The month of October held true to expectations, and was spectacular for the myriad of fall outdoor events even though the second week of the month disappointed us a little with daily rain showers. The Duck Jazz Festival was a tremendous success. It just seems to get better every year. The Seafood Festival, held on the third weekend in October is also gaining in popularity and will likely be an annual event. With live music and strong participation from local restaurants, you’ll want to catch it next year if you missed it, and you will surely want to go back if you attended this year.
The closure of the west bound side of the Wright Memorial Bridge has not continued to cause traffic problems. Now that the off season is upon us, we are finding that one bridge is enough to handle the egress and influx.
In real estate news, fall has helped bring the sales figures for 2013 more in line with those of 2012. Land sales are up by 6%, and building activity is noticeably on the rise. Residential sales are down by only 1%. The overall market is up by 1% compared to this time last year. The foreclosure filings remain consistent each month, but the number of residential short sales has declined by 20%. We are experiencing a slight decline in overall sales for 2013, but overall market health is consistent.
