Screened porches

  Ahhh… the setting that a screened porch creates is unmatched by any southern architectural feature.  This feature is often overlooked by a home buyer, but I can tell you that this may be the biggest value-add for a southern home.  A screened in porch is a perfect flex space to bring the indoors out and the outdoors in.  There’s nothing better than relaxing in the shade with the sounds of nature all around you while avoiding the annoying elements of nature such as mosquitoes, wasps, and gnats.  In the south, particularly with waterfront homes, these annoyances can drive you indoors and keep you away from the serenity of the sounds, smells, and sights that nature has ...

  Planning on moving soon or rearranging your furniture?  Redecorating and moving furniture can take hours of your time.  Getting a virtual layout to the scale of your space is a great idea.  I’ve used Arrange-A-Room(now requires registration) to move my vintage 1950’s mahogany desk and filing cabinet from one room to another.  Not only did it save me from moving this heavy desk around the house but it also gave me an idea of measurements for open walking space around the room. For comfort and safety it’s always a good idea to make sure that there is ample walking space in the room before you place your furniture.  Even if you aren’t much of a planner, give this software a chance so that ...

  Many people in the past 10 years have decided to join the real estate revolution by investing in lots and acreage in South Carolina.  But this can be a hard-nosed business…and quite a risky one.  It doesn’t take any special licenses, degrees, or educational requirements to develop a neighborhood, but it will take some capital and knowledge of the area.  With any business you should know the market before you decide to take a dive into real estate investment on a scale this large.  There are several factors that can ruin your vision and most of them are out of your control.

  I’ve known very successful businessmen and real estate developers in Columbia that have unknowingly pushed themsel...

Geothermal Heat Pumps

  The use of Geothermal Heat Pumps(or GHP’s) date back to the early to mid 20th century.   A GHP uses the constant temperature from the earth as a source for conditioning air inside your home rather than converting the exterior air temperature around your home.  This allows the heat pump system to be extremely energy efficient because the starting temperature point that your heat pump is converting is closer to the desired temperature within your home.  Subterrain ground temperatures in Columbia SC are somewhere around 68° F, whereas the outside air temperature can vary from around 100°F in the summer and 30°F in the winter.  Heat pumps are very complex but the prin...

What is a Transom Window?

  A Transom Window is the window above the door which is often found in the interior of the home.  Sometimes you will find transom windows that are located on an exterior door but they are often fixed and unable to open.   Recently, transom windows have been used as an accent and sometimes made of stained glass although they are mostly constructed of a transparent glass.

  Interior transom windows are an architectural feature that can be found in many historic homes in Columbia SC.  Their purpose was to open and close in order to distribute conditioned air throughout a home when the interior doors are closed.  They also allow natural light into other areas of the...

The Official Free Credit Report Site

  I’m sure just about everyone has seen the credit report commercials all over the internet and television.  Many of these sites require payment information to get this report except for Annualcreditreport.com.  This is THE OFFICIAL free credit report site, that pulls your credit history from Experion, TransUnion, and Equifax.   Keep in mind that this does NOT have your Beacon Score number.

  A credit score (or beacon score) is pulled from the three above companies.  Equifax seems to be the one that most people associate with a credit history, but all of these weigh in on the factors of your score.  Many times a credit score inquiry pulls information f...

Carolina Walk Park Parking Diagram for Gamecock Football

  Since USC Gamecock tailgating is such a huge part of South Carolina Gamecock football season, I thought that it would be a nice addition to post a layout of Carolina Walk Park so that you would be able to find your parking space.  If nothing else, it is a good reference for those looking to buy a tailgate spot in Carolina Walk Park.  Currently the regime fees for Carolina Walk Park is $275 per year and all of the spaces offer electrical connections.  For more information please visit our USC Gamecock Tailgating for Sale (Pop-up) page or inquire through email.

Beware of a real estate Addendum!

  Making an offer on a home or land?  One thing that most buyers and sellers do not know is the importance of dating documents and which document supersedes the other.  Most real estate agents in Columbia use one of several contracts.  This is a good practice because most agents are familiar with the contents of the contract such as inspection periods, closing date extensions, etc.

  Many times agents will not edit a contract after it has been ratified but will create an addendum to the contract.  An addendum is when a buyer, seller, or principal is changing the terms of the contract.  One of the most common is a repair addendum.  Once an inspection is...

What is a BPO?

  A BPO or a Broker Price Opinion is similar to an appraisal but is not an official report by a licensed appraiser.  A BPO is sometimes be used by a mortgage company to bypass the cost of a full-blown appraisal report.  A BPO is done by a real estate broker (usually that has negotiated contracts in a certain area) and an opinion of value is determined to suggest the marketable value of a property.  In many cases a mortgage company will order a BPO (for a short sale) to determine if the mortgage amount is less than the marketable value.  Many people believe that BPO’s will soon replace appraisals.

  Traditionally, an appraiser gets the offer to purchase contract when an appr...

Top Neighborhoods in Columbia SC

Looking for a new home in Columbia SC?  Here is a list that I compiled of some great neighborhoods in the Columbia SC.  Most of them are in the urban areas but a few are outside the City of Columbia. (Also, this Columbia Neighborhood Guide may also help. It's an ongoing project for us.)

Urban Neighborhoods

Melrose Heights – Located downtown between Millwood and Gervais.  These homes are mostly bungalows that were built in the mid 20th century.

Cottontown- a neighborhood in the heart of downtown Columbia with some historic homes, bungalows and traditional homes.  Cottontown is flanked by Bull Street, N. Main, and Elmwood Avenue.  It’s close to just about ever...

All about Clemson Road

  Clemson Road is a main thoroughfare through the Northeast Columbia region, which is commonly referred to as “The Northeast”.  The Northeast is primarily enclosed within Hwy 321 or I-77 (running North and South) on the West, and I-20 (running East and West) on the Southern side.  Our Columbia MLS system distinguishes this area as Area 4.  Clemson Road is the main thoroughfare between these two highways and with the fairly recent Clemson Road extension you can travel directly from I-20 to I-77 without making any turns.   From I-77 you will notice that Clemson Road is referred to as Killian Road.  This is because Killian Road was rerouted into Clemson Road.

  Clemson...

Looking for new windows?

  Windows can offer a variety of different functions, styles and forms.  With all of the tax credit incentives now may be a good time to take advantage of upgrades for your home.  Below are a few things that you may want to know about windows.

First you may want to research the Federal Tax Credit incentives for new doors and windows to see if  you are eligible to get up to 30% tax credit.  This will come in handy if you are buying a new home or rehabilitating an existing or historical home.  As always, you should also check with your tax advisor to confirm the latest requirements.

Types of windows

There are basically 4 types of windows. Double hung, sliding, fixed, ...

Winderemere Subdivision Blythewood South Carolina

The Windermere neighborhood is located in Longcreek Plantation in the Columbia Northeast area.  Homes for sale in Winderemere are mostly built with ‘southern home’ architectural features.  In Windermere you will find wooded lots, screened porches, swimming pools and wrought iron fences.  The majority, if not all, of the homes built in Windermere are of masonry construction.  Stucco and brick homes are popular in this neighborhood, but you may also find wood-sided homes scattered sparsely across the neighborhood.  Although we don’t have a copy of the restrictive covenants that state a square footage minimum,  Homes for sale in Windermere usu...

What the heck is a CLUE Report?

  A Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange Report, or a CLUE Report, is a voluntarily exchange of information between insurance companies revealing information about a customer and their trends.  In short, it is a way for an insurance company to identify the risk of taking on  a customer based on claims that were made in the past.  Typically, within the past 10 years.  As with most professions there are tools that are used to disclose your personal information.  Many mortgage companies use a beacon score, car dealerships use CARFAX and insurance companies use a CLUE Report.

  For instance, I have a tree in my yard that got struck by lightning.  I called m...

Twitter Users | What is Tweetmeme?

  Millions of people have started using social media sites such as “Twitter”.  Twitter users have discovered the power of simplicity by conveying a message in 140 characters or less.  Twitter may seem somewhat irrelevant and useless to those that underestimates its power, but others are embracing the social media trend.  The famous Hudson Bay plane landing in 2009 was initially reported by a Twitter user before national media giants took over.  This is proof that not only is it not only useful for entertainment, but also initiates a value of communication that brings everyday life into the living rooms of a worldwide audience.
 
  Twitter seems to be the ...

Adesso Condominiums | 601 Main Street Columbia SC

  Adesso Condominiums is a 110 Unit building located in the heart of Columbia SC on the Corner of Main Street and Blossom Street.  This 6 story luxury building was featured in the Tour of Homes for 2010 for its luxurious appearance and features.  In each unit you should notice hardwood floors, granite countertops with an undermount sink, laundry connections, 10 foot ceilings with crown molding and a solid all wood entry door.  The free-standing Adesso building also has amenities that include an outdoor pool, modern fitness center with high-end equipment,  a common area lounge on each floor off the elevator, retail space on the street leve...

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...