atlanta: What's Keeping Buyers Out of the Market - 12/27/19 06:29 AM
60% of buyers paid for their down payment by saving according to the 2019 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, recently released in San Francisco at the National Association of REALTORS Convention.  The most difficult step in the process was saving for a down payment cited by 13% of respondents.
 
51% of those surveyed mentioned student loans as the main deterrent to saving.  Credit card debt was mentioned by 45% which is up from 37% in 2018.  Car loans were stated by 38% which is up three percentage points from the previous year.
Childcare was cited by 16% of the … (1 comments)

atlanta: VA Loan Limits Removed - 12/13/19 06:07 AM
Veterans are no longer restricted to a loan limit beginning January 1, 2020.  Previously, veterans were limited by the same restrictions set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency on conforming loans.  While these limits were national in nature, there were exceptions for high-cost counties and jumbo loan procedures.
The elimination of loan limits doesn't mean that veterans will have unlimited borrowing power.  Buyers must still qualify with enough income and credit requirements to meet the lender's requirements to qualify for the loan.
Lenders can set their own in-house maximum loan amounts which means it could vary from lender to lender.  Veterans who have … (1 comments)

atlanta: This Week in Atlanta: Summer Shade Festival; Bar Crawl & More! - 08/20/19 07:40 AM
Experience what Atlanta is known for by stopping by these upcoming events. Munch on specially made chicken wings at the yearly local showdown or stroll through the city’s oldest surviving city park at the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival. Summer Halloween Carnivale When: Aug. 23, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Where: The Bakery Atlanta, 825 Warner St, Atlanta Cost: Free It’s going to be Halloween in August at The Bakery Atlanta’s upcoming carnival. From tarot readings to costume contests, there will be an array of ways this event will be bringing the holiday to the summertime. The Africa Expo-ATL 2019 When: … (1 comments)

atlanta: To Do in Atlanta This Weekend - 06/21/19 08:16 AM
They say nothing’s new under the sun, but what “they” should’ve said is there’s nothing smart about that statement -- because literally every second is a new opportunity to do some new ish. You’re welcome. This event-packed weekend in an event-packed summer happens to begin with the Summer Solstice, and with its arrival comes a brand new brewery called The Lost Druid, a record amount of sand being dropped on Decatur Square for the Decatur Beach Festival, and three chances to drink and eat while you walk around, whether the sun comes out or not. Happy Summer!
    Drink new … (0 comments)

atlanta: Things to Do in Atlanta This Weekend (Memorial Day Edition) - 05/24/19 07:10 AM
Look, you don’t have time to be reading a long introductory statement on what you need to do this Memorial Day Weekend in Atlanta -- you’re probably already missing the party! Lots of fun things start now and continue for the next 48 hours, so get down to the list below and figure out your plan to hit Orpheus Brewing’s 5th Anniversary Party, the Decatur Arts Festival, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and more. And don’t forget to remember the immeasurable sacrifices of women and men in uniform, especially those who represent ATL. Happy Memorial Day!
    Drink to Orpheus’ fifth … (0 comments)

atlanta: Things to Do in Atlanta This Weekend - 05/03/19 07:56 AM
Atlanta is gentrifying, yes, but there are still plenty of opportunities for cross-cultural understanding, ass-shaking, horse-gambling, tequila-chugging, and what-not. So go out and rejoice with your strange Atlanta neighbors -- because not only do you have music all weekend long with Shaky Knees Festival starting tonight, you also have geek culture at May the 4th events like Free Comic Book Day, some must-attend Derby Day celebrations, and on top of all that, a Sunday brunch that mixes Cinco de Mayo with Caribbean Carnival. Now please tell your hipster dog not to pee on my lawn.
 
Hit a seriously great music festival
Friday, May … (0 comments)

atlanta: Actually Cool Things to Do When Someone Visits ATL - 04/16/19 08:18 AM
Atlanta is overwhelming when you have to be someone’s tour guide -- especially nowadays with all this energy, development, and international recognition we’ve got going on. ATL’s got Donald Glover, Killer Mike, Migos and other rappers continuing to keep the hype alive, along with the movie business coming to town, AND real reasons to actually believe in at least one sports team every year.
  There’s just so damn much to do! So what should you be showing off to other people right now, or what should you show your ATL host when you come to town demanding the grand experience? … (0 comments)

atlanta: 40+ Freaking Fabulous Ways To Cozy Up To Fall In & Around Atlanta - 11/06/18 06:44 AM
Arabia Mountain – The yellow daisy is a rare flower, which only grows within a 60-mile radius of the mountain.  You’d never guess they are rare, though, because of how prolifically they grow here in fall.  Be sure to hike the mountain in October to enjoy their beauty.
Atlanta History Center – Enjoy Historic Halloween at this month’s Magic Monday. Wear a costume for games, a parade, trick-or-treating around the museum, and more.  My son won the costume contest when he was just a toddler…who will the winner be this year?
Atlanta World Kite Festival – Head to Piedmont Park for kite flying, … (4 comments)

atlanta: The Wave of Millennial Homebuyers Continues to Swell - 08/08/18 07:43 AM
Many have written about the millennial generation and whether or not they, as a whole, believe in homeownership as a part of attaining their American Dream.
Comparatively speaking, millennials have taken longer to obtain traditional milestones (like getting married, having kids and buying a home) than generations before them, but that does not mean that they do not aspire to still achieve those things.
For older millennials (aged 25-34) who have established themselves in their career and are starting to build their families, homeownership is the next logical choice.
According to the Urban Institute’s State of Millennial Housing, the probability of a millennial becoming … (0 comments)

atlanta: Surviving the Inventory Crunch - 06/18/18 05:11 AM
Industry pros give tips to help brokers prep their agents and clients to navigate tight market conditions
 BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER
 
 
Shannon Brien, broker-manager at The Douglas Realty Group in Cary, N.C., says their clients are at the mercy of ultra-low housing inventory. Building permits were down 20 percent year over year in March, according to a Wake County report, and bidding wars are on every corner in the Raleigh-Durham area. One of Brien’s clients recently had to compete with eight other offers on a home.
Indeed, many markets throughout the U.S. are experiencing the same scenario. While housing inventory nationally rose 9.8 percent month over month … (0 comments)

atlanta: Parents Say Kids' Opinions Matter Big When Buying a Home - 06/13/18 08:05 AM
A recent survey conducted by Harris Poll and released by SunTrust Mortgage found that “55% of homeowners with a child under the age of 18 at the time when they purchased their home said that the opinion of their offspring played a major role in their home buying decision.”
When the results were broken down by the parent’s age, millennials (those 18-36) led the way with 74% of homeowners saying that their child’s opinion was a factor in choosing which home to buy. Eighty-three percent of renters believe that their child’s opinion would be a deciding factor when looking to purchase a … (0 comments)

atlanta: Inventory: Where Art Thou? - 06/12/18 04:59 AM
With a strong economy and the lowest unemployment rate since 2000, more Americans are in the market to buy a home—yet sales are stagnant. Existing-home sales are down about 1 percent year over year, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. 
Low inventory is posing less competition for sellers, and homes are selling fast. A property will likely have a buyer under contract within 26 days, according to a survey by realtor.com®. That’s much quicker than historical averages, which have trended toward 50 to 60 days. “We’re in a bizarre world of a heated housing market where home sales are not rising,” … (1 comments)

atlanta: Home Sales Should Be Higher—But They’re Not - 04/26/18 07:45 AM
Following population trends, the U.S. should be adding more than a million households each year for the next few years, economists note in Freddie Mac’s April Outlook report. But higher housing costs and a delay in younger adults’ buying are prompting an uptick in shared living arrangements, multigenerational households, and delayed household formation.
“The broader economic environment remains favorable for home sales,” says Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac’s deputy chief economist. “But without new-home construction and increased housing supply, home sales in the U.S. will have a hard time growing from current levels. If incomes grow and mortgage rate increases are gradual, then … (0 comments)

atlanta: 10 REASONS TO VISIT ATLANTA IN THE SPRING - 04/23/18 08:30 AM
Springtime is the perfect time to visit Atlanta.
Come for the spring color. Stay for the fun. Atlanta bursts into color each spring, with dogwoods and azaleas showing off all over town. Five of the city’s most popular attractions are great places to catch spring colors in Atlanta.
And while you are here, you may as well have some fun. Here are 10 more reasons to visit Atlanta in the spring.
Patios. Nothing says spring like a welcoming patio. With that in mind, here’s our take on the best patios in Atlanta. Stop for a drink. Get a bite, too. Festivals. We admit. Our city … (0 comments)

atlanta: 6 Ways Home Buyers Mess Up Getting a Mortgage - 02/20/18 06:57 AM
Getting a mortgage is, by general consensus, the most treacherous part of buying a home. In a recent survey, 42% of home buyers said they found the mortgage experience “stressful,” and 32% found it “complicated.” Even lenders agree that it's often a struggle.
 
“A lot can go wrong,” says Staci Titsworth, regional manager at PNC Mortgage in Pittsburgh.
 
If you're out to buy a home, you have to be vigilant. To clue you into the pitfalls, here are six of the most common ways people mess up getting a mortgage.
Waiting until you can make a 20% down payment
 
A 20% down payment is the golden number when applying for a conventional home loan, … (6 comments)

atlanta: Bidding Wars Abound... How Long Will They Continue? - 02/01/18 08:00 AM
Just like with any product or service, the law of supply and demand impacts home prices. Any time that there is less supply than the market demands, prices increase.
In many areas of the country, the supply of homes for sale in the starter and trade-up home markets is so low that bidding wars have ensued, and the busy spring-buying season is just around the corner.
CoreLogic recently conducted an analysis on national home prices at the time of sale for their January 2018 MarketPulse Report and found that a third of homes sold for at least list price.
“The share selling above list … (1 comments)

atlanta: 7 Easy Home Upgrades On A Budget - 11/22/17 08:14 AM
7 Easy Home Upgrades On A Budget: From a fresh coat of paint to new light fixtures, there are many easy home upgrades you can successfully achieve on a budget.
 
… (2 comments)

atlanta: Sweet Auburn initiative relies on votes to spruce up historic house - 09/28/17 08:16 AM
Neighborhood boosters want 120-year-old Bryant-Graves residence to become a destination for visitors from around the world. 
Sweet Auburn was the epicenter of the Civil Rights movement, a gem in downtown Atlanta worth not only preserving but celebrating.
And now, if all goes as planned, a new initiative could help restore a historic home in the neighborhood and bolster local businesses.
Sweet Auburn Works—an organization that supports economic development initiatives and projects that promote commerce, tourism, and preservation in Sweet Auburn—is hoping to spruce up the Bryant-Graves historic house.
Built in the late 1890s, the home was the site of an institute that educated African-Americans in … (0 comments)

atlanta: South of Atl, Pinewood Forrest aims to be 1st all-geothermal project - 09/25/17 08:01 AM
About 30 minutes south of downtown Atlanta, developers behind the Pinewood Forrest mega-project in Fayetteville are making no bones about it: Those noisy, unsightly A/C units that whir beside countless houses in the region won’t be allowed.
Instead, Pinewood Forrest is gunning to become the first large-scale project in the U.S. to use geothermal energy for all of its single-family houses and townhomes. Officials say the systems are more affordable, quieter, cleaner, and more durable than other energy options.
Led by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, the community will include retail and lodging components alongside 700 houses and townhomes. Its first phase is rising … (0 comments)

atlanta: Autonomous bus makes inaugural Atlanta run—without catastrophe - 09/15/17 08:33 AM
A boxy red bus-like vehicle traversed a mile-long stretch of North Avenue on Thursday, from Ponce City Market to Midtown, to help usher in a new era of transportation in Atlanta.
While the route was unremarkable, the driver—or lack thereof—made the trip unique.
The test of self-driving Transdev EZ10 marked the first of what promises to be many trips by autonomous vehicles on the streets of Atlanta.
ABC reports the vehicle made multiple trips along the route, ferrying media members (and Mayor Kasim Reed) eager to see the technology at work. Noted the news station: “The test on North Avenue in the city's bustling Midtown … (0 comments)