Only 2 Lots Remain in Hamlet Park!

Looks like our agent Karen Clowney has been busy! Karen has been selling new construction homes in the Hamlet Park neighborhood located in Southeast Columbia. Only 2 lots remain!

Contact Karen to find out why “buyers are rushing to buy in this lovely community. With over 14 different plans and many designer choices building, ”Your Home, Your Way” has never been easier.”

For more information on Hamlet Park, click here. Read more

6609 Dare Circle – SOLD!

6609 Dare Circle
Columbia, SC 29206

(Map)

Listing Price: $169,900
Square Footage: 1,809
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2

6609 Dare Circle has SOLD! If you have a house you want to sell, please contact us. We’d be happy to meet with you and show you how we are selling real estate much different than others!

Stage it Green Using the 4C’s

Staging a home for sale involves a number of key things to do and here are four of my top things. I call them the “4 C’s” in home staging (and they’re considered “green staging” in this way as well): Clutter free, Clean, Color and Creative.

Clutter Free

Turn chaos into order and peace. Americans are the largest consumers in the world. We have too much “stuff” everywhere! When you want to sell your house you need to go through room by room and remove excess items. Leave space between items, on the walls, and floor to show off the architectural features of the house. Read more

How to Help Boost Your Appraisal

 

According to the National Association of Realtors, a whopping 33% of all contracts were cancelled in January, 2012. This is up from just 9% in January 2011. NAR says one of the primary reasons for these elevated levels of cancellations is due to low appraisals.

Looking to sell your home or do a refi? Then you may need to boost your appraisal.

Here’s how:

Check Comps

While it’s technically the appraiser’s job is to derive a base for your home’s value based on the recent sales prices of homes that are comparable to yours — comparable in terms of location, size, condition, and age (in this order) — you need to do your due diligence as well. Get about 6 comps ahead of time. Start your research on Zillow. Read more

9 Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Home

Conventional wisdom, as it relates to houses, is often too much convention and not enough wisdom.

Every year, somebody publishes a list of which conventional home improvements will give you the best (or the worst) return on your remodeling investment.

Remodel a bathroom. Replace your siding. Don’t build a swimming pool. Paint everything neutral colors.

Sit up straight. Get a haircut. Call your mother. Read more

A Guide to Taxes as a Homeowner

Hey there, homeowner! We’re happy you’ve got a slice of the American dream, and you’ll get the tax breaks that go along with it. In fact, some of these tax incentives apply to even a second home. Ooh la la!

Whether you bought, sold or just happily lived in your home this year, we’ll walk you through all the tax stuff you need to know.

Just skim the “If you …” headers to find the sections that affect you.

If You Paid Interest on Your Mortgage … Read more

Home repairs: Which jobs come first?

Lean times call for budgetary triage. But while you should clearly opt for orthodontics before Disneyland, the choice is tougher when it comes to home maintenance.

Should you get a paint job or a new furnace? “There’s no homeowner’s manual that tells you when to do what,” says Naperville, Ill., home inspector and structural engineer Mark Waldman.

Emergencies aside, the project that could cause the most damage and expense if left unfixed is the priority. Below, the order in which to tackle your biggest repair needs. Read more

Know Your Expenses Before You Buy

For many, homeownership is still a dream. Moving from renting can seem like it’s an impossible mission.
But if you plan ahead and carefully budget, the goal of homeownership can be yours.

When budgeting how much home you can afford, it’s important to understand and anticipate the costs of owning and maintaining a home. Here are a few things that some first-time buyers forget to include. Read more

Welcome to Our Newest Agents – Scott Stephens, Cheryl McEntire and Stephen McCardle!

The Mather Company is proud to welcome our newest agents: Scott Stephens, Cheryl McEntire and Stephen McCardle.

We are privileged to have y’all on our team, and proud to have y’all representing The Mather Company! Read more

Your Real Estate Choices Today Will Matter Later

Decades from now when you retire, you are going to take a look at your income and assets to see if you will be living a comfortable retirement. One big portion of your retirement picture will probably relate to real estate. You may have paid off a home, and/or rental properties; and that would be great! Or you may still be paying a fairly large amount on your home mortgage or paying rent each month to a landlord.

Obviously, the scenario where you are still paying monthly for your housing is not an optimal scenario. Luckily, you can do a lot to increase the chances that the real estate you own will have been a net wealth builder over your lifetime. You do this by educating yourself and reducing the risk on real estate you buy and own. It is the real estate choices you make decades before you retire that will probably will be the difference between a comfortable retirement or living on social security to social security check (Note: We all know that Social Security may not be around a few decades from now). Read more

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