What are Escrows When Dealing with Columbia SC Real Estate

I always get one question when I am about to close a Columbia SC Real Estate Home.  Once we go over the HUD statement, the question always comes.

“What are these Reserves set up for the lender?”

Well my friend, they are what we call escrows.  Most lenders want you to escrow your taxes and insurance so you can be sure that these items are paid and kept current on your Columbia SC Real Estate.

Why is this?  Many people default on their taxes, resulting in a tax sale.  With escrows, your mortgage company has this money, your money, in reserves and pays the taxes and insurance on your Columbia SC Real Estate home on your behalf.

Another thought from my not so cynical mind is that they want this money in their reserves.  They make interest off of this money sitting in their accounts.  Imagine.  You are paying about $100-$200 a month for escrows.  Roughly $1500 a year on a $100,000 house within the Columbia SC Real Estate market.

$1500 is not that much money.  Multiply that by the hundreds of thousands of people the mortgage company has.  Now that is the big picture.

Of course, you can always decide not to escrow and pay the taxes yourself.  I have had many people do this.  At closing, the standard fee is 3/8% of the purchase price.  They charge you upfront not to escrow.

All these are thoughts to keep in mind when purchasing Columbia SC Real Estate~!

Closing Costs In Columbia SC Real Estate

Often I get questions about closing costs from my Columbia SC Real Estate Buyers.  They seem to be a mystery to most people, so I wanted to get it out there, so people can know and understand exactly what closing costs are.

Typically, closing costs are considered part of purchasing a house.  They are the fees associated with closing a house and or getting a loan on a Columbia SC Real Estate home.  No matter who you are, unless you have some great friends, you will have closing costs when you purchase a house.

When speaking with a lender, they are required to give you a Good Faith Estimate which is an estimate of your closing costs. Some of the closing costs you will incur are:

* The down payment

* Loan fees (points, application fee, credit report)

* Prepaid interest

* Inspection fees

* Appraisal

* Mortgage insurance

* Hazard insurance

* Title insurance

* Document Fees

*Attorney Fees

Since the State of South Carolina is a Buyer’s Preference state, the purchaser picks and pays for the attorney.

Within Columbia SC Real Estate, the purchasers closing costs are often negotiable, meaning the purchaser can ask the seller to pay for part or all of their closing costs.  Typically, closing costs run roughly 3%, sometimes more and sometimes less.

If you have any questions on Columbia SC Real Estate closing costs, please ask!

Also see, What is Columbia SC Real Estate earnest money?

208 Upland Trail Road - Green Hill Parish New Listing Columbia SC Real Estate

What can I say, I love homes. Rarely though do I see a property within the Columbia SC Real Estate market that I think to myself, “I have to have this house!” Well, 208 Upland Trail Road located in the Green Hill Parish Neighborhood just outside of NE Columbia SC Real Estate is the house. It is that house that stands above all others. It is the house that the most discernable buyer can call home. It has everything…and then more.

Located just a few miles from The Village at Sandhills, off of Spears Creek Church Road, Green Hill Parish is a stunning neighborhood of high end Brick and Hardy Plank homes. With luscious green spaces, a community center with large pool, parks and common areas, this neighborhood provides a family atmosphere with all the amenities that high end Columbia SC Real Estate purchasers desire.

208 Upland Trail Road is that house. That house that people desire for!

Sprawling 3350 Square Feet, with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, this house is large enough for entertaining as well as enjoying family time with one another. Solid brick with hardiplank accents, this sturdy piece of Columbia SC Real Estate will last the times.

Beautifully decorated with designer paints and textures, this home truly sings and blows the competition out of the water.

Inside the home you will find Hardwood floors throughout the downstairs. Walk into the living room and you will notice the extremely high cathedral ceilings with plenty of natural light. This large living room is a stunning place to entertain friends and famly.

Walk into the kitchen and you will notice the beautiful Granite counter tops along with the hardwood floors. With that, you have Stainless Steel GE Profile appliances. The amount of cabinet space and counter space is unparrallel to any house I have seen. With a large island in the center, with a solid surface cook top, you can both enjoy cooking while entertaining with this wide open floor plan.

The dining room, located off the kitchen, is stunning. With heavy moldings, this will quickly become where you want to eat each meal each day.

The master bedroom is large…very large. With his and her closets with ample storage place, all your shoes and clothes are at arms reach.

The attached master bath has 2 separate vanities, with water closet, whirlpool tub, and stand up shower. It is truly a retreat that you can enjoy each and every morning.

Upstairs, the first bedroom has it’s own private bathroom as well as walk in closet. All the bedrooms have ample closet space and are larger than most.

As well, you have a fully finished FROG with large closet (could be 5th bedroom). It is truly a great place to entertain, have a fun movie night, or a play room.

In the rear of the house you have a large deck to enjoy the Columbia SC Real Estate Markets sun. In addition, you are fenced in with super high end aluminum fencing.

The front curb appeal is a landscapers dream. With palms, palmettos, great greenery, and not to mention the perfectly maintained grass, you will enjoy this each and every day as you walk past towards the park, or pull in to your spacious 2 car garage.

This home is truly that, a home for the person who has the exquisite taste and can enjoy such a home.

If you have any questions on 208 Upland Trail Road, please do not hesitate to contact your Columbia SC Real Estate Agent.

Search for Columbia SC Real Estate

While I know that you enjoy the articles I write on my Columbia SC Real Estate blog, there is more than likely one primary reason you come to this blog.  That is to conduct an easy, user-friendly Search for Columbia SC Real Estate.

Whether you are a buyer or seller, you are more interested in either finding a home, or finding out what your Columbia SC Real Estate is worth.  My search tool covers our entire MLS.

On my home search tool, you can search for homes in many different ways.  Whether you want an area map, neighborhood information, or you want to get down into the nitty gritty of beds, baths, price, size, and other ammenities, you can do it all right here!

Once you are ready to Search for Columbia SC Real Estate homes, just click the link.  You will be taken to a map, and be able to choose your area, and draw down to almost any information you could possibly want to choose.  There are some great Columbia SC Real Estate neighborhoods out there, so be sure to search by neighborhood as well!

If there is anything I can do to assist you in finding the perfect Columbia SC Real Estate home, please do let me know and do not hesitate to contact me.

Ascot Irmo SC Real Estate Best Houses

We all know the neighborhood called Ascot in Irmo SC Real Estate.  I have written about it before.  It is that neighborhood everybody strives to live in.  It is the Columbia SC Real Estate Neighborhood that everyone who is anyone lives in, if they desire to live in the Irmo SC Real Estate area.

I want to cover, just for fun, a couple of the best and most expensive homes in the Ascot Neighborhood of Irmo SC Real Estate.

The first one, located on Cotting Court in Ascot Estates is a stunning 5640 square foot mansion.  Built for a king, this Irmo SC Real Estate home has 6 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.  It is entirely complete with landscaping, pool, large kitchen, as well as all the comforts of the Ascot Neighborhood in Irmo.

Listed at a mere $850,000 , this house will make anyone happy!

House number 2 for the Ascot neighborhood in Irmo SC Real Estate is located on Cotting Court as well.  What does this tell me? If moving to Ascot, buy a house on Cotting Court!

With 4 Bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms , and nearly 7400 square feet , this house is large enough to be the White House as well as nice enough for the queen of England.

This estate sits on 3.5 acres.  If that is not enough, imagine an owners suite, as well as chef’s kitchen as seen below.  Heavy woodwork accents this houses tasteful decor.  The price? A mere $1.1 million.  This is definately the crown jewel of the Ascot Neighborhood in Irmo SC Real Estate.

If you have any questions on Ascot, Irmo SC Real Estate, or Columbia SC Real Estate , please do not hesitate to contact me via email at nhjacksonrealty@gmail.com

See Also, Quail Valley Neighborhood Columbia SC Real Estate.

Lexington SC Real Estate Foreclosures Bank Owned Homes

On the Columbia SC Real Estate Blog, each week I am going to cover the best foreclosures in specific areas such as Irmo, Lexington, Chapin, etc.  Today, I am going to start this off covering a couple houses within the Lexington SC Real Estate Market.

I have talked about Columbia SC Real Estate Foreclosures many times before, and how you can make money on them.  I love investment properties and they are my favorite to sell.

Within Lexington SC Real Estate, we have a number of homes on the market.  Of course, many of them are new, and builders are slashing prices.  New homes in Lexington SC are an abundant part of the market, and they can be picked up for a great savings.

In addition to the New homes in Lexington SC, we have some great foreclosures as well!

I am going to start off with 234 Palmer Drive within the Golden Hills Neighborhood.  Golden Hills in Lexington SC Real Estate is a prestegious Golf neighborhood located right off of 378 in the middle of Lexington.  Rarely will you find a deal in here, much less a foreclosure.

Featuring 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, this home was built for a king.  Having 3700 square feet, there is plenty of room!

This beautiful home is listed over $50,000 below market value and is in near move in condition.  If you are a Columbia SC Real Estate investor or buyer, this would be a great home.

In one of my favorite neighborhoods, Kellers Pond in Lexington SC Real Estate, which was built by Essex Homes, we have one of the first foreclosures available.  This brick/vinyl home is 2170 sq feet and contains 3 bed and 2 bathrooms.  It does have a 2 car garage.  Listed at $175,900, this beauty will not last long.

If I can be of any service in showing you these beautiful properties, please let me know!   My email address is nhjacksonrealty@gmail.com

Buy Foreclosures in the Columbia SC Real Estate Market

Foreclosures have become a sign of the times within the Columbia SC Real Estate Market? There are several, well, more than several homes in foreclosure or that have been foreclosed on in the Columbia SC Real Estate Market.

Currently, there are tons of deals within both the Irmo SC Real Estate market as well as the Columbia SC Real Estate market.

Imagine purchasing a home off of Nursery Road for under $50/sq foot. It doesn’t need that much work!

Why is it the time to buy foreclosures in the Columbia SC Real Estate Market? Banks need money! Banks are not in the business of owning real estate. They are in the business of loaning money and making money on the interest. Banks want to liquidate their Columbia SC Real Estate Foreclosures and put the money back on the market to lend out to buyers and make their interest.

Across the country, such as in Fort Lauderdale Real Estate, banks are liquidating foreclosures and other bank owned property below value…way below value.

If you are an investor or even an owner occupant and wish to purchase a foreclosure or any home in the Columbia SC Real Estate Market, please contact me.

N. Hunter Jackson

803.609.5214

nhjacksonrealty@gmail.com

West Columbia SC Real Estate - New Listing 234 Newfield Drive

When looking to purchase Columbia, SC Real Estate, you have a lot of options.  Knowing which area to be in, such as Lexington, Irmo, Chapin, Columbia, West Columbia, etc is extremely important, and more than likely the most important decision you will make.

West Columbia SC Real Estate is a great area to live in.  Within West Columbia, you are close to anything and everything.  5 minutes from Lexington, 5 minutes from Downtown Columbia, and about 7 minutes from Irmo. I 26 and I 20 are right around the corner.  Also, you have all the great food of West Columbia at your fingertips.

The other day I received a call from someone out of the blue.  Hunter, come list my house. You were referred to me by a happy client.  Well, I came and Listed their house.  This beautiful piece of West Columbia SC Real Estate is known as 234 Newfield Drive.

Located right off of Leaphart Road, this solid brick, 1 story house will definately make someone smile.  Coming in at just under 1200 Square Feet, this house has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Not only is it a great house, It is on an awesome corner lot.  With just at .75 acres, this lot is huge!  Fully fenced in, this house has a beautiful amount of fruit trees for those sweet treats we all love.

Did I mention it had a pool?  Imagine spending those hot Columbia SC Real Estate days, many reaching over 100 degrees, lounging beside the pool and jumping in for a dip.  Does it get any better?  I don’t think so.

In addition to all the above, this house has a 1 car garage.

If you are looking for a great home close to Columbia SC Real Estate, as well as Lexington SC Real Estate, this is the house for you.  Contact me today and let’s take a look!

Columbia SC Real Estate Neighborhoods - What makes a great neighborhood?

Columbia SC Real Estate neighborhoods are the bread and butter of any Columbia South Carolina Real Estate agent.  Within the different communities, such as Irmo Real Estate, Lexington Real Estate, Chapin Real Estate and of course Lake Murray Real Estate, there are several great neighborhoods.

I have written in the past on Quail Valley in Columbia, as well as Forty Love in Chapin and Ascot Irmo SC Real Estate.   These are 2 prime examples of neighborhoods which have a staying power in this market.  These homes sell well in any market, as well as they have a desire.

These 2 neighborhoods are polar opposites of each other.  These neighborhoods highlight differences for key different buyers and sellers.

Of course, Forty Love is a higher end neighborhood located in the Chapin part of Lake Murray.  This neighborhood has homes that can reach over $1 million.  However, Quail Valley is a strong, central middle class neighborhood which has been around for decades.  The prices of Quail Valley rarely reach above $230,000.

What makes a great Columbia SC Real Estate neighborhood you ask?  There are obviously a good couple of items I could point out.

First and foremost, in my opinion, is staying power.  Do people move every 2 years out of the neighborhood?  Are there a lot of foreclosures or bank owned homes in the neighborhood?  Does the Columbia South Carolina Real Estate neighborhood fee like a tight knit community.

If you answered yes to all these, more than likely your neighborhood will always be at the top in sales with lower days on market.  If you have a desirable neighborhood, ie: one that does not have a huge amount of inventory on the market, buyers are less likely to be able to get the price down on your home.

If you have a tight knit neighborhood, such as Quail Valley, where people stay upwards 30 years and everyone knows everyone, your neighborhood will seem safe, secluded, and most importantly desirable.

A realtor who I look at who knows about true neighborhoods, how they are valuable in the hyper local sense of Real Estate is Greg Swann of Phoenix, AZ Real Estate.  He works key areas within Phoenix and makes it his business to know each person, home, and the history of each home.

If you have any questions on your neighborhood, please do let me know.  I would be happy to help in anyway I can.

Staging Your Columbia SC Real Estate !