Partners of the South Carolina Coastal Information Network (SCCIN) developed four two-hour continuing education elective courses to provide Realtors® with information about coastal issues and topics. Real estate professionals along the South Carolina coast were brought together in collaborative meetings to discuss their needs.
Multiple coastal environmental topics were introduced to the committee. Members discussed the topics that would benefit them personally and professionally and then prioritized subjects to be included in education courses. They determined up-to-date information and resources were most important for real estate professionals on four topics – coastal ecosystem/biodiversity, water quality at the neighborhood level, flooding and flood maps, and rebuilding regulations.
From these topics, Real Estate Professional Continuing Education Courses were developed under the Calling the Coast Home Series – Coastal Lifestyle for Clean Water, The Land Water Connection, Living with Water, and Tidelands, Water & Beach: Regulations & Rebuilding.
These courses are being offered at Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors, and Hilton Head Island Area Association of Realtors. Check their schedules for course offering dates and times or contact your Realtor association if you wish for it to offer these courses.
Agencies and institutions that are partners in the SCCIN collaborated in the Real Estate Professional Continuing Education Courses. These partners include Clemson University, University of South Carolina, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Services, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Each collaborator contributed to course content, resource development, and course instruction.
Clean water and healthy salt marshes support our coastal lifestyle. Attendees will learn to use online tools to investigate water quality in communities. The course provides a trove of resources and tips to provide to clients about protecting clean water and staying safe and healthy while living the coastal lifestyle.
More Information and Resources >
Attendees will learn about the coastal ecosystem and the services it provides. Coastal South Carolina residents experience different effects from flooding as individuals and as a community. Key resources will be available to share with potential clients and be examined during the course. These resources include Federal Emergency Management Agency flood zones and flood maps, the Community Rating System, and emergency preparedness information.
More Information and Resources >
This course will review what actions homeowners can take to protect water quality and reduce the risk of flooding on their property. Attendees will learn about landscaping, such as rain gardens and rainwater harvesting, that can improve water quality, and case studies will be presented of neighborhoods that incorporated these techniques and increased property values. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of the land-water connection and equipped with resources to share with your clients.
More Information and Resources >
Taught by a S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control employee, this course will provide familiarity with the regulatory agencies responsible for coastal resources and a basic knowledge of the responsibilities of real estate professionals dealing with coastal properties. Participants also will learn about the benefits and functions of coastal resources that provide the basis for regulatory protection. Participants will practice applying this knowledge when communicating to coastal home buyers/sellers.
More Information and Resources >
This course will provide information and tools for understanding why wetlands are important to the real estate industry. Attendees will learn how wetlands are defined and identified, about the functions and services they provide, and important considerations to communicate to clients. Additionally, participants will learn about impacts to wetlands, solutions to wetland challenges, and appropriate points of contact for questions about wetland permitting processes.