Are South Forsyth County Home Sales Part of a “Facebook Effect”?
According to an educator in NYU’s finance department, if your South Forsyth County house has experienced the kind of growth that’s been typical over the past couple of years, your Facebook friends will be more likely to buy a home themselves. Improbable as it sounds, Dr. Johannes Stroebel says that his research shows this as a measurable probability because “friends’ experiences…influence personal behavior” when it comes to their housing decisions.
The results of Dr. Stroebel’s study emerged from a panel discussion held this month. The conversation took place in Washington, DC, as part of the annual Realtors® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo. Most of the headlines from that gathering centered around the midyear forecast by National Association of Realtors chief economist L. Yun. He sounded the kind of optimistic note that will be music to local homeowners—particularly if they are planning to sell their own South Forsyth County house anytime soon. After several years of wage growth that exceeds home price growth, the two are now aligning more rapidly than heretofore. The bottom line is that “home sales should be much stronger.” The continuation of low mortgage interest rates adds to that probability.
NAR optimism aside, the announced Facebook effect prompted further discussion. It was shown that renters whose Facebook friends experienced a 5% growth in their house prices over the past two years have a 3% greater chance of buying their own home within the next two years. The effect is more pronounced in “socially-connected counties,” where positive experiences “were even shown to increase the size of a home” that was purchased.
Whether or not you believe yourself to be sufficiently “socially connected,” it’s hard to quibble with Dr. Stroebel’s finding that “individuals do discuss property value with their friends, and this changes behavior.”
For an up-to-the-minute update on South Forsyth County home sales in today’s market, you don’t need to consult your Facebook friends—just give me a call!
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
Rainy Day Activity for Forsyth County Home Sellers
When you are getting ready to sell your house, there’s nothing like a sunny day to spur you into last-minute readying. The final curb appeal-enhancing projects, springtime yard and landscaping spiffing-up activities, window cleaning and the like are readily dispatched when the weather is balmy.
But when it’s dreary outside (it does happen in Forsyth County, unfortunately), there is at least one home selling activity that doesn’t call for fair weather. In fact, it doesn’t call for anything else either, save for a pen and paper (or the computer equivalent) and access to the household records. It’s a necessary part of any Forsyth County home-selling, too—something that’s best dispensed with before moving day.
The rainy-day activity in question is Contact Sheet Preparation. When finished, it will comprise an invaluable resource to be presented to your home’s new owners—one that will be greatly appreciated by them. Depending on how much detail is included, its creation can occupy most of a rain-soaked afternoon.
At minimum, the contact sheet should include:
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Forsyth County Community Emergency Phone numbers
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Utility Companies
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Household resource providers (plumbers, electricians, septic service, chimney sweeps, etc.)
The most detailed contact sheets also can include “Once in a Blue Moon” details, which identify long-ago resources like the guy who fixed the garden shed lock or the web address for the company that supplies the extra garage door opener when it gets lost. It can also include warranty information—for instance, some roofing company warrantees require notification by a new owner.
Forsyth County home-selling success requires attending to many details. Some are best provided by the homeowner—but most benefit from the experience of a real estate pro. 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
Is It Time to Sell Your Forsyth County House?
Whenever the U.S. economy is booming, there are naysayers who view it as terrible news. It’s not surprising since economists can disagree about just about anything and point to statistics that prove their point.
One CNBC report provides a golden example. It’s one that, if you’re inclined to think it’s time to sell your Forsyth County house anyway, would reinforce that thought. It ran under the gloomy headline “Housing is providing another in a line of troubling signs”—the signs were those “pointing to an economic downturn.”
The report elaborated on a finding that compared home sales statistics from a recent period with those that preceded coming recessions. To the analyst author (Fed economist William Emmons), the result indicated that an economic downturn is likely. Although the trend looked “much less severe” than the one that preceded the Great Recession, he thinks December of this year is a plausible month for “peak growth.”
In other words, 2020 real estate market, look out!
For anyone who believes Professor Emmons, it means that, for Forsyth County homeowners who are going to sell anytime in the near term, NOW would be a logical time to put their homes up for sale. That is, before the economy weakens—usually, a trigger for buyer’s market conditions to prevail.
Whether this (or any other) economic prognostication is to be taken seriously is anybody’s guess. But it IS true that if your own plans include selling anyway, the current optimistic mood provides ripe conditions for selling your Forsyth County house.
Giving me a call to discuss is a great way to start!
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
Rate Surprise Could Energize Forsyth County Real Estate
Last week, Forsyth County’s real estate outlook ended the busy month with a genuine surprise—one that could well build an extension of Forsyth County real estate’s traditional peak selling season. The news was significant enough to move from financial sections to front pages and bottom-of-the-screen crawls on cable channels. Atop the Mortgage News Daily broke the story:
“Mortgage Rates Under 3% For The First Time (Again)”
Even local residents who rarely pay attention to the nuts and bolts of Forsyth County real estate matters would likely have done a double-take at the “3’s” in that news flash. The “low home loan interest rate” phenomenon has been old news for quite a while, but those historically low rates have hovered in the 4’s since 2017. Since even tiny changes in mortgage rates translate into big savings for home buyers (so, too, for sellers), breaking back down below “3” territory could prompt a change of plan for both groups.
MND’s announcement that “Mortgage rates were decisively lower” was corroborated by reports that in some regions the most credit-worthy applicants were “now easily seeing quotes of 2.875%.” Another article pointed out that the dip constituted the lowest level in 16 months, while another described a wider improved real estate outlook “as we enter a low-interest rate environment.”
Since most Forsyth County real estate observers would have thought we were already in such an environment, the further movement was both truly unexpected and definitely welcome. Whether or not it will nudge fence-sitters into action remains to be seen, as is the longevity of the phenomenon—although most commentators expect it to persist.
In any case, if your own Forsyth County real estate plans have you thinking about taking advantage of this buyer- and seller-friendly environment, I hope you’ll give me a call!
No need for stress. I’m here to help make your real estate transaction close smoothly. CALL ME and let’s walk through the steps together. I have great resources to help you get started!
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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
How to Avoid Drama when Selling Your Forsyth County Home
If Hollywood action-adventure movie writers have figured anything out, it’s that after the bad guy has been defeated and the hero and heroine are relaxing, ANOTHER bad guy should suddenly appear to pose an unexpected, even nastier, threat! By now, audiences have learned to expect this (but if the filmmakers are clever enough, we can still be taken by surprise).
Selling your Forsyth County home may not seem analogous to an action movie, but there can be some parallels—particularly at the last minute, when the sale seems in the bag and you’re all but packed up and “outta there”.
The danger here comes in the form of communications from the buyer. No matter how amicable the buyer and buyer’s agent may have been in the course of negotiations, as the deal nears completion, there is always the possibility that an unexpected sticking point might crop up. There are many possible reasons that this happens.
For one, the act of moving is recognized as one of life’s major stressful events—and people can react to stress in unexpected ways. A failure to fix some relatively minor household maintenance issue that was agreed upon might trigger a deal-threatening misunderstanding (even if the reason for the failure was unforeseeable and can be quickly ameliorated). Since selling any Forsyth County home necessarily involves many details, their sheer volume means that some misunderstanding or another is always possible—and misunderstanding can easily lead to distrust. Given the size of the transaction and accompanying elevated stress levels, the danger of a deal-breaking misunderstanding is always a possibility.
The solution isn’t the one a movie screenwriter would devise, because the object is to prevent drama. It’s one of the best reasons to rely on an experienced Realtor® to represent you when selling your Forsyth County home. We’re expert at recognizing miscommunications at an early stage, while it is still easy to head them off. It’s also a tried-and-true way to minimize stress levels and keep a successful closing on track.
In other words, one good way to avoid drama: 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
How Forsyth County Architecture Differs from Malibu’s “The Case”
If you page through this month’s Forsyth County listings, you’ll find a collection of homes that embody all kinds of structural styles. There is no single “Forsyth County architecture”—although some homeowner associations are aimed at preserving a pleasantly homogeneous neighborhood look.
Now, from out in Southern California, comes word of a small but impressive architecturally conscious project—one noteworthy on a number of fronts. Appropriately, a recent national rollout came from the Business Insider magazine. It’s appropriate when you consider that the price tags attached to residences in the project—“The Case”—will prohibit buyer interest from all but heavyweight business titans.
At $40 million – $100 million per, the five houses being built by developer Scott Gillen easily fall into the self-described “super-luxe” category. Once completed, the five will find themselves nestled within one of the few gated communities in Malibu. Since it took Gillen eleven years to get his 24-acre project approved by the notoriously fussy California Coastal Commission, it’s a good bet that “The Case” may be the last.
The astronomical price tags are easy to understand when you consider the exclusivity of the enclave, its security provisions, and its architectural bona fides:
Exclusivity: Not debatable. Come on! The humblest neighbor’s house costs $40,000,000.
Security: Since The Case is sited atop a 200’ bluff with a 360-degree outlook, the place is strategically similar to what ancient kings demanded when deciding where to build their castles. No moat, maybe, but the head of security is Gavin deBecker, who will be in charge of keeping everything “paparazzi-proof.” He’s the fellow Jeff Bezos tapped to find out who leaked his text messages. As a final measure of security, each house is fitted with a water cannon “that rises from the ground to fight fires.” Private firefighting personnel are also envisioned. Security: check!
Architectural pedigree: “The Case” development is to be an homage to the famous “Case Study” houses—iconic experimental homes designed by Eames, Neutra, and Saarinen in mid-20th century. The first six of those houses were recognized as “Blueprints for Modern Living”—visionary examples of modern design and efficiency. They attracted more than 350,000 visitors to Los Angeles.
“The Case” houses are promoted as updated versions of the Case Study’s mid-century modern architecture—but with at least one notable difference. The Getty Research Institute says that the originals “promoted economical construction concepts.” That feature is clearly missing from these updates.
Today’s typical Forsyth County architecture is most definitely more economically grounded. To find some notable examples for yourself—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
Forsyth County Real Estate Back to Basics: Buyer’s Agent or Go Solo?
If this month will find you looking for a home to call your own, you won’t be alone—it’s still prime season for South Forsyth County house-hunting. In case it’s been a while since your last go-round (or if this will be your first), it’s relevant to review some of the basics. That includes one of the most basic basics: if and/or when to enlist the services of one of South Forsyth County’s buyer’s agents.
You might think that, with home prices having risen steadily for some time, prospective South Forsyth County home buyers might prefer to go it alone as a cost-cutting maneuver. After all, the homes for sale are all right there online, aren’t they?
But that’s not the people’s choice. The latest (2018) statistics tell us that 87% of those who bought a home did so through a real estate agent or broker. The cost factor winds up tilting in the agent’s favor because, except in extremely rare cases, buyers do not pay a commission at all! It’s part of the Multiple Listing Service agreement that mandates fees and commissions be paid from the seller’s proceeds.
For what amounts to a free service, house-hunters who work with a buyer’s agent gain the professional insights of a licensed veteran in the South Forsyth County market. Signing up with a buyer’s agent legally obligates the agent to work toward getting the client the best deal possible. When buyers go it alone, relying on the homeowner’s agent to handle the details, they are entrusting an agent who is obligated to work for the best interests of the other party—hardly an ideal situation.
Check out these 9 Steps to Buying a Home
Once you are represented by a buyer’s agent, you are immediately relieved of the tricky business of discussing financial matters with a seller or the seller’s agent. That’s not just the professional way to proceed—it’s also the likeliest path to getting the home you want on the terms you want.
Finding an experienced South Forsyth County buyer’s agent–one you feel comfortable working with– is well worth the effort. But it doesn’t have to take much of that, either: JUST GIVE ME A CALL!
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 Forsyth County real estate.
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
Marketing Your South Forsyth County Home for Sale: Make it Memorable
One frequently underestimated aspect of effective real estate marketing is memorability.
If you will be selling your South Forsyth County home anytime soon, once you’ve prepared for its public rollout, marketing takes center stage. “Job One” will be exposing it to the galaxy of active prospects—that is, to the corps of qualified buyers who would be a good fit for your property. Secondarily, it means making your home memorable.
For the potential buyers who happen to be well-organized, efficient and energetic, the memorability factor isn’t vital. They’ve been combing the listings for South Forsyth County homes for sale with regularity in the hope of finding a property like yours. They’ll see that yours looks like a good match, and either make an appearance at your open house, schedule a showing through their buyers agent, or make contact online.
Buyers like those are increasingly common—but many other well-qualified prospects are not so well organized. They might be under less time pressure to find their new home, or they might be so busy with other obligations that their house-hunting moments are sporadic and rushed. For whatever reason, they are in danger of losing track of your listing—even if it was one that looked promising when they came across it. It’s also possible that after too much time spent staring at the screen, even the most motivated house hunters can go temporarily “house blind”—fail to remember one they should have noted.
That’s the point: a listing, (or ad, social media post, or flyer), in addition to being attractively illustrated and technically accurate, should also be constructed to make it in some way memorable. That’s not the same kind of “memorable” that is making the new Avengers movie so popular or that makes Hotel California a song that refuses to go away. That kind of memorable requires one-in-a-million creative genius.
The marketing for your South Forsyth County home for sale can be made memorable much more simply. Its messaging need only point up some unique feature (or express a point of view about its impact) that literally makes it easy to remember. Specific examples will differ for every property. One home might score memorability by naming it for a unique location (“South Forsyth County’s Hill House”), by accentuating its floral sanctum of a garden, or by highlighting its dreamy chef’s kitchen. When the memorable point rings true, it also helps couples easily identify your property in later decision-making discussions.
Developing a potent marketing strategy for your South Forsyth County home for sale is just part of the full service I provide. Part of our Selling Strategy is to create a “lifestyle story” around the special features that your home has to offer. Get me a call and we can chat about that!
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 Forsyth County real estate.
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
How Personality Factors into Forsyth County Real Estate Investing
Although the title of her article was “What Will You Do with Your Investment Property?” marketing writer Lynn Pineda’s piece came down to a dissection of a simpler binary choice. It took on the Forsyth County real estate investor’s elemental decision: flip or rent? And rather than concentrating on the run-of-the-mill financial analysis you’d expect, it smartly recognized the other dimension that should enter into that choice: the investor’s personality.
Most investors who buy Forsyth County homes do so with a strategy already in place. The purchase is usually propelled by the value proposition the property represents: a potential for profit that’s evident from the start. The attractive arithmetic may have been based on a fix-and-flip analysis, or on a traditional rental analysis. Especially for first-time investors, the ultimate success of the endeavor (and probably whether it becomes the first of many to follow) will probably also be determined by how well the temperament of the investor aligns with the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. A breakdown of the advantages for each makes the point:
For the fix-and-flip strategy, the advantages are well-publicized. Author Pineda lists “Quick Money,” “No Long-Term Commitment,” “No Need to Deal with Tenants,” “Moving On to the Next Project,” and “Forced Appreciation” (that is, making improvements that increase value before selling).
For the renting out strategy, the advantages are quite different. Listed are “Long-Term Rental Income,” “Paying for the Mortgage,” “Ease of Financing,” “Natural Appreciation,” and “Growing Your Portfolio.”
Although an investor might choose either direction, the author suspects that different personalities are more likely to be comfortable with one or the other. There are those who are naturally drawn to “quick cash” versus those “attracted to long-term income.” Likewise, some investors welcome the “passive income” model versus others eager to “roll up their sleeves” to dive into new rehab frays.
Her thesis is that choosing the appropriate personality-appealing niche makes succeeding (and enjoying) the entire process much more likely—something that’s hard to argue with.
And with so many Forsyth County real estate investment possibilities out there right now, it’s also true that it’s a great time to give me a call!
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 Forsyth County real estate.
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
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