We all know this is a tough market. And we know that as sellers when we are cutting prices to the bone paying a Realtor is really tough. So you may think I will sell on my own. Now there have been many blogs here on ActiveRain about why you should use a Realtor. The reasons are numerous and have been often stated. But there is one thing I have never seen given as a reason. How many time has this happened to you. If you are a Realtor the call goes something like this. " I saw this house for sale and I am interested in it. Are you the owner? No I am the Realtor. Oh I was hoping to speak to the owner." ASK YOURSELF WHY. To me the answer is simple. A Realtor works for his or her client. A Realtor is going to examine contracts, ask for earnest money, check on loan status and try to get a pr... 10/25/2010

The Mountain Real Estate report is heard every Thursday on WYYZ Radio in North Georgia. It is broadcast over the web and stored on our web site , www.allmountainrealty.com This week Linda and I review some nuts and bolts about buying and selling. We talk about the appraisal and pricing for the selling side, and financing as well as credit scores for the buyer. We give some tips for both. Enjoy 11/18/2009

At the turn of the 20th  and near the end of 19th Century  there was a big , what we would call today, grass roots movement in the South. It was called the Populist movement. It featured such colorful characters as Sock-less Jerry Simpson, and famous figures like William Jennings Bryan. There were a lot of poor folk in the South and this movement was aimed at changing and empowering these folk. Now the party that controlled the South was the Democratic party. So this movement really challenged the fat cats in the Democratic party and was a threat to them. What happened? The Democratic party leaders split the movement by raising the issue of race. The party before this had black and white members. But by raising the issue of race the fat cats split the movement. In the end they were able... 08/12/2009

My Sister-in-law is here visiting us from England. She loves looking at homes. So while my wife is working I take her around with me as I preview homes and communities. It is interesting to note the observations of a visitor to our country. 1 Most of the homes here seem bigger to her. Yes we have all seen shows with stately mansion in PBS but they are the exception. So to her most homes here are a lot bigger than you see in England. Also the homes here have more Loo's (bathrooms) than they do there. 2 Prices for homes here tend to be less and the land you get with them tends to be more. Now this is very local as she is comparing North Georgia. But she is always remarking on how great the prices are and how big the yard is. 3 She asks about "Lease-hold"  That is something in their market... 06/25/2009

Many of us in Rural areas do USDA loans. USDA is 100 percent financing and often works out to be less costly than FHA with 3 % down!!! One of the benefits to this type of loan is you can finance up to 102 percent of the appraised value of the home. This extra money is typically used for closing costs. However if you have a buyer that is getting a great deal on a fixer upper beware ! You do have to escrow money etc like you do for FHA repair loan. But there is a BIG difference. If the USDA Appraiser feels that a repair is a hazard then the repair must be done BEFORE closing. This can create problems when dealing with sellers or foreclosures. In the case of a foreclosure the bank is not going to spend anything. If a non foreclosure is involved the Seller may not have the money. This leads... 05/21/2009

The scenes below are very different. They do show the difference i the mountain views and settings that are possible. The first scene of lovely fields and green is on Yukon Road near the town of Ellijay. Ellijay is a great mountain destination and famous for its' apple festival. The land is green and even though it is in the mountains there are pretty green valleys where folks farm and grow stuff.  Next picture is of Grandview Lake. In the back ground you can see Sharp top mountain. You see small boat houses along the shore line. What these very different photos have in common is they illustrate a different style of living. They show things how they were in quieter less hectic times. The North Georgia Mountains are a great place to live , raise a family or have a second home. Take from ... 05/02/2009

I am a transplanted New Yorker.I have been here almost 24 Years. Each section of the country has it's beauty . But it also has a uniqueness that adds the human touch to an area. The picture below is a typical North Georgia Mountain store. You can tell by the Chimney and the wooden structure that the building has been around for a while. It is a Health food store. now aside from the appeal of the building there is a certain incongruity to this photo that is uniquely Southern. In the Land of North Georgia just outside Atlanta you can believe Coca Cola is considered a health food. I smile every time I see the front of this building. I thought You All would like it too.We all post pretty Pictures what about traditions makes your area of the country unique? Love to read about it 09/14/2008