Divorce Attorney in Columbia SC

For more than a century, Americans have celebrated Black History Month during February to honor, educate and experience the legacy of Black culture and activism. And this month is a prime time to experience the Midlands's rich legacy of African American excellence. Keep reading for a roundup of 11 events to check out this month:

Historic Columbia Journey to Freedom

When: Wednesdays - Saturdays at 1:30 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m.

Where: Tours start at the Gift Shop at the Robert Mills house, 1616 Blanding St.

Price: $15 for non-member adults

Throughout the entire month, Historic Columbia will be hosting their “Journey To Freedom” tour. “Journey To Freedom” guides its guests through two houses, each more than a century old. One housed a local Black entrepreneurial family and another belonged to human rights advocate Modjeska Simkins during the late-1800s. Bookings are available for Wednesday through Saturday. Visit historiccolumbia.org for more information.

Richland County Library Hands on Art: Black History Month Crafts

When: Feb. 4, 17, 25 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: St. Andrews, Wheatley and Blythewood branches

Price: free

The Richland County Library is offering a way for your kids to get their hands on a piece of history. Your local library may be hosting one of the events that offers fun for the whole family. Note: the library advises you to dress for a mess. Find out more at richlandlibrary.com

Richland County Library Black History Storytime

When: Feb. 1, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27

Where: Ballentine, Blythewood, Cooper, Edgewood, Lower Richland, Main, Northeast, Sandhills and Southeast branches

Price: free

The Richland County Library will also be offering story time for kids on assorted dates throughout February. Dates are open to all ages, but are catered toward children up to five years old. Find out more at richlandlibrary.com

Watch Freely: Black History Month Film Series: "Fences"

When: Feb. 3, 5 p.m.

Where: Richland County Library Edgewood branch

Starting price: Free

Join the Richland County Library for the first event in their Watch Freely Black History Month series featuring "Fences." The film is an adaptation of August Wilson’s 1985 play tells the story of a Black family in 1950s Pittsburgh as they navigate family troubles, masculinity and discrimination. It also stars Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in it, what’s not to like? Find out more at richlandlibrary.com

Ernest Lee “The Chicken Man” at The Columbia S.C. Visitor’s Center

When: Feb. 8, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Where: Columbia Visitors Center, 1120 Lincoln St.

Price: Free

The Columbia Visitors Center will be featuring Columbia’s iconic “Chicken Man,” Ernest Lee. He will be there in the flesh with some of his iconic folk art for sale. Visit experiencecolumbiasc.com for more info.

Letron Brantley and Friends Live! The Soul Jazz Experience

When: Feb. 8, 8 p.m.

Where: Chayz Lounge

Starting price: $30

West Columbia’s own Jazz Bistro will be featuring Letron “L-Train” Brantley. A native of South Carolina, the saxophonist brings an electrifying experience to the venue where small bites such as crab cakes and craft cocktails are available for purchase. Visit chayzlounge.com

South Carolina Gospel Quartet Black History Celebration

When: Feb. 15 3 p.m.

Where: 7156 Cabin Creek Rd., Hopkins

Price: $20 advance, $25 at the door

The South Carolina Gospel Quartet will be hosting seven gospel artists and groups, including Doc McKenzie to celebrate Black History Month. The event also includes catering by local businesses at Ladson’s Chapel Baptist Church in Hopkins. Find tickets and more info at eventbrite.com

Friends of African American Art and Culture

When: Feb. 15, 6 p.m.

Where: Columbia Museum of Art

Price: $55 individual tickets, $100 couple discount

FAAAC will be hosting a pokeno night featuring Black art, prizes and drinks (available for purchase) at the Columbia Museum of Art. The game is a combination of poker and keno (or lotto) which creates a game most similar to bingo. Dressing for a night on the town is encouraged. Visit columbiamuseum.org for more info.

Listervelt Middleton Lecture Series

When: Feb. 18, 7 p.m.

Where: Benedict College Fine Arts Humanities Center

Price: Free

Benedict College welcomes Morehouse College Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education Dr. Riba C. Kelsey for its annual Listervelt Middleton Lecture Series. Dr. Kelsey has won awards for her role in medical education at Morehouse, and published several studies about attitudes and experiences of Black patients in medical settings. Visit benedict.edu for more info.

Richland Two Black History Month Wax Museum

When: Feb. 24

Where: Richland Two Conference Center, 763 Fashion Drive, Columbia, SC

Starting price: Free

No, not an actual wax museum. Richland Two will be showing off local students’ showcases of famous Black figures throughout history. Entertainment and light refreshments will be provided. Visit richland2.org for more info.

KevOnStage Back Pew Tour

When: Feb. 21

Where: Forward City Church, 7006 Two Notch Rd.

Starting price: $37.50

NAACP Image Award winning comedian Kevin Fredericks is coming to Columbia. Fredericks is known for his Bald Brothers series, and other gospel-inspired crowd work comedy. Come ready to laugh with the crowd, or maybe even the crowd laugh at you. Visit kevonstage.com for more info.

COLUMBIA – A new $50,000 van is bringing the magic of Columbia’s parks to children living in “inner city” neighborhoods.

The “Park and Play” van is the brainchild of Kenya Bryant, director of Columbia’s Parks and Recreation department.

“We’re giving them any games we have so they can have some fun, play with each other and just kind of get away from anything that’s going on in their lives, give them that escape,” said Bryant. “That's the whole plan.”

The van is outfitted with sports gear like basketballs and soccer balls, traditional “yard games” like cornhole and hula hoops, board games and arts and crafts supplies to “spark creativity”.

The activities are structured, meaning staff will be present at all times to hand out equipment and lead the children in games. Bryant said the van will mostly be manned by interns with Parks and Rec.

The department first identified neighborhoods in the city with limited access to green spaces and recreational facilities, then partnered with property managers to designate days and times for the van to visit.

This spring the department is doing a “soft launch” of the van in three neighborhoods: Gable Oaks on North Main Street, Colony Apartments on Beltline Boulevard and The Oaks at St. Anna’s on Forest Drive.

The van will be in the neighborhoods Monday, Wednesday and Friday after school until 4:30 p.m.

Bryant said play is essential for childhood development — it promotes teamwork, imagination, leadership and community engagement.

“It makes your life a whole lot better when you’re able to interact with other folks,” said Bryant. “It’s just an entire body experience that you have when you play.”

The department already offers upwards of 250 programs for kids and teens throughout the city at different points in the year.

The department's biggest goal is creating a 10-year plan to address unmet needs of the community — Bryant said he expects this plan to be finalized in March.

Through focus groups, online surveys and city council meetings, Bryant said people are most excited about the idea of connecting greenways — natural or concrete paths that allow people to walk safely in between destinations.

The grand plan? Create a path to walk from Columbia to Lake Murray.

A Delta Air Lines flight returned to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday morning after the crew reported “possible smoke” inside the aircraft, prompting the pilot to declare an emergency and passengers to evacuate by slides once it safely landed, the airline and federal officials said.

Flight 876, a Boeing 717 aircraft, was headed for Columbia, S.C., but instead returned to the Atlanta airport around 9 a.m. The plane was carrying 94 passengers, as well as two pilots and three flight attendants, the airline said.

“The flight crew followed procedures to return to Atlanta when a haze inside the aircraft was observed after departure,” Delta said in a statement.

A representative for Delta said that medical teams were attending to two passengers.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience,” the airline said.

The crew reported “possible smoke” in the flight deck, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which said it would investigate.

The episode on Monday continues a turbulent stretch for Delta and for the airline industry as a whole.

Last week, a Delta jet that left Minneapolis was trying to land at Toronto Pearson Airport when it flipped over on the tarmac, injuring at least 18 people. The airline said it was offering $30,000 to each passenger who was on the flight.

On Saturday, a Delta flight carrying 162 people that took off from Los Angeles International Airport headed for Sydney, Australia, had to return to the airport after smoke was detected in the galley, an airline representative said.

There have been multiple other aviation accidents in recent weeks.

On Jan. 29, an American Airlines plane that was approaching Reagan National Airport in Washington collided with an Army helicopter that was on a training mission, killing 67 people in both aircraft in what was the deadliest airline crash in the United States in two decades. On Jan. 31, a medical jet crashed in Philadelphia shortly after taking off, killing six on board and one person on the ground. And on Feb. 6, a small plane carrying 10 people crashed in Alaska, killing all those on board.

Plane Crashes

Navigating the real estate market can feel like trying to predict the weather. But don't worry, I'm here to break down what's happening right now in the Columbia, South Carolina housing market. Currently, the Columbia housing market is somewhat competitive. Homes in Columbia receive 2 offers on average and sell in around 47 days. The median sale price of a home in Columbia was $271K last month, up 10.6% since last year. The median sale price per square foot in Columbia is $148, up 4.2% since last year. Let's take a closer look at the factors influencing these housing market trends and what it means for both buyers and sellers.

Understanding the Current Columbia Housing Market Trends

When we look at home sales in Columbia, we're seeing a picture of consistent activity. According to Redfin, the total homes sold in the recent month were 128. This number gives us a feel for how many transactions are actually closing. It's not just about listings; it's about completed sales.

Home prices are always a hot topic. In Columbia, the median sale price currently sits at $271,000. That's a significant 10.6% increase since last year. The median sale price per square foot is $148, reflecting a 4.2% year-over-year increase. This means you're paying more per square foot than you were a year ago.

The burning question: are home prices dropping? Right now, the data suggests no. Instead, home prices in Columbia are still climbing, as we saw above. While the rate of increase might fluctuate, the current trend is upward. Keep in mind, I would expect there to be some seasonal cooling around the holidays and winter months.

It's helpful to put Columbia's home prices into context. The national median price as of December 2024 was $407,500, Year-over-Year Change +6%. Columbia's median sale price of $271,000 is significantly lower than the national average. To be specific, Columbia's median sale price is 35% lower than the national average. This means you're potentially getting more house for your money in Columbia compared to many other parts of the country.

Here's a simple table to illustrate the comparison:

The housing supply plays a huge role in dictating the market's direction. I would say that right now, Columbia isn't drowning in available homes, but it isn't bone dry either. New listings do come onto the market frequently and the number of total homes sold is pretty impressive. That said, if there are a lot of houses and not enough buyers, prices tend to drop. If there are few houses and many buyers, prices usually go up.

So, is it a buyer's or seller's market in Columbia? Right now, it leans towards a somewhat competitive market. Homes sell in around 47 days, which isn't lightning-fast, but it's also not an eternity. The average homes sell for about 3% below list price. Overall, Columbia is considered to be 11% lower than the national average. Some homes do get multiple offers, so you need to be prepared to act decisively if you find a place you love.

Beyond the numbers, several market trends are shaping Columbia's real estate scene.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: mortgage rates. With rates currently hovering around 7% (as of February 2025), they're definitely impacting affordability. Higher rates mean higher monthly payments, which can deter some buyers or reduce their purchasing power.

As a Realtor, I've seen firsthand how rising rates can cool down demand. People might postpone their home search or opt for smaller, less expensive properties. However, it's important to remember that rates are just one piece of the puzzle. A strong job market, population growth, and overall economic conditions also play crucial roles.

Having been involved in the real estate industry for quite some time, I can tell you that Columbia's housing market has its own unique flavor. It's not just a microcosm of national trends; it's influenced by local factors like the presence of the University of South Carolina, the growing healthcare sector, and the city's overall affordability compared to other metropolitan areas.

I've noticed that certain neighborhoods, like Five Points and Central Rosewood, tend to be consistently popular due to their proximity to amenities and their charming character. On the other hand, areas further from the city center, like Wildewood and Centennial at Lake Carolina, offer more space and newer construction, which appeals to families.

If you're thinking of buying or selling in Columbia, I always recommend working with a knowledgeable local agent. They can provide you with up-to-the-minute data, insights into specific neighborhoods, and guidance on navigating the complexities of the transaction.

Columbia Housing Market Forecast: What's Ahead in 2025-2026?

You're probably wondering what the future holds for the local real estate market. Here's the short answer: the Columbia housing market forecast suggests a steady, modest growth in home values over the next year. Zillow predicts a 2.5% increase in home values from January 2025 to January 2026 for the Columbia, SC metro area. Let's dive into the details and see what this means for you.

Zillow provides us with a few different timelines to consider. Here's a quick rundown, using their latest data from January 31, 2025:

It's important to remember that forecasts are just that – forecasts. Unexpected economic shifts, changes in interest rates, or a sudden influx of new construction could all impact these numbers. However, the general sentiment seems to be optimistic.

So, how does Columbia stack up against other cities in South Carolina? Here's a comparison of the projected one-year home value changes:

As you can see, Columbia is in the middle of the pack. While Spartanburg and Hilton Head Island are predicted to see stronger growth, Columbia is still expected to outpace Myrtle Beach and Florence. This tells me that Columbia continues to be a stable and desirable market within the state.

Based on the available forecasts, a major drop or crash in Columbia's housing market seems unlikely in the immediate future. The projections point towards continued, albeit moderate, appreciation. This doesn't mean there won't be fluctuations. We might see periods of slower growth or even slight dips. However, a significant collapse isn't currently on the horizon.

Predicting beyond a year is always tricky, but if I were to venture a guess, I'd say the Columbia housing market will likely continue to see moderate growth in 2026, albeit at a rate dependent on various factors. Consistent demand, driven by job growth and Columbia's attractive quality of life, will likely continue to support home values. Interest rate changes and the overall health of the national economy will play a significant role.

Ultimately, the Columbia housing market forecast suggests a stable and growing market. As a potential buyer or seller, stay informed, do your research, and consult with local real estate professionals to make the best decision for your individual circumstances.

Should You Invest in the Columbia Real Estate Market?

Investing in real estate is a significant decision that requires a thorough understanding of the local market. Columbia, South Carolina, presents various factors that make it an attractive option for investors. Let's delve into these factors in detail.

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