All Blog Entries by Joshua Keen

The 2011 Oakhurst Real Estate market had an uncanny resemblance to the 2010 Oakhurst Real Estate market with a total of 92 homes sold ranging in price at the low end of $125,000 to the high end of $795,000.  That's just 5 more homes than 2010 when a total of 87 homes sold ranging in price from $113,000 to $638,000.   

In 2011, the average Oakhurst home listed for $378,131 and sold in 85 days for 94.35% of list price at $349,252.    That's a slight improvement when compared to 2010 when the average Oakhurst home listed for $368,635 and in 101 days for 94.86% list price at $343,956. 

A quick look at the numbers and we discover the improvement in average sales price is, in large part, because of the higher total sales volume of homes sold above…

A quick look at the short sale market reveals there are several homes in the $1,000,000 plus price range currently listed as potential short sales.  From Luxury Estates to Penthouse Condominiums -- there's a little something for everyone.  And an excellent opportunity for buyers to negotiate deep, deep discounts on preforeclosure listings. 

#atlanta-luxury-short-sales#

Lien Release vs. Full Satisfaction in Short Sales

When buyers purchase real property, they, and the title company insuring title, will ensure that the property is conveyed free and clear of all liens.  When your lender agrees to a short sale, they are agreeing to release their lien(s) from the property for less money than what is owed so the property can be sold.  So whenever a property is sold in a short sale, the lien is released from the property.  Yet the lender generally has two choices.
Lenders can either: 1) Release the lien and declare the debt paid and settled in full (called a "full release and satisfaction") or 2) Release the lien only from the property and still consider you personally liable for any unpaid balance of the loan ("lien…

Foreclosures notices for April 2011 in the Metro Atlanta market dropped by 28% from March 2011 and 18% from April 2010. What does this mean for the foreclosure market here in Atlanta? Well ... as much as we'd like this to mean foreclosures have seen their peak, it's more reasonable to assume the precipitous drop is due to recent changes in lender requirements.

Pervasive problems with improper paperwork led many lenders to slow down the filing process. They're now taking extra steps before advertising properties for foreclosure; making certain to dot all the "i's" and cross all the "t's". Those extra steps, though necessary to protect the legal interests of big banks, are causing homes to sit longer before hitting the market as REOs (real estate…

Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Metro Atlanta

To better serve the needs of real estate investors throughout the Metro Atlanta market, I recently earned the Certified Investor Agent Specialist™ (CIAS) Designation. With the CIAS, I have the training, tools and calculations to effectively serve the five investor types: First-Time Investor, Move-Up Investor, Portfolio Investor, Performance Investor, and Rehab and Resell Investor.

Real estate represents a consistent and stable way to build wealth, brings liquidity to our housing market, and stimulates our local economy. In fact, in the past year, investment and second-home properties represented approximately 27% of all residential sales. It’s also worth noting that nationwide, 43% of real estate…

Foreclosures notices for March 2011 in the Metro Atlanta market dipped slightly suggesting a possibly peak in the activity across the 13 county area and a glimmer of hope for the struggling market. The March total fell to 10,779 - a .6 percent drop from the February 2011 tally and a significant 14 percent dip from March 2010 numbers.

Foreclosure trend upward during the spring and summer months. In fact March 2010 saw a 22 percent rise from February 2010 -- so this decline, though welcomes, comes unexpectedly.

Even with the surprise drop in notices file this past month ... we're still 2 percent ahead of last…

A secret is something hidden or known only to insiders. A few behavioral scientists and market researchers might be acquainted with some of the ideas in this blog series, but these concepts have not been available to consumers prior to now. One of my professional priorities is to change that fact by equipping homeowners, renters, buyers, and sellers with “insider information” that can help them become more comfortable (and savvy) about whatever housing transaction they might contemplate.

Housing decisions are crucial. They can involve the most money you ever spend, the highest debt you ever incur, and the best (or worst) investment you ever make. A moving…

1 in 7 mortgages are not being paid

25% of all U.S. properties are underwater (near 40% in the state of GA)

The current unemployment rate is 9.2%

1 in every 300 households in Georgia received a foreclosure notice in February 2011

As a professional real estate consultant in this market I have resources to help if you're faced with financial distress as a result of these tough economic times we've encountered. Don't wait until it's too late to take action. Contact me today at (404) 270 9374.

This is the preface post in a new blog series I'm calling "10 Secrets for Successful Home Buying and Selling". Taken together, this series will be a guide to help you navigate the complex and often emotionally charged process of buying, selling or renting real estate. Feel comfortable leaving comments, asking questions and engaging with other readers when it strikes you.  Simply leave a comment in the section below.

Until recently, the longest my family lived in one place was five years, and our usual limit was two years. We've changed homes, transformed rooms to accommodate new uses, rented, bought, and sold homes, refinanced them, leveraged them, and invested in them.

We've moved to save money, to seek or accept new employment, to find better…

The recent news of an improving economy and a falling unemployment rate has  little to do with the Atlanta housing market as foreclosure notices continue at a break neck pace.  February was a record breaking month posting a 7 percent increase over January and a 5 percent increase from February 2010.

Just two months into the year and it's clear 2011 is going to be one of the record books.  According to Equity Depot (a foreclosure tracking firm) -- notices increased 13 percent from the same time in 2010, which was also a record year.

Here's why this is still happening and isn't likely to change any time soon: The confluence of factors that cause an extremely high foreclosure rate still exist.   Decreasing real estate values, low buyer demand,…