New Listings: Shandon/Lake Katherine

Last week, Amanda and I proudly introduced some good listings to Columbia's downtown real estate market. Two that come to mind are one on Wilmot in Shandon, and one @ Kilbourne/Whittaker in Lake Katherine.

The first home in the pics above is located in the heart of Shandon. 2824 Wilmot Ave. is a classic Shandon style home, but features some really nice upgrades. Shining floors, transoms, a good looking kitchen, and a slick new bathroom w/a granite double vanity are only a few of the goodies I can type about this house. The 2800 block of Shandon is truly in the heart of the neighborhood (2 blocks from Hand Middle), which is a primo selling point, in itself.

4323 Kilbourne Rd is located in another popular Columbia, SC neighborhood: Lake Katherine. Serving as the entrance home to fast selling Whittaker Dr, this corner-lot cutie is loaded with charm, and sits on a 1/2 acre piece of property. Hardwoods, transoms, smooth ceilings, and a killer front porch are a few features of 4323 Kilbourne.

Please don't hesitate to call or email fjones@cbunited.com or amandqpayne@live.com if you or anyone you know would like to view the interiors of these downtown Columbia charmers.

Both homes are move-in ready, and 5 minutes to anything downtown Columbia, SC. FJ.

Price Is Right! King's Grant $499,900.

19 W. Tombee in King's Grant Is Now The New Deal
If you know me, you're aware that I'm a big fan of the King's Grant neighborhood. For those who prefer newer homes and gated living, it's commonly regarded as a top-shelf neighborhood in downtown Columbia. Homes in King's Grant are rarely offered under the $500,000 mark. That said, 19 W. Tombee is not only "a deal," but an opportunity to get a serious house, in this neighborhood, "sub 500."

At almost 3,400 sf, 19 W. Tombee is a fun listing. With its open, clean, and fresh presentation, it feels spankin' new. The home is ideal for entertaining, as the spacious eat-in kitchen spills nicely into the family room area, and further still, to the awesome screened porch.

Click the links to get a good feel for the floor plan. At $499,900, this house shouldn't last long, as it's not often that a good home hits KG's market under $500K. I guess what I'm getting at is, this house is ripe and the price reflects it. Whomever puts the contract on 19 W. Tombee will be congratulated by folks around the neighborhood.

See you at the pool!!!

Good Times w/ Friends In Charlotte, NC

Tonight, 10 friends cruised up the map to the Verizon Amphitheater in Charlotte, NC. First and foremost, lets get clear on one thing: it was hot.

Second, the reason I'm using the pic above is because by the time I got everything straight with work, my phone's battery was done. With no phone, I couldn't take any pics so I swiped this pic from Facebook of Townes and her new striped twinkie/bestie. If you're wondering, that's the lead singer from TRAIN... not her husband Stephen.

Other than it being dripping hot, it was a good show. TRAIN came out first, and got the crowd goin' pretty good. I have to admit, if a member of TRAIN hit me in the melon with a can of Red Bull, I wouldn't know who they were. I know so little, in fact, that when a friend emailed a joke about "Meet Virginia" earlier today, I didn't get it at all... until they sang the pretty popular tune. Have to admit, felt like a stupe.

Maroon 5 came out next. My knowledge of the group is about the same as TRAIN, although I did recognize more of TRAIN's stuff. Either way, Maroon 5 was good, too. Both lead singers were pretty entertaining.

Charlotte's Verizon Amphitheater is an impressive venue. Of course it was hot tonight, but this place is clean and sports individual seating with wide aisles, a large common area to hang out and eat/drink in, and ample parking just across the street. Obviously, I have no idea what an amphitheater like this would cost to build, but this model would be a pretty cool addition to Columbia, SC.

It was a great show, and a great time was had by all. Even though it's late, I'm glad we returned tonight because waking up in a hotel room on a weeknight so close to the office (but so far away), may put me over the edge.

Columbia's Latest Closed Transactions

Downtown Columbia, SC MLS Closings - July 2011

Shandon Scalp & Home Values. Hmm...

Given all the "tree flap" going on in Shandon right now, there are dozens of questions popping up about a plethora of issues. "Can they bury the power lines?" "How can we stop them?" "Why does an out of state company have the contract to cut trees in Columbia, SC???"

One Facebook user (who happens to be a friend and client of mine) posed this question: "Does anyone know if there is a way to estimate any loss in property values - either for the neighborhood overall or for individual streets or properties? We're on Woodrow and I think anyone can agree that we got it worse than most streets. I feel sure any buyer would choose a comparable house located on another street in the neighborhood based on what happened yesterday." GREAT QUESTION!!

My late night quick answer to her post: "Neighbor!! I think it's great that you're so active on this page!! As far as property values go, you're good to go! I see what you're getting at, to be sure. That said, your property value shouldn't diminish (or rise) b/c of the pruning... an appraiser isn't going to give a credit or a debit to a tree trimming. As far as procuring a buyer is concerned, it will be an "eye of the beholder" thing (like any other property). Sure, someone may comment, "Well, snap... that house has a funny looking oak", but that won't come into play when "comps" are pulled. What I'm getting at is, some folks may care, and some won't... but it won't mess with the pure "value" of your house. Keep doing what we talked about, and you should be good. You have a great house, on a popular street, in a top shelf neighborhood! See you in 5 Points!"

Good for this Woodrow St. homeowner for being concerned about the value of her property, and the questionable direct hit an unsolicited, altered landscape may procure. I'll stick with my answer, but the short of it is... while the buyer pool may diminish ever so slightly (1 folk, maybe, in a world of averages), an appraiser is going to look at cold hard neighborhood comps (adjusted accordingly, if necessary) to get the value.

Just FYI for interested readers, the home she's typing about is a classic Shandon brick bungalow in the middle of Shandon, about two blocks from Hand Middle School. Primo!... complete with a pruned oak and power... via SCE&G.

Heathwood, SC Stunner Hits RE Market

"Magazine Cover" Worthy Heathwood Home For Sale

Sporting over 3,200 square feet, 1536 Tanglewood Rd. has 4 large bedrooms and 4 full baths.

Features of this gorgeous dwelling include "designer dark" hardwood floors, smooth ceilings, recessed lighting, and gorgeous moldings. The multi-level floor plan is ideal for the needs/wants of today's modern buyer.

The kitchen is complete with artful tilework, new appliances, and a commercial(esque) appliance package. As you can see from the first pic, this spacious area boasts a peninsula/bar and elevated hearth fireplace that flows into a "keeping room." Further, a cozy den is just off the keeping room. It's an awesome area, to be sure.

The formal living and dining rooms of "Tanglewood" are as gorgeous as any home in Columbia. These rooms, combined with the kitchen arrangement, make this home perfect for entertaining at any level.

"Tanglewood's" master suite is clever, to say the least. The large bedroom and sitting area transition nicely into a large dressing room and two (2) full baths. I'm going to let this set in for three seconds: One... Two... Three. His & Her's full bathrooms. Umm... Sound PERFECT??

The outdoor areas of this house are awesome, to say the least. There is a covered porch off the den, perfect for morning coffee. Three or four patios surround the home for a plethora of entertaining areas, or just for hanging out. The backyard is a gardener's canvas, and the attached two-car garage with ample storage is a generous bonus.

I could type all night about this Heathwood stunner. That said, I'll leave you with this description I'm borrowing from a good friend. 1536 Tanglewood Rd. is "Better than new! This place is PRISTINE, perfectly decorated, impeccably maintained, and replete with updates." You get the idea....

Call or email fjones@cbunited.com or amandaqpayne@live.com if you or anyone you know is ready for Heathwood life. As most of you know, this home is five minutes to anything in downtown Columbia.

The Shandon Tree Massacre of 2011

Shandon, SC 29205 Is Fired Up Over Tree Debacle

If you live in downtown Columbia, SC, chances are you've heard screams coming out of the historical Shandon neighborhood. Scream 1: The chainsaws and wood chip machines going full bore. Scream 2: The trees that are being sliced without regard to, well... anything. Scream 3: The Shandon residents watching their neighborhood landscape get transformed by a government contract.

No doubt, there are two sides and many explanations for what's going on. Thoughts and arguments range from "They're killing the trees!", "My whole property looks different now!", "We need power, tree lover!", to "What is a Texas tree company doing with this contract?!". All thoughts, to be sure.

Given all that is going on, this post could get pretty long. That said, I should mention the drum beat of the neighborhood has halted the carving for a day while a meeting takes place tomorrow at 11 to discuss the issue.

Whether you care about this or not, I need to mention that our elected officials and some other Shandon lovers/activists have really stepped up on this. Mary Greene, Carla Moore, Tina Cundari, Seth Rose, Belinda Gergel, James Smith and John Courson, et al, have at very least stalled the action for a day so folks can get a good grip of what is actually going on.

I've heard of a few plans of action. One stall tactic is for residents to park their cars on the curbs, to give the tree cutters an obstacle to deal with. More radical plans are to file a lawsuit, let the air out of the truck tires, and/or start asking for green cards (the green card thing would be a whole 'nother boondoggle, for sure). Most are waiting to see how the meeting goes tomorrow to react accordingly.

Stay tuned!!