What is Real Estate

Writen by Sanford Rosser

Whether you're a "move up" home buyer, downsizing, or relocating to the metro Atlanta area, you'll find a diverse range of home styles and price ranges just north of downtown in the Marietta – East Cobb, Roswell, Alpharetta corridor. Featuring affordable single family homes, condominiums, townhouses, and luxury real estate, these communities also offer great schools and unbeatable location.

East Cobb is truly the hidden gem of the local real estate market. Without a large highway, neighborhoods and homes in this part of Marietta offer a peace not often found in metropolitan areas. As such, families often choose East Cobb for its kid friendliness and reputation for having top public schools. The hallmark of east Cobb real estate is its exclusivity and low Cobb county taxes. New construction homes in east Cobb differs from the rest of Marietta – it has become difficult to find a new home for under $500,000 in this area. Resale homes can be found in almost any price range in the east Cobb. Real estate values have done very well in the last few years and show no signs of slowing down. While unique restaurants and nightlife are not abundant, many are within driving distance of most any East Cobb neighborhood.

If you're looking for the classic Southern town that has a mix of newer and older historic homes, look no further than Roswell Georgia. Real estate in the historic district dates back to before the civil war. A quaint and quiet downtown area features antique shops and top quality restaurants and cafes. Featuring access to GA 400, historic homes, and a nice diversity of new construction homes, Roswell real estate is a testament to historical preservation. North of downtown, the Crabapple community features newer homes with modern amenities, great schools, and a variety of shopping centers.

Alpharetta is one of Georgia's most unheralded success stories. During the last 20 years, the Alpharetta real estate market has exploded with growth. New homes are going up at a tremendous rate and showing no sign of stopping. People who have bought homes and real estate in Alpharetta chose it for it's unbeatable modern shopping and convenience. Everything in Alpharetta seems new – from its shopping centers and restaurants to its homes and office buildings. In the beginning, most residents of Alpharetta used to live there and commute to downtown. Today, we're seeing people start to commute to Alpharetta from surrounding communities because of it's growth.

Whether you're looking for family neighborhoods, historic homes, or something new and exciting, East Cobb – Marietta, Roswell, and Alpharetta Georgia have something to offer everyone.

Sanford Rosser of Heritage Real Estate Brokers. Visit our Atlanta Real Estate site to search for homes currently for sale in East Cobb, Marietta, Roswell, and Alpharetta Georgia.

Writen by Doug Lasley

Here are just a few of the many reasons why:

-Rapid Real Estate Appreciation Rates. (Number 1 State in the US)
-Population Growth - Supply & Demand - Fastest Growing State in the US.
-Huge Pent up Demand for Affordable Housing.
-Affordable Prices. (relatively undervalued land - low construction costs)
-Baby Boomers Trends.
-Number 1 Retirement Destination.
-Year Round Fantastic Weather.
-1,200 to 1,800 miles of coast line. (some of the best beachs in the world)
-Number 1 Tourist destination.
-International Appeal.
-Tremendous Business Growth. (Pro-Growth Government)
-Landlord Friendly State.
-No State Income Tax.

Florida's Real Estate Investment Market

Will the rising prices in the Florida real estate market continue, or will this bubble burst? During a time that has seen the largest piece of land being purchased in Florida since 1965 (which, by the way, was when Walt Disney bought 30,000 acres in what is now Orlando), most real estate investors are wondering how much longer the trend will continue. We are happy to say, we believe it will last for quite some time and this is why:

Savvy real estate moguls are purchasing large parcels of land not for the purpose of quickly cashing in on this booming market through the development of new homes and communities. What these developers have realized is that the expected growth in population for the state of Florida is estimated to be an increase of 35,000 new residents per month, with the trend estimated to continue for at least the next 30 years. As the population continues to grow over the next 30 years, these large parcels of land will only go up in value.

What makes this population growth even more impressive is that it is no longer low income retirees coming to Florida, but wealthy individuals looking to retire in the sunshine state (300 days a year of sun). As the first wave of baby boomers reach retirement age, we are seeing that they possess 70% of the nations' net worth. As this group of the population makes up a huge percentage of our countrys' population, about ½ of these people have no intent on staying in their current location, but are looking to live in places with a high level of "lifestyle" and warmer weather.

With this increase in money coming into Florida with the boomers, business opportunities and job growth will not be far behind. With this we see an increase in the numbers of 20 to 40 years odds looking to take advantage of this growth and demand for new goods and services.

One of the best ways to take advantage of this continued growth in Florida as a real estate investor is pre-construction Investing. By locating a preconstruction investment project in an area that is in high demand, or is projected to be within the next couple of years, you will have the opportunity to profit on the appreciate of your investment before it is even completed! Plus with the estimated growth over the next 30 years, this is not a limited time opportunity, but one that should last for at least the next 15 years.

Florida Median Home Sales Price Grows by 27%

Doug Lasley (Broker-Associate) BuyVacationCondos - LANDDepo Call 407-876-5771

info@BuyVacationCondos.com

http://www.buyvacationcondos.com

Writen by Raynor James

Selling your house yourself can be intimidating if you're doing it the first time. Here's how to deal with unpleasant negotiators.

Unpleasant Negotiators

Sometimes you encounter someone who is not going to be happy unless he maneuvers you into accepting less than your home is worth or doing things for his benefit that are unreasonable. Then what? Well, first let's discuss the most common forms these nasty types take and then we'll talk about what to do with them.

One frequent form the unpleasant negotiator takes is the person who tries to intimidate you and disparage your property. Red flags should go up if someone works hard at trying to get you on the defensive. I'm not talking about an occasional negative remark. What I'm talking about is a whole string of them and the attitude that goes with it. Even if it's cloaked in the appearance of classic good manners and charm, you're dealing with a rascal.

The second typical form an unpleasant negotiator takes is the "nibbler." You think negotiations are over and that the two of you have come to a mutually acceptable agreement. Then at various points as you progress toward completion of the sales process, the other person "nibbles." They usually pretend they had no idea that the carpet needed to be stretched, the roof needed to be replaced, the crystal chandelier in the dining room did not convey, or fill-in-the-blank, and use that as an excuse to change things. This process can and does continue right up to the point of settlement or the point the deal falls apart, whichever comes first!

The Walk-Away Secret

Sometimes you get these two nasty types in one negotiator, but don't despair. You can cope with them. The first thing you need to do is to stay in a calm, evaluating frame of mind. At each step along the way, ask yourself, "Is this reasonable? Am I willing to do this in order to make a sale?" Proceed as long as the answer is "yes."

Be willing to walk away if the answer becomes "no." I cannot over emphasize the power of "being willing to walk away" from negotiations. Don't read that phrase too quickly. Be "willing to walk away." It is one of the strongest negotiating tools on the planet. It's simple. It does not require being nasty. However, what it does require is that you not consider your home sold (or bought, for that matter) until all negotiations are really over.

Think about it. You put yourself in a "losing posture" with a nasty negotiator the moment you emotionally consider your house sold. So long as you're willing to walk away, you have power that is as strong as the buyer's wish to buy. If such a "deal" blows up, so be it. You weren't going to get what you wanted from it anyway.

Now, a word about "nibbles." There is a civilized way to cope with this. Don't hop into doing it until you really feel it is a nibble or you become a nasty negotiator yourself. However, a nibble can be dealt with by inquiring blandly, "If I do that for you, will you do 'fill-in-the-blank' for me?" Your goal is to convey to the nibbler that each successful nibble will cost him something. Make it something significant relative to the nibble request.

If you don't think fast on your feet, you can always say, "I'll get back to you on that." Don't allow yourself to be rushed if you think best when you mull things over.

Stay calm and thoughtful. No one can force you to make a sale or purchase that's not in your best interest. Keep evaluating the situation, and stay open to the possibility that you may need to walk away until the sale is complete. That way you won't force yourself to do what's not in your best interest either. It's not easy, but it's very simple. Stay in control of yourself.

Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - providing FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our "sell my home" page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list and sell your home for free for one month. Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/buyer.cfm to see homes for sale by owner.

Writen by Charles Essmeier

If you had the opportunity to buy a television or a sofa at a price that was three times the suggested retail price, would you do it? That scenario may seem ridiculous, but thousands of people do just that every day when they sign an agreement at a rent-to-own store. Rent-to-own, or RTO for short, is a system that allows consumers with little or no credit to acquire furniture, electronics or appliances by renting them by the week or by the month. At the end of the rental agreement, the renter gets to keep the merchandise. The renter may also agree simply to rent the merchandise for an agreed-upon period of time.

While furniture or appliance rental may be suitable for someone who needs them for only a month or so, it represents an expensive way to buy for someone who intends to keep them. A television may seem inexpensive at only $10 per week, but if the agreement requires eighteen months of rental before the customer owns it, the total amount paid will be $780. That would be fine if the television were valued at anywhere near that amount, but in most cases, that $780 will provide a television that sells for only $250 or so at electronics stores. The additional $530 goes to the rental company in the form of profit. Expressed as an annual interest rate, some rental fees can exceed 400% annually.

In addition to the rental charges, the customer will also likely have to pay sales tax, delivery charges and possibly return charges if he or she elects not to keep the merchandise. Late payments may also incur a late fee, provided that the rental company doesn't elect to terminate the agreement and take the merchandise back altogether. In that case, the customer has nothing to show for the money invested.

Rental companies point out that for those who have no credit cards, the RTO concept provides an opportunity to "have it now." That is true, but consumers who have little money would be better off either saving that $10 per week and buying the television in six months' time. Alternatively, the consumer could put the television on layaway at a retailer and pay it off over time. Either way, the consumer would save hundreds of dollars in rental fees.

A consumer who needs furniture or appliances for a short time, such as someone on a temporary assignment to another city, might find an RTO agreement useful in order to avoid living in an empty apartment. But anyone who wants to buy furniture, electronics, or appliances might be better served by simply saving their money until they have enough to buy the merchandise outright.

©Copyright 2006 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including http://www.End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation, personal bankruptcy, establishing credit and credit counseling. He also may know something about The Debt Consolidator.

Writen by Scott Boulch

A house properly priced is half sold. But there are plenty of ways to price it improperly.

You can't go by what you paid for the place. Perhaps you bought two years ago when local prices were skyrocketing, and things have cooled off since. Perhaps houses like yours can now be bought for less, and if you hold out for what you paid, you'll just waste your time.

On the other hand, perhaps prices in your area have taken off, and you'd short-change yourself if you just tried to "get my money out" (but you'd have a fast sale).

You can't go by how much you've spent on improvements. A given street will support only a given price range. If you've invested so much that yours would be the most expensive house on the street, the buying public is not likely to reimburse you.

You can't go by your tax assessment figure. Even in communities that aim at full-value assessments, the figures are almost never in line with what buyers are currently ready to pay.

So how do you price your house?

By putting yourself in a buyer's shoes.

What else is for sale in the area? How does it compare with your house? How long has it been on the market? What has sold recently, and how much did the buying public value it at? What has failed to sell in the past year?

Any good broker can furnish the data you need, often in the form of a chart known as a CMA, Comparative Market Analysis.

And once you have it, again think like a buyer. What price would it take for you to look at a list and say to an agent "Take me to see that one"?

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