Has the Atlanta Real Estate Market Slowed Down?

Has the Atlanta market slowed down? Find out what’s going on right here.

Has the Atlanta market slowed down? Find out what’s going on right here.

Today’s topic has been on a lot of people’s minds: Has the Atlanta market slowed down? Today, I’ll
share what the numbers have to say:

1. The number of sales is down, even for the season. 
2. However, home prices are still up.
3. The supply of inventory is still the same.

Typically, for the market to have slowed, there must have been fewer sales, with prices having

dropped and supply having risen. So in the end, our market might have slowed down, but not
enough to hinder your real estate plans. If you’re thinking of selling a house, now is still a great
time to do so!

For an individual analysis of your own property, or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach
out to me. I’d love to hear from you.

Can You Sell Your Home Online?

Can you sell your home through the internet? Today I’ll explore this question.

This question is asked fairly frequently, and my answer is yes! We already use the internet to
sell homes. Your real estate expert should be marketing your home through various online platforms.

However, when people ask me that question, they often mean something a little different—they’re
really trying to ask, “Can I sell my home through the internet and pay a lower commission?”

Well, when it comes to online purchases, we tend to buy low-priced items sight unseen. On the
other hand, we don’t often make high-priced purchases online without seeing what we’re buying first. 

If you bought a 70-inch T.V. online but didn’t like it when you received it, you could always send
it back. Even if you’re looking to purchase a car online, you can always have the owner drive
over so you can inspect if before making a decision. A house, however, is a little more difficult to
drive, so you’d have to go out to the home yourself to take a look.

So, can you sell your home through the internet? Yes; it’s already happening. Should you expect
someone to buy your home online sight unseen? I don’t think that’s going to happen
anytime soon.

If you have any questions about our internet savviness or which websites we use to market
homes, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to help you.

What Do the Numbers Say About Our Atlanta Market?

If our average home price is any indication, our Atlanta market is very strong right now.

What’s been happening in our Atlanta real estate market over the last couple months? There are two numbers that tell the tale: $240,000 and $259,000 The first is what the average home price was on January 1 of 2019. The second is what the average price was as of yesterday. This discrepancy means that we’re seeing more homes in the higher price ranges sell now than we did at the beginning of the year. Right now, our market is amazingly strong, so if you’re ready to put your home on the market or you’d like to know what it’s worth, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

What the Numbers Tell Us About Our North Atlanta Market

The numbers tell us that our market is slowing down, but they don’t tell the whole story.

What’s going on in our North Atlanta real estate market? Let’s look at a few year-over-year statistics

from this last quarter.

• The number of home sales at the beginning of this year was down 8%—however, the ratio of homes that are actually selling versus what’s currently on the market is looking great
• The average sales price rose from $281,000 to $298,000
• The number of units for sale rose from roughly 27,000 to roughly 28,000

These numbers tell us that the market is slowing down a little, but in my experience, 2019

gave us the best we’ve had in the past 15 years. Homes are selling
quickly and at decent prices.

If you have any more questions about our market or you’re thinking of buying or selling a

home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

What You Need to Know to Sell Your Home This Spring

If you’re looking to sell your home this spring, there are a few things you need to know about the spring selling season.

Spring is a great time to sell your home, but it’s not without its share of drawbacks that you need to be
aware of. There are three, in particular, you should know before starting the home sale
process:

1. It’s more competitive. There are a lot more homes on the market, so the earlier you can list
yours, the better.

2. There are more buyers out and about, which means you’ll have more showings to deal with.

3. It takes a little more work to sell in the spring—both inside the home and outside. On the
outside, people will be looking at your front yard more than they would be in the fall, winter, or
even summer. Inside the home, you need to open up your space and reflect the change of season.

If you have any questions or you need help selling your home this spring, don’t hesitate to reach
out to me. I’d love to help you.

What’s Going On In Our Marketplace?

Today I’ll address what’s happening in our market currently and what that means for home sellers.

The big question I’ve been hearing is, “What is the outlook for our market? What going to happen in 2019?” Here are some of my thoughts about the market for you to consider:

1. Interest rates are still amazingly low. When I bought my houses, interest rates were at 12.75%, which really puts into perspective how great our current 5% rate actually is. Compared to last year, however, rates are a whole point higher.

2. Houses are more expensive. Not only have interest rates risen, but home prices have gone up, as well. This is good news for sellers, but less so for buyers.

So what does the combination of these two factors mean to you as a seller? It means that if you price your property correctly according to the market and allow a good agent (like myself) to give it the proper exposure, it’s going to sell for top dollar.

If you have any questions or would like more information about how I can help you sell your home for as much as possible, please reach out to me. I would love to hear from you.

A Few Thoughts About the Best Time to Buy or Sell

Spring isn’t necessarily the best time for you to sell your home. Here are three additional factors to consider.

Here’s a question that I get a lot: Now that it’s winter, when is the best time to sell my house? Here
are three thoughts for you that will help answer the question:

1. The spring has a lot more activity. There are more houses for sale in the spring, as well as
more buyers. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean higher prices for you. Winter sales have a lot
fewer houses, but still a steady supply of buyers. From what I’ve seen, winter sales tend to bring
a little bit more money if you get in at the right time.

2. The market cycle. The market is cyclical, but we’re probably at the peak right now. We never
know when the cycle starts or ends.

3. When should you buy and/or sell? Whenever is most convenient for you. Interest rates are
still amazingly low and we’ve sold three listings this week for over their asking price.

If you have any questions for us about buying, selling, or about real estate in general, don’t hesitate
to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

The Truth About Decorating Your Holiday Listing

Today, we’ll get to the bottom of whether decorating your holiday listing is necessary.

Recently, we discussed the question: “Should sellers list during the holidays?” If you checked out that
message, you’ll remember that the answer was yes. Now that that’s sorted out, though, the next
question sellers must consider is, “Should I decorate?”

Those looking to list over the holiday season might worry that the extra decor will make their listing
look and feel too cramped. So, what should you do?

Well, if you enjoy decorating, then go for it! Just don’t go overboard. Even if you don’t particularly
enjoy decorating, but feel like you should, it won’t hurt to add a little bit of holiday cheer.

However, if you are adamant against decorating, or simply don’t have time, don’t worry about it. All
your home really needs to succeed in the market is to be neat, clean, and well-lit. Seasonal
decor can be a nice touch, but it certainly isn’t necessary.

If would like more information or if you have any questions about how our team can help your home
sell this holiday season, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing
from you soon.

The Truth About Listing Over the Holidays

Today, we’ll highlight the three main benefits sellers can enjoy by listing this holiday season.

With the holiday season just around the corner, many are wondering whether there’s still time to sell.
Is listing over the holidays a good idea? Actually, yes, and there are three reasons why:

1. Less inventory. People assume the market takes a turn for the worse over the holidays.
However, this isn’t the case. Those who are able to look past the rumors will find that listing
over the holidays means you’ll face less competition and have a greater opportunity to make
your home stand out.

2. More serious buyers. While there aren’t as many buyers looking over the holiday season,
those that are still searching for the perfect home are much more committed. As a seller, this
grants you a high degree of leverage.

3. Interest rates are still historically low.  Though they have risen in recent months, interest rates
are still low compared to historical averages. Back in the 1980s, for example, it wasn’t uncommon to see rates above 12%. At just below 5%, rates today are still fantastic. 

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send
us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

3 Reasons to List Your Home During the Fall or Winter

Though spring and summer are often considered ideal times to sell, the fall and winter months carry three unique advantages of their own.

Many people believe the fall and winter months to be a poor time to list. However, this is certainly not
the case. These later seasons actually hold several unique opportunities for sellers, and today we’ll
highlight three such benefits:

There is less competition. Given that fewer sellers choose to list during these months, those

who do will face a lower level of competition. With up to 50% fewer listings on the market during the fall

and winter, the listings that are active during those seasons are sure to see greater success.

Sellers will have fewer showings to prepare for. There are approximately 15% fewer buyers in the

market during the fall and winter, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Those who are in the market at

this time are highly motivated. In addition to that, a lower volume of buyer traffic means sellers will

have fewer showings to prepare for.

There are still many sales taking place during fall and winter. Spring and summer aren’t the only

times of year during which sellers can succeed in our market.

The bottom line is this: You still have a chance to list your home and get it sold, even in the later
months of the year. That said, conditions between individual markets may vary. If you’re curious about
the outlook in your specific area, I would be happy to speak to you about your circumstances.

As always, if you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call
or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Why You May Want to Sell Now

If you’ve been thinking of listing, there are three reasons why now is an ideal time to do so.

If you’re thinking of selling in the next year or so, right now may be the ideal time to make that move.
Why? There are three key reasons:

1. Interest rates are at a seven-year high. As rates continue to climb, homes become less and less

affordable. This discourages buyers from entering the market, which is bad news for anyone looking to list. In other words, it may be smart to put your home out there before rates go even higher.

2. Affordability is at a 10-year low. As indicated in the last point, this means buyers will be increasingly

hesitant to enter our market as time goes by.

3. We may be at the peak of the market. There’s no way to know for sure whether we’ve hit this

point, but sellers shouldn’t risk letting this moment pass in case we are.

All in all, the window of opportunity sellers have available today won’t last forever. Now is the time to list your home and secure top dollar.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me
an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Tips to Help You Prepare Your Home to Sell This Fall

Earning top dollar from your fall home sale means following these important tips.

If you’re preparing to put your home on the market this fall, there are a couple of important steps you need to take in order to earn top dollar for it. First, don’t make your home look like it’s still spring outside. In other words, use the fall foliage—it works just fine for a fall sale.

Fall foliage works just fine for a fall sale.

Inside, make sure the home’s paint and flooring look nice and crisp. To hear my full message about how to prepare your home for a fall sale, watch my latest video.

Why Fall Is Still a Great Time to Sell Your Home

Fall is still a great time to sell your home, and there are a couple reasons why.

If you’ve made all the necessary improvements to your home but you think you can’t get it sold because you missed the summer selling season, don’t worry. The fall is also a great time to sell your home.

" In the fall, there are still lots of sales. "

Lots of sales happen during the fall, and by listing it during this time, you won’t have to deal with as many showings and you’ll face less competition. I check the market every day, and every day there are fewer and fewer homes being listed. To hear my full message about the benefits of listing in the fall, watch my latest video.

How Is Our Summer Market in North Atlanta Doing?

What is happening in our North Atlanta real estate market? Let’s take a look at three key factors.

What is going on in the market? For one thing, interest rates are on the rise and are now sitting at
between 4.5% to 4.8%. Yet, historically speaking, these rates are still very low. When I started working
in real estate back in 1985, my first deal had an interest rate of 14.75%. 

Additionally, inventory is still low and prices remain high, as well. Those who are thinking of selling 
should know that now is a great time to do so. To see my full message, watch this short video.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What's It Like to Sell in the Summer?

What should sellers know about listing in the seller months? There are three main points to focus on.

The summer is here and things are certainly hot here in Atlanta, including our market. Sellers are
currently in a favorable position, so, with that said, what must be done to take advantage of these
conditions? There are three factors to consider when selling your home in the summer:

1. There is less activity. It may sound counterintuitive, but a smaller pool of buyers can actually be beneficial. Having fewer offers to choose from can sometimes make your role as a seller easier.

2. There are fewer sales.

3. Prices are still higher. This means sellers are able to ask for more money when listing their home.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send
me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

This 3-Point Checklist Will Tell Us If We Are in a Bubble

Are we in a housing bubble? There are three indicators we must look to when considering this question.

Today I would like to focus on a question I am asked all the time, which is:
“Are we in a housing bubble?”

The important thing is that you, the seller, are able to accept an offer
that fulfills your wants and needs.

There are actually at least three requirements that must be met for a housing bubble to occur:

1. There must be low inventory. As you have likely noticed, this is a factor in our Atlanta market

2. Prices must be rising. Once again, this is something that has been the case for our
local market lately.

3. There must be crazy loans. Fortunately, this is not true for our area. At least, not yet.

Overall, the bottom line is that you should not worry about a housing bubble for now. But it is a
great time to list. You could get a fantastic deal for your home if you sell right now.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What Should You Do When Your Property Receives Multiple Offers?

Today I would like to review a three-step guide on how sellers can navigate a multiple offer situation.

In a hot market like what we are seeing today, multiple offer situations are very common. It takes
just days for a property to see three, four, or five or more offers. That being said, how can you handle
these circumstances as a seller? There are three steps I recommend.

1. Identify the situation. When your home has just been listed and your agent is already receiving calls
after call inquiring about the property’s availability, it is a good sign that multiple offers are in store.

2. Set a time limit. Such a high level of competition over your listing may seem overwhelming, so the
best way to proceed is by setting a time limit. This will give you the chance to review and compare
offers.

3. Choose the best offer, not just the highest. While the highest-priced offer and the best offer are
usually one in the same, this is not always the case. The important thing is that you, the seller, are able
to accept an offer that fulfills your wants and needs. And because multiple offer situations can result in
bidding wars, it is important to make sure a potential buyer will be willing to make up the value
difference in cash in case the property does not appraise accordingly.

The important thing is that you, the seller, are able to accept an offer
that fulfills your wants and needs.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me
an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Is Your Home Improvement Project Worth the Cost?

“Should I redo my kitchen or bathrooms? Should I install hardwood floors? What’s the best way to
get the best return for the money I invest?”

I hear questions like these quite a lot, so today I’d like to talk about costs versus values when it
comes to making changes to your home.

According to the Appraiser’s Board, there’s very little you can do to actually increase the
value of your home. If a renovation costs $50,000, you’ll probably get only about $30,000 back.

So what’s the point? If you spend that money, you might sell your home faster, your agent
and buyer might be happy, but YOU have lost money.

“

Many times you can recover your investment and then some, but you have to consider the
update on its own terms.

”

On an individual basis, you can often actually recover your investment and then some, but you have to consider the update on its own terms. For example, if you were to redo your counters, that
might cost around $5,000 to $8,000 and you’d likely get that back. But if you redo the whole
kitchen, you probably won’t get a full return.

So is it worth it? Sometimes it is and many times it isn’t

If you have any questions about whether or not a project you have in mind will yield a high return,
please feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to give you advice based on your individual circumstances.

How Have Rising Interest Rates Impacted the Market?

Interest rates—mortgage interest rates, to be specific—have increased four or five times in
last 60 to 90 days.

Mind you, they’re going up little bits at a time, but the big question is whether it’s really affecting
the market.

The answer is: not yet, but they will—interest rates always change the market. So far, I haven’t
seen any major impacts yet.

“

You still have loads of time to get your home on the market and get it sold.

”

We’re still selling just as many homes. We’re still as short on inventory as we have been.

You still have loads of time to get your home on the market and get it sold. For buyers, rates haven’t yet increased so much that you won’t be able to purchase, so start looking now!

If you have any specific questions, please reach out to me. I’d love to help you

This All-Brick Ranch on 18 Acres Won't Be Available for Long

Come check out this gorgeous country home that sits on nearly 20 acres that could give you fruits, nuts, and berries growing right in your own backyard.

This all-brick ranch is located on more than 18 acres and boasts more fruits, nuts, and berries than you'll know what to do with, including pecans, blueberries, apples, pears, and figs to name a few. A beautiful porch spans the length of the side of the house and it includes a huge outbuilding with an attached greenhouse. It's a perfect space to convert to a winery, workshop, third garage, or just extra storage.

It won't last long!

Take a look at the video above for a sneak peek at this home. If you'd like to see it for yourself or you have any questions, don't hesitate to give me a call or send me an email soon. It won't last long!