Friday, May 22, 2009

Investing in the Southern Crescent of Atlanta




Ever thought of investing in Real Estate?


If you already are, we think you're very wise. If not, and you have the money and time to invest, then why aren't you? Have you sat on the fence for weeks, months, or even years thinking about investing? Get off of that fence (even if the barb-wire has the seat of your pants) and get in gear! We truly believe that you can make a living off of investing in real estate. Heck....we even know some who are self-made millionaires from it.

There is a catch though! You have to have a good team of people to help you invest wisely. With the knowledge and expertise of a good Real Estate agent you will make money! Don't listen to the whiners and complainers who thought they could do it on their own, bought a home for 80k when it was worth 50k, sunk 20k into it (when they should have only spent 10k), and don't understand why they can't sell it for 200k. Here's what you need.

1. Yourself -completely motivated with a great attitude and a stick to it mentality

2. Us - a great Real Estate duo that has the knowledge of the right areas to invest in, the amounts of money you should spend, and the eye for showing you a deal.

3. A Good Lender (or cash on hand if you have it) - Good investment loans are hard to come by these days, but they are out there. Cash is king though. If you have it, invest in Real Estate. The stock market hasn't given returns like Real Estate in the past few years.

4. A Good Home Inspector (or your knowledge of homes and housing systems if you know it) - You should always know what you're getting. Inspect that baby from top to bottom.

5. A Good Closing Attorney - Some sellers dictate who you can close with, but you can always request your attorney, especially when paying cash. It's worth it in many cases.

6. A Good Contractor, Rehab, Do-It-All Person - Whether it's you, or a company, many investment type properties need some work once you purchase them (although you'll be surprised to find that some don't need much at all). Knowing that the work is going to be done right the first time, and for a good fair price, will save you thousands.

Areas that are Hot!

You can find a deal in just about any city or county right now. Some are more rare than others, but they are out there. These are the areas where most of our investors are investing in at the present time.


  • Clayton County (Forest Park, Jonesboro, Riverdale, Conley, etc.) Most of the homes bought as investments here are bought and rented out as opposed to flipped. You can buy a home for less than the price of car here....and we're not even talking a Lexus or Mercedes, we're talking Kia & Hyundai.


  • Henry County (McDonough, Stockbridge, Hampton, Locust Grove). There's a 50/50 mixture of homes being bought and rented and bought and flipped. It depends on the investor. Henry county has been the 4th fastest growing county in the nation for several years now. It's still a profitable and desirable county.


  • In-town and South Atlanta (Inman Park, Grant Park, Cabbagetown, Adair Park, Ormewood Park, Hapeville, Edgewood, Kirkwood, West End and other small self-named areas of Atlanta). Come on people, it's Atlanta! Buy a home in the city of Atlanta for 50k or below....duh! No brainer! Some are easily flipped and others are held until the market corrects itself. Either way, it's a moneymaker!



  • And any where else we spot a deal! We sell all the counties and cities of South Metro Atlanta.

Crayola Can't Beat This!

We want our blog to be informative and fun at the same time. So here's a post that should do the trick. These pictures were found in the MLS system and all come from the same property. The MLS feeds every listing onto a gazillion other sites, so these pictures are all over the internet and available for the whole world to see; therefore, after a long debate, we figured it's okay to post these so long as we don't disclose the owner's name or address. Side Note: If you are the owner of this home, we apologize for using your property as an example. We know some really great painters, call us!



Crayola would call this "Macoroni & Cheese" Orange


Red is In... I can deal with Red. I can't deal with
the random brown portion of the wall though. Can you?

Left Over Paint Room! Pay close attention, you will notice that all of
these colors are used throughout the house. This is a crime!

Inspiration -> Hunt's Ketchup & French's Mustard! I can't look at this room without
thinking about the plastic red & yellow bottles that every small diner has on the table.


Laker's Fans Perhaps? ... Purple & Gold


This room actually looks calming after looking at the last few, huh?

Dark Green with Silver Stripes. Wow.

I call this 'Plain Jane'. I know you won't believe me, but I swear
this neutral room existed in the Crayola house!

There is a lesson to be learned here. If you're thinking about selling your home, take the time to neutralize the paint colors prior to putting it on the market. Buyers can better visualize themselves in your home if everything is neutral. With bright colors, such as the ones you've seen in these photos, the potential buyer will spend so much time looking at the walls that they won't even notice the house itself. Some color is okay, but this is obviously an extreme. Helpful Tip: If you're reading an ad regarding a listing that you're interested in and see 'designer paint colors' that can sometimes mean that there are some funky colors in the house. Real estate agents have a way with words. :) Just remember, paint is a pretty easy fix in most cases. So try to look past the color on the walls (and other decor) and focus on the house itself.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Georgia Tax Credit ... Woo-hoo!


It's official - I'm a real estate geek! While most people are probably raving about the Atlanta Hawks, I'm raving about another tax credit!!! This is so exciting! Sonny Perdue signed House Bill 261 today which offers a $1800 tax credit to Georgia home buyers who purchase a home within the next 6 months! Lets do some math people... (put your calculators up, I'm going to make this easy for you!)

$8000 (Federal Tax Credit) + $14000 (GA NSP) + $1800 (GA Tax Credit) = $23,800!

That's like hitting home buying lottery!! Too bad Uncle Sam won't let you spend any of that at Lenox Mall...

For the scoop on this bill, click here: http://tinyurl.com/p3a62z

Call or email us with any questions!

-Rebekah