The Poinciana Crane

Housing Crisis Deepens Slightly

Poinciana real estate continues to behave like a house of cards.  While price per square foot decreased once again, and list prices did not fall below last month’s low of $69,900, sales have decreased and inventory is once again on the rise. 

A total of 98 homes have been sold in Poinciana so far in 2008.  The least expensive of these sells today for $44 per square foot, a decrease of $4/SF from March 2008.

Inventory continues to rise in Poinciana while sales dipped slightly in April.   It is expected that May will show a new low for home values, as  sales continue to lag behind the now-increasing inventory in the area.

Poinciana Realtor Appointed to IDA

Providing one more reason for you to choose Poinciana Home to sell your home, Darhlene was recently appointed to the Osceola County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), a citizen’s advisory board.  She will join other community leaders, such as James Kasper, Thomas Tompkins, Rajia Ackley, and Lawrence William, and will serve a two-year term with this group.  The IDA addresses finances for public projects that foster economic development in Osceola County.

Market Update – Sales Increase But So Does Inventory

In March 2008 there were 70,578 people who called Poinciana home and 18,918 homes. The least expensive of these sells today for $48 per square foot, an increase of $6/SF from February 2008. While price per square foot increased, list prices fell again from a minimum of over $87,000 to a new low of $69,900, which represents the least expensive single family home in Poinciana. A total of 77 homes have been sold in Poinciana through March 31st.

While for most of 2007, homes sold at about one per day, in January and February, the daily average had dropped to about one sale every two days. March showed improvement with an average once again of one home per day. (Normal is about four homes sold per day.)

Previous reports on absorption rates reflected rates throughout Osceola County, a method that has been improved to focus on the Poinciana area only. Absorption rate for Poinciana as of April 9 was 3.24%.

During the first two months of 2008, inventory numbers appeared to have stabilized at slightly above the 1,000-home mark for Poinciana-proper; however March-April numbers are showing a renewed increase in inventory of existing family homes for sale. On April 9, the inventory for all of Poinciana was 1,636.

Between excessive inventory and low sales, the market value for homes in Poinciana continues to decline. Sales continue to lag behind the now-increasing inventory.

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Numbers referred to as Poinciana-proper do not include the communities of Poinciana, such as Solivita, Crescent Lakes, Cypress Woods, Bellalago, etc. ©Apr.2008, Darhlene E. Zeanwick. All rights reserved. Graph may not be duplicated or copied without permission.

Poinciana Realtor Turns Green

As of yesterday, Darhlene Zeanwick became one of the only-3,100 Realtors in the entire U.S. with Green Leadership certification from the National Association of Realtors.  The research is voluminous.  Green really affects every aspect of life and lifestyle.  For example, do you have any idea how much carbon dioxide your home puts out into the air each year?

Try about 13,500 pounds for a 3,000-square-foot home.  Most of Poinciana's homes are not quite that large but still:  If you have a 1,000-square-foot home, that property is  putting out more or less 4,500 pounds of carbon dioxide every year and, let's see, each person lives how many years?

With the mug-me levels of heat in Florida, especially in August, it's not that unusual to hear of cooling bills as high as $400 in one month!  And we're not talking in-door marijuana grow houses either.  These are real people who apparently like it cold.  Frosty!

Improving technology and something called a credit crisis will have an impact on the affordability of energy-saving devices such as "tankless" water heaters, a great idea for smaller homes. Or try this one on for size: The "sealed attic," which is said to keep the temperature of an attic within 10 degrees of the temperature inside your living room. Now wouldn't that be a money-saver here in Central Florida? 

If you're looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, save energy or water, and save money in the process, check out this blog in the future for green information you can use.  And, if you've received LEED, FGBC, or Florida Yard certification, selling your home with Darhlene will maximize exposure for your home, exposure that no other offers yet in Poinciana.

March Market Report – Values Drop, Sales Slightly Up

POINCIANA (PHN) | In February of 2008 there were 70,476 people who called Poinciana home and 18,893 homes. The least expensive of these sells today for $42 per square foot, a drop of $17 from January 2008. The least expensive single family home in Poinciana is listed with an asking price of $87,500.

Absorption rate for Osceola County stood at 2.2% in January, a drop of 0.6% from December 2007. From, January to February inventory numbers appear to be stablizing at slightly above the 1,000-home mark. Inventory of existing homes on March 1^st stood at 1,060.

While for most of 2007, homes sold at about one per day, since January 1^st the daily average dropped to one about one sale every two days. A total of 28 homes have been sold in Poinciana-proper so far in 2008.

Between excessive inventory and low sales, the market value for homes in Poinciana continues to decline but only slightly as compared to previous months. Conclusion: If a buyer is looking to move to the Central Florida area, now is the time to buy in Poinciana.

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Numbers in this report reflect an area referred to as Poinciana-proper. These numbers do not include its communities, such as Solivita, Crescent Lakes, Cypress Woods, Bellalago, etc.

©Jan.2008, Darhlene E. Zeanwick. All rights reserved. Graph may not be duplicated or copied without permission.

February Home Market Report–Continued Decline

POINCIANA (PHN) | In January 2008 there were 69,548 people who called Poinciana home and 18,683 homes. The least expensive of these sells today for $60 per square foot, a drop of $1 from December 2007. The least expensive single family home in Poinciana is listed with an asking price of $93,900.

Absorption rate, the rate at which properties are sold, for Osceola County stood at 2.8% in December, a drop of 0.2% from November 2007. A similar decline of 0.2% also occurred in Poinciana for a rate of 2.6% in December.

Although inventory dipped to just below 1,000 in December 2007, it rose again during the following month and stood at 1,059 on January 31.

While for most of 2007, homes sold at about one per day, since January 1^st the daily average dropped to one about one sale every two days. A total of 14 homes have been sold in Poinciana-proper so far in 2008.

Between excessive inventory and an absence of adequate buyers on the market, the value of homes in Poinciana continues to decline. Conclusion: If a buyer is looking to move to the Central Florida area, now is the time to buy in Poinciana.

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Numbers in this report reflect an area referred to as Poinciana-proper. These numbers do not include its communities, such as Solivita, Crescent Lakes, Cypress Woods, Bellalago, etc.  ©Jan.2008, Darhlene E. Zeanwick. All rights reserved. Graph may not be duplicated or copied without permission.

Poinciana Sales Since 2002

POINCIANA (PHN) | Our year starts with a chart of interest to Poinciana homeowners, showing sales of existing single family homes in Poinciana-proper.

Notes on Chart . . . 1. September 2004 fluctuation: Hurricanes hit through Central Florida for the first time in almost five decades bearing a direct inland blow on Poinciana. 2. June 2004 and April 2005 showed sales equal at 107 homes sold. Highest number of homes sold in one month was in June 2005 with a total of 129. The lowest number of homes sold was recently in November 2007 with a low of only 23 homes sold in a one-month period.

©Jan.2008, Darhlene E. Zeanwick. All rights reserved. Data was compiled from the MidFlorida Multiple Listing Service. This graph may not be duplicated or copied without permission.

The Poinciana Crane™ local blog. La Caballera de Poinciana™ blog en español. Poinciana @ Home™ Realtor.^®