Monday, December 15, 2014

Greenville SC Expecting Baby Boomers

The National Association of Realtors had identified Greenville as a top 10 city that can expect an influx of baby boomers.  With a resurgence of the economy, many of the boomers are going to be moving south to warmer climates, where the cost of living is lower and temperatures are warmer.  According to a study done by NAR, these boomers have an income of about $92,000 and purchase homes around $210,000.  They are also thought to be about 30% of all buyers nationwide.  That's a pretty big slice of buyers.  Greenville's average price for a home is $190,700 for 2014. The pricing and low taxation rate has been attracting boomers to Greenville for years. And with the super attractive nature of the city center, the area is competing with other boomer cities in Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, and New Mexico.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Hotel Visits are up in Greenville

If you are planning to visit Greenville, make sure you book early.  This October broke the record for hotel visits in the area, as lots of visitors flocked in to check out our fair city and the things offered here.  A recent push marketing the city called VisitGreenvilleSC.com probably had something to do with it, which began in 2013 and began to define Greenville, SC as a destination city, not just a business stop.  You get the idea on the title page of their site, Yeah, That Greenville.   It's full of reasons to stop here for the weekend.  Oh, and there are plans for another 1000 rooms to be built in the next few years, so perhaps the shortage will ease during the big months.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Michelin Opens Plant for new Tweel product

Local manufacturing giant Michelin is opening a new plant in Piedmont to produce a new wheel / tire design called the Tweel.  The Tweel made the cover of Time Magazine in 2005 and has been touted as a huge breakthrough in automotive technology. The airless design incorporates a molded tread band on a steel rim that is connected to the hub with a series of energy absorbing polyurethane spokes. Michelin has been working on a partnership with John Deer on this innovation and looks to have an impact on the commercial mowing market.  The plant is located near the current Michelin plant at the SCTAC airport, formerly known as the Donaldson Center.

Greenville County Schools and Greater Greenville Market Update


Greenville County Schools Improve / Report Card System to Change

 The SC state report cards are back in with Greenville County District logging in substantial improvement over last year.  Greenville has indeed shown an effort to collaborate and innovate their systems in order to prepare students for career and college readiness.  But the system of measuring progress in the schools will be changing, to merge the South Carolina and federal systems.  Since the federal program “No Child Left Behind” was implemented, the schools have been getting two report cards, which have led to differing results.  The new report cards will add weight to the federal tests, which are more rigorous and easier to interpret.  We can expect those new report cards in 2015.
From the recent SC report cards, Greenville County received the highest award in Absolute Rating with a score of Excellent.  It also showed improvement in Growth, with a score of Good, which is up from last year’s Average rating and indicates that local policies for change are working.  On-time graduation hit its highest score ever with 81.7%.  Overall, almost all (86 of 88) the districts received an Excellent, Good, or Average rating.

Market Update

The market in our area has continued to remain active, even though the Spring and Summer season is over.  Inventory of homes has been increasing a bit after Labor Day, but the strong demand is snapping up the good homes fairly quickly.  Through October, the number of closed transactions has risen 28% over last year, and the median price has increased to $161,900.If you would like to know what your home is worth, click here for an instant property value. 


HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM OUR FAMILIES TO YOURS!  

Friday, October 31, 2014

New Walmart coming near Furman University

There are finally buildings coming out the ground at the intersection of Duncan Chapel and Old Buncombe Rd, just behind the Publix Market at University Square.  The main attraction will be a Walmart Neighborhood Market, which is smaller than the full size model, and is expected to be running in early 2015.  Greenville Health System is also building  a new Children's Clinic at the location and hope to be finished by the middle of November in time for the winter sick season.  You can also look for another restaurant and more retails space.  This location marks a major development along the corridor between Travelers Rest and the Cherrydale area of Greenville.  The area has been gaining attention from the Swamp Rabbit Trail that offer a biking and walking path between those areas. 

Bass Pro Shops Purchases 75 acres on I-85

Just when I thought the Bass Pro Shops deal was fading, I see that Bass Pro Shops closed on 75 acres at I-85 and Hwy 101 yesterday.  That is really going to alter the landscape for development in the "Golden Box" which runs along the Greenville and Spartanburg County line. The location is just across Hwy 101 from the BMW plant, which employs several thousand in the area.  And Greer is not expected to annex the complex, which has been their on their agenda for several years.  Time frame for completion is 2016 and Bass Pro Shops will be the anchor for a hotel, restaurants, and other retail outlets. 

Monday, September 15, 2014

New Trollys on Main St, New Hotel & Luxury Condos, Plus a Greenville Market Update

Downtown Greenville, SC

New Trolleys on Main St.

Our beloved trolleys that service downtown Greenville’s Main Street are getting an upgrade and extended running hours.  The trolleys were originally created to ferry riders to the Greenville Drive baseball games from the upper reaches of Main Street.  But they have become so popular for getting around town in general that the city will offer the service every night from Thursday through Sunday.  The end goal is to offer it every day of the week.  The system has a few new kinks to it.  Riders will catch it at 20 fixed stops and can access a phone app to see where the bus is located in real time.  The return northbound loop will run on parallel roads to Main and on designated weekends, there will be a detour route to serves the Heritage Green area and the Children’s Museum.  The new trolleys will also feature a conductor who will show off the downtown area.  Best of all, they will continue to be FREE.

New Hotel and Luxury Condo Projects Downtown

Two prime spots near the Peace Center are getting close to starting new developments.  The Greenville News which has been a landmark for 50 years, will be torn down and replaced by a major complex that will include a hotel, residential units, as well as office and retail space.  That lot is 3.96 acres and will certainly change the landscape.  Just across Broad Street and directly across from the Westin Poinsett Hotel on East Court Street, there are plans to build a luxury condo six stories tall with mixed use space below.  For those who know the street well, it’s right behind the small plaza next to Bellacinos’s where there is a statue of city founder Vardry McBee.  The lot is pretty small at one-fifth of an acres, so they will be going up to gain space.  This project still need approval of the City’s Design and Review Board. If you are looking for more information on existing downtown condos for sale click here.


9 Roanoke Hills Ct

Quick Residential Market Update

After a huge season in 2013, things have cooled off a bit in 2014 with closed sales only 1.5% above last year so far.  More inventory has hit the market, primarily from new home construction that continues its march forward.  Even with more homes on the market (5% increase), prices have continues to push upward, with the average sales price up 5.2% to $191,000.  Interest rates are still very low which makes the affordability of purchasing a house pretty good, and the 4% increase in GDP through July means we Americans are earning money.  Even though the inventory has increased this year, the average days on market has dropped to 85 days, so indeed, the money is flowing in the residential market with new and updated homes taking the majority of share.  Specific to the area around downtown Greenville, the housing supply is extremely low, so finding a condo can be tough task.  

Current Greenville Weather

Relief from 90+ degree temperatures is here folks! After a mild summer, August heated us up!! This week we are enjoying much cooler temperatures with fall just around the corner. This past weekend was cool and overcast with a few rain showers cooling things down. Today and Tuesday has highs in the 80s with a small chance of pop up thunderstorms. The rest of this week has overnight lows around 60 with highs in the 70s. This weekend will be in the low 80s with some clouds dotting the skies. 

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Claussen Bakery Building Sees Upfit

This landmark building on Augusta Road is being converted to office space. It's in the growing West End of Greenville's downtown area near the Drive stadium and Greenville High School. Just down the road Scott Towers high rise was recently demolished to make way for new development. Greenville is pushing out this way both in commercial and residential real estate.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Contractor for New Interchange at I-85 and I-385 Chosen

I'm not sure when this project will have the green light to start tearing up the road, but it will probably be fairly soon.  The time line is to finish in just short of 3 years.  There is a lot of work that will include work from Salters Road up to Pelham Rd, and from Roper Mountain Road to Smith Hines Rd.  It is guaranteed to be a big mess, it will help solve the biggest congestion in our area.  Currently a lot of commuters come up I-385 from residential homes in Simpsonville and the Woodruff Road area, and they run into the heavy I-85 traffic with a lot of trucks. There also has been a lot of discussion about how to alter Woodruff Road at this interchange, so we will see how it all pans out.  Buckle your seatbelts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride for a few years.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Expect delays on I-85 between GSP and Spartanburg

Road construction has begun on the section of I-85 between the Greenville Spartanburg International Airport  (GSP) and I-26 in Spartanburg.  This is a pretty big project that will continue over the next 2 years.  The stretch is about 12 miles long and will see extensive full depth repairs to the road surface, as well as shoulder and guardrail improvements.  Some of the major points along that route that will be affected: Greer's Inland Port, the BMW manufacturing plant, and the upcoming Bass Pro Shops development that is upcoming.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

More apartments coming to Greenville West End

Another 217 apartment complex is targeted for the Greenville west end, which brings the total apartments arriving to almost 850. New construction of downtown condos has been flat recently, which shows that apartments are in first position for investors of downtown property.  Condo prices are thus on the rise.  Even with these  850 units coming on the market, there is plenty of demand for professionals who want to live close to downtown and walk to work. These new style apartments are offering upscale amenities such as additional living spaces that include courtyard space, swimming pools, rooftop terraces, and bicycling storage and tune up benches.  

Monday, June 30, 2014

Development at Church Street in downtown Greenville

This multiuse commercial development is really coming out of the ground.  Situated close to the county buildings and the Falls Park I expect to see a lot more development along this section of Church Street.  Another high rise condo is slated to begin on a parcel behind this development.  And across church street the old Scott Towers was
recently demolished in order to put in another high-rise condo.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Greenville get the World Cup of Para-cycling 2014

The U.S. is hosting the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Para Cycling Track WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS and GREENVILLE, SC is the host city!!!!

Greenville has put up a website for the event here --> http://www.greenvillesc2014.com and even more information can be obtained at the actual UCI website. The event will be held in August 28-September 1, 2014. Over 45 countries will be represented in this championship. The race will span 5 days and will include time trials and road races. Check out the websites above to see more details, but this is going to be a HOT event here is Greenville, SC.

This is a BIG thing for Greenville, not that we weren't on the Cycling map already with the US Pro Road Championships we hosted from 2006 - 2012. Greenville has been on the map for Bicyclists for awhile with George Hincapie making his home here.

The Cycling community in Greenville is strong with the Greenville Spnners Bicycle Club of 700+ members. They host many regular rides and support new and experienced bikers. The mountains around Greenville offer challenges for mountain climbers and the Donaldson Center track give time trial junkies a place to hone their skills.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Aloft at Heritage Park

Got up super early today help launch the RE/MAX balloon on Simpsonville. Lots of other balloons were launching as well. A great sight!  The event lasts all weekend with concerts and the whole shebang.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Greenville-Pickens Traffic Relief, Esurance Coming to Greenville, Greenville West End Improvements


Traffic Relief Projects 

The Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS) has two big projects designed to ease local traffic congestion-one to bypass Easley in Pickens County and another to give more access points to Woodruff Road at Miller Rd, which is in Greenville County.  The Easley project is ready to start right of way construction so that Highway 153 can be extended behind the Wal-Mart and connect with Prince of Peace and Saluda Dam roads.  That will create a parallel corridor to take some of the pressure off Hwy 123 through the center of Easley.  The Woodruff Road project creates a thoroughfare from Miller Road near Frankie’s Fun Park over I-85 that will connect to Verdae Boulevard.  Along the way it will pick up several dead end streets that spur off Woodruff Road: Woodruff Industrial Lane (by Target), Green Heron Rd (across from Cheddar’s), and Ketron Court (across from Costco).  There may also be a connection to Salter’s Road which already has a bridge going over the interstate.  The Woodruff Road project has yet to be approved, and funding is short at this time, so there is no solid time frame.  There has been a lot of development along Woodruff road lately, so this project will certainly allow motors to navigate a bustling part of Greenville.

Esurance Coming to Greenville with 450 Jobs

Insurance industry leader Esurance has announced a new sales office will open in Greenville, bringing 450 jobs to the area in 2014.  Esurance is a large, quality company or personal line coverage that was acquired by Allstate in 2011.  It has nearly doubled in size since then and now has more than 3000 employees. Inside sales positions with the company have an average annual base of $50,000 with a comprehensive benefit coverage, so these are pretty good jobs indeed.  The Greenville Area Development Corporation stated that the reason Esurance is coming to Greenville is the availability of a quality work force and class A office space. Having an appealing and diverse community such as Greenville also makes it easy to attract talent to the area.  South Carolina has added 10,600 service industry jobs since 2011, so there must me something about southern hospitality!


Greenville West End Improvements

 
Business owners in The West End of Greenville have been putting their heads together in an effort to increase foot traffic down toward the baseball stadium.  Many pedestrians stop at the junction of S. Main and Pendleton, not aware of what enticing new shops and services await them just a short walk farther.  The big issues are signage and additional lights, topics that the City has embraced and acted on quickly.  Trees have been trimmed so that the existing lights emit more light that will enhance pedestrian safety, and additional street lights are planned for University Street.  There is also a push for more directional signs that list specific businesses and where they are located, similar to what you will see along the Main Street above the Reedy River Bridge.  Establishing this type of infrastructure will help the West End grow, and make no mistake, it is coming.  There are three apartment complexes coming to the West End that will add about 350 units and plenty of foot traffic - 150 units at Wardlaw and Rhett Streets, 100 units with the Stadium Apartments at Rhett and Markley, and 107 units at 121 Rhett St.

 

Weather
Yesterday and today’s cold rainy days were not a great start to spring in Greenville. But hold on, the flowers here are already showing off their color, trees are blooming,  and the latter part of the week is looking up.  Thursday should bring sunny skies with highs in the 70s.  Bring it on Mother Nature!

Monday, February 17, 2014

Greenville News Relocating, Gateway to Greenville Development , Nine Times Forest Conservation, Greenville SC Weather


Greenville News to Relocate Printing  
 
Greenville News building,
Downtown Greenville, SC

Sitting on a prime corner at S. Main and Broad Streets in downtown Greenville, the Greenville News has around since 1874 and in the current building since 1970.  But the future use of this corner across from the Peace Center is unknown since the parent company Gannett has announced that printing operations will be moved to Spartanburg and Gastonia.  That will result in a loss of 42 full-time and 75 part-time jobs; however, whatever goes into this 4-acre downtown site will certainly generate more employment.  And with the way commercial and apartment projects have been popping up downtown, it might not take too long to reach fruition.

Gateway to Greenville gets Apartment Complex?
Having sat empty since 1997, the land across from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena (formerly the Bi-Lo Center) might be the future home of 4-story apartment complex called the Broadstone Gateway Apartments.  There is an application in on this project to the City pending review, and officials are hopeful it will be the right use for the parcel.  Since the Greenville Memorial Auditorium was taken down, several developers have attempted to utilize the awkward wedge of land that is squeezed between two busy one-way streets. The projects never worked out on the location that truly acts as a “gateway” into Greenville as motorist come in on I-385 and enter the City center.

The apartment concept for the Gateway comes as no surprise as Greenville’s downtown appeal has attracted residents resulting in a spate of apartment construction.  Currently there are apartment projects at McBee and Spring (site of the failed Peacock Hotel) and Rhett and Wardlaw in the West End.  Another proposal under review puts 300 units in at Reedy View and Westfield, very close to the Linky Stone Park on the Reedy River and the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Nine Times Forest get Conservation Status
On the other end of the development spectrum, a large chunk of land in Pickens County has been recently purchased to create a protected forest that is an ecological jewel of the Upstate.  Located off scenic Highway 11 near Lake Keowee and close to Jocassee Gorges, the 1600 plus acres offers three mountains with granite outcrops that overlook the pristine Blue Ridge escarpment rising to the north.  Naturaland Trust and Upstate Forever had been working to acquire the land for 10 years and were able to purchase it for $3.5 million from Crescent Communities with the help of several contributors.  The U.S. Forest Service provided a grant under the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, one of only 10 nationally.  Fred and Nancy Stanback from North Carolina made a generous donation, and Duke energy provided more than $1 million as part of negotiations to renew their lease for their Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project. It’s nice to have scenic areas of protected land within an hour drive from Greenville and there are plenty of great areas to explore along this wonderful portion of South Carolina’s Upstate.

Snowstorm Hits Greenville


Some rare South Carolina snow!
We don’t get that much snow in Greenville, and when it comes, it usually paralyzes the area before the typical warmer temperatures return and melt it all off. So it’s a bit unusual that we were frozen in after about 4 inches of snow since Tuesday, with a few more inches Wednesday and freezing temperatures through last Thursday night. Most people stayed safe at home instead of hitting the roads which are usually a bit risky with autos that are not prepared for this kind of weather. This week things warm up, with highs in the upper 60s. There were a lot of business closures, including the school system which will probably be out until after Presidents Day. Hey, it’s South Carolina y’all, and you still have to love the fact that the daffodils will be popping up by the end of February!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Snowstorm comes through

Yep, the storm did come through the upstate as predicted. 

Bank of America Parking Garage Torn Down

If you pass by W. Washington and Richardson Streets in downtown Greenville, you will notice that the parking deck next to the BofA building has been leveled.  Looks like Hughes Development Corp is ramping up to put in some more commercial and upgraded parking space.  It's unclear what exactly will occupy the space, but rumors are that a hotel and retail space are likely.  There are several companies that were unable to obtain space in the almost completed Project One right next door, and these will be prime opportunities.  Hughes is also planning a major renovation of the BofA building.  All this sits around the public plaza Piazza Bergamo that the city is upgrading.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Snow Event Looms over Southeast

School is out today in Greenville County and much of the Southeast along the I-85 corridor as a big snow storm is moving our way.  It's not all that much compared to our northern neighbors, but we are just not prepared to deal with it on the roadways and thus it paralyzes us. Right now it's snowing big wet flakes and barely sticking, but forecasters say this will continue with conditions cooling down in the next day with more snow on the way.  Humm, colder weather after a storm that will freeze everything up?   That's not our normal cycle....usually it snows a bit, then warms up and melts everything in true Southern fashion.  But freezing up will put a different spin on on things, literally, as cars meet overpasses and slick roads.

So after the catastrophic snow in Atlanta a few weeks ago, officials will be very conservative. My guess is that normal business activities will grind to a standstill in the next couple of days, then we all struggle to catch up.  Even my 11-year old son said that a day off of school for snow was great, but too many days off just created a big workload to catch up on.  Sounds familiar.  But what the heck, might aswell have fun while it's here.  Stay safe out there on the roads y'all.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Stuken Corporation Expands Fountain Inn Plant

The local manufacturing base continues to grow in Greenville County as well as the Upstate of South Carolina.  Stuken has some precision  deep draw metal  technology that is in demand for automotive fuel injection and braking system; and local auto manufacturer BMW probably likes that.   Fountain Inn has a fair number of industrial plants that serve the automotive  and other industries and these cutting edge processes will demand more skilled labor as time goes on.  Look to the Fountain Inn and Simpsonville area to continue growth in the residential housing market as more jobs are created.

Bassmaster Tournament Back to the Upstate in 2015

Wow, the Superbowl of Fishing is coming back to Lake Hartwell in 2015. That is pretty big deal for the area with all the TV coverage and business brought into the hotel industry.  The event was here in 2008 and they used the BiLo Center in downtown Greenville to host the nightly weigh-ins.  We were in the middle of a drought back then and the lake levels were really low; fortunately, all the lakes are back to full pond right now. Hopefully they will be that way for next year.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Greenville West End Improvements

Business owners in The West End of Greenville have been putting their heads together in an effort to increase foot traffic down toward the baseball stadium.  Many pedestrians stop at the junction of S. Main and Pendleton, not aware of what enticing new shops and services await them just a short walk farther.  The big issues are signage and additional lights, topics that the City has embraced and acted on quickly.  Trees have been trimmed so that the existing lights emit more light that will enhance pedestrian safety, and additional street lights are planned for University Street.  There is also a push for more directional signs that list specific businesses and where they are located, similar to what you will see along the Main Street above the Reedy River bridge.  Establishing this type of infrastructure will help the West End grow, and make no mistake, it is coming.  There are three apartment complexes coming to the West End that will add about 350 units and plenty of foot traffic  - 150 units at Wardlaw and Rhett Streets, 100 units with the Stadium Apartments at Rhett and Markley, and 107 units at 121 Rhett St.