We are halfway to 2026, so I thought it would be a good idea to look back on the first half of 2025. 2025 started with the inauguration of Donald Trump. Whether you are a supporter of president Trump or not, it signaled a change in direction for our country. Changes always bring uncertainty and this was no different.
My primary concern is the changing of the real estate market. We can all agree that anecdotally, the real estate market has slowed from the post covid frenzy of 2022 to mid 2024. Looking at real numbers, in our county (Bulloch) sales are down 17% from this time period last year. This seems significant, but the numbers can vary greatly from year to year. In 2019, 460 homes were sold in the same period (‘22- 476, ‘23- 333, ‘24-418, ‘25-346). At first glance, a reduction in sales of 17% seems significant but it isn’t outside of the normal ebb and flow of our local market.
In our sector of real estate (primarily auctions), we feel that people are more eager to choose the auction route because of the perceived softening of the market. The auction method is a very good way to cut out the lengthy “days on market” that has doubled this year compared to this time last year.
In 2025, South Auction has completed the successful auctions of 74 properties totaling over $5.5 million in sales. These properties include a farm in Tattnall County with irrigated farm land, an onion packing and storage shed, multiple land tracts, multiple rental properties, restaurant buildings and vacant lots.
In addition, we are continuing to sign up new properties for auction all over Georgia and into South Carolina. This year we will also sell an operational haunted house… that will be a first for us!
In short, although we can feel a shift in real estate markets, its yet to be determined if it’s just a blip in the market or if its the sign of a downward trend. Either way, the auction method will remain an effective and efficient way to sell property.
