MARCH 2020 New Listings:

We start by looking at the NEW LISTINGS that came on the market in March and we begin with 2018, where we see there were 526 NEW LISTINGS that came on the market. In March of 2019, we find an increase of +2.1 percent with 537 NEW LISTINGS. The following year in March of 2020, we increased by +4.3 percent with 560 NEW LISTINGS. 

MARCH 2020 Homes for Sale:

We again, start by looking at March of 2018, where we see there were 851 HOMES FOR SALE. In March of 2019, we find an increase of +9.0 percent with 928 HOMES FOR SALE. The following year in March of 2020, we decreased by -27.2 percent with 676 HOMES FOR SALE. 

MARCH 2020 Pending Sales:

Let's view March of 2018, where we see there were 408 PENDING SALES. In March of 2019, we increased by +9.1 percent with 445 PENDING SALES. The following year in March of 2020, we increased by +12.6 percent with 501 PENDING SALES. 

MARCH 2020 Median Days on Market:

Let's view March of 2018, where we see there were 13 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. In March of 2019, we increased from the previous year with 22 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. This year in March, we decreased by -18.2 percent with  18 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. 

MARCH  2020 Months Supply of Homes for Sale:

In March of 2018, the MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE was 2.5. In March of 2019, we increased by +4.0 percent with a 2.6 MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE. This year in March, we decreased by -34/6 percent with 1.7 MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE. 

So there is your comprehensive LOCAL look at the real estate market. If you are thinking about purchasing a home, please reach out to the Linda Hall Team. We'd love to assist you!!

As we all hunker down and spend more time together on the inside, the Linda Hall Team thought we would provide a list of resources we've found that might help the time pass a little easier. We will be updating and adding as we progress along.

And here’s a list of Online Resources for Everyone, for free!

FOR EVERYONE:

Museum Virtual Tours - https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours

National Park Virtual Tours - https://totallythebomb.com/heres-33-national-park-tours-you- can-take-virtually-from-the-comfort-of-your-home 

Virtual Field Trips - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SvIdgTx9djKO6SjyvPDsoGlkgE3iExmi3qh2KRRku_w/pre view?pru=AAABcQdyThE*TAUzGs7LtawDZ78q6OpADA

Daily Cincinnati Zoo Livestreams - https://www.facebook.com/cincinnatizoo/?tn-str=k*F

Met Opera Streams - https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-to-offer-up-nightly-met- opera-streams/

Learn to Code at Home:
https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/coronavirus-academy/

Free Ivy League classes online
https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ivy-league-free-online-courses-a0d7ae675869/

FOR KIDS:

Entertaining your little one - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tPNq0H7l97axZCkko-bLYgFN0l8Gzb1DEmvaZj7ntYc/edit?usp=sharing

Tons of amazing free educational online resources - http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com/ 

The M.O.S.T. (Museum of Science & Technology in Syracuse)

Hands-on STEAM Activity ideas

Hands-on Science and STEM Activities https://www.sciencebuddies.org/

Movement and Mindfulness Activities - Go Noodle
https://www.gonoodle.com/

Storytime from Space - https://storytimefromspace.com/

Free Music Lessons - https://www.facebook.com/youcanplaythat/posts/749983915532280

Scholastic Learn at Home - https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Doodle with Mo Willems - https://www.facebook.com/events/2544781839094130/ 

List of Free Storytimes Online - https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1MrM7Ypu3uoEEwbyLQ6sxkx8d-sePrP2J64WQrb6dNfI/mobilebasic?fbclid=IwAR08xoidLozGTtq8cScNAigjxFMZauSVPR1ZpOFN1kMY9PBB5lMPBRAefRQ

National Geographic for Kids – www.kids.nationalgeographic.com 

Fun Brain – www.funbrain.com

PBS Kids – www.pbs.org 

Into the Book – www.reading.ecb.org

Star Fall – www.starfall.com 

Suessville – www.seusville.com 

Storyline Online – www.storylineonline.net – Stories read aloud by movie stars!

ABC YA – www.abcya.com 

Highlight Kids – www.highlightskids.com 

DayByDayNY daily literacy activities - http://daybydayny.org/ 

Jbrary - Songs, rhymes and fingerplays - https://jbrary.com/youtube-playlists/ 

SwitchZoo - Fun learning games with animals - https://switchzoo.com/

Smithsonian Kids - https://www.si.edu/kids 

Another list of constantly growing resources - https://www.facebook.com/jessica.k.moore.5/posts/10158379005098846?hc_location=ufi 

As a real estate team, we have to be prepared to help advise our clients on how to attain their real estate goals during all sorts of situations and the Coronavirus is our very serious current task at hand. We've sat down and put our heads together and created these tips specifically geared towards today's home sellers. This is intended to protect both you and your home. These common-sense approaches will hopefully translate to a less anxious home selling experience as our goal is always to shoulder the burdens for our clients and make their pathway one of least resistance. So let's get started!

Before any showing please follow these steps:

Disinfect the following areas and any other areas you think may be touched during the showing -

• Doorknobs/door handles
• Faucet handles
• Soap dispensers
• Surfaces and countertops
• Light switches
• Garage switches/openers

What should you do if someone in your household is infected with the coronavirus or is ordered to self-quarantine? 

This is definitely the time you want an open line of communication between you and your REALTOR©. If you ware working with the Linda Hall Team then that open line of communication is something you will ALWAYS have. You would contact us and we'd discuss your options and what would be in your best interests.

Should I make my home available for an open house during the coronavirus period?

There are several factors we would consider before advising you on this specific subject. We'd have to look at the present risk in your specific location. We'd also take precautions if we were to determine that your area would allow the open house. Some of those precautions would be the following.

• Disinfectant would be placed at the entryway with all visitors being required to disinfect their hands and take off their shoes.
• We'd provide throw away hand napkins in the bathrooms.
• Tissue boxes would be placed within the residence with garbage cans near each box.

After the open house we would suggest you disinfect all areas again that you feel the public might have touched.

We may come up with more precautions as we stay intuned with this situation, but be assured that we take your safety as our number one concern and we will continue to meet your real estate goals going forward. 

By Rene Lurion

I was mowing the lawn yesterday; something that I like doing as it gives me instant gratification. You start with a forest of tall grass hiding snakes and insects and after mowing it down you have a nice looking soft blanket of grass. As I was sitting on our deck steps, drinking a beer and admiring my handiwork I looked at the lawnmower and started to think about this handy piece of machinery. What did people do before Edwin Budding invented the lawnmower in 1830?  Well before my time but I read that larger estates used sheep and those with smaller yards used a scythe, a tool that you often see the Grim Reaper carry in pictures. This, in turn, led me to think of another use of well-mowed lawns, namely golf. Since the time is getting close when we will be setting out on Saturday mornings for a round of golf, I thought I would highlight one of the best courses around Fort Mill. In future Guys Corner, I will highlight other great courses.

The Springfield Golf Club is one of the highest-rated clubs in the area with very well-maintained fairways and greens. Challenging holes make the course great for all levels of experience. The course meanders within the Springfield neighborhood with large trees, space and a design where each hole seems separate from the others and as such provides privacy, quietness and the feel of nature. The course is located along the Catawba River and has 4 holes with pretty spectacular views. A Professional and friendly staff, great electric carts with USB outlets, ball-washers at each hole and pristine washrooms along the course will make a 9 or 18 hole round very enjoyable. While it is a public course they do offer membership with no initiation fees, unlimited green fees and preferred golfing privileges at the Leroy Springs sister courses in Chester, Lancaster, and Fort Mill. 

Go to www.playspringfield.com for more information and the schedule of Green Fees.

Be sure to signup for our bi-monthly newsletter so you can keep up with the Tega Cay and Fort Mill news and events and of course, Guy's Corner by Rene Lurion! SIGN UP HERE

FEBRUARY 2020 New Listings:

We start by looking at the NEW LISTINGS that came on the market in February and we begin with 2018, where we see there were 428 NEW LISTINGS that came on the market. In February of 2019, we find a decrease of -0.2 percent with 427 NEW LISTINGS. The following year in February of 2020, we decreased by -4.0 percent with 410 NEW LISTINGS. 

FEBRUARY 2020 Homes for Sale:

We again, start by looking at February of 2018, where we see there were 806 HOMES FOR SALE. In February of  2019, we find an increase of +12.0 percent with 903 HOMES FOR SALE. The following year in February of 2020, we decreased by -27.6 percent with 652 HOMES FOR SALE. 

FEBRUARY 2020 Pending Sales:

Let's view February of 2018, where we see there were 318 PENDING SALES. In February of 2019, we increased by +15.4 percent with 367 PENDING SALES. The following year in February of 2020, we increased by +18.0 percent with 433 PENDING SALES. 

FEBRUARY 2020 Median Days on Market:

Let's view February of 2018, where we see there were 27 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. In February of 2019, we held even with the previous year of 27 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. This year in February, we decreased by -40.7 percent with only 16 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. 

FEBRUARY  2020 Months Supply of Homes for Sale:

In February of 2018, the MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE was 2.4. In February of 2019, we increased by +4.2 percent with a 2.5 MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE. This year in February, we decreased by -36.0 percent with 1.6 MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE. 

So there is your comprehensive LOCAL look at the real estate market. If you are thinking about purchasing a home, please reach out to the Linda Hall Team. We'd love to assist you!!

Selling a home takes preparation, patience, and planning! The 3 Ps! Today we would like to share with you 7 quick tips for selling your home the fastest.

1. Know your selling points - Sometimes when you've lived in a home for a period of time you might overlook some of the features that attracted you to the home in the first place. Now is a good time to look around and revisit those features.

2. Make small upgrades - Tending to the small things shows buyers that the home is well cared for and they won't think that you are hiding anything or that there could be major issues down the road. 

3. Choose the right time - There's the right time of the year where homes may sell faster and that could vary according to the local real estate market trends. There's also the right time of the week to list your home on the MLS that will help it get the most traffic. 

4. Declutter, depersonalize and clean - This is the time to take spring cleaning seriously, in any season. Clear out all unnecessary items from the home; closets, drawers, extra clothes, old unwanted furniture. Donate to charity, hire a dumpster or rent a storage space; buyers will look in every space and open all drawers and cabinets, make sure your home seems spacious. Spend some time to depersonalize by removing excessive pictures and hide heirlooms. Finally, deep clean every space top to bottom.

5. Curb appeal makes a difference - No matter what time of year you put your home on the market you'll want to make sure that when that prospective buyer drives up to your home that they have the best first impression you can possibly offer. 

6. A fresh coat of paint - Paint really can freshen up a space and with neutral colors, it can make it more appealing to homebuyers. 

7. Check your lights - Make sure all your lights are working and the rooms are well lit for the homebuyers visiting. A well-lit room will be more inviting. 

For even more tips and a home market analysis, contact the Linda Hall Team. With over 90 years of combined experience, we have serviced an abundant number of local buyers and home sellers in the Fort Mill, Tega Cay, and surrounding areas. We would love to assist YOU too!!

In the recent "Guy's Corner" section of our last newsletter, Rene Lurion wrote about the origins of beer plus other interesting facts. We thought it would be a great idea to add a list of the best Fort Mill local area breweries. Let's start with what Rene had to say in the newsletter first.

They say that people are starting to look for homes that will be their forever homes instead of a typical “starter” home. This topic got us to thinking about what elements in a home would make it a viable option as a forever home. After considering possible current and future needs, here are ten components a real forever home should have.

1. Location – You may be single or a couple at the beginning of your homeownership journey, but your needs will change as your life advances; however, the location will never change. If you start in an area with great schools, a good neighborhood, a large lot, close to amenities, then your investment should be a solid one. Some of these factors could change over time, but hopefully, not all of them.
2. Home repairs – Make sure the home you’re investing in has been well maintained, and the significant expenses have not been neglected. If you buy a fixer-upper, then you must take into account the costs that will come with that on top of your mortgage payment.
3. Additional square footage – Workable square footage that would allow for the house to grow with the size of the family. Maybe you could add on if necessary or perhaps, an office could be converted to a nursery or bedroom.
4. An adequate number of bathrooms – Bathrooms can be a costly addition if you have to add them later. You might ask yourself if the home has enough bathrooms to accommodate a growing family.
5. Storage space – With a growing family comes the need for storage space. Do you have either an attic, basement, or an outside building for additional storage needs?
6. Single floor living – If you are considering a home that will take care of your needs well into your senior years, then you might want to consider a one-level floorplan.
7. First-floor master bedroom suite – Maybe a single floor level is not attractive to you; then, there are other options such as a first-floor master suite and perhaps being able to close off the 2nd floor when not in use.
8. Easy access to the second floor – Although this isn’t ideal, it is yet another option and that would be a future chair lift if the stairway would allow for one.
9. Open layout – A layout that has an open floor would accommodate a growing family as well as the needs of someone who might require a wheelchair or walker or some other sort of assistance at some point in their lives.
10. Classic over trendy design – When decorating, you might wish to lean towards classic design elements over trendy. What’s in today could be very out of style in 5 or 10 years.

So there you have our 10 components a real forever home should have. If you are in the market to purchase a home in the Fort Mill - Tega Cay or surrounding areas, please let the Linda Hall Team assist you. We can narrow down the homes that will fit your specific criteria by learning what your present and future needs are.

Let's dive even deeper than this. Let's begin by looking at a year over year comparison of specific real estate data that will help us understand what our local markets are doing compared to the rest of the country. 

JANUARY 2020 New Listings:

We start by looking at the NEW LISTINGS that came on the market in January and we begin with 2018, where we see there were 373 NEW LISTINGS that came on the market. In January of 2019, we find an increase of +17.7 percent with 439 NEW LISTINGS. The following year in January of 2020, we decreased by -14.4 percent with 376 NEW LISTINGS. 

JANUARY 2020 Homes for Sale:

We again, start by looking at January of 2018, where we see there were 784 HOMES FOR SALE. In January of 2019, we find an increase of +14.4 percent with 897 HOMES FOR SALE. The following year in January of 2020, we decreased by -24.2 percent with 680 HOMES FOR SALE. 

JANUARY 2020 Pending Sales:

Let's view January of 2018, where we see there were 325 PENDING SALES. In January of 2019, we decreased by -8.6 percent with 297 PENDING SALES. The following year in January of 2020, we increased by +27.9 percent with 380 PENDING SALES. 

JANUARY 2020 Median Days on Market:

Let's view January of 2018, where we see there were 28 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. In January of 2019, we decreased by -14.3 percent to 24 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. This year in January, we held even at 24 MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET. 

JANUARY 2020 Months Supply of Homes for Sale:

In January of 2018, the MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE was 2.3. In January of 2019, we increased by +13.0 percent with a 2.6 MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE. This year in January, we decreased by -34.6 percent with 1.7 MONTHS SUPPLY OF HOMES FOR SALE. 

So there is your comprehensive LOCAL look at the real estate market. If you are thinking about purchasing a home, please reach out to the Linda Hall Team. We'd love to assist you!!

THERE'S A NEW EDITION TO THE FORT MILL - TEGA CAY NEWSLETTER: Guy's Corner, By Rene Lurion - Realtor® Partner of the Linda Hall Team

Guys Corner will become a regular feature of our newsletter and will feature subjects near and dear to the hearts of our male readers. Fan mail and comments will be welcome.

Now that the announcement has been made that Charlotte will be home to a major league Soccer team, we think it is appropriate to talk a bit about the sport.

American Football is the game that most of us are familiar with but did you know that over 240 million people around the world play Soccer? Also, Soccer is actually called Football in all parts of the world except the USA and Canada. Confusing, I know. 

Originally, as one story goes, Soccer can be traced back some 3,000 years when 2 teams used a rock as the ball that symbolized the sun and the captain of the losing team would be sacrificed to the gods… great motivation to win.

A form of Soccer existed in Ancient Greece where the ball was made by bits of leather filled with hair. Ancient Rome is credited with exporting the game to the British Isles, or Britannica as it was known in those days. From there the game developed through the ages and spread throughout the world to become the sport as we know it today and that culminates every 4 years at the World Cup. I am excited to see that high class of a sport comes to Charlotte.

Charlotte’s Bank of American stadium will be the new home for the team in Charlotte and that is where the home matches will take place.  If your interest has been spiked and you want to reserve the ability to buy season tickets, go to charlottemls2021.com where you can register with a refundable deposit of a maximum of $100. Once pricing and seat selection are possible you will be contacted by a team representative.

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