South Carolina Real Estate Tax Information

If you own real estate in South Carolina you are probably aware of the annual property tax that gets sent to your billing address each year.  I've always found it a little confusing so below you will find the formula to determine the amount due for your annual tax bill.  A few things that are essential before you rack your brain...

1. Fair Market Value - determined by the county. Check your tax bill by tax map number or your County Website
2. Millage Rate -  or 'mills' (make sure the decimal is in the correct place in the formula for Millage. example: 234 mills should be .234)
3. Assessment ratio -

• Owner Occupied or Primary Residence 4%
• Seco...

Owner Financing Property | Amortization Schedule

If you are owner financing real estate then you will know that there are strict laws on what you must provide. There are several ways to handle a contract or a mortgage and you should check with a local attorney before taking any advice from this website. We are not lawyers and can not suggest how you should handle your assets. There are several legal documents that are required in real estate and a real estate attorney can draw up all of the complicated documents for you to use. You may also want to get advice on how you want to finance the property. You can give a deed it at the closing, or have an "installment sales contract" or "...

Property of the Week- Week 14

Land in Lexington SC | Owner Financing | Pelion

This week's property for sale is a 1.15-acre parcel on Shumpert Mill Road in Lexington County. The land for sale is lightly restricted to 960 square foot homes. If a manufactured home is placed on the property it must be 5 years old or newer unless the developer agrees to grant a variance...upon request. There is also additional 1.25 acres for sale adjoining this property. The lot has 125 feet of paved road frontage on Shumpert Mill road, which is located approximately 2 miles from the main intersection of Highway 302 (Edmund Highway) and Hwy 178. Each unimproved lot is surveyed and recorded at the Lexing...

...or vs. ...ee

If real estate terms weren't confusing enough!  Some terms can completely throw you in a loop wondering if you are the Mortgagor or Mortgagee.  Here is a quick cheat sheet so when you start looking further into real estate you'll be familiar with the terms.  As a basic understanding you should know that the suffix "or" gives and "ee" receives. Try to remember that there are multiple "E's" in "Receive".  Here are a few common uses:

Mortgagor vs. Mortgagee

Mortgagee = Bank - receives a mortgage document...in return for money
Mortgagor = Buyer - gives the bank a mortgage document (in return for the money), usually the buyer.

Lessor vs. Lessee

Lessee = The Renter- The tena...

Property of the Week - Week 12

2.79 Acres Waterfront | Waterfront Property

Waterfront Property for sale is in high demand in the summer months in Columbia SC.  Columbia's new "Famously Hot" PR campaign has come to truth along with the blistering heat and the high humidity.  There is no doubt that most homebuyers and land developers are attracted to lakes, ponds, and riverfront real estate. Lake Murray, Lake Wateree and Lake Monticello are the largest lakes in the Columbia SC real estate market, but lets not forget about the smaller lakes and ponds that have been giving homeowners an evening in the rocking chair or hammock in their back yard for years on end.  When searching through wate...

How To: Creating Favorites and Saving Searches

Creating Favorites and Saving Searches

It's no doubt that when you search for houses in Columbia SC you are likely to find a listing that you want to track.  Houses in Columbia, as in many markets, get taken off the market temporarily for several reasons.  There may be an inspection period, a loan that falls through, or many other reasons.  A great feature that we have added to www.huntllc.com is that we allow you to sign in and save your own listings.  Maybe you are at work or on vacation and wanting to actively browse for home listings in Columbia.  If you find a home that you want to investigate further, you may want to be able to pull t...

Property of the Week- Week 10

Lake Wateree Real Estate| Waterfront Property for Sale

This week's feature property for sale is a .77 acre waterfront lot located on Lake Wateree at 3637 Rockbridge Road. This waterfront property for sale offers spectacular views of Lake Wateree and is located along the main channel at the widest span of the lake. There is an existing pier (or dock) that has been built, and upgraded, to dock several boats. It also has a "Y" shaped entryway so that entering or exiting your watercraft will be safe and easy. It also leaves opportunities for a boat-lift for off-season storage if desired. The homes that neighbor this property are luxurious and well kept. Rockbri...

Property of the Week- Week 8

Blythewood Real Estate | Cedar Lakes

This week's feature property for sale is a 7.03-acre tract in Cedar Lakes Subdivision, which is located just outside of the Richland County in Fairfield County.  Cedar Lakes was originally an 800-acre development that was improved in 3 phases with fewer than 70 lots and four bodies of water.  Cedar Lakes Phase 1, the first phase developed, runs along Cedar Lakes Drive and consists of large lots. Most of the homes are isolated from the road in order to maintain the serenity that this rural development offers.  The subject property for sale(see listing below) is flanked by 7 acres on the west, 5 acres on the east, and neith...

Property of the Week - Week 7

USC Gamecock Tailgating | The Coop

With the University of South Carolina having such a pro-active fan following, it is no wonder that parking has become so hard to come by on game day. With the recent resurfacing, landscaping, and curb additions to the fairgrou...

Tips: Prepare a home for a quicker sale

Prepare a home for a quicker sale

As a real estate agent, I am always running across homes that need basic makeovers.  I know it is difficult to visualize a home as a first time visitor, or buyer, but there are important strategies that must be addressed prior to putting your home on the market.  Here are a few tips that should be common knowledge for any home sale preparation, although they are sometimes overlooked:

• Yard- Always keep your yard well-manicured during the time that it is open to buyers.  Curb appeal is the best solution to getting people in your home.  Ask your real estate or Realtor for a lawn maintenance professional to keep up...

Blythewood SC Real Estate |29016

As a lifelong Blythewood resident, I have seen this area flourish throughout the years and become one of the most desirable areas in Richland County. With the expansion of Northeast Columbia 29229 real estate market, developers have had no choice but to cross into the threshold of Blythewood's 29016 zip code.  Seasoned neighborhoods such as; Longcreek Plantation, Lake Ashley Birch Springs and Crickentree have been greeted with newly developed subdivisions like Cobblestone Park, Ashley Oaks, Lake Carolina, Eagles Glen and Wren Creek.  Blythewood covers the outermost perimeter of Richland County along the I-77 corridor beginning at Highway 21 (exit 23) and ...

The City of Columbia SC

Columbia SC

The first thing I learned when I got my real estate license was the term "location, location, location".  It's quite obvious that people have different wants, needs, and ideas of where they want to live.  I personally always felt like the city was a little too loud and congested but I'm now starting to see the benefits of why city life is so desirable.  I thought I'd tell a little about the City of Columbia and different areas so that a buyer can take this into consideration when buying a home in Columbia, SC.

The City of Columbia, as I know it, is broken into several areas.  It's difficult to explain every part of the city in one sitting so I will try...

Montgomery Ridge | Blythewood SC Real Estate

Montgomery Ridge Business Park is part of an 18.21 acre tract that has been developed to accommodate the growth of community businesses by providing neighborhood commercial lots.  These tracts are located one-half mile west of the I-77 and Blythewood Road interchange.  Access to I-77 is convenient and the Business District of Columbia is merely 15 miles.  There are several hotels, restaurants, banks, and grocery stores within a half-mile of the subject property.  Furthermore, the residential 27-Hole golf course gated community known as Cobblestone Park is adjacent to Montgomery Ridge Business Park and consists of hundreds of lots with many new...

Property of the Week - Week 5

Eastover Acreage | Columbia SC Acreage

PENDING/SOLD

This week's property is a 16-acre tract located between Columbia and Sumter in the town of Eastover, SC. This privately held property has expansive usable space and level topography. 16 acres has become an ideal and desirable size for land hunters looking for an affordable property. Located near Shaw Air Force Base, McEntire Air National Guard, and Fort Jackson this 16+/- acre tract has endless investment possibilities.  It is located about 1.5 hours to Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head South Carolina and 2.5 Hours to the NC Blue Ridge Mountains and 1.5 hours Charlotte, NC.  The seller has...

Finding sales information in Columbia SC

With today's inconsistent economy hand-in-hand with a injured real estate market, it is difficult to determine the values of homes without the proper tools and resources.  If you are interested in purchasing or selling a home in Columbia, or the Midlands Area, and need to know property values, you may need to contact a professional to answer your questions.  You can search the Internet but will find that most real estate sites in Columbia containing listing data does not incorporate closed home sales although it is public record.

There are many different variables that are used in determining the value of a home. An opinion, or appraisal, can be ba...

Acreage Ridgeway | Blythewood Real Estate

This week's property is a 30-acre tract located just outside of Blythewood SC. The Town of Blythewood's residential and commercial development trend has become so popular over the past 10 years it has made it difficult to find rural land that Blythewood was once known for. This property has been privately held for over 10 years.
"The 30 Acre Wood" is the name that was given to this property by the owner and his peers because it's likeness to Winnie the Pooh's "100 Acre Wood". It's true to it's name with a flowing creek, large hardwood trees and open fields of wildlife. 30 acres is an ideal and desirable size for most buyers looking for an af...

Property of the Week - Week 3

Irmo SC | Waterford Subdivision Home

(Property off Market) Leamington Circle is an all brick home located in Irmo, SC in the Waterford Subdivision. Irmo is a suburb of Columbia SC and many of the residents take a 15-minute commute to work into the City of Columbia. Irmo, like Blythewood and the Northeast, is desired by home seekers because of the convenience of city living with the appeal of newly built homes. LAKE MURRAY is located less than 2+/- miles from the Waterford subdivision and is a 50,000+/- acre lake and is an excellent source of recreation. The homes in Waterford Subdivision consist of mostly brick and vinyl homes and many were built around ...

Foreclosures - HUD properties

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Are you looking for foreclosed or HUD homes in South Carolina?  As a Certified Broker with HUD we can assist you in any home across the state of SOUTH CAROLINA that is listed on HUD's Real Estate website. As with any government-assisted program, you should be prepared to supply them with personal information and detailed records.  Have all of your information collected and submitted to us prior to making an offer.  Details and bid instructions concerning bid procedures can be found here. HUD has a "Zero Tolerance" for mistakes and will cancel your bid if accurate informa...

Property of the Week - Week 2

Acreage in Camden | Camden SC Land

The Seegars Mill Road property consists of approximately 62 acres and is located between I-20 and Red Hill Road in East Camden SC.  A new survey (Generates Pop-up) has been done to subdivide this property into 6 different tracts with acreage ranging from approximately 6 acres up to about 15 acres.  The property (map Pop-up) will be offered at $3000 per acre.  All of the tracts back up to a small creek that makes a great natural barrier between the subject property and the adjacent neighbors.  This property is full of hardwood trees and has been "thinned" so that the trees have room to branch out to provide shade.  These p...

FHA owes me money!

As a 10+-year veteran in the Real Estate Sales and development, I run across all kinds of questions. For instance, I just went to visit my mother-in-law over the weekend and she asked me about a letter she had gotten in the mail. She showed me the letter, from a third-party company, which said FHA owed her money. With all of the paperwork that is involved with a closing, you can easily get sidetracked and forget that you have to follow up in the future. There are companies that research public records and want a piece of the pie to do your dirty work...and rightfully so. It is not illegal for companies to charge you to collect your money from agencies like FHA, but it ...