Buyer Resources

The quality of service Pratt & Co. offers comes from our local, experienced, and passionate agents. We know the Lowcountry by heart, and we've dedicated the past 59 years to ensure every measure is taken to find our clients the property that best meets their needs and desires.

Financing

It's not often buyers have a suitcase full of cash at purchase time. Researching and securing the mortgage best suited to your needs, and the property type you are purchasing is your first step in buying Real Estate. You’ll want to ask a mortgage professional for help in selecting what best suits your needs. With multiple experienced lenders in the area, you'll have plenty of financing options to pick from. Here are some mortgage professionals we’ve worked with in the past. Contact a few and get your mortgage pre-qualification started today!
Alan Greer
United
(843) 534-5126
Michael Gobin
Movement Mortgage
843-475-1066
Darlene Shackelford
PrimeLending
(843) 619-6037
Jim Duffy
Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
(843) 735-0865 Ext:6029

Closing Attorneys

In South Carolina, attorneys are tasked with closing Real Estate transactions. Not only will your Closing Attorney prepare the paperwork you sign at closing (such as the Deed, Closing or HUD Statement, Mortgage, and Disclosures), they also perform a title search on the property you are purchasing. Your Closing Attorney will handle most aspects of your closing, once you have gone under contract with a Seller on a property. Buyer’s should expect to pay certain fees associated with the closing, which will be disclosed by both your Lender and your Closing Attorney. There are many qualified Closing Attorneys in the Tri County area, however here are a few experienced attorneys that we’ve worked with here at Pratt & Co.
Weeks & Irvine Law Firm
Offices in N. Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville, Mt. Pleasant, and West Ashley
(843) 553-9800
Wyckoff Law Firm
Pete Wyckoff Summerville
(843) 875-7933
Knight & Whittington
- -
843-821-9700
Dodds, Hennessy & Smith Law Firm
- -
843-577-3025

Home Inspections

Your home is your single largest investment, and you want to ensure you’re getting what you expect when you purchase. Using a professional, qualified Home Inspector is of tremendous importance and value in determining what repairs, if any, are needed to your new home. Pratt & Co., Inc. has worked with a number of different Home Inspectors, and we’d like to share a few for your convenience.
4 Corners Inspections
Charleston
(843) 225-1258
Home Sweet Home Inspections, LLC
William Minter Charleston
843-478-3700
Cardinal Home Inspections
North Charleston, SC
(843) 832-5740
Ace Preferred Inspections
Charleston
(843) 849-0455
Full Service Home Inspections
Ladson
(843) 593-2720
Solid Ground Home Inspections
Charleston
(843) 873-8897

Home Warranties

Home Warranties can be a great way to give you a little extra reassurance when purchasing your new home. There are many types of Home Warranties covering systems, appliances and other large items in your home. Many times, it is negotiated in the Purchase Agreement as to which party (the Buyer or the Seller) will pay for, and order a Home Warranty.
American Home Shield
(800) 776-4663
Home Warranty of America
(888) 492-7359
2-10 Home Warranty
(800) 743-4210
Old Republic Home Protection
(800) 445-6999

Schools

When looking for your new home, we at Pratt & Co. understand that the schools you select for your children are the highest priority in your home search. The Tri-County area has four School Districts, each unique in their own ways. Here are the websites and contact information for each of the School Districts, which we hope you will find to be helpful in your research.
Berkeley County
(843) 899-8600
Charleston County
(843) 937-6300
Dorchester District 2
(843) 873-2901
Dorchester District 4
(843) 563-4535

Utility Providers

Determining your new utility costs and learning who your new providers are can be time-consuming. We’d like to take some of the frustration out of your overall Buying process, so we’ve provided a full listing of the area’s utility providers here.
Summerville CPW
(843) 871-0810
Charleston Water System
(843) 727-6800
Seabrook Island
(843) 768-9121
Santee Electric Cooperative
1-800-922-1604
Kiawah Island Utility
(843) 768-0641
Dominion Energy
1-800-251-7234
Edisto Electric Cooperative
1-800-433-3292
Dorchester County Water Authority
(843) 875-0140
James Island Public Service District
(843) 795-9060
Mount Pleasant Waterworks
(843) 884-9626
Dorchester County Water & Sewer
(843) 563-0075
Spanish Speaking: (843) 832-0075
Berkeley Electric Cooperative
Awendaw: (843) 884-7525
Goose Creek: (843) 553-5020
Johns Island: (843) 559-2458
Moncks Corner: (843) 761-8200
Berkeley County Water & Sanitation
Moncks Corner: (843) 761-8817
Charleston: (843) 572-4400
St. Stephen: (843) 567-3597

Termite Inspections (CL 100)

In addition to protecting your home from termites and the severe damage they can cause, most loan programs will require that your new home pass a Termite Inspection (also referred to as a CL-100 report). Termite Inspectors are licensed to perform an assessment of not only active, but inactive termite activity, and damages at a home. They also assess the moisture levels in crawl space areas of homes to help eliminate the possibility of damage. It is typically negotiated in the Purchase Agreement as to which party (the Buyer or the Seller) will pay for, and order the Termite Letter.
Century Pest Control
(843) 767-3365
Palmetto Exterminators
(843) 766-9701
Homeland Protections
(843) 695-0017
Stark Exterminators
855-628-9504

Local Government

Need more information on your Town, City or County? You can get in touch with local municipalities to get more details about what's in your area. █ = Berkeley █ = Charleston █ = Dorchester
Moncks Corner
Phone number directory
Bonneau
(843) 825-3385
Hanahan
(843) 554-4221
Summerville
(843) 871-6000
Charleston
Phone number directory
 
North Charleston
(843) 554-5700
Charleston
Phone number directory
Mount Pleasant
Phone number directory
Isle of Palms
Phone number directory
Sullivan's Island
(843) 883-3198
Seabrook Island
(843) 768-9121
Awendaw
(843) 928-3100
Folly Beach
(843) 588-2447
Hollywood
(843) 889-3222
James Island
(843) 795-4141
Kiawah Island
(843) 768-9166
Lincolnville
Phone number directory
McClellanville
(843) 887-3712
Meggett
(843) 889-3622
Ravenel
(843) 889-8732
Rockville
webmaster@townofrockville.com
 
Summerville
(843) 871-6000
Ridgeville
North Charleston
(843) 554-5700
Reevesville
St. George
Harleyville

Tax Calculators

Berkeley
Charleston
Dorchester

Due Diligence & Inspection Periods

Following are some items that you may wish to inspect or investigate further as part of your due diligence with your real estate purchase. This is not a complete or exhaustive list, but just some items of note accumulated through experience with other clients.
  • Home Inspection
  • Square footage of house
  • Lot size or acreage
  • CL-100 / Termite Bond
  • Survey
  • Home Owner’s Insurance
  • Flood Zone / Insurance determination
  • Neighborhood Covenants and Restrictions, By-laws, HOA
  • HOA fees, capital contribution and/or transfer fees
  • Golf Course, Club or other third party operations & amenities
  • Schools
  • Crime/Sex Offender Registry
  • Utility costs
  • Surrounding area – airports, planes or train noise, towers, utilities, vacant land, zoning, roads, planning

Additionally, for Condominiums and Townhomes

  • Is the property part of a Horizontal Property Regime (Regime)
  • Review HPR Master Deed
  • Regime / POA – Rules, Regulations or Bylaws
  • What does monthly regime fee include?
  • Is there a separate HOA fee in addition to the regime fee?
  • Are there any outstanding, announced, or proposed assessments?
  • Is there any proposed or outstanding litigation?
  • Home Owner’s Insurance – HOA policy?
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