Facing Foreclosure? There Is Help, But Don't Be Scammed!

Troubled Homeowners Beware! Scam artists are attempting to make money off of borrowers interested in taking advantage of President Barack Obama’s foreclosure-prevention plan.

These firms are charging fees for what they tell borrowers will be quick and effective negotiations with banks. In most cases, the firms take the home owners’ money – often more than $1,000 – and do nothing.

The Federal Reserve recently issued this advice for people seeking to modify their mortgages:

• Work only with HUD-approved nonprofit counselors.
• Don't agree to pay a fee before you are provided with the promised service.
• Beware of people offering "guaranteed" results.
• Don't sign blank forms or documents you haven't read.

Link: HUD-Approved Foreclosure Avoidance Counselors In Georgia

Atlanta metro area now eighth-largest in nation

Despite the slowing economy, 114,989 new people moved to the 28 county Atlanta metro area.

The Atlanta metro area is now considered the eighth-largest in the country, jumping ahead of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau

Georgia's ENERGY STAR & WaterSense Sales Tax Holiday

Look for the ENERGY STAR or WaterSense labels to Go Green while Saving Green!

Beginning today through Sunday, October 5, 2008, Georgians can purchase qualified energy and water efficient products with NO state or local sales tax. A broad range of products up to $1,500 marked with the ENERGY STAR or WaterSense logo can be purchased tax free during Georgia's ENERGY STAR & WaterSense Sales Tax Holiday.

The following ENERGY STAR products are eligible:
Dishwashers, clothes washers, room air conditioners, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, dehumidifiers, programmable thermostats, refrigerators, doors and windows.

The following WaterSense products are eligible:
Bathroom sink faucets and faucet accessories (such as aerators), showerheads, high-efficiency toilets, high-efficiency urinals, and weather or sensor-based irrigation controllers.

These products must be for personal, non-commercial use in order to receive the sales tax exemption. The tax exemption does not apply to items purchased for rent, lease, resale or commercial use.

For additional information on ENERGY STAR, please visit http://www.energystar.gov/

For additional information on WaterSense, please visit http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/

Midtown Atlanta Restaurant Week

From Saturday, August 23 to Saturday, August 30 you can enjoy a $25 three-course dinner at some of Midtown Atlanta's hottest restaurants.

This is an excellent opportunity to get out and experience the city of Atlanta and its charm along with one of the joys of intown living. No matter what you're in the mood for, you'll find something that satisfies your taste buds.

Some of the participating restaurants include:

Allegro Italian Atmosphere Bistro French Beleza Brazilian Cuerno Spanish Dolce Italian Ecco European ENO Mediterranean Geisha House Japanese Mitra American Oceanaire Seafood Room Seafood ONE. midtown kitchen American Park 75 at Four Seasons Contemporary American Repast Contemporary American Rosa Mexicano Mexican

Shout Mediterranean Silk Asian Steak & Seafood Eurasian South City Kitchen Southern Spice Market Southeast Asian Steel Asian Strip Steak TAP Contemporary American Taurus Restaurant Contemporary American The Globe Restaurant Mediterranean The Melting Pot Fondue The Real Chow Baby Asian Trois Contemporary French TWO urban licks American

For more information and to make your reservations online, click here.

Related Posts:
Atlanta Intown Living: Good For Your Health
Atlanta: A Best City To Buy A Home

metrobrokers.com, Metro Brokers, metrobrokers - Atlanta Real Estate Company

Here are a few reasons why Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate remain a leader in the Atlanta Real Estate market and why I'm proud to be affiliated with the real estate company.

• 2000 - Became the fastest growing residential real estate company in metro Atlanta.
• 2001 - Became the largest GMAC Real Estate franchise in the U.S. based on units sold.
• 2002 - Became the first and only Atlanta real estate company to successfully manage the migration process of both MLS' to the company website with photos and no data duplication. A true industry leader with the use of technology.
• 2004 - Became the largest license holder in the state of Georgia with almost 2,100 licensees.
• 2004 - Metro Brokers' real estate sales volume reached $2 + billion.
• 2005 - Metro Brokers' commercial real estate division ranks among the top 15 in metro Atlanta.
• 2005 - Named the fastest growing real estate company for the fifth consecutive year.
• 2006 - Metro Brokers opens it's 23rd office in the metro Atlanta and north Georgia region.

Some Additional Facts About Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate
Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate has 23 metro Atlanta and north Georgia offices and offers a wide range of real estate services including residential and commercial sales; pre- and post-license training; corporate relocation; new home sales and marketing; and insurance, mortgage and title/closing services.

Metro Brokers MISSION STATEMENT
Metro Brokers is committed to providing the finest full-service real estate brokerage by employing the most professional, well-trained and ethical real estate practitioners in the nation.

EXCELLENT ATLANTA REAL ESTATE MARKETING & TECHNOLOGY
Necessary to get your home sold faster or to help you find your next home.

• Hot Properties
  Metro Brokers' exclusive photo listing magazine that is published twelve times a year. It can be found at more than 1,000 locations throughout metro Atlanta, including Kroger grocery stores and now Publix grocery stores.
• Radio and TV spots
• Newspapers
• metrobrokers.com
  MetroBrokers.com is Atlanta’s largest database of homes for sale. The site is networked to Realtor.com, AJCHomefinder.com, Homes.com, Trulia.com, RealEstate.com and the GMAC Real Estate family of web sites.
• AJC/Ultimate Atlanta School GuideMetro Brokers is the sole sponsor of the most comprehensive online guide to Atlanta area schools anywhere at http://www.ajchomefinder.com/. Printed copies are available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and Chapter 11 bookstores. An abbreviated version of the school guide can also be found on metrobrokers.com.
• Outdoor billboardsI'm sure You've seen them on I-75, I-85 & I-285.

Atlanta Intown Living: Good For Your Health

Besides for cutting down on your commute time, it now appears that living intown may have a huge positive impact on your health. A new study in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that the year your neighborhood was built can be just as important as diet and exercise for losing weight. The study mentions that people who live in neighborhoods built before 1950 are trimmer than those who reside in more modern communities.

“The older neighborhoods had a reduced level of obesity because they were generally built with the pedestrian in mind and not cars,” said Ken Smith, a co-author of the study and professor in the department of family and consumer studies at the University of Utah. “This means they have trees, sidewalks and offer a pleasant environment in which to walk.”

Researchers found that on average men weighed 10 pounds less if they lived in older, more walkable neighborhoods while women weighed about six pounds less.

A few of Atlanta's intown neighborhoods that were built before 1950 that have sidewalks and lots of mature trees with a pleasant environment in which to walk are: Adams Park, Adair Park, Ansley Park, Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Capitol View, Capitol View Manor, Cascade Heights, Castleberry Hill, East Lake, Grant Park, Inman Park, Kirkwood, Morningside, Old Fourth Ward, Ormewood Park, Poncey-Highland, Reynoldstown, Sweet Auburn & Westview.

For more information on any of the neighborhoods mentioned above, contact me.

Atlanta: A Best City To Buy A Home

Recently, Forbes magazine rated Atlanta as one of top 10 best cities to buy a home and I would have to agree.

Forbes magazine 2008 "Best Cities To Buy A Home" list took into consideration appreciation rates, vacancy rates and rent rates in 40 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country.

Exerpt from Forbes magazine "Best Cities To Buy A Home":

"A city that constantly tops our lists of best places for just about anything, Atlanta is a great place to buy a home. With median properties in the $170,000 neighborhood, this booming city is affordable and packed with things to do. Ranked No. 6 on the 2008 Best Places For Business list, Atlanta has jobs and a competitive cost of living. This means taking out a mortgage is a safe long-term decision."

Source: Forbes, Maurna Desmond (07/14/08)

Related Post: Buy a home in Atlanta: Make over $40,000 in 4 Years

Buy a home in Atlanta: Make over $40,000 in 4 Years

With house prices falling around the country, many renters and others are wondering if now is the time to buy. And the answer is Yes, if you currently live in the Atlanta Metro area or planning to relocate to the Atlanta Metro area.

According to new data compiled by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Center for Economic and Policy Research, those in the Atlanta market are better off buying despite falling home values in some areas. In fact, it is projected that those who purchased a home this year in the Atlanta Metro area would have over $40,000 in equity built up in only 4 years. How is that for a great return on investment?

To obtain the full report or to begin looking for your home in the Atlanta Metro area, contact me today.

Related Post: Atlanta Home Prices: Relatively Small Decline

2008 Homeownership Summit - Atlanta

The 2008 Homeownership Summit is scheduled for Saturday, June 28 from 9AM to 3PM. This event is FREE to all attendees.

It is a program being put on in partnership between HUD, FHA, PEMCO, DeKalb & Fulton County Governments, Atlanta Development Authority, Georgia DCA, City of Atlanta Bureau of Housing, and many other Non Profits & Housing Professionals

Attendees will become familiar with options and resources available to assist them in purchasing and sustaining a home. Most importantly, if attendees participate in all sessions, they will receive a certificate to be used when obtaining Down Payment Assistance from Government Agencies.

Each education break-out session only lasts 45 minutes and rotate for 5 hours.

Here are the topics of each session:

PURCHASING A HOME

• Basic Financial Education, Get the Facts: “Pros and Cons of Homeownership”
• Identifying the Industry Professionals – Realtors, Inspectors, Appraisers, Attorneys etc. “Understand Your Home buying Team”
• Credit & Budgeting, “How to Improve Your Credit Score”
• Qualifying for Your Mortgage/Down Payment Assistance – “How Much House Can I Afford”
• Mortgage Products and The Process: Fixed Products vs. ARMs; 15, 20 or 30 year Financing; Avoiding Predatory Lenders – “Why Borrow Trouble”
  

SUSTAINING YOUR HOME

• Post Purchase Concerns: “Maintaining Your Home & Managing Your Finances”
• Mortgage Default Counseling & Loss Mitigation Options – “Ways to Avoid Foreclosure”
• Refinancing & FHA Secure Loan Restructuring – “How to Get a Better Rate”
• Consumer Protection Rights & Awareness – “Beware of Rips Offs and Scams”
• Legal Aid & Assistance – “How to Seek Legal Advice”
  

For more information, contact me today.

Capitol View Manor - Neighborhood Spotlight

Established in 1920, Capitol View Manor is a quiet gem of a community in Southwest Atlanta that was named for its views of the Georgia State Capitol building. The neighborhood is centrally located, being only 5 minutes from Downtown Atlanta and Turner Field and just 10 minutes from Midtown and the airport.

The majority of the homes in Capitol View Manor were built between the early 1920s and the mid 1940s. Home styles include Bungalows, Victorians, Cape Cods, Colonials and Ranches. Also, Capitol View Manor was originally developed by the same developer of the Morningside and Virginia Highland neighborhood.

Capitol View Manor also has its own park, the 10-acre Emma Millican Park and is only a few blocks away from the numerous recreational amenities of 50-acre Perkerson Park. The neighborhood is also anchored by a fire station and is on the proposed Beltline.

Home prices in Capitol View Manor range from $125,000-$250,000, making it an excellent affordable option for those seeking in-town living without the in-town living price tag.

To learn more about Capitol View Manor including pictures of some of the homes in the neighborhood, click on the links below.

Capitol View Manor - Wikipedia
Capitol View Manor Community Group
Homes For Sale In Capitol View Manor

Atlanta Home Prices: Relatively Small Decline

In a recent interview, Princeton economist Paul Krugman spoke with Fortune's Jia Lynn Yang about the economy and the outlook for home prices in which he specifically mentions the Atlanta market. See what he has to say.

How far do you think home prices will fall?

My preferred metric is the ratio of home prices to rental rates. By that measure, average home prices nationally got way too high. We'll probably basically retrace all that. So that's about a 25% decline in overall home prices. Only a fraction of that's happened so far. Of course, it varies a lot. In places like Houston or Atlanta, where home prices have not risen much compared with underlying rents, the decline will be relatively small. In places like Miami or Los Angeles, you could be looking at 40% or 50% declines.

Article: How bad is the mortgage crisis going to get?

Related Post: Buy a home in Atlanta: Make over $40,000 in 4 Years

Metro Atlanta: 5 Million Strong In 2007 and Growing

According to the ARC (Atlanta Regional Commission), the "core" 10-county (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale) Atlanta region is home to 4,029,400 people. This is larger than the population of 24 states. And if you include the 10 core counties in addition to the "external" 10 counties (Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Coweta, Forsyth, Hall, Newton, Paulding, Spalding and Walton), this number increases to 5,077,500.

Highlights from the Atlanta Regional Commission's 2007 Population and Housing Report:

• 71% of all growth since 2000 in the 20-county area occurred within the "core" 10 counties (~600,000 new residents in the "core" 10 versus ~250,000 in the "external" 10)
• 20-county area accounted for almost 70% of Georgia's growth since 2000
• Practically all of the growth in multi-family units occurred in the "core" 10 counties (98.4%)
• Despite recent "citification" trend, the majority of "core" 10-county residents live in unincorporated areas
• Five cities with a 2007 population greater than 10,000 have doubled their population since 2000 - Canton, McDonough, Stockbridge, Villa Rica and Woodstock
• Southern Forsyth is the fastest growing area in the 20 counties.

Source: Atlanta Regional Commission, 2007 Population and Housing Report