by Judy Jones Your credit report overshadows every part of your life. Whether it’s a bank, insurance company or mortgage lender, your credit score is how they figure out whether you’re likely to miss payments or default on a loan. Now, it’s not uncommon for landlords and employers to check your credit before approving an application. No one is exempt from the impact of their credit score. There are five factors that determine a borrower’s...

by Dana Eskridge Not long ago, I was at a backyard barbeque, sipping my drink and idly listening to the various conversations surrounding me. Along with the typical discussions surrounding the NFL, college football and baseball, I overheard an overwrought voice above the fray stating, “We offered full price! And, we didn’t get the house!” Obviously, my interest was piqued! I stood up on my toes to find who owned that voice. I made my way...

by Judy Jones “What are the current interest rates?” This is a very common question from real estate agents and buyers. Answering the question of what’s today’s interest rate is as difficult to answer as “What’s the price of a four bedroom home in the Atlanta area?” The answer to both of these questions is, “It depends!”  There are many factors that impact both of these numbers. The price of four bedroom homes in the Atlanta market area ranges...

Low inventory levels are bringing a faster turnaround for today’s sellers. From 1987 through 2011, analysis of the NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers series showed the typical time on market was 6.9 weeks, while the existing-home sales series showed an average supply of 7.0 months, just above the high end for a balanced market. Today’s median time for a home to remain on the market is 69 days (July 2012). This is down nearly 30...

It’s hard to believe that just four years ago there were more than 100,000 listings in Metro Atlanta.  Now there are fewer than 40,000. What does this mean to the ever-changing housing market? Just remember your basic laws of economics of supply and demand. From our perch here in relocation, we’re seeing a definite surge in demand for homes throughout our market area. The low inventory has become a problem for transferees moving into the...