Atlanta Real Estate Video Blog with Melida Potts of Potts Realty

Why Should you Consider Selling this Winter?

There are many great Atlanta area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (678) 488-8927 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

This week's topic is all about selling homes in the winter months. The winter usually gets a bad reputation for the market being less "active," but as you will see, that's not the case. Today we are going to give you 3 real reasons why selling in the winter may be something you want to consider:

1. Fewer homes. In some markets, we have as much as 50% fewer homes. We have fewer buyers as well, but not nearly 50% less. When buyers have fewer homes on the market to choose from, it's a great time to sell.

2. Serious buyers. If the buyers out there in the winter market weren't serious, they simply wouldn't be out there looking for homes at this time of year.

3. Employee transfers. Most large corporations like to do their employee transfers at the end of the fiscal year. The end of the year is a great time to have your home on the market to appeal to these buyers, who need to buy before the end of the year.

So, if you are thinking of selling and wondering if this is a good time, maybe we have answered some of your questions. If we haven't, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We'd love to hear from you.

What NOT To Do Once Your Loan Is Approved!

When you get a mortgage to buy a home, there are a few things you need to know. We've put together a list to help you make sure you're able to obtain a loan. If your loan has been approved:

DON'T make any major purchases or apply for any new loans. That new car or investment property can wait until after you have the keys to your new home.
DON'T pay off any charges unless your loan officer says to.
DON'T change accounts. If you are switching banks, or opening a new account at your current bank, wait until after the loan has gone through to make those changes.
DON'T make any unusual deposits. If you just received a huge inheritance check, wait to deposit it until after your loan has been approved.

You can do all these things when applying for a loan and still get a mortgage. However, the loan will have to be underwritten all over again, which can take anywhere from two to four weeks. Bottom line: if you want to close on time, you need to follow those four points.

As always, if you have any questions about this or any other topic, don't hesitate to give us a call. We would love to hear from you!

We helped Mary sell her home in 9 days

"We had a good listing experience and it only took about 9 days to sell it. The first people that looked at the house liked it but they had a hitch and changed their mind. They ended up coming back about 2 or 3 days later and bought it. I had used a different Realtor about a year and a half before, but I was very satisfied with Potts Realty."

Is Fall a Good Time To Sell Your Home?

We are going to go right into today's topic: Is it worth it to put your home on the market in the fall? Maybe you thought about putting your home on the market last spring or last summer, but never got around to doing so. If you want to sell now, but are worried you will have to wait until spring to get a good value, we have some numbers you may be interested in. Hopefully these will help you make your decision.

The number of homes will steadily drop soon to about 40-60% of what we had at the peak of the summer
The number of buyers will decrease as well, but only by about 25-30%

If you do the math, the answer of whether the fall is a good time to sell should be an obvious yes. The number of buyers drop, but not nearly as much as the number of homes for sale does. There will be a demand for homes and you can take advantage of that this fall.

When is the best time to sell your home? Really, it's when you are ready. It just so happens that if you are ready now, you can take advantage of some fantastic market trends.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We'd be glad to help

What Happened this Summer in Atlanta?

Fall is here, marking the end of the busy summer real estate season. We would like to share with you today some statistics we have compiled that compare this summer's numbers to last year's. As you will see, our market is improving year-over-year and we are excited to see what the future has to bring. Here are a few of the key changes in the market over the past year.

Inventory is up 21%. There are a lot more homes on the market this year compared to last year.
Sales are down 7% from last year
However, prices are higher than they were at this point last year and they are currently holding steady.

If you want to know what is going on in your specific Atlanta neighborhood, give us a call or send us an email! We would be happy to go over the numbers in your area with you so you can better understand what your next move should be.

How we helped Rick with his real estate needs by providing quick service

"They got a fair number of people coming in to look at the house and they did everything it took to make it happen. They had signs, all the advertising, and I really didn’t have to be involved. In looking for a house, they were very good at finding places that met my criteria. They had everything done so quickly!"

How we helped Sandy by doing a good job with the entire process

"I thought Potts Realty did a very good job and I was pleased with the whole process. I was completely happy with them."

How we helped Tony with his real estate needs by being informative

"I was very happy with them. They were informative and I couldn’t have asked for anything else. They were just there when I needed them. Years ago, Melida came to my house and told me that I should tear up my carpet and finish the floor so I did, and I think that’s what sold the house."

Can We Help You Buy a Home After You've Sold?

It can be difficult to time the selling of your home so that you can move into your new home once the selling process is over. One thing we recommend to our sellers is that they get their credit score checked before putting their home on the market. We once had a homeowner who sold their home but was unable to buy another one because their credit was so low. You don't want this to happen to you.

Checking your score will only lower it 2-4 points and you can check it a couple weeks later without your score being further affected. If you find a mistake with your score, you can have the loan officer remove it and you can move forward with the process. If there isn't a mistake, you have time to start getting your credit score to where it needs to be.

We want to make your buying process exciting in the best possible way. To avoid unpleasant surprises, give us a call or shoot us an email. We can help you prepare so you can buy a home as soon as you've sold your current one!

Attention Homeowners - Now Might be the Right Time to Upgrade!

Today we're going to address the question of whether now is the time to upgrade to a bigger home. Here are 3 reasons you may want to consider making an upgrade soon:

Today's homes are 500 square feet larger than they were 20 years ago.
Interest rates are still at historic lows, between 3.75% and 4.25%.
Home prices are rising.

What does all this mean? First, there is a broad selection of larger homes available. Second, financing your home has never been cheaper. And lastly, home prices are rising - the longer you wait, the less affordable a new home will be. That's why it's important to act now. If you are adding to your family or have relatives moving into your home, now is the time to take advantage of current conditions and get a bigger home at an affordable price.

If you are interested in making that upgrade you've always wanted, give me a call or shoot me an email. We would love to help you out!

How we helped Dianne sell her home that had been on the market for 4 years with our negotiation skills

"I had excellent results with Potts Realty! They gave me good advice and were able to sell the home that had been on the market for 4 years within a month! She aggressively went out and sold it and was able to get the offer within $5,000 of our asking price. She always kept us updated and everything ran smoothly!"

Atlanta midyear market snapshot

Today, we're going to take a look at what we have seen in the first 6 months of the year as compared to the same period last year here in Atlanta. First, the numbers:

Home sales have increased by 8%, from 4,919 last year to 5,311.
The inventory of available homes has jumped an incredible 25%, up about 4,000 since last year.
At the same time, average home prices have jumped 11%, from $222,975 to $248,556.

What this all means is that there is a wide selection of homes available if you are looking to buy. On the flip side, if you are looking to sell, you have a lot of other sellers to compete with. However, while the numbers give a good idea of general trends in the area, prices are neighborhood specific.

Before getting excited or discouraged about what these numbers mean for you, it's important to contact an agent and see what is happening in your particular area. We are always available to chat - don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to hear from you!

How we helped Brita sell her home by always being on the ball

"They were very efficient. I got my home sold fairly quickly and they kept on their promises. There was an instance where we got 2 offers on the same day and before I could even call them back Cindy, who works with Melida, called both parties and asked them for their highest and best offers so she was really on the ball for that."

How we helped Greg with his real estate needs by being responsive

"We had good results when we worked with Potts Realty. I worked more with Cindy, but Melida actually found us the house. They were very responsive and whenever we needed anything or would call, they actually responded right away."

3 Common Misconceptions About Home Pricing

As you may know, market prices are rising for single family homes in the Atlanta area. Many sellers talk to multiple Realtors and get just as many promises for the amount of money they can get you for your home.

The problem is that some real estate agents will promise you a higher price than the market actually indicates.

There are three reasons an agent might do this:

They don't know the market: It is important to know that many real estate agents sell only 2 or 3 homes a year. This lack of market experience makes them less knowledgeable about realistic pricing.
They are afraid of offending you: Some agents want to try to satisfy your expectations rather than be realistic about pricing potential. Remember, the point of selling real estate is to get the highest price possible, which is not always as high as the seller wishes.
They have a selling model that allows them to price property erratically: Agents will sometimes set a price too low in an effort to lure buyers and sell them something else. Your home may just be used as bait to bring business to the agency.

We have the experience and expertise to help you price your home accurately. If you have any doubts about the price of your home, we would be happy to get an appraisal for you.

If you need help navigating the Atlanta real estate market and avoiding potentially misleading pricing information, email us at Melida@PottsRealtyInc.com or call us at (770) 396-6100.

4 reasons why you shouldn't worry about another housing bubble

Are We Heading Towards Another Housing Bubble?
A lot of buyers have been asking me if we are headed towards another housing bubble here in Atlanta. In short, the answer is NO, but let me explain why I say this.

Interest Rates: Interest rates are remaining low. Last time there was a bubble the rates were low, and then they got very high and became too expensive. This time, the rates have stayed low to help with a recovery.
Lending Practices: Loans are now fully documented and lenders are being much more responsible in choosing who to lend their money to. If you're not qualified, then you're not going to get the loan.
Inventory / Number of Sales: We are not seeing a huge build up of inventory here in Atlanta. Actually, inventory is pretty low throughout the rest of the country. Massive build-ups of inventory are not happening because our sales and amount of inventory are right at pace with one another.
Price Increases: Prices are increasing, but they are not blowing through the roof. They are rising moderately in most parts of the country, especially here in Atlanta. In fact, some neighborhoods in Atlanta are experiencing far different markets than others. It really depends on what neighborhood you live in.

Hopefully this has erased any of your fears that we are heading towards another housing bubble. From what I can see and the data that I have combed over, we are not even close to a housing bubble. Even if we were close to one, we would be much more prepared for it than we were just a few years earlier.

If you have any further questions or would like assistance with Atlanta real estate, then please do not hesitate to contact me. I am always willing to lend a hand. You can reach me by phone or by email.

How to Avoid these 6 Home Seller Pitfalls

Today I wanted to speak with you about the 6 most common mistakes people make when selling their homes, and how they can be easily avoided.

Overpricing: Pricing your home correctly is the most important thing you can do to sell it. When pricing your home, you have to look at comparable properties, get a professional appraisal, and listen to the buyer's response. The best thing that you can do is talk to a professional real estate agent such as myself. Contact me if you would like to know about my pricing strategy.
Inability to Show: If you want to sell your home for a good price, you're going to have to make some sacrifices. This will include being able to show your home whenever it is necessary.
De-clutter: Nobody wants to see a cluttered home. Your clutter will only distract potential buyers, and they will not notice the features that you have in your home. Get rid of unnecessary clutter and allow the buyers to imagine themselves inside your home. The small things can make all the difference in the world. You'd be surprised how much larger your home feels after getting rid of unnecessary clutter.
Odors: You can get used to the odor of your own home. If you have pets you may want to consider a deep cleaning. If you cook with a lot of spices you may want to refrain from cooking on days that you have showings. Smokers may also want to step outside if they are trying to sell a property. Odors can drive away buyers very quickly, so make sure your home smells neutral.
Unwillingness to Negotiate: Depending on how strong the market is in your particular area in Atlanta, you may not have to negotiate very much. If you live in a neighborhood in Atlanta where the market is not so strong, you will have to negotiate. Luckily, you can refer to a professional like myself to fight for your best interests.
Unwillingness to make repairs: I have seen many of my clients in North Atlanta that are unwilling to make repairs, and it has caused turbulence in some cases. When you sign a contract with a buyer you will have to disclose any material defects in your property, so it only makes sense to repair them ahead of time. It also helps to know which things are worth repairing, because you don't want to spend a fortune fixing your home right before you sell it.

Hopefully this information has been helpful to you. If you have any further questions about this topic, then feel free to contact me. These tips should help to sell your property.

As always, if you're searching for real estate in North Atlanta, please contact me for any and all of your needs.

In a Recovering Market, You Need a Professional Realtor to Maximize Your Transaction

My Professional Service Helps in Hard Times

The City of Atlanta was hit very hard by the real estate crisis in 2008. Recovery has been slow and steady, but we are still facing challenges in our market. While the north and northeastern housing markets in Atlanta are recovering, the southern and southwestern areas are facing tougher times and still struggling to get back to pre-2008 numbers.

Sales in Atlanta fell year after year in 2008-2012, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. However, residential real estate prices have increased by 7% since the end of 2013. Another pointer to a better market is that sales activity is also up.

The banks in Atlanta were hit hard as well, but it is hopeful that real estate development and home buyers moving into the area will spur a positive response in this market.

I Have a Proven Record of Success

When times are tough like this, you need the professional representation of a real estate agent. A real estate transaction may very well be the largest financial transaction that you make in your entire life, so in a recovering market like Atlanta's you will want to get the most amount of money out of your home as possible.

This is why utilizing the services of a realtor are more critical to you now than ever. With my expertise and experience, your assets and your well-being will never be put in jeopardy.

If you need any proof of what I have done for clients in the past, just listen to the wonderful testimonials from my former clients. Many of them remark on my personalized service and my attention to detail. I also use the services of a professional photographer to market my listings, which many of my clients find to be a major benefit over other realtors.

Overall, I care about the well-being of my clients, and that's why I believe that I am your #1 choice. I consider my clients above everything, and I know that my track record proves this.

So, if you want to sell your home in Atlanta for a phenomenal price, then contact me today. I would love to consult with you on the best possible strategy to sell your home quickly and for top dollar.

Explaining a Shifting Real Estate Market in North Atlanta

There are many great Atlanta area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (678) 488-8927 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

We have been in a buyer's market for years now, but I think this is beginning to change. This week I will show you why my suspicions are correct.

Investors are buying: This is a big change from 3-5 years ago when investors weren't even thinking about buying.

Would-be Sellers are holding off: Either they are stuck in long-term leases or they are scared because it is still a buyer's market here in North Atlanta.

Interest is still historically low: Low interest, high demand, and low inventory are all pointing towards a seller's market in North Atlanta.

I could not have said this years ago, but times have certainly changed.

If you're looking to buy or sell in the Atlanta area, please contact me because these market conditions aren't happening everywhere in Atlanta.

Invest Wisely in Renovations to Add Value to Your Property

Today I will be discussing three types of renovations you can make to your property that will actually increase the value of your home.

Cosmetics: This is the best way to increase the value to your home. This includes carpeting, painting, and landscaping. On average, investments made into these aspects see double the return.
Kitchen: This area of the home has an intangible value to it. A kitchen is where the family often finds itself together, and installing updated hardware like granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances can really boost value to such a priceless area.
Bathrooms: Much like the kitchen, buyers like to see a clean and updated bathroom. Whatever you invest into updating these areas of your home you will likely see most of your investment return, but not always the full value. Either way, bathrooms are an important aspect to any home, and should be updated if you wish to add value.

Beware of costly renovations to homes such as updated HVAC installments, roofing, or windows. While these structural elements are very important, the buyer will not immediately notice them. People tend to see the most value in cosmetic enhancements but not typically in cooling/heating systems or new roofing. Buyers love new hardware like updated windows, but they won't necessarily pay you more money for them. Focus on areas where they can actually see the renovations.

If you have any questions about how to renovate your own home: call me at (770) 396-6100 or email at Melida@PottsRealtyInc.com

We'd love to hear from you!

ATL real estate continues to build momentum after a watershed year in 2013

The most notable change in our real estate market began sometime in October/November of 2012 when, all of a sudden, we started seeing a leveling in our market. Statistics were finally showing promising trends, indicating long-awaited stability and steady activity.

Just a few months later, in the early part of 2013 our market did stabilize for the most part and we started seeing month-over-month stats climb. Year-over-year statistics skyrocketed. In fact, the market shifted before the end of the first quarter and we enjoyed such unprecedented sales volumes and spikes that many of us in the industry had the best year of our careers.

Low Interest Rates Sparked Market Activity and Low Inventory
During the depressed market that took over our housing industry in 2008 and the years that followed, the Fed diligently worked to keep interest rates low so the economy would continue to surge. Also, market activity increased and inventory levels went down significantly.

Strong Consumer Demand Helps Spike Median Home Prices
Today, we are dealing with an extremely scarce number of homes available for sale, both nationally and locally. For this reason we remain in a positive market driven by strong consumer demand. More prevalent in some areas where there are good traffic patterns and strong buyer interest, prices are going up dramatically. Conversely, other areas where there may be less demand there is some lagging behind which is causing prices to either stay steady or not go up much.

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To learn how your specific area is doing in terms of price increases and market recovery – contact us today! We will take an in-depth look at your local neighborhood and study the activity, evaluate the marketplace and see how we can help you achieve your real estate goals!

Call or email us today.

770 396 6100 - main office
678 488 8927 - Melida’s cell
Melida@PottsRealtyInc.com

Happy New Year!

Happy 2014! Last year was a great time for the real estate market and you may be wondering what's in store for next year. Well, here's what's happening now. Interest rates are still at 4.5%, but they are predicted to increase!

We are also still at a 15 year low in inventory. That means now is one of the best times to sell. The holidays are over and there are buyers looking for a home. The problem is there are very few options for them. They need your home!

Give me a call today! Thanks for watching!

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About Melida

Melida Has 24 Years in Atlanta real estate. Selling over 1,000 Homes, with more than $100 million in sales. That is more than 14 times that of the average agent in Atlanta. Melida has sold in all types of markets – up market, down market, flat market. You get more product & market knowledge, more accurate pricing, proven market strategies, and stronger negotiating power.

Melida’s average market time has been 25 days compared to the Atlanta agents average of 149 days on the market. When you’re serious about selling fast nobody sells homes faster than Melida. Melida sells 3 homes in the same amount of time it takes the typical agent to sell one. List to sales price ratio is 94.4%. For example, for every $100,000, Melida will get $94,400 for you.

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Melida Potts
Your Professional Atlanta Realtor
The Potts Realty Team

1733 Mount Vernon Road
Dunwoody, Georgia 30338

770-396-6100
mpotts@youneedresults.com
www.homes-4-atlanta.com

Potts Realty Testimonials

Click to hear recent
testimonials from happy clients

Greg - "We had good results when we worked with Potts Realty. I worked more with Cindy, but Melida actually found us the house. They were very responsive and whenever we needed anything or would call, they actually responded right away. "

Brita - "They were very efficient. I got my home sold fairly quickly and they kept on their promises. There was an instance where we got 2 offers on the same day and before I could even call them back Cindy, who works with Melida, called both parties and asked them for their highest and best offers so she was really on the ball for that."

Dianne - "I had excellent results with Potts Realty! They gave me good advice and was able to sell the home that had been on the market for 4 years within a month! She aggressively went out and sold it and was able to get the offer within $5,000 of our asking price. She always kept us updated and everything ran smoothly!"

Rick - "They got a fair number of people coming in to look at the house and they did everything it took to make it happen. They had signs, all the advertising, and I really didn’t have to be involved. In looking for a house, they were very good at finding places that met my criteria. They had everything done so quickly!"

Sandy - "I thought Potts Realty did a very good job and I was pleased with the whole process. I was completely happy with them."

Tony - "I was very happy with them. They were informative and I couldn’t have asked for anything else. They were just there when I needed them. Years ago, Melida came to my house and told me that I should tear up my carpet and finished the floor so I did and I think that’s what sold the house."

Mary - "We had a good listing experience and it only took about 9 days to sell it. The first people that looked at the house liked it but they had a hitch and changed their mind. They ended up coming back about 2 or 3 days later and bought it. I had used a different Realtor about a year and a half before, but I was very satisfied with Potts Realty."