Duluth, GA, Market Report, December 2012

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Market stats for Duluth, December, 2012 indicated that there were 276 properties on the market, down 14 from last month. Overall, there was about a 4.2 month supply of properties. Sales in December were 58, slightly up from 57 a year earlier. Sales were slightly down compared to the prior month (59). Duluth had been slightly leading Gwinnett County as a whole, but not so much over the last few months. Okay, but not pack leading at the moment.

In the Under $200k arena, there were 87 listings in Duluth, GA, with about a 2.4 month supply. The Absorption Rate for last December, was 5.0. Sales were down this year v last year (28 v 35), but down compared to last month (34). The Absorption Rate (A/R) is quite a bit better than most of the county…

Between $200k and $400k, there are 87 listings for sale, and about 4.8 months of supply. Absorption rates have similarly risen, dropped and then risen again. Sales were up compared to December, 2011 (17 v 14) but up compared to last month (16). Duluth is a market that favors luxury, but this segment is not doing as well as I would have expected… but it might be constrained somewhat due to low inventories. It is still a slight Seller’s Market.

From $400k to $600k, there were 31 homes on the market. The Absorption Rate was around 5.5 months. December brought in 9 sales. There were 5 last year and 6 last month. Unlike many of the market areas, Duluth is a luxury centric market, and it is doing better than the rest of Gwinnett County, GA, especially at this price level. Usually we see the A/R soften as we move up in price, but that isn’t happening here. We are slightly to the Seller’s Market side.

In the $600k to $800k arena, there were 27 listings, with about 10.1 months of supply. Sales were 2 for December… 5 for last year. And month to month sales were flat (2 v 2). Last month was good, but I would like to see three consecutive months with strong sales, and haven’t seen that for a while. Since Duluth does favor luxury sales, it has been looking better than the much of the rest of the County at this price level. But not this month…

In Duluth, GA, from $800k to $1m, there were 13 homes listed and approximately 39 months of inventory on the market. The 0 sales for December were just like the 0 last year, and the 0 last month. Sales haven’t been moving much for the last couple of months, but 1 sales for the last 3 months was the same as the same 3 months from last year (1 sales). And eleven months ago the A/R was 69 months.

Above $1m, there were 31 properties listed. The current absorption rate indicated about 15.5 months of inventory. A couple of sales at this level could have a large impact on the Absorption Rates. There were 6 sales in the Oct-Dec period this year, and 2 for the same time last year. We should be posting four sales a month here regularly… and we fell short last month but almost had a start with it this month with 2 sales. Last month there was 1 sale and last year there was 1 for December.

Duluth, GA is a suburb of Atlanta, in the heart of Gwinnett County. It actually straddles the county line and has unincorporated portions in South Forsyth County. The population of Duluth is estimated as about 26,000 people as of 2008, but this doesn’t include unincorporated areas outside the city limits, but with a Duluth mailing address. It is also home to Sugarloaf Country Club, a PGA stop until recently. Forbes Magazine rated Duluth 26th in their nationwide survey of the best places to move, and it is one of the wealthiest parts of Georgia. It is also home to the Arena at Gwinnett Center (Home of the ECHL Gwinnett Gladiators) and the former Atlanta Thrashers practice facility (the Duluth Ice Forum). There is a LONG list of celebrities and athletes that call Duluth home, largely because of the country clubs and proximity to Atlanta.