There has been some press about the pros and cons of getting a traditional HOT WATER HEATER or go for the more expensive TANKLESS WATER HEATERS.

Do you have any first-hand experience. I mean owned a tankless unit yourself or had a client have one.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

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With freezing temps today and tomorrow, watch those exposed pipes. Many people are having either pipes burst or simply feeeze up due to the abnormally low temperatures in the South. The problems I have seen have been with pipes that were completely above ground or a home not running the water daily. A family I know was out of town for a week and although their pipes are underground, apparently the lack of H2O flow was enough to crack an underground pipe. Be carful and drip those faucets!

WatchWatch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes!Watch those exposed pipes! those exposed pipes!

It seems like RADON testing is getting more popular in Georgia. The EPA certainly has a lot of information about it and I don't question whether it's a health problem or not. The research makes sense.

My concern is more about the proper way of testing and the companies administering the testing. There are several ways to test. There are kits from Home Depot that are inexpensive, but take proper placement in the home and then must be mailed away for the results. Time is the issue, especially if the data is needed in order to meet a real estate deadline.

Most inspectors use the electronic measuring devices. They are set up for about 48 hours in the home and then the data is downloaded and printed out. The placement of the device is critical. If the unit is on the floor or close to the floor, then the levels of radon will register higher than normal.

I had one inspector who set the machine up in the basement totally in the correct manner, turned out the light in the room and closed the door. He did not know that the light switch also was wired to the wall plug and so when he turned out the light, he turned off the machine. His results showed high levels of radon. (not sure how or why) We had it retested with TWO different mcahines, plugged into TWO DIFFERENT wall plugs and the results proved it was lower and at a safe level.

Many of the inspectors who buy these machines have had minimum training. I sugegst that you go the EPA website and read about radon BEFORE the home is inspected. That way you will have the right questions and know more about the process.

If you are a first time home purchaser there is a huge incentive and financial boost to buy a home. For a limted time, the federal government will give you an $8,000 TAX CREDIT. This means that you could amend your 2008 tax returns and receive a check for the full amount.

If you'd like to use this for a down payment, there are some restrictions, but check with your Realtor or Mortgage advisor for the latest updates. In some states, there are also state tax incentives that can be added in addition to the $8,000 federal incentive.

I was working with some buyers recently who negotiated a very good deal. We bargained for the sellers to pay all closing costs. The buyers put down 3.5% for an FHA loan, which was about $7,000. After the closing, they re-submitted their taxes and received $8,000 back. The buyer asked me..."Do you mean that we get paid $1,000 to buy this home?" I told her yes!

Call me for more details..

I noticed that there were a few blogs about BID SELECT, but not very many. I want to share with you my experience.

After looking at a listing with an investor, I called the LA for more info. She informed me that my offer will have to be placed on BIDSELECT.COM. We have done this and looks like we may get the home. Here are a few things to be aware of:

1.The registration process can take a minute. Agents have to register on-line and it requires many bits of information. I had to track down my real estate license to find the "expiration date". Not something I keep up with daily. You can pre-register if you think that you may have a client that wants to make a quick offer.

2. The offer goes to a third party company for review. Mine came back that we had been "ACKNOWLEDGED" which I found to be a good thing. Then we printed out 20 plus pages of addenda and had to overnight it to Dallas along with certified funds.

3. The contract is intimidating. The addendum required is long and 100% one-sided. It can potentially scare off clients because it does not apparently let the buyer out of the deal very easily. Similar to other REO contracts these days.

4. Lastly,  be sure to compare the price of the property in MLS with the BIDSELECT price. We found that the agent had not updated a recent price REDUCTION, and only uncovered this on the website.

If you have any other feedback or observations, please share them...

 Marietta, Georgia - One of the Best Places to Raise Your Kids!

 Based on a recent study by BUSINESS WEEK magazine, Marietta was found to be #2 in the state for raising your kids. The study was based on towns/cities with at least 50,000 residents and median income of between $40,000 and $100,000.

They factored in SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES, NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, CRIME RATE, AIR QUALITY, JOB GROWTH, MUSEUMS, PARKS AND OTHER AMENITIES AND DIVERSITY.

The most important factor was AFFORDABILITY, and with the economy that we are in, you may just want to consider moving here!

Here is the link to the whole article:

BUSINESS WEEK LINK

If you have an interest in MARIETTA, and would like to know more, please contact me at 770-988-3453 or through this website.

We all know that the media has had a field day with REAL ESTATE for a while now. While things are down, it's never as bad as the media portrays, and I feel that the newspapers are the worst. Big articles when the news is gloomy and a 2 line mention on page 16 when things are good.

With all of that said, here are some misconceptions in the marketplace. This is primarily for buyers as you are out looking at homes.

HOMES ARE ACTUALLY SELLING: Don't assume that if you find one that you like, that it will be available in a week or two. The good ones go quickly. In a market that is down 20%, remember that 80% of the people are still buying. Know the market well enough to recognize a deal and pounce on it when you find it.

CAN YOU GET A STEAL?: Many buyers feel that they have the power to negotiate way below asking price. This can be true sometimes, but not usually. Many people are not as desperate as the media makes it sound. The homes that look like true "steals' are most likely going to need lots of repair and work. There's usually a reason that the house is priced at $100,000 in a $200,000 neighborhood. (it's because the house needs about $100,000 in repairs)

NOT ALL HOMES FOR SALE ARE "DISTRESS" PROPERTIES: With all of the hype about FORECLOSURES, don't assume that they all are. Talk to your agent about tjhe difference in Pre-Foreclosure, Foreclosures and bank owned properties. Many people are still "testing the market" to see if they can get what they want. They don't need to sell, but would like to.

NOT ALL HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE MARKET FOR A WHILE ARE WILLING TO DEAL: It's interesting how many people associate "DAYS ON MARKET" to "LEVEL OF DESPERATION." They say things like, "It's been on the market for a year, so they must be really ngotiable on this price!" The truth is that many times the opposite is true. The house has not sold because they WOULD NOT NEGOTIATE. They may have had multiple offers and not willing to discount the home by a dollar, and lost the sale.

That's all for now. If you see a deal, buy it fast. Don't over-analyze the market. Look for the deals, but know what you are buying.

This crazy world of REO properties.

I have an investor, who in one day, asked me to prepare offers on 12 properties. My first thought was the great opportunity to have several more closings this year and generate some extra income. The truth of the matter is, the offers are around $50 to $60K and one offer has been lowered to under $35K.

What amazes me is the response from REO agents. EVERY counter or acceptance requires a document as long or longer than the Georgia Association of Realtors Contract. Every one is different and has varying degrees of additionally required documentation.

It's also interesting to get the "well we have multiple offers, so you may want to raise your bid" types of responses. Even when we don't raise our bid, it's interesting how many we got anyway. I don;t know who is teaching these agents how to negotiate. I guess it works sometimes.

I'm keeping score and will report back to you on the outcome.

One tool that I carry with me when showing homes is the StreamLight Stylus Pro. With a name like this, it could be anything from lap top to a fountain pen, but it's a FLASHLIGHT. It's a very snall, but very powerful light that fits in your shirt pocket. We've all shown property that had no electricity or had a dark crawl or attic. Especially with the number of foreclosures, you need a flashlight to get around.

Several websites sell them. Just Google "StreamLight Stylus Pro" and find the best price. They are not cheap, but will last for years and years. Very sturdy. As I mentioned before, they are just slightly bigger than a pen and fit comfortably in a jacket or shirt pocket. Discreet without making you look too "nerdy."

The also easily fit in a purse or day planner. Check 'em out. Good stuff for all realtors.

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I heard a CD of an interview with Steve Kantor this week. Mr. kantor is the author of "BILLION DOLLAR AGENT." I'm Curious if you have read this book. I have not ordered the book, but the interview was intriguing.

Mr. Kantor interviews the TOP 70 agents in the country. Those agents that have already done or mosT likely will do a BILLION DOLLARS IN TRANSACTIONS in their careers.

His goal is to take the agents that make about $100,000 to the level of making $200k to $500K. His research shows that if you have gotten to a six figure income that you have what it takes to get to the levels just mentioned above.

He also says that this book is not designed for rookies and if you're not in it for the long haul and high incomes, don't bother reading it.

If you know much about this book, please share it. Here's the link for more info:

http://www.billiondollaragent.com/index.html