Few purchases give you a sense of pride and accomplishment like buying a new home. From white picket fences and lush green grass to cookouts with neighbors and holidays with the family, owning a home is magical. Like most great things, though, enduring the home-buying process takes a lot of work. There are many steps to take and difficult decisions to make along the way. One of the most crucial decisions is what type of home loan and mortgage broker to choose. Whether it's your first time buying a home or you're a seasoned owner with multiple properties, you will need a trusted mortgage broker in Knightsville, SC, with your best interests at heart.
If you're like most people, you need a mortgage professional whose top priority is their customers - an expert who can provide accurate advice and guidance so you can make educated decisions. That's where Mission One Mortgage comes into the picture.
Whether you want the best interest rates or don't know where to start in the home-buying process, Mission One Mortgage can set you up in the right direction. From getting you pre-qualified to buy a home to securing a veteran's loan, Mission One Mortgage is the trusted solution you need. As Knightsville natives, we're proud to serve the Lowcountry and all of South Carolina with trusted mortgage brokerage services.
Unlike some mortgage companies in Knightsville, SC, we bring years of high-level experience and insight to the table. Having worked with hundreds of clients during our time in business, we know you're probably going through a range of emotions right now. Buying a new home can be a scary process, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we make every effort to make ourselves accessible and available for clients. Our primary goal is to help you make the right mortgage for your family and your budget.
We know that many home loan officers have horrible reputations. Some brokers only see their clients as transactions, and a means to make quick money. They come off as impatient and pushy, failing to understand that this is a very big decision for you. At Mission One Mortgage, we take the opposite approach. We encourage our clients to take as much time as needed to ask us questions and review mortgage documents. We could say that our mission is to exceed your expectations, but we'd rather just show you. From assistance finding FHA, VA, or other loans to refinancing your current mortgage, Mission One is the team you can trust.
Here are just a few reasons why home buyers choose Mission One Mortgage:
Most people simply don't have access to the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to purchase a home with cash. Instead, they take out a mortgage loan to buy a home. Unfortunately, many homebuyers are anxious to get the ball rolling and, due to their excitement, fail to shop around for the best mortgage rates. To some degree, avoiding this step makes sense, as it requires a lot of legwork and research to get the job done. For those not wanting to spend hours researching a reasonable mortgage, there's an alternative to consider - working with a mortgage broker.
To understand the benefits of working with a mortgage broker, you must first understand their role in the home-buying process.
Your mortgage broker is a third party that works to connect you with mortgage lenders. Essentially, a mortgage broker works as an intermediary between a person who wants to buy a home and the entities offering loans to buy a home. The mortgage broker works with both the borrower and lender to get the borrower approved. They also verify and collect paperwork from the borrower that the lender needs to finish a home purchase. Typically, mortgage brokers have relationships with several home loan lenders. Mission One Mortgage, for example, has access to 50 different lenders, which gives us a wide range of home loans in Knightsville, SC, from which to choose.
In addition to finding a home loan lender, your mortgage broker will help you settle on the best loan options and interest rates for your budget. Ideally, your mortgage broker will take a great deal of stress and legwork off your plate while also potentially saving you money.
If you're ready to buy a home, getting pre-qualified is a great choice that will streamline the entire process. Your mortgage broker makes getting pre-approved easy by obtaining all the documents needed to get you pre-qualified. In taking a look at your application, they will determine if you're ready for the pre-approval process. If your application needs additional items, the mortgage company will help point you in the right direction to ensure your application is as strong as it can be. Your mortgage broker will also walk you through the different types of loans, from Conventional and FHA to VA and USDA.
In order to be pre-approved for a home in South Carolina, you must have the following:
Most people choose to use a mortgage broker because they have access to different lenders and interest rates. But a great mortgage broker brings more to the table than a choice of lenders.
Save You from Unneeded Stress:One of the biggest advantages of hiring a mortgage broker is that they can find and vet loans while managing the mortgage process on your behalf. The best mortgage companies, like Mission One Mortgage, hire brokers who are experts at keeping underwriting on track, coordinating with relevant parties, and handling all paperwork involved. At the end of the day, mortgage brokers save you stress and time and often expedite the closing process.
More Access: We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating: A mortgage broker provides access to a range of loans, rates, and lenders. In fact, many mortgage brokers can get rates lower than what the average person could get from a lender.
Save You Money: There's a chance that your mortgage broker can get your mortgage fees reduced or waived by the lender, which could save you a good deal of money.
Help with Unfavorable Financial Situations: Expert mortgage brokers can often assist in challenging financial situations, like when a buyer has inconsistent income or less-than-perfect credit. Experienced brokers, like those at Mission One Mortgage, are often aware of lenders willing to will work with nontraditional borrowers.
Provide Key Insights: Mortgage brokers share important insights, such as your chances for a home loan approval and exactly how much house you can afford. They can also save you from making costly mistakes based on their years of expertise in the mortgage industry.
While settling on the best type of home loan isn't as exciting as searching for the home of your dreams, it's equally important. Yes, your Mission One Mortgage loan officer in Knightsville, SC, will be happy to help explain the differences between home loans. But understanding the basics ahead of time will save you stress and time in the long run.
Conventional loans can be used to purchase a new home or refinance your current one. Conventional loans include fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages. Generally, borrowers must put down a 3% down payment for owner-occupants, 10% for a vacation property, and 20% for an investment home. If you are able to pay 20% of the total cost of the home, you can avoid private mortgage insurance, which is otherwise required. Conventional mortgages are often preferred by buyers with good credit or people needing a non-owner-occupied mortgage.
FHA mortgages are issued by the U.S. government and backed by the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). This loan is often preferred by first-time homebuyers because it only requires a 3.5% down payment and offers more flexibility with credit requirements and underwriting standards. FHA loans have several requirements you must meet to qualify. Contact Mission One Mortgage today to learn more about FHA loans and whether or not they're best for your financial situation.
Also backed by the government, these loans are insured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and don't require money down. These loans have lower insurance requirements when compared to FHA loans, offer 100% financing if you qualify, and allow for closing costs to be covered by the seller. In order to qualify for a USDA loan, you must live in a rural area, and your household income must meet certain standards. These loans are often preferred by low-income citizens who live in rural parts of South Carolina.
Also known as VA or Veteran's Affairs loans, these mortgages are reserved for the brave men and women who served in the military. VA loans help provide our military members, veterans, and their families with favorable loan terms and an easy home ownership experience. Often, those who qualify are not required to make a down payment on their home. Additionally, these loans often include less expensive closing costs.
If you are a veteran or the family member of a veteran, contact Mission One Mortgage today to speak with our Vetted VA Professional, Debbie Haberny. Debbie helps our military members, veterans, and their family members obtain home loans utilizing veteran benefits and would be happy to help as you search for a home.
Do you have questions about the complexities of mortgages and home loans? As your advocate, Mission One Mortgage is here to answer any questions you have about mortgages and the home-buying process. We encourage you to call our office to speak directly with one of our mortgage experts or continue reading below for answers to some frequently asked questions.
Q. I was talking to my spouse about mortgage brokers, and they mentioned the phrase home loan originator. What's the difference between a broker and a loan originator?
A. The mortgage industry is full of confusing jobs and titles, making it easy to confuse roles and responsibilities. Such is the case with mortgage brokers and home loan originators. Though their roles share similarities, a home loan originator in Knightsville, SC, works for a bank or credit union, while a mortgage broker works for a brokerage company. Home loan originators and mortgage brokers are both licensed by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS).
Q. I've heard from everyone that you must have mortgage insurance to buy a home. What is mortgage insurance?
A. Essentially, mortgage insurance helps protect lenders if a borrower forecloses on the home they bought. One advantage of mortgage insurance is that when borrowers pay it, lenders can often grant loans to buyers when they might not have otherwise. Though not always required to buy a home, mortgage insurance is often needed for down payments of less than 20%.
Q. I have just been pre-approved to buy a beautiful home in South Carolina. Is there anything I shouldn't do now that I'm pre-qualified?
A. Mortgage companies like Mission One Mortgage, make getting pre-qualified for a home easy. However, as your loan process continues, your lender is required to run a new credit report before closing on a home. For that reason, it's to avoid any activity that might affect your credit score, such as:
Q. My brother-in-law recently refinanced his home in South Carolina. What is refinancing, and should I consider refinancing my home too?
A. Refinancing your home basically means you're swapping your current mortgage for a new one, most often with a lower interest rate. If you would like to reduce the term of your loan, lower your monthly mortgage payments, or consolidate debt, refinancing may be a smart option. Many homeowners also choose to refinance if they want to switch from adjustable-rate mortgages to fixed-rate mortgages or to get cash back for home renovations. To learn whether refinancing is a viable option for your situation, contact Mission One Mortgage ASAP, as loan rates change frequently.
Here at Mission One Mortgage, we believe that the best communities begin with the dream of home ownership. Our mission is to make those dreams come true, with personalized service, expert guidance, and good old-fashioned hard work. As one of the most trusted mortgage companies in Knightsville, SC, we have years of experience working with a diverse range of clients, from first-time buyers and investors to self-employed borrowers and non-native English speakers.
Though every mortgage situation is different, one thing never changes: our commitment to clients. Contact our office today to get started on an exceptional home-buying experience.
Dorchester County is continuing with its plans for a large-scale rezoning effort to stop the over-building of additional apartment complexes and townhomes.At a County Council meeting Monday, members voted and approved the rezoning of dozens of parcels of land from multi-family residential to mostly single-family. Under single-family zoning, property owners aren't allowed to build apartments or townhomes.Knightsville LLC is a property owner with plans for building townhomes that was exempt from the rezoning ordinance after filin...
Dorchester County is continuing with its plans for a large-scale rezoning effort to stop the over-building of additional apartment complexes and townhomes.
At a County Council meeting Monday, members voted and approved the rezoning of dozens of parcels of land from multi-family residential to mostly single-family. Under single-family zoning, property owners aren't allowed to build apartments or townhomes.
Knightsville LLC is a property owner with plans for building townhomes that was exempt from the rezoning ordinance after filing a complaint in county court. County officials say there have also been some additional complaints from residents about the rezoning.
"The complaint from Knightsville LLC held more significance because of the level of investment involved," said Kiera Reinertsen, the county planning and zoning director.
In 2004, the county's zoning ordinance was amended and led to an increase in approvals of multi-family zoning.
After hearing complaints about traffic, infrastructure and flooding during the organizing of its 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the county announced mass rezoning plans for multi-family spaces.
According to officials, most of the property owners under the rezoning project already live within single-family spaces. The project will help bring property owners who have spaces for commercial use into compliance. Using a property for commercial use is not permitted in a single-family residential district.
The project will also help balance population densities and available county infrastructure.
Some of the multi-family areas highlighted for rezoning include property southeast of Ladson Road toward North Charleston and between Ladson Road and Central Avenue in Knightsville.
In April, Knightsville LLC filed a complaint in the county court over proposed rezoning. The owner had purchased three parcels of land off of Central Avenue in Knightsville with the goal of building townhomes.
In the complaint, the owner alleged that the rezoning plans undermined and violated their investment-backed expectations and denied them the right to pursue a planned development project.
During the Monday meeting, attorney Ellis Lesemann spoke on behalf of Knightsville LLC. He said they paid just under $1.1 million for the land in 2019. He also argued that there is enough infrastructure in place to develop the project.
"They've been incurring permit fees, legal fees, engineering, doing a wetlands delineation and going through other types of carrying costs to bring that project forward," he said.
Lesemann said his client learned about the rezoning plans for their property in February. After a Monday executive session, the council agreed to exclude property under Knightsville LLC from its rezoning ordinance.
"We were pleased to be able to resolve the matter with the county," Lesemann said.
Future approval of multi-family zoning will be based on the county's available infrastructure and future land use.
The area above Central Avenue in Knightsville is next on the county's list of mass rezoning. The county's planning commission is scheduled to meet on Oct. 8 to review proposed rezonings.
A County Council public hearing is expected to follow on a later date. Officials say property owners impacted by the rezoning should've already been notified.
Many owners have likely received a flier on their property notifying them about the rezoning.
Driving from Moncks Corner to Knightsville Elementary every day is a long drive, but Melissa Odom says it is worth it.Odom is in her third year teaching third grade at Knightsville, and her fourth year total teaching at the school, having spent the first year teaching second grade.Odom started teaching in Anderson before moving to DD2, where she first taught at Eagle Nest Elementary for five years. This is her 14th year teaching.Growing up, Odom worked with kids and could not picture herself doing anything other than tea...
Driving from Moncks Corner to Knightsville Elementary every day is a long drive, but Melissa Odom says it is worth it.
Odom is in her third year teaching third grade at Knightsville, and her fourth year total teaching at the school, having spent the first year teaching second grade.
Odom started teaching in Anderson before moving to DD2, where she first taught at Eagle Nest Elementary for five years. This is her 14th year teaching.
Growing up, Odom worked with kids and could not picture herself doing anything other than teaching. She is from Mt. Pleasant originally, and graduated from Wando High School in 1998. At Wando she was a teacher cadet, and knew from there she wanted to teach.
Odom went on to Anderson University to study elementary education. After her time spent working in Anderson, Odom decided to move a little closer to home.
Odom said she loves being in the classroom.
“Year to year it’s a goal of mine to form a strong relationship and bond with my students, as well as watching them and helping them grow in preparation for their life and education,” she said.
Last school year Odom was a Teacher of the Month and was also a finalist for Teacher of the Year. In fact, she has been a finalist for Teacher of the Year at her previous schools as well.
This year Odom is teaching math, science and social studies. She teaches two classes with a combined total of 41 students.
Odom said she cannot think of any worst experience she has ever had teaching, but she finds the best thing about her profession is she learns more from her students every year; they teach her not just educational things, but things about life as well, she said.
Her favorite thing about Knightsville Elementary is how it is such a tight community; everybody is just a friendly face, she said.
“It’s just one big tight-knit community within our school – teachers or students, new faces or old faces,” she said.
Odom has been married to her husband Daniel for 10 years. They have a 4-year-old son named Hayden and another 2-year-old son named Jonathan. The family has two dogs: a 5-year-old lab named Gauge and 10-year-old cocker spaniel named Harley.
Odom said she is very close to her parents, who are still in Mt. Pleasant, and said that outside of school her family enjoys spending time together. She also likes being outside and doing things like going on a run, boating and going to the beach. One of her favorite pastimes is going crabbing.
Odom’s life goal is to try to live life to the fullest every day and be the best teacher for her students, colleague for her coworkers and mom, wife and daughter to her family.
“I just want to be the best I can be every day,” she said.
A Grayco Hardware & Home and Parker’s Gas Station are coming to the Knightsville Crossing Shopping Center next year. After Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly closed in 2017, the building that served as the centerpiece of the shopping center has sat vacant on the corner of Orangeburg and Central Avenue.Kevin Rogers, a developer with Knightsville Enterprise LLC, purchased the retail site from Jim and John Kersting, owners of Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly. According to county records, the property was purchased for $3.2 million. There a...
A Grayco Hardware & Home and Parker’s Gas Station are coming to the Knightsville Crossing Shopping Center next year. After Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly closed in 2017, the building that served as the centerpiece of the shopping center has sat vacant on the corner of Orangeburg and Central Avenue.
Kevin Rogers, a developer with Knightsville Enterprise LLC, purchased the retail site from Jim and John Kersting, owners of Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly. According to county records, the property was purchased for $3.2 million. There are pre existing tenants that will remain in place including two restaurants, a nail salon, UPS store and H & R Block. Rogers said the addition of Grayco and Parker’s will help bring the shopping center back to life.
While both of the incoming companies have multiple stores, Rogers said each one has a family- owned feel.
“It’s a nice thing to see and be a part of,” Rogers said. “Nothing wrong with big national outfits but sometimes there’s a little bit of a difference that customers feel when you walk into a store that’s run by the owner.”
He was impressed with Grayco, which originates in Beaufort and has stores in Savannah and Hilton Head. And Parker’s has over 50 stations throughout Georgia and South Carolina that Rogers said are “well-run, attractive looking stores.”
Nathan Richardson, vice president of real estate and development for Parker’s, said in an email that the Parker’s at Knightsville Crossing will feature a brand-new store design, which is inspired by Lowcountry vernacular architecture. The store will have a parged brick facade, metal roof, bracketed louvers, window details and nearly 4,800 square feet of retail space.
“Summerville is a growing community, and we’d like to be in the path of growth,” Richardson said. “We hope to build 5 or 6 new stores in Summerville in the future.”
Madelyn Robinson, director of administration and economic development for Summerville, visited one of the Grayco Hardware & Home stores in Hilton Head. She said she was also impressed by Grayco and the store will fulfill a need for that type of retail in the Orangeburg Road and Central Avenue area. She said it’s great that the property will no longer be sitting vacant.
“I think both of those businesses coming into Summerville, they’re not represented in Charleston area,” Robinson said. “Their first foothold they’ve chosen is Summerville. That speaks highly of our community, instead of us being second choice, we’re first.”
Robinson said the area surrounding the Knightsville Crossing Shopping Center is growing and opportunities for commercial growth are strong.
In the coming months, the 10-acre shopping center will get spruced up with overall landscaping improvements, sign replacements, lighting upgrades and new sidewalks. Rogers said he expects Grayco to be open in the spring of 2019. Representatives from Parker’s said the gas station will be open for business in the summer of 2019.
Knightsville Elementary School Principal Wally Baird points to a field now occupied by trailers – mobile classroom units moved onto the campus this summer to accommodate a growing population.The original school building was built as a Civilian Conservation Corps project in 1939; it is still in use. Nearly 1,250 students attend the school, which includes the original CCC building and some 26 mobile units crammed in every available space on campus. Parking is scarce, and virtually every available space on campus is occupied....
Knightsville Elementary School Principal Wally Baird points to a field now occupied by trailers – mobile classroom units moved onto the campus this summer to accommodate a growing population.
The original school building was built as a Civilian Conservation Corps project in 1939; it is still in use. Nearly 1,250 students attend the school, which includes the original CCC building and some 26 mobile units crammed in every available space on campus. Parking is scarce, and virtually every available space on campus is occupied.
To walk out to the rear of the campus is to see a study in patience on all sides – hundreds of parents wait in a long, serpentine line stretching down several neighborhood roads, even as children who walk to school cross those roads to get there in the morning and go home in the afternoon.
“It can get pretty wild back here, especially in bad weather,” Baird says. “But everyone is really pretty great about it – everyone wants the children to be safe.”
He smiles and greets a parent who is sitting in her car, the first in the long, long line. She has been there, she says, since noon so she can pick up her child when school is dismissed at 2:10 p.m.
In the front of the school, buses take one load; they will return to pick up a second group who will wait for another couple of hours in the computer lab, Baird says.
That the children, staff, and parents are proud of their school is obvious – a lot of people – teachers, staff, and parents -- volunteer a lot of time and effort to make the drop off and pick up procedures work as smoothly as possible. They help keep up the grounds, walk with groups of children to and from school. The school has a long and proud history deeply interwoven with the community.
But KES, like so many, needs some help.
Dorchester County voters will make a number of important decisions come November 6.
One of those will be whether to allow the Dorchester School District 2 to issue bonds up to $178 million for much needed capital improvements throughout the district.
Dorchester County is one of the fastest growing counties in South Carolina, and most of that growth has occurred within the boundaries of DD2. Some 19,245 students attended DD2 schools during the 2005-2006 school year; that number had increased to 23,169 students during the 2011-2012 school year. Because the fastest growing demographic in Dorchester County is families with elementary school age children, the district plans to build three new elementary schools with a capacity of 1,000 students. This will not only help reduce classroom sizes in all the elementary schools but will greatly reduce and even eliminate portable classrooms – which currently cost about $100,000 per finished unit -- at all the elementary schools.
Reducing student populations at all the schools will alleviate many issues, most dramatically the drop off and pick up situations at KES and others, Baird said.
Other important upgrades are also needed, such as updating electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems.
“The referendum will benefit every child and every family in the district, not just us,” Baird said. “We’ve done great work with what we have, but I believe that if we do not relieve that pressure, if we keep up with the present levels, the quality of education – and the safety of the children, will be at risk.”
The new Zaxby’s in Knightsville is now open for business as of June 18. Zaxby’s is located at 1625 Central Avenue. A post on the eatery’s Facebook page stated opening hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Zaxby’s is a fast food restaurant chain known for chicken wings, chicken fingers, sandwiches and salads.Chad Edens bought Insty-Prints last year and the business has just finished its transition to the franchise’s flagship ...
The new Zaxby’s in Knightsville is now open for business as of June 18. Zaxby’s is located at 1625 Central Avenue. A post on the eatery’s Facebook page stated opening hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Zaxby’s is a fast food restaurant chain known for chicken wings, chicken fingers, sandwiches and salads.
Chad Edens bought Insty-Prints last year and the business has just finished its transition to the franchise’s flagship brand of Allegra. Allegra is a full-service marketing and communications company based in Summerville. The business is located at 320 Old Trolley Road and can be reached at 843-376-4478, hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at https://www.allegramarketingprint.com/locations/summerville-sc/services/.
JJ’s Bakery – formerly Bubbie’s Bakery in downtown Summerville – is under new management. Judy Saffa, the new owner, hosted a grand opening on June 16. The bakery is located at 110A S. Cedar Street and is well-known for its cupcakes, cakes and cookies. The bakery can be reached at 843-419-6140.
Perkins Restaurant and Bakery is slated for a June 19 reopening, following a kitchen fire that shut down business for 10 days (as of June 18). Perkins is located at 1700 Old Trolley Road and is owned by Dowm Hawley. Hawley said the restaurant threw a parking lot party fundraiser June 6 that was supported by hundreds of customers to raise money, along with food donations, from the community to help support the hourly employees that had to miss work. “The outpouring from the community has been something from a Hallmark movie and has humbled and elated my spirit and faith in our tight knit community,” she said in an e-mail. View the restaurant’s menu at http://www.perkinsrestaurants.com/menu/ .
Rainbow Child Care Center is opening the doors to its brand-new school, located at 2464 N. Main St. This will be Rainbow’s second location in Summerville. The new nearly 11,000 square foot center serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age. Families seeking more information about the new or existing Rainbow Child Care Center or interested in touring the new facility are invited to visit rainbowccc.com/Summerville2 or call 1-800-90-LEARN.
Carnes Crossroads has expanded its recreational options. Five workout stations were placed along the trail loop in the St. James Park neighborhood in May. The stations include 14 pieces of equipment that can be used for 40 different impact exercise. Hurdles, pull-up bars, a dip station and monkey bars provide several resources for exercise in the Goose Creek neighborhood.
Beckstone Apartments, formerly known as Comet Creek, officially opened in Summerville June 15. The complex is located at 100 Comet Creek Lane in the Summerville area and features 264 one-and two-bedroom residences.
The complex contains plenty amenities that include a 24-hour fitness center, yoga studio, sun porch with flat screen televisions, and a resort-style pool with a tanning ledge and gas grills. A sand volleyball court and a pet park provide outdoor recreation.
“We’re super excited to a part of Summerville,” said Ashley Mizzell, marketing manager with RE Carroll. “This area is developing so rapidly. It’s such a hot, fast-moving market. It’s booming. It’s crazy. It’s exciting to see all the growth.”
TRIO, a Mount Pleasant-based marketing communications agency, will provide free advertising and marketing services to local nonprofits on Oct. 25. Through its 24-hour CreateAthon initiative, TRIO will dedicate free marketing services to organizations in need. TRIO will be accepting applications from Monday, June 18 - Friday, Aug. 17. Applicants are asked to submit a 60-second video on why their organization should be selected.
If you know of a new business venture, contact reporter Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr at rdennis@berkeleyind.com.
“There are so many wonderful nonprofits in our area who need marketing help.” says Jenny Dennis, TRIO’s chief operating officer. “Unfortunately, a lot of these organizations struggle with having enough funding to invest in their marketing support. That’s where CreateAthon can help.”