2013 Real Estate Report for East Volusia: Sales of Luxury Homes up more than 60 percent

ORLANDO / PORT ORANGE, Fla. --- Sales of luxury homes in the East Volusia region---including Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Spruce Creek Fly-In in Port Orange---saw robust growth in 2013, up more than 60 percent over 2012 sales according to a recent Real Estate Report published by Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty in Orlando. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said associates Debbie Keilin, Rachel McGrath and Maureen Reynolds of the firm’s East Volusia offices at Spruce Creek Fly-In compiled the survey of closed real estate sales. Soderstrom said one reason for the increased sales of luxury homes is that listings of homes for sale increased by almost a quarter in 2013. “The market is coming back,” Soderstrom said. “As home owners see other homes selling in their price range, they are more inclined to list their homes for sale,” Soderstrom said. Sales of homes priced from $500,000 to $1 million grew by almost half in 2013, Soderstrom said, from 137 homes sold in 2012 to 202 luxury homes. Only five sales priced from $1 million to $1.5 million closed in 2012. Last year sales in that category totaled 22 homes. In the $1.5 million plus category, sales grew from 4 in 2012 to 11 in 2013. “Sales of luxury homes in east Volusia County say more about the national economic recovery than the local economy,” Soderstrom explained. “This region is known throughout the world for its beaches and its lifestyle, and many buyers come from outside the east Volusia area to live here,” he said. Soderstrom said waterfront properties tend to sell for the highest prices and they don’t often stay on the market very long. “Luxury waterfront properties are always at a premium but we have seen substantial growth in luxury property sales that are not on the water as well,” Soderstrom said. The complete East Volusia report can be viewed at http://www.stirlingsir.com/resources/siteresources/my%20folder/2013eastvolusia.pdf