent.
• The extension of Middle Ridge Avenue from West Perry Road to William Finlayson Road is underway with a scheduled completion date by the end of 2023, weather dependent.
• The Southbound widening of US 501 fro...

The Omnibus Coastal Property Insurance Reform Act of 2007 provides certain income tax credits for the costs a homeowner incurs in making his home more resistant to losses due to hurricane damage. 

Section 12-6-3660 of this Act provides an income tax credit for the costs incurred to retrofit a structure qualifying as the taxpayer’s legal residence to make it more resistant to loss due to hurricane, rising floodwater, or other catastrophic windstorm event. The tax credit for any taxable year is limited to 25% of the total costs incurred or $1,000, whichever is less.

Section 12-6-3665 of this Act allows an income tax credit of up to $1,500 for state sales or use taxes paid on purchases of ...

Freddie Mac operates in the US secondary mortgage market, buying loans (mostly from smaller banks) that meet certain standards from approved lenders.  Those lenders are then, in turn, able to provide more loans to qualified borrowers.  Freddie Mac then pools the mortgages it buys into securities, which they sell to investors.

Beginning July 10, 2022, Freddie Mac will consider on-time rent payments for first-time homebuyers as part of its loan purchase decisions.

This initiative of factoring in on-time rent payments into loan purchase decisions could help many renters, including some who may lack the credit history or credit score, to qualify for a mortgage.

For more details please visi...

On July 1,2022, the SC Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement is expected to have a one sentence change.

"Purchaser has sole responsibility for investigating off-site conditions of the property including, but not limited to, adjacent properties being used for agricultural purposes."

This will place the onus on the purchaser to investigate all off site conditions both present and perhaps occurring in the future.   Perhaps, the purchaser’s investigation occurs pre-offer or during due diligence and over distances desired by the purchaser.  The purchaser can always hire a lawyer and/or private investigator to investigate physically and in documents and verbally and observationa...

Kevin O’Brien has joined the team at Vansant Realty Group!  Kevin is a local Carolina Forest resident and is an experienced Realtor serving as both a Buyer Agent and a Seller Agent.   Kevin specializes in residential homes and ocean front condos.

Please feel free to contact Kevin O’Brien directly at:

Phone: (843) 997-9390

Email: ObrienByTheBeach@gmail.com

Kevin O’Brien Bio

SC Housing 2022 Palmetto Heroes Program is intended to honor and include teachers, first responders and community service personnel in the fields of law enforcement, corrections, firefighting, emergency medical services and health care, as well as active-duty military, members of the SC Army National Guard, SC Air National Guard and Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.  This program offers FHA, VA, USDA and Conventional financing with a reduced fixed interest rate and enhanced $10,000 Down Payment Assistance. All approved Lending Partners are eligible to participate. Borrowers must have a fully executed sales contract for the purchase of a home prior to locking the interest rate.

SC Hous...

South Carolina Association of REALTORS (SCR's) Form 310 Agreement/Contract: To Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential) and Form 311 Agreement/Contract: To Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential/Condo) are expected to be transitioning to a strict Due Diligence contract with regards to repairs effective June 13, 2022.

Changes are expected to be made to Paragraph 8 which is currently entitled “REPAIRS”.  Currently there are 3 selectable repair options: (1) Repair Procedures, (2) Due Diligence and (3) As Is.  Repair Procedures and As Is are expected to be removed – leaving only the Due Diligence clause.  Due Diligence verbiage is not expected to be changed.  Due Diligence Expiration Date and T...

Horry County Officials are having a Grand Opening Ceremony today, Monday May 9, at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center (2254 Carolina Forest Boulevard) to celebrate the completion of the Carolina Forest Boulevard widening project.  The road and multi-use path opened to the public in February of 2022.

The core work on this $50+ million-dollar budgeted project involved the widening of Carolina Forest Boulevard from 2 lanes to 4 lanes between Gateway Drive and River Oaks Drive.

 Visit the Horry County Government site to see the details on this project:

https://www.horrycounty.org/portals/0/Docs/Ride3/maps/CF_Blvd_Widening.pdf

As per Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), mortgage rates increased for the 7th consecutive week.

U.S. weekly averages as of 04/21/2022:

30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage = 5.11% (0.8 fees/points)

15 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage = 4.38% (0.8 fees/points)

5/1 Year Adjustable Rate Mortgage = 3.75% (0.8 fees/points)

Freddie Mac’s PMMS is the longest running weekly survey of mortgage rates in the US.  PMMS is a primary market survey, which means it does not use data on loans purchased or funded by Freddie Mac, but rather surveys originators across the country and across different types of lending institutions and estimates what a typical customer might see if they shopped around f...

Golf Digest had it right – Myrtle Beach truly is the Holy Grail of budget golf trips.

Golf Digest article on Myrtle Beach Golf

Just ask the guys on the Rock and Bowes Golf Tour – celebrating their 39th year this week coming down from Pennsylvania to Myrtle Beach on their annual golf trip.  Says one of the more colorful members of the group, Rob “Hooch” D. - “nothing beats Myrtle Beach for variety – not just in golf but with all of the extracurricular activities in the area – it’s truly a unique spot”.

This group is playing Heritage Club this year.  Heritage Club actually has 2 graveyards.  One graveyard is located on Hole #8 and rests slaves.  Another graveyard is off the tee on Hole #...

New Listing - 979 Annilles Court - The Park Subdivision - $450,000

Lovely, well maintained single level 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch style home located on a private culdesac and just a mile to the beach! This home is in pristine condition and has tile and hardwood floors throughout and is decorated with neutral colors. Mirrored closets in bedrooms and Skylights in both bathrooms to let the sun shine in. Fireplace in the living room . Lovely all season room located just off the living room area, overlooks a beautifully landscaped private backyard with tall white cement wall to give you all the privacy you need to enjoy a quiet life near the beach. Entire property is beautifully landscaped. Atti...

The mission of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is to help people before, during and after disasters.

FEMA - https://www.fema.gov/

The FEMA partners with Tribal nations, States, and communities through the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) program to identify flood hazards, assess flood risks, and provide accurate data to guide stakeholders in taking effective mitigation actions that result in safer and more resilient communities. This data is incorporated into flood maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), that support the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and provide the basis for community floodplain management regulations and flood insura...

Pulte, Toll Brothers and Saussy Burbank will be the 3 builders in this new home community of SayeBrook in Surfside.

The first phase of this new home community will consist of approximately 155 single family homes.  Building is expected to start in June 2022 and sales will likely start in the fall of 2022.  Pricing will likely start in the $400's.

SayeBrook is a 700-acre traditional neighborhood development incorporating residential housing, office uses, medical uses, civic uses, and a mixed-use area called SayeBrook Town Center.  The SayeBrook Town Center is the ‘heart and soul’ of the SayeBrook project that is the mixed-use center that includes retail, restaurant, office and civic uses...