Register for a FREE Top Producer 8i Training Class! As Top Producer's Sales Representative covering North Carolina and South Carolina; I offer FREE training sessions on a regular basis.  Get your first look at Top Producer 8i! This class is open to all agents and assistants!!!                                                                                                          September 12, 2008    (10:00am- 1:00pm) Columbia, South Carolina Hampton Inn Columbia I-26/Harbison Blvd 101 Woodcross Drive Columbia, SC   29212 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Topics to be covered in the class include the following: Agent Set Up Contact Entry Action Plans (follow-up campaigns) Listing and Closing Plans Mass Email/Mail Out Customer Web pages CMA's and Buyer Presentations Community and... 08/28/2008

Today is the day we have been waiting for. Today the USC Gamecocks take on the NC state players in what is sure to be a exciting game. Its on ESPN at 8PM Today. If you have never been tailgating at such an event there is nothing like it. I have friends on the way over there now at 8:30 AM to get set up for a day of food ,fellowship, fun and best of all Gamecock football. I will be joining them as soon as I can. I must admit I have put off a few things that need to be done for the season opener today. But most people in Columbia SC has. The Coop is a great place for USC Gamecock tailgating. Its close to the stadium and if you don't want to see it live you can watch it in the huge room with a 52 inch plasma TV. No lines at the bathroom or for your favorite cold drink. (I currently have 2 ... 08/28/2008

I have recently had the pleasure of being introduced to the local owner of Lets Dish Here in Columbia South Carolina. What a great way to get a good meal with all that's going on with work and school schedule. They have several ways to do this and learn new dishes at the same time! I must say that it certainly has taken a new meaning for me on a family dinner. With the hustle and bustle of life its great to have a well prepared dinner ready to eat after ball practice and dance or cheer classes. Or when you had to stay late at the office to get that Buyer or Seller offer negotiated.   In-store SessionAt a Let's Dish! In-store Session, you'll make 4, 8 or 12 fabulous family-sized dishes (4-6 servings each). Here's how it works: Place your order online Clear some space in your freezer Come... 08/27/2008

Columbia SC Real Estate Neighborhoods - What makes a great neighborhood? Columbia SC Real Estate neighborhoods are the bread and butter of any Columbia South Carolina Real Estate agent.  Within the different communities, such as Irmo Real Estate, Lexington Real Estate, Chapin Real Estate and of course Lake Murray Real Estate, there are several great neighborhoods. I have written in the past on Quail Valley in Columbia, as well as Forty Love in Chapin and Ascot Irmo SC Real Estate.   These are 2 prime examples of neighborhoods which have a staying power in this market.  These homes sell well in any market, as well as they have a desire.  These 2 neighborhoods are polar opposites of each other.  These neighborhoods highlight differences for key different buyers and sellers. Of course, For... 08/26/2008

Brand New Home In Columbia SC Starting at $110,000with Zero down 100% Financing Contact me today for all of your Real Estate Needs! buymeadehomes@gmail.com   08/23/2008

   With interest rates low, many renters are starting to think about purchasing a home of their own. While simple rental cost vs. mortgage cost comparisons can be very attractive, buying a home is a serious commitment, and there are many factors to consider:  How long you plan to live in the home. Selling a home costs money.  If you potentially may have to move in the short term, the value of your home may not have appreciated enough to cover the costs of buying and selling.  The length of time that it will take to cover those costs depends on various economic factors. Average appreciation tends to sit at around 5% per year. In this case, you should plan to stay in your home at least 3-4 years to cover buying and selling costs.  The real estate market can be particularly volatile, howe... 08/23/2008

Yesterday I received a call from a young lady (We'll call her Gertrude) who asked my opinion on if she should refinance her 15 Year, 5.25% Fixed rate mortgage to receive a lower payment on a 30 Year, 6.25% Fixed Rate Mortgage to give her some breathing room each month. She and her husband had done everything she could think of to cut back her monthly expenses, but her family still needed about $400 a month for her to start working less hours a week to be able to be home more for her children. They had paid off their cars, credit cards, and the only "luxury" they had was Satellite TV - there was nowhere else to cut - unless they wanted to skip some meals. I ran the numbers and Gertrude would save around $380 a month by refinancing into a 30 year mortgage and save about $260 a month if th... 08/22/2008

        I'm sure that in this climate of rampant foreclosures that most every agent is dealing with at least one, and maybe more, foreclosure or short sale. I never had before any of this started but I certainly am now and I have learned alot in short succession. I approached my first short sale as I would any other listing and not only did I not make any money but I lost money and part of my pride went along with it.         Let's start from the top and work our way down the never ending spiral that became my first dealings with bank-owned properties and short sales. Let me first give you a little background about the area in which my first short sale was located. I live and work in Columbia, SC. It's a wonderful place to reside and being our state capital there is always a lot going o... 08/21/2008

HOUSING & RECOVERY ACT OF 2008 *OFFICIAL INTREPRETATION OF THE ACT TO BE RELEASED BY THE RELATED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. First Time Home buyer Tax Credit-Allows first time home buyers to take up to a $7500 tax credit if they purchase a home as their principal residence from 4/9/08-4/1/09.  The credit is to be repaid over a 15 year period at $500.00 per year.  If the home is sold, the remaining amount would have to be repaid in the year of the sale as a tax liability.  The credit is phased out entirely over certain income levels. Makes permanent increases in the maximum FHA lending limits at the floor of $271,050 that were due to revert back to old limits 12/31/08. Seller funded down payment assistance programs are prohibited Increases minimum required cash investment for a FHA loan to 3.5%... 08/18/2008

On July 11, I received an email from a lady named Debra about her Columbia SC relocation plans. After an initial Buyer Needs Analysis Interview on the telephone and an exchange of emails, we began our real estate journey. By sunset on August 11, she was in her new home. How did she feel about the experience? Here's Debra in her own words.(p.s. - Thanks Debra and Paul for the kind words. Thanks to Leah Avery at Bank of America for your EXCELLENT WORK on Debra's loan! ) David Patterson with Keller Williams Realty     thanks Joanie Smith for conducting the interview. 08/13/2008

It is that time again, The Summit Area schools start back on Thursday August 21. Please keep an extra eye out for kids crossing the road and waiting for the bus. Remember to obey speed limits not only in the school zones but in the neighborhoods as well. We need to keep the children safe! Just click on the photo of The Summit School for more info. Rice Creek Elementary North Springs Elementary School Summit Parkway Middle School Ridgeview High School Christopher Pike (Summit Resident) Cell: 803.727.7800 E-mail: christopher_pike@yahoo.com Homes for Sale in the Columbia Area 08/11/2008

JL Boney, III | Russell and Jeffcoat | 803-730-9601 418 Upland Trail Road, Elgin, SC Wonderful home in Greenhill Parish. Minutes from shopping, dinning, and I-20. 3BR/2.5BA Single Family House offered at $427,500 Year Built 2006 Sq Footage 3,300 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 1 partial Floors Unspecified Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size Unspecified HOA/Maint $50 per month DESCRIPTION Unique craftsman home on large lot, light spacious rooms, wide hallways, beautiful hdwds, well planned layout. Kitchen w/alder wood cabinets. FR w/wood-burning FP w/custom alder wood blt-ins. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Fireplace Walk-in closet Hardwood floor Tile floor Family room Bonus/Rec room Dining room Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Microwave Granite countert... 08/06/2008

JL Boney, III | Russell and Jeffcoat Realtors | 803-730-9601 116 Bakers Point Road, Columbia, SC Located in Wildewood, this wonderful brick home is sure to please. Minutes from the lake and golf course, shopping, and dining, this one has it all. 4BR/3.5BA Single Family House offered at $474,900 Year Built 1999 Sq Footage 3,996 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 full, 1 partial Floors Unspecified Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 0.54 acres HOA/Maint $15 per month see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Fireplace Walk-in closet Hardwood floor Tile floor Family room Bonus/Rec room Office/Den Dining room Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Granite countertop Yard COMMUNITY FEATURES Clubhouse Tennis court(s) Golf course ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: JL Boney, III Russell and Jeff... 08/06/2008

    Details   Photo Gallery Elmwood (Columbia, South Carolina, US - 29201) MLS® $459,900 Own a peice of History Open House Friday, August 08, 2008 5:30 AM to 7:30 AM Quick Links Virtual Tour Request More Info Mortgage Calculator Show Map Email Listing Schedule A Showing Attachments View Listing Brochure "Home is on National Registry" More Photos » Satellite View »   Acquire Realty       Laura Jefferson Email Laura   Phone: 803-233-7178 Cell: 803-206-4131 Fax: 803-753-4773   Details Address: 2307 park Street Type: Residential Style: 2 Story "Victorian" Bedrooms: 5 "Great for large family" Bathrooms: 3 Garage: Double, Detached Basement: No Size: 3,044 sq. ft. "Large Rooms" Lot Type: Rectangular Lot Size: 60ft x 193ft "60 X 193 X 60 X 193"   Description TRUE SOUTHERN VICTORIAN, NATIONAL R... 08/06/2008

Real estate in Lake Carolina seemed to be at a stand still last week.  A total of 1 home out of about 200 went under contract.  On a more positve note 7 homes in Lake Carolina closed this past week.  The average sales price was 205,454 with an average of 2428 sq.ft. and took an average of 187 days to sell.  This poses a problem for the 200 other homes for sale in Lake Carolina.  With school close to starting, buyers seem to be holding off until things settle.  There were 7 new listings in Lake Carolina this past week.  These homes had an average sales price of 329,717 and averaged 3074 sq.ft.  Check back often for more market updates. For market updates in your local neighborhood or community, or to search for properties, please visit my website at www.markcorral.com You can always reac... 08/05/2008

The new Ashland subdivision is open in Lake Carolina, but is this good for the neighborhood?  My answer is yes and no.  It's good for those wanting to buy in Ashland, not good for those who need to sell.  The real estate market in Columbia has shifted over the past two years, making it an excellent time to buy.  For builders to keep profits up, they have to shift with the market, making new home prices in Ashland very attractive.  However, this poses a problem for current residents, especially those that bought 2-3 years ago which seemed to be the peak of a "sellers" market.  Residents that are forced to sell now are being beat out week by week by new homes.  And why not?  Homes sold in Ashland are 5-10% less than what they sold for 2 years ago.  If you are a resident who needs to sell ... 07/31/2008

Lake Carolina's schools are among the best in South Carolina. Here's a video that highlights Lake Carolina Elementary 07/30/2008

I like to use the word stalled to describe our local market.  It has not yet started to decline.  I also use this word because home prices have not increased like they have the past few years, but they haven't decreased either.  In fact, most seller who bought their home 2-3 years ago are selling at or below what they paid for it.  If you are a seller, there are some things you can do to maximize your profits, and minimize your losses.   Step 1: Know the market.  You must know what comparable homes are selling for.  However, you also must know what type, if any, of seller contributions were made for the buyer. (i.e. closing costs, allowances, etc.) Your agent should have this information readily available. Step 2:  Hire a local Realtor.  The buyer pool is getting smaller as we speak.  I... 07/30/2008

There truly is no better neighborhood in the Columbia, SC area than Lake Carolina.  Voted Columbia's Community of the Year for an unprecedented 8 years in a row, Lake Carolina sits in the ever growing northeast side of town.  Lake Carolina's real estate is unmatched with over 30 neighborhoods with a vast collection of homes.  Home prices start in the mid 100's and go up to over 1 million dollars.  With Lake Carolina's Town Center that includes over 30 shopes, residents have easy access to shop, dine, meet new neighbors, pick up a prescription, or relax with a cup of coffee.  For the more active residents Lake Carolina offers a local ymca, tennis courts, two swimming complexes and a 200 acre fresh water lake.  When it comes to Columbia South Carolina Real Estate, there is no comparison t... 07/29/2008

When Things go Wrong While Purchasing Columbia SC Real Estate I am not going to kid you, things do often go wrong or sideways in a Columbia SC Real Estate transaction.  Things do sometimes take a nosedive. But don't worry, things can always get better! These days, the major thing we see going wrong with a Columbia SC Real Estate transaction is financing.  These days, we always have problems with financing when we least expect it.  The most important thing for you to remember is "Don't Worry".  Things will get better. The most important way to combat these problems before they start is first off, have a great Columbia SC Real Estate agent who is seasoned and knows how to deal with problems.  Equally, have a great Columbia SC Real Estate mortgage broker or banker.  With these 2 people on ... 07/21/2008