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I’m Jennifer Burke, REALTOR® and Broker-in-Charge of Charleston NEST Real Estate in Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve helped clients buy and sell Lowcountry homes since 2010. I’m also co-owner and managing partner of JM Burke Construction LLC, established in 1993.
When I represent a seller, I look closely at pricing, property preparation, presentation, and the questions buyers may raise. When I represent a buyer, I help them investigate condition, renovation plans, permits, and other details that can shape their decision. That perspective is especially valuable with historic homes and waterfront properties.
Once we sign the listing agreement, I spend at least three to four weeks preparing your Charleston home before it goes live. I’m on site, walking every space, sourcing and managing vendors, coordinating landscaping and repairs, staging and styling, arranging junk removal and window cleaning, and writing a detailed task list for the cleaning crew. I check the finished work myself before photoshoot day.
As home preparation takes shape, photoshoot day is our working target and the first major milestone in our launch plan. I team up with Charleston photographers and drone videographers to plan the lifestyle shots, video and voiceover, fresh flowers, and twilight images where they suit the property. The goal is to sell the dream in the imagery and deliver that same experience at showings.
Stop the scroll. Earn the showing.
When the home is ready for public marketing, I coordinate the sign and Coming Soon launch, then put the photography and video to work. I appear on camera, invest in social media ads, and watch for agents working with buyers whose search matches the property. My goal is to move from photoshoot to showings within two weeks or less.
By the time buyers arrive, I’ve spent weeks at your home—learning its features, managing the preparation, and anticipating questions. I make it a priority to personally attend showings, answer calls from buyer agents, and follow up on buyer feedback. I can speak to the details that caught their eye in the photos, answer the questions photos can’t, and bring what I hear directly back to you.
An offer is only as strong as its terms. I compare price, financing, contingencies, and timing, then negotiate for your priorities. Once under contract, I stay close to inspections and due diligence. My construction experience helps me understand findings, assess the scope of repair requests, and bring in the right specialists so you can make decisions with clear information.
I create a detailed appraisal spec sheet before your Charleston home goes live. It guides the MLS listing and documents the property’s features, improvements, and available permit records. If an appraisal is ordered, I personally meet the appraiser at the home with that information and answer questions firsthand. I stay on top of lender requests, contract deadlines, the final walkthrough, and closing.
Before we tour, I explain the buyer agency agreement and how I’ll represent you. We establish your budget with a lender preapproval or, for a cash purchase, proof of funds. Budget helps narrow the Charleston neighborhoods that make sense, while your loan program may affect eligible locations, property types, and condition. I use those parameters and your priorities to focus the search on homes you can realistically pursue.
Before we write an offer, I study the seller’s disclosure and look for details at the property that deserve follow-up. I check available building permit records and, for waterfront homes, existing dock permits. When important documents are missing, I pursue them, including through FOIA requests when appropriate. That research helps us shape the offer and inspection plan before a costly surprise forces a decision about a due diligence termination fee.
I analyze recent comparable Charleston sales and the home’s condition, then use what we learned from the disclosure and permit research to identify what still needs verification. We consider price, the due diligence fee and period, financing, appraisal, and closing date together. I explain the trade-offs, speak with the listing agent about the seller’s priorities, and negotiate terms that fit your goals and the risks you’re comfortable taking.
I match the inspection team to the property. A general home inspection reviews visible, accessible components, but some questions require an HVAC specialist, structural engineer, dock professional, or another expert. I identify those needs, coordinate the follow-up during due diligence, compare findings with the seller’s disclosure and permit records, and seek repair scopes and estimates. That gives us better information for negotiating before the deadline.
A Charleston home may be perfect for your plans—or the rules may change what’s possible. If you’re considering an addition, pool, ADU, short-term rental, or dock, I investigate the applicable zoning, historic review, flood requirements, easements, and permit history. My construction experience helps me ask specific questions of the right offices and specialists, so you understand what appears feasible and what still requires approval before your due diligence deadline.
After due diligence, I track the appraisal, financing, insurance, title work, and contract deadlines through your Charleston closing. When seller repairs are part of the agreement, I follow up on the scope and documentation and bring my construction experience to our final walkthrough. I flag unfinished items while there is still time to address them and stay involved until you have the keys. I plan to earn your next call, too—just as I have with so many returning clients.