“I use the MLS for comps; I don’t have time to dig through public records. And who knows what the terms of those transactions were anyway”. That was told to me by an appraiser that I met at a new home that we had an offer on. I heard similar comments from other appraisers I’ve meet at my listings
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09/28/2012
A study conducted by the Stanford University Sociology Department confirms what many in this industry don't seem to grasp; it’s never okay to just start talking to someone you don’t know. The real estate industry seems to have a hard time with this, recommending that agents continuously and vi
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09/25/2012
Inquiries concerning the future of the Atlanta real estate market continue to pour in. While no one knows what to expect, we have a few measured expectations for the last qtr of ‘12 – note the omission of the word predictions. Several micro markets in Atlanta are finding balance, sellers and pote
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09/25/2012
Trulia and CNNMoney are calling Atlanta a "Buy" before "Rent" market. This is based upon a review of data from their sources as well as Zillow. Trulia and CNNMoney are not the only publications endorsing this, Forbes, the WSJ and USA Today have come to same conclusion about Atlanta. Trulia conclu
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09/17/2012
The "investor" frenzy continues in Atlanta as the number of people looking to "invest" swells; so does they're frustration...and the frustration of folks looking for a home to buy and live in. The continued bashing of the Atlanta real estate market and the consistently high level of foreclosures
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09/13/2012
Quality Mortgage Service believes some appraisers are systematically being pressured to use a subset of market data that skews the calculated market value of the property backing the disputed mortgage. QMS says the scheme, which it calls FRAFing, or field review appraisal fraud, is often found in
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09/11/2012
The glut is over and, so it seems, the foreclosure bargain bonanza. Nationally, foreclosure sales prices rose 6 percent in the second quarter and were up 7 percent year-over-year, RealtyTrac reported this week. This marks the largest annual increase in foreclosure-related sales prices since 2006.
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09/07/2012
By all accounts it appears that the Atlanta housing market is slowly, at glacial speed in some areas, recovering. Recovering as in a traditional market, not the nonsense noted during the boom. The number of sales have increased overall, substantially in many areas. Sale to list ratios are also up
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09/06/2012
Foreclosure cleaning crews don't have an easy job under the best of circumstances, all to often their job is far more than they bargained for. Black mold, animal waste and filth might be "normal"; a fetus in the freezer...you cannot prepare for that. Last month a fetus was found in the freezer of
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09/04/2012
If I had a dollar for every call or email that I get from folks working with ineffective agents I could enjoy a great steak dinner once or twice a month. I am completely lost as to how and why agents have a Svengali like hold on these buyers and sellers. Why would anyone continue to work with an
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09/04/2012
