Cobb Real Estate Blog

Vinings has always seemed to a cut from a better piece of fabric. This tiny area of Cobb County with an Atlanta address is trendy, upscale and bursting at the seams. Some long time residents, however, don’t like this growth one bit.

I know it’s hard to start thinking about winter, we’re still in shorts and t-shirts during the day. However, in other parts of the country the time is now for winterizing. Jane Bustad is a real estate agent in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, and she has already posted winterizing tips for her readers. I thought that we Cobb County residents would appreciate these and get a head start on winter.

For the third year in a row, the Cobb Galleria district was named the “Best Workplace for Commuters” by the United States EPA. The criteria for winning this award revolves around providing transportation alternatives for workers.

Galleria area named best workplace for commuters [Marietta Daily Journal]

An advisory panel, set forth by President Bush, announced this week that they are considering the elimination or lowering of two tax breaks; home mortgage interest rate deductions and employer-paid health insurance. While President Bush still wants to promote home ownership, the panel said Tuesday, “that while preserving tax incentives for home buyers is important, it was considering changes necessary to address issues of fairness and economic growth.”

Currently, a married couple filing jointly can deduct the interest on up to $1,000,000 of mortgage debt. The panel has set forth suggested lowered limits. One possibilty being setting the limit at the maximum mortage figure that can be guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration. The FHA loan limits vary throughout the country, from $160,176 in low-cost areas to more than $300,000 in high-cost areas. The limit in Cobb County is $227,905.

Bush Panel Mulls Curbs on Mortgage Deduction [Smartmoney.com]
No more mortgage deductions [Christopher Fox Economic Views]
It Would Certainly Take Care of Those Pesky Real Estate Bubbles, Though [San Francisco Real Estate Blog]

A Healthy Taste of Acworth will be held this Saturday at the old Day’s Chevrolet on Main Street in Acworth. A total of more than 80 exhibitors including local restaraunts, live entertainment, fashions shows and classic cars and boats will be on dislplay from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

North Marietta Parkway at Fairground Street and Allgood Road to Powder Springs Street is being talked about as an area that the City Council is interested in redeveloping. A few Cobb residents showed up Monday to praise the redevelopment plans and Tuesday the Marietta City Council will conduct a public hearing to discuss the proposed TAD districts. A TAD gives city government the power to redevelop certain economically challenged areas and turn the future tax increases into payments for the redevelopment. There are many projects which the council may vote on if public opinion is high.

• Window Cleaning Made Easy [Realty Times]
• Overlooked Energy Conservation Tips [Realty Times]
• Water Ponds: Intro To A Water Garden [doityourself.com]
• Replacing Broken Window Panes [Hometime.com]

If you have any questions about how home improvements affect the sale of your home please use the contact form to find multiple ways to get in touch with me.

Now that the weather is starting to cool, college and professional’s alike are playing football and kids are taking tests, the real estate market tends to slow down. You can still sell your home in the fall, it’s not as difficult as you might think. An article published at RealtyTimes.com, by Michelle Dawson, gives 10 tips to sell your home in the fall.

• Curb appeal. Fall can make or break you when it comes to curb appeal and the all-important “first impression.” Leaves turning shades of crimson and gold can add extra appeal to the total look of your home’s exterior. On the other hand, leaves strewn about your front yard can decrease your home’s visual appeal during that first impression.
• Celebrating the season. Add a fall wreath to the front door. Have a few huge pumpkins and fall display in your front area to welcome visitors (would-be buyers).
• Scents of the season. If you’re a smoker or have pets, make sure the nose doesn’t know. Eliminate all such offensive odors. If you’re holding an open house, or know you’ll have a lot of potential buyers looking on a particular day, bake an apple pie. Nothing is more inviting than the scent of apples and cinnamon wafting through the air.
• Hiring a home inspector. Once a buyer makes an offer, they will hire someone to conduct an in-depth inspection of the house. Some sellers like to do this before they put their house on the market so there are no surprises down the road. If anything comes up during the seller’s inspection, the seller can get it taken care of before putting the house on the market. The American Society of Home Inspectors says a typical home inspection includes drainage conditions, exterior surfaces, decks, chimney, the roof, windows, doors, plumbing fixtures, furnace, air conditioner, insulation, ventilation, electrical, heating, and plumbing systems.
• Allowances. If you have carpet, wood floors or cabinets that have seen better days, consider offering an allowance right off the bat. You’ll want to discuss this with your real estate professional. There are pros and cons — you don’t get to have that “wow” first impression if you put in those floors or cabinets yourself before you sell. But you might be short on time and don’t want to run into the holidays — plus buyers may like the idea of picking out their own flooring.

Follow the link above to see the other tips and, as always, feel free to contact me at any time with questions about your Cobb County real estate needs.

After viewing the destruction of hurricane’s Katrina and Rita, I feel it’s a good idea for every homeowner to check their insurance policies. A building costs expert, Marshall & Swift, has just released a study stating that nearly 60% of all homes in America are not valued properly. What does that mean for you, the home owner? Well, if you’re home isn’t valued high enough, according to the insurance policy, if something devistating were to happen there might not be enough money in your policy to completely replace your home. You definitley want to have a policy large enough to completely rebuild your home and replace everything in it. Your insurance agent can help you figure out what amount you need. But also talk to your agent about how to make sure your policy keeps up with the appreciation in your home.