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June 20, 2008
The Official Start of Summer! And a Special
Offer for YOU!!
Yes! Today’s the official start of summer, and I’m totally excited.
That means family vacations, barbeques, pool parties, and
the start of the busy real estate season.
I decided that the best way to celebrate the start of summer is to
announce a SPECIAL PROMOTION for all of you:
Since I have a personal goal to help turn everyone I know into a
homeowner first, and later a wealthy investor, I’ve decided
to offer a discount price to anyone who signs up for our 3
month credit repair program. We normally charge $400 for
this program, but for the next 2 weeks only, I’ve
reduced the price to only $199. That’s right, I’ve
cut the price in half.
This is a full 3 month program where we’ll work with you one-on-one
for the next 3 months, improving your credit situation so
that you can do whatever it is in life that you need to do:
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Buy a new car
·
Purchase your first home
·
Start a business
·
Get lower interest rates on credit cards
·
Take out a loan
·
Get debt free
Whatever your financial goals are, they all begin with getting
your credit in order. We’re here to help, whether you plan
to buy a home or not.
Our program is quite intensive and involves much more than just
sending out dispute letters. It includes bi-weekly email
newsletters on credit related topics, bi-weekly updates on
your credit improvements, budgeting/ financial planning
advice, help with building new, positive credit, and much
more. To learn more about what we offer, just
click here.
If you have friends, family, or loved ones that need this valuable
service, just send them this link so they can check it out.
http://atlantalifestyle.com/credit_repair.htm
Those of you that have been through the program already know that
absolutely no company can compare in terms of service or
price, to what we offer. Plus, with our years of experience
in the real estate/ mortgage industry, we know exactly what
your credit report needs to look like in order to help you
reach whatever financial dreams you have.
This offer ends Thursday, July 3 at 5pm EST.
Wishing you all the best during Summer 2008.
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June 5, 2008
The Reports are Coming In!! Our credit repair program
gets results and helps people get approved for the
things they need in life: (new cars, homes, credit cards,
lower interest rates)
The 2008 1st Quarter numbers are in regarding our
credit repair program. Between January - March 2008, approx.
87 people in the Atlanta area signed up for our 3 month
credit repair program and the results have been astonishing.
Our average client experienced 10
deletions from their credit report within the first 90 days.
After working with us for 3 months, over 85% had seen their
credit scores raise more than 60 points. 60% experienced a
FICO score increase of at least 100 points.
Our low cost credit repair service helps repair
virtually every credit problem you could imagine, so you can
get approved to purchase a home, car, or get better interest
rates in as little as 2-6 months.
Although we do refund the entire cost of the
program to all homebuyers, once they are approved and close
on their home, you can take advantage of the full
benefits of our program regardless if you intend to purchase
a home in the future or not.
If you’re already a homeowner or just don’t plan
to buy a home for whatever reason, YES you can still
sign up for this same great program at the affordable prices
we offer. You’ll receive the same great service with all the
benefits.
Note:
We now accept credit repair clients nationwide! You
don’t have to be a resident of Atlanta.
Also:
If you’re planning to buy a home, we can help you buy a
home anywhere in the country, not just in Georgia. Once
we repair your credit and get you approved for a mortgage
with a national lender, we’ll connect you with a qualified
real estate agent in your city that can help you find the
perfect home and get the deal closed for you.
To get more detailed information on our credit
repair programs,
click here.
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June 1,
2008 -
New article added to the website this morning:
Is Your Credit Report on Target
With companies getting much more
strict on your credit these days, I'd definitely recommend
checking this out. Just
click here to read it.
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May 25, 2008 -
I added a new article to the website this morning. The
title
of it is "This
Market is PERFECT for 1st Time Homebuyers". To
read it, just
click here
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March 11, 2008 - Many of you that read this blog have heard me mention
repeatedly over the past few months that Atlanta is one of
the best places to buy a home, since prices have dropped in
many areas. Some areas of town are seeing prices drop as
much as 40%.
I know many of you have been following
the real estate headlines making the news lately, and in
case you missed it, a national report came out last week
that lists the top 10 cities in America to buy a home in
2008. Guess what? Atlanta made the list, coming in at #
10. Here's the complete list:
1. Sacramento, CA
2. Las Vegas, NV
3. San Diego, CA
4. Tampa, FL
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Miami, FL
7. Phoenix, AZ
8. Jacksonville, FL
9. Detroit, MI
10. Atlanta, GA
Everyday I'm noticing subdivisions
where just 2 years ago, homes were selling for $200,000,
$300,000 or more. With the market the way it is, these same
homes are going for $130,000 - $190,000.
Imagine buying a home this year for
$180,000 and then 3 years from now, being able to sell it
for $280,000. I don't know about you, but it sounds like a
great investment to me. I guess that's why all the books on
making money always list real estate as the # 1 way to build
wealth in this country, regardless of the market. All
markets, (even the stock market)
have periods where they go down for awhile, and then
they eventually jump back up.
If you're thinking about buying a
home, don't miss out on all the great opportunities.
By the way, if you were curious as to
the best places right now to sell a home, here they
are:
Top Sellers’ Markets
1.
Raleigh, NC
2.
San Francisco, CA
3.
Austin, TX
4.
San Antonio, TX
5.
St. Louis, MO
6.
Houston, TX
7.
Portland, OR
8.
Dallas, TX
9.
Denver, CO
10.
Baltimore, MD
Talk to you soon. Have a great
week!
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March 7, 2008 - Good morning everyone! I added a
new article to the website this morning. The title is
"Now Maybe the Best Time to Buy an Atlanta Home in 4
Years!" If you're still renting or thinking about buying
a home this year, it's a must read. To read it, just
click here.
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Spring 2008 -
With all the
news being reported about the real estate industry, not
only here in Atlanta, but nationwide, I’ve
decided to re-launch this area of the website. From the
emails I get, it’s apparent that many of the visitors to
this website take the time to read this blog regularly.
Nationwide, the housing market has been making headlines all
year. Foreclosures are at an all time high all over the
country. Dozens of mortgage lenders have been forced to
close their doors. Interest rates are up…then down…then back
up again. For anyone who studies all these different reports
that come out, the headlines can be frustrating.
With all
these stories circulating, I’ve decided to make a much more
dedicated effort at keeping you all informed on real estate
related news, especially since hundreds of you depend on me
to keep you informed when it comes to real estate.
Regardless of all the negative press, Atlanta still remains
a very solid real estate market. Even in the slowest time of
the year, thousands of homes are bought and sold in Atlanta,
month after month. Regardless of the economy, regardless of
the interest rates, and regardless of anything else.
Since
most of the questions I get asked these days relate to the
overall condition of the Atlanta real estate market, let me
break it all down for you:
For Sellers
Some of what
you’ve been hearing and reading about is true:
1.
Yes, there are a lot of homes currently for sale in the Atlanta area.
We all drive by those billboards every day that remind us
how many homes are for sale in this city. This week, those
estimates place the number close to 110,000. That’s a lot of
homes for sale. Even worse, what you probably don’t know is
that those estimates don’t include the huge
numbers of new homes currently for sale by builders. It also
doesn’t take into consideration the thousands of homes in
the process of being dumped on the market as foreclosures.
So with all that being considered, how many homes are
currently for sale in this city? It would likely be safe to
say that a more accurate number would be over 200,000
homes.
2.
Yes, homes are taking longer to sell. Current estimates say that it could take an minimum of
6 months to get a home sold in this market. Fortunately, I’m
proud to say that because of the strong marketing program we
implement for all our new listings, 85% of our homes still
sell within 60-90 days.
3.
Yes, foreclosures are all over the place and the number is growing daily.
4.
Yes, property values in some areas are actually going DOWN due to the
backlash from the sub-prime market and foreclosures.
Enough bad
news, now here’s the good news for sellers:
First, interest rates are still surprisingly low. With 30-year
fixed-rate loans hovering around 6 percent, homeownership is
still affordable.
Second, even during the slowest months,
THOUSANDS of homes are still bought and sold in Atlanta,
every single month…even December. Plus the fact that Atlanta
is a very strong relocation market. Thousands of people
relocate here every month, with a large percentage moving
between October and the end of the year, in preparation for
new jobs that will start in January.
Next, compared with other major metropolitan areas, Atlanta
continues to be a bargain. Economists at the National
Association of Realtors recently estimated the national
home resale price at $224,900, while Atlanta is reported
with a median resale price of around $176,100.
This comparison is even more favorable when you look at the
median selling price of a home in the Northeast at $276,000
and in the West at $349,000. And buckle your seat belt: The
median selling price for a resale home in San Francisco is
$749,900.
Finally, it appears that we are finally seeing a return to
the normal real estate markets we experienced in Atlanta
prior to the boom times of the past decade.
So how can you take advantage of this return to a normal
market? Here are some ideas :
● Spend the money now to get your home in excellent
condition. Even though builders are finally pulling back and
new-home inventory is declining, there remains a backlog of
new homes to sell. Because you are competing with new homes,
yours must be ready to move into. Put yourself in buyer’s
shoes. Why would they buy a home that needs work, when they
can go around the corner and buy a brand new home for the
same price, maybe even less.
Buyers are not willing to purchase a home with worn and
smelly carpets in exchange for a "carpeting allowance," even
though that solution is easier for you. Instead, choose a
neutral color and install a medium grade now. In fact, I
recommend that you visit all the new-home subdivisions in
your community to see what you are up against.
● Have your listing agent offer a bonus to any agent who
brings a successful offer. I know it sounds surprising, but
it's simply human nature. I once sold a new home to a young
couple in Stone Mountain. The builder was offering a free
television to any agent who sold a house in the subdivision
that month. Although I was unaware of this offer when I
first showed the prospects around, I was delighted to take
home a free TV.
Today's equivalent might be an LCD high definition TV or a
gift card to an electronics store. Whatever it is, you can
be sure the agent will know about it and appreciate it. And
a fancy TV is more fun than a wad of cash.
● Finally, it's important that you price your home to sell
and that you justify your price. In this market, usually the
lowest priced homes in any given area will sell first. My
recommendation is that you ask your agent to help you do
research on the most likely selling price, and that you
gather data regarding recent home sales in your
neighborhood. This can come from any number of sources, but
your agent has access to the most comprehensive database
through the multiple listing services in town.
Then contact a licensed appraiser and tell him you are
seeking an estimate of value for marketing purposes, and
that you have some data you would like to share before he
does his own research. You are certainly entitled to tell
the appraiser what you believe your home to be worth, but
you can’t dictate the outcome of their appraisal.
If the appraisal comes back at a price you can live with, I
recommend using it as a marketing tool in all your
advertising. Unless you can back up your asking price with a
recent appraisal, you are simply making a stab in the dark.
However, my experience has shown that most professional
appraisals tend to be in a fairly tight price range, and a
major movement in value is unlikely. Regardless of how much
we want a value to be higher, hoping won't make it so.
My advice to anyone trying to sell a home in this market:
With your
home competing with so many other homes that are currently
on the market, the only way to get a home sold in the
Atlanta market is to have it both priced right, and
in great condition. In addition, a great marketing plan is
an absolute must to getting your home sold.
Yes, the past year has not been the best for you as a
homeowner attempting to sell property. Atlanta has remained
a very strong buyer's market for awhile now, with no
immediate end in sight. One good thing, however, is that
thousands of people all over the country relocate to Atlanta
every single month.
One sad thing is that most real estate agents today will
only place your home in the MLS and then pray that it sells,
so all these new residents to our city will never find out
about your home. This probably explains why every month in
Atlanta, over 10,000 homes expire off the market without
selling. Don't leave the sale of your most valuable asset in
the hands of a nonproductive, incompetent real estate agent.
Give me a call today to discuss how we can help you achieve
your plans to sell in this crowded real estate market.
With over 85% of our homes selling in less than 90 days
(compared with the Atlanta average of 6+ months), let us put
our proven marketing plan to work for you.
Contact us today to
discuss how we get so many homes sold in the Atlanta area.
For Buyers
Atlanta is
currently a very strong buyer’s market. If you’ve been
thinking about becoming a homeowner, or moving into a bigger
home, now is the time to seize the opportunity to get the
home you want.
There are a lot of homes on the market, and buyers have many
choices. When buyers have choices, they can negotiate.
As a
homebuyer, great deals and opportunities are everywhere:
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With so many
homes for sell, homeowners are dropping prices, and offering
great deals. Some even offer incentives, such as carpet/
paint allowances, appliances, decorating allowances, and
much more.
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Builders all over town are offering to
pay closing costs, give free upgrades, and many other
exciting incentives, just to get their homes sold. However,
if you’re considering new construction, be aware! If you
walk into a new home community without a good Realtor
representing you, don’t expect to get the best deal. The
agents that work on-site in new communities represent the
builder, and as such, are there to sell you a home with
the builder’s best interest in mind, not yours!
If you don’t believe me, just walk into any new community
and ask the on-site agent if they represent you or the
builder. They’ll tell you. By having an agent to represent
you, you can walk away with a much better deal, plus special
incentives that the builder’s agents may not even tell you
about. Plus, it’s FREE for buyers to work with a real
estate agent! You don’t pay a thing. Don’t risk losing
possibly thousands of dollars by trying to buy one of the
biggest assets in your lifetime, without having professional
representation of your own.
Contact me
today and let’s discuss your options.
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Foreclosures
are another way to get a great deal—if you know what you’re
doing. Georgia has one of the highest foreclosure rates in
the nation, according to RealtyTrac, a real estate data
firm, and it’s not unusual to save 10% - 30% off the market
value by buying a foreclosure.
Buying a foreclosure helped Todd, 32, buy a beautiful
2-story, four-sided brick home in Dekalb County for he and
his family. The neighborhood was complete with golf, swim,
playground, and tennis amenities, and was only 5 years old.
Market price for the neighborhood, and asking price of
additional comparable homes being offered for sale by other
homeowners: $225,000 - $270,000
Asking price for the foreclosed home: $189,900
The Story:
Upon showing this home to Todd and his wife Michelle, once
they looked at the numbers it was a no-brainer. They had
been in love with this community for years, they just never
thought they could afford it. Once I told them about this
foreclosure in the neighborhood, even though it needed a
fresh coat of paint on the inside, they decided to jump on
the opportunity. The appraised value came in at $239,000.
They only paid $191,000.
Their plans:
to keep the home for about 5 years and cash out, which will
pocket them at least $45,000 cash once they sell. By then
the market will have turned around and the house should be
worth at least $250,000.
Buying a foreclosure also helped Rich, 37, land a
two-bedroom condo in the Francis XIV building on 14th Street
in Atlanta. It's in a hot area a few blocks from the
Downtown Connector and within walking distance of Atlantic
Station and two MARTA stations, which helps make it a good
investment.
> The asking price: $169,000
> The selling price: $167,000
> The comps: Other units in the building are selling
in the $170,000s to $190,000s.
> The story: Tanksley searched for six months for a
two-bedroom condo for less than $200,000 in the city. He
came up empty-handed until he noticed the unit online. He
found out it was a foreclosure when his real estate agent
called for more information.
> The negotiations: Tanksley was able to buy the
condo, which has floor-to-ceiling windows and a
25-by-25-foot deck with a downtown view, for $2,000 less
than the asking price. The bank that owned the property also
agreed to pay six months of homeowners association dues and
covered back dues and other fees, totaling around $14,000.
"It was such a good deal," says a satisfied Tanksley
If you
are in jeopardy of losing your home to FORECLOSURE:
Call us Today!
Thousands of Atlanta area homeowners are making the huge
mistake of not attempting to get help before it’s too
late. In Georgia, mortgage companies can start foreclosure
proceedings on you in as little as 60 days once you’re late.
There are many options available to help you either get
caught up with the payments or to get out of the home,
without risking a foreclosure on your credit report for the
next 7-10 years. Feel free to call us at anytime to explore
your options.
For Investors
Now is a very good time to invest in Atlanta real
estate. Rates are low, programs are still available, and
opportunities are everywhere.
On the down
side, if you’re looking to start real estate
investing, it’s important to know that the world of
investing is changing. As a result of the current market
situation, with the sub-prime mess, high rates of
foreclosures, etc., most lenders are now requiring investors
to put up more money for non owner-occupied homes. Banks
want to see a more sound and solid financial position when
considering an investor for a loan.
Over the
next few months, things should remain quite well for the
savvy investor. All reports I’ve seen say that the
foreclosure situation is only going to get worse before it
gets better. This means that there will be thousands of new
opportunities for investors to cash in. Plus, despite the
market, there are plenty of new developments still popping
up all over town.
However,
just as the guidelines are changing for the average,
everyday home buyer, the same is true on the investment end.
To discuss how the changes could affect your real estate
investment plans, just
contact us and we’ll keep
you abreast of market changes, as they develop.
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January 1, 2008 - The details for our upcoming
FREE 2008 1st
Time Home Buyer Course have been released. People
constantly express to us that they would like to buy a home,
but they simply don't know where to begin, how to begin, or
who to contact. This new course is for you. We'll walk you
step-by-step through the entire home buying process.
Starting with reviewing your current credit situation and
determining what you'll need to do in order to become a
homeowner in 2008.
We'll take you one step at a time
through the entire home buying process. By the time we're
finished, you'll walk away with keys to your new home. Of
course everyone's situation will be different, but no matter
if it takes us 2 months or 2 years of working with you,
we'll be there every step of the way.
As you've heard in the news, Atlanta
is currently in a very strong buyer's market. Deals are
everywhere for buyers and real estate investors. Let's make
2008 the year you stop renting and own your own piece of the
American dream. For details on this new program, just
click here.
Because of our commitment to giving
our clients all the time, education, and personal service
they deserve, we only have a limited number of spots available in this
course. Don't miss out. Register today!
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November
15, 2007 (Wed.)
I wasn’t
going to discuss a recent experience I had, however it’s
really been on my mind all week, so I feel that I must
comment on it.
This past
Saturday I spent most of the day working as a volunteer with
the Atlanta Union Mission. They have a facility near
downtown called My Sister’s House, which houses over
100 homeless women and children. They provide recovery
programs for women who are suffering from domestic, drug,
and alcohol abuse.
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They
also work with the Children’s Restoration Network
who has many programs and special events that help
alleviate the suffering of nearly 2,000 children in
shelters and group homes throughout metro Atlanta.
On
this particular day they were having Career Day,
where they get people from the community to come in and
help their residents with job skills such as
interviewing techniques, creating a resume, and things
like that to help them get back on their feet and out
into society. You should've seen the looks on these
mother's and their children's faces, with so many people
there with the sole purpose of just trying to help them. |
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It was a
great experience. A lot of you that read this page are young
professionals and you would be surprised how much of a
difference you can make by just volunteering a couple of
hours a month to a worthy cause. Many people think they
don’t have the time, but regardless of what you do, or who
you are, WE ALL can afford to take out just a few hours at a
time periodically to help another person in need.
We all
need help of some type at different times of our lives. If
interested in helping with this organization, I’m posting a
few links to their website for more information. If it moves
you to become a volunteer, the world thanks you:
http://www.aumcares.org/index.htm
http://www.charityadvantage.com/Childrens_Restoration_NetwMKEPKF/Newhome.asp
Being a
part of that event, opened my eyes to something that we’ve
all been reading about as it pertains to real estate.
Outside of the thousands of people forced to live on the
street or in homeless shelters around the country, there are
also thousands of people right here in Atlanta alone,
who are facing foreclosure, so what does that make them?
Almost homeless!
Usually
during this time of year real estate grinds to a halt and
it’s very slow. I usually take November and December off,
but this year I’m noticing a much different trend. More and
more, I’m spending so much of my time these days, working
with and trying to assist people all over Atlanta who are in
the process of either losing their home, or facing the
possibility of foreclosure. Many times people don’t even
contact me until it’s too late and they are so far into the
foreclosure process that I can’t do much about it. If only
they had contacted me sooner then I could have helped them
by working directly with the bank to try to help give them
some other options outside of just watching them loose their
home.
All this
talk of homelessness and foreclosures has led me to write an
article entitled, “How to Talk to a Mortgage Company
After You’ve Fallen Behind”. In this day and age, a
person could be upper-middle class/ wealthy today and lose
it all tomorrow and faced with homelessness.
To read this new article, just
click here
and don’t hesitate to contact me if I can help.
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October 22, 2007
(Monday) -
Michael Vick’s Sugarloaf Home For Sale
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Michael
Vick’s lakefront Sugarloaf Country Club home is
now up for sale for $4.5 million.
According to a listing posted at Realtor.com, the
suspended Falcons quarterback’s seven-bedroom,
8.5 bath mansion at 2927 Darlington Run in Duluth
has an estimated monthly mortgage payment of more than
$23,000.
Built
in 2004, Vick purchased the home in April 2005 for $3.77
million, just 4 months after the embattled quarterback
signed a 10 year contract with the team that included an
NFL record $37 million of guaranteed money. |
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The
European-styled home inside the prestigious gated
Gwinnett County golfing community features 2 fireplaces,
a 4+ car garage, Cathedral ceilings, a 12+ seat dining room,
and hardwood floors. Additional features include a 2 story
foyer, double curved staircase, 2 story library, elevator,
wet bar, double-sided fireplace, and 2 outdoor fireplaces.
The house has its own irrigation system, sits on 1.5 acres
and has a great view of a lake.
Property
taxes are approximately $26,700 a year.
This
home is being shown by appointment only and only
pre-qualified buyers will have an opportunity to view this
property. For more information or to schedule a private
showing, feel free to
contact me
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October 17, 2007
(Wednesday) - Interested in finding out what the
hottest
zip codes are in metro Atlanta for 2007? Read all about them
here.
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October 8, 2007 (Monday) - This
morning I added a new article to the website that I
completed awhile back, but never got around to posting it to
the site. It's entitled, "Who Buys Luxury Homes in
Atlanta". If you have
an interest in this segment of Atlanta real estate, it's a
pretty good read. To check it out, just
click here.
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September 24, 2007
(Monday) -
Our 5th Annual
Client Appreciation Event was held last night at the
fabulous Villa Christina (www.villachristina.com)
near Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody. As always, this is our
premier event every year for nearly 1,000 of our clients,
associates, and friends. Last night was no different. Thanks
to everyone who came out. We all had a great time. The food
was great! The live jazz was great! Everything went
extremely wonderful. Thanks also to our sponsors for the
event. Click the following link for a few pictures from
this year's event, plus
several from
last year...
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