Kitchens have gone from a completely utilitarian prep area for food to a gathering and entertaining hub of the home. We now see this area as a showcase for creative decor, with lighting becoming a prominent design element. Eclectic, traditional, rustic, modern and shabby chic styles can be mixed
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02/26/2013
FHA is estimated to be 46-65 billion dollars undercapitalized so increases in FHA mortgage insurance premiums and new, tougher underwriting standards will begin April 1st. Beginning then, it will cost new borrowers significantly more than refinancing borrowers who have had an FHA loan four years
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02/25/2013
The Atlanta real estate market has largely shifted from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market; the advantage maintained for so long by buyers appears to have disappeared. Data is pretty clear that the “bottom” of the Atlanta market occurred around the January 2010 time frame. Recall that the gove
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02/25/2013
Half of all Metro Atlanta homeowners were underwater in their mortgages by the end of 2012, according to Zillow’s fourth-quarter negative equity report. This does not mean that every one of of these owners is headed to foreclosure, only that they presently owe more than the value of their home. T
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02/22/2013
What direction will interior design go in 2013? Brass and gold - they are back in style. We are starting to see it everywhere from gold metal finishes on furniture, brass lighting, and kitchen and bath fixtures. Gold is back in the spotlight! Wallpaper is also back in vogue and it is popping up i
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02/19/2013
Turbo Tax hit it perfectly with an ad they're running. The message fits like a glove for the real estate industry - use a full time expert. As the markets heat up we're unfortunately seeing the return of the "part time" hacks - those "opportunity agents, DNA agents" and the like. Of course there
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02/19/2013
Bullets, blood and pepper spray do nothing to enhance a plate of biscuits and gravy. To help ensure that the pepper, not pepper spray is the only spice on your food, the Waffle House at Underground Atlanta has instituted a 20% security surcharge to every bill. This is the same Underground Atlanta
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02/18/2013
Now that the real estate slump has been declared over and real estate markets begin to heat up, it’s a good time to refresh ourselves with “agent speak”. Are some listing agents lying, stretching or just dumb? If even a fraction of listings existed as represented, buyer nirvana would be found. Pu
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02/14/2013
So is FNMA helping or hurting distressed homeowners? Depends who you ask. “FNMA accused of forcing underwater borrowers into foreclosure” wrote one publication while another wrote “FNMA will directly approve short sales”. The angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. From AGBeat: Over t
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02/13/2013
What’s new for 2013 in Kitchen Design Trends? Let’s take a look at what is prevalent in remodels and new home construction for this coming year. Kitchens are gaining square footage and are now occupying a larger area of the house. Openness to the other areas of the home have resulted in integrate
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02/12/2013
