Buying in the Best School District

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 6:00pm. 726 Views, 0 Comments.

Two of the most common questions we get from families buying new homes are, “What’s the best school district for my kids?” or “We love this home, is it in a good school district?”

These can be very subjective questions as different parents value different elements of their children’s education. Fortunately, we have found two great websites to help parents answer these important questions for their own families.

The first website is www.greatschools.net and the second is www.schooldigger.com. Both sites allow you to see various rankings, test scores, parental reviews and lots of other helpful information.

We’ve also raised the bar for our own clients and created a School Search Function allowing you to find homes that meet your criteria within the…

Money Magazine Checklist for Best Place to Live

Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 2:46pm. 334 Views, 0 Comments.

Money Magazine recently published an article in its August 2009 issue entitled How to Find Your Best Place. Even in tough economic times homes in certain areas seem to hold their value much better than others and experts have concluded these areas tend to have 5 things in common. 

At a time when every factor counts in a real estate transaction, buyers and sellers alike…

Interest Rates Spike to 5.5% then Drop Slightly

Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 11:20am. 354 Views, 1 Comments.

If you were watching the markets last week, Wednesday was not a good day for interest rates. At one point traditional rates reached as high as 5.5% percent and jumbo rates (for loans above $417,000) reached 8% for some lenders, higher than they have been in months. By about 4pm EST the rates had become so volatile that many banks effectively shut down the ability to lock-in a rate for those applying for loans.

Fortunately, the last few days have brought a bit more stability though rates are still hovering around 5%. Last week’s scare has many wondering if we’ve seen the bottom of interest rates in this market. With prices at historic lows and interest rates remaining low for the time being, I would not waste any time if you’re considering purchasing a…

Governor Perdue Signs Additional $1,800 Tax Credit for Georgia Buyers

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 1:04am. 384 Views, 0 Comments.

Just when it seemed like the flow of government incentives for home buyers was starting to slow down, Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law a new bill authorizing an additional $1,800 tax credit for Georgia home buyers.

By now we’ve all heard about President Obama’s $8,000 Federal Tax Credit for first time home buyers, but the Governor’s latest action applies to anyone purchasing a distressed home in the state of Georgia. This could be a single family home, condominium or townhouse so long as the property was in default or foreclosure prior to March 1, 2009. If the purchase price is under $150,000 then up to 1.2% of sales price will be credited instead of the full $1,800.

The incentives won’t last long though as a time frame of June 1st to November 30th…

Buyer Question: What exactly is a short sale?

Thursday, May 14th, 2009 at 1:35am. 364 Views, 0 Comments.

At a time when the dynamics of real estate seem to change almost weekly a question I often get from clients is “What exactly is a short sale”. While many in the real estate community are familiar with the term, the general public is often unaware of how a short sale works and both its potential pitfalls and benefits for those involved.

The quick definition of a short sale is “a sale of a debt, short of the full debt owed”. Often this comes into play when the mortgage holder on a home allows the owner to sell the home for less than what is owed in order to avoid foreclosure.

For instance, a bank might allow the owner of a $300,000 home to sell it for $250,000 and walk away free and clear of the $50,000 loss. The catch for the seller is that all…

How can I buy a home if I am outside of the United States?

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 7:11am. 315 Views, 0 Comments.

I'm interested in buying a home, but i'm currently out of the country. What do I need to do in order to buy a home in the Atlanta area?

1. We need to get you pre-approved for a mortgage and make sure that you are comfortable with the downpayment and the monthly payments. To get started, fill out the form HERE, I will have one of my trusted mortgage lenders contact you to finish the process (this is free and easy).

If you are paying cash, and do not need a mortgage, we will simply need a letter from your bank stating that you have sufficient cash to purchase a home.

If you are not a US citizen, do not have current income from inside the country, or you do not have a social security number, then there are other special considerations that need to be…

Do I need a broker to represent me when I buy a home in Atlanta?

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009 at 4:31pm. 337 Views, 0 Comments.

Below is a recent question from a client, followed by my answer about being represented as a home buyer:

Question:

Mary: "So what is it that you do as my agent when I am buying a home, and how much will I have to pay you?"

Answer:

Great question! As your representative and real estate broker, it my legal duty to look out for your best interest. In addition, it is part of my job to help narrow down the available homes in Atlanta to the few that fit your criteria, and then use my market knowledge and years of experience to narrow the field still further to that one home that you will decide to pursue with an offer.

At this point in the transaction, I will do a market analysis of the home that has caught your eye and we will leverage that information to…

Homestead Exemption Information

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 2:01pm. 484 Views, 0 Comments.

What is Homestead Exemption, and How Can I Apply For It? 

Any new homeowner needs to remember to file for a Homestead Exemption in your county.  It is so important to remember this as it can save you thousands of dollars in property taxes. However, not only will this save you money, the Homestead Exemption laws are designed to protect you as a homeowner.

They serve three primary features:  they prevent the forced sale of a home to meet the demands of creditors;  they provide surviving spouse with shelter;  and they provide an exemption from property taxes which can be applied to a home.

To qualify you must own and occupy the property as your legal residence as of January 1st of the current tax year.  There is no deadline to apply;  however, to receive…

What is My Atlanta Home Worth? Find Out Here....

Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 1:42pm. 448 Views, 0 Comments.

Question: What Is My Atlanta Home Worth? 

 Answer:

I thought that it would be interesting to show a market value analysis that was completed some time ago for one of my out-of-state clients who was selling a family home in Alpharetta.

Many people who need to sell a home in Atlanta are worried about how the process of finding the true market value of their home works, so hopefully this will shed some light on it.

If you need to sell your Atlanta area home, then visit our seller page and fill out the form at the lower part of the page: http://www.benhirsh.com/selling.php

Do not miss the commentary below the report....

Comparative Market Analysis

Prepared Especially for: (Client Name Removed) 170 Chessington Drive