Atlanta Real Estate Blog - Joshua Jarvis, Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Your Deal May Be Going South If...

2008-07-22T06:05:09Z

I remember the time when 30 day closings were starting to be considered "a long time." Atlanta has always been a buyer's market but we had some good 'ole days when we could close anything in 2 weeks tops. Now closings for regular loans are taking up to 45 to 60 days. If you are going FHA then you will definitely want to plan accordingly. No more quick closings. It becomes especially important to pick a great loan officer. This can make or break your deal. Of course, nothing is a gaurantee anymore.

An experienced and professional loan officer can make the difference between a dead deal with lost earnest money and an experience that leaves you wondering why everyone is fussing because your deal was so smooth. In honor of Jeff Foxworthy, I figured I might create a list of:

"Your Might Be Dealing With a ..." no that one won't work....

"Your deal might be going south if..."

You get a call from someone asking for the amendment. When you ask what amendment, he says, "I don't know, would you like to call the lender?" then proceeds to give you the 1-800 customer service number.
An attorney from another state calls you to schedule closing documents
It's a few days before closing and the question comes, "What appraisal?"
The processor is also the receptionist.
The processor/receptionist says, "I've never done an FHA before."
The attorney calls and tells you that they have the paperwork from someone you've never heard of before.
The other agent responds, "I'll take care of everything," to virtually every question.
You show up at closing and the HUD statement is different than what the contract reads... After all you believed the agent that said, "I'll take care of everything."
The other agent offers more than four blessings in one five minute period.
The appraiser says he wants to defer to someone else's opinion (i.e. the inspector).
Someone else wants to defer to someone else.
The seller asks if the bankruptcy they just filed will affect the sale of the home.....

Many of these things could be avoided if everyone handling the transaction simply acted professionally.

Chateau Elan Networking Group Responsible For $1.5 Milllion in Volume

2008-07-15T07:27:38Z

Although we started this networking group back in May of '08, we didn't begin in earnest until Jan of '09. Year to date I have had over 3 Million in referrals passed to me, with $1.5 Million currently listed. Now one might look at that and suggest it has something to do with the Chateau Elan location. Actually, no, most of the referrals have been first time home buyers or first time sellers.

The best referral so far has been from Jeff Powell of Professional Pool Service to list this beautiful home in Lawrenceville at 333 Brook Lea Cove, Lawrenceville GA.

The biggest "A HA" moment has been to learn to ask for what I want, then be ready to give myself completely to the other members in the group. Only by helping them, am I creating opportunities that fall into my lap. I just listed another great home at 3551 Bogan Mill Road, Buford GA 30519 courtesy of Cathy Larocco with Eagle Carpet Care.

I'm loving networking and enjoying the relationship being developed. I encourage anyone reading this to try going to a networking function with an open mind and a "how can I help YOUR business" attitude, and you will create a win-win scenario to hard to resist!

Points North Article Reveals The Secret of Selling Your Home

2008-06-25T14:49:52Z

Points North recently ran an article on their cover page about selling your home. In goes on to have Ryan Ward explain what a buyer's market is (Simply an over supply of homes). Then goes right into the secret.

What's the secret you ask?

STAGING

Staging in layman's terms or for those who do not watch HGTV, is taking your home and turning into a model home or as close as can be.

It's what skilled agents have been doing for years to get a home sold. Whether it's helping a seller declutter their kitchen or simply putting up shower curtains. Staging affects that first impression rule.

According to Points North, you have 30 seconds to win over a buyer. I contend that the time is more like what it is in REAL life.

SIX SECONDS

That's right, it takes six seconds or less for a buyer to form an opinion. You're either fighting uphill or downhill from that point forward.

So why is called staging? Two Reasons in my opinion.

It's not real. It's rare that you would find anyone who lives in their home like a model home is decorated. So it's staged, almost like a furniture store to entice you into the home.
It's not decorating. Most interior designers and decorator make suggestions that require changes to wall coverings, window treatments, and furniture. Staging mostly involes using what you have and on a very small budget, trying to maximize the appeal or at least minimize the damage.

On average, staging can help you sell for more, but I'm a bit skeptical of the 6% number that is thrown out there.

This Atlanta Real Estate agent believes in staging though and I pay for every home to have a free staging consultation as long as they agree to do the things the stager asks for.

Craigslist Scam - Buyer and Realtor Beware

2008-06-13T14:39:43Z

In the "What will they think of next" column comes this newest scam technique by one RaymondMike, scammer, on Craigslist.

So here's the story.

On Friday I listed this wonderful Lawrenceville Home For Sale. As with all my listings, I put a flier on Craigslist. I use an automated service provided by my loan officer for this. I didn't think much of the calls to rent the home since I get a lot of those on other homes, but this last call caught me.

Here's the call:

"Hello, this is Joshua."

"Yes, We'd like to see 333 Brook Lea Cove."

"Fantastic, where did you see it?"

"Well, that's the thing, is it even still available?"

"Of course, we just listed it today!"

"At $1,000 a month, that sounds too good to be true. "

STOP!

Hmm, well something must be wrong if I'm getting a few phone calls about rental then this. So I check out craigs list and ther it is, in all it's glory. An ad to rent out 333 Brook Lea Cove in Lawrenceville for $1,000. It has my photos, my description, but none of my contact information. In fact, there was no contact information other than the craigslist e-mail.

When I finally received this e-mail the puzzle started to take shape:

Mr Jarvis: I am in the process of trying to find a rental property in Gwinnett County. I have come across several ads on Craigslist, however this one struck me as odd. I have contacted the "owner" of this home to arrange a viewing. I decided to look into this matter a little further and determined it was a scam. I have copied the email here for you to view. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions. Its amazing to me the lengths people will go to steal from others. I obviously am in no postion to be buying a house so why rip off the ones that already have nothing?? I have not let this man know I am aware of this scam he is pulling. I was not sure if you would want to contact him or the owner of the home, I would think this is fraud and maybe you can catch him.

Of course, the e-mail this loser sends out has scam written all over it:

From: "raymond mike"
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 22:37:08 +0000
Subject: Re: House

"Hello, thanks for your reply,acttualy the place is for sale and its going for $179,900.Am on transfer to UK LONDON,that was why i handed it over to an agent to sale the place cause i will be away for the next 4 to 5 years.The place has been on sale for 8 months now,every month i pay the agent $400 for their services and mentenace fee.As am sending this email to you, my wife is in the hospital surfering from canser. That is a whole lot of money spent you know,can you imagin that i contacted the agent asking them for a loan of $20,000 with an intrese, that when the place is being sold, they can deduct it from the money and send me the balance that my wife is in the hospital and i needed money.

I was turnned down,i felt so bad that i began to ask my self lots of questions that why are people so mean.This is an agent i handed over my propertis to sale and i pay for their services what do i get in return,nothing.Then i say to my self why being so foolish for 8 month when you know you can rent out the place for a responsible home than paying $400 every month for good 8 month and no buyer yet. I must tell you am not happy with those agents at all.Well if you are still intrested in renting the place and you know you can take good care of the place for while am away cause i have changed my mind about salling the house,its now for rent.I will be glad to rent it out to you.If you want to view the place you can contact the agent

Call Joshua Jarvis: 770-374-4667 Note you will not tell them that the place is for rent cause i dint inform them that i want to rent out the place.You will tell them that you saw the place in www.backpage.com and you are intrested in the place so you want to view it.I just cant wait to rent out the place and stop paying $400 every month to some agent that dont have human feelings.I will be expecting your reply soon"

You know if you are going to scam someone, fine, but you don't have to throw someone under the bus at the same time. Basically, this person was trying to collect security deposits.

So from this E-mail and instance I can tell you to look out for a few things:

1. If the home for sale on craigslist has NO CONTACT information, it's either a very ill-informed home owner or it's a scammer. Both are extremely hard to deal with.

2. In keeping with #1, if the home for sale or rent deal looks too good to be true... It probably is, no matter how good the market is.

3. If you get an e-mail concerning Africa or the UK run.

4. If you see an e-mail that utilizes the words, "acttualy," "intrese," "salling," and who could forget, "dint," - RUN!

5. Agents, this is a good reminder that if you aren't on Craigslist or Backpage, then someone else might be.

With a home like this, it's easy to see why someone would use it.

Be safe out there and don't, under any circumstances, try to confront these scammers. They are cowards in my book, which is all the more reason to leave them alone. Just educate yourself.

333 Brook Lea Cove, Lawrenceville, GA 30044 - Just Listed Home For Sale - In Ground Pool

2008-06-10T05:35:03Z

You'll not get too many chances to see something like this.

When you see this in-ground, heated gunite pool, you'll not believe it. The pool features a spa / hot tub, with waterfall and the pool has it's own fountain. Gazebo to stay with home and all the equipment.

This immaculate ranch is a great home in its own right, with hardwood floors throughout, vaulted ceilings, double sided fire place and solid surface counter tops... we've just scratched the surface.

Upgraded fixtures, tile in the kitchen, dimmer switches on almost every switch, new appliances, fold out awning that has never been used, double fenced yard, professionally landscaped, sprinkler system, master with sitting room which could be fourth bedroom, owned security system, painted garage floor, rocking chair front porch, extra storage areas tthroughout, granite counters in bathroom... you might want to take a break, we could be here a while... actually, this home will sell too fast, see it today!

Coles Pond - Hoschton, GA Custom Gated Community - Luxury Living Without The Strings

2008-06-03T10:48:06Z

Coles Pond, located in Hoshcton, GA, is a 77 Estate home gated community. With lot sizes up to 3 acres, this community offers all the luxury trappings of living in a Chateau Elan-esque community without all the strings that come attached.

For instance, although there is an active HOA there is no hardline person measuring your grass height. Oh and if you ever decided to sell your home in Coles Pond, your agent could represent you easily by putting a sign up (not the case in Chateau Elan).

Although not the best selling community in Hoschton or Atlanta for that matter, Coles Pond offers something unique. A gated community with Acre plus lots under 1 million. Sure you could spend more than 1 million on a home in Coles Pond, but the point is, that you don't have to.

You can bring your own builder for new construction, choose one on site or buy one of the few homes for sale available.

To Search all the Coles Pond Homes For Sale visit www.gahomesdigest.com or visit the community page at www.gahomesdigest.com/coles-pond.htm.

4850 Shellnut Path, Hoschton, GA 30548 - JUST LISTED - TRILOGY PARK

2008-06-02T04:14:50Z

4850 Shellnut Path
Hoschton, GA 30548
Mill Creek School Cluster Model Home

Joshua Jarvis

Mobile:	770-374-4667
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$339,900
Bedrooms	:	5
Bathrooms	:	4
Square Foot	:	3,300
Lot Size	:	0
County	:	Gwinnett
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	2005
MLS Number	:	02456615

click for more pictures

Property Description

This Model home is the top selling Vickery by Waterford homes in the Trilogy Park subdivision. Too many upgrades too mention, but we'll try! With side entry AND a three car garage this is a unique home. At this price, it's a steal. Upgraded trimwork, solid surface counter tops, Island in the kitchen, bonus room for your theatre or play room, sprinkler system installed, security, fenced yard... and OPRAH SIZED closets. Ladies, imagine turning your garage into a closet just for you! Well now you can have it. His and hers closets, so the "GARAGE-SIZED" closet is all yours! Neighborhood features three parks, swim, tennis and tree lined streets. First person to see this will buy it.

Features List

Three Car Garage	Side Entry	Sprinkler System
Fenced Yard	Bonus Room	Hardwood Floors
Upgraded Trim	Solid Surface Counte	Kitchen Island
Bedroom on Main LVL	Security System	Treyed Ceilings
Two Story Foyer	Upgraded Lighting	Custom Colors
Rocking Chair Porch	Book Case Builtins	Outdoor Lighting

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Keller Williams : Duluth GA : 770-374-4667

Listing At Appraisal Value - Good Idea In Gwinnett County?

2008-05-29T06:17:24Z

As Realtors "we" can list your home for whatever "we" want. Why else are there so many homes on the market? Most of them were priced incorrectly. So in order to say "I can only price it at appraisal", first, I have to have a valid appraisal. An appraisal from a tax assessor, refinance or even sometime during a purchase is not a valid appraisal. Those appraisals do not take into account current market conditions and only evaluate the past solds. Doing this is like chasing a ball downhill, looking at 3 month data is always going to be problematic in a market like this.

Now that's not to say an agent will list the home for appraisal. Professionally speaking, it would not be wise for any agent to list the home at appraisal value given the current market conditions.

Secondly, the purchase contract a buyer will use to buy the home has a special stipulation in there that allows them to opt out of the contract if you will not match their appraisal. For example, if we listed your home at 500 and the the buyer agrees to 500 but the appraisal comes in at 250 then you have the option of matching the 250 or the buyer can opt out. Reason being, the bank will not lend more than the appraised value. In fact, the banks are now lending as little as 75% of the appraised value in many cases. Unless you have most unique home in the universe, you wouldn't expect a buyer to make up the difference over and beyond an appraisal.

The buyers are smarter. With the internet and the amount of research that buyers do, they can rule out homes very easily. If you price your home at appraisal or above, they will immediately know. Furthermore, their agent (myself included if I am their agent) will do a market analysis and provide them information on making an offer if they were interest. The bottomline is that the buyer may not even see the home if you price it out of range. More on this when we meet.

What Interest Rates Really Mean

2008-05-14T05:11:43Z

The Fed did this! The Fed did that! Rates are up! Rates are down! Aaaagggh! Okay, now exhale. In turbulent economic times the media can’t wait to report what interest rates are doing. Pundits prognosticate, forecasters forecast and soothsayers sooth. When should you buy a home based upon interest rates and when is it the right time?

There is a fixation on what rates are doing. A fixation on what rates will be in the future and what rates were in the past. I’ve heard potential home buyers tell me, “I’m not sure I want to buy now because rates are ¼ percent higher now and I think I’ll wait.” I say, “Wait for what?” I say let’s not look at the rate but instead concentrate on what that rate actually represents … your monthly payment.

Let’s look at what an interest rate move of ¼ percent really does to a $200,000 mortgage. Say a 30-year interest rate at 6.00 percent “jumps” to 6 ¼ percent. Shall we sit on the sidelines, thinking such a move is suddenly unaffordable? No. The payment on a $200,000 loan “jumps” by about $32 a month!

Now let’s get a bit more draconian and look at a ½ percent increase and the monthly payment increases by $64. Putting that into daily financial terms, $64 is about a tank of gas. While not insignificant, it’s hardly a reason to stay on the sidelines of home ownership. Right now, buyers should have more urgency than ever. Home prices have declined enough to make buying more affordable than it's been in recent memory and interest rates (whether at 6 percent or 6 1/4 percent) are historically low. It's time to act.

To put into a different perspective, let's look at that same $200,000 home. A 1/2 point increase on the rate at $63 a month is the equivalent to buying the home at almost $210,000. So in the grand scheme of things, quarter and half points won't make much difference.

(Contributing author:David Reed)

Hoschton - Gwinnett County's Best Kept Secret

2008-05-08T05:57:59Z

Move over Grayson, Hoschton is now Gwinnett's best kept secret. If you do a search online for Hoschton Homes for sale, you'll likely be told all about how it's in Jackson county and your kids will go to Jackson County schools, even Wikipedia in all of it's wisdom has it wrong.

Hoschton is located in 4, yes, 4 Counties. Hall, Jackson, Barrow and Gwinnett all have some land in Hoschton. What many don't realize is that on of the best school districts in the state, the Mill Creek High School cluster actually has a Hoschton address.

The city itself, the capital and municipal buildings are located in Jackson. Downtown there is a very nice square complete with gourmet coffee shops and country cookin' restaurants. You'll find business people as well as locals meeting here for networking opportunities.

Back to Gwinnett County, All Homes for sale in Hoschton that are in the Gwinnett County side go to Mill Creek High School Cluster. This includes, Frank Osbourne and Duncan Creek Elementary.

Neighborhoods that are located in Hoschton that are also in Gwinnett County are:

SOLD In 90 Days or Less In Gwinnett: FACT OR FICTION?

2008-05-07T07:29:30Z

It's true, the latest absorption report for Gwinnett County places the average home for sale as SOLD in just about 83 days or so.

The two toughest sectors of homes to sell are surprisingly the $120 to $140K range of homes for sale and the $200 to $300K homes. This data reinforces my claim that previous first time home buyers are stuck renting (as they had no business buying homes a few years ago) and that the relocation buyers are still stuck in their state trying to move their home (most common buyer of the $200K to $300K range).

Another disturbing trend is that Gwinnett County has over 2 years of inventory of homes priced $250K and above. YIKES!

So while homes are selling, many more sit on the market. The ones that do sell are in line with the regular selling cycle in the Atlanta Metro Area, the same cycle that has been alive for 5 plus years.

Basically, a smaller percentage of homes are selling, but the ones that do sell do so in the first 90 days.

The good news is that the percentage of homes that are selling has increased to almost 15% of the top homes in terms of value (where condition meets price).

SEARCH ALL GWINNETT COUNTY HOMES

Predator Posing As Realtor to Access Property

2008-04-30T04:30:46Z

Almost as if on cue, our MLS sent out an e-mail blast alerting us to the following:

This happened over the last weekend in DeKalb County.
"I wanted to let you know that twice in two days two people have come by and lied, to get into the house. There was a man yesterday who did all the talking and a woman who did none. I was in the front yard and they approached trying to engage me in conversation by indicating he knew you, (the listing agent). He asked to go in the house. I asked if he was a REALTOR and he said yes and gave me some name rather quickly. I asked to see a card and he said it was in his car. I told him - as you had instructed me - that he would have to open the door using his REALTOR key. He said that too was in his car. I told him he would need to go get it. He got huffy and said that if I wasn't interested in showing the house then I must not want to sell it. He indicated that you (the listing agent) had sent him, which was surely a lie. I indicated again that he could not enter without a key and turned my back on him.
They left.
oday two men were shaking my front door. Not knocking. Not ringing the doorbell. They were seeing if they could force the door. I asked them what they were doing and they said they wanted to see the house. I asked if they are REALTORS. They said yes. I asked to see a card. They said no they had been sent by a REALTOR to see the house. I told them to come back with a REALTOR. And I shut the door.

I'm sure that many more desperate clients would fall for these tactics. I was a but frightened. I'm here alone and the situation was always two against one if I had let them in. This is scary stuff!"

So how do you protect yourself from predators:

If it's listed with a Realtor, then ALWAYS make the Realtor access the lockbox (assuming it's an electronic one and not one of those combo locks), this is not only for tracking and follow up for feedback but it's also gives the police a list to call (and they will call) in the event something happens.
If you are home, ask for a business card. Every agent has a business card.
If they don't have their business card ask for their pocket license (In Georgia). State law requires that we carry a small version of our license with us.

If you are selling on your own, please refer to this article about For Sale By Owner

This isn't meant to be a scare tactic, quite the opposite really. Do a search and you'll find that there are many instances of attacks on Real Estate professional, people posing as Realtors or on For Sale By Owners / Open houses.

New Atlanta Journal Ad Shows the Dangers of For Sale By Owner

2008-04-28T19:46:32Z

As I was driving to my appointment this morning I heard a radio ad from the Atlanta Journal, Metro Atlanta's most read newspaper, about their home classified section. I had just attended a presentation that told me that AJC's numbers were dropping in terms of readership and that their website was picking up, but was still not a destination.

I'm sure this new ad campaign is designed to generate more traffic, and more advertisers.

What I thought was so great about the ad (wish I could get the ad for you) is that it perfectly describes what is my number one reason for NOT selling For Sale By Owner. In the ad, a couple gets their home listed on the AJC Homefinder and has something very immediate happen. The door bell rings... and rings .... and rings. What caught me by surprise is that this couple is depicted as being unprepared for the throng of buyers ready to see the home. In one instance a stranger asks to use the bathroom. They have people peeking in through the back door and through helping themselves, while the husband has a "Gee Golly" response, the wife is frantic because the home is not clean.

This is the reason most For Sale By Owners don't do well, is that they are not accessible. Furthermore, by not having a professional Realtor track and monitor who goes into and out of the home, you could easily just let someone in that needs nothing more than a bathroom break.

So what happens if you place an ad with the AJC and you get THIS kind of response? Here's some tips to keep you safe if you DON'T have professional help.

Ask if the person has a Realtor. This is first, so we can get it out of the way. If the person has a Realtor that usually means the person has some qualification to be able to purchase your home. Afterall, who would want to drive around an unqualified person with gas prices this high. You might consider asking them to come back with their Realtor if they say yes. If they do say, yes, make sure you get their Realtor's name as a pre-caution.
Ask for their Name, Contact number, and ID. - In this day we have people posing as police officers and meter readers. It's best to be safe. Do you really want someone in your home that can't provide an ID?
Ask how they are going to finance it. Lack of a solid answer here should cause you to think about if it is worth your time. It might be worthwhile to team up with a mortgage professional to pre-screen those that say they haven't gotten pre-approved yet.
Qualify them, like a Realtor does. Ask them where they are looking, what's their price range, what are they looking for? These questions will help you evaluate what you are competing with. Be sure to get a number, so you can follow up for feedback. Ask them to be honest, especially if they aren't bringing you an offer.

NetWORK like you mean it - As opposed to Net Eat - Ideas to help you Network

2008-04-23T04:32:49Z

Networking isn’t as easy as just showing up to an event and handing out business cards. Networking is an art. It's not Net-eat, net-shove-business -cards, net-relax, it's netWORK.

As president of the Chateau Elan networking group, I've seen individuals of all ranges with varying ranges of success. Here are 5 tips that I have found in the more successful networkers.

1. Wait for the right window of opportunity to share your information.
Show an interest in others first and then when the focus turns to you, share your business card and business goals. When someone walks in handing out business cards indiscriminately, it’s tantamount to “network spamming.” In our networking group, we have a question, "How Can I help you with your business?" As the person thinks, it in turn makes them want to ask you... about your business.

2. Networking is about looking for opportunities to give.
Anyone is capable of great networking through good listening and caring about others’ success. Furthermore, everyone has a wealth of resources to offer. If your first goal is to be a valuable resource to others, the networking karma will be returned many times over.

Furthermore, giving opportunities to others in a group setting gives you credibility and visibility. Coincidentally, that should be your goal in a closed networking group - that is to build those two as fast as you can.

3. Become adept at gathering information.
After you have built relationships with your contacts, it’s time to share your business needs. Be as specific as possible when asking for leads, referrals or information. Specific requests glean the best results. It’s also helpful to provide examples of how you have helped a client. Always acknowledge any kind of help you receive and ask how you can return the favor.

Also be specific about your goals. Ask for 3 referrals, or ask for a referral after certain events take place, like after a home purchase.

4. Be Specific about what you want
A reference I use, is ask for the 1996 red honda civic. You have to be very specific or else people will not be able to access their mental database or their "reticular activator" in order to help you.

If you've ever gone shopping for a car and thought that no one owned the car. After you bought the vehicle you realized that everyone has the same car. It's same principle. Jeff Pickering has a great explanation here.

5. Find your comfort zone.
Networking is a contact sport, but you don't have to fear being "ran over." Most reasonable people understand that you're there to get more business just like they are. Re-read number 2. The best ice-breakers are ones where you are asking questions about others. Also, you can ask for advice on how you might communicate your needs more effectively - people love to give advice and in turn they are learning about your business.

To reap the benefits of networking you must be a farmer. That means not only having a giving heart and sowing seeds, but it also means nurturing the relationships (like tending the fields). Remember, you can't get the fruit of your labor sometimes unless you wait for it!

Good Luck!

Do you Blog Dangerously?

2008-04-11T12:29:10Z

When I first started blogging I thought it was no different than what I used to do years ago, which was constantly update my webpage. The whole thing involved ftp uploads and a wee bit of code, but it was fun and it kept the content fresh.

Now that I'm a year into this, I see it's a bit different. For one, there's a lot more people doing it now. It's a wonderful way to share your voice with the world, to show them how real or not you are and how informative you can be. I've been blessed with some wonderful feedback.

So what's so dangerous about sharing your opinion?

Before I jump into the dangerous aspect of blogging, I would like to take a time out for our "left coast" readers. See, I was fooled much like my liberal friends (hey, I'm just trying to be funny here) into thinking that Freedom of Speech, means Freedom from consequences. It simply isn't the case. Your job for instance, is a priviledge, not a right, so therefore anything you say can't be protected by that right, however after you get fired you are certainly welcome to continue stating whatever it was that got you fired... as long as it is factually true. So in this conversation, I would say that your real estate license, or inspector license or whoever is reading this that is an "independent" contractor license could be easily removed if you say something a bit off.

The thought that most of you have right now if you are anything like me is that you want the whole world to know how great YOU are and how bad some of the situations we as Realtors get into.

The danger does not lie in losing your job, or the ability to do your job. No, the danger lies in unnecessary lawsuits. So you might wonder what guidelines you might follow in order to make sure your blog is safe.

Never use actual names of companies, unless it's documented as fact or positive
Never write anything negative, unless it is documented as fact, even if it is true
Practice WWYBD, Like What Would Jesus Do, except now we're talking about Your Broker. Would they get excited that you wrote something "edgy?"
When referencing particular events or deals, make sure your disclosing PUBLIC records, and not personal information without something signed! by the parties
When in doubt, don't post it, it isn't worth it.

Some of you might be wondering where this all came from. Well, I am proud of the fact that I built my business on being brutally honest with my clients and that should come through in my writings. This past year, three instances made me reconsider blogging.

I had an instance where a client's earnest money was being delayed in being returned by a large builder. I wrote a blog about it, got the earnest money back and my client felt like a king, but I also got threatened in some pretty devious ways.
I wrote something about the quality of workmanship in a particular neighborhood. Later, I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO of the company (which could mean thousands of listings... yes, thousands). Due to the blog, I couldn't tell him to Google me, which is one of my favorite things to tell prospective clients.
I blogged about a closed deal and my client didn't feel that the deal happened the way I blogged about. Think, "Just Sold, Full Price" and the client thinks, "Gave the home away with all my furnishings."

So at the end of the day, it's not worth it to lose my livelihood for a good read. To recap:

Document or get people to sign before you blog, and don't blog negative!

Atlanta Real Estate Market - A Buyer's Market Yes, A Bad Market, ... ? You decide

2008-04-07T15:57:09Z

As long as I have been in Atlanta Real Estate, it's always been a buyer's market. Sure there were some streets and some neighborhoods that had a certain essence that people clamored for, but overall, as a buyer you could always expect concessions of some sort.

If you're a big fan of the media, you might want to click away right now, because I hate to break it to folks, but this is one of the best years ever for Real Estate.

Let's get right into the facts (all from our MLS).

(Left: Centennial Olympic Park Fountain, By Hamwithcam)

Let's first look at Atlanta Homes that Sold In January & February (Just Single Family Detached)

Worst Year this Millennium? 2000 - With barely 2,000 homes sold in Jan 00, and almost 3,000 in Feb 00
Best Year this Millennium? 2006 & 2007 ?!?!? - Yep, those are the numbers, Both years started at just under 4,000 homes sold in Atlanta, to just over 5,000 for Feb. of those months.
How About 08? Jan 08 saw about 2,500 Atlanta Homes sold, while Feb saw about 3,000 homes sold in Atlanta.

OK, so home sales are not that bad, but what about prices? Prices are down 10% according to CNN. So again all the single family detached homes in Metro Atlanta are put out there for the millennium comparison.

What is the average sales price in Atlanta. Drum Roll!!!

Worst First Quarter Year of this Millennium? 2000 - DUH! With an average of $195K.
Best Year? I'm tempted to put a spoiler alert here, but you might have guessed.... 2007 was the best year ever for average sales price of an Atlantan home. At about $252K, you'd likely have some equity if you bought in Metro Atlanta.
So how are we doing? We're down. In 2008, we have about a 4% decrease from last year to $235K.

One thing the media did get right this year is Days On Market, let's take a look. Again, we're only looking at the first quarter (minus March) for the millennium.

Worst Year - 2008 - Just over 100 days on market.
Best Year - 2000 - With about 65 Days on market for homes in Atlanta.

So at the end of the day, are we in a buye's market?, Yes. Are we in a bad market? No. It's a great time to move up and a great time to buy as always.

What's especially nice is that the high octane Realtors out there are getting a lot more business because it takes more than just a sign and the MLS to sell a home!

Till nextime....

Watch Those Tax Assessment Notices! | Are You Ready To Dispute Your GA Tax Assessment?

2008-04-04T06:53:14Z

I got a great e-mail from a client, Tim Smith, from Russel, Stell, Smith and Mattison, LLC, about assessments,

"Gwinnett is sending out 2008 notices of re-assessment. This should cause a groundswell of opposition and appeals as they are using 2006-07 data in a still falling 2008 market. For instance our home was $460K +/- for 2007; they’ve raised it to $506K for 2008---don’t I wish!

Anyway, if you’re looking for a topic to get folks to read the newsletter, a timely mention of the need to watch for those notices being mailed this week and only 30 days from the date of the notice (not when rec’d) to appeal should get their interest. Not that you (or I for that matter) are appraisers who would stand to pick up substantial business from all the appeals that will come of this, but it would be a great reminder to all your recent purchasers or current listings to stay on top of this.

Even if they hadn’t raised my assessment I was going to challenge it because of the other nearby homes with substantially lower valuations."

I would hardly call the Metro Atlanta market a crisis area, but at the same time, during this mortgage mess it certainly doesn't help to have the tax assessors giving incorrect assessments. You'd almost think the assessors are ex-Real Estate agents who used to overprice their listings!

If you're interested in the process of appealing your tax assessment click here.

* NOTE *

For those folks that e-mailed, NO, the image in this blog is not Tim Smith's home. This is what the tax assessor thinks of YOUR home! You can get more in Georgia, but not THAT much more.

2990 Ivy Brook Lane, Buford, GA 30519 - The Estates At Ivy Creek - Just Listed!

2008-04-01T09:32:18Z

Former Model Home w/ Theater Room! Possible Short Sale

Location: The Estates At Ivy Creek

FORMER MODEL HOME! GET ALL THE XTRAS, HUGE MASTER SUITE W/ SITTING AREA, VOLUMOUS FAMILY ROOM, INTRICATE DINING ROOM, KITCHEN TO DIE FOR, VIEWS KEEPING ROOM & BREAKFAST AREA, GRANITE TOPS & STAINLESS APPLIANCES. BASEMENT HAS FULL THEATER! FOR THE RIGHT PRICE, OWNER WILL LEAVE ALL THE THE EQUIPMENT!!

Too many upgrades to possibly mention, custom colors, hidden tv niches, extra millwork, trim.

This was a Wieland Executive's first build. As such it comes with trademark Wieland details on a grand scale.

Information

Contact Information

Joshua Jarvis

770-374-4667

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Pricing

Asking Price: $524,900

Flexibility: Negotiable

Additional Pricing Information: Possible Short Sale

Neighborhood Amenities: Tennis, Swimming Pool, Sidewalks, Street Lights, Cable, Internet

Property Location

2990 Ivy Brook Lane
Buford, GA 30519
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Features

Bedrooms: 6

Bathrooms: 4.5

Parking: 3

Year Built: 2003

Subdivision: The Estates At Ivy Cree

Lot Size: .28

Garage Size: 3 Car

School District: Ivy Creek

Square Footage: 5000

Agent Name: Joshua Jarvis

Broker: Keller Williams

MLS #: 3682889

Website: http://www.gahomedigest.com

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Full Refrigerator

Dishwasher

Microwave

Stainless Steel

Double Oven

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Hardwood Floors

Security System

Kitchen Island

Vaulted Ceilings

Basement

Exterior Amenities

Fenced Yard

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VFLYER ID: 1588052

Foreclosure Trends In Georgia Real Estate

2008-03-24T20:05:37Z

If you turn on the news today and listen to latest on the housing crisis you'll find that in March, Georgia will add another 7300 or so foreclosure/REO properties in the next 90 days. While the inventory for foreclosures / REO properties increases (there are 214 available today in Lawrenceville), there is a great new trend occurring, that make me believe we'll be coming out of the Atlanta version of the housing "crisis."

The "F" word has enticed many buyers to look into this avenue. I get requests daily to look at foreclosures. Corporate, Bank owned, investor owned, REOs all can be filed under the Foreclosure name tag despite it being a bit of a misnomer. Time will prove this out, but I for one, think that the foreclosure market is about to get interesting. Why? I think buyer's are good determiners of value, and right not, most forelcosures don't make sense for buyers.

So why am I so chipper about the foreclosure news? Two Reasons!

First, there's a new trend occurring with buyers. Sales are up this year from last as far as inventory and I am finding that buyers are interested in buying foreclosures. However, either the condition of the home will scare them or the incompetence of the bank/reo company/listing agent will send them to the hills to look for resales.

The second reason is that builders have gotten smart. They've stopped building. Centex only has 20 inventory homes in the 13 metro counties that make up Metro Atlanta. Other builders are following suit. This decrease in inventory is limiting the choices of todays buyers.

In short, buyers have three options, FIXER UPPER with A Lot of Hassle, Resales in good condition (now the top 15% are selling, and inventory homes from builders.

If buyers start to shy away from foreclosures then the trend would be that more resales will sell which is really what the housing market needs. According to the NAR, 80% of the buyers in today's market have a home to sell! IF the resales start moving then so do the buyers.

Two concerns:

The banks wise up, streamline the process and/or improve the homes, in essence stealing the buyers from the "public."
Builders start building again even though there is no clear signal to start again.

Only time will tell.

Counter Balance - Real Estate Trends, Life Trends

2008-03-11T20:00:42Z

Quantum Leap, Gary Keller's newest (soon to be book) seminar focuses on life and adjusting your life and your business. Keller's comments during Keller William's Family Reunion might as well been entitled, Counter Balance - Balancing Life & Real Estate. The basic premise is that life is cyclical and even more so is Real Estate.

With that being said, it's no surprise that our market is riding the roller coaster back down on prices. Had we all been watching the affordability numbers and compared them to home prices we'd have seen the huge gap here. In addition, when you have mortgage people messing with the formula, you can't expect no repercussions.

In Metro Atlanta, we dodged the first bullet. We've always had a buyer's market and still do. Homes are affordable and there are more of them then the incoming buyers. We could have continued to chug up the little slop that is our market. However, when you start messing with formula, sometimes you create things that might be a bit out of control.

Tuesday, 7400 Foreclosures hit the court house steps in Metro Atlanta. Although, this includes 13 different counties it's still far too many. Our prices are falling, not as a result of the market's cyclical trend, but due to the number of foreclosures. Many appraisers claim that foreclosures are making up the majority of comparables for their appraisals.

New Trends

I've noticed, ever so slightly, that non-foreclosure resales are starting to make a comeback. This trend was evident before the foreclosure boom, but died a bit during some of the mortgage meltdown. Now it's back. Buyers are starting to gravitate the "known" in a resale as opposed to the "unknown" in a foreclosure. Buyers are still offerring ridiculous offers to sellers that are not in a dire situation, but are starting to be more realistic.

With foreclosures, you get a bumpy process, less than stellar information about the home, and of course the only thing you can be sure of is what you find out on your own. Whereas with Resales, in most cases you'll get a disclosure and often a responsive listing agent to help the process along. It'll just feel smoother. Of course, you'll have the peace of mind that no one put concrete in the pipes!

Going forward, I think this year will be excellent for sales, but not necessarily for sellers, unless they are moving up. So I typed all of that to bring it all back to this point:

The market is cyclical, but in Atlanta, we've always been a buyers market. It will take us a will to get back to our natural equilibrium but we are making progress, every so slowly in the non REO department.

Have You Heard of Qassia? SEO Backlink Builder and Ad Revenue Sharer?

2008-03-08T19:54:57Z

Qassia was first spammed to me through Active Rain, so I thought it only appropriate to post a blog post on it. Basically, it's an MLM concept with allowable backlinks to content, thus boosting SEO results and helping their Revenue Sharing. So you can make money and boost your site at the same time. Pretty nifty. It's invite only and trust me you will get invites, but if the person wasn't honest with you up front about the MLM part of it, then you might want to sign up with me! (BOO! Adam!) Check it Out http://jarvisteam.qassia.com /

Lawrenceville, GA - Walmart Converts Sinks To Help GA Drought Conditions

2008-03-05T13:52:26Z

Who says, Walmart doesn't care. In an effort to minimize their impact on the environment, Walmart has converted thousands of sinks and toilets in the 109 Walmart and Sam's Club Stores to save water.

In an article in the Gwinnett Daily, Michael Mills, the regional director of Coporate Affairs for Walmart said he expected the changes will amount to a 17 to 20 percent reduction in water usage... or rather 53 MILLION gallons annually.

"We wanted to minimize our impact on the drought of Georgia." Mills said. "Hopefully, we'll set an example for other businesses."

Mills stated, also in the article that Walmart has been moving toward sustainable designs and systems for several years now.

Special Thanks to Arielle Kass who wrote the original article.

Movie Theatre Going Up in Hamilton Mill - Dacula GA

2008-03-05T13:44:57Z

For those who live in the Hamilton Mill area, there has always been a curiosity as to what would go up in between the Home Depot and the Kohl's. With construction underway on several shopping areas, one project has piqued some interest.

Great Escape Theatres of New Albany, IND will open an ALL digital theatre in md to late May. For an area with over 45,000 family living in a 5 mile radius, this is a great need! The 52,000 Square foot facilility is being built next to Home Depot and will feature stadium seating with 18 to 24 inch risers, digital projection and 3D technology. Currently, the closest theatre is in the Mall of Georgia.

In an article in The Paper, Ragains the COO said, "The North side of Atlanta is very attractive because of all the growth."

He said that studies have shown that there is room for a successful theatre business in Dacula, GA.

This Realtor, says, "DUH!"

Search all the Dacula, Hamilton Mill and Georgia Homes For Sale at GAHomesDigest.com

My First Video! Tour of 5996 Wellington Avenue on Lake Lanier

2008-02-28T07:10:37Z

Lake Lanier - 5996 Wellington Ave, Gainesville Real Estate - Georgia Homes Digest from Joshua Jarvis on Vimeo.

This is a video tour of 5996 Wellington Avenue in Gainesville, GA. The home sits on acreage with waterfront property on Lake Lanier. With 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths, a full finished basement and over three acres, this home is spacious. Obviously, the main attraction is the lake view and the 2 boat slips. Deep water all year around on this home.

Since this is my first video, please feel free to critique it and let me know how to improve! (be kind). I posted an unbranded version of this in Realtor.com.

The movie was made with a Flip! Video camera ($130) and Windows Movie Maker (which is free). I look forward to doing more of this! If you have been making movies for e-mail video or video tours, let me know.

Village At Deaton Creek , Hoschton, GA - Dominates Sales in the Area ... Again

2008-02-19T19:37:36Z

I grabbed this off a press release but it's true. If you've ever been to the Village at Deaton Creek in Hoschton, GA, you'll know why people are flocking there.

Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM) is pleased to announce that Metrostudy has named the Village at Deaton Creek by Del Webb Metro Atlanta's top selling community for 2007 in its fourth quarter report for 2007. Metrostudy is a housing market research firm that is the leading provider of real estate and related market information in the country. Metrostudy provides primary and secondary market information to the housing and related industries nationwide.

Del Webb attributes its successful year to three key factors - the reputation as the nation's leader in active adult lifestyle communities for more than 47 years, the large base of baby boomer households in Atlanta, and the community's entire $10 million amenity package being fully functional.

Atlanta is in line with national trends that point to baby boomers as the fastest growing population and household segments. According to the US Census Bureau, there are over 530,000 households in the Atlanta market that are 55 and over. That is nearly 30% of all households in the Atlanta area. "We see a majority of our customers coming from the Atlanta area. Baby Boomers are one of the largest groups in the market, and they have significant buying power," says Cooper. This group also represents the largest growing segment in the market - by 2011, it will account for nearly 700,000 households. In fact, one in five metro Atlanta residents will be 60 or older by 2030.

The 35,000 square foot Club at Deaton Creek amenity center opened its doors in the summer of 2007, and the final phase of Village at Deaton Creek's amenities opened on schedule in December, just a year from the first homeowners moving in. Cooper notes, "The lifestyle is in full swing, so customers can envision themselves living in the community." Situated in Hoschton, near Chateau Élan, Village at Deaton Creek offers a full-time lifestyle director, 35,000 square foot clubhouse, miles of walking trails, a tennis complex, bocce ball courts, a dog park, and softball.

Cooper adds, "Being only 40 miles north of Atlanta, we offer our customers the opportunity to downsize and stay close to their family and friends, plus immediate access to a highly social and highly amenitized lifestyle."