“Can I live in Buckhead for under $350k?”   YES YOU CAN! 

There are actually more homes in Buckhead for under $350k than you might think…and some very nice ones, I might add!  And make no mistake, Buckhead has long been THE spot to own Real Estate in Atlanta.  GREAT Schools (Sarah Smith, Morris Brandon, Warren T. Jackson, E. Rivers & Garden Hills), beautiful neighborhoods & all the conveniences you could want nestled just north of Midtown and wedged inside both I-75, I-85 & the top end Perimeter of I-285.

Buckhead is one of Atlanta’s busiest financial centers and features gracious and historic homes, world-class shopping centers, elegant hotels and fantastic restaurants.  It has been called one of the United State’s top most affluent communities.

Buckhead is also one of the busiest Real Estate areas of Atlanta.  1631 single-family detached homes sold in 2006, 1704 in 2008, 1470 in 2008 and 61 thus far in 2009 with 40 Pending & the market (& weather) just getting warmed up.  The average list price of the solds was $692,924 and the avgerage sales price of those Buckhead homes was $634,516, resulting in an average list price to sales price ratio of 91.6%.  Not a bad discount!  This means there are some deals to be had in Buckhead as well! (none of these #s are including condos/townhomes)

With all that said, you can see that if you can get into Buckhead under $350k, you’re one of the few…that’s the sweet-spot & in that 1st Time Buyer wheel-house.  After all, 1st Time Buyers have ALL the start aligning for them right now, don’t they?  Time to take advantage!!

If you’d like to see what’s available in that price range, click here to see all Buckhead homes for sale $350k & below.

For ALL Buckhead homes for sale, click here.

Enjoy these and visit daily if you’d like. This site is connected to the MLS’s and is updated daily! You’ll always find the most current data & properties for sale here. If you have a more specific search request, don’t hesitate to ask.  You can contact us through our site or email our Buyer’s Specialist, Aaron, at aaron@kellysellsatlanta.com. 

Thanks so much for stopping by & Happy Hunting!

Aaron & Kelly Allen
The Kell Sells Atlanta Team
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com
Kelly | Listing Specialist | 404-606-2219 | kelly@kellysellsatlanta.com
Aaron | Buyer Specialist | 404-863-8680 | aaron@kellysellsatlanta.com
Subscribe to our e-newsletter!!

Named after its location at the intersection of Virginia and North Highland Avenues, this district still remains a popular spot for Atlanta’s young professionals. At one time this prime area was in danger of becoming part of a planned highway system, but with the efforts of community leaders and activists, the area revitalized itself to become the urban professional’s dream. Virginia-Highland is the area within the Atlanta city limits bounded on the north by Amsterdam Avenue, on the south by Ponce de Leon Avenue, on the east by Briarcliff Road, and on the west by the Southern Railroad Line.

Virginia Highland & it’s residents can remain proud of their investment, because the neighborhood seems to be bucking this current real estate shift and holding value:

In 2007 the neighborhood experienced 123 sales. Their average sales price was $639,127. On average, it took 63 days for these homes to sell.
In 2008 there were 96 sales (a 22 % decrease), but the average sales price stayed strong at $636,790 (a minimal decrease of less than 1%).  On average, it took a few days longer for the homes to sell, but still only took 66 days to sell a VH home.

The most current data we have thus far in 2009 shows that there have been only 7 home sales (for an average of $521,071) with 5 currently under contract, and we typically see higher priced home sales in the summer months (mainly June) so expect to see this Average Sales Price increase throughout the year.

When many other neighborhoods were seeing sliding home values, this Atlanta neighborhood was seeing it’s values remain solid.

Suffice to say that if you don’t have to sell, don’t BUT if you are a seller in Virginia Highland (or anywhere in this Morningside Elementary School District) don’t listen too carefully to the doom and gloom about Atlanta’s real estate market.

For you home shoppers that want to view the 72 homes currently for sale:

Click here for all Virginia-Highlands Homes for Sale!!

We have experience and the most up-to-date data and statistics regarding the economics of Atlanta, Georgia real estate, so don’t hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email if we can help you in any way.

Kelly & Aaron Allen
404-606-2219 Kelly
404-863-8680 Aaron
Keller Williams Realty Premier Atlanta
404-969-1600 office
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com

In this market, you need the absolute assurance that we’re on YOUR team.  Our team is committed to providing the absolute best service possible, no matter what the curcumstances are or become.  We want you to know that we care about our clients as much as we care about our reputation – after all, each go hand-in-hand and the most POWERFUL advertising one can receive is “word of mouth.”

This is how the Kelly Sells Atlanta Team’s “No Brainer” Variable Commission Structure works for you:

We will ALWAYS provide you with a tailored marketing plan for YOUR home as well as a comparative market analysis (CMA) which will show you what your competition is and what you need to do to stay “ahead ”of or “in” the market and not “on” the market.  (click for a FREE market valuation on your home) 

As 4th quarter 2008 statistics have shown us, a well priced home will sell for an average of 96% of list price and in 31 days, we can get you the best possible price for your home while mimizing the carrying costs of sitting on the market for months.  Stats also show us that if you require a price reduction, it will take you 2-3 times longer to sell your home than if you get it right the 1st time.  Powerful stuff.

We’ll always work to provide you with the highest level of service possible, but just know that if you’re not satisfied, you can cancel your listing at any time with no hassle from our team.

Here’s how our “No Brainer” Variable Commission Structure works for you & how you benefit from our system:

6%: this is what we charge if another agent is representing the Buyer for your home.  Our marketing fee is a flat 3% and the Buyer’s Agent will receive the other 3%.

4.5%: This is where it gets interesting…if we find your Buyer and there’s no other agent involved, we’re not going to charge you the full 6%.  We’ll cut that to 4.5%, but still remain your Full Service Realtor.  We’ll write the purchase agreement and handle the inspection negotiations, etc, all the way to closing.  However, you receive the benefit of saving that 1.5%.  Not bad…right?

3%: If you happen to find a Buyer while out cutting the lawn or maybe at a neighborhood hang-out, chatting it up about how your house is on the market and you’ve got your eye on that bigger, better, newer dream house in the best school district around…then we’ll write the purchase and sale agreement, coordinate inspections and carry the contract all the way to the closing table – just as we would in the other 2 scenarios above…

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime to see how The Kelly Sells Atlanta Team can help YOU sell your home.

>The KellySellsAtlanta.com Team
>Your Neighbors.  Your Real Estate Experts.

>> There are Lies, Damn Lies…then there are Statistics.

Here is what we’re seeing. If you’d like to skip the hard data, scroll to the bottom of this article where I’ve outlined what this means to a Buyer or a Seller right now….Further below you’ll find graphs and additional “case specific” data.

AND IF YOU’RE CURIOUS ABOUT THE “INTOWN” ATLANTA STATS, EMAIL US - WE HAVE THOSE AS WELL…

On to Metro Stats:

• 2008 home sales are down 22% compared to 2007 (but this is a slight increase from the final 3rd quarter numbers).
• 33,000 metro Atlanta homes sold in 2008
• The <$200k price range is down only -2.2%.  31.7% of Home Sales in this price range were Foreclosures
• The Median Sales Price is down 11.7% compared to year-end 2007, however, pockets of the metro Atlanta market are showing an increase while others are showing only a 2% decline.
• On average, 2008 Sellers got 92.5% of their asking price
• It took Sellers 84 Days, on average, to sell their home.  However, if the home was priced properly, it took only 27 days to sell!  It’s ALWAYS a Seller’s Market for a great house at a great price!!
• If you were a Seller and had to reduce your price in 2008, you were on the market 3x longer than if you’d have gotten the price right when 1st listed. 
• 8 out of 10 Listings in 2008 were over-priced.
• Supply reached a high at 10.8 months of supply in December, 2008 – but the Supply has been declining steadiliy since July 2008 and there is greater supply at higher price ranges (great news for move-up buyers!)

thanks for visiting KellySellsAtlanta.com – your metro and intown Atlanta Real Estate Resource…

The Kelly Sells Atlanta Team >> Your Neighbors.  Your Real Estate Experts.

The percentage of Sellers that needed to reduce their list price reached a new high at 53% of all transactions in 4th Qtr 2008, indicating a continuing high level of Buyer price resistance in the current market.  However, if a home is priced correctly when originally listed, 2008 statistics show that the home will sell in 31 days for 96.5% of the original list price. 

A good thing to know is that only 27 out of 100 homes will sell…period.  The other 83 just won’t sell…at least not anytime soon – this is the standing inventory you see day-in and day-out which is crowding the market.  Only 7 of those 100 homes will sell in less than 31 days and for 96% of the list price.  This shows that clearly it’s a tale of 2 markets:  It’s always a Seller’s Market when it’s a great home at a great price and the reality is that there’s a lot of junk on the market, which creates a slighly inflated perception that it’s a full-on Buyer’s Market out there.

This is great news for the Seller who’s willing and able to get aggressive with pricing and be “in” the market, not “on” the market.  If you can get that price right coming out of the gate, you should be under contract and finally having the opportunity to find a fantastic bargain on your next home.  Since the Sales Price to List Price ratio reduces as Price Points increase, the math will work in your favor to sell and “move-up” into your next home, basically getting more on the Buy than you’re giving on the Sell…

If there’s anything we can do to help you or someone you know navigate the turbulence, please feel free to call or email us anytime…and visit us at KellySellsAtlanta.com for ALL your Metro Atlanta Real Estate needs.

The rate of decline in # of homes sold had begun to slow during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2008 (vs. the same quarters of 2007), then sales slowed again in the 4th quarter of 2008…which is normal, but with the Real Estate market under a magnifying glass of late, don’t read too much into that particular stat because this happens every year. 

What you should come away knowing is that 2nd and 3rd quarters were showing an increase in sales #s and this is an indication that we’re bouncing around at the bottom of the market.  So if you’re looking to “time the bottom” be watching the clock closely.

 Basically…if you’re waiting for a deal…I think there’s one out there for you

Let us know how we can help - or visit us at KellySellsAtlanta.com…we’re ready when you are.

Lake Claire is a neighborhood located in eastern Atlanta, Georgia (30307 zip code) is a close-knit community of about 1,200 homes and is within walking distance to Candler Park, the Candler Park Golf Course & the Candler Park retail district comprised of restaurants & shops bordering McLendon & Clifton.  It is a part of the Atlanta City School System and the highly sought-after Many Lin Elementary School, feeding into Inman Middle & Grady High.

Lake Claire is situated in DeKalb County just east of Candler Park, north of Kirkwood, west of Decatur & south of Druid Hills.

Lake Claire & it’s residents can stick their chest out a bit, because the neighborhood seems to be bucking this current Atlanta real estate shift:

In 2006 the neighborhood experienced 54 sales.  Their average sales price was $415,270.  On average, it took 43 days for these homes to sell.
In 2007 there were 48 sales (an 11 % decrease), but the average sales price was $432,515 (an increase of 4.2% from the year before).  On average, it took a little longer for the homes to sell, but still only took 66 days to sell a home.
The most current data we have shows that, in 2008, there were only 40 sales in Winnona Park but the average sales price increased again by 3% to $445,552! 

When many other neighborhoods were seeing sliding home values, this Atlanta neighborhood was seeing it’s values increase.
Suffice to say that if you don’t have to sell, don’t BUT if you are a seller in Lake Claire (or anywhere in this Mary Lin School District) don’t listen too carefully to the doom and gloom about Atlanta’s real estate market.

Click here for all Lake Claire Homes for Sale!!

We have experience and the most up-to-date data and statistics regarding the economics of Atlanta, Georgia real estate, so don’t hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email if we can help you in any way.

Kelly & Aaron Allen
404-606-2219 Kelly
404-863-8680 Aaron
Keller Williams Realty Premier Atlanta
404-969-1600 office
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com

Finally, the answer to all that couldn’t be done with a standard FHA loan…

FHA 203(k) is back!  It’s FHA’s version of a construction/rehabilitation loan for properties that typically wouldn’t qualify for a standard FHA loan.  FHA has probably the lowest downpayment option around (3.5% vs. 5%+ with conventional loans).  This is causing FHA to become a MUCH more popular avenue than in recent years past.

The 203(k) loan will now allow you to purchase a property through FHA that is in need of repair.  Prior to 203(k), FHA had tight restrictions on property conditions, basically preventing most Foreclosure properties from qualifying.  For instance, if the property didn’t have a stove/range, it wasn’t qualifying.  If the repairs were more than minimal, it wasn’t going to pass an FHA appraisal.  It had to basically be a move-in-ready, liveable property or FHA wouldn’t approve the loan.

So, FHA 203(k) has cleared that hurdle and those properties are ready for Buyers. 

Click HERE for an up-to-date list of Atlanta FORECLOSURES and click HERE for Atlanta area homes under $100k!  Bookmark & check back daily for updates.

For more on the FHA 203(k) loan program, please click here.  Below are a few exerpts from the article:

203(k) – How It Is Different

Most mortgage financing plans provide only permanent financing. That is, the lender will not usually close the loan and release the mortgage proceeds unless the condition and value of the property provide adequate loan security. When rehabilitation is involved, this means that a lender typically requires the improvements to be finished before a long-term mortgage is made.

When a homebuyer wants to purchase a house in need of repair or modernization, the homebuyer usually has to obtain financing first to purchase the dwelling; additional financing to do the rehabilitation construction; and a permanent mortgage when the work is completed to pay off the interim loans with a permanent mortgage. Often the interim financing (the acquisition and construction loans) involves relatively high interest rates and short amortization periods. The Section 203(k) program was designed to address this situation. The borrower can get just one mortgage loan, at a long-term fixed (or adjustable) rate, to finance both the acquisition and the rehabilitation of the property. To provide funds for the rehabilitation, the mortgage amount is based on the projected value of the property with the work completed, taking into account the cost of the work. To minimize the risk to the mortgage lender, the mortgage loan (the maximum allowable amount) is eligible for endorsement by HUD as soon as the mortgage proceeds are disbursed and a rehabilitation escrow account is established. At this point the lender has a fully-insured mortgage loan.

Maximum Mortgage Amount

The mortgage amount, when added to any other existing indebtedness against the property, cannot exceed the applicable loan-to-value ratio and maximum dollar amount limitations prescribed for similar properties under Section 203(b). The Mortgage Payment Reserve is considered a part of the cost of rehabilitation for determining the maximum mortgage amount.

A. Maximum Mortgage Calculation. The value is defined as the lesser of:
1) The as-is value of the property before rehabilitation plus the cost of rehabilitation; or
2) 110 percent of the expected market value of the property upon completion of the work.

Principal Residence (Owner-Occupant) & HUD Approved Non-Profit Organization. For purchases with 203(k) financing: the maximum mortgage amount is to be based upon the HUD estimate of value in 1) or 2) above, less the statutory investment requirement. For refinances under the 203(k) program: the maximum mortgage amount is to be based upon 97/95/90 percent of the HUD estimate of value in 1) or 2) above.

B. Cost of Rehabilitation. Expenses eligible to be included in the cost of rehabilitation are materials, labor, contingency reserve, overhead and construction profit, up to six (6) months of mortgage payments, plus expenses related to the rehabilitation such as permits, fees, inspection fees by a qualified home inspector, licenses and consultant and/or architectural/engineering fees. The cost of rehabilitation may also include the supplemental origination fee which the mortgagor is permitted to pay when the mortgage involves insurance of advances, and the discounts which the mortgagor will pay on that portion of the mortgage proceeds allocated to the rehabilitation.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In summary, it’s awesome.

As always, if we can ever do anything for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Hope this info was helpful!


Aaron & Kelly Allen
Real Estate Consultants
Keller Williams Realty Premier Atlanta
3365 Piedmont Rd, Suite 1050
Atlanta, GA 30305
Aaron 404-863-8680 | Kelly 404-606-2219 | Fax 866-298-8584
Aaron@KellySellsAtlanta.com | Kelly@KellySellsAtlanta.com
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com/blog
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com/blog/email-newsletter-subscribe/

If you happen to know of someone that’s thinking of Buying or Selling, we’re here to help.  Just email or call us w/ their contact info and we’d be honored to take absolute care of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Investors & Savvy Shoppers:

Welcome to our Homes Under $100k HOT SHEET!!

http://kellysellsatlanta.idxre.com/idx/hotsheets.cfm?cid=7279&hid=14749

Come back daily for new & reduced listings under $100k in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody Vinings & Decatur. This list includes single-family detached homes as well as condos/townhomes with at least 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.

Please feel free to contact our Buyers Specialist, Aaron, for more information or to set up an appointment to view a property.

More specific searches can be set up for you upon request.

Aaron | 404.863.8680 | aaron@kellysellsatlanta.com

>> The Kelly Sells Atlanta Team of Keller Williams Realty
>> Your Realtors. Your Real Estate Experts.

You’ve asked for it, so here it is…

Click here for all of the area’s FORECLOSURE LISTINGS – UPDATED DAILY! 

Areas include Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Vinings and Decatur! Bookmark it and come back whenever, it’ll be there & it’ll be current.

More specific (or broad) area searches can be set up for you upon request…just email Aaron with what you’re looking for or if you’d like to schedule a showing…

>> enjoy!

“You want to be greedy when others are fearful.  You want to be fearful when others are greedy.”  Warren Buffet
Aaron & Kelly Allen

The Kelly Sells Atlanta Team
Real Estate Consultants
Keller Williams Realty Premier Atlanta
3365 Piedmont Rd, Suite 1050
Atlanta, GA 30305
C 404-863-8680 | F 866-298-8584
Aaron@KellySellsAtlanta.com
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com/blog
www.KellySellsAtlanta.com/blog/email-newsletter-subscribe/

If you happen to know of someone that’s thinking of Buying or Selling, we’re here to help.  Just email or call us w/ their contact info and we’d be honored to take absolute care of them.