West Columbia SC Real Estate Blog

West Columbia Real Estate Property Search better than ever in South Carolina

Exit Agape Real Estate Services in a continuing effort to provide the best possible service to its current and future customer and client base in West Columbia has vastly improved the search capability of their web-site. The site was specifically designed to enable anyone searching for a property to be able to get results quickly based on their criteria. The pre-programmed search parameters range from looking for starter homes all the way through luxury homes. The searches have even been broken out further to focus on specific neighborhoods. With a couple of clicks you can have every home in the Avenues pin-pointed on a map. You can then get a quick summary of each property by clicking the pin-point before opening the entire listing.

Our site is updated daily with the most current status of every listing from the multiple listing services. This allows our users to have access to every listing currently available throughout the entire midlands. In addition our site will be linked with Exit Sites throughout our state which will maximize the exposure to our seller’s listings.

We believe these improvements are crucial to the new internet savvy purchaser. By providing the best possible content we can be confident that we are giving our sellers the best possible exposure for their listings. We will be continuing to add relevant content on a weekly basis. We believe that it is extremely important for people to have as much information as possible when considering the purchase or sale of a home.

West Columbia has a rich history and is currently going through a redevelopment of its riverfront spurred on by the West Columbia Riverwalk greenway. The rhythm on the river concert series has become a very popular attraction that regularly draws three to five hundred people on Saturdays to the amphitheater located near the Gervais street bridge on the riverwalk. The concert series features a wide variety of live music and runs for ten weeks between April and June. There are good housing values to be found throughout West Columbia. The medium sold home price for the 29169 zip code in West Columbia for the last twelve months is $122,750. There were 290 homes listed in this same time period with 122 sold. This represents an inventory accumulation of 17.90%. The average days on market during this time period was 92 days. These statistics were compiled from data provided through consolidated multiple listing service.

West Columbia SC Real Estate for Sale
West Columbia SC Real Estate for Sale - Properties for Sale in West Columbia South Carolina. We also provide you with Advanced Market Segments such as West Columbia Startup Homes, West Columbia Median Homes, West Columbia Upscale Homes, West Columbia Luxury Homes, and West Columbia Homesites and Land for Sale in West Columbia SC. Surrounding Towns included are West Columbia, Irmo, Columbia, Lexington, Lexington County, Cayce, Gaston, Swansea as well as niche communities: Agape Village, Charwood, Churchill Heights, Edenwood, Forest Acres, Moss Creek, Quail Hollow, Saluda Gardens, Saluda River Club, Saluda Terrace, Shadblow, The Avenues, and Westover Acres. Exit Agapé Real Estate Services is your West Columbia SC and South Carolina Senior Real Estate Specialists. (803) 454-3504

Web Link: West Columbia SC Real Estate Property Search better than ever

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West Columbia SC Real Estate, Columbia SC – Joe Nester Realtor. EXIT Agape Real Estate Services is ready to serve your real estate needs in Lexington, West Columbia, Irmo, Forest Acres, and Columbia South Carolina. Our experienced agents have all the right tools to properly market your listing or to search for your perfect new home. We strive to exceed your expectations on every transaction. (803) 730-7269 or (803) 454-3504.

Top Ten Things You Need to Know When Buying a Foreclosure

1. Have financing in order.

You must have your pre-approval letter from your mortgage broker or financial institution when contemplating buying a foreclosure. Your offer will not be considered without it. Also, the delay caused by not having it could cause you to lose the deal.

2. Use a buyer agent that has experience dealing with foreclosures.

Pick a good real estate agent that has experience buying foreclosures. An agent will be able to help you negotiate with the seller and provide you with invaluable information about neighborhood values and trends.

3. Have a good contractor that can accurately estimate repairs.

You should have a really good grasp on how much it will take to fix the home before you make a bid. The property might seem like a really good deal until you find out it will take $30,000 to fix.

4. Use reputable inspectors when looking at condition of plumbing, foundation, roof, HVAC or any other mechanical system.

Do not skimp on inspections. The small amount of money you pay inspectors could potentially save you thousands of dollars. You must know what you are buying.

5. Do not be afraid to walk away. Be patient.

Do not get in a hurry. There are plenty of deals available. Every property you look at will further strengthen your knowledge about condition and price in various neighborhoods.

6. Determine how much of a project you can actually take on.

Do not bite off more than you can chew. The real estate landscape is littered with people that got in trouble by paying too much for a property that needed too many repairs.

7. Make sure the neighborhood is decent and not declining.

The neighborhood is extremely important in the potential resale value of the home. It will not do you any good to purchase a home $20,000 under market if you cannot sell it down the road.

8. Realize that what you are purchasing is in “AS IS” condition.

The seller will do no repairs; once you close on the property any defects in the property are now owned by you.

9. Do not waste your time or money purchasing foreclosure lists. A Realtor will have access to any foreclosure on the market.

Your agent will be able to provide you with foreclosure information for any neighborhood in which you are interested. What the companies that sell you lists don't want you to know is that foreclosure information is public record. I cannot stress enough the importance of using a good agent that will represent you in the transaction.

10. Keep an open mind. Sometimes the gems are hard to spot.

Sometimes a property on the surface will look very bad. It may be extremely filthy and smell bad. Try to look beyond the initial impression. Always focus on what it would take to restore the property and-- the most important thing,--what will it cost?

West Columbia SC Real Estate The Most Extensive West Columbia Real Estate Resource in South Carolina; at your fingertips; We understand your Real Estate Needs and are committed to serving you (803) 454-3504. West Columbia SC Startup Homes [under $125K] West Columbia SC Median Homes [$125K- $225K] West Columbia SC Upscale Homes [$225K - $450K] West Columbia SC Luxury Homes [over $450K] West Columbia SC Homesites and Land for Sale Agape Village West Columbia SC Homes for Sale Irmo Homes for Sale Columbia Homes for Sale Lexington Homes for Sale

West Columbia SC Real Estate, Columbia SC – Joe Nester Realtor. EXIT Agape Real Estate Services is ready to serve your real estate needs in Lexington, West Columbia, Irmo, Forest Acres, and Columbia South Carolina. Our experienced agents have all the right tools to properly market your listing or to search for your perfect new home. We strive to exceed your expectations on every transaction. (803) 730-7269
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West Columbia SC Top Ten Seller Tips

Top Ten Things Every Seller Should Do Before They Put Their Home on Market

1. Give the entrance to your home some curb appeal.
This on the surface seems like a no-brainer. Unfortunately a large percentage of sellers ignore this simple fix. Pressure wash the steps or walkway, replace the worn out mailbox, put up some new address numbers, paint the faded door, put a colorful potted plant near the entrance. Never ever have a deferred maintenance problem such as a cracked entry lamp or broken railing. The buyer will have an instant negative impression of the condition of the rest of the property.

2. Make the property easy to show.
Purchasers and agents do not want to have to jump through hoops to see your property. Instructions to have a prospective purchaser or agent call your office so that a neighbor can be notified to have a key available, or the property can only be shown between some narrow timeframe when most people are at work does not cut it. There are too many other properties that will be easier to show.

3. Make sure you know the right price.
Your property is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you live in a neighborhood with a lot of similar houses that are for sale, you will have to be very competitive priced. What you think you need out of a property has no relationship to what the property is worth. The market will always dictate the price.

4. Remove clutter.
Try to imagine yourself as a person going through your house for the first time. Move slowly through each room and really look at all of the surfaces. We become so accustomed to living with our stuff that we do not even see it most of the time. Clutter detracts from the important features of the home. There is too much to see. The impression becomes one of confusion for the buyer.

5. Define the space.
Make sure the buyer understands what the potential use is for each room in the home. A room that is used for multi purposes tends to be disjointed and confusing to a buyer. It would be better to showcase the space for a single purpose and store the other furnishings.

6. Tone down loud colors.
When you market your home, the idea is to appeal to the majority of the people that look at your property. You may have a very tastefully decorated room with a bold paint color on the wall. While the room may really appeal to some buyer’s, it will probably not appeal to the majority of buyers. A neutral color will seem less personal and more like a clean slate.

7. Make rooms feel as large as possible.
Sometimes furniture can overwhelm a space and make it feel cramped. Whenever possible you should look for ways to make the space feel larger. Sometimes it will be as easy as rearranging some furniture. In some cases it may be necessary to remove furniture from a room to get the desired effect.

8. Clean, Clean, Clean.
You must make sure your house is clean and does not have offensive odors. This is as critical as the curb appeal first impression. The buyer will absolutely be thinking about how fast they can get through your home and back outside if there are bad odors. A dirty kitchen or dirty bathroom is an instant turn-off. Later it will be the only thing the buyer will remember about your house.

9. Light, Light, Light.
Make your rooms as bright and airy as possible. Do not cover up windows with blinds and heavy draperies. Well lit rooms appear larger and more welcoming. Make sure the windows are clean also. A nice French door with dog slobber on the glass is not good.

10. Little extra touches are nice.
Fresh flowers on a kitchen table, a nice place setting on a dinning room table, fresh towels and colorful soaps in a guest bath are easy ways to add some appeal. Do not be afraid to do some staging of the property. Remember when you put your home on the market it is not about you. It is about the home. The prospective purchasers must be able to see themselves living in the space. The less you detract from that vision the better.
 

West Columbia SC Real Estate for Sale

West Columbia SC Real Estate for Sale - Properties for Sale in West Columbia South Carolina. We also provide you with Advanced Market Segments such as West Columbia Startup Homes, West Columbia Median Homes, West Columbia Upscale Homes, West Columbia Luxury Homes, and West Columbia Homesites and Land for Sale in West Columbia SC. Surrounding Towns included are West Columbia, Irmo, Columbia, Lexington, Lexington County, Cayce, Gaston, Swansea as well as niche communities: Agape Village, Charwood, Churchill Heights, Edenwood, Forest Acres, Moss Creek, Quail Hollow, Saluda Gardens, Saluda River Club, Saluda Terrace, Shadblow, The Avenues, and Westover Acres. Exit Agapé Real Estate Services is your West Columbia SC and South Carolina Senior Real Estate Specialists. (803) 454-3504

West Columbia SC Startup Homes [under $125K]	West Columbia SC Median Homes [$125K- $225K]	West Columbia SC Upscale Homes [$225K - $450K]
West Columbia SC Luxury Homes [over $450K]	West Columbia SC Homesites and Land for Sale	Agape Village West Columbia SC Homes for Sale

West Columbia SC Real Estate, Columbia SC – Joe Nester Realtor. EXIT Agape Real Estate Services is ready to serve your real estate needs in Lexington, West Columbia, Irmo, Forest Acres, and Columbia South Carolina. Our experienced agents have all the right tools to properly market your listing or to search for your perfect new home. We strive to exceed your expectations on every transaction. (803) 730-7269 or (803) 454-3504.

For Sale By Owner Makes Sense
Your West Columbia SC Real Estate Specialist

There are many different reasons why property owners choose to go it alone when it comes to selling their home (FSBO). The most obvious reason is commission. The owner may not have enough equity in the property to pay a commission, especially in a down market. Some sellers would rather control who is entering their property, and some sellers feel that they know the property best and will be able to point out the assets better to prospective purchasers. Realtors have always looked at for sale by owner (FSBO) properties as possible future listings. How can one person possibly compete with thousands of realtors and the consolidated multiple listing services?

There is no question that the system of having a central database for all property listings in a local market has been very successful for decades. Marketing the seller’s property through this listing service was, in a lot of cases, all that was required to sell the property. The listing agent was typically not concerned with bringing the buyer to the deal. Very successful listing agents could have 30, 40 or more listings at one time. A buyer relied on an agent and the real estate company for any information about the properties for sale. In essence, the real estate companies controlled the information. This put the (FSBO) property at a huge disadvantage. The only person that had that property information was the seller.

The internet has completely changed the flow of information with a lot of industries, real estate included. Buyers no longer need to rely on a real estate company for information about properties. Properly marketing a property today is more sophisticated and requires companies to embrace the new technology to provide the best possible exposure for their clients. The realtor today that lists a property with little or no internet presence has as big of a disadvantage as the (FSBO) did ten years ago.

Some of the most brilliant minds in the world will tell you that numbers do not lie. The numbers for purchasers that search for their next property on the internet are staggering. According to an article on the National Association of Realtor’s web site in Sept, of 2008, Danielle Hale, Research Economist, states, “84 percent of all buyers identified the internet as a source in their home search. including 87 percent of first-time buyers, 82 percent of repeat buyers, 79 percent of new home buyers and 85 percent of buyers of previously owned homes.”

Exit Agape Real Estate Services has invested a lot of time, energy and money into developing a great internet strategy for our clients. Our goal is to provide the maximum amount of internet exposure for our client’s listings. Let us show you how our positions on the largest internet search engines and how our exclusive Exit marketing tools not only will allow purchasers to find your property, but also will allow your property to shine.

West Columbia SC Real Estate for Sale

West Columbia SC Real Estate for Sale - Properties for Sale in West Columbia South Carolina. We also provide you with Advanced Market Segments such as West Columbia Startup Homes, West Columbia Median Homes, West Columbia Upscale Homes, West Columbia Luxury Homes, and West Columbia Homesites and Land for Sale in West Columbia SC. Surrounding Towns included are West Columbia, Irmo, Columbia, Lexington, Lexington County, Cayce, Gaston, Swansea as well as niche communities: Agape Village, Charwood, Churchill Heights, Edenwood, Forest Acres, Moss Creek, Quail Hollow, Saluda Gardens, Saluda River Club, Saluda Terrace, Shadblow, The Avenues, and Westover Acres. Exit Agapé Real Estate Services is your West Columbia SC and South Carolina Senior Real Estate Specialists. (803) 454-3504

West Columbia SC Real Estate, Columbia SC – Joe Nester Realtor. EXIT Agape Real Estate Services is ready to serve your real estate needs in Lexington, West Columbia, Irmo, Forest Acres, and Columbia South Carolina. Our experienced agents have all the right tools to properly market your listing or to search for your perfect new home. We strive to exceed your expectations on every transaction. (803) 730-7269 or (803) 454-3504.