Mel's Columbia, SC Blog

Greater Columbia, Chapin, Irmo, Lexington and Lake Murray.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

NEW LISTING - Irmo Address, Chapin Schools, Beautiful Home!

522 Boyd Branch Crossing in Irmo, SC
A Beautiful Address.


Ready for a NEW location?  Check out this beautiful home in popular The Preserve at Rolling Creek in Irmo, SC.  This home features 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms with 3070 heated square feet.  It's ALL BRICK for low maintenance.

Check all of the features at this virtual tour
(home details, price, aerial maps, pictures)

This home location offers great convenience to all of Greater Columbia, including: downtown, Irmo, Chapin, Lexington and Lake Murray.  The schools are among the very best in South Carolina:  Chapin area schools of Lexigton Richland District 5.

Ready to schedule a showing appointment?  Contact Mel Coker at RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants:
Cell (803) 318-2007
email:  melcoker@remax.net

Beautiful Home For Sale in The Preserve At Rolling Creek

Spacious Master Bedroom

Open Floor Plan & Many Other Great Features



Ready to BUY or SELL in Greater Columbia?  Contact Mel Coker.


RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants

Call (803) 318-2007












Friday, November 11, 2016

Veterans Day 2016

Veterans Day is Friday, November 11th!

Veterans from across the state will gather in downtown Columbia on Veterans Day, for the City of Columbia’s annual Veterans Day Parade, one of the Southeast’s largest Veterans Day parades.

On Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, the parade begins at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Sumter and Laurel streets, and travels southbound on Sumter Street, ending at Pendleton Street near the State House.

This federal holiday was initially known as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I on November 11, 1917. The holiday officially began in 1926 and in 1954 the holiday name was changed to Veterans Day.

History of Veterans Day website

Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to United States national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty. PLEASE BE SURE TO THANK A VETERAN FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY!


Click Here for: Military in South Carolina

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."
– George Washington
General and Commander-in-Chief & First President of the United States of America




Thank you Veterans!

Mel Coker
Realtor - RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Buying in Columbia, SC is Cheaper Than Renting!

Why Buying a Home in Columbia, SC. Is Cheaper Than Renting

GUEST ARTICLE: By Hannah Goodman of Trulia

Whether you are looking for an inexpensive place to retire, a quiet place to start a family, or your very first starter home, consider Columbia, South Carolina. This southeastern capital city gets more than 300 days of sunshine a year and offers a variety of activities and attractions for all ages. With an average listing price of just $137,500, there’s an affordable home in Columbia to be found for every budget. In fact, a recent study by Trulia showed that Columbia ranks in the top three metros where buying a home beats renting for retiree’s, just behind New Orleans, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The report assumes a 30-year fixed rate mortgage with a 20 percent down payment and 25 percent tax bracket for households moving every seven years.


Where Buying a Home Beats Renting
U.S. Metro
Median Home Value, Mar 2016
Median Rent, Mar 2016
% Cheaper to Buy a Home Than Rent, Mar 2016
$168,870
$1,450
-52.3%
$159,362
$1,350
-51.3%
$121,115
$1,150
-51.1%
$61,363
$850
-50.6%
$208,049
$1,750
-49.7%
$124,897
$1,100
-49.1%
$134,208
$1,200
-49.1%
$249,326
$1,975
-48.7%
$110,757
$1,095
-48.4%
$228,703
$1,850
-48.1%

Note: Negative numbers mean that buying costs less than renting, while positive numbers means buying is more expensive than renting.

Not sure where to start on your house hunt?  Young people and students will be happy in Rosewood, with its close proximity to University of South Carolina, Midlands Tech and Fort Jackson.  The older generation will likely find the perfect home to fit their needs in Earlewood, a quiet residential area just a few short minutes from Downtown Columbia’s many amenities. 


Lake Murray - Another Popular Choice For Greater Columbia Living!





Monday, January 25, 2016

Move South for Warmer Weather! Columbia & Lake Murray, SC


To my Northeast friends... Tired of the snow and blizzards? Move to friendly and (relatively) warm Greater Columbia or Lake Murray (SC).
http://mel.bestlakemurrayhomes.com





Average temperatures and snowfall in Columbia, SC:
January   High:  56 degrees  Low: 34 degrees  
February  High:  60 degrees  Low: 37 degrees
March  High:  68 degrees  Low: 43 degrees
Average ANNUAL snowfall for Columbia, SC is only 1/2 inch!
Average ANNUAL hours of sunshine: 2825
What are your averages?   View this website to get your numbers

 Ready to move?  Contact Mel Coker at RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants.   Mel sells all over Greater Columbia, including Lake Murray, Chapin, Irmo and Lexington.


Mel Coker

Cell: (803) 318-2007
MLS Search and Register At My Website
email: melcoker@remax.net




Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Columbia, SC is the Place to Buy in 2016!

Columbia, SC is in the Bargain Belt!

TRULIA recently posted an article, "Housing in 2016", that identified COLUMBIA, SC as being in Markets to Watch in 2016.    This area was included in the
Trulia Reports:  Columbia, SC is in the Bargain Belt!
the "Bargain Belt" of affordable housing.   Columbia, SC was #7 in a national survey of markets that have strong potential for growth.

Key components of the analysis included: strong job growth, high affordability, high number of inbound searches and a large share of millennials.   For the full and informative article, CLICK HERE for 2016 Housing Predictions.

Columbia is a GREAT place to live.   We also have pleasant year-round weather, highly rated school districts, fun recreational opportunities and Lake Murray and a vibrant downtown area.

Ready to move or have questions?  Contact Mel Coker at (803) 318-2007.   I am a life-long Columbia area resident.

(Trulia information and graphic used with permission of Trulia).



Mel Coker
Realtor, ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO, MilRES
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants - Chapin, SC
(803) 318-2007
Columbia & Lake Murray MLS search: http://mel.bestlakemurrayhomes.com
Lake Murray Blog:  www.LakeMurrayBlog.com




Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Chapin Area Garage Sale


There will be a GARAGE SALE this Saturday, June 27th (2015) in the Chapin area. 
The address:  271 Hilton Village Drive, Chapin, SC 
(The Village at Hilton subdivision).

Directions: Take U.S. Highway 76 from Irmo or Chapin to Wessinger Road; then turn left on Indian Fork; Village at Hilton subdivision on left; bear left on entrance circle.


The sale starts at 7:00 a.m.  Join us!