Here are Lexington County’s biggest home sales of 2025, including a new record
The year 2025 saw multiple seven-figure home sales in Lexington County, including one that set a new all-time record.
But those top-line figures could mask weaknesses in the market that sellers should consider when listing a home, those working the local real estate market told The State.
The biggest home sale of the year was a record-breaker. The home at 218 Captains Watch sold in March for a listed sales price of $8.25 million, according to a consolidated listing of area home sales.
A press release about the sale at the time from Southern Visions Real Estate listed a higher price of $9.25 million “which included furnishings.”
That sale blew past the previous record of $3.6 million on a private home sale in Lexington County, according to reporting at the time. The new record-holding home was also notable for belonging to Lou Kennedy, the owner of local drug manufacturer Nephron Pharmaceuticals.
The two-story, 9,500-square-foot home has five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Its three acres sit on Lake Murray north of the town of Lexington, and includes a three-car garage, a greenhouse and a separate 1,300 square foot guesthouse.
Other homes in the top 10 include:
- 348 Pilgrim Church Road – $4 million
- 150 Morning Lake Drive – $3.285 million
- 536 Yachting Road – $3 million
- 576 Sandy Point Road – $2.95 million
- 104 Dogwood Lane – $2.85 million
- 309 Waters Edge Court – $2.5 million
- 216 Waters Edge Drive – $2.45 million
- 209 Mariannas Court – $2.15 million
- 424 Craftsmen Court – $2.1 million
(Thanks to Steve Joye with Columbia’s RE/MAX office for helping to verify sales numbers.)
Of the top 10, all but two are located on the shores of Lake Murray, the site of some of the county’s most luxurious and high-value homes.
Right now, lakeside properties in Lexington County are selling in about 131 days on average, said Wendell Arsi, CEO of the Arsi Home Group with Keller Williams.
“It is taking longer to sell higher-dollar properties, a million to a million and a half,” Arsi said. “Homes that are 2 million and above are selling faster. I think it’s due to people still moving in from out of state and having disposable cash. Cash buyers are 22% of all home sales.”
There are currently 3,259 homes available on the greater Columbia MLS, the central database for real estate listings in the capital city metro area. That’s down from around 5,500 before the COVID pandemic, which means there’s still a shortage of available houses in the area, Arsi said.
Realtors who spoke to The State said that sellers would be advised to speak with a real estate professional to properly evaluate your home value and the conditions in the area.
“That’s where I’ve been coaching clients, is that even if they are spending 10 grand on the front-end, you’ll make it back on the back-end, and even make an extra 40,” said Michael Murphy, a broker for Lake Homes Realty.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a buyer’s market, but it’s not a seller’s market either,” Murphy said. “There’s still a lack of inventory, but you can’t not have it presentable.”
In that sense, the current market means homeowners need to make their homes an appealing prospect for a prospective buyer.
“Over the last 24 months, I’ve had more concessions for buyers than I’ve ever seen,” said Trey Covington with Weichert Realtors, Ray Covington. He had one client who was able to purchase a home after “I got him closing costs, concessions, a privacy fence, blinds.”
But there have also been concessions on land purchases as growth spreads across Lexington County, Covington said. He’s worked on acquiring land for a new town hall in South Congaree, while the construction of a new FBI center in Lexington has also been a spur for growth as federal employees look for homes in the county.
“In Swansea and Gaston, land’s relatively cheap, and it’s not too far away from West Columbia,” said Covington. “Gilbert is exploding, too.”
That means the face of Lexington County’s home market is constantly changing, so sellers and buyers should keep in mind the old real estate maxim – the importance of location, location, location.
“Lexington 1 and Lexington 5 are phenomenal school districts, and school districts are a big part of selling a home,” Covington said.
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