Life in Charleston

Life in Charleston In 2003, she moved to Charleston with her husband, Bill, and began consulting in the defense industry. She is eager to help ease that transition for homebuyers.

A little bit of my Life in Charleston to help you discover yours — local favorites, everyday moments, thoughtful real estate guidance, and some regular ole day-to-day chaos throughout the Greater Charleston area sprinkled in for good measure. Stella, an Alabama native, began her almost 20 year career on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where she served as a Legislative Aide for two Members of Congr

ess. She spent that time honing her project management, financial analysis, and marketing skills. Her reputation as a hardworking, dedicated, dependable and honest consultant made her a go-to in her profession. Almost 15 years, 3 children, 2 dogs, and a cat later, Stella decided to take the leap into her longtime passion and joined Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. A transplant to the Charleston area, she knows how daunting it can be to move to a new town and be unfamiliar with the area. If you are a local, she is equally as excited to show you your dream home. You can count on her to always do her best for you. Stella has a Bachelor of Arts and is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Alabama. She is an active member of Grace Church Cathedral in downtown Charleston and is a certified Notary Signing Agent. She can often be found carting children to various activities and volunteering in their schools. For fun, she enjoys DIY projects, reading, refinishing furniture, watching college football, and tackling home improvement/decorating projects.

Saturday marks 2 weeks since MacGregor graduated. I am so very proud of him and the man he has become. I am so excited a...
05/29/2026

Saturday marks 2 weeks since MacGregor graduated. I am so very proud of him and the man he has become. I am so excited about what is ahead for him. For those of you that don’t know, he is headed to Clemson next year. If you know him- and our family of Gamecock and Crimson Tide fans- this will come as a MAJOR surprise. I think this cradle USC fan is even more shocked with his own decision than any of us are, but as I have said all along- I don’t care where you go- just learn things, have fun (yes, I do think this is important), and don't do anything that could get you into trouble. I burst into tears when he met me at my car to tell me he had gotten in because I am so happy for him. Clemson is a perfect fit. I am so “All In” as they say, that I have even bought a few orange items- although I did dip my crimson toe into that orange water very slowly, starting with a green Ducks Unlimited shirt that had “Clemson” written in small letters on the pocket. I’ll get to full blown orange one day. Patience, young grasshopper.

If I am being really honest, despite outward appearances and the Smathers and Branson Clemson belt I ordered the day he got in, the tiger paw sticker for his truck, and the 2 orange gameday chairs I got him for his birthday, I haven’t really been ready to acknowledge this graduation and looming departure. I supposed the tardiness of this post speaks to that- Keep Calm and Carry On as they say….pretend it isn’t happening…... Another one leaving the nest.

My heart just can’t take it.

There has been a lot of leaving in my house over the past few years, and it is hitting me really hard with MacGregor. Maybe it is because he wouldn't let me have a graduation party for him or let me take senior photos so I didn’t get to accept it slowly over time with every passing milestone. Maybe it is because he has a summer start and officially leaves in 29 days instead of us getting a last summer at home with him before we take him with the masses in August. Maybe it is because we aren't getting our last family vacation because of that early start. Maybe it is because he has been working so much these last few months, sometimes rolling in at midnight or later, that I haven’t been able to see him very much….. Maaaaaybe it is those things…. more likely it is because - unlike my girls who (I think) I can lure to me with the promise of a shopping trip or who will call just to fill the time- I worry about when I will see or hear from him again. Do boys come back home when you don't have dress shopping to dangle in front of them? Do they call their mothers just because they are walking to class and want to chat?

He is the perfect son, really. More than I deserve. I tried hard to be a good mom- it has been my singular focus. I remember sleepovers with neighbors and pink panther pancakes on Saturdays. I remember throwing an “Army Dude” birthday party for when he was in elementary school. I remember picking him up from preschool during my lunch break so I could take him to the park to play with his friends who had moms that stayed at home, rushing back to put him down for a nap so I could get back for a phone conference and not upset my boss. I remember so much, but I also remember being a stressed out, harried mom, a mom who lost it over shoes in the kitchen and popsicle wrappers in the den. I wasn’t always the mom I wanted to be. It feels like only a few minutes ago he was my Little Dude that was silly and staring at us with his Eagle Eye of Focus- and now, suddenly he is a full grown man. It happened over night. I am just not ready for it and what it means- he’s leaving.

He heads out into the world as a good man. He is smart and funny and a gentleman and a friend. He is an amazing son and a wonderful brother. Yeah, he is annoying as heck when he picks at his sisters, but his perfectly timed dry wit has been exactly what we needed more times than I can count. I will miss the levity he brings to the house. As he has gotten older, he has been the calm in the storm for all of us. The person we go to when we need quiet shoulder. He just KNOWS how each of us need him in different ways. He is largely unflappable. From the bottom of my soul, I will miss the way he can sense that maybe it has been a long day for me and so, even when he is exhausted, he’ll sit down with me to talk about nothing. There is no way he will ever realize how much that means to me.

This stage of life is so weird, and it is taking some getting used to. From the minute they were born- I knew them so well. I knew when they needed me. Even dead asleep I could sense their tiny feet hitting the ground on the other side of the house as they got out of bed to find me in the middle of the night. I would pull them into me and wrap my arms around them. Kiss their heads and soothe their souls. And then something happened- Somewhere along the way things shifted- not so much a reversal but sliding into new roles. Maybe moms aren’t supposed to feel overwhelmed, but I do sometimes. The kisses I get on the top of my head as he heads to bed are the balm to my crazy day. And the hugs I get from him when I am sad make everything better.

I suppose that’s why I am not ready to accept that he is leaving. While my heart is so FULL thinking about all he has ahead and how wonderful his life will be, it also hurts at the void he leaves behind.

I wish I had the summer to adjust, but the countdown is on…... I love you, MacGregor. Go make me proud.

You always do.

It's hard to believe that I am winding down this stage of life with MacGregor. Tonight was Senior prom and I didn't shed...
04/18/2026

It's hard to believe that I am winding down this stage of life with MacGregor. Tonight was Senior prom and I didn't shed a single tear.... not when he kindly agreeed to take pictures with me... not when i adjusted the bowtie and his shirt collar..... and not even when i helped thread the Clan MacGregor cufflinks that were my daddy's- the ones his grandmother just gave him for his 18th birthday- through the button holes of his shirt. Pay no attention to the lump in my throat... its the pollen....

Last night I went line dancing with some girls.To be clear, this is way outside my comfort zone. I used to dance ballet....
01/11/2026

Last night I went line dancing with some girls.

To be clear, this is way outside my comfort zone. I used to dance ballet. I would twirl around on pointe shoes to Tchaikovsky. You would never know it by watching me on a dance floor today. Turns out, grace and I didnt age well. This admission comes as no surprise to anyone that knows me.

So I hung back. I watched them boot scoot. And boogie. But mostly, I was just glad to be with friends. I was glad to be laughing.

This morning, some of those same girls and I drove to my best friend's house and helped her pack a moving truck. We've spent months helping go through things, get her house ready to sell, and help her get herself and her gaggle of kids ready to move. She is going through a thing or 2 and, as much as I wish from the bottom of my soul that I didn't have experience in this area, I do.

The most beautiful part of a life changing for a friend is watching the way the women in her world rally around her to help her through it.

When life starts to fall apart, women don’t.

They show up.

They bring with them their talents. Inevitably, one will keep everyone moving forward when we want to sit down and stare at the wall. Another will bring kids who jump in and help without being asked.

Someone will bring calm.

Some bring food.

Some bring know-how.

Some bring humor.

Some bring boxes and newspaper and pens and tape.

Some know how to talk to the kids for you when they are spiraling over the changes in their lives.

Some quietly talk to God for when you don’t even know how to form the words yourself.

And then, when you think you are about to break, some will drag you onto the dance floor and laugh with you while you make a fool out of yourself.

And when you put all of that together?
It’s powerful. It's unstoppable.

A group of women on a mission can get anything done.

And when everything feels chaotic, you can hand yourself over to that group and trust that you’ll be carried through.

Girlfriends are the safety net.

If you can help it, don't do hard things without one.

01/09/2026

School is officially back, which means the house has its rhythm again. Alarms. Dashing out the door to beat the traffic to Summerville. Everyone (including me!) suddenly needing to be somewhere at the exact same time... Like a midweek open house in the fog. WTH.

I live in West Ashley and my kids go to school up in Summerville. At best, it’s a 35-minute drive. At worst, it can take over an hour. I thought I was sooooooo smart at the beginning of the year — my son is our driver, and I knew my youngest daughter was going to be getting her license just as he graduated. It was ALL covered. Well, I forgot the part about him being a senior and getting out for the day at noon.

It’s been a long few months with me being the after-school pick-up every day. I get a little anxiety-riddled with all the plans — gotta be at school pick-up and then back to volleyball and then off to YoungLife. And somewhere in there I am trying to be a real estate tycoon. Well… maybe not a tycoon, but earning a paycheck IS a good thing. It makes for days of running around at showing and late nights where I do the business side of things.…

And it always makes me laugh because this is the part where I forget how desperately I wanted this routine back two weeks ago.

When the kids are in school, all I want is a break from the schedules. The practices, the drop-offs, the constant calendar math. I daydream about slower mornings and no commitments.

And then school is out… and within about three days I'm like, okay, but maybe we could all just have a little structure again?

76 days until we have another licensed driver in the house… but who’s counting…?

January 7, and I’m just now posting Christmas 🎄Because December was… a lot. In the best way.The house was loud. The cale...
01/08/2026

January 7, and I’m just now posting Christmas 🎄

Because December was… a lot. In the best way.

The house was loud. The calendar was full. My mama was in town. The kids were everywhere. There were meals to make, places to be, late nights, early mornings — and honestly, zero margin to stop and post in real time. Honestly, there was zero time to sleep.

So these photos lived on my phone while we lived the season, and now they are staring at me in an accusatory way — “Aren’t you gonna post anything to show you love your family, Stella???”

And now it’s January. The decorations are coming down… at some point. The pace is slower — if only for the next couple of days because school started back — but I’ll take it where I can get it. The house feels different after the noise of the holidays dies back. All my kids are under one roof for just a little bit longer. So it’s calmer, but still full. I just haven’t found the energy to post, you know?

I’ve learned this over the last few years: life doesn’t always line up neatly with our schedules. And that includes posting about special moments. And that’s okay. The moments count when you hold them close. And they count if you choose to share them later.

Anyway. Here we are. Christmas, a few days late for y’all, but right on time in my heart. 💛

12/16/2025

This is your sign to text the group chat.
in Mount Pleasant is cozy, casual, and always a yes. Good food, easy conversations, no rush to leave. The kind of place you linger… and order dessert even though you said you weren’t going to.
Great spot to hang out with friends — I’ve got a guy 😉




🎄✨ Holiday events are in full swing in Charleston (Dec 15–19) and this is one of those weeks where the calendar actually...
12/14/2025

🎄✨ Holiday events are in full swing in Charleston (Dec 15–19) and this is one of those weeks where the calendar actually feels magical. From twinkling lights and family strolls to festive markets and cozy concerts, there’s something happening almost every night — and plenty that’s kid-friendly (and pup-approved 🐾).

A few favorites this week:
• Holiday Festival of Lights + Santa visits 🎅
• Aquarium Aglow ✨

Pro tip: weeknights = fewer crowds + more parking sanity. You’re welcome 😉

Save this for later and tag who you’re dragging along for some holiday cheer.

While everyone else is talking about holiday menus and gift lists, there’s a quiet little corner of my brain that’s runn...
12/13/2025

While everyone else is talking about holiday menus and gift lists, there’s a quiet little corner of my brain that’s running numbers on houses. (I know, shocking.)

I was looking over some recent sales this morning — coffee in hand, tree lit up, dog doing his best snoring rug impression — and I was reminded of one of my favorite bits of unconventional wisdom: December can actually be a really smart time to sell.

Is it busy? No. And that’s kind of the point.

The buyers who are out in December are usually serious. They’re not casually browsing open houses like they’re touring historic homes for fun. They’re relocating, they’ve had a life change, they want to start the new year in a different place. And because there’s less inventory, your home doesn’t have to shout over as many neighbors.

Plus, let’s be honest — houses are kind of showing off right now. Trees twinkling, mantles styled, entryways looking more “magazine-ready” than they do the other eleven months of the year.

Is December right for everyone? Of course not. But sometimes the “off-beat” timing is exactly where the magic (and the money) is hiding.

DM “SELLER” and I’ll send you a simple, no-drama checklist for deciding if December/January is a good fit.

There’s this stretch of time in the late afternoon when I always seem to find myself on a bridge. Sometimes it’s planned...
12/11/2025

There’s this stretch of time in the late afternoon when I always seem to find myself on a bridge. Sometimes it’s planned, sometimes it’s just the way my day shakes out — a listing appointment here, a showing there, a kid who “forgot” something at school again. Today it was the Ravenel, and the sky was doing that soft watercolor thing where the clouds look like they’ve been smudged with pastels. The marsh was that deep winter green, the water turning mirror-like as the sun slid down, and for a minute I forgot about the podcast I’d started and just… turned it off. There’s something sacred about that quick, in-between space — not quite day, not quite night, not quite in Mt. Pleasant and not quite in Charleston. It’s like the world takes a breath with you. The string of taillights in front of me, the curve of the bridge, the cranes off in the distance, all of it reminding me how much life is lived in the in-betweens. Between school and home. Between one house and the next. Between who you used to be and who you’re quietly becoming. Sometimes the most grounding part of my day is just driving over water, watching the sun sink, and remembering: This is home. I am me. I am happy.

12/10/2025

✨ November by the Numbers ✨
South Carolina came in strong this month, y’all — our average sales price held steady around the mid-$300s, and the market is giving very “cozy-season but still competitive” energy.

From mountain towns tucked up in the Upstate to our breezy coastal corners, the state is showing off just how wide the price range really runs. There truly is a home for every lifestyle… lake lovers, beach walkers, golf-cart cruisers — pick your joy.

And honestly? I love this time of year for real estate. People are settled, intentional, and thinking about “future-us.” 🥰

💛 If November has you daydreaming about a new chapter, I’m right here.
Let’s figure out where your numbers land on the map.

👉 DM me and let’s chat through it.

Address

1180 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard
Charleston, SC
29407

Telephone

+18433672025

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Life in Charleston posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Life in Charleston:

Shortcuts

Share

Category