JL's Columbia SC Real Estate Blog: March 2010

 Homes for Sale in Wood Lake - Columbia, SC Homes for Sale

 If you are searching for homes for sale in Columbia, SC and you want to live in one of Columbia's most sought after communities, then maybe Wood Lakeis the place for you. Located off of Rhame Road in Northeast Columbia, SC, Wood Lake is a beautiful community with winding streets and mature trees that greet you as you drive or stroll through.

Only minutes from the Village at Sandhill to provide you with all the shopping, dinning, and entertainment that you could want, Wood Lake is in an ideal location. The community is also only within minutes of I-77, 277, and I-20 making a commute to virtually any side of town easy and only 20 minutes away from the main gate of Fort Jackson of Forest Drive.

 Of course the use of the word lake in the name is not just to make it sound good, there is a great lake in the center of the community with several homes lucky enough to be right on the water. If you don't have a home right the lake itself, you can still enjoy it, as Wood Lake has a playground and a club house right along the shore, also in the heart of the community. Makes a great place to relax and enjoy the afternoon.

 Homes for sale in Wood Lake in Columbia, SC start off in the low $200's and most of the homes are over 2,000 square feet. Wood Lake is an excellent community for anyone looking for a new home in the Northeast Columbia area. So if you think that now might be the right time for you to make your next move, then I suggest you stop by Wood Lake and see what this wonderful community has to offer.

 If you are trying to sell a house these days, then you have likely come to the realization that they are not flying off the shelf. Though we are seeing activity, in Columbia, SC new home sales drive the market, and new home communities will always be your largest competition. There's nowhere you can put a house on the market that isn't close to a new home community here.

 That doesn't mean that you can't get it done. In fact, it's entirely possible to compete with builders as well as the other resales around you. You just have to come to another realization.

 You need to get serious or you need to get comfortable. If you truly want to sell your house, then you need to do the things it takes to accomplish that task. If you are not willing to do what it takes, then you may as well make yourself at home, because you won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

 These days with a reduced number of buyers on the market, you have to make you house as attractive as possible. If you're not willing to do this, then you have little if any hope of selling your house.

1- Price it right -Price is far and away the most important thing in selling your house. You have to put the right price on it or the house may not even show much less sell. Buyers know what's out there and how far their money will go.

2- Condition - If price is the most important part of the puzzle, then condition is a close second. Fresh paint, new carpet is yours is damaged, fresh landscaping, and a clean house is a great start. It sounds like a lot, but if you're not willing to do what it takes, then there's no need to even try. If a buyer can get a brand new home for cheaper than they can buy your house that's not in great condition, then guess where that buyer is headed every time?

3- Depersonalize - It's part of the process of going neutral and allowing the buyer to picture themselves living in the home. They don't need to see a thousand family photos or your collection of 50 rooster figurines in the kitchen. You can put those up in your new home, but if you really want to sell, then this isn't your home anymore.

4- De-clutter - This is another incredibly important factor. I live in a house myself and I know how easy it is to accumulate more stuff than you really have room for in your house. I also know how easy it is to pack up all that stuff and put it out of sight and out of mind. It doesn't leave a good impression of the house when you have too much stuff crowded around all the rooms and it makes the place look smaller than it actually is in the end.

 These are just a handful of things that you can do to give yourself the best chance at selling. If you have really made up your mind that you are ready to move on, the you need to take it a step further and go through the motions necessary to make that happen.

Chapin, SC Homes for Sale - Lakeport on Lake Murray

 Located just off of Johnson Marina Road in Chapin, SC, you'll find the beautiful community of Lakeport. A gorgeous Lake Access community with a neighborhood dock, pool, and cabana. Lakeport is located close to shopping, dinning, entertainment, I-26 and is of course located right on Lake Murray.

 With about 35 lots left for custom building, and several lots remaining for carriage homes, Lakeport provides home buyers with tons of choices. Carriage homes feature granite counter tops, hardwood floors, crown moldings, tile in the bathrooms and kitchens, and most floor plans have the master down stairs. Carriage homes in Lakeport start around $300,000 with a $2,000 a year regime fee. This covers of course all the community amenities as well as lawn care for a truly worry free lifestyle with access to wonderful Lake Murray.

 Just imagine strolling through your beautiful new community without a care in the world other than whether you should lay by the pool or relax on the dock by the lake.

 If the Carriage Homes don't sound like your cup of tea, then you can always build a custom home with your choice of builder after you purchase a home site. Home sites in Lakeport start around $35,000 and range all the way to just over $380,000 from some select home sites that are right on Lake Murray itself. So whether you are looking a great lot at a great price, a lot with Lake View, or you want to build your new home right on Lake Murray, you can do it all right here in Lakeport.

 So if you are in the market for a new home in Chapin, SC and you want to be on or right next to the lake, the maybe Lakeport is the place for you.

Columbia, SC Homes for Sale in Palmetto Place

 Looking for homes for sale in Columbia, SC, then maybe you should stop by Palmetto Place and see what the community has to offer. Located just off of Rhame Road in Northeast Columbia, Palmetto Place is in a great location. Withing minutes of I-20, I-77, 277, and only about 20 minutes away from Fort Jackson. And if you're looking for a little nigh life and entertainment, Palmetto Place is only about 5 minutes away from the Village at Sandhill that will provide all the shopping and dinning that you could want.

 This beautiful community was built by Essex Homes, a local Columbia builder, and has a lot to offer anyone in the market to buy a new home. Homes start around $150,000 and come in a wide variety of floor plans and styles. Square footage runs all the way up to nearly 3,500 square feet and there are even a few lots in the community that are over two acres, which is nearly unheard of in Columbia, SC community.

 Palmetto Place is currently in a close out stage, and Essex Homes is offering some wonderful incentives on there remaining homes for sale. New floor plans have recently been introduced, including the popular Sandhill floor plan that is currently being built on a 4 acre lot in Palmetto Place. An excellent opportunity for a buyer to get a large private lot and all the convenience of living in a community.

 Palmetto Place also has a wonderful recreation area that has a club house, tennis courts, and a community pool. Just the right spot to enjoy the warming weather and gather with friends. So whether you're looking to relax by the pool or get into a spirited tennis match, the choice will truly be yours. So if you are looking for a new home in the Columbia area, you may want to stop by Palmetto Place and see what you think. You might just find yourself feeling right at home.

We as real estate professionals have a wide variety of designations at our disposal. Anything from Graduates of the Realtor Institute, to Certified Residential Specialists, to Certified Green Home Specialists. Any of these designations can certainly prove that you have taken the time to go beyond the average training to receive greater education in your field.

 But there is now designation for integrity, and all the letters in the world following your name will be useless with out it. We as Realtors have a code of ethics and at the very least claim to hold ourselves to a higher standard of practice by becoming a Realtor rather than just an agent. But even the code of ethics itself can sometimes remain open for interpretation and doesn't ensure that even a Realtor is truly acting in the very best interests of their clients.

 There are no classes available that will teach you morality. There are no seminars that will show you how to do the right thing where your clients are concerned. This is simple though, you just have to remember the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Regardless of how you justify your stance on a given situation, every legally sane human on the planet knows the difference between right and wrong.

 You know when you are acting in the best interest of your clients to protect them and put them first. After working with you for a short period of time, they will know whether or not you are working for them or yourself as well. Always put your clients needs first. It's the best way to truly show them that they are receiving the representation that they deserve. You might not get letters next to your name for doing it, but you will get something just as important. Happy Client!