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Athens, GA Real Estate News

By Kevin Darby, Realtor
(ERA Herman Group Real Estate)
Hello friends!  I've got some exciting news to announce. Just four weeks ago, our company, ERA Sunrise Realty launched a radio show about the Athens real estate market!  It has been going really well and I want to encourage you all to listen in.  It's called, "House Talk - Getting the Most Out of Your Real Estate Ownership Experience".  It has been live each Saturday morning at 10:30am on talk radio, WGAU 1340 AM.  It is hosted by Greg Martin, president, broker and co-owner of ERA Sunrise Realty. Even more exciting is the fact that, since it has been going so well, we have decided to enhance the show by moving to a full hour program.  Not only is this a call-in program that answers listeners' questions, each week we share valuable national financial information which impacts our market ...
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Athens Ga has made another list of top places, this year Athens is high up on the Forbes 2010 List of Best Small Places for Business and Careers. Small places, according to Forbes, are those metro areas with a population of less than 245,000 people. Athens, with an area population of 192,000, leads a list of 9 small Georgia metro areas that made the Forbes top 200 small places. The ratings were based upon a set of 12 criteria that includes: cost of operating a business cost of living job growth projected job growth income growth educational attainment projected economic growth number of colleges  sub-prime lending trends crime rate culture & leisure net migration Athens regularly makes various "Top" or "Best" Places lists such as Forbes, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Money Magazine, et...
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The following charts show the month to month residential real estate sales volume of the Greater Athens Ga metropolitan area for the months of June 2009 through Mar. 2010. Chart 1 shows the trends for both the number of residential units sold and the average number of Days on Market (D.O.M.) for those units. March shows a large increase in the sales volume, after a small bump in sales in February. This is probably due to buyers coming back into the market to take advantage of the extended First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit extension as well as the Repeat Home Buyers Tax Credit. Chart 1 The total number of residential units sold in March 2010 was 138 units, up 50 units, almost 57%, from February. While down from the highs of last July it is a very strong showing.  The average days on mark...
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By Shannon Martin
(Cindy Karp Realty, Inc.)
I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Hudson & Marshall Real Estate Auctions, but I wanted to take a moment to share the upcoming auction iformation with you. I've had many experiences with this company over the years both as a customer and as a buyer rep and they do a fantastic job. If you get the opportunity to attend a Hudson & Marshall auction in your area, I highly reccommend it.My first experience with Hudson & Marshall was back in 2004 in Lansing, MI. I was representing a commercial client interested in purchasing one of their auction properties. The process is smooth and easy. The staff helpful and friendly.https://www.hudsonandmarshall.com/AuctionSale/Athens-Area/1822.aspx
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By Shannon Martin
(Cindy Karp Realty, Inc.)
I had this information forwarded to me today by a friend.  It is a list, by state and locale of all the speed traps in our areas.  Thought ya'll might find it interesting.  A few of them made me so....yep, been there, seen it in action. http://www.speedtrap.org/city/2217/Athens
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By Matt Thomas
(Atlas Real Estate Advisors)
In the past year, I've had the privelage to market two great homes for sale in Oak Grove subdivision. And, recently, I interviewed with another couple there about the possibility of selling their home. After spending many hours studying the statistics, meeting lots of neighbors and touring multiple homes there, I've come to the conclusion that Oak Grove neighborhood is one of the most thoughtfully-designed and charming subdivisions I've seen constructed in recent years. Situated just off Hwy 129 in western Clarke County, this community features homes, townhomes and condos with turn-of-the-century architecture and modern amenities. The attention to detail is unlike any new construction locally that's comparable in price, and the feeling of community is evident as soon as you pull in.Ther...
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By Erelopro Out of Business, Relocation Professionals are out of business
(erelopro)
It's no wonder that NAR says that, "90% of all buyers used the internet to search." We have seen this first hand, and especially over the last few months. When people relocate to other states, it's a long distance move. These people usually start by researching the city on the Internet. More times than not, they find one of our 1,100+ relocation websites. If they're serious, they'll request help in a possible home purchase. Due to a very large demand, we need a Buyer's Agent in Athens that is able to assist these prospective home buyers. These families and individuals are wanting assistance from a Realtor, and if you would like to get in contact with them, we need to talk soon. Time is of the essence, and we only need 1 Realtor to be able to contact these people. We NEVER send people to...
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The following charts show the month to month residential real estate sales volume of the Greater Athens Ga metropolitan area for the months of June 2009 through Jan. 2010. Chart 1 shows the trends for both the number of residential units sold and the average number of Days on Market (D.O.M.) for those units. February shows a slight increase in the sales volume, after 2 months of decline in December & January. This is probably due to buyers coming back into the market to take advantage of the extended First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit extension as well as the Repeat Home Buyers Tax Credit. Chart 1 The total number of residential units sold in February was 86, up 4 units from January. While not a tremendous increase in sales, it does show a reverse in the trend from December and January. ...
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By Matt Thomas
(Atlas Real Estate Advisors)
After almost 10 years of marketing Athens, GA real estate, I'm still learning something new almost every day. The latest eye-opener has come from marketing my own personal home or sale in Athens.  I've logged thousands of hours negotiating on behalf of sellers, but I've never put myself in their shoes as seller.  I've received feedback calls from sellers saying "we need more flyers", but I've just recently had to experience the frustration of seeing my own flyer box empty.  When agents show one of my listings, I always try to get feedback on what they and their buyer thought of the home.  But, just last week have I realized what it feels like to be an anxious seller waiting to know what they thought about my home. This experience has been great for me, as I now know what it's like being...
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By Brittany Purcell | Associate Broker
(Keller Williams Realty Lanier Partners)
No more 100% financing? What is happening to the USDA Rural Development Loan : Many of the agents who live in rural areas like I do have come to appreciate the USDA rural development loanbecause it seems like the go-to loan. Why would anyone turn down no  , no MIP, and low interest rates all packaged with minimal red tape? They wouldn't... and since the loan has become so popular, we have just received notice that this program is scheduled to run out of funds by the end of April 2010. This is very sad for real estate markets like mine, because now not only are we going to be missing this cherished program, we also have to start telling clients they have to go to FHA... which has its own changes that none of us are very happy about (see my previous blog posts). USDA had similar requireme...
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If you purchased and closed on a home in Athens-Clarke County Ga last year, 2009, you may be eligible for a Homestead Exemption. While the state funding for relief under the Homeowner Tax Relief Grant (HTRG) was unfunded last year, and not yet refunded, there is still a portion of the Homestead Exemption left in place that saves Athens-Clarke County Ga property taxpayers an average of $330 on annual property taxes. While the majority of the state has a deadline of Apr. 1 for filing for the exemption, Athens-Clarke County has a filing deadline of Mar. 1. To make sure you get your credit, file at the Athens-Clarke County courthouse on East Washington St, room 250. Business hours are Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm. To qualify, a home has to have been your legal residence as of Jan. 1, this ...
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In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Feb. 21, 2010 the real estate market in Athens, Ga. looks like this: There are 1556 active listings of which 1294 are residential, 14 are farm and land. This is an increase of 23 listings from the previous week ending 2/14/2010. There are 131 listings under contract. This number is 3 higher than in the previous week. There have been 11 closed sales duiring the period of Feb. 15, 2010 - Feb. 21, 2010, all of which were residential. This is 4 more closed transactions than during the previous week. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The A...
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The following charts show the month to month residential real estate sales volume of the Greater Athens Ga metropolitan area for the months of June 2009 through Jan. 2010. Chart 1 shows the trends for both the number of residential units sold and the average number of Days on Market (D.O.M.) for those units. January gives us the second straight month of declining sales volume. This is due to both the normal slow down for sales at this time of the year as well as the expected end of the home buyers tax credit (now extended) which accelerated some sales into November of last year. The total number of residential units sold in January was 82, up 4down 10 units from December. The declining sales volume is not significantly negative, yet. However, it if continues into March and April, that w...
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By Matt Thomas
(Atlas Real Estate Advisors)
Everyone has heard the buzz recently about the government tax incentives currently being offered to homebuyers.  But, as with most government initiatives, the rules are regulations are not easily understood, and few people know the details. I've recently reposted a video from BankRate.com on my main blog site http://AtlasRealEstateBlog.com, that answers many of the most common questions. In addition to the basics of the program outlined in this video, I've highlighted below some interesting facts about the program that you probably didn't know     *   Buyers can elect to claim the credit on either their 2009 or 2010 tax return.     *   Buyers who claim the credit in 2009 can not file their return electronically, because the forms are not available online.     *   The average wait for a ...
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By David and Jane Johnson, The Johnson Team
(Atlanta Communities Real Estate)
Today there are currently 19 Homes For Sale in Carrington Plantation. The team of Aubrey Landon and Rebeccah Shah proudly service the neighborhood and sold 11 developed lots. You can visit our website to see all homes for sale in Athens Georgia  at www.aubreylandon.com    
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By Matt Thomas
(Atlas Real Estate Advisors)
According to a recent survey by Paul Cardis, CEO of Avid Ratings, which conducts an annual survey of buyer preferences, homebuyers most frequently noted these must-haves in new homes: Large kitchens with islands Energy efficiency, including energy-efficient appliances, super insulation, and high-efficiency windows. Home offices Main-floor master suite Outdoor living space Ceiling fans Soaking tub in the master suite and/or an oversize shower with a seating area Stone and brick exteriors rather than stucco or vinyl Community walking paths and playgrounds Two-car garages, but three-car garages are even more desirable While this is a national survey, I've seen much of the same in Athens, GA real estate searches. A few other attributes that I've seen locally that were not mentioned in the a...
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In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Jan. 31, 2010 the real estate market in Athens, Ga. looks like this: There are 1460 active listings of which 1205 are residential, 13 are farm and land. This is an increase of 5 listings from the previous week ending 1/24/2010. There are 127 listings under contract. This number is the same as the previous week. There have been 7 closed sales duiring the period of Jan. 24, 2010 - Jan. 31, 2010, all of which were residential. This is 1 more closed transaction than during the previous week. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Re...
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Read other posts like this one at www.classiccityguide.com , your home for Athens, Georgia culture and real estate discussion.   I have been talking septic systems a lot lately, and I think I know a thing or two about them.  Not how they work, but how to "deal" with them when negotiating a RE transaction. Septic Systems are quite a topic these days.  With all the rain we've had lately, a number of dormant septic system problems have come to the surface, literally and figuratively.  Old and new, there have been problems, and this is what you need to know.   Buyers:   If you are negotiating to purchase a property served by a septic system, make sure your special stipulations require a "clean" septic letter from the seller.  What this means is that a professional septic service provider wi...
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For the second year in a row Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine has rated the University of Georgia in it's top 10 values for colleges and universities in the U.S. This year, UGA has been rated # 6. It joins 3 other colleges in Georgia on the list of Kiplinger's To 100 Best Values for 2009/2010. To determine the rankings Kiplinger uses a combination of academic, cost and financial aid criteria for both in state and out of state students. Academics count for almost 2/3 of the ranking. To read the full story, see the list of the top 100 and find out about the methodology used, you can go to Kiplinger's Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges for 2009-2010. Athens, GA has also been rated one of the most affordable college towns for retirement by TopRetirements.com as well as one of the m...
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The following charts show the month to month residential real estate sales volume of the Greater Athens Ga metropolitan area for the months of June through December 2009. Chart 1 shows the trends for both the number of residential units sold and the average number of Days on Market (D.O.M.) for those units. December shows a decrese in the residential home sales volume. This should not come as a surprise. There was a rush to close sales by Nov. 30, 2009 to qualify for the first time home buyers tax credit, which has since been extended. Additionally, sales seasonally decline duringthe winter months. The The total number of residential units sold in December was 92, down 24 units from November.  The average Days on Market, D.O.M., showed another increase to 220 days, the highest it has be...
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