How does one go about finding a good Realtor in Atlanta? Are you looking for one that is trustworthy and honest or one who knows the real estate market and all of Atlanta’s neighborhoods? Do you want a Realtor that will find you the right house or one who can negotiate on your behalf for your new Atlanta home? Can you combine these attributes and get it all?

The answer to all of the above should be a resounding “Yes”!

Ask your friends who own a home: “how did you find your Realtor”? In a recent study by the National Association of Realtors’ of how buyers/sellers found their agent, over 80% of buyers/sellers say, as they walk away from the closing table, they would use their agent again*. Yet when it comes to actually re-buying or re-selling, less than 10% actually used their previous agent*.

How frequently do you hear from your agent? Does  she keep up with you and your family’s lives? Does she know the market and give you information regarding the Atlanta real estate market’s fluctuations? If not, you could be one of the 70% that forgets your agent’s name and number, when you sell or buy property.

For many of my buyers/sellers, I am on  the 2nd, 3rd and in one case, 4th “generation”, of purchases/sales! My clients refer me to their friends and relatives because I keep in touch and keep my clients in the-know. Does your Atlanta Realtor do that? If not, may I help you with your real estate needs?

* From a National Association of Realtors’ study of buyers/sellers.

In Georgia, a buyer can buy a home, putting 3.5%* down, less if the buyer is a veteran. The average down payment in our state, according to Lending Tree, is 11.94%.

Also according to Lending Tree, the top 10 states with the highest down-payments US are:

1.  New Jersey –  13.71%

2.  Washington D.C. – 13.50%

3.   New York –  13.47%

4.  Hawaii –  13.33%

5.  California – 13.22%

6. Florida –  13.16%

7.  Alaska –  13.06%

8.  Connecticut – 13.03%

9. Nevada –  12.98%

10. Massachusetts –  12.98%

Click here to see what every state looks like, in terms of an average downpayment.

* Qualified buyers of an FHA loan

One of the new trends in real estate is not “big” (as in the mini-mansions of 2004), but more personal space (as in Owners’ Suite or Sun Porch). Anything that gives an Atlanta homeowner more bang for their buck, is hot right now.

People are always asking me what their home is “worth”.  Atlanta’s houses may not fetch the same price as they did 5-7 years ago, but what is making them hot and sell quickly, are the features that the owners have enjoyed, while living in their homes. Do you have outdated wallpaper or a master bath that feels like a spa? Do you have a living room no one enjoys or a sunporch that the kids use or one in which you like to curl up with a book?

I can help you modify your home to show off its assets and get it ready to sell. Call me, your Atlanta Realtor: Simply Done and always at your service!

Brookhaven Ashford Park Sun Porch

I am looking forward to this report. On Sunday, December 19, the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) will launch its “Property Tax Meltdown” series – an investigative report that reveals flaws in home property value assessments and their impact on metro Atlanta homeowners left with unreasonably high tax bills. The obvious question is: “What took you so long?” and why haven’t our towns, counties, town councils and elected officials realized this?

I believe 2011 will be the ‘Year of the Short Sale’. If you aren’t ready to handle this type of sale, you should be getting ready or finding someone who is! And make sure you know the tax implications of the sale for the buyer.

Many buyers are choosing to buy real estate for cash, thanks to low prices, a huge inventory of foreclosed properties, and poor rates of return on other types of investments. In September, 2010, 20.9% of all buyers in the metro-Atlanta area paid all-cash for their property! 

 Although the only legal requirement for a cash purchase is the money, there are several important considerations for a cash buyer:

1.  Home inspection – never buy a property without one;
2. Appraisal – there is no lender appraisal, so this is the only way to insure that the purchase price is reasonable;  
3. Survey – always recommended for small lots and properties in older or urban areas;  
4. Flood zone determination – a lender always checks this, and a buyer should also;  
5. Hazard insurance – always have the property bound with insurance from the closing date (do not put this off);  
6. Termite inspection – a termite problem can be a major expense;  Water bills: look at recent water bills to make sure they are not unreasonably high. A high bill could reveal a leaky or broken pipe;  
7. HOA dues or condo dues – inquire about pending assessments or increases in dues – check the foreclosure rates, owner/occupancy rates, and financial stability of the complex and association;  
8. Owner’s title insurance – this is imperative for the cash buyer, especially when buying a foreclosed or distressed property such as a short sale.

The 2010 Brookhaven Arts Festival takes place Saturday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 17. It’s open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Exhibitors will set up booths along Apple Valley Road between Dresden Drive and North Druid Hills Road, which is behind the Brookhaven-Oglethorpe MARTA station. More than 125 artists have signed up to participate in the show. Admission is free.

This afternoon, Jeff Nicholson, of Wells Fargo, told me that he is offering a “no-origination-fee” for the next two loans he does for my home-buyer clients. That’s $-0-!!! An origination fee is 1% of the loan amount and, depending on the loan amount, this fee can be thousands of dollars!

If you are looking for a home, it is worth it, to call or email me and ask about this sweet deal!

(Some restrictions may apply.)

Home Buyer Tax Credit Update

Last night, the Senate reached a deal on extending and expanding the home buyer tax credit; they plan to attach it to the unemployment insurance bill.  Click here to see a copy of the bill (the tax credit provisions begin on page. 14).  

The process should go like this:
1. There will be a cloture vote at 5 pm on Monday, November 2, in the Senate on the new Baucus substitute. If the vote succeeds, it takes 30 hours to “ripen” ( i.e.: before the bill is brought to the floor);

2. Thirty hours later, it is Tuesday night, the 3rd. More than likely, there will be another cloture vote on the full unemployment insurance bill, as amended;

3. Thirty hours after that, it’s Thursday morning, the 5th, when the Senate votes on final passage of the bill; 

4. The House of Representatives could take up the bill as early as Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.  They may accept the Senate bill as is, and vote on it.  However, if the House’s version differs from the Senate bill, then the whole thing has to back through Conference. That’s unlikely at this point – and undesirable.

5.  The plan, and hope, is to have the bill on the President’s desk as soon as next weekend, November 7-8.

Obviously, this is all subject to change without notice; after all, this our Congress we’re talking about!  The one thing, however, that you can always count on, is help and advice on your home sale or purchase. with Nancy & Company! If you are looking for a home in the Atlanta area, call or send us an email today. Experience True Experience!