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!