Yesterday I was driving towards our office and decided to take a left on Saramont to get a good look at what’s happening at May’s Park, particularly the tennis and pickleball court construction and configuration.

As you can see from the images above, the courts are brand spankin’ new and look ready for winners, spins, and lobs. The question is now, “Is Heathwood ready for pickleball?”

When Jen and I lived in Shandon, I spent a lot of time playing tennis at Heathwood Park and May’s Park, and when I couldn’t find an opponent, I spent a lot of time exercising by hitting balls against the cinder-block tennis walls. Over the years, however, the courts weathered and lost their mojo.

Not anymore!

Exactly one year to the day, this presser went out regarding a neighborhood survey and a meeting that was held at Kilbourne Park Baptist Church. As you can see from driving on Trenholm Road, most of the scope of the work in the press release is complete with a new large play-set, sidewalks, a basketball tree, and shiny new courts!

I got out of the car and walked around a little, and noticed that the gates were “locked” with zip-ties, so I took my pics from outside of the fence. When I got to my desk, I called the city and asked when the courts would be ready for play. The young man on the phone told me he’d have to get back with me. I’m sure it has to do with parking and finishing up safety measures. Nevertheless, I’m confident he’ll call me back with an approximate answer.

To my knowledge, these pickleball courts will be the first public courts to grace the grounds of Downtown Columbia, SC. I know of a lot of courts in Lexington, starting with Cayce (here and here), which domiciles 20 in two locations, and LCTC closer to Downtown Lexington.

The closest courts to Downtown are the two at Woodlands Park and Southeastern Park, respectively.

Well, there ya go! Congratulations to Downtown Columbia on a refreshed, updated park! I’ll call again and ask when the courts will be ready, and I’ll also inquire about their vision regarding the nets.

My guess this is going to be quite popular with area players, so much so that paddles will be lined up on the fence waiting for play.

We’ll see!!

Franklin Jones

 

 

This photo made me want to give a fun shout-out birthday to a brother-in-law of mine, Jeffrey Black!

Since one of the words I would use to describe Jeffrey is “thoughtful,” I felt it may be a good idea to combine this image of Jeffrey doing what he’s so good at, with some “Thank-yous” and “Congratulations,” as there are a few stories going on here.

What you’re looking at in the picture above is Jeffrey giving out the Kinsey Black Jones Memorial Scholarship to a deserving senior at Hammond School. Whenever Jeffrey presents the award, he does a great job of reminding people about his little sister, who left this earth over 20 years ago.

For context, Kinsey is my late wife and was a teacher at Hammond School before breast cancer metastasized to her liver during the summer of 2001.

Back to the picture: In the foreground is my oldest daughter, Finley, who could tell that I was welling up as her “Uncle Jeffrey” was telling a story about Kinsey and Hammond’s Lower School. Finley leaned into me and held me tightly. You can’t see it, but her right arm is draped across my chest, as she squeezed me until Jeffrey finished his talk.

It was a sweet moment that I wouldn’t have forgotten for a long time, which brings me to one of my “Thank yous.” Shout-out and a heartfelt hug to my friend, Louise Cruea, for noticing what was going on and capturing the moment!

The “Congratulations” of this post goes to Grace Webb! Grace is the 2025 recipient of the Kinsey Black Jones Scholarship. Now that it has been 20+ years, the children of my college classmates (and Kinsey’s) are starting to win the award, which is always pretty special, as they can tell their kids about their relationship with “Mrs. Black/Jones.” (We were only married 11 months, so the last name thing gets confusing). Well done, Grace! Hammond is lucky to have had you as an exceptional student!

The second, “Thank You,” goes to Hammond School. The Hammond family embraced ours during a scary, sad, and terrible time and has always been wonderful to my family and me.

That all said, HAPPY…HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEFFREY BLACK!!!

Jennifer, the girls, and I love and appreciate you!!

Franklin

 

Before many of you left for the beach last week, you may have seen a lot of videos and pics on FB and IG of kids swimming and posing with ribbons in their swim caps.

I have no idea why, but ever since our family has been involved in swimming, the season-ending “City Meet” has fallen on the weekend that many Midland’s residents cruise to their South Carolina beach of choice. This year the dates were June 28 & 29, 2025.

City Meet is like a big year-end tournament, whereby all of the neighborhoods and clubs meet at the USC Natatorium and duke it out. The two-day weekend event is organized by age groups. Some of the races have 6 or 7 heats, and some have more than 10, depending on the popularity of the stroke. If you think of it, for example, the 11-12 freestyle may have had 15 heats of 10 girls/heat for that one stroke.

This all said, the Jones twins are pretty fast, and what seems to be organized chaos to the parents and fans in the stands, the event is a well-oiled machine.

I’m stunned at how much work and coordination that goes into a swim meet/season: Multiple coaches organizing swimmers, 10-12 timers depending on how many lanes a pool has, starters on the mic, stroke & turn officials, head referees, ribbon passer outers, and on and on.

The image above is a snapshot of the top 14 teams that competed this year at City Meet. It’s never a perfect gauge of which team has the fastest swimmers because so many families are at the beach. That said, it’s what happened on that weekend… and that’s that.

Whether or not you’re involved in a swim team, I thought some of you may enjoy seeing where your neighborhood and/or club ranked this year. Please notice that the geographic area is quite expansive, with teams competing from Newberry to Kershaw and everywhere in between!

If you or anyone you know would like to know more about the Columbia Swim League, give me a shout and I can share what I know!

Thank you!

Franklin Jones

 

Last week the Junior League of Columbia posted the award recipients for the 2024-25 year, among other awesome information. As you can see from the image above (the number and also their prideful expressions), these women have a lot to celebrate!

I’ve been attending this year-end event for well over two decades now and I always try and snap a pic of some of the details The League celebrates. As far as I can remember, this is the largest sum that has made it to the screens on the stage.

I’d like to congratulate all of the individual award winners that gave so much time and personal talent to their ‘placement’ within a committee.

Of course, I’d like to single out Libby Mathias, as my wife Jennifer Sparks Jones, and I were proud to present her with the Kinsey Black Jones Memorial Award. As most of you know, Kinsey is my late wife and was a proud and active member of The League.

For reference, the Kinsey Black Jones Memorial Award recognizes an outstanding recent active member (a first, second, or third-year Active) who has advanced the volunteer ideals of the JLC by epitomizing superlative service in her placement. It’s a fitting description, IMO.

We got to meet Libby and her parents, and they are awesome!

Big THANK YOU and SHOUT OUT to the Junior League of Columbia! If you are a member or know one of the women of the League, give her a high-five or a fist bump for all that she does for the Midlands through what I think is one of the most impactful philanthropic organizations in our community.

Click here if you would like to get involved or to simply know more about the Junior League of Columbia. You can also reach out to me, 803-447-8683 and I can tell you what I know and also lead you in the right direction.

Thank you!

Franklin Jones

 

If you’ve driven around Downtown Columbia, SC lately and noticed these billboards and wondered, “What is that about?” – here’s the scoop.

A Keller Williams REALTOR came up with the idea of collegiate student-athletes attaining a real estate license, and using their Name, Image, and Likeness to produce real estate business for their sponsoring REALTOR or team, and then earning a referral fee upon the closing of the transaction. Pretty smart, right?! It is now part of the “KW Community” ecosystem and hundreds of athletes have signed up around the country and many thousands of dollars have been paid to student-athletes, respectively.

When the initial group approached me I thought to myself, “Ok, well, our mantra is ‘Changing Lives Through Real Estate’ and I drive by and live work and play amongst Gamecock players, coaches, alumni, and fans every single day. Jen and I attended USC, we go to the games, and I was dang-gone Fraternity Man of the Year.  Further, our brokerage, KW Palmetto, is located in the shadows of the university and I drive through campus or by Williams-Brice Stadium every day. All of this, combined with the infrastructure of our team, experience, and production, this was not only a no-brainer, but a fit, and win/win/win.

Enter KW | NIL and I’m proudly the official REALTOR partner of the Gamecock Student Athletes. I communicate with them on the NIL portal and have conversed with the NIL Partner Services Manager a few times, with Joe even visiting my office some months ago. He thinks it’s awesome, as this is a way to prepare student-athletes for the future instead of a simple “pay to play” paycheck as we navigate through this new NIL college athletic landscape.

If you would like to talk about the program or have any questions my email is Franklin@TheNeighborhoodRE.com and my number is 803-447-8683. You can learn more about the program @ www.NILRealEstate.com. Futher, here’s a write-up from Forbes.

Did you know that there are over 500 student-athletes at USC? I’ve enjoyed taking our girls to attend tennis matches and all of the other vibes like softball and beach volleyball are going on. I’m not sure the community takes full advantage of this, but we have world-class athletes (not just football, basketball, baseball) just down the streets from our neighborhoods. It’s fun and impressive to watch them compete.

Now that school is back in we are excited to get started with this journey with the student-athletes.

GOOOOOO COCKS!!

Franklin

 

Check out the newest listing in one of Downtown Columbia’s most popular neighborhoods – King’s Grant!

32 Braddock Point is 3,360 sq. ft. with 4 Bedrooms and 3 1/2 Baths and a big front and backyard, is located on an interior quiet cul-de-sac, that backs up to one of the awesome nature trails.

King’s Grant is a neighborhood of roughly 400+ homesites and proudly operates the only 24-hour security gate in Downtown Columbia, SC. Other features include a semi-Olympic swimming pool, five hard-court illuminated tennis courts, three stocked fishing ponds, beautiful nature trails, cool board-walk, neighborhood swim team, a clubhouse for neighbors to rent for parties, and an active social committee with lots of events planned throughout the year! KG is also home to herds of deer, a gaggle of geese, turtles galore, and frequent visits from white egrets and blue herons.

KG is also zoned for the ever-popular school trifecta of Brennen, Crayon, and A.C. Flora, and is minutes to anything Downtown Columbia, Forest Acres, and adjoins an I-77 exit for maximum travel and work convenience.

Here’s the write-up –

“Gorgeous brick home with curb appeal galore on cul-de-sac lot is move-in ready! Features bright and airy layout with high ceilings, decorator colors/fixtures, plantation shutters, and hardwood floors. Loads of living spaces, with the formal living and dining rooms, along with a soaring greatroom and separate office. Gourmet kitchen with Hinson cabinetry, high end panel-front appliances, gas-cooktop island, and inside/under cabinet lighting. Primary bedroom suite with cathedral ceiling and his/hers walk-in closets has just undergone a beautiful bathroom renovation with custom tiled flooring, separate shower with seamless glass, and free-standing soaking tub. Also features a finished bonus room off the bedroom that is perfect for a dressing room, nursery, or exercise room. 3 more bedrooms, 2 baths, and the laundry round out the 2nd floor. Lush wooded and private backyard backs to the nature trail, and has a relaxing deck, playhouse/shed, and firepit area. 3-car garage, sprinkler system, outdoor lighting. Take advantage of all the perks King’s Grant has to offer including gated security, pool, playground, tennis courts, ponds, and more! Come see!”

If you or anyone you know would like to schedule a showing or know more about 32 Braddock Pt., please call/text 803/447-8683 or email Franklin@TheNeighborhoodRE.com .

Thank you for being a part of the best real estate network in Columbia, SC!

Franklin Jones

Residents on my list in King’s Grant neighborhood recently received another postcard announcing that Elizabeth Ross and I closed 75 Foot Point Rd. The house closed for $1,056,000 which is upwards of $300./ft. The reason most folks don’t know about this is because our local MLS rules don’t make it easy to find, as you have to type the address specifically. If anyone is doing a simple Comparative Market Analysis, it will not make the list. That said, many REALTORS and/or appraisers don’t know about it. Nonetheless, the residents in the neighborhood who have been informed are stoked!

Fast forward to this week.

The house in the top image above is 30 Foot Point Rd. We represented the purchaser on the closing of this 8,700+/- three-story beauty. As many of you know, when Jen, the kids, and I moved into our current Lowcountry-style home, I became a sucker for a big front porch. As you can see, 30 Foot Point checks that box, and how…

30 Foot Point pretty much has it all, including a full-size elevator and the opportunity to garage six vehicles if that helps paint the picture.

While that transaction was awesome for everyone, because of its more common size, many homeowners in King’s Grant, and some surrounding neighborhoods, will be getting their phones and calculators out on the house in the 2nd image above. 1 Tombee Place sits on the corner of Tombee Place and North Tombee. Representing the seller, we closed for $1,200,000. The house is 4,137+/- square feet. This is $290/ft, respectively.

Now, is “price per foot” the end all be all when it comes to the value of a home? Absolutely not. Does this mean everyone can get $290 or $300/ft. for their property in King’s Grant Neighborhood today? Nope.

That said, I can pretty much tell you whether you have a shot or not. Hear this, too. I can tell you if you have a shot at getting more.

If you’ve read this blog before, you may have come across a post or two where I explain that I’m not afraid to “go for it.” After all, how can a neighborhood rise in value if, for a myriad of reasons, a seller (and their REALTOR) doesn’t try to move the needle? Now that these sales have been thrown in the hopper, everyone in King’s Grant (and perhaps other neighborhoods like Gregg Park, The Hamptons, The Preserve, et al, depending on which appraiser is assigned), will have these to use as comparable sales for a good while (As a point of information, all of the homes mentioned in this blog post are very sharp, clean, and replete with updates).

Please hear this, too. If you are going to “go for it,” hiring a hyper-local REALTOR is, more often than not, vital. Hiring a local REALTOR and lender/loan officer is a real thing. I honestly think that if either of the buyers in either transaction used one of the national lenders you see on TV, neither of the transactions would have happened. Shout out to Sarah Baldwin @ First Reliance Bank on 30 Foot Point!

Lemme tell ya…I was probably told five times that I wouldn’t be able to pull 30 Foot Point over the closing line. I heard variations of, “You can’t sell 1 Tombee for that much money. Even if you get that number, how are you going to get it to appraise?”

Well, it went under contract, appraised, and closed.

If you or anyone you know is pondering their real estate plans for 2024 or 2025 please let me know. National stats and news outlets may not be reporting great stories but people are still moving to South Carolina, and Columbia, SC is more affordable than Charleston and Greenville. If your answer is, “Franklin, I’d love to cash out and go to the bank, too, but where would we go?” Answer: “Every buyer and seller is different, and the ‘where would we go,’ is part of my job. If you want to see what that big fun trip to the bank could look like, it’s worth a casual conversation to at least discuss options.”

Don’t be afraid to at least have a chat about ‘going for it!’ You might change your life in a way that you never knew was there! See above for Exhibit A! 🙂

Thank you!

Franklin Jones

803-447-8683  –  Franklin@TheNeighborhoodRE.com 

If you haven’t heard it on the street or read about it yet, PDQ on Devine Street is closing its doors on Feb. 20, 2024. All North and South Carolina PDQ stores will be no more as of Tuesday. Last weekend Jen redeemed all of the points she had racked up, as they will soon be useless.

PDQ has (had) about 12 locations in the Carolinas, two of which are in the Palmetto State (Greenville & Columbia). As far as I can tell, all but one of the locations are going to become Whataburgers. The Wake store will transition into a CookOut.

In other news, as many readers are aware, but those that don’t are probably curious, the Bojangles in the Cross Hill complex is going to become a better version of Bojangles.

In not-so-public news, the new building that replaced the former Moctezumas Taqueria will not be a 24-hour Pet Emergency Clinic. Apparently, it’s a long story but the brand-new building is currently for lease. The landlord would rather have one larger tenant, but the space could be one, two, or three bays, depending on who they are talking to and the nuances of the deal(s).

Back to PDQ, my family enjoyed it. The place was clean and the service was good! It was closer to our house than any Chic-fil-A and the line was, of course, never as long. It was a good, fast option if we were headed home from anything Downtown as it was on the coveted, “right-hand side of the road,” and the food would still be hot as we pulled into our driveway.

If you want to visit PDQ for the last time and/or simply have points to redeem, please know that the young lady apologized if they run out of inventory. She expects to be very busy on Tuesday!

This all said I wish Whataburger well! They are flanked geographically by some local Columbia, SC burger faves, Rush’s, and Rosewood Dairy Bar!

Thank you!

Franklin Jones

Check out this all-brick Shandon-style charmer that we just put on the market!

113 S. Pickens Street is +/-1,865 sq. ft. with 3 Bedrooms and 2 full baths.

Here are the MLS remarks:

Charming all brick bungalow near the University. Features hardwood floors and high ceilings. Freshly painted living room with fireplace. Large dining room. Kitchen has all appliances plus a washer and dryer. 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths plus a huge bonus room upstairs that could be a 4th bedroom or hang-out area. Off-street parking behind home. Come see!

As you know, Hollywood/Rose Hill is a beautiful area of Downtown Columbia that borders Shandon, Wales Garden, and so much that the University of South Carolina has to offer including Gamecock athletic fields.

Call or text Liz Black Fischer 803/460-9050 or email Liz@TheNeighborhoodRE.com and she will tell you all about it.

Thank you!!

Franklin Jones

Check out this Southern Beauty in Downtown Columbia, South Carolina!

333 Old Woodlands Rd. is 6,000 sq. ft. with 6 Bedrooms and 5 Baths in the main house, with a fully renovated guest cottage on the property.

The cottage is perfect for a myriad of buyers’ ideas and/or needs. Would you like the best She Shed, Mega Man Cave, or In-law opportunity? All are ideal!

This home is ready for all levels of entertaining from sun supper clubs, to watching college football games by the pool with friends or hosting a political or philanthropic fundraiser your favorite candidate or organization would love to invite their supporters.

This is one of those properties that qualifies for the comment, “you need to see it…”

Here’s the write-up for some of the story:

Live beautifully at this all-brick stately manor in Downtown Columbia. This Southern charmer has been featured in SC Homes & Gardens as a Designer Showcase & is replete w/updates inside & out. Original mahogany HWs & new Pella windows throughout. Marble foyer leads to formals that feature a dramatic curved wall, heavy moldings, & textured ceilings. The Tuscany-inspired chef’s kitchen is complete w/Clive Christian cabinets, handcrafted in England, & opens to a dining courtyard w/fountain. Family room w/gas FP & built-ins leads to multi-level sunroom featuring breezy Pella casement windows overlooking the extensively renovated saltwater pool. Wine cellar w/temp-control system is adjacent to laundry & pantry area. The primary BR is complete w/amazing custom closet & multi-head shower. The curved wall leads upstairs to 4BRs, 2BAs, infrared sauna, & 2nd fam room that could easily be a 7th BR. The professionally maintained, lushly-landscaped & lighted patios/grounds are perfect for entertaining. Pool cabana includes bar, FP, half bath, connectivity for 2 TVs, and curtains can be pulled for protection from elements. Further, there is a newly renovated guest house on property complete w/mini-split, kitchenette, & full bath. Whole house generator, extensive wi-fi system, dehumidifier in crawlspace, & updated plumbing systems are just a few of the many items the seller has upgraded w/care. This stunning estate is only minutes to anything intown & is close to I-77 for work or travel plans.

If you or anyone you know would like to know more about this Southern Stunner, please call/text 803-447-8683 or email Franklin@TheNeighborhoodRE.com and I can tell you all about it. 333 Old Woodlands is only minutes away from everyone on the team, and is a pleasure to show!

Thank you!

Franklin Jones