Featured Home Community - Eagles Rest

EAGLES REST... beautiful traditional homes built near Lake Murray and between Chapin and Irmo, South Carolina. The developers have devoted 25% of the land in this community to common use preservation. This community features 16 estate lots, 32 garden homes and 167 single-family homes. There are sidewalks and walking paths in the neighborhood and a community pool will be built in 2010.

The all brick garden homes start in the 220s and go to the 290s. You will have the opportunity to upgrade to a wide array of various options in your custom-built home if you so desire. One very popular custom feature is the Florida room with fireplace. These homes are built by Shumaker Homes, family owned and operated in Columbia since 1965.

The single-family homes have a typical price range from the 220s to the high 300s. You may choose a home from an existing "spec" model home or build "your" home with the features you desire. You will enjoy the Shumaker commitment to building the highest quality architecturally designed and constructed new homes.

Another option is to buy an estate size lot (in the 70s) and select your builder to build a custom home.

This community is just minutes to Lake Murray, which is the water playground for central South Carolina. You're also only minutes to the highly rated schools of Lexington District 5 (Lake Murray Elementary, Chapin Middle and Chapin High). Also nearby are excellent medical facilities, parks, shopping and dining in Irmo and downtown Columbia.
Click here for more Columbia area information.

Want to tour or buy a home in Eagles Rest? Please be sure to contact Mel Coker. I have experience with selling many new homes and homes built by Shumaker Homes. When you have Mel Coker as your buyer's agent, you get professional representation, friendly service and a SPECIAL BONUS! With Mel Coker as your buyer's agent for a home in Eagles Rest, you will receive a $500 Lowe's gift certificate at closing! It's EASY... call or email Mel Coker for more information:
melcoker@remax.net
Toll-free: 888-528-2258 or office: (803) 749-5800 (ask for Mel Coker)

Click here for Mel Coker's exclusive Buying Guide for Columbia Real Estate.

Columbia, SC real estate: www.ColumbiaSouthCarolina.com/homes
Lake Murray: http://www.lakemurray-sc.com/

Community Spotlight - Wellesley

Your next home... Wellesley in Lexington , SC

I recently visited Wellesley in the Lexington area. This is a NEW home community with homes currently being built by Shumaker Homes. Homes (spec or build your home) are currently in the price range of about $170,000 to $225,000. Plans are for 1 and 2 story homes with 3-4 bedrooms and 2-3 bathrooms.

The homes...
Quaility built by Shumaker Homes, a quality Columbia builder since 1965. Various architectural styles and floorplans are available. Standard features are extensive and there are a wide array of optional features available for upgrade. What's really different here?? ALL homes are certifed green homes! GREEN standard features include: high efficiency HVAC systems, framing efficiencies, EnergyStar appliances, low-e windows, 3rd party performance inspections and much more. Each home is enrolled in the "Environments for Living Certified Green" program.
Click here for examples of current inventory - available for quick move-in

The community... a really convenient location near the intersection of U.S. Highway 378 and I-20. Located just minutes from I-26, U.S. Highway 1, and downtown Columbia or Lexington. Your children will attend Lexington School District One schools. This district is in the top 3 school districts in all of South Carolina. Designed with the family in mind, Wellesley will feature a large multi-purpose swimming pool, a summer kitchen, an Adventure PlayLand and an activity field.
Click for Community website

Mel Coker, your Columbia Realtor, knows Wellesley and about any and all specials available (such as all allowable closing costs paid by builder if using approved lender and closing attorney). Call Mel Coker NOW for a free and no-obligation tour of Wellesley . You'll be impressed! If you decide to BUY a home in Wellesley with Mel Coker as your buyer's representative (free representation), I will provide a $250 Lowe's shopping certificate at closing. Call Mel Coker at (803) 318-2007, or if you stop by Wellesley , please be sure to tell Jimmy Maddaloni or the on-site agent that Realtor Mel Coker sent you out.
Mel's Columbia, SC real estate website
Call (803) 318-2007

Buying or Selling a home in Columbia, SC?

NOW is a great time to BUY a home in Columbia, South Carolina! Home inventory is very good for resale and new homes... Interest rates are great! I'm off to a great start in 2008 with 5 sales already. When you're ready to buy or sell a home in the Greater Columbia, SC area, be sure to contact Mel Coker. I'll provide "Above the Crowd" service!


Besides a commitment to a high level of professional and friendly service, I'm introducing several new programs this year! Two are announced here now and a military relocation program will be posted here very soon.


If you buy or sell a home this year with Mel Coker as your Columbia Realtor, I will enter you into a drawing for a very special Thomas Kinkade framed art print. Based on the famous Biltmore House in Asheville (NC), Elegant Evening at Biltmore is a November 2007 release by Thomas Kinkade. I've had this limited edition print (24x36) framed beautifully. Everyone that buys or sells a home or property with me is automatically entered into a drawing that I will conduct by random selection in late December 2008. Click here to learn about this incredible limited edition Thomas Kinkade print.




I LOVE referrals. So, I have started a new referral program effective as of January 1, 2008. If you send me a referral that results in a closing, I will provide you with a Lowe's gift certificate in the amount of $150 (after closing). For a second referral (resulting in a closing) within a rolling 12 month period, I'll provide you with another Lowe's gift certificate in the amount of $250. For a 3rd closed referral within the rolling 12 month period, I'll provide you with a vacation stay of 4 days and 3 nights at our Hilton Head Island condo. This program ends on July 31, 2009. Your 12 month rolling period is protected as long as the first referral is made by 7/31/09. Be sure to remember Mel Coker when you know of someone needing to buy or sell any home or property in the Columbia area. Please call me with the referral in advance of my initial contact or have your friend or relative inform me that you made the referral. Thanks for your referrals!


To BUY or SELL, Talk to Mel.
http://www.melcoker.com/
(803) 749-5800 office
Real Estate for Columbia, Blythewood, Lexington, Irmo, Chapin and Lake Murray
"All Real Estate Agents Are Not The Same!"

State of the Real Estate - Columbia, SC

Mel Coker's Report on Columbia, SC Real Estate for 2007...

Personally, I’d term 2007 a moderately successful year. I closed 43 transactions in 2007 for a sales volume of $8.39 million. I met many new clients last year and 19 came to me through my Internet presence. My 2007 closed transactions covered the following areas: Irmo/Chapin 37%; West Columbia/Lexington 30%; Northeast Columbia/Blythewood 14%; Lake Murray 7%; Downtown Columbia 7%; Other areas 5%. In other words, I cover ALL of the Greater Columbia area.

For ALL Greater Columbia residential sales in 2007, the results were mixed with the nationwide slump finally hitting Columbia especially during the last quarter of 2007. For the year, the number of residential sales was down approximately 4.4% compared to 2006. The median sales price in 2007
($144,000) was up approximately 3.5% compared to 2006. The average sales price in 2007 ($174,139) was up approximately 2.4% compared to 2006. Other market measures showed somewhat negative results. Average “days on market” (DOM) in 2007 was up approximately 9.0% in 2007 and inventory accumulation was up 23.9% in 2007.

For a few popular areas of Columbia:

• Irmo/Dutch Fork areas: Closings UP 1.6%; Avg. price UP 4.1%; Avg. DOM UP 13.5%; Inventory Accumlation UP 35.1%
• Lexington areas: Closings UP 7.4%; Avg. price UP 4.7%; Avg. DOM UP 19.4%; Inventory Accumlation UP 10.6%
• Northeast Columbia areas: Closings DOWN 12.8%; Avg. price up 5.1%; Avg. DOM UP 7.8%; Inventory Accumlation UP 60.5%

Another interesting statistic that I examined was new home sales in 2007. For the year, new home sales were essentially the same as in 2006 (up less than 1.0%). During the first nine months in 2007, new home sales were running 4.2% ahead of 2006. However, during the last 3 months of 2007, new home sales were down 9.3% compared to the same period in 2006. NOW is the time to buy a new home with good inventory and special pricing incentives from a number of builders. Call Mel Coker.

The “average” real estate sales agent (I can’t call them Realtors, because not all sales agents are actually Realtors), sold about 6 homes in 2007. So, the “average” real estate sales agent doesn’t sell too many homes. If an agent is in the top 5% of Columbia area sales agents, this equals at least 37 (app.) closed transactions during 2007.

CLICK HERE to read the full report on a web page.

My cool accomplishments last year included:
1) induction into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame (January 2007), 2) membership in the CyberStars group, and, 3) the start of my Blog (September 2007). I’m looking forward to a great year in real estate for 2008! Please keep reading my blog.

My website Subscribe to my blog (free by email) Read the full report

Mel Coker
Columbia, SC Realtor