These latest stats from our luxury market are a promising sign.

A few weeks ago, I gave you some exciting news and numbers about the overall market here in Augusta, with the highlight being a 17% year-over-year increase in the average price range. However, in real estate, it’s impossible to paint with such a broad brush and still end up with an accurate picture of things; what applies to the $200,000 market doesn’t apply to the upper end of our market. So, how has Augusta’s luxury market been doing as of late?

Thankfully, the luxury market here is healthy—healthier, in fact, than I’ve seen it in many years. In Augusta, we classify luxury properties as those priced at $750,000 and up. This year in the executive markets of Richmond, Columbia, and Aiken counties, there were only 41 luxury home sales. At the moment, we have 43 luxury homes active on the market. By quickly applying the absorption rate, it’s easy to see that we have roughly a year’s worth of supply on the market, and while that would be a jarring figure for any of our lower price ranges, it’s important to keep the proper perspective; I remember when we had a 13-year supply of luxury homes on the market. 

I remember when we had a 13-year supply of luxury homes on the market.

Given everything that’s happened this year, these latest luxury market stats are actually quite reassuring. It’s important to note that selling a home in the luxury price range is simultaneously a price war and a beauty contest. That said, we have a balanced market overall, making it a great time for downsizers and upgraders alike. 

As always, I hope you found this update helpful; if you have further questions regarding the luxury market or want more information on any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Here’s my message of heartfelt gratitude during this holiday season.

Today I want to simply give thanks. This is one of my favorite times of the year, and even though it’s been a tough one, we are so thankful for our health, our family’s health, and more. This year, I gained two children, as two of my children got married. I have so much to look forward to for many years to come, and for that, I’m very grateful.

I want to leave you with my twist on a popular Irish poem for this Thanksgiving: May your turkey be plump, may your gravy have nary a lump, may your pies win the prize, and may your dinner stay off your thighs.

If you have any questions for me or real estate needs I can assist with, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Here’s why selecting the best offer isn’t as easy as glancing at the price.

If you’re a seller faced with the pleasant problem of having to sort through multiple offers on your home, there are a few considerations that will help make the decision process easier. The first consideration is, of course, price, but a close second should be the likelihood of closing. In the other words, can the buyer prove that they actually have the funds or financing to back up their offer, and are they working with a competent agent? 

The strength of a given buyer’s financing is of utmost importance. Here in Augusta, we have many VA buyers, and it’s likely that an offer from one of them may very well be the best offer you receive. That said, not all VA loans and VA buyers are the same; whether you have three VA buyers bidding for your home or just one, it doesn’t matter—you’ll still need to ask yourself questions like these before proceeding: Are they working with a local lender? Is this someone who I can trust to close on the loan? Do they have a track record of successful, timely closings? 

If your buyer is working with a national lender, remember that lending giant doesn’t care if your moving van is all packed up. If it’s 5 p.m. in their time zone, they’ll be out of the office, and your transaction becomes tomorrow’s problem. 

For those buyers financing their purchase via conventional loan, remember that the more money they put down, the stronger their offer becomes. Of course, cash is still king, so you may opt for a cash offer that’s slightly less than the rest simply because its likelihood of closing would be highest. 

Now, price isn’t the only thing that matters. You must be willing and able to look at all the other important factors of an offer, like the timeframe for closing. Would that buyer’s possession date be helpful to you, or would it be highly inconvenient? In the negotiations, could you push for a possession date that’s after the closing date? Some sellers like the assurance of seeing the proceeds from the sale hit their bank account before they move on to their next property; oftentimes, such an approach would be impractical (if not circumstantially impossible), but sellers with multiple offers to choose from are in the driver’s seat. 

“You may opt for a cash offer that’s slightly lower than the rest simply because it has a higher likelihood of closing.“

Also, consider opting for the cleanest contract possible—that is, the one with the fewest contingencies. In any transaction, contingencies equal uncertainty, and if you’re taking your home off the market and tying it up in a contract, you simply can’t tolerate too many “what ifs.” What if your buyer’s home doesn’t sell? What if their lender won’t give them final approval? What if they back out during the inspection period? 

I often recommend that sellers get their homes inspected prior to listing so that they can take any potential leverage away from the buyer and request a shorter due diligence period; even if you don’t repair every little foible in the home, you’re at least aware of its issues and can use that knowledge to your advantage when negotiating repairs. In our area, the due diligence period is usually about 10 to 14 days, depending on the availability of the inspectors. The shorter the period, the better, as you’ll be able to close that much sooner. 

Lastly, pay attention to the amount of earnest money a buyer is depositing. Some agents feel like earnest money isn’t all that important, but it’s indisputable that buyers who put up more earnest money have more skin in the game and are therefore more likely to close. 

So, there you have it: Financing, contract terms (e.g., possession date), “cleanliness” of the offer, and earnest money—four simple items that make a world of difference for a seller who’s wading through multiple offers. If you have further questions regarding any of the four, or want more information on another real estate topic, please give me a call or send an email. I’m always here to be a resource for you!

You have to see our latest Augusta market numbers to believe them.

I almost feel like I need to put on my glasses to read the latest real estate figures from our Augusta market. In my 36 years of selling homes, I’ve never seen anything like it. 

As we ended September, our average sales price stood at $241,632. While that does constitute a 17% increase year over year, our homes are still very affordable compared to the rest of the world. There were 808 closed sales and 880 new listings, but the slightly troubling stat is the 1,028 pending sales, which was a 40.6% increase compared to September 2019. 

“We expect continued growth, but we’ll eventually see the effects of a slowdown.”

The only thing we’re missing in Augusta is homes to sell. Since prices continue to rise, it’s a great time to put your home on the market. You may have received a letter from me a few weeks ago discussing the national market and putting things into perspective for what to expect from our Augusta market, but to reiterate: We expect continued growth, but we’ll eventually see the effects of a slowdown. 

We’re very optimistic about what’s happening now, though, and I want you to be prepared. In all my years in the business, I’ve seen many ups and downs—I was there in 2005 and 2007—and I can tell you that now is an excellent time to consider downsizing. 

If you’d like to take advantage of this market and list your home or have any real estate questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to speak with you.

There are a few ways buyers can win in a multiple-offer situation.

How can buyers win in a multiple-offer situation? Inventory is very low, so it’s critical to have a strategy in place to get your offer accepted over another.

Of course, price is the largest consideration, but the financing, or how you go about purchasing the home, has a big impact. Cash is the strongest thing to offer, and a cash exhibit proves you’re able to get financing if needed. Also, a pre-qualification letter is crucial, as it will give you a head start on buying a house. I recommend going to a local lender so the other party will immediately recognize them. 

You want to make sure you have strong earnest money. Some real estate agents say this isn’t essential, but it’s a huge deal when it comes to multiple offers because it shows how committed you are. Additionally, if possible, have a shorter due diligence period; this is the number of days you’ll take to inspect the property to ensure it’s a solid deal. We sometimes have inspectors lined up in advance of finding a property to keep the due diligence period shorter, which makes your offer stronger. We try to keep this period to 10 days, when possible. 

It’s critical to have a strategy in place to get your offer accepted over another.

Often the tie-breaker is possession; I’ve had sellers choose an offer with this stipulation, even when another offer had a higher price. Consider what you need, then find out what will best suit the seller. For example, sometimes the seller needs to stay in the home a bit longer after closing for various reasons. 

If you have any specific questions about multiple offers or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send an email. I would love to help you.

Our latest market stats prove Augusta has a lot to feel good about.

I can honestly say that in my 36 years of studying homes and prices in the real estate market daily, this has been one of the most interesting times to track data. Our inventory shortage only worsened in May, dropping 20% over last May. This has caused our prices to rise by 10% amid an economic downturn and worldwide health crisis. In this sense, Augusta has a tremendous amount to be grateful for. Thanks to the housing shortage, we’ve been seeing the average list-to-sale price ratio reach beyond 100%, meaning that the average seller is fetching more than their asking price.  

Something I have seen before here in Augusta—and I’m seeing again now—is that certain sellers have opted to overprice their homes, which has caused them to stagnate on the market. It’s still important to remember that each price range and neighborhood has an individual strategy that needs to be employed, so if I can help you with that, please let me know. If you’re thinking of making a move, whether to downsize or upgrade, this is an excellent time to do so because your return will be very good. 

Reach out by phone or email if you have questions, want more information on a given real estate topic, or are ready to start the home selling process. I’m here to be a resource for you.

Is now still a good time to downsize? Yes, and today I’ll tell you why.

With the recent economic downturn and all of the uncertainty in the air, are you better off downsizing now or waiting? Each seller’s situation is different, but you should know that economic downturns and upturns are nothing new.

If you were thinking of making a move before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and are already committed to buying a smaller house and reducing expenses, I say do it now. To learn more about why now is still a great time to downsize in our marketplace, watch this short video.