Some Heavy Metal Thunder for Christmas

FOR SALE: 1977 HARLEY DAVIDSON FX LOWRIDER

In Good running condition, less than 1000 miles on rebuilt Engine and Transmission. Has many extras: S&S Super E Carb, electronic ignition, Kuryakyn Iso grips and Pegs etc. Many new parts: Tires, clutch, clutch and throttle cables, new rear brakes, completely rewired.

Could use new paint, and polish, but still a pretty good looking bike considering it's 30 years old.

Contact Tom Scott at 706-335-4419 if no answer call 706-247-4078

Asking $6,000 OBO, I am very willing to neqotiate.

3.5% Buyer Closing Assistance From Freddie Mac

Homesteps.Com, a unit of Freddie Mac is offerring up to 3.5% closing assistance program to buyers of Homestep listed homes. This program is available for contracts received by Jan. 31, 2009 with an escrow close on or before Mar. 14, 2009.

Homesteps will pay up to 3.5% or actual closing costs, whichever is lower for owner occupied, financed homes and up to 1% for owner occupied cash sale homes. Investors are not eligible for this discount.

This looks like a helpful program to assist both buyers getting into homes and to help Freddie Mac sell off some of it's owned property. For complete details clink on the program link.

Madison County, GA Home Sales Holding Steady

Madison County is showing some resilience in todays housing market.

For August and September the sliding average of annual home sales in Madison County has remainded virtually unchanged. However, sales are still down almost 28% from the start of the year. The D.O.M. (Days on Market) decreased slightly but is still up almost 9% since January.

While down from last month, the average home sales price in Madison County is still slightly higher than at the start of the year while the median price is down from last month and just over 1% lower since January.

The following chart shows the sliding 12 month figures for Madison County:

Date	D.O.M	# Sold	Average Price	Median Price
1/1/2008	194	244	$148,726.00	$143,500.00
2/1/2008	198	239	$148,541.00	$144,500.00
3/1/2008	199	235	$149,963.00	$143,200.00
4/1/2008	199	231	$150,099.00	$143,750.00
5/1/2008	201	223	$151,100.00	$144,500.00
6/1/2008	195	213	$147,999.00	$144,500.00
7/1/2008	199	198	$150,638.00	$142,200.00
8/1/2008	212	181	$147,995.00	$141,000.00
9/1/2008	214	174	$152,894.00	$145,000.00
10/1/2008	211	176	$149,273.00	$141,500.00

For more information on buying or selling in Madison County please contact me by phone or email.

Oglethorpe County, GA Home Sales Volume Still Dropping

But the median and average prices are virtually unchanged.

The month of September saw another decrese in the average annual residential sales in Oglethorpe County dropping the volume to almost 50% of a year ago. The average Days on the Market (D.O.M.), however, is still bucking the trend of other nearby areas and showing a decrease.

The following chart shows the sliding 12 month figures:

Date	D.O.M	# Sold	Average Price	Median Price
1/1/2008	187	185	$149,394.00	$146,900.00
2/1/2008	182	171	$153,5090.00	$147,900.00
3/1/2008	180	171	$157,918.00	$147,900.00
4/1/2008	174	168	$156,909.00	$147,100.00
5/1/2008	179	146	$157,427.00	$146,625.00
6/1/2008	176	130	$149,611.00	$143,900.00
7/1/2008	163	113	$148,092.00	$143,900.00
8/1/2008	164	110	$148,076.00	$141,950.00
9/1/2008	173	104	$143,643.00	$141,900.00
10/1/2008	160	95	$143,068.00	$141,900.00

For more information on buying or selling in Oglethorpe County please contact me by phone or email.

Another Mexican Treat - Queso Fundido

Queso Fundido

I may have mentioned that my wife and I really enjoy Mexican food. Here is another recipe that, if you like Mexican cheese dip, you might like to try. It is a variation on a dish called Queso Fundido. We have not been able to find it anywhere in the area so we are sharing the recipe with you.

Ingredients:

16 oz. Mexican melting cheese

8 oz. Chorizo

¼ cup chopped red or green onions

¼ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers (more or less, according to how “hot” you like it).

Directions:

Crumble the chorizo into a frying pan. If the chorizo is in sausage form, remove it from the casing and discard the casing. Fry the chorizo completely and then drain and squeeze as much of the grease from it as possible.

Preheat your oven to 300°. Put the Mexican melting cheese in a baking dish along with the cooked and drained chorizo and the jalapenos. Stir the ingredients together. Bake this mixture in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.

Remove the casserole from the oven and place the dish on the table using a trivet or hot pad. Serve it with corn chips or on small tortillas, as an appetizer or, if you like, as your main course.

We like to serve this dish alongside build-your-own tacos, our fresh guacamole, and, of course, margaritas or a cold Negro Modelo. Very tasty, we hope you enjoy.

Athens-Clarke County Home Sales Bottomming?

While still a decline from last month, the number of homes sold in Athens-Clarke County is almost flat. The sliding 12 month sales figures indicate a decrease in sales volume of just over 1/2%. The average number of days the sold home is on the market is still increasing but overall it is only a 6-1/2% increase since the beginning of the year.

The median sales price has continued to rise, up just over 7% since Jan. 1. The average sales price is still trending up although just below the high of August this year.

The following chart shows the sliding 12 month figures:

Date	D.O.M	# Sold	Median Price	Average Price
1/1/2008	167	1664	$139,900.00	$164,445.00
2/1/2008	167	1632	$139,900.00	$164,857.00
3/1/2008	171	1579	$140,000.00	$166,204.00
4/1/2008	172	1516	$141,000.00	$165,930.00
5/1/2008	173	1484	$140,000.00	$166,500.00
6/1/2008	174	1382	$142,400.00	$168,257.00
7/1/2008	173	1321	$145,000.00	$171,767.00
8/1/2008	173	1229	$149,625.00	$175,821.00
9/1/2008	176	1190	$149,625.00	$173,195.00
10/1/2008	178	1182	$149,900.00	$174,139.00

For more information on buying or selling in Athens-Clarke County please contact me by phone or email.

September 2008 Oconee Home Sales Information

September shows that in Oconee County home sales volume is basically flat, a net increase of 2 over the last month, for the last two months. The number of days on the market average (D.O.M.) is still showing a slight rise.

At the same time the sliding 12 month median price went is down slightly while the average price, during the same period, went from went slightly down again to $308,707.00.

The following chart shows the sliding 12 month figures:

Date	D.O.M	# Sold	Median Price	Average Price
1/1/2008	180	496	$273,500.00	$315,785.00
2/1/2008	186	487	$275,000.00	$314,269.00
3/1/2008	191	487	$275,000.00	$313,979.00
4/1/2008	195	490	$272,000.00	$310,178.00
5/1/2008	199	491	$269,000.00	$306,516.00
6/1/2008	201	472	$272,000.00	$307,398.00
7/1/2008	206	465	$275,000.00	$309,223.00
8/1/2008	211	429	$275,000.00	$309,415.00
9/1/2008	216	396	$275,000.00	$310,441.00
10/1/2008	217	398	$273,250.00	$308,707.00

For more information on buying or selling in Oconee County please contact me by phone or email.

Can You Use a $7500 Interest Free Loan - Something Good From the new Housing Act and Economic Recovery Act

Can you use a $7500 interest-free loan?

Are you a first time home buyer? Or even a second or third or more times home buyer?

If your answer is yes to both of these, then you may want to consider taking advantage of a provision found in the new Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and purchase a new home in the next 10 months.

What is it? First time homebuyers are eligible for a “credit” of 10% of the purchase price of a new home, up to a maximum of $7500 on homes purchased between April 9 of this year and July 1, 2009.

What is a first-time home buyer? A first-time home buyer, for the purpose of receiving this credit, is defined as a buyer who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. For a married couple, both husband and wife have to meet the three-year requirement.

Although this is labeled as a credit, it is really an interest-free loan. It does have to be repaid in equal amounts over 15 years. That means, the person(s) receiving the credit must repay $500 a year for 15 years. However, if you apply that $7500 to the principal of a 7% loan, over $4200 in interest would be saved. Or, you could invest in a long-term CD and gain income on the $7500 for 15 years (less the $500 a year you are repaying). You can do what you like with the credit, including pay any taxes owed.

To find out more information on this credit go to the site http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. It will provide you with all of the information you will need to qualify for this credit. It also will direct you to additional resources that will be helpful in buying your home.

Call me at 706-207-5290, or email me with any questions on buying or selling your home in and around Athens or any of the surrounding counties and towns.

Note: This is not legal of financial advice. For legal advice consult an attorney. For financial advice consult a financial advisor.

Athens-Clarke County Home Sales Prices Up

Athens-Clarke County Home Sales Prices Up?

But the news is mixed.

In Athens-Clarke County the sliding 12 month sales figures have shown a steady decrease in the number of homes sold in the area. In the year ending Jan. 1, 2008 the total home sold was 1664. In the 12 months from Aug. 1, 2007 to Aug. 1, 2008 the total number sold was 1229. That is a decrease of over 26%. At the same time D.O.M. had a 3% increase from 167 to 173 days.

On the other hand both the 12 month sliding median and average sales prices have gone up significantly. There was an almost 7% increase in median price from $139,900 to $149,625 and a 6.5% increase in average price from $164,445 to $175,821.

The following chart shows the sliding 12 month figures:

Date	D.O.M	# Sold	Median Price	Average Price
1/1/2008	167	1664	$139,900.00	$164,445.00
2/1/2008	167	1632	$139,900.00	$164,857.00
3/1/2008	171	1579	$140,000.00	$166,204.00
4/1/2008	172	1516	$141,000.00	$165,930.00
5/1/2008	173	1484	$140,000.00	$166,500.00
6/1/2008	174	1382	$142,400.00	$168,257.00
7/1/2008	173	1321	$145,000.00	$171,767.00
8/1/2008	173	1229	$149,625.00	$175,821.00

For more information on buying or selling in Athens-Clarke County please contact me by phone or email.

Oconee County Home Sales - Median Price Up, But.....

Oconee County Home Sales Slightly Down,

Median Price Slightly Up.

News is mixed.

In Oconee County the sliding 12 month sales figures have shown a slight decrease in the number of homes sold in the area, except for the most recent month when there was an 8% decrease. In the year ending Jan. 1, 2008 the total home sold was 496. In the 12 months from Aug. 1, 2007 to Aug. 1, 2008 the total number sold was 429. That is a decrease of over 13% with more than half of that in the last period. At the same time D.O.M. had a 17% increase from 180 to 211 days.

At the same time the sliding 12 month median price went up slightly from $273,500.00 to $275,000.00, an increase of less than 1%. The average price, in the same period went from $315,785.00 to $309,415.00, a decrease of about 2%

The following chart shows the sliding 12 month figures:

Date	D.O.M	# Sold	Median Price	Average Price
1/1/2008	180	496	$273,500.00	$315,785.00
2/1/2008	186	487	$275,000.00	$314,269.00
3/1/2008	191	487	$275,000.00	$313,979.00
4/1/2008	195	490	$272,000.00	$310,178.00
5/1/2008	199	491	$269,000.00	$306,516.00
6/1/2008	201	472	$272,000.00	$307,398.00
7/1/2008	206	465	$275,000.00	$309,223.00
8/1/2008	211	429	$275,000.00	$309,415.00

For more information on buying or selling in Oconee County please contact me by phone or email.

So You Want to Sell Your Home: Part 7 – What stays, what goes. Real vs. Personal Property

So You Want to Sell Your Home

Part 7 –

What stays, what goes. Real vs. Personal Property

Your home is for sale, buyers flock to your door, offers are arriving one after another, almost too fast for you to respond to them. Well, maybe not. However, you do finally get an offer on your home, you negotiate, and a sales contract is signed. The buyer does all the due diligence, having inspections, getting financing, etc. You have corrected any problems found during the inspection and you have moved all of your personal property out of the house. Your furniture is on the moving van and you are now waiting for the buyer at the office of the closing attorney or a title company.

The buyer has made the final walk-through of the vacated property and comes to the closing ready to walk away from the purchase. Why, because you removed a Waterford Crystal chandelier that was hanging in the dining room. Sure, it was a family heirloom and you never intended it to stay. And yes, you replaced it with another chandelier from Home Depot. But the buyer really envisioned that Waterford chandelier hanging above their formal dining set. Or, it might have been a built-in microwave, or a couple of small trees or shrubs that you planted in honor of your children. It could have been any number of things that you removed but the buyer expected to remain.

This happens more often than you might think, especially when one or both of the sides (buyer & seller) are inexperienced or don’t have knowledgeable representation. Sometimes the closing can be rescued with additional negotiation and concessions. Sometimes it can’t.

But how can this be prevented? First, both buyer and seller need to understand the difference between real and personal property. Real property is basically defined as the land and its appurtenances. Everything else is personal property. The confusion is over what is included in the appurtenances.

Well, the obvious would be the house and garage or carport (if there is a garage or carport). Fences, barns, outbuildings that are fixed to the ground, sidewalks, driveways, and in-ground pools or spas are also included. So are trees, bushes, annuals, perennials and other in-ground plants. Inside appurtenances would include built-in cabinets, existing light fixtures (including grandma’s Waterford Crystal chandelier), ceiling fans, plumbing fixtures, switch plates and outlet plates, built-in appliances, blinds, shades, window covering hardware. Basically, anything that is screwed or nailed or otherwise “permanently” affixed to the home is considered real property.

Furniture, free-standing appliances, free-standing (or hanging) art work and mirrors, and indoor plants are considered personal property. Basically, anything that can be removed without damage to the property is considered personal property, except of course things like light fixtures, switch plates. Also, surprisingly, any blooming flowers, ripened fruit or vegetables are also considered personal property. While the plants must remain in the ground, you can pick the flowers or fruit and take them with you.

There are some things, though, that are in a bit of a gray area. Are curtains and curtain rods real or personal property? Is patio furniture real or personal property? How about the portable storage building that the garden tools and lawnmower are kept in? What about the large potted trees that line the patio or entrance? The best answer to this is “maybe.” Sometimes it may be obvious: if the curtains are custom made to match the pattern of the wallpaper, they are probably real property. If you have made a path leading to the storage shed, the shed is probably real property. Likewise, if there is custom built-in cabinetry to house a specific television or entertainment system, those electronic items could be real property.

But the best way to avoid any confusion is to remove any items that are not included in the sale from view before showing the property. That might mean replacing that chandelier with another, removing and replacing the switch covers, etc. Also, clearly state in both the disclosure and the contract what items are included in or excluded from the sale. If there are items of personal property that are agreed to be included as part of the transaction, such as free-standing appliances, mirrors, patio furniture, etc., they should be clearly indicated, by brand and serial number if possible, in a separate personal property addendum that is an attachment to the contract.

Get everything down in writing. It may seem redundant, it may seem trivial; however, it will make the closing of the property smoother and leave both parties with positive feelings.

And don’t forget to leave all the keys and any remote controls (garage door, lighting, etc). They, too, are part of the real property.

Best of luck on the sale of your home. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions regarding the sale or purchase of a home or property.

This is not to be construed as legal advice. For any legal questions, please consult an attorney that specializes in real estate law.

It Didn't Sell With An Agent - Let Me Raise the Price and Sell It Myself

It Didn't Sell With An Agent - Let Me Raise the Price and Sell It Myself

Part of my lead generation is talking with FSBO's (For Sale By Owners). I call them, talk to them, visit them and offer them tips. I wish them luck, sincerely. However, 85% of all FSBO listings eventually end up getting listed and sold by a Realtor. I just want them to remember me if and when they do list.

I have been doing this regularly for sometime but I still get responses that amaze me, regardless how many times I have heard them before.

I just got off the phone with a woman who is selling her own house. She does not want to deal with an agent, does not want to offer a co-op. She doesn't want to pay someone else for something she believes she can do herself.

That's fine. I do a lot of things myself, also. But I know what I am doing (ok, my wife might sometimes have a different opinion). Well, I usually know what I am doing.

But this woman does not really understand. Her house (vacant, not where she lives) is an expired listing. It did not sell in 6 months on the market. It was overpriced. Based on comparables, overpriced by about 10% - 15%. I don't know what steps, other than MLS, the agent might or might not have taken to market the place. I don't know if the listing agent set the price of let the seller dictate it.

But what do I know? I know that if it didn't sell the first time, it was priced too high.

So, what is this woman doing? She is selling it herself to save the realtor commission. On top of that, she has raised the asking price by over $5000. Her only marketing avenues (that she is currently using) are:

• a sign in front of the house
• 2 for sale by owner arrows pointing towards the property
• a weekly ad in the newspaper

I would like to have told her she more than likely won't sell this home with her tactics. I would like to have told her that her best chance is to trust and use the services of a knowledgeable Realtor. I would like to have told her that she is doing a good job of selling her competition's home. But, at least at this time, she would not have heard me.

I wished her best of luck.

I will send her some tips in the mail. I hope she reads them.

For a copy of my For Sale By Owner handbook, just call me at 706-207-5290 or click on my email link.

So You Want to Sell Your Home – Part 6: Pre-Approved Buyers

So You Want to Sell Your Home

Part 6 – Pre-Approved Buyers

Your sign is up, your ads are placed, flyers are printed up and posted on bulletin boards and in your info box. You are just sitting back waiting for that call, for that buyer to ring your number. But guess what, you aren’t going to be called by a buyer. You may get called by someone who wants to view your home, but that is not a buyer. You may get called by a Realtor® or agent who wants to show the home but even she/he does not have a buyer on the first call.

At best, anyone calling you for the first time is a shopper, not a buyer. If they call you a second time, they are a potential buyer. You may think this is semantics, but there are some important differences to consider that may help you in the long run.

There are four types of people who may be visiting your home once you have placed your For Sale By Owner sign in your yard. They are:

• Shoppers – those who are actively looking for a home they can buy
• Lookers – those who just like to look at homes for sale (yes, there are plenty of them out there)
• Casers – those who you are protecting yourself from using the techniques in Part 5.
• Realtors® or agents – some to preview your home, some to get you to list your home with them

You want to try to get as many of the first, the shoppers, into your home as possible and a minimum of lookers. Why? Shoppers are ready to buy, they want to buy, they are motivated to buy. Lookers are very often not ready to buy, they just want to look.

How do you tell if someone is a shopper? When a person calls you about your home and asks to see it, find out if they are already pre-approved for financing. Note, I am going to emphasize pre-approved, not pre-qualified. They are terms that may sound the same but have very different meanings. Verify that they have been pre-approved and not just pre-qualified.

Pre-qualified simply means that they have spoken with a financing source and have given verbal information to the financer. The financer has done a preliminary check and things look okay on the surface. It is not much different than the pre-approved credit card offerings you may receive in the mail, subject to a thorough credit check. They may be pre-qualified for one amount but the actual amount of loan that they qualify for might be significantly different.

Pre-approved means that the shopper has had that thorough credit check and has a signed document, from the financing company, to that effect. It will also include the amount of financing that the lender will approve. A serious shopper can become pre-approved very quickly, often in less than one day.

Lookers have done neither of these things. If you get a call and they are neither pre-qualified nor pre-approved let them know that you would really like only pre-approved people. If they are really shoppers and motivated to buy, they will gladly get that pre-approval. If Realtors® or agents call, ask them to make sure their shoppers are pre-approved. They should be performing this screening before contacting you.

If the shopper(s) has been pre-approved, ask them to bring the pre-approval letter with them when they come to view your home. If they agree, this is just further evidence that they are a motivated shopper. And what you really want viewing your home are motivated shoppers.

It is up to you how much screening you want to perform before walking people through your home. Limiting access to only those shoppers that are pre-approved might reduce the number of viewings, but it will provide more assurance that those who are viewing are really shoppers and not lookers.

Oh, I almost forgot! When do you get a buyer? When a shopper makes an offer and, possibly after a series of counter offers, terms are agreed to and a sales contract is signed. That is when you have buyer.

Best of luck on the sale of your home. If you have any questions regarding this topic, or any other related to selling your home, please feel free to call me at 706-207-5290. Or email me at athensrealestate@hotmail.com with those questions. I will give you my best answer with no obligation. Although I would love to sell your home, I will not give you a listing presentation unless you ask me to.

Athens – Growth Abounds

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Athens, GA and the surrounding counties are growing at a significantly higher rate than most of Georgia. With the University of Georgia and it’s music scene the Athens area is seen as a desirable community with a high quality of life.

Atlanta is the only large city in Georgia that has seen a growth rate greater than that of Athens. However, many of the smaller towns nearby have seen even more stellar growth.

The following table, from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates illustrates the population growth during the first seven years of the current millennium:

City	2007 Population	2000 Population	% Growth
Atlanta	519,145	416,474	24.6
Athens	112,760	100,269	12.5
Braselton	3,072	1,206	154.7
Jefferson	7,513	3,825	96.4
Nicholson	1,913	1,247	53.4
Statham	2,820	2,040	38.2
Watkinsville	2,825	2,097	34.7
Winder	13,599	10,201	33.3

Holy Moly - Great Guacamole

Fresh Ingredient Spicy Guacamole

My wife and I love Mexican food. One of our favorite Mexican restaurants in the Athens area is Agua Linda. I did a blog post about it here. One of our favorite appectizers is their chunky guacamole. I have tried to duplicate the recipe at home and have come very close. I do mash the avocado and blend it rather than leave everything in chunks. But we both beleive it is very tasty. So, if you are out on the town in Athens and crave good Mexican food, go to Agua Linda. If you like good guacamole at home, try this recipe.

1 Avocado - coarsely mashed or chopped

1 medium tomato (a Roma does well) - diced

or about 6 - 8 cherry or grape tomatoes - diced

1 slice red onion - chopped

2 green onions -sliced

5 - 6 sprigs fresh cilantro - chopped

Juice of 1 key lime

fresh Jalapeno pepper - chopped

a dash of fresh crushed garlic

Blend all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Adjust the amount of jalapeno pepper according to how hot you like your guacamole. I do about 4 slices, chopped. You can cool the jalapeno a little by removing the seeds. If you don't want to cut a fresh jalapeno, you can get by with about 4 slices of canned or pickled jalapeno, chopped. All other ingredients should be fresh. Refrigate until ready to serve.

Serves 2. We use this as a dressing to make quacamole salad, as a dip for chips and to put on top of our chimi's, quesadillas, empinadas, taquitos, etc.

We hope that you will try it and enjoy it also.

So You Want to Sell Your Home – Part 5: Security

So You Want to Sell Your Home

Part 5 – Security Tips: Forewarned is Fore-armed!

You are setting off on an adventure. You are going to sell your home, and you want to do it yourself, or with the help of a limited-service agency. You have just studied up on all the wonderful information I provided on pricing and marketing. Now you are ready to stick out that sign, put ads in the paper and sit back and wait for the calls.

But what do you do when you receive that call? How do you make sure that the person calling really wants to look at your home as a prospective buyer and not for something a little less benign? You don’t, but you can take some steps to increase your safety and security and that of your family and your possessions.

The following is a list of precautions to take before allowing strangers into your home:

• For your own safety, never set an appointment with anyone to see your home unless they have given you their name and number and you have called back to verify that number. An easy way to do this is to say. “Let me check with my husband/wife for the best time and I will call you back.” Use this method even if you are not married.
• If the caller says he/she is a real estate agent, call his/her office to verify the information. You can also often check out a Real Estate Company website and find a picture of the agent. When he or she comes to the house, get a card. For instance:
• I may call you asking to preview your home. I will give you
• my name
• my company name
• my cell number
• You should ask for my office number; I will give it to you. (You could verify it by looking it up in the yellow pages, assuming you have the same yellow pages we are listed in).
• You should ask if I/we have a website. I would give you:
• My website address www.theathensrealestatepage.com
• My office website address: greaterathens.yourkwoffice.com where you could then click on “Associates” and find my picture and a link to my website.
• The corporate link, if you want it, www.kw.com where you can click on the agent or office search to find both me and my office. (If you search for me you would need to search for Michael Saunders).
• Leave the name and phone number of the person requesting to view your home either with someone, such as a neighbor, or in a location that is out of sight but known by someone else.
• Never let a caller or looker know your schedule. Don’t ever tell them when you won’t be at home, when your spouse won’t be home, when you pick up the kids, when you work, when you will be on vacation, etc.
• Never provide a caller with information about your home’s security such as deadlock bolts, security systems, and so forth.
• Always have a back-up plan when you allow strangers into your home, especially if you have children. Have a neighbor look out for you until the lookers have gone.
• Never let a stranger into your home without seeing some identification. Keep a log of everyone who has looked at your house. Get their name, telephone number, address, car description, tag number, and any additional information that could be helpful in the event of a future burglary. All of these people would be suspects.
• If you make a flyer to advertise your home, don’t include any information that might breech security.
• Remove from sight all valuables, including guns, jewelry, silverware, and collections.
• Remove any prescription drugs from your bathroom and put them somewhere else.
• Never leave strangers alone, and watch their every move while they’re in your home.
• Never allow yourself to get cornered. Always have an opening to an exit. Do not turn your back on people you let into your house. Let the lookers enter rooms first. Maintain a distance between yourself and the lookers.
• Try to always have someone else with you when you show your home. There is strength in numbers.
• Instruct children not to give out information over the phone. Just have them ask for a name and call back number.
• If you are using a push button or dial lock box, only give out the code to a Realtor® or real estate agent that you have verified the identity of.

Every one showing a home, man or woman, young or older, should take care and remember these security tips. While not epidemic, there are enough cases of fraudulent buyers that are really only cases of con artists looking to find some valuables they might steal, or worse.

Using a Realtor® should eliminate many of these security and safety concerns. I will pre-screen all persons wanting to view any home, doing everything in my power to make sure that they are potential buyers, not lookers. I will verify that they are both sincere in their search and financially qualified to purchase your (or anyone else’s) home before even showing it.

Best of luck on the sale of your home. Please feel free to call me at 706-207-5290 if you have any questions that I might be able to answer or email me at athensrealestate@hotmail.com with those questions. I will give you my best answer with no obligation. Although I would love to sell your home, I will not give you a listing presentation unless you ask me to.

What’s in a Word?

Be Careful What You Write in Your Real Estate Ad

The comedian George Carlin had a routine about The Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV. It is somewhat dated. There are at least 2 that are now heard regularly on broadcast channels. You can hear all seven of them on some cable channels. If you really want to know what those words are/were, you can go here.

When you, or your Realtor®/agent, place any advertising for your home there are many more than seven words that can get you in trouble. Federal and state Fair Housing laws regulate against and define any practices that might be considered discriminatory in the sale and purchase of real estate, regardless of intent. These regulations do not normally apply to the sale of your own home unless you advertise. It doesn’t matter the type of advertising, whether newspaper, Craigslist, flyers on a community cork board or any other form of advertising.

What are some of these words? Seemingly benign words can be found to be discriminatory. The word adult, unless it is used to describe a certified adult community, is determined to be discriminatory. So are bachelor, Christian, unemployed, and singles, as well as dozens of other words. Phrases and groups of words such as no children, single person, mature couple, mature individual, and not for disabled can all be considered discriminatory.

There are many words and phrases that are iffy, that depend upon the context in which they are used. They could include executive, handyman’s dream, close to synagogue, and membership approval required.

When you submit an ad to a newspaper, the person reviewing the ad might counsel you on the use of words and suggest alternatives. However, when using internet marketing you are usually on your own. Online service providers are generally considered not responsible for the user-submitted content.

Now, is somebody going to review all advertising and come and fine you or take you to jail? More than likely that will not happen unless there is a complaint filed. Even then it will more than likely be a warning to change your wording.

For a list of words and phrases that may or may not be considered discriminatory go to the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase Usage List. Just be careful what you say.

If you would like to find out what I can do for you, or, if you just have a question I might be able to help you with, email me or call me at 706-207-5290.

NOTE: The above is not to be construed as legal advice. For legal advice please consult with a lawyer or contact the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity.

So You Want to Sell Your Home – Part 4: Marketing Your Home

So You Want to Sell Your Home – Part 4.

Marketing Your Home

In Part 3 I talked about how you get the most exposure on your home for sale, entice agents, get it listed in the MLS. But how do you attract buyers? The simple answer is the same way a Realtor® or real estate agent does: you market, using one or more venues.

Signs – of course. You want people to see a sign in your yard--it lets all the passersby know your home is for sale. But, if you live at the end of a cul-de-sac, there are not a lot of passersby. But the sign is still a good thing. It lets your neighbors know, and they might tell someone who wants to buy a home. Believe it or not, there are some people who don’t want a sign, who don’t want the neighbors to know. Your for sale sign should show clearly how to contact you, or your Realtor®. Your (or your Realtor’s®) phone number should be large, prominently positioned and readable by people driving by. The sign should be about 24” wide and 30” tall, with colors to attract attention.

Information tubes or boxes. Yes to them, also. Make sure your Realtor®, or you if selling yourself, places a weather-tight information box or tube on or adjacent to the sign. It should be positioned so that someone passing by will see it and hopefully stop and pick up a flyer. Speaking of flyers, keep the box stocked, but not too full to get a single flyer out. Make sure your Realtor® supplies you with extras in case the box runs out before she (or he) can get back to refill it.

Newspaper ads – if you are having an open house, definitely. For any other occasion, if you want to spend the money, go ahead. You pay for the ad each week based upon the number of lines and column inches. A picture will also be extra and is usually in black and white. The ad may also be found on the newspapers web site. These ads sometimes attract buyers, but, the first place most buyers look today for information on homes is….

The Internet – absolutely a yes. Recent studies have indicated that over 90% of buyers first use the internet to search for a home. And what is the most effective internet tool? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it is the MLS. Not just for Realtors® or agents but also for buyers. Many MLS systems today now have public search capability where all the real estate “civilians” can search by state, county, city, neighborhood, street, etc.

However, the bonus to this is that many Realtor® MLS listings are also fed to other internet sites, including the Realtor’s® own web site. You can search the local MLS at my site, as well as review my featured listings if you want. But, people can search and find your home on almost every local Realtor’s® web site.

There is another bonus. Many Realtor’s® MLS listings are also fed to large national real estate and home search sites, such as Realtor.com and Trulia.com. I, and many other Realtors®, also forward these listing to many other real estate home search sites with both local and national (even international) exposure.

Some of the help-to-sell-your-own-home companies will also include your home on their own web site listings. Before selecting any company, whether a full service realtor or a help to sell agency, ask how big of an exposure on the web they provide, whether just on MLS, on their specific site listings or to the major real estate search sites (ask which ones specifically) across the country.

You can also upload your homes information to many of the major national real estate sites. This will be on a one site by one site basis, contacting each site separately and uploading or entering data. Many are at no cost for a basic listing with fees for certain features like additional pictures, featuring (prominently positioning your home), etc.

There are many other alternate internet marketing practices you can take advantage of. Sites like Craigslist that offer free ads. On Craigslist you can list your home with up to 4 pictures at no charge. You need to refresh or even replace your ad at least weekly to keep it near the top of the list. Many people will only look at the most recent ads. You also need to be ready to get calls from people who might be interested in more than your home. Many may be trying to sell you something. Others might have different motives. Craigslist does have a comprehensive page of scams and warnings to look out for.

One final option I will mention is a “Single Address Web Site”. This is nothing more than a website you, or your Realtor®, or someone else you hire, can build that exclusively displays your home. All the information and pictures you want to include, all there at one site on the web with a URL in the form of www.yourhomeaddress.com. This is a relatively new service but does look very interesting.

So, there we have it, a myriad of ways to market your home. Each of these marketing tools requires work to initiate as well as constant tweaking and upkeep to keep fresh. You can do it your self, or you can use a full service Realtor®. Or, you can hire someone else to do all of the marketing work for you. The main thing to remember is to do what you can in order to get your information out in front of the broadest audience possible. Remember, the biggest audience is the population of local Realtors®, and, to some extent, every Realtor® in the country. Those Realtors® often know someone moving to your town or county and will help them become familiar with the properties available. Then there are the buyers. To be successful you need to reach both groups.

If you would like to find out what I can do for you, or, if you just have a question I might be able to help you with, email me or call me at 706-207-5290.

So You Want to Sell You Home - Part 3 - Getting the News Out There

You, on your own or with your REALTOR®, have decided what price to ask for your home. Now what? How do you get the word out? How do you reach people? How do your neighbors, the people around the corner, those who live across town, people in Timbuktu find out about your home. How do you get the greatest audience to know that your wonderful home, the place you raised your kids, remodeled with your own hands, landscaped, painted and kept immaculate is on the market? In other words, how do you get buyers to the door?

OK, I am going to skip listing all of the things you could do, which sometimes work and sometimes don't work. I am going to cut right to the chase and give you another question. Who should you be targeting in order to get that parade of buyers started? The answer is simple, REALTOR's® and real estate agents (yes, there is a difference) representing buyers. Well over 90% of all home purchases are by buyers using REALTOR's® and real estate agents. Whether you are selling on your own, using some sales assistance service or using a full service REALTOR®, the main target of your marketing should be those people who are representing the majority of buyers.

That's the secret, like I said, it's simple. To get the most buyers, get the attention of the professionals representing those buyers. But how do you get their attention. That is also simple, use the local Multiple Listing Service, or, MLS. The MLS is major tool of real estate professionals trying to match-up buyers with the homes of their dreams, and that could be your home. Yes, it is true, you cannot place a listing in an MLS on your own. You do need to use either a full service REALTOR® or a limited service help to sell company to get your home into the listing service.

In this area there are two primary MLS services. If you elect to use full service representation your REALTOR® should be placing your listing into both services. This assures the broadest audience of agents for your home. This will usually be at no cost to you the seller until when (and sometimes if) your homes sells. If you use a limited or partial service firm, you will usually pay up front for the listing. This usually averages around from $400 to $500, per MLS. Find out upfront which MLS the limited service firm will be using and for how long the listing will be valid.

But there is still one more thing you need to do to attract those agents. Again, it is no big secret, to attract agents you need to offer co-operation or protection. This can be a percentage of selling price or it could be a flat fee, but, it needs to be clearly stated. If you are using a full service REALTOR®, like me, for instance, this co-operation will be included in my fee for selling your home. I will fully disclose what that co-operation figure is before you sign any papers. Whether you use full or limited service representation to get your house on the MLS, that amount of co-operation will be listed (you will have to inform your limited service listing provider what figure to put into the agents co-operation). Either way, it is a contracted dollar amount or percentage and cannot be renegotiated after a sales contract is in place.

No, I am not trying to direct you into using a full service REALTOR® or even to use a limited service to assist your sale. However, studies continually show that homes sold through a full service REALTOR® sell for more and faster than purely FSBO. And, whether you use full service or limited service, homes sell faster when listed on local MLS.

To sell your home, you best bet is to attract a REALTOR® or agent representing a buyer. To attract that agent, you need to offer an enticement, the co-operation.

Next time I will address marketing your home, whether on your own or with a full or limited service REALTOR®. Now that agents have been attracted, how do buyers get attracted?

So You Want to Sell Your Home - 2nd in a Series - Getting the Price Right

So You Want to Sell Your Home

Part 2 Getting the Price Right

In part one I finally got around to talking about what factors influence the price, or market value, of your home: location, condition, market. In this installment, I will demonstrate how to use those factors to arrive at an asking price for your home.

The best known method (bkm) for determining what your asking price should be is a CMA, Comparative Market Analysis, sometimes shortened to “COMPS” (comparisons). This is nothing more than establishing the current market value of your house by comparing it with the selling price (less concessions) of similar homes, in your neighborhood. To best reflect the current market, those comparisons should be from within the last 3–6 months and include current listings, listings that did not sell, as well foreclosure and short sales (homes that are in pre-foreclosure that require bank approval to sell for less than what is owed).

For the person doing it on their own, this could be a somewhat long and tedious process. You need to do the research on your own. Unless you have access to MLS data (Multiple Listing Service - you need to usually be a member of the MLS to directly access this information) you will need to access public records. In the Athens-Clarke County area, as well as each surrounding county these records can be found online. You will have to look up each property individually and determine whether they are valid comparisons. Tax information will not provide any concession information. (Concessions are items the seller agrees to provide for the buyer at closing; they could include paying all or some of buyer’s closing, allowances, etc.)

If there are not enough comparable properties in your neighborhood, you will need to expand your search to similar neighborhoods and search their recent sales and current listings for comparisons.

Once you have that information, adjustments will have to be made, up or down, to the selling price of the comparable homes. Do they have more or fewer bedrooms, more or fewer baths? What’s the difference in square feet? Do they have basements, what are their lot sizes, how’s the landscaping, what are their conditions? These are just some of the considerations we use when developing the comparisons.

After making all adjustments to the comparable properties, a weighted average will be made to determine the asking price of your home. By weighted average, I mean that the home that is most similar to yours will count most in the averaging process. The home that is least similar will count the least in the averaging process.

An alternate way to determine selling price is the square foot method. It is a quick way of arriving at a price. Basically, it entails dividing the selling price by the square footage of the homes being used for comparison. While it is quick, it is much less accurate (unless you are comparing condos, or other identical homes with external variables). However, it is a great tool for establishing replacement cost in the event of a fire or some other unfortunate event.

There are 4 ways to get this CMA performed:

1. Do it yourself.
2. Get a “Market Report” from some realtor site or a company that will help you, as an owner, sell it yourself.
3. Hire an appraiser.
4. Have your real estate, or listing agent, provide that as part of his/her service.

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Do it yourself: You can do it yourself, but, again, unless you have access to an MLS system where you can get sales histories and all the data regarding concessions. This could be a time – consuming process. Tax records will provide sale price, but they will not provide concession information. Neither will they provide details on condition, amenities, etc.

Request a Market Report: Many realtor websites, as well as those sites that help you to sell, often have a link where you can click to get a market report. Find out what method is being used to generate these market reports. Some may just use the square foot method. Whichever process they use, it is almost always done remotely from searching MLS records. There is no first-hand knowledge of the condition of your home or the comparable homes. They don’t know the condition, they haven’t seen the yard, they don’t know the amenities. They are using only the numbers available to them. While this might get the pricing into the ball park, sometimes that park can be pretty big (remember the line from Major League – “There are some parks that wouldn’t have been a home run in.” “Yeah, name one.” “Yellowstone.”)

Hire an appraiser: You can pay an appraiser to do a market price evaluation for you. This will be for a fee which will vary depending upon where your home is located, the size, etc. The appraiser will use the CMA method described above (or something very similar) including capturing concessions, etc. He/she will tour the property and be very familiar with it, able to accurately include condition, amenities, landscaping, etc. in determining market value.

List your home with an agent: The listing agent (LA) will perform the same tasks as the appraiser. The agent will probably also have the advantage of personal knowledge of the comparative listings. Conscientious agents will have previewed many, if not all, of the homes that have sold, or are for sale, in the neighborhood that are being used for comps. This allows the agent to account for condition, landscaping, amenities, etc. in the comparable properties. This service is included in the commission the agent gets when, and if, the property sells.

Conclusion: In today’s market, price is extremely important. If your home is priced too high, you will have few, if any, lookers. If it is priced close, but still high, you will have lookers, but you will probably not get offers, or it may stay on the market for longer than a home priced correctly (or both). If it is priced correctly, it should sell. And, it should sell within the average days on market for homes in your area.

Whether you sell it yourself or with an agent, make sure the asking price is right. Asking price is the invitation that brings potential buyers to your home. The right price is what turns that potential buyer into an actual buyer.