If you are tired of Metro Atlanta townhome communities with not many floorplan options, you will be pleasantly surprised by what Lafayette Square has to offer. Their floorplans include:

Audubon – Single-car garage, entire second-floor owners retreat, 3.5 baths. Alternatively configured as either a 2 or 3 bedroom home. Main floor open with 1 three sided fireplace dividing the Dining room and Living room. Kitchen opens into the Dining room and a breakfast nook.

Barone – Two-car garage, 2 Bedrooms Up, Bonus Room can be 3rd Bedroom. 3 Full Bathrooms with a Powder Room on Main Floor. Main floor open with 1 three sided fireplace dividing the Dining room and Living room. Kitchen opens into the Dining room and a breakfast nook.

Dameron – One of our largest homes features a two-car garage, 2 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom that alternatively can be a 3 or 4 bedroom home. Open main floor for easy entertaining includes casual dining at the kitchen bar. A three-sided fireplace highlights the Dining Room and Living Room area. A room at the rear of the home works well for an office or Den.

Doucet- Another very large home with two-car garage, 2,3 or 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. Beautiful two-sided fireplace with surrounding cabinets divide the Dining Room and Living Room spaces. Open floorplan also includes a separate Den or Office off of the Kitchen.

Evangeline- One of the most open floorplans includes 2-car garage, and can be configured as a 2, 3 or 4 bedroom with 3.5 bathrooms. Incredibly huge kitchen with a large island overlooks the Dining and Living Rooms. Living Room has a fireplace centered on back wall with optional built-in cabinets surrounding.

St. Charles- This 2-car garage home accommodates 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. One of our most open floorplans. The home has a corner fireplace in the Living Room, a wrap-around kitchen with an optional mobile island.

Tulane – This 2-car garage home is among the largest you’ll see. The Dining Room is large enough to comfortably display even the largest of formal dining room furniture. Alternatively, use that space as a huge Den and utilize the breakfast room for a more informal dining area. Either way, this home is sure to provide you the space you need.

For more information about Lafayette Square Townhomes, contact Lee Davenport at places2love@gmail.com or 404.444.5777! Happy House Hunting!

At first glance it looked to be just another article by another self-proclaimed expert on their soapbox pontificating about the economy and forecasting more gloom and doom on the horizon.  Later, I realized that the author, Thomas J. Sugrue a noted historian and professor at the University of Pennsylvania had profoundly chronicled the history of home ownership in modern America.  What was even more intriguing was that his perspective was not only poignant but he seemed to have personalized it for me by using Atlanta as the microcosm for his analysis. 

If you watched the news on or about August 12, 2009, there was several days of coverage from the Georgia World Congress Center.  The images the television cameras broadcasted was tens of thousands of emotional homeowners packed into the World Congress Center like they were attending Michael Jackson’s memorial service.  Thousands were standing in line braving the mid-summer temperatures desperately seeking assistance in the face of losing their homes.  The organization known as “The Neighborhood  Assistance Corporation of America” (NACA)has been successfully touring across the South.  Their goal is to paring struggling homeowners with the likes of mortgage giants such as Bank of America and CitiCorp.  Evoking tears of joy and relief, some of the lucky ones were able to hold onto their ‘Dream” (at least for now) as they received loan modifications right on the spot.  

So what may have brought us to this point you say?  The article eluded to the real possibility that the lights could be going dim on the American Dream?  You gotta be kidding me?  The death of the American Dream?  That had to be just a bunch or rhetoric!  But other revelations was still to come.  As I continued to read the article it was becoming more and more apparent that the sheer existence of the Home-Ownership Dream had everything to do with free markets, financial regulation, government intervention, and taxation. 

Think about it folks….The birth of the American Dream didn’t occur until Uncle Sam intervened way back during the Great Depression.  In 1913 Uncle Sam added a little known provision to the federal tax code that allowed for the deduction of home mortgage interest payments.  Just so you know, it was Herbert Hoover that signed the Federal Home Loan Bank Act in 1932, which laid the groundwork for federal intervention. In 1933,  Frankin Roosevelt created the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation to provide low interest loans for foreclosed home owners.  In 1934, FDR created the Federal Housing Administration which cut rates and created the 25 and 30 year mortgages.  Before that time mortgages were typically 10 year loans with 50% down payments. 

Then in 1938, FDR created the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and thus was the birth of the secondary mortgage market. Later in 1944, the federal government extended mortgage assistance to returning veterans, most of whom could not have otherwise afforded a house.  For me, this allowed my dad an army veteran as well as 90% of other families of veterans in the neighborhood I grew up in Chicago to purchase homes.      

The data in the article is pretty darn accurate.  Credit was easy to get as the Feds started underwritting  housing programs.  By 1950, 55% of Americans had attained their piece of the American Dream.  By 1970, that figure reached 63%. Yes, It was now cheaper to buy than to rent!   Subsequently renting carried a new stigma. Federali tervention unleashed enormous sums of capital that turned new home construction and real estate into economic sectors.  In 1959 the census bureau began collecting data on new housing starts.  This became a leading indicator of American economic vitality.

So it seemed too that these same federal policies carried another storied face….racism!  Of all new housing built today, the article stated that 80% was reported to be reserved for suburbia a direct reflection of federal policies favoring the outlying areas instead of rebuilding deteriorating inner cities. This trend continued until civil rights legislation was passed back in 1968.  The author questions seemed to indicate that the government sanctioned programs favored segregation although it was cloaked to look like the work of the free markets – the result of countless folks choice of where to live.

By the 1960’s & 70’s the Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) took hold and expanded the opportunity for housing which previously excluded minorities.  Later in 1976, the Community Reinvestment Act forced banks to make loans to certain areas that had been previously “red lined” by banks. Soon Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac were even pushed to underwrite loan for minorities and others who were previously considered to be an “adverse risk.” 

As the turn of the 21st century approached, the euphoric Dream of home-ownership suddenly went delusional! The financing industry aided and supported by the Clinton and Bush administrations found new ways and implemented new tools to make it possible for more folks to obtain a piece of the Dream.  We witnessed the birth of sub-prime lending, the securitizing of mortgages, and a cast of Financiers emerged that made it possible to gamble with other folks money.  Of course, this opportunity to “get rich quick”enabled and lured investors to come out of the wood-works.   Cha-Ching!

So here we are folks…waiting for devine intervention or someone to lead us out of this mess as the article referenced back to the scene at the Georgia World Congress Center.  Here are the stats: Housing values across the United States have fallen by one third; Over a million homes were foreclosed on nationally in 2008; Foreclosures were up 7% in July 09; and our beautiful peach state ranks #7 of all states with the highest rate of foreclosures.  The collapse in confidence in securitized, high-risk mortgages has also devastated some of the nation’s largest banks and lenders. Look at Georgia’s banking problems!  Fannie Mae alone held an estimated $230 billion in toxic assets.  By the way, banks have only extended 400,000 offers to an estimated 2.7 million folks who are more than 2 payments behind!  So who’s really benefiting from the stimulus?

Economists like Wharton School’s Joseph Gyourko, are beginning to make the case that public policies should encourage renting, or at least put it on a level playing field with home ownership.  The article reports that a June 2009 survey commissioned by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, found a deep-seated pessimism about home ownership, further suggesting that even if renting doesn’t yet have that mark of distinction, it is the only choice available for folks who have been victimized by the housing market.  Further, One third of respondents did not believe that they would ever be able to own a home.   A whopping 42% of those who once purchased a home and lost it, now believe that they’ll never own one again.

So there it is folks….everyone has their own story, struggles and opinions.  Even me.  Should we encourage folks to try and save their homes or is there a point to be made by this whole analysis.  Further can it be deduced that government may have played a major role in the development of this crisis and now plans to portray the hero?  Who can you trust?  Additionally, with the currently rise in foreclosures….can we even consider renting an option without worrying about the owners possibly facing foreclosure and renters being put out in the streets.  What do you think?

Greg Saunders is a Licensed Real Estate Professional in the State of Georgia with RE/MAX Around Atlanta team. Greg’s exceptional customer service skills helped him to become recognized for his expertise in corporate relocation, assistance to first time home buyers and working with busy professionals.

To see this home, please call me at (404) 290-8907.

About the author:  Crystal Canaday is a real estate agent with RE/MAX Around Atlanta.  She has serviced clients across many price ranges and all across Metro Atlanta.  Her goal is to make every home purchasing experience the best one you’ve ever had! Visit her online at:  www.crystalcanaday.com

Coming in at #8, Peachtree City and it 34,000 plus residents will all tell you that there is no better place to live and raise a family on this planet!  Personally, it would be pretty hard to disagree and not acknowledge their strong sense of community.  Besides…what’s not to love? 

All you have to do is take a drive via your personal vehicle or on a golf cart down the beautiful tree-lined street, roads, and avenues or cruise the 90 miles of golf cart paths to recognize that this is a unique and beautiful sanctuary.  Not to mention the miles of friendly smiles you will see on the faces of all that call Peachtree City….home!!

So what is there to do in Peachtree City you might ask?  How about let’s start with recreation! Peachtree City has swimming pools;  a soccer complex; baseball, softball & football fields; a BMX track; numerous parks & playgrounds; the Alta-approved tennis center; and the Kendron Fieldhouse and Aquatic Center.  Oh yeah did I mention the Fred (Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater)…a 2,000 seat facility?

Additionally, for all of those that consider shopping a viable sport.  Stroll the promenades of the Avenues at Peachtree City.  Its a breath of air for the traditional mall routine offering an upscale “open air” shopping experience.  There are also some great restaurants to check out before or after shopping.

Okay….So what were the factors that were used to determine where were the best places to live?  Well, Money magazine considered the economy, job growth, incomes, housing affordability, education, and crime statistics.  As I mentioned earlier, Peachtree City has been distinguished before by the magazine.  In 2005 the city was ranked #8 and back in 2007 #67.

Finally, I wanted to also recognize both Suwanee (#35) and Martinez (#63) for making the Top 100 list.  So for all you city folk from the east, midwest, northwest and other parts of our great country….if you are looking for a great place to raise your family or even retire, maybe Georgia should be on your mind.

Greg Saunders is a Licensed Real Estate Professional in the State of Georgia with RE/MAX Around Atlanta team. Greg’s exceptional customer service skills helped him to become recognized for his expertise in corporate relocation, assistance to first time home buyers and working with busy professionals.

If staying in your home has become the main source of your stress….have you at least talked to a professional or looked at your options?  Are you facing mounting credit card debt, car payments, insurance, gas, and other financial challenges?   Have you taken any action or just waiting on divine intervention?  Panic, worry and stress have some folks on the verge of……well doing something drastic.  That normally means something reactionary.  The result…more stress! 

What to do?  Well worrying about situations never really seems to help.  It sure hasn’t worked for me.  What’s worse is that I’d probably be sporting a fuller head of hair.  But seriously, what about the results?  Okay, let’s examine the results of stress.  Folks in these times of economic uncertanity many of us need to get a handle on how to deal with stress so we can continue to lead happy and normal lives.  But you must first realize that dealing with stress is a process and not an outcome. 

No I’m not a physician but think about it for a moment.  Our attitudes influenced by rushed lifestyles and expectations of instant gratification reflect the need to just eradicate stress rather than to reduce, manage or control it!  The result has been what is becoming known as “lifestyle diseases.”  These diseases are commonly known as heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.  So anyway that you look at it stress either real or imagined is the inability to cope with a perceived threat to your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.  Yep…when is the last time you checked your blood pressure or had a physical?

That’s right folks….stress is no joke but a pretty complex phenomenon affecting your whole person, not just your body.  Let’s be rational here.  As the stress mounts from financial worries….stress adds up to more than just a physical arousal and soon your body is literally a battleground for the war games of your mind.

Just as a note, I am no exception to succumbing to worry.  I can even attest to the fact that some of my “worry wortness” has caused some depression in the past.  Why?  Well, if you break down worry it has a immense impact on you.  Worry can immobilize your cognitive skills, cloud your rational thinking and therefore become the perfect breeding ground for…..stress! 

What is so ironic is that most of us worry about crap that we have no control over.  In fact, if you go back and think about it…..those things we worry about are actually quite menial and/or trivial in the grand scheme of things.  Yes, we all have had the tendency to make the proverbial mountain out of a molehill….right? 

So folks instead of worrying and stressing, how about attempting to use those same energies to plan, develop strategies, set goals and work on things that will potential enrich and empower us.  Further, while you are permanently removing those distractions…guilt, worry, and doubt, your perception of life and what is really important will help to move you forward.  Trust me…you will see thing in a whole different light!

Just remember, Yesterday’s the Past, Tomorrow’s the Future but Today is a Gift!  That’s why it’s called “The Present!”

Greg Saunders is a Licensed Real Estate Professional in the State of Georgia with RE/MAX Around Atlanta team. Greg’s exceptional customer service skills helped him to become recognized for his expertise in corporate relocation, assistance to first time home buyers and working with busy professionals.

Beyond the $8,000 tax credit, do you want $10,000 for your next real estate purchase?

Cambridge’s 3-story townhouses are modestly priced for their brick exterior and hot Sandy Springs location from the low to mid-$200,000s, making them a great real estate deal.  Three- and four-bedroom homes are available all with at least three full baths, hardwoods, stainless steel appliances among other high-end features that are custom to each home.  Some of the real estate units at Cambridge even have up to $10,000 in incentives to give future owners. 

Interested in learning more about the townhouses at Cambridge and how to get the additional $10,000?  Contact 404.444.5777 or places2love@gmail.com for more details.

Happy House Hunting!

Alright, maybe that is an overblown example but you get the point and most of us have been through it.  Unfortunately the foreclosure problem has also created issues for unsuspecting renters.  The problem has become so enormous that the media picked up a story awhile back in Chicago where the Sheriff defied court ordered evictions because many of these folks had been paying their rents and now with only a few days notice were having their belonging (not to mention their bodies) physically removed from the properties.  

On May 20, 2009, President Obama signed into law the “Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009.”  This law include Title VII, “Protecting Tenants At Foreclosure Act.”  The Act provides that in the case of any foreclosure on a federally-related mortgage loan or on any dwelling or residential real property, the party taking title to the property pursuant to the foreclosure, (”Foreclosing Party”) assumes the property subject to the rights of the tenant.  If the owner decides to evict the tenant, the tenant must be given a 90 day notice to vacate the premises.  

However, it should be noted that if the tenant executed a lease prior to the date of the foreclosure, the tenant has the rights to stay in the property until the end of the lease period.    Of course, the exception being if the new owners will be the occupants of the home.  Then the 90 day notice would apply. 

The act still raises numerous questions and is vague about related issues as they severely impact the rights of foreclosing lenders.  But, the primary purpose of preventing individuals and families from being evicted without due notice or consideration is paramount.  Now let’s hope we can find additional workable ways to help homeowners stay in their homes.

About the Author:  Greg Saunders is a Licensed Real Estate Professional in the State of Georgia with RE/MAX Around Atlanta team. Greg’s exceptional customer service skills helped him to become recognized for his expertise in corporate relocation, assistance to first time home buyers and working with busy professionals.  www.peachtreecitylife.com

This Metro Atlanta gated real estate community features brick homes that have 10-foot trey ceilings, finished terrace/basement level with a bonus room, spacious decks with outdoor stone fireplaces, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, oversized master, separate dining & living rooms, and even room for a home elevator.  These 2-car garage townhouses feature 3- and 4-bedroom floorplans currently ranging in price from $399,000 to $439,900.

Want to view Sandy Springs’ Mystic Ridge townhomes or just want more details?  Contact 404.444.5777 or places2love@gmail.com. 

Happy House-Hunting!

Now you can believe all the the hype you have been hearing…. there may never be a better time for first-time home buyers to buy a house than right now!

That’s right folks…it was recently announced that plans are in process to permit FHA-approved lenders to provide short-term bridge loans, allowing eligible home buyers to access the their tax credit funds at closing instead of waiting for the tax credit in 2010.  This can be your ticket to getting money to help cover closing costs and your down payment.

According to Realtor.org, “FHA-approved lenders received the go-ahead to develop bridge-loan products. FHA lenders are currently awaiting guidance from HUD on the development of these products….”  Now please be advised that the monies CANNOT be used for down payments but home buyers can use to it to help cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, or put down more than the minimum 3.5 percent thereby saving more moo-la on interest charges.

As you know, the first-time home-buyer tax credit was implemented to help encourage households to enter the housing market while interest rates are low and home affordability is still high. The credit worth up to $8,000 does not have to be repaid, and is fully reimbursable, so households can get their credit returned to them in the form of a payment. 

Hey folks it’s time to get off the fence and get on the horn to a real estate agent and mortgage broker today!  Oh, excuse me my phone is ringing….this must be you!

About The Author:  Greg Saunders is a Licensed Real Estate Professional in the State of Georgia with RE/MAX Around Atlanta team. Greg’s exceptional customer service skills helped him to become recognized for his expertise in corporate relocation, assistance to first time home buyers and working with busy professionals.

Now is a perfect time to buy a home! Contrary to the news reports, people have not stopped purchasing homes.  While the housing prices went down, the number of homes sold went up (according to the National Association of Realtors – NAR).  And now that the government has introduced an economic stimulus package, more buyers are entering the scene.  A few key events have given the housing market a boost:  1) lower interest rates, 2) conforming loan limits were increased as high as $729,750 in certain metropolitan areas (previously capped at $417,000),  3) FHA has new loan limits ranging from $271,050 to $346,250 and 4) the government has instituted the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers.

 In addition to all of the changes, the existing programs such as down payment assistance are still available.  By using a down payment assistance program, a homebuyer can receive a gift of up to 10% of the purchase price to use as a down payment or to offset closing costs.  The funds are a gift; but, there are some stipulations attached.  The programs normally have a certain period for which the buyer has to own the home.   These programs are usually designed for the first time homebuyer; but, there are some for those who are not purchasing their first home.  

Funds are available from charity organizations as well as government housing agencies.  Most cities and counties receive federal funds to aid their residents in purchasing a home.  There are also programs designed for persons in certain occupations, such as teachers, firefighters, police officers and doctors. 

If you are thinking of purchasing a home, go ahead and get started now.  Take a look at your credit to be sure there are not any issues there.  The next step is to contact a mortgage consultant and find a good REALTOR. 

About the author:  Crystal Canaday is a real estate agent with RE/MAX Around Atlanta.  She has serviced clients across many price ranges and all across Metro Atlanta.  Her goal is to make every home purchasing experience the best one you’ve ever had! Visit her online at:  www.crystalcanaday.com.