SavannahNOW Home Finder.com - Savannah's Ultimate Home Buying Guide

On June 13, several of Savannah�s premiere organizations came together for a special evening entitled �Networking Together for the Community.� A Southern Luau theme provided an entertaining atmosphere for the evening. Members from the following organizations attended: Savannah Board of Realtors, Home Builders Association of Greater Savannah, Savannah Mortgage Bankers Association, Commercial Realtors Alliance of Savannah/Hilton Head, and the Savannah Chapter of the women�s Council of Realtors.

Unlike many metropolitan areas across the country, the Savannah area real estate market is very strong. Indicators such as price appreciation, average days on market, and overall volume are all positive. For example, average sales price for single-family residential homes in the Historic District has increased by 69 percent over the 2004 levels. Strong appreciation has also been realized in the Islands/Beaches District (13.1 percent), Southside (11.5 percent), and in Bryan County (22.8 percent).

New construction accounts for approximately 38 percent of current active listings in the local market. The most significant pockets of this activity include West Chatham and Effingham County with 27.8 percent and 24.4 percent, respectively, of the total new construction.

About the Organizations:

HBA � Taking advantage of the favorable real estate market requires access to a host of professionals. For consumers interested in new construction, a call to the Home Builders Association of Greater Savannah (HBA) would provide a beneficial start. The HBA is a non-profit trade association that promotes home ownership and represents the concerns of the building industry in Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham Counties. Further, the HBA is dedicated to promoting the building industry through professionalism, community involvement, governmental affairs and member education.

SABOR � Whether looking for new construction or re-sale, most consumers rely on the assistance and professional consultation of a Realtor. The Savannah Board of Realtors (SABOR) is the trade association for real estate licensees in Chatham, Bryan, and Effingham Counties, representing approximately 1,650 members. The objectives of SABOR are to unite all Realtors and Affiliate members for the purpose of exerting ownership.

SABOR is also responsible for serving the ever-changing needs of its members, while remaining constant in support of ethical and professional business practices. SABOR has entered into a three-way agreement with the Georgia Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors, collectively representing America�s largest trade association of over one million members and involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate industries.

In addition, SABOR owns the Savannah Multi-List Corporation (SMLC) that provides its members with the most current tools to service buyers and sellers of property.

RCA � The Realtors Commercial Alliance (RCA) is an active component of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) dedicated to providing benefits to commercial practitioners and their investors and or clients. RCA members adhere to the NAR Code of Ethics and standards of practice that have been in place since 1913 and stand for the honor, integrity, competency, and professionalism associated with the Realtor designation. The Code of Ethics distinguishes commercial practitioners throughout the country who meet this high standard of professionalism.

The Realtors Commercial Alliance of Savannah/Hilton Head, Inc. was formed out of a collective need for a local organization to serve the growing commercial real estate market that has grown into one large market spreading from Savannah to Hilton Head Island. The RCA of Savannah/Hilton Head has its own commercial information exchange network wherein commercial properties are listed for sale or lease. Its website can be accessed by the public for review of available properties at www.savhhca.com.

MBA � The Mortgage Bankers Association of Savannah (MBA) was created in 1969 and is a part of both the Georgia and National Associations. The MBA includes both lenders and affiliates. Currently, the organization has approximately 50 members.

WCR � The Savannah Chapter of the Women�s Council of Realtors is a group dedicated to supporting many of the top producers in real estate in developing business opportunities and skills. Its focus is on both business and personal development. Today, with more than 260 Chapters and 14,000 members, the WCR is the 17th largest U. S. women�s professional organization and has one of the most successful communication networks in the NAR family. Chapters include men and women who support the objectives of WCR and are interested in serving the industry, the community, and fellow Realtors.

The WCR publishes Connections and the Referral Roster. Connections is particularly unique in that it offers articles on business and personal growth topics specifically targeted to real estate professionals, women in particular. The Referral Roster is a critical resource for WCR members listing the entire membership and providing links for referrals. WCR�s website, launched in 1996, is an additional referral tool with daily updates to all member records and over 20,000 active hotlinks to member�s email addresses and websites. The website can be accessed at www.wcr.org.