Stacie's Take on Real Estate and Living in Augusta GA

Columbia County Absorption Rates

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:11:08 -0500

The Greater Augusta Association of Realtors covers the counties of Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Warren and Wilkes in Georgia and Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick and Saluda in South Carolina.

The absorption rate for this entire area was 13.6 months for the month of February. Since I don't cover all of these counties in my business, I thought it would be more useful to point out the absorption rate for the area that I focus on the most: Columbia County. I do work in Richmond and Aiken counties as well, but I really prefer Columbia County because I live there and know it very well.

Columbia County is divided in our MLS into 4 quadrants:

Quadrant 1 centers around the town of Appling, GA and includes the neighborhoods of Windmill Plantation, Riverwood Plantation, Kiokee Ridge, Wood Creek, Lake Cumberland and Keg Creek.

Quadrant 2 consists of Martinez and Evans and includes neighborhoods such as Jones Creek, Knob Hill, Orchard Hill, Chaparral, Stratford, Sumter Landing, Northridge, Heritage Hill, Farmington, River Island, Tudor Branch, High Meadows, West Lake, River Birch Landing, Brookwood Glen, Bartram Trail, Springlakes, Ivy Falls, Rivershyre and Watervale.

Quadrant 3 centers around Harlem, GA and includes the neighborhoods of Cornerstone Creek, Hardy Station, Ansley Place and The Village at Sandy Run Creek.

Quadrant 4 centers around the city of Grovetown, GA and includes such neighborhoods as Main Street, Indian Springs, Northlake, Canterbury Farms, Euchee Creek, Creek Bend, Pamir Place, Pepper Hill and Grove Landing.

When the county is broken down into these quadrants, I came up with the following absorption rates (based on data obtained from the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors MLS, which comes with no warranties and no guarantees):

Appling, GA (quadrant 1) shows a 14.8 month absorption rate. Martinez and Evans, GA (quadrant 2) show a 11.0 month absorption rate. Harlem, GA (quadrant 3) shows a 18 month absorption rate Grovetown, GA (quadrant 4) shows a 13.9 month absorption rate. As a reminder, the absorption rate is the amount of time that it would take all of the active listings to sell in a particular area at the current rate that they are selling. In a future post, I'll tackle the absorption rate numbers for Richmond County...

For more information, please visit my website at www.AugustaGALiving.com.

Thanks!

Stacie Wells
stacie@staciewells.com
706-373-4663
@AugustaGALiving on Twitter

Latest Market Stats for Augusta, GA

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:10:47 -0500

Although we're not quite through the 1st quarter of 2009, I feel compelled to share the current market stats as compared to the 1st Quarter Market Stats of 2008. We've had some big changes during the last 12 months...

We're still deep in a Buyer's Market, with over 13 months worth of inventory. In fact, January '09 had the highest absorption rate that I've seen since I started my real estate career in 2002.

Other statistics worth noting (as reported by the MLS of the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors):

Average days on market (residential): 128 days
Average list price: $151,166
Average sale price: $146,613
% Difference Between list and sale price: 97%

For more information on Augusta, GA, including the Columbia County areas of Evans, Grovetown, and Martinez, visit www.AugustaGALiving.com

REALTOR numbers are dwindling

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:54:17 -0500

This conversation started earlier today with another agent (Todd Waller at http://blog.team366.net/) and thought that it merited a mention here. One thing that we've all noticed is that the number of REALTORS is dwindling across the nation. There's been somewhat of a lag time between the time the market turned and the time that the number of agents started to decrease. I notice the biggest change in numbers around the end of the year when it's time for agents to renew their licenses, pay board dues...basically cough up a lot of money that they may not have. What we've seen happen is a large number of agents fighting for an ever decreasing number of transactions. So if the number of agents is decreasing, who drops off the playing field? Chances are it's the agents who got their licenses during the past 5 years. They got into the business during the boom years, took business for granted, failed to hone their skills, didn't take advantage of available training... And they were able to do this because a booming market is a very forgiving market. One where transactions are happening at such an alarming rate that it's easy to ride the market's coattails. Agents who have been in the business for a while have seen the markets come and go. They always do. Real estate is historically a cyclic business - very predictably so. What does this mean to the consumer? Chances are, the remaining REALTORS in your area are the cream of the crop. The ones who are dedicated to their profession, committed to continuing education, and creative enough to get the job done. These are the guys you want protecting your interests. Just remember, people are still buying. You just need an agent who's willing and able to put your home in front of as many people as possible and aggressively seek interested buyers.

Are you Twittering? (and other random musings)

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:55:44 -0500

I'm sure if you're reading this that you're probably already twittering away. Personally, I'm a newbie. I love always looking for the latest greatest gadget if for no other reason that to brag to my friends that I found something new. I love thinking that I'm cutting edge. (knowing full well that I'm not, but enjoying the positive vibes anyway :) To me, Twitter was just a natural progression from blogging. When I got interested in blogging, my husband (being the helpful husband that he is) googled repeatedly looking for REALTORS that were great bloggers. Finally he looks up from his computer and says profoundly, "Do you know who Teresa Boardman is?" I didn't, but I was about to find out. I started reading TBoard's blog (http://www.stpaulrealestateblog.com/) and was immediately entertained. Then I noticed that she mentioned Twitter a bit. I went to the Twitter website, and (1)saw that the only point seemed to be to tell others what you're doing, (2) saw a few entries like "stuck in traffic. Hoping to make it to the office before quitting time" and "headed to conference at the convention center.", (3) wondered why anybody would care what I was doing, and (4) wondered how they'd possibly find these musings. Thus, Twitter failed the test as I simply didn't get the point. A friend on Facebook saw me mention Twitter and sent me a message saying that she just didn't get the point, either. "Why would I want to be interrupted every 10 minutes with someone's whereabouts?" she asked. "Good point" I'm thinking to myself.

About a month later, I saw an article in a magazine singing Twitter's praises. I'm thinking at this point that there MUST be something to it, but for the life of me I wasn't getting it. I decided that I'd play. Didn't really know what to expect. So I set up my account and waited. I'm wondering who I should watch. For me, this was easy. I had been a big fan of ResPres (he's branded so well Ican't remember his real name half the time) (Just kidding Jeff :)since I started using Real Estate Shows www.RealEtateShows.com) for my virtual tours, and then after following him on Active Rain. So decision was made - I'd follow ResPres. To my surprise, I immediately got a personal direct message from him saying "Welcome to Twitter." Wow. I shot back a quick "So when do I get this?" I think I must have left him speechless. He wrote back that different people "get it" in different time frames. (hmmmm)

I noticed as days went on that HE followed several active people and THEY followed several active people. I started to add these people to the list of people that I followed. I quickly found that these people did indeed make seemingly pointless comments about where they were going and what they were doing, but they also had some REALLY GREAT things to say. I'm realizing at this point that this, to my surprise, was a great source of knowledge and encouragement. My AH HAH? The key is to interact. Each person shares ideas and together you all become better for it. I've come to love and highly respect my new friends. I'd almost call them family. I only hope that at some point they find me as fascinating as I find them :) If you're not already Twittering, I encourage you to give it a try. Don't discount it like I did. If you'd like to follow me and all my countless musings, you can find me at http://twitter.com/augustagaliving. THANKS!

Lazy day Sundays in Augusta, GA

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:13:26 -0500

Sundays have to be my absolute favorite day of the week, especially in the fall and spring. There are so many great oportunities for relaxation. One thing that my family can typically count on is the arrival of the hot air balloons on Sunday afternoon. We were lucky enough to see one taking off a few weeks ago in a big field behind the Kroger in Evans. Somedays we see 2 or 3 floating in the sky over Martinez/Evans, but today we only saw one. We also saw a paraglider sailing high above the treetops today(brave soul). My kids' favorite activity usually involves heading to the Greeneway or the towpath at the Augusta Canal. Whether you like biking or walking, these are definitely the places to go. I believe the Greeneway in N. Augusta is about 12 miles from end to end. The paved trail winds through neighborhoods and at one point provides great views of the Savannah River. The Augusta Canal is a great choice for birdwatchers. The unpaved path along the Canal is the original towpath used to guide boats down the Canal toward the city of Augusta. It's several miles long as well. Here's to enjoying lazy Sundays in Augusta - I'd love to have you share your favorites with me!

Augusta Real Estate Podcast

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:42:24 -0500

This is a new feature that will be added soon to my Augusta real estate websites. I wanted to take the opportunity to post the link here as it has some great advice on what buyers and sellers can expect out of the local Augusta market right. One key bit of advice that I mention in the podcast is for sellers to remember the importance of staging your home in this crowded market. Don't put yourself at a disadvantage by thinking that this only applies to well-placed furniture and accessories. An equally important, if not more important, piece of the staging puzzle is competitive pricing. Great Staging = Great Positioning, and when there are over 4000 homes on the market in the greater Augusta area, you as a Seller need top positioning. Lastly, once your home is looking its best and is priced competitively, let the world know! Make sure you have a thorough marketing package in place to put your home in front of the maximum number of people. The more people that see your home, the more people will be interested, and the better chance you have for selling at top dollar!For more information:www.AugustaGALiving.com,www.MoveToAugusta.com,www.MyAugustaHomePage.com,and www.StacieWells.com.

Housing Market Alive and Well in Augusta, GA

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:33:07 -0500

Now that's news! There was a much welcomed front page headline in the Augusta Chronicle today. There it was in black and white how Augusta has maintained growth (albeit limited) in times when national numbers have plummeted. I think this can in part be credited to the consistently moderate growth patterns that the Augusta area has had. Historically, we've seen 5-7% annual increases when other areas were posting 20-30 percent increases. Those areas with explosive price increase are now taking equally explosive hits.

As a Realtor, I was ecstatic to see this news in print. We've been so bombarded with negative press over the last year that it's been hard to convince clients, friends, and family otherwise. We've tried to explain how relatively stable the housing market is here in Augusta. We've tried to explain that even though we're seeing changes in market numbers, that we're not in a dive. The housing world as we know it is not coming to an end. (That comment came from a fellow Realtor and not a client :) Bottom line: the skyrocketing appreciation rates crossed paths with the affordability index and the affordability index won! Sure we'll have sluggish numbers for a while - only a crystal ball will tell how long for sure - but that's to be expected. What goes up must come down. How fortunate are the homeowners in Augusta that we're seeing a dip and not a valley!

Hang tight Augusta- you're in a great position...

www.AugustaGALiving.com

Family Movie Matinees

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:19:49 -0500

Coming in June!

June 4 : Happy Feet (PG)

June 11: Curious George (G)

June 18: Madagascar (PG)

June 25: Herbie Fully Loaded (G)

Free admission at the Performing Arts Center in Evans, showtime is at 1pm, tickets available at 12pm - Limited seating - only bottled water allowed. For more information, call (706)312-7191.

See you there!

Memorial Day - Picnic at Lake Thurmond

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Sat, 24 May 2008 17:28:38 -0500

If you're like most people this holiday weekend, you'll be spending time at home instead of on the road. I heard today that this is the first Memorial Day this decade that is reporting a decrease in travel. Go figure! (With gas at $3.79/gal, who wants to drive?)

If you're staying close to Augusta this weekend, why not head out to Thurmond Lake? Although the weather predictions look rainy for Saturday, Sunday and Monday are supposed to be in the low to mid 80s and SUNNY - great lake weather! There are several great picnic and swimming spots - perfect for family fun. Two of my favorites are Lake Springs and West Dam. There are grills at several spots for cooking up hotdogs and hamburgers. The kids might enjoy a version of their own!

As we remember and are thankful for those who died in the service of our great Nation, be safe and enjoy your Memorial Day!

100 Best Places to Live

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:20:54 -0500

Kim Hankins (my wonderful Buyer Specialist) forwarded an article to me today and suggested that I share it in our blog. I'm taking her up on her suggestion. Best Life magazine took note of the fact that men (I dare say women as well) are faced with the reality of wanting to raise their children somewhere safe. The magazine evaluated 257 cities on such categories as student-teacher ratios, above-average test scores, and the number of museums, parks and pediatricians. Armed with data from the U.S. census bureau, the FBI, National Association for Education Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics and the American Bar Association, they placed Augusta in the top 100 at #85.

This comes on the heels of Martinez, GA being named #76 on Money magazine's list of Top 100 Best Places to Live 2007, and Evans, GA being named #32 on the same list for 2005.

Like I've always said, "Big town amenities together with small town charm make a winning combination!"

April Market Stats

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:15:12 -0500

An overview of residential listings (as reported by the Multiple Listing Service of the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors) shows a 12% increase in active listings from March to April of this year, but a 5% decrease from April '07. The number of sold listings is up 6% from March, but down over 16% from April '07. Another item to note is the average days on market stood at 108 for April. This was down slightly from March, but considerably higher than the 81 days reported in April '07. Also, the absorption rates since January have us still squarely in a Buyer's Market, with not much movement. Rates were at 12.1 months in January, 11.4 in Feb., 10.2 in March, and 11.5 in April. Based on current numbers for the month, it looks like that number may be moving back down in the direction of a balanced market. Stay tuned!

1st Quarter Comparisons for Augusta, GA

Stacie Wells Augusta GA Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners) — Fri, 02 May 2008 23:24:36 -0500

April has been a BUSY month! Personally, my family had 3 trips to the emergency room - whew! That was 3 too many. Professionally, The Wells Team (Kim and I) have been busy helping lots of families buy and sell homes. I say that not to brag, but more as an indicator of how the market is doing here in Augusta.

Absorption Rates are on the way back down. Typically 6 months' worth of inventory is a balanced market, greater than 6 is a buyer's market, and less than 6 is a seller's market.

The numbers are looking better, although there are still MANY more homes on the market than are being purchased. Let's take a look at Columbia County residential properties. According to data obtained from the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors MLS, if we compare 4th Qtr '07 to 1st Qtr '08, we find a 45% increase in new listings, a 5% decrease in sold listings, a 14% decrease in $ volume of sold listings, a 9% decrease in average sale price, and a 16% increase in average days on market.

Looking at those same numbers in Richmond County shows a 30% increase in new residential listings, a 16% decrease in sold listings, a 23% decrease in $ volume of sold listings, a 9% decrease in average sale price, and an 8% increase in average days on market.

I've spoken to several people, Realtors included, who are worried about the falling sales prices and what it means for our market. The slight decrease in sales price is really just a market correction due to the inflated sales prices over the last few years. We had arrived at the point where home price inflation crossed paths with the affordability index, and the affordability index won.