Myrtle Beach Real Estate Market: October 2007 vs. October 2009

Single Family Homes

                                   2007                               2009

Available for sale:                   6,360                                       6,227

Sold during October:              287                                          312

2007:  4.51% of the home inventory was sold during October.  At this rate, we'll need over 22 months to sell out of our current inventory of listings.    

2009:  5.01% of the home inventory was sold during October.  At this rate, we’ll need almost 20 months to sell out of current inventory.  

Conclusion:  A home now sells two months faster than it did in 2007.   The time it stays on the market is over a year and a half.     We have a similar home inventory as we did in 2007 (available homes for sale).

Condos

Available for sale:                   8,840                                       6,182

Sold during October:              362                                          288

2007:  4.10% of the condos were sold during October.  At this rate, we'll need over 2 years to exhaust our condo inventory.

2009:  4.66% of the condos were sold during October.  At this rate, we’ll need about 21.5 months to exhaust our condo inventory.

Conclusion:  We now have over 30% less condo inventory available for sale than we did in 2007.  Condos now sell about 3 months faster than they did in 2007.

Land

Available for sale:                   5,670                                       5,216

Sold during October:              72                                            53

2007:  1.27% of our land inventory was sold during the month of October.  At this rate, we'll need over 6.5 years to exhaust the existing inventory.

2009:  1.02% of our land inventory was sold during October.  At this rate, we’ll need over 8 years to exhaust the exiting inventory.

Conclusion:  Although we have 8% less inventory, it now takes 1.5 years longer to sell out of the land inventory than it did in 2007.

Multi-Family

Available for sale:                   147                                          162

Sold during October:              4                                              2

2007:  2.72% of our multi family inventory was sold during October.  At this rate, we'll need over 3 years to sell out of the existing inventory.

2009:   1.23% of the inventory has been sold in October.  At this rate, we’ll need 6 years and 9 months to exhaust the current inventory.

Conclusion:  Although we now have over 10% more inventory than we did in 2007, sales have been halved.   It now takes 3 years and 9 months longer to sell out of the inventory than it did in 2007.

Grand Conclusion:  Land is the most depressed Real Estate product in the Myrtle Beach Market, with a supply of over 8 years.  Multi family is the next most depressed product with an almost 7 year supply (6yrs. 9mos).  The condo market has 30% less inventory than it did two years ago and it’s selling 3 months sooner.  The single home inventory remains virtually unchanged, yet selling 2 months earlier. 

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection                      Proud Optimist!

Q. What’s the definition of mixed emotions?  A. When you see your mother-in-law backing off a cliff in your new car.

Q. How do men sort out their laundry?  A. Filthy, and filthy but wearable.

Q. What is the definition of the perfect woman?  A. A deaf and dumb blonde nymphomaniac whose father owns a pub.

Q. What’s the difference between a new husband and a new dog?  A. After a year, the dog is still excited to see you.

Q. What's the difference between roast beef and pea soup?
A. Anyone can roast beef.

Q. Did you hear about the guy who lost his left arm and leg in a car crash?
A. He's all right now.

Q. Where do you get virgin wool from?
A. Ugly sheep.

Q. Why do bagpipers walk when they play?
A. They're trying to get away from the noise.

Q. How do you double the value of a Geo Metro?
A. Fill it with gas.

Q. What's the difference between a porcupine and a Porsche?
A. The porcupine has the pricks on the outside.

Q. Why don't cannibals eat clowns?
A. Because they taste funny.

Q. Who is the poorest guy in West Virginia?
A. The Tooth Fairy

Q.  What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night?

A.  A Widow.

Q: How can you tell when a lawyer is lying?
A: His lips are moving.

Q: Why won't sharks attack lawyers?
A: Professional courtesy.

Q: What does a blonde say when you blow in their ear?
A: "Thanks for the refill!"

Q: What is it called when a blonde blows in another blonde's ear?
A: Data transfer.

Q: What did the blonde customer say to the buxom waitress (reading her nametag) ?
A: "'Debbie'...that's cute. What did you name the other one ?"

Q: Why did the blonde stare at the orange juice container for 15 minutes?
A: It said "concentrate".

Q: How do you keep a blonde busy?
A: Write "Please turn over" on both sides of a piece of paper.

Q: What's the difference between a girlfriend and a wife?

A: About 45 pounds!

Q: What's the difference between a boyfriend and a husband?

A: About 45 minutes.

Join us on The Optimist Group for LOL FRIDAY!

Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Martin is the lowest landing airport in the World.  If you want to witness flight drama, just visit Maho Beach, which is located directly in the plane's path…  My daughter and I did just that.  Was it scary?  It was intimidating, to say the least...  Check it out for yourself!  It’s a show like no other!

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Connection                      Join The Optimist Group!

I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography.

Marriage is like witness protection. You get a new identity and a new home, and you're not allowed to see your old friends anymore.

Money is the root of all wealth.

Money is the root of all evil. For more information, send $10 to me.

Man: A creature made at the end of the workweek when God was tired.

Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to. Mark Twain

Last year for Christmas, I got a humidifier and a dehumidifier. I thought I'd put them in the same room and let them fight it out.

It's been so long since I've had sex, I've forgotten who ties up whom.

It's bad luck to be superstitious.

I'm having amnesia and Deja Vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before.

If the world were a logical place, men would be the ones who ride horses sidesaddle.

If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales?

Join us for LOL FRIDAY on The Optimist Group!

Fannie Mae announced Thursday it is launching a “Deed for Lease Program” which will allow homeowners facing foreclosure — if they qualify —to lease their homes for up to a year.

To get that option, homeowners have to deed the property to Fannie Mae.

“The Deed for Lease Program provides an additional option for qualifying homeowners who are facing foreclosure and are not eligible for modifications,” said Jay Ryan, vice president of Fannie Mae. “This new program helps eliminate some of the uncertainty of foreclosure, keeps families and tenants in their homes during a transitional period, and helps to stabilize neighborhoods and communities.”

The program is designed for borrowers who do not qualify for some other loan workout program.

Borrowers transfer their property to the lender by completing a deed in lieu of foreclosure, then the owner leases the house at a market rate.

*NOTE: Not my writing, but breaking news I wanted to share with you asap.  Here is the link to the story:

Fannie Mae Getting into the Rental Business

Fannie Mae launches 'Deed for Lease' program

Now that Twitter and Bing are married, your micro blogging can actually score you some major SEO brownie points.

I tweet my blogs to increase my web presence.  I simply go over to my outside AR blog roll on a regular basis, pull up an old post, shorten its browser address by using the bit.ly service, then Tweet it with an enticing by-line.  I go back afterwards and analyze my statistics (Bit.ly will show you exactly how many people have clicked on that particular link). It works!  Here is an example:  Price it Well. Stage it well. Watch it Sell! http://bit.ly/E2xqT #RealEstate #p2

Now that your Twitter presence gives you Bing exposure, it’s a shame not to use it to drive traffic to your ActiveRain blog and to your website.  BTW, if your blog roll is still called “Annie’s Blog” (or Suzy, or Stan), it’s time you change it to let people know what you do and where.  Mine is Myrtle Beach Real Estate by Mirela Monte.  Yours should certainly denote your area of expertise and your location.

How do I know this works?  For starters, you can “Bing” Myrtle Beach Connection and find me on the first page.  I got there by using this method.  Easy recipe: Blog on AR.  Tweet your blogs.  Watch your business explode.  Just today I got two new leads from my Internet exposure.  You want to know the best part about it?  It is the most cost effective marketing I have in my arsenal! 

For those of you still on the fence about paying the AR monthly dues to become a Rainmaker, think again!  For every hour you’re wasting, there goes another potential client!  No more excuses!   Become a Rainmaker NOW!  If you have no clue what Twitter is, here is a link to a blog where you can learn all about it.  Please come back here and let us know just how well this works! 

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection            Join The Optimist Group!

Do you know what car your dentist drives?

Do you know what car your attorney drives?

Do you know what car your Realtor drives?

Which one of these choices do you think most people know the answer to?  Exactly!  Real Estate Agents are the only ones whose vehicles are ‘out in the open’, sort of speak.  Realtors, what is your vehicle saying about you? 

Is your car a mess because you work all the time, or is it always freshly detailed, showing that you are organized and careful?  Is your car on its last leg, because finances are not quite what they should be, or is it an expensive vehicle denoting that your Real Estate business is thriving?  Do you drive a ‘green’ vehicle, showing concern for the environment, or do you loaf around in a gas guzzler? 

Whether you want to accept it or not, your car, as the extension of yourself and your business, can help you land that next deal, or nix it for you.  What are your thoughts on this subject?

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection             Join The Optimist Group!

My children have always been the most cherished part of my life, my defining moments, my love, my joy, my reasons for it all.

My son is leaving for war tomorrow.  As a little kid he used to move his plastic soldiers across huge maps of the World I had bought for him.  When he was a teenager he went to the Citadel Summer camp every summer and at 16 he became a counselor there.  He later attended The Citadel, where he was a Summerall Guard and had several significant leadership positions.  After graduating magna cum laude from the Citadel he enlisted in the Marines.  After six months at Quantico he was commissioned as an officer.  As he reminded me a few weeks ago, he is first a Marine, then an officer. 

If I had it my way, war would be fought with paint guns.  I am probably the least military person you’ll ever meet.  I wasn’t happy about his decision to join the Marines, but I encouraged him to follow his heart anyway.  God, that was hard to do!  As parents, that is our main job: to encourage each child’s individuality to blossom, in spite of our own proclivities and fears. 

My son is going to war tomorrow.  He will be joining the many honorable young men and women serving our country.  This is my son’s decision.  I raised him to follow his heart.  “I Hope You’ll Dance!” depicts exactly what I’ve always tried to instill in my children.  Follow your heart, dedicate yourself with abandon to your particular calling and allow your destiny to unfold.  I have to remind myself of this, as I swallow my tears and give my son a proud salute farewell.   

Mirela                                                 Alex &; Amanda = nucleus of my heart!

The Maximum Age allowed for persons serving in the US Military is 60.

The Maximum Age allowed for Pilots, according to FAA regulation is 65.

The Maximum Age allowed for Air Traffic Control Specialists is between 57 to 61.

Even Federal Park Rangers have an age limit of 57.

Why then, do we not have regulation in place for a Maximum Age limit of School Bus Drivers?  Are our children less significant than the animals in our National Parks?

Yesterday, the Myrtle Beach Academy of Arts, Science and Technology, lost a bright young student to an accident involving a school bus.  The driver of that school bus is 76 years old.  Why did Horry County School district entrust the precious lives of our children to a 76 year old driver?

Many school districts have maximum age limit requirements for their school bus drivers.  Some of them have been taken to court because of these requirements.  Are we afraid of litigation so much that we are willing to put our children’s lives in danger?

47% of public school students ride a school bus to and from school every day.   If we are recognizing the value of a particular maximum age for various jobs involving public safety, why are we leaving out the safety of 25 million children?  I believe the Federal Government needs to enact a law addressing this issue.  What are your views on this and what are you willing to do about it?

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection                Join The Optimist Group!

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see…

My son is going to war in a few days.  This is no news; it’s been looming over me for quite some time.  The immediacy of this is now weighing on my shoulders like the ton of emotional baggage that it is. 

A deep sadness has descended upon my being, the kind of melancholy that penetrates into the very soul.  I lost my beloved grandmother this year.  Now my son is going to war.  I recently found out I have Hashimoto disease.  My five year relationship with my significant other has ended this year.  My business has absorbed every ounce of my energy lately.  Frankly, I am worn out.   I guess I could just retreat in a corner somewhere and be miserable, but that's just not me.   Instead, I choose to focus on all the wonderful things in my life and find the balance that will carry me through this, or any other hardship.  Of course, affirmations and motivational quotes can certainly infuse the right perspective:

“That which does not kill you makes you stronger.”  Nietze

"Those who do not know how to weep with their whole heart, do not know how to laugh either."

"The bad things in life open your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before." Good Will Hunting"

“Life is like an onion; you peel off one layer at a time and sometimes you weep.” Carl Sandburg

“The Future belongs to those who Believe in the Beauty of Their Dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt

“Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.” - Vincent McNabb

"Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces."

"The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but no vision."-Helen Keller

"Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something." Jackson Brown Jr

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." — Eric Hoffer

While the weight on my shoulders is heavy right now, I choose to embrace my melancholy and weep my quiet tears, while forging forward with my Life, hopeful for the future.  I am grateful for the many blessings bestowed upon me.  I choose to look at the bright side of my tribulations:

1.     I lost my beloved grandmother this year.  While I am still mourning her loss, I am thankful to have had her with me for as long as I have.  96 years is a long time to spend loving life on this Earth.  Her essence has been distilled in me and my children and her loving heart has touched so many people in ways that will make her presence felt for many years to come...

2.     My son is going to war.  While I tremble at the mere thought of his departure, I am resolute in my belief that things are as they should be.  This is his Life’s journey and I have to respect his decision. I am hopeful that his involvement in this war will have a positive impact on other people and on the course of history.  I pray for his safety every night and I believe that he will return home alive and well.

3.     I recently found out I have Hashimoto disease.  My dentist's three year old son has cancer and only a 30% chance of survival.  My health problem is nothing compared to that.   I won't die and I'll most likely get better.  I am taking a holistic medication and I am already 50% better than I was four months ago.

4.     My five year relationship with my significant other has ended this year.  We meet and connect with people for various reasons.  Each relationship will get us to where we need to be.  I am thankful for the wonderful memories and hopeful that I have learnt from the experience.  When my heart mends, I will have a good relationship again.

5.     My Real Estate Practice has absorbed every ounce of my energy this year.  I am one of the Lucky Realtors, for I am still in business…  While dealing with these short sales and foreclosures is emotionally draining, I am training myself to keep my eyes on the good that I do on a daily basis and concentrate on how important it is to my clients that I am in their lives. 

I embrace Life’s yin-yang, the hills and valleys of the human existence.   Being an Optimist doesn't mean that you lead a charmed life, devoid of pain and hardship.  How could you possibly appreciate all the joys conferred by Life, if you don't have the sorrows as points of reference?   Yes, I cry the tears.  Yes, I learn the lessons.  Yes, I feel the pain...  Through it all, I hold my head up high and my spirit full of hope. 

 "Life's short; live it fully!"

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."  Henry David Thoreau

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Connection                                Proud Optimist!

The Myrtle Beach Academy has lost a bright star today.  Marc Chaplin, a senior at the school, was killed within a short distance of the Academy, when his motorcycle collided with a North Myrtle Beach school bus at 8:10 this morning.

Marc’s death sent shock waves through the school, where he was well liked.  There was a lot of sobbing and hugging at the Academy today.   Many left school in the morning, unable to contain their grief. 

Tomorrow many of Marc’s friends will wear purple in his honor.  Marc and his buddies had a “purple shirt” day every week. 

The bus driver involved in the collision will be asked some hard questions and possibly prosecuted for manslaughter.  The details of the accident are not yet out, but one of my daughter’s friends, who used to ride the bus driven by him, stopped taking that bus because she was afraid of his driving. 

Marc’s friends have created a Facebook Group in his honor.  Marc was wearing a helmet, and he had a reputation for being a very careful driver, but a motorcycle is a dangerous thing…  If we can do anything constructive with this deep sadness, let it be spreading the word about how dangerous motorcycles are. 

My heart goes out to Marc’s parents.  Losing your child has to be Life’s most tormenting pain.  There are no words to describe the deep sorrow of our entire community for the loss of this lovely young man.  May he rest in peace!

Mirela Monte

Mirela Monte, Your North Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Condo Connection                         Wow North Myrtle Beach!