| More

Jun 30

Mount Pleasant 4th of July Fireworks, 2010 – Where Will You Be?

By chuckavera

Where will you spend this Sunday with your family and friends?

4th of July in Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, and Sullivans Island offer great locations to view 4th of July fireworks.  Here are some local East Cooper favorites:

Patriot’s Point 14th Annual 4th of July Blast!

Enjoy live entertainment from Katbandoo from 7:00 – 9:00pm followed by the largest fireworks display in the Lowcountry, launched off the flight deck of the USS Yorktown at 9:15pm.  Gates open at 4:00pm with $5 discounted admission to the museum (fireworks are free).  Sandwiches, snacks, water, and soda will also be available for purchase by local vendors.

Old Village Pitt Street Bridge

Bring your chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, and arrive early!  If you can’t decide where to go this 4th of July, the Pitt Street Bridge in the Old Village may be the spot for you.  From this historic landmark, Mount Pleasant residents can watch firework displays from Folly Beach to Isle of Palms to Mount Pleasant!

Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island

There is something very Charleston about spending the day at the beach, enjoying dinner at one of the many island restaurants, and capping off the evening with a spectacular beach front fireworks display.  4th of July fireworks begin just after dark on Front Beach (Isle of Palms) and in Town Park (Sullivans Island).

Daniel Island 4th of July Celebrations (July 2 – July 3)

Festivities begin Friday with an island-wide block party and FREE concert featuring Plane Jane.  A pancake breakfast will take place Saturday morning at the Family Circle Tennis Center to benefit the Daniel Island School, followed by a parade and party at the Pierce Park Pool and Pavilion.

For more information on Mt Pleasant, SC and the surrounding areas, contact your Mount Pleasant Expert Realtors at the Chuck Avera Team.  Ask for your free Mount Pleasant Relocation Guide or Neighborhood Sold Report.

Jun 02

Has the Mt. Pleasant Real Estate Market Turned Around?

By chuckavera

Every day, people ask me if the Mt. Pleasant real estate market has turned around.  Well, the answer is yes AND no.  Let me explain……

Mt. Pleasant Single Family Home Sales Up 41% in 2010…

Overall, the Mt. Pleasant real estate market continued to surge in the last 30 days.  Through May 31st, the number of Mt. Pleasant homes sold is up 41% from the first five months of 2009. While sales are up significantly, there is still some pressure on pricing as reflected in the median price and selling price per square foot shown below:

2010:

  • Single Family Homes Sold – 403
  • Median Sales Price – $336,000
  • Selling Price Per Square Foot – $156

2009:

  • Single Family Homes Sold – 285
  • Median Sales Price – $368,000
  • Selling Price Per Square Foot – $166

A Very Active Mt. Pleasant Real Estate Market Below $750,000

While activity is up significantly overall in Mt. Pleasant this year, the growth is not being experienced in all price ranges.  The concentration of the growth is in homes selling below $750,000 with the most significant growth coming from homes priced below $300,000.   With a year-over-year growth rate of 63%, homes priced below $300,000 now represent approximately 43% of the overall Mt. Pleasant real estate sales activity.  This is a significant change from the peak of the market in 2006 and 2007 when sales in this price segment accounted for only 22% of the overall Mt. Pleasant market.

Mt. Pleasant Home Sales Above $750,000 Remain Flat

On the other end of the spectrum, homes priced above $750,000 are flat in 2010 when compared to last year.  The 28 homes sold above $750,000 represent less than 3% of the Mt. Pleasant real estate market.  During 2006 and 2007, this price segment represented between 12% to 15% of all Mt. Pleasant home sales.

It’s Simply a Case of “Supply and Demand”

As with any real estate market, this one is all about supply and demand.  There is simply more inventory available in the more expensive segments of the market than there are buyers.  Until more Mt. Pleasant buyers “show up” to the table in these price ranges, this will remain the case and pricing will continue to feel pressure.  However, the good news is that we are seeing some improvement in available months of inventory in all price segments except homes priced above $1M.

Mt. Pleasant Homes Priced Below $300,000 Now in a “Balanced” Market…

Because of the significant growth in Mt. Pleasant home sales below $300,000 this year, I consider this segment of the market “balanced”.  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, a “balanced” market is one that has approximately 6 months of available inventory.  At this level, neither the buyer or seller has a significant advantage in price negotiations.  As the available months falls below 6 months, pricing will start to increase and the market will shift towards a “Sellers Market”.  As you can see from the chart, it will likely be some time before we see a “balanced” market in the higher price ranges, particularly for homes priced above $1M.

So, has the market turned?  Suffice it to say that it is improving.  Hopefully for sellers, that trend will continue.  For buyers, now might be a great time to start looking for that new home!

Please feel free to comment on this post or contact me if you have any questions.  Also, if you are thinking of buying or selling a Mt. Pleasant home, please contact me to learn more about the services offered by The Chuck Avera Real Estate Team.