A Blog For Savannah Ga Real Estate

Lately I've noticed increased activity in the Savannah real estate market. I've even had competition on the offers I've put in lately, and I haven't seen that for a while.

I was worried that the end of the $8000 rebate would cause a slow-down, but that doesn't seem to be the case. At the end of the month, I'll run some statistics to see if my experience holds true with the Savannah market as a whole. I suspect we'll see gradual improvement in sales with a slight rise in home prices. There's quite a bit of pent-up demand, and it seems to be loosening.

I've transitioned to exclusive buyer agent representation and that is working out well so far. There are a lot of people contacting me from out of town with intentions of moving to Savannah to purchase a home and they appreciate the service I provide, as someone who will be looking after their interests. Newcomers to the area find it useful to have one agent they can trust to show them the area, explain the lay-out, give them up-dated information on the market and take care of all the showing appointments. They find that it beats going from listing agent to listing agent with each one trying to sell their listings. There's a need for both good listing agents and buyer agents, but if you are a buyer, it makes more sense to have a buyer agent.

 

The Unbelievable Prestige of Savannah, GA Real Estate

November 2, 2009 on 10:00 am | In Real Estate |

There are two sides to the beautiful city of Savannah. Life in Savannah is young and stylish, but the citys old Southern custom ensures that it shall always continue to sustain its tranquillity. Savannah, this modest city that welcomes the entire world, gets its name from the Native American word for grassy plain. Savannah has come a very long way from its basic existence as the quiet plain.

Living up to the accurate reputation of being known as the hostess city of the South, Savannah, GA. treats both residents and travellers to magical squares, beautiful gardens, culture, a large variety of entertainment, and tasty food. The city of Savannah embodies the southern belle: beautiful, kind, spirited and majestic.

The twenty-four squares which are neatly settled all throughout the historic metropolitan area constitute the spirit of the downtown area. General James Ogelthorpe , between creating the colony of Georgia, fighting off the Spanish threat and working toward peaceful cohabitation with the Creek Indians, is to be credited with laying the city plan for Savannah, much of which remains intact today. These well-known squares form the cultural, historical and literal heart of the city. The many activities that help make Savannah great spread outward from there. Each separate square speaks of local and world history, having survived the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Art and culture are discovered on every single corner of Savannahs streets, every season of the year. Savannahs Music Festival in March and the Jazz Festival in September fill each air with cool melodies. African Americans, Greeks, Irish, Scots and Asians, among others, share their legacy with celebrations spread out during different weeks of the year. Meanwhile, students of the Savannah College of Art and Design charm the visitors when they bring the sidewalks of Forsyth Park to life during the Sidewalk Art Festival. Savannahs indoor cultural scene is packed with over eighty art galleries, museums, and theaters.

The edges of Savannah offer the comfort of a small town for families who prefer privacy and space, while the city center offers a metro feel with three universities , whose large international student body gives Savannah a cosmopolitan and trendy edge, great shopping, and a nightlife that seems to start and bubble out from CityMarket.

Those who live in Savannah spend their free time the way many people spend vacation time — gentle temperatures allow for for various outdoor activities, beaches nearby, plenty of golf courses, and the occasional blues bar. . Even the public transport system is stress-free. The Chatham Area Transit (CAT) operates an efficient system of buses, trolleys, and a ferry for those crossing the Savannah River.

Its no surprise that Savannah is regularly listed as one of North Americas 10 most beautiful cities. Savannahs appeal stretches out to a extremely prominent variety of tastes. These diverse interests and lifestyles coexist in a complimentary way, which serves to contribute to Savannahs growth. Artists contribute its culture, small businesses welcome tourists and thrive as a result, and big industry drives the economy forward. Thus, this humble city, with her large city mentality, knows how to get the worlds attention without even breaking a sweat.

About the author:
Dave Cloud is a independent internet author and historian. He has savored the sights and sounds of Savannah for over 35 years. He often recommends is: http://www.greatersavannah.comfor Savannah, Georgia Real Estate.

The Ellis Square Project and News Place condos are almost complete. This is a beautiful new development close to River Street and some of the condos in are in the best location in Savannah for downtown Savannah living at its best. You'll have to see the views to believe them.

The Savannah River Landing project, the 54 acre expansion of downtown ran into trouble last year, but it's moving forward and they expect to have it mostly completed in the spring of 2010. These are two major projects which will add a lot to Savannah while maintaining the historic character.

In spite of all the bad economic news, Savannah real estate is going forward.

Although I'm a real estate broker, I believe it's a healthy turn of events that people are cooling their heels on real estate. Real estate investment is a job for someone with the skills, knowledge and aptitude for investing. The myriad inexperienced "investors" lured in by rising prices during the boomnever understood the fundamentals or reality of the real estate market -- some luckily did well, many got caught up in the hype and inflation. This is what happens when government interferes in the market and creates incentives to spend in a certain sector. The easy money, easy qualification and low interest ratesbrought way too many "playas" into the market. Fannie and Freddie supported a boom that went bust.

Perhaps now buyers will look at homes as a place to live. The investment of home-buying has run its course -- yes, if you buy a home and live there for 10 years or so, you should realize an increase in value that's a little higher than inflation, but this is not a given and looking at home-buying strictly as an investment is misleading. You would haveto crunch the numbers after 10 years to see if you are any better off than if you had rented -- in some slow markets you might not be better off after 10 years.

But owning a home has more value than ROI -- it's your personal space and an expression of your lifestyle. It's the freedom of having more control over your living environment. It's the comfort of ownership (although it's limited with a mortgage and covenants and zoning and such). At least with ownership you don't have a landlord making decisions that you might not agree with -- or you are are not asked to leave because of a sale. Owning a home gives you more control over your life as it relates to shelter, but looking at it as aninvestment requires a true assessment of expenses, and the investment is contingent on the market.

Perhaps there will be more rationality in the market once the government quits interfering and tinkering with incentives.