2015 Collins Group Realty State of the Market Report 1 | Page 5
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Island continues to enjoy a strong marketplace for
both vacation and long-term rentals is a huge factor in
driving sales. In many cases, second-homes are made
more affordable as vacation-rental-income helps to
off-set carrying costs. Meanwhile, quality long-term
rental potential can help “bridge” the timing of a
prospect’s purchase/ownership such that they can buy
now, rent the property out for a year or two, and then
retire/move-in when they are actually ready to make
the move to HHI. Especially in light of the high tax
rate for non-primary properties in Beaufort County,
the strength of the short-term and long-term rental
markets is welcomed news to buyer prospects!
Softer Insurance Market
Back in 2012, the scare of escalating flood insurance
caused a stir in the local marketplace. The timing and
scope of NFIP subsidy changes ultimately quelled this
concern, and flood premium increases have not been
as dramatic as a result. Meanwhile, the homeowners
property insurance marketplace has become
increasingly competitive over the past several years,
due to fewer storms and the resulting lower cost of
reinsurance. Of course, insurance markets can
change quickly, but at this time we are hearing from
local agents that premiums are competitive...and it
might be an opportune time to evaluate different
quotes for the most attractive coverage and costs. For
real estate, anything that might help the bottom-line
ultimately helps the market, so this is a helpful
development at this time.
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ƵŐƵƐƚ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌ KĐƚŽďĞƌ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ ĞĐĞŵďĞƌ
A Buyer’s-Market Mentality
The real estate market doesn’t change overnight,
and neither do consumer mindsets. HHI (for the
most part) has been a buyer’s market since 2008, but
the market data suggests a change is in progress in
many of the island neighborhoods. Getting buyers
to acknowledge this change takes time, unfortunately
leading to some buyers missing key buying
opportunities in the meantime.
The “Be-Backs” Actually Come Back
Not even 5 years ago, we saw a trend of buyers who
would come to the Island to look at real estate, only to
state that they would “be-back” once they could sell
their residence back home. In most cases, they didn’t
come back anytime soon… Well, thanks to a substantial strengthening of the majority of market-places
in our main feeder-markets, we are seeing more and
more “be-backs” successfully sell their homes in short
order, returning to HHI to purchase with greater
regularity and financial confidence.
94%
OUR 2015 ISLAND LISTINGS’
SALES PRICE TO ORIGINAL LIST PRICE
State of the Market
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