This young deer let me get amazingly close to take this shot.  S/he seemed entirely focused on a delicous meal of acorns.  Blue Ridge Parkway, Price Park Campground, mp 296

These wild hydrangeas caught the snow from an early Dec 2008 snowfall.

All Land Non-Commercial Sales

Subdivision Sales

Local Area Homes Sales, Watauga Market, June 2005 through May 2006
 

Local Area Home Sales, Watauga Market, June 2006 through May 2007
 

Local Area Home Sales, Watauga Market, June 2007 through May 2008

A real estate market is not just one phenomena but rather represents several trends.  Some of the trends in our market are:  local, year round residents; moderately priced second homes; very high end second homes; and the log cabin market, many if not most of which are second homes.

Below are sold comps for log cabins and for single family residences for our area.  In understanding our market, I look at the Blowing Rock to Banner Elk ‘corridor’ [my term] because that area includes a large concentration of 2^nd homes. I compare those results with the areas occupied in larger numbers by year round residents than 2^nd homes; by school districts:  Parkway, Green Valley, Mabel, Cove Creek, Bethel, Hardin Park.

I conclude from the sales statistics below:
   — we have a lot of inventory
   – we have a lower number of sales than the past two years [large inventory and lower number of sales correlate]
   –  But, we haven’t yet seen drastic drops in average price of homes, in contradiction to what the national media portrays over and over.  The national media tends to ignore local markets [and especially local markets that are doing well; some are!]
   – If the lowered number of sales continues, I would expect decreases in average and median sales prices by next summer.
   – Log home sales remain strong here.  That is, although the number of sales is down, the price has increased.  This illustrates one unique characteristic of our market in western North Carolina:  the importance of log homes to buyers.
   –  How important are log homes sales to our market and to our local economy?  Compare the total volume of log home sales to the total volume of the local market:  the numbers correlate in remarkable similarity.  In other words, in terms of volume log home sales are as important as local residential sales. 

Market Analysis of Single Family Residences:

Dec. 10 2008

Please contact me if you are interested in learning how the value of your home compares to the local market.  Helen Phillips Coe Realty 828 264 1434 or Helen@CoeRealty.com

I’m providing you a comparison of the past 12 months vs. the previous 12 months sales of single family residences in the Watauga market area.  As you’ll notice, the number of homes sold is down by about 20% and thus the total volume is down.  You’ll also notice we aren’t seeing a decrease in average and median house prices. 

If you are concerned about whether your property is holding its value, please contact me and I’ll be glad to provide you an analysis of current market value.  828 264 1434 or Helen@CoeRealty.com.