Kingsouth Construction Majestic Oaks

Majestic Oaks features six generously sized home plans that can be customize to suit the needs of any family. Each floor plan comes with several options for the exterior to make the home have its own unique style. Styles are consistent with traditional architecture in the area. Plans start at around 1760 square feet with prices in the low to mid 200’s. Some common features of all homes in the Majestic Oaks community include large master suites with spa-like bathrooms, open living spaces with 10’ ceilings, generous storage spaces, and covered lanais. As with any new construction, homeowners will enjoy the opportunity to personalize their homes with numerous choices of appliances, countertops, cabinetry, lighting, flooring, and hardware, just to name a few.

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Georgia Home Builders
Kingsouth Construction Company Profile
List of Atlanta Home Builders

Lanier Walk in Atlanta by Touchstone Homes

Communities built by Touchstone Homes are full of amenities to be enjoyed by all homeowners. Lanier Walk is a townhome community that offers low-maintenance living so you are free to enjoy all the activities at Lake Lanier that are just a short walk from your home. The Tributary Community of single family homes is just a short drive from both the airport and downtown Atlanta. When completed, this community will boast swimming, tennis, and fitness centers, along with a unique outdoor adventure center. These are just a few of the features you can expect to see in a Touchstone Homes community. Visit the Touchstone Homes Design Studio to see the options that can add a personal touch to any new construction home.

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Eco-inspectors offer additional services such as rebate assistance from your local utility company and assistance with filing for federal tax credits of up to $1,500. A knowledgeable inspector will be able to let you know what tax rebates you will qualify for once you have implemented any suggestions that they may have. The money that you will save on your energy bills and possible tax rebates makes an Eco-inspection will worth the time and money.

In October the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it had made $454 million dollars available to help existing homes improve their energy efficiency.

Some of the areas of interest to an Eco-inspector include poor insulation, leaky air ducks, improperly sealed windows and doors or incorrect air filters. A pressurization test of your home will also reveal additional leak sources. This test can be repeated once the repairs have been completed to see how much of an improvement has been made.

Once the inspection is completed you should receive a detailed report from the inspector that indicates not only what deficiencies were found but the report should also give you an estimate for what percent of saving to your utility bill the repairs should make. Having this information will allow you to make an informed decision on the cost benefit of each suggested repair.

There is additional assistance that your local utility may offer. Some utility companies are even offering to help pay a portion of the Eco-inspection fees, and others are willing to pay $500 or more to assist with recommended repairs. With all of these assistance programs “Go Green” seems to make cents.

It is imperative to thoroughly research a company before selecting them as your home warranty provider.  There are a couple of ways to conduct the search. One of the most popular is to complete an internet search on the subject. Another resource is to use Consumer Reports as a reference. And finally, ask friends and family members which company provides their home warranty and whether they are satisfied with their service.

More home warranty companies exist than I initially thought. The best known home warranty companies are American Home Shield, Old Republic and 2-10 Home Warranty. These companies are commonly referred to as the “Big 3”. Therefore, it reasons that they would have the highest rankings. I did my own research at www.homewarrantyreviews.com and found some pretty scary and interesting information. The ratings are done on a numeric scale from 1 to 10, 10 being perfect, and provided by “consumers”. Surprisingly, many companies I’ve never heard of are ranked much higher than the aforementioned companies.

Now how can this be? Is the ranking skewed by bogus reviews? Are the reviews being generated by competitive companies’ employees and friends? There is no way to prove my fears concerning the reviews are valid. But I ask, if these companies are so great, why have we not heard of them before? When you check out the reviews of home warranty companies on the above mentioned websites, you will  see a lot of negative reviews and low scores (mostly 1’s) of the “Big 3” on the first pages that are displayed and on the first few pages displayed for some of the other companies have rave reviews and high scores (typically 5’s). I scrolled to page 3, 4, and 5 and found completely different ratings for the unknown companies (1’s and 2’s) and fairly normal (between 3 and 5) for the better known companies.

One company in particular, National Home Warranty, had exceptional reviews and high marks in early 2009. Go do some research on that company today. The New York Attorney General finally seized their assets and shut them down. They were total frauds. I’ll bet you they changed their name and are back in business defrauding unsuspecting home owners today, right now even. Before you finally pull the trigger to pay for a home warranty, Do your homework first. Check with fellow agents, family and friends and find out if they are satisfied with their home warranty company.

As an agent, my personal experience with home warranty companies has been very good. I’ve had experiences with 2-10, American Home Shield and Old Republic. My clients, friends, and family that I’ve counseled to get a home warranty have informed me that they are pleased with their warranty service. There have been instances of delayed repairs and other minor difficulties but all problems have been resolved to the client’s satisfaction. I encourage all of my buyers and sellers to get a home warranty. It gives them a great sense of security and their feedback to me has been very positive.

Bottom line: Although you may not find a perfect company, there are reputable companies with good ratings. Read the warranty contract thoroughly and be sure of what is and is not covered.  Remember, most state laws say “Buyer Beware” and provide no protection from unscrupulous people or companies.

PERSONAL DOCUMENTS

Documents are critical to preserve. They serve as proof of citizenship and ownership. Below is a list of the most important documents to take with you during an evacuation.

• Birth Certificates
• Passports
• Vehicle Titles
• Stock Certificates
• Marriage License
• Property Titles
• Wills

BUSINESS DOCUMENTS

If you work from home or own your own business, it is essential to protect your business documents. At the very least, make sure you back up files from your desktop once a week on a jump drive and take it with you.  Another option is to employ a service that will allow you to backup your files on their remote servers. And of course, take your laptop computer and charger with you.

MEDICATIONS

It is critical that you take all medications in their original prescription bottle. This will ensure that you will have the information should you need to refill it while away from home. Also, if you are flying to stay with friends or family, the medicine must be in the original prescription container.

CASH

It is imperative to have cash during an evacuation situation. Network problems can prevent debit or credit transactions during a weather event. By having cash, you will ensure you will be able to purchase items.

PERSONAL ITEMS

Everyone has items that may not have significant financial value, but are invaluable to them. So if you have family photos, jewelry, paintings of piece of furniture that is sentimental to you and can’t be replaced, you may want to consider taking it with you. 

Hopefully this list will serve as a guide for you to formulate an evacuation list so you can get out quickly, safely and with the essential items necessary to continue with daily life.

The most recent publication to recognize Evans, Georgia is Family Circle magazine.  In their August 2009 issue, Family Circle ranked Evans as number two on the Top 10 towns for families in the United States.  Evans is the only city in Georgia to receive this designation.  The ranking was based on towns with population of 15,000-150,000, affordable housing, top-notch schools, health care access, green spaces, low crime rates and financial stability. 

Family Circle magazine is not the first to honor Evans, Georgia.  Money Magazine has recognized Evans several times.  Two of those recognitions are listed below.

2009-9^th on list of Top 25 places in the U.S. with affordable housing and waterfront amenity

2005-32^nd on list of Best Places to Live in America

So, if you are considering a move to Georgia, rest assured that Evans is just one example of the wonderful cities you awaiting you.

The reverse mortgage program allows seniors to borrow against the market value of their home and then use the money to supplement their income. They can take either a lump sum payment, get it monthly, or use it like a line of credit. The best part about it is that it’s not like a loan; seniors don’t have to pay it back, as long as they live in the home.

What’s the catch? Right now there doesn’t seem to be one, except making sure that the value of your home hasn’t decreased to a degree where you won’t get any real benefit out of it. The best thing about most homes that were purchased 30 years ago is that their value easily outstrips what it was when purchased. However, in most communities across the country, the value of homes has dropped, so the extra money might not amount to all that much on a weekly basis. Taking a lump sum might help if there are things that need to be fixed, however.

What’s in it for lenders? They’ll be able to recover their money when your house is sold. Of course, a big part of this depends on two things: one, which the original mortgage is finally paid off; two, that any other debts against the home have been paid off, which has to occur before seniors can qualify for the loan. Also, homeowners are still responsible for general upkeep of the house, property taxes, and insurance.

Of course, there are many things to consider if a senior is going to do this. One, if you decide to tap into it early and live a long time, you might run out of the money you’ve set aside if you’re paying yourself too much. Two, there are fees involved with doing it, and if you don’t keep up on the fees and payments, lenders could request full payment all at once.

If a senior can afford it, the best thing to do is to use it as a line of credit, having money available if it’s needed at a later date, such as for medications or other emergencies. For others, taking money out and, if they believe the market is ready to recover, putting some of that money to work for them to grow it and potentially have more funds to use as they get older.

Overall, it’s nice to have something to potentially fall back on in a time of need for seniors.

Here are some tips for potential buyers of high-end homes:

Be aware of the potential for an enormous deal on a luxury home. For those buyers looking for a bargain in a lavish neighborhood, they need to first locate sellers with an immediate need to liquidate their property. These sellers are now just as commonly found in high-end neighborhoods as anywhere else. The key to getting the best deal on a property is to determine the seller’s level of urgency to sell the property quickly. A majority of individuals trying to sell now in this market are in need of getting rid of their property, which is great news for bargain shoppers.

Be aware of the owner’s position before making any offer on a property. You should always learn about what sort of situation the seller is in. During a negotiation, information is power. If possible, you should have a real estate agent research public records to find out how much the owners purchased the property for, what is the size of the mortgage they took out, also when the property was purchased.

Have your real estate agent ask pointed questions about the property. Your agent might be able to contact the listing agent for property information and to see if the sellers are under a great deal of pressure to sell the property. However, if you find out that the sellers are under duress to let the property go, you can use this information during negotiations.

Many homes sellers are pricing their properties at their actual market value. There are always a few that insist on listing their homes at price that is too high for the current economic situation we are in. This is most common among owners of high-end properties because of the large sums of money they have invested in the home. These people, if waited out, are usually the ones who make the biggest sacrifices in getting their homes sold. If you know of an overpriced property that went on the market a while ago, prepare to make an offer if you like the home. You might want to get a letter showing that you are pre-approved by a reputable lender. This can give you the leverage needed to get the new home at the price you want right now!

Photo credit: www.thegenegroup.com

If you’re just starting out on your own, decorating your new place can be just as hectic as it is exciting. You’ll be asking yourself; what do I buy, where do I look, plus where and how do I begin?

Here is some advice on how to answer some of those questions:

Start with an overall layout of your room. Try not to make the mistake of spreading out your furniture: a single chair placed in the corner, a coffee table to far from the sofa on the far side of a room, or a small painting on a large wall. Try to create zones. For instance, if you’re in your first studio apartment or a small one bedroom, make the most out of your available space by designating zones such as an eating area, a comfortable seating area, and a sleeping area. This organization will often help create a cozier environment.

The right lighting can go a long way. Just because your place comes with lighting already installed doesn’t mean you have to keep what’s there. You can swap out what’s already there with inexpensive fixtures and use dimmer switches to save on energy costs. You can take an old lamp and just change the lamp shade.

Painting is quite possibly the single most important aspect of decorating a home. Practically any piece of old furniture can look better with a coat or two of satin black paint. Tie together all the furniture in your room by making them all one color. Try to use that one color throughout your home rather than trying to use a different color in each room. That will often give the impression that there’s more space than there actually is.

Selecting the right floor is also an important aspect of home decoration. If your new home has low-cut carpeting or tile, use rugs to help ground your rooms. You can buy indoor-outdoor rugs with remarkable colors and patterns. These rugs can be cleaned by simply hosing them off. You can center a room with a large area rug. Make sure to leave a floor border perimeter of a couple feet.

Pick the right furniture to match each room. Try to think about the future when buying your furniture. If you plan on using the pieces of furniture in a future home, don’t be afraid to spend the needed money and effort in acquiring these pieces. When picking upholstery, choose neutral colors for the fabrics. If you want to add color, use accessories such as throw pillows to do so.

Paint isn’t your only option for walls. Wallpaper can often be cut down and framed. You can also hide flaws in a wall tacking of fabric or by hanging pictures.

See more:
How Can I Save on Paint Costs
Is Wallpaper Making A Comeback?
Decorating and Design Ideas

Photo Credit: fitsnews.com

On 30 July, changes to the Truth In Lending Act regulations came into effect.   These changes can significantly alter the amount of time it takes to finance a home purchase.

This video – from ThinkBigWorkSmall.com, explains the parts of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) that established new requirements for lenders and mortgage brokers for Good Faith Estimates (GFE) and Truth In Lending (TIL)disclosures.  The video is geared to mortgage brokers and Realtors, so a lot of the content will be gobbledegook to most of you – but the salient points come through clearly.

HERA is Not Your Hero In RE

In Georgia, these changes may not have the extensive effect the video implies – mainly the additional 14 days it may now take to get a mortgage – because our contracts already have built-in due diligence periods and financing contingencies that should accommodate these changes with little impact.

The regulations can affect YOUR closing – whether as a Buyer or a Seller – if the Buyer decides to change loan products or the rates change and the Buyer wants a lower rate.  The margin of error is small – if there’s a difference of more than .8% in the GFE/TIL from the initial application and the FINAL costs to the Buyer – then the three day disclosure period comes in to effect, which WILL mean you cannot close until three days after the Buyer physically gets the new GFE/TIL.

Anyway – hope this is of use to some of you!  Let me know if you need any more info – and as always – I relish your comments!