For our second Women’s History Month profile, we recognize Valarie Frasier, the 2023 Residential Real Estate Council President. She is also a Certified Mentor, Certified Distance Education Instructor, RRC Education Leader, served on the grievance committee and is certified in professional standards.

Valarie is a true New Yorker, having lived and worked in 3 boroughs before relocating to Charleston with her family.

She attended school for interior design and began her career as an interior designer. As requests for her to use her expertise in design to stage homes grew, she became more and more curious about real estate. She understood the investment and the legacy building potential, which captivated her and in 2000, she decided to earn her real estate license and become a Realtor®. She began her real estate career with Century 21 and closed her first deal in less than 6 months, then later moved to Carolina Elite.

Liz Loadholt with Agent Owned Realty inspired her to take every opportunity to educate herself. Her brokers Melissa and Gary Bissett at Carolina Elite Real Estate were most supportive and influential to her, encouraging her and providing her opportunities to educate, lead and mentor. Valarie soon found her passion in educating, mentoring, and training. “They really get my juices going,” she said with a chuckle. “I love helping people ask the questions that help them develop as agents. A great real estate career requires being knowledgeable, respected and to do your best,” she explained. She shared some of the questions she uses to inspire mentees: “How do you get the best out of yourself, how do you find the people you want to work with, what place do you need to occupy, to be seen and what lane do you need to travel?”  Valarie believes applicable conversation is the best teacher but understanding your tools, setting goals and developing a business plan is how you start a successful business.

In 2016 she decided to pursue her broker’s license after having a dream about owning a virtual brokerage.  Research led her to join EXP realty, a cloud-based brokerage in lieu of starting a brick and mortar brokerage of her own. This strategic move allowed her to continue to focus on education and utilizing her skills as a mentor. Valarie earned her instructors license in 2020 and performed virtual training during the pandemic. Currently, she teaches the Advanced Principles course and the Pre-Licensing course.

Coming from a northern upbringing, Valarie’s biggest challenge was the culture shift. She said she learned that racism is really rooted in having ideas about people you don’t know and not knowing what they are about. She cites an important lesson she learned was that in the South, people are more open expressing how they felt about you and would tell you where they stood. She found that once people got to know her, doing business was easy. “People may look at you and decide what you are and what you are not but they don’t get to decide what you will be.” Valarie’s words to live by: “Be yourself, find your own way, travel your lane, find your passion and let it drive you!”

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we recognize Susan Pringle Frost, who was an integral part of founding what is now CTAR!

Susan P. Frost was one of the founding members of Charleston Real Estate Exchange, later renamed Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® (CTAR). The group organized in 1907 to exchange listing information, agree on compensation and influence legislation to protect property rights.

Frost was a preservationist, suffragist, and Realtor® who held a reputation for being outspoken, dedicated and determined to fight for social justice. This kept her at the forefront of progression. Frost was the first president of Charleston’s Equal Suffrage League and played a significant role in advocating for women’s rights. She established the Preservation Society of Charleston in 1920, one of the nation’s earliest preservation groups. Her advocacy efforts led Charleston to develop the nation’s first zoning ordinance in 1931. She worked as a zoning monitor on the Board of Adjustment throughout the 1940’s.

Frost was born January 21, 1873 to a prominent family that owned a rice plantation and fertilizer business. She attended St. Mary’s Episcopal Boarding School in Raleigh, North Carolina for two years. An unstable market eventually caused her family businesses to fail and she was forced to work in order to support herself. Frost first worked for Architect Bradford Lee Gilbert, as a stenographer and later worked for the US District Court. While working for Gilbert, she discovered her passion for historic architecture.
Frost’s passion to preserve architecture led her to use artifacts, ironwork, and woodwork she salvaged from demolished buildings in restoration projects. With the assistance of Thomas Pinckney, an African American craftsman, the pair restored buildings throughout Charleston.

Frost focused on the preservation of neighborhoods through the process of purchase, renovation, and resale. She renovated and sold multiple properties along Tradd St, Bedon Alley, Michael’s Alley and East Bay Street, as well as the Miles Brewton House and the Joseph Manigault House. Perhaps her most visible contribution to the architectural landscape of Charleston was taking the former mercantile properties along East Bay and painting them in non-historic pastel colors–a project now famously known as Rainbow Row!

Notably, Frost’s preservation efforts played a major role in transforming Charleston into a national tourist destination and she is celebrated for her public service and contributions to the city. She died October 6, 1960 at the Miles Brewton House and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery.

The Starlight Motor Inn opened in 1961 and remains a landmark to this day. As the first modular-built motel in the South, it was an affordable and accessible option for those visiting our region.

The Starlight has stood through the complex and storied history of our region. The Inn has been a constant through the Civil Rights Era, Hurricane Hugo, the Naval Base closure and in 2020 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This building had a front row seat to the history of North Charleston and will play a vital role in the reimagining of the city going forward.

Ham Morrison, principle of the project shared: “This was a very challenging project. The site was on the city’s (North Charleston) condemned list and it wasn’t an easy argument to change that.”

“Even after explaining that we saved the Big Bertha building on King Street, they were still apprehensive to give us an opportunity to save the property – they were tired of the complaints and fires, and liabilities coming from the site. Understandable.”

“When we dug into the history and learned that the motel was the first modular built motel in the nation – now we had the city’s attention.” 

“So, history really did save the two buildings. Getting them placed on the National Register of Historic Places helped the city realize the significance and allow us to pull the permits and go to work.  And the project numbers would not work without the help of historic tax credits and abandoned building credits. We did the same thing on Big Bertha (1056 King Street). That project would not have worked without the credits.”

Nestled along the upcoming Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT), Rivers Corridor, the area has been rezoned to accommodate for transit-oriented development. The planned build-out includes shops, restaurants and green space to help preserve the community’s character as Rivers Avenue evolves. This project is proof that cities and towns can grow and develop to remain viable AND we can protect treasures like The Starlight Inn at the same time.

“We also set up the project to be owned by a qualified opportunity fund. So, we have a mix of capital gain investment and regular after-tax cash investment. The Opportunity Zone component helps attract patient money. As you know, investors get to defer gains and have their investment grow tax free on a 10-year hold.” Added Morrison.

The Starlight Inn has taken advantage of several REALTOR® policy initiatives—the Inn is located in an Opportunity Zone, a REALTOR® priority championed by Sen. Tim Scott. The business has also benefitted from Historic Tax Credits which help not only protect the property through preservation but creates an incentive to do so as Historic Tax Credits are NAR and SCR priorities at their respective levels of government. On the local level, CTAR worked with the City of North Charleston to rezone Rivers Corridor to transit-oriented development zoning, supporting future investment and ensuring smart growth of the area. The Starlight Inn’s utilization of these REALTOR® advocacy initiatives will preserve and protect this treasure for generations to come.

And with a throwback neighborhood bar and a pool, The Starlight Inn will be the hippest place in North Charleston once again! Click here to view a plan for the Starlight Inn’s campus.

In December 2022, Katesha Breland was sworn in as the first African American female and only the 10^th female President of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® (CTAR).

Breland focused her goals for the year entirely on the members: “I want to focus efforts on engaging the members and identifying the next group of leaders. I want to support ALL of our members as they build their businesses and help them understand the importance of being involved with the Association”.

Katesha is a native of Charleston and graduated from Bishop England High School and spent much of her life in the real estate world—she spent her summers assisting her uncle in New York opening properties, filing paperwork and preparing invoices for his managed properties. Back at home, she also helped her grandparents manage their properties in Charleston.

Her initial career plan was to become a pharmacist, but following the birth of her first daughter, she knew she wanted a career that would give her more freedom to focus both on building a career and building a family. She launched her real estate career with the O’Shaughnessy Company and became a Realtor® in 1998, staying with the company through several mergers which would eventually brand the company as Carolina One Real Estate.

As Breland balanced family and career, she returned to school earning her Bachelor of Science from Claflin University and then a Masters of Real Estate Development from Clemson University. She said, “I realized my daughters were looking at me and it was about teaching them to never stop learning”, which is advice she continues to share with membership.

A decade later, she opened her own brokerage, Sweetgrass Realty Group in 2009. As she established her company and built her network she began getting involved at the Association. One of the first groups she was involved with was Code PROS, which reviewed case studies of ethics and license law violations as a means for Realtors® to learn from others mistakes. She joined the Grievance Committee, which officially oversaw local Code of Ethics violations and was a major introduction to an Association leadership role for her.

As Katesha spent more time at the Association, she noticed none of the Past Presidents on the wall looked like her. Breland thought to herself, “I want my picture up there”. She joined local committees and volunteered her time to serve on task forces to build her leadership skills and eventually joined committees on the State and National level. In addition to Code Pros and Grievance, Katesha also served on the legislative committee, nominating committee and the Reading with Realtors committee with CTAR. At the state level, she served on the South Carolina Realtors® (SCR) nominating committee, membership committee and the professional development committee. She also served on NAR’s Housing Policy Committee.

In 2016 Breland decided to apply for a board position and was not selected. She remained involved and continued to build her Association leadership resume and the following year she became the first African American female Director on the Association’s board.

Breland credits established Association leaders for helping support her throughout her leadership journey. Owen Tyler, managing Broker for the Cassina Group and past president of both CTAR and SCR was a driving influence in helping Katesha grow as a Realtor® and a leader. Breland and Tyler built a close friendship and shared information, resources and supported each other on their respective paths to leadership. In December, Breland asked Tyler to do the honor of swearing her in as President.

While her term as CTAR President is just beginning, many have asked her “what’s next?” and her reply is simple—she’s focused on the goals for the year ahead and just living in the moment. With Breland at the helm, CTAR is sure to have a year of exciting achievement and success. Congratulations to Katesha Breland, 2023 CTAR President for all that she’s accomplished and what’s yet to come!

Membership Investment
REALTOR® Members $280*

*WCR REALTOR® members must hold membership with a local Association of REALTORS® prior to applying for WCR membership.

Annual Coastal SC Women’s Council Benefits
4 educational events per year
2 social/networking events per year
WCR National discount program
WCR National benefits

Connect with the WCR Membership!
Are you interested in sponsoring an upcoming Coastal SC Women’s Council event? Contact Kim Collins or 843.830.1292.

HOME SALES AND BUYER INTEREST CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN THE CHARLESTON REGION

NOVEMBER 10, 2021 (Charleston, SC) 1,975 homes sold in October in the Charleston region at a median price of $365,000 according to preliminary data released today by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® (CTAR).

Year-to-date, sales volume is up 13% with 20,345 homes sold thus far in 2021 compared to 17,963 at this point in 2020. Median price is $346,937, a 16% increase from this point last year, when the median price was $299,000.

Inventory data shows 50% fewer homes for sale over the last 12-month period, with 1,982 homes listed as “active” for sale in the CHS Regional MLS database at the end of September—representing one month’s worth of available inventory.

“October’s home sales represent the highest volume of sales we’ve seen since this summer—buyer interest in our market has never waned and we’re seeing that with a consistent year of growth for both sales and pricing” said 2021 CTAR President Rusty Hughes. “Sales are 13% higher than 2020, which was a record-breaking year and median price is up 16%” he said.

September Adjustment
Preliminary data showed 1,908 homes sold in September in the Charleston region at a median price of $350,000. Updated figures now show 1,927 homes sold at the same median price.

Berkeley County
581 homes sold at a median price of $290,000 in Berkeley County in October, 514 single-family homes and 67 condos/townhomes.

Year-to-date, 5,196 single-family homes have sold at a median price of $332,700. Today’s report shows a 29% increase in sales and a 17% increase in median sale price. 689 condos/townhomes have sold at a median price of $228,719 so far this year—a 7% increase in sales and 16% increase in price.

There are currently 519 residential properties for sale in Berkeley County; 462 single-family homes and 67 condos/townhomes.

Charleston County
894 homes sold at a median price of $417,500 in Charleston County in October, 655 single-family homes and 239 condos/townhomes.

Year-to-date, 6,872 single-family homes have sold at a median price of $500,000. Today’s report shows a 3% increase in sales and a 19% increase in median sale price. 2,650 condos/townhomes have sold at a median price of $297,500 so far this year—a 20% increase in sales and 19% increase in pricing.

There are currently 949 residential properties for sale in Charleston County; 692 single-family homes and 257 condos/townhomes.

Colleton County
34 homes sold at a median price of $313,500 in Colleton County in October, 27 single-family homes and 7 condos/townhomes.

Year-to-date, 306 single-family homes have sold at a median price of $260,000. Today’s report shows a 4% increase in sales and a 16% increase in median sale price. 45 condos/townhomes have sold at a median price of $269,000 so far this year—a 13% rise in sales and 12% increase in pricing.

There are currently 71 residential properties for sale in Colleton County; 67 single-family homes and 4 condo/townhomes.

Dorchester County
402 homes sold at a median price of $289,233 in Dorchester County in October, 326 single-family homes and 76 condos/townhomes.

Year-to-date, 3,194 single-family homes have sold at a median price of $310,000. Today’s report shows an 8% increase in sales and 15% increase in median sale price. 575 condos/townhomes have sold at a median price of $226,200 so far this year—a 37% increase in sales and 22% increase in pricing.

There are currently 237 residential properties for sale in Dorchester County; 226 single-family homes and 11 condos/townhomes.

On October 1, 2021, FEMA began phasing in a new flood insurance pricing system called Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action. These rate changes are scheduled to take effect for new flood insurance policies on October 1, 2021 and for existing policy renewals on April 1, 2022.

NAR policy supports Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, which prices flood insurance for each home individually rather than by flood zone. FEMA has not updated its rating system in 50 years. By adopting modern insurance industry technologies, standards and practices, FEMA will be able to rate more precisely and accurately by using more flood risk factors and property-specific characteristics, including each building’s unique elevation, distance to water and cost to rebuild. The new rating system will only affect NFIP risk-based rates and will not change flood mapping or insurance requirements. Buyers may assume seller policies, and any increases cannot exceed 18 percent per year by law.

WATCH: The S.C. Good Life Podcast: NFIP Risk Rating 2.0 featuring Lisa Sharrard

Where Can I Find More Information About FEMA’s Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action?

As FEMA implements the new pricing system, some owners and buyers may have questions about flood insurance rate changes. Real estate agents and brokers are an information source, not flood or insurance experts. You can provide the facts that every home in America has some flood risk, and a flood insurance rate quote from a licensed insurance professional can help your clients make better-informed decisions. You can also be ready with contact information for a few NFIP and private market insurance agents, licensed surveyors/engineers, and other flood risk professionals (e.g., your local government floodplain manager) who can offer risk assessment and mitigation resources and answer property-specific questions.

NAR has developed the following comprehensive packet of educational information for NAR members to talk with customers about Risk Rating 2.0:

FEMA-NAR Flyer for Homeowners
NAR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NAR Member Legal Guidance
NAR-FEMA Toolkit: Disaster Preparedness
FEMA Consumer Resources

2021 Comprehensive Planning Summit
March 24 | 10am-2pm | Via Zoom

Thanks to the hundreds of Realtors, community members and partners for joining us for the first-ever Comprehensive Planning Summit hosted by the Charleston Home Builders Association and the Urban Land Institute. We hope that you enjoyed hearing from the Mayors and our housing experts, John Hunt and Shane Phillips.

FEEDBACK
Please let us know what you thought of the event in this brief (2 minute) survey!

POST-SUMMIT RESOURCES
If you’d like to watch the presentation again, you can find it below and on our YouTube channel.

John Hunt
Review John Hunt’s presentation

Learn more about John and his work

Shane Phillips
Review Shane Phillips’ Presentation

Learn more about Shane and his work

For any other questions, please contact Josh Dix at josh@www.charlestonrealtors.com or 843.608.8625.