2009 Real Estate off to a Great Start!

Mel's first 2009 home sale!

Congratulations to Steve & Rebecca Sansonetti for purchasing a home in Lexington's Wellesley subdivision. This beautiful new home was built by Shumaker Homes. The Sansonettis's got a great deal on this beautiful new home and are going to get a LOW mortgage rate (4.5% or lower). NOW really is a great time to buy a home! I even temporarily named the waterfall in the community "Sansonetti Falls."

The most exciting "deal" in this new home is that the home is a Green Certified home. The home is built for energy efficiency and comfort. The community too is a great deal... great location, great schools and great amenities. Want to know more about this community and prices? Call Mel Coker.

I had "blogged" about this wonderful community back in August 2008. Click here to read my blog.

Shumaker Homes - Wellesley

Wellesley Subdivision

Environments for Living Certified Green Program

When you're ready to buy a home in Wellesley or ANY OTHER home community in Lexington, Irmo, Columbia, Chapin, Blythewood or at Lake Murray, be sure to contact Mel Coker at RE/MA Metro Associates.

Call (803) 318-2007

Mel's Columbia SC real estate website

Search Columbia (SC) MLS

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year - 2009! Get out your new calendars, remember to write 2009 for all dates AND be sure to make some new year's resolutions! Enjoy your black-eyed peas, hog jowls, hoppin' john and ham and collard greens on New Year's Day.

Click Here for Top New Year's Resolutions & Solutions from Amazon (Voted #1 by customers is "Lose Weight").

I've compiled Mel Coker's TOP 10 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS based on my extensive research (not necessarily my personal resolutions):

1. Lose weight
2. Get in better physical shape
3. Spend more quality time with family and friends
4. Reduce or eliminate debt
5. Set a budget and/or reduce expenses
6. Quit smoking
7. Learn something new / develop a new talent or skill
8. Drink less alcohol / quit drinking
9. Find a better job (or, in these times, find a job)
10. Get better organized

Tips for making (and completing) effective New Year's Resolutions: set only 1-3 realistic goals; write down your goals; take baby steps (break goals into tasks with deadlines); go public (tell others about your goals); track your progress; reward yourself; if you slip up, recommit!

Great links:

Hoppin' John

Blackeyed Peas and Collard Greens

USA.gov New Year's Resolutions and and helpful links

Wikipedia New Year's Day

Fun Facts and Figures from the Goals Guy

101 Resolutions

Tips for Making New Year's Resolutions: MyGoals.com * eHow.com * For Kids & Teenagers

Please keep reading my blog in 2009... I'll have interesting blogs on Columbia real estate, Columbia stuff, cool vacations, prize give-aways and much more.

Click here for a FREE subscription to immediate blog updates thru my FeedBurner.

Mel Coker

MelCoker.com MelCoker.info

NEW Columbia MLS Search Feature from Mel Coker

Ready to buy a home in Columbia, SC?
NOW is a great time to buy a home! There is lots of inventory, prices are reasonable and mortgage interest rates are near record lows. This past week, 30-year fixed rates were under 5.5%. For first-time home buyers, you can take advantage of the new Federal Tax Law Benefit for first-time homebuyers. Click here for more first-time homebuyer information.


Click here for mortgage professionals recommended by Mel Coker.

Want to do a little searching on the Internet yourself? I've got a brand new MLS search feature. My MLS search page allows you to search by selected home features and/or price or by address or by zip code or by MLS. Other "advanced" search features (click on Advanced Search) allow for searches by more search criteria, school area and much more.

Click Here to Search the Columbia MLS.


When you're ready to buy a home in the Columbia area, please contact Mel Coker. I look forward to assisting you.

Click here for Mel Coker's Homebuyer Guide.

Mel Coker
www.ColumbiaSouthCarolina.com/homes
(803) 749-5800

Christmas in Columbia

Two BIG Christmas Season Traditions in Columbia, SC!

Lights Before Christmas - at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, the gates have opened on the 21st annual Lights Before Christmas. Trees decorated with nearly one million twinkling lights and more than 350 handcrafted images set the scene for what has become a holiday tradition for many Midlands families.

Lights-goers will have the opportunity to sip hot cocoa and roast up a toasty marshmallow treat at the Jingle Bell Bonfire. Santa will be at the zoo each night and photos are free when you use your personal camera. This spectacular event is on-going each night (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) through December 30th from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Admission is: $8 for adults (13 and up); $6 for children 3-12; free for 2 and under. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is located at I-126 and Greystone Boulevard. Parking is available on the zoo side only.

Click Here for more information

Bypass long lines at the entrance: Buy tickets online

Holiday Lights on the River - Saluda Shoals Park has the largest drive-through lights show in the Columbia area. Holiday Lights on the River features more than a million sparkling lights and over 300 animated light displays on a two-mile loop of Saluda Shoals Park. Admission is $10 per car or $20 for a 15 passenger van. This holiday event is from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. each night through December 31st.

Saluda Shoals Park is located at 5605 Bush River Road in the St. Andrews (Irmo) area. For more informaiton: Call (803) 772-1228 or visit Holiday Lights on the River website.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Coker family in Columbia, South Carolina! Today, we're doing some cleanup around the home, raking leaves and putting up our Christmas tree. Later today, we will travel to West Columbia to be with family and I will cook a turkey in a turkey fryer. I did this for the first time last year and it produces excellent results.

I did some reading this morning on the orgins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Thanksgiving Day began as a tradition at the end of the harvest season to express thanks for one's material possessions and spiritual blessings.

The first recorded Thanksgiving ceremony took place on September 8, 1565, when 600 Spanish settlers, under the leadership of explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles landed at St. Augustine, Florida, and immediately held a Mass of Thanksgiving (with a feast and celebration) for safe delivery to the New World. Of course, the Pilgrims had Thanksgiving observances in Plymouth, Massachusetts in the early 1600s. As President, on October 3, 1789, George Washington made a proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America.

Click here to read more on the orgins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

Mel Coker

Columbia, SC

Community Spotlight - The Battery at Arsenal Hill

The Battery at Arsenal Hill... a diverse range of new homes for downtown Columbia living. Live here and you're in the heart of Columbia. Less than 5 minutes to: University of South Carolina, State Capitol Building, Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital, Finlay Park, Riverfront Park, Colonial Center and so much more. Also nearby are: Williams Brice Stadium, Palmetto Health Richland Hospital and Interstates 26 and 20.

Single family homes and cottages range in price from the low 200s to the upper 200s. Townhomes are priced from the 160s to the 230s.

Inspired Communities is the developer and builder. The community is appealing in both design and for incredible convenience. Each home is quality built for your enjoyment and for future resale potential.

NOW is the time to buy your new downtown Columbia home. Interest rates are near historical lows and special buyer incentives are available. Call Mel Coker, your Columbia Realtor, to see any home at The Battery at Arsenal Hill. With Mel Coker as your buyer's representative, I will offer a $300 Lowes shopping gift card at closing for any home bought in this wonderful community.

Click Here for Columbia Real Estate

Tips to Sell Your Home in a Slow Market

HOME SELLING 101:

Selling in a buyer's market, with an oversupply of homes and/or falling home values, does not occur often, but certainly presents challenges. My top ten tips listed here should help you and most tips are applicable in any home selling environment. Homes SELL because they exhibit great VALUE!

1. Prepare yourself for market conditions - Be prepared for fewer showings and longer "days on the market"
2. Make a good first impression - That first few seconds in front of a home can make or break a possible sale
3. Prepare your home for showing - make your home look like Mr. & Mrs. Clean live there
4. Hire an inspector - Very few sellers do it, but, a home pre-inspection may be of great assistance to you in determining what's wrong and what needs to be repaired in your home
5. Make repairs - Make repairs that are profitable or will be necessary for the sale of your home (for example, the Buyer will need to have "clean" heating & air and termite inspections
6. Special touches inside the home - eliminate odors, add seasonal touches or flowers, turn on lights or open blinds for showings, etc.
7. Select the best selling agent - Your choice of a Realtor IS important! Call Mel Coker.
8. Set a competitive price - Your home is in a competition... to SELL! An example... if you have a home to sell at $175,000 (close to the average home price in Columbia), you have 524 other homes for sale within 10% of $175,000 (that's just in the most sought after school district areas too). That's a lot of competition!
9. Offer a home warranty - buyer's agents will typically negotiate for this anyway and a home warranty gives buyers additional confidence in a real estate transaction
10. Be flexible and patient - use feedback and suggestions from your Realtor to make adjustments

Click Here for Mel Coker's Home Selling Tips web page (you can also obtain a Lowes 10% off coupon)

Contact Mel Coker when you're ready to sell your home in the Columbia area. I would be happy to offer a FREE market analysis, answer questions and explain my extensive marketing plan. Your choice of a Realtor IS important!

Internet: www.ColumbiaSouthCarolina.com/homes

Telephone: (803) 749-5800

email: melcoker@remax.net

Veterans Day - Columbia SC

I attended the Veterans Day parade in Columbia yesterday. There was a great crowd on hand to honor our veterans. I took a number of pictures and I also stopped by Memorial Park in downtown Columbia.

CLICK HERE for a link to my Veterans Day photo album.

More Links:

Columbia Veterans Day

Military in South Carolina

Mel Coker's Websites

A Recap of Mel Coker's Websites!

I've been writing my own HTML and owning my own domains since September 1995. That's almost the frontier days of the Internet. My websites have won recognition from various Realtor magazines, including a feature in REALTOR magazine in April 2000. Also, my real estate websites have led to 210 Internet related real estate closings. THANK YOU to my Internet referred clients!

Columbia Real Estate:

Mel's Primary Columbia, SC real estate website - launched in January 1998

Click here for Mel Coker's RE/MAX website - HomeFinder MLS search feature

MelCoker.com * Meet Mel Coker Virtual Tour * About Mel Coker * All Real Estate Agents Are Not The Same

Columbia, SC:

Columbia "A to Z" * Lake Murray * Columbia weather * Mel's Home Page (great links and Internet search features) * Fort Jackson

Vacations:

We own a rental condo at Hilton Head Island and can offer assistance and suggestions for other vacations including Myrtle Beach and Cancun. Just contact us!

Our Hilton Head Island condo * Hilton Head Island * Myrtle Beach * Best Caribbean.info

Another Lake Murray update

Lake Murray is one of the nicest and most popular lakes in the Southeast.

It IS South Carolina's most popular lake. When completed in 1930 , Lake Murray was the largest power reservoir and Dreher Shoals Dam the largest earthen dam in the world. For more Lake Murray information, check out my Lake Murray website at: http://www.lakemurray-sc.com/ (check lake levels, weather, fishing license information, order a Lake Murray poster suitable for framing)

Upcoming Lake Murray events:

• March 20th - Taste of Lake Murray - call NOW for tickets
• July 5th - July 4th Fireworks Spectacular on the lake
• August 14-17 - Forrest Wood Cup - the biggest prize money ($1 million to the winner) fishing tournament in the world will be at Lake Murray

The Lake Murray water level is now at the near "full" mark. Today the water level is 357.7. The normal late spring and summer water level is approximately 358 feet above sea level. Check the water level, get weather reports and more from my Lake Murray website. Now is a great time to plan a Lake Murray guided fishing trip. Contact Captain Buddy at Sunrise Fishing Service. Visit his website or call 319-8722 and tell Captain Buddy that Mel Coker sent you over.

Want to live in a community with Lake Murray acccess? I currently have 3 beautiful homes for sale on the North side of Lake Murray with lake access. One is a home in Wexford on the Lake with a community boat ramp (near Irmo). I also have TWO new homes for sale in Night Harbor subdivision (near Chapin). Both of these all brick homes have a boat slip already paid for by the Builder in the community marina. Check out my website for more details and cool virtual tours. Contact Mel Coker to buy or sell ANY Columbia area real estate.

Lake Murray - Taste of Lake Murray / Fourth of July Fireworks

Coming March 20th...

Taste of Lake Murray

The biggest event on Lake Murray each summer is the spectacular fireworks show during the Fourth of July celebration. It's the largest fireworks display in South Carolina! Of course, money is needed each year to fund this event. The Capital City/Lake Murray Country (CCLMC) Visitor's Center is the promotional sponsor of the fireworks show and the fund raising event for this - The Taste of Lake Murray. I have been a member of CCLMC for a number of years because they are a great tourism sponsor for Lake Murray and the Greater Columbia area.

The 2008 Taste of Lake Murray will be held on March 20, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel Columbia & Conference Center at 7 pm. The Taste of Lake Murray is the primary fund raising event for the 4th of July fireworks show. Enjoy live music from the Showmen, purchase unique auction items and sample specialty dishes from 14 area restaurants at the 2008 Taste of Lake Murray.

Participating Restaurants: Blue Marlin, Bonefish Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Catch 22, Columbo’s, Dam Bar & Grill, Dupre-Dukes Signature Catering, Foxfire Grill, O’Charley’s of Lexington, Rusty Anchor, Spinner's Resort & Marina, Three Bean Net Cafe’.

Get your tickets today before it's a sell-out again! Tickets are $55 per person. Purchase tickets online or call (803) 781-5940.

Click here for the Taste of Lake Murray website.

The July 4th fireworks celebration on Lake Murray is scheduled for Saturday, July 5, 2008. The Lake Murray Visitor's Center is located in the historic Lorick Plantation House on S.C. Highway 6 just north of the Dreher Shoals Dam (2184 North Lake Drive).

Click here for Mel Coker's Lake Murray website

Top 10 Things To Do in Columbia

I've lived in Columbia all of my life and I enjoy getting around Columbia to see the interesting places in our beautiful city. So, I've developed my own Top TEN Things to Do in Columbia list. If you are new to the Columbia area or if you have lived here for many years, you may want to check out my list. Maybe you'll want to print the list and get out soon to check out my top ten. Have comments on my list or wish to share thoughts and experiences on your visits to the places on my list? Share them with a comment on my blog!

Please note that more detail, pictures and attraction website links are available on my TOP TEN website.

Mel's TOP TEN Things to Do in Columbia, South Carolina:

1. Visit Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
2. Visit South Carolina State House
3. Learn about the Palmetto State at the South Carolina State Museum
4. Visit Another Interesting Museum - choices here or visit them all, including Museum of Art, EdVenture, and more
5. Visit Historic Homes - more choices... Robert Mills House, Hampton-Preston Mansion, South Carolina Governor's Mansion and more
6. Experience Lake Murray
7. Visit a National Park just outside of Columbia - Congaree National Park
8. Attend a Sports Event - more choices!
9. Visit a Local Park - many great choices here including: Three Rivers Greenway, Finaly Park, Riverfront Park, Saluda Shoals Park and many more
10. Day Trip! we're in the geographic center of the state so it's easy to get off for a day or two to another interesting place

Just recently, my wife and I visited (after joining) the historic homes of Historic Columbia Foundation (#5). We had a wonderful tour. Now is a great time to visit the historic Columbia homes with the Christmas decorations. Our pictures: #1 #2 #3 #4

Get out soon and get to know Columbia better with visits to some or all of the places and attractions on my list above. Please let me know what you think.

More information: http://www.columbiasouthcarolina.com/todo.html