By Scott Hamilton, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — If there’s no boom, then there can be no bust and that’s just fine with those who shepherd West Virginia’s housing market. Because that still doesn’t mean the state can’t have a robust housing business.
Industry experts said a trend that began a couple of years ago continues in the Mountain State, indicating it’s a hot market for potential home buyers. How much growth isn’t easily quantifiable, however.
Ray Joseph, CEO of the West Virginia Association of Realtors, admits, “It’s not something tracked very well. But we know it when we see it.” Still he said he’s seen over the past year an increase in home sales from the Eastern Panhandle to the coalfields and all points in between.
There has particularly been a surge of transactions in the counties bordering other states, something Joseph attributed to buyers from more densely populated areas such as New York and New Jersey. He said they’re either seeking refuge in light of pandemic conditions or simply just want another home.
Regardless of the reason, it’s contributed to a strong second-home market in those parts of West Virginia…
