Charter One Realty Blog - Charter One Realty

Why This Is Not Like 2008 Again

During the Great Recession, just over a decade ago, the financial systems the world depended on started to collapse. It created a panic that drove some large companies out of business (ex. Lehman Brothers) and many more into bankruptcy.

The financial crisis that accompanied the current pandemic caused hardship to certain industries and hurt many small businesses. However, it hasn’t rattled the world economy. It seems that a year later, things are slowly getting back to normal for many companies.

Why is there a drastic difference between 2008 and now?

In a post from RealtyTrac, they explain:

We changed the rules. We told banks they needed more reserves and that they could no longer underwrite toxic mortgages. It turns out that regulation —…

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Home Price Appreciation Is as Simple as Supply and Demand

Home price appreciation continues to accelerate. Today, prices are driven by the simple concept of supply and demand. Pricing of any item is determined by how many items are available compared to how many people want to buy that item. As a result, the strong year-over-year home price appreciation is simple to explain. The demand for housing is up while the supply of homes for sale hovers at historic lows.

Let’s use three maps to show how this theory continues to affect the residential real estate market.

Map #1 – State-by-state price appreciation reported by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) for the first quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter of 2020:

As the map shows, certain states (colored in red) have appreciated well…

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Lowcountry Real Estate Market Report - May 2021

As the weather warms and pandemic restrictions ease across much of the country, the U.S. housing market shows little sign of cooling. Robust buyer demand, fueled by low mortgage rates, continues to outpace supply, which remains near historic lows. Nationwide, inventory remains much lower than it was at this time last year, and sales prices are surging as a result. 

Hilton Head & Mainland Real Estate Market Update - May 2021

For the 12- month period spanning June 2020 through May 2021, pending sales in the Hilton Head region were up 64.4 percent overall. Market-wide, inventory levels were down 73.1 percent. The property type that lost the least inventory was the condo segment, where it decreased 68.9 percent. That amounts to 0.8 months supply for…

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In Today’s Market, Listing Prices Are Like an Auction’s Reserve Price

For generations, the process of buying and selling a home never really changed. A homeowner would try to estimate the market value of their house, then tack on a little extra to give themselves some negotiating room. That figure would become the listing price. Buyers would then try to determine how much less than the full price they could offer and still get the home. As a result, the listing price was generally the ceiling of the negotiation. The actual sales price would almost always be somewhat lower than what was listed. It was unthinkable to pay more than what the seller was asking.

Today is different.

The record-low supply of homes for sale coupled with very strong buyer demand is leading to a rise in bidding wars on many homes. Because of…

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Dreaming of a Bigger Home? Why Not Buy It This Year?

Are you clamoring for extra rooms or a more functional floorplan in your house? Maybe it’s time to make a move. If you’ll be able to work remotely for the long-term or your overall needs have simply changed, it’s a great time to sell your house and move up. Why? With mortgage rates in their favor and higher-priced home sales powering more moves across the country, sellers in today’s market are finding the space they need (and have always dreamed of) by purchasing a home in the upper end of the housing market.

With so few homes available for sale and high demand from today’s homebuyers, sellers are profiting in major ways this season. Bidding wars are gaining traction, driving up the sale price of more and more homes throughout the country. This means…

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What’s Motivating People To Move Right Now?

This year, Americans are moving for a variety of reasons. The health crisis has truly reshaped our lifestyles and our needs. Spending so much more time in our current homes has driven many people to reconsider what homeownership means and what they find most valuable in their living spaces.

According to the 2020 Annual National Movers Study:

For customers who cited COVID-19 as an influence on their move in 2020, the top reasons associated with COVID-19 were concerns for personal and family health and wellbeing (60%); desires to be closer to family (59%); 57% moved due to changes in employment status or work arrangement (including the ability to work remotely); and 53% desired a lifestyle change or improvement of quality of life.

With a…

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Classic Coastal Living Room Designs

Coastal living room designs are a popular style choice in the Lowcountry. If the ultra-popular farmhouse trend is not your style, odds are you might be drawn to the equally simple yet cozy aesthetic that’s known as coastal.

What’s great about coastal design is that it’s an elevated departure from the nautical style that could come to mind when thinking of waterfront interiors. It’s a perfect choice for capturing the laidback lifestyle of the Lowcountry that creates the feeling of relaxation as soon as you step in the room.

Perhaps the best part about coastal design style is that it welcomes color without ever feeling bold. You can create a classic and custom look without defaulting to all-white-everything or go anywhere near nautical with the red…

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Nature Lovers Guide: Things To Do In Beaufort, South Carolina

Whether you live in the Lowcountry or are visiting our unique region, spending time taking in the natural beauty is a must. There are many things to do in Beaufort, but this article highlights the very best activities for nature lovers.

The Lowcountry offers everything from delicious food to historical sites and museums. What’s amazing is that nearly everything here centers on, or includes in some way, the natural surroundings. There is always an option to spend the day outdoors to bike a new path, picnic in a different park, visit a new beach, or tee off a new golf course. 

Whatever level of adventure you want this season, many Lowcountry summer activities are guaranteed to offer relaxation and fun. Check out some places we like to visit with…

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Buying a Home in the Lowcountry is Still Affordable

The last year has put emphasis on the importance of one’s home. As a result, some renters are making the jump into homeownership while some homeowners are re-evaluating their current house and considering a move to one that better fits their current lifestyle. Understanding how housing affordability works and the main market factors that impact it may help those who are ready to buy a home narrow down the optimal window of time in which to make a purchase.

There are three main factors that go into determining how affordable homes are for buyers:

1. Mortgage Rates
2. Mortgage Payments as a Percentage of Income
3. Home Prices

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) produces a Housing Affordability Index. It takes these three factors into…

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Where do the Experts say the Market is Heading?

As we enter the middle of 2021, many are wondering if we’ll see big changes in the housing market during the second half of this year. Here’s a look at what some experts have to say about key factors that will drive the industry and the economy forward in the months to come.

realtor.com:

. . . homes continue to sell quickly in what’s normally the fastest-moving time of the year. This is in contrast with 2020 when homes sold slower in the spring and fastest in September and October. While we expect fall to be competitive, this year’s seasonal pattern is likely to be more normal, with homes selling fastest from roughly now until mid-summer.

National Association of Realtors (NAR):

Sellers who have been hesitant to list homes as part…

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