Here are some noteworthy things about the Columbia area:
South Carolina is frequently recognized by publications and organizations as one of the most business-friendly states. See What People Are Saying About The Palmetto State:
Area Development: Named South Carolina a 2011 Gold Shovel Award winner in recognition of economic development projects undertaken in 2010. The award is based on the number of high-value added jobs per capita, amount of investment, number of new facilities and industry diversity. South Carolina was also a Silver Shovel Award recipient in 2009 and 2010.
Area Development: Named South Carolina 4th in the nation as a place to do business based on 12 key site selection criteria in three general categories - business environment, infrastructure and labor climate. The magazine surveyed a select group of national site consultants to identify the 10 most attractive states for business. South Carolina was the consultants' 2nd choice for overall business climate, coming in 2nd on all factors comprising the category - corporate tax environment, incentive programs, overall cost of doing business and business friendliness. In the infrastructure category, South Carolina placed 2nd for certified sites and a shovel-ready site system and 4th for competitive utility rates. Under labor climate, South Carolina came in 3rd for labor costs and 5th for workplace development programs.
Business Facilities: The South Carolina Department of Commerce received 2010 honorable mention honors from Business Facilities magazine for First Quality Tissue's decision to locate a new $1-billion plant and create 1,000 new jobs in Anderson County. In 2009, South Carolina received the magazine's Deal of the Year Gold Award for the selection of North Charleston for the site of The Boeing Company's second final assembly plant for the 787 Dreamliner commercial airplane.
Business Facilities: South Carolina did exceptionally well on the latest 2011 State Rankings Report from Business Facilities magazine, placing in five categories. South Carolina ranked 3rd for Economic Growth Potential, 2nd in Automotive Manufacturing Strength, 5th for Best Business Climate, 8th for Workforce Training Leader and 8th for Lowest Cost of Labor.
Chief Executive: South Carolina came in as one of the ten best states for business on the magazine's annual poll of CEOs, ranking 8th. About 550 CEOs rated states on taxation and regulation, workforce quality and quality of life.
Forbes: Ranks South Carolina 5th best in 2011 for its pro-business regulatory environment. Forbes considered the state's regulatory and tort climate, incentives, transportation and bond ratings.
IBM: South Carolina made a strong showing on IBM's 2009 Global Location Trends Annual Report, coming in 4th among North American states and provinces based on number of jobs from 2008 investment activity.
Pollina Corporate Real Estate: Ranks South Carolina as the 9th most Pro-Business State for 2011. South Carolina has ranked in the top ten for eight consecutive years. The state was No. 1 in both 2005 and 2006.
Site Selection: South Carolina consistently ranks high on the magazine's "Top State Business Climates" and in 2011 took the 5th spot overall and placed 7th in the magazine's survey of corporate real estate executives. South Carolina also held 5th place overall in 2010, and corporate executives have ranked South Carolina in the top 10 for the past eight years. The magazine's New Plant Database showed that South Carolina had the most new projects per capita during 2010.
Site Selection: Recognized South Carolina as a Top Competitive State of 2010, placing South Carolina in the 5th spot. The magazine determined competitiveness on the basis of new and expanded facilities and new jobs in 2010 plus other factors, including state gross domestic product per capita and unemployment rate.
Site Selection: The magazine chose the First Quality Tissue project as one of its Top Deals of 2010. The winners were chosen based on capital investment and job creation, creative negotiations and incentives, regional economic impact, competition for the project and speed to market. Proterra's electric bus operation in Greenville received honorable mention.
Southern Business & Development: Six South Carolina projects earned Excellence in Manufacturing Recruitment Awards from Southern Business & Development magazine. The magazine recognized these high-profile projects: The Boeing Co., N. Charleston, 787 Dreamliner jet; First Quality Tissue, Anderson, paper products; IMO Group USA, Summerville, wind energy components; MTU Detroit Diesel Inc., Graniteville, heavy-duty diesel engines; Proterra Inc., Greenville, battery-electric buses; and ZF Group, Laurens County, fuel-efficient transmissions. South Carolina received the most awards of any state in the magazine's reporting region.
Southern Business & Development: The Boeing Company's announcement that it would bring a 787 Dreamliner final assembly plant to North Charleston earned 2009 Deal of the Year status from the magazine.
Trade & Industry Development: The leading national magazine dedicated to site selection, announced that two projects recruited by the South Carolina Department of Commerce in conjunction with local economic development allies were among the magazine's 2011 Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Award winners. ZF Group is among 15 projects that received a Corporate Investment Award, and IMO USA Corporation was among 15 honored with a Community Impact Award. This is the sixth consecutive year that South Carolina has been recognized with a CiCi award.
..Agency Leadership
Division Directors
International Offices
SC Coordinating Council for Economic Development
National Recognitions
Recycling Market Development
NOTE:
Every real estate market is different! All real estate markets are unique and influenced by local demand, local land-use and building rules, and a host of other factors one cannot see from the generalized scope of national news coverage.
Lake Murray has close-in communities and some are approximately 1 hour and more to down town Columbia. Chapin is approx. 20-30 minutes to Irmo (if you are coming from the Timberlake area) and 45-60 minutes to Columbia, depending on traffic and the time of day. Chapin is located along the north shore of beautiful Lake Murray! There are several beautiful neighborhoods. Some are new, some established. Timberlake, a Golf Community on the Lake is one of them.
We have communities with Lake Access if you don't want to be on the lake or if those are too high priced for you. There is a boat club where you can rent a boat if you don't want to own one.
Several marinas around the lake will store your boat for a fee and drop it into the water if you like to take it out. There are also other boat storage possibilities around the lake.
Check out our websites and please contact us for all you questions and real estate needs, buying and selling. We look forward to assist you now or in the future.
Not every real estate market is the same. Please consult a REALTOR to assist you and to get the facts. We welcome your call or email.
It is a good time to purchase property with the interest rates low and good buys are offered. We have lender contacts and all contacts you need for a smooth closing. Minimum credit score is 620 but FHA requirements will rise to 640. We do have lender contacts that can make a loan if your rate is below 600.
NOTE: The State Paper reported 9/30/09 that US News puts Columbia in the 10 most affordable places to retire to.
Thank you for taking the time to read our news letter. We hope that you found it informative. Our news letter gets updated monthly. We hope that you enjoyed it. Feel free to share it with someone. We welcome your questions. We look forward to hear from you now or in the future and possibly to serve you.
Thank you,
Rosemarie & Kirstin
ZIP Codes: 29036, 29063, 29212, 29072
Approximate Location Boundaries: From Irmo and the Lake Murray Dam, to Ballentine, Chapin, Newberry to Proseperity. Lexington to Gilbert and Saluda.
Location Characteristics: Lake Murray is a beautiful man made lake that covers a very large area from Irmo, Chapin (Ballentine, White Rock) to Prosperity and around the lake to Saluda and Lexington. It is a large man-made lake and covers approximately 650 miles of shoreline and 50,000 acreas of land. Here are the shoreline miles per county:
Lexington County 313.2 Miles
Newberry County 160.25 Miles
Saluda County 146.6 Miles
Richland County 37.1 Miles
These figures are provided by SCE&G Land Development
The dam was built from 1927 to 1930. Lexington Water Power Company (now known as SCE&G) purchased around 100,000 acreas of land from more than 5000 families to build the dam and lake. It was named after William S. Murray, an engineer, that was involved in the design and planning.
There are 6 schools and 3 churches under the lake, many grave yards remained and were not moved. Some of the area churches have monuments with these names listed. The trees were cleared by around 2000 men that used their bare bands and axes for that work and they got paid on an average rate 50 cents per day.
Some of this lumber was used to build the dam and some was used to build a rail road (3 miles) between the dam and a town now known as Irmo.
Per Daily Report dated Jan 3, 2012 Columbia ranks 3rd as top destination to relocate
http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com/news/42177-s-c-ranks-no-3-among-top-magnet-states
If you like fishing you may like to visit SCFishingReports.com The Striper is a popular fish to catch on Lake Murray. The lake is know in the SE for that. There is an annual fishing tournament at Lake Murray.
4th of July Fireworks are popular every year for 22 years now. To make that possible there is a Fundraiser every year (in March). Lake Murray Country has details for that 803-781-5940
The lake is very popular for boating, fishing, recreation, swiming (there is a beach on the Lexington side of the dam and Dreher Island, State Park). Take a stroll across the dam or ride a bicycle, There is a path for each.
The nature around and on the lake is beautiful if you like wild life. Year round you may see a Bald Eagle, Great Blue Herons and Egrets, Canadian Geese, Wood Ducks, and other birds. During different seasons there are other birds to be seen. August and September you can see the Purple Martins near Bomb Island against a beautiful sunset. There are cruises now available if you do not have a boat.
Please come back for more details. We are just developing this newsletter. Thank you for your patience.
For More Information:
View Market Conditions of other areas served by Rosemarie Averhoff, CRS &Kirstin Averhoff-Gilbert, CRS
Navigate: Top > South Carolina > Lake Murray
About Rosemarie Averhoff, CRS &Kirstin Averhoff-Gilbert, CRS:
Whether you move down the block, across the country, the city, or to anther continent...
Please give us a call. We can assist with all your real estate needs now or in the future.
Our business is built on referrals and repeat business. We have sold around $100 million in Real Estate since 1993. My daughter and partner Kirstin since 1996. We are both Certified Residential Specialists CRS, Certified New Home Specialists CSP, e-PRO Certified and ABR's Accredited Buyer Representatives
We are relocation specialists and like to represent you with a NEW home or existing home purchase. We have access to any listing.
We look forward to assist you now or in the future.
These reports reflect the views and opinions of their authors and are not necessarily the views and opinions of Realty Times.
