first time homebuyers: I'm More than a REALTOR - I'm a Real Estate Concierge, or What My Business Has In Common with the Wedding Business - 02/16/10 11:08 AM
I had a delightful morning today with a friend of mine, Patrice Ducoffe of Ducoffe Wedding Concierge (doesn't her name just sing with sophistication?). We met at Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee in Roswell, Georgia, to network and learn a little more about each others' businesses. We realized, while drinking rich African coffee and indulging in delicious (and huge!) muffins that what we do is very comparable. Patrice is a wedding concierge - she is a hands-on wedding coordinator who can do everything for the bride from researching florists and reception venues to reminding her to write her thank you … (6 comments)
first time homebuyers: Penny-Pinching Homebuyer? 5 Places NOT to Cut Costs on Your Real Estate Transaction - 02/11/10 06:55 PM
It's no secret that times are tough - money is tight and people are cutting back on expenses and spending. And yet, there are still people out there buying homes. In fact, the federal government's new extended and expanded homebuyer tax credit is making buying a home rather attractive to a large number of potential homeowners out there, who are racing against the clock to get under contract by April 30, 2010, and close by June 30, 2010. But for many first-time homebuyers, money can be tight - perhaps they have spent months or years saving enough for a down payment for … (6 comments)
first time homebuyers: North Atlanta Homebuyers: Valuable Tax Credit Information - FAQs and More Information for You! - 01/25/10 07:47 PM
The 2009 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit was pretty great - it enabled many first-time homebuyers to become homeowners and created an incentive to help kick-start our slow economy. The NEW 2010 Extended and Expanded Homebuyer Tax Credit is creating quite a stir, too, but it has also created some confusion and brought up many questions from homebuyers, both veteran and first-timers. Here are some answers to a few of the many questions out there - they may be questions YOU have, as well: Is the tax credit for first-time homebuyers only?No, the NEW Extended and Expanded Homebuyer Tax Credit is for all buyers. … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: My Letter to My U.S. Congressional Representatives - Please Extend the Homebuyer Tax Credit! - 09/21/09 12:13 PM
Interested in taking action and urging your U.S. Congressional Representatives to extend the homebuyer tax credit? Good! So am I! I sent this letter to both my state senators and my state representative in Congress: Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Johnny Isakson and Representative Tom Price - if you would like to do the same, it's simple. Just copy and paste my letter (below) and send it to your representatives. For a quick and easy way to find your representatives and how to contact them via e-mail, snail mail and/or telephone, click here. Follow the simple instructions and then let the emails fly! … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: YOU Can Help Extend the Homebuyer Tax Credit! Write to your Congress Representatives Today! - 09/21/09 12:12 PM
The Georgia Association of REALTORS® and the Atlanta Board of REALTORS® have been campaigning the past two weeks to help get the Homebuyer Tax Credit extended, as have many local REALTOR® organizations, following the National Association of REALTORS®' lead. YOU can help to get this important legislation extended - for the good of the economy - simply by writing to your representatives in Congress! And it's easier than you may think! Simply visit www.Congress.org and type in your zip code to be linked directly to your representatives.
Then click on the representative's name and click on "Contact" to reach a … (1 comments)
first time homebuyers: What You Need to Know About the $8,000 Federal First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit - 06/30/09 04:47 PM
Surely, by now, you have heard about the $8,000 Federal Tax Credit for First-Time Homebuyers for 2009. It truly is an amazing time to be a first-time homebuyer! The government is practically paying you to buy a home! Here are a couple of things that you need to know about the $8,000 Federal Tax Credit for First-Time Homebuyers, which may help you to make up your mind to become a homeowner! The tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home up to $8,000, whichever is less. The amount of credit you receive is also influenced by … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: Senator Isakson's 1st First-Time Homebuyer Workshop a Success! - 06/29/09 10:04 AM
I had the distinct pleasure to attend Senator Johnny Isakson's first official First-Time Homebuyer Workshop on Saturday, June 27, on behalf of the Atlanta Board of REALTORS®. With about 100 attendees, many potential, interested first-time buyers, Senator Isakson's staff thought the event was a successful first try. With representatives from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA, the VA, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and Mortgage Bankers of Georgia, as well as the Georgia Association of REALTORS® and the Atlanta Board of REALTORS®, attendees had an opportunity to learn about available loan programs, the importance of surrounding oneself with licensed and qualified … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: Join Me Tomorrow at U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson's First-Time Hombuyer Forum! - 06/26/09 12:25 PM
Are you thinking of buying your first home? Now is a great time to buy, especially in Georgia. Why? Prices are at or below 2003 levels Buyers have amazing choices in inventory Interest rates are still historically low Federal $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers Georgia $1,800 tax credit for ALL buyers Money is available to well-qualified buyers FHA loans may be obtained with just 3.5% down Atlanta's population continues to grow, so that while prices may be down now, they are very likely to return to normal levels of appreciation in the near future What are you waiting for? If … (0 comments)
U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson welcomes you to a free workshop for first-time homebuyers, offering information about homeownership opportunities. Government agencies will be on hand to offer advice and answer questions. The workshop will take place THIS Saturday, June 27, 2009, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Gwinnett Technical College, located at 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043. This is sure to be a great event, sponsored by Senator Johnny Isakson, who is a REALTOR® by trade and a great advocate of homeownership. If you are thinking about buying your first home, this is an event you can't afford … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: THANK YOU, Governor Sonny Perdue, for Signing the Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit Bill! - 05/14/09 11:33 AM
YES, it's true! I talked about it a few weeks back and it's finally REAL! Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed HB 261 on Monday afternoon, making the Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit a reality! The bill offers all buyers(not just first-time homebuyers) a tax credit on the purchase of an eligible (see below) home. The tax credit is worth 1.2% of the sales price, to a maximum credit of $1,800, spread over three years' taxes. For example, if you purchase a home for $150,000, then your credit would be $1800.00. Meaning you will get (if you file the correct paperwork at tax time … (2 comments)
first time homebuyers: Are You Average? Do You Fit the Mold of the "Average" First-Time Homebuyer? - 04/06/09 10:23 AM
Are you AVERAGE? Do you fit the description of the "average" first-time homebuyer? Of course, "average" is just statistical, just numbers, just a calculation - we know every buyer is an exceptional buyer. But the numbers are interesting! Click here to find out and read what the National Association of REALTORS found to be "average" in their 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Thinking about buying your first home in the Atlanta area? I can help! Call me today to learn more about the home buying process and see if buying a home now is the right thing for you! Subscribe … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: Is a Foreclosure Really a Good Deal? How Much Does a Foreclosure Cost? (It's Shocking!) - 03/16/09 09:58 AM
As REALTORS®, we look at foreclosure properties - running the gamut from decently maintained to neglected, vandalized, "trashed" - and we try to estimate their value, based on the amount of the loan foreclosed on, the neighborhood comps, the amount of work that needs to be done (is the house missing just the kitchen refrigerator, or all the toilets? does it have light fixtures? are there gaping holes in the sheetrock? was it in the middle of a renovation when it was foreclosed on?). Our buyers look at foreclosed properties as "a deal" - the best deal out there (not always … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit in the Works - Support the Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit - 03/15/09 06:27 PM
Similar to the Federal tax credit proposed by Senators Johnny Isakson and Joe Lieberman, there is a TAX CREDIT in the works for Georgia homebuyers - in the form of HB 261 - a Statewide Homebuyer Tax Credit. With the current crisis of Georgia's housing market, the passing of this bill could positively impact Georgia's economy. Basically, the tax credit would be available to ALL BUYERS, not just first-time homebuyers. The bill would provide a tax credit of 1.2% of the purchase price, up to $3,600, to be paid out over a period of 3 years, with equal credits each year. … (2 comments)
first time homebuyers: Buyers: 10 Important Questions to Ask Your Buyer Agent . . . And Why! - 02/18/09 11:08 AM
Buyers: It is a good idea to have a REALTOR® representing you when you purchase a home. True, you can search for homes online and even view homes with the listing agent or the seller, but a REALTOR® can help you to navigate the often tricky waters of negotiation, inspections and legal aspects of a real estate contract, especially if you are a first-time homebuyer. Here is a list of things you should ask your Buyer Agent. Of course, this list is not complete - you will have questions of your own that you might want to ask - but it's … (8 comments)
first time homebuyers: Buyers: 10 Important Questions That Your Buyer Agent May Ask You . . . And Why! - 02/18/09 11:08 AM
Buyers: It is a good idea to have a REALTOR® representing you when you purchase a home. True, you can search for homes online and even view homes with the listing agent or the seller, but a REALTOR® can help you to navigate the often tricky waters of negotiation, inspections and legal aspects of a real estate contract, especially if you are a first-time homebuyer. Here is a list of questions that your Buyer Agent may ask you. She is not being nosy or trying to pry into your personal life - she needs the following answers in order to serve you better. … (2 comments)
If you answered yes then you make up the largest and fastest growing category of homebuyers in the country. Just click here to read more! If you did not buy that first home, but you're thinking about it - now is a great time to buy! Interest rates are still low - and with great loan programs like FHA Loans, you could be on your way to homeownership before you know it!
Do you want to find out more about buying a home in the Atlanta area, or are you … (9 comments)
first time homebuyers: Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit - Updated Information - 02/16/09 08:15 PM
Below is an email I received from the Georgia Association of REALTORS today, regarding the Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit. This important legislation could positively impact the Georgia real estate market and Georgia homebuyers, and it's important for REALTORS and consumers in Georgia to be informed! * * * * *
For some more details and talking points about the Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit, please click here! Subscribe to The Gebhardt Group's Real Estate blog today! Maura Neill, ABR, CRS, MAThe Gebhardt GroupRE/MAX Greater Atlanta10220 Medlock Bridge RoadJohns Creek, GA 30097 (770) 238-0595email: Maura@GebhardtGroup.comwebsite: http://www.GebhardtGroup.com/blog: http://www.GebhardtGroupBlog.com/
Though it is true that different mortgage lenders and different loan products have varying requirements for loan approval, including differing limits on how much money you can get from outside sources, you can still get help in buying your home...and it can be as easy as asking Mom and Dad.A recent article on REALTOR® Magazine Online, "How to Help the Kids Buy First Home," highlighted three ways that parents can help their children buy a home in that time-honored tradition of getting them out of the house!Another great way to find … (2 comments)
first time homebuyers: Why You Should Use a Licensed REALTOR® When Purchasing a Home - 01/11/08 02:51 PM
Answering Common Excuses for Not Using a REALTOR®Are you in the market to buy your first home? If so, I'm sure that you have heard many reasons that you should not use a REALTOR®, but I would like to debunk those homebuying myths and give you some very valid reasons why using a licensed REALTOR® is in your best interests. Test your knowledge below - Truth or Myth? If I go straight to the listing agent, I'll get a better deal. It will cost me too much money to work with a real estate agent. I can find out everything I need to know to … (0 comments)
first time homebuyers: Should Newlyweds Buy a House? | Buying Property with your New Spouse | Buying a Home as a Joint Investment - 11/12/07 02:06 PM
Should Newlyweds Buy a House? I came across an interesting article on MSNmoney.com the other day entitled, "Should Newlyweds Buy a House?" An interesting question, indeed. In dealing, as a team, with a lot of newlyweds/first-time homebuyers, we encounter this question a lot. One of the first things we do with any buyer, not just the first-time variety, is refer them to our two trusted lenders. Not only do we know that these two lenders do a great job with our clients, but we have all used them personally and can attest to their knowledge and trustworthiness. And of course, one of the tips in the … (4 comments)
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I had a delightful morning today with a friend of mine, Patrice Ducoffe of Ducoffe Wedding Concierge (doesn't her name just sing with sophistication?). We met at Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee in Roswell, Georgia, to network and learn a little more about each others' businesses.
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