The Truth is Hard to Say!

This job will not get any easier.

We have a client who wanted a report on what to do the house in order to get it ready to sell. After walking around the home we came up with a list two pages long.

The home is only 6 years old and overall it is in good shape. However it is showing the normal wear and tear that any home goes through.

We were dealing with a lot exterior wood trim rot, faded paint, and the need for the interior ceilings and walls to be repainted (the home has been empty for two years).

On top of this the market in this neighborhood, where I live, has seen a decrease in values. We are starting with one hand tied behind our back.

I left the report on his Kitchen table because I was going to be unavailable on his arrival.

I have not heard back.

The job will not get any easier!

Talk to your Mortgage Pro First

Why?

Buyers cannot qualify for financing.

My partner Barb and I work hard fitting our buyers into the perfect home. There are opportunities that have to be taken advantage of quickly.

We ask that before you start your home search that you speak with a mortgage professional. There are a lot of great programs available but it takes a pro to find the best one for you. At the same time there might be some circumstances where a loan might not be in the picture for you at this time.

Please make this call before you start your home search. Then call The Wells Team if you are looking for a home in the Norton Atlanta Metro Area.

See all of our listings at www.randywellsteam.com

I am Tired of Solicitors

This is starting to happen me on a daily basis. I am busy, driiving in my car, spending time with my family or a client, working around my home, taking a real estate class, or just trying to relax.

Then the phone rings. I answer anticipating a new client, a listing inquiry, or an offer.

Instead: LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE KEYWORDS THAT WE HAVE RESERVED FOR YOU! WOULD YOU LIKE TO INCREASE YOUR CLIENT BASE? IS YOUR WEBSITE RECEIVING ENOUGH HITS?

I respond that my business is fine, our team was #2 out of 145 agents for 2010, and my website receives enough hits.

The script continues and I struggle to get a word in edgewise.

Finally I am able to say that I will give you five minutes. At the other end of the line I hear that they want 30 minutes in order to give me a full presentation.

I don't have 30 minutes. Frankly I dont have 5 minutes.

But the script continues.

I grow tired.

Finally I say this is not a good time. Can you email me the necessary information so I might have the time to review it at my leisure. Silence followed by a sullen voice at the other end. I have killed another potential sales for a hardworking sales rep.

Here is my comment: To all of you real estate solicitors. Talk a little slower when you call, listen, realize that we are also very busy, and be flexible about future conversations.

If you don't mind please don't call me for a while. My ear hurts and I am out of air time.

The Norton Agency Homes for Life Magazine to Increase!

The Norton Agency publishes The Norton Homes for Life Magazine. This publication showcases all of the properties listed by agents at The Norton Agency. This includes properties throughout North Georgia and the Atlanta Metro area!
The magazine is circulated in the Gainesville Times, Dawson County Times, and The Forsyth County Times. It is also circulated at local businesses. The circulation tops 10,000 copies.

Frank Norton Jr, the president of the company, announced that we will publish 12 issues a year instead of the current 6.

This is a further indication of our committment to our clients to market their homes as effectively as possible.

Keep your eyes open for our next publication.

The Foreclosures Are Killing My Neighborhood!

I have to admit that The Wells Team has benefited from the sale of foreclosure properties in the North Atlanta area!

At the same time my level of disappointment is increasing with respect to my own neighborhood.

I purchased my home in 2001. This was well before I entered the real estate industry, before the real estate boom and the real estate bubble.

The results: My home is worth less today based on the same model that sold down the street. It was a foreclosure!

We have 342 homes in our neighborhood. At this time there is only 1 active foreclosure but there are two being advertised for foreclosure, and another 3 or 4 personal situations that I know will result in the same.

Yes I admit I feel bad when I see the homes being advertised for sale. It is the result of a failed business, personal issues, or the loss of a job.

However I looked up 5 or 6 homes that I know are in, or will be in foreclosure soon. The numbers killed me! The average loan amount (usually multiple loans) was 122% of the sales price!

This is my personal opinion not the opinion of a real estate professional: My parents both grew up poor. They worked hard and ended up successful. They also saved their money and were cautious when it came to buying unwanted items. They lived within their means! They pushed work and most of all saving my money. What they emphasized to me was this: IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD DO NOT BUY IT! HAVE EMERGENCY MONEY SAVED JUST IN CASE!

As a country we keep trying to point fingers at who caused this housing mess. Again my opinion was bad financial choices and a certain amount of greed.

It will be a while before I will sell my home. Guess I will enjoy instead!

Zoning Debate in Forsyth County

Read an article in the Jan 30th AJC concerning Forsyth County and a debate on zoning.

Forsyth County reflects what many counties in Georgia, and nationwide, will be up against when they look at ways to bring in business to help their tax base. Many counties in North Georgia rely on residential for the majority of their property taxes. Forsyth County has quite a few businesses that add money to the tax rolls. However the county experienced a large influx of money as a result of the housing boom.

Now that new housing construction in Forsyth County, as well as, the entire Atlanta area continues to be flat Forsyth County is looking for commercial opportunities to contribute to the tax rolls.

The dilemma they find themselves in, according to the article, is whether to give variations to attract business investment.

According to the development watchdog group. Smart Growth Forsyth the answer is no. They worry that the county will increase the amount of zoning variations requested. That would lead to a further erosion of zoning standards.

This debate will take place in all of our counties. Stay informed, and involved, in your county. Eventually decisions like these could directly affect you, your quality of life, and potentially your home value

The AJC: A Thing of the Past

Like many of you I am an “addicted internet browser”. The internet has become my sources of knowledge and I know I am not the only one.

Last week my neighbor gave me her Sunday Atlanta Journal and Constitution. It took me a while to realize that it was a newspaper that you read. (It has been a while). I enjoyed the sounds of the paper crumbling as I turned pages, the feel of the paper in my hands, and the fact I could read it without being in a WiFi hotspot!

In the past the AJC Homefinder section was your source for all the Atlanta area real estate news. Homes for sale, mortgage data, open houses, vacation properties, all in one spot.

6 Pages! The entire section was down to 6 pages! At least I knew I would finish the entire section!

I am not picking on our local newspaper. The size of this once coveted section reinforces the fact that the internet is taking over more and more every day. I see it statistically by the number of “hits” I receive on various real estate websites including our own www.randywellsteam.com site.

One day in the very near future I will fondly tell my son about the “old days” when we use to read something called a newspaper. I am going to miss the sights, sounds, and even the smells of the news press. Time to make new memories with my laptop!

Do You Need a Termite Inspection in Georgia?

What is the word on a termite inspection in Georgia?

Everytime I attend a company real estate meeting I wonder why I am wasting my time. However my broker manages to surprise me each time by bringing in relevant speakers. This meeting was no exception.

We had a representative from Coppermine Pest Control who is also a member of GPCA (Georgia pest Control Authority). He talked to us on changes to the 2011 GAR Purchase and Sale Agreement with its references to a pest inspection.

According to 2005
• In 2005 HUD issued guidelines that said termite inspections were not required. Previous to that lenders required termite inspections in order to secure a loan.
• The HUD guideline was issued for every state in the country.
• Atlanta, and the state of Georgia, are each #2 for termites in the country!
• GPCA worked with the Georgia Legislature, and GAR, to have wording placed on Georgia Real Estate contracts.

Here are the results:

In the Purchase and Sale Agreement there is an option of providing the buyer with a GAR F13 entitled "Protect Yourself when Buying a Home”. It was produced by GAR to help buyers with the home buying process. One of the suggestions is to “Have the home inspected for termites and other wood destroying organisms and obtain an official Georgia Wood Infestation Report that can only be prepared by a licensed pest control company”.


The bottom line is this: It is not a requirement to have a home inspected for termites but it is strongly suggested. When you are #2 in the country for termites I think that makes your decision easier.