Real estate agent Rebecca Sosa has been busy selling homes to clients from all over the country who are relocating to South Carolina.
She was born on an air force base in Spain, where both her parents were in the military. When she was six, her family moved back to her father’s hometown of Charleston, where she has lived ever since. She now works for Coldwell Banker Realty in Mount Pleasant, while raising her two children in the place where she was born and raised.
With her knowledge of the area and a strong network of friends, family and colleagues, Rebecca keeps her finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the community. Here, she shares her insights into the local real estate market and what makes life in the Lowcountry so appealing.
Q: Where do you currently live?
A: I currently live in Tanner Plantation in Hanahan. In the real estate and listing business, being centrally located is important. I can get to both Mount Pleasant and Summerville within 20 minutes of my home.
Q: What trends have you noticed in the real estate market over the past year?
A. 1. An increase in the number of master planned communities and the amenities they provide to homeowners.
2. Rising inventory and interest rates are shifting the market from a seller’s market back to a buyer’s market.
3. Renovators and resellers are starting to move away from the all-gray look, which is good news.
4. Because interest rates are so high, it is now very common for sellers to cover the closing costs and allow the buyer to lower the interest rate to make the payment more affordable.
Q: What areas or neighborhoods would you recommend most for families?
A: I think master planned communities are great for families. There are so many opportunities to interact with your neighbors, which is one of the best things about living in the Lowcountry. Many communities have events like food truck days and pickleball tournaments that bring the neighbors together.
Q: What do you wish more people knew before buying a home in the Lowcountry?
A: That’s a hard question to answer because I think the Lowcountry is a little bit of a secret when it comes to housing, and that’s why it’s always ranked so highly as a place to move to. I think it’s because people understand that when you move here, you’re not just buying a home, you’re buying into the Lowcountry lifestyle.
Q: What is the most memorable home you have sold in the last three months?
A: The most memorable home I sold recently was my grandmother’s seven-acre estate on Johns Island. It was the house I grew up in and it was the first time I felt the emotional attachment that some clients have to their homes. Ultimately, I was able to put those emotions aside because, being the rational real estate agent that I am, I knew the new owners would love the house as much as we did, and that my grandmother, who moved to Florida to spend her retirement years, would be very happy.
Another memorable incident occurred with a fun family that moved here from California. I work with a lot of “relocation” clients and it’s always the same story – they blame the taxes being too high, the politics, the weather. In fact, this client was at the closing table when they asked how much their property taxes would be and asked the closing attorney, “Is that monthly? That’s still less than what we were paying.” The attorney responded, “No, it’s annual.” My client simultaneously picked up his chin off the table and congratulated himself for moving here.
Shortly after they moved in, a tropical storm hit and I called to check in. His response was, “Are you kidding me? It’s no big deal! We avoided wildfires and earthquakes, the neighborhood barely flooded, and we just sipped wine and watched the Cobourg cows fare!” It warmed my heart to see them embrace the Lowcountry lifestyle.
Q: What advice would you give to someone getting ready to sell their home?
A: Actually, I have a list that I send to people who are getting ready to sell their house. It has all the things that I don’t want to bother with, like pressure washing and lawn care, and contact information. But the most important thing is organization. I want buyers to walk in and imagine themselves living in the house, and not feel like they’re walking into someone else’s house.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: All of them! I love being a tourist in my own city, trying new things and giving good advice to my clients.
Q: What’s your favorite place to go with your family in the Lowcountry?
A: We love going to RiverDogs games, Battery games, Stingrays games and going to festivals around town.
Rebecca Sosa is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. She can be reached at 843-697-5177 or rebecca.sosa@cbrealty.com or follow her on Instagram at @rebeccasosa_realtor.