A while back in Savannah it appeared more buyers were moving closer to Savannah which would be consistent with national trends of more people moving closer to urban centers; however, I'm not sure this trend is all that prevalent in Savannah. It is likely that the high prices of homes in downtwon Savannah will prohibit many buyers from that choice.

Although I see a lot of buyers who originally plan on city living, they begin to change their minds after considering the cost of downtown living, especially if they are looking at older homes that need work. It takes a special kind of buyer to envision the results of an old home in an up and coming area, because all the immediate problems are overwhelming -- so when they look at a new home, say 15 to 20 minutes out of town, the new home looks more appealing.

This is not to say that buying an older home and fixing it up is not a good strategy, it just takes vision and patience and work. the results are usually wonderful once the area around the house improves and the buyer has a home that has character close to all the interesting offerings of downtown. But like I say, it takes a lot of vision and trust.

Seeing that Savannah is not that spread out yet, new construction in Pooler, Rincon, Richmond Hill and the southside is not that far from downtown, so many people are still choosing a more rural setting. You lose a lot in character and interesting lifestyle, but you still have easy access to it. I always advise buyers to weigh the pros and cons carefully in order to make a fully informed and well thought-out decision. Unless you are willing and able to pay a high price it's unlikely you'll find urban living that is finished and ready to go, but, if you can, in Savannah, it's wonderful.

If you are in that quandary, call me for a free consultation - I've been through the pros and cons more than a few times.