Tag Archive for: keller williams athens

Jennifer Westmoreland and Associates Expands to Florida Real Estate

Team JWA expanding via new office at Amelia Island

Ever thought about or looked at a vacation home in Florida? Thinking of purchasing a home at Amelia Island to enjoy the beach and know you have a location for the annual GA/FL football weekend? Or maybe you love the crystal clear water and white sand beaches of the Florida Gulf Coast? Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates is now licensed in the state of Florida through our Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners office at Amelia Island FL! We’re ready to bring our wealth of real estate market knowledge and experience to your next Florida real estate purchase! Since 1994, we’ve made every effort to provide you the very best service and expertise in the greater Athens area, and we’re looking forward to this new opportunity to provide you a trusted partner in a home purchase outside the Athens area. Don’t go it alone or with someone you’re unfamiliar with in an important decision. Submit a request for contact online, or simply give Jennifer a call today!

7 January Home Care Tips in the Greater Athens Area

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.
  8. 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

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.

Purchasing Real Estate in College Towns

Thinking of moving near campus in the greater Athens area?

There is excitement in the air, as our Dawgs have advanced to the championship game! Most of us agree that living in the greater Athens area is one of the best decisions that we have made! Living in a college town often includes attractions, special events, unique small businesses and more! But did you know that your real estate values could also benefit from living in or near a college town?

According to U.S. News and World Report, there may be several benefits to living in or around a college town. Some of the benefits they mention include your home being in demand, added security, and being close to everything!

Purchasing or selling a home is many times one of the largest financial decisions that a person will make. When purchasing a home in the greater Athens area, it’s good to know that being in a community with a thriving campus atmosphere could also benefit your quality of life and home values. Interested in learning more about our local real estate market? Submit a request for contact, or simply give us a call today! We’d be happy to create a customized report just for you.

Halloween 2017 at Team JWA

Happy Halloween from Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates!

We take your home buying and selling needs seriously, and can have fun too! If you value a local real estate team with years of experience, this is it! Before you look at the answer, see if you can guess the theme of each ofthese photos!

Sit. Stay. Sell. The Power Of Pets In Real Estate

Every pet deserves a home!

Did you know that, at Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates, we are happy to support our local Athens Area Humane Society with each closing? We were happy to donate a percentage of 2017 closings to the AAHS in support of their mission, and look forward to continuing the tradition! Do you have pets in your household? Below is an excerpt from a Keller Williams blog post. Visit their blog page for more information on helpful ways to help show a home with pets. (Information and photo via KW)

“There was a time when selling a home with a pet was a major issue for sellers and real estate agents. Great efforts went into masking odors, eliminating stains, putting up food/water bowls, closing doggy doors, removing litter pans, putting toys away and even finding a place for the pet to be during showings. Needless to say, it required a lot of extra work on top of the other tasks needed to get the home ready for showing.

In today’s market, most of this has changed, and pet-friendly homes are now considered by many to be a benefit.

Best_Friends_-_Dogs_and_People.png

With 65 percent of households currently owning a pet, having a pet is no longer a “downside” when it comes to buyers and sellers. However, even though 79 million households have at least one pet, home owners still need to present a clean, pet-stain and odor-free home when listing it for sale.

More than just having pets, an estimated 83 percent of people actually consider the pet a member of the family. This is causing home owners and agents to see pet-friendly homes in a different light.

Agents understand that people are passionate about their pets. But more than understanding that passion is delivering service that meets the client’s specific needs…” (Continued at KW blog post).