Punxsutawney Phil indicated an early spring is on its way — which could mean a strong kickoff to the Lake Wylie real estate market!*
Right out of the gate, seven waterfront homes and two dockable lots closed on Lake Wylie. The homes ranged in price from $345,000 for a “fixer-upper” in Tega Cay to $3,000,000 for a luxury estate in Lake Wylie. January sales were higher in 2024 than in most years — but first-quarter sales aren’t usually a reliable indicator of the coming year.
Four properties sold could fall into the “cabin” category — older homes originally built as “weekenders”. These four averaged 54 years old, 1325 square feet, most with two bedrooms. The average selling price approached $700,000 — as each property either featured extensive renovations and updates or big views.
Prior to the mid-1970s, much of the land around Lake Wylie was leased, so those who leased the lots built simple cabins or installed mobile homes, since they did not own the land. After the land was released for sale, the long-term lessees were able to purchase at discount rates, and many retained the “cabins” and continued to use as summer retreats. Over the years, some of the cabins have been replaced by primary homes, some have been updated and renovated, and a few are close to their original state (in various stages of maintenance).
Quite a few of the remaining cabins are located on beautiful lots — as the land first offered for lease was often on or near a main channel of the lake. The land value has increased exponentially over the years. The trend of cabin sales and prices over the past few years is depicted on the graph below:
On the graph, the blue bar represents the number of cabin properties sold per year (axis on the left), and the red line indicates average price (axis on the right). In 2021 — a year when total Lake Wylie waterfront home sales was near its peak — 25 cabin properties sold for an average price of $530,000. In 2022, the number sold fell (primarily due to limited inventory) and the average price climbed to $750,000. In 2023, when inventory was even tighter, 9 cabins sold for an average of $685,000.
Bottom line — if the cabins are listed, they will sell. Demand is still high. Some buyers are purchasing for land value only, with intentions to remove the structure and build a primary home. Others are looking for small, move-in-ready lake retreats. The Lake Wylie Man can help you understand the value of this type property, which fluctuates based on future building potential (setbacks and restrictions), location and view, and current demand for various property types.
If you missed last month’s year end real round up, visit my website to see the 2023 Summary and Outlook, along with Recent Waterfront Home Sales and Recent Waterfront Lot Sales. Or give me a call and we’ll discuss the market and your property or particular needs. I look forward to hearing from you!
Drew
*There is no scientific evidence that Punxsutawney Phil knows anything about Lake Wylie real estate. However, you can consider The Lake Wylie Man a bonafide expert on the market. Each year for the past 15 years, The Lake Wylie Man has achieved the #1 spot in waterfront sales on Lake Wylie. With hundreds of properties sold on the lake that have produced almost every situation imaginable, our team can advise you like no other and help ensure a smooth closing and the best value for all.