JL Boney, III Columbia, SC Real Estate

A short explanation- These pictures were taken on one of my many trips to Sesquicentennial State Park in Northeast Columbia, SC. It's located just off of Two Notch Road, making it an easy trip from any part of town and easy to find for those visiting from out of town. Hiking, walking, and bike trails make this a great place for outdoor activities. The lake and several picnic areas also make Sesquicentennial an ideal spot to just sit and relax.

A short explanation- These pictures were taken at the Robert Mills House and Garden in downtown Columbia, SC. Robert Mills, the architectwho designed the home, was the first architect born and trained in America. He was also the first Federal Architect and served under several presidents. Some of his better know work is the Washington Monument in our nation's capital. We are fortunate enough o have a one of the very few homes that he designed right here in Columbia.

A short explanation- This picture was taken on a trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens, here in Columbia, SC. The Gorilla exhibit has bee a large addition to this wonderful zoo and when these guys come out to play, they always draw a crowd of curious onlookers. This one in particular seemed to be enoyinf watching the people as much as we enjoyed watching him.

Did you ever notice that when you click on those little stories on the front page of Yahoo or any other news source, that you rarely if ever hear about Columbia, SC? It's true. When you see those great articles about the top 10 bounce back markets in the nation, you don't see Columbia. But you know what, you don't see it in the 10 worst markets either.

Being the capital of South Carolina, any news that you hear about the state, tends to inevitably involve Columbia. Unfortunately, the news that you hear on the rare basis that we capture national attention is usually bad news that is blasted from coast to coast and make my home look bad. You get to hear about our Governor disappearing, no one in his office knowing where he is, and then we find out that he is in Argentina, cheating on his wife. Well let me tell you that I think he could have picked a perfectly fine South Carolinian to cheat with, but that's neither here nor there. Then Joe Wilson has to scream at the president, alright, we are a little passionate, and now Sanford strikes again with his motorcades racing prowess.

Well how about a little focus on all the great things about Columbia, SC rather than dragging my home through the mud again. Notice all the news you constantly hear these days about going green and how important it is for the economy and environment? Do you think it's a new concept, well think again! Between 1888 and 1891 the Columbia Canal was reconstructed to serve as the world's first hydroelectric textile mill. Part of it is still in use today and the area is known as Riverfront Park.

How about Sesquicentennial State Park? It's a fantastic 1,419 acre site with tons of outdoor activities for families and individuals alike to enjoy. Anything from boating in the lake, to jogging, biking, hiking, picnicking, or just hanging out.

How about Lake Murray? 649 miles of shoreline and 78 square miles of pristine fresh water. Fishing, boating, jet ski's, and enjoying nature. Sounds like a better topic than politics to me.

If you've never heard of it, theCongaree Vista in downtown Columbia, SC is another fantastic spot. A center for business, commerce, tourism, and entertainment. It's a large area of downtown that skirts the The Congaree River and includes the State Capital Building and Grounds, the State Museum, and tons of Art Galleries, specialty shops, restaurants, other museums, and much more.

We also have tons of history here as you may have guessed by the Riverfront Park. In addition, there are tons of historic home museums that have been preserved for the enjoyment and education of the public. Try the Robert Mills House, designed by the first Federal Architect in U.S. history.

Not to mention Riverbank Zoo and Gardens, arguably one of the premiere attractions in the entire state. It's one of the best zoo's in the nation and houses some of the most fascinating animals on the planet in a clean, gorgeous setting.

The fact of the matter is that this list of great things about Columbia, SC could go on and on for some time. There is no shortage of reasons for us to be proud of our hometown and no shortage of reasons for people looking to relocate to consider joining us here. It would be nice to see some more attention spent on the things that make us great rather than the things that paint us in a negative light.

When the national media picks up a story that makes great news and sells papers, because it's bad news, it makes my home look bad. I understand that they are only doing their job, but make no mistake, this is my home. You cannot choose where you are born, it's out of our control. But I can damn sure pick where I stay and the fact that I call Columbia, SC my home is not by mistake. It's not because I lack the ability to relocate to some other destination. It's not because this is the only place that I can call home. It's because I choose to call Columbia, SC my home.

Yesterday while going on about my everyday business, I received a phone call from a fellow rainer. A fellow red blooded, fired up Irishman, no wonder we get along so well, Suzanne McLaughlin. And true to form she was a little fired up about an issue that she has been doing a little research on in her area.

In her state there is one particular agent with 342 HUD listings. There is only one other and that agent has 87 HUD listings. That's a lot of ground to cover when think about it. Just 342 listings is way more than one individual can focus their time and attention on. Now consider that these listings are all throughout the state. Even in smaller states in the U.S., it's not easy to keep up with listings stretched from end to the other. I work in Columbia and I know Columbia, SC real estate. I don't know Charleston real estate, so I stay out of the way of people who do.

So is HUD and the taxpayers truly better served by having only one agent list all those properties throughout an entire state? Many of them likely in markets that the agent has little or even no knowledge of at all. And in the end, even if we think they are not, what could we do about it. It is the job of any Government run program to blow taxpayer money, and I would hate to see that change. Just see Gary's Wordless Wednesday post for my feelings on the Government.

Frankly I see a lot of complaints about REO agents, but I see few about HUD agents. Few pictures if any, obviously taken from a car, and no details on the house are the norm for them as well.

The fact is that most HUD agents I have seen do nothing more than list the home and wait. Don't you think HUD would be better served if the listings were given to an active Realtor who actually attempts to advertise and find a buyer? Who knows, it might just work.

Imagine that, advertising a homes for sale and trying to obtain top dollar for the listing. It might actually save some money in the long run and give Government the opportunity to waste the money elsewhere. Am I way off base here, or do you guys want to help Suzanne do what she does best and raise a little hell about it? As for me, I'm with her.

Not sure what good I will be though. I can't keep Joe Wilson from screaming at Obama or my Governor Mark Sanford from banging chicks other than his wife long enough to take my calls.

www.JLBoney.com