It’s fair to say that Walmart—the iconic American superstore—isn’t the first place most Forsyth County GA area home sellers are likely to think of when it comes to staging their property.  After all, Walmart is most famous for “everyday low prices” (advertising code for ‘cheap!’).  That’s quite a contrast with your house—the most costly purchase most people ever make.

So it was something of a head-turner when realtor.com, web home of the National Association of Realtors^®, published an informative piece under the heading, “Home Staging Essentials You Can Find at Walmart.” Especially when you think about staging million-dollar Forsyth County GA estates, the Walmart connection seems like a stretch—much less a “home staging essential.”

That headline does make for some irresistible reading, though—and although Forsyth County GA staging professionals might debate some of the “essentials,” the list is worth quoting:

• Fluffy white hand towels. No argument—as long as the fluffiness is (as described) “soft.”

• Round accent mirrors. They can be “a stylish accent” as described—but that depends on the quality of the frame (the one pictured fits the bill).

• Fake green plants. Not a bad idea for corners where the real thing wouldn’t thrive. The examples pictured shows “the greenery” in nice-looking vases.

• Flameless candles. In many settings, this could be debatable. Because they attract attention, such “safe LED candles” risk unnecessarily communicating “fake” more tellingly than do the tasteful vase-borne artificial plants of the previous item.

• Colorful pillows. Splashes of color are professional staging standbys—and these attractively designed examples are, in fact, Walmart items.

In fact, Forsyth County GA home sellers with their own design sense can draw from any number of sources—from Walmart to Bergdorf Goodman. The touches they come up with don’t have to be budget-busters —especially when they will be accenting a quality property.

I’m here to spread the word —staging matters but it doesn’t have to break the bank!  When your own Forsyth County GA home goes up for sale, I hope you’ll call!

 

 

Additional articles that might be of interest when staging your Forsyth County GA home for sale:

10 Pro Staging Secrets for a Quick Home Sale at Top Dollar

Quick Back Yard Staging without Breaking the Bank

How to Stage Your Home While Living in It (Without Losing Your Mind)

6 Surprising Ways Home Staging Can Sabotage Your Sale
 

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

It’s exactly what you were hoping for when you listed your Cumming GA house for sale: multiple offers! They’ve just been submitted, and now you get to choose which offer is the best one. The highest dollar amount may look like the instant winner, but that first reaction should be put aside while all the included provisions are given thoughtful consideration.

If the purchase price offered is the only major difference, the decision can be an easy one—but that’s seldom the case.  Your house sale’s net yield can be greatly affected by the offer details —considerations like these:

TIMING – if the proposed closing date will arrive too soon OR too far in the future, accepting it may prove more costly than you’d think.  It depends on the move-in date for your next home—especially if that’s up in the air.  Gaps can be costly—especially if it winds up forcing you into a too-hasty (or too expensive) choice for your next home.

CASH or ??— “All-cash” offers sound appealing, but some cash offers aren’t as open-and-shut as the term implies—such as those funded by a loan that’s not contingent on the sale (perhaps from a 401k).  If that offer is based on a line of credit, there might be less certainty than another based on cash in the bank. Your real estate agent should request “Proof of Funds” be provided before you jump on a cash offer over an offer with strong pre-approved financing.

CONTINGENCIES —The standard contingencies (like inspection, financing, appraisal, or sale of the buyer’s property) obviously stand to affect the sale—or even whether the sale actually closes. That’s why, when they’re waived by a buyer in the multiple-offer situation, they’re intended to beat out competing offers.  This is a point of negotiation and the main  reason you need a strong, experienced agent representing you!

The details of multiple offers are frequently dissimilar enough to make it extremely important that they be thoughtfully weighed out — something made more demanding since they seldom lend themselves to an apples-to-apples analysis.

Truth be told, even when a single offer comes in, the same scrutiny applies. When I’m your Realtor^®, I’ll be by your side, adding a dose of real-world Cumming GA real estate closing experience to the analysis. Call me!

 

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

Luxurious bathrooms are becoming a staple in nearly all of the new homes being built today.  For future sellers whose older Forsyth County GA homes come up short in that department, an upgrade may be warranted—giving rise to a relevant question about which features are most likely to attract future homebuyers.

Earlier this year, The National Association of Home Builders issued a press release that addresses the issue. It summarized the findings compiled in their What Home Buyers Really Want publication—an exhaustive breakdown of the findings in the NAHB’s national survey of prospective buyers.  The survey documents significant deviations in the features different American generations value—particularly when it comes to bathroom features.

It is fairly unanimous that all age groups would value having both a stall shower and a tub—but three-quarters of Millennials list a double vanity as their second most sought-after feature. Preceding generations (broken down into GenXers, Boomers, and Seniors) find that less compelling.

The greatest bathroom preference disparities between young and old appeared in four areas—

• Dual toilets in the master bath

• His and Her baths

• Color vs. white toilet, tub, and sink

• Whirlpool tub – vs – stand-alone soaking tub

• with the youthful respondents showing markedly greater partiality for dual accommodations, splashes of color, and whirlpools.

As a practical matter, when sellers consider remodeling their existing bathrooms, space limitations render some upgrades impractical.  But for Forsyth County GA homeowners who are contemplating a bathroom remodeling project anyway, as a growing number of younger buyers populate the buying public, their preferences may be worth considering.

 I’m here to weigh in on today’s Forsyth County GA market and how your property stands to achieve its best result. Feel free to CALL ME for free input on your ideas!

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

Dreaming of a European Vacation home???   A recent email to the Wall Street Journal’s real estate followers contained a Good News/Bad News tale dealing with European home loan rates.  Cumming GA real estate readers in a position to entertain thoughts of owning a Parisian flat or sunny Tuscan vacation hideaway would have been encouraged at first by the attractive “good news” part: the extraordinarily low mortgage interest rates now prevalent on the Continent.

Fixed terms “of over 10 years at 1.44%”! Some, even at 1.35%!

Given the generally lower property taxes and the advent of mortgage companies now catering to American clients, perhaps a European vacation home could be within reach!

However, by the time any Cumming GA reader finished reading, it’s unlikely many would retain that initial enthusiasm. Here are some of the details:

• In Italy, foreigners are forbidden from borrowing over 60% of the purchase price. In France, 70%.

• To qualify in many European countries, 30 to 35% of your after-tax income must cover all your existing debt, including the new one. Plus, income from rentals doesn’t count.

• Any tiny misstep in borrowers’ credit history can be a stopper. For instance, Cumming applicants who bounced a check 5 years ago would have a problem qualifying for that Parisian pied-a-terre.

• Closings typically take 3 months.

• Ageism abounds. One 54-year-old American couldn’t get a term longer than 19 years. It’s legal for lenders to require mortgages to be paid off “before a borrower turns 70 or 80.”

• Closing costs are astronomical: in Italy, 9% of assessed value for existing properties, and 10% of the purchase price for new ones.

The French have an additional grim proviso that might have Cumming GA buyers thinking twice: borrowers are required to take out a life insurance policy naming the lender as beneficiary.

Even given today’s near-historically low U.S. levels, the comparison with European home loan rates by themselves might make ours seem “downright usurious” (as the Journal puts it). But that’s only before the entire offering is divulged.  For an in-depth perspective on Cumming GA real estate matters, do call me!

 

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

Gaining insight into today’s Forsyth County GA real estate market doesn’t usually call for Nobel Prize-level theoretical input, but you can make a pretty good argument that recent reports provided an exception.  For those of us who are relied upon to provide knowledgeable insight into the myriad forces that can move our market, an intriguing interview in Yale University’s YaleNews roundup could go far in explaining one nagging question.

The Nobel Prize connection is with the interviewee: Nobel Laureate Robert Shiller.  His Case-Shiller Indexes are the undisputed go-to economic measures of home price fluctuations. Dr. Shiller just published “Narrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events,” a book that delves into a novel explanation for why markets and pricing so often seem impervious to scientific analysis.  If you’ve ever come away with more questions than answers after listening to academics discussing future conditions, you know what I mean.

Professor Shiller’s book is a plea for more study of “the epidemics of popular narratives,” which he believes have a strong influence on how economies and markets behave. For him, “popular narratives” aren’t the kind that are based on economic data. They are “simple stories, true and untrue” that underlie regular people’s thinking. Although these are often based on oversimplifications, they can be contagious—and sometimes lead to illogical conclusions that send markets in irrational directions.

He thinks they explain things like why people tend to believe that the stock market measures the health of the economy, or why they spend more money during booms than in busts.  That’s hardly a rational strategy, as those who bought Forsyth real estate during the darkest days of the last downturn will readily agree.  As a practical matter, Shiller believes that computer science advances make it possible to add quantitative study of popular narratives to the tool chests of economists charged with forecasting market movements.  That’s certainly something worth exploring.

In the meantime, when it comes to checking on the current state of our own Forsyth residential marketplace, I hope you’ll feel free to call me anytime for an update!

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

There are many ways to look at housing affordability in Forsyth County GA —but if you’re a typical prospective homebuyer, the one that makes a real difference isn’t found in the real estate statistics.  The truly decisive “affordability” factor is the dollar amount of the mortgage payment that goes with the price of the home. It’s either affordable or it isn’t.

It’s a well-publicized fact that U.S. home prices have risen dramatically since the end of the Great Recession.  That would seem to mean that average housing affordability over that period has been in decline—especially early in the recovery when incomes were rising slowly (if at all). Since then, many commentaries have pointed out a “housing affordability gap” that (along with a shortage of homes for sale) has been used to explain lackluster market activity.

For most of  Forsyth County GA’s prospective homebuyers, all that is background noise.  It might keep some from even starting to look for a new house, but when circumstances dictate that it’s time to find a new home, true “housing affordability” comes down to those monthly cost figures. And the actual numbers are headed in the right direction.

The final 2020 statistics won’t be in until long after the Waterford crystal ball has dropped in Times Square, but as of this fall, the “typical mortgage payment” has actually shrunk year over year. That was Corelogic’s finding, published this summer. By September, TheMortgageReports contributor Aly Yale could write, “home prices might be up, but American mortgage payments are actually falling.”  She found that the average monthly payment had dipped a full 6% from a year earlier.  In fact, compared with the all-time high reached in June 2016, she calculates that “current typical payments” have plummeted by 32%!

Actual Forsyth County GA housing affordability is a family-by-family budget calculation. Still, given the analysts’ findings, those who have been discouraged by talk of a housing affordability gap might want to pull out a calculator to see what today’s market offers. I’ll be waiting by the phone with more information if the numbers look good!

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

The wisdom behind the truism that there’s no such thing as a free lunch can even apply in a context as virtuous as inheriting a Forsyth County GA home.  Parents bequeathing the family home—or generations passing down the ancestral vacation cottage—are intended to be acts of unalloyed generosity.  But common to many commentaries on the subject are some common unintended consequences. For Forsyth County GA homeowners who have ever weighed the idea of passing the family homestead onto their progeny, it’s a point worth exploring.

The most acrimonious outfalls surface when multiple heirs are involved.  Since individuals fare differently as careers develop and life’s opportunities and challenges unfold, the obligations accompanying homeownership present difficulties for some heirs more than others.  Given the fact that taxes, insurance, utility bills, and maintenance expenses are ongoing even for a property that is debt-free, the choice of which possible disposition (occupying, renting, or selling) may affect heirs very differently.

Overlaying the financial outfall is the likelihood that the latter two income-generating solutions are bound to raise sentimental issues when clearing the property for sale or new tenants.  The emotional stress often causes heirs to avoid cleaning out an inherited property, sometimes, for years.  Says Rhea Friedman, a CFP in Manhattan, “Not selling a house and not living in it makes for increased maintenance and insurance costs without much to show for them.”  This can become a major burden or those who were meant to benefit from the gift.

The best solutions seem to result when everyone can summon “their best selves” to cooperate in formulating a precise agreement spelling out how ongoing expenses and obligations will be shared. Another variation is for the donors to engage Forsyth County GA legal help to create a framework that addresses the specifics in ways designed to minimize discord.

The Washington Post once summed up the all-too-common problem simply. It can be resolved “by parents with proper advance planning.” That may be an oversimplification, but that kind of foresight in other Forsyth County GA homeownership issues is always advantageous.

Call me anytime—I’m always happy to contribute help and advice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

For those pondering the timetable for selling their Cumming GA house, recent developments may add a couple of plusses into the “sooner” column.  There are always pros and cons about listing in the winter versus waiting for the spring and summer market—but recent information could tilt toward acting now.

First (and most well-publicized) was the outlook for home loan interest rates…again!  The news wasn’t unexpected, but the accompanying commentary added a compelling note.  The Fed again lowered their benchmark rate by .25%, which is very likely to keep mortgage rates in the historically low range for homebuyers—but the Fed Governors also made it clear that this is very probably their last action for a good while.  As Bankrate.com observed, “policymakers signaled they’re ready to hit the ‘pause’ button on additional cuts.”

In other words, for buyers who’ve been patiently waiting for the best possible home loan rates, they will likely decide they’ve waited long enough—the coming mortgage rates are unlikely to dip much lower. For those thinking of selling their Cumming GA house, low rates mean that buyers find higher asking prices acceptable since lower rates equate to more affordable monthly payments. Today’s buyers have demonstrated pronounced sensitivity to that bottom line.

The second news arrived as a less-publicized cluster of informed opinions. Most persuasive was the official voice of quasi-government bigshot Freddie Mac’s flat assertion that “…the housing market remains on solid ground.” They reported that housing starts, building permits, existing home sales, and new home sales are “all significantly outperforming” expectations.

If you are among local homeowners thinking of selling your Cumming GA house in this fall’s market, the upshot was certainly positive.

Call me for a detailed discussion of the prospects for your own property and what you can expect should you decide to list!

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

One often-repeated lament you hear from Cumming GA house sellers is this one: “I wish we’d done the [major remodeling project] long ago so we could have enjoyed it!”  It’s probably such a commonplace because we all gradually get used to working around problematic aspects of our Cumming GA houses. Some problems develop so slowly we aren’t even aware they exist.

This changes when we start preparing to sell, whereupon we have to accept the reality that potential buyers won’t be so tolerant.  There’s a price to pay when a prospective buyer’s takeaway is “Nice house, except for the [unaddressed problem].”  At a minimum, they’re likely to discount any offer accordingly.

The common tendency to put off the less-than-urgent home improvements just got some scientific provenance.  In the recent National Association of Realtors^® major research survey dealing with a wide range of remodeling topics, one finding amidst all the value-vs-expenditure figures dealt with the emotional dimension of home improvement.

The National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) Remodeling Impact Report leads off with statistics about renovating the owner’s master suite—and finds that 65% of homeowners “have a greater desire to be home” after completion.  The same percentage report an increased “sense of enjoyment” when they’re at home.  Nearly 70% experience an additional benefit: they “feel a major sense of accomplishment” when they just think about the project.

The Report is chock full of similar—and even more persuasive—statistics like that one.  Kitchen upgrades, for instance, are nearly 20% more satisfying…and “complete kitchen renovations” are nearly off the charts!

The researchers were simply ratifying that all-too-common refrain heard from Cumming GA house sellers after the fact.  While struggling to wash a too-large pot in a too-small sink or eyeing the overly-well-worn living room flooring, some Cumming GA homeowners might consider the NAR findings.  Especially if selling your Cumming GA home is eventually in prospect, this might be time to act (later, it will be time to give me a call)!

Articles to help

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This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate