End of Year Giveaway! Plus 2023 Recap

The final stretch of the year brought a blend of gratitude, surprise, and genuine momentum. What began as a routine update quickly turned into a milestone moment: 200 episodes, a national media feature, and the long-awaited End of Year Giveaway that added a dose of fun to an already eventful close to 2023.

Between holiday schedules, early recordings, and a market that refused to behave predictably, the past twelve months created the kind of storyline that felt both humbling and energizing (the real-estate version of a plot twist you didn’t see coming).

This wasn’t just a numbers recap—it was a look at how the year unfolded personally, professionally, and across the broader Greenville housing landscape.

A Year Marked by the End-of-Year Giveaway

The celebration hit early with the announcement of a $200 Amazon gift card—one dollar for every episode recorded. It wasn’t just a fun gesture; it symbolized how much the show has grown, how steady the community has become, and how connection continues to fuel the platform (because who doesn’t perk up at the words “gift card”?).

The giveaway wasn’t teased at the beginning or buried at the end. It appeared right in the middle—a way to ensure listeners genuinely stayed for the content and not just the prize drop. It added a layer of excitement at a time of year when most people are focused on wrapping gifts, not market stats.

A Year Built on Momentum, Not Perfection

Early 2023 felt eerily similar to the quietest weeks of the pandemic—phones silent, inboxes empty, and the entire market moving at the speed of a sleepy December afternoon.

By February, the shift began. By March, activity snapped back in full force.

The year stabilized into something surprisingly normal once the first quarter settled. While two slow months trimmed totals slightly, the overall pace remained steady. The year wasn’t a blockbuster, but it was reliable—and reliability matters, especially in a region like Greenville.

Changing Business Patterns Throughout the Year

A closer look revealed major shifts in client trends:

• Investor transactions dropped—a noticeable decline, reflecting fewer appealing opportunities in a tighter market.

• Relocations surged. Roughly 20% of business now stems from people moving into the Upstate—many discovering the show from out of state. That alone reshaped the year in a meaningful way.

• Greenville-to-Greenville moves held steady. Local transitions remained the backbone of activity, echoing the city’s steady growth and shifting needs.

The story wasn’t about explosive volume or dramatic swings. It was about consistency, adaptation, and navigating a market that demanded patience and clarity (the kind of year where “slow and steady” didn’t just win the race—it showed up early with snacks).

A Market That Looked Familiar… Until It Didn’t

The broader 2023 landscape brought its own twists:

• Contingencies returned in full force. After years of disappearing like someone who “ran to the store and never came back,” they reappeared with the swagger of a traveller returning from a long vacation (sunglasses on, suitcase rolling loudly, telling everyone how “life-changing” it all was).

• VA loans climbed back toward 2019 levels. Their resurgence signalled renewed flexibility and a healthier balance between buyers and sellers.

• Cash transactions remained high. About one-quarter of all closings were cash—a level far above pre-pandemic norms.

These shifts painted a picture of a market stabilizing, recalibrating, and working its way back toward balance after years of extremes.

A National Spotlight Moment

One unexpected highlight of the year came when Fox News Digital reached out for insight into why so many people are moving to Greenville.

The feature brought a new wave of visibility and reinforced Greenville’s reputation as one of the most desirable destinations in the Southeast (the kind of moment that makes you say, “Wait… that email is real?”).

It was a surreal reminder that authentic voices in real estate still matter—and that the Upstate story continues to resonate far beyond local borders.

A Look at November’s Numbers

The November market data added even more clarity:

• New listings rose 15.2% year-over-year. Lower mortgage rates boosted both demand and supply.

• Pending sales showed early signs of increasing. Revisions are expected to push totals into the low thousands.

• Closed sales dipped slightly but are still within seasonal norms, reflecting last year’s unusually strong November.

• Days on market climbed to 44 days, a 25.7% year-over-year rise—a return to steadier pacing (think “normal,” not “slow”).

• Median sales price hit $312,756, up 2.9% annually, continuing a consistent upward trend.

• Affordability improved: The Housing Affordability Index rose to 86, the first meaningful improvement in months.

• Inventory increased, but more slowly. Still below pre-pandemic norms, but inching closer each quarter.

Overall, November reinforced what the entire year had been hinting at: stability, gradual balance, and sensible movement.

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Bottom Line

The End of Year Giveaway brought a burst of celebration exactly when the season needed it, while the latest November figures offered a clearer picture of where things are heading next.

The year might have started on a quiet note, but it wrapped up with sharper direction, healthier activity, and a local market that continued growing at its own dependable pace (the kind of pace that feels slow at first, then suddenly—there it is—moving again).

If 2023 revealed anything, it’s that Greenville’s housing landscape still knows how to hold its ground, even when the road isn’t perfectly smooth (kind of like straightening a crooked bow on a gift and pretending it was intentional all along).

Ien Araneta

Journal & Podcast Editor | Selling Greenville