According to Savannah Board of Realtors data, the community saw 128 property (house or lot) transactions close between January 1 and June 30, 2013, a 19.6% increase over the 107 that had closed in the first half of 2012. As a reference, Chatham County single family home sales (in areas other than Skidaway Island) increased by 11.5% in that same time period. That strong growth continues a trend that started after 2009: while the Savannah market was up a solid 24.3% in 2012 vs. 2009, The Landings was up 132.7% - and 2013 is outpacing that.
The Landings Company, the community-owned real estate marketing and sales office, has fared even better. The Company’s 2013 first-half transactions were up 211% (or more than triple) vs. the first half of 2009. “Our results have been driven in part by the strategic marketing that has made folks more aware of our community,” states Bill Houghton, President of The Landings Company. “We have some great advantages that are tough to match – amenities, climate, and a city like Savannah at our doorstep – and the support of our residents is crucial to our success.”
The Landings Company is itself a bit of a unique entity – a self-funding, community-owned real estate firm created after their developer transitioned out in the late 1990s. “Our only source of marketing funds is from the transactions we generate, so we function somewhat as a non-profit – net revenues go directly to driving more awareness for the community,” adds Houghton. “That level of community commitment speaks volumes to folks considering a move – Landings residents own the main driver of buyers to the community.”
The publisher of the DuPont Registry upscale real estate magazine echoed that sentiment:
“The Landings is unique in many ways – not the least of which is the way the community is promoted. There is not another destination community that has a self-funded marketing company at the level of The Landings Company, although many would like the results that the Company (and, since 75-80% of the transactions in the community involve The Landings Company, the community’s residents) has generated of late. In many ways, The Landings Company is the premier community-owned real estate sales and marketing firm in America.” - Thomas duPont, Publisher, duPont Registry (as printed in the Summer, 2013 edition)
Due to this strong sales success, the inventory of properties in The Landings is also at healthy levels – the 168 homes for sale on June 30, 2013 is just over 4% of the 4,000 homes in The Landings. “Our community is resales-only, so we don’t control the supply of homes on the market – we work on the buyer demand side,” notes Houghton. “We have worked hard to find buyers for Landings properties, and about half of the homes sold so far this year were on the market for 3 months or less. Being able to sell a house in a timely fashion is good peace of mind for our residents, and for the investment they’ve made in The Landings.”
About The Landings
The Landings on Skidaway Island is located less than ten miles south of Savannah, Georgia’s historic downtown, and less than 3 miles from the ocean. Six private golf courses are a central element of the offerings at this gated island community, and residents can also enjoy four clubhouse-restaurants, 40 miles of walking and biking trails, 34 tennis courts, two deep-water marinas, five pools, a 48,000 square foot wellness and fitness complex and a variety of other coastal amenities. The community’s lifestyle (as well as comprehensive real estate information) is exhibited on the official website www.TheLandings.com. Real estate information can be obtained through the community’s homeowner association-owned sales and marketing company, The Landings Company, at their on-island Welcome Center (open daily at 1 Landings Way, Savannah GA – no appointment necessary), or by calling (800) 841-7011.
