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.

Through April 19th, real estate activity for Mt. Pleasant single family homes is up significantly from the same period in 2009.  While pricing has dipped slightly, the number of homes sold is up 20% in 2010.  This is welcome good news for sellers in our market as we move into the busy spring season.

2010:

• Single family homes sold – 231
• Median Sales Price – $359,000
• Selling Price Per Square Foot – $160.23

2009:

• Single family homes sold – 193
• Median Sales Price – $370,000
• Selling Price Per Square Foot – $163.10

Mt. Pleasant Home Sales Below $300K Approaching a “Balanced” Market

While the Mt. Pleasant real estate market has seen an overall increase in activity, there are still certain price ranges that are performing better than others.  For example, based on the last 9 months of sales history, there are only 7 months of available inventory for homes priced below $300,000.  This is very close to representing a “balanced” market.  A “balanced” market is approximately 6 months of available inventory.  Anything above 6 months represents a “buyers market” and anything below represents a “sellers market”.

As you move into the more expensive homes for sale in Mt. Pleasant, the buyer still has a significant advantage as inventory remains rather high.  As you can see from the chart below, months of available inventory escalates dramatically for homes priced above $750,000 and again for homes above $1M in asking price.

Price Pressure Likely to Continue Through 2010 in Mt. Pleasant

Achieving a “balanced” market in the higher price ranges will not be easy as there is a lot of inventory to absorb.  Therefore, I believe there will be continued pressure on pricing as we move through 2010 and into 2011.  Because of the stiff competition for buyers in most price ranges, sellers will have to “price right” and have their homes in pristine condition to have a good chance of securing an acceptable contract.

If you have any questions about this post or if you would like additional information about real estate services offered by The Chuck Avera Team, please contact me.  I will be happy to help in any way I can.

Finally some good news!  Through the first two months of 2010, Mt. Pleasant homes sold at a faster pace than the same period in 2009.  A total of 147 homes sold in Mt. Pleasant in January and February, up from 115 sales in 2009.  Single family home sales are up 31% while sales of condos are up 19%. Clearly, there are more buyers are in the market right now than we had last year.  This is a very positive sign as we head into the traditional “spring selling season”.

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Although the Belle Hall real estate market continued to feel the effects of the economy, it did fare better than many other Mount Pleasant neighborhoods in 2009.

Belle Hall Home Sales Down Again in 2009

There were 54 homes sold in all phases of Belle Hall last year.  This is down slightly from the 58 homes sold in 2008, but significantly off of the 2005 peak when 87 homes sold in the neighborhood.  There continued to be pressure on pricing, particularly in the higher price ranges.  The average selling price per square foot in 2009 was $177, down from $181 in 2008.  This is down 13% from the peak in 2006 when the price per square foot was $203.

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The 2009 Mount Pleasant real estate market continued to be a challenge for sellers and it represented value opportunities for buyers.  We are clearly still in a buyer’s market as there is much more inventory than the demand currently supports.  More on that later.  First, let’s review some of the numbers for 2009:

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With all of the choices that buyers have in today’s Mt. Pleasant real estate market, it is imperative for sellers to create a good first impression by having the exterior of the home in impeccable condition.  Over the years, I have seen buyers refuse to follow through with an appointment to see a home after they drove up and saw the poor condition of the exterior. This is not a good recipe for success in any market, particularly this one!

Below are 10 tips that can help Mt. Pleasant sellers boost the curb appeal of their home:

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With the recent record high numbers of short sales and foreclosure sales, many Mt. Pleasant homeowners are concerned about the impact these distressed sales are having on their home’s market value.  This is a very legitimate concern, particularly for homeowners that currently have their homes on the market and for those that may be considering selling their home in the near future.

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The overall Belle Hall real estate market has been quite interesting this year.  In order to get some good perspective on what has been happening, it is important to break down the market into two categories: Belle Hall and Hibben.  The markets are reacting very differently in these two categories.  Let’s take a look at some of the data for this year compared to 2008:

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Interest rates change constantly, but it is important to know that rates are cyclical. If rates are currently at historical lows then we know there is a strong probablility rates will go up again, and vice versa. Certain economic indicators such as unemployment data, consumer price index, retail sales data, and consumer confidence all have an effect on mortgage interest rates. But the key factor to watch is the relationship between STOCKS and BONDS.

When the economy is slow and the stock market is “bearish,” many investors move money out of stocks and into bonds and mortgage-backed securities. This causes mortgage interest rates to go down. When the economy is doing well, the stock market rallies and is considered “bullish.” Investors then have a tendency to move their money out of that safe haven of bonds and mortgage-backed securities and back into stocks. As a result, mortgage interest rates go up.

The moral of the story? When the Fed cuts their rate, mortgage interest rates do not necessarily go down in concert with the Fed rate.

Thank you to Lorcan Lucey with Lucey Mortgage for this insight into mortgage rates!

As of January 13th, there have been 3 homes go under contract in Belle Hall Plantation in the new year. Considering we are in the “dead of winter”, this is a pretty good start to 2009. All 3 of these homes went under contract between January 5th to 9th. Below are the details on these homes:

394 Fern House Walk – Courtyard
3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
1,403 Square Feet
Asking price – $252,500

708 Windchime Alley – Veranda
3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
1,470 Square Feet
Asking price – $257,900

856 Tupelo Bay Drive – Hibben
4 Bedrooms, 3 1/2 Baths
4,365 Square Feet
Asking price – $899,900

Stay tuned to this blog throughout the year for regular updates on the Belle Hall real estate market. To see details on all homes currently for sale in Belle Hall, please visit www.BelleHallHomeInfo.com.

Chuck Avera
Keller Williams Realty
Office: (843)452-5300
http://www.ChuckAvera.com
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Belle Hall Homes and Real Estate for Sale
Mt. Pleasant, SC Homes, Condos and Real Estate