Since the existence of Fort Stewart was solidified in 1974, the city of Savannah, GA has depended on the brave men and women stationed at Fort Stewart as much as those soldiers have relied on Savannah, GA for its excellent neighborhoods and schools. Our city has experienced significant growth since it was devastated in the Civil War, and its resurgence as a prominent and thriving community in Georgia is a true testament to what hard-working citizens and soldiers can achieve.
At Remax All American, we recognize this and have therefore made it our goal to give back to those who sacrifice their well-being to protect us in times of distress. Our principles are and will always be associated with integrity so that we can nurture enduring relationships with clients seeking a reliable property management partner.
We understand, as retired military veterans, how a well-built Savannah, GA home can bring comfort and peace of mind to you and your family. We also understand how stressful it can be to rent that property and manage the day-to-day issues that can occur. As your property management company in Savannah, GA, it's our goal to shoulder that burden for you while keeping your tenants happy in their new homes.
Remax All American provides comprehensive property management services in Savannah, GA. Whether you're located in a secluded location or along the busiest interstate highway near Savannah, GA, our primary focus is helping manage and rent homes owned by soldiers. We're a reliable partner for men and women stationed at Fort Stewart, as well as soldiers who expect deployment overseas and need a trustworthy, transparent professional to help rent and manage their homes while abroad.
We specialize in managing a range of Savannah, GA properties, including:
Our boutique property management firm has helped hundreds of veterans just like you maximize their rental investments with careful planning and time-tested strategies. Our goal is to make your rental property experience both streamlined and profitable. That way, you can focus on your day-to-day responsibilities while we handle all the hassle.
We make it simple to get started with a property manager in Savannah, GA and can begin generating rental income with six easy steps:
Call our property management office in Savannah, GA or click on the Get Started button below to kickstart the process. After you fill out the contact form, you'll be contacted by a welcoming property specialist soon.
Schedule your free on-site property rental consult with an expert Savannah, GA rental property manager.
A property specialist with Remax Savannah, GA will come to your home on time and be prepared to tour your rental. We'll cover expected rental income, rent-ready items, and a customized property management plan. While we're there, we'll start brainstorming some of the ways that we'll make your property profitable.
Once your home is approved, it's time to join our family of happy rental property owners. Unlike many property managers in Savannah, GA we actually treat you like family when you come visit our office or when we see you in the most popular grocery store in Savannah, GA.
Our team executes industry-leading marketing strategies both online and in Savannah, GA. We use a range of resources to get the word out about your rental home. That way, we can better reach, screen, secure, and place reliable, high-quality tenants who will love your rental property and treat it like home.
It's time to celebrate! Your rental property has been successfully set up to generate passive income and is now occupied by a thoroughly screened tenant. You can now kick back and unwind, as your investment is being expertly handled by Remax Savannah, GA Property Management.
It doesn't take a graduate from the biggest university near Savannah, GA, to know that managing a rental property can be quite daunting. It demands dedication, ample resources, and a substantial amount of time. You've got to be committed to answering calls and working 24/7. Fortunately, renting out your property in Savannah, GA doesn't have to be overwhelming if you have an experienced property manager by your side. Our expertise in rental property management, along with our dedication and meticulous attention to detail, can alleviate the stress of owning an investment property.
Here are just a few ways that Remax All American takes the hassle out of managing your home rental when you're away on duty or stationed at Fort Stewart:
One of the most frustrating aspects of owning a rental home is dealing with the inevitable maintenance issues that pop up, like a washing machine that quits working or a light bulb that needs replacing. As your property manager in Savannah, GA, we handle every aspect of maintaining and protecting your home and only work with vetted, high-quality vendors who discount their services for our property rental company.
Our rental property marketing sets the standard in the property management industry. We provide professional photos, video tours, and listings on 250+ rental websites, showcasing your rental property like no other management company can.
Our property managers carry out comprehensive inspections of rental properties to safeguard the interests of our property owners and their investments. To ensure that your rental property remains in optimal condition, we make use of technology to proactively document and monitor move-in/move-out, quarterly exterior, and mid-year interior inspections.
At Remax Savannah, GA we prioritize finding the right tenant over finding one quickly. Sure, we could approve someone who just left the municipal courthouse in Savannah, GA for unpaid traffic tickets, but that wouldn't be a good fit for long-term income or peace of mind. That's why our thorough tenant screening process includes credit checks, background checks, income and employment verification, and validation of past rental history. Securing the right tenant is key to achieving long-term success with rental properties, and we've got the screening process down to a fine art.
We make sure to collect rent regularly for your Savannah, GA investment property. Our property management system allows tenants to easily access and pay rent online 24/7, 365 days a year, through our tenant portal. That means you get paid faster compared to many other property management companies in Savannah, GA. If there are issues with a tenant paying, we handle the headaches involved with notifying the renter and obtaining the money you're owed.
As the benchmark for property management in Savannah, GA we've established a superior standard of property management services for our clients. Prioritizing the well-being of our property owners results in the highest ROI for investors, owners, and tenants. That's why Remax Savannah, GA was built on the principles of personalized property management, best-in-class service, and transparent pricing.
Hiring a property manager can be a tough decision. Perhaps you have never managed a property before and are unsure about what to look for in a manager. Or maybe you have had a property manager before, but it didn't go as well as you had hoped, and now you're unsure if it's still the best option for you. You might also be feeling overwhelmed because you want to start renting out your home, but it needs a lot of updates.
If you're on the fence about hiring a property manager for your rental home, keep these factors in mind.
Property management companies such as Remax Savannah, GA bring years of expertise in home management. Depending on their experience, they typically have a well-established process, which some companies may outline on their website. If not, you can always inquire about it.
Most property managers are licensed real estate agents, which means they have a solid educational background. This equips them with in-depth knowledge of the market, enabling them to effectively price homes for rent or sale based on various factors.
Over time, they have handled tenant disputes, roommate changes, lease breaks, evictions, and more. These are challenges that can be daunting for an inexperienced landlord, making property management companies a valuable resource. Property managers are well-versed in fair housing laws and local regulations that impact landlords and tenants. Some of these laws are quite intricate, and without a comprehensive understanding, it's easy to inadvertently violate them.
Managing your own property can be a hassle, especially when it comes to handling maintenance issues that can pop up unexpectedly. Property managers are quick to respond to these problems and have a range of trusted vendors to take care of the job, saving you the trouble of finding and choosing the right one. At Remax All American, we have a dedicated maintenance team ready to tackle any issues and keep you informed as they resolve them.
Owning and managing a property can be incredibly time-consuming. You're essentially on call 24/7, which means you might have to leave important events, like a game with your kids at the most popular sports arena in Savannah, GA. On top of that, you're responsible for handling payments, lease agreements, and so much more. It can easily start to feel like a second job.
However, by hiring a property manager to handle these tasks, you can free up a significant amount of your time. Dealing with issues like broken windows or leaky pipes will no longer be your concern. That means you can go about your daily life without the constant worry of being interrupted, leading to lower stress levels.
Another benefit of hiring a property manager is the freedom it gives you to move out of the area. When you manage your own property, you need to be close by to respond to maintenance requests and perform walkthroughs. With a property manager, you can relocate because they will handle these responsibilities. This is a crucial benefit for soldiers who are stationed at Fort Stewart or are fighting for our freedoms overseas.
Renting your home isn't like having a safe key at the biggest bank in Savannah, GA. However, with Remax Savannah, GA as your property manager, you can start generating passive income that you can use to pay your mortgage, buy groceries, or save for a rainy day.
Accurately pricing your rental property in the Greater Savannah, GA area is key for maximizing your rental income and increasing profits. With the right pricing, you can quickly lease your home to a quality tenant, reducing vacancy time and attracting long-term renters. At Remax Savannah, GA Property Management, our local experts understand the rental market because we're not just professionals; we're locals.
We rent and buy homes here, too. As such, we always have an eye on the local housing and property rental markets. We'd be happy to provide you with an in-depth rental price analysis tailored to your property, considering factors such as neighborhood, community, and market trends.
If you're a soldier stationed at Fort Stewart or you're about to be deployed overseas, you might be thinking about renting your home while you're away. That's a smart move. Unfortunately, not every home is cut out for the rental market in Savannah, GA. That's why it's important to work with a trusted property management company like Remax All American. Our experts have the knowledge to help you figure out if your property can generate steady rental income that you can use for bills, food, or reinvesting. If you're interested in renting your home in Savannah, GA these signs may indicate that your home will be enticing to tenants
When it comes to successful property rentals, location is a huge factor to consider. Homes built in desirable locations, like those near a highway, the largest hospital in Savannah, GA, or a popular elementary school, often attract more quality tenants than those in remote areas. That's especially true if your home is in a neighborhood with low crime.
Assess the typical rental prices in the vicinity and contrast them with the potential rental earnings from the property. If the rental rates in the local area are on the rise or staying steady, it indicates that your property has the potential to produce good rental income. At Remax Savannah, GA our property managers conduct in-depth price analyses for homeowners interested in renting their homes.
It's important to also take into account the rental demand in the area. A property in a location with high rental demand indicates a potentially profitable investment for renting. Signs of high rental demand include low vacancy rates and a competitive rental market. As the home of Fort Stewart, Savannah, GA and Liberty County are both popular areas to live, especially for service people who are stationed at the fort and have families.
The condition of a property significantly affects its rental potential. A well-maintained house with modern amenities will attract tenants and command higher rents. To find out the condition of your home, conduct a thorough inspection or enlist the services of a professional property management company, such as Remax All American. Be sure to assess the totality of your property's condition, including the state of the roof, plumbing, electrical systems, and appliances. Properties that require minimal repairs and upgrades will save you money and time, ensuring quicker tenant occupancy and rental income.
Market trends can have a big impact on the success of a rental investment. It's important to research the current and future real estate trends in the area, including property value appreciation rates, rental market growth, and new developments. Properties in areas with positive market trends are likely to increase in value over time, leading to higher rental income potential. According to reports, the average home in Savannah, GA, is $225,432, which is up 6.0% over the past year and goes to pending in approximately 14 days. The housing market in Savannah, GA is strong â now may be the time to rent your property with Remax All American.
At Remax All American, our #1 priority is being a resource to you and your rental investment property. We believe that success isn't about how many rentals we manage, the recognition we've garnered, or the accolades we've won. It's about you, your peace of mind, and your rental's success.
Trust and transparency go a long way in property management, and we believe our authenticity, attention to detail, and commitment to military members set us apart from other property management companies in Savannah, GA. If you're serving abroad or at Fort Stewart, contact our office today. As veterans, it would be our honor to manage your rental home professionally.
Now that there is a slight chill in the air and a drop in the humidity, getting out and about on the weekends in Savannah is a must. Here are some activities you will not want to miss >>Georgia Southern University's production of David Linsday-Abaire's Rabbit Hole7:30 p.m., Oct. 24-24; 3 p.m., Oct. 26, Jenkins Mainstage Theater, Fine Arts Hall, Armstro...
Now that there is a slight chill in the air and a drop in the humidity, getting out and about on the weekends in Savannah is a must. Here are some activities you will not want to miss >>
7:30 p.m., Oct. 24-24; 3 p.m., Oct. 26, Jenkins Mainstage Theater, Fine Arts Hall, Armstrong Campus, 11935 Abercorn St. Tickets $12, armstrongboxoffice@georgiasouthern.edu.
The Savannah Philharmonic has expanded this weekend's annual fall “Phil The Neighborhood” series to include an additional concert downtown in Chippewa Square. Musicians from the Savannah Philharmonic orchestra will perform music from all genres in a relaxed fun environment throughout the city at the following locations:
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Free and open to the public, savannahphilharmonic.org/phil-in-the-neighborhood
One of the largest festivals in the Southeast, features live music from this year's headliners Clint Black, Sara Evans and the Marshall Tucker Band; amusement rides, arts and crafts, and mouth-watering seafood.
5 to 11 p.m., Oct. 25; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Oct. 26; JF Gregory Park, 521 Cedar St., Richmond Hill; Tickets $25-$70, rhbcchamber.org/seafood-festival
9 a.m., Oct. 26, downtown Savannah, free and open to the public, savannahstate.edu/homecoming
Noon to 5 p.m., Oct. 26-27, Pulaski Square and Starland Yard. Tickets $12-$50, wagoween.org
7:30 p.m., Oct. 25-27; 3 p.m., Oct. 27; 7:30 p.m. and midnight, Oct. 31; Bay Street Theatre at Club One, 1 Jefferson St. Tickets $25, rockyhorrorshowlive.com
Along Bluff Drive, enjoy more 125 art and food vendors. Live music will play from the main stage at the TPG Isle of Hope Marina and Paxton Park.
10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 26, Isle of Hope. Admission is free, iohartandmusicfestival.com.
VEYER, a leading fulfillment and distribution company, has opened a new direct import and deconsolidation center in Savannah, Ga. The 157,000-square-foot facility, part of a larger 500,000-square-foot building, will focus on handling bulky items like furniture and employ 12 dedicated staff. This marks the final step in VEYER's project to transition all warehouses to company-operated locations.The Savannah center will support five nearby fulfillment centers and cross docks, including sites in Buford, Ga., and Orlando, Fla. It jo...
VEYER, a leading fulfillment and distribution company, has opened a new direct import and deconsolidation center in Savannah, Ga. The 157,000-square-foot facility, part of a larger 500,000-square-foot building, will focus on handling bulky items like furniture and employ 12 dedicated staff. This marks the final step in VEYER's project to transition all warehouses to company-operated locations.
The Savannah center will support five nearby fulfillment centers and cross docks, including sites in Buford, Ga., and Orlando, Fla. It joins VEYER's network of four direct import centers across the US, with others located in Garden Grove, Calif., Grand Prairie, Texas, and Newville, Pa. In total, VEYER operates 40 fulfillment centers across North America, enhancing supply chain efficiency and cost savings for customers.
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BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- VEYER, a leading fulfillment and distribution company, today announced the opening of its new direct import and deconsolidation center in Savannah, Ga. The facility will play a crucial role in supply chain efficiency by breaking down freight and shipping it to nearby locations.
Previously operating nearby in a third-party location, VEYER is taking the final step in its project to transition all warehouses to VEYER-operated locations.
“The opening of our Savannah facility marks a significant milestone in our strategic growth plan,” said VEYER President, John Gannfors. “By streamlining our supply chain operations and controlling every aspect of our warehouses, we can deliver greater efficiencies and cost savings to our customers.”
Occupying 157,000 square feet of the 500,000-square-foot building, the new Savannah location will primarily house bulky items such as furniture and other large products and employ 12 dedicated individuals. The facility will support five nearby fulfillment centers and cross docks, including locations in Buford, Ga., and Orlando, Fla.
This new facility is one of four direct import centers operated by VEYER, with other locations spread throughout the United States in Garden Grove, Calif., Grand Prairie, Texas, and Newville, Pa. In total, VEYER operates 40 fulfillment centers across North America.
About VEYER After nearly four decades spent perfecting a supply chain network under the Office Depot umbrella (now The ODP Corporation, NASDAQ:ODP), VEYER was formed and has become a premier provider of eCommerce fulfillment and omnichannel distribution services, renowned for its reliability, flexibility, scalability, and innovative technology. Customers rely on VEYER to boost revenue through high service levels, like >99.9% order accuracy, and enhanced customer experience, while also cultivating operational efficiencies with rapid ROI cost reductions, optimized inventory and cash-flow management.
Office Depot is a trademark of The Office Club, LLC. Veyer is a trademark of Veyer, LLC. ©2024 Veyer, LLC. All rights reserved. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241022461521/en/
Danielle Walsh
Media Relations
Danielle.Walsh@veyerlogistics.com
Source: VEYER
(This story was updated to add new information.)The Savannah area is expected to begin feeling the strongest winds from Hurricane Milton around midnight Thursday as the storm moves over the Florida peninsula.Gusts of 35-40 mph are expected to last into mid-afternoon before diminishing by early evening, according to the ...
(This story was updated to add new information.)
The Savannah area is expected to begin feeling the strongest winds from Hurricane Milton around midnight Thursday as the storm moves over the Florida peninsula.
Gusts of 35-40 mph are expected to last into mid-afternoon before diminishing by early evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Rain is not likely to be much of a factor in the Savannah area. There is just a 30% chance of showers Thursday, according to NWS, so inland flooding is not expected to be a problem as it was with Tropical Storm Debby.
Off the map:Savannah's Helene experience shows 'lines and dots' can miss mark in hurricane alerts
“We know this might be largely a wind event, but then you're talking about a wind event in a place that's already been impacted by wind and rain,” Savannah Mayor Van Johson said Wednesday, referring to earlier storms Debby and Helene that moved through the area after hitting Florida. “So, we know that branches that might have held up under regular circumstances might be easier to fall down.”
Chatham Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Dennis Jones encouraged local business owners and residents to survey their property for items that could be blown around by the expected high winds.
“We understand there's still quite a bit of debris, not only on the side of the roads, but also in people's property that hasn't been cleaned up yet,” Jones said. “If there's any way that you can secure that, you may want to do that. Otherwise, we'll just have to make sure that we're monitoring those conditions and reacting to the debris that gets blown.”
He also suggested removing outdoor Halloween decorations.
Chatham County Board of Commissioners Chairman Chester Ellis said local law enforcement and the Georgia Department of Transportation will make judgments on closing bridges due to high winds, which are expected to diminish considerably by around 2 a.m. Friday.
Some coastal areas likely will see flooding Thursday, perhaps into Friday, added Jones, with Highway 80 leading to Tybee Island and the causeway to Burnside Island possibly impassable at times.
Johnson urged anyone who encounters fallen trees in Savannah to call the city’s 311 phone line. Downed power lines should be reported to 911 or Georgia Power, he added.
Savannah and Chatham County both declared states of emergency ahead of the storm.
Forecasters told Patch the impacts from Category 5 Hurricane Milton may not spare coastal and southeast Georgia.Patch Staff|Updated Mon, Oct 7, 2024 at 1:51 pm ETGEORGIA — As recovery from Hurricane Helene heads into its second week, forecasters told Patch some Georgia cities may not escape Hurricane Milton's wrath.Though Milton will not directly travel through the Peach State, its wind field is expected to bring impacts to southeast and coastal Georgia, as well as southeast South Carolina.Milton st...
Patch Staff
|Updated Mon, Oct 7, 2024 at 1:51 pm ET
GEORGIA — As recovery from Hurricane Helene heads into its second week, forecasters told Patch some Georgia cities may not escape Hurricane Milton's wrath.
Though Milton will not directly travel through the Peach State, its wind field is expected to bring impacts to southeast and coastal Georgia, as well as southeast South Carolina.
Milton strengthened to a Category 5 on Monday, causing widespread concern for Florida residents who are still reeling from Helene. The latter storm slammed north Florida as a Category 4 system in the night hours of Sept. 26 before heading north across Georgia.
The National Hurricane Center predicted Milton will make landfall after 7 a.m. Wednesday in central Florida. The system was traveling at 155 mph in the Atlantic Ocean as of early Monday afternoon.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development said Florida evacuation ahead of Milton is expected to be the Sunshine State's "largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017."
The economic department has issued a travel alert, which will offer current travel information and resources while guiding evacuees to areas available to them. Visitor services and emergency resources are factors of the alert.
Life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds were possible for west Florida starting Tuesday night or early Wednesday. Parts of the region are under a hurricane watch.
The impacts from Milton are expected to travel along coastal Georgia starting Wednesday evening, said Brian Adam, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Charleston, South Carolina office.
Adam told Patch the effects of Milton could venture through Thursday but may clear by Friday.
Georgia and South Carolina beaches are at risk for dangerous rip currents until 8 p.m. Monday.
Tropical-storm force winds may blow through the Savannah area and other parts of the coast Wednesday evening and possibly overnight into Thursday.
Wind speeds could reach 45-50 mph, potentially higher, through Thursday morning, Adam said. Winds may lessen further inland, he added.
Also, on Thursday, high tide levels may trigger coastal flooding issues. Adam said northeasterly winds could increase tide levels. He urged residents, especially those along the Hilton Head area, to take heed of rising water levels.
The coast could see 2-4 inches of rainfall from Milton, Adam said.
On the other side of the coin, NWS Peachtree City meteorologist Laura Belanger said central and north Georgia are not in Milton's current path.
"Fingers crossed that this will continue to be a week that areas from Helene can dry out a little bit," she said.
Belanger told Patch that east central Georgia, including Vidalia and Swainsboro, could get up to 1 inch of rain and wind gusts of 25 mph from Milton. Wind gusts could elevate to 30 mph.
"For Ga, this could be an impactful system in seeing the evacuees come up here and less from the actual impact on the area," she said of Milton.
"Georgia’s Visitor Information Centers are ready to assist evacuees with identifying and travel information. Each facility offers clean restrooms, parking, outdoor space to walk pets and more," the economic department said in a news release.
Georgia centers are open daily from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and restrooms are open around-the-clock at the Valdosta, St. Marys and Port Wentworth (Savannah) centers, which are situated on or near evacuation routes.
For the most part, central and north Georgia can look forward to a "largely pleasant week" and a "nice intro to fall," Belanger said.
A frontal boundary will drop temperatures, and low cooling temperatures will cause a fall-like feel to the state.
After Monday, high temperatures will sit in the high to low 70s, while low temperatures will stay in the 50s. Belanger said some areas could experience temperatures in the 40s.
As of around 1:30 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service predicted the following detailed forecast for metro Atlanta:
This Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 85. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 61. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 53.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 73.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 50.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 52.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 79.
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The Georgia city is a picturesque tourist destination. It’s also the No. 2 ocean cargo hub on the East Coast, and the dock strike’s quick end was a relief.Container cargo was back in action on Friday in Savannah, Ga.Credit...Adam Kuehl for The New York TimesNewListen to this article · 7:19 min Learn moreReporting from Savannah, Ga.Viewed through a narrow lens, Savannah is a popular tour...
The Georgia city is a picturesque tourist destination. It’s also the No. 2 ocean cargo hub on the East Coast, and the dock strike’s quick end was a relief.
Container cargo was back in action on Friday in Savannah, Ga.Credit...Adam Kuehl for The New York Times
New
Listen to this article · 7:19 min Learn more
Reporting from Savannah, Ga.
Viewed through a narrow lens, Savannah is a popular tourist destination with a seemingly aesthetic profile, accentuated by its Revolutionary War history, historic Black churches and colorful Victorian homes surrounded by Spanish moss.
For big companies, the city’s primary attraction has been a grittier side that has fueled an economic transformation over the decades: Savannah is the No. 2 ocean cargo complex on the East Coast, home to thriving container terminals that handle millions of tons of freight each year.
That economic motor for the city and the region sputtered to a stop this week after thousands of dockworkers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association, or I.L.A., went on strike from Maine to Texas.
Instead of a stream of trucks moving big boxes in and out of the port, a group of around 100 dockworkers stood outside the main gates on Tuesday, intermittently chanting, “No contract, no work,” with traffic reduced to vehicles that drove by honking in solidarity with the striking workers.
But after three days, the group representing port operators made a new pay offer, and the union suspended the walkout.
On Friday, the Port of Savannah was humming again.
Trucks started lining up in front of the gates of the Garden City Terminal before sunrise, and by midmorning, large container ships made their way down the Savannah River, in clear view of the city’s downtown.
“It really was a herculean effort to get open this morning,” Griff Lynch, the president and chief executive of the Georgia Ports Authority, said in an interview.
For Savannah, the return to work represented a dodged bullet. Had the stoppage dragged on, the economy that relies so heavily on the port would have been thrown off course.
Port cities like New York and Boston have diverse economies driven by sectors like finance and medicine. Savannah, a city of 150,000 and the nucleus of a metropolitan region of 400,000, depends more on the freight traffic passing through its container terminals. (To the south, a smaller port in Brunswick, Ga., handles wheeled cargo like tractors and automobiles.)
A wide range of businesses depend on Savannah’s port, not just locally but also statewide. More than half a million jobs across Georgia, including nearly 60,000 in the Savannah metropolitan area, were supported by the state’s ports in 2021, according to a study from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.
“It’s the engine,” Dave Manns, the senior vice president for customer success at PortCity, a third-party logistics provider, said of Savannah’s port. His company’s warehouses cover around four million square feet in the Southeast, and the largest is in the Savannah area.
A few distinct geographic factors and historical trends have made the city an attractive place for companies to send their products. It has one of the westernmost ports along the East Coast, making it easy for truckloads to reach far inland in just a day. It is cheaper to build on its land than in, say, New York City or Los Angeles.
Amazon announced in 2021 that it was building a fulfillment center in Savannah. In 2022, Hyundai announced it was building a plant to produce electric vehicles there, with plans to spend nearly $8 billion on that factory, one of the largest private investments in Georgia’s history.
Yet a logistics hub wasn’t predestined for Savannah. Until the 1990s, the city primarily focused on exports of paper and chemicals at its port, and it didn’t have the critical storage space that companies look for when deciding where to ship their products.
That changed with a push by the Georgia Ports Authority to invest in more warehouses and build on the area’s marshy land. The expansion of the Panama Canal in 2016 helped, enabling larger container ships to pass through, according to Jean-Paul Rodrigue, a professor in the department of maritime business administration at Texas A&M University at Galveston.
The local efforts have paid off. Throughout much of the 2000s, the Port of Savannah was the fastest-growing container terminal in the country, and in 2022, it handled around 5.9 million units of imports and exports, nearly twice the volume from a decade earlier. Georgia’s large poultry industry has helped bolster exports at the terminal, which has in turn increased the production of warehouses around Savannah.
But even as things started to return to normal on Friday, businesses in Savannah faced a challenging few days of work, and some worried about what another strike could bring.
TCW, a warehousing and distribution company whose largest operation center is in Savannah, typically handles around 130 containers a day, carrying manufacturing equipment like car and golf cart parts. But a day before the strike began, with many drivers dealing with the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, TCW could handle only about a quarter of its usual volume. It told customers that they wouldn’t be receiving further shipments.
Given TCW’s limited space — it can store around 400 truckloads in its yard at a time — there was only so much it could do to prepare, said Ben Banks, a vice president of operations for TCW. He and the company had been monitoring the potential for a strike by the I.L.A. for about a year.
When word came that the strike was over, Mr. Banks said he was “pumped.” He hoped that with the port open on the weekend, his company would be caught up on its backlog by late next week.
Onder Ansary, the general manager at Phoenix Transload Services, which unloads freight from trucks, had been more worried about what the strike would mean for the cost of his necessities, and about possible consumer hoarding of products in anticipation of shortages.
“I’m still worried,” Mr. Ansary said on Friday, noting that the strike was only suspended, and that there had still been no overall contract agreement. In the meantime, he said, it would take about a week for things to return to normal.
Yet even with the recent disruption, he remained optimistic about Savannah’s economy. Mr. Ansary, 45, pointed to the relative ease of finding work, particularly compared with the situation when he arrived more than 25 years ago. Even a few years ago, the road he worked as an unloader was made of dirt. Today, it has warehouses for companies like Target and Wayfair.
“I do see Savannah as eventually competing with Atlanta,” Mr. Ansary said.
Renewed momentum was on display on Friday at PortCity’s warehouse.
Typically, trucks that unload imports enter it from the side closest to the port, and trucks that transport those goods inland arrive from the other side. Once the port shut down, there were no trucks to be found. Forklifts and golf carts that normally zoomed around the one-million-square-foot building were not operating, as boxes of rigatoni and diced carrots stood untouched, stacked to within eight feet of the ceiling in some spots.
“Usually, it’s control the chaos,” Mr. Manns said.
Now the chaos is back. “I can see and hear the forklifts zipping by like a well-tuned orchestra,” he said on Friday.
Peter Eavis contributed reporting.
A version of this article appears in print on Oct. 5, 2024, Section B, Page 1 of the New York edition with the headline: U.S. Ports Rush to Restart After Walkout. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe