If you've been renting a home or condominium, it may seem easier and more cost-effective to continue as a renter for the foreseeable future. While the real estate market has seen some downturns in recent history, there are still very compelling emotional and financial reasons to own your home.

Happy Homeowners
For decades, part of the American dream included purchasing a home. It's the outward sign of success and provides an opportunity to shape your living environment and community in ways that are unavailable or difficult for renters. Some studies even suggest that homeowners report greater life satisfaction and exhibit better psychological health than non-homeowners.

Owning a home generally offers greater stability and security. Homeowners don't have to check with a landlord to make improvements or change paint colors or flooring. That control seems to have an effect on self-esteem and the homeowner's sense of security. Homeowners live in their homes for longer periods of time than do renters, creating a stability for their families and their communities.

If living in an environmentally conscious way is important to you, owning your home gives you the opportunity to shape your living environment to lessen your "carbon footprint" and save a little money. Solar power, reclaimed building materials and rainwater collection tubs are just a few of the environmentally friendly improvements homeowners can make without interference from a landlord. Tax incentive and monthly cost savings on the solar power are side benefits, as well.

Financial Benefits
In the short-term, homeownership continues to make sound financial sense. Homeowners receive a variety of tax incentives in the form of mortgage interest tax deductions, property tax deductions and capital gains exclusions for those living in their homes for two of the past five years. All in all, those tax deductions can add up to significant annual cost savings. The capital gains exclusion is a benefit realized once the home is sold.

Purchasing a home should be viewed, at least in part, as an investment. Sometimes investments experience temporary losses, but the long-term outlook for real estate investment is still strong. Even if the current market is lower than you wish, as you continue to make house payments you are creating long-term equity that can be used to help finance other life events such as college educations, weddings, travel and vacation property.

Owning a home also strengthens your credit rating as you make consistent, on-time mortgage payments. In the long run, that improved credit rating can help you obtain financing for a variety of life's needs and luxuries.

Downturns in the market in recent history shouldn't sour you on owning a home. There are still abundant reasons owning a home is a wise financial and emotional decision.

Begin your search of homes for sale in Atlanta, Georgia at www.tinafountain.com, or if Coastal North Carolina is in your sights start searching all homes for sale in Wilmington, North Carolina at www.coastalcarolinahomes.com.

Home in Historic Marietta SOLD in 5 days!

I was recently pulled aside at the gym by a woman who found out I was a REALTOR in the metro Atlanta area.   "Can you please come see my home?" she begged, "it's been on the market for TWO YEARS and hasn't sold!".  It had just expired, so I agreed to take a look at it.

When I drove by, it seemed cute enough.  It was in the Historic section of Marietta, near the Square, and was a nice ranch with a two-car garage, a rarity in that neighborhood.   So I went home to look up the expired listing on FMLS. OMG.  Here is what I saw:

The mystery was solved!  Unfortunately, these sellers had been victims of BAD MARKETING.  Turns out, while trying to be helpful, that the husband had taken the pictures of the home on his cell phone, and delivered them to their agent--who proceeed to load them onto FMLS!  Now, these pictures might be fine for texting to a friend or family member, but were certainly not of the quality to be posted to a professional real estate website.  And the sellers didn't know--it was the agent's reponsibility to get good pictures taken and posted--ones that would draw in a buyer, not prevent them from ever wanting to see the home!

Was the home perfect?  No.  But it was a really darling, great home that just needed some fine tuning.   

I brought in Kathy Nielsen, a wonderful home stager in Atlanta who owns Georgia Interior Solutions.  She re-configured the living room, which had awkward furniture placement, suggested some alternate paint colors in some rooms; and went room by room to help them tweak their accessory and art placement.  I also had them update the master bath with a new vanity and light fixture.

Then we brought in Iran Watson, an incredible real estate photographer in Atlanta --not inexpensive, but hey, pictures are what bring the buyers into the home!  Here are a few of the "after" pictures:

We then put the home back on the market at same price it had been listed before and made sure it was posted EVERYWHERE on the web.  

The happy ending to this story?  We had it under contract in 5 days--with a bidding war between two buyers, and two other agents that were preparing to write offers when we went under contract.   The owners are ecstatic, and I'm happy that I was able to right another real estate agent's wrong. 

It's a no brainer--a home that is staged correctly, priced comptitively, and MARKETED WELL--will sell.

How We Sold This Marietta Georgia Home in 5 Days

In fact, not only did we get a contract in 5 days, we had a bidding war between two buyers with another two other agents preparing to write offers as well.

For the sellers, this wasn't just good news, it was great news as their home had been on the market for two years prior.

So, how did we sell this Marietta Home in 5 days?

• They used an incredible Marietta REALTOR. Her name is Kirsten Conover with Prudential Georgia. I've had the great pleasure of working with Kirsten for over three years and she is perhaps one of the hardest working real estate agents I've met.
• I provided the homeowners with a home staging consultation. More on that subject below.
• Kirsten hired Iran Watson - perhaps Atlanta's best real estate photographer, to capture the beauty the home had to offer.

Here's what the home looked like prior to the home staging consultation:

The fireplace, which is a feature of the home is not even pictured, and resides to the far right.

Here's the same room after re-arranging their existing furniture.

Photo taken Atlanta Real Estate Photographer, Iran Watson.

As the home stager for this home, I knew it was important to create a more warm and inviting space, which was accomplished by re-arranging the furniture. I had also recommended that the fireplace, which was black, be painted white which elevated the look and feel.

As you can see, it took a team to help sell this Marietta home in 5 days. The combined efforts of the agent, the home stager (me) and having incredible photos truly does make a difference.

Originally posted in AtlantaHomeStaging.net

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

 TOP 10 Professional Stager of the Year in the

United States 2013  - RESA

This Atlanta home stager understands what it takes to separate your home or listing from the others on the market. Armed with a massive inventory, we can add the furniture and accessories befitting the style of the home as well as the demographics of the buyer. We also provide our after pictures at no additional charge. 

 

 

Our Atlanta home staging services have helped hundreds of sellers secure a contract quickly. Visit our website at http://atlantahomestaging.net to see first-hand the solutions for selling your home, listing or flipped property. Contact us today to schedule your appointment by emailing Kathy at Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com or by calling 678 522 8392. We've got the furniture and accessories your home needs!

 

 

PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  C: wait...

Labor Day Events - Marietta – Art in the Park – The 25^th Anniversary of Art in the Park in Historic Marietta Square and Glover Park is this Labor Day Weekend.  There will be more than 150 artists from throughout the U.S. for an art show and art market. Each vendor’s art is judged before the exhibit and only selected artists who display their own original work are allowed to set up booths. 

Art in the Park is great for kids too with the children’s art alley with free art stations where they can do a project and take them home.

Labor Day Weekend 2011 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Glover Park in Marietta Square is located at 50 N. Park Square NE, Marietta, GA 30060.

Here's just a little history on Glover Park - Glover Park was named after John Heyward Glover, first Mayor of Marietta in 1852.  After a fire that burned the court house to the ground in 1848, he exchanged the court house site for the park and donated it to the city of Marietta with the stipulation that it always remain a park or it would go back to his heirs.

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If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Cobb County GA contact Jen Bowman, Broker Associate with Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024.

Related neighborhood posts:

EastHampton Marietta Market Report

Heritage at Vinings -Smyrna Neighborhood

West Village in Smyrna

Woodland Gate in Smyrna

   When I moved to Atlanta five years ago, I fell in love with the "in-town" areas of Virginia Highlands, Inman park, Midtown... I longed for one of the cute 1920's bungalows I saw everywhere in those neighborhoods. 

Unfortunately, my mortgage person soon gave me a reality check and I realized that I would probably have to consider a more affordable area if I wanted my bungalow...and also if I wanted to avoid the "joy"of Atlanta city taxes!

As I continued my search just north of the city, I stumbled upon Historic Marietta, a small area just West of 75.  It had historic homes surrounding a charming town square with restaurants, coffe shops, antique stores, even a well-known theater.    I saw people walking to the Square from their homes, sitting in outdoor cafes, or just relaxing in Glover Park (the centerpiece of the Square).  I found out that regular events included concerts, antique and arts shows, even a summer farmer's market.

As one of the oldest neighborhoods in Marietta, it was filled with the historic homes I loved, from turn of the century Victorians to early 20th century bungalows.   Even today, I never tire of driving down Church or Cherokee Streets, which have some of the areas' most beautiful homes.  When I learned what  the property taxes would be (compared to city of Atlanta), I knew I was home.  I found my own 1920's bungalow, complete with the big Southern front porch, 10' ceilings, and even a koi pond in the front yard.

Yes, my home needs some updating, but I found out that one of the best parts of living in historic Marietta is that all the neighbors get to know one another, and we share our old home renovation ups and downs.  We look out for one another, and we hold regular "block parties" to take time out from our busy lives and re-connect. I tell my family that it's like living in "Mayberry"--if I forget to lock my back door, I don't have to worry; I have had a baby deer and her mom in my backyard; and  I can commune with nature while hiking at Kennesaw Mountain Park, just minutes away.  And I'm only 20 minutes from Midtown!

And for my friends (I know who you are!) who have a fear of living not only OTP but in Cobb County, I'm here to tell you that there's something about that the more urban feel of living near the Square that attracts a more diverse, slightly less conservative crowd--yes, I have even spotted Obama signs on my street! :-)

So while I'll always love all the neighborhoods in intown Altanta (and love selling homes in those areas), I have a special affection for the neighborhood just outside the Perimeter with the "intown" feel--historic Marietta.