Charter One Realty Blog

Today’s Real Estate Market Explained Through 4 Key Trends

As we move into the second half of the year, one thing is clear: the current real estate market is one for the record books. The exact mix of conditions we have today creates opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Here’s a look at four key components that are shaping this unprecedented market.

A Shortage of Homes for Sale

Earlier this year, the number of homes available for sale fell to an all-time low. In recent months, however, inventory levels are starting to trend up. The latest Monthly Housing Market Trends Report from realtor.com says:

“In June, newly listed homes grew by 5.5% on a year-over-year basis, and by 10.9% on a month-over-month basis. Typically, fewer newly listed homes appear on the market in the month of June…

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3 Hot Topics in the Housing Market Right Now

If you’re a prospective buyer or seller, it’s important to understand the current real estate market conditions and how they affect you. The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) just released its Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate report. Here are three hot topics from the list and how they impact today’s housing market.

Technology Acceleration and Innovation

The past year ushered in many changes to the real estate industry, especially when it comes to technology. The CRE report elaborates on this:

Lockdown-driven changes in our work, in the economy, in social structures, and in our personal behavior have pushed our reluctance aside. The acceleration and adoption of technology during the pandemic has impacted everything, and real estate is no…

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A Look at Housing Supply and What It Means for Sellers

One of the hottest topics of conversation in today’s real estate market is the shortage of available homes. Simply put, there are many more potential buyers than there are homes for sale. As a seller, you’ve likely heard that low supply is good news for you. It means your house will get more attention, and likely, more offers. But as life begins to return to normal, you may be wondering if that’s something that will change.

While it may be tempting to blame the pandemic for the current inventory shortage, the pandemic can’t take all the credit. While it did make some sellers hold off on listing their houses over the past year, the truth is the low supply of homes was years in the making. Let’s take a look at the root cause and what the future holds to…

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Building In The Lowcountry: Designing Your Dream Home

If you are in the market for home construction in the Lowcountry, you are certainly not alone. Chances are you’re looking at a variety of Bluffton home builders and Hilton Head home builders, and perhaps some national names too. 

Designing your dream home is an exciting process. With so many choices to make during your build, it is important to select a builder that fits your needs both from a design and functional perspective. So many of the builders here are locally grown companies; simply meeting and getting to know each one will help you know who feels like the right fit for your project.

Some of our favorite builders include (in alphabetical order):

Coastal Signature Homes

H2 Builders

Kendrick Construction

Randy Jeffcoat Builders

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Six Easy Day Trips From Hilton Head Island

Get ready for new summer adventures! Looking to squeeze in a few more getaways before summer ends? Choose from our list of short day trips from Hilton Head and explore our gorgeous and easy-to-reach surroundings. We selected a few towns close enough to Hilton Head that ensure you can get there and back in a single day without feeling exhausted.

We love the Lowcountry and we are very grateful that so much of it can be explored by a quick car trip. What’s not to love about a road trip under three hours? Mini-road trips pack all the fun in, with none of the “are we there yet” vibes no one likes.

If you are ready to expand your summer exploration horizons without needing a flight, check out what’s going on in the greater Lowcountry area and be tucked…

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Charter One Realty Ranks as a Top Brokerage in the Nation by Three Independent Ranking Firms

The RISMedia 2021 Power Broker Report and the Swanepoel Mega 1000 announce the nation's top producing brokerages based on sales volume and transaction sides. Both reports list Charter One Realty as one of the top brokerages, placing the firm in the top 1% of all brokerages nationwide. These rankings follow the REAL Trends Five Hundred rankings, where Charter one Realty ranked in the top 500 brokerages nationwide.

The largest part of the residential real estate brokerage industry is still populated with small, localized brokerage companies, according to the National Association of Realtors' 2019 Profile of Real Estate Firms. Given the plethora of small brokerages, the bigger players included in the Mega 1000 stand out. Although the Mega 1000…

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2021 Lowcountry Summer Activities

There are so many Lowcountry summer activities for every age in and around our beautiful, unique region. From Savannah to Charleston, the Lowcountry offers naturescapes and activities unlike anywhere else in the country.

This year, the Lowcountry summer activities are back in full force and we have gathered plenty that you’ll want to check off your list. 

Events are back and plentiful! Most highlight the outdoors and the beautiful scenery of the lowcountry. Pack the car, load up the kids, and head to the nearest festival or celebration in town—we have you covered on where to go!

There is something special about summer in our area, with locals and tourists both enjoying the water and outdoor activities together in the sunshine. If you’re a local…

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Diving Deep into Today’s Biggest Buyer Concerns

Last week, Fannie Mae released their Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI). Though the survey showed 77% of respondents believe it’s a “good time to sell,” it also confirms what many are sensing: an increasing number of Americans believe it’s a “bad time to buy” a home. The percentage of those surveyed saying it’s a “bad time to buy” hit 64%, up from 56% last month and 38% last July.

The latest HPSI explains:

Consumers also continued to cite high home prices as the predominant reason for their ongoing and significant divergence in sentiment toward homebuying and home-selling conditions. While all surveyed segments have expressed greater negativity toward homebuying over the last few months, renters who say they are planning to buy a home in…

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Housing Supply Is Rising. What Does That Mean for You?

An important factor in today’s market is the number of homes for sale. While inventory levels continue to sit near historic lows, there are indications we may have hit the lowest point we’ll see. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, recently said of our supply challenges:

It looks like inventory may have hit a bottom (we’ve seen this in the higher frequency data as well). Unsold inventory in May was at 2.5 months supply, up from 2.4.

To put it into perspective, the graph below shows levels of inventory rising since the beginning of the year:

We’re still not close to a balanced market, which would be a 6 months’ supply of homes for sale. However, we are seeing a slow but steady increase in homes coming up for…

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Why This Isn’t Your Typical Summer Housing Market

In real estate, it’s normal to see ebbs and flows in the market. Typically, the summer months are slower-paced than the traditionally busy spring. But this isn’t a typical summer. As the economy rebounds and life is returning to normal, the real estate market is expected to have an unusually strong summer season.

Here’s how this summer is stacking up against the norm and what it means for you.

Inventory is increasing.

According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), inventory levels have been rising since February of this year. Looking at the graph below, there’s a clear upward trend, as shown in the green bars. Currently, there’s roughly a 2.5 months’ supply of homes for sale. And while…

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