Maybe not the bottom bottom,m but we are seeing in this area of the country is the inventory of GOOD QUALITY Resale homes (REO/SHORT SALE and TRADITIONAL) is at a low and buyers are feeling like its less of a buyers market and more like it's a sellers market (even if the seller is the bank ) The federal government's gauge of home prices rose in January for the first time in 10 months. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported Tuesday that home prices increased 1.7% in January from the previous month, though they are still down about 10% from their April 2007 peak. The government noted that sales in January were "relatively low," which could skew the result. The gauge reflects only homes with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and excludes homes backed by subprime loans and... 04/08/2009

Looking for affordable, musical fun for the whole family? Look no further than Gwinnett County's own Button Theatre and their upcoming production of the smashingly funny musical comedy, NUNSENSE. NUNSENSE is opening this weekend, with a huge opening night party on Friday, April 10th at 8 PM - with complimentary desserts provided by Chocolate Perks, downtown Duluth's newest coffee and dessert specialty shop. NUNSENSE is a delightful, fast-paced, slightly kooky musical about the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who are putting on a fundraiser to raise money for a very special convent project. Hilarity ensues in this lively musical extravaganza -- singing and dancing nuns? How could that NOT be funny! Directed by Mary Carolyn Conti, with musical direction by Ginny Lockhart, the show stars, Erin... 04/07/2009

We can help you Avoid Foreclosure  If you are facing financial difficulties and are behind on mortgage payments, or if your lender has contacted you in regards to foreclosing on your home, you are not alone. Georgia has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation. Renaissance Realty can assist you by explaining all your options, and negotiating directly with your lender for a short sale. Renaissance Realty specializes in marketing properties where a short sale may be a seller's last option before the home is foreclosed. The key to a successful short sale is to call the Renaissance Realty short sale specialist as soon as possible to discuss your options. The call and your information will be kept strictly confidential. What is a Short Sale or Short Payoff? A short sale (also known... 04/04/2009

In a recent article in the Washington Post, Ken Harney suggests that real estate agents are low balling BPOs to get listings.  I won't even address this since the thought of a BPO agent getting a listing from a BPO is pretty silly.  There ARE agents who have gotten listings from their BPOs but it was based on how professional and accurate they were and not usually based on them doing something to make the asset manager look like a hero. In response, Kevin McGrath on Active Rain explains that low ball BPOs are exposed quickly, countering the notion that: Online, BPOs are hawked to real estate agents as a route to quick profits in a downturn. "This is the easiest and fastest way to make big money in 2009," says one Web site that promises agents "six figures or more" a year. The same site ... 03/29/2009

Department of Veteran Affairs has issued a Compromise Sale Agreement. If the borrower is unable to sell the property for an amount that is greater than or equal to whathe/she owes on the loan, including closing costs, VA may pay a "compromise claim" for thedifference in order to allow the private sale to go through. The borrower can sell the property to abuyer who gets his/her own financing or to a buyer who wants to assume the loan. However,with a compromise assumption, the lender does have to agree to have the amount of its guarantyreduced by the amount of the claim payment.In order to be considered for a compromise sale, several factors must be considered: The property must be sold for fair market value. The closing costs must be reasonable and customary. The compromise sale must be... 03/28/2009

We-Buy-Houses-Atlanta-Georgia.com, is buying houses in one week or less in Atlanta Georgia. As one of the the nations largest house buying networks of investors, we have professional home buyers right in your home town! These home investors are trained to handle almost any situation that you may be in and buy houses in any condition, any price range! Are you a home owner in Atlanta Georgia who needs help to sell your house fast? We-Buy-Houses-Atlanta-Georgia.com understand better than anyone the situation you are in. We help people sell your house fast everyday and the different situations that happen that get you in this postition. Unfortunatley, bad things can happen to good people. Thinking back to when you first purchased your home, we are certain that the thought of losing your hou... 03/26/2009

My neighbor sold his house in only 3 days! Yes, you really can sell your house fast without feeling like you are being taken advantage of. Here is the deal, my neighbor Jim just moved into the Atlanta, Duluth area only four months ago on a job transfer. His big challenge was selling his other house on the west coast. He was not able to buy another home until he had that one sold. It took him over 8 months to sell that house and during that time he was renting in a rather run down neighborhood in Atlanta. He did eventually get that old house sold and bought his next home right across the street from me. Jim and his family have been great neighbors now for almost four months, but then his company calls him with another opportunity with a big raise. What a great deal, but it requires Jim t... 03/24/2009

How is a credit score determined?A credit score is based on information contained in your credit file. The FICO® score is calculated using the following credit file items: Payment history: Approximately 35% of the FICO score is based on this category. Amounts owed: Approximately 30% of the FICO score is based on this category. Length of credit history: Approximately 15% of the FICO score is based on this category. New credit: Approximately 10% of the FICO score is based on this category. Type of credit used: Approximately 10% of the FICO score is based on this category. Please keep in mind that there are many different scoring models that can be used to calculate a credit score, and each scoring model may give more or less weight to the various items of information in your credit file. 03/17/2009

Well, I'm getting so excited about RETechSouth!! It will be here in just a few days and if you haven't registered yet, you still have time! Register today for this great technology and networking event--it will be so worth your time and money, especially with great speakers such as Jeff Turner, Matt Fagioli, Brad Nix, Missy Caulk, Teresa Boardman, Kelly Koehler, Ginger Wilcox and many, many others! With so many great speakers flying in from across the country to talk about a wide range of topics from Social Media, Marketing, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, Google, Blogging to just about anything related to technology and real estate this is sure to be a day full of great ideas and intense learning. Also, the key note speaker, Dave Jenks, co-authored both The Millionaire Real Estate Agent and... 03/16/2009

 DEFINITIONS RELATED TO "DISTRESSED PROPERTIES"  BANK OWNED - Bank owned property is also called "investor owned" and "R.E.O" (for Real Estate Owned by the bank or lender).  These are properties that have passed through the foreclosure process (see below) and are owned free and clear by the bank or lender.   DEFAULT - A legal condition brought about by a borrower/homeowner failing to pay to the bank/lender the agreed monthly mortgage payment for several months.  Default normally is not declared until after at least two months of Delinquency (see below) and the filing of a formal Notice of Default (N.O.D.) by the bank/lender   DELINQUENT - A behind-schedule condition in which the borrower/homeowner owes one or several payment(s) to the bank/lender.  Normally a pre-condition for the filin... 03/13/2009

Calling all real estate professionals. Do you want to learn more about blogging? Maybe you would like to create a free blog or perhaps you are a seasoned blogger but would enjoy knowing more about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), how to embed videos and maps into your blog and adding widgets to enhance your blog. Well, I have the solution for you: Matt Rains from Real Estate Technology Online is teaching Blogging 101 and 102 courses over the next couple of weeks. The next course is tomorrow at Virtual Properties Realty in Duluth, Georgia. Blogging 101 will be from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and Blogging 102 will start at 1 p.m. and run until 4:15 p.m. These courses will also be taught on Wednesday, March 18 at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center in Augusta, Georgia. The same times as ... 03/09/2009

  Homeowner Consequences Issue Foreclosure Short Sale Future Fannie Mae Loan - Primary Residence A homeowner who loses a home to Foreclosure is ineligible for a Fannie Mae backed mortgage for a period of 5 years. A homeowner who successfully negotiates and closes a short sale will be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed mortgage only after 2 years. Future Fannie Mae Loan - Non Primary An Investor who allows a property to go to Foreclosure is ineligible for a Fannie Mae backed investment mortgage for a period of 7 years. An investor who successfully negotiates and closes a short sale will be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed investment mortgage after only 2 years. Future Loan with any Mortgage Company On any future 1003 application, a prospective borrower will have to answer YES to question C... 03/09/2009

so what does it take to get a Home Loan Modification under the NEW program Home Affordable Modification  program The Obama administration kicked off today March 4th2009. It sounds simple but as an agent that has been working with home owners with loan modifications and short sale in the past what should be a no brainier some how always seems to turn into along drawn out process. Loan Modification Terms and Procedures Participating servicers are required to service all eligible loans under the rules of the program unless explicitly prohibited by contract; servicers are required to use reasonable efforts to obtain waivers of limits on participation. •Participating loan servicers will be required to use a net present value (NPV) test on each loan that is at risk of imminent default or at l... 03/04/2009

Ways to Sell A Home Quicker. Don't listen to the agents that say "Homes are not selling!"  They are. Maybe it is just their listings that are not selling.  Sellers need to listen to the truth, and act.  Too many sellers are listing with agents that promise a cheap commission, but deliver no results.  Agents that list with lower commissions and place you in the MLS may not have a plan to get your home sold. There is not surprise there. In fact there is a good chance they may have not ever sold even one home.  That is OK if you do not mind listing your home for a year or two and watch it go down in value.  Before you list, remove your emotion and listen to the facts in your market  place, the ones that will impact your home, in your subdivision, and your street. Price It Right - At or Be... 03/03/2009

 As a leading REO agent in Gwinnett County Georgia I often get asked about FHA and FHA 203k loan requirements and limits so time to pass along my cheat sheet.   FHA Mortgage Guidelines FHA insured loans require mortgage insurance to protect lenders against losses that result from defaults on home mortgages.FHA mortgage lending limits vary based on a variety of housing types and the state and county in which the property is located.Before you start the loan process, you'll want to be prepared for the loan application. Have your information organized and ready for your loan officer. Be prepared to pay for property appraisal and a credit report.While FHA defines which closing costs are allowable as charges to the borrower, the specific costs and amounts that are deemed reasonable and custo... 03/01/2009

A friend forwarded this over to me and I thought it explained the Credit Crisis very well. Worth the 10 Minutes. 02/28/2009

I am not sure how many times I have tried to read understand and relate this imformation to my daily Real estate Real World .. I guess we will all be back in scholls soon learning all the ins and outs of the plan. in the meantime here is what is know. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released this Q&A about the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, which was announced by President Obama on Wednesday, February 18, 2009.Here are some answers to most-asked questions about the plan:  Part 2  6. What are the interest rate and other terms of this refinance offer?The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide borrowers with a safe loan program with a fixed, affordable payment. All loans refinanced under the plan will have a 30- or 15-ye... 02/25/2009

View the latest stats and trends for Sugarloaf Country Club real estate.  This includes information on pending properties, sold properties, listing inventory and foreclosures.  There are fantastic opportunities to buy great properties in Sugarloaf Country Club.  Please contact me to get started today.      02/21/2009

  In December, we announced the change in leadership for our Metro Atlanta ASHSR chapter from myself to Annette Burnett of Sellers Advantage Home Staging from Johns Creek.  Our first meeting of the new year was also Annette's first official meeting as our new leader---and she rocks!  Special thanks to Brook Furniture Rental for hosting our meeting, AGAIN.  =)  They've been very supportive of our chapter from the beginning. Our agenda for the meeting included ideas for projects for the chapter to do together, in an effort to EDUCATE the consumer about what we do as home stagers but to also market our businesses and our chapter.  We are working on two projects for the Spring:  one is a community-service project for our 'friends' at the Georgia Cancer Foundation and the other is Before and... 02/19/2009

Looking for some great luxury golf homes for sale in Sugarloaf Country Club? Here they are. Sugarloaf Country Club is a newer upscale luxury homes in a secure gated luxury homes community with an incredible golf swim tennis in sought after Duluth GA. Sugarloaf Country Club is a great location for commuting and is located in close in Gwinnett County GA. All of the Sugarloaf Country Club homes for sale, single family traditional  homes with 3 and 4+car garages. Sugarloaf Country Club homes are on on full terrace level basements, some include a full terrace levels which are perfect for future expansion. 124 Active Single Family Detached Sugarloaf Country Club homes for sale $6,499,900  High Price is 8 Bedrooms / 10 Full Baths 3 Half Baths / and a three car garage - $669,900  is the low pr... 02/14/2009