Georgia

Rental property can have very stable, respectful and reliable tenants. Atlanta, GA

Yes, that’s right! It all depends on product, location and first rate tenant screening. If you don’t have all three, your vacancy rate will be elevated. Let’s discuss product first. We recommend to our students that they furnish their properties with clean functional items, new linens and art work on the walls. What you are creating is an environment that is very agreeable to the tenant, one that not only the renter will look forward to coming home to, but also one, through pictures on flyers, web sites and word of mouth, will attract new inquires. We are all for building and keeping a pipeline.

Lots of furnished rooms for rent are not clean and contain old, thread bear chairs, sofas, and soiled mattresses. Would you want to stay any longer than you had to in a place that does not support a good sense of self-esteem? Nicely furnished rooms engender good paying tenants, who stay for long periods.

Our favored tenant populations generally do not have their own transportation so proximity to public transportation is necessity.

Key to this equation within our program is good tenant screening, which oddly enough doesn’t include credit or traditional background checks. Our tenants are referred to us, so we learn about them and their history though direct questioning of people who are familiar with each potential tenant individually. We discover personal background information and work experience. This type of screening done methodically will produce good paying tenants who stay for extended periods creating a stable house.

To learn more about setting up transitional housing, please download our free Ebook from the side bar on our main blog site.

Don't hesitate to contact us with questions. Learn about us. Learn our system. Learn what others have to say about us and our system.

File DeKalb County Homestead Exemption Before March 1st Deadline

Did you move to DeKalb County last year? If yes, you need to get moving and file a DeKalb County Homestead Exemption Appkication before the Marsh 1st deadline.

If you do not file a DeKalb COunty Homestead Exemption Application you will pay as much as twice the amount of tax as other residents of DeKalb County. That's a huge penalty to pay for missing a deadline!!!

HOW TO FILE:

Go HERE for the DeKalb County Homestead Exemption Website

DeKalb County Property Tax Phone Number: 404-298-4000

DeKalb County Sample Form

Most counties have a form to use. Complete it online OR in wiring (send written applications by certified mail). DeKalb County and others have simplified the process with online apllications. Info you will probably need:

• A copy of your warranty deed
• Your closing statement
• Name and address of your mortgage company (if applicable) and
• your loan #
• Your social security number

FILE IN PERSON OR BY CERTIFIED MAIL

If you have received forms from the tax office in the mail for filing, return them either in person or by certified mail by the MARCH 1 deadline. If you fail to file for homestead Exemption, you not only lose the tax break, you also receive a penalty! If for any reason you do not get a Homestead exemption form by the mid February,go to your county tax office in person.

Sally English and The English Team at RE/MAX Executives are real estate agents who specialize in DeKalb County and Atlanta properties. For questions about how to file DeKalb County Homestead Exemption before March 1st deadline call me at 770-939-3174. You can also leave me an e-mail: sallyenglish@englishteam.com Please refer us to family and friends who may be buying or selling a home.

From the DeKalb County Website:

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION: You may apply for the Basic Homestead exemption if you own and occupy the home as your legal residence and primary domicile on January 1^st of the year in which the exemption is being claimed. The home must be your legal residence for all purposes whatsoever including the registration of your vehicles and filing of your Federal and Georgia State income taxes. You cannot file for homestead exemption on rental property, vacant land, or on more than one property. Homestead exemption applications are accepted year around. Current year exemptions must be applied for January 2 through March 1^st. Applications received after March 1^st will be processed for the following year.

PROPERTY ASSESSMENT FREEZE: Homeowners in DeKalb County that receive the benefit of homestead exemption may also apply for a property assessment freeze to help offset future increases in property value. This freeze does not affect school, city or state taxes. Homeowners who currently have homestead exemption must apply for this freeze, however new applicants applying for an exemption will receive the benefit of the freeze with their exemption. Residents must qualify for this freeze by March 1st by mail, online or in person at the Tax Commissioner's office. Online Homestead Exemption and Property Assessment Freeze Application

SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS: In addition to the basic homestead exemption available to all homeowners, there are special exemptions available for citizens 62 and older as of January 1^st, disabled veterans and other disabled persons. You must apply and qualify for these extended exemptions in person at the Tax Commissioner's office. Age and income documentation are required to grant this exemption. Exemption applications are accepted year around however; current year exemptions must be applied for January 2^nd through March 1^st. To apply, please bring the following to one of our offices:

• Proof of Age Birth Certificate, Driver's License, or Georgia ID Card. Proof of Income - Current Year State and Federal Income Tax Returns and Social Security 1099 forms for every member of your household. If you do not file tax returns, you must provide all W-2's and Form 1099 for ALL sources of income for every member of your household.
  
  
• Proof of Disability (if applicable) - Doctor certification by letter (or form available in our office) stating 100% total and permanent disability and/or 100% total and permanent disability certification from the Social Security Administration or other government agency.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION: Please read and understand the following information, to determine your eligibility as an applicant for a basic homestead exemption; then follow the directions below in completing your application.Legal Definition of the word "applicant" is

(a) A married individual living with their spouse;

(b) An individual who is unmarried but who permanently maintains a home for the benefit of one or more other individuals who are related to such individual or dependent wholly or partially upon such individual for support;

(c) An individual who is widowed having one or more children and maintaining a home occupied by himself or herself and the child or children;

(d) A divorced individual living in a bona fide state of separation and having legal custody of one or more children, when the divorced individual owns and maintains a home for the child or children;

(e) An individual who is unmarried or is widowed and who permanently maintains a home owned and occupied by himself or herself.

VEHICLE REGISTRATION REQUIRED:

Additional information: State law requires that all owned or leased vehicles must be registered in the county where the owner claims homestead exemption. Persons registering vehicles or claiming homestead exemption in another state or county are not entitled to homestead exemption in DeKalb County. State law provides for only one homestead exemption per immediate family group (husband and wife). Homestead exemption cannot be claimed on rental property. Remember homestead applications are accepted year around. Current year exemptions must be applied for January 2nd through March 1st. Applications received after March 1st will be processed for the following year.

YOU MUST HAVE A PIN NUMBER

In order to complete the application you must have the PIN number associated with your Parcel ID. You can obtain your PIN Number via inserting the Property Address or Parcel ID of your property located within the Property Information Section . Once the site has produced your homestead application form, please verify that your name and property address is correct and then complete the application beginning with the question: "Did you own and reside in the home on January 1 ?" If you wish to file you application online, simply click the submit button and you will receive a confirmation that can be printed for your records. When filing online, please be sure to print and retain your confirmation. If you are unable to complete this application online for any reason, please click here for an application to be completed and mailed to DeKalb County Tax Commissioner's Office P.O. Box 100004, Decatur, GA 30031.

In order to submit your application, your motor vehicles must be registered to the county where you claim homestead exemption. By clicking on the submit button you authorize the Tax Commissioner's office to update your vehicle registration to your home address.

For new homeowners and existing homeowners without homestead exemption: Please click here for Basic Homestead and Property Assessment Freeze application.

For homeowners with existing homestead: Please click here for the Property Assessment Freeze application.'

TAX OFFICE LOCATIONS AND HOURS

As of Feb 8, 2010

Location and Hours

Mailing Address Property DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Collections Division PO Box 100004 Decatur, GA 30031-7004 Motor Vehicle DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Vehicle Registration Division PO Box 100025 Decatur, GA 30031-7025 Locations & Hours Saturday Tag Office Closings North Office 1358 Dresden Drive, NE Atlanta, GA 30319 M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm 2 Blocks East of Brookhaven MARTA Station Walk-In Only, No Mail Delivery South Office 2389 Wesley Chapel Road Suite 101 A Decatur, GA 30035 M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Walk-In Only, No Mail Delivery Central Office 4380 Memorial Drive Suite 100 Decatur, GA 30032 Property Taxes M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Vehicle Registration M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Sat 8:00 am - 1:00 pm (Closed Holiday Weekends) Walk-In and All Mail Delivery

SunTrust Mortgage is now offering a great new loan option that allows you to add additional money in your home loan for house renovations, completing construction, remodeling, or just updating,.... you name it!

This is a highly needed and timely new loan product for our market due to the high volume of distressed properties available right now. Using a loan such as this, allows buyers to purchase distressed homes or unfinished construction and finance the needed repairs.

• This financing allows you to purchase an existing home and include the renovation costs based on the home's increased value after the improvements are made. There is just one application and one closing... very simple.

• Renovations can include existing homes, new homes (that may not have been completed by the builder), and even tear downs.

• This loan is available on primary and secondary homes. A down payment of 25% is required and a maximum of $1 Million may be loaned.

• The work must be completed in a specified time frame, bids for the work are required and money is held in escrow until the work is complete.

CALL ME if this sounds like an option you are interested in pursuing. There are so many great buying opportunities right now.

This new Renovation Loan may be your answer to making that great purchase you've been waiting for!

Now let's go house hunting!!

Melanie Gurley, Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Cell: 770-596-5965

A much-needed overhaul of Georgia's property tax system might be on the horizon. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) introduced a 47-page bill that features more than 40 changes in the current property tax system and would, according to Rogers, grant homeowners more power.

"The collection of taxes should be fair, transparent and easy to understand. Sadly, the property tax system in Georgia accomplishes none of these things," Rogers said. "This legislation attempts to bring fairness to an unfair system." He said that while home values have dipped across the state, property tax assessments have remained artificially high. His bill, for example, proposes that homeowners can be taxed only for the price of their home.

If you buy a home this year and you don't do anything to it, whatever you paid for it should be your assessment for that year," Rogers said. The AJC found during an eight-month review of sales values and tax appraisals in Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties that assessors routinely ignore sales when they fall below tax appraisals. The study found ZIP codes all over metro Atlanta where median sales fell more than 30 percent but median tax appraisals dipped between 5 percent and 10 percent.

The proposed bill, SB 346, includes:

• Year-round property appeals.
• Making sure that every property receives an annual notice of assessment.
• Statewide uniformity of assessment notices and appeal forms.
• Allowing counties to accept payment plans for property taxes and discounts for early payments.
• Establishing time limits for assessor action in response to appeals.
• Requiring a unanimous vote by Board of Equalization members to increase assessed value.

I'm not holding my breath for this bill to pass soon, but it's good that our legislators are addressing the issue. Hopefully a resolution will pass for a better way to assess property values in the future.

*** Many thanks to Damian Cook, Brayden Capital Home Mortgage for providing this article.

If you need assistance with mortgage financing, please call Damian at 770-512-3420.

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Thank you for visiting our Atlanta Real Estate Blog

Posted by: Kerry Lucasse - Atlanta GA Real Estate Agent - Atlanta Home Search Team
The ATL Home Search Team is part of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Intown Atlanta and Decatur Real Estate, Foreclosures and Bungalows & Historic Homes

CALL US ANYTIME AT 404.432.1844

SEE MY CLIENT FEEDBACK AT: http://www.KUDZU.com/merchant/1106107.html

Atlanta Real Estate Agents - Selling your Atlanta home for top dollar

If you are thinking of selling your Atlanta or Decatur home this Spring, it is more important that ever to do your homework PRIOR to pricing and listing your home.

Pricing your home correctly the FIRST time can not only get your home sold faster, it can save you thousands. As of 3Q09, homes that price their home correctly (and didn't have to reduce), sold their home in 27 days.

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, even in this crazy real estate market, you can sell your home in 30 days or less!

As you'll see in the first chart below, those Atlanta home sellers that had to reduce the price one or more times, they were on the market for 256 days... that's almost 10 times longer.

If you think you have the patience to wait 256 days to sell your home, consider your pocketbook.

The sellers that priced the home correctly the first time, sold their home for 96.8% of the their listing price.

For those sellers that wanted to "test the market" and start with a higher listing price, they ended up selling their home for 75.7% of the original list price.

On a $300,000 home, that is a difference of more than $60,000.

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So how do you make sure that you price it correctly the FIRST time? I would recommend the following:

1) Interview three local real estate agents

2) Ask them to walk you through the neighborhood sales from the last 3 MONTHS. The market is constantly changing, so a home that sold a year ago in your neighborhood is no longer a true comparable

3) Understand your current competition -- ask the agent(s) to show you the other homes that are for sale in your neighborhood so you have a clear understanding of how your home stacks up

4) Get the agents honest feedback on your home's value. If you receive three separate opinions, you should be able to determine the fair market value for your home... and GET IT SOLD!

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Thank you for visiting our Atlanta Real Estate Blog

Posted by: Kerry Lucasse - Atlanta GA Real Estate Agent - Atlanta Home Search Team
The ATL Home Search Team is part of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Intown Atlanta and Decatur Real Estate, Foreclosures and Bungalows & Historic Homes

CALL US ANYTIME AT 404.432.1844

SEE MY CLIENT FEEDBACK AT: http://www.KUDZU.com/merchant/1106107.html