Athens Real Estate Podcast with Justin Woodall

Looking to sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here for a Home Price  EvaluationLooking to buy a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search What is going on in the Greater Athens real estate market right now? Is it a good time to buy, or a good time to sell? If you’ve been thinking about selling, right now is the best time to sell in the last eight years. The market has risen, supply is low, and buyers are looking, which means prices are going up. In Oconee County, homes priced $350,000 and below are in a strong seller’s market. In Clarke County, homes priced $200K and below are also in a strong selling market. Buyers don’t have a lot to choose from. If it’s a seller’s market, is now still a good time to buy? Yes! If prices continue to increase throughout the year as expected, now is the time to purchase a home before prices rise further. Of course, we don’t know what will happen next year. All we know is that right now, prices are rising.  While average-priced homes are in a seller’s market, homes that are priced $400,000 or above are in a buyer’s market. There are plenty of homes for sale and not as many buyers because buyers are being a bit more conservative with their spending.  This creates a perfect opportunity for the move-up buyer. If you want a home in the $400,000 to $500,000 price range, you can sell your $200,000 home in a seller’s market and purchase your new home in a buyer’s market. If you’ve been waiting to purchase that bigger dream home, now is the time! If you have specific questions about your property or area, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home,click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. What did we see in the Athens real estate market in 2015? And what can we expect in 2016? We're going to find out today. Our number of sales only rose by about 2% in 2015, but our average sales price rose over 7.5%. This includes all areas surrounding Athens, so this is great news for homeowners in the area! However, when we look at just Clarke County, the number of transactions went way up and now sits around 1,500. The average sales price is just over $184,000. In Oconee County, sales increased almost 21% and the average sales price rose 5.25% and now sits at $312,500. So, what's going to happen in 2016? We're going to see prices continue to rise and more homes will be selling. Rising interest rates will push a lot of buyers onto the market, so it's going to be a great time to sell, but also a great time to buy. It looks like this year may be the best time to buy or sell in the last eight years. Homes are getting more expensive, so if you're buying, it may be best to do so before May. If you lock in a low rate now, you can save thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your loan. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home,click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. I’m here with my whole team today to wish you all a happy holiday season! We’ve had an excellent, busy year. We’d like to give thanks to the Athens community for your endless support and continual business. We’ve sold more houses this year compared to any other year! Thank you to our friends, family, and clients. We owe it to people like you! You make it happen. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Athens! We appreciate and look forward to working with you in 2016.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home,click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Many people are unaware of the difference between the MLS and websites like Zillow and Trulia. There are a few things you should know about these sites before you begin searching for a home.A long time ago, when brokers first started selling real estate, they were on their own and worked to connect buyers and sellers the best that they could. There was no rhyme or reason to how they did it and there was no process they followed. Eventually, brokers got together and agreed that sharing information was a great way to get a lot more business.Eventually, this partnership evolved to the point that there was an MLS book that was published once a week or once a month with every available listing. After some time, this service moved online and became the MLS we know today. It allows agents to post a lot more photos and descriptive information, and makes sharing listings between brokers a whole lot easier.Once the Internet became the primary source of information, various other home search sites popped up, including Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. Brokers then began to share information with these sites as well as the MLS in order to give their listings more exposure. The problem with these sites is the data feed. They are often inaccurate and outdated, as they do not get the same kind of close attention that the MLS does. To get accurate information, you're much better off talking directly to an agent who has full access to the MLS than you are using a third-party site.If you want to browse homes on our MLS, visit AthensAreaHomeSearch.com. Or, just give us a call and let us know exactly what you're looking for. A few times, we've helped clients find the right home before they were even put on the MLS. It gives you a distinct advantage to work with us, as we'll hook you up with homes that aren't yet listed! Give us a call anytime. We're always here to help!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home,click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Today, we'll offer tips on how to winterize your home.First off, if you have a vacant property, you need to think about whether or not to keep the water on. This could especially concern a vacation or investment property, for example. If the water is on, make sure the heat is on so that the pipes don't freeze. Pipes in the basement or exterior walls need to be properly insulated. However, even if you leave the heat on to protect your pipes, keep in mind that the power could go out as well. We recommend you winterize any vacant house. Most home inspectors can do this for around $100. They come out and drain pipes, put antifreeze in traps, and turn the water off.Now, when it comes to the house you live in, make sure that the heating system is serviced before you need to use it. Insulate outside pipes to avoid water damage. Keep firewood, batteries, flashlights, and candles handy in case the power goes out.If you have any questions about preparing your home for winter or about real estate in general, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home,click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Now that the market is improving, we're seeing a lot of new Realtors and agents coming into the business. The sad reality is that most of these agents won't be in the business one or two years from now. Why is that? My opinion is that new agents need training and support, and there's a lot of basics that they don't get with certain brokerages. Make sure you get an expert - don't just hire a friend or family member to support their new business.   I want to see agents be successful, but they need training and support. If you know anyone who is just thinking about entering the business, have them contact me. I can certainly help them out and make sure they get what they need in order to stay in this business. I've learned over the years that if you work hard and put in the hours, you'll be successful; there's enough business to go around. I'd much rather cooperate with a knowledgeable agent than someone who has not been properly trained. If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home,click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Today we are talking all about curb appeal. A lot of people ask us if curb appeal is very important when selling. You better believe it is. The moment a buyer pulls into your driveway, they are going to start immediately making judgements and assessments about your house. If your home looks bad from the street, you’ve got to compensate those negative emotions on the inside of your home, which is tough to do. You are better off making sure the outside of your home looks just as good as the inside, and let the buyer see the home as a full picture.  If a buyer doesn’t have a good feeling about your house from the start, they are less likely to make an offer on it, and will probably move on to another. Today I want to give you just a few small tips that you can use to make a big impact when selling. These are very simple things to do, but you’d be amazed at how many sellers don’t pay attention. Here are our top 5 tips: Trim the shrubbery - maybe put some mulch out as well.Cut the grass.Add colorful flowers to your landscaping.Clean the roof of the home.Pressure wash the house, specifically the front porch. You want the first thing buyers see when walking in to be shimmering and shining. Some of these are very simple, but it’s the small things that make the biggest impact when selling. Any home will sell in any condition, but to sell for top dollar, you’ve got to be in top condition. If you have any questions for us, shoot us over an email or give us a call. We would love to hear from you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Today, we tackle a few very important topics. Many people are unaware of what an appraisal is and why it's necessary during a real estate transaction. When an appraisal is ordered by the bank during the selling process, a licensed appraiser will perform a report to determine whether the sale price on the contract is a fair market price. Usually, this is just a formality, and the sale price comes in close to what the home is appraised for. However, sometimes issues arise. While the TRUE market value is what a seller is willing to accept and what a buyer is willing to pay for a home, the bank still wants to make sure they are protected from lending too much. The appraiser comes in to offer a third-party opinion of the contract price and determines whether the value can be justified. Occasionally, we see the appraised value come in less than the purchase price. Why do we see that? Well, in a rising market where prices are rising and homes are going under contract for more money, appraisers are bound to use past sales history; if home values are rising quickly, by the time an appraiser gets their hands on past sales history, the value of the home in question has already risen substantially. This results in an under-appraised home, and since the bank will only loan money based on that appraised price, this creates a problem for the borrower who needs the full amount to complete the sale. If this happens, there are a few different ways this could play out. One thing that can happen is the buyer can dispute the appraisal. If it's found that poor comparables were used to find the value, sometimes the appraisal will be adjusted to make it come in at the value it should. In other circumstances, we've seen the borrower leave their lender and go to a different one and start the process over. Often, the second appraiser will get the value to come in where it needs to be. The appraisal is an opinion of value, and sometimes two different appraisers find different values. Typically, the buyer doesn't have to leave their lender, as appraisers will sometimes adjust their report if it doesn't come in where it needs to be. Also, the seller will sometimes agree to decrease the price of the home to the appraised value. Another option is for the buyer to agree to pay cash for the difference between the appraised value and the seller's price. Of course, meeting in the middle is yet another way to avoid having the deal fall apart. Most of the time, we see homes appraise, but it's better to know your options should a low appraisal come in. If you have questions about this topic, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're proud to be your Athens real estate resource!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Hey there everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today I want to start off by apologizing to you all. I made a commitment a few years back to produce great, educational videos and send them out to you twice a month. I have not given up my goal, but I have failed you lately. I haven't produced anything over the last month, and the only excuse I have is that we have been busy. Today, I am getting back on the horse, and I am back with some very useful info for you about the Athens real estate market. So far, 2015 has been a much busier year in the market than 2014 was. If you look at the numbers for Athens and Clark Counties, sales are way up. Last year, through June, we had 497 residential sales. This year, through June, that number was 612. In addition to this, the average sales price in Athens has risen from $162,000 to $177,000 in just the last year! In Oconee County, the number of sales has been pretty consistent with what we saw last year, but prices are rising significantly. The average sale price has moved up from $296,000 to $315,000 in the last year. In Athens County as a whole, home prices are up by about 10%. If you are thinking of buying or selling in the near future, now is a great time. If you have any questions for us, or need assistance buying or selling, we would love to help. Give us a call or send us an email, and we will talk to you soon!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Looking to buy or sell a home in Athens, Georgia? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (706) 621-6085 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. Hey there, it's Justin Woodall, your trusted Athens real estate adviser. A few weeks ago, I sent out a video asking for your questions and we are here to answer one of them today. Alex, from Bishop, asked, "How do I increase the value of my home for future resale?" Now, Alex hasn't been in his home for very long, and the house he bought was updated very nicely, so he is lucky. He should be in good shape for a while, as long as he doesn't neglect the house. If something needs fixing, take care of it, and stay vigilant about keeping the home in good shape. As the years go on, there may be some updating you need to do, but if you are thinking about reselling in the next few years, you should be just fine. There are some things you can do with staging and photography to get a better resale value when you are ready to sell, give me a call when you're ready and we will get everything figured out. As always, if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them in a future video. Give me a call or send me an email, I would love to hear from you.