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

I was contacted by a friend who was very excited about a new multi-level marketing scheme. He wanted me to get on board so that we could both get rich quick AND have residual income forever.

And while all of these enterprises seem very legitimate, they all depend on mathematics that just doesn’t add up. It is really very simple. For every dollar earned, someone else has to pay a dollar.

The numerical certainty is that that most net payers are on the bottom levels while the few net gainers are at the highest levels. And there’s no way around the numbers.

And so I told my friend that I’ll pass on the opportunity. I wished him well, and told him that I hope that I am wrong and that he will become very rich with his new endeavor.

I really do. And I’ll make my money the old fashioned way.

I’ll earn it!

After several years of economic corrections, the Newnan Georgia real estate market seems to be gaining some momentum.

And a lot of the increased activity is coming from outside the county and even more from outside the state of Georgia. Many transferees that are heading for the Atlanta metropolitan region have heard about Coweta County and the tremendous real estate values there!

As a result, the inventory available in July 2010 is about half the number of homes that were available just one year ago. And diminished supply and steady demand is tending to stabilize prices.

But even in the heyday of expansion, Coweta County homes were considered to be bargains. That is truer now more than ever!

If you are considering a move to the Atlanta area, be sure to spend at least a day in Coweta County. You’ll find the combination of low prices and excellent amenities to be almost irresistible!

Competition is the keystone of a capitalist society. And every entrepreneur knows that in order to succeed in any business endeavor, it is essential to compete to attain the largest market share possible.

But in order to effectively compete, one must fully be aware of the other competitors in the field and how they operate their businesses. After all, in order to “build a better mousetrap,” one must fully comprehend how the current mousetraps on the market function, and the methods used to market them.

It’s not enough to simply make others aware of your products or services. It is absolutely essential to convey your “unique selling proposition’ in all of your marketing efforts.

And in order to effectively delineate your “USP,” you must first fully understand your competition, and how they market their goods or services. After all, if you wish to elevate yourself over the pack, you must very clearly ascertain their marketing efforts and completely understand their business operations.

It takes time, effort, and careful study to properly posture your business in the competitive arena.

But the survival of any enterprise depends on it!

In our area of Newnan Georgia, we have a lot of distressed properties for sale. And the savvy buyer has an excellent opportunity to acquire a good house at a great price.

There are, however, some buyers that insist on getting exactly what they want at exactly the price that they want to pay. And since that combination of value and fulfillment rarely exists, the endless pursuit for perfection goes on and on.

We have even had some buyers throw up their hands and quit the search. Several of them had even made some offers that were accepted and they backed out during the diligence period.

And every one of these forsaken contracts was such great a deal that they were instantly snagged by another anxious, albeit less cautious, buyer.

Compromise is the key when one is searching for true value. And many, many times, the prudent buyer can really give up a little and gain a lot.

As long as they are willing to expand their focus and see the big picture!

I once read that the famous inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, never slept during the night. Instead his days were punctuated by intermittent catnaps as time allowed. I admire Mr. Edison very much, and I guess for some time I have tried to emulate his sleeping behavior!

But last night I dozed off as usual, in my recliner with my computer on my lap. When I awoke, it was well after midnight so I decided to actually attempt getting some real sleep for a change.

It was actually quite nice and very refreshing. And although I had a little trouble “getting up” this morning, I might try getting an entire night’s sleep again at some point in the future.

That is … as soon as I can find the time!

Most economists agree that recent rashes of government spending will ultimately lead to significant inflation. The constant infusion of cash that is intended as a short-term solution will eventually have a long-term effect on the value of a dollar.

One of the best hedges against this expected phenomenon is the purchase of a home during one of the best buyer’s markets in history. With low, low property prices and record low fixed interest rates, there has never been a better time to buy a home.

But if one takes into consideration the fact that a mortgage may be repaid with inflated dollars, the deal only gets better and better. By fixing housing expenses now in terms of the 2010 dollar of today, home buyers will be immune from contrary inflationary economic forces for as long as they own their property.

It’s a tremendous way to protect wealth and to meet your housing needs for decades to come.

Regulation “Z” has been around for a long time. The name is a little misleading, because it is not a single rule, but an entire section of code that stipulates required disclosures when offering credit to a borrowing consumer.

And although the law has been revised many times, (the latest changes went into effect July 1, 2010.) some of the very basic tenets that apply to real estate advertising still exist.

Simply stated, there are still certain “trigger” words, that when used in advertising, require complete disclosure of all of the terms of the loan. These trigger terms include:

1) The amount or percentage of any downpayment.
2) The number of payments or period of repayment.
3) The amount of any payment.
4) The amount of any finance charge.

If any of these words are used in any form of advertising, complete disclosure is required under law.

So I am usually more than  a little irritated when I see a large sign in the front yard of a HUD home for sale that says “$100 DOWN” in huge letters. Why is the government immune from its own regulations?

It seems to me that the business of governing should be prosecuted without any hint of reproach. If the rule is indeed designed to protect consumers, then let’s protect them, fair and square.

Even if the government REALLY does need the money!

(Source of terms FDIC)

It was a typical summertime Friday night in the South. It was hot and humid, and the old watering hole was more reminiscent of a scene in a 1950’s “B” movie than a contemporary night spot.

The plastic fans were whirring, but the air was barely moving and the heat was stifling. But we were there to make music that is exactly what we did.

I am not certain if I was delirious from the sultry heat or affected by the attempted remedy of cold beverages, but the music was awesome.

And the crowd actually multiplied over the course of the evening, as the melodic strains wafted through open windows onto the two-lane highway and drew them them away from the comfort of their air conditioned vehicles.

The point is, that hen you are committed to doing something, even the most adverse conditions cannot prevent you from succeeding.

And if you do you best rather than trying to just “get by” the rewards are sure to follow.

If price was the only thing that mattered when purchasing real estate, sales contracts would only be a few paragraphs long. But in reality, sales contracts can be ponderous instruments exceeding thirty pages of legal language.

The terms and conditions of a transaction are equally as important as the price that is being paid.

Terms such as the length of an inspection period, and the conditions of the resolution process if defects are discovered can add a tremendous amount of value over an “as-is” purchase.

Even the projected closing date can affect the value of the property. If a buyer needs the property in 30 days, but the seller needs 90 days to move, the value of the property may become diminished to the buyer.

Contingencies such as ability to obtain financing or the appraised value of the property meeting the purchase price can add peace of mind and added value to the purchaser.

So when a buyer or a buyer’s agent calls and asks if a seller will take “X” dollars for their property, the question is too vague for a direct answer. Until one examines all the terms and conditions of an offer, it is impossible to determine the true bottom line of the deal.

I have often seen buyers pay more and add value to their purchase by getting much more in return in concessions from the seller.

It’s not rocket science; it’s the art of the deal!

It seems that as real estate agents we spend a lot more time in the car these days. As more and more sellers dictate title companies and require hand delivery of earnest money and other documents, it is not unusual to drive over 200 miles in a day.

We get to visit places “across town” that we not have seen in years. Heck, sometimes we go to places that we have NEVER been.

There are times when I think that some evil genius has deliberately constructed a program that selects the servicers that are as far away from the subject property as possible. You just don’t know how many times I’ve heard the closer ask: “Newnan, where is that?”

As a result, those of us here in the Atlanta metropolitan area circle I-285 like planets around the sun, awaiting the robotic drone of the GPS to give us further instructions.

And we get to see a lot more of our city in a whole new light!

I had an interesting situation come up recently. A buyer had made a cash offer on a property owned by a quasi-government privately owned mortgage corporation. The offer was accepted, but the seller delayed in getting the executed contracts delivered.

And so the SELLER asked for an extension on the closing date to ensure enough time to get the title work done. The buyer agreed, the extension was executed, and then signed and stamped by all parties.

Here’s where the story gets interesting: On the day of closing, the buyer wires the money to the title company’s office. But after driving 50 miles, and after having done everything correctly, the buyer is told that the contract fell “out of the system,” and that the offer process would have to start all over again.

Of course I protested. I don’t care about this mysterious “system” and what’s in it and what is not. We had a perfectly good, legally binding contract already and I felt that it could compromise my client’s position to start over with a new contract.

The response I got was the typical” “Do you want to close or not?”

My client acquiesced, and we closed a week later. But the title company held all of the purchase money the whole time!

My client did not understand how he could have paid the money and not owned the house. He had worked hard all of his life and saved every penny to purchase a home for his family. He followed all of the rules. He didn’t try to “beat the system.”

Instead, the “system” beat him.

As many qualified would-be buyers are opting to rent instead of committing to a real estate purchase, it seems to me that many are missing out on one of the most incredible opportunities in the last 100 years.

Many agonize about trying to determine exactly when the market has or will have bottomed out. They don’t want to invest in a property that could lose some monetary value in the near future.

But a home is not a stock or a bond. A home has intrinsic value that goes way beyond money. It is a place where dreams are fulfilled and memories are created.

Home is a place where we change the paint colors to suit our personalities, and where we tend our gardens that will mature and age more gracefully than us! The longer that we own a home, the more it becomes a part of us and the more it reflects who we are as a distinct human entity.

What kind of price would you set on the value of carrying your new bride across the threshold, or bringing a newborn infant home from the hospital or a greeting a returning serviceman or servicewoman and then uttering two of the most beautiful words in the English language:

“Welcome home!”

This is about the fourth blog post that I have written this morning. After reading the previous three, I wasn’t pleased with the overall timbre of the content and set them aside for future consideration.

It wasn’t that the discarded articles were not well written, it just seemed to me that they came across as rather “preachy!” And while I am not adverse to pontification in general, I’m just not feeling the need to do so today.

As I sit here watching the juvenile hummingbirds vie for the sweet nectar in the feeder, I can only think that life is good and that I am lucky to be alive and well.

It’s another great day in the life. And it’s all good!

In every locale, there is a destination that holds a special place in the hearts of local residents.

It’s the place that everyone considers to be the “trademark” of their region. It’s the one place that they are certain to take out-of-towners that are visiting for the first time.

It’s also the place that shows up regularly on postcards, calendars, and websites that are specific to the region.

In Fayette County Georgia, that place is Starr’s Mill. It is a “modern,” turbine driven grist mill that was constructed in the early 20^th century.

And even in the past when it was privately owned, Starr’s Mill was a popular destination for county citizens. Now that it is part of the Fayette County Park system, it is more popular than ever!

Starr’s Mill is intricately woven into the fabric of Fayette County Georgia. And if you make a visit to the area, be sure that you don’t miss it!

And bring your camera!

The scenario is played over and over across the land as bargain-seeking homebuyers attempt to purchase a foreclosed property.  A real estate agent constructs an offer for the home, and the offer is “acknowledged!”

But first there are a “few” addenda that must be signed before the deal is done. And while it may be true that the seller will only convey the property under their terms, buyers need to understand the absolute fact that the addenda CONTROL the agreement.

And these addenda are so comprehensive that in most cases, they override almost all of the language in the original offer. It is not uncommon for the addenda to be many pages longer than the original Purchase and Sale Agreement.

The signing of these instruments, while obligatory, is not perfunctory. A buyer needs to carefully read the addenda and understand them before moving forward with the purchase.

Because although the terms set forth in the addenda may be considered to be very seller-friendly, the purchase can still be a bargain for the savvy buyer.

And that can make all of the trade-offs pay off in a big way!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the United States, That’s because over 2/3 if the country’s population live within a day’s drive from the park boundaries.

Summer visitors often take advantage of cooler temperatures in the higher elevations. The Balsam Mountain Campground is the highest in the park and at over 5000 feet in elevation provides pleasant sleeping conditions during the hot months.

And of course, one can wade in an icy cold mountain stream that will chatter the teeth and offset the blazing southern sun! Be please be careful while you are in the water, because the rocks can be slippery and water levels can change suddenly.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a favorite destination for many summer vacationers. Why not plan a trip to see for yourself?

Despite the persistent howling of self-aggrandized political prognosticators, the real estate market is still a numbers game.

After more than three years or market corrections, the market is still affected by the most basic laws of supply and demand, and not by the pontifications of media experts.

Job losses reduce demand. Inability to secure credit reduces demand. The lack of saving for higher down payments reduces demand. Until these fundamental economic conditions are adjusted, demand will likely remain low.

Increasing the available pool of ready, willing and able buyers is the key to market stability and eventually, a long term recovery.

People need a place to live. Demographics will always dictate the underlying need for housing.

The challenge is to economically equip them to do so!

As a real estate agent, I look at a lot of houses during the course of my business. And in doing so, I come across a lot of good intentions that have been set aside for one reason or another.

It is an easy decision to take on a new project around the house. It’s fun to plan and design a new embellishment or amenity that will enhance both the livability and the market value of the property.

But the problem is always in the execution. An unfinished project does not add anything to the value of a property that is being offered for sale. A buyer NEVER sees incomplete work as an asset.

A buyer ALWAYS sees an unfinished improvement as work to be done.

So it’s important to get those do-it-yourself jobs done prior to placing a property on the market.

Buyers want to purchase a home, not a headache!

Sometimes, when we are pitted against seemingly insurmountable odds, the notion of surrender appears to offer that path of least resistance.

After all, nobody wants to beat their heads against the wall indefinitely without the possibility of a payoff at some point down the road.

And it is very easy to get in "too deep" and before you know it you are flailing and thrashing and just trying to stay afloat. But at that point, you are not getting anyplace; you are just "there!"

It's so much better to step back, take a deep breath, and get in the correct frame of mind before proceeding. Often there is a reasonable solution that has been overlooked.

And sometimes, the best solution is to come to the realization that further efforts are futile, and that it really is best t walk away.

It is not a sign of weakness to give up when there is no chance of success

Instead, it is a demonstration of strength.

In a perfect world, we all want to get along and play nice. But today’s real estate market is about as far from a perfect world as you can get!

And while we strive to maintain the highest level of professional courtesy in our dealings, there are times when the interests of our clients come first, and we must take control of the situation by “any means necessary.”

I am sorry if you or your client made a mistake. I am sorry if you are on vacation or otherwise unavailable. I am sorry if you failed to do your job properly.

It is not MY job to fix it. I won’t. Nor will I engage in any attempt to exploit the shortcoming beyond the parameters of the original agreement. We all make mistakes, and there is no reason to make a bad situation worse.

But I will insist that my client’s contractual rights as written are protected.

By any means necessary!