Paulding County, Georgia, is poised to weather the economic storm that much of the country, if not the world, is going through right now.  We have very capable staff in our local county government positions that have worked hard to foresee as much possible and grow in a time where many towns and counties are floundering.  Our County Commissioner and staff haeve worked hard to establish a “rainy day fund” that we are told will help keep us running smoothly. 
     Although things are tight, the Paulding County goventment members have implemented cost cutting measure, as well as a hiring freeze, to accomplish this.  We have started planning to better supply our essential requirements of gas and fuel, both after Hurrican Katrina but more likely since the gas shortgage we experienced in October.  We anticipate great things from Paulding County in the years to come!  Please come be a part of it!
     If you need any assistance with anything about Paulding or the surrounding areas, we will do our best to offer you outstanding customer service and knowledge.  You can reach me, Darcy Perry at 404-441-9986 or Darcy@GenerationsRealtyGroup.com, Michelle Strickland at 404-713-8290 and Dawn Luttrell at 404-387-0008.
Blessings to you and yours, from us and ours! 
–Darcy, Michelle and Dawn

   We are excited and proud to announce that the Paulding County Regional Airport will be open for business on November 14th, 2008!  Wow!  It’s been a long time in the making!  The inaugural ceremonies are open to the public.  They will include Opening Ceremonies starting at 1:15 – 2:15 pm, static aircraft display from 3:30 – 4:50 pm, an air show at 5 pm, and last but not least fireworks at 7 pm!!  Come join the fun!
     Groundbreaking for this project started in June of 2006.  Visitors will see the 5,500 foot runway at the grand opening.  In a short time following the grand opening there will be hangars, fuel facilities and a terminal building built.  A future phase will offer additional hangars, taxiway and an apron.
     Amazingly enough, the Federal Aviation Administration has prioritised Paulding Regional Airport as a top project on their list to fill an aviation void.  The county itself is only having to contribute 2.5% of the overall $34 million in order to accomplish this massive undertaking! 
     Paulding County was presented with an award for its economic development plan from the US Department of Commerce for its vision of the 10,000 acres for the general aviation airport, including 5,000 acres of greenspace.  
     Although airport parking will be limited at the grand opening on November 14th, shuttle buses will be operating starting at 4pm.  Schedules can be previewed at www.paulding.gov or www.pauldingchamber.org.  You can also call 770-505-7700 with any additional questions.  And, as usual, please feel free to email us at Generations Realty Group if you have any questions.  We work very hard to keep tabs on what is happening in our home county. 
     We are verey excited about the positive impact this will have on our and the surrounding communities.  Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Blessings to you and your family.  If we can every be of assitance to you, please call us at 404-441-9986 or email Darcy@GenerationsRealtyGroup.com.  Michelle Strickland can be reached at 404-713-8290.  Dawn Luttrell can be reached at 404-387-0008.

Happy Holidays (yes, I’m a little early!)  With warm regards from our family to yours!
–Darcy

      You’ve heard it all before….  You have to get your home ready to sell BEFORE even one prospect walks though the door… True enough… The question is this: “Do you know WHAT you need to do to get your home ready to sell?” Here are some of my Top 10 Tips for you!

      Curb Appeal Gets Them Through the Door!  Without positive curb appeal, you may loose them before they even see your house!  You need to make sure you keep your lawn and shrubs trimmed, weeds pulled and exterior paint looking good.  Make sure you have pressure washed your house recently.  Quick spruce ups are repainting your porch, dumping fresh mulch and planting seasonal flowers.  It’s amazing how a little work on your exterior can make a major difference!

     Your choice of Paint will make a major difference!  Keep the paint neutral, in all the rooms.  Whatever you do, don’t custom paint each room with a different color scheme.  What you might love, may seem very overwhelming and oppressive to someone else.  I have been in many homes where the paint job was a make it or break deal killer.    Most Sellers are not inclined to repaint once they get a contract, and that can be the single biggest thing to keep them from getting a contract.   A fresh coat of paint will make a home look fresher, bigger and brighter!

    It is very important to Make Repairs before prospective Buyers visit!  Things like leaky faucets, dirty or cracked windows, half finished projects and scarred flooring can put your home at a disadvantage.  Buyers typically value these repairs at a higher rate than is realistic and they can use it as a bargaining tool against you.  In addition to making the needed repairs, I recommend having your own inspection performed by a licensed Home Inspector.  If you are not sure as to the pros and cons of your house, having an unbiased opinion beforehand is your best bet!  If you are in the North West area of Georgia, my primary home inspector is Allen Eastis – 770-241-9394.  He does a great job, is very reasonably priced (starting at $250) and is not an “alarmist.”  Some inspectors make a big deal out of every little thing, that can be troublesome in itself. 

     Rearrange your furniture for easy access to each room.  Make sure each room has a purpose, and that it is the best used purpose of the room.  Using a bedroom as a storage room will confuse people and limit their imagination.  You can put extra furniture in storage, pack up unused personal possessions and pack and stack them nicely.  So many homes that I see have tons of junk in their unfinished basement.  Although that is a great place to store your stuff, most Buyers will be put off by all the clutter and junk.  They will have a very hard time believing you could/would be ready to move in a reasonable period of time with all that clutter.  No matter what, in this market, you have to be ready to move in 30 days or less if the right offer comes in!

       This rolls into Packing Up!  The more you pack up now, the less people have to see your personal stuff.  When showing your home, you want them to be able to picture themselves and their family in your home.  If your personal possessions are all over, it makes it more difficult for them to imagine themselves there.  Also, the more you have, the smaller each room looks.  Remember: Less is More! 

      Make sure to Organize the stuff you do leave in the house!  Having everything organized and clutter free is actually less stressful for a prospective Buyer.  People actually take on the mood of the house when they walk in.  If it is messy, things strewn around and unkempt, that is how the house is perceived to have been taken care of.  That is not going to go far in the perceived value.  Even if you are just having a “bad day” and it is not the norm, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. 

      Clean, clean, clean… and then keep it clean!  If you clean every inch of your home, and them keep it that way, you will have a much better chance of selling your home quickly, for the best possible price.  Your competition is stacked up out there!  Even foreclosures are coming in cleaner than in the past.  They are all competing for the Buyer’s dollars and know that a clean house sell faster!  If the carpet is stained, replace it!  Most Buyers will ask for it anyway.  Make sure it smells good!  If you don’t have time to bake (what… no time?), get the Apple Pie scented wall plugs so they feel welcomed immediately.  Just make sure it is not an overwhelming masking scent.  They will wonder what you are trying to hide. 

      Lighten up!  Make sure you open the blinds and curtains before you go to work in the morning!  If you know someone is coming in to look, leave the lights on!  A warm glow in the evening is always more welcoming than darkness.  The more open and light, the more people like it!

      Keep the temperature comfortable to Buyers!  If it is summer, keep it cool… if winter, keep it warm!  If the house is vacant, still keep the temperature right.  If winter, keep it up to 65 degrees, if summer, 75 is good.  Remember: if they are uncomfortable for any reason in a home, they place the blame on the home, not themselves. 

      Last but not least… although we’ve addressed this already… keep the house in immaculate condition!  I know it can be inconvenient and tiresome, it will payoff in the end! 

Good luck with selling your home!  If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 404-441-9986!  My website is www.GenerationsRealtyGroup.com … You can email me at Darcy@GenerationsRealtyGroup.com as well!  We have lots of other info on our website for you to see!  Blessings to you and your family!

~~Darcy Perry
Keller Williams Across Atlanta
Hiram, GA  30141

Typically in residential real estate closing transactions, the Seller conveys title to the property being sold to Buyer by virtue of a General Warranty Deed. Oftentimes, however, builders and banks, who are acting as sellers, will only convey the property by Limited Warranty Deed. Once in a while, you may even see or be asked about Quitclaim Deeds. You may be asking yourself, “What’s the difference?” Or, you may know the difference but would like an easier way to explain the difference to your customer.

What is a General Warranty Deed? In this type of deed, the Seller is guaranteeing that he or she holds clear title to the property being conveyed and has a right to sell it to a Buyer. Further, Seller is guaranteeing the clear title not only to the time the Seller owned the property, but guaranteeing it all the way back to the property’s origin.

What is a Limited Warranty Deed? In this type of deed, the Seller is guaranteeing that he or she holds clear title to the property being conveyed and has a right to sell it to a Buyer. Here, however, Seller does not warrant defects or encumbrances affecting the title to the property, prior to the time Seller owned the property.

What is a Quitclaim Deed? In this type of deed, the Seller is making no guarantees that he or she holds clear title nor has the right to sell it to Buyer. Seller is merely conveying any rights, if any, Seller had in the property. You see this often when property is conveyed between spouses.

Though there are other types of conveyance deeds, these three are seen most often in residential real estate closings. As a selling agent, it is best to contract for property to be conveyed via General Warranty Deed because Seller is warranting the property to its origin. But, the Seller may only agree to convey via Limited Warranty Deed as sometimes is the case when dealing with banks and R.E.O. property or builders and new construction. Whichever way the Seller agrees to convey property, your Buyer is best served by purchasing Owner’s Title Insurance, which protects the Buyer from title defects that occurred prior to Buyer’s purchase.

Sincerely,

T. W. Gorman & Associates, LLC
110 Evans Mill Drive, Suite 207
Dallas, Georgia 30157
www.twgorman.com 
Phone: 770-445-9580
Cell: 770-235-6085
eFAX: 678-922-7390
Fax: 770-445-9520

“Ask us about our mobile closing services”

• When you leave, it’s a good idea to put your lights and maybe even a TV on a timer.  It will still look like you are home, even when you are not.  The time should come on shortly after/before dark and turn off after sunrise int he morning. 
• Leave your radio on an all-talk station.  A possible prowler might be confused as to whether that is the residents speaking or a radio. 
• Install motion sensors outside that will turn on spotlights when tripped.  Prowlers do not know if someone inside is turing them on, or if they tripped a sensor.  Either way, most of the time they wouldn’t want to take that chance.
• Stop your newspaper and mail delivery.  If you don’t want to do that, you can always ask a friend or neighbor to collect them on a daily basis, so it doesn’t look like no one is home.
• Another suggestion is to ask a neighbor to park in your driveway occationally.  They could also water your plants!
• Arrange ahead of time to have your yard man come and mow while you are gone. 
• Make a mental note to keep your blinds and curtains in their every-day positions.  Nothing tips off a would-be prowler than a house closed up tight as a drum! 
• Another good idea is to turn down your phone ringer and answering machine, so no one on the outside can hear that it’s not being answered.  Also, please do not mention on your answering machine that you will be out of town for a specici period of time!
• Although this may seem very obvious to you, please make sure you check to see all that all doors and windows are securely locked.
• Last, but not least, if you travel frequently, you may want to consider installing a home security system!  Depending on your lifestyle and family needs, you may just want sesnors on the bottom floor windows and doors, or you may want a full fledged system for the whole house!  I have a great company that I work with!  If you want to call me, I’ll give you the copntact name and number.  They offer special discount to friends, family and clients of Generations Realty Group!

I’d love to hear from you with any ideas you may have!  Also, if you have any real estate needs, please give me a call!  I have agents throughout the United State and Canada, if you don’t live here, in Geaorgia!

Blessings to you and your family!
–Darcy

     Traffic conditions aren’t the only support this service provides!  Georgia 511 also connects you to touist info, major airports, local transit systems, car-pool info as well as neighboring state 511 systems! 

     This sytem is easily accessed by dialing 5-1-1 from any landline or cell phone.  You can also check it out online at http://www.511ga.org/ ….  Please take care while driving!  We don’t want you to have an accident while calling Georgia 511! 

      I hope you find this info useful!  Please call or email me if you’d like to talk more about this new service!

Blessings to youa nd yours,
–Darcy

The finding came from using RealtyTrac data, which tracks foreclosures, as well as data from multiple listing services, bank-owned property records, bankruptcy records, loan histories, tax liens, and lender information. Forbes magazine evaluated which counties in the country had the most foreclosures and the most negative equity loans. Happily, I can report that no counties in Metro Atlanta are in the Top 10 List!

Wayne County, Mich., home to Detroit, is first, with 10,622 homes in foreclosure with negative equity, 176 of which have more than $100,000 of negative equity. Clark County, Nev., home to Las Vegas, has 4,278 homes in foreclosure with negative equity.

Here’s the list of counties with the most foreclosures, including the percentage of homes entering foreclosure with negative equity:

Many lenders no longer require termite letters as a part of the loan document requirement and with the 2007 GAR Purchase and Sale Agreement changes, many Buyers will now obtain their own termite letters. Remember, however, as a Buyer, you should always consult with the mortgage lender at the time of application to determine whether a termite letter will be required as part of the closing.  I always recommend getting a Termite Inspection, considering Georgia has the 2nd highest rate of Termite infestation in the country.

Additionally, the lender may require a copy of the letter for closing if you have negotiated for the Seller to provide a termite letter and/or termite bond at time of closing. This should be provided to your closing attorney’s office prior to closing to avoid any last minute delays or problems.   You should always try to negotiate for the Seller to get the Termite Letter.

Please call or email any questions!
Blessings to you all!
–Darcy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keller Williams Across Atlanta – Generations Realty Group
Office: 770-874-5356 Cell: 404-441-9986
Email: Darcy@GenerationsRealtyGroup.com
Website: www.GenerationsRealtyGroup.com 

Given the number of sub-prime loans, 100% financing, and adjustable rates, an increasing number of homeowners do not have enough equity in their homes to sell them and pay their existing mortgage in full. It is likely to be confronted either with Buyers purchasing property from a homeowner in trouble or with Sellers trying to sell their property where there is insufficient equity to pay settlement charges and existing mortgages.

1. SHORT-SALE:

SHORT-SALE OCCURS WHERE THE MORTGAGE COMPANY AGREES TO ACCEPT LESS THAN WHAT IS OWED ON THE PROPERTY FROM A BONA FIDE SALE

Where the mortgage company has already begun the foreclosure process and there is an attorney involved, the attorney will have to get approval from the bank and will add any foreclosure/attorney’s fees to the payoff. The closing attorney will communicate with the bank’s attorney and get approval on the HUD from the attorney and payoff.

Typically, these must also fund the same day and the attorney could hand deliver the payoff to the attorney’s office.

The TIMING of these closings is crucial – foreclosures occur on the first Tuesday of the month and if the property is scheduled to foreclose, the payoff needs to be received a few days in advance in order to stop the foreclosure

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