3 Reason for Buyers to Act Immediately

I came across a great article in the AJC recently. It explains why now is the time for buyers to act immediately. There is a link to the article below but I'll summarize it here for you.

Reason 1 - You want to buy a home when sellers are most motivated. Right now there is a surplus of homes and sellers are willing to negotiate. Unless its an unusual circumstance, I would expect the seller to pay closing costs and go the extra mile during the negotiation.

Reason 2 - You want to look for a home when you don't have much competition. If you are shopping for a home now, you are encountering sellers that likely haven't had much foot traffic through their homes. Between the cool weather and the short window of time before it gets dark after work, the buyer pool is generally smaller this time of year than in the spring and summer.

Reason 3 - Interest rates are at historic lows. Buying a home at the current interest rates, will save you money. If you wait, there is a greater chance that you will pay more money for the same home.

For more specifics, you can read the entire article here.

Valentine's Day

In honor of Valentine's Day, I present you with flowers and a poem. Enjoy!

And I Have You written by Nikki Giovanni

Rain has drops

Sun has shine

Moon has beams

That make you mine

Rivers have banks

Sands for shores

Hearts have heartbeats

That make me yours

Needles have eyes

Though pins may prick

Elmer has glue

To make things stick

Winter has Spring

Stockings feet

Pepper has mint

To make it sweet

Teachers have lessons

Soup du jour

Lawyers sue bad folks

Doctors cure

All and all

This much is true

You have me

And I have you

Sterling Oaks Townhomes

Deal of the Day!

Sterling Oaks townhomes in Brookhaven is offering $40,000 in buyer incentives. This luxury townhome community is gated and features 10' ceilings, granite counters, hardwood flooring, gourmet kitchen, one car garage, and many other features. Its also in a great location as its close to Buckhead, Emory, and I-85.

I think this area is one to watch given its location and the development plans for the area. Last month it was reported that an urban style, mixed use village with up to 1,100 residential units and 40,000 sq ft of ground level retail space is planned for the 26 acres just north of Sterling Oaks.

Sterling Oaks townhomes are priced in the $260,000s.

Click here to send me an email for details.

AJC article on development plans

New Down Payment Assistance Program

There is a new down payment assistance program offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank. Its available to first time home buyers in the form of a 2nd mortgage that is forgiven after 5 years.

The funds are provided in a 5 to 1 ratio based on the buyer's personal contribution. For instance, if you contribute $500 toward your down payment then you can receive $2,500. If you contribute $2,000, you can receive the maximum amount of $10,000.

This is a great program. Its actually better than the mortgage assistance offered through the Atlanta Development Authority as it can be used anywhere in the state of Georgia and currently has better mortgage interest rates. Homebuyer education classes are required and it is necessary to meet certain income guidelines.

Buy Microsoft Office for $60

I found out recently that college students can buy the Microsoft Office Suite for the ridiculously low price of $59.95. Anyone that has purchased this before knows that it normally costs a few hundred dollars. ($679 to be exact!) This is a steal!

Actually its the Ultimate Steal. That's what Microsoft has named it anyway. Its a promotion for college students enrolled with at least .5 credit hours. They can download the Office Ultimate 2007 package from the Microsoft website and receive a product key to unlock the software upon payment of the $59.95.

Microsoft Office Ultimate includes 10 different pieces of software: Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Power Point, Publisher, One Note, Accounting Express, InfoPath, and Groove. I've never heard of Groove but I'm familiar with all the other items and they are not cheap. One Note is the only item you can buy for $60.

When I first saw it, I wondered if it was legitimate. There is, however, a link at the top of the page verifying the promotion and providing more details. My nephew is a freshman at the University of Kentucky (Go Wildcats!) and he's already taken advantage of this so I know its the real thing.

This promotion ends April 30th. Follow the link to the Ultimate Steal website for more details.

Update on Furniture Auction

Three model home communities will be auctioning furnishings this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Beazer Homes' communities in Acworth, Roswell, and Alpharetta are in the close out phase and selling furniture from its model homes.

The deals at these auctions are great. My sister and friends have all been to the auction and they are hooked because you get better deals than you'd find in the store. Even if you aren't looking for furniture, you can find wall art, mirrors, lamps, vases, and all kinds of decorative items. Check out my previous posts on the auction to see what kind of deals are available.

Here are the details:

Friday, February 8, 2008
Creekwood Place
100 Creekwood Trail
Acworth, GA 30102
Preview Furniture at 5PM
Auction Begins at 7PM

Saturday, February 9, 2008
Manchester Place
1001 & 1003 Manchester Way
Roswell, GA 30075
Preview Furniture at 9AM
Auction Begins at 11AM

Sunday, February 10, 2008
Kennewick Place
14199 & 14203 Kennewick Rd
Alpharetta, GA 30004
Preview Furniture at 11AM
Auction Begins at 1PM

Here are a few things you should know about the auction:

1. Everything is sold as is. There are no refunds on items purchased.
2. There is a 15% buyer's premium on items purchased so if you buy something for $100, it will actually cost you $115 plus tax.
3. Payment can be made with cash, check, Visa, or Mastercard.
4. You must take your purchases with you the same day. There are people at the auction for a couple of hours after it ends so you will have time to rent a truck if necessary. Your best bet for a last minute rental is Lowe's or Home Depot.
5. There are people on hand that can help you load heavy furniture into your vehicle.
   
   The furniture pictured above will be sold during the auction in Alpharetta this Sunday.
   
   See you there!