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Good morning, 2015!
Sunrise from Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC.
Photo credit: Ben Buckley-Green.
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Dear friends,
Happy New Year!
I don't know about you, but my December was a bit of a blur--whoever said that real estate slows down around the holidays must not have had December 2014 in mind! I take this recent activity as sign of good things to come in 2015. Please enjoy this month's newsletter, and here's wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year.
Best wishes,
Leize Gaillard
William Means Real Estate
leize@williammeans.com
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BY THE NUMBERS: A LOOK AT CHARLESTON REAL ESTATE IN 2014
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You may be hearing that the market it improving, but what do the numbers say? Here is a look back at how a few popular Charleston areas fared in 2014.
The following data was retrieved from the Charleston area MLS on January 3, 2015. Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
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HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON
Includes Single Family Detached Homes in South of Broad, French Quarter, Harleston Village, and Ansonborough
| 2014 | 2013 | | Total sales volume | $192,305,395 | $159,058,311
| | Total sales | 118 | 107 | | Average sale price | $1,598,551 | $1,486,526 | | Average sq ft | 3382 | 3344 | | Average days on market | 138 | 187 |
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A gaslight adorns a 19th century South of Broad. home.
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UPPER PENINSULA
Includes Single Family Detached Homes in Hampton Park Terrace, Wagener Terrace, West Side, and North Central
| 2014 | 2013 | | Total sales volume | $46,588,629 | $35,690,352
| | Total sales | 132 | 127 | | Average sale price | $353,762 | $281,971 | | Average sq ft | 1702 | 1629 | | Average days on market | 85 | 78 |
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 | | Many of the homes along Huger Street in Hampton Park Terrace date to the 1920's. |
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WEST ASHLEY "CLOSE IN"
Includes Single Family Detached Homes in South Windermere, Old Windermere, Moreland, Avondale, Byrnes Down, and Ashley Forest
| 2014 | 2013 | | Total sales volume | $26,451,907 | $28,584,200 | | Total sales | 79 | 89 | | Average sale price | $337,682 | $324,092 | | Average sq ft | 1874 | 1751 | | Average days on market | 62 | 83 |
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 | | Small 1940's bungalows (shingled or brick) are typical of Avondale and Byrnes Down neighborhoods in West Ashley. |
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Looking for more focused information or data on another area or neighborhood?
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THINKING OF BUYING A HOME LATER IN 2015?
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Here are some ways to get the process rolling now.
With the amount of real estate information available online, more and more buyers are starting their home searches early--weeks, months, and even years before they intend to buy a home. If you are thinking of buying a home "sometime" in 2015, here are some tips to get the process going early... and hopefully make you a more ready and confident buyer when the time comes.
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2. Know what you can afford | If you're not sure, online mortgage calculators are a great place to start. From there, consider speaking to a mortgage specialist and getting pre-approved. It will remove the guess work and allow you to focus your search.
3. Browse third party real estate websites... but maintain a critical eye |
There are countless websites out there to help buyers get to know the market, preview listings, or estimate home values. Unfortunately, amidst all this, it's not uncommon to find misleading or incorrect information, and there is often a delay in reporting new information such as price changes, homes going under contract, etc. I encourage buyers to explore these sites... but to maintain a critical eye, knowing that what you are seeing online may not be the whole story.
4. Find an agent you like and trust | Last I checked, there were nearly 4,500 REALTORS serving Charleston & Mount Pleasant alone. Needless to say, as a buyer, you have choices! Talk to a few agents. Do you like their general demeanor? How is their follow-through? Are they knowledgeable about areas that you are interested in? Do they approach you, a potential client, with an attitude of service? You'll be spending a lot of time with your agent, so it should be someone that you like and trust. Visit my testimonials page to find out what past clients have said about working with me.
5. Know the difference between feeling rushed and being ready to act fast | It may take longer than you think to find the right house... or you could stumble up-on the "one" early. If you've done the leg-work ahead of time (made and tweaked your wish list, connected with a mortgage specialist, researched the market, and found an agent), you'll feel more confident moving forward when a great opportunity presents itself.
Here's to finding your new home in 2015!
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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS--CHARLESTON STYLE
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Did you make one of these common resolutions for 2015?
Here are some ideas for meeting your goals and for getting more connected with some of what the Lowcountry has to offer.
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MANAGE STRESS & RECONNECT
Join Charleston Wellness Group practitioners, Hallie Buchanan & Lyn Tally, for their next Mindfulness Series, beginning January 16. Learn more at A Mindful Shift.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
GIVE BACK
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Resolution: Watch more birds in 2015. Photo credit: Coastal Expeditions.
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