How many hours a day do we spend “waiting?” - 02/29/12 05:40 AM
We all have been there. We are pressed for time, the pressure is on, and the web page or application is taking forever to load.
As we watch the clock tick and our internal thermostats approach the red zone, we chant: “come on, come on, come on” or “not now, not now, not now!”
The simple truth is this: Despite our techno-wizardry and highest tech gadgets we are spending more and more time every day of our lives waiting.
I can’t help but wonder how much time is lost in a day, a week, a month or even a year. … (46 comments)
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Catching up after a busy weekend. Three reasons the Coweta County real estate market is gaining momentum. - 02/27/12 05:36 AM
Is was an unusually busy weekend with quite a bit of activity. As a result, my Monday is fully scheduled out with housekeeping tasks that need to be completed today.
I often wonder what causes the “switch” in business to be thrown from “off” to “on.”
If I had to guess, I would say that there are three significant factors that contributed to the current floury of consumer interest:
1) Amazingly low interest rates. Rates are so low now, they are barely significant. In many cases, there is not enough mortgage interest being paid to even consider itemizing deductions on an income … (5 comments)
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It’s time to emerge from hibernation and to get out and get things done! - 02/26/12 05:55 AM
Through shadowed vales and sheltered covesBlue serpents writhe ‘long graveled roadsCold vernal surging streams of blueTo baptize fields with life anew! (R Weisser 2012)
Climate is as much a part oaf any locale as any other attribute. Weather affects everything from industry to attitude, and especially lifestyle.
In Georgia, late Winter and early Spring offers cool nights and moderate to warm days.
It’s a great time of year to get outside and do yard chores and landscaping projects.
There are few annoying insects and still some time for plants to … (10 comments)
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Foreclosure Round Two. Have we learned nothing from the past debacle? - 02/25/12 05:29 AM
In Coweta County Georgia, we are starting to see some houses listed as short sales and REO and HUD sales for the SECOND time in the last few years.
How did this happen? Did we learn nothing from the past? Have year after year of buyer incentives and continued low down payments completely eroded the fundamental concept of ownership?
True ownership involves skin in the game. It is too easy to just walk away and there are fewer and fewer consequences with each passing month. And yet the clamoring continues for easing mortgage qualification requirements.
Leverage has toppled the market. The … (18 comments)
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Finding ways to save money might be lot easier than you might think! - 02/23/12 05:16 AM
One of the biggest obstacles I face every day as a real estate broker is potential buyers with excellent credit that do not have available cash for a down payment.
And while there are some opportunities for loans with little down, they are few and far between and some are property dependent which limits the available selection of homes.
However, setting money aside for a down payment may not be as hard as you might think. Saving money has long been associated with austerity but in fact there are ways to save with little or no change in lifestyle.
Sometimes it … (11 comments)
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Somewhere in between Hedonism and Piety lies ordinary everyday life! - 02/19/12 06:37 AM
On purple-painted pavement fleetsThat sail the cities’ churning streetsAnd plunge through swirling, costumed coilsOf marauders bent on sharing the spoils. (R Weisser 2012)
The concept of delineating behavior by a self-imposed timeline has always fascinated me.
As Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday approach, the centuries old tradition of Carnival will be observed in many places across the globe. It’s a last minute bout of unfettered partying before the austerity of Lent demands a more subdued demeanor.
I have always preferred moderation to these wild swings of revelry and … (6 comments)
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Before you plunk down the big bucks for the new gizmo, keep in mind that two years from now it will be junk! - 02/18/12 06:15 AM
When I was a young man, I rode the crest of technology. It was an expensive ride. Having the latest and greatest of anything was a very expensive proposition.
As I have become older and hopefully wiser, I realize that although the trough arrives a little bit later, it still gets there just as fast! And life in the trough of technology costs a fraction of this week’s hot item!
Impulse buying has long been both the marketer’s ploy and the scourge of the consumer. A good marketer creates demand where there is none.
When I think of the number of … (22 comments)
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It has worked with cars for years. So what makes a house different? - 02/17/12 06:07 AM
The rapid decline in real estate market values seems to have taken mortgage lenders by surprise. After all, who in the world would lend money secured by an asset that will lose so much value in just a few years?
Yet institutions have been writing automobile loans for years with full knowledge that the pledged security will immediately begin to have a declining net market value.
So what’s the difference? Well, it’s a calculated risk. Those that lend money against vehicles understand the actuarial future value of the asset.
So why don’t home lenders take the same approach towards mortgage … (27 comments)
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Have foreclosures and short-sales affected the quality of NEW homes? - 02/16/12 08:11 AM
The current real estate market has caused a paradigm shift in the way buyers think about real estate.
The old notion that “more is better” has given way to “less is best.” Buyers simply do not want to put a lot of money into a house during a declining market.
Builders in Coweta County Georgia has responded to consumers by purchasing existing lots at fire sale prices, and by downgrading the product finishing to make the price as attractive as possible.
What was once a stone or tile shower is now a one piece fiberglass unit. Where there was once crown … (12 comments)
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When the market speaks to you, are you listening? - 02/15/12 09:05 AM
It is human nature to assign blame when things do no go as expected. After all, it is much more comfortable to rationalize a flaw in one’s thinking than it is accept a different reality.
But if a house is properly marketed, and has had multiple showings with no offers, the market is speaking loud and clear. At that point, a seller can choose to ignore the message and continue to pursue the exercise in futility.
Even more to the point is this: if there have not been any offers following a significant number of showings then the chasm between true … (20 comments)
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Has the time come for renewed interest in “leasehold” property? - 02/14/12 08:53 AM
Under common law, a “leasehold” interest was often used to convey a property for a specific period of time.
Often used in commercial real estate, the leasehold is seldom used in the Georgia residential arena anymore. What is commonly referred to these days as a “lease” is actually a “usufruct,” which is a right to occupy and use the property without the conveyance of title.
A true lease is an “estate in land,” in which some form of title actually passes for the duration of the term. It is usually recorded. A leasehold interest can be bought, sold, bequeathed and inherited.
… (8 comments)
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Some thoughts on Music, Culture, and Real Estate! - 02/13/12 08:57 AM
I watched the Grammy Awards Show last night. It is always interesting for me to see how un-hip I really am. Most of the nominees had names that I had never even heard before.
Of course, the names that I DID recognize were either honorees receiving tributes, or were among those that passed away during the previous year and were memorialized.
Music is generational. So is culture and style. And apparently one’s attitude towards owning real estate is too!
When I was a young man just starting to make my way in the world, the notion of owning a home was … (15 comments)
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The battle against time can be won with determination and a positive attitude. - 02/12/12 09:56 AM
Now turn and face the fierce onslaught And brace for battle ever fought ‘Tis Time that charges from beyond The battle’s lost, now yield the ground!
(R Weisser 2012)
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the middle of February. It seems like we just celebrated the New Year.
2012 is whizzing on past us in a blur, and it seems that time is always leaving me behind. I have so much that needs to be done, and precious little time to do it.
When I was a young man, it felt like I had plenty of spare time to … (11 comments)
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Are record low interest rates a good or a bad thing for the American economy? - 02/11/12 09:07 AM
In the world of real estate sales, record low interest rates for borrowers are often lauded as an incentive to purchase real property.
While it is true that the declining cost of real property combined with record low interest rates makes home ownership as affordable as any time in history, the sad truth is that low interest rates are an indication of a weak economy.
The laws of supply and demand apply to the money market just as they do for any other commodity. But lower demand for money is not solely due to a lack of willing borrowers.
Many borrowers … (14 comments)
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“I just hope that someone falls in love with this house like we did!” Emotion and due diligence. - 02/10/12 08:58 AM
Emotion is a powerful thing. It is a driving force that can overcome logic and override common sense.
But an emotional response is often a short-lived episode. Time seems to have a way of eroding excitement and passion down to cold hard facts and the bottom line.
Over the last decade or so, the norm in real estate sales has shifted from an “inspection” period to an opportunity to exercise “due diligence.”
In essence, due diligence establishes an option period for a buyer. It allows a buyer a reasonable amount of time to examine all of the facts regarding the purchase … (12 comments)
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Where is the “shadow inventory” lurking? When will it rear its ugly head? - 02/08/12 09:34 AM
All of the experts seem to agree that the “shadow inventory” is out there. Houses that have gone through the foreclosure process but for whatever reason are being maintained in inventory but have not been placed on the market for resale.
The motivation behind the phenomenon has been described as being anything from sinister to shrewd. Are these institutional sellers simply buried under piles of paperwork, stymied by litigation, or simply trying to stabilize the market in an effort to reap top dollar for their properties?
Whatever the reasons, in Coweta County Georgia there is a significant difference between the number … (13 comments)
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A personal message to Elvis Presley, Barack Obama, George Jetson and Meg Griffin: - 02/07/12 09:17 AM
Real estate is STILL a people business. The overwhelming majority of real estate transactions still rely on face to face interaction on a personal level.
Real estate agents work very hard to place their product in front of as many potential buyers as possible. It is time consuming and expensive to list property.
So it logically follows that if our marketing efforts generate interest in a property, at some point, the relationship has to be taken to the next level: i.e. a real conversation.
And while I enjoy the creativity you employed in filling out the contact information, I often wonder … (19 comments)
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You can’t be “charitable” or “compassionate” with someone else’s money. - 02/06/12 09:33 AM
Charity and compassion are wonderful qualities. The ability of human beings to empathize with those that are suffering is unparalleled in the animal kingdom.
There is an old adage that states that “charity begins at home.” And it is one that I take to heart. As a caring human being I often want to contribute.
But there is nothing that is either charitable or compassionate about forcing one’s personal moralities at the expense of another’s pocketbook.
It might be defined as a moral convenience or even political expediency, but there is nothing that could be even remotely defined as charity.
The … (11 comments)
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An early Spring in Newnan Georgia! - 02/05/12 09:22 AM
Come set your joy on golden frondsThat spice the meadow with saffron strains‘Tis Spring that waxes, fresh verdure dawnsAwakes as Winter’s crescent wanes! ( R Weisser 2012 )
Spring has come early to Newnan Georgia this year. The “jonquils” started blooming in January and the “redbuds” are resplendent in their awakening.
The trees are already budding out. And while I enjoy Spring as much as anyone, you have to wonder about the impact this unseasonably mild winter will have on agriculture.
The famous Georgia Peaches require a significant amount of hours below … (14 comments)
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Want to trace local history? Try following the railroad line! - 02/04/12 09:46 AM
I love railroads and I love history. And fortunately, the two are so interconnected that you can’t appreciate one without having a fondness for the other.
Most of the main railroad lines in America were constructed in the 19th Century. Any town fortunate enough to be situated in the path of the railroad enjoyed a sudden burst of prosperity.
On the other hand, many villages that were bypassed soon faded into obscurity.
The availability of transportation became a necessary component of community survival.
Many modern railroads follow the same right-of-way as their 19th Century counterparts. And most are punctuated with bits … (8 comments)
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The phrase “Super Bowl®” and fair use within a commercial enterprise. - 02/02/12 10:00 AM
If you think that the phrase Super Bowl® is in the public domain, think again. The mark is owned by the NFL and its use is strictly monitored and controlled by the football confederation.
Most real estate agents probably don’t think this topic has any application to the business of selling properties. After all, we don’t hawk pizza or televisions or beer.
But using the phrase to promote a commercial endeavor, such as a “Super Bowl® Open House” probably requires a license from the NFL.
Fair use of the expression is likely limited to stories about the game itself. For instance, … (11 comments)
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Are the requirements for real estate licensure sufficient to protect the LICENSEE? - 02/01/12 09:02 AM
The requirements for real estate licensure vary from state to state. In many jurisdictions, getting a real estate license is a lot easier than getting one to cut hair.
Many suggest that the standard be raised and that more education should be demanded in order to sell real estate.
And while some decry this as a “protectionist” attitude from incumbent agents in order to eliminate competition, I see it differently.
Due to the changes in the actual practice in real estate sales and the ever increasing threat of litigation, strengthening of the licensure process would serve to protect the licensee as … (33 comments)
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