The Norton Annual Forecast is January 20th

The Norton Agency 2011 Annual Forecast is scheduled for January 20th at The Georgia Mountain Center in Gainesville.

What is the annual forecast?

An opportunity to hear from our President Frank Norton Jr. Frank will give an overview on conditions in the North Georgia area. This includes residential and commercial real estate, business growth, zoning, water, population, and other trends that directly affect the area.

Frank Norton Jr. has a solid reputation in the North Georgia area! His interpretation of statistical data, and general insights, make him a sought after speaker to local government, civic organizations, and fellow real estate professionals!

The activities start at 5:30pm! Come join us and see what is happening for 2011!

After the Annual Forecast, The Norton Agency will publish the 2011 Native Intelligence. If you would like a copy let us know.

Barb, Sue, and Randy make up The Wells Team of The Norton Agency. WE KNOW THE NORTH ATLANTA METRO AREA AND NORTH GEORGIA!

Check out our website at www.randywellsteam.com

See you on the 20th of January!

Why We Were So Successful in 2010!

I am not writing this blog to appear on the arrogant side. Rather I wanted to briefly explain why The Wells Team had a great year in a tough real estate market.

There are two reasons:

HARD WORK

In our opinion we outworked our competition. How? 24/7 availability! With a team of two agents and one admin assistant, a phone call or an email was answered quickly.

Doing the extra services that differentiate us from the rest. We have stored furniture, painted doors, replaced lights, painted, located contractors, and done other things to assist our clients.



TEAMWORK

The three of us have operated as a strong team in 2010. This team of three worked for each other not against each other. We shared the compliments and the criticism. We trust each other and do not have to look behind our backs.

We shared the same strategies and long term goals.



The overall success speaks for itself. We will end up in the top 5 of 145 agents at our company with over $4.8 million dollars in sales.



Of course The Wells Team knows that our success is also a result of working with our outstanding clients!



We look forward to a successful 2011! If you are looking for property in the North Atlanta metro area give us a call. We are The Wells Team of The Norton Agency.

www.randywellsteam.com

Covenants:A Binding Agreement?

Covenant-A binding agreement. Usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement.

References have been made in the bible to covenants between God and his people.

In an neighborhood in Atlanta covenants are 50 plus pages of restrictions!

A quick story that relates to the subject. I recently received a phone call from some close friends that live in a covenant protected neighborhood in Atlanta. This neighborhood has held its home values despite the local market. They are also located in an area with a top ranked public school system.

They told me they wanted to move. Matter of fact they had found a home with two acres in the same school district. The land was beautiful, the home was definite step back, but this represented a new lifestyle.

Why the change? Neighbors and covenants!

Neighbors: We have no power to select our neighbors.

Covenants:They followed the covenants. Unfortunately other neighbors felt differently.

My take: I own properties in Georgia and Florida both of which have covenants. They are a necessary evil. Unfortunately trying to keep 500 individual homeowners on the same page, without the written word, has been a failure. Covenants became a necessity.

We make sure that our clients have a copy of the covenants to review during due diligence. They need to read them and make a commitment to abide them. If they are too much then we need to look elsewhere.

Bottom line:THEY ARE FOR EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NOT EVERYONE ELSE BUT YOU!

If you are looking for properties in the North Atlanta area let us know. We are The Wells Team of The Norton Agency. A combined 42 years living in the North Atlanta area!

Should you Update or Upgrade Your Home?

Should you update and upgrade your home prior to selling? That is a difficult question to answer but is a question worth examing.

I wanted to lead by example. My family is living in a 10 year old home. During those ten years we have updated the Kitchen, painted, installed new carpet, and additional hardwoods.

We just completed remodeling the Bathroom (my wife designed the entire project). I have attached before and after pictures to show you the difference.

Why do we do it? There are many reasons. Future resale would be one reason. However we did it to enjoy it!

Our situation is slightly different than our present clients. We are not going to sell our home for quite a few years.

However my suggestion to our present and future home selling clients: Strongly consider doing some upgrading and updating to your home!

Here is my reasoning:

Decorator allowances, agent bonuses, and other "give aways" do not work

Atlanta has limited new construction. However buyers are demanding new home style in a resale home.

Buyers continue to lack imagination, time, and money to do their own upgrades.

Our feedback continues to be consistent. We have homes that show well but lack the latest that separates it from the rest.



Barb, Sue, and Randy make up The Wells Team of The Norton Agency. Let us help you prepare your home for sale in the North Atlanta area. We also offer redesign services free to our clients!

I Can Call You Anything I Want!

The professionalism continues to decline.

Recently I had a problem with an agent showing my listings. The agent would contact our sellers directly sometimes knocking on their door. Our showing instructions were clear that we needed to be contacted first.

I wrote an email to this agent, and her broker. I thanked them for showing the property and looked forward to working with them. All I asked, nicely, was that they called me first. I have information on my clients, and their property, that could be beneficial to all sides.

In return I received an email. It said that it was all about control and that I am a D---!

Obviously I was shocked by the response.

I took this to my broker. She contacted the other broker and asked her to explain her agent's behavior. Her response was irritation that I had forwarded the email to my broker. Nothing was going to be done!

My broker's hands are tied. Why? Because this sales office agents are not members of a board of realtors and have no company guidelines on this type of behavior.

If I had made a similar comment my company would have fired me for violating company policy.

Bottom Line: There are agents who can do whatever they want. They do not have conduct guidelines from their company. Since they are not members of a board of realtors, or the National Association of Realtors, they have no additional codes of conduct.

Unfortunately this sales office is in my neighborhood! How ironic!

We are a part of Dawson County Georgia

The Wells Team had the opportunity to participate in the Dawson County Business Expo. The event was sponsored by the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. (The Wells Team is a proud member of the chamber).

The event was a way for local businesses to showcase their talent.

The Wells Team, of The Norton Agency, is proud to call Dawson County Georgia home.

If we can help you look for property in Dawson County, or the North Atlanta Metro area, give us a call.

Check out our website at www.randywellsteam.com

Before you list your home: Upgrade and Update!

By now any homeowner should know what is happening in the real estate market. It is on the news daily, in magazines, newspapers, and discussed frequently by the "experts".

HGTV dedicates shows to homeowners who endure ridicule from potential homebuyers on the condition of their home. They in turn spend money and time upgrading their home to ready it for sale. The results are usually positive.

With all of this information available why do many homeowners put up a "wall" when upgrading is discussed on their particular home?

Barb and I have sold over $4 million dollars in real estate for 2010. Based on these sales we can tell you where our success has been in home sales.

The home is either a foreclosure or short sale. If not then the home has undergone upgrading and updating.

It is that simple.

The buyers are still in control. I repeat the buyers are still in control. What they want is a resale home with the latest and greatest included. That means granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, hardwoods, updated master bathrooms, and mounted flat screen televisions.

They do not have the time, money, or imagination to renovate themselves. They want the home move in ready.

If you are considering listing your home in the North Metro Atlanta area give Barb and I a call. We will tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear.

Check out our listings at www.randywellsteam.com