Roost Realty Thoughts

New Technology!

2009-08-31T19:53:00.004-04:00

Mindy & I are always are always on the lookout for new technology that will not only make us stand apart from the competition, but make our Client's lives easier & the transaction as stress free as possible. We also work with a lot of investors, many of whom are out of state. These investors will submit many offers on different properties. In the past, it has required a lot of signing & faxing or scanning & emailing the paperwork back & forth to get the deal done. This can be challenging for some people.

Then Mindy found Docusign. It is an online site that allows you to obtain electronic signatures. I know this sounds crazy & gushy, but I'm in love! It has made such an impact on our business. No more faxing & scanning & going back & forth. We can now type up the offers, scan into Docusign & email out to all the participants in a deal. We are now able to highlight where each individual needs to sign, initial, date & fill in info if needed. We had a contract that was fully executed in 15 minutes the other day. If I had done it the old school way, I would have had to send it to my Seller, wait for it to come back, then send it to the Selling Agent, wait for her to send it to her buyer, get it back, THEN send it to me. Instead, I emailed to everyone & had it back in 15 minutes!

If you want more info on Docusign check out http://docusign.com/ or on Twitter @docusign

We can't say enough about what a difference it has made for us & how much our Clients have appreciated the convenience of the service.

Stacy

Mortgage Disclosure Changes

2009-08-06T15:05:00.005-04:00

As of July 30, 2009 the HERA Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act is in effect. This Act is designed to make the lending process more transparent and amends the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA).

Biggest changes that I can tell are as follows:

No upfront fees are allowed. The only fee that lenders is allowed to collect prior to borrowers receipt of initial disclosure is a reasonable credit report fee.
There is a new 7 day rule that requires a waiting period of 7 business days from the time initial disclosures are issued until the time of the closing.
An additional waiting period is now required if their is a change in the APR of 1/8 or more. So, any increase in the APR that is larger than .125% from what was quoted on the Truth-in-Lending Disclosure requires a new Truth-in-Lending Disclosure. The borrower must receive this new Truth-in-Lending statement 3 business days prior to closing.
Borrowers must be supplied a couple of their appraisal a minimum of 3 business days prior to closing.

As real estate professionals we need to be in close contact with our client's lenders to make sure that we negotiate ample time for the mortgage process in our contracts. This will prevent last minute changes in the APR which sounds great in theory but would also backfire in the event that a borrower wants to do a last minute buy-down of their rate.

Celebrate the 4th in Decatur GA!

2009-06-30T07:12:00.004-04:00

The saying is that Decatur GA is "when Mayberry meets Berkeley." Well on the 4th of July, I would say it is mostly Mayberry. Starting with the Pied Piper Parade that winds itself through downtown Decatur. Decorate your bike, scooter, you can skate or walk...anyone can participate! This year the parade line up begins at 5:30 at the First Baptist Church in Decatur (the big one on the corner of Clairemont & Commerce). The parade begins at 6pm.

After the parade there is a concert on the square. It begins at 7pm and feature the Callanwolde Concert Band. Bring your picnic & lawn chairs!

The fireworks begin at dark. I have gone for several years & they are some of the best I've seen! You can see them from pretty much anywhere in Decatur. They are shot from the top of the Dekalb County parking deck. You can find me in the greenspace next to Agnes Scott on College! See you there!

Stacy

A Great Way To Buy Foreclosures!

2009-06-17T12:02:00.002-04:00

Mindy & I have recently had the opportunity to work with a few home buyers who have been interested in pursuing foreclosures. There are few challenges that these home buyers face, but certainly nothing that can’t be overcome!

One of the main challenges has been that many of the properties that have been foreclosed on are in pretty rough shape. Either they are homes that were in need of work to begin with, or they have been broken into & had items stolen such as HVAC components or the copper plumbing. It is very difficult to finance properties that the banks would consider to be in “poor” condition. Poor condition, meaning, they would consider these properties to be uninhabitable.

One way these buyers have found to alleviate this issue it to finance the home with the FHA 203k program. This program finances the home & up to $30k in repairs. All the homebuyer needs is their 3.5% down & a good contractor!

Some more specifics to the loan are:

Max repair amount is $30,000

Contractor must be licensed, bonded & insured

All repairs must be completed w/in 90 days & once the loan closes the scope of work cannot change

This is one loan, one time closing

Appraisal is completed “subject to” repairs & final inspection

1-4 unit owner occupied properties are allowed

Certain improvements are not allowed: “luxury improvements like Jacuzzi’s, landscaping, moving load bearing walls, additions, repair of structural damage…any work that could not be started w/in 30 days & completed w/in 90 days of closing.

2 draws are allowed during the process. 1 at closing & 1 upon final inspection.

Borrower must assume responsibility for selecting a contractor & getting the appropriate paperwork turned into the Lender. This is typically the slowest part of the process. Allow minimum of 30 days from binding agreement date for closing, if possible, I would go for 45 days.

I have seen great success with these deals. Many of our Buyers end up with equity even after purchasing the property & renovating. It’s a good deal!

Stacy

New law protects renters from foreclosure

2009-06-13T16:02:00.003-04:00

I saw a statistic this week that 40% of recent foreclosures were inhabited by renters. That is a heck of a lot of folks that had their lives in upheaval.

Here at Roost we have have several current tenants that came from foreclosed properties. One of our tenants came home to the sheriffs note on the door. She had been paying her rent on time each month but her landlord had not been paying their mortgage and gave her no notice of the impending foreclosure.

The housing law that was signed by President Obama in late May includes provisions to protect renters. The law allows tenants to remain in their foreclosed rentals through the end of their lease and then 90 days after that before being forced to vacate by the lender. Renters without leases will have 90 days. Prior to this law foreclosure proceedings automatically ended any lease that was in place.

This is wonderful news for tenants. I am curious to see how banks will handle rent collection.

Only 1 picture, really?

2009-06-08T17:34:00.005-04:00

As Stacy can attest, I often lament over the job that other agents are doing for their sellers. Too often I am horrified by mistakes or just plain old laziness that I see.

I have many pet peeves in this realm but I think my number one is the number of pictures that listing agents put on their listings. For many years there would be NO pictures on a good portion of listings. None! Finally, our local MLS systems cracked the whip and now have a rule that there must be a minimum of 1 picture on the listing.

In the Atlanta we have 2 MLS systems that serve our market (don't even get me started!) FMLS allows us to have 12 pictures and Georgia MLS lets us upload 16. I can not understand why agents would not take full advantage and upload as many pictures as we are allowed. Think there are issues with a property? Then why not go ahead and upload the pictures and let consumers decide for themselves. Properties do not have to be 100% perfect to benefit from pictures.

Foreclosures almost always have only one picture (of the exterior). I really wish that Realtors would get out of this practice. You already have someone going there to take the exterior shot,how much longer does it take to snap a few more? I'd be willing to bet that more pictures would result in greater results. I'd think our banks would be mortified if they knew how some of there properties were being marketed to the public. Or at least they should be.

Seeing Orange

2009-06-01T11:30:00.003-04:00

Part of my normal morning routine is checking the market. What is new, what is pending (under contract) and what closed.

Pending contracts are listed in Orange. The great news is that more and more orange is popping up. As you may have heard we have had an abundance of inventory. Seeing orange is a great thing as that inventory begins to move through our system.

Across the entire metro Atlanta market we've seen slight shifts upward. In specific Intown neighborhoods we are seeing spikes. I am excited to see the numbers at the end of June.

Let's Talk About Taxes...Again

2009-05-28T12:04:00.004-04:00

Ugh here I go about taxes again. But it is that time of year. It is time for our local governments to pass budgets and do their reassessments. Our county & city governments are feeling the crunch of declines in revenues. They are all having to buckle down to figure out how to cover shortfalls in their budget.

Mayor Shirley Franklin proposed to raise the millage rate on city of Atlanta property owners by 3 mills. This is said to be a 7% increase in the total property bill or an approximate $20 per month (remember that there will already be an increase due to the lack of funding for the Homeowners Tax Relief which I blogged about earlier). In the Mayor's letter accompanying the 2010 budget she stated that the mill rate increase is needed to eliminate furloughs of city workers, most notably public safety personnel.

The City of Decatur is taking a different approach. Rather than raise property taxes they are dipping into their reserve fund to cover the deficit that they are facing. Unfortunately, the city of Atlanta and many other local governments do not have that option.

Ok enough already about taxes!

Mindy

Chickens in the City

2009-05-27T15:38:00.005-04:00

The pasttime of keeping flocks of chickens in your backyard has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. In April, the Oakhurst Community Garden in the City of Decatur hosted a tour of local chicken coops. The tour was called Chicks in the City and was quite a hit.

Decatur & Atlanta area residents were also featured on NPR's All Things Considered last week. It is well worth the listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104304441

If you are interested the next class on keeping Chicks in the City will be held at the Oakhurst Community Garden on June 27th.

Stacy has been interested in building a coop for many years now. I hope she does so I can reap the benefit of fresh eggs!

:-) Mindy

Georgia Housing Tax Credit

2009-05-21T13:29:00.007-04:00

On May 11th Georgia Governor, Sonny Perdue, signed a new bill creating a tax credit for Georgia Home Buyers. This credit is for all buyers, not just first time buyers. However, first time buyers can get this on top of the $8,000 federal credit.

The Georgia credit is for $1,800 or 1.2 percent of the purchase price (whichever is less) and will be taken over 3 years.

Georgia home buyers only have 6 months to take advantage of this bill. The clock starts ticking on June 1st and goes through November 30th.

If you will be purchasing a home that is a re-sale then the home must have been for sale prior to May 11th and still for sale after May 11th. All foreclosures and new homes are included.

http://gov.georgia.gov/00/press/detail/0,2668,78006749_78013037_140354876,00.html

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2009/05/11/home_buyer_tax_credit.html

Mindy

Dekalb County Reassessments

2009-05-21T13:16:00.004-04:00

I have a quick update on the controversy that was caused when Dekalb County sent out the Property Assessments for 2009. If you need to catch up go here: http://roostrealty.blogspot.com/2009/04/dekalb-county-tax-assessors-are.html

This week, Dekalb county mailed out the new reassessments. The original number of assessments that went down was approximately 13,500. The new assessments that went out this week numbered close to 100,000.

There are still folks who are saying that the overall % of assessment has not come down enough. I happened to be on the receiving end of a new reassessment. The assessment on my personal home went down by $200. Seems silly to me. That does make me question the validity and wonder is what the overall % change.

Mindy

East Lake Farmer's Market!

2009-05-17T12:16:00.004-04:00

The 4 way stop at 2nd Ave. & Hosea was once known as one of the worst parts of the neighborhood. It was a known drug area & also for a lot of people hanging out looking like they were up to no good. But, I guess about 2 years ago (maybe more), the gas stations & shops were shut down & big, tall fences were erected. Rumor had it that we could expect restaurants, shops & townhouses & all were excited. But, time wore on & nothing happened.
I 1st noticed the sign for the East Lake Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago. I was so excited! I put it on my calendar & on the morning of the 16th jumped out of bed, got the girls dressed & headed over with visions of fresh veggies, plants & possibly breakfast (so I didn't feed the girls, oops!) When we arrived, I was a bit disappointed. They had 3 booths set up w/organic dog treats, soap & one with tomato plants, herbs, coffee & strawberries. I left with strawberries, treats, coffee & a tomato plant. But it was the 1st week & I have high hopes for the next one. I think it is going to take some time to build up the business. Meanwhile, I plan to be there every Sat. to support them & I hope to see you there!
http://www.eastlake.org/news-events/event.php?id=45

Stacy

Georgia Homeowners prepare to pay the piper

2009-04-30T12:11:00.011-04:00

Wasn't it Benjamin Franklin that said, "In this world nothing can be certain but death and taxes."?

Have you ever read your property tax bill? Did you understand it? They can be quite cryptic! Since many people have their property taxes paid through their escrow, I think a lot of folks don't pay much attention when their annual bill comes in the mail. Well, this is one year you should pay some attention. Our esteemed Georgia General Assembly passed an 18.6 billion dollar budget on the last day of the session (can someone explain why they leave such big stuff til the last minute). The big budget did not fund the Homeowners Tax Relief that was enacted by the Governor and State Assembly a few years ago (I am unsure of the date). What does this mean for us? Well most of us will see our annual property tax bill go up by $200 - $300. This affects every homeowner in the state of Georgia.

Want to figure out the impact on you? Pull out your tax bill from last year and look for a HTRG Credit. Mine was $298.72. Those of us who do have our taxes paid through an escrow will see a change in the amount that is withheld each month to cover those taxes. This will likely change your monthly mortgage payment.

Rather than passing the increase to us, there is the option for local governments to cut services. I just don't see that happening as most of our governments are already operating with deficits.

Mindy

Dekalb County Tax Assessors are Scrambling

2009-04-30T09:17:00.015-04:00

The Dekalb County Tax Assessors office has been getting a lot of attention lately. An article published by D.L. Bennett, in the AJC last week created quite a bit of hubbub.

On April 14, 2009, Senate Bill 55 was passed by the Georgia Assembly and signed by the Governor. This bill changed the factors used in determining fair market value for real property.' In essence, they were trying to address the amount of foreclosed homes that we have in our markets and how they affect the assessed values of our homes. The law requires assessors to take foreclosures and bank sales into account when handling revaluations.

So, when the re-evaluation letters went out and only about 13,500 properties had lowered values, as compared to approximately 60,000 in Fulton and Clayton, county residents were outraged.

We had lucky timing and were already scheduled to attend a meeting at the Dekalb Association of Realtors with the Dekalb County Tax Commissioner, Claudia Lawson, the day after the aforementioned AJC was published. At that meeting, the head county tax assessor, Hank Ruffin, defended their position. But, he also alluded that we should stay tuned and sounded like he knew more changes would be coming. He was right since the very next day Dekalb County CEO, Burrell Ellis, stepped in to make sure that Dekalb was complying with the new law.

So my guess is that the county tax assessors are in a craze right now. They stated that a new review is being completed and expected to be done my mid-May.

No matter what Dekalb County (and the rest of Georgia) homewoners are going to see their property tax bills rise this year. Stay tuned for an upcoming post explaning this in detail.

Spring at the Roost

2009-04-13T12:35:00.004-04:00

Historically Spring is the beginning of our busy season. It never fails, when the bulbs start blooming, people start thinking about buying or selling a house.

Many have wondered what this year would bring to the real estate market. So far, I am glad to say that that we appear to be keeping our normal patterns. We have all been out showing houses to new Buyers and visiting with potential Sellers to give them pricing and staging suggestions.

What is different? Well, for me I tend to see a lot more hesitancy, particularly on the part of Sellers. Many of them want to meet with us to discuss whether or not now is the right time to sell. They are afraid and who wouldn't be after watching the nightly news? We are able to consult with them to figure out what the best course of action is for their circumstance. It is different for everyone. The good news is that houses are selling! And there is a lack of inventory on the market on which savvy sellers can capitalize.

We are working with several buyers who will be taking advantage of the $8,000 tax credit. That credit coupled with crazy low rates is making this an exciting time for buyers.

The biggest result that I am seeing come from this market correction is that buyers and sellers are much more involved in the process. They are educating themselves much more thoroughly. That is a great thing and we are so happy to help!

Happy Spring!

Mindy (photos from my front yard!)

It's Time for Jazz in Oakhurst!

2009-04-10T17:07:00.004-04:00

Last night was the 1st of 4 Jazz Nights in April.
http://www.oakhurstjazznights.com/index.html For those of you who are not aware, Jazz Night takes place Thursday evenings in April & September. Not a jazz fan? That’s ok! I promise you will still have fun. It is great to get out in the neighborhood, see many people you know, bring a blanket, picnic & bottle of wine. If you have kids, bring them! There is room to run…but we always try & stay on the outer edges so as not to disturb those trying to enjoy to tunes. So, here is my personal invite! C’mon over to Oakhurst! I promise you will have fun!

Stacy

It's been a good day in Decatur GA

2009-03-21T17:00:00.009-04:00

The morning started out early as we headed up to Renfroe Middle School for the Tour deCatur. This is a race that includes a 1 mile Fun Run and a 5k. It is to benefit the Decatur Education Foundation. www.decatureducationfoundation.org

After all the running we had worked up an appetite so we headed over to the new Thumbs Up! It has been a long time since I was willing to wait for a table, but our meal was totally worth it! Yum! Bring on the coffee & veggie heap!

After that we headed over to the Decatur High School parking lot for Touch a Truck Day. Whoever thought this up was a genius! They had street sweepers, chippers, bulldozers, firetrucks, cement trucks, police cars...you name it, it was there! And the horns were honkin!

From there we went over to the park across the street from The Grange for a picnic & some play action. I had never been there before! Dubbed the "playground for lost toys" by one of our friends, it was really great!

Afterwards it was over to Dancing Goats for coffee & Duck's Cosmic Kitchen doughnuts. Boy are we tired!

Stacy

Happy Snow Day!

2009-03-02T17:46:00.006-05:00

Having lived in Atlanta since 1993, I can count on one hand the number of times that we have had any sort of snow. I scoff at any mention of snow on the weather reports as a shameless attempt to keep people listening.

As I drove north toward Tennessee on Saturday, I had high hopes of waking up on Sunday morning to a blanket of white. Imagine my surprise when I woke to only a cold rain. But, my husband called to say that the white stuff was coming down like crazy at home! As I drove south, I kept wondering when we would see it. Acworth, nothing. Even as far south as Marietta there was only a "wintry mix." Where was the snow?!

As we were driving I got distracted & missed the Freedom Parkway exit & I was glad I did. The next exit put us right in the heart of the Old Fourth Ward which looked like a, dare I say it? A winter wonderland! Flakes so big they couldn't be real! The girls could hardly contain themselves!

As soon as we pulled in we hopped out of the car & didn't even make it into the house for about 2 hours. 2 snowmen were built, a walk was taken & of course we had to come in & have hot chocolate! The fun continued this morning when the schools were closed.

While we enjoyed the snow, I have to say I have had my fill & I am ready to return to sunny & 70 degrees! But, once every 10 years, I say bring it on!

Stacy

Earth Hour

2009-02-28T13:09:00.006-05:00

Earth hour started in one city and in just 2 years has gained a lot of attention. The World Wildlife Fund, WWF, uses Earth Hour to gain attention to climate change.Check out the video below for a great history on Earth hour.

Last year we participated in Earth Hour. We flipped the breaker box off for an hour and actually ended up leaving it off for even longer.

The city of Atlanta participated in 2008 and will again in 2009. Here is a list of the buildings in our city that are participating.

Mark you calendar for March 28th, 2009. At 8:30pm local time flip that switch for one hour.

Also,check out a fun & interactive site for kids http://www.earthhourkids.org/

How much will you be stimulated?

2009-02-24T09:10:00.003-05:00

President Obama signed the stimulus bill on February 17th. Last week we gave you the highlights on the housing portion of the stimulus plan, but there are also tax implications. Supposedly, 95% of Americans could see some tax savings.

I am still wrapping my head around all of it. There is a 'Make Work Pay' credit that will put money directly into workers paychecks by lowered the amount of payroll taxes that an employer takes out of the check. This credit is is 6.25% with a max of $400 per year for individuals making less than $75,000. According to CNNMoney.com, those that qualify for the entire $400 will see at $15 increase in the paycheck. The government is relying on employers to properly adjust their payroll taxes in order for workers to see the increase in the take hoome pay.

Also included in the bill are tax deductions for new car purchases, the extension of unemployment benefits and the subsidization of COBRA insurance benefits.

This stimulus is designed to act as a sliding scale of sorts with households making the least incomes receiving the highest % of tax savings. You can see the chart of the tax savings in a good article on CNNMoney.com.

As with anything tax related, I expect some confusion.

Twitter Mosaic

2009-02-19T09:46:00.007-05:00

Social media is weird isn't it? Stacy & I both have been a long time Twitterers. Twitter is hard to explain. It is touted as a 'micro-blogging' site. Your posts can be no more that 140 characters. You send and can read others posts.

I found an instant fondness for Twitter from day 1. This morning I saw tweets about the bedazzler, the California budget, and sunday alcohol sales, and learned that it is Smokey Robinson's birthday. Yes, like everything it can be a time suck. But on a professional level, it gives a voice to some amazing conversation about topics affecting our industry. I love hearing about the lives of Realtor friends in Idaho, Alaska, West VA, etc. As of February 2009, Twitter was ranked 3rd largest social network, behind Facebook and MySpace.

I follow Atlanta folks, real estate folks, and people who are interested in some of my hobbies. And then there are just some people that are plain fun. My Twitter contacts make me laugh, keep me posted on news both local and world, and they feed the voyeur inside me! On that note here is a mosaic of all of my Twitter followers.

Update: Housing Tax Credit

2009-02-18T15:03:00.004-05:00

$7,500, $15,000, $8,000 Confused yet?

Here is a quick rundown of the housing tax credit. (as of today!)

If you bought a home on or after January, 01 2009 and before December 1, 2009. and were a first time buyer who bought a primary residence.

The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.
The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

Also don't forget that if you bought a home after April, 2008 and before January 1, 2009 you may be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit.

Similar to above except the tax credit works like an interest-free loan and must be repaid over a 15-year period.

Even though this was just passed, it is retroactive back to Jan 1st.

Need any clarification? Just call!

Atlanta #3 Most Abandoned City

2009-02-17T10:08:00.005-05:00

Last week, Forbes.com published an article ranking America's Emptiest Cities. They have listed Atlanta as #3 just under Detroit and Las Vegas.

They ranked their list by analyzing rental and homeowner vacancies. While I do agree that ITP has many abandoned areas. I am not sure that I get how Forbes arrived at the ranking of our fair city. It lists our rental vacancy rate as 16.1% (ranked 8th) and our homeowner vacancy rate as 4.3% (ranked 6th). I am no math whiz but I don't see how ranking of 8th and 6th gets us to 3rd overall. I am sure that they used other factors but don't see those listed anywhere.

If you drive through some neighborhoods it is like a ghost town with boarded up houses lining the streets. This current market correction will help us. There are areas that were fraught with mortgage fraud that needed to be cleared out so they could have fresh starts.

The good news is that people are buying up foreclosures in droves. And now that Fannie Mae is allowing up to 10 loans per investors (as compared to the cap of 4 that has been in place) we will only see the investment side our Atlanta real estate market continue to move.

Many of us are working the investment side on a daily basis and we are regularly finding multiple offer situations and houses selling for above list. The numbers work for buying rentals and turning a monthly profit right off the bat.

$15,000 Homebuyers Credit

2009-02-09T14:41:00.005-05:00

We have been getting questions about the Housing Stimulus bill that was just passed by the Senate. The answers right now are mainly speculative as this Amendent has not made it through the House. The new bill will replace the $7,500 tax credit that was voted into place last fall.

The get the best and straightest info I have seen visit The Wall Street Journal ,they have a great FAQ page.

Georgia's Senator Johhny Isakson's was one of this amendment proponents, you can see more information on his website. If you want to read the actual amendment: http://isakson.senate.gov/Amdt_106.pdf (snooze!)

The amount of the proposed tax credit is $15,000 or 10 percent of the purchase price, whichever is less. The way it is written now you would be able to claim credit of $7,500 per year for 2 years. Sorry investors, this tax credit is available for your primary residence only. Also, you must pay taxes in order to get the credit & you can only claim an amount up to the amount of taxes you owe.

We're watching it closely and will keep you posted, so stay tuned!

brrrrrr

2009-01-22T13:39:00.003-05:00

It's been cold in ATL lately. As I write I am sitting in office with a fleece vest on and cold toes and fingers. Stacy can attest that I keep the place kinda chilly. One reason is that I like to wear layers in the winter and another is that darned gas bill. I just got that darned gas bill this week and that got me thinking about all of the insulating that we need to do.

I did come across some no and low-cost winter energy savings tips that I thought I'd pass along.

No Cost
1. Set your water heater to 120°.
It’s simple. Your hot water heater won’t have to work so hard if it’s set at a lower temperature. The temperature control settings on water heaters either indicate “low, medium, and high” or actual temperature settings. Simply consider turning down your water heater to a slightly cooler setting to reduce the amount of energy used to heat the water while still keeping the water warm enough for home use. In fact, each time you lower the temperature by 10°F you’ll save 3–5% on your water heating costs. That’s a savings of $6-$10 a year. *
2. In the winter, to make the most of what Mother Nature gives us—sunlight
Open drapes on south-facing windows to warm your home. Consider closing drapes in rooms that receive no direct sunlight to insulate from cold window drafts. At night, close drapes to retain heat. Up to 15% of your heat can escape through unprotected windows, but the solar heat gain from the sun during the day can conserve valuable energy.
3. Start by setting your thermostat to 68°
Your heating system will operate less and use less energy. Turn your thermostat down 5° at night or when leaving your home for an hour or more to save up to $70 on energy costs each year.**
4. If you have a clothes washing machine, use cold water.
Washing clothes in cold water will save you about $40 a year.

Low Cost
5. Replace your furnace or heat pump filter regularly.
Dirty filters reduce airflow, making your equipment work harder and use more energy. Replace your furnace filter monthly (unless it is a high efficiency filter designed to last several months) during the heating season to reduce heating costs by up to $35 a year.
6. Install a programmable thermostat.
It’s a cinch. A programmable thermostat automatically adjusts your home's temperature settings when you're sleeping or away. Using a programmable thermostat can save you as much as 10%, or $70 a year.
7. Install low-flow showerheads and faucets.
It really helps! 1.8 gallon per minute showerheads can reduce your hot water consumption by as much as 10%. You’ll see savings up to $6 per year for a sink faucet aerator and $20 per year for a showerhead.
8. Switch to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
They cost a little more, but you can save about $50 over the life of just one bulb

thanks to for xcelenergy.com for the tips.

Stay warm!

Mindy

New Year New Faces

2009-01-09T10:20:00.006-05:00

We started off 2009 with a lunch at El Tesoro in Decatur. All of the agents of Roost Realty attended. Yes, our numbers have grown! In December Karl Kortemeier and Pam Haggerty joined our team. Both Karl & Pam are experienced agents and we are so excited to have them aboard. We know that they will be great assets to our company. They both live in the Oakhurst district of Decatur.
Stacy and I are thrilled about the group of people that we work with. They are all talented and experienced Realtors. We come from varied backgrounds and specialties and our clients have great choices of who they want to work with. I believe we now have someone for everyone.

We want to make the New Years Lunch a new Roost tradition.

:-) Mindy

From left to right Karl Kortemeier, Pam Haggerty, Stephanie Wansley, Penny McVey & Stacy Reno (Mindy Georges is behind the camera)

Undoing the Holiday

2008-12-29T11:17:00.005-05:00

I am sitting on hold right now with my insurance company and being tortured with Christmas music. Not that I do not love Christmas music but I am ready for it to end. I do not want to hear it anymore after Christmas. Same for me with decorations. My tradition is always to have them down before New Years Eve. In my mind I am able to start the new year fresh & clean.

I always enjoy hearing how different families have different holiday traditions. At Christmas my family never had anything with sweet potatoes in it I have friends who can't believe that. I never even ate a sweet potato until I was an adult (yes I am a southern native).

Some people open presents on Christmas morning, others Christmas eve. I have one friend who always opens them at midnight.

Stacy is out shopping today for her black-eyed peas & collard greens. She just heard someone else was going to get cabbage (instead of collards).

How about you do you continue traditions from your family? Any that you think are weird or unique? When I was in college I tried to start a new family tradition of lasagna on Thanksgiving. I found that the table would be full of all the traditional foods plus my lasagna. No fun when no one else plays along!

Happy New Year

:-) Mindy

A Local Griswold House

2008-12-19T08:54:00.003-05:00

Last year Stacy told me about a house decorated with Christmas lights that I HAD to see. She had read about it in the AJC and took the girls and raved that it was worth the trip. The house is not far from where we live in East Atlanta. It located off of 2nd Avenue just south of the East Lake Country Club.

We paid a visit with some of our neighbors and the house lived up to all of Stacy's wows. This family has 2 temporary power poles put in just to run the show. They let you walk through their display which cover the entire front yard. Often you will see them out greeting their visitors. We met several other cars of folks taking the tour and we all had huge smiles on our faces.

This year we decided to take my mother-in-law to see the spectacle. I sort of remembered where it was and after driving through a few neighborhoods we squealed with delight when we found it.

What traffic ticket?

2008-11-10T18:55:00.004-05:00

I live in Dekalb county. Believe it or not, I have lived in the same county, which encompasses the eastern areas of Atlanta, for most of my life.

I had just finished reading about the financial woes of the Dekalb county school system. Next click of a button took me to an AJC article about lost traffic tickets in Dekalb county. I quickly determined that I have not received any recent tickets, darn!

The AJC article in the 11/09/08 Sunday paper states that hundred of thousands of citations were misplaced. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2008/11/09/recorders.html?cxntlid=inform_artr

How much can hundred of thousands of lost tickets cost our county? "Nobody know how much it is"

Guess Burrell Ellis can add it to his to-do list when he takes over as new Dekalb county CEO.

:-) Mindy

Opening of the new Decatur High School stadium.

2008-09-22T12:26:00.003-04:00

There are those that compare our small city of Decatur to Mayberry. I would agree somewhat, although I would say Mayberry with a twist! I don’t think I have ever seen it more like that tv town than on Friday night when the 1st game was played out our new high school stadium.
The original Decatur High School stadium, site of the 1st lighted football game back in 1939, was torn down last year due to it’s significant state of disrepair. Last Friday, when the new lights were turned on, they paid tribute to the previous stadium’s history by inviting back the team that scored the very 1st points on that old field & also the last player to score a touchdown. It was very touching to see these older gentlemen slapping high fives with the current team before the game!
While Decatur lost, a great time was had by all! Highlights included the unveiling of Spike the Bulldog at center field & a possum running out onto the field right in the middle of play! I think the family & I will definitely have to hit another game during this football season.
Stacy

Get Your Strut On

2008-09-19T10:03:00.007-04:00

Hope you are planning to head down to the Strut in East Atlanta tomorrow, Saturday September 20th.

The Strut is our annual, neighborhood festival. Through the years that I've lived in the neighborhood it has grown & expanded. That is to be expected since our community has done the same. But...I just looked at the official Strut site & saw that this year there is a Dave FM stage. Wha?? I guess that just goes hand in hand with me seeing a limo dropping off folks in the village and pointing them in the direction of fun.

The strut is always a blast, there is something for everyone. The past few years I have started the morning by volunteering to cheer on the runners of the 5k. (they've changed up the route this year) Not into running? There is music, artists booths, a kids village and plenty of beer & food-on-a-stick.

Make sure to see the parade at 2pm and new this year (at least I think it is new) is a Battle of the Marching Bands! Be there at 2:30 to see the Seed and Feed Marching Abominables vs. Maynard Jackson High School Marching Band. Woohoo, now that is a party!

So, spend Saturday in EAV for a day of merriment and fun!

: ) Mindy

(thanks to extraface on flickr for the great shot of the paradae from the 2007 strut)

Let’s meet at the office…

2008-09-03T15:33:00.009-04:00

I picked up a first-time-buyer recently to drive her to the closing of her new home (she was too nervous to drive herself :-) ), she paused at the door of the closing attorneys office and said, “this is the first official office I have been to during this entire process.” She thought that was pretty, darn cool.
This client had met her mortgage guy at the local coffee shop and I’d often picked her up or we would meet at properties. I delivered contracts to her home or she came to my home office.

The majority of our jobs are done in the field, in houses, from our car, even via WIFI in coffee shops. Contracts are sent via e-mail and scanners. None of my clients want to call an office number to have to speak with a front desk person. They’ll call, text, IM & email me, but it is always directly to me.

Stacy & I came from a traditional, national, real estate company. We rented office space there. It served us well in the beginning, and we relished the easy access to our mentors. As the years passed, we found the environment to be more of a distraction than conducive to productivity. And throughout the years our clients rarely visited that formal office.

When we opened Roost Realty we thought hard about our office space and chose to move into my home office. We added desk space, invested in equipment, & bought humongous file cabinets. Stacy comes here everyday :-). Our agents come in and out. Yes, I handed out keys to my house. I love the commute! It would not be for everyone, but this set-up has been serving us well. And yes, we do see clients here. In fact, I think we’ve had more clients here than we ever did to the ‘fancy’ office.

Stop on by

:-) Mindy

Decatur Book Festival

2008-08-30T17:41:00.005-04:00

I just returned from spending the day surrounded by books in our fair city of Decatur. Boy! Do I love this town! While I have to admit I spent most of my time in the children's section, there are lots of events for adults including readings from famous & unfamous authors (except from Ty Pennington, the poop. He canceled on us for Oprah. Whatever.), panels of authors & of course, you can buy books!

As a side note, I have to mention I have never seen so many Obama stickers in one place. I guess many people who love books are also Obama voters. That's all I'm sayin'.

Anyway, you still have time to get out there. There is a full schedule tomorrow http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2008/Schedule/index.php. You should head on over!

Stacy

What I did on my summer vacation.

2008-08-20T16:16:00.012-04:00

Those that know me well, know that I yearn for the South Carolina coast. This year, we took the longest vacation I have ever taken...10 days on Harbor Island, just outside of Beaufort, SC.

Every morning I would get up & take my coffee cup out to the beach & have a really nice, long walk before everyone else woke up. On one of our last days, my oldest daughter asked that I wake her up so that she could go with me. So, we headed out & after walking for a bit, we rounded a corner & I noticed a couple of women looking out into the mud (tide was VERY low) & a guy talking very intently on his cell and standing over 2 lumps. Those lumps, I quickly realized, were 2 dolphins, a mama & baby. I quickly told my daughter to turn around & walk the other way because I didn't want to upset her, but then I heard the guy on the phone say "they're alive." It turns out he was talking to a vet who works with the state's Department of Natural Resources who asked him to keep the dolphins as cool as possible until he got there (he was at least an hour & 1/2 away). I immediately asked what we could do & we were instructed to start digging trenches around the pair and to keep as much water on them as possible, especially their tails, which apparently is where they hold all of their heat. To make a long story short (which is difficult for me to do, isn't it Mindy?) after about 2 1/2 hrs. we were able to did a trench deep enough to keep them wet & cool until the tide came in enough so that we could help them swim away.

The next day, we made the front page of the Beaufort Gazette http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local/story/513490.html & we did a phone interview for the Charleston news which also ran my pictures. By the way, the cutie in the brown shirt is my girl. After many years of studying photography, I finally made print!!

On my last morning there, I also got up & watched baby sea turtles hatch & make their way to sea. Pretty amazing. A trip I will never forget to be sure.

The money is in the details

2008-08-14T12:17:00.003-04:00

It can be little things like burned out light bulbs, or it can be a little worse like dirty bathrooms.

I have found a stronger voice. In the past, I may have worried about hurting some one's feelings. It is my responsibility to help guide Sellers to get their homes in the best possible showing condition BEFORE we hit the market. Now, I approach it as a service, a value that I can provide. Why wait for negative feedback? Handle as much as can be done ahead of time. Yes, it does all go back to the 1 chance for the first impression.

What might getting ready for market entail? Depends on the property...

Fix anything that is broken
Take care of all maintenance items that may have been neglected
De-clutter
De-personalize
Clean, clean & clean some more

And I have not even started in on the little things that need to be done each day to get ready for a showing. Yes, you really must take all the magnets off your fridge, hide the trash can, & close the toilet seat.

I've said it before, it is hard to live in a house that is for sale. You better get used to making your bed everyday? How often will you be mopping or vacuuming? I've had some clients tell me that having their house on the market added 30-45 minutes to their morning routines.

After everything, there are some people that can not hear us, they can not see their home through a buyers eyes. This is a common problem. Hence the birth of professional Home Stagers.

You want buyers to see your house and not be distracted by the color of your toothbrush or what kind of slippers you wear. It's all worth it in the end!

:-) Mindy

The Silver Bullet

2008-07-28T20:07:00.006-04:00

I have to say I was disappointed in the AJC Homefinder's article this past Sunday entitled something to the effect of "Your Agent and what they can do for you." I was excited by the title but could not believe the content.
They interviewed several well respected Atlanta Agents & basically they were saying your Agent can offer you signs, color flyers, pictures & the "silver bullet" virtual tour. I don't see how that is different than what Agents have offered for the past 20 years? Did they forget that at least 90% of Buyers start on the internet? What about websites for each listing, video, blogs??? I could go on about things I felt that the left out. Realtors already have a reputation for sticking a "For Sale" sign in the yard & then showing up at closing to collect their check. I don't feel that this article helped our cause very much.
Mindy & I know that it takes much more than a few pretty pictures & a yard sign to sell a house. They should have interviewed us!! That's all I'm sayin'. :-)

Stacy

I am a full-time Realtor

2008-07-02T09:14:00.005-04:00

Lately I've found myself using the phrase, "I am a full time Realtor." I've always assumed that people knew that (that is what I get for assuming!). I make my living in real estate, it is what I do, this is my career, not a hobby!

I walked into a local East Atlanta Village store recently and was surprised to run into a long time Atlanta agent who was there working. I heard, 'if I EVER sell a house again' and 'I just can't handle this anymore.' I wished her well and high-tailed it outta there. I subscribe to the idea that negative brings negative. Stacy & I have been talking a lot about positivity lately. She is one of the most positive people that I know. So much so that she worries that people misinterpret that her positivity for naivety. Thank goodness we are on the same page about positive thoughts. We work really hard at keeping our work place a positive place, full of smiles, empowerment, success, good energy and everything else in that realm. We have both taken training in energy work in how energies affect us. I like to think our clients benefit from the effects of our focus.

I am not walking around with my head in the clouds. Our real estate market is different. Note that I did not say bad - different. We watch the news, it can be hard to get away from the doomsday mentality. We listen but don't let that stick. Our reality is different than what we are seeing on tv, Internet, blogs, etc. We just finished closing out a record month for Roost Realty. All of us were busy at the closing tables helping folks move in or on.

Just the way we like it :-)
Mindy

Decatur Beach Party

2008-06-23T15:01:00.005-04:00

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am crazy about going to the beach. So, of course, when my landlocked city brings in 60 tons of sand & plops it in the middle of the square, I'm there!

The Decatur Beach Party is an annual event sponsored by the Decatur Business Association. I swear it gets bigger every year. While it is a great time for the kids, it is also a good time to grab a beer & listen to some fun live music.

If you didn't make it this year, I'll see you next time!

(And, yes, this is a shameless post mainly to display cute pics of my children!) :-)

Stacy

Greenspace, Graveyards & Gravy

2008-06-17T14:19:00.005-04:00

Lately, I have frequently found myself in the Memorial/Boulevard area.
In case you have not heard:

Historic Oakland Cemetery has re-opened. It had been closed since the tornadoes hit Cabbagetown & the surrounding area. There are still lots of trees down, broken grave markers & monuments. While they have done a lot in a short time (thanks to lots of volunteer hours), the clean-up efforts will be continuing for a long while yet. Somehow, I was born & raised in Atlanta and never made it to Oakland Cemetery until a few years ago. The place is AMAZING. It is Atlanta's oldest landmark in continuous use. I highly recommend their guided walking tours and their Halloween mausoleum tour is loads of fun.

Exciting changes are brewing just outside Oakland Cemetery. The Oakland Gateway Park will connect the Capitol to Oakland Cemetery. From what I understand the City of Atlanta has been working to acquire the last bits of land to make the link. Apparently, parts of this plan stem back all the way to when Jimmy Carter was in the Capitol. Memorial drive is going to have a different look with 7 or so blocks of greenspace leading over to the Capitol Plaza. A Creative Loafing article stated that the area is, "to be transformed into an urban greenway stretching all the way east to the gates of the cemetery." This project has been in the works for a very long time (we are talking our government at work here)

Located across the street from Oakland Cemetery is http://www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com/. How can you go wrong with a good beer selection and peel & eat shrimp? When I first heard that the restaurant was moving I got scared! However, it is only moving to the next block. Six Feet Under will be anchoring the commercial space located at The Jane, a mixed-use redevelopment in North Grant Park. Their website says they will be open August 2008. Let's hope they find a way to incorporate outdoor eating. I will certainly miss the rooftop deck at their current location.

Makes me hungry thinking about it!
:-) mindy

(photo from jekemp's flickr stream)

City Schools of Decatur Approved as a Charter System

2008-06-16T17:06:00.004-04:00

On June 12, 2008, the Georgia State Board of Education unanimously voted to approve the City Schools of Decatur as one of Georgia's 1st charter schools systems. Charter schools have been increasing in popularity across the U.S., but Georgia is the 1st state to allow entire school systems to seek charter status. Cool! How very progressive of us!
What this means is, that all city schools in Decatur are now "Charter Schools" bound by a charter between the school system & the State Board of Education. The schools now have greater flexibility from state regulations as long as they meet the states academic standards. Basically, the schools will now be run by the school administrators, parents & community. Everything, including curriculum, staff & resources will now be handled locally instead of by the state.
I have always been proud of our schools and what they have achieved. I am sure that this is going to be a huge success. Our superintendent has a goal of being one of the top 10 community school districts in the nation. I believe that we can do that, no problem. :-)
Stacy

Toot your horns!

2008-06-02T11:46:00.005-04:00

Roost Realty is 1 year old!

This year has flown by. Yes, isn't that cliche of me to say? Luckily, settling in to Roost happened very quickly. Roost fits. It is us. It has felt right from the very beginning. Yes, we had kinks to work out & still come across them, but every new business has hurdles.

Both Stacy & I have had people ask us if we have regrets. No regrets. Those questions have always come out of concern for the market. Market schmarket. This is the nature of our world. This is part of it. This is what we signed up for. No complaints here. We are both able to go with the flow, but paddle when necessary. I think we have both learned more about each other this past year. And I happy to say we still really like each other. :-) (that is true isn't it Stacy?)

This anniversary fills us both with a huge sense of gratefulness. When I look at my file cabinet, I do not see real estate transactions. Inside each one of those files are people. People who bought or sold a house with us. People who let us in, people who trusted us. Those people got us to where we are. I feel so full when I think about them all.

I love my job. And I love my fellow Roost team, Stacy, Penny & Stephanie. We have fun at what we do. We are on the same page in the same book and boy does that feel nice.

The future is exciting...but today is pretty darn good too!

Cheers, Mindy

Toilets make nice planters!

2008-05-31T08:00:00.007-04:00

On February 5, 2008 Dekalb county, Georgia, passed an ordinance that will affect the sale of all buildings in unincorporated Dekalb county that were constructed prior to January 1, 1993. It is to be effective June 1, 2008 for residential property & January 1, 2009 for non-residential property, which includes apartment buildings. The purpose of the ordinance is to retrofit buildings with water conserving fixtures (low-flow) at the time they are sold.

This means that as a Buyer you will be required to fill out an application as always, to have your water turned on, but if your new home is in unincorporated Dekalb county & constructed prior to 1993, you will also have to attach a "Certificate of Compliance." This certificate will need to be signed by a Home Inspector, Licensed Plumber or an inspector with Dekalb county's Dept. of Watershed Management. This certificate certifies that all water fixtures in your home are water conserving fixtures.

What is a "water conserving fixture" you may ask? Well, I'm glad you did! A water conserving fixture is defined as: " ultra low-flow toilets (ULFTs) that use a maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush; urinals that use a maximum of 1.0 gallons per flush; showerheads that emit a maximum of 2.5 gallons per minute; lavatory faucets that emit a maximum of 2.0 gallons per minute; and kitchen faucets that emit a maximum of 2.2 gallons per minute."

As a Seller you will be required to disclose to buyers before they sign a purchase and sale agreement that 1) the Property is located in unincorporated DeKalb County and contains a residence constructed prior to 1993, and 2) Buyer will be obligated as a condition of applying for water service from DeKalb County to attach to the application a certificate of compliance signed by a home inspector, Department of Watershed Management inspector or licensed plumber certifying that all plumbing fixtures on the Property are water-conserving plumbing fixtures. And just be prepared, if you do not have "low flow" fixtures in your home, the Buyer will probably ask that you have the retrofitting done prior to closing.

There are a few exemptions to this ordinance:
1. The Property is being advertised for foreclosure;
2. Buyer is demolishing the residence after it is purchased; provided, however, that any water service that is being obtained by the Buyer may only be used for demolition or construction related purposes;
3. Buyer is a spouse, child or parent of the Seller (including conveyances during the administration of the estate of such spouse, parent or child);
4. Cost to install the water-conserving plumbing fixtures exceeds one thousand ($1,000) dollars per toilet in a single family residential building; or
5. The cost to install the water-conserving plumbing fixtures exceeds two thousand ($2,000) dollars per toilet in a commercial building.

The county is also offering incentives. Customers who install a 1.6 gallon per flush toilet are eligible for a $50 rebate and customers who install a 1.28 gallon per flush toilet can get a $100 rebate. The replacement toilets must have been purchased after January 1, 2008 and there is a rebate limit of three (3) toilets per household.

Based on home sales statistics, Dekalb county estimates that is will save 360,000 gallons of water per day and that is will take about 33 years to replace all of the older fixtures. 33 years! But, the good news is, according to my Freecycle friends, http://www.freecycle.org/, those dinosaur toilets look lovely when they overflowing with petunias!

Stacy

A busy May...

2008-05-14T10:27:00.003-04:00

We've had a busy Roost. All of us have been busy in different parts of the city. Our Buyers have been looking a quite a variety of homes and neighborhoods.

Just this month, Penny has been seen showing homes in East Atlanta & digging through the Midtown condo market. Stephanie has been haunting Oakhurst, the Westside, Brookhaven & beyond. Stacy has been seen spending lots of time in the City of Decatur, as well as, Virginia Hughlands, Clarkston, Tucker, East Atlanta & other parts of Dekalb County. And myself (Mindy) I've been spending time showing in Gwinnett & the intown neighborhoods of Capitol View, Capitol View Manor & Sylvan Hills.

That variety is what makes our jobs so enjoyable. Since we always carry lots of listing inventory we can sometimes stay cooped up in the office with our marketing activities. It has been good to see all of us out in the trenches!

See you out and about!

:-) Mindy

What the heck is a short sale?

2008-05-04T08:26:00.006-04:00

Short sale? Pre-foreclosure? These are a couple of terms that Buyers are probably not very familiar with. Fortunately or unfortunately they are something that Mindy & I are very familiar with & find ourselves over & over trying to explain.
Here is the down & dirty:
The Seller owes more on a home than he or she can sell it for. It could be for any number of reasons...a declining market, cash out refinance, whatever. The Seller hires a Realtor or an attorney to negotiate on their behalf with the bank for a settlement, see if the bank will take less money than is owed on the property. If the bank agrees & the home sells, the Seller can walk away without being foreclosed on. Sounds simple right?
It is so far from simple. 1st of all, the Seller needs to get in contact with someone who knows what they are doing whether it be an attorney or a Realtor. Of course, everyone these days is touting themselves as someone who "specializes in short sales & pre-foreclosures". Excuse me for saying this, but most people do not have a freakin' (and I use that word in lieu of what I am really thinking) what they are talking about!
On the Buyer side, we have Clients sending us homes that they want to see, some list up front that they are short sales, some do not, and they look like really good deals. And don't get me wrong, it is possible to get a really good deal on a short sale, but nearly impossible. The Buyer negotiates with the Seller, everyone comes to an agreement & then the offer is submitted to the bank. We have seen it take as long as 3 months for the bank to agree to or reject an offer that was submitted. Meanwhile, as a Buyer, you are just waiting and in many cases, the offer is rejected. This is a great article from the Wall Street Journal that explains the pitfalls of pursuing a short sale better than any I've seen http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120839380851021529.html
Mindy & I want to get our Clients a home that they love and on top of that we want to make sure our Clients get a great deal and investment. And buying a home under normal circumstances can be emotional & stressful. When there are so many wonderful properties out there, we are hesitant to put our Clients through a long a tedious process that in the end may break their hearts.
Stacy

It's only paint...

2008-04-28T08:47:00.004-04:00

'Remember, it's only paint!' That is what the listing said. We had skipped this house the week before and looked at a different house in the neighborhood. My buyers really like the neighborhood so we decided to pay a visit to the 'its only paint' house.

The listing agent did what they could & tried to prepare us.

I have vision, I myself live in what was once a nasty, pit of a house. But in newer construction, where all the houses look the same, even 'only' paint can be hard to overlook.

Purple walls, lime green walls, faux painted bathroom, bright yellow trim. And this was a house with a 2 story foyer & living room so the paint was even more dramatic.

These sellers had just dropped their price by $14,000 in an effort to get someone to overlook the paint. Wouldn't it have been cheaper to just have someone come in and paint the place?

My clients worked really hard to and see the house through the paint. They even pointed out features of the house that they liked. In the end, the paint could not be overlooked.

Wonder if that agent will call me for feedback? I'm sure she has heard the same thing over & over again.

:-) mindy

Saving Silver

2008-04-25T09:51:00.008-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I got an email titled 'I think I am ready to buy a house.' It had gone into my spam folder. Luckily, I took a peek at it before sending it to the trashbin. The e-mail was for real & I have an awesome new client.

This client has worked in the restaurant industry for years. A good while ago I had mentioned that I was helping people in that industry buy houses & she remembered.

The cool part? Are you ready for this? She is trying to buy her house with change! For years she has been saving her silver. She has been saving coins for 5 years or so & all along had the intention of using the change as a down payment on a house. I wish I had seen it in person before she started rolling coins. (apparently the bank tellers look at you strange when you carry 50 pounds of coins in for deposit)

I find the whole story very exciting & motivating.

It is the little incremental things that we do that get us to our bigger goals. It is good to be reminded of that every once in a while.

:-) mindy

Under Contract

2008-04-21T18:55:00.004-04:00

This morning, I had a client send me 8 listings that they want to see this weekend. 5 of the 8 were already under contract. In my ear I could hear Stacy saying, "Who says the real estate market is slow?" There are 4 of us Roost agents out in the trenches & we are all seeing the same thing in neighborhoods all over Atlanta. 'UNDER CONTRACT' And we need it now to move some of this older inventory out.
:) mindy

Celebrate Earth Day in Oakhurst!

2008-04-19T08:25:00.003-04:00

Don't forget to come on down to Oakhurst this weekend to celebrate Earth Day! Today, Saturday the 19th, the children's events will be held from 10am to noon, the parade is from noon until 2pm...the Marching Abominables will be there!! The live music will start at 2pm.
On Sunday the 20th, from 2pm to 4pm head to the Oakhurst Community Garden at the corner of Oakview & Mcdonough to hear Grady Thrasher read from his book Tim & Sally's Vegetable Garden. After that there will be West African drumming, face painting & goats!!! http://www.oakhurstgarden.org/
Also, if you are in the neighborhood on Sunday, stop by our Open House at 2731 Knox! I'll be wearing my Earth Day shirt from 1991 & our balloons are biodegradable! :-)
Stacy

Home ownership with no credit score?!

2008-04-16T18:38:00.005-04:00

Last night, Stacy, Penny and I attended an informational session about NACA. The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America ("NACA") is a non-profit, community advocacy and home-ownership organization.

What a surprise to hear about a mortgage that does NOT look at credit scores! They say, 'FICO who?' Buyers must attend several workshops and go through a process to get approved for a home. Buyers are not approved for a purchase amount, rather they are approved for what their monthly payment will be. So as rates fluctuate, so does the amount of house one can buy.
Speaking of rates, yesterday NACA's rate was 5.125%. That when the 'traditional' mortgage lenders were charging in the low 6% range.

In a nutshell:

100% loans
no down payment
no closing costs
no requirement for perfect credit
max they will lend is $252,000

They also have a refinance department that will help folks that are stuck in what they consider predatory loans. Right now they are classifying that as anything over 9 1/2%.

It gives options to people who may have thought that buying a home was out of their reach. It also appeals to anyone wanting to get the best deal that they possibly can. It was a very exciting program to hear about.

Interested in learning more? Call us, we are happy to share!

:-) mindy

Music in East Atlanta

2008-04-12T12:03:00.003-04:00

There has been a huge whole in the music scene for several years now since the Echo Lounge closed in East Atlanta. Those of us who live near by have seen a flurry of activity lately at the old Echo Bldg. (and at the new restaurant that will be opening soon across the street)

According to the Creative Loafing Blog,

"But that may soon change when it reopens as East Atlanta Icehouse, a nightclub and restaurant that promises a wide range of musical acts.
“We’re hoping desperately to be open by the end of May,” says Chip English, who, along with partner Mike Murphy, is working to secure the remaining permits needed to reopen the venue.
English, who will manage the facility, says the musical acts will be “anything from rock-and-roll to bluegrass to zydeco. We’d like to be known for variety.”
Unlike the Echo Lounge, which was forced to close when city officials realized it was operating on a restaurant license but didn’t even have a kitchen, the Icehouse will offer a full menu and even serve lunch on a patio."

Full link here...http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshloaf/2008/04/11/echo-lounge-space-to-reopen-as-music-venue/

They still have a few hurdles to jump, but keep an eye out...

:-) Mindy

Is that a dead duck?!!!!!

2008-04-11T10:49:00.004-04:00

It is one of the first questions we get from a Seller. "What do I need to do to get my house ready to put it on the market?" There is always the usual stuff: get rid of clutter, clean like crazy, put fresh mulch and flowers out... You don't want the Buyer to get distracted by all of your stuff, you want them to see the house.
So, it was funny the other day when I was making calls to various Agents to let them know I would be showing their listings to have an Agent tell me "Great! Show the house, it is vacant, but some of their stuff is still there. Please, try to overlook the animals." What? If they are not living there, why are there animals there? She said "Well, they are big hunters." OK....
So we get there, and I try to prepare my Buyers, not really sure what we are going to encounter. The 1st thing we notice is not the animals, but the smell. I guess they smoke a lot when they hunt. But as we enter the home, holy moly!!! There were so many stuffed animals, I thought I was at Fernbank! Fox, moose, deer, some weird squirrel like thing...deer skin on the bed. But my favorite was a plexiglass case with some sort of cat with a "fresh kill" (duck). Wow!
The thing is, my Buyers probably would have really liked the property but it was lost in all the animals. They got distracted. They couldn't see the home,just dead animals everywhere. So, if you are getting your home ready to put it on the market, I might suggest you store your dead ducks somewhere else.
Stacy

I'll have mine with the special sauce!

2008-04-03T14:08:00.006-04:00

I was driving by the Burger King on Dekalb Industrial yesterday and happened to glance at the "special" board. They had "Steakhouse Bugers!" Bugers!!!! (Even when you are in your 30's, bugers are still funny). Thank goodness for camera phones 'cause I had to immediately pull over and take a picture.
Yes, I am a big dork and had to send it to everyone I know and yes, it did spark a conversation on how to spell bugers. Is it boogers? Buger?
I think the best line was from Neil Dobbs, our friend at Allstate insurance. "I'll have mine with the special sauce." Yum!
Stacy

Seller Stress

2008-03-24T18:49:00.003-04:00

We always warn our clients how hard it is to live in a home that is for sale. I was reminded this weekend just how hard that can be after getting a last minute call from an agent wanting to see one of our listings.

I phoned our clients, who of course agreed to the showing. I knew what would happen after we hung up. The husband & wife instantly jumped to action, split up & frantically began getting the house ready to show. This home is always way above-the-average when it comes to show ready. However, they are committed to doing everything they can & always try to go above & beyond.

We provide suggestions to all of our clients on how to prepare their homes for viewings. These wonderful Sellers took every piece of advice we gave to heart. When the clients arrived, the house looked amazing, smelled amazing, all the lights were on, dog bowls were hidden & clients & dog were off the premises.

The feedback we got from that showing was very promising. Their house stood out from the crowd that day.

You never know when THE buyer is going to walk through the door!

Mindy

The city of Atlanta will help you buy a house!

2008-03-22T19:55:00.005-04:00

Did you know that the city of Atlanta is offering up to $15,000 to 1st time Buyers as down payment assistance? $15,000!!! And it gets even better! If you live in the house for at least 5 years, you do not have to pay it back.
There are a few requirements:

Property must be in the city of Atlanta.
Borrower must be a 1st time Buyer.
Buyer must contribute at least $1500 of their own money towards closing costs.
Buyer must attend free Homebuyer Training prior to closing.
Borrower must program income qualifications and normal mortgage underwriting.
All newly constructed properties must meet the Barrier Free ordinance requirements.
Borrower must purchase title insurance for the 2nd mortgage.

For more information check out this link to the Atlanta Development Authority http://www.atlantada.com/buildDev/mortgagePrograms.jsp and give us a call!

Stacy

An Evening In Decatur.

2008-03-21T10:17:00.005-04:00

Last night the girls & I had a Decatur kind of night! We grabbed dinner at the new place at the end of our street, Moxie Java & then headed to the local children's bookstore Little Shop of Stories.
Dinner was yummy, cheap & kid friendly. 3 for 3! The food at Moxie Java is very tasty and they have a special section just for kids with toys and a chalk board. When the girls finished their dinner they were able to go off & play while I finished my dinner in peace and chatted with neighbors. Moxie also has awesome home made ice cream which we did not have because the next stop was story time at Little Shop of Stories!
It was a special Easter story time and all the books were about bunnies. All the kids were in their jammies, eating chocolate chip cookies & drinking milk. Very cute! Then they had a scavenger hunt and the reward was very cool big glasses! OK, cool if you are 2 & 6. OK, mostly 2 but fun was had by all.
Oh, by the way, tomorrow is "Touch a Truck Day" at Decatur High School from 10-1!!!
Yee-Haw!!!
Stacy

Our thoughts are with you.

2008-03-17T13:19:00.002-04:00

This past Friday night several of the neighborhoods that are near & dear to Mindy & I were affected by the tornado and storms that came through. East Atlanta, Cabbagetown, Ormewood Park & others suffered severe damage and it will take them a long time to recover. I had seen many pictures on TV and online but to see it for myself just broke my heart.
Our thoughts are with those that were affected.
Stacy

The 'F' word

2008-03-12T09:24:00.003-04:00

F = Foreclosure

So, I was getting my fix of real estate blogs this morning (and a couple of unrelated but fun ones!) and linked to an article by Ilyce Glink on Inman News. Those of you from Atlanta may know Ilyce as the fill-in for Clark Howard on AM750. She spoke with the guy who wrote 'Foreclosure for Dummies.' and posted this article:
http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/ilyceglink/look-you-leap-foreclosures

Most of his advice on buying foreclosures had to do with the recommended research prior to purchasing. Follow his advice and you'll get very familiar with your county courthouse.

I do agree that now can be a GREAT time to buy investment property. As long as you are not thinking of the other 'F' word...flip. Now is the time to buy and hold. We are seeing the quality of foreclosures changing significantly. In the past, they may have mostly been ugly messes. Now we are seeing a very different foreclosure market that I think brings real opportunities for those looking to build a portfolio.

Call us to help you find your investment property & then talk to us about our new property management division.

Tool Bank Drive

2008-03-10T16:17:00.003-04:00

Clean out your garden shed & donate your old tools to the Atlanta Community Tool Bank!

Atlanta's nonprofit tool expert, The Atlanta Community ToolBank, seeks donations of used and new tools to the ToolBank to expand its capacity to equip volunteers in metro Atlanta. Donate to the ToolBank during this 4-day event at any participating ACE Hardware location.

ToolBank volunteers will fan out across metro Atlanta March 27 - 30, 10 am - 4 pm to accept tool donations at seven Ace Hardware stores: Our Intown locations are: ■ Decatur Smith Ace Hardware, 601 E College Ave ■ Intown Ace Hardware, 854 N Highland Ave NE ■ Village Ace Hardware, 1231 Glenwood Ave SE ■ West End Ace Hardware, 964 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW

Donated tools will expand the ToolBank's available inventory of tools for borrowing by nonprofit organizations for use in volunteer service projects. The ToolBank equipped more than 50,000 volunteers in 2007 to perform community projects such as park cleanups, school improvements, neighborhood beautifications, church renovations, playground building and shelter repairs. As the country's largest nonprofit tool lending program, the ToolBank has the tools for Atlanta's volunteer projects, from wheelbarrows to cordless drills, generators to scrub brushes, 154 tool varieties in all.

This event will benefit the Atlanta Community ToolBank, a 501C3 nonprofit organization. More information on the ToolBank Tool Drive is available at http://www.toolbank.org/

Rates Down & Applications Up

2008-03-05T19:48:00.004-05:00

Mortgage applications for both refinances & new home purchases rose last week after rates showed a slight drop. This was reported by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

After 5 weeks of small gains there was a rate dip that took averages on a 30-year fixed-rate loan under 6%. That was enough to wet the whistle of loan shoppers.

Here at Roost we typically see the re-emergence of buyers along with the blooming of the daffodils. That seems to be the case again this year, although maybe in slightly smaller numbers.

All that matters, people are buying & people are selling. People still need places to live & real estate is a great investment if you buy it right.

I love Spring!

:-) Mindy

Darn that drought!

2008-03-04T16:54:00.001-05:00

For the most part, the drought in the Atlanta area has not had a huge personal effect on me. I have never been very good at watering my plants & I can’t remember the last time I went to Lake Lanier. My husband and I have always tried to conserve water so we really haven’t had to change our habits very much.
But when I heard that major events would be moved from Piedmont Park I was very disappointed and frankly, just downright sad! The Dogwood Festival at Lenox Mall?!!! Um, I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember very many dogwoods at Lenox. The Peachtree Road Race will now have its awards ceremony in the parking lot of the civic center. It used to be that after running 6 miles in July, you at least could look forward to sitting under a shade tree in the park. I can’t imagine that the parking lot is going to offer much relief. And don’t even get me started about moving the Pride Festival. It will also be held at the Civic Center. It is just really hard for me to imagine Pride being held anywhere but the heart of Midtown. It’s tradition!!
I understand the motivation. We certainly want to protect one of our city’s greatest assets but I feel part of what made these events so great was the location. I believe that these events will suffer due to the change. With the events already scheduled for the new locations in ’09, let’s hope that the rains come pourin’ down!

Total Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-20T10:14:00.004-05:00

Put on a jacket and head outside tonight for the total lunar eclipse.

A partial eclipse starts at 8:43 pm with the total eclipse running from 10:01 - 10:51pm.

We won't have another one until December 2010.

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html

I can not talk about a total eclipse without getting this song stuck in my head...how cruel!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55nTwg5NIPM

According to space.com "Look for the moon to possibly turn red during the total portion of the eclipse. "The exact color that the moon appears depends on the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere," according to a NASA statement. "If there are extra particles in the atmosphere, from say a recent volcanic eruption, the moon will appear a darker shade of red."

Let's hope the clouds hold off so we get a perfect view of the event.

:-) Mindy

Grease is the Word!

2008-01-21T09:52:00.001-05:00

I received an excited phone call from my husband last week asking what we were doing Friday night. After telling him that our dance card was free,he excitedly told me that he wanted to get tickets to something but he did not want to tell me what it was.

And... he would tell me what I needed to wear.

Aggh! I don't know about other girls, but the thought of my man giving me fashion advice sends chills down my spine!

I got home that day & he was so excited that he couldn't keep it a secret. (which is very unlike him) He whipped out 2 tickets & handed them to me. I looked down and read, "GREASE SING-A-LONG" Huh?

This leads us to Friday night where my husband and I donned our best Grease-like outfits & headed to the Plaza Theater on Ponce for the 1st ever Grease Sing-a-long. Yes, they played Grease the movie/musical & put all of the lyrics on screen so the audience could participate. They even provided us with a goodie bag filled with a fake cigarette, bubbles & a comb.

Not everyone dressed in costume, those that did added SO much to the festive occasion. Before the show started the host, Lucky Yates of Dad's Garage fame, held a costume contest on stage. My favorites were the girls dressed up for the pajama party, one of which had a full head of curlers & a brave woman dressed as 'bad' Sandy from the end of the movie. Terrence, my husband, won a Grease soundtrack for his costume. He dressed up as a grease monkey from the garage scene. (yes that is a bottle of Greased Lightening in his hand!)

It was SO much fun hearing the entire movie theater reverberate with the audience singing.

I think this was the first of many fun evenings that rthe Plaza Theater plans on hosting. Keep your eyes peeled.

:-) Mindy

Going Against the Grain...

2008-01-09T11:19:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you went the wrong way on an escalator?

Last night my husband and I attended an Atlanta Thrashers game at Philips Arena (we got trounced by the Flyers). http://thrashers.nhl.com/ As soon as the buzzer rang we bolted up the stairs and head to the escalators, to try and get a jump on the crowd. As I approached the escalator, I noticed that the crowd was turning away from it. The escalator was going up instead of down. Without hesitation I jump on and start running down the up escalator. Thank goodness my husband, Terrence had jumped on right behind me - all I could hear was him behind me laughing.

Silly, yes. Fun, yes! The funniest part was to turn around and see how many people followed us down.

How often do we go against the grain in our lives? Boy, did it feel good to listen to the voice inside my head & jump on.

:-) Mindy

Happy New Year! You should buy a house!

2008-01-06T20:17:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everybody! I think that if you ask Mindy, she would say that one of my resolutions should be to blog more. :-)
Last Sunday in the AJC Homefinder the feature article was all about how the market is great for Buyers right now. I have to say that I agree. My most recent closing, where I represented the Buyer, closed significantly below asking price. The Seller was also willing to kick in a lot of money towards closing costs and repairs. Of course, this was due in part to my mad negotiating skills :-), but also because these days, a lot of Sellers are desperate.
Also, if you want new construction, now is the time to move (so to speak). The people in the article negotiated for extensive upgrades and 6 months of their mortgage paid by the Builder. That is happening everywhere.
Interest rates are great right now and you get a lot more for your money than ever before. What are you waiting for?!!!!
Stacy

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T07:29:00.000-05:00

It seems that the Holidays always sneak up on me and I am completely unprepared. This year, however, I am ahead of the game! 4 days until the big day arrives and I have only 2 more gifts to purchase and we are good to go! Oh yeah, I have a lot of wrapping to do...and some baking...oh yeah, and some cleaning. Hmmm...ok maybe I am not as ahead in the game as I thought! Anyway, my family, like many others, have certain Holiday traditions that really make our season special and I would like to share a couple with you.
First of all, without fail, we always get our Christmas tree from a place called Yule Forest in Stockbridge. Yes, it is a haul, but is totally worth it. Especially if you have kids. You can cut down your own tree, they have the Frasier Firs from N. Carolina, and of course, they have our favorite (ok, my daughters favorite), flocked trees! Yes, since my daughter was 2 years old we have had pink and purple Christmas trees. As she said this year, it would be Christmas without a purple tree! They have hay rides, apple cider, and a petting zoo. I had one of those few perfect moments in life this year on the hay ride with my girls. As the sun was setting over the farm and "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" over the speakers, we had just purchased our tree and my girls were snuggled in with me...yep, it was pretty awesome! Check it out!
www.about yule.com
Next, we always go to see Santa at N. Dekalb Mall off of Lawrenceville Highway. We have been to see him other places, but I swear, this is the real Santa! :-) The pictures are not the best quality, but there is hardly ever a line and this man is so kind and amazing and he will even let you take a few of your own pictures for your Christmas cards if you want. I can not tell you how wonderful he is!
Whatever you are doing for the Holidays, I hope that you are doing something that makes you happy and I wish you the best year ever in 2008!!!!
Stacy

Pricing your home for internet traffic

2007-12-14T15:11:00.001-05:00

Let's face it, setting a price for your home is one of the hardest decisions to make. You don't want to ask too little and leave money on the table, but you don't want to overprice it and lose money in the long run.

Stacy & I approach home pricing through several different methods & attempt to arm our Sellers with all the information they need in order to feel confident in setting a price for their home.

A strategy that is often overlooked in pricing is thinking like a Real Estate Website. Buyer's start looking for houses on the internet. With listings readily available, they no longer completely rely on an agent to feed them listings. So, in order to make sure that your home is priced to optimize the traffic from the main real estate search engine, you must take a look at how they structure their searches.

Often you will see searches in increments of $25,000. That is how the number one searched site, realtor.com is set up. It pays off in hits if you price it accordingly. So, instead of $226,000, try $225,000. That $1,000 price difference may net you a ton more hits to your listing.

Before pricing your home, take the time to search the top sites, it may open your eyes to another way of thinking.

:-) Mindy

It is that time of year...

2007-12-13T17:33:00.000-05:00

It is that time of year...You put on your shorts, don your sunglasses and go out into record breaking heat to buy a Christmas tree. :-) (i did that last weekend - wahh!)

It is just not right for it to be 75 degrees at Christmas. I know that there are crazy people (aka Stacy Reno) who love this weather. I, however, am not one of them. I would never be so bold to wish for a white Christmas. (I did grow up in Atlanta so I know better than to ever get my hopes up for that) , but geez enough already.

Oh wait - could it be?? - the weather channel is predicting a high of 45 on Sunday! Hallelujah - Christmas is saved! Let's hope it lasts for more than 3 days.

Maybe I'll finally be able to pack away my flip flops!

Ho Ho Ho... Mindy

Santa in EAV!

2007-12-03T13:57:00.000-05:00

We had the official tree lighting ceremony this past weekend & next weekend Santa is paying a visit to our village!

Guess I better muster up some holiday cheer! :-) Mindy

The following is an excerpt from the latest East Atlanta Community Association Newsletter...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday, December 8th from 10 AM to 2:30 PM . . . come by to the East Atlanta Santa at Joe's East Atlanta Coffee Shop in East Atlanta Village and have Holiday pictures taken with our very own East Atlanta Santa, with elves, reindeer and all. Children, small adults and dogs are welcome!

Prices are as follows:

Photo w/ Santa: $8 Includes BEST photo e-mailed.
Additional Prints: 4x6 -- $1 each
5x7 or 8x10 -- $4
11x14 or 13x19 -- $7

Christmas Cards: Full color of your choice on the whole card, 12pt C1S paper, scored.
10 cards - $9
25 cards - $18
50 cards - $26

Children can al so come in for a short visit with Santa for free if they do not want photos taken.

Feel free to walk in, or make a reservation for 10-minute time periods starting at 10 a.m. A reservation moves you to the front of the line.

E-mail 4chisos@comcast.net to make a reservation or if you have any questions.

Payment is by cash only, and we ask that you please bring an unwrapped toy for Joe's Holiday Toy Drive to spread the holiday lovin'!

This event is sponsored by Joe's and Eavbuzz.net.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,
The East Atlanta Santa Committee, North Pole.

America Unchained!

2007-11-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

So we all love the silly holidays like, National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. (which is today by the way!) This Saturday there is a day that I am all in favor of. Everyone get out your wallet and head to your local, indepedent store. Spend some of your money in support of Unchain America Day. Independent business all over the country are observing this day to celebrate and support local businesses.

Check out http://www.amiba.net/

Amiba states "We’re urging citizens in communities nationwide to shun chains the Saturday before Thanksgiving -- to do business only locally-owned -- and generate over three times the economic activity that day for their home towns as they would by spending money at chains. It means potentially millions of added dollars injected into the local economy on just one day!"

Living in a Village community means that I am lucky to live amongst a plethora of locally-owned business. Businesses owned by passionate people, people who had a dream to be their own boss, people who may struggle with the realities of that choice, people who fill a niche that is so lacking in today's homogenous American landscape. I can certainly relate & I applaud them. And yes, I will give them my money.

I live in the Atlanta Village of East Atlanta & here are some of my favorite unchained shops:

Bound to be Read Books - What an amazing addition they have been to our village. They have suggested books that I would have never chosen on my own, they have enriched the pile of books that is continually on my nightstand & they will special order anything you could desire. http://www.boundtobereadbooks.com/

Park Pet Supply - Owned by Vicki & Mike Park, this wonderful store opened in our village in 1999. They have helped our furry community in so many ways. They were ahead of the trend when it came to all natural & organic pet foods. And I love the self-serve dog wash :-)http://www.parkpetsupply.com/

I can't forget my local coffee shop, Joe's. And the Graveyard Tavern , who doesn't love a place where the owner plays music weekly? http://www.graveyardtavern.com/

I just realized that I could go on & on & on & on, so I will stop now.

I just made a quick call to Stacy & asked for her favorites from her Village which is Oakhurst/Decatur. And yes - she could go on & on too!
Universal Joint http://www.ujointbar.com/
El Matador
Tessitura http://www.mytessitura.com/
Little Shop of Stories http://www.littleshopofstories.com/
Squash Blossom http://www.squashblossomboutique.com/

I think I need to pay a visit to my bookstore in the next day or so to get myself a new read for our Thanskgiving trip.

:-) Mindy

My First Place

2007-10-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

Mindy & I were in the office the other day when the phone rang. When I answered it, the person on the other end introduced himself as a producer from HGTV! He said that he works on a show called "My First Place" that focuses on 1st time Home buyers. He wanted to know if we ever worked with 1st time Home Buyers and would we be interested in applying to be on the show. Uh... Yes & Yes!!
They will be filming 10 episodes in the Atlanta area between now and February. They want to follow the 1st time Buyer through the process and at the end, the Buyer gets a housewarming gift. From what I understand, it's a pretty cool gift like a room full of furniture. He sent me the application and I am to give it to any 1st timers that come along. Obviously, not everyone gets chosen, but what a cool opportunity!
We always love working w/1st time Buyers. There is nothing like the look in their eyes when the keys get handed to them at the closing table. We would love to see it caught on camera!!! If you are a 1st time Buyer, give us a call! Maybe we could find you a home and make you famous! :-)
Stacy

Oakhurst Historic District Update

2007-10-23T19:24:00.000-04:00

Well it seems that the matter of the Oakhurst Historic District went before the Decatur City Commission and ... I will not say that it is over, but it just so happens that, try as they might, they could not find it in the budget this year to move forward at this time with the project. The best part of the whole situation is, the Historic Preservation Commission can not tell you if the matter is even still on the table, or if it is, which proposal--the one that includes 300 homes or the larger more inclusive one of about 1600 homes.
I am very grateful for the City Commissions decision and hope that our community can now begin to come together again. For more info, here is a link to the article in the AJC: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2007/10/16/oakhurst_1017.html?cxntlid=inform

Oakhurst Historic District

2007-10-10T11:40:00.000-04:00

The AJC article this past Sunday was "Save a neighborhood, start a feud." A quote from the Creative Loafing says "Yes, the knives are out in Oakhurst..." And yes, the knives are out in Oakhurst and it is awful. I agree with JoAnn McCullough who wonders if the wounds will ever heal.

This all started because some of the older homes in the Oakhurst neighborhood were being torn down to make way for larger, new construction. Now don't get me wrong, I love older homes. I have one myself...in fact, the home that I own, in it's current condition, may be considered, to some, beyond saving. It is certainly worth saving to me and my goal is not just renovation but restoration. But I don't think a small minority should be able to tell me what to do with my house or my neighbor's. Are there a lot of bad renovations in the area? Yes. Are there houses in the neighborhood that don't fit in? Absolutely. But I moved into my neighborhood because of the diversity in the people. Thoughts, ideas, opinions...they are all different...but it worked. We were a community that worked together until all of this historic business came about.

I can't say that now. My community is in trouble. And it all started because 3 people decided that know what is best for all of us. 3 people, mind you that ostracized a new neighbor because she bought one of the new homes on their street.

Am I for the historic district? No. Would I be OK with it if it passed? Sure. I plan to restore my home. But what about the elderly people that need to add a wheelchair ramp? They have to go through the approval process. What about the people who have a rotted window frame? I had to pay a lot of money for my windows that are considered "historically accurate." That was very difficult...I would imagine that it even more difficult for some people.

The process is flawed when 3 people can decide for an entire neighborhood what is best. The consensus has been "Let us vote on it." But the chairman of the Decatur's Historic Preservation Commission said "If we put all this effort into this and it's rejected at the end in a vote, that is a big waste of everybody's time." Are you kidding me?!! Did he really say that?!!

Again, my biggest frustration is what it has done to my community. It makes me very sad that, in my opinion, such ridiculous issue, that should have never been brought up, could tear apart a community.

Stacy

Fall in Atlanta

2007-10-02T09:37:00.000-04:00

We reached the first day of fall last week. And yes, temperatures have finally dropped beneath the disgusting point. I am not one to complain about low 80's and breezy. However, I am really ready to pack away my shorts, I want to wear jeans & long sleeved shirts. I love Atlanta, but I would trade our summer weather in a second!

Fall is my favorite time of year. And I know the fall that I crave so dearly is right around the corner. When the temperature first drops my animals get frisky & silly. One of my 2 kitties, Tigger, decides he must run everywhere with wild eyes & a fluffed tail. Taba, my joy of a doberman, gets even sillier than normal, which is pretty hard to do! October is the best month of the year to go to the drive-in. Haven't been - you need to! www.starlightdrivein.com

It is disconcerting that Atlanta is under a complete watering ban. When was the last time we didn't have a least a partial ban? During the summer we recycle the water that comes out of of condensation line from our AC compressor, we can get almost 2 watering cans per day. That is enough to keep my containers happy. Now that the temperatures have dropped, the AC is off and the windows are open. So there is no AC water to use. This morning when I got into the shower, there was a bucket under the faucet. My recycling junkie of a husband informed me that from now on I am to fill that bucket while I am waiting for the water to warm up. I was surprised that I got over a half of a bucket! So, my containers will stay happy through the fall. I guess I will live with a bucket in the shower from now on!

:-) Mindy

Barack Obama

2007-09-27T14:50:00.000-04:00

No matter what your political leanings are, I believe that we can all agree that the next presidential election is extremely important. In an effort to be fully educated on the candidates, I have spent quite a bit of time looking at each one and getting a feel for what their views are. And I have looked at ALL of them. I haven't discriminated between Republican or Democrat...just looked at the individual. During this process I have ended up on their websites and signed up to receive information from the ones that held my interest. I received notice that one of the candidates, Barack Obama, was going to be in town last Thursday. If anyone caught the speech at the 2004 Democratic convention, http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid900718856/bclid900554575/bctid791793079 you would know that the man can be an inspirational speaker. So, I thought I might head down to the Georgia World Congress Center to check him out.
On the way I happened to run into a Client of ours and her 17 year old son Zack. He will be 18 by the next election and she took him out of school early so that he could hear Barack in person. unfortunately, Barack was running a bit late. Well, 2 hours late to be exact, so very late. But the crowd was great and I made a lot of new friends! :-) By the time the speeches started nobody really wanted to hear anyone but the man himself...not even Usher!
Barack did not disappoint and he was worth the wait. He has a lot of great ideas and you can see his genuine love for his country and the desire to fix the things that are broken. I'm not saying I agree with all of his ideas but what I am saying is I get the feeling he may be the only one that is running because of his desire to make things better for his country and the people that live there.
When I left, my mouth was saying that I had still not decided who my candidate would be, but my heart was saying that I was officially an "Obama Mama!"
No matter who you choose, get educated! :-)
Stacy
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Follow your dreams

2007-09-26T17:52:00.000-04:00

I love seeing people doing what they love. And hopefully what they love they are also really good at! Case in point, Angela Georges (yes same last name as me!) Angela and I always have a hard time explaining how we are related. She is married to my husband's cousin. What is that? Anyway, Angela is a very talented woman who masquerades as an art teacher during the day but is following her dream of becoming a full-time professional photographer. She is AMAZING. She is also the exclusive photographer for Roost Realty. She is creative, patient, professional and takes a helluva photo.

Check her new site out: www.AngelaGeorgesPhotography.com and send her lots of beautiful people to photograph! Hire her now so you can say "I knew her when..."

:-) Mindy

Boot Camp

2007-09-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

I've made it to the last week of my 4 week boot camp! Much of my time this year has been focused on getting the new company up & running. Too many hours in front of the computer and too few hours working up a sweat equaled one out of shape girl. :(

I decided I needed a kick in the pants & chose BTB Boot Camp. http://www.btbfitness.com/ I met them last December when Stacy & I sponsored a 5K in Oakhurst. This is not for the faint of heart. I have been waking up at 5:10 each weekday morning to make it to boot camp by 5:45. I attend the location that is held on the campus of Agnes Scott College. The first day I was scared to death! What had I gotten myself into? This month has been a challenge. The getting up early part is the easiest. The physical challenges always keep us guessing. By the 3rd week my body was just plum tired. There are no rest days in this program. On the days we are not in camp, we have homework assignments. Every morning now Stacy asks what body part I have iced or wrapped.

The boot camp is not full of whistles blowing and people yelling. It is a place where we all cheer each other & where we all push ourselves. My fellow boot campers are people of all sizes, shapes & abilities. There is definitely something for everyone.

Here I am entering the last week & I feel stronger, more powerful & confident. I would never in a million years push myself this hard on my own. It really is amazing what your body can do when you just ask it.

:-) Mindy

East Atlanta Schools

2007-09-17T14:38:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the East Atlanta Strut. It is called, 'the neighborhood's biggest party for people of all ages.' http://www.eastatlantastrut.org/
My husband & I moved to East Atlanta over 8 years ago. We have been to many a Strut. It started as a very small little get together. It has grown every year & that has been so much fun to watch. But, this year I was surprised by the amount of children that were there.
Over the years, Stacy & I have helped couples who moved to 'hip' East Atlanta sell their homes once they had babies & decided to move on. They often left in search of more family-friendly neighborhoods or better school systems.
The quandary has been, do we stay & enroll our child in private school or do we move? Slowly, the type of schooling that we've so desperately needed is coming our way. Grant Park & Ormewood Park, got the ball rolling years ago with the Neighborhood Charter School. http://www.neighborhoodcharter.com/ That took off and quickly filled it's space with waiting room only.
East Atlanta (city of Atlanta) is now serviced by Imagine Wesley Academy http://www.imaginewesley.org/index.html which just opened for it's first school year. Imagine serves Kindergarten through 6th graders. Imagine Wesley is a tuition-free public charter school. I heard that they had a short wait list for every grade before they even opened their doors.

I don't have kids. But, I believe in having a wonderful public school system so that everyone has access to the kind of education that all of our children so deserve. East Atlanta is only in the baby stages of changing the school scene. It is exciting & I hope that ball starts rolling even faster now.

Mindy

The Housing Market Is Crashing!

2007-09-15T17:21:00.000-04:00

That is what I hear every time I turn on the news and what I see every time I pick up the newspaper. Is it true? Not exactly.

Everyone says that the sub prime market is responsible for the "housing slump". But did you know that the sub prime market only makes up 9% of the market? And of that 9%, only 2% are falling into foreclosure.

Is this the best time to be a Seller? Not exactly. The best time was in 2005 when real estate saw it's biggest year EVER. But it's not a bad time to be a Seller since we are on pace to have the 4th biggest year ever...

In Georgia we are seeing a healthy 10%-12% increase in value. That is pretty much what we have see throughout the so-called "bubble". Now, some markets, like my own neighborhood of Oakhurst saw an 18% increase in one year...I believe that might have been 2005 (remember? the biggest year EVER?) Was that healthy? No. I'll take a healthy increase any day.

I'll tell you who this market will benefit most though. Buyers. But what will be most important is that you have someone who is educated about the market on your side and someone that is a skilled negotiator. I have to toot my own horn for a minute. Yesterday I went under contract on a foreclosure at slightly less than $100k than their asking price. Am I saying that that is happening all over the place? No. But it is a possibility.

There are a lot of great properties out there and you can get a good loan. Get out there and explore!

Stacy

Atlanta Mortgage Industry

2007-08-29T14:56:00.000-04:00

The number one topic of conversation over the last month (heck the last year almost) has been the mortgage industry. I'm sure you've seen it - it has been hard to escape - tv news, radio, online. We are asked about it on an almost daily basis.

Over the last 6 months, we have seen smaller lending companies going out of business. It was nothing that was very shocking to me. But recently we got the news that AHM Mortgage closed it doors. That has been a very respected company that was around for a long time. And we knew people that worked for them. 1 week later it was announced that Homebanc went belly up. Another very large & respected company. That one was the biggest shocker to us. We knew many people that worked for them & were fearful of the repercussions that our colleagues would feel.

Next Countrywide sweeps in to pick up Homebanc, then they started hurting & Bank of America invested in Countrywide. It is this big swirling mess that will take a while to settle down.

In the short term, many loan products have been going away. Banks are making Buyers jump through more hoops than I have ever seen. At the moment, the biggest impact seems to be on investors. Investors are considered high risk. And, it is the high risk loans that are a big reason that the industry is where it is today.

This will settle down. It is just scaring folks at the moment. I think we will see less 100% loans. So start saving your pennies. I imagine banks are really going to want a small down payment - say at least 2% or so. The goods news is that rates are still great!

Mindy

Mindy in Guatemala

2007-08-23T08:01:00.000-04:00

Ah August, time for the hottest month of the year, time for school to start back & time for everyone to squeeze in their last vacation of the summer.

Stacy & I are tag-teaming it this month. I just got back from a vacation & Stacy just left for the beach.

My husband & I spent a week in Guatemala. Many of you who know me, know that we often take very active vacations. This one was a departure for us. Our main goal...relaxation. Everyone kept asking 'what are you going to do?' Our answer, 'not much.' And that is exactly what we accomplished. We fell in love with the beautiful country of Guatemala. It was our first trip to Central America during the rainy season. We stayed at a remote lake that was formed by volcanoes. Most villages there are only reached by boat. We stayed in one of 8 huts perched on the hillside overlooking the lake. We did get out and explore the area a little bit. Mostly, we enjoyed relaxing in hammocks, reading, playing cribbage & reconnecting. A perfect vacation. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YKZ0G8tlLA

Have you had a good vacation lately?

Mindy

Atlanta Traffic

2007-08-19T15:02:00.000-04:00

Every weekday at noon, a local radio station has an hour where the playlist follows a theme. Recently, they spent an hour playing music that was supposed to reflect Atlanta traffic. Did you know that Atlanta's traffic is second only to LA as far as how bad it is?!!!

Anyway, as these songs were playing, I happened to be on one of Altanta's major highways (which doesn't happen very often) so I had a very nice soundtrack! They played U2's "Running to Stand Still" which I love! But it really made me think about where our focus is in real estate. Mindy & I say we "serve the intown villages of Atlanta". There are many reasons for that. 1st of all, it is where we live. What do you know better than your own back yard?! But most of all I think it is not just for our quality of life but... could you imagine spending at least 2-3 hours a day in the car just driving to & from work? I couldn't. But many people do it every day. I think I would go insane! Sure, we trade 2 car garages & probably an extra bedroom or bathroom to live intown but my time is very important and I sure do not want to spend it fighting traffic everyday! Not to mention the community and wonderful shops & restaurants that I can walk to!! Some days I do not have to get in my car at all! I walk my kid to school and I walk to get coffee and I walk to get lunch & dinner if I so choose! I love living intown!

Can you guess what the finale song was? Yep, it was "Highway to Hell!" :-)

Stacy