What is the difference between a slab, crawl space and basement?

There are 3 basic types of foundations;  A slab, a crawl space, and a basement.

  A slab is usually the most affordable type of foundation when building a new home.  A slab sits directly on top of the final grade of your land.  There is no space between the earth and the lower level floor of your home.  With a slab, most of your “rough-in” plumbing is non-accessible from below and you must chisel into the concrete floor to do any repairs if necessary.  It sounds a little scary, but a good plumber can handle this task with ease.  Also, the electrical and HVAC will be run through the walls and ceiling/attic space unlike a craw...

What is included in my Closing Costs?

  Closing costs are the costs for you to settle your sale or purchase in a real estate transaction.  You should always check with your agent or closing attorney to get an estimated amount but here is a list of a few costs to expect.

Attorney fees (Deed preparation, deed stamps, recording fees and courier fees)
Escrow fees (such as taxes and insurance for a given amount of time)
Home owners association (or HOA fees)
Initiation fees for community club memberships (such as a golf course or Lake Association)
Loan Origination fees (illustrated on the ‘Truth in Lending’ statement with your loan application)
Mortgage insurance
Flood insurance
Title search
Title poli...

What is Earnest Money?

  Earnest money is a deposit, or money that is held by the real estate agency with the submission of an offer to purchase in a real estate transaction.   Earnest money is used to demonstrate the seriousness of the purchaser, as good faith, when buying a property.

  A South Carolina real estate agency is required to deposit an earnest money check within 48 hours of acceptance of an offer.  Earnest money is held in a 3rd party account and should never be commingled with operating expenses for the company.  Real estate agencies take this VERY seriously and your money is well documented to protect both the buyer and seller. When a payment is made with cash it will be ...

The Who, What, When and Why of a Home Energy Audit… 

      It is possible that someone you know has had a home energy audit, or perhaps you’ve heard of recent proposed legislation geared at energy efficiency upgrades (see Homestar or “cash for caulkers”) or the long standing Energy Star Tax credit.  In light of this new trend, you might be asking yourself the who, what, when, and whys of home energy auditing.  Here, we address those questions in an attempt to debunk any myths and shed light into the growing process.  

Who should I hire? There are two primary certifying bodies or agencies for residential energy audits: RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network) and the Bui...

Down Payment Assistance for Teachers, Police Officers, EMS, Correctional, and Firefighter

The State Housing Finance and Development Authority has announced an allotment of about $40 million to assist teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and first responders with buying a home. This program, known as Palmetto Heroes, will offer down payment assistance and/or low interest mortgages to first time buyers that are either; teachers, firefighters, police officers, correctional officers, and EMS workers who fall within specific income criteria.

Buyers will apply for this product as they would any home mortgage, but the funding for the loans will come from bonds the SC State Housing has liqui...

A neighborhood description of Longcreek Plantation

  Longcreek Plantation is a subdivision in the Columbia Northeast area called Blythewood.  Longcreek Plantation, known to locals as “Longcreek”, offers multiple neighborhoods with different home styles, features, and lot sizes.  Many of the homes for sale in Longcreek Plantation, Blythewood offer 1-4 acre homesites with resort style amenities such as golf, swimming, horseback riding, fishing and tennis within the community. Longcreek Plantation’s neighborhoods began to develop in the mid-1970’s with a central focal point of Lake Columbia.  Lake Columbia, also called Lake Windermere, splits Windemere Golf Course and the Columbia Country C...

Sync Between Computers with Dropbox

  Looking for additional free online backup space or wanting to sync your files between your laptop, desktop and iPhone?  I’ve told you how to use the free photo storage with Google’s Picasa program and now you can do the same for your important documents with Dropbox.  With Dropbox you can share files between all of your computers with a quick and simple software download/install.  Get it now for free

Financing Options to Invest in Land in South Carolina

Why to consider buying land now

It seems that everyone is waiting for the infamous “Real Estate Crisis” to end before they jump into an investment.  But land is plentiful and there are all kinds of investment opportunities waiting.  It’s evident that the banks are a little skeptical about lending money but there are other avenues to explore when looking for cheap land for sale in South Carolina.

Lots for Sale in South Carolina

Residential developers in South Carolina are working to unload inventory so that they can move into other projects.  While financial institutions are not lending there are other opportunities for owner financ...

Recycling Metal in Columbia SC

After a few months of collecting aluminum cans and miscellaneous metal parts I decided to cash in my collection.  I knew not to expect a fortune from my goods but in my mind I was not only picking up a few bucks but saving space in our over-stuffed landfills.  I had about 16 pounds of cans, a few brass fittings and copper tubing from a plumbing job and some torn up real estate signs that were not salvageable for marketing purposes.  I went to a recycling center to find that my scraps were worth slightly over $20.00.  Shockingly, my aluminum cans were worth only $.50/lb. and the other junk that I just happened to toss into the barrel were worth over $12.00…a...

Determining Closing Costs as a Seller

Determining closing costs for a seller in a real estate transaction is pretty simple.  We sell an abundance of raw land in South Carolina so the closing costs are much easier to figure out. Mainly, because utility bills and insurance aren’t included in the transaction.  Probably the most confusing variable is the property tax.

Taxes. In South Carolina, it is customary for the seller pays the buyer for the prorated taxes and in return the buyer is responsible for the entire bill at the end of the year.  In other words, if your annual tax bill is $365 per year and you close on January 5th (the 5th day of the year) then you, as the seller, will pay the b...

Walkscore Addition | Columbia SC Real Estate Research

We've just added Walkscore to our Columbia real estate listing search.  Walkscore will give you some information about the location of homes for sale in Columbia and what vendors you may find nearby.  It is an excellent tool if you are unfamiliar with the neighborhoods in Columbia SC or want to know more about shopping, dining, and attractions in Columbia.  Simply view a listing and Walkscore will automatically key in the street address with distances to different businesses.  This will be very helpful if you decide to move to The Vista, Downtown Columbia, Shandon, or other areas around the city of Columbia, Blythewood, Irmo, or anywh...

Origination of Street Names in Columbia SC

Ever wonder what the street names mean throughout the City of Columbia?  Many of the streets were named for either the American Revolution heroes or influential contributors to the State’s economy.

The streets running north and south were mostly comprised for Generals and Officers in the American Revolution, which were heroic figures for the State of South Carolina.  For instance, Sumter Street was named after General Thomas Sumter, Marion Street was named for General Francis Marion “The Swamp Fox”, and Bull Street was named after General Stephen Bull.  However, there are exceptions such as Assembly Street, which was named for the General Assembl...

Mortgage Calculators

Planning on refinancing, buying a new home, or just curious of how much you pay in interest each year?  Online calculators can help you get quick answers.  All that you need to do is supply the information and run the numbers.  Keep in mind that if your numbers don’t match the figures on the calculators below then you probably have one of your variables wrong.  Interest Rates and Annual Percentage Rates (APR) are common miscalculations.  You also need to know when your first payment begins.   On every property detail, from your search results, you will find a "Mortgage" button.  Just click on this button for a quick reference for your payments.

  If you are fairly g...

Free PDF Software

If you are frequently sending and receiving files online it is important to know that your recipient has gotten your file correctly.  I have found that in the real estate business I am constantly sending listing sheets, tax maps, contracts, plats, and disclosures to clients.  Even other real estate agents expect a clean copy of a document when selling a home or land.   In any business that involves online document transfers you should have the basic tools to send a clear legible document through email.  Adobe Acrobat Reader has become the standard for viewing information online.  It is free software that can be used on any computer and is compatible with Apple and Windo...

Specialists in Land for Manufactured Homes

  If you’re looking for land for sale for a manufactured home there is no better place to look than with Hunt and Associates.  So sit tight and read about our services and vast inventory.

Our company was based on land sales and land development.  Our land specialists have a minimum of 10 years of experience dealing with land sales in Columbia, Elgin, Camden, Lugoff, Bethune, Chesterfield, Sumter, Aiken, Lexington, Ridgeway, Winnsboro, Blythewood, Chapin, Little Mountain…ok, I think you get the point.

  What this means to you, the buyer, is that we are comfortable with our routine of land sales and naturally notice the pros and cons of property.  I...

Mills Grove at Cobblestone Park in Blythewood SC

  Mills Grove is a section of Cobblestone Park that fronts on the west by Syrup Mill Road, Blythewood, and the south by Cobblestone Park’s initial phase named  Longstreet Place.  Entering from the main gate on Blythewood Road (just off of I-77 exit 27) you will take your 1st left and pass through Settlement Point, then through Longstreet Place before entering into Mills Grove.   Mills Grove is a promising section for new home construction in the 700-acre resort style development.  Mainly, because all of the lots are improved with sewer, water, cable, gas, underground electrical, and the second of the three entry gates enter directly into M...

Columbia SC named 1 of 10 Top Places to Retire

  Since I’ve lived in Columbia I’ve always wondered where all of the new residents are coming from.  With raving blog articles like the reputable Top Colleges Blog,  it is no wonder that home sales in Columbia SC are still fairly consistent in this time of crisis.  The University of South Carolina, Fort Jackson, and the Capital of the State of SC brings visitors from all over.  Most people find their way back into Columbia for extended periods after discovering the beautiful weather and the supportive communities.  The southern charm of historical homes in Columbia and the busy streets of Five Points and the Vista create a warming welco...

Blythewood Town Hall - Historic Homes

The Blythewood Town Hall is located on Langford road just off of Highway 21 in the Town of Blythewood. The George P. Hoffman House, known today as the "Hoffman House", is the oldest building in the town. It was included into the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and has undergone many preservation projects since its construction in 1855. Today it is maintained as a government office and Blythewood's central place of business.

Blythewood is popular throughout the midlands as an escape from the city. The City of Columbia is easily accessible from I-77, and Charlotte is about 1 hour north of Blythewood. Real estate development has also b...

Debutary Pointe Lake Wateree

Debutary Pointe is a 30 Lot subdivision located on the northern part of the Lake Wateree River in the township of Great Falls, SC. It is approximately 7 miles off of I-77 (t mile marker 46) and just below the Rocky Creek Dam. Travel time to Columbia and Charlotte is about 45 minutes respectively. The property is filled with hardwoods, waterfrontage and the rolling topography presents a mountain-like setting. There is a 60+ acre conservation easement on the west side of Living Waters Drive. For more information on Debutary Pointe or other Lake Wateree real estate please contact one of our Columbia SC Real Estate Agents.

103 Living Waters Drive - Lot 1...

Forbes Ranks Columbia SC No. 12 for Affordability

  Yes, you've heard the rumors and here is the proof. Forbes ranked Columbia SC Metro area as number 12 of the top 100 metro areas across the US for affordable places to live in their "Bang for the Buck" rankings. This ranking was based on several factors including home prices, real estate taxes, job growth, unemployment rates and foreclosure rates. This reinforces the 2009 market conditions in Columbia SC with the credibility of a well-respected publisher such as Forbes. Although Columbia has suffered some of the backlash of real estate conditions across the world, it remains in an elite class of prosperity for the Carolinas. Othe...