Building Your Own Home on Daniel Island

You're at a crossroads in life, you've lived in the house you're currently in for more than 5 years now and it seems like everywhere you turn in your home, that once spacious living area is slowy closing in on you. When you first purchased it, you couldn't imagine what to do with all those extra cabinets in the utility room or the furnished room above the garage. Now life has changed and as your family expands - whether through the addition of children or the addition of family members coming to live with you like your parents or siblings - it's time to start thinking about your next step. 

But say that you've always wanted a certain look, and no matter where you look for homes, each home has something wrong with it. You can't seem to shake it, you just can't find a place that fits your family's needs or your specific tastes. In this situation, this is the time to think of building a home of your own. 

You already know that owning a home is a wise investment, and with all the new options for homes that can make them environmentally-conscience, energy-efficient and family-friendly, building a home may be the right way to go for you. Another great reason, you are in the driver's seat. If you want a bathroom with 2 showers instead of a garden tub, that can happen before the concrete is laid. If you want a wrap-around porch with extra room for your wheelchair-bound mother, that can happen too. 
You can put your own mark to this special home. 

If you're looking on Daniel Island, South Carolina, and still haven't found the "right" home for you, then look at this property. 

Located at 112 Island Park Drive in the prestigious Daniel Island Park, this homesite sits right across the street from lovely Cattle Trough Park which is filled with blooming gardens. This property is surrounded by exquisite estates and is the ideal place to build your dream home. This property includes Daniel Island Club social membership privileges. An invitational golf membership may also be purchased. This homesite has a build requirement. Want to see this beautiful space for yourself, email me today at brenda.cook@danielisland.com or call Toll-Free 800-958-5635 or Local (843) 971-7100 to see if this lot is what you've been looking for. 

I did mention it was across from a park right...now that's a perfect neighbor! 

~Brenda 


Details: 

112 ISLAND PARK DRIVE
Daniel Island Park
13,307 sq. ft.
$175,000
www.danielisland.com 

School's Back In on Daniel Island

Moms and Dads may be experiencing a bit of relief today now that the kids are back in school. I know, as a parent, you love spending every moment with the kids over the summer but it also can be hard to entertain them all the time. Thank goodness on Daniel Island, there's a plethora of parks, pools, walking trails and more. 

Now as a grandma, I love spending time with the grandkids but I can always remember  the stress of getting the kids back into the groove of school. 


Here are some tips as you kick off the new school year: 

Make sure they get a good night’s sleep 

Set a regular bed time for each night and stick to it  

Avoid giving kids anything with caffeine less than six hours before bedtime

Eat a healthy breakfast 

Make sure your child is up to date on vaccinations, physicals and eye exams 

Meet & assess the new teacher, let them know about any concerns you may have 

Set a routine so kids know when it's homework time, dinner time, etc.

 Go over your child’s transportation plan and discuss things your child can do to stay safe on the way to and from school

Finally, enjoy it! Before you know it, they'll be heading off to college. 

Thanks for reading, 

Brenda 

New Listing on Daniel Island: 142 Scott Street

Hi Friends, 

I'm proud to announce a new listing on Daniel Island at 142 Scott Street in Etiwan Park. 

This wonderful home is in a great location located on a quiet street close to the neighborhood pool and within walking distance to Etiwan Park which is the location of a wide array of community events, from friendly basketball and volleyball games to concerts and children’s sporting events.The home ideally backs up to woods and a tranquil pond with marsh beyond which provides extra privacy to the owners.

This charming residence is filled with upgrades and custom features including hardwood floors throughout the first floor including the master bedroom, ceramic tile flooring in all the baths, designer light fixtures, Muhler hurricane shutters, new front and back doors and brand new exterior paint.

Second floor A/C unit replaced in 2010 and first floor A/C unit replaced in 2011.

Upon entering the home, the foyer opens to a formal dining room on one side, which is the perfect place for family meals or dinner parties, and to a living room on the other, which could be used as an office or study.

The spacious family room has a soaring ceiling that opens up to the second floor and includes a fireplace, and built-ins and is open to the fully appointed kitchen offering a raised bartop, tile countertops and an adjoining breakfast area.

A large sunroom was added off the family room with an abundance of windows allowing views of the backyard and woods beyond. Conveniently located on the first floor, the master suite boasts a walk-in closet and a lavish bath with a double sink vanity, glass enclosed shower and jetted tub for maximum relaxation. On the second floor are three bedrooms and two full baths providing plenty of space for family or overnight guests. There is also a bonus room located over the attached two-car garage that could serve as a media room, playroom or office.

Want to see more? Click Here

Golf Takes Over the Lowcountry

It's an exciting time in the Lowcountry as the 94th Annual PGA Championship teed off yesterday at the prestigious Kiawah Island Golf Resort on the outskirts of Charleston. They're expecting up to 30,000 people to descend on Kiawah for the event each day. So far, it's been warm and a tad rainy but all the professional golfers involved are hitting the course with a vengeance. 

We love that our men and women in the armed forces will be able to attend for free. According to the PGA website... 

To honor the men and women who serve our country in the armed forces, active military personnel receive complimentary Daily Grounds access to the 2012 PGA Championship. A valid active military ID is required on the day of attendance to receive the free ticket, which can be obtained at the Admission Sales and Will Call Office. One additional spouse ticket will also be complimentary with the presence of an active military ID, even in the event of a Championship sellout.

There will be a maximum of 156 players and the crowds are already swarming around them. Watch the local coverage of them here! 

This is just another reason that living in the Lowcountry is grand. I hope you will come out to visit us and maybe even decide to move to Daniel Island, we'd love to have you! 

Back To School for Berkeley County

Soon, the children will be headed back to school on Daniel Island on Monday, August 20. The summer has flown by! Each year, I like to adopt a fourth grade class at Daniel Island School. It invigorates me to sit with the kids and see how much they learn over the school year. I read to them, help the teacher when she needs me and donate supplies to help out. I'm looking forward to seeing a whole new group of kids.

Thinking of moving to Daniel Island? Here's some fast facts about the Berkeley County School District from their website:

Berkeley County, one of the largest in the state, is a unique 

setting covering over 1,229 square miles. It is the fastest 

growing county in the state, in terms of population, and is 

located just north of Charleston, South Carolina. Berkeley 

County, part of South Carolina’s Lowcountry, is home to the 

Francis Marion National Forest and surrounds Lake Moultrie. 

Berkeley County was recently named as a part of the South 

Carolina National Heritage Corridor,  spanning rural 

communities with rich history as well as metropolitan towns. 

The county includes the incorporated areas of Hanahan and 

Goose Creek, which are directly outside the city limits of 

North Charleston. Daniel Island is a large island located three 

miles north of the Charleston harbor between the Cooper and 

Wando Rivers. Moncks Corner is  further to the north, near 

Lake Moultrie, and serves the county seat. North of Moncks 

Corner, a predominantly rural area, the smaller towns of St. 

Stephen, Jamestown, and Bonneau are located.

The county boasts a dynamic history, beginning with English and French Huguenot 

planters who settled the area in the late 1600’s. It is rich in Revolutionary and Civil War 

history and contains churches that date from the early 1700’s. The treasures of the 

county include Mepkin Abbey, Cypress Gardens, the Palmetto Trail, and the “Berkeley Blueways,” featuring 20 canoe and kayak trails.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the 2009 population of Berkeley County to be over 

173,000 with a 21.7% increase from July 2000. 

Of this group, approximately 69% are white; 27% are African-American; and 4% are Hispanic. Eighty percent of persons age 25 or older are high school graduates (2000) and 14% have a bachelor’s degree or higher (2000). The median household income is $49,414 (2008).

Berkeley County Child Nutrition Services is a member of the SC Purchasing Alliance.  The alliance was formed in 1995.  The SC Department of Education Office of School Food Service and Nutrition came together with a common goal to streamline the purchasing process by collectively working together to obtain high quality products, greater competition, and more competitive pricing.  The Alliance is comprised of 78 members consisting of 74 school districts and 4 school programs.  This represents 88% of all school districts in the state.  The collective buying power is over 90 million dollars. All National School Breakfast/Lunch Programs must meet the USDA Federal Guidelines.  They meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that no more than 30% of an individual's calories from fat, and less than 10% from saturated fat.  School lunch must provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A and C, iron and calcium.  School breakfast must meet one-fourth of the RDA.


Four Meal Components are offered daily at breakfast (minimum of three must be taken):
          1 oz. Meat/Meat Alternate
          1 serving Bread
          ½ cup Juice or Fruit
          8 oz. Milk


Five Meal Components are offered daily at lunch (minimum of three must be taken):
          2 oz. Meat/Meat Alternate
          ½ cup Vegetable
                ½ cup Fruit
                1 serving Bread
                8 oz. Milk


Chef salads, vegetarian plates, and fresh fruit are offered daily.


Child Nutrition professionals are committed to providing safe and nutritious meals to all students.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to visit their child's cafeteria and join them for breakfast/lunch.  Please talk to the Child Nutrition Manager about the nutritional profile of foods that are provided.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you're going to be at the Daniel Island School, I'd love to introduce myself!
Brenda J. Cook

Keeping Daniel Island Clean

The City of Charleston's Keep Charleston Beautiful hosted a cleanup event to remove litter and other discarded materials from Governor's Park on Daniel Island on Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. The public was invited to come help keep Charleston beautiful. So grabbed a pal and joined it. This cleanup will greatly improve the look and feel of the park, and will help restore the areas around the trails to their natural beauty. 

Want to join me on the next one? 

Email me at brenda.cook@danielisland.com 

New Construction Ready for A Family

We're in the middle of July and things have been heating up in the Lowcountry when it comes to home sales. On Daniel Island, we've seen our sales up 60% ahead of last year at this time. There's plenty of new construction happening on the island. This marvelous home on Daniel Island is almost complete and is ready for a family to call it home.  Located at 251 Furman Farm Place in Daniel Island Park, this 5 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home will be finished at the end of July. Here's more on this amazing new construction: 

Located within the country club neighborhood of Daniel Island Park, this beautiful home is situated on a corner homesite with glimpses of the nationally ranked Ralston Creek golf course which is bordered by scenic marshes. The well-designed floor plan includes an elegant dining room off the foyer that adjoins a butler’s pantry complete with a beverage center.

  

A living room located across from the dining room opens into a library with built-in bookshelves and beyond to the large family room, providing an abundance of living space.

The spacious family room features a lovely coffered ceiling, a fireplace with built-ins on each side and access to a screened porch. The kitchen/breakfast room is an inviting and comfortable space with plenty of room for eating and cooking.

The gourmet kitchen includes Thermador and Electrolux appliances with separate fridge and freezer, custom cabinets and a large center island. A mud room with built-in cubbies and a desk is located off the breakfast room and has access to the two-car garage. On the second floor are two bedrooms that share a Jack and Jill bath as well as the expansive master suite. The master suite is truly a luxurious getaway with a private terrace, fireplace, his and her walk-in closets and a soothing bath with a spa tub, double vanities and a walk-in shower.

Perfect for overnight guests, there is suite complete with a common area, two bedrooms and a full bath located over the garage. Other features include impact resistant windows, an outdoor kitchen and extensive landscaping. This property includes Daniel Island Club social membership privileges. An invitational golf membership may also be purchased. To see more photos of this home, click here! 

Stay tuned to my blog as I highlight all the great new listings on Daniel Island and all the events you can't miss. 

Thanks for reading, 

Brenda J. Cook