Augusta Real Estate - Augusta Homes, Augusta Home

1530 Plantation Circle, Just Listed

2010-02-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

The Living Is Easy, in this spectacular home located in the prestigious Plantation Point Subdivision. The only gated resort community on the lake. Some of the extraordinary features and amenities you'll discover in this residence include: hardwood floors, custom trim moldings and crown moldings. The gourmet kitchen sports top-of-the-line appliances and granite counters. The Master Suite, with its cozy sitting area and spacious bath would look right at home in Architectural Digest. This home is perfect for year-round living or weekend entertaining. This property also features a private boat slip only 300 ft from the front door. The cares of the world seem to take a welcome respite at this wonderful place you're now fortunate to call home. This upscale waterfront community features community pool, tennis courts, 2 recreation areas, nature trails, community docks, private beach & boat ramp.

724 Avrett Circle, Just Listed

2010-02-17T14:47:00.000-08:00

Old World Grandeur & Timeless Grace - Enjoy a lifestyle of privilege, privacy and pleasure. Architecture and super amenities tucked away in this exclusive Knob Hill neighborhood. This exquisite 4BR, 3.5BA homes awaits a very discriminating buyer. Imagine grand arrivals in everyday stlye as you enter the stately front door into a world of your own. Home features include: Upper level media room, formal living and dining rooms, family room with gas fireplace and main level office area. The foremost design features coupled with impeccable workmanship and award-winning location make this home the consummate opportunity for luxury living.

1098 Waltons Pass, Evans GA

2010-02-01T20:12:00.000-08:00

Best price home in Somerset @ Williamsburg - Beautiful split bedroom design with formal living & Dining rooms, large family room with fireplace, carpets installed May 2009, Ceramic tile flooring in baths. Don'y miss this one...

http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com/

11 Candinal Lane, North Augusta

2010-02-01T20:06:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous 2 story unit with vaulted ceiling in Living room w/ fireplace, updated kitchen, fresh paint, Screened in porch with deck, large upper level master with private bath, move in condition.

http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com/

Just Listed 1430 Aylesbury - Stratford

2010-01-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

You had a hunch something better was out there. You were right! UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE and classic design prevail in this 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in the community of Stratford. This residence offers new granite countertops, freshly painted, spacious master suite with sitting area, large upper level sittings area perfect for office or just a place to get away and read a good book, spacious deck overlooking the back waters of the Savannah river. Truly a wonderful place to live and to raise a family.

For more information Click Here

Clarks Hill SC Real Estate Market Update

2010-01-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

Average price per square foot for Clarks Hill SC was $90, an increase of 11.1% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Clarks Hill SC for Sep 09 to Nov 09 was $199,000 based on 1 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 59.3%, or $74,100, and the number of home sales increased 0%.

There are currently 11 resale and new homes in Clarks Hill. The average listing price for homes for sale in Clarks Hill SC was $366,274 for the week ending Dec 30, which represents an increase of 0.8%, or $2,962, compared to the prior week.

Appling GA Real Estate Market Update

2010-01-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

Average price per square foot for Appling GA was $82, a decrease of 13.7% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Appling GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $138,000 based on 1 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 10.4%, or $13,000, and the number of home sales decreased 80%.

There are currently 120 resale and new homes in Appling, including 8 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Appling GA was $526,072 for the week ending Dec 30, which represents a decrease of 1.3%, or $6,908, compared to the prior week.

Martinez GA Real Estate Market Update

2010-01-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

Average price per square foot for Martinez GA was $82, a decrease of 21.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Martinez GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $129,500 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 13.7%, or $20,500, and the number of home sales decreased 84.8%.

There are currently 305 resale and new homes in Martinez, including 25 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Martinez GA was $276,535 for the week ending Dec 30, which represents an increase of 1.9%, or $5,200, compared to the prior week.

For more info. Click Here

Evans GA Real Estate Market Update

2010-01-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

Average price per square foot for Evans GA was $88, a decrease of 7.4% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Evans GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $174,000 based on 13 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 22%, or $49,000, and the number of home sales decreased 81.7%.

There are currently 752 resale and new homes in Evans, including 66 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Evans GA was $311,170 for the week ending Dec 30, which represents an increase of 0.3%, or $827, compared to the prior week.

For more info. Click Here

Augusta Market Update

2010-01-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

Average price per square foot for Augusta GA was $63, a decrease of 13.7% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Augusta GA for Sep 09 to Nov 09 was $91,386 based on 383 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 1.5%, or $1,386, and the number of home sales increased 14.7%.

There are currently 1,096 resale and new homes in Augusta, including 506 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Augusta GA was $146,500 for the week ending Dec 30, which represents an increase of 1.5%, or $2,146, compared to the prior week. Popular neighborhoods in Augusta include Summerville and Belair, with average listing prices of $332,801 and $172,653.

For more Info. Click Here

Keller Williams Realty Ranked as Top Real Estate Franchise by Industry Leader and Entrepreneur Magazine

2009-12-22T16:48:00.000-08:00

Keller Williams Realty joined the ranks of the top franchises in the world last week, when the company was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine. During the same week, the company was also voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.

“The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is a respected source for the real estate industry and beyond, as is Entrepreneur magazine, and we are excited to see our agents honored in this way for all of their hard work,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Keller Williams Realty. “We certainly wouldn’t have been included on either list without the dedication and resolve of our agents.”

According to the ranking in Entrepreneur magazine, the most important criteria to determine the top franchises included financial strength and stability, as well as growth rate and size of the franchise system. The magazine also looked at the number of years the company has been in business and the length of time it’s been franchising, in addition to start-up costs and financial data. Additionally, Keller Williams Realty made an impressive showing on the overall list, placing higher than any other real estate franchise.

The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is published by Stefan Swanepoel, a real estate industry speaker and insider. The survey was crafted to determine the Most Recognizable Brand for Real Estate Franchises for his report out in February 2010. The survey included votes cast by 11,000 plus real estate agents, who cast 390,000 votes to select the top 10.

Earlier in the year,Keller Williams Realty also received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms from J.D. Power and Associates for the second year in a row.

December Market Data

2009-12-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

December Market Data

View more presentations from Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners.

Clarks Hill SC Real Estate Update

2009-11-04T17:57:00.000-08:00

The median sales price for homes in Clarks Hill SC for Jul 09 to Sep 09 was $128,000. This represents an increase of 509.5%, or $107,000, compared to the prior quarter and an increase of 82.9% compared to the prior year. The average listing price for Clarks Hill homes for sale was $366,551 for the week ending Oct 28, which represents a decline of 0.5%, or $1,824, compared to the prior week and an increase of 0.5%, or $1,966, compared to the week ending Oct 07.

Average price per square foot for Clarks Hill SC was $61, an increase of 0% compared to the same period last year.

For more real estate market information click here

Appling Real Estate Update

2009-11-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

The median sales price for homes in Appling GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $138,000. This represents an increase of 57.2%, or $50,200, compared to the prior quarter and an increase of 10.4% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have appreciated 62.4% over the last 5 years in Appling.

The average listing price for Appling homes for sale was $529,243 for the week ending Oct 28, which represents an increase of 4%, or $20,197, compared to the prior week and an increase of 0.6%, or $3,341, compared to the week ending Oct 07. Average price per square foot for Appling GA was $82, a decrease of 13.7% compared to the same period last year.

For more information on the Appling Real Estate Market Click Here

Martinez Real Estate Update

2009-11-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

Average price per square foot for Martinez GA was $82, a decrease of 21.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Martinez GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $129,500 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 13.7%, or $20,500, and the number of home sales decreased 84.8%.

There are currently 369 resale and new homes in Martinez, including 26 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Martinez GA was $315,498 for the week ending Oct 28, which represents a decrease of 1.7%, or $5,484, compared to the prior week.

For more information on the Martinez Real Estate Market Click Here

Evans Real Estate Market Update

2009-11-04T17:46:00.000-08:00

The median sales price for homes in Evans GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $174,000. This represents a decline of 19.1%, or $41,000, compared to the prior quarter and a decrease of 22% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have depreciated 1.9% over the last 5 years in Evans.

The average listing price for Evans homes for sale was $322,042 for the week ending Oct 28, which represents a decline of 0.4%, or $1,281, compared to the prior week and an increase of 1.1%, or $3,472, compared to the week ending Oct 07. Average price per square foot for Evans GA was $88, a decrease of 7.4% compared to the same period last year.

For more information on the Evans Real Estate Market Click Here

Augusta Real Estate Market Update

2009-11-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

The median sales price for homes in Augusta GA for Jul 09 to Sep 09 was $87,900. This represents a decline of 9.6%, or $9,366, compared to the prior quarter and a decrease of 12% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have depreciated 2.1% over the last 5 years in Augusta.

The average listing price for Augusta homes for sale was $160,632 for the week ending Oct 28, which represents an increase of 0.6%, or $890, compared to the prior week and an increase of 0.8%, or $1,340, compared to the week ending Oct 07. Average price per square foot for Augusta GA was $65, a decrease of 7.1% compared to the same period last year. Popular neighborhoods in Augusta include Summerville, Lake Aumond, West Augusta, Lakemont, Belair, and Forest Hills.

For more information on the Augusta Real Estate Marker Click Here

159 Pine Tree Lane

2009-10-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

Great location only 3 miles from the river and the lake with SC taxes. Take a look for yourself.

For more information on this great home Augusta Real Estate

581 Bay Hill West Lake, Martinez GA

2009-10-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Exquisite 7 bedroom, 6.5 bath home in West Lake awaits a very discriminating buyer. Take a quict look at this tour, you love this one!

You can also get more information @ http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com/

4160 Bridlewood Trail Just Listed

2009-10-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

Just listed this great property in Riverside Place. Check out the tour.

For more information on this beautiful home; www.MarkJacobsRealtor.com

844 Point Comfort Lust Listed

2009-09-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

This unique 4 bedroom, 3.5 baths home on 6.4 acres is perfect for the large or growing family. Large master suite with sitting area and fireplace. Gourmet kitchen with formal dining room. Sunken living and family room with fireplace. Wrap around deck with cooking area and stainless grill, 2.5 acre private lake with dock and waterfall complete the picture. A perfect home to make wonderful family memories!

Just Listed 1049 Cumberland Place, Evans GA 30809

2009-09-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Just listed this property. Completely hidden on 3.4 tranquil and private acres in the heart of Evans. You got to see the tour.

Just Listed 145 Sring Lake Drive

2009-09-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

I just listed this great property in Spring Lakes. Take a look as see what you think..

http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com/145SpringLake.asp

Appling Real Estate Update

2009-09-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Appling GA was $82, a decrease of 13.7% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Appling GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $138,000 based on 1 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 10.4%, or $13,000, and the number of home sales decreased 80%.

There are currently 134 resale and new homes in Appling, including 7 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Appling GA was $550,629 for the week ending Sep 02, which represents an increase of 22.9%, or $102,430, compared to the prior week.

For more information go to http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com

Martinez Real Estate Update

2009-09-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Martinez GA was $82, a decrease of 21.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Martinez GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $129,500 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 13.7%, or $20,500, and the number of home sales decreased 84.8%.

There are currently 371 resale and new homes in Martinez, including 22 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Martinez GA was $284,506 for the week ending Sep 02, which represents an increase of 3.3%, or $8,984, compared to the prior week.

For more information go to http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com

Evans Real Estate Update

2009-09-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Evans GA was $88, a decrease of 7.4% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Evans GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $174,000 based on 13 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 22%, or $49,000, and the number of home sales decreased 81.7%.

There are currently 884 resale and new homes in Evans, including 49 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Evans GA was $330,637 for the week ending Sep 02, which represents a decrease of 0.7%, or $2,307, compared to the prior week.

For more information go to http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com

Augusta Real Estate Update

2009-09-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Augusta GA was $70, a decrease of 2.8% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Augusta GA for Jun 09 to Aug 09 was $92,900 based on 289 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 7.1%, or $7,100, and the number of home sales decreased 43.8%.

There are currently 1,316 resale and new homes in Augusta, including 471 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Augusta GA was $160,201 for the week ending Sep 02, which represents an increase of 0.4%, or $672, compared to the prior week. Popular neighborhoods in Augusta include Summerville and Forest Hills, with average listing prices of $378,401 and $362,901.

For more information go to http://www.markjacobsrealtor.com

First Impressions Last

2009-08-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

The age-old observation that "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" certainly applies when it comes to attracting buyers to a for-sale home.

Why try to tell a prospective buyer how your home could look when you can show him with just a few small repairs, some clean-up and a little redecorating? Many times, buyers overestimate the cost of painting and repairs. Show your home to its best advantage will result in a faster sale at a higher price.

Here are some things you can do to enhance the sale of your house

1. The front door greets the prospects. Make sure it is clean and inviting. Paint gutters and downspouts. Keep lawn well manicured.

2. Faded walls and woodwork reduce appeal. A small in painting will make your home look fresh and can return more in additional selling price.

3. Pay attention to details. Loose knobs, sticking doors and windows, pushed out screen doors and other minor flaws detract from your homes value.

4. Fix that faucet. Dripping water discolors sinks and implies faulty plumbing. Always make sure sinks and drains are clean and clear.

5. Bathrooms help sell homes. Check and repair caulking around tubs and showers. Make this room sparkle; enhance it with fresh flowers, clean guest towels and bathmats as you would for a special guest.

6. Arrange bedrooms neatly. Walk Remove excess furniture and use attractive bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains. Open the windows and let lots of fresh air in.

7. Make closets look bigger. Neat, well ordered closets show that space is ample. Closet lights are a special bonus: put some in!

8. Display the full value of your attic and basements. Remove all unnecessary articles. Perhaps now is the time to start packing some of these items, and have neatly stacked boxes instead of cluttered shelves.

9. Let the sun shine in! Open drapes and curtains to show cheerful your home can be. Turn on every light in the house including closet lights.

10. Soft music is inviting. Have the intercom or stereo turned to a station of soft background music.

11. Pets underfoot. Keep them out of the way preferably out of the house. Pay special attention to pet odors in the house: air it out often.

There's also tons more information on my web site: Augusta Real Estate

9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar

2009-08-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Real Estate Market Has Changed . . .

Buyers are far more discriminating, and a large percentage of the homes listed for sale don't sell the first time. It's more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

Remember not so long ago, when you could make your fortune in real estate. It was nothing then to buy a home, wait a short while, and then sell it at a tidy profit. And then do it all over again. Well, as you probably know, times have changed. As good as the market is right now, home prices are still below what they were at their peak. Buyers are far more discriminating, and a large percentage of the homes listed for sale never sell. It's more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

Selling your home is one of the most important steps in your life. This 9 step system will give you the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce the stress that comes with the home-selling process:

1. Know why you're selling, and keep it to yourself.
The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What's more important to you: the money you walk away with, or the length of time your property is on the market? Different goals will dictate different strategies. However, don't reveal your motivation to anyone else or they may use it against you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply say that your housing needs have changed.

2. Do your homework before setting a price.
Settling on an offering price shouldn't be done lightly. Once you've set your price, you've told buyers the absolute maximum they have to pay for your home, but pricing too high is as dangerous as pricing too low. Remember that the average buyer is looking at 15-20 homes at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they have a basis of comparison, and if your home doesn't compare favorably with others in the price range you've set, you won t be taken seriously by prospects or agents. As a result, your home will sit on the market for a long time and, knowing this, new buyers on the market will think there must be something wrong with your home.

3. Do your homework.
(In fact, your agent should do this for you). Find out what homes in your own and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past 6-12 months, and research what current homes are listed for. That's certainly how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home.

4. Find a good real estate agent to represent your needs.
Nearly three-quarters of homeowners claim that they wouldn't use the same realtor who sold their last home. Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication which results in not enough feedback, lower pricing and strained relations.

5. Maximize your home's sales potential.
Each year, corporate North America spends billions on product and packaging design. Appearance is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home. You may not be able to change your home's location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your home generates a greater emotional response than any other factor. Clean like you've never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. Present your home to get a wow response from prospective buyers. Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your home The decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic. Prospective buyers want to try on your home just like they would a new suit of clothes. If you follow them around pointing out improvements or if your decor is so different that it's difficult for a buyer to strip it away in his or her mind, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves an owner.

6. Make it easy for prospects to get information on your home.
You may be surprised to know that some marketing tools that most agents use to sell homes (eg. traditional open houses) are actually not very effective. In fact only 1% of homes are sold at an open house. Furthermore, the prospects calling for information on your home probably value their time as much as you do. The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with an agent, or an unwanted sales pitch. Make sure the ads your agent places for your home are attached to a 24 hour prerecorded hotline with a specific ID# for your home which gives buyers access to detailed information about your property day or night 7 days a week without having to talk to anyone. It's been proven that 3 times as many buyers call for information on your home under this system. And remember, the more buyers you have competing for your home the better, because it sets up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you in the driver's seat.

7. Know your buyer.
In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration. What is your buyer's motivation? Does s/he need to move quickly? Does s/he have enough money to pay you your asking price? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want.

8. Make sure the contract is complete.
For your part as a seller, make sure you disclose everything. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond the laws to disclose all known defects to their buyers in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem, s/he can't come back with a lawsuit later on. Make sure all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale, and resist the temptation to diverge from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.

9. Don't move out before you sell.
Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it looks forlorn, forgotten, simply not appealing. It could even cost you thousands. If you move, you're also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably highly motivated to sell fast. This, of course, will give them the advantage at the negotiating table.

For more information about any of our innovative homeowners programs, give us a call.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

2009-08-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

The information on this page pertains to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.

The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.

The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

Give us a call today 706-868-3772 ext 386 and discover for yourself why we have chosen Augusta as our home and how we can help you with your next real estate transaction.

Now Available on Facebook.com - CSRA listings

2009-08-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Now you can access all the homes for sale in the CSRA from our Facebook.com business page. Check it out it's to cool. Let me know what you think. You will find the links to all the listings on the left hand side of the main page and also under the property search tab at the top of the page.

Mark Jacobs - Keller Williams Realty on Facebook.com

For more information on Augusta real estate click here

Grovetown Real Estate Update

2009-08-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Grovetown GA was $82, a decrease of 9.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Grovetown GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $134,950 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 10.5%, or $15,900, and the number of home sales decreased 77.8%.

There are currently 578 resale and new homes in Grovetown, including 47 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Grovetown GA was $182,141 for the week ending Jul 29, which represents a decrease of 0.7%, or $1,230, compared to the prior week.

Grovetown Real Estate Listings

Martinez Real Estate Update

2009-08-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Martinez GA was $82, a decrease of 21.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Martinez GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $129,500 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 13.7%, or $20,500, and the number of home sales decreased 84.8%.

There are currently 403 resale and new homes in Martinez, including 44 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Martinez GA was $270,947 for the week ending Jul 29, which represents a decrease of 0.4%, or $955, compared to the prior week.

Martinez Real Estate Listings

Evans Real Estate Update

2009-08-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Evans GA was $88, a decrease of 7.4% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Evans GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $174,000 based on 13 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 22%, or $49,000, and the number of home sales decreased 81.7%.

There are currently 869 resale and new homes in Evans, including 64 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Evans GA was $340,427 for the week ending Jul 29, which represents an increase of 0.4%, or $1,389, compared to the prior week.

Evans Real Estate Listings

Augusta Real Estate Update

2009-08-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Augusta GA was $65, a decrease of 9.7% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Augusta GA for Apr 09 to Jun 09 was $101,900 based on 101 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 2.3%, or $2,251, and the number of home sales decreased 73.8%.

There are currently 1,396 resale and new homes in Augusta, including 462 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Augusta GA was $160,167 for the week ending Jul 29, which represents a decrease of 0.3%, or $494, compared to the prior week. Popular neighborhoods in Augusta include Summerville and West Augusta, with average listing prices of $391,151 and $307,649.

Auguste Real Estate Listings

6 Little Known Facts That Can Help You Buy Your First Home

2009-07-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

The problem that most renters face isn't your ability to meet a monthly payment. Goodness knows you must meet this monthly obligation every 30 days already. The problem is accumulating enough capital to make a downpayment on something more permanent.

But saving for this lump sum doesn't have to be as difficult as you might think. Consider the following 6 important points:

1. You can buy a home with much less down than you think.

There are some local or federal government programs (such as 1st
time buyer programs) to help people get into the housing market.
You can qualify as a first time buyer even if your spouse has
owned a home before as long as your name was not registered.
Ensure your real estate agent is informed and knowledgeable in
this important area and can offer programs to help you with your
options.

2. You may be able to get your lender to help you with your down
payment and closing costs.

Even if you do not have enough cash for a down-payment, if you
are debt-free, and own an asset free and clear (such as a car, for
example), your lending institution may be able to lend you the
down-payment for your home by securing it against this asset.

3. You may be able to find a seller to help you buy and finance
your home.

Some sellers may be willing to hold a second mortgage for you as
a "seller take-back." In this case, the seller becomes your
lending institution. Instead of paying this seller a lump-sum
full amount for his or her home, you would pay monthly mortgage
installments.

4. You may be able to create a cash down payment without actually
going into debt.

By borrowing money for certain investments to a specified level,
you may be able to generate a significant tax refund for yourself
that you can use as a down-payment. While the money borrowed for
these investments is technically a loan, the monthly amount paid
can be small, and the money invested in both home and investment
will be yours in the end.

5. You can buy a home even if you have problems with your credit
rating.

If you can come up with more than the minimum down-payment, or
can secure the loan with other equity, many lending institutions
will consider you for a mortgage. Alternatively, a seller
take-back mortgage could also help you in this situation.

6. You can, and should, get preapproved for a home loan before
you go looking for a home.

Preapproval is easy, and can give you complete peace-of-mind when
shopping for your home. Mortgage experts can obtain written
preapproval for you at no cost and no obligation, and it can all
be done quite easily over-the-phone. More than just a verbal
approval from your lending institution, a written preapproval is
as good as money in the bank. It entails a completed credit
application, and a certificate which guarantees you a mortgage to
the specified level when you find the home you're looking for.

Consider dealing only with a professional who specializes in
mortgages. Enlisting their services can make the difference
between obtaining a mortgage, and being stuck in the renter's rut
forever. Typically there is no cost or obligation to enquire.

To sum up, there are many important issues you should be aware of
that affect you as a renter. Why on earth would you continue to
lose thousands by throwing it away on rent when with your agent
you could take a few minutes to discuss your specific needs so
that you can stop renting and start owning?

This conversation costs you nothing. And, of course, you
shouldn't have to feel obligated to buy a home at the time you
review this. But by taking the time to explore your options, and
learn about the ways you can afford to buy a home, think how
prepared and relaxed you'll be when you are ready to make this
important step.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

Seven Buying And Selling Secrets To Know Before You Relocate

2009-07-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

The secret to a successful relocation is timing -- synchronized buying, moving and selling. Good timing just takes a little advance planning that puts you in control. Here are seven relocation secrets to make your move work smoothly for you.

1. Sell First

Ideally, you should sell your current home first in order to have all your financial resources available to purchase your next home. You want to avoid waiting until the closing on your new home forces you to sell your old home under the gun. Note that in some markets today, houses are moving so quickly that sellers will not even consider taking a contingency clause that postpones their sale until the buyers home sells. Setting the right price for your home and having a customized marketing plan are your best bets for bringing about a quick sale.

2. Find Out What You Can Afford

While your house is on the market, look at what's available to buy within your price range in your destination area. Your perfect house is out there, but take as much time as you can to find it. It's not just the house you'll have to live with -- you ll want to find out about the neighborhood, the schools, proximity to shopping, etc. before you commit to your next home.

3. Shop For A Loan Before You Shop For A House

Try to lock in the best rate you can find. Get pre-approved for financing so you have more bargaining power when you bid on a house. With a pre-approved loan, you'll be able to go to closing on your new house faster.

4. Coordinate Settlements And Moving Dates

Try to move directly from the old home to the new one. Sometimes you can rent back the old property for a few days or weeks if closing on the new one is delayed. Another alternative is an interim move to an apartment for a short time while waiting to close on the new house.

5. Begin Fix-Ups And Pre-Sale Improvements Early

Have any needed work completed before your house goes on the market. Consider having a home inspection early in the fix-up process so you know what's important to repair or replace before you set the sales price for your house.

6. Work Closely With Your Agent

Make sure every "i" is dotted and every "t" crossed on time for both closings. You may save time and money for the buyer of your old home with lower "re-issue" fees by referring them to the previous providers of inspections, surveys, title insurance, etc. The information is in your settlement papers. And, if it's a busy season, line up appointments in advance with the people you'll need to close on your new house.

7. Avoid The Last-Minute Rush

Call us early. We'll gather information and provide it to you quickly so you can make informed decisions and workable plans.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

The Top Five Reasons Your House Hasn't Sold!

2009-07-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

1. Price
The Initial Interviews
Before listing her house, Mary had wisely interviewed three agents. This is a smart move, even if the first or second agent makes you feel comfortable enough to list your house immediately. Without multiple interviews, you have no way to compare each agent s marketing plans, including their price recommendations.

Each agent had proved Mary a written price opinion, which is called a comparable market analysis (CMA). Two agents had recommended a similar price, and the other had suggested a price that was a bit higher.

Mary said one of the agents told her she could get $20,000 more than the other two agents had quoted. The agent was so enthusiastic, believable and convincing that Mary really believed this agent. After all what did Mary know about market values? This agent was an expert.

"Buying" a Listing
What probably happened is the agent "bought" the listing by quoting Mary a higher price during her presentation, knowing that Mary s house would never really sell at that price. More likely than not, the agent intended to wait a few weeks before convincing Mary to lower the price.

This is commonly called "buying a listing."
Mary s situation demonstrates a valuable lesson for sellers: if one agent quotes you a significantly higher price than the others, that agent is probably not the right one for you. The market doesn't lie, so each agent you deal with should arrive at a very close figure. If you list your house higher than market value then drop your price later, your house will be "market worn." Your final selling price will probably be lower than if you had listed it correctly in the beginning.

Let's say you list your house for $150,000 but it s really worth $140,000. Buyers in the $140,000 range will never see your house because they re not looking at $150,000 houses. They can't afford them. And $150,000 buyers will be comparing your house to others that are truly worth that price, meaning those houses will sell while yours just sits there. In fact, many agents will show an overpriced house for comparison when they're trying to sell their listings that are more realistically priced.

Why do Some Owners Overprice?
Often it s on their agent's advice, which we just discussed. Another reason they'll overprice is based on past value. Assuming a house appraised for $140,000 three years ago, they'll add an annual appreciation rate of three, four or five percent to come up with $150,000 or more. Makes sense, right? But that s not valid reasoning. I've never found any research to indicate that a home is guaranteed to appreciate.

Your house is worth what today's market says it s worth, regardless of what the house was worth one, two, five or ten years ago.

Comparing Home Prices to Stocks
Houses are just like stock. Hopefully they go up in value. Sometimes they come down. If you paid fifty dollars for one share of IBM stock two years ago and it s valued at $30 per share now, would you expect to sell your stock at what you paid ($50) plus a profit? Of course not. Well your house is the same. A property's value is determined by today's market, not by yesterday's value plus appreciation.

Mary's price was too high. That's the number one reason it hadn't sold after four months.

2. Condition
After concluding that Mary had her house listed too high, the next step was to ask about the condition of the home. She said it was in pretty good shape, but that it was hard to keep it clean with a family and that it needed painting. She thought she could avoid that expense in such a good market.

Mary couldn't have been more wrong.

Buyers are looking for model-home conditions. The paint inside and out should be near perfect. Everything should be kept perfectly straight and orderly. In fact, a buyer should be able to move into her house without doing anything, including cleaning the carpet.

Even if Mary received an offer, the condition of the house would cause the buyer to offer less than market value. Mary need to take the house off the market and paint it inside and out, cleaning everything, including the carpets, windows and light fixtures.

Although it may be difficult, a seller really has to walk through the house as if they are a potential buyer, being very critical and asking whether they would purchase a home in this condition. If you don't feel you can do that, hire an interior designer to do it for you and to suggest what needs to be done to prepare your house for the most important show time you'll ever have.

Once Mary had completed the recommendations above, the next step would be to invite all three agents back to visit and do another market analysis. She might even invite another agent that had impressed her during the previous listing period.

Another common question that many sellers ask and that is what do I do about pets, especially dogs. The results of a recent survey stated that 60 percent of all people are extremely scared or highly allergic to animals. What does this mean to a seller? Its very simple -- you need to make other arrangements for your family s pets. Of course, these pets are family members and you probably don t want to board your pet. That's okay, but you may not sell your house in a timely fashion or at its full market value.

With dogs, just the liability factor is huge. Your pet is the friendliest around but some little boy may come in pull your dog s tail, causing your pet to react by biting this boy. Then you have problems. Therefore, its best to board your pet, let a friend keep him, or have some relatives take care of him during this important stage of selling your home.

The things that make your house stand out the most is price and condition.

3. Location
The third reason a house won t sell in a good market is location. Such things as undesirable schools, a higher crime rate, filthy/messy neighbors, a busy road, or noise pollution (i.e. beside a busy railroad track or under a flight pattern) can mark a bad location.

Mary s location was good. There were no real negatives to affect her sale.

However, if your house is located poorly, the only thing that can compensate is a lower listing price. In order to sell a house in a bad location, the owner would have to ask for less than what similar homes in more desirable areas have sold for. Favorable terms could also help sell your house, especially if you are in the position to offer owner financing or a lease with options.

A good REALTOR will be savvy enough to recommend a good strategy and overcome a bad location.

4. The Listing Agent and their Reputation
The fourth reason a house won't sell in a great market like we re currently experiencing is the listing agent.

Your listing agent could cause huge problems if he or she is hard to get along with or difficult to work with. That s something you can t really anticipate, but that kind of attitude in an agent can make other REALTORS not want to show his or her listings unless they simply can't find anything else to show potential buyers -- even though such behavior goes against the REALTOR s code of ethics. It's only natural not to want to work with someone who has a bad attitude or a condescending nature.

Agents who are rude, arrogant, and difficult to work with will not have as many showings as an agent who is cooperative and enthusiastic.

Many times an buyer s agent will see a certain listing agent s name on the multiple listing sheet and immediately take that house out of their showing schedule. Just because an agent is a top producer in your area does not guarantee that he/she has the respect of other agents in town. The only way to guard yourself against this type of discrimination is to check out the reputation of the agent you are thinking about hiring or get personal referrals.

5. Marketing Plan
Aggressive Marketing Plan
If your house won t sell but you feel the house is priced right, in good condition, in a good location, and your agent is easy to work with, the marketing plan is probably the problem. Gone are the days when all the agent had to do was put a sign in your yard, place your house on the multiple listing service, run an ad, and wait for the offers to come in.

Today s agent must have an aggressive written marketing plan. Your agent must make effective use of the latest technologies and must be attuned to the new information age. A good agent will spend thousands of dollars marketing their listings.

Lock-Box & Ease of Showing
That brings us to ease of showing. If you don't allow your agent to put a lock box on your door you will miss out on a huge part of the showing market. Let me explain why and a step-by-step process of a typical showing agent.

Here s how that agents works: when an agent has a couple coming in from out of town to buy a house, the agent will prepare a list of possible properties to show the couple. The properties are based on a previous in-depth interview to determine the couple s needs. After searching the MLS computer, the agent will print a list of possible properties.

The first thing a highly organized agent will do is check out the showing instructions, separating the possible showings into two piles: properties with lock boxes and properties for which the agent must make an appointment or pick up a key. Because most agents and buyers are on a very tight schedule, the agent will place all the easy-to-show properties on the "A" List with a showing schedule in 30- to 45-minute increments.

Your House May Be on the "B" List
If the agent must make an appointment to show your house, you're going to miss the first few rounds of showings because your house is going to be placed on the "B" pile. If the buyers don't find a house that meets their needs in the first few days, the agent goes back to the second pile of properties and starts showing the ones without lock boxes or houses whose instructions demand an appointment by calling the listing agent.

Suppose this couple falls in love with a house on the first few rounds of showings. Even if you have the best house in the city in the best condition -- you've lost that sale. So for every showing you get, just think of how many you've missed. Allow your agent to put a lock box on your house and never require an appointment to show. You'll get much better traffic and a quicker sale that way.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

Foreclosure Rescue Scams

2009-07-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

The possibility of losing your home to foreclosure can be terrifying. The reality that scam artists are preying on the vulnerability of desperate homeowners is equally frightening. Many so-called foreclosure rescue companies or foreclosure assistance firms claim they can help you save your home. Some are brazen enough to offer a money-back guarantee. Unfortunately, once most of these foreclosure fraudsters take your money, you lose your home, too.

You can save yourself money and more heartache by avoiding any business that:

1 Guarantees to stop the foreclosure process – no matter what your circumstances

2 Advises you not to contact your lender, lawyer, or credit or housing counselor
collects a fee before providing any services

3 Accepts payment only by cashier’s check or wire transfer

4 Encourages you to lease your home so you can buy it back over time

5 Tells you to make your mortgage payments directly to it, rather than to your lender

6 Advises you to transfer your property deed or title to it

7 Offers to buy your house for cash at a fixed price that is not set by the housing market at the time of sale

8 Offers to fill out paperwork for you

9 Pressures you to sign papers you haven’t had a chance to read thoroughly or that you don’t understand.

To Do:

Contact your lender or servicer immediately if you’re having trouble paying your mortgage or you have received a foreclosure notice. You may be able to negotiate a new repayment schedule. Lenders generally don’t want to foreclose; it costs them money.

Contact a credit counselor through the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), a nonprofit organization that operates a national 24/7 toll-free hotline (1.888.995.HOPE) with free, bilingual, personalized assistance to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. HPF is a member of the HOPE NOW Alliance of mortgage servicers, mortgage market participants and counselors. More information about HOPE NOW is at http://www.995hope.org/.

How To Get Top Dollar In Any Market

2009-07-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

The best chance for selling your property is within the first seven to twelve weeks. Studies show that the longer a property stays on the market, the less the seller will net. Below are 5 main factors to accomplishing this goal.

* Pricing Factor

It is very important to price your property at a competitive market value right when you list it. The market is so competitive that even over-pricing by a few thousand dollars could mean that your house will not sell. It's interesting, but your first offer is usually your best offer. Here are reasons for pricing your property at the market value right from the start in order to net you the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time. An overpriced home:

* Minimizes offers
* Lowers showings
* Lowers agent response
* Limits financing
* Limits qualified buyers
* Nets less for the seller

80% of the marketing is done when we decide on what price to list your home. If you are unwilling to list at current market value, you would be better off not putting it on the market at this time.

* Clean Factor

Most people are turned off by even the smallest amount of uncleanness or odor when buying a home. Sellers lose thousands of dollars because they do not adequately clean. If your house is squeaky clean, you will be able to sell your home faster and net hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more. If you are planning on moving, why not get rid of that old junk now so that your house will appear larger? Make more space. Odors must be eliminated especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers or if you are a smoker. You may not notice the smell, but the buyers do! Most agents have a difficult time communicating to their sellers about odor. If you employ an agent to get the most amount of money for you, please don't take offense if he must confront you about odor problems.

* Access Factor

Top selling agents will not show your home if both the Key and access are not readily available. They do not have time to run around town all day picking up and dropping off keys. They want to sell homes! The greatest way to show a house is to have a key! When your home is being shown, please do the following:

* Keep all lights on
* Keep all drapes and shutters open
* Keep all doors unlocked
* Leave soft music playing
* Take a short walk with your children and pets
* Let the buyer be at ease and let the agents do their job

* Paint & Carpet Factor

Paint is your best improvement investment for getting a greater return on your money. Paint makes the whole house smell clean and neat. If your house has chipped paint, exposed wood, or the paint looks faded, it is time to paint. If your carpet is worn, dirty, outdated, or an unusual color, you may need to seriously consider replacing it. Many houses do not sell because of this problem. Don't think that buyers have more money than you have to replace carpet. They don't. They simply buy elsewhere.

* Front Yard Factor

Your front yard immediately reflects the inside condition of your house to the buyer. People enjoy their yards. Make certain that the trees are trimmed so the house can be seen from the street. Have the grass mowed, trimmed and edged. Walkways should be swept. Debris cleared away. Remove parked cars. This all adds to curb appeal. If a buyer doesn't like the outside, they may not stop to see the inside.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection

2009-07-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

According to industry experts, there are at least 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale। Here are 11 you should know about if you're planning to put your home up for sale.

Homebuyers Want to Know Your Home Inside and Out

While homebuyers are as individual as the homes they plan on purchasing, one thing they share is a desire to ensure that the home they will call their own is as good beneath the surface as it appears to be. Will the roof end up leaking? Is the wiring safe? What about the plumbing? These, and others, are the questions that the buyers looking at your home will seek professional help to answer.

According to industry experts, there are at least 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection. We ve identified the 11 most common of these and, if not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair.

In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you re looking for. And knowing what you re looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones.

11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection

1. Defective Plumbing
Defective plumbing can manifest itself in two different ways: leaking, and clogging. A visual inspection can detect leaking, and an inspector will gauge water pressure by turning on all faucets in the highest bath-room and then flushing the toilet. If you hear the sound of running water, it indicates that the pipes are undersized. If the water appears dirty when first turned on at the faucet, this is a good indication that the pipes are rusting, which can result in severe water quality problems.

2. Damp or Wet Basement
An inspector will check your walls for a powdery white mineral deposit a few inches off the floor, and will look to see if you feel secure enough to store things right on your basement floor. A mildew odor is almost impossible to eliminate, and an inspector will certainly be conscious of it.

It could cost you $200-$1,000 to seal a crack in or around your basement foundation depending on severity and location. Adding a sump pump and pit could run you around $750 - $1,000, and complete waterproofing (of an average 3 bedroom home) could amount to $5,000-$15,000. You will have to weigh these figures into the calculation of what price you want to net on your home.

3. Inadequate Wiring & Electrical
Your home should have a minimum of 100 amps service, and this should be clearly marked. Wire should be copper or aluminum. Home inspectors will look at octopus plugs as indicative of inadequate circuits and a potential fire hazard.

4. Poor Heating & Cooling Systems
Insufficient insulation, and an inadequate or a poorly functioning heating system, are the most common causes of poor heating. While an adequately clean furnace, without rust on the heat exchanger, usually has life left in it, an inspector will be asking and checking to see if your furnace is over its typical life span of 15-25 yrs. For a forced air gas system, a heat exchanger will come under particular scrutiny since one that is cracked can emit deadly carbon monoxide into the home. These heat exchangers must be replaced if damaged -they cannot be repaired.

5. Roofing Problems
Water leakage through the roof can occur for a variety of reasons such as physical deterioration of the asphalt shingles (e.g. curling or splitting), or mechanical damage from a wind storm. When gutters leak and downspouts allow water to run down and through the exterior walls, this external problem becomes a major internal one.

6. Damp Attic Spaces
Aside from basement dampness, problems with ventilation, insulation and vapor barriers can cause water, moisture, mold and mildew to form in the attic. This can lead to premature wear of the roof, structure and building materials. The cost to fix this damage could easily run over $2,500.

7. Rotting Wood
This can occur in many places (door or window frames, trim, siding, decks and fences). The building inspector will sometimes probe the wood to see if this is present - especially when wood has been freshly painted.

8. Masonry Work
Re-bricking can be costly, but, left unattended, these repairs can cause problems with water and moisture penetration into the home which in turn could lead to a chimney being clogged by fallen bricks or even a chimney which falls onto the roof. It can be costly to rebuild a chimney or to have it repainted.

9. Unsafe or Over-fused Electrical Circuit
A fire hazard is created when more amperage is drawn on the circuit than was intended. 15 amp circuits are the most common in a typical home, with larger service for large appliances such as stoves and dryers. It can cost several hundred dollars to replace your fuse panel with a circuit panel.

10. Adequate Security Features
More than a purchased security system, an inspector will look for the basic safety features that will protect your home such as proper locks on windows and patio doors, dead bolts on the doors, smoke and even carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom and on every level. Even though pricing will vary, these components will add to your costs. Before purchasing or installing, you should check with your local experts.

11. Structural/Foundation Problems
An inspector will certainly investigate the underlying footing and foundation of your home as structural integrity is fundamental to your home.

When you put your home on the market, you don t want any unpleasant surprises that could cost you the sale of your home। By having an understanding of these 11 problem areas as you walk through your home, you ll be arming yourself against future disappointment.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

Martinez Market Update

2009-07-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Martinez GA was $82, a decrease of 21.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Martinez GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $129,500 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 13.7%, or $20,500, and the number of home sales decreased 84.8%.

There are currently 403 resale and new homes in Martinez, including 57 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Martinez GA was $264,277 for the week ending Jul 01, which represents a decrease of 0.4%, or $987, compared to the prior week.

For more information www.markjacobsrealtor.com

Evans Market Update

2009-07-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Evans GA was $88, a decrease of 7.4% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Evans GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $174,000 based on 13 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 22%, or $49,000, and the number of home sales decreased 81.7%.

There are currently 914 resale and new homes in Evans, including 65 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Evans GA was $347,824 for the week ending Jul 01, which represents a decrease of 0.2%, or $650, compared to the prior week.

For more information www.markjacobsrealtor.com

Augusta Market Update

2009-07-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Augusta GA was $59, a decrease of 15.7% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Augusta GA for Apr 09 to Jun 09 was $97,466 based on 76 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 2.3%, or $2,166, and the number of home sales decreased 81.1%.

There are currently 1,349 resale and new homes in Augusta, including 422 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Augusta GA was $162,556 for the week ending Jul 01, which represents an increase of 0.2%, or $256, compared to the prior week. Popular neighborhoods in Augusta include Belair and Summerville, with average listing prices of $207,118 and $370,042.

For more information www.markjacobsrealtor.com

6 Mistakes to Avoid When Trading Up to a Larger Home

2009-07-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

. . . you have to sell your present home at exactly the right time in order to avoid either the financial burden of owning two homes or, just as bad, the dilemma of having no place to live during the gap between closings

Unlike the experience of buying a first home, when you re looking to move-up, and already own a home, there are certain factors that can complicate the situation. It s very important for you to consider these issues before you list your home for sale.

Not only is there the issue of financing to consider, but you also have to sell your present home at exactly the right time in order to avoid either the financial burden of owning two homes or, just as bad, the dilemma of having no place to live during the gap between closings.

Six Strategies

In this report, we outline the six most common mistakes homeowners make when moving to a larger home. Knowledge of these six mistakes, and the strategies to overcome them, will help you make informed choices before you put your existing home on the market.

1. Rose-coloured glasses
Most of us dream of improving our lifestyle and moving to a larger home. The problem is that there's sometimes a discrepancy between our hearts and our bank accounts. You drive by a home that you fall in love with only to find that it's already sold or that it s more than what you are willing to pay. Most homeowners get caught in this hit or miss strategy of house hunting when there's a much easier way of going about the process. For example, find out if your agent offers a Buyer Profile System or House-hunting Service, which takes the guesswork away and helps to put you in the home of your dreams. This type of program will cross-match your criteria with ALL available homes on the market and sup-ply you with printed information on an on-going basis. A program like this helps homeowners take off their rose-coloured glasses and, affordably, move into the home of their dreams.

2. Failing to make necessary improvements
If you want to get the best price for the home you're selling, there will certainly be things you can do to enhance it in a prospective buyer's eyes. These fix-ups don't necessarily have to be expensive. But even if you do have to make a minor investment, it will often come back to you ten-fold in the price you are able to get when you sell. It's very important that these improvements be made before you put your home on the market. If cash is tight, investigate an equity loan that you can repay on closing.

3. Not selling first
You should plan to sell before you buy. This way you will not find yourself at a disadvantage at the negotiating table, feeling pressured to accept an offer that is below-market value because you have to meet a purchase deadline. If you've already sold your home, you can buy your next one with no strings attached. If you do get a tempting offer on your home but haven't made significant headway on finding your next home, you might want to put in a contingency clause in the sale con-tract which gives you a reasonable time to find a home to buy. If the market is slow and you find your home is not selling as quickly as you anticipated, another option could be renting your home and putting it up on the market later - particularly if you are selling a smaller, starter home. You'll have to investigate the tax rules if you choose this latter option. Better still, find a way to eliminate this situation altogether by getting your agent to guarantee the sale of your present home (see point number 5 below).

4. Failing to get a pre-approved mortgage
Pre-approval is a very simple process that many homeowners fail to take advantage of. While it doesn't cost or obligate you to anything, pre-approval gives you a significant advantage when you put an offer on the home you want to purchase because you know exactly how much house you can afford, and you already have the green light from your lending institution. With a pre-approved mortgage, your offer will be viewed far more favorably by a seller - some-times even if it's a little lower than another offer that's contingent on financing. Don't fail to take this important step.

5. Getting caught in the Real Estate Catch 22
Your biggest dilemma when buying and selling is deciding which to do first. Point number 3 above advises you to sell first. However there are ways to eliminate this dilemma altogether. Some agents offer a Guaranteed Sale Trade-Up Program that actually takes the problem away from you entirely by guaranteeing the sale of your present home before you take possession of your next one. If you find a home you wish to purchase and have not sold your current home yet, they will buy your home from you themselves so you can make your move free of stress and worry.

6. Failing to coordinate closings
With two major transactions to coordinate together with all the people involved such as mortgage experts, appraisers, lawyers, loan officers, title company representatives, home inspectors or pest inspectors the chances of mix-ups and miscommunication go up dramatically. To avoid a logistical nightmare ensure you work closely with your agent.

There's also tons more information on my web site: MarkJacobsRealtor.com

27 Tips You Should Know To Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar

2009-07-02T11:44:00.001-07:00

Because your home may well be your largest asset, selling it is probably one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. To better understand the homeselling process, a guide has been prepared from current industry insider reports. Through these 27 tips you will discover how to protect and capitalize on your most important investment, reduce stress, be in control of your situation, and make the most profit possible.

1. Understand Why You Are Selling Your Home
Your motivation to sell is the determining factor as to how you will approach the process. It affects everything from what you set your asking price at to how much time, money and effort you're willing to invest in order to prepare your home for sale. For example, if your goal is for a quick sale, this would deter-mine one approach. If you want to maximize your profit, the sales process might take longer thus determining a different approach.

2. Keep the Reason(s) You are Selling to Yourself
The reason(s) you are selling your home will affect the way you negotiate its sale. By keeping this to yourself you don't provide ammunition to your prospective buyers. For example, should they learn that you must move quickly, you could be placed at a disadvantage in the negotiation process. When asked, simply say that your housing needs have changed. Remember, the reason( s) you are selling is only for you to know .

3. Before Setting a Price - Do Your Homework
When you set your price, you make buyers aware of the absolute maximum they have to pay for your home. As a seller, you will want to get a selling price as close to the list price as possible. If you start out by pricing too high you run the risk of not being taken seriously by buyers and their agents and pricing too low can result in selling for much less than you were hoping for.

Setting Your Home's Sale Price

If You Live in a Subdivision - If your home is comprised of similar or identical floor plans, built in the same period, simply look at recent sales in your neighborhood subdivision to give you a good idea of what your home is worth. If You Live in An Older Neighborhood - As neighborhoods change over time each home may be different in minor or substantial ways. Because of this you will probably find that there aren't many homes truly comparable to your own. In this case you may want to consider seeking a Realtor ® to help you with the pricing process.`If You Decide to Sell On Your Own - A good way to establish a value is to look at homes that have sold in your neighborhood within the past 6 months, including those now on the market. This is how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home. Also a trip to City Hall can provide you with home sale information in its public records, for most communities.

4. Do Some "Home Shopping" Yourself
The best way to learn about your competition and discover what turns buyers off is to check out other open houses. Note floor plans, condition, appearance, size of lot, location and other features. Particularly note, not only the asking prices but what they are actually selling for. Remember, if you're serious about getting your home sold fast, don't price it higher than your neighbor's.

5. When Getting an Appraisal is a Benefit
Sometimes a good appraisal can be a benefit in marketing your home. Getting an appraisal is a good way to let prospective buyers know that your home can be financed. However, an appraisal does cost money, has a limited life, and there s no guarantee you ll like the figure you hear.

6. Tax Assessments - What They Really Mean
Some people think that tax assessments are a way of evaluating a home. The difficulty here is that assessments are
based on a number of criteria that may not be related to property values, so they may not necessarily reflect your
home's true value.

7. Deciding Upon a Realtor ®
According to the National Association of Realtors, nearly two-thirds of the people surveyed who sell their own homes say they wouldn't do it again themselves. Primary reasons included setting a price, marketing handicaps, liability concerns, and time constraints. When deciding upon a Realtor ® , consider two or three. Be as wary of quotes that are too low as those that are too high. All Realtors ® are not the same! A professional Realtor ® knows the market and has information on past sales, current listings, a marketing plan, and will provide their background and references. Evaluate each candidate carefully on the basis of their experience, qualifications, enthusiasm and personality. Be sure you choose someone that you trust and feel confident that they will do a good job on your behalf.

If you choose to sell on your own, you can still talk to a Realtor ® . Many are more than willing to help do-it-your-selfers with paperwork, contracts, etc. and should problems arise, you now have someone you can readily call upon.

8. Ensure You Have Room to Negotiate
Before settling on your asking price make sure you leave yourself enough room in which to bargain. For example, set your lowest and highest selling price. Then check your priori-ties to know if you'll price high to maximize your profit or price closer to market value if you want sell quickly.

9. Appearances Do Matter - Make them Count!
Appearance is so critical that it would be unwise to ignore this when selling your home. The look and "feel" of your home will generate a greater emotional response than any other factor. Prospective buyers react to what they see, hear, feel, and smell even though you may have priced your home to sell.

10. Invite the Honest Opinions of Others
The biggest mistake you can make at this point is to rely solely on your own judgment. Don't be shy about seeking the honest opinions of others. You need to be objective about your home's good points as well as bad. Fortunately, your Realtor ® will be unabashed about discussing what should be done to make your home more marketable.

11. Get it Spic n' Span Clean and Fix Everything, Even If It Seems Insignificant
Scrub, scour, tidy up, straighten, get rid of the clutter, declare war on dust, repair squeaks, the light switch that doesn't work, and the tiny crack in the bathroom mirror because these can be deal-killers and you'll never know what turns buyers off. Remember, you're not just competing with other resale homes, but brand-new ones as well.

12. Allow Prospective Buyers to Visualize Themselves in Your Home
The last thing you want prospective buyers to feel when viewing your home is that they may be intruding into someone's life. Avoid clutter such as too many knick-knacks, etc. Decorate in neutral colors, like white or beige and place a few carefully chosen items to add warmth and character. You can enhance the attractiveness of your home with a well-placed vase of
flowers or potpourri in the bathroom. Home-decor magazines are great for tips.

13. Deal Killer Odors - Must Go!
You may not realize but odd smells like traces of food, pets and smoking odors can kill deals quickly. If prospective buyers know you have a dog, or that you smoke, they'll start being aware of odors and seeing stains that may not even exist. Don't leave any clues.

14. Be a Smart Seller - Disclose Everything
Smart sellers are proactive in disclosing all known defects to their buyers in writing. This can reduce liability and prevent law suits later on.

15. It's Better With More Prospects
When you maximize your home's marketability, you will most likely attract more than one prospective buyer. It is much better to have several buyers because they will compete with each other; a single buyer will end up competing with you.

16. Keep Emotions in Check During Negotiations
Let go of the emotion you've invested in your home. Be detached, using a business-like manner in your negotiations. You'll definitely have an advantage over those who get caught up emotionally in the situation.

17. Learn Why Your Buyer is Motivated
The better you know your buyers the better you can use the negotiation process to your advantage. This allows you to control the pace and duration of the process. As a rule, buyers are looking to purchase the best affordable property for the least amount of money. Knowing what motivates them enables you to negotiate more effectively. For example, does your buyer need to move quickly. Armed with this information you are in a better position to bargain.

18. What the Buyer Can Really Pay
As soon as possible, try to learn the amount of mortgage the buyer is qualified to carry and how much his/her down payment is. If their offer is low, ask their Realtor ® about the buyer's ability to pay what your home is worth.

19. When the Buyer Would Like to Close
Quite often, when buyers would "like" to close is when they need to close. Knowledge of their deadlines for completing negotiations again creates a negotiating advantage for you.

20. Never Sign a Deal on Your Next Home Until You Sell Your Current Home
Beware of closing on your new home while you're still making mortgage payments on the old one or you might end up becoming a seller who is eager (even desperate) for the first deal that comes along.

21. Moving Out Before You Sell Can Put You at a Disadvantage
It has been proven that it's more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it becomes forlorn looking, forgotten, no longer an appealing sight. Buyers start getting the message that you have a another home and are probably motivated to sell. This could cost you thousands of dollars.

22 Deadlines Create A Serious Disadvantage
Don't try to sell by a certain date. This adds unnecessary pressure and is a serious disadvantage in negotiations.

23. A Low Offer - Don't Take It Personally
Invariably the initial offer is below what both you and the buyer knows he'll pay for your property. Don't be upset, evaluate the offer objectively. Ensure it spells out the offering price, sufficient deposit, amount of down payment, mortgage amount, a closing date and any special requests. This can simply provide a starting point from which you can negotiate.

24. Turn That Low Offer Around
You can counter a low offer or even an offer that s just under your asking price. This lets the buyer know that the first offer isn't seen as being a serious one. Now you ll be negotiating only with buyers with serious offers.

25. Maybe the Buyer's Not Qualified
If you feel an offer is inadequate, now is the time to make sure the buyer is qualified to carry the size of mortgage the deal requires. Inquire how they arrived at their figure, and suggest they compare your price to the prices of homes for sale in your neighborhood.

26. Ensure the Contract is Complete
To avoid problems, ensure that all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale. It should include such items as the date it was made, names of parties involved, address of property being sold, purchase price, where deposit monies will be held, date for loan approval, date and place of closing, type of deed, including any contingencies that remain to be settled and what personal property is included (or not) in the sale.

27. Resist Deviating From the Contract
For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. That you ve been advised against it. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.

For more Tips on Selling your home Click Here

Ten ways any seller can practically guarantee their home will expire!

2009-06-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Here are the top ten ways any seller can practically guarantee their home will expire:

Not serious about selling. A sage once quipped, “Money is only important when you don’t want something enough.” Real estate expert R.L. Brown said that if half of the 58,000 sellers in Maricopa County (Arizona) removed their for sale signs we would be at normal inventory levels. Actions speak louder than words in this market. Discretionary sellers should wait for a less competitive environment.

Improper pricing. A home properly priced is half sold. No amount of full color ads, glossy flyers, multiple photos, virtual tours, agent luncheons, Goodyear blimps, pom-pom girls or Saint Joseph statues will compensate for the wrong, timid retail price.

Not listening to your agent. Attorneys believe if you represent yourself, you have a fool for a client. Doctors don’t self-diagnose. Professionals use professionals. Even though most people believe they are experts on raising kids and real estate; full-time, career pros usually know what’s best. Listen very carefully.

Micromanage the marketing. Just because you sold cookware in college, carts in California, or carpeting in Cranston does not qualify you to second-guess your agent. If you had a real estate license years ago, tell your children about the “good old days.” Share your concerns and timelines, but leave the details to the listing pro.

Don’t stage the property. Someday shag multi-colored, sculptured carpeting will come back. Whitewashed cabinets, Navajo white walls, linoleum flooring, southwest décor, lots of personal photos and Elvis paintings on black velvet should be removed. And, oh by the way loose the long sideburns.

Let Fido run loose. Recently, I entered a house and two frisky, friendly black Labs ran to sniff me. Unfortunately, I had light gray dress slacks on that day. Both wet stains lasted for hours. Until that day I didn’t realize dogs enjoyed chewing the tassels on expensive loafers.

Talk to the buyers. Life gets lonely at times. Why not ask the buyers where they grew up? Or how much they qualify for. Tell them about the vacant rental next door. Or, the sex offender who left the area. Maybe they could baby-sit next weekend! Why not share war stories, horror movies or meatloaf recipes?

Sell personal items. Wow, maybe the buyers want to buy the patio furniture, rotary lawnmower or life size statue of Saint Anthony. You only have four more boxes of Girl Scout cookies to sell. Why not ask for a donation for the March of Dimes, the Humane Society or the local PBS station. Remember the saying, “loose lips sink ships?”

What’s that smell? My house doesn’t smell of pet odors, baby diapers, curry powder, garlic, fried fish, coconut incense, cigars, manure, mulch, dairy farms or low tide. The buyer must be confusing my castle with a track home.

Avoid feedback. What do buyers know anyway? Imagine the fact they don’t appreciate my barbed wire fence, heavy duty rebar, backyard bomb shelter, airport runway views, lights from the power plant, hum from the high voltage lines, railroad tremors, scorpion skeletons, termite mud tubes and pet snakes.

To find more information on selling your home Click Here

Preparing & Staging your Augusta Home For Sale

2009-06-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what you might think, it’s about more than preparing the house for sale. Staging is what you do after you’ve cleaned, decluttered, painted, made minor repairs; it’s all about dressing the house for sale.Home staging is about illusions. It’s beyond decorating and cleaning. It’s about perfecting the art of creating moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer and best of all, it makes home buyers want to buy it.

First - You Need To Prepare The Home For Sale..
Every seller wants their home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it’s not luck that makes that happen. It’s careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

Here’s How:

Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.

Say to yourself, “This is not my home; it is a house — a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.

Make the mental decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.

Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!

Say goodbye to every room.

Don’t look backwards — look toward the future.

De-Personalize.

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts, and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there! You don’t want to make any buyer ask, “I wonder what kind of people live in this home?” You want buyers to say, “I can see myself living here.”

De-Clutter!

People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven’t used it in over a year, you probably don’t need it.

If you don’t need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
Remove all books from bookcases.

Pack up those knickknacks.

Clean off everything on kitchen counters.

Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.

Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:

Alphabetize spice jars.

Neatly stack dishes.

Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.

Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.

Line up shoes.

Rent a Storage Unit.

Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don’t want buyers scratching their heads and saying, “What is this room used for?”

Remove/Replace Favorite Items.

If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won’t want it. Once you tell a buyer she can’t have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

Make Minor Repairs.

Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.

Patch holes in walls.

Fix leaky faucets.

Fix doors that don’t close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.

Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.(Don’t give buyers any reason to remember your home as “the house with the orange bathroom.”)

Replace burned-out light bulbs.

If you’ve considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!

Make the House Sparkle!

Wash windows inside and out.

Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.

Clean out cobwebs.

Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.

Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.

Clean out the refrigerator.

Vacuum daily.

Wax floors.

Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.

Bleach dingy grout.

Replace worn rugs.

Hang up fresh towels.

Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.

Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

Scrutinize.

Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?

Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.

Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.

Make sure window coverings hang level.

Tune in to the room’s statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?

Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You’re almost finished.

Check Curb Appeal.

If a buyer won’t get out of her agent’s car because she doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you’ll never get her inside.

Keep the sidewalks cleared.

Mow the lawn.

Paint faded window trim.

Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.

Trim your bushes.

Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.

Second - You Need To Stage The Home For Sale..

To gain an edge in today’s marketplace you must be priced right and look better than the competition. Sometimes it’s difficult to think of a home as a mere product, but it helps to think that way so that you can get top dollar for your property and sell it in a reasonable amount of time.

When you sell your home you’re going to have to move. When you move you’re going to have to pack. Most of the principles of Staging just mean that you’re going to pack up some of your things early. It’s a little bit of work, but you’re going to have to do it anyway, so let’s do it now so you can get top dollar for your property in your marketplace.

GENERAL COMMENTS:
In every room stand at doorway and look at the room through the eyes of a buyer. What do you see? Be tough on yourself: What can you live without while your home is on the market?
Most carpets need to be cleaned. Have them professionally cleaned.

Buyers only know what they see & not the way it’s going to be! Unless your home is a fixer, badly worn or very out of date carpets should be replaced. Offering A buyer a credit to pick their own new carpet or a discount off the price is far less effective and will always end up costing you more money and slow the selling process. Pick a light-colored short plush or Berber carpet. Real-estate beige is the safest color.

Check all light fixtures. Are they working properly? Replace all burned out light bulbs. Look for dark hallways and corners and increase the wattage of bulbs in those areas.

Make sure there are lamps with adequate bulbs in dark corners that are turned on for each showings.

Repair and repaint cracks on all walls and ceilings.

Repair or replace broken light switches and switch plates. Clean any dirty areas around them.

Keep all curtains and blinds open during the day to let in light and views. The extra cost of additional heating or air conditioning is a necessary cost of selling.

Reduce the number of pillows on couches to zero or two. Remove all Afghans and blankets.

Pack up all valuable items to protect them. If necessary, take them to a safe deposit box.

Take a hard look at those beloved houseplants. In most cases they need to be pruned and/or the number of plants reduced to create more space. If plants don’t look healthy and are just barely clinging to life give them away.

Fireplaces need to be cleaned out. Glass doors should be cleaned. Mantels and hearths need to be cleared off except for a very few necessary items.

To create more space you may want to remove a chair, a love seat or other pieces of furniture. (Remember the model home!)

Pack up all collections (You’re going to need to pack them up sooner or later anyway). They become a distraction for buyers from the desired focal point your home.

Reduce the number of books on bookshelves. Pack up extra books early!

Reduce the number of family pictures on shelves, pianos, and tables.

Reduce the number of wall hung photos and paintings in every room to one large piece on a wall or a small group of three. Make sure they are hung at eye level.

Keep soft music playing at all times for showings. Easy-listening or light jazz, not hard rock or funeral music.

Be sensitive to odors, because buyers are! Excessive cooking or smoking odors, dog or cat odors, baby, laundry and mildew odors will turn off buyers. If there is a challenge with odors in your home use room deodorants or disinfectant sprays and keep windows cracked open for ventilation even in very hot or cold weather. (There are great products in pet stores for pet odors, and many professional carpet cleaners have special ozone machines that can really help with difficult odors.) You can’t sell it if you can smell it!

Wash all windows and make sure they operate freely. If the seal is broken on a double-pane window, replace it now.

Repair items that are broken. This will show that your home is well-taken-care-of. In most cases, buyers will ask for them to be repaired anyway, so do it now.

Don’t be afraid to move furniture from room to room. That extra chair from the living room or dining room may just look great in the master bedroom.

In general pack up the little things. Little things create clutter and they need to be packed up anyway, so pack them up now.

LIVING ROOM

If you go into a model home that is newly constructed you will see that they are usually sparsely
decorated. In a resale home you need to create space for buyers to mentally move in to the room by reducing clutter and the overall number of items.

Clear off all coffee tables and end tables to just 2 or 3 magazines and one nice vase or statuary.
Remove all ashtrays.

FAMILY ROOM, DEN, BONUS ROOM OR REC ROOM

Same as Living Room

DINING ROOM

Clear off dining room table except for one nice centerpiece.

Remove tablecloths from table.

Remove extra leaves from the table to make the room look bigger.

Remove extra dining room chairs if they crowd the table or fill up the corners of the room. Four or six chairs are plenty. It will make the room look bigger and you can put the extra chairs in the garage or a storage unit.

See the Living Room section above concerning removing or reducing the number of items, valuable items, and collections. It all applies here too, especially in a buffet.

KITCHEN

The main question in the kitchen is, what can you live without? Clear off counters leaving only a very few items that you have to use on a daily basis. Everything else should be kept off the counters to create space. Most homes have far too many small appliances and other items out that should be stored out of sight. Leave out a few large decorative items like a bowl of fruit or a basket with bread in it.

Repair any tile or Formica counter tops and edges that have been damaged or come unglued.
Clean tile grout with bleach if it is stained.

Remove all magnets, photos, children’s drawings, etc., from the front of the refrigerator. If there are a couple of truly necessary items put them on the side of the refrigerator.

Clean the stove top and oven. Replace old burner pans if they are badly stained. Clean all exhaust fans, filters, and hoods. Clean the kitchen floor and keep it clean for showings.

Keep the kitchen sink clean and empty on a daily basis.

Make sure the kitchen faucet is working smoothly without drips and that it is clean.

Clear everything off the window ledge above the kitchen sink.

Remember to pack up the collections in the kitchen too. Pack up your antique plate collection or whatever will distract buyers and take up space.

Keep all soaps, towels, scouring pads and cleaning supplies out of sight under the sink.

Some kitchens have too many scatter rugs in them. Too many rugs make a room look smaller. If space allows, one large Oriental rug in middle of kitchen looks great.

Empty the garbage regularly to prevent kitchen odors.

Move dog and cat dishes so that they don’t interfere with buyers walking around the room.

MASTER BEDROOM

Make the bed every day.

Invest in a new bedspread if necessary.

Clear off bedside tables and chest of drawers except for a very few necessary items. (see Living Room coffee and end tables)

Store extra books and magazines underneath the bed.

Keep closet doors closed. If you have a walk-in closet keep the floor clean and free of laundry and clutter.

If you have a clock radio keep it playing soft music during showings.

Reduce the number of photos on tables and chest of drawers to a minimum.

HALLWAYS

Remove plastic runners on carpet or hardwood floors.

ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS

See Master Bedroom guidelines.

In children’s rooms take down all the posters except for one favorite over the bed.
Repair nail holes and paint walls.

LAUNDRY ROOM

Put soaps & cleaners in a cupboard or reduce the number & organize them neatly on one shelf.
Just like in the kitchen, keep counters and sinks clean and empty.

Get rid of excess hangers and hanging laundry. If you have a drying area replace all those miscellaneous hangers with one style of white plastic hangers.

Make sure that light bulbs are working and have adequate wattage. Many laundry rooms are too dark and need to be brighter.

BATHROOMS

Clear off counters. Reduce toiletries down to a decorative few (3-6) and consolidate them on a tray or decorative basket. Put everything else in drawers or cabinets.

Replace that ugly dirty hand soap with a neat bottle of liquid soap.

Coordinate all towels with one or two colors. Fold in thirds and hang neatly every day. New towels can be purchased very inexpensively if the ones you have don’t match.

Clear everything out of the shower and tub except for one bottle of liquid soap and one shampoo.

Clean or replace the shower curtain. Keep shower curtains drawn at all times.

One common problem in a lot of bathrooms is cracking or peeling just above the top of the shower tile or tub enclosure where it meets the dry wall or ceiling. Repair using caulking and paint or install wood trim coated in polyurethane.

Get rid of mold and stains throughout bathroom, especially in the shower and bathtub area.

Many tubs and showers need a fresh new bead of silicone caulking around the edges to make them look neat and clean.

Take all cloth toilet lid covers and water closet covers off. Keep toilet lids down every day.

Scatter rugs in front of sink and toilet and shower make the room look small. Use one larger rug in the middle of the room or none at all.

Hide all cleaning supplies and the garbage can under the sink or out of the line of sight.

CLOSETS

Make sure you can open the door freely without something falling out on a prospective buyer.

BASEMENTS

Be aware of smells, musty odors, and dampness. Do your best to alleviate problems by repairing and cleaning problem areas. Use room deodorants and disinfectant sprays to help with any odors.

If you use the basement for storage, condense the piles to one corner of one area of the basement.

Repair any cracks in the ceilings and walls.

Clear any drains.

GARAGE OR CARPORT

Carports have to be completely cleaned out&everything!

Garages should be swept out and organized. If you have to use part or the entire garage for storage that’s fine, just keep it neat.

Always keep garage doors down while your home is on the market.

If you’re not using the garage for storage keep cars in the garage and not in the driveway.

Move boats & RVs to a storage facility or neighbors home several homes away until your home sells.

Where do I store all the stuff I took out?!

1. Rent a storage unit 2. Have a garage sale
3. Give it to charity 4. Put it in the attic
5. Store it in the crawl space 6. Use a portion or corner of the basement.
7. Use part or all of the garage 8. As a last resort sacrifice a bedroom

OUTSIDE THE HOME

The first impression when a buyer drives up to your home is critical. Walk across the street and look at it through the eyes of a buyer. Be tough on yourself. What do you see?

TRIM & HOUSE PAINT

Take a hard look at the front door and trim. Give special attention to this because this is where buyers will get their first opportunity to make a close inspection of your home. Does it need repainting or staining? Repainting the doors and trim to help make the house look crisp and in good condition is one of the least expensive things you can do to dress up a home..

DECKS, PORCHES & PATIOS

Sweep all decks, walks, porches and patios and keep them swept.

Remove any moss from all decks, walks and patios.

Decks should be pressure-washed, stained or painted if they are in need of it.

Reduce clutter on decks, porches and patios so that they look bigger. Get rid of old flowerpots, barbeque's, charcoal, planters, toys, construction materials and excess furniture.

If you have outdoor furniture create one simple room setting of clean furniture that will remind buyers of the usefulness of the space.

ROOF

Clean all debris and moss from roof and gutters.

FENCES

Repair broken fences and paint if necessary.

LANDSCAPING

Plants are like children they grow up so fast! First they are little and cute, then they seem just right, and all of a sudden they’re so big we hardly know how to take care of them! You can’t trim the kids, but you can trim your plants. If they need it, do it now.

Rake and weed flowerbeds. If possible, spread new mulch such as beauty bark, pine needles, gravel, or lava rock to put a finishing touch on the landscaping.

Remove and, if needed, replace all dead plants.

Mow lawn and keep it mowed on a weekly basis during the growing season.

Trim branches around the roofline to prevent animals, insects & foliage from getting on the roof.

FRONT YARD

Curb appeal is important. Has your landscaping overgrown the house? Remember& you can’t sell it if you can’t see it! Cut back all shrubs to window height that block light or view from windows. (If you’re afraid they won’t bloom next year, don’t worry you won’t be there!)
Move all children’s toys to the back yard.

Clean and sweep paved driveways. Rake, weed or re-gravel gravel driveways.

BACK YARD

Remove any extra items from the yard, such as tools, piles of lumber or auto parts.

Children’s toys should all go in one area in the back yard.

Clear any drains.

GARAGE OR CARPORT

Carports have to be completely cleaned out!

Garages should be swept out and organized. If you have to use part or the entire garage for storage that’s fine, just keep it neat.

Always keep garage doors down while your home is on the market.

If you’re not using the garage for storage keep cars in the garage and not in the driveway.

Move boats & RVs to a storage facility or neighbors home several homes away until your home sells.

Things to keep in mind
1. Buyers only know what they see, not how it’s going to be
2. You can’t sell it if you can’t see it
3. You can’t sell it if you can smell it
4. The way you live in your home and the way we market and sell your house are two very different things.

Most agents will call and give you at least a couple of hours notice before showing your property. If you refuse to let them show it at that time, they will just skip your house. Even if they come back another time, it will probably be with different buyers and you may have just lost a chance to sell your home.

For more information on Home Staging Click Here and check our my home staging page.

10 Best-Kept Secrets for Selling Your Augusta Home

2009-06-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Selling Secret #10: Pricing it rightFind out what your home is worth, then shave 15 to 20 percent off the price. You’ll be stampeded by buyers with multiple bids — even in the worst markets — and they’ll bid up the price over what it’s worth. It takes real courage and most sellers just don’t want to risk it, but it’s the single best strategy to sell a home in today’s market.

Selling Secret #9: Half-empty closetsStorage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.

Selling Secret #8: Light it up Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.

Selling Secret #7: Play the agent field. A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong broker. Make sure you have a broker who is totally informed. They must constantly monitor the multiple listing service (MLS), know what properties are going on the market and know the comps in your neighborhood. Find a broker who embraces technology – a tech-savvy one has many tools to get your house sold.

Selling Secret #6: Conceal the crittersYou might think a cuddly dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but you’d be wrong. Not everybody is a dog- or cat-lover. Buyers don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send the critters to a pet hotel for the day.

Selling Secret #5: Don’t over-upgradeQuick fixes before selling always pay off. Mammoth makeovers, not so much. You probably won’t get your money back if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains or go buy some inexpensive new ones. Replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout.

Selling Secret #4: Take the home out of your houseOne of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.

Selling Secret #3: The kitchen comes firstYou’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops where a buyer may knock $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style. If you have a little money to spend, buy one fancy stainless steel appliance. Why one? Because when people see one high-end appliance they think all the rest are expensive too and it updates the kitchen.

Selling Secret #2: Always be ready to showYour house needs to be “show-ready” at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.

Selling Secret #1: The first impression is the only impressionNo matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. You can typically get a 100-percent return on the money you put into your home’s curb appeal. Entryways are also important. You use it as a utility space for your coat and keys. But, when you’re selling, make it welcoming by putting in a small bench, a vase of fresh-cut flowers or even some cookies.

To learn more about selling your home in Augusta Click Here

10 Dos and Don’ts for Augusta Home Sellers

2009-06-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

5 Dos

Consult your real estate agent before prepping your home for the market. If you just start making changes, you may be focusing on things that are not as important as others.

Make sure your agent will have a strong online presence. The majority of house hunters begin their search on the Internet and then narrow down which ones to actually visit.

Be certain your agent is knowledgeable about the area. He or she should have a good understanding of the local community, schools, recreation and politics to share with potential buyers.

Feature professional color photos of your home. This is as important for the Internet listing as it is for the printed brochures. The brochure should also include a detailed floor plan if available.

Have a clear understanding of the selling process. Familiarize yourself with the typical marketing time in your area, what to expect with a home inspection and any hot-button items that could be of concern. Also, be familiar with the contract process, attorney review, mortgage contingency, deposit escrows and closing time frames.

5 Dont’s

Don’t just go with the agent who tells you your house is worth the most. Conduct some research to verify the pricing, and consider looking at the competition.

Don’t just assume that the agent who sold you your house will be a good fit on the selling side. Interview more than one person to find out what each has to offer.

Don’t ignore offers that don’t meet your asking price. By not countering even low offers, you could easily discourage what may ultimately be a good offer.

Don’t assume that your agent works full-time. Many do not, so be sure to ask.

Don’t just accept everything your agent says. Get it in writing. Make sure he or she offers a written marketing plan with which you agree. Also, understand that once you sign, you are locked in to a legal contract for the term agreed upon.

To find out more about the dos and don'ts of selling your augusta home Click here now…

Comming Soon… RIVERWOOD TOWN CENTER, EVANS GA

2009-06-19T09:49:00.000-07:00

Located in the heart of the Deep South, near the Savannah River, Riverwood Town Center, will be the gateway to the 3,800 acre master-planned community of Riverwood Plantation. This center, designed with a “low country” architectural style, will be anchored by Publix and will include an additional 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurant uses. Nestled by surrounding neighborhoods, Riverwood Town Center will offer residents comfort, convenience and an ideal neighborhood shopping center experience.

View Site Plan

"$8,000 in FREE money is available right now...."

2009-06-19T09:45:00.001-07:00

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

The information on this page pertains to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

To learn more about the $8,000 tax credit Click here now…

Evans Free Movie Matinees

2009-06-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Family Movie Matinees - at the Performing Arts Theater (in the Columbia County Library) in Evans Georgia Town Center.

FREE ADMISSION!
June 10 Penelope (PG)
June 17 Marley & Me (PG)
June 24 Kung Fu Panda (PG)
July 8 Hotel For Dogs (PG)
July 15 Horton Hears a Who (G)
July 22 Wall-E (G)
July 29 SURPRISE SPECIAL FEATURE

Location: 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd.Show Time: 1:00 pm Tickets distributed as early as noon Limited Seating 706-312-7192

Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit Signed into law!

2009-06-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

HB 261 was signed into law on May 11, 2009 by Governor Sonny Perdue! GAR applauds House Sponsor Ron Stephens (Savannah), House Ways and Means Chairman Larry O’Neal (Warner Robins) and Senate Chairman Chip Pearson (Dawsonville) for their tireless efforts in the passage of this important legislation. Unlike the federal tax credit, the Georgia credit is not limited to first-time homebuyers, and there are no applicable income limits. The amount of the credit is 1.2% of the purchase price up to $1,800 spread over three years. The credit is only available to buyers of eligible single family residences who close between June 1 and November 30 of 2009.

Below are Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Georgia Tax Credit:

1. Is this tax credit limited to first time homebuyers?NO, all purchasers of an eligible single family residence in Georgia that file a Georgia income tax return can claim the credit.

2. Can the Georgia credit be combined with the federal $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit?YES, if buyers meet the qualification for each credit they may claim both. Each credit operates independently from the other. One is claimed on your federal income tax return, the other is claimed on your Georgia income tax return.

3. Is it true this credit is limited to the purchase of a single family residence?YES, the tax credit is limited to the purchase of one single family residence.Single-family residences (including condominiums) are eligible if they are: * New residences, residences occupied at the time of sale, or previously occupied residences, if such residences: - Were for sale prior to the effective date (5/11/09) and were still for sale after the effective date; * Owner-occupied residences with respect to which the owner’s acquisition debt is in default on or before March 1, 2009; and * Residences with respect to which a foreclosure event has taken place and which are owned by the mortgagor or the mortgagor’s agent.

4. Is it true that eligible single family residences must have been listed prior to May 11, 2009 in order to qualify for the credit?YES, the original intent of the bill was aimed at reducing the housing stock that has been on the market for an extended period of time.

5. Is it true that only eligible buyers that close between June 1, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009 can claim the credit?YES, the intent of credit is to stimulate the market by encouraging potential buyers to get off the fence and BUY NOW!

6. How do I determine the amount of tax credit I am eligible for?The tax credit will be for 1.2% of the purchase price, with a maximum credit of $1,800 (whichever is less). Homes purchased for $150,000 or more will receive a maximum of $1,800.

7. Can I claim all $1,800 on my 2009 income tax returns?NO, the total amount of your credit must be claimed in one-third increments over a three year period. The maximum credit per year is $600 if you are eligible for the maximum $1,800. Any excess or unused credit may be carried forward to apply to succeeding years’ tax liability.

8. Can I amend my 2008 Georgia income tax return to claim the credit?NO, the tax credit cannot be applied against prior years’ tax liability.

9. I am looking for investment property or a second home, is the credit available for the purchase of owner-occupied residences only?NO, all eligible single family residences qualify for the credit. However, each taxpayer can claim the credit one time only.

10. Is there an income limit for buyers who claim the credit?NO, there are no income limits applicable to this credit.

11. Is there a limit to how long a buyer must own the property to claim the credit?NO, there is not a limit to how long a buyer must own the property.

12. Does any portion of the credit require repayment for any reason?NO, if you are awarded the credit there are no penalties that would require you repay any portion of the credit.

To find out more about the GA Tax credit Click here now…

Martinez Market Update

2009-06-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Martinez GA was $82, a decrease of 21.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Martinez GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $129,500 based on 12 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 13.7%, or $20,500, and the number of home sales decreased 84.8%.

There are currently 456 resale and new homes in Martinez on Trulia, including 79 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Martinez GA was $266,147 for the week ending Jun 10, which represents a decrease of 4.1%, or $11,265, compared to the prior week.

To find out more about Martinez GA real estate Click here now…

Evans Market Update

2009-06-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

Average price per square foot for Evans GA was $88, a decrease of 7.4% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Evans GA for Jan 09 to Mar 09 was $174,000 based on 13 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 22%, or $49,000, and the number of home sales decreased 81.7%.

There are currently 1,055 resale and new homes in Evans, including 65 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Evans GA was $343,835 for the week ending Jun 10, which represents a decrease of 3.4%, or $11,997, compared to the prior week.

To find out more about Evans Real Estate Trends Click here now…

Augusta Market Update

2009-06-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Average price per square foot for Augusta GA was $59, a decrease of 13.2% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Augusta GA for Mar 09 to May 09 was $94,400 based on 245 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 2.6%, or $2,400, and the number of home sales decreased 21.2%.

There are currently 1,511 resale and new homes in Augusta, including 484 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Augusta GA was $158,803 for the week ending Jun 10, which represents a decrease of 3.6%, or $5,875, compared to the prior week. Popular neighborhoods in Augusta include Summerville and West Augusta, with average listing prices of $357,698 and $258,523.

To find out more about Evans real estate trends Click here now…