Well once again I come to report on the status of this marketplace. While sales numbers are up and down all over the nation depending on the reporter, based upon sales in the Athens MLS, Jackson County Georgia is the only county or segment of a county in our service area that has increased sales in 2009.
| Jan 1 – May 5, 2008 | Jan 1 – May 5, 2009 | Difference | Percentage | |||||||
| Property Type | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | ||
| Residential | 52 | $8.657 Mil | 57 | $7.817 Mil | 5 | $-840k | 9.62 | -9.70 | ||
| Totals: | 52 | $8.657 Mil |
57 | $7.817Mil | 5 | $-840k | 9.62 | -9.70 | ||
Taking the good with the bad if you will, Jackson County has had an increase of five (5) solds year over year through May 5 , 2009, for an almost 10 percent increase while “only” losing about 10 percent per dollar figures on sold homes in the county.
Compare Jackson County’s sales figures to Watkinsville/Oconee;
| Property Type | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | ||
| Residential | 66 | $19.377 Mil | 36 | $9.173 Mil | -30 | $-10.203 Mil | -45.45 | -52.66 | ||
| Totals: | 66 | $19.377Mil | 36 | $9.173 Mil |
-30 | $-10.203 Mil |
-45.45 | -52.66 | ||
Compare Jackson County’s sales figures to the Athens-Clarke;
| Property Type | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | Units | Dollars | ||
| Residential | 352 | $61.984 Mil | 189 | $29.447 Mil | -163 | $-32.537 Mil | -46.31 | -52.49 | ||
| Totals: | 352 | $61.984 Mil | 189 | $29.447 Mil |
-163 | $-32.537 Mil |
-46.31 | -52.49 | ||
The news if you live in Athens or Watkinsville and are trying to sell? Inventory levels have stagnated to where sales are going to be slower, and days on the market for your home will be extended.
If you live in Jackson County, while obviously the argument can be made that prices are down relative to these sales figures in the Athens and Watkinsville markets, at least due to a smaller relative amount of inventory you may have a better chance of getting to the closing table sooner than someone in Athens.
These are probably the best buying conditions in 30 years! If you would like to search the Athens MLS please take a look at listings in our “Classic City” today! On this web MLS search solution you can search every listing on the Georgia MLS for the Greater Athens area or in your Georgia town!
It’s always of great interest to me to see how other Georgia areas are faring. Our market, while still down 17% overall on 2008, has an average sales price that’s over $4,000 higher. We’re keeping appreciation at a low rate (beats no rate or negative), but not seeing a rebound in sales yet.