Blacksburg vs. Christiansburg - A Tale of Two Small Virginia TownsJust ten minutes from Blacksburg - and a short jaunt down US 460 - lies the Town of Christiansburg. (Click here for map.)
With lower business and real estate taxes, Christiansburg is the New River Valley's shopping mecca - home to the New River Valley Mall, Target, Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, Home Depot, Lowe's and much, much more. Christiansburg also features direct access to I-81, making it connvenient to the Salem/Roanoke area. Many people say that Christiansburg is what Blacksburg would be without Virginia Tech. The total population is about 20,000; the estimated median income about $40,000; and roughly one in four residents has a college education (all according to City-Data.com). The most common industry for employment is still "educational services" but the most common occupation is "other production occupations". Many looking into buying a home in Blacksburg for the first time find the selection and features of Christiansburg homes in the $100,000-$200,000 range much more palatable than those in Blacksburg. Additionally, the number of homes in that range is more plentiful in Christiansburg. For example, as of May 8, 2011 Blacksburg had 17 active listings for single-family detached homes in the $100,000 - 200,000 range, while Christiansburg had 71 listings that fell into those same parameters (according to statistics fro the local MLS). The chart above from the MLS reflects the standard pricing differences between the two localities' housing markets. As of May 2011, the average listing price of property for sale in Blacksburg was more than $50,000 higher than that of Christiansburg property for sale. And in the past year, the gap is even bigger when it comes to average selling price (perhaps the ultimate measurement), with the average selling price of Blacksburg property coming in nearly $90,000 more than Blacksburg property.
These differences in pricing demonstrate why Christiansburg often becomes the locality of choice for those new to the Blacksburg housing market, particularly first-time home buyers. If you would like to keep an eye out for available properties in both housing markets - let me know! I'd be happy to set up automatic emails and/or your own Internet portal for viewing properties in both towns in your price range as they become available, or take you on a tour of available properties (in both towns) at your convenience. Contact me today! |
|
|