Hank Miller

Selling a Home in Atlanta – Spring ’12 News

Conventional listings have many advantages over distressed listings however unless accurately priced, buyers are unlikely to pay attention. A review of the 1st qtr ’12 stats shows interesting developments in the Atlanta real estate market that home sellers need to be aware of. A combination of factors seems to be acting in unison, specifically impacting distressed properties. The low rates along with rising rents have brought fence sitters into the market, large and small investors have returned and REO asset managers and lenders appear to be acting a bit faster. The inventory of distressed properties is dropping across all price points, most noteably in the under 200K group. In fact, data shows that under 200K homes in Atlanta are now in a “seller’s market”, the advantage buyer’s enjoyed is over. So what does this mean to the “average” home seller in Atlanta? A lot.                     So the data shows that the overall inventory of...Read More

Atlanta Home Buyer Questionaire

Selection of a real estate agent in Atlanta remains perhaps the single most important aspect of a real estate transaction. Yet many buyers and sellers continue to not adequately qualify their representative in what is likely to be the largest financial transaction of their lives. We're curious and would appreciate input from both Atlanta home buyers and sellers, a few minutes of your time answering these poll questions is greatly appreciated.  Read More

Atlanta Home Seller Questionaire

Selection of a real estate agent in Atlanta remains perhaps the single most important aspect of a real estate transaction. Yet many buyers and sellers continue to not adequately qualify their representative in what is likely to be the largest financial transaction of their lives. We're curious and would appreciate input from both Atlanta home buyers and sellers, a few minutes of your time answering these poll questions is greatly appreciated. Do You Plan to Sell Your Home in the Next Year? How Will You-Did You Choose Your Agent? Did/Will You Research Your Agent Before Using Them? The Most Important Thing I Want From My Listing Agent Problem(s) I've Had With a Real Estate AgentRead More

The Impact of Distressed Homes on Atlanta Real Estate

With 42.5% of all Atlanta home sales in the 1st qtr of '12 distressed, the impact of distressed homes on the greater Atlanta housing market is a significant one. They are present in force and their impact influences every aspect of the Atlanta real estate market, they are expected to be around for the foreseeable future. The metro Atlanta real estate market appears to have bottomed in Jan '10. The charts below illustrate just how significant an impact distressed homes have on Atlanta real estate market conditions. While Atlanta is too large an area to be considered as one, the charts below (courtesy of Chartmasters) illustrate that while some areas are climbing out of the mud, others remain deeply mired. A few key points: Statistics show that the Atlanta real estate market bottomed out in January 2010. To some extent it has been a prolonged bottom from ’08 on 42.5% of homes sales in Atlanta...Read More

Atlanta Home Values 1st Qtr 2012

A review of Atlanta housing trends from 1st quarter ’11 to 1st quarter ’12 shows that parts of three counties in the greater Atlanta real estate market saw the largest percentage increase in home sales.  Inventory continues to drop all over, however the percentage of distressed sales (short sales and foreclosures) remains over 50% in 12 of the 41 MLS areas and over 40% in another 7 areas considered “metro Atlanta”. In an area of Gwinnett County, distressed inventory is over 66%. Yet many of these same areas have low months of supply of inventory. Buyers in many areas can’t find a home but the data shows ample inventory and dropping values; what gives? The “what” is the influence of distressed inventory. This cannot be overstated or ignored; while Atlanta didn’t have the same bubble as other areas did, the area is heavily impacted by distressed homes. Atlanta sprawled like a...Read More

Reverse Staging – the “New” Short Sale Fraud

So word is just getting out about “reverse staging”? The idea that this is a developing fraud trick is very old news to those of us in the field. Instead of stripping and destroying the home on the way out, the idea is just to do "light damage", sell the home and flip for a profit. The methods by which banks and other lending institutions value property never ceases to amaze me, it seems whatever is cheapest is the route taken. It makes no sense not to complete appraisals on distressed assets. How is soliciting a BPO from a broker that is making virtually nothing for the work productive?  If the broker is rendering an opinion shouldn’t they be held to USPAP? And an agent is obviously going to work to secure the listing, is that not a conflict of interest? It's also great to see the Appraisal Institute doing its...Read More

County Official and Appraisers Investigated by the State in Atlanta

  Appraisal issues have been at the center of the real estate boom and bust. In the current environment, appraisal issues continue to be front and center when contracts go bad. Much of problem can be attributed to the “help” provided by Washington but just as much blame belongs on the industry itself; incompetent, lazy and dishonest appraisers remain in the field contributing to the problems.  Well perhaps in Atlanta, some positive movement is starting. The AJC broke a story that yet another member of the Fulton County Assessor’s Board faces an investigation by the Georgia Real Estate Commission and Appraisers Board. Embattled Fulton County assessors board member Donald Johnson is refusing to resign, even though the county commissioner who appointed him has asked him to step down.  Johnson, a self-employed professional appraiser based in south Fulton, has been accused by the state of incompetence, negligence and falsifying documents in several appraisals for...Read More

Illegal Occupation of Homes in Atlanta

“Sovereign citizens”; brothers in arms with the “taxes are illegal” folks are at it again in Atlanta. The scammers are busy exploiting opportunities in real estate, from “helping” with troubled mortgages, investments, adverse possessions…to illegal occupation of vacant homes, these roaches will scam anyone, anywhere, anytime. The buffet of BS that these miscreants serve up is offered those in the most difficult of circumstances with only one objective; separate them from any remaining assets. Recently Received Email from an HOA President in North Atlanta ...For the past four years 3XX2 XXXX CXXX Court has been vacant. Off and on over the years we have seen various For Sale signs but nothing that lasted longer than a few weeks. There was never a clear understanding who was putting the house up for sale, as our understanding was the prior occupant was allowing it to go in to foreclosure. On Thursday, February 22nd we noticed...Read More

Are You an Investor or Wearing a Bullseye?

I think the two most overused current real estate terms are “green” and “investor”. The “green” nonsense is a fabulous industry fabrication and “investor” has taken on a completely different definition over the last few years. I am barraged by buyers that want to “buy investment homes in Atlanta”; when I ask why, I’m usually met with silence. There’s an inability to answer questions like: What is the source of funds Where do you want to buy What price point, detached or attached Are you buying to rent or flip Do you have a reliable contractor Tell me what constitutes success The silence is often deafening. In cases like this, I’m more than happy to throw a wet blanket on a financial disaster in the making. But not every call or email is a novice; working with pros….that’s a pleasure. So here’s my thumbnail of Atlanta real estate investors: Rookies The infomercial nonsense makes investing and flipping look easy...Read More

Are You Hot or Not? Good Looking Agents Better At Selling Homes

I was way ahead of the hotness curve on this one. Back in 2/11 we revealed studies that indicated that Good Looking Agents Sell More Homes and now the industry is playing catch up. I was moved by the article titled " I Wasn't Going To Buy This House Until I Saw The Realtor's Headshot On The Sign" and after reviewing that, I knew this was a topic that we had to comment upon. And now the rest of the pack finally gets wise to what we already know....as reported by Business Insider: A recent study in Applied Financial Economics explores the relationship between how beautiful an agent is and how quickly he/she sells a property and for what price. Thankfully, the econ blog Big Think broke down the hellishly scholastic-sounding "Broker beauty and boon: a study of physical attractiveness and its effect on real estate brokers’ income and productivity” into comprehensible language, and turns out the...Read More

Is it Time to Buy a Home in Atlanta?

I think it’s time to consider buying a home in the Atlanta area. I don’t say that as a shill for any real estate organization; I say that as an appraiser, broker and student of this industry for over twenty years. The data, coupled with rates that have been ridiculously low for so long combined with the prevailing expectation by most economic “experts” that rates will/have to rise after the election make now the time to legitimately consider a home purchase. Note I said consider – buying a home isn’t something everyone should do. Are home prices still dropping in Atlanta? Yes – Atlanta home prices are falling when the 15+- counties considered “Atlanta” are included. However, many real estate markets in Atlanta are finding stability, the idea that home prices in Atlanta remain in a funk with no end in sight is simply not accurate when you get a little deeper into...Read More

The Mindset of a “Strategic Defaulter” and the Impact on Others

Strategic default isn’t likely to go away for a long while and the likely 150 point credit hit most defaulters will receive isn’t incentive enough to avoid it. Strategic default in Atlanta is alive and well; the typical defaulter isn’t what most would expect and the thought process is even less complex. In short, the most likely defaulter considers this business; nothing more and nothing less. People with high credit scores and big mortgages are actually the most likely to strategically default. These people are educated in finance and understand the consequences of walking away from their home, and choose to do it anyway. Several of the indicators predicting strategic default are things you would expect from the best borrowers: High credit ratings, always paying on time and in full, up to date payments on things like credit cards and car loans. They've also probably only been in their homes for a short period of...Read More

Are Real Estate Agents Necessary?

Are real estate agents necessary? We’re drowning in data…all kinds of data…about every conceivable topic…whatever the question, Google, Bing or some other place on the web will have an answer. But with an abundance of data come challenges; how to determine credibility, how to understand it, how to organize it and how to apply it are just the surface. It is entirely possible to have too much data; so much so that a home seller or home buyer in Atlanta can suffer paralysis by analysis. An engaged, productive full time Atlanta real estate agent can filter the data haul and ensure that a client acts with full faith and confidence. The post crash real estate market is nothing like the pre-crash real estate market; and I don’t mean with regard to values. Technology, the internet, mobile phones and personal devices and the explosive growth of technology have transformed real estate. Today’s buyers and...Read More

Man Blows Up Home as Foreclosure Notice is Served – Body Found

The "Chicken Man" in Roswell, GA blew up his home Monday as Marshals attempted to serve him notice of foreclosure. After the fire was extinguished, firemen found his body. There was a news crew on site and moments before initiating the explosion he called the reporter to tell the Marshals to leave the property because it “wasn’t going to be pretty.” Then, the home exploded. Andrew Wordes spent many years fighting the city of Roswell as well as Fulton County over various things – most notably the ability to keep chickens at his suburban home. Some have said his economic situation was taxed by his cantankerous relationship with authorities – so much so that it led to the foreclosure action. From the AJC article - The home of a Roswell, GA man who has spent years fighting to keep chickens on his property exploded Monday. Andrew Wordes, known around town as the “chicken...Read More

Home prices stabilizing. So what’s wrong with Atlanta?

"Some of America's most closely watched housing numbers are starting to suggest that the big decline in housing is coming to an end, at least in some metros. Home prices in Seattle, Minneapolis, and Denver have begun to trend upward in the past few months, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller housing indices. Even hard-hit metro areas such as Tampa, Fla., and Phoenix have seen a modest rebound. But in Atlanta home prices not only continue to fall, the declines are accelerating. They now stand at a 14-year low. That artifact should give homeowners pause, especially those who expect a quick rebound in housing. Nationally, prices haven't been this low since 2003. In Atlanta, they haven't been this low since early 1998." I took a call today from a reporter at the Christian Science Monitor, we discussed the latest Case-Shiller bombing of Atlanta. He had a simple question; "what's wrong with the Atlanta...Read More

It is Really All About the Banks, Not Homeowners

It is quickly becoming clear that like everything else that has occurred during this "economic slowdown" big business is more likely to land on it's feet than "Joe Citizen". The recent foreclosure settlement stinks a lot like the big bailout, it's a literal slap on the wrist to the very organizations at the center of the continuing housing crisis. From a recent NYTimes article: Last week was a big one for the banks. On Monday, the foreclosure settlement between the big banks and federal and state officials was filed in federal court, and it is now awaiting a judge’s all-but-certain approval. On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve announced the much-anticipated results of the latest round of bank stress tests. How did the banks do on both? Pretty well, thank you — and better than homeowners and American taxpayers. That is not only unfair, given banks’ huge culpability in the mortgage bubble and financial...Read More

Almost Half of Home Owners Would Strategically Default

Nearly half of home owners recently polled in an online survey said they would walk away from their mortgage if home prices continued to fall. The poll included 1,000 visitors to HousingPredictor, a real estate Web site. While the poll is unscientific, some housing experts have questioned whether home owners are starting to grow more acceptance of the strategic default idea. Strategic default is when home owners walk away from their mortgage obligations, despite being able to make their payments. In a similar poll in March 2010, HousingPredictor found that 32 percent said they would strategic default if prices fell further — compared to 47 percent in the most recent poll. A national poll in 2009 found that one in 10 home owners would default on a home if their mortgage was significantly underwater, according to a survey by Reecon Advisors. But for home owners who walk away from their mortgage obligations,...Read More

Federal Forclosure Inventory Down – But New Foreclosue Wave Inbound

This is a good news - bad news post. The amount of government foreclosure inventory was cut about in half in 2011 but repossessions are expected to jump up in 2012 to pre-robo signing levels. Georgia remains in the top tier nationally for distressed inventory, driven hard by Atlanta foreclosures and underwater homeowners. The latest round of federal assistance isn't expected to do much to stop the bleeding and the recent foreclosure bank settlement was nothing short of criminal, those lenders were really punished weren't they? Locally, the impact of distressed and foreclosure sales continue to hamper the Atlanta real estate market. However, there are micro markets that are stable and others headed that way. In fact, when you extract the influence of distressed properties, many areas are actually doing well. In these areas we see well presented, accurately priced homes getting plenty of attention for buyers. Atlanta home buyers are tired of foreclosures...Read More

Human Skeleton Found in Foreclosure

You never know what you might find in foreclosures. I've found dead animals, "hoarder" style homes, those filled with animal and human feces and of course, rat and roach infested homes. I've walked in on drugged out junkies, even thought one or two might be dead...but I've not found a dead body thus far. A Milwaukee agent did...she found forty-one-year-old David Carter's "nearly skeletonized body" on the second floor of his home. A Smith & Wesson 9-mm. handgun was found lying on his chest; an autopsy later determined a gunshot to the head as the cause of his death. How does a dead man's body go unnoticed for four years? And we're not talking about a murder victim whose remains were hidden or obscured, or even some poor homeless soul whose existence was already pretty much anonymous. This was a 41-year-old man who committed suicide in his own home.  From the article: The best estimate is that...Read More

Atlanta Real Estate Data – 4th Qtr ’11 Review

Over the last year, two sub markets in the City of Atlanta saw median home values increase over 10% and NE Cherokee County sales increased by 121.7%. Last quarter, Sandy Springs (inside 285) sat with the highest home inventory at 13.8 months (twice as much as many areas) and saw only 35.5% of listings sell, Eastern Gwinnett County led the region with 63.1% of all sales noted as distressed. Many surprises in the data, some with clear explanations, others result in head scratching. What's the story behind the data in charts below and the stats as a whole? The 4th Quarter ’11 Atlanta real estate market data review is out. A few surprises and a clear delineation between areas and markets showing stability and others continuing to be smothered by inventory, distressed homes and economic duress. As always – remember that this is data broken out by MLS section; this is good...Read More

Loans Still Due Despite Foreclosure – Deficiency Judgments

Sweating out a distressed sale or foreclosure may not absolve an owner from the long arm of those due money. Banks can employ what is called a deficiency judgment (the difference between the outstanding mortgage balance and the sale price) to collect the debt, requiring a defaulting borrower to pay the balance of a loan and any fees, minus what the bank recovers when it sells the home. In a worst-case scenario for borrowers, banks could garnishee wages to pay off the loan balance. Lenders traditionally have not pursued such debts because there has been little money to collect. But lenders are under pressure to minimize their foreclosure losses, especially from borrowers who walk away from the debt. In June 2010, the government mortgage giant Fannie Mae authorized servicers who handle their loans to pursue such collections. Fannie Mae spokeswoman Keosha Burns said the agency does not release data on how...Read More

Why Getting Married and Buying a Home are Alike

I often compare buying a home to getting married; there are many parallels if you take a second to think about it. This comment often raises eyebrows and once a few of the obvious one are pointed out, I get to the one that buyers miss. If buying a home is likely to be the single most financially important thing that you’ll do, getting married has to be the single most socially important thing you’ll do (with a big foot in the financial camp). A few of the more obvious similarities: - Both are significant social milestones - Both are significant financial milestones - Both require a connection that enhances your life, if not then what’s the point - Both require extensive forethought; due diligence if you will - Both have an option period; engagements and due diligence periods There are many others, but the one that I go right to has a “Godfather” connection; Both are...Read More

Atlanta Foreclosure Stripped Clean…including the wires in the walls

Here's a foreclosure home in the East Point area of Atlanta that has been picked clean - including into the walls. This is an example of one of the challenges faced by owners of vacant homes in Atlanta; vandalism is rampant and is costing owners - including lenders - big money. For years, vacant homes have sat minus appliances and HVAC systems as those would disappear almost as quickly as they arrived, in some cases within a day. It's common in this market to have a stipulation that these will be installed the day prior to closing...and the seller will sit with fingers crossed to make it to the table intact. Investors will always be drawn to the REO and foreclosure inventory but we're seeing a demonstrated shift away for the "primary residence buyer". These buyers expect a bargain because they keep hearing Case-Shiller or some other media outlet reporting on...Read More

Buyers Rapidly Losing Interest in Foreclosures

It took a while but it seems that home buyers are finally beginning to tire of the real estate owned (REO)/foreclosure nonsense. Here in Atlanta, lender or “corporate” owned (the industry desired more appealing term than foreclosure) homes are a major part of the inventory. Statistics on this issue can vary widely but suffice it to say that REO's and short sale properties will continue to impact metro Atlanta for years. Investors and speculators make up the majority of distressed property purchasers, focusing mainly on the under 200K price point - close to 50% of sales in 3rd quarter '11 were considered distressed. But the wise primary residence buyers are learning stop wasting time and to steer clear of distressed and foreclosure property.  We're seeing buyers finally understand that these REO properties are not usually worth the aggravation. The reasons are many and it’s taken a while for the realization to...Read More

Updated Unit, Great Views, Black Teddy & Fishnets – $509K

How funny is this... Let's see...updated kitchen, new carpets, view of the river, black teddy worn extremely well, fresh paint.....Here's a twist on the obvious , quality photos sell homes. Trulia posted this attractive 2BR Pittsburgh condo with an asking price of $509,900 and it's likely that there may be adjustments to the pics very, very soon. And if this was indeed a mistake, there's no doubt some poor guy will be groveling in the doghouse until hell freezes over. But it certainly is getting views....where's the virtual tour?Read More

*hit Realtors Say Video – All Too Accurate

Here's a great look at the world of real estate agents and one of the "Sheeot ______ Say" You Tube series. This one is "Sheeot Real Estate Agents Say". This is funny but also alarming because while it's tongue in cheek, this is exactly the stuff robot agents are trained to spew. Talking points and scripts are very much alive in the current environment. If you think what is said in this video is all made up banter...think again. You might want to check for more agent nonsense with Selecting a Realtor. Keep a running tab on the lines you've heard....the only one missing is "I want to be your REEEEEL TOOOOOR for life". Is anything dumber than that? Read More

Real Estate Agents Sweating out the Slump

This really shouldn't come as a surprise...grab Smokey Robinson...."Now if there's a smile on my face, it's only there trying to fool the public..." Real estate agents keep smiling behind the tears generated by the depressed market. Housingwire magazine reports on the results of a recent agent survey, and the impact that the market is having on many. Some clients are also feeling the impact as agents invest less into client services. The next time you see a well-dressed, smiling real estate agent glaring at you from an advertising board, remember the carefree persona these days is likely only a mirage. Look deeper and you will find agents and brokers facing a tsunami of negative economic factors, including low housing demand, uncertainty over the regulatory landscape, reluctant young buyers, buyers who can't qualify for mortgages, homeowners who are underwater and a general sense that the housing bust left them bruised and...Read More

Atlanta Tops in National REO Inventory, Georgia #3

On Wednesday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency began taking investor applications to participate in their new bulk REO program. The agency is finally deciding who has the financial wherewithal to manage these properties and rent them out. Well that's been tried in the past and the results? uh...not good. So where exactly are these REO homes? Look around because metro Atlanta has the highest number of any national metro area and Georgia is in the top 3 states. But....as has been often repeated here, the Atlanta foreclosure mess is highly concentrated in certain parts of the city. Atlanta is also at the top of the mortgage fraud arena, but again, highly concentrated. Candidly speaking, take these areas out of the mix and the metro Atlanta market is no worse than many others. As noted in The Wall Street Journal: The goal is to help stabilize the troubled housing market by turning properties into...Read More

Atlanta Home Values are…a Mess

Atlanta can finally raise a championship banner, and it's one no one wants. But toss the challenge flag because the devil is in the data reviewed. In November, prices of single-family homes were down close to 12 percent compared with a year earlier, the largest decline among major metropolitan areas, according to data released on Tuesday in the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Home prices regionally are now below their levels of 2000, making Atlanta one of only four metro areas to have experienced such a slide. The price of entry-level housing in the area — the lowest tier of the market, valued at just under $96,600 — fell by close to a third last year. So maybe just as that picture doesn't necessarily reflect the city, this data might not accurately reflect the market. It's a mess to be certain, but most don't understand that Atlanta is just a...Read More

DIY + Foreclosures = Trouble

Here's a video that illustrates a common problem. Trying to find a competent and trustworthy contractor in the Atlanta area, or most other areas for that matter, can be brutal. Georgia requires little in the way of "competence"; during the boom homes were being built by virtually anyone that had a desire to swing a hammer - or sub it out. Issues with construction quality are nothing new, but once again we're seeing a shift from new construction issues to rehab/renovation issues. Here's a home just waiting to bite someone. This project is in the Edgewood-Kirkwood area of metro Atlanta, the typical older home that's been expanded. I was here to complete the foreclosure appraisal - apparently management is as much of an issue as construction skill with this operation. I shot this because it clearly demonstrates many of the construction issues that get covered up with finishing work. This is...Read More

Federal Reserve to Keep Interest Rates Low Until 2014

During the past three years the Federal Government has attempted to boost the U.S. economy and has kept the interest rate at an all time low. This was done in an attempt to counter the effects of a financial crisis that has resulted in a painful recession.  As of January 25, 2012, the Feds have announced that it is unlikely they will raise their interest rates until late 2014 at the earliest.  Read a detailed article posted yesterday regarding how the government is trying to spur the economy.Read More

The High Tech Condo of New York Giant Eli Manning

Since we just posted on Tom Brady's sprawling new home, why not keep in the Super Bowl spirit and take a peak at New York Giant Eli Manning's high tech condo. Located in New Jersey with great views of Manhattan, Eli's home features high end electronics that were designed to be extremely user friendly.  Click here  to view Eli's New Jersey home.  Hopefully Eli will be sitting back in his study watching footage of  his 2012 Super Bowl victory!Read More

New England Patriot Tom Brady’s New $20 Million Dollar Mansion

Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, is headed to yet another Super Bowl and also into his $20 million dollar Brentwood mansion.  Recently reported by the Huffington Post, Tom and Giselle will soon be, if not yet, moving into this 22,000 square foot estate  which includes eight bedrooms, a six car garage, a lagoon-shaped swimming pool, weight room and wine cellar. Perhaps Tom will be bringing in a new Super Bowl ring also?  Click here to check out Tom and Gisele's new digs. Hope he enjoys the house because he will not be enjoying a Super Bowl victory in a few weeks. Go Giants.....Read More

What Are The Twenty Least Expensive Homes In The U.S.?

While it seems we may always be fascinated by high end properties and what the most expensive homes in the nation look like, here is a glimpse at the least expensive properties in the U.S.    Prices range depending upon which state, with Atlanta topping the least expensive home at $1,200.   AGBeat posted the least expensive homes in America in an easy to review format with photos which can be seen here.  The above properties are obviously foreclosures in extremely poor condition and reinforces the idea of proceeding with caution regarding foreclosure properties in the Atlanta area.   Here is a narrated video glimpse into several Atlanta foreclosures before the clean out.  Some of this may be shocking!       Read More

What do Those Real Estate Designations Mean? Not Much

If there’s a better industry for obfuscation of a practitioner’s qualifications than the real estate industry, please let me know. Do you have any idea of what that alphabet following an agent's name means? Or that most of it is completely meaningless? A few of them, the more established ones, reflect experience and skill but the majority are as worthless as the paper they're written on. In most cases, a check that doesn't bounce and sitting in a class or online for a few hours is what it takes to add letters after your name. My specific bone is with the following asinine so called designations: AHWD - At Home with Diversity Sponsored by the National Association of Realtors, AHWD promises to increase agent awareness and sensitivity to people of different cultures. Agents can choose between in-class attendance or an online course. The certification can be used as credit toward other designations such...Read More

Home Values in High School Districts

Real estate in Atlanta is heavily influenced by schools; in many cases the academic track record of a high school dictates appeal and marketability of an area. Using RealValuator, we can now provide clients the real estate market trends for any metro Atlanta high school district. This snapshot will show the general trends by quarter and can be configured to show different price points. Here's an example of the chart showing home prices in Milton high school. This program can also zero in on the same data for elementary and middle schools as well. These pages will be updated monthly so be certain to bookmark the ones of interest. This information graphically shows the data, for even more of a narrow look we can use the SMART Data program and look at the area as an appraiser will. It's another tool we bring to the table for you to use when evaluating...Read More

What Kind of Area is That? Find Out

Our job is protect our clients with solid data, but someone buying a home is living there and needs to understand the demographics of areas that interest them. There are legal limits to what agents can say regarding demographics for good reason, every client is different and only that client knows what works for them. The most common question a Realtor is asked that they can’t legally answer for fear of violating Fair Housing laws is “What kind of people live here?” or requests like “don’t put me in a neighborhood with those kind of people.” Consumers are typically asking for advice in an effort to find a home that best matches their lifestyle, but when asked “are there other young single couples in this neighborhood?” the answer is some canned version of “this neighborhood has all types of homeowners, you could check the census for more demographic information which I do...Read More

DIY Bungalow Foreclosure in Atlanta Video

Here's a "do it yourself" bungalow in Atlanta, GA that was recently foreclosed upon. Good spot and was a decent home at one time but now it's a candidate for major repair. The cause is a frequent one - a Weekend Warrior homeowner that spends too much time in front of the TV watching HGTV or at one of the big box home improvement stores scarfing hot dogs, wearing a nailing apron and watching how easy it is to add tile to the bathroom. Like the other foreclosure videos show, this one brings a special surprise to the unsuspecting buyer or one that doesn't work with an agent experienced in evaluating the positives and negatives of foreclosures in the Atlanta area. Read More

Why GA Has So Many Foreclosures

If you own real estate in Georgia, your valuation likely has been rocked by the extreme number of foreclosures that have occurred in the past few years. It seems like every time our home market has tried to recover, along comes another 10,000 homes going to the auction block. For the most part, those homes go back to the first mortgage lender, who lists them for sale with a real estate agent. As the house sits vacant, it drags down property values because of its deteriorating condition. If it sells at all, the sale is often at a huge discount, further undermining values in the neighborhood. Why have foreclosures hit our state so hard while other states seem to be less impacted? Georgia has repeatedly topped the list of national foreclosure numbers, and there are several reasons. Georgia is a ‘title theory’ state That means we have one of the strongest foreclosure...Read More

Homeownership Survey – Please Help

  Please answer these 6 short questions about homeownership. Your comments are always welcome...    Read More