Blog - Trudy Mercy Brown

Flooring, Interior Design, Real Estate

Flooring 101 for Homebuyers: How to Choose What Lives Well (and Looks Great)

Real estate, design, and everyday life come together—helping you love where you live. When you tour homes, flooring can throw you off. Materials have come so far that what looks like hardwood might be laminate or vinyl—and a listing that says “wood floors” could be solid hardwood or engineered wood. Those details matter for scratch […]
Home Inspections, Real Estate

What to Expect in a Home Inspection (Charleston Edition)

By Trudy Mercy Brown — TMB Living: Real Estate & InteriorsInterview with Matt, Charleston Home Inspection Why home inspections matter Between contract and closing, the inspection is your reality check. It helps buyers understand a home’s condition and gives sellers clarity on what may come up—so everyone can move forward with confidence. “The standard home […]
Home Tour

One Room, Three Ways: See the Possibilities (Charleston Edition)

When you’re touring homes, it’s easy to get distracted by the seller’s furnishings—or, on the flip side, feel stuck when a space is completely vacant. This post is about shifting your focus to what stays: the light, layout, and potential. I’ll show you how one room can tell three different style stories, all sourced from […]
Nieghborhoods

Highlights of Downtown Charleston: A Local’s Guide

Welcome to TMB Living: Coffee & Conversations, where real estate, design, and everyday life come together, helping you love where you live. Today’s coffee stop is Second State Coffee, one of my favorite cafés in Charleston, and the perfect starting point for a walking tour through our beautiful historic downtown. As locals, it’s easy to […]

Flooring Flooring 101 for Homebuyers: How to Choose What Lives Well (and Looks Great) Real estate, design, and everyday life come together—helping you love where you live. When you tour homes, flooring can throw you off. Materials have come so far that what looks like hardwood might be laminate or vinyl—and a listing that says “wood floors” could be solid hardwood or engineered wood. Those details matter for scratch […]

Home Inspections What to Expect in a Home Inspection (Charleston Edition) By Trudy Mercy Brown — TMB Living: Real Estate & InteriorsInterview with Matt, Charleston Home Inspection Why home inspections matter Between contract and closing, the inspection is your reality check. It helps buyers understand a home’s condition and gives sellers clarity on what may come up—so everyone can move forward with confidence. “The standard home […]

Home Tour One Room, Three Ways: See the Possibilities (Charleston Edition) When you’re touring homes, it’s easy to get distracted by the seller’s furnishings—or, on the flip side, feel stuck when a space is completely vacant. This post is about shifting your focus to what stays: the light, layout, and potential. I’ll show you how one room can tell three different style stories, all sourced from […]

Nieghborhoods Highlights of Downtown Charleston: A Local’s Guide Welcome to TMB Living: Coffee & Conversations, where real estate, design, and everyday life come together, helping you love where you live. Today’s coffee stop is Second State Coffee, one of my favorite cafés in Charleston, and the perfect starting point for a walking tour through our beautiful historic downtown. As locals, it’s easy to […]

Real Estate Charleston Home Insurance 101: Q&A Highlights with Angela Herndon (Abri Insurance) Coffee & Conversations with TMB Living, filmed at Coastal Coffee in Summerville. Buying your first home—or your next—comes with a lot of “what ifs.” In this episode, I sat down with Angela Herndon of Abri Insurance to cover what homeowners policies usually include, when you might want flood or earthquake coverage, how deductibles work, and […]

Uncategorized Behind the Scenes at the Charleston Realtor Summer Conference Buying or selling a home takes a whole team of people working together to get from contract to closing. As a Realtor, I don’t just open doors — I connect with the lenders, inspectors, attorneys, and vendors who keep the process moving smoothly. Last week, I attended the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors Conference, where […]

Furnished vs Vacant Pros and Cons of Furnished vs. Vacant Homes: Tips for Buyers and Sellers When it comes to buying or selling a home, one big factor that can impact the experience is whether the property is furnished or vacant. Each comes with its own set of pros and cons — for both buyers and sellers. As a Realtor and Interior Designer, I help my clients navigate both situations, offering […]

Nieghborhoods Discovering the Charm of Old Village, Mount Pleasant Just minutes from downtown Charleston, the Old Village in Mount Pleasant feels like stepping back in time. With its oak-lined streets, historic cottages, and waterfront views, this neighborhood blends history, charm, and a relaxed coastal lifestyle — all while being close to everything Charleston has to offer. A Historic Fishing Village Dating back to the […]

Home Tour What to Look for When Touring a Home Touring homes can be exciting — and also overwhelming. After years of walking buyers through open houses in the Charleston areas and Mount Pleasant, I’ve seen how easy it is for buyers to get distracted or miss important details. That’s why I wanted to share a few tips on what to focus on when you’re […]

Mortgage Questions Coffee & Conversations: Mortgage Q & A with Gabby Tripp When you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, one of the biggest questions that comes up is financing. Most of us aren’t cash buyers, so understanding mortgages — from pre-approval to down payment programs — is key to making confident decisions. That’s why I sat down over iced coffee from Summit Coffee with Gabby […]

Mortgage Questions Coffee & Conversations: Talking Mortgages with Ellen Frazier Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make, and the mortgage process can feel overwhelming — especially in today’s changing market. That’s why I sat down over coffee with Ellen Frazier of Frazier Lending Group to talk through the questions buyers are asking most right now. We met at Wildflower […]