Abberly at West Ashley Blog

Being a food city, there are a few great restaurant happenings coming up. Grab some friends from your apartment in Charleston, SC and go get something to eat!

Charleston Mix and Poogan’s Porch are hosting a “bloody good brunch” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Poogan’s Porch, 72 Queen St. Enjoy Charleston Mix Bold and Spicy Bloody Mary’s on special for $3. Reservations are recommended; call 843-577-2337.

Poogan’s Porch and Social Restaurant + Wine Bar have been awarded a 2012 Diners’ Choice Award from OpenTable.

The 13th annual Lowcountry Food Bank Chefs Feast is 6 p.m. Sunday at the Embassy Suites Charleston Area Convention Center. The event raises funds for the Lowcountry Food Bank’s childhood hunger programs, Kids Cafe and BackPack Buddies. Kids Cafe provides children with meals and academic assistance after school, while BackPack Buddies addresses the issue of weekend hunger for children. Nearly 3,000 children are served each week through both programs. Tickets are $175 each.

McCrady’s is hosting a Legare Farms Fundraiser from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $40 in advance; $50 at the door. To purchase tickets, call 843-577-0025. Legare Farms is a family farm that has been continually operating since 1725. The mission of Legare Farms Education Foundation is to help raise awareness and educate Lowcountry communities and school children on the agricultural heritage of this region and the need to maintain this legacy for future generations. Legare Farms produces sod, hormone free beef, local produce, jams and jellies. They also run a full scale grower's nursery and an education foundation that provides school field trips, community educational opportunities and special events.

Charleston Regional Business Journal

Charleston is a beautiful city, and right now, as spring approaches you can see it coming alive. If you are one of the lucky ones to live in an apartment in Charleston, SC, you are certainly never at a loss for things to do in this historic yet modern city.

But this week, through February 21 there is something even more special going on in this town. The Lowcountry Blues Bash is here. The Lowcountry Blues Bash is Charleston’s annual celebration of authentic blues music. With ten days of performances in select clubs, restaurants, hotels, and other venues, the Bash boasts some of the best blues North America.
 
You can see and hear it all; from traditional and post-modern to underappreciated local bands and up-and-coming talent. The Southern Comfort Lowcountry Blues Bash is a  delight for every type of blues fan, new and old.

More information can be found on the CharlestonLowCountry website.

Charleston, SC has gotten recognized again. This particularly “superlative” doesn’t really affect you if you live in an apartment in Charleston. However it should remind you of how lucky you are to live here. Charleston ranks third for happiest city for Winter travel.

Hilton Honors partnered with Sperlings Bestplaces to find the top 10 happiest travel destinations in the United States.

The first and second place cities: Tucson, Ariz. and St. Petersburg, Fla. But Charleston came in third, and we’ll take it!

If you live here, you know why Charleston is such a special place in the winter; it's warm and it is a beautiful southern city full of history, good people and great food

If you are interested in living here, contact Abberly at West Ashley.

Those who have never bought a home have likely heard the suggestion that renting is like throwing money away.

Why rent when you could buy? Well, there are good cases to be made for renting, depending on your circumstances.

Renting an apartment in Charleston means never having to worry about being trapped in an underwater mortgage, or making expensive repairs, and you can relocate when and where you want without worrying about selling a home.
 
Owning a home means a yard, the freedom to paint the walls whatever color you choose, and a chance to build equity and hopefully gain an asset that will grow in value. It looks like a good time to buy a home.

But for those who aren't certain they're going to live in a home they buy for many years, buying can turn out to be the avenue where your throw money away. There can be greater risks than with renting, but with greater risk, more headaches, and unforeseen expenses.
 
Keep in mind too, that your first home most likely won't have a state-of-the-art fitness center, gorgeous pool and other apartment amenities.

With a 30-year mortgage, more than two-thirds of the money spent on mortgage payments during the first five years will go toward interest, building little equity.

First-time homebuyers may not be aware of all the costs associated with ownership. Let's go one put some hard numbers on it.

• A homebuyer should assume the basic monthly expenses will add around 50% to 75% to the mortgage payment. Here's the math:
• The median price of a home sold in 2011 in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties was $186,050. So if a person puts down 10% and borrows the rest, with interest rates at 4%, the monthly payment on a 30-year loan would be about $800.
•  
• Add about $75 for private mortgage insurance.

That's $875 a month. Sounds pretty good. That works out to $9,592 yearly, with about $3,000 going toward paying down the loan, and the rest to interest.

Now here's a rundown of additional annual costs:

• Utilities: $2,700. That's electricity and water for an efficient, 1,800-square- foot house, with three occupants.
• Homeowners insurance: $2,200. The cost depends on proximity to the coast. Flood insurance is extra.
• Property taxes: About $750 to $1,300 on a house valued at the median price, depending on tax rates where it's located.
•  
• Homeowners association fees: $350. Some neighborhoods have HOAs, others don't, and fees can vary greatly.
• Termite bond: $330. If you live in the Lowcountry, you'll want termite protection.
• Stormwater/Solid Waste fees: $120 to $240 in most areas.

Add them up, and on a monthly basis, those expenses bring the monthly expenses plus mortgage up to $1,425.

Plus at least $100 a month to account for repairs and replacing stuff that breaks. The to-do list never goes away.

For information on Renting  an apartment in Charleston, SC, contact Abberly at West Ashley.

Original article – The Post and Courrier

It takes a bit of adjusting when you move into your new apartment in Charleston, SC. You have to get familiar with the space, the city, and your new neighbors. And just like you, your pet needs time to become accustomed to a new home and new faces too.

If you’ve just moved into a new apartment with your pet, using your pet's favorite food bowl, bedding and toys will help in getting your pet to feel at home. If your pet will have free-roam of your apartment, let him/her come out of the cage or crate whenever possible by leaving the crate open.

Try to keep your pets routine as normal as possible during as much of the move as possible. If you regularly feed, exercise or play with your pet at certain times, continue to do so. This may help reduce the chances of it getting upset.

Hopefully you have been able to get a recommendation for a veterinarian from your previous vet, if this move was not local for you. Once you yourself are settled in, locate and visit a veterinarian. Abberly at West Ashley is a pet-friendly apartment community, so feel free to ask us any questions.

What a great week to live in an apartment in Charleston, SC. This is a food city. Restaurant week in Charleston is an eleven day celebration of the best in southern food at hundreds of participating restaurants from January 12 through 22. You can see the menus of all the participating restaurants over the next few weeks on the Restaurant Week Website.

From fine dining to casual dining, participating restaurants will feature special menus items, promotions and discounts. You can sample the newest restaurants in Charleston as well as revisit your old favorites and taste a variety of exceptional dishes being prepared by chefs.  

Restaurant Week in Charleston is an exciting event that showcases the outstanding culinary scene throughout this exciting city. We hope you enjoy the most delicious week of the year in Charleston!

January has an “R” in it which means, it is oyster season. If you are sitting around your apartment in Charleston, SC wondering how you can get some fresh oysters and great music without doing the work, then look no further than the Charleston Collegiate Annual Rock 'n' Roast.
 
Saturday, January 21, 2012 1:00-5:00 pm is Charleston Collegiate School’s annual oyster roast. This is a day of Music and Fun with a traditional Lowcountry Oyster Roast and Pig Pickin' on their beautiful 30-acre campus.

Live music provided by The 3 Dudes and The Deciders, both bands have members from CCS. Charleston County Parks will provide a climbing wall for the kids.

A Chili Cook-off will round out this event as a fundraiser for Charleston Collegiate School.

Many people are told when they are younger that renting is only for college graduates or people who cannot afford to buy.  Many parents hammer these ideas into their children and tell them that renting is equivalent to throwing money away every month.  Fortunately, today people are beginning to finally think for themselves and challenge these ideas.  Here are 4 reasons to pat yourself on the back for deciding to rent an apartment in Charleston, SC at an HHHunt Community!
 
1.  Renting can save money

At the very minimum you’ll be shelling out PITI for your home. That is:

1. Principal
2. Interest
3. Tax
4. Insurance

The PITI doesn’t include property maintenance like maintaining the yard, paint, plumbing, repairs, decorating, etc… When you rent an apartment at an HHHunt community, the monthly payment is almost always quite a bit less than the PITI in your area and there are no maintenance expenses!

2. Homeowners’ tax deductions are overstated

According to research quoted by MSN, “… half of homeowners don’t get a break, because even with mortgage interest and property taxes, their total deductions do not exceed the standard federal tax deduction ($11,900 for couples and $5,450 for singles)”.

For these folks, it’s like spending $100 to save $20. They’re better off saving the difference and investing it.   Even if there is a “break” on your taxes, you typically had to spend more than you would have spent to rent to get back that $20 for every $100 spent in interest payments.

3. Renting gives you flexibility

For the up and coming young professional, you’re better off renting in Charleston and saving for a few years than to buy a small condo. Who knows how fast you will outgrow it?  When you own a home, you can’t always sell it when you need to sell it at the price you want to sell it in order to accept a new employment opportunity.  If you have owned a home and don’t want the constant maintenance responsibility, renting gives you the opportunity to enjoy your weekends instead of completing that “to do” list.

4.  Our superb service teams!

Most apartment communities offer 24 hour emergency maintenance and technicians who are skilled in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical.  At an HHHunt Community, our service teams take great pride in offering prompt and professional service to you.  Whether you need a light bulb changed or a new compressor for your AC unit, we are there to take care of you as fast and efficient as possible.  We are always a phone call or email away and most service requests are performed on the same day or within 24 hours!

If you live in an apartment in Charleston, SC, you are faced with a tough decision. What to do for New Year’s Eve since there are more than 80 NYE events happening in Charleston on Saturday night.

For fans of fancy parties, some of the big ones are the Platinum Ball at the Hippodrome, the Crystal Ball at the Omar Shrine Temple, Charleston NYE 2012  at Harborside East, and the Snyder Grand Ball at the S.C. Aquarium. Tickets include fancy cocktails, delicious food, and live entertainment.

Sometimes, ringing in the New Year with a lobster or decadent steak is all you need. Some favorite dinners are at the Italian dinners at the Glass Onion, the all-truffle dinner at Circa 1886, and the gala at Woodlands Inn, which follows up a five-course dinner with a black-tie party.

The whole family can enjoy the city's Happy New Year, Charleston! bash in Marion Square, the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry's daytime Noon Year's Eve, the Holiday Festival of Lights Winter Carnival, or the family- and adult-oriented bowling packages at River Bowl and Bistro.

Some favorite local haunts are getting fancy for the new year. Blu, O-Ku, and the Cocktail Club's parties are on the higher end and some less expensive but great options are Noche Vieja New Year's Eve at Barsa, the parties at Light and Torch, New Year's Eve Prom at the Tin Roof, a NYE Ball at The Roost, and Twenty-Twelve Suede.

Favorite New Year’s Eve parties that are free: Tattooed Moose's Day of the Dead Goodbye to 2011 and Voodoo's Bee Gee's Dance Party.

This is just some of the great events around Charleston to help you usher out 2011 and usher in 2012.

Information from Charleston City Paper

Charleston, SC has been named among the Top 10 "Tastiest Towns in the South," according to Southern Living magazine's January issue.

The South bursts with hometown flavor. Southerners are very proud of their hometown tastes which is why Southern Living brought to you the Top 10 "Tastiest Towns" in the South, a roundup of the most delicious destinations across the region.

As a resident of your apartment in Charleston, SC, it is up to you to vote for your city! Readers will determine the winner. Rally around your favorite hometown or food destination and cast your vote for the "Tastiest Town in the South".

"At Southern Living, we know there's no taste like home," said Editor Lindsay Bierman. "Particular foods and flavors define a city and region, starting right in your own mama's kitchen, and sometimes the most humble dish like a plate of grits will make its way onto a gourmet menu and become an outright tourist attraction…The forward-thinking cooks, chefs, artisans, and tastemakers in each of these established and emerging food scenes honor, preserve and enrich our region's distinct culinary traditions at every meal."

Charleston was cited for its iconic Lowcountry dishes and thriving cocktail culture. The magazine identified shrimp and grits, coconut cake and passionate chefs among the reasons Charleston made the list.

Southern Living chose the Top 10 "Tastiest Towns in the South" based on the following criteria:

• Food as a cultural identity: The unique food or ethnicity that defines a particular Southern region.
• Growth of a culinary-minded community: The influence that the culinary industry has on the local community and tourism.
• Diverse cuisine at a variety of price points: Accessibility to hearty, flavorful meals at any budget.
•  Local, sustainable food practices: The focus on sourcing products from local purveyors to geographically define where each meal comes from.
• Hot chefs on the rise: The influence of the area's culinary talent in the media and pop culture.
• Abundance of buzz-worthy food events: The number of festivals in the area that celebrate all things food and drink.

Original article ABC News 4