As we approach spring of 2020, we continue to see a strong sellers’ market for our vacation cabins here in the Smokies, meaning we have a low number of cabins for sale and a rising market value for properties with strong rental potential. Our theme for last year was “building is making a comeback,” and our theme for this year is “a season of building.” Many new construction projects planned in 2019 are now underway and more lots are continually being developed as places to construct cabins (and traditional homes, too).
If you currently own a vacation cabin, this is the best time to sell. The market value compared to building has not plateaued, and if you’ve owned your cabin for a while, it’s likely you could take what you make from your sale and put into a new construction. This will mean new amenities, updated designs in line with the current trends, and a concept utilizing both of those ideas that will translate into higher passive income for you. For example, cabins with indoor pools are performing better than ones without because they attract people at times of the year such as January when there are less people coming in for a visit. The National Park is closed during the winter, but people will still rent a cabin to go swimming in its indoor pool.
Those of you who have followed my newsletter will know our top local resorts are Sherwood Forest, Starr Crest, and Legacy Mountain. Last year, cabins in those resorts sold at prices that hadn’t been seen since before the downturn in 2008. Along with that, we saw the time to receive an accepted offer for many cabins – not just in those resorts, but in general – drop from a few weeks to a few days. This trend is continuing even now. So if you’re thinking about selling, now is the time.
One of the first steps to take in considering selling is to see for yourself what your cabin is worth in today’s market and compare it to the price you paid when you bought it. We can definitely help you with finding those two things out! Just give us a call or send an email or text. I look forward to hearing from you! I can be reached at 865-765-6157 or 865-654-2111, or by email at deborah@deborahkorlin.us. You will be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
And if you’re considering buying, this is a great time for you as well if you are able to make the decision quickly. I’ve talked before about how to put the strongest offer forward for the cabin you want. Although prices are higher, the rental income for these properties continues to be strong. You will want to hold onto the property for as long as possible until you reach a point where you can sell it and invest the money in what you have planned for your next season, whether that is a bigger cabin or another life goal you are working toward. Our tourism industry attracted a record number of people in the last year, with totals breaking more than 12 million people. And we know that the majority of people who come here want to stay in a vacation cabin.
If as a buyer you are more interested in building, that is definitely an option. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you will have to wait a little while to start making money, as it takes between six to nine months to build. Some builders are financing their projects and then selling when completed, but most are requiring buyers to secure their own construction loans to fund the project.
Remember, now is the time.
