Showing posts with label Real Estate Advisor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Estate Advisor. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Real Estate Advisor February 2020

Real Estate Advisor
FEBRUARY 2020

We are providing this monthly real estate advisor to keep you informed about the latest trends and issues in the real estate market. Remember that real estate is local, and every market is different. Contact us to find out the specific details for your local area. If you know someone else who might be interested in receiving this report or who may benefit from our expertise, please let us know. Better information leads to better real estate decisions!

Market Trends

January is off to a very strong start with Pending Contracts up 33.7% compared to December and up 9.1% compared to last January. Closings were up 14.6% compared to last year but down 30.9% from December as December was one of the best months for closings we have seen in years.

The entry-level market has strong demand and very low inventory. There are many multiple offers and values rose faster than other segments. 86% of all transactions are in the $100K-$500K price range.  The mid-market ($500,000 to $1 mil) closed sales were down 36.3% over December 2019 and up 28.3% from this same time last year.  The luxury market ($1 mil+) closings showed positive gains of 39.1% in closings and 21% in pended contracts.

Mortgage rates remain historically low which is great news for everyone. Metro Atlanta continues to be very affordable relative to other metropolitan areas around the country.
Click here for a detailed report on the U.S. Market, Metro Atlanta Market, Brokerage Rankings and Future Trends for Georgia.

MEGA Open House Event

Our next MEGA Open House Events are Sunday, March 1st and March 22nd from 2pm–5pm. There will be hundreds of beautiful open houses available and one lucky sweepstakes winner will win a cool Amazon Alexa Package.

What Is The Difference Between The Flu And A Cold?



You don't have to have all of these symptoms to have the flu. If you're experiencing any symptoms, like the ones listed below, don’t wait for things to get worse—see your doctor as soon as possible.  Tamiflu can be helpful.

Cold and Flu Symptoms




Three Tips for Displaying Your Home Art Collection

For many luxury homeowners, having ample space to display their art collection is as important a feature as a state-of-the-art kitchen or spa-like bathrooms. Significant works of art require being exhibited in a way that does them justice—and it’s not just about high ceilings and expansive walls.

Whether you’re getting ready to mount your latest acquisition or you’re a serious collector looking for a new home that has a dedicated wing to serve as a gallery, here’s what you need to know about displaying your art at home:

Assess the Space
Consider how your wall space relates to your collection. Do you have large paintings that can hang by themselves or will you arrange several smaller works close together? If you’re going with the latter, try to group pieces that are connected in some way, like style, color, or motif. Also, pay attention to the frames and how they can connect the artwork to your living space.

Lighting
Whether you’re going with picture lights or recessed spotlights, this is one of the most important factors to take into account. Warm, dimmable light bulbs with a Color-Rendering Index of 90 or above are best to illuminate the artwork accurately and reveal natural hues. Try to avoid direct sunlight, as it can cause fading and, at the very least, make sure your windows block UV rays. While we’re at it, it’s also best to stay clear of any air vents or drafts.

Consult a Professional
When you’re dealing with priceless works of art, you can’t be afraid to bring in a professional to help curate your space. Art-hanging services can outfit your home with museum quality hanging systems that will take your collection to the next level. Installation experts will ensure each piece is securely mounted and can even implement pulley systems, so you don’t have to put holes in your walls.

We would be honored to assist you or someone you know with their real estate needs. We are experts in the local market and have access to proprietary information sources that are not available to the public. Better information leads to better decisions!

Lake Sidney Lanier Homes is the most comprehensive online source for information on Lake Lanier homes for sale and Lake Lanier area real estate. View the latest Lake Lanier home listings, foreclosures, lots, land, sales trends and real estate topics on Lake Lanier. Arthur Prescott is an Accredited Buyer's Representative and Certified Residential Specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. He has over eighteen years of Lake Lanier real estate experience. If you would like to schedule a free buyer or seller consultation, please feel free to contact us directly at www.LakeSidneyLanierHomes.com or 770-844-8484 or email us at Arthur.Prescott@BHHSGeorgia.com.

Friday, January 15, 2016

The Latest Real Estate Market Trends For Metro Atlanta! Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Real Estate Advisor – January 2016!

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Georgia Properties
Real Estate Advisor – January 2016

We are providing this monthly real estate advisor to keep you informed about the latest trends and issues in the real estate market. Remember that real estate is local and every market is different. Contact us to find out the specific details for your local area. If you know someone else who might be interested in receiving this report or who may benefit from our expertise, please let us know. Better information helps our clients make better real estate decisions!




The strong potential for rising mortgage rates is motivating many consumers to take action now. Therefore, we expect early 2016 to be more active than normal.

Closings for 2015 were up 12.5% versus 2014. The December closings were up 3% compared to last month and down 12.8% compared to last year.

The average sales price for 2015 was $266,000 compared to $249,000 in 2014. The December average sales price was $272,000 which was up 2.6% from last month and up 6.7% from last year.

Listed inventory was up 3% in 2015 versus 2014. The inventory for December was down 8.2% from last month and down 3.5% from last year. Inventory is up 52% from the recent low mark of February 2013. But the limited availability of desirable properties is still driving multiple offers and very quick sales in select areas.

Overall months of supply for 2015 was 4.2 months versus 4.5 months in 2014. The December months of supply was 4.6 which was down from 5.2 months in November and up from 4.2 months last December. Six months is considered normal. 

Luxury properties are taking longer with homes above $1 million averaging 19 months and properties over $2 million averaging 36 months.

The latest Case-Shiller Index (12/29/15) reports that Metro Atlanta home values are up 53% from the recent bottom of March 2012. Increasing homes values are getting some sellers back into the market but also decreasing affordability for other buyers.

Visit HomeServices Lending at http://georgia.homeserviceslending.com for the latest mortgage rates. The Mortgage Bankers Association predict rates over 5% in 12 months.
New Homes are moving fast – but many builders cannot build them fast enough for the demand. Visit http://www.NewHomesServicesGA.com to view new home communities.
Commercial real estate is also making a comeback in Metro Atlanta. Our Commercial Real Estate Division specializes in these areas and would be happy to help you.



Realtor.com predicts that Metro Atlanta will be the Number 5 Hottest Real Estate Market in 2016. Chief Economist, Jonathan Smoke predicts a 7.4% increase in existing home sales. Realtor.com also noted that surging demand can be attributed to growing household formation, a prosperous job market, and low unemployment rates as well as large populations of key demographics. Older Millennials (25 to 34 years old), younger Gen Xers (35 to 44 years old), and retirees (65 to 74 years old) will be driving home sales in 2016.

SmartNumbers reports that Baby Boomers continue to be the largest segment for new construction buyers in Metro Atlanta. First Time Buyers are #2 but lower than historical trends. The average age of a First Time Buyer is now late 20s/ early 30s. Rental rates have skyrocketed which makes home ownership very attractive. Gen Xers are the next largest segment driven by the normal trends of household formation with growing families and move-ups. The rising costs of new home construction and scarcity of larger land tracts are driving builders to move out further into the suburbs for new projects. Tear-downs, renovations and smaller new home projects are still popular in the interior markets.



Our mobile app now offers “search by school district” for all metro area public schools. This search option is also available on our websites. To search by school district, simply click the “search icon” and enter the name of your school in the search bar. Select any other attributes and click “search homes” to see the available properties in that school district. Our mobile app offers many advantages including search by DriveTime, Sold Properties from the MLS and more. Our app is fully integrated to our website so you can use any device, anytime and anywhere.



Interested in the latest home values? Check out our exclusive home value estimate tool that provides three value estimates from sources including Zillow, Local Public Records and RPR (Realtors® Property Resource). We also provide a new option to make your own value adjustments on any property. You can also print, save, share and get a reminder for the latest updates. This is the most comprehensive solution for home value estimates available. If you are interested in listing your property, we have additional information sources and local insight to help determine the most accurate value of your property.



We want to wish you a Happy 2016. We hope it is your best year ever!

We would be honored to assist you or someone you know with their real estate needs. We are experts in the local market and have access to proprietary information sources that are not available to the public. Better information leads to better decisions!


Lake Sidney Lanier Homes is the most comprehensive online source for information on Lake Lanier homes for sale and Lake Lanier area real estate. View the latest Lake Lanier home listings, foreclosures, lots, land, sales trends and real estate topics on Lake Lanier. Arthur Prescott is an Accredited Buyer's Representative and Certified Residential Specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. He has over a decade of Lake Lanier real estate experience. If you would like to schedule a free buyer or seller consultation, please feel free to contact us directly at www.LakeSidneyLanierHomes.com or 678-513-2014 or email us at Arthur.Prescott@BHHSGeorgia.com.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Real Estate Advisor February 2015! We Check The Latest Atlanta Home Sales Trends!


Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Georgia Properties
Real Estate Advisor – February 2015


We are providing this monthly real estate advisor to keep you informed about the latest trends and issues in the real estate market. Remember that real estate is local and every market is different. Contact us to find out the specific details for your local area. If you know someone else who might be interested in receiving this report or who may benefit from our expertise, please let us know. Better information helps our clients make better real estate decisions!





Closings for Metro Atlanta in January were down 39% compared to last month and down 9.5% compared to the previous year. This reflects normal seasonal slowing for the winter.
The average sales price was $243,000 in January versus $255,000 in December. The average sale price for 2014 was $250,000 which was up 42% from the bottom of 2011.
Listed inventory was down 3.2% from last month and up 12% compared to last year. Inventory is up 27.5% from the recent bottom of February 2013. But the limited availability of highly desirable properties in select markets is still driving multiple offers and very quick sales. Remember, real estate is local and specific markets can be very different.
Months of supply rose to 6.7 months versus 5.9 last month. Six months is normal.
The Case-Shiller Index reports that Metro Atlanta home value are up 44% from the recent bottom of March 2012. Home values remain down 12% from the peak of July 2007. The outlook for 2015 values is strong especially in areas with low inventory and high demand from large corporate moves. Contact us to learn the trends in your specific area.
New Homes are making a comeback. The problem is that many builders cannot build them fast enough! Visit www.NewHomesServicesGA.com to view new home communities.
Commercial real estate is also making a comeback in Metro Atlanta. Smart RE Data reports that land sales, industrial sales and office leases are improving. Our Commercial Real Estate Division specializes in these areas and would be happy to help you. Contact us for details.
Click here for the latest charts and more details on Metro Atlanta real estate.
Early Spring For Real Estate!






General Beauregard Lee, emerged from his “Weathering Heights” lair at Gwinnett County’s Yellow River Game Ranch just after daybreak on Monday, February 2nd to find no shadow. That means an early spring for Metro Atlanta. Pennsylvanians weren’t so lucky, as Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Gobbler’s Knob northeast of Pittsburgh. According to the old German legend, that means winter will last another six weeks. It is no surprise that the migration to the sunbelt is back in full swing. Metro Atlanta has seen a series of major announcements with large corporations moving key employees to Metro Atlanta. That means an early spring for real estate sales! If you are considering listing your property, there are specific actions you should be taking now to get your property ready. Contact us for details.
Spring Forward On March 8th!






Yes, it is that time of year again. Daylight Saving Time begins at 2am Sunday morning, March 8th. Move your clock forward one hour when you go to bedSaturday night! People often ask - what is Daylight Saving Time and why do we have it? Daylight Saving Time is a way of getting more light out of the day by advancing clocks by one hour during the summer. During Daylight Saving Time, the sun appears to rise one hour later in the morning, when people are usually asleep anyway, and sets one hour later in the evening, seeming to stretch the day longer. If you would like to set your clock to the correct time, please click this link.
Join Us At The Luxury Living Show!






Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Phipps Plaza and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties have collaborated to host the sixth annual Luxury Living Show. Featuring the latest luxury products and trends from around the world, the show has become an Atlanta favorite. This year’s show will feature the DREAM KITCHEN, DREAM BATH and the Luxury Living Show’s first OUTDOOR LIVING DISPLAY, on view all month at Monarch Court.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties will feature a new interactive kiosk to display our beautiful luxury listings. The company will also highlight our “Elegance Campaign” for the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Luxury Collection. The event is free to the public.

WHEN: March 1-31, 2015

WHERE: Phipps Plaza, Monarch Court

We would be honored to assist you or someone you know with their real estate needs. Better information leads to better decisions!





Lake Sidney Lanier Homes is the most comprehensive online source for information on Lake Lanier homes for sale and Lake Lanier area real estate. View the latest Lake Lanier home listings, foreclosures, lots, land, sales trends and real estate topics on Lake Lanier. Arthur Prescott is an Accredited Buyer's Representative and Certified Residential Specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. He has over a decade of Lake Lanier real estate experience. If you would like to schedule a free buyer or seller consultation, please feel free to contact us directly at www.LakeSidneyLanierHomes.com or 678-513-2014 or email us at Arthur.Prescott@BHHSGeorgia.com.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Metro Atlanta Real Estate Advisor – December 2014

We are providing this monthly real estate advisor to keep you informed about the latest trends and issues in the real estate market. Remember that real estate is local and every market is different. Contact us to find out the specific details for your local area. If you know someone else who might be interested in receiving this report or who may benefit from our expertise, please let us know. Better information helps our clients make better real estate decisions!



Closings for Metro Atlanta in November were down 24% compared to last month and down 9.5% compared to the previous year. This reflects the normal seasonal slowing for the fall plus some impact from world events and the November elections.

The Metro Atlanta market is 359 units ahead of 2013 closings which is essentially flat. If you exclude the heavy volumes of investors buying properties under $200,000 last year, the market above $200,000 is actually up 2,916 units or 13.6% compared to 2013.

The average sales price was $249,000 in November versus $245,000 in October. The average sale price for YTD 2014 was $250,000 which was up 42% from the bottom of 2011.

Listed inventory was down 6.1% from last month and up 14.9% compared to last year. Inventory is up 48% from the recent bottom of February 2013. But the limited availability of highly desirable properties in select markets is still driving multiple offers and very quick sales. Remember, real estate is local and specific markets can be very different.

Months of supply is 5.9 months versus 4.7 last month. Six months is considered normal.

New Homes are making a comeback. The problem is that many builders cannot build them fast enough! Visit www.NewHomesServicesGA.com to view new home communities.

Commercial real estate is also making a comeback in Metro Atlanta. Smart RE Data reports that land sales, industrial sales and office leases are improving. Our Commercial Real Estate Division specializes in these areas and would be happy to help you. Contact us for details.

Instant Home Value Estimates



Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties offers an innovative new solution that allows consumers to enter an address to“click and see” local home value estimates. The estimates are free and do not require registration. In one month, we had over 125,000 new consumers enter their home address to get an estimate. Our website traffic and listing views are up considerably. This is one of the unique ways we are providing more relevant local content to attract more potential buyers for our listings.

Contact Us For Additional Market Details Including Our Exclusive Report Used By Lenders To Value Homes For Mortgages.

The Best Mobile App For Real Estate!

Many consumers will be getting new mobile devices this holiday season. This is a great time to update your device with the latest version of our BHHS Georgia Properties Mobile App. Our Mobile App provides all the listings from our 8 local MLS services. We have the fastest updates, the most filtering options plus Sold Properties and the ability to Search Properties by Drives Times. Contact us to learn more about these amazing mobile search tools.



We want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holiday Season!


Lake Sidney Lanier Homes is the most comprehensive online source for information on Lake Lanier homes for sale and Lake Lanier area real estate. View the latest Lake Lanier home listings, foreclosures, lots, land, sales trends and real estate topics on Lake Lanier. Arthur Prescott is an Accredited Buyer's Representative and Certified Residential Specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. He has over a decade of Lake Lanier real estate experience. If you would like to schedule a free buyer or seller consultation, please feel free to contact us directly at www.LakeSidneyLanierHomes.com or 678-513-2014 or email us at Arthur.Prescott@BHHSGeorgia.com.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Prudential Georgia Realty Real Estate Advisor For October 2012 Courtesy Of Arthur Prescott & LakeSidneyLanierHomes.com!


We are providing this monthly real estate advisor report to keep you informed about the latest trends and issues in the real estate market. If you know someone else who might be interested in receiving this report or who may benefit from our expertise, please let us know. Better information helps our clients make better real estate decisions!

The real estate market for Metro Atlanta has changed dramatically in 2012. We predicted a few years ago that the pace of foreclosures would slow and new homes would not be able to restart fast enough. The result would be an undersupply of desirable properties for sale – and we were right! The chart above shows the change in “for sale” inventory for the main counties of Metro Atlanta. Real estate markets are driven by supply and demand plus a few outside factors like mortgage rates and the mix of unusual properties like short sales & foreclosures. It is clear that supply is considerably low relative to previous periods. Right now there is a 4.4 month supply of inventory at the current rate of closed sales – which is below the 6 months that would be considered normal.
But what about the trends for demand? Trendgraphix reports that year-to-date closings for Metro Atlanta are up 12% from the same period last year. If you annualize those numbers, we expect to see around 70,000 to 75,000 homes purchased this year. At the peak of 2006, there were 125,000 home sold in Metro Atlanta. At the bottom, we saw only 60,000 homes sold. The 125,000 number was artificially fueled by easy mortgages and the new homes bubble that burst. We believe that a normal market for our area should see around 80,000 to 85,000 homes sold. We are slowly but surely working our way back to normal levels.


The increased demand and lower supply are reflecting in a faster pace of sales. The “Average Days On Market” has dropped an average of 50 days from the run-rate at the beginning of the year. That represents a 40% improvement in the number of days to sell a property.
So what about those outside factors like mortgage rates and the pace of short sales and foreclosures? Mortgage rates remain at all-time lows. On September 13th, the Fed announced a new program to purchase $40 billion dollars per month of mortgage-backed securities. The effect will certainly keep mortgage rates artificially low in the short term. This is different from the decision last year to fix interest rates at effectively zero for banks to borrow money. The mortgage market is impacted by a range of factors other than the interest rate. So this new program of purchasing mortgage securities will keep mortgage rates artificially low for an extended period. Note that we used the phrase “artificially low” since we do not expect these conditions to last and we will have to pay substantially higher rates at some point in the future.
The pace of foreclosures & short sales has slowed relative to last year. In 2011, we saw an average of 10,000 to 12,000 pre-foreclosures per month. In 2012, this has slowed to the 4,000 to 6,000 range. Pre-foreclosures are “notices of default” from the bank to the property owner and are a good early stage indicator for short sale or foreclosure trends. The pace of banks actually foreclosing has also slowed and the sales of the current bank-owned properties are higher than the incoming rate of foreclosure by 34% (see chart below). This means that we are absorbing the current inventory.
But what about the shadow inventory? Shadow inventory is the foreclosed inventory being held by the banks but not currently listed for sale. Some estimate that these are significant numbers and will be released into the market early next year. We do not expect to see a flood of new inventory hitting the streets. Banks are not likely to flood the market and harm their own property values. We see them pursuing bulk purchases to large investors. We also see them being more aggressive in streamlining short sales so they can more efficiently move properties.
Investors are very active in Metro Atlanta. There are some very large and well-funded groups plus many smaller investors or individuals. There is demand for rentals in every price point. But the sweet spot appears to be properties in the $75,000 to $200,000 range that are able to be purchased at a good price and placed into rentals. The rental market is very strong in Metro Atlanta. There are thousands of good people that have been through a short sale or foreclosure that do not have the credit to qualify for a purchase loan. There are also thousands of younger people who are choosing to rent until they are more comfortable with their employment and financial situations. Some move-up buyers are choosing to buy now and take advantage of great prices and historically low mortgage rates. They are renting their current homes and plan to put them on the market for sale in the future when values are higher. Some baby boomers are doing the same thing as they migrate to more energy efficient homes that are better suited for their changing lifestyle.
If you are interested in renting your property, we have a full service property management solution that can help you. This is a more complex area than most realize and we have the infrastructure and resources to allow you to relax and not worry about your rental property. Contact us to learn more.
Trends For Home Values
Home values are stabilizing and even rising in some areas. This is due to the patterns of supply and demand. But there are still a few wildcards to keep watching. Many sales are still “short sales” which means that the lender(s) are willing to accept a price that is less than the outstanding mortgage amount. Short sales are typically sold below the market rate. These types of sales are holding values lower than they might in a more normal market.
When you look at Metro Atlanta as a whole, we do see values improving. See the chart below for the positive trend in “$ per square feet”. This shows a 23% improvement in 2012. There is a little more to this story since the mix of what is selling has changed substantially as well. Last year, almost 50% of the sold properties were under $100,000. That should normally be 10-15% of the market. In 2012, we are seeing a more normal mix of price points which will make the “$ per square feet” higher. If you factor out the changing mix, we still see a positive trend.
The Case-Shiller Index is another good indicator of home values for our area. Case-Shiller tracks repeat sales or the price a property was sold for compared to the price that was paid when they bought. This index is widely considered to be more reliable than looking at average sales prices or median prices. The Case-Shiller Index is reported every month at 9am on the last Tuesday of the month. The reports provide insight on 20 major markets around the nation including Atlanta. You will see articles in the paper and lots of coverage on the television news and the internet. Each month, our company provides a detailed article on the latest Case-Shiller Index which can be found on our blog site ATLscoop.com.
The latest Case-Shiller Index reported on Tuesday, September 25th. So, what did these results show for Metro Atlanta?
The Case-Shiller Index was 94.15 which is 2.62% higher than the previous month. This continues to show a positive trend for the past 4 months. But our home values are still 31% down from the peak index of July 2007.
The housing bubble artificially inflated our home values but we believe they have over-corrected to the downside. As conditions normalize over time, so will our home values. The pace of recovery will vary depending upon your local market conditions. We have access to proprietary market reports and trends that are not available to the public. If you would like to know the trends in your specific area or the value of your property, please contact us.
If You Know Someone Who Can Benefit From Our Real Estate Expertise, We Would Love To Help. Better Information Leads To Better Decisions!