Connect With Me
Search For Cabins
Join My Email
Listing Slideshow
My Listing Manager
Featured Listings
Featured Video
Search Blog
iPhone-iPad Enabled
My Information
Event Calendar
| « Aug |
|
Oct » |
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
Categories
- Georgia Mountain Foreclosure reVIEWS
- Family reVIEWS
- Front Porch VIEWS
- Real Estate Made Simple
- Georgia Mountain Community reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Real Estate VIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Home Buyer's reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Home Seller's reVIEWS
- Realtor reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Got-To-Do reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Dining reVIEWS
- Professional Associate reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Cabin Rental reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Market reVIEWS
- Mortgage & Finance reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Sightseeing
- Georgia Mountain Slang
- Clients reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Golf & Resort reVIEWS
- Featured Listing reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Home Tips
- Outdoor Adventure reVIEWS
- Georgia Mountain Shopping reVIEWS
Blue Ridge Searches
Blairsville Searches
Ellijay Searches
Hiawassee Searches
Area Information
Porch Posts
Porch Library
RE Radio Today
NAR Message
Market Trends
Touch A Life!
Archive for September, 2011
With the change of season, it’s a good time to make sure your home’s gutter system is clean and well-functioning.
Home gutters serve a specific purpose. By capturing and funneling rainwater away from a home “footprint” water damage to walls, windows and roofing can be minimized. A well-functioning gutter system can keep a home’s basement from flooding, and a foundation safe from long-term structural damage.
Damaged or dirty gutters can lead to major home damage that may not be covered by insurance.
For homeowners in Aska Adventure Area , keeping clean gutters is essential. Luckily, with the right tools, gutter maintenance can be a do-it-yourself job.
First, gather the necessary tools. You’ll need a ladder for climbing; a bucket for holding debris; a hose for flushing your gutters; and a small, scooping tool such as a trowel.
Next, carefully climb to your gutter. Using your hands, scoop large debris and place it in the bucket. Use the trowel to get to hard-to-reach places and for removing sticks and leaves. For safety, do not stretch to reach the next section of gutter.
After clearing the first gutter portion, step down from the ladder, move it to the next section of gutter, and repeat. Do this until all gutter sections are free from debris.
Next, find a garden hose with a spray attachment. Carry the hose up the ladder with you to the highest point of your gutter system — usually opposite the downspout. With the water supply on, spray water into the gutter to flush the remaining debris.
If the water fails to drain, there’s likely a clog in the downspout. Using a screwdriver, separate the downspout, find the clog, and remove it. Or, if you find standing water, adjust the slope of your gutter by removing the gutter hangers, fixing the slope, and re-attaching the hangers.
A gutter system should slope roughly one-quarter inch for every 10 feet of gutter.
Gutter maintenance is a twice a year task that you can do yourself. However, if you’re uncomfortable on a ladder, or prefer to hire professionals, that’s okay, too. As with everything in home maintenance, it’s safety first.
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.
The vote was 7-3 — the second straight meeting at which the FOMC adjourned with as many 3 dissenters. Prior to that last meeting, there hadn’t been 3 FOMC dissenters since 1992.
In its press release, the Federal Reserve presented a dour outlook for the U.S. economy, noting that since its last meeting in August:
- Economic growth “remains slow”
- Unemployment rates “remain elevated”
- The housing sector “remains depressed”
The Fed also said that there are “significant downside risks” to the economic outlook, tied to strains in the global financial markets.
The news wasn’t all bad, however.
The Fed noted that business investment in equipment and software continues to expand, and that inflationary pressures on the economy appear to have stabilized. The Fed then re-iterated its plan to leave the Fed Funds Rate in its current range near 0.000 percent “at least until mid-2013″. This means that Prime Rate — the rate to which credit card rates and lines of credits are often tied — should remain unchanged at 3.250 for at least another 2 years.
Furthermore, as expected, the Federal Reserve launched a market stimulus plan aimed at lowering long-term interest rates. The Fed will sell $400 billion in Treasury securities with a maturity of 3 years or less, and use the proceeds to buy the same with maturity between 6 and 30 years.
Mortgage market reaction to the FOMC statement has been positive this afternoon. Mortgage rates in the North Georgia Mountains are improving, but note that Wall Street sentiment can shift quickly — especially in a market that’s as uncertain as this one.
If today’s mortgage rates and payments fit your household budget, consider locking in a rate. Rates can change swiftly.
The FOMC’s next meeting is a 2-day affair, scheduled for November 1-2, 2011.
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
The Federal Open Market Committee adjourns from a two-day, scheduled meeting today, the sixth of 8 scheduled meetings this year, and the seventh Fed meeting overall.
The FOMC is a designated, 12-person committee within the Federal Reserve, led by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. The FOMC is the voting members for the country’s monetary policy. Among its other responsibilities, the FOMC sets the Fed Funds Rate, the overnight rate at which banks borrow money from each other.
Note that the “Fed Funds Rate” is different from “mortgage rates”. Mortgage rates are not set by the Fed. Rather, they are based on the price of mortgage-backed bonds, a security traded among investors.
As the chart at top illustrates, the Fed Funds Rate and conforming mortgage rates in Hiawassee and Blairsville, GA. have little correlation. Since 1990, the two benchmark rates have been separated by as much as 5.29 percent, and have been as close as 0.52 percent.
Today, the separation between the Fed Funds Rate and the national average for a standard, 30-year fixed rate mortgage is roughly 4 percent. This spread will change, however, beginning 2:15 PM ET Wednesday. That’s when the FOMC adjourns from its meeting and releases its public statement to the markets.
There is no doubt that the Fed will leave the Fed Funds Rate in its current target range of 0.000-0.250%; Fed Chairman Bernanke plans to leave the benchmark rate as-is until at least mid-2013. However, the Fed is expected to add new support for markets.
Unfortunately, there are few clues about how the Fed will support markets, and there is no consensus opinion regarding the size of the said support. As a result, mortgage rates should be bouncy today. First, they’ll be volatile ahead of the Fed’s statement. Then, they’ll be volatile post-Fed statement.
Even if the Fed does nothing, mortgage rates will change. This is because Wall Street is prepping for an announcement and — no matter what the Fed says or does — investors will want to react accordingly.
When mortgage markets are volatile, the safest move is to lock your mortgage rate in. There too much risk to float.
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
Homebuilders are feeling worse about the market for new homes nationwide.
With construction credit tight and competition from foreclosures increasing, the National Association of Homebuilder’s Housing Market Index slipped 1 point in September, falling to levels just below the index’s 12-month average.
The HMI measures homebuilder confidence nationwide. It’s the result of 3 separate homebuilder surveys, each designed to measure a specific facet of the homebuilder’s business.
- How are market conditions for the sale of new homes today?
- How are market conditions for the sale of new homes in 6 months?
- How is prospective buyer foot traffic?
Each component survey showed a drop-off from August. Responses fell 1 point, 2 points, and 2 points, respectively. Together, September’s composite reading was 14 out of a possible 100 points. Readings over 50 are considered favorable.
The HMI not been above 50 since April 2006.
With homebuilder confidence low — and stagnant — buyers of new homes Hiawassee and Blairsville should remain alert for “deals”. Builders are more likely to offer free upgrades and other concessions to incoming buyers. The availability of such deals may increase as the seasons change and as the year comes to a close.
Low mortgage rates are making new homes attractive, too. Last week, 30-year fixed rate mortgage rates fell to their lowest levels of all-time. As compared to just 8 weeks ago, 30-year fixed rate mortgage payments are lower by 5 percent at all loan sizes, down $27 per month per $100,000 borrowed.
Related articles
- Homebuilders Expect A Soft Winter Housing Market (thefrontporchview.com)
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
How healthy is the air in your home?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a common class of airborne toxins known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) is ruining indoor air quality, and causing some U.S. homeowners to become dizzy, asthmatic, and ill.
VOCs are gases emitted by certain, common household products, including paint and paint strippers, cleaning supplies, and copiers and printers — even when the aforementioned products aren’t in use. You can find VOCs “everywhere” because organic chemical compounds have become essential in everyday life.
VOCs are what give cars that “new car smell”. They’re also the cause of “Sick Building Syndrome“.
As a homeowner in Blue Ridge Mountains, VOCs in your home can make you sick. Therefore, the EPA advises homeowners to take the following steps to reduce VOC levels in their respective homes and improve and home air quality.
- When using VOC-emitting products such as paints and paint thinners, keep a well-ventilated home.
- Avoid purchasing cleaning supplies or paint in bulk. Buy only what you need.
- Never mix household cleansers. It may yield unintended results.
- Throw out “dry cleaning bags” as soon as possible. Most dry cleaning makes use of harmful VOCs.
- Do not burn tobacco products inside your home.
There are a half-dozen other recommendations, too. They’re listed on the EPA website.
You can’t remove VOCs from your home, but you can minimize their negative effects. And keep your household as healthy as possible.
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
It’s not just 30-year fixed rate mortgages that are posting all-time lows these days. The 15-year mortgage has been plunging, too.
If you’ve ever considered a 15-year loan term, it’s a terrific time to talk to your lender. According to Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey of roughly 125 U.S. lenders, at 3.30 percent, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage is at its lowest point in history.
The 3.30% rate doesn’t come for free, however. Based on average loan term nationwide, borrowers in the North Georgia Mountains choosing to “go 15″ should expect to pay 0.6 discount points at closing. 1 discount point is equal to 1 percent of your loan size.
With low rates, 15-year fixed rate mortgage can be enticing; a primary benefit is the huge reduction in the long-term interest costs of your loan. The downside, though, is that monthly mortgage payments can be relatively large.
At today’s mortgage rates, a 15-year fixed rate loan carries a principal + interest payment of $705.10 per $100,000 borrowed — a 46% increase over a comparable 30-year fixed rate loan. If you can manage the bigger payments, though, you’ll reap $47,000 in interest payments savings per $100,000 borrowed in paying off your loan in full.
$47,000 per $100,000 borrowed is a huge amount of savings and those saved monies can be used to fund items such as college, home improvement, and retirement, among others.
That said, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage is not for everyone.
Because it comes with higher monthly payments, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage may add financial stress to your household budget. And, once you have committed to a 15-year loan term and its payments, you’re can’t “go back”. Your lender won’t revert your loan to a 30-year schedule without a refinance, and a refinance could be costly.
Related articles
- Have Mortgage Rates Hit The Bottom? (thefrontporchview.com)
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
On an annual basis, foreclosure filings fell last month. As compared to August 2010, last month’s Foreclosure filings dropped 33 percent. ”Foreclosure filing” is a catch-all term, comprising default notices; scheduled auctions; and bank repossessions.
The study was published by foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac and this month’s report reveals a slowing rate of foreclosure within each of the Top 10 most foreclosure-heavy states.
All news is not good, however.
On a monthly basis, foreclosure filings spiked, led by a surge in default notices. Default notices made their biggest one-month jump since August 2007 on the way to a 9-month high last month. Default notices are the first step in the foreclosure process so this jump may foreshadow a large number of bank repossessions as foreclosures “make their way through the process“.
It’s also noteworthy that just 6 states housed half of the nation’s bank repossessions last month.
- California : 18 percent of bank repossessions
- Florida : 8 percent of bank repossessions
- Georgia : 7 percent of bank repossessions
- Michigan : 6 percent of bank repossessions
- Texas : 6 percent of bank repossessions
- Arizona : 6 percent of bank repossessions
As a home buyer in Hiawassee or Blairsville Georgia, Foreclosures can save you money. The National Association of REALTORS® reports that distressed homes sell with typical discounts of 20 percent versus comparable, non-distressed homes. However, buying a home from a bank is a different process from buying a home from a “person”. Contract negotiations are different and it can take months to finally close on a foreclosed home.
If you’re buying a Foreclosure in the North Georgia Mountains, seek the help of a professional real estate agent. Real Estate Agents can help you navigate the sometimes-complicated world of Foreclosures, and help you come out ahead.
Related articles
- Foreclosures Sink To 4-Year Low (thefrontporchview.com)
- For The 9th Straight Month, Foreclosure Filings Fall (thefrontporchview.com)
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Surrounded by U.S.F.S, Convenient to downtown Blairsville Georgia, Deep Water and Mountain Views, not only does this one have it all on the outside, just wait until you see the inside! Old World Craftsman Styled Lake Cottage with all the bells and whistles!4 Bedroom 4.5 Bath Lake House with Bonus Room above Portico easily making for a 5th Bedroom if needed. Full Finished Basement, Covered Porches and Open Decks makes this home a near Perfect Georgia Mountain Vacation Home.
This Bank Owned Lake Nottely Home For Sale will not be available in the North Georgia Mountain Real Estate Market long.
Please CONTACT ME or Call Me at 706-994-8686 if you would like to schedule an appointment to see this Lake Nottely Home For Sale today. If you would like to see a Full Length Video with as a Virtual Showing, please let me know and I will be more than happy to send that to you. If you have any specific questions or concerns about the property, feel free to contact me with those as well. I hope to hear from you soon.
VIEW ALL HOMES FOR SALE ON LAKE NOTTELY
Listing Courtesy of Better Homes and Garden Metro Brokers
Related articles
- Lake Nottely Real Estate Market Report August 2011 (thefrontporchview.com)
- New Price On Nice Lake House For Sale On Lake Nottely (thefrontporchview.com)
- Unique Home For Sale On Lake Nottely (thefrontporchview.com)
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
It’s no secret. Rates are low right now. And, it’s not just mortgage rates, either — all types of rates are scraping rock-bottom. Borrowing rates, lending rates and savings rates are at or near their all-time lowest levels.
As a homeowner in Blairsville Georgia, one way to take capitalize on today’s low rates is to apply to refinance your home. But there are other ways to take advantage, too.
In this 5-minute piece from NBC’s The Today Show, you’ll learn of a half-dozen ways to exploit the current rate environment, including:
- Refinance a car loan from a high rate to a low rate, for cheap, in an hour
- Balance transfers between credit cards with teaser rates lasting up to 20 months
- Move some savings to an “online” bank where savings rates are higher
The interview’s theme is to examine both where you’re spending and saving your money, and make sure you’re doing what’s best for your budget.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has pledged to hold the Fed Funds Rate near 0.000% until at least 2013. So long as the Fed Funds Rate is low, there will be places you can save.
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
Everyone lives in a flood zone.
Flooding is the top-ranked natural disaster in the United States, with a dozen potential causes ranging from heavy rains, tropical storms and hurricanes to new housing developments and rain after fire. Floods can occur in all 50 states and, when they do, they leave massive damage in their wake.
Flood damages exceed $2.7 billion annually.
As a homeowner, you carry homeowners insurance to protect against theft and loss. Typical homeowners insurance, however, excludes damages from flooding. Homeowners in Blairsville , therefore, should make sure to have a separate flood insurance policy. And once that policy is in place, there are other steps you should follow, too.
First, make a log of your possessions, either on paper or by video. In your log, include everything that you own of value. Next, if you own jewelry, have it appraised and store the appraisal; if you own appliances, log the serial numbers and attach original receipts.
Then, buy a safe-deposit box at a bank, for example, and store your possession log.
All of this information matters because, in the event you need to make a claim, you’ll have an easier time dealing with the insurance adjuster. It’s hard to prove possession of items that have been washed away by flood waters, after all.
You’ll also want to share this list with your insurance agent in advance so your policy is made with the proper amount of coverage.
Floods can strike anywhere and, as many people learn the hard way, standard homeowners insurance does not include flood coverage. If you’re without flood coverage, talk to your insurance agent about adding a flood policy.
Because many policies don’t take effect until 30 days from purchase, this is one form of insurance you’ll want to buy in advance.
Subscribe to Blog Contact Me Search for Homes Daily List Alert
