Looking Out From the Garage: July 2009

Earlier today I read a blog my Anne Rains about a house she took a buyer to see... it was a mess.  It had smells.  It had clutter.  They left. 

It reminded me of a house. 

I was six.  And it was a cool house... in that 70s sort of way.  That was only appropriate, since it was the 70s.  it had a pretty big yard, a GIANT family room and a pool.  I made friends pretty fast, and walked to school.  It was a great five years in that house. 

But the day we saw it for the first time, it was a disaster.  Honestly, I don't think that any of the homes I have shown as an agent have been on the level of the one my parents bought when I was 6. 

• the pool was green... and one could almost walk across it... NASTY
• there were several neat little piles of dog poop in the large family room.  No dog... just poop.
• the kitchen looked like a school had prepared dinner... then left. 
  
• there were people sleeping in the beds...  during the showing...
• the remnants of the previous night's party were still all over the house... floors, counters... everywhere

Apparently the parent left the "kids" for the weekend.  They knew there was a showing in the morning, but it wasn't nearly as important to them. 

Obviously my parents bought the house anyway...

And they stole it.  My Dad offered low, and stuck to his guns.  Nothing else was happening for the sellers (any wonder?) so they pretty much had to play our game.  By not prepping the house to sell, they limited their options. 

Sure, they tried to blame it on the kids, but the pool took a LONG time to get where it was.  The mess in the house was not a two day event... it was weeks in the making.  The dog that was no longer on the scene had eaten a bedroom door... some carpet... and part of a wall. 

Five years later we moved halfway across the country.

The house sold in 30 minutes.  My dad called the agent that sold us the house.  He was there five minutes later (he lived around the corner).  They talked about price.  We needed a quick sale for the job related move.  The buyer was there about 15 minutes after the agent... he had made a call.  Full price.

Could they have held out for more?  Probably.  But in the 5 years we had the house, my parent more than doubled their money.  That would be including the deferred maintenance and upgrades.  According to my dad, it also included the riding mower... 

My mom deserves some credit...

The house was ready to show within minutes of the real estate agent getting the call.  It was clean, free of smells and ready to host.  My dad deserves a little, too.  I will never forget the work he did on the pool...  I think he swam in it twice, but he spent countless hours rebuilding every system he could. 

Bottom line...

Selling a home is a process that starts WAY before the listing contract is signed.  And it is a process that continues AFTER the paperwork is signed.  The house HAS to be kept up.  To really make it rock, it needs to be maintained.  Even now, with foreclosures grabbing all of the attention... for sellers to compete, they need to show that THEIR homes are ready to go and don't need the time, money and attention that the foreclosed and short sale homes need. 

And it is WAY easier to just keep it up all along than it is to fight back the deferred maintenance.  Right here in Lilburn, GA, there are some pretty good deals.  There are some that are just amazingly cheap, but may need some love.  There are others that appear to cost a little more, but they are in excellent condition and don't have the hidden pitfalls. 

Don't forget that the REAL price is seldom on the contract.

I like Twitter.  I communicate with some consumers as ell as some of my peers through Twitter.  As an organizer of Social Media Breakfast Atlanta (#smbatl), we use Twitter for promotion as well as to recap... and even during the event.  Heck, I have 1200+ followers and almost 2800 updates... obviously I think it is a worthwhile tool. 

But as I was reviewing my new followers, I was actually shocked by a tweet from one of them... needless to say, I did NOT choose to follow them back.  In under 140 characters she dropped the F-bomb twice... and had a couple of poop commentaries (she utilized another short word). 

Personally, I'm not offended by colorful language.  I have been known to use a little myself... especially in Atlanta traffic...  But I don't generally use it lightly and over a manicure appointment...  Ok, I don't get manicure appointments, but if I did I don't think I would cuss at the world if it got canceled because someone was sick... especially if the salon called to let me know before I showed up. 

But all of that is just unimportant detail...

The important part...

This was a person with an appropriate avatar.  They have a respectable number of followers.  They had several hundred updates.  But the first thing I saw when they followed me was a string of obscenities over nothing.  Is that how ANY of us wish to represent ourselves?  I think not...

Back when the rest of the country was playing with CB radios (we Jeep guys STILL use them), everyone knew what the squelch dial was.  The short definition is that it was a knob that lowered the sensitivity of the radio and got rid of background noise. 

I just turned the squelch dial on that one...  And I do it regularly.  On my @LaneBailey account, I am pretty open to whom I choose to follow back.  Aside from spammers, pornbots and people that just broadcast crap all of the time... I'm likely to follow back.  But with my @Lilburn account... not so much.  If you aren't in Gwinnett County, I probably won't follow you back.  I have a few people in the industry I follow... but it is consumer and geographically focused. 

Don't be afraid to use the squelch dial...

Turn down the noise.  Don't follow people that aren't worth following.  Unfollow people that aren't worth following.  And don't contribute to the noise, either...  Be follow worthy.  And to be honest... I am not always follow-worthy.  I have too many of my blog posts going to Twitter automatically.  I need to spend more time engaging.  But at least I have crossed the first step... I know there is something I need to fix. 

And that is the final idea...  Examine your presence on ALL of your networks.  Change it as needed.

Back in February, 2008, I attended an event for agents at Legends at Parkview.  At that time I was impressed with the quality of the homes offered in the community.  I was also impressed with the philosophy of the builder, Sean Mayfield of Mayfield Homes.  I also liked the style of the homes, and the layouts were quite nice. 

The problem was that they launched the community just as the market was collapsing around them.  And while they were strong at the time, it didn't last... 

This premiere community has slid into foreclosure.  The remaining homes (there were 8, now there are 4 left) and the lots are all for sale by the bank.  So, now is the opportunity to buy into a luxurious community at fire sale prices... bank-owned prices. 

Three of the properties are built on a basement, all have 3 car garages.  One is a 5 bedroom/4 bath, and the others have 4 bedrooms/3.5 baths. 

The properties that are currently available are priced at:

• The Waterford on a basement - $563,400 $489,900 5br/4ba
• The Addison on a slab - $589,900 $439,900 4br/3.5ba
• The Addison on a basement - $614,900 $479,900 4br/3.5ba
• The Victoria on a basement - $735,000 $524,900 4br/3.5ba

As an aside, I really like the Addison.  It has an exceptional garage.  Aside from the spaces for 3 cars, there is about an 8' wide area along one side that would be perfect for motorcycles and/or tools. 

Obviously the prices are pretty well discounted for the remaining units in the Legends at Parkview.  There aren't that many opportunities to jump into this level of luxury in a bank-owned new home community.  The foreclosures have really pushed the prices down here...  They have sold 4 homes since June.  These will sell before long...  There were several buyers coming in to visit while I was there... on a Wednesday afternoon.

Not too far from Lilburn is Discover Mills.  It sits in a triangle bounded by I-85, GA120 and Sugarloaf Parkway.  And of course the firs tthink one thinks of when talking about a mall is shopping...  But honestly, there are a lot more fun things to do there. It is a hidden gem in Gwinnett County... hidden in plain site.

Let's look at some of the cool things that we can do "at the mall"...

• Let's go racing...

Really.  Slingshot Speedway has the longest permanent indoor slot car track in the country.  For $3-$5 (speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?) you can take on up to 5 other drivers on the track... bring your own car, buy a new car or just rent... 

• Somebody need to be shot...

With an Airsoft weapon...  At Goldeagle.  They have a few thousand square feet dedication to Airsoft combat. Kind of like paintball... without the paint.  I wasn't able to get the pricing, but it would be WAY less that getting something from Prada.

• Be a Builder...

Ok, this IS  a store... but my son has spent hours building without actually purchasing anything.  The Lego Store has a great build area for kids.  I wander the store and he builds stuff.  My wife takes away my credit cards before I go in or I would have the Ferrari model... 

• Ticket to Ride...

Train or Carousel... Spiderman Jump or simulator?  You pick...  They are all there, and they don't cost THAT much... 

• Be an Extreme Sportsman...

Get you bike vertical.... or your skateboard.  Spaha/Woodward Skate Park is several thousand square feet of ramps, half pipes and street skating...  And even if you aren't going to get extreme, it can be fun to watch... and free...  And pretty cool or dry on a hot or rainy day. 

Of course there is a lot more that you can do there, from making pottery (great gift for Grandmas...) to glow in the dark mini-golf, movies and food... and even a Tournament (Medival Times is in the mall...). 

Normally, we think of shopping at the mall, but it can actually be entertaining.  Whether it is walking, people watching or engaging in some of the unique offerings, Discover Mills offers some great fun opportunities in central Gwinnett County, near Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Duluth, Suwanee and several other areas in the county.

I took a few minutes today to stop in to Garner Creek at Parkview, in Lilburn, GA.  I have been there a few times before, just checking things out. Each time there several more homes that are built and sold.  But I hadn't taken the time to really check out the properties that were available. 

There are currently 11 properties showing up in my MLS in Garner Creek at Parkview.  I went in 5 of them today and shot a few pictures in each.  I was actually quite impressed with several of them.  The construction looks solid, and the fixture are luxurious.  While one of the floorplans seemed a little odd to me, the others were quite nice.  Several of the properties also featured unfinished basements, and one had an unfinished upper level bonus room that would be an excellent teen suite or office... or hobby room.

The Master Suites were all quite generous, and most also featured large kitchens.  The units built on basements all had decks, and the one on a slab that I looked at had a nice patio area.  Most of the homes also had 3 car garages.  One thing to note is that a couple of the plans had VERY deep garages for at least one of the stall... a great bonus. 

Take a look at the pictures.  If you are interested in Garner Creek at Parkview or any of the other fine communities in and around Lilburn, GA, let me know.  There are some beautiful homes in this area, and we are quite convenient to most of the Atlanta Metro Area.  At the same time, you can get a lot more house for the money that areas closer to Downtown.

I guess I should also take a moment to mention the community amenities:

• Junior Olympic Pool
• Lighted Tennis Courts
• Playground
• Walking Trails
• 3000sf Clubhouse with a Fitness Center

It is also VERY convenient to Mountain Park Park and the Mountain Park Branch of the Gwinnett Library.  The Mountain Park Aquatic Center is also nearby... as is Bruster's Ice Cream (this is very important). 

I held an open house today in Lilburn, on 590 Baltimore Ave.  During the open house I had the opportunity to speak with several first time home buyers.  The conversations with first time home buyers in Lilburn, GA, were certainly enlightening... 

Keep in mind that the home I as holding open was priced at nearly $400,000.  In this area, that isn't the normal territory for first time home buyers.  And these folks were no exception... looking primarily in the $150k-$200k range. 

Of course we talked about properties that were available in their price range, and Lilburn has some really nice properties for sale in that range, but we talked about something else.  The something else was the tax credits that are currently available. 

Basically, there are two tax credit propgrams currently available:

• the Federal First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of (up to) $8000 that expires after November 30th
• the Georgia Home Buyer Tax Credit of (up to) $1800 that is slated to expire at the same time

All of them were well aware for the federal incentives... but none knew about the state incentives.  I know that a lot of us real estate agents are writing about it, and I also know that we are talking about it to our clients... but the word still isn't out to everyone. 

I should also mention that the Georgia Tax Credit is NOT limited to just First Time Home Buyers...

On the other hand, all of them were quite aware of the deadline for the Federal First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.  In fact, they had all started their search to specifically make sure that they had time to get everything together before the deadline.  Some were also not considering short sales because of the timeline... and the emotional rollercoaster of waiting for third-party approval. 

Each of these First Time Home Buyers had also chosen the Lilburn, GA, area for specific reasons... and cost wasn't the primary motivator.  Convenience was...  Only a few years ago the primary motivator of location for many was how far out they would have to go to get the house and yard they wanted.  Now more buyers are taking into consideration things like commute time, commuting costs, taxes, schools (none of them had kids yet, but schools were a consideration) and convenience to services and amenities. 

Finally, of note, is that the majority were not aware that the buyer's agent was generally paid by the seller and that the buyer's agent's comensation wasn't likely to affect the seller's fees.  One thought that if they didn't have an agent they would be in a better negotiation position. 

It was both fun and educational to spend the time primarily listening to their impressions and opinions.  Working with First Time Home Buyers in the Lilburn, GA, area is both fun and rewarding.  After all, I am placing new neighbors, not just random buyers.  I live where I prefer to work.

Since I specialize in homes with big garages in Gwinnett County, Georgia, it seems only appropriate that every once in a while I take a look at some of the available homes and highlight some good deals.  And there are some exceptional deals... 

(because of MLS rules, I can't directly promote individual listings... so I will talk somewhat generally. For information on specific listings, or to view them, please feel free to contact me.)

The firs thing I noticed was that there were several very attractive homes (from the photos) that were priced under $200k.  I found four properties that looked quite nice, with 4 car garages, priced from just over $125k to just under $200k.  What is more surprising is that none of these are foreclosures and only one is a short sale.  So, the idea that in order to afford big garages in Gwinnett County, you have to spend a mint doesn't hold...

There were two homes that stuck out in the mid $200k to mid $300k price point.  While the pictures weren't as attractive as some of the other homes, the descriptions were quite alluring...  They could hold promise. 

The meat of the market seems to be in the upper $300s to low $400s.  Out of the 20 homes that I pulled (from 127 listed), 7 fell into this range.  Some of these homes look to be exceptional deals.  There were a couple that were short sales and a couple foreclosures.  Most looked to be in good condition from their photos.  One looked like it needed extensive renovation, but depending on the area, could be a good long term investment if you desired to customize a home. 

Five more homes were in the $500s or so.  A couple of those look to be real deals... great location, recent or new construction and good comps in the area.

One thing I did notice is that a lot of the homes and neighborhoods that were pushing a million a few years ago can now be found in the $800s.  Some of these represent incredible deals.  Some of them are only average as deals go, but look to be beautiful properties. 

I specifically stayed away from the homes priced near $1m and up (and they went up to $8m).  While there are some amazing properties in that price range, they aren't realistic for most of my clients.  If course I am happy to help you if you are looking for million dollar properties... I actually have one listed right now in South Forsyth...

There is a wide distribution of big garages in Gwinnett County, Georgia.  The highlighted properties are distributed from Lilburn to Suwanee and from Norcross to Loganville.  Lilburn and Snellville seem to be pretty heavy with good properties. 

Georgia has lots of car people.  Gwinnett County seems to have a pretty generous portion of 4+ car garages relative to other counties in the Atlanta Metro area.  

Do you ever just want to dance to the news?  I don't... or at least I didn't...  This was really fun, though and will give me a new little spin on the news. 

BTW, I haven't really paid much thought as to whether they are coming down on the left or the right in regards to the actual issues presented...  Lighten up and just enjoy the creativity of the video.

The Duluth Ice Forum is a great break from the heat and humidity here in the Atlanta area.  Just think... the temperature outside is hoving in the 90s... or hotter.  In order for it to be muggy, the humidity would have to drop 10%.  What better way to get your cool on than to go ice Skating...

That is just what we have been doing for the last couple of years.  On as many Friday mornings as we can manage, we pack up the gear and take our Cross-Ice player up to the Duluth Ice Forum to get a little ice time.  There is a public session from 10am-12noon several days per week.  He started as just another little kid that couldn't skate... 

But then he started Snow Plow Sam skating lessons.  They were excellent.  He was having fun and enjoying the new adventure of learning to skate.  But... he needed a little more. 

So, we hired one of the great coaches that work out of the Duluth Ice Forum.  Coach Krystal stepped in to help Garrett get past the "knee-bending predicament".  She coached him through the transition from figure skates to hockey skates.  She helped to get him skating faster again.  Coach Jenny picked up to help Garrett backwards and build his turning and stopping ability.  Between the two of them they got him ready to skate in Cross-Ice hockey.  And the rates for lessons, and even private coaching from Coaches Krytal and Jenny, is pretty reasonable. 

Back to today, skating at the Duluth Ice Forum is still a good deal.  Garrett gets to skate for $3...  If he needed to rent skates, that would only run another $3 (if you are going to skate a few times, finding some skates on Craigslist is a pretty good idea...).  Two hours of cool as a break from the heat outside... and for just a couple of bucks. 

There are also lots of other cool things happening at the Duluth Ice Forum.  There are Hockey Tournaments, Skating Clinics and Camps (both for Hockey and Figure Skating), Figure Skating Competitions and practices for both the Gwinnett Gladiators and Atlanta Thrashers. 

The Duluth Ice Forum is another example of the great recreational opportunities in Gwinnett County, GA.

Dogs in Lilburn, GA, want to walk, run and play...  They want to go to the park...  Luckily, Ronald Reagan Park at Five Forks has a pair of doggy recreational areas for our sniffy companions.  

The two areas are set aside for dogs under or over 20 pounds.  There is also a dog run that connects the two areas and allows drag racing dogs room to get up to speed. Both areas also feature some obstacles for the dogs to play on, and even a Doggy Water Bar. 

Dogs in Lilburn have it made... being able to shirk the leash and spend some quality time running with the other four legged floor vacuums. 

But, Ronald Reagan Park isn't just one dimensional.  There is a great play area for kids, a large field that is excellent to kick a ball around it, horse shoe pits, a small skateboard park, basketball, walking trails and several pavilions. 

The park is part of the award-winning Gwinnett County Parks system.  With facilities ranging from indoor and outdoor aquatics centers, ball fields and biking trails to green space and waterways, Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation is making sure that residents have plenty of options to get away without going away... even dogs. 

And that isn't even the only option for dogs in Lilburn to hit the park and play with their peers.  Lilburn City Park has a great walking trail that runs along Camp Creek, Mountain Park Aquatic Center has walking trails, as does Mountain Park Park.