How to Research Atlanta Real Estate to Meet My Personal Needs

Every day a new website is born featuring neighborhood maps, demographics, property listings, and more. The internet enables you to research sales data, public tax records, addresses of sex offenders, toxic waste locations, school rankings and test scores, property tax millage rates; the list goes on.

Obtaining all this information will still not answer your questions, “How do I find the best place to live in Atlanta”? “How do I sell my home in this market without giving it away?” At least not with a peace of mind.

It takes a specialist to quiet those nagging thoughts; to validate your assumptions; to give credibility to your course of action.

In my opinion, we (North Atlanta Realty Group) are Atlanta specialists, an authority on Atlanta real estate. Our knowledge only becomes an asset - an item of value - when it is shared.

Here are the characteristics which, I believe, define an authority:

1. Well informed and up to date on industry news. We are prepared to answer your questions with candor and honesty.
2. Aggregate and filter information. We weed out the junk and provide a no-nonsense overview to help you move forward.
3. Provide a rigorous depth of research. We analyze the Atlanta market and provide information that is unique.
4. Makes knowledge accessible for the general populace. We present concepts, data and information in a way that is understandable to a non-specialist audience — with respect for your knowledge.
5. Expand the conceptual field. We challenge the traditional concepts and practices of the real estate industry.

To provide excellent service with proven results, we need more information than a list of multiple listing numbers two days before you arrive in Atlanta. We need to know more than how much money you want from the sale of your house. Or, how much money you spent getting it ready to go on the market.

Developing knowledge demands relationship and sharing of ideas. Providing excellent service with proven results requires no less.

Thanks to Dosh Dosh and Bonzai.

Fighting Crime in Atlanta

A lot of folks contact us when they are thinking of moving to Atlanta. They want to know where the best schools are located, what it costs to buy a 4-bedroom home with a finished basement on a large level lot with a fenced yard, and what is the crime rate in the area.

We are well prepared to answer questions on schools and housing, but are never sure how to address the issue of crime. Now we have an answer - at least in Midtown.

Check out the video here.  (H/T to AtlantaMidtown)

Condo Buyers Beware

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…

We recently encountered a new wrinkle in lender approval (more accurately, disapproval) for the purchase of condominiums that took us by surprise.

Our clients - relocating home buyers - found the perfect home for their current lifestyle. Located in close proximity to work, shopping and entertainment, this ranch condo is in a small gated community with a neighborhood pool.

The 3-bedroom, 2-bath open floor plan is spacious and light filled. And, the condo is newly constructed by one of Atlanta’s top builders. It is absolutely perfect for this couple!

So, Nancy and Bill negotiated for upgrades, a builder price concession, and finalized the contract to purchase. Closing was scheduled to coincide with the termination of their temporary corporate apartment lease. All was right with the world, and they celebrated.

In keeping with the terms of the contract, Bill and Nancy completed a loan application with their preferred lender and enjoyed the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The lender denied the loan application - even with excellent credit scores, secure employment, and a 50% down payment. Why? Because this condominium complex is new.

Enter Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government sponsored entities behind the scenes in the lending process.The hangover of the sub-prime debacle has introduced changes in lending guidelines (see Mortgage Fees Rising) which now affects purchasers of new condominiums. Without a solid history of sales performance and owner occupancy of 80%, loans are not being underwritten.

Now, with just 2-weeks left in their corporate apartment, Bill and Nancy are shopping for a single-family residence and exploring financial decisions that will cost them the least in dollars and emotional well being.

What have I learned from this experience? Anytime I am representing clients interested in new construction condos I will ask the listing sales associate about the percentage of sales that have closed. I will explore whether these condos were financed. I will tell my clients about Nancy and Bill and do whatever it takes to give them peace of mind.

Atlanta Tops the List for America’s Most Wired City

A recent article by Elizabeth Woyke for Forbes.com examines some of the reasons Atlanta tops Forbes.com's survey of America's most wired cities in the U.S. - for the second year in a row.

As the communications hub for the Southeast, Atlanta boasts regional headquarters for AT&T (nyse: T - news - people ) and Verizon (nyse: VZ - news - people ) and a bustling community of Internet-related start-ups. It's also home to BellSouth and EarthLink (nasdaq: ELNK - news - people )–a major promoter of citywide wireless networks until recent months–as well as cable giant Cox Communications.

So, what I want to know…

Is it important that your Atlanta real estate agent be wired? 

There is no shortage of websites to view Atlanta homes for sale: Zillow, Trulia, and Roost, to name a few national sites. Every major real estate broker and franchise in the metro Atlanta area has a website featuring Atlanta listings - most of them with direct feeds to the Atlanta multiple listing services.

Real estate agents promote email listing alerts and home searches from their personal websites. All of them apparently wanting to have a conversation with you, the person searching for information on the Atlanta housing market.

But, how many times have you emailed the listing agent seeking answers to your questions, and never received a response?

What's the point of real estate agents promoting online service and being unavailable? I don't get it. 

In my office, we recognize that folks moving to Atlanta have tons of questions, and often need guidance to narrow the home search.

• Where are the best schools in Atlanta?
• Is Atlanta traffic as bad as everyone says?
• Is this neighborhood safe? Should we rent first?
• How do I find the best place to live?
• Where do I find diverse lifestyles?
• What's the best way for me to compare one Atlanta suburb to another?

We use technology to enhance our ability to answer your questions in a timely manner. Our goal is to acknowledge your request within the hour, and provide a detailed response the same business day. To meet this goal we - like Atlanta - are the most wired real estate agents in Atlanta. 

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