DAVID’S INSIDER NEWS – Issue 3, Volume 1

Local Market Update – 02-13-2007

Local housing in several subdivisions had slowed a bit in the past six months – but is starting to rebound now that new home list prices have been adjusted. In some cases, new home prices in particular subdivisions are down $20,000! Talk about savings.

If you’re interested in investing in real estate, there are many excellent properties available in this area. Especially in light of the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) status of Ft. Benning, GA.

Upwards of 30,000 are expected to move into the Phenix City, AL / Columbus, GA area over the next four years or so – just for Ft. Benning.

Some investors are purchasing new homes, in the hopes of either renting them to military and civilian employes; or, reselling the homes within the next couple of years for a profit.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, then drop me a line at David@DavidsRealEstateSales.com

Stats for 01/01/2007 – 2/13/2007

Total New Listings During This Time Frame 315
Median Sold Price “$147,000 “
Average Sold Price “$165,830 “
Average Days on Market 138
Total Sold Dollar Volume “$12,934,722 “
Total Home Sales Sold Dollar Volume “$12,934,722 “

Type of Financing Analysis
Financing
Cash 10
Conventional 41
FHA 5
VA 20
Other 2

 

DAVID’S INSIDER NEWS – Issue 2, Volume 1

Blog Notes -

As you can probably tell, I’m still trying to get it together on my blog. I just needed to make sure I added it to my list of most important things to do. My hope is that this will become the resource that I wanted it to be. Stay tuned…

Local Housing Market –

“Just how IS the local housing market?”

As you might imagine, I get asked this a lot – especially by those who live outside the area.

What I tell folks is this: In this market – which covers about ten counties in Alabama & Georgia – if there is a plot of land that can be had at a reasonable cost, builders and developers are snapping them up left and right.

New construction is continuing and expanding. There are several new subdivisions going up, as well as expansion phases in existing subdivisions. Property values are still trending upwards at approximately 5% or more each year, based on my research and first-hand experience.

The homes are getting larger too. A couple of years ago, a lot of the new construction seemed aimed at the “smaller is better” client. I always thought it should be “more is better – as long as the price isn’t out-of-whack.” So before the homes were in the 1400 to 1600 square foot range. Now, it’s 1800 or more. In some cases, a LOT MORE! (Think 2500+ square feet.)

Local Sales Statistics – Sept. 01, 2006 through Jan. 20, 2007

Total New Listings During This Time Frame 789

Median Sold Price $126,825

Average Sold Price $139,286

Average Days on Market 122

Total Home Sales Sold Dollar Volume $58,500,171

Type of Financing Analysis

Financing For Units Sold – in other words, how people paid for their home purchases.
Cash 48 Conventional 241
FHA 26 VA 96
Owner 0 Other 9

Still to come – Housing Sales Report for Sept 01 2006 thru Jan 20 2007.
More later,

David

 

Local Housing Market Update Aug 20, 2006

Unlike the national news about the real estate market, locally business is still booming! Developers are building houses as fast as they can find a piece of land to build on. The number of new subdivision starts continues to increase, as well as moving further out into both Lee and Russell counties in Alabama. The same is true on the other side of the Chattahoochee River, in Georgia.

The resale market is hot as well. For properties that are within their market values, those homes are selling anywhere from one week to less than two months of when they first come on the market.

Many homeowners continue to try cashing in (or out, as the case may be) in an appreciating market – even though their homes are not comparable to their higher-value cousins.

I’ve noted several homes that were placed on the market (listed) at over 35% above their actual market value. In each of those cases, the market spoke loud and clear…NO SALE!
Their asking prices were reduced monthly, until they either reached what the market was willing to pay, or they were withdrawn because the seller’s realized that: even though home prices are up, their homes are not necessarily in the same category as much higher-priced homes.

Here’s an example: typically a homeowner who wants to sell, knows that the market value for several homes in their area is in the $250 to $350,000 range. Since their home is within a stone’s throw of those properties, the logic is that their home should be worth just as much.

However, the sad news is that their home is not in the same category. Those properties selling at the higher price typically have all new or almost new appliances. They are newly constructed or only a few years old, compared to homes that are anywhere from 15 to 30+ years old. The style of the newer homes is more modern or contemporary with a better floor plan versus the older style homes. And the there’s usually no maintenance needed to minimal deferred maintenance. And those newer properties are likely in a new subdivision with limited-access streets.

Current Conditions Report

Local Alabama Properties (Barbour, Chambers, Lee, and Russell counties)
Total Number of Residential & Manufactured housing for sale: 786

Properties by Asking Price

$0 to $99,999 – 132 properties
$100,000 to $149,999 – 207 properties
$150,000 to $199,999 – 271 properties
$200,000 to $249999 – 65 properties
$250,000 to $299,999 – 53 properties
$300,000 to $349,999 – 18 properties
$350,000 to $399,999 – 17 properties
$400,000 to $499,999 – 11 properties
$500,000 and up – 12 properties

Property sizes (in square feet)

1 to 1000 sf – 107
1001 to 1500 sf – 254
1501 to 2000 sf – 291
2001 to 2500 sf – 76
2501 or more sf – 58

Number of Bedrooms (BD)

1 BD properties – 3
2 BD properties – 52
3 BD properties – 530
4 or more BD properties – 201

Properties, by age

# of properties that are New or Under Construction – 447
# ofproperties that are 1-5 yrs old – 65
# of properties that are 6-10 yrs old – 83
# of properties that are 11-15 yrs old – 39
# of properties that are 16-20 yrs old – 18
# of properties that are 21-25 yrs old – 11
# of properties that are 26-30 yrs old – 16
# of properties that are 31-35 yrs old – 14
# of properties that are 36-40 yrs old – 15
# of properties that are 41-45 yrs old – 8
# of properties that are 46-50 yrs old – 10
# of properties that are over 50 yrs old – 47

More Stats -

# of properties with a basement (finished or not) – 131
# of properties with a fireplace (regular or insert) – 407
# of properties with pool (above- or in-ground) – 31
# of properties with smoke detector – 432
# of properties with ceiling fan – 567
# of properties with a wood stove – 11
# of properties with a Dining Room – 263

# of properties with sewer (available & connected) – 297
# of properties with septic system – 347

# of properties on 1 acre or more – 161
# of properties with waterfront, water-view or water-access – 88

# of properties with No Garage or Carport – 271

# of properties with a 1-car attached garage – 11
# of properties with a 2-car attached garage – 345
# of properties with a 3-car attached garage – 4

# of properties with a 1-car detached garage – 4
# of properties with a 2-car detached garage – 9
# of properties with a 3-car detached garage – 2

# of properties with a 1-car attached carport – 38
# of properties with a 2-car attached carport – 85
# of properties with a 3-car attached carport – 0

# of properties with a 1-car detached carport – 6
# of properties with a 2-car detached carport – 12
# of properties with a 3-car detached carport – 3

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Local Georgia Properties (Harris, Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion, Talbot, Stewart counties)

Properties by Asking Price
$0 to $99,999 – 319 properties
$100,000 to $149,999 – 247 properties
$150,000 to $199,999 – 358 properties
$200,000 to $249999 – 249 properties
$250,000 to $299,999 – 155 properties
$300,000 to $349,999 – 78 properties
$350,000 to $399,999 – 69 properties
$400,000 to $499,999 – 58 properties
$500,000 and up – 121 properties

Property sizes (in square feet)

1 to 999 sf – 83
1000 to 1499 sf – 409
1500 to 1999 sf – 438
2000 to 2999 sf – 511
3000 or more sf – 213

Number of Bedrooms (BD)

1 BD properties – 13
2 BD properties – 138
3 BD properties – 797
4 or more BD properties – 706

Properties, by age

# of properties that are New or Under Construction – 664
# ofproperties that are 1-6 yrs old – 213
# of properties that are 6-10 yrs old – 83
# of properties that are 7-14 yrs old – 135
# of properties that are 15-19 yrs old – 48
# of properties that are 20-29 yrs old – 88
# of properties that are 30 or more yrs old – 439

(Note: Because of the proximity of the AL & GA markets, and the ability to have property in one state listed on the other’s MLS (Multiple Listing Service), the stats have a very small number of overlapped properties. I try to limit this as much as possible, when gathering my info for my stats reports.)

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That’s all for now. My plan is to update this every two weeks, since changes occur fairly often.

 

DAVID’S INSIDER NEWS – Issue 1, Volume 1

This was the first issue of David's Insider News, which was originally sent via email.

Email is great, but there can be problems. Such as when a subscriber automatically forwards your newsletter to others. These "others" in turn send me an email, asking to be removed from the list. That's a bit of a problem, since they weren't even on my list! So, I thought I would try using a blog format instead of the email route.
With that thought in mind, here goes:

This is the first issue of a newsletter that I've been wanting to put out for a long time.
I originally wanted to do a print version, and possibly will in the future. Right now, the
cost to send it out to you all is very minimal – basically just my time and research.

If for some reason you would prefer to not receive this newletter, that's fine. Just scroll to the bottom, and I will forever remove your email address from my computer. No, really, I'll just delete your email address from the newletter list. Most of you that are receiving this newsletter are doing so because: 1) You are a friend or a relative, or 2) You are a customer that I have sent real estate information to before via email.

In any case, please enjoy – I will try to add some lighter fare in future issues, and likely revise the layout, as soon as I get some constructive (preferred) criticism.Thanks to everyone out there who has been rooting for my success in real estate. It's been about 14 months, and we're just about to get over the hump. More next month!

David

Published by David W Orr,
Real Estate Agent & Realtor®
Licensed in Alabama & Georgia
A member of the Rock Realty Company Team

Your Happiness Is Our Success!

Stop by to visit my site - http://www.davidsrealestatesales.com – where you'll find
lot's of great information for buyers and sellers – both in Spanish & English. Oh – en Español.
My Spanish isn't that great, but I'm sure that the text on the site is very good. If you find an
error, please point it out to me – and I'll fire the spell checker!

While you're out on the web, stop by my broker's site at http://www.rockrealtycompany.com Why? Well, as some of you are aware, I still build web sites. The broker's site was built from provided templates, but I have had a hand or two or three, in updating the content and some of the graphics. Oh, and you will find a link from his site, to mine. I know – another shameless plug.
Table of content:
—————–

1. Message from the Editor
2. Making Houses for Sale Look Like Homes [Note: In future, make sure article actually appears in newsletter.DO]
3. Questions People Often Ask Me
4. RE Dictionary – Title Search
5. Local Market Conditions
6. Do You Know a Possible Buyer — or Seller?
7. Inspirational Moment

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Dear Reader,

Thanks for inviting me to your e-mail box – I hope you will enjoy this issue of "DAVID'S INSIDER NEWS".

Each issue will contain: household tips, workshop & yard, technology watch, market conditions, and more. If you ever have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me – David@DavidsRealEstateSales.com or call, and I'll do my best to find you the answers. I am here to help. Hope to be of service to you!

Cordially yours,
David

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Selling Your Home Yourself versus Letting A Realtor® Sell It For You
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The differences are important, and usually will mean the difference between maintaining your sanity. Or, losing it altogether! Here are some of the differences.

Sell it yourself -

Selling it yourself is referred to as a For Sale By Owner or FSBO (pronounced fizz-boh). And no, I didn't just make that up.

The general thinking for FSBO's is:

• You won't have to pay a commission or real estate agent fees
• You get to take off from work to show your home
• You get to answer the phone day and night, answering the same questions over and over about your home
• You get to show your home to anyone who wants to see it, whether they are actually a potential buyer or not. (Because you didn't pre-qualify them, and the mortgage company/bank hasn't pre-approved them – how would you know?)
• You can negotiate for yourself
• You can expect that the buyers, who do show up, will expect you to lower your price. They will figure that since you aren't paying a commission for a real estate agent/ Realtor® to sell your home, then they deserve to save something too.
• You know your house better than anyone! You can explain more. (The downside of this, is that without representation by a Realtor®, you may talk yourself out of a sale. Or end up promising more than you wanted to.)
• You think that buyer's would rather work with you, than with the real estate agent. And they may, if they think they can get a better deal – your price less whatever a commission would have been.

Let a Realtor® Sell Your Home -

• A Realtor® sells real estate for a living – they have a lot of experience selling homes. And they also have a lot more experience than you do.
• Realtors® can provide your home with greater market exposure – via the Internet, the MLS, constant and consistent advertising, professional signs, other local real estate agents, and finally – buyers!
• Realtors® are required to know the market, what's available, and what's it worth. A Realtor® also can help you arrive at the correct price for your home.
• Realtors® will only show your home to qualified buyers. That means that nosy neighbors, people out looking but not intending to ever buy, and those of the criminal element will be weeded out. Realtors® don't want to waste your valuable time showing a home to someone who cannot or will not buy.
• Realtor®’s work with contracts (especially the fine print), titles, attorney's, city, county and state governments all the time. They are aware of the processes involved in selling a home. Your home.
• A Realtor® who is working to sell your house, is working for YOU. They will be the one who all potential buyers contact day and night. They will be the one to determine if someone is a true buyer or just someone out to get ideas – either of how to decorate, or to see what you have in your home.
• Finally, it's important to realize that a Realtor® doesn't get a penny unless and until your house sells. And that Realtor® doesn't keep all of the commission. It is split between the selling Realtors® broker and your Realtors® broker. Then each broker splits that amount between themselves and their respective Realtor®.

About the author:
————-
David Orr is a Realtor® licensed in Alabama & Georgia.
<a href="http://www.davidsrealestatesales.com">DavidsRealEstateSales</a>.
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Q & A
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Q: What's Up With Service Contracts & Are They Worth It?

A: The following article is from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which can be found at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/products/servcon.htm:

If you are buying a car or major appliance, whether in a retail store, by catalog, or online, you may be offered a service contract. To many consumers, buying a service contract is like buying "peace of mind" from repair hassles. An estimated 50% of all new car buyers, and many used-car and major appliance buyers, purchase service contracts. The cost can range from $50 to $500,depending on the length and amount of coverage provided. Some consumers, however, may be paying for more protection than they need.

Before you buy a service contract, consider the following:

What does the service contract offer?

A service contract, like a warranty, provides repair and/or maintenance for a specific time period. Warranties, however, are included in the price of the product, while service contracts cost extra and are sold separately.

What is covered by the service contract?

A service contract may cover only certain parts of the product or specific repairs. When online, look for hyperlinks to the terms of the seller's service contract. Read the contract carefully and, if it does not list something as specifically covered, assume that it is not. Service contracts do not cover repairs resulting from misuse or failure to maintain the product properly. Also, you may be obligated to take certain action, such as notifying the company of problems, to insure the service contract is not voided.

What will the service contract give you that the warranty will not?

Before considering a service contract, make sure you know what your warranty coverage is. If these documents are available online, print them out to make it easier for you to read them. Then, carefully compare the coverage of your warranty to the coverage offered by the service contract to decide if the service contract is worth the additional expense. For more information about warranties, send for Warranties, a free brochure from the Federal Trade Commission, by writing to: Public Reference, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580. You also may write to this address to receive a free copy of Best Sellers, a listing of all the FTC's consumer publications.

Is the product likely to need repairs?

You may not benefit from a service contract if the product is unlikely to need servicing or if the potential cost of repairs is very low.

What other costs will you have?

You may have other expenses after you buy a service contract. Service contracts, like insurance policies, often have deductible amounts. Or, you may be charged each time the item is serviced. Some expenses are limited or excluded. For example,auto service contracts may not completely cover towing or rental car expenses. In addition, you may have to pay cancellation or transfer fees if you sell thecovered product or wish to end the contract.

Where can you get service?

If the service contract is offered by a local retailer or dealer, you may only be able to get local service. Consider the possibility that problems may develop while you are traveling or after you move away from the area.

Who is responsible for the contract?

The Federal Trade Commission often gets letters from consumers who ask what they can do about a service contract company that has gone out of business and cannot repay claims. Unfortunately, there is little recourse available to these consumers. The best way to avoid this situation is to consider, before you sign a contract, whether the company is reputable. Look for an address to write to or a phone number to call if you have questions or problems. Ask your local or state consumer protection office, Better Business Bureau, or state insurance commission if they have any complaints against the company.

Can you purchase a service contract later?

You may be better able to decide if you need a service contract after you have owned the product for some time. Consider waiting until your warranty period expires to buy a service contract.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

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Real Estate Dictionary — Title Search
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A check of the title records, usually at the local courthouse, to make sure the buyer is purchasing a house from the legal owner and there are no liens, overdue special assessments, or other claims.

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Local Market Conditions
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Mortgage Rates
As of Feb 02, 2006, as reported on Bankrate.com =

LOAN TYPE TODAY LAST WEEK

30 yr fixed mtg 5.81% 5.75%

15 yr fixed mtg 5.40% 5.33%

5/1 ARM 5.34% 5.25%

30 yr fixed jumbo 6.06% 5.99%

5/1 jumbo ARM 5.53% 5.45%

Market Info
It looks like a Buyer AND Seller's Market in our local Chattahoochee Valley area. Home prices are higher than last year at this time…the bulk of available homes appear to fall into two main brackets:

• $149,900 – 199,000 and
• $200,000 – 300,000 ranges

The availability of homes under $99,000 are lower, and in some areas – unavailable.

The outlook is very good for new housing starts, based on spot checks in the local AL & GA markets.

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Do you know a possible buyer… or seller?
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If you know of someone who will be buying or selling their home, now or the near future…. please let me know. And forward them this newsletter!

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Featured listings:

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Your Own Estate! - Approx 30.4 acres, with two homes on property, large private stocked lake with a dock, mostly wooded with large open grass-covered area. Fantastic views. Close to town, but still like country. Paved driveway to main home. Lots more. Just $624,900 in Smiths, AL MLS #34159

Horses Welcome! Gorgeous country home on 3 acres (another 1.5 acres available), 3 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths, approx 2500 square feet! The Master Bedroom and bath are downstairs, with two more bedrooms and a bath upstairs. Huge greatroom can be viewed from the 2nd floor loft area. 2-story fireplace with custom windows on either side. Gated driveway, in ground pool, clubhouse, spa deck, covered outdoor portico, and lots more! Just a short drive from Columbus, GA. All this and more for only $329,900. MLS #75862

Land Available – Almost 3/4 acre lot in Smiths, AL – close to the new Home Depot in Phenix City, AL. Easy access to town & shopping. Easement from road to property is provided. There is a small 5-room house on the property, which can be repaired or removed by buyer. Property is being sold AS IS, WHERE IS. Just $27,900 MLS #33078

Great Starter Home in the Country – Private 3BD 1BA home sits at the back of 3 acres, with a stream and woods. Driveway is ~50×657, with the bulk of the property at ~210×477. The driveway needs some TLC. The house is in good condition. Property is being sold AS IS, WHERE IS. Land & home are just $74,900. MLS #34915

! ! ! SOLD ! ! !
Country Home On One Acre – Great home in Salem, AL sits on a mostly level one acre tract. Newly painted, carpeted, large covered front porch. Country setting, quiet road. There's a security light mounted on power pole. New kitchen appliances pass with sale of home. Seller will help by paying up to half of closing costs! Located less than 10 minutes from Smiths. Great deal for just $74,900. MLS #33621

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Inspirational Moment
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"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though
nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is
a miracle." — Albert Einstein

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Well, that's all for this time. Thanks for reading.

Wishing you all my best,

David
If you have any feedback – good, bad or otherwise, drop me a line at feedback@davidsrealestatesales.com

For great information for buyer's and sellers, please visit my website at
http://www.davidsrealestatesales.com

Your Happiness Is Our Success!

Visit Rock Realty Company