real estate: Salt Water Pools - Pros and Cons - 07/18/12 01:31 PM
For most of us, a swimming pool would be a truly valuable addition to any home. It isn't just the fun pools bring to the backyard recreational space -- they add value to Columbus, GA property listings when it comes time to sell. For many years, homeowners could choose their pool's size and shape, but that was about all. The water was going to be fresh, and the maintenance method, chlorination. 
But that was before the saltwater pool began to come into its own as a popular choice. One of the reasons is that most people have misconceptions about the plusses … (3 comments)

real estate: How Safe is Your Home from Break-Ins? - 07/18/12 01:15 PM
Ahhhh! At the end of a busy day, who doesn't look forward to the surge of well being that comes with closing the door behind you, finally able to relax now that the world is at bay. Whether living in apartments or homes, everyone deserves that feeling of safety and security. Yet, like most everything else, real security has to be earned.
In the area of home security, we've come across both good and bad news. The good: the most recent FBI report shows that the number of burglaries is decreasing across the nation. The bad: burglaries are still responsible for … (2 comments)

real estate: Time to Sell Your Columbus, GA Home? - 07/18/12 01:05 PM
Every homeowner can have all sorts of reasons for selling their Columbus, GA house. Those in the boomer generation can be in one of the traditional phases of retirement (planning, transitioning, initiating) or perhaps in one of the newly-popular phases (postponing, rejecting).
For them and everyone else, the decision about whether to sell the house falls into one of two categories: those triggered by economic pressures - or all the other reasons. In all cases, being in control of the timing of your house sale will put you in control of the process. That pays off.
Even if the money factor … (1 comments)

real estate: REO Investment: Cash Cow or Cash Drain? - 07/18/12 12:59 PM
Novice and professional investors find themselves in competition over Columbus, GA REO and foreclosure opportunities. The goal of building a long-term, profitable investment is the same for both groups, but the professionals have an institutional advantage. They have systems in place and experienced personnel who bring a high degree of confidence to their estimates of the financial tradeoffs for any candidate property. Novices have to rely on their own calculations.
For readers unsure of that  'REO' expression, it's an acronym that is short for 'real estate owned.' Not very illuminating, is it? What most people mean when they describe a local REO is … (3 comments)

real estate: Advantages of Advanced Home Inspections - 07/15/12 04:04 AM
When the time nears to sell your Columbus, GA home, one extra bit of due diligence can pay off in the most meaningful way: helping you to get the best return on your investment. It's not a requirement that every listing agent may suggest, but particularly if yours is an older home or if you don't like surprises, it is one you should consider: ordering an advance inspection.
Ordering your own advance inspection, like the proverbial 'stitch in time,' can alert you to deferred maintenance items that might derail a closing. Things do have a remarkable tendency to cause trouble at … (0 comments)

real estate: Luxury Home Features that Stand Out - 07/01/12 02:49 AM
Gracious living in a well-appointed home may evoke visions of price tags in the millions of dollars, but not all true luxury homes in the Columbus, GA area fall into the seven-figure bracket.  If you are considering selling your own high-end home, it's important to consider your target buyer and the criteria most of them bring to their Columbus, GA property search. What for them constitutes the definition of "luxury homes"?.
 
Although many features could be considered as must-haves for the majority of luxury home listings, three criteria in particular are usually included: well-planned and well-tended grounds, high-quality materials, and distinctive amenities … (2 comments)

real estate: Virtual Tours Help Sell Your Home! - 06/18/12 11:11 PM
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words might a video's flood of pictures be worth? The scientists at George Washington University approached the topic a few years ago in connection with real estate virtual tours. To those of us whose profession is helping our clients buy and sell homes in the Columbus, GA area, their findings were - to say the least - interesting:


 
They arrived at this conclusion: “Adding a virtual tour decreases the expected marketing time of selling a home by about 20% and increases the expected sales price by about 2%." … (1 comments)

real estate: Have a successful Columbus, GA real estate closing - 05/14/12 02:43 AM
Surprises can be a lot of fun. Being blindsided when friends throw you a surprise birthday party is a fine example. Getting an unexpectedly large tax return is another. But when you're about to close escrow on a new Columbus, GA home, surprises are the last thing you need.
One of the most important services I provide as your experienced Columbus, GA real estate agent is to be there to help you sail through the process of a surprise-less closing. Even so, it's important for you to review some basics of the steps we need to accomplish in advance. I consider … (0 comments)