South Carolina is a NICE Place to Live!

NICEST place to live?   May just be SOUTH CAROLINA.

A nice place to live?  South Carolina.  A rude place to live?  Ohio.   Marchex, an advertising technology company, conducted a survey of over 1/2 million phone calls to various customer service numbers.   Highlights and the lows:

South Carolina is #1 in courtesy (lots of "Thank you" and "Please")
Ohio is #1 in "Most Likely to Curse" AND #5 in "Least Courteous"

My unscientific BEST and WORST places to live based upon my analysis of this study:
BEST: South Carolina
Other nice places: Arizona, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia.
WORST: Ohio
Other crude places: New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennnessee

Ready to leave one of the CRUDE states (Ohio, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Tennessee)?    Contact Mel Coker when you're ready to move to Greater Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia, Lake Murray, Irmo, Chapin, Lexington) and mention "South Carolina is NICE" and you will receive a $500 Lowes Gift Card at closing (offer good December 7, 2013 thru December 31, 2014.

Lake Murray Sunset - Photo by Mel Coker

Mel Coker
Realtor - RE/MAX Metro Associates
Columbia, SC Real Estate

Where are the Greater Columbia Area Registered Sex Offenders?

So, where are the Greater Columbia (SC) registered sex offenders?
Everywhere, unfortunately.
And, they are everywhere in other places all over the USA too.

Recently, I saw an article that indicated the highest percentage of registered sex offenders  in the USA were in Arkansas.  This made me wonder how the various areas in Greater Columbia compared to each other.   Early in 2013, I had completed my 500th real estate closing, so I decided to list the top 14 zip codes by number of my closings (accounting for 88%) and then make comparisons.   All zip code areas analyzed were below the South Carolina average percentage and significantly below that of Arkansas.

One zip code, 29036, was significantly lower for the number of registered sex offenders than any of the other 13 zip codes.  The 29036 zip code is an area Northwest of Columbia and includes the town of Chapin, surrounding area and many homes on Lake Murray.   The four zip codes with the lowest percentages in my analysis were 29036, 29072, 29229 and 29073.

Two zip codes, 29045 and 29070, were significantly higher than other zip codes.  The four highest percentages for registered sex offenders in my analysis were 29045, 29070, 29170, 29016.

View the Analysis by Mel Coker HERE.

Resources for Sex Offender Registries:
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
CriminalPages.com
Safety Tips for Children

Created for information purposes only and to remind home buyers and homeowners of resources to check information related to this important topic.


Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
To BUY or SELL in Greater Columbia, contact Mel Coker.
(803) 388-8011
Columbia, SC Real Estate

Change Your HOME HVAC Air Filters

The MOST simple and best return on value for home maintenance?
Regular changing of home air filters!

I change my home air filters quarterly:  March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31.
I use NORDICPURE Air/Furnace Filters.  The quality if as good or better as Filtrete and are priced much better with FREE shipping.  I use NordicPure brand filters with MERV rating of 8 to 12.

Order here with FREE shipping (minimum quantity of 6)

 
Go to the NordicPure page and click on AIR, then click on the left column for the size filter you need. As an example of pricing, 20x24x1 filters for MERV rating 10 are only $8.84 EACH when buying 6.   Similar quality filters for 3M brand are about double this price.

Change your home air filters regularly with high quality NordicPure filters!

We buy NordicPure AC filters!  Great pricing, free shipping and fast delivery.

Mel Coker changes filters quarterly

Mel Coker 
Columbia, SC Realtor
 RE/MAX Metro Associates

What is Your Home or Start Page?

A "COOLER" OR BETTER HOME (START) PAGE?
Get it from Mel Coker.

The first web page that I personally wrote HTML for was my own HOME page.  It was finished and posted to the World Wide Web way back on September 24, 1995.  That was over 18 years ago - in the very early days of the Internet.   And, that page is still there.

www.ColumbiaSouthCarolina.com/links.html

Check out my personal home/start page above.  It's got most everything you need on one clean page:  Google search box (and Bing, Wikipedia, Amazon) and the best links for news, weather, sports and financial.   Also, there is more: South Carolina links, travel, health & fitness, government and even my newest link for Diffen - compare almost anything (under the cool section).  All the BEST links are on this one page.

Please take a look at my HOME page and consider making it YOUR HOME PAGE.

Mel Coker's Home Page

Mel Coker
Columbia Realtor
RE/MAX Metro Associates 

Veterans Day 2013

TODAY IS VETERANS DAY!
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.  

PLEASE take 4 minutes to watch this video:  I FOUGHT FOR YOU

History of Veterans Day website

Veterans Day is 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!

Mel Coker
Columbia, SC Realtor


 

Recommendation: Bugman Pest Elimination

BUGMAN PEST ELIMINATION: Recommended by Mel Coker

I have recommended Bugman Pest Elimination Company for termite inspection letters during my entire career in Columbia SC real estate.  They also did the termite pest control treatment for my new home construction about 10 years ago and currently perform my quarterly pest control treatment too.  I can easily recommend this company.

Bugman was established in 1983 and is a full service, locally owned and family operated pest elimination company.  The company is owned by Steve and Karen Borden.  Visit the website to get the 15% off ANNUAL SERVICE coupon.

Call Bugman today and tell them that Mel Coker referred you.
Call (803) 951-3111. 

CLICK for the Bugman Pest Elimination Website

 

Bugman - Recommended by Mel Coker

 Mel Coker
Columbia RE/MAX Realtor
(803) 388-8011 
 

RE/MAX Balloon - 35 years old in October 2013

The RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon is 35 Years Old in October 2013



Ready to BUY or SELL in Columbia, SC?
Contact: Mel Coker RE/MAX Metro Associates
 (803) 932-2144
  Website | FACEBOOK

What's MOVING You? Retirement in Columbia, SC

What's MOVING You?   Retirement?
Call Mel Coker for Columbia, South Carolina real estate including: Lake Murray, Lexington, Chapin, Irmo and Northeast Columbia.
Call Mel at: (803) 388-8011.
Web:  www.BuyAColumbiaHome.com

Columbia is a great place to call home for retirement:

• Nice weather
• Friendly people
• Reasonable home values and taxes
• Significant Tax Breaks for retirees
• Lake Murray
• Golf Courses
• Excellent Medical Care Facilities

Mel Coker - Columbia, SC Realtor

New Columbia, SC Real Estate Website

BuyAColumbiaHome.com

Mel Coker's newest web domain to reach out to Home Buyers and Relocation prospects:
BuyAColumbiaHome.com

Please take a quick look at my 5 page website.  Thank you.

Screen Shot of Mel Coker's New Website

Mel Coker
Columbia, SC Real Estate
RE/MAX Metro Associates
Irmo, SC
(803) 223-6214

Columbia, SC - The Center of Popularity!

South Carolina is a GREAT place to live!

Just recently...  GREAT recognition for South Carolina and the Greater Columbia area.

MYRTLE BEACH - only 3 hours from Columbia - named one of the TOP BOARDWALKS in the United States and a top travel destination on TripAdvisor.
CHARLESTON - only 2 hours from Columbia - TOP CITY in the WORLD TO VISIT by Conde Nast Magazine!  And, consistently rated by TripAdvisor as a top travel destination.
LAKE MURRAY - named one of the TOP TEN lakes in the United States for boating and living.  Click Here to learn more about Lake Murray.  Only 15-30 minutes outside Columbia.
RIVERBANKS ZOO & GARDEN - consistently named as one of the TOP ZOO's in America and located just outside of downtown Columbia.
CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK - Yes!  A National Park just outside of Columbia, SC and named by Travel + Leisure as one of America's Most Underrated National Parks.
COLUMBIA - A great place to live whether you're at Lake Murray or in downtown Columbia,  Irmo, Lexington, Chapin, West Columbia or Northeast Columbia.   We have a reasonable cost of living and friendly people. 
And, recently Kiplinger's magazine named Columbia one of the TOP TEN PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES TO LIVE.
SOUTH CAROLINA - named by Kiplinger Magazine as one of the TEN MOST TAX-FRIENDLY STATES FOR RETIREES!

OK... what are you waiting on?  Reasonable home prices, reasonable cost of living and

taxes, friendly people, great weather and fun things to do await YOU in Columbia, South Carolina.  Call Mel Coker for answers to your questions or for listings of homes that match your home search criteria.

Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
Office:  (803) 223-6214
Cell: (803) 318-2207
Internet  |  email  |  FACEBOOK  |  Columbia  |  Lake Murray

Tax Benefits For Senior Citizens in South Carolina

I found an interesting document online that explains TAX BENEFITS (and more) AVAILABLE TO SENIOR CITIZENS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

South Carolina is a GREAT place to call home and live in retirement.  One benefit is especially for homeowners in South Carolina:
At AGE 65,
Homestead Tax Exemption – first $50,000 of the fair market value of a house or mobile home owned by a state resident of at least one year is exempt from municipal, county, school, and special assessment real property taxes. Exemptions provided to surviving spouses who are 50 or older and anyone who is legally blind or has a permanent disability, regardless of age. Apply at county auditor’s office on or before July 16. (Code 12-37-250)


CLICK HERE for the link to the document:

Retired and ready to move to South Carolina?  Already in South Carolina and want to
sell or buy a home?   Call Mel Coker, your Seniors Real Estate Specialist serving Columbia, Lake Murray, Chapin, Irmo, Lexington and Northeast Columbia.

Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
(803) 223-6214
www.MelCoker.remaxagent.com
email:  melcoker@remax.net
  

Back From Vacation in Mexico (again)

We're back from our 13 night vacation in Mexico - 7 nights in Cancun and 6 nights in

Playa del Carmen.  We had a wonderful time.  But, it's time to get back to selling real estate and blogging again.  Some interesting articles will follow soon.

Here is a link to some pictures from the fun in Mexico:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111756218960143808289/CancunPlayaDelCarmenJuneJuly2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink


Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
www.MelCoker.remaxagent.com

First Time Home Buyer - Columbia, SC

NOW is the time to BUY a home!

Why pay rent (almost like throwing money away) when you can BUY a home? Congratulations to David for closing today on his first home today! (in the photo Tom Anderson, closing attorney; Delaine Law of Mortgage Options; David Ray, first-time home buyer). Photo by Mel Coker, David's Buyer's Agent.

Ready to BUY your first home?  Call Mel Coker at (803) 318-2007
Mel Coker is at RE/MAX Metro Associates.
Columbia MLS Search



Tom Anderson, Delaine Law and David Ray

 

May is National Grilling Month

May is National Barbeque (GRILLING) Month

To celebrate, I will give away 2 grilling kits!

To be eligible…

· LIKE my FACEBOOK business page

  or if you have already done this, just “LIKE” this post.

· Live in Richland, Lexington or Newberry county

· One entry per person  |  Retail value app. $35

Contest runs from this FACEBOOK post thru May 31  |  Winners announced on this page on or about June 1

MY FACEBOOK Business Page:

www.Facebook.com/columbia.lakemurray 

What MOVES You?

500 Closings!

Yesterday, I closed my 500th transaction during my 15 years in real estate!

Thank you to my buyer client, Joe Hodges, for purchasing an investment property in the Chapin area.  This was his 4th real estate closing with me and my 500th closing overall since I entered the real estate business in 1998.  Joe received an appropriate gift at closing for being number 500.  It was a pleasure to close this transaction with my recommended closing attorney, H. Thomas Anderson.   I don't have exact numbers on this, but, I'm sure he has closed at least 1/2 of these 500 transactions.

Mel Coker, Joe Hodges, Tom Anderson at Closing

The sales volume for these 500 transactions is $83.4 Million.    As the chart below shows, the highest number of closed transactions has been in the following areas: St. Andrews/Irmo/Chapin, Lexington and Northeast Columbia and Lake Murray waterfront.

When you're ready to BUY or SELL in Greater Columbia, contact MEL COKER.  Mention "500 closings BLOG" and when you close with Mel Coker as your Realtor, you will receive a $250 LOWES GIFT CARD at closing (offer expires 12/31/2013).

Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
Columbia, South Carolina
(803) 223-6214
Internet - Columbia Real Estate

South Carolina's Highest Mountain?

Quickie TEST...
Highest point in South Carolina?

It's Sassafras Mountain at 3,553 feet elevation in Pickens County in the Northwest corner of South Carolina (and on the border with North Carolina).  I've been up on the summit many years ago.

Now, the S. C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), along with other public and private groups, is working to protect and improve access on the mountain.  Recently, the access road has been improved and an observation platform added.  Soon, other improvements will feature new trails, including a barrier-free section, and other public-use facilities such as restrooms.

But, the biggest news... a unique observation tower on the summit is proposed with architectural and engineering work later this year and construction beginning in 2014 if fundraising proceeds on time.  The observation tower will give visitors a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and even Tennessee.  The project will be privately funded and donations are needed.

MORE INFORMATION on the Sassafras Mountain Improvement Project.
 
Donate at least $100 and a brick paver will be placed at the site in your name.  I've made my donation today.  And, you can make your donation by clicking here.

More Sassafras Mountain Information:
Wikipedia   |  SummitPost.org  |   Improvement Project Announcement

Help build this with your donation - click on the link above.

 

(images used with written permission of S.C. DNR)

Mel Coker
 

 

Columbia, SC Realtor - Contact Mel Coker

I am a REALTOR for all of your Columbia, SC real estate needs. Believe it or not, not all real estate agents are Realtors. Call Mel Coker to buy or sell in Columbia, Lexington, Irmo, Chapin and at Lake Murray.

NOT ALL REAL ESTATE AGENTS ARE THE SAME!

Mel Coker can assist you with buying or selling in Columbia, SC.  
Call (803) 223-6214
Visit my Columbia MLS Search Site

Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
Columbia, SC 
email

Search COLUMBIA, SC Multiple Listing Service

It's NEW... Mel Coker's RE/MAX Search Site:
Search on your own for Columbia, Irmo, Chapin, Lake Murray, Lexington, Northeast Columbia, West Columbia and more.
Ready to BUY?  Contact Mel Coker at (803) 223-6214.

CLICK HERE: RE/MAX MLS SEARCH FOR COLUMBIA, SC

Mel Coker
RE/MAX Metro Associates
(803) 223-6214
www.MelCoker.RemaxAgent.com