Sorry folks, I’ve had a busy summer with two sessions of Camp Grandma, a major birthday, don’t ask, and lots of travel.I noticed some school buses on the road this week and that can only mean one thing, it’s back to school time. I have fond memories of standing at the top of our driveway waiting for the school bus to arrive. A block away another mom was waiting too, but she was sobbing. I’ll never forget her calling me after her four children left and moaning about how sad she was that the summer was over. What? Are you kidding me? Do the words “hot coffee” mean anything to you? Drinking it with no interruptions or child-filled emergencies. Why the heck are any of you crying? Okay, if a child is leaving for college, I totally get it. I sobbed all the way home from DC when my daughter left, but younger children? Now that I’m a grandma I look back on those days with very mixed emotions. I’ve shed tears because my children and grands live so far away. I’ve shed tears because my eldest grandchild is a senior in high school and where did the time go? I’ve shed tears because my late husband is not here to have all the joy and fun, I’m having with four amazing grandchildren. Regrets that I never shed tears when school started? NEVER! Happy Fall ya’ll! I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving when my entire family is here.

Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer. In Charleston it means many things:

My late husband was Catholic and I’m Jewish. Our children were raised Catholic, but I stayed true to my roots. We went to church on almost every Sunday. I felt worshiping as a family was the most important part and G-d doesn’t care where you prayed as long as you did. We usually spent Easter with my husband’s family in Cincinnati. We lived in Atlanta. Most years we had already had a mini Sedar at home and Easter was in the middle of my giving up all things leavened. Year after year my mother-in-law would ask why I wasn’t eating cake or the bun on Skyline chilli-dogs and year after year I would tell her it was Passover. Was she trying to “get my goat”? Probably, but I was proud of my faith and never wavered. Now that my children are grown with children of their own my grandchildren are introduced to my traditions along with Christian ones. That’s what makes us a family.

I was married for 46 years when my husband died. He still asked, “Do you love me?” Of course, I said yes. But after 46 years together was the love the same? Marriage and relationships change and so does love. Does any 20 something really know what love is and what that “love” they are feeling on their wedding day will feel like down the road? How will you feel toward your spouse after one child, 2 or even three or more? How will you feel when that nest is empty? None of us know the answer. All marriages have their ups and downs. If you tell me you never had a fight with your spouse I will tell you you’ve missed out on make-up sex. Just kidding… A marriage without a fight is like…well a toilet that never had to be plunged. Too good to be true. Peaks and valleys in a relationship are part of everyday life. I loved my husband because:

Happy New Year! Aren’t we happy to start a new year? Aren’t we hoping wearing masks will be a thing of the past? Well, maybe not right away but hopefully in 2022.

As you may have figured out if you regularly read these blogs, one of us is the writer. Guilty as charged. It’s me, Franne. I have always loved to write. Maybe that’s why I have no problem filling in the blanks on real estate contracts. It’s just ending or adding to a sentence someone else wrote. Of course, you need to be educated in real estate to do it, but to me it’s fun. Yes, I do love my job.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a nurse. There was never a doubt in my mind. In the summers I read everything my little local library had about nursing or medicine. I could tell you how penicillin was invented at age 13. I didn’t love the sight of blood. In fact, I fainted when I watched my aunt having her ears pierced but I loved the idea of working in an operating room. Jump ahead a few years and I worked in an OR after nursing school classes were supposed to be over for the day. I wore a mask so most of the doctors didn’t realize I was a student.

So, what does all that have to do with being a Realtor®? Collaborating with clients and selling their home or selling them a new one is a stressful process. Clients need someone that’s kind, smart and understanding. Isn’t that a nurse? I need to know how to write a contract and interpret them to my seller or buyer. Is that any different than explaining to a patient why they need to elevate their swollen arm?

Our team is well educated, we all have our Broker’s licenses, and we are all Realtors®. We love what we do, and we hope our compassion and caring shows.<\/p>\r\n<p>Have a question about anything real estate related just ask. Have a medical question, well I am no longer a licensed nurse, but I will suggest chicken soup.

Thanksgiving is a time of memories. Memories we have from the past and making new ones.

I know Yvette celebrates with her family. How lucky she is to be born and bred in Charleston and be surrounded by family not just for holidays but all the time.

Chari is not from Charleston, but she has family nearby. Some Thanksgivings she has company and family in town and sometimes not. Knowing her and her husband as I do, I can rest assured that her Christmas decorations will be up, and holiday music will fill the air.

As for me, my children, grandchildren and my sister will arrive from 3 different states. The family will be gathered at the table for the first time in 2 years. Although it has been 4 years, the absence of my husband will still be felt as someone takes his place at the head of the table.

My grandmother used to tell me a story about a little girl and boy that ate too many berries, fell asleep in the forest…like after eating turkey…and then could not find their way home in the dark. It was not meant to scare me. She just wanted to entertain me as my eyes closed to take a nap.

Now that Thanksgiving is right around the corner…I feel that “I ate too much turkey syndrome” coming. I think I buy the largest turkey I can find because we have a guess the weight of the turkey contest and think big is better. Each year I say no more fat birds, but each year I feel like that berry eating little girl. I am lost in my own home after eating too much and may never get out. Happy Thanksgiving to all and may holiday happiness surround you.

October is the “almost” month. It’s almost cool outside. It’s almost time to turn on the heat. It’s almost time for Thanksgiving.

As children we looked forward to Halloween. As parents we were worried that our child might be sorry he/she chose the costume that they chose, and we worried we would run out of candy. All three of us have children so Halloween night was chaos when they were little. Do homework, eat dinner and run out the door with older siblings or a parent.

When the candy was dumped on the table at the end of the evening it was a scramble. I’ll trade you this _______ for your_______. Don’t eat that it’s not wrapped. You won’t like that, so Mom or Dad will take it.

Happy Halloween and happy almost time to decorate for the holidays.

Team Tips: Wash your windows in the Fall so that the sun comes in and keeps the house as warm as possible. Cut shrubs from around your house. Don’t forget to change your HVAC filters.

As a Jewish person I have what I like to call a “do over”. I get to celebrate the new year and make resolutions twice. (My partners, Chari and Yvette are Christian.)

This year as we approach the High Holy days which are Rosh Hashanah the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement I look back on a year of change.

Our real estate market feels like it’s been on a roller coaster. Multiple offers on listings used to be uncommon, today they seem to be the norm. To the public, depending on what side you are on you either love them or hate them. Sellers may look at them as a great way to make more money, while buyers are not happy with competing. As agents we must be on our toes to be sure all agents, buyers and sellers are treated fairly. It’s part of the oath we take as Realtors®. (If you would like more information as to how we handle multiple offers please ask.)

Change is good and even our team is making some changes. I am NOT retiring, but I am working with a few less buyers. I have a new right knee that I am trying hard to “break in”. Slow and steady and until it’s totally healed, I’ll depend on my teammates a little more.

Chari is now a true empty nester. Her youngest, Ben, has gone away to college…Clemson. It remains to be seen if Chari will start to wear orange.

Yvette continues to make working with the social media tool Canva look easy. One of these days I’ll master it.

My resolutions are few for this Jewish New Year. I will take time to smell the roses, spend more time with the people I love, and be extra kind to everyone.

As always, we love what we do and are happy to help you. You can reach us at: Homes@CharlestonFineHomes.com.

This blog is taking a little “poetic license”. So much fun to think about what it was like to be a kid in the summer. Staying out until dark, catching fireflies, (I’m from up north.) and singing along with all the summer songs, like this one: Summer of 69′

Summer in Charleston may just be the most hot and humid I have ever been. I am older than the rest of my team and my house had no air conditioning. One of my brothers woke up in the middle of the night and turned off all the fans. Do not ask me why but the morning found us 4 kids sleeping upstairs bathed in sweat.

Thank fully with all this heat we have some cool places to go. One of my favorites is the aquarium. The sea turtles that are being treated for various ailments is my favorite spot. You can touch Stingrays as they swim around, touch other animals that they bring out of cages like a snake, no thank you, but my granddaughter was not afraid. They have special family and grandparent memberships.

Take time to enjoy the beach and all the parks.

The real estate world goes on heat or no heat. Yes, we are on a wild ride. Realtors did not make this market, contrary to what an appraiser accused us of last week. Supply and demand make the market. The value of a home is what a seller is willing to sell it for and a buyer is willing to pay. Nothing more, nothing less.

Do you have real estate questions? Want to know what your home is worth? Want to know what services we provide? Just ask us. You can reach us at Homes@CharlestonFineHomes.com or fill out one of our forms on this site. All three of us are available to help summer, fall, winter, or spring. You can specify which one of us you would like to hear from. No hurt feelings on our team

Enjoy the summer and if you need some cool refreshment stop at Pelicans Snoball.

It’s here. We know you’ve been waiting for it for over a year. Yep, here we go! It’s summer and we can go out and play. Masks are optional if you are vaccinated. Beach here we come.<\/p>\r\n<p>Last summer gardens were our salvation. We poured so much love into our gardens because be honest, there wasn’t much else to do.

This year don’t forget that wonderful garden that sustained you last year.

June is the time to – Add mulch or pine straw to beds to protect plant roots from the hot summer – Fertilize establish shrubs once and summer annuals twice – Fertilize Lawn with Micro-nutrients – Spray Fungicide.

July is the time to – Fertilize annuals every 3 weeks with complete fertilizer. – Fertilize roses lightly but frequently – Watch lawns for mole crickets &amp; chinch bugs Watch lawns for fungus – Prune gardenias after last blooms are spent – Cut off Daylily &amp; Society Garlic seedpods – Dead head roses to keep them blooming – Cut back leggy perennials and annuals for another bloom – Remove water shoots and suckers from fruit and nut trees – Plant caladiums and plant bulbs of gladioli.