Lake Sidney Lanier Homes Blog

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Lake Lanier Property For Sale With Dock! Take A Look At This Lanier Waterfront Lot At 8082 Beachwood Drive In Murrayville Georgia!

Don't buy a waterfront lot on Lake Lanier before you check out this gorgeous building lot on the north Chestatee River area of Lake Lanier. We just listed this property, and it has fantastic open water, nice views and a single slip covered dock. It is available for purchase now, and you can build whenever you are ready.

Look at these scenic shots of the waterfront lot at 8082 Beachwood Drive in Murrayville, Georgia!

As with all of our property listings, we've added a YouTube video which showcases all of the pics of the property.

This lot has a very nice, level building area. It slopes off briefly at the back near the water. The U.S. Army Corps line is set pretty close to the water, so the site would accommodate a home built close to the lake with some very beautiful views of the water and the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains. The lot size is surveyed at .34 acres. As you can see from the embedded map below, the property is located very close to the point along the Chestatee River.

For a complete list of details, photos, virtual tour and area information please click on the following property link!

Property Listings

	8082 BEACHWOOD Drive Murrayville, GA
	MLS Number: 5243640
	Listing Price: $149,900

	View Details

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 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 678-513-2014 or email us at Arthur.Prescott@BHHSGeorgia.com.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Greater Metro Atlanta Real Estate Update Courtesy Of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties!

Greater Metro Atlanta Real Estate Update

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!

Once again, BHHS Georgia Properties was Number 1 in both homes sold and buyers represented for 2013. That makes 5 years in a row.
For the Greater Metro Atlanta area, listed inventory was up 11% compared to 2012 levels and down 34% from 2011. The limited availability of quality properties has turned some local areas into a seller’s market.
The available “months of supply” was 4.6 months based upon closed sales (6 months is considered normal). This is down 9% from last month.
Closings for Metro Atlanta in November were down 2.5% compared to last month and down 6.9% compared to the previous year.
Closings under $100,000 were down 24.6% from last December. The exit of large investors has allowed the price distribution of properties to return to normal.
The pace of short sales and foreclosures coming on the market has slowed considerably. In 2010, over 60% of sales were distressed properties but in December we only saw 333 foreclosures and 439 bank-owned sales. Resales and New Homes are the larger mix of sales.
New Homes are making a slow but sure comeback. There are some wonderful new home communities coming online with the latest innovations in smart building that may be great options for buyers.
Click here to view new home communities.
The Case-Shiller Index reports that Metro Atlanta home values have increased 37% from the bottom of March 2012. But values remain down 16.67% from the peak of July 2007. Click here for the latest report.
The trend for mortgage rates is higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association and Freddie Mac predict 30-year mortgage rates to be over 5% in 2014. This could significantly reduce buying power for those that wait.
Baby Boomers are the leading buyer segment followed by First Time Buyers. Move-Up Buyers are showing some signs of improved activity but remain well below historical levels.

This is an unprecedented opportunity to buy the home of your dreams while prices and financing are historically low. But these conditions will not last as the real estate market continues to recover.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Metro Atlanta Real Estate Market Trends For January 2014! Check The Latest Stats!

View a slide show of the latest Metro Atlanta Real Estate Market Trends For January 2014. Presented by Arthur Prescott of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties.

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 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 678-513-2014 or email us at Arthur.Prescott@BHHSGeorgia.com.

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Lake Lanier Waterfront Lots & Land For Sale And What's Sold! Let's Check The Activity!

Today in Lake Lanier real estate, we're taking a look at the Lake Lanier waterfront lot market. Periodically, we like to get an updated analysis on what's going on with lots that are presently for sale as well as lot sales on Lake Lanier.

Our research today, shows 85 waterfront lots presently for sale on the lake. Our search criteria was for lake frontage lots or land with a dock or dock permit in place, and with listing photos. The price range on these properties was vast with the least expensive tract coming in at $29,900 and the most expensive tract coming in at $3,195,000! The median price range of all of the 85 lots comes in at about $270,000-$275,000 price range. This price range is actually in line with some of the lower priced houses that are for sale on the lake! You can view the market analysis on all of the properties by clicking on the link below.

Market Analysis Of Lake Lanier Lots Listed For Sale

So all of this begs the question, what do you get for your money when you buy a waterfront lot or tract of land on Lake Lanier? And for the answer to that question, we've included a few of the listings below that represent the highest price, the lowest price, and a few properties in the middle price range.

Property Listings

	6033 Grant Ford Road Gainesville, GA
	MLS Number: 5201837
	Listing Price: $3,195,000

	View Details

	4795 Destitute Way Gainesville, GA
	MLS Number: 5226452
	Listing Price: $275,000

	View Details

	3115 Winding Lake Drive Gainesville, GA
	MLS Number: 4236754
	Listing Price: $269,000

	View Details

	OLD STILL Trail Cumming, GA
	MLS Number: 5050015
	Listing Price: $29,900

	View Details

Okay, that's a look at what's for sale. But what about properties that sold in 2013? We thought we'd take a look at that as well. So we used the same criteria and ran the search for 2013, except instead of looking at what was active or for sale, we looked for properties that had closed or sold. These search results showed 20 properties that met the criteria selected that had sold in 2013. The highest priced sale came in at $364,900, and the lowest price sale came in at $35,000. The median price range of the 20 sold properties came in at about $132,500. Here's a look at the market analysis for that search.

Comparative Market Analysis For Lake Lanier Lots And Land Sales 2013

If you have a question about Lake Lanier real estate that is for sale or has sold please contact us for more information.

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Prepare Your Lake Lanier Home Plumbing For Cold Weather!

Click picture to view full size image

Severe Cold Coming to Atlanta

and North Georgia

Protect Your Plumbing

From The Deep Freeze

The Weather Channel is predicting temperatures to be well below freezing for Atlanta and surrounding areas this week. The low temperatures will continue for 2-4 days and will be considered a "hard freeze". We are urging our clients, customers, associates and employees to protect their plumbing pipes.

Why do pipes freeze and break during a cold spell?

When temperatures drop below freezing, water freezes and expands. The expanding water in your home's waterlines can cause the pipes in your home to crack or burst under this pressure and possibly flood your home or business. Pipes that freeze first are usually located near outside walls or in unfinished areas of your home where they can be exposed to the subfreezing temperatures. Outdoor hose bibs, pool lines, indoor and outdoor sprinkler systems, and other supply lines located in crawl spaces, garages, unfinished basements or attics are especially susceptible.

Steps to prevent frozen pipes

Taking action before cold weather sets in can save you thousands of dollars in water damage from broken or burst pipes. Following the steps below will help reduce the chances of having a plumbing emergency during the cold winter months:

Turn off the shut-off valves to all outside hose connections. Be sure to open the valves on the outside to allow all the water to drain out of the pipes.
Keep garage doors and basement entries closed tightly if there are any water supply lines or valves in that area.
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors (during the freeze warning) and all other cabinet areas that are located on outside walls. This will allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing keeping pipes above freezing.
Protect all exposed water piping. Insulate all areas where water supply lines are unheated. Keep in mind areas with running water outside (fountains, outdoor kitchens etc.), crawl spaces, garages, basements, attics, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets that are up against an outside wall. Both hot and cold water lines should be insulated in these spaces. A hot water supply line can freeze just as fast as a cold water supply line can freeze if water is not running through the pipe.
During frigid cold snaps, do not alternate temperature settings on your thermostat. Keeping your thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night will help to keep pipe temperatures consistent. If leaving for an extended period of time, do not set thermostat below 60 degrees F.
If you have water pipes in your attic, open access doors or stairs to allow warm air to circulate into the attic and around the pipes.
Don't forget to check and protect your water heater during cold temps. Installing a water heater blanket can protect your water heater and help maintain temperature.

NOTE: If the home is vacant or if you are going to be gone for a long period of time, additional steps may be necessary to properly winterize your home. Check with your local plumber for a thorough evaluation of your home.

What if I experience a broken pipe?

The single most important thing for any homeowner to know is where the main water shut-off valve is located and how to use it. Ensuring each member of your household knows how to turn off the water to your home in the event of a water line break or water heater failure can prevent severe flooding and damage in the event of a critical failure.

A Little Prevention Can Save You Thousands Of Dollars.

And That's... Good To Know! ^TM

Monday, January 06, 2014

Frigid Temps Hitting Lake Lanier! But The Real Estate Market Is Heating Up!

Wow! They weren't kidding about the cold weather rolling in here! As of 1:30 PM today my thermometer outside is registering a chilly 27° here at Lake Lanier. And that is really about as warm as it's going to get today, or for the next few days for that matter. As I'm sure you have probably heard, the temperatures are expected to drop down into the single digits over the next day or so. That's as cold as it's been here in many years.

For all of you that own second homes out here on Lake Lanier, it is advised that you winterize your home immediately if you have not already done so. All of this cold weather and managing properties during the winter months brings to mind the need for many people to have a reliable property management company. We have posted many times in the past, that our very own company Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices can provide this service for you in our Property Management / Home Leasing Program.

And what about your boat? It is usually important to have that winterized as well. For me, that meant contacting MarineMax on Lake Lanier and having my boat professionally winterized in order to protect it against the very cold weather that we are experiencing now! Every year I have this done, and I often wonder if it is really necessary when the Lake temperatures typically do not stay down this low for a very long time. But each time that I have my boat winterized, I always ask the service technicians if they see cases of engine failure due to cold weather and freezing temperatures on Lake Lanier. Their answer is always the same. Each year, often as the weather warms up, boat owners will head to their boats in preparation for their first spring outing. The boat will not want to start, and often times it will not even turn over. The techs at MarineMax tell me that they get numerous calls in the spring regarding this issue. And many of these times the reason for the failure is a cracked block or major engine failure due to the motor not being winterized in the boat. And that my friends is an expensive fix!

Despite the cold weather, things are still heating up here in the Lake Lanier real estate market. We are seeing lots of sales activity, and fielding lots of calls from people looking for Lake Lanier homes and lots. Most of the calls and emails that we are getting regarding homes are in search of homes priced under $400,000. Here is a look at what is currently for sale in that price range. As always, if we can assist you in your property search or if we can help in getting your Lake Lanier property sold please contact us by phone or email. Stay warm!

Lake Lanier Homes For Sale $300,000-$400,000

Lake Lanier Homes For Sale $100,000-$300,000

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 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 678-513-2014 or email us at APrescott@PrudentialGeorgia.com.

Friday, January 03, 2014

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Atlanta Metro Area Real Estate News For January 2014!

Real Estate Advisor - January 2014
Introducing Our New Name…
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices

On December 10th, our company adopted the new Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand. We are excited to begin this new chapter for our company and this conversion will bring many advantages for our agents and our clients. This year, we also celebrate 50 years of serving the needs of our clients in the Greater Metro Atlanta area. During that time, we have operated as Crest Realty, Merrill Lynch Realty, Prudential Atlanta Realty and Prudential Georgia Realty. Though the name has changed, our commitment to deliver exceptional real estate services has not. In the last five years, our company has been consistently ranked as the #1 real estate company with more homes sold than any other brokerage. Here is some information about Berkshire Hathaway.

According to the Forbes Global 2000 list, Berkshire Hathaway is the 8th largest public company in the world. The company is led by Chairman and CEO, Warren Buffett who is often referred to as “the Oracle of Omaha” for his keen insight on business matters.
Berkshire Hathaway owns and operates approximately 55 companies and employs approximately 300,000 people. Company holdings include major brands like GEICO, Fruit of the Loom, Dairy Queen, Benjamin Moore, Helzberg Diamonds, NetJets, Heinz, MidAmerican Energy and Shaw Industries which is located in Dalton, Georgia.
Berkshire Hathaway has major stock positions in companies like Wells Fargo (8.7%), American Express (13.7%), IBM (6%) and Coca-Cola (8.9%).
Berkshire Hathaway was named the No. 1 company in Barron’s annual ranking of the world’s 100 most respected companies.

Being part of such a large and successful organization gives us many advantages. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the resources to bring a new level of quality and innovation to real estate. Look for a series of announcements in early 2014!

We look forward to leveraging the Power of Berkshire Hathaway to deliver even more advantages for our clients and customers. Contact us to learn more.

Greater Metro Atlanta Real Estate Update

Here are the latest results posted for November 2013:

Once again, BHHS Georgia Properties was Number 1 in both homes sold and buyers represented. Our company continues to lead the market year-to-date for 2013.
For the Greater Metro Atlanta area, listed inventory was up 21.4% from the lowest point in February 2013. Inventory was up 7.7% compared to 2012 levels and down 34% from 2011. The limited availability of quality properties with reasonable value has turned some local areas into a seller’s market.
The available “months of supply” was 5.1 months based upon closed sales (6 months is considered normal). This is up 18% from last month.
Closings for Metro Atlanta in November were down 18.6% compared to last month and down 14.4% compared to the previous year.
Compared to November 2012, closings under $100,000 were down 53%. The exit of large investors has allowed the distribution of properties to return to normal.
The pace of short sales and foreclosures coming on the market has slowed considerably. In 2010, over 60% of sales were distressed properties but in November we only saw 482 foreclosures and 448 bank-owned sales. Resales and New Homes are the larger mix of sales.
New Homes are making a slow but sure comeback. New home closings are up 55% . There are some wonderful new home communities coming online with the latest innovations in smart building that may be great options for buyers. Click here to view new home communities.
The Case-Shiller Index reports that Metro Atlanta home values have increased 37% from the bottom of March 2012. But values remain down 16% from the peak of July 2007. Click here for the latest report.
The trend for mortgage rates is higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association and Freddie Mac predict 30-year mortgage rates to be over 5% in 2014. This could significantly reduce buying power for those that wait.
First time buyers and baby boomers remain the strongest market segments. Move-up buyers are showing some signs of improved activity but remain well below historical levels.

Happy New Year!

As we all get ready to celebrate the New Year, there are many predictions about what is likely to happen in 2014. Here are our top 10 predictions for the local real estate market:

Number 10: New Homes will continue to grow and become an increasing mix of closed transactions. We estimate that New Homes will be 25% of all sales in 2014.
Number 9: Overall inventory will grow to more historically normal levels by spring.
Number 8: Short sales and foreclosures will slow and return to historically normal levels.
Number 7: Baby boomers and First Time Buyers will be the largest buying segments for the Greater Metro Atlanta area.
Number 6: Mortgage rates will continue to rise to over 5% - which remains historically low. The average mortgage rate in the last 50 years was 8%.
Number 5: Home values will rise faster in areas with great schools and more desirable lifestyles.
Number 4: Apartment buildings will be a bubble with over-building leading to drop in rental rates. Single family rentals in desirable areas will remain strong.
Number 3: Most large investors will exit the Metro Atlanta market.
Number 2: Pent-up demand and fear of rising mortgage rates will bring more buyers into the market. Overall transactions will be 10-15 higher than 2013.
Number 1: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices clients achieve the best results!

Happy New Year! If You Know Someone Who Can Benefit From This Information Or Our Real Estate Expertise, We Would Love To Help Them.

Thursday, January 02, 2014

Happy New Year From Lake Sidney Lanier Homes Where Real Estate Activity Is On The Rise!

Happy new year everyone! We here at Lake Sidney Lanier Homes hope that everyone had an enjoyable holiday and is relaxed and ready for a fantastic 2014! While we took a little bit of time off from blogging, the real estate business here on the lake has been brisk! Our website traffic is on the uptick, and buyers are out actively searching for Lake Lanier homes.

We showed a number of Lake Lanier homes over the holidays, including some fabulous homes yesterday on New Year's Day. This served as a reminder to us, that even though the weather is cold and a bit rainy, now is the time to start considering putting your home on the market if you are interested in selling your Lake Lanier property. Inventory levels are still tight, but historically the ramp up begins this month. So, consider starting your spring cleaning early and getting your property in showing condition as the buyers are out right now, and there will be more to come as the weather warms up.

Just to take a short look at the current market status, our research on FMLS indicates the following for the Lake Lanier market. At present, there are 288 homes for sale ranging in price from $19,900,000 on the high-end and all the way down to a low of $99,000. This is a tremendous spread in price and actually brings the median price range of what's for sale down into the low $500,000 range. In a few months, we will have a very good handle on where the 2014 Lake Lanier real estate market is heading. Our feelings are that the market will continue its uptrend and that pricing will be rising along with the number of monthly transactions. In a few weeks, we will write our annual market report for 2013 which will give everyone a good overview of how Lake Lanier real estate performed over the past year. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

Over the holidays, we took some time out and visited one of the popular parks down on the south end of the lake. Tidwell Park, located at the end of Pilgrim Mill Road, is a popular destination for anglers and for boaters looking for a very nice boat launch that is convenient to Highway 400 and the North Atlanta suburbs. It was a cool winter day at the park the evening that we visited. Here are a few photos from our visit.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Happy Holidays From Lake Sidney Lanier Homes!

Click picture to view full size image

Wishing You A Safe
And Happy Holiday Season!

We would like to wish you a very safe and happy holiday season. This special time of year brings us together with people from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe. So we would like to say a Happy Holidays message to all.

Happy Holidays! In French: Joyeuses Fêtes!

Happy Holidays! In Spanish: Felices Fiestas!

Happy Holidays! In Swedish: Trevlig Helg!

Happy Holidays! In Portuguese: Boas Festas!

Happy Holidays! In Turkish: Mutlu Bayramlar!

Happy Holidays! In Romanian: Sarbatori Fericite!

Happy Holidays! In Mandarin: Jie Ri Yu Kuai!

Happy Holidays! In Catalan: Bones Festes!

Happy Holidays! In Japanese: Tanoshii kurisumasu wo!

Happy Holidays! In Italian: Buone Feste!

Happy Holidays! In South African (Xhose): Ii holide eximnandi!

Happy Holidays! In German: Forhe Feiertage!

Happy Holidays! In Dutch: Prettige feestdagen!

Happy Holidays! In Hawaiian: Hau'oli Lanui

Happy Holidays! In Gaelic: Beannachta na Feile!

Happy Holidays! In Slovenian: Vesele Praznike!

Happy Holidays! In Indonesian: Selamat Hari Raya!

Happy Holidays! In Croatian: Sretni praznici!

Have A Safe And Happy Holiday!

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

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