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Category Archives: news

Lilburn, GA Market Report, October 2011

Monday, 28 November 2011 08:00
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Market stats for Lilburn, GA, October, 2011, indicates that there were 427 properties on the market (as of October 31st). Overall, there was about an 8.4 month supply of properties and 60 properties that closed (sold) in October.  It was an increase from last year’s sales (38) and an increase from September, 2011 (44 sales). The Absorption Rate notched down slightly. Lilburn had been among the weakest of Gwinnett County, GA, cities I track. But, at 8.43 months of inventory, it isn’t nearly as bad as it had been just a few months ago (14.35 months of inventory in Feb, 2011, for example).  And for October, Lilburn had one of the best month-to-month sales increases.

In the sub-$200k arena, there were 306 listings, with about an 7.3 month supply with 53 sales. This represents most of the sales in the market area. Sales increased markedly from last month (35), and were also up dramatically from last year (32).  While the Absorption Rate isn’t as low as many other areas, sales are strong, and I’m pulling for a comeback for Lilburn.

Between $200k and $400k, there are 109 listings for sale, and about 12.1 months of supply. This segment had been quite weak for months, and has stalled a little. There were 7 sales compared to 6 last year.  This segment really needs to get back into single digits… but, Lilburn has never been seen as a luxury market.  It is one of the few market/price segments that had an increase in listings.  I’m not as confident about this portion of the Lilburn market coming back quite yet…

From $400k to $600k, there are just 4 homes on the market. The absorption rate is 8.0 months. There were no sales in this segment from December through February, but there were 2 in March, which really turned the segment around, followed by 1 sale for April. May posted 2 sales, 1 sale in June, 2 in July and none in August, September or October.

From $600k to $800k, $800k to $1M and Above $1M, there are 6 listings (combined), but too few sales to have any sort of reliable number of months of inventory. March posted the first sale since August, 2010. It was in the $600-$800k range. One of the listings is above $1M and one between $800k and $1M, and there is no market activity in the last 12 months for those ranges…

Lilburn is in Gwinnett County, GA, just outside of Atlanta. As of the 2000 Census, there were 11,307 people in Lilburn, but that is only including people in the city limits, and there has been a lot of growth since 2000 in Gwinnett County. It was incorporated in 1910. Lilburn is home to Parkview High School, and also has students that the Brookwood, Berkmar and Meadowcreek clusters. It is also home to Killian Hill Christian School, Providence Chrisian Academy, St. John Neumann Catholic School and Parkview Christian School. Possibly the most famous resident of Lilburn is General Beauregard Lee, a groundhog with a better winter prediction record that Puxatawnee Phil up in PA. Dominique Wilkins, formerly of the Atlanta Hawks also lives in Lilburn.

Atlanta Metro Zillow Home Value Index

I have a page dedicated to Lilburn Market Data.

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What Can “Fix” Housing?

Friday, 18 November 2011 08:00
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There are still a few politicians, and a lot of real estate professionals talking about the government “fixing” the real estate market.  But the question is…

Is there a way or a role for the government to fix the housing market?

We’ve seen a substantial tax credit for purchasing a home, both for first time buyers and for existing (hopefully) move-up buyers.  And we’ve seen calls for more of the same.  But at the same time, there are a lot of experts that don’t think that the tax credits created many sales that wouldn’t have happened without them.

Even $8000 isn’t that much of a motivating factor for someone to make a $150K+ purchase.  And most of the people that took advantage of the tax credit were only hastened by the tax credit, not created by it… in other words, they would have purchased the home anyway, only their time-table was altered… in many cases, only by a couple of months.  Looking at past sales, it is obvious when the credit expired.  Sales increased at a rapid pace, and then dropped precipitously as the credit expired.  Sales remained well under par for many months after the credit expired.  Some economists estimate that the $8000 tax credit had a cost of over $44,000 for each sale it “created”.

There are other ideas floating around on Capitol Hill about ways that the federal government can spur housing sales.  And there are a lot of folks… especially in the halls of the National Association of REALTORS® that feel that housing needs to come back in order for the economy to rebound.

I think they have it backwards.  In order for real estate to rebound, people have to feel secure with the job market.  How can someone be expected to make a 30 year plan (getting a mortgage, for example) when they are worried about their job in the next few months?  So, focusing on job creating, especially by smaller businesses, and removing impediments to starting or expanding small businesses would do wonders.  Instead of tax credits focused on housing, tax relief for people starting businesses would do more for the housing market.

What do you think?

Norcross, GA, Market Report, September 2011

Friday, 11 November 2011 08:00
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Market stats for Norcross GA, September, 2011 indicate that there were 305 properties on the market. Overall, there is about a 5.6 month supply of properties.  This year has been very strong so far… although April and May weren’t that strong (April was below last year)… it hasn’t slowed much.  September saw 48 sales, well below the 69 for August but slightly above the 43 for last September.  This is one of the few market areas in Gwinnett to post five strong months in a row.

In the sub-$200k arena, there were 174 listings, with about 4.1 month supply. Sales are up from a year ago in this segment, which is the main driver of sales in this area (36 v 25). For the last three months, the AR has been tilted in favor of sellers… it tilted back just a little bit this month. This still looks like one of the strongest price/area segment in Gwinnett County, GA.

Between $200k and $400k, there were 92 listings for sale, and about 9.9 months of supply. This segment isn’t as weak as it had been over the last several months, but it is still weak compared to the rest of the segments in the area, as well as the price level in other areas. The 10 sales were a downer compared to last year’s 14 sales, as well as from last month’s 12 sales. Of course, this segment has always seemed to lag a little.

From $400k to $600k, there were 32 homes on the market. The Absorption Rate is around 11.3 months. The AR had been dropping for months, then shot WAY up in June. It has been working down slowly since. September’s 2 sales are down from 4 the month before and last year’s 4 sales… but with the inventory decrease, it didn’t hurt too much.

In the $600k to $800k arena, there were 5 listings on the market. Inventories had decreased compared to last year. The Absorption Rate is at 15 months of inventory… but with only 4 sales last year and then the sale in March and another each in May and June, obviously it is easy to bump one way or the other. The ONLY reason for the strong looking Absorption Rate last month was that there were so few listings.

The range from $800k to $1m, there was 1 homes listed on the market and no sales… seemingly forever.

Above $1m, there were 3 properties listed. But because of the smaller numbers of sales, the absorption rate could be significantly impacted by just a couple of sales. The single sale in January (first since October) has pushed the Absorption Rate down to 18 months of inventory.

Norcross, GA is a suburb of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. The population is 2000 was 8,410 but that only included the area inside the city limits, and it has seen tremendous growth since that census. The City of Norcross revamped their old town a long time ago, and it has served as a model for other towns in the area. It is also home to Meadow Creek and Norcross High Schools. One of the things that Norcross is known for locally is the beautiful older homes in the downtown area. They have maintained their historic flair quite successfully.

I have a page dedicated to Norcross Market Data.

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Buford, GA, Market Report, September 2011

Monday, 07 November 2011 08:44
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Market stats for Buford, GA, September, 2011 indicate that there were 506 properties on the market. Overall, there was about an 6.6 month supply of properties (Absorption Rate or A/R).  There were 79 sales for August, up slightly from 75 last month and up significantly from 52 from last September (2010).

In the sub-$200k arena, there were 270 listings, with a 4.7 month supply.  This is the largest price segment in this market area, so strength here usually equals strength across the whole local market area.  Sales were down slightly from last month (55 v 56), but impressively strong compared to last year (33 sales in September, 2010).  Framed in the results for the whole market area, the segment is reasonably strong.  And the A/R is well under the 6 months that would be considered fairly balanced… pointing towards a seller’s market.

Between $200k and $400k, there were 175 listings for sale, and about  10.7 months of supply.  The 18 sales recorded were slightly above the 17 from last month and the 17 sales last year for September.  As strong as the Under $200k segment is, this one is MUCH weaker.  It is one of the weaker areas in the county for this price.  Of course, last September, the A/R was just over 17 months.

From $400k to $600k, there were 37 homes on the market. The absorption rate is 1.3 Months.  There has been 9 sales in the last 3 months (6 sales for September, 2 for August, 1 for July).  When the market is rolling, there should be 5-7 sales a month during this part of the year.  This is the first time in a while that we have been there.  This segment had been acting like a luxury segment with sporadic sales for the last few months.  I’d really like to see a follow-up with 4-5 sales for October.

In the $600k to $800k arena, there were 5 listings.  Absorption Rate is 15 months… but it jumps around a lot.  Sales in this range are pretty sporadic, but steady when looking at the long-term.  The drop in inventory over the last few months from 14 homes to 5 homes has made things look less slow… but there have been 5 sales in this segment in the last year… the last was two months ago.

The range from $800k to $1m, there were 11 homes listed. And with only 2 sales in the last year (December, 2010), obviously  trends are hardly definable.  Listings are up, but sales aren’t following, though.

Above $1m, there were 9 properties listed.  The last sale in the segment was in April… of 2009…and then there was May… and 2 sales in June.  FINALLY, new sales!  So, we have 13.5 months of inventory.  I hope, but am not expecting, sales to be more consistent.

Buford, GA is a suburb of Atlanta in Gwinnett and Hall Counties. The population is 2000 was 10,668, but that only included the area inside the city limits, and it had seen tremendous growth since that census.  Buford is home to Lake Lanier, one of Georgia’s premiere recreational areas, and Lake Lanier Islands.  Recently, the City of Buford has revamped their old town. It is also home to Buford (Buford City Schools aren’t a part of Gwinnett County Schools), Mill Creek, Mountain View and Lanier High School (Lanier will open for the 2010-11 school year).

I have a page dedicated to Buford Market Data.

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Sugar Hill, GA, Market Report, September 2011

Friday, 04 November 2011 08:00
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Market stats for Sugar Hill, GA , September, 2011 indicates that there are 199 homes on the market. Overall, there is about an 5.8 month supply. There were 27 sales, compared to 33 last month and 17 last September. The Absorption Rate (AR) dropped, but that is partly due to a declining listings.

For Sugar Hill homes priced under $200k, there are 145 listings, with about 4.7 months supply. There were 25 sales this September, 2½ times the number from last year for the same time (9). Last month there were 31 sales. Inventories have been fluid, rising and falling. Normally, this time of year we see inventories leveling out.

Sugar Hill Listings between $200k and $400k, there are 45 listings for sale, and about 11.3 months of supply. Last September there was an 11.5 month supply. Last September there were 7 sales, this year there were 2. Last month also had 2. This segment is acting opposite of the under $200k segment, as well as opposite of stronger areas like Suwanee ($200k-$400k).

For listings in the $400k to $600k range, there are 5 homes on the market. The absorption rate is around 15 months, but with 4 sales since last October, it is tough to calculate accurately. Obviously, a sale or two could make a BIG difference. There were only 3 sales in this segment last year. In 2009, there were almost twice as many sales in this price range. I still hope to see some consistent activity in this segment.

In the $600k to $800k, $800k to $1m and Above $1m (combined), the sales are too inconsistent to have a solid read on, but there are only 4 homes listed for sale in that price range. No sales have been recorded in the last 2+ years.

Sugar Hill, GA is a suburb of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. The population is 2000 was 11,399, but that only included the area inside the city limits. The name comes from a bag of Sugar that spilled on a hill while in transit between Cumming and the railroad in Buford. And while it is actually a big market, it is in the shadows of Lawrenceville, Duluth and Suwanee… which all are nearby. That also makes it a great location, as it is close to everything that Gwinnett County, GA has to offer.

I have a page dedicated to Sugar Hill Market Data.

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