Jan. 10 Blog and Updates
Current Greenville SC Blog
January 30, 2010:
Good morning! We got some sleet and freezing rain but at the moment it doesn't seem to be too bad. I'm glad because I have an event downtown and didn't want to be out on too slippery roads. Will stay cold today though. Anyway just a short blurb...my wife has some things for me to do so I better scoot! Ya'll have a good one and stay warm! Hopefully I'll get some great shots from downtown for you!!
Best,
Don
January 29, 2010:
Good morning folks! Hey the word's the weather!! Yep...we may get our once a year snow or worse today, ICE!.. I'm looking at the weather forecast by the hour and it looks like they are calling for mostly cloudy this morning with rain starting in the afternoon and changing to snow around 7pm. Then a 100% chance of snow by 10pm. Double WOW. Alright let's flip over to tomorrow. Supposed to snow all night then turn to ice in the morning. We are looking at a high of around 31.
Well folks, Ya'll don't get your panties in a bunch cause in Greenville when they call for snow IT RARELY HAPPENS. Now I could be wrong this time and I don't mind seeing some pretty snow but Gosh I hope we don't get the ice. Actually the ice would be better than the freezing rain. I've got a ton of trees around my home and well you know what trees do when they get some freezing rain on them. Low tomorrow is brrrrrr 18. I am supposed to meet with some first time homebuyers tomorrow morning. Probably be canceling that.
Actually, I'm supposed to be staying downtown at the Hampton on the River, got a black event tomorrow night. Don't Ya'll worry, I'll have my camera with me and get you plenty of pretty pictures of the snow....or lack of :-).
Good morning! Hey the big news was.... Wicked started last night at the Peace Center for The Performing Arts! It will be playing through February 14. I bring this up folks because Greenville SC really has so many great things to do. My folks from Maine are going to be a Peace Center supporter when they close in February. They can't wait. Why would you. One reason Greenville is Greenville is for places like the Peace Center, Bi-Lo Center, Cafe and Then Some, Warehouse Theatre.... and the list goes on and on.
Hey, my wife and I stopped by one of my favorite wing places last night... Man it was good. Of course you've got Sticky Fingers, Chiefs' Firewater and Wings and Wild Wings if you want some variety!
So let's talk Greenville SC real estate for a minute. I was talking to a builder yesterday who is moving his price point from $600,000 homes to the $200,000 area, why, well sales are up in that area. That makes sense doesn't it folks? Partly because most first time homebuyers will be in that $200,000 range and below. I have a number I'm working with.
I've actually got a fairly slow day today so I may be able to get out for some new video for you. If you need a realtor, then take it a step further and get a realtor who specializes a an exclusive buyers agent. An exclusive buyers agent does not list any homes and has no agenda. Let me get on your side!
Have a wonderful day!
January 26, 2010:
Good morning! Hey, it's starting to break open. Just put another home under contract with some first time homebuyers! They are sooooooooooo excited and folks I'm really glad because it is a very nice home. I've got another couple starting to look now and take advantage of that great credit. Hey folks, it's a great time to buy. Market is slower than usual and sellers are ready to sell. Call me and I'll be glad to help! 864-335-8490. Remember, always use an exclusive buyers agent for Greenville South Carolina Real Estate! Get someone on your side!!
Have a great day!
Don
January 21, 2010:
Good morning! I've updated two pages with more to come. Go to Downtown Greenville SC Condos or Greenville SC for updates. Was supposed to show this morning but had some rain move in so we are rescheduling to tomorrow. I'll be working on the site today and have some things moved around and more updates. Have a good one!!
Hey, I was trying to schedule a modest home yesterday for a nice couple that is visiting and the listing agent informed me it was a "short sale". Said she had the property listed for over a year now and had had about 18 offers on the property. Bank has never responded. Hey, why would they??? Nuff said and typical. Of course all this is supposed to change this spring with "new banking rules" for short sales. Yep, we'll see..... :-).
Hey, it was BEAUTIFUL yesterday, got some folks in from out of state (up north) and finally they were able to see just how nice a warm January day can be. Gotta run, have a good one and call me if you need me at 864-335-8490!
Don
January 18, 2010:
Good morning folks! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Had a great family in from out of state and we found them a great home. Working now to get it executed. Anyway, got another couple in from out of state this morning so I've got some things to jump on.
I did want to remind you though that on my web site there is never a login for you to search for homes. Realtors who require logins capture your contact information and guess what? They start contacting you. Why, well they want to pick you up as a buyer. Listen folks, the information that you get from my search is readily available. Why would I force you to login to look at Greenville South Carolina Real Estate???
I look at it this way. If you need my help, you will email me or call me. Right? Here's the thing folks, you can put a monkey in front of a computer and they can find a home if you direct them to the search page. And some people think all the information in the world will help them find a great home at a great price....in a good area. Think again. You want a buyers agent on your side to help you, someone who can interpret the information and help you through the transaction. A lot of homes look great until you drive out there and look at them. Then it takes a trained eye to foresee problems that can arise. A few times a week I look at properties and think "how could you have bought this?" Who helped you with this? You know the sellers paid too much for it or it's in a failed neighborhood, etc. Folks I can't guarantee anything but I can help you to see potential problems. Especially in today's market...... I hope you have a wonderful day!
January 15: 2010:
Good morning! Well we are half way through January. Warming up too, thank goodness, got to about 50 yesterday. So let's a look at upcoming events for the weekend!
A Hero's Inspiration will be performed at the Peace Center for The Performing Arts by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Really, that's about it for this weekend, but I did want to mention that Wicked opens at the Peace Center on the 27th and will run through Feb. 14. I know my wife will want to see that!!
Monster Jam will be at the Bi-Lo Center at the end of the month. And the Greenville News Run is on the 23rd.
Don't know if you know it but there is a new HUD (closing statement) that is in place for closings. I haven't seen one yet but I"ll sure fill you in when I do. As I mentioned I've got some nice folks in from the Boston area today and some folks coming in Sunday. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Best,
Don
January 14, 2010:
Good morning, been a couple of days, hope you're staying warm. Actually here in Greenville it has been warming up a bit. I'm ready. Got some very nice folks coming in from the Boston area to buy tomorrow. I tell you folks, what normally happens is people will come visit a couple of times then decide on the area then put their homes on the market, etc. Looking forward to helping them, very nice couple.
So what's up in Greenville SC today? Well, it's slowly but surely starting to pick back up. December and first of January are always very slow. I've got another couple flying in Sunday. Then I've got to go back out with a couple from Maine visiting to see if they like it here. Hey, where are all you Florida people who were coming up here??? :-)
I hope you have a wonderful day! Should have some very good updates and additions for tomorrow.
Don
1:49 pm: Hey, just added a video tour of Taylors SC here!
7:00 am:
Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I had a great couple in from Maine.... You know, it's funny they said it's colder here than there now...I laughed. It has been as cold for as long as I have seen it here people. And to think of all the times I told my Florida buyers it doesn't get that cold here! Really, it doesn't, Arctic front came to town, likes Greenville SC!! and just won't leave. So...anyway the folks from Maine came to town just like about 95% of my other out of state buyers. They are going to spend a couple of weeks down here and see if they like it, you know just between you and be....I bet they like it.
So what' up with all you guys and gals out there? Let's see....ummmmm... do I have anything I can write about....ummmmm.........you betcha. I haven't started the new year going off on short sales like I should so let's get started.
You know folks, short sales are just the in thing now...aren't they? Ok, well they are not as rampant in Greenville as other places of the country but yes they exist. Well, if you read my blog you know I don't "do" short sales. But, I had a very nice couple referred to me as first time home buyers and they had their heart set on a "short" sale. And folks, on paper it looked like a pretty good deal. I begged um not to do it, but they insisted. Ok, we made an offer and apparently four other offers came in (according to the listing agent). Well the bank actually told us what they needed to net on the sale to complete it. So I had my attorney back into a contract price based on closing costs, etc. and we made an offer. Well I don't won't to hear about "what you've got to have for a property" from anyone, seller, bank, anyone. Because folks, it's not what the seller has to "have" it's what the property is worth. Anyway, make a long story short, we didn't get it. Of course the transaction drags on, that's what banks do with short sales, they drag them on. Finally I get a call from the listing agent last week and guess what, the deal has fallen apart...no joking, I can't imagine.
Here's the deal, short sales are sold "as is", the seller will make no repairs, yes you are welcome to inspect all day but the seller will not make repairs. So as you can imagine, the home had some problems, especially on the roof. Well those buyers were pushed to the limit on price anyway so they couldn't make them and had to let it go. Listing agent calls me and asks me if we want to make an offer, so my people get all excited. I ask the listing agent if she will share the inspection report with us and she agrees. Well we only get about half the report but trust me folks that is enough to walk away. You see, my people are going FHA financing and fha is going to require repairs to be made to get financing. Well, the only way it would close would be for my buyers to come out of pocket and repair the home "before" it closed. Folks...you talk about risky, let's put $5,000 in a home and then get to closing and it not close. Not me folks. And not any of my buyers. I'll say it again, banks have no incentive to sell a home when the owner is still making payments, banks are going to leverage up all they can because guess what, they are in business to make money!
Get it foreclosed and that's another story. I've done plenty of foreclosed properties to great advantage for my buyers. When they are foreclosed the bank actually will negotiate. Just a few thoughts, have a great day...and stay warm. By the way, I'm working on my Taylors video, will have it posted later today.
Don
January 8, 2010:
Good morning folks. Hey gotta run, busy day but I want to mention that some past buyers of mine have their home for sale FSBO. You can view it here. If you have questions click the link I have there and the owner will get in touch with you, or you can just call me. Click here to view the Greenville SC FSBO page. And have a wonderful day!
Good morning! I thought I'd take a look at the MLS this morning to see what's come on the market in the last day or so. I try and keep up with it regularly.
Over the past 24 hours we had:
69 New Listings
59 Price Changes
34 Expired
6 Sales Closed
473 Pending Transactions
Pending transactions are way down but that is normal for this time of the year. There is a relist in Chanticleer that has been reduced around $200,000. Chanticleer is a popular neighborhood close to Greenville Country Club, a private golf community located close to Augusta Rd. I see a price reduction in a good area right off Pelham Rd. in Ivybrooke. 4 bedroom 2 and a half townhome for $192,500. I see three listing in the North Main area. Folks, north main is very popular because of it closeness to downtown Greenville. They are between $187,000 and $259,000. It's kind of funny, many of these are not new listings, what will happen when a mls number get's stale, the agent will withdraw the listing and put it back in so it appears new. Hey, this guy doesn't get fooled.
Alright, there's actually a new listing in the Pebble Creek area. Pebble Creek has a great very reasonable country club and golf course called.... drum roll, Pebble Creek Country Club. I see one in a neighborhood that is way overpriced, sorry I can't name the neighborhood. But here's a good point. When the market was going nuts and the developers going crazy and putting them up as fast as they could people just bought um.
I remember when this neighborhood started. Was developed by a builder who thought there would be no end. Houses sold like crazy here because it was in a good school district. Well, the builder went bankrupt, and now people are starting to pay, there are some homes in there sitting empty. But folks this neighborhood is probably going to be ok because it mostly did get built out. There are a number where the poor buyer bought and they are one of a few in the neighborhood. Never be the experiment, I like established neighborhoods with good track records. If they are new, I like to see an number of homeowners in there and it going strong.
Anyway, just a couple of thoughts. I'm going to try and buzz over to Taylors today and shoot a tour for you. More updates coming. You know this is such a pretty area. While driving the other day I noticed this scene and just had to grab a shot. Just beautiful country side!
Have a great day!
January 6, 2010:
Good morning folks! It's 17 degrees here in sunny Greenville South Carolina! I hope you are staying warm. I wanted to relate a little story from Christmas. Didn't post much around Christmas so I'm catching up! Any way I wanted to give out a highly recommend to Justins on Pelham Rd. My wife and I used to go to their Simpsonville location but they closed that one so we tried their new one on Pelham Rd. just before East North Street and Wow, it was great! They had a large wedding party in and still gave us wonderful service. So, I'm giving them a highly recommend and adding them to my Things to Do In Greenville SC page. If you want a great steak, Austin and Chophouse 47 are the places to go!
While my wife and I were enjoying dinner, a super couple walked up to the table. It was Steve and Bonnie, past client buyers of mine. They both looked great! Folks, this is a perfect example of why I love being in this business. Bonnie had been in Florida for 30 years. So....when they first came to Greenville...well you can imagine them being a bit nervous about such a move! Well they had heard great things about Greenville and had to just "come and see". Long story short, they just wanted to thank me and tell me how much they love Greenville! They've been here a couple of years now, made some great friends and just love it. Folks, do you know how great that makes me feel? Wonderful!
Got a call from a police officer in Conn. yesterday. "Don, I've heard great things about Greenville and will be coming down in a month or so..." Come on, I'll be glad to show you around and I bet you end up buying here!
You just can't beat it folks, reasonable cost of living, low taxes, many things to do, good Southern home cooking (if you need a good meat and three place to eat and some great sweet tea, just let me know).
Ya'll have a great day.... and stay warm.
Don
January 5, 2010:
Update at 12:37:
Hey, just got my Greer SC Real Estate video uploaded! Click Here for the Page and the Video and Enjoy!
Hey! Good morning, man this arctic front just won't leave us alone! It's currently 17 degrees at 7:50 this morning! I hope all you locals have your pools winterized or have the pump running. That's what I do, I never winterize my pool, I just run the pump if it get's cold like this.
Anyway, I was able to get out and shoot some video for you and will have that posted sometime today. I ended up at Lake Robinson up in Greer yesterday. I wanted to get you a little feel for that area so I pulled into the public access to get a few shots. Folks, I tell you, I haven't been that cold in a while. It was 30 degrees and there were white caps on the lake, wind blowing about 20-25 miles a hours. Needless to say, I didn't stay out there long. Below is a shot from Lake Robinson, yesterday. Pretty day, but man.... cold!
GGAR (Greater Greenville Association of Realtors) will be sending out a report shortly, and most realtors will be putting this on their website and quoting stats. Folks, I just don't do it that way. Here's why. Our MLS system contains stats on quite a large area. Let's see, well there's Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, etc. Folks, they are all nice areas, but they ain't Greenville. I tell all my out of state lookers and buyers, I consider "Greenville", Greenville County. Why, well Greenville county covers all the areas that really make up the Greenville I'm talking about, Greenville City, Simpsonville, Taylors, Greer and all or parts of the other towns. The reason is, Greenville city limits are SMALL. You'll be in Simpsonville before you know it and then cross over into Greer at the blink of a eye. Hey sometimes I forget where I am :-)!!! Anywho, if I'm going to do stats I'm not going to include Spartanburg, Anderson and Pickens....they are not representative of Greenville. They are totally separate areas. So with that said let's get started.
Through December 31, 2009, single family, condos and townhomes in Greenville County, also, I'm throwing out anything below $100,000. That skews the market too. Yes, we will leave the big sales in there though because we are more interested in true economic impact, not $30,000 investments or mobile homes.
2009 2008
Sales
3,168 4,103
Sales Volume
$671,061,055 $930,711,254
Average Days On The Market
98 90
Total Sold Price to Total List Price
96% 97%
Average Sold Price
$211,824 $226,836
High Sold Price
$1,500,000 see condo below $1,750,000
"So tell me Don, what's it mean?" It smells like I though it smelt. Volume is off in a big way but average sales price and sold to list price is not that much. Days on the market is up a tad. Folks, you can read into this what you want and if you're from Florida you might tend to think Greenville is taking a beating... I can assure you it's not. I had one of, if not my best year last year. Folks, people are still coming to Greenville and they are not getting the deals they think they should. Yes, there are price pressure, but the economy keeps Greenville in relatively good position. Yes there are some distressed sales, but folks you better get a Greenville SC buyers agent to help you with those because you sure can get burned. I look for 2010 to be better. One good thing that 2009 did was remove many realtors who should not be in this business. Those who jumped in when the market was up up and a way. Experience folks, there is no substitute. Especially when you are buying.
Have a great day, will let you know when I have the Greer SC tour posted.
Don
January 4, 2010:
Good morning Folks. Well the word is the weather! Currently in Greenville SC it's 20 degrees! Hey you Floridians, this is not normal. Anyway, it unusually cold for this time of year, but hey, it happens. We are supposed to have a high of only 34 today. That's ok, I'll keep the wood in the fireplace. By they way, I do get a lot of buyers asking for fireplaces when they are looking for a new home and that's understandable, I love mine. I see a lot with gas logs too though, it's really a matter of preference.
I wanted to start off the new year with a reminder why it is so important to use an exclusive buyer's agent. Part of the reason I write so many stories is to relate to you the kinds of problems you can run into in real estate. Folks, you need someone on YOUR SIDE. The listing agent is ALWAYS working for the SELLER. There's nothing wrong with that's, but is is their job. If you call an agent who has a home listed and see that home with that agent, remember their job is to make that home look and seem as attractive as possible, again that's THEIR JOB.
So.... what's my job? My job is to work for you, the buyer. So what's my charge to you? Hey folks, that's the thing... there is NO CHARGE TO YOU. I am paid by the transaction, actually my company, Remax Foothills is paid by the transaction, then they pay me. So what do I do for you? I have to work in your best interest, you know, put you first. And that's what I do and have been doing for most of my career. I get asked a lot, "Why don't you list homes for sale?"
Folks, it's a matter of preference, I enjoy working with buyers. So why not do what you love in your life? Many of the people I help are from out of state, they don't know the area, they have no idea regarding value, areas, home values, etc. Buyers, regardless if they are from Greenville SC or from California need someone to protect them. There are so many little things to watch out for folks! When you've done this hundreds of times, you gain experience. There is nothing more important than experience in a real estate transaction. Understanding the contract, helping with inspections, putting you in touch with the best people I know to insure you have a great transaction. So, please remember to always use an exclusive buyers agent to assist you in your real estate purchase. Oh, by the way do you wonder why I use the word exclusive?
There are a lot of agents who wear the accredited buyers agent badge, but there are few that are exclusive. So what does exclusive mean to you? An exclusive buyers agent does not take any listings. You know, it means I specialize. Folks, I'm not a listing agent one minute, then magically turn into a buyers agent the next. It's funny and I've mentioned this before. I actually see realtors that tout themselves in one place on the web as a listing agent then will build pages to extol their virtues as a buyers agent. You know folks, have you heard the old saying you can't have it both ways? Or how about "Jack of all trades and a a master of none?" Yep, that's it. I could make a lot more money by listing homes but I don't because I stay true to my calling, and that's helping nice folks find a great home in a great area..... Greenville South Carolina!
Check back tomorrow, I'll have a complete review of the year for you. Let's see how Greenville SC Real Estate came out for 2009!
December 09 Blog November 09 Blog October 09 Updates September 09 Updates August 09 Updates
July 09 Updates June 09 Updates May 09 Updates April 09 Updates March 09 Updates February 09 Updates Jan 09 Updates December 08 Updates Past Real Estate Updates
January 30, 2010:
Good morning! We got some sleet and freezing rain but at the moment it doesn't seem to be too bad. I'm glad because I have an event downtown and didn't want to be out on too slippery roads. Will stay cold today though. Anyway just a short blurb...my wife has some things for me to do so I better scoot! Ya'll have a good one and stay warm! Hopefully I'll get some great shots from downtown for you!!
Best,
Don
January 29, 2010:
Good morning folks! Hey the word's the weather!! Yep...we may get our once a year snow or worse today, ICE!.. I'm looking at the weather forecast by the hour and it looks like they are calling for mostly cloudy this morning with rain starting in the afternoon and changing to snow around 7pm. Then a 100% chance of snow by 10pm. Double WOW. Alright let's flip over to tomorrow. Supposed to snow all night then turn to ice in the morning. We are looking at a high of around 31.
Well folks, Ya'll don't get your panties in a bunch cause in Greenville when they call for snow IT RARELY HAPPENS. Now I could be wrong this time and I don't mind seeing some pretty snow but Gosh I hope we don't get the ice. Actually the ice would be better than the freezing rain. I've got a ton of trees around my home and well you know what trees do when they get some freezing rain on them. Low tomorrow is brrrrrr 18. I am supposed to meet with some first time homebuyers tomorrow morning. Probably be canceling that.
Actually, I'm supposed to be staying downtown at the Hampton on the River, got a black event tomorrow night. Don't Ya'll worry, I'll have my camera with me and get you plenty of pretty pictures of the snow....or lack of :-).
Will it happen??????
Good morning! Hey the big news was.... Wicked started last night at the Peace Center for The Performing Arts! It will be playing through February 14. I bring this up folks because Greenville SC really has so many great things to do. My folks from Maine are going to be a Peace Center supporter when they close in February. They can't wait. Why would you. One reason Greenville is Greenville is for places like the Peace Center, Bi-Lo Center, Cafe and Then Some, Warehouse Theatre.... and the list goes on and on.
Hey, my wife and I stopped by one of my favorite wing places last night... Man it was good. Of course you've got Sticky Fingers, Chiefs' Firewater and Wings and Wild Wings if you want some variety!
So let's talk Greenville SC real estate for a minute. I was talking to a builder yesterday who is moving his price point from $600,000 homes to the $200,000 area, why, well sales are up in that area. That makes sense doesn't it folks? Partly because most first time homebuyers will be in that $200,000 range and below. I have a number I'm working with.
I've actually got a fairly slow day today so I may be able to get out for some new video for you. If you need a realtor, then take it a step further and get a realtor who specializes a an exclusive buyers agent. An exclusive buyers agent does not list any homes and has no agenda. Let me get on your side!
Have a wonderful day!
January 26, 2010:
Good morning! Hey, it's starting to break open. Just put another home under contract with some first time homebuyers! They are sooooooooooo excited and folks I'm really glad because it is a very nice home. I've got another couple starting to look now and take advantage of that great credit. Hey folks, it's a great time to buy. Market is slower than usual and sellers are ready to sell. Call me and I'll be glad to help! 864-335-8490. Remember, always use an exclusive buyers agent for Greenville South Carolina Real Estate! Get someone on your side!!
Have a great day!
Don
January 21, 2010:
Good morning! I've updated two pages with more to come. Go to Downtown Greenville SC Condos or Greenville SC for updates. Was supposed to show this morning but had some rain move in so we are rescheduling to tomorrow. I'll be working on the site today and have some things moved around and more updates. Have a good one!!
Come see me at the Hyatt Downtown Greenville!
Hey, I was trying to schedule a modest home yesterday for a nice couple that is visiting and the listing agent informed me it was a "short sale". Said she had the property listed for over a year now and had had about 18 offers on the property. Bank has never responded. Hey, why would they??? Nuff said and typical. Of course all this is supposed to change this spring with "new banking rules" for short sales. Yep, we'll see..... :-).
Hey, it was BEAUTIFUL yesterday, got some folks in from out of state (up north) and finally they were able to see just how nice a warm January day can be. Gotta run, have a good one and call me if you need me at 864-335-8490!
Don
January 18, 2010:
Good morning folks! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Had a great family in from out of state and we found them a great home. Working now to get it executed. Anyway, got another couple in from out of state this morning so I've got some things to jump on.
I did want to remind you though that on my web site there is never a login for you to search for homes. Realtors who require logins capture your contact information and guess what? They start contacting you. Why, well they want to pick you up as a buyer. Listen folks, the information that you get from my search is readily available. Why would I force you to login to look at Greenville South Carolina Real Estate???
I look at it this way. If you need my help, you will email me or call me. Right? Here's the thing folks, you can put a monkey in front of a computer and they can find a home if you direct them to the search page. And some people think all the information in the world will help them find a great home at a great price....in a good area. Think again. You want a buyers agent on your side to help you, someone who can interpret the information and help you through the transaction. A lot of homes look great until you drive out there and look at them. Then it takes a trained eye to foresee problems that can arise. A few times a week I look at properties and think "how could you have bought this?" Who helped you with this? You know the sellers paid too much for it or it's in a failed neighborhood, etc. Folks I can't guarantee anything but I can help you to see potential problems. Especially in today's market...... I hope you have a wonderful day!
January 15: 2010:
Good morning! Well we are half way through January. Warming up too, thank goodness, got to about 50 yesterday. So let's a look at upcoming events for the weekend!
A Hero's Inspiration will be performed at the Peace Center for The Performing Arts by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Really, that's about it for this weekend, but I did want to mention that Wicked opens at the Peace Center on the 27th and will run through Feb. 14. I know my wife will want to see that!!
Monster Jam will be at the Bi-Lo Center at the end of the month. And the Greenville News Run is on the 23rd.
Don't know if you know it but there is a new HUD (closing statement) that is in place for closings. I haven't seen one yet but I"ll sure fill you in when I do. As I mentioned I've got some nice folks in from the Boston area today and some folks coming in Sunday. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Best,
Don
January 14, 2010:
Good morning, been a couple of days, hope you're staying warm. Actually here in Greenville it has been warming up a bit. I'm ready. Got some very nice folks coming in from the Boston area to buy tomorrow. I tell you folks, what normally happens is people will come visit a couple of times then decide on the area then put their homes on the market, etc. Looking forward to helping them, very nice couple.
So what's up in Greenville SC today? Well, it's slowly but surely starting to pick back up. December and first of January are always very slow. I've got another couple flying in Sunday. Then I've got to go back out with a couple from Maine visiting to see if they like it here. Hey, where are all you Florida people who were coming up here??? :-)
I hope you have a wonderful day! Should have some very good updates and additions for tomorrow.
Don
1:49 pm: Hey, just added a video tour of Taylors SC here!
7:00 am:
Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I had a great couple in from Maine.... You know, it's funny they said it's colder here than there now...I laughed. It has been as cold for as long as I have seen it here people. And to think of all the times I told my Florida buyers it doesn't get that cold here! Really, it doesn't, Arctic front came to town, likes Greenville SC!! and just won't leave. So...anyway the folks from Maine came to town just like about 95% of my other out of state buyers. They are going to spend a couple of weeks down here and see if they like it, you know just between you and be....I bet they like it.
So what' up with all you guys and gals out there? Let's see....ummmmm... do I have anything I can write about....ummmmm.........you betcha. I haven't started the new year going off on short sales like I should so let's get started.
You know folks, short sales are just the in thing now...aren't they? Ok, well they are not as rampant in Greenville as other places of the country but yes they exist. Well, if you read my blog you know I don't "do" short sales. But, I had a very nice couple referred to me as first time home buyers and they had their heart set on a "short" sale. And folks, on paper it looked like a pretty good deal. I begged um not to do it, but they insisted. Ok, we made an offer and apparently four other offers came in (according to the listing agent). Well the bank actually told us what they needed to net on the sale to complete it. So I had my attorney back into a contract price based on closing costs, etc. and we made an offer. Well I don't won't to hear about "what you've got to have for a property" from anyone, seller, bank, anyone. Because folks, it's not what the seller has to "have" it's what the property is worth. Anyway, make a long story short, we didn't get it. Of course the transaction drags on, that's what banks do with short sales, they drag them on. Finally I get a call from the listing agent last week and guess what, the deal has fallen apart...no joking, I can't imagine.
Here's the deal, short sales are sold "as is", the seller will make no repairs, yes you are welcome to inspect all day but the seller will not make repairs. So as you can imagine, the home had some problems, especially on the roof. Well those buyers were pushed to the limit on price anyway so they couldn't make them and had to let it go. Listing agent calls me and asks me if we want to make an offer, so my people get all excited. I ask the listing agent if she will share the inspection report with us and she agrees. Well we only get about half the report but trust me folks that is enough to walk away. You see, my people are going FHA financing and fha is going to require repairs to be made to get financing. Well, the only way it would close would be for my buyers to come out of pocket and repair the home "before" it closed. Folks...you talk about risky, let's put $5,000 in a home and then get to closing and it not close. Not me folks. And not any of my buyers. I'll say it again, banks have no incentive to sell a home when the owner is still making payments, banks are going to leverage up all they can because guess what, they are in business to make money!
Get it foreclosed and that's another story. I've done plenty of foreclosed properties to great advantage for my buyers. When they are foreclosed the bank actually will negotiate. Just a few thoughts, have a great day...and stay warm. By the way, I'm working on my Taylors video, will have it posted later today.
Don
January 8, 2010:
Good morning folks. Hey gotta run, busy day but I want to mention that some past buyers of mine have their home for sale FSBO. You can view it here. If you have questions click the link I have there and the owner will get in touch with you, or you can just call me. Click here to view the Greenville SC FSBO page. And have a wonderful day!
Riverplace Starbucks!
Good morning! I thought I'd take a look at the MLS this morning to see what's come on the market in the last day or so. I try and keep up with it regularly.
Over the past 24 hours we had:
69 New Listings
59 Price Changes
34 Expired
6 Sales Closed
473 Pending Transactions
Pending transactions are way down but that is normal for this time of the year. There is a relist in Chanticleer that has been reduced around $200,000. Chanticleer is a popular neighborhood close to Greenville Country Club, a private golf community located close to Augusta Rd. I see a price reduction in a good area right off Pelham Rd. in Ivybrooke. 4 bedroom 2 and a half townhome for $192,500. I see three listing in the North Main area. Folks, north main is very popular because of it closeness to downtown Greenville. They are between $187,000 and $259,000. It's kind of funny, many of these are not new listings, what will happen when a mls number get's stale, the agent will withdraw the listing and put it back in so it appears new. Hey, this guy doesn't get fooled.
Alright, there's actually a new listing in the Pebble Creek area. Pebble Creek has a great very reasonable country club and golf course called.... drum roll, Pebble Creek Country Club. I see one in a neighborhood that is way overpriced, sorry I can't name the neighborhood. But here's a good point. When the market was going nuts and the developers going crazy and putting them up as fast as they could people just bought um.
I remember when this neighborhood started. Was developed by a builder who thought there would be no end. Houses sold like crazy here because it was in a good school district. Well, the builder went bankrupt, and now people are starting to pay, there are some homes in there sitting empty. But folks this neighborhood is probably going to be ok because it mostly did get built out. There are a number where the poor buyer bought and they are one of a few in the neighborhood. Never be the experiment, I like established neighborhoods with good track records. If they are new, I like to see an number of homeowners in there and it going strong.
Anyway, just a couple of thoughts. I'm going to try and buzz over to Taylors today and shoot a tour for you. More updates coming. You know this is such a pretty area. While driving the other day I noticed this scene and just had to grab a shot. Just beautiful country side!
Have a great day!
January 6, 2010:
Good morning folks! It's 17 degrees here in sunny Greenville South Carolina! I hope you are staying warm. I wanted to relate a little story from Christmas. Didn't post much around Christmas so I'm catching up! Any way I wanted to give out a highly recommend to Justins on Pelham Rd. My wife and I used to go to their Simpsonville location but they closed that one so we tried their new one on Pelham Rd. just before East North Street and Wow, it was great! They had a large wedding party in and still gave us wonderful service. So, I'm giving them a highly recommend and adding them to my Things to Do In Greenville SC page. If you want a great steak, Austin and Chophouse 47 are the places to go!
While my wife and I were enjoying dinner, a super couple walked up to the table. It was Steve and Bonnie, past client buyers of mine. They both looked great! Folks, this is a perfect example of why I love being in this business. Bonnie had been in Florida for 30 years. So....when they first came to Greenville...well you can imagine them being a bit nervous about such a move! Well they had heard great things about Greenville and had to just "come and see". Long story short, they just wanted to thank me and tell me how much they love Greenville! They've been here a couple of years now, made some great friends and just love it. Folks, do you know how great that makes me feel? Wonderful!
Got a call from a police officer in Conn. yesterday. "Don, I've heard great things about Greenville and will be coming down in a month or so..." Come on, I'll be glad to show you around and I bet you end up buying here!
You just can't beat it folks, reasonable cost of living, low taxes, many things to do, good Southern home cooking (if you need a good meat and three place to eat and some great sweet tea, just let me know).
Ya'll have a great day.... and stay warm.
Don
January 5, 2010:
Update at 12:37:
Hey, just got my Greer SC Real Estate video uploaded! Click Here for the Page and the Video and Enjoy!
Hey! Good morning, man this arctic front just won't leave us alone! It's currently 17 degrees at 7:50 this morning! I hope all you locals have your pools winterized or have the pump running. That's what I do, I never winterize my pool, I just run the pump if it get's cold like this.
Anyway, I was able to get out and shoot some video for you and will have that posted sometime today. I ended up at Lake Robinson up in Greer yesterday. I wanted to get you a little feel for that area so I pulled into the public access to get a few shots. Folks, I tell you, I haven't been that cold in a while. It was 30 degrees and there were white caps on the lake, wind blowing about 20-25 miles a hours. Needless to say, I didn't stay out there long. Below is a shot from Lake Robinson, yesterday. Pretty day, but man.... cold!
GGAR (Greater Greenville Association of Realtors) will be sending out a report shortly, and most realtors will be putting this on their website and quoting stats. Folks, I just don't do it that way. Here's why. Our MLS system contains stats on quite a large area. Let's see, well there's Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, etc. Folks, they are all nice areas, but they ain't Greenville. I tell all my out of state lookers and buyers, I consider "Greenville", Greenville County. Why, well Greenville county covers all the areas that really make up the Greenville I'm talking about, Greenville City, Simpsonville, Taylors, Greer and all or parts of the other towns. The reason is, Greenville city limits are SMALL. You'll be in Simpsonville before you know it and then cross over into Greer at the blink of a eye. Hey sometimes I forget where I am :-)!!! Anywho, if I'm going to do stats I'm not going to include Spartanburg, Anderson and Pickens....they are not representative of Greenville. They are totally separate areas. So with that said let's get started.
Through December 31, 2009, single family, condos and townhomes in Greenville County, also, I'm throwing out anything below $100,000. That skews the market too. Yes, we will leave the big sales in there though because we are more interested in true economic impact, not $30,000 investments or mobile homes.
2009 2008
Sales
3,168 4,103
Sales Volume
$671,061,055 $930,711,254
Average Days On The Market
98 90
Total Sold Price to Total List Price
96% 97%
Average Sold Price
$211,824 $226,836
High Sold Price
$1,500,000 see condo below $1,750,000
"So tell me Don, what's it mean?" It smells like I though it smelt. Volume is off in a big way but average sales price and sold to list price is not that much. Days on the market is up a tad. Folks, you can read into this what you want and if you're from Florida you might tend to think Greenville is taking a beating... I can assure you it's not. I had one of, if not my best year last year. Folks, people are still coming to Greenville and they are not getting the deals they think they should. Yes, there are price pressure, but the economy keeps Greenville in relatively good position. Yes there are some distressed sales, but folks you better get a Greenville SC buyers agent to help you with those because you sure can get burned. I look for 2010 to be better. One good thing that 2009 did was remove many realtors who should not be in this business. Those who jumped in when the market was up up and a way. Experience folks, there is no substitute. Especially when you are buying.
Have a great day, will let you know when I have the Greer SC tour posted.
Don
January 4, 2010:
Good morning Folks. Well the word is the weather! Currently in Greenville SC it's 20 degrees! Hey you Floridians, this is not normal. Anyway, it unusually cold for this time of year, but hey, it happens. We are supposed to have a high of only 34 today. That's ok, I'll keep the wood in the fireplace. By they way, I do get a lot of buyers asking for fireplaces when they are looking for a new home and that's understandable, I love mine. I see a lot with gas logs too though, it's really a matter of preference.
I wanted to start off the new year with a reminder why it is so important to use an exclusive buyer's agent. Part of the reason I write so many stories is to relate to you the kinds of problems you can run into in real estate. Folks, you need someone on YOUR SIDE. The listing agent is ALWAYS working for the SELLER. There's nothing wrong with that's, but is is their job. If you call an agent who has a home listed and see that home with that agent, remember their job is to make that home look and seem as attractive as possible, again that's THEIR JOB.
So.... what's my job? My job is to work for you, the buyer. So what's my charge to you? Hey folks, that's the thing... there is NO CHARGE TO YOU. I am paid by the transaction, actually my company, Remax Foothills is paid by the transaction, then they pay me. So what do I do for you? I have to work in your best interest, you know, put you first. And that's what I do and have been doing for most of my career. I get asked a lot, "Why don't you list homes for sale?"
Folks, it's a matter of preference, I enjoy working with buyers. So why not do what you love in your life? Many of the people I help are from out of state, they don't know the area, they have no idea regarding value, areas, home values, etc. Buyers, regardless if they are from Greenville SC or from California need someone to protect them. There are so many little things to watch out for folks! When you've done this hundreds of times, you gain experience. There is nothing more important than experience in a real estate transaction. Understanding the contract, helping with inspections, putting you in touch with the best people I know to insure you have a great transaction. So, please remember to always use an exclusive buyers agent to assist you in your real estate purchase. Oh, by the way do you wonder why I use the word exclusive?
There are a lot of agents who wear the accredited buyers agent badge, but there are few that are exclusive. So what does exclusive mean to you? An exclusive buyers agent does not take any listings. You know, it means I specialize. Folks, I'm not a listing agent one minute, then magically turn into a buyers agent the next. It's funny and I've mentioned this before. I actually see realtors that tout themselves in one place on the web as a listing agent then will build pages to extol their virtues as a buyers agent. You know folks, have you heard the old saying you can't have it both ways? Or how about "Jack of all trades and a a master of none?" Yep, that's it. I could make a lot more money by listing homes but I don't because I stay true to my calling, and that's helping nice folks find a great home in a great area..... Greenville South Carolina!
Check back tomorrow, I'll have a complete review of the year for you. Let's see how Greenville SC Real Estate came out for 2009!
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