Carolina Walk Condominiums Columbia SC

  Carolina Walk is a high-rise condominium complex located near Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia SC at the corner of South Stadium Road and Bluff Road.  South Stadium Road is an extension of George Rogers Blvd. and is located directly across from the University of South Carolina “Gamecocks” stadium between “The University House” and the “Columbia SC Farmers Market”.  Carolina Walk Condominiums also neighbors and overlooks Carolina Walk Park, which is a tailgate parking area for USC home football games.  Carolina Walk is appealing to gamecock fans because of the limited availability of tailgating areas and parking for USC Gamecock home games.  It a...

Land For Sale in Columbia SC

Choosing the Right Real Estate Agent

  Looking for land for sale in South Carolina?  Many real estate agents have the same tools to sell the same product but not many have the know-how and resources to find and or acreage in South Carolina.  There is a big, actually huge, difference in selling Land for sale in Columbia SC vs, selling homes for sale in Columbia SC.  “Why”, you may ask?

   Well… land is unique and landowners are particular about strangers driving across or walking through their vacant land.  Many times acreage is used as a hunting tract, farming, development or livestock and it can be disrupting to the seller to have anyone crossing their land ...

The Zoning Regulation is a tool used by a county or local government to restrict the use of property.  Although "Restrict" is commonly dressed up with the term "Controlled Growth", to me it means the same.  These regulations are different from "Restrictive Covenants" which are placed on a property by the land owner, previous land owner, or developer.  Zoning Regulations are usually buried deep into the county website.  I constantly have to search through their websites looking for a specific use of a property.  So, as a shortcut I thought that I'd post and continue to update the Zoning Regulations for different counties around the Midlands of South Carolina.  If you happen to know of an u...

What is a perk test?

  When buying raw land it is important to know what you are getting.  In many rural areas and suburban neighborhoods around Columbia SC it is necessary to have a perk test (also called a perc test or percolation test) to determine if your land is suitable for a septic tank and drain field. This is determined by several factors including the water table, soil type and topography of your property.  Ideally, you are looking for a sandy soil with a high elevation and moderate (or no) slope.  There are several types of septic tank systems and some are more expensive than others.  The price will vary depending on the amount of drain field, the size of the tank, and if there ...

"What is my school district for Lexington County SC?" is a question that I often answer for clients buying real estate in Lexington County SC.  I usually end up calling Lexington 1, Lexington 2, Lexington 3, Lexington 4, or Lexington 5 school district offices for the answer.  But today I found a Lexington County School District Map (Update:  Here is a very specific school search by address) that really helped answer my questions. Well, its not exactly a map, but you can search for your address and find out which district to call.

If you decide that you want land or houses for sale in Lexington you can always search the Search the MLS by School on our free Columbia SC MLS site.

Neighborhoods Near Fort Jackson

  The area directly below the Columbia Northeast is known as the Dentsville Area.  There are many military personnel that buy homes in this area because it is so close to Fort Jackson.  Fort Jackson is a huge economic influence for Columbia’s housing market.  If you are stationed at Ft. Jackson... then you probably qualify to buy an affordable home near Ft. Jackson.  There are several nice established neighborhoods just outside the gates of Fort Jackson.  Many of them are older neighborhoods from the 1960's-1980's.

  In this era of home building's simplicity and quality peaked.  Houses were built as "homes" and not so much as a "unit".  The majority of th...

The Columbia Northeast

  The Columbia Northeast is primarily the 29229 zip code.  It is the area bordered between I-20 E and I-77 N and bisected by Clemson Road.  Some consider Blythewood as a part of the Columbia Northeast, but locals separate the Blythewood subdivisions from the Northeast Columbia subdivisions because of the different zip codes.  The 29229 zip code(Columbia NE) and 29016 zip code (Blythewood) border each other at The Longcreek Plantation neighborhood.  There are plenty of different styles of homes to choose from in each area.  Most of the houses for sale in the Columbia Northeast are new construction or built in the past 15-20 years.  Blythewood also has new home const...

Neighborhoods in Columbia SC

  Searching for an ideal area or best neighborhoods in Columbia, South Carolina can take hours of research.  Some buyers want to be close to Fort Jackson, others may want to have a home with acreage, and some just want to be “right in the thick of it”.   Many of the newer subdivisions in Columbia incorporate activities such as golf, swimming, fishing, and other recreational sports.  Most of these are in the suburbs of The Columbia Northeast, Blythewood, or Irmo.  Here is a shortlist of some of the areas around Columbia and the ages of the homes for sale.

  Did I miss a great neighborhood?  Please let me know by leaving a comment below.

  Neighborhoods an...

  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...

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...

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...

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 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 ...

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...

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...

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...