ASK THE EXPERTS
Excerpts from our radio show TALKING ABOUT A HOME
We asked three experts:
“What trends are on the rise in your field for the new year? ” Nancy Swift of Swift Appliance “I just got word that the New York City market is seeing a white-appliance trend. It will take some time for it to become a trend elsewhere in the country, but it looks like white may be the new popular color in the coming years. There are a lot of modern-looking options out there now that blend white appliance colors with stainless steel (such as Whirlpool’s Ice Collection) as a transition back to white. People who are looking for something unique are trying colors like slate, which is offered by GE. Honestly, though, my biggest seller here is still stainless-steel appliances. Do I see that trend changing this year? Absolutely not.”
For more information, call (843) 388-7283 or visit swiftappliancesc.com.
Kevin Shealy of Allstate Insurance “We’re really fortunate to be affiliated with Allstate because the national company is seeing a need to really open up in the Charleston area and be a leader in homeowners insurance plans. There were times in previous years when Allstate wanted to limit their exposure to coastal homeowners because of the damage caused by hurricanes. Right now, though, we want to grow in this area, so we’re offering great competitive rates and coverage. We’re trying to get the word out that we want to be the home insurance company, and we want to take care of our customers here.”
For more information, call (843) 573-4777 or visit allstate.com/kevinshealy.
Brad Hilfrink of Creature Catchers “One of the trends I have been seeing in the last six months is that many people have started being proactive about critter proofing. They don’t actually have the bug or pest problems yet in their own home, but their neighbor or a family member had problems in the past. Now, those homeowners are attending to the problem before it even starts. A big part of our business is new home sales, too, and the first thing homeowners want is for their new structure to be checked for critter access. It seems like I’m encountering a lot more forward-thinking homeowners recently, and I’m expecting to see more of them in the upcoming year.”
For more information, call (843) 205-0551 or visit peacefulpestcontrol.com.
Now in our sixth year, Talking About a Home, a home show on the radio, airs every Saturday from 1-2pm on 94.3 WSC-FM and online at 943wsc.com. You may also listen to archived radio interviews on our website, charlestonhomeanddesign.com.
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CH+D • Winter 2014