On this week’s Real Estate on the River series, Brandon McEachern of our Team Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates discusses first time home buyers with Ryan Thompson of BankSouth Mortgage. Thanks Ryan for being a part of this series! In this week’s video Ryan talks about what first time home buyers should expect as far as closing costs and planning in the greater Athens GA area.
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| Choosing the perfect home for you and your family is an extremely important decision. Online listings show you the basic details of a home, but how do you know whether or not it is a sound financial investment?
We go beyond the listing by analyzing historical sales, gathering detailed information on schools and local amenities, assessing trends in the local market, and studying economic conditions in order for you to make the best decision possible. Thank you for thinking of us for all of your real estate needs. Ready to explore in detail the availability of homes in the greater Athens area? Give us a call or submit a request for contact today! |
Information via Keller Williams)
| Securing the right financing is critical when you find the right home. Many buyers put such a heavy focus on low home prices that they miss out on the real opportunity in today’s real estate market – historically low mortgage rates! Now is the time to lock in a mortgage rate to offer you the peace of mind you deserve with your next home purchase. | |
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| Submit a request for contact or call us today to discuss how you can take advantage of today’s market. We’re here to help with your every move. | |
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Five Ways to Update Your Space in the New Year
(Information and photo via Keller Williams)
When the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, we tend to start thinking of all the ways we want to overhaul our lives, but what about our houses? Here are five pieces of inspiration for updating your space in the new year. This may also give you some ideas in a new home that you may be reviewing.
| 1. Go bold. Paint an accent wall or a piece of furniture an of-the-moment, intense hue – like bright blue, fuchsia, kelly green or purple.
2. Embrace nature. Lacking a green thumb? Try succulents, which are some of the easiest plants to keep alive. Planters in natural materials like concrete and wood extend the organic feel. 3. Play with patterns. Geometric patterns continue to dominate décor designs. Integrate them into your space in a low-stakes way through patterned throw pillows or removable wallpaper. 4. Head toward the fringes. Textile trends are leading toward the tactile, with fringe popping up on everything from bedding to curtains to ottomans. 5. Gild it. Metallic accents make a room pop, and today’s tones can be mixed and layered, so consider trying brass serving trays with polished nickel cabinet pulls. |
Looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate? Let’s talk about it. Submit a request for contact or call me today to arrange a personalized consultation.
The Great Catsby, Presented by Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates
We’re happy to be this year’s presenting sponsor for the inaugural Great Catsby fundraiser for the Athens Area Humane Society! Team JWA has a love for animals, and we’re excited to be a part of this event to help expand facilities and services at the AAHS.
The Great Catsby is a festive gala to help AAHS raise funds for the building of a larger, more accessible facility. A new facility will allow AAHS to increase the number of animals rescued and adopted each year. In addition, it would allow AAHS to expand spay/neuter operations and allow for more volunteer opportunities and community involvement at the shelter. They have really outgrown our current facility and desperately need to make strides toward a new one.
The event will include a festive decor with a “roaring ’20s” theme, a live 7-piece jazz band, dancing, complimentary food and beverages, a silent auction, and garden tours at the beautiful State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a 313-acre preserve located just 3 miles from UGA. RSVP and invite your friends at our JWA event page, and purchase tickets via AAHS at their ticket page.
There are still opportunities for local businesses to help out with the gala by becoming a sponsor or donating an item to our silent auction. Please contact Jane@AthensHumaneSociety.o
Event Information via Michelle Roche Media Relations and the Athens Area Humane Society
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!
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:
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 
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.
(Information via Keller Williams)
Five Quick Tips to Help You Beat the Winter Blahs
Are the short days and cold weather getting you down? Here are some fun ideas to help you beat the season.
Get Outside and Play
Bundle up and get outside for some exercise, especially on sunny days. Sunlight is a natural mood-enhancer and exercise stimulates and warms the body.
Visit A Spa, Or Set One Up At Home
That bitter cold doesn’t just make people blue; it also wreaks havoc on their skin. Combat both with a pampering trip to a day spa, or set one up at home.
Give a Room a Bright New Look
If your house is contributing to your blahs, supercharge a room or two with summery decorative elements. Throwing a fresh coat of yellow paint on the walls, or adding bunches of fresh tulips, candles or accessories from favorite vacations won’t just warm the room; it’ll warm you, too.
Add Splashes of Color to Your Wardrobe
Pep up the wardrobe, too. Add an orange scarf for healing and peaceful feelings, a lime green jacket to balance your mood, or a red blouse for energy.
Get Rid of Clutter
Take advantage of all the time spent indoors, organize closets, clean out the refrigerator, and purge old files. Most people report that having a handle on their household clutter increases, their peace of mind and happiness.
Stay warm out there! And if you or anyone you know needs professional real estate advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
(Information via Keller Williams)
According 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
According
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 Prices
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.
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.
