real estate: Why Use a Realtor® in Columbus, GA? - 10/21/13 05:37 AM
As the economy continues to improve and more buyers commit to joining (or rejoining) the ranks of our area’s homeowners, access to reliable advice can be a vital difference-maker. If you have never worked with a Realtor® in Columbus, GA before, it’s important to understand the benefits they bring to the table — benefits that cause 84% of successful home buyers to state that they would work with their Realtor again in the future.
Understanding Your Buying Power A Columbus, GA Realtor is trained to help clients determine just how much house they can comfortably afford, avoiding a later ‘too much … (0 comments)

real estate: First Time Home Buyer Tips - 10/21/13 05:33 AM
The price tag that goes with buying a home is hefty enough to give anyone pause. After the fact, anyone – perhaps especially Columbus, GA area first-time homebuyers — can come away
 wondering if they have could have nailed down a better deal. Preventing any such nagging doubt is easy to do: it just takes a little forethought and preparation. Here are a few tips to bear in mind when buying a home.
After you have submitted an offer, be mentally prepared to respond in case a counteroffer follows. Along with the improvement in the Columbus, GA market, we’ve seen a rise … (0 comments)

real estate: Practical Home Buying Tactics in Columbus, GA - 10/17/13 10:35 PM
When a Columbus, GA home buyer first finds that single-family homes and condominiums have been getting pricier, it shouldn't be a surprise. Nationally, the median sales price is still well below the record $230,400 reached at the height of the housing boom ­ but that gap is shrinking.
If you're a future home buyer in the Columbus, GA area, you can take steps to improve the situation. One way is to increase your negotiating leverage - to turn yourself into a highly desirable buyer from the seller's point of view.
Show You're Financially Attractive: Maximize your negotiating power by getting yourself … (0 comments)

real estate: First Time Home Buyers: Prepare Now! - 04/02/13 02:01 AM
It can happen when you least expect it: an opportunity unexpectedly opens up – and you suddenly realize that the time to become a homeowner is here! It may happen when the landlord of the Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area home you have been renting suddenly decides it’s time to sell. Or, during a search for a rental, you happen upon a new Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area listing that’s such a bargain you’d be crazy not to snap it up!
For Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area first-time buyers, unexpected opportunities like these may be the first time they seriously entertain … (1 comments)

real estate: A Homes Value Checklist For Buyers - 04/02/13 01:42 AM
When you search through the latest listings of Columbus, GA – Phenix City, AL area homes, you first find those that fit your top-line needs. Then you winnow down that list. Some of the candidates will seem more appealing than others; and some will seem to be over- or underpriced.
Before making a final judgment on which homes bear a closer look, the most successful homebuyers also factor in qualities that may not be at the top of their own personal priorities list, yet which make a difference to the majority of homebuyers. In other words, they keep in mind the … (1 comments)

real estate: 7 Things No One Tells First Time Homebuyers - 04/02/13 01:09 AM
First time homebuyers in the Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area are told a lot of things —
“Save your money,” their parents advise.
“Location, location, location!” their friend’s friend cautions.
 
Reasonable advice, for certain. But there some important elements of the home buying process which a typical Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area first time homebuyer doesn’t usually hear. I’ve listed some of the most important ones, in no particular order:
1.  Mortgage rates you see advertised aren’t usually what you get
The banner ads are everywhere online: “3.2% rates!” “No money down!” But the truth is, mortgage rates vary greatly. The … (1 comments)

real estate: When a kitchen shines, Realtors beam! - 04/02/13 12:27 AM
Keeping control of your kitchen is one of the most basic actions you can take to help your real estate agent sell your home. The execution can be simple when it’s approached systematically. 
Especially during the winter months, kitchen control can seem an all but unmanageable task. Days are shorter; kids or pets may be cooped up inside; and everyone tracks winter through the kitchen all day long. But Spring is here! To help you keep your kitchen looking great (and your Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area real estate agent beaming), some simple preparation is needed. That, plus sticking to a … (0 comments)

real estate: Listing Agent, Buyers' Agent, Sellers' Agent: Who is My Agent? - 01/09/13 09:00 AM
Buyers’ agent, sellers’ agent – what does it mean? In every Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area real estate transaction, the differences are easy to understand, right? Not quite. A potential linguistic trapdoor can lie right around the corner. 
            For openers, that sellers' agent may also be called the “listing agent” – both mean the same thing. The trapdoor is a further complication that comes into play once a contract is in place -- after which the buyer’s agent may also properly be called the “selling” agent!
            The potential confusion between seller’s agent and selling agent doesn’t usually have much … (2 comments)

real estate: Buying a Columbus, GA Bank Owned Home? - 01/09/13 08:55 AM
In our Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area market “Bank-Owned Homes” are usually described as “Foreclosures”. Even though the terms are used interchangeably here and in other places, there is a difference. The difference between a “Foreclosure” and a “Bank-Owned Home” may be technical, but important to understand.  Foreclosures are properties that are auctioned off in a court process. A bank-owned home, on the other hand, is one that has reverted to the mortgage issuer: a bank.
A foreclosure can change hands with the bang of the auctioneer’s gavel: it’s a cash-in-hand situation, carrying all of the excitement (and risk) of any … (0 comments)

real estate: Getting a Mortgage - Understanding the GFE - 01/09/13 08:43 AM
When you plan on getting a mortgage in the Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area anytime this year, you’re fairly certain to run into something known as the GFE. It’s the acronym for ‘Good Faith Estimate’-- and despite the reassuring name, the federal government decided they had better make it mandatory. 
The GFE has a new format dictated by the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act which requires lenders to provide an estimate of the charges and fees due at closing. Lenders have three days to make it available.
The GFE looks like a bill. It features a list of fees and … (0 comments)

real estate: Home Listings Trends for the Future - 01/09/13 08:37 AM
Homeowners who are puzzling over whether to add their property to the Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area home listings this winter (rather than hold back until spring) have more than just timing to factor into their decision. How their offering will stack up alongside the other home listings is a prime consideration.
The residential market has made good progress this year – and a strong majority of pundits expect more of the same for 2013. I deal with the home-buying public all the time, and so get an inside look and listen to what features and qualities wind up having the … (0 comments)

real estate: Selling your home? Think like a buyer! - 01/09/13 05:24 AM
One of the effects of the steady national rise in home prices is a shift in attitude by previously cautious consumers. It’s only natural to find more people focused on buying homes in the Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area while it is still relatively inexpensive to do so.
Homeowners who are listing their own Columbus, GA area properties this year are well advised to be mindful of those and other considerations bound to be motivating prospective customers. Buying homes – especially homes in a far away locale – gives rise to many concerns. Positioning the way a home is marketed to … (4 comments)

real estate: Selling Decision - Short Sale vs Foreclosure - 01/09/13 05:11 AM
For bargain-hunters looking over 2013’s first listings of foreclosed homes for sale in the Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area, the opportunities speak for themselves. Throughout 2012, the size of that selection of Columbus, GA area foreclosure varies. But no matter how large that increase or decrease turns out to be in 2013, in addition to representing a unique opportunity to potential buyers, each one also posed a substantial decision for the departing homeowner.
The question each homeowner faced was whether to attempt to short sell or to allow their property to be foreclosed upon. Choosing the most positive outcome means shedding … (0 comments)

real estate: Technique that helps sell Columbus GA Homes - 11/09/12 12:03 AM
Success in selling Columbus GA area homes can depend on being able to distinguish what is important to buyers from what is not.  Proactive homeowners know that one room usually gets more attention than does any other: the kitchen.
There are many good reasons why this is so (we have discussed them before) -- but one kitchen detail in particular can have a disproportionate impact. It's a detail that is all too easy to overlook: the condition of the appliances.
Realty Times declares, “Sellers should update their appliances." I don't think I would go quite that far, but the gist is right. … (1 comments)

real estate: Finding a Columbus GA Realtor - 11/08/12 11:51 PM
When you want to sell your house, you want it to bring in top dollar. That means you want to find a Realtor® in the Columbus GA area who has the characteristics of a top performer. He or she may or may not have last month's highest sales volume, may or may not have page after page of onscreen MLS listings. However, there are characteristics you can look for that are bound to point to the best candidate to represent your home in your neighborhood.
1) Understanding You: the Client
I agree with Realtor Magazine:
"One of the strongest ways to increase likability … (0 comments)

real estate: Swimming Pool Pros and Cons - 08/03/12 05:27 AM
At last! To the joy of every child (and most adults) you know, your Columbus, GA area home has a swimming pool! Whether you just bought the property or have recently installed a pool yourself, this is a feature that's not only a pleasure to look at, but also a true centerpiece -- a magnet for socializing and relaxing throughout the hot summer months. 
 Also true: that pool carries a few drawbacks, as well. You should consider both when it comes to writing an offer or selling a home with a pool
Pro 1: Boost Your Property's Value
In today's super-competitive housing market, … (1 comments)

real estate: Wood Deck or Composite Deck? - 08/03/12 05:16 AM
Selling your home in boom times can seem like quite a different proposition from what we have today. But Columbus, GA area real estate veterans know that there are many factors that aren't subject to change. One of them is the basic arithmetic of residential space: bigger sells for more.
That's where you -- if you're an Columbus, GA homeowner thinking about selling your home down the road -- can have make a real impact. Especially if you think 'deck'!
A backyard deck can add aesthetic value to any home while providing functional outdoor space - truly adding to the usable living area … (0 comments)

real estate: Hot Colors for the Kitchen! - 08/03/12 04:47 AM
Designers of today's Columbus, GA new homes and remodeled homes are continuing to regard the kitchen as the functioning central gathering place - the family's social hub, where a great deal more than meal preparation takes place. The trend toward bigger kitchens is on track: many feature kitchens designed with open space for family gatherings as well as multi-generational cooking. Many new homes deck out their kitchens in the hottest new colors (it's become a widespread international fashion trend).
When you are making decisions about your own kitchen, if you decide to keep future home values in mind, your color choices may differ … (1 comments)

real estate: Wood vs Gas Fireplace: Pros and Cons - 08/03/12 04:29 AM
Many potential Columbus, GA area homebuyers rate fireplaces near the top of their 'nice to have' list. Not a 'gotta have,' but definitely a solid plus. For them, fireplaces are romantic additions to any property.  Sometimes a backyard fire pit or open-hearth barbecue can fill the bill. Especially during brisk fall or winter evenings, the allure of the dancing flames, crackling sound and woodsy aroma are all that are needed to bring back fond family memories and build new ones...
However - whether indoors or out, there are some practical advantages and drawbacks to both wood burners and gas fireplaces. 
The … (0 comments)

real estate: Advice for Relocating to Ft. Benning, GA and Columbus, GA - 07/18/12 01:47 PM
As moving time approaches, most internal stress meters start twitching around the time we have to figure out how many cartons it's going to take. A cross-town move is  one thing -- sometimes you can even handle it yourself (with the help of bribable friends and relatives, of course).
 But suppose you have just accepted a new job promotion in the Columbus, GA area or assigned to Ft. Benning. Of course, you're immediately excited by the adventurous prospect of the summer's relocation.  But suppose Columbus, GA is located in a new zip code - and maybe even a new state. Your move up … (2 comments)