Home sells are down from this time last year.

 Oct-Nov 2007  114 Homes sold

 Oct-Nov 2008  73 Homes sold

The Fourth Quarter is off to a slower start this year compared to 2007.  The average sales price in todays Branson market is $153,000 which is down from last years by 12%

Year to date stats show that sales and listings have decreased since 2007.

YTD 2007  New Listings 4,586 and Sold Listings 1,791

YTD 2008 New Listings 4,114 and Sold Listings 1,203

 That is a 10% decrease in new listings and a 32% decrease in sold listings.

The good news for home buyers in the Tri-Lakes area is that homes are selling for less than they were in 2007.  Plenty of inventory for lake homes, homes with acreage, condos etc…

 October 2007 Homes sold—–1191

 October 2008 Homes sold—–842

  October 2006 Inventory —— 1168

 October 2007 Inventory——-1772

 October 2008 Inventory—-2568

 Sales from 2007 to 2008 may have dropped by 30% but Inventory has continued to increase since 2006.  From 2006 to 2008, inventory in the Branson Tri-Lakes area have more than doubled.  That includes Taney and Stone counties. The average sell price is slightly down from 2007 to 2008 (2007 average sell price $184,277 and 2008 average sell price $180,800). 

With prices being slightly lower and the no shortage on listings, this would be a good time to buy!!!!!

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As global markets plunged, the $700 billion financial rescue is underway.  It will take some time but the Government has a plan to get money moving again and unlock the nation’s credit freeze.  In the wake of todays economy there are lots of foreclosures and inventory in Taney and Stone County area. There are deals to be made on property in this Missouri region. Lots of inventory for the table rock lake area as well as the Branson, Hollister, Forsyth, Reeds Spring and Galena locations.

The Branson and tri lakes realty market inventory of houses for sale are holding steady in spite of an avalanche of new foreclosures that have hit the market in recent months.  The number of homes sold has increased in Stone County and Taney County.  Branson real estate is off to another boom this year especially around Hollister.  The number of new commercial developments surrounding the new city center, SouthTowne, is off the charts with everything from a new Walgreens to a new water park and golf course, paving the way for the new Branson airport.  The following data show a Spring surge in property for sale around Branson and the tri lakes area:

                                         8/06     8/07     3/08      4/08

Tri lakes homes for sale:      1168     1759    1669     1777      

Tri lakes condos for sale:       428       614      641       740     

Land and lots for sale:         1900     2637    2719     2656 

As you can see from the data above, homes for sale and land listings are holding steady for the last eight months, but condos for sale around Branson have exploded as new condo developments have come on to the secondary market.  The boom in growth is continuing but is being led by condos now, not single family homes.

                             8/06    8/07    3/08 

Homes For Sale       1168     1759   1669                           

Land/Lots For Sale  1900      2637   2719

Condos For Sale       428        614     641

The drop in inventory of homes for sale in the Branson area represents good news for homeowners and realtors in the area as there are fewer choices now than there were in August of last year.  While this information is mixed with Land and Condos for sale increasing, the drop in homes for sale indicates either that demand has picked up in recent months or sellers have pulled their homes off the market because of lack of success or interest in their home.  Probably, some of the greedy people who were oversold on a valuation pulled their overpriced home off the market because no one is interested in overpriced homes at this time.  Thinning these overpriced homes from the inventory of homes for sale is good for everyone. 

In spite of what many realtors have been telling people about the Branson area, foreclosure auctions at the courthouse continue to grow.  A year ago, there were only 2-3 home foreclosures every week.  Now the number is 4-5 auctions every week.  The market is still soft here in the Branson real estate market just like most of the country.  Being an election year and with a very aggressive Federal Reserve, our analysts believe the downturn will turn sometime in the next year.  It could pick up when the Gov. starts dropping those checks out of helicopters in May.  Every household getting $600 per adult and $300 per child will help.  I can guarantee that realtors will sell homes because of this bonus.  There will be a direct benefit to the local and national economy because of that aid package.  How long lasting is a different story.  No one knows if it will kickstart the market out of this slide or merely provide a short term softening.  If it does not push the economy ahead, the politicians will bust their belts throwing stimulus out that will certainly prevent a long term depression in the economy.  It is an unusually attractive buyers market today that has not existed for years.  If you have investment capital and are not buying real estate now when your negotiating position is the strongest and interest rates are very low, you are blowing one of the great opportunities of your lifetime.  Now is the time to buy!  When it turns, it will happen when you don’t even notice.  You must buy Table Rock and Branson property now or you will miss this opportunity. 

A lot of people here in the Ozarks own vacation home properties. 

With the slow season approaching us, here are a few helpful hints to keep your cash flowing.

• Post lots of photos and information on your Web page. Make sure the information you provide is complete and accurate, and don’t exaggerate. That will help avoid disappointment from renters who expect more than there is. “I, as a consumer, would not rent a place without seeing photos of each bedroom and the living room.”

• Replace the furniture often. The normal wear and tear on upholstery and linens can prove a turn-off for vacationers. They’re much more satisfied when everything is crisp and new.

• Hire a caretaker. You need someone on-call nearby if there’s distance between you and your rental property. That way, if there’s a problem — the heat goes off, the oven won’t light, etc. — there’s someone who can offer quick problem solving.

Hopefully with some of these helpful hints, you can get that vacation property rented out for the off season, and bring in some extra cash for the holidays.

Christine Karpinski, author of How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner.
Source: BusinessWeek Online, Maya Roney (07/18/07

Fabulous dining room with oak flooring, crown moulding, baseboards and even window sills grace the interior of this beautiful home near Branson West. This Featured Property is offered at $776,000 by 76Realty.com.