Tag Archive for: best real estate agent

7 January Home Care Tips in the Greater Athens Area

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Simple Steps You Could Take to Maintain Your Home

Information and photo via Keller Williams


You can keep your home in top shape with simple tasks throughout the year. This month, be sure to:

  1. 1. Check your attic for birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.
  2. 2. Pour 1 gallon of water down unused drains.
  3. 3. Clean the refrigerator drain pan.
  4. 4. Inspect your dishwasher for leaks.
  5. 5. Check the operation of your sump pump if you have one.
  6. 6. Have your air ducts cleaned.
  7. 7. Service your kitchen disposal by grinding several cups of ice cubes.
  9. Ready to learn more about selling the home that you’ve maintained over the years? We’d be happy to help! Submit a request for contact today, or simply give us a call! We’ll review your home with you, and provide you with a simple analysis and home sale plan, as well as an analysis of homes in your neighborhood!

Millennial First Time Home Buyers in the Greater Athens Area

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Millennials Search for Unconventional Down Payment Funds, but at What Cost?

We’ve had several questions from customers recently about unconventional down payment funds, and wanted to share this information with you to potentially help you out! Interested in looking for your first home in the greater Athens area? Submit a request for contact or give us a call today! We’d be happy to walk you through the first time home buyer process and know what to plan on throughout the process!

Information and photo via Keller Williams

By Liz Dominguez decorative image Millennials meeting with REALTOR Rising home prices are standing in the way of millennials who want to buy their first home; however, these challenges are being overcome via some unconventional methods. Millennials are getting creative and finding sources for their down payment by any means necessary. But are these methods hurting the millennial generation financially?

Borrowing from family: Sure, gifted money doesn’t sound bad. But what if the families don’t have the cash to give? Instead, buyers are asking that their parents’ home be refinanced, using the home equity as a way to fund their own home purchase.

Of course, this can be beneficial in multiple-offer situations to get a competitive edge with an all-cash offer, but borrowing from a relative can go south fast. Not being able to pay a bank back can have repercussions like lowering a credit score, but missed payments to a relative can damage familial relations. Is it worth the risk?

Crowdfunding: There are new crowdfunding platforms being introduced every year, and more of them are tapping into the real estate industry. This can be a great way to amass gifted money from friends and family, but not everyone may see it that way. Instead of crowdfunding for their honeymoon, newlyweds are asking their wedding guests to donate toward their first home.

This method can get complicated in the lending world. Buyers will need to look into gifting regulations before accepting any gifted money.

This Month in Real Estate January 2018

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Real Estate Trends – Interested in Your Neighborhood?

(Information via Keller Williams)

This Month in Real Estate

Monthly VideoAccording to the National Association of REALTORS®, existing home sales accelerated significantly in November, reaching their fastest rate of growth in over 10 years. In spite of ongoing inventory constraints, particularly in the starter-home segment, and a healthy, growing median home price, homes are selling rapidly as buyers scoop up available properties.

Interest Rates

AccordingMonthly Video to Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed rates rose from 3.90 percent to 3.99 percent. This rate remains well below the historical average of 8.90 percent.

Home Sales

The National Association of REALTORS® reported home sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of approximately 5.8 million homes during the month of November. This was an increase of 5.6 percent from October and an increase of 3.8 percent from November of last year.

Home Sales Graph

Home Prices

Home Price Graph

The median home price increased to $248,000 in November, which was up 0.8 percent from October and up 5.8 percent from November of last year. The median home price has increased by approximately $13,600 in the past year alone.

Inventory

There was a 3.4-month supply of housing inventory in November, which was a 12.8 percent decrease from October. The total number of available homes for sale has decreased by 15.0 percent compared to November of last year.

Inventory Graph

Interested in what’s happening in the greater Athens area or your neighborhood? Submit a request for contact or give us a call for a no obligation review!

Brought to you by KW Research. For additional graphs and details, please see the This Month in Real Estate PowerPoint Report.The opinions expressed in This Month in Real Estate are intended to supplement opinions on real estate expressed by local and national media, local real estate agents and other expert sources. You should not treat any opinion expressed on This Month in Real Estate as a specific inducement to make a particular investment or follow a particular strategy, but only as an expression of opinion. Keller Williams Realty, Inc., does not guarantee and is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of information, and provides said information without warranties of any kind. All information presented herein is intended and should be used for educational purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. All investments involve some degree of risk. Keller Williams Realty, Inc., will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in This Month in Real Estate.

Top 10 New Years Resolutions for 2018

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Here are this year’s most popular resolutions.

(Information and photo via Keller Williams)

It’s that time of year!

If you’ve resolved to ring out the old and start the New Year with clean slate, you’re in good company.

Here are the this year’s most popular resolutions:

10. Find a new / better job
9. Volunteer / contribute more to charity
8. Learn something new
7. Exercise more
6. Spend more time with family / close friends
5. Do more new / exciting things
4. Quit smoking
3. Make smarter financial decisions
2. Lose weight / eat healthier
1. Buy a home or move

Know someone that may need help with #1? At Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates, we’d be glad to help! Submit a request for contact or give us a call to customize a home sale or purchase plan, just for you!

This Month in Real Estate September

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This Month in Real Estate – September 2017

Information and photos via Keller Williams

 

THIS MONTH IN REAL ESTATE
September 2017
HOME SALES
Home sales increased year-over-year.
5.44 MILLION
Seasonally adjusted annual rate of U.S. home sales
+2.1% since one year ago
-1.3% since last month
HOME PRICE
Home prices have continued to increase year-over-year.
$258,300
Average
U.S. home price.
+6.2% since one year ago
-1.9% since last month
MORTGAGE RATES
Mortage rates remain well below the historic average.
30 year fixed: 3.86%
15 year fixed: 3.16%
5/1-year arm: 3.17%
Historical Average: 8.90%
Source: Freddie Mac
 

THERE’S OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY MARKET!
Call today or submit a request for contact to find out what’s happening in our Greater Athens area and how we can help!

Copyright 2017 Keller Williams® Realty, Inc. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Opportunity Housing Provider. Each office is independently owned and operated.