SCE&G Offers an In Home Energy Inspection

   Lets face it.... Green Homes are now leading the way to an environmental revolution by using green products in new home construction. Similar to the gas-guzzlers that were so popular in the mid-20th century being junked for sleek higher MPG cars and hybrids, a green revolution is now taking over the way homes are built. It's so evident that even the local power company, SCE&G, is offering FREE energy audits to help train customers to conserve energy. There's also the SCE&G's "Value Visit" which gives homeowners an opportunity to decide how to improve their homes envelope by sending a representative from the utility company to your home to...

What is an Energy Star home?

  An ENERGY STAR home is determined by a set of guidelines established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (or the EPA) as a standard for energy efficient homes.  ENERGY STAR is on the forefront for consumers and home builders as a way to begin incorporating green home products into the home.  Even if you don't completely understand what ENERGY STAR homes are, you should be familiar with the blue ENERGY STAR symbol that is tagged all over electronics, appliances, windows and other home products. 

These products contribute to an ENERGY STAR home as well as other components including, but not limited to:

• An Energy Efficient Envelope -  An "Envelope"...

What is the Environments for Living Certified Green® Program?

     Environments for Living® Program offers builders a strategic plan and definitive standard for energy efficient homes to exceed conventional residential building codes. Builders in Columbia SC, such as Shumaker Homes, participate in the Certified Green Program® to offer homeowners a little more for their money. Framing techniques, window selection and HVAC choice are a few of the variables that are used with this hands-on program so that a home is builders maximize cost and efficiency in green homes. Residential building code primarily focuses on safety and structural integrity and not so much energy efficiency. The En...

What does LEED - H mean?  | Green Homes Columbia SC

LEED - H is an abbreviation that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes.  It is awarded by the Green Building Rating System(GBRS), which is a division of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).  It may more difficult and confusing to understand the abbreviations of each of these organizations than the designation itself.

  Basically, the homeowner and/or builder must apply for this designation for inclusion.  It is similar to the other Green Building designations but regulated on a larger scale.  Rather than having a local or regional designation, such as an EarthCraft Home designation or Build Green Greater Co...

What is an EarthCraft House?

An EarthCraft House is an organizational standard, established in 1999, to develop green home building . The theory behind this type of construction is one that molds a new home into natural elements of the property.  It also brings innovative energy efficient products and concepts available in today's market into the construction process to conserve energy.  Many new homes are looking toward green construction in South Carolina as a marketing benefit and a way to offset pollution.

The builder has a checklist of variables that determine the quality of the home's efficiency. Each home is inspected by an EarthCraft inspector several times throughout the const...

What's LOVE Fest 2010 Columbia SC Art

GET TICKETS HERE!

or visit http://www.palmettoluna.org/

Over 40 visual and performance artists showing You the Love!
701 Whaley
SAT. FEBRUARY 13th
7pm-midnight
SUN. FEBRUARY 14th
2pm-5pm

What's LOVE Fest 2010 - February 13 & 14, 2010
701 Whaley St. in the Grand Hall Columbia, SC

The past few  years of Columbia SC's "What's love got to do with it" art show was so successful the founders have decided to once again bring it back to Columbia for the fourth time.  Below is an Open Call for all artists that would like to submit contributions.  This year the festival will be a 2 day event with all types of art including music, visual arts, and performanc...

Recycling, Conserving  and Reusing products

Although I'm not the best role model for reusing and recycling products I try to do my best. It occurred to me one day when I was driving down I-20 toward Columbia just out side of Elgin when I looked across the horizon and saw a huge swell on the landscape growing and growing with each trip home(Landfill Pictured to Right). It was then that I realized that we take advantage of the garbage man coming each week to pick up the green "hurby-curby" full of trash each week.  Here's a challenge...try going a month without using the garbage man.  It's then that you will understand why recycling is important. Trash doesn't just vanish and we mu...

Tax Credits for Energy Efficient Building Products

As of early 2009 (as a part of President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009) there is a tax credit up to $1500, or 30 percent, for the cost of the products falling within a criteria for energy efficiency.  Many windows, glass doors and skylights will have an "ENERGY STAR" sticker to verify that your purchase is a 'green product' and will qualify for the tax credit.  If not, look to see if there is a manufacturer certification statement before checking out at the register.  Your local retailer should have more information on how to submit your receipts for the tax credit. As with any tax question we suggest speakin...

All About Blythewood Road

Blythewood Road is the main road that runs through Blythewood SC.  You can enter onto Blythewood road by taking exit 27 off of I-77 just north of Columbia SC.  Blythewood Road runs from "the stoplight" at the intersection of Wilson Blvd. (Highway 21) and ends at Highway 321 (known as Winnsboro and/or Fairfield Road).  Here you will find several commercial real estate developments and entrances to residential neighborhoods.

  Between I-77 and Highway 21 is where the majority of the commercial real estate can be found including several gas stations, The IGA Grocery Store, The USPS, Hotels, The Blythewood McDonalds, and a few other "fast food" chains.

On the opposi...

All about Harden Street

Harden Street Columbia SC

   Harden Street is a main thoroughfare running through old Columbia. It begins at Bull Street (at Palmetto Richland Hospital) and continues through Rosewood Drive splitting the historic neighborhoods of Shandon and Wales Garden (just beyond Five Points). Harden Street may be one of the most well known roads in Columbia because it is virtually impossible to get to Five Points without entering onto this road.

Beginning at Palmetto Richland Hospital on Bull Street, it intersects with most of the major streets including Farrow Road, Taylor Street, Gervais Street, Greene Street, Devine Street, Blossom Street and finally Rosewood Drive......

All about Rosewood Drive

Rosewood drive is the 4-lane stretch from Garners Ferry Road(near Fort Jackson) to Bluff Road(Near Olympia and The State Fairgrounds).  Rosewood drive is traveled heavily by students of Midlands Technical College and The University of South Carolina.  It is also a good route for Ft. Jackson soldiers to travel to favorite spots in downtown Columbia.  Rosewood Drive makes for a great alternate route to 5-Points(by turning on Harden Street), The Vista (By turning on Assembly Street), and of course Williams-Brice stadium at The State Fairgrounds.  You can jump on Rosewood drive by getting off of I-77 at the Fort Jackson exit.

Rosewood Drive also makes for a good phy...

The South Carolina State Fair

October 14th - October 25th 2009

Every October I look forward to the lights, rides, games, exhibits and food at the South Carolina State Fair.  This is the time of year when the leaves are falling from the trees and the chilly weather rolls into Columbia.  Cool nights and bright lights make for great fall outing.  This annual event draws thousands of people from around the state to Columbia, South Carolina.  This year there is a musical lineup that features country music legends The Charlie Daniels Band, Montgomery Gentry, and American Idol winner David Cook. There are also plenty of interesting exhibits and shows throughout the week. Download a map of the ...

A Legal Description

A legal description is the most important, accurate and reliable source of information when buying real estate in South Carolina.  A legal description is used in the deed when transferring title to real estate.  The deed will include a legal description along with the grantor, grantee, sales price and other pertinent information.  A legal description on your deed has more authority than the street address, TMS#, and the plat. When obtaining a plat of your property, a surveyor should use the legal description as a reference when drawing your plat, then the county will likely reference the plat (once recorded) to update the tax map information.  Always read this clos...

What is a Survey, Plat and/or Plot?

When buying land it is important to know where your property boundaries begin and end.   A survey is probably the most accurate illustration of property dimensions.  You will find angles, distances and witness identifiers for property corners on this drawing referred to as a "Plat".  A land survey should be easy to read on paper but more importantly identifiable on land.  Surveyors should cut your property lines, if you are on a wooded lot, and mark the lines with survey tape (or survey ribbon).  Many times we use a tax map number which is usually drawn from the land survey as a reference.  A survey can also include a plot plan which includes the exact...

Carolina Downhome Blues Festival | Camden SC

If you are a fan of the Blues and live music then Camdens Carolina Downhome Blues Festival has got you covered. Historic Camden, famously known for the Carolina Cup Steeplechase races in March, provides a great atmosphere for blues music. Many of Camden's historic homes and buildings have been preserved to maintain the charm of the south. Combine Camden's history with the blues and it will put you right back into the days when a 6-string guitar and harmonica filled the front porches of bungalow houses throughout the south.
The Midlands of Columbia, in which Camden sits, also has a few famous acts that truly capsulates time in a bottle. A Ca...

Video instruction for Columbia SC Real Estate! | MLS Search for Columbia

For those of you that are looking for homes in Columbia, or just wanting to browse the multiple listings in Columbia, I've put together a short video on how to use our Columbia Real Estate site. If you are familiar with the simplicity of our design the you are welcome to search for homes for sale, land for sale, rentals, commercial property and multi-family listings on our free Columbia MLS real estate website.

Having Trouble viewing this video? Watch it on YouTube.

We feel that personal service and knowledge is the key to a good real estate transaction.

Please contact us with any questions that...

Understanding a Tax Map

Parcels of Real Estate in SC are divided into tax maps in each county. This is a drawing that the county keeps on record for real estate tax purposes. Every property is identified by a TMS# or Tax Map Sequence Number. Whenever you call to pay your property taxes online, or look up a property at the courthouse, they will typically ask for this number as a reference. Although this number appears on the recorded deed, it does NOT define the dimensions of the property.  When buying land in South Carolina, always refer to the Legal Description for the most accurate description of your property boundaries.  To locate your property online, visit the GIS section of your c...

Choosing the Right Carpet | Tips for Rehab Properties in Columbia SC

If you are planning on replacing your floor covering with carpet there are several options that you have.  There are now practically endless choices of color to choose from.  Most retailers will loan you a "Sample Board" that has several swatches of carpet so that you match the carpet colors to your walls, furniture, and curtains.

Style: Berber vs. Plush

First you must decide what style and fabric type that is preferable for your home.  There are basically 2 types of carpet, Berber and Plush.  Looking for looped yarn fibers that make up the surface of the carpet will identify Berber Carpet, whereas 'Plush' carpet i...

Planning on digging in or around Columbia SC?

By law you must call Palmetto Utility Protection Service (P.U.P.S.) by dialing 811 locally, or call toll free at 1-888-721-7877, between the hours of 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM Monday-Friday. You may access them online at http://www.sc1pups.org/. You must contact them 72 hours prior to digging (excluding weekends and holidays) so that they can mark all of your utility lines. They will mark the ground with spray paint using the color coding below:

Red paint indicates- Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit and Lightning Cables

Yellow indicates- Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum, or Gaseous Materials

Orange indicates- Communication, Alarm, or Signal Lines, Cab...

Tips on how to find property corners when buying land.

Planning on buying land? Most of the time when you are looking at land for sale you will want to identify property corners. Although a survey is the best illustration to reference property lines you can sometimes just look at the property and see the natural barriers.

As a land specialist in the Columbia and Blythewood real estate market, I have walked thousands of acres looking for "corners". There are several unique witnesses in identifying property lines. Typically you will find monuments, axles, rebar, and open pipes on the property corners.

Monuments, in my area, are usually ‘blue granite' headstone-like blocks that sta...