People who want to sell their homes right now are sitting in the drivers seat in many areas around the Athens and surrounding counties. I recently did some research on the available homes and sold homes, including condos and townhomes in the Athens and surrounding counties.  I compared results from last year to this year for the period from January 1 to March 31.  The results showed some good increases for sellers in today’s market. There are presently 1351 listings for the area. The number of distressed sales, which means foreclosed, bank owned, HUD, and even short sales is exactly 100. (Our sister company, Athena Real Estate Group had about 100 listings alone when I began working in Athens in early 2011. ) To date for 2013 458 homes have sold, and this was a 13% increase year of year. This also means there is a standing inventory of only 2.9 months. –YES THAT IS LOW! We have a serious shortage of homes available for sale.  We may have just entered a Seller’s Market, while you were reading this!  If you look back as short as only 6 months ago we were still in a buyer’s market, and were for quite a long time.  This doesn’t mean there are no more good deals or bargains because there are.  The fact of the matter is, while interest rates are still below 4% like they are right now, you will still see buyers flocking to the market.  Where will they find homes to buy around here? This is a call to those home owners who have been waiting out the storm.  The Athens area, Watkinsville-Oconee area, Jackson, Barrow, Madison, Oglethorpe, and truly all around the state is in a similar situation.  Many areas in Atlanta are seeing neighborhoods where listings are going under contract in just one week.  The HUD and foreclosed homes sometimes go that fast around here as well.  That being said, sellers are now able to get their asking price or so much closer than they could have compared to the last few years.  Right now it is time to make that decision to call an agent and list your home for sale if you want to and especially if you need to.  I hope that decision will prompt you to call me right now.  I receive emails and requests from lenders weekly if not every other day, about homes that are needed but just not available to buyer’s right now. It is possible that most people will realize this very soon, and then the market will be flooded.  Then the prices will stay flat, and buyer’s won’t have to offer what you are asking, so take some ACTION. I urge you to make that call, it will cost you nothing for the advice I can give you on what your home is worth.  I am available daily! 678-485-9198 Ethan Atkinson, Athens Real Estate Man. 

Let’s go sell some houses!