By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Davidson is billed as the Community in Motion, and by and large it lives up to that name.

Seeders are rolling in nearby fields. Business is steady. Kids are pedalling their bicycles up and down Davidson’s streets, and soon they’ll be diving into the sparkling waters of the town’s new pool.

But things have slowed almost to a crawl in one sector: the housing market.

According to an informal count by the Leader, there were 17 houses for sale in Davidson as of last Thursday, based on real estate listings, ads online and in print, and on-site advertising. (Four acreages in the area are also for sale.)

Buyers looking for a home here have a range of options — from small starter homes with asking prices under $100,000, to newer, larger houses priced between $250,000 and $500,000.

Of those 17 houses, more than half have been listed or vacant for six months or longer.

Among these is a three-bedroom bungalow on Government Road, currently the home of Carl and Doris Kochendorfer. The house has been on the market for just over a year.

“Houses aren’t moving, not in Davidson,” Doris said last week. “I know it’s a good location . . . The economy is really bad right now.”

The elderly couple moved from the farm into town eight years ago. They tried listing their house with a couple of different agents and are currently trying for a private sale.

Recently, they reduced their asking price by $15,000 and are feeling encouraged after hearing of a couple of other houses that have sold recently.

Doris said they’re hopeful that the warm summer weather will bring more viewers and lead to a sale.

Real estate agent Vanna Gay Shaw acknowledged recently that the number of listings in Davidson at present is unusual.

Shaw, who has been selling real estate locally for more than two decades, also said houses are staying on the market longer than they used to.

“Two years ago, if a house came up, it was gone . . . if it was any good,” she remarked.

Shaw said she’s not sure why houses are moving so slowly, though the asking prices are likely a factor in some cases.

While the number of properties available might seem to suggest otherwise, Shaw also said there’s no mass exodus underway.

Of the owners currently trying to sell homes, only two have moved away from town.

In other cases, the reasons behind the sales are varied — the homeowners are relocating within town, the owner of the house has died, or the house is a new build.

For the full story, please see the June 5 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.