One of Real Estate’s Biggest Myths: Newspapers Sell Houses

It is amazing how masses of people can believe something that is absolutely untrue. The greatest example of this is that at one time the vast majority of people believed the world to be flat. Read more

Why Hire a Real Estate Professional to Sell Your Home

Anyone in the real estate industry for any length of time realizes that the education required and the resources necessary to be a true industry professional have dramatically increased over the last two decades. Read more

Columbia home sales up 16% in January

Home sales in the metro Columbia market jumped nearly 16% in January as the residential real estate market appears to be on the rebound, S.C. Realtors reported Wednesday. Read more

Kitchens Sell a House

It’s a tool used by house flippers all across the nation. Stagers know its power. Real estate agents push its importance. What is this not-so-well-kept secret of real estate? A kitchen can sell a house. Read more

Real Estate Outlook: Home Prices Fall

Home prices were on the downswing in the third quarter, according to the latest report from both the Case-Shiller Index and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The indices found that while levels were below third quarter 2010 numbers and the annual rate of decline for the last quarter range from 3.6 to 3.9 percent.

“Home prices drifted lower in September and the third quarter,” says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Indices. “The National Index was down 3.9% versus the third quarter of 2010 and up only 0.1% from the previous quarter. Three cities posted new index lows in September 2011 – Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Seventeen of the 20 cities and both Composites were down for the month. Over the last year home prices in most cities drifted lower. The plunging collapse of prices seen in 2007-2009 seems to be behind us. Any chance for a sustained recovery will probably need a stronger economy.” Read more

S.C. Home Buyers Not Riding Turnaround Wave…Yet

Home buyers continue to hang back in South Carolina even as an economic turnaround is gaining strength.

Home sales plunged in every area of the state in November, putting half of the state on track to finish worse than in 2009, with the Columbia area in last place.

There are some positive signs in the Midlands: More people signed contracts to purchase homes in the coming months and – after months of decline – the number of new homes being built has leveled out. Read more