Appraisal Changes

It seems like an annual tradition at this point, but brace yourself as major appraisal changes are headed to the mortgage industry again.  The Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) is a set of new reporting requirements that will be going into effect on September 1st for all single-family mortgage loans delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, so this affects all Conventional loans.  The word on the street is that FHA plans to follow suit shortly after this goes into effect, so it appears these changes will apply to all loan types moving forward except VA.  The stated goal of the changes is to make sure that appraisals are conducted and communicated consistently, accurately, and effectively.  The reality is that these changes are going to greatly impact the flow of business at seemingly just the wrong time as appraisers and lenders are already terribly busy right now as the super low rates have created a surge in refinances.  The significant appraisal changes will include the following:

• New appraisal forms
• New appraisal methodology, terminology,  and coding (more details on this in the last paragraph below)
• Stricter compliance requirements due to increased government regulation
• Appraisers will be required to do more research, especially as it relates to improvements made to the property (a description including the condition and quality of all improvements to a home and its basements must now be included in each appraisal)

Welcome to our Wednesday Mornings on Ponce enewsletter!

Dear friends and colleagues,

Case Shiller reports show that Atlanta's market is similar to that of June 2000. There was a decline in March but now things are back up as usual in the spring market. The numbers are below:         

Scam Artists Continue to Use Craig's List. Sellers and/or buyers of homes, cars, TV's and miscellaneous items use Craig's List as a go-to. Con-men and con-women follow likewise...Read about the most recent real estate scam in San Francisco.

Broker confronts President Obama. Recently, one woman, Luanne Levine, got face time with the President as well as a lot of media attention for asking tough housing questions. Watch video here! (Start at 21:00 mark)

 Joke of the week.  

Major appraisal changes are coming soon. Major apprasial changes are headed to the mortgage industry again! Read about the apparaisal changes.

Coach's Corner. Dirk Zeller is coming to Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 14! Click here to register for this motivational speech about today's marketplace.

"Everything is always impossible before it works. That's what entrepreneurs are all about;doing what people have told them is impossible." R. Hunt Greene, Venture Capitalist

Skateboarders need homes too! Check out this homes' features for former pro-skater, Peierre Andre Senizergues.

CDPE course is coming back to Atlanta on September 29 & 30 at the Atlanta REALTORS Center. Mike Pritchard arranged for a $150 discount. You can learn more about CDPE or sign up with this link. Click Here for more information. Use discount code ECD007. Call Mike for further discounts at 512-870-2373.

Agent wanted! Zac is looking for one additional agent to help with all of our leads! With our sophisticated lead generation and management platforms, high-level technology, and high energy sales environment, you'll wonder why you didn't start at Ponce realty sooner! Did we mention that we fill buyer's agents' lead pipelines with company leads? For details on our plans and how to grow YOUR business, please contact our broker at 404.564.7272 for a confidential interview.

Join us on Linked In! Connect with Zac and see what we're up to over at Ponce Realty! 

Have a great week!
Your colleagues at Ponce Realty

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This elegant brick Tudor in Johnson Estates, Morningside will absolutely take you by surprise! Originally built as a triplex, 1614 Johnson Road was transformed into a spacious single family home. With 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, you'll find plenty of space for everyone.

Discover the beautiful hardwood floors, arched doorways, enclosed porch, relaxing sunroom, and a large deck in the back. Upstairs suite includes a kitchen and office nook. In addition, there is a den/office that can be used as a sixth bedroom. An added bonus is the 3-car garage - a rare find intown! The wonderful corner lot offers more yard for your money!

This part of the neighborhood is encircled by Daniel Johnson Nature Preserve with walking trail through the woods, as well as the greenspaces of Noble Park, Homestead Park, and Hickory Grove Park. Just over a mile away, you'll reach the CDC and Emory University!

1614 Johnson Road is not yet on the market, so please call us for more information or to schedule a showing before the general public knows about it! 404.564.7204 or 404.564.7272.

Hello neighbors,

Contrary to what the media might tout, the real estate market is strengthening in Atlanta. Every day, we have buyers and sellers come to us and ask for our help in buying their dream home, selling their Atlanta home, or investing in real estate to build wealth. Because of this, The Zac Team is looking for more Atlanta real estate agents to work with all of our new clients!

If you know someone in the metro Atlanta area who would like to boost their career in real estate, please have them contact Zac Pasmanick at 404.564.7272 or zac@zac.biz. We have sophisticated systems to help agents reach new people and manage their clients so that we can maintain the high level of service our customers deserve.

We're excited about what the Atlanta real estate market holds and appreciate our neighbors spreading the word. We would love to hire locally in keeping with our spirit of the intown Atlanta market. Jumpstart your Atlanta real estate career today with The Zac Team!

Wednesday Mornings on Ponce

Every week, Ponce Realty sends out an enewsletter with updates, stories, and general info about the real estate industry in Atlanta and across the nation. If you would like to receive this weekly, please email wednesdays@poncerealty.biz!

Is it time to change the sales environment? Consumers don't want to be sold or pressured these days. Times are tight and one way to ensure your clients stay with you is to make yourself indespensible.

Average interest rates. The economy may be down, but our interest rates have never been better! Here is a chart displaying the average interest rate for 30 year fixed loans since 1991.

Atlanta's intown condo market improving. In the first half of this year, condo sales and contracts have amounted to 482. Out of the 93 active condo project in intown Atlanta, 6,817 are available. Read more about the supply and demand of the intown condo market.

Joke of the week. A real estate agent walking along the beach found a bottle. When he rubbed it, lo and behold, a genie appeared. "I will grant you three wishes," announced the genie. "But since Satan still hates me, for every wish you make, your rival gets the wish as well -- only double."

The real estate agent thought about this for a while. "For my first wish, I would like ten million dollars," he announced. Instantly the genie gave him a Swiss bank account number and assured the man that $10,000,000 had been deposited. "But your rival has just received $20,000,000," the genie said.

"I've always wanted a Ferrari," the agent said. Instantly a Ferrari appeared. "But your rival has just received two Ferraris," the genie said. "And what is your last wish?"

"Well," said the salesman, "I've always wanted to donate a kidney for transplant." 

Renting REOs. A proposed bill, Neighborhood Preservation Act of 2011, is calling for banks to rent out unoccupied foreclosures while the market stabilizes. Homeowners facing foreclosure could also sign rental agreements to stay in their homes.

Coach's Corner. Dirk Zeller shows champions how to develop your pricing philosophy in this week's edition of his weekly newsletter.

"Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in? I think that's how dogs spend their lives." - comedian Sue Murphy

Quick Response code apps. If you haven't yet downloaded an app to your phone to read QR codes on the go, here's a list to get you started! On August 12, the DeKalb Board of Realtors is hosting a brown bag lunch session on QR codes - more info here!

Agent wanted! Zac is looking for one additional agent to help with all of our leads! With our sophisticated lead generation and management platforms, high-level technology, and high energy sales environment, you'll wonder why you didn't start at Ponce realty sooner! Did we mention that we fill buyer's agents' lead pipelines with company leads? For details on our plans and how to grow YOUR business, please contact our broker at 404.564.7272 for a confidential interview.

Join us on Linked In! Connect with Zac and see what we're up to over at Ponce Realty! 

Have a great week!
Your colleagues at Ponce Realty

Wednesday Mornings at Ponce

Every week, Ponce Realty sends out an enewsletter with updates, stories, and general info about the real estate industry in Atlanta and across the nation. If you would like to receive this weekly, please email wednesdays@poncerealty.biz!

Wednesday Mornings at Ponce is expanding to facebook! That's right, thanks to the support we've received from our dear readers, we've decided to spread the love to facebook. Check us out here!

Wells Fargo fined. This story came out last week after we had sent out Wednesday Mornings on Ponce, so we wanted to share it with you now. Wells Fargo will be paying an $85 million fine to the Federal Reserve and thousands more to homeowners affected by Wells putting them into subprime loans. In addition, 16 former employees are now banned from ever working in the banking industry again.

Zillow goes public. Zillow's stock hit the market last week and the share price tripled before settling back down. Investors are embracing this as part of several internet-based IPOs to drop recently.

Best value cities. Kiplinger teamed up to explore the financial prosperity of cities across the nation. They incorporated a number of factors such as unemployment, low housing costs, and nurturing business environment.

Joke of the week. The last word in an argument is what a wife has. Anything a husband says after that is the beginning of another argument. 

Homeowners skeptical. 33 percent of homeowners polled last week said that they feel that their house is worth less than they owe. 49 percent are more confident in the value of their home and 18 percent are unser.

Coach's Corner. Dirk Zeller shows champions how to develop your pricing philosophy in this week's edition of his weekly newsletter.

"What you can't get out of, get into wholeheartedly." - writer Mignon McLaughlin

Home prices up slightly. The Case Shiller Index reported that home prices rose one percent in their 20-city index over the month of April, but that they are still down 4.5 percent from one year ago.

Buyers agent wanted! Zac is looking for one additional buyer's agent to help with all of our leads! With our sophisticated lead generation and management platforms, high-level technology, and high energy sales environment, you'll wonder why you didn't start at Ponce realty sooner! Did we mention that we fill buyer's agents' lead pipelines with company leads? For details on our plans and how to grow YOUR business, please contact our broker at 404.564.7272 for a confidential interview.

Join us on Linked In! Connect with Zac and see what we're up to over at Ponce Realty! 

Have a great week!
Your colleagues at Ponce Realty

Below are a few packing tips to help make your Atlanta move smooth and easy (or easier at least - moving takes some energy!). You will save a great deal by packing yourself, so here are some guidelines:

• Use strong containers that are in good condition and that can be secured tightly with twine or strapping tape. These can usually be purchased from your moving company. Purchase special boxes for dishes, clothing, and other special items.
• Label each box with its content, which room it should go in, whether it is fragile, and whether it should be loaded last so as to be unloaded first.
• Don't load more than 50 pounds into any one box, and make sure the weight is evenly distributed.
• Cushion contents with newspaper or other packaging material to prevent breakage. Use newsprint or tissue paper for items that might be soiled by newspaper.
• Pack books tightly on end in small boxes. Alternate bindings and wrap valuable books separately.
• Have your rugs and draperies cleaned before moving and leave them in their wrappings for easier handling.
• Remove all breakables and liquids from drawers and pack them separately. Seal medicines and other containers to prevent leaking and pack in a leak-proof bag or container.
• Pack linen and cloting in drawers, but don't overload them.
• Carry all valuables with you. Don't pack jewelry, documents, coin or stamp collections, or anything that will be difficult to replace. Contents of a safety deposit box can be moved for you by your bank. 

Hopefully these tips help! If you want to move, but have a house to sell first, give Zac a call at 404.564.7200 - we'll take good care of you!

Got a green thumb? Want to make sure your house plants make it through your next big move intact? You can take them with you without harming them - here are some tips!

• Call your local U.S. Department of Agriculture to check on regulations if moving from one state to another. Many states have restrictions on certain kinds of plants to prevent importing bugs or pests that can destroy valuable cash crops in that state.
• A couple of weeks before you move, prune plants to facilitate packing. Consult a florist or plant book for instructions.
• A week before your move, put your plants in a black plastic bag with a bug / pest strip, conventional flea collar, or bug powder in the bag before you put the plant in. Close the bag and place in a cool area overnight. This will kill any pests on the plant or in the soil.
• The day before your move, set the boxes aside and mark "DO NOT LOAD" so they won't be taken with the moving van.
• On the day you leave, close boxes, punch air holes in the top, and load in your car.
• When on the road, be careful where you park your car. Look for a shaded area in summer and a sunny spot in winter.
• Unpack the plants as soon as you can after arriving. Remove plants through the bottom of the box in order to avoid breaking the stems. Do not expose the plants to too much sunlight at first. Let them get accustomed to more light gradually.
• If you must leave your plants behind, then take cuttings. Put them in a plastic bag with wet paper towels around them.

If you ever have questions about moving (or buying a house to move into or selling a house to move out of), please give Zac a call at 404.564.7200!

Get your Atlanta housing market statistics! Direct from the First Multiple Listing Service, these numbers are published by Smart Numbers with extensive research and statistics on the Atlanta market. Here, we break down the most significant real estate numbers and put it into a quick reference format to share with our sellers and fellow agents.

The compilation shows April 2011 market statistics versus April 2010 numbers. Enjoy and please feel free to give us a call if you have any questions! And scroll down for links to a year's worth of past statistics! Our office # is 404.564.7200.

Click here for the March 2011 report!

Click here for the February 2011 report!

Click here for the January 2011 report!

Click here for the November 2010 report!

Click here for the October 2010 report!

Click here for the September 2010 report!

Click here for the August 2010 report!

Click here for the July 2010 report!

Click here for the June 2010 report!

Click here for the May 2010 report!

Click here for the April 2010 report!

Want more stats?
We can email you monthly reports on current listings and the last six months of sales for the following areas. Just click below for the neighborhood or condo building that you're interested in!

Click here for Atlanta’s fabulous intown neighborhoods!
(including Morningside, Virginia Highland, Candler Park, and Lake Claire real estate)
Click here for Atlanta’s Midtown condo scene!
(including 12 Atlantic Station, Plaza Midtown, Metropolis, Spire, Mayfair, and 905 Juniper mid-rise and high rise condos)

Get your Atlanta housing market statistics! Direct from the First Multiple Listing Service, these numbers are published by Smart Numbers with extensive research and statistics on the Atlanta market. Here, we break down the most significant real estate numbers and put it into a quick reference format to share with our sellers and fellow agents.

The compilation shows April 2011 market statistics versus April 2010 numbers. Enjoy and please feel free to give us a call if you have any questions! And scroll down for links to a year's worth of past statistics! Our office # is 404.564.7200.

Click here for the April 2011 report!

Click here for the March 2011 report!

Click here for the February 2011 report!

Click here for the January 2011 report!

Click here for the November 2010 report!

Click here for the October 2010 report!

Click here for the September 2010 report!

Click here for the August 2010 report!

Click here for the July 2010 report!

Click here for the June 2010 report!

Click here for the May 2010 report!

Click here for the April 2010 report!

Want more stats?
We can email you monthly reports on current listings and the last six months of sales for the following areas. Just click below for the neighborhood or condo building that you're interested in!

Click here for Atlanta’s fabulous intown neighborhoods!
(including Morningside, Virginia Highland, Candler Park, and Lake Claire real estate)
Click here for Atlanta’s Midtown condo scene!
(including 12 Atlantic Station, Plaza Midtown, Metropolis, Spire, Mayfair, and 905 Juniper mid-rise and high rise condos)