Weekly Market Update

For the Week Ending December 4, 2015 Please enjoy this quick update on what happened this week in the housing and financial markets. Recent economic data points to a stable and growing economy. Comments from Fed officials have markets anticipating the Fed will raise policy rates this month. The ECB has increased actions to stimulate the European economy. European economic weakness is not expected to prevent a Fed policy rate hike this month. Jobless claims continue to remain at levels consistent with a strengthening labor market. A strong labor market could contribute to the Fed's decision to raise rates. Private residential construction spending continues to rise, hitting the highest level in 8 years. Construction spending has now risen every month this year. New home sales were up significantly in October over September, and up year-over-year. Prices are also up, and supply remains tight but steady. Pending home sales were up slightly in October after falling the two previous months. Homes continue to sell quickly. Where does a snowman keep his money? In a snow bank. Rate movements and volatility are based on published, aggregate national averages and measured from the previous to the most recent midweek daily reporting period. These rate trends can differ from our own and are subject to change at any time. This Update is from my Prefered Lender ...  See Lenders.BillForrest.com

July is Renovation Month in Cross Creek

July is Renovation Month in Cross Creek

 With the dramatic increases in sold prices of updated condos in Cross Creek recently, it has created an environment that is idea for renovation.  As part of this, we have 3 condos coming on the market in July that are eligible for a renovation renew program.  All three have not been updated and are available at a price point that makes complete renovation possible in today’s market with 30 year financing.  

What this means is a buyer now has the opportunity to buy a Cross Creek condo and have it completely renovated to look like a new, fully updated to their taste, and fully financed. The buyer will have the option of choosing everything. From all new kitchen, flooring, movie star bathroom, closet system, lighting and more.  These three condos, once completed, will be the best looking homes in Cross Creek.

We have teamed up with two great partners to achieve this feat.  For this program, we have again teamed up with one of the best lenders in Atlanta to provide the financing.  Jason Randall with First Option Mortgage has been a great lender for us in Cross Creek exceeding client expectation and delivering what they promised time and time again.  Our construction partner is TrueSource.  They have a huge following in Atlanta of satisfied customers. TrueSource is providing the design services, wholesale sourcing, and true expert craftsmanship at a cost effective price.  Both of these great partners, like me, are residents of Cross Creek and are committed to help make our community the best it can possibly be.

       

The properties:

206 Triumph – 1 Bedroom 1 Bath

Is being offered for $105,900 renovated or 79,900 as-is

160 LaBlanc Place – 2 Bedroom 2.5 Bath Townhome with courtyard

This unit is being offered for $165,900 renovated or 145,900 as-is

Adrian Place – 2 Bedroom 1.5 Bath Townhome with courtyard

This unit is being offered for $162,900 renovated or 139,900 as-is

If you are interested in getting more information please give 

Bill a call at 404.353.9233 or email at Bill@BillForrest.com

Coming This Friday!

Coming This Friday 5/8

77 Montre Square in Cross Creek

RENOVATED Only $144,900

This one is more than move in ready, Its just awesome!  This is the best Orleans plan to come on the market in a very long time if ever.  It has been painstakingly upgraded with new electrical, Hot Water, All Flooring, All New Kitchen and Baths...the list goes on and on.  I love the walk-in shower with custom pebble floor.  This one sets the standard of what a Cross Creek condo can be.  You just got to see it in person!  On the market Friday 5/8/15

Cross Creek has had a renaissance as of late with homes closing up over 22% in value since January 2014.  We have a great HOA with well over 4 million in reserves and are well into extensively renovating the exteriors with NO ASSESSMENTS!  I live here and love it! So will your clients with 24/7/365 Manned Guard House/Gated Community, 3 Pools, Tennis, Executive 18 Hole Golf Course, Cafe, Bar and So Much More.  It truly is 'Buckhead's Best Kept Secret'  Call me to be properly briefed on all of the great changes happening at 'TheCreek' 404-353-9233 cell.

Give me a call for a EZ show appointment at 404-353-9233.  

All the Best,

Bill

If you like you can have a automated market report, like a 401K statement for your condo; sent directly to your email just fill this widget out...  No spam I promise:

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Selling Your Home for More in Six Steps

Desirability and Delivery

This is the basis to to selling your home for more.  As a consumer based society we all are concerned with value.  Perceived value is when the buyer believes that the price they are paying for a home is less than the perceived worth of a property in a given market cycle.  A lot of agents will add phrasing like "below appraisal, "this one is a steal," or "this one wont last long" in a property description trying to achieve this usually to lackluster results. Wording alone does not achieve perceived value. 

My team and I at Common Ground Real Estate have a much different approach. We work with the seller to actually create more value in a home.  That is why we continue to sell more homes than other agents and for more. Our services are much much more than just listing a house or condo for sale.

Making your home as desirable as possible to the buying public and delivering that message in the widest distribution possible is the key to 'Selling Your Home for More' and we are masters at it.  This is outlined in Six Steps:

1. Preparation:

Clean and Working: Less than 5% of properties are ready for market at any given time.  First off everything has got to be in working order. "Yeah that door sticks, I've been meaning to fix that" These little tell tell things give the buyer the impression that maintenance on a home has not be done and worse they can draw the wrong conclusions: 'hmmm there might be structural issues here' Cleanliness is paramount.  Nobody wants to buy a dirty home or one with pealing paint.  These are the homes that buyers will buy to 'fix it up' and want a discount to do so. 

2. Staging:

De-cluttered with minimal mementos and pictures. You are going to be moving so go ahead and pack up a lot of the 'personal and personality' items and move them to storage. Take excess furniture to storage too.  Want the home to look spacious and inviting. Clean out (and most of all) thin out the closets. Over-flowing is never a good look.  The object is to move the buyer from thinking "I can live here" to "I want to live here."

3. Photography   

Not enough can be said about this. Now that the home is model ready and looks the best it ever has, it is time to record it.  Magazine quality photography is critical to success now more so than ever.  The industry has shifted completely to online.  This is the first test with a buyer.  Thousands of buyers will look at your home online and make a critical decision whether to come see it in person.  You are only going to receive an offer to purchase if the buyer has seen it in person.

4. Distribution

Just throwing up a listing in the MLS is not enough.  You want those wonderful photographs and your home's compelling story on every real estate website that has active buyers.  My team makes sure that all of our listings are on  FMLS, GaMLS, Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, and over 350 more websites everyday with thousands of views. Once the buyer comes and views the home in person, having a magazine quality brochure to take with them is critically important. This helps them to remember your home and the quality of the brochure can help reinforce that perceived value.

5. Team Work

It is not enough to just reach out to the buying public but to also have 'buyin' from our fellow REALTORS. Promoting the home to key agents within a community is important.  They have ready, willing, and able buyers that are actively looking.  Following up on showings to overcome objections and identify fixable issues is critical to getting a great offer.

6. Availability

If agents have a hard time getting in to show the home it will not sell for a premium.  They will just cross it off consideration...


Give me a call at 404-353-9233 to discuss how we can help you achieve YOUR real estate goals now and in the future...
For those of you that are grammar hawks I know that there are huge grammatical flaws in my writing style.  I am an excellent REALTOR with a strong proven record.... I do not hold myself out to be a great writer....lol...  All the Best, Bill 

Maximizing your home’s perceived value to prospective purchasers is Bill's business. His job is to make sure that the buyer not only sees competitive advantages in your home but also believes that your home’s inherent value exceeds the competitions’. Bill and the Common Ground Real Estate Team are masters at marketing your home’s value and achieving the absolute highest return on your investment maximizing your equity. It truly takes a special organization to make that happen.
Click Here More info on Bill

Back to Basics: Flooring for Beginners

Back to Basics: Flooring for Beginners

"My favorite TV DIY Guy, Scott McGillivray  from HGTV's Income Properties, is laying it all out for us - Bill"

Everyone’s got their passion: People who are into technology are techies. Those who are really into food are foodies. Me? I love wood floors. I guess that makes me a woody?

“Hardwood flooring throughout” – that’s the number one phrase that pops up in North American real estate listings, hands down. And while real hardwood may be perceived as the most desirable, there are other options that look great and are affordable and durable. I’m breaking down everything you need to know about the real, the semi-real, and the fake wood you find under your feet.

Hardwood (Solid)

What is it? In this case, it’s all in the name. Real, solid hardwood floors are made from solid pieces of wood (usually 3/4 – inch thick). Popular species are maple, oak, ash, hickory, walnut, cherry, and more recently, bamboo. Plank sizes range from 1.5-inches to 8-inches.

How much does it cost? Budget $4-$6/square foot, plus approximately $2/square foot for installation.

Where can you use it? Given its susceptibility to moisture and humidity, real hardwood should only be used at or above grade, and in climates without drastic changes in humidity from season to season.

Pros: It’s the real deal. Plus, it can be sanded and refinished multiple times, which can save you big bucks on replacement cost down the road.

Cons: It’s prone to moisture and scratching. It’s also one of the priciest flooring options.

Hardwood (Engineered)

What is it? Engineered hardwood combines the best of both worlds – a layer of real, solid hardwood on the top, with several layers of interlaced plywood or fibreboard on the bottom – the same materials that make up laminate floors. What this means is that you get the look and finish of true hardwood, with the durability of a laminate.

How much does it cost? You’ll be looking about the same cost as real hardwood $4-$6/square foot, plus approximately $2/square foot for installation.

Where can you use it? The beauty of engineered hardwood is that it’s nowhere near as susceptible to moisture and humidity as real hardwood, meaning that you can install it just about anywhere, including below grade.

Pros: Can’t tell the difference between it and real hardwood, but has none of the same issues.

Cons: Engineered hardwood can’t be re-finished as many times as true hardwood, if at all. You may have to settle for screening (removing the finish without sanding the actual floor).

Laminate

What is it? Laminate floor is essentially layers of adhered fibreboard with an image of real wood printed on top.

How much does it cost? Laminate can cost as little as $1/square foot, but the average is about $2-$3. Installation is about half the cost as hardwood installation, or, if you’re comfortable, you can go the DIY route.

Where can you use it? Just about anywhere. Much like engineered hardwood, laminate isn’t affected by humidity and moisture in the same way as true hardwood, making it a popular choice for below, at, or above grade.

Pros: It’s inexpensive and durable.

Cons: Depending on the quality, it can look close to hardwood, but chances are you’re not going to be fooling anyone.

Vinyl

What is it? Vinyl flooring can refer to several different products – sheet vinyl, vinyl tiles (sometimes LVT – luxury vinyl tiles), or, vinyl plank (sometimes LVP – luxury vinyl plank). Vinyl flooring is also often referred to as resilient flooring. Whatever you call it, it’s all basically the same thing – pieces of vinyl that are either printed with a pattern, or, an image that mimics stone or wood (much like laminate). Vinyl plank flooring, which is made to mimic hardwood, has come a long way and many products on the market now rival laminate as a hardwood alternative.

How much does it cost? Still cheaper than hardwood at about $2-$5/square foot, vinyl plank is usually a little more expensive than laminate. Where you save? Installation cost. Vinyl planks almost always use either a “click” or adhesive installation system, making it very DIY friendly – you can even cut it with a utility knife!

Where can you use it? Vinyl plank flooring is extremely durable and waterproof, making it a natural choice for basements, bathrooms, and kitchens.

Pros: Besides being waterproof, vinyl plank flooring is also very thin, making it great for basements with low ceilings where you can’t afford to lose much height.

Cons: Vinyl plank flooring doesn’t bring the same ROI as other types of flooring and while it’s easy to install, your sub-floor must be perfect, or imperfections will show through.

Here’s a closer look at some of the options.

All Photos Courtesy of RTR Media / Income Property - Content:

www.ScottMcGillivray.com