The South Bend Tribune ran a story,
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081217/SPORTS10/812170419 stating that Urban Meyer has no intention of leaving Florida until his kids are out of high school. He sited being a good father first as one of the moitvating factors for his commitment to Florida. This leaves Irish football fans wondering what 2009 will bring and what happens if and when Weis puts up another poor performance.
For the Notre Dame real estate market this may or may not be bad news depending on whether you already own in South Bend, or are thinking of buying in the next year. The new construction condo/townhome boom in South Bend close to campus has been fueled almost entirely by second home purchases of out of state alumni and parents of students currently attending the universities. With many Americans losing 20% or more of their net worth in the roller coster stock market, many have decided that second home purchases are not a priority or in some cases no longer possible. 2009 looks to bring more new construction inventory to market than many of the proceeding years combined. This coupled with the fact that homes built in 2005 at the beginning of the boom are starting to turnover as students graduate and parents look to sell the homes they bought at that time.
This is great news for buyers. The old adage "Buy low, sell high" rings true in this situation. Buyers should be expecting to get a deal in this increasingly competitive but desireable market. However, it is important to understand this unique market and what is a good deal. Buying a unit at the higly acclaimed, Notre Dame backed Eddy Commons at a whopping $300/sq. ft. may help your ego, but could be an investment mistake as many homes within several blocks of the development are available for $30/sq. ft. and other new contrustion projects range from $130-$190/sq. ft. with comparable proximity and amenties. Until recently properties have been selling at full asking as a rule and the market has seen 3-5% annual appreciation. Since October the market has flattened and may even be declining, so don't be surprised to find some deals at 5-10% below previous asking prices. If you are looking for 50% deals then you can forget about it, because owning property close to ND is still the hottest thing around.
To become educated about the market place and make the decision that is right for you, follow my blog on a daily basis and visit
http://www.goirishproperties.com/ to see the latest properties or download a helpful Buyers Guide to Notre Dame Real Estate.
If you are a student or parent of a student looking to lease or buy for the 2009-2010 school year, you need look no further than Dublin Village Townhomes. This newer construction townhome project built from 2005-2007 is nesteled against the campus of St. Mary's behind Perkins restaraunt. It is the ONLY development within walking distance to St. Mary's or Holy Cross. Units range from the low $200,000-$300,000 and offer 2-4 bedrooms, 2.5-3.5 baths and 2 car attached garages. These townhomes have superior layouts and amenities all at a price about 25-40% lower than comparable products surrounding Notre Dame's south and east sides such as Ivy Quad, Irish Crossings, Stadium Village and Legacy Square at Eddy Commons. Resale values and appreciation have been excellent and availability is low for these high demand units. A rare opportunity has just presented itself. 
The owner of the townhome at 124 Clancey St. has just reduced their asking price from $249,900 to $229,900 for their 1745 sq. ft., 3bed, 3.5 bath townhome. This unit is tastefully decorated and is being sold furnished with all window treatments and appliances included. This unit was purchased for $226,000 in 2006. This is an exceptional deal from a motivated seller whose daughter has graduated and they are looking to move on from this investment. If you are interested in learning more about this and other great ownership opportunities near the University of Notre Dame, St. Mary's College, and Holy Cross, you can contact me at 574-360-2569 or email me at steve@goirishproperties.com. Our new website www.GoIrishProperties.com will be launching at the end of February. You can visit our website to download a FREE BUYER's GUIDE to Notre Dame Real Estate.
