Alternative real estate firm ventures downtown

Looking past a not-so-hospitable welcome to the Charleston real estate community, the newly formed Rehava Real Estate Store is expanding to downtown Charleston.

The alternative brokerage firm, which stirred controversy by offering buyer rebates after a change in state law allowed them, plans to open an office at 48 Society St. The company opened its first store this year on International Boulevard at the entrance to Tanger Outlet Center.

The office will be run by Danny Sillivant, a longtime agent at John Liberatos Real Estate Co. It will start off with three agents.

Rehava, which was founded by real estate agent and broker Steve deGuzman, promises to give buyer rebates and a flat listing rate to customers.

The amount of the rebate varies with the price of a home and the agreed-upon commission payout to agents. A typical rebate of 1.5 percent could result in thousands of dollars in savings in the Charleston area, where the median home price is about $210,000.

For example, on a standard 6 percent commission on a $200,000 home, the agents representing the buyer and seller typically would split the $12,000 payout. Under that scenario, Rehava said, it would pay half of its hypothetical $6,000 share as a rebate.

While the concept could save buyers money, agents who are protective of their standard 3 percent commission haven't been supportive.

After one South of Broad homeowner heard about Rehava, he contacted the company to list his home, deGuzman said. But the homeowner changed his mind after some agents threatened to avoid showing the home, deGuzman said.

DeGuzman said he still hopes to break into the market by relying on the Internet. Since many buyers begin their home search online, he said, his listings will still get the attention they deserve.

"If you have a client that wants to see our house and a broker tells them that they don't want to show it, good luck," he said.

Rehava, which formally opened in late May, has sold five homes, according to the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. It also has 17 properties listed on the association's Multiple Listing Service.

Private sale

A London family has moved into a South of Broad estate after paying a near-record $6.175 million for it.

Martin and Kelly Vest Skelly bought 9 Tradd St. in late June, according to Charleston County property records. The couple recently moved from Great Britain.

A U.K.-based technology consulting company lists Martin Skelly as a co-founder on its Web site.

The Tradd home wasn't formally listed for sale when the Skellys made an offer, according to the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.

The home is nestled among stately 18th-century structures, but it's only 3 years old. The previous owners bought a neighboring lot that had a shabby, non-historic structure and combined the two properties.

The property now has a courtyard garden, pool and separate garage in an early-settled part of downtown Charleston where even off-street parking is hard to find, said Charles Sullivan of Carriage Properties, who was not involved in the sale.

Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com.