SC -- The Wonderful Iodine State!

Who knew?! I think I've found a new conversation starter . . .

"In the late 1920s, the SC Natural Resources Commission began a campaign to draw attention to the high levels of iodine in our state's soil and produce. The campaign warned people from the West and Midwest (where iodine was not as prevalent) about the dangers of iodine deficiency – 'including sterility, dwarfism, and idiocy.' The commission hoped to increase the market for our fruits and vegetables around the country. To help the campaign along, South Carolina even printed 'The Iodine State' on our license plates!

Now, today you and I might take iodine for granted, but back then it was serious business. In its extreme form, a lack of this essential element causes cretinism – severely stunted physical and mental growth. In its lesser form, iodine deficiency manifests itself in a disease called goiter. Goiter is a swelling of the thyroid gland which causes a large bump on the front or side of the neck. During World War I, this swelling disqualified more men from service than anything else, and in Michigan alone 30% of draftees were afflicted by it.The relationship between iodine and goiter was discovered in Switzerland in 1821, but for various reasons it wasn't acted upon here in America until 1924, when finally a major public health movement prompted the salt industry to begin adding iodine to table salt. This simple step helped eliminate goiters in America, but it also took away the impetus for South Carolina's iodine campaign. We do have one lasting reminder of iodine’s importance in our state however. The call letters for WIS-TV in Columbia (which began as WIS Radio in 1930) stand for 'Wonderful Iodine State.'"

For the full SCIway newsletter article: http://www.sciway.net/sn/53.html#8

Upcoming Charleston County Comprehensive Plan

As a realtor I have an obvious interest in all of the details of the upcoming Charleston County Comprehensive Plan, but one fact really highlights the significance of what they're doing: "the county expects to need around 42,000 new living units by 2020, about 70% of which would be single-family dwellings." Where will these houses be built? Where will they NOT be built? What will they look like? Where will their owners shop? Drive? Go to school?

Now's the time to influence these decisions! What an exciting time to live in the Lowcountry!

"Residents, developers or anyone interested can search land-use plans by neighborhood under Charleston County’s upcoming comprehensive plan. It’s part of the county’s goal to make the document more reader-friendly, said Dan Pennick, director of the Charleston County Planning Department. The plan identifies where growth will occur and what types of development are appropriate for certain areas, said Jamie Greene, a principal with ACP Visioning & Planning, an Ohio-based planning consultant hired to assist the county’s efforts.

Architecture will be an important part of that discussion, Greene said. 'People here are really concerned about the character,' he said. State law requires counties and municipalities to update their comprehensive plans at least once every 10 years, and Charleston County began that 14-month process with public workshops last fall.
The comprehensive plan will focus on nine elements of growth:
• Population.
• Economy.
• Natural resources.
• Cultural resources.
• Housing.
• Community facilities.
• Land use.
• Transportation.
• Priority investment.

The county expects population to grow about 1.8% a year through the next decade. By 2020, the population is expected to be about 430,000. That’s a 30% increase from the estimated 2006 population of 332,000, according to estimates from the U.S. Census.

Because of that growth, the county expects to need around 42,000 new living units by 2020, about 70% of which would be single-family dwellings. The county needs to determine where that growth should occur.

'A lot of the effort will be looking at where the infrastructure is now,' Pennick said.
Based on a series of public workshops last fall, county residents want to curb sprawl, preserve historic and rural character, limit density in rural areas and provide public space in new developments."

To view the Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/current/14_5/news/11481-1.html

To view the upcoming Comprehensive Plan website: http://www.charlestoncounty.org/index2.asp?p=/departments/Planning/CompPlanUpdate/CompPlanUpdate.htm

Smart Time to Buy!

Experienced homebuyers agree that this is one of the best buyers' markets in decades!

"Despite all of the negative commentary about the housing and credit markets, 64% of Americans believe that for those with good credit and a down payment 'this is an ideal time to buy a home,' according to a study commissioned by Beazer Homes, one of the country’s top-10 homebuilders. Perhaps with an eye toward the future, 24% of survey respondents-from Gen Y to Baby Boomers-say they plan to buy a new home in the next two years either as a primary residence or second/vacation home.

'We know the American consumer believes with great conviction that home ownership is a smart investment over the long term,' said Ian McCarthy, president and CEO of Beazer Homes. 'Savvy consumers realize that housing is a cyclical industry and some appear to be waking up to the opportunities that do exist in today’s marketplace. Whether they act on this conviction remains to be seen, but the underlying sentiment bodes well for the industry.'

Indeed, 65% of survey respondents agree that given the current supply of homes for sale and special incentives this is 'truly a buyer’s market.' And, 39% believe that tentative buyers who are waiting for home prices to go lower risk 'missing out on one of the greatest home-buying markets in recent history.'

As in most areas, experience brings additional confidence. The survey found 70% of experienced home buyers-those who have purchased at least one home-urging renters to purchase a home as soon as he or she is financially able to do so."

For the full RISMedia Real Estate News article: http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-02-13/experienced-home-buyers-say-‘smart-time-to-buy-sentiment-prevails/