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CTAR Releases 2013 Annual Report on the Charleston Area Housing Market

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® recently released its annual report on the Charleston area housing market. This report contains a plethora of information about the local real estate market.

“It was a banner year for residential real estate across America,” states CTAR. “Nearly every metropolitan housing market embarked upon or continued along the road to recovery. Local and regional markets once burdened by excessive supply levels and heavy foreclosure loads have given way to multiple-offer situations, homes selling in record-low market times, and prices rallying to multi-year highs.”

The numbers don’t lie. Charleston real estate has made a great recovery over the past two years. Closed sales were up 21.1% in 2013 from 2012, and pending sales were up 21.5%. There was a 13.9% rise in new listings, and at the end of the year, inventory of homes for sale was down 12.3%. In addition, sales prices were up and average number of days on the market were down. These are all definite signs of a recovering market.

For more information on CTAR’s 2013 report, check out our infographic below.

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Hidden Gem : A Completely Remodeled Home in North Charleston

Just Listed!

7012 Terrace Drive Better Exterior

$110,000

Prepare to be impressed! This little jewel, just listed in North Charleston, has been totally remodeled. New architect roof put on in 2010. New vinyl tilt-out windows and new heat/air unit. Kitchen boasts new oak cabinets, counter tops, and a new dishwasher. Range and refrigerator (which conveys) are newer as well. The entire home (except kitchen and bath) have the original wood floors which have been beautifully refinished. The bathroom has been refinished, including a new tub/shower combo, new vanity, and new ceramic tile. There are three good-sized bedrooms, each with a ceiling fan. Outside is a carport and storage space which houses the washer and dryer, which also convey in as-is condition. This house sits on a large, wooded corner lot with lots of room for kids to play or even a garden. Don't miss this rare opportunity for an all-brick home in this condition.

Location, Home Prices, and Family Friendliness Attract Buyers to Goose Creek

As a central region in the tri-county area, Goose Creek is attracting more buyers and "making a comeback" according to local Realtors. According to the Post and Courier the city’s current population of 36,000 continues to expand. Why is the area seeing such a resurgence? There are many reasons causing the area to entice homebuyers, but there are three leading features that have begun to make Goose Creek more alluring all around: its central location and proximity to popular employers, family-friendly neighborhoods, and affordable housing.

Located at the convergence of several major roads, Goose Creek is convenient to its surrounding areas, sitting five to twenty minutes from most destinations in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties. Residents find it easy to hop onto Highways 52, 78, and 17A and Interstates 26 and 526, making it close to work, shopping, restaurants, parks, and other recreation areas. Employees of Boeing, Alcoa, and the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command appreciate a short commute to and from home.

Goose Creek residents also enjoy modestly priced homes in peaceful, family-friendly neighborhoods. In fact, Bloomberg Businessweek named Goose Creek the best place to raise kids in South Carolina in both 2010 and 2011. “This quiet, pretty suburb of Charleston has much to offer, from great parks to solid schools, to rolling bike trails,” the magazine stated. Several new-construction neighborhoods have seen great success over the last few years, adding to the allure for families. The newest development at Carnes Crossroads is expected to attract thousands of new residents.

Currently, there are 208 homes for sale in all of Goose Creek, with an average listing price of $163,266 and an average of 132 days on the market. 361 homes have sold in Goose Creek since July 2013 at an average price of $145,369 and 59 days on the market.

The Whys and Wherefores of Hiring a Listing Agent

What can a listing agent do that I can’t do?

Why should I pay someone just to market my home when I can do it myself?

I was a real estate agent for a couple of years when I was in my twenties; why should I list my home with an agent when I know all about the business?

These are all good, relevant questions that many people ask themselves when it comes time to sell their homes. Now that tech-savvy homeowners have access to social media as well as a number of real estate websites, it’s only natural for them to believe that they can market their homes just as well as any listing agent can. That could be true in a few cases, but when it comes down to it, real estate agents know their stuff. They understand how home selling and home buying work; they know exactly what to do and what not to do. If you’re not sold on the idea, take a look at these five advantages of hiring a listing agent, and then decide for yourself.

Social Media for Home Sellers

The world of advertising has changed tremendously over the last decade. Gone are the Mad Men days, when businesses relied on print, television, and word-of-mouth to sell their products and services. While these avenues are still relevant and important to advertising in real estate, we cannot ignore the fact that we are living in a digital age, where people get their news from websites and interact with friends and family through social media platforms. Realtors® know this and have been turning to the Web for easy marketing channels. You might be wondering how this applies to you as a seller. Shouldn’t your real estate agent be worrying about the marketing of your home?

Well, let’s think about the sheer number of people you know who use social media, and then add that to your real estate agent’s sphere of influence. Then think about how many people your peers know, how many followers those peers have… We could go on for days. Remember Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? It’s sort of like that. Even though your Realtor® will go above and beyond to sell your real estate in Charleston, it’s imperative that you do your part to take the reach of information to a higher level. So what exactly can you do as a seller to help market your home? Chances are you are among the roughly 1.11 billion Facebook users, 500 million Twitter users, and 350 million Google+ users, for example. Using your personal social media accounts to help market your home will get the information out more prospects than if your Realtor® does it all on his or her own. Here are a few tips to use to sell your home with social media.