Plane in Jeremy Creek

August 23rd, 2010 Buyers Daniel Bates 7 Comments

I got a phone call Saturday morning telling me that I should go down to the dock of Palmer’s Point and take a look across the creek.  You can imagine my surprise when I saw a plane pulled up at Leland Marine next to the typical array of of yachts, house boats, shrimp boats, and barges.  McClellanville’s local librarian, Pat Gross shared a few more pictures of the plane actually cruising down the creek and taking off and the heart-touching story behind the pilot.

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4 Rural McClellanville Real Estate Listings that Deserve a Look

April 30th, 2010 Buyers Daniel Bates 2 Comments

Today I have the pleasure of bringing you 4 real estate listings of mine located in rural McClellanville.   They are all just across Jeremy Creek from the Historic District in the peaceful Skipper’s Point community (map below).  I’m talking dirt road, wooded, peaceful, country retreats and all still in the town limits and just 5 minutes to the restaurants and boat landing.  There is something for everyone that appreciates rural living at it’s best.

514 Romain Road – $750,000

First up is a brand new listing just added this week.  It’s a gorgeous 4 bedroom, 4 bath waterfront home with over 150 feet of frontage on Jeremy Creek and a large deep-water dock.  It’s the prettiest lot in all of McClellanville with 4 massive live oaks on a spacious lot.  The nearly 2800 square feet feel much more spacious with a very open floor plan that will accommodate any number of needs.  I’ve been managing this house as a vacation rental for the last 3 years and would be happy to continue for new owner.

8 Mouzons Bluff – $69,500

Looking for an affordable lot to build you home in McClellanville?  This lot is build-ready and is the cheapest 1+ acre lot in McClellanville town limits.   Amazingly, it is also located in Mouzons Bluff community which entitles it to use of the future community dock on the Intracoastal Waterway and park on Otter Creek, just walking distance from this lot.  Now that’s value!

22 Mouzons Bluff – $100,000

This is the lowest priced waterfront lot in the McClellanville and Awendaw real estate market.  It’s 3/4 of an acre and has over 100 feet of frontage on Otter Creek.  You can watch wildlife and launch a kayak from your own back yard.  Just like 8 Mouzons Bluff, this lot will also have access to the future community dock on the Intracoastal Waterway.  So for just $30k more you’re upgrading to waterfront!

3 Romain Road – $395,000,

Waterfront lots are a commodity in McClellanville and this one is the lowest priced lot on deep-water in McClellanville.  It has a view of the Intracoastal Waterway, Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge and the Cape Romain lighthouse.  In addition to being on Jeremy Creek, this lot is also bounded on one side by Otter Creek.  If you’ve been waiting for affordable waterfront property with immediate access to prime fishing and boating grounds, this is your chance.

Please feel free to call me for a private tour of any or all of these beautiful properties – Daniel Bates -  843-606-0622

Disclosure: Agent is Related to Seller of 3 Romain, 22 Mouzons Bluff, and 514 Romain

5 Simple Things That You Can Do in McClellanville to Help Save the Earth

October 15th, 2009 Buyers Daniel Bates 1 Comment

Happy Blog Action Day Everybody!

Blagwhatsitnow? Blog Action Day!  That’s right it’s the 3rd annual celebration where bloggers all over the world unite to write about a single great cause in order to promote a conversation and in turn hopefully prove that one person can make a difference and bring about change.  The first blog action day was about the environment and I laid out my love of nature and urged for a recycling movement in McClellanville.  So this time I’ll get right down to it. The topic is “Climate Change” and I’m not going to argue whether this planet is getting warming…or colder or the sea levels are rising or that it’s all just a cyclical change, because I’m no scientist.  There is no denying, however, that since our time on the earth and specifically since we entered into a modern industrial age we have had a hugely significant impact on everything around us.

I certainly don’t have all the answers. If this is something that you feel passionate about or would like to learn more you may want to attend a meeting of McClellanville’s Kitchen Table Climate Study Group or at least have a word with group leader David Stoney.  I know that somehow people keep throwing religion and politics into the mix and causing major divides, but the truth is that the regardless of your core beliefs everyone needs to start thinking forward more than just five minutes into the future. Thinking about making sure that not only their grandchildren will have the same or better experience on this planet, but also our great, great, great grandchildren. McClellanville sits about 5-15 feet above sea level. The recent anniversary of Hurrican Hugo should remind us all what the powers of the sea is capable of. I can’t say with any certainty whether my house will be underwater in , but enough very smart scientist who have gone to school far more years than I have and studied this subject more years than I’ve been around feel that it is a very good possibility and that’s good enough for me to listen to what they have to say.  I’m going to leave the big questions up to the leaders of the countries and simply implore you as a citizen of the planet to consider these 5 simple changes in your daily life schedule to possibly change the path of human civilization.

1) Give your Car a Break

Walking is a great family activity that none of us do any enough anymore.  I have “bad knees” but I still very much enjoy the opportunities when I’m able to walk around “the loop” over on Mouzons Bluff with my wife and son.   We’re still the only house over here so there’s lot of nature and I love the little talks I get to have to with him and getting to catch up with my wife.  It’s also the perfect time of year RIGHT NOW while the chill in the air is waving goodbye to the mosquitoes (I sure hope so at least) but it’s not too cold to have to bundle up.

So this weekend walk to Pete & Claudia’s or Pinckney Street Kitchen h yeah, and if you live more than a walk away from the restaurant an electric golf cart isn’t a bad way to travel if you have one, but you do have to keep in mind that unless you’ve got a solar panel on your roof or a windmill in your yard than that power is probably being produced by a coal plant at least until the State decides to put those giant wind turbines off the coat…but that’s another story I’m not going to get into here.

2) Recycle

I really don’t understand how people can not recycle in this modern age.  Yes it’s a hassle in McClellanville because you have to take it to the dump yourself.  If you’re a senior you can talk to someone from Presbyterian Churches Men’s Group and see about having them pick it up a for you.  I know they provide this great service to a lot of the elderly around town.  I’ve been trying for years now to convince the town to add recycling pickup, but the council has not felt so moved to make an action yet.  Maybe if it were more than just me asking than they’d take more action (hint hint..HINT HINT).  But consider this when you think that it’s too much work.  Every weekend I not only round up the recycling from my house, but also from the two rental properties that I manage.   At our local recycling center, you can recycle  plastics #1 (soda and water bottles) and #2 (milk cartons),  steel (soup) and aluminum (soda’s) cans,  glass bottles,  cardboard,  newspapers, junk mail, magazines  and paperboard (cereal boxes).  Separating the recycling from our trash has cut our output in half.   I just found out that you can get free blue recycling bins at the Mount Pleasant DMV.  We have a bin under our sink next to the trashcan that we put all the cans and bottles in and a paper grocery bag next to it that we put our paper board into.  We dump it into full size trashcan when they get full.

3) Switch to Fluorescent Light Bulbs

I’m slowly going through the house and doing this.  These bulbs cost a little bit more but will lower your energy consumption as will unplugging unused electronics like TV’s and Computers.  While you’re at it why don’t you replace all your appliances with more energy efficient ones.  My friend over at Green Earth Equities is an eco-friendly house flipper that offers free classes and lots of great information on how you can make your house more environmentally friendly and get that money back when you go to sell.  Now us East Coasters don’t have the same hippy movement going on here, but in a place like McClellanville I can’t help but think that we’re going to be one the firsts to embrace such a movement.  I’ve already talked with several interested buyers who want to build green homes.

4) Compost

This is something that the Bates’ household has yet to do…in an organized fashion.  Being that we have miles of woods in all directions of our house, we actually partake in the ultra-chic, super-sophisticated “Chunk the  rotten food into the woods from my back porch” composting philosophy.  Say what you will but my squishy tomatoes and stale bread aren’t ending up in a landfill and are being quickly returned to Mother Earth.  The birds and squirrels are happy and who knows I might have some peach-apple-tomato hybrid sprouting up next year.  If you live in the Historic District, your neighbors probably won’t appreciate your rotting fruit in their yard so, like me, you need to get or make a compost bin and start turn those coffee grounds and eggshells into to gold.

5) Plant a Tree

Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?  You see how I was just talking about composting as a way to reduce waste and hear this beautiful byproduct will help fertilize your garden or plants.  My mom is the gardener in my family.  Maybe someday I’ll get organized enough to do that…but it’s doubtful.  So in the mean time we’re simply trying to grow grass (it’s hard than you’d think when you’re working with pure sand).  Seriously though.  McClellanville is a proud member of Tree City USA (7 years running) and we have our very own Tree Committee to watch over our prize Oaks and help people just like you that want to plant a tree.   So give them a call today if you need a little help with this one, but we need as many trees as possible to offset the growing human population.

What Other Bloggers Are Writing About

One last mention.  I know most of you have probably heard about Twitter on the news and written it off as a meaningless tool…and I would agree with you to a large point, but this is what is really cool about it.  Here is a LIVE feed of everyone in the WORLD talking about Blog Action Day and leaving links to the posts that they have written.   You have to admit that’s a pretty amazing.

Asbestos and McClellanville Homes

May 5th, 2009 Buyers Daniel Bates No Comments

The following is a guest post written by Joe Lederman and provided by Asbestos.com – The Leading Mesothelioma Cancer Resource.  I can’t attest to the frequency of presence of asbestos in homes in McClellanville, but it reinforces the need for a qualified real estate agent and home inspector who can detect the presence of the material.

Located in the southeastern region of the United States, South Carolina is home to rich mountain ranges, national parks and monuments. In South Carolina, The state was important in the manufacturing, processing and use of asbestos because of its natural deposits and large shipping industry. Many companies that used asbestos include the Charleston Navy Yard, Carolina Shipping Company and Detyen Shipyards, Inc.

Purchasing or moving into a new home is the investment of a lifetime. It will insure you and your family will have a safe and healthy home for a long foreseeable future. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was a prominent building application throughout the 20th century.

Potential McClellanville home buyers or those seeking to remodel a home built before 1980 should check for potential asbestos materials. This is not to say that you should be too worried because with the proper precautions, asbestos exposure can be easily prevented.

Even if asbestos shingles are on your home, if they are in good condition and left undisturbed, they are not a serious problem. The mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous. Damaged asbestos may release asbestos fibers and become a health hazard, leading to the development of asbestosis and mesothelioma. With a latency period that can last 20 to 50 years, this makes mesothelioma prognosis from physicians a difficult task.

The amount of asbestos-related incidents in the last few decades has lead to asbestos lawyer firms advocating victim rights around the U.S. The negligence involved with the asbestos scandal has been one of greed and dishonesty. Manufacturers of asbestos were aware of its toxic qualities, but repressed this information from the public.

If you suspected asbestos materials are in your home, most home inspectors and contractors advise to leave it un-disturbed as asbestos in good condition does not pose any health risks. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Council promotes the health and safety of the public and environment. These public organizations assist the disposal and removal of asbestos and other harmful materials. If asbestos removal is deemed necessary, it should be performed by licensed abatement contractor who is trained in handling hazardous materials.

Once the removal process is completed, green insulation alternatives should be given serious consideration. These alternatives include: cellulose, cotton fiber and lcynene. Tax breaks are being offered through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. This package extends energy efficiency tax incentives first enacted in 2005 and even creates some new ones for those who remodel their homes using Eco-friendly materials. Insulation replacement can be vital to energy efficiency and is often overlooked by people looking to upgrade their homes.

With a lackluster economy, these kinds of figures have attracted those who were unaware of Eco-friendly construction. Not only will these asbestos alternatives reduce energy costs, they allow a lifestyle that promotes a clean, free of health damaging materials.

McClellanville Neighborhood Spotlight: Historic District

July 18th, 2008 Buyers 1 Comment

The historic district is McClellanville’s largest, most populated, and best known neighborhood. It is obviously named so because of it’s age and prevalent historic homes. Here, on the north eastern side of Jeremy Creek, McClellanville grew from a single plantation as streets, homes, and stores filled in under the old oak trees. Many people mistakenly think that it’s all there is to McClellanville, missing the turn off for Silver Hill and Skipper’s Point. Nonetheless, Historic District property carries the highest pricetags because of the high demand and relatively low turnover. Land is also less available here than in other more rural areas.

There are over a hundred homes, businesses, and churches predating 1935 in the historic district. The national historic registry has pictures and more information about many of them on their website .

New construction and home remodeling must be approved by an Architectural Review Board (ARB) to ensure that homes stay in keeping with the style of the rest of the Historic District. Zoning allows for new lots to be no smaller than 3/4 of an acre (1 acre for the rest of McClellanville), though many smaller lots were grandfathered in when the rule was created.

In the center of the Historic District on Pinckney Street is McClellanville’s quaint “downtown business district”, which consists of two restaurants, a handful of boutiques and artist studios, and our real estate office. Residents treat these local restaurants as social gathering places and catch up with friends and family dining on local seafood along side the weekend tourists.

Live oak lined streets are characteristic of the Historic District and the landmark Deerhead Oak stands above them all. Near the end of Pinckney Street lies the boat landing, Town Hall, Village Museum and playground. It is the site of the towns annual Shrimp Festival and many other public gatherings.

The Historic District is also home to the marina and the docks on Oak Street are where most of the shrimp boats dock and unload there fresh haul directly to the seafood markets.

There is obviously a lot going on in the Historic District, but above all is the community, which you can’t necessarily describe but you get a sense of it from the children riding bicycles and smiling faces and waves you get from passing pedestrians.

Click Here for Homes for Sale in Historic District

Click Here for Lots for Sale in Historic District