Atlanta Georgia - Vacant House - In Foreclosure - Facing Foreclosure - Pending Foreclosure Dacula Home Buyers: Help is here if you have a vacant house and/or are facing foreclosure in Atlanta Georgia! -We can help solve your foreclosure problem and often have it removed from your credit! Do you have a vacant home in your neighborhood or are you surrounded by foreclosures in your neighborhood bringing the value of your house down? If you know of any vacant houses or houses in foreclosure, contact DIR-USA.com today and we may be able help! Often we can prevent foreclosure and help the home owner prevent a foreclosure on their credit! Vacant houses in a neighborhood are not only an eye sore to neighbors but can also be a negative effect on all the surrounding house values. When trying keep... 08/26/2009

Who doesn't enjoy a good pot roast? There's just something about that tender, juicy meat that fills you right up and comforts you at the same time. I love pot roast, especially one that I can put in the crock pot in the morning and forget about until dinner time. This recipe is so easy and delicious that I bet you make it this weekend! And it tastes perfectly when paired with garlic green beans and horseradish mashed potatoes. Doesn't that sound like a delightful combination? INGREDIENTS: One 3-lb boneless chuck roast 1.5 teaspoons House Seasoning (See note at bottom) 1/4 Cup vegetable oil (or extra-virgin olive oil) 1 onion, thinly sliced 3 bay leaves 3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 10.75 oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Chardonnay ... 08/14/2009

Whether you currently have your home up for sale or not, everyone can benefit from some great decorating tips for creating a warm, friendly atmosphere in their home. I found this video from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate that has some wonderful suggestions for making your family room a cozy space that encourages conversation and is perfect whether you're entertaining friends or just living your everyday life. I hope you watch the video because the designer really has great ideas. Here's three tips that I found especially helpful: Look for the focal point of the room, whether it be a fireplace or another unique feature, and build the room around that. Make the focal point be what pulls everything together.   Don't be afraid to bring furniture forward in the room, by floating the fu... 08/07/2009

Hebron Baptist Church has Annual Movie Night Under the Stars. It's a summer tradition all over Atlanta for movies under the stars. People gather with lawn chairs and blankets and watch a movie, usually an animated or children's movie, outdoors. It's kind of like going to a drive-in without the car!! Last night we attended Dacula's Hebron Baptist Church annual movie night on the lawn. The movie was "The Tale of Despereax", a movie about a mouse with big ears and no fear and a very inspiring story and message. When Hebron Baptist has an event, it's usually done all out and last night was no exception. There were food vendors selling pizza and sodas (very cheap I might add) and free popcorn and snow cones for the kids. The church orchestra was playing in the parking lot as the pre-movie en... 08/07/2009

The other day I was out showing a Buyer a few houses and the most embarrassing thing happened! We arrived at our final home of the day; I walked to the front door--rang the doorbell and knocked loudly (just in case the Sellers had not left the property yet), retrieved the key from the lock box and let ourselves in... What we encountered upon entering took me completely by surprise...the stench that flooded our noses was disgusting, no lights what so ever were turned on. We creeped in a little further in the living room and about tripped over the mounds and mounds of dirty clothes, toys and other crap haphazardly tossed everywhere. The place felt so dirty I was hesitant to even turn on the lights! My Buyer and I walked over to the kitchen...we had found the source of the smell!! Stacks a... 07/30/2009

I work with a lot of first-time home buyers, you may be one of them, and I'm asked all the time what is involved with getting pre-qualified for a home loan. To be honest I didn't have all the answers, so I interviewed the loan officer that I trust the most, Kurt Owen from BB&T's Covington, Georgia branch. Here's what he has to say on this topic: 1. What documents do people need to get pre-qualified? For a preq-ualification, it is helpful to have your most recent paystub, bank statements, W-2, and tax returns available.  Though no documents are actually collected at this stage, it will help you be more accurate with the lender, which in turn will give them a better idea of what you can qualify for. 2. What are the basic requirements for obtaining a loan? I've always heard you must hold t... 07/23/2009

In the first part of this short series I explained what the Georgia property taxes are based on, how the assessed value is determined and what a millage rate is. Today I'm going to discuss the homestead exemption and how to appeal tax assessments. If you want to catch up on the first part, click the link: All About Georgia Property Taxes: Part 1 Homestead Exemption: In Georgia, the most common exemption people apply for is the Homestead Exemption, which allows Georgia homeowners to receive a reduction in the tax assessed against their primary residence. This exemption and most other exemptions are not automatically given; instead, they require the homeowner to apply for them and the exemption then must be approved. You may apply for this exemption if you have lived in your home since Ja... 07/06/2009

  It's a great time to buy a home in Georgia, whether you're a first-time home buyer or not, and I would love to walk you through this process. If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today: 404.357.2231! 06/30/2009

If you are a Georgia homeowner, especially a first-time home owner, you may be curious to learn more about the property taxes you're required to pay. In this first part, I'll explain some general information about Georgia property taxes, how the valuation and assessment process works and what a millage rate is. To begin with, all Georgia property is subject to paying property taxes, called "ad valorem" taxes which means a tax based on the value of the property. The ad valorem tax is based upon the value of both the house (the improvements) and the lot on which the home sits. However, your personal property, such as your furniture and other possessions, are not included in this valuation. The Board of Assessors in the county in which the home lies is responsible for valuing and assessing... 06/25/2009

The following are some professional courtesies that every REALTOR should strive for. Using good manners is important in this business that is built on relationships. These 8 suggestions are all ways that show respect for property. 1.      Be responsible for everyone you allow to enter listed property. 2.      Never allow buyers to enter listed property unaccompanied. 3.      When showing property, keep all members of the group together. 4.      Never allow unaccompanied access to property without permission. 5.      Enter property only with permission even if you have a lockbox key or combination. 6.      When the occupant is absent, leave the property as you found it (lights, heating, cooling, drapes, etc).  If you think something is amiss (e.g. vandalism) contact the listing broker im... 06/22/2009

I love trying out new recipes and luckily last night I had the opportunity to as it was my night to bring snacks to my Small Group Bible Study. One of the recipes I attempted was this Mixed-Berry Crumble Tart and afterwards everyone said it was a keeper...so I thought maybe you would like to try this one out too! Now, I forgot to take a before picture...but here's an after picture...it's nearly gone, so that's got to tell you that it's delicious. It's made from a mixture of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries which I thought was perfect for the summer time. And berries are really good for your body too--full of antioxidants and vitamins, which is great--okay, okay there's definitely some sugar and butter in this so it's not the healthiest but what can I say? I love the sweets!! In... 06/09/2009

My office is cluttered and unorganized, which absolutely drives me crazy. So, last night I decided to start tackling this huge project...not to point fingers here, but it's mostly my hubby's mess that I'm trying to sort through. However, I did go through all the files in my desk and found a lot of things I didn't need. What does this have to do with saving money you may ask? Well, I found a magazine dated July 2008 that caught my eye--one of the headline stories was "Easy Tips to Save $1,000's"--I knew I had kept this for a reason! Today I'll share the tips on saving money through your mortgage, your bank or credit cards. For previous articles of how to save money, click on the following links: Simple Tips on How to Slash Your Grocery Bill "If You Play With Snakes You're Gonna Get Bit" ... 05/29/2009

My awesome team leader, Janice Baldwin, sent these life lessons to everyone this morning. It was written by Regina Brett, a columnist for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio. In the e-mail it talked about how Regina had just turned 90 years old; I had never heard of this woman before so I did a little research. I found her website: ReginaBrett.com and as it turns out she just turned 50 in 2006...so the e-mail floating around is inaccurate as to her age, but still contains a wonderful amount of life lessons we can learn from. According to her website, the following article is being turned into a book titled: "God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours" --it will be released April of 2010. So without further ado...here are the 45 Life Lessons we should know by Regina Brett: Li... 05/28/2009

Living in Dacula Ga for the last 9 years I never knew how many people came out for the annual Dacula Memorial Day Parade until today. It was so impressive to see so many people come out in support of our troops and celebrate our freedom. I'm almost ashamed that I never went to the parade until this year. Driving through Dacula it was amazing to see all the people.....kids and parents and grandparents. It's billed as the largest Memorial Day parade in the southeast. The weather was kinda soupy but the rain held off except for a few sprinkles. The parade started in the Hebron Baptist Church parking lot and ran all the way down Dacula Rd into the downtown area. There were several veterans in the parade including WWII and Vietnam Vets. Lots of old cars and tractors and a marching band and t... 05/27/2009

I received the following e-mail that contained answers by 2nd graders on "Why God Made Moms." Their answers were too cute for me not to share this! I love listening to children; hearing their answers to various questions--some of the things they come up with are so very sweet and other things they say are just hilarious!  I think you'll enjoy this and hopefully it'll make you smile and laugh a little. Not sure what the weather is doing in your part of town, but here it's rainy and thundering...hope this brightens your day up a bit! Why Did God Make Mothers? 1.  She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is. 2.  Mostly to clean the house. 3.  To help us out of there when we were getting born. How did God make mothers? 1.  He used dirt, just like for the rest of us. 2.  Magic plus... 05/24/2009

I received this e-mail today and it contained five riddles...I was only able to figure one of them out, but I don't think I thought about them long enough. See how you do...I will post the answers in the comment section tomorrow! 1. A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns and the third is full of lions who haven't eaten in three years. Which room is safest for him? 2. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him underwater for more than five minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But five minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be? 3. What is black when you buy it, red when you use it and gray when you throw it away? 4. Can y... 05/13/2009

Gwinnett County Georgiais a very large county with many cities and many zip codes. So starting this week I'm going to feature a different zip code each day with market stats and info related to the real estate market in that zip code. Real estate is very localized and what's happening in some areas might not be happening in others so if you're considering relocating to the Gwinnett County area or maybe you already live in Gwinnett and just want to move to the other side, you can come here to get local sales info to help you stay informed. This information is helpful for buyers and sellers. Currently we are in a buyer's market with a surplus of inventory. If you're a seller in this market, you need to be patient and also flexible. Price is the number one component of selling a home right... 04/29/2009

This photo was taken at the Middleton Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina. The plantation guides told us the tree is about 900 years old!! Some of the limbs are being held up and supported by cables! Photos ©2009 Anne Rains Photography, All Rights Reserved. I hope this information has helped you! If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!  04/29/2009

On Thursday night, over 6,000 churches hosted Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope live simulcast and over 1 million Americans heard what he had to say. Not familiar with Dave? He's a financial expert and a Christian, which I love because what he teaches about your finances are biblically based. He said a lot of great things last week and he really conveyed that the economy is not as bad as what the media is trying to portray. One of the best quotes of the night was: "Credit cards are snakes. If you play with snakes, you're going to get bit." Dave doesn't even own a credit card because he doesn't feel that the credit card companies play fair. He only advises using them if you can pay them in full each month! Now, I know that for a lot of Americans credit cards are a way of life, but can yo... 04/27/2009

A: No,  A loan modification does not change the fact that you have made all your payments on time. A good strategy while negotiating your loan modification to make certain that your credit standing remains stellar is to have the lender agree to not report anything associated with the loan modification to the credit bureau. 04/26/2009