Category Archives: sellers

Duluth, GA, Market Report, April 2013

Friday, 31 May 2013 11:35

Written by Lane Bailey

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This map shows the incorporated and unincorpor...

Image via Wikipedia

Market stats for Duluth, April, 2013 indicated that there were 288 properties on the market, up 2 from last month. Overall, there was about a 4.9 month supply of properties. Sales in April were 62, down from 77 a year earlier. Sales were also down compared to the last month (76). Duluth had been slightly leading Gwinnett County as a whole, but not so much over the last few months. It is still in the Seller’s Market zone.

In the Under $200k arena, there were 80 listings in Duluth, GA, with about a 3.0 month supply. The Absorption Rate for last April was 3.8. Sales were WAY down this year v last year (26 v 47), and down compared to last month (35). The Absorption Rate (A/R) is a bit better than much of the county…

Between $200k and $400k, there are 93 listings for sale, and about 4.7 months of supply. Absorption rates have similarly risen, dropped and then risen again. Sales were up compared to April, 2012 (18 v 16) but down compared to last month (26). 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 Seller’s Market.

From $400k to $600k, there were 33 homes on the market. The Absorption Rate was around 7.1 months. March brought in 9 sales. There were 6 last year and 3 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. This moth saw a HUGE jump in the A/R. We are still to the Buyer’s Market side, though.

In the $600k to $800k arena, there were 20 listings, with about 4.0 months of supply. Sales were 5 for April… 5 for last year. And month to month sales were down sharply (5 v 9). 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. That A/R is great, but not stable.

In Duluth, GA, from $800k to $1m, there were 22 homes listed and approximately 13.2 months of inventory on the market. The 3 sales for April were better than the 1 last year and the 1 last month. Sales haven’t been moving much for the last couple of months, but 5 sales for the last 3 months was the same as the same 3 months from last year (5 sales).

Above $1m, there were 40 properties listed. The current absorption rate indicated about 30 months of inventory. A couple of sales at this level could have a large impact on the Absorption Rates. There were 4 sales in the Feb-Apr period this year, and 4 for the same time last year. We should be posting four sales a month here regularly… and we fell short last month but barely had a start with it this month with 1 sale. There were 2 sales last year and there were 2 for last month.

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.

Atlanta Metro Zillow Home Value Index

Atlanta Metro Home Values – Interactive chart

I have a page dedicated to Duluth Market Information.

Is $1,000,000 Burning a Hole in Your Pocket? (lanebailey.com)

Lawrenceville, GA Market Report, April 2013

Monday, 27 May 2013 09:42

Written by Lane Bailey

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Image via Wikipedia

Market stats for Lawrenceville, GA, April, 2013, indicate that there were 635 properties on the market, up 29 from last month. Overall, there was about a 3.4 month supply of properties. In 2012, sales for April were at 256, so 168 sales was a big decrease, year over year. Last month’s sales were at 217. But, coupled with the decrease in inventory, things are still looking pretty good. Normally the market picks up from January-February through about June-August. This month we are OK, but some are arguing that constrained inventories are still holding back sales or we could be looking even better.

For Lawrenceville, GA, Homes Under $200k, there are 465 listings, with about a 3.0 month supply of homes. Sales were down from April, 2012 (136 v 237), although sales may very well be off because of constrained inventories. Last year in this segment, there were over 900 listings v under 500 now. This segment is easily the lion’s share of sales for the area. With the 3.01 month A/R, it is solidly in Seller’s Market territory. The low Absorption Rate (AR) is due to very strong sales, coupled with dramatically lower listing inventories. Month over month sales were down from 174 last month. Again, there was a big drop in listed properties for this month.

Between $200k and $400k, there are 147 listings for sale, and about 5.0 months of supply. Oddly, this had one of the mid-pack segments in the county, now it’s on the weak side. The 31 sales for April, 2013 trounced the 18 from last year, but not the super strong 42 sales last month. We had been close but slipped back into Seller’s Market territory here… again.

From $400k to $600k, there are 17 homes on the market. The absorption rate is around 25.5 months. However, with the level of sales in this segment, a couple of sales added or subtracted can have a HUGE impact. There was 1 sale for April, the Absorption Rate has dropped from 78 months June11, through good, but sporadic sales. This is acting like a luxury market and the A/R is jumping all over the place… with just a few sales (A/R was 34 11 months ago and 4.5 four months ago). While the long term trend was looking a little better, now it is still pretty choppy.

In the $600k to $800k arena, there are 3 listings, with about 12 months of supply. As with the next lower priced segment, a couple of sales makes a big difference and there were 0 sales in April. There were only 6 sales at this level in all of 2011. There were 4 sales in 2012.

Between $800k and $1M, and Above $1M there are 3 homes listed (combined) and not enough sales data to give an accurate absorption rate. Until this month, there had only been one sale in this range in the last 3 years (Aug, 2010), according to FMLS. But, there was 1 sale in July 12. It was over $1M, if that makes a difference…

Lawrenceville is in Gwinnett County, GA, just outside of Atlanta. As of the 2000 Census, there were 22,937 people in Lawrenceville, but that is only including people in the city limits, and there has been a lot of growth since 2000 in Gwinnett County (2008 estimates from the Census Bureau peg population around 29,000). It was incorporated in 1821. Lawrenceville is home to Central Gwinnett High School, and also has students that the Mountain View and Archer clusters. It is also home to Gwinnett Technical College and Georgia Gwinnett College. Another recent addition to Lawrenceville is that it is home to the Gwinnett Braves, playing at the Gwinnett Stadium on GA20 between I-85 and GA316. Possibly the most famous resident of Lawrenceville was Oliver Hardy. As a small boy he lived in Lawrenceville with his parents for a short time. Lawrenceville was also home to Junior Samples. Some of its other residents included Jeff Francouer, Brian McCann and Jennifer Ferrin.

Atlanta Metro Zillow Home Value Index

Atlanta Metro real estate info

I have a page dedicated to Lawrenceville Market Data.

I’m Always Up For a Good Surprise.. (lanebailey.com)
Gwinnett County Public Schools Making Changes… (lanebailey.com)

Buford, GA, Market Report, April 2013

Friday, 24 May 2013 11:49

Written by Lane Bailey

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Market stats for Buford, GA, April, 2013 indicate that there were 296 properties on the market, an decrease of 26 from last month. Overall, there was about an 4.0 month supply of properties (Absorption Rate or A/R). There were 90 sales for March, up from 67 last month and from the 86 sales last Apr12. It isn’t the strongest market in Gwinnett, but the A/R is nothing to sneeze at. It is still in Seller’s Market territory.

In the sub-$200k arena, there were 111 listings, with a 2.7 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 up from last month 49 (v 42 last month), and well down compared to last year (61 sales in Apr12). But, the A/R is well under the 6 months that would be considered fairly balanced… pointing towards a solid seller’s market. This time of year we are usually seeing an increase is sales… and listings.

Between $200k and $400k, there were 123 listings for sale, and about 4.5 months of supply. The 33 sales recorded were up from the 23 last month and up from the 19 sales last year for April. This had been one of the weaker segments in the county, but had improved dramatically until last month it was fairly balanced, though tilted towards buyers… now it is further into Seller’s Market territory.

From $400k to $600k, there were 38 homes on the market. The absorption rate is 12.7 Months. There have been 9 sales in the last 3 months (2 for February, 0 for March and 7 for April). When the market is rolling, there should be 5-7 sales a month during this part of the year. Just for comparison, there were 9 sales in the Feb-Apr period in 2012. This segment has been bouncing all over the place, though…

In the $600k to $800k arena, there were 8 listings. Absorption Rate is 24 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 4 had made things look less slow… but they are back on the rise. There were 0 sales in April last year and 0 in April this year.

The range from $800k to $1m, there were 4 homes listed. Trends are hardly definable. Listings are down. June recorded the first sales since December, 2010. There was 0 sales in April. So it now has a 12.0 month Absorption Rate.

Above $1m, there were 12 properties listed. There was sale in the segment in April… of 2009…and then May, 2011… and 2 sales in June, 2011… also 1 in July and September, 2012. There was 1 sale in April. So, we have 18 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 opened for the 2010-11 school year).

I have a page dedicated to Buford Market Data.

Buford, GA, Market Report, March 2012 (lanebailey.com)

Atlanta Metro Zillow Home Value Index

Atlanta Metro Home Values – Interactive chart

Options Instead of Foreclosure…

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 21:39

Written by Lane Bailey

2 Comments

Yes, there are still buyers out there underwater. Things are getting better, but just because the flood waters have started to recede doesn’t mean that all of the land is out of the water.

English: Sign of the times – Foreclosure (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here are the choices that “under water homeowners” face if they need to sell… or just really want to sell.

Short Sale – These have gotten much better over the last couple of years, and especially the last few months, but they are still tough and hurtful.
- They take a long time to process. While it isn’t the 2 years that they took not that long ago, don’t expect the bank to be done in less than 60 days… after they start looking at the offer. And they might drag it out for six months or more, only to end it all with a rejection.
- Credit scoring agencies look at a foreclosure and a short sale in EXACTLY the same light. So, despite all of the work that you, as a seller, may put into a short sale, the bank doesn’t care.
Foreclosure – Stressful and kills your credit for two to three years… or maybe a little more, depending on what you do to recover. And for many, the stress of knowing that a Sheriff’s notice could hit the door any day can be pretty rough. It may be embarrassing, too. Many don’t want their neighbors to know about financial hardships they may be facing.
Renting your home – There are a lot of folks out there we call “accidental landlords”. But it isn’t all flowers and unicorns…
- A credit card, the biggest beneficiary of the Marquette Bank decision (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
  
  It might seem either like it doesn’t matter or nothing matters more, but you NEED to be able ot be cashflow positive… more in rent than house payments. And remember, insurance is a different game as a landlord than as a occupant.
- You need to be financially solvent enough to afford repairs on the home if needed.
- Keeping up with the house payments will take on even more importance. If you were to rent out your house and default on the payments… if the renter could prove that you knew you could default, they might take you to court… maybe not, but…
- Your mortgage likely includes language saying that if you move out, the mortgage is due in full. Again, the mortgage company may not care, but it is a risk.
Write a check – If you can pay off the shortage at closing, that is a pretty good option. But most people don’t have the resources to write the check…

If you are wondering if you are underwater, we can talk about it. I have an option for those that want to go the short sale route. If you are interested in renting, we can talk about that, too. I generally don’t handle rentals, but we can talk over the options.

Sugar Hill, GA, Market Report, April 2013

Monday, 20 May 2013 10:27

Written by Lane Bailey

1 Comment

Image via Wikipedia

Market stats for Sugar Hill, GA , April, 2013 indicates that there were 96 homes on the market. down 1 from last month. Overall, there is about an 3.4 month supply (4.5 last month). There were 26 sales, compared to 33 last month and 32 last April. Of course, then there were 152 listings on the market.

For Sugar Hill homes priced under $200k, there were 56 listings, with about 2.9 months supply. There were 18 sales this April, a little below last year for the same time (25). There were 24 sales last month. Inventories have been fluid, rising and falling. This time of year we often see a slight increase in listings… but we are very low. In fact, sales may be stifled by lack of inventory. Things have been a little choppy, though… up one month, down the next, then back up.

Sugar Hill Listings between $200k and $400k, there are 36 listings for sale, and about 4.3 months of supply. Last April there was a 12.3 month supply. There were 7 sales then, this year there were 8. Last month had 9 sales. That makes four of the last five months look pretty strong. We are back in Seller’s Market territory here.

For listings in the $400k to $600k range, there were 2 homes on the market. The absorption rate was around 6.0 months, but with 0 sales this month, it is tough to calculate accurately. Obviously, a sale or two could make a BIG difference. I’ve finally started to see some consistency here. Hopefully we’ll have a little more action during the rest of the Spring selling season.

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 were 2 homes listed for sale in these price ranges. 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.