Clayton, GA

It's early in the morning as I write this and my head is filled with memories of Saturday, February 14, 1976. It was my father's 50th birthday.

Our family had always celebrated Valentine's Day in a special way, probably because it was Dad's birthday, too, but my elementary school years were a time when we made Valentine Boxes out of discarded cigar boxes begged from the local mercantile. Covered with fancy paper, lacey cutouts made from doilies and sprinkled liberally with glitter, I'd never seen anything prettier.

And the joy of finding a Valentine in that box from every child in the class! Some were given more weight than others of course. To have a Valentine that read, "Will you be mine?", and signed by a cute - normally shy- little boy who sat two rows over was cause for days and days of sideways glances to try to figure out if he really meant it or if he was just filling out the cards as they came to the top of the stack. ( As far as I can remember, he was just signing the cards as they came up and putting them in envelopes without paying attention to the message on the card.)

The best cards were enclosed in lumpy envelopes. When the envelopes were opened, the lumps tumbled out and transformed into colorful chalky candy hearts inscribed with meaningful two or three word messages. "Love You"; "Be Mine", Yours 4 Ever".

But time passes and while many hearts are gladdened and filled with love, others are broken and on June 15, 1976, three days before her 45th birthday, my enthusiastic, fun-loving, playful, delightful mother succumbed to a long battle against breast cancer. I had known her time was limited, but had wanted to give her the ultimate gift of a grandchild before she died. When she passed away, I was one month pregnant and suddenly responsible ( in my mind) for not only a relatively new husband, but also for my younger brothers and my Dad.

My first doctor's appointment was on my Mom's birthday and to my great surprise, the doctor told me the baby was due on Valentine's Day - my Dad's birthday. I knew immediately that once again, God was working in my life in his own delightful way. I just love it that he has such a sense of humor!! Maybe it was too late for the baby to be a gift for my mother, but what a special 50th birthday present a baby would be for my Dad!

Sure enough, I never wavered for a moment in my belief that the baby would arrive when scheduled. Everyone else pooh-pahed the idea that the baby would be born on Valentine's Day - the due date. The family of my sister's boyfriend planned an engagement party for that Saturday night - even though I told them the baby was coming that day and we wouldn't be able to attend. (They never doubted me again...)

I woke early that Saturday morning - very much like this morning - and realized we needed to get on the road to Atlanta and the hospital. A very special little girl - named Anslyn, for my mother, Ann, and me, Lynda, arrived right on schedule that happy Valentine's afternoon.

Thirty-three years later, she continues to be a joy to all who know her and my Dad will tell you...he's never gotten a better birthday/Valentine's Day gift than he received on his 50th birthday.

So, Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours and may your heart be filled with love (and your mouth with Valentine's candy!)

If you ever find yourself in the beautiful mountain lakes region of northeast Georgia, give me a call. I'd love to show you around!

Lynda

There is so much information available on the Active Rain blogs. It's just about mind boggling ( that's boggling - not bloggling).

I've been reading and reading in the hope of finding something I could comment on knowledgeably and perhaps be a bit of help to someone else since I've been learning all sorts of things reading blog after blog after blog. In fact, I was beginning to get a bit bogged (not blogged) down when I ran across a posting asking why many times there is a such great disparity in the suggested prices given by Realtors who visit open houses. Now, that's a question for which I have an answer as well as a tip that really works!

The Realtor who hosts the open house and asks the agents who attend to record their best idea of the market value of the property is generally trying to accomplish one of two things. The first is verification of the listed price that was arrived at through careful research of the marketplace and a throughly planned listing presentation that helped the home owner understand how and why the agent arrived at the suggested price. The second thing the host agent might be looking for is replicated pricing suggestions below the listed price that will help the listing agent convince the homeowner that the listed price is too high.

But how do you know if the prices written on the pieces of paper - many times anonymously - have really been given the appropriate amount of thought and consideration? Surely none of those agents would make a guestimate based on the SWAG method. ( If you don't know what SWAG is, send me a message and I'll send you the answer.)

However, there have been plenty of times that I have gasped in shock as I opened each slip of paper left in the basket at the end of the open house and found a suggested price that was as much as 25 percent lower than the actual listed price. I prefer to believe the agent who turned in that suggested price didn't have a good understanding of the excercise and in that case, it is sometimes wise to fall back on the old school teacher method of throwing out the highest and lowest scores to achieve a more reliable average.

So, are those agents trying to throw off your price or are they simply not educated about the market? Maybe they're just in a hurry to get their chicken salad and head off to the next open house where they can get dessert. Who knows?

Here's a tip that can help: Advertise a $100 ( or more - depending on the price range of the property) prize to be won by an attendee of the open house. That, along with good food, will guarantee your turnout.

Next, prepare slips of paper that look like this:

Name____________________________________________________________________________

Best Contact number or email address__________________________________________________

Property Address__________________________________________________________________

Price at which you believe this property will close________________________________________

Agent whose price is closest to the final closed price on the closing statement (without going over) will receive a $100 prize when the closing takes place.

Ask the agents who come to the open house to fill out the papers. Knowing that winning the cash prize depends on using the best of their marketplace knowledge makes quite a difference when each agent gives careful consideration to their best idea of the true market value of the property. This will give you a heightened degree of credibility when discussing with the homeowner that "The Price Is Right!"

If you have prospects who are considering purchasing a home in the mountains for vacations, retirement or simply to get away from it all, please give me a call at 770-480-5161. I promise to take great care of your prospects and will gladly pay you a referral fee.

Ask me about the Discovery Package for lake properties and for Waterfall at Lake Burton. Come and spend a day or two in the mountains of Northeast Georgia. You'll never want to leave!

For those who would like to have the most recent news about the stimulus bill and the proposed housing credit.

This information was taken directly from the email sent this afternoon from NAR Goverment Affairs.

Please note the changes to the Homebuyer Tax Credit.

TO: State and Local Association Government Affairs and Communications Directors

FROM: NAR Government Affairs

RE: Economic Stimulus Bill

DATE: 12 February 2009

The Economic Stimulus Bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, H.R. 1.) has been reconciled by the House and Senate. The details of the legislation have not been finalized but we expect the legislation to include a number of important housing provisions, including the remedies for the housing crisis that NAR prescribed at the annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Homebuyer Tax Credit - a $7500 tax credit that will be available for qualified purchase of a principal residence by a first time homebuyer between January 1, 2009 and September 1, 2009. The credit does not require repayment. Individuals who purchase in 2009 using financing assistance from state and local mortgage bonds will be permitted to use the credit, as well.

FHA, Fannie and Freddie Loan Limits - Revised loan limits for FHA, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae. Specifics have not been released but reports indicate that the 2008 limits have been reinstated for 2009 except in those communities where the 2009 limits are higher. Additional increases in

individual communities may also be available at the discretion of the HUD Secretary.

Foreclosure Mitigation & Neighborhood Stabilization - Funding for states and local communities to be used for neighborhood stabilization activities for the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes are authorized.

These elements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are the pillars of the NAR Housing Stimulus Plan presented to the 111th Congress.

Additionally we continue to work closely with the Department of Treasury and Secretary Timothy Geithner to implement a mortgage buy-down program.

NAR also recommended that the Treasury Department expand the Term Asset-Backed Loan Facility (TALF) to include commercial mortgage-backed securities as eligible collateral. The Treasury has approved this recommendation and this will encourage investment in the commercial real estate market.

The Economic Stimulus Bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, H.R. 1) Additional Housing and Other Provisions of Interest to NAR

Rural Housing Service - Increased funding for the Rural Housing Service direct and guaranteed loan programs.

Low Income Housing Grants - Allow states to trade in a portion of their 2009 low-income housing tax credits for Treasury grants to finance the construction or acquisition and rehabilitation of low-income housing, including those with or without tax credit allocations.

Tax Exempt Housing Bonds - Tax-exempt interest earned on specified state and local bonds issued during 2009 and 2010 will not be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). In addition, financial institutions will have greater capacity to purchase tax-exempt state and local bonds.

Energy Efficient Housing - Grants for energy retrofits for federally assisted housing (section 8), funding for Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants to states, and Increases in the residential tax credit through 2010 for certain energy efficient upgrades.

Transportation - Spending for upgrades and repairs of road, bridges

and transit facilities.

Broadband Deployment - Grants to make broadband available in unserved communities

Make no mistake-our work with Congress and the Treasury Department is not yet completed, as the leading advocate for homeowners and the real estate industry, the National Association of REALTORS will continue to address the issues facing Americans who are trying to purchase a new home, protect their current home or preserve investment opportunities in residential and commercial properties.

NAR recognizes the efforts of the members of Congress and the Senate who understand that without a housing recovery, an overall economic recovery is impossible.

It's what each of us who works in the luxury and resort real estate market hopes will happen...one day the phone will ring and there will be someone whose name is recognized in most households asking about a listing.

First thought," Okay, which one of my friends is pulling my leg?"

Second thought, " Oh my gosh, is this really _________?"

Third thought, " Try not to sound 'star struck'."

After all those thoughts fly around for a bit, we come to discover that many of these folks aren't so different from us. They want a place where they can have a quiet dinner with friends and no one asking for their autograph. They want to be able to get out of their boats at the local marina and have a hamburger with their kids without having body guards hanging around. They want to be able to sunbathe on the top deck of their boathouse without having to worry about paparazzi sneaking a picture. Mostly, they want to be like you and me - enjoying life without having everyone make a big fuss about their presence.

If you have ever worked with a client like this, you'll acknowledge that the hardest part is not being able to tell your best friend that you showed houses to __________ or that you've had a call from a person representing __________ and they are arriving by helicopter at the local fire station the next afternoon in order to see your listing.

So, if you can't keep a secret, don't even try to work with any of these folks. For the most part, they don't want anyone to know they have been there, that they are buying there or that they live there.

When the occasional easily recognizable face pops up on the TV or movie screen, you can just smile smugly and know that being able to keep a secret isn't part of what they teach you in real estate school, but it can certainly enhance your career as a broker working in the resort and second home market!

Although I was very busy in the last few days showing property, I always manage to to take a few photos here and there.

Today, my adventures took me near Black Rock Mountain State Park in Clayton Georgia. So I decided to take a quick detour and take the short hike to Ada-Hi Falls. The falls don't have a lot of volume, but they are over 50 feet tall and easily accesses after a quarter mile hike.

Although the short trek consumed less then an hour of my time, I was refreshed and a bit invigorated after the climb back to the car!

There is beauty all around us, if we just take the time to enjoy it!

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.