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2017 Nat’l BBQ Championship to be Held in Cumming, GA

The Cumming Fairgrounds will once again be hosting the National BBQ Cup: Que’n Cumming event on November 17th – 19th (view the schedule). The three-day event, which is open to the public, is expected to draw as many as 10,000 visitors.

The event, which is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and is part of the Georgia Barbecue Championship series, will bring over 200+ Professional and Backyard Teams from across America – as far away as Iowa, New Jersey and Washington.

Various professional level competitions will be held for a variety of items including: chicken, beef brisket, pork ribs and pork butt or shoulder.

Even non-professionals will have a chance to show off their skills in the competition’s backyard division. Do you consider yourself a backyard BBQ aficionado? Spaces are still available if you’d like to join the fun! click for application

Pro Teams will compete in 4 categories including: Brisket, Chicken, Pulled Pork, Ribs. Winners will be selected in each category and an overall winner will be selected based on the highest combined score.

Backyard Teams will compete in ribs, pork and chicken category. Winners will be selected for each category and an overall winner will be selected based on the highest combined score.

Public admission will be $7 daily. For an additional $5 fee, patrons will be able to purchase 5 tasting tickets which allows them to taste the competitors’ pork barbecue and vote to crown a “people’s choice” champion.

All proceeds from the event will go to support local nonprofit organizations.

“With a variety of different food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, product demonstrations, live entertainment, and a kids zone that will contain a huge variety of fun for the kids and at the heart, of course, the KCBS sanctioned BBQ cook-off that will include an opportunity for you to taste championship Que and decide for yourself just which is the best. There’s sure to be something for everyone!”

For more information visit the National BBQ Cup website

Hours for the Public:

Friday 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

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

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth, North Fulton and West Gwinnett cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Sugar Hill, Milton, and Roswell.

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your South Forsyth County real estate.

Cell: (404) 710-0204 ~ Office: 770-844-8484 ~ Email: gaylebarton@bhhsga.com

Disclaimer: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice. All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Gayle Barton and may not be used without expressed written permission.

Gayle Barton – South Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Homes For Sale

Gayle Barton – Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth County Homes For Sale

Determine Your Home Buying Power

What’s Your Home Buying Power?

If you’re in the market for a new home or investment property, one of the first questions you’ll probably ask is, “What can we afford?” Many buyers become so caught up in how much they can afford that they don’t realize their total buying power—that is, the total amount of purchasing potential they actually have.

Buying Power Defined
Your buying power is comprised of the total amount of money you have available each month for a mortgage payment. This means the money you have each month after fixed bills and expenses. Any money you’ve saved for a down payment, the proceeds from the sale of your current home, if applicable, and the amount of money you’re qualified to borrow all impact your buying power as well. When you take all of this into account, you may find you are able to purchase a larger home or a home in a more desirable neighborhood, or you might realize you should be looking for homes in a lower price range.

What About Housing Affordability?
Housing affordability is a metric used by real estate experts to assess whether or not the average family earning an average wage could qualify for a mortgage on the average home.1 Although this figure is essential to creating a comprehensive overview of the real estate market, it’s not a factor you should consider in your home search. What may be considered affordable to you based on your income and other factors may be different than what’s affordable to the average buyer.

Why Buying Power Matters
A common misunderstanding is that a home’s list price determines whether or not you can purchase it. Although it’s important to look at the price tag, it’s essential to consider what your monthly payment will be if you own the home. After all, the purchase price doesn’t include the housing-related expenses, such as annual property taxes, homeowner insurance, associated monthly fees and any maintenance or repairs. Figuring out the payment will prevent you from overestimating or underestimating your buying power. After all, you’ll live with your monthly payment, not the sales price.

Once you have clarity on your buying power, you’ll be able to buy the home you want, instead of settling for a home because you feel it’s the only one you can afford. It will also prevent you from becoming “house poor,” a common term for someone who’s put all their money toward the down payment, leaving them nothing left over for fees outside of their monthly house payment. Both scenarios can negatively impact the lifestyle you want to live. Understanding your buying power can help you get the home you want without sacrificing the lifestyle you desire.

If you haven’t sold your current home yet, a Comparative Market Assessment (CMA) will give you a general idea of how much you may get for your home based on what other homes have sold for in your area. Contact our team for a FREE CMA!

Calculating Your Buying Power
You might be wondering, “How do I know what my buying power is?” Buying power is calculated by adding the money you’ve saved for a down payment and/or the money you made from selling your home (minus fees and mortgage payoff) to all of your sources of income and investments that could be used to make your monthly payment. Make sure to include your monthly pay, commissions or tips, dividends from investments, payments from rental properties or other monthly income you receive as well as the loan amount you’re willing to finance and qualify for.

Most lenders advised buyers to spend no more than 35 to 45 percent of their pretax income on housing, meaning all your income and sources of revenue prior to paying taxes. Make sure you factor in not only your mortgage payment, but also property tax and home insurance to the cost of housing. However, other financial experts advise spending no more than a very conservative 25 percent of your after-tax income on your housing expenses. Whether you plan to spend the average, play it conservative or split the difference is up to you.

Traditionally, mortgage lenders have targeted the ideal housing expense amount to be a ratio of 28 percent or less.

However, these figures bring up an important point: you don’t have to spend all of your savings and available monthly income on a mortgage payment. It’s important to set money aside for regular home maintenance, unexpected repairs and monthly fees, such as a condominium or homeowners association fee. While the above ratios are commonly accepted, a lender will look at your total financial picture when they decide how much they’re willing to lend. It may be tempting to take out a large loan in order to purchase the home of your dreams, but keep in mind the less money you have to borrow, the stronger your buying power may be.

4 Things That Impact Buying Power
1. Credit score. A great score can help you lock into a lower interest rate.

2. Debt-to-income ratio. The lower the ratio, the better risk you may be to lenders as long as you have an established credit history.

3. Assets, including the documentation of where the money for the purchase is coming from and the mix of your investments.

4. Down payment. The more you’re able to put down, the less you will have to borrow. With a down payment of 20 percent or more, you won’t have to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI) and you may also be able to negotiate a lower interest rate.

How to Save for a Down Payment
If you’re thinking of buying a home one day, one of the first steps to take is to start saving for a down payment. Here are some tips to make saving easier.

First-time buyers:
1. Set a savings goal. One way to figure out how much to save is to use the average sales price for homes that are similar to what you want and figure out your target down payment percentage. For example, if homes are selling for $200,000 in your area and you want to put 20 percent down, you’ll have to save $40,000. Set a goal to save that amount within a specific time frame; just keep in mind the longer you save, the more the average selling price will change. Although the majority of buyers saved for six months or less, 29 percent of all buyers (and 31 percent of first-time buyers) saved for more than two years for a down payment.

2. Cut back on expenses. Review your monthly expenses and look for ways to save. Twenty-nine percent of buyers cut spending on non-essentials items and 22 percent cut spending on entertainment while they were saving for a home. Think about items you can live without or cut back on temporarily while you’re saving.

3. Look for ways to boost your income. Get a side job or sell items online or at a garage sale to increase your income in a short amount of time. Be sure to save any windfalls you get, including your annual income tax refund or work bonuses.

4. Check out home-buying programs. Your state, county or local government may offer special programs, such as grants, for first-time buyers to use.

5. Ask your family. Thirteen percent of all buyers, and 24 percent of first-time buyers, were given money from family or friends to use toward the down payment of their home.

Repeat buyers:
More than 52 percent of repeat buyers used the proceeds from the sale of their primary residence toward the down payment on their next home. Similarly, 76 percent tapped into their savings accounts. If you’re thinking of buying another home, here are more ways to save more money, in addition to the tips listed above:

1. Rent a room. If you have an income flat (or mother-in-law unit) attached to your home, rent it out and channel the income into a high-interest savings account.

2. Make your money work for you. If you don’t plan to buy for at least five years, invest it and let the compound interest work for you. Discuss this option with your financial planner or broker to see if this is ideal for you and your goals.

3. Tap into your 401(k). If you have a 401(k) plan, you may be allowed to borrow a portion of it, the lessor of up to $50,000 or half of its value, for your down payment. Remember, it’s a loan so you’ll have to pay it back. If you leave or lose your job before you’ve repaid the loan, you’ll have between 60 to 90 days to repay the balance or face stiff taxes and penalties.

If you want to buy an investment property
Whether you’re buying a second home or a rental property, here are a couple tips to save for a down payment.

1. Tap into your equity. If you’ve paid off or paid down your mortgage on your primary home, you may be able to tap into your equity to purchase another property. Contact your lender to learn more about a HELOC or home equity loan.

2. Get a partner. Find a friend or relative who’s willing to purchase property with you. Typically, you’ll split the costs and profits equally. Just make sure to work with an attorney to create a partnership agreement to fit your situation.

Work Out Your Buying Potential
What’s your buying potential? Print the Report and fill out the worksheet to get an estimate.

Housing Expense Ratio:
1. Monthly income before taxes $
2. Multiply line 1 by 0.28 X 0.28
3. Monthly mortgage payment (PITI) should not exceed this amount = $
4. Monthly income before taxes $
5. Multiply line 4 by 0.36 X 0.36
6. Total monthly payments on all debts (including mortgage) should not exceed this amount = $
7. Subtract the total monthly payments on all outstanding debts (e.g., car loans, credit cards, student loans, etc.) – $
8. The monthly mortgage payment should not exceed this amount $
9. Look at line 3 and line 8. The lower figure is an estimate of the maximum mortgage payment in consideration of your income and debts.
10. Multiply line 9 by 0.80 X 0.80
11. This equals portion of your mortgage payment that is the principal and interest only $
12. Use the table below to see the size of the loan you may be able to obtain with this monthly mortgage payment.

Source: Iowa State University Extension, What is your house-buying power?

Print the full report to find your monthly payment. Don’t forget to factor in property taxes and insurance. These are often added to your principal and interest of your mortgage payment—the money used to pay down the balance of your loan and the charge for borrowing the money. Since these numbers vary, contact your county assessor’s office for the current property tax rate and your insurer for a home insurance quote. Once you have these figures, divide each by 12 to estimate how much they’ll add to the above payment amounts.

Do you want a clearer picture of your buying power? Would you like to see what kind of homes you can get with your buying power? Give us a call!

Sources: 1. National Association of REALTORS https://www.nar.realtor/topics/housing-affordability-index/methodology 2. Moneyunder30.com https://www.moneyunder30.com/percentage-income-mortgage-payments 3. Credit.com https://www.credit.com/loans/mortgage-questions/how-to-determine-your-monthly-housing-budget/ 4. National Association of REALTORS, 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 5. Iowa State University Extension, What is your house-buying power? https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/pm1460-pdf 6. HSH.com http://www.hsh.com/mopaytable-print.html

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, North Fulton County and East Cobb cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Milton, and Roswell. Other areas are serviced by request.

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

Selling Your Forsyth County GA Home: Strategic Planning Helps

Selling your Forsyth County GA home is never something you do on a whim. There can be rare situations when the decision to sell is a sudden one that’s forced by unexpected life circumstances (favorable or not)—but selling your Forsyth County GA home is not likely to be the result of some sudden impulse.

Since that’s the case, it follows that most of us will have been aware for some time that we will be selling sooner or later. That gives us some leeway for improving the ultimate results we can expect when an eventual sale takes place. Thinking about that, and acting upon it, constitutes a strategic advantage.

The tactics for selling your Forsyth County GA home will vary when the day comes, depending on market conditions, what comparable properties are the most sought-after at the time, etc. Such factors are somewhat unpredictable, but tactics and strategy are different. Strategy can start anytime. It can start right now!

Here’s an example I came across in an old blog post: Instead of discussing selling your Forsyth County GA home, it dealt with the kind of decision investors make when they are rehabilitating investment properties they intend to rent out. Landlords know there are good tenants and bad tenants, so their best strategy is to develop a property that will retain maximum value in either case. An example is a decision they sometimes have to make when they’ve acquired a home that calls for some rehabbing: should they install carpeting or hardwood flooring?

Most experienced investors tend to go with the hardwood. Not only does it stand up better when it comes to regular wear and tear—it also signals quality to most people. That is also true for carpeting when it’s newly installed, but over time, the effect is lost. A scratched hardwood floor can be refinished, but worn carpeting is a start-over situation. It’s a strategic choice.

When the day arrives when selling your Forsyth County GA home becomes reality, if you have been making similar long-term strategic decisions all along, the results will be rewarding. Preparing for sale will not only require much less effort and expense — it has every likelihood of returning the results every seller hopes for.

Whether selling your Forsyth County GA home is an immediate or distant prospect, you are always welcome to give me a call to discuss any of your own ideas and questions when it comes to any and all Forsyth County GA real estate matters. I’ll be standing by!

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

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

Equifax Hack Could Affect Forsyth County Mortgage Applicants

When news of the Equifax hack first broke, the credit ratings giant scrambled to minimize fallout from this massive personal information breach. After an initial embarrassing misstep (they tried to have affected consumers sign off on Equifax’s liability), the company moved to ameliorate the hack by offering free ID protection to consumers.

Forsyth County homeowners and potential home buyers had reason to do more than shake their heads at yet another electronic pratfall. In one way or another, most Forsyth County real estate transactions involve creditworthiness appraisals that are managed by the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax is one). That means that among the 143 million consumers it admits could be “potentially impacted” are certainly a lot of current and future Forsyth County home buyers. The stolen information includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses—and for hundreds of thousands, credit card numbers. Even some Georgia driver license data figured in the Equifax hack.
Given the obvious potential for identity theft, the company’s Chairman went online to make an unprecedented offer: his firm will furnish a comprehensive package of credit file monitoring and identity theft protection to everyone. Literally.
To every consumer in the United States. For a year. For free.

With few exceptions, it was left to us to take the initiative to take them up on the offer. That factor might shrink the size of the undertaking, but even so, delivering on this scale was unlikely to be accomplished without a few hitches.
Hitch #1: when this many millions of people try to check in on any site, no system can handle it all at once. So contacting this Equifax Trusted ID Premier link results in varying lengths of delay before enrollment can be confirmed.

Hitch #2: because it is now obvious that sophisticated thieves are active in the credit reporting industry, it will be doubly necessary for Equifax to make certain that you are who you say you are. That makes multiple email confirmation back-and-forths unavoidable.
It’s a cinch that Forsyth County residents who decide to sign up for the free protection should also be extra vigilant in monitoring their financial transactions. An additional step is also possible: you can contact any one of the three credit agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian) to request that they place a 90-day “fraud alert” on your file. It’s free, and whichever agency you contact is required to notify the other two. Fraud alerts obligate any lender to contact you before they issue credit in your name. You can renew the alert as many times as you wish—and cancel at any point.

Your credit score is a vital ingredient when it’s time to look for favorable home loan offers, so even before the Equifax hack, it’s always been well worth protecting. Give me a call when questions about this or other Forsyth County real estate matters come up: I’ll be minding the phone!

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

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

Summer in Cumming, GA Officially Ended on Friday!

Friday was officially the last day of 2017 summer in Cumming, GA, but for most of us, the season has been feeling a lot more like fall ever since Labor Day. It isn’t the weather so much as the psychological factor. Things like the passing of that last summertime three-day weekend and watching Cumming, GA’s seasonal businesses post hour change signs. As the school busses appear every morning, you also don’t have to have kids in school to register what all the activity signals: Cumming, GA’s summer is over.

Pinterest, the internet’s foremost collecting place for everyone’s pictures of everything has scores of pages of photos and drawings with Last Days of Summer themes. Some of them do extract a sigh or two. It may have been decades since you last experienced a cookout with friends as the summer sun sets, or watched a little one discovering that the cold tidewater will get your toes if you don’t back away in time—but the thought that the chance to revisit such moments has slipped away till next year is a sigh-producer for most.
The Pinterest collections had lots of swimming pool and beach pictures (including many dogs-in-swimming-pools, for some reason), as well as barbecue grills and drinks with limes in them. They did a good job of making you wish Cumming, GA’s summer could last just a little bit longer…

On the bright side, since they were also heavy with ice cream and popsicle imagery, it prompted the realization that some Cumming, GA summer attractions won’t be disappearing at all! There’s no law that says Cumming, GA’s autumn won’t include an ice cream cone or two. Besides, it’s a fact that the summertime pastime of racing to get to the bottom of the cone before it melts all over the place is easier to win as the weather gets colder. Another plus is how, before long, autumnal treats like pumpkin-flavored ice cream are going to show up again.

With Cumming, GA’s official Last Day of Summer passing on Friday, those whose favorite season arrives with the fall have only the weekend before it’s here. It will be many months before fall fanciers will have to resort to Pinterest to relive the Last Days of Autumn collections. They will undoubtedly find lots of pictures of high school football games, trees ablaze with orange-gold color, turkeys—but let’s not jump the gun; all that is yet to come!

Traditionally, spring has been the prime time to sell your Cumming GA home, but you may be interested in this article that explains why NOW may the best time to put your home on the market!

Season in and season out, call me whenever Cumming, GA real estate matters need to be attended to!

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, North Fulton County and East Cobb cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Milton, and Roswell. Other areas are serviced by request.

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

The #1 Reason to Sell Your Cumming, GA Home Now

“Give me one good reason,” is a perfectly legitimate request. It’s a challenge to the traditional peak of Cumming, GA’s selling season. Why should right now, at the start of Fall, be the right time to sell your Cumming, GA home?

Statistics show that more homes are sold in the spring and summer, that—plus sheer inertia—can be powerful arguments to the contrary.

So here’s the “one good reason.” In fact, it could be the best reason. It’s the textbook Economics 101 basic rule about markets and pricing.

Simply put, the supply of housing all across the nation continues to be low. Really, really low. A few weeks ago, USA Today put inventories of homes for sale at “a 20-year low.” By the start of summer, that explained why the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller national home price index was up 5.6% from the year before—an all-time high.

Now, it could turn out that the supply of competing homes on the market remains low throughout the fall and winter—and even throughout 2018. But it’s also possible that conditions change, and that the housing inventory slump finally reverses. In fact, the economy, jobs reports, and consumer confidence are on the rise…

But until then, it’s what those Econ 101 introductory texts lay out: a basic truth that the price of an item is a reflection of supply and demand. Unless the annual pattern does a surprise about-face, come springtime, many more competing homes can be expected to enter the market. In other words, right now an already-constricted supply is likely to thin out even further. And most homeowners will wait for the traditional peak selling season to sell their Cumming, GA homes.

The long and short of it is that listing now isn’t just a good time—it could be the good time. If you were looking for that “one good reason,” it’s also another reason, too—to give me a call me to discuss how best to sell your Cumming, GA home!

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, North Fulton County and East Cobb cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Milton, and Roswell. Other areas are serviced by request.

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

The 5 Top Reasons for Selling Your Forsyth County House Now

When you have a firm timeline that governs when you’ll be selling your Forsyth County house, it’s one decision that’s made for you. Of course, it’s not always that easy. If a move from one home to another, or from Forsyth County to another area isn’t dictated by outside events, you have to make the decision anew every week or month.

On the one hand, the adventure and energizing prospect of a new home tugs in the direction of getting the project going…while on the other hand, the mountain of details and effort pulls in the direction of putting it off a bit longer.

Here are five prime reasons why now—at the tail-end of this summer, right before autumn sets in—is an increasingly good time to be selling your Forsyth County house:

1. It’s the BEST time to be moving up…at least for the foreseeable future. The most reliable projections say that prices are projected to appreciate 23.4% by 2021.

2. The season is right. Whenever the spring/summer selling season starts winding down, competition begins to fade. And as soon as you have made your own Forsyth County sale, the homeowners you will be looking to buy from are more likely to be flexible.

3. Selling your Forsyth County house can move faster. The processing (paperwork, approvals, etc.) tends to find quicker action as seasonal activity slows.

4. Overall, there’s just less competition. Aside from the seasonal aspect, overall, the big picture continues to be one of a housing supply that isn’t keeping pace with demand.

5. Life. You’ve decided to sell sooner or later—but until you make the decision to take the plunge, many aspects of your life can get stuck. Major changes of all sorts have to be postponed when a big move is in the wind (especially when it gets stuck in that wind)!

The prime reason for knowing you are going to be selling your Forsyth County house, but not acting on it, is the hassle factor (the many details that have to be attended to). I can be a major help with all those parts—and since I enjoy every part of what I do, it’s a feeling that’s easily spread to my clients!

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

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

Forsyth County Mortgage Rates are Good News, Buuuuuut….

Forsyth County mortgage rates have been so low for such a long time that it would be surprising if area buyers didn’t begin to take them for granted. It’s only human nature. Addressing would-be home buyers who, though qualified, remain on the sidelines, government-sponsored Freddie Mac headlined the question, “If Housing Is So Affordable, Why Doesn’t It Feel That Way?”

The article appeared in Freddie Mac’s Insight publication which noted that right now housing isn’t just affordable—it’s “near record” affordable! HUD’s Housing Affordability Index has been rising for over 35 years, interrupted only briefly by the housing crisis of the mid-2000s. It hasn’t quite sustained the all-time affordability peak but is holding steady well within hailing distance of that 2012 record.

Forsyth County mortgage rates have cooperated nicely, continuing to go with the national herd. For 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, U.S. rates averaged 3.90%—down even further from the previous week’s 3.93%. Of course, the 15-year and adjustable rate offerings were even lower.

With that kind of good news, why do the media report “affordability issues” (Mortgage Daily News) and even an “affordability crisis” (PBS)? The answers dwell in both perception and in some underlying realities.

There’s definitely reality in the widespread phenomenon of a shortage of housing supply. Forsyth County listings may show a number of properties being offered, but the national number of homes up for sale remains “very tight.” The echoes from 2009, when new housing starts hit rock bottom, are still having an effect. In that year, housing starts barely equaled a third of the previous averages. Even though current construction levels are nearly back to normal, they’ve yet to make up for that shortfall.

Less real is the public perception of how much cash is needed for a down payment. Forsyth County mortgage rates may be tantalizingly low, but when potential local applicants “mistakenly believe they must have a 20% down payment to obtain a mortgage,” the result is a number of otherwise-qualified buyers who don’t know that more than half of today’s borrowers make smaller down payments.

Not mentioned in the Insight article is another psychological factor that could explain two things at once. In The New York Times’ “Politics” section, a commentary sought to explain why the Federal Reserve wasn’t acting to boost interest rates. According to the author, the cause lay with inflation rates, which remain low—“and that’s a problem” for Fed rate-makers. The reason higher inflation would be a good thing (despite common sense) is that it makes consumers feel good when their paychecks go up. “A little inflation can brighten the economic mood…people enjoy the illusion.”

The upshot here may be that even though today’s extraordinarily low Forsyth County mortgage rates create actual affordability, some well-qualified customers may feel safer staying on the sidelines until the economy starts generating go-go economy headlines. It’s an ironic reality that by the time those headlines materialize, actual affordability might have already begun to slip away.

If you’ve been mulling the wisdom of your own Forsyth County home acquisition, let me show you some great properties…and some great numbers!

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

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

Five Qualities Distinguish the Best Cumming, GA Real Estate Agent

If you are just about to commit to buying or selling a home in Cumming, GA, the first important task before you comes with identifying the best REALTOR® to assist your effort. That comes first because although you might begin by combing through the current Cumming, GA listings or driving through the neighborhood to spot what’s going on, there is always a possibility that acting without delay will be important. If that happens to be the case, zeroing in on the best Cumming, GA agent takes first priority.

How you ultimately select the best real estate agent for you involves a selection process that’s a lot like any business person’s procedure—except that it’s easier to identify the candidates. You won’t have to post “help wanted” ads since the candidates (myself included) are all actively looking for you! We are the prominent Cumming, GA real estate brokers and agents whose names you see on the web and on our “FOR SALE” signs. They’re all over the place.

The true lion’s share of the work of identifying your best “hire” will come in the conversations you have with the leading candidates. Whether you call them up or drop in on them at their office (or run into them at an open house), it’s important to bear in mind that these conversations, whether casual or not, are actually employment interviews. You’re the boss; the agents are applicants—and the hiring decision is a very important one.

During these interactions, if you can determine that the agent you’re speaking with is strong in these five qualities, you’ve found your agent:
1. Accessible: The best Cumming, GA real estate agent for you is easy to talk to—the kind of person you connect with automatically; who puts you at ease. The best agent will be someone who is engaging and enjoyable to talk with.
2. Professional: At the same time (it only seems to conflict with the above), the best agent is a professional at all times. After all, some of the most durable friendships wind up being with people we’ve “been through the wars with” in business!
3. Sympathetic: A lot of the business at hand will consist of pinpointing your personal tastes and leanings and prioritizing them correctly. The best Cumming, GA real estate agent for you will be keenly aware of your preferences—which won’t be the same as everybody else’s.
4. Authoritative: That best agent knows Cumming, GA inside and out; is personally familiar with the current crop of area listings; is known and widely respected by her or his Cumming, GA real estate colleagues.
5. Dedicated: Your best partner in the upcoming campaign will be committed to the real estate profession—not just for this week or for this transaction, but for the long haul. The best Cumming, GA real estate agent will be there for you the next time, too!

Needless to say, when you are narrowing the field for who you want to become your own best Cumming, GA agent, I hope you’ll call me for a chat!

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

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

Selling Your Forsyth County GA Home: Strategic Planning Helps

Selling your Forsyth County GA home is never something you do on a whim. There can be rare situations when the decision to sell is a sudden one that’s forced by unexpected life circumstances (favorable or not)—but selling your Forsyth County GA home is not likely to be the result of some sudden impulse.

Since that’s the case, it follows that most of us will have been aware for some time that we will be selling sooner or later. That gives us some leeway for improving the ultimate results we can expect when an eventual sale takes place. Thinking about that, and acting upon it, constitutes a strategic advantage.

The tactics for selling your Forsyth County GA home will vary when the day comes, depending on market conditions, what comparable properties are the most sought-after at the time, etc. Such factors are somewhat unpredictable. But tactics and strategy are different. Strategy can start anytime. It can start right now!

Here’s an example I came across in an old blog post. Instead of discussing selling your Forsyth County GA home, it dealt with the kind of decision investors make when they are rehabilitating investment properties they intend to rent out. Landlords know there are good tenants and bad tenants, so their best strategy is to develop a property that will retain maximum value in either case. An example is a decision they sometimes have to make when they’ve acquired a home that calls for some rehabbing: should they install carpeting or hardwood flooring?
Most experienced investors tend to go with the hardwood. Not only does it stand up better when it comes to regular wear and tear—it also signals quality to most people. That is also true for carpeting when it’s newly installed, but over time, the effect is lost. A scratched hardwood floor can be refinished, but worn carpeting is a start-over situation. It’s a strategic choice.

A few articles that you should read to help you prepare:

When the day arrives when selling your Forsyth County GA home becomes reality, if you have been making similar long-term strategic decisions all along, the results will be rewarding. Preparing for sale will not only require much less effort and expense—it has every likelihood of returning the results every seller hopes for.

Whether selling your own Forsyth County GA home is an immediate or distant prospect, you are always invited to give me a call to discuss any of your own ideas and questions when it comes to any and all Forsyth County GA real estate matters. I’ll be standing by!

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

Gayle Barton South Forsyth Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | South Forsyth Real Estate

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325 Brannon Rd., Suite #200 Cumming GA 30041
770.844.8484

What’s Your Home Buying Power?

If you haven’t sold your current home yet, a Comparative Market Assessment (CMA) will give you a general idea of how much you may get for your home based on what other homes have sold for in your area. Contact our team for a FREE CMA!

Traditionally, mortgage lenders have targeted the ideal housing expense amount to be a ratio of 28 percent or less.

4 Things That Impact Buying Power 1. Credit score. A great score can help you lock into a lower interest rate.

2. Debt-to-income ratio. The lower the ratio, the better risk you may be to lenders as long as you have an established credit history.

3. Assets, including the documentation of where the money for the purchase is coming from and the mix of your investments.

4. Down payment. The more you’re able to put down, the less you will have to borrow. With a down payment of 20 percent or more, you won’t have to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI) and you may also be able to negotiate a lower interest rate.

How to Save for a Down Payment If you’re thinking of buying a home one day, one of the first steps to take is to start saving for a down payment. Here are some tips to make saving easier.

3. Look for ways to boost your income. Get a side job or sell items online or at a garage sale to increase your income in a short amount of time. Be sure to save any windfalls you get, including your annual income tax refund or work bonuses.

4. Check out home-buying programs. Your state, county or local government may offer special programs, such as grants, for first-time buyers to use.

5. Ask your family. Thirteen percent of all buyers, and 24 percent of first-time buyers, were given money from family or friends to use toward the down payment of their home.

1. Rent a room. If you have an income flat (or mother-in-law unit) attached to your home, rent it out and channel the income into a high-interest savings account.

2. Make your money work for you. If you don’t plan to buy for at least five years, invest it and let the compound interest work for you. Discuss this option with your financial planner or broker to see if this is ideal for you and your goals.

If you want to buy an investment property Whether you’re buying a second home or a rental property, here are a couple tips to save for a down payment.

1. Tap into your equity. If you’ve paid off or paid down your mortgage on your primary home, you may be able to tap into your equity to purchase another property. Contact your lender to learn more about a HELOC or home equity loan.

2. Get a partner. Find a friend or relative who’s willing to purchase property with you. Typically, you’ll split the costs and profits equally. Just make sure to work with an attorney to create a partnership agreement to fit your situation.

Work Out Your Buying Potential What’s your buying potential? Print the Report and fill out the worksheet to get an estimate.

Do you want a clearer picture of your buying power? Would you like to see what kind of homes you can get with your buying power? Give us a call!

Whether selling your Forsyth County GA home is an immediate or distant prospect, you are always welcome to give me a call to discuss any of your own ideas and questions when it comes to any and all Forsyth County GA real estate matters. I’ll be standing by!

Your credit score is a vital ingredient when it’s time to look for favorable home loan offers, so even before the Equifax hack, it’s always been well worth protecting. Give me a call when questions about this or other Forsyth County real estate matters come up: I’ll be minding the phone!

Traditionally, spring has been the prime time to sell your Cumming GA home, but you may be interested in this article that explains why NOW may the best time to put your home on the market!

Season in and season out, call me whenever Cumming, GA real estate matters need to be attended to!

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, North Fulton County and East Cobb cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Milton, and Roswell. Other areas are serviced by request.

“Give me one good reason,” is a perfectly legitimate request. It’s a challenge to the traditional peak of Cumming, GA’s selling season. Why should right now, at the start of Fall, be the right time to sell your Cumming, GA home?

Statistics show that more homes are sold in the spring and summer, that—plus sheer inertia—can be powerful arguments to the contrary.

So here’s the “one good reason.” In fact, it could be the best reason. It’s the textbook Economics 101 basic rule about markets and pricing.

The long and short of it is that listing now isn’t just a good time—it could be the good time. If you were looking for that “one good reason,” it’s also another reason, too—to give me a call me to discuss how best to sell your Cumming, GA home!

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, North Fulton County and East Cobb cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Milton, and Roswell. Other areas are serviced by request.

On the one hand, the adventure and energizing prospect of a new home tugs in the direction of getting the project going…while on the other hand, the mountain of details and effort pulls in the direction of putting it off a bit longer.

Here are five prime reasons why now—at the tail-end of this summer, right before autumn sets in—is an increasingly good time to be selling your Forsyth County house:

1. It’s the BEST time to be moving up…at least for the foreseeable future. The most reliable projections say that prices are projected to appreciate 23.4% by 2021.

2. The season is right. Whenever the spring/summer selling season starts winding down, competition begins to fade. And as soon as you have made your own Forsyth County sale, the homeowners you will be looking to buy from are more likely to be flexible.

3. Selling your Forsyth County house can move faster. The processing (paperwork, approvals, etc.) tends to find quicker action as seasonal activity slows.

4. Overall, there’s just less competition. Aside from the seasonal aspect, overall, the big picture continues to be one of a housing supply that isn’t keeping pace with demand.

5. Life. You’ve decided to sell sooner or later—but until you make the decision to take the plunge, many aspects of your life can get stuck. Major changes of all sorts have to be postponed when a big move is in the wind (especially when it gets stuck in that wind)!

Forsyth County mortgage rates have cooperated nicely, continuing to go with the national herd. For 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, U.S. rates averaged 3.90%—down even further from the previous week’s 3.93%. Of course, the 15-year and adjustable rate offerings were even lower.

With that kind of good news, why do the media report “affordability issues” (Mortgage Daily News) and even an “affordability crisis” (PBS)? The answers dwell in both perception and in some underlying realities.

If you’ve been mulling the wisdom of your own Forsyth County home acquisition, let me show you some great properties…and some great numbers!

Needless to say, when you are narrowing the field for who you want to become your own best Cumming, GA agent, I hope you’ll call me for a chat!

A few articles that you should read to help you prepare:

Whether selling your own Forsyth County GA home is an immediate or distant prospect, you are always invited to give me a call to discuss any of your own ideas and questions when it comes to any and all Forsyth County GA real estate matters. I’ll be standing by!

CLICK HERE TO GET PRE-APPROVED

Interesting Real Estate Story of the Day

Meet Gayle

Connect with Me

325 Brannon Rd., Suite #200 Cumming GA 30041 770.844.8484

4 Things That Impact Buying Power
1. Credit score. A great score can help you lock into a lower interest rate.

How to Save for a Down Payment
If you’re thinking of buying a home one day, one of the first steps to take is to start saving for a down payment. Here are some tips to make saving easier.

If you want to buy an investment property
Whether you’re buying a second home or a rental property, here are a couple tips to save for a down payment.

Work Out Your Buying Potential
What’s your buying potential? Print the Report and fill out the worksheet to get an estimate.

325 Brannon Rd., Suite #200 Cumming GA 30041
770.844.8484