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

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!

While my obvious conclusion has been proffered as tongue-in-cheek, the title of this post probably did grab your attention! After all, I am certain that we encounter many individuals each and every day that would fall into the below-average category and we relish confirmation of that fact.

And I guess this a classic case of whether or not the glass is half empty or half full, as I could have just as easily stated that nearly half of the people are above the average level of smarts!

But ever since Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440, news publishers across the ages learned that bad news sells! Extrapolated forward into the television era, we have all heard the expression that “if it bleeds, it leads!”

So the discharge of the mass media is not necessarily a microcosm of our society, so much as it an assemblage of our woes and misfortunes rolled into neat little thirty second vignettes.

And so it should be accepted for what it is.

Film at eleven.

I was at an open house yesterday held by an agent in our office, and she was kind enough to provide us with a delicious lunch. As I dressed my homemade chili with scallions, cheese and sour cream, I made eye contact with a man that I had not met.

I instinctively held out my hand and introduced myself. He shook my hand, and said: “you look familiar…”

“Oh, you’re the BLOG guy!”

I admitted that I was and he stated that he frequently read my blog. Immediately, a conversation started among the agents in the room about the value of blogging. Most alluded to the fact that they are aware of blogging but that they had not tried it because they didn’t know if it worked.

Interestingly enough, the fact that the gentleman recognized me was the best testament to the effectiveness and power of the blog. It creates awareness and a public persona that otherwise would cost a fortune to create in print, radio, or television.

Yes, it does take a lot of work, dedication and perseverance. But it is a way of generating a genuine connection to the general public unlike any other.

And I’ll keep doing it as long as the ideas flow and I am able to do so. After all, I like being a celebrity!

Back in the days of film photography, I often used photographs as inspiration for paintings and drawings. Capturing a good photograph took some doing back then, and often the image could be recycled as a more traditional piece of art.

In those days, whenever I got the urge to create, I would arouse the watercolors from their state of suspended animation, and I would search through hundreds of photographs seeking inspiration for a new painting.

And although I don’t find the time to paint as much these days, I find myself with more and more potential subjects. I have probably captured ten times as many digital photographs over the last three years and I had film photographs in the last twenty.

But the process is pretty much the same whether the image was captured on film or digitally. Examine the images, and determine which ones will translate well to another medium.

Try to visualize how you want the finished product to look, and then select an appropriate palette. The key with watercolors is keeping the range of hues under control, and to let the liquid flow.

Use wet paper and large brushes for softness in trees, sky and distant scenery, and dry paper and fine brushes for lines and details.

And don’t worry about your technical skills or lack thereof. Watercolors have a way of taking over on their own, and in most cases, the result is a nice representation of your artistic intentions.

Don’t think about making the painting look like a photograph. It’s not supposed to! Rather, it is your interpretation of the subject in pigment and paper.

And if you at first do not succeed, try again. It’s really very easy, and a lot of fun. And there’s a great satisfaction in producing something durable and lasting.

Photo: Yatesville Georgia Depot C.1985. Painting: Yatesville Depot 1991 by Richard Weisser. 8” x 4” Watercolor.

First of all, I am not on any kind of meditation, Nothing physical that would have altered my brain activity.

But my dreams have become extremely vivid and detailed. They contain multiple detailed images that are spawned deep within my subconscious and are manifested in precisely choreographed synchronicity.

And since I am pretty good at interpreting dreams, and I have trained myself to remember even the most innocuous detail, I have been busy trying to uncover the hidden meaning contained in these late night/early morning dramas.

Properly interpreted, a dream can really tell you a lot about yourself. The unfettered mind can readily produce answers to the most introspective quandaries.

After all... who knows more about you that yourself?

Although yesterday was a national holiday in honor of Dr. King, and despite the fact that our Newnan real estate office was officially closed, the place was teeming with activity.

Agents were scrambling about with clients and offers and getting ready for property showings. It was actually much busier than a normal weekday.

I had at least five phone calls from new prospects, and we are going to show property to two of them and one was referred out.

My take on this is simple … buyers realize that the time is right to purchase real estate and are using their free time to take advantage of the opportunity. The shift from caveat emptor to carpe diem is almost dramatic!

And I believe that this is a portent of what is to come. So we are gearing up our operation is preparation for an onslaught of purchasers.

It’s a great time to buy real estate, and we are here to help!

The aftershocks of the recent catastrophic earthquake in Haiti are reverberating throughout North America and the rest of the world. It almost seems unfair that people that had so little to begin with have lost so much.

The human toll is sobering, and an unpleasant reminder that tragedy can strike without warning and that the devastation can be unprecedented.

But if there is something positive to take from this horrific episode, it is the willingness of conscientious and generous benefactors and volunteers from around the globe to offer aid and succor to those that are suffering.

There is much that can be done for the survivors to restore their human dignity and to try to make sense of everything that has transpired. It will take time, effort, and money to enable them to return to a semblance of normality.

And I will never lose sight of all of the blessings that I have.

There, but for the Grace of God, go I.

After a rather long week of moving, we have settled into our Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers Newnan Georgia office, and we are completely up and running full speed!

Changing physical addresses can be a test of one’s patience and fortitude, but the new office already feels like home. It is a wonderful place to conduct real estate business and we are looking forward to many prosperous years in this location!

So now it’s time to buckle down and get back to doing what we do best: selling real estate in Coweta County Georgia. Please feel free to drop by and say hello, and I’ll even buy you a cup of coffee!

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers
209 Newnan Crossing bypass
Newnan, Georgia 30265

It doesn't happen all at once. At some point, you start to notice that things are a little bit different and a lot less robust. It takes longer and longer to perform even the simplest of tasks.

Sometimes a loss of memory or a vital element leads to a sudden and catastrophic failure, but more likely the decline will be over a long period of time. It is painful to watch.

And despite our best efforts at resuscitation, the day comes when it's time to pull the plug on our old and dear friend. In the end, it's really the best thing for both of us.

I keep telling myself: "it's just a computer."

And I'll always remember the good times!

Did I miss something here? I thought that privacy laws precluded a seller from asking specific questions about a buyer’s credit unless owner financing was included in the transaction.

Now we are being told that bank sellers are requiring FICO scores with offers. And real estate agents are telling buyers that the banks will not consider their offer unless it is provided.

Sounds like a RESPA and Privacy Act violation all rolled into one. But I have been wrong before, and if someone could please tell me why I wrong I’d like to know. How did it happen that a listing agent can have access to confidential information from a buyer?

I’d like some opinions please.

As I have mentioned several times lately, I have a lot on my plate right now. I am getting along all right, because I have been able to acquire “extra” time by avoiding sleep.

As the clock nears 4:00 A.M. I begin to wonder: Is it really, really late right now, or am I past the point of no return and it’s now very early. These are the kinds of things that you think about after a significant amount of sleep deprivation.

I am going to assume it’s early and start a pot of coffee. I have a long day ahead of me

Hopefully, there will be time to sleep tonight … or tomorrow night … or whatever the heck day it is night!

I had a candid conversation with one of our buyers the other day. She is looking for a $40,000 house in a nice area that doesn’t need anything other than cosmetic repairs. Without really thinking, I told her that we had plenty of $40,000 houses that met her criteria but that they cost $80,000!

And while that seemed a bit specious at first, there is an underlying truth to the statement. The intrinsic value of real estate is absolutely determined by location and condition.

The demand for properties in good areas that are move-in ready is very high in our area, and that is reflected in the sale prices of these homes. We have seen some sell as high as 60% OVER list price.

We are still looking for that compromise rare gem that we might uncover, but we are also adjusting our search criteria to a more realistic level of expectation.

And working together, armed with knowledge and an accurate assessment of the market, we will find just the right house for her!

It seems that now, more than ever, the issue of clear and marketable title of real property is becoming more of an art than a science. As previously foreclosed properties change hands from asset holder to asset holder, the chain of title often develops a few weak links.

So it is not uncommon to uncover some defects in the abstract as the date of settlement approaches. And many times, correcting the problems can take some time, and often can threaten to postpone a closing indefinitely.

This is no time to panic. As title researchers become more and more experienced with out of the ordinary situations, the solutions are becoming more and more routine. The key point to remember is this:

Everyone wants the property to close!

So even if settlement is delayed, somebody somewhere will get the title into a marketable condition and settlement will occur.

Good deals often are fraught with some inconveniences, but in the end, it’s a win-win for all parties involved. The buyer gets a great price and the seller has one less property to liquidate.

Patience is a virtue … and it pays off in the end!

I find myself daydreaming a lot more  often lately. And it’s not because I have a lot of extra time on my hands.

It’s more because I’m not where I want to be right now at this point in my life. I always planned to be able to slow down a bit as I approached late middle age, but the real estate market collapse has placed that on indefinite hold.

And it’s not just me. I regularly converse with others that are exhausted and fed up and some are even ready to give up completely. With life saving evaporating there isn’t a lot to look forward to in our “Golden” years.

I know that I wasn’t raised in Mayberry, but I feel like I am living in the Twilight Zone.

Would someone please turn off that infernal music?