REAL ESTATE NEWS

Brokers honored

The Beach Co. has named Mary Ziegler its 2008 Residential Broker of the Year; and Jason Murbarger its 2008 Commercial Broker of the Year. The awards recognize the top producer within each division and exemplifies their hard work and dedication.

Murbarger has been with Beach Commercial for the past six years, specializing in retail and office space and land transactions. He heads the team that represents The Beach Company's retail assets and focuses on working with professional firms and investors in the Charleston Central Business District.

"His success is directly attributable to three things: He is smart, he works harder than anyone else, and he is relentless in representing his clients," says Mark Taylor, director of Commercial Brokerage.

Ziegler joined Beach Residential in 2004 and carries 19 years of experience in the real estate sales industry. Her primary area of expertise is in property sales on South Carolina's coastal islands, where her clients seek second homes, rental investments, home sites and vacation properties.

"She truly operates with her clients' best interest in mind and is persistent in attaining their satisfaction, which in turn leads to developing long lasting business relationships with each and every transaction," says David Nelson, director of Residential Brokerage.

To contact Ziegler, call (843) 971-1312 or email MZiegler@TheBeachCompany.com. To reach Murbarger, dial (843) 722- 2615 or email JMurbarger@TheBeachCompany.com.

Carolina Park opens

Lot sales to the general public started Jan. 24 at 1,708-acre Carolina Park, the much-anticipated, master planned community in Mount Pleasant.

The first release of home sites will consist of 22 lots in the Palmetto Forest and Tidewater neighborhoods, says the listing agent, Carolina One New Homes. Lot prices start at $127,500 in the first two of several planned neighborhoods.

Carolina Park aims to preserve the natural integrity of the area. There will be will have 17 miles of trails and sidewalks that wind through the community. There are plans for more than 130 acres of green space, including both multiuse park space and natural parkland, as well as more than 310 acres of untouched wetlands with access to the Wando River.

"Years of careful and thoughtful planning and development have lead to this day, when we begin to build the true community," says Stacy Hornstein of Carolina Park.

Planned amenities include a Roper-St. Francis Hospital center, the Children's Center at Carolina Park and adjacent Wando High School. The recreation center will have swimming pools, tennis courts, playgrounds and picnic areas.

For more information, go online to www.carolinapark.com, call (843) 216-7904 or (843) 654-5083 or visit the newly opened Sales Center at Carolina Park at 1400 Carolina Park Boulevard, immediately past the second entrance to Wando High. The sales center is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday or by appointment. Contact Amy McMullen, sales manager at amy@carolinapark.com; or Linny Manns, sales associate at linny@carolinapark.com.

Broker awarded

Bill Johnstone, broker-owner of Century 21 Waterfront Properties, has earned the Century 21 Centurian Award following his 2008 sales success. The Centurian Producer award honors Century 21 brokers and associates that earn $209,000 in commissions or closed 60 transaction sides within a calendar year. Johnstone has been in the real estate profession for 31 years.

Builders tout Web site

An online site for the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association is not only new but comes with some novel features.

The Web location, www.hbacharleston.com, includes upgrades such as easy registration for events, councils and memberships, a job bank to post and find jobs and a blog to keep up with government alerts and other news.

Also online is information about the association's "members-only" group health and workers' compensation plans.

The expanded online presence comes as the association, a professional group for members of the housing industry in the Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Builder members consist of residential contractors, remodelers, and developers. Associate members represent all professions that support the home building industry.

Established in 1959, the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association exists so that members of the residential construction industry can ethically and efficiently provide communities with safe, quality, affordable housing and to promote home ownership. It is affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders and the Home Builders Association of South Carolina.

Lodge gets fundraiser

Trademark Properties and The Concerned Citizens of Sol Legare will be hosting a fundraiser and silent auction 1-4 p.m. today at the site of the Farmer's Lodge on Sol Legare Road for a much needed renovation of the property.

There will be an oyster roast provided by Charleston Crab House and Gilligan's and food provided by The Kickin' Chicken, James Island. Irvin House Vineyards' wine and beer will also be included in the $20 price per person. "The Plainfield Project", headed up by local celebrity Ben Fagan, will perform old and new favorites.

Richard C. Davis, who heads Team Trademark, intends to document the lodge's rehabilitation as part of the real estate company's reality series, due to air on TLC in April. The show had an 18 month hiatus.

The lodge at Sol Legare, built in 1915 through the efforts of the community, is significant to the area because it is one of the last remaining of its kind in Charleston, a pillar of African American post-Civil War historical significance. The Seashore Farmers Lodge No. 767 served as the heart of the Sol Legare community for many years. It has hosted meetings, educational sessions, celebrations and wakes in its nearly one hundred-year history.

In 2006, Trademark Properties commissioned Karen Nickless, formerly of the Edisto Historical Society, to draft a nomination to have the structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2007 it was granted. Now, the most important part is to reconstruct the building to its original stature without compromising the historical significance of its architectural style, all the while staying within the requirements of the Registry - a very intricate, labor intensive job.

Close to $70,000 is needed to complete the project in a timely manner. Volunteers are needed to aid in the restoration and additional help can be given by donating funds directly to the cause: The Concerned Citizens of Sol Legare c/o Trademark Properties, Corie Hipp - 1175 C Folly Road Charleston S.C. 29412.

Ravenel represents

Arthur Ravenel III, president of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Company, represented the owner of 1932 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard on a recent development project. The deal was a long term land lease with SunTrust Bank.

Home Show coming

A noted chef is one of the guests at the 2009 Home & Outdoor Living Show Feb. 20-22 at Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston.

The show, sponsored by the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association, will have "hundreds of local companies setting up shop to demonstrate and sell the newest technology and products for your home," the association says. Crowds typically approach 10,000 people.

There will be free courses for consumers in green building, remodeling and gardening. Donnie Bulliard with The Cajun Kitchen will be on hand to offer cooking tips.

Regular admission is $6. Free admission will be provided for teachers, military, police, fire fighters and emergency medical technicians who show valid ID. Senior citizens aged 55 and over receive complimentary admission on Friday, Feb. 20. "Buy one, get one FREE" discount coupons are also available at the association's Web site at www.charlestonhomebuilders.org. Parking is free.

Show hours are Friday and Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 10-5. Sponsors are: Melcer Tile, Carpet Baggers, Carolina Lanterns, SunTrust, Muhler, Aqua Blue Pools, Charleston Magazine and PODS.