231: Buyer and Seller Strategies for a Shifting Market
We talk a lot about how the real estate market has shifted and what that means for buyers and sellers, but how does that actually impact your strategy for buying or selling real estate? Let's discuss five points for buyers and five points for sellers for how to educate themselves, strategize, and maximize their opportunities in an ever-evolving real estate market. This episode is sponsored by ...
45m Jul 31, 2024
45m
230: Prices set new records even as the real estate market softens
Looking at the data we now have for Greenville through June 2024, there are increasing signs of weakening demand coupled with increasingly growing supply. In fact, we are seeing record new listings coming on the market all the while the average price of a home in Greenville has soared above $400,000 for the first time ever. What does all this mean, and how does it compare to Greenville's tradit...
33m Jul 24, 2024
33m
229: Have homes bought since 2021 actually lost equity?
A lot of headlines right now are focused on homes losing value from their 2021 peak, but the headlines are national, and we need to assess what's happening specifically in Greenville. Thankfully, we have a simple way of doing this - we can look at all homes sold twice or more since 2021, evaluate the spread between the first sold price and the second one, and then run some basic formulas to det...
34m Jul 17, 2024
34m
228: 2024 Mid-Year Bold Predictions Review
At the end of 2023 into the beginning of 2024, I did a "bold predictions" episode where I discussed what I thought would happen to the Greenville real estate market in 2024. Well, now that half the year is over, it's time to do a preliminary review of the predictions to see how well they're doing. So let's go through all 10 of my 2024 bold predictions and compare them to the most up-to-date dat...
24m Jul 10, 2024
24m
227: 2024 Elections Are Already Impacting Local Real Estate
Election years always have a weird impact on real estate, and that's never been more true than this year. Not only are the Presidential elections impacting real estate (a well-known phenomenon that happens every four years), but in Greenville, more than ever, state and local races are proving to be hugely influential in things like development, infrastructure, etc. Long story short, we are ente...
54m Jul 03, 2024
54m
226: Is a Buyer's Market Coming?
As we look at the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS market stats, a theme emerges: supply is increasing faster than demand, resulting in a softening market. Does that mean it's a buyers market? Not yet, but we may be closer than people realize to it *feeling* like a buyers market, even with prices as high as they remain. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help...
28m Jun 26, 2024
28m
225: My Experience with Solar Panels
Solar panels are one of the most controversial topics in real estate in SC, with some believing homeowners have a moral responsibility to use solar to help with climate change, while others on the opposite side of the spectrum believe that solar panels are nothing more than an expensive scam. Well, I finally had a chance to purchase and sell a home with solar panels, and it was a big learning e...
29m Jun 19, 2024
29m
224: Should I hold, or should I sell?
Should I hold, or should I sell? That's a question investors ask themselves daily, but people who own real estate, even if they aren't "real estate investors," should also be thinking about this. There are a lot of changes coming - potential declining populations, rising insurance costs, decreasing supply for homes with acreage, etc. - that will almost certainly impact the value of real estate ...
37m Jun 12, 2024
37m
223: Mailbag Time: Stan answers listener questions
For the first time since Selling Greenville was inaugurated, Stan has solicited listener questions for a massive mailbag episode. Tune in to learn about what headwinds are in the Greenville market, when it makes sense to rent or buy, what differentiates Greenville from the rest of the US in terms of our real estate market, and even whether a hot dog is a sandwich!  As always, if you have any q...
49m Jun 05, 2024
49m
222: Is it a buyer's market? Not according to just released data.
We finally have the April market stats for the Greater Greenville area, and several things stand out. Most significantly, even though we are finally seeing things like active inventory normalize to pre-pandemic levels, many numbers, such as days on market, median sales price, etc. still point to Greenville being a seller's market. So why does it feel to many like a buyer's market? In this week'...
1hr 5m May 29, 2024
1hr 5m
221: Foreclosures, potential flips, and low appraisals have returned.
For the first time in 5 years, we're seeing foreclosures, short sales, and cheap (potential) flips coming online in Greenville, SC. Oh and questionably low appraisals are back too! Are we in or entering a buyers' market? And how will rates coming down, realtor compensation changes, etc. impact the state of the market? Let's talk about where things stand in the Greenville RE market and why it fe...
50m May 22, 2024
50m
220: Elections come to Greenville with real estate front and center.
It's election season, and real estate is top of mind for those running for office in Washington, DC, in SC, and in Greenville. I've spoken to legislators, politicians, and people running for office at all levels of government, and it's time to crack open the notebook and spill all my secrets on what is happening behind closed doors, and what it means for real estate, and our local elections.  ...
51m May 15, 2024
51m
219: Diagnosing Home Structural Issues
One of the things that scares people the most when buying a home is the possibility of it having structural issues. The reality is that most issues we deem "structural" are relatively easy and inexpensive to fix, but it's still helpful to be able to identify structural issues and diagnose their severity as much as possible prior to getting a home under contract (or prior to listing a home, if y...
20m May 08, 2024
20m
218: Why Millennials and Boomers still dominate real estate
Very seldom do we see a real estate market driven by retirees, but that's exactly what we see now with Boomers having a much larger portion of real estate market share than normal. Meanwhile Gen X has been almost left behind and Millennials are still trying to find their way in a historically unaffordable market. What is the cause of these seemingly upside down demographics, and what other fact...
41m May 01, 2024
41m
217: The RE market is softening but demand stays stable. For now.
Looking at the final data we have for Greenville in Q1 2023, the market is finally starting to see some stability. Some of the data shows potential market softening, but much of it is indicative of strong demand still pushing up prices, pendings, and closings while driving down days of market and affordability. The question now is will mortgage rates go up, down, or stay roughly the same throug...
31m Apr 24, 2024
31m
216: Market Moves, Sellers Slash Prices
In this episode, we delve into the dynamic Greenville real estate market, now grappling with the impact of rising mortgage rates. We'll explore the significant price adjustments sellers are making—how often are prices being dropped, and by what average amount? What implications do these changes hold for both buyers and sellers? Join us as we unpack the latest trends and forecasts, providing you...
31m Apr 17, 2024
31m
215: Using Section 8 Rentals as a Rent Deflation Hedge
There are a lot of misconceptions about the Section 8 rental program in Greenville, but I heard one recently that I had never heard before, and that's that it was an "unpredictable" program. Not only is this not true, but the Section 8 program in Greenville is substantially *more* predictable than the private rental market as a whole. The end result of this is that when market rents sometimes c...
24m Apr 10, 2024
24m
214: Identifying Local Real Estate Bubbles
Doomers are constantly talking about "the real estate bubble bursting," but the reality is that the dynamic we saw in 2007-08 of the entire US housing market crashing at one time is unusual and not likely to repeat itself any time soon. What we do see, however (and particularly since COVID), is localized markets forming bubbles that inevitably burst. In fact, we are experiencing this currently ...
41m Apr 03, 2024
41m
213: Market stats show weird trends in Greenville
As we look at the most recent market stats for the greater Greenville area, some weird data trends begin to appear. Listings are up but pendings are down. Pendings are down, but closings are up. Prices are still high and increasing but not everywhere. Closings in the sub $500,000 price point are decreasing whereas above that price point are increasing. What is the cause of all these odd blips i...
22m Mar 27, 2024
22m
212: The Death of the 6% Real Estate Commission???
On March 15 the National Association of REALTORS® announced a proposed realtor compensation settlement for the Sitzer/Burnett case, and the national media immediately put out a ton of clickbait headlines about the sudden "end of the 6% commission." As with most things, the media got this one wrong, but there is MUCH to talk about with regard to this settlement. Buyer agents are going to have to...
46m Mar 20, 2024
46m
211: President Biden wants to make housing affordable. But should he?
During his State of the Union address on March 7, 2024, President Biden outlined multiple proposals for how to make housing more affordable: -A $400/mo credit for first time homebuyers or people "trading up" -Title insurance reform to reduce fees -Measures to stop anti-trust violations and price-fixing among big landlords -Cutting red tape on federal financing for developers, etc. Some of the...
29m Mar 13, 2024
29m
210: Deep Diving into Upstate Sub-Markets
"The Greenville real estate market is strong," is what we keep hearing, but making a statement like that is painting with broad strokes. Some parts of the Upstate of SC are getting stronger and some are softening, but which is which? Thankfully, there is a little known report called the Market Conditions Addendum Report that I can run that looks at where the market is trending. And so in this e...
51m Mar 06, 2024
51m
209: Why are people selling off rental portfolios?
There are rumblings in the Greenville investor community about how there are more rental portfolios being sold off than usual, and these rumblings usually come with an innuendo or suggestion that maybe being a landlord in Greenville isn't what it's cracked up to be. So what is actually happening here? Are the rumblings true? Is there a problem with rental real estate in Greenville (or even in S...
42m Feb 28, 2024
42m
208: Real estate inventory in January soared, but prices remain high.
As mortgage rates have crept up in recent weeks, buyer activity has slowed down. Seller activity, on the other hand, hasn't, with a record number of new listings in January. The result? Inventory is increasing, giving buyers more options and sellers more competition. But in spite of that, prices remain near all-time highs, with no relief to buyers. Will that change in the near future? As alway...
27m Feb 21, 2024
27m
207: Corrected! Termites, pests, moisture issues, and more with Andrew Dixon
[Episode has been updated to correct initial audio issues.] One of the biggest headaches of being a homeowner is having to deal with pests. I (Stan) have personally dealt with mice, rats, bats, cockroaches, termites, ants, carpenter bees, and much more in my homes over the years. And every time I have, I've reached out to my longtime friend Andrew Dixon, owner of Dixon Pest. Andrew has a wealth...
1hr 3m Feb 14, 2024
1hr 3m
206: Mortgage rates are volatile again, thanks to the Fed.
The last week was a wild one for treasuries and mortgage rates, with a lot of economic data released, a FOMC statement sent out, multiple statements from Federal Reserve members, and a 60 Minutes interview of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The end result was that mortgage rates briefly went over 7%, and (as of this recording) are hovering at 6.99%, despite having been 6.6% just a few days ago. How di...
29m Feb 07, 2024
29m
205: Roasting Real Estate Ignorance with Hope Brooks
Hope Brooks is a local real estate investor who has worked behind the scenes with a lot of Greenville's major REI players. And it just so happens that she and I (Stan) were attacked on social media recently by someone who apparently believes all landlords are inherently greedy and immoral. It may surprise some that this sentiment about landlords is an increasingly common one, as people look for...
50m Jan 31, 2024
50m
204: Final Look at 2023 Shows Strong Price Growth in Greenville
As we take one last look at 2023 by means of the most recently released Greater Greenville Association of Realtors Market Stats, a few things jump off the page. Most significantly, we can now say definitively that Greenville saw strong price growth for the year, particularly in contrast to some other parts of the country that are getting headlines for home values depreciating. But there are ple...
28m Jan 24, 2024
28m
203: Why the financial data supports home ownership over renting
A debate rages on social media these days about whether it's better to rent where you live or buy and be a homeowner. The reality is that in most places (including Greenville, at least for now) the monthly costs are cheaper if you're renting, but this doesn't take into account other important parts of the discussion, most significantly, real estate value appreciation. Renters don't benefit from...
35m Jan 17, 2024
35m
202: Amazon Gift Card Winner + Crazy Start to 2024!
We have a winner! In this episode we announce the winner of the $200 Amazon gift card from the giveaway that was announced in episode 200! But we also need to talk about the CRAZY start to 2024 that we're experiencing. Is it possible that people have woken up from their 2023 slumber and are ready to buy real estate again? The early returns would indicate that that may very well be happening. Tu...
26m Jan 10, 2024
26m
201: 10 Bold Predictions for 2024!
Happy New Year! It's that time again - we need to come up with ten bold predictions for what will happen in Greenville real estate in 2024. Will rates go up or down? What about prices? Will listings linger longer than in 2023? And what's the Fed doing these days? Lots to discuss with lots of predictions to be made! Have your own predictions? Let me know!  As always, if you have any questions ...
33m Jan 03, 2024
33m
200: End of Year Giveaway! Plus 2023 Recap
Who doesn't love an end of year giveaway? Well, to celebrate 2023 and the 200th episode of this show, we're randomly giving away a $200 gift card to one lucky listener. Listen to this episode for more details. Oh, and we also have to recap 2023! So let's talk about the wild ride that was this past year in the real estate market and where things are going from here. For the link to the Fox New...
37m Dec 27, 2023
37m
199: How did Stan do predicting 2023's real estate trends?
At the end of 2022, Stan came up with 10 bold predictions for the year 2023, and as we come to the end of 2023, it's time to see how he did! So let's go over each prediction and analyze what happened that caused the predictions to be right... or wrong.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text...
33m Dec 20, 2023
33m
198: Comparing Greenville to Atlanta, Charlotte, Asheville, & Charleston
Most people from outside of SC who discover Greenville do so while researching other major cities in the Southeast, such as Atlanta and Charlotte. After all, Greenville is literally wedged right in between those two cities, while also finding itself relatively close to many other major SE cities that have been getting a lot of buzz lately. So how do those cities compare to Greenville? What do t...
46m Dec 13, 2023
46m
197: Real estate lawsuits mean buyer agents may be going away for good.
Real estate is under the legal microscope as the National Association of Realtors along with several major real estate brokerages recently lost the Sitzer/Burnett case that alleged realtor commissions have been anti-competitively fixed by the NAR and major brokerages. More lawsuits are coming, and the question is: what exactly does it all mean for the future of real estate? Will buyers agents b...
49m Dec 06, 2023
49m
196: The market slows but home prices stay high.
As we take a delayed look at the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors market stats that came out in November, we see a Greenville market slowing due to the holidays, and yet home prices are staying high. Why is this, and what would happen if we saw inventory pick up from around 3 months of inventory to around 4 months? Using the data, we can put together some of the missing puzzle pieces ...
32m Nov 29, 2023
32m
195: 5 Things in Greenville I'm Thankful For
Every year around Thanksgiving, Stan discusses what he's thankful for. This year, the thankfulness topic is the City of Greenville and five things in particular that Stan is thankful for in the city.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at smccune@cdanjoyner....
16m Nov 22, 2023
16m
194: BREAKING: Greenville County Council Strips Away Property Rights
At the behest of environmental activists, Greenville County Council is on the doorstep of functionally zoning unzoned parts of Greenville County by making draconian lot size requirements for new developments. If this passes third reading in December (which it will unless people express their concern for the ordinance), landowners in unzoned areas will see their property values drop and new deve...
37m Nov 15, 2023
37m
193: Should I rent, or should I buy?
For a long time in Greenville, it was cheaper to buy a house than it was to rent. That has changed due to high mortgage rates, but for many people, the argument to be a homeowner vs. renting a home isn't a financial argument so much as it is an argument about control - the ability to control how your home is maintained, what pets you can have, what you can do with the home, etc. So let's look a...
45m Nov 08, 2023
45m
192: Willie Coleman on real estate investing in your teen years and early 20s
Most 15 year olds are thinking about video games, not real estate investing. But for Willie Coleman, the age of 15 turned out to be the perfect age to get into real estate investing, and now, seven years later, Willie is firmly established in the Greenville real estate investing scene at the ripe age of 22 years old. What was it like investing from such a young age, and what challenges were exp...
57m Nov 01, 2023
57m
191: What to expect as we enter the slow season of real estate
The dreaded fourth quarter of the year with its traditional seasonal real estate slowdown is upon us, and this year Q4 is setting up to be a doozy, with mortgage rates hovering around 8% and likely to remain there for the entirety of the slow season. There's a lot to discuss: what do the high rates during a slow season mean? How can sellers get creative with incentivizing a buyer to buy their h...
39m Oct 25, 2023
39m
190: Market stats show home prices in Greenville remain near their peak
Normally, as we enter the fall and winter months, seasonality grips the real estate market, and prices come down a bit. It looked in August like that might be happening again this year, like it normally does, but now that we have September's market stats, courtesy of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, median prices are still near their record peak. And if you want to look at the av...
31m Oct 18, 2023
31m
189: Solving Homelessness with Susan McLarty of Greenville Homeless Alliance
Like any growing city, Greenville has a segment of the population in dire need of affordable housing, people who are overpaying to stay in motels, sleeping in shelters, or simply living on the streets. But the problems of homelessness are solvable, and so in this episode we talk with Susan McLarty of Greenville Homeless Alliance about what her organization and other organizations in the Greenvi...
1hr Oct 11, 2023
1hr
188: The 2023 Local Elections Show
It's time to talk politics and real estate, and 2023 is a more important year to have this discussion than most. We have several competitive mayor and city council races happening in Greenville, Travelers Rest, Simpsonville, Easley, Pickens, Mauldin, Fountain Inn, etc., and many of these elections will have low turnout and ultimately will be decided by just a few votes. But the stakes are high,...
42m Oct 04, 2023
42m
187: Market stats - what happened last month, and what does it mean?
August market stats for the Greater Greenville area are in, and what we see is a stable but slowing market. Prices are staying in range with 2022 levels and the percentage of list price received is still elevated over "normal" levels, but inventory is climbing, days on market are back into the 40s, and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that the market is slowing down quite a bit. Real estat...
35m Sep 27, 2023
35m
186: How much do mortgage rates impact real estate demand?
We hear all the time about how mortgage rates going up or down has a major impact on the real estate market, but what does that actually mean? The conventional wisdom is that when rates go up, demand goes down, and when rates go down, demand goes up. But it's not always that simple, and for the Upstate, SC market specifically (Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens, Anderson, etc.), we have to really...
39m Sep 20, 2023
39m
185: How much value does a "master on main" add?
Conventional wisdom says that homes built around the same time in the same neighborhood should sell for a similar price per square foot. But we see variances when it comes to a) larger homes vs. smaller homes, b) 2-story vs. single-story homes, and c) homes with the master bedroom on main vs. those with the master on the 2nd level. In some neighborhoods you can even sell (or buy) an 1,800 SF ra...
27m Sep 13, 2023
27m
184: All things home inspections: Conversation with Jesse McCormick
Everyone knows home inspections are important, but many don't know why or what parts of the home inspection are most important. What does high radon mean and what can be done to lower radon levels? At what point does settling indicate a structural issue? Are there certain "deal breaker" issues that an inspector will find? All these are good questions, and for this episode, we talk to Jesse McCo...
52m Sep 06, 2023
52m
183: Are we returning to normal real estate seasonality?
"Real estate is seasonal" they said, and they were right until COVID happened. And then mortgage rates went way down and demand went crazy. And then last year mortgage rates went way up, and demand went way down, and everything went into turmoil all over again. Long story short, the seasonality of real estate hasn't exactly been a thing for several years now, but will that change in 2023? There...
33m Aug 30, 2023
33m
182: July Greenville Market Stats + Mortgage Rates Skyrocket
We have the numbers for what happened in the month of July for real estate in the Upstate of SC, and the market is still showing resilience and the stabilization we've seen all year. BUT mortgage rates are at their highest levels in 20 years, and there is no doubt that will have an impact on the market going forward. What does it mean, and what should we expect? Sometimes looking back is the be...
34m Aug 23, 2023
34m