Highlights of the 2011 Norton Agency Annual Forecast

The 2011 Norton Annual Forecast marked the 24th year of this successful presentation. We had a full house at The Georgia Mountain Center where Frank Norton Jr. shared the 2011 trends.

They are:

1.Headed to Evolution not Recovery
2.Mythical Multiple Bottoms
3.The First Law of Cash
4.A Paradox of Ownership
5.The Million Dollar Dilemma
6.Medical Overtakes Poultry as #1 Industry
7.Out of the Ashes Rises the Phoenix
8.Phantom Real Estate
9.Our Holographic Government Collapses
10.To The Survivors Belong the Spoils
If you would like to read the details about these 10 trends along with an in depth summary of The Norton Georgia region let us know. We can email you a copy of the 2011 Norton Native Intelligence. Just go to our website wwww.randywellsteam.com and send us an email.

Barb and I are very proud to be associated with The Norton Agency. The information provided by Frank Norton Jr. strengthens our knowledge which in turn allows us to better serve our clients.

Check out The Wells Team of The Norton Agency at www.randywellsteam.com

Does a Georgia Real Estate Agent Have to Follow the Code of Ethics?

The Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) has made some changes to our 2011 real estate contracts. One change I think is very interesting is the acknowledgement of being a local real estate board member.

I want to point this out to my friends, clients, and sphere who are not real estate agents.

On the bottom of our Purchase and Sale Agreement there is a blank to fill in your board membership. If you are not a member of a local Georgia board of realtors you leave the space blank.

What does that mean to you?

If an agent is not a member of a local Georgia Board of Realtors then they are also not a member of the National Association of Realtors.

Can they still practice real estate in Georgia if they are not board members? Yes they can. The state of Georgia does not require an agent to belong to a Georgia member board of realtors in order to practice their profession. They have to have a state of Georgia real estate license.

What does this mean to you?

If an agent does not belong to a board of realtors then they are not obligated to follow the Naitonal Association/Georgia Assocaiton of Realtors Code of Ethics.

The code of ethics gives us guidelines on how we represent our clients, how we interact with fellow realtors, and how we should conduct our business. My partner Barb and I make every effort to abide by these rules.

Unfortunately we have had issues with other agents who are not obligated to follow our code of ethics. Without getting into detail there was a noticeable difference in the lack of professionalism.

The next time you select an agent to help you buy or sell a home ask them if they are a member of a board of realtors.

Here is the link to the Georgia Association Board of Realtors Code of Ethics

http://www.garealtor.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RoNuhd4TAtY%3d&tabid=192

New Listing in a Great Atlanta School District!

Take a look at this newly renovated home by clicking on the virtual tour link


http://homesite.obeo.com/637714

The Norton Agency Annual Forecast is January 20th !

Please look at the invitation below. This is a great opportunity to see Frank Norton Jr. speak. Frank will give his insight on residential and commercial real estate, population growth, business growth, water issues, transportation issues, and other factors that will affect the North Georgia area.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Barb 404-642-1968 or Randy 770-313-5792.

To see our listings check out our website at www.randywellsteam.com

See you Thursday!

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!