“Little House” series affectionately realize their new American Dream. in February?”
called home, “The nicest word there A Virginia Beach, Virginia, fam- Finally, the American Dream –
is,” Forbes magazine recently more ily turned their attention to the and the Carolina Dream – touch
realistically added, “There’s noth- Charleston area as both country and close to home. My wife, Judy, and I
ing dreamy about the advantages of came late to both. I’m a native New
owning a house.”
“… homeownership has
Yorker, and she was born and raised
According to Forbes, homes in in Chicago. We met in Los Angeles
the United States appreciate on
tremendous positive
where we were both successful in
average 4 percent to5 percent an- our separate careers, yet neither of
nually. There are exceptions based
effects on families,
us had ever owned a home. In fact,
on neighborhoods and regions, but,
communities and the
as a lifelong apartment dweller, Judy
across the board, those numbers had never even lived in a house.
hold up year after year.
American economy.”
I was 50 years old when we made
Forbes further noted that “while the decision to stop chasing the
homeownership brings monthly cosmopolitan. They said, “We’re not American Dream and begin living
payments and the joy of property looking to live in Mayberry, but we it. We put a down payment on a
taxes plus the cost of upkeep … the are looking for a little slower life- small, older home on a hillside in
interest on the mortgage and the style with boating, golf and a more Burbank, not far from the movie
property taxes are tax-deductible. moderate climate.” studios. I know neither of us will
“This means that for once, the A Long Island, New York, family ever forget the day we put the key
government is putting money in wrote, “We would like to relocate in the front door, walked in and
your pocket by subsidizing the pur- to coastal South Carolina because reached the realization that this
COMING HOME
chase of the house.” white sandy beaches, pools and home was really ours.

Another American voice - that of boating are important to us.” Ten years later, we put that house
legendary New Orleans musician Two Pennsylvanians stated that, on the market at a price well beyond
Antoine “Fats” Domino - also sings “We really want to be on the water what we ever anticipated, sold it in
the praises of home. or as close to it as possible. We have a matter of days, pulled up stakes
TO THE AMERICAN DREAM
“I’ve traveled all over for about many friends and clients who have and moved across country to a place
50 years,” Fats muses. “I love a made the move to the Carolinas and we had really only heard about
lot of places and I’ve been a lot of love it.” – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
places (but) I just don’t care to leave A former New Yorker now living It’s truly been a second American
home.” in Charleston enthused, “I do love Dream for us, and, despite the
That said, these days many Charleston and plan on being here glitz and glamour of the Hollywood
Americans have already owned their for the long haul. After all, how years we left behind, we’ve never
own home and now want to leave can you not love 67 degree weather looked back.
it to find a new home in a dream
community where they will live out
their lives surrounded by comfort
and natural beauty. Not surpris-
ingly, many of these seekers look to
the Carolinas as the region that will
offer them all of the amenities they
have earned during a lifetime of
work and saving.
Typical of these seekers are some
of the following people who have
reached out to Carolina real estate
professionals seeking their help in
finding homes that will help them
SummervilleBuilders.com | SouthCarolinaBuilders.com | CharlestonBuilders.com
74_AmericanDreams.indd 75 5/31/07 4:12:16 PM
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