Lake Murray Home Sales Update

What's happening with Lake Murray home sales?
The summary answer is: number of sales down somewhat, prices are stable overall, lots of current inventory with an especially large number of million dollar homes for sale.

I analyzed home sales over the current year and past 2 years (sales through September 30th of each year). Significant findings:

• Number of sales down 18.9%
• Average and median prices UP slightly 4.87% - 6.0%
• Avg. Days on Market for closed transactions has remained stable over the 3 years at around 100 days
• The Avg. $ per square foot for closed transactions has remained stable over the 3 years at around $188 to $193 per square foot
  

Regarding "average" prices, a property with a significantly better home and/or lot will demand a much higher price than average.

For current homes for sale at Lake Murray:

• Lots of inventory (208)
• Average "asking" prices somewhat higher than past year's actual closed results

Another interesting fact: There are currently 38 homes for sale over $1 million. In each of the past 2 years, there were only 3 sales per year of million dollar homes. So, lots of these homes will not sell or will be on the market for a long-time. Certainly, there should be real buying opportunities with these homes!

For my complete Lake Murray home sales analysis in PDF format, CLICK HERE.

When you are ready to complete a Lake Murray real estate transaction, be sure to contact Mel Coker. I can assist you with buying an existing home or waterfront lot. Also, I offer the best marketing program to get your home sold in this very competitive market, along with a very competitive commission rate.

Watch for my Columbia real estate sales report coming soon.

Mel Coker
Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI
(803) 749-5800
www.ColumbiaSouthCarolina.com/homes
http://www.lakemurray-sc.com/

Myrtle Beach Vacation

A REAL DEAL to visit Myrtle Beach

(from Columbia Realtor Mel Coker)!

My wife and I are owners of a timeshare unit at the highly rated Marriott's Ocean Watch Villas at Grande Dunes resort. This resort is one of the highest rated resorts in all of the Mrytle Beach area. Click here to read TripAdvisor reviews.

Location... Great! Located in the quiet end of Myrtle Beach, the resort is located on a beautiful stretch of Atlantic Ocean beach. Nearby are: Coastal Grand Mall, Carolina Opry, Dixie Stampede Dinner and Show, Broadway at the Beach, Barefoot Landing, numerous popular restaurants, and much more. There are over 100 golf courses within a short drive of the resort. Marriott’s Ocean Watch Villas is one of Marriott Vacation Club’s top golf resorts and offers the very best in Myrtle Beach timeshare. It's also an easy drive from Columbia (SC) with S.C. Highway 22 connecting off U.S. Highway 501 and going almost directly into the resort.

Resort Amenities... Great! The star attraction, of course, is the Atlantic Ocean. There are three adult pools, two children's pools and a children's club. Adults can enjoy the state-of-the-art fitness center or take advantage of secluded whirlpool spas placed throughout the resort.

Villa Amenities... Great! Your luxurious condo includes: Spacious two bedroom, two bathroom villa, approximately 1,156 square feet, with washer and dryer; A private balcony with an ocean or garden view; Full service kitchen includes refrigerator, oven and dishwasher; Master suite features a king size bed and private bath with oversized soaking tub and separate shower; Guest suite includes two queen size beds; Flat screen TVs are in both bedrooms and the living area.

Click Here for a Virtual Tour of Mariott's Ocean Watch Villas at Grande Dunes

With Marriott Timeshare ownership, you can experience the peace of mind that comes from owning beautiful, spacious resort vacations every year for the rest of your life.
Enjoy spacious villas * Avoid "vacation inflation" * Pass It On (it's a deeded property) * Go When You Want flexibility * Spend What You Want with Pricing Flexibility * Flexibility to Exchange for other Exciting Vacation Destinations

Click Here to Learn More About Marriott Timeshare Vacations

Ready for the REAL DEAL? Normally, Marriott offers a Special 4 day, 3 night Preview Package at a great rate (Only $199 from 10/1 to 5/15 in Marriott approved accommodations or $299 for travel between 5/16 and 9/30). It gets even better if you contact Mel Coker directly to arrange your VERY SPECIAL PREVIEW PACKAGE. With my relationship with Marriott, I can offer a 4 day and 3 night package for only $99 any time and you will stay in the villas. This is a really great deal!

Fall and early Winter are a GREAT time to visit Myrtle Beach!

To set up your Ocean Watch at Grande Dunes Preview Package,

call Mel Coker (803) 749-5800

email Mel Coker at melcoker@remax.net

There are limited eligibility requirements, including: Attendance at a 90-minute timeshare presentation is required. Program is for couples or individuals with an annual income of $75,000 or more.

Clean Air in Your Home

How's the air in YOUR home?

Research has found that in homes across America, the quality of indoor air can be worse than outdoor air. Problems can arise from moisture, insects, pets, appliances, radon, materials used in household products and furnishings, smoke, and other sources. Effects range from minor annoyances to major health risks. Remedies include ventilation, cleaning, moisture control, inspections, and following manufacturers' directions when using appliances and products.

Click Here for Mel's Home Clean Air website

Changing AC & furnace air filters in your home is probably the easiest and most effective way to have clean air in your home. I see way too many dirty air filters in homes that I show to prospective home buyers. I highly recommend buying premium filters. Basic and inexpensive fiberglass filters should be changed every 1-2 months and premium filters can ususally be changed every 3 months. Do you know your filter size(s) and when was the last time you changed your filter?

Dirty Filters I've seen lately (I see plenty of this!)

The Coker's Change Filters Quarterly!

Click Here to Buy Quality Air Filters at LOW prices

Radon is a significant contaminant that affects indoor air quality worldwide.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is NOT typically a problem in central South Carolina (Lexington, Richland, Newberry, and Kershaw counties). However, The US EPA, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, and National Safety Council recommend testing your home for radon because testing is the only way to know your home's radon levels.

Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive. You can do it yourself with a short-term test kit. These kits typcially include the lab analysis as part of the cost.

I did the testing in my Lexington County (SC) home this week. I ordered one kit from the National Safety Council and another kit (First Alert) from Amazon. Both kits arrived within about one week. The kits are less than $13 each and include analysis after the kit is mailed back. One kit was out for 2 nights and the other kit was out in my home for 3 nights. I mailed the kits back on Monday and Tuesday of this week and both had results posted online today (Thursday, September 24th). My results were 1.1 and 1.2 pCi/L. The Lexington County average test result from radon.com is 1.6 and the USA national average is 1.3. So my results were very low. A test result above 4.0 pCi/L would indicate a need for radon remediation. If the radon level in your home is between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L, the EPA recommends that you consider
correcting the problem in your home.

Go to my Clean Air web page to order your radon test kit.

For more home clean air information, tips, and links, please view my NEW Home Clean Air website. It covers air filters, radon, mold, moisture, Home Tour potential problem areas, and much more.

Click Here for Mel's Home Clean Air webpage

NEXT Blog... Take a Myrtle Beach vacation (at a great price!)

Mel Coker

Save Money On Home Improvement

Ready to start a Home Improvement Project? I may be able to help! (at least with helping you save some money)

I am an affiliate member of Carolina Wholesale Floors. This company offers excellent products and service out of a very nice showroom in Columbia. You can only get in with a card from a member. I offer, upon request, a FREE admission card to this awesome showroom. On most products, the discount is 40% off of the listed price in the showroom.

Carolina Wholesale Floors has the following products available and on display: carpet, hardwood floors, ceramic and porcelain tile, stone, area rugs, laminate or vinyl.

Call or email Mel Coker for your FREE member referral card. I will mail this to you (or stop by my office). Visit my webpage for more information.

I'm also a member of the Lowe's Realtor Benefits program. As a member, I can offer real benefits to my clients and friends. Visit this webpage to request a FREE 10% off coupon (on up to $5000 with limited exclusions). I can also send you my HGTV/Lowe's email with access to helpful videos and a 10% off coupon. Just send me an email with your name and email address.

Also, please request my FREE Lowe's Client "Inside-Out" E-Newsletter. Just send me an email with your name and email address. I'll set you up for the FREE monthly email newsletter. This newsletter will contain helpful hints and tips, new and innovative products and projects, and periodic money-saving coupons at Lowe’s. It's FREE and with NO obligation of any kind... be sure to request this!

Ready to buy or sell real estate in Columbia, SC? Be sure to contact Mel Coker.

Click here for Mel's Real Estate website or call (803) 749-5800

NOW is the Time for First-Time Homebuyers!

Opportunity of a lifetime for first-time homebuyers? Maybe so!

NOW is a Great time to buy a home for anyone... and, now especially so for first-time homebuyers.

Reasons to BUY NOW: Build equity (increase net worth)... deduct mortgage interest and property taxes on federal and state tax returns... lots of home inventory... LOW interest rates... prices in general have slowed or remain steady and now Congress has enacted a law to encourage home ownership for first-time homebuyers (The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008).

Quick Facts About NEW Law Provisions for First-time Homebuyers:

• The tax credit is available for first-time home buyers only. (anyone who has not bought a home for the last three years is eligible)
• The maximum credit amount is $7,500.
• The credit is available for homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009.
• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
• The tax credit works like an interest-free loan and must be repaid over a 15-year period (it's an interest-free loan!).
• The home owner does not have to begin making repayments on the credit until two years after the credit is claimed.
• If or when the home is sold, the remaining credit amount would be due from the profit on the home sale. If there was insufficient profit, then the remaining credit payback would be forgiven. (THIS provision is BIG... it's almost a guarantee or protection that the home value will increase during the period of the tax credit payback)

More information:

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit - National Association of Home Builders

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Summary - National Association of Realtors

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit FAQ - National Association of Realtors

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit - About.com

I have created a special website: First-time Homebuyers Guide

This covers home-buying benefits and 9 steps to buying your first home. I have also created a RENT vs. BUY comparison that shows the huge savings when you BUY a home. CLICK HERE for the rent vs. buy comparison

Home Buying = Wealth Building!

Ready to BUY a home in Columbia, South Carolina? Contact Mel Coker.

Columbia, South Carolina Real Estate

Call (803) 749-5800

South Carolina's Military Bases

The Miltary has a very strong & beneficial presence in South Carolina...

The State of South Carolina has a long and significant military tradition from the Revolutinary War to the present war on terror. Our state also has a signifcant presence of military bases which provides a strong economic impact for the state and local communities. Many military retirees also choose to live in South Carolina for retirement. In fact, per capita, South Carolina has more military retirees living in our state than any other state in the United States!

In South Carolina, we have the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and a Joint National Guard Base. Did you know?

• A total of $7.3 billion in sales accrues annually to South Carolina businesses because of the military’s overall presence in the state
• Across South Carolina, a total of nearly 142,000 jobs are directly or indirectly supported by the presence of the military (or, approximately 8% of total employment in SC)

I have created a "Military Bases in South Carolina" web page at my Columbia "A to Z" website. CLICK HERE to visit this webpage and to learn about each military base/depot in South Carolina.

Also on this web page are summaries and links for several excellent miliatry museums in South Carolina including: Patriot's Point in Charleston, Medal of Honor Museum at Patriot's Point and the South Carolina Relic Room and Military Museum in Columbia. I highly recommend all of these fine museums!

Mel Coker's "Military Bases in South Carolina" website

Ready to BUY or SELL a home in the Columbia area? Contact Mel Coker at RE/MAX Metro. Call (803) 749-5800 and ask for Mel Coker.

School Bells Ring!

Columbia, SC schools start this week...
Schools have started in the Greater Columbia area this week. Please be sure to drive carefully in the vicinity of schools and school buses. Slow down and observe lower speed limits near schools (the cops are watching) and remember to NOT pass a stopped school bus.

I have a "School Districts Links" page at my Columbia "A to Z" website with Columbia area school district links and much more. Click Here to visit.

On this web page you will find the following informational links:

• Columbia area public school districts
• Columbia area private schools
• S.C. Department of Education links
• "Cool" Homework assistance/Other educational links
• Links to "529 Plan" info, including the S.C. Future Scholar
  College Savings Plan, and South Carolian LIFE and HOPE scholarship programs

UPROMISE COLLEGE SAVINGS

If you're a parent of a child (especially very young child), you SHOULD investigate UPROMISE. Very simply, this FREE program turns your everyday spending into college savings for your child or children. Hundreds of companies (Amazon, Sears, Best Buy, Exxon, CVS, Publix, Piggly Wiggly and many more) will contribute to your FREE account when you make a purchase (some only with online purchases). Earn by registering your credit cards and grocery cards in your free online account or by shopping online. You can also get others registered in your account (like grandparents or others without their own children using Upromise) to help accumulate money for your child's college account. NOW is a great time to sign-up as UPROMISE has a $100,000 College Dream Sweepstakes effective through September 30, 2008. Visit my schools web page and click on UPROMISE to get started.

Ready to BUY or SELL a home in Columbia, SC?
Call (803) 749-5800 or email Mel Coker
Visit Mel Coker's Columbia Real Estate website

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