Located off of Longtown Road, the main thoroughfare in Longcreek Plantation, is the entrance and the model home for Long Cove. The new construction home community in Blythewood, SC is just getting started at the moment and has plenty to offer buyers looking for the opportunity to build their own home from scratch or purchase a field model that is already standing and available.  Long Cove has 12 floor plans to choose from, and is being built by Mungo homes, the largest builder in the Columbia, SC area. Homes feature hardy plank siding and start out in the high $200's and stretch North of $400,000.  Long Cove in Longcreek Plantation is currently zoned for award winning Richland Two Schools which include Round Top Elementary, Blythewood Middle School, and Blythewood High School. Long Co... 07/14/2018

Selling a Home in Blythewood, SC  So you want to sell a home in Blythewood, SC and of course you have already gone through the proper steps of cleaning, de-cluttering, neutralizing the house, and sprucing up the yard. So what's another thing you can do to help ensure success. Make the house available.  This is an often overlooked step in the process that can really make or break the sale of your home. To put it simply, if buyer cannot see the house, they cannot buy the house. And the more difficult you make it for them to see, the less buyers you'll have. When you start putting stipulations like 24 or 48 hours notice for a showing, sometimes buyers are in a rush and they will simply skip over that home. I have dealt with quite a few people relocating to the area that have to find a home... 06/06/2018

  The other day while out of town, I received a phone call from a nice lady that had just registered on my website to search for homes and had a few questions about a particular community. I took a few minutes to speak with her and see how I could help and answered all of her questions the best I could.  She was out of state and looking to relocate to Columbia, so she explained that her house was currently on the market and getting good showings, so she was ready to start looking for a new home here. At the end of our conversation, I asked her how she found me, and she simply said a blog, so I looked up her info on my CRM and there it was, a link to my AR blog about a patio home community that I had written and this made since as it was the community she had been asking about in the pho... 05/02/2018

 The Music Farm is a local concert venue in Downtown Columbia, SC on the edge of the city's Congaree Vista entertainment district. As my wife and I took Monkey there to perform in his first concert, I really thought his choice of a flowery shirt more than his size would make him stand out on stage. He is 7 and certainly looked like a little guy on that big stage, but he had a blast. 04/18/2018

  Anyone else have companies that put out "bandit" signs at busy intersections of their city that say "We buy Houses!" There usually handwritten and little more than an effort to dive headfirst into bait and switch advertising to make desperate would be sellers to call up an agent who then tries to talk them into listing.   Well, you can now catch the digital version of teh very same thing. Zillow, per an article on HousingWire, has announced what is being called a games changer in the industry. Zillow has announced that they will now be buying real estate from and selling real estate directly to the public. Plans are to test this new product in two markets, Phoenix and Las Vegas to be exact, they plan to start testing said markets later this month. So is Zillow really going to step in ... 04/13/2018

Selling a Home in Blythewood,  SC  If you are selling a home in Blythewood, SC, there are many things you can do to increase your chances of success. Price and condition will always be large factors in selling a home, as is location of course.  For the purposes of today's tip, we will focus on one thing you can do to the inside of the house to increase your chances of selling successfully and that is to de-clutter the house.  Since you are already planning to move, one tip to help de-clutter is to go ahead and start packing what you do not use. We all have things that we collect and many of us have items that we keep on display throughout of our house. But, when you are selling your Blythewood, SC home, you don't want to over do the decor.   If there are any smaller rooms in the house, ... 04/12/2018

  If you are selling a home in Blythewood, SC, there are many things you can do to increase your chances of success. Price and condition will always be large factors in selling a home, as is location of course.  For the purpose of today's tip, we will start by focusing on part of the condition portion of selling a home in Blythewood, SC. When preparing your home for sale, it's always a great idea to pay attention to curb appeal. The first thing that buyers see when the approach your house is the exterior. These days the first trip to the house to see it in person is basically the second showing. With so many virtual tour, photographs, and video walk throughs available online, buyers for the most part have a good idea that they like a house for sale in Blythewood, SC before they see it i... 04/10/2018

  While I can certainly understand that at some points in life and business that there is safety in a well timed retreat, there is success in a well times strike. So often we become complacent in the safety of our comfort that we forget that in order to succeed, there is a certain amount of risk that one must take.   I myself am not one to jump on the bandwagon of every shinny object that crosses my path, but once and a while you have to roll to dice to advance. People in general do not like uncertainty and who can really blame them when money is involved. I can assure you that the fear of loss is a more powerful motivator for most people than the hope of gain, but that all boils down to the same basic emotion that so often cripples our forward progress. FEAR.  You see the sad truth is ... 04/07/2018

  Ok so I guess that's not always entirely the truth. If you are a hunter or something of the sort, then there are certainly occasions in which camouflage and becoming a pert of your surroundings is a very good thing. But in terms of real estate, this nowhere near the best practice.   It's easy to do, don't get me wrong, blending in with the crowd takes very little effort. In fact if you are a Real Estate agent and you do nothing at all, you can simply blend right into the background, lost forever and tossed in a sea of mediocrity.   But if this is not the path you plan to take, then good for you. Rising about or beyond the crowd is the only way to ever truly succeed at anything and that's no different in real estate. Find the thing that sets you apart and then do it over and over again... 04/05/2018

  New Homes for Sale in Blythewood, SC Under $400,000  With new construction homes still setting the pace for our market, Blythewood, SC has remained no exception. Fortunately there are still plenty of new homes for sale to choose from and with builders like Mungo Homes, Fortress Homes, DR. Horton, and Essex homes all recently opening new home communities in Blythewood, SC, you now have more choices. Most of these new homes will start below $400,000.  One such new home community in Blythewood, SC is Long Cove located just across from Blythewood Middle School in Longcreek Plantation. Long Cove is brand new with lots still being cleared at the moment and features hardiplank sided new homes that start out around $275,000 and offer many stunning features like granite counter tops, tile and ... 03/31/2018

  When I was in high school, I thoroughly  enjoyed playing basketball. One day while playing in the gym a P.E. teacher asked if I would be willing to tryout for the school team. I did make the team and I did play all 4 years in high school, but it was a rocky start for me to say the least. I was very good at shooting and very good at pick up games with my friends, but as far as the true sport itself was concerned, I didn't really know that much. The coaches had to teach me that when playing defense, you always stop the ball first and that if you are an off the ball defender, you deny the ball and always remain between your man and the basket. I learned this lesson the hard way as I was a forward and kid that had been playing for many years scored about a 100 points on me during my scrim... 03/29/2018

  New Homes for sale in Blythewood, SC Under $300,000   If you are looking for new homes for sale in Blythewood, SC under $300,000, then you are in luck. With the market hotter than ever and builders busier than ever in Blythewood, there are plenty of homes for sale in Blythewood, SC for you to choose from. One such new home community is Longcove in Longcreek Plantation which has just opened the community model home.   Currently lots are being developed in preparation to start building the first field models, standing inventory homes that have not yet sold, in Longcove. These beautiful new homes for sale will feature hardy-plank siding and offer a wide variety of interior options that are sure to satisfy many buyers in the Blythewood, SC area.   In addition the new homes for sale in Lon... 03/23/2018

  While I was in line at my local grocery store one day, I looked up and saw a gentleman I recognized at the front of the line. I couldn't quite place him, but I knew I had seen him before. He was somewhat unhappy with whatever was transpiring at the register and as a result he spoke very harshly with the young lady ringing him up. he then demanded the manager come over and really had something of a fit right in front of everyone over what turned out to be an issue with his coupons. Now forever etched in my memory is the image of this guy going bonkers on a teenage girl so he can get a few bucks of 3 cases of bottled water. Flash forward a few days later and my office is going through the process of switching preferred lenders and they are introducing us to the gentleman that will handl... 03/19/2018

  I know that after the rupture of the last real estate bubble that the slightest sign of bad news can send waves of panic through sellers and with good reason. I know many people that lost their shirt as a result of the recession and many agent that were forced of the business as well.  Well, brace yourself, sales were down last month. But here's why that's not a bad thing for you if you plan to list your home this month. We had a minor drop in sales that has been widely attributed to one condition in the market. Not enough homes currently on the market.   That's right, sales are currently down because there are not enough homes on the market to sell. While traffic is still heavy and buyers are still out there is search of their next home, they have fewer and fewer choices. This has re... 03/15/2018

  Did you ever wonder why it is that you hear certain phrases over and over again and why they always seem to stand the test of time? Well, that's usually because the phrase is true or because it always holds true as good advice. So today we will focus on a phrase that I am sure everyone is familiar with, YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION.   It's true, so if you don't put your best foot forward from the start, you stand the chance of losing buyers that would otherwise be interested in your house. The fact is that your house could fit their needs in every other way, but if it doesn't show well, the buyers usually walk.    The fact of the matter is that these days buyers are looking for a move in ready home, rather than a project to make their own. They don't won't ... 03/12/2018

  I use real estate as an example more or less do to the fact that I myself am in real estate of course, but it's really the most difficult word in sales period. But if you can learn when and how to use it, then I assure you that you will save yourself a lot of time and grief. What's this magical word? NO.   I know it seems simple to just say it out loud while you're reading along to this post, but I can promise you that many people have a difficult time using it in their business and that's where it really counts. It's hard to look at a customer or potential client and say no.   Take a seller that wants to list a for too for higher than their home is worth. It does yourself and the seller no good to over price a house but sometimes it's hard to stand your ground and tell the seller no,... 03/08/2018

  New home communities continue to drive the market and set the tone for real estate throughout the Greater Columbia, SC area and Blythewood, SC is no exception. With several new home communities popping up along Rimer Pond Road between Hardscrabble and Wilson BLVD in Blythewood, it looks as if buyers will have many choices in the foreseeable future.  one such new home community in Blythewood, SC is Long Cove in Longcreek Plantation. In fact it's new enough that the finishing touches are still being put on the model home. It's a great time to start the search for you new home.  Search Blythewood, SC Homes for Sale 03/07/2018

  In business we are always trying to find a better way to get the most bang for our buck. At no point is this more true than when you are new to the business, because let's face it, it takes time to get going and when you're in a commission only career you might have plenty of time but you do not have plenty of money coming in from the start.   So with that in mind, hopefully this list will give agents, particularly the newer ones some good low cost and no cost ideas to get out there and meet some new people and hopefully create some business.10 - Work your sphere of influence - You are going to hear this one over and over again so I'll start by getting it out of the way first. The reason you hear it over and over is because it will be your most effective way to get business from the s... 03/03/2018

  I have written on the topic of learning to let things go once all is said and done and I can assure you that advice always bares repeating. Once a tough deal is done or you get jilted by a seller or buyer for that matter, it's always best to just move on and put things behind you. But what about when you are in the thick of things?   I can assure you from personal experience that there is nothing easy about remaining calm when others do not subscribe to the same practice, but I can also tell you it's for the best in the long run. Getting into a heated exchange with a client or another agent rarely ends well.   It only takes a second for the wrong words to slip out and once their out they can't be taken back. I have myself typed out an email to vent my frustrations and blast the other ... 02/26/2018

  Everyone understands what we mean by branding and creating name recognition right, so I won't go through the trouble of explaining that. I will however explain that when I ask if being a Realtor matters, I don't necessarily mean does it matter to thoughts that are Realtors. they pay their dues and joined, as do I, therefore I assume it matters to you. What I mean to ask for the most part is, does it matter anymore to the general public whose attention and  affection we so desire, or has the term Realtor itself simply become synonymous with being a real estate agent?  For the first several years of my career I hung my license with the largest brokerage in the Midlands. It was started by two individual that still ran the place when I got there. During the recession when everyone was dro... 02/24/2018