Coweta Fayette Real Estate & Newnan Homes for sale blog by Richard Weisser of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers

In our market, there are many homes that have been for sale for over a year, As a matter of fact, there are quite a few that have been for sale for over two years, and when your product is in a declining market, it is essential to know how your property is affected.

There is an old real estate adage that states that there is only one reason a property will not sell, and that of course is PRICE! And if your home has not sold in nearly 700 days, it is time to examine the market again and make any necessary adjustments.

Real estate is a commodity, and price is governed not only by the laws of supply and demand, but also by the availability of ready financing. Even if a seller successfully “chases” the market and gets an above average offer, the deal is often thwarted by a less than generous appraisal.

All serious sellers should get a new CMA every thirty days and make the necessary adjustments. A correctly priced property will sell.

And that’s the bottom line.

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It’s Super Bowl Sunday in America, and it’s one of those “event” times that are hard to ignore. And although it is a relatively new “holiday,” Super Bowl Sunday ranks with Thanksgiving and Christmas as gathering day for families and friends.

And it’s also our biggest celebration of “junk” food. We devour all of the things that are bad for us but taste so good. Millions of chicken wings, bratwurst sausages and pizzas will be washed down with plenty of beer and other potent beverages.

I remember the first AFL-NFL World Championship in January of 1967. It was not officially called the Super Bowl, but the term began being used by the media to hype the event. At some point (the exact date varies from source to source) the name was officially changed to the Super Bowl, and the Roman Numerals were added as identifiers.

I have personally observed the entire metamorphosis of the Super Bowl from a simple game to a national obsession. I choose to participate because it’s a break from the mundane and the ordinary and it’s a lot of fun!

And I LOVE a grilled bratwurst!  

As I was preparing an offer for a client today, I pulled the tax records of the subject property and comparable sales, and pulled all of the deeds on the property as well.

He was impressed by the ease with which I accessed the information, and that prompted him to ask this question:

What did you do before you had computers?

I guess that I don’t think about it much anymore, but the fact of the matter is that we used to have to do a lot more work. We had to drive to the tax assessors office and to the Clerk of Superior Court,

We would manually search though hundreds of index books, with hand-written entries directing us to a deed or plat book. One located the deed would have to be copied and the books replaced.

But as archaic as that seems, an older friend here in Newnan said that before the copy machine was invented, he had to use tracing paper and a pencil to hand copy plats at the courthouse. A simple request for a plat could take hours of time!

And while I enjoy having the information at my fingertips, I sometimes miss those trips to the county courthouse. It was almost like being a member of a secret society with special access to privileged information.

And that always made me feel special!

I have been watching the Weather Channel all morning. I have family and friends scattered all over the Mid-Atlantic States and they are being buried under more snow than they have ever seen from a single storm.

And being the scientist that I am, I always get to thinking about the precarious balance of factors that allows our planet to be temperate enough to support life as we know it.

It just so happens that our good earth is exactly the correct distance from the sun, and is tilted at just the right angle on its axis, and has just the right amount of mass to support just the right mixture of atmosphere that allows surface temperatures to remain in a somewhat limited and controlled range.

In addition, the terrestrial sphere rotates at a rate that tempers extreme temperature differentials, which allows the massive amounts of water on our globe to transmute from liquid in our oceans to vapor in our atmosphere, which creates a natural distribution system that allows life to flourish nearly everywhere on the planet.

And while some would call this a great cosmic coincidence, I prefer to believe that all of these ingredients in the recipe of life are by design.

And being the scientist that I am, I feel that is a very logical conclusion!

Note: While we missed the snow in Newnan GA, I feel for all of my family and friends in the path of the storm. Stay safe, don't take chance, and enjoy the event!

This actually happened to ne several years ago. It was a $200,000 condo in Atlanta, advertised at a 3.5% co-op fee, and the buyer wanted to make a “full-price offer.

And so the buyer offered $186,000, no closing costs, and stated in the contract that the buyer would pay the 7% real estate commission, The net to the seller would be the same as a full-price offer, paying commission.

There was a slight savings for the buyer, as the 7% would be computed on the lower sales price, but that’s NOT the reason the buyer elected to pay the commission.

It was all about property taxes. The buyer wanted a lower sales price to preserve an already low assessment. And since Atlanta and Fulton County taxes are quite high, this saving would continue year after year on this particular property.

I always thought that this was a great idea, as the buyer ultimately pays the commission anyway. It is built into the sale price.

And I wonder why cash buyers don’t do this all of the time?

As we emerge from the darkest days of the year and as our planet races towards the equinoctial point, something stirs inside each of us that urges us to start moving!

Our agrarian heritage that is ingrained in our DNA instinctively causes the hibernating organism to awake from its state of torpor and to reignite the eternal struggle for survival.

And although it’s still freezing outside, spring is not far away. It’s time to get moving, there’s a lot that needs to be done.

And so little time to do it!

Back in September, I wrote about a catastrophic computer failure Well, it looks like I've done it again. Another computer crash has rocked my world!  And I thought that I had laid that laptop to rest with dignity and respect.

But I was never one to leave well enough alone. Last weekend, I decided to perform an autopsy on my former sidekick. I began by removing the hard drive and performing a few good shakes and some good sharp taps and reinstalled it in its bay.

When I restarted the computer, the message “boot sector missing” was still there, but now there was something different … I heard the drive spinning. And a spinning drive is a working drive.

I was not able to read the drive, so my data was history, but I took a deep breath and issued the command to reformat the device. To my surprise, the operation was successful.

And since I now had a pulse, I had to bring the computer back to life one organ at a time. I had to re-install the operating system, and began to replace each driver. It was time consuming and tedious, but after a few hours I removed the Old Dell from life-support.

Now that it was breathing on its own, it was time to begin rehabilitation. I had to teach the computer simple things like how to send and receive email, and how to open PDF files.

I am happy to report today that my old friend is alive and well, and adjusting to its severe amnesia. And although there are voids and missing pieces that will never be recovered, where there is life, there is hope!

And new adventures awaiting on the horizon!

I have one of those fancy-schmancy coffee makers that automatically grinds the coffee beans and brews a fresh pot of java every morning. It is supposed to make my life easier.

But it’s not really that “automatic” after all is said and done, because I have to clean the grinder, load the beans, fill the water, empty the old coffee grounds, insert a new filter, clean the coffee pot, and set the timer.

If I fail to take any of those steps, the coffee is either unfit to drink or is not brewed at all. It is a task that demands precision.

The night before last, I forgot to replace the coffee pot under the basket. You can only imagine the mess I faced the first thing in the morning. Last night, I forgot to hit the “program” button so the process did not commence and I had to manually start the machine.

The point of all of this is that there are many jobs in life, including real estate, that require precise attention to detail. If any of the necessary steps are forgotten or omitted, there is a good chance that a big mess is brewing or that settlement isn’t going to happen.

It’s important to have tools, systems, and methods in place to make certain that everything goes smoothly.

It’s even MORE important to use them correctly!

Groundhog Day has a very special significance for my wife and me. On a cold February 2 in 1985, we were married in a quiet ceremony at her parent’s home in East Point Georgia.

And being the “numbers” person that I am, I know that the anniversary of twenty-five years of marriage is a very special occasion. It’s a testament to the love and commitment that two people have for each other.

And I know that I’m not the easiest guy in the world to live with. Fortunately, my better half possesses the qualities of patience and forbearance which have allowed her to overlook a lot of my shortcomings.

But the biggest part of our secret to success is that we both enjoy the simple things in life. We have always been content with the knowledge that nothing else matters as long as we’re together.

And I am looking forward to the next twenty-five years, God-willing, because I have been blessed to find my true soul-mate.

Truly, truly blessed!

It is my understanding that good companies are always looking for good people. And although am I am bit older than most candidates, I have a lot to offer that I feel make me worth consideration for many job opportunities.

First, my education: I have a Ph.D. from the School of Hard Knocks in Problem Solving. I stay sharp with almost daily doses of continuing education in new ways of making things happen and correcting the errors of others.

My experience: I have seen just about everything, and nothing surprises me anymore. Due to this fact, I have the innate ability to almost instantly discern the intentions of others, and can create a strategy “on the fly” for dealing with their questions and concerns!

My professional skills: I am both a scientist and an artist! I have a deep understanding of everything from abstract art to zoology. I’m a killer trivia player and the go-to guy at the office coffee pot for answering off-the-wall questions.

My people skills: I generally play nice until I am provoked or have simply just had enough.

Other qualities include compassion, punctuality, dedication, loyalty, determination, perseverance, veracity and perspicacity.

And the best part …I’m available!

I have known for some time that I am no spring chicken. I have enjoyed many good years and plenty of awesome experiences in my time, but lately I find that a few things here and there aren’t exactly in mint condition!

Although I have always felt young on the inside, the outside parts of my mortal coil are offering more protest with each and every physical endeavor. It’s perfectly normal of course, but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept.

With retirement even more years away due to the recent economy, it seems as though the next few years are going to require a little extra effort from my already over-taxed frame, but I am up to the challenge.

After all, I have been fighting the system all of my life! So fighting my OWN system should be a piece of cake!

The real estate market is topsy-turvy right now, and the sudden onslaught of technology designed to help both consumers and real estate professionals muddle through the confusion seems to have only wreaked more havoc.

Because the ways that we do business now can change from day to day, we can only attempt to react to different methods of information distribution and communication, and that requires constant adaptation to an ever-changing business model.

If you throw new restrictions, rules, and regulations into the mix, the task of keeping afloat can at times seem almost overwhelming. We spend as much time tweaking our businesses as we do conducting business.

It’s a challenge that many have chosen not to accept, opting for a less dynamic means of earning a living. However, many remain, and some have chosen to enter the field despite the tempestuous times.

And between the battle-tested long-timers and the new recruits, there are some fine professionals that are ready and willing to help, and they are dedicated to getting the job done despite contrarian market forces.

A seasoned guide can help traverse even the most perilous territory. Don’t go it alone, align yourself with powerful allies that can work with you in achieving your real estate goals.

It’s the sensible  thing to do!

It is an inviolate tenet of real estate. When selling a property, one must determine whether it is more important to sell a property quickly and possibly accept less money, or to hold on for a longer time to get a higher price.

And one can statistically estimate for a seller what those time frames might be for different pricing points. By analyzing the overall days on the market against final sales prices one can generate a representative are market survey.

This method of analysis can also be used by potential buyers that are holding out in an effort to purchase the best property at the LOWEST price?

The technical term is how long it takes to sell a property is known as the “absorption rate,” and it is probably the best indicator of how long a buyer might wish to hold out when considering a purchase.

Very simply stated, the absorption rate is the number of statistical weeks that it takes to sell a property in a particular price range. If the absorption rate is low, holding out probably won’t help much.

However, a very high rate can be an indicator to take a bit more time finding just the right house or to offer less money for a “settle-for” property. It is a true supply and demand indicator.

So whether one is selling or buying real estate, market statistics can be very helpful tool for making a correct business decision.

Because good statistics can save you time OR money!

With plenty of REO and other distressed properties that do not have the utilities turned on, late showings in the winter can be a challenge.

Not only is it very cold inside the properties, if you are out in the country in the middle of the woods it can be very, very dark.

I carry an LED flashlight for such occasions. It discharges a bright, eerily blue light that casts a surreal beam of antiseptic illumination that allows for safety and a piece by piece interpretation of the property.

And whether or not a potential purchaser can assemble the jigsaw puzzle and form a cognitive conclusion regarding the property is still a matter that is yet unproven. It could have been a total waste of time.

But it sure was a lot of fun!

Well, it’s Wednesday, but since I have been working straight through the last few weeks I have completely lost that “middle of the week” feeling.

Of course, in today’s world, there are but a lucky few left that work the traditional five-day nine to five work week. And there is always pressure to shift to a more efficient system.

One local area school board is considering changing to a four day week with longer daily hours for teachers and students, but an extra day off translates to a huge cost savings for the school district.

So the terms “Hump-day, T.G.I.F. or manic Mondays” have lost all of their relevant meaning.

And I think that takes a little something away from our psyche and our souls.

The preamble to the Realtor® Code of Ethics begins with the words: “Under all is the land. And while at first that may seem a bit cryptic, the fact of the matter is that it has never had more meaning than it does today!

Where I live, in Coweta County Georgia, land was the hottest commodity in the earlier years of this decade. Developers were gobbling up any available acreage at nearly any price and even though production was at its peak, building lots were scarce.

Today, land is poison. Banks will not lend money to purchase or develop it, and there are hundreds if not thousands of building lots lying fallow awaiting the return of the economic equivalent of spring.

But land is still an excellent long-term investment. Those with cash reserves might want to consider foregoing paltry 1.35% interest rates and instead, invest in the most finite of all commodities.

And if one subscribes to the investment theory of buying low and selling high, there has never been a better time to invest in good, raw land.

Since we recently changed our affiliation to Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers, I have been asked by a lot of agents to take their photograph for their new business cards. And it is good to update one’s portrait every once in a while, I guess!

But to a person, no one is entirely happy with their new “image,” because the digital camera tells no lies and hides NO flaws! It’s the electronic equivalent of looking in the bathroom mirror!

I suppose with the right lighting setup, some filtering, and a semi-soft focus I could mask some of the imperfections, or I could spend some time with Photoshop. Or better yet, we could let the image stand as it is!

After all, if the real purpose is self-promotion, shouldn’t we be promoting our real self?

I got one of those SEO company spam emails today that made this claim about their company:

“Our company is on the first page when you Google our primary search term "SEO Company." How would you like us to do the same for your web site?

Only there was one important thing missing. The name of the company was not to be found in the email itself. It was completely absent. So, being the curious sort, I did the Google search for “SEO Company” and did not even find a URL that matched the mail server that sent the offer in the first place.

I wonder if ANYONE ever falls for these pitches. If a company was legitimate, wouldn’t they at the very least mention their name in their promotion?

And wouldn’t they want you to validate their claim for yourself?

In our area, Newnan Georgia, we have a lot of value priced properties that attract many buyers. In many of these cases, the highest bid is either accepted on an electronic Internet system, or the listing agent calls for “highest and best bids: by a certain deadline.

When I am representing a client and they ask me how much they should bid in these scenarios, I always reply with this question:

“Is it more important for you to get a bargain or this house?”

And it’s a fair question. It is possible to offer too much for a house and that might diminish the value attribute. But ff they love the house, and can see themselves spending many happy year there, it could have intrinsic value way beyond mere dollars and cents.

The bottom line is always the same. I advise that they bid the most that they are willing to pay for the property under any circumstance, rather than trying to outwit the other offerees.

And if our offer is accepted, that’s great. And if we lose the house, we’ll go on to the next property.

And we’ll do it until we get just the right house at the right price!