Blog • July 22, 2026

Solar Panels and Your Home Sale: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know

by Ambur Davis

Solar panels have become increasingly common on Upstate SC homes, and they can be either a genuine selling point or a real complication in a transaction, depending entirely on one key factor: whether the panels are owned outright or leased.

Owned Solar Panels

If a seller owns their solar panels outright, having either paid cash or fully paid off a solar loan, the panels typically transfer with the home as a fixture, similar to any other home improvement, and can genuinely enhance the home’s value and appeal, particularly to energy-conscious buyers.

Leased Solar Panels: Where Complications Arise

Many solar installations are financed through a lease or power purchase agreement rather than outright ownership, and this is where real estate transactions can hit real friction. A leased system generally isn’t the seller’s to simply transfer — the lease agreement, with its own monthly payment obligation, needs to either be assumed by the buyer, paid off by the seller before closing, or otherwise resolved as part of the transaction.

Why This Matters for Buyers

If you’re purchasing a home with leased solar panels, you may be asked to qualify for and assume the existing lease, which involves a credit check with the solar company and adds another layer to your closing process. Understand the remaining lease term, the monthly payment, and any transfer fees before you commit, since this becomes an ongoing financial obligation on top of your mortgage.

Why This Matters for Sellers

If you have leased solar panels, address this early — ideally before you list. Understand your specific lease terms regarding buyer assumption, and know whether paying off the remaining lease balance before selling might actually simplify your transaction and widen your buyer pool, even if it costs you upfront. A leased solar obligation that surprises buyers late in the process is a common cause of delayed or collapsed transactions.

The Appraisal Question

Appraisers evaluate owned solar systems differently than leased ones. Owned systems can sometimes add measurable value, while leased systems, representing an ongoing liability rather than an asset, generally don’t add value in the same way and can sometimes complicate the appraisal and underwriting process.

What to Do Either Way

If you’re selling a home with solar panels, gather your complete documentation — whether ownership or lease details — before listing. If you’re buying a home with solar, ask specifically and early whether the system is owned or leased, and don’t assume it’s simply included at no cost or obligation.

If you’re navigating a transaction involving solar panels, I’m happy to help you understand the specifics. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 22, 2026

Buying New Construction Before It’s Built: What to Know About Pre-Sale Contracts

by Ambur Davis

Buying a home that doesn’t exist yet is a genuinely different process than purchasing a completed home, whether new or resale. If you’re considering a pre-sale or to-be-built purchase in a new construction community, here’s what to understand before you sign.

Understanding the Deposit Structure

Pre-sale contracts typically require a deposit at signing, often larger than a standard earnest money deposit on a completed home, and sometimes additional deposits at specific construction milestones. Understanding exactly when deposits are due, whether they’re refundable, and under what circumstances is essential before you commit, since your money is at risk for a longer period than in a standard transaction.

Price and Specification Risk

Builders sometimes reserve the right to substitute materials or make specification changes during construction due to supply availability, and in some contracts, to adjust the final price based on cost changes during a longer build timeline. Reading your contract carefully for any language allowing price adjustments after signing is essential — this is one of the most important protections to understand before committing to a pre-sale purchase.

Timeline Realities and Delays

Construction timelines for pre-sale homes are estimates, not guarantees, and delays due to weather, supply chain issues, labor availability, or permitting are common enough that you shouldn’t plan an inflexible move-out date from your current home around a builder’s projected completion date. Building in a buffer, and having a contingency plan if completion is delayed, protects you from being caught without housing.

Rate Lock Considerations

Because pre-sale construction can take many months, your mortgage rate lock timing becomes a genuinely important consideration. Standard rate locks typically run 30 to 90 days, which often doesn’t align with a longer construction timeline. Ask your lender specifically about extended rate lock options or float-down provisions designed for new construction timelines, and understand what they cost, since a standard rate lock may expire well before your home is ready to close.

The Value of Buyer Representation

Having your own agent represent you in a new construction pre-sale purchase — at no additional cost to you, since the builder compensates the buyer’s agent — means you have someone reviewing the contract specifically for your protection, not the builder’s sales timeline. This matters even more in a pre-sale situation than a completed-home purchase, given the additional risk factors involved.

If you’re considering a pre-sale new construction purchase, I’d strongly encourage bringing me in before you sign anything at the sales office. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 22, 2026

Radon Testing in South Carolina: What Buyers Should Know

by Ambur Davis

Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that most buyers never think about, but it’s a legitimate health consideration worth understanding as part of your home buying process. Here’s what you need to know.

What Radon Actually Is

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It can seep into homes through foundation cracks, crawl spaces, and other entry points, and prolonged exposure to elevated levels is a recognized health risk, particularly related to long-term lung health.

Does South Carolina Have Radon Concerns?

Radon levels vary significantly by geology, and while South Carolina generally has lower average radon levels than many parts of the country, elevated levels can still occur in specific areas, including parts of the Upstate. Because radon levels vary even between neighboring properties depending on soil composition, the only reliable way to know a specific home’s radon level is to test it directly.

How Radon Testing Works

Radon testing typically involves placing a testing device in the lowest livable level of the home for a specified period, commonly 48 hours for a short-term test, and then having results analyzed. This is a straightforward, relatively inexpensive test that can be arranged through your home inspector or a specialized radon testing service.

What Happens If Levels Are Elevated

If a test comes back showing elevated radon levels, the EPA recommends mitigation for levels at or above a specific threshold. Radon mitigation systems, typically involving a vent pipe and fan system that redirects gas from beneath the home to the outside, are a well-established, generally moderate-cost solution that effectively reduces radon levels in most homes.

Should You Test Every Home You’re Considering?

Radon testing isn’t automatically included in a standard home inspection and typically needs to be requested separately. Given the relatively low cost of testing compared to the potential health consideration, I generally recommend it as part of your due diligence, particularly for homes with basements or crawl spaces, regardless of the general regional radon profile.

If you have questions about radon testing for a property you’re considering, I’m happy to help you understand your options. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 22, 2026

Well Water and Septic Systems: What Rural Upstate SC Buyers Need to Know

by Ambur Davis

A significant amount of rural property throughout Spartanburg County relies on private well water and septic systems rather than public utilities, and buyers unfamiliar with these systems need to understand what to test, inspect, and budget for before closing.

Testing Your Well Water

Before closing on a property with a private well, water quality testing is essential, checking for bacteria, nitrates, and other contaminants that could affect safety, along with water hardness and mineral content that affects taste and plumbing longevity over time. Many lenders require water testing as a condition of financing for well properties, and even when not required, it’s simply smart due diligence.

Understanding Well Capacity and Condition

Beyond water quality, a well’s flow rate and overall capacity matter for daily household use. A professional well inspection can assess pump condition, well depth, and flow rate, giving you a realistic picture of whether the well adequately supports your household’s needs, especially for larger homes or properties with additional water use like livestock or irrigation.

Septic System Inspections

A septic inspection evaluates the tank’s condition, the drain field’s function, and overall system age and capacity relative to the home’s size. Septic systems have a finite lifespan, and a system nearing the end of its usable life represents a significant future expense that should factor into your negotiation, if not addressed by the seller before closing.

Maintenance Realities of Well and Septic Ownership

Owning a well and septic system comes with ongoing responsibilities that public utility customers don’t have to think about — periodic septic tank pumping, awareness of what can and can’t go down drains, and monitoring well equipment for wear over time. Buyers coming from homes on municipal water and sewer sometimes underestimate this learning curve.

Budgeting for These Systems

Well and septic repairs or replacements can be a genuinely significant expense — a septic system replacement in particular can run into the thousands of dollars depending on soil conditions and system type. Factoring this into your overall home-buying budget, rather than treating it as an unlikely afterthought, protects you from an unwelcome surprise down the road.

If you’re considering a rural property with well and septic systems, I always recommend building these specific inspections into your due diligence period from the start. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com with questions about a specific property.

Blog • July 22, 2026

Can Non-U.S. Citizens Buy a Home in South Carolina?

by Ambur Davis

This is a question I hear more often than people might expect, and the answer is genuinely straightforward: yes, non-U.S. citizens can absolutely buy property in South Carolina and across the country. The process just has some specific nuances worth understanding.

There’s No Citizenship Requirement to Own Property

U.S. real estate law does not require citizenship to purchase or own property. Foreign nationals, permanent residents, and visa holders can all purchase homes in South Carolina, whether as a primary residence, second home, or investment property.

Financing Differs by Immigration Status

Permanent residents, or green card holders, generally qualify for the same range of conventional, FHA, and other loan programs as U.S. citizens, provided they meet the same credit, income, and documentation requirements. Non-permanent resident visa holders may qualify for conventional financing as well, though lenders typically require additional documentation regarding visa status and often want to see a reasonable expectation of continued residency in the U.S.

Foreign nationals without U.S. residency status generally face more limited financing options, though specific international buyer loan programs do exist through some lenders. Many foreign national buyers without U.S. credit history choose to purchase with cash, since building the credit history and documentation trail U.S. lenders typically require can be a longer process without an established domestic financial footprint.

Documentation You’ll Likely Need

Depending on your status, expect to provide a valid passport and visa documentation, proof of income which may need to be translated and verified if earned outside the U.S., and in some cases a U.S. taxpayer identification number if you don’t have a Social Security number. Lenders working with international or visa-holding buyers regularly can walk you through the specific requirements for your situation.

Tax Considerations

Foreign buyers and non-resident owners may have specific tax reporting obligations related to U.S. real estate ownership and eventual sale, including withholding requirements under FIRPTA for certain transactions. This is a conversation worth having directly with a tax professional experienced in these situations, particularly for foreign national buyers without a U.S. tax history.

Getting Started

If you’re a non-U.S. citizen considering a home purchase in the Upstate, I’m happy to help you understand the process and connect you with lenders and professionals experienced in working with international and visa-holding buyers. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 15, 2026

Buying a Home After Bankruptcy or Foreclosure: Waiting Periods Explained

by Ambur Davis

If you’ve been through a bankruptcy or foreclosure, it’s completely understandable to wonder whether homeownership is still realistically in your future. The genuinely good news is that it almost always is — you just need to understand the waiting periods and what rebuilding looks like along the way.

Waiting Periods After Bankruptcy

Waiting periods vary by loan program and bankruptcy type. For a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, conventional loans generally require around four years from the discharge date, while FHA and VA loans often allow qualification in as little as two years, and sometimes sooner with documented extenuating circumstances. For a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, some loan programs allow qualification while still in the repayment plan, provided you’ve made consistent, on-time payments and receive court or trustee approval, though this varies by lender and program.

Waiting Periods After Foreclosure

Foreclosure waiting periods also vary by loan type. Conventional loans commonly require around seven years, though this can be reduced with documented extenuating circumstances. FHA and VA loans generally allow for shorter waiting periods, often around three years, again with some flexibility for documented hardship circumstances beyond your control.

What “Extenuating Circumstances” Actually Means

Lenders sometimes allow shortened waiting periods when the bankruptcy or foreclosure resulted from a documented, significant, and largely unavoidable hardship — a serious medical event, job loss beyond your control, or similar circumstances — rather than simple financial mismanagement. This isn’t guaranteed and requires solid documentation, but it’s worth discussing directly with a lender rather than assuming the standard waiting period automatically applies to your situation.

What to Do During the Waiting Period

This time isn’t wasted if you use it deliberately. Rebuilding credit through on-time payments on any remaining obligations, keeping credit utilization low, and avoiding new derogatory marks all matter significantly. Building savings for a future down payment and closing costs during this period puts you in a stronger position once you’re eligible to apply.

You’re Not Starting From Zero

Many buyers I’ve worked with who came through a bankruptcy or foreclosure go on to become homeowners again, often with a stronger financial foundation than before, precisely because they used the intervening years to rebuild deliberately. This is a genuinely hopeful conversation, not a discouraging one.

If you’re rebuilding toward homeownership after bankruptcy or foreclosure and want to understand where you stand, I’m happy to help connect you with a lender who can walk through your specific timeline. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 15, 2026

Aging in Place: Home Features That Actually Matter

by Ambur Davis

More retirees and older homeowners are choosing to stay in their communities rather than relocate to age-restricted facilities, and for buyers making a purchase with long-term aging in place in mind, certain home features matter far more than typical buyer priorities like kitchen finishes or curb appeal.

Single-Level Living

A home where the primary bedroom, full bathroom, kitchen, and living space are all on one level eliminates the most significant long-term concern for aging in place: stairs. This is one of the single biggest factors to prioritize, even if it means compromising on square footage or a specific neighborhood.

Entry Access

A zero-step or minimal-step entrance, or at minimum a covered entry where a ramp could reasonably be added later, matters more than it seems during a healthy, mobile home search. Wide doorways and hallways that could accommodate a walker or wheelchair, even if not currently needed, future-proof a home in a way that’s difficult and expensive to retrofit later.

Bathroom Features

Walk-in or curbless showers, grab bar-ready wall reinforcement, and adequate turning space in bathrooms are worth evaluating even if a home doesn’t currently have these features installed, since some are easier to retrofit than others depending on the existing layout.

Lighting and Flooring

Good natural and artificial lighting throughout the home reduces fall risk, and flooring free of significant transitions, thick rugs, or trip hazards supports safer daily movement. Low-maintenance flooring also reduces the physical burden of upkeep over time.

Location Considerations

Proximity to healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and grocery stores becomes increasingly important, along with a community that offers some walkability or nearby amenities for days when driving isn’t preferred. Neighborhoods with active, engaged neighbors also provide informal support systems that matter more over time than most buyers initially consider.

Planning Ahead, Not Waiting for a Crisis

The best aging-in-place decisions happen proactively, while you have full flexibility and energy to search thoughtfully, rather than reactively after a health event forces a rushed decision. If aging in place is part of your thinking as you consider your next home, I’m happy to help you evaluate properties with these features specifically in mind. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 15, 2026

Winning a Bidding War: Escalation Clauses and Backup Offers Explained

by Ambur Davis

Competitive offer situations are stressful, and understanding the specific tools available to strengthen your position — beyond simply offering more money — can genuinely make the difference in a multiple-offer scenario. Here’s how escalation clauses and backup offers actually work.

What an Escalation Clause Does

An escalation clause is a contract addendum stating that your offer will automatically increase by a specified increment above any competing offer, up to a maximum price you set. For example, an escalation clause might specify that your offer beats any competing offer by $2,000, up to a ceiling of $310,000.

Escalation clauses can be effective, but they come with a real strategic tradeoff: they typically reveal your maximum price to the seller if the clause is triggered and documentation of the competing offer is shown, which can put you at a disadvantage in the negotiation. Some listing agents also simply won’t accept offers containing escalation clauses, viewing them as a tool that benefits the buyer more than a clean, strong initial offer would.

Alternatives to an Escalation Clause

Rather than an escalation clause, some buyers choose to submit their strongest genuine offer upfront, without a lever tied to competing offers, on the theory that a clean, decisive offer is more attractive to a seller than a conditional one. This approach requires you to do your homework on comparable sales beforehand so your initial number is genuinely competitive rather than a lowball starting point.

Appraisal Gap Coverage

In competitive situations, some buyers include a commitment to cover a specific dollar amount, or an unlimited amount, of any gap between the appraised value and the purchase price, paid in cash at closing. This signals to the seller that your offer won’t fall apart even if the appraisal comes in below the contract price, which can be a meaningfully more persuasive tool than an escalation clause in some situations.

Understanding Backup Offer Status

If a seller has already accepted another offer, you can still submit a backup offer, which puts you next in line if the primary contract falls through during due diligence, financing, or another contingency. Backup offer status doesn’t guarantee anything, but it costs you nothing to be in position, and a meaningful percentage of accepted offers do fall through for various reasons, giving backup offers real value in active markets.

The Bigger Picture

No single tool wins every bidding war, and the strongest position generally combines solid pre-approval, competitive pricing grounded in real data, clean terms, and flexibility on timeline where possible. If you’re heading into a competitive offer situation, I’m happy to help you think through the right combination of strategies for your specific circumstances. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 15, 2026

How to Prepare Your Home for Appraisal: A Seller’s Guide

by Ambur Davis

Sellers often focus all their preparation energy on showings and buyer impressions, but the appraisal is just as important — a low appraisal can derail your sale even after you’ve accepted a great offer. Here’s how to help your home appraise at its true value.

Give the Appraiser Everything They Need

Prepare a simple document listing any significant improvements you’ve made during your ownership, along with approximate dates and costs — a new roof, updated HVAC, kitchen renovation, or other capital improvements. Appraisers work from comparable sales, but knowing about upgrades that might not be immediately obvious helps them make appropriate adjustments in your favor.

Address Obvious Condition Issues Beforehand

While an appraiser isn’t conducting a detailed inspection, visible condition issues do factor into their opinion of value. Address obvious deferred maintenance — peeling paint, visible water stains, broken fixtures — before the appraisal appointment, the same way you would before a showing.

Clean and Present the Home Well

A clean, decluttered, well-presented home creates a stronger impression on an appraiser just as it does with buyers, even though the appraiser’s job is technically more objective than a buyer’s emotional response. First impressions still matter in how thoroughly and favorably a property gets evaluated.

Provide Comparable Sales If You Have Them

If you’re aware of particularly strong comparable sales in your neighborhood that support your sale price — especially any that might not be the most obvious ones an appraiser would pull — providing that information can help support an accurate valuation, particularly in neighborhoods with limited recent sales activity.

Be Present or Available During the Appraisal

Being available to answer questions, or having your agent present, ensures the appraiser has access to information about the property and doesn’t have to guess about details that could affect the valuation.

If the Appraisal Comes In Low Anyway

Sometimes, even with good preparation, an appraisal comes in below the contract price. Your agent can help you and the buyer’s agent explore options, including submitting additional comparable sales data through a reconsideration of value request. This isn’t always successful, but it’s a legitimate path worth pursuing when genuine evidence supports it.

If you’re preparing to sell and want help getting ahead of the appraisal process, I’m happy to walk through your specific situation. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 15, 2026

Understanding Debt-to-Income Ratio: The Number That Decides Your Mortgage

by Ambur Davis

Your debt-to-income ratio, commonly called DTI, is one of the most important numbers in your mortgage approval — arguably more important than your credit score for determining how much home you can actually afford. Here’s how it works.

What DTI Actually Measures

Your debt-to-income ratio compares your total monthly debt obligations to your gross monthly income, expressed as a percentage. Lenders calculate this in two ways: your front-end ratio, which looks only at your proposed housing payment relative to income, and your back-end ratio, which includes your housing payment plus all other monthly debts — car payments, student loans, credit cards, and other obligations.

What Counts as Debt in This Calculation

Your back-end DTI includes your proposed mortgage payment, minimum credit card payments, auto loans, student loan payments, and other recurring debt obligations reported on your credit report. It generally doesn’t include expenses like utilities, groceries, insurance premiums, or subscriptions, even though those are real monthly costs.

What Ratio Lenders Are Looking For

Different loan programs have different DTI thresholds. Conventional loans commonly look for a back-end DTI at or below 43 to 45 percent, though some programs allow higher ratios with compensating factors like strong credit or significant reserves. FHA loans tend to allow somewhat higher DTI ratios, and VA loans use a different underwriting approach that can accommodate higher ratios in some circumstances.

How to Improve Your DTI Before Applying

Paying down existing debt, particularly credit card balances and any loans with high monthly payments, directly improves your DTI. Avoiding new debt in the months before applying for a mortgage matters just as much — a new car loan taken on right before house hunting can meaningfully reduce your qualifying purchasing power. Increasing your income, where realistic, also improves your ratio, though lenders typically want to see income stability and history rather than a brand-new source of earnings.

Why This Matters More Than Buyers Expect

Two buyers with identical credit scores and down payments can qualify for very different loan amounts if their DTI ratios differ. Understanding your DTI before you start house hunting gives you a realistic budget and helps you avoid falling in love with a home that’s ultimately outside your qualifying range.

If you want help understanding how your specific financial picture translates into buying power, I’m happy to connect you with a lender who can walk through the numbers. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Home

Properties

About Me

Blog

Neighborhood News

© CENTURY 21 2023 - 2024. All rights reserved. CENTURY 21®, C21® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Franchisee Legal Entity Name (not the dba) fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Any services or products provided by independently owned and operated franchisees are not provided by, affiliated with, or related to Century 21 Real Estate LLC nor any of its affiliated companies.