What's Happening at Lake Murray - October 2016

October 2016 - This blog article starts a new monthly series - "What's happening at Beautiful Lake Murray".
Future monthly updates will be posted about the middle of each month.  I'll cover lake levels, forthcoming lake events and a brief real estate update.


Lake Murray Water Level, etc. - October 31
Lake level - 354.6  (last month this time 355.5)
** Typical high elevation in summer is app. 358' and typical winter low  elevation is 354-355' **
Water Temp (top) - 70.5 (last month this time 80.4)
Today's Temperatures - High  82; Low  58  (Average for this day:  68 high / 47 low)

Lake Level Chart Since January 1, 2014

For more information regarding "Lake Murray Environmentals", visit my webpage:
www.lakemurray-sc.com/temps.html


Upcoming Lake Murray Events

Timberlake Country Club Holiday Market - November 2nd
Lake Murray Visitor Center Christmas Open House - December 10-11
Columbia Boat Show - February 12-14, 2017
A Taste of Lake Murray - March 30, 2017
4th of July Celebration & Fireworks on Lake Murray - July 1, 2017
FLW Forrest Wood Cup - August 11-13, 2017 (Biggest bass fishing tournament in the USA!)


Quick Real Estate Update

September 2016 Analysis (Single family homes only; 100 ft. minimum water frontage and 1000 square feet minimum)
Lake Murray areas include Irmo & Chapin (MLS area 20); Prosperity/Newberry County (MLS area 21); Lexington (MLS area 23) and Saluda County (MLS area 22).

25 Closings (11 in area 20; 4 in area 21; 1 in area 22; 9 in area 23)  (23 closings in Sep. 2015)
UP 8,70%
Average Closed Price: $506,440  ($489,288 in September 2015)
UP 3.51%
Average "final" List Price: $534,188  ($508,952)
Average Square Footage: 2865
Average Days on Market: 148


More Lake Murray information from Mel Coker:
Lake Murray Search For Homes 
Lake Murray Website


Happy Halloween!


Mel Coker
Lake Murray Resident & Realtor
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants
(803) 318-2007
email:  melcoker@remax.net

Buying a Home in Columbia, SC is Cheaper Than Renting!

Why Buying a Home in Columbia, SC. Is Cheaper Than Renting

GUEST ARTICLE: By Hannah Goodman of Trulia

Whether you are looking for an inexpensive place to retire, a quiet place to start a family, or your very first starter home, consider Columbia, South Carolina. This southeastern capital city gets more than 300 days of sunshine a year and offers a variety of activities and attractions for all ages. With an average listing price of just $137,500, there’s an affordable home in Columbia to be found for every budget. In fact, a recent study by Trulia showed that Columbia ranks in the top three metros where buying a home beats renting for retiree’s, just behind New Orleans, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The report assumes a 30-year fixed rate mortgage with a 20 percent down payment and 25 percent tax bracket for households moving every seven years.

Where Buying a Home Beats Renting
U.S. Metro	Median Home Value, Mar 2016	Median Rent, Mar 2016	% Cheaper to Buy a Home Than Rent, Mar 2016
New Orleans, LA	$168,870	$1,450	-52.3%
Baton Rouge, LA	$159,362	$1,350	-51.3%
Columbia, SC	$121,115	$1,150	-51.1%
Detroit, MI	$61,363	$850	-50.6%
Fort Lauderdale, FL	$208,049	$1,750	-49.7%
Birmingham, AL	$124,897	$1,100	-49.1%
Philadelphia, PA	$134,208	$1,200	-49.1%
Miami, FL	$249,326	$1,975	-48.7%
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$110,757	$1,095	-48.4%
West Palm Beach, FL	$228,703	$1,850	-48.1%
Note: Negative numbers mean that buying costs less than renting, while positive numbers means buying is more expensive than renting.

Not sure where to start on your house hunt?  Young people and students will be happy in Rosewood, with its close proximity to University of South Carolina, Midlands Tech and Fort Jackson.  The older generation will likely find the perfect home to fit their needs in Earlewood, a quiet residential area just a few short minutes from Downtown Columbia’s many amenities. 

Lake Murray - Another Popular Choice For Greater Columbia Living!

Lake Murray and Columbia are in the Bargain Belt of Real Estate Values!

Columbia, SC is in the Bargain Belt!

TRULIA recently posted an article, "Housing in 2016", that identified COLUMBIA, SC as being in Markets to Watch in 2016.  This area is labeled as the

Trulia Reports:  Columbia, SC is in the Bargain Belt!

the "Bargain Belt" of affordable housing.   Columbia, SC was #7 in a national survey of markets that have strong potential for growth.

Key components of the analysis included: strong job growth, high affordability, high number of inbound searches and a large share of millennials.   For the full and informative article, CLICK HERE for 2016 Housing Predictions.

Columbia is a GREAT place to live.   We also have pleasant year-round weather, highly rated school districts, fun recreational opportunities and Lake Murray and a vibrant downtown area.

Ready to move or have questions?  Contact Mel Coker at (803) 318-2007.   I am a life-long Columbia area resident and currently live on Lake Murray.

(Trulia information and graphic used with permission of Trulia).



Mel Coker
Realtor, ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO, MilRES
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants - Chapin, SC
(803) 318-2007
Columbia & Lake Murray MLS search: http://mel.bestlakemurrayhomes.com
Lake Murray Blog:  www.LakeMurrayBlog.com

Mel's Lake Murray Overview

Watch my Lake Murray ANIMOTO video - it's just 2 minutes with a quick overview of Lake Murray.

Or, click this link for YOUTUBE.

Mel Coker
Lake Murray Realtor
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants - Chapin, SC
(803) 318-2007

Lake Murray MLS Homes Search

Happy New Year from Lake Murray

Happy New Year from beautiful Lake Murray!

Is this the year you move South to Lake Murray?  Lake Murray is South Carolina's beautiful lake located just outside Columbia, SC.  Make your SMART move in 2015... move to Lake Murray and contact MEL COKER for Lake Murray real estate professionalism.

Contact Mel Coker - your Lake Murray Realtor & Lake Murray Resident
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants
(803) 318-2007
email Mel Coker

SEARCH Lake Murray MLS

2014 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Murray

The biggest bass fishing tournament in the United States?  
It's the FORREST WOOD CUP and it will be hosted at beautiful LAKE MURRAY from August 14-17, 2014.

This is the second time for the Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Murray.  This lake is a great lake for bass fishing & living!  Lake Murray was previously named in the Top Ten Lakes in the United States for Living & Boating by Boating Magazine.

CLICK HERE for Forrest Wood Cup Tournament Information

Randall Tharp proudly displays his first-place catch at the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup. (Photo by Kyle Wood).  Used with permission.

Television crews will film the event for later broadcast; the launch site daily is Dreher Island State Park; daily weigh-in is each afternoon at Colonial Life Arena in downtown Columbia.  This tournament has a $500,000 first prize!   And, there is more:  FREE Rodney Atkins concert, FLW expo with gear for sale and the Bass & BBQ festival.  More information, click here.

Want to possibly WIN a Ranger Bass Boat?   Click Here to enter the  Forrest Wood Cup Ranger Boat Giveaway presented by WCOS   (one entry per person - enter contest thru August 16, 2014)

Finally, if you visit and fall in love with beautiful Lake Murray, you may want to live on the lake.  I can help you with that!  I live on Lake Murray myself and really know Lake Murray.   Call, email or visit my website for further information.

Mel Coker

RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants
Named BEST REALTOR at Lake Murray - 2014
(803) 318-2007  |  email Mel Coker
Lake Murray MLS Search

Live Happy at LAKE MURRAY!

Do you live in an UNHAPPY CITY?  The U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research just released a study with a listing of the unhappiest metro areas with a population of over one million.   Weather is a big factor in being happy and many of the 10 unhappiest areas have really cold and hard winters.  Another factor for stress in the unhappiest cities are high housing costs.  Some of the cities have severe economic struggles and are losing population.

The Top Ten Unhappiest Metro Areas:

1. New York, NY
2. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Louisville, KY
4. Milwaukee, WI
5. Detroit, MI
6. Indianapolis, IN
7. St. Louis, MO
8. Las Vegas, NV
9. Buffalo, NY
10. Philadelphia, PA



Mel's suggestion for a HAPPY PLACE TO LIVE: LAKE MURRAY, SC

Home on Lake Murray

Friendly people, reasonable home values and taxes, nice weather with mild winters (usually NO snow), highly rated school districts, good employment opportunities, exciting recreational opportunities, fun retirement living.

Lake Murray was also named as a "TOP TEN LAKE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR LIVING & BOATING" by a leading boating magazine.

Ready to move to Lake Murray?  Contact MEL COKER. 
Mel's Website
Mel Coker - Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES, e-PRO
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants
(803) 318-2007
LAKE MURRAY MLS Homes Search

Mel Coker's Social Media Video

No, I don't Twit or Tweet, but, I do have a Facebook business page, have EyeJot video email and have two blogs, Instagram and a Youtube Channel.   Additionally, I have several websites for Columbia and Lake Murray and real estate information.

Mel Coker
Columbia & Lake Murray Realtor
RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants
Search Lake Murray & Columbia MLS

Lake Murray is a NICE place to Live

NICEST place to live?   May just be SOUTH CAROLINA and Lake Murray!

A nice place to live?  South Carolina.  A rude place to live?  Ohio.   Marchex, an advertising technology company, conducted a survey of over 1/2 million phone calls to various customer service numbers.   Highlights and the lows:

South Carolina is #1 in courtesy (lots of "Thank you" and "Please")
Ohio is #1 in "Most Likely to Curse" AND #5 in "Least Courteous"

My unscientific BEST and WORST places to live based upon my analysis of this study:
BEST: South Carolina
Other nice places: Arizona, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia.
WORST: Ohio
Other crude places: New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennnessee

Ready to leave one of the CRUDE states (Ohio, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Tennessee)?    Contact Mel Coker when you're ready to move to Greater Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia, Lake Murray, Irmo, Chapin, Lexington) and mention "South Carolina is NICE" and you will receive a $500 Lowes Gift Card at closing (offer good December 7, 2013 thru December 31, 2014.

Lake Murray Sunset - Photo by Mel Coker

Mel Coker
Realtor - RE/MAX Metro Associates
Columbia, SC Real Estate 
(803) 388-8011

Lake Murray Real Estate

Columbia, SC Real Estate:

Mel's Real Estate Website

MelCoker.com

All Real Estate Agents Are Not The Same

Search Columbia, SC Real Estate

Mel Coker's Lake Murray website

Lake Murray Lake Level Update

March 31st update:

Lake Level: 358.63

Top Water Temperature: 55.9 degrees

Previous (March 7th):

Lake level: 358.01

Water Temp: 53.2

Click here for Mel Coker's Lake Murray website

Columbia, SC Real Estate

Columbia, SC "A to Z"

Columbia Blog

Lake Murray living

Want to live at Lake Murray and enjoy this beautiful lake without having to pay the high prices for waterfront homes? I've got a great solution... Check out my TWO new home listings with Lake Murray access for sale in Night Harbor subdivision near Chapin, South Carolina. The big benefit to each of these home is that you will get a personal boat slip in the community marina. The initial fee has been paid for by the builder.

These two homes are built by Tim Broome of Lexington Development & Builders. I've sold 3 of his all brick homes in this same community. Now he has two more for sale that are close to completion. They can be finished quickly for your quick closing and move-in. NOW is an especially great time to buy a home with really LOW mortgage rates (around 5%).

First some background on current pricing at Lake Murray (as of December 15, 2008)...

For a waterfront home ON Lake Murray (avg. size 3574 s.f.), the average price is $784,276 (median price $649,000). For a waterfront lot (min. 75 feet water frontage and less than 5 acres), the average price is $326,308 (median price $250,000). The average price of a Lake Murray access home (2861 s.f.) is $355,632 (median price $354,950). Keep in mind that these comparatives prices are for homes currently for sale of all age ranges and from all around Lake Murray including Richland, Lexington, Newberry and Saluda counties.

My two NEW homes for sale in Night Harbor include these benefits and features: Night Harbor is convenient located near Chapin and Irmo with great restaurants and shopping. Also, the Chapin schools are excellent and are in the highly rated Lexington Richland School District 5.

221 Daymark Drive

NEW, app. 2800 s.f.

4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths

screened porch

all brick construction

Boat Slip included

Price $351,850

The Night Harbor community has a clubhouse, boat ramp and tennis courts. It's a really friendly neighborhood!

309 Lighthouse Lane

NEW, app. 2857 s.f.
4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths
screened porch
all brick construction
Boat Slip included
Price $356,450

These homes are built right and priced right! When you're ready to live at and enjoy Lake Murray, call Mel Coker, your Lake Murray Realtor (that lives on Lake Murray!).

Mel's Lake Murray website

MelCoker.com

Search Columbia MLS