What Makes Our Job so Great?

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

As we bring 2014 to a close, I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all of you. Your support and your referrals have allowed us to help over 100 families buy and sell real estate this year.

For us, it's not really about the sales or the numbers, it's more about the ability to help families meet their individual goals. Nothing makes us happier than helping a family out of a bad living situation and into a good one. We would like to share with you a few examples of this that we have encountered just in the last year.

• We helped an older couple move out of their long-term home and into a smaller place. They got a much more appropriately sized property and were also able to become debt-free in the process. 
• We were able to help another family create a steady flow of income by investing in 3 rental properties.
• Finally, we had a client who had a 4-hour commute each day to work and back. We found him and his family a home closer to his office, so he was able to spend more time with his family.

It's these kinds of things that we really enjoy helping people with here at the Justin Woodall Group. If you have any questions for us at all, feel free to give us a call or send a quick email.

What Am I Thankful For?

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

It's almost Thanksgiving, so I wanted to take the time to pause and reflect on how blessed we are. I have so many things to be thankful for - God has blessed me in so many ways, so I thought I would share some of the things I'm most grateful for. 

My family. I'm so thankful for my beautiful wife and three kids, they really keep me going every day. 

My team. They make everything go smooth and make everything go as it should. We've had a great deal of success and I feel so lucky to be apart of such a great team.

Keller Williams Realty. This is the fastest-growing real estate franchise in the country. They're really on the cutting edge, and I think you're going to see a lot more coming from them. I'm thankful to be with them.

To God for my salvation. I'm glad to be standing here as a forgiven man, who is no better than anyone else. I'm thankful for my salvation through Jesus Christ.

YOU! I'm very lucky to have the support of fantastic friends, clients, and family members. We're thankful for your business and for your referrals - your support means the world to us.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Thanks, and have a wonderful week!

Title Insurance Basics

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

 Today we want to talk to you a little about title insurance and explain what it is and how it works. We get questions from clients all the time about title insurance, wondering if they need it and if they should have to pay for it. 

Before you decide whether to purchase title insurance, you should first meet with a closing attorney to have them explain, in detail, whether it's right for your particular situation. We purchase title insurance on every one of our personal properties - like other types of insurance, you'll probably never need it, but if you do, you will be glad to have it.

Basically, title insurance is the best form of ownership in a property, meaning that if any claims arise that would interfere with the title on your property, such as any ownership claims or property line claims, you would be covered.

If you have any further questions about title insurance, we suggest you talk to a closing attorney for the most accurate information. If you have any other questions, or would like us to get you in contact with a closing attorney, we would be glad to do so. Just give us a call or shoot us a quick email.

The Woodall Group Explains Inspections & Appraisals

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

It's come to our attention that many folks in our area don't know what the difference is between home inspections and appraisals. Today, we break these two real estate concepts down for you.

• Home inspections: These are recommended but not mandatory. An inspection is typically done by the buyer. They will hire an independent person, who does 2 or 3 inspections a day, to take a look at the house you're interested in and make sure there aren't any major problems. It's a thorough evaluation of the house - they will check the thermal and electrical, examine the attic, crawl spaces, under the kitchen sinks, and the roof, among other things. At the end, you'll get a report that tells you everything you need to know about the house. Inspections vary in price, but are typically between $300-$500. Before you get an inspection, ask what the particular company will include in the report. This is a great way to protect yourself from buying a defective home.
• Appraisals: These are mandatory if you are taking out a loan. An appraisal determines the value of your home or validates the value you want to sell it for. The appraiser will take notes about the various details of your house - such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the size of the rooms, and the overall quality and condition of the home. They will then compare your home to other recently sold properties in your area and come up with a value. They will be sure to make adjustments for the size, age, and condition of your home to get a solid number. Banks order these when you apply for a loan. If you buy in cash, an appraisal is optional.

There it is, the many differences between the appraisal and inspection processes. As always, if you need any help with real estate in the Athens area, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email. We'd be pleased to serve you!

Is Cornerstone Rehab Loan Right for You?

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today, a good friend of ours from Cornerstone Home Lending Inc joins us to talk about a great new loan they offer. The question many homeowners want to know is, "How can you get money in your mortgage to fix or rehab a house?" Today, our friend Russ Tanner answers just that.

The answer to that question used to be you either get an FHA loan for around $2,000-$3,000, or you go to a local bank for a short-term construction loan before going to a lending company to get a permanent long-term fixed-rate type mortgage. Either way, you're making separate payments and are often getting not so favorable terms.

We're happy to introduce the Cornerstone Rehab Loan, which allows you to get one loan to both buy a home and do the renovations you want to. It's a streamlined way of borrowing money - you only have to close one time, with one set of fees. If you have the plans ready and get the specs in for an updated appraisal, you will be able to get this convenient loan.

It's designed to make the buying and renovating process a smooth, simple process. This rehab loan can save you a lot of headache if you were worried about getting a construction loan, about having to get two separate appraisals, and about dealing with two sets of closing costs. 

If you want a streamlined process that makes renovating your home a whole lot easier, give us a call. This loan also provides you with the benefits of being fully approved, which gives you the upper hand when competing with other buyers. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you have about this great opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you!

Multiple Options for Mortgages

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today, we want to talk about a few types of long term mortgages that most buyers use when they decide to purchase a house. There are a few different options out there, and depending on your situation, you could get a really nice loan and interest rate in this market.

Conventional mortgages are probably the most popular kind. There are a lot of options on this loan as far as down payments go. You can choose to pay 3%, 5%, 10%, or 20% down. The advantage of putting at least 20% down is that you can avoid the private mortgage insurance that you would have to pay with a rate any lower than 20%.

There are a few options for mortgages that don't require a down payment. VA loans are for active duty military or veterans. This loan comes with no down payment as a way to thank military members for their service. Another option for a no money down loan is a USDA loan. The catch with a USDA loan is that it has to go towards a rural development property.Nothing in Clark County qualifies, but there are properties close by that do qualify. Give us a call if you are interested in this type of loan and we can let you know where it will work. 

One of the other most popular types of loans are FHA loans. They can be obtained with a little lower credit score and you can have this loan with only a 3.5% down payment, with closing costs being rolled in.

If you've been thinking about buying, now is a good time. Interest rates are really low, and they will increase soon. Locking in a rate now could save you thousands down the road. If you have any questions at all about mortgages or anything else real estate related, let us know. We'd be glad to help. 

Why There is no Substitute for a Real Expert

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Last video, we talked about Zillow, Trulia, and other home search websites. These sites are great tools or aids in beginning your home search, but that is all they are. They are tools or aids to help you in the home search process and in no way take the place of a real estate agent. 

A lot of great homes out there don't even make it to these websites before they go under contract. Just this past month, our team sold 3 of our listings to buyers we were already working with and didn't even have to bother putting them online. This benefits the seller because their home sells at or near list price and within a few days. It also benefited the buyer, as they had the first pick of the great homes we were selling. 

If you are a buyer or seller, don't depend on a website to find you your perfect home. You need to contact a good agent so that you can make the most out of your real estate transactions. If you have any questions about these websites or why an agent is your best bet, please give us a call or send over an email. We'd love to discuss the topic with you. 

Why There are Better Places to Begin Your Online Home Search

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

If you have been paying attention to the news recently, you may have heard that Zillow has entered into an agreement to purchase competitor Trulia for $3.5B in stock. These companies make their money by charging Realtors, like us, to become premier agents on their site and to buy ad space. It will be interesting to see what this merger creates, because neither company is profitable, yet their stock prices seem to be high. 

These sites are all well and good, but we have a few problems with them that we'd like to let you know about. The first thing to talk about is the "zestimate". The zestimate is a computer generated valuation of a property. The computer uses an algorithm to compute what it thinks a property is worth. We have seen zestimates be right on target, but more often than not we have seen them be way off.

Another problem with these sites is that some of their information and data is inaccurate. It's not uncommon for us to get a call from a client about a property they are interested on Zillow, only to find that it has been sold for weeks and is no longer available. 

If you want to have an accurate online home search experience, we have a few sites for you to check out. athenshomesearcher.com and athensareahomesearch.com are two sites that you need to visit. They feed directly from the Athens MLS and are more up-to-date and accurate than Trulia or Zillow.

A home search website is simply a tool for looking at properties and is in no way a substitute for a real estate agent. The reason we say this is because most of the best deals we get for our clients often happen before a property is even listed. When you can sell a property for a client without having to put it on the market and at the same time help a client buy a property without having to compete with other buyers, it's a win-win for all parties involved.

If we can do anything for you, a friend, family, or a co-worker, please feel free to give us a call. We would love to point you in the right direction!

My Team will Market Your Home to a Large Pool of Buyers to Get You Top Dollar

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Why Homes Don't Sell

 

You might have noticed that some homes in Athens seem to sell the second that they hit the market and others can take weeks or months to sell.

A lot of this has to do with the real estate agent, and some of it has to do with the communication between the seller and the agent. Last year my team managed to sell 70% of our listings in less than two months, and 80% in less than three months.

With this being said, here are a few reasons why homes don't sell:

1. If a home does not show well, it will not sell well. You need to make sure that your home in Athens is in tip-top condition and that it is not in a state of disrepair. If your home is dirty or simply not in good condition, it will still sell, but not for top dollar.
• Be sure not to forget about landscaping either. The exterior of your home is what draws buyers inside.
2. The price of your home is another crucial factor. You need to have a competitive and attractive price for your home to draw buyers to your property. You should consult an experienced real estate agent that can gauge an accurate price for your home that reflects it's true value and is also consistent with market conditions.
3. If your home isn't marketed aggressively to a large amount of prospective buyers, then it will not sell well. You need a qualified agent with various systems in place to get your home seen by as many people as possible. Another aspect of marketing is hiring a professional photographer to capture great photos of your home. Staging is also important, but if your home looks great online, then buyers will likely come asking for more.

These are a few reasons why your home in Athens may not be selling. Every case is different, but I have found that these are common factors for homes not selling.

If you're having trouble selling your home in Athens, then please contact me via phone or email. I would love to speak to you personally and figure out what we can do to get your property marketed and sold.

Let Us Be Your Resource for Much More than Real Estate

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Let Us Be Your Resource for Much More than Real Estate

 

Today I just wanted to let you know that you can use us as a good resource for referrals. If you need a good roofer, a good plumber, or any other type of contractor, please do not hesitate to ask us for a referral.

We know landscapers, plumbers, carpenters, cleaners, roofers, construction workers, lenders, and more. We work with these people everyday and are more than willing to point you in the right direction so that you can get satisfactory service out of anyone that we refer to you.

We know who is trustworthy and who is not. If you're not on our list and want to be included on our list of preferred vendors, then give me call and we can speak about putting you on there.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about Athens real estate, then please do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than willing to help you out.

Thanks for tuning in!

The Decline of Foreclosure Properties in Athens is a Sign of Positive Growth

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 612-1094 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Update on Foreclosure Properties in Athens

If you live in Athens, you might be watching the market and trying to find a good foreclosure property to purchase. In this short video I will give you an update as to what is happening with foreclosure properties in our local real estate market here in Athens.

• In 2011 there were 1,035 foreclosures that sold in the Athens MLS.
• In 2012 there were 980 foreclosure properties being sold.
• 2013 saw only 602 foreclosure properties sold, which is around a 40% decrease from 2011.
• In the first quarter of 2013, there were 168 foreclosure properties being sold here in Athens.
• In the first quarter of this year, that number dropped to 110.

You can see that the number of foreclosures in Athens is decreasing as the market rebounds. We have seen much more new construction this year, and that is a sign of further improvement.

If you're thinking about buying a foreclosure property there are still some out there, and we know where to find them. We have marketing in place to catch motivated sellers that just want to get out quickly. You have the chance to buy these properties before they even hit the market.

Please feel free to contact me if you're looking for a foreclosure to buy. Also, don't hesitate to ask me about Athens real estate if you are looking to buy or sell other properties. I am always willing to meet with you and discuss your individual needs.

When You Own a Home, You Save Big with Tax Deductions

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 612-1094 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Things to Know Heading Into Tax Season

 

It's that special time of year again here in Athens - Tax season. You may gave gotten a refund or you may be paying an additional income tax, but either way I would like to share with you some things that deal with how real estate pertains to taxes. There are some things that you may or may not be taking advantage of, so I would like to tell you about them.

• If you're currently renting a home, you're missing out on a good tax deduction from the interest that you would pay on a mortgage. For example, if you itemize your taxes you are then able to write off the interest portion of your payment when you make your house payment.
• Let's say your house payment is $1,000 dollars a month. Over the course of a year let's just say that $8,000 dollars is the interest portion of that payment. So when you file your income tax you're able to deduct that $8,000 dollars from your income. So, if you're in a 25% tax bracket, you just saved yourself $2,000 dollars.
• If you're renting in Athens and thinking about buying, now would be a great time to do so. Not only is the market getting better and interest is low, you also get a tax benefit.
• Also, as you pay the principle, you build equity.
• This same tax deduction can be applied toward investment properties. If you want to shelter some income and buy rental property, that interest portion of your payment is also deductible.

I do have to tell you that I am not an accountant or a financial adviser, so before you take this to heart, please consult with these professionals. I am only offering some friendly suggestions for you heading into tax season. 

As always, if you need any help with buying, selling, or investing in Athens real estate, please give me a call and I would be happy to give you a hand.

Highlights from Gary Keller's Speech on our National Real Estate Market

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 612-1094 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

I want to share with you a speech that Gary Keller gave at the Keller Williams Convention in Phoenix a few weeks ago. He spoke about the state of the real estate market in America, as well as other influences like the economy and inflation. I thought he had a lot of interesting things to say, and I'd like to share them with you.

Key Points from Gary Keller's Speech

• Over 5 million homes were sold in the US in 2013, which is the highest number since 2006: This is a bright sign for the future of our national market, and I think you may have noticed the market here in Athens starting to warm up a bit as well.
• Distressed sales - both short sales and foreclosures - are down dramatically:
• These kinds of sales made up 49% of the market in 2009, 40% of the market in 2011, but only 14% of the market in 2013.
• Since 2009, the percentage of short sales on the market is down by 35%.
• Buyers are finding their homes through different avenues:
• The internet is leading the way with 43% of homes found online.
• Real estate agents managed to find 38% of properties.
• Only 2% of people found their homes in a printed ad.
• Most people have been finding real estate agents through referrals of friends (40% of consumers), however:
• Only 12% of buyers used their previous agent again.
• Only 25% of sellers used their previous agent again.
• This is particularly unsettling to agents throughout the nation, but it only means that we need to step up our service and assure the satisfaction of our customers here in Athens and beyond. Your experience with us is valued, and 50% of our business last year came from former clients and referrals.
• How did properties sell?
• 88% of properties were sold through a real estate broker.
• 9% sold through a for sale by owner.
• 1% sold through an investor.
• The 9% of owners that sold their own homes was surprising to me. I realize these people were trying to save on commission, but it's been shown that hiring a realtor will get you a better price for a home whether you're buying or selling.

These are just a few of the things that caught my attention, so I hope this information has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or comments, or if you would like to talk to me about Athens real estate, please call me. You can reach me at (706) 621-6085 or you can visit www.justinwoodall.com

Prepare Yourself: Greater Athens Real Estate Predictions for 2014

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? 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 us at (706) 612-1094 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Last time we wrapped up with what had happened in the 2013 Athens real estate market, and I'm here again to tell you what to expect for 2014.

• In past years, sales have been up in the area. As this demand for homes increases while the supply decreases, you can expect to see property prices continue to rise in 2014.
• Interest rates are expected to rise to between 5% and 6%
• My advice to buyers: purchase your property sooner rather than later to avoid higher prices later in the year.
• My advice to sellers: You can wait and sell for more, but either way, 2014 will be a good year to sell.
• Bottom line: The Athens Real Estate market in 2014 will be markedly improved from 2013 as prices continue to trend upward.

Home Sales and Prices Are Up! 2013 Market Recap

Click here to find out what your home is worth or to search all area homes for sale.

Welcome back! Now that 2013 has come to a close, you might be curious about how the market compared to 2012 and what you can expect for 2014.

In Clarke county the number of total transactions for 2013 was 1,120. That's a 19% increase from the 931 transactions in 2012.

The average sales price in Clarke county also rose by about 10%.

In Oconee county the number of transactions increased from 409 to 530; that's a 30% increase. That means buyer demand is up and we expect that to continue on into 2014.

I also wanted to take the time to thank you. Our team had a great year and we helped more than 100 families with their real estate needs. We can't wait to help even more this year.

So if you know of anyone interested in buying or selling, give us a call today! Thanks for watching!