Atlanta Free CMA! Thinking of selling your home in Atlanta, and you're not sure what it is worth?  You need a FREE CMA or a Competitive Market Analysis to get an idea or ball park figure what your Atlanta home could sell for! Don't worry, as an Atlanta home seller you are not alone!  Atlanta home prices and values are changing right now.   Atlanta home prices are created from a variety of factors,  The number of homes for sale in your area in your price range is a key factor, and that is your local area competition. The number of buyers in the market that can afford to buy your home, mortgage rates, and the affordability of your home in comparison to recent sales of similar or identical homes to your home in the immediate vicinity are ultimately components also!  The right price will be... 01/19/2008

I live in Atlanta, GA along with 4+ million others. Atlanta has all the hustle and bustle of a Chicago, the culture of a San Francisco, and the fierce independence of a Denver. Atlanta is also fortunate enough to have Piedmont Park This beautiful "common ground" green-space was purchased by the City of Atlanta in 1904 and converted from a fairgrounds to a city park in 1909. This conversion expanded the city limits thus creating a larger city with an enormous public green-space. The popularity of the park began the clamour for modern amenities. The first permanent building was called a 'Rest Building' and was converted in 1996 to the Visitor's Center which hosts a wide range of public and private events. Soon after followed the tennis courts and the bath house (which evolved into the mod... 01/18/2008

Is there any nice way to tell an Atlanta home seller you are not interested in selling or listing their home?  It does not matter what commission they will offer, or if they will offer you anything!  Life has it's limits!  I measure mine more in the quality of life and peace of mind than trying to beat a square peg into a round hole! Even if you are an experienced real estate agent, and you know the market inside out..you know when you cannot pull a rabbit out of the hat!  Even so...you've just run the extra five miles to see if you really have the numbers right!  Around each corner the news, and statistics get worse!   As you go through a search for the numbers...your palms begin to sweat, and you call others in the office to look at the unbelievable facts you just uncovered!  Neighbor... 01/17/2008

The role of an Atlanta real estate agent is to guide you through the buying or selling process, taking the time to make sure you understand every step of the transaction. I am absolutely committed to fulfilling your needs with the highest level of professionalism, expertise and service. My commitment to your satisfaction is the foundation from which a solid business relationship is built.       I realize that people do business with people they trust. I am interested in what is best for you, the client, and am committed to establishing a long-term relationship based on trust. I pride myself on being knowledgeable and staying current with changes in the industry that will affect the success of your transaction. You have worked hard to be able to purchase the home of your dreams. I feel t... 01/16/2008

I have a couple who has been looking since October of last year. They have not found what they want and continue to look. They expected that after the first of the year that many homes would go on (or back on) the market. Unfortunately, the "pickings have been slim" yet they are very eager to buy.If you are thinking about selling your home, please be aware that there are SOME VERY MOTOVATED buyers looking aggressively. The are motivated because INTEREST RATES ARE THE LOWEST IN TWO YEARS and they currently rent.I also have a couple re-locating from the midwest and they HAVE TO FIND A HOME.Some sellers have opted to wait until "The market comes back" but I must tell you that the market never left.If you need additional information on getting the price that you want for your home, call me ... 01/15/2008

January 15, 2008  For Immediate ReleaseFirst Conference Event Ever for Georgia Real Estate Home Staging Professionals -- With home staging becoming more and more popular across the country there is an overwhelming consensus within the Home Staging Industry to unite to share and develop ideas the will benefit home sellers, realtors and home stagers. Therefore 27 round table discussion groups are being organized across the country at the local level and at regular intervals. The discussion groups, known as Stage It Forward Round Tables, are demonstrating how easy and beneficial it is to have local home staging professionals come together to facilitate positive industry growth.  Discussions focus on how the home staging industry can move forward in a way that empowers all the entities that... 01/15/2008

Absorption Rate. A lot of well meaning Atlanta real estate agents grab on to a term and never sit back and figure it out what it really means, and when should it be used!  Absorption rates are used to determine the months of inventory, and how long it will take for the market to absorb the inventory in a given range. It takes into account homes sold in the previous year, homes sold in a given month,  and a projection of how long it will take for the market to absorb the inventory. It is a great tool in a predictable healty market, not in this one!  It is like telling a buyer to hurry up and buy a home before the price increase!  In this current real estate market it will not work, and here's why it will not work!  For many in real estate they have not weathered a perfect storm!  They en... 01/14/2008

I got an invite from a client today to join Yuwie.  I will admit I do have pages at Facebook, Myspace and the others.  I don't actively use them, except when clients see me and such. I will admit I have never received business from these sites, but I am hoping in the next year that it will help push the envelope with some clients (as in help me close the deal). Basically, the above is just an excuse on why I have these sites.  Well most recently with Konnects, Tagged and Zolve, this Yuwie is intriguing.  It says, "What is Yuwie?=================First off, Yuwie is 100% FREE. Yuwie is like any other "connect with friends" or social networking site. But we have one major difference.Use Yuwie - Get Paid!Yuwie pays you to blog, upload pictures, refer friends, chat, hang out, etc.It sets its... 01/14/2008

Don't become a REALTOR, if...You think it's EASY. The hours can be brutal and back-to-back days of work.You think you'll get RICH quickly. It takes years and years for most Realtors to make a lot. Don't be fooled by the nice cars. Many Realtors didn't buy those cars with real estate income.You think it will be fun because you like to SEE HOMES. Looking at nice homes is a very small part of the business and will not make you successful.You think it will PAY THE BILLS. When you become a Realtor, expenses go up and income goes down. You not only have to pay your normal living expenses, but you have Realtor fees that can be significant.You think you can do it PART-TIME. As licenses get harder to get and being a good agent takes more experience, part-timers are having a hard time justifying ... 01/14/2008

Well I looked up the date I first joined Active Rain and it was in January of 2006, and my first blog on January 16th.  Some of my first Blogs were highly controversial like: "Part-timers killing the real estate profession! No Accountability!" But my Blogs are about accountability.  I never thought I would stay in Active Rain.  My first feelings was that I was trapped into feeling that my real estate Blogging may be just some some sort of an obsessive compulsive ramblings.  Perhaps they are, and sometimes I still feel that way, but the difference a year later is some great SEO and SEP placement through Blogging in Localism, and Local Market reports...I've changed my mind.  A large percentage of my web traffic at http://www.atlantabesthomes.com/ comes directly from my blogging.  Web traf... 01/13/2008

2008 the year of the LOFT2008 is looking to be a great year for the loft market in general.  From a young age, I have always been told if you are going to buy something, make sure it has a wow factor.  In this interesting condo market what better product to purchase than a unique loft.  Our Atlanta loft specialist have taken the time to learn everything they can Atlanta lofts and feedback has been overwhelming. Our growth over the past 2 years (even in a down condo market) has been amazing and we have you to thank for trusting us with such an important decision (purchasing a loft).  With this success has come growth.  We have expanded our teams to two other markets in the past year.  About 6 months ago we started a Charlotte Real Estate team and with that came one of the most popular Ch... 01/13/2008

Atlanta Luxury Homes. Atlanta Luxury Estate Homes and Exquisite Properties for Sale. via kwoutThere are loads of great luxury homes for sale in Atlanta, and compared to what you get for the money elsewhere they are extremely affordable here!! Many of Atlanta luxury homes and estates are three sided brick homes with three car garages, gourmet kitchens, hardwood floors throughout, and all of these features are basically standard! For a modest upgrade, you can get the builder to complete a full finished terrace levels complete with full bed and baths, perhaps a kitchen a media room and an Au-Pair suites or nanny quarters!  Perhaps you are more interested in gated communities, equestrian communities or estates, a swimming pool or tennis courts on your property? No problem!  Go ahead and com... 01/12/2008

Here's your card...  According to the Columbus Dispatch, the city of Cleveland is suing 21 banks that loaned money in their inner city areas, saying: ...subprime lending in inner-city neighborhoods has created a public nuisance that hurt property values and city tax collections. The story goes on to say: The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, seeks to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, including lost taxes from devalued property and money spent demolishing and boarding up thousands of abandoned houses. "To me, this is no different than organized crime or drugs," Mayor Frank Jackson told The Plain Dealer. He arranged a news conference Friday to detail the city's legal strategy. "It has the same effect as drug activity in neighborhoods. It's a ... 01/12/2008

Is the Peactree Street Car coming to Midtown and Downtown Atlanta?  Well, it would seem that way. But there are two upcoming public meetings that residents of the "affected areas" those that will be in a special assessment district. This is the proposed way that the majority of the funding for the construction of the streetcar in Midtown and Downtown will be paid for.  What will it look like? Atlanta's system will be modeled after the Portland Oregon street car, pictured here. It would be a system that you just walk on and off (platforms will be built so there is no step up into the car) and will be on rails laid in the street, with just one wire overhead. The cars are proposed to hold a max of 120 people and would run every 5-10 minutes along a route from 16th Street in Midtown to Down... 01/08/2008

For anyone that knows me, I am NOT a cheerleader, especially for myself.  I actually am my own worst critic.  Funny thing, though, I was watching the MTV show 'Made' with my kids yesterday morning.  It was about a HS Junior girl who wanted to run for Junior Prom Queen.   She was this girl that was a typical 'no body' and was going to be running against the Cheerleader and the other popular, pretty girl so she didn't think she had a chance.  What the purpose of the show is to teach the kid how to achieve their goal...they get a coach that helps them out along the way, showing them how to step out of their comfort zones and go for it!  Well this kid was amazing...she stepped out of her box, introduced herself to kids she didn't know, kids that no one ever talked to, to the popular kids th... 01/06/2008

What an absolute honor it is to be nominated for Professional Stager of the Year. To have my name associated with the talent that exists amongst the nominees warms my heart and gives me ample reason to be proud.  I extend my best wishes to all the candidates in all four categories!Here are examples of some of my projects:This particular project, I'm pleased to share with you, earned me three of the most prestigious awards:  The first-ever Raffia award for Staging Excellence awarded by Jackson West; the Diva award from Fernado Rosado and last but not least, the Cookie Award from our very own Maureen Henry.  What an honor it was.I called this project "Color & Balance."  We loaded the furniture and accessories with warm tones throughout.The Gibson Home (pleased to report that it's under co... 01/06/2008

The hardest words to sell an enthusiastic Atlanta home seller is, "I really dislike being the bearer of bad news, but you are not going to sell your home in it's current condition!" It could be a real downer to the homeowner that has worked feverishly on a variety of projects thinking they are going to double their money flipping a home in this market. Mortgages are determined by the historic value of recent sales, with a percentage of price coming from aesthetics.  Most appraisers in this market will not render a $375K appraisal in a $259K neighborhood.  They certainly cannot add 100K for carpet, and paint. It will not happen.  You have simply overpriced your home with added extras that will not return the cash spent when you sell it.   You may have even blinded yourself to the truth ... 01/04/2008

Whether you are selling a $125,000 condo or a $2.25 million dollar estate, it is critical to get as much as exposure for your property as possible. In the current buyer's market, it is more important than ever to get your property in front of as many potential buyers as possible.We are professional realtors and can help you get your property sold. We set realistic expectations, deliver outstanding results, and employ the techniques and strategies to sell property in a slowing housing market.Click here to see how The Anderson Group can help you sell your property. 01/04/2008

Click here to see homes for sale in Druid Hills.Druid Hills is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Atlanta. Orginially designed by Joel Hurt and Fredrick Olmstead, Druid Hills has become an iconic greenspace community with large lots, mature landscapes, and beautiful architecture.Please contact Tom Anderson at 404-277-9581 or tom@tagatlanta.com for more information.If you are thinking about selling a home in Druid Hills, click here to see how The Anderson Group can help you. 01/04/2008

The Peachtree Hills Market Activity Report is brought to you by Our Home Team at Keller Williams Realty at Peachtree Battle.The following information is for the month of December. In the last 30 days, 1 home has SOLD in Peachtree Hills:2391 HURST DRIVE$460,000 There were 50 homes that sold in Peachtree Hills this year down from 72 in 2006. The average sale price was $473,500, up 8% from $437,000 in 2006. And the average days on market was 50 days compared to 72 in 2006.In the last 30 days, 1 home has been listed in Peachtree Hills:237 SPRINGDALE DRIVE $438,000 There are 21 Homes currently for sale in Peachtree Hills. The average list price of these homes is $574,000.Click here to see homes for sale in Peachtree Hills .We would like to help sell your Peachtree Hills home. Click here if y... 01/03/2008