Like politics, all real estate values are local. National data is misleading and, for all but the National Association of Realtors and the mainstream media, irrelevant. If we want to sell our home in New York and buy one in South Carolina, do we really care about inventory levels and average selling prices nationwide?
RealtyTimes.com gets down to the local level and is fun to navigate, although the information is more anecdotal than crisp. Agents in hundreds of markets nationwide report into the site and assign a buyers' market or sellers' market designation to the areas they cover. They also indicate whether prices are rising or falling. Both measures are on scales of 1 to 5, with 1 indicating buyers' market and falling prices, and 5 for sellers' market and rising prices.
For the most part, recent realtor reports seem balanced. For example, Asheville, NC, is still a fairly strong sellers' market but the price trend is neutral. Across the state in New Bern, buyers have a modest upper hand but prices are actually rising a little. Charlotte is neither a buyers nor sellers market, but prices are firmly up.
But some realtors can't resist the hard sell. In Nags Head, NC, for example, one realtor - a couple actually - rate their area the strongest buyers' market, with a neutral price trend. What their prose description lacks in precision, though, it more than makes up for in promotion, as in "This is the perfect time to invest in the Nags Head market. There are excellent opportunities right now, and we are beginning to see the market pick up, so they won't last long." Hmmm, could they be auditioning for the open position of chief economist at the NAR?
Web site: RealtyTimes.com
And, remember, if you are considering relocating to a golf course community or area with great golf, we have a network of qualified, golf savvy agents who will be happy to provide information and show you properties that suit your criteria. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Flooding is a nasty word to many golf community owners, especially those who live in coastal areas. But many happy homeowners live on properties that were the result of controlled flooding by the government in the name of hydroelectricity in the middle of last century. Although power was the primary concern, the flooding also spawned thousands of homes and golf courses on manmade lakes.
One such property is Lake Blackshear Plantation, which is set beside the 8,700-acre lake from which the community takes its name. Blackshear is just a few miles from Interstate 75 in south central Georgia, near the town of Cordele, and it features all the customary amenities of a golfing community, such as pool, fitness center, and clubhouse. Boat related facilities are planned as well. Homes are reasonably priced, as you would expect for a community that is a few hours from any major urban area; Atlanta is a good two hours up the interstate. Villas start below $200,000, and single-family homes begin in the $200s. Many properties on the golf course are still available.
For the price of a high-end home, the golf course itself is available to those not content with a simple membership. Golf Course Brokers, Inc. has the course listed at $1.75 million, which includes a 70-seat restaurant and 3,300 foot clubhouse. That seems a reasonable price for a full-fledged course in the midst of a fair-sized community; with proper marketing and a quality operation, the course could attract most of its members from the neighborhood (the course is daily fee for now).
The Ray Jensen layout, which reaches 6,900 yards at the tips, winds its way across and around ponds and streams and is set on rolling land amid the ubiquitous loblolly pines of this part of Georgia. Golf Digest gave the course a 4-star rating.
When shopping for a home in a golf course community, ask tough questions and read the fine print. Buyers have a little more leverage than they have had in recent years, and you may be able to help the developer write your sales contract.
One such property is Lake Blackshear Plantation, which is set beside the 8,700-acre lake from which the community takes its name. Blackshear is just a few miles from Interstate 75 in south central Georgia, near the town of Cordele, and it features all the customary amenities of a golfing community, such as pool, fitness center, and clubhouse. Boat related facilities are planned as well. Homes are reasonably priced, as you would expect for a community that is a few hours from any major urban area; Atlanta is a good two hours up the interstate. Villas start below $200,000, and single-family homes begin in the $200s. Many properties on the golf course are still available.
For the price of a high-end home, the golf course itself is available to those not content with a simple membership. Golf Course Brokers, Inc. has the course listed at $1.75 million, which includes a 70-seat restaurant and 3,300 foot clubhouse. That seems a reasonable price for a full-fledged course in the midst of a fair-sized community; with proper marketing and a quality operation, the course could attract most of its members from the neighborhood (the course is daily fee for now).
The Ray Jensen layout, which reaches 6,900 yards at the tips, winds its way across and around ponds and streams and is set on rolling land amid the ubiquitous loblolly pines of this part of Georgia. Golf Digest gave the course a 4-star rating.
Reading the fine print
A recent piece of legislation in Maryland is a good reminder for all of us counting on a certain level of amenities, including the golf course, in our next living situation. Regulation H679 "would require that, in Prince George's County, a homebuilder that agrees to provide a community amenity to a community development must include specified information in the contract of sale." The legislation also provides for penalties in the case of non-compliance.When shopping for a home in a golf course community, ask tough questions and read the fine print. Buyers have a little more leverage than they have had in recent years, and you may be able to help the developer write your sales contract.
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