in this crazy market, we have strategies in place to help you win.

We’re seeing some crazy things happening in Q1 of 2022. Last weekend in Forsyth County, there was an open house—over 100 cars lined the streets of this neighborhood! The home was priced at $500,000, and there were always 30 to 40 people waiting to get into the house. In just two days, it had over 115 contracts written. That is absolutely absurd, but it’s not hard to believe due to our very low inventory.

“Much of making a winning offer comes down to the know-how and communication of the agent.”

Today we’re at an extreme point in the market, and it takes strategy to navigate it. If you’re going to buy a home, work with somebody who knows how to communicate with you and tells you things like whether you need to write a letter, whether you should write a non-contingent deal, etc. So many things go into making a winning offer, and a lot of it comes down to the know-how and communication of the agent.

Remember, the highest-priced offer isn’t always the best. If you have to sell before you can buy, there are third-party companies that will buy your home and let you stay in it until you find your next home.

If you’re a seller who also needs to buy or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you.

MOVING WITH PETS

Moving to a new home can be stressful on your pets, but there are many things you can do to make the process as painless as possible. Experts at The Pet Realty Network in Naples, Fla., offer these helpful tips for easing the transition and keeping pets safe during the move.

1. Update your pet’s tag. Make sure your pet is wearing a sturdy collar with an identification tag that is labeled with your current contact information. The tag should include your destination location, telephone number, and cell phone number so that you can be reached immediately during the move.

2. Ask for veterinary records. If you’re moving far enough away that you’ll need a new vet, you should ask for a current copy of your pet’s vaccinations. You also can ask for your pet’s medical history to give to your new vet, although that can normally be faxed directly to the new medical-care provider upon request. Depending on your destination, your pet may need additional vaccinations, medications, and health certificates. Have your current vet’s phone number handy in case of an emergency, or in case your new vet would like more information about your pet.

3. Keep medications and food on hand. Keep at least one week’s worth of food and medication with you in case of an emergency. Vets can’t write a prescription without a prior doctor/patient relationship, which can cause delays if you need medication right away. You may want to ask for an extra prescription refill before you move. The same preparation should be taken with special therapeutic foods — purchase an extra supply in case you can’t find the food right away in your new area.

4. Seclude your pet from chaos. Pets can feel vulnerable on moving day. Keep them in a safe, quiet, well-ventilated place, such as the bathroom, on moving day with a “Do Not Disturb! Pets Inside!” sign posted on the door. There are many light, collapsible travel crates on the market if you choose to buy one. However, make sure your pet is familiar with the new crate before moving day by gradually introducing him or her to the crate before your trip. Be sure the crate is well-ventilated and sturdy enough for stress-chewers; otherwise, a nervous pet could escape.

5. Prepare a first aid kit. First aid is not a substitute for emergency veterinary care, but being prepared and knowing basic first aid could save your pet’s life. A few recommended supplies: Your veterinarian’s phone number, gauze to wrap wounds or to muzzle your pet, adhesive tape for bandages, non-stick bandages, towels, and hydrogen peroxide (3 percent). You can use a door, board, blanket or floor mat as an emergency stretcher and a soft cloth, rope, necktie, leash, or nylon stocking for an emergency muzzle.

6. Play it safe in the car. It’s best to travel with your dog in a crate; second-best is to use a restraining harness. When it comes to cats, it’s always best for their safety and yours to use a well-ventilated carrier in the car. Secure the crate or carrier with a seat belt and provide your pet with familiar toys. Never keep your pet in the open bed of a truck or the storage area of a moving van. In any season, a pet left alone in a parked vehicle is vulnerable to injury and theft. If you’ll be using overnight lodging, plan ahead by searching for pet-friendly hotels. Have plenty of kitty litter and plastic bags on hand, and keep your pet on its regular diet and eating schedule.

7. Get ready for takeoff. When traveling by air,check with the airline about any pet requirements or restrictions to be sure you’ve prepared your pet for a safe trip. Some airlines will allow pets in the cabin, depending on the animal’s size, but you’ll need to purchase a special airline crate that fits under the seat in front of you. Give yourself plenty of time to work out any arrangements necessary including consulting with your veterinarian and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If traveling is stressful for your pet, consult your veterinarian about ways that might lessen the stress of travel.

8. Find a new veterinary clinic and emergency hospital. Before you move, ask your vet to recommend a doctor in your new locale. Talk to other pet owners when visiting the new community, and call the state veterinary medical association (VMA) for veterinarians in your location. When choosing a new veterinary hospital, ask for an impromptu tour; kennels should be kept clean at all times, not just when a client’s expected. You may also want to schedule an appointment to meet the vets. Now ask yourself: Are the receptionists, doctors, technicians, and assistants friendly, professional and knowledgeable? Are the office hours and location convenient? Does the clinic offer emergency or specialty services or boarding? If the hospital doesn’t meet your criteria, keep looking until you’re assured that your pet will receive the best possible care.

9. Prep your new home for pets. Pets may be frightened and confused in new surroundings. Upon your arrival at your new home, immediately set out all the familiar and necessary things your pet will need: food, water, medications, bed, litter box, toys, etc. Pack these items in a handy spot so they can be unpacked right away. Keep all external windows and doors closed when your pet is unsupervised, and be cautious of narrow gaps behind or between appliances where nervous pets may try to hide. If your old home is nearby, your pet may try to find a way back there. To be safe, give the new home owners or your former neighbors your phone number and a photo of your pet, and ask them to contact you if your pet is found nearby.

10. Learn more about your new area. Once you find a new veterinarian, ask if there are any local health concerns such as heartworm or Lyme disease, or any vaccinations or medications your pet may require. Also, be aware of any unique laws. For example, there are restrictive breed laws in some cities. Homeowner associations also may have restrictions — perhaps requiring that all dogs are kept on leashes. If you will be moving to a new country, carry an updated rabies vaccination and health certificate. It is very important to contact the Agriculture Department or embassy of the country or state to which you’re traveling to obtain specific information on special documents, quarantine, or costs to bring the animal into the country.

The data relating to real estate for sale on this site comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of Georgia MLS. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Results Realty Services are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.

Listing broker has attempted to offer accurate data, but buyers are advised to confirm all items.

Copyright 2019 Georgia MLS. All rights reserved.

Here are four tips to help get your offer accepted in this market.

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Looking to sell your home? Find out your home’s value

Today I’m discussing how to make your offer stand out in a multiple-offer situation and have the seller’s agent want to work with your contract. It all starts with you picking the right real estate agent. There are plenty of strategies that come into play when buying a home, and a great agent will know how to use them to your benefit. Here are four tips to help get your offer accepted in today’s market:

1. Have your agent reach out to the listing agent. Your agent should try to build a relationship with the listing agent so that they can find out what’s going on with the seller. Our agents are excellent at communicating with listing agents and telling them why they’d want to work with you over all the other buyers that may be interested.

2. Have your financing secured. Ensure you have a lender that can get an expeditious appraisal (because we’re seeing some appraisal issues in the current market) and has a good appraisal pool.

3. Come in with a fair offer. We need to find out how many offers are coming in for that property so that we can decide what price you should offer. Your agent should get the information you need to write a great offer for that seller. You don’t want to overpay if you don’t have to, but you still want your offer to win.

4. Keep your contract as clean as possible. Don’t ask for many stipulations; keeping an offer clean and simple is frequently the winning recipe. Can you make a non-contingent offer? If you need to sell your home before buying another one, it’ll be very difficult to get the seller to take your offer.

If you need to sell your home quickly before buying another one, we work with different institutional buyer companies who can leverage their cash, so you can make a non-contingent offer. We have multiple creative solutions to help you get into the right spot to get the home you love, possibly even without even having to put your current home on the market.

If you give us a call at 770-634-9710 and decide to work with us to buy a house, we’ll buy your home warranty for you. You don’t want to ask the sellers for a $600 home warranty in the present market, but we’ll make sure you’re covered. We would love to help you find the home of your dreams.

Click below to read Paige Grove’s and President and Ceo of Century 21, Mike Miedler’s article in Fortune Magazine:

https://fortune.com/2020/07/17/first-time-home-buyer-guide-tips-advice-2020-market-broker-bank-down-payment-pre-approved-offer-home-inspection-appraisal-closing/?g62d9w

Click below to read Joe Vonderschmidt’s article in Atlanta Business Chronicles:

https://www.flipsnack.com/c21resultsga/atlanta-residential-real-estates-up-and-comers-2020.html

Click below to read Dusty LaBossiere’s article in Greater Atlanta Real Producers:

https://www.flipsnack.com/c21resultsprofile/dusty-real-producers-article-aug-2020.html

Click below to read Sunny Parker’s article in Greater Atlanta Real Producers:

https://www.flipsnack.com/c21resultsga/sunny-parker-real-producers-article-aug-2020.html

LOAN TYPES TO CONSIDER

Brush up on these mortgage basics to help you determine the loan that will best suit your needs.

Mortgage terms. Mortgages are generally available at 15-, 20-, or 30-year terms. In general, the longer the term, the lower the monthly payment. However, you pay more interest overall if you borrow for a longer term.

Fixed or adjustable interest rates. A fixed rate allows you to lock in a low rate as long as you hold the mortgage and, in general, is usually a good choice if interest rates are low. An adjustable-rate mortgage is designed so that your loan’s interest rate will rise as market interest rates increase. ARMs usually offer a lower rate in the first years of the mortgage. ARMs also usually have a limit as to how much the interest rate can be increased and how frequently they can be raised. These types of mortgages are a good choice when fixed interest rates are high or when you expect your income to grow significantly in the coming years.

Balloon mortgages. These mortgages offer very low interest rates for a short period of time — often three to seven years. Payments usually cover only the interest so the principal owed is not reduced. However, this type of loan may be a good choice if you think you will sell your home in a few years.

Government-backed loans. These loans are sponsored by agencies such as the Federal Housing Administration ( www.fha.gov) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (www.va.gov) and offer special terms, including lower down payments or reduced interest rates to qualified buyers.

Slight variations in interest rates, loan amounts, and terms can significantly affect your monthly payment. For help in determining how much your monthly payment will be for various loan amounts, let us put you in touch with a Mortgage expert.

The data relating to real estate for sale on this site comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of Georgia MLS. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Results Realty Services are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.

Listing broker has attempted to offer accurate data, but buyers are advised to confirm all items.

Copyright 2019 Georgia MLS. All rights reserved.

06/09/2022

Lower interest rates are not on the horizon so you should buy now.

Should you wait to buy in this market? Mortgage rates have risen to a little more than 5% on average, and they did so considerably faster than people thought that they would. Some buyers have decided to wait for rates to come down as a result. However, the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies tell us that lower rates are not going to be coming back any time soon.

The Fed has scaled back what they’ve been doing to keep mortgage rates artificially low. They were buying mortgage-backed securities and now they’re looking at cleaning up all their books to expedite the process of cooling down the housing market. They’re trying to balance the market out by letting interest rates rise quickly. That’s why now is the best time to buy.

If you’re a buyer looking to lock in a rate that is still historically low or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at (770) 634-9710. We look forward to hearing from you.

08/19/2022

What happened to iBuyers and how it affects your real estate plans.

What’s happening to iBuyers as our market slows? Interest rates are rising, and the market is calming down a bit. iBuyers were everywhere when the market was hot, so what are they doing now?

In case you didn’t know, iBuyers are cash buyers who usually provide instant offers, hedge funds, or similar investors. Some iBuyers have completely backed out of the market. Others are still in the game, but they’re offering less than they were a few months ago.

“No matter which side of the market you’re on, it’s critical you work with a skilled agent.”

This means buyers have more inventory at a lower price, and they don’t have to deal with as much competition for those homes, which is fantastic news. For sellers, this shift means they should not just take those instant offers. A year ago, these companies were making incredibly competitive offers, but today that’s not always the case.

You should work with an agent who knows how to work with traditional buyers and investors. Look for someone who can show you both retail offers and low-risk iBuyer ones. If you’re buying, you need to work with a person who can help you see homes quickly and ensure your offer stands out. No matter which side of the market you’re on, it’s critical you work with a skilled agent.

If you need any help with your buying or selling plans, call me at (770) 634-9710. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

The big issue around housing today is low inventory. At 0:19 in the video above, you’ll see that it hasn’t always been like this. From 2005 to 2007, national inventory shot up to four million active homes. As you can also see in that chart, we’re down to just 400,000 properties for sale throughout the country today. That’s the lowest inventory we’ve ever seen, and we’ll keep our eye on it.

We were recently working with a couple from Tennessee who were looking for a home in a wide price range across three counties, but there were only eight homes that fit their criteria. What did we do? We went out and found off-market properties. That’s what’s needed to find inventory for homebuyers in this market. It’s about reaching out to other agents, networking, and finding properties without relying on the internet.

High demand for homes remains even though rates have risen, and we’re seeing multiple-offer situations continue. If you have any questions about buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.