We found Chris online as we were getting ready to move to Mount Pleasant last year. The whole time we were looking for our home we felt as if he wasn't trying to help us find the right home for us. The finance process was a mess, and the home buying process was sketchy as heck. They ended up giving us a higher interest rate than what they had promised because of all the screw ups. He was so unprofessional that he kept telling us the amount of money other people were betting and how much more we should offer. (We learned in the past few weeks, that actually doing that is HIGHLY unethical, and real estate agents should not do that to try to get you to pay more for a home that you really want). There was a point last year when we basically put our foot down, and it was then when he actually told us that we had won the bidding war. It was awful. We made the mistake to contact him again last month when we were trying to sell our home, and he was trying to make us sell it for almost $100K less than what we ended up selling for. He never worked for us, but against us. If you need an amazing realtor who will listen to you, and work in your favor, and not his own financial interests, go to Carolina One. They treated us life family, and always listened to our needs and our concerns. And, to top it off, we saw him at the grocery store one day, and he pretended that he didn't even know us. A hard to believe demeanor for someone who made close to over $20K dollars off of us. Do not call Chris! read more

Our long distance move wasn't easy, but we couldn't have done it without John Bell and the Southern Bell team by our side. I called John back in September frantically looking for some direction as I began my search for a house in Mount Pleasant, while still living in Boston, in the middle of a pandemic! We only had a few weeks until the big move, and with the COVID travel restrictions; I was anxious to have to do it all remotely. John was confident we could get this done within our short time frame with no issues, and he was absolutely right!! That very afternoon he had two virtual showings scheduled, and we hit the ground running. From day one, John never wavered. John's knowledge of the area helped keep me informed about the specific neighborhoods and their price ranges, and throughout this entire process, we never felt pressured!! We also saw first hand that John and his team have a unique ability to adjust & adapt to their clients needs on the fly. We always felt John had our best interests at heart. He wasn't looking to get us into any house just because we were in a rush. He wanted to get us into a house we would love, in a neighborhood we would love, and he did!! If your looking for true professionals to get you into the house of your dreams, no matter the circumstances....look no further than John Bell and The Southern Bell Team!!! read more

The experience I had with John Bell and the Southern Bell Living team was second to none. This whole process was smoother than buying girl scout cookies. Throughout the entire transaction, I felt informed, at ease, and confident that John and the team had my best interest as the top priority. John was incredibly patient with me being a first-time buyer, has a crack shot team/vendors (Banker, Insurance, Contractor, Crawlspace, Cleaning, etc) that provided me unquestionably the best rates and service compared to other vendors. What's more, John also knows all the financial and the logistical data, which saved me a significant amount of time and thousands of $$$. I had particular requirements for the home. John and the team quickly began research and provided me with a few options. He understood what I was looking for so well that I put offers in for each house I looked at and ended up purchasing the second house I saw. Moving forward, I only trust John Bell and the Southern Bell Living team to handle all my real estate needs. read more

The experience I had with John Bell and the Southern Bell Living team was second to none. This whole process was smoother than buying girl scout cookies. Throughout the entire transaction, I felt informed, at ease, and confident that John and the team had my best interest as the top priority. John was incredibly patient with me being a first-time buyer, has a crack shot team/vendors (Banker, Insurance, Contractor, Crawlspace, Cleaning, etc) that provided me unquestionably the best rates and service compared to other vendors. What's more, John also knows all the financial and the logistical data, which saved me a significant amount of time and thousands of $$$. I had particular requirements for the home. John and the team quickly began research and provided me with a few options. He understood what I was looking for so well that I put offers in for each house I looked at and ended up purchasing the second house I saw. Moving forward, I only trust John Bell and the Southern Bell Living team to handle all my real estate needs. read more

There simply aren't enough superlatives for me to use about Chris or the way in which he handled every aspect of my recent home purchase in Mount Pleasant. Chris took the time to get to know my wife and I, even before we met and was touring properties with us long before we set foot in Charleston. His jovial nature, his candor, his ability to listen and really discern what his clients are looking for, all stand in stark contrast to other realtors we've worked with. When I asked him for his opinion or thoughts about how a particular home we were interested in made him FEEL, he offered them without reservation. While the process wasn't a long one for my wife and I, we nonetheless felt like Chris was in it with us throughout. Like he had just as much at stake in it as we did. That counts, and counts for a lot. Biggest compliment I can pay Chris is that I now consider him a friend -- a friend who helped my wife and I find precisely the home we were looking for. read more

We had no experience with buying or selling while using a realtor, but John will ALWAYS be my go to agent in Charleston area moving forward. He and Erica were AMAZING! My husband and I were moving back to Charleston from out of state and in a crazy market essentially had to buy a house before we actually got to see it in person. John made the process so easy- he was in to see houses I was interested in just hours after I sent them to him. The house we ended up buying was actually one that he found for me after seeing what I was looking for- and he even sealed the deal for us on a Friday while he was at a concert! He always went above and beyond. John and Erica made the whole home buying experience so easy and seamless. They took care of everything and I was so impressed by all their effort and attention to detail. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone in need of a real estate agent. read more

We moved from San Diego California to the Charleston area. This guy was so awesome. He went to all kinds of properties in Summerville and Goose Creek. We video chatted our home walkthroughs and he gave honest, expert opinions on the properties. He was so great, we were in escrow on a remodel/flip. Inspection came back with termite/structural damage in the crawlspace. We had 3 weeks before we had to move. He recommended we back out, cause he cared about our future and the property. The next day he was on the road looking at properties and working to get our good faith deposit back. He got the deposit back, and helped us find a property significantly better. He and his team nailed the mortgage and inspection. I can say if it weren't for John, we wouldn't own the home of our dreams. read more

Chris Orza was my realtor for a recent home purchase in Dunes West. Chris is a down to earth genuinely good guy. He was very knowledgeable and helpful in getting all the information about the HOA to answer my endless questions, not to mention patient. Chris introduced me to all the right people in the industry to make my closing and purchase go smooth. From the pre-approval process to signing the final papers the entire team were very friendly, helpful, and understanding. Chris went above and beyond to reassure me when I was stressed out, and made extra trips to the house to take measurements for me prior to closing. At the end of the process, Chris made sure all was right and I was happy with everything. I would definitely recommend Chris and work with him again in the future! read more

We recently purchased our first home the week of August 12,2019 and John Bell could not have made the purchase anymore smoother than it was. We first met John in July and told him the area we were looking to purchase, and the type of home were looking for. John, we feel, went above and beyond our expectations. Looking at various homes, John was extremely patient with us and available at the times we needed for tours. We had a major issue with our home 3 days after moving in, but with Johns' help it was resolved within the next 2 days. It was an amazing experience to have worked with such a great realtor who we felt had us in his best interest. We HIGHLY recommend John Bell for your real estate needs. Mike and April Kirkland read more

John Bell went far above and beyond to help us in our home search. His tenacity and negotiating prowess allowed us to secure a home in a highly desirable neighborhood. His keen attention to detail and continual communication helped assure us that we would, indeed, find a home in this precarious market. John's in-depth knowledge on the Charleston area helped guide us to our ideal neighborhood, as well as in finding some fantastic restaurants. He even secured a wonderful place for us to live in temporarily while we waited on our home to close. If you're looking for an agent with integrity who is committed to exceeding his client's standards, we highly recommend John Bell and the entire team at Southern Bell Living! read more

John & Erica with Southern Bell Living team helped us with multiple transactions in the past & most recently helped us sell our home on James Island and find the perfect upgrade on James Island with a huge yard for the kids. They were so efficient, neighbors never knew I was selling, leaving other agents selling properties across the street and in the neighborhood thinking, "What just happened?!" They're just that good, frankly. Worth the value to reach out to them first. Save yourself the headache of a "meh," half invested agent with no hustle. He negotiated great deals on both sides and made the whole buying and selling process smooth. They're also rad. read more

John was a great agent to work with. Unlike other agents who typically just put you in their daily MLS mailing list, John was extremely proactive in messaging me specific houses that fit my specific criteria. As someone living out of state, he was extremely accommodating between video calls and recording a detailed walkthrough of several houses of interest. His connections to contractors and property managers also assisted in giving me a better holistic picture of a potential purchase before committing. I'd recommend him to anyone looking for a realtor and look forward to working with him again sometime in the future. read more

I can't say enough about the customer experience John and the SBL team provided and I'm so glad I had them by my side the whole way. Going into this I was aware that the market was extremely difficult and that buyers were missing out left and right, but John built an extremely competitive offer and landed the very first property I identified without having to overpay. From there it was smooth sailing to closing with everything being handled in the background. Now more than ever it's crucial to have a high-end, experienced Realtor on your side and I highly recommend John and SBL. Thank you! read more

Erica Zepp was absolutely BRILLIANT. Her skills range way beyond just finding the perfect house for me and my family (which she did anyway). Her negotiation skills were top notch, she under-promised and over-delivered from the moment we met until days after closing (we're still communicating a lot!). And her concern for my family's best interest was the most endearing part, she always went out of her way to ensure we were educated, happy and content. She made us feel like we were her only clients. 11/10, and recommending all my family and friends to her in the Charleston area. read more

Erica helped my fiance and I get a house in Mount Pleasant just minutes down the street from where our apartment was during a ridiculously difficult hard time to buy a house. Seriously, one of our early offers on a house had 18 offers in the first day on the market. Eighteen..... Anyways, she stuck with us as we first started looking in the summer but weren't really serious or ready until after the New Year. Once we were serious she was able to get the job done in less than a month and a half! She is on it and will definitely persevere in finding what you want. read more

We had such a great experience with John. We were moving to Mount Pleasant from Connecticut and had to do almost everything virtually! The house we ended up purchasing was one that John picked out for us to see. Given that we were unfamiliar with the area, he was super helpful in learning about the different neighborhoods and figuring out where we would want to be. He's very responsive and handled the inspection, repairs and everything for closing for us without us even being in the state! We highly recommend him; it couldn't have been an easier process. read more

Erica went out of her way to make sure that we had all the necessary tools to make an educated decision . We are excited to have her represent us now and in the future. If you are relocating to the Charleston area or just looking for another home , I highly recommend that you Call Erica and learn from the her vast knowledge of Real estate and her excellent customer service . "" Erica is amazing ! She has a fantastic personality and she has a realistic point of view when it comes to making offers as well as her extensive knowledge of her local area . read more

John went above and beyond to get us into our first home. We did the entire process remote which is very nerve wrecking. During this process John never made us feel pressured or rushed to make a decision. He was transparent with us and had our back when we were not 100 percent comfortable with a situation. He provided constant feedback and was always there at any hour to help us get a deal done. Overall, great realtor but more importantly he is a friend you can trust to make one of the biggest purchases you make in your life. Thank you John! read more

Right from the start I knew John Bell was exactly who I was looking to work with. As a first time homebuyer and being new to Charleston, I had a lot of questions and hesitations. John immediately got to work finding me the best home for my needs while also making it so easy and comfortable! He doesn't just help you find a place, but he also makes sure it's a good investment, safe location, and right fit for you! Erica and John, thank you for helping me every step of the way and continuing to be so helpful as I embark on this new journey! read more