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[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end id=”” class=”” style=””]Fritzi Barbour is the broker-in-charge for Prudential, C. Dan Joyner Co. Realtors. With over 30 years of real estate experience, she enjoys assisting agents and clients to help meet their real estate objectives.[/ezcol_2third_end]
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Early in my career someone told me that real estate is the second-most discussed topic on Earth. He may have been right.
Ask your favorite real estate agents and they will tell you that many social gatherings they attend often culminate into conversation about real estate. “What do you think we could get for the house?” is the question that almost everyone asks, and before long there’s a group huddled in a corner talking about what is happening to values within their neighborhoods.
Here in the Upstate there have been times when we have secretly wished we were experiencing the same kind of meteoric rise in values that occurred across more metropolitan market places around the country. If you had any investments or family members in the Northeast corridor, pre-recession, you know what I am referring to.
Many, however, who have watched and lived and breathed this business for many years knew that real estate is cyclical – what went up was bound to fall, and a correction is a normal part of the cycle in this industry. When the correction arrived in the Upstate, it was good not to be subject to the large swings in value that many parts of the country did.
And therein lies the beauty of the Upstate housing market. Although we had experienced a decline in some home values, we didn’t experience the 50 percent declines in home values that many areas did. And as we return to a more normal market, prices are rising, but not so quickly that affordability is sacrificed.
We live with incredible gifts of geography and climate, and convenience to other larger cities, all while experiencing an enviable quality of life and cost of living. We all know people who came to visit and took months figuring out how to live here. How many times has our area appeared on some national Top 10 list for everything from employment for young people to quality of public parks? It’s nothing short of amazing.
And as if all that is not enough, what our money buys in the way of a home to house, nurture and grow our families is unbelievably appealing compared to many places around the country. The average year-to-date sales price is $184,000, up 2.3 percent over last year, compared to a Southern regional figure of $229,700 or a national average of $260,100 (National Association of Realtors, Aug. 25, 2013). We continue to be well poised in terms of value. What that will buy is also a rich treasure trove of options: a house on an older tree-lined street with charm to low-maintenance turnkey condos; suburban living with a neighborhood clubhouse or pool or a small slice of country living.
So whether you are new to the process or have bought and sold real estate before, be sure you are not missing an opportunity to take part in our vibrant marketplace. We are fortunate to be experiencing a wonderful growth curve, with closed sales up 32.3 percent (Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, Jan. 1-July 31, 2013) in the number of houses sold. Inventory numbers are lower than they have been in years, well-positioned new listings are selling quickly and often with multiple offers. Ask questions, investigate with the help of a professional and take advantage of one of the great benefits of choosing to live here – our incredible real estate.
