Archive for October, 2009
October 30, 2009
Extended or Not Extended? This is the question on most people’s mind as it relates to the Homebuyer Tax Credit.
The media has been buzzing with the news that the Homebuyer Tax Credit has been extended, and a new tax credit of up to $6,500 for repeat homebuyers who have owned their current home for 5 years or longer is available.
This news broke after a congressional aide leaked positive news about the extension of the tax credit. Unfortunately the news stories did not lead with the fact that this congressional aide spoke to the media under the condition of anonymity, because “he WAS NOT authorized to publicly discuss the deal that Senators have been considering.”
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Tags:atlanta real estate, extended, first-time homebuyer, homebuyer tax credit extension, Judy Jones, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, pass
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 11 Comments »
October 26, 2009
As Shakespeare might say, “Something smells rotten in the state Of Georgia (and other states too).” I’m talking about Chinese drywall, the newest construction environmental issue.
Chinese drywall hit our shores in 2000 due to a shortage of American made drywall. We were going through a huge building boom and a few years later the shortage grew worse when Louisiana had the Katrina disaster.
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Tags:atlanta real estate, chinese drywall, dana eskridge, defective drywall, georgia, Metro Brokers, signs of defects
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 16 Comments »
October 19, 2009
Ever wonder what the foreclosure process is really like on the courthouse steps? Check it out some time.
Properties are auctioned at the courthouse steps of the county where they are located on the first Tuesday of every month. These properties must be advertised in the legal newspaper of that county once a week for the four consecutive weeks prior to the auction. This gives you a little time to try to find out more about the property.
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Tags:ann bone, atlanta, auction, courthouse steps, foreclosure notice, foreclosure sale, how to purchase, Metro Brokers, Real Estate
Posted in Agents, Buyers | 16 Comments »
October 14, 2009
I don’t know about you, but people who talk too much can sometimes be annoying. They’re so caught up in what they’re saying and selling themselves as an expert that they forget about the most important person in the conversation – the customer.
If you’re talking more than 50 percent of the time during a conversation, you could be alienating others. Ask yourself these questions and start learning tips to improve your service with buyers and sellers:
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Tags:atlanta real estate, customer service, listening skills, results, Tips, Tisha Gay
Posted in Agents | 12 Comments »
October 12, 2009
Today’s hottest properties are perceived to be “Foreclosures”. Everyone wants to look at “foreclosures” and buy for pennies on the dollar. The terms “foreclosure” and “pre-foreclosure” seem to be applied to many different types of properties, but what exactly does “foreclosure”, “REO”, “short sale” and “auction” mean? Which are the best bargains? How do potential buyers locate and bid on these properties? What restrictions should a buyer anticipate?
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Tags:ann bone, atlanta real estate, auction, banks, foreclosure, Metro Brokers, real estate deals, REO, short sale
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 17 Comments »
October 8, 2009
Yes, there is a definite new trend out there in the relocation world. Reluctance to transfer is up 79% according to an article in Mobility magazine’s September issue. The main reason cited is that most transferees are having a hard time selling their current homes.
No surprise there. Most sellers cannot believe that they may have a “loss-on-sale”. They want to know what their options are first. We now know that these and other issues facing transferees are causing a shift in the strategies employers are using to evaluate the employees chances of having a successful move and giving the transferees more options for a new assignment.
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Tags:dana eskridge, Metro Brokers, moving, relocation, transferee
Posted in Agents, Sellers | 5 Comments »
October 5, 2009
Many Atlanta real estate buyers or sellers may not realize the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) is there to help them if a situation arises.
In addition to setting the pre-licensing education requirements, testing standards, licensing requirements and continuing education requirements for real estate licensees in Georgia, the GREC is also a resource for the public to use if/when members of the public feel that they have not been dealt with fairly by licensees. The GREC takes complaints from the public very seriously and investigates every situation for which they receive a written request. Frustrated or unhappy buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords sometimes threaten real estate licensees with, “I’m going to report you to the Real Estate Commission.” Smart licensees know this is a serious matter.
How exactly is the public protected by the GREC?
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Tags:ann bone, atlanta real estate, Buyers, georgia real estate commission, grec, Metro Brokers, protection, Sellers, trust funds
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
All aspects of our industry are changing rapidly. Sometimes adversity allows us to look at the way we live and work in a different way. The relocation industry is undergoing some major changes now and will endure even more in the future. Therefore the future relocation agent will work differently as well.
