I have exclusive access to this Peachtree Hills Charmer!  It has 3 bedrooms 2 baths, a renovated kitchen, great back yard, enclosed sun porch perfect for an office and an entertaining deck.

You will not find this home on the Internet.  It is priced in the $400s.  If you are not currently working with a buyers agent please contact me at annastephens@dorseyalston.com for more info on this home or to set up a showing.

Most mortals can’t live in a spotless environment all the time. This can be one of the more stressful aspects of having your home on the market— but it’s worth the effort to sell your home for top dollar.   

5. Let in some light. 

It might be mood lighting to you, but if you’re trying to sell your home, keep it bright! Dimly lit rooms tend to look small and dingy— especially during the day. If you have a particularly dark room, consider investing in a floor lamp that will bounce light off the ceiling.    

6. Neutralize.  

Neutral colors sell.  It’s a fact.  Try to convey an image of quality and neutrality.  Potential buyers walking through your home want to imagine themselves as the owners.  If you use styles or colors they would never select, you’ve just turned them off.  Staying high-quality, but neutral is safest.  On the topic of neutralize if you have pets you may need to look into neutralizing the odors a can of Kills paint as a primer works wonders.

7. De-Personalize.  

Remove objects that your potential buyers won’t be able to identify with.  For example, political and religious items may turn off whole groups of buyers, because they cannot “imagine” your home as their home.  Buying a home is an emotional decision, and you want potential buyers to make an emotional connection with your home by being able to “see” themselves in it.

 8. Replace Hardware.  

It’s amazing how small adjustments can make huge differences. Whether you’re cash-strapped or have big bucks to spend, the simple act of replacing hardware around the house is a wise tip for home staging. Focus especially on the handles and knobs in the kitchen and at entranceways. The kitchen is a primary focal point of the house and is often the most important room to prospective buyers so changing cabinet hardware and a light fixture can make a big impact. 

9. Fresh Flowers 

You don’t need to spend a fortune to have fresh flowers throughout your home. Even a daisy in a bud vase brightens a bathroom counter. Ask your florist which blooms last a week. You can also use potted flowering plants that are in season for a low-cost solution. Don’t use plastic or obviously fake flowers, especially in an expensive home! 

10. Call Anna Stephens, Buckhead Realtor.   

Call me for specific ideas of how to help show off the best aspects of your home. As an experienced Realtor in the Buckhead area I take pride in going the extra mile for all of my clients.  I take part in the home staging process from start to finish! My email is annastephens@dorseyalston.com and my phone number is 404-444-6114.

Wow!  In case you thought I had a typo in the price I do not.  I typically wait until Friday to post great deals and values on Buckhead Real Estate but this one could not wait as it will be Under Contract for sure by Friday.  This is a 3 Bedroom 2 Bath home in popular Peachtree Park for only $240k!!! 

In case you are not familiar with the area that is an incredible deal for that neighborhood.  It is a foreclosure and sold as is.  I am experienced with Short Sales and Foreclosures so if you are interested in seeing this one and working with an experienced agent reach out to me ASAP at bargainsinbuckhead@gmail.com so we can go check this one out.

Curious where buyers are looking for homes?  I found this chart to be very interesting in tracking the trends over the past 8 years of how the market has shifted from print to the Internet.  The importance of an agent utilizing Internet marketing is critical for the success of reaching buyers.  71% if this pie represents your agent and their online marketing.

If you are thinking about selling your home I would love to discuss with you my customized Internet marketing plan for you and your neighborhood.

ON THE FENCE ABOUT LISTING YOUR HOME NOW OR WAITING UNTIL SPRING?

Selling a home in the dead of winter might seem ill-advised, particularly considering the state of the economy, but some experts think that making the decision to wait until spring to list the property could be a mistake. Government incentives will likely have a big impact in 2010, with many buyers determined to sign a contract before the April 30 tax credit deadline. “This year, we’re anticipating sales will peak earlier,” says Nicole Hall, editor in chief of Lendingtree.com, an online home loan comparison service. “The best time to get your house on the market will be February or early March, and maybe even earlier if you want to avoid competition.” Traffic on real estate Web sites begins to rise right after the New Year, says Ken Shuman, spokesman for real estate Web site Trulia.com. Source: Forbes.com

Sincerely,

Anna

Your Buckhead Bargainer and Realtor

Sneak Peak of a 3 bedroom 3 bath home in Garden Hills.  Great entertaining floorplan, renovated kitchen with granite and stainless,  master with vaulted ceilings & his and her closets, luxurious master bath with marble, hardwood floors throughout, living room with fireplace and plantation shutters, fabulous entertaining deck and much more.  Contact us at bargainsinbuckhead@gmail.com for more information on this home and others in the Buckhead area.   Anna and Claire work with both first time home buyers and first time home sellers in the Buckhead area.

I was thrilled to get the email yesterday from our in house lender that the First Time Home Buyer credit extension has officially passed.  It has been tied up in the Senate for weeks leaving us to wonder if the extension would pass before the month end deadline .   It was well worth the wait as now we have a new added $6500 bonus for move up buyer.  See below article.

Please contact Anna and Claire at bargainsinbuckhead@gmail.com for all of your real estate needs.

Mortgage Bankers Association of Georgia

IT HAS PASSED!   by Corey Boyles

Congress has approved an extension today of the home buyers tax credit, sending the bill to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature. The House voted 403-12 to pass the bill after the Senate unanimously approved the measure Wednesday night. The legislation continues a home buyers’ tax credit and a measure allowing businesses to write off some of their losses incurred over the past two years. House lawmakers voted to approve the measure more than a month after initially agreeing to a more modest extension of unemployment benefits. The home buyers’ tax credit and business-tax measure were added in the Senate.

The bill  extends an $8,000 first-time home buyers’ tax credit that was set to expire at the end of this month. The credit will apply to all house contracts entered into before April 30, 2010, and closed by June 30. It creates a new $6,500 credit for existing property owners looking to sell their home and buy another during the same period of time. Both credits have income restrictions limiting their availability.

All you real estate shoppers out there waiting for the sky to fall or trying to time the bottom of the market the time is now.  Interest rates are still low and there is alot of inventory to chose from.  Claire and Anna have got access to all foreclosures, short sales, “quiet listings” and non foreclosure properties.  The deals and incentives are out there for those buyers who are ready to take advantage of home ownership in the ultimate Buyers Market. 

 It is not just the bank owned properties that are marked down it is all of them.  Lets look at this real life example  pictured below of a Buckhead non bank owned home that has been on the market since last year.  This home was originally listed at $685,000 and  it is a 4 Bedroom 2.5 bath in Jackson Elementary.  The price tag  of this home has  been marked down almost $100k  to $579,500!    Case and point.  This is just one example of many properties with a motivated seller and a property that is priced aggressively.

Anna and Claire want the opportunity to bargain house hunt with you.  And remember you are getting 2 realtors for the price of one.  Please click here to set up an appointment with us to discuss your real estate needs.  Our office is conveniently located next to the Whole Foods in Buckhead.

People are afraid to buy a home in times like these, with the economy tanking and home prices continuing to fall. But if you’re brave enough to stray from the herd, you might be in for the home-buying opportunity of a lifetime.

Ask for price reductions, improvements, closing costs — whatever — and the seller, desperately trying to get a contract, is very likely to work with you, said Jay Papasan, one of the authors of the book “Your First Home.” When the market starts improving, your negotiating power starts to diminish, he added.

“People can get a lot of what they need and almost all of what they want today,” Papasan said. “Once a few people get off the fence, there’s safety in numbers and you lose your leverage.”

If you’re qualified to buy a home now, the purchase makes sense for your situation and you’re prepared to live in that home for at least five years, there are five reasons why you may be headed for a great deal:

1. AFFORDABILITY IS BETTER THAN EVER

According to the National Association of Realtors’ housing affordability index, homes were more affordable in December than at any other point since the group started the index in 1970. The affordability index is a measure of the relationship between home prices, mortgage interest rates and family income.

2. INVENTORY IS HIGH

A large selection gives buyers more choices and drives down prices. And home sellers have gotten the picture.It’s fair to say that home sellers have become “increasingly desperate,” Papasan said. “People who have had for-sale signs in the yard for six months are starting to become in tune with the reality of the situation,” he said. Buyers can take advantage.

But if you put off a purchase until inventory shrinks substantially, you might not get as good a price, said Eddie Fadel, author of the book “Don’t Rent, Buy!” And be forewarned: It’s nearly impossible to time the exact bottom of the housing market and even if you do there’s no guarantee you’ll make a killing. 

3. BUILDERS OFFERING BIG DISCOUNTS

Home builders are getting even more aggressive with their pricing.In fact, Fadel recommends looking at completed new homes first because builders are offering such steep discounts. Plus, you’d have a warranty not only on the home itself, but also on the home’s appliances, he said.

4. MORTGAGE RATES ARE LOW

It’s not just the price of the home that will affect affordability; mortgage terms will also affect your monthly payments. These days, rates are very attractive for conforming loans, those that can be purchased by mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Earlier this year, rates on the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a level not seen in decades, and rates have stayed relatively near that low for weeks. .

But low rates don’t mean lenders are handing out mortgages easily. You’ll need good credit, a substantial down payment and a willingness to document your income in order to qualify for those great rates, if you can qualify at all.

5. FEDERAL TAX CREDITS ARE AVAILABLE

There’s currently a federal credit of up to $8,000 for home buyers who haven’t owned a home in at least three years. That extra cash will come in handy: The average first-time home buyer spends about $6,000 in the first six months of owning a home, said Flint-Budde.

Claire Costanzo and Anna Stephens of Dorsey Alston Realtors want to help further educate you in the home buying process.  Please contact us at bargainsinbuckhead@gmail.com and check out our Meet Anna and Claire page to read more about our background in real estate.

Above Articl Written By.

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires

  02-06-091059ET

  Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

FTHB is our acronym for First Time Home Buyer, and lucky you if you fall into this category.   ALL FTHBs  are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit that you DO NOT HAVE TO REPAY.  You must purchase a home prior to December 1, 2009 to qualify.  There are income limits and other criteria you must meet to qualify.  If you are ready to take advantage of this credit before it ceases to exist then reach out to Anna and Claire today to start your home search at bargainsinbuckhead@gmail.com.  And to read more about this Tax Credit click here.