Now that 2009 is officially over it’s time to look at what happened and prepare to take advantage of Charleston real estate opportunities in 2010.

2009: What Happened?

The 2009 Charleston, SC real estate market saw the fewest real estate transactions locally of any year since 1998 and the lowest median values since 2004. According to the Charleston MLS 6,452 single family homes sold in 2009 for a median value of $192,500.

Why did the number of homes sold last year dramatically decline? Several factors played a part in this outcome but tight credit, high unemployment and general economic instability weighed heavily on the minds of many consumers and kept them out of the marketplace.

Why did the value of homes decrease in 2009? Record high inventory of homes for sale in Charleston coupled with decreased buyer demand to create a supply and demand imbalance that forced prices down significantly. Motivated sellers were forced to lower prices to attract buyers. Additionally, short sales and foreclosures flooded Charleston with inventory priced well below what would have otherwise been market value for the home.

Government interference in the market has helped to bolster the lower end of the market. Artificially low mortgage interest rates created through the Fed purchasing enormous quantities of mortgage backed securities combined with the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit to help entice low end buyers into the market. As a result, lower priced homes maintained their values better. The Federal government did not provide tax incentives for high end home buyers until December 1st and sales of Charleston properties priced above $500,000 remained slow throughout 2009 as a result.

The market strengthened significantly as the year wore on. Last year, homes sales steadily increased every month as homebuyers in all price ranges bought bargain-priced properties. In other words, the widespread price declines did their job by drawing more and more buyers into the market as prices crept lower and lower.

With home sale volume rising and prices declining, Charleston’s housing market showed signs of a Recovery Market as 2009 came to an end.

Giveaways are something that gets everybody excited. When people get things given away to them with even a low value they get excited. So it’s no wonder that one of the hottest and coveted giveaways available today comes from Home Garden Television (HGTV). In case you have not heard the television network treats its viewers to a very special contest. The prize is a luxurious home in an exotic location. Values of the homes they put together reach multi-million dollar value.

In 2008 the television network plans on again offering a dream home in one of the most relaxed areas in the USA. We are talking about Islamorada, FL. The home is a 3 story building with plenty of bedrooms to plan for. It features very large bay windows to overlook the ocean property it overlooks. It’s the ultimate pad and dream home for any kind of person.

Looking at this home I dreamed of living there. I sure do wish I could live there. The fact of the matter is that you probably wish the same thing that I do. Living in this immaculate home would be a dream come true. The value of the keys property and home is sure to increase over its current estimate 2.5 million dollars they expect it to be worth.

The next question you might be wondering is how I could ever win this contest. Face it, if there is one thing you could win in life this would be it. The answer to this question is to enter the contest. Not just once, or twice but as many times as you can possibly put your name in the hat. If you live in the USA you can enter this contest an unlimited number of times. Each entry is counted as one submission. Each time you enter puts you closer to winning the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes. In the end if you don’t win the dream can always live on.

Sutton Area apartments offer a nice, quaint residential setting for the inhabitants. The area is a small part of the Midtown East, running from the 2nd Avenue to East River. It also runs from the 53rd to the 59th Street. Sutton Place is a street within the area. Mostly the area consists of well to do, older demographic with a few families residing here and there.

Living Options

Sutton Area apartments offer good living options. The options available here are mostly highly expensive townhouses and charming, old luxury doorman buildings. As you move west to the 1st Avenue, you will find walkups and some of the new doorman buildings which are much more affordable for those looking for budget options. The transportation facilities available here are known to some of the best in NYC. Residents will have access to several buses and nine subways in all within a few blocks.

The 1st and the 2nd Avenue are filled with specialty stores, bars and plenty of restaurants. The area has some of the best dessert shops and gourmet food restaurants that include Say It With Flour, Pisacane Seafood, L. Simchick and Nicola’s. Probably one of the best things about the area is that the Sutton Place Park is located in the area. This group of different smaller parks is located in every block and has benches, lawns and good views of the East River.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you are considering Sutton Area apartments then you should know that prices would be quite high and you’ll have to be ready to deal with a larger budget. You may have to research more to find a few budget apartments since there are only a few walkups in the area and the demand is always very high. An easier way to find apartments in the area would be to take the help of real estate agencies since they would have more options to show you. Agencies would be able to show you several different options within your price range so it would be a good way for you to save time.

Finding a good real estate agency in NYC is quite easy today because of the abundance of options available. You can check the yellow pages or better yet, check the internet to find real estate agencies dealing with the neighbourhood. However, an important point to remember is to select a good agency if you want to find affordable and good quality apartments. If you keep these points in mind, finding Sutton Area apartments would be easier for you.