About Sumter County, SC

Home Sales Data, September 16-30, 2009 Sumter, SC

This information was for residences only; I did not include land or commercial properties. I looked only at Sumter and the surrounding area.

For the period September 16-30, 2009, there were 85 new listings posted to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Lowest list price was $10,000 for a 68-year-old 876 square foot ranch-style privately owned property being sold as-is by an estate. Highest list price was $479,000 for a custom-built home with a Southern Living floorplan which has been on the market for a total of 320 days with the same agency and whose owners finally decided to rent it, at which point it went after being on the rental market for 12 days. It's of course no longer on the sales market. One new listing was withdrawn after being on the market for only 2 days, I have no idea why; it's not presently being offered for rent. Two the new listings were duplexes (one of them a short sale), and fourteen were new construction. Seven of the new listings are pending, three of the new construction new listings are closed (two pre-solds and one quick sale). One new listing went under contract after being on the market for 15 days, and one was an out-of-area bank-owned listing with a seriously old photo (it looks like it was taken when the house was built in 1979) that was sold by one of our local agents. Ten of the new listings are REO (bank-owned), including the ones mentioned earlier, and only one was a short sale (the duplex mentioned earlier).

Thirty-three properties sold (closed) from September 16 - 30, 2009. Lowest list price was $34,950 for a bank-owned nine-year-old mobile home which sold for $28,000 after being on the market for 45 days. Highest list price was $259,500 for an eleven-year-old home in a golf course community; it went through one price reduction to $249,500 and sold for $244,000 after being on the market for 101 days. Seven of the sales were new construction, one was a duplex and one was a condo. Four of them were listed as REO (bank-owned) and two were short sales.

Of the 33 properties sold, nine were listed for at or below $100,000. Average days on market was 116 and median days on market was 53 (ranged from 2 to 580). Average list-to-sales percentage was 94.64% and median list-to-sales was 96.86% (ranged from 80.11% to 100%).

Nineteen of the sold properties were listed above $100,000 and below $200,000. Average days on market was 128, and median days on market was 108 (ranged from 3 to 484). Average list-to-sales percentage was 99.46% and median list-to-sales was 100% (ranged from 81.89% to 123.24%).

The remaining five listings sold were listed above $200,000 and below $300,000. Average days on market was 161 and median days on market was 177 (ranged from 101 to 212). Average list-to-sales percentage was 97.11% and median list-to-sales was 97.8% (ranged from 93.52% to 100%).

In contrast, for the same period a year ago (September 16-30, 2008), 93 properties were newly listed. Lowest list price was $800 (yes, really) for a then seven-year-old mobile home which was withdrawn, listed again for $80,000, underwent a price reduction to $70,000 and was eventually rented rather than sold. If we disregard that bit of buffoonery, the lowest list price was $17,500 for a then fifty-eight-year-old HUD-owned bungalow that sold for $18,000 after being on the market for 31 days. Highest list price was 599,000 for a home in a subdivision populated by the movers and shakers of our community; it sold for $560,000 after being on the market for 101 days. Eleven of these listings have expired, twenty were withdrawn (a few of which were rented), three are pending, one is under contract and six remain active. Seven were deleted. One of the new listings was a condo, twenty-two of them were new construction, sixteen were listed as REO (bank-owned) properties and two were short sales.

Between September 16-30, 2008 46 properties sold (closed). Lowest list price was $22,000 for a then fifty-eight-year-old 870 square foot A-frame that sold for $15,325 after being on the market for 257 days. Highest list price was $598,000 for a then thirty-six-year-old two-story home in an upscale subdivision that sold for $585,000 after being on the market for 133 days. Five of the 39 properties sold were new, one was a duplex. Two were listed as REO, none were listed as short sales.

Of the 46 properties sold, 12 were listed at or below $100,000. Average days on market was 120, median days on market was 123 (ranged from 12 to 257). Average list-to-sales price percentage was 90.64% and median list-to-sales was 93.43% (ranged from 57.11% to 109.22%).

Twenty-seven of the 46 sold properties were listed above $100,000 and below $200,000. Average days on market was 119 and median days on market was 85 (ranged from 16 to 405). Average list-to-sales price percentage was 99.03% and median list-to-sales was 100% (ranged from 89.06% to 107.97%).

Six listings were listed for above $200,000 and below $300,000. Average days on market was 223 and median days on market was 190 (ranged from 32 to 535). Average list-to-sales-price percentage was 99.52% and median list-to-sales was 100% (ranged from 96.19% to 103.54%).

The remaining listing was listed for above $500,000 and below $600,000. It sold after being on the market for 137 days for 97.83% of the list price.

At the moment there are 814 homes on the market in Sumter County. There were 60 homes that sold (closed) in the past 30 days. That means, unless something changes, we have (rounded up a bit) 13.56 months of inventory on the market.

In a word, yikes.



(Based on information from the Sumter Board of Realtors®/MLS, October 5, 2009)

Home Sales Data, September 1-15, 2009 Sumter, SC

This information was for residences only; I did not include land or commercial properties. I looked only at Sumter and the surrounding area.

For the period September 1-15, 2009, there were 77 new listings posted to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Lowest list price was $24,900 for a 24-year-old 1,067 square foot ranch-style bank-owned property. Highest list price was $475,000 for a 119-year-old colonial home on 20 acres with a stable and dressage ring, among other amenities. Two of the new listings were duplexes/condos/townhouses, twelve were new construction. Three of the new listings are already under contract, one of those a new construction (pre-sold). One listing was withdrawn from the sales market when it was rented out. Six new listings are already pending and one has closed (a for-sale-by-owner that was an out of town sale).

Thirty-eight properties sold (closed) from September 1 - 15, 2009. Lowest list price was $33,900 for a bank-owned five-year-old mobile home with no air conditioning or appliances, which listed originally for $36,900 and sold for $30,000 after being on the market for 63 days. Highest list price was for a new 1 1/2 story executive home with lots of bells and whistles located in an upscale subdivision; it originally listed for $465,000, went through one price reduction to $399,900 and sold for $365,000 after being on the market for 376 days. Ten of the sales were new construction. Four of them were listed as REO (bank-owned) and two were short sales.

Of the 38 properties sold, ten were listed for at or below $100,000. Average days on market was 185 and median days on market was 93.5 (ranged from 31 to 557). Average list-to-sales percentage was 97.1% and median list-to-sales was 96.31% (ranged from 79.75% to 129.1%).

Twenty-three of the sold properties were listed above $100,000 and below $200,000. Average days on market was 179, and median days on market was 125 (ranged from 25 to 756). Average list-to-sales percentage was 98.08% and median list-to-sales was 99.45% (ranged from 83.71% to 103.71%).

Three of the 38 properties sold were listed above $200,000 and below $300,000. Average days on market was 115 and median days on market was 116 (ranged from 35 to 195). Average list-to-sales percentage was 96.49% and median list-to-sales was 95.66% (ranged from 89.36% to 104.46%).

The remaining two listings were listed for above $300,000 and below $400,000. Average days on market was 363 and median days on market was 362.5 (ranged from 349 to 376). Average list-to-sales percentage was 93% and median list-to-sales was also 93% (ranged from 91.27% to 94.74%).

In contrast, for the same period a year ago (September 1-15, 2008), 62 properties were newly listed. Lowest list price was $20,000 for a then 54-year-old bank-owned bungalow which underwent one price reduction to $13,000 before selling for $11,750 after being on the market for 68 days. Highest list price was $374,900 for a then seven-year-old custom-built home in a gated subdivision which was withdrawn from the market after 288 days on the market with one agency and then re-listed with another agency where it remains active after being with them for 88 days at the same price it didn't sell at before. Make 'em an offer, they might take less. Eleven of these listings have expired, fourteen were withdrawn, one was rented, one is pending and three remain active. One was a condo, eight of them were new construction and ten were listed as REO (bank-owned) properties.

Between September 1-15, 2008 39 properties sold (closed). Lowest list price was $19,900 for a then 68-year-old bank-owned 1,106 square-foot bungalow which sold for $16,000 after being on the market for 32 days. Highest list price was $299,500 for a then 27-year-old 3,000 square-foot home which sold for $289,000 after being on the market for 71 days. Five of the 39 properties sold were new, one was a duplex. Eight were listed as REO, none were listed as short sales.

Of the 39 properties sold, 15 were listed at or below $100,000. Average days on market was 146, median days on market was 116 (ranged from 32 to 410). Average list-to-sales price percentage was 93.94% and median list-to-sales was 97.1% (ranged from 74.3% to 101.69%).

Twenty of 39 sold properties were listed above $100,000 and below $200,000. Average days on market was 154 and median days on market was 118.5 (ranged from 38 to 593). Average list-to-sales price percentage was 99.17% and median list-to-sales was 98.7% (ranged from 92.05% to 112.87%).

The remaining four listings were listed for above $200,000 and below $300,000. Average days on market was 142 and median days on market was 54.5 (ranged from 3 to 456). Average list-to-sales-price percentage was 97.92% and median list-to-sales was 97.59% (ranged from 96.49% to 100%).

The weather is cooling a bit here in South Carolina, and we’re all grateful. In a couple months I’ll be whining because I’m too cold.

(Based on information from the Sumter Board of Realtors®/MLS, September 23, 2009)

Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet opened a couple weeks ago in Sumter, SC, and today I finally got to try out lunch at the new restaurant. Well the first thing that strikes me is the new parking lot. Yes, stop laughing, the new parking lot with no pot holes or huge cracks. We were greeted by a friendly staff and immediately shown to a table. On the way to the table, I noticed how the mood of the restaurant is bright but pleasant. Even though there is a buzz from diners talking, it is not abnormally loud or annoying.

Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet has all the normal fare expected in an Oriental style restaurant with one big exception. The Grill has just that, a Hibachi Grill. Use your imagination and get any combo you can from the selection of vegetables and meats, take your selections to the hibachi cook who then cooks your food right there while you wait.

If you prefer the normal buffet items, there are over a hundred items to select from. One of the items I especially liked was what was called Chinese Steak. It had diced steak cooked inside of a hard bread that was moist and tender. All the normal items, fried rice, pepper steak, sweet and sour chicken, hot and sour soup to name a few, are all there. A very nice sushi bar is available also and we can't forget there is ice cream available also.

By the way, yes, I even noticed the restrooms were very clean and well maintained.

The Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet is open at 11 am and is open through the dinner hours. There are children's prices and adult prices. Military and Seniors get a discount on their meal. It is located on Broad Street across from Wal-Mart.

My recommendation, give it a try, we really enjoyed our lunch there today.

Recently Kingsbury Elementary School announced they had been chosen to participate in the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. The school was chosen along with 50 other schools in SC to split $1,172,650 in grant money from the USDA along with the SC Department of Education and the SC Department of Agriculture.

The program gives grants to selected schools to encourage healthy eating habits and to help in the fight on childhood obesity. The fresh fruits and vegetables are passed out to the classes in the mornings as healthy snacks instead of cookies, crackers, etc. I chuckled when I first heard the children would be given grape tomatoes, broccoli, celery, grapes, orange slices, to name a few. To my surprise though, the children have tried many of the items and so far are giving the snacks a thumbs up.

Kingsbury Elementary School has partnered with Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Inc. Pelion, SC, to supply the fresh vegetables and fruit. The Rawl Brand features small bags of several different fruits and vegetables that are marketed as Sports Candy, which I found to be very fresh and tasty.

It will be interesting how brocolli and sweet potato chips go over. My hat is off to all involved with this important and (at least to this observer) tasty program.

For more information check out the following links.
Rawl Brand: http://www.rawl.net/
USDA: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/ffvp/ffvpdefault.htm