Feet on the Street Greenville SC
The bottom line: Among the last to enter the housing slump and one of the first to begin to climb out, Greenville's compass is fixed north toward recovery
Our ASM travels also took us to Greenville, SC last month…visiting our friends at the Greenville News. Our Affiliates cover the Greater Greenville area, describing it as one of the last areas nationally to feel the burn from the housing downturn and among the fortunate first to show signs of recovery. The Greater Greenville area shows signs of continued improvement, particularly in the quality of life, which has since attracted record setting droves of population growth in the last two years, mainly concentrated in the Mauldin and Greer areas.
Affordability, coupled with the quality of life, has also positively stimulated the local housing market…helping the Greater Greenville area begin to make the steep climb out of recession. With the $8,000 federal tax credit rousing demand from first time buyers and housing affordability inciting current homeowners to action, Greenville's compass continues to point north toward recovery.
Our Affiliates also cited challenges facing agent/broker/builder prospects and current customers in the area. Given the current conditions, real estate is no longer a 'list it and someone will buy it' game. Real estate professionals now have to define the unique selling propositions of a property and market it to the best customer right from the get go. This requires more work and more efforts to cater to the client.
The higher price points in the Greater Greenville area- above the $300,000 mark, are taking longer to sell, creating a need for agents and brokers to develop strategies geared toward long term customer relationships. Some agents are just not used to working with a customer for 9-12 months +! This requires weekly and monthly feedback and a new system to manage their customer's expectations--all within an evolving landscape that serves as a catalyst for change and adaptation both in the market and in the real estate profession.
Equal Housing Opportunity