Roswell, Is It Time for a New Fridge?

Effective this Friday, February 12th, $8,642,490 in appliance rebates will be offered to Georgia residents.

Georgia residents who replace an existing appliance with a new Energy Star qualified appliance purchased after February 12, 2010 are eligible to apply for the rebate. Rebates are paid to the approved applicant in the form of a Visa Prepaid card.

Residents can apply for one rebate per category per address up to $1,200 total. Eligible categories are household appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners, hot water heaters, etc.  You can get a $50 rebate for a refrigerator, up to $99 for a dishwasher and $199 for a gas furnace to name a few.  Since this is a first-come-first-served program, once the funds run out the program is over. 

Experience Roswell’s Magnolia Walk

Within a short walking distance to Historic Roswell’s shops and restaurants, is lovely Magnolia Walk.  This small, quiet community has just 52 houses.  Built in the late 1990’s by Ryland, the homes in Magnolia Walk are mostly traditional architecture.  

Prices in Magnolia Walk range from high $200,000’s for a home on a slab to mid $300,000’s for a home on a basement.   There were 3 sales last year in 2009.  Two homes on slabs sold for an average of $275,000. The other home was on a finished basement and sold for $330,000 in 17 days.  The seller received 99% of their asking price.

So Roswell, You Want to Buy a HUD home…

No, this property is a not a HUD home but for the longest time HUD foreclosures did have the reputation of looking like this.  HUD properties have become very popular for not only first and second time home buyers, but also with investors. HUD foreclosures come varying conditions.  I’ve seen some that are basically move-in ready and others that were barely habitable.  The overall consensus is that buyer’s can get a really good deal on a HUD property.  I am consistently asked about HUD homes, what they are and how does a buyer get one.  Here are a few general questions to hopefully shed some light:
What exactly is a HUD home?
HUD stands for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD guarantees mortgages made using the FHA loan program. When a FHA borrower defaults, the home becomes a “HUD” home, which you can buy.
How do I get a list of HUD homes for sale?
Go to www.newbidselect.com.  This site is very user friendly and you can look up homes by city, county or zip code.  Best of all, this site is free and you don’t have to register to search from properties.  Keep in mind that HUD adds new properties to this list all the time, so you have to keep checking for new properties being added
Who can I buy a HUD home?
Anyone who has either been pre-approved for a mortgage or a cash purchaser. HUD homes are initially open to owner-occupant buyers only. If they do not sell during that initial period, then they are open to all purchasers, including investors. If you will be obtaining financing to purchase a HUD home, a copy of the lender’s pre-approval letter must accompany the offer package.
How do I bid on a HUD property?
You place an offer on a property through a HUD registered broker (fortunately, I am one).  The earnest money deposit must be held by the Broker in the form of certified funds in order to submit the bid.  Earnest money rarely exceeds $1,000.

Small Projects; More Bang for the Buck! Part Two

With the current economy making it’s slow but steady recovery, many Roswell homeowners are opting for smaller remodeling projects.   Below is part two of a two part series.  The good news is that these projects will give you more bang for your buck when it comes time to sell. 

6.  Freshen up the basement – Homeowners with cement block or poured concrete walls can have a contractor fill in cracks with hydraulic cement and then paint them with waterproofing paint.  Adding a topcoat of paint adds color.  Painting the basement floor with a good heavy-duty cement floor paint, really gives your basement (and garage for that matter) a clean look.

Experience Roswell’s Bristol Oaks

Not far from Historic Roswell and nestled among mature trees, sits one of my favorite Roswell neighborhoods.  Bristol Oaks is just off of Pine Grove and Hightower, one of those neighborhoods you just can’t help driving through when you see the entrance.  Once you’ve entered through the 1st entrance closest to Pine Grove, you’ll see the tennis court and swimming pool enjoyed by the many families who have established residence in Bristol Oaks.  Not too many though, there are roughly 117 homes in Bristol Oaks, just the right size!

Small Projects; More Bang for the Buck! Part One

With the current economy making it’s slow recovery, many Roswell homeowners are opting for smaller remodeling projects.   Below is part one of a two part series.  Part two will be posted in a few weeks.   The good news is that these projects will give you more bang for your buck when it comes time to sell. 

1.  Tidy up kitchen cabinets – Make no mistake, potential buyers open up kitchen cabinets and look inside.  Added rollout organizing trays let buyers feel like there’s lots of room for their stuff.

Home Healthy Resolutions

Hey Roswell!  Have you made you New Years resolutions yet?  Like most people, most resolutions involve some kind of health angle; like eating better, exercising more, but why not make resolutions that entail making your home healthy?  Below are some suggestions that you might want to consider:

Spring 2010
Clean your gutters   Backed up gutters create havoc on siding and cause flooding.  Scoop out leaves and debris with a trowel or hire professionals to do the job for you.

Check your roof.  Wintry weather may have damaged the surface, the first big spring rainstorm, left unchecked, could cause significant problems.  Replace shingles as needed.

Roswell’s Steal of the Month

This month’s foreclosure opportunity is in the Lake Forest subdivision.  Conveniently located just off of Old Alabama, Lake Forest is just minutes to Georgia 400.  This is a nice sized, friendly community that offers it’s own small lake.  Most of the homes are a contemporary style with a few 2-story traditional homes mixed in.  Homes in Lake Forest were built in the early to mid 1980’s.  The schools are excellent, Northwood Elementary, Haynes Bridge Middle and Centennial High.

Housing Stats Continue to Rise Across the U.S. and in Roswell!

The National Association of Realtors has reported that existing-home sales jumped 9.4 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.57 million units, and they were 9.2 percent higher than the 5.10 million units sold in September 2008. September sales activity was at the highest level since July 2007.  The NAR attributes the increased sales activity to the first-time homebuyer tax credit, falling home prices and continued low interest rates. 

Roswell’s Steal of the Month

Welcome to the Woodfield subdivision in Roswell!  I’ve branched out to the other side of GA 400 to let you know about a foreclosure that’s worth a look.  The Woodfield subdivision is off of Holcomb Bridge and Eves Road.  I have a special place in my heart for this subdivision, as it’s where I had my very first listing over 14 years ago.

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