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

The subject of customer loyalty seems to be coming to the forefront more and more these days. As information becomes more freely available, potential buyers seems to be less and less inclined to offer loyalty to a single professional.

It’s a strange twist of fate, because in the late 1980’s and the early 1990’s. it was buyers that demanded representation. As a matter of fact, the current incarnation of the buyer’s agent is the direct progeny of consumer litigation.

Broker repricocity also seems to contribute to the confusion. While the good intentions of viral marketing are noble, the result is often consumer chaos. It’s hard to identify the players in the game without a scorecard.

The bottom line is this: Customer loyalty is something that has to be earned. It cannot be demanded or even expected. Hard work, professionalism, and dedicated service will create a bond with even the most hardened customer.

Failure to earn loyalty falls directly on the service provider and not the customer. The value proposition may not have been adequately demonstrated to their satisfaction.

Earning loyalty is not a novel concept. But today, more so than ever, it is an absolutely essential element of closing a successful sale! 

It is NOT impossible to sell a home in today’s market. Homes are still sold every day despite all of the declarations to the contrary. People still need a place to live!

But what is significantly different today is the way a house is sold. Sellers must always remain cognizant of the fact that their home is a product that is competing with many other similar products for scarce buyers.

From first impression to the last look in the attic or basement, the house has to be show-ready and available at all times. Buyers have long lists of potential homes and will readily move on to the next house if the show instructions are appointment only or if a bathroom is left dirty.

It doesn’t take much to set your product apart from the rest, but it does involve deliberate effort that is always directed towards making the property appealing to a potential buyer.

And those that do that on a regular basis will succeed!

I have been taking photographs for many, many years. And I was also an early adopter of the Internet. As soon as it became apparent that images could be displayed in browsers such as Mosaic, I jumped on board the Internet photo bandwagon.

In the days before Flickr and other photo sharing sites, there was no easy way to accomplish this task. I had to set up dedicated websites to handle different genres of photographs. It was painstaking work but it enabled me to get a jumpstart in the online photo business.

As a result, my photographs have appeared in over a thousand print publications, from major encyclopedias to high school newspapers. But I still get a thrill every time I see one of my “babies” in print.

And there is nothing more thrilling than seeing one of my photographs on the cover of a book or magazine. The latest cover is on a book by David Donovan entitled “Murphy Station” which is a chronicle of his life as a young boy reared in South Georgia during the days of Jim Crow.

And fortunately, I had taken this photo of the old depot before it was recently restored, making it a genuine look into the past that can not be duplicated … at least, not for a while!

The point of all of this is that the Internet is a powerful tool  if properly applied, that can take any endeavor to the next level. And since I only work with my photos online, I know that I can attribute 100% of my photography success to the Internet.

And I have no intention of changing the way I do business any time soon!

A friend and I made arrangements to meet at “The Hollow” restaurant for lunch the other day. When we got there, the parking lot was completely empty. We were wondering if the restaurant had decided to stop serving lunch

As we climbed the steps to the entrance, we noticed a letter taped to the door. The letter indicated that after 24 years in business, the restaurant had permanently closed due to the current economic climate. The letter also thanked their customers for their patronage,

We were taken completely by surprise. The last few times that we had eaten there, it appeared to us that business was picking up. We thought that all was well and that the business would continue in operation.

Even long established businesses are not immune to the negative forces of the economic downturn. It’s a struggle for many just to keep their doors open.

And every time we lose one of them, our community is diminished, and there is a void that will not be filled any time soon.

I was asked by a friend to help valuate a property in a neighboring county in which I have done a fair amount of work. It seemed like a simple request and I was happy to oblige.

But when I sat down to do my CMA yesterday; I discovered that since there were no comparable sales for the subject property in the last twelve months. As I continued to broaden my search, I was shocked that there were still no other properties that had sold county wide.

And although I will attempt to establish a sale price for the property utilizing other methods, the startling paucity of statistics indicate clearly that this is going to be a very hard property to sell at ANY price.

The sellers will have to make a tough decision. They will either have to wait out the current market or take a huge loss on the property. It’s a harsh reality, but the sellers need to know what they are up against in order to make an informed decision.

And maybe, just maybe, we can reverse the trend!

The real estate business is fraught with all sorts of dilemmas. We always want to work in our client’s bests interests, even when it causes us to suffer a loss on a more personal level.

I listed a house for a friend some time back, and after over a year of trying we finally were able to work out a deal that would enable him to move back to his home state. He is leaving town in a few days.

And so while my client has been well served, and the job has been done, I will now suffer the consequence of losing the immediacy of our friendship that has been developed over the last few years.

And while there is always the promise of “keeping in touch,” a thousand miles is an impenetrable barrier to the comradeship that we currently enjoy.

I almost, and I really mean almost, wished that the deal had fallen though. But that would be selfish and merely serving my own interests.

And so to my friend, I say to you “Vaya con dios.” You will be sorely missed.

I have a lot of clients that are scrambling to get under contract by April 30^th to capitalize on the tax credits that will cease to exist after that date.

The problem is, they are not alone. Many other buyers are competing for the few remaining properties. One HUD home in our area garnered ninety bids, with the winning bid nearly $20,000 OVER the list price.

So the question is: “How much would you pay to save $8K?”

The fact of the matter is that after April 30^th there will be a better selection of affordable homes that will most likely sell for much, much less! The sudden frenzy of demand will be replaced with calm and deliberate negotiating.

I have suggested to my cash buyers that they wait, because after the expiration of the credits, cash will once again be king and a great bargaining device.

I am ready for the end of deadlines and the artificial demand that result from them. I want to return to normalcy.

And let the market stabilize on its own!

I consider myself to be a good person. I always try to do the best that I can, and I try to do it better than anyone else. I am also very competitive by nature and I like to prevail when the situation demands it.

But I also have a tendency to second guess myself if I fail. What could I have done differently? How should I have overcome obstacles that were set before me? Where did I go wrong?

I have spent many a sleepless night rehashing events of the past that cannot be changed or altered. And to a certain extent, it’s the inability to do so that creates anxiety and frustration.

After all, I am a problem solver. I am supposed to be able to fix everything. And when I can’t, it’s devastating.

All that can be really salvaged from these episodes is a life lesson learned, and hopefully add some chapters to my life’s book of experience, which by the way, is now a ponderous tome.

And once I let go of the past, I can move forward again!

These days, it’s not unusual to see houses left vacant for extended periods of time. No one usually know exactly the reasons for the inhabitant’s desertion, it just seems to happen.

Many times, a family is forced to move for one reason or another, and are too far upside-down to be able to see the property. In many of these cases, the home is simply abandoned because the owners simply give up and move on their lives.

In other cases, an owner might move into a retirement center or assisted living facility. Or they might simply pass away intestate with no heirs to claim the property.

Sometimes, there is a foreclosure and the bank that now owns it simply adds it to its portfolio and it sits idle and empty and NOT getting any newer on its own.

Whatever the reason, once Mother Nature is left to her own devices, it doesn’t take very long for the house to succumb to the primeval forces of unfettered overgrowth.

And before you know it, the house will be gone forever!

I just returned from a turnaround business trip to Tallahassee Florida. It was essentially driving down to the Florida state capital, spending an uncomfortable night at a motel, checking out early and doing the job, and then heading straight back to Newnan.

And during all of those long, lonely miles of driving, there is plenty of time to think. As you get further away from the big city, there is mile after mile of “nothing” punctuated only by the occasional farm or very small town.

It’s a startling contrast from the high density development in the metro areas. Instead of five houses per acre, a fifty acre tract of land is considered small. The value of land in these areas is still determined only by its ability to produce timber or crops rather than the ability to be subdivided.

And although the amount of land on the earth is finite, there is still plenty of it out there for those that really want to get away from it all!

Yes, it really does make you think!

In Newnan Georgia, the competition for HUD properties can be fierce, and sometimes the bidding can get a little out of hand. But often, those seeking to purchase a property with only $100 down make a serious tactical error:

They don’t realize that the HUD price listed is not a suggested bid price, but is set based on a true appraisal of the property. Which means that any on bids over the list price  an insured loan will be limited to that amount, plus an escrow items listed by the appraiser.

So those seeking insured loans that are awarded bids over the list price plus escrows must come up with the difference in cash.

When bidding on a HUD property, it is important to be armed with knowledge rather than passion. A real estate agent that is experienced in HUD bidding can be an invaluable asset for those vying for HUD properties!

After all. it isn’t just about the money, it’s about the ability to get the money!

After a particularly cold winter in Newnan Georgia, we have bypassed cooler Spring weather and apparently moved right into summer. But Mother Nature still has some surprises for us, including a late azalea display that is intense and profuse.

The azaleas typically peak about around April 1, but this year was far from typical. So as a result of all of the weather madness, we are enjoying Spring blossoms well after their “time!”

And by now, the ground is warm enough for Summer annuals and vegetables, so it’s imperative to get them planted before the really hot weather arrives.

But it’s hard to think about laboring in the yard when there is so much beauty to be seen and enjoyed. Maybe I’ll be able to sneak another photography session in today!

Although Coweta County Georgia is in the metro Atlanta region, it still radiates a wonderful rural character and ambience while enjoying all of the accoutrements of modern urban living.

You are as likely to see a national chain restaurant or retail store as you are a pasture rife with livestock. So deciding to take a drive out in the “country” could be as easy as turning in the opposite direction.

The county enjoys low property taxes but still offers full time police, fire, and paramedic services. And all county schools have free bus service for all grades through high school.

And there are homes priced in every range, from under $50,000 to over a million dollars with the median sales price for the last twelve months being $151,700 with 1,572 units sold.

If you are planning a move to the Atlanta area, be sure to spend at least one day in Coweta County.

You’ll be glad that you did!

Is this crazy topsy-turvy world of real estate, there is one thing that has always puzzled me about home loans:

Why isn’t more weight given to a borrower’s actual track record when it comes to paying a mortgage?

If a seasoned buyer had paid a mortgage religiously for twenty-five years or more without so much as a single late payment, how can this borrower possibly pose a bigger risk that a first time buyer purchasing a $100 down HUD home?

But the demands for documentation have escalated to the point of being punitive. Potential borrowers that become weary of the “third degree” are electing to just throw in the towel and cry “uncle.”

It’s disturbing to see the demographic that is least likely to encounter a foreclosure becoming disenfranchised from the home buying process. And it’s another one of those idiosyncrasies that is adding momentum to the downward spiral of the housing market.

Maybe some day soon someone will wake up and realize the stupidity of this reasoning, but until then, it’s just another obstacle to recovery.

I was thinking this morning about the fact that on some occasions, clients have paid more for their cars and trucks than they did for their house. And in many cases, their car payments are significantly higher than their monthly mortgage expense.

And I wonder about the thought processes that make these vehicle transactions palatable while at the same time there is so much agony over the purchase of a house.

After all, you have to live somewhere anyway, it’s not about whether you need a house or not.

And there is no more significant “declining market" than the purchase of a new vehicle, in which one always realizes that thousands of dollars will be lost the minute you drive off the car lot.

So why don’t drivers routinely abandon their vehicles because they are worth less than what they owe on them? Why don’t they expect government bailouts and other support programs? And why aren’t there millions of repossessed cars at cut-rate prices available for sale at any given time?

What makes buying a car that could bankrupt you an impulse decision while purchasing a house has become an enigma that requires weeks or months of painstaking analysis?

I really do wonder about this.

When I was a young man, the thought of owning my home was a lofty dream that I could only hope to attain. After all, purchasing a home required a financial discipline that only the most responsible money managers could achieve.

And it also required SAVING money. There was no way around it, so it was universally understood that scrimping and saving for a down payment was part and parcel of home ownership.

In my case, it took seven years to set aside enough cash for the 20% down payment that would allow me to really have a vested interest in my piece of America. And you can bet that the sacrifices that contributed to my savings accounts translated into determination to not only own a home, but to hang on to it for dear life.

But at some point in our history, it was decided that home buying should be easy and readily available. Buyers with no cash in savings were lured into expensive homes in which they held no equity. In truth, it was more of a glorified lease than an “investment” because nothing was actually invested.

And the simple fact of the matter is that more houses were built than there were COMPETENT buyers and the downward price spiral commenced.

And most solutions for the nightmare of today involve repeating the mistakes of the past and diminishing the financial responsibilities of the purchaser.

It’s time to get back to basics. There should be incentives to SAVE money. How about this; instead of paying buyers to purchase homes why not eliminate the income tax on interest on savings?

Or at least the make the first $8000 worth of tax on interest income a tax credit. We have been punishing thrift and rewarding extravagance for far too long!

And it’s time to set the ship back on course.

Tough times can lead to desperation. And desperation will cause normally reasonable people to do anything to try to change their situation for the better.

And it’s a sad commentary on our society to say that there are those that will always seek to take advantage of someone else’s misery and attempt to profit from it.

The premise of the scheme is always the same, scene after scene of apparently wealthy people living in the lap of luxury and proudly proclaiming that they work very little and that the money just rolls in of its own accord.

And even though each statement of success is accompanied by the written disclaimer “results not typical,” desperation provokes the grasping of any straw in a vain attempt to make something happen.

I hope that there is a special place in Hades for those that seek to profit from human suffering under the guise of “helping” them.

It is deplorable.

There is nothing more beautiful or fragrant than a veritable cloud of blooming wisteria floating in the treetops! The profusion of lavender blooms creates vernal sculptures of unparalleled beauty.

But such splendor often comes at a price, and with wisteria, that price is that the vigorous vine can be quite destructive if left uncontrolled. Many a homeowner has made the mistake of planting the species too close to the house resulting in severe damage as the tendrils can penetrate even the smallest cracks and pry the structure apart!

With that being said, the vines are easily propagated, and readily adapt to poor soil. Be certain to plant them at least thirty feet away from buildings or other desirable species of plants that could become choked or overrun. If you want train the plant to grow on an arbor or trellis, be prepared to prune as often as necessary.

When used judiciously, wisteria is a fine addition to any southern landscape. It just wouldn’t seem like Spring without it!

Every Spring, golfing greats from all over the world gather in Augusta Georgia to participate in the tournament founded by the great Bobby Jones Clifford Roberts in 1934.

The event was to be by invitation only, and was originally name the August National Invitation Golf Tournament until the name was changed to The Masters in 1939.

A golfer must earn an invitation to play in The Masters, and it is considered the premiere golf event of the year. It is the only major golf championship played on the same course year after year, and there is a mystique that permeates the event unlike no other.

It’s hard for a player to get an invitation to play at Augusta in the Tournament. It is equally hard for a fan of golf to get a ticket to the event. Tickets to the Masters are a precious commodity, allocated to a select group of fans that have had the first right of refusal for years.

The last waiting list for tickets was in the year 2000, and it closed quickly. There are simply no ticket sales to the general public.

As a matter of fact, it is not uncommon for Masters tickets to be included in wills to be bequeathed to lucky heirs.

Sunday is the toughest day of all. That is the day when the coveted green jacket will be awarded to the golfer that has conquered both the Augusta National Golf Course, and all of the other competitors vying for the honor. A Sunday ticket is nearly impossible to obtain.

So today I’ll watch the conclusion of the match on television just as I do every year. And I’ll keep hoping that maybe one day I’ll be “invited” to this rite of Spring.

Because I really would like to experience it firsthand… at least once in my lifetime!

Is it just me or is this happening to others too? On three of our recent deals, something rather unique has happened that derailed the closing at the last minute.

On all three occasions, sudden conditions miraculously appeared during the final hours before closing. When we asked why these issues suddenly became significant we were given the same explanation:

“The original underwriter went on vacation and when the replacement underwriter looked at the file they discovered the problems.”

What??? One could understand this happening once, but not three separate times over a three week period.

So I’m thinking that there are only two possible explanations for the phenomenon and they both involve billions of taxpayer dollars.

One is that the banks are so flush with cash that they really don’t need to make loans to stay in business. Why would you care about customer service when you can easily get the money for doing nothing?

The other is that they really are spending the money on vacations and the good life. Obviously, they are not using it to make loans.

Whatever the reason, the poor homebuyer is left in the lurch as the “vacation” shuffle continues. It must be nice to have such liberal time off benefits.

In the meantime, loans are lost as contracts expire.

No problem, they know where to get the money.